Good morning. Welcome to the premeating of the Newark Municipal Council on Tuesday, March 3rd. >> Council President, council members, we are on page three of the agenda.
Item five, reports and recommendations of city officers, boards, and commissions. >> Any questions from the council? >> Hearing none. Next item. >> Ordinances on first reading. Item 6FA is
an ordinance amending multi-way stop intersections by designating 18th Avenue and South 13th Street as a multi-way stop sign intersection in a south ward. sponsored by Councilman Councel. Second by Councilman Kelly.
>> Questions from the council. Next item, >> resolutions. 7R1A is a temporary emergency appropriation to provide funds for the 2025 public
safety answering point grant. >> Questions from the council. Next item. B is an application acceptance of grant funds to obtain funding for the Newark tree canopy initiative. >> Questions from the council.
>> Next item. >> Seminar 2A. The administration wants to return to the administration. >> Yep. >> Next item. >> B is a subordination and intercreditor and a stoppple agreements issuance of
the estoppel certificate and subordination in interceptor. I'm sorry into creditor agreement for property in the central ward. >> All right. For for the benefit of of those in the audience and those who may not know, can we get uh
ehd to come up? >> Good morning, council. Brandy Daniel, legislative coordinator. >> I'm sorry. Can you speak up, Miss Daniel? Please pardon my voice. I have slight laryngitis. >> Oh, okay. >> Brandy Daniel, legislative coordinator for economic and housing development.
This particular item is for um a subordination agreement. The developer has obtained funding from a financer. And in order for them to get the financing, they have to get a subordination agreement, which makes the the financer uh have first um first uh
chances at the property if they uh default on the loan. Thank you, Miss Daniel. Anything from the council? Thank you. Next item. >> 7R6A is a settlement agreement for executive session.
>> Next. >> 7R8A is establishing a sister cities relationship with Villanova, de Cerraria, and Portugal. Sponsored by Councilman Canana. >> I'll second that. >> Thank you.
Um the >> I'm sorry, Councilman uh Canana. >> Yeah. U Madame Clerk, you reviewed the whole the whole application or the whole letter >> that everything is in good standards. >> Yes. Yes, sir. >> Thank you.
>> For the record, >> understood. B is recognizing and commending resolutions and C is expressing profound sorrow and regret. >> Any questions from the council? Y uh Councilman uh Kelly.
>> Uh thank you, Council President. I would like to uh add to the um sorrow and regret Oliver Power Grant from the Wuang Clan.
Um actually lived in Jersey and we lost him last week. And um I want to actually um just say condolences to his family. >> Certainly.
>> Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Sky Roundry. >> And I would like to add uh profound sorrow and regret for Bernard McAllister. >> Can you repeat the name? I couldn't hear. I'm sorry. >> Bernard McAllister. >> Okay. >> Um he was known for fashion
icon here in the city of New York and abroad. and sorrow and regret but can't terrain not sure whether yes he transitioned as well so I did put in for resolution for
malister I'm still waiting on the information for Mr. Kent Terrain, T O R E I N. We send condolences to their families as well. >> Thank you, Council Councilwoman uh Bay. >> Um I do have a a profound sorrow and
regret uh one for Central Ward resident. um Faith Edgar senior um she's the mother of Faith Edgar here in the central ward and also my dear Delta Sor
and also for Miss Jean Jones uh North resident who was the mother of another one of my Delta Soros Adena Jones Williams. >> Thank you councilwoman. Anything else from the council hearing? None. Next
item. >> 7R11A is an application acceptance of grant funds accepting grant funds to redesign Broadway park and develop the site into a new city park. >> Questions from the council.
>> Councilman uh Gonzalez. >> Thank you. Do can we have an update on where we are with the design of this park? on recreation. Here we go. >> Great morning. Great morning, council president. Uh
>> morning, distinguished council members. Dell reading, director of recreation, culture, affairs, and senior services. Uh we had to send this back to council. Of course, there had been some uh there were some amendments that was needed and funding. So, I'm going to give you an update on that. I'm going send you an
email just to give you uh further clarity. So, we haven't we haven't done anything physically there yet. >> Not as we >> All right. Thank Thank you, director. And and you you did say you'll send us an update in writing as to what
>> Yes. >> All right. Thank you. >> Next item. >> Communications. Item 8A is an appointment to the Affirmative Action Review Council. Councilwoman Day. >> We do. Do Do we have an opportunity to
interview her? I don't think so. All right. Thank you, Councilwoman, for your uh uh for serving on this committee. Next item >> B is a reappointment to the affirmative action review council, Mr. Baptist.
>> Next item, >> miscellaneous. Item 10 A is approval of the raffle license. >> Any questions from the council? Next item, >> council president, council members, we have five added starters. >> I was waiting to hear that. Okay.
>> Sorry. The first one is legisar number 26-0223 which is an area in need of redevelopment in the east ward. Second one is 26-0043 which is a professional service contract for a planning consultant.
Number three is item 26-0131 which is an assignment of the financial agreement for EHD. Number four is item 26-0240 which is bond sales for the finance
department. >> I'm sorry. Can you repeat that last one? Just >> the last one. >> Item 26-0240. >> Okay. >> Bond sales. >> Okay. And finally, item five is 26-0274
is the CPACE ordinance. >> CPACE ordinance. >> CPACE. I think it's corrections to the CPACE ordinance. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. All right. >> Sure. >> Corp council. >> Sure. Uh Kenya store, City of Nor Corporation Council. So, I just want to
just let the council know that uh we apologize for there being actually five listed out starters. Uh there was some, you know, uh tech issues that we had to deal with before the agenda closed. Uh you know, no issues with the uh clerk's office at all. Just folks on our side
were trying to get things through. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it through on time. Um you don't need the first item to go through as an added starter. So, that can can be subtracted. And then Brandy is here to talk about the remaining four items. >> Said I'm sorry you said >> we do not need the first item as a add a
starter. That one can wait until the next agenda, next meeting. And then we have Brandy here to talk about all four of the other items from EHD. >> All right, Miss Laritis, come on up. Good morning again.
>> Good morning. >> Brandy Daniel, legislative coordinator for economic announcing development. Um I will be talking about three of the four added starters. One is for finance with Mr. Guzman >> here. Talk about the bond one. Okay. >> Um the first item that we're asking as an added starter is 260043.
It's a professional services contract for Nisha Wayne Group. um they handle our planning consultant services. They are currently doing work with our planning and zoning department and we need this contract approved for 2026 so that we can pay them for their services.
They've been working since January 1 >> and this is through the procurement process RFQ RFQ process. Yes. >> Any questions from the council on this one? Next item. >> Okay. The second item that we're asking for consideration is 260131
which is the assignment and assumption. Um we are asking for the property to be um assigned from Clinton Arms Associates Limited to Clint Arms Urban Renewal. Uh this is a transfer of a five two and threetory rowhouse style garden
apartments containing 72 section 8 assisted residential rental units. Um they're located um on Clintonav Hydrogen Street and Pes Peshon and Peshan Streets. Um they also have a agreement
with HUD and they are also part of the green initiative use agreement because they are 100% affordable and it is section 8 residents. This would um excuse me, this would uh transfer their uh financial agreement with the city to
the new owners. And once they once they get approval from the city, they will then go to HUD and the green initiative agreement for um approval for excuse me those agreements to be transferred to them. But they have to get a permission from the city first before they can move forward with the federal government.
>> And these are in the south board. >> That is correct. >> Any questions from the council? >> Is there any dollars that were owed? >> I'm sorry. Could you repeat? Did they have a Did they have a a a prior tax abatement or any dollars that were owed? >> They did have a prior tax abatement. I
don't believe they have any dollars that were owed. I can find out for you and let you know by end of business debt. >> Yeah. Can we find out? >> Yes. >> Compliment. Good. >> That was my question whether they were up to date with their taxes. >> I will find out for you both and I will get that to you before end of business
day. >> All right. Thank you. Next item. And the third item we're asking for consideration is item 260274, a minister amendment to the CPACE agreement that was approved by council last month in the ordinance. When we
sent the agreement to the to the state, there were some inconsistencies in the agreement with the language. So, they're asking us to come back before council to get it reapproved with the approved language between the city and the state. What? What are can you tell us what some
of the inconsistencies are? Any of the inconsistencies or >> All right. >> Corporation council is going to address it. >> All right. >> Morning again. So essentially uh the state wants the uh document to be identical to what they use. Uh
unfortunately, you know, the folks here didn't know that and as a result of it, we made corrections based on what we use here in the city of Norc and they want it to be identical. That's really what it is. The terms in there like that have changed. They just want they want our document to look like their document. >> Okay. Anything from the council?
>> Questions? No. Next. Thank you. >> On the other one here, Director Guzman. >> Mr. President. >> Sorry. Councilman, >> can we can we get a copy of of the changes in the language? >> Yes. I see you. Yes.
So, today Thank you. >> Good morning, council president, council members. Benjamin Guzman, acting director of finance. Uh the uh resolution we're requesting to be heard as an added starter is 26-0240 is a resolution authorizing the sale of
bond anticipation notes. These are in connection with the uh $30 million loan ordinance that was approved at the prior meeting. Uh we are looking to sell bond participation notes to be able to pay the state back and it has a uh three-year payown schedule.
>> Questions from the council. >> All right. Thank you, director. >> Public comment. >> We are in the 30 minute public comment portion of this meeting where each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Please state your name for our records. Is there anyone wishing to
address the council? >> Actually, can I get this? Uh, >> Spanish copies. Um, I gave the uh the officer uh the official rundown, you know, the itemized situation, but I also have some >> Thank you.
>> gist that I'm giving you guys right now. I'm hoping that um Silva, I'm looking for you to sponsor it, you know. So, I hope that you can >> check it out and um get the rest of the team on board. I really want to make sure our
city is moving in the right direction wholeheartedly and collectively. And um I know that I have a a way of articulating things and so that's what I'm trying to use my um my platform for. It should be about two pages each.
Okay. So good morning council. >> Morning. >> Um with the conclusion of the federal consent decree, NORC has reached an important milestone. Federal oversight has ended. That means the responsibility to maintain progress now rests fully on us.
This ordinance before you is not reactionary. It's not anti police. It's not political theater. It's structure governance. First, it establishes a 48 hour preliminary disclosure standard. Second, it requires preservation and full
context release of all body worn and dash camera footage. Third, it strengthens evidence preservation. Fourth, it formalizes an early intervention system to identify patterns before they become crisis. Fifth, it
creates a public transparency dashboard, quarterly reporting requirements, and an independent audit structure. Finally, it includes a fiscally responsible funding provision. I know you like that, council. Okay. uh allowing up to 10% of
riskmanagement reserves to be reinvested in prevention. And I'm sure that the corporate council uh you know, I'm sure that there's money in there. That sounds like a good idea. Uh this ordinance does not disinish diminish due process. It
aligns with New Jersey Attorney General's directives and Oprah and Kelly. It protects good officers while strengthening public confidence. That's what we want to do. That's what we want to do. I'm I'm back, Gonzalez. You feel me? I would love if
you can second this. You know what I'm saying? Another notch on the belt. But NORC has worked too hard to regress. The end of federal oversight should not mean the end of structural transparency. This ordinance institutionalizes progress. And thank you for your time
and consideration. You know, I told them, you know, I can't be out there, but I understand that this is a system and we have to be a little bit of everywhere and you want to use your talents in the spaces that you feel like is good. So, I'm hopefully this is
received well. Hopefully, President Trump, they told me to call you first, but I was like, you know what I'm saying? But I love y'all. Thank you. >> Mr. McDougall, though, can can you We didn't get enough copies. Can you >> Oh, I'm sorry about that. just to the clerk's office and and then they'll
provide them to us. >> Oh, yes. Yes. And I'll give you the full itemized version like I gave the um the officer here. >> Okay. >> And uh again, I thank y'all for the warm kind of welcoming, hoping that everybody wants to, you know, us to do this. >> All right. >> You know, thank you.
>> Thank you. Next speaker. >> Good morning, council. My name is Justin Gomez. I'm here about an economic and housing development question. Um, we were looking to buy a vacant lot and we were told and denied that we had some violations at the property registered to
our business, uh, which is the Grafton Avenue house. But our concern, and I think this is something that you guys are unaware of, we have no association with that property at all. We established a business there over almost 20 years ago, and that house has multiple violations, but has nothing to
do with us. So, they're saying we can't purchase a vacant lot. We're a small business, and we finally have the opportunity to invest and help the community do affordable housing. what they said and denied our purchase because of violations at a property that
we're no longer associated with. I just asked if you guys can hear us out, but they said this is something we will not be talking about today. I felt it was correct for me for me to at least express what's going on. Um, that property we established 15 years ago. My
uncle did. I'm currently learning the business and following his steps, but we have no association whatsoever with that house. And now that is currently denying us permission to buy a vacant lot. I thought that was something we needed to clarify. We do not reside
there. The business was open and established there, but we have no association with that with those violations at all. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Please. Thank you. You guys can reconsider. Thank you. Thank you. >> Next speaker.
Monero Bummani, get out. Just get out. You need to resign. That's what you need to do. Get out. Good riddens
bell electics. No other way to describe you. I'm going to keep saying it. No other way to describe you. There's no other way. It's nothing good to say. And I don't
know why people come up here saying good things about you. cuz you're a failure on every level. DON'T YOU KNOW YOU ALL GOING DOWN THE history as the worst of the worst
administrations in the history OF NEW YORK. THE WORST. You worse THAN BOOKER. AND ANYBODY WHO'S WORSE THAN HIM IS THE WORST. YOUR LEGACY IS A FAILURE.
YOU ARE DRIVING YOUR OWN city in the ground. Y Booker wasn't from here. That's what y'all touted. He ain't from here. But you are the worst
of THE WORST. WE protested Booker until he sprung board on out of here. YOU DRIVE YOUR OWN CITY IN THE GROUND WORSE THAN ANY. SHARP DIDN'T LIVE here
and he resurrected the city from the ashes. AND YOU ALL YOU ARE FROM HERE AND YOU DRIVING THIS CITY INTO THE GROUND. IT IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE THAT YOU'RE DRIVING INTO THE GROUND FOR
YOUR PERSONAL GAIN for 30 pieces of silver. THAT'S ALL IT IS. MONEY. YOU GOT TWO AND THREE JOBS. YOU GOT THIS. YOU GOT THAT. BUT YOUR LEGACY IS A BUDGET DEFICIT,
CORRUPTION, LAWLESSNESS, BRIBERY, INCOMPETENCY, FAILED POLICIES. FUDGE, CRIME AND HOUSING REPORTS, filthy streets, POOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, SLUM
POLITICIANS, SLUM LORDS, AND THE LIST COULD GO ON. WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS CITY? Nepotism just for your friends and your family. And guess what?
YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR OWN CITY in the ground. Look at your streets. >> Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. >> TAKE YOUR SOCIAL BLINDERS OFF. >> No other speakers. Public speaking is now closed. Anything from the council? Councilman uh Ramos.
>> Yeah. I I just want to address the um the speaker that came regarding the the property. I just want to note that on the disclosures that are included in the resolution um for the proposed purchase of the property on Ridge Street, it clearly
states that the principal place of business is 255 uh Grafton Avenue. And we have received over the years a lot of complaints from neighbors uh who live on that block. Uh there is a con some kind of construction
business that's being run out of that property. Last week I drove by and there was a forklift truck uh parked on the front lawn of that property and there are uh construction commercial vehicles that are parked on the street overnight.
Uh vehicles parked on the property. Uh but the disclosure that you submitted when you included the proposal to buy this property from the city clearly states that 255 Grafton which is a one family home is the principal place of
business. >> Thank you. Anything else from the council uh Councilman uh Kelly? >> Thank you council pres. I just wanted to um to reassure some of the residents in
the west. I know I've been getting a lot of lot of calls about um the trash collection, the trash pickup. Um just to let the ones who who don't know that, you know, um we've had a lot of maintenance issues with our with our
fleet, with our trucks, and those are being taken care of. But the director assured me that today um a lot of those streets in the west will be collected. Um if you still have an issue, you've already been calling me. So please don't hesitate to give us a call at
973733-6427 or reach directly out to DPW. But most of those those city those streets today, those avenues, blocks and places where it haven't been collected will be collected today. >> Thank you. Since you brought that up, I
know we have the director here. >> Mr. President, >> talk about I'm sorry. Is this >> the garbage >> garbage? >> Yeah, he you want him to speak first and then because talk about garbage. >> I just want to say it. I know the I don't have news 12, but supposedly there was a News12
um word that came out with some residents that were upset because of the delays and pickup. Our office did get a call early in the afternoon. We sent it over to director Adem and and he confirmed that, you know, by 6:00 it was picked up. But, you know, I understand
the frustration. Um, you know, our our my my garbage wasn't picked up until Sunday, but Director Adem was in communication with us, just letting us know to tell the neighbors to keep the garbage out until sanitation came by to pick it up. But, you know, I do
understand the concerns. On behalf of the community, I I would ask anyone that's watching this to to please make sure that you reach out to your council persons. Uh because we're able to articulate, you know, your concerns to the administration. We're able to give them specific addresses or regions where
where garbage hasn't been picked up. >> Yeah. Thank you, Councilman. I believe we've all received some form of complaints, and that's one of the reasons I wanted uh or ask for the director to be here to speak on that as well as snow removal. Good afternoon, council president,
council member. >> Good afternoon. Um, >> or morning still. Come on. >> Garbage. So, we're we're actively out collecting garbage. Um, just to know we garbage was post bulk was was postponed for the month of February. Garbage was postponed for the last Monday and
Tuesday, even though some people still put it out. We're actively working. Uh, the dump has been open early on Sunday. So, we actually working to get the garbage up everywhere that we can. Um, today, uh, we're in zone B. I think a little people a little mixed up because
they seen us working Saturday and Sunday. That was to get ahead of the delay from when we canceled the two days the previous week just to come out and still get it. Um, is a challenge at times. The same people that pick up the garbage is some of the same people that's piling snow. Um, any equipment.
Um, we had a couple trucks down, but today we're out. We're probably two trucks I'm sorry, we're three trucks down from what our normal truck route would be on on a zone B. We're 25 trucks out. We norally have about 28 trucks out. Zone A, we
have 29 trucks out, which was yesterday, we had about 21 trucks out. We have about 16 trucks that's currently being repaired right now. Seven are out vendors and the remaining are being assessed to see if we can fix it
in-house or what's going to be sent out to vendors. We had possibly two trucks that be returned today sometime is coming from vendors. We're working did azone recycling in the whole Bzone
last night. Um it picked up and we picked up a little bit of garbage last night. So, we are actively working to uh abate all remaining garbage just to get ahead. Now, coming off of that, we suspended uh any type of uh
snow removal that we remove in some of the piles. Not only is raining today, but we want to go ahead and get the garbage up first. We don't want to we want to get the garbage up that we can see. And once the garbage is up, we'll go back to trying to clear out some of these mounds of stuff that we stacked
around city. Mr. President, >> thank you. A question from the Councilman Gonzalez. >> Director, do you have a system that tells you where garbage hasn't picked up? >> Yes.
>> So, let's say the other day I sent let's say the VA and you that Lake Street had not been picked up on on Saturday evening. I believe I did and you picked it up on Sunday and I appreciate that. But let's say do you or do you know that
Lake Street was not picked up? >> So, so Councilman Councilman Gonzalez, council president, council members, we have a every truck has a camera in it. Every truck is GPS. Uh, every truck is GPS. So, we know which routes and every
supervisor reports back. He has breakdown. We have radios in every truck. We started putting radios in I think in September. So at the end of each day, we're reporting out in real time if truck breaks down stuff that we probably didn't get to evate. We try to
gather a plan for baiting it that evening or the next day. >> So there is no need for for me to let you know that leg wasn't picked up because you already knew that it wasn't. >> Yes, but you still can. I don't have a problem with you letting snow. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Councilman. Councel. >> Yeah, Director Dame. I I think the the preparation for a long range plan to have a clean sweep a after you know all of the snow and stuff is up is important. I think we need to be able to
assess and go block to block and twofold. one uh instructing the residents that continuously leave their garbage against the walls of their house to push it out to the curb, but then um to make sure that we are still picking up that garbage when we see it. Because
what happens is we are creating uh a greater amount of spillage when we just drive by see the garbage uh impacted up against somebody's gate or wall that is not necessarily directly on their property but on the outside and
we just drive by it. Um and I also think it's important that we uh alert the individuals that work down there that it is important to uh take their time. Uh I don't I don't know what the rush is to try to rush through these routes. I
don't I don't I'm trying to figure out uh what what the importance is of trying to uh finish a route where you ultimately skipping a block, doing a block, skipping a block, doing a block and what you're really creating is a larger amount of overspill in the
community. uh that that has some of the the residents um you know quite concerned and and definitely you know in the south ward I I feel you know some of their pain about it uh because all people want is good services right they want their garbage to be picked up on time they want want to know that you
know the police can respond if they're able to call they want to know that the fire department is able to come and all of those just basic you know kind of service needs I think we just have to like slow it down a lot try to really refocus um and and and make sure that the
systems and structure that is in place that everyone understands the the vital necessity of them and and serving uh the the residents of this city. Doesn't matter, you know, what what is in but collectively. And um it it it's beginning to to take a toll, right? And
so it's important that that we wrap our arms around this and and whatever we can do um and organizing not just you know the sanitation parts but different community based organizations, nonprofits uh to be able to get out and assist and lend some some assistance and
help to to those kind of things I think is going to be important um a as we you know move out of you know and away from all of this snow that has hit us. >> Thank you Councilman. We'll take that in to see, but the administration does have a spring cleaning plan that we're
working on. Um, Timberman, once we get out of the snow. >> Thank you, director. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman uh Canana. >> Yeah, director. You know, I know I understand the garbage situation, but we need garbage cans. I mean, some sectors
were given garbage cans and all sectors are not. and you go by some piles and what makes it confused, I mean makes it look bad is that we still need to put our garbage cans, the city issue ones. I
don't know where we're at at that, but there's a lot of calls coming in. When am I getting my garbage can? distill the plastic is bringing the rodents to the health department is bringing a lot of rodents because
uh because of the weather uh some of the rodents were hibernating whatever and now they're coming out and getting into those bags of garbage. So, we need those those those cans are very needed. I mean, I go through some
sectors, as I said before, um, and I see four and five garbage cans for one brownstone. And I'm wondering why is that when the average person needs a garbage can. So, we got to do
that better with that because if we were able and we're able to put contain the garbage in those containers, it would not be a mess. A lot of people with the recycling, with the weather, people did not put them in
a in a bin. They put them on the street and it was just a it's become a mess. So, we got to be able to tell folks that they got to put some of this recyclable. Uh especially with boxes, bent them. And as councelor Ramro said
it before a while back, it's a a wrap up those boxes and put them in some kind of bin because they get wet and it becomes a problem. So, you know, the uh to the to the B business administrator like to know when
we're going to get those those cans. I mean, people are calling and they want to know when they're going to get their can. So, thank you. >> You want to respond to that and then we'll go to Okay, >> Councilwoman Scott Roundry.
>> Okay. Um, I I understand what Councilman Canana is saying, but 40 years ago there was an ordinance or some time ago, and I guess Clerk Daniels can um help me out with that regarding residents, homeowners, buildings providing garbage
cans for their garbage. Uh, and we did say that we would do that, which was a courtesy of the city of Newark for the first time in the history that I've ever known a municipality to provide garbage cans. So, we do have to um own up to what we said we were going to do at some point when those garbage cans come in
because we said we were going to do it. But prior to that arrangement being made, and that was to try to help protect um our city from the rodents and the raccoons getting in the garbage homeowners and building owners. I do believe that people that own buildings
should provide to the best of their ability. Um, which is why we have an overage of garbage running down blocks right now because you have residents that's just throwing garbage bags out in front of buildings which then becomes the owners of the city of Nort to pick
this garbage up. So, it's got to be a partnership. Like, you want us to do our job, but help us do our job because at the end of the day, we said, and that's a gift because I don't know any municipalities, and I'm going to do the research. I don't want to speak out of turn that provide garbage cans for
homeowners. Um, but we said we would do it. So, we've got to do that. We've got to keep that word because we said we were going to do it. But on the back end of that, these individuals and these landlords that own buildings that have six, four, 10 residents and families
living in them should be doing something to assist with providing where that garbage is going instead of having it. There are blocks literally in front of apartment buildings that have garbage running down half the block. And we going to receive the brunt. We're going
to be blamed for the garbage not being picked up. But then we can't be blamed for the rats when you got residents that are not helping to keep where they live and doing their part as well. The owners of these buildings, and it is an ordinance, must be responsible for
providing garbage cans for their residents to put the garbage in. And that's what we have to hold true to because if we don't, they're going to continue to come here and tell us off about the garbage running down the block. But no one is saying anything. we must start doing something about these
landlords that are not providing garbage protection or garbage coverage for the residents. You got babies, you have all types of things in those bags, which then becomes a health hazard. So, um I just wanted to put that on the record.
Yes, we promise cans and yes, we have to provide them, but growing up, my mother had to buy her own for the business and the house. So, I'm grateful that the city of Norc is providing some type of relief in reference to providing them with the gift of garbage cans and that
we will fulfill that commitment that we made. But at the same token, homeowners and building landlords, please do your part because some of you probably don't live where your residents are paying you rent to live. So, you don't have to walk
past that garbage other than to collect your rent. and that might even be something you do because it's probably mailed in or a management company's handling it. So, help us with that for those who are listening. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Silva. >> Uh, yeah. Uh, good morning, director.
Um, you're in a tough situation, but I just want to say one thing. Uh, I've always said here, my position has been from the beginning that outside of police and fire, DPW is the next most important department in the city. I think it's inevitable that at some point
in time, police and fire work 24/7. DPW is going to have to work 24/7 because the amount of garbage I see in front of one, two, three family homes in the east ward, you would think there are 40 people living in a home. And so I know
it makes the job a lot more difficult, but >> I'm just saying that I think inevitably that an operation has to be put in place and you would know better than me along with the business administrator that DPW in the future has to look into going
24/7. I think that's the only way we get a grip on what's going on and garbage being left out there uh for days and days and days. Council President Council, you want to know >> chime in on that? >> Can you pick the microphone up a little bit?
>> Just want to chime in on that. Um, council president, we're DPW is probably about 85% there of 247, but that's a plan we started two years ago implementing all these different shifts, bringing them in, bringing stuff in the house and moving recycle around and make
sure that it's optimized. Um, we figure like in the next three to six months that's something that's probably going to be 247 and working with Cavanta to make sure they open. One thing is to be pick up 247, but you need to have these trucks dumped right away so they can go to the next shift.
>> Right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. I missed the response about the trash cans. I I know, you know, it was a noble thing that the city started, but you know how it is once you start giving out cans and you got residents that didn't receive them. You know, they're they're calling us daily. So, is
is the plan to purchase additional cans? When what's the timeline? >> I don't I don't have a timeline, but it's about 5,500 cans that we need. The administration is still working on funding and purchasing those cans, but yes, it's about 55. What percentage of the city would you say were successful
in getting the cans during phase one? >> About 70%. >> 70%. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, >> Mr. Chair, >> uh, Councilman Council, >> just just one more question. Ju just to to rob that, I've always been on the notion that DPW has to be a 24-hour
operation. I've always said that. We've had many conversations about it. can't be the largest city in the state of New Jersey and try to operate from six to two o'clock or six to three o'clock when accidents happen, when things are happening uh and we we we can't do it. But the the premise of all of that is
about uh equipment usage and and what is needed to be able to turn that. So, I don't know where we are in terms of how many uh uh garbage trucks that we have now, how many uh recycling trucks or different vehicles on a smaller branch that you can order because you don't
have to get the the large garbage trucks. There are smaller recycling trucks that you can able to get and operate in in a timely manner. What are those numbers? What they what do they look like? especially because we're in budget season and and I think we have to really begin to look at service delivery
uh to the folks in our community and what that means and aspects of people having the equipment uh to be able to do that. So I think LA I think last last year budget we came in and we talked about what you were saying I was saying
that DPW has about needs about 51 garbage and garbage or recycling trucks got about 42. Some of those when I say 51 that means you got to transition some out. The little trucks I think we got about we you seen I think we bought them like a year ago those little smaller
trucks that go in and out. Bought about six of them. We're looking to get like 10 more of those. So, um, and and also the only two days that we don't work more than uh 20 hours, it's Saturday and Sunday, right? So, those are the days that we're trying
as we move forward, we're staggering the shifts. Some people working Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday through Thursday to full those Sunday after 3 p.m. 3 to 11. We have a shift that come on at 10 to fill those two up to make us that 24hour operation.
>> If if it's possible, if you can provide us a a breakdown of the number of of garbage trucks, number of recycling uh vehicles that would be needed uh to ensure a 24-hour operation. So if it is
uh as as you say 51 garbage trucks or 15 recycling trucks independent of their own, not working together simultaneously where you have to wait for one to come back in and then take another one back out on the street because all of that
still works around the issue that at some point the trucks need maintenance. truck needs that has to go to truck wash, other different kind of repairs are needed and all of those things can hold up a vehicle or put a vehicle off track uh and and put it back in maintenance. So, the the kind of equipment that we need to be able to
sustain uh what it is that we have to do in the city based off maintenance agreements and warranties all that are attached to it. if we can get that information uh especially because we're in in this budget cycle to figure out how do we begin to do that to provide
the best services possible uh to uh the residents of the city. So coun council president council I don't want you to think that since last year we didn't make improvements on going towards that 51 because we have we have some stuff that's scheduled to come in probably within the next week some more equipment that should be coming in so I don't want
you to think council right you've assisted administration in making moving forward to bring some of the stuff in sometime is a delay when you order stuff right because it's brand new they have to make it they have to cart it chassis >> absolutely I I don't think that that's why I'm asking for the the information
that's needed so the breakdown will be able to help all of our council colleagues to be able to know what what what is needed to be able to do a specific job, right? So, if we really get like really uh detailed about it, you can be able to say, "Well, it takes me 15 trucks uh to deal with the
operation in the north ward. It takes me 17 or 18 trucks to deal with the west. Takes me 14 trucks, right, to be able to deal with what's happening in in the south ward and a certain amount of trucks in the central ward." When you have that concrete number, that helps to build a framework around what it is that
you need to do just in in terms of garbage collection. And then what does that number look like in terms of recycling, right? Which could be cardboard, paper, waste, which is lighter, right? Requires different kind of lifting mechanisms, but it still gives you a framework of what you need.
So as you continue to build up, right, then it gives the administration an opportunity to look at how do we begin to framework, put these things in the budget, make sure that we are quantitatively and qualitatively meet quantitatively meeting our measures to provide the best services to the
residents that we can possibly can under the the the guides of the budget restrictions that we have of things that we can do. and then to begin to look at private public partnerships that can be able to strengthen those relationships as well because of the growth and development of the city. Right. So,
>> Councilman Council, thank you. >> Thank you, Councilman Gonzalez. >> Director, in in addition to the equipment, do you have enough personnel to cover 247? I think we've identified where our where our needs at and we're the
administration is working tirely to back field um areas where we think we need more personnel. Want to make sure as we get equipment we get the personnel to operate that equipment and they train to operate the >> So you have the you you're telling us that you have the enough personnel to cover 247
and that >> not right now because I'm not 247 when I get equipment in to be 247 we'll have the personnel to put on Yes. So how many people in addition to what you have now you would need to do 247
>> it depends on when we look at how we telling that operation on those two days >> so I would like to I would like to hear from you as to let's say as mentioned before we are in the budget process >> and I believe that that's a priority
that the city should pursue and uh and I believe that having those numbers isant important so that we can uh determine the priorities of the of the budget. >> Council President, Councilman Gonzalez, I don't I'm not saying I don't I don't have it in front of me, but we do have the number because we already looked at
that. >> Okay. >> My assessment coming over. >> Thank you. Uh I got >> Let me got a couple questions. Two one per first one is over the last few years the council has voted on the purchase of garbage trucks. Has the city received
those trucks? >> No. So, you're still waiting on uh eight electric garbage trucks the city hasn't received yet. >> Is there an ETA on when? >> Yeah, the ETA kind of keep moving. The vendor was the electric trucks is No, I
don't have a ETA right now. Can't even give it to >> And so what is the delay then? >> The delay was something with the electric battery that was coming in. The last delay supposed to came in December. They didn't come in December because when it was time to roll out, they had a recall on something with the battery. So, we don't want to accept nothing that
may be defective. >> The second thing I have to ask was, and this was something you said last night at the town hall meeting that I thought was uh uh something that residents need to know. You talked about um someone brought up the uh the liquid that comes
out of the trucks and how uh they the person actually said that that the truck does it themselves that the people do it themselves which I think a lot of people think that but I think if you could explain that to to the general audience right here today.
>> Yeah. So normally councilman right you know people complain not so much in the winter but in the summertime that when the trucks are going down the street they stop and they do all this this liquid just comes out the back right this spillage we call it spillage of liquid however um and they think that
the truck drivers or the labors does that intentionally just hit a button and discharge this liquid onto the street that is not actually what happens um what happens is residents throw in all type of liquids in their garbage whether it's water, whether there's uh grease,
whether it's milk, whether it's juice, any type of liquid. So, as you hit the two levers on the truck, one lever just raises the blade, another lever compacts the trash. So, when they hit the other lever to compact the trash, all that spillage runs down to the back of the truck and it leaks out onto the street.
So, we we recommend that residents should not put liquid into the garbage because that liquid is the same has to find someplace to go and it's going to go on the street. >> Yeah. Right. And and we know in the summertime when it comes out it stinks. Although we take the trucks to get uh
washed and we put disinfectant in the back of the trucks, the amount of liquid that's going in there daily and this variety of different type of liquids that get submerged together that comes out on the street. >> Yeah. All right. Thank you. Thank you. You had something you wanted to say.
>> Last thing you asked me about snow. >> Yes. So, uh, snow equipment. The city currently has, um, 20 big trucks. Does DPW have 16? Water and sewer has
four. That's the big tandem triac type of trucks that comes out. The main works on some of the big streets. Between DPW and water and sewer, we have 25 little trucks. That's the pickups or mason dumps that the city owns. Problem is
when you come out of one big snowstorm into another snowstorm, maybe all this equipment may not be working in the next storm, but depending on the side of the storm, some of his equipment get damaged or broke. That was the question about that. It is actively
being repaired. Now, uh when the administration first came in, we had nine pieces the city owned nine pieces of equipment. So with the this council and the previous councils and this administration, they've made strides to now have a
little over like 51 pieces of equipment that the city actually owns in house. All right. Thank you. Anything else from the council before we All right. Thank Thank you uh director. Before we go to executive session,
anything council, anything for administration before executive session? >> Yeah, Mr. President, just Councilman Ramos, >> quick issues not related to sanitation. So, our office is going to be advancing legislation through um the clerk's
office in collaboration with the police division. uh observation during a snowstorm is that you know some of these major corridors where we have car dealerships, mechanic shops, auto body repair places during a snowstorm. You
notice that there were excessive number of vehicles that were parked on these corridors >> that were never cleaned up during the snowstorm. and and you know when we randomly checked a number of those vehicles, they they they correlate back
to these mechanic shops, auto body places, and car dealerships. And it's an ongoing problem in our city. Uh it's a city that's already strapped uh for residential parking on the street, and many of these uh entities are keeping
vehicles out overnight. So, we're going to be advancing legislation which is going to stiffen the the penalties, threaten some of these uh establishments with the revocation of their licenses if they fail to comply. >> All right. Thank Thank you, Councilman.
>> I support. >> Uh with with that being said, we're going to go um roll call for executive session. >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes.
Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Madam clerk, where are we with the request of of
changing the percentages on the 50, 60, and 80%. You send it to to the what was it to? >> Okay. So, we Yeah, we have to find out where we are with that.