So, are you serving as our secretary? Who is serving as secretary? >> We going to Yeah, that's what we going to one of us. >> 28. >> Can Can All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're
about to get started. If we can silence our cell phones, we don't have to close the door. Need all the air we can get. Unfortunately, the air conditioner is not working. All right. Good evening everyone. We are on the record. Today is Thursday, the
12th day of March in the year 2026. This is a regular meeting of the rent protection and special investigation committee. We had a scheduled 5:00 pm start. The clock on my cell phone is showing 5:22
p.m. May I have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting? Council person Zuper is absent. Council person Efos >> present. Council person Little >> present. >> Council person Gilmore >> present. >> Council person Singh is absent. Council
person Griffin is absent. Council person Lavaro >> here. We have four council members in attendance at 5:22 p.m. Can we kindly rise for the salute
to the flag? Thank you very much. on behalf of the members of the Rank Protection and Special Investigation Committee 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 Bolton board of the first floor of city hall. In addition, at its time of its preparation, notice of this meeting was similarly disseminated on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 3 p.m. to the mayor, municipal council, business administrator, corporation council, and
the local newspapers and posted on the city's website so I can certify as to our total compliance with the Sunshine Law. This committee was established by resolution number 26-067 which was approved on February 11th,
2026. The establishment of the committee is um here I'm sorry. The duration of this committee shall exist for a fixed term of 12 months from the date of adoption unless extended by resolution
of the municipal council. and I will update the resolution with all of the new members of the volunteer members of the committee. And I see walking in is council person Singh
at 5:25 p.m. So we now have five council members in attendance. All right. I believe our focus right now should be a nomination for a chairperson of the
committee. >> Do I have a motion to nominate any member of the council that is on the committee? >> I need you. >> Sorry. >> Sorry. I was running. I'll nominate
Frank Gilmore. >> Nominate council person Gilmore as chair. Motion made by council person Singh. May I have a second?
>> Second. Second by council person Ephro. On the motion to nominate council person Gilmore as chair. Council person Ephros. >> Oh. Uh I >> I'm going in ward order. Council person Little.
>> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. and council person Lavaro. >> I motion carries 50 with council members Zuper and Griffin absent.
Kind of running it like a council meeting. So I'm going to ask that was a nomination. >> Wait. Um vice chair nominee uh council man Lavara.
So motion to nominate. Is that me? >> Yes. >> Council, >> thank you for the nomination. I respectfully decline. >> Whatever you both decide, whoever you feel. like a teeny mean.
>> Do we have any other nominations for vice chair? >> Rock, paper, scissors. Okay. >> I I uh I nominate uh Councilman Tom Zupa. >> All right. We >> I nominate Councilwoman Little. >> Little. Yes. >> Wait, wait, wait. Did I hear a
nomination for Council Person Zupa? >> No. Little >> for Councilwoman Little. So, we have a nomination for council person Little as vice chair. Made by council person Efos. I never
thought we would have so much fun on our first committee meeting. >> Second >> and seconded by council person Gilmore. on the motion to nominate council person Little as vice chair. Council person Ephro >> I.
>> Council person Little. >> Um I am honored for the opportunity. I >> council person Gilmore >> I. >> Council person Singh >> I. >> And council person Lavaro >> I. >> Motion carries 5 with council members
Zupa and Griffin absent. So the next order of business should be to nominate secretary to the board. Now Sean, as it relates to the secretaries, it's um
it's between them or it's it's we can choose aid, right? Or >> can we nominate? >> My suggestion is should be one of like a council aid. Um, and the reason why I'm suggesting that is as your clerk of this
council, the second largest municipality in the state of New Jersey, I do have a lot of my plate and I certainly don't want to take on any extra work. Uh, as much as I love this council in this city, um, I'll be here to like do the votes, but as far as the minutes is
concerned, I would love to have an assistant uh, secretary and and I could show the secretary how to do this so then I won't even have to show up anymore. >> Hey Sean, quick question. Can we um just have the secretary like as the ward
office? So if one of the young ladies can't do it in one meeting, the other one could do it. Is it a is it a contra? Is it a conflict with that? Is that permissible? >> I I don't think it's a conflict. What I would do is I would nominate one person
and then if the person can't make it and you have somebody um in that person's place, you can just always make a motion just to make that person at that meeting the secretary for that meeting. >> Okay. All right. So, I'll I'll nominate uh Erica Walker.
>> Motion to nominate Erica Walker as secretary. >> Second. was made by council person Gilmore, seconded by council person Little. See, when it's quiet, I get everybody's voice right.
>> On the motion to nominate Erica Walker as secretary to the committee. Council person Efos. >> I, Council Person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> I, >> Council Person Singh, >> I. >> And Council Person Lavaro,
>> I. Motion carries 5-0 with council members Zuber and Griffin absent. The next order of business I would think is to set up your um >> Sean. >> Yes. >> Can we nominate another secretary too?
>> She can assist because she has no experience but she has been >> she'll work. Okay. All right. >> I mean you have a secretary and you can always have assistance uh helping out. You don't really have to put that on the record unless you want to just state it for the record.
>> I want to make sure we in order here. That's all. >> Of course. >> So, I think the next order of business should be to set up the rest of the year uh meeting. And from what I understand, it seems like we're going to go with the
last Thursday of each month moving forward at 5:00 p.m. in this room. >> That's not a good idea. Councilman Zupa sent us a message saying Thursday after um and I'm just reiterating what he said. Thursday after council meetings
he's genuinely not available. Oh, he's generally not available to Thursdays after. Uh, >> so let me just >> So, would folks be open to I I know everyone has different work schedules,
but would folks be open to doing Monday before caucus? Okay. >> I I would recommend staying away from >> caucus meeting days and council meeting days >> unless it's on the alternating week >> unless you do the in between the
Tuesday. That's always >> I mean like first and third Monday. I mean on either the first or third Monday. >> Then we also have to prepare for >> Wednesday. First and Oh >> yeah. What about the non caucus Mondays? >> That's fine. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. I I mean I'm I'm never I don't care. >> You don't have to actually set it up today. If you're if we're not prepared, if you want to just talk it over with the rest of the committee members, you want to come up with an actual day that works for everybody with everybody in attendance, you can do that, too. You
don't necessarily have to do it today. You just have to let me know when the next meeting is going to be so I can sunshine it. >> Sean, is that conversation about what day the meeting would be, is that sunshineable? Because like if we're in a group text with seven of us to discuss what day we
want. >> I would I would definitely recommend staying away from that because that's basically running a committee meeting through your cell phone. So you don't want to do that. Um >> we just recommend we just set up the next meeting. >> Yep. >> Um the resolution calls for us to issue an
interim report in 90 days. We're 30 29 days in. So um we need to get uh >> we're meeting the requirement today by having the meeting today. I know we're meeting but but we do have to meet sooner rather than later in order to >> so I think at the whatever you guys
decide to meet next I think the conversation should be held at that meeting with everybody present to see what day works for everybody and then we can take it from there. That's just my suggestion. >> I I am inclined to agree with Councilman
Lavaro that we have a quorum here. I think we should just set a meeting and >> Yeah, let's do that. Mon, let's do the Monday opposite of caucus. >> Which one? The earlier or the later? >> Cocus is on Mondays,
>> but the only once a month. >> They're not always on Mondays. They're they're sometimes it changes due to a holiday. So, yes, there remember the city does have holidays and if we have a holiday that falls on a Sunday, we have off on that Monday. That's you just got to keep that in mind. And if that's the
case, you should have something in your annual notice that says um if there is a holiday, you would be the following day would be the Tuesday. You got to have like a backup plan. >> All right. >> So
the next Monday after the um well, we wouldn't want to do the 16th and we already meet this month. So you would the April 13th would be the right date, >> right? >> That's
>> Yes. >> So we'll make a motion >> April 13th, 5:00 p.m. >> Make a motion to >> Yeah. Monday is best. set the time and place
of the next meeting. >> Yes. which is Monday April 13th,
2026 at 5:00 p.m. in the chambers. Correct? >> Yes. >> And you're making that motion, Council Person Gilmore? >> Yes. >> May I have a second? Second. Second by council person Ephro.
>> What time was this again? >> Um on the motion to set the time and place of the next meeting date which is Monday, April 13th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. in the council chambers. Council person Efos >> I. >> Council person Little >> I.
>> Council person Gilmore >> I. >> Council person Singh >> I. >> And council person Lavaro >> I. Motion carries 50 with council members Zupa and Griffin Napson. I'm going to now turn it over to the chair
to discuss any other matters that you would like to discuss regarding the committee. >> Thank you, Sean. I appreciate that. Um, so essentially what we'll do is we'll we have our marching orders as it relates
to when the next meeting will be. Um, at this point for the next meeting, we'll put together agenda items for what's going to be discussed at the at the next meeting. I
think what we should do to lay the the framework is allow the residents to come in, voice their concerns as it relates to There's no at doing the whole junction >> the the committee
>> request. >> Oh, so we can we can request the particular individuals to testify before >> we we can also use the materials that people have been sending us via email. I
know Kevin sends us >> Yes. countless violations and well not countless because he counts them. Um, so you know, I think >> hopefully it's not countless, but if it
is, it is. >> Okay. >> Hundreds, >> hundreds, many. >> Um, yeah, I think we could probably come up with an order, you know, based on constituent complaints that we have
gotten, not just from folks at port side, but >> all agencies. >> Yes. All okay. rental renter complaints and concerns. >> Okay. And then if need be, then we'll call particular residents to come forth
and testify. Um, but I do know um off the bat that we should be requesting for directors to come in um just to one get a sense of exactly
what's going on as it relates to if violations were issued, if not why, if so, what was the followup and you know just checking that connectivity. Um, I think what we really
have to iron out during this committee is the scope of the scope of the scope of the complaint as it relates to the the working between different departments. um because there's been
some disconnectivity as it relates to the jurisdiction of who's supposed to be doing what and if all these department are on the same page >> and I would recommend um representative
>> make sure you're on the mic. >> Okay. Sorry. I would recommend representatives from different buildings. >> Yes. So we know that let's just xyz building has these many issues have been
complaining for this period of time. So it's just not based on one building. It's based on majority of buildings. Right. >> Yes. >> If you have something to say >> wouldn't listen to me and silence their
cell phones. >> Silent, please. >> I'm joking. I'm joking. Um if I can just add I feel like you know looking through the resolution um again is very helpful. At the same time it would be nice to
determine what is the the goal really of this committee that as legislators we do not have direct power over enforcement of the law. But what we can do is call forth
different agents of and officers and directors to get a sense of where enforcement is falling apart in the city. Um so is our goal just to produce that report of the kind of
anticipated or what we know and what we anticipate is the failure of enforcement throughout the city. What other goals do we have as a >> I mean I think also along with um along with that we have to also be
making recommendations to the administration because if we find that um individuals and or entities are blatantly not doing what they're supposed to be doing you know then our recommendation as a council we also have
the authority to remove people as well. Um, not saying that, you know, we may have to cross that bridge, but if we see during these meetings or during the during the term
of this this committee that individuals haven't really been doing what they're supposed to be doing as it relates to issuing them, following up and things like that, then we can always have recommendations um to the administration because ultimately
It's not just finding out that there's no enforcement. I could let the cat out the bag now and tell you there's no enforcement, >> right? You know, that's that that's the easy part. Um, but the reality is that if people are
supposed to be doing a job and they're not doing that job, then we can't pay someone to do a job that they paid to do if they're not doing that job. Um so I think along with uh the enforcement we
have to be able to make recommendations strong recommendations um for for actions to be taken. I also and and you know this I'm proposing this
for discussion um but I would also suggest that these meetings be sort of evidence gathering um you know obviously our our municipal prosecutor's office is is limited in by staffing and and other
constraints and if we are calling people to testify if we are subpoena if we are issuing subpoena as and u we gather evidence for them. We can give that to them or or not we don't even have to give it to them. It's in the public
record, right? Um this is a public meeting and perhaps that could um assist them in taking action against bad actors. >> Yes. To to that end, if I may ask it, Sarah, I don't know if you're
participating or you're um I'm just asking. Um some in the event of a subpoena or issuing does it take a certain form? Is there a how do we as a city council if we wanted to issue subpoenas?
>> So first I'll clarify my role here um corporation council is not obligated to or frankly even invited to attend or have any role official or unofficial in committee proceedings. Committee is different from the council. It is not
the governing body. In theory, there could be non- council members who are part of the committee. So, I am here today to be useful. Um, I will be useful upon invitation, but I will defer to you all if and how I can participate in that process. And whether that is during or before or after committee meetings, that
is up to you all. Um, so I as general background information, I'm happy to detail what your formal powers are and I am also happy to uh discuss what your informal powers are. Um, so this
committee definitely can subpoena any person in the state of New Jersey. There are some procedural requirements there, but you are not limited to city employees or department directors. You can simply request the presence of a representative of the administration.
You do not need a subpoena to do that. If you were to informally request, well, through your authority, but informally meaning not with a subpoena, um, for a representative of the administration, whether it's the prosecutor, someone from landlord tenant to appear, and you
don't think they are telling the truth, you could certainly subpoena them and then they would have a different obligation. if if they're not complying with your requests to bring records, you could issue a subpoena, which entails a a different legal force to it than just a request from you all. Um, so you can
decide whether you want to use the most muscular form of your authority or you want to issue requests that will maybe be easier to follow through on than issuing a subpoena in the first instance. And you could then decide whether or not you want to escalate. That is all within your prerogative. Um,
you are not aware. There is currently a live job posting for the chief municipal prosecutor role and so one might think that one interested in that role would be inclined to participate um in proceedings like this but you could also draw a different view. Um so you are you
are welcome to reach out in advance to any department director uh through the BA that is the proper course of communications for the city council um and ask them to appear myself included. There is a chance that if you ask a
department director questions that touch on pending litigations, I will have to instruct them not to answer to the extent that the questions seek privileged information like legal strategy. Um, if you want to know what is in the public record, for exact, for
example, where a docket stands, where a case is at, procedurally, what happens next, that's all public information. But if you ask anything that gets into work product or strategy, that is privileged. Um, as a followup, so if there's a request um for
someone to come before the the committee to speak, are they sworn in or um just want to know what the how this all works? Um, as well as somebody who's subpoenaed. Is there is there consequences for them
not uh telling the truth when we are there criminal violations and and then also um uh
yeah are there criminal violations for not telling the truth or not not appearing? >> We can look into that further. I I have the relevant portions of the state act in front of me and it doesn't offer that much detail. It just says the committee
may issue a subpoena add testify tandem um to any person within this state to appear before it to give testimony or information required. It doesn't spell out a process for example who would swear you in whether it would be under penalty of perjury. There may be some other pieces in law separate and apart
from the statute that that applies that, but we would need to figure that out. And I'd also frankly need to consult um with the clerk or or with the secretary to figure out procedurally who that person would be. Um if you are expecting someone to testify under oath, you might, you know, want a transcript. So
there would be some logistics to work out too. >> Thank you. If if you ask someone to appear informally, other than uh the incentive they might have to to keep their job and be truthful, there's no particular legal requirement that attaches.
>> I I have a question. Um if if we are to essentially to what extent would it be per permissible for us to coordinate with the municipal prosecutor for example if there is someone we suspect of being a
bad actor landlord or something of that nature and we um and we wanted to ask you know what what evidence is needed to prosecute would we be able to coordinate with the
whoever the municipal prosecutor is and sort of you know run our questions by them and um better inform our questioning of the people we bring before this committee. So step one, you are certainly welcome
to ask anything and you may or may not find helpful responses. Um, you can request a report on any aspect of the administration which includes the
office of the municipal prosecutor. The one thing that you definitely cannot do is as council, as the legislature, um, insert yourself into the territory of prosecutorial independence. prosecutorial independence in terms of which cases they charge, how they
prosecute those cases, what they assess to be the standard of evidence they need to meet whatever their burdens of proof are in a particular case. That is a a domain that is carefully protected, that is protected from from my interference, from the administration's interference.
So there there will be a line where you will not be able to step into the role of actually acting as an executive, acting as the prosecutor and making, you know, specific recommendations about what they do, but you can certainly ask questions. >> So we can't tell them what to do, but they can tell us what evidence they might need.
>> I can't tell you exactly what positions they would take. There's a chance that they might say depending on the nature of the matter, um, that something is privileged and we could assess it on a case-by case basis. I could work with you, you know, to to see if there's some there there. I I would hope we wouldn't
get there. Um especially in a civil proceeding, but some of this will have to to take as it comes and it will depend on what comes up from the individuals who you choose to summon before you.
>> Thank you. If I may offer one final flag before I sit down. Um, in terms of your thoughts on on the goals of this committee, I will just remind you um of your >> Put the mic a little closer. Thank you. >> Um, I will just remind you of the statutory authorization of this
committee. Um and the basis for forming a committee says that it is the intent of the mayor council plan of government to confer on the council general legislative powers and such investigative powers as are gerine to the exercise of legislative powers but
to retain for the mayor full control over admissible municipal administration. And so when you think about what the goals are, you can certainly as advocates, as council people recommend anything you want. You do it all the time from the deis and that is certainly your your prerogative
as as people and as council people. Um but you may want to think about your formal reports of or recommendations of this committee as targeted towards legislative solutions. And that could look many different ways. If if you are assessing uh what is the matrix of enforcement authority across the city,
especially with respect to housing issues, you could recommend changes to that enforcement framework. You could recommend additional protections. Um but I would behoove you to be thoughtful about your unique legislative role as you think about what the work product of
this committee will be. >> Thank you. May I also suggest that within our team we should decide the set of responsibilities right so we know like I would know okay these are the things I should be if I'm
reaching out or are we going to do it all together just want to understand the >> I think that I mean the the unique challenge in this in a nutshell is like we've never well I know I've never been a part of a committee like this. Um, but
I'm prefiguring as we embark on this journey, um, that we will all, you know, be helping one another, right? Um, and we kind of like have to gauge it as they go along. Uh, there may be instance
where, you know, all of our heads are going to be on a swivel. um as it as it relates to us trying to get answers and trying to find solutions and stuff like that. Um so ideally in normal set of circumstances we may
say hey this person is responsible for this person is responsible for that but the reality is like we're we're in uncharted waters. We don't know exactly right we know what the objective is. We know what we're trying to achieve,
right? But means it's untraveled. >> Yes, that is correct. But what I'm trying to say that since we want to achieve certain things, so just making sure that if I am responsible for
something, let's say I'm reaching out to this department. So just want to make sure that I'm delivering what responsibility was given to me or trying to understand like how are we going to work >> having clearly defined action items you mean? >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah.
>> So that we are moving forward just not meeting I'm sorry. So that we are moving forward instead of just you know like we have in six months okay this is what we have done and then next three months this is what we plan to
achieve. So action item line item very clearly >> 61 days just to be clear. >> Okay. No, I know. I know. I just Sorry. Thank you.
Thank you. It's just that I feel because it's um Yeah. What do you think? And I can be completely wrong. So I'm also >> No, there's no right or wrong. I mean, I don't think it's like like I said, I mean, I don't I don't think it's
>> a matter of a right or wrong answer. Um, I guess we have our like we know what the objective of the committee is to do. Um but what I will say for sake of cohesion is if we know in ahead of time
all right listen on the 13th of not this meeting coming up the following meeting we're looking to call in XYZ then all of us need to make sure we're doing our due diligence to one make sure what that
offices is responsible for as it relates to the infractions or lack of infractions Um, and then kind of like gauge it from there. Or I mean if if if you guys see fit, we can kind of like have a liaison
as it relates to each different department. >> Okay. >> Yeah, Jake. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Just just thinking through maybe this is jumping ahead too much, but do we want to start thinking, okay, this is
who we want to bring in for our next meeting. This is who we want to invite. Um and if we want to start getting a sense of closer sorry getting a sense of the the framework with which we're going to ask some questions like who wants to ask which kinds of questions who wants
to prepare what buckets of of inquiry um for instance prior to this I had a meeting um with director Richardson housing preservation and um I'm I I'm
sure that the committee would benefit benefit from having director Richardson come in and explain >> love it >> all of his all of what he sees from his perspective as the goings on of that office and we can all present a whole
host of questions to him and I have I'll have follow-up questions from my meeting with him um yes but >> just as I and yeah we're we're building the plan >> and that's what I mean like having step one step two step three step four so we know that we are moving forward step by
step but just pairing it out that's what I mean so I love it >> okay >> that for 13 we know that director Richardson is coming we'll prepare the questions >> yes >> so that we are ready and then after that that meeting we'll decide okay next time
this is where we need clarity so inviting the director or maybe whoever is the concerned person that way I meant Okay. >> What do you say, Rolando? >> We are sitting on
the way over there. >> We got to move here, >> right? >> Already set up. My laptop's all set up here. So, um, what do I say? So, I think um I mean, I'm just looking off of uh the agenda that Councilman Gilmore's secretary gave
us. Um, >> yes, >> getting those uhformational updates. um and extending invitations to uh th those directors um who are responsible for
um the monitoring and uh of chapters 260, 254, and 218. um and um asking them for reports. Not sure if it's just a year-long report of their status, reports of uh various
violations that they may have. Uh if they can share that, then not looking to create a ton of work for them around that. Um, but if they have something that's easily accessible that we can uh be able to get an assist or or a summary report of the kind of violations that
we're seeing um across there and uh to have some I'm honestly not even familiar other than kind of the rent control um who's responsible for these other areas um and enforcing them. Um, and I'm sure I'll be
able to find out from some of our friends, but um, the uh, finding out from them what the the status of that is and how they and their process by which they go about doing their their work. So, I'd like to just have them here and be able to talk to
them, whoever they are, um, around chapters 260, 218, and 254, um, with regard to enforcement and, uh, and then ultimately whoever is responsible for any sort of violations, whether it's that chief municipal
prosecutor, um, be able to hear from them, uh, as to their thinking as it pertains to, um, when a violation has been found and how
they go about uh either disposing of uh complaints or or ultimately deciding to to fine or or levy some other penalty against a violator. Um and
to that to that end I I would think I would need to like find out more. I'd rather kind of also provide them with specific instances of violations um and
complaints um and ask them to uh to address those directly and like how they're how they enforced it ultimately and then how they ultimately prosecuted and um if if there was a
finding uh of uh violation. Um, but in order to be able to keep in so that they're not coming back to us and saying, "I I'll look into that and get back to you." Um, send them the specific violation that uh Yeah. ahead of time.
Yeah. >> Yep. I think that's that's perfect. Um, one, you give them a chance to gather up all of the information that we're requesting. Um, because the last thing I
want to do, um, what we should want to do is like we'll have someone come and then we'll ask a host of questions and they say, "Oh, we we'll be able to get back to you on that." Versus sending it to them ahead of time, right? we know
the questions that we're asking. So, we'll be doing our due diligence as it relates to the type of answers which we should which we which we should be um receiving because the reality is >> we don't want to keep calling them the
same person over and over. We want to make sure we're calling all all department heads or all individuals who play a role. um and as well as uh landlords, residents and things of that nature.
>> So, how do we make sure that the questions are can we share all the questions with each other through email? >> Yeah, we we we can. So, Sean, um as it relates to running foul on sunshine, um how should how should we be
communicating? Is it just like three people or less or group or via email? What? >> Yeah. So, I mean, I would I would suggest that you follow the same rules as you were as a council person. No more than three um well, actually
maybe you want to limit that to two because uh you know, four members create a quorum here in this committee. Okay. So, >> can I recommend that the chair and the vice chair serve as the kind of >> true
>> collection point for all of the information that the rest of us want to request? >> Okay, >> makes sense. >> That makes sense. >> Any of us >> and Isabelle copied because that we don't have to worry about sunshine with Yep.
>> That makes sense. >> Okay. Um, so we'll email requests for this is the kind of information we want. These are the people we'd like to bring forward at our next meeting. >> If we're having those conversations between meetings, then they'd be
>> sent to our chair and vice chair and vice chair. >> Yes, secretary. Okay. >> Totally. >> Um, okay. Does um anyone else have any further um things they would like to discuss as
it relates to this or is that it >> at this point I'm I don't have any other question. Hold on, Sean. You Sean, what about you? Good, too, Sean. You have any >> I'm I'm perfect, man. I don't want to
keep us too much past six. Um I know we got started a little later, but I I am curious if I named Director Richardson as someone I'm obviously I think, you know, most directly curious to have him come up and and talk. >> Is there anyone else that the committee
has in mind that we anticipate wanting to invite? >> I think um just being privy to the dynamics and what's going on. Um I think we should also uh have code enforcement there as
well, the director of um code enforcement. Um definitely the municipal prosecutor because for me, I know one thing in particular I want to look at um that connectivity and communication via
all of those offices. How does that look? Right. >> Because that's going to tell us a lot. >> Yeah. >> Right. Because it's one thing if let's say a officer is not writing the citation or the office is writing a
citation and by the time it gets to the municipal court and the municipal courts requesting certain people come in, inspectors and stuff like that connectivity right there. We need to really home in on that. So that's
something that I definitely um want to hold in. >> So we had code compliance code for basically all of the entities that's respons uh is it 218 216 218 um all departments
um that have any dealings with with that um chapter >> and Erica will reach out to them. What? >> Who's going to invite them? >> Oh, yeah. We'll we'll we'll do our um Yes. We'll definitely make sure and like
I said, me and Elena, we'll we'll reach out to all of them, but we'll let you guys know who's coming in so you can have your pre your questions. We'll send them a long spreadsheet of all the information we're looking to capture.
What what I would suggest is the um once you know who is going to appear at the next meeting if that's the intention of the committee to have um let's just say director Richardson is going to come to the next meeting that would be part of the agenda it would be become part of
the agenda that director Richardson is going to appear and there's going to be questions from the committee that he would have to answer now I would just say if you're going to have a lengthy Q&A with the director just keep that in mind because I don't know how long you
want the meetings to go. Um especially if you know we followed a marathon meeting from last night. So I I do appreciate you guys being considerate to your clerk not going too far after 6:00 p.m. Uh but with that being said, you
know, I I just think once you have the invitation and the invitation is accepted, then that becomes part of the agenda, >> right? >> That makes sense. Okay. Yeah. So that means if we have too many questions for doc for director Richardson maybe not
inviting another person is >> yes. >> Yes that makes sense. >> So that we are finishing in an hour and then >> just as a case I mean just I think whatever whoever we call that day should be just that person.
>> Okay. Um, this is a long-winded council in case you guys people people gonna have a lot of questions. >> My only hesitation there though is if we are having this on a monthly basis and we only have one hour each month. I I'm
skeptical that we'll be able to produce the kind of report that we want to in the time span that we've set it set out for ourselves. >> That's that's that's that's the purpose of us having the ability to extend it. I would imagine that we will go more than any
>> more than an hour. Um yeah, >> well some Yeah, in some meetings we will go longer than an hour. I I just >> I'm just I'm sure of that we'll go longer than an hour. Some >> meet I'm I'm certainly not trying to put a time limit on you guys. I was just
more concerned with today's meeting. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> You know, future meetings are not going to follow Marathon Council meetings. So you guys, you know, you set the time. Um, >> okay. >> And whenever you're, you know, your questions are answered and you're fully completed with your questions with the
person who is invited and then you make a motion to adjourn. >> Um, >> motion. >> I'm sorry. I I have one more question. >> You know, you said long-winded council and I I I have to live up to the >> to the identity. Um,
it I I don't exactly know how to phrase it, but I anticipate wanting to bring people here who no longer work for the city who may have misgivings about coming here
and uh there might even be political awkwardness to say the least about them presenting themselves before this committee and answering our questions. I and maybe this is the question for council whether in this meeting or another meeting, but um just any more
detail about like the steps that make strategic sense between an invitation and a subpoena. I I think any more clarity on on that would be helpful. And and if now is not the appropriate time,
>> I I think what would be realistic is within the next 10 days, we can and by we I mean the law department prepare a memo for you all spelling out the thinking on what it would mean to subpoena someone here so that you can have a sense of of the timeline. Um, I'm going to be candid. This is not a common
thing and so it's going to take a little bit of time for us to run down, but well in advance of the next meeting, you have a sense of the process there. And if you want to do any informal outreach in the meantime, great. And then it is all up to you to decide at what point you
escalate. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I mean, I would just Well, as it relates to current employees, I would imagine those individuals would just come. >> I would hope so. Yeah. Yeah, I would. Yeah, I would hope so too. Definitely.
Yes. Yes. Um, but the other people like that we will actually have to subpoena, I think that's where it gets a little >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Tricky. >> Yes. >> So, we cannot subpoena people in New York, right? >> If they have a residence in New Jersey,
>> because we have to be able to serve them. >> Hold on, Sarah. Wait, hold on. Sarah's stinking. >> Yes. The statute says to any person within this state. So we can look into if we
could tag someone. Tag jurisdiction is a thing. I don't know if it applies here. We could look into it. But all the only thing the statute says is within this state. >> Within the state. Okay. Anyone have anything else?
Um, does the does the resolution require us to post the agenda? >> Make that public in any way? >> We will make it public. All I did was post a notice cuz um we
didn't have an actual agenda for this meeting since this is our first meeting. >> When when will we post that? Just for my own edification. as soon as the secretary provides me with the agenda, I'll post it. Um, we have to post it at
least 48 hours uh prior to the meeting. So, I like to post it a lot sooner than that. So, like I posted the notice on Monday and we had the meeting on Thursday. Something similar to that. Yeah, I think
um we should give at bare minimum a week's notice um of the posting the agenda. Yeah, I don't think that's hard. That's hard. >> That's fine. >> Just like we do council meetings. >> Yes.
Is it a week's notice? I don't think we get a week for the council meetings. >> Well, >> that would be nice. >> I'm I'm gonna not comment on that. >> I'll retract that statement. Strike that. All righty. Um, if if I may just uh so
if if there are people we want to if as a member bring before the committee I can just shoot that and just want to make sure I'm on the same I can share that information with the chair and vice chair as well as any questions and I'll let you guys sort that through as to like how that be addressed.
>> Yes. So what we'll do is once we know first we'll ask like who do who do everyone wants to bring in right once we identify that individual then subsequently we will ask what if any questions you have for this and then
we'll compose all of everyone's questions we'll send it to them they'll have enough time so by the time the meeting come they should be more than willing I mean ready to answer the questions That's that's before the
>> Can we set a deadline to submit whatever we want be included on the agenda? >> Yeah, we I think the deadline is the week. >> Well, the deadline to post the agenda is a week before. So, >> yeah, but I mean ideally like we want to
like we don't want to give them something Monday night to have answered by Tuesday. >> Right. >> Right. So I would say at bare minimum like we give like that week threshold for for both of for both of those.
>> Yeah. >> So should we should we just set a maybe it's an informal goal but by the end of March by March 31st we submit all our kind of requests and things to you and then yes >> we can get that out to the relevant individuals.
>> They will have time to prepare or they have to collect the data or something. already. >> It doesn't feel like council meeting. Sean, >> I know. I know. That's why I say if you move the mic because you're
>> cuz you don't normally sit next to Lena. So >> I always sit here. >> Yeah, she does. >> Oh, >> you exchange seats with her >> attending the meeting. >> Wait, what's Phil? Oh, there's not a lot of people here.
I didn't know >> up and >> and be South Carolina. >> California. >> California. >> All righty. All right. Well, um, guess we got our marion orders. I'll make a
motion. >> All right. >> Motion. >> So, I need a motion to adjourn at 6:15 p.m. >> Motion. >> Motion. >> I'm going to give the motion to council person Singh. And to be fair, I'll give
the second to council person Lavaro on the motion to adjourn at 6:15 p.m. All council members present by acclamation, please say I. >> I. >> We are out of here at 6:15 p.m. Thank you so much everyone in attendance and everyone watching at home. Remember,
teamwork makes the dream work. Have a great rest of the night. We need to sleep on need to sleep on time tonight.