Okay, everyone, we're about to get started. If we can find our seats, silence our cell phones, close the back and side doors, please. I'd greatly appreciate it. All right. Good afternoon everyone. We are on the record. Today is Monday, the
20th day of April in the year 2026. This is a city council caucus meeting of the Jersey City Municipal Council. We had a scheduled 4pm start. The clock on my cell phone is showing 4:04 p.m. May we have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting. Council
person Brooks >> present. >> Council person Zupa >> here. >> Council person Efos >> present. >> Council person Little not here. >> Council person Gilmore >> here. >> Not here yet. Council person Singh.
Council person Griffin. Council person Lavaro >> here. And council president Ridley >> here. We have seven council members in attendance at 4:04 p.m. on behalf of
council president Denise 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 bulletin board of the first floor of the city hall. The annual notice which is the schedule of meetings in caucuses of 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 of its preparation, the agenda of
this meeting was similarly disseminated on Friday, April 17th, 2026 at 7:50 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. And I will mark council person Little present at 4:05 p.m. So we now have eight council members in attendance at 4:05. I'm going
to turn over the meeting to our council president. >> Good afternoon everyone. Getting a little feedback. Good afternoon everyone. We will jump right in and we'll start with HR Cada McNair.
Good afternoon, President and members of city council. I have two items or resolutions to present before you. The first item number is 10.47. This is resolution 26236.
This is a resolution authorizing the renewal of a contract with Employee Family Protection, Inc. to provide voluntary supplemental benefits to active benefit eligible employees. This is a one-year contract. The city uh
would like to exercise its third and final option to renew the contract with EFP. The contract uh term is from April 1st, 2026 to March 31st, 2027. It's a zero cost to the city.
>> Da correctly. >> I'm sorry. >> Da. >> Yes. >> Um, so this is 10.47. Correct. >> Correct. Correct. >> So the voluntary supplemental benefits like life insurance supplemental.
>> So it's additional uh supplemental insurance. Um it it they this company offers um several insurance plans. One of them is universal life insurance. Um they offer offer they also offer legal services.
They also offer accident insurance kind of similar to like AFLAC in a sense. Um so it's a number of insurance plans that they offer which is zero cost to the city. So it's zero cost to us and the employee
if they sign up the city pays for their insurance benefits or something. >> No, this is um through payroll deduction. The employee once the employee signs up for whichever plan that they are interested in they are responsible for those deductions. Then in in theory, I mean, they could go
to any insurance company outside of what we're offering to to get these sort of supplemental benefits. Is that accurate, would you say? >> So, we actually contract with EFP, but there's another um insurance company that we contract with um which is currently going through the internal
approval process. So, we have two companies that offer supplemental voluntary benefits. the next the other company which is more tone and company they um it's it's currently going through the internal um approval process and I compass which is slated for the
next council meeting >> if somebody wanted to you're a police officer and you got life insurance broker that's New York life and just wanted to you just get supplemental um life insurance from from them right
or >> that That's correct. >> The reason I'm asking these questions is just for the the I I vaguely recall when I first took office back in 101 or thereabouts that there was a whole bunch of companies that offered these
supplemental benefits. Again, zero zero cost contracts. That's I don't even know if they were under contract. We would just have maybe maybe Sean would probably know better than me, but um used to have a um a fair uh an insurance
fair of some sort and everybody would just make their benefits available to all the city employees and they would come in and kind of look at look over different options and opportunities. um some point uh during 10 2013 to 2017
period um it kind of switched and changed to uh just providing one provider uh that the city did. Um, and I I guess I'm just wondering, are we
contemplating the idea of going back to uh, and anyone can correct me if I'm wrong, but contemplating going back to the idea that just open this up and let uh, employees have the opportunity to be able to select the best plans are the best provider for them.
>> So, an RFP will go out in 2027. when we when the city issued the initial RFP, these are the two vendors that have responded to that RFP. Um there's another RFP that's going to go out. Obvious, you know, this is the last final contract with this company. An RFP
is required for 2027. >> Anybody else familiar with this? uh um maybe some of the folks who've got at least let's see it was 2011ish or so uh have 15 years under their belt that
leaves Sean and and uh Kevin remember that way to call us out >> right that's quite some time ago >> Bill Matudas was around too >> oh yeah I was too >> well can we can Let me look into what
the uh councilman is referring to and possibly get him an update before the next meeting before Wednesday. >> Yeah, I'm fine with that. I just don't think the city generally goes out to contractors for this. They usually present to us. Um, you know, I'm fine
with potentially exploring that option, but historically, we don't present or reach out to them. They reach out to us if they ask they want to be a partner. We evaluate them to make sure that, you know, it's it's feasible and productive for our employees. And then since it's no cost to us, we just forward it on and
have it implemented. >> Well, well, I'll I'll share the the full story. I was kind of like there were all these companies that provided the insurance benefits. they would come to this fair and then um at some point
between 2013 to 15 maybe or thereabouts or um they there was the bid put out and one pro provider was selected um and while everyone can still provide those
benefits, they don't have the the benefit of being accessible to the employees. It's it's zero cost to the city and it's really just insurance benefits for for employees that they can just kind of compare plans and do all
that and figure out what's best to them. Um I'm not sure what the benefit is for the city to restrict it to one or two. um other than um I recall and that the
other uh winner of the bid um made a made some political donations at the time. So I'm not suggesting that's the case here. I think it just kind of has that practice has continued um because it it seems like it's the right that's the way it's always been done. But uh in
fact it was not always that done that way. it was done very differently and it was opened up for for the larger public uh for the larger industry to be able to participate in it. >> Councilman, I'm just saying that I don't know the mechanism to actually reach out to them. I'm happy to work with HR to
figure out how we would contact various vendors to potentially come in and get evaluated. I'm fine with that. I just as of right now there's no policy I know of restricting it to one or two. The policy is if you approach us, we review it. If we like it, we're happy to add as a vendor. But so far it's only been like one or two companies I know that are
processed for it. >> And it was just to add to what what Peter is saying. These are the only two companies that actually responded to the RFP that went out. >> Is there a cost to them to participate?
>> Not on the city side. No, >> not from the city. I There's a cost. they have to manage obviously the you know program for the employees but obviously they recoup that from whatever cost would be deducted from the employees paycheck to to pay them >> because I can literally recall the time
when this happened and and brokers were coming to me asking me why is it only going to one person and they weren't even they weren't bidding on it because um they they didn't know about the bid at the time um and their feeling was
that at that time that even putting in a bid kind of futile. Um uh and so you know certainly you can you can put it out to bid but I'm not sure that it again what's the purpose of putting out to bid if they're valid brokers and they provide insurance services and there's
no cost to them to be participating in this and is no cost to us um why not just allow these brokers to be able to do their business and um as I said set up a fair or whatever or don't set up a fair just make the information available to all the city employees. Um I I recall
at the time also that this was very important to police and fire um fighters that they uh valued uh the supplemental life insurance because of the risks in their job. And so some of them even came to me that at that time saying you know the guy I've been using isn't the isn't
on the list. They still continue to use them. Um but but they didn't didn't have the advantage of being able to pass that on uh or other employees and other members of their department to be able to have access to that person unless that person it gives a person a
competitive advantage to be able to be the the sole bidder in this right like and like or or two um over these other folks who um and and most of these insurance brokers are selling this or just doing it on their own. Um I'm I'm going to get off my high horse on that, but uh I just want to point that out
that that's uh um this process is um through no fault to anybody here. I want to like make that clear, but there's been um it got uh corrupted, frankly. I'll say it I'll say it like that, right? So, um, so I I hope we will consider uncorrupting it and figuring
out a way to make sure that, uh, employees get their the best opportunities that they can get, as well as, um, allowing other people who are in this industry to be able to make make a living in that. >> Yeah. And councilman, I'm sure there's a legal explanation why it has to go
through the city through RFP and then have the council vote on it. So I'm happy to work with the law department to figure out why we do it that way versus has come in a open come one come all you know type of approach. Um my guess is probably has something to do with the payroll system and have those deductions get added or withdrawn from the you know
employees paychecks to make sure there's some kind of accountability there and no confusion or you know uh mismanagement with that. But I'm happy to work with the law department to figure out you know what the mechanisms and why we want to do it that way. >> Any other questions?
>> Yeah. Um what service does EFP provide? >> So they provide um insuranceances such as universal life insurance, paycheck protection. Um they al also offer um critical health events with uh cancer
insurance, accident insurance, hospital uh stay insurance and legal services. >> Thank you. And does compensating EFP through our insurance increase the cost of our premier? >> No. No, it doesn't. It's totally
separate. >> You >> You're welcome. >> Now, is there a cap to how many um insurance providers we can use?
>> Not at all. Not at all. Is again the RFP went out. So, so the RFP goes out >> and whoever responds and qualifies can be added. >> Absolutely. >> Like one through a million.
>> If we want a million vendors, we can have a million vendors. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Next one. >> Uh the last one is item 10.48. This is resolution 26 237. This is a resolution
authorizing authorizing excuse me the award of professional services contract with new pathway counseling services to provide counseling services in connection with the employee assistance program. This is a one-year contract April 1st 2026 to March 31st 2027
and the total amount of the contract is 65,000. We posted an RFP uh twice just so you are aware. We posted it twice and we only received one response. >> Any questions? >> Questions on 10.48.
>> Um, when you talk about counseling, what are we talking about? Like, >> so it can range from like family problems. It can range from stress management, uh, alcohol and drugs services. >> Okay. Now, is this
is this one of those like uh toll-free hotlines or is this like in person or how does the counseling work? >> So, it's a combination. Um there's been times where we would send an employee to the employee assistance program and it's conducted virtually. Um
if if there's any training that's involved like just say conflict resolution. If we send someone for conflict resolution um it can be in person or um online. >> Okay. >> Are they local? Are they based in Jersey City? New Pathways.
>> New Pathway is station in Bayon. >> Too bad we don't have anyone from Jersey City bidding. >> I know. Um, yeah, they're the only ones that responded, unfortunately. >> I mean, we try to find somewhere local.
Of course, we don't want to um have these type of services that's available to all employees and their families. Actually, um we want to have it Jersey City based, >> but if they're not responding, it's >> it's unfortunately. >> It's it is unfortunate.
>> Yeah. >> Thank you, director. One question. Uh the final whereas clause um states that there's funds in the in the amount of $32,500 available in the 2026 calendar year budget. That comes from the temporary appropriations that we've already
authorized. And so then after the temporary appropriations, we would need to authorize the remaining amount, the remaining half of the full 65,000. Is that correct? Or is there another process for >> I believe that's how it works. Um, Pet Peter or or Kevin,
>> that sounds correct. Yes. Okay. >> Any other questions on 10.48? >> Thank you, Cadisha. Thank you. Next up, uh, Health and Human Services offer. >> Afternoon, council president, members of
city council. HHS Food and Nutrition has one item for your consideration, resolution 26218, item number 10.29. This is a basicou agreement for our congregate senior lunch program between
our host site, Lafayette Senior Living and uh the city of Jersey City through HHS food and nutrition. On our end, uh the agreement says that we provide staffing, nutrition, education, meals, and and essentially all paperwork for
the program. On their end, they provide the facility compliance. Uh let us know if there's an event or something that would alter our lunch program. And this is another in the series of theus that I presented a few meetings ago.
>> Any questions? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Director Baker. >> Good evening, Council President, members of council. I have two resolutions I am filling in for Director Kier, whose wife had a serious operation today.
Our first item is item 10.30, resolution 26-219. It's a resolution authorizing award of a contract to PMC Associates for the purchase and delivery of 700 to 800
megahertz VHF UHF radios and accessories under state contract for the Department of Public Safety, Division of Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. This is the purchase of radios, 12
radios right now. in possession of ESU that are inoperable, cannot be repaired. Uh they're also specially designed for the rugged use of what ESU goes through and strings safe. So if they're in a gaseous environment, there's no um
explosions and this is being paid for the 2024 UASI grant. So there's no cost to the city. >> Questions? Bob, this is uh paid for through a grant.
Is it paid through a grant? Yes. Yeah, it's USC funding. >> Just uh on that note quickly, um in these kinds of processes with the UIC grants, is there a whole set of different interests that public works is
is weighing against each other for where that grant money can go. Was this very clearly this and and the other item the two most clear goals you wanted to accomplish with the Wasi grant? I I don't know exactly, Councilman, how much is in there. I know there's a pretty
good amount and uh director Kish uses that for all sorts of of of different purchases that are allowed under the the USC uh rules and regulations. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um I I'm happy that we are not spending
money. It's a grand money, but just curious to learn about the um these radios. These are pretty high-tech one with touchscreen and all that. Do we need those expensive one or can we have more radios instead of going for really
high-tech touchscreen radios? >> The radios that we have proposed for you right now are the most inexpensive that we can buy and high quality. Um the next resolution you'll see you'll see exactly that we're buying from PMC. These are Tate radios which we're currently using
in the police department and some of the fire and they have held up much better than Motorola. Now the next resolution we have to buy Motorola radios because it's for EPHA and FIFA already has mandated equipment and uh contracts and
interoperability for all the the bits. They're just for the radio itself. It's like it's almost $9,000 for one radio. The radios that I just proposed you right now with the accessories is probably about $2,300 a radio.
>> Okay. >> So, sorry, maybe I'm jumping ahead to the following resolution, but we are required to have certain standards to meet FIFA's standards. We're required to get certain radios to meet FIFA standards. Is FIFA reimburse? I mean,
this is our grant money that we should be able to use for what we think is necessary. >> Oh, I wish. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is there any way we can push back on that? I know I know the governor is throwing her weight around with FIFA and um can can we ask them to pay for our
radios, please? >> But we already have grant but they should be paying for the thing transportation and >> we we should be using our grant money. Our grant was awarded so that we could spend it on city needs, not not FIFA's needs. >> Any other questions? Yes, I have a
question. So Sarah, um, with with the I know we're jumping ahead, but FIFA, if we vote that down, what are the repercussions? >> Sarah, the mic isn't. >> Can you hear me? >> Yeah. I would need to connect with OEM
and look into it and can get you something before the council meeting >> by uh meeting FIFA's requirements. What what do you mean? Because our officers are working there some events that FIFA is relating to related to. >> What did the next resolution I'll
explain? >> Yeah, let's move on to the next one because we're kind of merging. >> Okay, the next one is agenda is uh 10.31. It's resolution 26220. It's a resolution authorizing an award
of a contract to Motorola for the purchase of triband radios with all necessary accessories for the emergency service unit under state contract for the Department of Public Safety, Office of Emergency Management, um OEM. Now,
this is the purchase of six radios that will be handed out to our bomb squad and some of the special members of ESU assigned to FIFA. Uh these radios specially designed too because they also use cellular service. They have messaging, secret messaging and special
encryption setup for the uh for the event. And again, um, this one is in the amount of $84,8901 and the two is being paid for the 2024 UASI grant. No cost to the city. >> Questions?
>> Just curious to learn who determined that we have to comply with FIFA's requirement or standards. Well, in in this case, it's for FIFA, but what we're doing is we're also following the mandated um regulations by
the state police who are leading the entire uh program, the head agency. So, when you look at the all of Bergen County, Hudson County Union, we're going to be dealing with about 43 different agencies all have to be on the same
comms, you know, and and um the same encryption. >> Thank you, Chief. You you mentioned the event. Are you referring to the actual soccer match at Metife Stadium? >> Yes. >> How many of our officers are going to be assigned to the World Cup? >> Uh that that I couldn't tell you.
>> Is FIFA paying for our officers off duty time to work at FIFA? >> As far as I know, no. You know, I I think this is being like when we had the Super Bowl, we paid for everything. Uh that was for our officers were uh some were assigned to the Super Bowl, but
also we had the the teams uh staying in in Newport, right? >> Yes, exactly. And we'll have the same thing here >> from from the administration. If I can get this before Wednesday afternoon, uh from public safety, how many of our officers are anticipated to be working out of city during the World Cup? what
the cost cost um estimate is for that for overtime and who's footing the bill which no pun intended I I intend is not I believe is not FIFA >> and and also um when you add to that also uh protection detail like who's
like how many hotels they're going to they're going to have to be at um and if they're you know trailing these teams um to the stadium and back here. >> Thank you.
>> I I concur with what um my colleagues said. I would like to see this information and I would like to make as much of a push as possible to get FIFA to foot some of the bill. I think we are in a budget crisis in this city and we would not be doing we would be doing a
disservice to our constituents if we didn't at least push for this. The answer may be no. Um, it probably will be no, but I mean I'd be interested in working with the law department and seeing seeing what we can do if if there
are any avenues available to us. I I don't know if um council wants to say anything now or we can talk offline. >> Start a meeting. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> At this point meeting with all of us about people.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, >> I have another question on both. >> That's a good point. >> Go ahead, council. >> Resolutions. Just to follow up on my question about the source of funding. It's UASI funding. Um,
can we get the uh says it's 2024 here. Is this a is UASI? Every year we get a new new grant. >> There's different Yeah, different funding years. It's not a it's not a competitive grant. It's something that we um and so
is there still 2025 grant money to spend? >> I believe so. That's something you're going to have to address to director Kierce. >> I'd like to if the administration can provide um balance on the grant um and what the the
due dates are for to expend the dollars. Then just clarity on more detail about what the grant money can be used for. Is it already fixed and budgeted in these grants? Um
or do we have some discretion? Um so if you have a budget that uh clearly delineates where the money is going, but it sounds like we're using it to fill needs. Um, and if that's the case, then yeah, we'd like to see the exact
language in the grant that says how the monies can be utilized. >> Ju just adding to my request first, Bob, please extend uh our well wishes to Mrs. Kures for speed recovery. Uh, but I know OEM already has a a security action plan done for FIFA. It was probably done a
year ago. >> Yes. and and as you know it's there are some things I can discuss in public and others that >> correct >> directly >> right so so the the only part I'm looking for is the um force that's going
to that the numbers from JCPD and our staff that's expected to be outside the city for FIFA as part of the security plan >> thank you >> thank you director >> thank you >> uh Peter just in uh in general
I think communication has been horrible around FIFA and I don't mean necessarily from the administration. I mean the whole FIFA event in this state period. So communication from the state and everything has been pretty horrible. Um I attended a meeting last week regarding
the transportation plan, but we haven't heard anything else. Um, and as far as FanFest not being here and the money that the governor was allocating, is Jersey City getting any of that money? Are we doing events? So, if we could have a Jersey City FIFA uh update for
the council, that would be helpful. >> Council President, >> can I add something? Council President and Miss Lavine and Peter. Uh as we are asking all the questions FIFA related and we have no insight. Is it okay to
create a committee with council members who want to get involved just FIFA related project where we are taking our questions forward reaching out to state and FIFA organizers and looking to get more than what they are offering us
right now. If your question is about council's formal powers to create a committee, an investigative committee uh must be closely related to the council's legislative role and the types of uh
functions that you're talking about seem a little bit adjacent to that legislative purview. Um certainly one or two of you or any group that would not create uh a quorum that would need to be sunshined can work together to answer any questions that you have of the administration.
What do you think of the president? I >> I don't know that we necessarily uh need a committee, especially this close to it, but we definitely need that update. And if certain council people want to serve as our point people on the council for FIFA related stuff, then I'm willing to do that if we have people who would
really like to volunteer to communicate between the administration and the council on FIFA so we can discuss offline in groups of threes. >> Thank you. I like that. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, affordable housing. Director
Gazone. >> Good afternoon, Council President, members of the council. I'm here for item 3.3, ordinance number 26-023. Uh, this is really a technical amendment. There's nothing substantive
here. uh it back in um November of 2025, we amended chapter 188 to reflect all of the changes that had been made at the state under the uniform housing affordability control uh regulations. Uh unfortunately, there were extensive
formatting errors that are preventing our enforcement and hearing officer from issuing violations. uh it's uh preventing us from citing um certain clauses when we're trying to write our affordable housing agreements. And it's not something that even though the coder
is empowered to change, it's not minor. Uh these are quite extensive uh really inconsistent formatting. So, what we were advised to do by the clerk's office, thank you for your help, uh was to repeal that ordinance and replace it
with a properly formatted ordinance that has all the correct top clauses, subclauses, numerations, um, and correct positioning. Uh, and that's what we're doing here. We provided a memo attached to IC Compass. We also provided the old ordinance that had come out of IC
compass back in November so that you could see for yourself uh just how wildly inconsistent the formatting is. It makes it unmanageable. So it's it's technically very technical and simple. Um and but we do have to come before you uh to assure you that all we are doing is correcting formatting and we are not
changing anything else in this ordinance to the code. Any questions? >> Yes. um director, as it relates to um the O ordinance, when was the O ordinance adapted, I mean adopted, and how long has it been in use?
>> So, the old ordinance was adopted in November of 2025. It was ordinance 25-114. Uh and it went into effect at the appropriate time. I'm sorry, the timing escapes me. It's not like effective immediately. There's several days before
>> 20 days. So, it went into effect 20 days after that. Um, you know, it's not something I was aware that I Compass could do. I don't think anyone on our staff knew I Compass could do that massive of a change. And it was when my enforcement and hearing officer started trying to issue violations that she was
like, "Uh, Houston, we have a problem. I can't site this appropriately." So, all the text is correct and we can actually enforce it, but it makes writing an enforcement notice very clunky. So, we needed to go back and just fix all of those things. So, it's been probably since December.
>> Can you give me um guess two or three examples of >> Sure. how it um it it it it impairs our ability to >> Sure. Give me one second. So, 188 um section,
let me get to the old one. I have it in front of me. Give me >> While you're doing that, I just wanted to mark Council Person Gilmore present at 427. So we have all nine council members present at 427. >> Uh so for example uh we have a page 8 of
23 on the old ordinance. There is a um there's a phasing uh component to how you build affordable housing units. In other words, for every 25 market rate units, you have to put x number of affordable units. You can't wait to build all your affordable units at the
end, right? Um especially this is if you've got like town houses, it doesn't really impact u you know a a multi-story building, but it is in there. Uh the box that gives you the correlation is in a completely different section. So it showed up in appeals by applicants. So
it's completely unrelated to the section it appeared in. Um and it should have appeared in the following section which was 18815 and instead it appeared in 1881 13. So those kinds of things. Um this for example there are other issues where you've got you know an the clauses
were supposed to be capital letter B with a heading and then small number you know then the next would be a number and then if that number had a heading it would supposed to be a small letter. Instead we were getting capital letter A then small letter A then Roman numeral. Um and it just you couldn't be like chap
you know 18815 letter A letter A. it just didn't look right and it wasn't correct and it would it would put things that were supposed to be its own clause and make it look like a sub clause. So all of that had to be rearranged and fixed and that's what we've done. Does that help? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Any other questions? >> Questions? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Treasury Shirley McConnell. Good evening, council president of council. I have two uh resolutions for
your consideration. The first one is 10.1 which is 26-190 and it is a resolution to cancel outstanding checks. It is from a very old vendor clearing account and um
it is it'll bring us 356,000 back into the current fund. >> Questions >> money when this money is coming back um are the outstanding balances still due? >> Uh so I remember this is from 2015 to
2018. So all we're trying to do is close out something that was prior to >> So we don't have the instance of someone because natural limitation is what seven years. >> It's actually two years. >> Oh, it was only two years, >> right?
>> Started clearing house like in 2021 if you remember when we came back and started. >> Why do people keep not wanting their money from the city? >> I'm sorry. What was >> Why do people keep not >> Why are you complaining having extra money? >> I think people don't like to cash their checks. I'm not sure, but this is a very
old vendor clearing account that we just don't use it. >> That 356 is a lot of money. So, and this this money goes into a general fund or it goes back to where it came from or >> is it repurposed? It just goes back. Okay. >> This account is very old, so it goes
back to the general fund. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? Uh, most institutions cancel checks after 90 days or 120 days. Obviously, we were very generous. This is 11 years ago.
>> When I first started in Treasury, we started. >> Surely, can you move the mic? Yeah. >> We started closing them out um every other year. So, after 2021, we cleaned house, but this account was from prior than that. And so, we needed the auditor
to come in and say that we could do this. Okay. Uh, so what what's spurred on the focus on this particular account? >> We haven't used it in so long. So we're just trying to clean up anything that's older and consolidate accounts. And
>> who who who's responsible? Um, say before today, who was responsible a year ago to look into this account? >> Uh, the consolidate the reconciliation is done by accounts and control, but we're treasury, so all we do is manage the funds.
And do we have any other um accounts that we're looking into to close or is it just this one that was over >> right now? Bank of America, we're just trying to um consolidate what we can and I don't think we're closing. I think we're just trying to consolidate and
>> Sorry, I I came in late. I apologize. I had to step out. Um so So this is converting into revenue to us for us? >> Yes. >> Great job. Um, and then is it possible to um see who the payes were? I just want
to make sure I don't have a check on here. >> I I I think that because they're so old from 2015, we don't have the list of pay. >> Oh, no. Okay. >> I mean, we we don't I we don't have that information. >> Oh,
>> okay. You should have cast your check, C. Next one, Shirley. >> 10. And the next one is 10.9, which is 26-198. It's for NW. It's for um financial services that were offered for the
general obligation bond issued in December. And for other financial matters, they gave us a little bit of consulting work. >> What's the number, please? >> 10.9 >> 10.9 resolution. >> Shirley, just make sure the mic is by it. That's why they can't hear you. >> I'm sorry. >> It's okay.
>> 198 and the total is 57,24125. >> I have a couple questions. Um, so why is this claim not part of the normal claims? >> We went out to RFP and we offered a new contract in January. So we have a new contract and a new company which will be
doing the work from now on. And so they did do our bond issuance in December and were doing work in December for us. >> Okay. And that that was part of the previous contract though. >> Their contract had already expired.
>> I see. So that that was just a extension of the work while we were looking while the RFP was out. Okay. Understood. And then the um it looks like the main amount is $36,500, but there's a number of other smaller amounts throughout.
>> Right. So they did just a little bit of consulting work for other divisions. So they did um consulting work for Grand Street, Kennedy Boulevard, North Avenue, >> sorry, a little bit closer to the mic, please. >> Uh Harborview. So they they just offer different financial services for other
divisions that do not involve Treasury. >> I see. I see. So the main the crux of it was the 36,500 to the Treasury, >> right? >> Okay. Thank you for clarifying. >> So So in theory they did con I mean not theory, in practice, in reality they did
work for us out of contract. >> Yes. >> Knowingly. >> Yes. They know they were out of contract. We may or may not have known. I don't know. Keep great records. But they did work for us out of contract and they just kind of assumed that it'd be a
renewal maybe and then it all work out and um fair to say. >> Yes. I mean, we did put it out to bid and they did bid um and the award it was awarded uh in January. Were these were
these rates any different from the rates that we had been working under for their previous contract? >> No. >> So, consistent >> I guess. Um, what if anything happens if
like we vote not to pay them for doing unauthorized work? >> I am not sure. >> Peter, your mic's not on. >> There we go. probably have for question for legal. >> They would probably sue us and
litigating that claim would probably cost more than $37,000. >> I I I mean, I just bring that up because I don't want to get in a practice of paying people who we didn't oblige to do
a contract with. What's stopping a group of people from the southside coming clean in front of city hall and sending Peter invoice tomorrow? The facts matter and so here that they had an ongoing relationship with the
city that the city perhaps might have made some representations to NW. I don't know. I wasn't here at the time. Could just make it more contentious. If that's something you want us to look into, we can look into it. I am confident that if a third party who the city had never had
any relationship with showed up in front of uh council two weeks from now and demanded payment that we would not be under any obligation to pay them. Um but in this case it's just a little bit more complicated because of our ongoing relationship. But we can look into it. Yeah, >> I think yeah, we should should keep an eye on that because
>> what I don't want to do is, you know, I I don't want this council to set a precedent where people who have contracts with the city and then they think, oh, you know, we most likely we're going to get this contract again. Um, it's just it just sets a bad precedence for doing business. Um, I
don't care how long I'm in. I'm I'm contract to do mentoring. If that paperwork ain't in, I ain't going to see nobody. That's I mean it's it's it's the purpose of having a contract. Um so I just don't want to get in the
press in the habit of doing that. >> I I really appreciate that point that you brought up and I'm also hoping to seek further clarity on why they performed this unauthorized work. Were they asked
to perform it by anyone in city hall or did they take it upon themselves to do it? Like are are you able to just sort of the nature of the work? >> They were absolutely asked by someone in city hall to do the work. Vendors do not just do work without some kind of
authorization whether pretext or not. In this case, you can see it was for, you know, large amount as the councilman said, 36,000 was for continued services that the city was utilizing and then the other ones were offshoots from various ACDC or other kind of events that were
needed by the department directors. I do a lot of financial analysis for the city. Again, this, you know, transpired prior to any of you taking office. You know, it's not something that's authorized, I think, at a higher level. I think a department or division just keeps on using the vendor they have setting in more work to be done. Not
really sometimes that they're out of contract even though to the councilman's point they should realize they're out of contract and because of that they just keep on working and then they say hey here's your bill. Oh sorry we're out of contract you know we have to go to council get approved until the RFP and everything comes back so we can do a new
bill to a new vendor or the same vendor. >> Thank you. If it's not too much trouble, if it might be possible to give us like a brief list of sort of the work they performed >> in the their invoices indicate which projects they were working on. They
worked on 255 Kennedy Boulevard pilot >> request. They're attached along with the rates and hours for each of their projects. >> One Newark Avenue. >> Okay. embankment >> and do each of but like my question was if we could
request like the the email that showed the city asking them to perform that work like if that might be possible to compile >> we could do a search for it my assumption might be there might not be a specific email saying hey do this it's more just them sending work hey can I have analysis on x y and z you know
nothing that would say hey I know you're out of contract but keep on working on this is probably to the effect of, you know, a normal business. Here's all the projects we're working on. Here's all the things we're working on and then, you know, they don't realize they're out of contract as we're asking those requests. >> Yeah, I I I understand that. I'm not
saying that there was any malfeasants or anything like that uh necessarily, but you know, I I just would like to see the emails requesting each piece of work like for each line item being able to see the the request for it because if any of it was not explicitly requested,
then you know, I I think if if if it was not clearly requested by the city, then perhaps we could vote line item on that. >> Yep. Absolutely. We can look into that for you. >> I guess I had a question, Peter, is How does this dialogue look when we
we're contracted with a vendor to do so? Like how does that communication look? What offices are a part of that communication? Is it division, the department, and then the BA's office, or is it like how does that communication look? >> It would probably vary depending on what
work they're doing, what vendor we're working with. But usually that, you know, lives and dies in the department. So, for instance, uh I'm not going to pick on anyone, but Sarah's sitting next to me, so I'll pick a little bit on her. If you had a legal contract to do services for workers comp or EEO,
whatever we might have a contract for, usually it's by a case, so they know they took on the case, you know, Peter Horton verse whoever, and they're doing work on that case. They've gone over their contractual limit, let's say $25,000, what the norm might be, and they just keep on working that case, not realizing that they build more than, you
know, they should have build for. So when they find out, it's like, "Oh, by the way, here's my final bill." Fiscal will flag it saying, "We only had a contract for 25. Your bill came in at 35. Now we have to go before counsel and say, "Look, you know, the attorney for this went over. We have to make sure we pay them because there is an actual work
that was provided. You know, obviously they should be providing this bill more frequently, so we're ensuring they are not going over, but unfortunately things do slip through the cracks and accidents do happen. That's generally how these things transpire whether it be with the law department or ATDC or any other
department involved. >> So from so from how long was the period that cover the amount? >> These are from October to December. >> October of last year.
>> Right. But there's Right. So this >> is October 31st of 2025 to December 31st of 2025. >> When did they reach out and say, "Hey, you guys didn't pay us." >> You hear that last part, Councilman? >> When did they reach out and say, "Hey,
you guys didn't pay us for services rendered." >> Uh, I'd have to see when we received the invoices. The invoices are dated from October, but I don't know if they uh were provided in October. I'd have to talk to fiscal and see when they actually received them. >> I I mean, because that's that's six
months. October, November, December, three months last year, we in April this year. I don't know, man. It looks bad to me. I don't I don't know who's that fault, what happened, how the dialogue,
the communication look. Um I I don't know. I yeah I don't know. >> So I mean like what there has to be something we could do to put a mechanism in place where
you know a week before the contract is over, two weeks before the contract is over. Um it gets revisited and not after the contract is over. We start we start much earlier than that because a lot of these contracts involves either an RFQ
and RFP or some kind of public bid process. So every fiscal officer in purchasing maintain the list of contracts that we have of public bids that are approving the contracts and they do send reminders about when they should be uh rebid or reauthorized. Um
again even though they're sending information sometimes there's delays. there could be issues where uh you know the bid wasn't correct or they want to change the bid and there's back and forth between them and law department. So I don't want to blame anyone department or person. It's a very complicated matter for these things
unfortunately. Um but because of that process and the bidding process it can lead to delays which is what you know involves in these process where they're not renewed exactly on time. >> Okay. So Peter, you're going to look to see when the invoice was received, right? >> A question too mad president. Uh, go
ahead. >> The RFP with NW Financial, did it spell out how their billing practice should be conducted? >> I don't know off the top of my head. I know for as a practice, most billing will require every 30 days they have to provide us an update of it. >> I'm sorry, I meant I meant hourly. How how are they supposed to bill hourly?
Was it in certain increments like for example we lawyers bill every six every six minutes 0.12? >> Uh, their billing is the cardinal rule that you void as a lawyer. You don't round up to zero. And there was a meeting it looked like officials on
October 23rd 2025 they build a flat hour their bills are either 0.5 for half an hour 1 hour or two hours uh so so my question is one were they told how to to bill two is anyone looking at these bills to determine whether they're fair
and and reasonable for us to pay >> so respect to your first question is there a mechanism in the RFP or contract by how they should billing? Yes. I just don't know off the top of my head and I'd have to look at that to give you the exact answer. Um I do know all the bills are reviewed by their fiscal officers
and by whatever department or agency uses them. If there's anything abnormal, they usually flag them. Um so they're reviewed, you know, obviously with any form of government. How strictly they're reviewed and how accurate, you know, is dependent upon the employees reviewing them, but we strive to be the best we can with the individuals we have
reviewing them. >> Any other questions? Thank you. >> You this administration, so this is coming out of the 2025 budget, 2026 budget.
>> I believe it's coming out of the 2025 budget. I would have to double check just to confirm that for you, Councilman. >> Shaking her head. Yes. >> Yes. >> Next, uh infrastructure director Kaplan >> just stepped out. to
>> just All right, we'll circle back to him. >> Uh, recreation director Dunath. >> Good afternoon, Council President. Council, I have one resolution here today. Uh, resolution 26-221,
agenda item number 10.23. Uh, sorry, it's 10.32. Uh this resolution is authorizing an award of the contract to mainline commercial pools for the purchase and delivery of bulk chlorine supplies for the pools through the educational service um
commission of New Jersey, the ECJ, formerly Middle Sex Regional Educational Services Commission, MR E S for the Department of Recreation. >> Questions? Was this competitively bid?
Um, this is I don't actually know if we went out to bid for this. This is just the same one we we kind of been using for a long time. We have a temporary encumbrance of about 20,000. >> Okay. I just I don't know the going rate for chlorine. So, I just wanted to make sure we're getting a good deal.
>> Uh, yeah, we're getting a good we're getting a a decent deal. Yeah. Um, I could You want me to read the rest of this? I don't think it needs to. All right. >> I can read the rest of all this if you want to. >> Sure. Thanks. I don't have to. >> All right. I mean, is it long? You're
reading what now, Keith? >> Yeah. >> Uh, just just the purpose of the uh of the chlorine. >> Oh, no, that's okay. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I I I know it's I know it's for the pools. Yeah. >> It's it's for the pools. Shock. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> This is not why we use chlorine. It was
for Is this the good rate for chlorine? Can can you give us a um update on the um the sprinkler system? Is it ready? You know, it's getting ready to get hot. Um I know we've had a few hiccups in the past as it relates to getting the
sprinklers on and >> uh right now we're turning the water on throughout the city. Um we're finding out all the things that um as soon as you turn the water on, what you know what's wrong. Um so the plumbers's been um activating those. Uh last year we didn't really have many problems with
it. Um but we are I'm hoping to go out to bid to see if we could um have somebody who takes care of those seasonally. Uh that way we don't have to rely always on buildings streets. Uh but can't really tell you probably till next uh uh till the next meeting. But I can you know I could send you updates as we
go along but really until we really turn the water on will we know. >> Okay. >> But Dr. Lena Edwards is getting a new splash pad and um so that should be happening. 22. >> Thank you.
So, >> you going back to director Kaplan? >> Yes. >> We move on to to the business administration. Um that last um resolution with NW
Financial, the account number says 5-01-20. Does the five represent 2025 or is it some other account? >> Again, I don't know off the top of my head, councilman, I'd have to have finance confirm to that. Usually for capital accounts, the first numbers
represent the year. I'm not sure if it's the same for operating accounts, though. >> Okay. I just want to get clarification again. Is it 2025 2026 money? And then if I've been meaning to ask this if there's some kind of um a legend to be able to interpret accounts so that I can
see if it's a I I assume the G means grant and uh um I forget what the is the account for count is it I think um so if you can give me a legend that translate all that. Yeah, I I know when we switch over to Edmond, it's the new system for
everything. Things might have changed. So, I'm going to see if they have one that they can present to the council or provide to the council, and I'll be happy to for that over to us to you. >> I'm sorry about that, >> director. >> Good afternoon, council. So, I'm here for two items. Uh the first is regarding
uh Lyft contract with Lyft for City Bike, which I'll have Eli from our team uh explain and answer any questions. Which item? >> Uh, good afternoon, uh, council and council president. I'm Eli Gusman. I'm a transportation planner with the division of infrastructure. Uh, so I'm here for
item 10.46, resolution 26235. Uh, this resolution authorizes the award of a competitively procure concession contract to lift bikes and scooters to install, operate, and maintain the bike share system in Jersey City and Hoboken.
Uh, this contract is for three years with two one-year extensions and it will be at no cost to the city. The city will also receive a 1% uh revenue share uh over any revenue over $2 million. Um, that'll be split between Jersey City and
Hoboken. >> Questions? >> Yeah, I appreciate the revenue share. So, the 2 million, is that a million a piece? So once uh Lyft hits $2 million uh in their annual revenue, we will receive 1% of essentially all the money
over that point. Um so this is a change from the previous contract. Um where previously we uh paid about $400,000 a year. Um we received a larger revenue share, but that did not offset the cost of the portion the city was paying. So
now the service will be at no cost to the city and we'll still receive a smaller revenue share, but we'll still receive revenue. So in the end, we'll actually end up uh in the positive as we were in comparison to the previous contract. >> Okay. So when when you say over $2
million, we starting at the new number or is it if it's$2 million in one, we get 1% of $2 million1. >> Gotcha. Um so it'll be 1% of the amount over $2 million. So if it's $1 over2 million, you get 1% of that $1.
So for reference, we're anticipated to make uh between8 to 12,000 a year in revenue under this new contract. Uh that will split be split between Jersey City and Hoboken. And as I mentioned, this will actually be more than we were receiving under the last contract.
>> Thank you for doing it. I think it's a good idea. But how are we dividing revenue? Is it going to be 5050% or have we decided about the dividing revenue on what percentage? So we're splitting it with Hoboken based on our writership numbers. So Jersey City has 60% of the
writership, Hoboken has about 40%. So that's the agreed split upon and this roughly mirrors what we had in the last contract as well. >> Interesting. Because we we are such a big city and Hoboken is tiny. Um do you
think we can negotiate more just because the number of people we have three over 300,000 people number of people using um the rides and then in Hobok and it will be way less than that is it director
Kepler if you can um share more about dividing revenue or negotiating a fair deal. So to your point, the populations aren't equal, but the numbers on how the revenue split, as Eli said, was based on the ridership. So the
amount of trips that are taken and where that trip is taken from and to. And that's where the revenue to the city bike system comes into play because that's where you're paying your your cost to rent the bike. So, you know, as we are undertaking a city bike expansion
separate outside of this contract that's grant funded, that may increase our revenue share, but um you know, the historic numbers, it's not based on population. It's based on the amount of people who use city bike between the two cities and what percentage of those people are Jersey City affiliated trips
versus Hoboken affiliated trips. It >> starts where it originates. >> So, one second. So, sorry, you want to go ahead. It counts where it originates where the ride originates in terms of counting that percentage. >> Yeah, that's correct.
>> If they if they're riding from Jury City to Hoboken, then that number counts for us. >> Yeah, that that's how we would consider it. Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, yesterday in the afternoon, it was raining, so I took a lift to Hoboken and then I it stopped raining, so I took a city back bike back home. So, you're
telling me I counted as a Hoboken resident? In that scenario, your trip counted booken trip, but councilwoman, you are a Jersey City resident to us. >> Thank you, >> Councilman Gilmore. >> I see. Okay.
>> So, just to be clear, the only time the city receive anything is when city bikes hit revenues of over 2 million. >> Yes. >> The new contract. Yes, that's correct. And based on historic growth and uh
essentially the revenues we've received the past few years, unless something catastrophic happens, we are going to hit that mark and that's where we get that proposed like 8 to 12,000 a year number from. >> Do you know here can you please repeat that the past revenue uh was generated?
>> Just come a little closer to the mic sir. Um so we do have revenue from the past few years. So we have an understanding of you know the amount of money that Lyft is generating through this system. So that's how we were able to uh identify that 8 to12,000 a year estimate for what we would get in
revenue share based on what the revenue has been previously and what we'd anticipated to be going forward. >> Just to be clear the current contract which also has a revenue share has costs direct costs that we pay which are about
40k a month I believe. Um and so we are no longer going to be paying that amount. So we reduce our revenue share, we reduce the income coming in. But if we look at the last few years and we include the cost and the revenue shares, we end up still paying money for the
service. So even if we got zero revenue share and we only paid zero for the service, we would be coming out ahead compared to the prior contract. what um what does like the contract with city bikes look in let's say New York um
is it that 1% threshold over the 2 million as well if you know >> I'm adittedly not familiar with what their revenue share is I know they have a somewhat different contract than what we have with them >> but it's it's your office perspective is
that even if let's say they don't get the 2 million In essence, we win because we've essentially would have eliminated an expense associated with the cost of doing business. >> Correct? Yes. And now instead of paying 400 uh we were paying, you know, roughly
$200,000 a year after applying the revenue shares, we were in the net negative and now we'll be in the net positive uh with this new contract. >> Okay. And that 200 was coming out of whose budget or was it grants? Where was that two? Where was that money coming from to subsidize
>> it? It it came out of the infrastructure department. Um I'm not sure if it was operating and capital expenses, but it was routed through the infrastructure department. >> Okay. So I estimate that you guys should be have about 200,000
to do more work for in city. I I'd have to confirm whether that $200,000 was put forward from last year to this year, but it would be $200,000 that are not being spent from the city or the infrastructure budget.
>> Okay. And my last question, um, if you know, uh, what's the status on the splash pad in Fairmont Triangle Park? >> That I don't have that information. I
would have to follow up with you offline with um Brian, our director of architecture. >> All right. >> And any other questions? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> One second. Councilman Rose, >> may I request a a map of the docks and
is there any plan for expansion uh with this contract or is this what's the this is? Yeah, just a map of the expansion um >> certainly. Um so under this contract there is no planned expansion. This is purely just to operate the system that
we have existing. Uh as Andy had mentioned we have received funding uh through another source. We are in actively uh preparing that expansion plan. So we can certainly send you a high level map of where we're thinking of expanding some of those stations many of which are in WD.
>> Okay. Great. Thank you so much. >> Councilman Brooks I think had a question. No, that was me. Okay. >> No, that >> I have questions. Hi. Um, so you you mentioned some of the revenues. Uh, can we get the five years of revenues um
from how much we received uh from City Bike, a lift it's called. Um, as well as how much we've paid over those five years. Say we we were turning a negative balance there. So, I'd just like to see how that how that breaks
down. um would like to see the usage rates um of the bikes based on originating docking stations. Um and if you have the Hoboken numbers too, I'd be interested
in seeing that as well. Um I'm going to take a little bit of a a turn here. All bike related. Um, is there any data on available on enforcement of bike rules and regulations?
>> That's not something that I I have accessible or or have prepared for tonight's uh this afternoon's meeting, but I can speak with the police department um to determine what data and how that's collected. >> Okay. Appreciate that. We'll follow up
with you. And then lastly, in terms of um bike uh education, biker education, um are there plans to um provide more signage uh and an educational push for
uh users and riders? Um many of the uh city bike riders that I see don't wear the helmet and you know that's required by law. um talked to residents about the idea that hand signals and things of that nature that used to be a thing of when I was
growing up and uh that that's rarely ever employed or utilized. Um so just wondering what what the plan is with regard to signage and um I'm sorry um education and putting any sort of signage to educate
can certainly speak to uh the efforts that uh we can do with city bikes. So previously we have partnered with them specifically on pushing out this safety message so they can push it out through their app. So all users have to uh essentially see these instructional videos or see tips or tricks and things
like that. So we have partnered with them on that and also you know uh providing material whether that be helmets and things like that. U certainly something that's well within uh the scope of this contract with city bike uh to push you know that safety message and reinforce those uh you know
riding rules. And I'll add in general outside of the city bike contract as part of the vision zero initiative we're looking at providing a safer space for bicyclists to operate in and also educate and
support the operation of the roadway for all modes safely. So certainly education to all users is a key consideration of the vision zero effort. >> Okay, this may not be in your purview. It might be again in public safety. Um
any progress on delivery rider uh bike riders. Um, and I understand that there was uh laws passed related to regulating that and trying to make roadways safe uh
safer for um pedestrians and so forth who often find the bikes to be the delivery bikes I should say more specifically um to be uh dangerous and challenging at times. That's something I'll that's something
I'm going to need to speak to my team to get briefed on the history. Um there's many things I've been catching up on and I have not yet caught up on that one, but thank you for raising it. I'll >> sure >> find out more. >> Thank you, Andy. >> So, just want to jump in. I I think
Councilman Lavaro, you said um it was legally required for cyclists to wear helmets. I in New Jersey that's actually only um if you're under 17. So, it's required for children, but adults have choice. Any other questions?
>> Yes. Um, so the the the revenue was was okay. Was the 1% was that negotiated? Was that offered to the city? Like how did that work? And is there any information from other cities regarding their revenue
share? And did we compare revenue shares to other other cities? Like I feel like we're getting the short end of the stick here. So the way this worked is it was a bid. So in a traditional bid, you would we would be paying for a service. In this scenario, we were we were receiving
revenue share as the response to our bid. They're providing a service at no cost and giving us this share. So the response to their proposal, their quote unquote cost was actually this revenue share percentage. So this number was proposed by the respondent to the
publicly advertised RFP process. Okay. Because I I think the language because my thing is, you know, they they they keep saying providing a service, but actually what they're doing is making money, right? I mean, yes, it's
their bikes, you know, but that's like saying, you know, that's like airlines providing a service, but you have to pay that $2,000 for the ticket or rent a car providing service, but you're paying daily for that. And and I I I just
I don't know. I I just think 1% you know especially in the the crisis that we're in is a it's not a good number. >> Just want to say that we are not spending money this time and we are
going to get revenue. So I think the good thing is that we are not spending money right now. Right. >> Correct. If you look at the ridership numbers and the costs over the last 5 years, and we'll get Councilman Labaro
and everyone those exact numbers, we were spending money to operate this system, >> right? >> Um, and that will not happen under this contract. >> And I think if it is successful, we can revisit it in two years or 3 years, right? And we can see how much revenue
we are generating. Maybe we can negotiate if it is going in the right direction to get the higher percentage. But I believe this contract will set the revenue for is it three years? >> Two years and then one year consideration. >> So so yeah. So and and the reason for
that just strategically the New York City by contract expires in three years. Okay. >> We set the terms of this bid to align with that so that we would be able to move forward in an aligned direction or a separate direction as is appropriate
for Jersey City at that time. Um so that that would put us in this for three years. But beyond the three years, we would be able to formulate a new RFP for this service or a different service or uh whatever we want to do. >> Thank you so much. >> And how much revenue was made in 2025?
Do we know? >> It's around $200,000 give or take. >> So I'll do the math. The cost per year was between four and 500k, but we only paid about 200k. So the revenue we received was
>> No, no, no. I'm sorry. Not the revenue we received. Do we know what city bike made in 2020? >> Like their profit? >> The the like we have to do 2 million in order to get >> Gotcha. >> So what did they do last year?
>> Yes, they did hit over the 2 million mark last year. I don't know the number off the top of my head. uh but it did exceed the amount um which is how we received the close to $200,000 revenue share. Uh we also received title sponsor money as well in addition to the revenue share. Um so they did exceed the 2
million mark last year. >> Okay, next one director. >> All right, thank you council. The next resolution I have is not city bike. Um it's regarding um a 2026 Hudson County
open space application for the acquisition of a property at 128 Glenwood Avenue. Uh the history of >> 10.21. >> It is 10.21. Yes. Thank you, Council President. Um
this is a property with a lot of history um including a community garden. It received uh at the moment there's it's in privately owned by a developer who has rights to construct a residential development on the site. um they've
offered to sell it to the city and we've received a significant outpouring of local support from all across the city, not only within wards um BNC in which the property is located, but the entire parks coalition um along with a number of of organizations and individuals have
provided a significant um outpouring of support for the city's acquisition of this property. Uh we're currently at a point where either we need to decide to acquire the property or not, in which case it would be developed by the developer um who has all approvals and rights to do so. Um so uh Councilman
Brooks and Zupa were supportive of this acquisition. Um and you know we believe that it would provide significant positive um value to the community in an area that is underparked. Um, so for that reason, we are trying to seek as much funding as we can from the Hudson
County Open Space Trust Fund for the acquisition of this property. >> Director, just a question. I was on those emails from the county with the appraisal value of the property. It wasn't the number listed in the resolution. Can you speak to that? >> Um, so the the current appraisal that we
have that was written and submitted by an appraisor uh is a few years old at 475K. It is our intention to update an appraisal in which case the amount we would be able to receive from the open space trust would increase up until the
property appraised amount. Um we believe based upon the county tax roles and other things that it it does have a higher value. Um but we need to conduct a formal appraiser by an independent certified appraisal person. >> So that was my question. And so the
county estimates it's it's worth about double what the it lists in the in the or in the resolution. Uh is the county prepared to provide the provide us with that updated appraisal amount? >> So the city would conduct a formal
appraisal and then the county would be willing to consider an award up until either the appraisal amount or the program cap amount which is 750K. So whichever is lower, we would our application would seek that funds.
>> Okay. So just for transparency purposes for the public and we can go over this on Wednesday, too, but we're going to be asking for essentially 750,000 from the county. Correct. >> As long as we have an appraisal that supports that. Yes. >> And at this time, we are strictly
applying for grant funding for acquisition from the county. the city is not uh looking to put any money into acquiring this property, right? >> At the moment, the resolution before the council is support receiving county funding. However, the purchase price and
the amount available has a gap. So, there is not a commitment, but >> we would need to find that funding somewhere >> in order to close the deal. So the resolution is saying that we are committing to finding the gap,
filling the gap. >> We are not. This resolution is committing to pursuing the funding from the county. >> So I I I I'm sorry. I get that the resolution is just pursuing the funding from the county, but you mentioned a
gap. Have we I guess confirmed or made any verbal commitments that we would fill that gap as a city. >> So we are not formally made any commitments. I think the intention of
receiving these funds, if we do receive them, would be to acquire the property, which would require some capital funds to be identified, but we have not committed um to that. If, for example, we submit this application and we don't receive it, we would not be on the hook
for the purchasing the property. Um we've expressed an interest in acquiring it from the developer, but we are not under a formal contract as I'm aware. Any other questions? >> Yeah. So, if it's um
the the resolution and the application to the open space dollars is for how much? So the application as written um on this resolution is for 475K but my understanding is it will be adjusted it
can be adjusted upwards um if we can justify via a higher appraisal and the county is able to accommodate that which they've informally um told us the limiting factor is the appraised value >> then
so so you're going to adjust for that the application will go were a co-artner with the community group um in applying for these funds. >> Correct. >> Um and
is is does the grant we just did this last week. I think it was last week um for Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund grant applications that contemplated 28 million if memory serves me in in
matching funds. Um, is this application uh requiring any sort of matching funds from the city as well or from the applicant? >> So, it's a little bit confusing. Um, but to clarify, this would be funding sought
from the same project pool as the Hudson County open space project applications that were submitted at the prior council meeting. This would be for property acquisition, which is handled a little bit differently than um park improvements, which the other projects were, but they are still coming out of
the same pool. They're still competing against each other from the county's program. Um the matching funds then and now are not a commitment. It's more of that's what would be required to complete the project because these
projects have a hard cap. So, as I mentioned, we have 750K per award. So, um anything that we need to do to complete a project that costs more than 750K, we would need to identify the
funds um outside of the Hudson County program. What we've done strategically in the past and and again this is not for this application for acquisition is we sometimes would take a phase one and a phase two which would then give us two
750k awards for park improvements that would result in a $ 1.5 million worth of money to make that construction project. So we' we'd combine awards by by phasing them. Um so that is some of those those matching funds because on the resolution
as I understand it to be written it was the total project cost and then the 750k award and then the difference was matching funds. Some of those may have come from other uh prior awards or other grants. Um but those were related to the
prior meetings items. Um this one you know similarly we would be awarded the amount for this acquisition from the open space trust and then to close the deal would need to bring the totality of funds for the negotiated sale price to the table.
>> If I may just to keep on that thread director uh so if this resolution is passed we become a co-licant for the grant. The grant would then need to be approved. Um we're waiting we would be waiting for another appraisal. Um if
there were a gap in funding then and maybe this is a question for the BA uh we would need a separate resolution for the gap in funding. Is that correct? >> I'll defer >> to acquire the property. >> Yeah. I'll defer to legal MBA on
additional resolutions. >> Yeah. Anytime the city acquires any property that would require a resolution by the council. Um I don't know if we would need separate resolutions both to appropriate the funds and to acquire it. We probably combine them in some sort of deed and you know approval process but
it would go before the council again to best my belief. >> Thank you. Okay. Um and I know you spoke uh briefly about all the community support. Um, just to confirm, the Mcinley Square Community Board has committed to um I don't want to say
volunteer labor, but uh you know, a a um potentially coming up with anou with the city around maintenance and upkeep of the property to restore it to its prior use. Is that correct?
>> Correct. We've had a conversation about their willingness to provide a maintenance agreement. Um, we've been moving pretty quickly with this one, so we haven't fleshed out the details of any potential maintenance agreement. We don't have one drafted or signed yet, but that was an offer made to the city
that we would look to continue the conversation on. >> Great. Yep. And that could be potentially modeled like a consery. Um, which I think I not off the top of my head, but we do have some park conservies that uh we we work with currently, right?
>> We do. >> Okay. >> And um since the public is watching, I have received the same emails that you have. I have it my own special folder. Uh so just want to let the public know I am supportive of this resolution. Thank
you, director. I just want to clarify for myself just if the if we approve this resolution, if we vote for this resolution, then we're voting to support the application to Hudson County Open Space
Trust Fund. Um, and is there and and maybe this is not for you, maybe it's for the law department. Um, is there implicit in this, implicit or explicit, a commitment to supporting
um the use of city funds, capital dollars, grant dollars, open space, etc. um to fill the gap ultimately. Um and so I'll just say it on the record because it's I want it to
be clear so there's no ambiguity. certainly can support the application for funding for Hudson County Open Space. Um but given our financial situation and given that it it's not pretty sure it's not budgeted in our
capital dollars presently um and from previous meetings where I asked about kind of prioritization plans and so forth there's not a prioritization um that was developed in concert with this council um to ensure or at least
with this councilman I should say um to ensure that those dollars are also uh prioritized um for this project versus any others whether it's Courthouse Park or Sullivan Drive or Harris Cove or
Spear Cemetery. Um I could go on. Um, and the the question for me is whether we're committing um to to supporting or to providing the funds as as a city council
person with our vote on this resolution. As I sit here at this meeting, I am not aware of any obligation that attaches to this resolution. We can look into at what point any obligations would attach and make sure that the council is aware of that.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you, director. >> Thank you. >> Community development Amari Good evening, council president, council members. How are you? Uh, I'm AI Santiago, program director, community
development. I have four discharge of mortgages and one subordination for you tonight. So, first item 1023 resolution 26-212. Homeowner of 322 Old Bergen Road
received $18,695 to repair their home through the homeowner repair program. They have met the requirements of the lean. This mortgage is ready for discharge. >> We know what um we know what were the requirements. Is this something that's
>> it's affordability? Usually for owner repair, we require 5 to 10 years um that the homeowners reside in the unit. >> Okay. >> Well, my my question is um you know, people have been asking about this this
program and um it seems to not be around anymore. >> Currently, it is not funded. Um it is in our con plan and annual action plan to fund in the next uh funding of allocations through CDBG.
>> Okay. And that's grants through the state. Correct. >> That's through the federal government. That's through >> federal. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Next one. >> Next item. 10.24 resolution 26-213
Wilkinson Avenue. questions. >> Homeowner received $20,000 to assist to purchase a two family home under the linkage linkage funds program. They have met the requirements of the lean. This mortgage is also ready for discharge.
>> Oh, this is not 955, right? >> This one is No, this is a really old program. This linkage funds program. I'd never heard of it prior to prepping for caucus today. >> But they were um this on Wilkerson, right? >> Mhm. 153. >> These are the ones I guess across the
street from the 95. >> Yeah. There was a lot of development back then. So, this was to assist somebody to purchase. >> And And who uh I'm sorry, who who loaned them the $20,000? Was this through like JCRA or >> This is through DCD. This is through
community development. >> Oh, okay. >> And that's not that's no longer around either, right? this this type of program is in and around right now we're running it more uh first-time home buyer through G&HP. Okay. What would you would hear from me on other projects?
>> Thank you. >> Next one. >> Third item 10.25 resolution 26-214 627 Garfield Avenue. Homeowner of 627 Garfield Avenue received $6,000 through the homeowner repair program to repair
their property. They've met the requirements of the lean and we're ready to discharge. >> Questions? >> Just um these discharges of mortgage usually initiated because somebody's looking to sell their prop sorry looking
to sell their property. >> Yeah. Looking to sell, looking to refinance and you know we have a lean on their property. So if they run title it comes up that the city does in fact have a lean. >> Yes. And also I think also um a lot of times when parents are about
to transition the kids are trying to get the state in order um and they go and they father. Um so I guess my next question would be you know at one point we were embarking on a journey of trying to like do these things automatedly because we really have like an
antiquated system where kind of put the onus back on the homeowner and then we can kind of get lost. So that's how sometimes these things linger for a while. Do we have an update on that? >> Uh currently no. Um but we do have a scanning system. Well, we have a
scanning company that we're utilizing. So they're making all of our paper files digital. Okay. which in fact could possibly lead to us streamlining that, assigning a staff member to take all of those documents, create a proper spreadsheet, you know, put in the dates that they met their requirements, and
then we could, you know, do large amounts of discharges. I believe uh prior program director Brian Rans was working on something like that. So, there was I think last year he did about a hundred discharges that way. >> Yes, I I I remember um speaking with it
with with that. Um, but I do know that um, for whatever reasons as people as people get older, I don't know if they just forget about these things. >> They do. And I think uh, some people thought that it was automatic, met their requirements that the city kind of went
in, which maybe it should have, but that's just something we didn't have in place. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. So, last item is 10.26 resolution 26-25 21 aster please. So, I have two. There's
a discharge of an erroneous recording. Um, the owner of 21 AP place received $73,67357 cents to assist with the purchase of their home. Subsequently, there was an error. It looks like the mortgage was recorded twice. So, the first recording
was September 12th, 2001, and then there was a secondary recording of November 27th, 2007. So, we're looking to discharge that second mortgage that is on the books because it's an error. It's the exact same mortgage. There's no
reason it should have been recorded twice. Questions? >> So, subsequent to that, they're are also asking for us to subordinate our first mortgage in order for them to refinance. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Have a good evening. JCEDC Prrenzeri. >> Good afternoon, council president, members of the council. Mera Prrenzeri, executive director of the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, and I am joined by my team, Florence Baron,
Connie Rogers, Shannon Mitchell, and Maria Teneo. We have one resolution for consideration for the council, agenda item number 10.27. 27. Resolution 26-216, a resolution of the municipal council to
the city of Jersey City authorizing the submission of an application to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority for Enterprise Zone assistance funds for Jersey City Urban Enterprise Zone fiscal year 27 administrative budget from July
1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2026 in an amount not to exceed 365,800 $336. Attached to the resolution is our budget which breaks out um everything that will be covered in the first 6 months which
includes salaries and our operational costs. Also for the council, you found at your seats a copy of our 5-year plan. This was required of all urban enterprise zone municipalities and it is a road map for what the urban enterprise
zone funding should do over the next five years. And that is basically the EDC's road map to utilize these funds. So please take your time, read through it, get back to us with questions. There's also a pamphlet there for our co-working space. Should you know anyone
that is looking for a co-working, we are very affordable and we are located on the corner of MLK and Virginia, close to the light rail, the bus, and ample parking. And you have day passes. And we do have day passes. Sean, can we get can
we invoice um EDC for that commercial right there? >> Any questions? Council, >> that was a PSA. Councilman, >> any questions? >> You do have a beautiful office and uh um
I think if someone wants to start a podcast, you have >> Thank you. >> Um just for the record, I don't do any billing for the city. Thanks, Sean. Councilman Lavara, >> um with regards just like new businesses
that come into the city like um council president and I were just talking about Target >> down to 440. Um what's your organization's role with with those if any around that? >> Currently, we do not have a direct role with that. We are here to support any
and all measures as it relates to job fairs, workforce development and the like. And of course, we reach out to uh the business themselves to make sure that they are registered as an urban enterprise owned business should they be within the MAP. So they can avail themselves of all of the benefits of
being an urban enterprise owned business. And the city will have another business registered which affects um the allocation that we get annually from the state >> is targeting them in the UE zone. The one, yes, both targets are in the UE
zone and I believe actually the target downtown is as well. I would need to check on that, but the other two that are opening are in that zone and I have already been in conversation with them to make sure that they're registered. >> You involved with the Lowe's?
>> We are involved with the Lowe's and um this this prior dates prior to me coming with the organization. So, if you have any specific questions about that um I can answer them via email. Right. Any other questions?
>> This is not um directly related to um this resolution, but um I wanted to take the opportunity while you're here because it is um sort of like tangentially related. I um was hoping we could discuss with the business
administrator um whether um the certain special improvement districts that have already voted on and passed their budget, whether those budgets could be placed either as late items on this agenda or on the next council meetings agenda. Uh so one of the SIDs that um
that I represent in ward E um and actually we will be voting um for for me to be joining them. Um, so I I hope to earn your votes, but uh is the historic downtown Special Improvement District
and they voted on their budget as you know over a month ago in March at their meeting. I attended via Zoom um and reviewed their budget and was there as they voted for it. um and they are just waiting for us to put it on our agenda
and um there's a lot of frustration and conernnation about why has it not been placed on the agenda. It was passed over a month ago. So, I was hoping we could gain some additional insight into that. >> So, Councilwoman uh Little I do have a note to discuss that once we're done with the directors. So, if you don't
have anything else for uh Mirror Przer, then let's let >> just I thought have a seat. >> I thought this was time to talk about >> No, that's okay. >> Thanks. want to know how many total number of businesses are enrolled with you your organization
>> enrolled with our organization or enrolled as an urban enterprise owned business. >> Okay. So, so we have um I'll separate that question out then for to answer both of those. We have over 2500 businesses that are part of our database
from the work that the EDC has done over the years and that is always growing for registered urban enterprise owned businesses. Currently we are over 600 and we um their goal is to always double that number by at least 20%. Last year
we met that goal and we exceeded it by an additional 20 uh 30%. So we are looking to increase that number again this year. So since the time you joined you have rate uh 30% more businesses have enrolled you're
saying >> since o over this la over la the last year so it would be from January to December. Okay. >> We had um just a bit just under 100 businesses register as urban enterprise owned businesses and we had um just
under 300 reertify which is also equally important to make sure that we keep the number level and growing and I've been with the organization since April of 2025. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And um councilwoman are there any
>> director please? Director, Councilwoman, are there any um are there are there any um benefits to UEE businesses um hiring within a community? And if so, what are they?
>> So, for hiring within the community, um I for that level of specificity, I would have to get back to you on that. Um the urban enterprise zone uh businesses within the zone can avail themselves of tax-free purchases for equipment for
their business. Some of them can pass along the lowered sale tax which is about 3.5%. And then other businesses depending on size they can um avail themselves of different um payroll credits and the like. But but to the specificity of Jersey City only since
it's a statewide program. I I would just want to get clarity on that before I answer the question. >> All right, let let Okay, let me rephrase that. >> Okay, >> just hiring period, right? >> Um because if if I'm correct, I I believe there's some sort of like tax
credit or something like that as they hire more people. >> There there is a tax credit for them. That's part of the the tax the payroll piece of it. So, >> okay. And and do we promote that within the city?
>> We have not specifically promoted the benefits within the city. Every business that comes to us, we share that with them. >> Okay. But but it's okay. It's shared with them, but we're not like >> actively promoting it. There there there's never been a plan in place to
actively promote that so far as I know. are if you're talking about a marketing campaign, we can certainly sit down and discuss it. >> Yeah. But not not not to the outside world. I guess more to the businesses like with their, you know, >> just to try to, you know, push push
hiring >> every every time we meet with businesses, every time we meet with groups, every time we do workshops, we talk about all of the benefits for the businesses should they enroll in the urban enterprise zone and if they are within the MAP.
Any other questions for director? >> Just want to say thank you director for working with uh my office. Um and we are really uh looking forward to our uh collaboration on different levels as we will be representing states too. So I
think we can have more partnerships in future. >> Sounds great. I look forward to it. And also friendly reminder to please get me your nominations for the small business awards. They're due tomorrow. Thank you. >> One more question. and uh director Councilman. >> Hi, Madam Director. How are you?
>> Good, thank you. >> Um just a process question. So, this is for um half the fiscal year. Um we will need to apply for the rest of the fiscal year and the second half of the calendar year.
>> Correct. So, the urban enterprise zone authority prefers that urban enterprise zone municipalities do their administration administrative budgets in six-month periods to align with when the new allocations come up to make sure
that they are not over or under the number of the allocation. Administrative budgets are capped at 10% of a city's total allocation. >> Thank you. And I did read the email attachment uh that you sent. So, thank you. >> Thank you >> for flagging that.
>> Thank you. Any other questions? >> We're good. Thank you, director. >> Thank you, >> Joan. HHS. >> Good evening, Council President, council member, pardon me. Once again, I will be very short and sweet. Um, this is 1028,
a resolution authorizing the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services to accept grants from the New Jersey Department of Health for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program. This is a grant for $5,000 for administration. We
use this basically for office supplies. For the new council people that don't know what the farmers market program is, any any eligible senior, you receive $40 to use at any farmers market. They apply to our office and when we release them on May 1st, I will make sure each one of
you gets 10 or 20 applications. Get them in as soon as possible and they get $40 to be used at any farmers market program. This year's we only have 2,000. I think a big part of it is that I had never realized till two years ago that
past Lincoln Park there's no farmers market in Ward ARF and that's where majority of our seniors are. So what we did at the end last year was we took them to actual farms in South Jersey where they could use their vouchers. This is just to accept $5,000
um for the office supplies and everything for the program. And we have them available at our office in the Heights at the annex, every senior group, every senior building, and we'll get you applications because if you know any neighbors that are not involved with groups, it's great because $40 that they
wouldn't have had before. >> Questions? Okay. >> That's a onetime allocation. >> It's a onetime allocation. Uh uh >> uh meaning just one time out of the year. >> Oh yeah. No, they they are once a year. They can we can distribute them up to
September 30th and they're good through November 30th. Okay. So I'll definitely get through I'm not allowed to release them until May 1st, but I will then. Okay. And I'll see you Wednesday for the senior of the year. >> Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Director Mariel, she's right there. evening. I'm here for 10. I thought it was 48, but probably not because I'm thinking 10:45. Um, >> this is a resolution authorizing us to
conduct a study um in order to designate an area in redevelopment. Uh, this was instituted or requested by the county and Mr. Masakudis is here to I think answer any questions or provide more color. I'm here to help you with um at
least procedure questions. >> Okay, Bill, you wanna >> Thank you, Tanya. Hello, council president, members of the city council. Great to uh be here tonight. So, yeah, I'm here on behalf of the Hudson County
Improvement Authority. Um serve as the general counsel for the Hudson County Improvement Authority. And this resolution uh 10 uh.45, 45, as Tanya said, uh, authorizes the first steps toward creating a new redevelopment area, uh, for a portion of county owned
property as well as a privately owned proper piece of property on the corners of Newark and Baldwin avenues. Uh, this is part of a and you see the letter that was attached, I believe, to the resolution from the CEO of the HCIA,
Norman. Uh this goes back to the previous council and I think it was October, November, asking for the city's collaboration to declare two county owned properties uh to begin the process of declaring two county owned properties
areas in need of redevelopment. Uh and and this is part of a broader uh initiative by County Executive Craig Guy to build affordable housing uh mixed income housing with a substantial portion of that housing dedicated to families of limited resources including
people with the lowest incomes on four different county-owned parcels in Hudson. All of which happen to be in Jersey City, all of which happen to be in Ward C. Uh, and this is not a concept foreign to Councilwoman Little. I know
she spoke about it when she was a candidate for uh, county executive. Um, the previous council did authorize an area needed redevelopment study for property known as County PY. You're probably familiar with that building off of Montgomery Street, Cornell.
Substantial amount of surface parking. Um this piece of property that the county owns is uh surface parking again uh caddy corner to the Brennan courthouse. Uh you know surface parking is I would argue not only the highest
and best use of this property but it's a dilitterious use that creates flooding heat island effect etc. Um we have a housing shortage and certainly a shortage of lower income uh housing and the concept here is to do that. So, this is the first step in creating a
redevelopment area. The Hudson County Improvement Authority, pursuant to the statute that creates improvement authorities, has a variety of powers in the housing uh realm, sort of laid out in that letter from uh CEO of the HA, Norman. Uh and the the concept of the
the statute that gives those powers is to work collaboratively with the city. I mean, we have the specific ability to ask for this sort of area needed of redevelopment study to take place. Um just a little some of the the basics on
redevelopment areas and why why they're important. Um basically this would give the city the ability to do and and and the county collaboratively three basic things that are important. One uh we would be able to create a redevelopment
plan down the road with input from planning input from the community that would create new zoning for this area in a sense. maybe zoning on uh steroids. Redevelopment plans are a little bit more detailed than your average zoning, but these uh lots that are currently
parking, some of them are zoned for one and two family homes. Can't get much housing in that type of zoning. We are right outside, literally across the street from the Journal Square 2060 redevelopment area, which is 112 acre uh transit oriented uh highdensity
redevelopment area. We don't know what the zoning will look like here. Ult obviously it's going to be a collaborative process. Um another thing that a redevelopment area enables is the exercise of eminent domain. So there is a parcel that's sort of the hole in the donut here that is not owned by the
county that we really need in order to provide a suitable footprint to develop any any anything of import. Um I can tell you that that will not be a we've been in contact with representatives of the LLC that owns that uh building. It will not be a contentious amendment domain. It's not a situation where
they're going to say you shouldn't take our property. I will be open transparent through an appraisal arms length transaction to acquire it. So there may be some debate about a fair market value like there is an eminent eminent domain situation. So this is the first step in
the process of developing these parcels. Uh ultimately there's a lot of votes, several votes that have to happen here designating the area agreeing after there's a hearing at the planning board. Um and then ultimately uh if and when a
redevelopment plan is prepared, you know, voting on that which would be an ordinance. So uh that's the uh that's it in a nutshell. Happy to answer try to answer any questions and just uh good to be here again. It's been a bit since I spoke to
>> questions. Hey. Hey. Uh, Bill. Um, just for clarity, the exact location is between both of the courous. >> No. Um, close. Well, there's three courouses, I guess, now, right? There's
the Brennan courthouse, there's the soontobe, hopefully empty courthouse, then there's the new courthouse that has yet to been built. So, if you if you're walking in the the beautiful old courthouse, the Brennan courthouse, and you turn around and look across the street, uh there's the Cafe Peanut,
there's the uh the old uh used to be McDonald's is like a Colombian coffee place. Now, >> it's right on the right hand corner. There's a Blimpy B. There's an old There's the the building that we we ultimately want to acquire and demolish. We need a demolition permit from the city, too.
>> Uh has a Blimpy base in it. So, >> location is great. >> What's that? >> Great location. >> Yeah, I mean I I agree. It's basically Journal Square. It's a like a 10-minute walk to the pass station. So,
>> is is this the China? Is this where they were supposed to put the hotel? >> No. Okay. >> I'm not sure what hotel you mean, but I never heard anything like that there. No, no. Dream Hotel is where 701 Newark is, which is a 25% affordable housing and 100% community build project.
>> And one one second, one at a time. >> The microphone's off though, by the way. Council >> is the parking I'm trying to see the exact location. Um, so is the Blimpy building is the private parcel. Yeah. And then the county building will be
behind that like on a diagonal that it's like a parking deck or something connected. >> I I I think um what the the clerk sent I believe he sent out today in your packet. There should be a map uh with the um there like an aerial sort of
view. Is there a map in what you have? >> There's a map attached to the resolution. >> Should be a map attached. So basically what the county owns is not a building. It's just surface parking lot. So right now county employees park there. They walk across the street >> and it's kind of like uh a horseshoe I
call the blimpy building which we also want to acquire is sort of the hole in the donut and unify all those lots as one so that you can build something on it of some substance. What how much to be determined. >> Okay.
>> And Bill pardon me if I missed that. Is county paying for the construction? >> Well, that's way down the road. The county will be finding the C city certainly has, you know, not one you dollar. I mean, we'll see if there's affordable housing trust fund money or
something we could maybe come to you for, but we're hoping to that's a big long story, but there so there's a few different ways this could occur. If you look at the model that Councilman Zupa just pointed to, 701 Newark Avenue, that
was a parking lot that the city owned. City sold to a developer. The developer um uh built it underneath the understanding that they would provide 25% affordable housing as he as Councilman Zuba pointed out. It's union
labor as we're also committed to both for construction and post construction. and they pay they're paying for it along with low-income housing tax credits, uh, Aspire, uh, tax credits from the state of New Jersey, and then they got a loan
from a bank. So, that's one option. Um, we don't know how that that's one possibility. Another possibility is we can finance it through bonding. Um, and something that the county executive is committed to doing another location. But so the bottom line is is it will be
probably a a stack of different capital sources between um loans from banks. It could be bonding. It could be subsidies, credit, tax credits, and such. >> Council Z. >> Yeah, I was going to say, Bill, thank you for that. Um shorter answer, the
city's not paying for anything relating to this project. Um, Bill and I are in the process of of scheduling substantial community meetings for substantial substantial community input. Uh, not only on this project, but also on the other county owned parcels. And it's
going to be part of, you know, knock on wood, a a massive overhaul of Journal Square for people who could actually afford to live in Journal Square with the county support. So, um, and just for those that, uh, in the immediate area, we'll be having community meetings so
you can have your input. And this is just the first step towards um evaluating the site for development. >> Any other questions? >> Um where is I I know you were describing where where
is courthouse park relation to this? >> Well, the courthouse park is going to be in the building that is the uh current courthouse county administration building. Um, so Courthouse Park will be sort of across the street and down a
little bit. So the building that's the main courthouse as we speak today will be hopefully demolished and replaced with the park. >> And this resol this resolution um it
addresses that property also addresses the corn Cornelison, right? No, this this doesn't this addresses only Newark and Baldwin Avenue. There's four lots uh um on the corner of Newark and Baldwin Avenue. Three owned by the county and
one owned by some private LLC. >> Director Gar's letter referenced County Plaza, but the last council voted on it already. >> Yeah, the county plaza one. Uh I understand. So yeah, that that that letter was going back several months said, "Hey, can you designate two areas in need of redevelopment?" city already,
you know, begin the process by authorizing a study. The city already authorized that. So, that is an effort that's ongoing. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, we'll move on that. And we'll also we're working on a redevelopment plan for Canelison.
That's what one of the things we'll be meeting with the community to get input on what kind of redevelopment plan should uh exist. >> Any other questions? Thank you so much, Miss Mr. Matt Sakudis. Um, I'm so excited to see the county building
affordable housing on parking lots. Um, I just wanted to follow up on Councilwoman Singh's question. Um, you know, you you spoke to one option being the county selling the land to a developer and the developer um, you know, developing with a certain
percentage of affordable um, units and another option potentially being the county um, bonding for um, construction. And just if you could elaborate on that scenario and uh whether the county could retain ownership of the land and whether
you know a a community land trust model could be explored. >> Sure. Um yeah, happy to discuss that. And you know, I've spoken to a few of the council people and I'd like to reach out maybe sit with sort of everyone give you a little
>> our little presentation on this. But um so but well so there's a little this is like a spoiler like 18 slides into this PowerPoint but let's let's hit it right now. Uh so yes we are very much exploring that for County Plaza. So
County Plaza is probably not probably it is the most substantial of the four sites simply by uh land mass. It's like 12 and acres and change. Um and we also don't need to really assemble any other privately owned land. Uh so we're moving
full steam ahead and our concept there is basically what we're calling it is so social housing which means government financed governmentowned permanent affordable housing. Uh and you know hopefully you know everyone has
financial struggles. Um but we're looking to do a model that uh is sustainable into the future. It's it's been done to an in a slightly different way. uh Montgomery County, Maryland, where Montgomery County, Maryland has
built affordable housing on county owned land. 30% affordable. Um I think is a healthy mix. You want to have market rate housing as well so you can fund this the debt that you leverage to build the housing. And I think it's good to have a diversity of
income like housing for all. The greatest model that people tend to point to is a foreign one. Vienna, Austria, you know, over 50% of the people around 50% of the people in the city live in it. There's no stigma attached to living in it. It's not ugly. It's beautiful.
You know, when I talk about this to people, I say, "Let's not let's not replicate the mistakes the past." And right across the street from County Plaza was Montgomery Gardens, which most of it was blown up. uh and it's only one of several public housing pro uh
projects in Jersey City that that's went to the same fate. It wasn't just a Jersey City phenomenas across the country. So, yeah, that is exactly what we're pursuing. I mean, we have a lot of benefit when we do it that way. The county has a strong bond rating. So, when we lend money to build, we're getting a better interest rate than any
developer in Jersey City that's going to Goldman Sachs or wherever, you know, they have to go. Um but since we are committed to two things which is union labor 100% and um 100% union labor and a robust amount
of affordable housing across the thresholds of all affordable ability which means a substantial amount for the lowest incomes right um it's a challenge to make those numbers work so we're hoping to get help from other sources
like you know spire tax credits billions millions of dollars have been allocated for for projects that I don't think are as innovative or as good as this one. So hopefully there'll be some for us when we're ready to knock on the door. >> Right. Any other questions? Council. >> Thank you. >> Yes. So um you talk about low income and
and um affordable housing, but uh there there's a there's a need uh in Jersey City for supportive housing. And um you know I I would hope to see that you know the county especially when
the county provide a lot of services to people who are in need of supportive housing. Um you know I I would just like to see that and what you're looking to do in the future. >> Councilman first.
>> Thank you. Uh I had a long conversation with HDC and planning last week about uh the same kind of study for the land under Christ hospital um the parcels under Christ hospital and for the hospital itself. Um could you just speak
a little bit to for the record to why it's so important or why you feel it's so important in this case to try and acquire that last property through re a study that designates this area in need of redevelopment with condemnation powers and why other avenues for
acquiring the property besides condemnation do I mean why why that might not work in this case >> well for um for this particular partial that's on the resolution, right? Uh uh it's part of the New Jersey constitution
that says that if an area is in need of redevelopment, what they used to call blighted, uh it's got a lot like for example, a parking lot, I think would probably fall into that category. It's not it's vacant. It's uh largely vacant as cars parking there. Um and if you
can't reach a uh an agreement with uh someone who says, "No, I don't want to sell it." um somewhat controversially it's been upheld by the United States Supreme Court that says that you can acquire it and you can even give it to some you can even then sell it to someone else or another private entity
if you want for development. So eminent domain, I don't think it's been utilized a lot in in in Jersey City, but it's it's there to I mean, I've been part of it when I was corporation council. It's there um for special circumstances where you need to utilize the power of the
government to bring about something that's important and good, whether it's in the redevelopment realm or for the public purpose like a park for example, >> right? and the study to designate this area in need of redevelopment is required for eminent domain. Is that
correct? >> Yeah. I mean um for in the redevelopment context it it is so so basically the way the redevelopment uh um laws and there's three things that I think you basically get out of redevelopment area right one
is power for eminent domain. Two is you can um get uh what's basically people call pilots or tax abments underneath the long-term tax exemption law. And three is you can draw up a redevelopment plan um which is sort of zoning on on
steroids. So instead of just saying, you know, uh neighborhood commercial, five stories, you know, some of our redevelopment plans get into all kinds of details like this part has to be open space. this you have to put a recreation center here, you have to do um you know
some of the you can even have the size of the units uh spelled out. Um so it's going to I mean and in the county plaza place we're uh you know developing a whole new neighborhood so there'll be a lot of attention given to that. So you
in order to exercise those big powers getting a tax exemption and having eminent domain I mean you're you have to show that the area is in need of redevelopment and Jersey City now is go-to place but that's after you know 30 40 years of of redevelopment I
forget Tanya maybe probably knows I think we have 100 redevelopment uh areas in Jersey City now we might have more than that than traditional zoning but and it's a multi-step process right there has to be a hearing that has to go to planning board and the redevelopment plan will be an ordinance that's going
to have two readings here down the road. >> Thank you. >> Sorry, Bill. I just have to say ask for it. I don't know if possible or not. If you are considering everything, please consider few units for seniors. >> Okay. Okay.
>> Need a lot of them. Thank you, Councilman Griffin. >> Yeah. So I I just Tanya correct me if I'm wrong but I thought in need of redevelopment there are no condemnation but it has to be a redevelopment plan
for condemnation to occur >> in redevelopment uh when you're designating that's why in our resolution it says with condemnation or without um you have to specify from the beginning so you can do redevelopment without you
can do it with um this this is utilizing that uh ability. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Law John. >> Okay. >> Good evening, council. Um I only have a
few. The first is agenda number 3.2, 2 ordinance 26-024. This in regards to the enforcement of title 39 and Droyer's Point. Um, Droyer's Point's board had authorized the request the city that
>> 3.1. >> Oh, sorry. It's put on 3.2 on my print out. 3.1. Sorry. >> Um, this is purely a housekeeping ordinance. the the board has every right to request that we don't enforce title 39 anymore. They made that request in
July of last year. Uh per the statute cited that would have made the end of the enforcement of title 39 effective January 1st of this year. So the code is now outdated reflecting some of the restrictions that would have been enforced by the city. This is just
removing those from the code. >> Questions? Does this agreement include the removal of traffic signs, too? >> No, it just means that our police aren't going into the the gated community to
enforce it as part of their regular patrols. >> So, this is new. That portion is new, meaning police enforcement is new to this agreement. >> No. So, they used to have police enforcement back in 2017. Uh, the city
adopted ordinance 17-149, which implied police enforcement of various traffic rules to the private roads in Dyer's Point. They don't want that to happen anymore. Um, NJSA3958-2 gives them the ability to withdraw their
request. So, this is just removing the code that would have been applicable to their properties after they withdrew their request. used to be there. Then they then we didn't then they requested it be removed. Then now we're restoring it.
>> No, this is removing it. >> They requested that we remove it. So we're removing it, >> right? >> There's no no change. I'm confused. The change is that what was in the code marked where you could get an infraction
from the Jersey City Police Department. Um Dyer's Point said they don't want that code enforced anymore. And because it's private roads, not public roads, they have the right to do that per state law. So now the fact that they've requested that this enforcement no
longer occur, there's a bunch of uh language in our city code that needs to be get needs to get removed because it would be confusing otherwise. It's outdated. >> So we're not enforcing >> correct information at some point time.
>> Okay, next one. on. >> Uh the remainder are the ones I have on the uh dedication by riders. Are there any questions about those at this point? >> 10.4 to >> 10.8. Yes.
>> I I have the same two questions I had for the previous dedication by writers. If I can just get the the balances on these accounts for and then for the last five years. Okay. um have that.
>> But these do these writers exist previously? >> No, that's why we're doing them now. They were all caught by an audit. So, you only have to do them once. So, we're cleaning up the books that way. But >> these uh revenues have been collected for
>> they've been collected and they've been spent, but without the dedication by Ryder, they're supposed to go into the general fund uh and not be reserved for specific uses. All of this is dealing with funds that are reserved for a specific use. Okay. And um
how old does this go back some of these these funds? Uh I don't know offhand when all of these accounts were created. I know that the arts and culture trust fund is a a relatively new one. I believe the mass
transit parking tax is also a relatively new one. Um for the others, I'm not sure what the dates are. Then my last thing to the law department is just um the enabling state statutes and code u if I can get the language on
that as well you provided before. >> Sure. I think in a number of them I actually put clickable links. You can go right to it. >> The links are there. >> Yeah. But I'd be more than happy to chat with you about it further if you have any questions. >> Yeah. And councilman, I believe the
finance department did send the balances over based on my request this weekend. If they didn't, I'll double check. And then I also asked to get the expenses for you as you requested. >> Councilman Brooks. >> Yes. Um on 10.7 um
the let's see here two uh third paragraph at the end talks about um the funds may be used to uh or the expenditures may be used to fund quality of life projects within the
municipality. What would be an example of a quality of life project? 10.7. I'm sorry. I'm not sure mine are numbered correctly. Which is uh is this the mass transit parking tax? >> Yes. Got it. Um I did not look into what
the type of quality of life uses would be for this. Um but since it's generally around like seems mobility and travel issues, I'm assuming it's going to be in relation to that. >> Okay. Maybe for the BA, would that be a question for infrastructure? Do they
have um control over this fund? >> Dustin, there we go. It would first be a question for the law department just to make sure we know, you know, what they could be utilized for and then it'd be a question for potentially infrastructure in the business administrator's office to figure out if there's already a plan for it. To my knowledge, there is not a
plan to utilize these funds for anything specific, but you know, we can have a c discussion with the infrastructure to see if we can develop one. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. My quick read of the statue that I've just pulled up doesn't put any color on what quality of life means. So, we
should check in and see how those have been used in the past. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. So, I have um
two resolutions that the council wanted to discuss. Um the first resolution uh is a question for the administration. And I wanted to know uh if we are looking to bring back or if the administration is looking to bring back
the um resolution that was previously voted down for fireworks. It's my understanding that the administration would like to bring it back and um that possibly some council members would like to reconsider. So first question is are we bringing that back for this agenda?
Second question is what is the procedure when we've already voted on something? and uh then bringing it back. I know we've done it before. We did it with the um charging stations, but what is the rule of thumb on that?
>> Yeah. So, this is the resolution 26-171. It was a resolution regarding the fireworks at Liberty State Park uh for the Veterans Association. Um the administration has no objective to bring it back. You know, the council's on board. We're happy to bring that back
and allow a a vote on that. Again, um I'll let law department jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe for resolutions, there is no prohibition about bringing it back at a follow-up meeting, maybe this meeting or any meeting thereafter. Um it would require at this point a late item. So, it' be an
introduction from the council, a vote of six members, and then we would vote on it as a council afterwards and see if they agree with uh continuing the practice there. Just just for clarity if if we're bringing it back. Is this a public or
private event? Because I'm receiving conflict conflicting information. >> I believe we have a member. >> Yeah, there are here. So, >> or the best one to answer your questions. Councilman. >> Councilman. Uh this is a charity uh
event being put on by the Veterans Golfers Association in support of the veterans. It's just it's being hosted at Liberty National, but it's a charity event for the veterans. Um >> can you identify yourself for the record? >> Oh, I'm sorry. Nevin McCann, partner
Connell Foley, uh here on behalf of the the applicant. So, it's a it's a veterans event put on by what particular entity? I'm sorry. >> Veterans Golf Associ. >> Oh, it's the Veterans Golf Associ. The
Veterans Golfers Association is putting on a a big event in support of the veterans. And this is a fundraiser for the Veterans Golf, the Veterans and the Veterans Golf Association. It's >> welcome to the public or it's a private event. It's a it's a private charitable
event, but if there were we we are we'll publish the times of the fireworks and the public is certainly welcome to go to the public walkway, Liberty State Park. You can send an email out to your constituents to watch the fireworks um from any, you know, area.
>> Oh, so it's it's it's >> Okay, so I see the confusion why people think it's >> Yeah. So it's a public private event by default. >> Correct. The confusion, Councilman, was that the firework um company that fills out the application, we didn't know that
they even filled it out or we would have been here to answer questions and they just filled it out the same way they fill it out every time. It is not a private members event. It is a philanthropic event where the Veterans Association is coming to Liberty to host
an event that I I'd actually like the general manager to explain the event because it's an event that all five arms of the military have been playing in over the last two years to qualify for this. So, it's the skilled members of the the Marines, the Air Force, the
Army, the all the different things and and it's to to raise money and awareness for the veterans and the all that they're going through. So, with that, let me introduce Jeff. Jeff, who's the the new um general manager of Liberty National just to explain this event.
>> Good afternoon. Thank you. My name is Jeff Shepard. Um I'm a seasoned uh general manager. I've been there since March 2nd. So, um only been here about 6 weeks. So, thank you for the opportunity. So, the Veterans Golf Association um is having this event and
it's hosted at Liberty National, but it is run by the Veterans Golf Association. So, it's an event that is going to be a Rder Cup style of the five um different branches and they're going to play and compete against each other. So, we've got players that are ranking from
officers and non-officers that have qualified to be on these teams. And so, they're going to play in a Ryder Cup format. On Monday, we're having an event where amateur players can play with them. There'll be a shotgun start tournament that will just be normal golf
during the day, followed by a really nice dinner. Um, and then hopefully fireworks afterwards celebrating it. And then on Tuesday and Wednesday is when they have the actual event against each other. And all of the support of the event is to go towards the Veterans Golf
Association. So it's really about them and trying to get that more awareness and that um for the veterans. >> Oh, okay. So all right. Yeah. I guess in the future you guys had got to have better communication because this sounds
drastically different. Yeah. than what was before us last whatever it was last week. So I'm hearing that this is a veterans affair to support veterans and the firework display is in conjunction and this a three-day event.
>> Yeah. So well only the fireworks would only be once after the dinner on Monday evening but yeah so Monday is the um event that culminates with the fireworks after the dinner and then they play the competition Tuesday and Wednesday. And again, just to reiterate, all proceeds
is going to fund that veterans >> Veterans Golf Association. >> Okay. Kind of what kind of work does the Veterans Golfers Association do? Exactly. What kind of Yeah. What kind of philanthropic work? >> Oh, yeah. So, all of the proceeds that
they have um go towards veterans in general. So, it goes to many of their different um foundations and associations. Um the Veterans Golf Association is a way really to bring awareness to veterans. So they're out there playing. Um like I said, they have qualifying events. We have folks that
are coming down from like Pine are coming up from Pinehurst, North Carolina, around the country. We have some here from the New Jersey, New York area. So it's it's a really cool thing and it like I said the big purpose of this association is to bring awareness to veterans.
>> Okay. and and my question from last session or the hesitation that I had to vote for it last session was particularly we've been seeing a lot of environmental issues concerns at Liberty State Park um and you know from uh both
attacks on public space to also attacks on animals at Liberty State Park. Um, so especially in light of that, I was concerned that having fireworks right there by the park in the golf course um presented a threat um to animal and wildlife. Um could you speak to any
anything that you all are thinking of in terms of your fireworks display that could help mitigate some of those concerns? Yeah. So that's why and unfortunately with the confusion, we do have a professional fireworks company that um will perform the fireworks and adhere to those safety um guidelines as
far as um the technical aspect of that. Unfortunately, I can't speak to that. >> Yeah, understand if you don't have those, but would do you mind sharing those safety guidelines that are that are in place from the company that they're over email afterward? >> Yeah. No, we can provide that to you. Absolutely.
>> That'd be helpful. Thank Yeah, absolutely. >> I I have a few questions or do you need to further answer Jake's questions? >> I was just going to clarify that the fireworks are not being set off in the park. They're going to be somewhere in the middle of the of the of the golf course property. Um, just to clarify
that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. >> One little >> um Have you ever investigated the use of of light shows or drone shows in lie of fireworks? because I know a number of
municipalities and organizations are moving towards those due to the air pollution and other environmental effects of fireworks. >> Um we did not in this instance. We can certainly look at that for future type events. Um but in this instance, no. We we had always targeted giving um given
that it's the 250th anniversary of the country and the veterans, we just felt the fireworks would be appropriate. And um is the event tickets for the event have already been sold? I'm assuming >> tickets it's a golf outing. So the folks
that are participating have signed have qualified and signed up through that. >> Yes. It's a fundraiser. Correct. Yeah. >> Yeah. So so tickets to the fundraiser I I apologize if you if you call tickets something else on a golf course but >> Oh. So when you're when you're having an
event, Yes, I understand what you're saying. So what you would be doing is you would be paying to play in the amateur event on Monday and then the veterans are the actual tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are playing. There's not like participants or um uh I
guess there wouldn't be spectators or anything of that nature that we sold tickets. >> Right. Right. But the the fundraiser the tickets have been sold for >> Yes. >> Okay. Yes. Um and the event will go on with or without fireworks. Correct. >> Yes. >> So we are not we are never you know the
council not the council would never want to cancel this event. We you know definitely want to support the veterans. We definitely it sounds like a fun event. I don't golf personally but I can see the appeal. um if if one did golf um it sounds like a um but the you know it
it sounds like you know the the what I'm trying to understand is um do you anticipate do you anticipate people withdrawing from the event if the fireworks do not proceed? >> No, I just think it's kind of a um an
integral part of the event just celebrating what we're doing. So, it's it's one of many components of the event from the golf to the dinner to the fireworks show to the celebration, opening ceremony, the singing, the things of that nature. It's just one
part of this the whole event. >> Thank you. >> And Jeff, I thank you for answering all my questions privately, but just for record, I'm uh confirming this is a fundraising event for the veterans. Is that correct?
>> Veterans Golf Association. Yes. >> Thank you, >> Councilman Zupa. >> So, sir, thank you for your your information. Question I have for the administration. So, just to clarify procedurally, will the administration be putting a new resolution on? The reason I asked is because I uh I wouldn't want
the council to reconsider a past resolution because I I I would based on the information that was presented to us last time, I would stand by my vote. It's vastly different than what we're hearing today, which is a veterans event as opposed to a private event at the golf course celebrating our 250 years of independence, not open to the public,
which I would again vote no for. Um, as opposed to this different and newer application, >> right? Charity, all that good stuff. >> Yeah. >> Yes. So, we don't reactivate a failed resolution. It had to be a brand new resolution.
>> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, council members, at the council meeting, um the administration will add the late item and then Sean will ask us for a motion to add that late item and any other late items to the agenda and
he'll probably make it a compound motion. And so, the next item, Council Person Little alluded to earlier, some of the council members have concerns in regards to the SID budgets uh being held up. So, we're looking for clarity around
that. And I think we also have representation from the um historic downtown SID here if we need their input. >> Sure. Yeah. So, the SIDs in general, and be, you know, frank, it's not just the
historic downtown SID, there's also Central Avenue SID have an obligation to submit their budget by April 1st to the city. Um that's why, you know, they say that they voted on it a month ago. So, they submitted their budget. uh it has to get voted on by the council but gets reviewed by the administration prior to
that. We wanted to sit down with every SID going forward for everyone who has a budget for the city just to get some feedback. You know, it's a new administration, so they want to understand what are their uh objectives, what are their needs, and then based on that, you know, figure out if there's anything the administration need to do
to meet some of those. Also to make sure the expectations from the administration side is standardized across all SIDs. you know, every SID has a vastly different budget both economically and on expenditures. So, we just want to make sure that there's kind of a uniform
and you know, uh, non discriminatory or non kind of unstandardized practice for every SID to follow as far as what, you know, we think they spend money on, what the city allows them to spend money on, and things in that nature. So, the historic SID, the Central Avenue SID,
both received indication from us that we want to sit down and discuss it with them. Um, their budget, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, does not expire until June 30th. So, there's plenty of time to still vote on it and consider it. This is just a step in this process to understand what their goals are, what
their needs are, and go from there with any feedback from us. Council Griffin. >> So, as as a as a former director of an SID, that explanation to me, it sounds like the administration is trying to micromanage
SIDs and SIDs are taxed twice, right? So their property taxes is for the city services that we provide as a city and the SI and and the assessment is their actual
funding. Right? So when they create these budgets, it's based on what they see on how to make their districts move forward and
not the city, the council, like this is this is their budget and this is this is how it can move. Of course, we can meet with them and and and discuss some stuff, but in no way
uh can we have any effect one way or other on their budget. >> Yeah, Councilman, the intent is not to micromanage their budgets. You know, I would also kind of retort with I don't know how many times the previous administration's ever met with the SIDs. To my knowledge, it wasn't very frequent
and it wasn't across the board fairly to every SID. This administration actually wants to change that. They want to make sure that every SID is getting the same amount of attention that every SID is recognized by the administration that there's an open dialogue between those SIDs and the administration. Um, you know, we have to be very cognizant as
administration. I think you are as a council as well that there are municipal dollars spent on SIDS and there's a cost of projects that SIDs have. So to the extent that we'll never be involved, I wouldn't want to promise that. But obviously if any money from the city is going to get spent or used with any
project for SID, they want to make sure that you know obviously it's above board and the council agrees with it and the administration agrees with it so it's not impacting the residents or anyone else unfairly. >> So we always had a council person sitting on our on our boards and you
know we did have monthly meetings. Um, so there was never a time where the administ administration should not have known what was going on because it was always represented in these meetings. >> And it's not my claim to say that
anything was being hidden from the administration. My point to you was I don't know how many times the administration themselves, not through council or other me members, actually met with each SID to understand their budgetary concerns, to understand their processes. Um, again, to my knowledge, they haven't done it. I didn't know if anyone met with you from the mayor's
office or the administration when you were a director. Um, but to my knowledge, it didn't occur. So, this is more just trying to make sure we're we're giving them the attention they need to ensure that they have the resources from our administration and from the council to be as successful as possible.
>> Uh, Peter, as it relates, so I mean, I see what what the administration is trying to do here. My only issue or not an issue, my only concern is we've already passed we've already voted on
some SIDs right now. So I guess my question is twofold. Um that question and then subsequently uh are all SID budgets are to be proved at the same are they
all on the same calendar uh year? I don't believe they're all lined up exactly the same to my knowledge. Um the only one we I think approved and the council approved was the Jackson Hill SID. Um again that was more fledgling administration. They're trying to get a
grasp of everything. I don't think they had all their expectations set out. We're getting more budgets now. We've got the HDSID, the Central Avenue SID. Um I was informed that the Westside Avenue SID was voting on their budget now. So we have three in the hopper that are coming out. So, you know, with all
the budget coming in, everyone reviewing them, they want to set a standardized practice. So, we're just kind of all on the same page. We're not doing a one-off or one shoot for each one of them, but have a chance to sit down with all of them, get their needs, their concerns, and make sure that, you know, they're getting the resources, you know, so they can success be successful as well.
>> This is a due diligence mechanism, if you will. >> I would say a due diligence and an understanding. You know, we have a lot of people in this administration that were new that weren't part of the government before or weren't part of any government before. So, it's a good chance for all of us just to understand the process, understand the SIDs, how they function, what the expectations
are, what their requests for administration are, and make sure we're on the same page. >> So, in light of all of that, um, can you either confirm or deny um, if these SID budgets are coming within the next council meeting or so?
>> So, the intent is to have those meetings prior to the next council meeting. So, we could potentially put them on there. again what you know if we have the meeting to decide hey can we change something I don't know what that process is so I don't want to give an absolute guarantee but the internal meetings will be scheduled prior to next council
meeting therefore the intent would be they could be added to it um like I said right now we have the central avenue SID the historic downtown SID and I believe the west side would potentially be coming for next week or next council meeting as well >> I guess my only ask it's I mean next
meeting will be May and their their budgets, the ones coming up, uh fiscal year is June. >> So, I know definitely that Central Avenue and HCSID, their budget extended June 30th. Um I'm not entirely sure about the west side, but my guess is
it's probably the same. So, their budget extended June 30th. Their new budget has to be in place by July 1st. So, we have approximately two months, you know, in four council meetings to get that done. >> All right. Um, I just I support these meetings taking place. I
guess I'm not fully grasping why um, you know, an organization that voted on and passed their budget over a month ago has, you know, had to wait this long um, to get it approved. You know, their busy season is coming up um, with now that the weather, you know, with possible
exception of today, um, has been a little warmer. Their busy season is coming up. They have events coming up. um this is creating a lot of uncertainty for them and I would like a stronger commitment that every effort will be made to have their um their budgets on
next meeting's agenda if you know assuming there are no major red flags but I don't see why there would be. >> Yeah. And just to be clear their budget they do have a budget right now. Their budget's in place till June 30th. So there's no question of there shouldn't be any question of them having funding for the next several months. The
question would be July beyond that. We're definitely committed >> setting up contracts for beyond that. Exactly. >> So, so a commitment that if if you know if at all poss or every effort will be made to um to get these budgets on next
meeting's agenda. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for SID? >> All right. Take it from the top, Sean. >> All right. First reading ordinance. Item 3.1 was touched on earlier. Item 3.2, city
ordinance 26-025, is an ordinance ratifying the renewal of a lease agreement Rialto Capital Urban Renewal LLC for the use of space at building located at 4 Beacon Way, Jersey City, extending the same through April
30th, 2031. >> Item 3.2 >> 3.3 was touched on earlier. Item 3.4, 4. City Ordinance 26-026 is an ordinance authorizing extension of
an amended deed of easement with for 14th Florence Street Corp. permitting the developer to make improvements on a portion of 12th Street public ride ofway in the area east of Provo Street and continuing to the area adjacent to the
north side of Newport Parkway in connection with the construction of the new public pedestrian walkway. We have a speaker. How you doing? >> Hey, this is for the record, Charles Harrington of Connell Foley on behalf of
the petitioner. Just to give the council the benefit of of a of a background and a summary of what's before them. Um, so this this is a request for an extension to complete a pedestrian connection on on what's called it's a portion of 12
street. And if you're going into the Holland Tunnel um into into New York, right, there's that's 12 street. And then to the left um if you look to the left, there's there's actually a portion of 12 street is there. It's probably occupied right now by numerous uh port
authority vehicles. Um but the plan is uh to eventually take that that area and and create a pedestrian uh connection um from uh 13th Street all right to uh Newport Parkway and it's not could be a
pedestrian as well as uh um bicycles um will connect that and kind of the the overall picture is there there's a development approved on between 12th and 14th Street and then 13th Street is the little across from Home Depot, there's a little street there that separates the
two parcels that my client owns. And there's two towers that were approved years ago that are still in the zoning is still in place. Um and after that approval, we worked with the city uh and the port authority to create this uh
potential uh uh pedestrian uh connection uh which then it connects not only those projects but the idea is also to connect that uh on north side of 14th Street where you have all that development happening now um by um by St. Lucy's
Church and Jersey Avenue. So that gives you a connection to walk into um Newport without having to cross 12th Street right by that tunnel, which which can be a little a little dangerous probably. Um so the the initial agreement and
easement um gives us an outside date of February of 2027 uh to complete this. Uh we are asking for a five-year uh extension to do that. So that because the the project is still not in the ground. we there's still a lot of a lot
of moving parts um uh that that have to take place and they're you know they're looking at possible amendments, but uh otherwise we'd have to get in the ground and try to get this done within the next year. So, we're asking for the five-year extension um to give us uh room to
complete this. Uh it's it's something separate and apart from the project. It's not they're not tied together. Um so, but it's something that that my client uh is responsible for as well. It's not the city The city has no cost uh as part of this. It's it's all on on
the developer's dime. Um so we're asking for an extension of five years to complete it. >> Any questions? >> Is other work going to be underway during these five years? Is the pedestrian walkway part kind of waiting on other work to be completed? Is that
part of why it's it's been delayed? >> There's I mean it's been delayed because the the initial project wasn't started. Um, so it's it's kind of we don't want to do the pedestrian uh walkway when there's nothing else there. It's kind of
you'd have this this nice shiny uh uh pedestrian connection, but to get there, you're still going through kind of trucking uh um trucking truck parking. There's you, if you see by the Holland Tunnel, you have all the Mecca parking
uh trucks there. So there's there really it's really not conducive to going through there until the project starts. >> Okay. And the initial project being the the towers that are >> two towers. That's correct. >> Okay. And what phase of that construction is
>> that hasn't started yet. >> That hasn't started. Do you have a start date estimated for that? >> There I think my client's hoping to to get in the ground with the next two years. Um he's it's uh he is he is looking you know when when he got it
approved uh some time ago and then you ran into COVID and then all all these other issues. So now he's he's taking another look at it. He wants to have a discussion with you know with the new administration about you know different issues too about possible changes. So to
work with this, you know, the administration um and the council for, you know, possible changes >> and part part of I think the um proposals here were saying that you would have approval from port authority in the project. Is that all in do you
have the requisite approvals? >> Yes, that that that's all done and that that was like the initial coordination took years like at least two two to three years to get this together with with the port authority. Okay. Right. >> Uh so we have that because there is a piece of the Port Authority uh parcel at
the eastern end of 12th Street that that we need to cross over. I say we, the public needs to cross over to Newport Parkway. So that is all coordinated as part of this. >> I I am all for pedestrian improvements
um especially in this part of W E. Uh this is very exciting. My one comment is uh the attachments uh were were a little grainy and not particularly easy to see. Um they seem to be scanned black
and white aerial photos. Would it be possible just to like take a screen grab of like Google Maps satellite view and kind of just email it to us so that we can kind of better visualize what this project is going to look like? because I the exhibits in that are attached to the
ordinance um were you know it it would be helpful for us to better visualize it. >> Totally agree. I I had a conversation with uh Mr. Horton earlier today that um that's one of my tasks tomorrow is to try to put this together so it's easier for the council to see. >> Thank you. And I could not figure out
are you using the area where Port Authority is using for parking their vehicles >> currently? Right now they they are parking vehicles there. >> As part of the agreement they will move their vehicles out of there. >> Okay. >> That then we will create the pedestrian
area which we've already presented to the planning board and it was approved. So there's a plan in place for it. But yeah, all those those vehicles um on on 12 street will be removed. >> Thank you.
>> Thanks Chuck. Ahead Sean. >> Okay. On to our second reading ordinances. Item 4.1, city ordinance 26-019. It's an ordinance approving an easement agreement by and between the city of
Jersey City and R AR Scitec LLC for the benefit of the public for the pedestrian access and passage over and across portions of the property known as 189 Philip Street, Jersey City, New Jersey.
just um wanted to ask for that briefing in Scitec City, whoever's available to do that from the administration. And Chuck, you still owe it to me, too. >> I know. Come on, man. >> Hey, I'm smiling because I just asked uh
Neans if he had spoken to you about it, and he was going to >> uh dancing around me. Just not No. >> Um I'll get him to to reach out to you tomorrow on that. Sure. >> Because he knows he knows the the better big picture uh than than I I know the
scholars village. He knows the rest. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Go ahead, Sean. >> Item 4.2 2 city ordinance 26-020 is a franchise ordinance granting permission to 412 Liberty Avenue LLC by
its managing member Nisha allowing the installation of stairs that extend into the right of way beyond the boundary lines of lot 51 block 2601 and are for the benefit of lot 51 block 2601
commonly known as 412 Liberty Avenue Jersey City New Item 4.3, city ordinance 26-021, is a franchise ordinance granting permission to Manson Ambassadors LLC, successors, and assigns to construct
private improvements within 200 ft plus or minus of the First Street Public Ride of Way adjacent to lot 26, block 11402 on the official tax assessment map of the city of Jersey City, 230 Street.
And our last second reading ordinance, item 4.4, city ordinance 26-022. It's a franchise ordinance granting permission to HHNJ ProCope Phase 3 LLC to encroach within the
public right of way sidewalk at portions of 15th and 16th Streets to allow for an elevated ramp and stairs for building entry 316 15th Street. Then we have our public request for hearing. We have
currently 53 speakers. And on to our petitions and communications items 6.1 through 6.28. Any questions or comments? >> Can I please request copies of 6.4,
6.17, and 6.18? >> Sorry, I didn't have something right. 6.4 6 >> 17 >> 17 and 18. You got it. and I'll send it to everyone. >> Would like to request 6.1, please.
>> 6.1. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Got it. >> Officer communications. There are none. And then we're on to our report of directors 8.1 through 8.24. There will be two more with the addition
of the two late resolutions. >> Um if I can back up for just a second. um the reports of directors. Uh I want to just uh express appreciation to the administration for appointment to the affordable housing trust fund um
application review committee. Um just wanted to get clarity on the record about the August 8th um expiration date of the term. We're in the middle of a term currently. Right. >> Correct. So this is the available position that we had without, you know,
messing up the other appointment terms. So we would be appointing you to this unexpired term is what we call it and then when it comes up again we would renew you and you would continue that position. >> Okay. >> That following term. >> I appreciate that. Thank Thank you. And thanks to the administration. Um and then Sean, you had moved on to the
claims. Is that right? >> I I I couldn't hear you. >> You had just moved on to the claims. Is that >> I didn't I waited for you and before that 8.22 There's a typo on the agenda. >> 8.2 >> 8.22 22.
>> Oh, yeah. The I and >> I believe it's appointing Miss Harris to the library board. It references me, but it's supposed to say Miss Harris. >> I I thought I corrected that. I apologize. Uh, that will be corrected. Actually, wait a minute. Say a minute.
No, that is correct. Harris is 8.19. Harold Harris is 8.19. >> Then, okay, >> because you're not being appointed to the library board. This is for the Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board. Do you see that, Councilman?
>> 8.22. >> Yeah, I I printed the agenda on on Saturday, Sean, so I'm going off. >> Oh, it's okay. And I know the sun is like in your eyes, too. So, um, it 8.22 was incorrect initially, but I did correct it before we printed the agenda
for tonight. >> You have eyes behind your head. His light is shining down upon me. Sean, thank you. That's what it is. >> I I will say coincidentally the eye in mirror prince area is missing on April 22. So there is a typo. >> So they had to find something wrong with
it, right? >> For his fellow council member that good with it. >> I will have to recorrect 8.22. Well, just goes to show you no one's perfect, even though I'm born on
Christmas. Anyway, um, listen, who says you can't laugh during meetings, right? What would you do without your clerk? Anyway, on to claims and addendums number one. Uh, Council Person Efos, you have a
question on the claims. >> I I do. Yeah, I have I have questions and they they go across both of the claims. um the library appropriations on page 20 of um 9.1 uh there's a little over 5 million to
library appropriations and then on 9.2 the addendum number one um it's the tax levy to the library 44 uh and a half plus million uh where can we find um the actual spending and breakdown of the
library budget I would have to I believe it come from the library board themselves. I think Terry Hill is our director. So we'd probably have to request or we can request for you a copy of their expenditures and their budget so you can see those. >> Yes, I I'd like to make that request please. >> Yep. Not a problem.
>> Thank you. Uh just a question on claims too and this is fitting considering the light is still shining on me. Um there's a on page 19 it's page 257 out of the 853 page agenda packet. There's $7,500 for outreach services to full gospel
church. Could you just talk speak to what that is? >> Right now I cannot, but I can get an answer by Wednesday. >> Thank you. >> I have a question on page 29 of 9.1.
Um, it looks like a refund to the county of $382,000. Do we know what that for? I do not. It could be something related to the elections, but I'll have to get that information for you by Wednesday.
>> What What's the amount? >> Because everyone's running on a post. Okay. >> My clerk's telling me it's not election related. So, definitely change by Wednesday. >> The clerk knows. And that light shining down on you,
Council Person Zuper, and Council President Ridley, is Robert's light to make sure you give his clerk uh an easier time and not spending hours and hours at caucuses. But anyway, >> the light's dissipating, Sean. So,
>> okay, I guess he's letting up on you guys. On to our resolutions. Uh item 10.1 was touched on earlier. Item 10.2, 2. City resolution 26-19 is a resolution establishing the
calendar year 2026 open space recreation historic preservation trust trust tax rate. >> Any questions? >> Yes. What is the full legally permitted um assessment?
>> So it's not an assessment be the rate. So the full rate that we could go up to would be 2%. Um we have not done that. We've been historically at the same rate that's listed on the agenda, the 0.0025. No changes there. It's just continuing the same collection rate.
Thank you. Testing. There we go. Just to get ahead of things, there are multiple resolutions that have the rates settings. So, this one is also 0.025. The next one, uh, which I think is the following council agenda item will be 0.025 as well. There's no changes in
both rates. Continuing the same process in the collections we've been historically doing. >> The rates so they're they're they haven't changed in previous years. >> That is correct. >> And are we at the maximum rate? >> The maximum rate is uh what I said for Councilman Brooks. I believe they're the
same as 2%. >> How much? >> 2% for every $100 spent or $100 collected. >> Next one, Sean. Okay. And next one is item 10.3. City resolution 26-192 is a resolution
establishing the 2026 arts and cultural trust tax rate which our BA touched on earlier. Items 10.4 through 10.9 were touched on earlier. Item 10.10 city resolution 26-199.
It's a resolution to honor congratulate Mr. It's Mayz a sed on being named Jersey City Senior of the Year. Item 10.11, city resolution 26-200 is a resolution recognizing and designating
the swamp milkweed as native plant of the year for 2026. >> Item 10.12. >> Sean, >> oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> Just a note, um, we would like to move this to the beginning of the meeting because there will be a couple people from the Native Plant Society here,
>> I believe. your that one and I think the senior of the year. They're both being moved up. Correct. >> Correct. >> Awesome. >> We'll make that compound motion at the meeting. >> Next item 10.12, city resolution 26-201
is a resolution appointing John Allen as a member of the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority. Item 10.13, city resolution 26-202. It's a resolution appointing Chris Gatson as a member of the Jersey City
Municipal Utilities Authority. Item 10.14, city resolution 26-203. It's a resolution appointing Keshave Podor as a alternate member number one of the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority. We will have all resumeumés
uh prior to the council meeting on Wednesday. >> They'll be uploaded too, right, Sean? >> Yes. >> Okay. Item 10.15, city resolution 26-024 is a resolution readopting resolution 18-782
creating community advisory board for the Bayfront Redevelopment Project. Item 1016, City Resolution 26-205, excuse me, 205. It's a resolution appointing council members Denise
Ridley, Joel Brooks, and Rolando Lavaro to the Jersey City Bayfront Advisory Board. Item 10.17, resolution 26-206 is a resolution appointing council person at large Michael O'. Griffin as a
member of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. Item 10.18, city resolution 26-207, is a resolution appointing Elena Little as a member of the Jersey City Shade Treat Committee. Item 10.19, city resolution 26-208 is a
resolution of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City in support of the proposed new New Jersey Senate Bill S3761, which would require the commissioner of the Department of Health to update the warning notice regarding adverse effects
of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Item 10.20, 20 city resolution 26-209 is a resolution of the Jersey City Municipal Council approving the appointment of city council members to the boards of the Special Improvement District, also known as District
Management Corporations. Item 10.21 was touched on earlier. Item 10.22, City Resolution 26-211 is a resolution authorizing a lean against the properties listed herein for the cost of removing litter, debris,
etc. in accordance with NJSA40 col48-2.14 and Jersey City Code section 287-4. Sean, before you move on, I have a question on 10.22. >> There's no attachments um here, I don't
believe. Uh but 80 Water Street, that's in Ward B, right? That's uh at the edge of 440 in Claremont. Um would it be possible to get the um kind of the paper trail of the summons and the fine and the lean and
all that? >> I think most of that should be available publicly off the make sure the courts you know agree but uh to the extent possible. Yeah, we'll provide everything. >> Okay. Would it make sense for me to reach out to prosecutor Cam um Camrage
or we I >> I'll reach out for you on CCU. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Would it be possible um to for the paper trail for all properties to be sent to all council members before the meeting >> for 80 Water Street or both of them?
>> Both of them. >> I'll reach out. I can't promise I'll get it to you before the council meeting, but I will try to make sure with every effort I do. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Just a a question in general. Um where where does the decision making structure on the costs live? like how how do those
costs get determined for different leans? >> Oh, there we go. So, generally speaking, it's based on the hourly rate of the employees and any equipment they'd utilize for that. So, for instance, we have to have five people because it's a very big yard and there's a lot of stuff there and they have to run a lawn mower
and whatever else they might need. They build them based on the cost that would utilize that equipment and that time of the employees to do that. >> Thank you. Okay. Okay. >> Items 10.23 through
10.32 were touched on earlier. Items 10.33 through 10.37. Corporation council. You want to take that? >> Sure. I sent a memo to all council members over the weekend regarding of
these items, but I'm happy to answer any additional questions that you have. I will just remind the council that those memos were confidential and subject to attorney client privilege. So, if you have questions, please ask them without reference to the content of those memos.
>> Uh, I have a question uh regarding items 10.33 through 10.35 just for the public record. Um the funds for this are out of 2025 reserves, not 2026. >> That's correct.
>> Great. Thank you. >> Can I just get clarity from the VA about these 25 bills that um come out of the 25 reserves as Councilman Brook said. Um so
so that money is just sitting there. it hasn't transferred over to anything or carried over at this point or >> so we have a certain period of time to spend the money. I believe it's till the end of April. I have to double check with finance to get the exact date. But we have a certain period of time for any money that uh
was not spent or overolcted or you know things like taxes. You have you know additional funding that would be then a reserve. We can use that money for a certain date for the previous year's you know expenditures, payments etc. And then eventually shifts over to the new year and we have to shift everything to
the new budget. Uh >> and if it goes unspent then it carries over into the 27 as surplus. That right? >> It it would be depends what the monies would be but essentially yes it'd be either surplus or refunds or something that event that we would count as a
surplus budgetarily. >> We get balances for is there any way to access that money outside of um using it for these purposes or can can we bring it into the 26 budget? What we do to a degree we usually depending what we want
to do with it we could either spend it but historically that's been a problem for the city where they spend their surplus every year and then you have no raining day fund. So to the extent possible we want to keep um as much of it as we can you know given the difficult bud budgetary times we have but it's good to have a reserve there of
any surplus for any uh unanticipated expenditures that might come up you know settlements uh reverse tax appeals things of that nature um overages for healthcare we're a self-insured city so that can always go up um to that extent possible you know we want to try to keep
some of that reserve but obviously if we need it for the operating fund you know we can bring it to it if we need to. >> We can bring it into the 26 operating >> uh you know what I'm going to finish uh the councilman's question. Can you send us
can we get a balance of what is left over from 25? >> Sure. I can take the uh the surplus weight from 25 >> like go ahead Sean. >> Okay. Item 10.38, city resolution 26-227,
is a resolution authorizing a close session of the municipal council on Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. to discuss issues related to pending litigation. Item 10.39, resolution 26-228. It's a resolution appointing Laura
Bamante as a member of the Jersey City Medical Center Board of Trustees. Next item 10.40, 40 city resolution 26-229 is a resolution appointing Thomas Zupa to the open space trust fund advisory
board. Item 10.41 city resolution 26-230 is a resolution appointing Elena Little as a member of the Jersey City Planning Board. Item 10.42 resolution 26-231 is a resolution authorizing an emergency
temporary appropriation. So, uh, yeah, I have a question on this. It looks like the there's an increase, um, in this amendment of local spending in addition to the money that is being pulled from grants. An increase of local spending, um, to the tune of about
99,000. Is that is that right? Am I reading this? Yeah, that's for the statutory expenditures of the PERS. So, PERS is a retirement fund. So, it was just a rounding error. They didn't have the exact amount there. is correcting that to make sure that there'd be sufficient funds there between June when
the ATA would expire to make all the uh retirement payments they would need to. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Go ahead, Sean. >> Next is 10.43. City Resolution 26-232 is a resolution of the municipal council
of the city of Jersey City, County of Hudson, state of New Jersey, declaring the council's intent to establish the position of legislative counsel and directing introduction of an enabling ordinance. >> So, council, I'll keep it short because it's been a long night, but I did send
all of you information on this one. Um, it is something that the public has been asking us to do for some time and I made the commitment to a lot of you that I would explore the option uh when I became council president. So, this is a
resolution of our intent to uh establish that position to assist us with policy to represent us separate from the administration um and to also assist with any other questions that we would have. that person would serve as the attorney to
the council and before any ill will um goes out or any uh media spins go out. This is in no way a uh representation that we are not satisfied with the work that Sarah has been doing here. So, I just want to make that clear. There's no
background argument. This is something that the council has been talking about since before this council. Um and we are just looking to explore that option and move forward on it. There is an ordinance that I thought was attached but I don't see it in I compass. So if
we can go back and attach that ordinance to it. Um and the law department and my office are reviewing that ordinance checking all the legalities and uh talking through this whole process. So, uh, we'll have those conversations
before the next meeting and before the ordinance is brought to the agenda. Any questions? >> Sarah, the council president cited to, uh, the case of Trenton. Have there been any challenging lawsuits or case case law regarding that particular situation?
>> There have not been. And if I can share a couple reactions. First of all, I'll confirm for the public that we're not in a fight. Uh I take no personal or professional umbrage to counsel doing whatever it needs to do to do your jobs
uh which are very hard. Um I have been vocal and public about both the tensions that are inherent in my role and also the limitations of my department which these are my words not yours do limit the uh degree of client services that we are able to offer everyone in this city
including you. So from my perspective, the only two questions with this are one, is it legal? And two, whether or not it's legal if you do it anyway, what happens? On the first question, I have only had 3 days of knowing about this resolution to research it. But I will be
candid that my preliminary best assessment is that it is not. There was ample case law prior to 1985 making clear that fundamentally the Falconer Act contemplates that the administration and the legislature work together and
have one council that represents them. I understand this council's suggestion in the preamble to this resolution that there was an amendment to the Faulner Act that happened in 1985 that changed that. What I learned in law school and what I understand to be the case is that
when the legislature wants to affect a substantial change to something as fundamental as the structure of government and the relationship between the legislature and the executive, it does it expressly. It doesn't bury it in an authorization to appoint um municipal
officials or employees. And there have been cases post 1985 that again underscore that original reasoning about the fundamental structure of government. So, I do have serious concerns about whether or not the contemplated ordinance in its current form is lawful.
But that said, just because it might be unlawful doesn't mean you can't do it. I have no power to stop you from doing it. And it very much seems that some cities have done it anyway, like Trenton. That they haven't been sued or haven't been sued yet doesn't mean that their ordinance is lawful or that yours would
be. It just means that until someone sues and a court says that this particular ordinance isn't lawful that it stands. Um so that brings me to my second question which is if you do this regardless of whether or not it's lawful what happens and I also have serious
concerns on that front that we need to think through and I would request the opportunity to think through with all of you before any ordinance is introduced. So for example, if you all have your own lawyer and you want to introduce some legislation, if your lawyer tells you
this legislation is lawful and I think it's not and you introduce it and pass it and the city gets sued, I have to represent the city. Council doesn't get sued, the city gets sued. So who represents the city? It can't be me. If I've publicly said that I don't agree
that this was lawful, you definitely don't want me litigating that case. Who pays for the attorney? And who pays for the judgment? Probably the city. And so I think this gets right to the heart of the conflict that I see here. Um and I
really look forward to the opportunity to talk through these very hard questions which are both hard legally and also operationally. Uh but I'm eager to do that with all of you. >> And I do have question council president. How would we pay for
how how are we going to pay the salary? >> Well, we would have to stick within the budget. There's money there for us to do it. So, we would discuss all that when we get we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But >> yeah, >> my other question to that, Council President, was do you envision this being as opposed to a salaried employee
similar to when we hire outside counsel? >> I think those are some of the things that we have to discuss as council. right now we're just trying to figure out if it's something that we can do. Um and then we would then have to decide what that contract would look like. >> So I would I mean I would look forward
to Sarah's opinion. Um ironically I suppose >> I think she did a good job of explaining both sides just now. >> I mean if Sarah I'm sure you're contemplating a memo. I appreciate your memos. I I look forward to one here. And then also the logistics of it. I mean as
a salaried position it's unfunded. That's one right. Um and and given the the work that would is contemplated, I imagine this can be an if it went forward would be an RFQ to hire a law firm or lawyer the same way we do for outside counsel to give advice up to a
certain amount. I can tell you in my private practice of giving advice to municipalities uh be a lot less than than what a salaried employee would be. So just something to consider. If I may, I will just submit for your consideration one thing that is
definitely legal is if the council would like a dedicated person within the law department that just works for council and doesn't take any other calls. There is no Falconer Act issue with that and that is not the status quo. As you all know, we currently have a governance
team that provides legal advice to the municipal council and all 10 departments and the mayor and there's two and a half attorneys in that team. that is proportionate with the number of attorneys that do all of the other functions of the law department. But there is no concern about any
constitutional or statutory violation if we go that route. I understand that doesn't resolve the concern about conflicts with the administration, but just want to make clear there may be options that resolve any legal concern. >> Right. Thank you for that Sarah because
we know also that uh just like every other department in the city um you you all in the law department do a lot in the city and can be strapped with trying to do legislation for the council and everything else that's in the city. So appreciate that offer. If
>> I can just ask to for clarity the resolution on our agenda now is not legally concerning to you. >> That's correct. the resolution which is just a statement of intent is perfectly fine. >> Um if the ordinance that is attached to
the resolution were introduced today that's where my concern would be. >> Okay. Thank you. um if we were to pursue the avenue you suggested having a dedicated attorney in the law department for um essentially to
offer council counsel which I would also move to call this council counsel because I like the name but um in that scenario that person could still be would that person be a civil would that be a civil
service role or could they be hired and ired or would they serve at the pleasure of the mayor? >> My the BA will correct me if I'm wrong here. All municipal attorneys are provisional. They are not civil service
roles. And so I believe that anyone that you hired in my department would be treated like anyone else. They would be in a provisional role. >> 99.99% correct. they're at will unclassified but functions when the same is provisional.
So if I mean I can imagine a scenario in which this um attorney within the law department that is dedicated to advising counsel perhaps disagrees with corporation council and we have a situation similar to the one you
described previously where we're where you know the council's attorney advising us is advising one thing and and you are advising another representing the administration And um
if the attorney were to then be fired by the administration, it would seem very retaliatory for being independent and and responsive to the council. And I think that would
create a really really big problem. To be clear, if there was a dedicated council attorney within the law department, they would still have to report to me. The Faulner Act makes clear there's 10 municipal departments. You have to go in one of them. Unless you are a council member or a council
aid, this person would definitely be outside of that. And so, uh, the remarks that I made earlier about what would happen if you went down the council council route that you engage, um, were different from what I'm talking about in terms of having one someone internally
within the law department. Um, >> so you could overrule them essentially >> effectively and I could make all sorts of commitments that would be sincere that you would want to hear about how we would present those differing perspectives to you. But at the end of the day, I do have a statutory obligation to make certain decisions um
and to be the final call on things. >> And again, I want to reiterate with what others said. We love you. This is nothing personal. Um, just, you know, looking looking to have um checks and balances and everything like that. >> Absolutely. If you all want to take 10% off the law department's plate and we
can do it legally, go ahead. >> I'll just make a comment for the for the record. Um, so council president said this this was contemplated before this council and this administration. I was one of those council members who openly
contemplated that. Um and so for the goal and the intent of what's being presented here um I want to say that um I support that um in and of itself but um and I appreciate she did not take umbrage and I told um Sarah before this
uh meeting that uh I think she's doing a spectacular job amazing and I feel very u uh fairly represented as a city councilman even if I may disagree on different things and issues Um, and I can't say that about previous
corporation councils, right? So, so the idea here is that uh it's not who the individual is that's sitting in the chair, but um ultimately, as Councilman Little said, the checks and balances and being able to be um supported and
empowered as members of the legislative branch, uh when we shouldn't come into this situation of maybe not necessarily being on the same page. Um, so I'm open to the conversation and moving it forward and um
how that goes. >> Okay. Sure. >> Okay. Item 10.44, resolution 26-233. It's a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union and celebrating its service
to the community. Is this another resolution that we'll be um deferring to? No, no, they they had their celebration already and I presented it. It's all good. >> Very good. Thank you. Items 10.45 through 10.48 were touched on earlier.
Item 10.49 which is listed on your agenda as a late item. It resolution 26-238 uh resolution appointing Matama Singh as a member of the Jersey City immigrant affairs commission. And item 1050, city
resolution 26-239. It's a resolution appointing Matima Singh to the woman's advisory board of the city of Jersey City. And if it's the council's intention, >> if it's the council's intention,
>> be sure we uh attached her resume. I >> got lots of questions. Uh >> oh. Council person Singh, are you ready to answer? >> Okay. So, >> asked the same questions.
>> So, like I said before, um all of the resolutions that require that are appointing any member to an uh a board or advisory board or agency um will have those resumes attached to the resolutions before the council meeting.
And if the council is intending to put back on a different well the fireworks resolution for Liberty State Park that would be 10.51 resolution 26-2. >> With that being said, may if there's
nothing else, may I have a motion to adjourn at 7:22 p.m. I believe that motion was made by Council Person Griffin. May I have a second? Second >> second by council person Paul I mean
council person Lavaro on the motion to adjourn at 7:22 p.m. All council members present by acclamation please say I >> we are out of here at 7:22 p.m. Thank you so much everyone present and everyone watching at home remember
teamwork makes the dream work. Have a great rest of the night and stay safe. You too, Sean. >> Counting him. >> Started off at like00