first. Yeah, Rafael. Uh, thank you, Rafael. Thank you. Um, council members, we have quorum at this moment. So, good evening everyone. On behalf of the Patterson Municipal Council, we welcome you to the special meeting of May 30, 2025 at 5:00 pm. The
meeting is now called to order. Madame Clerk, please call the role. Roll call for the special meeting of May 30th, 2025. Councilwoman Cotton here. Councilwoman Dav. Councilman Jackson. Counles.
No, you got to go. I'm sorry. You got to go through the whole thing. Why haven't She's just she didn't she didn't kite me. You didn't. She still got it. Oh, you had to go on a roll call, right? You have to say everything. Okay. Councilwoman Mims, Councilman
Omar, Councilman Uden, Councilman Vez, President Ma, Council President, President, Madam Clerk. Thank you. There are five uh present. Uh four absent, the meeting can begin. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Please read this the 48 hour notice. 48 hour notice. Meeting covered by 48 hour notice. Notice of the time,
date, location, and agenda of this meeting was transmitted to the North Jersey Herald's News, The Record, the Arabic Voice, The Italian Voice, the Bose County Post, Dominicano News, Laiskea International, Elispiel, the Patterson Press, the City Post News, Tap into Patterson, The Weekly, Bangala,
Patria. In addition to any other publication duly requesting such notices at or about 11:00 a.m. on May 27th, 2025, such notices were posted on the bulletin board in the offices of the city clerk at city hall. Thank you,
Madam Clerk. Madame Cler, please read the special meeting notice. City of Patterson notice pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, be advised that the Municipal Council of the City of Patterson has scheduled a special meeting for Friday, May 30th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. The meeting must be conducted
with less than 48 hours advanced notice. Since if the meeting were to be delayed in order to provide such notice, then issues would arise relating to timely introduction of the budget and the Junth resolutions would no longer be timely. The meeting will be held in the city
council chambers, third floor, city hall, 155 market street, Patterson, New Jersey, for the purpose of discussing the following matters. Resolution number one, resolution honoring Miss Jamie Bland in observance of Junth month, 2025, sponsored by Council President Alice
Menddees, City Council. Resolution number 25292. Formal action will be taken. Resolution honoring Mr. Kenneth Morris in observance of Junth month 25 sponsored by council council president Alex Mendes city council resolution
number 25 colon 293 formal action will be taken three resolution honoring Lieutenant Sharon Eastston in observance of Junth month 2025 sponsored by council president Alex Mendes city council resolution number 25
col294 formal action will be taken four resolution honoring Mr. Shelton J. Prescott in observance of Junth month 2025 sponsored by council president Alex Menddees city council resolution number 25295 formal action will be taken five
resolution honoring reverend Dr. Joel S. Rudolph senior in observance of Junth month 2025 sponsored by council president Alex Mendes city council resolution number 25 col 9296 sorry formal action will be taken. Six resolution authorizing reading of the
calendar year 2025 municipal budget by title only and the introduction of calendar year 2025 municipal budget finance resolution number 25 col 297 formal action will be taken. Council president. Thank you madam clerk. Now, before
getting into um the voting section, um thank you for reading uh item number um 1 through six into the agenda. Madam clerk, madam clerk, item 1 through five, it'll be uh co-sponsored by um councilwoman uh Ruby Cotton. Um you want
to be in Councilwoman Marika Davila, um um Councilman uh Luis Veles, u Councilwoman Lissa Mins, Councilman Faro Dean, and Councilman Ibrahim Omar. And okay, thank you, Council President. Okay,
Madame Clerk. Um, I know we have C. If you if you if we could I know you could put item one through five uh all together to vote in one section and then right after that we go into the budget. Can we take item one through five? Okay, we can do that. Okay. All right. Should I read them again or
um Okay. Sure. She she going to read out of one through five. We're going to do one vote through for the five. Okay. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Items number one through five be voted on with one motion. Resol number one, resolution honoring Miss Jamie Bland in observance
of Junth month 2025. Sponsored by Council President Alex Mendes, co-sponsored by Councilwoman Cotton, Councilwoman Dava, Councilman Veles, Councilwoman Mims, and Councilman Ud Uden, and Councilman Omar. Formal action
will be taken. Resolution number 25 col 292. Move. I'm sorry. Number two, resolution honoring Mr. Kenneth Morris in observance of Junth month 2025. Sponsored by Council President Alex Mendes. Co-sponsored by
Councilwoman Cotton, Councilwoman Davala, Councilman Veles, Councilwoman Ms, Councilman Uden, and Councilwoman Omar. sponsored by uh I'm sorry, city council. Resolution number 25 col293. Formal action will be taken. Number three, resolution honoring Lieutenant
Sharon Eastston in observance of Junth month 2025. Sponsored by Council President Alex Menddees, city um co-sponsored by Councilwoman Cotton, Councilwoman Dava, Councilman Vez, Councilwoman Mams, Councilman Uden, and Councilman Omar, city council resolution
number 25294. Formal action will be taken. Number four, resolution honoring Mr. Shelton J. Prescott in observance of Junth month 2025 sponsored by Council President Alex Mendes, co-sponsored by Councilwoman Cotton, Councilwoman
Davala, Councilwoman Veles, Councilwoman Mams, Councilman Uden, and Councilwoman Omar, city council resolution number 2594. So move forward action to be taken. So moved by councilwoman Davina, second by council, roll call m and
councilwoman cotton. Roll call, mad click on item one through five. Four. One through four. One through four. Yeah. Roll call on item number one through four for for adoption. Councilwoman Cotton. I'm sorry. It's one through five. It was one through five. I'm sorry. Yes. I
didn't read the fifth one. I'm sorry. It's one through five. You read one through five. Okay. No, but she got to read it. I didn't read one through five. Okay. I didn't read number five. So, you got the last one. So, resolution honoring Reverend Dr. Joel S. Rudolph Senior in observance of Junth month 2025. Sponsored by Council President
Alex Mendes, co-sponsored by Councilwoman Cotton, Councilwoman Davala, Councilman Veles, Councilwoman Ms, Councilman Uden, Councilman Omar, uh, City Council resolution number 25296, formal action will be taken. Move now moved by Councilwoman Dava, second
by Council, and Councilwoman Ruby Cotton. Roll call on item 1 through five. Roll call on items number one through five for adoption. Councilwoman Cotton, yes. Councilwoman Davlin, yes. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Yes. Thank
you, Councilman Khalik. Counciloman Council. Okay. Councilman Councilwoman Mims. Councilman Omar. Yes. Councilman Uden. Councilman Vez. Yes. Madam Clerk. Council President. Yes, Madam Clerk.
Thank you. The votes are seven. Seven in favor, two absent. Items number one through four are hereby adopted. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Item number six. Item number six, the resolution authorizing reading of the calendar year
2025 municipal budget by title only and the introduction of the calendar year 2025 municipal budget finance resolution number 2597. Formal action will be taken. Moved by councilman Davina. Second. Second by counciloman Cton. Um so with discussion
I would like to open the uh floor to our Mr. B8 um MBA. Thank you council president. So what we have in front of you again is the 5.6% um projected increase for the introduction of budget. Um just so everyone is aware that does
not mean that we are adopting 5.6% on a tax increase. This number reflects this number reflects what our budget will look like if we do not get the full allocation of transitional aid that we have requested. This reflects the number that we have received in previous years because we
are not allowed to put in what we have requested until we have received it, which will be once the state budget has been passed. What I'm going to present to you and speak to you about is the things that I've been working on so far um in an effort to help us get to a a much more equitable number. I've also
provided all the council members sitting here with a copy of the MOA, the current MOA that is uh presented by the DCA regarding transitional aid, which breaks down the requirements that we are held by. So throughout my time so far, I've been able to identify about $250 to
about $500,000 that can be done through cuts just from my general review of what I've looked through it. I'm also going to be meeting with the departments um throughout the month of June to start working on it in a more in-depth way. I don't think it's appropriate for me to just start off by making those cuts before I've met with the departments. So
that's why I haven't put them into the actual budget until it is time. I also want the opportunity to meet with them so that they have the opportunity to tell me what can and cannot be cut. If there's the point where an executive decision has to be made during those meetings, I'll be making those meetings. But I want to be able to make those
decisions bo based off of real numbers. when we have real numbers. This is a breakdown of what I'm putting together for when we do have those real numbers and what I will need to take action on in the event that our numbers are lower than what we're hoping for from the state. I've worked with the attorney general's office to confirm that we are
going to have um another agreement with them for another year that is going to be covering any overtime initiatives associated with anything that they are working on specifically which is essentially almost a mirror image of the um agend the um agreement that we already have in place. I'm going to talk
about the sewer rates and I'm going to talk about the UCCC code increases that I've discussed at the previous meetings. The reason I'm putting them both together is because of the fact that these are two areas that we are supposed to be self-sufficient in our funding and right now we are using the budget to subsidize these specific
departments for the UCCC codes. I want to make a point that this has not been increased since 2011. The state has taken over the building department as we are well aware and since that has occurred we have seen the increases in efficiencies and in
returns doubling from previous years. So, we know what is working is working, but what is the problem is is that the numbers are still not allowing us to be self-sufficient and they're not allowing us to enhance our hiring. So, by increasing those when it comes into the future as the um economic development
director and the UCCC um code administrator is working on, we will be able to present that to everybody and give they will be able to present and give a breakdown of what it is they're looking to increase. Then with the sewers, as I know it's been a sore subject, but the state is also recommending and if you read through the
MOA, it will explain that when we have utilities, they are supposed to be self-sufficient. So a 2% will, I believe, is what will put us to a point of being liquid. I'm not a 100% um sure whether or not the timing of when we put
that ordinance forward how that will impact our budget in a it could be better if we do it sooner because then we can anticipate what that revenue projection would be based off of those numbers and then we can move the budget around when necessary. My hope is that once we have real numbers we can determine whether or not we have to make
a significant increase from that point. But again, I'm looking to talk about a 2% increase at that point. I've been um what I'm starting to do is putting together a transitional aid team within the city so that I'm working directly with department heads
so that we are actually trying to attack this transitional aid issue to help transition us off of transitional aid which is not something that I believe had been done in the city just yet. Um we it'll be a working group that will be meeting with me that I'm putting together where essentially we it will be workshops to take a look at a deep dive
of how we can actually come off of this. We're going to look at scenarios for 10 years, 5 years. if we had to cut this in one year, how would we do that? How would that be sustainable? We don't know what the next governor is going to do. So, we need to be prepared for this and that's what I'm going to be putting on the table for us um with my administration. I've made convers I've
had conversations with the county about shared service opportunities and I'm going to continue to engage with the county for opportunities to do so. Um we're also I know the DCA has also been working about different shared service opportunities with the fire department. Those are not immediate cost savings opportunities because I need to have
those agreements in place and I need the governing body to agree to those opportunities. But those are the things that I'm working on from that perspective. And then finally with just a not so much budget related but from a transparency and reporting opportunity. I know that we've been getting multiple you know we have there's been you know
you guys get a lot of residents that come to these meetings and you guys have a lot of questions about what they're bringing to the table and you have a lot of questions that you're bringing to the table for me and administration. So, I'm going to be requiring specific department heads to be attending our meetings at work sessions to be able to provide reporting. Um, be able to answer
provide a report. You guys have the opportunity to ask them direct questions. If the public is here and they have specific questions, if it happens prior to or during the public portion, we have that opportunity for for the public to be able maybe not so much to engage, but to be able to build off of what they're telling us at the
day. Um, as we build that forward with that, I want to be able to have statistics that will break down how we're improving. I want to be able to say this is not working or this is working based off of the numbers that they're providing us. The last part that I'm going to put out and if there's any questions specifically on the budget portion, we can obviously get into that.
But what I'm asking for is to give me a shot at this. I did not put this budget together. I'm doing everything I can to get as up to speed as possible. I want to be able to use the experiences that I have in my career to put together the best budget possible. But there's a way to do this and there's a way not to do
this. and I don't want to impact this budget negatively and give the public perception of a negative number. I need the numbers to be real and I need them to be appropriate for this city. So essentially, I'm just asking that you consider passing this today knowing what I put forward and what I'm going to
continue to put forward. I do not want this council to get fined by the DCA. I do not want this council to have to have the state impose a budget on us. That's not what I want. I want us to be able to work together and come up with a solution. what I'm presenting you I know is the same number as before but I have
put the effort in and I don't want to make cuts that are unrealistic and I want to be able to focus on working with the departments talking to them to see what can actually get done and then once we have real numbers have the ability to make the cuts that are appropriate at that time
thank you thank you Mr. B Councilman Jackson very quickly I don't want the floor I just to have a question um Mr. But yeah, you talked about quite a few things, but I don't understand why we don't have that in front of us. You you you talked about various numbers and
and and um which honestly to be quite honest with you, I can't even recall. You said quite a bit, but we don't have any any sheets or any forms in front of us that have the details of what you just spoke about the revenue that was being generated or coming from various spaces. We don't have anything prepared
for us. No, at this time I I don't have anything specific that I can provide with that. I can put something together more formal. I just have the sheet that I've been working off of in conversation. With all due respect, Mr. B, I understand you you're this is probably new ground for you. The CFO's been here for many, many
years. He understands that. I mean, you're we're you're just sitting here asking us to vote on something, to approve something. you just spewed off a whole bunch of different numbers and different factors about various things that are very very important and we
don't have any of that information in front of us. I mean that should that we should have a we should have some kind of sheet form or presentation form of what we're what the expectations are and um you know understanding that you're not the person to who uh actually put
this budget together but the person next sitting next to you did he not have a hand in it with what I put together or with what we're being asked to approve? No, what you're being asked to approved is based off of what has been presented to you
from the very beginning. And I understand that you have not received what you're looking for. You're looking for breakdowns. You're looking for re realistic numbers that I I I don't have that in front of me. I don't have that. And I'm sorry that you haven't received that. Never mind. Never mind. Okay. Council.
Uh thank you, Council President. Mr. Ba, you said uh obviously we know as well you were in the part of putting this budget together. Who put this budget together? um that would have been the previous administrator I'm sure had a hand in
that and our CFO and our CFO is here together and as far as I know our previous BA is working with the city for a day or two a month or uh that's what I heard at the at the beginning. Is she still doing it? No, she's no longer
involved. She's not here day to um it was once a week that she was here and then my first week was her last week. And I I believe I mean you've been here for about a couple of week 3 weeks or so. Our CF4 is here. He should know this budget inside out and you should should
have been able to get an idea of exactly what's going on. Um and saying that I mean you have like you have no idea what's exactly in the budget. Um I don't think it's a fair statement to us as a council member. I think we we
expect way more than uh just the resolution in front of us. Also you spoke about a lot of things like UC you're saying that this year since uh this year took over over uh you seeing almost uh
double that um revenue coming in which is great but is I do agree with Mike this administration or this mayor not doing the the job cuz he's been here since 2018 within four five month we see
a double revenue in a department. What has this administration been doing doing all these six years? That's just just a just a thought just came to my mind. Um beside that you spoke about sewers when we created the sewer
Italy. Then I said it it was a double taxation to the city of Patterson. We we created the sewer division. that money was used to get paid from the our taxation before and we did it like a double u as everyone could
recall it was a it was a double taxation um there just couple of thoughts and I I don't even know what to like what in front of me to to vote for tonight thank you council president council president
Um, thank you, Council President. Uh, is there any reason why we have this in front of us, Mr. Ba? It was uh that's the MOA that is uh between the city and the state for transitional aid. I just wanted everyone
to have a copy of it. Correct. And this I know is I know it's theou, but is any reason? I don't know if you've ever received a copy of it. No, we we do we do have we do we do go every year withou. Mhm. And um but this is from
2024 correct calendar year. Correct. Um the 2025 I know it comes before even transitional aid is granted to us. Correct. Uh this decision today is based if we are going to vote in a favor or vote it up and down. Uh it's based on
the 2024U. 2024 2025 because the state is on a fiscal calendar. So this is our current and active. No, it's not in a fiscal calendar. I know. I'm sorry. Fiscal. We are a calendar, but the state is fiscal. That's why their agreements are fiscal based. So So that's one of the things
that a little bit concerned. U the uh let me go a little bit back. The medical insurance change that according to us was going to save us $10 million, but it came back saying that we had to pay more. Now, uh, the ball picker removed from the garbage collection and they say
that we're going to save money and our city looks awful in in in quality of life regarding garbage and this and that. That's not taking us nowhere. the sewer uh utility uh that that this council voted in good favor and then we
resended uh based on Flavio when he council president we resended to to fix some some great area that was there is still not working. Okay. Uh we don't see the revenue coming at all. Um, one thing
I have to say, we haven't bond uh for for for a long time for for for covers uh service in the city of Patterson. I haven't seen a bond um ordinance here to to borrow money,
but the and I'm going up and down and me memor understanding again and again and again and and still, you know, it's like telling us listen this is what you guys agreed and signed. I understand that.
But today is May 30, 2025. When this administration expect to get the budget together, present it after the discussions of the budget um presented to us before we could get a
final approval of the budget, not the introduction. When do you the administration expect to present that to the city? 20. So, as soon as I have the transitional aid numbers locked in, so when the state has passed its budget, historically, I'm not sure if we get
that information ahead of time or if that's effective immediately when we un when the state passes their budget, that's when I'm going to have real numbers. The work that I'm going to be doing leading up to that is going to be the hypothetical cuts or the realistic cuts that need to occur in the event that that number is different. So, I'm
trying to build up uh a number of potential cuts so that we're prepared to do that, hoping that we do not have to make those cuts in order to get to the 2% that we're looking to get. Correct. So, so, so based and I'm not going to blame you, but based on the experience of our CFO CFO, when will you expect
based on your experience that award letter? Uh my CFO just let me know that August or September is when we would be looking to adopt when August September. August or September. August September. And uh we going to be
almost at the end of this budget of 2025 right now. Almost at the end. So from May 30th into August August we're not going to have a
introduction of budget uh to adopt because we waiting for see if the state is going to be having mercy with us and give us what we asking for the administration asking for and based and
a state that just passed a awful budget cutting everywhere. So that give me a sign that they probably not going to be too mercy
with us with this uh transitional aid. Now the real question is if we adopt this, if they decide to go ahead and give you the confidence that what your introduction is today is 5.6 six tax increase.
The law says, the state says that we could intro, not introduce, we could adopt a budget with a cap of 2%. Correct. Correct. Correct. Okay. Correct. Yeah. We good. We good. We're doing good there.
Why the administration cannot present a budget with a cap of 2%. Oh, now we go. May I have the administration please answer why we cannot present an introduction budget with 2%. Because we don't have the
numbers to be able to do that. We just we just don't have that information in front of us right now. If I had it, if it was a 2% that I had, like again, I've we've openly said many times, this isn't a budget that I've been from from start to finish. But through that budget process, you want to be able to the goal
is that 2% mandate and that's what it should be working towards from the very beginning of the budget process. That's what you should be work working towards. We're unique because of the way that the funding is broken down. So from May 30th
into August or December, let's make believe August, September, we don't we don't adopt a budget, right? budget. Do that 5.6 into this budget is going to be
reflected in any tax bill? No. No. No. Not at all. No. No. So you operating introduction we in 2025 in May
2025 and we still not going to adopt the budget probably September October November right where you going to operate then so in July we do an estimated um reso for estimated third quarter tax bills which
that would be 2%. And then once we adopt the budget, the regular percentage increase would uh go. So if it would be 2% at that time, then it would just And your appropriation of that budget to operate from here to all the way down is based on this budget that you presenting
today on this introduction. Yes. Introduction. Okay. And if you are introduction 5.6 and you are appropriating from this 2025 the introduction 5.6. Okay. you are
spending based on 5.6 tax increase. We're asking for more revenue from the state. So that revenue is not reflected in that budget right now. That extra $6 million is not reflected in this budget right now. Once again, your introduction
is with a tax increase of 5.6. We're not going to approve a budget roughly September or probably before November before we go to the League of Municipality. Everybody's partying over there. Okay. But we still not going to
adopt a budget. Okay. But your your government function is based on this introduction that is introduced with 5.6 6 tax increase from this point all the way down to December because you
appropriating money based on this budget. Simple. Are you operating by 2024 budget? No. You from January up to December, this is what you presenting to the community. This is what you
presenting to the state and includes a 5.6 tax increase. Okay. it is introducing a budget with a 5.6 tax increase. If you telling me that you appropriating based on the numbers that
you are presenting to the state right now, you are wasting taxpayer money based on 5.6 tax increase to operate the city. Um now I don't know how it works for you
but for me if you are appropriating based on the number that you introduced into the state somehow you had to get the revenues to operate. And if you telling me it's not going to be represented in the tax bill,
you had to prove me that because if the next tax bill comes higher, plus the revaluation they do in the property, plus the taxes of school board, plus the county taxes, what are we
leaving to the resident of Patterson to survive in the city of Patterson? Now, last but not least, C council president. No, he could answer. He could reb. But last but not least, you know, the state says that we are
mandatory to do a 2% tax increase in every budget and they presenting one with 5.6. why they don't sanction the administration for not presenting a budget that aligns with the
state. I raised my my question. Council Councilman Davilla and very brief Councilman Cotton right after that. Okay. Councilman Cotton. Okay. Roll call on the clerk. Council president.
Councilman Jackson was simply amazing. I guess council president, you have you have all all the answers already done. You ready to just shoot for roll call? Like let's just vote and get it over with. It's Friday. Let's get
out of here. Um it's very disappointing. There's a lot of concerns here um you know relative to the budget and surprisingly some of the concerns that even the previous council person who's speaking raises some some very good
questions. Um so Mr. Ba trying to keep up. I mean there's a whole lot of nonsense here. Let's just start with um where was
I? There's a fund that's coming in from Green Acre. No, for the Vistas Vista Park State improvement project anticipated 1.4 and 749. Where where's this money deriving
from? I believe that's art money. You believe ARP money? Yes. Hot money? What do you mean? Um, ARP. So, money that we had not used previously? No, the money we got the 66 million we got from ARP. So, we got that money this year. No, we got
that money in 202. So, money we did not use previously in 2022. Money that we received in the past that we did not use previously. You said no to that question. I'm not sure what you're asking me. Councilman, did we receive that money this year? ARP. We received
it in 2022, I believe. In 2022, correct? And this is what ARP money. This is for fiscal year 2025. Yes, we're still spending. So money that we received previously that we did not spend, now we're going to put it towards Vistas
Park. How is that going to benefit the residents, Mr. Ba? Because I'm sure he he has no clue. I know it's a co money, but that money is supposed to be utilized to generate uh residual income. How does this
generate residual income to reduce some of the tax burden from the taxpayers? If we hadn't received the money from the federal government, we either wouldn't be doing the project or would be paying it out. I didn't ask how we wouldn't be able to do the project. I could give my son $100,000. he can go out and buy
something that's not that's not going to be benefit him or he could possibly put a down payment on a house that's going to turn around and produce for him in the future. How does this investment of over $2 million,
$2 million, how does that benefit the residents in a on a long-term residual 10year plan, fiveyear plan? We just spent $110 million on Hinscliff Stadium. Is there any line that you could point
to that's generating revenue for the city for Hinchcliffe? I don't I don't have it in front of me. I don't have that information. I know you don't you're not going to have much in front of you at all. I don't anticipate, but Mr. CFO, he's been here for a very long time. Is there any line item in this
budget, any page that you could point me to that shows a return on our investment for the $110 million we spent in HCO statement? We didn't spend $110 million on Hinskip. just the city didn't. That's not our project. No, we did. Just like
you're going to tell me later on that we're not spending this 2.2 because you're going to say that it was CAR's Act money or heart money. But again, that money is supposed to serve a purpose. The purpose is to create a
residual return for the residents to to to present relief or some kind of increase to provide additional services that people are not receiving. I'm trying to get to understand this
expenditure. How does it benefit me as a taxpayer? I should have brought some crickets here with me tonight. I don't know if I have an answer that would satisfy the question. You know, it's a park. It's a very simple question. It's a very simple question.
As I spend money, am I wasting it or am I anticipating an investment into something that's going to provide a return? The mayor promoted, "We're going to spend this hundred and so million dollars on the stadium. It's going to return all of these hundreds of
thousands of visitors to the city." He's still out promoting it actively. Now, I'm asking from a financial standpoint, the guy sitting next to you or anyone there, whoever chooses to answer intelligently, how does it outline for a
benefit to the residents? Nothing. I I don't believe that an answer is going to satisfy this situation. I just don't think I have an answer. Is there a benefit to the residents for this for this uh this two two plus million dollars?
It's it's subjective if you're so right now if you expecting my support what we are supposed to be doing here we're supposed to be going through the budget and making amendments and adjustments. So that line item we can cut that right now. Those two line items we could cut
that unless you don't you're not expecting my support. We're going to have to go through this budget. We're going to have to actually do work tonight. We're going to be here for a while and we're going to go through this budget line by line, look at what's necessary, look at what's going to create a return for the residents and
we're going to have to be responsible here. We're not just going to come here and, you know, to to to the point that was made earlier, you talked about the UCCC codes that were being generated. I need to see that. I need to understand the performance of the various
departments. Like we had this the this money that we've been spending for several years on these um this uh uh uh uh consultant. They were not even consultants. They're actually city employees. The the what was this guy doing? The numbers
guy who was he was here to give us uh reports on statistics and things of that nature. I haven't seen one report out of this guy. We're paying him for nothing. And then they keep saying, "Oh, we're not paying him. He's being paid from um from the the the the Green Bomb Fund or
whatever." It doesn't matter. People are making money. The Bloomberg uh project, people are making money and people in Patterson are suffering. The decisions are being made. There's not here to return any kind of return on these investments. And I'm just trying to
understand like how do the residents vote uh uh the residents benefit from me um voting yes on this and and it says anticipated funds as if this fund was like a grant fund or something. This is not anticipated. This is money that we
have someplace which by the way Mr. Ba I've asked you for a couple reports that I have not gotten yet. But one of those reports is a uh complete outline on where we've spent this CARES Act money.
Where where's the money at? We don't even know how much is left. We don't know what has been spent on. We don't know who's had a bunch of parties, you know? I mean, we know who parties and goes into basements and drinking and things of that nature, but where's the money and how is the how are the
residents going to benefit? So, Since we have no answer, let's continue to move on. Um, I want to go to the health and Mr. CFO, maybe you can help me point me to the page because I I'm just skimming through this quickly. I
went through it the um the state. Okay. Right. Under transitional aid, $33 plus million energy receipt. I'm looking on page five. Energy receipt tax. Can you tell me what that is? The $33 plus million dollars. That's revenue
from the state. Revenue from the state. Yes. From the state for what? The synergy tax. That's what they call it. We get that money. It's contra money. We get that money every year. And it's we're anticipating the number to be exactly the same. Yes. And what do we
expend it on to cover the expenses in the budget? So just anything. We just having parties. We don't know what we expended the 33 million. So, so I you're lying a question in, Councilman. Everything that we spend the budget on comes through you
guys. We have resolutions here. This is why I'm asking these questions right now. So, I don't understand. I don't understand. I I I don't sign the checks for this. I vote yes to approve the spending, but I'm asking you where was it expended? That's revenue, sir. I'm
sorry. That's revenue. That's not expenditures. That covers I know this is revenue. It's $33 million in revenue. And I'm asking you to show me the page in which this money was spent. Was it spent on ONE? Was it spent on So we have
payroll $100 million in revenue, $100 million in expenditures. That covers the expenditures. I understand. Okay. I understand. But to be responsible, right? If I anticipate revenue from from sources that
produce How long have we been getting this this tax fund? This this been going on for forever. Forever. See, normally the way we did budget uh uh uh presentations, we'd had previous years. So we can look at that and we can look
at actually you know these various line items and see how much was acquired in 22 23 how much was expended but you know now we've we've changed the way things since you've been the CFO to be very um
uh uh not forth not as forthcoming as necessary. Um, board of health, we realized 650, now we're anticipating 950. Is that from fees that have been increased?
Uh, no. I think we realized uh a smaller amount last year. The normal amount has been between somewhere around between 700 to 900. I'm sorry. You're right. We actually anticipated 650.
So, and my issue my issue with receiving this budget is like it really doesn't tell me anything. Like it this should be very much more descriptive. How how like if we're anticipating and we receive close to 3 million
$300,000 more than what was anticipated from a department then how did that happen? Where how is it derived? Like there was one one thing I I saw where where we're we're charging for the sale of copies of public records. We
anticipated 35 last year. We actually realized 46. So that's the um is that the revenue generated from from uh uh Oprah requests and things of that nature? Uh it's from
um police records. Police records. Correct. We had we had an uptick of upward of $11,000 in police records. Uh yes. Okay. So, I'm going to need to see the uh the
breakdown of these various U spacers here. Um I know I'm delaying some of your parties, but hold on. Give me please be patient. There was another Oh, on page 10B, private host benefit
fees. Private host benefit fees. Um, we anticipated 500,000. We actually realized 1.8 and now we're anticipating 800. What is a private host benefit
fees? Um the recycling uh revenue recycling. Yes. And this is what we made. Yes. We So why are we why are we anticipating a million dollars less? Uh because we received a two-year payment from Coastal.
A two-year payment from Yeah. Coastal distribution. So now it's only going to be one year. So um so this is what they they so they they held back a a payment from the previous year. Yes.
Yes. Mhm. Was there any interest that was accured for for that for that held payment? No. Okay. Um well listen I I'm I'm not going to labor this much much longer.
Um, uh, I'm just amazed. I mean, even the newest council member to the to the to the council, I mean, there's no questions. Nobody has any. This is it. We're just ready to go and vote. Huh? This is it. Huh? Okay. No, I'm going to tell you. All right. Very good. Roll
call, Madam Clerk. It's not a party. It could be whatever. Uh, council president be before we go to local I just have one simple question to the CFO. May I please council? Okay. So, CFO just
let me leave because huh see he said roll call but I ask the council president permission to ask CFO just a simple question. So, in a line item that we spent last year, for example,
$300,000, that's the number, $300,000. And you put that line item, $500 for this year, $1,000 sharp 000. And that's actual number is a or is
a inflated item that you put in just a number just to move the money around? Actual numbers. action number. So why the action number ends in 500 0? If they are actual number, it had to be a penny at least different.
I raised my question, council president. Thank you. Roll call, madam clerk. Roll call on resolution um for the adoption of the municipal introduction of the municipal. Madam clerk, I apologize. Before you call for
the role, council president, I made a motion to reduce a line item for Vista Parks. I didn't get any support. Nobody's willing to support that. Do it when you adopt. Mhm. No, no, it we don't have to. It's not required to do it. There was a motion. There was There was a motion on the floor that didn't have
any support. Do it when you The motion didn't have any support. Council Jackson. Yeah. Roll call, Mad Clerk. I'm glad you put that on record. Roll call, Mad Clerk. Please. Roll call on item number six for adoption. Councilwoman Cotton. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just
um for this is an introduction and I said it a couple times already at a couple meetings that no one sitting up here is going to do a 5.6% tax increase. I can tell you that now. No one. They got a lot of work to
do. Like he's looking through that budget now. Councilman Jackson, we look through the budget and what line we want to cut off because the adoption is going to come sometime in August or September. That's when it has to come. Now, this is just to introduce it. He
can come in with a 20%. He can come in with 30%. But ain't nobody going to pay no 30 or 20% tax increase. No one. That that would be devastating to this to to the city of Patterson to do. So what you're going to do now is as he's
looking through the line item when we talk about the budget he's going to no no when we adopt this is introduction people can think how they want to think but this is just an introduce we're never going to put an increase like that on board never. I can
tell you that now it's never. Now you can go through the line items and see which ones you want to take out. I think everybody had this budget ever since about a month ago over over a month ago the budget you can go through line item I've gone through line items to see
which items that I see that should not be in there I think that should not and two of the things that I disagree with is that and I'm going to say it again the sewer it should be by consumption and not house size cuz I have a two family I got four
people in my house the house next to me got a two family and they got 20 people in the house. So why should we pay the same amount? It should be by consumption and not size of house. One family, two family, three family. So this is to introduce the
budget. Introduce bringing it in. There's no way none of us sitting up here and we going to go through the line items and everybody's going to look at and see what they want to think that they need to take out. I mean people can think how they want to think. You can think how I'm just saying I know
introduction is not the same as adoption. It's not the same. It's not the same. No, I understand what it is. I understand. No, I understand. So, so my we I got the budget. I've been going through it every day almost looking
through it. So to introduce this budget for the city of Patterson to to to to to we don't know what's going to happen. We really don't know what's going to happen once this stuff get introduced. If it doesn't make it then it doesn't
make it. Then when things do not go right, you know, I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to say. I don't know. Contact the state. You know, I see one of my constituents here. She need we going to see that police department. But with that being said, to introduce just the introduce
introduction, u my vote is yes. Thank you, Councilwoman Cot and Councilwoman Dava. Thank you very much. Uh good evening everyone to my council colleagues that are here today and those that are not as well. Um this budget we've had for quite some time. All
right. And um I'm not going to say that I'm in disagreement completely with Councilman Jackson. He's clearly asking questions um as well as Councilwoman Cotton, right? Um but I think there's a bigger picture here and there's a
responsibility that we have to take and we should have uh had an introduction to this budget sometime I believe it was end of March, beginning of April. We didn't take action. It's been before us. It's been voted down. Well, first it was we didn't take any action because the
mayor pulled it. He should have pulled it. there was no support then it's still we don't know where this is going to go today but we do have a mandate we do have to abide byou we have certain things that we must do and one of them is to have an introduction so the the
fact that we continue to talk about you know raising taxes raising taxes right now we're not taking action on raising any taxes because it is not an adopted budget it is an introduction yes it can
most likely be a reflection of what the uh adopted bud budget may look like. But just like Councilwoman Cotton said, and I've told the administration this, I will not, and I'm saying it here, come the adoption, if there is a 5.6%
increase, the vote will be no. Okay? Where we are right now, I can't stop. We have a responsibility. Okay? We can't stop the city. We got to go and submit and put in that request that we need additional monies. If we are able to do what Councilman Velis
stated, oh just what we have a mandate, it's only a two t 2% tax levy. Introduce it that way. Why would the state then say if you can do that and only do 2%. Right? There isn't really much any skin in the game. So why should we give you
any more money? We are not ready. We are not we can't be self-sustained. We cannot I don't care what anybody says here about the the the constant talk about we need to get off transitional aid. Yes, we do. But we are not ready. We are not ready
because this council doesn't want to take the actions that are necessary for us to increase our ratables. So then that way we can start getting off it. So you know we say we want to be responsible, right? But, you know, there's been fees that haven't been, you
know, uh um increased in in ages, years. No, we want to take action with cannabis. No, we want to take different actions of things that are necessary to move
forward to try to increase ratables because yes, the administration has to do their peace, but we have to do ours. So right now I have a respons a responsibility and a mandate and I'm putting it on record. We today
are not voting on increasing the budget. There's no adoption today. There is an introduction and a proposed. Yes, there is a proposed. We're not lying here. We're not playing with words. All right? But let us not confuse the community in saying and talking about
the tax bills and what's going to be reflected. No, when we adopt the budget sometime you know after uh August or September somewhere around there is when we will know more in terms of what that amount will be and then when those bills
come in which by the way um to the CFO at some point when we're done with the voting just put on record when the next bills would come out that would reflect if any the tax increase or just the 2%. So with that said, it is my fidiciary responsibility and in regards to mandate
and the letter that we received fromou whoever does not take action will then be um and if it's not adopted not adopted if it if it's not passed today as an introduction the council will start getting and those will start getting um reprimanded with a with a
fee. So, with that said, madame clerk, my vote is yes for the introduction of the 2025 municipal budget. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Councilman Khik. Thank you, Madame Clerk.
Um, all the points are very well taken. Um if we if we like councilwoman said introduction is the reflection of the adoption budget. If we could keep
spending the way we are spending when times comes in September we spend 70% of the budget already then we will be leave we'll be left with about 30 to 25% probably 20%
of the total budget and we don't get the money from the state what are we going to do like previous year one of the year we to lay off 125 officers and and get rid
of many of the employees in city of Patterson. Do we have to do that? I I believe we do. I believe we do. And then the administration going to say that we have
our back against the wall. We must pass this budget with a 5.6% or 5.9% tax increase. It has happened. It has happened previously. Uh with a conscious mind what's in this budget,
what is the projected bud budget and was the amount of money we we looking to get it from the state. I cannot support this uh introduction right now. My vote is no. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Omar. So, it's like my previous council
colleague stated, but I'm not going to repeat everything. Uh, I'm going to support this introduction and I'm going to work closely with the administration to make the appropriate tax cuts and reduce the tax levy. And uh, Mr. Ba, I appreciate you reaching out to the EG's office. That was my recommendations. My vote is yes, madam clerk. Thank you,
Councilman. Councilman Veles. So, it's clear tonight, ladies and gentlemen, and the public could go and rewind this meeting and the past meeting. They are presenting an inflated introduction
budget. And I put an example. Last year we spent $200,000 in a line item, probably $150,000 of it. Now they presented $500,000. 0000. And if that's accurate, it should
be at least $500,000 with one penny if they did the math to add it to the budget. Once again, we gave our vote of confidence to this
administration when they came up to say that we need to switch to the state plan because it was going to save us millions of dollars. They came back and say that we had to increase because the bill came higher.
Now we gave him a a vote of confidence with the sewer utility. We had to resend it based on that council president that time Fl River Ria and by the way uh his father father passed away. Uh my heart goes and condolence to the
family. He rescended because the value it was not working. So we resended. We came back with a better idea. And still the revenue is not coming in as they we want
to. The administration, we gave him a vote of confidence that they're going to save us money in the trash contract and they're going to separate the bulk to make sure that the city don't go
burden in the contract of the garbage. And still we don't see a good plan happening because our trees are still dirty and the people of residents of Patterson call us saying what the hell we doing but they don't know that we just go with the flow sometime to give a
full confidence of what we doing. And the famous word tonight we ban the six type of license of cannabis. This council approved to not accept it in the
city of Patterson. No license. We met in the middle because the administration said that it was going to bring us revenue in the city of Patterson. I want to know how much GTI is still owning us tax whatever they
have from over there. Probably we could balance the budget from here. Now, still it's not working. You know why it's not working? Because they presented a plan. beautiful. It's going to work. The money is going to come in. The revenue is going to come in and still they started backwards. There's a
lot of people around there don't even have license because it's a mess. We gave him a vote of confidence on that. The tax bills is going to come sometime in u
June, then in September, whatever. But it was proved today that they said that they're going to spend based on the introduction budget. Mhm. So in other words, some of those taxes
bill is going to come a little bit reflecting a tax hike in the city of Pasala residents plus the revaluation of those property that is an automatic tax increase into their property.
saying that last week, you could go to the video. We I say we me and council president told the administration because we gave the benefit of the doubt that the BA did not prepare this budget and he stated that
he didn't have the opportunity to sit down and look at it. and we gave him the benefit of the doubt to go back to the table, look item by item and reduce what he had to reduce to present us alise a lower
rate. I know Councilman Khilman uh um from the six war stated that he's entitled to vote yes, but there's something that trigger me a little bit when he say I'm going to work with administration to load this. We I've
been working with the administration for the past years and still they don't take our recommendation because they want from us but we cannot get from them. Simple and easy. Mr. Ba, I think
you could do those cut down the road. You could make the budget a little bit introduction a little bit better. You know, the only thing I probably had to get is $25. I don't know. Everybody probably going to say $25 is nothing but is I have to put gas in my car for saying that the introduction is a
reflection of what's going to happen to you. This is the what they want to put and this is what you're going to get if we move forward what how they want us to move forward. So saying that I was reading the memorandum understanding there's a lot of duties in that side
that they have to cut if they want to stop mismanaging or waste of the city of Patterson. So saying that, my vote is no. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Jackson. Thank
you, Madam Clerk. I'm not going to prolong this. It's uh it's pointless. Obviously, uh um it's not going to go well and um for good reason. You know, the city of Patterson is a business. Um it's not game. It's not a
hangout. It's not, oh, let's uh see how much money I can get for my my my friends. It's a business. When you spend money, it's supposed to be an investment. If you spend money on a garbage contract, the investment is the return that the that the that the
constituents get on the services, the level of services. When you spend money on uh what you pay for employees, employees are supposed to turn return the service back to the community. But uh two, okay,
so we have absolutely no return on our investments. They can't even show what we spent money on and how it's a benefit to the community. And Councilwoman Cotton, by the way, is totally absolutely wrong. Anytime there's a budget presentation, anytime there's an
opportunity to vote, you have an opportunity to amend line items. To say we're only going to do it during adoption, that's completely wrong. You don't give your kid $100 at the fair and say, "Hey, go have fun, but listen, be responsible. In the end, we may have to
pay $20 or something else." Then when he spends all the money, you're like, "Wait a minute. You're supposed to hold that up." They're asking for the top level of improvement of uh to to be approved with no guarantees that what we that we're going to receive and no real
responsibility on the spending. Anyway, I it it's pointless for me to to labor this out. Mr. Ba, I' I've already begun to make requests. I'm hoping and I I was very optimistic and I know you I'm going to give you some grace. I know you just had a had a
addition to the family, but these these items I'm going to definitely need. I'm going to need these items moving forward. All the things that I've requested. I'll send it back to the clerk's office to back to your office again. But we I need these reports. We, this council is entitled to reports
specifically, more importantly, on spending. So, I'm going to need those reports as requested. Madame Clerk, my vote is no. Thank you, Councilman. Um, Council President, thank you, Madam Clerk. I definitely uh um the budget is
a reflection of the service that we provided to this community. That's what we voting on. And it's um I definitely have to say that I'm extremely disappointed. Um last week at the last meeting we made multiple recommendation. One of my recommendation was to
specifically on the solidity wages that we have 4%. By bringing that down to 2% we will we will take over $2 million straight out of this budget with our effective operation and other recommendation were made. None of those recommendation will look at it or
satisfy. uh there was no dialogue and it looked like so we have the same uh document we're not changing on the budget 5.6 sits and I mentioned at the last meeting that the hard work to do is now. This is the time for us to do the hard work and
start making those reduction. DCA took over the building the department few weeks ago. Now we have double the revenue on DCA with DCA running the department. We leaving millions of dollars on the table right now at this moment because we're not enforcing the
law that we have in the book to generate revenue to move the city in the right direction. And we've been speaking about this over and over and over. And the administration is going to need this council not only for the adoption of the introduction but for the adoption of
this budget. I definitely looking forward uh Mr. VA and I understand that you didn't put this budget together. You're new when the on the administration but there's a need of a full presentation. You spoke about uh you know the job that you have to do with multiple department including the
state uh you know building uh and police to find reduction on that. We need that presentation. We really need it in order for the administration to get the the the support of this council because if we going if we taking the same trend
with the 5.6% 6% at the end and we all know that we have to wait until the last inning to get the transition aid. At the last inning, we're not going to be able to make any reduction and we're going to hit that taxpayer with a huge increase that would not be 2%. Um, all the
question that this council asked was legitimate legitimate question. I'm open to have any type of a special meeting and I want to thank my council Khali because it's Friday afternoon. Thank you, Council Callie, for being here. That show that we really want to get the job done. And I know I understand that
the state is uh they threaten us with a fee that they we're going to have to pay $25 per day, but the state need to understand that as an elected official, we have a responsibility with the people. The people, they're the one that elect us. And the crime that we have
from the community about the high tax that we have in this city is just out of control. our homeowner, they can't afford it at all. So, the job have to be done now before we continue moving forward. I'm open to bring this council
back, but we got to do the work. We got to start looking line item by line item and taking the money that we don't need out of that budget. And trust me, there's room for reduction. We all know that increases on salary is 2%. Why we
have 4% on this introduced budget? So this we inflating this budget expecting the state to give us that money but the state is going to give us that money at the end of the at the end of the fiscal year and we cannot take that risk. We cannot take that
chance. I'm looking forward for a better presentation and a discussion on this budget. My vote is done by the clerk. Thank you Councilman. The votes are three in favor, four against, two absent. Item
number six fails. Madame clerk. So now let's open the public portion. Uh before I know I know there's council member that have other engagement out the other events that they have to go. Two council member already left. So council ki let's wait. Please let's wait. Uh let's hear from the public. After the public we
have to close the meeting but stay with us. That way we could close the meeting. Members of the public you will have three minutes to address the council respectfully without profanity. After the three minute, I will respectfully ask you to move and allow the next speaker to utilize the three minutes to address the administration, the
community, and this council. Three minute only. Let's go. The first speaker, Mad Clerk. First speaker is Kathy Morgan. Please state your name. Kathy Morgan, Patterson, New Jersey. First of all, when I walked in, re uh Reverend Riley asked me, "Long time no see." And the
reason why I don't come down here, I care about my city, but the reason why I don't come down here, everybody out of every city and state in my family say they c they come down here. It's not me, it's this thing. Just speak a little closer to the mic. Stop that
because it's not me, it's that. It's this. Just just a minute. Let's see if they put the value up. I'm I can't hear you. Okay, it's good now. Okay. Okay. You know you're running my time. Let's continue. Okay. I'm saying you ran my time. My
time was No, no, no. I just I just told you to wait because we cannot hear you. So, I want to make sure that people at home that they could hear us as well. Reset the clock, Madam Cler. Now, the It's good now. It's good. Ryan, go ahead. I'm tired of coming. The reason why I stopped coming is because people This is
a clown show. And the reason why they say this is because nobody sits on a dance long enough. I went to Bloomfield. I sat in a Bloomfield meeting where everybody checked in. Each council member, each no council member got up off the deis throughout the whole entire
meeting. They stayed, they stayed engaged. You address questions to the CFO. He was so unengaged. He was his seat was all the way back. He didn't understand what was going on. If he understood, he act like he wasn't interested. The BA comes
unprepared. nothing's to support this budget that he wants to present. Like, get it together. If you're going to be here, you I'm quite sure you don't live here. But if you're going to be here, and if you're going to continue to stay here, I need you to get
involved, okay? Cuz I'm tired of coming down here. Watch y'all just disrespect, don't care. Everybody jumps up, does whatever the heck they want to do. And I heard stuff about some heart money or whatever it was called. Why don't they pay the co the um DPW workers that was
out there the hazard pay? Because I've seen it on Facebook that they haven't gotten hazard pay. They was out there putting their lives on the line during CO. And if you have extra monies, put it where it belongs. Fix some of these streets that's tearing up our cars. Governor Street,
um Clinton Street, there's a lot of things that can be done. There's families that's still trying to dig themselves out of holes from what co the money that the job that they had didn't adequately pay them during co and Lewis this is address you. You bring up some
pretty good points but I didn't like what you did the day you threatened Mike and Kik with a gun and everybody tried to say that wasn't what was said. I heard it and I wasn't in the house. I was on I was on um the live when Kik and
I had a heated discussion before I walked out of Ellison Street. There was a police officer that stood there wanted my information. You all are not above the law and you are spiral some you've been spiraling out of control lately with the threats, the drunken driving.
Get it together. And um what else did I need to say to y'all? We need to stop cutting ribbons, naming streets, and cutting ribbons, naming streets, having all of these movies,
tying up the streets while we trying to get to work, taking up blocks of parking. Come on, let's have some respect for us. And another thing with the um board of health, why in the Hello, Kitty does it cost $25? Did they get new paper for the
birth certificates? Is that some special paper? It shouldn't cost that much for a birth certificate. What happened to $10? What are you doing with the revenue? That's what I want to know. What are you doing with the revenue that it has to be $25 for somebody to go into a room, pull out a book, and photocopy a piece of
paper? You get the same thing. Photo copy. Just give me one second, Alex. You give same p same thing when you go down to the city to get things. They charge you what 25 cent or $2 for a piece of paper and records. That's too first of all, you need too much information to
get what you need to have. And to pay $25 to for a birth certificate, that's a lot of money cuz you got to have something to get something. And if you don't have it, you can't get you can't get a social security card without a birth certificate. Can't get a birth certificate without a social security card. And if it's somebody that's just
reintroducing themselves into society after coming off a drug bench or somebody that's had heavy financial problems, come on. We killing people with these fees. True. Next speaker, Mad CL. Yes. Next speaker is Beverly Cameron. Please state your name. Thank you.
Hello. My name is Cameron. Good evening. Um, my mother was Patterson's first DJ. So, I love my music. I love it. If you don't believe me, here's the proof. Okay. Now, my thing is I played my
music. I should be able to play my music, but I played my music at 1:00 in the afternoon last Wednesday. And the police came and knocked on my door and gave me a ticket.
And I was wondering why when all you hear every day, all day, anywhere is Spanish music and the cars. You can't hear anything. Cars passing by. I should be able to sit in front of
my house and play my music. Now, I understand the rules from outside. But it it's sad. Once again, we should be able to be able to play our music. It's Spanish music down there,
but cops come to me at 7:00 p.m. and tell me to turn my music down. Now, mind you, I said to the police officer, "Okay, but you don't hear that right there." He says, "Oh, we're going there next." But he wrote right on pass. I want to know what happened to the city
of Patterson. Do we not share the same laws and the same rules? A few black guys got together, got all excited to go get a job, got dressed up. I was rooting for them, praying for them. They came back sad. They couldn't get the job. Why? Because
they didn't speak Spanish. How is that fair? I was born and raised here in Patterson, New Jersey. It's not fair. We don't have our city anymore. We don't find like we can't get a place to eat every It's 20 Dominican restaurants
downtown. Could I get a hot dog? Could I get something else besides pay? And I'm not racist, but the truth is the truth. We all used to live together and get along. with these new set of racist people that come look down on us, disrespect us, and if it, you know, if
we were the way we used to be, us Africanameans, it would be a war. But we're above that, we get prayed for, we're in church, but you uh sir, like, how much more could we take? How could an officer come to my place at 1:00 in
the afternoon and write me a ticket and I'm inside my apartment? I cannot hear my music. I didn't know there was an audience and all this a ordinance and and how is it not fair? Like I tell him, do a circle around a block. It's not only my music that you hear. Are we not
allowed to hear American music now? English music. Is that the problem? So you get okay if it's Spanish music, but you get a ticket if the music is in English. How is that even possible? I came down here for questions and
answers. Yeah. Thank you. Let's speak about it. Clerk. Yes. The next The next speaker is Elvis Durham. Please state your name. Mr. Elvis Dorm, Fourth Wall, Patterson,
New Jersey. Um, the young woman that was up here, I have a respond about restaurant before I get into my announcement. We do have a blackowned restaurant about to open up on
Sunday, the the very first Sunday in June, June 1st at 300 p.m. is the big grand opening. And the name of the restaurant is Fast Break. It's black owned and it's going to be inside Center
City Mall, 301 Main Street, downtown Patterson, New Jersey. You see, some people in the black community could talk a lot of good game. We need black venison, black businesses, but are you going to support
it? Talk is cheap. We got black businesses coming, but they need your they need your money to stay open. We also got a blackowned ice cream restaurant about to open up on June
[Music] 13th on 59 Broadway, downtown Patterson, New Jersey. And the grand opening saw at 10:30 a.m. on June 13th. Order for these businesses to stay open, black
community, we need your money. Okay? We need your money. You want the businesses to come, come in and support. Okay? We need everybody money, but the black pe the black community, the one that's complaining. Come in. We need we
need foot traffic in the downtown area. You want black businesses to come when it open. We need y'all to shop. Don't go to Don't go to God State Mall. Don't go to Woodbrook Mall. Don't go to New York. Bring your money downtown.
Also, Elvis Dorm Outreach Music Production presents Gospel Summer Jam. Friday, June 20th, celebrating Junth, Friday, June 20th at 7:00 p.m.
It's going to be at New Generation Kingdom of Power Ministry, 170 North Main Street, Patterson, New Jersey. This is a free gospel concert, okay? A free will. Like I
said, black community always complain, we won't have nothing. We got a gospel summer jam. I need your support. I'm not I don't need your money, but I need your bodies to be in the building. Okay. I thank God for um
Councilman um Khalif, the second world councilman. He always support me. Councilwoman Atlaws Marissa Daria, Councilwoman of the Fourth Wall, Ruby Cotton, always support every event.
Okay. In the past, um, I mad that used to support. Um, but I don't know what happened. But the thing is, I don't come up here to kiss nobody behind. I give people respect. Respect don't cost nothing. Even if even if you can't make it, post
my flyer on your page. That's right. That's endorsement. Even you can't make it, post my flyer on your page. You see my Facebook page. Okay. God bless you. And um I'm about to go home and watch WWE Smackdown. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Chanel
Fields. Good evening. State your name. Chanel. Good evening, council. Um, I'm just curious. I'm here basically for uh Lewis BZ. Um, as we know, he had the uh hit and run situation with the driver and
the other uh cars that were involved in the accident. I'm curious as to, as I stated um previous weeks, as to why he has not checked into some form of rehabilitation. How is it that he's still sitting here on this council and
what actions are being taken? have charges being been filed because he's still here. He's still riding around and he's still considered uh what I would consider a danger to the community with nothing being done. Are we waiting for us to be next? I'm just curious as to
what's happening. Also, as far as the Sunshine Daycare, I asked about that on last week as well. I want to know the status of the security. Is that building now being secure with police presence? U more and Miss Javana Dingo have requested
that. And that is pretty much it that I have for tonight. Also um to support uh Ada Pew for the breakfast that they have coming up that will be on me one second. The African-American Heritage
Parade will be on Saturday, June 21st, 2025. Also, there's an awards breakfast, the African Heritage Parade Committee, Saturday, June 14th at 9:00 a.m. sharp. And also, uh, I believe Brother Rodney
Addison is having the Junth um, event as well. Thank you and good night, Mr. Speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Abed Tabata. Amed. No, no, I'm sorry. No, you're already
spoken. I'm sorry. The next Please, please. The next The next council, the next his please, please. The next The next speaker is behind you. The next speaker is behind you. I call the police. Thank
you. Nobody showed up. The mic is off. The next speaker is behind you. But why? We hear you. But you already spoke on the mic. Why you have to be disrespectful? But why? But please
[Music] respectfully respectfully I ask you no I respectfully allow the next speaker to utilize the three minutes. [Music] [Music] Can I clerk? You call the next speaker.
All right. What's the name of the next speaker? Next speaker is Abed Tabata. Please state your name. Good evening. Abed Tabata, 178 Michigan Avenue. How you guys doing today? It's good to be
back in the city council chambers. So, I'm a taxpayer, own my own house. It's unfortunate that I purchased the house in Patterson. I bought it in 2023. I could have purchased anywhere else in anywhere in North Jersey. You guys know
Patterson prices is not like it's cheaper compared to Clifton or Little Falls or Cedar Grove or Wayne or it's almost the same. It's almost on the same scale. Even the taxes, the tax rate Patterson has, I would say the the
highest or the second highest tax rate in Pay County. And that's sad because we are the county seat. So, we don't get no kickbacks from the county for having that. They just actually utilize our land without paying property taxes on their property because they're exempt.
But about the line items in the budget. So previous the previous council I would say four or five years ago you guys passed the state health plan which was supposed to save the state was supposed
to save the city money because the state the city employees will be enrolled in the state health plan. Now, if you look at page sheet 20 of the appropriations page of your budget, you have a $3 million for 2025 for the group health
insurance. Whereas in 2024, it was 1.147. That's a $1.85 million increase. That's just health insurance. It's not like we have an extra 200 employees out on the streets or 200 DBW workers helping out
cleaning up the trash or 200 extra police officers patrolling the streets. So, how can we reduce that actual budget? How can we reduce that number to save the taxpayers? Also, Mr. CFO, you bought up
ARP funds for the Vista Park, the 1.4 4 million if in one of the appropriations pages I can't find it's not right in front of me but it shows you that you broke down for park improvements last year utilizing
ARP funds and they are clearly laid out in that it's clearly shows ARP funds for park improvements and it shows a 2024 appropriation for that but nothing for
the 2025 five you that's on sheet 24G if anybody actually cares but let's hope that this budget doesn't get passed and I mean you guys are getting paid to be on the city council so unless your taxes is actually over
$47,000 you're not paying nothing out of your pocket your city paycheck is paying for your taxes which is coming back out of our pockets so give the residents a break and one more thing council President, can I get an update about Trenton A
parks? Okay. The previous council member that's running for assembly, he fought me tooth and nail. We're going to have a million dollars for parks and you guys passed it two years ago. Didn't even break grant. Didn't even do nothing on Trin or Heritage Place. Thank you. Next
speaker, Madam Clerk. That was the next speaker is Eddie Oliviveres. Good evening all. Eddie Olivarees, Patterson, New Jersey. Um, I too came here to talk about the uh the budget. Uh, needless to say, you guys don't know
anything about this budget. It is obvious as an example, and I'm not really going to talk much, but as an example, I'm just going to use if you look at sheet 27, Omar, Senor Rudin, go ahead. I'm addressing you guys. Um, if
you look on sheet 27, it's the uh line that says payment of bond principle 2024, $6,689,600 to the penny. 2025, you have the same exact
amount. Um, Mr. So, I'm not even going to ask you because I know you don't have the answer, but uh you know, whoever put this together has no clue um on on how to put together a a budget. Mr. Seaman,
this is these are real numbers. This is a making payments on bonds. So, these are real numbers. This is not, you know, anticipated or anything like that. Um, if you look at the interest on the bonds, same exact
issue, $2,340,000, $59, and 2025 the same exact amount. There's no increase. A child could tell you there's something wrong here, but you guys don't question it. You guys don't question anything. And let me tell you, well, Mr.
Veles, stop acting like a clown. Stop acting like a clown, okay? and stop pissing in public and getting drunk and getting into accidents and disrespecting people. You work for me. When I come to this microphone, I'm your boss, you
fool. Anyway, um I I'm not even going to say much what I came here to say, but let me tell you why it is that it is a problem. Just laugh like a clown. Is nothing like a clown. Do you know what a buffoon is? Know what a buffoon is? Well, you don't know anything. But
anyway, um I don't you know I'm I'm going to tell you why it is that we have such we don't have any money. We don't have any money guys because you give tax breaks to all of these investors and you
squander all of the money. Council me Jackson asked I don't know how many times he's asked how much money is Hish um the the stadium producing? Oh, you all know it's not producing anything. It's costing us to operate
it. You guys are a bunch of buffoons. This is why the city is the way it is. Crime is rampant. We have drugs. We have shootings. We have all of these things. And you guys are clowning around.
Let's speak, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Deborah Hannibal. Kindly state your name. Good. Good evening. Hannibal Patterson, New Jersey. Okay. Hello, Mr. BA, Madame Clerk, and the
administration. Uh, I'm here to remind people that the general election will be held on Tuesday, June the 10th. Early voting begins on June the 3, and it runs through June the 8th. Uh the the polls
will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday and then on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The deadline to submit your vote by mail is June the 3
uh in person June the 9th. And please check to see if they still need poll workers. So you can go online, but go to vote411.org. You can still register to vote. You won't be able to vote in this primary, but you'll be able to vote in
the general election. And we have to do better. Patterson, less than 15% of registered voters voted in the last election. So, people are making decisions for us and they're not making
great decisions. So, please turn out and vote. We want to see us do better. Um, last week I wasn't able to finish the things that I couldn't discuss because I don't have I just am limited to three minutes. But I do want to know
why do we always wait for an off night to discuss this and introduce the budget. The American Rescue Plan, we got $63 million for the CARES Act. There was $14 million. We still as residents do
not know how that money was spent. I checked the um website today and Mr. Ba I know you can tell me that the userfriendly budget should be posted
once the budget has been approved and introduced. So the 2024 userfriendly budget is not on the city's website. That's that's not cool. And you know it's not because you worked in the
county and all the budgets are there. And there was a presentation. This is unacceptable. We are not secondass citizens here. You treat us like this. And I'm going to go over a little bit because I don't have time to discuss the
arrest of the city's CFO who oversees over $300 million his arrest for DUI. There has been no official response from
this administration regarding the breach of public trust. In any other civil service jurisdiction, this person would have found some type of disciplinary
action related to conduct unbecoming of a public employee, but we don't get that here. And then we have a councilman that was involved in an incident and we saw the tape this week where the police shut off
the the body cam. This is unacceptable and we're tired and we don't want to take it anymore. Something is going on in this city. We need the FBI. We keep calling for help here. We need help.
I'm not even going to talk about how we're still paying somebody. And somebody tell me if I'm wrong, $200 an hour to do accounting work because our budget and I I don't know if you saw this, Mr.
VA. We as the third largest city in the state of New Jersey could not follow generally accepted accounting principles that we don't do what every other business in
this country is expected to do as the third largest city. Thank you, Mr. 63. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam clerk city. Next speaker. Madam [Applause] [Music]
clerk extra time and they still next speaker. Madam clerk, please. Next speaker is Henry Adamson. Please state your name. [Music] Henry Adamson, Addison, New Jersey. Good evening. I'd like to thank Mr. the rent
cuz while introducing my father ice cream shop he's opened up on June 13th um downtown Patterson. So but I rather I should have said it before him but it's okay though. Um that was one my father's open ice cream spot. We grew up in CCP
projects. He's from CCP projects through and through. And like I said and also you know I lost my brother out here. So for my father to even to introduce a ice cream shop down here is a blessing in the sky. You know what I mean? Cuz he still care about his
community and everything. Um that's one. Two. Um I wonder what's going on with the apartment buildings that they building downtown um across the street from Roy P as well cuz you can see I know I don't know if
it's cuz it's been stopped building but you can see the wood is starting to turn be green. if you look up. So that mean I know that's good turn like to mold it. So if they continue it, they got to have to change the wood because you know people if you going to put people in
apartment buildings, you know what I mean? So that's a big issue that's blatant. That's you got to really look into that cuz I know they haven't been building on it in a long time and you can see you look in the sky you see the wood is green.
So, but on another note, um yeah, just it's the same problems. Um what's going on in the city? So, I don't know how much I'm just I ain't going to keep saying the same things. I already know what's going on cuz downtown same
got oh like even yesterday it was a a homeless lady. She had um she had B moving all over her body sitting right across the street while y'all having a vent right across the street
and the store owner right there is complaining about it. She said one of the councilman walked past by a say one word about it. So, it's a it's y'all see the issue, especially if y'all walk through
downtown Patterson, y'all see the issues that's going on. These issues really got to start getting addressed. You know what I mean? Like, like my man said, the taxpayers pay our salaries. So, that's all I got to
say. Next speaker, ML cler, there are no more speakers. Motion to close. Close. Moved by council me. Second. Second by council me. Roll call. Madam clerk, to close the public portion, close to close the public portion. Point of order. Madam clerk. Okay.
Council President, Councilman Jackson, there's a statement that's made every time that a council um meetings open p uh public portion is is is moved is closed. And in fact, um who just made the motion? Was that you, Council
President? That was Councilman. Councilman VeZ said, "Seeing none, move the clothes." Obviously, that's an incorrect statement. There is a person in the audience that is still here because it shows through the practice of this
council which customs and practices of the council is what takes precedence. It's not decisions that the council makes. But seeing none, move to close is an inaccurate and incorrect statement considering there are active members of
the public who are here willing to speak. Now, if you're going to disregard that, I I welcome you to do so. But I'm going to place that on record because every single night we sit here and when a public portion is open and getting
ready to close, when a um a uh uh a public hearing is open, every single council person rushes to say, "Seeing none, move to close." Dy notice council. I see one roll clerk.
So, Council President, you have to answer to the to the point of order. You don't just move right past it. We just hear you. Roll call, man. Clerk, to close the public portion. Roll call to close the public portion. Councilwoman Councilman Jackson. No, I'm not going to
pass. So, what I would say to that, Miss U Mac, and this doesn't just pertain to you. This pertains to every single person that comes here to this podium. We
have a number of people who have come to address concerns. By a show of hands, did anyone get one of your concerns answered to? Every single night we sit here, people come to the podium to have their
concerns answered and their concerns go unanswered. Yes. And that falls directly on the shoulders of the council president. His level of incompetency is is just becoming so uh uh
apparent. Our main priority is to answer to the public's concerns. When the public then comes here to address the concerns to have their concerns addressed and there's no answers for them, what is that? Now, not only not
only do I don't have an answer for your concerns, but I don't even want to allow you the opportunity to address the the the council. Never never in the history of this council has it
operated in the fashion that is operates in now. I started under the regime of of of Flavio Rivera who was another corrupt piece of garbage and now you have the continuation with with incompetent people like
this. So yet your concerns go unanswered. My my my urge to you is why why get upset? Because you have the you have the uh the power in your own hands. the the influence that you have doesn't need to
be exercised at the microphone. You know where you know exactly where it needs to be. Now, uh, council president made a comment about the laws being broken. So, earlier he was disc he was discussing he was
commenting on something about, you know, prior to him voting saying the laws that are being broken out here. Here's a guy who was openly drinking and dancing in a basement party where somebody had lost their life. Who's consistently breaking
the laws in his community who sat on a stage next to his compie over there dancing and shaking his shaking his ass after he leaves the meeting. Doesn't encourage him to to use a a a cab service. all the cab services that are
located there doesn't encourage him to do the responsible thing. What he does is after he's clearly on on national TV showing him pissy drunk and and lying
to the public. Oh, of course not. I wasn't drinking. Council president corroborated that story that he wasn't drinking. was with him, probably sharing a bottle. I guarantee you if they went to the club and got the cameras,
there'll be plenty of footage. But I'm wondering if if if if that wasn't done as well as the councilman showed up at the business the following day to ask them possibly to to to delete the footage.
Listen, what are we expecting? What is our expectations? Look who we have. Look what we have making critical decisions in the city. We haven't gotten one report on those
CARES Act dollars. Over $100 million that was spent plus the $140 million in tax credits. Not one report, the $40 million spent by the PRC. And yet, not one report, not one
council person being responsible, multiple getting upset, leaving a I'm leaving because we didn't all vote in favor of the budget. How do we expect this city to get better if there's no people no one going to be responsible?
And if we don't want to even acknowledge and res and have a a measure of respect for the public, um, Miss Mack, I'll say this cuz I I know this. You have been in this city longer than
most of the people that's sitting on this council. You have been in this city, never mind your parents prior to you being here. You have been, you were of the fabric of this city. And for you to walk through that door and have to request to be placed on the list to have
your voice heard and be denied, if that's not encouragement enough, I don't know what is. And that's to whomever. That's to whomever. Every person that that that lives in the city and you're waiting for your opportunity
to be disrespected in such a fashion is her today is all of us tomorrow. And the fact that he doesn't even have the decency to to to respect her for three additional minutes. The other night they
made excuse, oh, we got things to do. We wouldn't even be here tonight if it wasn't for their antics in removing half of our city council meetings because again they don't want to address the public only to rush up here and put and I'm going just say this last thing to
the members that of the black community that are placed on this acknowledgement list. You should be you should feel equally disrespected to be to be pacified on a night where we can't even
be responsible. So the council's primary function is to be fudiciary responsible. And instead, what do we do? We we cut ribbons. We celebrate. We go to clubs. We drink. And then we going to
hand out a bunch of plaques and trophies and acknowledgements to people and think that that's going to pacify people enough to satisfy them. And this is what cuz I'm you know I have a question to the black
community and guess what it's a mirrored question to everyone else the Dominican community the Arab community. Yeah there are certain people but to the black community what have you received for all of your continuous support of the people that are sitting
here from the mayor's office on down. What have you received? Absolutely nothing. I had to tell my son, listen, you can't bring your car home from school. We're going to leave that there. No, you're not driving around the city. That's how dangerous the city is. So that's Merit.
What has the Dominican community received, Mr. Olivaris? What has the Dominican community received outside of having your microphone shut off at 2 minutes and 59 seconds? What have you received, Mr. Tabatha? What has the Arab
comm Arab and Muslim community received? Well, there's been a couple things, but nothing substantial that that impacts your family or the families that actually live here. And I'm going to just say this last thing. I take my hat off to you because the call that you you
you gave to me and your concern for the budget and then even your your knowledge that you displayed of the budget, I really appreciate it. your community, our community missed a great deal as we see the, you know, the the newly appointed councilman have really nothing
to to critique about this budget. That's a that is that is a the atrocity that's happening to the city. A sure enough yes vote for for for um this criminal activity of embezzlement and thievery.
But anyway, my vote is no, madam clerk. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Khaled. Good night, everyone. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman Omar. I'm going to say the
same thing I said last week. Let's continue to pray for our city. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Councilman Uden. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Councilman VeZ. So, I'm not going to say what I said last week. It was short and sweet.
Kathy Morgan, thank you for coming back to the council meeting. Uh, last week I did mention that I really miss you, that you haven't been in our council meeting. Um, there's there's something that you brought up. You want to hear the the respond from the council? You brought up
something about let's pave our streets. Let's let's use funding for that. Uh one thing I could say is that this council a council members have approved a lot of street to resurface and repair. What I
got going to request is from the administration. Madame uh clerk if you could put this down. MBA is here. They always gave us a list of street that we approve which one was done and still are
pending. if I could get that list of the street that the street that um that's supposed to be uh resurfaced and pay updated list which one is is is missing and also the Montgomery Street the lower portion of it was approved by this
council to fix but as everybody knows we approved but the contract and administration had to move it forward so they don't want to listen to uh the the the thing uh you could go home Um Beverly Beverly Cameron um you mentioned
something about the loud music situation. Uh we cannot have selected enforcement. Um we we we we request administration um to enforce loud music uh or or noise
complaint um um across across Yes. I see for me to come here. Correct. I work on it all proper things. It took me three years of waiting for me to actually correct. Yeah. Correct. Uh do notice. Yes. So to to make sure that the city
not only not only the um loud music uh come animating or noise coming from patios or whatever also to address those vehicles out there that um excessive noise when they go back and forth. Right now I was outside of city hall. There
was a car blasting music out there and um it's not acceptable. So, but uh there have been um the police have been issued tickets. Whoever want to know how many tickets we have issued or the the police department regarding excessive noise. Uh
you could operate to the police department and they will give you the amount of ticket they have uh gave in the city of Pas regarding LA Durham. Um happy birthday uh once again and thank you for bringing that valuable information that you give uh uh
and promoting business in downtown is always there. Um Mr. Eddie Olivaris, he didn't say nothing. Um Mr. Deborah Hannibal, uh thank you for um giving the information about every every time you come about the election
and early voting is we appreciate it. Uh talking about the art money, you know, you as a former employee knows what happened with ARP money and um I know that essential work I mean not
one that's correct I'm okay. Okay. So that's what I know. So okay. No, it's like you you people come to the potion and they ask for questions and we
answering. Um there's this this there's something that I I got to say here and this is loud and clear in the past for the past eight years that I have as a councilman. I could disagreed or agreed
with former council members that are uh or came to sit with us here. We could agree or disagree of the performance. Jerry Rosado, Anthony Davis, any other council member that
came through here and they work from here. What to to hear a colleague calling piece of garbage another colleague that is discouraged to the city of Patterson. It is. It is. Please, members of the
public, please every everybody please allow the council to close the public portion. I bet you I you have your time and and I cannot let this pass because uh people out there in the community ask us ask us ask us ask us what's going on.
You know why? You know, you know why, Councilman? Council, just you know, just continue. Councilman, you you you are, you are, if you are going to be sitting here, if you're going to be sitting in this side, I I I I put a $100 on the
table, if I tell somebody that don't look like me that they're a piece of garbage, I will have a problem. Big time. Big time. I cannot use I cannot use Miss Hannibal. Miss Hannibal, I will defend anyone. Council council just
vote. First of all, I don't know why we don't have a police officer here, right? But that's okay. So you guys, you guys came and exercise your public fortune and express yourself. We sit down. We listen
to you. We address what we have to address in government and what I have addressed today is everything is government. Okay. So the other things I'm not going to address it because it's not government. So saying that oh by the way last but not least let me clarify to
the public and those viewers out there when council president ask the parliamentarian person that is madame clerk if there's any other speaker. Madame clerk confirmed that there's no other speaker in the list and that's why
we move to close the public portion. The only time that we say and state if there's no one in the public move to close is when we have public hearing. Saying that my vote is yes to call public portion. Uh yeah the public
portion. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you council president. Uh thank you madam clerk. Um definitely I'll be brief. Um um I want to thank my council colleague to just be at this special meeting. Um even though I do believe that this was a very a big waste of time. I'm very
disappointed with administration. I'm looking forward to have a legitimate discussion about this budget. You hear the the sentiment of the council what we expecting. This is the time for us to go line idol by line idol. I understand what we tried to do with the state. But understand something. We're not going to
wait until the last inning with an introduced budget of 5.6% waiting for the state to give us the money and at the end we're not going to have any time to make those reduction. Let's do the work now. And I mentioned that at the last meeting going back to salary you could take two over $2 million out of
that budget without affecting the the governing without affecting the the the the production of the city you know without without affecting functioning of the city. I want to make sure that we do that work and let's do it now. Uh, Mr. uh, BA and I hear you. You was not part
of the budget, but now you're here with us. I'm expecting to see you work with Silva, with the CFO to give us a budget that we could put some confidence on to give a vote of confidence to say, okay, we did the work, we did the reduction, we voting, we introducing the budget.
Let's wait for the adoption with responsible number. That's what I'm expecting. And today it's Friday 7 o'clock. I'm here. We here because we want to do our part. We understand that the number one responsibility of of the governing body is to approve the budget. But the state also need to know that the
community is there. The community is watching and we have concern about the number that we have on this budget. And we represent the people. They are the one that put us in this position and everything is not black and white. We got to look at those number deep and this is the time for us to start taking
money by those in those line item because we're going to face a tough time. We have election at the end of the year. We don't know who's going to be the governor and trust me, believe me that we're going to need every single dollar and just by looking at the revenue that we're getting from the
building department, having DCA in front of the building department. Let's just analyze that because once again, we leaving a lot of money on the table. a lot of money at the table. Um, with that being said, I'm going to just thank the public. I know there's a lot of frustration
um at the council, but I'm going to close with this from the community. I respect everybody who walked through that door. At the last regular meeting from 30 speaker, we went to 47 speaker. I never deny I don't deny nobody to speak.
The list is there. Everybody signed. Everybody knows the process. And I understand that election it's election time and people are going to use this there to play politic. I don't use this position to play politic and I respect everybody and I hope to get the same
respect. Now with that being said, let me also clear the air. I go everywhere. When people invite me, I go I went to a function. There was a birthday celebration and an honor kid Waxon and he put an event together. I was there. I wasn't there when at the place where
this young man was killed. It was a good friend of mine. I don't know the details. I just go when people invite me to a function, I go. I don't support any legal activity and I have a clean life. And my life is an open book. I never
have my license suspended in my life. My councilman that call people garbage have his license suspended over 20 years. I'm not I'm speaking. I'm speaking. And please allow me. Allow me. And and that's a sad part. And that's a sad part
that you not allow. You use the minute the mic, you go over the three minute and you still don't want us. It's sad. You because you are the one that giving a bad name to Pisu. So going back, going back to this, going back to this, going
back to this. Thank you. You look great doing that. Thank you. No, you look fantastic doing that. So Piso I understand I understand this the the uh the concern of the community Mr. VA one of the requests that I have I want to
make sure that the budget that those number are on the website that's our responsibility please also the funding for art money the money that we spend at the stadium you gave us that information I want you to put that information on
the website and give a copy to all the council kali about how that money was suspended and put it out there and when people ask question we have the meeting is being recorded We have people taking notes. I want to make sure that the community get a respond. Not everybody come in front of the mic looking for
answer. But those people that have legitimate question, legitimate concern, I want to make sure that they get an answer from the administration. We taking notes when people come here, they should get an answer before the following meeting. I want to make sure that we put that in place in order for
us to take care those people that use the mic to request information and people are going through some concern for those people. Madam clerk, my vote is yes. Thank you. The votes are five in favor, one against, three absent. The public portion is hereby
closed. Move to close. Motion to close. Council Jackson's second. Second by council me. Ro command cler to close this special meeting. Roll call to close the special meeting of May 30th, 2025. Council, stay stay here, guys. Let's close the meeting, please. Councilman
Omar, I'm C. I'm sorry. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is an example. I love you. I respect you, but I'm spitting your face right now.
I'mma spit in your face. You could come in here to to address the council, but I love you. I concerned about you and I'm going spit in your face at the same time. And let me explain something to you. I don't have anything to hide. My license has probably been suspended more
than everybody on this diet collectively. I owned at at 17 years old, my father brought me a 5.0 Mustang. I went to school in Daytona Beach, Florida. I was a quarterback on the football team. Driving home on one trip
when I was 18 or 19, I probably got six tickets, speeding tickets. All of them were handled. I had a motor I had multiple motorcycles. I had a a a a 300Z, T-tops, convertible. Listen, I was
a speed speed person. But I tell you what I never done. I've never even after owning a liquor license, I never been drunk driving. I've never was a drunk driver. I don't drink. I don't do I
don't smoke weed. I never smoke weed. I never drunk ever. Ever. So, yeah, I was speeding. I've never hit someone and taken their life with my vehicle. I've never hit someone and broke
someone's fractured someone's vertebrae. Never have I done that. Well, well, I can't say that. Cuz what I don't do is I don't get up here and
lie. I don't get up here and lie. I'm not full of the way this guy is. Dancing. Sure. Yes. What happened to that book that used to be rules?
I I I don't know. Council President, we in roll call. Council President, were you in roll call? I I don't know. I don't know what happened to I never saw the book there. But and what I have access to, there's video of Councilman Mendes coming out of the backyard of that house that the
person was in partying after the event. After the event. There's also additional video of other crimes that's being committed that's getting ready to be released on on homeboy in the end as well.
But my license was suspended. That's the best you could do. That's the best you could do. And then you sit here and talk about how being responsible how the it's the responsibility of the administration. No, you as the council
president, it is the council's responsibility to deliver a responsible budget to the public, but you're incapable of doing that. You don't even understand the the the the processes of here. That's why I got to constantly check your ass when you doing something
stupid and something wrong cuz you don't even understand the policies, the processes of the council. That's why I have to embarrass you night in and night out when you do something foolish as trying to tell me that I I don't have the ability to utilize the
equipment. And that's why when I get up after my vote and leave this meeting and there's no further quorum, you still as the president won't even understand that that meeting automatically comes to a halt because he doesn't even understand his job. We're putting people in place
because they could knock on your door and because they could dance in your backyard. We got a dancing mayor now and now we have a dancing council president who's getting drunk with his fellow colleague and then leaving allowing him
to leave drunk driving. How about how about the fact that on the civil service application it says a requirement for employment is speaking understanding writing the
English language. Oh wow. Wow. How is it an insult to say there's plenty of people Mr. Tobatha? I'm sure you have plenty people in your community that don't speak English. How is it an insult, a
disrespect to them? It is not. But they're not married to a council person and they're not getting a job illegally. And as the council president, he should have had the administration answer to that, but instead they're pointing a finger at me as if I'm doing something
something wrong. You're sitting here every night breaking the damn law. I'm the social on the civil service application. It is a matter of law. That's a legal document. Mr. Ba, I'm going to need a report based
on the the the the uh interview with Councilman VeZ's wife that's employed by the city that doesn't have the capacity to speak English. And if she does, then fine, I I'll I I'll stand corrected. I
will publicly apologize. But the civil service application says, and what what I've been doing is accumulating more and more uh doc uh uh uh uh footage as constituents going into that office and they're unable to receive services
provided because this person is incapable of speaking the English language, which is a requirement, but I'll arrest it there. You could talk about my licenses. You could talk about, yeah, I've had, you know, confrontations that I've had
to take care of quickly, but guess what? I've never been convicted of a crime. I've never done jail time, despite of all of the people that would like to see me in the orange jumpsuit. And I'm going to stand here night in and night out and embarrass
your your dumb behind because you're not even smart enough to understand what the role is that you that you play. Let me remind you again, your role is to be fiscally responsible. Your role is to hold the administration accountable. As
in the charter, our obligation and requirement or privilege is to request reports. Where's the reports? Tell tell me, council president, all the reports that that you've received that you can
make publicly accessible to the public on spending of the car's act dollars, the spending of the the tax credits, spending of the the PRC money, all all uh public dollars. Where's the reports? Can you answer to that? He's scribbling
on a piece of paper with it hidden. He doesn't want anybody to see that he's not writing anything on the page. He's just acting. We got a bunch of actors over here. They look good. They dance well. But being responsible, no, that's not something that they can they can do
actively. But anyway, Madam Clerk, I apologize to you, but guess what? As I leave, you'll be able to leave early as well. My vote is no. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Omar. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman
Uden. Yes. Thank you, Councilman VeZ. Yes. Council President, my vote is yes, Patterson. Uh, let's keep praying for our city and just a little declare me before the cameras
off. Um, I never have a DWI and a very respectful person when I'm at the road and I don't have to prove who I am because the city of Patterson know who is Alex Mendes. A very respectful person in the community. Just Patterson, let's play. Let's pray for
our city. Thank you, Council Callie. Thank you so very much. And we're going to pass it soon. Votes are four in favor, one against, four absent. Special meeting is closed.