indicative of either a doctor or an egoomaniac. Could be a doctor of law. Got the one. >> Thank you. Peace. Sorry, we're late. Ready?
Sorry. >> I would like to advise all those present that notice of this meeting has been provided to the public in accordance with the provisions of the open public meeting act and that notice is published city website copies provided the Bergen record special the northstar ledger
jurgy journal also placed on a bulletin board in the lobby of city hall written objections if any shall be made to the city clerk. >> Thank you Mr. Fina, please rise for the pledge of >> pledge allegiance to the flag United States of America and to the republic
for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Mr. Con >> here, Fischer >> here. >> Mr. Jabor >> here. >> President, >> Mr. Cano >> present.
>> Mr. Ramos, >> Mr. Russo >> present. President Doyle >> present. Thank you, Mr. Fina. Uh I believe uh Jerry the as indicated on
the agenda, the only item that has been removed is T1. >> Um and is director. >> Okay. Um I might >> was removed.
>> He's distracted right now. Yeah. Yep. >> Not consent. >> Oh, good. >> Thank you. Thank you, Jerry. >> Not again. We're not doing it. >> Appreciate it. >> Yep. >> Follow the rules, people. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, um we'll start with and
for the public, there are three signup sheets. one for the hearings which are the second readings, one for the resolutions which are the bulk of our agenda and then there's one that is just a general public portion. You can speak about
anything you like. So it it may be confusing but >> uh okay so nobody has signed up for maybe it's not that confusing. Nobody has signed up for the two ordinances. >> Motion to close public portion. Well, we haven't we haven't we haven't called
them yet. So, you want to read >> a hearing on an ordinance of the Hoboken County Hoboken County of Hudson state of New Jersey creating and implementing chapter 59B entitled Hoboken Trust Act. >> Okay. Now, would you like to make a
motion? >> Motion to close public portion for the ordinances. >> All right. All those in favor? I I >> Okay, Mr. Fina hearing nothing. Please call the vote. >> We are we having a discussion or it's the public portion you closed but not us. >> No one signed up for it. So we closed
that. >> Us. >> Yeah. Yes. I I looked both ways. No. >> I'm sorry. My head's down because I'm trying to >> Okay. >> One of these days. >> All right. Councilman. >> No. >> Hold on, Jimmy. >> We're not calling the vote yet. >> Oh, all right. >> Colloqui will continue.
>> I just want to make a statement on this ordinance. Um, I think it's unnecessary and it distracts from what really matters. Uh, this is already uh covered by the attorney general's guidelines and many of those guidelines already drive our public safety departments that they
follow. But I think instead of duplicating policies and doing more bureaucracy, what we should be doing as a council appears and focusing on what's broken. We have geysers on Washington Street. We have our infrastructure falling apart. We've got traffic coming out the backside. You can't get from one
end to the town. People are stuck in traffic. We've got c traffic cameras and we can't even get the normal stuff right. But yet, we're going to go and start pontificating about things that I don't think we should be doing right now until we get the the simple things right
in our town. So, I'm not in favor of this at all because this is just duplicating what the state has already done that has qualified us according to the attorney general in this. And on top of that, we went from a very simple
piece of paper a couple weeks ago to now a seven or eight page um long that you need a basically a legal degree to read. And in that there are several questions that exist of we have to allocate monies for certain things inside of this
ordinance. And so I don't understand how we can do that when we can't even as a council focus on the things that our residents are dying to see fixed in this town. >> Thank you, Councilman. Anyone else? >> Yeah, I'll just uh add one thing. Um
the the one the one thing that Paul mentioned, a lot of what's in here we already do. So like 85% of it we already do. It's just it's more just cottifying um practices, things that fall under um other laws, whether they're civil rights laws, whether they're state laws,
federal laws, etc. So, it's really it's it looks like it's a really big deal. It's not as big of a deal, I think, um as people think, but there are a couple things in here that um I you know, it's I'm not going to stop it the vote tonight because there's way too many
headlines attached to it. Um but one of the things in here is um that we have to provide uh we have to provide foreign language support in several of our departments. Um where we actually have to have additional employees that are
fluent in languages that are represent or are spoken by you know greater than 5% of our population. And um which is great. you know, it's, you know, we want that and we as a as a city, we provide translation services. We just don't
necessarily provide them right on the spot. So, what this tries to do is say that everyone who comes in, if um if they're Spanish speakers in particular, but maybe it's Hindi, maybe it's Portuguese, um when they come in, they should have this service immediately and shouldn't have to wait at all. And
again, laudable, we want to do that. Um and you see that in really big cities that have the ability to have really big departments, but we're actually a really small city. And so one of the questions I've asked is, you know, how many people are we talking about? What are these departments? Are we adding 10 people
right now just to speak Spanish? Um, you know, in these instances and what happens if it does change? Do we need to have a Hindi? Do we need to have, you know, Portuguese, etc. And it's it's a very loudable goal. Um, I I think it's one that we'll probably revisit um, you
know, in the new year. Um, but I just want to point that out that that we don't have any cost estimates attached to that. like is it 10 people at $80,000 a person to provide these services, you know, and is that something we can afford right now going into a year that is incredibly difficult for us next
year? So, I just want to put that out there that I don't think that that was thought about here. I think it was a little bit more, you know, the virtual signaling and things that I completely support. Um, but it was really, you know, it wasn't a very wellthought out as it relates to the mechanics and like
procedures um within the city. Um, but you know, we'll do our best. So, I'll be voting yes. >> Councilman Cohen. >> Yeah. Uh, I think it's pretty amazing >> to suggest that this is not important. >> I didn't say it wasn't important. Not
suggest literally didn't say it wasn't important. For clarity, it's important. Absolutely clear. >> But thank you for trying to put those words in my mouth. >> I actually wasn't referring to you, Councilwoman. >> No, he's referring to me. Let's be the person. Let's be clear. It's me. It's you. All right. Your turn tonight. I'll
take full women and ladies, please. >> And I didn't interrupt you when you said what you said. No, I'm talking to Councilwoman Fischer. I would appreciate the same courtesy that I would extend to you when you speak and I do not interrupt. So I think it is
>> if you turn on the television and you see uh hardworking people who speak Spanish or people who have brown skin uh being thrown to the ground uh by federal agents uh in
Portland in Chicago. Uh it's shocking. It's awful and it shouldn't be happening in the United States of America. And we in Hoboken are a fair and welcoming city.
And to suggest that that we should be focusing on important things is surprising to me uh that that that someone would say that that this is not important. Uh and then when you talk about resources, we have limited
resources. What does this ordinance say? It says that Hoboken and its aen shall not spend any time, fund or resources on facilitating the civil enforcement of federal immigration law, nor participating in civil civil immigration
enforcement operations, except we're legally required to do so by state or federal law, regulation, or directive. and says that Hoboken's public safety folks or employees and agents shall not shall not uh honor one of the things
honor immigration detainer requests or ICE or customs border patrol or US citizenship or immigration services administrative warrants. Okay, this is what's happening in lots of other cities. So yeah, we had an executive order that says this. Yes, it's consistent with the guidance of the New
Jersey Attorney General. Okay, but it should be codified. It should be law. This is these are important issues for us to do and we should not be diverting our police. We should not be d you know we have a limited budget for our police
officers who have a lot on their plate. A lot on their plate. We expect a lot from our police officers. This is not we and and the big beautiful bill just gave about 150 billion dollars to ICE. They have more than enough without tapping into the taxpayers of Hoboken to get
this work done. So uh again I think this is about conserving resources not wasting resources. This is about having the federal government if this is what the federal government chooses to do uh they do not need the assistance of the the police force or the city of Hoboken
to accomplish those goals. They have plenty of resources at their disposal. We do not. Uh so this is the right thing to do. It's an important thing to do and it's a message that I frankly I hope it's unanimous. I hope Councilman President's honor changes his opinion on this uh because I think this is the
right thing for our community to do. We are a diverse and welcoming community. We respect all people. There's clear non-discrimination. We do not discriminate against people based on their origin. We do not discriminate against people based on the language that they speak. Everyone's welcome here. This is a city where immigrants
came and made this city great. We're in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. This is the right thing to do. Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Cano. >> Uh, thank you, Council President. Just to add a couple more. Um,
one, uh, this is codifying the executive order and and just to clarify, there was a statement earlier that it went from a simple executive order to now this complicated thing. The executive order was is I'm looking at it's 11 pages long. So, it's the same thing. Might be
a couple extra pieces. is the piece on the language was in the executive order. So, none of that is necessarily new. Why you codify it uh is because it's an executive order. The next mayor can decide to rescend it. And if we codify it, we put into our laws, it makes it more difficult for them to do that
without council uh uh uh consent. Uh there could be a new governor who changes the uh attorney general's uh uh uh edict on this. And so what this does is is makes it clear locally that we will comply with all lawful federal
orders, uh, but we will not go out of our way to persecute um, uh, or help persecute our friends and neighbors uh, should there be a witch hunt uh, conducted by uh, the federal administration.
>> Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Show me the score. Ain't I'm sorry. >> Mr. Con? >> I. >> M. Fisher. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabore. >> Yes. >> PresidentO.
>> No. >> Mr. Cano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Ramos. >> Hi. >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi. >> President Doyle. >> Abstain. Hearing on an ordinance amending chapter 192-4
A parking for persons with disabilities to add and amend reserve parking spaces. >> No members of the public have signed up to speak. >> Motion to close by the portion. >> Second. >> All those in favor. >> I call it. >> Mr. Fina, I believe you can call the
vote. >> Mr. Con? >> Hi. >> Fiser. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabore. >> Yes. >> President Xano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Canero. >> Hi. >> Mr. Ramos. >> Hi. Mr. Russo >> I >> President Doyle >> I so moving on to the public portion for
resolutions. Wow. Thank you. Um Enrique Herrera. This is about the CL2, correct? >> Any of you want, >> whatever you want on the agenda. One of them, you have the opportunity to speak
on anything you'd like. >> Okay. Um, let me just throw this on. >> I don't know what that I would like to an elaboration on CL2, right? >> Exactly. Like, is this a withdrawal for their appeal to like bother Blue Violets
again or is this like, okay, yeah, remove them completely from that. They shouldn't be allowed to continue after a ruling. If that's the case that in terms of like Blue Violet, they already put in their time in addressing uh the situation. They already got grandfathered in. There's already they already got paperwork. They're trying to
hang that on their, >> you know, on their uh on their wall. >> Yeah. I suspect this will be pulled and there will be discussion on it. So, for the elaboration, it will probably be a couple of minutes before you get to it, but you can you're welcome to
>> the second part of it. Um the second part of this is the CL5 which is the resolution expressing support for the pause resolution which I hope you just continue using the um for the clear program. So that if in the event anyone is like aware of that that's just to
stop bicycles from getting hit by cars that are parked on the bike lanes and skateboarders like myself that actually use those bike lanes to get around. Uh I don't I I frankly support the clear program. So, I'd much rather it be enforced than put a hold on it until
February 1st where it's already working um in some parts of Hoboken. Right. I think that that should be right. >> Thank you. Um Mary Andrea who I'm going to skip over Mary and come
back to her. Uh Jeff Gilroy. All right. >> Oh, thank you. >> Uh it's regarding uh CL3, I believe. >> All right. Well, here we go.
Uh last month we discussed uh 122 Clinton and the proposed upzoning that contradicts our master plan by pushing an 11story building into the heart of downtown Hoboken. And while that prospect and while the prospect of that development is troubling on its own, the residents of Hoboken are here tonight
with a far more concerning issue. The character and intentions of the new owners of our hospital and 122 Clinton Hudson Regional Health. We know that you could not choose who bought Hoboken University Medical Center, but you can choose whether to
grant them zoning exceptions and variances they might demand. We've done our homework and the conclusion is HR is not a partner this city can trust. Giving them zoning variations is an invitation for a financial bait and switch that will fundamentally harm our
town. The decisions and actions of a company's leadership dictate its corporate character. Here is a brief look at the corporate character of HRH leadership. The HRH the HR chairman has been sued repeatedly by major insurance companies
like Geico and State Farm for tens of millions of dollars in alleged insurance fraud and healthcare scheme violations. These cases site a pattern of serious misconduct including illegal kickbacks and fraudulent billing. The HR CEO, who is named in some of those lawsuits, made
his own headlines for sexual harassment charges involving a subordinate in his hospital office. HR's former marketing director, the chairman's own cousin, was found storing an arsenal of 39 guns in an unlocked closet inside their Sukakus
hospital. That is a cash large enough to out an army platoon kept inside a hospital. These are not isolated incidents. These are incidents uh these incidents represent an alleged history of legal and ethical failure from the people who now own our vital hair
healthcare system. If you believe their past is not relevant, then let's look at their present. A few months ago, HR assured a bankruptcy court they had the resources to revitalize cross uh cross Christ Hospital in Jersey City. Now,
they are threatening to shut down all non-essential services unless they receive taxpayer money. A union leader rightly called this move disgraceful and a complete disregard for the people of Hudson County. This is what a broken promise looks like.
Mr. Russo, Councilman, during the May 7th meeting, you urged the council to be half uh glass half full and to trust HR to deliver a new possibly $500 million hospital in Midtown garage. Nice things cost money. Since then, we've learned a bit more
about their plan to fund this project, and it involves building an 11-story residential complex at 122 Clinton, the very issue that brought us here in the first place. I'm not sure if anybody actually ran the numbers to determine if this real estate grab could actually fund a new hospital and garage with a
price tag of 500 million. I tried. I spoke to a prominent builder and two of the best real estate agents in town to to estimate the possible generated revenue. The cost to build that building about $40 million. The total onetime revenue if they sold every single unit
approximately $25 million net. That still leaves about a $475 million gap. As I said at the last meeting, the upzoning of 122 Clinton is not a sustainable funding solution for a new hospital. It is simply a real estate deal designed to exploit a zoning
giveaway. Uh Mr. Cano in that same May 7th meeting you said that HRH if HRH starts to lack transparency we can always pump the brakes and take an exit ramp. Uh well they lied to you about building a brand new hospital garage. It's not going to
happen. They lied about their ability to fund their hospital in Jersey City and they are holding healthcare in the heist hostage unless they receive millions of dollars of taxpayer money. So I'd say transparency is gone. Maybe it's time to pump those brakes and find that exit ramp.
The evidence show that the people that own our hospital have a history of dishonesty and alleged fraud. So, it's hard to understand why the council and the mayor have shown HR so much difference that they might allow them an avenue to disrespect our master plan. No one that loves or respects this town
wants to build up the interior. And it's time that the council and the mayor remember that they represent us, the re uh the residents of Hoboken, and not them, a business that seeks to exploit us. Do not fundamentally change the character of our town by granting zoning favors to people who have already proven
they will break their promises. Uphold the master plan. Remove 122 Clinton from the redevelopment zone. That's all. Um, thank you Paul and uh Ruben for uh proposing this. We appreciate your leadership. [Applause]
Me Han All right. Good evening, council members. Uh, I'm also here to speak about 122 Clinton, and I appreciate the opportunity and the council members putting this resolution on the agenda for today. Uh, and a special thank you
to all the council members that have been engaging with the community on constructive discourse regarding this topic. So I think it's very clear from the conversations that have happened that this is a very important topic for our community and a touchstone for the
types of issues and broader issues that matter to all of your neighbors. Now I understand following on from the public outcry that the majority of the council today will vote in favor of removing 122 Clinton from the redevelopment zone designation.
So, in line with that, I have a very simple request, which is that I ask each council member before voting to make a small statement that you will only support redevelopment at 122 Clinton if
it abides by the height, lot coverage, and other restrictions related to an R3 residential zone. I hope it's clear from all the conversations that you've had with our community how much this matters to your
neighbors and I hope that our council members will continue to incorporate that into their long-term view. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Luca Batua. Is that close?
Thank you. >> Good evening, city council of Hoboken. >> My name is Luca. >> They don't touch the microphone. Okay. And that's all right. >> I'm 15 years old and I'm a ninth grader at Hoboken High School.
>> I've grown up in Hoboken my entire life and it's my home. I live in the south side of Hoboken. Our neighborhood has already had bigger buildings than most of the city. I live in a great community with schools and friends that have made growing up
here amazing. My family withtood Hurricane Sandy and still stayed in South Hoboken. I'm here tonight because I care about what Hoboken will look like when it's my turn to decide to where to live and
raise a family. If the 122 Clinton Street historic school building becomes a tower, it won't just change one block, it'll open the door for towers to spread throughout the rest of Hoboken.
Once that precedent is set, the small town feel, the light, the space, and the community that make this city special will be gone. In South Hoboken, with the recent projects the city approved, we already see the overdevelopment stress our
infrastructure, create more traffic, and strain quality of life. Now, the city is considering straying from the master plan in the name of saving the hospital. I understand that the hospital has been
in decline for decades and the city has tried to help it several times, but it hasn't worked. Now, giving away a vital historic corn corner of Hoboken for another tower is supposed to make it any different.
Will that fix the hospital's problems? Or will it just leave us with a permanent reminder of another failed attempt? I may not have a solution, but I know that the answer is not to go up.
I love Hoboken because it's walkable, connected, and still feels like a close-knit neighborhood. But if every corner becomes another tall building, it'll feel like you're standing more in Midtown Manhattan than Hoboken.
I want to come back here after college and build my life, but not if Hoboken becomes overbuilt, overcrowded, and unrecognizable. Please protect the Hoboken I grew up in so that so that this remains a city
others and I want to come back to. Thank you city council to the many members that met with my family and neighbors through the past few weeks. And thank you to 115 Grand Street for alerting the neighborhood before it was too late.
A big shout out to Councilman Ramos and Councilman Preszano for bringing this resolution in front of you today. Tonight, you have the opportunity to put 122 Clinton Street back in its historic place. Let's preserve our neighborhoods
and find real solutions together instead of reunilaterally. Thank you. >> Thank you, Luca. Very, very well done. Um, Michael >> Batawa said,
>> I won't insult you, but I think you're right. Um, okay. Thank you. Um, Rosemary Markle That went low. Hello everyone. I'm back.
Um, I'm not here just to speak about one thing. I actually read the entire agenda and under the claims, if anyone could explain or do I must operate all of these documents, why are we paying federal aviation legal fees? It's a little strange. Um, Lift, Bike, and
Scooters LLC is getting an annual operations cost of $23,000. Um, we paid them to service bikes and they collect froms from the rentals. I wish someone could explain this to me. I'm not really sure what it's all about. Under the resolution 686 says back up
Church Square Park, but on the actual resolution it says maritime. So, is it maritime or church square? Just period. >> Which number? I'm sorry. >> CA6. >> Okay. >> Um, CA9 and CA11. We have two engineers we are hiring to do the same job for
$20,000 each. Do we really need two engineers? I'm not sure. I don't believe the money is coming out of our pocket, but I can't be positive about that. CD2 and three, 40-year pilot and a 30-year pilot, which is wonderful that for those people, but guess who's going to foot that bill? Because again, there's no
school taxes being paid. Can anyone apply for a pilot because my rents are cheaper than most affordable apartments in town? Under the clerk, um you're talking about parking spaces, number six. Does this mean that the spots on Grand Street that are assigned for board
of health workers are given back to the community? CC1 tenant advocate is now up to $125,000. What work is being done and on behalf of who? Is there a cap or we just go and say the hell with it and just keep raising it? We'll be at a million
dollars by the time we we come a year and a half into it. um at T6 $165,000 to the engineer to help with congestion. Really, I would like to congratulate him because no one can get in and out of
town, but yet he's earning $165,000. And if anyone can explain any of these things to me, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Markle. uh you were with regard to >> CA6
CA6 it is Maritime Park. >> Yeah. >> And we'll correct that in the resolution itself. Um I for Zachary uh King Emily Wart and Marie Colona and Matthew Velesquez. Um you guys signed up for or
first reading for ordinances which is not a resolution. So I we have your name but we will call you up. uh a little later. Okay. And then the last is uh Ernest Boyd. I you didn't indicate what you signed up for. >> He's first meeting.
>> Same same thing. >> Okay. >> Yep. Anyone else in the public? Who >> would you like to speak, sir? You're >> If you could give your name and spell it in case. >> Uh my name is Marinosh Darwala. M E H E
R N O SH last name D M E H E R N O S H D A R O O W A L A. Uh I've come to speak about the parking prohibition that's put on the bus stops
and the cameras. I understand that that's the law, but as a small business owner, suppliers just don't want to deliver to us anymore. They pull up over there. Example, Coke. They pull up that tractor trailer right
in front of the bus stop. There's nothing I can do about it, but they don't have anywhere else to park. They get a ticket, they're sending it to us. The dairy guys, same situation. Certain tractor trailers can't even take a
U-turn. the loading zones that are there are occupied illegally more than 50% of the time by people who are just parking their cars. So this is very very unfair and as small business owners
we are getting the brunt of it with inflation the way it is nowadays anybody everybody knows how bad it is for small business owners especially a restaurant that I own. It's just it's very difficult to operate
in the city with the way things are going on right now. That's all I wanted to say. You know, you'll need to take into consideration these cameras and the tickets that that are going to be issued to the suppliers. Suppliers just don't want to deliver. It's as simple as that.
It's a very difficult environment to start with with inflation and all that's going on and now this and the biggest problem is the law that you guys have passed about the ebikes on the sidewalks. That's great, but it's not
being enforced. It can't be enforced because you don't we don't have that many manpower. I don't know what you guys are going to do about the ebikes flying on the sidewalks. They're going to hit somebody one day. It's just it's a bad situation. So that's all I had to say that please
reconsider this law about I know the bus stops are for bus stops but the bus stops also are like huge the length of the bus stop is huge maybe you can reduce the size of the bus stop and make it more of a loading zone or something like that.
All right thank you thank you very much tell Jim Jim I think there are other people that want to speak on this resolution that may have signed up in the wrong place. Well, I think I just said are there other people who would like to speak on resolutions this evening?
>> Yes. Yeah. All of you guys >> or or versus ordinances? >> No. Resolutions. >> Okay. Uh how about leave it on the on the right in front of the DES and sign when you come up and speak. Okay.
You can just leave it there, Jerry. >> Hi, my name is Ernie Reyes from Ace Hardware. The hardware store has been in Hoboken since 1931. I've been at the store since my father bought it in 1978. For many years, we have fought the onslaught of big box
stores, the internet, Amazon, and the lack of do-it-yourselfers. For the first time in our history, I'm afraid for the future of our Main Street hardware store. In one week, our sales are down 10%. We have 15 people on staff. I'm not sure
how long we can hang on. Bumpouts, long bus stops, and EV charging stations have reduced parking to five legal spots on our side of the road. Reduction in customer accessibility to stores will kill Washington Street, which already has plenty of empty
storefronts. This clear program with camera enforcement of parking was put into effect without any input from the business community. And no study was done to see its effect on businesses and the community. We have
bus stops where no buses enter. We have bike lanes that bikes don't go on. They go on the sidewalk in dangering lives. They're not even bicycles anymore. They're mostly ebikes that go way over 20 m an hour. A woman was killed
yesterday in Brooklyn run over by an ebike while getting off a bus. Her name was Terresa Valente. New York City has dropped the ebike speed to 15 miles an hour. Maybe that should be done here, too.
Why is there a war on four-w wheeled transportation versus two? What makes one superior that requires its protection by camera enforcement? You have the automation of law enforcement without the consent of the people.
Under the sixth amendment, we have the right to confront our accuser. Who is that? A camera. Will data be sold to third parties? And will it be used to aid ICE? The last time I was here, there was a
resolution to codify the mayor's ban of the police working with ICE. How do we know a third party will not allow our data to be viewed by others? I found an article online that shows
that some states uh police enforcement has tapped into AI enabled cameras. We don't even know. Are these AI enabled? Is that what we want? Is that how we want to live? Will these cameras that go through a
third party share with police and ICE? This falls under the law of un unintended consequences? Will these cameras lead us to a surveillance state where every move that we make is tracked? What happens if this is rolled out to the whole city?
Already there's an increased enforcement in the rest of Hoboken as the parking enforcement personnel has now moved to other streets from Washington Street. They no longer have to be there. Do we want to be a welcoming community that encourages visitors or a monitoring
state? What is the end result of camera enforcement with the advent of AI? Will there also be other forms of enforcement such as speed, stop signs, moving vehicles, and jaywalking?
Will the police have access to these videos, and are they stored for search? Is this system hackable and available to be seen and searched by others? There are many other questions that have
not been answered. I believe that more surveillance and control is not the answer for the people of Hoboken. Thank you. Thank you. >> Could you please tell us your name as well? >> Megan Lukan.
Hi, I'm Megan Lucan. I am the owner of Washington General Store at 509 Washington Street. My business has been a strong presence in Hoboken for almost 12 years. I am here to plead with you to halt the clear initiative so we can work
together to find solutions before our businesses are destroyed. October, November, and December are the busiest months for most retailers. My business in particular does 45%
of my annual business in those months. 28% in December alone. I work my entire year for those months as my entire year depends on it. There are two loading zones for the 39 commercial spaces on my
block. We cannot possibly think that two loading zones can service the 36 spaces that are currently occupied. Mine along with many other businesses receives deliveries daily. Often our goods come in large trucks via a third-party delivery service. If they're ticketed
every time they deliver to me, they will eventually increase delivery fees. In Hoboken, most businesses already pay in delivery, pay extra in deliveries because we don't have loading docks. So, we get charged extra for lift gates. This year in particular, my business has
endured crippling tariff sir charges. It will not survive delivery price hikes or any loss of business. With yearly rent increases, I am always trying to find new ways to increase revenue out of my 800 square foot store.
Since Party City closed, balloons have become a significant part of my business. Customers picking up 60 balloons cannot walk or take a bike. I offer corporate gifting. Customers pre-ordering and then picking up 50
corporate gifts cannot walk or take a bike. And customers will not risk a $150 ticket. So what they will do instead is drive to Edgewater to get their balloons and they will order their corporate gifts from an online retailer.
I'm not only a Hoboken business owner, I'm also a resident raising my four children here, two that go to school on Washington Street. Of course, I feel that safety is important. My oldest can self- dismiss next year. In all honesty,
I don't fear her getting hit by a parent waiting in their car for their kid to come out of school. I fear her getting hit by an ebike, riding in the wrong direction, cruising on the sidewalk, speeding through crosswalks, and not obeying other traffic laws. Will they be
ticketed by cameras? Will the buses that don't pull into wide openen bus lanes be ticketed? I live one block off of Washington Street, uptown. I see more near misses there than I've ever witnessed in Midtown. Cars have to pull into the bike lane, then cross it again
to get in the center of the street, and then back into a bike lane. Surely, this is more dangerous than my customer pulling into the far end of a bus lane to get balloons into her car. I think one of the most frustrating things about this program launching is
how little it considered businesses. I do my part to contribute to organizations and schools throughout the town. I served for several years as a volunteer on the HBA. I gave my time to help the city understand the needs of businesses during COVID while I worked
my tail off to keep my business afloat. The rally around support local shop small was what helped me get through that time. We felt that and it kept us alive. Where did that go?
I love living in Hoboken. Clearly, I am raising four kids in an apartment. I love working here and anyone who has been to my store knows that I pour my heart and my soul into my business. I only want what is best for Hoboken.
Please do the right thing and halt this initiative before Washington the Washington street we know and love is washed away. [Applause] My name is Pablo Odoi. Good evening. Uh I'm the owner of Right Angle in Hoboken.
Uh we had two locations, one downtown and one uptown. Um first of all, I just want to echo all the uh business owners that were speaking before me. All their concerns are so valid. I just had a little bit uh of a statement prepared
Um, like everyone here, I completely support the town's uh efforts to make our streets safer. Safety should always come first. But I also believe the new camera enforcement program, while
well-intentioned, is hurting small businesses like mine, the very heart of this community. For years, one of the biggest complaints we hear from customer is parking. Not just how limited it is, but how
aggressively the town enforce the parking. Many people tell us or many people tell us they avoid coming to Hoboken altogether because they are afraid of getting a ticket.
We already face enormous challenges. Rising cost, online competition, changing habits. The last thing our customers should have to worry about is finding a parking where to do business
in Hoboken. Camera enforcement doesn't solve the real problem. The real issue is the lack of parking in our uh business district. That's where our energy should go.
Finding ways to finding ways to create or free up spots. Making the bus line the bus stops a little bit shorter. They take at least two parking spots too much.
Making it easier for people to support our local businesses instead of driving them away. And I know that might be unpopular with some, but it is important to say the following.
During CO, allowing restaurants to use parking spots for outdoor dining was absolutely the right move. It saved businesses at a critical time. But that emergency is over.
Now, especially in the colder months, those spaces sit mostly empty. I just walked by Washington Street all the way from Uptown to uh here, and I counted 15 spaces taken by restaurants completely
empty. No one. And the weather is beautiful out there right now. I cannot imagine what's going to happen in December, January, February, and March. So right there there is a solution. We can free up easily and just being very generous 20 parking spots in the
district area by removing those spaces for restaurants. If they want to have them back during the warmer months, so be it. That policy benefits a few while the majority of us
suffer for not taking by not having enough parking spaces in the district. If these camera regulations continue as they are the impact on a small businesses will be devastating and if a small business disappear the
heart of Hoboken will disappear. We love this town. This is the town that provide me personally the American dream. Our business has been in town since 1983. So it's more than 40 years that has been
part of this community. We have survived pandemics, recessions, September 11 of many things that I can uh remember. Let's make Hoboken both safe and
supportive of the small businesses that give us the life, the character, and identity that we all love from this town. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh good evening. Uh Dardo Janeo. I own
Wise Vision on Fourth in Washington. Uh born and raised here in Hoboken. Um double parking's been I mean Hoboken for my whole life. I grew up on Fifth and Adams and literally we used to park there overnight. Obviously what I'm trying to get at is that parking's always been an issue since I was born
here. Um I know it's very difficult for you guys to try to figure this out. um you know and satisfy everybody. But everybody's right, man. You know, uh this town has been very laxed with helping the small businesses lately. Um
it seems like we're the ones always suffering. Um take, you know, the garbage for instance. You know, I called the city, you know, when you guys had the whole 9:00 thing with the whole barrels and everything. And I said, "Hey, look, you know, I you know, we closed at 7:00. What am I supposed to do with my garbage?" Uh well, you know, small business problems. you know, you
come back and throw it out. Like, so I got to go home, come back, and throw in my garbage at 9:00. It's, you know, it's just um, you know, but but we do it, right? We we do it. We we do what we got to do. Um, because I think we all love book and again, my father opened our optical in 1978. I'm taking, you know,
been taking over for a long time and and I expect to, you know, give it to my daughter one day. You know, it's just um, but you guys got to help us out here. And this clear thing, you know, I think it'd be better use for like they I you know, all these uh ebikes, you know, again, don't get me wrong, I love
ordering my food and getting it warm because they're flying through the streets, but uh you know, I I they run they run the light they run a red light every day. You I mean, I'm on Washington. You see them going by every day breaking the laws. They should be they should be the ones, you know, they should be riding on the, you know, the
regular street, not in the bike lane, you know. Um there's no bikes there's no bikes that really go down Washington between fourth and uh you're an observer. I mean, you know, I I I get it. I get it. I know it's hard. Keep the rest of Hoboken
beautifully biked. Maybe, you know, all we're asking for is six blocks, you know, six, seven blocks of Hoboken that we can do business uh to continue supporting Hoboken because, you know, it's it's turning into a ghost town one by one. You know, you know, these restaurants and these things are going
out one by one and um you know, it's getting harder and harder. uh you know the rents the rents just go up and the taxes just go up and everything everything just goes up and I I can't imagine I mean you know trying to get deliveries like that I mean uh that
that's that's even worse thankfully for me it's just UPS I have to worry about in small packages and but um you know it's not going to bore anything else but uh I think I think the clear program can still be used but you know maybe use that to control these these these bikes
uh you know I don't see nobody you Aren't they supposed to be wearing like numbers or something like that? I don't see anybody wearing numbers to to document them. Uh maybe use maybe use them for that. I don't know how you going to do it, but um but I know you probably spent a lot of money on it, whatever. But uh for what it's using for
now, I I don't think it's I don't think it's nice uh for for the small businesses. Um and I feel like we we're just never we're just never considered uh when it comes to these decisions as much as we should be. Uh but um you know, as far as you know, I Again,
parking is parking. There's only so much you guys can do about that. But I just hope you guys can come up with, you know, guys are smarter than me, so maybe you guys can come up with a a better answer from there. But that's all I wanted to say. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Mary and Drea,
you give me the sheet just for >> This is the public portion for the resolutions because >> That's correct. Resolutions only. >> Yeah. But you also knew I was going to be late, so I apologize. >> No, no problem. Uh Mary on Drake 159 159 Street. I'm actually here for a lot of
people that have asked me to speak. Um I don't have a car so I use the town's facil uh uh stores on Main Street and um they're very concerned as I am too because I don't like to be survey have
surveillance over me wherever I walk. And um taking license plates numbers is a devious way of trying to get money that you have as a city wasted
in other ways to punish business owners because people do stop off to pick up something. We have a hardware store that I frequent frequently that uh depends upon people coming in and out. that
can't always find a parking space. This is really um serious because it's a way that you're discouraging the town from being at town. We on the other side we have the benches being taken away. So
you don't want people to sit or to relax or talk to friends. So, the main street is becoming um very difficult to navigate because there's so many people in this town and
there's so many cars. If I had I would have a car if I could, but I couldn't afford the parking so I no longer have it. But this is important because nobody wants to be monitored.
We we are a educated populace that tries to shop and to have cameras take your license plate and they all the the shop owners told me the same thing that they
will not come back when they get the ticket. Now, my understanding looking at the resolution, which most people, unless you were um in on the no, I I don't understand
why it's called the clear program. What um please somebody explain to me later on why is this called the clear program? Because what you're doing is clearing people out of the town. You're clearing businesses. If you notice, we have many open storefronts.
Uh we lost the Aspen. Um I mean that whatever reasons were losing people uh or rather businesses. This is important. You expect businesses to pay taxes as well as people. But if you make life so
difficult here, nobody want after a while. You know, somebody said to me recently, I hate living here. And I I I hate Hoboken, but I like living here. But there's just so many things that are wrong that are costing people's lives
and businesses are important. You don't have that many if you go looking down Washington Street because there's many empty shop fronts, storefronts. I've been here a long, long, long time. When I first moved here for many, many years, there weren't that many empty
storefronts. Uh you could you had an array of things you could shop for. I go to the hardware store because I can't I I have no reason to go to another hardware store out on a car. You you need the shops here if you want people here and they pay taxes. But you've got
to use the taxes wisely not to fill a budget gap. That's not what we're here for. We're not the peasants and you're the kings. That's not the way it works. You're supposed to work with us. Stop making Main Street an uninvitable
place. We want people to come here in this town. And lastly, you know, I ran into Eugene Flynn who used to have three businesses in this town. Please pay attention, people. Quit looking at those damn phones. You have you have Eugene Flynn who had Amanda's and then Alleion
and then Shnackenberg's. He said to me today, and I thought about this, over Capitol One, over Capitol One, they're putting housing like we need that like a hole in the head. They could have put a fivestory parking garage there. It would have solved a lot of problems with
people that need to park and go to the shops and you can walk and walking both ways, but no, it's going to be six stories of housing, which will be higher than any other building for going uh north and south because I looked at them all because I couldn't believe it. But
you you you're not operating right. This is not a place for contractors. This is a place for citizens like me and the businesses I uh use every day. Thank you. [Applause] >> This is quite a mess now.
Uh, Enrique, next time don't sign up five lines down from the top. So, which uh now I've got a the sequence that everyone in the back has spoken. Um, Cheryl Phallic or Manuel Rivera Solair.
Uh, Cheryl. Yes, we're you came in late. We're almost done. So >> this is resolutions, right? >> Yes. Yeah. Okay. >> I just got here. I don't know where. >> Um I don't know the number. This is the
clock tower pilot extension. I >> By the way, just you can still speak on it, but it is being carried tonight. It is not going to be voted. >> CD2 is being >> CD2. >> Yeah, >> CD CD2 is being carried. >> Which is CD2? >> Oh, I'm sorry.
>> I apologize. 88 800 Willow is being carried. Okay, proceed. >> Okay, then I will proceed. God, that was music. >> And we'll even start the clock back at zero. >> Sorry. Um, I rise tonight to ask the city council to please carry the pilot
extension for clock towers. I certainly don't oppose an extension of the piloting clock towers for the voucher the the 68 voucher units. I want to make sure that those folks are protected. But
there have some things came to light at a rent board meeting about this. And I I don't want to get into it like I have my perception. I was on the rent board. It was a it was a thing that came up and five minutes is like or 36 minutes is
what is that? Okay. Um, I can't possibly get into it in the five minutes I have here. All I would say is there is there are issues with how the property owner is manipulating the use
of the building vouchers to their advantage in order to jack up rents on rent controlled units. Um, or seemingly there's a manipulation going on. Um, all I'm saying right now is please carry
it. Please, somebody make a motion to carry this. And then who's ever on the subcommittee that discusses this, please come to the rent board and talk to the rent board members just so you can hear us out. I'm not
saying you have to do what we say. I'm saying hear us out. I think we saw something that's very important to know because they're not using the and we don't even know if they have an affordable housing list. Uh one of the
board members valiantly tried to find out where it's housed, who has it, who gets the next unit. It doesn't seem like there's been any monitoring. So again, I know I'm going further than I wanted to. I'm just trying to convince five of you
to agree to carry and just look into this further. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Manuel Rivera Solair >> like the pocket square Manny. >> Appreciate it. I appreciate it. Council members, good evening, council
president, council members, members of the public. Thank you very much for your attention. Because remember, uh, I had my notes. They have gotten mixed up in here, so you're going to have to, uh, give me a chance. But I would like to echo the sentiments of the prior speaker, Miss Phallic. If there is
anything that needs to be addressed in regards to that um uh resolution for um clock towers, I believe that her having information that is pertinent to the resolution, I believe that it should it
should be um uh tabled or however that works. But give it some more time because I believe that this is what happens in Hobbook and this is what we were discussing in a we were discussing it. I'm sorry. We were discussing it in the debate or a
forum that was being held to just a little while ago at the that people want information. People want to feel informed. People want to feel involved in the decisions. So if this is pertinent, you should you should listen. if you'd like if five of you would see
yourselves to to help out. Also, council president, since I write wrote down um consent agenda, I would like also if members of the public could have more information on the clerk CL3, CL4,
CL5, these or these resolutions, pardon me, um these resolutions, they should be given more attention to and should be better elaborated to members of the public so they could also know why the decision is being made, why these things are being
uh paused, especially the cannabis one, which I find totally absurd. How can you pressure someone to do anything specifically? Uh I don't know how that works in in in in this day and age. Uh I believe that that one is um is wrong,
but in a sense, I do understand why it's being done. Um, we should have already our cannabis dispensaries fully operated and serving the public and paying their fair share of revenue to the city. Again, uh, if you could explain that one
to especially CL2 to members of the public so they could understand. And council president, with that, I yield back because I know you missed me from last meeting. So, uh, I'll be back later. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Rivera Soler. Uh, Eric.
Eric, could you state your your last name so I can >> Do I need to? >> You could spell it even if I >> Do I have to give it to you? >> No, I'm just kidding. It's Anchar. It's easy. >> Actually, I can't. >> H C H A R. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Can I lower this because I'm short. >> Thanks. >> Uh, all right. So, I took a few notes today just because normally I don't speak at these things. I usually sit in the back and just listen to everybody and then I walk out cuz it's boring as all hell.
But, you know, I'm listening about this whole ridiculous camera system and I I felt I really needed to say something and I just want to bring something to today. I was coming down after a nice round of golf. I shot pretty well just so everybody's aware. Decided to take
the route down Washington Street because I was like, I'm hungry. I could eat something. During that time frame, I watched a bike pretty much have a highway down Washington Street while I'm stopping every block. The guy's running red
lights. The guy's going through and then he almost ran into a car that was trying to park legally, by the way. Then I'm looking to park my own car so I can get some food. I can't pull over to the side. So, guess what that hit? that hit
all these businesses that really I don't know who owns the bagel places in town or the pizza places, but at the end of the day, I didn't stop. I went home. I had a bowl of cereal instead. So, right there, that little drive, that little commute that I was coming home with
immediately impacted the business side. But the biggest thing I have to tell you is the ebikes. It's shocking how you could spend I I wasn't here, but I have no idea how much you spent on these cameras. But you can enforce those against cars,
residents, etc. But you can't you can't enforce the ebike issue. You have ebikes all over the sidewalks. We have ebikes that are running into people into cars up and down the streets up and down now. Sorry, you got to give me a second.
Oh, yeah. And on top of that, just want to point out that it's pretty hypocritical. You can't tell you you're telling us that we can't park in or stop or do anything, but at the same time, you have a full parking spot three blocks for
every city council person here or every mayor or everybody in the administration. It's it's a joke. I can't park on the street. I can't pull over and grab a slice of pizza, but at the end of the day, you guys can literally just pull up whenever you guys want and have it have a nice clean parking spot. It's it's nonsense. And I
don't know, that's personally, that's me. I that's the way I'm looking at it. It's not right. It's not right to to bang out our taxpayers with a ticket every single time when they just want to stop and eat something. Sorry, I'm a little worked up about this. Don't know what else to do and I don't normally
talk in front of a large crowd. So, sorry everybody. Um, but yeah, honestly, where where was these funds for ebike enforcements? Yeah, test and invest. Test and invest. I get it. I get it. But at the end of
the day, you spend a ton of money on cameras for people who are actually taxpayers and yet we're sitting here with ebikes just all over the place pretty much wreaking havoc on our community. I'm sorry. And then also I would have pulled
up right here, right next to right next to city hall, ran across the street and grabbed a slice. But guess what? There was plenty of cars there, plenty of spots open, but it's locked down for the administration and you guys. I don't know who else parks there to be fair. I don't know. I I don't really care
enough. But really, that's just me. That's one trip walking coming down into town. I can only imagine the rest of the community is doing the exact same thing. Some of us will walk, some of us will pull out a bike, but at the end of the day, you got to you got to figure
something out cuz it's not right for the the community. It's not right for the people and hopefully you listen to everybody here tonight talk about this. So that's it. Thanks. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Uh Lauren Thompson,
>> are are you Lauren Thompson? >> You're not. Okay, then please sit down. >> They put a sign across street for me. >> Would you sign up? Will you sign this? >> Yeah. >> Take it over there and sign it. And Lauren Thompson. I wasted my time here.
>> Would you please put your name on the list and >> and then sit down until >> Yeah. If you could just >> You'll be next. You sit right behind you. And Lauren Thompson is next. Please. Come on.
Hi, good evening council. Lauren Chang Thompson, 628 Washington Street, speaking on the resolution of CL2. I just want to thank you for highlighting this issue and urging for the right thing to be done. As a reminder, the city is a codefendant in this lawsuit
and village was chosen not to be sued. In about two weeks, we will be open and operating for about a year and a half, serving your educators, your seniors, your first responders, and most importantly, your neighbors. It's been a long and almost 5-year journey to even
get my license, get all this all done. And I just want to say that it's been hard enough to start a small business here in Hoboken, let alone trying to operate, let alone trying to thrive, let alone with the lawsuit that's continuously looming over my head. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Uh >> Armando, you're uh are you here somewhere? But okay. Well, let's let's let um her go first. Pascalina, >> thank you for waiting.
>> You you're next, Armando. >> Okay. I'm here. I talked to you. I talked to all these other people for nine years. They want aggravated me. That's what they want as a mafia. I not be scared because the mafia the federal the ticket
nine years I give all the paper and everything. They put a sign across the street for me to make me mad. Handicap for lo zone they take all will I live. How many time I got to bring the paper? How many time I got to ask a people? I
don't ask a charity. He ask I don't come here they ask a favor that's not what they do. Okay, that's all and everybody know me. That's not law. When somebody
come here one say investigate one say not dead. What the hell going to run for all of you? You think I'm p got to be poor because I pay I bring all the paper I want to all the they send me also now physical that I used to go years
ago. What else they want? They just want aggravated me. They want intimidating me. I not been intimidated. I not been existing a law above the other law. Thank you very much. And I wait for the sign. I talk to the guys Brown a lawyer. I talk to another one. And I know that's
an mafia. Nothing else. I wanted the sign because it going to be for somebody else from me. >> Thank you very much, >> Armando. Armando, I could you I should know your last name, but I don't.
>> Luis. >> Luis. >> Luis. L U I S. >> Yep. Thank you. >> So, I'm going to try to be really brief and I'm going to give you my my uh on on the ground report for the first week of
uh the photo enforcement. And I can tell you that the community is in a panic uh because no one knows. For example, just today I I did pull over to pick up my wife. Uh she took a little while to come down. I
might have been in the on the bike lane. Uh half on the bike lane, wherever the hell I was for maybe 10 seconds. So, we'll see if we get a ticket. But I can tell you that today we had a a beer truck in front of the store unloading 600 cases and they're unloaded six cases
at a time. So, that's uh six uh 100 uh hand truck trips. Uh they have two drivers. One has to stay outside because otherwise someone might come by and steal some beer or liquor. So 60 trips in and out. Uh it took uh about an hour
and 45 minutes. Uh I'm not sure what's going to happen there, but um that was a beer truck. uh that that was a worst case scenario. But um our own um uh delivery vehicles which have to transfer merchandise between the two stores
because in order for us to get the best price possible, we have to drop merchandise in one store and then split it to get the quantity discounts otherwise our prices will go up by maybe 10%. So that same beer truck that dropped 600 cases,
about 125 cases had to be transferred to our own transfer van, which of course is not only a matter of unloading all these beer, they have to be counted one by one. There's probably in those 600 cases of beer, there might be 25 different
SKUs, some costing $40 a case, some costing 12. So I can't just accept 600 cases. I have to check them. which is why this takes two hours. I'm not sure what's going to happen. Another scenario is a lot of the vendors that we deal with are very very small vendors uh with
a minimum of often boutique suppliers, people that most shops in New Jersey don't bother to deal with. But one of the things that makes us unique is that we put the extra effort to to bring interesting
stuff to to our customers. So, a lot of these guys are small guys. Minimum delivery is usually 500 bucks. So, they pull up, they can't unload it. It may be 10 cases. You still have to bring them in. There might be 10 different cases of
wine that look the same, but some are $500 and some are $200. So, you have to be careful. It takes a while. So, I'm not sure what's going to happen to those guys because they haven't gotten the tickets yet, but I suspect that if they get a $200 ticket, they're going to make
some changes to their policy or not come see us at all. So, I'm not sure what's going to happen there, but it looks like a mess. But I'm also going to say this, Ernie is my witness right here. >> I have the videos. I have some of your cell phones. I'll send you the videos.
The buses, the bus lane is empty because everyone is in a panic. The buses are not pulling in. They're not pulling in period. So, I boarded a couple of the buses. And I asked the driver, "Why didn't you pull in?"
They came up with some kakamini story, blah blah blah. They drop this and that. Totally ridiculous stuff. The bus lanes were were open. They didn't pull in. So this bus, I observed it coming down Washington Street. Both of them, I
didn't stay there very long. I only stay there for a little while. So I observed two buses. They should have gotten a $200 ticket on each block. So that would be $800 for each bus if you were going to follow uh follow the new rules. Uh
but uh someone was here before talking about the ebikes just now. I kid you not, this is not I'm not making this up. I just I showed up late because I just parked on Second and Hudson. I'm walking home. I'm I have the right of, you know, the the um
>> right away. >> I have the right of way. The light is red. I'm looking at two guys that I suspect are going to take the red light and might hit me. Some other guy whom I didn't see and didn't bother to slow down almost took me out. This just
happened 10 minutes ago on Second Washington. I'm sitting outside Laista having dinner. I have guys sick sagging through a sidewalk. So I would ask the council now that you
seem to have taken action to protect the the cyclists, okay, which seems to be a big part of what's behind all this. And I'm a cyclist. I own four bikes, so I'm pro cyclist. Okay. So, now that you're
protecting the cyclist against the uh motor vehicles seemingly at the expense of the business community, perhaps now you can protect the pedestrians against the cyclist because that's the biggest problem we
have. The the biggest problem we have is not the safety of the cyclist versus the community, but the community versus a cyclist. So, I'm going to be back regularly to continue giving you a report. And by the way, these guys are really, really creative. They're putting
kegs in front of their license plates to try to hide the license plates from the camera. That's the next, you know, art here in Hobok. So, >> thank you. >> So far so bad. So, we'll see what happens. >> Thank you very much. >> Uh, no other members of the public are
signed up for resolutions. >> Public portion. >> Motion to close. Second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I'm going to hang on to this since there's overlap. Um consent agenda.
Council members, >> we're removing CD2. Correct. >> T CD >> T1 and CD2 are removed from the agenda. >> Um council members,
>> CL2. Y >> um L2 you removed Phil. >> Yeah. >> CL3. >> No, I didn't. I I >> CL3
>> CD3. >> I'm sorry, Councilman Ramos. Did What did you just say? >> CL3. >> Okay. >> CL456 56. Uh uh >> Councilman uh President Zano by the way
CL4 and CL5 do you >> is there a difference between those two or they just >> one well understanding we I believe because I it wasn't an ordinance it was a resolution so I had to resol so I'd be able to speak about in case it was first uh first >> what I'm saying is >> yeah you can do
>> they seem to be identical >> yeah one is supporting the other one so one is saying yes I'd like to have the council uh agree on that one. >> But they're it's supporting an ordinance. It's not >> No, this is supporting the one here. Evidently, Jerry, right, when we put this resolution, this is for the pause.
>> So, you have a resolution supporting a second resolution in support of an ordinance. >> Yes. >> Take one. >> Take which one you want to take out? >> Can we Yeah, >> one. >> Can we? >> Should be one. >> It should be one. That's >> being told. Council
CL is gone. Okay. Thank you. So all I have maybe I was distracted is CL2 3 4 and six. Anything else? >> And I >> and CD3. >> C well CD3 and T1 are off. Yes. I'm talking about >> No, no, no. CD2 is off.
>> CD2 is off, but CD3. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. As I told you, I missed something. Anything else? Uh >> just for a vote. >> T. >> Okay. >> T. No, that one I'm going to let go. No, I
think I'm I'm good just on those. Yeah, >> everyone down on this end. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, I will recite them. The ones that have been pulled are not pulled for discussion, I should say, not pulled.
CD3, CL2, CL3, CL4, CL6, and CC1. CL5 is being removed. >> CL 32 is being carried and T1 is being
carried. So we will not be acting on those. So >> that was not what I said. >> That doesn't matter. >> All right. So Mr. Fina, please call the vote on the remainder. >> Mr. Con. >> Hi. >> M. Fisher.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabbor. Yes, >> President Zano. >> No one's Should I just give you the list on the nose? Is that easier? >> I'll give you the list on the nose easier on the record. >> Yeah, I'll put them. Okay. Uh CA3, CA6, uh CC4,
T4, and T6. I'm a no one. I'll give you the list. The rest. Yes. Or yes, I >> I'll give you I'll give it to you. >> And yes, on arrest. >> Yes. On the rest. Yes. Yes. >> Mr. Cano. >> Councilman Cano, we're waiting.
>> Well, you're not voting. >> Oh, I Sorry, I got distracted. >> He said I, >> Mr. Ramos. >> Hi, >> Mr. Russo. >> No on T2, T4, and T6. Yes, on the rest. >> President Doyle. >> I
All right. So I believe that CD3 is the first matter to be discussed. Council Councilwoman uh Jav, did you >> So I Well, I think >> maybe we should have Director Brown come
up. um or yeah >> potentially >> and I don't know if this is something that would be discussed in a closed session but we had some questions I guess about >> some of the concerns that were raised earlier >> I'm not I not able to address those concerns I'm not
>> are there any time sensitivities around this particular item if you were to carry it >> you all I mean the a resolution was adopted earlier this year to extend it to March >> so you have until March until until the pirate officially expires. So that's that buffer.
>> So why don't we just carry it? >> Yes. >> Any anybody? >> Well, I listen I just want to I want to put it on the record, right? We have residents in that building that have been living with that looming over their head >> for a year. >> Oh, for 6 months. >> Well, that's >> Yep. But it's okay.
>> Yep. So again, if that's the will of the council, I don't have a problem with that. But we did discuss this in in our subcommittee. Uh, Councilwoman Fischer brought some questions to to light. Councilman Cole, myself, we went through this a number of times. I don't have a
problem doing that again, but although it might not seem like there's a time sensitiv sensitivity, it took us six months to get to this point, right? So, I would just I would caution everybody. I I >> we'll make a promise next meeting, you
know, if unless things are >> this drastically, right? I understand. I just I I don't want that looming over residents heads. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you, director. So, that's Carrie. Jerry Jimmy >> CD3.
>> Uh CL2. I believe this is uh Councilman Cohen, you're the sponsor and Enrique was interested in your explanation of this. >> Sure. Uh so this is uh we heard from Lauren Thompson, one of the owners of
Blue Violet's here tonight and she's come to a number of our meetings. This relates to litigation that should end and it calls on the the parties who are suing Blue Violets and the Hoboken Planning Board to drop the case
voluntarily to drop it and encourage them. This is just essentially a spirit resolution. We can't force anyone to do anything. But we as a council have made an effort in the to address an ambiguity that has been seized upon with respect
to distance requirements for cannabis dispensaries in Hobok. And you've spoken on that a number of times, Enrique. And this council has changed the law to say that any dispensary that applied before April 28th, 2022,
the time when the city council put a 600 ft requirement in place to separate the distance between a dispensary and a school, that if they had applied before that time, that they are protected and they're protected from any kind of
question as to whether they're legitimately operating at that this business separate and apart from the fact that they are now clearly it's crystal clear that they're legally allowed to operate there. Okay. And that's what the
ordinance change was essentially to do. Uh there also just happened to be an excellent business on we've heard from a number of business people on Washington Street tonight that they've been in operation almost a year and a half. There are no complaints about their
operations. There are no concerns about their operations. All they've been doing is working to create a business to serve our community and 2% of every sale goes to the city of Hoboken. Right? So they're providing a service. Now this lawsuit is not just
against them. It was also mentioned it's also against the Hoboken planning board. Now, there was a decision made by the pellet division of New Jersey, unanimous decision where they found that this business was properly operating because they timely applied before this April 22
date. And for that reason, they said that the lawsuit against the planning board was moot and said there was no case against the planning board. Yet, the case continues. So, what this resolution calls for is to protect a responsible upstanding neighbor in our community that has already spent over
$100,000 defending this meritless case. And it's meritless because if there was ever any question, the council has resolved it. So, all that we're doing here is saying to the folks who are suing this dispensary,
stop. It's time to immediately drop your case. Let these folks do their job. Let them run their business without harassment. Let them continue to invest in their business and invest in our community and serving our community and not invest in legal fees to defend a
case that should not be longer going on. So that's the point. I'm happy to answer any questions of my colleagues, but that's it's pretty straightforward and I hope my my colleagues support it. Council President, >> Councilman Russo, >> just just quickly, I look, I understand
that there was a dispute that went made its way through the courts. This council acted and I think sometimes people want to be right for the sake of being right
instead of doing what's right. And I think it's time to do what's right and stop the lawsuit. Let this business thrive in the city of Hoboken. You've heard so many issues that our business
community goes through on a daily basis. Just here tonight, never mind in in the last 6 months. It's time to do what's right. I would urge my C council colleagues all to support this here tonight. And I thank Councilman Cohen
for bringing this uh before the council and I'm honored to to sponsor it with you. Thanks, >> M. Anyone else? Mr. Fina, >> no. I >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Just just briefly. Uh I think a lot of this resolution is
asking I get I the last person who likes lawsuits. I like when we settle lawsuits or have no lawsuits at all. However, we're asking citizens to wave their rights to pursue whatever legal action they want to pursue. And
and this climate that we have, uh I don't feel comfortable asking people to limit their rights to whatever that may be. Uh a right to pursue whatever legal action they deem necessary and then the city council participating that. I know
we're a codefendant in that. If we if we have the means to settle it, I prefer to settle it from our end, but at this point, we do not. But for us to ask people in this day and age where we're seeing people being silenced every single day, uh I think that's uh a lot
to ask of our citizenry to say, you know what, give up your rights at this point in time, whether I agree with them or not. Uh ask people to do that. Uh I'm not prepared to do. Thank you. Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Mr. Con,
>> hi. >> Fisher, >> no. >> Mr. Jabore, >> yes. >> President, >> no. >> Cano, >> hi. >> Mr. Ramos, >> no. >> Mr. Russo, >> hi. >> President Doyle,
>> I abstain. >> Okay. >> CL3 >> doesn't It doesn't pass. pass. >> It does. >> 1221. It passes. >> Passes. >> CL3. Who Who uh I think m Councilman Russo or
>> Okay. Councilman Ramos. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council President. I think a lot of times uh we want to do the right thing in a lot of aspects. I think many of us here uh would like to see our hospital not just survive but thrive in
a lot of cases. And I also think that in a lot of instances you have to say that we messed up and it's okay to do that in a lot of instances. I I think our intention here to try and work with the
hospital providers was a good intention but you know we reached a bad outcome for ourselves with the lack of communication on our part and the city's part doing that. I think we have to recognize that. I think we have to recognize the hard work that we've all
done in keeping the internal part of our city uh the R3 zones, the R1 districts at that with the internal part of our city and building along the edges of our city which our master plan calls for. Uh I think there are other means there's a
lot of ways to skin a cat and hopefully we keep on working with the hospital operators to try and move that forward. But I think in the uh the intention of really goodwill and working with our neighbors and listening to them, that's our that's a one of our job while we're trying to do those things. So I think in
this context, we definitely have to listen uh shift tactics wherever we deem necessary to try and work with the hospital providers the best we can to try and make the hospital thrive, not just look for uh quick outcomes. And I
think we see a real red herring that they provided for us with the Christ hospital situation where they just go out of the blue and say we're going to cease operations in 30 days. Do we want to work with someone that we give development rights to and then within 30
days they say we cease operations the city of Hoboken as well. I think that's a risk that we don't we're not willing to take at this point in time should not take at any point in time. So, I'm glad we worked with the neighbors, myself and Councilman President Zano and a lot of you guys uh met with them as well to try and push this back and take this out of
redevelopment zone and we'll find another path forward uh with the hospital and a better path with uh with neighborhood community involvement and all our involvement as well. So, thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Councilman Ramos. [Applause] >> Councilman President Zano,
>> I think Michael and Rachel, your your son is destined for politics because that was an eloquent speech that he made. Uh uh that's great to see what you've done raising a a standup individual. Uh that was heart-wrenching and I think it expressed the community around you. So you'd be very proud of
your son tonight. Um it's never easy in a situation like this where you're trying to solve for something good. But you know at sometimes you have to look at things that you'll try things and I think there was debate up here with several of us that we were concerned with condemnation
non- condemnation at the beginning when we agreed on this and we wanted to see what we could do because we want a hospital in Hoboken and sometimes we have to give a little for the for the masses to see what's happening but there was still a couple more phases on that but again uh I want to thank those of
you that are going to support this tonight for listening to um the first word residents and the needs that they have. Uh many of us spent countless phone calls and hours on this. Uh and and I want to thank each of you personally because you've heard the
needs of the first ward which is getting ripped up on all sides and dealing with a lot of the quality of life issues. Uh I'm happy that we all came to our senses and that it looks like this has the u the the votes to pass. But again, our job up here is to
listen to the community. And if they don't want it in there, and a large swath of them don't want it there, we have to listen to them. It's not always what we think up here. And those again, I want to I can't say it enough. I I I don't always agree with all of you up
here, but in this one, I'm happy uh as as Phil said to me tonight when we when I was we we signed some documents up here and Phil was like, I'm in support of that. And I was like, I it felt good. felt good because Mr. Council Cohen and I don't always agree on everything. So, there's something we agree on. Uh, so
I'm really happy and really um pleased that this looks like this will move forward tonight and 122 will be removed from the redevelopment zone. Thank you, >> Councilman. Please, please agree with them. All right.
>> I agree. Uh, yeah, I'm I'm happy to vote for this tonight. I mean, uh, you know, we clearly heard from the community and and and to be clear, what we are, the goal here is to save this hospital and and everyone up here who voted for this plan, and I think we all did. I don't
think anyone voted against it. We're doing it with the intention of saving our hospital, the jobs, the people who work there, the people whose lives it saves every day. Uh it it uh I've had my
daughter go in there for emergencies. I expect that everyone in here at some point is happy to know that we have a hospital in our community and we want it to survive. And when you talk about businesses that are threatened, this is a business. Well, I don't you can't call a hospital a business, but it is it is a
facility that provides invaluable services to our community. And I know that all eight of us up here uh and the mayor want this hospital to succeed, to thrive, and to be there for future generations of the people of Hoboken.
Upon reflection and and hearing from members of the community and asking hard questions of the people who run this hospital, uh I think we've all come to the conclusion that 10 stories at 122 Clinton is too big. It's just not there.
There's got to be another way to get to the solution that we're all trying to accomplish. So, uh, you know, for the people who came out tonight, for the people who've been out here for the last few meetings, we heard you. We care about you. You know, we and we also care
about saving the hospital. And sometimes it's hard to know where to draw the right balance. But from from my or from where I sit, uh going above six stories at that location is not the solution that we need to find. So, you know, I I
think we're going to be back to the drawing board at some point. I suspect it's going to be in 2026. Uh I don't see anything happening the rest of this calendar year, but I think this is the right solution. uh and uh you know I I think we'll be at it again and I suspect
that uh we'll all be talking to each other about this before too long. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Councilman Cohen. >> Jim, >> are we Oh, >> yeah. >> Councilman Fischer. >> Yep. Um
so there's not a lot of thing I think I've said this before. There's not a lot of things that uh keep me up at night, but the um the future of our hospital does. Um, I've been on the board for the last year and a half, took over from Councilman Doyle, who
uh, bravely sat on the board for the few years that were probably the biggest struggles before it went into bankruptcy. Um, and you know, it's something that as a council, as the next mayor, as the county executive, the the
state senators, like it's a it's such a critical hospital to our area that there should be more people working, you know, to save it. All that being said, um, you know, this process has been really pushed forward, uh, without a lot of
information. Um, you know, we we didn't know for sure. Actually, we've been given I mean, some of us have been given no information on what their plans were. The the building heard about the 10 or 11 story um or the neighbors heard about the 10 or 11 story building before we
did. when we had the conversation about um putting all these buildings in the master or in a redevelopment plan, you know, I I you know, the planning board didn't support putting 122 um Clinton in it. I raised that uh as an issue um that
we shouldn't as a council of put it in at the time. I went along and voted um yes for it because I was my vote didn't really matter and I wanted to just make sure that no matter what the council had a seat at the table with this new hospital um new hospital owner because
you know the the fate of our hospital is kind of in their hands. So, um, it did, you know, it did, um, it did move forward, but I I think to me the takeaway is, and I I personally have been pushing this from the very beginning, is we need to really demand
more um, you know, from our partner on this, not rush to, you know, what they're trying to accomplish without, you know, having a really important seat at the table and making sure that we're, you know, representing the best interests of our community. So, um I'm
happy to see my colleagues change their mind. Um I'm happy to have the opportunity to change my vote even though my mind didn't change. Um this is an easy one. Um I think to pull out, but at the same time, you know, we all do need to sit in the room with HR and
figure out what we are going to be able to do to be supportive of what is not a Hoboken hospital. It's a county hospital. And we need to make sure that other, you know, Union City is there, West New York is there, we Hawkins there, the county is there to come up
with solutions um to save this critical hospital in our community and hopefully Christ Hospital um as well. So happy to vote in favor tonight. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh >> Councilwoman Jav, >> thank you. Um without repeating some of
the things that have been already shared, I just want to thank the residents. I know a number of you were here tonight and had met with us at various points in time. Your advocacy was very effective. Um, and it was very helpful because I think there's been an absence of clear communication about this project and how it's moved forward.
And so, at least for the conversation I was part of, some of it was just putting the pieces together of understanding what had been said to whom. Um, and just to add some clarity, you know, something that I've really been pushing for is a community meeting to sit down in person with HR and have this conversation about
why the community has concerns, what this looks like, how this feels in our in our neighborhood. Um, and to do that in a meaningful way. Um, so that all of you who are here have the opportunity to also engage with them directly. Um, I think that's an important part of this process. And this process really um you
know it's important with respect to the goal that we're trying to accomplish which I think all of us have the same goal of trying to ensure that this hospital is successful and remains open. Um it is a very critical part of Hoboken's community with respect to the jobs that are there and I know the people who are working there have a tremendous amount of anxiety right now
about what this means. Um I spoke to someone yesterday who just wanted to understand what the action was that was happening tonight and whether that would jeopardize the ability for the hospital to remain open. Um, and we all have to continue to be committed to this, not just in the name and service of of tonight's vote, but but really the next
steps for all of this. So, I'm very hopeful that we can have that community meeting that we can get everybody around a table and have a more robust communication process around that. Um, because I think that will come to a better end product. Um, so thank you again for all coming out tonight and for your advocacy. >> Council President, Councilman Russo,
>> thank you, Council President. As a healthc care provider, I understand the struggle intimately about the state of the insurance world, the state of the healthcare world, it's a struggle every single day.
And for me, this was just another tool for the overall plan to ensure that our hospital continued to function in the city of Hoboken. I think one of my colleagues said it best that that HR actually gave us a little insight when
they made the announcement about one of their other hospitals. Um and they tried to put the cart before the horse so to speak. They wanted to talk about the development side of what they were trying to achieve rather than the healthc care side of what they wanted to
achieve. Um I am still 100% in favor of solving the problem that we have as far as our health care system in the city of Hoboken and I think we have the opportunity to do that uh with this company or any other company to be quite
honestly. Um, I will continue to fight that fight. I will continue to make sure that those workers in the hospital, those nurses, those porters, those surgeons, those interns, they all have a safe and secure place to work and to
thrive and to protect all of us. But right now, as many of my colleagues said, your advocacy in this opened some eyes to make sure that that court was not being put before the
horse. So, I appreciate all of you doing that. I appreciate all of you inviting me into your homes and and having these conversations. Uh, I'm most certainly in support of this here tonight, and I think the council as a whole will will act accordingly. So, thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Cano. >> Yeah, just um 30 seconds. So, I agree with all my colleagues and I'll be supporting this today and just wanted to remind everyone, you know, for is often uh a sense that we don't listen or take inputs and that's not true.
We're your neighbors, right? So, of course, we listen to you and when you invite us into your uh buildings to give us honest feedback and we have that honest communication back and forth, that's us doing our jobs and that's trying to do right by our neighborhoods. And so, um so yeah, I'll be supportive
here and continue uh advocating. Um, and I think we all shared the goal of of having a hospital and so as Councilwoman Jabbor said, when we have these community meetings, we really want your input and see how it's going to how we're going to be able to do that. So, I look forward to having that conversation.
>> Thank you, Councilman. I'll I'll just finish up by saying the um, you know, my perspective through the planning board process as well is here. Um, I I think Councilman Ramos, you're you're beating yourself up a little bit
more than you need to. I mean, we were sort of given a we were told that the five-story historic building would be a medical facility or outpatient medical. So when when I voted in favor of this
including 122, I thought it was the building would stay the same as it is and the uses in the building would be amplified as medical services for to supplement the hospital. So when it changed to uh you know there were no
plans, there were no glossy pictures of what this would be, but when it changed to residential and 10 stories, that wasn't what I voted for. And so it was clear that I was not going to support that. So I'm glad that Councilwoman Ramos and President Zano beat us to the
punch and got the ordinance uh you know sponsored the ordinance. And I think uh we're going to have a unanimous vote in favor of des 122 Clinton tonight. Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Mr. Con? >> I Fiser.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabore. >> Yes. President >> I can >> I >> Mr. Ramos >> I >> Russo >> I >> President Doyle >> I uh CL4
which >> I don't uh Councilman President Zano pulled it. >> Excuse me? >> It's me. No, I pulled it. >> Oh, you? >> Yeah. No, I pulled it. Meaning the talk. >> Okay. Yes. Go ahead, Councilman. >> Uh I don't see Director Weber here. or
do I that correct? Get ready to get in a hot seat, Caleb. Um there's a lot of questions that I have here. You might want to loosen your your uh tie a little bit there. Um I've asked for a briefing and I think you've been on some of those emails. Uh
and you've told me that I would get a briefing on the clear program. This is now it's already been instituted and I still haven't received that one. Two, the businesses definitely haven't been included in this because they've all stated that tonight. So, that's a
second problem. And three, uh I don't know if it's me, but the last since October 1st, I hate to say it, I haven't seen the traffic on Washington Street that dead at 4:30 in the evening
or 5:00 in the evening. And that's a bigger concern for me. If if Ernie is saying that he's down 10%. That's a concern because he's consistently uh busy all day long until you close it. In fact, people are rushing there at 6:00 when you close. Uh that's a concern
for me. So, I've got some questions and I can give these to you, but I would like you to answer them the best you can. They're pretty simple. They're yes and no. So that we can educate the public because I need to be educated, too. Nobody's answered any questions, so the only place I can do it is in public. I'll do my best.
>> All right. Was the Hobbook and Clear program first announced to the public through a Nixert Nixl alert? Yes or no? >> I'd have to do some research and get back. >> Okay. That's why Director Weber should be here. That's why we pay him to be here at these meetings or to have his
assistant or the assistant to the assistant be here. >> Take my line. >> Was the council brief before the public alert? Yes or no? >> Yes. >> Who? Cuz I didn't get any brief. No, >> no, that's a lie. Sorry. >> Next.
>> Did your department complete >> man? >> Did your department >> don't put I mean don't don't impugn my integrity. I'm giving you honest questions that you didn't provide me for with meeting. >> The council was briefed on this program. The council was provided information
during subcommittee. To the best of my knowledge, this program and its rollout was made available to the council. If I'm wrong, I'm willing to be wrong. No, I'm not. Again, Caleb, you're trying to answer questions that I think director Weber should answer directly. I'm not coming at you with this, but
>> you just called him a liar, so please don't do that. >> It's not that he's a liar. He is wrong. >> If he's ignorant and he does not know the answer, willing to be a liar. >> He's willing to be wrong. It came to the our subcommittee, >> I think, >> okay. All right, fine. I'll stand correct it. >> No, it just came to our subcommittee, just not the rest.
>> Uh was there was no economic study done for this. It was just on raw data on the streets. Correct. >> That's my understanding. >> Okay. Uh when was the data for the this is probably you don't know this. When was the data for the program collected that we saw on all the NIXL alerts? Do
we know that >> the phase one roll out was in place for a number of months. The statistics that we understood for violations were provided via NIXL. Um I can give you the specific information to that request. Happy to >> Okay. Uh the original propo purpose was
described to the council as a loading zone study. This is a kind of a yes or no because that's what many of us were under the impression. I'm going to ask what you thought. The materials that I saw from the contract authorization
included loading zone study, uh, a number of different elements related to violations and on multiple different sections of it, there was always enforcement that was contemplated as part of the phase 2 roll out of this program. >> Okay.
Who decided to pick October 1st as the roll out of the plan? >> The administration. >> Not one in particular, the whole administration. So the mayor, is that correct? >> My responsibility to carry for the mayor's direction. >> Okay. So the mayor did um
no new loading zones were implemented before the cameras went live. Correct. >> We recommend loading zones all the time. I'd have to get back to you answer that question. >> Okay. Um when can the full council receive a briefing on the clear program, including data and everything else that
goes with it? Uh, we can do it. I'd prefer to do it in two different groups because we don't want to break open public meetings act, but I'm happy to provide a briefing to any members of the council that want to get a briefing on the clear program.
>> Okay. Um, one other question here or one other statement I'll make and uh, President Doyle, I would ask that it seems out of the transportation subcommittee or the transportation committee in general department that there's been some massive stuff that's come out of there that we are just not
briefed on here. And I believe I touched on this earlier in the year asking for us as subcommittee chairs to give reports because if this was presented to the subcommittee this could have been nipped in the bud because we've could have gi given input on this if we would have known about it.
I found out as well as my businesses in the first ward that this was happening at five the nixel alert is when I found out about it and then the phone call started to pour in. If this was announced earlier at the subcommittee,
if we would had a report from the chairperson, this would have probably stopped a lot of this and we could have said maybe just delay it a couple weeks. Let's find out a little bit more on what's going on. So, I am still in favor and I know we've only got a couple months left, but I still feel just as
the HBO does that subcommittee chairs doesn't have to be detailed. just say we spoke about this and then if there's a question we can then arise because if I don't go and check with each person on the subcommittee who may be an ally or not an ally or just I forgot or we're
busy with other things and I see stuff come on an agenda or a nixel that's not the way government should work that's not transparent that's I got to find out through five different ways so going forward I think can we get together you and I that literally just have a very
brief not on to the directors from the council since we're chairpeople of these subcommittees at least say maybe the three things we talk about on our subcommittee in DPW we don't do too we're not really talking about some deep issues but we do talk about garbage cans replacement parts
coming in things like that so we could educate the public but also educate the rest of >> you could do that in new business that's everyone who is here well that that's >> we choose not to have new business >> I I hear you I'm asking you because we've just had something come out and We
just had something pulled from the agenda where if you read into it, there was a protected bike lane going on Adam Street and we pulled it because if you didn't read deep into it, which everything on the transportation committee I read three, four times now, but if I would have been on that
committee or known about this, we could have had the discussion before it gets on the agenda and say these are the concerns we have. So, I'm asking for in in transparency, not playing politics here, just knowing what our government's doing because then I if I can make an
informed vote that way. If I can't, I can't make an informed vote. I just vote no. But that's not fair if it's a good project or if it's a good thing. So, I'm asking I'm begging >> begging you on this. Um, but overall, I would like to pause this February 1st to
the new administration. Notice we're not saying stop it. We're saying pause it and study and let's see what we can do to make sure everybody's okay, that we don't hurt our businesses, especially going into the the holiday season that you heard from the general
store. There's 28% of her sales are in December. If we can't get people here, that's a problem. I'll give you one quick example and then I'm done uh done on this and whoever wants to speak. Sunday, uh my family and I, we went to readers to go get ice cream. There was a
gentleman with his family double parked in a bike lane with a truck and I gingerly walked over there and I said, "Excuse me, you might want to move your truck because you might get a ticket for this. I don't know if it's being ticketed now or you're you're going to get a warning, but there's cameras that are watching this and he had his
daughter on the back of the tailgate as a pickup truck." And what he said to me was this. He said, "Thank you very much. I put they put the kids in the car." Uh he said, "But I don't get it." He goes, "The garages are packed solid. There's
no parking on the street. Why should I come back and and it cost me for for an ice cream?" I'm doing this because it's something we found that Hoboken's a great little spot in a great family town. He's like, I can't afford to come here and ice cream costing me 50
bucks going to 200 bucks. So, it's just that's just a small example. The other thing is my ward is being impacted massively because the transportation department has now unleashed the army of
HPU or code enforcers into the ancillary streets off of Washington. Hudson Street, there used to be tickets. There were two to three tickets on some cars now and that's where our residents are parking. you're also pushing the cars deeper into the residential areas to
park, taking away from our residents. So these are unintended consequences, but also at the same time, we have to think about the community as a whole, our businesses as a whole, and when we roll something out that you get buy in from the full council. Thank you,
>> Mr. President. >> Councilman Russo. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh, at our last meeting, I I actually started to talk about this a little bit. Uh I still believe that the city council needs to act to
implement any kind of procedures. Um I mean we do that as the legislative body. I asked corporation council to uh issue a memo uh specifically asking if the city council has done anything to that effect
or what the authority excuse me what the authority is to implement this this program. Councilman Russo, I don't excuse me for one sec. If >> and keep in mind if you're talking about not policy, but if you're talking about
a legal opinion, whether we might want to go into close session. >> Yeah. No, I don't think we need to. I don't think we need to. I I I just asked corporation council to kind of point to the state statute that would allow us to do something like this. So, >> okay. If if we actually have the authority to do that,
>> as they say, tread carefully. Yeah, I got you. And and I appreciate it and thank you uh corporation council for for getting that over to me before the meeting tonight and I looked through that statute and it's very short and clear and it basically says that a
municipality which contracts for processing services made a plan to the Supreme Court describing the services to be provided and the procedures to be used. So, I understand that to be that this city
council had to set a procedure to allow for automated issuances of those summones to anyone violating parking um the parking laws in the city of Hoboken.
You didn't really address if the city council did that. Now, I'm assuming in my memory that we've never done anything allowing automated enforcement. As as a matter of fact, contrary to allowing any
auto automated enforcement, we have a law on the books that prohibits automated enforcement when it comes to uh traffic violations, not necessarily parking violations, >> moving violations. Sorry, >> moving violations. Correct. So my question is
>> signs and traffic lights. >> My question is do we have written authorization from the Supreme Court of New Jersey allowing this program because as you indicated they're also meeting
I think it was next week to finalize any concerns that they may have had. So your specific question is do we have anything written from the it's actually the administrative office of the courts which is uh like a branch or whatever it's the division in the Supreme Court that you that you work with. Um but no
we do not have anything written from them. >> So we have so we have no written authorization. So right now in your legal opinion do we have any authority to issue any of those summones? Well, you're asking me for a legal opinion in public. At this point in
time, I can answer your questions factually. I think that was a factual question you asked me before. Do we have anything written? >> Um, but if so, if you'd like to close, I can fully answer. >> Hold the question for private and we'll ask it. Um, you could answer it in a memo, you can answer it however
you need to answer it. But I think it's important for us to put it on the record so that people understand that there's a bigger process involved in this decision and that we may not have followed that entire process. >> Is it an executive branch function or a
legislative branch function? Do you know? >> What function are we talking about? >> You just said they're supposed to establish procedures and get >> doesn't opine either way. >> Okay. I I not having seen it, I
>> So >> I I have lots I have lots that I can say, but again, you know, >> yeah, if you if you could get if you get that answer to us in a memo, I'm sure I'm fine with that. >> Absolutely. >> But again, my contention is that we do not have the legal authority to do it. It's just my opinion on it. That's why
I'm waiting for your response. I u I hope that comes pretty quickly. So, I appreciate it. Thank you, everyone. >> Thank and Councilman Russo, Councilman Cano. >> Uh thank you, Council President. Um obviously operating under the assumption we do have the authority. Uh but if
comes back different, obviously we'll change our minds as we can when we have more info. Um remind everyone this is a pilot. Uh there's a lot of talk about unintended consequences and trying to figure out and what if we figured out this, what if we figured out that.
there's only so much you can scope out beforehand and sometimes you have to go live and test the data and and then pivot when when more information comes in. Um to steal a line from uh Councilman Cohen, we need to base our
policies on facts, not fear. And so that's what we're trying to do is gather information. um if it turns out that uh you know we should be surveying our businesses and and if if these depressed uh rates of business continue and it's a because of
this then we should pivot. We should look to add loading zones. We should uh maybe shorten buses. We should uh do what we need to do to ensure um that that we protect uh that business uh environment. Uh but you know, we are
seeing clear like the goal of this was to clear up the bike lanes and and some of these things and that and it's worked. You know, we can jam down Washington Street uh without fearing my life. I've done it now a couple of times last week and it was actually pretty nice. Um again, notwithstanding some
other uh negative issues. Um but one of the things that frustrates me the most about this conversation is that for years uh constant refrain, why don't we just enforce our laws? Why don't we just enforce our laws? And then we start to enforce our laws. And then you're like,
why are we enforcing our laws? Uh so which laws should we enforce? Um if we were able to use the cameras to to like to to ticket ebike riders on sidewalks, I'd be all for it. Um the there it's a
little bit more complicated than that, but if we could do it, I would do it. Um, we had conversations years ago about people rolling through stop signs and folks asking us at CAPS meetings, let's put cameras on stop signs and you know
if we could do it, I'd look into it, right? Uh, but it seems to be that once we start enforcing it, it starts to impact you directly or a person directly. All of a sudden, we don't want to do it anymore. Uh, so, you know, should we should we legalize double
parking? um because it's illegal to double park. Um I do wish Director Weber was here because my understanding is that this is not a uh zero tolerance uh effort and I don't know uh Director Stratton if you're able
to uh comment on whether there's any allowable dwell time associated with this. Uh my understanding is that uh if somebody stops for two seconds to drop somebody off Uber driver, they will not be getting a ticket. Um but if there's a longer wait time in these areas then
they are subject to potentially getting the ticket. Um this uh right now um or before October 1st in these areas I would say uh enforcement of double parking and parking in loading zones and
bus stops was extremely difficult because you needed a parking enforcement officer uh there with eyes on the violation to be able to issue a ticket. Uh my understanding is something less than 10% of people ever got caught uh and and led to massive congestion uh on
Washington Street. Um what this process does is allows a centralized person, a parking enforcement officer to be will actually see every instance where where somebody does that and and they they see two images. they see one image of when
the uh vehicle arrived and another image of of when that vehicle left and the time difference between the two and then they can make a judgment call just like a park enforcement officer live would be able to do that and so I don't know if there's a set time do you know director
Stratton if there's like a time ballpark that >> I can I can give you the the process that our parking enforcement officers are going through which is >> when we get a report we review the most egregious violations First, the parking enforcement officers are not able to
process all of the different reports we receive on a daily basis, and the reports that they don't get to, which are the less egregious violations, they don't process that day. In addition, we are not targeting or citing
quick passenger pickups and drop offs during this program. Um, and we've also limited during the pilot to one ticket per week. So, the purpose of the program >> is to create the expectation that the
existing laws on the books will be enforced, but it is not meant to be punitive to repeat violators that are um unaware of the program, which is why we're doing the public education campaign. And the second thing is that we are trying to make every effort and
continue to shape our policies to respond to many of the different issues that we've heard tonight and we'll continue to make modifications through the roll out of the program. I think oh all the old to uh >> yeah I just one one quick question followup question and I appreciate the
way you laid it out but I I think the bigger concern is that it wasn't laid out for the business community in the same way right but who's determining that quick drop off right and does that change over time right are we allowing
those quick drop offs are we allowing somebody to you know pull the car over to let their uh aging mother or grandmother out of the car right now, but then 6 months from now something changes or something shifts and now we're not doing that or better yet, who
is the person making that determination and is there an issue there? Right? Like so I I think there's just a lot of questions, you know? So I I just want to I want you to be sensitive of all of that because I think that's what's coming to the forefront in all these
conversations. So just my two cents and I appreciate it Joe. Thanks. >> Yeah. So just to continue. So so it sounds like there is some discretion there human eyeballs and and and and if it's a quick trip it's you're probably okay. Um but then there was also a comment on now the parking enforcement
officers going to other streets. Again, there's violations on these streets. There's double parking on Willow. There's double parking uh on on Bloomfield and Grand. and emergency vehicles need to get through uh these these these spots and and other people
just kind of going through. Uh and so again, do we want it to be legal to double park on on Bloomfield or do we want to enforce those laws? The goal of this isn't necessarily to raise revenue, but
that stick does help in enforcing our laws and affecting the behavior that we want. Um, so I want to see this play out. Let's collect more data, but let's also engage with our businesses as we're collecting the data and have them be part of it because I don't want to see
any storefronts closed because of this pro program. But again, it's a pilot. We're collecting the data. So, I'm not going to support this today. President, >> Councilman Cohen, >> uh just briefly to add, uh in addition to the fact that there's discretion and
people should be able to have quick trips in and out, drop offs, pickups, pick up a kid at school without having an issue. My understanding is that there's only going to be one ticket per week issued during this pilot program, which means that if and I've heard there have been
warning tickets have been issued, but actual violations have been senting out sending out. It's only going to be one per week. So, people will be learning. It's not like you're going to be getting, you know, seven tickets in in seven days. It's not going to be like that. People are going to get a and again, this is my understanding. So,
that people will the goal here is to change people's behavior uh not to penalize people with a new system by surprising them. So, again, I think that the fears are legit. The concerns are
real. We we've heard them, but I think the city's intent here is to to roll it out in a way that changes behavior as opposed to penalizes people for not understanding a new system. But clearly
the the the the first week's reports have been promising that uh I I I've ridden down Washington Street on a bike a few times uh and was amazed at how few people were parked in the bike lane. I'm getting a thumbs up from Jim Vans. It's
it's amazing that in such a short period of time I think people in Hoboken really do want to follow the rules and I think the city has gotten the word out for better or worse that this is the new normal. Uh to see buses be able to pull
into an empty bus stop should not be a remarkable site but it is because they've been unloading and unloading in the middle of Washington Street because bus stops are not able to be used. This will mean that there will be more customers coming up and down Washington Street quickly into the stores and
there'll be pe emergency vehicles will be able to move quickly. Uh and it will be easier to get from north to south on Washington Street than it is now. So again, uh I'm not declaring victory. It's one week. It's 7 days. Uh we're going to learn a lot more. And it could
be that this is you know we we have to make the changes. We you know loading zones may be the answer. But we've been seeing and the data showed before this started that people were parking in the loading zones for hours, not just 20 minutes. So that
hurts all of our businesses. If if if there's regular turnover in the loading zones, they're going to have more opportunities to load and unload their trucks at those locations if that's what they're there for. But they may not be enough floating zones to support the businesses. Maybe double parking has been so relied upon for so long that the
loading zones that we have simply do not accommodate the needs of the business community and we need to adjust and we're going to get the data to be able to draw those conclusions and make those changes hopefully so that it works because again I think the goal of the council the reason why we approved this
automotive plan the reason why we made the investment in this technology is because we were going to learn things that we did not have data for to determine what the problems are and what are the best solutions? So, we're going to find that out. It's a relatively short pilot period. Uh I I expect that
we're going to learn more that we're going to be able to use that will be beneficial to the community than than the harm that people are afraid of causing. And I'm not saying the harm isn't real, but we should we should bear we should learn more. So, I'm going to be be opposed to the pause at this time.
Thank you, Council President. Council >> President Council, >> I think Ruben wanted to go first. Uh, you got to council. >> Counciloman Fischer. >> Yeah. So, >> no, >> no, this is Well, no. This is
>> the we spoke on resolutions for about an hour and this is a resolution. There's also >> we have an ordinance as well >> and Mr. advance actually we the public portion will be before the first readings so you can speak on this
>> um so you're just to clarify one thing you know Paul uh asked a question of cal or of our business administrator of you know I don't remember but the answer was uh
just referred to the contract that we all approved a year and a half ago um you know a year and a half ago and we talked about these uh these cameras. It was very the whole conversation um because of our politics right now, a bunch of us went back and looked at the
tape. The whole conversation that night was about being able to use these cameras to potentially create 15minute drop off/loading zones on Washington Street, which we've not been able to
have. Right. And it was a whole it was it was very interactive. Um our former HP director Ryan Sharp, you know, sold us in in a good way on the kind of data that we would be able to get to rethink our commercial areas, put in drop off
zones so that we wouldn't have to rely on uh double parking that we actually could have legal spaces where people could pop in, pop out, drop something off, pick something up, you know, etc. uh and we could do it um you know on on every block. He also said he would
specifically come back. We had a whole conversation on whether or not oh are we going to charge for those 15 minutes and you know we we weren't making any decisions um uh at the time. But what he said very clearly was, you know, once we collect some data, we'll come back and
we will create ordinances and the city council will have a seat at that table and we will think about kind of redesigning parking, you know, in in uh around our commercial um areas. So that that's what we agreed to a year and a half ago. That's not what this is. This
is the administration for some reason unbeknownsted to all of us except team Bala. Um they had to rush in the you heard from our businesses in the busiest time of the year for most of our businesses. Um,
when I sit and I listen to my colleagues up here after they sat and heard from businesses who said they weren't listened to, who said they weren't considered, who said they weren't approached to even discuss the pos, you know, the potential impact to listen to
my colleagues basically just say your voice doesn't matter right now. It will matter after we get some data. We had the ability to include people in this conversation before we did this. I could not disagree more with Councilman
Quantero saying that, you know, we we can't plan for everything. We just kind of have to start and get data. We could have actually, as a matter of fact, when I heard about this six, eight, six weeks ago, I think um I heard about it from our mayor's former chief of staff, VJ,
who's now a consultant for this company, who called and said that, you know, safety, safety, safety. We have to protect our bike lanes. And I, you know, we're going to do this uh we're going to do this enforcement and we're going to get rid of all the double parking. And I immediately, you know, said, "What about
our businesses? What about the residents?" I brought it to our committee. Um, Councilman Jour is on that committee. She heard me screaming. I don't scream very often, but I was so angry um when we were told by the head of our, you know, parking utility that
he doesn't want to talk to people about why they double park, why they might need to um, you know, stop, etc. Because it's illegal. Why would we even encourage get that input? Well, it's been a practice for a hundred years, right? Our businesses rely our residents
on Washington Street rely on the ability to stop for a second. No one's condoning double parking. We're just saying that if we're going to make changes and we have this opportunity to make really positive changes, then let's do it in the right way. Let's have the stakeholders that are impacted the most have a seat at that table. That's not
what happened. All we're asking two things tonight. We're asking what Paul and Ruben put through is a request to just pause this. Let's get that feedback from stakeholders. Let's not penalize them in the height of their, you know, highest business. We have the ability to
just say, "Yes, you know, everyone up here who's running for office that says they're they're so supportive of small businesses, this is an anti small business um step. That's all it is. It's an anti- small business. It is a probike anti-s small business step. The good
news is if we actually included the businesses, we could be proike and pro business at the same time. But that's not what this is. And I just it's so f I didn't mean to be angry about this, but when I listen to my colleagues just basically give the finger middle finger
to our small businesses when they were up here, you know, desperate for us to pause and we have the ability to just say, "Let's pause. Let's just pause for like a month, right? Let's figure out a way to roll out everything at the same time so we can get those 15-minute spots. We can, you know, reduce double
parking. can figure out a way to get the buses to go in the bus lanes. We can figure out a way to have, you know, the right number of loading zones on every block. We can do that. And if we just took the time, we could do it right and everyone would benefit. So, it's frustrating. I It doesn't sound like
we're going to have votes to support this. We also have an ordinance um that Paul and I are up just literally banning these for this specific purpose, very specifically for this purpose. I think where these cameras could be super super helpful is monitoring 15inute loading
zones, right? Literally where it's always been a struggle to be able to get cars to get, you know, you can't really easily monitor how long a car stays in um any type of loading zone without some sort of technology like this. So, let's do it in a really constructive way and
come up with this great amenity, which would be 15-minute, 10-minute, whatever drop off zones, you know, on Washington Street, and and lean into the fact that we have an entire community that relies on short stops, right? Like, you know, you heard the phrase, this is the last
thing I'll say cuz this drove me crazy. Um, we're changing behavior. Well, what we're changing is we're encouraging people not to come and support our businesses on Washington Street. That is the behavior that we're changing. And our businesses are, you know, you heard someone tonight say they're the heart and soul of our community. Imagine if
all the businesses on Washington Street just like failed and went out of business. What would we do? We would just live here and, you know, sleep in and that's it. We have to be thoughtful about our businesses as well. And it's a shame that we're not going to have support for these resolutions tonight.
>> Ramos. >> Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Uh I did not support even the pilot for this program because you know when when you listen to director sharp that night and the cities that he was citing you
know Pittsburgh, Miami, Fort Lee, those towns are ghost towns after 4:00. Those downtowns they're empty. Our downtown is a living breathing organism 24/7.
24/7 it is active. We're different. It's just a different being and you know just putting cameras there to monitor us and then you go through the process of this. If you want a successful program, if you want a successful roll out, even a pilot
roll out, it requires certain points. The first point is community input. Community input. We had none. There was no community input discussing anything on how this would take place. And and just to say, yeah, there were meetings
in the multi-ervice center where eight people show up. It's the same eight people and no businesses are there to represent themselves. That community is not reached out to. That's failed. That's a failure. The next thing is the education component on what it's going
to look like. Is it a three minute? Is it five minutes? Is it 10 minutes? What is it? What does it look like? That did not happen. And the last thing is signage. Even when you roll the program out, signage didn't go up until this Sunday. That's when the signage went up.
Program started October 1st. And people don't know the nuances, but council president Zano was asking a nuances. News 12 didn't say, "Oh, you have a 5m minute delay. There's a 8m minute delay." They do cameras being enforced and your bike lanes, bus stops, and
loading zones. That's it. That's all anyone understands. And you know, the only thing we're clearly clearing out is the businesses in town. You know, they're being empty. They came here and they gave us the data 10%, 15%, 20%. That that's that's the real data we have to concern ourselves
with, you know, and we want we want to keep our things safe there. But at the end of the day to put the the camera element to this for for our living breathing 247 vibrant downtown and for all its warts,
you know, it's our downtown, you know, and sometimes we have to embrace its warts and make those warts a little bit better for everyone. but not to have any community input from the beginning of this and then to Councilwoman Fischer's point and Council Russo's point, you
know, there were there were there was this pilot program to it and then there was no, we can't enforce it. We can't enforce anything until we come back to you guys. We're going to come back and then you guys prow out what you want to see done. We're going to get you're
basically going to get a menu of what you want to see here for the how the program is going to really operate before it gets rolled out. You're going to get a second bite at the apple. We were told you were told all this, but none of it happened. And you can fail and those that are
supportive of this, it's going to fail because you didn't do the necessary steps to make it happen. The necessary steps are hard sometimes, right? to go to the businesses and do the outreach and have those meetings to get yelled at cuz the last and it's funny council president Zano said it earlier there was a resolution on here tonight to make
bike lanes on Adam Street protected bike lanes on Adam Street the last meeting we had about protected bike lanes the interior of our city was at Wallace school and people were yelled and screamed out of there was the last time we heard of that right so just want to put it in quietly to get it in without having doing the yelling and scream it's
okay we were elected to get yelled and screamed at and sometimes you f up. You have to admit that you f up. But you have to have those conversations and they're hard conversations to have with people. Look them in the eye. Say, "Hey, this not going this way. How do we make
it better? This is not better." Effed up. [Applause] >> Councilwoman Jabbor. >> So, actually, I agree. The roll out of this has been terrible.
Um, the administration completely screwed up how this got rolled out. Um, we agree on that point. Um, but I have a slightly different takeaway, which is I'm not willing to totally throw out the baby with the bathwater in this situation because while it has been a
terrible roll out and we have not been meaningfully engaged, um, and for the record after that call where Councilman Fischer did scream, can confirm, um, I also screamed, uh, and said, "There's no way that you should do this or put this forward anytime soon." When I found out
then later it was going to come out October 1st. Um I knew there wasn't going to be time to educate the public to engage people meaningfully. Um the whole point of the HBA's existence is to handle policy discussions like this one. So the fact that we didn't do that is
just crazy to me. Um in my other hand I wrestle with the fact that our goal is to ensure public safety and we are constantly under pressure to do more with less. That is always the takeaway in these conversations and every time we leave a council meeting,
it's the pressure of trying to enforce for some things, not for other things. In this conversation, um it's how do we make sure that we have the resources to cover all of those things um when we're being asked to do more with less. And our ability to change the deep-seated
culture of how people blatantly violate parking restrictions all the time. I mean, it is all the time. um it is across the city. It is pretty stunning to see already the difference it's made with respect to how Washington Street looks. Um and to know that that has been
effective to change that deep-seated culture of parking violations. These tickets are for things that are rules that are being violated. Like I keep reminding myself, people are doing things that they're not supposed to be doing. Now, the piece of this that got lost in the mix, of course, was our
ability to have some input about some of the tailoring um that can be done. And certainly all the comments tonight, I hear all of them. And some of the things that I put notes down, we have to look at a freight exemption so that our business owners can continue to get deliveries um and not see their prices
go up in terms of their ability to continue operations. Um but those are conversations that should have been had before. Um, but we can continue to invest in trying to do better with this. Um, and I am committed to seeing how we can use this as a potential tool moving
forward because I think safety being our number one goal, we have to put that at the forefront of our minds. Um, but I certainly hear all of the concerns raised and I think and hope that this administration is willing to do better about how we can customize a program that was always meant to be customized
with our input now that we're having this conversation very publicly. Thank you. Uh, Councilman Cohen, did you indicate? No. >> Okay. Mr. Fina, please call a vote. >> Mr. Cohen, >> no. >> Mr. Fischer,
>> yes. >> Jabbor, >> no. >> President Xano, >> I can >> no. >> Mr. Ramos, >> I >> Mr. Russo, >> hi. >> President Dor, >> no.
>> Okay. CL6. >> That resolution failed, right? >> Y >> CL6. >> CL6 is uh resolution supporting the adoption of the ordinance amending chapter 190 entitled vehicles and
traffic to amend curbside parking regulations adjacent to city hall, otherwise known as quote offering parking to everyone's needs. bracket open close bracket amendment close quotes >> uh official
>> M councilman preso >> yes uh this is a a need in our ward around city hall as a resident mentioned which one >> um >> I got you >> there are certain designated spaces that are needed for court and certain
individuals at the county level that I know won't be touched However, in my community and with the loss of parking near CVS, with the rebuild by design issues that are caused on Observer Highway, uh some of the loss of parking spaces over on Bloomfield due
to different uses. Residents struggle to find places to park uh to drop off their groceries. Alalfa daily has issues with deliveries. Same thing. I do want to note we have a
dedicated parking utility code enforcer that circles city hall for tickets. They are always out there circling city hall. Think about that. One person is dedicated for that. Now, how is that
fair to my residents in here who are begging for a place to drop off their groceries, to drop off food to their grandmas and grandpas, their hobbas and abuelos? I have affordable housing in some of these streets here where majority of them are coming in out of
town to drop stuff off to their families and there's no place to park. They can't double park anymore. So, the easiest thing is to take the 17 to 20 spaces uh and open that back up to the public. The city's businesses have parking
garages to use. We shouldn't be using public space for that. In addition, there was a need in several of the mayoral debates that people talked about rest areas for our delivery riders because their bikes are on the sidewalks or they're taking up certain areas here.
So, what I did on First Street, I suggested we put 30 ft of bicycle parking for e delivery only. Nobody, not all of them that are going to come here. There would be a spot for them. It'd be a start, but you would get about the same amount of parking spaces and bike
parking for delivery at the same time. We're getting We're killing We're using what is it? Uh two birds at a stone. Getting uh >> two birds. >> Two birds and one stone. Yeah. So, this is something that has been asked of the community, specifically the building
that's basically right across from us, the business Alalfa who gets tickets daily because they can't have their deliveries dropped off. And I don't see any need. Why? Well, first off, I don't use the privilege to park over here. I don't think any of us do use the privilege to park. We might have it, but
I don't think I parked once over here with that. But city business, city business. We have parking garages. That's city parking garages. Let's use that. Let's give it back to the public. >> It'll also alleviate the double parking. If you give it back, you're creating 17
spaces so people can come and go. CVS is the only is one of the only stores in town. Our seniors come there to get their medicine. There's no place to park. There's no what do they double park? No. If we open it up here, we can allow that ability to happen for our
people. So, I'm hoping you guys can can side with me on this because there is no need why city employees, the mayor, or any of us need a parking space around city hall. And at the same time, I'm also listening to what you guys are saying that I'm giving you 30 feet of
parking for e delivery. So, I hope you guys can join me on this tonight. >> Let's keep going. >> Yeah, I won't be voting for this. Uh, I got an email from one of Councilman President Zano's constituents, 20-year
resident, the first ward, and I'm just going to read some of what he sent me. Uh, I'm strongly against the proposal and I do hope that you will vote against it. The proposal, one, the proposal would free up 17 parking spaces. This is a 17 spot solution to a thousand spot
problem. Two, reserve spots for the mayor and senior administrator seem like a reasonable benefit. Removing these spaces would provide little benefit to the first word residents, and this seems like another tactic by Councilman Preszano to agitate the administration. Uh, it goes on. Oh, here's another.
There is no indication that first word residents really care about this issue and certainly no data to support that we'd be in favor of exchanging 17 parking spaces for dedicated space where eed delivery riders could loiter at all hours of the day. Councilman President made no effort to survey first ward
residents or have meaningful dialogues with those of us who live in the immediate area. I have intented to engage him on this matter without success. Uh listen, uh it's it sounds like a great election time campaign to say I'm going
to take away the mayor's parking spot and give it to you. Uh but the fact is that people who serve the city as professionals and directors work in this building. They use this building. There is no dedicated parking for people who work and serve us in city
hall. So, uh, I think we we've seen this in another iteration at the last council meeting. It didn't have popular support then. Uh, I don't see it's going to have popular support on the council tonight. Certainly, I wasn't approached by it except by one of Councilman President Zano's constituents who urged me to vote
against it. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank All right. Anybody else? >> Council President. Yeah, just just quickly, although I I understand the um the want and the need to increase parking for our residents,
um the second side of this for a dedicated uh rest area for ebikes just doesn't it doesn't align with my vision on how we're going to deal with the ebikes and and I just can't support that. Having a a small little loading zone is one thing
for four or five bikes, but having 30 feet of a loading zone is just I think it's crazy to me. So, uh for that reason, I'm definitely not going to support it. But, uh if something comes back with that not in it, I most certainly will consider it.
>> All right. Mr. Fina CL six. >> Six. Mr. Con? No. >> M. Fisher. >> Yes. Mrs. Jabbor, >> no. >> President Xano, >> I >> Mr. Cano,
>> no. >> Mr. Ramos, >> hi. >> Mr. Russo, >> no. >> President Doyle, >> no. >> Okay, we're on to >> CC1. >> Just for a vote, Council President. >> CC1. >> CC1.
>> Oh, that's right. CC1. Thank you. >> Um, Mr. Fina, we CC1. Please call the vote. >> Which one? >> C CC1. That's the last resolution that was pulled. >> Mr. Con?
>> I Fiser. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Jabore. >> Mr. Dano. >> Hi, >> Mr. Ramos. >> Hi, >> Mr. Russo. >> No. >> I'm sorry, I forgot. >> Hi, >> Mr. Russo.
>> No, Joe. >> President Doyle. Hi. >> I got you already. Sorry about that. >> What's his name you mean? >> Okay. Public portion. Um there are a number of people who I believe may have signed up earlier. Well, I know they
signed up on the wrong sheet, but um we'll go through the whole thing. I was I'm asking the public to um afford the commissioner Romano to come up. Um I mean he has signed up to speak but I'm
giving him the uh the courtesy of coming up first. Thank you council president uh president distinguished members of the Hoboken council. I'm just curious with this Hoboka business alliance. I just think that from the get-go it's never been run right. I'm curious who runs it, who sets
their salary, how many assistants they have. Is there no one qualified that lives in this city to run it? There should be somebody member of it out at night seeing what the night life is like or what's going on. Um, you know, just wondering how does how does one find out
or is it a a secret uh group because the last executive director you couldn't get in touch with and we're paying a tax to have somebody water flowers which the city could do. I want to know what else they're doing beside putting large Christmas balls out. Who do you contact? Why are there no meetings? who's the
board and why no one that lives in this city can be in that position. It's always outsiders that seem to know better. Just doesn't seem to sit right. And just in reference to Councilman Provenzano, we don't need special areas for the ebikes. We need to diminish and
lower the number of ebikes that are operating in this city. There's just too many. You pass margaritas and they have outdoor seating and then there's eight people out there on bikes yapping while people are trying to eat. It has to be brought under control in some way as as
Councilman Russo said. And I think that we should, you know, find out and work together here to find out what the business alliance is doing because they're an arm of the city. Let us know. I don't even know who who's in charge anymore there. It just seems to be that there's a disconnect. We're paying a
tax. For example, as as was said earlier by Ruben, I have drivers that won't make deliveries until after late at night, so they don't get sums is because the company has told them you have to pay for tickets that you get. So, there is definitely a disconnect with our whole
book and business alliance which started and I don't know, it's just I hope that you can uh come to that conclusion and work with the businesses. I also was asked by Crunch Gym. They lose trainers and people that work there because they can't park obviously in the street but there's no room in the garage. What's
the solution for employees? It's always the garages are full. What do they do? They can't get ability to park in the street. So think about how do we solve that? Then it should be meetings with the businesses for their employees. It used to be they write a letter and then
you would uh get a get a pass. But when they do that then they're told well there's no room in the garage so there's a waiting list. BCB Bank told me the same thing. How do we how do we try to ameilate that situation? Thank you. And uh just also in reference to uh that I
think the council woman or councilman whom said it, there's got to be better communication with regards to if you're going to implement the plan. Same thing would happen with the uh I felt it too on on Willow Avenue with Wallace School as Ruben said. I mean, it didn't come out. The seniors uh you know were
against it with the bike lanes. it wasn't explained properly of what's going to happen. The considerations of what goes on on Willow, should it be in front of the school? Should it be across the street? There should be a little more communication to those type of projects. Thank you for your concern. And if somebody could tell me how the
business alliance works after the meeting, I'd be glad to know. Thank you. >> Thank you. Councilwoman Fischer would be happy to tell you. Counciloman >> Fischer founded it. >> She founded the HBA. Okay, I'm sorry. Um, Enrique Herrera.
[Applause] >> Yes, >> Commissioner, please. >> Proper decorum. >> Uh, all right. >> How's it going, guys? >> Sorry about that. Uh, Enrique, >> it's all right. Uh, all right. This isn't on. I just want to dedicate this
public portion toward explanation of Okay, I'm >> I'm certain >> people please quiet down, settle down. >> It's all day. >> I uh I just want to sit there and uh you know, kind of put myself out there again. I Enrique Herrera am not
destitute. To simply Google what that means would be enough here. People are considered destitute if they have not been able to meet their most m their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean, and fed. This could be because of they they either lacked the necessities like clothing, heating,
shelter, food. To be duped into believing that I, Enrique Hera, am destitute or any type of gossip or ill counsel could be appropriated to any measure to remove me from any conversation where that makes you or you've become an
accessory to the conspiracy itself of not speaking to me on any public level or private level. It's something you can't escape from. I am a conscious human being that can speak. I have confronted people who don't do that even at risk of being
arrested. I've gone to protests. I've u I've waved at people who I know look away from me. I know what that looks like. I could probably pointed that out. Not just in this council room or anything like that, but it's obvious that people get duped all
the time. It's obvious enough that women fell for this on that deliberate navete note is something that is um is something I see very clearly. It's the only way through this since the women in question were lied to and are conscious
of that lie. The purpose of me bringing that up to speed is that um I I had this notion of AI128 creation. I created a timeline. I did this and I did that and I'm never
spoken about properly. I'm not never if anything else I'm ever spoken of. If anything, it's it's just this guy that speaks of Neuralink roofies and things like that. I saw the Hoboken weekend. Um I was impressed with some of the comments. I actually started liking some of them. It's actually very funny. Uh
but another thing I I found was the dating scene in terms of some uh some processes of dating which is a philosophy of prostitution between single and married I'd call dating uh
it's it's a gross mechanical type of dating these days where involves numbers fingers magnets and how that would work in the modern day again there are certain things that I could appropriate I with a lack of professional decorum which I can't really speak of here. You can't
communicate or conduct yourself with your partner without a stipulation which is accepted by a third or fourth party. You yourself are a slave to that party which is above the needs of a genuine partner which is always why that argument falls upon death ears with any one it whether or not you're single,
married, in a relationship with another man. Uh I also wrote that if you include me in that type of partnership where you're already in a relationship. >> Um I Enrique Herrera being the third
wheel in any woman's relationship is a woman's choice with her body to include him will in a relationship with another man. However, there are a list of reasons what you can do. You can always leave your boyfriend for Enrique. You know the risks of either or. By not informing Enrique, you risk getting him killed or
hurt where he wouldn't know how you feel. You're caught lacking in slang speak. You're in a relationship already. Why is this happening? Both men are hurt. And I'm already aware that it's me versus the world on certain issues. When it comes down to
dealing with that third wheel situation, I'm always the one picked last on dodgeball. I was that person. So, I picked up a skateboard and stopped dealing with team sports. Uh, I am that kind of person that does fiddle around and I go out of my own way and I bring
up conversations that are off-putting whether or not it gets me locked up or not. I do protest vigorously and I do in fact write a lot on social media even if I'm not followed by a lot of people. Uh, but to
kind of go back on what I was saying to be duped into that type of philosophy where you think I'm a pervert or I'm destitute or because I don't have enough money that I'm not a conscious human being. I'd advise or at least I'd invite the challenge of trying so that you know
at least you have a better outlook leaving my life as a failed friend or professional contact than you know just someone who just sits around and talks about it. I guess I'm just going to stop rambling on now. Did you have a great day? Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Herrera. Uh Ernie Reyes, I think he may have departed. >> Mhm. >> Pablo Dul Doulo. I think he already I think these are the individuals that signed up
and spoke earlier. Uh Eduardo Ganau g au and Megan Lucan. >> She's gone. >> Yeah. No, I I I get you. So Zachary King, I know that you're
>> present. All right. Hello, Hoboken. Thank you, council. Um, I think it's it's been a tough night. I mean, a lot of contentious stuff. I wanted to just start by saying uh, you know, just how important it is for people to come here and speak their opinions to their
government and um, all the speakers before me being able to speak their minds. I think it's a sacred thing and I'm I was really happy to see it, especially the people that came out here tonight and spoke for the first time in their lives at a city council meeting. Um, the young kid, a couple other people. I'm I'm really proud of them and
want to congratulate them. So, wanted to say that. Um, I'm here to speak to an ordinance introduced by Emily Jabor. Um, this is ordinance one. It's an amendment to rent control. So, I'm I'm Zach. I'm just a member of an organization called Hoboken United Tenants. We're a grassroots democratically run
organization. We're um a growing organization uh trying to organize tenants all over town, learn our rights, figure out uh what we can do to fight for tenants because as many of you know uh rent is a crisis. Rent rents are skyrocketing and wages are not going up
with rents and especially where we live here, uh rents are going up and up and up and this is something that's impacting the residents ability to have money to spend in their community. uh to support local businesses. It's something that's impacting local businesses as well. A year ago, Hobbooking United
Tenants formed because there was an outside attack on our rent control laws here. Um where an uh measure was put forward, a ballot measure was put forward that would have essentially gutted our rent control protections. Hobbooking United Tenants formed uh to
fight for our rent control protections at that time. Um, I'm really, you know, grateful for that because I've made a lot of my best friends, uh, through that process and through this organization forming. Um, I think that there's a lot of people here that a lot of people had to go home earlier. A lot of people came
out to support us. Uh, not everyone's going to be speaking tonight. If anyone in Hoboken United attendants wants to put their hand up and give a friendly wave to the council right now, so we can see who's here. Um, a lot of people have stuck it out and so I'm I'm really grateful for that. Um, this ordinance that's being put forward is important
because after we defended our rent control laws, we started to dig into what's really going on here. And we started to realize that our rent control laws that we fought so hard to defend aren't being enforced. We're we're uh allowing landlords, for
example, just just one piece that's not being enforced. We're allowing landlords to put down rents as the supposed rent that they're charging on their rent controlled units without having to prove it. There's no obligation that there has to be a verifiable document. Um, so this is
a really, really important loophole to close. It's not the only thing. Our rent control laws don't go far enough in a million ways. We need rent control on commercial properties. Obviously, it's really hurting our local businesses. Um, and our if you if you do the math on rent controlled properties in Hoboken, calculate how long it's going to take
for a below market property to hit market value, to hit the same market rate. It doesn't take that long. It doesn't take that many years. So, we really need to get serious about this. The the um the vacancy uh deontrol that allows landlords to jack up the rent is
basically defeating the purpose of rent control. It's something that we desperately need right now. Um so, this this ordinance just closes these loopholes. It requires proof of rent paid. It's a very basic thing. It's something we can all agree on. Everyone here tonight has said that you think
it's important to enforce our laws. You think it's important to enforce our laws. President Zano, I'm in your ward. You you post a lot about how important it is to enforce our laws. Here's a law that you could help enforce. Uh so if you want to protect tenants, if you stand with tenants, then you'll be
voting for this ordinance uh so that we can make sure that rent control can actually be enforced in Hoboken. Um so I look forward to hearing everybody's yes vote on this. It's common sense and Hoboken United Tenants is keeping track of who who stands with tenants and we'll be letting the city know. So, thank you
very much. >> Emily Wart. >> All right. Hi, city council. My name is, as you said, Emily Wart, and I am a Hoboken resident. Um, Councilman Cano, you did ask earlier, which laws can we truly enforce? And boy, do we have the answer for you. I wish this could be as
exciting as arguing about ebike riders for weeks after weeks, but I digress. I'd love to direct your attention to the rent control amendments for first reading v ordinance one. These amendments would require landlords to show proof of rent paid by previous tenants in order to adhere their
increases to the rent control guidelines. They would also require an audit of a percentage of registered units to enforce that the rents being gathered by the landlords match their registrations and hopefully would eventually lead to a penalty or fine to landlords who illegally abuse the system. At this point, our rent control
ordinance serves little to no purpose if there is no enforcement. It's grandstanding for us all to stand behind look how I voted on this referendum if we are not doing anything to enforce the rent control ordinance. As it stands, some landlords do not meet the current requirement to even register
their units within the city. Bless you. While some of them lie outright about previous rents paid so that they may charge a higher amount. Both of which again is illegal. I said this last time we did this first reading, but the way that I see it, you either believe that landlords should be able to avoid,
abuse, or outlight lie within the city's housing system, or you do not. It is insane to me sitting here week after week week watching these theatrical meetings drag on as you guys talk about your petty grievances with each other. But I am also in awe of
watching the old democratic process of creating legislation in action. But what is even more insane to me is you pulled passed this amendment on September 3rd and it was pulled because as I understand it some folks fear our rental office won't be able to or won't have
the bandwidth to enforce these laws. How is that any different than what is happening now? Can we not pass these amendments and at least try? As we say, we'll consider it a pilot program. You guys love those. There is no reason for the rental office to not serve the needs
of the renters themselves. Full stop. I am member, as Zach mentioned, of Hoboken United attendants tenants. We are actively building an intentional coalition of renters and our allies in this mile square city where over 60% of this city rents. a significant portion
of those rentals fall under our rental control ordinance. So, HUT will be paying attention to how these amendments play out and we will do what we can to make sure the rental control ordinance we work so hard to save is truly enforced. And we do this as volunteers. We are paid nothing and are guaranteed
zero pensions like the rent control office. As our young friend implied earlier, we are all we all know that thousands of brand new luxury units will be have been approved and are in the process of being developed over the next few years in our already very tightly packed city with poultry amounts of
affordable housing units being listed alongside them. Now is not the time to fail the renters in Hoboken. Again, I urge you to once again pass this first reading of ordinance one to create clear and transparent government. And I do appreciate each of you who is actively fighting for equitable and transparent
housing rights in Hoboken. Truly, thank you. Marian Draco Mary Andre 159 Street. Uh I'm here to talk about the benches again.
On September 3rd at the meeting, there was an ordinance put forth um by Fiser and Ramos which read an ordinance amending title 168 of the
Hoboken city code entitled streets and sidewalks to establish procedural requirements for the removal of public seating within the public right of way. pro protecting accessibility and pedestrian amenities and requiring public notice, a public forum and
approval of the city council. Now, that failed four to four. Uh I constantly have people come up to me as well as I'm I rate about it. What's happening with the benches? I've never really gotten a straight
answer. So the woman by the name of Diane who's one of the directors is the one that got the or created the or not created gave the order to remove them. My understanding is the council knew ahead of time this was going to happen. Uh according to you Mr. Russo you did
not. He told me personally cuz I asked any council person as I asked you and you could not recall that um this was coming about and uh Mr. Russo said that the Elks called him because they removed
the Elk's personal bench. So, somebody better get that bench back. Now, where did the benches go? Um, I was told with Mr. Stratton, I believe that's your last name, Stratton, and Jennifer
Gonzalez, that they were reconfiguring. So, um, there's been no activity. Now, everyone is complaining about parking and dropping off food for people. Well, I guess they can get a
dolly like I do and uh take my packages and whatever from First Street down to N up to 9inth and then maybe if you want to rest, you can have a bench to sit on and that way we can maybe get some of the cars off the road that can't park. There's always going to be a parking
problem here, but there's always going to be pedestrians. And why isn't anyone doing anything about this? Another person said to me, I had my dog and my coffee and bagel. I I I said, "Where are all the benches?" She was
complaining downtown. So, we'll have go come up town. They're gone, too. Not all of them. A couple of them and one in front of the vet and on Seventh. But my understanding is they're coming back. Correct.
Why isn't this being discussed? I mean, why is everything being done to make Washington Street, our $20 million refurbished Washington Street unfriendly?
I don't understand that. And by the way, you had some good points tonight, Paul. By the way, the parking that's in the zoning areas that I actually am glad there's one in front of
my street because my plumber or anybody doing deliveries could stop, but that's consistently filled up all day with cars parked there. Now, nobody comes and chases them away. I sometimes ask them to leave because the plumber is coming
but um there is no parking so they do eat up those spots the loading zones which I don't think the loading zones are a bad idea and I personally walk in all the bike lanes every day and that's
because they're usually just filled with ebike riders. Now, I'm not there at 8:00 to see, but um I have no problem walking in those bike lanes because there's not that many bikers as there once was that I've observed. And I'm on Washington
Street every day almost. Yes, I am. Yes, I am. And I don't know where they are, but um Washington Street is the the center of this town. And if you want it just to be
a bed and you know a a a bedroom community, you know, it's dying, folks. Does I mean I don't care who's running for mayor or council. You you're never going to create enough
parking, but you the benches. I don't understand. People want to sit and talk and communicate in this town. Doesn't that mean anything to anybody? I mean, they have got work going everywhere from
downtown with those gates and blocking this and that. I can't see my time. >> It's it's that was not started on time. So, but anyway, >> but anyway, >> conclusion, >> is someone going to do something about
the benches? as you look at your phones and not pay attention. Not you. You always pay attention. And I'm grateful and and you too. And there's others, too. But I'm just saying it's annoying if you come here and I'm tired and and I came here
for other people, too. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Andrea. Uh, Director Gonzalez, can you just answer the question?
>> Sorry to put you on the spot. >> Yes, I can answer the question. Um, so we had a survey that was um out regarding proposals. >> Mary, you want to listen? Okay. >> Hi, Mary. Um, so we had a survey that
was out on the bench locations um for proposed for new benches and overall feedback on the benches on Washington Street. Um, that closed. We're currently evaluating the data. We've been in um communication with the HBA. They have expressed interest in purchasing and
installing additional benches. Um, so we are actively working on it. At this point, it's identifying the locations based on all the feedback that we've received and sourcing the sourcing and procuring the benches. Um, as regards the prior bench locations, um, they were
all moved. None were removed. So, um, if you would like a specific list of where they moved to and from, I can provide that. But I I think at this point it's simply moving forward, we're getting more benches. We are just in the process of doing so. >> Thank you. Yeah.
>> Uh, Ernest Boyd. >> Hey, what's up y'all? Ernest Boyd, Marine View Plaza. >> Yeah, thank you. Thank you y'all. Ernest Boy, Marine View Plaza. How y'all doing tonight? Um, I'd like to say I think we all know there are some groups in this country that are not held in high
regard. And one of those groups, no disrespect, are those in front of me right now. Because often times these groups have a kind of they don't really tell the truth all the time, right? The other group are
landlords. The first group, politicians, we need we need y'all no matter what. Landlords, I'm not so sure about. And so what we're trying to do today is we want to hold landlords accountable. How do we hold
them accountable is that we force them we force them all to send in the true rent. And that's why we're here today because we know that politicians often don't tell the truth. And there might be
a good reason why they don't. Landlords have no reason except for one, and that's just pure greed. That's the only reason. >> It's not your time up here, >> Jim. do have your time coming up. >> When your time comes up, until then, you
stay silent. Thank you. >> So, but I So, you'll get your time, my man. You'll get your time. But >> Ernest, Ernest, sorry, please. >> Sorry. My bad. So, that's why we're here today. And there will be people who tell you otherwise. They lie. So, don't
listen to them. Listen to Hut because we know what we're doing. Thank you very much. Kershamer Patel. Did I get that? Mr. Mr. AMR Patel I I believe. How about Connor Sheay?
>> We're We're flying now. Jim. Oh, I'm sorry, Connor. I didn't see you. Thank you. >> Hello, city council. Uh, my name is Connor Shay. I'm also a member of Hoboken United Tenants. I'm a Hoboken resident. I'm a lawyer. Uh, don't go with that. Um, >> that's another category that they don't
like. >> Not mentioned. I was very glad to be omitted. Um, I you've probably met a lot of lawyers and so you're just not impressed at the title, which is correct. But what any lawyer worth their salt knows is that a law without an enforcement mechanism is really no law at all. So, I'm here
speaking in favor of ordinance one um because we need some sort of enforcement mechanism for this rent control. Um there really shouldn't be any law that relies on the word of the person who is required to make a disclosure. And so by
actually specifying the kinds of documents that are required to be disclosed uh by providing an audit which will give the public some insight into what kind of rents are being charged and uh just what is going on in the rent control office because I as a citizen
have no idea. Um, and the number 10% I think is a nice even low number. You know, it is enough for the rent control board to uh get through and I think that it will be enough to um any landlord that might kind of get cute and try to
kind of skirt around this. I think that that is enough to dissuade them from that. You know, it's like a 1% chance you're going to be audited by the IRS, but we saw what happened with Wesley Snipes, so we don't do that. Okay. So, um I do appreciate that this current
legislation uh mandates that the rent increase be rejected if it is violated. Um I hope in the future that there can be an opportunity for a mandatory fine. Um but you know, city council people, the future mayor of Hoboken, that would
be a fantastic separate ordinance. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much, Connor. Jim Vance. >> Yeah. Good evening, council. I'm Jim Vance. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I'd like to talk about uh uh
matters regarding Washington Street. Uh first of all, it's not double parking. It's blocking a bicycle travel lane. It's not double park. >> Just Just a second, Jim. Is somebody have a >> It's just a police radio. Okay. The the
police radio. Could you turn that down? Go ahead. I was hearing something else. >> Credentials. Um, bicycles are my primary mode of transportation, often for shopping on the avenue. I am one less carb
tree and evil years ago. I moved here in 19 80 and my wife at the time started a little store on Washington Street called Crabtree and Evil. Most of you don't know about it, but it was a
store that you could buy fancy bath oils and soaps and a little sache take instead of a bottle of wine or some flowers to your to uh you know when you go to somebody's house for dinner. It was really nice. But I I can tell you this, we were on Washington Street. We
were there a long time. If we had to rely on people running in and out of our store to make our business, we wouldn't have been in business. You're not in business by having somebody run in and out of your store. And when somebody
blocks the travel lane for bicycles and runs in and out of the store, we're doing a disservice to the stores next door because walking our fabulous wide sidewalk on Washington Street provides a lot of foot traffic and foot traffic,
people coming up and down the avenue are what really retail thrives on, not people parking and running in and out of stores. Um, the original design of Washington Street years ago, the redesign was up to NACTO
standard, National Association of City Transportation Officers. It was up to the standards. It was exactly what works. It's worked all over the country. It had the bicycle lanes against the curb. It had the the parking outside of
the curb. So basically you had protected bike lanes and and it had two travel lanes. Um the city council in its infinite wisdom redesigned it on the spot right here and that's the root cause of our problem right now. It was
redesigned for the purposes of saying, "Hey everybody, we can nod at the at the blocking the bicycle travel lane. It's okay to violate the law. What the heck?" And that's exactly how we got here. This
city council on the whim and said, "Oh, we're not going to do it that way. We're just going to redesign it. We have great knowledge of how to make this work." And of course, it didn't work. It failed. Um, so the so the bike travel lanes by
design have become parking spaces, life-threatening, forces me out into traffic. And I use my bike to shop on Washington Street. And if you made it safer, a lot of other people would as well and could get
access to our stores. Uh, employees eat up spaces that could be used for customers. We had dynamic parking come in. Oh, no. We can't have dynamic parking. We can't force anybody to ever move their car. And so, we have meter feeding going on all day. But, and I
have friends who work in one of the banks I use who he just drives to town and parks his car and feeds the meter and then complains about the fact that there's no place for the customers to park. Um, the only way we're going to make this
work is to continue the cameras. Because what the cameras have done, and you can see it here tonight, it's created a crisis. It's created, oh me, what are we going to do? They're enforcing the rules now. There's a long way to go. We need
to get dynamic parking back. It works. It turns over the cars. That's number one. That's dynamic pricing on parking on the B in the business district. Second of all, we really have to get the loading zones and we have to turn the people through those loading zones. Um,
it is essential that it works in other cities. We can make it work here. Hobber's a little bitty place. We all know each other. I got your your cell phones in my in my phone here and a lot of other people do. And thank you very much for the opportunity to communicate.
Uh, I love this town. Um the other thing is that we have a we have an enforcement problem with regard to the the drivers who are on using these ebikes to deliver
food to people who can't get off their butt and can't get off their butt and go down to the local store or the pizza parlor, but have to have somebody deliver immediately, which is the which is the root cause of the problem. And
that's fine. It's part of the city. The parking enforcement people who were doing the job to start with were they were being spit on and screamed at and treated like scum because they
suggested somebody might not want to put their car wherever the heck they want to. So that problem these cameras take away and you now you have more parking enforcement officers and this is not about making money. I don't want to make
money off parking. It's crazy. But what you do have is an opportunity to take those parking enforcement officers and give them a um I think I talked to Chief Ferrante earlier. make them code enforcement officers and it can be done and they can
get on the sidewalks and write these characters up on their ebikes. Now, there's a solution to this. Mr. Vance, you guys need >> You're a minute over. I I'm sorry to >> That's fine. You guys need to to really move forward and make this work. Thank you.
>> Thank you. and Marie Colona. >> Thank you. Good evening, council members. My name is Anmirie Colona and I've been a renter in a rent controlled unit in here in Hoboken for 16 years and I'm also a
member of Hoboken United Tenants. I'm here tonight about ordinance 1's first reading. It's time we hold landlords accountable for their actions and for the city to ensure that tenant protections are more than just words on paper. Right now, there are no real
requirements for landlords to provide proof of the rent they're charging or collecting. The rent control office simply takes their word for it. We've seen what happens when there's no verification. Landlords routinely lie on their registration forms. Some inflate
their reported rent to lock in a higher legal rent, while others under report it and pretend they're following the law, all while charging tenants far more than what's allowed. The proposed amendment would finally change that. They would require landlords to submit proof of
prior rents, essential to establishing accurate, lawful rents, and they would mandate annual audits of a sample of registrations with results published publicly. This transparency and oversight are long overdue. As someone who has lived under rent control for
over a decade, I can tell you firsthand that without accountability, rent control protections mean very little. Tonight, I'm asking the council to stand with tenants to keep landlords honest and to pass these amendments. I also urge you as leaders of this city to
please also consider adding mandatory fines for landlords who fail to register and are illegally abusing the system. Please help Hoboken become a fair, affordable, and livable city for everyone. And I look forward to hearing all of your yes votes. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh Matthew Veles Velasquez, excuse me. >> Good evening. council. Last time we spoke on the ordinance, a clear and unified message was sent to this council. The public demands transparency and fairness in our housing. Tonight,
the message is the same. The ordinance is a crucial and long overdue step. It will ensure accountability for every landlord. So, there's no present requirement to provide the rent control office proof of rent. Taking someone at a with a clear financial incentive at
their word is outrageous. This additionally, this new language fixes the previous concern of overloading the rent office. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Matthew. Uh, Manuel Rivera Salair. [Music]
italiano em. Today I spoke in Italian and in Spanish in in honor of Hispanic and Latin American History Month and Italian-American History Month. Both um communities well represented in Hope for
many many years and the backbone of Hoboken for many many years. Um it's high time that we continue to um promote the the heritage when the time is due. Now, council president, I would like to
speak on these ordinance for introduction, but I am confusing as far as the the order of the council meeting. If you could correct um pardon me, if you can explain it further to members of the public when you have an opportunity, why did you change public portion to
>> um to uh ahead of the first reading? greetings. >> Uh, it could be a good idea, but I I would just prefer to speak on my five minutes in the next meeting when
I have my full five minutes rather I should say on the ordinance and first reading, but I will always comment on them on consent agenda just so you know that I will speak on them the next meeting. But nonetheless, Council
President, I was just today at a forum and as I left the forum, I'm getting texts people asking me, ask your council members, what are they doing for
the UN for the forgotten sixword? And I said, that is a good question. You should ask the council members. you should ask the persons who are running for mayor. They were council members that December day. So, no
disrespect. This is just information that members of the public are asking, your constituents are asking as well. So tonight, it was a very important first step for members of the public of the six ward to know that if they select a
champion that will work for them every day, every single day, I will get results for them in the council. With that, council president, I also want to say I'm very disturbed with the treatment of a senior resident of our
community. We need to help the lady. I did not write her name correctly, but you know who she is. Please, a member of the council, a member of the the mayor's staff, find out the reason why this resident cannot
solve her issue. It may be simple or it may be complicated, but it is hard for us to see. Did you see how she was trembling? Did you see her anger? Did you see that? Is not right. We are here to serve the people. You I'm not there
yet. But if you don't serve the people in their hour of need, what are you there for? Then give back. Give back the seat. Let somebody else have it. But I tell you this again respectfully to you. Again, I know that her situation might be different, but what comes off,
Council President, and I'm speaking to you correctly, it comes off as hostility towards members of the public. She may be doing something wrong, I do not know. That's not for me to decide. You are the council president. But she's a senior a resident of Hoboken for years upon
years, decades, even perhaps before you were even here or I was even born. But respect has to be given to her and to all of us. That's all I ask. I don't mean to be disrespectful to you either, sir. So with that, I would just like to say thank you again for your attention. Although I don't have to thank you, but
I do it respectfully. I say now, please, let's continue. again unofficially the unofficial counselor of the council. Please let's continue to pray for the ceasefire between Gaza militants and the
Israeli people for the release of the hostages. Let's pray. Let's pray that this comes true. And with that I say Slava Ukraine, glory to Ukraine Slava, glory to the heroes and council president. God bless you. God bless you
all. God bless all. Thank you very much. I yel back. >> Thank you for your blessings. Patricia Waiters, >> God bless us all. >> Thank you. >> Touch it. >> Lower it. >> Can we get professionalism now? I don't
care about your silliness. Okay. Serious. Give professionalism cuz I'm not impressed. Y'all got the right one. All right. I want to say this. with my years of experience, my painful experiences with this city of Hoboken. I'm here to share this tonight.
Years, I'm talking over 27 years of me coming before most of you, challenging every issue. Okay? Now that I'm a mayoral candidate and these questions is being thrown at me at the debate, I'm laughing. Y'all all knew I jump sizes with the yes no vote. Some really good
friends of mine came out of that with the tenants united and you know it. I came to them on Sunday. They had a table set up and I said to them, "I'm not desperate for votes. I'mma admit my wrongdoing. I tried to protect the landlord and the tenant." And I learned
through my politics in Jersey City, everybody ain't going to be happy. Long as I stay loyal to myself, I could sleep at night while they home tossing and turning. I'm always loyal. And I told them at that table that Sunday, I said,
I'm going to answer your question near, but tonight I'm here to tell Tenant United, they need to be focusing on 152-2.1 in the rent control laws. Guys, look that up right away. Okay, >> y'all focusing on the 155.
>> 155 >> where I just I know I went and got it from Vanessa two days ago and I highlight a lot of things that's not being transparent. Go to 152. Like I said, >> it's 155. >> I I know it's 155. I want them to visit
also in addition, Mr. President. Okay, don't let me lose focus. I'm just saying I need them to read 152 also. Okay, in addition to 155. You get it? One thing y'all can do with Pat Waiters, I know everything in this city down to the last
79 cent hiding under a tree. Okay, so don't go there with me. Okay, let me finish. Okay. With my experience alone alone because I don't have money. I don't have big developers. I don't have big uh uh politician political dogs
paying tons of monies for my campaign. Pictures don't vote. Commercials don't vote. If I see another commercial of Emily driving that bike, I'm going to go crazy. But people's mind is made up. If they going to vote for you, they going to vote for you. You spending tons and tons of money. That show wastefulness
right there. I could walk in any courtroom, boardroom, hospital room, meeting room, and ain't no Pat waiters. But you guys choose to reject me and take a known disregard to me. I've been bringing these issues to y'all for years. That's why I sit here and get so
emotional because you look the opposite way like it don't exist and it came back to haunt you. Stop telling people y'all giving them affordable housing. You're not getting it. You're not. And your actions is showing you the last 20 years now affordable.
We've been here since the 60s. Everything they build is luxury. Y'all lying about a swimming pool. We're going to get a pool. Those luxuries y'all build already have pool. Who you think is dumb? That's what get me crazy. No, I don't have no IB degree. I have Hudson
Community College, Essex Community College. I have community college degrees. And my chest stick out. I stand proud with that cuz I have three kids that went to good schools. My son is a professor in Ruckers with two masters. But that ain't what it takes to run a
city. Cuz half of you come here with Ivy League degrees, sit in the chair the next day and become a liar and become a watchdog for the mayor. What make you think we got to trust any of y'all? And y'all was with Ravi. And the people out here, I feel so bad for them. And they
think it's going to change. It's not going to change. And stop calling my phone asking me am I going to pull out. I'm not going to pull out just cause I've learned people already voted for me two weeks ago.
They tired. And Phil Cohen, please call the board of elects. The next day I saw you, I went and reported that I got 79 cent in my campaign. Are you happy? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Mon to the big bucks. Come on now. I
just left the governor's event in Jersey City and I'mma take this like he said and I told you I was going to use it. Melissa HUD HUD got regulations on a federal level with respect to housing. I'm going to meet with the tenants unite and share that what Ross Barack shared
with me tonight. Okay. I'm going to share that because they not getting it because y'all fed them a bunch of lies and a bunch of empty campaign promises. I don't want to go to another debate. them to sit there with a fan and a radio and earphones and listen to it cuz I
heard it all. I came to you and beg you diligently to work and I'm going to go slow cuz I'm counting my time. Y'all gave courtesy cookies for everybody else. I know I'm making you a little uncomfortable. People shaking in their boots when reality sit in. But y'all know Patty's transparent always. And
again, the perfect example tonight. These legal fees on here feel you should wear masks when you walk out of here. Why would you do this right before an election? Tons of money. >> Y'all didn't have no budget. Tons of money. And y'all saying, "Hey, vote for me for mayor." For what?
You owe everybody and they mother. You promised everybody and they mother a job. And we're going to have more of the same. >> Please wrap up, Patricia. >> Wrap up. >> It's 5:30. >> But wrap up. Okay. Cuz I understand that you didn't say that to nobody else. And
you're not going to even be here. So, I know it's not you. >> They stayed under five minutes. >> Let me wrap it up because you're not going to be here. This ain't affecting you. You don't care. You're done for now. I think you going to still be on the zoning boards. Am I right? Okay. So, you're still going to be deals. Anyway,
like I said, my name is Patricia Waiters. Unbro, unbossed. Okay. And I don't deal with snakes. Okay? And I'm asking you to keep it real with the people. And I'll see you at the next debate. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Carlos Cruz. >> Good evening, council members. My name is Carlos Cruz, and I'm here tonight not just as a resident, but as a someone who belie New York City officer, came to visit my mother at the city housing project in Southwest Hoboken. within 15 minutes of
her car being towed. No warnings, no signage, no courtesy, just number pavement that gives no indication of ownership or visitor policy. There was no hang, no knock, no chance, no explain. And there is no designated
space for visitors, deliveries or service repair. This isn't just inconvenient is disrespectful to the families who live there and the people who come to support them. We talk about community, but where is the courtesy for the people who live
there for decades? Where is the respect for our elders or workers or guests? So tonight, I'm asking your council and every candidate running for mayor in November, what are your plans for Southwest Hoboken? What are you doing for the city projects, for the families
who been there for every storm and for every and participate in every election? Are you listening to the voters, the longtime residents who showed up to speak out and still believe in this city?
We don't need more promises. We need action. We need transparency and parking policies. We need visitor accommodation. We need investments in our neighborhood that have been overlooked for a long, long time. Thank you. >> You Thank you.
>> And Jeremy Mola. Oh, he's here. I didn't see him. [Music] >> It's my favorite sound. Okay. Uh, thanks, uh, Jerry. Uh, Jimmy. Sorry,
Jimmy. Right. Jerry. Laura. Uh, uh, that person was definitely not Lauren Thompson. I think the signup, uh, could definitely benefit from some digital uh, solution there. Uh, I did bike over Washington Street. Was pretty clear. Uh, my wife doesn't want to drop off packages at UPS anymore. She's scared. Uh, so she's ordering less things.
things. I'm happy about that. Uh the council debate last night, they did mention that an HPU employee was reviewing all the automated footage from the cameras. I think it was a question of if it's a human involved, does this have to be is it it's not all automated? Uh but there I think there was a smart suggestion that or a question at least,
why don't we have if this is about um bus traffic and congestion, why not put the cameras on the buses? I don't know if that was explored. Uh speaking of Washington, uh Apollo bagels, uh I know they sold that at noon yesterday. Uh they were great, almost as good as the Zenos bagels. Uh down at the
Zenos, uh they were getting uh most recently had their sidewalk, I think were eight into 25 replacements for sidewalks around the city. Uh so they had a sidewalk put in, it was ADA compliant, and a week later they were there digging it up uh because in the guaranteeing of ADA compliance, they had left a tremendous slope that was then a
tripping hazard. Um and so OGO Garcia came out. Uh they had to fix that. Um I would just ask that's probably was a waste of money. Uh we've got another 20 or so of these to go. Uh could make sure the same thing doesn't happen elsewhere. Uh update on the Amazon box truck hubs.
Uh streets have been cleaner. They've got coolers for their snacks and everything. Um I did notice some double parked minivans. It looks like they reload the big trucks and those have been blocking crosswalks and double parking. Uh this is over by Fifth and Grand. Uh Emily, when we talked about this last month, you mentioned that they
were using a spot on Fourth in Washington. Uh I don't know if they're still doing that, but I'm curious how they would deal with the the cameras. Um, I think every person running for mayor was on the only Hoboken thread about the sexual assault that took place on Newark and Grand. Uh,
congratulations, Ramos. You got a Hudson County View article out of that. Um, uh, I think it's, uh, horrible what happened. Uh, the person that came forward and talked about it, um, give a lot of props for, uh, opening up about that and putting it in the public
dialogue. Um, I think in the conversations after this and some of the residents I talked to today about it, it just came out this afternoon. Um, the question was, "Where are the police? Where are the cameras? Uh, why isn't there a description of what the person looks like?" And those were the inevitable comments that we were seeing
on those social media posts. Uh, but someone brought up the incident at Mojo Coffee, uh, November 2024. I think that was after the nanny punching incident in Chart Square Park around that time where civilians subdued someone else and they said it took about 15 minutes for police to show up then. Uh I couldn't go back
and find the uh Facebook post for that. Um I'm sure I have them somewhere. Um I think it's a question of in such a small town we expect um quick response times for things. Um, and so I think uh there's going to be a lot of attention
uh particularly for better or worse because it's an election season, but a lot of attention on how this uh gets treated. Um, and so the the public eye is definitely on that. Uh, continuing to monitor uh because I'm bored uh on the weekends uh weekend street cleaning. Uh Diana's, if I'm pronouncing her name
right, uh last responded said there is no weekend street cleaning. Uh and they were probably just going to an assignment. Um, but since September on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. September 28th and Saturday, October 4th, uh, they were brushing the streets going down at I don't know
what's going on. I I personally find it amusing. I'm not complaining. It's a great time to clean the center of the street. >> Um, I think the question on my mind is, is this overtime or is this like part of the normal job? Uh, who knows? >> We definitely on weekend. >> It's an interesting It's an interesting thing. Uh, if you want to see the
videos, it's on my Jacola Reports Instagram. Uh Marcy Rubin, I had a dialogue with her. Uh the CAPS meeting was unfortunately scheduled alongside the council debate. Um and the Nixol alert that went out for that had like a login link for employees. So I emailed them and while I was looking for the
CAPS form, I found again the uh HPD website had advertising the CAPS form from over a year ago. Uh we should not have such outdated websites. There's enough people in city hall. That comes up at every council debate. There's too many assistants in city hall, etc., etc. Um, so I hope that this can get cleared
up. Uh, benches. Uh, we've got benches down at Luigi's Italian Club on Adams. If you want a bench, come down there. Uh, and the church at Sixth and Garden, Carter Craft's church. He's got benches. Uh, maybe we need to crowdsource these and adopt them. Um, like we adopt Highway Miles or something. Uh, on the subject
of rent control, 30 seconds left. Enforcing Airbnb laws. I hear a lot about this. This was an issue in the 2023 election over Airbnbs and rental rent rent control buildings. uh 57 Newark above the Los Tacos, not Los Tacos, whatever it is. Um those apartments, they someone they showed up
as $10,000 a month and it was because it was scraping Airbnb listings. Uh so as far as I know, it didn't do anything for housing stock. Those are just um short-term rentals. Uh it sounds like we do need an actual tenant advocacy office. Uh came up yesterday at the debate. Um it's uh too much work for the
the single counselor in the rent leveling. Uh, and lastly, my friend just moved to Matuchin, so we're going to have to take him out of the Hoboken group chat, but he rented a carpet cleaner from Acme for $60 and did not know you can get one from the Hoboken Public Library, uh, the Library of Things. Check it out before you go rent other appliances. Thank you. Have a
great night, everybody. >> Thank you. Uh, no other members of the public are signed up to speak. >> Close. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> Okay. Um,
>> so we have six first readings. Mr. Pina, you want to >> uh council president? >> Oh, Councilman Quintterero is going to >> Yeah. confirm >> on the first ordinance. Uh, there's just a word missing from what we had
originally submitted. So, just I put it in um the the version. Just wanted to read it into the record. uh in 154-3 section B2 uh the second sentence after the parenthetical uh exists parenthesis
there should be word it should be comma and rent receipts uh that's the only change >> okay excuse me ordinance for introduction amending section 154-3
notification of vacancies to require documentation of previous rent payments adding section 155-1.1 proof of previous rent paid and amend section 151-2.1 155-4
and 155-30 to require document document proof of previous rent paid >> Mr. Fina please call the vote >> Mr. Tone >> I as amended >> Fisher >> yes >> bore >> yes
>> Presentano >> hi I >> cano >> I >> Mr. Ramos >> I >> Mr. Russo. >> I >> President D. >> I an orange for introduction authorizing. [Applause] >> Authorizing the city of Hobok to
implement the 5-year ex exemption and abatement law granting tax exemption for certain improvements to and construction of residential dwellings. Certain improvements to municipal >> dwellings. certain improvements to
industrial structures and certain improvements to commercial structures all within >> the city of reopting the existing ordinance granted such exemptions. >> Thank you Mr. Fina. M please call a vote.
>> Mr. Con >> I Fischer >> yes >> yes. >> President Xano >> I >> Mr. Canero >> I >> Mr. Ramos >> I >> Mr. Russo >> I >> President Doyle >> I Mr. Fina let me give you a break. An
ordinance number three, an ordinance of the city of Hoboken approving a tax exemption in accordance with the five-year tax exemption and abatement law NJSA4A21-1 at SEC and authorizing the execution of a tax agreement within with 38 Jackson
LLC in connection with property identified on city tax maps as block six lot one. >> Period. Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Mr. Con, >> hi. >> Mr. Fisher, >> yes. >> Mrs. Jabore, >> yes.
>> President Xano, >> hi. >> Mr. Canero, >> hi. >> Mr. Ramos, >> hi. >> Mr. Russo, >> hi. >> President Oil, >> I you alternate. Introduction of an ordinance a amending chapter 190 vehicles and traffic to amend section
190-6.1 restrict restricted parking for police vehicles, fire vehicles, official business in section 190- 29.8 time limit parking lo locations and fees. in section 190-
29.9 conditional time limit parking loca uh location and fees to offer parking for anyone's needs. >> Mr. Fina, please call a vote. >> Mr. Con, >> I miss Fischer.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabor, >> no. President, >> hi. >> Mr. Cano, >> no. Mr. Ramos, >> hi. >> Mr. Russo, >> no. >> President Doyle,
>> no. Okay, >> that ordinance fails for introduction. An ordinance for introduction amending chapter 145 peace and good good order. Section 145-25 imagebased automated traffic light and
stop signals enforcement technology prohibited. >> Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Mr. Con. >> No. >> M. Fisher. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabore. >> No. >> President Xano. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cano.
>> No. >> Mr. Ramos. >> Hi. >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi. >> President Doyle. >> No. >> That ordinance fails. Introduction. Ordinance. >> An ordinance amen. Amending
>> amending chapter 190-11 loading zones days and hours along Washington Street. >> No. >> Mr. Fra, please call the vote. >> I Mrs. Miss Fischer, >> no. >> Mrs. Jabore,
>> yes. >> Really? >> President Xano, >> no. >> Mr. Cano, >> hi. >> Mr. Ramos, >> no. >> Mr. Russo. >> Hi, >> President Doyle. >> Hi.
>> Okay, you got one in there. >> We got uh uh new business. >> Resolution authorizing addition of an urgent item to the Hoboken City Council agenda. >> Mr. Con. >> Wait, do we know why it's not done? It's
the um item that's underneath it, the ordinance for introduction. It's there has been feedback from the community based on a loading zone that was initially proposed for removal once it was actually removed that other businesses had expressed a need for use of it. And they're concerned that losing
that loading zone for the 4-week period that it takes is going to be problematic for their business. >> It's for the loading zone that was at second and grand. Excuse me. At >> what did you say? on our part. We're correcting an oversight.
>> Got it. >> All right, Mr. Pina, you started to call the vote on this. >> Mr. Con? >> Hi, >> Miss Fischer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Jabor, >> yes. >> Mr. President, >> I can. >> I >> Mr. Ramos, >> hi.
>> Mr. Russo, >> hi. >> President Doyle, >> no. >> An ordinance. >> Ordinance for introduction. in amending chapter 190-11 entitle loading zones to add a prior loading zone located at
second street near Adam Street. >> Mr. Fina, please call the vote. >> Mr. Con, >> hi. >> Fisher, >> yes. >> Mrs. Jabore, >> yes. >> President Xano, >> hi. >> Mr. Cano, >> hi. >> Mr. Ramos, >> hi. >> Mr. Russo,
>> hi. President Doyle >> I uh new vision >> motion to close >> second. >> I have some questions for the business administrator. It don't go no higher than you,