uh we had redesign of the drainage. So those um accounted for major delays um that we are here today that unfortunately we need to extend the work to get it all done. We have to um we are now into the m have to do and ultimately
getting the rails in um and the topping slab that it actually the gate rolls onto. That is what we need to complete to open this area up to the public. Um the gate will not be installed in this closure. That will be a daily issue
where we um daily uh event that we need to come back um and schedule. That's day that's days. That's one or two days because it's a small gate that you set that gate in that rail. Um so in the southern zones um as
everybody knows we are on Marin Marin Boulevard. It's a similar story with uh as you heard with Bloomfield Marin though it is a huge huge um undertaking where we've tried to
complete as much work on the side of the roads as possible um in two work zones in two separate locations but we're still on Marin. We uh we have um utilities that have were not identified
because we didn't know they existed. Um and then when we're actually excavating the road, the elevations and the locations of some of the utilities that we did know changed because it wasn't accurate of the information we received. So,
so Marin actually has um same challenges of utility relocations and and sleeving and things that we're doing. We're getting over into now the remaining work that we need to do. We said we would
open in March 2026. We are looking again at extension into May, end of May 2026 to be able to get all the work done and the rails installed um to be able to set the gate at a later
date. And this work if if if we don't get this done now, it's just going to be delayed months and months and it's this and we're already there. We need to finish. Um, we have drainage redesign due to a
lot of the utilities. JCMUA had a water mane that work that had to be done before PSCG gas relocation. We had several Verizon duck banks that Verizon didn't even know they were there. They were encased in concrete. We had to go and chip out the concrete. It is major
work. And that is just a couple of the problems we've had here. um stakeholders not knowing that they have utilities there don't even know how to address them and can't advise us. So uh we had to rede redesign the drainage actually
had to led to redesigning the microp piles. So we have these designs now. We are moving forward with finalizing all gas lines um or or we have one utility line to to address and then we're going
to be moving into the drainage um redesign work. Um and I do want to point out that a lot of this work just to say because I say redesign that means we actually if we redesign we have to order the material and these are uh can be
long lead items just like with the the water man replacement there's a certain size case there's certain size d diameter um infrastructure that is needed just like with the drainage structures they are um have to be ordered and delivered. So those are long
lead items that we're trying to um you know uh that we have to handle and and um put into our schedule. >> But Kim, you you feel that we've really captured those. We've reduced the number of unknowns. We're in the glide path. So right >> correct. So right so as of today we're
look we are moving forward with the drainage redesign the microp piles and again it's the same scenario where we have to do the microp piles the foundation the rebar and then the rail setting the rail is the last part portion of the work as in all of these
now for um you know we are learning a lot from these trials and tribulations um I do want to point out So, you know, this is something that we've tried to, you know, there there are other entities
that are in this area of Marin. Um, Hoboken's doing, I I think everybody's aware here, Hoboken's doing their pressure mitigation system. Um, that scope of work is installation of um two concrete uh uh below grade um vaults. um
you have this in your pamphlet, but basically they're going to be they're there now. They're using this closure to help finish that project. They should be complete on Marin um you know in Mar I want to say March, but we are
100% nearly complete in Marin. So, you know, they're they're making progress during this closure. Um we also have Elk um New Jersey Transit Longslip project that um they have actually have a a support for us for extending this
closure because they need to finish their project. So Long Slip is not done. They need more time just like us. They are also um working in that same space. Um so what I did provide the council I I
provided just this this there in the presentation this this basic overall schedule. What you have on the screen the red are are the full closures of roads. The first one um you'll see is the Bloomfield um that's accounting for an extension. Um and then we have the
the red dashed kind of uh hatch lines are partial closures. or one lane closures and um you will see also the green is our test pitting program. So what have we learned from these big closures?
We need to we have been asked by stakeholders to go and investigate below our foundation and understand the utilities below the foundation and address them. they want to either sleeve them, they want to
replace them um because they want access. So um what we and and chasing these utilities, identifying the unknowns before we get to the road to totally close it or partially close it. So these green are test pits that we
want to implement before the June before FIFA and ensure that we can collect the data, survey the lines, start engagement for the unknown utilities and really address them, close, you know, reopen
the roads and then come back at a later date and actually know how to address certain issues. Um so what the council has is an is a additional schedule that shows um
say uh work on overall work at like Harborside Park and different areas. But I just wanted to provide this high level of actually road closures. So again what we've learned as I mentioned test pitting
we have a complex subsurface. How are we addressing it? Are we just going to do the same old thing? No, we don't want to do the same old thing. We don't want to be there as longer than than pos, we don't want to be there longer. We want to be out of this area. We want to open up to the public because you're, you
know, you're seeing this every day. Um, we are in the thick of things. This is 2026. You are in the middle of all of this construction. I just want to call that out. We do uh you see it. So we are
generating utility kit kit of parts that instead of having one solution say for instance there needs to be a 34 in sleeve can they go a 36 in because that's faster to get that's faster to procure
it's already in stock have is is say violia are you okay with us upsizing are we able to fit that in the in the space that we have so We're generating that kit of parts based upon that stakeholder. So we can we can pivot
better instead of sticking on on one one issue or one way. Um we are maximizing work hours where we can some areas that we we can maximize work areas extended shifts and Saturday are rebar work and micro piles. Those are the two big ones.
concrete work are typically is not feasible because you have there's certain curing times um associated with that and certain steps and utilities unfortunately are an issue. Um and to wrap it up our our next we we're committed to go back to the public uh I
think we got feedback um this week on on maybe identifying better when we hit those speed bumps and identifying them out in front of uh the the public. um making them aware. But one of the things
we are doing is you know what you see and that I forgot to say in that gray area was a FIFA kind of blackout um of any major road closure. What um in this gray bar where we are proposing to do one lane closures if we
can. Um that's that we're going to be reassessing based upon what we learned from all the agencies involved in FIFA. Um, one of the things I do want to say is, um, we will be going out to the public before FIFA, uh, when and have a
better handle on the schedule in the second half of the year based upon what we've learned for for scheduling >> um, and that impact. So, that should be spring uh, early late spring early summer. >> Thank you, Kim. Members of the council,
you have any questions? President, >> can I councilman and council Fischer? Thank you, House President. Uh, first just I guess to state the obvious, this is critical work and we've been partners on this for a long time and we appreciate all the efforts that you guys
are doing and the partnership between the D and the city. Uh, we, you know, we couldn't do it without you. So, thank you. Um, 15th in Bloomfield. Um, that was originally supposed to when was that supposed to be done? in March. Was that
>> It was supposed to be end of February. >> End of February. >> Okay. So, uh I I do think people are used to that traffic pattern and I think people have figured out how to get around it. But I do note that we're looking in the fourth quarter at 15th and Garden of having a complete closure
which I think is likely to be more disruptive than that one. I'm wondering if when you're talking about planning for public meetings whether I mean we had a public meeting several years ago over at Alleian Charter School uh which is right there
uh where this work is where I think a lot of people are resident. I'm wondering that if you could if we could work towards having a public meeting there uh I think it's the neighborhood that's going to be most directly affected. I think that having advanced notice for the folks that live in that neighborhood of what's coming and why, I
think it'll be helpful. Um, if I understand your uh testimony today, your presentation today, what you're telling us is that things have been delayed because when you are digging out to build your walls and your gates and your footings and your sewers and everything that when you open up those areas that
you're finding things that were unexpected, that were unmapped that are requiring workarounds and and additional equipment in order to fix infrastructure that is in poor shape like the water line you mentioned. I think that is something that the neighbors would like
to hear directly. I think that if there could be uh photos of that sort of thing. Uh people are seeing the inconveniences and I do think that people recognize the benefits, but I think that uh letting the community know
in real time what's happening uh will be helpful. Uh so I would make that request with respect to the part of the city that I represent. I think that Uptown would appreciate getting another return visit uh that we could schedule at a time would be for the community to be
able to ask questions and for them to see the boards and the like like you've done in other presentations. I think we're probably due to have that kind of a presentation. I think would be helpful. I >> I I would like to build off that that I think this is a flood resilience
project, but we're also making some of the infrastructure more resilient as well while we're doing some of these steps. um having something fail underneath one of the structures that cost $5 million to install is really a bad approach. And I I and I appreciate you pointing that out. I think that's
how we need to talk about we're making a whole bunch of the systems resilient in that area. So, thank you. >> Yeah, because we want it to last for the long haul and if it's if it's on a faulty structure, uh all this work is going to have to be redone and we nobody wants that. So, thank you, Dennis.
>> Thank you, Councilman. Counciloman Fischer. >> Yeah, a couple things. Um, one I I think you know we we met around 5 today up at 15th or 14th in Bloomfield to kind of talk about very specifics on why the delay and we talked about Marin as well.
But one of the things that I think you didn't cover enough was what we're by extending Marin what we're saving which is we we we get to bring one of the projects forward and we don't have to come back again. So maybe you can talk about that and then I have a couple questions.
>> Thank you. Um, yes. So, so if Marin if the if we can't extend Marin and we we don't extend Marin, we're going to have to come back in um and do all of that work plus more work um and and re
um I said I guess re-engage the public on the detours on the traffic patterns that they already enduring and are used to today. um it it would have to prolong um what they were you currently used to that
time frame. If we were to close it up and come back, we're redoing work. We'd have to fill the road for this, open it up, come back, and that would be five months of work versus three. Um because this three months were there
already. We've we would have to go back, re-exavate the road. >> Yeah. and get back to where are we we we are there today. That takes a major it's a major cost, but it's also a major time. It's two additional months in the winter that I don't that if we're there
today and we could finish it and just be out of their their their way and people's way on traffic. Um, and you know that that's the benefit. But the councilman's point was that when we leave, all we have to do is we're hoping to just swing the gate into place and
then be working on the side. >> But we what we had talked about in prior presentations was doing the work that you're doing and and closing uh closing up the hole, opening the road, and then coming back again at a later date to do the monolithic pore. And the monolithic
pore involves opening up the the ground again. as she mentioned, all the different um traffic um uh management requirements and then doing the monolithic pore, all the work involved with that and then closing it back up again. That that's another four-month
time frame. So, they don't have to do that second four-month time frame, they just with the road that's already completely not the road open to traffic, but the the hole that's open, they're going to be able to do all that work and hopefully they won't have to come back
to Marin at all. And I think when we met earlier, one of the things that they um it was uh Dr. Gonzalez, it was a bunch of people and the mayor was there is, you know, they they seem to have learned along the way that if they do a
little bit more work up front with test pits, then they'll instead of having to go to a site twice, they can go to the site once, do the work, do the monolithic pore, and be able to take some additional time off of all of
these, you know, all of these um steps that have been double, you know, double the time that they had originally planned. So, um hopefully we'll we'll get to to see that. But what I would say is the mayor emphasized and I supported
and I know everyone here is we really need in every time they're going into these situations to open up the road to think about it in terms of having at least one lane open um you know everywhere wherever they can. And if they can't, 14th Street, which we talked
a lot about, when they get to that, um, they have to, you know, we have to come up with a solution that manages the traffic in our town and manages safety through our, you know, very dense, uh, communities. Um, so we had talked about,
just to add on to Phil, and this was, um, a question. We had briefly talked about improving the communication and Councilman Cohen, you know, was saying that um if there is a way to give just more of the kindergarten version of a
lot of this, right? Like I don't I think there's a small group of people that come to these meetings as you see. I mean there it's nice amount of 40 people, maybe 50, but there's thousands that live up there. and if there's a way to reach them with some of the um just more basic information. They just want
to know why briefly like why it's being delayed, what we're doing about it, and when it's going to come to an end. Um but is there a way that we can do my my question is there a way that we can do I don't know like I I've said this before like a like a showand tell or a
tour or something of the park, you know, something that just invites people out to learn about the positives of it. the ground is open, right? We stood there and everything that you tell us. It's really kind of cool and just take it like an hour and and and you get you get
a lot of credit for asking people. You'll probably get 30 people, including some kids, but just sending out an invite gets people excited about the prospect of it. You know, there's it's a way to create goodwill. And the park is cool. It's really cool. Park is cool, >> right? And even if you're standing on
the sidewalk, you don't have to get on the site and you just open up the the fence, you know, um pull some of the posters back and just point at what what we're looking at cuz it's almost going to be a shame that you're going to deliver a park and people aren't going to actually get to know what's
underneath the grass, you know? And I think stuff like that, especially as the weather is getting nicer, is a way to create goodwill while you're screwing up the quality of life for all of us in the process. Anyway, >> Councilman uh Firestone and Councilman President Zano,
>> thank you so much uh Council President uh and thank you Kim and Dennis for appearing before us tonight. I I I guess what I'm trying to figure out best is especially with the Bloomfield Street situation because that's the one I I guess I'm physically closest to. Um
you've mentioned things like uh the brick structure which was a previous railroad which was unknown. You mentioned PSEG. You mentioned water manes. all of these things. So, as you're thinking about these things, um,
you know, as I think council, uh, member Fischer was mentioning, a lot of these things probably could have been discovered through pre-planning, are there any lessons that you can learn from this that you can apply to other projects throughout the city? And and then just anecdotally, from the perspective of someone who lives in that
area and who happens to have a puppy that can't hold it for very long, so I'm usually out there six or eight times a day. Um, you know, I don't see much work being done on Bloomfield Street in the active sense. So, um, help me better understand or help me better understand
that I can explain to our residents what's going on there that, um, they can get vested in and why there's this delay. >> Yeah. And I I think that goes into the communication that um, Councilwoman Fischer um, we were talking about earlier. um you know helping helping the
public understand of actually why we're encountering and maybe you're not seeing active as active work as what we want to have there >> because I we also want to have more active work. Sometimes we have to hurry up and and wait a second. We can't have too many like
>> we couldn't have um too many crews doing we can't have crews doing work when there's water man work that needs to be done. So that that postponed it is it is very hard to understand that there is work being done
but you might not be seeing that many crews in the hole. >> Okay. But does this call into question some of the mapping that you have for this area or for any area? >> Exactly. So so what we found is that you know our our test pitting we did test
pitting before this. We did test pitting to the foundation. So that was a protocol that because of engagement with stakeholders that we did prior to this project that it was required to do test fitting to the foundation to identify utilities that might be encountered
while we're digging. Well, that changed. So now that um again going into well the foundation's over our infrastructure, we need it sleeved. Well, there's a pile. We're going to have to uncover this or now we have an
unknown. We found an unknown utility. We have to chase it. And that is those unknowns really are tough. Um because again, we are chasing down of the owner because we can't there's a liability
there of encasing it. >> But I think to answer his question more directly though, we're changing our test bed protocols. >> Well, that that's exactly what we're doing with this. >> Absolutely. changing the way we do it has been going to be looking in the hole. We're going to be looking in the hole. The engineers are going to be looking in the hole and we're going to
open it up and we're going to then grab >> we're going deeper too. >> Okay. >> Um because we have to go deeper. >> That's what we're finding. And what we're finding is some of this infrastructure where we're digging is not in good shape and uh and again it comes back to resilience of the entire system. The gates have to be resilient.
Your flood system has to be resilient. But that infrastructure underneath has to be resilient or I've damaged the stuff above it. Right? We went through all the suffrage and then I I blow it up because I a damaged utility >> um or a utility that Verizon can't get to uh as Hoboken continues to grow.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you for your response. >> I hope I answered you did. Thank you, >> Council President Zano. >> Let me take a little different route. Um, I have some questions just because I haven't had the maybe you can get back to me or this isn't the right forum, but >> I have a couple questions. As I look at
the size of these gates physically as I watch down on near Leion every day and seeing these things and looking at Marin as well, something comes to my mind is maintenance and actual movement of this
gate because like a door, if the hinges stay there long enough, it seizes up. So my question is going forward closing this gate to test it or to keep it moving takes time and energy I suppose one and then two the maintenance behind it. So the maintenance behind it that's
something probably we can talk offline or you guys could let me know because nobody's discussed in rebuild by design who the hell's paying for all the maintenance >> and as we approach some budget constraints this is a massive issue and a lot of this stuff is also on Jersey City side benefiting Hoboken more or
less. So, I'd like to if you guys could contact me on that. >> Are you specifically talking about the gate coming out of the tunnel? >> I'm talking about any of these gates. I mean, there's >> the one coming out of the park is extremely long. I think the estimate is it'll probably take three hours to close at a nice slow speed.
>> That's what I needed to hear. >> We know all that data on each of them. Mand gates can be done and then there's sequencing that needs to be developed too to make sure, you know, maybe we don't have to close them all. Maybe we close phase one and we close phase two. But some of them take time to close and should be closed slowly. Um the second
part is how often are they exercised in order to hopefully obtain insurance benefits or the system gets a uh a land a Clomar or a Lomar that we're all used to of trying to get a map revision. We need to test it every year. Um so you're
you're going to be testing these gates every year or or storm's going to activate one and count as an exercise. >> Right. So that's the short answer, but I think there's a longer O andM discussion we can have offline. >> Yeah, that's and I'm just curious as far as with the size of these things, maintaining anything near brackish water
that's metal is a massive undertaking, i.e. painting it every year, every 6 months, I don't know. But I'd like to know some of the costs going forward because as we hit some very difficult times coming forward, we need to plan for this or at least us as a council need to discuss how we're going to work
with other communities or other towns next to us to get this sorted out. So, if we could talk offline, that'd be great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh just a a quick question on Marin. You said uh that would go until the end of May.
>> Uh correct. We we're we're planning for um end of May. Yes. >> End of May. And then you also said that there may be a a later closure to set the gate. >> So the later closure for Marin would be a daily closure for setting the gate >> couple days. >> So that would be if
>> So that's not a prolonged closure then. >> No. >> Okay. I just I just wanted to clarify on that. And then just in general, I mean, we've been talking about this project for a long time and you know, a lot of times it comes to a head when the community really pushes back because
they're just getting to that frustration point, right? And we all understand that. I think my concern and my question is always the same. How are we trying to make the lives of our residents better? How are we better controlling the things that we don't have the control over? Right? So, we can't change the project.
We need we still need to do the work, right? But how do we manage that in a sense where uh is that more police managing traffic during the day? is that like what are what are we doing on that level so that it makes the lives of our
residents just a little bit easier rather than just saying hey look we know we have to do this work and you got to kind of grin and bear it right so that's really where I always have this disconnect every time we we go through this exercise of explaining where we are
what we're doing what the next steps are all great information right all necessary information but the answer to the question of how my how the lives of my residents in the city of Hoboken are being affected and made a little bit
better in the time of this project and I never get an answer to that. >> Yeah. I I mean it's it's hard for that because a major impact of this is traffic flow, pedestrian flow and I one of the things we've tried we've hired
Baker and um MBI as part you know who oversees um traffic control and as a traffic engineer for the city to help us make that better because that is one of the controlling um one of the things
that we can control is is traffic and tried to make that better. >> Understood. But but how are we doing that I think is the question, right? Like doing that on a computer simulation or doing that on a grid sheet or doing that up in the office is not really
doing that, right? I think what the residents struggle with is, you know, I get it all the time. Why don't they have another cop out there? Right? this it's a simple answer and there's probably a great explanation as to why that not that may not necessarily be the right
answer >> right >> but we don't have those answers and that's what I struggle with every time we do a presentation like this and every time I ask that question what are we doing to make the lives of the residents in Hoboken easier and I never get a
clear answer so that I could go back to my constituency and say hey look I know it sucks I know we're going through this, but in the long run, it's going to be better for our city. And in the meantime, we're doing X, Y, and Z. >> Never get the X, Y, and Z.
>> Do you think it'd be better for us as far as the public outreach to always include we're doing XYZ to make things better? >> Yeah, I think that would be amazing. >> Yeah, >> I really do because we all get it, right? the administration gets it, the
council people get it, you know, the the people who work in the city get it, people who are out on the streets get it. Like, why can't you just do this or why can't you just do that? And if no one has a clear answer as to why they can't do those things or we're doing an
alternative to those things, that frustration will always continue. So I think we need to do a better job of not just communicating but actually communicating those specific steps and those strategies to make the lives easier. >> Yeah. I was going to say can you talk
about kind of our first topic >> councilman? So I can speak to some of the the concerns that you had. I know we have several hours of um in-person on the ground observation and response that Michael Baker um the traffic engineer is doing every month. Um so they go out and
they look at conditions um in the field um in southwest Hobo Hoboken, northern Hoboken. Um and then they also have access to the intersections 24/7 through video monitoring. Um, so they can actually see if there's a complaint from a resident, um, if we get an email, if
there's questions about cop coverage, they can go back and they can look at what was actually happening at that time. Um, and then they continue to be able to have access to this footage ongoing right now. So they can see, um, throughout the year, um, throughout the the week how traffic conditions are changing in real time and make traffic
signal modifications and potentially any other changes to the MPT, whether you know, signage needs to be improved. So, if you're hearing things that aren't being addressed, feel free to email me and we'll make sure that we send it to the traffic engineers and we can address it. >> Yeah, I I appreciate that answer, but
you and I both know that one, most residents don't call in their complaints. It's a week later when I run into somebody in Leo's or I'm walking down the street with my with my son bringing him up to chess, right? Like that's when somebody grab Oh, by the
way, councilman, right? So, it's not a specific time or date where I could go back and say, "Hey, go look at the intersection right at, you know, four o'clock as somebody's coming back into Hoboken." So, a lot of times we're not getting those specifics and and most
people are not calling them in unless they're extremely frustrated. So, I I think we need to be a little bit more proactive rather than reactive to that information. So, that's I at least for me, those are the frustrations that I'm getting from from residents. >> Okay. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman,
uh, Councilwoman Imus. >> So, um, just to follow up on that, I I'm a little concerned about the fact that Memorial Day falls on May 24th and and we're going to have, you know, people trying their hardest to flee Hoboken
uh, for the summer and that's what they do. They go away for the weekend and then so so I guess we had so many people saying, "Oh my god, we're just going to get to the end of March. That's fantastic. I'm just wishing that there was any way you could back it up just
like one week and try and put a hard stop before Memorial Day. Um I did get a call from a resident who's a teacher who said that her commute coming in coming back to Hoboken down that access is now 2 hours when it should be about 45 to 50
minutes. um coming back at the four o'clock hour which is horrendous and you know it makes it untenable. So, anything that can be done and one of the things she specifically called out, she kept saying this, you know, maybe the timing
is off on the on the the lights on observer. Maybe there are other things that can be done to facilitate the inbound at 4 and the outbound at at at 7:30, 8:30. Um because it it is a problem. And then my only other question
that I had really has to do with um periodic testing, not just maintenance. Like will there be a testing plan where these gates have to be opened sporadically to make sure you know because this is protecting against what like a hundredyear storm hopefully. Uh
they may not be used for 20 years. So what what's the testing plan and who's responsible for that? So >> so those gates have to be exercised once a year. >> Okay. Um, the gate install counts as one,
which is good. Um, and if if there is a storm, that does count, but it does have to be the gates do have to be exercised um, at least once a year. Um, we do have an O andM agreement with the city. Um we are
um working to actually fund um the development of that with your engineers um with that was something that that um >> yeah I can speak to that a little bit. So um so the city council did approve an O andM agreement for the Rebel by design
project. Um, one of our next steps is we've received a proposal through the state um to develop an O andM plan which would include um all of the required exercising of the gates, maintenance of the gates, the costs that council uh counciloman President was looking for um
development of all of that because what we have right now are are high level estimates and we're really looking to get at into an incredibly granular literally like you turn you know uh this winch this many times. This is, you know, this is the level of detail that we're looking for in an O andM plan and
we have a very experienced firm that has provided us a proposal to do so. Um, the state has agreed to fund that proposal and we will actually be coming back to you probably if not at the next meeting, the the following meeting after that so that you can review the proposal for the development of all of the the on andm
work associated with this and that's at no cost to to the city uh of Hobok and it's the the state will be bearing that cost >> and I'd like to we be a partner in that. So we have our construction management firm WSP who had helped initially draft the ONM plan which we do have an initial
draft. Um again we need to advance that and we thought in conversations that you know having your uh engineer that's uh city focused would be appropriate but we would have our engineers support that development. So you wouldn't be this
would not be done in a vacuum. And I would also add we have the Greenbrook project that has similar gates that have to be exercised and they're um being exercised and uh I'm building the same sort of system in Union Beach and in Port Mammoth um not in this urban
context but um they also are exercised pretty regularly with some uh satisfactory results. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I have two questions. Uh not going to Marin again. Correct. Just want to clarify that. Captain Russo asked it. Fischer asked it. Not going to Marin
after May. So, when are we when are we starting Jersey Avenue again? I know it's on the sheet. >> Jersey Avenue we are not looking to do until um the end of this year, beginning of next. >> And when Marin is done, when Bloomfield is completed, >> we're looking at complete resurfacing of
>> the roadway. Correct. >> Curb to curb. >> Right. >> All of it. >> Correct. Because that that'll be I think the whole thing I think the whole thing is gone anyway. You want to see residents lose their mind do all this work and no repave the roads. >> My god
>> pitchforks. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Appreciate it. Thank you guys. >> Thank you. >> Good. Right. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Kim. Thank you. >> I want to thank you for having us. I really do enjoy uh meeting with you all and uh and I'll come back.
>> Wasn't that bad today? I didn't mean that. Second meeting, Mr. Clerk. >> Thank you. >> We have a hearing on an ordinance amending the North End redevelopment plan for the North End Rehabilitation Area.
>> Uh Manny Rivera, J17, please. Good evening, Council President, uh, Vice President, members of the council, members, uh, the public. Council President, very quickly, I know that we you not we I was present, but I wasn't able to discuss it uh, in the caucus meeting. Um, no question was asked on
J17, but can council president um, can you clarify um, specific >> an amendment for a temporary parking lot on 16th Street? I was just going to ask you the very same question cuz I >> I did study it. So I appreciate it. So then maybe maybe uh >> that's it.
>> That works great. Thank you. I yel back. >> Thank you, Manny. Appreciate it. >> You want me to stay for the next one? >> Don't do that to you, man. >> Oh, Manny, >> I'll let him fly this time. >> No. Thank you, Manny. Uh Pat Waiter, J17 or or J18? J17. You have a question.
You have a you have a question on J17. Okay. Motion to close public hearing. >> Motion. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. Call a vote. ML. Any question from the council? >> Call vote. Mr. Con. >> Firestone. >> Yes. >> M. Fiser. >> Yes.
>> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Le. >> Yes. >> Mr. Presidento. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi. >> President Aramos. >> Hi. >> Mr. Con. >> I. Hearing on an ordinance adopting an
amendment to the non-disturbance agreement between the city of Hoboken, Heritage Village at Hoboken LLC and New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. Manny River. Uh, council president, uh, I believe the
last person here is pretty tall. I don't understand, but >> there you go. You didn't show up to talk. >> Didn't think I was going to come back. >> Presets. >> I appreciate you. Uh, council president. Uh, again, this one I will um ask the question again. This one you did discuss
in the um caucus meeting. Again, I also believe that it was um in last um council meeting. Um, can members of the public understand or have better clarification again in the terms that you're changing this uh ordinance or adopting this ordinance, pardon me.
Again, it is for the Willow property on 11th. Is that correct? Also, I believe I heard in the um caucus meeting that it had to do something with finance. I don't know if that was correct or was it
that it had something to do with the environmental um conditions that were on the ground due to the fact that this is supposedly scheduled for mid-March to commence? Um do we still believe that is possible? Will members of the public or residents who live in the area have
proper notification that their neighborhood will be experiencing um further noise and uh disturbance on their neighborhood? So that would be the question and I have broken again another record and I yield back council. >> Thank you. >> Uh yes it's going to reflect the
environmental disclosures uh going to amend that to reflect the environmental finance that they had motion but Patuers. Oh you signed up. Okay, Elizabeth Adams. >> This is regarding CD3 and I was just
>> CD3. We're on We're on ordinances >> of the >> We're on ordinances. >> Community development. >> We're on ordinances. Motion to close the public hearing. >> Sorry, we're not there yet. Elizabeth, >> second. All in favor? >> Got to resolutions. >> Any questions? Call vote. Mr. Con? >> I. Stone.
>> I. >> Mr. Fischer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lens. Yes, >> President Zano. >> Hi, >> Mr. Cano. >> Hi, >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi, >> President Ramos. >> Hi. >> Now, we're on >> public boards for resolution items.
Paters, >> yes. Use the microphone, Pat. Council President, I'm addressing you and the government body. That's anything on the agenda, including the caucus. Am I right? >> Anything? Any resolution? >> The caucus was agenda. >> Any resolution? >> All right.
>> Right now, >> cuz I don't see the insurance thing that I I watched the caucus and um I'm asking Miss Fischer and Michael Russo.
I'm concerned about these legal fees. you spoke on that uh Tiffany and you Mike the legal fees the lawyer the council said and she's new I don't think it was her was you at the caucus meeting the cooperation council >> she was there yes >> okay what is this with the um they want
to pay fees from another entity to her direct that wasn't y'all didn't go in detail at the meeting >> and she says she handle all the complaints that come into this city in other words I guess saying she deserve the money or whatever but What's
bothering me is this was voted on before you guys took office. She said this was already voted on and passed in the past, but it was be mindful I said of the not to exceed amounts and the increases with um with respect to legal fees. So could
anybody explain that to me? >> I which uh uh >> why would you take legal fees from some other entity and pay her? >> We don't have any items No, no, you did. It was it
>> before you went home and took a nap cuz you were sick. You wasn't feeling well. >> Oh, no. No. I I She >> means the claims that you >> No, it may be you. It may be not this. Was it this pasta? >> Yes. You said the one before >> take funding from one place and put it
somewhere else directly to the law department. >> Oh, no. It it was you know I I think the conversation was on special counsel fees right where we were remember in the budget we have like a million dollars. It was it it was more
>> it's not an agenda item. >> It's not an agenda item but it's not it doesn't relate to the >> So you guys just discussed it at the caucus agenda related. Correct. Okay. So just be mindful of the caucuses too. That is a meeting also. It's a part of this meeting and thank god I'm mentioning the caucus. Are you guys are
going to always have it those going to be virtual? >> Yes. >> All of the caucus meetings are virtual. So it's not like city hall and we got all excited for nothing because that's another way to boot people out of the meetings and hear smart comments on open mics and stuff and we can't address it properly and we're being
>> the public won't speak at the caucus. >> No, we can't speak in no caucus whether it's in person or not. But I'm saying I feel a little more it's more transparent having it in person and we not being booted out the meeting when the host you see technology today allegedly booted me
out of the meeting >> and I'm feeling some kind of way about that. That's why virtual could be a problem. Okay, that's what I'm saying. So think reconsider that too to have it in person. >> Thank you Pat. >> And now >> Tony Suarez. >> Oh you're not finished. >> Tony S. Not yet. and noun appointments
petitions and communications memo dated by I mean dated March 2nd 2026 by mayor now Jabbor appointing Jane Zivv commissioner for 5 years or whatever blas blas I don't know how many times I get to this microphone and tell you and
thank god this time I brought a resume and I want to read this to the record how you do how you guys do your appointments I know every time in every municipality where there's a new mayor if you wasn't part of the click or you not and and it still seemed like
nepotism and bias to me to pick who you want to pick and not consider other people that do the job anyway and interested in these appointments. It's another smack in the face to members of the public and all the people that's watching me that want to listen to me cuz there are people that want to listen
to me. All right, I just want to share this because again, Mr. Law and Mr. Fina is not you guys. You've been nothing but professional for years and I've been doing this for years. But it's mind bothering every time I see an appointment made and other people and
members of the public is not given an opportunity to sit on the boards. Go look at all of the boards. If you think I'm lying again and nobody better not run it, call me anti- nothing. Every board and committee, people been there for 15 and 20 years. They was appointed there, not giving nobody else the
opportunity. So you look so disingenuine to when you all get elected and say you're going to act under the authority of the people but don't consider none of us cuz we wasn't on your side. That's horrible. And now I want to read into the record my and this is from a few
directors that gave me kudos. >> 15 seconds. Pat, >> I'm coming. I'm wrapping it up. Council President, >> thank you. >> Okay, please. Cuz the distractions don't help any. But I'm going as fast as I can like so many others that stand at this microphone. >> 5 seconds. Stop playing, Ruben.
>> I'm not playing, Pat. >> All right. Well, come on. Let you You're disturbing me. I got electronic device here. I'm trying to go on my device. >> Time's up, Pat. >> Pat, time's up. >> Okay, >> Tony, sorry. >> This here, time's up. >> All right, I'm All right, let me close. I'm closing saying I will email you
this, >> all of you guys. Okay, thank you, Pat. >> This is what I want to email into the record from the directors at the Hudson County Welfare. >> Thank you, Pat. All right, Tony Suarez. as low as it goes. Pull it down. Yeah. >> Another item that's not ADA compliant.
>> And that's why I'm calling I hear about this one. I have no problem with dispensaries, >> but I'd like to know, have we reviewed what this this is an industrial building right now. It is not ad accessible in any way, shape, or form and not available to retail. This this should
you this should not be voted on tonight. This dispensary unless you have seen the location in the floor plans and where it's going to be located. I'm sorry. You guys have to stop. It's the only city in America that I've been to. I've been to a lot where the ADA accessibility is so
far down as an afterthought. Maybe not by you guys as an individuals, but it is horrible. It's getting worse. Last week I texted a bunch of you. They were putting the snow in the open ADA spots in your ward mostly and Tiffany in your ward too. Councilman Fischer, I'm sorry.
Um, and it's it's not it's it's the same as making people and this that might sound bad like not not following the civil rights law. You know, it's like segregation and and it happens. And what we've known now is the some of the most
beneficiaries of ADA compli ADA access are people with strollers and people with kids and people who break their legs playing sports, you know, ZOG sports. So, it's not just people with disabilities, which is the only one minority group that you don't have to be
born into. You can become one anytime with a slip and fall. This dispensary, find out what it looks like before you vote on it tonight because I'm in Newman Leather all the time. There is not an entrance you can walk into to get to an elevator that's in an ADA access door.
You might have to walk up four steps, five steps. If they're cutting a hole in the front and they're going to run it right off the street, but then it still has to be elevated because it's a in a flood zone. So, I don't know what the deal is, but I would not vote for anything. I mean, we have we have another restaurant that's opening.
Nothing against the operator, but it's in the basement. It's two stories. There's a fish market, which I love, but if you want to eat there, you have to go down 13 steps. >> It just opened. You have to tell your zoning board and
your planning board that a change of use triggers ADA compliance. Not just, oh, it's in an old building, they can't do it. They make a reasonable accommodation. Sorry. I mean, people spend a lot of money to open up and they'll make a lot of money. I mean, a
lot of wealthy people that are in wheelchairs, a lot of them have a lot of money. And Hoboken is a very popular place for uh people who come as empty nesters, but then when they get to a when they become disabled as they're older, who most many do, they can't they can't stick around. I mean, you can't
even I mean, it's it's getting harder and harder. And I'm I don't want to go off this subject, but please, I would find out what the deal is here. I mean, if it's just something for the new building when it's built, fine. I have nothing wrong. I go to Blue V. I go to I've been to every dispensary at Hoboken
and some people think I should take more gummies. But um I just want to say please find out what this is before you vote on it cuz >> he's got two minutes left. He's got two minutes left. He >> has two minutes left. >> You're out of order. Phil,
>> you know. All right. >> Got two minutes though. >> Joe, you have Joe. >> Uh just >> Pat please. >> Mr. Sorry, just to address your question, I was on the CRB that reviewed this. We have we we I was
>> Pat, >> just to address your question, I was on the CRB when we reviewed uh this dispensary. We have seen the floor plan. It's an external entrance actually, so you don't have to go in through that. And and I believe they are putting in a ramp, but I can double check that for you.
>> Yeah. Yep. Thank you, Manny. Council that you got the answer. Okay. Man, you get two extra minutes from phone time. >> I appreciate it. Council President and members of the council. Council President, if you can please clarify for
members of the public at this meeting or in future meetings, how much time do we have in resolution in the complete agenda items? 5 minutes, not seven any longer. Okay, Council President, I appreciate the clarification. Council President, could you also clarify in the
agenda, what has changed for members of the public um in regards to the departments? Um has it gotten smaller? Obviously, um will we no longer see in the agenda um corporate council or other uh uh climate action innovation? I
always had trouble saying that, so I'm glad if it's gone, it's gone. But uh anyway, if you could let members of the public understand what's new in the agenda, how it's set up, uh as well as um the actual procedure as to everyone has five minutes. Uh counc I I did make
notes in the caucus because you see that's why you attend the meeting and you are informed citizen. You don't do it because you're here. I'm getting paid. I do it because I love my city and I want to ask more questions. Now obviously you council asked great
questions but for the most part members of the public who were listening did not get all of the answers cuz then most of the people said you will get a report and you will get an email. How do I read that email? How do I get that information? So then I have to come back here in the actual meeting and ask you before my time is up. So council
president my questions would be these. Um, did council, the whole council have their questions answered under administration? There was a question asked on A2. Was that question given the
complete information to the council member who who asked that question? Can that council member or council president give a little more details and colors as to why that is going to be passed this evening? As well as in this new section which is called infrastructure. And
could you also explain it says infrastructure but what else falls under this infrastructure because we took something out of the other um agenda setup. So in that one there were there were questions asked in regards to the amount of money and why is it being
increased and such and things like that and members of the public heard it but got no complete answer. as well as I6, council president, which is a a um large amount of um money that's being spent there. Um can members of the public have
more details on that? Because again, it was discussed in that count caucus meeting. There perhaps weren't that many people attending, but this meeting more um uh members of the public do watch it. We knew that we know that it has something to do with the um the park over there. So, um, you know, the
harbicide in regards to some type of a, uh, I think it was a, uh, >> underground storage, >> an underground storage. Thank you, council member. So, um, those things would be, um, interesting for members of the public to understand as well as, again, as was
mentioned before, CD3, this is why it is important for members of the public, and I sort them all through you, council president, to join the meetings, to join the planning board and the zoning board. these meetings and and and Councilman Firestone can can tell you how important it is, how much detail you get and how
much input you could perhaps give to these um different types of of boards because they let we the people let them know that we have concerns. So I again exhort members of the public as as was done here this evening to look at that and if you are going to consider um um
approving the CD3 tonight explain to the people and make sure that they are comforted that that um persons with disability will be able to to access um that location which I'm sure it would be behooven for them to have members of the public that are um disabled to to be
able to attend or partake of what they are selling in there. And council president to wrap it up because I see the time is is running. Um CL2 and and PS1 uh the grants uh just keep members of the public appraised and somewhere in the website as to um where can we find
the um ultimate deployment of those funds and um and the clerks um is that money the 29,000 um for the sale two um for the caucus meeting for the year. And C president, I see that I have about a couple of seconds left. I will say thank
you for your attention and yield back. Thank you, >> everybody. Appreciate it. >> Lost my breath there. >> You did good. Thank you. >> Uh motion to close public hearing. >> Motion. >> Wait, wait. >> What is it? >> This is uh resolutions. Okay.
>> Okay. Um I'm just curious um for members who of the public who may be at home what's being spoken of here this CD3 resolution. It says specifically resolution approving a community host
agreement with Karma Dispensary LLC. I presume located in parenthesis it has 300 Observer Highway LLC. And I'm just curious to as to know what is meant
specifically by a community host agreement. What is that? >> You know, I'm I'm curious uh what that is. >> Okay. Is that the question? >> That's my question.
>> Sure. Under the city's code with respect to uh cannabis dispensaries, every cannabis dispensary enters into a community host agreement where there are certain benefits and obligations that are entered into. The agreement that's been entered into between the city and the
dispensary is included in our uh agenda packet for tonight which you can read and it describes what are the payments that they're going to make and the obligations that they're going to do with respect to their hiring practices, public safety cooperation, compliance with all rules including zoning rules
that coun that councilman Suarez was concerned about. >> So that's that's what the agreement is. >> This dispensary, how many dispensaries does is that make now in Hoboken? We already have what? >> There's a maximum of six that peritted. >> We have six already. This is >> No, there not six operating right now.
>> So, what do we have right now? >> That's the sixth one approved. >> This is the sixth one. And >> there won't be any. >> There can only be six approved. >> So, six marijuana dispensaries in Mile Square City >> kind of dispensary. >> Yeah, it's nice. There's some >> motion to close the public hearing.
>> Motion. >> Second. All in favor? >> Thank you guys. Any members of the council? Uh, >> any items to discuss? for further discussion. >> Council President, um just question on on claims. >> Sure.
Uh anything any anyone else? >> All right. Call a vote on everything but claims. Mr. Clerk, >> Mr. Con? >> I Stone. >> Yes. >> Miss Fischer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lac. >> Yes. >> President Xano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cano.
>> Hi. >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi. >> President Ramos. I council Russo claims. >> Thank you, Council President. I brought this up in the in the caucus. Uh specifically, uh Cali Carding for $312,000 per month. Uh and then the uh Hudson County Improvement Authority for
close to $300,000 there, too. This is our hauling contract and our tipping fees for garbage collection. um after um the administration and the mayor released um what our potential
liability is going to be when it comes to our tax increases and I've asked corporation council a number of times about contracts in the city of Hobok and and how we have an exit clause in those contracts. Are we looking now to change
our hauling contract? Um, if you just do the math, you're looking at $7.5 million a year for garbage collection. Uh, I was I was adamantly against that contract when it first came about. I'm still against it. And I think we need to
reopen that contract to really reassess our options there. And I just wanted to know if the administration has looked at that and if that's something that potentially we're talking about in terms of trying to save money for the city
residents. >> Um so the Cali contract is up for a one-year renewal. Um that will be coming before you shortly. Um we have not issued a new bid for hauling services as our
understanding is that the um rates that we are being charged for hauling services are generally standard across the industry. Um we actually had completed a waste utility study um that is in final draft form. We're going to come back and present that to you. Um we
looked at the cost of our hauling. We looked at the cost of potentially doing it in house. We determined that actually it is um more cost-effective to outsource hauling. Um we also determined that um the most
cost-effective way for us to go forward while continuing the same level of service would be to potentially consider what most other towns do, which is um charging businesses for waste collection and potentially phasing those costs in
over a number of years. So, we've done a lot of that work and we're ready to present that work to to the subcommittee, but in short, we're not looking to um renegotiate that contract because it's we would have to rebid the entire
service and we understand that we're actually it's actually a a a market rate that we're, you know, paying right now. >> Right. So, so my question would be because the the professionals that I've dealt with probably over the last 6 to 8 months um have presented to me a very
different story about potentially bringing this inhouse. >> Okay. >> Uh I think there would be a significant savings especially that we own a lot of the the equipment already. We wouldn't have to purchase some of that. >> We would have to purchase equipment. >> We would have to purchase some. >> Yeah. >> Correct. Right. But not all of it. We we
most certainly have hauling trucks already. Uh we have a we have two >> don't have enough. Um but sure I I'm happy to have a >> discussion enough director. I don't I don't want I I want to make sure I'm very clear here. >> Sure. >> We don't have enough but we do have some of that equipment. So that there's a
cost savings there already. And in the first year we may potentially see some savings but the years after that after the purchase of that equipment we may see additional savings. So my question to you is when can the the council in its entirety see that uh study that you
referenced? >> Sure. And will we have ample enough time to review that before any potential contract comes before this council to uh for any whether it's our current hauler or anyone else so that we have uh the
ability to look into that and potentially change course of action because a 20 plus% tax increase is not going to fly in the city of Hobok and definitely not for me. I'm sure other council members feel the same way and I think we really need to look at every
single option uh put them all on the table and try to figure something out. So, can we have that study uh and can we see that in a advanced way where we get to kind of really dig into it? >> Yeah, I think that we can uh present that study in subcommittee very soon um
and then yeah, we can have further discussion with other council members as as interested. Yeah, I think that would probably go through the infrastructure subcommittee or admin and finance. I defer to the council president. >> We'll figure it out. >> Yeah. If you if you could send at least the study without a discussion to everyone as soon as possible, that would
be >> ask questions beforehand, that'd be great. >> Thank you. >> Just to follow up, do we have a weights and measures system to know how much the garbage thems are two different things, right? So, >> we they're required to come in empty. >> All right. Appreciate it. >> But we don't have anyone checking them.
Well, I we don't have a weights and measure system. No, >> we should be look that's another conversation then. Thank you. Uh vote on claims. >> Thank you, Counc. >> Thank you, Councilman. >> Mr. Con. >> Hi. >> Bye. Stone. >> Yes. >> M Fiser. >> Yes.
>> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Le. >> Yes. >> Mr. Presidento. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Russo. >> No. On the carding. Yes. On the rest. And I'll give you the number, Jimmy. >> President Ramos. I >> public portion.
>> You have no items for first reading. Public portion of Tony Suarez. >> So um in terms of you know this garbage came up and uh pun intended but um I think it's time you know we have this Hoboken business
alliance which was very effective when it first started. Right now it doesn't even have a director. Hasn't had one for over a year. >> Um does it? Yes. >> What? Interim director or is there a new director? >> Whatever it's doing. Can we get them to pay for the commercial garbage trash
instead of decorating 11 Street Island with plastic flowers for whatever that cost? Cuz it I'm sorry. 11 Street Island gets ridiculous because nothing happens downtown. City Hall's pitch black and the holidays and the 11th Street looks like Shanganger and the rest of the town looks like, you know, we're a bunch of
druids celebrating the holidays. I mean, you know, come on. Like, you know, and you look at the contract and it's like, and I love Valerie Huffangle, but like come on, we don't need professional services to decorate that island. I mean, Dave Roberts used to do it like send Billy uh what's his name? D'Angelo over there and he would decorate it for
like $5,000 the whole city. But that aside, and again, nothing against this the vendor, it seems like, you know, if you have a small business on Washington Street, sell cards or toys, you have like a couple things of trash, but if you have a bar and you're after like NFL
football game, you've got barrels of glass and that bar pays exactly the same for trash collection as the small store. No impact. Same thing with large buildings versus small buildings. But, you know, I can understand with residential, but I think maybe I don't
know if we I think there should be some impact fees for large large trash. I mean, you know, I don't want to hurt a business, but you got like 15 barrels of trash on a s Sunday morning in front of your building, you're making a lot of money in your business. You're not
you're not, you know, so every other town charges for commercial trash, you know, and we're talking about taxing the residents. So maybe there's some, not saying all of it, but maybe some impact fees for larger larger situations. And
again, nothing against the bar owners. I love them. They're great guys and women. But, you know, everyone has to share in the problem. I I you know, I see it now and I'm only in a 16-unit building since cardboard, since Amazon. I mean, we we have to build now all developers when
when people are looking at plans and you should do this when you're looking at plans. Is there a room for trash? Because there's not. And actually trash rooms now should be refrigerated if you have a rat problem. Should have chilled climate controlled trash rooms to stop with rodents. They do it in Manhattan.
They do it in Brooklyn. They do it in the Bronx. They do it in Jersey City. Again, Hoboken is this weird world where we don't do certain things because we focus on all the wrong We focus on bird glass and not the trash coming out of the building. Nothing against bird glass. I think it's a little silly. Puts
a lot of expense on building more affordable housing, but whatever. Um, so there's that. And then again, I'm just back about talking about maybe can the city start a a um ADA compliance community review board. I think it has
to happen. I think it's gotten to be ridiculous now. I mean, the handicap spots are being given away as gifts. It's it's free parking for the select few. And I think you have to start a policy where if you have that spot, you can't park anywhere else in the city on
the on the public spot for more than four hours or whatever because it's happening. People have their reserve spot and then they have family coming into town. They move their car next to their handicap their ADA spot and then when the relative comes over, they move into their handicap spot and they free a
spot for their friends. The other thing that has to stop is people who are now I've seen it on Bloomfield Street because I got in a fight with someone on like 12th and Bloomfield. They put blue cones in front of their house and the blue cone makes it feel like, oh, this must be an ADA spot, but it's not. It's
someone who has a um a Tesla and they feel they should have that spot for themselves. So, I went I went out I go, you know, walk over, move the cone. This woman comes screaming out of her house, "That's my spot. That's my spot." I said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, I didn't know you were disabled. I saw the blue
code. She's like, "No, no, I have a Tesla." And I said, "Um, you know, I'll move it now, but you know, this is really obnoxious." And there's a few out in Bloomfield Street that have done it and garden. So, I mean, people are just just taking spots with a cord across the sidewalk that anybody could trip on. And
some people have even gone out and bought the little the little plastic thing that goes over it. So, you know, they're being nice to the neighbors who they're stealing parking from and they're making sure you don't trip on their on their, you know, electric car court. >> And then finally, speaking of electric
car cars, I think we have way too many charging stations at Washington. >> 15 seconds, Tom. >> All right. So, can we do something about that, too? I mean, nobody's using them. Put them on the side streets, but not in front of City Paint and Hardware. I mean, come on. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Nice. Thank
>> Waiters. Pat Waiters. And please don't disrupt me. When you disrupt me, I'm taking extra minutes. This is what I was trying to read into the record. It's from Frank Ma from the Hudson County Welfare and Bobnap. You guys got it by now. Since my good deeds that comes from my heart is
always going unrecognized and hoboken. And that last virtue meeting that somebody say, "Oh, people don't want to hear Patus." I just wanted to tell you how good this is. a feelgood moment for me to put this on the record is a huge fraud going on since the whole ISIS thing and I help everybody you know that
I don't want the homeless whatever. So this is for the whole Hudson County. I I I jumped right into doing what I do best to receive this from the county. I felt so good because I wrote a long letter but you can read it later because I don't want to use my time. I'mma read the response it got back because I told
them to your attention with a possible for the same thing that happened tonight in the HHA. I seen none of you guys down there. I did call a mayor. I just shared with you Mike and Lee Jabbor's thing. It's not how important it is to me to
make way for you guys to validate what Pat Wade is do. I'm going to do it anyway. And this shows you that. He said to me, Pat, just help keep helping the people. Patricia, things happen, but the greater good is always the most
important. There are many people who are in better places today than there were prior to meeting you. The community is lucky to have you. Sincerely, Bobnap. Bob Knap. For yours that you don't know, it's all on there. Bob Knap, Frank Mos,
Kevin Callahan, Monica Yang, and 12 supervisors. They went back to when I worked for Willie L. flood and was given the woman of action award back in Jersey City when I was pushing them section 8 vouchers legally doing it the right way
helping people out and that touched my heart and I told them I'm going to do what I left Jersey City doing even though Hoboken don't appreciate me I'mma still do what I do cuz I help the whole Hudson County so it bothers me when these positions come up for community
leaders like I was pro a thousand times promised and y'all know who you law mayors that promised me oh constituency service but Norah sits in there TODAY DOING EXACTLY WHAT I told them I was more than qualified 15 years ago to do
all together I've been doing this 20s something years since 2007. So read those emails cuz it breaks my heart to see this. I'm trying to work with you not against you. Then I typed Tiffany, I mean I'm sorry, Miss Jabbor or Mayor Jabbor. And
I asked her, "Hope you on your way on my way to housing authority." They went and hired the outside entity to come in. And everybody that lived down there, even the seniors, it broke my heart just now. An election just happened. All of y'all was down there every day. NONE OF Y'ALL
SHOWED UP TO see what's going on. And you guys is the one that picked THE DIRECTOR. THE DIRECTOR HIRED A OUTSIDE firm to come in and they are really being harassed. I had to leave because it broke my heart. I'mma leave it up to you. Like I said, I'm going to go to the council
meeting and ask you guys steadfast, get down to the housing authority. They need y'all and see exactly what's going on and who allowed them to come into our municipality and do what they doing to those vulnerable people, the forgotten people
and mostly African-American people that's suffering the impact. Stop it, HOBOKEN. Y'ALL NEED THEM AT ELECTION TIME. Go down there and rescue them now. And thank you. And I want my 34 3.41 41 seconds. Add it to the next
time. >> Thank you, Pat. Elizabeth Adams. >> Good evening. Tonight, I would like to express my appreciation to and for the many genuinely beautiful and amazing people who showed up to stand up, speak
out, and actively express their support for CL4, a resolution expressing condolences, condemning the fatal shootings of Renee, Nicole Good, Alex Jeffrey Pratty, and Keith Porter Jr. by
federal immigration enforcement agents and reaffirming Hoboken's commitment to civil rights, due process, and the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act at the February 11th, 2026 Hoboken City Council
meeting. Witnessing their willingness to stand here and speak out for what is right truly heartens me and gives me renewed hope that Ho Hoboken can become genuinely great again by the positive
actions of its people. Are there some butttheads, cowards, phonies, haters, and plain simple old-fashioned evil people who reside in Hoboken? Without a doubt, as Mr. Ramos attested with his
distinctly unpleasant experiences with the internet. However, as the February 11th meeting illustrates, there is thankfully a growing number of people who choose to challenge this status quo.
To the people who were hesitant to speak out because they feel that they are above the fray and this is not their fight. I would like to offer the following words. First they came for the communists and I
did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists. And I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the immigrants and I did not speak out because I was not an immigrant. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. It is well to remember that your silence is
equivalent to your complicity. And to the people who don't want to speak out because they are simply afraid for any reason, I offer these words. We are not
afraid. We are not afraid. We are not afraid. to die. Oh, deep
in my heart I know that I do believe that we shall overcome. We shall overcome. Yes, we shall overcome
someday and in the meantime, ice out now. Thank you for your time, >> Manny. Top that. Danny's gonna sing for us. >> I'm going to top that. >> Good evening to all. Uh I just want to
say council president uh it is uh heartening to see people who still respect the rule of law. Um as the prior um member of the public said I rise this evening
not to be a uh lumigus but uh I rise this evening in sincere concerns about what we are witnessing in our country and around the world. I realize that many of these matters fall outside of
your direct jurisdiction, pardon me, of direct jur jurisdiction of this body. They weigh heavily on many of us, all Americans and us hobokenites. Let me be clear
at the outset that none of us I'm sure none of you mourn the end of a hostile and dangerous regime. So b and however
we hobokenites and we Americans even in moments of geopolitical tension as Americans we must remain firmly grounded in our constitution
and in the sanctity of human life, American lives and all life. So when we enter into conflict, we have to take that heavily because that is
being done in our name. So if children are dying in some other country, where is their liberation? Where is their day of victory? Would you want it to be your children? Obviously not.
So, council president, members of the council, and members of the public, while these things weigh heavily on our hearts, we should always pray. Pray for peace. Pray for our leaders to be more serene, to have cooler minds
in the sense of understanding the danger that they put our country and our American citizens abroad. There are Americans out there right now with no protection from our government,
but yet we carelessly do things to harm our own safety. I pray that this is just an anomaly and that we return to civility. I also pray for the soldiers, the brave men and women who lost their lives.
Council President, I apologize because I don't have their names. I don't have all of their names, so I won't just say the three or four that I have. When I have them all, I'll say them here to keep them in the record. So, Council President, we pray for them. We mostly
pray for their families, their loved ones who are missing them right now. We pray that no other American citizen and no citizen around the world has to once again continue to lose family members, loved ones, children's,
grandmothers, aunties, uncles. It is sad, but we have resolve. We pray for peace. We pray for again cooler hair heads to prevail. And council president as well
as I see my time is marching on. I want to make sure and remember that I I almost forgot it the last meeting but it is approaching or it is four years since the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian people continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and defiance as they struggle and fight for their sovereignty and their freedom. They too fight for democracy.
So let's hope we could remain remind ourselves and continue to keep them in our prayers. Thank you, Council President, for your attention. As I always say, Slava Ukrainian, glory to Ukraine. Hero
Slava, glory to the heroes and council president. God bless you. God bless you all. God bless Hoboken. And God bless the soldiers that are in harm's way. Thank you again for your attention, Council President. >> Thank you, Manny. >> And I yield back.
>> Joseafia Aladala. >> Thank you. Five minutes, sir. Welcome. >> Yeah. So, my name is Josea Abdalah and essentially I'm a representative of Castle Meters Technology. Essentially, we came >> a little closer to the microphone. >> Yeah. So, I'm Josea and I'm a representative of Castle Meters
Technology and we came here to provide a helping hand to Hoboken to help modernize its water infrastructure. And we go around and help municipalities and different cities modernize our water infrastructure. Our goal is to essentially provide visibility of water
usage and be proactive in dissecting any problems in the infrastructure and we came here to provide that helping hand in case Hoboken needs that. So we'll love to get in contact with any of the people here about that. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Contact her over there.
>> It's free. >> Yeah. He said he wants to provide a helping hand. He didn't say he wanted to charge us. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. Motion to close the public portion. >> Motion. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> We have no other business for tonight.
Motion to close. >> Council President, I'm sorry, >> Council President. If I >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Uh, director, I do appreciate uh the memo the memos that you sent for the questions at the caucus. However, I got them right before our meeting today or
at least some of them. I don't know how we can kind of rectify it, but my understanding of the caucus was so that we could get our questions answered,
right? Um, and I do appreciate that you're not going to have all the answers all the time and there may be times where we may need a memo, but going to a caucus and saying, "Okay, I'll get that information to you." And then you get it out in a memo form. And
then for me anyway, I didn't get it until minutes before I got here, right? Because I was in work all day. I didn't get a chance to look at my emails. Uh I I got to print them out so I could read them kind of on the way up here. Um
I think we need to figure that out. I think there's I think there's a problem there for me. Um the one memo that I did get early was the memo pertaining to the budget. Um, and I did read that and go over that a little bit.
And there's I'm a little concerned about the how I understand what this process is going to be. I appreciate the transparency of letting everybody know where we are, but I don't think there's enough
transparency as to giving this council, the members of the public the facts of where we are, right? A high level, these are the three major drivers of our budget doesn't really explain that in great detail or doesn't explain
how we're going to address that, >> right? um in that memo and I'll quote it so uh so I don't get it wrong here. Our our go our goal is not to cut services or programs that residents rely on but to
align the budget with the realities of a growing city and then it further goes on u where investments in service and infrastructure must grow. I'm assuming our goal is the administration's goal.
And the way I read that, it sounds to me like there's no clear cutting or changing the way we're spending money. It sounds to me like we're content on passing that dollar
increase on to residents in the form of taxes andor fees in the city. That's a very concerning statement for me because I think a lot of the council members
uh who ran for uh mayor this past year, I think all the council members who ran for mayor this past year, really talked about affordability and how we're going to make the city more affordable.
And I am a firm believer that that starts with the tax rate in the city of Hoboken because when taxes go up, whether that's on residential, that means rents go up. If that's on commercial, that means those commercial rents go up, which means the services
and the goods that are provided by those stores, they go up. That means we're spending more money on those services and goods. So, I do appreciate and understand
that the mayor doesn't want to point fingers or place blame, but we do need to know what the plan is. Um, I think we we most certainly want to understand what she and the administration means
when we say we're going to ask the public. So my questions to you are, am I interpreting that statement correctly first that the goal is not to cut services or programs and that we're going to have to rely on
taxes and fees to offset that cost? My second question is when we're going out to the public to ask their input, are we asking them for strategies on how we're making the city more affordable or
are we asking them about the services that they'd like to see continue in the city or additional services in the city? So, if you could answer those questions, I would greatly appreciate it. >> Uh, answer to question number one, no. Answer to question number two, yes. Um,
so you highlighted one sentence of the memo. Um, but later in the section entitled path forward, um, the memo specifically says the administration is working with departments to identify efficiencies, reduce discretionary spending, and evaluate new recurring
revenue opportunities while prioritizing the rebuilding of surplus. We produced an executive summary memo approximately a month before budget introduction this year. The goal of
doing that was to explain the financial situation that we are in early, a month earlier than we've ever done it. And to my understanding, we've never presented truly an executive summary to the council a month in advance. This was meant to be the start of the
conversation. It is absolutely not meant to be how we solve the problem but how can we work together to solve the problem. Um and that includes cuts to be very clear. We are working on cuts and we want to hear from the community, from
the council, what those cuts are, how we can do them together in a way that is not removing core services that our residents rely on, but perhaps removing more discretionary services or finding ways to work better together that we can
reduce our costs. So, um, the reason we provided that memo was to to start a conversation that frankly we had we had already started in subcommittee. Um, you know, and I defer to the to the chair to talk about that further, but um, we started in
subcommittee. We wanted to make sure that we told the full council and that we told the entire Hoboken community and that we engage everybody in telling us we have a we have very limited resources this year. how do you want us to use them best that will still fulfill the
goals of what our community is looking for while being able to produce measurable cuts. Um, so that's what we're doing right now. We are also planning to do the budget workshops before introduction. Um, currently we're looking at the last week of March for
them. So, you know, I'd ask the the council to check your calendars and get back to us for your availability as to when you know that week might work for you. um statutory deadline is to introduce the the um budget by the end of the month or the first council meeting thereafter which would be April
8th. Um and that's what we're targeting right now. We have a lot of conversations to have with all of you between now and then. And we just wanted this as the entree to to have those conversations openly um and be very clear that we are yes looking at cuts while looking at revenue. Don't don't
get us wrong. We are absolutely looking at new sources of revenue. We've presented those in subcommittee as well. So um >> so in in trying to get that information from the public, how are we how are we going to do that? >> So we are currently preparing a survey
um that actually asks the public what services would you be looking to cut? Um what revenue would could we be considering generating? Um gathers their feedback as to what services are most important um and what services, you
know, maybe are less important. And how are we going to determine any conflicts between answers? So 25% of the city says we want service A, 25 wants service B, 25 wants massive tax cuts.
>> It's equal across the board. How are we going to determine that? >> I think that's part of every community engagement process. We look at all of the feedback holistically and we talk to you. Yep. >> Right. The council. And then is the council going to have access to all that data, all that raw
data as far as what is being uh what is being collected by the city of Hoboken? >> Sure. >> Council. >> Yeah. I just want to >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Uh just to reorient us um so we all understand especially for the new folks
>> once the budget's introduced it's up to this this group of nine here to take it and final finalize what that final number is going to be what's going to be included excluded and where we are now is some of us were part of those prior decisions. Some of us there were there
were increases that for us to get to nine we didn't accept the uh original increase proposed by the prior administration. We ended up with a lower increase. Uh a couple of folks don't want didn't want any increases ever. That's just the reality of it. Now
what I want to see as part of this information is I can already tell and and we've been public about it. Some people have that they just want to see headcount reduction, especially at the top. This was in you. Everyone ran for mayor except for me and Phil. Uh
>> don't forget me. >> Oh, sorry. And Paul. >> Thank you. >> Uh not yet. Not yet. Um and there was a discussion of topheavy. So what I'd like to see is if you know in part of this information, if those
cuts do happen, what are the implications? who's going to suffer as in what were there going to be inefficiencies uh if we get rid of you know a director um who's going to have to absorb that director's duties what are those duties uh because that's part
of the pain that if we're if that's the road we want to take then that's part of the pain that we're going to have to absorb right if there's going to be cut uh cuts which I think there are going to be we need to understand what's the associated pain with those cuts that's part of the analysis and so I'd like to see that >> thank you >> council president can I just add Um the
one thing that we haven't um just as we think about this budget and you know the questions to ask um you know how are we determining how to run the city more efficiently,
right? We don't we don't have any new directors at all. We basically have the exact same staff and that brings a ton of experience, a ton of knowledge, but it doesn't necessarily bring fresh eyes into a mix to determine how to make our city run more efficiently. And that's
really what we need to do. And it doesn't mean that we necessarily have to lay off or whatever. It just needs means that we need to be you know cutting someone doesn't mean that the city becomes less efficient if we are
restructuring the city in a way to be more efficient and I I would like to know like how that is going to not for you to answer tonight but just as we go through this process you know we have to we have to think smarter about the operations of the city and how we do
things and not continue to do things the same way we've We've generally always done them. >> Council President Zano. >> Thank you, Council President. I have a very quick question. If we're the one voting on the budget, shouldn't we have impact on actually this survey that's going out, not just the administration?
That if we're the ones voting on it, we should know we should be helping develop these questions, too. It just seems cart leading the what's that saying? Cart before the horse. If we're making the decisions on the budget or voting on this budget, shouldn't we be the ones
that help orchestrate this survey? Uh it it that would because most of the surveys in the past, I know it's a new administration, most of the surveys in the past have been leading. And that's what I'm concerned about. If I'm voting on something, a piece a survey written
by someone else that gives me data that may I may or may not agree with doesn't give me the correct information. And if I'm voting on something, I have to have input on getting that data. I mean, wouldn't that make sense or >> so? Send me your questions.
>> So, you're telling me that any question I ask you, you'll put in the survey? >> No, she's saying no, I'm not. But I'm telling you, send your questions. >> All right. Cus, >> I just wanted you. Captain, you good? >> I just had I had one additional question. um while you're compiling the
budget and the impact statement, we keep hearing that there's more coming that it's not just this year, it's the year after and the year after. So, from my perspective, I think it would be very valuable to be able to evaluate a three-year plan. So, like if if you're coming and saying, "Well, we need to
raise, you know, taxes >> this much in this first year. What does that mean for year two and three?" because I think that residents really want to understand that they would they they we have a lot of people that are very invested in this and and they're
not they're you know they they kind of know what they're looking at and if it's a three-year plan that means that it's not just a one hit in year one. We have to be honest and transparent about that. And I would also like to see if there's
any way of compiling some form of, you know, chart that shows the growth of the city budget versus the number of employees over the past 5 years. I don't know if that is something that you
easily have on hand, but that also can show how we or illustrate better how we got to where we are and potentially actions we can take to mitigate that uh as you go through and look not only at this one year but the years that follow
thereafter. So, thank you counc. >> Yeah, I I just have a followup. Um uh director also um the memo that you sent about the uh stipens >> um I do appreciate that but I was looking for more specifics as to what
those stipens and who those stipens were going to and again it doesn't matter the person but if it's you know employee A they're getting X amount of dollars for these services if you could break that down very specifically uh and if there's an issue that we potentially might have
to rice notice everybody, then whoever's getting a stipen, let's just rice notice them. So, we have that. If we need to talk about that in in a session, we can most certainly do that. Uh and then the only other point that I I just want to reiterate because Joe brought it up uh as our statutory obligation. We the
council would be the ones who would finalize that budget and he's 100% correct. But the reality is that the statutory obligation of making decisions as to where those cuts should go is not
our responsibility. And I'll say that again so everyone understands it. If the council says cut 10%, it's not our responsibility to say we would cut 10% here, there, and over here. That's not the way it works. If we're going to be very stringent and
specific as to what our responsibilities are going to be, then we could just set that percentage amount and then we could let the administration make the decisions that they're going to need to make. Or we could collaboratively work together like we're trying to do. But to
always kind of try to point back to once the administration sends it down to the council, it's our obligation to make those cuts. It's our obligation to make the cuts as far as the dollars are concerned, not to make the decisions as to where those cuts would be made. I
want to make sure we're very specific. So if we're going to always refer back to the statutory obligations of what this council should be doing, we need to talk about both sides of that obligation. So I'm very willing to work collaboratively with the administration
on both the cuts and where those cuts should be. But if we're going to dictate that it should be laid at the feet of the council because where the final decision, we're not the final decision of where those cuts should be laid.
where the final decision as to the amount of money or percentages on that budget should be made. So I just wanted to make sure that we were clear on that point. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Councilman Cohen. >> Yeah, at this point comment in response to what Councilman Russo said. I mean, we it's true we may not be able to say
where the cuts are coming from. However, as a council, this council has consistently made the ch the choice to take money from surplus to apply to operating expenses. That's a decision this council has made and we're seeing the consequences of year after year
after year of raiding our surplus in order to fund operations. That's this council's choice. >> That is what this council has done. So, you know, I think that it's clear that this is a year of reckoning that we if we need to have a sustainable surplus, it has to be in our budget and we can't
say that's the that's the administration's responsibility because it isn't. We when we get that budget have to decide are we going to have a responsible sustainable surplus compliant with what is best practices for municipalities or are we
going to keep going down the road that we've been going down that myself and councilman Cano and others have have warned against to say that this is >> voted for councilman did I interrupt you did I interrupt you finish
>> did I interrupt you I did not thank So, we're going to have a choice. We're going to have a choice. Are we going to continue to go this way? And maybe the future of a rating downgrade is is something that people on this council want to live with. It's not something I want to live with. I think that we owe
it as fiduciaries of the city to have a budget that is responsible and protects the taxpayers from a rating downgrade, which I think is and and we've been warned about it by our prior business administrator, uh Jason Freeman told us many times over, many presentations over
and people were like, "Well, that's that's interesting, but we're the council and we're going to make our choice." And you did. Uh and and we passed the budget and we did. That's our that's what we've done. I hope this year we'll make a different approach because I think that the people of Hoboken are
looking to us as leaders to do what may not be easy but what is in the long run the right thing. >> Council, can I just correct what he said? >> You simplified it a little bit there though, my friend. You know, there's a lot of there were cuts proposed in other areas. There were a lot of things in
those conversations that didn't get five votes like proposed budget cuts in other areas. So that's why some decisions were made because other decisions weren't made when when amendments were made to the budget. So we did our best to get to where we thought was a comfortable number for the residents of Hobok and taking other things to account like the
county uh tax rate and the school tax rate as well to try to make the burden on the Hoboken taxpayers a little less on our end the best we can. So uh motion to close. Thank you. Second >> in favor. >> Have a good night. >> Because we cut the budget, but when the
mayor doesn't cut spending, they're the one that is choosing to actually take money out of the reserves. They could easily reduce spending and put all the money back in reserves and they don't. >> We have plenty of time to debate.
Good night everybody. >> Good night everybody. >> Good night. I already am like getting over something that you ask me not back then.
Okay. >> Okay.