Good morning, council members. Morning. Welcome to this special meeting of the city of Newark Council for today, Tuesday, April 29th, 2025. In accordance with New Jersey law, adequate notice of this meeting has been
provided to the Star Ledger, the New Jersey Journal, and the public at large, establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting. In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on April 25th, 2025 at the
time of the preparation and posted on the website of the city of Newark. Roll call, please. Council present. Council present. Gonzalez present. Kelly here.
Uh Kintana Ramos absent. G round absent. Silva here. President Crumb present. taking note that um uh Ramos and um council member
Escow Roundree are absent. [Music] All right, we're going to go for motion for executive session. We on page four. Want to go into executive session? Executive session. Okay.
Roll call for executive session. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kintana, yes. Ramos, absent. Scott Roundree, absent. Silva, yes. President Trump, yes. Everybody, we'll
be right back. We are now on page four. That's not on that up. Okay, we're back. Um, we can go to page four if you can. 7R2A S is a private sale
redevelopment first amendment to the agreement for the sale and redevelopment of land to CL Enterprise LLC to change the entity and name and amend the scope of project in the south ward council has
a hold to adopt. Can we before we before we vote, can we get a brief explanation on the project on the what what the amendment is? [Music] Good morning, council. Randy Daniel,
legislative um representative for economic and housing development. Um this was a redevelopment agreement that came to formally under CO Enterprises. Um it was a project that was is going to be 100% for uh affordable for senior
citizens. Um but due to some zoning restrictions as well as some requirements from HMFA that the developer is going for funds for, they had to change the scope of the uh project as well as the entity name. Um
the new entity name is the Sheila Y. all of our senior housing community LLC and the changes to the project itself. Um, previously it was supposed to be
for 60 plus units. It is now going to be for um yeah, the original was 67 affordable units at 60% of AMI. It will now be 48 newly constructed 100% affordable senior
housing which includes 42 units at 60% AMI, five units at 20% AMI for special needs population and one unit that's going to be dedicated as a superintendent apartment. So it will still be 100% affordable and still for seniors. Thank thank you Miss Daniels.
Any questions from the council hearing? None. No, I'd like to this item. I'd like to second it. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva,
yes. President Trump, yes. 7R2BS is an agreement to subordinate the city's reverted rights by entering into a first amendment to the agreement for sale in order to permit financing necessary for the redevelopment of
rental or for sale owner occupied housing also in the south ward. Any questions from the council? Hearing none. Roll call. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes.
Kintana, yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva, yes. President Trump, yes. 72 CS, authorizing execution of a first amendment of the agreement for the sale
and redevelopment of the land between the city of Newark and 760 Clinton Avenue LLC in the south wart. Miss Daniel, just get a real brief explanation of the amendment.
Good morning again. Brandy Daniel, legislative representative for economic and housing development. Um, this is an amendment that came on the floor. Um, this was a previous sale with uh 760 Clinton. Um that was a couple of years ago, but due to some issues with COVID
and funding, um it went into default. Um we were able to make an agreement with the developer, they were able to also get funding. So what this does is this reinstates the agreement without it going into default and giving them an extension on their project. Thank you.
Uh anything from the council hearing? None. Roll call. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kintana, yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva,
yes. President Trump, yes. 7R2DS, need for housing project to determine whether the proposed project will meet an existing housing need within the city of Newark pursuant to provisions of newer housing and mortgage financial agency law. All applicable
guidelines in the south board. Roll call. Yeah, Mr. Chair, I'd like to sponsor this. Yeah. Second. Councilwoman Scott Roundry second. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes.
Silva, yes. President Clump, yes. 7R2E. Filing of final green acres application by the department of economic and housing development for a major diversion of portion of Minish Park in the central ward.
Any questions from the council? Roll call. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kintana, yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva, yes. President
Trump, yes. 7 R8 is a ceremonial street design designation for Gloria Gayler sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Rree. Is there a second on this? Second. Second with
Councilman uh Kelly. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kintana, yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva, yes. President Trump, yes.
7 RAS is a waving special event application permit fees for the Mother's Day festival. Sponsored by Councilman Kintana. Second. Second. Second by Councilman Scott Roundry.
Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kintana, yes. Ramos, yes. Scott Brown, yes. Silva, yes. President Trump, yes. Communications 8. It's an ordinance
granting a 30-year tax abatement to 317 Malberry Street Urban Renewal Co. LLC for a project to construct 24 market rate residential rental units in the East Ward.
Any any from the council? Yeah, if uh Deputy Mayor Lad's here, I don't I don't know if she's here, but this is one of those five projects that are combined that one built. They went over the threshold of the 20% affordable. They're actually doing 35% affordable. And this
is one of the five projects within the south, the east, and the central. Uh why they don't put the other projects all everything together as as we go along, but this is one of uh five that has 35% uh affordable actually. Thank you,
Councilman. Councilman Gonzalez, we have on first. Say it one more time. We have B on first. Advance and adopt. All right. To advance and adopt. That's council as a whole. Roco. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes.
Nana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva, yes. President Clint, yes. Public portion. We are now in the public portion of this meeting in which each speaker has three
minutes to speak. Please state your name for the record. Is there anyone wishing to address the council? Good morning, council president. Good morning, honorable council members. Um, at the last council meeting, I discussed
the affirmative action review council and the compliance of the the government regarding this this body that under our ordinance, it it monitors and enforces the New York resident employment policy.
However, um as I stated to you before, this this body is not meeting on a on a regular basis as as per the ordinance. It does not have a a a full body that attends those meetings. It's not having
any compliance reviews. They're not having any annual reports, anything that has to do with the state of the affirmative action, these tax abatements. None of these things are going on at these meetings. However, um, as I discussed with you, uh, Councilman
Silva, who is an active member of this review council, is boycotting attending these meetings, which should be a clear indication that that that that body that is overseeing the compliance and
monitoring this resident employment policy should be addressed. I've been coming to this microphone asking for a special conference to have the administration to come and address this issue because if this this this body, the affirmative action review council,
and I'm going to ask Councilman Silva to to to speak on this personally because he's an active member and understands the process and importance of the fact that this component, the monitoring and enforcement of the New York resident
employment policy that hires New Yorkers on these construction sites is not being done actively as we speak and it's been going on for the last year and it's going on into this year now. So, I'm going to ask you, Mr. President, I'm going to ask you
council members to bring this matter before a special conference. There's no way our government can function and require of these
developers to be compliant when our government is out of compliance. When both parties are out of compliant, the people are the one that suffer the most. There is no benefit through these tax abatements. I'm going to ask again that
we have an injunction on these tax abatements until we have some sort of special conference on this matter. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. Seeing none, public speaking is now closed. Can we get a uh anything from the council before we adjourn?
Councilman uh So, just to touch on uh what Mr. Tilman was saying, I was sent an email approximately a month ago or so, maybe a little longer, uh, regarding the this committee and the person that's in charge of this committee does not
want to abide by the current guidelines. We need the right amount of people there, the representation there, and they kind of went against what uh the the guidelines were, right? I joined this committee approximately two years ago and there were guidelines set before
I got there and so until those guidelines are met uh and I think that's what Mr. Tilman is referring to and information that we need at those meetings to be able to uh carry on a productive meeting month by month. Uh I
said that I would not participate until the issues were resolved uh again. So, uh, we need to that person that's in charge needs to understand that there's a a process in place. You need the right amount of people, the representation
from different unions and other things at these meetings. We need reports and we're getting information that uh they don't have enough people to get the reports. They need help getting the reports. And I I I don't want to say it's an excuse, but at the end of the
day, I will not participate until uh all this is resolved. So hopefully uh we'll be having a meeting in the near future and a lot of my requests uh will be granted and hopefully we can move this on and have productive meetings. Thank
you, Councilman. Anything else from the council? Anything from the administration? No. Anything from Okay. Roll call to adjourn. Council, yes. Gonzalez, yes. Kelly, yes. Kathana, yes. Ramos,
yes. Scott Roundtree, yes. Silva, yes. President Trump, yes. Now on Go ahead, council president, council members, we are now in the special conference portion. Topic of today will be the New
York yellow caps drivers illegally hailing fairs at Newark airport. We have two guests. Uh, first is Miguel Dor Dor Salville, president Norcap Association, Inc. and Richard Kirtland, director of tax seat division.
Good afternoon, council president. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. So, my name is Richie Kirkland. I am the director of the taxi division and we're here today to talk about this uh illegal uh activity that's going on at the airport and around the
airport and port authority and with lift and Uber drivers at the um at the terminals. We have met regularly with Port Authority in dealing with this action with this situation. And we also sent them a city
ordinance requesting that they cease and desist and have illegal drivers coming from New York and picking up drivers going in I mean coming into New York and picking up drivers and taking them into New York at a much cheaper and illegal rate especially when they not we don't
have no type of u um agreement with them. They don't pay the city any fairs so we asked them to stop. So, we've been dealing with this. So, along with me, I have Miguel from the taxi cab association who can speak in depth of
the activity that's going on out there in the airport. He could bring you up to speed. And I also have Pam Butterfield, which is my supervisor in the office who has been spearheading the meeting with Port Authority, so she could go into uh greater detail of what's going on. Okay.
Thank you, Miguel. Thank you. Um good morning council president all the member of the council um my name is Miguel Dawsonville president of maba association and um the director and I we are here for the same purpose and it's not like we worry about the competition
but to to us it's not a fair competition so we have Mrs. Bfield have all this information to see how it is unfair competition what what Uber and Lift is doing at Newark airport as right now I will let you guys know in the next
two months we probably have like 80% of our median going to the city of Newark because you know our entrance policy is a $1.5 million we cannot afford it because we are barely make two flights at the airport in 14 16 hours while and leaf coming from New York City drop off
and pick while we sitting there doing nothing while they pick up and drop off. So we don't have that kind of opportunity to go to New York City to drop off and pick up. We have to drop off and come back empty. So we don't mind the competition but it has to be fair. So Mrs. Bfield with all the information. So we're going to relate
this to you guys to let you know why it's unfair. Thank you very much for having me. Thank you. Hi. Is there any way that I can your name for the record? I have uh Sylvester. Oh, I'm sorry. Pamela Butterfell, Chief
Transportation Inspector, City of Newark, Division of Taxi Caps. Thank you. Miss Butterf, you can begin while we're getting there. Yeah. So this is the um fairs that they are currently using to
go back to New York and the fairs to come to New from New York to New Jersey. So it appears that the fairs to go to come to New Jersey are double and sometimes triple what they are to go
back. They're charging like what it is the toll price to get back to New York. So those out of state plates are coming here, picking up and then going back just for the what it what the tolls are.
And of course the cab drivers can't compete with that because if you're charging someone $35 to get from New York, I mean from New York airport back into New York, that's the toll. Now that the tolls have gone up,
the Holland and the Lincoln, they're $24. And that doesn't include the turnpipe. So it's just and and the congestion pricing. Thank thank you C council me. Mr.
president and we need to the administration, we need to together with the council call a meeting, you know, with the port authority and and telling them and also if we can look at the ordinance and change the rate
uh for in terms of what New York is paying is what we what people are paying New Yorkers to bring people to New York is what we should be charging people who drop people off in New York, too. uh it's not fair of these numbers uh
that I see here how it's double when they come from New York to Newark and then what they do is that they stay within the airport. They drop somebody off. They stay around and put pick someone up and bring them back to New
York. Our drivers go, yellow cabs go into New York, drop someone off, but they can't pick up somebody and bring it back to to Newark. No, they can't. So, I mean, there's a problem, Mr. uh uh Eric Pennington, business administrator.
there is a problem and I think we need to engage a meeting of the port authority and it's and it's or and and someone from the executive director's office of the port authority uh and or who is the person in charge of the
airport because through port authority but again uh we need to do because these folks who there are 466 I assume uh uh yellow caps is 600 taxi cabs at between cities. So
these most f these folks are from Newark and from the New York area. So to me this this is an industry that's being uh I mean some of these these families cannot afford the insurance went up so high for these uh companies. These
companies are struggling. So Mr. uh if we can get a meeting and then we could look at the ordinance in terms of increasing it. This is not fair. It's not fair for Uber who lines up on 78 and lift. You know, they said they
stand there and then they have an agent inside the airport with the baggage claim and you need a ride to New York. We got a better chief of right and they put them in the car and these gentlemen and ladies are being affected. These are New Yorkers or being affected
and the industry the airport the last time I remember belongs to the city. We just leased to the port authority of New York and New Jersey you know so it's our airport so we should be able to change that ordinance and put some into that because this industry is is it's going
to go under if we don't protect it. this industry may just disappear and it's not. Let me tell you experience that I had. I had an experience in Kansas City. I was looking for a yellow cab. Couldn't get one. They
said, "Well, we don't have it here now. It's you got a Uber or Lift." And I'm like, "Really? This is I mean, it's crazy." So, this is what could occur if we don't be mindful of what's taking place. Yeah. And that I'm not I'm not a
when I go into DC, Washington, I don't take any Ubers and people will know I don't get on him. I go to the local driver because I trust him more that some other guy who's got a a box over here, you know, and and I rather when I
go into Union Station, I look for the cab. Now they changed location. Now you got to walk a mile to get to a cab. But again, CABs and they are they're they also help us a lot promoting where people should go, should they go down to the Robert Street, what hotels they
should go, what restaurants, they're ambassadors to us in the city. So, Mr. uh Mr. administrator, if we can convene and the clerk get a meeting together through your president and we can get a meeting and look at the ordinance, look
at how to increase, bring the executive director or whoever or the chair or from the port authority and say, "Look, this is this is what's going on. You just can't come into our city and take over our city because you're from New York."
So I Yes. Uh Councilman uh Gonzalez, your mic is off too, just so you know. Yeah, it's the thing is who makes this the ordinance or who enforces the ordinance in New York because I believe we can have all the ordinances and we
can have all the meetings and we can have everything but if there's no one enforcing the ordinance or enforcing the regulations that not anyone with license plates from New York can pick up passengers at the airport. they are
going to continue doing. So I believe what we have to do is what New York does. They say they probably have a police officer there and if you are not if you are from from say you have New Jersey plate you cannot take passengers here. So I believe that what we have to
be this is more strict in the application of the ordinance because we can have all the ordinances that we want but if we don't enforce them we are not going anywhere. I believe that it's important that we negotiate with the port authority to allow a Newark police
officer to be there making sure that these individuals do not take passengers from Newark uh to to New York that only let's say the the taxi driver from from Newark that authorized by ordinance in
Newark can take the passengers. That's right. in ter I'm talking about the ordinance in terms of the raid we need to uplift the raid it's an old raid the last time I remember was 20ome years ago that we
approve a a raid so we need to approve the raid the other thing is and I agree with you councilman 78 the last time I remember route 78 into that airport is the state police jurisdiction it is not
north police jurisdiction Is that correct? Right. So, we we need to still engage with with those partners with the the state police, New York police, the department of public safety and bring in the port authority and see what we could
what we could do because if we don't do nothing then, you know, these folks need our help. And that's the reason why I b brought them into our meeting because they need our help and I'm here to make sure that we do as our governing body
that we listen to what's going on. These most of these folks live within the city of Newark and it's not fair that this industry will go down because we didn't do nothing. Yeah. Councilman council. So, one, what
I'm hearing from both of my colleagues, I I'm in agreeance with, but to to come full circle with it. I'm hearing enforcement rate uh and working with our public safety director around traffic um uh and and control, having someone out
being able to monitor this, especially because it is still in our purview. So, I I think that that that's important, but I also think that we have to document these incidents, right? Be it visual, be we have to document these incidents so that we can be able to grow
on it, come back, revise, look at the ordinance, make the amendments um to provide safety for uh and and survival for these 600 taxi drivers um that that are uh under the opices of of the city.
But we definitely have to be more engageful at what is happening uh at the airport. Right? It's not terminal A, but as B and C looks to advance and remodel and do all of those things, we have to make sure that we are putting, you know, our cab drivers and and Newark residents
in in in the uh, you know, position to be treated fairly. Thank you. Uh, Miss Miss Butterfield, you had your hand up. Uh, council Oh, I'm sorry. Go Councilman uh Ramos. Yeah. As far as like the staffing in the taxi division, I I know
years ago they used to have, you know, detectives and police officers assigned. Do you do you still have uh law enforcement folks besides your civilians assigned to it? We have one detective and one sergeant. And do they do routine inspections? Are they on site at places
like the airport? Can you ask for support from the police division when needed and places like that? They do do routine inspections. Um the detective is out regularly and currently
we're in our annual renewals. So he's I mean I'm sorry annual inspections. So he's doing that right now. So they're they're pretty much busy just checking the conditions of the deal of our cabs. So it's been a little difficult. When we spoke with Port Authority, they said
that they did they would adhere to anything that we gave them in writing and um that they were okay with that, but they couldn't speak for Uber. They said because they have some sort of geo fencing and they would need that geo
fencing to come down and so conversations would have to be had with them in order to get them to stop sending New York to New Jersey. while we have you here. It's not really a a yellow cab issue, but it's a community concern, especially with the
um um I guess they're called livery drivers um the the kind of silver gray vehicles that I see in the north ward a lot. And just just if your office could send a reminder because we get a lot of complaints, I've seen it myself where
they they roll through stop signs like they don't follow traffic safety laws. uh regularly and they create very hazardous situations sometimes in our neighborhood and you know we license and authorize you know these these drivers
to to utilize our streets for business but you know they have to do a better job of of driving safely. So if your office through your directive can send a reminder um especially to delivery drivers to to be a little more cautious when they're driving through the streets
and follow our laws. Mo most definitely and we are working with all the different precincts in helping us to do that being that we only have two officers and sometimes the numbers aren't visible. I know they have an ID number in the past. We were able to
report like this particular driver. Um so as you're doing the inspections, you know, make sure that there is an ID that's visible. So if we have a perpetrator, somebody that's constantly violating the law as far as safety is concerned and driving that we can report
on that particular vehicle. So all right, real quick and we'll wrap it up. Also along with that, they have uh two sets of numbers on the back of the auto cab. Uh the four number four uh fourdigit numbers is the is the base
numbers. I mean the taxi cab associated number. So if if you identify a driver that's breaking any type of law, you you welcome to call the office, give us those numbers and we can investigate and and debate the problem along with all the other uh auto cabs, but we will take
note and we'll send a letter to all the bases. Great. Thank you. That was a little education. Now I know what those numbers are for. Thank you. So uh Mr. Clerk, if we can schedule a meeting, let's schedule me as as per Councilman Canana. try to schedule it as soon as
possible so that we all can get what they we can get together and discuss this matter in more in depth and see how we can move forward with it. All right. Thank you. Anything? I guess that's it for everybody, right? All right. Thank you. Meeting's over item that you advance and adopt.