2026-10-01 - City Council

00:25Oo.

00:58visitors. Please retire

01:03to the seats out outside the rail.

01:12I note that an hour has come

01:16and that a quorum of this city council

01:18is present.

01:46Before proceeding, I would like to for

01:49all those who are present to please set

01:52your cell phones to silent and or

01:54vibrate.

02:10>> Good morning everyone.

02:12>> Good morning everyone.

02:13>> Morning.

02:14>> To give our invocation this morning, the

02:16chair recognizes

02:18Reverend Jay Bergen, pastor of

02:20Germantown Menite Church. He is here

02:23today as guest of Council Member

02:25Nicholas Oor. I will ask all members and

02:28guests to please rise.

02:38Thank you all for being here. Normally

02:41Menanites consider

02:43political leadership more of a

02:45punishment than um something to

02:47celebrate, but it is an honor to be

02:49here. Nevertheless,

02:52we come here to acknowledge, to

02:54recognize the one in whose oneness we

02:57find our shared humanity.

03:00And when we gather to deliberate, to

03:02discuss, to discern,

03:05our greatest responsibility is to hear

03:08each other.

03:11If our discernment is to mean anything,

03:13it is dependent, I think, on who we are

03:17hearing. Not just who we listen to, but

03:20who we actually hear.

03:24We are all of us

03:26from our different traditions, our

03:28different faiths, our different

03:29practices, always seeking out the voice

03:33of the divine, the presence of the Holy

03:35One who is here guiding our discernment.

03:42So God, give us ears to hear you.

03:48As we discern our response to a warming

03:52climate,

03:54help us hear the choking cries of our

03:56neighbors crying out for clean air for

03:59their cries or your cries. Oh God,

04:03as we discern our response to rising

04:06fascism, help us hear the cries of those

04:10living under fear of deportation. The

04:13families on 66th and Pascal this morning

04:16who hid in their homes as ICE agents

04:18stalked the streets. For their cries are

04:21your cries, oh God.

04:25As we discern the budgets for our

04:29police, for our jails, let us listen

04:31especially to the tears of the mothers

04:34who have buried one child and lost

04:36another child to incarceration.

04:40For those who live at the intersection

04:42of such pain and loss and injustice,

04:45their cries are your cries, oh God.

04:50And as the fortunes of the wealthy pile

04:52higher,

04:55may we here in this room,

04:58may all of us in this city hear the

05:00cries of the workers,

05:03of the families who cannot afford rent,

05:06of the everyday people who are made in

05:08divine image and yet denied full

05:10humanity by the rapacious greed and

05:13violence of racial capitalism.

05:16Their cries are your cries, oh God.

05:21So, holy one, by whatever name we know

05:24you and call on you, give us ears to

05:26hear. Give us hearts and hands to act.

05:31Help us remember the words of the

05:33prophets who warned that unhearing

05:35leaders do not last long at top their

05:37pedestals.

05:39Help us be worthy of the work that is

05:42before us.

05:44for our own sake, for our children and

05:47our children's children, and for all of

05:50your creation.

05:52Amen.

05:54The chair thanks Reverend Bergen for his

05:56invitation. Council will be at ease.

06:30you.

07:58The next

08:00chair recognizes the presence of

08:02Councilman Mark Squiler. The next order

08:05of business is the approval of the

08:06journal of the meeting of Tuesday,

08:08September the 26,

08:10September 24th of 2026. The chair

08:14recognized Councilman Cindy Bass.

08:16>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move that

08:18the journal of the meeting of Thursday,

08:19September 24th, 2026 be approved.

08:23>> It has been moved and properly seconded

08:25that the journal of the meeting of

08:27Thursday, September the 24th of 2026

08:30stand approved. All those in favor will

08:33signify by saying I. I.

08:35>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

08:38journal is approved.

08:40The next order of business is request

08:42for leave of absence and the chair

08:44recognizes majority leader Katherine

08:46Gilmore Richardson.

08:48>> Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of

08:50the majority, there are no requests for

08:51leave of absence today.

08:53>> The chair thanks the majority leader.

08:55The chair recognizes minority whip

08:58council member Nicholas Oor.

09:00>> Thank you, Mr. President, on behalf of

09:02the minority, a leave of absence is

09:03requested for council member Kendra

09:05Brooks.

09:07>> Leave is granted. Thank you very much.

09:09The chair thanks the

09:12minority whip. The chair now recognizes

09:15majority Katherine Gilmore Richardson

09:17for a motion concerning certain

09:19legislative matters that re may arise

09:22during the course of today's session of

09:24council and that were not listed on the

09:26calendar circulated prior to today's

09:29council session.

09:31Thank you, Mr. President. I move that

09:33any of the following matters, if

09:34considered today, may be added to the

09:37agenda for this session of council and

09:38as required by law, subsequently

09:41published on an amended agenda after the

09:43consideration of those matters.

09:45Resolutions authorizing hearings.

09:47Amendments to bills on first reading.

09:49The reconsideration of a bill veto by or

09:51recalled from the mayor. Amendments to

09:53bills recalled from the mayor.

09:54Resolutions taking substantive action to

09:57be voted on in this session. A motion to

09:59withdraw a bill or resolution that is

10:01not on the calendar. And a motion

10:02placing a bill or resolution on or

10:05returning a bill or resolution from the

10:07suspension calendar that is not listed

10:08on today's calendar. The purpose of this

10:11motion is to provide the public with

10:12notice concerning possible actions by

10:14council that arose too late to be

10:16included on the calendar that was

10:18published prior to today's session.

10:20Second,

10:20>> it has been moved in property seconded

10:22that the legislative matters stated by

10:24majority leader Katherine Gilmore

10:25Richardson may be added to the agenda

10:28for today should those matters arise

10:30during the course of this session of

10:32council. All those in favor will signify

10:34by saying I.

10:35>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

10:38motion carries.

10:41The chair will dispense with the regular

10:43order of business to recognize the

10:46guests and visitors joining us in

10:47council chambers this morning. On behalf

10:50of all members of city council, I

10:52welcome you to our council session. We

10:54appreciate your taking the time to join

10:56us as we attend the legislative affairs

10:59of our great city. We certainly invite

11:02you to come again. The chair recognizes

11:04majority leader Katherine Gilmore

11:06Richardson.

11:07>> Thank you, Mr. President.

11:10Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for

11:12the acknowledgement. Today, I wanted to

11:14recognize the presence of Independence

11:16Blue Cross Foundation on the occasion of

11:18their 15th anniversary. Today we are

11:21joined by Heather Major, the president

11:23of the Independence Blue Cross

11:25Foundation, Courtney Stfan, manager of

11:28Independence Bluec Cross Foundation, Joy

11:31Hammer, Joy Hammer, government affairs

11:34manager, Lindseay Van Horn, associate

11:36policy analyst, and all the team members

11:39from the Independence Blue Cross

11:41Foundation. We thank you for joining us

11:43here in council today for your 15th

11:44anniversary. Please stand and be

11:46recognized.

11:51Welcome to city council.

11:56Take a moment of personal privilege to

11:59um acknowledge

12:01the honorable former state

12:03representative and spiritual icon here

12:05in the city of Philadelphia,

12:08the honorable Louise Williams Bishop.

12:10Let's give her a round of applause.

12:11Thank you for joining us today.

12:18We also have another special guest. I'm

12:20going to ask for Councilman Ruland to

12:22please introduce.

12:24>> Um, good morning, Council President.

12:26Thank you. I would like everybody to

12:28give a warm welcome to Mayor Erica Dusso

12:32from Downing Town. She is here as a

12:34special guest today and will be speaking

12:36at public comment um on behalf of my

12:40National Coming Out Day resolution. Uh,

12:42Mayor Dusso is the first openly

12:44transgender mayor in the Commonwealth of

12:46Pennsylvania. Please stand up.

12:58Welcome to City Council. The chair

13:00recognized Council Cindy Bass.

13:04>> Thank you, Mr. President. Today, I want

13:06to welcome to our body the National

13:08Council of Negro Women who are here

13:10today. if we could ask them to please

13:11stand. And we wanted to just make note

13:13that they are here and they were founded

13:15in 1935 by ma Dr. Mary Mloud Bthoon um

13:20and established to unite

13:21African-American women and organizations

13:24to improve the quality of life for

13:25women, families, and communities while

13:27advancing equal rights and

13:29opportunities. So, we want to thank them

13:30for their service and we'll be hearing

13:32more from them during public comment.

13:34Thank you so much, ladies, for being

13:35here.

13:38Welcome to Philadelphia City Council.

13:41Chair recognized Councilman Jamie

13:42Gartier.

13:45>> Thank you, Council President, and good

13:47morning everyone. Um, I have several

13:50guests in chambers today that I'd like

13:52to recognize. Um, I'm proud to rec

13:55recognize first the elders, descendants,

13:58advocates, and historians who are here

14:00with us today in support of my rec

14:04resolution formally recognizing the

14:06historic neighborhood of the Black

14:08Bottom and the city's records. Um,

14:11please join me in welcoming Black Bottom

14:14Elder Gerald Davis, uh, Amy Hillier, uh,

14:18and Cara Mlen from the University of

14:21Pennsylvania. Um and here on behalf of

14:24uh Dr. Shauna Thomas L and uh Edy Gong,

14:29Emily uh Nadio here on behalf of

14:34Professor Edward Epstein at the

14:36University of Pennsylvania along with

14:38representatives of the Black Bottom

14:40Association, the Black Bottom Tribe, um

14:44and especially Dr. Walter Palmer and the

14:48Palmer Foundation as well as the Penn

14:51Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice

14:54Clinic. Um, the Black Bottom was a

14:56vibrant black community in West

14:58Philadelphia that was essentially raised

15:01and dismantled by the city of

15:03Philadelphia um in concert with the

15:06University of Pennsylvania and other

15:08institutional partners um in the name of

15:11University expansion and economic

15:14development. And through that activity,

15:16it's estimated that 15,000 black people

15:18were displaced from West Philly. And I

15:21think it's important that we always

15:23recognize um that history so that it

15:25never happens again to another

15:27community. Can the representatives from

15:29the Black Bottom please stand up and be

15:31recognized?

15:41I am also uh proud and honored today to

15:44welcome into chambers representatives

15:46from Monumental Baptist Church. Um today

15:49we're honored to have Reverend uh Dr.

15:53Jay Wendell Mapson, uh his wife, Mrs.

15:56Mapson, and their son Jesse Mson. Um

16:00they are here in support of a resolution

16:03that uh that I have naming the 200 block

16:06of South 50th Street Monumental Way and

16:09they are also um the church home of one

16:12of our wonderful uh council staff

16:14members Carmela Green uh who I also

16:16think is in is in chambers. Monumental

16:19Baptist has such a proud history. Um

16:22they were founded in 18 uh26 and they

16:25are celebrating 200 years of faith and

16:28service and community impact. I'm so

16:30proud to have them in my district and to

16:33be naming um the street where they

16:35reside after them. Can you all stand and

16:36be recognized, please?

16:45>> Thank you so much, Council President.

16:48They also just happen to have an

16:50outstanding gospel choir. So I just want

16:52to acknowledge that for the record. The

16:55chair recognized council member Katy

16:57Lazada.

16:58>> Thank you, Council President. Later this

17:00morning, I am going to do a presentation

17:03recognizing the contributions of Latino

17:06leaders across um the city. Uh but they

17:09have brought with them some guests that

17:11I'd like you all to help me welcome into

17:13our chamber. They are members of the

17:15leadership team at Jefferson Health as

17:17well as members of local 57. If you'd

17:20like to please stand up to be

17:22recognized.

17:29>> Welcome to Philadelphia City Council.

17:31Always good to see Esban Vera of Local

17:3557. Chair recognized Council Member

17:37Nicholas Oor.

17:39>> Thank you, Council President. And I'd

17:41like to recognize Marne Gangel and

17:43congratulate her on her retirement after

17:4537

17:46years of exemplary service at the

17:48Defender Association of Philadelphia.

17:50Marne has been a steadfast champion for

17:53children and youth in Philadelphia, both

17:55as an attorney representing young people

17:57in the dependency system and as the

17:59first director of policy and child

18:00advocacy. On behalf of Minority Leader

18:03Brooks, I'd like to thank Marty for her

18:04excellent work on the Reproductive

18:06Freedom Task Force and her decades of

18:08advocacy for young people in need of

18:10reproductive care. Marne, would you

18:12please stand to be recognized?

18:19We certainly welcome you in the

18:20chambers. And I'd also like to recognize

18:22workers from Starbucks Workers United

18:25SEIU who are calling on all of us to

18:28boycott Starbucks until they come to the

18:29table and negotiate a fair contract.

18:31Somebody said no contract, no coffee.

18:33Thank you, Mr. President.

18:35>> Thank you very much. Welcome to

18:38Philadelphia City Council. Chair

18:40recognize Councilman Jeffrey J. Young.

18:42>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. Um I want

18:45to welcome to our chamber um a former

18:48police commissioner. I believe he's the

18:4913th police commissioner in

18:50Philadelphia's history. Um, Commissioner

18:52Sylvester Johnson, would you please

18:54stand and welcome you to City of

18:56Philadelphia City Council?

19:02>> And the the commissioner is here today

19:04um in support of uh someone we're

19:06honoring today, uh, Lieutenant Greg

19:08Brown, who's retiring after 40 years of

19:10of serving in our city with the

19:11Philadelphia Police Department. Uh, so

19:13thank you for being here in support of

19:14Mr. Brown today.

19:17Welcome. Thank you for being here today,

19:20Commissioner Sylvester Johnson,

19:23who coined the phrase, we will not

19:25arrest our way out of this system

19:27situation. We have to invest in people.

19:29Thank you, Commissioner Sylvester

19:31Johnson, for being here today.

19:36Um, and soon we will have um honor of

19:40outstanding labor leader here in the

19:42city of Philadelphia. Um he's joined by

19:44um his better half um first lady of

19:47lady, first lady of labor Tony St. we

19:50will be honoring Sam Stton Jr. Thank you

19:52for being here. Local 332.

20:03At this time, the chair recognizes

20:06Council Member Ketty Lazada, who will

20:08present a resolution honoring and

20:10recognizing

20:11the distinguished Latino leaders and

20:13community advocates in the city of

20:15Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage

20:17Month. Can those joining Council Member

20:20Kesley Lazada please join her at the

20:23podium?

20:33Members joining member Lazada are

20:36Counciloman Mike Driscoll,

20:38Council Member Dr. Nina Amed,

20:42Counciloman Nicholas Soror,

20:45Council Member Jim Harity,

20:47Council Member Jamie Gartier,

20:50Majority Leader, Katherine Gilmore

20:53Richardson,

21:03and the good doctor, Council Member

21:05Anthony Phillips.

21:23>> Floor is yours, Member Lazada.

21:25>> Thank you, Council President. Good

21:27morning. Buenos Diaz.

21:38It is an honor for me to have uh all of

21:41these Latino leaders in chamber this

21:43morning. Um and I thank them for the

21:46work that they do in our community day

21:48after day. Hispanic Heritage Month is a

21:51time to celebrate the rich history,

21:54culture, and contributions of Latino

21:56communities across the city of

21:57Philadelphia, but it is also an

21:59opportunity to recognize the individuals

22:02who have dedicated their lives to

22:04serving the communities and creating

22:06opportunities for others. Today, I am

22:09especially proud to honor five Latino

22:12leaders whose work has made a lasting

22:14impact in Philadelphia. from media and

22:17health care to labor education and

22:20community advocacy. It is my privilege

22:23to recognize Maria de Pil Morales

22:26Arbino,

22:28Janette Diaz, Rainey Figeroa Torres, and

22:33Estavan Vera Jr.

22:41We are unable to be joined by Reverend

22:43Wanda Nales who was also being

22:46recognized for her contributions and

22:48leadership in the community. Uh she

22:50sends her regards um for not being able

22:54to be here today. With that, I am proud

22:56to introduce this resolution, honoring

22:58their leadership, service, and

23:00commitment to our city, recognizing and

23:03honoring distinguished Latino leaders

23:05and community advocates in the city of

23:07Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage

23:10Month. Whereas Hispanic Heritage Month

23:12is celebrated annually from September

23:1515th to October 15th to recognize and

23:18honor the histories, culture, and

23:21contributions of Americans whose

23:23ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the

23:26Caribbean, and Central and South

23:28America.

23:30And

23:33>> and whereas Philadelphia's Latino

23:36communities have long enriched the

23:38social, cultural, and economic fabric of

23:41our city, distinguishing themselves as

23:44business owners, educators, civic

23:46leaders, artists, and essential workers

23:49who build stronger neighborhoods and

23:51inspire future generations. And for a

23:54point of personal privilege, special

23:56shout out to my home church, Eiglacia

23:58Dio.

24:00man.

24:05>> Whereas while the achievements and

24:08enduring legacy of Hispanic a legacy of

24:11Hispanic and Latino community should be

24:12honored throughout the year, Hispanic

24:14Heritage Month offers a dedicated moment

24:17to celebrate their resilience, vibrancy,

24:20and immeasurable impact on the life of

24:22our city and the nation. And

24:28>> whereas in celebration of Hispanic

24:31Heritage Month 2026, the Council of the

24:35City of Philadelphia is proud to

24:38recognize local advocates, educators,

24:41artists, leaders, those who work in

24:44health and wellness, youth empowerment,

24:47education, and cultural preservation.

24:50continue to uplift and empower

24:52Philadelphia's Latino communities. And

24:57whereas Maria Delpelar Morales Salino

25:01has distinguished herself as a proud

25:03Puerto Rican media leader and champion

25:06of Hispanic culture, dedicating more

25:09than 37 years to television and radio

25:12across Puerto Rico and the United

25:14States. Through her work with Radio

25:16Barinkquin, Telmundo 62, and Mega Radio,

25:20Par has used her voice and platform to

25:23uplift Hispanic stories, celebrate

25:26Puerto Rican heritage, and keep

25:28communities connected. And through her

25:31long-standing commitment to media and

25:33culture, she has become an influential

25:36voice and source of pride for

25:38Philadelphia's Hispanic community. And

25:44whereas Maria, excuse me, sorry. Whereas

25:48Janet Diaz, president and CEO of

25:51Congresso de Latinos Unidos, has

25:54dedicated more than 35 years to serving

25:57and strengthening Philadelphia's Latino

25:59community. Born and raised in North

26:02Philadelphia, Janette has held

26:04leadership roles focused on health,

26:07wellness, youth services, and family

26:10well-being, helping create greater

26:12opportunities for Latino families to

26:15thrive. and through her leadership at

26:17Congresso and commitment to equity,

26:20economic mobility, and opportunity,

26:23Janette continues to advocate for and

26:26uplift Philadelphia's Latino community.

26:29And

26:33>> whereas Rainery Figureroa Torres is a

26:36dedicated healthcare and community

26:38engagement leader who has spent nearly a

26:41decade building partnerships and

26:42expanding access to healthcare resources

26:45for underserved and culturally diverse

26:48communities. As manager of community

26:50engagement at Jefferson Health Plans,

26:53Reery brings together health care

26:55providers, community organizations,

26:57schools, and families while working to

26:59ensure Latino communities have access to

27:02information, resources, and

27:04opportunities. And as a bilingual and

27:07culturally responsive leader, she is

27:09helping create a more equitable health

27:11care system where Latino families are

27:14represented, heard, and empowered. And

27:22All right. Whereas Estabbon Vera Jr. is

27:26a proud Puerto Rican and longtime

27:29Philadelphia labor leader who has

27:31dedicated his career to creating

27:33opportunities for working families and

27:36strengthening the voice of the Latino

27:38community. As business manager of

27:40Laborers Local 57, Estabbon became the

27:44first Latino to lead a major union in

27:48the Philadelphia region.

27:54and as the first Latino to serve on

27:57SEPTA's board of directors, he has

27:59brought Latino representation into

28:02important spaces of regional leadership

28:05and through his commitment to organized

28:07labor, community service, and expanding

28:09opportunity. Estabbon continues to serve

28:12as a powerful example of Latino

28:15leadership in Philadelphia. And

28:21whereas Wanda Novales is a proud Puerto

28:25Rican educator, faith leader, and

28:28community advocate whose life's work has

28:30been rooted in serving Philadelphia's

28:32Latino community. After moving from

28:34Puerto Rico to Philadelphia as a child,

28:37Wanda dedicated her career to education

28:39and became the founding CEO and

28:42principal of Pan-American Charter

28:44School, creating opportunities for

28:46students and families in Kensington.

28:47Today, as a member of the Philadelphia

28:49Board of Education, executive pastor of

28:52City Reach Church, and longtime

28:54community leader, she continues to

28:56advocate for Philadelphia students and

28:57families, bringing people together

28:59through faith, education, and community

29:02service while uplifting Latino families

29:04and inspiring the next generation of

29:06leaders. And

29:11whereas these five distinguished leaders

29:14reflect the strength, resilience, and

29:16diversity of Philadelphia's Latino

29:18community, and through their leadership,

29:20service, and dedication have helped

29:23create a city where Latino families can

29:25see themselves, their culture, and their

29:28future represented. Now, therefore, be

29:31it

29:34>> resolved that the Council of the City of

29:37Philadelphia hereby recognizes and

29:39honors these distinguished Latino

29:41leaders and community advocates during

29:44Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrates the

29:46countless ways Latino Philadelphiaians

29:48continue to shape and strengthen our

29:50city, and reaffirms our commitment to

29:53uplifting Latino voices, honoring our

29:56shared histories and culture, and

29:58ensuring that every corn in every corner

30:00of Philadelphia there is an opportunity

30:03to thrive

30:05at

30:10>> congratulations.

30:14Please introduce your guest.

30:17>> At this time I'd like to introduce um

30:19local 57 um representative uh um

30:24>> Estaban Vera. Oh my goodness.

30:26>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good

30:28morning everybody.

30:30>> Good morning. Thank you guys. I won't be

30:33long just to say a few words. I'm so

30:35grateful and honored to be sitting up

30:37here with everyone that does so much

30:38great work. I got to give a shout out to

30:40my brother, vice president of our

30:42international union, Sam Stton, who is

30:44here with Tony

30:46>> and and the representatives from our

30:49local our business agents uh Marcel

30:51Confessor and Raheem. Thank you so much

30:52for the hard work that they do. real

30:55quick. This I appreciate this citation,

30:58but this isn't about me. This is about

31:00the work that all of us do collectively.

31:02And and one thing that I've learned

31:04growing up in this city is that if we

31:06don't take care of our own, nobody's

31:08going to come to save us.

31:10>> Nobody.

31:11>> So, I'm honored to be amongst

31:13like-minded. Um I believe that we're a

31:16family here in Philadelphia. And it

31:18isn't by coincidence that we get so much

31:20great work done in this great city. It's

31:23because of everybody in this room that's

31:25doing the work. Thank you and I'm

31:26honored. Thank you so much for

31:28everything.

31:32Esther Bond, I just have one question to

31:34ask you. I don't know how you have a

31:36former labor member that's a member of

31:37council who let his other member make

31:41the acknowledgement honor you first

31:43member Jim Hardy, but that's a different

31:45conversation. Council will be at ease.

31:48I'm with him.

32:12Yeah.

32:17Oh man.

32:19Wow.

32:43Yep.

34:06Um the chair also will take a moment of

34:09personal privilege um to recognize

34:13former city council president and mayor

34:16of the city of Philadelphia, Mr. John F.

34:18Street. Thank you for being here today,

34:20sir.

34:32At this time, the chair recognizes

34:34Council Member Jeffrey J. Young, who

34:37will present a resolution naming the

34:391400 block of Thompson Street as Samuel

34:42Stton Jr. Way to honor the life,

34:45leadership, and enduring contributions

34:47of Samuel Stton Jr. to organize labor

34:51working families in the city of

34:53Philadelphia with Sam Stton Jr. and

34:55those accompanying him. Please join

34:57Council Member Young at the podium.

35:14Joining member Young are the following

35:16members. Councilman Rulandal,

35:20Council Member Mike Driscoll,

35:23Council Member Nicholas Soror,

35:33Councilman Dr. Nina Med,

35:36Council Mark Squila,

35:40Council Katherine Gilmore Richardson,

35:43Council Member Jim Harity,

35:58>> member Y, the floor is yours, sir.

36:01>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, today

36:06we have the privilege of of honoring

36:09someone who uh has been supportive of

36:12communities throughout this city for a

36:14long time. Um, as you can see, standing

36:17behind us or with us council members um

36:20are people that represent different

36:24parts of what keeps Philadelphia going.

36:28Um, and they're up here because of the

36:30support uh that Mr. Staten has provided

36:33over the years to keep Philadelphia

36:35going. And we had a a ceremony, you

36:40know, on Labor Day um to recognize Mr.

36:43Stton. Um but this is to formally do it

36:46in in city council and pass the

36:48legislation. Um so it can be forever

36:51known um the 1400 block of Thompson

36:53Street can be forever known as Samuel

36:55State and Junior Drive. Um and so we're

36:58going to start the presentation. Um,

37:02also naming the 1400 block of Thompson

37:05Street as Samuel Stton Jr. Way, uh, to

37:10honor the life, leadership, and enduring

37:12contributions of Samuel Stton Jr. to

37:15organized labor, to working families,

37:18and to the city of Philadelphia.

37:23Whereas Samuel Stton Jr., born September

37:279th, 1952, is a native of Philadelphia,

37:32a graduate of Germantown High School,

37:35and the son of the late Saman Senior.

37:39Yeah, I'm

37:41whose own life of service helped

37:44establish a proud tradition of

37:46leadership within Philadelphia's labor

37:49community. And

37:53>> and whereas Samuel Stton Jr. began his

37:56career in 1972

37:59when he joined Labor's International

38:02Union of North America Local 332

38:05and spent seven years working in the

38:08field as a laborer, gaining firsthand

38:10knowledge of the work, sacrifice,

38:13dignity, and determination of the men

38:16and women whose labor has built and

38:20sustained the city of Philadelphia And

38:26>> whereas over the decades that followed,

38:29Samuel Stton Jr. rose through the ranks

38:31of local 332, serving as field

38:34representative, recording secretary,

38:37secretary treasurer, assistant business

38:39manager, president, and ultimately

38:42business manager, dedicating his career

38:44to advancing the interests of laborers

38:47and expanding opportunity for

38:49Philadelphia's working families. And

38:52whereas Samuel Stton Jr.'s 's leadership

38:55extended throughout the labor movement,

38:57including service as a leader within the

38:59laborers district council of the

39:00metropolitan area of the Philadelphia

39:02and vicinity, the Philadelphia AFL CIO

39:05and the Philadelphia Building and

39:06Construction Trades Council. And in

39:092016, he was appointed vice president of

39:11the Laborers International Union of

39:14North America, bringing his Philadelphia

39:16rooted leadership to a union

39:17representing working people throughout

39:19the United States and Canada. And

39:31whereas his service to Philadelphia has

39:33reached far beyond the union hall,

39:35including leadership and service with

39:37organizations concerned with workforce

39:39development, housing, education,

39:42African-American labor leadership, and

39:45the well-being of Philadelphia's

39:46communities. And in 2018, the council of

39:50the city of Philadelphia approved his

39:51appointment to the board of commissions

39:53for the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

39:55And

39:59whereas Samuel Stton Jr. has made the

40:03preparation of the next generation of

40:05workers a central part of his legacy,

40:08championing training and apprenticeship

40:11opportunities and founding the Samuel

40:13Stton senior pre-apprenticeship program

40:16to introduce Philadelphiaians to family

40:19sustaining careers in the skilled trades

40:22and provide young people with pathways

40:24forward towards economic security,

40:27professional development and lifelong

40:30opportunity And

40:39whereas in recognition of his decades of

40:43leadership and commitment to developing

40:44skilled workers, laborers local 332

40:47named its new training facility the

40:49Samuel Stton Jr. building in 2021,

40:53ensuring that generations of laborers

40:55will enter their profession in a place

40:58bearing the name of a man who devoted

41:00his life to strengthening their union,

41:02their craft, and their possibilities.

41:05And

41:08whereas for more than five decades,

41:11Samuel Stton Jr. has demonstrated a

41:14steadfast commitment to the principle

41:16that working people deserve dignity,

41:19opportunity, representation, and a

41:22meaningful stake in the prosperity of

41:24the city they helped build. And his

41:26leadership has strengthened

41:27Philadelphia's labor movement while

41:29opening doors for countless workers and

41:32families. Now therefore be it

41:36resolved by the council of the city of

41:38Philadelphia that the 1,400 block of

41:42Thompson Street shall also be named

41:45Samuel Stton Jr. Way in honor of Samuel

41:48Stton Jr. and his more than five decades

41:51of distinguished service, leadership,

41:53and commitment to organized labor,

41:55working families, workforce

41:57opportunities, and the city of

41:59Philadelphia.

42:07The chair recognizes

42:10Mr. Sam State Jr.

42:16Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Got to make sure my

42:19better half is right here next to me

42:20because she is the spoken of my wills

42:23for sure.

42:25Um, first I want to say God is good all

42:29the time.

42:30Uh to my honorable mayor who is my

42:34sister,

42:36to my city council president Kiana

42:39Johnson who is my brother

42:42to city council family and friends who

42:46are my family.

42:49I want to thank you for this honor.

42:51My family, thank you for this honor.

42:54I tell you, I try to live by my word.

43:00I'm going say that again. I tried to

43:03live by my word

43:06because I found out in this world

43:09your word means everything.

43:13It comes along with trust.

43:15It comes along with love. It comes along

43:18with dedication.

43:21I wasn't always an angel,

43:25but God spared me.

43:27gave me a second chance.

43:42And I've been committed

43:45to giving young men and women a second

43:48chance

43:50because for a long time

43:53they would throw away.

43:56People didn't care.

43:59It's how they've been treated.

44:03But God touched me.

44:06And as bad as I was,

44:09he said, "I got a plan for you.

44:12I got a mission for you."

44:14And I've been on that mission ever

44:16since. Try to save every young

44:19gentleman,

44:21every young woman that want a second

44:23chance at life.

44:26Today is really special.

44:29Really, really special

44:32because it's my dad's birthday.

44:44>> And I know he is smiling down on me.

44:47He had truly blessed me with opportunity

44:49cuz I tell you, Ara's father would have

44:52threw me away a long time ago. That's

44:54how bad I was.

44:56But again, when you out to try to do the

44:58right thing, God holding you up.

45:02I just want to say to city council that

45:05our young people need help.

45:08Just last night, um, we just take a

45:11moment of silence for the 83y old woman

45:13that has got shot last night on her

45:16porch.

45:18I mean, you spend your life working

45:22and you retire

45:24and you can't even sit on your porch to

45:25enjoy life. Something wrong with that.

45:29But guess what? It's all our fault

45:33because we're not taking charge of our

45:34neighborhoods. Like when I was small,

45:38there was a lot of going on the gambling

45:40with they wouldn't let you see it. They

45:42tell you get away from it.

45:45And that's when neighbors were

45:46neighbors.

45:48We got to bring the neighbors back to

45:50the hood

45:52because that's the control we need. Men

45:55got to stand up. You're living in a

45:58situation. You know it ain't cool and

46:00you make it sound like it's not your

46:02problem. It is your problem.

46:04In most cases, you created some of the

46:07problem.

46:08So, we need to stand up and make our

46:10mayor and this city council have a

46:12better way of producing for our young

46:14people, our communities, and our

46:16neighborhood to make Philadelphia be

46:19what it can be, the greatest city in

46:21this nation. We got a lot of hard

46:24workers and sometime we not working on

46:26the same page. We got to get on the same

46:28page. We got to put trades back in our

46:31schools so our young people, all of them

46:33will have opportunity. And that's just

46:35special schools.

46:36>> All schools should have the trades.

46:44>> And what I'm saying to you, if we don't

46:46do this, every time a 12th grader

46:48graduate and don't have a job, they

46:50don't have college, you send them

46:51straight to the street

46:53>> to create havoc. All guys on the corner

46:55is not bad guys.

46:57They need opportunity. They have a

46:59family to take care of. So when they

47:01stick somebody up a because they want to

47:04may have to to bring some money and food

47:07in the house and want to sacrifice

47:09themsel to go to jail for their family.

47:11That shouldn't be the Philadelphia that

47:12we know.

47:14We have a better Philadelphia and we can

47:16do much much better. We got to work

47:18together,

47:19this council, our mayor, put people

47:23first, put community first and you gonna

47:26get the best results you from that when

47:28people start turn over doing the right

47:29thing. the killing stop. Our kids

47:32getting a better education.

47:34As long as God give me strength and

47:37breath, I'll be here to fight the fight.

47:40Even I retire, I plan on fighting the

47:42fight because our young people need

47:45their guidance. They need some heroes

47:48and sherro because right now they

47:52working on air. We're not supporting

47:54like we should. So again, I want to

47:56thank council for the opportunity. I'm

47:58going to thank Councilman Jeffrey for

48:01the opportunity uh to have my name on

48:04the street that I know will be there

48:05forever. I purposely put that school on

48:07Broad Street or we our council Mr. S. By

48:11still here uh put that school on Broad

48:13Street to bring the school to the

48:15community because when we have out Exon

48:18that's kind of far it's still there.

48:19It's going to serve Xon but Philadelphia

48:22we want us to take advantage of the

48:24training school for our young people. So

48:26again, thank council, thank the mayor.

48:28God bless.

48:32>> Council Biz

53:29What's up?

53:58The next order of business is

54:00communications. The chair request that

54:02the sergeant-at-arms deliver the

54:04messages from the mayor to the chief

54:06clerk. Will the chief clerk please read

54:08the messages from the mayor and any

54:10other communications in his possession?

54:14>> To the president, the members of the

54:16council of the city of Philadelphia. I'm

54:18transmitting for the consideration of

54:19your honorable body the following

54:21proposed. A resolution authorizing the

54:23Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of

54:252751 Kensington Avenue located in the

54:28first council manic district in

54:29accordance with the terms of chapter

54:3016-700 of the Philadelphia code. A

54:34resolution authorizing the commissioner

54:36of public property to execute and

54:37deliver to the Philadelphia

54:38Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying

54:40fees simple title to 18081 1809 1810

54:441812 1819 North Bailey Street 2611 Cecil

54:49be Moore Avenue 2438 2442 2456 2648 2651

54:55North Corali Street 1816 1838 1839 1841

55:011843 1845 184 1848 1851 1861 1862 1866

55:08North Eding Street 2519 2600 2611 2513

55:142516 2517 2526

55:182539 2556 North Stanley Street 1726

55:23North 26th Street 1735 1747 North 27th

55:27Street in the fifth council manic

55:29district of the city of Philadelphia and

55:30further authorizing the Philadelphia

55:32Redevelopment Authority to transferred

55:33to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple

55:35title to such properties pursuant to

55:36section 16-405 of the Philadelphia code.

55:40A resolution authorizing the

55:42Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to

55:43execute and deliver to the Philadelphia

55:45Land Bank a deed conveying title to 1811

55:47West Style Street located in the fifth

55:49council manic district pursuant to the

55:51requirements of the Commonwealth Land

55:52Bank Act.

55:54A resolution authorizing the

55:55commissioner of public property to

55:57execute and deliver to the Philadelphia

55:58Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying

56:00fee simple title to 1412 West Clearfield

56:03Street, 1709 1711, 1713 West Lipincot

56:07Street, 2935 North Hick Street, 2941

56:11North Sidum Street, 3152, 3156, 3157

56:16North Carile Street, 3110, 3116 North

56:20Rosewood Street, 3131 North Chadwick

56:22Street, 31 3127 North Braftoft Street,

56:263106 3141 North 15th Street, 3035 North

56:3016th Street in the 8th Castlemanic

56:32District of the City of Philadelphia,

56:33and further authorizing the Philadelphia

56:35Redevelopment Authority to transfer to

56:37the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple

56:39title to such properties pursuant to

56:40section 16-45 of the Philadelphia Code.

56:45And I am pleased to advise you that on

56:47September 30th, 2026, I signed the

56:49following bill which was passed by

56:51council at its session on September

56:5217th, 2026. Bill number 260381.

56:56There are no further communications in

56:58my possession. Council President,

57:01>> thank you very much. The messages will

57:03be printed in the journal. The chair

57:05recognizes Council Member Jeffrey J.

57:07Young.

57:11>> Good morning, Mr. President. Again, I

57:13wanted to uh recognize uh former fifth

57:17district council member and former mayor

57:19uh John F. Street who was in uh our

57:21chambers. Um I no longer see uh Mayor

57:24Street uh but I wanted to make sure

57:28recognize him when he comes back in

57:29here. Thank you.

57:30>> Thank you very much, sir. Chair

57:31recognize Councilman Isaiah Thomas.

57:34>> Good morning, Council President. I

57:35apologize for being tardy. Philadelphia

57:37knows how much you don't like that. Um,

57:39but I did want to on your behalf um say

57:43welcome to Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and

57:46thank you for your leadership as it

57:48relates to uh recognizing them today and

57:50give a special shout out to the

57:52executive director Meg Kaine who also

57:54worked closely with my office through

57:56the planning process and also to uh Dale

57:58Hoody and Michelle Singer and everybody

58:01else who worked across two districts to

58:02put us in a position to have six games

58:05at the Lingfest uh over 39 days Fairfest

58:09and a lot of great things not just

58:10across the city but especially in the

58:12second council manic district. So, uh,

58:14council president, thank you for your

58:15leadership. Welcome to our special guest

58:17and thank you for having uh for being a

58:19big part of a great celebration in 2026.

58:21Thank you.

58:22>> Very much my friend. Thank you very

58:23much. Chair recognized Council Member

58:25Curtis Jones Jr.

58:27>> Thank you, Mr. president and thank you

58:29member Thomas for the acknowledgement of

58:32the wonderful summer uh we had enjoying

58:35football as opposed to American soccer.

58:39I would also like to say that in

58:41addition, Lemon Hill, Lemon Hill uh was

58:45the site of a lot of FanFest activities,

58:48but more importantly, long after the

58:51football games are done, uh Commissioner

58:55Slawson has committed to uh putting in

58:59one of the largest outdoor

59:03rec centers of of fields, playgrounds in

59:07in the city of Philadelphia to be a

59:09memorial to that summer of fun and I

59:12will share it semi reluctantly with

59:15Jeffrey Young.

59:18Thank you, Mr. President.

59:20>> Thank you very much, Member Jones.

59:22That's a great project to share though,

59:24so I think that works. Um, at this time,

59:27we will have introduction of bills and

59:31resolutions.

59:35Chair recognizes

59:40Councilman Dr. Anthony Phillips.

59:44>> Thank you so much, Council President. I

59:46have one nonprivilege resolution for

59:49introduction today.

59:50>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

59:51read the title of the non-privileged

59:53resolution. a non-privileged resolution

59:55urging the Philadelphia Department of

59:57Public Health, Department of Licenses

59:59and Inspections, Department of

1:00:00Sanitation, and other appropriate city

1:00:02agencies to immediately prioritize and

1:00:05coordinate efforts to address the

1:00:07growing roaded infestation in the lower

1:00:09northeast section of Philadelphia and to

1:00:11treat current conditions as an urgent

1:00:13public health and quality of life

1:00:14emergency requiring immediate city

1:00:17action.

1:00:20This resolution will be placed on the

1:00:22final pastor's calendar for

1:00:24consideration at the next session of

1:00:26council. Chair recognizes council member

1:00:29jar leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

1:00:32>> Thank you Mr. President. Today I offer

1:00:34two resolutions, one privilege

1:00:36resolution and one non-privileged

1:00:39resolution on your behalf.

1:00:41>> Thank you very much. Chief, please read

1:00:43the

1:00:45resolutions. A non-privileged resolution

1:00:48confirming the appointment of Monnique

1:00:50Matt Galloway Esquire as the city

1:00:52solicitor.

1:00:54>> This resolution we place on the

1:00:58final passage count council be at ease.

1:01:09This resolution will be referred to the

1:01:11appropriate committee.

1:01:14>> And a privileged resolution honoring and

1:01:16congratulating the Independence Blue

1:01:18Cross Foundation on the occasion of its

1:01:2015th anniversary.

1:01:22>> This resolution will be pleased on

1:01:23today's final passage calendar. The

1:01:25chair recognizes Councilman Jamie

1:01:27Gartier.

1:01:28>> Good morning, Council President. Today I

1:01:30have one non-privilege resolution, one

1:01:32bill, and two bills on your behalf.

1:01:35>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:01:36read the title of the bills and

1:01:38resolutions.

1:01:40>> An ordinance authorizing the sanitation

1:01:42commissioner and procurement

1:01:43commissioner on behalf of the city of

1:01:45Philadelphia to enter into agreements

1:01:47for the collection, transfer, and

1:01:49disposal of municipal solid waste under

1:01:52certain terms and conditions. This bill

1:01:53will be referred to the appropriate

1:01:54committee

1:01:55>> and an ordinance authorizing the

1:01:57sanitation commissioner and procurement

1:01:58commissioner on behalf of the city of

1:02:00Philadelphia to enter into agreements

1:02:02with several vendors to process and

1:02:04market recyclable materials under

1:02:06certain terms and conditions. This bill

1:02:08will be referred to the approval

1:02:09committee

1:02:10>> and an ordinance to approve amendments

1:02:12to the University of Pennsylvania master

1:02:14plan in the area bounded by Walnut

1:02:16Street, 32nd Street, South Street, and

1:02:1933rd Street related to the David

1:02:21Writtenhouse Laboratory at 3200 Walnut

1:02:25Street. This bill referred to the

1:02:26appropriate committee

1:02:27>> and a non-p privileged resolution also

1:02:30naming the 700 block of North 47th

1:02:32Street as Men of Mill Creek Way to honor

1:02:36the legacy and impact of the men of Mil

1:02:38Creek on the Mill Creek community.

1:02:40>> Very well done, Mr. Garcia. This

1:02:43resolution will be placed on the final

1:02:45pastor's calendar for consideration the

1:02:47next session of council. And so let me

1:02:49add a little brevity to this council

1:02:51session. So I'm going to acknowledge

1:02:53Council Member Jeffrey J. Young. It is a

1:02:55little different when you stand on the

1:02:56shoulder of a giant in the spirit of

1:02:58Cecil B. Moore to the great John F.

1:03:01Street. So the chair recognizes member

1:03:03Jeffrey J. Young of the fifth council

1:03:05manic district.

1:03:06>> Thank you Mr. President. And as you were

1:03:08saying that um I'm looking at a bookmark

1:03:11that my office created with the former

1:03:13fifth district council members. Um and

1:03:15it reads history lives on when we read.

1:03:17It has pictures of all the former fifth

1:03:19district council members. uh myself,

1:03:22Council President Daryl Clark, Mayor

1:03:24John Street, the Honorable Cecil uh B.

1:03:26Moore, uh Ethu Allen, right? The first

1:03:29black woman uh council member um city

1:03:31council, um you know, council member uh

1:03:36uh Thomas Mintosh and of course uh

1:03:38Raymond Pace Alexander uh the first

1:03:41African-American on Philadelphia City

1:03:43Council, the first African-American

1:03:45judge in the court of common please um

1:03:46in Pennsylvania. Uh so when you think

1:03:49about fifth district council members,

1:03:50right, that's the legacy uh that we have

1:03:53to live up to in fifth district council

1:03:55members. Um and I want to honor and

1:03:57recognize former fifth district council

1:03:59member and mayor. Um someone whose

1:04:02administration I've been a part of since

1:04:04I was 17 years old learning and

1:04:07understanding how to really make this

1:04:08city the best city it can be. Um so I

1:04:10really want to honor uh Mayor John F.

1:04:12Street here this morning uh for being

1:04:14with us today. Mayor Street. Always

1:04:24a pleasure to see Mayor Street. We

1:04:27appreciate you, sir. He still continues

1:04:29to serve um to this day. Chair

1:04:32recognized Councilman Isaiah Thomas.

1:04:35>> Good morning again, Council President.

1:04:36Good morning, colleagues of

1:04:37Philadelphia. Today, I have one

1:04:39resolution on your behalf, Council

1:04:40President. Thank you.

1:04:41>> Thank you very much, Chief Kirk. Please

1:04:43read the title of the resolution.

1:04:46A privilege,

1:04:48>> a privileged resolution congratulating

1:04:50Daniel Hilfrey, Michelle Singer, the

1:04:53board of directors, and the entire

1:04:54Philadelphia Soccer 2026 team for their

1:04:57successful planning and execution of the

1:04:592026 FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia.

1:05:03>> This resolution placed on today's final

1:05:06passage calendar. Chair recognized

1:05:09Council Member Curtis Jones.

1:05:13>> Thank you, Mr. President, colleagues,

1:05:15and the listening audience, today I

1:05:17offer one bill, one privilege, and one

1:05:20non-privileged resolution.

1:05:22>> Thank you very much, member Jones. Chief

1:05:24Clerk, please the title of the bill and

1:05:26resolutions.

1:05:27>> An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:05:29zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:05:31designations of certain areas of land

1:05:33located within an area bounded by

1:05:35Lancaster Avenue, 62nd Street, Lebanon

1:05:38Avenue, 63rd Street, and Malver Avenue.

1:05:41This bill will be referred to the

1:05:42appropriate committee

1:05:45>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:05:47October 5th, 2026 through October 9th,

1:05:502026 as the city of Philadelphia's

1:05:53maximizing economic development med

1:05:55celebrating small and local businesses,

1:05:58a focused week of programming providing

1:05:59small and local businesses throughout

1:06:01Philadelphia's neighborhoods and

1:06:03commercial corridors with access to key

1:06:06information and resources.

1:06:08This resolution will be placed on the

1:06:10today's final passage calendar. Very

1:06:12well done, member Jones. Continue, chief

1:06:14clerk.

1:06:15>> And a non-p privileged resolution

1:06:17renaming the 5200 block of Lancaster

1:06:20Avenue as Sheree Elmecky Way to honor

1:06:23Sheree Elmechi and his decades of

1:06:25distinguished service to Philadelphia

1:06:26students, educators, schools, and

1:06:28communities.

1:06:30>> This resolution we place on the final

1:06:32pastor's calendar for consideration at

1:06:34the next session of council. The chair

1:06:36recognized Council Ruandal.

1:06:38>> Good morning again, Council President.

1:06:40Thank you. Today I have four privilege

1:06:42resolutions.

1:06:45>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:06:46read the title of the resolutions.

1:06:48>> A privileged resolution recognizing

1:06:50National Coming Out Day on October 11th,

1:06:532026 in the city of Philadelphia. This

1:06:56resolution will be placed on today's

1:06:57final passage calendar

1:06:59>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:07:00October 2026 as LGBTQ plus history month

1:07:05in the city of Philadelphia and honoring

1:07:07the activists, advocates, and members of

1:07:09the LGBTQ plus community who continue to

1:07:12fight for civil rights and equality.

1:07:14>> This resolution will be placed on

1:07:16today's final passage calendar

1:07:18>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:07:19October 4th through the 10th as digital

1:07:22inclusion week in the city of

1:07:23Philadelphia.

1:07:25This resolution be placed on today's

1:07:27final passage calendar

1:07:28>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:07:30October 2026 as cyber security awareness

1:07:33month in the city of Philadelphia and

1:07:35acknowledging the importance of

1:07:36empowering individuals and organizations

1:07:38to prevent and recognize online threats

1:07:41providing resources to protect sensitive

1:07:43data and fostering a culture of digital

1:07:45safety by educating the public on best

1:07:47practices.

1:07:48>> This resolution we place on today's

1:07:50final passage calendar. Chair recognizes

1:07:53Councilman Ketsy Lazada.

1:07:55>> Thank you, Council President. Good

1:07:56morning, everyone. I have nothing today.

1:07:58>> Thank you very much. Chair recognizes

1:08:00Council Member Jeffrey J. Young.

1:08:02>> Thank you, Mr. President. Today, I have

1:08:03three bills, two privileged resolutions,

1:08:06and one non-privileged resolution.

1:08:07>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:08:09read the title of the bills and

1:08:11resolutions.

1:08:13>> An ordinance authorizing various

1:08:15encroachments in the vicinity of 1849

1:08:18Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103,

1:08:21under certain terms. and conditions.

1:08:23>> This bill be further to appropriate

1:08:24committee

1:08:26>> and an ordinance renaming the Penrose

1:08:28Recreation Center to the Shirley M.

1:08:30Kitchen Recreation Center to honor the

1:08:32life and legacy of Shirley Kitchen, a

1:08:34pioneering public servant and civic

1:08:35leader with an immeasurable impact on

1:08:38the greater North Philadelphia

1:08:39community.

1:08:40>> Very well done. Member Young, this bill

1:08:44will be referred to the approving

1:08:45committee

1:08:46>> and an ordinance authorizing the

1:08:47Commissioner of Parks and Recreation on

1:08:49behalf of the city of Philadelphia to

1:08:51enter into a multi-year agreement with

1:08:53Broad Street Love Park LLC for the

1:08:55design, construction, management, and

1:08:57operation of a food and beverage

1:08:59concession at the welcome center

1:09:01building Saucer in Love Park. All under

1:09:04certain terms and conditions. This bill

1:09:05be referred to the appropriate committee

1:09:09>> and a privileged resolution honoring and

1:09:11recognizing Lieutenant Gregory A. Brown,

1:09:13Senior, on the occasion of his

1:09:15retirement from the Philadelphia Police

1:09:16Department and commending him for 40

1:09:18years of exemplary public service.

1:09:27>> This resolution be placed on today's

1:09:29final passage count. and a

1:09:31non-privileged resolution authorizing

1:09:33the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority

1:09:35to execute and deliver to the

1:09:36Philadelphia Land Bank a deed conveying

1:09:38title to 1811 West Style Street located

1:09:41in the fifth Councilmatic District

1:09:43pursuant to the requirements of the

1:09:45Commonwealth Land Bank Act.

1:09:47>> This resolution will be placed on

1:09:48today's final passage calendar. Next

1:09:51week,

1:09:52>> this resolution will be placed on the

1:09:53final passage calendar for consideration

1:09:55at the next session of council

1:09:57>> and a non-privileged resolution

1:09:59authorizing the commissioner of public

1:10:00property to execute and deliver to the

1:10:02Philadelphia redevelopment authority

1:10:04deeds conveying fee simple title to

1:10:061808, 1809, 1810, 1812, and 1819 North

1:10:12Bailey Street, 2611 Cecil Bmore Avenue,

1:10:162438, 2442,

1:10:182456, 264 48 and 2651 North Corley

1:10:23Street,

1:10:251816, 1838, 1839, 1841, 1843, 1845,

1:10:311848, 1851, 1861, 1862, and 1866 North

1:10:38Eding Street, 2519, 2600, 2611, 3019,

1:10:433021, 3027, 3029, 3031, and 3039 West

1:10:49Oakdale Street 2423 2425 2437 2446 251

1:10:56254 256 2513 2516 2517 2526 and 2539 and

1:11:052556 North Stanley Street 1726 North 26

1:11:10Street 1735 and 1747 North 27th Street

1:11:14in the fifth council district of the

1:11:15city of Philadelphia and further

1:11:17authorizing the Philadelphia

1:11:18redevelopment authority to transfer to

1:11:20the Philadelphia Land Bank v simple

1:11:22title to such properties pursuant to

1:11:24section 16-405 of the Philadelphia code.

1:11:28This resolution may place on the final

1:11:30passage calendar for consideration at

1:11:32the next session of council.

1:11:37I have

1:11:40several resolutions on behalf of

1:11:44member Brooks that will be introduced by

1:11:47member Nicholas Sor.

1:11:51>> Thank you, Council President. I am

1:11:52introducing one privilege resolution and

1:11:55one non-privileged resolution on leader

1:11:57Brook's behalf today.

1:11:59>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:12:01read the title of the resolutions.

1:12:05A privileged resolution honoring,

1:12:07commending, and congratulating Marne

1:12:09Gangal on the occasion of her retirement

1:12:11from the Defender Association of

1:12:13Philadelphia, celebrating her

1:12:15extraordinary career and enduring

1:12:16commitment to justice, reproductive

1:12:18rights, and the children and families of

1:12:20our city.

1:12:22This resolution be placed on the day's

1:12:23final passage calendar

1:12:25>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:12:27October 12th, 2026 as Indigenous

1:12:30People's Day in the city of

1:12:31Philadelphia, honoring and commemorating

1:12:33the achievements, traditions, and

1:12:35contributions of American Indians, also

1:12:37known as indigenous peoples, and

1:12:39affirming the city's commitment to

1:12:40historical truth, cultural respect,

1:12:43education, and partnership with

1:12:45indigenous communities. This resolution

1:12:47will be placed on today's final passage

1:12:49calendar. Chair recognizes member

1:12:51Herity.

1:12:54>> Thank you, Council President. I have no

1:12:56bills or resolutions today.

1:12:57>> Thank you very much. Chair recognized

1:12:58Councilman Nicholas Soror.

1:13:00>> Thank you, Council President. I have one

1:13:02non-privileged resolution to introduce

1:13:03today.

1:13:04>> Thank you very much, sir. Chief clerk,

1:13:05please read the title of the resolution.

1:13:17Council be at ease.

1:13:35>> In the meanwhile, go Phillies.

1:13:41>> This is privileged.

1:13:43>> Yes.

1:13:44>> Please resume. Okay. Is that okay? Okay.

1:13:58>> You can hold it for I can introduce it

1:13:59now and you can hold it for passage next

1:14:01week.

1:14:01>> Let's do that.

1:14:02>> Yes.

1:14:02>> Okay.

1:14:04>> Okay. I would request that we hold it

1:14:07for next week.

1:14:09>> I'll read I'm going to read the title.

1:14:11>> Okay.

1:14:11>> Okay. Chief, clerk, please resume.

1:14:14>> A privileged resolution honoring the

1:14:16citywide tenant union of the

1:14:17Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of

1:14:19America and tenants, tenant leaders, and

1:14:21tenant organizers at the Emerson and

1:14:23Florence Gardens who are organizing to

1:14:25end rental junk fees and secure basic

1:14:27ten tenants rights and protections in

1:14:30the city of Philadelphia.

1:14:32>> Thank you very much. This will be held

1:14:34until next week. Chair recognizes

1:14:38council member Mike Driscoll.

1:14:39>> Morning, Mr. President. Nothing today.

1:14:41>> Thank you very much. Chair recognized

1:14:43council member Brian O'Neal.

1:14:45>> Thank you, Mr. President. I have no

1:14:46bills or resolutions.

1:14:47>> Thank you very much. Chair recognized

1:14:48Council Member Mark Squiller.

1:14:50>> Thank you, Mr. President. I have two

1:14:51non-privileged resolutions in one bill.

1:14:53>> Thank you very much, Chief Clerk. Please

1:14:54read the title of the bill and

1:14:56resolutions, please.

1:14:58>> An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:14:59zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:15:01designations of certain areas of land

1:15:03located within an area bounded by Lehi

1:15:05Avenue, Belgrade Street, Aramingo

1:15:07Avenue, and Miller Street.

1:15:10This bill will be referred to the

1:15:11appropriate committee

1:15:12>> and a non-privileged resolution

1:15:13authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank

1:15:15to dispose of 2751 Kensington Avenue

1:15:18located in the first Councilmic District

1:15:20in accordance with the terms of chapter

1:15:2216-700 of the Philadelphia Code.

1:15:27>> Council be at ease.

1:15:44This resolution will be placed on the

1:15:45final pastor's calendar for

1:15:47consideration of the next session of

1:15:49council.

1:15:50>> And a non-p privileged resolution

1:15:52designating the week of Sunday, October

1:15:5411th through Saturday, October 17th as

1:15:57Italian-American Heritage Week in the

1:15:59city of Philadelphia. This is done in

1:16:00celebration of the countless

1:16:02contributions Italian-Americans have

1:16:03given to our country and honoring Bob

1:16:05Pantano as the grand marshall of the

1:16:082026 Philadelphia Italian-American

1:16:10Heritage Parade.

1:16:15>> This resolution placed on the final

1:16:16pastor's calendar for consideration

1:16:19at our next session of council. Well

1:16:21done, member. It's a South Philly thing.

1:16:26The chair now recognizes Council Member

1:16:27Cindy Baz. Thank you, Mr. President. I

1:16:30offer one bill and three privilege

1:16:32resolutions. Two on your behalf.

1:16:34>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:16:36read the title of the bill and

1:16:37resolutions.

1:16:39an ordinance authorizing the revision of

1:16:41lines and grades on a portion of city

1:16:43plan number 149 by striking from the

1:16:46city plan and vacating the legally open

1:16:48portion of Hartwell Lane from Semol

1:16:50Street to its terminus southwestwardly

1:16:52there and reserving and placing on the

1:16:54city plan a right of way for water main

1:16:57purposes and public utility purposes

1:16:59within the lines of the portion of

1:17:01Hartwell Lane being stricken and

1:17:03authorizing acceptance of the grant to

1:17:05the city of said right ofway under

1:17:07certain terms and conditions. This bill

1:17:09will be referred to the appropriate

1:17:10committee

1:17:12>> and a privileged resolution honoring the

1:17:15Black Brain campaign for a decade of

1:17:17dedicated work to destigmatize mental

1:17:19health in black communities by providing

1:17:22mental health services and culturally

1:17:23competent training for clinicians.

1:17:26This resolution may please on today's

1:17:28final passage calendar

1:17:29>> and a privileged resolution celebrating

1:17:31the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia

1:17:33Police Department's Women in Patrol and

1:17:36honoring five decades of women's service

1:17:39and leadership in law enforcement. This

1:17:41resolution we place on the today's final

1:17:43passage calendar

1:17:45>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:17:47and honoring the National Council of

1:17:48Negro Women Incorporated, NCNW, for its

1:17:52unwavering commitment to empowering

1:17:54women, strengthening families, advancing

1:17:56educational and economic opportunities,

1:17:58promoting health equity, advocating for

1:18:01social justice, and uplifting

1:18:02communities.

1:18:03>> Outstanding organization. Very well

1:18:05done. Member B chair recognizes

1:18:07Councilman Dr. Nina Mad.

1:18:09>> Thank you, Council President. I'm

1:18:10introducing four privilege resolutions.

1:18:13One of which is on your behalf and one

1:18:15is being co-introduced with council

1:18:17member Jones.

1:18:18>> Thank you very much. Chief clerk, please

1:18:19read the title of the resolutions,

1:18:21please.

1:18:22>> A privileged resolution recognizing

1:18:25October 2026 as National Breast Cancer

1:18:27Awareness Month in the city of

1:18:29Philadelphia and honoring survivors,

1:18:31advocates, and all those affected by

1:18:33breast cancer.

1:18:34>> This resolution we please final pastor's

1:18:37calendar.

1:18:38>> Sorry. and a privileged resolution

1:18:40recognizing October 2026 as vision

1:18:43awareness month in the city of

1:18:44Philadelphia and honoring Overbrook

1:18:47School for the Blind's leadership and

1:18:48advancing education, technology, and

1:18:51access for individuals who are blind or

1:18:54visually impaired.

1:18:57>> This resolution be placed on the days

1:19:00final passage calendar. I know member

1:19:01Jones has done a significant amount of

1:19:03work with that school. So very well

1:19:05done, Dr. a man advocating for those who

1:19:08have vision disabilities

1:19:12>> and a privileged resolution authorizing

1:19:14the committee on public health and human

1:19:15services to hold hearings to investigate

1:19:18the impacts of reductions to Medicaid

1:19:20coverage under HR1 on Philadelphia

1:19:22residents, our health care providers and

1:19:25service organizations and to examine the

1:19:27city of Philadelphia strategy and

1:19:28preparedness to address those impacts.

1:19:32This resolution we place on the today's

1:19:35final passage calendar

1:19:37>> and a privileged resolution recognizing

1:19:40October 2026 as menopause awareness

1:19:42month in the city of Philadelphia to

1:19:44affirm the importance of ending the

1:19:46stigma and cultural silence surrounding

1:19:47menopause and to acknowledge it as a

1:19:50natural biological process that

1:19:52significantly impacts the physical and

1:19:54emotional well-being of many

1:19:55individuals.

1:19:57>> This resolution we place on today's

1:19:59final passage calendar. Next order of

1:20:01business is report from committees. The

1:20:04chair recognizes council member Cindy

1:20:06Baz for report on the committee on

1:20:10rules.

1:20:11>> Thank you, Mr. President. The committee

1:20:13on rules reports out six bills with a

1:20:15favorable recommendation.

1:20:17>> Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The

1:20:19chief clerk, could you please read the

1:20:21report?

1:20:24>> The committee on rules to which were

1:20:25referred the following bills. Bill

1:20:27number 260342,

1:20:29an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:20:31zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:20:33designations of certain areas of land

1:20:35located within an area bound by East

1:20:37Washington Lane, Kittinden Street, East

1:20:40Topah Hawken Street, East Hayne Street,

1:20:42and Arlay Street. Bill number 260343,

1:20:46an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:20:48zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:20:50designations of certain areas of land

1:20:52located within an area bounded by East

1:20:54Washington Lane, Stenton Avenue, East

1:20:56Hayne Street, and Ardlay Street. Bill

1:20:59number 260344,

1:21:01an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:21:02zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:21:04designations of certain areas of land

1:21:06located within an area bound by North

1:21:0818th Street, Colonial Street, North 17th

1:21:11Street, and Shelton Avenue. Bill number

1:21:13260345,

1:21:15an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:21:16zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:21:18designations of certain areas of land

1:21:20located within an area bounded by West

1:21:22Seymour Street, Knox Street, West Logan

1:21:25Street, and Kaiser Street. Bill number

1:21:28260429,

1:21:30an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

1:21:31zoning maps by changing the zoning

1:21:33designations of certain areas of land

1:21:35located within an area bounded by

1:21:36Frankfurt Creek, Aramingo Avenue, Butler

1:21:39Street, and Frankfurt Avenue. Bill

1:21:42number 260462

1:21:43as amended, an ordinance to amend the

1:21:45Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the

1:21:47zoning designations of certain areas of

1:21:49land located within an area bounded by

1:21:51Thompson Street, 17th Street, Gerard

1:21:54Avenue, Ridge Avenue, 19th Street, Cabat

1:21:57Street, and 18th Street and amending

1:22:00section 14-500 of the Philadelphia Code

1:22:02entitled overlay zoning districts by

1:22:05amending section 14-529

1:22:07entitled VDO fifth district overlay

1:22:11district all under certain terms and

1:22:12conditions. Respectfully reports it is

1:22:15considered the same and returns the

1:22:16attached bills to council with a

1:22:17favorable recommendation. There are no

1:22:19further bills to report out from the

1:22:21committee on rules. Council President,

1:22:23>> the chair recognizes council member and

1:22:25chair of the rules committee Cindy Bass

1:22:27for a motion.

1:22:28>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move that

1:22:30the rules of committee of rules of

1:22:31council be suspended to permit first

1:22:34reading this day of the bills just read

1:22:36into the record by the chief clerk. It

1:22:38has been moved in property seconded that

1:22:40the rules of council be suspended so as

1:22:42to permit the consideration of the bills

1:22:44just read by the chief clerk at today's

1:22:46session council. All those in favor of

1:22:49the motion will signify by saying I.

1:22:52>> Those opposed the eyes have it. The

1:22:53motion carries the bills will be placed

1:22:56on our first reading calendar for today.

1:23:00The chair now recognizes Council Member

1:23:02Jeffrey J. Young for a motion regarding

1:23:04special business.

1:23:06>> Uh thank you Mr. President, there was a

1:23:08technical error with uh prior bill

1:23:10260696

1:23:11honoring uh Shirley Kitchen. So, I move

1:23:14that the rules of council be suspended

1:23:15to permit consideration of special

1:23:17business at this time.

1:23:18>> It has been moved and properly seconded

1:23:20that the rules of council be suspended

1:23:22so as to permit the consideration of

1:23:24special business at this time. All those

1:23:26in favor will signify by saying I.

1:23:29>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

1:23:31motion carries. The chair recognizes

1:23:34Council Member Young for a motion

1:23:35regarding bill number 26096

1:23:39introduced at our stated meeting on

1:23:40September 17th of 2026.

1:23:45Would the clerk please read the title of

1:23:47the bill?

1:23:49An ordinance renaming the Penrose

1:23:51Recreation Center to the Shirley M.

1:23:53Kitchen Recreation Center to honor the

1:23:55life and legacy of Shirley Kitchen, a

1:23:57pioneering public servant and civic

1:23:59leader with an immeasurable impact on

1:24:00the greater North Philadelphia

1:24:02community. introduced by council member

1:24:04Jeffrey J. Young.

1:24:05>> Chair recognized council member Jeffrey

1:24:06J. Young.

1:24:07>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move that

1:24:09bill number 260696 be withdrawn.

1:24:12>> It has been moved and properly seconded.

1:24:14The bill number 260696

1:24:17be withdrawn. All those in favor, the

1:24:19motion will signify by saying I.

1:24:21>> Those opposed, the eyes have it. The

1:24:24motion carries and bill number 26096

1:24:28has been withdrawn.

1:24:30The next order of business is the

1:24:32consideration of the calendar. I note

1:24:34that the bills just reported from

1:24:35committees with suspension of the rules

1:24:37have been deemed to have had a first

1:24:39reading. These bills will be placed on

1:24:41the second reading and final passage

1:24:43calendar for the next session of

1:24:45council. The chair recognizes majority

1:24:47to captain Gilmer Richardson for a

1:24:49motion concerning bills on the first

1:24:51reading calendar, resolutions on the

1:24:53final passage calendar, and bills on the

1:24:55second reading and final passage

1:24:57calendar.

1:24:58>> Thank you, Mr. President. And the

1:25:00following bill on the first reading

1:25:01calendar is being held. Bill number

1:25:04260298.

1:25:06The following resolutions are being

1:25:07called up from the second reading from

1:25:09the final passage calendar. And the

1:25:12following bills are being called up from

1:25:13the second reading and final passage

1:25:15calendar today. Resolution numbers

1:25:182-60741,

1:25:20260767,

1:25:222-60770,

1:25:24260774,

1:25:26260779,

1:25:28and 260780.

1:25:31The following resolutions and bills on

1:25:33the calendar are being held. 260769,

1:25:3625-768,

1:25:3825807,

1:25:40and 260076.

1:25:42Resolution number 260766

1:25:45is being amended.

1:25:48>> Before considering these resolutions and

1:25:51bills, we will consider public comment

1:25:54as follows.

1:25:58Your public comment must concern matters

1:25:59on the second reading and final passage

1:26:01calendars for possible action at today's

1:26:03council session. All speakers must sign

1:26:05up in order to testify. If you're not

1:26:07already signed up for today's council

1:26:09session, please do so now by giving your

1:26:11name to Miss Hassnet at the table

1:26:13outside the rails to my left. Once you

1:26:16have signed up, you will be called in

1:26:18the order in which your name appears on

1:26:19the signup sheet. Under ideal

1:26:21circumstances, public commenters each

1:26:23will have three minutes to speak.

1:26:24However, this time limit may vary from

1:26:27session to session. Today, the time

1:26:29limit will be two minutes. In order to

1:26:31be fair to all those wishing to speak, I

1:26:33intend to hold faithfully to the

1:26:34two-minute limit. When you begin

1:26:36speaking, you will see a green light on

1:26:37the podium when there are 30 seconds

1:26:39remaining. To your time, the light will

1:26:41turn yellow, which is your reminder to

1:26:43conclude your remarks. Once two minutes

1:26:46have passed, the light will turn red and

1:26:48the sergeant-at-arms will disconnect the

1:26:50microphone. At that point, please yield

1:26:53the podium to the next speaker if you

1:26:55have not already done so. I also reserve

1:26:57the right pursuant to our rules of city

1:26:59council to limit repetitious comments on

1:27:02the very same subject matter.

1:27:06I will now ask the chief clerk to please

1:27:08read the speakers

1:27:10for public comment today.

1:27:18Former Mayor John Street,

1:27:22Mayor Erica Dusso,

1:27:25James Meredith, former police

1:27:28commissioner Sylvester Johnson,

1:27:31Stephen Clark, Crash Investigation

1:27:34Division Captain

1:27:36Lori Jones Brown, Jeremy Blatstein,

1:27:41William Small, John Macaulay, Lyn Landez

1:27:45and Jonathan Latco, please make your way

1:27:49to the podium.

1:28:05>> Good morning.

1:28:08>> To God be the glory.

1:28:10Great things he has done. to love to the

1:28:12world that he pro that he gave us his

1:28:14son. And as always, I promise to be

1:28:17brief no matter how long it takes.

1:28:22You could do better than that. I promise

1:28:24to be brief no matter how long it takes.

1:28:29Oh,

1:28:31all right. We got to come alive, people.

1:28:33Come alive. You know, come alive.

1:28:37Um, Mr. President, members of city

1:28:40council,

1:28:41council staff,

1:28:44those people who do the hard work of

1:28:49running the city.

1:28:52Can I see the hands of anybody here that

1:28:54does constituent service?

1:28:56Constituent service. You hear me?

1:28:59Constituent service.

1:29:01I don't want anybody to think that

1:29:03constituent service is one of them low

1:29:05jobs. It is the most important thing we

1:29:08do. Take care the problems of our people

1:29:13because too often you are their last

1:29:17resort resort. They can't get any help

1:29:22and then they call you.

1:29:24And a lot of times if we don't get it

1:29:26done for them, it just doesn't happen.

1:29:31And I thank you for that work. Now,

1:29:34today we are here to honor a person that

1:29:36I have the privilege of knowing for a

1:29:40while

1:29:41and that's I call him brother Brown. He

1:29:44was on my security force for the entire

1:29:47time I was mayor and I have to thank

1:29:50Commissioner Johnson for pulling him all

1:29:54out of the police department and putting

1:29:56him on the staff.

1:29:59And it was it was interesting because

1:30:02Greg Brown was one of those kind of

1:30:04people who always got it right. He was

1:30:07always on time.

1:30:09He was always used the right language.

1:30:12He always dressed right. He was what I

1:30:16consider to be an exemplary employee. If

1:30:19if anybody ever asked me, "Well, did he

1:30:20ever make a mistake? Did he ever do

1:30:22anything wrong?" I can't think of

1:30:25anything. Not one thing. I mean, we, as

1:30:30you all know, encountered some really

1:30:33interesting and challenging and

1:30:34sometimes threatening situations.

1:30:37And he was always there, always on the

1:30:41case. And I had this this a unique I had

1:30:46this a unique

1:30:49management approach to my staff. It was

1:30:52called management by humiliation.

1:30:56If you made a mistake, I didn't dock

1:30:59anybody's pay. I didn't fire anybody.

1:31:03I didn't, you know, do a lot of that. I

1:31:07would just tell everybody.

1:31:10We had cell phones. I would tell

1:31:12everybody. I had a list of about 50

1:31:14people. And you did something stupid, I

1:31:17would tell everybody. One time a guy did

1:31:19something really, really, really, really

1:31:21bad. And he said, "Please, Mr. Mr.

1:31:23Mayor, don't tell anybody. I said, I got

1:31:26to tell. He said, doc, my pay. I said,

1:31:28that that hurts your wife and the

1:31:30children. I got to tell. And in all the

1:31:34years, I never had a chance to say

1:31:38anything about him. I never got a chance

1:31:40to put him on any list. When I was a

1:31:42council president, I had the wall of

1:31:44shame. You do something. Sometimes they

1:31:48would send out a letter and it was like

1:31:50really messed up. I put it on the wall

1:31:52of shame, right? in the clerk's office.

1:31:55He will come in, the first thing they do

1:31:56is see, well, let me look at the wall of

1:31:58shame and see what's happening here

1:31:59today.

1:32:01But I got him once.

1:32:05Got him once. Now, you remember we used

1:32:07to Mr. President, can I have a

1:32:08presidential moment here?

1:32:11I'm begging for a presidential moment

1:32:13cuz I know my time is long up. My time

1:32:16is long up.

1:32:18And I'm telling you, he was that way.

1:32:20it. So, you might remember that we rode

1:32:23a lot of bikes. We did the bike thing

1:32:25and I rode. I've been riding in the bike

1:32:27and I was over 20 years older than

1:32:28everybody that was on my staff and I

1:32:31sometimes would pretend, but I have a

1:32:33hard time keeping up. Brown, no problem.

1:32:36Brown, no problem. So, one day we were

1:32:38going to do the the Atlantic City bike

1:32:40ride cuz I figured I can work some

1:32:43exercise into this thing. And I knew I

1:32:46was going to have Brown and all my staff

1:32:48and they we were going to be riding

1:32:50these bikes.

1:32:51So I said, "I'm beating them today."

1:32:55So a month before

1:32:57the ride, I put a 20 lb weight vest in

1:33:01the back of my van, my bike, so that I

1:33:03was riding around. They didn't know that

1:33:05I was I was training. And then on the

1:33:07day of the ride, you know how when you

1:33:10riding, you drink you drinking water and

1:33:12stuff? I didn't put any water in my my

1:33:16little thing. I put ice. So when we came

1:33:18to the first rest stop, guess what I

1:33:20did?

1:33:23Right on through the rest stop. One or

1:33:26two of them peeled off. Came to the

1:33:28second rest stop. You know what I did?

1:33:32Right on through the rest stop.

1:33:34They had they all had to stop to use the

1:33:36bathroom. And you know what? They never

1:33:40caught up. only time I can remember

1:33:44finishing anything before brother Brown.

1:33:48And guess what? I have the picture that

1:33:50I'm going to make available to him.

1:33:54But you know,

1:33:57in all sincerity,

1:34:00members of the police department,

1:34:03members of the mayor's security team,

1:34:06the people who come here to provide

1:34:09security for the members of city council

1:34:11and for the staff,

1:34:13they have a hard job. And I am telling

1:34:17you that I

1:34:20am loaded with appreciation

1:34:23for the work that Greg Greg Brown did

1:34:26when he was a part of our staff. And I

1:34:31want to thank everybody here for

1:34:33recognizing that because all too often

1:34:36when you make a mistake, you get put

1:34:39down. When you do the right thing,

1:34:42nobody says anything and everybody takes

1:34:44it for granted. But today we are

1:34:46recognizing the work of a person who was

1:34:49in the police department and on my staff

1:34:51I think for somewhere around 40 years.

1:34:54And that's a long time. That's a life of

1:34:56service. But the thing that he did

1:35:00that made the biggest statement that

1:35:04anybody could make was he picked Lorie

1:35:07Jones to be his wife. Thank you.

1:35:25Okay.

1:35:27How do I follow that?

1:35:30Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to

1:35:32Councilwoman Lando and to all of city

1:35:34council for welcoming me. I'm honored to

1:35:36join you in recognizing LGBTQ History

1:35:39Month and National Coming Out Day. I'm

1:35:41Erica Dusso, mayor of Downing Town in

1:35:44the heart of Chester County. And as

1:35:46Councilwoman Landau said earlier, I am

1:35:48Pennsylvania's first openly transgender

1:35:50mayor and the country's only serving

1:35:53elected transgender mayor.

1:36:00I recently received Equality Forum's

1:36:03Frank Cam Award and I'm proud to join

1:36:05Councilwoman Landau as a fellow

1:36:06recipient.

1:36:08That recognition carries a

1:36:09responsibility to continue the work of

1:36:12those who fought for our right to live

1:36:13openly. Their courage helped make it

1:36:16possible for me to stand before you as

1:36:18an elected official. I knew who I was at

1:36:21four years old, but myself but I myself

1:36:24came out at 29. Coming out has no age

1:36:27limit. People take that step throughout

1:36:29their lives, often uncertain about what

1:36:32that might cost them.

1:36:34Everyone deserves to make that decision

1:36:35in their own time and support them and

1:36:38care for their safety. Being transgender

1:36:40has shaped how I listen and serve. I

1:36:43know what it feels like to wonder

1:36:44whether you'll be accepted. And I bring

1:36:46that understanding to every neighbor who

1:36:48asks for help. LGBTQ people deserve to

1:36:52live openly, work, and grow older

1:36:54without their government treating their

1:36:56existence as a problem to solve. These

1:36:59resolutions affirm that we belong in our

1:37:02communities and in public service. And I

1:37:04would love to welcome you to mind.

1:37:06Downing town's fall festival is this

1:37:08Sunday from 11 to 4, just a train ride

1:37:11on from Philadelphia on the Poli

1:37:13Thorndale line, which some of you might

1:37:15remember as the R5. Come spend an

1:37:18afternoon with us in our good neighbor

1:37:19community. Thank you for having me. I'm

1:37:22proud to be a first and I intend to help

1:37:24make sure I'm far from being the last.

1:37:26Thank you.

1:37:49Good morning, President Johnson, members

1:37:51of the city council. Thank you for your

1:37:52time today. My name is Jim Meredith and

1:37:55I'm the president, a proud alum of

1:37:56Father Jud High School in Northeast

1:37:58Philadelphia. I'm here on behalf of the

1:38:00Father Jud community to express our

1:38:02enthusiastic support for resolution

1:38:04number 260780,

1:38:07the street renaming of the 3,300 block

1:38:08of Sally Avenue in memory of the 27

1:38:11Father's graduates who made the ultimate

1:38:14sacrifice in service to our country

1:38:16during the Vietnam War.

1:38:18The Roman po poet Virgil wrote, "No day

1:38:21shall erase you from the memory of

1:38:22time." At Judge, we honor our 27 and

1:38:27never erase their memory for our

1:38:29students, many of whom only know the

1:38:31Vietnam War's history. The memorial to

1:38:34our 27 at the entrance of our school on

1:38:37Sally Avenue stands as a tribute to

1:38:39their sacrifice and a reminder of their

1:38:42heroism.

1:38:43Our current students know these heroes

1:38:45as judge guys. They walked the same

1:38:48halls, learned in the same classrooms,

1:38:50and competed on the same courts and

1:38:52fields.

1:38:53Our 27 graduates who lost their lives in

1:38:56a distant land grew up in many of the

1:38:58same northeast Philadelphia

1:38:59neighborhoods as our current judge guys,

1:39:02Holmesburg, Home Circle, Mayfair, Oxford

1:39:06Circle, Pennyack Woods, Somerdale, Tone,

1:39:10and Tarsdale.

1:39:11Their daily pass from homes to judge

1:39:14began on many of the same Philadelphia

1:39:16streets our students travel today. McGre

1:39:18McGee Street, Oakmont, Aubry Avenue,

1:39:21Ditman, St. Vincent Street, Jackson

1:39:23Street, Tyson Avenue, Roosevelt

1:39:25Boulevard, Margo Place. The connection

1:39:29between generations is so important. Our

1:39:32students learn even after graduation,

1:39:35our 27 carried with them what they were

1:39:37taught at judge, including to call our

1:39:39patron saint St. Francis Sales be who

1:39:42you are and be that well our 27

1:39:47for these word these words meant

1:39:49something serving their country and

1:39:50their call to serve. Thank you for your

1:39:52support. Thank you.

1:40:02>> All right. Good morning. You think

1:40:03everything that was said about uh Greg

1:40:06Brown is probably already said by Mayor

1:40:08Street and the one thing about and I

1:40:12want to say a little thing about Mayor

1:40:13Street because I would not be police

1:40:14commissioner was not for him.

1:40:16>> I'm sorry.

1:40:19>> All right. My name is Sylvester Johnson,

1:40:22former police commissioner, city of

1:40:23Philadelphia. I spend 40

1:40:32I spent 43 years here in the city of

1:40:34Philadelphia as a not the police

1:40:36commissioner but as a police officer. Uh

1:40:38I known Greg Brown for almost my entire

1:40:41career, almost his entire career. He was

1:40:44not just a good police officer, but he

1:40:46was a friend. You know, one of the

1:40:48things I used to say and the city

1:40:49council president mentioned there's two

1:40:51things is that you can never arrest your

1:40:54problem. It wasn't about locking people

1:40:55up. It was about changing the quality of

1:40:58life here in the city of Philadelphia,

1:41:00which I tried to do. The two things that

1:41:02when I first went to the police

1:41:04commissioner, I met with the mayor and

1:41:06he says two things. And every community

1:41:08meeting that we went to, it was about

1:41:10two things. It was abandoned cars and

1:41:13drug sales. He came up with operation

1:41:16safe streets where we put almost 300

1:41:18police on every corner of city of

1:41:20Philadelphia to stop those things. says,

1:41:23"Mayor Street was an exceptional mayor.

1:41:25I was uh part of his staff

1:41:29and for those years that we never argued

1:41:31the street, but he gave me hell and

1:41:33baton there places." But it says it's

1:41:35about quality of life. It's about going

1:41:38out there and make the cities of

1:41:39Philadelphia that people that people can

1:41:41sit on their steps, kids can come out

1:41:43and play. Numbers is not important. when

1:41:46they talk about it a lot of times that

1:41:48you know our you know crime is down our

1:41:50homicide rate is down but one is too

1:41:53many when we can say that there's a lot

1:41:55of homicides that are down when we says

1:41:58120 homicides and we're proud of that we

1:42:01shouldn't be shouldn't be at all because

1:42:04it says one

1:42:06one is too many I couldn't do this with

1:42:09a lot of people that help me quite a bit

1:42:12and as Miss Johnson

1:42:14council president I city council

1:42:16president at that time. But everybody

1:42:20has to get involved in this. It has to

1:42:22be a holistic type approach. Everybody

1:42:25has to get involved. Police will never

1:42:27solve this problem, but as a community,

1:42:30we can. Thank you very much. And thank

1:42:31you very much for Greg Brown.

1:42:47Good morning everyone.

1:42:49My name is Stephen Clark uh captain

1:42:51commanding officer of the crash

1:42:53investigation division for Philadelphia

1:42:55Police Department and just here to

1:42:57commend and congratulate Greg Brown on

1:42:5940 years of service to the great

1:43:01citizens of the city of Philadelphia and

1:43:03its police department. Um 40 years ago,

1:43:07Greg at John W came to the Philadelphia

1:43:09Police Department via John W. Bartram

1:43:12High School and the United States Marine

1:43:14Corps. He since

1:43:17provided stellar dedicated service to

1:43:20the citizens of Philadelphia. Uh and he

1:43:23went to the ninth police district. 31

1:43:25years ago, this judge guy, remember our

1:43:2927 um via Temple University came to the

1:43:33Philadelphia Police Department and the

1:43:34ninth district. And for a brief period

1:43:37at the beginning of my career, our

1:43:38careers cross paths serving as citizens

1:43:42in the ninth district. Watching guys

1:43:43like Greg uh with the experience that he

1:43:46had uh taught me to be a police officer

1:43:48and I came in with the same values that

1:43:50I hold today. Um but they reinforced it

1:43:52and I saw it in action about the

1:43:53compassion, the care. You know, they

1:43:56lived the values that I learned in life

1:43:58and at my high school um of truth,

1:44:01justice, charity, and being a light in

1:44:03the darkness, right? And Greg was that

1:44:06for me. Um, and that was the beginning

1:44:09of my career. Greg then went on and he

1:44:11and he got promote he got promoted

1:44:13several times, continued to serve the

1:44:16citizens of Philadelphia in the same

1:44:17manner with the same calmness

1:44:21and measure of decency that we should

1:44:23all manage ourselves.

1:44:25Um, now at the end of my end of Greg's

1:44:28career, 31 years later, I for the past

1:44:31year have been supervisor with of

1:44:35the immediate supervisor, Greg, and it's

1:44:37been a pleasure to to do do that in that

1:44:39capacity. So, I just wanted to thank

1:44:40Greg for all those years of service,

1:44:43first as a as a member of the department

1:44:45and his supervisor, but also as a

1:44:4852-year resident of Philadelphia, a

1:44:51husband, and a father of three. Um,

1:44:54thank you for your service.

1:44:58>> Thank you. Uh, thank you everyone. Prior

1:45:01to acknowledging the next speaker, I am

1:45:03respectfully requesting that everyone

1:45:05hold to the twominut limit and I intend

1:45:08to keep the twominut limit for every

1:45:11witness. Thank you very much for your

1:45:13cooperation.

1:45:17Got it. Good morning. I'm Lorie Jones

1:45:19Brown. I have the extraordinary honor of

1:45:20recognizing my husband, Lieutenant

1:45:22Gregory Antonius Brown, Senior, for 40

1:45:24years of exemplary service to this city

1:45:26city of Philadelphia and his residents.

1:45:28For four decades, Greg has worn the

1:45:30badge with courage, discipline,

1:45:31integrity, and unwavering commitment to

1:45:33public safety. His service has taken him

1:45:35from his earliest days as young officer

1:45:36to the rank of lieutenant, where he has

1:45:38led, mentored, protected, and served

1:45:40countless Philadelphiaians. This

1:45:42resolution today, introduced by

1:45:44Councilman Jeff Young, recognizes more

1:45:46than a career. It recognizes the

1:45:48sacrifices that come along with wearing

1:45:49the uniform. The long hours, the missed

1:45:51holidays, the difficult calls, and the

1:45:53responsibility of being there when

1:45:55others need you the most. Greg, on

1:45:57behalf of your parents that are here,

1:45:58your sister, my mom, um, and your sons

1:46:01who could not be here today who follow

1:46:02you in law enforcement, I am incredibly

1:46:04proud of the officer, leader, husband,

1:46:06father, and man you have become.

1:46:07Congratulations on 40 years of service.

1:46:09You have earned this moment, and you

1:46:11certainly have earned your retirement,

1:46:12and I do have a honeydew list for you. I

1:46:14love you, and congratulations

1:46:27Hello, Philadelphia City Council. My

1:46:29name is Jeremy Bladstein.

1:46:31First off, thank you for 40 years of

1:46:32service. That's amazing. Um, it's really

1:46:35important that we support the

1:46:36Philadelphia Police Department. We're

1:46:37talking about a little bit about

1:46:38nuisance businesses. Shout out to the

1:46:40police for finally enforcing the

1:46:43shutdown orders that Ellen and I are

1:46:45putting on the windows. I was out in

1:46:46West Philadelphia on Friday night and I

1:46:48saw the police enforcing one of those

1:46:51LNI shutdown notices. So, that's a good

1:46:53step, right? Those nuisant businesses.

1:46:55State Rep. Almond Brown did his um

1:46:57crackdown on those um smoke shops that

1:47:00are illegally selling weed. We need to

1:47:02continue to make sure that those

1:47:03nuisance businesses are being properly

1:47:05enforced while properly supporting the

1:47:07small business in Philadelphia. Um in

1:47:10terms of LGBTQ plus awareness, it's

1:47:13really important. Shame, shame, shame on

1:47:16state rep um Aaron Bernstein in the

1:47:19comments he made. That's so unacceptable

1:47:22in terms of what he was talking about

1:47:24state rep Malcolm Kinyatta. Um yeah, he

1:47:28said some messed up things in a bar um

1:47:30about state rep Malcolm Kenyatta. Um and

1:47:33then we're talking about FIFA. Obviously

1:47:36that was crucial to the city of

1:47:37Philadelphia. Shout out to um the city

1:47:39of Philadelphia for doing that. We need

1:47:41more of that. And last but not least,

1:47:45we're talking about SEPTA.

1:47:48We obviously need to make sure that it's

1:47:52funded. We need to make sure that we're

1:47:54supporting the SEPTA police, right? It's

1:47:56a big issue right now in terms of the

1:47:58youth that are coming on the system and

1:48:01we need to make sure that they're

1:48:02working with the police along with

1:48:03providing the resources so that it's not

1:48:05just relying on that. And the last thing

1:48:08I'll say, when it comes to digital

1:48:09awareness, right, when you're posting

1:48:11videos that have curse words in it, it's

1:48:15unacceptable. Just span the Philadelphia

1:48:17Sheriff's Office. Ride the ride. Grow

1:48:19Philly to Tamily. Thank you.

1:48:28>> Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My

1:48:30name is William Small and I am a member

1:48:33of Flip Philly Red. Today, I originally

1:48:36came here to challenge 260076.

1:48:40But it seems as though last week I was

1:48:42cut off in silence when I wanted to

1:48:44question why a council woman receiving

1:48:47campaign funds from the Indian American

1:48:50Impact Fund, and believe me, there's

1:48:52nothing American about them. How she can

1:48:55try to amend our charter and our

1:48:58elections and she wasn't even born in

1:49:00America. So, I'm not even going to

1:49:02challenge that today. I'm going to

1:49:04challenge Councilman Oor's bill 260779.

1:49:09We're talking about stop using Starbucks

1:49:11in city council. I mean, really, that's

1:49:14that's what we're talking about,

1:49:15Starbucks. Are we going to stop taking

1:49:17their tax dollars, too? I mean, we got

1:49:19to start doing things that make sense.

1:49:21And I overheard next week we're honoring

1:49:23the Democrat Socialists of America for

1:49:26what? These are the people who want to

1:49:28put the police out of business. defund

1:49:30the prisons, defund the police, abolish

1:49:33our presidency, abolish our Senate,

1:49:36abolish our Supreme Court. Then we got

1:49:38Councilman Jeffrey Young running around

1:49:40here with money that belongs to the

1:49:42library. I heard it was $10 million. He

1:49:44acting like Nino Brown off NEW JACK CITY

1:49:46AND EVERYBODY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S

1:49:48HAPPENING WITH THE LIBRARY. NOW, I'm

1:49:50surprised I wasn't silenced today and I

1:49:53really appreciate that. And one more.

1:49:55One more. And I and and I love the fact

1:49:57that we honored the Black Bottom. It's

1:49:59been long overdue. My family came from

1:50:02North Carolina and we we were one of the

1:50:05originators in the Black Bottom. The

1:50:06first bar, 35th in Mount Vernon, 1959,

1:50:10by a black woman. But what I want to

1:50:12know is how the how the heck does Africa

1:50:15Town get honored before the Black

1:50:17Bottom? AFRICA TOWN? I MEAN, HAVE YOU

1:50:20GUYS WENT TO ADVANCED AUTO PARTS? THEY

1:50:22SPILLING OIL IN THE SEWER SYSTEM. IT'S A

1:50:24HUNDRED AFRICANS OUT THERE AND IT LOOK

1:50:26LIKE THE CONGO. THE PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN

1:50:28RUN THEIR BUSINESS.

1:50:30Thank you.

1:50:50>> Good morning everyone. My name is John

1:50:51Alante McGau. I'm with a grassroots

1:50:53organization called Flit Philly Red.

1:50:55We're here to bring you something

1:50:56different because you've been voting

1:50:58Democrat for the mayor's office for the

1:51:00past 70 years. In regard to resolution

1:51:03260779,

1:51:05a resolution by Council Member Aor

1:51:07endorsing the boycott of Starbucks

1:51:10called for by Workers United SEIU,

1:51:12encouraging residents to refrain from

1:51:14purchasing Starbucks products until they

1:51:17finalize a fair union contract. And

1:51:19since you're the so-called man of God,

1:51:22my question to Council Member Aor, would

1:51:24you have boycotted Starbucks back in

1:51:262015 when they waged war on Christmas

1:51:29and told their baristas not to say Merry

1:51:31Christmas, but happy holidays only when

1:51:34they greeted customers. Same company in

1:51:372023 that had rainbows on their cups,

1:51:39but never had Jesus. Just like Al

1:51:42Sharpton embracing and endorsing these

1:51:45stupid boycots. How about you boycott

1:51:47these black parents for allowing their

1:51:49sons to wear ski masks in these streets?

1:51:52Working families party and Democrats can

1:51:54teach your kids how to dance, but can't

1:51:56teach them how to read. But I get it.

1:51:59Siu was prepared to give 200 million to

1:52:02Biden and the Democrats in 2024. So,

1:52:05it's easy to sell out for a check. SEIU

1:52:08known for embezzlement convictions,

1:52:11sexual harassment scandals. A California

1:52:14local employed a convicted child

1:52:16molester as a business agent. Same SEIU

1:52:19on the front lines of anti-ICE protest

1:52:22in support of illegal aliens. Same

1:52:24illegal aliens who undercut the American

1:52:26wages those Starbucks blue-haired

1:52:29baristas are asking for. Maybe Starbucks

1:52:32should write Christ on their cuffs and

1:52:34they'll have some better luck. Maybe a

1:52:36city council embrace deportations, free

1:52:39markets, deregulation, and competition.

1:52:42baristic would had better luck. Tell

1:52:44your DA to prosecute crime, cut taxes

1:52:47across the board. Basic economics. How

1:52:49are you a council member? You don't even

1:52:51know that. And to the mayor down in

1:52:53town, if no one told you, you are a man.

1:52:56How you in here celebrating?

1:52:58>> Please conclude your

1:53:02>> Please conclude your remarks. Your two

1:53:04minutes are up. Thank you very much.

1:53:08Will Christy

1:53:10Chianado

1:53:12Matthew Vanisuela,

1:53:15Kate Rivera C. Michael Robinson,

1:53:19Aisha Mugghal, Dr. Deborah Robuk, Simone

1:53:25Ericson, Christine Ganella, Wanita

1:53:29Jenkins, and Shalisha Brunson. Please

1:53:33make your way to the podium.

1:53:41Good morning. I'm Lynn Landis of

1:53:43Philly's Republican Network and the

1:53:44parent of a mentally disabled son. We

1:53:47oppose bill 2550907.

1:53:50Property owners and business improvement

1:53:52districts such as Center City District

1:53:55are being taxed twice by the city and by

1:53:58the district for the same services for

1:54:01sanitation and safety. That should not

1:54:04be legal under any circumstances.

1:54:07But more importantly, both the city and

1:54:09these districts enable the mentally ill

1:54:12and drugaddicted to live on the streets

1:54:15rather than getting them into medical

1:54:17facilities as well as the government

1:54:20services and funding that they are

1:54:22legally entitled to under the Americans

1:54:25with Disabilities Act. Instead, the

1:54:28city, these districts, and nonprofits

1:54:31are getting the funding and using it to

1:54:34keep these people alive, but also still

1:54:37living on the streets,

1:54:39which in the case of the drugaddicted,

1:54:42helps out the drug dealers who seem to

1:54:45be in an unholy alliance with city

1:54:47officials. It is well past time for the

1:54:50city to do the right thing and phase out

1:54:52business improvement districts, arrest

1:54:56all of the drug dealers, and get our

1:54:58fellow human beings off the streets and

1:55:01into the mandated care they so

1:55:04desperately need and are legally

1:55:06entitled to. I want to also add that

1:55:11the Democratic Party and the Socialist

1:55:14Democrats have really crossed the line.

1:55:18We can disagree on a lot of issues, but

1:55:21when you're inviting illegal immigrants

1:55:24to live in this city and in these

1:55:27states, that really is tantamount to

1:55:30treason. Honestly, you can't have a

1:55:33country without secure borders.

1:55:37So, I honestly wish you would reconsider

1:55:41your sanctuary city policy and do the

1:55:44right thing and protect our borders and

1:55:46our citizens. Thank you.

1:55:54>> Good morning. Good morning, everybody.

1:55:55My name is Jonathan Latco. I'm from

1:55:57Temple University. I'm here to support

1:55:59uh council person Ru Landal's digital

1:56:02inclusion week uh proclamation for

1:56:04October 4th through the 10th. Um I've

1:56:07been at Temple for about 27 years and we

1:56:09run a program called the digital access

1:56:11center. Uh and we think about that

1:56:13spirit of Russell Conwell, right? Acres

1:56:15of diamonds if you're familiar with it

1:56:16any temple owls in the house, right? So

1:56:20you can look the world over and you can

1:56:22look for gems and all those special

1:56:23things, but we think they're right here

1:56:24in our own backyard. Right? So, we

1:56:26create a program where people in the

1:56:28community earn a computer from us. We

1:56:30teach them how to use it. We support it.

1:56:31We get them connected to the internet

1:56:32through some of our big companies and

1:56:34organizations in the city. It's like

1:56:37teaching a person to fish, right? They

1:56:39can earn. They could figure it out on

1:56:41their own. Uh, and they'll have a much

1:56:43successful and better life. So, I

1:56:45appreciate Councilwoman for recognizing

1:56:46digital inclusion week. Uh, at Temple

1:56:49University, we are hosting with the

1:56:50technology learning collaborative uh

1:56:53conference next week. Uh it's our third

1:56:55or fourth year in a row hosting it. Um

1:56:57we're bringing people together.

1:56:58Councilwoman uh attends and I appreciate

1:57:01that. Uh we're really trying to figure

1:57:02out how to get resources to people uh

1:57:04and let them stand up on their own. I

1:57:06appreciate everybody's time and I hope

1:57:08to see you soon.

1:57:17My name is Chrissy Sinci. I work at

1:57:19PenMed Starbucks. I worked at Starbucks

1:57:21for three years and to my surprise, I do

1:57:23not have blue hair. I do love my job. I

1:57:26love making drinks for customers. I love

1:57:28supporting my team. In three years, I've

1:57:30never been written up. I've always been

1:57:32on time and I show up for Starbucks

1:57:34every day. When I needed them to show up

1:57:36for me, they failed me. When I needed a

1:57:38transfer from my store in Eastern

1:57:40Pennsylvania to a new store in Philly,

1:57:42they made the process incredibly

1:57:43difficult and drug it out as long as

1:57:46possible. For weeks, I didn't even know

1:57:48if I would have a job. When they finally

1:57:50did tell me I was able to transfer, it

1:57:52took them months longer to actually get

1:57:54me started in a new store. Altogether,

1:57:57it took five months, including 89 days

1:58:00where I was not allowed to work at all.

1:58:02That's 89 days without a paycheck while

1:58:04I'm living in a new city. 89 days where

1:58:07I don't know how I'm going to pay my

1:58:08bills or buy groceries. Those 89 days

1:58:11also cost me my health insurance.

1:58:14Starbucks requires for you to work 20

1:58:16hours a week to qualify for benefits,

1:58:18but they don't guarantee that you'll get

1:58:20scheduled for that. So, all that time

1:58:22the company wasn't letting me to work, I

1:58:24had no longer qualified for health

1:58:26insurance that I counted on. That means

1:58:28I can't access medication that's really

1:58:30important to me. It also means

1:58:32constantly worrying what will happen to

1:58:34me if I have a medical emergency. Would

1:58:36I be able to get care and how can I pay

1:58:38for it? Carrying around all the stress

1:58:40and worry takes a big toll on my mental

1:58:42and physical health. We talk a lot about

1:58:45union busting because Starbucks has

1:58:47broken labor law more than any other

1:58:49company in history. But union busting is

1:58:52not an abstract idea. This is what it

1:58:54looks like. It looks like dedicated

1:58:57workers like me being hung out to dry by

1:58:59a company that doesn't care about us.

1:59:01That is why it is so important that

1:59:03everyone bo boycott Starbucks until we

1:59:06have a fair union contract contract that

1:59:08protects workers like me. Thank you so

1:59:10much for our city council for standing

1:59:12with workers. Now we need the rest of

1:59:14the city to do the same. No contract, no

1:59:16coffee.

1:59:28Hello council. My name is Matthew

1:59:30Venuela. Um, I've been a barista for

1:59:34seven years.

1:59:37I've been a barista for seven years. Uh,

1:59:39I work at the store on 16th and Walnut.

1:59:43Uh, and I'm here to support uh the

1:59:47boycott resol uh boycott of from uh

1:59:50sorry, Starbucks Workers United uh and

1:59:54the resolution

1:59:56uh 260779.

2:00:00Uh I've seen over time and time again uh

2:00:04that our stores have been horribly

2:00:06understaffed and overworked. It is far

2:00:10too often where breaks are skipped,

2:00:12where people are forced to do several

2:00:14positions at once, and all while

2:00:17customers are asking where their drinks

2:00:18are. Um, that's why when I was asked to

2:00:23go on strike only a day after my uh I

2:00:25transferred to my new store, I said yes.

2:00:29Um, we went on a three-month strike, the

2:00:32longest in our union's history, and we

2:00:35still don't have a contract to guarantee

2:00:38adequate staffing and pay. Um, and

2:00:42that's why I'm and because of that, uh,

2:00:45we're asking people, organizations to

2:00:47boycott Starbucks, uh, until we get a

2:00:50guaranteed, uh, contract of better

2:00:53staffing and better pay.

2:00:55Uh that's why I'm asking Philadelphia

2:00:57City Council to stand with Starbucks

2:00:59workers. Uh support our boycott and vote

2:01:02yes on resolution 260779.

2:01:06When workers ask our communities not to

2:01:09cross a boycott line, we need our

2:01:11elected officials to stand with us.

2:01:13Thank you.

2:01:25Good afternoon.

2:01:27My name is Kate Rivera and I'm speaking

2:01:30in support of the resolution that was

2:01:31introduced by Council Member Landau

2:01:34today recognizing Digital Inclusion

2:01:36Week. I'm the executive director of the

2:01:39Technology Learning Collaborative or

2:01:40TLC, which is a nonprofit coalition of

2:01:44organizations and individuals working to

2:01:47advance digital equity and inclusion in

2:01:49the greater Philadelphia area.

2:01:52To achieve digital equity, everyone

2:01:55should have three basic things. One is

2:01:57internet access that's affordable,

2:02:00reliable, and fast. The second is a

2:02:02computer or other device that meets

2:02:04their needs. And the third is the

2:02:07digital skills that they need to use

2:02:09those tools to accomplish their goals

2:02:11and stay safe online.

2:02:14In this day and age, having access to

2:02:16the internet and technology is a

2:02:18necessity rather than a luxury. And

2:02:20research really backs this up in a few

2:02:22different examples here. Uh 90% of job

2:02:25postings in Pennsylvania require some

2:02:28level of digital skills. Um even pretty

2:02:30entry-level jobs you wouldn't expect.

2:02:33We've seen that students with quality

2:02:35devices and digital skills do um sorry

2:02:38students without quality devices and

2:02:40digital skills do worse in schools and

2:02:42earn less over their lifetimes. We've

2:02:45seen patients who are capable of

2:02:47navigating teleaalth systems see doctors

2:02:49sooner and save money on health care.

2:02:51And we've even seen a correlation

2:02:53between maternal health and broadband

2:02:55access.

2:02:57So there's with changes at the federal

2:03:00level, the nonprofits that are helping

2:03:02community members here in Philadelphia

2:03:05with digital access are facing declining

2:03:09funding at the same time that our

2:03:11communities are needs in our communities

2:03:14are increasing and we've actually seen

2:03:16that uh digital equity funding pays for

2:03:18itself. So studies show that every

2:03:21dollar invested in digital access yields

2:03:23a projected $2.40 40 cents in societal

2:03:26value. So, I hope you'll join me in kind

2:03:29of celebrating the work here and um

2:03:32funding digital equity. Thank you.

2:03:55Thank you, Council President. Uh, good

2:03:56morning, Council President and members

2:03:58of Council. C. Michael Robinson,

2:03:59Winfield resident and former chief

2:04:01municipal administrator. Everyone, pay

2:04:03close attention. Resolution 26070770

2:04:08addresses a federal proposal that would

2:04:10reduce certain examination and reporting

2:04:12requirements for banks serving lowincome

2:04:14and workingclass communities. We're

2:04:17talking about access to home ownership,

2:04:19capital, and neighborhood entrepreneurs,

2:04:21uh, and resources for community

2:04:23institutions. In a city where

2:04:25generational wealth remains profoundly

2:04:27unequal, these are not abstract

2:04:29regulatory concerns. They are questions

2:04:31of economic survival for working-class

2:04:33Philadelphiaians trying to make a way.

2:04:36But today, I want to interrogate

2:04:38preparedness. Philadelphia Code section

2:04:4019-201 establishes community

2:04:42reinvestment requirements for city

2:04:44depositories. Council authorized a

2:04:46public financial authority in 2022 and

2:04:49hearings into its implementation in

2:04:512025. What became of that oversight?

2:04:55Meanwhile, Pennsylvania law restricts

2:04:56our ability to independently regulate

2:04:58financial institutions. These

2:05:00limitations did not emerge yesterday,

2:05:02and the federal government did not

2:05:04invent Philadelphia's responsibility to

2:05:06protect its residents. Our charter

2:05:08places the law department in an

2:05:09extraordinary position of advising both

2:05:11branches of government. Council

2:05:13acknowledged this structural tension

2:05:15through resolution 260720

2:05:17weeks ago. Legal counsel must identify

2:05:20what government cannot lawfully do, but

2:05:23it cannot become a substitute for

2:05:25determining what government can do. At

2:05:28what point does identifying a legal

2:05:30obstacle become an exercise in

2:05:32institutional paralysis? And who is

2:05:34accountable when viable alternatives

2:05:36never reach implementation? The federal

2:05:39comment period closes October 13th. I'm

2:05:42asking for an accounting of existing

2:05:44depository compliance, the financial

2:05:46authorities implementation status, and

2:05:48concrete municipal and state law

2:05:50remedies. A resolution establishes a

2:05:52position. Governance requires an

2:05:54executable plan. Thank you.

2:06:04>> Okay. Um hello. Uh my name is Aisha

2:06:07Muggle. Um, Starbucks baristas have been

2:06:09fighting for almost five years for a

2:06:11fair union contract. The baristas are

2:06:13not asking for anything unreasonable. A

2:06:1517-hour minimum wage, enough hours to

2:06:18live on, and better staffing in the

2:06:19stores to keep up with the amount of

2:06:21customers that come in. It would cost

2:06:23the company less than one day of sales

2:06:25to pay for what the baristas are asking

2:06:27for. They shouldn't have to fight for

2:06:29what they simply need to survive. That's

2:06:31why I'm proud that Philly is stepping up

2:06:33alongside union baristas and working

2:06:34people across the nation who are boldly

2:06:36demanding better. We need to support

2:06:38working people by boycotting Starbucks

2:06:40until they meet their workers very

2:06:42reasonable demands and finalize a fair

2:06:44contract. In the meantime, we should all

2:06:46be um supporting local businesses

2:06:49anyway. Elixir Coffee, Green Line Cafe,

2:06:52Reanimator Coffee, Ultimo Coffee,

2:06:54Vibrant Coffee Roasters are all

2:06:56companies that reached fair union

2:06:58contracts with their workers and our

2:07:00local coffee shops that we can support.

2:07:02Thank you.

2:07:12I think it's still morning, but good

2:07:14morning

2:07:15um city council president and member of

2:07:19council and especially

2:07:21Okay.

2:07:29Yeah, but she

2:07:33start over.

2:07:34>> Okay.

2:07:36Good. Okay.

2:07:38>> Can I go now?

2:07:42>> Okay. Good morning. Um, my name is Dr.

2:07:45Deborah Rogue and I I'm so appreciative

2:07:48to have the opportunity to speak around

2:07:51menopause awareness month.

2:07:52>> Give you a new mic cuz that mic is dying

2:07:54out.

2:07:55>> Okay.

2:07:58I'm sorry. Here you go.

2:07:59>> Now, should I start way over?

2:08:01>> Yeah, you can start.

2:08:02>> Okay.

2:08:05Good morning, uh, city council

2:08:07president, members of the city council,

2:08:11um, city council member Ahmad. Good

2:08:14morning. Um, it's just a privilege to be

2:08:17here. My name is Dr. Deborah Robbuk. I

2:08:21am the CEO of going through the change,

2:08:24but more importantly, they call me the

2:08:26menopause whisperer.

2:08:28And I also had the privilege to be the

2:08:31public health administrator for the city

2:08:33of Philadelphia for over 24 years. I'm

2:08:36honored to speak on behalf of menopause

2:08:40awareness month um because recognition

2:08:43gives us an opportunity to bring greater

2:08:46understanding to the stage of life that

2:08:49affects women. I'm talking about women

2:08:51in the neighborhoods. I'm talking about

2:08:53people at your church. I'm talking about

2:08:55your boss, your family. It's all of us

2:08:59that it impacts. For so long, when you

2:09:03talk about menopause, I'm going to be

2:09:04honest with you. Women felt not

2:09:07respected or they just say, "Oh, well,

2:09:09she'll be over that." Or we would go to

2:09:12the doctors and the doctors would say,

2:09:13"Okay, okay, next." I just want you to

2:09:17know to recognize menopause is extremely

2:09:20important because that normalizes it,

2:09:23gives women the opportunity to ask

2:09:26questions, to be able to seek answers,

2:09:30to get support. So, it's a privilege to

2:09:33be here. Um, I'm excited about the

2:09:37opportunity as Philadelphia moves

2:09:39forward and um appropriation for our

2:09:43jobs

2:09:44um so that we can feel free to do the

2:09:47work we need to do in our homes, in our

2:09:50hearts, and in our communities. Thank

2:09:52you so very much.

2:10:02>> Good morning everyone. Thank you for

2:10:04having me. My name is Simone Ericson. I

2:10:06am here today representing Public Health

2:10:08Management Corporation in support of

2:10:10council member Ahmad. On behalf of

2:10:12Public Health Management Corporation, we

2:10:14are proud to support the resolution

2:10:16recognizing October as men menopause

2:10:18awareness month. Public Health

2:10:20Management Corporation commends council

2:10:22member Nina Ahmad for changing

2:10:24championing workplace protections for

2:10:26people experiencing ministration,

2:10:28parameopause, and menopause. These

2:10:30efforts are vital to ensuring dignity,

2:10:33equity, and opportunity for all workers.

2:10:35Menopause is a natural stage of life,

2:10:37yet is still surrounded by stigma and

2:10:39silence. Too often, people feel

2:10:42uncomfortable talking about symptoms or

2:10:44asking for support. By recognizing

2:10:46menopause awareness month, we give an

2:10:48opportunity to change the conversation,

2:10:51incorporate men, and normalize these

2:10:53conversations. We can normalize

2:10:55discussions about menopause, increase

2:10:56access to accurate health information,

2:10:59and create workplaces where people can

2:11:01openly seek support and accommodations

2:11:03they need without fear of embarrassment

2:11:05or discrimination. By recognizing

2:11:08October as menopause awareness month, we

2:11:10are helping break the silence, reduce

2:11:12stigma, and promote a culture where

2:11:14menopause is understood as a public

2:11:16health and workplace issue, not

2:11:18something that should be in hidden or

2:11:20endured in silence. Thank you all.

2:11:37Wanita Jenkins, first vice president,

2:11:40Pennsylvania State Coalition of the

2:11:41National Council of Negro Women. Good

2:11:44morning.

2:11:46>> Well, afternoon, I should say.

2:11:47>> Good morning. Good afternoon. Afternoon,

2:11:50council president, distinguished members

2:11:51of city council, and fellow

2:11:53Philadelphiaians. Once again, my name is

2:11:55Wanita Jenkins, and it's my profound

2:11:57honor to stand before you today on

2:12:00behalf of the Pennsylvania State

2:12:01Coalition of the National Council of

2:12:02Negro Women on behalf of our state

2:12:04leadership, state president, April Bal,

2:12:07our off national officers, and our seven

2:12:10community-based sections, and our

2:12:11collegiate members in the of uh

2:12:13university sections across the

2:12:15Commonwealth. We proudly and formally

2:12:17affirm the resolution supported by uh

2:12:20Council Member Cindy Bass. But I want to

2:12:23be clear about what we are affirming.

2:12:26We're not simply a accepting the honor.

2:12:29We are affirming a partnership and a

2:12:33responsibility. The National Council of

2:12:35Negro Women is a nonpartisan civil

2:12:37rights organization founded in 1935 by

2:12:40the incomparable Dr. Mary Mloud Bthun, a

2:12:43woman who understood that black women

2:12:45could not simply wait for change. We had

2:12:47to organize, advocate, educate, and lead

2:12:50for it. For more than 40 years, Dorothy

2:12:54Dorothy, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

2:12:56carried that vision forward, building

2:12:59NCW into a powerful national voice for

2:13:02civil rights, economic justice,

2:13:04education, health, and opportunity. And

2:13:08that legacy is not sitting in the

2:13:09history book. It is alive and working

2:13:12today in our county of Philadelphia. Our

2:13:16Pennsylvania State Coalition puts the

2:13:18legacy into action through what we call

2:13:20she social justice, health equity,

2:13:23economic empowerment, education. We

2:13:25register voters, advocate for

2:13:27legislation, educate for our

2:13:28communities, and develop young leaders.

2:13:31And we show up and do the work.

2:13:35We want to thank you for the resolution

2:13:38today.

2:13:42Will Robert McHugh, Jerry Davis, Emily

2:13:48N. Dioco,

2:13:50Amy Milner,

2:13:52Beth Ramila, Pamela Vasimon, John

2:13:57Dennis, Keith Grant, Michelle Wells,

2:14:01Sneed, and Erica Wines. Please make your

2:14:05way to the podium.

2:14:15Please proceed.

2:14:17>> Good afternoon,

2:14:19council president, members of city

2:14:21council. My name is Bob McHugh. I'm a li

2:14:24lifelong Philadelphia resident and a

2:14:26former US Army captain. I'm here today

2:14:29to support the resolution to name the

2:14:323,300 block of Si Avenue in front of

2:14:35Father Judge for the 27 graduates who

2:14:39grew up in the workingclass rowhouse

2:14:42neighborhoods of Mayfair, Holmesburg,

2:14:45Tonei, and others and sacrificed their

2:14:47lives in Vietnam. These heroes had two

2:14:50things in common. a willingness to serve

2:14:53our country and the fact that they all

2:14:56graduated from Father Judge High School

2:14:58in the 1960s.

2:15:00The 27 represent all five branches of

2:15:03the service at that time. There are 14

2:15:06US Marines, nine army soldiers, two

2:15:10sailors, one member of the Air Force,

2:15:13and one from the Coast Guard. These sons

2:15:16of Philadelphia all lost their lives

2:15:18during the 1960s.

2:15:20some over 60 years ago. These young

2:15:24heroes were killed at 19, 20, 21 years

2:15:28old and would be 80year-old

2:15:30greatgrandfathers

2:15:32had they lived.

2:15:34I can't believe that this hasn't been

2:15:36done yet. We can honor them now by

2:15:38naming the street that runs in front of

2:15:40their high school in their honor.

2:15:43Let's do it now. Father Judge has done a

2:15:46lot to keep their me memory alive.

2:15:49There's a beautiful memorial on the lawn

2:15:51in front of the school which is engraved

2:15:53with the names of all 27 along with the

2:15:56inscription,

2:15:58"No greater love has a man than this,"

2:16:00that he laid down his life for his

2:16:02friends. That seems so appropriate.

2:16:05Father Judge has also hung hero flags on

2:16:08the block with a photo of each of the 27

2:16:11so people can put a face with the names.

2:16:14The school holds multiple ceremonies

2:16:16during the year to remember the 27 and

2:16:19teaches the legacy of the 27 to all

2:16:21incoming students. The Father Judge

2:16:24athletic teams all wear the 27 logo on

2:16:28their uniforms and each season players

2:16:31compete for the honor of wearing the

2:16:32coveted 27. I just ask for indulgence

2:16:35for a couple seconds. On a personal

2:16:38note, my wife's cousin Jack is an Army

2:16:41is Army Sergeant John Fbence Jr. one of

2:16:44the 27.

2:16:46Jack was an all Catholic football player

2:16:48at judge and the outstanding senior

2:16:51athlete award is named for Jack and

2:16:53given at graduation every year. Jack was

2:16:55awarded a silver star postumously for

2:16:59his heroic actions on the day when he

2:17:01was killed. He's a hero in our family as

2:17:04are all the other 26 for their family,

2:17:07friends, and classmates. In closing, I'd

2:17:10like to thank Councilman Driscoll for

2:17:12introducing this resolution, Mara

2:17:15McDonald from the Councilman's office

2:17:16for all the help she's given us to make

2:17:19sure that this happens. I would also

2:17:21like to thank the administration at

2:17:23Father Judge, especially President James

2:17:26Meredith, who spoke today for all his

2:17:28assistance and support. Father Judge,

2:17:32the 27 have done their duty. They gave

2:17:35their all for us. It's time for us to do

2:17:37our duty and to remember and honor them

2:17:40by naming this street the 3,300 block of

2:17:43Sally Avenue for them. Please help us

2:17:46and always remember our 27. Thank you

2:17:50for your time.

2:17:52Thank you sir. Thank you. Thank you sir.

2:17:55I appreciate it. Thank you sir.

2:18:01>> Good afternoon. My name is Jerry Davis

2:18:03and it's wonderful to hear this comments

2:18:04about Marine Corps as a fellow Marine,

2:18:07former Marine. Thank you very much for

2:18:10this opportunity. I I stand here uh

2:18:13because Dr. Palmer, who should be here,

2:18:16had an unavoidable

2:18:18it abs unavoidable uh happening that he

2:18:21had to take care of. So unfortunately,

2:18:23he's not can be here. But I I stand for

2:18:26it before you humbly as Dr. Palmer once

2:18:29said, "Every neighborhood, every

2:18:30community has an earthly corner. A place

2:18:33where a community is built and memories

2:18:35are made. The earthly corner of Black

2:18:37Bottom was 36 in Market Street. I had my

2:18:40first job on that particular corner as a

2:18:4212 or 13 year old. So, it means so much

2:18:45to me. The thing that I would say to you

2:18:47about the Black Bottom is that people

2:18:51encouraged you, people supported you. It

2:18:55really gave def gave definition to uh

2:18:58this is important to me and it made me

2:19:02feel that I was somebody even before

2:19:04Jesse Jackson coined the phrase people

2:19:07looked out for one another in that

2:19:08community. Unfortunately, the black

2:19:11bottom the the intentional displacement

2:19:14of black bottom residents due to the

2:19:16West Philadelphia Corporation, including

2:19:17Drexel and Penn, as well as the city of

2:19:20Philadelphia through the Philadelphia

2:19:21Redevelopment Authority, has led to the

2:19:24prosperous area now known as University

2:19:26City. Through this urban renewal

2:19:28project, thousands of people lost their

2:19:30homes for little or no compensation. The

2:19:32vast majority of these people were

2:19:35black. The passage of resolution 260767

2:19:40is an important act of recognition, but

2:19:42it only scratches the surface of harm

2:19:45dealt and created by the city's most

2:19:47viable institutions. The next steps must

2:19:49be towards ensuring the prosperity of

2:19:51the area and that it shared with us and

2:19:54our descendants who forced removal from

2:19:56the neighborhood and made this wealth

2:19:57possible. This is stolen wealth. We

2:20:00demand reparation from the city, the

2:20:02University of Pennsylvania, and Drexel.

2:20:05Thank you, Council Member Gotautierre,

2:20:08Mary Jones, and Andrew Goodman for your

2:20:11support of the Black Bottom Reparations

2:20:13Committee, the elders of the Black

2:20:15Bottom, and the two 354 signatures. With

2:20:19the QR codes all of you have, you will

2:20:22be able to add your name to our

2:20:23reparations committee. The Black Bottom

2:20:26was a vibrant community, a caring

2:20:29community, a nurturing community where

2:20:31people looked out for one another. All

2:20:34too often, that's a lost art today. Too

2:20:39many spaces today here locally in the

2:20:41nation as a whole don't do what they did

2:20:45in the black bottom. And when the black

2:20:47bottom was lost, that culture was also

2:20:50lost.

2:20:52We have to recognize that people live

2:20:55there. People made contributions to this

2:20:58community and we have to have the

2:21:01reparations. We demand the reparation.

2:21:03Thank you so much for this opportunity.

2:21:05Sorry that I had to rush through this.

2:21:06It was a lot longer than than two

2:21:08minutes, I'm sure. But thank you so much

2:21:10and God bless.

2:21:12>> Thank you.

2:21:12>> Thank you very much.

2:21:18>> So you have two minutes. State your name

2:21:20for the record, please.

2:21:22>> Good afternoon.

2:21:23>> We have a whole lot of people want to

2:21:24speak as well.

2:21:26>> Go ahead.

2:21:27>> Good afternoon, council members. My name

2:21:29is Jong Joo and I'll be reading

2:21:31testimony from Edward M. Epstein, the

2:21:34author of Race and Real Estate and

2:21:35Education, Inventing Gentrification in

2:21:38Philadelphia 1916 to 2020, and the

2:21:40director of the Teachers Institute of

2:21:42Philadelphia at the University of

2:21:44Pennsylvania. In the 1950s, it was a

2:21:46turning point in Philadelphia's history.

2:21:48The city's manufacturing jobs were

2:21:50migrating elsewhere and its

2:21:51infrastructure and landscape crumbling.

2:21:54Under the leadership of city planner

2:21:55Edmund Bacon, there was an interest in

2:21:57restoring the city's historical

2:21:59districts and in using federal urban

2:22:01renewal dollars to demolish and

2:22:02redevelop areas they considered lighted.

2:22:05City landscape also saw that while

2:22:07manufacturing was in decline, campuses

2:22:09and colleges and hospitals were growing.

2:22:12The city's economic the city's economy

2:22:14was shifting from manufacturing to eds

2:22:16and meds and tourism. As early as 1947,

2:22:20Bacon targeted West Philly for

2:22:22redevelopment. He claimed the areas

2:22:24north of Penn and Drexel, the Black

2:22:26Bottom, were for creating were creating

2:22:28a band of blight around the university.

2:22:31Taking up Bacon's charge, Penn brought

2:22:33Drexel and the Aros hospitals together

2:22:36to form the West Philadelphia

2:22:37Corporation, WPC, in 1959. This

2:22:41coalition planned the redevelopment and

2:22:43rebranding of the university area as

2:22:45university city. The largest share of

2:22:48WPC's funding was from Penn and its

2:22:51board chair was Penn president Gay Lord

2:22:53Harwell. A key part of WPC's plan was

2:22:56the demolition of the Black Bottom. It

2:22:58proposed to replace it with a research

2:23:00park, the University City Science

2:23:02Center, and University City High School,

2:23:04which was to have been a science magnet

2:23:07school. The WPC claimed that the

2:23:09benefits from these projects justified

2:23:11the use of urban renewal dollars for the

2:23:13for the demol for the demolitions. When

2:23:16they learned the plan, the Black Bottom

2:23:18residents protested vigorously, delaying

2:23:20the award of federal funding. Penn,

2:23:22however, used its influence to persuade

2:23:24the city and the and the Philadelphia

2:23:26Redevelopment Authority and the school

2:23:28district of Philadelphia to approve the

2:23:30project. The demolitions were carried

2:23:31out by the redevelopment authority in

2:23:331966 and 1967. The WPC did not live up

2:23:37to its projects and now the new

2:23:39prosperity has been created, but the

2:23:41Black Bottom residents have not been

2:23:42dealt it. This is stolen wealth. Penn

2:23:44Drexel and the city of Philadelphia owe

2:23:46reparations to the residents who were

2:23:48displaced from their homes in the 1960s.

2:23:50Sign the petition and join the movement

2:23:52to learn more. Thank you.

2:23:55>> Chair recognizes Council Member Mike

2:23:58Driscoll.

2:24:13There you go. Thank you, Mr. President.

2:24:15I just want to take a moment. We've had

2:24:17a couple speakers that I just want to

2:24:18acknowledge. Um, first I want to

2:24:21congratulate uh President Jim Meredith,

2:24:23the new newly minuteed uh president of

2:24:26Father Judge High School. We wish you

2:24:27well, Mr. President, uh in leading these

2:24:30young men into the future. So, we wish

2:24:32you well as a body. Um, and also to Bob

2:24:36McHugh and his wife Janet, uh, whose

2:24:38family gave the ultimate sacrifice in

2:24:40the Vietnam War. That's why we're

2:24:42renaming Sally Avenue, uh, 27 Way. Um, I

2:24:47just want to note for the record, for my

2:24:49colleagues that may not know this, so

2:24:51there were two high schools in the

2:24:54country.

2:24:56Number one high school that lost the

2:24:58most men in Vietnam was Edison in the

2:25:02country. The second high school, the

2:25:06most in the country was Father Judge

2:25:08High School. Lost 27 young men. So the

2:25:11sacrifices of Philadelphiaians. Uh I we

2:25:14just need to to recognize them and

2:25:17that's why I introduced this resolution

2:25:18today and that's why I'm looking forward

2:25:20to an affirmative uh from my colleagues

2:25:22today. Uh and with that uh Mr.

2:25:24President, I do uh ask for some uh

2:25:28indulgence to go tend to some council

2:25:30business and to be voted in the

2:25:32affirmative uh all bills and resolutions

2:25:34until my return. Thank you.

2:25:36>> You're welcome. Leave is granted.

2:25:39>> Please proceed, ma'am.

2:25:41>> My name is Amy Hillier. I'm an associate

2:25:44professor at Penn School of Social

2:25:45Policy and Practice where I teach

2:25:47courses in social work and urban

2:25:48studies. I came to Philadelphia for

2:25:50graduate school in 1995 and I've been at

2:25:52Penn ever since and I've lived in West

2:25:54Philadelphia near Clark Park since 2005.

2:25:58I'm here to speak in strong support of

2:25:59the proposal to recognize the Black

2:26:01Bottom. I am fortunate that my colleague

2:26:03Walter Palmer, who teaches with me, has

2:26:06shared a lot about the history over the

2:26:07years, including Penn's role in

2:26:09neighborhood displacement. I'm grateful

2:26:11to my colleagues Laura Wolf Powers and

2:26:13Ed Edward Epstein for publishing

2:26:14excellent books on this topic. Having

2:26:17worked at Penn and lived in this

2:26:19neighborhood, I know I am implicated in

2:26:21this history. In many ways, I am the f

2:26:24face of pentrification. I purchased my

2:26:26home with financial support from Penn.

2:26:29My two children appended attended Penn

2:26:31Alexander. My neighbors, most of them

2:26:33also white, and I have consistently

2:26:35experienced increases in our property

2:26:37values and have disproportionately

2:26:39benefited from the public and private

2:26:41investments in the area. This has

2:26:43happened against the backdrop of public

2:26:45school closures across the city,

2:26:47poverty, poverty rates for children

2:26:49ranging from 25 to 37%, a childhood

2:26:53asthma rate two to three times the

2:26:54national average, and a housing for

2:26:56affordability crisis. I am committed to

2:26:59teaching my students at Penn the hard

2:27:01history about Penn's role in West

2:27:03Philadelphia, which is not limited

2:27:05displace to displacement of the black

2:27:07bottom. Um, I want to see these learning

2:27:09opportunities expand to include all Penn

2:27:11students as well as students at the

2:27:13neighborhood schools Powell SLA Middle

2:27:16School and Penn Alexander. The

2:27:17development of the science center along

2:27:19Market Street may have caused

2:27:20displacement of people, homes, and

2:27:22businesses, but the memories and legacy

2:27:24of the Black Bottom neighborhood will

2:27:26not be erased as long as we commit to

2:27:28telling and retelling this history. A

2:27:30serious discussion about reparations is

2:27:32long overdue. The black bald elders sent

2:27:35a letter to pen officials in 2025 asking

2:27:38to move this conversation forward and

2:27:40they are still waiting.

2:27:41>> Thank you.

2:27:48>> Thank you for you have two minutes.

2:27:50>> Hi, my name is Dr. Beth Romela. I'm the

2:27:52superintendent at Overbrook School for

2:27:54the Blind. I'm a teacher of the visually

2:27:56impaired and certified orientation

2:27:58mobility specialist. It is my privilege

2:28:01to stand before you today to thank

2:28:02Philadelphia City Council for the work

2:28:04that you do to support, recognize, and

2:28:07advocate for ad for individuals with

2:28:09visual impairments. Not just during low

2:28:13vision month or world blindness month or

2:28:17vision of awareness month, but

2:28:19throughout the year.

2:28:22Vision appar uh vision awareness month

2:28:24is an opportunity to recognize the

2:28:26millions of Americans living with visual

2:28:28impairment. Low vision is more than

2:28:31simply needing glasses. It can affect a

2:28:33person's ability to read, navigate their

2:28:36environment, recognize even their

2:28:38familiar faces of their family, use

2:28:40technology, or participate independently

2:28:43in everyday life. And while vision loss

2:28:46may not always

2:28:48um be medically correctable,

2:28:51rehabilitation, education, technology,

2:28:53and specialized supports can be an

2:28:55extraordinary difference in their lives.

2:28:58This is where our work at Overbrook

2:28:59School for the Blind begins. For nearly

2:29:02two centuries, Overbrook has been part

2:29:03of the Philadelphia community, and today

2:29:06we serve more than 180 students on our

2:29:08campus. We support 190 students and

2:29:12families throughout our early

2:29:13intervention outreach programs and more

2:29:15students than that in public schools in

2:29:18the Philadelphia area and surrounding

2:29:20communities. But our work on our campus

2:29:23doesn't just stop there. We work with

2:29:25families in their earliest parts of

2:29:27their lives. We send teachers of

2:29:30students with visual impairments and

2:29:31certified orientation mobility

2:29:33specialists into community schools. We

2:29:36provide assessments, development,

2:29:39consultation,

2:29:40and um services throughout the

2:29:44communities. We were appreciated last

2:29:47week with um an award and and

2:29:51>> Okay, perfect. Um we just want to thank

2:29:55you because accessibility is not a

2:29:57luxury. It's an opportunity for our

2:29:59students to use and learn and grow all

2:30:03of the skills that they need. Thank you.

2:30:06>> Thank you very much.

2:30:10>> Will M. Brownley, Keith Gant, Reverend

2:30:15Dr. Wendell J. Mapson,

2:30:18Nikia Outland, Oona Paul Haggins,

2:30:24Garrett Oliver, Ori

2:30:27and Junith Queen Robinson. Please make

2:30:31your way to the podium.

2:30:32>> Two minutes.

2:30:36Good morning, council president, members

2:30:37of city council, and everyone here

2:30:39today. I am Pamela Vasserman, director

2:30:41of development and communications at

2:30:43Overbrook School for the Blind, and I am

2:30:45incredibly proud to be here with our

2:30:47superintendent, Dr. Beth Romela, as city

2:30:49council recognizes October as vision

2:30:52impairment, uh, vision awareness month.

2:30:54First, I want to thank Councilman Curtis

2:30:57Jones for helping us shine a light on

2:30:59the blind and visually impaired

2:31:00community here in Philadelphia and

2:31:02Councilwoman Dr. Nina Ahmad whose

2:31:05support of Overbook School for the Blind

2:31:06and the students and families we serve

2:31:08has meant so much to our community. At

2:31:10Overbrook we have the privilege of

2:31:12seeing every day what is possible when

2:31:14children are given the right right

2:31:15support, education, and opportunities.

2:31:18There is one story to me that captures

2:31:20exactly why this work matters. There was

2:31:22a four-year-old child at Overbrook who

2:31:25was deaf and blind. Let's call him

2:31:27Johnny. Johnny's parents were visiting

2:31:29Overbrook for parents day and his

2:31:31teacher asked him to come over and hold

2:31:33their hands. Johnny began pressing into

2:31:36their hands. His parents asked the

2:31:38teacher, "What is he doing?" And his

2:31:40teacher said, "He's saying, "I love

2:31:42you." That was the first communication

2:31:44Johnny had ever had with his parents.

2:31:46Imagine being a parent waiting four

2:31:48years to hear that Johnny in any way was

2:31:51realizing that his parents were

2:31:53realizing that that was the very first

2:31:55thing he was communicating. and it was I

2:31:58love you. That is Overbrook. It is not

2:32:00simply about academics. It is about

2:32:02communication, connection, independence,

2:32:04dignity, and giving children a way to

2:32:07participate fully in around the and the

2:32:10world around them. Our students are not

2:32:12defined by blindness or visual

2:32:14impairment. They are children preparing

2:32:16for college, careers, independence, and

2:32:18meaningful lives. They are learning to

2:32:20communicate, use technology, develop

2:32:22skills, advocate for themselves, build

2:32:25relationships, and discover what they

2:32:27want their futures to look like. Thank

2:32:30you very much.

2:32:45to President Johnson, to members of city

2:32:48council, including our uh council

2:32:52person, Janie Gautier. My name is Jay

2:32:54Wendel Mapson, Jr. For the past 39

2:32:57years, I've been senior pastor of

2:33:00Monumental Baptist Church located on the

2:33:02corner of 50th and Locust in the heart

2:33:04of West Philadelphia.

2:33:06congregation celebrating this year the

2:33:09200th anniversary of its founding on

2:33:12March 24th, 1826,

2:33:1537 years prior to the signing of the

2:33:18Emancipation Proclamation and 50 years

2:33:22after the birth of these United States.

2:33:24I appreciate the honor of addressing you

2:33:26today. I'm here on behalf of the

2:33:29congregation I serve to express support

2:33:31for the resolution to rename the 50th

2:33:34Street block where the church is

2:33:36located, Monumental Way, in recognition

2:33:40of our congregation's profound spiritual

2:33:42impact in our city as well as its role

2:33:46during the 19th century in the

2:33:48liberation of people escaping the

2:33:50horrors of enslavement on their way to

2:33:54the north.

2:33:56Currently, Monumental sponsors outreach

2:33:59ministries including food giveaways,

2:34:01voter registration drives, ministries to

2:34:04youth and seniors, housing forums, and

2:34:07the distribution of school supplies

2:34:10among other social oriented initiatives

2:34:13so that our impact is not only in the

2:34:15sanctuary but in the streets. As we

2:34:18enter our third century, our

2:34:20congregation will continue to be a voice

2:34:23of social justice and moral clarity. a

2:34:26voice badly needed in these uncertain

2:34:28times. We will continue to be an example

2:34:31of the resiliency, power, and influence

2:34:34of the black church as we speak to and

2:34:37for the lost, the least, the left out,

2:34:40and the disinherited. Thank you for this

2:34:42opportunity, for your time, and for your

2:34:45listening ear. I'm a Baptist preacher,

2:34:48and this is the shortest speech I've

2:34:49ever made.

2:34:52>> Thank you, sir.

2:34:54I need batteries. Amen.

2:34:58>> You have two minutes. State your name

2:34:59for the record. Okay.

2:35:04>> Go ahead.

2:35:06>> All right. Good morning, members of city

2:35:08council and council member Dr. um Nina

2:35:10Ahmad. My name is Nikia Outland and I'm

2:35:13the founder and executive director of

2:35:14Prevention Meets Fashion. I stand before

2:35:17you today in support of council members

2:35:19Ahmad resolution for October being um

2:35:22menopause awareness month. For

2:35:24generations, perry menopause and

2:35:26menopause have been hidden and silenced,

2:35:28misunderstood, and subjected to stigma.

2:35:31I'm not sure if y'all aware, but did you

2:35:32know that changes in women were meant um

2:35:35changes in women um meant that they were

2:35:37insane? Women were often sent to

2:35:40asylums. The solution was to remove

2:35:42their ovaries and hysterctomy. Again,

2:35:45this is not far far removed from what is

2:35:47still happening today. For far too long,

2:35:50millions of individuals experiencing hot

2:35:53flashes, sleep disturbance, mood

2:35:54changes, and shifting cycles were left

2:35:57without language, medical guidance, and

2:35:59workplace accommodations. At prevention

2:36:01meets fashion, our mission is to ensure

2:36:03that reproductive health education spans

2:36:06the entire life cycle and and disrupts

2:36:09the bionary. So what we haven't heard

2:36:11today is that queer people also

2:36:13experience menopause. And that is

2:36:15something that we need to talk about

2:36:16when we're talking about menopause and

2:36:18menopause conversations. This advocacy

2:36:21is not just organizational for me. It is

2:36:23deeply personal. As someone currently

2:36:26navigating permenopause, not yet

2:36:28menopause, I know the lived reality of

2:36:31managing complex physical and emotional

2:36:33changes while caring for my children,

2:36:35running an organization, supporting a

2:36:38team, and serving our city. We cannot

2:36:41treat reproductive justice as something

2:36:43that stops after childbearing years.

2:36:45Recognizing October as menopause

2:36:47awareness month is a step towards

2:36:49breaking generational taboos and getting

2:36:52people to talk openly and recognizing

2:36:54menopause or as many of us heard growing

2:36:56up personal summers. Thank you council

2:36:59member Ahmad for your visionary

2:37:00leadership and thank you for the entire

2:37:03council um body for champion equity at

2:37:06every stage of life. I strongly urge the

2:37:09passing of this resolution. Thank you.

2:37:11Thank you.

2:37:19>> Oona Hagen's fourth generation cattle

2:37:21slavery survivor. Uh, council president

2:37:24Johnson, I want to start with the black

2:37:27bottom. I think recognizing the historic

2:37:30West Philadelphia community is

2:37:32important, but doesn't recognition also

2:37:36raise a question about whether the

2:37:38people connected to that community can

2:37:41actually afford to remain, keep their

2:37:44property, and build wealth. You've

2:37:47introduced legislation or you're

2:37:48planning on introducing legislation

2:37:50calling for Philadelphia to be able to

2:37:53raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour.

2:37:56So, I have a question. If you are truly

2:37:59serious about addressing wages, would

2:38:03you be willing to meet with my

2:38:04organization, the Philadelphia

2:38:06Reparations Coalition for American

2:38:08Freemen? Because what we're talking

2:38:10about isn't simply raising the minimum

2:38:13wage. We're talking about abolishing

2:38:17starvation wages. We already have

2:38:20legislation for your legal team to

2:38:23review based on the reconstruction

2:38:25framework of the 39th Congress. So, so

2:38:29we have the legislation already written

2:38:31for you, Council President, and for your

2:38:33legal team. Uh we're we're just

2:38:36requesting that if you're serious

2:38:39that we schedule a meeting with my uh

2:38:42compliance officer, with my

2:38:45administrator, and myself to seriously

2:38:48deal with starvation wages in this city,

2:38:52particularly as it relates to the

2:38:54descendants of child slavery. I'm Oona

2:38:57Hagens, the unseated council president,

2:38:59the president of the Philadelphia

2:39:01Reparations Coalition for American

2:39:02Freedman. Over and out.

2:39:13>> Good afternoon. My name is Gardo Dwire

2:39:14and I'm the policy director at PACDC.

2:39:17Thank you for the opportunity to offer

2:39:18testimony in support of resolution

2:39:20260770,

2:39:22which expresses the city's opposition to

2:39:24the proposed changes to the rules

2:39:26governing the community reinvestment

2:39:28act, better known as the CRA. I'd like

2:39:30to thank Council President Johnson and

2:39:32Council Member Ruandau for introducing

2:39:34this resolution and for understanding

2:39:36the risks posed by this proposed rule

2:39:38from the Trump administration. For those

2:39:40of you who don't know, the CRA is a

2:39:42foundational pillar of community

2:39:44development, which requires banks to

2:39:46provide access to credit and investments

2:39:48in low and moderate income communities

2:39:50and evaluates whether they meet these

2:39:52obligations. If you care about

2:39:53affordable housing or economic

2:39:55development, if you care about access to

2:39:58credit for a family looking to buy a

2:39:59home or start a small business, if you

2:40:01care about the strides we've made since

2:40:03the days of redlinining, then you should

2:40:05care about CRA. This proposed rule

2:40:07would, among other things, change the

2:40:08thresholds under which banks are

2:40:10evaluated, reduce their obligations, and

2:40:12eliminate key accountability frameworks.

2:40:15that should this proposed rule go into

2:40:17effect, it will set back the work that

2:40:19we have done to address economic

2:40:20mobility and housing instability in

2:40:22Philadelphia and across the country. In

2:40:24particular, it will significantly

2:40:26undermine the goals of the home

2:40:27initiative. This will happen in big

2:40:29obvious ways like more challenging

2:40:30financing for low-income housing tax

2:40:32credit rental developments and small

2:40:34less obvious but no less insidious ways

2:40:37like a first-time home buyer has done

2:40:38everything right but doesn't understand

2:40:39why they still can't get a mortgage. So,

2:40:41I want to thank city council for taking

2:40:43the stand and raising the profile of a

2:40:44critical issue that has received far too

2:40:46little attention. However, there is more

2:40:48that we can all do. The public comment

2:40:50period on this proposed rule is open

2:40:52until October 13th. I urge everyone,

2:40:54those in this room, those listening at

2:40:56home to submit comments in opposition.

2:40:59We have created a customizable template

2:41:01at pacdc.org

2:41:03to help you do exactly that. Council

2:41:05members will be following up with your

2:41:07offices and are happy to provide any

2:41:09assistance we can in developing comments

2:41:11on this. It's really important that you

2:41:13do not just in the regulatory process

2:41:15but in what will surely be litigation to

2:41:17follow. Thank you for your partnership

2:41:19and your solidarity and I urge city

2:41:21council to adopt resolution 260 770.

2:41:24>> Thank you.

2:41:27>> Good.

2:41:31>> Hello everyone. My name is Audrey. she

2:41:34her. I've been a Starbucks worker for

2:41:36nearly five years and I was one of the

2:41:39original organizers at my store at 22nd

2:41:41and South. Uh I'm here to share my some

2:41:44of my experiences and why I believe that

2:41:46this committee should support the

2:41:48resolution to boycott Starbucks. Sadly,

2:41:51I was laid off this past Saturday. We

2:41:53were only given two days notice uh that

2:41:56our store had just been closing. Um,

2:41:59just before that, my manager had planned

2:42:01to have us celebrate our success by

2:42:04going to Queen and Rooks to play board

2:42:06games and have some drinks, but instead

2:42:08that that turned into a farewell party.

2:42:11The hardest part about that is that we

2:42:13didn't fail. Uh, recently our store

2:42:16consistently hit its metrics. We had our

2:42:18we had the cleanest store in the city,

2:42:20ranked number one for customer

2:42:21connection in the region, and we're

2:42:24making record store profits. Um, and

2:42:27they closed us anyway. Starbucks would

2:42:29rather spend unlimited amounts of money

2:42:31fighting its workers than agree to a

2:42:33fair contract. Meanwhile, their CEO,

2:42:36Brian Nickel, can travel expenses paid

2:42:39by private jet between his home in

2:42:41California and his office in Seattle.

2:42:44Yet, they went and cancelled our lift

2:42:46transportation benefits.

2:42:49Um, many Starbucks baristas struggle

2:42:51with food insecurity. Many have families

2:42:53who depend on them. uh what what would

2:42:56be pocket change to a CEO would make a

2:42:58real difference to the workers who keep

2:43:00this company running. We are not asking

2:43:02for luxury. We are asking to be able to

2:43:04live. Starbucks needs to listen to its

2:43:08workers and if they won't listen to us

2:43:10at the bargaining table, then we need to

2:43:12make sure they hear us from everywhere

2:43:13else. I strongly urge this committee and

2:43:15the city to boycott Starbucks. Thank

2:43:17you.

2:43:23You have two minutes. Take your A for

2:43:24the record, please.

2:43:28>> Good afternoon all. Notification to the

2:43:32public from city council is an urgent

2:43:34matter.

2:43:36Queen Judith Robinson here using

2:43:40resolution 260770

2:43:43to shout out what I learned this summer.

2:43:47Party. Party. party. I like the party.

2:43:52You know that, Councilman? Right. But

2:43:55our students are not proficient in

2:43:57reading. The majority are not reading on

2:44:00grade level. I learned this summer $40

2:44:04million police facility in the heart of

2:44:06North Philly and a constituents of 9121

2:44:10are not working on the job. I learned

2:44:14that the same elected official of the

2:44:16fifth district who bullied the police

2:44:18facility and imminent domain in

2:44:21Charswood Brewery Town using PHA is

2:44:24unprecedented.

2:44:26now has a community center with his name

2:44:29on it on the same land where imminent

2:44:33domain was used and Daryl Clark also is

2:44:37on the BOARD OF PHA the same agency that

2:44:41used imminent domain unprecedented

2:44:44conscious asked the question is it right

2:44:47I'm saying hell no whose idea is it to

2:44:51keep running people to North Philly to

2:44:53view the land of imminent domain was

2:44:56John Legend told

2:44:58>> Miss Robinson

2:45:00>> was John Legend told Emma in Brewery

2:45:02Town.

2:45:03>> M Robinson.

2:45:04>> Oh yeah. What? What?

2:45:05>> Just chill with the language though. Go

2:45:07ahead and finish.

2:45:08>> Excuse me.

2:45:10>> The language. The hell. Don't you Yeah,

2:45:12that's

2:45:13>> No. No.

2:45:14>> All right. Yeah. So, all politics are

2:45:17local. Uh, and was John uh legend told

2:45:21about the imminent domain and Shaw

2:45:24taking over as well?

2:45:26>> Thank you for your comments and dam.

2:45:29We'll talk to you later on. Thank you.

2:45:32>> Follow up with you. Thank you very much.

2:45:35>> Yeah. Thank you, man.

2:45:38>> I know. I know. Thank you very much,

2:45:41man.

2:45:42>> All right. Thank you.

2:45:44>> Next.

2:45:48I I didn't make you laugh, ma'am. Thank

2:45:50you.

2:45:51>> I will follow up with you, Miss Rud.

2:45:54>> Honor to our council president. This

2:45:57concludes our session of public comment

2:45:59for ma'am.

2:46:02>> Yes, ma'am.

2:46:06>> Yes, ma'am.

2:46:10>> And I'll follow up with you on that,

2:46:11man. Thank you.

2:46:17We won't.

2:46:19>> Thank you.

2:46:23>> Take care.

2:46:24>> God bless.

2:46:28>> Call the next person, please.

2:46:31>> Council President, there is no further

2:46:33public comment for today.

2:46:35>> That concludes today's public comment

2:46:38section.

2:46:44We will now consider resolutions on the

2:46:46final passage calendar and bills on the

2:46:49second reading and final passage

2:46:52calendar.

2:46:54>> Will the clerk please read the title

2:46:56resolution number 260741?

2:47:01also

2:47:08naming the 1400 block of Thompson Street

2:47:12>> as Samuel State and Junior.

2:47:16Hey,

2:47:20>> Cal said, "Be at ease.

2:47:38Will the clerk please read resolution

2:47:40title of resolution

2:47:42260741?

2:47:44>> A resolution also naming the 1400 block

2:47:47of Thompson Street as Samuel State and

2:47:50Junior Way to honor the life,

2:47:52leadership, and enduring contributions

2:47:53of Samuel State and Jr. to organized

2:47:56labor, working families, and the city of

2:47:58Philadelphia. The chair recognizes

2:48:01Councilman Jeffrey J. Young for a motion

2:48:04regarding resolution number 260741.

2:48:08>> Thank you, Mr. President. I humbly ask

2:48:09for the passage of this resolution.

2:48:13>> It has been moved and properly seconded.

2:48:14The resolution number 260

2:48:17741

2:48:19should have been adopted a long time

2:48:20ago, but nevertheless, all those in

2:48:23favor, the motion will signify by saying

2:48:25I.

2:48:25>> I.

2:48:26>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:48:29motion carries. Budget will be adopted.

2:48:34The chair want to take a moment to

2:48:36acknowledge Councilman Kety Lazada.

2:48:39>> Thank you, Council President. I am

2:48:41asking to be excused for the rest of

2:48:43council and I'd like to be um marked as

2:48:46I on all bills and resolutions. Thank

2:48:48you.

2:48:48>> Leave is granted. Thank you very much.

2:48:50Chief clerk, please read the title of

2:48:51resolution number 260

2:48:54766.

2:48:55A resolution also naming the 200 block

2:48:58of South 50th Street as Monumental Way

2:49:01to honor the legacy and impact of the

2:49:03monumental Baptist Church on the Walnut

2:49:06Hill community.

2:49:08>> Chair recognized Council Member Jamie

2:49:10Gartier for a motion.

2:49:12>> Thank you, Mr. President. I would like

2:49:14to offer an amendment to resolution

2:49:16number 260766.

2:49:19A copy of the amendment has been

2:49:20circulated to all members of council. I

2:49:23move for the adoption of the amendment.

2:49:25Second.

2:49:26>> It has a moving property second. The

2:49:28resolution number

2:49:30260766

2:49:32which is an amendment be adopted. All in

2:49:34favor signify by saying I.

2:49:37>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:49:39resolution has been amended. This bill

2:49:41will be placed on the final passage

2:49:43calendar for our next session of

2:49:44council. Would the clerk please read the

2:49:46title of resolution number 260767?

2:49:50A resolution recognizing Black Bottom as

2:49:52the first and official name of the

2:49:54neighborhood in West Philadelphia,

2:49:56bounded by 32nd Street to the east, 40th

2:49:58Street to the west, University Avenue to

2:50:01the south, and Lancaster Avenue to the

2:50:03north, ensuring that future

2:50:04communication or action on part of the

2:50:06city of Philadelphia acknowledge this

2:50:09community's importance to our city.

2:50:14Chair recognizes Councilman Jamie

2:50:15Gartier for a motion regarding

2:50:17resolution number 260767.

2:50:21>> Thank you, Council President. I move for

2:50:22the adoption of the resolution.

2:50:24>> It has been moved and properly seconded.

2:50:26The resolution number 260767

2:50:30be adopted. All those in favor of the

2:50:32motion will signify by saying I.

2:50:34>> I.

2:50:34>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:50:36motion carries. Resolution is adopted.

2:50:38Will the clerk please with the title of

2:50:40resolution number 260769?

2:50:42A resolution renaming the 5600 block of

2:50:45Woodbine Avenue as James A. Reed Way to

2:50:48honor the life, legacy, and lasting

2:50:50contributions of James A. Jim Reed to

2:50:53the city of Philadelphia.

2:50:55>> Chair recognizes Council Member Jones

2:50:57for a motion regarding resolution number

2:50:59260769.

2:51:01>> Thank you, Mr. President. Going back to

2:51:03Bell,

2:51:04I move for the adoption of this

2:51:06resolution.

2:51:07>> There has been move of property second.

2:51:09The resolution number 260769

2:51:12be adopted. All those in favor, the

2:51:14motion will signify by saying I.

2:51:17>> Those opposed, the eyes have it. The

2:51:19motion carries. The resolution is

2:51:20adopted. Will the clerk please read the

2:51:22title of resolution number 260770.

2:51:26a resolution urging the office of the

2:51:28comproller of the currency and the

2:51:30federal deposit insurance corporation to

2:51:32withdraw the proposed amendments to

2:51:34their community reinvestment act rules

2:51:36which would roll back anti- redlinining

2:51:38standards and weaken banking services to

2:51:40low and moderate income communities

2:51:42while threatening investments in

2:51:43affordable housing and community

2:51:45development.

2:51:46>> Chair recognized Councilman Ruland for a

2:51:49motion regarding resolution number

2:51:50260770.

2:51:53On your behalf, council president, I

2:51:55move for the adoption of the resolution.

2:51:58>> It has been moved in properly seconded

2:51:59the resolution number 260770

2:52:02be adopted. All those in favor of the

2:52:04motion will signify by saying I.

2:52:07>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. And

2:52:09the motion carries. The resolution is

2:52:11adopted. Would the clerk please read the

2:52:13title of resolution number 260774.

2:52:16A resolution also renaming the 12,200

2:52:18block of North Lount Street Derek Fat

2:52:21G's Gant Way to honor the life and

2:52:24legacy of Derek Taweed Haleem Gant, a

2:52:27Philadelphia recording artist and

2:52:29beloved member of the North Philadelphia

2:52:31community.

2:52:32>> Chair recognizes Council Member Jeffrey

2:52:34J. Young for a motion regarding

2:52:36resolution number 260

2:52:39774.

2:52:41>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move for it

2:52:42adoption.

2:52:44It has been moving properly seconded.

2:52:46The resolution number 260774

2:52:49be adopted. All those in favor of the

2:52:51motion will signify by saying I.

2:52:54>> Those opposed. The eyes have it. The

2:52:56motion carries. The resolution is

2:52:58adopted. Will the clerk please read the

2:52:59title of resolution number 260779.

2:53:04A resolution unequivocally standing with

2:53:06unionized workers by endorsing the

2:53:08boycott of Starbucks called for by

2:53:10Workers United SEIU by encouraging

2:53:13residents, neighboring local councils,

2:53:15and Philadelphia city council to refrain

2:53:17from purchasing Starbucks products until

2:53:19Starbucks finalizes a fair union

2:53:22contract.

2:53:22>> Chair recognizes Council Member Nicholas

2:53:24Oork for a motion regarding resolution

2:53:26number 260779.

2:53:29>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the

2:53:30adoption of resolution.

2:53:32It has been moved and properly seconded

2:53:34that resolution number 260779

2:53:37be adopted. All those in favor the

2:53:39motion was signified by saying I.

2:53:42>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:53:44motion carries. The resolution is

2:53:46adopted. Would the clerk please read the

2:53:48title of resolution number 260 780.

2:53:55A resolution also naming the 3,300 block

2:53:58of SI Avenue as Father Judge 27 Way to

2:54:01honor the 27 graduates of Father Judge

2:54:04High School who lost their lives in the

2:54:05Vietnam War.

2:54:07>> The chair recognizes majority leader

2:54:09Katherine Gilmore Richardson who will do

2:54:11a motion on behalf of Councilman Mike

2:54:13Driscoll for resolution number 260780.

2:54:18Isaiah

2:54:19>> chair recognizes council Isaiah Thomas.

2:54:25>> With your permission, council president,

2:54:27I would like to make the motion on

2:54:28behalf of council member Driscoll.

2:54:29>> Absolutely. Chair, officially

2:54:30recognizing council Isaiah Thomas for a

2:54:33motion regarding resolution number

2:54:35260780

2:54:37on behalf of council member Mike

2:54:38Driscoll.

2:54:39>> Thank you, Council President. And I want

2:54:41to thank council member Driscoll for his

2:54:43leadership in acknowledging the Edison

2:54:4564 cuz my uncle was one of the Edison

2:54:4764. So, uh, thank you council member

2:54:49Driscoll for your leadership on his

2:54:51behalf. I move for the adoption of the

2:54:53resolution.

2:54:54>> It has been moved and properly seconded.

2:54:56The resolution number 260780

2:54:58be adopted. All those in favor, the

2:55:00motion will signify by saying I.

2:55:03>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:55:05motion carries. The resolution is

2:55:07adopted. We will now have consideration

2:55:10of privileged resolutions. Would the

2:55:11clerk please read any additional

2:55:13resolutions on today's calendar?

2:55:17A privileged resolution honoring and

2:55:19congratulating the Independence Blue

2:55:20Cross Foundation on the occasion of its

2:55:2215th anniversary introduced by council

2:55:24member Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

2:55:26>> The chair recognizes council member

2:55:28Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a

2:55:29motion on the resolution.

2:55:31>> Thank you council president. I move for

2:55:33the adoption of the resolution.

2:55:34>> Second.

2:55:35>> It has been moved and property second

2:55:37that the resolution be adopted. All

2:55:38those in favor signify by saying I.

2:55:41>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

2:55:44resolution is adopted. Chief clerk,

2:55:45please read with the title of the next

2:55:46resolution.

2:55:48>> A privileged resolution congratulating

2:55:50Daniel Hilfordy, Michelle Singer, the

2:55:52board of directors, and the entire

2:55:54Philadelphia soccer 2026 team for their

2:55:56successful planning and execution of the

2:55:582026 FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia.

2:56:01Introduced by Council Member Isaiah

2:56:02Thomas on behalf of Council President

2:56:04Johnson.

2:56:05>> Chair recognizes Councilman Isaiah

2:56:06Thomas for a motion on the resolution.

2:56:09>> Again, thank you for your leadership,

2:56:10Council President. I move for the

2:56:11adoption of the resolution. It has been

2:56:13moved in property second that the

2:56:15resolution be adopted. All those in

2:56:16favor signify by saying I.

2:56:19>> I.

2:56:19>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

2:56:21resolution is adopted. Chief clerk

2:56:22please with the title of the next

2:56:23resolution.

2:56:25>> A privileged resolution recognizing

2:56:26October 5th, 2026 through October 9th,

2:56:292026 at the city of Philadelphia's

2:56:32maximizing economic development week

2:56:34celebrating small and local businesses.

2:56:36A focused week of programming providing

2:56:38small and local businesses throughout

2:56:40Philadelphia's neighborhoods and

2:56:42commercial corridors with access to key

2:56:43information and resources. Introduced by

2:56:46Council Member Curtis Jones Jr.

2:56:48>> Did you recognize Councilman Curtis

2:56:50Jones Jr.

2:56:51>> on behalf of the

2:56:52>> I think he's the father of Medweek.

2:56:54>> Yeah. Well, uncle.

2:56:56>> Yeah. Uncle, right?

2:56:57>> But on behalf of all those who were the

2:56:59father.

2:57:00>> Um, formerly known as Medweek. Yeah,

2:57:03>> we evolve, we survive, we thrive no

2:57:06matter what. Uh, and I move for the

2:57:09adoption.

2:57:10>> Second.

2:57:11>> It has been moving properly seconded

2:57:12that the resolution be adopted. All

2:57:14those in favor signify by saying I.

2:57:17>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have. The

2:57:19resolution is adopted. Chief clerk,

2:57:20please retitle the next resolution.

2:57:22>> A privileged resolution recognizing

2:57:24National Coming Out Day on October 11th,

2:57:262026 in the city of Philadelphia.

2:57:29Introduced by council member Ru Landau.

2:57:31Chair recognizes Councilman Ruand for a

2:57:33motion on the resolution.

2:57:35>> I move for the adoption of the

2:57:36resolution.

2:57:37>> It has been moved and properly seconded

2:57:39that the resolution be adopted. All

2:57:41those in favor will signify by saying I.

2:57:44>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

2:57:46resolution is adopted. Chief clerk,

2:57:48please read with the title of the next

2:57:49resolution. a privileged resolution

2:57:52recognizing October 2026 as LGBTQ plus

2:57:56history month in the city of

2:57:57Philadelphia and honoring the activists,

2:57:59advocates, and members of the LGBTQ plus

2:58:01community who continue to fight for

2:58:03civil rights and equality. Introduced by

2:58:05Council Member Ru Landal.

2:58:06>> Chair recognizes Council Member Ru

2:58:08Landau for a motion on the resolution.

2:58:10>> Thank you. I move for the adoption of

2:58:11the resolution.

2:58:12>> It has been moved and properly seconded

2:58:14that the resolution be adopted. All

2:58:16those in favor signify by saying I.

2:58:18>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

2:58:20resolution is adopted. Would the clerk

2:58:22please with the title of the next

2:58:23resolution?

2:58:25>> A privileged resolution recognizing

2:58:27October 4th to October 10th, 2026 as

2:58:30digital inclusion week in the city of

2:58:31Philadelphia introduced by council

2:58:33member Ru Landau.

2:58:34>> Chair recognized Councilman Ru Landau

2:58:36for a motion on the resolution.

2:58:37>> I move for the adoption of the

2:58:39resolution.

2:58:40>> It has been moved properly seconded that

2:58:42the resolution be adopted. All those in

2:58:44favor will signify by saying I. I.

2:58:47>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

2:58:50resolution is adopted. Will Chief clerk

2:58:52please entitle the next resolution?

2:58:54>> A privileged resolution recognizing

2:58:56October 2026 as cyber security awareness

2:58:58month in the city of Philadelphia and

2:59:00acknowledging the importance of

2:59:01empowering individuals and organizations

2:59:03to prevent and recognize online threats.

2:59:06Providing resources to protect sensitive

2:59:07data and fostering a culture of digital

2:59:10safety by educating the public on best

2:59:11practices. Introduced by Council Member

2:59:14Ru Landal.

2:59:15>> Chair recognizes Councilman Ru Landal

2:59:16for a motion on the resolution. I move

2:59:18for the adoption of the resolution.

2:59:20>> It has been moved and properly seconded

2:59:22that the resolution be adopted. All

2:59:24those in favor signify by saying I.

2:59:27>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. And

2:59:29the resolution is adopted. Would the

2:59:32clerk please read the title of the next

2:59:33resolution?

2:59:35>> A privileged resolution honoring and

2:59:36recognizing Lieutenant Gregory A. Brown

2:59:39Senior on the occasion of his retirement

2:59:40from the Philadelphia Police Department

2:59:42and commending him for 40 years of

2:59:44exemplary public service. Introduced by

2:59:46Council Member Jeffrey J. Young

2:59:48>> chair recognize Council Member Jeffrey

2:59:49J. Young for a motion on the resolution.

2:59:51>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its

2:59:53adoption.

2:59:54>> It has been moved and properly seconded

2:59:56that the resolution be adopted. All

2:59:58those in favor will signify by saying I.

3:00:00>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

3:00:03resolution is adopted. Will the chief

3:00:05clerk please read the title of the next

3:00:06resolution?

3:00:08>> A privileged resolution honoring,

3:00:10commending, and congratulating Marne

3:00:12Gangal on the occasion of her retirement

3:00:14from the Defender Association of

3:00:15Philadelphia. celebrating her

3:00:17extraordinary career and enduring

3:00:18commitment to justice, reproductive

3:00:20rights, and the children and families of

3:00:22our city. Introduced by council member

3:00:24Nicholas Oor on behalf of council member

3:00:26Kendra Brooks.

3:00:27>> Chair recognizes council Nicholas Oor

3:00:30for a motion on the resolution.

3:00:32>> Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of

3:00:33the minority leader, I do move for the

3:00:35adoption of resolution.

3:00:36>> It has been moved and properly seconded

3:00:38that the resolution be adopted. All

3:00:40those in favor signify by saying I.

3:00:43>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

3:00:45resolution is adopted. Chief clerk,

3:00:47please with the title of the next

3:00:48resolution,

3:00:49>> a privileged resolution recognizing

3:00:51October 12th, 2026 as Indigenous

3:00:54People's Day in the city of

3:00:55Philadelphia, honoring and commemorating

3:00:57the achievements, traditions, and

3:00:58contributions of American Indians, also

3:01:00known as indigenous peoples, and

3:01:02affirming the city's commitment to

3:01:03historical truth, cultural respect,

3:01:06education, and partnership with

3:01:07indigenous communities. Introduced by

3:01:09Council Member Nicholas Oor on behalf of

3:01:11Council Member Kendra Brooks.

3:01:14Chair recognize Councilman

3:01:17Nicholas Oor for a motion on the

3:01:19resolution.

3:01:20>> Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of

3:01:22the minority leader, I do move for the

3:01:23adoption of the resolution.

3:01:25>> It has a moving property second that the

3:01:27resolution be adopted. All those in

3:01:29favor signify by saying I.

3:01:31>> I.

3:01:31>> Anyone opposed?

3:01:33>> Eyes have it and the resolution is

3:01:34adopted. Chief clerk, please read the

3:01:36title of the next resolution. A

3:01:38privileged resolution honoring the Black

3:01:40Brain campaign for a decade of dedicated

3:01:42work to dstigmatize mental health in the

3:01:44black community by providing mental

3:01:46health services and culturally competent

3:01:48training for clinicians introduced by

3:01:51council member Cindy Bass on behalf of

3:01:52Council President Johnson.

3:01:54>> Chair recognizes Council Member Cindy

3:01:55Bass for a motion on the resolution.

3:01:57>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the

3:01:59adoption of the resolution.

3:02:01>> It has been moved in properly seconded

3:02:03that the resolution be adopted. All

3:02:04those in favor signify by saying I.

3:02:07Anyone opposed? Eyes have it. Res

3:02:09resolution is adopted. Chair recognized

3:02:11council member Anthony Phillips.

3:02:14>> I'm good.

3:02:19>> Okay. I got you. Understood.

3:02:26>> I understand. I understand. Say less.

3:02:30She recognizes Mr. Clerk. Please read

3:02:34the next resolution, please. A

3:02:36privileged resolution celebrating the

3:02:3750th anniversary of the Philadelphia

3:02:39Police Department's Women in Patrol and

3:02:41honoring five decades of women's service

3:02:43and leadership in law enforcement.

3:02:45Introduced by Council Member Cindy Bass

3:02:47on behalf of Council President Johnson.

3:02:49The

3:02:49>> chair recognizes Council Member Cindy

3:02:51Bass for a motion on the resolution.

3:02:53>> Thank you, Mr. President. On your

3:02:54behalf, I move for the adoption of the

3:02:56resolution.

3:02:58>> As we're moving properly second, the

3:03:00resolution be adopted. All those in

3:03:01favor signify by saying I. Anyone

3:03:04oppose? Eyes have it. The resolution is

3:03:06adopted. For the record, member Jones,

3:03:08are you on that resolution, sir?

3:03:10>> Yes, sir.

3:03:10>> Okay. Thank you very much.

3:03:12>> Chief clerk, please read the title of

3:03:14the next resolution, please.

3:03:15>> A privileged resolution recognizing and

3:03:17honoring the National Council of Negro

3:03:19Women Incorporated for its unwavering

3:03:21commitment to empowering women,

3:03:23strengthening families, advancing

3:03:25educational and economic opportunities,

3:03:27promoting health equity, advocating for

3:03:29social justice, and uplifting

3:03:30communities. introduced by council

3:03:32member Cindy Bass.

3:03:33>> Chair recognizes council member Cindy

3:03:35Bass for a motion on the resolution.

3:03:37>> Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the

3:03:39adoption of the resolution.

3:03:41>> It has a move and property second that

3:03:42the resolution be adopted. All those in

3:03:44favor signify by saying I.

3:03:47>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

3:03:48resolution is adopted. Chief clerk,

3:03:50please read the title of the next

3:03:52resolution. A privileged resolution

3:03:54recognizing October 2026 as National

3:03:57Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the

3:03:58city of Philadelphia and honoring

3:04:00survivors, advocates, and all those

3:04:01affected by breast cancer. Introduced by

3:04:04council member Nina Amed on behalf of

3:04:06council president Johnson.

3:04:07>> Chair recognizes council member

3:04:12Dr. M for a motion on the resolution.

3:04:16>> Thank you, council president. I move for

3:04:17the adoption of the resolution on your

3:04:19behalf.

3:04:20It has a moving property second that the

3:04:23resolution be adopted. All those in

3:04:24favor signify by saying I.

3:04:27>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. And

3:04:29the resolution is adopted. Mr. Clerk,

3:04:32please read the title of the next

3:04:33resolution.

3:04:34>> A privileged resolution recognizing

3:04:36October 2026 as vision awareness month

3:04:39in the city of Philadelphia and honoring

3:04:40Overbrook School for the Blind's

3:04:42leadership in advancing education,

3:04:44technology, and access for individuals

3:04:46who are blind or visually impaired.

3:04:48introduced by council member Nina Amed.

3:04:51>> Chair recognizes council member Dr. Name

3:04:53for a motion on the resolution.

3:04:54>> Thank you council president. This was

3:04:56co-introduced with council member Jones.

3:04:59I move for the adoption of the

3:05:00resolution.

3:05:02>> It has been moved and properly seconded

3:05:03that the resolution be adopted. All

3:05:05those in favor signify by saying I.

3:05:08>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

3:05:10resolution is adopted. Mr. Clerk, please

3:05:12read the title of the next resolution. a

3:05:14privileged resolution authorizing the

3:05:16committee on public health and human

3:05:17services to hold hearings to investigate

3:05:19the impacts of reductions to Medicaid

3:05:21coverage under HR1 on the Philadelphia

3:05:23residents, our healthc care providers

3:05:26and service organizations and to examine

3:05:28the city of Philadelphia's strategy and

3:05:30preparedness to address those impacts

3:05:32introduced by council member Nina Amed.

3:05:35>> Chair recognizes council member Nina

3:05:36Amed for a motion on the resolution.

3:05:38>> Thank you, council president. I move for

3:05:39adoption of the resolution.

3:05:43It has a moving property second that the

3:05:45resolution be adopted. All those in

3:05:46favor signify by saying I.

3:05:49>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it. The

3:05:51resolution is adopted. Just want to say

3:05:52Dr. Am I um that's good work because the

3:05:55cuts actually start today October 1st.

3:05:58SNAP and Medicaid. So we have our work

3:06:01cut out for us. But you know local

3:06:03government is on the front lines. So we

3:06:06will meet the moment. Mr. Clerk, please

3:06:09read the title of the next resolution.

3:06:10Sir,

3:06:11>> a privileged resolution recognizing

3:06:13October 2026 as menopause awareness

3:06:15month in the city of Philadelphia to

3:06:17affirm the importance of ending the

3:06:18stigma and cultural silence surrounding

3:06:20menopause and to acknowledge its na it

3:06:23as a natural biological process that

3:06:25significantly impacts the physical and

3:06:27emotional well-being of many

3:06:28individuals. Introduced by council

3:06:30member Nina Ahmed.

3:06:32>> Chair recognizes council member Dr. Nina

3:06:34Amed for a motion on the resolution.

3:06:36>> Thank you G's president. I move for the

3:06:38adoption of the resolution.

3:06:40It has a move and properly seconded that

3:06:42the resolution be adopted. All those in

3:06:44favor signify by saying I.

3:06:47>> Anyone opposed? The eyes have it and the

3:06:49resolution is adopted. Mr. Clerk, any

3:06:51other resolutions?

3:06:52>> There are no further resolutions in my

3:06:54possession, Council President.

3:06:56>> Thank you very much.

3:06:58That concludes

3:07:01our calendar for today. Are there any

3:07:04speeches on behalf of the minority?

3:07:06Chair recognizes Council Member

3:07:07Nicholas.

3:07:08>> Thank you, Mr. President. really brief

3:07:09actually didn't even have a speech

3:07:10today, but I did want to remark since

3:07:11you made the point around Medicaid and

3:07:13SNAP getting cut today that I want to

3:07:15appreciate the entire committee on the

3:07:18innovative economy that joined us

3:07:19yesterday for our cost of living report

3:07:21hearing. Um, this report uh is a product

3:07:24of the cost of living task force of the

3:07:26city council of Philadelphia. Now, in my

3:07:29two and a half almost three years being

3:07:31on this in this body, I've learned a

3:07:32little bit about government and I

3:07:33respect that many of us find our lanes

3:07:36and we can get territorial about our

3:07:37lanes. But in light of that context, I

3:07:39wanted to make sure that I clarified

3:07:41that this report is not a nick project.

3:07:44This report, as I was explaining to

3:07:46Councilman uh Phillips, this report is a

3:07:48grabag. If there is anybody in this body

3:07:51that sees something in there that you

3:07:53feel like you can get with, maybe there

3:07:54are pieces in there that you can't,

3:07:55there's some other parts that you can,

3:07:57please have at it. The idea is u that

3:08:00these are experts uh who are experienced

3:08:02in their work that have put in over a

3:08:04year's worth of time compiling this

3:08:07report that identifies what is in each

3:08:09one of those categories driving up the

3:08:11cost of living. And there's about three

3:08:13or four actionable policy ideas to help

3:08:16drive it back down. Not one single thing

3:08:18will do it. If we did it across the

3:08:20board, like a kind of a unilateral

3:08:21approach, maybe five or six at a time,

3:08:23that that could actually help bringing

3:08:24it down. I just want to clarify again,

3:08:26this isn't just for me and my little

3:08:28trophy. This is what the council of the

3:08:30city of Philadelphia is offering as it

3:08:32relates to bringing down addressing the

3:08:34cost of living and affordability in the

3:08:35city of Philadelphia. Thank you, Mr.

3:08:36President.

3:08:37>> Thank you. Job well done as well.

3:08:41The speeches on behalf of the majority

3:08:42chair recognizes Council Member Anthony

3:08:44Phillips.

3:08:48He ain't turning off that light either,

3:08:51right? 20 minutes ago, but learn from

3:08:54the best. Go ahead. Go ahead, Dr.

3:08:56Anthony Phillips. Search, floor is

3:08:58yours.

3:08:58>> Thank you, Council President, and

3:09:00greetings to uh my colleagues and most

3:09:03importantly to all of our neighbors

3:09:05across Philadelphia, especially our

3:09:07ninth district. Last month, Ruckers

3:09:09University released research showing

3:09:11that something alarming is happening.

3:09:1570% of mice in Philadelphia region now

3:09:18carry genetic mutations that make them

3:09:21resistant to poisons where we've been

3:09:24experienced this for a lot of decades.

3:09:26Rats are now in Northeast. Rats aren't

3:09:30mutating the same way, but they're

3:09:32evolving just as fast. So, we're

3:09:34learning to they're learning to avoid

3:09:36traps and they're getting smarter by the

3:09:38day. Pest control companies in our city

3:09:41are running seven days a week, fully

3:09:44booked, and they're still barely keeping

3:09:47up. This is not a minor problem. This is

3:09:50an epidemic. The science is clear.

3:09:53Poisons alone are no longer the answer.

3:09:57Experts tell us it will take years to

3:09:59develop new pesticides. So, what do we

3:10:02do right now? We have to go back to the

3:10:05basics. prevention, sanitation, removing

3:10:08the conditions where these rodents

3:10:10thrive.

3:10:12That's why this resolution I introduce

3:10:14today demands that we do something

3:10:16different. We're calling on the

3:10:18Department of Public Health to treat

3:10:20this like the public health emergency

3:10:22that it is. We're calling on license and

3:10:24inspection to enforce our sanitation

3:10:26code with real teeth, declaring it an

3:10:30emergency, not continuing to give people

3:10:32these care periods. notify them that

3:10:34we're in an emergency. Let them know

3:10:36that they have a week or so to get it

3:10:38together. And any condition that is

3:10:41causing rodents to happen deserves an

3:10:44immediate fine. And it needs to stick.

3:10:46It needs to stay. There's no more 90-day

3:10:49cure periods, 60-day cure periods. Fix

3:10:52it. In addition to that, we're calling

3:10:54on sanitation to get the resources. It

3:10:56needs to remove food and shelter that

3:10:59attracts these rodents in the first

3:11:00place. We can no longer just have a few

3:11:03bad actors on the block who continue to

3:11:06put their trash out in the back in the

3:11:08front cause disruption for the good

3:11:10actors and our neighbors who are who

3:11:13suffering through this roen problem in

3:11:15Northeast. So this isn't about blame.

3:11:18It's about accepting that our old

3:11:20playbook in the city of Philadelphia to

3:11:22take down rodents and rats is not

3:11:25working and we got to act smarter. So,

3:11:27we're asking for clear responsibilities,

3:11:29clear metrics, and public reporting on

3:11:32what's happening. I expect the team from

3:11:34public health, license inspection, and

3:11:36sanitation to go out in Northeast within

3:11:39the next week or so with a blitz saying

3:11:42here's what we're going to do. I'm not

3:11:44saying don't tell me what block. I'm

3:11:46saying the entire Oxford circle

3:11:49literally educating people on what needs

3:11:51to be done doing an abatement plan and

3:11:54then following up to make sure that this

3:11:56is clean, safe, and habitable. If this

3:11:59was happening in certain areas of the

3:12:01city, they would be in a rush and a barn

3:12:03storm. There's no reason why one area of

3:12:06the city should suffer like this for a

3:12:07long period of time. It has to happen.

3:12:10So, let's show them what a when a

3:12:11problem hits the city that we're serious

3:12:13about it. and I hope that we have some

3:12:15urgency and intelligence to this rat

3:12:17problem in Oxford Circle in Castle

3:12:19Gardens. Thank you.

3:12:21>> Thank you,

3:12:24Chie Member Jones.

3:12:26>> I beat you. Um, thank you for that,

3:12:29Phil. Member Phillips, uh, it's the

3:12:32little things that take care of the big

3:12:35things that we have to pay attention to.

3:12:38President Johnson, members of uh this

3:12:40body, and those of you who are paying

3:12:43attention out in the community, we had

3:12:45an opportunity to have a wonderful

3:12:49State of the Union address in the fourth

3:12:52district. Uh we represent about 157,000

3:12:55people. Uh, Senator Hughes, Almond

3:12:58Brown, Morgan Cifus, uh, TK Khan, and

3:13:03Ronnie Green were on that um, town hall.

3:13:09All of the things that you are doing

3:13:11here fit within that microcosm of my

3:13:14district. And the way we want to fit

3:13:16them in, president, is in four quarters.

3:13:19I talk about this all the time. There's

3:13:21a seniors that we are looking at

3:13:24legislation on senior safety which

3:13:27includes a security guard in the lobby

3:13:31or a camera with a live eye on it

3:13:34protecting those individuals from 9 to

3:13:376:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. That's

3:13:40one aspect of a manifest that when

3:13:43someone comes in looking at auntie, they

3:13:45know which ones are the apartments where

3:13:48people have mobility issues. So that you

3:13:51know if the lights go out and the fire

3:13:53is going, let's go to that apartment

3:13:55first to save that individual. Common

3:13:57sense. The third quarter are people who

3:14:01are in the workforce already. I call

3:14:03them Alice, access limited, income

3:14:06constricted, unemployed, the working

3:14:09poor. They worked all their life.

3:14:11They're trying to maintain their assets.

3:14:13People in Overbrook Park that um can't

3:14:17qualify for a lot of the housing

3:14:20programs that we passed that they pay

3:14:23for, they can't get. So, they have to

3:14:25make critical decisions on how to

3:14:27maintain their properties. We want to

3:14:30look out for that quarter. So, I'm

3:14:32looking to work with those in the

3:14:34housing uh space to make sure that if

3:14:37you make $2 more, let's figure out how

3:14:40to get them in. The uh second quarter

3:14:43are young people that are entering the

3:14:44workforce.

3:14:46Looking at you, Caroline, that have

3:14:48entered the workforce that want to enjoy

3:14:51a quality of life similar, if not

3:14:53better, than their parents. They want to

3:14:55be able to afford a mortgage. They want

3:14:57to be able to afford a meal. They want

3:14:58to be able to afford the cost of living.

3:15:01And when we start talking about minimum

3:15:04wage, the minimum wage

3:15:07for the state of Pennsylvania is $7

3:15:10plus.

3:15:12Who who can live off of that? So, we

3:15:14want to look out for them to make sure

3:15:16that they have opportunities to to live

3:15:20a life that their parents had. the first

3:15:22quarter, first quarter, precious babies

3:15:26are in the um education space. Member

3:15:29Thomas, they should be able to know that

3:15:32my school will be open in June, that

3:15:34Lincoln will be open in June, that

3:15:36Overbrook Elementary will be there for

3:15:38them because of nothing they have done

3:15:41other than perform excellently, 100%

3:15:44graduation rates at Overbrook. Where

3:15:47they do that at? Where they do it at

3:15:48Overbrook? And so we need to not fix

3:15:52what ain't bro. We should be leerary of

3:15:56closures of schools that are based on

3:16:00opportunities to develop. We're going to

3:16:03pay attention and put them in those four

3:16:05categories. My name's Kurt Jones. You

3:16:07got my word on it.

3:16:10>> Thank you very much. Member Jones. Chair

3:16:13recognizes council member and very well

3:16:15said. Chair recognized Council Member

3:16:18Jim Herity.

3:16:22>> Thank you, Council President. I'm glad

3:16:24that we're talking about rats now. I've

3:16:27been talking about them in Kensington

3:16:29for a while. Maybe now that they made it

3:16:31up to the Northeast, we might get some

3:16:32help down in

3:16:33>> the Z Mount area.

3:16:36>> Yeah, exactly.

3:16:37>> Talk about that.

3:16:38>> If I would have known that's all it

3:16:39take, I would, you know, brought maybe

3:16:41some of my Kensington rats up to the

3:16:43Northeast. But, you know, uh you

3:16:46definitely don't want the rats we got.

3:16:48That's right. Uh

3:16:50all joking aside, uh Saturday, October

3:16:553rd, 2026

3:16:57at 8 a.m. Checkin at 7 a.m. We have the

3:17:02Smoking Joe Frasier walk run, roll,

3:17:07baby. Come out strong. A stronger

3:17:10Philadelphia moves forward. We all all

3:17:13are welcome. Uh come out and support the

3:17:16Frasier uh foundation. Uh you know, as

3:17:20the champ said himself, I fought for my

3:17:22city. I fought for my people. I never

3:17:26back down. Let's show them some respect

3:17:28and get out there and walk, run, and

3:17:30roll uh on October 3rd, Saturday. Thank

3:17:33you, Council President.

3:17:34>> Thank you very much, Councilman Ruandal.

3:17:38>> Thank you, Council President. Today, I

3:17:40was proud to introduce two resolutions

3:17:42in support of Philadelphia's LGBTQ plus

3:17:45community. National Coming Out Day is a

3:17:47moment each year where the LGBTQ plus

3:17:50community and our allies celebrate

3:17:52living as your authentic self,

3:17:54reflecting on how far we've come in the

3:17:57fight for equity and committing to a

3:17:59future where everyone is free to be who

3:18:01they are and love who they love. Each

3:18:04queer person's coming out story is

3:18:05personal, but sadly not every story ends

3:18:10with affirmations from loved ones. As

3:18:13Philadelphia's first openly LGBTQ plus

3:18:15member of city council, I want to remind

3:18:17anyone who has come out, anyone who

3:18:19plans to come out one day or anyone

3:18:21who's still coming in terms with their

3:18:23identity, you belong. You are worthwhile

3:18:26and you have community here in

3:18:28Philadelphia.

3:18:29Right now, the ACLU is tracking 50 531

3:18:33anti-LGBTQ plus bills in the US. In

3:18:362026, 63 bills targeting our trans and

3:18:40non non-binary residents have passed in

3:18:43this country. My straight and cisgender

3:18:46colleagues, I know you stand with me as

3:18:48allies in the fight for LGBTQ plus

3:18:50equity. But remember that just because

3:18:53Philly is loud and proud to be queer,

3:18:56the same cannot be said across the

3:18:57country and across the Commonwealth. And

3:19:00is our duty as elected officials to

3:19:02stand up against this kind of hateful

3:19:04legislation. Foster inclusivity

3:19:08and reject hate and bigotr.

3:19:12This leads to why I introduced my other

3:19:13resolution recognizing October as LGBTQ

3:19:17plus history month in Philadelphia. From

3:19:19the an annual reminders outside

3:19:22Independence Hall in the 1960s to the

3:19:25first gay pride march in 1972 to the

3:19:28passage of extensive anti-discrimination

3:19:30laws, Philadelphia has fought for our

3:19:32rights. It's why I'm even able to sit up

3:19:36here today as a proudly out council

3:19:38member. This is a city of brotherly

3:19:40love, sisterly affection, and sibling

3:19:43solidarity. And no homophobic or

3:19:45anti-trans rhetoric at the federal level

3:19:47or even right here in Philadelphia is

3:19:50going to change that. Thank you to Mayor

3:19:52Dusso, the first openly trans mayor in

3:19:54the Commonwealth, both for coming out,

3:19:56for being part of our state's history,

3:19:58and for all you've done, not just for

3:20:00Downing Town, but for all of us. And

3:20:03today I was also proud to introduce a

3:20:06resolution recognizing October 4th to

3:20:0810th as digital inclusion week in the

3:20:11city of Philadelphia. In today's modern

3:20:13world, digital equity, digital literacy,

3:20:15and digital uh equity solutions are just

3:20:18a few of the technology barriers

3:20:20residents can face. Too many

3:20:23Philadelphiaians deal with barriers when

3:20:24it comes to accessing resources and

3:20:27tools online due to limited uh resources

3:20:30and access.

3:20:32in order to live, learn, and work in

3:20:34digital inclusion must be a part of

3:20:36creating a better Philadelphia for all.

3:20:38Thank you to Jonathan Leco from Temple

3:20:40University and to Kate Rivera from TLC

3:20:43for speaking to the importance of this

3:20:45value during public comment today. And

3:20:48additionally, I introduced a resolution

3:20:50recognizing this October as cyber

3:20:52security awareness month in

3:20:53Philadelphia. Data privacy is a massive

3:20:57concern for our city and consumers and

3:20:59lack thereof puts Philadelphiaians at

3:21:01risk. Please use this month as a

3:21:04reminder to stay alert, update your

3:21:06passwords and enable protections like

3:21:08multiffactor authentication on all

3:21:11devices. Don't let your personal

3:21:13information fall at risk. Thank you very

3:21:15much for your time.

3:21:16>> Thank you chair Dr. Nina Med.

3:21:21>> Thank you council president. Um let me

3:21:24start by saying today is about access.

3:21:28Access for our most vulnerable. Access

3:21:31for those who silently suffer. Access

3:21:34for those of us who move through the

3:21:36world with unique needs that are never

3:21:38met. which is why I introduced a

3:21:40privilege resolution today and I thank

3:21:42my colleagues for voting to pass this uh

3:21:45for to authorize the committee on public

3:21:47health and human services to hold

3:21:50hearings to explore the impacts of

3:21:52reductions to Medicaid under HR1 on

3:21:55Philadelphiaian's healthcare providers

3:21:57and service organizations. As of today,

3:22:00HR1 state governments are now

3:22:02responsible for 75% of administrative

3:22:06costs as of October 1st compared to 50%

3:22:09in the past. A 25% increase in

3:22:12administrative costs is significant and

3:22:15a heavy lift for any government. This is

3:22:18an act of moral cruelty and one which

3:22:21will hurt many Philadelphiaians,

3:22:23including 1.4 im uh 1.4 4 million

3:22:26immigrants here legally who are expected

3:22:29to lose their benefits under these cuts.

3:22:32Access is also why I'm introducing a

3:22:34resolution uh introduced a resolution

3:22:36recognizing October 2026 as menopause

3:22:40aware awareness month in Philadelphia.

3:22:42Along with this resolution, my bill

3:22:44number 2550849

3:22:46goes into effect starting January 1st,

3:22:482027. The purpose of today's resolution

3:22:51and all my work regarding menopause and

3:22:54menstruation is to end the culture of

3:22:56stigma and silence around these issues

3:22:58and to give people access to the support

3:23:01and care they need to live their full

3:23:03lives. These are natural processes and

3:23:06so many of us go through that it is

3:23:08about time we normalize it. Uh my final

3:23:11piece of legislation was a resolution I

3:23:14co-introduced with uh Council Member

3:23:16Curtis Jones to recognize October 2026

3:23:19as vision awareness month in

3:23:21Philadelphia and honors the Overbrook

3:23:23School for Blind organizations like

3:23:25Overbrook that lead the way in advancing

3:23:27education, technology, and access for

3:23:30individuals with vision impairment. And

3:23:32I'm thankful for the work we do. Lastly,

3:23:35but not least, I want to say we need to

3:23:38save the Academy of the Natural

3:23:40Sciences. As of yesterday, Drexel

3:23:43formally closed the public museum of the

3:23:46academy. Um, and they currently claim

3:23:48that the academy is not actually closed.

3:23:51Only the public museum is closed.

3:23:55Let me know this there's much more to

3:23:57come. This is effectively the closure of

3:24:00the museum and we cannot let any public

3:24:03relation and let anyone use public

3:24:06relations messages to get their way out

3:24:08of this. The legislative oversight

3:24:10committee's hearing is scheduled on

3:24:13October 7th to explore how the

3:24:15academyy's public museum came to be at

3:24:18risk and put the p conversation on

3:24:21public record to make sure all of the

3:24:25hundreds of emails and phone calls we

3:24:27are getting for people who are deeply

3:24:29deeply upset to know what exactly

3:24:32happened and um we owe it to

3:24:35Philadelphia. Uh, with that I yield back

3:24:38my time. Thank you, Council President.

3:24:40>> Thank you very much. Chair recognizes

3:24:41Council Member Jeffrey J. Young.

3:24:45>> Thank you, uh, Mr. President. Uh, first

3:24:47want to echo some of the sentiments of

3:24:49my colleague regarding, uh, the academy.

3:24:51Um, we took my son there on Sunday, uh,

3:24:56you know, just to visit the academy. Um

3:24:59and we ended up in the in the protest um

3:25:02march from the academy to city hall uh

3:25:05to keep that place open. Um and it was a

3:25:09real uh lesson that I got to teach my

3:25:12son um while we were out there um the

3:25:15importance of those learning

3:25:17institutions and I was talking to the

3:25:20grown adults um and they just turned and

3:25:22look who had no idea who I was, right?

3:25:24I'm just in the in the space. Um they

3:25:26were just thanking me for teaching my

3:25:29son um and showing my son those lessons

3:25:32um the importance of these types of

3:25:34spaces. Um and a grown man turned to me

3:25:37and said he he he started crying. He

3:25:40started crying because of what that

3:25:43institution uh means to him. Um and I

3:25:47was there with my son and my wife. My

3:25:49wife looked at me. We looked at each

3:25:50other and she basically said, "You got

3:25:52to do something, right? got to do

3:25:54something. Um, so you know, it's I know

3:25:58it it it all comes down to economics.

3:26:02Um, but there are ways and that we can

3:26:04help and there is help that was offered.

3:26:07Um, so I'm looking forward to the

3:26:10conversation continually about how we

3:26:12can help uh this institution maintain

3:26:16its public facing uh space. um because

3:26:19that is what uh I am fighting for as a

3:26:22member of city council, fighting for the

3:26:24public good of that space. Um and we

3:26:27want to make sure that the public can

3:26:29continue to have access to that learning

3:26:31space. Um be because again, you know,

3:26:34that that space uh is the first space in

3:26:37the country to have uh the dinosaurs

3:26:42erect, right? Like the first place in

3:26:44the country um you know to have some of

3:26:46these artifacts. Um and as we are

3:26:49celebrating the 250th year of America,

3:26:52um it just sad that we um you know we

3:26:55see uh the closing of an institution

3:26:58like the Academy of Natural Sciences and

3:27:00we know that there are um you know there

3:27:03are issues right there financial issues

3:27:04but I think again we can work around

3:27:06that work through that um to ensure that

3:27:09these learning spaces are protected uh

3:27:12here here in our city. Um, also want to

3:27:16uh honor again and and recognize Mr.

3:27:20Samuel Stton Jr. um here in the city

3:27:22council as we presented him with the

3:27:24resolution and street sign officially

3:27:26renaming the street today um in his

3:27:29honor. um you know this designation um

3:27:32is to honor his life, his leadership and

3:27:35his enduring contributions u not only

3:27:37just to organize labor here in the city

3:27:39of Philadelphia uh but to working

3:27:41families um to the people of the city of

3:27:44Philadelphia because if you saw the

3:27:45people who were standing up behind us

3:27:48there they weren't members of the union,

3:27:50right? They were Philadelphiaians that

3:27:53again as I mentioned keep this city

3:27:55going. They're nonprofit leaders.

3:27:57They're community leaders, right? There

3:28:00there are people who believe in this

3:28:02city um and people who Mr. Stton have

3:28:05invested in um you know through his

3:28:07leadership to make sure that our city

3:28:09continues uh to thrive. So I want to

3:28:11thank everyone who joined him today. Um

3:28:14you know your presence again speaks uh

3:28:16volumes um of the lasting impact of his

3:28:19leadership and Mr. Stton thank you for

3:28:21your service and thank you for your

3:28:22commitment um to working people here in

3:28:24the city of Philadelphia. We all heard

3:28:26your story today. Um, and it's a

3:28:28privilege to help ensure that your

3:28:30contributions are permanently recognized

3:28:31by the city. Um, today we also

3:28:34introduced a resolution honoring

3:28:36Lieutenant Greg Brown on his retirement.

3:28:38We heard uh some of the words uh former

3:28:40mayor John Street um had to speak about

3:28:42uh Lieutenant Brown. Um I want to thank

3:28:44him for his service and recognize him

3:28:46for his commitment um 40 years of his

3:28:49commitment uh to the Philadelphia Police

3:28:51Department to serving our city. And

3:28:53there there's always talk about, you

3:28:55know, police officers in the city and

3:28:57reforming police. Um, but you you can't

3:29:00reform something without understanding

3:29:02what it is, right? And and having a

3:29:04friend like Lieutenant Brown to really

3:29:07understand that police are our folks.

3:29:09They're our people. They're our friends.

3:29:11They're our community. Um, and we we

3:29:13need to be able to understand how uh

3:29:17those institutions uh work so we can

3:29:20reform them to make sure that our

3:29:22communities uh stay protected. So again,

3:29:24congratulations to Lieutenant Brown. I

3:29:26wish you and your family all the best as

3:29:28you begin uh this next chapter um in

3:29:31your uh retirement.

3:29:33We unfortunately had to uh postpone the

3:29:37street renaming for coach uh Ham of Ben

3:29:40Franklin due to weather. Um you know we

3:29:42we can't predict predict the weather. Um

3:29:44but we are working on a new date. Um

3:29:47we're going to be celebrating this

3:29:48legendary coach, this mentor, this

3:29:50educator. Um this remains a priority for

3:29:52me. So I want to want let all those um

3:29:54who love him know uh that we are working

3:29:56on a new date. Um but in the spirit I

3:30:00remember council member Jones mentioned

3:30:01you know sharing uh limit hill today. In

3:30:04the spirit of that sharing um this

3:30:06Saturday October 3rd is North Philly day

3:30:09the family reunion and it uh is at

3:30:11Chomemer's Park at 29th in Chmers and

3:30:1329th in Lehi which is actually in the

3:30:16fourth council district. Uh in that

3:30:18spirit of sharing uh Mr. President um

3:30:21and I've partnered again with council

3:30:23member Cindy Bass uh council member

3:30:24Curtis Jones Jr. Council member Brooks

3:30:27supporting us as well. Um with all in

3:30:29the family CDC, Shadow Tracks Media

3:30:31Arts. Uh this is a celebration of North

3:30:33Philly of the people, the culture, the

3:30:35businesses, uh the community

3:30:37organizations. Uh we've had over 150

3:30:40vendors who are registered. Um there

3:30:42will be free food. Um and there are

3:30:45performances throughout the day. Uh we

3:30:47have headline performances. Z Money, who

3:30:50actually just met President Bill

3:30:51Clinton. Um we have the Philly Destiny

3:30:54Band. Uh we have some for all ages

3:30:56again. So if you're if you're a

3:30:57millennial, a little older millennial,

3:30:59we have uh uh singer Reese. And if

3:31:02you're uh one of my old heads, we have

3:31:04the Philly Intruders uh for you as well.

3:31:06So we have some folks for all

3:31:07generations um of the city of

3:31:09Philadelphia in North Philly. So come on

3:31:11out, bring your f friends, bring your

3:31:13family to come celebrate North Philly

3:31:15day with us. That is this Saturday again

3:31:17from 12 to 7. And we are bringing back

3:31:20um that the wrestling that we had again

3:31:22as well. So, uh, it's going to be a

3:31:23great time this Saturday. I know there

3:31:25are a lot of things happening in North

3:31:26Philly on Saturday, um, for community,

3:31:29but it's to bring community out, to

3:31:30bring community together, to fellowship,

3:31:32to get to know each other again, right?

3:31:34To talk amongst each other again, to

3:31:36celebrate being being, um, in North

3:31:38Philly. Um, and so, as you know, the

3:31:41weather postponed our original date. Um,

3:31:43but we are bringing this back this

3:31:45Saturday again, North Philly day,

3:31:46Chomemer's Playground. Uh, come on out.

3:31:49Um, but before I'm heading to Chomemers

3:31:51on Saturday, I'll be in Fairmont, uh,

3:31:53where we have a street renaming after

3:31:55Council Member Bill Greenley. Uh, Bill

3:31:58Greenley, um, is someone who has always

3:32:00been a supporter of our communities. Um,

3:32:02it will be an opportunity to recognize

3:32:04his years of public service and his

3:32:06lasting contributions to Philadelphia

3:32:08and to the Fairmont community. So, I

3:32:09look forward to joining his family, his

3:32:11colleagues, um, and neighbors, uh, for

3:32:13this celebration. Um, and last but not

3:32:16least, u, Mr. Council President, um next

3:32:18week, next Tuesday, October 6 from 5:00

3:32:20to 7:00 at Lab Charter School 926

3:32:23Sedgley, we are continuing our quality

3:32:25of life town hall series uh where these

3:32:27meetings give community opportunity to

3:32:29speak directly to representatives from

3:32:31city departments. Our partner

3:32:33organizations speak to me directly um as

3:32:36we discuss uh public safety, sanitation,

3:32:38neighborhood cleanliness, um LNI and

3:32:41streets concerns as well as property

3:32:43taxes here in the city. Um it's going to

3:32:45be followed by an open uh question and

3:32:47answer session and again the questions

3:32:49are to of me and of the city

3:32:51departments. Um so I encourage any

3:32:53neighbor to attend bring your questions

3:32:55and help us identify the issues that

3:32:57need attention in your community. Um

3:32:59Mayor Street mentioned constituent

3:33:01services as the bread and butter as the

3:33:03backbone of what we do. Well, this is

3:33:04what we're doing bringing the service

3:33:06directly to you in these neighborhoods

3:33:08uh with our quality of life uh town hall

3:33:10series. So again, October 6th, we'll be

3:33:12at Lab Charter School, 9:26 Sedley.

3:33:15October 14th, we're going to be at Heart

3:33:17Trans School. Um, so please mark your

3:33:19calendars. Your input helps us guide the

3:33:22work that we do in the fifth council

3:33:23district to improve your quality of

3:33:24life. Thank you, Mr. President.

3:33:26>> Thank you very much. Very well done.

3:33:30As there are no more speeches, the chair

3:33:32recognizes council Thomas for a motion

3:33:34to adjourn.

3:33:35>> Thank you, Council President. I move

3:33:37that council stands adjourned until

3:33:39third.

3:33:42Oh, I'm sorry.

3:33:43>> Chair rec Oh, I'm sorry. Chair

3:33:46Councilman Cindy Bass.

3:33:48>> Hey, Mr. President. I won't be long at

3:33:50all. I just wanted to let everyone

3:33:51>> You just pressed that joing

3:33:54for a while, but go ahead.

3:33:56>> Um I just want to let everyone know that

3:33:58our um street naming ceremony for former

3:34:00council member Donna Miller, of course,

3:34:02was rained out last week and at the

3:34:04request of the family, it is likely that

3:34:06we're going to be doing that sometime

3:34:08next spring. So, I just wanted to let

3:34:10everyone know that. And also, um, the

3:34:12ribbon cutting that we had scheduled

3:34:13also for last week, um, due to the rain

3:34:16was postponed and will be sometime this

3:34:18fall. We will get a new date and make

3:34:20sure everyone is aware.

3:34:21>> Thank you very much, Mr.

3:34:22>> President,

3:34:23>> Deputy Whip Bass, and any other

3:34:26speeches?

3:34:33>> Chair recognizes Council Member Isaiah

3:34:36Thomas for a motion to adjourn.

3:34:37>> Thank you, Council President. And I move

3:34:38that council stays adjourned until

3:34:40Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at 10 a.m.

3:34:43Second.

3:34:44>> It has been moved and properly seconded

3:34:46that council standing Thursday, October

3:34:48the 8th at 10 a.m. All those in favor

3:34:50signify by saying I. Anyone opposed?

3:34:53Eyes have it. The motion carries. Thank

3:34:55you all very much.

3:35:03Let's

3:35:16see.