America is one of his. >> Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we're about to get started. If we can find our seats, silence our cell phones. Thank you, Leverne. Again, find your seats, silence your cell phones.
Please close the back door, side door. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Danielle. >> Thank you to everyone who's helped so far. I thought I had the biggest mouth in city hall. Anyway, uh good evening
everyone. We are on the record. Today is Wednesday, the 10th day of June in the year 2026. This is a regular meeting of the Jersey City Municipal Council. Excuse me. We had a scheduled 6:00 p.m. start. The clock on my cell phone is showing 6:07
p.m. May we have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting. Council person Brooks, >> present. >> Council person Zupa, >> present. >> Council person Ephro, >> present. >> Council person Little, >> present. >> Council person Gilmore,
>> Council Person Singh, >> I'm here. Council Person Griffin not here yet. Council person Lavaro >> here. >> Council and Council President Ridley >> here.
>> Okay, we have eight council members present at 6:07 p.m. Can we kindly rise for a moment of silence, please? >> Tyson Haley and Jasper Walker. Donald Lions, uncle of our assistant PA Lions,
Arbati, Margaret Singh, aunt to former WB B Councilman Chico Ramshaw and Edgar Abisamus, Jersey City resident of Heights. We salute the flag to the flag of the United States of
America to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much on behalf of Council President Ridley and the members of the municipal council in accordance with New
Jersey Public Laws of 1975 chapter 231, the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the posting on the on the Bolton board of the first floor of city hall, the annual notice, which is the schedule of meetings and caucuses for the municipal
council for the calendar year 2026 and filed in the office of the city clerk on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025. In addition, at its time for his preparation, the agenda of this meeting was similarly disseminated on Friday, June 5th, 2026 at 9:30 p.m. to the
mayor, municipal council, business administrator, corporation council, and the newspapers and posted on the city's website so I can certify as to our total compliance with the sunshine law. Council members, before we go on to our
regularly scheduled agenda, there are a few late items that we did discuss that were going to be added at the caucus. There's three late items. First item is item 10.46, 46 city resolution 26-360
is a resolution authorizing the waiver of 20-day waiting period pursuant to NJSA 4069A-181B for ordinance 26-032 and enabling ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City amending chapter 122-2 public assemblies
permission required hours and conditions of operations to change the permit hours during the 2026 6 FIFA World Cup for related events. Next item 10.47,
resolution 26-361 is a resolution authorizing an RFP using competitive contracting to solicit automated parking enforcement technology and services as a concession. And last but not least, item 10.48, 48
city resolution 26-362 is a resolution of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City calling for the divis devisement of from uh Citizens Bank. With that being said, may I have a
motion to add items 10.46, 47, and 48 to the agenda? Motion. >> Sean, before we take the motion, can we uh just have the administration speak further on 10.47 47 because I know we have another resolution related to that. So I just want to make sure that the
public is clear uh in case anyone is here to speak. >> Okay. >> Hi. Good evening. All right. So this is for 10.47 resolution. Um, while preparing for tonight's council meeting, the mayor's
office identified a donation to the mayor and the majority of the council members from an automotive executive that was not appropriately disclosed by the vendor during the city's pay-to-play
vetting process. Tonight, we are pulling the current resolution authorizing the camera assisted parking enforcement program and submitting one for a request for proposal to ensure a fair and open bidding process. We are committed to
rebuilding trust with the public through transparency and honesty, even if it means taking more time on important initiatives. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. You had a motion from >> Okay, council members. So, I need a motion to add items 10.46, 47, and 48 to
the agenda. May I have a motion? >> Motion to add those agenda items. Sean, >> say again. >> Motion to add those agenda items. >> Thank you. By council person Brooks, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Council Person Ephos.
On the motion to add items 10.46, 47, and 48 to the agenda, Council Person Brooks. Hi, >> Council Person Zupa. >> Hi, >> Council Person Ephro. >> Hi, >> Council Person Little.
>> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> Hi, >> Council Person Singh. Council Person Griffin, I'm going to record you present at 6:13
p.m. So, we now have all nine council members present. and your vote to add items 10.46, 47, and 48 to the agenda. >> I, >> Council Person Labaro, >> I, >> and Council President Ridley, >> I.
>> Motion carries 90 to add items 10, 40, 46, 47, and 48 to the agenda. On to our first reading ordinances. We have 16 of them, so I do have to read them all into the record, so bear with me.
Item 3.1, city ordinance 26-033, excuse me, is an ordinance to exceed the calendar year 2026 municipal budget appropriation limits to establish a cap bank NJSA 484-45.14. Item 3.2, 22. City Ordinance 26-034
is an ordinance amending chapter 3, Administration of Government, Article 10, Department of Housing, Economic Development, and Commerce, Section 3-82.8, Community Service Block Grant Board, increasing the board membership and revising powers.
Item 3.3, city ordinance 26-035 is an ordinance amending chapter 23, municipal court. Section 23-7, judges salaries, vacation leaves, and other benefits. Item 3.4, city ordinance 26-036
is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City, amending chapter 73, Women's Advisory Board of the Jersey City Municipal of the City of Jersey City, excuse me. Item 3.5, city ordinance 26-037, is an ordinance amending chapter 84,
alcoholic beverages and cannabis. Article one, plenary retail consumption and distribution licenses temporarily enlarging permissible hours of operation during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Item
3.6, item, excuse me, ordinance 26-038 is an ordinance of the city of Jersey City Municipal Council supplementing chapter 90 animals article 3 dogs and other animals establishing a ban on breeding and the sale of dogs, cats, and
rabbits. Item 3.7, city ordinance 26-039 is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City, amending chapter A350, rules of order of the Jersey City code to establish the 12th day prior to caucus meeting as the
deadline for distribution of the municipal council meeting agenda. Item 3.8, city ordinance 26-040 is an ordinance of the city of Jersey City in the county of Hudson, New Jersey, approving the contribution of a portion of the annual service charges
paid to the city of Jersey City pursuant to the financial agreements entered in by the city of Jersey City into the city's education infrastructure capital account. Item 3.9, city ordinance 26-041, is an ordinance authorizing the making
of various public improvements and acquisition in, by, and for the city, appropriating therefore the sum of 9,598,590 and providing that such sum so appropriated shall be raised from the capital fund balance of the city. Item
3.10, 10 city resolution 26-042 is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City establishing chapter 346 luth leaison council of the Jersey City municipal code creating the Jersey City Luth leaison council item
3.11 city ordinance 26-043 is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City county of Hudson state of New Jersey amending supplementing chapter 3 administration of government article Excuse me. 14 Department of Law of the Jersey
City Municipal Code to establish the position of legislative council to the municipal council and to clarify respective roles of corporation council and legislative council. Item 3.12, city ordinance 26-044, is an ordinance establishing local
standards and public transparency requirements for the Jersey City's municipal ward redistricting process, including requirements related to compactness, communities of interest, p public hearings, alternative map review, and written explanations supporting
adopted ward maps. Item 3.13, city ordinance 26-045, is an ordinance approving a 30-year tax exemption for Garfield Phase 1A, Urban Renewal LLC, located at block 21501.01,
01 lot one pursuant to the long-term tax exemption law NJSA4A col 20-1 exec involving a redevelopment project that shall include 43 affordable housing units at or below 50% AMI
item 3.14 city ordinance 26-046 is an ordinance approving a 30-year tax exemption for Garfield phase 1B urban renewal LLC located at block 21501 1.02 lot 1.01 01 pursuant to the long-term
tax exemption law NJSA48 col 20-1 exec involving a redevelopment project that shall include 59 affordable housing units at or below 50% AMI item 3.15 city ordinance 26-047
is an enabling ordinance amending chapter 296 street sidewalks and public rights of way article 7 sidewalk cafes and sidewalk sales temporarily enlarging permissible hours of operation during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And last but
not least, item 3.16, City Ordinance 26-048, is an ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew the lease for Brunswick Community Garden, sponsored by Jersey City Community Gardening, Inc. for the use of block 9905, lots 8 and 9,
more commonly known as 174-176 Brunswick Street. Council members, I'm going to be taking a vote on introduction for items 3.1 through 3.16. Council person Brooks,
>> I for introduction on all. >> Council person Zupa. >> Uh, I'm going to vote I for introduction. I just want to make a couple notes though uh and ask ask corporation council on 3.5 which is the amendment to for hours for uh bars and restaurants. The
administration has pledged to work with with me on uh potentially lowering the amount of money being charged. Um we don't want to charge businesses $100 a day to operate. We want them to thrive and benefit from from FIFA. with changing the the amount
uh say that instead of a daily fee, there's is a onetime administrative fee. Would that constitute a material change? >> If you're reducing the fee, that wouldn't be substantial. If you increased it significantly, it could be, but if you're planning to reduce it, then I don't anticipate any concerns.
>> Okay. So, just again noting for the record that thank the administration for working with us on that. Um, and on 312, I know there were comments. Uh, I didn't yet receive the You may have sent it, but I didn't I didn't see it the memo to Councilman Gilmore's
office about the um board map redistricing pro process. I just see if I can take a look at that. And I'm I said I would speak to council people Griffin and um Gilmore on that in the next two weeks. And I know I'm sure a lot of people are here to talk about the the proposed pilots. I just want to
say briefly that because I know there's no um second reading public comment on it that if you're a homeowner in Jersey City, you may feel concerned about when you hear the word pilot. Uh but that's because pilots have been political fodder for so long in our city, but in reality, if you're a homeowner and the
city gets more in money from pilots, the tax benefit to you is is better as well. Uh and I I saw some numbers posted online uh about the projected income to the city and it's astronomically higher for the city uh if this these pilots for
these pilots than if we were to get conventional taxes. Just want everyone to keep those in mind. >> Vote. Oh, thank you Council Person Efos. Uh I'm voting I for introduction on all and just want to say on items uh 3.13 and
3.14. Um I have a lot of questions uh as this is you know the first real pilot um that is coming before this council and um working with uh community organizations and activists to really scrutinize this and make sure we're all doing everything we possibly can to
understand that this is the best deal possible um if it is. So, uh, I vote I for introduction. In the next weeks, our council office will be, um, making sure no stone is unturned here. >> Council person Little.
Um, I'm going to vote I for introduction on all. Um similarly I'm going to uh note that on on 3 sorry um 3.11
um I you know I've been informed that the administration and the council president and certain other council members are going to be having ongoing dialogue over the next two weeks um to determine the best way for the for the city council to have independent legal advice.
um and what that final solution the the final outcome of that looks like um may um you know may match this ordinance or it may not and um I'm open to hearing them out hearing >> that discussion um but as a vote of
as a vote of confidence in um in the council president's initiative to have independent legal counsel for the city council. I'm going to vote I for introduction. Um and then again for the the pilots, um we were given a very
detailed presentation of this project. Um I we had the opportunity to ask additional questions. Um and am still receiving some followup on those. Um but you know, from what from what I know at this point, this seems like a project
that on its merits um is is a good deal for the city. will will get us those uh really deeply affordable units that we're that we're seeking to build and um is a project that would not be able to be built if it were not for the pilot agreement. So um I vote I for
introduction on all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Council person Gilmore. >> I for introduction. >> Council person Singh. >> I vote I for introduction for all. And uh for item number 3.13, I want to say
that one of the thing we have been uh pretty clear about that we want people or families to call Jersey City their forever home. And this project will have 104 families living there for years to
come and they can call Jersey City forever home. And there are so many things we talked about. We were also concerned because as the new administration we are trying to make sure that we can get the best deal possible. But if any of you have any
concern, any question, please reach out to us privately and we would love to get involved and answer your questions. And thank you. >> Thank you, Council Person Griffin. >> I vote I. And when it comes to the pilot, um, you know, I've been an
advocate for affordable housing in in my community for years. I actually worked to bring 55% affordable housing to my community. Um so affordable housing uh being built I believe is a good thing. Um
I would like to see bigger percentages but you know that's that's what I have to say and I vote I on all. >> Thank you. Council person Lavaro. I'm going to be voting I for introduction um on 3.13 and 14 the tax
abatements. Um for the record uh if those were listening to me at the on the campaign trail um I was unequivocally in support of using um tax abatements for the right reason which is to incentivize affordable housing development in a city
that's in an affordable housing crisis. Um, and so what I want to say just quickly is just that this project acknowledge what uh the project gets right and there's real affordability here. There's 102 affordable units um that are being proposed, 20% of the
units, 50% of median income or below, including units renting under $700. Um, and that's that's meaningful affordable housing. There's family housing, not just studios. And there are other public benefits, the new public park and the
Morris Canal um greenway. Um but there is the the concern that's always been with tax abatements and that's that um while the city may get more money and for for Jersey City taxpayers on the city side of the bill, there's also um
the Jersey City public schools and the county gets 5% and the Jersey City public schools um gets zero traditionally, but in this one if we pass the companion ordinance that's part of this agenda as well um the schools will get 10% and that's for discussion
and negotiation moving forward and I will be looking at those numbers more closely. Um for me there are still some missing information and I've been requesting that and I'm going to continue to do that um to make sure that the numbers uh pencil out not just for
the developer but pencil out for the people of Jersey City. Um, and so before uh before we get to the second and final vote, um, the administration's been working with me to get provide the information and I look forward to continuing to work with them to be able to get the information to be able to make an informed judgment on this. Um, I
vote I for introduction on all. >> Council President Ridley, >> I vote I for all. I want to thank the council for uh standing firm on what we decided uh via
resolution a few meetings back to make sure that we investigate acquiring a legislative council for the council office and uh we look forward to continuing that conversation between first and second read. I want to thank
our corporation council for uh being open to that discussion and for giving advice on both sides of that argument and for even going as far as speaking with corporation councils and other cities um who have this set up currently. So I appreciate the
administration's willingness to uh have this conversation and I look forward to our conversations between first and second read. I for all. >> Um, council members, before I tally the vote, I believe our business administrator would just like to address you all.
>> Hello again. Um, just to elaborate a little bit on 3.11. Um, the administration has been engaging with council members over the course of the last week about the legal concerns brought up by Corporation Council Sarah Lavine in relation to the ordinance for
first reading. As previously explained by corporation council, other municipalities have proposed similar ordinances which have been repeatedly challenged and deemed unconstitutional by New Jersey courts. As currently
proposed, we anticipate this proposal will result in costly legal challenges to the city. The administration is in full agreement with the end goal of getting the council access to independent legal advice, but shares the concern of the corp council
and many of the members um that there are serious legal issues with the current ordinance. We are glad that the council spearheaded by council president Ridley has agreed to form a three-member working group that will partner with the members of the law department and
administration staff to explore alternative legislation. It is our understanding that the three council members participating in the working group will be council president Ridley, Councilman Zupa, and another council member that the council
president would like to put forward for this group. The aim of the working group will be to put forward the alternative legislation on either the next council meeting June 24th or the July meeting July 15th. We look forward to working with the council
to find a mutually agreeable solution. Okay. With that being said, items 3.1 through 3.16 are introduced unanimously 90. Okay. Council members, I I well, I'm going to turn it over to Council President because I believe we have a
special presentation and we have a very special guest in the house, our 50th mayor of the city of Jersey City, James Solomon. >> Well, first of all, welcome, mayor, to the council meeting. I know you're very familiar.
>> Do you miss being here? But we have the jersey. >> Just so everybody at home knows what he said. He shook his head. He does not miss being >> you. You couldn't let him live with that one. >> I could not. I mean, come on.
>> But um we do have our Jersey City Jersey City Theater Company here with us. I'm going to turn it over to Councilman Lavaro to say a few words uh about what's going on here tonight and some of the events and things that they have going on over there. And we just wanted
to take a second to recognize some of our visitors from all over the world. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Uh good evening and welcome. Now we get to the fun part of uh the evening. Um, on behalf of the entire
Jersey City Council, it's my honor to welcome the artists and guests of the 2026 Voices International Festival to City Hall. Uh, please let's give them all a warm applause. We have at least 35 visitors with us
tonight from Korea, Armenia, South Africa, Poland, Argentina, Spain, and England. and there are many more participating in um in the festival. And to our friends from Korea who I I believe are making up the largest delegation, a special welcome to all of
you. Um I also want to recognize Olga Lavina, executive producer of the Jersey City Theater Center, uh who brings the world here to Jersey City. Yes, give her a huge round of applause. Her
vision brought this festival to life and brought all of you here to us. Olga, thank you for everything you do to make Jersey City a true home for the arts. Jersey City is one of the most diverse cities in the entire United States. On
any given block here, you'll hear a dozen languages and meet families where roots reach every continent. That's not a footnote to who we are. It is exactly who we are and it's exactly why this city is the right home for a festival built on global voices. So to our
visitors um and I and some of you brought gifts and I want to say thank you. But all I have are words of welcome. Thank you for traveling so far to share your art and your talent with us. You honor Jersey City and we are very grateful. Welcome to City Hall. We
are glad you are here with us today and for the remainder of the festival. Thank you all. Yeah. And now I'd like to ask the mayor to say a few words if he would to welcome our guests here. >> Um thank you council for welcoming me
here. Mom to answer Councilman Singh to answer your question. I never got to serve on the council with you. So, you know, now I know how it would it would be back every time if I >> Mayor, does it does it feel weird to be on that side facing us? >> It does. It does. It's been a long time. But >> Sean, start the timer.
>> I I want Yeah, exactly. >> Appreciate that. I want to uh just welcome uh Junior City Theater Center and the artists who are here. Can we give him another round of applause? I think uh Councilman Lavaro really expressed it very well, but we we take
such great pride in being America's most diverse city and now we have folks coming from, you know, a dozen countries, 35 artists, uh really internationally and worldrenowned uh you know, actors and and other performers to be able to bring their uh showcase their talents here in Jersey City. So, we're
just extraordinarily excited for the Voices Festival. Extremely excited for you to be here. We hope you have an incredible experience both showcasing your art as well as enjoying our city. Um, I always say everyone if you're visiting, spend as much money as possible. So, go to every store, every restaurant, please, as much as you can.
Uh, but we we really are very very grateful for you to be here and we can't wait to see you guys uh perform tomorrow and then go the days after. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you, Mayor. I invite Olga. >> Um, I'd like to invite Olga up to provide some brief remarks. And thank
you, Olga. I had an extraordinary experience at the kickoff and um it was a great great fun. >> Before you speak, I'm so sorry. If you can just spell your name for the record for our court reporter. >> Yes. O LG A Olga. And my last name is
Levina. L E V I N A. >> Um and it's little bit uncomfortable, but uh thank you so much uh city council. Uh thank you so much um Council
uh Rolando Lavar for uh initiating this meeting. Thank you so much Mayor Solomon for greeting us our guests. Uh and thank you so much for crossing oceans to come to Jersey City to come to the
conference. It was a dream of mine to as an immigrant and I was born in Ukraine. So it was dream of mine to bring people together through the arts and I would like to thank you all of you residents of Jersey City for voting for the arts
during the most difficult time in 2020. And uh part of what we do is also funded by all of you. But today I would like to invite you to participate to spread the word. We have so many free events. We
are here as artists to tell the truth, to inspire and to build bridges among cultures. And oh boy, we need to do this right now in this times in our world, right? So please participate. There's so
many family events for children. Some of them on a plaza completely free for you. And guess what? Tomorrow we have professional conference and we have from Brooklyn Academy of Music to St. An's Warehouse all those all those big um
organizations that we're looking up to they crossing the river this way. So thank you thank you thank you. And now I would like to introduce uh uh someone from the Korean delegation. uh they
would like to build bridges and make sure that we create um uh we create partnerships between the new center new performing arts center in Korea that they just built and Jersey City theater center. So if I can welcome you to and
also just one second I have to te tell you that none of what I do happens without my partners and my team. So, thank you so much Tamik uh for coming all the way from Poland and thank you so
much Albert for doing everything that you're doing for make it happen. So, please if you can just identify yourself for the record and spell your name. My name is from Korea.
My name is uh Sylvia Kim. I'm translating what he's saying. >> Can you spell that name for us? S U N G Y O U N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N G J U N G Thank you so much. >> Thank you,
Sia Kim. S Y L V I A K I M. Thank you. >> My name is Jang, director of Shihung Arts Center, and I am honored to be here today with our delegation from Sihung City, Republic of Korea. My name is
Jung, director of Arts Center and Oh, on behalf of Mayor of Xiong City would like to express our sincere appreciation for our for your warm welcome and hospitality. city is a rapidly growing city in the
sor metropolitan area with a population of approximately 600,000 people. The city is pursuing future growth through biotechnology and waterfront development, culture infrastructure and international
cooperation. So I I don't have it but uh so Seung City and Georgia City has very similar uh uh the style and the development the stage where we are right now. So I think this will be an amazing opportunity because uh Georgia City I'm a resident
of Georgia City recently. So this is a a great opportunity to explore all those industries biotechnology and water waterfront uh development and education as well I believe. And so those are going to be great addition to uh work
together collaborating. The Shihang Arts Center um uh scheduled to officially open in November 2026 will serve as a new culture hub and an international platform for cultural exchange.
We hope this visit marks the beginning of the official partnership between Georgia City and Shihung City. We look forward to future cor cooperation in culture, economic development, investment, attraction, local business
support, waterfront um revitalization and international exchanges. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Can we do one quick photo? Try to do that. Yeah, if we we'd love to bring everyone together with the mayor for a
quick quick photo. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Please. >> People can stand for this. >> It's okay. >> Act like y'all know each other. >> Yeah. Little >> check me directly.
Can you let the real for Thank you. >> There you go. my good side. >> Air drop. No, it's called air drop. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Yeah, he's a very good dancer. He has to come to dance. Thank you so much. Come to the theater or they just miss the files. That's that should be called on. >> Oh, all right. >> We still have business to conduct.
>> Oh second. >> Okay. >> And you know what? We don't even know what they're motioning on. So, >> all right. If we can have everybody's attention. Got more business. All righty. All right. Council members,
I believe we are going to make a motion to defer to two resolutions, items 10.5 and 10.6. Is that correct, Council President? >> Correct. >> All right. >> So, may I have a motion to defer to items 10.5 and 10.6?
>> Motion. >> Motion made by Council Person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> I'm going to give that second to Council Person Lavaro. On the motion to defer to items 10.5 and 10.6. Council person Brooks
>> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Efos. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Labaro. >> I.
>> And council president Ridley >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to defer to items 10.5 and 10.6. So, we'll do them in order. >> So, we'll start with 10.5 and I'll turn it over to who what
whomever council member has the fancy resolution to read into the record. >> Well, I'll start it off and then we're all going to read do a little reading here. >> Oh, okay. Great. >> We're getting fancy here. >> Yeah. >> See, I said it's a fancy reso. Now it's a fancy broadcast. That's great. Jersey
City. This is a resolution recognizing Ishan Gupta, the seventh grade student at Franklin Frank R. Conwell Middle School for for his outstanding accomplishments at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Whereas the
municipal council of the city of Jersey City is proud to recognize young residents whose dedication, academic excellence, and perseverance bring distinction to our city. And whereas Ishan Gupta, a seventh grader at Frank
R. Conwell Middle School number four in Jersey City, represented both his school and the city of Jersey City on the national stage at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee. And whereas Ishan distinguished himself through extraordinary preparation, discipline,
composure, and intellectual achievement, advancing to the final round and winning runner up of one of the nation's most prestigious academic competitions. >> Whereas 10 years old, Ishan also co-authored a book called Martian
Miracle. Ishan and the uh and the climate crisis highlighting his love of words and passion for reading from a young age. And whereas his accomplishment are a source of great pride for his family, classmate,
teachers, school community, and all residents of Jersey City. And whereas Ishan's success reflects not only his remarkable talent and hard work, but also the strength of Jersey City students, educators, and public schools.
>> Whereas by competing with excellence at the national level, the Shawn Gupta has served as an inspiration to students throughout Jersey City and has demonstrated a value of scholarship, determination, civic, and pride. Whereas
it is fitting and proper for the municipal council of Jersey City to pause in deliberation to honor the Shan Gupta for the exceptional achievement and to commend him for representing Jersey City with distinction.
Now therefore, it be resolved by the municipal council of Jersey City that this body does hereby honor and recognize Han Gupta for the outstanding accomplishment at the 2026 National Spelling Bee.
>> We further resolve that the municipal council expend extends its sincere cong congratulations to Ishan Gupta, his family, the faculty and staff of Frank R. Conwell Middle School number four and all those who supported his success.
>> And be it further resolved that the municipal council expresses its appreciation for Ishan Gupta's exemplary representation of the city of Jersey City and wishes him continued success in all of his future academic and personal
endeavors. I always say this. We're going to clap again. >> We're going to vote on the resolution first, but he deserves double applause. on the resolution. Council person Brooks
I, Council Person Zupa, >> I congratulations. You make Jersey City very proud. Thank you. >> Council person Efos. >> I congratulations. >> Council person Little. >> I congratulations. >> Council person Gilmore.
>> Um, I just want to say I'm extremely elated that you've done a great job. I was going to challenge you to a few words, you know, being educational, but I'mma let you ride on this one. Um, but continue to make us proud. I vote. I
>> council person sing. >> I But I want to give credit to the parents. I've seen this his mom working extremely hard for over a decade. And you know as an immigrant I want to tell you that I have been telling my son that
how amazing this kid is doing and why am I not that parent who so I am using your name uh to make sure that my son u can also make me I mean he's a good kid but we can talk about it
but Ishan congratulations and parents thank you so much for all the hard work you should also get the Ed, >> Council Person Griffin, >> congratulations to both the parents and the winner of and and the uh spell and
be contestant. Um, great job. Um, you know, this this should inspire your classmates and um be ready for people to be looking up to you. I >> Council Person Labaro
So I I just want to address Ishan directly. Um but before I do that uh just after we vote and complete that the mayor will um share a few share some remarks and then Isan we would love to hear from you and your family as well.
Um, so Isan, uh, a couple of weeks ago you walked onto a stage in Washington DC and when the lights came up at the end of the night, there were only two spellers left standing out of nearly 250 of the best in the country. You were one
of them and one of the two best young spellers in America. And you call Jersey City home. And I want to be honest with you. I sit up here and wrestle with 300page ordinances and words I still can't pronounce. Bromemo kryptonine was
one of the championship words this year. And I wouldn't get past the B if I had to spell it. And you handle words like that for fun. You're 12 years old. You've already co-authored a book. and you've carried the name of your school and this city
onto a national stage with poise that a lot of grown adults in this room couldn't manage under those lights. And you didn't just represent Frank Connell Middle School number four. You represented every kid in this city who's been told to dream bigger and you showed
them exactly what's possible. So on behalf of the entire city council, um we are so proud of you. Congratulations. I vote I >> He's going to get three claps now. Council President Ridley, >> uh I just want to say we are so very
proud of you. Thank you for representing Jersey City on the national stage. I proudly vote I. City resolution 26-319 is approved unanimously. 9 0
Standing ovation at 12. What about that? Mayor Solomon, come on up. Twice in one night. Woo. >> No, >> you do miss us. That's right. All righty. Well, I I just want to echo the words of the council.
Thank you guys for recognizing Ean and and you just everything that the council said, we just want to repeat because you you made us all so proud. And I told you as we were talking here when you're up there performing, my my phone started blowing up and you got to turn on the spelling bee. There's a kid from Jersey City. He's doing amazing. Um, and you
made us all so so very proud. Uh, you showed us what you know hard work can accomplish. When you put your mind to something, you can truly achieve special things and it really truly is an example for all. Um, slow down on writing books because this is a lot now. Um, writing books, national champion, but we we you
know, we couldn't be more excited that that you're showing the best of Jersey City. So, it is my honor to join our council in congratulating you. >> Yeah. So, thank you to the city council and to the community for such an incredible honor. Um, so Jersey City is
my home and I really think that it's the best city in the world. Um, it's a city that's thriving with its diversity and yet has such a close-knit and supportive community. And I'm so proud to represent Jersey City. Um, and
I'm also extremely grateful to my alma mater, PS3, and to my middle school, MS4, for who I am today. And uh once again um thank you uh for this recognition and I'll continue to strive further to impact the Julie City
community. Oh, no. >> Yeah. Well, Sean, we'd love to have a photo with you. >> While everybody's getting ready for a photo, I can actually see Mayor Gupta someday. So,
>> I don't know if I'll still be clerk, though. Run over on the side over here. That's okay. photography. Yeah. Congratulations. >> I don't care what the wife said. He's
all right with me. I'm still >> M. >> Oh, >> all right. I'm not saying a word because the last time I did I they didn't win, so I don't want to say anything. All right. Our our
next resolution is resolution 26-320. Who am I turning over the mic to? >> Um I I will read it into the record. >> Beautiful. >> Thank you. So, we're going from a very young honore to a very old honore.
This is a resolution honoring Holy Rosary Church upon the conclusion of its 140th anniversary year and recognizing its contributions to Jersey City's Italian-American heritage. Whereas in the late 19th century and early 20th century, large numbers of
Italian immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island in Jersey City. And whereas many Italian immigrants subsequently settled in Jersey City, especially in the village section of downtown Jersey City. And whereas Holy Rosary Church, located at
3446th Street in downtown Jersey City, was founded by Italian immigrants in 1885, making it the oldest Italian parish in the state of New Jersey. And whereas Holy Rosary Church of the Roman Catholic Arch Dascese of Newark is still active to this day and offers masses in
both Italian and English. And whereas Holy Rosary Church began holding its annual summer festival, La Festa Italana, in 1902, and it has grown to become one of Jersey City's longestr running and most beloved cultural
events. And whereas in May of 2026, Holy Rosary Church concluded its 140th anniversary year celebrations. Now therefore, be it resolved by the municipal council of the city of Jersey City, that the council formally recognizes
Holy Rosary Church at the conclusion of its 140th anniversary year for its religious, historical, and cultural contributions to Jersey City and to the larger New Jersey Italian-American community. >> Hey, >> and I believe we have um Do we vote
first or do the members of the church? >> Yeah, we're going to vote first. So then we get a nice round of applause. >> All right. On resolution 26-320, Council Person Brooks. >> Hi. Congratulations, Council Person Zupa.
>> Hi. It's a wonderful parish and community and congratulations on your recognition. >> Council Person Efos. I very welld deserve congrats. >> Council Person Little. >> I congratulations on 140.
Council Person Gilmore. >> Congratulations. I >> Council Person Singh, >> I vote I and congratulations. >> Council Person Griffin. I vote I and um
I'm looking forward to the 50/50 raffle. So I >> Council Person Lavaro. >> Hi. Uh, thank you to Holy Rosary and the entire community, the church community. Um, God bless you all. I vote I
>> and Council President Ridley. >> I vote I. Thank you for all of your years of service to this community. Um, I proudly vote I. >> City resolution 26-320 is approved
unanimously. 90. Congratulations. And I have to say because I don't vote, but I am so looking forward to performing at your feast for the very first time. So, you're going to see your clerk in a different perspective.
>> You're singing, Sean? >> I will be doing a little singing, but really playing the drums. That's how I stay sane for 33 years of city service. Do we have anybody from the church to come up and say a few words, >> please
to good evening. >> Just identify yourself for the record. >> Good evening. My name is Michael Toto and I'm the vice president of the parish council at Holy Rosary Church. Our pastor, Father Rafael Smola, is uh in Poland for the month, so he couldn't be here, but he asked me to receive the
resolution on behalf of the parish. Um we want to thank you all uh for this honor. Uh we're so grateful to have such wonderful friends and allies to the faith communities here in Jersey City and to our multicultural communities. And we know we have friends in city
hall. Uh as an example, lowering the fees on cultural events, which is a big help to run that summertime festival. So, Councilman Griffin, I can't make any promises, but good luck to you in the uh 50/50. And City Clerk uh Gallagher, we really look forward to seeing you uh
play the play the drums for us. Um but Holy Rosary has been a haven uh for people of all cultures, but especially at our foundation, the Italian-American immigrants who built downtown Jersey City. Uh to this day, we run ministries. We feed uh we feed the hungry at
homeless shelters. We house the unhoused. We've uh supplied housing and resources for refugees from the Ukraine, for example, right here in Jersey City. Uh so we proudly serve uh North Jersey and the Jersey City community, as well as the spiritual needs of Roman
Catholics uh in this uh downtown Jersey City neighborhood. And a special thank you to Council Person Little, our our hometown or home ward wy council person and an Italian-American uh Mike Griffin. Thanks for coming to all of our events and and for your support. Councilman
Zupa, another great Italian-American representative we have here. And Mayor Solomon uh for all of his uh support and friendship as well. Stay right there cuz I think they're going to take a photo with you. And if anybody needed to know, it's
Thursday, August 6 for the band Gallagher at Holy Rosary. Hey and you're going to win the 50/50 that night. So, make sure you're there. We'll be there, too.
Good to see you. Thank you so much. All right. Congratulations again to all the honores tonight. All right. On to our second reading ordinances. Item 4.1 city ordinance 26-029 is a franchise ordinance granting
permission to 24 Bright Street LLC is successors and assigns to construct private improvements within 204 square ft of the Bright Street public right of way adjacent to lot 37 block 14106
on the official tax map uh tax assessment map of the city of Jersey City. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard? >> Motion. >> Motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-029 was made by council
president Ridley. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council person Gilmore. On the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26- 029. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Ephro. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I.
>> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. Council Person Griffin, >> Council Person Labaro, >> I. >> And Council President Ridley, >> I. >> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26- 029 is approved
unanimously 90 for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26- 029. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. I
>> council person Gilmore. >> I >> council person Singh >> I >> council person Griffin >> I >> council person Labaro >> I >> and council president Ridley >> I >> city ordinance 26-029
is adopted unanimously 90 on to our next second reading ordinance item 4.2 2. City Ordinance 26-030 is an ordinance authorizing an easement with the Exchange Place Alliance District Management Corporation regarding a park to be located at 95
Morgan Street. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. And I see Philip Carrington. >> This is a good question. >> Phil, raise the mic to you, buddy.
There you go. >> Just a quick question. Is this easement temporarily or it's continuous? What is the status of this? You got the purpose, just the status.
>> Yeah. Get the BA to confirm. >> Excuse me. >> 4.2 is the easement. He would like to know if the easement is permanent. >> Sorry, we're a little slow here. It's permanent. >> Thank you. It's permanent.
>> Okay. Question, Nancy. >> Okay. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-030. Any member of the public still wish to be heard, could please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. >> Motion.
>> Motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26. There is three, excuse me, 030 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president Ridley. On the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-30.
Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Ephro. >> I. Council Person Little. >> Hi. >> Council Person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council Person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council Person Griffin. >> Uh just just to be clear for
>> this is just to close the public hearing. >> Oh yeah. I >> thank you. Council person Labaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26 days 030 is approved
unanimously 90. for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-030. Council person Brooks, >> before we vote, Councilman Griffin had a question. Did you want to >> Oh, okay. All right. Hi,
>> Council Person Zupa. >> Hi, >> Council Person Efos. >> Hi, >> Council Person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> Hi, >> Council Person Sing. Hi, >> Council Person Griffin.
>> Uh, yes. Just just for clarity, um, I just want to ask all easements are permanent, correct? >> No, >> not necessarily. >> Okay. So, when we write out these resolutions, it's in there, right? It'll
let us know if it's temporary or if it's permanent. >> That's correct. Okay. >> Thank you. and your vote. >> Hi. >> Thank you. Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> I.
>> City ordinance 26-030 is adop. How did that even happen? >> That was your I'm sorry, Phil. See, I never even stopped it. And maybe it's my time to go. City ordinance 26-030
is adopted unanimously 90. Okay. So the next second reading ordinance as discussed at the caucus because we introduced item 3.7 city ordinance
26-039 which is a big change a substantial change. Hence the reason why we had to introduce a new ordinance. We are now going to make a motion to defeat this ordinance to move to defeat without holding a public hearing because this
ordinance is supplemented and superseded by the um first reading ordinance. So with that being said, I need a motion to move to defeat city ordinance 26-031 without a public hearing. >> Motion.
>> Second. Motion made by council person Gilmore, seconded by council person Zupa. On the motion to move to defeat city ordinance 26-031 without a public hearing. Council person Brooks. >> Hi. >> Council person Zupa.
>> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. and council president Ridley.
>> I motion carries 90. So now for final consideration and to defeat city ordinance 26-031. When you defeat an ordinance, the vote is nay. Council person Brooks,
>> nay. >> Council person Zupa, >> nay. >> Or no. Council person Ephro, >> nay. >> Council person Little, >> nay. Council Person Gilmore, >> no. >> Council Person Singh,
>> no. >> Council Person Griffin, >> nay. >> Council Person Lavaro, >> no. >> And Council President Ridley, >> no. >> I haven't heard that many nays and nos since I was little. City ordinance 26-031
is defeated. 09. On to our last second reading ordinance, item 4.4, 4, city ordinance 26-032 is an enabling ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey
City amending chapter 122-2 public assemblies permission required hours and conditions of operation to change the permit hours during the 2026 Ether World Cup for related events. This is a public hearing on this ordinance.
Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium, state your name for the record. Motion. >> Motion made by council person Gilmore to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-032. May I have a second? >> Second.
>> Second by council person Griffin. On the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-032. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi.
>> Council person Little. >> I. Council person Gilmore, >> I. >> Council person Singh, >> I vote I. >> Council person Griffin, >> yay. >> Council person Lavaro, >> what are we voting >> to close the public hearing?
>> I. >> And council president Ridley, >> I. >> Motion to close the public hearing carries 90 for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-032. Council person Brooks. as will I am said
don't stop the party I vote I >> council person Zupa >> that's hard to follow but uh if you'll indulge me I just want to uh wish my very understanding and patient loving wife Andrea a very happy third wedding anniversary which is today
and I vote I that was pretty late >> I I think you topped it >> council person Ephro I've got nothing Hi. >> Well, we would like to thank um Council Person Zupa's wife for allowing him to
share be shared with us. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi.
>> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> City ordinance 26-032 is adopted unanimously. 90. All right, members of the public, everybody watching at home, we are now going on to our public request for a
hearing. I'm going to be calling the number and the first name of the individual, so please follow along on your agendas. With that being said, our first speaker, 5.1, Lever, just give me one second so I can put the camera on you.
I certainly will. You can you can start lever paper I gave you guys I really need you all to read it. This is a application that a young lady have for her apartment. Every year she got to go
through this application with 40 sheets, 40 papers to fill out the renewal. We sold our property in Jersey City affordable property to Michael's construction. They own Montgomery Gardens. They own Lafayette projects and
they own houses on Van Horn Street between Lafayette and Commun. They giving this lady a hard time. And look at all these papers she got to do. So, I really need you guys to help me with that and see what's going on. And my
second agenda is in a couple weeks, I'll be doing my summer camp, my free summer camp at Heavenly Temple. I need your support and help. Reie Plum has hired six of my kids, put them on their payroll, and it's help sponsoring the
other developers. The next big thing I have, stand up, honey. This lady lived in the wet building on Oakland MLK. She was out in front of her door two days ago. Walk up there. Show them how you walk. And she was cooking,
lighting her grill. She been doing it. You've been in that building what, 10 years now? 15? Huh? 18 years. She And she never had a problem. The police came rushing her. four of them talking about we're gonna light uh
lock her up, give her a ticket. So Tina was there and they had to calm her down, calm them down. And we didn't know that now that you cannot cook in front of your house no
more. that they're the new ordinance that people should got papers flying the building and especially they live in apartment building and that's housing on that building and it it it what they did to her is it's a disgrace.
I mean they bum rushed her four cops. You ain't bum rushing these people out here killing and shooting everybody and robbing them. But this lady that made a small grill on the table and made a cook. Oh, you can't do this. It's the way you do things. It's the way you handle things. This is not good in our
community. We need help with what's going on around here. Please see what happened. If there's a new audience in the hood, I guess that we can't cook no more outside on in front of our buildings, our houses. We
need to know about it. Some flyers need to go. Everybody ain't on Instagram or Facebook. You know what mama carries. flip phone. I can't get all that. A lot of people can't get it. We need your help with
this council people of all ws, not just W A and B. >> We need it the city. >> Thank you, Leverne. >> And thank you and work on this here for this lady, please. We talk about all these affordable housing. This is affordable housing. Thank you, Leverne.
Uh um >> what Nick, >> Miss Leverne, I can't speak to the um your interaction with the police. I don't know. I wasn't there. Um but I do know that there has been the ordinance
on the books for a while as it relates to grilling because technically the public the sidewalk is considered the public right away. Um, but I know for team years it haven't been enforced. Um,
but they're they're they are looking to enforce this and it's not just in one particular area. It's it's citywide. >> Yes. All right. Our next speaker 5.2 Aaron
Aaron here. >> No. >> Our next Mayor Gupta has left the building. Mayor Guptter is leaving the building. Next speaker 5.3 Esa.
She's here. I want to make sure you can hear me. Is that good? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Good evening. Um, I only get three minutes to talk. Consultants, like the other night at the caucus meeting, get unlimited time. So, I will do my best to
get as much information as I can out to you. Uh, firstly, this is regarding the pilot uh the big the big pilot. Firstly, I want to say that you should not be voting on that abatement or any financial expenditures while we have a $255 million deficit and no budget and
no information about state funding. I watched the uh caucus meeting online. I'd like to go over what I extracted from the consultant regarding the uh the pilot. Under the proposed pilot, Jersey City, the the developer would pay $1.95
million, of which Jersey City would receive 1.85. If the developer were paying conventional taxes, they would be paying $3.8 $8 million per year versus the $ 1.95 million per year of which Jersey City
would get $1.4 million. That's only $400,000 less than the pilot. Now remember, in doing that, the taxpayers take on their shoulders because the pilot does not pay into the library, the open space trust, arts tax,
5% only to the county and the schools. So even 10% of the pilot payment that the developer will make is a pittance compared to what would go to the school if it was conventional taxes. I also want to say that over the course of 30
years of the life of the pilot, that difference between 3.8 and 1.95 is a difference of $55 million to the to the city and to the residents. uh your first and primary respon responsibility and role is a fiduciary responsibility to
the residents of this city. Um if you were to give an abatement to the developer, I would say 5 years max so that they could get on their feet. The developer or the consultant the other night did say that without an abatement they would con they would consider the developer would consider going forward
still uh the numbers would just have to change. this city, you're this is a time when you're looking to pass an abatement where we have a $250 million deficit, no budget, no state money that we know of, and diminished monies to all that I
mentioned. I wish this council would have would start thinking differently about how you think about pilots, transformational change, affordability versus affordable housing. And you need to lift people, not use them as renters to enrich people and, you know, enrich
developers. do not continue the practice of what got us here in the first place. So, I just want to say that you really need to think about this pilot before you start handing it out, especially at this time. And you need to understand what you're voting on $55 million that
it means to us. Thank you. Right on time. Our next speaker, 5.4, for Charlene. >> Good evening, council. Um, I agree with Esther in many ways, uh, especially about being a homeowner and that we've
heard from our mayor about creating an affordability for an affordable city for all. As a homeowner, that really concerns me that my taxes might be impacted over a 30-year period as we
have had uh abatements even for the embankment. That was an enormous uh abatement that was offered for the embankment that we're going to have to deal with for 30 years. One of the things I know you're considering um
representation for the council separate from the administration in terms of an attorney. You should really think about having a researcher and a person who verifies a lot of this information. So
when you're getting something like canal crossings coming up to you, you have information presented to you from the beginning of the timeline until now. So you truly understand all of what has gone on before. Because even I who live
on the other side of town, yes, I hear canal crossing. Do I know the details? No. But now that you're sitting in that seat, you should have that information in a digestible way so you can make a
very educated and precise and correct decision for everyone. Does this developer is he paying for that land or is he being given that land? If he's getting that land, that's a big discount
from day one. So why are we giving him an abatement on top of that? I want to make a comparison of this to Bayfront which I sat on that committee. The new Bayfront committee has not yet been formed. But one of the things I would
ask of all of you, has this comparison been done to Bayfront? They're getting 35% affordable in Bayfront. Is that abatement that you're giving this canal crossing entity similar,
better, less than Bayfront? Make ask the questions to make that comparison because if you're creating affordable housing, and by the way, I agree with Esther again. Make it home ownership,
not rental. Cuz I'm sorry, you retire and your income goes down, that rent's not going down. And all you can do is move out with the furniture and then where do you go? Home ownership. At least you have a home. You have an investment. You have
money in the bank. Think about it people. That's really affordable. Not this. Thank you. Next speaker. 5.5. Ivon, >> first I want to acknowledge the D-Day
which passed last Saturday. Many Jersey City residents fought in that war, including former Mayor Anthony Akuchi and his brother who lost his life on that day. But we kind of forget about our own history. But I want to explain
why I have a problem with Jersey City rent control laws. In 1985, the incoming Coochie administration had a Ward Candidate actually named Buddy Brooks. Could you think that Buddy Brooks lived in the St. John's
apartments that had an ongoing problem with his landlord, Bob Sachs? Basically, he changed the rules on tax increases for tenants. Taxes could not be passed on. landlord pay the tax increase then go to tax court where they will win and
the city will float bonds or stop payments until the the overpayment is resolved. So the small homeowner of which I am are stuck with paying the bonds for the refunds that goes back to
the landlord. Many landlords just give up, sell their buildings to developers who are looking for real estate across the river for condos in Jersey City. So basically, in the last 40 years, Jersey City has lo a lot of housing due to
Jersey City rent control law that you're trying to make up in terms of affordable housing. It has the problem is a rent control law because the landlord has to pay for an attorney. you got to pay for all kind of business consultants and after a while it it just wears them
down. When Newport came to Jersey City, an exception was made for new construction. But when Councilman Solomon puts under rent control because school taxes went up, that really was just too much for
me. None of the tenants will have to pay the 17% increase from the school or the 14% from the county. So yes, they are privileged tenants. Jersey city rent control law is the reason why there's fewer rental problems. And when a
building becomes a condo, the members of the board will be will divide the utilities based upon the square footage of the of individual apartments. So the law of knowing for the tenants of knowing how much utility they use will be mute because a lot of these landlords
will do what they did in the past. They're going to convert them into condos because they are sick and tired of prepaying and and it's just it's it wears them down. You you your law is why we don't have rental properties. And I don't
blame them. I really don't blame them at all. So that's my problem. I'm tired of all these privileged people who vote vote maybe for a park tax, vote for an art tax, and then they can raise my taxes as a >> Thank you, Ivon. Our
next speaker 5.6 Tina. >> Yes, my name is Tina. No, and yes, I do work for education at Gilmore, but I'm talking about for myself. Justice for Drew. JUSTICE FOR DREW. I just wanted to say today in my
community we have they have been barbecuing. Um so we had they have been getting tickets. Um I just wanted to say to education and Gilmore maybe we can educate our community a little bit more about the rules of what they can do and
what they can't do only because we don't have a backyard and a front yard. I have a backyard where I live at, but some of the resident that live around there that don't have a backyard and a front yard. I know Celli Court can't use their front and backyard. So, they have been cooking
on the sidewalk. So, I don't want them to keep coming up there in our community and giving them ticket cuz it's not fair for our community already having a hard time in life. So, to see that they are getting ticket, it make a little depressed in our community because of what's going on. So, I would like for
you to have a meeting and so we'll be able to talk about what they can do in the community as cooking out and enjoying yourself. We already know they don't have a lot of money. Um, I actually did reach out to the park and you do have to pay a fee to do that. So, maybe we could come up with some other
ideas. Um, I know that you told me 5 years ago to use my voice for the community. So, I've been doing that, using my voice and making sure that we just get the right information for our community. I also want to thank Mike Griffin and you for um reaching out for
the nonprofits. It's very important to reach out to them and I appreciate y'all for doing that because it's a lot of nonprofits that have boots on the ground in the community and they just want to see that somebody is like really interacting with them and paying attention. We know that we have to fill
out for grants and different things and stuff like that, but still let them know they doing a good job as they still waiting for the funds and stuff like that. I want to say y'all, we actually went 10k vow here in Jersey City because you know our um housing list open up and
by me the outreach here in Jersey City. I put it out there in the community and we went v to the point that people called me from Las Vegas, North Carolina, Alabama, all over for me to help them. You already know educational Gilmore cuz our phone have been ringing
off the hook from Las Vegas and down south. I just want to thank y'all for taking out the time and just letting me do the outreach, not only here in Jersey City, but all over. It's just showing that we are doing the work and we are in connecting with each other and trying to
move on and to make our city a little better. So, thank you guys. >> Hey, um, Miss Nulls. So, um I'm going to um talk to Councilman Gilmore because there's some
properties like you know you have like the Mandela uh community garden, the basketball court on Ocean. >> Yes. >> We'll we'll reach out to whoever we need to reach out to and see if uh barbecuing
is permissible there off the sidewalk. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Our next speaker 5.7 Gina. Justice for Drew. Justice for Drew.
This is the last time I'll be addressing this council for a while. I will be moving out of Jersey City by the end of this week. Um, I have been here for 11 years. When I first came here, I was working in the city. I have a lot of family and friends
here now that I'm leaving. Sorry to be leaving. Um, and all of my activist friends and community leaders and friends here as well. Um, but it's just become untenable to be here for me. um you know affordability as a single person even when I'm when I'm doing well
is I realized is a fight right and I'm I'm kind of tired so I'm going to take a break because the last administration really put us in a situation here guys the last administration thought that gentrification was progress
and it's a real shame to see what's happening now in our city because any third spaces we have left, they're disappearing. I walk down the street and all I can hear is construction. So, this is not just about affordability, right? This is again
quality of life. I can't physically afford to stay here because it is so exhausting. And I'll tell you one of the things that really broke me this year, it was seeing how we are allowing international real
estate companies to rape Liberty State Park. And I want to remind everybody here today that Mayor Steven Trump is the reason for that. And that had Mr. Gilmore continued to be the council
person for Ward F and Liberty State Park that we would not have allowed to happen what is happening now. And so I have big concerns about leaving the city right now because I see that there are still a lot of people from Stephen Fulip, I'm sorry, Stephen
Trump's cabinet still here and he's still in a position of power in the private sector. So y'all, what do you think he's doing now? Probably sending more developers and real estate folks over here to continue to do what we've been doing, which has not been
working. We can't survive like this where we constantly need new investments in order to fix infrastructure. We can't continue to go on like this. So, shame on you, Council President Denise Ridley, and everybody else. Let's
please do better. Our next speaker, 5.8, Edward. Thank you. Next speaker 5.9 Jeff Warchimemer. I'm a resident and uh my wife owns a small apartment in Jersey City where our daughter resides. Um I
did want to thank the council. It's you know sitting in the back it's very obvious how much preparation goes into these meetings and how well informed you are. And you could be watching the Nick game in a half an hour but you're here instead. So I really uh you have our appreciation. Sir.
>> Okay. >> His mic's not on. Don't worry about it. Just keep going, Jeff. >> I will keep going. Thank you. I had just asked a question I'd like an answer to if you could. Um, in the February U financial disaster report that was issued, um, paraphrasing a bit, it said
the Jersey City Finance staff and a team of municipal budgeting experts for the Institute uh, I'm sorry, from the Institute for State and Local Governance will work over the coming months to develop Jersey City's first true 5-year financial plan to resolve the structural budget deficit. I just have a question
like how's it going? Anybody could give me some feedback. I mean, that was in a report. You were over there. I just Does anybody know what's happening with that plan? >> The uh council hasn't been presented with the budget yet. I mean, I could to
the administration. I know we're all anxiously awaiting seeing it up here as as well as all of our residents. I imagine it has to do with the state aid component of it, but we haven't seen the report yet or or budget. I'll just briefly say that's certainly troubling for me as a resident and I'm
frankly I'm terrified for the you know the frankly um lower and middle class residents of the city that they're looking at collectively we're looking at 100 million plus increase in the property tax coming and we're sort of not keeping able to keep up to date with what's going on. It's just disappointing
and I appreciate your service at the same time. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker 5.10 Ryan Can can before Ryan speaks, can I ask if anyone from the administration is at liberty to share um when when a draft
budget might be coming or if it's the situation that we're waiting on the state aid. >> Still waiting for the state aid. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Ryan. >> All right. Good evening, council. Uh, once again, for the record, this is Ryan
Spain speaking. And before I begin, just want to start by saying I'm very glad to have the chance to address this council. And with that being said, I know that when people come up here, they typically focus their comments on one specific
policy or one particular initiative. However, what I'd like to do today is offer up a broad set of ideas. And my hope here is that each of you as lawmakers keep this stuff in the back of your minds when you're thinking of what laws you will and will not pass. And to
that end, my main point here is very simple. Any action taken, any law passed needs to prioritize three main groups of people. Middle class residents, working-class residents, and small business owners. And that is so critically important because all the
data is showing us that each of these groups are struggling more now than they have at any point in recent history. As a matter of fact, when you look at the past 50 years, the past half century, you see that with each passing decade, the financial well-being of our middle
class has gotten worse and worse as time has gone on. Now, there are a lot of theories out there as to why this is happening. Not surprisingly, however, to save everyone here some time, studies show this is mainly the result of a
decadesl long, again 50-year slow yet consistent deterioration of policies that focus on middle class interests. And at the end of the day, that is why the policies you pass are going to be so consequential.
Ultimately, they have the potential to provide real tangible help to the members of our middle class. So getting these policies right is of the utmost importance. And to that end, on that front, if we're being fair to you and to your task, that
is not easy because passing good policy requires us to strike a very delicate balance with our laws. where on one hand we need to make sure that we maintain a strong and healthy profit incentive so that business owners and entrepreneurs continue to come to Jersey City, invest
here, keep building this city up while on the other hand, we need to make sure that these policies do not leave middle and working-class people behind. Again, it is a very delicate balance. However, if prior councils have been able to do it, this group is so talented. There's no reason why you guys can't do it even
better. So again, my goal here tonight is to encourage all of you to keep these themes in the back of your mind and use them as a proverbial north star when it comes to legislating. And with all that being said, I do want to thank this council for the
opportunity to speak and I want to wish each of you the best throughout your terms. Thank you. Our next speaker 5.11, Phillip Members of city council, I want to thank you for allowing me to speak. On May 11th, 2026, I pay the taxes on all of my
properties. That is some of them are in commercial properties in commercial area. I pay regular taxes, main street taxes. I was a little late. So, the consequence of being late is fees. So paying taxes is my obligation.
I pay taxes to be represented by you. But I came here several times on the same issue. Never got representation. So that's taxation without representation. The only reason why I didn't come tonight with a lawsuit suing you all is
for two things. One, the state law requires that you exhaust your local remedies before you bring the matter to court. Two, Solomon in his uh campaigning citizen really was was there as well. He said,
"Phil, I'm going to address your concerns and I'm going to do different." So, I want to give him some chance because I was going to take the matter to the federal court and I'm going to sue everybody including whoever named the lawyers, the judge, everybody.
And and you can't say that it is is frivolous because I'm coming with a with a transcript whoever is on the transcript. So, let me give Salman administration a little time to breathe because I understand that he have $250
million in debt and the other gangster I call him I Philip was um Steo was pretty good and did some good things but he went rogue and I told him that who like it don't like it. So I just want to give him the chance to breathe and I just want to say that and I've said it before
some action has been taken and those of you who know especially Gilmore would know this you have so many people hanging in front of my my place and then you the Philip administration tell you can't challenge them on loitering but if you can't challenge Lloyd then challenge
nuisance you can't be a n excessive assembly you cannot assemble 20 30 40 people in front of my place and then tell me nothing can be done. Well, a matter of fact, the other people are complaining that that other laws are being enforced, which means that something different has happened and it
needs to happen. So, let me give um this guy some chance. But believe me now, don't relax. If my actions or my requests has not been met, they have not been met. Some of the things have not been met. I'm going to pursue what I say
I was going to do. Lastly, on May 6th, I give council president a letter. She says she's going to answer it. On May 20th, it was not answered. Today is June 11th. Still didn't answer the letter. You said you had a number of emails that
you brought them with me. Emails are electronically mailed. You don't have to bring them to me. Just tell me your email address and it will show up. >> Thank you, Phil. >> Phil, I'm not going to go back through that again. We went through that last council meeting.
>> Okay. Our next speaker, 5.12, Megan. >> Hi everyone. My name is Megan Canio. I'm a mother, resident of Ward F, and a member of Friends of Monaceel. Councilman Gilmore, I'm addressing you tonight. This is your ward, your
constituents, the neighborhood you grew up in. And tonight, we want your Monaceel action plan. For years, residents have been trying to engage. We emailed you. We joined the Ward F caucus. We invited you to community meetings. We invited you to
neighborhood walkthroughs. Yet, despite all of those efforts, you didn't show up. Why? We commend Erica for her attention and responsiveness to serious matters. She's amazing. When we ask her to hear
directly from you, you're silent. Why? We wouldn't be here today if we could have more engagement together. We recently addressed you personally for a response on an incident at the Emory and Monaceel playground where a baby was
physically assaulted by a man carrying a handle of vodka. a baby at a playground assaulted. We emailed to hear directly from you and requested you set up a safety meeting.
Still silence. As a mother, I cannot understand how that can happen in a place intended for children and families. And that incident is not isolated. Residents continue to report people openly appearing under the influence,
suspected drug activity, neglected properties, illegal dumping, and conditions that make families feel unsafe in their own neighborhood. What makes this especially troubling is where these problems are occurring. They are occurring on the routes where children walk to school. They are
occurring inside playgrounds where children's gather. They are occurring on the literal doorsteps of schools. Come check out PS12. This behavior is a complete disrespect for your namesake and to the people who
call Monaceel home. Our children deserve their safe zone. New Jersey considers drug dealing near schools so dangerous that imposes enhanced criminal penalties for the distribution within a thousand ft of school property. The principle is
simple. Children deserve protection. Why do Monaceela children not receive it? It seems like bad actors are the ones who are being protected instead. When the same locations generate complaints years after years, when the
same problems continue, when residents repeatedly ask for help but receive no response, people begin to wonder why. And according to Maria, our crossing guard on Belmont in Monaceel, who has been standing the post for 18 years,
said Monaceel is the worst that she has ever seen. Please help us restore Monaceel. We would love to hear from you. Our our next speaker 5.13 Lynn if you have something you can give it to
the clerk. >> Can I just speak? Yes. Hi, I'm Lynn Burke. I live uh in Bergen Hill, the same ward. Um I signed up to speak, my husband signed up to speak. I would like to turn my time over to Veronica, who
also owns a business on Monaceel. Is that >> It's not how it works. You would have to speak. Is she listed as a speaker? >> She's not, but that's okay. >> Sorry. >> Want me to read yours? >> Can I do that? We both >> You can You can read whatever you want.
It's your three minutes, but you're speak, but it will be your your time also. >> Okay, that's fine. Uh, I've stood before this council before. Well, I haven't, but she has to speak about the safety of our children on Monaceel Avenue. Um, on behalf of traffic reform warriors, and
tonight I am here again on behalf of friends in Monaceel because unfortunately not enough has changed. I'm frustrated because the families in our neighborhood deserve better. Every single day, parents push strollers down Monaceel Avenue. Children walk to school holding their parents' hands and
families shop at local businesses trying to build a strong community. They should be able to do those things without fear. Recently, there was an incident in the nearby public park where a man was openly consuming what appeared to be a bottle of vodka while sitting on a bench
with an adult and a child nearby and started screaming, "The children need to go back to school." And eventually put his hands on a parent holding their child. Whether someone sees that as a public safety issue or a quality of life life issue, our children should not be
exposed to that behavior in the very spaces meant for families. This is not the image of Jersey City that we want for our neighborhoods. Our children deserve parks where they can play safely, sidewalks where they can walk safely, and streets where parents are not constantly looking over their shoulders wondering what's what they
will encounter next. Monaceel Avenue is more than a roadway. It's a place where families live, where children learn, where businesses operate, and where our community gathers. Yet, too many residents feel that safety has become an afterthought. We need a stronger presence that discourages public
drinking, disorderly behavior, and activities that make families uncomfortable using public spaces. We need our parks and sidewalks to reflect the values of the families who live here, not the behavior that drives them away. When parents no longer feel comfortable taking their children for a
walk, when preschool families question whether the neighborhood is safe, and when local businesses suffer because people avoid the area, that affects the quality of life for everyone. I'm asking this council to make Monaceel Avenue and its surrounding streets a constant priority, not just through words, but
through visible action that restores confidence to the families who call this neighborhood home. Our children are watching. They deserve a community where they feel safe walking to school, playing in the park, and simply being kids. Please help us
make that a reality. Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 5.14, Jason. Sorry, before we continue, I just have a question. Uh, Madame President and clerk, are can't we can we suspend the rules to allow uh substitution of
speakers or is that not permitted? >> That is not permitted. >> It's not permitted. Okay. I just want to thank Veronica for coming out. Um, and in full transparency, my daughter was at um, Small Discoveries Daycare. Um and uh
you know I do represent a section of Monaceel and uh you know listen we get uh a lot of calls and emails. Um I know that Councilman U Gilmore is working on these issues. Uh we share Monaceel
together. Um and uh I just want to you know recognize that you you came out Veronica and uh thank you for the work that you do um at Small Discoveries. Okay, Jason. >> Thank you. Good evening, council president, council members, and
especially Councilman Gilmore. My name is Jason Kratabel, and I'm a property owner at Aster Place, owner of Tiny Topiary on Monaceel and a member of Friends of Monaceel. I am here tonight to ask for a comprehensive public safety and economic development plan for the Monaceel
corridor. For too long, residents and property owners have watched open air drug activity, loitering, litter, public disorder, and other quality of life issues persist without a visible long-term strategy to address them. The people who live, work, invest, and raise
families in this neighborhood deserve the same level of safety and economic opportunity that residents expect in every other part of Jersey City. We should not be treated as an afterthought. I'm asking the city and council in Gilmore to work with residents, business
owners, law enforcement, and community organizers to develop a specific plan that includes increased enforcement against illegal drug trafficking, enhanced foot patrols, sanitation, code enforcement, and regular public reporting on progress and outcomes.
That being said, public safety and economic development go hand in hand. At the same time that our neighborhood struggles with open air drug activity, we continue to be constrained by an outdated ordinance from the 90s that
>> bring the mic closer to >> Sorry about that. At the same time that our neighborhood struggles with open air drug activity, we continue to be constrained by an outdated ordinance from the '9s that prevents new liquor licenses from being put into use on Monaceel Avenue. believe it's called
ordinance number M little C or mix C-240 uh into use on Monosel Avenue between communal and Fairview. As a result, legitimate businesses that could bring investment, foot traffic, jobs, and positive activity to the corridor are being turned away.
This issue has real economic consequences. Property owners on Monaceel are being directly harmed by this restriction. At 181 Monaceel Avenue, there is an interested operator who would like to relocate an existing liquor license from downtown Jersey City to our neighborhood. This is not a
request to create a new license. Is an opportunity to bring an established business owner, investment, jobs, tax revenue, and additional eyes on the street to a corridor that desperately needs positive activity. So, I'm also asking Councilman Gilmore and the
council to begin the process of reviewing and repealing this outdated ordinance. At a minimum, residents and property owners deserve a public discussion about whether this policy is still serving the community's best interests. Monaceel Avenue deserves better. We
deserve safer streets, stronger businesses, and policies that encourage investments instead of discouraging it. We need a plan to address illegal activity and we need the political will to remove barriers to responsible redevelopment. At this point, I'd like to respectfully
ask if I could ask a >> Thank you. >> May I ask a question? >> Yeah, time is up, sir. >> Time's up. All right. >> Sorry. >> Thanks. Our next speaker, 5.15, Mark. Good evening, city council. I want to
work with you to address a critical loophole in our rent control laws that allows institutional investors to evade their obligations by fragmenting their holdings. Under the current section 260, rent control applies to buildings with five or more units. However, corporate
landlords are exploiting this by purchasing multiple small properties, placing each under a separate LLC, and claiming that single property is exempt from rent control. Former council president Joyce Waterman rightfully identified this trend as a
threat to our housing stability. We saw an attempt to fix this with ordinance 25107, which unfortunately contained a poison pill regarding guaranteed profit margins. Following that, we proposed a cleaner path with ordinance 25125.
Corporate landlords use complex webs of shell companies, subsidiaries, and family proxies to mask their true footprint. We propose defining ownership very narrowly. Each property owned by an LLC must disclose the ultimate beneficiary. And if the aggregate owned
by that beneficiary is five or more units, the whole portfolio is treated as a single multiple dwelling for the rent control purposes of 260. We built in safeguards of small family properties with exemption from aggregation for buildings held by a spouse or child.
Our work with the law department and members of the council, the prior council produce specific technical language designed to capture beneficial interest and voting control. We proposed a permanent ineligibility clause to prevent landlords from simply shuffling
assets to dodge the law. These aren't abstract ideas. They're surgical fixes derived from 2 years of observing exactly how these entities operate in Jersey City. Glass Council defeated this measure, citing a need for more time to study the ramifications. They didn't say
it was wrong. They just wanted more time. But time's now passed. The housing crisis has not waited for us and neither have the investors who are eroding our housing stock. I'm ready to work with you to bring this to fruition. So I ask,
which member of this council is ready to lead on this? Who's prepared to pick up the draft? Who will work with us to review the technical language? Who will introduce this legislation to close the loophole for good? Who will become the hero? I'll
even find a cape for them. Thank you. >> Our next speaker 516, Ashley. >> Good evening, council. I'm Ashley Swigot, a Ward F resident, community lead for the traffic reform warriors, and a board member of Safe Streets
Jersey City. I originally had signed up to speak as a resident of the Monosella neighborhood. In light of the crash on Ocean and Wilkinson this morning, I feel compelled to speak about safe streets in Jersey City.
Jersey City has not done nearly enough to build infrastructure for safer streets. I continually see calls for studies, community meetings that stall progress and water down safe street designs that we know work.
Ooken has achieved nine years of vision zero. They've had no deaths on their streets for nine years. They're using safe street infrastructure that we know works. They're narrowing the streets to improve visibility. Using automated enforcement, which has been
shown to change dangerous behaviors, and they've lowered the city speed limit to 20 miles hour. It works. They've showed us it works. We're coming up on the one-year anniversary of Eli Bender's death, which
was caused by a large UPS truck that didn't belong on our residential streets. This morning, a family's life was changed again by a large 18-wheeler truck that did not belong on our residential streets. In Mayor Solomon's press release
yesterday about vision zero at Bergen and Kensington, showcasing a quick build and recommitting to vision zero, there were cars driving through the stop signs that were implemented. So, it's clear that adding paint and a stop sign isn't enough.
We need hardened infrastructure. We need corner bumpouts. We need raised crosswalks. We should narrow the roads, automated enforcement, lower speed limits, and we need oversized trucks off of our residential roads. We know what
works. On Monaceel and Fairmont, a man was killed two years ago, and so far we've only seen paint and flexi posts as a response despite the 1.8 million grant that was awarded for street improvements on Monaceel.
Street safety is also a quality of life issue. Too many people feel it's not their responsibility. It's another department. It's another ward. It's another neighborhood. It's somebody else's problem. So, I'm imploring every one of you to take ownership. We need this
council to be leaders and deliver on the vision zero commitment that the city has made. Thank you. Um Sean, I just I just want to say uh briefly to the Monosella group, um I
share your frustration. Um we've been going through this problem for teen years, but in full honesty, Monicellar has changed a lot. It's not where we want it to be. is not where um it's
picket fence and all of that, but there has been some change. There's been drastic change to that area. Um and I will say this, um I'm not going to personally respond to everyone who
emails my office. In fact, that is a very unreasonable request to ask for me to personally respond to every single individual who emails my office. Staff
is in place so that we can work together. This is a collaborative approach. This is a team's approach. I'm not going to score 30 points every night. I may play just defense or just get rebounds. That's what the collective
team approach is about. You just heard Mr. Carrington talk about 50 individuals congregating in front of his property on a daily. I go up there sometime because I I walk my children to school. I want
to feel what the residents and water feel in real time. So, I see this and like I said, I I I I sympathize. I feel the pain of the residents. I'm not dismissive of that at all. Right.
There's a advocacy side of me and saying we need to do something right damn now. And then there's a political side of me saying that, you know, things take time. Sometimes we feel like we don't have the time. It is extremely frustrating. And
I'm aware of that. I will continue to work with the residents in the area, to work with the administration, and to work with public safety to find a a reasonable medium. The problem we have so much with the corridor of MLK,
Monaceella, Ocean, and Bergen is the police not going to just go arrest people for congregating there. Because some time back we had a law that we was arresting individuals
for wandering in the drug area. The Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional. They said we can't do it. Right. So I I I sympathize with the residents. I feel what you saying. Something definitely has to be done.
Right. But it's going to take a collaborative approach with community, police, administration, elected leadership. And you know, we have to find, like I said, we have to find that medium. All of us want to live in safe neighborhoods. I too want my child to go
to the park and have fun and not be at risk of being hurt. No child should have to to experience that. I don't care what park they go to, right? Um, but we are working with public safety. We are working with public safety and we're
working with the administration. We're working with the SID. We're working with different community groups and we are working and that's all I'm going to say on that. This stuff is like I'm extremely passionate about this. This only job the
only reason I really do this job, right? This job don't pay me any damn thing. I can I can go and make my salary in two or three months, right? But I do this stuff because I'm passionate. I live it and I see it. I sympathize with the residents,
right? So I always want to encourage you to come and express yourself. That is your right to do that and is your right to advocate for your community how you want to see it. But in the same breath, I also invite collaboration.
Right? So that's all I wanted to say on that. Okay, before I call the next speaker, the council president would like to extend elected official courtesy to Commissioner William OD. >> Thank you, Council President. Um,
quickly on the on the issue that and I just walked into the middle on vision zero. Um, on the county level, I've been a strong advocate to finally get the county on board. um strong supporter of the BRT, agree narrowing lanes, especially on
places like JFK Boulevard, is critical um to saving lives and and avoiding people's injuries. Um tonight, I came here to briefly speak first on I didn't come here until I saw it. Ordinance 312.
Kudos. Um, Frank, I remember the fights first up at up at the 8:30 uh the county plaza building when they tried to have a meeting where people weren't even allowed to participate and then ultimately down here. So, I think this is great and it it's it's needed and on
on 313 and 314 um you know certainly there's questions they should be addressed. uh had been working with them and on this for a period of time. Affordable housing needs to be 50% AMI and below. That's what this is. Projects
that have union labor create opportunities for real apprenticeships. And as as I think uh Frank and and Mike might know, we've already recruited 12 individuals from Booker T um as part of our commitment to our good friend who
passed away, Dwayne Baskerville, to make sure that on this job there'll be real new apprenticeship opportunities created for Jersey City residents, for minority men and women. So, I think that there's something there's a lot of good things in here. pilots have always have
questions and issues, but I think that this is the type and also putting dollars into the board of ed for capital are are are all critical. And so I just wanted to come and put those positives on the table as it related to those. And you'll hear later a gentleman who can
attest to how projects like this can create opportunities. His name is Sam Conway. You tonight are appointing him to be on the Jersey City Planning Board. He is one of the first products of project impact many many years ago and he can show that projects like this
built with union labor uh with some incentives from the city create not just jobs but create critiers so uh create careers so uh I think this is the way to move these are the type of pilots you should consider 50% and below AMI 20% is
the low as you have additional projects starting in day one talking developers you can maybe get those numbers higher. But reality is reality. You want a higher percentage, you need more incentives. This is actually a project that has no low-income housing tax credits in it. First one I've seen um
that uses Aspire without low-inccome housing tax credits. The value of that is the fact that if they went to put in lowincome housing tax credits, you'd be waiting another year or more till they would be in the ground to start the construction. So, thank you. And I really appreciate you uh extending me
the courtesy of speaking. I was late because I was on a Zoom meeting with the friends of the Los. Thank you very much. >> Our next speaker 5.17 Gig. Hello council members. My name is Gidget Terry, also known as Lady G. I'm an
owner of Lady G's Restaurant and Bar in the Greenville section of Jersey City. I'm here tonight because for months I've been trying to understand why my business has been denied an entertainment license. They say I
need an entertainment license to play music or have a DJ, have karaoke, and I have been denied twice. Every time I ask for answers, I'm told that public safety
has concerns about my establishment. It sound like public safety got their hands full with the rest of these people and y'all should be leaving me alone. Anyway, I have submitted an Oprah request seeking complaints, reports,
documentation showing that my business is a nuisance because that's what they said, that we're a nuisance. What I received did not support the allegations that had been made against my establishment.
There were no records showing a pattern of complaints from residents, neighboring businesses that would justify treatment. we have received. We had the police in the month of May visit
our establishment twice um telling the people that this place is a nuisance and that we're in violation and told patriots that they could not come in. Sound like the police should be in other
neighborhoods. I've also spent months being sent to department after department, contacting commerce. I was told to contact business administration. When I contact these people, nobody
knows what we're talking about. So, we've been going around in circles and we really need your help. I don't know what else to do, but I'm being harassed. And you say you want small businesses here. So why is my
business getting such a hard time? Maybe you could check the records and see. There's no people outside drinking. There's no underage kids hanging in my place. We make great food. Um, and we have a really nice clientele. I need to
understand why my business in the Greenville section is getting such a hard time. Thanks, >> Peter. Um, if if someone from the BA's office can I
guess get the young lady's contact at the very least to see exactly what's going on because I know she's been here um several times. Well, I haven't been following the actual incident in this totality. Um I know she's been here u
several times um making reference to entertainment license and stuff like that. So we can reach out to her and and not only that um you know Lady G is a staple in Jersey
City before she started her brick and mortar. She would show up at festivals in her truck and and and selling her goods. Um, you know, I just recently um awarded Lady G's um with the small
business award and you know and and I frequent the place and just having these conversations uh with um Gidget I it's you know it's almost unbelievable some of the things
that she's telling me that that she's going through. So yeah, I I mean, please let's let's let's get everything ironed out. >> Yeah, if if you can pass along her contact information and any information about what she's talking about, I'm
happy to look into. >> Great. And in regards to um public safety and officers going out to businesses in that Greenville area, uh Miss Terry is not the first person to bring up this. I'll say in the last
month that there's been an excessive amount of officers going to similar businesses in the area and the claims not um not matching what is being told to them. So there is another OPER request that was recently submitted by
another establishment. Uh we're waiting for the results of that OPER request to come out and then I'm sitting with uh public safety director to investigate further. So, it's good to have the additional information. >> I just say obviously Lady G's brick and
mortar is not in my award, so I would defer and trust my colleagues, but uh we rented out the food truck for our seniors over the summer. Everything was fantastic. And I've been to your establishment sporting future county commissioner, Miss Johnson, to my right. Uh it was a great place. So, just wanted
to offer that to you. >> This is also not my award, but I also love your empanadas. So, Okay, back to our public speakers. Our next speaker, 5.18, Danielle.
>> Good evening. Tonight, I want to ask a simple question. What legal repercussions exist for property owners who allow buildings and lots to sit vacant and deteriorate for years? Jersey City is experiencing a development boom.
Cranes fill our skyline and many major projects are nearing completion. But as we continue to grow, I think we need to ask whether growth always means building something new or whether it can also mean restoring, rehabilitating, and
preserving what already exists. Across our neighborhoods, there are buildings that have been neglected for years. Some be some become safety concerns. Others are allowed to deteriorate until demolition becomes the only option. Too
often, pieces of Jersey City's history are lost, not because they couldn't be saved, but because they were allowed to fall into disrepair. Recently, I came across a phrase that perfectly captures what many residents are feeling. Our system too often
rewards extraction over cultivation. That phrase has stayed with me. When properties are left vacant, when owners neglect historic buildings, and when neighborhoods are forced to live with the consequences, that is extraction over conservation. Communities lose
while speculation wins. The people of Jersey City want cultivation. We want thriving neighborhoods, preserved history, safe housing, and responsible shooters of the places we call home. I wonder if some of our enforcement
processes could be more proactive. Too often, compliance seems to depend on owners voluntarily doing the right thing or violations being discovered after the fact. Whether it's tree protections, site requirements, or property
maintenance, accountability should not depend on someone getting caught. So I ask, are current enforcement tools sufficient? Are there stronger mechanisms available to address long-term neglect and ensure compliance
before damage is done? Preservation development do not have to be opposing forces. We can build new housing while protecting our history. We can welcome growth without erasing the character that makes Jersey City unique. Growth
should not mean demolition by neglect. Sometimes the most sustainable thing we can do is restore what is already here. Thank you for your time, >> Daniel. Thank you for your comments. Uh just want to note that uh what we're seeing in W C is a lot of the properties
that are are getting fines are already been transferred to a private developer. uh and instead of just issuing low-level fines, I' I've asked planning to look into whether we can trust that person or that business to develop responsibly if they can't take care of their property
before their approvals. So, I just want to thank you again for your comments. >> And I I have a question for the administration. I don't know if you can answer this, but um a report came out saying that um there was an uptick in
and in and us uh giving out uh parking tickets and violations. Do we have a report on um properties um that are in violation? Like are are we seeing more um
like tickets, cleaning uh cleaning leans and so forth? We can take this back to the relevant departments and get you the get you more information. >> Well, I mean, I can speak personally that the problem is not the uptick in
the ticket. The problem is the tickets are too cheap for the developers. So, it's just a cost of doing business. So, that been an uptick. They've been issuing more citations. But, I mean, they these guys are using these properties as tax slaves, man. Um, it
makes no sense for a prominent developer to have development on a waterfront and have a huge vacant building on the main corridor. Like it's it's it's just mindboggling. Those are the properties that we need to be making sure is up for
condemnation. >> I agree. >> Especially when the back is the back of the building is gone. our our council office, Danielle, thank you for raising this, has also been looking into this. One thing we've been finding is enforcement problems uh in
our city with this where a building will be on the vacancy list one year. We'll pay one fine to or one fee, excuse me, to register with that vacancy list and then an inspector deems it no longer
vacant um uh falsely, unfortunately. and it then goes back down to non- vacant, doesn't have to pay an increased fee the next year to register again. So, we're encountering a lot of enforcement issues that our office is trying to work with administration um and housing
preservation to to solve. So, appreciate the cooperation with the admin on this and yeah, appreciate the advocacy because this is a serious problem in the Heights to to Greenville sounds like. So, okay, on to our next speaker. 5.19 Britney.
Britney's not here. >> What? >> He's not here. >> That's what I said. >> I don't know who's on second. 5.20. Jessica. Uh, I'm here to talk about the Port Liberte Ferry. Okay. I understand that
the city wants to take away our subsidy. You think we're affluent. We have secretaries. We have police. We need that. We rely on that ferry to get into Manhattan. Council President Ridley, you know, I'm an attorney. That sounds so exciting. You know, very affluent. I'm an
immigration lawyer. Everything that this city fights, you protest and then you get to go home. I'm living in the trenches. I rely on an affordable way to get to work. Every video that you see on Tik Tok, Instagram, of people getting
arrested outside of court, I can show you the pictures. I'm there. I'm in the trenches. The stuff that I've seen, you would have nightmares. Imagine watching a woman say goodbye to her four-year-old
and her six-year-old outside a federal building, knowing she's not coming out. I rely on a and and my neighbors rely on an affordable way to get to the city. We pay anywhere between 20 and $30 million in taxes a
year in property taxes. You don't pick up my trash. You don't plow my roads. You don't pave my roads. You give me Jersey City Fire Department, which I would like to say for the record is unbelievable. And I'm so thankful for what they do for this city. We barely
get police unless somebody calls 911. You landlock me on a marathon preventing people from going to the doctor, to the airport, to religious institutions. You landlock me on a football game, but yet
you take my 20 to30 million a year and you don't give me anything. Every single ward in this city has public transportation. I drove by Society Hill the other day just to look. They have a bus. What do we have? We have our ferry.
Our shuttle bus to Grocery. We pay for. Okay. We're not as affluent as you think. I am sick of this city forgetting about Port Liberte. I need you. I need you to fight for me. Council President
Ridley. I need you to help me fight for what this council and this city claims that they stand for in terms of ICE, immigration enforcement, unfairness, injustice. Okay, I'm very passionate about my job.
I'm doing it 25 years in my life. I could have never never envisioned what I'm dealing with today. Every day it's something. And if you take away our subsidy and make my commute into Manhattan unsustainable and
unaffordable, then I can't do my job to fight for what this city council stands for and what this city claims to be against, and that's ICE. I thank you for your time. I'm sorry that I got a little
>> but that's my life. Our next speaker, Sean. One second, Sean. Jessica, I will uh I'll talk to you offline, but we are working on some stuff for the ferry. I don't want to
speak before anything is solid. Yeah. Okay. But we'll we'll we'll talk offline, but we are working with the administration and I think we are close to a resolution. It is an important uh ferry stop. It is the only one on that
side of the city. We fought to get it back after they closed it during COVID. It is the only ferry stop where you could park for free and a lot of residents in Greenville use it. So, um, like I said, we'll have more information hopefully by next week. Um, but we are
fighting to make sure it continues. >> All right. >> Okay. Okay. Good time. >> Next speaker. 5.21, Kevin Davis. First of all, go Spurs. Just kidding. Glad that I now got your attention. You
guys almost fell for it. Um, so I was coming here tonight mostly upset and now I'm mostly happy because of the beginning of the meeting. So, I brought up some concerns at the educational Gilmore community caucus that was also
joined by Councilman Griffin as well as both of their staffs. Uh, so the automotive contract for the automated camera parking tickets. Now, obviously, I want cars to get ticketed for parking in bike lanes because I'm on a bike in the bike lane and I don't like when the
car is in it, especially when I'm on my way to Ward B to get the best roadie in the city. Uh, but War Death got the best oxtail. So, um, I bike, it's important, but I think, you know, when you realize that these fines are $175 for parking in
a bike lane, yet in Pittsburgh it's $60. And Pittsburgh also did the automated parking cameras and they were able to reduce most of their illegal parking. So, you know, with this regressive fee, which is a parking ticket, we need to really look at who it hurts because
whether you're driving a Bentley, a Cadillac Escalade with spree wells, or a Honda Civic that's from 1996, you're paying the same amount in parking tickets. Uh, it doesn't make sense. So, I was able to tell Councilman Gilmore's office about my research about
automotives. The CEO has been throwing his money around. $1,000 donation to uh Mayor Solomon. $1,000 donation to the Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbor. $1,000 donation to Assembly Menala. Uh $750
donation to the Safe Streets Pack. That's right. It's all about the Benjamins for them, too. Um and Diddy didn't wrote that. It was actually Jedakus. My source, my friend, uh that I went to high school with sold Jedakus weed and told me all about it. So, I
think when you look at these new bids, we should look to see uh what type of contract the city's getting because I tried looking at the contract to research it for Jersey City. I called the clerk's office and they're like, "Well, maybe we can email it to you or you can do an OPRA, but all I've been
doing is filing Opraas with the city and I'm still waiting on most of them." So, I think the city, and it's not a criticism of the office. I was a government employee myself. Uh you guys work hard. I was an elected official, too. When I was an elected official and
we had our agendas out in the public online, you can see all the backup documents. And all I could see for this was the resolution cuz I remember I was biking. I was right near Garfield Park and I pulled over, there was a guy wearing camo shorts and a Dominique Wilkins jersey. You can't forget that
combo. And I was looking at the agenda and it wasn't even on there. And then the next day it was and it was just a resolution. So my time is going up. Make the agendas more transparent. Let's look into these regressive fees so we can get safer streets without making people bankrupt. And go Spurs. Just kidding.
>> 5.22. Chris, >> defer my time because I'm scheduled. I'm printed twice. >> Yeah, but you can only speak once. So, you have to speak now. >> Speak now. Okay. All right. So, good evening, council president and council. Um, uh, my name is Chris Capers. I'm a
lifelong resident of Jersey City. My entire family lives here, and my son is also a student in the Jersey City school system. Jersey City is more than where I live. It is my home. I have a deep personal investment in its future. I
have a firsthand personal and professional understanding of how development impacts our neighborhoods. I am honored to be considered for a position on the planning board that will let me use my skills to ensure development live up to the vision of our
city's master plan and are compliant with local ordinances that protect and promote that vision. Throughout my career, I have worked on numerous construction projects throughout the city, including the landmark 99 Hudson
development. These experiences have provided me with extensive knowledge of construction practices and safety. As a shop steward and union organizer, I have also been involved in code enforcement on job sites, keeping members safe by
ensuring compliant construction practices. As an organizer, bringing forward complaints when building or safety codes are violated. My commitment to Jersey City extends but beyond my profession. I've been actively
involved in the community through co coaching youth sports, volunteering and supporting various community organizations. These experiences have allowed me to connect with residents from all walks of life and better understand the needs and
concerns of our community. Having witnessed Jersey City transform from the old Jersey City to the vibrant and growing city that we see today, I have a unique perspective on both its history and its future. I'm proud to serve on
the board that helps guide projects and make decisions that will shape the future of Jersey City for generations to come. A sincere thanks to the Solomon administration for their support and confidence and I look forward to continuing to serve our community and
helping ensure that Jersey City Growth benefits all who call it home. Thank you for Thank you. >> Next speaker is a duplicate of 5.15. So next speaker 5.24 24 AEN. >> Good evening everyone. Um I'm a little
nervous. I apologize in advance. My name is Adena Rivera. My husband and I moved here about 7 years ago around the time that we had our little girl and we recently purchased a home um near the Monaceel Quarter and I am also with the Friends of Monaceel. I'm here because I care and I want to contribute and be
engaged. We're most useful to the community. As a newer resident, I wanted to share my initial perspectives on Monaceel and emphasize two key issues in need of urgent prioritiz prioritization. Some that have been shared with my my fellow community members. Firstly,
safety. Residents and business owners should not have to deal with assault, open air drug use, public drinking, um loitering, illegal dumping, broken sidewalks, or excessive trash. Basic public safety and maintenance are a minimum requirement for a thriving
community. Regarding safety, something that wasn't mentioned earlier, on June 1st, there was a shooting near Monaceel in the middle of the afternoon across the street from a playground and at around 3:30 p.m. when children may have been present. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but safety incidents like this are
unacceptable and apparently they're not isolated. I won't rehash the incident with the child at Monaceel Park and the dad that was assaulted. I what I will say is that I put myself in the position of that man and I thought what would my child be feeling. It makes me truly
emotional and very upset. It's heartbreaking to think what that child may have felt, what that father felt, how scared he may have been. It's truly unacceptable. With regards to my own personal experiences, I've witnessed aggressive cat calling. Um I've been
generously offered drugs uh twice. I was cursed at for not engaging the offer to do drugs. And on a separate occasion while walking to yoga, I was pursued for over a block by a man. This is uncomfortable. I shouldn't have to feel this way. This is a pattern of behavior
for multiple individuals that are perusing the Monaceel corridor. Secondly, we have to address the vacant and unsafe properties. Then there are many on Monaceel. Griffin, I know that we've talked about this extensively and Rolando as well. Um, neglected buildings
are a breeding ground for safety issues. They create opportunities for trespassing, drug dealing and use, and they reduce the quality of life. We need stronger accountability for delinquent property owners, many of whom who have the means and to develop and maintain their properties. I've looked into them.
I've looked at the property tax records. We know who owns them. Alongside the members of Monaceel community, we've developed we've helped identify the problematic properties and we welcome the opportunity to work with the city on solutions. It sounds collectively like all of the wards are facing the same
issue with property. So maybe we can find a way to work together across all of the wards to address enforcement code violations to determine how best to deal with condemnation. It shouldn't be that we're each ward is dealing with it individually and separately. That's exceptionally inefficient and not
scalable. and I look forward to working with all of you honestly and sincerely. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 5.25, Kelly. >> Hello. Hi, everyone. This is my first time speaking, so bear with me. Um, I
also didn't prepare anything, so here we go. Um, I've been in Jersey City for a long time and I'm a lifetime Hudson County resident. Um, I unfortunately have a lot of people in my life who have passed away from car
accidents and things of that nature and I think that's something that's been on everyone's mind lately. Um just yesterday after you guys actually did the pedestrian crosswalk over on Bergen, um there I was actually driving and a
gentleman came from behind me and sped around into oncoming traffic and in front of me and it was not the best thing. So um I pulled up to next to him and I asked him why he did that and he
said I was going too slow. Um, so there's just something about the culture around driving here that I think is a bit of an issue. I also think closing the rainbow bridge that connects Journal Square to like that Ward F area has been
a big problem. Um, and then on top of that, I'm also a mom and I walk around Monttoello um, very frequently with my two and a half-year-old son and uh, everything that everyone has said
tonight is a fact. Um, and it's very sad. Um, I have a hard time walking around there thinking about when I'm going to have to explain to my son what is happening. Um there's also a incident that happened
back in 2024 where um my husband and I went to our car, got our stroller, went to Lincoln Park, came back and our car was gone. So our car was stolen and on top of that, my car has been totaled while parked, broken into, and now
stolen in Jersey City. So we'll take that as a badge of honor, right? So after it being joy ridden for five weeks, you know, it was dropped a block or two away from where it was stolen, which is my neighborhood. Um, and I've
just kind of over the last year told myself I wanted to get more involved. Um, and a lot of the people here are actually my neighbors and and business owners that are really trying to make a difference. And I think everyone should really lean on each other in that because we really have to help each
other and collaborate on what the solutions are for this, you know, um because there are a lot of, you know, people in the neighborhood that are drinking because of loss. You know, I talked to one gentleman who lost his son and you know, maybe there's some kind of community effort that could be made with
community fridge or community resources in that area. There really isn't anything right now. Um there's actually a space that has uh Solomon and Gilmore's face on it which thank you' be a great community space. So thanks guys.
>> Our next speaker 5.26 Jonathan um I'm sorry just really quickly um so I met with um two departments. one, I met with Health and Human Services
where, you know, they'll be looking to to to disperse teams of people out to to um talk to people who they may see have issues on the street, whether it's substance abuse, um if they're unhoused,
and um you know, other other you know, issues they may have. And I also uh met with the depart the safety department and um I met with the director of public safety and he's supposed to get me a
timeline and a schedule for uh foot patrols and and these foot patrols that you know it's not to go out and arrest people but to go out talk meet with businesses and and have that presence out there to to show that they're out there, Right. And and this
is a safe community and and so I I just wanted to say that because, you know, I I see that, you know, a lot of people showed up to to figure out what's going on. And and and also, you know, on the emails, um I respond I I got another response I
have to send you guys. I did send the vacant properties list, but um I got a response from the um deputy chief of uh I'm not the deputy
chief, the deputy director of public safety in regards to the placards for abandoned properties. Okay, our next speaker 5.26, Jonathan. >> Thank you. Good evening, council. While I strongly support the proposed
automated traffic enforcement pilot, I'm actually here tonight to talk about a different kind of pilot that is the canal crossing project. I would like to uh thank the ward councilman Gilmore for his uh support for the project at caucus
the other day and I just want to say a few words about the project. So I live somewhat nearby in war about one um one light rail stop away and you know right now that area unfortunately it's it's blighted. It's a formal industrial area. You know everyone's still still scared
about it. I think this project would be great for the community. It would revitalize the area. the neighbors I've talked to, they're they're in favor of it. And it's not just that, it's the financial aspect. So, I know people are debating the value of pilots, but right now, according to the numbers that were
published, it's generating 62K annual annually for the city. And with this pilot, it will generate 1.85 million. Now, yes, hypothetically, if we could have a project without a pilot, maybe it would be even better. I don't see anyone lining up to do that. So, we're
basically choosing 62 versus 1.85. It's pretty simple math there. No one no one is um jumping up to do that. Lastly, we're we're in affordable housing crisis. So, this is a great project. We're going to add a lot of affordable units. We're going to add a lot of uh
you know that this is an era where a lot of people are getting priced out. It really needs that help. So, thank you very much uh for your support and my ask is in a few weeks to vote yes on the second ordinance. Thank you. The next speaker 5.27 Ivan. Good evening council. I am here to also
express my strong support for the canal crossing pilot ordinance. This project is an important step towards a more vi vibrant and accessible city. It transformed underutilized land into a mixeduse development, provided much
needed housing for the community. I am particularly encouraged by the commitment to dedicate 10% of pilot revenue to the educ education infrastructure capital fund which is a tangible way to ensure development directly benefits the schools. While I
understand that there are differing opinions regarding pilots or what the ideal amount of affordable housing that is needed or required. However, I believe it is essential that we focus on progress that is actually actually
achievable. In urban planning, waiting for the perfect project can become the enemy of good. So, and that is exactly how in many cases we end up with zero affordable housing, zero funding for school. So, this is a very good pilot
that I encourage you to support. Remember, pilot programs are a tool and when utilized responsibly, it is it is a great tool that can benefit the community when properly negotiated. So, again, I urge you to support this agreement. And since I have a little bit
more time on a different topic, I want to discuss the horrific accident on Ocean Avenue. So, which has left a woman and two children hospitalized. I urge you that we please, please treat this
with the uter most urgency. People are getting hurt on the streets because of lack of proper traffic enforcement. So I I also support the other pilot of automated parking enforcement cameras. Thank you.
Our next speaker 5.28 Eric. Good evening. Uh I'm also speaking in support of the canal crossing uh ordinance that will be coming before you in a couple of weeks for a second reading. I think this is a good project um for a variety of reasons uh which
have been said by uh Ivan and Jonathan previously. Most notably uh this is a redevelopment of currently uh a former industrial brownfield site. So, this will create a vibrant new community with access to public transit uh in a location that currently does not have
it. I'm also encouraged by the amount of affordable housing that is set aside. But, as we are talking about affordable housing, I do want to draw your attention to some of the standards that might be developing over the next couple months so that way you're aware of some
of the trade-offs that might be coming down the down the pike. Uh most notably, as we increase the set aside for affordable housing, we increase the needed use of a pilot, but we also decrease the revenue that the city gets from a said pilot because we have to
increase the the subsidy necessary for affordable housing. Now, this project is particularly good because it's got a 20% set aside, which gives it access to Aspire tax credits. Hopefully, it will get those tax credits, which will make it more likely to break ground. If it
does not get Aspire tax credits, however, we're likely just to see it sit vacant for years, if not decades to come. So, we h I am just encouraging everybody to be flexible and thinking about how we
fund these projects. But also because Aspire tax credits are limited, I also want to draw attention that we might be running the risk if we require 20% affordable housing set aides in every single development in Jersey City, we
risk not building any affordable housing at all. Uh because of the subsidy necessary to make affordable housing work and that could have real ramifications particularly downtown. There are sites like 150 Bay, 155
Montgomery, which would make excellent locations for affordable housing. Those will most likely require a pilot to work. But if we require 20% set aides for all pilot agreements moving forward,
that means we're likely not to get all the Aspire aid necessary because again, that's capped. So, I'm just saying maintain some flexibility with projects. I would encourage you all to do 20% set aides downtown and get Aspire for there
because one of the benefits of affordable housing is of course giving families access better schools and because downtown tends to have better schools, you're getting low-income families access to better schools. So if we're looking at an equity perspective of funding affordable housing, you know,
that's a really important consideration. So it's just something to think about as you move forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker 5.29 Brendan Gooding everyone. I'm going to keep this short.
I just want to talk about um biking around in the city. It I no longer count how many times when I'm biking that I risk my life. I count how many times I bike to point A to point B and feel safe. It's around six times in the last
6 months. Mostly biking to exchange place from 155 Washington Street. The bike lanes are a joke. They often have cars are uncleared or in few times with glass in them. We need to do better to actually keep the
city safe and to handle traffic calming. Driving in this I've driven in the city and it is an absolute nightmare. I remember being 18 years old driving home after high school and despite the traffic from the tunnel it was a bit
ser. We need more traffic enforcement, pursuing any way we can to automate lane violations of our traffic code. Raising sidewalks, looking at other examples from other cities. In many countries, when a car crashes into a building,
which is a common occurrence apparently now in New Jersey, they look at what caused this to happen. They look at the contents of the person and the road design. Our roads are designed to be driven fast. You can do 60 m hour quite easily on most the roads in this city.
We should be taking steps to minimize the urge for people to drive directly fast and rushing through things, limiting and limiting the amount of heavy heavy trucks that are going through this our our shorter city streets. Thank you.
>> Excuse me. Next speaker 530 Alexa. My name is Alexa. I'm a thirdyear OB resident position at Jersey City Medical Center. I am here testifying in support of the resolution 26318
which is urging Thursday City Medical Center to seek a commitment to fair wages. >> Alexa, pick your mic. There you go. >> Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Going to lower it better. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. So, I'm a third year medical um OB resident at Jersey City.
Um, I'm here to testify in support of the resolution for 26 318 to help urge Jersey City Medical Center to support fair wages for other resident physicians and fellows. Um, as a resident we work 80 hours a week. Um, we take care of I
guess there's 145,000 a little over women in Jersey City and with the closure of Christ recently there is a huge influx. I mean we have so many patients on our labor floor that they're laboring in the hallway in the triage bays. It's insane. Um, on top of these hours and the
patient loads, we're leaving work after 13, 14 hours to go bargain with the hospital administration and they have disregarded us many, many times. The bargaining has been going on for over a year now. Um, we're not asking for a lot. We're asking to be paid fairly in
which is comparable to other programs in the area, the residency programs. Right now, we're getting paid the least out of at least all the Ruckers programs that are here. the cost of living, specifically in Jersey City, is way higher than that in Newark and other places across the state of New Jersey.
Um, we've shared many stories with them with the hospital themselves over the past year, including some of my own, like, you know, having a flat tire that I used to fill up when I got to work and when I got home because I couldn't afford the $300 tire, you know, it's it's kind of crazy. Um most of my
co-residents are preparing for the next Barney meeting and so right now them is here with me but um we want to say thank you for your continued support with us. Um we truly love our jobs. We love taking care of the women in Jersey City but we just want to be treated fairly.
Thank you. Hey, thank you so much, doctor, uh, for coming and speaking. Um, as a a no-brainer to put forward this resolution in support of you all, uh, especially with the closure at Christ, we know the incredible incredible uh,
case load that you all are working under. Um, so just thank you all for your service to to everyone um, at Jersey City Medical Center, residents, nurses, aids, um, for keeping our city healthy and alive. right now while this is our only hospital. Um, so putting
forward this resolution was again a no-brainer. Really, really proud to support uh the residents of CICU. Our next speaker 5.31, Kevin, evening. This is uh the 80th time our group has
been in this hall. pleading our case and pleading a case for everybody who lives in Jersey City, especially those who rent here. So far, no group photo for us. Perhaps our hundth meeting, which comes up this uh November.
Yesterday morning, the director of the city's rent leveling bureau sent us all an email. It's a little puzzling. I read it 10 times and I'm still confused. The director who administers chapter 260, the rent control chapter, wrote to tell
us, "An inspector confirmed each of our buildings has a designated superintendent." First, that's a chapter 254 question. That chapter focuses on property maintenance, not rent control or tenant disclosure. Different chapter, not within the bureau's purview, as he
testified before this committee recently. The email didn't even mention chapter 260. The email though says confirmed. We looked for that confirmation everywhere tenants can look. Wasn't in the bureau's own file. No apartment number for any superintendent there. How
about the rent roll? The official city documentation currently reads 0 on their official form marked system error. It's not in our lobbies. Within hours of the email, we took pictures of every paper posted in both buildings. Walls we have photographed for that same director
multiple times. Chapter 260 required information is not there. Chapter 260 required disclosures have never reached a single tenant. The law requires proof tenants can see. What happened instead was an inspection that saw information
that isn't there. Under section 263J, full compliance with those disclosure requirements is a qualification for any rent increases. The increases keep coming. Why would the director email about the chapter he doesn't oversee but stay silent on the
one he does? And why does every answer somehow end with our landlord excused? Investigate the investigation. It's starting to feel awkward. Why is everything a chess match in Jersey City? Well, there's a paper. Didn't have the right information, but at least there's
a paper with somebody's name on it. The number doesn't go to that person. Goes to the Philippines. Or now it goes to an AI chatbot. It really does. But not our super. Not any super. There's not even a paper in either building that has the word super or superintendent even on it.
Why is our landlord still getting a free pass across at least three different ordinance chapters, especially for violations that have nothing to do with what the original owners built or filed during construction? The former mayor of this city signed a mandatory minimum fines into law.
I'm hoping that our current mayor will start to see that it's enforced. It's confusing that it hasn't been even after his executive order. Thank you. >> Our next speaker 5.32 Daniel evening Daniel Feldman 155 Washington Street.
This council may not already know there is a stay on the enforcement of the security ordinance chapter 218 at our buildings while our landlord's challenge sits in court. The question tonight is why? Why is there still a stay when the city
has always had the simplest path to having it lifted? Since 2007, a recorded covenant has required the lane beside the Korean War Memorial to be closed and chained, 8 at night to 8 in the morning, every day by the property's own security
personnel. The county recorded it. It binds every owner since. It is not stayed. No court has touched it. For more than a year, the prior council and the prior mayor and this council and this mayor have received a daily written
reminder that it exists. And the city has never told the court that this one recorded obligation all on its own makes the exemption our landlord is seeking pointless. Whatever happens to the ordinance, the deed still requires
security personnel at our buildings every night. So this is the court side not handled. In this spring instead of clearing it up in court something new has started. Each
night the lane stay stands open. I file a report in the city's own system. And now someone who works for the city marks each new violation a duplicate of an old one. Even though this city's own code
says each day a violation continues as a new and separate offense not handled in court, swept under the rug by people who report to the mayor. The mayor who reports the people.
Why does our landlord always get a pass? Why does Mayor Solomon allow it? The memorial deserves the protection that was promised and the city and its taxpayers deserve the bargain it paid
for. This council deserves to know how simple the fix has always been. Next speaker will be Michelle Hirs 5.49. Can I just ask a question beforehand and Sarah let us know if Corporation C let us know if this is something you can
tell us in open session here or the administration? Uh is anyone having a conversation about whether the gate is open or not? I mean this is the 800th you know whatever times I've heard this on twice a month for six months. We either enforce it or we don't. Someone
can give us an answer please. >> Extensive conversations are happening and we'd be happy to brief you on them. >> Thank you. One second, Michelle. I'm sorry. >> So, just for the record, we're skipping 5.33 all the way down to
5.48. Is that correct? for tonight. >> Um, I want to say something clever, but it's my son's birthday tomorrow. Say he thanks you. And that, too. Yeah, absolutely.
Council person Zupa's wife thanks you. All right. Next speaker, 5.49, Michelle. >> Good evening. Michelle Hirsch, 100 Warren Street. Last September, a candidate for mayor told this city, quote, "If your landlord breaks the law,
we will freeze your rent." My neighbors, believed him, a lot of them voted for him. I have four points to make on that today. You can look at those papers later, but
you can look at me while I speak. Number one, it's June. We're 5 months into a new administration, and the law breaking at our buildings isn't our characterization. It's on the record with the city. There's a landlord registration
statement being held as open, as incomplete, and there's what's supposed to be a rent roll showing nothing but a system error. Number two, the fines. Last October, this council passed mandatory minimums
for housing violations. It was approved unanimously. It was sponsored by the man who is now mayor, signed by the mayor before him. If a single fine had been collected at our buildings under that ordinance for the three separate
chapters it covers, nobody's told us, the people paying the rent. Most of those violations stand on their own. Number three, the audit. The January executive order promised one citywide on rent control. That audit just turned
five months old. How I'd love to see a draft. Number four, this spring, we compared this administration's enforcement at our buildings with the last administrations. We genuinely can't tell where one administration's ends and where that
administration's non-action ends and where the other begins. We're not asking the council to referee a dispute. The city's record is clear. The board's decision, the hold note on the 2026 annual landlord registration statement,
the ordinance, the executive order, the city wrote every one of them. Tonight, we're just reading them back to you. We've said all this for the last three and a half years at every meeting in writing in the city's 311 system. every
day. We've run out of ways to call what's happening a mistake. So, one small ask. Any of you can come to our building any day and enter the lobby and look at the wall where the law says
a specific posting with specific information must hang. It'll take 2 minutes of your time and then you'll know what an inspection missed again for the second time. The freeze was promised, so were fines, and so was the
audit. Today, we're only asking if any of them was real. We've taken a leap of faith on your assumptions, on your assurances, and the reality is we're in freef fall. Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 550, Nick.
Let me just ask real quick maybe the BA or or um our law department. Um so I do remember the comment being made if if your landlord breaks the law, we will freeze your rent. So is there what
what's the process for that? Does anyone do we know and is there anything in process with any properties in Jersey City? Hello. Uh, there are provisions in chapter 260 that were referenced in
public comment earlier this evening that do say that it is unlawful for a landlord of a rent controlled property to increase rent by any amount unless certain conditions are met. I'm happy to circulate those code provisions for you all. I can't speak as I sit here today to what any current enforcement efforts
might be happening, but with the BA's office and law department can certainly coordinate with HDC and the rent leveling board to give you an update on that. >> Thank you. Okay, our next speaker 550 Nick Is Nick here?
>> Nicks. Nicks. >> No. Next. 5.51. Ash K. Ashka. No. >> No. >> 5.52. Joyce. Not here.
5.53 spoke earlier. 5.54 is a duplication of 5.22. 22 5.55 Keith Okay 5.56 Jamaica 5.57 Michael here 5.58 Kenny
5.59 Terry Tarf >> 5.60 Oliver >> 5.61 Cice >> left >> that's not a bad thing I think >> 5.62 Cameron
not here 5.63 63. Dante Dante is here. >> Let's raise that mic for you, Dante. There you go. >> Good evening, council. Uh, my name is
Dantaga and I'm a excuse me, housing manager of the Waterfront Project. Uh, this audertified housing counseling agency and civil legal center serving residents across all 12 towns and cities in Hudson County. As Jersey City lead writer council provider, we connect tenants facing
eviction with free legal representation because we believe no one should lose their home simply because they could not afford a lawyer. The housing crisis in the city is something we see up close every single day. Here the city is in the middle of a real affordability emergency. More than half of our
residents are rent burden. Of the over 74,000 units approved in the last decade, fewer than 5% were affordable. Every week, our counselors sit with families hardworking longtime u residents who are one rent increase away from losing the home they have built
their lives in. We are also working with an environment where landlords are aggressively pushing to remove tenants and raise rents. Families are not looking for luxury, they're looking for stability and affordability. The Canal Crossing project respond directly to that need. 102 affordable
units with rents at 30% AMI, meaning rents the range for 1,500 a month is exactly the kind of housing our clients can use. Affordable threebedroom units for families are especially important. That kind of commitment is rare, but it
does matter. We also want to say something uh plainly about the financial structure that makes this project possible. Building housing in Jersey City is extraordinarily expensive. Land construction and financing costs are among the highest in the uh region. For deeply affordable housing, the rents
those families can pay do not come close to covering what it cost to build. That gap has to be filled or those units simply do not get built. The pallet structure in this project is what makes those 102 affordable units possible. It is not a giveaway. It is what turns a
promise of affordability into actual homes for real families. A project that guarantees affordable units for lower income residents is absolutely essential to help keep Jersey City a place for all people, not just for those that can't afford the highest rents. Me and the waterfront project
stands in strong support of the Canal Crossing project. Our clients need Jersey City to build housing like this and keep building it. We urge you council to move this forward. Thank you. >> You our next speaker 5.64 64 Gwen
Gwen's not here. Next speaker 5.65 Caitlyn 5.66 Renee. >> Yes. Good evening everybody. My name is Renee Steinhigan. I'm the executive director of New Jersey Apples Seed and I was the
attorney who represented 18 neighborhood association groups in Jersey City that challenged the ward redistricting uh ordinance. I mean ward redistricting. I'm speaking in favor of ordinance 26-4 which I understand you guys approved for
first reading and I thank you very much. But tonight, I'm here speaking as a resident of 77 Hudson Street, a resident in the old Ward E, injected into the socially incoherent New Ward F. That's
snakes uh all the way from Communor Avenue down to the waterfront, primarily on Grand Avenue. This um ordinance is a model quote unquote good government ordinance. It's consistent with state and federal law
and it embodies and implements best practices regarding ward redistricting transparency and accountability. We city residents will be assured that we pick our ward representatives and
they don't pick us. We Jersey City residents will be assured that the ward commission will hear our own concepts and identification of community of interest. We city residents will be aware of why decisions are made
and we city residents will be assured that only valid principles of redistricting will be applied and under and considered. As uh the attorney for Jersey City said the other night and admitted the other night, this ordinance
is not inconsistent with state law and it constitutes good public policy. That alone is reason to adopt it and send a message to the Ward Commission, the future Ward Commission, that an open and transparent ward redistricting process
is what Jersey City residents demand and that you, their elected officials, desire as well. Thank you. Rene, I got your notes today. Just thank you. I got your message today in your notes. Thank you. I think you sent it to my my staffer to Luke.
Well, I made it my way. It made it to me anyway. So, thanks. Oh, okay. >> Any further information that you want? >> Well, thank you anyway. >> Thank you to that unsung hero who passed along the notes.
Next speaker 5.67 Erica. Next speaker 568 Isaac. Good evening council. Um I'll make this quick because no one's here. No, I'm just kidding. People are here. Um, I want to really, um,
share my thoughts and support with the CIR members, the resident physicians at Jersey City Medical Center, of which there's a resolution before you, uh, supporting them in their fight for a fair contract. Uh, as someone who's in bargaining sessions with my employer,
Ruckers University, I know how negotiations go. Uh, but I know more than that, that workers deserve a lot more than what they're getting right now. and workers can win that uh with their strong unions. So, shout out CIR. Thank you, Councilman Jake Afro for
putting forth the resolution 10.4. Um on ordinance 26, I'm sorry. Yeah, an ordinance 26044, as the prior speaker just mentioned, um an ordinance um with the effort of
having more fair ward maps in the future. I think this is an ordinance we need to support as well. Um I was here in this b in this room when in 2022 the word map was being um shown for the p to the public the first time and I thought
then as I thought as I think now that that entire process lacked the uh the real uh accountability that uh we could have gotten from that commission. Thank you John Manila. Um so I think we can do
better. We can keep neighborhoods together. we cannot look at election data when we're making these maps. That's really weird. It's almost like you're trying to pick your voters. Um so, thank you for supporting that. uh on a few other issues that were you know
mentioned um you know on the on the really interesting question of representation for the council I think um you guys can make that decision but I'm I'm leaning against it in terms of representation for the council as independent of the administration and
also just finally be cautious and scrutinize pilot pay pilots tax abatements I think we can always scrutinize pilots and demand more and for that speaker that was like we need more home ownership I'm like, "Okay, great. But look at the 955 deal. It's
not working out so well." Um, go Knicks. >> Go Knicks. >> Somebody get up here. >> Our next speaker, 5.69, Gabe >> here. 5.70 Stephanie. She's here.
This is in regards to the automotives uh hate name. Now, I was going to um originally kind of pitch you uh kind of a sarcastic uh ask if the RFP was still open. So, thrilled to learn there's a chance for me to submit something. I
took a look at the quote from Automotus. It comes in at the low end at like 3.3, highend like six and change. And I thought, how much would it cost to just put a meter made on each block? 3.7.
Not too bad. You know, we're often told technology is the ultimate solution because it's cost-effective, it's efficient, tradeoff of privacy and security is worth it because the alternative is just too expensive, tooensive. That doesn't seem to be the
case here. There are a couple things I find incredulous about the positioning of this vendor and I think it's going to be consistent with every vendor. They say, "Oh, the police can't use it." What are you talking about? The son of Sam
was caught because of a parking ticket. We've been doing this since at least 1977. They're going to keep using this data to conduct lease work. Now, data retention. I don't buy any of their like, oh, the
the pictures get deleted because that doesn't square with any compliance standard in any state or any kind of certificate. At the very least, it's going to be 12 months. This may make that moot because there is
a log of data in all of these services of the date, the street, and license plate number. You can paint a picture. You know what? That's what's going on there. I listened to the caucus.
Didn't love how security and privacy were addressed. It was like, "Yeah, no, it's totally secure." No, it's not. No, it's not. Uh, let's just go with a scenario. Say I, for some reason, start dating a Jersey City cop. Uh, it goes south. All my
fault. What do you have in place to prevent said cop from stalking me with this service? I don't think the government should be relying on private companies for digital services. We have a state innovation
authority. There's no reason they cannot deliver a service like this that has all of the consideration and thought for privacy and security. You can treat a meter maid as a pilot and then take it to the state and say, "Hey, you can save taxpayers a lot of
money because these people want to charge us six million. They want to charge Fort Lee probably another 6 million." I mean, they got a nice racket going because you could use taxpayers to create jobs or you could use taxpayer money to fund the wealth of the most
evil people in the world. >> Thank you. Our next speaker 5.71 Francine not here 5.72 is a duplication of 5.63
63 5.73 Colin here 5.74 hope. Good evening council president and members of the council. My name is Hope Smart and I am the founder and executive director of Higher Hopes, a recipient of
the opioid settlement grant. These funds exist because families were devastated by addiction and prevention was identified as one of the most powerful tools to stop that cycle before it begins. Every day we see what pro prevention
looks like in real life. We support children with behavioral health needs, kids who are fighting emotional battles bigger than their bodies, and we serve displaced families, including a family
of eight who lives in a motel and has been for over a year. For those children, Higher Hopes is the only place where they can step out of a single room, eat a hot meal, breathe, and feel
like the world hasn't forgotten them. We also serve neurodeivergent children, and employ neurodeivergent adults who may be overwhelmed, overstimulated, and often misunderstood.
But with us, they are safe. They are seen. They are supported. We welcome returning college students and alumni from our teen leadership program. Young people who come back to build entrepreneurship skills, leadership
skills, and a sense of purpose. This is prevention. And the research is clear. Positive youth engagement reduces the likelihood of substance misuse by up to 40%.
Early emotional support is one of the strongest protective factors against later addiction. The US Surgeon General states that community belonging is a critical buffer against addiction and mental health decline.
This is exactly what the opioid settlement was meant to fund. But we cannot continue to do the work when our quarter 1 reimbursement January through March remains unpaid.
We cannot continue with timelines when timelines have not been clear and every update is nondefinitive. Prevention cannot run on uncertainty. Children cannot wait. Families cannot wait.
Higher Hopes is doing the work. We are showing up every day. We need the city to show up too with timely reimbursements, clear communication, and the urgency that this matter deserves. Thank you,
>> Miss Smart. >> Yes. >> Um, who's supposed to where's the reimbursement supposed to come from? >> Health and Human Services. >> Okay. Um, do we know anything about
>> the reimbursement? >> We have the email trail now. The administration is working to make sure we get her payments. I forwarded over to the BA. Um, so do we have an update that we can share with her? >> Yes. So, the problem with dispersing these payments was that under the former
administration, HHS posted what it deemed to be a grant award opportunity for various nonprofits and it sent out letters that purported to award those grants to those organizations, but they did not follow the proper process of
passing a resolution authorizing the award of those grants. So, we have vetted and confirmed that every use of those funds that was awarded by HHS is compliant with the settlement obligations that fund those grant uh dispersements. However, at the next
council meeting, we're going to need to put forward a resolution that does authorize those grant awards before we can legally issue the payments. But that is well in the works. I appreciate that and I hope that it's true because that's what Stephanie Daniels told me two weeks ago that it
would be on the agenda for today and it has not been. I can share that we we have a draft resolution ready to go. It takes some work behind the scenes to get purchase orders all lined up. So, we are taking the necessary administrative steps and and I can commit that we will do
whatever needs to be done for it to be on the next agenda. So there you have it, Miss Hob. If it's not on the next agenda, I'm going to walk it personally. >> So the administration have u given a commitment. Um and I've talked with corporation council and you know
expressed the urgency of nonpart for being able to receive the money for the work they did. Um she's expressed the concern she just laid out on the record. Um I know it is frust just dealing with government is frustrated in general. Um, but we're definitely going to make sure
it's on for the for the next council meeting. >> Thank you. >> And I I have to just say this really quickly. >> Your time is up. I'm sorry. >> It's been up. >> In two seconds >> because they engaged me
>> again. >> Thank you for your time. Have a good evening. >> Next speaker 5.75. Norma. >> She hold on Norma. I think she's here. Sean
>> 5.76 is duplication of 5.71. 5.77 Ben. Good evening, council. Good evening, Jersey City residents. I'm here to speak on the Garfield project. I live three blocks away. I personally think this is
a great project and I think we should support it 100%. Council, I want to ask you, does anybody remember when Carter went all the way down? All right. Do you think that was good
is going to be even better. And what would be great is if you you're what, 38? No, you're not. So >> what I think what I think would be even better than Carter extended across
Garfield would be if we did it with union labor and Jersey City residents. That's all I have to say. you and our last speaker 5.78 Sam.
>> Good evening, council president, friends, and members of council. Samuel Conaway, 92 Cherry Street, speaking tonight on behalf of the Union Carpenters of Local 253 and the Hudson County Building Trades in support of the Canal Crossings Project. As a black man,
a Jersey City resident, and someone who volunteers and stays actively involved in this community, I want to speak plainly tonight. I haven't worked in my own city in 4 years. Sometimes we talk about development, affordability, labor, equality, and the message gets lost in
technical language. We start using numbers, percentages, policy terms, and the people we're really talking about get left out. To me, equality means the city investing in its own people. It means making sure the people who live here, pay taxes here, raise families
here, and care about the city are not left on the outside looking in. The investment is long overdue. I think it's a shame that over the last several years, many qualified people who live in the city and contribute to this city have not had the opportunity to work on
projects right here in Jersey City. I don't want anyone to misunderstand what Jersey City Union carpenters are all saying. We're not asking for special treatment. We're not saying we deserve more just because we carry a union card or wave a union flag. And we're not saying we're better than anyone else.
What we're saying is simple. Our members pay taxes. Our contractors follow the law. Our workers live in a community. On a union project, there's no underground economy. Workers are paid properly. Benefits are provided. Safety and labor standards are followed. Affordability
should absolutely be the number one priority. Jersey City needs affordable housing, and the people in the city deserve it. But right behind affordability should be opportunity. The real opportunity for workingclass men and women who do the right thing the right way. I'm tired of hearing projects
don't pencil out simply because workers have health care benefits and fair wages. This should not be viewed as a burden. This should be viewed as the standard. Working people having health care should not be a reason a project becomes a problem. Workers being paid fairly should not be treated as an
obstacle and following laws should not make responsible contractors less competitive. The canal crossing project makes sense. It provides affordability to the city. It supports the goals the administrators have sp spoken about. It creates opportunity for local working
people and most importantly it helps keep a promise to the community. So tonight I ask the council to look at the full picture not just the numbers on the paper but the people behind those numbers. If public support, public land, public trust and public approval is involved then the public should benefit.
And this includes the working men and women who live here, pay taxes here, raise families here, and deserve a fair chance to help build the city they call home. I respectfully ask the council to support Canal Street C canal crossing project. Thank you.
>> Okay, that will conclude our public speaking portion of the meeting. All right, council members, on to our petitions and communications. Any questions or comments on items 6.1 through 6.51? None. There are no officer
communications. Any questions or comments on officer I mean excuse me, report of directors 8.1 through 8.10. Right on to our claims. Council members going to be taking a vote on our claims. Council person Brooks. >> I.
>> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. I >> council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh. >> I >> council person Griffin. >> Yay. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi.
>> And council president Ridley. >> Hi. >> Claims are approved unanimously. 90. On to our resolutions. Before we get to our resolutions, I just want to confirm with the BEA's office
that we are withdrawing item 10.12. >> Yes, that is correct. >> Thank you. Okay, council members, with that being said, I'm going to take in a vote on items 10.1
through 10.14 with the exception of 10.12, which was withdrawn, and 10.5 and six, which were approved earlier. Council person Brooks helps if I turn my microphone on. Um, I just want to thank my colleagues, uh,
Councilman Efos and Councilwoman Singh for bringing forward the resolution, uh, in support of the, uh, CIR, uh, union contract fight. And I'm proud to vote I on all. Council
>> person Zupa, >> I council person Ephos. >> Uh, I'll be voting I on all. Um, just on item 10.2, two, uh, for folks who notice that Citizens Bank, uh, which finances, uh, Geog Group, Private Prison Company,
is part of this cash management plan, um, that is reflective of the fact that we've had money in Citizens Bank. And, um, Councilman Brooks and I put forward a late item resolution at the very end of this agenda that will address some of uh, what we are are doing about that and what the city's already done about that.
So, just want to make that note now. Um and again appreciate the the residents of CSIU for coming. Really proud to support them in their contract campaign. Uh vote I on all. >> Thank you. Council person Little. >> I on.
>> Council person Gilmore. Council person Singh. >> I on. And I want to congratulate and thank you uh Councilman Afro and your team for the resolution for Thank you. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. Council Person Lavaro
>> on um item 10.2 and for the record um one of my United Way of Hudson County board members an executive at Provident Bank which is a designated depository in this cash management plan. Out of an abundance of caution, I'm recusing myself from that
vote and will and I recuse myself from that vote. Um and I vote I and all the rest. >> I I I missed some of what you said. So are you re you're not voting on what item? >> Abstaining on 10.2 >> 10.2
and I on all the rest. Correct. >> Yes. >> Council President Ridley. >> Um I >> Okay. Item 10.1 is approved unanimously 90. Item 10.2 2 is approved 8 01 with
council person labar abstaining. Items 10.3 through 10.11 are approved unanimously 90 and item 10 point items 10.13 and 14 are approved unanimously 90. On to our next set of resolutions.
Items 10.15 through 10.24. Council person Brooks. >> I vote I on all on 10.22. 22. Um, I know there was some discussion about actually quite a bit of discussion about the
motorcycles. Um, I see traffic enforcement as part of a total approach to safe streets. Um, I urge public safety uh to educate and warn before um
issuing summones um except in the most dangerous situations. And you know, I've had that same experience where I've been driving too slow and been passed on a two-lane road. Uh, and you know, we need to do something about unsafe driving
like that. So, I vote I on. >> Council person Zupa on as well. And just on the motorcycles, it's being used for money. Um, no additional city money is being used to purchase these. I agree with Councilman Brooks that uh they'll
go to traffic safety and much needed enforcement. Council person Ephro >> echoing some sentiments just there on on 1022. Um, also on uh the the contracts
uh listed here um which I believe are uh 1015 through through 17 or 18 were all contracts um backdated. Um you we we talked in caucus. I appreciate that. um
administration is is working to try and make sure this does not happen going forward. Um if if we can prevent uh any more contracts from being backdated at this point, that would be really really helpful. we we should not be entering into um services
unauthorized um for for this uh for this vote especially because it sounds like we need a lot of IT and data support to make sure that we are not entering into services unauthorized um and these are IT contracts. I I'll be voting I on on all these here um but just want to make
that reiterated. So, uh, thanks for the support and I >> Council Person Little, >> Council Person Gilmore, >> Council Person Sing, >> I >> Council Person Griffin,
>> um, yes, real quick on item 10:24. Uh, I want to give a shout out to Norc Mayor Raz Baraka for allowing us to um move more diligently um when it comes to solving crimes of gun violence by using
their ballistics lab. Uh that's going to be a a gamecher here in Jersey City, especially on the south side of the city. So, I'm going to vote I on all >> council person Lavaro.
Just to clarify my statement on 10.2, I I recuseed myself at the caucus when I stepped out uh during the discussion of that and I abstained on this vote. Um to to the items on the agenda uh to
Councilman Efro's point, I' I've uh generally voted no on all of these contracts that are uh late in coming to the council. We've got a couple that are pretty egregious, 10.16 and 10.19, which are start dates in January of 2026.
Um, and I also in the previous vote to 10.14, there was a claim. Um, I've also kind of also voted against those claims as well. Um, I I appreciate the work that the administration's done here. So um and and I can see with the grant receivables
and other things like that that there's real work being done to uh address uh these practices and credit to the administration and business administrator's office, the finance office um and financial officers around that um for that work. And I also see
these grant receivable balances getting cleaned up. So, um, out of good faith and, uh, um, and recognize that, I'm going to vote, um, I on all, um, and we'll put my faith in the administration to be able to continue making those
changes. I vote I all, >> Council President Ridley, >> I, >> items 10.15 through 10.24 are approved unanimously, 90. >> Can I make I'm sorry, just one more statement if I may, just for the record.
um to to the BA's office on the uh it's 10.19. Am I looking at it right? 10.19. It's like proprietary software. I I would just ask that the administration among all the things that you're doing
at this point, but uh it's proprietary software so we can examine that stuff. It's uh um we we don't I I wonder whether we're getting the best bang for our buck when these provide a
software support services for that. Good. Yep. I'm good. Okay. Next set of resolutions, we're going to do something a little different. Um, instead of voting on the from 25 to 35, what we're going to do is take a vote on items
10.25 to 28 and 10.32 through 10.35. And I'll explain why we're doing that. It's because 10.29, 30, and 31. Council person Little is going to recuse herself from those
votes. So, let's start with 10.25 25 through 10.28 and 10.3 through2 through 10.35. >> Council person Brooks >> I on all. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi.
>> Council person Efos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. And thank you Sean. >> Of course. Council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. Hi.
>> And Council President Ridley, >> I. >> Items 10.25 through 10.28 are approved unanimously 90. Items 10.32 through 10.35 are approved 90. Council person
Little, you may recuse yourself. >> That's what I should have done. All right. Door is closed. Okay. So, right, council members, on the balance of those resolutions 10.29 through 10.31, Council Person Brooks,
>> I vote I and applaud Councilwoman Little on her ethics, her ethic uh ethical recusal. I could have worded that better. I >> council person Zupa. Hi, >> Council Person Efos. I
>> council person Gilmore. Council person Singh. >> Hi Parole. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> I.
>> Items 10. 29 through 10.31 are approved. 80. If anyone can text council person Little. >> You texted her >> in actually I'll text her.
>> We did. >> Oh, okay. >> Elena still hear us. >> Oh, 10.29 10.30 80 10.31 80 >> Motion. >> No,
>> sorry. I thought we were Sorry. >> I'll ask for it. Nice try though. Okay, before we move on to our next set of resolutions, just to confirm with the business administrator that we are withdrawing 10.36.
That is correct. >> Thank you so much. >> It's the phone. >> Wants to hear my echo. Okay. >> Councilman Brook is in. >> All right. Council members, with that being said, 10.36 is withdrawn. Um, be
taking a vote on items 10.37 through the balance of our resolutions 10.48. >> Sean, >> I just >> No problem. I'd just like to take a brief moment to remind the council on item 1046. That is an emergency
resolution waving the 20-day enactment period for the ordinance that was passed on second reading this evening. That requires a twothirds vote to pass under our code of procedure, >> which equates to six. So, we want to make sure at least we have six votes.
All right, council members. So, items 10.37 through 10.48. Council person Brooks. >> Uh, I want to thank the administration uh and the the clerk's office for the late addition of item 10 uh.48.
Um and above and beyond that, I want to thank the administration for their fast action uh to divest from Citizens Bank. Um you know, this is a this is a financial institution that has $229 billion in
assets. Um and you know it might feel like there's as an to fight against the uh deportation machine the forprofit deportation
machine that is operating mere miles away from here at Elizabeth Detention Center um operated by Corivic Group and Delaney Hall which is operated by the Geog Group both of whom are financed by Citizens 's bank. Um, so you know, there
are people in this room here on the deis and in the audience and I'm sure people that are watching that have been to Delaney Hall uh to put their bodies on the line to try to stop or slow down um this inhumane
um system. Uh and uh you know I'm proud that our city is taking a stand uh to to fight back. So again, thank you to the administration for the late addition. Uh I sent this resolution at 100 pm.
It's quite late. Um so thank you for for working with us and I vote I on all. Thank you. >> Council person Zupa. >> Question for the law department. Sarah, did we confirm for 1044 whether that law firm also provides services actively for
JC? Councilman, that's on me. Uh, she did send in a notice to us, but I was able to forward it to you today. They do do work for both firms, however, or sorry, both entities, the city and the Jere. However, the law department does have
several measures in place to prevent any conflicts of interest. Um, there's nothing legally preventing him from doing that, but I'll let her kind of take over exactly how those measures going to prevent any conflicts or potential conflict. >> Thanks, Peter. Uh I can forward you councilman the response that I circulated earlier this morning but I've
spoken with Dworth. Uh they do serve primarily as redevelopment council for the JC and it is within that capacity that they serve a very limited function as bond council. So they are not the JC's primary bond council. What they do is they handle the issuance of
redevelopment bonds or RABS in connection with redevelopment deals that they're representing the JC on. So we don't think that there is any actual adversity or significant risk of adversity in them representing the city as bond council but we have further asked them to explain to us what their procedures will be. They have committed
to on an ongoing basis auditing for conflicts with every new assignment from JC. They will assess whether it will pose a conflict for their representation of the city. They have committed that if a conflict does arise in the future they will decline to represent the JC on that matter and so their primary
representation loyalty will be to the city. Thank you. Uh okay, with that I just renew my call to the administration to do a comprehensive audit of all the vehicles that are uh registered by the city. Not just what department they are,
but who is which individual employee is driving that particular vehicle. I vote I on the rest of the >> So I I miss what you're >> I on all >> I on. Okay. Council person Efro. Um, as my
colleague, Councilman Brooks said, uh, just a lot of appreciation for fast action from administration, um, from, you know, the mayor's office to the BA to law department for and and finance department for making sure that,
um, we could divest today, starting today, from Citizens Bank. Um, and to be able to get item 10.48 on as a a late item. Um yeah, we have uh you know obviously just approximate connection to
Delaney Hall which is in Norc. Um but also these are are Jersey City families who are are being detained there. Um and we've had just countless countless hours of tireless work from advocates uh who
have been supporting those families of people who have been protesting uh to demand um the the recognition of the the hunger and labor strike that is going on inside of Delaney Hall. Um and so this is I think really the the least we can
do as a city is to make sure that we are not financially complicit um with the the financing of that center. So really really proud of our council uh and our our entire city for moving this forward for divesting
um and appreciate my colleagues in supporting this and Councilman Brooks for making sure this resolution got forward uh once we caught it. So uh proud of us today. Um, this is a small step in in the fight to deise Citizens Bank and to free them all, but vote I on all.
>> Council person Little. >> Um, going to vote I on all. Um, I want to remark on 10.47. I'm um happy that the city is using an RFP to avoid any um possible conflicts. Um,
however, I I would like to strongly urge that a condition in the RFP um be that uh no personally identifiable information is retained. Uh we were told um but in the presentation we had at caucus that the technology that the city
had been considering um would would blur and or not retain any PII. And um I I feel that's really important. um you know it should be capturing essentially the plates, the parking and blurring faces, blurring any other personally
identifiable information. Um and so I I would strongly urge on the record that the city um make that a condition in the RFP so that we are only considering um con contracts that will you know similarly
um protect the safety of our residents. Um, that being said, I I do think, you know, we saw this technology work very well in Hoboken. Um, you know, the Washington Street bike lane used to constantly have cars parked in it, and when they implemented this, it all of a
sudden nearly overnight did not. Um, so I think um from a traffic sta safety standpoint um from preventing cars parking in bike lanes, from preventing cars parking too close to the intersection to um obstruct the line of sight and create dangerous situations
where cars can't see pedestrians and vice versa. Um I think this has the potential to be a really good thing. Um but I do want to make sure that um we are taking privacy concerns very seriously and um I hope we can include that in the RFP.
Um, and then on 10.48, I wanted to thank my colleagues, Councilman Brooks from Afro, uh, for introducing this so quickly. Um, I fully share your concerns with Citizens Bank and I was proud to stand alongside you at Delaney Hall. So, I for all. Thank you,
>> Council Person Gilmore. Council Person Singh. >> Hi, for all. >> Council Person Griffin. I just want to say uh I want to thank um Jake and I'm sorry, Councilman Ephro and Councilman
Brooks um for pushing this forward. Um you know, when you talk about the Laney Hall, let's just talk about the past year and a half. We have we have we have a a congresswoman who did who's facing 20 years. We have uh a mayor who
was arrested. We have um women uh being abducted and having miscarriages uh in Delaney Hall. Um and we're talking about uh people eating rotten food or being served rotten food and and and
food with worms in it and and so you know and and and not to mention the fact that we are a sanctuary city. So to divest in in in Citizens Bank I I think is is the right thing to do. Um
it's the moral thing to do and you know there's more work to be done. I vote I on all >> council person Lavaro. >> Yeah I um I abstained on 10.2 but for other reasons and um I'm glad I
can vote on 10.48. Um, and I thank my colleagues, Councilman Efos, Councilman Brooks, uh, for bringing this to the council. Um yeah, Jersey City should not be in any way um
supporting organizations, institutions that are financing uh the incarceration and illegal uh profit making machine that's uh uh that's uh threatening our our neighbors
and heart immigrant communities here in Jersey City. It's against everything we stand for. Um, and uh, what else is there on this? Uh, I vote I on all. >> So, President Ridley, >> I vote I for all. And, uh, kudos to my
council colleagues, Councilman Efro, Councilman Brooks. Uh, on 1048. >> Excuse me. Motion. >> Items 10.37 through 10.48 are approved unanimously. 90. May I have a motion to adjourn at 9,
Mr. Cler? 55. >> Now it's 56 p.m. because you guys are saying it before I ask it. >> And I'll give the motion to council person Griffin, seconded by Council Person Sing. >> Pete would like something.
>> Let him close. >> Oh, I forgot. You know, it's been a late night. It's been a late night, Sean. I apologize. >> Oh, Peter, my bad. I didn't even see you over there. All good. Um, before we conclude, I just want to read a quick statement by the mayor um, regarding 1048 and his position on it. So, the
mayor is stating that Citizens Bank has made a choice to finance the caging of human beings for profit. Jerry City is making a choice, too. We will not be complicit and we've already begun process of pulling city funds. As long as the institutions continue to bankroll the private prison industry and the
suffering it depends on upon, we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure Jersey City taxpayers are not financing the abuse of our neighbors. I appreciate the advocacy that council members Afro and Brooks on this critical issue and continue to work the council and these
issues going forward. Okay. All right. So, no shouting out, please. No shouting out. Motion to adjourn at 9:57 p.m. is going to Council Person Griffin, seconded by Council Person Singh. On the motion to
adjourn at 9:57, all council members present by acclamation, please say I. We are out of here at 9:57 p.m. Thank you so much everyone in attendance and everyone watching at home. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work. Have a great rest of the night. Stay safe.
Man, they got them bars.