##VIDEO ID:6WAg_9SwYhY## you need check my mic my mic is too loud you check it turn the volume down thank you ra we ready uh thank you fire good even good evening everyone on behalf of the P Municipal Council we welcome you to our meeting on January 21st 2025 7 p.m. the Mee is now called to order M clerk please call the role your mic is not working it's too loud I think I have it can you roll call for the regular meeting of January 21st 2024 councilman Abdel aiz councilwoman cotton councilwoman Dava councilman Jackson councilman KH present councilwoman Mims I'm here I'm ready to serve Madam clerk councilman Udin I'm here councilman VES following her I'm presid councilwoman Ms no no she say he to service I follow her I say president I said I'm here I'm ready to serve M cler yeah and I say I follow her all right thank you very much council president pres clerk thank you the votes are six in favor there are three absent the meeting is now open um M cler can you please read St compliance yes statement of compliance with the open public meetings law 2024 2025 meeting date January 21st 2025 7 7:00 p.m. adequate notice that this meeting was compiled and disseminated in accordance with the open public meetings law in the following manner one the annual notice of regular meetings and workshop sessions of the municipal Council was compiled for the year 2024 to 2025 on or about July 1st 2024 two a schedule of the regular meetings and workshop sessions of the municipal Council for the year 2024 2025 was duly transmitted on or about July 1st 2024 to the north Jersey Herald News the record the Arabic voice the Italian voice the B County Post the minano news Laisa International Ellis speciel the Patterson press the city post news tap into Patterson the weekly bangal Patria in addition to any other publication duly requesting such notices three the schedule of the regular meetings and workshop sessions of the municipal Council for the year 2024 2025 was prominently posted in the lobby of City Hall first floor in the place reserved for the announcements of this type four the schedule of the regular meetings and workshop sessions of the municipal Council for the year 2024 2025 was duly filed with the municipal clerk five a schedule of the SK a copy of the schedule of regular meetings of the municipal Council was mailed to any person who requested and paid the fee authorized by the open public records act council president thank you m clerk M clerk is now um the prayer this evening will be rendered by The Honorable councilwoman at large Dr Lisa following by councilman of the second war shahin King that will do the FL salute Council woman of large M can we all stand please of course oh yeah praise the Lord everybody Lord I'll be reading from Ecclesiastes chapter number 3 verse number one and it says to everything there is a Seas and a time to every purpose under heaven but verse 11 which is my favorite verse it says and he have made everything beautiful in his time let us pray God our Father we thank you because from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same your name is worthy to be praised God we lift up our city before you the city of righteousness God we pray for our mayor this councel our employees our residents and this community we pray for our schools our our children and our parents and the Guardians we pray for Unity in the community we pray for peace in this community we pray for strength in this community we pray for cleanliness in this community we pray for likeminded in this community we pray by the power of God that God you will come and reign supreme in this community we pray for healing in this community we pray for those that are sick and shut in God that you will go to their houses their hospital beds psychiatric ws and wherever they may be and we pray that you will heal them from the top of their head to the sole of their feet God we lift up every person that is grieving in this time oh God we pray that you will Comfort them and give them peace you will give them answers where there are questions and God we pray for this meeting on tonight the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 14:10 let everything that be done be done decently and in order so God we pray for compassion in this meeting we pray for joy in this meeting we pray oh God for Unity in this meeting and God we pray for peace in this meeting God you go before us you go with us and you go after us and when we leave this place but never from your presence be with us travel with us strengthen us and give us joy unspeakable and full of glory and even though there's weeping that endures for a night we know for the joy is coming in the morning we thank you and we bless you in jesus' name amen amen Council thank you thank you Council woman Mims for this powerful prayer everyone please remain standing for our flag salute pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all please remain stand now let's do a moment of silence for those that love a Lov one in our community and for our troop and for the great city of Pon a moment of silence please thank you you may be seated thank you councilman colleague yeah thank you uh Madame clerk please read the dam do on this item to be voted on the agenda Madame clerk two item I'm sorry which item council president there's two item that that need to be added on the agenda item 46 and 47 yes council president let's read the attum and add it to the agenda okay my the following resolutions are also scheduled for your consideration at the regular meeting of the municipal Council to be held on Tuesday January 21st 2025 at 7 p.m. at 77 Ellison Street Patterson New Jersey items to be voted on the agenda nonc consent agenda resolution honoring Lavon Jones mcaren and observance of black history hist month 2025 sponsored by councilman Michael Jackson City Council resolution number 25 col 048 and item number 47 is a resolution honoring Dell Keith Watson in observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by council president Alex Mendes city council resolution number 25 049 so Mo second um move by Council M second by Council Val roll call Clerk roll call to add items number 46 and number 47 on the agenda councilman abdell aiz yes councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson yes councilman khik yes councilwoman Mims yes councilman Udin councilman valz yes council president yes M thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent items number 46 47 are to be included on the agenda thank you m clerk now let's do payment of bills councilman colleague I definitely I do apologize as uh Vice chair of Finance Council Ms will do payment of bills or the chair is here and of council mava let the record reflect that council mava is joining us Council payment of bill please yes uh my apologies to everyone Duty called I was in a trustee meeting but I'm here now saying present so to the council members uh you have a summary of dis dispersements in front of you for 10,427 201767 uh if you look uh this was a payroll week um uh that total was 5 , 435,000 34 computer checks uh there's also um 4,285 18238 for store utility uh making the total of computer tracks for 4,991 459 .33 that a total of 10,427 11177 67 says my motion is for payment of Bills second discussion it was mov by councilwoman Dava second by councilwoman Mims discussion councilman thank you council president uh through the chair uh Madame ba um CFO is not present but probably you could get me an answer on this about two months ago we brought up to uh the chambers here in the discussion on payment of bills the payment of the professionals from both boards the board of adjustment and the planning board it was my understanding that the last payment of Bill after that conversation that we had here um they just pay pay nuts they didn't pay the whole bill they' me not getting paid since June last year last year and it's my understanding that the board of adjustment is not having no meetings because they refuse to come until they don't get PID you know I think if they are in the service I think if they are taking their volunteer time or whatever to fulfill those boards those payments have to be um adjust and and and and get the payments for that um those boyss are vitals for the city of Patterson uh Revenue come through there um can you tell me when this going to be finalized because there's a lot of money out there it's my understanding one of them is still disputing bills from 2022 that he haven't got paid so can I get an answer of that what's the status before um if another ba comes soon we could get that respond thank you Council mes M ba yes thank you council president and yes councilman valz we have um noted this in the past unfortunately the the challenge with this is that um a lot of the payments have to be the payments to the professionals are related to specific projects and and at that department level working it has to be done in real time so that the payments are connected to the projects and process appropriately now we we do have a backlog there is work being done every single day on this to catch up the professionals um but it's not just like we get one bill that gets sent to us and that Bill gets processed that Bill gets split up amongst all the numerous development projects that come before the board I understand yeah so our that's that's the part that we're really it's the escrow payments not special meeting payments all of those special meeting payments are processed it's the the payments that are related via escrow to particular projects so I do know there actually have been payments for the numerous professionals I had a meeting with one of the board professionals just last week along with our department director the division director and some staff um regarding how they're catching up and and how they're doing it's going to take another few weeks to be caught up fully for all the different boards all the professionals because it wasn't being done in real time I do know that uh Second board secretary is being hired and is being trained this this is something that now we're doing two parallel paths we're keeping up with the the meetings for this year as well as trying to catch up on the meetings from last year and assigning again assigning the the appropriate fees to each of the projects all right thank you counc president sure uh councilman Jackson I I requested it first so um through the chair Madame ba is the same provision for the board of adjustments the same for the planning board correct both both projects require escrow so why isn't this this problem consistent with the planning board professionals not being played for the same period of time MH yes okay I I that's very doubtful because these professionals um in fact board members have been complaining for well over six months and the fact that um it's reached the point to where they're refusing to actually come to work I don't see the the board professionals doing that for the planning board and they're the same people the stenographer and the people who are the professionals are the same people for the planning board it is the board of adjustments so why aren't they threatening not to work for the planning board I mean the the choices the the conversations that we're having with the professionals are um varied yes somebody might be saying one thing and another one might be um okay with getting payments and they just keep bringing it to our attention and they continue to work I can't speak for how the actions of each of the professionals but it is something that it is it is a problem across the board with both boards so to the members of the public I just want to point this out because many of you may not be aware what we're talking about is we have two boards in the city the board of adjustments which is appointed by the members of this Council and the planning board which is appointed by the mayor the majority of these large scale projects that you see being approved with uh little parking is being done through the planning board in fact I was at the planning board meeting the other night where some residents was in contesting uh of an application and uh the treatment from the board chair is very relative to the treatment that you witnessed here at the council where they now want to muffle you for 3 minutes they give professionals an unlimited amount of time to professionals presenting their case so there's a provision in the law that states if you have an application before the city for a certain period of time and the city fails to hear your application you can just build your project without it being heard and what we're seeing here is a a a a deric uh uh uh uh position on not paying the people on the board of adjustments because the board of adjustments has actually been the tougher board developers who've been coming before the city would prefer not to go before the board of adjustments and they would rather go before the planning board because again all of these large scale projects you see being um approved without parking or or or let me say shy of the number of parking spaces needed has been done through the planning board so it is in my opinion let me make that clear it's my opinion which is I I think is very accurate that the Administration has intentionally done this so that those projects that's being held up in within the board of adjustments who whether or not they're favorable for these developers or not will continue to just move forward without being heard by the board of adjustments so that's just a point of clarity to the uh uh members of the public I'm on this issue and uh sad as it is if if those of you who do live in the city who who are in agreement with there's a over problem with overdevelopment and a lack of parking this is why it's happening and it is a direct uh result of the negligence on the part of the administration now and council president just a brief moment more Madame ba I have made a request time and time again in your absence yesterday which I'm sure I'm hopeful that your colleagues had had passed on the the information requested is there a bill on this bills list and if not even if it's there's not I requested a copy of the bill payments for rooc calls that's been taking place you know habitually over the last several years many other council members raised the question last week I thought maybe that would you know um drum up your interest in providing the information how much are we spending on rooc calls monthly and and it where is that line item being reduced from Council president if I can M be please I do know that that um I don't know if anybody has access to their email I do know that the CFO actually compiled that information and was sending it around to the council um I don't know that was just earlier on today I don't know if he was able to do that if anybody sees that in their email but I can um ask him to do so he does have that line line item it is through OEM um and it is something that is an annual payment every year um because it is used for for multiple purposes including for um you know Outreach and instructions during weather related events and so on so when the mayor is sending Robo calls with regard to uh his Crackdown enforcement on dumping how does that equate to an annual it's an annual payment for this technology it is not a it's not charging per call so it's something that we have the technology there for use in weather related and disaster related and it's also utilized by the mayor to provide information to the community council presid it should be to provide pertinent information in fact this Council has an opportunity should have an opportunity to weigh in which we are you know um responsible for how much is being spent so do you do you have an idea of how much that line item is I can have as I just said I'm going to have um the CFO send that to the community to the council oh um the the CFO is saying that he did email that to you second there are multiple year payments just a minute council members after councilman Jackson I have councilwoman Mims on waiting for after that councilman Ruby and councilman $44,000 a month wow okay no it's an annual that's an annual total 44,000 a year correct and where's I'm going to see copy of the bill I I mean that right there is not sufficient that's a that's a that's what the council has voted on but I want to see a copy of the actual bill that we're paying we can the we can get a copy of the the invoice correct that's what you're requesting the inv lastly Madam ba um what's what's going on with the payment for for health insurance the state health insurance plan that we went into several years ago from what I understand it's $1.8 million a month and we're and we're neglected to pay the last several months is that accurate I don't see it on this bills list no we we I think we are um I can follow up I do not know about us being in AAR for health insurance um it it's just something that we pay in Cycles um throughout the course of the year so if there was a question I I know there were other issues related to rate increases but that that's something that gets divided out by by pay periods related to employee contributions as well as the city payments uh very good I'll send you a list of of the requests that I would like to see because I know we we're paying a substantially amount more but I don't see it here in the bills this it hasn't been here and from what I understand we're several months behind on on a little under $2 million per month no I I don't believe that's the case um I it is in the bills list regularly you you see it kind of quarterly payment close to 1.8 a month um I would have to I would have to look I I don't know exactly what the total payment is very good thank you council president right um so we have Council M Ms so just to follow up um thank you councilman bz and councilman Jackson for driving that point forward I've been in constant communication with uh uh Mr CFO Madam ba in regards to the professionals not being paid for an um long period of time I was told this week well two days ago that they have not been meeting the board of adjustments in almost 3 months because because the professionals are not getting paid they refuse to come in but um CFO told me that they were getting payments and that payments were being made so my request on the floor at this point um is that I would like to see because this Council approved that escro fees will be put in place so that the money could be drawn out of there so I would like to see what is the dollar amount of escro fees in the planning board and as well as the board of adjustment I want to see what those numbers look like how much has been drawn out thus far and All Professional Services what they have been paid year to date so I repeat it escro fees what is in each of those accounts from over the last four years or when we started it how much has been drawn out of each of those accounts based on the planning board me professionals and the board of adjustment members um as well as how much they have been paid if if I can just clarify one thing councilwoman sure M um the it it doesn't all the money doesn't go into one pot it actually is divided for every single project is how it's reported okay so if you can break it down just wanted to make sure that that you knew that it's it's really based on projects fine just outline the project let me know this is the project and next to it board of adjustment this project plan and board that way we I can differentiate what this Council not just for me but everyone needs to see it because I would like to see if 50 projects have been approved and they've been waiting for all this time what is going on so I just want to see that uh council president that should be something we should see abely as to the to director Delaney um she has been working with her team to catch up on all these professional payments she has been working to get um more escrow from some of the projects where the escrow has been used for for all the professional payments um and we need more in order to pay our professionals um so I will have her provide an update and just a followup that that may take a little time but by this week possibly by Friday I want to see up to date how much has been paid to the professionals that should not be hard to tell us um because some people are saying two years 3 years I want to see because I the CFO told me that there were some payments that were made recently but I would like to know what they are owed and how much they've been paid and how much is out we won't necessarily know what what's owed right now because again they that gets allocated at the department level we can easily prepare prepare a report of what's been paid okay well that should be in the other report correct okay thank you thank you Council counc Council thank you madam thank you council president um but I'm I'm listen to The Madame ba and you're saying that um the board members uh whether it's planning board board of adjustment that they get paid based on projects I have never heard of that before uh you didn't say projects yeah I could I could clarify wait a minute let me finish that they're based on projects but now what if I come in with a project and my project fails so how do they get paid if my project do not pass with the board so I never I just thought that if you work two times a month or three times a month you get paid the the fee is $75 but I think that's what it is but I never heard of based on projects that that you're paying them on if I could address the board members get paid based on meetings that they attend right so that that gets done through our regular payroll process well we're talking about our the the professionals the attorneys the planners the engineers okay that's who you talk who provide reviews at various levels of the projects and so everybody has every project has to come forward at the beginning they submit an escro check saying this is you know according to the city's ordinance this is the check I'm doing a project of this size I have to provide you with an escro check that will pay for all those reviews that are done by the professionals related to the board not the board members well my understanding though U madam is that um and then that's why they came up with the escro because um when they submitted their plans then we we mean in the city the engineers are you got to have a planner on each board you got to have an attorney on each board correct so now you're saying that they get paid be looking at the projects correct which they get paid so you're saying the project are not getting paid and that's why they're not getting paid no the the projects are proceeding but we're not filing the the kind of the documentation around the board attorney worked for an hour on this application and that cost this much money and to draw that down from the escrow and then the city would be able to pay for that so you're saying then the planner I thought that I thought the planner and the lawyer were a set fee no no matter what kind of project they're working on the planner every meeting he might get $400 the attorney every meeting he might get how much do they get that's how it used to be but when the escrow process was implemented upon direction of DCA in particular because this is something that's done in in most municipalities I I hear what you're saying so so the city and our operating budget we don't cover that no but when when did it change it changed four or five years ago back back in I I didn't thought I thought they if they got $400 a meeting that's what they got they got $300 a meeting that's what they got so now it's based on how many hours to plan to put in and looking at these plans yeah cuz sometimes multiple reviews that happen and that they something gets submitted and they make comments and it has to come back to so now what happens when the project be quiet when when when what H wait a second when if the if the project is not passed how do they still get paid from that escrow money that gets put paid up front and you and and if the project failed then they get the balance left right if how at the end of the project the developer gets the remainder of whatever's left in escro I see what you're saying okay I see what you're saying president you said a couple about four or five years ago okay thank you Council M um right after the roll call Council B yes I got to be quick I know Jerry needs to leave but um Madame ba yeah every time you say something you raise more questions and I I I want to and it's sure and I'm going to put it in Practical you just stated that when the project comes in there's a an amount that go to a SC account and they they proceed to with the project after it's approved the project move forward right at the end of the project everybody should get paid right so in other words I G to put it this simple since last year I drive around my ward from small to big I could count like 15 or 20 new projects those individuals already put their money in the scroll account the professional submitted their bill to get paid and this is not only one board this is in both boards ladies and gentlemen both boards are are happening the same thing now if the professional submitted their bills to get paid why are we not catching out and why are we not getting the money from the Esco to pay those bills and remaining money goes to the developer whoever get the money now let's admit that somebody's dropping the ball let's admit that somebody dropping the ball and the the CFO should be man up and say is my division doing the wrong thing I'm not calculating I'm going more to this place to this other place and not paying attention of the professional because I imagine how many overtime they owe to our city employees if if if they're not going to manage the same rules or whatever in payments and I imagine how many people submit payments uh uh invoice forget pay after we approve contracts after we approve uh uh Professional Service after we approve everything and they get they don't get the payment on time and that's why a lot of people they don't like to do business with Patterson they don't like to do business with patteron because they are the way to get paid so Madame ba um we already put the question on the floor so almost a couple months already we still got the same answer since the last time hopefully before you departure the city of Patterson they get paid and you could come back with a a a a true and real report that that that we that we could say we doing responsible and accountable Finance in the city of pison because the last thing we're going to see is the FBI coming in here to check those Finance so councilman if I can just one thing mad Madame I don't need I don't need a resp I'm back council president it's my statement I got the right to do and um is I I what I'm what I'm trying to put on the floor is that if if we pay pay we vote for payment of bills and the last thing is we don't see those people getting paid we look wrong because we go based on the payment of bills and we go over the payment of bills say and some of them go and ask us and we go to them I say I saw your bill in this past bill and still month and the check is sitting treasure or what ever it is and they're not getting paid they come back to us thinking that we are lying and we don't want to fall into that uh uh procurement between them thank and U thank you council president all right so excuse me members of the public that we should speak on the public portion make sure you add your name on the list because we're going to start public post early I have councilman Jackson right after that we go on for a vote and we have to take care of director Jerry specialist idem because he has emergency in the family he have to leave I want to make sure he take care of his Idol and answer any question might have council president thank you just to to make note of that this while there are are definitely issues um you know that not everything always makes it to the bill list once it's submitted from the Department level the majority of our issues really do stem from bills not being paid at the department level and not making it you know for for whatever reason that could be people are are out they haven't passed it along the same thing is happening with escrow it is not it is something that you know the division director in particular has you know that there there isn't the same level of responsibility for this process that we feel that we have tried to implement that um a couple different department directors have really worked to implement that the legal department has worked with us to update ordinances to implement but at the end of the day if the people running working there every day receiving the invoices are not making that part of their daily chores and their daily work it gets it gets put to the side and it doesn't get done so you know you're talking about there's a whole bunch of buildings that are out there that have been built some of them might have been built and again paid through a special meeting that's a separate process those those payments are processed um regularly it's the ones that have to get allocated this way that takes extra work that seem to always get put to the side all right we're working to catch up thank you councilman Jackson director uh speo not to put you on the spot um how many K9 how many Kines do we currently have in the city roundabout I know you may not know right off hand I'm going to be honest with you because we have health and wellness dogs now we have you know certain dogs that are in the cars we don't have a lot of K9 that are Patrol dogs that used to be out there for close can you close to the mic um yeah close to the mic yeah we have more dogs we have two dogs that are health and wellness for emotional support for people for you for me for police officers we have two of those and I think we have what about four to six members of the public pleas about four to six left with the regular Kines how how many you said about four to six so four to six total yeah yeah that's uh that's including K9 police police dogs and then these uh health and wellness dogs health and well no for the health and wellness you have two two for the K9 you have about six six so about eight dogs about eight dogs this bill for um Mike's uh feed farm feed Farm yeah for about $3,000 how what is this for how long is this for that could be for the whole year I haven't seen it Madame ba I'm going to need some clarity I mean obviously all of these bills say say for the month of January so I don't I I'm going to need some clarity on this and director um we got about two and a half pages of police vehicle parts vehicle parts correct yeah M PNA Auto yeah which looks to be about SE several thousand do we have um do we have a a report on which vehicles yeah the mootor the motor pool will have what vehicle what part go into if they ordered a fender if they ordered because don't forget we have a motorpool and we do our own work inh housee we do put stuff out I understand that but what I'm saying is there's a substantial amount of Parts they all say the month of January there's no like if there's a a voucher that would be attached to this that would that would delineate delineate sure of maybe this was over the last 6 months yeah I I'm I'm sure we can get you a explanation of the breakdown of that please part it's probably more I would think it's more than one month same thing with the feed but we will I will ask and I will get you what you need very good thank you roll call Mon cler roll call for payment of bills in the amount of 10 milli 427,000 cotton um thank you madam clerk just I want you to put on record I need to excuse myself from this payment of bills thank you yes councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk so just forgive me for a brief moment members of the public and this is only for your edification I I mean they already know I'm a consistent no vote on all of these items the clerk just read off 10 in excess of $10 million and what we are witnessing in the city of patteron is where you can easily spend $10 million like it's nothing and and we don't even have a measure of questioning when they can just bring continue to bring things through here and we just approve it over and over again and there is no oversight there is no questioning this is why you have the conditions looking how they look when you walk outside now the ba gave a very nice eloquent exam explanation of why the professionals and mind you as as she stated when you put forward an application you pay in advance but one board is being paid while the other board isn't one board is very favorable to all of the mayor's friends who wants to do development projects in here in the city The Other Board isn't one board consistently is having meetings the other board's not and all of all of those applications that go before the other board that is not holding meetings once there's an excess of a period of time I believe it's a a matter of two months or so and they and and these applications are not heard they automatically get approved so if you if you ask me it's a matter of strategy if we want our people to continue to get approvals and we're having a difficult time dealing with councilman Jackson's appointee and councilwoman Mims appointee and whoever else is appointee well let's just not pay them let's not pay the professionals they won't hold the meetings the applications will get held up and then the the developers will just be able to continue forward now there is no other explanation in my from my perspective how is it possible that all the applicants are handled the same way but one board is being paid one board continues to meet and the other board doesn't um lastly uh uh council members please be mindful um when this Administration came on they forced us or cohorted US into switching to the State Health Benefit Plan in which we've been spending the excess of a great deal of money and you know um there's no accountability for that those payments from what I understand have been been delinquent and and lastly I'll just say this to the members of the public this mayor has spent more money than any other mayor in the history of city of Patterson the $140 million in tax credits that was that has brought back no residual income the the $68 million in in covid money that was just spent where now we don't know where was where it is there's no explanation we're trying to rush and spend it the money is being spent on Parks we got to go beg and plea for the or bully the schools in order to spend the money there before the money gets returned you know and and and then let's not forget the additional transitional Aid that he's been blessed to to receive I I have a very simple question and if the if the if the overwhelming majority of the people in the crowd feel that I'm I'm wrong I'll change my vote to a no I mean I'm sorry to a yes but considering all of that that I just said all the money he spent is it reflective on in our community do any of you see it outside in the streets no maybe you see it with more policing maybe you see it with better um uh management of the city maybe his garbage collection is better maybe the bulk isn't all over the place maybe the rats um there there is it's simply a figment of my imagination and this is why because there's such a poor oversight on the spending and uh I just can't do it I I'm going to continue to be firm council members can continue to go on and say oh well you know there's insurance payments yeah it was insurance payments that's not being made oh there's salaries well let's separate the bills pay the salaries and not pay the rest of the the money that's being squandered but anyway Madam clerk my vote is no thank you councilman Jackson councilman khik thank you Madame clerk the service has been rendered we must pay my vote is yes madame clerk thank you councilman councilwoman Mims CC one okay Council councilman Jackson may I speak or no we roll call Direct arve the first time tell director sit down so we're approving the payment of bills $5.4 million of this payment is to pay our employees who work hard every single day we always complain that we have a lot of underpaid employees of the city and I'm always a believer that if our employees work they deserve to get paid that's what we're voting on we're also voting on the sewer Utility payments which is about $4.3 million which you're paying and it has to be paid to The Entity and the other things are stuff like Public Safety Parts equipment to make sure that uh people like our DPW workers our Police Department as they're riding their trucks and their vehicles are done to the community these items that we vote on please take a look at them they are always on the table if you would like to see mine I'll hand it to you this is what we're voting on is the payment of bills once I vote I'll put it there this is what we're voting for does this community have a lot of issues yes we live here and we can say that but we're not voting on the issues of the community tonight we're voting to pay our employees and to everybody that has worked to get their paycheck we have some of our vendors sitting in the audience waiting to for their items too so I'm not going to say no because when your paycheck comes you won't get it either so I'm voting for our employees to get paid and for all the parts that we have gotten for our trucks and our equipment that are so desper needed that we will pay those vendors back Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilman uh Udin thank you madam clerk so paying the bill also fiscal responsibility we are as you have seen the convers heard the conversation regarding the paying the bills or paying the payments of the professionals from the two of the boards and we definitely need to uh talk to the administration as many of the council members um share the concern with the medba but again when medba has to cover up what she needs to cover up we cannot stop the individuals they need to get paid so we have to do our duty and also we have to make the administration accountable so I believe that we have to uh provide the services that City requires we need to continuous uh continuity of the services and people who are working hard day out and day night they should get paid at the same time the Administration has to be up to date with their payment so I believe that we all need to work hand in hand to make sure that we move the city forward it's not Administration versus council members it Administration and Council should work together and fight for the city of people and with that being said uh I believe that I am doing my responsibility which is uh people needs to get paid on time and I definitely support this bill my vot is yes thank you cman nud C valz so so every every Tuesday we do payment of bills as my colleague stated the service have been rented they need to get pay there's payment for every item from employees and etc etc one thing we have proof today is that we approve the payment bills the board are not getting paid the service are not getting paid and we continue lobbying for a fiscal responsible Administration to do the right thing when they go to good service to the city of P one thing I got to say is that probably you're not happy what the administration is doing because you don't see nothing giving back but one thing I could to say is that a lot of those developers you like it or not they get back to the community to nonprofit they clean their properties because the city cannot pick up their garbage okay and they give back to the community and I could take this to the bank I could take this to the bank nonprofits from this city get benefit fund developers because they contribute to those nonprofit and I could give get you the list the next time so once again payment had to get paid developer does more than Administration giving back to the community because they do and um and the professional need to get paid saying that I got proved what I'm saying saying that my vote is yes to payment of bills is my responsibility on this thank you councilman council president U than thank you madam clerk um before my vote I I always advise and recommend respectfully my Council Cali to stick within the agend if we stay focused into the item that we have in front in front of us we'll be more effective we will be serving the community in a better capacity uh um insurance is not on this payment of Bill insurance was on the last week payment of Bill and the amount was $4.5 Million total of $54 million that's still cheaper than private insurance it's not in here and so and I understand that it sounds polit it sounds great politically but if we if we concentrate on the agenda we will be more effective it will be serving the public better this payment of Bill we spending 5,435 65884 on payment of Bill we need to pay our employees our public work please they deserve to get paid and we spending $4,285 th000 $853 on the sewer utility those are the two largest chunk of money in this payment of bill so I will humbly ask my Council C let's stick within the agenda that's all I'm going to say and with this uh with with the uh with this situation with the board uh this board s that board is self- sustainable I mean the level my level of frustration is so high when I talk about the B of adjustment because a lot of people talk negative about developer what about if I'm one of the developer that come into the City and I have a good project right like a lot of developers and I'm waiting for the B of adjustment to hear me out but they not meeting they not meeting regularly it's out of control and that money it's allocated within the budget that's the biggest concern that I have that money is within the budget now another thing that board is self- sustainable when there's project that they're not on the agenda they they have they need to ask for a special meeting they pay a few thousands of dollars for those special meeting and we still haven't be able to fix the problem with that board it's my definitely my recommendation to the administration to fix it and before my vote I just want to say that I really uh have to mention this mad M ba this is the last meeting for MBA I understand that you're not going to be with us anymore this is your last regular meeting um I definitely wish you the best of luck and your future Endeavor uh so so so this is the last time that we going to have mam ba let's be you know let's definitely work together and move this meeting forward my vote is yes mad clerk thank you councel president the votes are seven in favor one recusal one against the payment of bills is hereby adopted thank you thank you before we moving into uh into a into a um the consent agenda members of the public uh I don't know ordinance number one the ordinance amending uh chapter 185 of the patteron New Jersey Code campaign on public property legislation number one is is being removed out of the counc president point of order just a minute point of order let me finish point of order there's no need for discussion it's going to be removed out of the agenda Council presid we have council president have council member council member Le I'm speaking please let me allow me to finish and we got and we're moving into into the director with Public Safety we hear the concern and the of the public in a lot of the term of this legislation in term of the fine uh you know the the criminalization of people that camping on the street so we hear your concern those those topic this the fine will be removed out of the out of the legislation also so we're not going to have but now that legislation was going to be back into the workshop you're going to be able to see the new legislation how it's going to be put it together it's going to be back into the committee and it's going to be it's going to be back into the workshop back into the first reading and into the second reading as well but a lot of a lot of you signed on the public portion will still want to hear you out so but that legislation is out of the agenda for that for tonight we want to hear the concern of the community and we're coming back to the workshop council president Point order president council president you point order please just just a minute uh so I'm going to ask the director our director has an emergency on his family there's five item no no so add add your name add your name on the add your name on the public portion listen up after after we take care after we take care after we take care of the director we're going to open the public portion please your name on the list please on the list council president council president I just want to point I got a point order okay council president have a point of order council member Le just counc president I I I hear you the right way to do it I hear you the right way to do it is to read the item in the agenda because it was published there's a lot of people here that came down to express theel regarding that line number one if you're going to amend it you had to amend it on the floor no and then goes back to First reading to discuss in the workshop you're not going to go and and and table you use the word table when you table something you table and you disappear it and come back with a new one but this public needs to deserve respect you was bragging all month talking about homeless talking about they are this they are that now you want to what uh put a Band-Aid on it okay say that they only going to get a fine they still they not criminals they are homeless all right thank you so this public this public that's here and other not nonprofit other nonprofit that work day and night with the homeless hold on sir I got your back I got you back with those individual Working Day and Night who so let's do this let's do this let's do this hold on let's do this council president you want to amend no no no fines and you going to put community service so let's do with this let's assign let's assign sir let's assign $500,000 from the capital budget if a a nonprofit could get benefit and work with those homeless out there it works better all right it works better that is a plan all right so that is a plan for mayor that is a plan let's put the money let's put the money where the people deserve it let's put the money where the people deserve it if you going to put something to table you're going to kill it from if you go to table you going kill it and come back with a real idea out there D council president the item is being removed no it's not removed the item is being remed the item is being REM not removed it's in the second reading and you're not going to remove it yes councilman councilman V the item can be removed all right the item is get any changes if the item is going to geted this item as per council president removed disc need discussion the item is removed it's a proced respect I am respectful I am respectful if you go to say I going to table it if you say I going to table it if you say you're going to table it all right you have to come back with a new ordinance now if you're going to say you're going to table to amend it have to be amended in the four the item is not being amended the item second that's what want to do want close the now he's taking the want to of the community are the they the one that want to penalize the need of the community council members point of order council members they the one that want to penalize it Council they out there trying to help those homeless at all they not out there trying to help the homeless at all thank thank you so now I you next CC so now so yes council president so council members so before absolutely before director special un next me me members of the public what I'm saying that this legislation is going back and and and I got to tell you I tell I definitely take full honorship I do but I'm I'm the type of legislator I'm the type of person that I'm here to listen to the community and to listening to the people I've been having meeting throughout this for the last two weeks about this legislation I care about the city of par with the situation is not a Council Bless I have the floor can you counc president with whom when you say you have discussion withc have a discussion with you with different members of the community council can you be respectful to the meeting and I I'm chinging you your decision no you're not you're I'm telling you your decision no I'm challing you your decision my decis please please allow me to finish allow me to finish and be respectful it's wrong so so members of the public so I'm listening to the community I'm listening to the concern of the people and we're going to have major changes on this that's the reason why we send this this back we're going have more discussion and I mention the biggest concern of the resident out there was the penalty the criminalization of homeless by putting jail time on we understand that's something that's not needed on the legislation we're going back back and yes I've been speaking about this because this is this is a problem that affecting the city of par and it's affecting a lot of people and there's a lot of institution out there that they should be helping the resident and people need in this community and everybody have to be in a table in order for us to fix this problem but I want to ask you I will ask you respectfully at your name on the list don't leave because after the director I'm going to open the public portion and I would like to hear from your they going to get community service going to cour without going to when you council president no council MC members I have councilman Jackson then director with you director been ask counc president so for the record for the record count councilman valz is absolutely correct this item is in has been advertised it cannot be arbitrarily removed by one or two people it has to be a consensus of the full Council to move on any item in fact if there was a motion to table there should be a motion a second and it should go through roll call the same way like that it does any other item you just can't come and decide first of all you were the sponsor you was here talking like a tough guy last week now the community shows up now the community shows up and you over here punking out okay so pause the item handle the director and then allow the public to speak and then this item could be could be discussed in in its entirety okay you brought this item forward you was here talking about all of the things it was a whole spill you went through and I take my hat off to you the community see when the community comes out you make the decisions on what happens here you see how people turn into cowards one day they're a tough guy the next day they're coward on the things that they actually spoken about this this nobody else was in approval of this item he brought this thing forward and all of a sudden now he saw you guys he heard I'm sure you guys have put forward the phone calls and he now he's he's backpedaling so please stay and please go through the public portion director I know you you have an emergency uh uh uh situation so I'm sorry thank you thank you so much coun so let's start with fire item number 40 fire department council president if I may is item 43 and 44 for police and we have our fire chief here that can present on fire okay mad cler let's start with item 43 from police our fire chief will take care the rest I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers for my mom who's going for heart surgery thank you kindly I really appreciate all of you for the kind words thank you everybody um number 42 let read it 42 yes 42 43 if we have question okay got okay yeah council president item number 4 43 43 correct thank you item number 43 resolution authorizing Award of contract to Northeastern interior Services LLC under hunon County Educational Services Commission HC c-s e r-20 f for Demolition and construction of the Operation Center at the municipal complex for the police department this is a police item resolution number 25 04 by Council second by coun counc roll call for item number 43 for adoption councilman abdell aiz yes counc cotton yes councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk um once again I already had an extensive conversation with the director this has no bearing on him or or his actions within this item but for me the number is way too much for a s for a demolition there is no way I could support something this of this magnitude and Madam clerk my vote is no thank you councilman councilman khle my vote is yes madame clerk councilwoman Mims my vote is yes thank you councilman Udin yes thank thank you councilman bz at the workshop the director plain is not only demolition is construction and putting all the items that need in that room so I'm satifying my work uh my vote is yes thank you councilman counc council president my vot is yes M clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one against thank you resolution is hereby adopted 44 resolution number 43 4 it 44 M clerk sure item number 44 resolution authorizing the second option year renewal contract with Research Foundation CN c n y OBO John J college for consultant services to assist the Coalition for opord response and assessment with problem analysis and program evaluation for the police department RFP number 20225 police resolution number 254 move by Council second by Council call man cler on item 44 roll call for item number 44 for adoption councilman abdelaziz yes councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman Davin yes councilman Jackson yes councilman khik yes councilwoman M yes councilman Udin yes councilman VZ yes council president my vot is yes M cler thank you the votes are nine in favor item number 44 is hereby adopted thank you director thank you so much I'm going to bring the fire chief thank you director so we number 40 41 and 42 from the fire department we have our d uh Chief Alejandra Alisa with us Madame clerk let's do item number 40 40 yes okay you said 40 yeah it's 40 41 item number 40 is a resolution resolution authorizing an award of contract to Shaw training Solutions LLC DBA Len Shaw Group for consultant services to provide Mental Health resilience and wellness training for the Patterson fire department RFP number 20 25-12 fire resolution number 25 call 042 was by Council Last by Council M and councilman no I didn't say nothing I have a question Ro cler on item number I have a question discussion discussion Council um director I mean of pH fire chief on this here um uh it said Wellness training for has and health relis mental health now they going to have classes or or they come in individually or how they do class class and they're they're going to have classes for our firefighters for our dispatchers and our Fire Marshals as well as our uh maintenance uh fire the uh maintenance the pool the vehicles uh mechanics uh they're going to come in classes and they're also going to do individuals they come in where they're going to have classes and they're also going to do individuals oh individual okay for those that may need it correct that is okay thank you fire chief thank you roll call man cler on item number 40 roll call for item number 40 for adoption councilman abdell aiz yes councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson yes councilman KH yes councilwoman Mims just a point of recommendation council president a lot of these items should have just stayed on consent you know there I don't know if it's just for extra talk to talk extra but everyone's voting yes it could have just St on consent my vote is yes Madam clerk thank you councilman nen yes councilman valz that's what I recommend the workshop my vote is yes thank you council president uh thank you m uh Council Minister just an answer to your comment is U uh are the request of any council member could choose if the item go on regular or on consent they said out the house question and I grant it and I put it on regular and at the end they don't have no question it will make the meeting small easy but like I say you know that's a the of any kind council members to have the item on regular or um un consent my vote is yes thank you the votes are none in favor none against item number 40 is here by adopted thank you m clerk item 41 okay item number 41 is resolution the first renewal contract to Millennium strategies LLC for consultant services to provide Disaster Recovery administrative Services RFP number fire resolution number 25 043 so move second move by Council last second by Council Ms and councilwoman Dava roll call on 42 discussion councilman Jackson thank you uh John president so this is the reason why items don't belong on consent there's a a consent vote means you take all the items just vote I'm sure there's many council members that are love that just vote on the whole dag on agenda all in one stroke but um I'm sorry Chief relative to this is this um specific item only um uh designated for your department or is this for Citywide um this one here is only for the fire only for fire correct and and what is the um what has been the outcome of the relationship between this company and uh what is the current uh we we only pay them if there's a disaster and they then proceed to get uh disaster relief for the City last time they were used was during covid where the the city or we paid them $60,000 and they retrieved millions of dollars for the city millions of dollars what that that fee their fee is based on what exactly dependent on the disaster so ISC do they get a percentage of what they write for is it a a a certain um dat quot is depending on the disaster I really don't have it's not a percentage so I mean recently I saw something that was pushed I think Madam ba I don't know if they was sent by you but apparently this year they wrote uh close to 50 plus million dollars or something like that in grant money they also do grants for the city that the city pays for that so that's separate in theart front okay all right and it's not that I'm in disapproval of this because obviously um if there's someone uh uh company that's capable and I and I and I take my hat off to the fire department for all of the responsible spending but this just goes back to what I talked about earlier this is just another uh um you know large sums of money that this administration had opportunities to spend through the relationship with this uh this company and again uh and again this is not reflective on the fire department but our community is not reflective upon all the money that's coming into this community so I I appreciate that thank you uh director uh council president Council so this was one of the item that we don't have I don't have no question regarding Millennium strategy but the question was right was the the title says first renewal contract and I pointed out on the workshop that it was since 2022 so it should not be the first renewal contract because it will be the third year if it's 2022 up to 2025 should be the amount that says what the last payment amount because it's not the first renewal contract is it they've been here since 2022 why say it's the first renewal contract I couldn't tell to be honest you I don't have an answer for that I I asked legal that time to correct the title because it should be renewal not the first renewal and the dates here is from 2022 when they started council president thank you um this is this is a contract that for the first part of it was for three years and then the first renewal is US choosing to renew for the first option year and there is potential to do a second option year after that so that's why it says first renewal thank you and the body says and the body says having the option to renew the contract for two additional one and then one year period period correct so this is the first if they are from 2022 they are in the last onee period no the first so 2022 23 24 were covered under the first three years right now 25 and the dates are from February 1st through January 31st that's the first then that's the first option year and then this time next year you could renew for a second option year and this went through ifp the original yes it was RFP originally oh and how many people participated uh that that was back in 2022 I I can get you that information so not nothing against this company that when the contract is over and it's three year don't you go back again to RFP and bring more people in to participate no a lot of times we we do the option years we we do this in multiple contracts come before us but where we take advantage of the option ear because you're securing it at the lower rate that was bid a couple years ago what about somebody want an RFP are you sending you can you you can do so but this this is something that the we're choosing to do I think they we've been happy with the service when we needed it we actually haven't needed it much the last couple years but we we wanted to it to be in place and um and we know the work that they do especially with there's no question about how many money they have bringing grants to the city of panisa and and I stated in the workshop and I going to say counc president can I finish do you hear me speaking I st yeah you go when you go up out it's trying to cut I'm I'm having a conversation with coun colleag you be the floor yeah but so turn off your microphone just wrap so council president I'm speaking so Madame ba uh um is the clarification is there you going to renew again three more years to them and you going to honor the first year of this contract in the renew correct we can we can renew for two more years this year and next year all right thank you roll roll call cler roll call for item number 41 for adoption councilman abdell aiz yes councilwoman cotton councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson yes councilman khik yes councilwoman M yes councilman nuden yes councilman yes council president I what is yes M cler thank you the votes are nine in favor none against item number 41 is hereby adopted thank you thank you director appreciate you um M cler can you do the conscent agenda sure um oh that's the last item you got 42 director so one more no we we should go we should go and discuss item number one director mad clerk item 42 mad clerk 42 okay 42 mad clerk resolution authorizing resolution authorized in a 5year interlocal Services agreement excuse me with the B Valley Water Commission for the provision of emergency and preventive services and consultation relative to confined fire resolution number 25 0 second second it was moved by councilman M second by councilman I moved it it was moved by councilman DAV second by Council Mims councilwoman CT has to recuse herself and yes the let the record reflect that councilman ruy Kon is recusing herself out of number 42 roll call M cler on this item roll call on item number 42 for adoption councilman abdelaziz yes councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson yes councilman khik yes councilwoman Mims yes yes councilman Udin yes councilman valz yes council president my vot is yes M clar thank you the votes are eight in favor one recused item number 42 is adopted council president council members council president I got a questiones minut question for you item item number 45 director Billy you only you only have one item everything else is on the consent agenda council member let's take care of the director Bill Rodriguez on this item that way we could move on with the uh the consent agenda and then find fin listening to the public okay item number 45 M cler item number 45 is resolution authorizing the renewal of a contract with J&J electrical construction and designing for General and emergency electrical work and installation services for bid number 24. uh 03 for the division of facilities of the Department of Public Works Public Works items resolution number 25 colon 047 second Council of last second councilwoman councilwoman Council Council and Council D roll call clerk on item 45 D and who else councilwoman Ms Council councilwoman Council and councilwoman I move at a second thank you roll call for item number 45 for adoption councilman abdell aiz yes councilwoman cotton councilwoman Davin I'm excused no I'm this is 45 you m thank you councilwoman councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson yes councilman khle yes councilwoman Ms good night director yes she said yes I said yes thank you Council Manan uh before I vote uh director I I like to thank you for the last uh winter storm you guys covered very well I used say the snow was clean timely manner so I really say salute to you and your department um with that being said my vote is yes to this thank you councilman councilman valz uh before I vote and I know probably council president not going to allow me to speak on this part but I would recommend I would recommend soon as we vote on this item and the director leave that if we got to follow this agenda we go back to entertain number one because number one says public hearing required so that means if they leave it for the end you guys going to be gone and they not going to listen to you so they should go back to the agenda and take this item as it was published and do number one saying that and I going to take the opportunity to say it now in the vote that's freed of speech my vote is yes for director thank you thank you councilman council president my vote is yes M CL thank you the votes are n in favor none against item number 45 is hereby adopted thank you m clerk can you do the concent agenda what respect they have to consent agenda all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routined by the council and will be enacted by one motion the items listed under the consent agenda are numbers two through 26 any item may be removed from the consent agenda by the request of any council member and if so removed will be treated as a separate matter by councilwoman Dava discussion second by councilwoman m bless discussion Council M yes so just to put it on the record all items that are sponsored by certain Council people even though it's together as a consent item can we just make sure that those council members are the persons that move those items in case they are thank you council president thank you yes roll call M clerk roll call for the consent agenda items number 22 through 26 I'm sorry councilman abdell aiz yes Council cotton yes it councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk this is exactly what I'm talking about and you know I'm in support because obviously any money that comes to the city should be good money but once again I'll put my flag on this this mayor has has had more money than any other mayor in the history of the city of patteron and look outside and look what we have first item on the list number two Millennium strategies the company that's supported his campaign heavily that's been writing for a great deal for Grants and they've been performing well but he hasn't but um Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilman councilman khle thank you madam clerk his credit goes to the mayor for hiring such a Prestige company to write grants and get millions of dollars for him for spend for the community I think the credit should go to the credit should go to the mayor for for hiring a company like there who get millions of dollars what what is that there to knock about it my vote is yes madame clerk I'm speaking whoever out there says stop I'm speaking I have the floor when you have the microphone in public portion you could speak that's all so I think credit should go to the administration for hiring a good company who could get millions of dollar grant money from the state and federal my vote is yes Madam thank you councilman councilwoman Ms my vote is yes thank you councilman nton yes M clerk thank you councilman valz but you still work for so so once again I don't have no problem with no company I have the problem when they bring the money and they mismanage it that's the problem I have all right so um saying that my V is yes thank you council president president my Bo is yes mad clerk thank you the votes are nine in favor none against the consent agenda is hereby adopted thank you mad clerk um mad cler let's do the public portion now members of the public that portion public portion is not open let me call the first counc president soror council members Council Flo a while ago sorry Council that it's hard to hear from your side try to speak a little closer your M pleas council president if I may please before the public goes and I have a letter and a message I would like to read to the acting Clerk and to the residents at home and the residents here a lot has changed in the last week so I am writing I'm going be dropping this letter off via email Corporation counsel and to our uh Deputy Clerk I'm writing to formerly resign from my position as a six W council member effective Wednesday January 22nd at 12: p.m. it has truly been an honor and privilege to represent the vibrant diverse diverse community of Patterson during my time in office I would like to take a moment to express my heartful gratitude to all my fellow council members your support and collaboration have been invaluable and i' I have learned so much from each of you together we have worked tirelessly to improve our city and I deeply appreciate the dedication and passion you bring to your roles also want to extend my sincere thanks to the administration their guidance and Leadership your commitment to the betterment of Patterson inspired all of us to strive for excellence to service our residents and most importantly to residents of the Sixth Ward in the residence of the city of Patterson I want to conin convey my deepest appreciation to the residents of the Sixth Ward in the city of Patterson serving you has been one of my the most rewarding experiences of my life your voices concerns and aspirations have always been at the Forefront of my decisions and I'm grateful for the trust you place in me I'll always cherish the relationships I built and the progress we've made together and to the city of Patterson thank you once again for the opportunity to serve you in this role as council member I'm resigning effective Wednesday and God willing Thursday I'll be able to represent the entire city of Patterson in the general assembly in the legislative district 35 and I hope to continue to build relationships and get things done God bless you all thank you counc council president council president um council president councilman the right after Council khik you mean yes Council KH thank you councilman you are not going anywhere you still going to live in patteron you're going to represent us in higher level we are proud of you we are with you and um you know from there one I've been with you congratulation and on your new and over good luck and like I said you're not going anywhere you're going to stay in Patterson you're going to work for p and in a higher level thank you councilman abdulaziz councilman DAV thank you uh and th and Thursday I had the privilege last week to uh vote uh for councilman abdalaziz um I will say this it was a very um it was a happy moment but it's also a sad moment uh anyone that knows uh the hard work um of of councilman of Deliz and the six W loves him very dearly so I'm happy that he's not moving he will continue you even in the best families even your mom sometimes doesn't like you it's okay it's okay um but I do want to just say congratulations to you I know you'll continue to be in Florida a okay as your family uh hopefully gets bigger all right um I'm going to miss you lots here but I know that we'll continue to have you you know represent us in the assembly congratulations thank you thank you Council Mims yes so um as Council mava said on last week I also as a county Committee Member had the opportunity to vote in favor of councilman um abdell aiz to become the assembly men for the 35th legislative district I just want to say congratulations um on moving forward I know you still have to be sworn in and serve and then there's another election in June so you got to hit the ground running and then make sure you get out here to the entire community so they could vote on June the 10th so congratulations um I know you'll be be doing your work and I think your first session is this week right Friday I think so congratulations Thursday then I'll just have to text you and bother you while you're in uh down in Trenton um congratulations thank councilman thank you council president so um councilman assemblyman elect Allah abdulaziz congratulations uh one thing I know about all that I I want to State always and I stated multiple times to the individual that Ali is very concentrated on his area he represented sixth W and he always fought for the sixth World resident and that should be if every council members like Al abdulaziz fight for their sections then every section of Patterson can move forward together but we all have to fight for our representation I understand sometime people say that six sword is moving forward what's happening with the other side but why don't you represent Ed your people strongly cuz you are represented by the certain word why don't you be the strong words of certain word and we council at large be supportive toward your your fight and the city of Patterson can move and strive together and just know this P patters and every single City section of patterns and different kind of needs different demands and we all the council members who represent our areas if you can fight for our certain needs and I believe that we can move F so again councilman you said an example that always I say it and I'm saying it publicly you have to we all have to fight strongly for the representation that we cover this is important when I'm representing certain section of the city of Patterson I am not I'm covered the whole city but if I'm representation for one word I have to focus this is my first priority that my area my word and of course the city of Patterson this is part of City P so counil Abdul you set an example I really commend that and because of this you are here you you are you know representing us on the assembly position right now so again your your actions took it you there and I I I salute you for that am I you know this is this is a commandment on you know of course my we're not voting for you has to leave you that's so Council M there's only council member else counc right nobody else okay Council m I just want to say congratulations to my U partner on my right U we've been sitting together for the last we've been sitting together for the last six years and um I just want to say congratulations he um every time there was election he he tried to make sure he won cuz he said he didn't want to sit next to nobody but Ruby K and that's what he did and I want to say congratulations I know that we will maintain our relationship and friendship and moving just getting things done I always say that um and I remember always saying to him that when you come sit here in the meeting sometime and it do get really really rough that you know you have rough nights and and and you know you want to be able to sit next to someone um that you can talk to and you know you can laugh a little bit you can you know and and tell different things so Al congratulations you know and we were talking about Al you know he got a new baby you know you've been I forgot how long he'd have been married maybe four or five years um he got a promotions what're going on 8 years don't get her mad now that he's been he's been very good to you Al just remember that the the El am was very good to you don't never forget that and so with that being said congratulation Al and I know that we will continue our friendship thank you coun so I got to say this I I'm not hypocrite I got to say how it is if you want to move a councilman out of the chambers elect them to the state now it's a joke it's a joke it's a joke now councilman at the laes I used to call him my son in the council every time I directly my son my son my son I could to miss my son but and this is serious councilman of thees now you're going to a level that you're not going to say problem I'm here to lobby for the six wor residents I'm here to lobby for the state of New Jersey and patteron over there I know you have a not easy tax because you going to learn a lot and I hope that what you learn you bring it back to patteron because from there you're not only going to represent the six World residents you're going to represent the 160,000 people that we have in the city of Patterson in the district 35 so Al thees as I tell I told you in front of your colleagues and the day that we as committee elected you you bless because you're going to represent us in the state at the same time you're going to have the opportunity whoever want to go and leave with you to the state could do it now just kidding just kidding Al God bless God bless you my brother my son I saw you grow in the sixth world I was a sixth World resident and um and do the right thing for patteron do the right thing for the 35th district and God give you health and protect you driving back and forth from Trenton down to Patterson now if you want to see if ADI did they televise those meetings no okay just in case my thank you thank you ad thank all right so so um councilman thees uh I wish you the best of luck on your future Endeavor um there's a lot of legislation that affecting that will affect not only the state of New Jersey but the P County on a positive and negative way we hope and we know that you're going to be one of those fighter you're going to be fighting alongside with assembly woman shaba samon at the state level uh and Senator Benji wimbley also as well yes right congratulations Senator wimbley let's put our hands together for assembling Benji who is our new Senator I feel very pleased and very excited sbl wimbley he's been a fighter for the city of pison and for the state of New Jersey he's been fighting he's been proving his leadership has been proving um in the state of New Jersey now he's our senator now we have H councilman de as our uh assembly man alongside with shab something I know we have great people that will fight for our city we definitely depending on the stay Allah it's going to be a tough year um you know having a new president we don't know who's going to come who's coming as a governor so we need our friends we need our legislative body at the state of New Jersey fighting for the city of patteron and for resources for our community so once again congratulation and may God continue blessing you councilman thank um so there's 35 speaker members of the public uh please you have three minutes to address this Council we want to hear from you thank you for being in this room I know this room is a full capacity um so I going to I will call the first Speaker cler let's call the let's let's call the first Speaker the first speaker is Shira [Applause] Roberts please state your name Miss Roberts your address please my name is Shira Roberts I'm a third war resident here in the city of patteron I am disgusted I sat here and it I felt like I was sitting amongst children the way yall bicker the way y conduct yourselves this is televised I'm embarrassed to say the least my sole purpose for coming here tonight was for what council president put on the agenda the heinous act that you wanted to do to the unhoused population in this city I'm appalled this is something very dear to me and I made sure that I wrote what I wanted to say because I needed to get my point across good evening members of the council but most importantly to the people that sit behind me who stands out there daily serving our unhoused population our unhoused population has already been traumatized by the very system we design to support them housing is just not a roof it's a foundation for stability and safety and dignity yet before we can offer that we must first build trust with those we continue to forget these are human beings the most vulnerable among us all and instead of offering Solutions we are further harming them with imprisonment warrants fines we know that they cannot pay what alternatives have you explored before resorting to criminal criminalizing them did patteron consider the model that Pake the city of Pake did in 2021 initiative to purchase a building creating a safe and temporary space for the UNH house to regroup and reclaim their lives or what NK did with Hope Village where refurbishing shipping containers providing shelter with dignity leading them to further phases of support these models work why are we not learning from them are we truly looking to address the homeless epidemic in the city of Patterson criminalizing homelessness only perpetuates the cycle of poverty it's a short-sighted punitive measure that ignores the root cause if our goal is to address homelessness we must focus on accessible long-term Solutions not punishment I'm deeply disappointed at the five council members who voted yes to move this resolution forward where's the empathy where's the human decency it may may not be you today but it could be you tomorrow thank you let speaker the next speaker is Dela Capers please state your name Miss Capers your address my name is Dela Capers and I reside in the fourth ward at 79 Montgomery Street and I had a a statement that I was going to read but I think uh shironda said it all and I don't want to just re reiterate what she's already said we all have a passion for the homeless uh PE population in our city but I would like to say to our city council um we look to you um as our leaders and we have a lot of respect for you but we really need you to start showing respect for each other it's kind of sad when we sit in the audience and and see you go back and forth at one another and and city council uh people you might not like your president but you should respect your president and when he is asking you you know to Comal it down we just you just should Comal it down it's not a good look uh especially if it's televised that our city council seems out of control like sister Shira said it's embarrassing and I myself would like to be proud when I go someplace and say I'm from the city of Patterson I'd like to one day be able to say that we have the best city council anywhere around and you may might do a good work but what you show us you know it really is kind of embarrassing so I pray for our city council every single night so I'm hoping that one day we will come together and be a real city council and you know just act like adults thank you the next speaker is Jeffrey J I believe that's wild or Willis w l d w i l d is there someone with you sir um someone else is this is this is the name of your organization okay go ahead thank you uh good evening good evening members of the council and everyone uh I'm Jeff wild and I'm a lawyer and I'm a partner at Lowenstein Sandler which is New Jersey's largest law firm with over 350 lawyers Nationwide I'm proud to be a trustee of the American civil liberties Union of New Jersey and of the New Jersey Coalition T homelessness my specialty is courtroom litigation but I came here uh not to litigate but to propose cooperation with his Council instead and to solve the real problem the lack of emergency shelter beds in Patterson for men women and children who have lost their home and I want to commend uh the council for removing this item from the agenda because that's going to give us time to meet with you and your uh legal counsel and find a much better solution than and what the terrible ordinance that had been proposed would have done it would make innocent poor people criminals even though they're just trying to survive and have nowhere else to sleep at night now I listened uh to the tape of the last meeting and apparently a lot of you have been told that supposedly there's plenty of emergency beds available for the people living uh in Patterson it is not true and we'll prove it when we meet with you we've checked the shelters in Patterson I was speaking of St Paul's yesterday the only men shelter in Patterson uh that has emergency shelter beds and they're all full uh they have been forced to turn away desperate men and women every single day including last night and they're going to be doing again tonight uh you've been told that these people and that was a phrase I heard in uh the tape I listened to they don't want help they like living out in the cold that is a lie uh I went out in the cold uh yesterday I found and spoke with these people and they're desperate and I could tell you about the people I represent but they're just like us your friends your family but they had a little bad luck I I can say that I'm the lawyer of New Jersey who has represented more unhoused people for free than I think anyone in this state and 9 99.9% of them are desperate to get inside or desperate to have housing so if anyone tells you that it's a stereotype and it's just a lie um I'm going to skip a number of the things I said I plan to say because I'd rather talk privately and I'd rather solve the problem and I'd rather get people into Housing Shelter beds and on a path uh to housing but I can tell you I speak from personal experience I happen happen to be the son of a formerly homeless man um I am a professional may have a few more another minute um I also know that um there are two ways that municipalities decide to deal with this it's the big cities in particular and you're at a turning point some municipalities and I can tell you about Lakewood New Jersey have said we're going to criminalize homelessness we're not going to solve the problem I spent years in court with Lakewood and we did it the hard way they spent over a million dollars I believe fighting doing the right thing they lost and we ultimately got housing for 120 men and women who had no choice but to live in the woods because they can't trespass on private property I don't want to do that again uh the right way to do it is what we just did with Tom's River and Tom's River uh they were going to criminalize homelessness they had 50 100 people living in the woods in one of their Municipal Parks here and instead of going to court we sat down and we did something that saved the taxpayers money and it's also the right thing we were able to find emergency shelter and a path to housing for anyone who wants it um I hope that what happened tonight is the beginning of just being sensible and yeah you know we can disagree about things but I hope nobody believes that anyone tonight should be sleeping outside and there are so many people out there I walk the railroad tracks there's lots of people out there so um on behalf of the New Jersey Coalition 10 homelessness on behalf of uh many other nonprofits thank you and we look forward to working with you thank you speaker man next speaker is zel Thomas speaker please state your name Mr Thomas good evening I'm zel Thomas Patterson New Jersey good evening um thank you for allowing me to be here today it's a cold night tonight it's a cold weekend it's a cold time for our country as well um over the weekend or specifically on Monday we observe Martin Luther King Day and when we reserved Martin Luther King day I was reminded of his vision and most people believe his vision was for white people and the black people to live together but his vision wasn't simply for white people and black people to live together because if you drive around Patterson look under the overpasses inside the tents this white men and black men living together inside of tents is that Dr dream's Vision just for white people and black people to live together in tense and I say no that's not his vision his vision was for us to live together thriving to have resources this weekend I heard the mayor a couple times talk about how MLK came to Patterson as one of his last stops before he was assassinated and he talks about how MLK came to try to recruit people to the Poor People's campaign to try to get people to come to another March on Washington but he doesn't go into details about what exactly that event was supposed to be wasn't just supposed to be a March on Washington Dr King wanted a tent city at Washington he wanted to fill the lawn with tents not to talk about segregation but to talk about the economic disparity in this nation Dr King was talking about ending homelessness in this city around the country and these are things we're still fighting for today so if each and one of you want to believe in Dr King's Vision Dr King's Vision wasn't simply about segregation or desegregating lunch counters to desegregating bathrooms he wanted people to live together peacefully and to be thriving it's fine it's fine because the people with me and the people are behind me [Applause] the people are outraged about this ordinance this anti-homelessness ordinance that criminalizes people who are vulnerable and who are suffering people who just needed support people who just need resources instead of giving that you're trying to give them jail time try to give them fines for trying to live and trying to survive that's not the way forward and that's not how we build this city if we want to build the city we need to really attack the real roote of the issue which is the lack of affordable housing [Applause] don't attack the people without homes attack the people who are building these homes that people can't [Applause] rent so these are the types of ordinances that we need to focus on not Street namings not things that criminalize homeless people or try to criminalize organizations that trying to support homeless people cuz we shut that down last time too we need to focus on ordinances and procedures and policies to provide benefits to the people of Patterson because our constituents our people in Patterson they're hurting they living paycheck to paycheck and the people that are hous this the number one reason they're hous this is not because of substance use disorder is because of evictions or people losing their homes because of shared livings this is the reason why people are houseless so please let's come together and let think rationally instead of jumping to think that police are going to solve all of our problems because they can't they're not able to and they shouldn't be able to the way we solve our problems is us as a community coming together and that's what we're going to do together thank you next speaker man CL next speaker is Risa Ruben stankowitz did I pronounce it right got a thank you so much um good evening council members my name is Risa Ruben stanitz and I am the policy associate for the New Jersey coalition to end homelessness UMD like to start my remarks by saying that I'm very glad to hear that this ordinance will not be voted on tonight um and I will give my remarks still because I want to make sure that they go on to the record but I'm very glad to hear that um and I also hope that in the next steps that you have this incredible group of community members from Patterson whove come out you have these incredible group of practitioners I hope that you will in particular listen to people who are unhoused and unsheltered in Patterson that you will do sort of deliberate Outreach before the next version of the ordinance comes to be and we are I the Coalition and homelessness we represent a Consortium of 120 shelter providers across the state we are happy to make sure on the part of the shelter providers that we kind of come to the table so I'd like to say first of all that we were completely opposed to the uh senseless ordinance that was going to be voted on tonight and research demonstrates that the criminalization of homelessness only makes it worse the former US inter agency Council on homelessness director stated that it can cost three times more to enforce the anti-homeless laws than to find housing for people who don't have it and most importantly criminalization does not reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness it breaks connections people had made with providers trying to help and exacerbates the conditions that lead to homelessness such as health problems and racial disparities not having a home is a tragedy not a crime and I also wanted to State at the last meeting um the director stated that there are shelters in the city with 40 to 50% empty beds that night now I don't know the spefic specific data that the director was looking at but um when we looked at the himis bed inventory for today as of 3M today there were very few vacancies in the shelters there certainly were not enough for the 76 unsheltered people according to the point in time count and we know that there are more than that because that was as of January of 2024 the people who were counted we're just about to have another point in time count that's going to be higher um and um and when we called shelters and Patterson I called the shelter I called over five different shelters in Patterson and they all said that they were that they were full or essentially full so um I just want to say that um and this ordinance would have been passed um less than a month after moving the Patterson warming Center which I know that was necessary but that also makes it harder for people to find services so um nobody wants to be homeless they're not out in it's going reach six degree weather tonight they're not out in the six degree weather to make Patterson look bad they're out there because there's nowhere else to go and thank you so much I hope to be able to work with you all moving forward thank you thank you thank you speaker M CL next speaker is Nicholas Lano please state your name Mr lazan hi everyone can you hear me okay Nicholas Lozano I reside in East Orange um I'm just going to get right into it because I know there's three minutes all right so uh yes Nicholas reside in East Orange I'm a student doctor in my last few months of medical school here in New Jersey I'm here today to discuss my disappointment that the council even considered this nonsensical ordinance in medical school we learn about the social the social determinance of Health there these are the five pillars that are vital for any one person to live a flourishing and dignified life through sorry through this we know that a safe and secure housing is one of the most vital Necessities for people to live if any people don't have stable housing then nothing that they do for the behavioral and physical health really matters we know that secure housing also leads to better access to healthcare and overall decrease in healthcare spending these facts are what we like to call evidence-based medicine I wish my medical school did a better job at educating us on the social determinance of Health behind each barrier that humans face is a malicious group of individuals and systems who actively antagonize the safety and dignity of the disenfranchised for the increased luxury in emotional and mental coddling of the Rich and Powerful a side note oh okay uh in a side note you don't have to be rich or powerful nor poor nor unhoused to benefit from and both be harmed by the system for example systems in place underfund education Recreation and housing while prioritize increased military and police spending and the development of luxury housing which we've heard of already this trade-off doesn't actually add to Public Safety but rather entrenches generations of people in cycles of violence instead of providing people with the needed safety nets so that they don't have to live in a tent on the street you want to jail or find them if someone can't afford secure housing how is a fine going to help them get housing if you or anyone are actually bothered by seeing tents pop up within Patterson then invest in housing so that people don't need to live on the streets until that is the initiative this body takes it can only question the integrity and morality behind each and every person who thinks that this ordinance will help Patterson in any way uh I'm also curious what your plan is once people are sentenced 90 days in jail or fined I implore you to sit with that question with a little or I'm sorry I implore you to sit sit with that question with a modest amount of self-awareness at the end of this very tedious Town council meeting you all will be going back to your homes and apartments which are keeping you warm and safe from this uninhabitable uninhabitable cold and by the way approximately 700 unhoused individuals in the United States die every year from hypothermia um and here you are voting on whether or not people living in tents should be jailed or fined for trying to survive uh that is a mighty high horse and I strongly urge you to vote no on this ordinance thank you thank you next speaker the next speaker is Bri arono okay Zeno thank you state your name please okay so I was actually very nervous to come up here and speak today but after seeing that you guys have no backbone you can't even stand on what you you sat there behind those doors and you thought that this was appropriate you thought that criminalizing people who are house because of the failures that you guys are not putting into place because you guys are incompetent to create a system that has wraparound services and that addresses the issu oh jeez sorry no three minutes start now I'm sorry I'm pleas oh okay goad and that addresses the systems oh Jesus Lord um the oh my God I lost it wrap around services that addresses the the root issues that uh opio crisis that we're facing the housing crisis that we have you guys sit here and want to criminalize what happens to the children of the people who are unhoused that have to live in the they have to sleep in the cars with their parents or are you considering that jail that uh group homes that is that what you're considering as emergent housing 211 doesn't work there are no there are no shelters for women and children with families you have to break up the family component that's all I have you guys are gross thank you next speaker man cler next speaker is Anna Martinez Anna Martinez please state your name please blessings my name is Anna Martinez I am here as an artist a creative regarding the home concerns and solutions seeking I ask each one of you in pison and Beyond to please search Solutions with the community in mind with open heart and soul and with creativity please integrate cre creative inputs of all Art Fields reach out to the art community art is more than beautification it reaches and touches the human heart and soul it educates minds and celebrates the spirit of culture and empowerment art highlights Humanity I am here on behalf of Peace Society an art community located at a historic district in Patterson it was established in 2024 with intention to to advocate for the Arts and to encourage artistic collaborations and art initiatives peace is an acronym it stands for Patterson education art and culture empowerment I Anna Martinez and gwendolin Wells invite you all to our meet and greet creative networking event at pison Museum on February 2 2025 from 1: to 5:30 p.m. our meet and greet is called meet the heart and greet the art it is a golden opportunity to meet the hearts of the creatives behind their masterpieces Creations published works and performance come and support the Arts and invest on Art music and published works promotional purchases commission services and pre-orders may be available also peace Society is proud to share the space with Patterson Museum exhibition called 100 artifacts for 100 years celebrating their 100 birthday this year thank you pis museum for your service and please join our Facebook page p education art culture empowerment Society thank you all thank you let speak man the next speaker is Danny hel Danny hel please state your name pleas name an address address oh um I'm Danielle hel and I live in um DaNell in New Jersey um my name is Danielle heler I'm a lifelong New Jersey resident I'm coming to speak today to Echo my partner's concerns as well as share my story it is so important to me that you hear this I believe there are things that you are not considering in this ordinance that could be disastrous for even those already housed like too many women I have been the victim of domestic violence because there were very few options for shelter I stayed in a physically and sexually abusive relationship for fear of homelessness for fear of being arrested or drowned in debt as this ordinance is certain to do to those already without ordinances like these keep people inside sure but not because they are staying somewhere safe without expanding shelter space housing that people can actually afford and by criminalizing poverty you are directly keeping someone stuck in a cycle of violence I was lucky to escape with my life I was lucky to have a safety net waiting for me what about the people without will you turn your eyes away from their plight will you ignore the precarious position you are putting so very many of your own people in do not pass this Ordinance do not leave people outside we can keep people warm thank you thank you let speaker man cler the next speaker is Shahar Rogers okay state your name please and my name is Shahar Alexandra I am the program director and policy coordinator of the men's Interfaith rotating shelter in New Brunswick while I may not be from your city I have made art and important friendships In This Place Patterson is home to people from all walks of life it is a place where incredible movements are born I do not have to be from here to see that my life has already been touched by The Loving hand of Patterson and its people this proposed ordinance criminalizes being poor outright people should not be punished in any way for being outside especially if there is nowhere else to go time and again this St this statistically begets violence time and again it infringes on our ability to connect mend and rebuild I would know I have directly experienced the harms this ordinance poses I was once a young woman on the street I had no family to turn to and no car to sleep in stuck in a town with an ordinance like this I was threatened with arrest afraid of losing my job if I were taken in I made decisions based on desperation I was afraid and went wherever I could shelter with the night ending in my being raped my story isn't singular this is the reality of many unhoused women this entraps people in cycles of trauma abuse and even death it takes women seven times on average to leave safely and leaving is the most dangerous time this ordinance only compounds that is is this the world we want for ourselves for our children I know it isn't the one I want and will actively continue to fight against for somewhere that is such a hub of culture art Commerce and Community it deserves better than this better better than committing to marginalizing people within its confines it deserves better than an ordinance that ghoulishly charges people for the crime of exhaustion it deserves better than an ordinance that has such incredible risks for human life Patterson deserves policy that upholds holds the Dignity of every person living here if you are looking for an easy start feed the hungry create more affordable and subsidized housing create true Equitable access to Medical Care you have an example of loving dignified Community Care everywhere this Council has the desire and curiosity to reach within your own City the work of BLM Patterson has inspired people across the state to do more for their own communities these are the seeds of a better life and world for all this Council has the power to make the world better and more beautiful I believe in Patterson and I especially believe in its people if we join hands there is no height we can't reach together where there is a wall we will make a tunnel we will do this because we cannot go back we must go forward make the right choice and vote this abomination of an ordinance down in any form it takes thank you for your time thank you let speak a minut CL next speaker is Lex Santiago please state your name and address Lex Santiago I live in Patterson um thank you everyone who spoke you're all amazing and uh I just have some thoughts to add you guys have said it all already I live in Patterson I also work in Patterson along with a few other locations I've worked in t with amazing organizations like BLM Patterson Ruby's Vision Mator sisters and so many others I can't list they are all some of the most amazing people and stand up for our most vulnerable neighbors and do the work to help them now I can tell you that many houses folks I talk to who have told me they want to work they want to get on their feet they want a job in an apartment that's the goal that's what I have right that's the goal do you understand how many steps that it takes to get from the street to a job in an apartment Department it is unimaginable how many steps it's too many to count these folks don't have an address you can't get a job without an address they don't have access to email you can't get a job without an email most of them don't have their documents anymore because they've been lost stolen or thrown out by the DPW along the way you can't get a job or housing without that think about what it really takes to get off the street I promise you'll still be missing so many barriers for people who bring up drugs I can tell you stopping using doesn't get you off the street I've taken people to detox only for them to be back on the street when they complete the program because there's nowhere for them to go we are barely making progress we are barely making progress in helping people out there because there is no housing available shelters are just a Band-Aid some folks I've talked to have gotten robbed beaten and worse in shelters basically what I want to highlight is the amount of steps work luck resources privilege and everything it takes to get from the street to permanent housing and if you allow the police department to torment these folks by giving them tickets when they have nothing throwing them in jail only to be making their lives harder when and you will be decimating their chances of getting off the street this is not Humanity this is not what any religion or moral parents will teach you the last thing I want to say is if this were going on where I was with the people I know when I was homeless in 2010 I would probably still be in prison right now in 2025 instead of being up here with a job with a community with people I love and being a contribute member into society my unhoused neighbors will without a doubt be lost in the criminal justice system without any hope of a life they dream of and that's heartbreaking unacceptable and inhumane thank you for listening take care of yourselves take care of each other no war but class worth thank you thank you thank you let speaker man CL yes next speaker is dwan or Dwayne Norwood please state your name Mr Norwood and where you're from gu good evening good evening my name is dwan Norwood and I serve as policy counsel at the ACLU of New Jersey understanding that the ordinance prohibiting sleeping and camping in public has been removed from consideration and a vote tonight the ACLU of New Jersey considers it imperative to voice our strong opposition to any updated ordinance that would seek to criminalize individuals on the basis of their poverty or or housing status in any way or [Applause] form put simply any policy seeking to punish and criminalize individuals experiencing homelessness is ineffective and inhumane there is no world in which V vable people in need should be met with a bed in a jail cell rather than a bed provided through stable and safe housing and shelter options this truth rings even louder as New Jersey continues to experience extreme weather conditions with temperatures well below freezing and wind chills below zero if the city council is serious about addressing homelessness the the focus must be shifted to ensuring that there are beds head and warming centers that are easily accessible to people experiencing homelessness as reported by the national homelessness Law Center research shows that the criminalization that criminalization is the most expensive and least effective way to address homelessness time and time again it has been shown that criminalizing homelessness does nothing to prevent it it perpetuates it alternatively policies aimed at providing emergency shelter and services to support stability are more effective while costing less we urge this Council to seriously listen to and consider the concerns and the stories of the community that are being told here before you tonight we further en encourage this Council to pursue policies that are rooted in the care support and Rehabilitation of unhoused individuals thank you for your time thank you D next speaker man cler next speaker is Michael ier he's not up there yet you state your name please and your address good evening my name is Michael itel I live at 463 pranab apartment 6p I have no problem telling people where I live because I'm a proud P returning poonian one of the the things is that I'm glad in one way that you've taken this off the table because just just go think about what's going on here we're criminalizing people for not having enough resources this this is a county seat and I'm not picking on any party or any per particular person this is a county seat the county should have multiple buildings available so that you can get Services you can get jobs job centers I know they have them out there but they need like a mobile unit to go to the different areas we don't have that here y has a crisis team that goes out a homeless crisis team that goes out at night time as far as I'm as far as I know we don't have that in patteron I drive all over the city of patteron I come right through Broadway every day and I talk to some of the people and I've been out with many people helping the volunteer they don't want to be homeless some people say that they want to be homeless I get that they they have to get the help and as far as with valz with last week what you said I'm not picking on you but last week you wanted to know how other towns do it well they don't have straight and narrow after you do your 90day uh detox and put you right back on the street and I bet you that N I bet you guarantee you I can't prove it but I wish I could that straight narrow does not take you off the welfare role so they can keep collecting the dollars that's how it gets they get you get you in there you pay them food stamps in the welfare money because you're Indigent going into the program so now that if you leave they don't take you off the rolls because they lose funding they lose all that money the Catholic church and I'm a Catholic Catholic Church is the richest organization in the world it's shameful that we have all these churches that they can't help the even the pastor's Workshop why aren't they open the doors they did years ago how come we're not doing it now and then we need people then then we need to get ourselves involved too we need to also get ourselves involved if you see things that are going on there needs to be a resource that people can just hand out pamphlets but right now you don't have that one pamphlet that you can hand them out I've talked to a couple people and they do want jobs and like you say everything is in the internet now so you don't have there are some people that have phones the family brings them the phones but we need to do a better job we need to get a mobile Resource Center out there there's lots of money if we and this is not picking on anybody now remember this if we can fill up the Brownstone all the rooms in a brownstone for a political fundraiser this is something that we should be able to do thank you very much thank you thank you brother Mike next speaker man clerk next speaker is Eddie olivaris Eddie good evening all boy we've heard a lot about homelessness tonight uh let me just say that it was just last week that our council president Mr Mendes told us that he would went into two shelters and they're empty and now that is contradicted by these two fine people in the thank you thank you for coming and helping us over here in patteron and so somebody mentioned that this Council as as a body has no backbone congrats to whoever said that as the truth you know all you need is these people comeing over here including myself and you backpedal everything that you did last week you know guys you you have to be resourceful and let me say that I very much doubt I know that it was uh uh Alex pendis that introduced the major but I very much doubt that this is his idea you know this Administration is in the ear of a lot of these people over here in this Council we all know that especially uh Alex men this after he made up with the with the mayor but I I wonder where the the mayor stands on this it is probably the mayor that came up with this idea I wonder about the Corporation Council he's always uh you know um kind of we feel I feel I shouldn't speak for the people of parison that to come uh to the the C the president's rescue so uh um corporational Council where do you stand on this is it also your idea that this is you know this this legislation should be introduced we haven't asked about the mayor we haven't asked about the rest of the people miss long we haven't asked about these people where do these people stand because I know I know this is not coming from Alex bendes this is coming from above and the reason that we see all these problems here in the city of pison people please listen to me the reason that we see that is that the business of homelessness is very very lucrative a lot of people making a lot of money on homelessness and they use people like these that's all it is people that's all it is uh incl closing I want to say ABD aiz uh you know the city of pison is not better since the time that you started but I commend you I commend you because you have in all honesty you have represented the people of the sixth W very well I commend you and I wish you the best thank you all the next speaker is serea Aral okay I'm sorry you want this okay so mine is not I'm sorry it's to the homeless issue please state your name uh s address and I've been having a problem with a neighbor oh yes your name and address please oh uh nicob Baker Avenue thank you Sera nicob backer Avenue so I I have a neighbor running a plumbing business 24-hour plumbing business from the front of my house I have spoken to everyone I could I have uh zoning The Police Every police is saying are saying it's zoning zoning and saying police this time I wrote the usually 10 commercial vans in uh front of my house throughout the day then what he does he Parks them into a couple of houses but here's a Patterson plus here's a here's a complaint here's a comment I posted on par Patterson plus okay please uh I'm sorry just please continue okay Patterson plus I wrote please see commercial van license plate XLV and66 and license xlh J1 are in driveway of 367 nicobar Avenue and 364 nicobar Avenue 367 nicobar AER Avenue continues to run 24-hour plumbing business from the front of my house until 9 PM then he Parks the commercial vans in driveway overnight every single night um he still has tenant in illegal apartments in the basement and garage I have probably sent a 100 emails to Jesus Castro and um Michael Deutsch I haven't gotten a response but the response I got from the from the comment is um good afternoon he has paperwork necessary to to operate Plumbing business from home does he have paperwork to operate his Plumbing business from the front of my house all day please see the picturesa oh I didn't put the emails I think emails this is a all item C woman I have gone to zoning I have gone to zoning when I go to zoning they Michael dor will avoid me when he knows what I'm going to complain about he will he has sent me like um he sent me to Municipal Court he sent me to the um to mayor's office then when everyone I spoke to they said this is zoning I go to zoning Michael dorch refused to even see me so what do I do how do I finally solve this issue which has been going on for a year who do I spoke to who do I speak to does he have paperwork to operate 24-hour plumbing business from the front of my house according to mayor's office he does how did he get this paperwork um councilman can you that's no I if you could share the information with the council we're in ply portion everyone's aware of it and and leave your contact please I'm going to get back to you let's speak man cler I'm need that information cuar please state your name and your addressbar McIntyre humble beginnings Community activists uh diar pisonia Survivor of every war that has been wed on Urban America good I want to express how appul I am at uh the director and his in of of Human Services I'm talking about came before this Council stated his reason for proposing this ordinance but I'm also equally appalled at the video I saw of our council president on the island over as we come off of 19 talking about oh we got to do this ordinance we got all these people coming through our city that and that this that and the other no disrespect but I'm keeping it straight with you because we're going to talk straight tonight most of those individual uals that I know on that island we've been feeding them helping them out providing them resources hygiene products for many many years and the needs assessment survey that we've conducted for many many years in the city of patteron lock step with councilwoman Ruby cotton lock step with with with councilwoman Ms we've identified that 50% of those individuals in the city of patteron that on any given day that are prone to homelessness are africanamerican male figures this is a fact right and I find it appalling because you're writing this thing off as something that it really is not but then you labeling it as a these all these people from out of town as if homelessness in the city of patteron is a white drug addicted phenomenon while at the same time you're creating all these resources for needo exchange and Nar can and and all this other stuff and I'm here to let you know what I know that everybody that's homeless or prone to homelessness are not drug addicts I'm here to let you know that right they're not drug addicts and all this money that's being pushed into this needle Nar can stuff are all Billy Becky programs that make it convenient for Billy and Becky to continue to shoot dope in our alleys and on our train tracks and we have yet we have yet and I'm not just talking about this mayor you ain't going to hear me bashing no mayor because we got enough information and data to support our analysis right that it goes back the the previous seven Mayors never did nothing about no homelessness and Patterson never never ever ever ever ever did anything about homelessness in Patterson what we need in Patterson is a municipal homeless solution platform we need to create a municipal homeless shelter we need to empower local organizations that are uniquely qualified and culturally competent with the with the knowledge and expertise to serve this population right to serve this population and the reason why we need that because what it does it gives us the ability to solve our own problems it gives us the ability to solve our own problems s so that you don't criminalize us and further push us out of our community where we was born and raised I was born and raised in pison I'm a diard pisoni I survive every war that's been wed on Urban America and to criminalize our brothers and sisters that are homeless in the streets of pison New Jersey is pushing this off and creating another form of recidivism that is similar to war on drug policies in fact it is an extension of war and drug policy it is an extension of war and Drug policies that some of y'all wasn't even here in this country to be experienced and I'm saying this too because some of y'all migrated to this country and didn't have shoes on your feet some of them migrated to this country have no shoes on their feet and they came here and they benefited on the back and suffering of African-American people fought died was lynched in this Society for us to be criminalized and pushed off into homelessness and making it appear that we are the problem let me tell you something else let me share this with you because we got to be Progressive man and I'm telling this to my brother Council man Michael Jackson my sister Lisa M my sister uh uh uh Ruby cotton brother oudin I love you Muslim brother you got to get it straight brother because you broke your neck to get with me when you was on the campaign Trail trying to partner with me around around Homeless Solutions and things like that and feeding people before you became a councilman you was all my back brother and we made time for you and we got together we served the community turkeys remember all them turkeys brother so don't start that now don't get over here now and start acting like you some you know you can't do that that's unlam that's un Islamic let me share something with you this is what it cost to house a person in jail in the county jail talking about County inmates $16.91 per day and of the 90 days that you're going to put them in jail it's $1,521 190 that's 10 thou now now of the so many hundreds of people that we know are out there homeless and you going to put them in jail that's $10,000 per person if you can find that money the same way you find it to build parks and and put put up these statues and and fake around this and fake around that if you can apply that to some Progressive Homeless Solutions you can solve your problems thank you brother no no no I ain't shutting up let me get this let me get me let me drop this on you got to hear this one to Alex Mendes because because I was appall that you up there on that island talking that crazy stuff oh these those are my brothers out there on that on that on that island out there man I know them personally you ain't going to sit there and tell me those some Out of Towners those are brothers from the hood we know they mothers we went to school with them I said look at Alex up there faking like this I'm not faking we can't let him get away with that n you know what I'm saying we can't let him get away with that all right just just wrap it up we can't Patterson Andre where you at listen to me and I told you this personally to your face I said this to him a couple months couple weeks ago I said I said imitation is the greatest form of flattery it made me feel good to see the mayor out there feeding the homeless and passing out coats and hacks I said when you learn that do that ad I ain't never see you do that before because when we was doing it we out there feeding them drug addicts for remember what they used to say to me out de feeding them crackheads and now he out defea we need to create a municipal homeless shelter all that money y'all got you got to create your a municipal homeless shelter because homelessness and joblessness is a core Community problem this is why the city can't pay its own bills this is why the city can't solve its own problems this is why the city is still a recipient a subsidized municipality that needs transitional Aid in order to balance this budget can't do it without it can't live without it can't function without it that's why you got to get booths underground address that particular issue of homelessness and joblessness and partner Empower local community social workers like you got licensed people here social workers licensed clinical counselors licensed family counselors license people with license that live right here in this city that can fix this problem that if you you give us the the equipment and the and the wherewithal to make it happen we can use our own put our own minds together which we've done great things already we've done done great things already we done done great things already put our minds together we can solve our own problems thank you brother yeah yeah have a good day Alex don't say that no more I'm do that no more let speaker about next speaker is no talk ethar Rios I'm sorry who's the next speaker M click ethar Rios iar Rios okay please state your name sir the kids is sharp and your address the kids huh good evening you speak close to the mic G can you hear me yes I can hear now hi my name is ethar Ros I I'm actually an Outreach worker in Patterson I walk the streets of Patterson every day I uh do the needle sweeps and I do um I interact with homeless communities try to help um I've been doing this since 2021 okay you you might have heard a lot of the stories about I mean to tell you a little bit about the people that I see every day okay um many of them are out there and I'd like to tell you about some of their stories okay people out there are many they out there for many different reasons not all of them by choice some have experienced trauma some are waiting to get a room at the Y others can't afford the Y and are out there just because their home life is so unbearable that this being outside in the cold is preferable think about that think about how what circumstance at home they have to have to be out here in the cold and and have that be a preferable thing so I met an elderly lady who had um had a fire in her house and she didn't have anywhere to live and she was living in a tent you know these are the kind of people that are out there you might just think about just the people that are using drugs and you know what we're all brothers and sisters in this earth all of us even even the people that are using drugs all of us are brothers and sisters here we have to help each other right right that's why we're here right let me tell you I'm proud of the people that are here you guys are all my people people you know so what I would like to say is the people that are out there they're out there for all different types of circumstances um there's a there's a homeless person that I met who lives in uh Roberto CL Park he's been there cleaning up that Park that man doesn't have a home he doesn't have a job and yet he still manages a way to service the community every day now that's the kind of people that are out there those are the people that the homeless people that are out there and and that's why I think this this ordinance we were going to pass it would have affected so many different people that are out there people who maybe you you don't see every day maybe you don't talk to every day but I do and I can tell you that it wouldn't have been beneficial for them no criminalizing them making them pay fines when they're out there they're good people they just don't have a home they don't they can't afford it look all all I would like to say is there are many different ways we can help these people okay many different programs we could do but the one thing we can't do is criminalize them we can't put them in a state where it makes it harder for them to get through all this okay and that's that's it that's all I got to say thank you edar we appreciate it I'd like to clarify something a statement someone made that uh needle change Ser which people are referring to needle change services enabling no you're not going to tell me to stop you created no no I'm just um Services is not a feel-good approach it's not just enabling it is evidence-based approach that saves people's lives right thank you all [Applause] right I I was not trying to stop you any way or form you just jump in front of the next speaker I was just waiting to allow you to finish so next speaker the next speaker is Alicia Parker Alicia she's coming please state your name and your address please good evening can you hear me I close enough my name is Alicia Parker and I'm representing a nonprofit agency heison Foundation we've been providing services to the community in Patterson for 35 plus years um we also also do have a harm reduction program so I back you up read and everything that you said yes we are saving lives but in the work that we do we encounter many different people and we do work with individuals who are unhoused and we get to know them you know so they become not just an unhoused individual we get to know who that person is and I asked before you decided to pass this ordinance have you spoken to anyone have you been able to see who they are what is their story they're more than just a problem they're a human being and they deserve more than being criminalized so much more you know we were back here that we trying to pass an ordinance that stopped um providers from giving things to the the needy population and that got stopped sorry about that problem and I was hoping that after that the results would have been people coming together to talk about Solutions not just here here everybody in the community different providers talk about what can we do to actually solve the problems versus just making them think that we're just going to make them go away so I encourage us to continue to do that talking to the community about what it is that we can do to really help individuals you know we opened up the meeting with a prayer and we prayed for compassion and that's what I'm asking from everyone here for compassion everybody here has showed that their passion and compassion and we need that all around so thank you so much thank you Alicia thank you appreciate it that's speaker M clerk next speaker is Victor Oz thank you you're welcome please state your name I'm Victor RZ uh thank you for giving me the floor um obviously last time I was here a couple of weeks ago I indicated that we are the voice for the homeless we are the voice for the voiceless and last time I was here I indicated they were approximately 700 nonprofit organizations in the city of Patterson including 176 churches I went back and I reaffirm that um totaling in totaling in assets $1.3 billion do that include St Joseph's Hospital 1.3 billion dollars and we still cannot solve a problem the Homeless Problem um before I continue I just want I just saw on the agenda item number 30 which is the resolution um designating February 25th as an African-American month and you titled it African-American and labor I will add to that African-American labor and reparations labor and what going back to the issue of homeless homelessness um Jeff I'm also an attorney and we are very familiar with the Eighth Amendment cruel and unusual punishment that's exactly what that is cruel and unusual punishment I'm right right Jeff right thank you it's also the newy there you go and I think that you know it's it's kind of interesting how yesterday I read an article how the mayor is putting a statute on Governor the k on governor and I believe Urban Street Dr King statue yesterday and someone spoke about the issue of homelessness in Dr King's uh Legacy and I just came here with the same question what would Dr kin say uh as to this ordinance what would he say I know what he would say I'm going tell you exactly what he would say he would quote scriptures to you for I was hungry and you gave to eat for I was thirsty and you gave me to drink for I was naked and you clothed me for I was a wonderer and you took me in for I was sick and you came to see me for I was a prisoner and you came to visit me that's what he would say that's what he would say or am I wrong so we just prayed here and we just forget scriptures basic scriptures one you know love your God with all your soul with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself those are basic principles of what we're talking about here now I hope this is a moment of reflection for for for the council meeting and Alex I know you received a lot of heat just give me 30 seconds you met with organization on this issue and perhaps is reflection is a moment of reflection for you and we hope that's what it is for everybody here that it's a moment of reflection because last thing I want to say as a college athlete there's three principes that I learned there's no IR in team y are a team of nine there's no ey in it so I don't know what's going on with that but we need to fix it that's one second thing I learn about sports is a very basic principle leave your egos out the door that's what I've learned as an athlete and I'm talking about at a high level I want a a a national championship so I was with the best teams in the country and leaving that ego out the door was Major for us to go forward and this is what we need to do to go forward and lastly I've learned I praise in public and I criticize in public in private so I'm not here to criticize you in public I'm here to praise you in public but we have to get this done homelessness is an issue that we cannot we cannot Criminal a condition because it's a condition it's not an action so I hope with all the recommendations that you've heard today that we try to implement them using the right resources and allocating the right resources for our most needed uh segment of our population thank you thank you Victor next speaker M cler next speaker is Sebastian Mahia please state your name and address Sebastian Mahia good evening brother good evening Council Patterson uh I would like to start off I'm going to address the homeless issue first you know if if you can't be homeless on public property where are you going to go the woods where do you expect these people to to reside at you know why why don't they all come and set up tents in front of City [Applause] Hall energy goes where attention goes energy flows so if things like this have to happen so we could come together and realize the issue that we're dealing with then so be it why don't we set up a 10 City at hens Cliff Stadium it's a money pit it's financial documents aren't being disclosed you might as well set up a 10 city right then and there I hope you all saw the graffiti in front of City Hall where the veteran was saying that he he or she is suffering through mental health many of the homeless in our streets are veterans fought for this country whether it's for Bankers Wars or not they still fought for what this country is supposed to stand for they're going through financial difficulties some of them through drug issues some of them want to be homeless you have the freedom to be homeless if you so choose to without being criminalized I want to propose a moratorium on the street naming Committee of the city council until the streets are fixed of potholes until the homelessness is dealt with accordingly I'm Colombian my parents are from Colombia what does it serve me that you have Colombian Corridor but you have people drinking and drunk in front of the liquor stores on 21st Avenue I went to the Frankie Ruiz he's a legend but there's trash on the streets let's clean the streets up before we name the streets and I know there's one of the agenda we could do that one but no more Street namings no one here wants a street name unless the streets are taken care of and I want to finish with 2023 uh 2023 I propos a legislation uh it was titled inclusivity and public meetings act for our disabled bilingual communities and to have them virtual you made them virtual but you took away our two Workshop meetings I'm not going to go there but these there's no more there's no closed captionings on the live stream and there's no accessibility for people that are hard of hearing or DEA there's no ASL interpreter here at the City Council meetings so I want to bring that into the attention of the council and to the city of Patterson that we have to make these meetings accessible a lot of my Hispanic Community they're like man here I don't know what you're talking about in the meetings I don't have time to be bilingual up here on the mic I only have three minutes thank you thank you thank you Sebastian next speaker cler next speaker is jayen Jackson State your name please and address my name is Jaden Jackson I'm a resident of of the city of Pon One thing I have to you know I have to say got to give credit where credit is due you know what I commend you because you're pissed off enough people to remind them that we are Community you see all of these people behind me you pissed off so many of them that they actually showed up for a council meeting so I have to give a round of applause for that the proposed amendment to chapter 195 as it's presented is not a plan it is a disregard for human life it is a disregard of the people that make up the community and these lovely folks behind me realize that are unhoused are a part of our community they are a vulnerable part of our community let's really think about it with the way that the economy is right now most of the people that live here are one check away from being homeless where is the affordable housing actual affordable housing it's not here have have we looked at the numbers for homelessness in the United States recently did you know that the the number of homelessness has gone up 18% % now 18% doesn't sound like a big number but let's think about what that actually means that means 770,000 people that's what that number comes to when when someone gives you a percentage look up what that number actually is criminalizing homelessness doesn't fix the issue incarcerating people for not having a place to sleep is insane where is the humanity that is insane we've had people come up here and let you know that it's going to cost more to enforce this ordinance it's going to cost more to have these people arrested it's going to cost more to fight to make it happen it's nonsensical it makes absolutely no no sense it's a systematic issue the problem is systematic what is it it's lack of affordable housing like I said jobs resources it's caused by economic hardships that is the number one reason for homelessness right now not drug addiction not mental health but those things are factors So when you say when when it's said that people want to be homeless all homeless people want to be homeless or they're homeless because they are on drugs while that statement is not true it's a compound issue that means that we need to come up with effective ways to address the issue the root issue homelessness is caused by multiple factors so there needs to actually be a plan to deal with the multiple factors if we have all of this money to put up statues to have all of these excessive things done we're spending how much on a a recorded message that gets sent out to who knows whose number if we have that money we can put more money into our shelters which are already overcrowded to impose a $2,000 fine on people with zero income makes no sense what it shows is that in the city of Patterson there must be a mismanagement of funds that's what it tells everyone that's sitting behind me for you to think that someone that does not have an income can afford $2,000 and then incarcerate them which is going to cost us money tax money which we put forth because we pay you it's going to cost us again nonsensical but I get it it's all done in the mindset of let's clean up S let's clean up the city of Patterson how do we clean it up by sweeping everything under the rug that's right instead of addressing homelessness we want to sweep them under the rug out of sight out of mind if we don't see them they must not exist all it does is put them in abandoned buildings it puts them in places where they can't be found in order to gain access to the resources that they need and it causes people to die people die I'm here not only I'm here representing more than one organization I'm a regional service manager for hon Foundation here in the city of Patterson so I work with this community I also volunteer for a few other organizations that have come up here to speak and when you have people that are homeless that are already stigmatized already marginalized already very vulnerable have a sense to where they need to hide from incarceration they go into these abandoned buildings they go into these Alleyways and they freeze to death I've spoken to several people and I know for a fact that at least 10 people have froze to death from January 1st to now are we really taking into account Humanity a scripture was mentioned earlier Ma I believe it was Matthew 25 verse 36 and it talks about how when I was homeless you took me and when I was thirsty you gave me a drink when I was hungry you fed me when I needed clothes you gave me something to wear the um but there's another part of it that states when when did I do this to you when were you in prison and I visited you when did you when were you hungry and I gave you something to eat when when did I do this and it continues by saying as you have done to the least of these so you have done unto me thank you so again I applaud I applaud you I give you credit for pissing off all of these peoplek and Trust and Believe they'll be back if this continues cuz it should be it shouldn't be tabled it should be thrown out thank you thank you let speaker M CL the next speaker is Patty McCracken Patty McCracken please state your name and your address name and address for uh good evening Patty McCracken Delaware Patterson um three minutes is hardly enough to address all the housing issues um because it's not just the folks that we see on the street but there's so many levels um there's so many areas of Brokenness there's so many system uh issues that are at play um I'm really grateful for all the things that have already been mentioned tonight um councilman Jackson you mentioned that there's money that needs to be spent um as part of I think Co spending there's some transitional funding might I propose that the money that money is used for the 100 and change um so instead of spending the 100 and change to imprison folks for being unhoused the 100 and change goes towards um programs um um I don't know about to sorry um goes towards some sort of programs um and we need more beds it's been referenced that there's you know a couple homeless um programs in the city I work with families in Patterson I've not been able to access those programs ever when I've had youth who are unhoused um they've been told by 211 to go find shelter but that's what they were calling for with shelter but there's no shelter to find so that's what it's like when you're actually working directly with the families so we say that there's these programs but they're tend to be full they tend not to be accessible and they are temporary and tempor like I can't stress to you the issue of temporary temporary means every day they have to reapply for that bed temporary means they don't have an address to get the job temporary means they don't have the Safety and Security that is needed for them to be able to engage in the treatment that has been listed as a way to avoid being uh finded or imprisoned we can expect folks to participate in treatment if they don't have their basic needs met basic needs come in housing so Patterson leadership I would like you to consider not just reacting to the pissed off people but could we actually have a plan could we plan for the unhoused in our community because they're not just going to disappear um with the magic wand I wish it was true so if we could plan for the unhoused have a department have a team please consult the wisdom that's in this room and on the streets because they all of these folks should be included in the planning for addressing the needs of the unhoused I also want to also address the other end of the spectrum and that is the landlords and the land owners that are never held accountable there's a reason there's a reason folks are on the street sometimes sometimes it's because they were evicted there's a lot of unfair housing practices in the 5 Seconds that I have left or whatever folks who have vouchers just there's did you know there's a voucher price and an apartment renting price so for our tenants who for our families who have vouchers they think they're going for an apartment that's $2,000 for a two-bedroom I'm being factious for that amount I don't know what the amount is and then they go and they're like oh you have a voucher no it's 2400 so they're if they're expected to pay 30% of that rent they could afford 30% rent at the Post-it amount but they can't can't then afford the 30% rent at the voucher amount from my understanding that's illegal if it's not it should be made illegal so and we also have already discussed the um the factories and the the abandoned buildings who are those owners why aren't we holding them accountable why are those abandoned properties allowed to stay when those structures could be used to house the unhoused we've referenced what's happening in Newark and in Bic could we please learn from those areas as we plan for the unhoused that's not react let create a plan that's what I'm requesting of my leadership thank you I'm Miss py next speaker M clerk next speaker is Emily dearo [Music] daro please state your name and your address please Emily hello all right uh hello I'm Emily de Carol and I'm from board one and I work as a substitute teacher uh here with me is my husband Liam bosta a bilingual social studies teacher at pic High School's International Academy um I'm here uh because I want to give more to the community and I was made aware of this ordinance uh thanks to my husband he's very active uh with this kind of stuff and no matter what language you use regardless of if you send this back to be rewarded or change the punishment or whatever ultimately what you're doing is making homelessness uh illegal regardless of what it is um and you're acting as if it's like some kind of moral choice whether someone is homeless or not but you know people can't help it if they can't afford a home um and ultimately this ordinance uh I consider it a a lazy short-term solution for the homeless problem in Patterson um it feels like the people here just don't want to see the homeless which is what this the only problem that this solves it does not solve the actual core of the issue it takes effort to help the people in our community who are vulnerable all right and the government here is treating the homeless citizens are citizens like trash by sweeping them under the rug where no one can see it but I mean ultimately you run out of room ultimately that needs to be taken care of and plus even if we were to go through with this and they go to jail what do you think is going to happen when they get out are they just going to magically have homes you know are it's are they going to magically have jobs that they need to afford the home no that's not how it works you you know they're just going to keep going back to prison or jail over and over again regardless of whether it's 90 days a year 30 days whatever amount they're just going to end up back because you didn't solve the problem fines are just going to punish these people who already don't have enough money and community service is the same thing it's just punishing the poor and instead of getting rid of the people you need to fix the reason why they're homeless give them home homes or resources to help them get back on their feet as many people here articulated that it's it's so hard to have a home it's basically an interview process um many people are one hospital bill or another emergency away from being homeless because they have mental or physical disabilities or they don't have any family or friends to support them or they have trouble finding work and also just ultimately even as someone who's not religious I find it really funny that this meeting started with a with you know Christian prayer um considering that the Bible talks a lot about how it's important to support the needy and poor I say regardless of whatever you believe in you should support people because it's in human nature to support and work together because it's what makes us better and stronger thank you next speaker M CL the next speaker uh I can't quite make out the last name but I believe the first name is Ria no no no not you um all it's Ria um I'm sorry I cannot make out this last name spell it's with an F Ria spell it I can't well Ria R is like r h e a i a and then the last name iih RNA what's the last name what's the last name on clerk I can't I can't make it out okay so no the next speaker is Ivan Vivas Ivan yes we have Ivan here hello my name is Ivan Mal Vias good state your name please oh he did I'm sorry my name is Ivan Mal I understand that the homeless bill has been tabled but I don't care if it's been sheld burned or nailed to the door of the Patterson Library this bill was considered and to me shows how toned deaf some members of this Council are this city has three major glaring problems the housing the crime and the homelessness and all these are intersectional crime as been proven through studies time and time again has a correlation with poverty as does substance abuse so when the mayor assumes or places this stigma through the half-baked program that homeless people are addicts it alienates a large portion of the population while also ignoring the root problems a lot of these people who are addicts got driven through it through poverty but regardless what if you're not a person with addiction these landlords have been illegally evicting their tenants for years under this so-called million dooll program if you aren't battling addiction you don't qualify and you don't get no bed and if you are a person with addiction you have a less than one in three chance of finding housing the shelters for at least the last five years as far as I've been aware have been filled to the brim and if you're like me and have actually been trying to help homeless people you would know this to be true rent here in Patterson is around $8 $1,800 give or take and when you give a $2,000 fine to an regly struggling person where do you expect this human to pull that money from I understand you guys took the fine out but when you even considered it it shows me that there's not even two screws working in this operation couple with the 90-day jail sentence the jail which as we know has been torn down was a Showcase of how this city is unequipped and unqualified to run that kind of institution any given moment the jail held nearly seven times its capacity and fell under controversy due to rats no air conditioning or heating or just straight up abuse of the prisoners criminalizing hundreds of people who just want to exercise their human right to to sleep is frankly disgraceful I have had friends and an older sister who battled with homelessness for years I can only imagine where she would be today if she were jailed for 3 months at that moment in her life hit with a $2,000 fine and a criminal record but you don't got to hear it from me I'm sure many of us know the story a person goes into jail returns to society after serving their time to nothing but a criminal record and a world who turned their back on them can anyone guess what they do next they turn to petty crime just so they can have a roof over their head because to them having rats and mold and being abused is still better than having no bed or a ceiling so I congratulate over half of the council you single-handedly are making the three afflictions of our town worse by imposing this law on your citizens and selling your Humanity out to people like Charles floro instead of doing what council members Mims Jackson and Udin said to do which was to address the root issues instead of locking them up or finding them the people who find these human beings suffering in the freezing weather and issue are not the children going to school schols it's not the citizens of this town who have more than half a brain it's the heartless people who damn near Force these people into this position that they are currently in any of these people could be in their worst moment any of these people could be you tomorrow and if you have so much self-hatred in your heart that you're content with jailing people for the human right to sleep and have a roof over your head be my guest I applaud you and get off your phone bro I understand you resigned but you got to get off your phone you've been on your phone you left and you came back and you still on your phone I understand you resigned do your job the next speaker is Kimmy Freeman please state your name and your address thank you Kimmy Freeman Patterson New Jersey um before I talk about the homeless situation I want to talk about crime I want to congratulate the pison police department because this morning they sweat Broadway and Main Street I talked about this last meeting and you guys spent almost the whole meeting talk about dumping I told you that crime is rampant downtown all you got to do is park your car near Broadway piz and then sit there and just watch you will see at least 30 to 40 crimes within an hour I know because I down here I see it now this ordinance the first ordinance when I came in here I had a position and after listening to everybody and getting insulted by my friend abbar who said I talk too much and to listen to him well I was the one that wrote his bylaws in Constitution to Humble beings he won't tell you that you see I'm smart and people on this people they know I'm smart all right and you know a lot of the stuff that I have said over the years the developers I told you this 14 years ago you didn't listen all right I told you that what we're doing we we have to address a lot of issues and my main thing is education and social work and because of akar insulted me almost and I praise him all the time and my student who came up here and sto spoke very elely about the homeless now you know I was a teacher for 28 years and when my students come up here and say something that's something I taught them I taught them you have to participate in a democracy you have to voice your opinion whether each side or not whether we're Democrats or Republicans we have to deal with the system we have to deal with a process and we the people is you have to vote for somebody that's going to do the work not just talk about what you're going to do I know there's a lot of organizations here and I belong in a lot oftion I've Bel to the fraternity we are not doing enough that's the bottom line we have to do more and I'm not going to criticize the mayor or any council person here whatever their opinion is you go with that because the people that voted for you you're representing them so this majority on the city council votes for this ordinance which I think they should shouldn't I don't think you should criminalize people who are homeless but I do think that you have to tell them look you got to get some help you can't continue to keep doing this I remember when they uh criticized my Aunt Jamie War uh uh Warren mayor Warren because homeless people were sleeping in front of City Hall there were some activists here they're not here now who said oh the mayor's wrong so we want homeless people to to sleep in front of the city hall guys we have to do better I don't know all the answers all I know is I'm one person and that if you see a homeless person I ride home tonight and see a homeless person that I know I'm going to stop my car and say you know what I got a whole house and I told you last year I helped the individual because he had nowhere to go and nobody had his back and I said you know what I'm one person so I can help one person and that's what we need to do these organizations that are here you guys I don't know if you have a physical building I know AAR does you have a physical building churches churches got to open that door I know I work for St Paul's right I work for St Paul's and let me get a killer and only Mims knows this I was born [Music] homeless I was born homeless because my single parent made it that way I've been homeless several times throughout my life because I always say parents mess up their kids so whatever they're doing they're alcoholics or they drug or whatever they can't keep a job or whatever the reason is I've been homeless a dozen times when I went to college I was homeless I slipped my van I went to PCC I was homeless I shower I join the basketball team so I could shower guys we should not criminalize them I changed my mind since I walked in here we should not criminalize them and doesn't make any sense to find them locking them up no we should have been doing what n and other people have doing and I think lwis said that uh Charles Florio offered a building back in 2017 everybody knows here I work for Mr Flor for four years I gave him excellent advice this is what I do counseling and there's some people up here that I have even celled guys we got to do better I don't know the exact solution is but criminalize them I Chang my mind criminalize them is not the way find them is not the way I think the churches and organization and the city like nework and everything should devise a plan to do that and I can said tonight I'm GNA ride out and see somebody I know cuz I'm not going to let you oh oh most of these people patoni okay the most pisoni then you know what help them open your home up to them give them shelter if not give them few dollars if you can't do that don't come up here and just talk okay help someone so that'll be less for us the government and whoever the lack of resources that we have and last thing young people PCC is training people for jobs poverty is the root of all crime and homelessness so we got to there's more opportunities for young people now to get jobs and get trained for jobs I was a teacher this is what I do vocation we need this so we have people who want be homeless okay thank you for the extra time my brother thank you thank you Kenny um next speaker man next speaker Linda MOA good evening Council good evening I second everything everyone please state your name Linda thank you um I second everything everyone had shared today I want to share something personal I stand before you today as someone who has personally been into drugs struggled with addiction and experienced homelessness during my pregnancy with my first child I faced challenges of homelessness with close to no support it was transformative period that led me to ReDiscover my faith in God in desperation I pray to God pleading that he take the baby as I felt unprepared for motherhood however I knew that it wouldn't that I couldn't bring myself to consider abortion believing to it to be morally wrong this experience sparked a profound turning point in my life and I began to rebuild my relationship with God my personal Journey has led me to believe that the solution to homelessness and other social issues begin begins with acknowledging and returning to God unfortunately we've strayed from him teachings due to our complacency in casual attitude towards faith and lack of humility while some may question the value of faith-based organization they undoubtedly provide vital support to vulnerable populations however this these organization face significant challenges in sustaining their work due to declining Church attendance and governance policy that social uh social uh attitudes that often discourage faith-based initiatives furthermore I firmly believe that the corruption and greed to have significantly contributed to the president persistent of social issues like homelessness it's appalling that investors and developers prioritize profit over people's well-being often under the guise of pro progress and democracy meanwhile government officials officials frequently ignore these injustices allowing them to continue unchecked as leaders and individuals who claim to care for others we often fall short in our actions we may provide assistance but when it comes to genely connecting with those in need we frequently turn a blind eye to truly help others we must first cultivate empathy and genuine genuine compassion not the kind that only benefits us real connection and understanding is essential I recall an instance after a city council meeting where a homeless woman approached a council member for help only to be direct be redirected to someone else I decided to take action got in my car and searched for her I went I wanted to ensure she had the necessary contact information to get the help she needed she asked for a ride and I gladly provided it as we journey together we shared stories and I in listened intently as she shared her struggles this encounter reinforced a vital truth people in need just don't just want assistance they crave genuine human connection we all need at least one person to truly care and listen because even small acts of kindness can make a profound difference as it did with me we often underestimate the impact of our actions a simple gesture like sharing a meal or spending time with someone can change someone's life if it's a reminder that everyone has a story to share and deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion as God's as creations of God we all matter and our stories are worth hearing by providing genuine support and connection we can help each other overcome their we can help others overcome their challenges and find hope it's time for us to move Beyond quick fixes and instead focus on building meaningful relationships with those around us as the founder of United for Christ group uh that or a nonprofit organization dedicated to uh spreading hope and transforming lives I've witnessed the firsthand the impact of genuine connection and compassion I urge you to join me in this effort let's work together to create a real solution to homelessness addiction other social issues let's focus on providing affordable housing and shelters and community progs that truly transforms lives we can't do it alone but together we can make a difference thank you thank CC president before you move on there emergency uh announcement those individual that park in the garage councilman those individual that park in the garage next to this building the multi level uh and person out they lock the garage at 8:00 if you have your car there go and move it now the employees coming to open the gate if you came from Princeton and you park your car there please go outside and move your car now if not it's going to be locked in tomorrow so if you park in a multi level parking thank you move your card thank you next speaker mad clerk the next speaker is Joel keys I don't have a speech on the homeless situation but if it's not rectified I'll have a speech next time tonight my speech is in the spirit of giving apologies at the December 17th meeting councilwoman Mims while addressing Miss Ronda Austin said quote even last week when someone's wife I think it was Council presidents when you attack people's family members that are not here they're not elected to me you owe those individuals apologies you need to apologize to those individuals for attacking people's family members unquote highlight you need to apologize moments after councilwoman Mims made that false statement about attacking people's family members councilman valz yelled across the room to get my attention requesting that I stop explaining my answer to the question Mrs Ronda Austin asked me regarding councilwoman ms's comment which was the continued Distortion of what councilman Jackson said about council president Mendes's oration of his wife's letter councilman Jackson complimented council president Mendes's wife wife but ridiculed the council president Mrs Austin asked me who said something about someone's wife to which I replied no one that is a total Distortion that I clarified when I gave my speech earlier I know that councilwoman Mims and Mrs Austin did not hear my speech because most of the council members were assisting Mrs Austin with her issues while I was given it moreover that explains why councilwoman Mims said the following during our dialogue later and I will issue the first apology for violating decorum by disrupting her while she had the floor councilwoman ma said quote I'm not talking bull crap because I wasn't referring to you it was mentioned on the day as someone attacked someone's wife I didn't say nobody in the audience it wasn't you Mr Keys I'm not even talking about you someone on this day did it to a fellow member unquote in the spirit of giving apologies I think it would be responsible and an example of outstanding leadership if the council president would take accountability and apologize to councilman Jackson for distorting his statement and to his colleagues for misleading them and since councilwoman Mims demanded an apology from councilman Jackson before being made aware that he was innocent of the charges against him regarding disrespecting people's family members I think it would be responsible and an act of good leadership if council members Mims valz and khalip issued an apology to councilman Jackson for defamation of character on false pretenses thank you this speaker M clerk next speaker is Mark Cooper or Mary Cooper Mark sorry Mark Mark Cooper you state your name good evening Mark I'm Mark Cooper I am a resident of Patterson um so one thing I want to make clear I am excited to meet all of you I don't know a single one of you I think I know you but what I do want to say is I am a housing placement specialist for the heison foundation and my my job is I assist clients who are homeless evicted living in transitional housing shelters and inadequate housing conditions what I do want to say is my job is hard it's not easy I'm not the only one that does this job either but what I do want to say is Sir could you please get off your phone Michael Jackson I would like to have your full attention just as we had your full attention I would like everybody to please pay attention to me because what I'm about to say everybody clearly just ate you all up and said that this whole legislation or sorry this ordinance is crazy do you know how hard it is if you arrest them and then you try to take them out and say yeah they're going to be housed they're going to have jobs no it's going to make it worse now I had a lot to say but my boss told me that I should probably make it smaller since it's only 3 minutes and everybody made valid statements so what I am going to say is I want to talk about one barrier that not just homeless people but what we have as people you want to know what that barrier is complacency has anybody ever notice that none of us worry about what we're going to eat what we do say is what are we going to eat what they have to say is if they're going to eat how they're going to eat what money they're going to get they have to do things that are beyond their capabilities that they don't know what to do the clients that I see I've heard so many stories that have been heartbreaking trauma in ooh hold on sorry going back it's natural it's even easy for people to be complacent and comfort right when we all wake up where do we wake up in our beds in our warm beds in our homes that we have to excuse my language and complain about paying rent that's overpriced right but what I like to say is they don't they're out in the elements hell I didn't bring my gloves walking over here it was freezing what do you think they go through what do you think they have to live with and now you're saying oh yeah let's take them off not only you stopping me from doing my job but now you make my job even harder than it already is with no shelters no beds no place for them to stay they don't have the proper education they don't have anything that they need to survive but oh yeah let's make Patterson look great because we want to make everybody go away no that's not cool where's your Humanity where's your decency your empathy you sympathize with them but that's not enough you can't just say yeah there's a problem and we're going to do this and I have all these people here saying that's a dumb idea that's all I want to say and I don't want to take too much time but thank you so much um thank you Mark next speaker man CL the next speaker is Felicia wise I'm sorry please state your name and address please Felicia wise Front Street Patterson I'm not going to talk about how we want to criminalize being homeless because that's been said enough I'm not going to talk about they or them but I am going to talk about her I'm going to talk about a 36 year- old young woman that I had opportunity to sit right there in that park across from the the main post office I go to a church I don't belong to any of these organizations I am a member and a minister at one of the local churches and we do go out and we minister to the homeless even after being told we could no longer set up our tables and feed them and give them clothing we still go out I sat and I spoke to this young woman and I asked her what happened to cause her to be here and she explained to us that she had anxiety problems so she had difficulty living with her family members one family member was willing to take her in under one condition she said if you come live with me and my boyfriend you have to consent to have threesoms with us and we want to criminalize her what about the young man who's been struggling can barely read can barely write he's been getting by but yet we want to criminalize him because he gets a check that's $500 less every month than what his rent is but we want to criminalize him is that what we're doing now and I want to put this in your mind so when you go to that table and you start to talk about this again that you don't allow politics to get in and sway you that it will not take you back to the beginning of s this situation there are people out there who are out there because they have no other choice and then we want to say they're camping on public ground public property well it's public property and last time I checked we were all a part of this public if that's the only place they have then that's where they must be take the word camping out of there I read the definition I sat back there and I went through about 10 different ones yes there are definitions about camping that says that it's unpleasant they find themselves in temporary housing or structures we call them tents and they are in unpleasant situations and they land in unpleasant places that's one def but the more I read the more definition said it's associated with vacations having a good time being relaxed getting away from the hustle and bustle of this world do you think that's what they're doing out there so what I want you to do when you go back and you sit down I'm glad you say you're going to take the fine off the table CU that's just utterly ridiculous if I'm homeless and I got $2,000 I'm not sleeping on the sidewalk I promise you that think about it five homeless people get $2,000 each that's an apartment no that's a house my mortgage wasn't that much so I want you to consider that and that's all I'm going to say on that because everything was said and it was said so eloquently I'mma take five seconds more but I want to say this and I'm glad you're here khle because I've called your office numeral time I live in your ward can never reach you I've called several members of the council talking about The Dumping situation on Front Street I I've spoken to Lisa many times about that situation three months now the last dump is sitting still on the side walk and someone just dropped furniture on top of that so when we're thinking about the homelessness they may need Furniture but they don't need that thank you Felicia next speaker M clerk next speaker is Ilia Villanova please um state your name and your address please good evening council members Administration Madame and to all of you that are here my name is Ilia Vian NOA I live on 166 Lake VI Avenue patteron I live in here for over 40 years and in those 40 years I've been doing direct Social Services 11 years at the Hispanic center with former councilwoman Maria Magda four years at the homeless shelter monitor for the grants of the Human Services of P County 17 years as the Director of CA program Social Service organization serving the whole County and my last job which I just retired and by the way councilwoman Marita Davila thank you for the service of the 17 years that you did for has a program I want everybody to know that she did Direct Services for free for 17 years so she knows what the homeless are she knows what we go through when we were there giving out toys and food and everything else and she is my witness that we did that right Council woman so and for the past 13 years I work for the Department of Human Services State at a phone getting calls from the 21 counties welfare clients trying to help them which is very frustrating sometimes I came here because I want to announce something but when I hear all these Community people it takes me back to my time of Gaza today somebody ask me I don't know what is your experience in terms of budget and how do you put things together I have 17 years I have 40 years doing grants putting money together doing service for the community Direct Services in each and every one of you knows including councilman bz that help me gave out turkeys every year a casa program when we have the daycare center where we serve 96 tourists right Council woman Davila every year and now we are here with the same problem and I want to commend each and every one of you for coming here and be the heroes of the homeless thank you and I Applause you and also you have here people like this gentleman this gentleman must be like $400 $500 an hour to talk to him you have resources here today that are here for free how do you feel about people that are not from parison given here trying to help it solve the problem as the past program monitor for the emergency food and shelter programs for this for the county we used to do something that is called the emergency shelter Services plan and that's what we need but before I go and my main concern was that I just sent to the city clerk my official notice of intent and desire to be considered by this Council for the special appointment of the vacancy of the six were C ccil seat as a member of this community that have served for 40 years councilman Al deasis which you very know when we were starting to run I run in 2004 and you know that I ran in 2008 so I think that I have the experience and the knowledge to come here and try to serve and try to help these people these people need somebody to put a comprehensive service and at least put $2 million dollar of that covid money that you're using to do playgrounds to do something for the homeless and that emergency and also you just gave money to a millennium strategist Grant W and services for the city tell them to take this do the emergency plan and put a grant together so you could vote at least on $2 million to help this off this is an emergency and you should act on it as an emergency thank you so so much to the residents of the city to each and every of you thank you for your service have a good night thank you let speak CL next speaker is esparanza Jenkins please state your name and your address good evening my name is esparanza Jenkins HSN Outreach Services right here in this this wonderful city of Patterson and I say wonderful city of Patterson because I grew up here I graduated here I've had children here I have family here so I love to serve here I come with a message for Humanity disgrace she's next and solutions Humanity the basic core of humanity is to lift up ones that are suffering ones that are at their lowest many of you don't even realize people that reside and work in this city for this Administration is dealing with homelessness can't afford the rent we help them you don't get the cause of trying to help that senior stay in that apartment because of the fact that they are getting pushed out by the landlord that they cannot stay and they're not being aided by Le Services they're getting 30 days to move out to go where the homeless is a reflection of what's happening in your community humanity is to stand in the Gap the disgrace is to put them on display for your will for your embedment the disgrace is to point cameras at people and things that because they don't have shelter over their heads their last resolution was to go on the street and to sleep in those public places the disgrace is thinking that it can't be you the very disgrace is thinking that it can't happen to your family members the disgrace is thinking that they have Solutions because there's none and we help people from homelessness to shelter the solution the solution is being aware of what's going on within the shelters within your communities most people that have faced homelessness have faced more more indignity when they're at their lowest when they're going to some place that they think that they're going to be built up to be broke down many of the many of the service providers that provide a lot of these Services hurt these people that's why they don't want to go into these shelters you're thinking that that's a solution I've spoken to department of human services within the city of Patterson the warming Center the dignity that they believe is that all they deserve is a chair I'm in the rooms I'm speaking to people I've been around this city I serve on the street and very proud to I love this community this is where we decided to put our organization we will serve regardless of whether or not you guys like it or not last year you guys came at organizations nonprofits for serving on the street we're still here we're still here and we're serving and we're doing the job because it's not about us it's about them which is what we expect from the city council to know that it's not about you it's about the people you serve and if you can service the least of them you can serve the most that's right and that is all I have to say thank you for your time I hope that you're able to hear from all the great nonprofit organizations out here whether you know them whether you don't know them but all of us all of us is trying to do a heavy lifting of work which means to bring people who are definitely disconnected from Humanity because they're so far down if you even understand how far down they are the best thing that I ever heard from someone that changed my mind is that he T to himself because nobody else would talk to him and that's what kept Him Saye and that is what made the difference between the way we serve and the way we talk to people we don't talk at them we talk to them if you love the city of Patterson do better thank you next speaker M CL the next speaker is Chanelle Phils Chanel please state your name and address please good evening Council uh my name is Chanel Phils tonight um I'm going to say this phrase a couple of times criminalizing homelessness aborts any possibility of a potential testimony I would like you to walk with me and thought imagine a woman after serving her country she comes home pregnant and immediately discovers she is homeless because her landlord decided to rent out her apartment that she paid a Year's worth of rent in advance only to discover that s said landlord has illegally rented out her apartment as a furnished apartment as a soldier she returns to her car at a time where there's no direct deposit but paper checks she is now without an address and left to sleep in her car she now takes baths at rest stops gas stations and Friends dorm rooms or imagine being this place later in life again due to a fire being put out be due to a fire and then being put up for three days because that's all the American Red Cross says they can do you see that's my [Music] testimony some of us are not all drug addicted and some of us do not have mental health issues I am some of us some of us were forced into homelessness I tried to stay at a women's shelter but I was told that I would have to give up my vehicle for fear that I could possibly lead people who wanted to harm victims at the women's shelter I tried to stay in a general shelter but I had to sleep with one eye open if you know what I mean you don't know what I mean you don't know what I mean see I'm here to represent that community and I couldn't be silent tonight because this is just one part of my story I want to say you will never see me not giving as I said in the beginning criminalizing homelessness aborts any possibility of a potential testimony ask me how I know I know because I overcame at a time where I wanted to to really give up my Village of people did not allow me to wallow in despair but because of a small village of pisoni that rallied around me to help me in my time of need some of those I have to thank are Mr Phils my dad who took the time to adopt me Reverend Connie Coleman Renee Green MO and Bo and Marie Baron Pastor doy Willam will of holy Tabernacle Church my uncle the late Ronnie Hicks Bishop Williams the late Bishop Williams the late Reverend Dr ien Gilmore and Pastor Ru Jean Thomas their help prayer support resources guidance and reassurance brought me through triumphantly I don't know where I would be without them I became a successful business owner of now four businesses and I currently still and always will get back to those in need imagine if I were criminalized my dreams would have been aborted contrary to what we like to think we are all woven together in what I would like to call the trickle down effect what you do to us today will affect you tomorrow I need to say it one more time criminalizing homelessness aborts any possibility of a potential testimony whose blessing are you stopping that could be your potential blessing ladies and gentlemen I said it on the phone last week homelessness is a human issue that demands only a human response let us work together to foster a city that uplifts it most vulnerable members rather than punishing them together we can create lasting change rooted in compassion which is the name of my company compassion moss and Juice because the Bible says with love and kindness have I drawn Thee thank you next speaker M cler yes next speaker is AED Tabata okay sorry IAD bet okay he left okay Mariah Maxi marah okay let speak out Deborah [Applause] deod Costa I live in Patterson was raised in Patterson I practice social work in Patterson my clients many of them the unhoused and Patterson come to me to instill hope after door after door after door after door has been slammed in their faces right here in the good city of Patterson sorry Patterson with hope and labor that's our motto here in Patterson and I'm wondering to myself how we go so far how we go so far from having such great Ambitions for this city to this ordinance presented today that it would even be considered is [Music] Despicable it's not a plan it's a punishment and all of you with political power are responsible I hold you responsible we entrust you with the lives of the people we love we are our brother's Keepers that's what it means to be a pattersonan I'm responsible for you you're responsible for me I'm responsible for everyone behind me what was proposed it's not a solution it's a deflection it's socioeconomic discrimination let's call it what it is it's classism and it's wrong it's criminalizing the unhoused for existing for existing why not work on a real plan to build shelters provide affordable and accessible housing and train shelter providers to adop the harm reduction model which focuses on public health as opposed to punishment to help the citizens of our city in Patterson also just increased police interaction with the marginalized that already feel that their dignity has been stripped like how could that result in anything good we've seen it we've seen it go bad haven't we right and so I'm just calling on you to do your jobs I serve the city of Patterson I am the city of patter and I want us to do better we can do better thank you thank you the next speaker M cler next speaker is Karina manora Mano mono thank you councilwoman good even please state your name good evening council president council members and community members I am Karina Monero of 970 East 25th Street I came here tonight with a different purpose but as I heard each of the speakers I'm absolutely inspired by the community because this is what it it is to be an example of what's coming together and defending those who need us looks like there's no more than I can add except tonight leaving this meeting I feel to be a true proud pattersonan at but now for my initial reason foret at the end of your last council meeting approaches I had to take the opportunity tonight to congratulate my councilman Al abdelaziz from the late night texts and calls with complaints music complaints running from the Halloween Trunk or Treats to the family nights out I know that over the years I've gotten to know what true dedication and inspiration and being there for you community looks like I know that you'll continue to make us proud and I wanted to just let you know that the six W is a better place because you helped us take us there so thank you and congratulations on your appointment thank you thank you speaker man yes the next figure and last figure is G Greer Brother G is outside he coming up listen uh I don't know brother out but be before I start the young lady in the back mentioned Front Street I just posted that four days ago sent it to the city of Patterson and I was shocked when she said it's still there it's okay kitchen set over there it's a whole kitchen set over there and I did a I did a video as well and I said it's right across street from the Great Falls you I sent it to the Patterson plus and uh I was shocked that it's still there but before I start my three minutes council president I just want to say to the ba I wish you well on your next move that you make Al I'm going to be seeing you I got your personal number so uh I'll be reaching out to you but Al there is one thing I need you to do before you leave there's a huge amount of dumping on Railroad what's that you know what I'm talking about it's been there for a very very long time before you leave I want that taken care of please all right let's let's jump to this thing on homeless uh I'm going to speak in the capacity of Patterson care I am the President co-founder of that organization uh we've been a nonprofit now and I want to say about 13 years in the city of Patterson uh feeding the homeless and when so many other groups emerged we went over to a program called books and breakfast where we bring children in to read uh books they get a hot meal they take five books home I usually give them some money out of my pocket you know whoever does a book report and it's a few of you Council uh members up there that have attended those programs but I want to get to the homeless last week uh councilman of the great Fifth Ward mentioned about a homeless Center that was being built well actually councilman I was a commissioner on the board of adjustment during that time and the reason we we denied that project because it wasn't the right fit but you failed to tell the people the reason why I was denied yes we all want homeless this was this was in the heart of the fourth ward they wanted to convert it and it was going to be for women and children only but the problem was that we couldn't understand and you can go back and you can read the the minutes when the lawyer said the the the the the mothers the parents can go to the local Bodega to buy food and feed their children so basically it wasn't going to be no cook facility in there and we was pissed and then they wanted to put the uh they wanted to put the playground on the roof there's something else you ain't talking they wanted to put the playground on the roof and they wanted to fence it in and we said so you going to have the kids go to the roof and play while the other kids on the sidewalk we we couldn't understand that so basically what we were saying take it back redo it and bring it back to us and I challenge you to go to that developer uh that developer has a vacant spot on Lafia Street the old gas station it's been sitting there I guess it's waiting to be developed uh I challenge you to take this back and he's probably watching to take that property and Build That Homeless uh shelter right there uh there's there's another property well there's plenty other that he can do but I you to do that now the other thing is to the five council members that approved this last week I like y'all but I got to be real I think y'all was very disrespectful by getting up while the public was speaking this is something that you approved and I guarantee you when I saw this on the agenda as the first item I said I know what they going to do by the time everybody get there they going to vote on that thing and it's going to be over with cuz it was number one and councilman uh Alex Mendes let me tell you something brother I wasn't even coming here I told my team not to come here cuz I knew that there would be enough people here you know to fight this thing and what I was shocked with council president is that you have gone out with me feeding before you know and I was like when you was over there with the video I was like well you know that's my brother you know but I get it I get it Alex because I'm tired of the railroad tracks filthy I'm tired of the needles uh most of you know I was part of the team that uh helped bring Barber Parks back it was drug infested I mean we had people in there it's a shame that we had to put a fence around a park you know it really is but we had to do what we had to do yes there's a need for housing but this is my plea to everybody that's living out on the street you do not have to live in Phil uh over the the overpass on by by Route 80 is filthy I sent uh councilwoman uh Marissa a disturbing video with a principal and the teachers called me the kids had to leave for a fire drill and dude was just in a cardboard box sleeping shooting up with his girlfriend listen we can't have that okay we can't have that and if and and if the solution is is giving them housing then give them housing but I'll be damn if somebody going to come in front of my house where we pay a high taxes in this city and do what they want it's not going to happen and believe me I I feel for the homeless I feed them been doing it for the last 14 years but go on the railroad tracks on Hamilton have in East 18th Street right now it would blow your mind I get calls from the veterans that live there the people that serve this country Hey Brother G man anything you can do you know what that tent don't bother them that much it's the trash go there right now and you know I go over there most of the homeless people know me by name and I said look man can you clean this up and the sister told me she said you ain't going to bring DP W back and clean up I said sis they cleaned it one time you have to maintain this area this your home tidy it up right now trust me it's going to take about four or five dump trucks to get all of that stuff from out of there so this is my other challenge uh council president as I leave uh if you can have the ba or maybe she can pass it on to uh uh whoever's going to be the ba to find out what did it cause DPW to clean up all of these sites I guarantee you when you come back and you guys see it's going to be in the millions of dollars you going to say damn we could have build a building we could have put the homeless somewhere because and then you you insulted me by that little raise they got I understand they negotiate their own contract but if I was at that table with them they would have gotten more than I believe they got two and a half% which is going to go to taxes and and and and and and health care they got I think for the four for the four years they got like 10% they deserve way more money than that first of all their pay scale should have went up $20,000 okay that job should be starting off with at least at a minimum 50 ,000 at a minimum and have it go up on that note I want to say good night but I'm looking forward to the comments of the five council members because last week y'all was on fire I want I want to hear the comments of why you backed off of this and council president when did you decide that you was going to Bull it because you could have saved a whole lot of people from coming out tonight brother a whole lot of us us thank you and have a good night Al I need that trash up got you thank you thank you brother G uh motion to close the public portion to close move by councila second by councilman a roll call M clerk to close the public portion roll call to close the public portion councilman abdell aiz thank you madam clerk um so God is good and God works a mysterious ways right today's my last council meeting and I heard the public and I listened I listened to what you had to say and I'm sitting here I'm like you know this is good the public comes out here and it's a message that I'm going to take now not just as a council person but this issue is going to be a state issue this is bigger than the city of Patterson and I'm sitting here saying that's the purpose right now for me I'm talk about I'm going down to Trenton Thursday this is a purpose that I want to go back down there and fight for to bring back F funding to the city to help these programs out I and I I I voted I voted in the affirmative but I'm also human and what helps me grow as a leader is listening so I'm listening to you my purpose now is going to be different this isn't just a city the city's not going to fix this problems on its own and I have that lens now sitting as a council person and my colleagues hearing you out and to get the funding you need when there's billions of dollars down at Trenton to put a plan in place so I think now it's a good thing that's it's tabled and it's a good thing that the people came out here today it's a victory that it's tabled right now because the city our legal council need to come together to put a plan in place and what I would commit now in my new role as an assemblyman that I could fight down in Trenton to try to assist and bring back funding so the city could solve the problem so I'm happy that everyone came out G Greer that's my statement I listen and I'm happy it's tabled if they bring it back I got some good news for you now it'll be 44 so it'll fail because I won't be here so there's always a posit I like to end meetings in in in uh positive news so but I will assure you that as a a representative now that's going to represent the entire city this is also a regional problem right we could say no here then they're going to go to the next town over or the next area could be one Ward to another Ward um G Greer I've been on that on West Railway the payloader they told me he's supposed to be getting fixed Wednesday when it gets fixed they're going to work with the train company cuz now it's over over loan on the tracks and we want it clean The Dumping is out of control I want to thank my colleagues for all the kind words even councilman Jackson had um his Aid say good things for me on his behalf so I appreciate you councilman Jackson we've been building a very good relationship the last couple weeks I'm sad that you know I I he already told me he wants to go door too with me in the First Ward I don't know what he's going to tell the neighbors so I'm going to take a pass on that for now uh but to the resident some of you have textt me it is Bittersweet I see Miss McCracken over there I'm not going anywhere I forgot to say that I'm not going anywhere people are like where you going I'm just taking my my approach I've always been known to get things done on the council I really hope I could do that in Trenton and one thing I'm going to learn that now I represent the entire city of Patterson I'm really ready to roll up my sleeves and try to get the job done to the same effort I put in the Sixth Ward I could commit to you I'm going to put that 110% for the entire city thank you everyone I do think this is going to be my last vote it's get a little late I got I got work tomorrow so that's not going to change so God bless you all my vote is yes thank you thank you councilman councilwoman cotton I'm I'm sorry councilman Del I'm oh that's right at least he can wait I'm councilwoman get CAU okay thank you madam clerk I just want to say I everyone did come out tonight um when I voted last week I voted no I was going to vote no again I understood how it is to be homeless I say to people all the time like you know everyone said here tonight that we only one paycheck away and and I just want to say me here as a councilwoman I wasn't born here but I've been raised here I knew what it was moving out at night cuz we couldn't pay rent I did all that you know I want to say to the community they heard you cuz it was 5'4 they heard you it should have been taken off last week it should have been off because you can't and then I I remember speaking to our Police Department cannot do this they can't even get to a car accident scene how they going to go pick up a homeless I mean you we were going to put so much pressure on them that they just it was just almost impossible for them to do that and I saying when you think about passing laws you have to think about how it it could be taken care of too and you know and I can say that um and Al said he going to be going down to Trenton but the federal government has to step in more they have to step in more do everybody remember the mount La case where they where you had cities who did not have want affordable housing in their cities cuz they always think affordable housing is for poor black folks that's what they think but there for poor folks no matter what color you are that's what affordable is for not just people of color for everyone who needs to get affordable housing who needs to have their rent paid by income and I say to um to to you out there for coming out and say this is what we need to do and you know and maybe we can go further I think what happened was when my Council colleagues said that there was beds I think maybe he was thinking about warming centers and not shelters cuz warming centers are not the same shelters and and those shelters are full two capacity I was able to get a young a guy into one of the shelters with the help of a young lady named April Brown April Brown picked this guy up for two days three days and took them for certain tests that you got to get done before you can get into a shelter that's right you got to get certain tests before you can even get in there and she took this young this young man to get that TV test to get that covid test so there's a process too of being able to get into the to the shelters and I want to say to the community there's some laws that I think that we need to look at everything you know my brother was incarcerated for 10 years but 20 years ago you can go to jail and get a college degree they took that away cuz then they say we making these people too smart that we have incarcerated he came out of prison with a ba degree that's not even happening anymore and we have to take a good look at those things and I think we need to bring it to our our our federal legislators that this is certain things that we need I always question HUD HUD based their rental on zip codes you got certain zip codes that get more money on zip codes when I'm saying 07 08 29 they get income based on zip code so why can't 07 only get in, 1500 but 09 is getting 2,000 per zip code so there's a lot of things that we need to look at to help and and make sure that our legislators and I know one thing we got to play close attention because let me tell you something when they out you gonna let us know when they start them State budgets you got to be in Tren they got to to be able to see you because when they see nobody sitting out there they think it's everything is okay that's how they think oh ain't nobody sitting out there ain't nobody asking for nothing ain't nobody no you need to go down there because I remember fighting with Anna tal PR for Early Childhood I remember fighting for three and four years too school for free I remember fighting for all day kindergarten they when they see you they think differently oh look at all them people sitting out there I got to sit up and act like I want to do what I need to do so there's a lot of things that I want to say to you community thank you for coming out thank you for coming out and expressing your concern for this homeless because everybody like abar says and I done been out on the line with abbar over there on Broadway now he's behind the Islamic Center on Auburn Street Feeding people helping people trying to give them the resource there's many organization I always say I'm here to help all I don't pick and choose and they people know me they know I don't pick and choose who I help because it's about the community I grew up here I know what it is I have people looking after me I'm looking after people you know my kids went to East Side my daughter went to Rosa Parks I believe in helping and I say when you help people it comes back twofold it comes back twofold when you help it comes back to you so I want to say to all you out in the community let's continue to do what we need to do and one thing you must understand is that things happen to us up here too we're not we're not immune from anything I know I'm not you our house don't got broken into I got to chase a man from the front of my house I live on 27th Street and 10th Avenue which is called a hot spot I know what it is so but I'm going to be there to help you you know I'm so fortunate that I'm I'm going to to talk to my neighbors cuzz you know what I want you to watch my house because if my kids doing something they ain't got no business you better tell me and I'm going listen so for that being said to you all out there thank you for coming out this was not a good thing we need to do our best to Rose our stes up and help each other and do what we need to do and so we can um share everything and the gentleman over there who spoke about that statue of governor and oror that was in the city of Patterson that was the Habitat for Humanity myself as a council woman who got a a man from Iowa and he sold us that statute for 60,000 he paid the 10% to the Marther King foundation and we were able passing habitat was able to raise that money over almost $300,000 to get that pocket park done it came from private donation and so I want to say I had the honor yesterday of going to Washington DC for the Dr King uh um uh Marth Luther King birthday celebration we went to the Metropolitan am d am church and I didn't know I had history I sat in a room I sat in a church where Frederick Douglas had his funeral in 1895 and when you go around and you and you sit with history it seems like something comes around you to make you feel like wow I'm sitting in here this church is a 185 years old who's been in that same spot also Rosa Parks is also uh service there so with that being said thank you all we got our hands full we got to get some work done we got to do let's work with each other let's stop picking and choosing who we help let's just work together and get everything done that we need to get done with that being said Madam clerk um my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman Dava so I'd like begin like to begin by saying this you know I I was in support of the ordinance um not because I wanted to criminalize you know the less fortunate um the city of patteron is close to 200,000 um um constituents and we get all and I'm just going to speak on self in terms of as councilwoman at large the amount of phone calls that we get from constituency about hey there is in my backyard hey the rodents hey so many things and so when this was presented in committee I said all right well it needs to move forward so it can the rest of the council um but I want to say this if anybody knows me knows that if you speak to me a certain way I listen I totally will shut down if you think that you can come and disrespect me and yell at me and curse at me because I don't agree with something that you want done but when you come here and you come with that passion to talk about the less unfortunate okay the unhoused you know G Greer said something you know to council president you've been there you've been there with me serving the homeless I've been there as well my father was homeless my father was a crackhead he was a drug addict he lived off the streets so would I want to see my father in j no and so as I sat here and listened to each one of you especially the women especially to hear Miss field speak about what she went through right I knew and this is after you guys spoke after I had already made a decision right that I was not in support because some of the language needed to change if there's no solution and we're just kind of like patch it up and put a Band-Aid okay and it's not going to work so I listen to each and every one of you you I am looking forward for it to come back to committee have the discussions with all the entities that want to be involved in it all right with the administration because you are right if you're homeless you don't have a job you don't have where to live right how you going to pay those fines and like you said when you come out that documentation that you need you can't get so it's a cycle and it'll continue to repeat now I'm going to tell you what I also and I was in support some of these individuals that are homeless I today walked in almost fell right in front of here because it was black ice I had to request for salt through the ba to be put in front and there was a lady and I said ma'am can we help you can we take you she did not want to get up she started laying down her bed and making her space and I said it is freezing I just walked the street across the street and I'm freezing I can't see you right didn't want to listen another G kin spoke to her didn't want to listen I'm happy to say that when I walk back out she was gone right which means that somebody assisted her to get her into a warm place the issues that I foresee with some of the the the the unhoused is that you got to I work in a place I work for p County College you know what it is to walk across manure so I don't say the nasty word that I see blood okay you know the the the the the smell of urine right and so and this is smacking downtown so this is why I need you to know why I was in support but again after hearing everyone out because like I said if you're speaking to me in a certain way you want to convince me there's a way to do it and I can tell you today that you've done that all right yes I do we need to have something done all right uh this this uh first reading ordinance you know it's going it's it's in second reading going back reverting to committee it's probably going to be a whole different one right and so you know with that said you know I am looking forward to hearing more so I want to thank you all to the constituency that came out to speak you know I I heard you loud and clear and lastly um when commissioner manaro spoke um I really I I felt a little moved because my colleague who's speaking right now not listening to what I'm saying okay um I was touched because you know Alice is someone that I call a brother from another mother okay and um I've worked very closely with him I I I he wasn't an elected official okay and he got the opportunity when the seat was was uh vacant because the then councilman became mayor okay it it it was through us that we were able to appoint him to to the seat and you know he has not let us down uh We've agreed to disagree I've been pissed off at him at times right but even in the best families but I'm truly going to miss him um he he's going to be wonderful at the state and I know that I spoke earlier but you know when commissioner mono spoke it just brought me back to those moments of you know the Christmases the the Easter hunts you know the turkey drives um you know hopping on a you know a fire truck with him going throughout the six Ward you know uh uh giving blessings you know to to six for residents not looking at who can or who couldn't right it was just a point anybody that extended their hand was given something and so um I I'm moved by that and I know that I'm going to continue working with him and that now you know I have another person you know at the state level so with that said Madam clerk uh thank you uh so much and uh to the constituency uh my vote is yes to close thank you councilwoman councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk let me start off by saying brother Keys um I often get accused of uh putting a battery in people's backs to come here and represent me I think if people understood really who you are and who you represent that you can never be maneuvered that way and and that's part of the reason why U Mr olivarez has become you know I made him my a because he's a individual who is a uh uh a firm and solo thinker and the fact that he came here and said something pleasant about Al if anybody thinks I en encouraged him to do that oh man listen I didn't have anything to say but I will say something now you know um I voted in favor of Mr abdalaziz to be appointed when I was forced to not be appointed my when the POS my seat in the first war vacated um I was forced to run a special election the then Council didn't see it fit to have someone appointed I submitted my letter of uh interest as well and uh I was denied that opportunity but I chose to support him I thought that um I was very optimistic when he came on the council I will give him credit he's very very intelligent very sharp but from my perspective he used that edge to uh to not do very good things in favor of the city of patteron all you got to do is look around so I mean I I I'm I'm congratulating him on his uh New Journey but that's about as far as it goes um and and what what you witnessing here is people who are and I've been saying this for years people who are in place to serve this community that don't understand the community in which it Services people who are incapable of moving around in certain segments and certain places of our community people who refuse to do so right because my mother you know she's out every Friday every Sunday helping the homeless contributing to their their conditions uhuh or trying to help their conditions providing things that they need food whether it's clothing whether it's uh um um condoms whether it's just somebody to talk to and I and I invite any of you to go out with my mother because she has a very personal relationship now mind you she doesn't need to do that she makes a very very good salary she owns her own business and she's the head of nursing at straight and narrow so and she's been she was hired there to recover their services when they their sis their uh uh program when it was on the verge of being failed and not being renewed she's a she's a a a a recovery specialist and she goes into organizations and fixes their Pro their issues and their problems and she if you if you uh uh open some of the emails that she has going back and forth It's about addressing the way in which people address the people that are in these conditions not only does my mother do it but my children out there with her so that quor Route 19 whether it's Walgreens parking lot all over the community all over the city when the people who are being paid handsomely to do so failed to do so people who got who've gotten substantial raises to do so might I add so let me go into this pastor Capers I I love you Pastor Capers and you know um um as a um Elder in the community I always respect what you do but the issue that I I have with with some with one of the things you talked about sometimes you just can't get along with everybody that is working in the same direction because they're not working in the same direction when you have people who are blatantly and trust me I've made every attempt I went in those closed doors I refrained from criticizing in public but what I've learned is that the corruption is real and people are cohorted or brought into and they have these discussions behind closed doors and come out here and do the absolute opposite in which they've said I've watched people come to the podium say and say something completely different than what they told me the night before now you can say a lot of things about Mike Jackson you could say Mike Jackson is I mean I I've heard all I've heard the gamut he's arrogant he's this he's compassionate on both sides one thing you're not going to say is I'm a Backtrack on something that I made a promise on that I'm a liar or that I riged on something that that I stand on now that's not to say that that I can't be wrong and I've been willing to acknowledge when I'm wrong and I think every council member up here has to be you know has to have the opportunity to acknowledge is that and that's why council president the moment we finish closing this I'm going to make a motion for that item that you brought forward because it can't just be moved off the agenda that's not how this works you should understand the role you play it must be either voted up or down it's on the agenda it was publicized and I think everybody who voted in favor should have an opportunity to vote this thing down show where you really stand don't duck behind closed doors the way you have always done because because I've written many pieces of legislation that this council president has blatantly kept off the agenda specifically an item that's on here tonight that took months to get on where landlords are illegally charging residents for parking it's on the city code it's in the zoning ordinance that charging for parking is illegal you would have thought I would have got the overwhelming support he made every effort to keep that item off the agenda so it's on it's on tonight we'll see who's going to support it and mind you it's not an ordinance it's not a res all it is is a feel-good situation it's saying that the council is encouraging the administration to do its job and stop allowing these landlords to illegally charge people for parking after they're paying $2700 or $3,000 a month in rent where people are being being maliciously evicted because they can't afford the rent and then they exacerbated by adding $200 parking fees on top of that when we give you permission to build a building in the city of patteron right then you have to present a plan that how many parking spaces are you going to provide not how many spaces are you going to rent and furthermore if you have a parking lot and you renting parking spaces you should be registered in licensing for having a licensed parking lot because that's how it works but we'll see who supports that also brother Thomas you'll be interested in hearing I wrote another legis piece of legislation to say let's reward our residents who turn in dumpers you see some people they have it on their Facebook page well the council president moved an an a uh a resolution to increase defines the $10,000 we haven't had one person get hit with $10,000 yet what I say said was let's let the community turn in these dumpers and then give them half of the fine maybe they can afford to pay for parking if they're collecting fines on all the illegal dumping going on in the city this item still hasn't made it to the agenda because council president is misusing his authority he doesn't even understand it in the corporation well as Miss as has been referred to in the past I'll give him credit credit is due I don't want to plagiarize Mr Gilmore has uh uh phrase it the E legal department has consistently ran blocked to keep these items off the agenda so we can't talk about how things are broken and we're not trying to fix it when we're doing things deliberately just to keep things off furthermore let's talk about before I go there sister Roberts talked about the the you know the opportunities that that nor has provided that's because the mayor and the council in nor understands the people that they service and they make an effort to extend themselves they go out there they have done the things that we claimed was going to happen here they provided home ownership opportunities they didn't sell their City when Raz had a major developer coming to the city trying to do what's happening in patteron he ran them out of nor that's the starch difference so when you look at the patteron Housing Authority that has absolutely failed the city of pison let's talk talk about this everybody's complaining how the uh uh uh the the city of pison is becoming so overpopulated that's not true think about all of the the uh uh the the the housing units that has been removed off the the Slate here in Patterson we knocked down the CCP we knocked down Grand Street it didn't get replaced with housing we knocked down Fifth Avenue that was replaced by smaller houses on all of those places so places where you had thousands of residents have now only 250 um residential units and then on top of that what did we do we turn those over to developers so they can make a $40 million developers fee and then charge $450,000 per unit in a market that only costs for 100 and I've said it every single time council president yet again wrong again I voted yes for that I'll vote again no I voted know on that because that was a travesty that was the city of Patterson being ripped off and how many complaints do you guys hear from fif AV where the where the place was built so poorly with cheap materials and yet the guy overcharged us I'm I'm not going to be much longer um I mean really really that's about it and and and and you know I'm going to continue to do what I do I don't need people to come here and speak on my behalf I'm ready very much so capable of speaking on my own behalf and uh um you know these are the these are the kinds of issues and I I really think I I appreciate everyone that came forward tonight you showed this Council who is the real boss that's the people the people came here and spoke and it spoke in volumes and I appreciate that so lastly I'll say this Madame ba I I I know that your your days are here are limited but I would hope that you can Aid in this in this space I don't know if aan or whomever is going to do it but from what I understand there's an asbestos removal that's going to take place in City Hall um my good friend my great friend Janine Gadson had recently lost her life to a cancer bout and I know that there's other people who work in City Hall who have concerns about their health issues whether it's um you know they're over up in age or um U you know just nobody should be subjected to this this um these conditions I'm wondering before this um this asbestos removal process what is the plan to relocate employees that don't feel comfortable with working there and what is the plan to keep employees safe um that that that are forced to come work there when people in on the second floor and council members in particularly aren't um require re ired to come into the building I'm I'm hoping that we can get an answer on that tonight maybe you could text the mayor find out what is his plan or even if you can affirm or deny whether or not there is an in asbestos removal situation going on but I think that is very very important um that we make sure that people who work hard for our community and and are grossly underpaid aren't putting their lives at risk at the same time Madame clerk um please look forward to my motion the moment this you call for the vote after this I will be motioning for Council president's item to be brought up for a vote but right now my vote is yes thank you councilman councilman khik thank you Madame clerk I want to thank everyone for coming tonight it was a great listening session for me you know I mean I heard everybody's concerned like many of my Council colleagues said this is a bigger than just a city issue it's a federal issue State issue Regional issue then when you come to City I haven't I don't recall voting on any project or anything with the homelessness because of this subject came up council president be bought this ordinance up because of the many complaint that we got but we should have done a better betting definitely that's the reason council president removed it I think we should he has the right to remove it I think we should support him we should go back to the drawing board to come up with a solution we could come here we could pack this house and then what's the plan what's the solution what that's that's what I'm looking for I'm looking for some kind of solution at least because of this ordinance all this organization came up came to the council meeting tonight I haven't seen all this organization come up before even the the law Fir and spoke everybody know we have a issue with homelessness in city of patteron why haven't they come in in front of the council before and talk about it come up with a plan or solution look Council council members we have this plan for city of Patterson no why are they here they might lose some profit or something that's why they're here that's the fact what that's the fact these people work with big big developer to build those homeless shelter and make money I'm talking about big law firms coming in he said it when to lakeood or something build something there is a real estate there the most of the work they do is real estate so we we need to keep our eyes open as well I want to see a plan for them or anybody what are we going to do was what so funny councilman you say realtor man is a realtor they work they work for Real Estate big real estate companies the law firm who came here do do your do your research you will see I have done my research there isn't a there isn't a there there isn't a word you will not find everybody was coming here talk about homeless homeless people homeless people you will not find a word in this whole ordinance says homeless look from top to bottom I understand I I I understand that I understand I understand their part as well I understand their part as well I understand I we do have a lot of resources out there in city of pison as well hey we need to bring we need to of the just try to close public portion city of I'm speaking city of patteron as a city we don't have resources we have to like we need to go to state level state legislator we do have a representative in the state probably we should myself I'm talking to myself I should talk to the I should talk to the state legislator um just continue just continue right so maybe I should talk to the legislator see if there is any any any federal funding State funding out there so we could give to the organization or the people who helping out there so they could help those those homeless uh individual and this ordinance as far as I know has nothing to do with homeless not even one word is say is say homeless on it not even one word we will see on this whole ordinance as homeless and um and we we closing we closing the Public Public we we closing the public portion like I said we need to go to state and federal level to get the funding to get right I did not see we hear about this homelessness I did not see any of this organization come in front of this uh Council from from other towns or what not to to to let us know about concern they have the concern they have at least at least we have now at least we are discussing the issue because of this ordinance came up I think I think that's a that's a starting point we could use this as a we could use this as a starting point to to come up with a solution my vote is yes thank you Madame clerk thank you councilman councilwoman Ms so let me do what I do every week by saying thank you to the public that is present and that is watching there's something that I learned from uh my my babysitter and my mentor councilwoman Ames she always talks about there's two types of power there's people power and there's money power and I go deeper not just people power but there's power of the pen where you can write emails and letters there's power of your presence which you showed tonight and there was power of your voice by approximately 33 people 33 to 34 people out of 35 spoke to this issue I was one of the people that voted no I believe the root of homelessness is multifaceted it cannot be capsulized into one area it can't just be drug addiction or mental health there's many um extensions of it that grows to different places right when we're out there talking to the people in the community and I'm I'm very if if you go out into the community or you've done the um touch Point initiative which we've done many times with Pate County we've been out there all night counting talking to the homeless giving out uh scarves gloves soup uh turkeys feeding them or whatever we have to realize that these are humans and we have to show compassion because at any given point any any one of us could be in the same situation that they are in the trauma that is experienced by people that are in the shelters the trauma that is experienced by people that are coming out of whatever their scenarios from their home environment to be in the street sometimes they feel being on the street is better than dealing with the trauma that they're dealing with behind doors and so I thank all the organizations that are touching the community I remember with real fix Madame B a at boie if you're watching Council mot and we were on uh the committee and one of the things we talked about was how do you identify who the homeless are how are you connecting with them and one of the recommendations was you we need you to be connected to some of the boots on the ground organizations like a Ruby's Vision James Johansson um Dr Moody and so many others and now they're connected because they're on the ground with these people black lives matter they're on you you are are on the ground every single day high Foundation I talked about it like for me it's not just about smoking mirrors or just vote and no just to vote no I talked about the fact that Patterson is the county seat for Social Service concerns so we get a we get 500,000 people from all over the county that can come here to get their meth treatments all that from straight and narrow where whatever the facilities are and my recom Commendation to the administration was there needs to be an exit strategy or Exit Plan when they come in from these different towns there should be Vans parked in certain locations to say by 5:00 we're going to take you and take you back to your community that will help resolve some of the concern not all of it but it will help I remember with the needle exchange program when we were out um on Broadway and it got out of control we fought and advocated right G we fought Victoria we were out there with signs um Lizzy uh Elizabeth fate we were out there with signage and we were able to that's when we found out that there was so many violations we went inside of the building on Broadway and we were able to like force their hand and write letters so that they can clean it up and now you have different organizations thank you black lives matter so many people that are doing it that are on the ground but that was based on us not just sitting behind these desks as legislators I'm born and raised in Patterson so I I know the community very well I'm from the fourth ward and I've lived in every W of the city except for the sixth but I eat there all the time but I know the community firsthand I deal with the parents at because I'm an educator so I deal with them every single day they have concerns we go out we're talking to them right zel's the educator uden's the educator we're we're in these families every day so it's different for uh some of us we were begging and you should go back and listen to the meeting we were like no we shouldn't do this for me it wasn't about the fines and the imprisonment that's a totally different scenario right just the fact that we would point to the homeless population was offensive to me because it's people's parents out there grandparents uncles auntie I salute ACLU councilman bz thank you for the hard work that you did by making sure they come to give some real legal Sound Advice to come and um give their two cents but I want to shout out all of the community organizations this is how you move the city forward when you don't like something and you want to challenge the status quo patteron stand up come out show up and I'm telling you that is how things shift and change you got the power the power of the pen the power of your presence and the power of voice I'mma say this in closing I don't really you know it doesn't really bother me when people come to the mic I love it cuz it makes me feel important like if somebody takes out their time to come to the mic to say what they say to me because it's freezing it's like seven degrees outside so when you take your time out to come out of the cult and come to the mic to have something to say about Council and Ms I appreciate it because you're just making me more popular you're making me stay in my seat and I appreciate it because if people are not talking that means you're not doing anything but when people are saying things that means you're doing something and the people either see it where they're going to criticize or whatever the scenario is I am here to do the people's business I was elected to do it there was no certain uh Power no none of that stuff that got me here I ran for office because I saw that there were things that needed to change and that's how I started in politics 10 years ago sitting in a classroom saying we need to have people at the table that will fight for the people in the community so my vote was no last week my vote would have been no tonight cuz it's just inhumane and it lacks compassion to direct our attention to the homeless we have to help bring some workaround programs and identify what the root cause analysis is and then we can develop whatever the long-term plan or Solutions whether it be shelter whether it's um the exit strategy of taking them and putting Vans and taking them back to their their several municipalities or directing to whatever resource or program that is available or may not be available we need to develop it that should be um the answer but Madam um mam clerk with that being stated my vote and I hope I address everyone because there was so many speakers um and then to the lawyer because I wrote it um I well first before I say that this item shouldn't even be table it should be garbag period like it should not there should be no let's go back and talk in a committee it should just be garbage like we just sometime when we realize we we make a mistake we have to like eat it take it to the chin and that's it right something came forward it wasn't right just take it to the chin we got to find a way to really help these homeless or people that I'm not going to even call them homeless less fortunate right because any one of us could be homeless any day or less fortunate any given time if a paycheck is taken from us or a job is taken from us so I I want this to be council president I want this item to be totally table I'm not garbage removed never to tabled indefinitely that's what I would like uh it to be stated Madam Clerk and I want that on the record that this item be table indefinitely never to return again with that being stated my vote is yes to close the public portion thank you councilwoman councilman Udin all right so good evening Patterson uh those who are watching us live and those those are here um in this freezing weather came here to make your voice hard and um I know that the ordinance that we voted two weeks ago regarding uh the uh tenting on the public property and I know this matter um sparked uh the uh community members and that's why you're here and we heard your concerns and complex ideas as well I when I voted positively last about two weeks ago and those who are here or those who watched live I asked multiple question to the director who addressed or brought this item to the uh Council chamber and I asked the question which is that whether we have enough housing facility for the individuals that living in our city street you know the responses came we do and uh and also response response was that we still have enough facility available and nobody's using those facilities that was the responses so again you came here and just know this that when I supported it and I this is that was my question before I make my mind but I believe that by just coming here or starting a conversation that was never I mean in my term been that accute or that severely has taken place in this chamber I think this is the ice breing whether by mistake or whatever the reason I think that conversation should be taken in serious consideration it should not just you know doesn't matter we can say that uh we can vote it down or up if we just say this this is what we are talking about our point of view that our stand our ego but you said this is not about our ego we can make mistake but we need to have the courage to correct ourselves so my point is that when people came here I used to there not only emotional concern were shared there was strategic and statistical point of view were shared in this chamber so why not we the community members and the experts they are dealing with the the unhoused people whose scenarios are not just one way that very complex everyone has their different stories different scenarios and all the situation not going to be covered or is soled by one Solutions so I believe that since the conversation started here with a sparked room I want to see that this is continuing on until or unless we find a proper solution for the homelessness my my point is again that this is not just the our cities issue also we have to share this concern with our neighbor municipalities and see what we can do together to solve this problem now uh whether as you know cons cons president I removed this item I I I actually am happy that we did actually vote in if we would vote today what could happen is if we just stand in our ego then we would stand on our same decision just to make oh don't call me flip-flop that I change my vote just to stay on this and some people might say oh did you see what the other council members did this is not the issue about what council members making decide this is about the community issue so I would say that he put it back let's have the indepth conversation let's find proper solution and that solution should not just come from the council members but the people who are dealing with that issue who has kind of strategic idea to share with I think I am totally in favor of this and I don't want it to come here back again with the with just no change or slight change I believe that since so many people got involved again my request is whoever got involved I don't want them then to just go away and come back another day no I wanted to stay with it until we find a proper solution so this is this is my hope again uh just no this that homelessness when we are and when I voted last time in favor that we my thing was that this homelessness issue is not just Patterson's issue people also throwing their problem to our shoulders because we are too welcoming so now we understand that it's not just we are just bringing people from outside but also we have our own issues so we have to find the solution for our community members and how we can not take the other people's parden on our shoulder we to find that solution as well so patters and those who came here uh again I thank you for making your voice hard uh Community when you come together we correct ourselves we have to listen to you because we are the one who gave us the job so I want it to be stay United and make make your voice hard correct ourselves and let's work together again um I I thank you for your stand right here and I think with your stand don't just leave just find a proper solution for this homelessness that we have here in our city and with that being said um I I I I salute you and and my word is yes thank thank you councilman no this is this this is this is how no that that came here and I think I think we need to take the uh uh recommendation in consideration of course thank you I thank you too thank you councilman villis so should I do a commercial before for clear up the wave before I speak this is what I going to say last time I believe uh Council Ruby K voted no councilman Jackson voted no council r u lman voted no and I voted no and we have not changed our statement but those the Ved yes continue changing their statement and they contradict their self because if I go to support something I will say right now let's put it to a vote and let's kill it right now and let's come back with a real plan what will be the real plan I have straight and narrow in the fifth W I have EV Village in the fifth W I have Oasis in the fifth W I have oases in the other side I believe St arrow in the other side in the house that they serve um in um uh Cedar Street they have another shelter place there they assist family and everybody all the way around I have a numerous Church in the fifth war from diversity Community from divers uh religion since they I wish C me but you could listen to the broadcast afterwards if you go back at the workshop that was televised talking about this issue I was against it from the beginning and I put the facts on top of the table what was it you see all that stuff that they said that they going to go to Trenton and take it with them that they go to Lobby now in Trenton to bring funding that's what I just say the last con Workshop that where is the state where is the first of all I say it was the Federal Government it was the national government uh problem now where was the federal government where was the state where was the county and then trigle to help Patterson in the problem that we have also I mentioned let's go out out of Patterson and ask Newark helden no helden Clifton P what they doing and Wayne what in Elo Park what are they doing to not have hom homeless in their unsheltered individual in their City let's go let's go there and and ask them right and this and let's take let's take the example of Newark 57% reduction of homelessness only because trailers trailers uh containers sorry containers now that was in 2023 57% reduction of homeless population in Nork but also it didn't say it came only with Government funding it came with private partnership so if we start calling those Partners you know how many Sealands company uh containers out there that they have containers taking water Sun snow and they don't use them that's when partnership come and say listen I need trailers I have a land in patteron that I need to create shelter and here comes probably them say you know what let me donate containers to the city of patteron how they going to override and taxes they know how to do it they've done it before now identify the land you have right here in the first word where the supermarket is at city patteron land on front of it by Memorial Drive you know the supermarket city patteron land okay how you could build those trailers those containers to home uh to have housing let's ask Community Development to gu a HUD HUD funding grants for housing they could use that money and allocated for building up 20 apartment with kitchen or whatever into it and I believe that's what administration and the future ba that come forward say you know what let's take this for serious let's take this topic serious let's get the HUD funding we assign on how much $500,000 and allocated to the Hy Stadium money is supposed to go to H uh to housing went to hickl Stadium so we take that funding and we create that partnership and build the same thing that no had built or how we going to give security how are we going to put the resource in there that's what we call the organization that's here we put aside a line it them on the budget the same way that we put 2% of recreation for recreation the same way we could put 3% 2% for a homeless office resource office and put the money there for organization like the one today here the BLM okay and other organization could say you know what I want to particip I want to apply with this plan that I have in my organization funding to work in that facility of shelters for homeless that's a plan but today if you look at the ordinance amended it's not a new ordinance they adding to the uh disorderly conduct ordinance 1951 is adding a i and under the I beside that I read all the one of a b CDE e f that stay the same that is all the sly conduct in the city of P they want to add one more and that one more is the one that is talk having in in the comments today and the in the conversation okay so why I should tell a person that is not like me or you that have a salary you know that they are disorderly conduct when they don't have a place to go and then we start involving faith base involving mosque involving people that say that Allah is good and God is good and and they are good for us let's involve them the government cannot do it by itself we cannot do it by itself let's involve those individual that are boots in the ground that people are working out there you know probably you going to put me in another card in next week uh uh on your nice beautiful lyrics I love it when you come here I always tell you about that but that's a plan when Mr Grier came here saying that I he said that it was a plan for a building that Mr Flor was putting for the community for shelter that was turned down by the board the board commissioner are the one to say you know what we want a kitchen we want a playground we want parking we want this before we approve it they didn't did that they just denied it there condition that they have to put that's why it's a board there the same condition they put any other project and they make people like missable sometimes they should say you know what we got a nice beautiful project here let's put some condition and make it happen and make it happen and once again we could correct our problems involving the people that always in the boots and the ground in the city of p i see BLM uh be black life matters in the fourth W with that little van up and down picking up needles and giving back needles I see them by myself I don't know whoever don't see them probably they don't boot under ground they go bu other experienced individual I rece rece 100 calls about problems I receive 100 calls by this but reality I could opener the phone to check how many call they got or how many call they have missed and how many call they have not attend and then they come here and say I receive hundreds of calls if you receive a hundreds hundred of call in one day I don't know where they what phone they using it's a problem in the city pastor we all on I see it we not ignoring that what we seeing it we not we not ignoring here says in this ORD says let me say this in this ORD says that you cannot camp or train station oh look at this I love this no person should sleep on public sidewalks Street Alleyways under any Bridge or train station but I took the part train station right you know who responsible train station New Jersey Transit when there was a problem under the train station in downtown on the first W I had a meeting with New Jersey Transit I believe you was in that meeting I think councilwoman was in that meeting uh Dava and we sat down with them and said this is a problem in your property they came up with that fence and they took all the homeless out from there now the problem is that they clean inside City Patterson clean the outside and they dump the ball each other oh that's your problem this is my problem you know who problem is a plan a real plan a PR go back to the news when this Administration went down to Newar with the Department of work Public Work Director in the four first four years at the administration to see what we new was doing with those container and they took pictures they did a nice beautiful U show out there but you know how they came back saying it's too expensive it's not expensive for taxpayers if you know how to Lobby the federal government for Hut money for housing the same way they Lobby money for HUD for other program they should have H from HUD to lobby for housing ladies and gentlemen I will not leave today once again when they say they table is they kill it they cannot come back unless is amended the real way and this decorative part of we're not going to find we just going to talk obligate him to do community service so you first before you get community service where you have to go to a community in the court get a ticket be logged in the computer like you violated ordinance or law and then a judge had to say are you guilty not guilty the person say you're guilty now you get community service you still are putting that person in the system of Criminal Justice so don't come now and say we're going to take out the penalty and we going to so instead of giving you a rose I going to give you a flower but you going to take the same penalty in the system you're going to be tagged in the system so the real plan is table this the administration responsibility is to sit their director the director DPW the director Community Development and the chief of staff when they bring one that only sign and a nice ba that don't come back and leave you know and sit down and say let's create a real plan that satis y the residence of patteron let's bring the state and tell the state clean out a quarterer in rule 19 clean our quarter and Rule 80 clean our our state and County Roads beautify our city the laws are putting already in play the law in place if you are blocking a sidewalk there is a ordinance a tcop that say you cannot block the sidewalk there's ordinance say that you cannot drink in public there's ordinance say that you cannot put loud music there's an ordinance councilman Jackson put okay amended that nobody should be asking for money at the at the restaurants uh panhandling McDonald's windows or whatever the same individ is still there they not enforcing it the Pand of the ordinance on the street that they make a big next press conference and put signs on on Marcus Street and straight Street they stole the signs and they still asking for money in the street and the last meeting I say what we doing is tying up the police in Petty things and there's other crime to take here in the city of Patterson that I don't believe they are doing this crime yes there's a problem nobody want to seeing this in any cities but we now addressing it right and that's why it's getting out of hands when we start addressing it right and correctly with the right people that understand that have the passion and the compassion council president sometime emotion will lead you to failure because those emotion are not the real thing it's not what you meant is not what you believe so I think that we go to do legislation with a passion make sure there's compassion in that legislation saying that Madame clerk with a respect of what was sorry with a respect of what was published with the respect what was saying today the public will be more satisfied that this be taken to to a vote and if you know that you have a plan and that you know you have better idea what was put in front of us then let's sit down and do the right thing let's vote this down let's kill it and let's do the right thing for those that really deserve to do the right thing saying that my vot is yes to close public portion thank you council president thank you madam clerk um first of all let me just take a quick moment to address some of the comment at the uh the resident I just want to say thank you thank you to all the Resident for just being here um Brother G one of the Brother G recommendation during his public portion was that I should let the community know that this item was pull it was of the agenda one of the reason why the director is not here is because that item was not on the agenda but I say you know what no I'm not perfect but I I want to I want the community in the room because if we believe and we realize that we have that we don't have a problem with with a Hess situation that we facing in pis if we don't admit it we have a problem we have a problem I want to say thank you to Shira Roberts dollar paper uh Mr Jeffrey the lawyer uh zel thas this is re um Nicholas loado Bren Anton uh Anna Martin uh Mr Alexander Alex Santiago danan also uh brother Mike from pris Avenue um also sh uh sharah brother adbar Edgar Rios Alicia Parker Victor RZ Sebastian Mahia Mr Jackson uh P McCrae Mrs Emily and Ivan RZ Kenny fredman Linda MOA Joe key Felicia wal espira jaer Deborah and brother G I got every comment from each of the the speaker that came in I took notes and I'm going to I'm going back to that notes and have a discussion and let me just explain up a little bit about how this came out I mean you have your opinion now let me explain to you my I'm very open very transparent I love the city of patteron I came this with to this city with nothing nothing on my hand patteron I've been I've been blessed in this city this is City gave me everything I have and I love the city of p and you hear Brother G yes I've been out feeding the homeless I've been out at night I was the one very instrumental to demolish the property across the street from the barbar park when doing Joey Torah Administration to avoid the problem that we were facing I help to clean barbar Park I've been active in this community it's not my first time but I'm very transparen and I'm a I'm a human being and I and I'm a person I make mistake I'm a human being but this not a mistake take this is the opinion that I have council members please this is my opinion and I and I this councilwoman all right thank you so and I and I and I need this I I need I need this comment I need the feedback from the community when we start this conversation first of all I ask Corporation counsel about this penalty and that's the basic on legal term that the legal department add on any legislation that's the basic Sher Inon is is being the person behind this and you know Sharon inst her leadership in this community she's all about Community leader she's all about helping the people and she's not about putting people in jail those people that know sh e her concern is that we're not addressing those people that are dying in the community if you think that it's all right not to address the problem that we facing with those homeless in front of the school they out there unting doing everything because they don't have any place to go so if you believe that it's okay that we should not do anything because it's fine uh you know homeless in front of the school our children don't have a choice our children need to go to the school in the morning they need to see those thing they leave the school in the afternoon and they see those thing our seniors don't have a choice our females but they have a choice and we got to help them my whole idea with this is to help them what happened in the city of patteron it's not happening in any City in P County and I as myself myself why is this I said legislator cannot stay quiet here I'll be a hypocrite if I say no everything is fine no we have to find a way to help those people and trust me believe me that there's a lot of organization with the city of Paro that they could do more we have to sit on the table last night I went to the shelter on 585 West Broadway there was only five people there when I went up on on West Broadway there's a lady and a Gentleman under the bridge across the street from the health department nobody stop by there to help those people so what are we talking about nobody stopped by there those sleep they slep there it was freezing last night that's my concern and I refuse to sit here and do nothing about it you know what the legislation is has some challeng has some problem I agree and I'm very happy to see everybody here I I disagree with Brother G because you know what those leader that came in front of us I don't take this as a I take this as a learning experience and I took notes because I want to make sure tomorrow I'm having a meeting with the director Jo Ramirez and we we're going back we're going to invite all those entity that are here but we're going to sit at the table and we're going to find a solution for the problem that affecting this community it's not fair to have those people on in 10 sleeping in the street doing everything out there we could do more and we we need to do more now let's talk about what happened in the beginning of the C blue we have the best uh warming Center in the city of pison which is with 60 Tempo Street housing authorities refus to allow the city to utilize 6 Tempo street because it was doing renov it was going through some renovation that renovation hasn't take place I sent a letter to the Housing Authority nobody make any comment about that we got the best warming Center you know where's the warming Center that we have now fight f w brother and there's no bed there only chairs you could go in there you sit on the chair you don't have a bed to rest that's not a warming Center we got to do better pison and I'm excited and I'm very happy that every entity came into the came in front of the council to address the problem I got all your concern and I'm going to take action I'm going to take action with this follow with with a meeting tomorrow and every entity that want to sit that want to sit on the table we really need your help I'm just going to say it from the elected official standpoint we need your help black Liv matter oh those entity I cannot do it alone but I'm a legislator the same way I introduce the legislation to increase the fine for those people that are coming from out of town and dumping in the city of pison it's AEM legislation I ask Corporation Council for advice and it's here there's no I I haven't seen one legislation that is perfect we need amendment in every legislation I I I spoke with Kat Stewart been in conversation with Corporation Council for NOA Kat Stewart I've been meeting with entity that you hear from here so even my father's been sick for over a week at the hospital and I leave the hospital to meet with entity I've been I've been at St Joseph hospital for a week with my father and every time I have opportunity to to meet with somebody to address the problem I leave the hospital I said let me we because we need to find a solution but if you come here in front of the council you tell me no what you're doing is wrong and what happened in the city paron is right I will tell you that you're wrong and I will tell you that you don't care about the C paron I will tell you right in your face and just my opinion but I will tell you in front of you not behind you back I will tell you because those people that are in our community there need help they're mentally sick they have addition and it's not easy we got to we got to go into those places and tell them no it's not a choice that you stay here we need to help you and there's help out there but we got to go and reach out to those people so what are we expecting we're expecting for them to die right there with this weather that's what we respecting and after that because you know it sounds nice politically sounds very emotional and so people take advantage about all of this and I don't blame that that's thing that's not me when I'm sitting in this there when I'm sitting here I work and I find solution I try to put Sol a resolution that help the city that's what I tried to do and I'm not perfect and I'm excited about what happened today because I see a lot of entity that they have to be on the table they cannot be from outside you cannot tell me that what I'm what I'm doing is wrong I'm gonna ask you so what are you what's your suction because I need your help I don't have an answer I need you help and all I'm asking all those entity in the city of parison open the door I need we need your help it's not it's not it's irresponsible and unacceptable that way how people intend brother Adar he was talking about the crew 19 across the street from those 10 10 there's the school elementary school across the street do you think this fair for the children to see what they see in the morning in the afternoon so that's a question that I have so if it's fair for the children to see what's going out with this situation at the street and homeless and and people that have doesn't have any place to go if you tell me that it's a r we have a problem in the cityor P so all I'm asking is that let's go back to the table let's have a conversation and thank you because we need your help I don't have an answer for that we're going back to the health department I'm going to fight with the count I'm going to fight with everybody because I refuse to live in the city that I see right now I I went to E18 by the raal track and it break my heart to see so many people right there and nobody's going there to tell them listen you cannot stay here but let me help you let me get you a safe place that you could stay you know let me Feit you let me help you you have mental problem you have just we're going to help you because we have resources there's entity that they getting resources to help people so those entity are the one that I'm asking then I need your help we need your help and I'm crying for help right now I'm not going to stay quiet about this this legislation I ask Corporation councel he know that the legislation is God it's not out it's not table going going back to the workshop this legislation will be out we're going back to the table and humbly all I'm asking all those entity that came in let's be part of the solution because we need your help we cannot do it alone this is a big problem okay so this is uh this is stable so we don't even have to go there um it just it just out of the agenda just no I haven't vote I haven't voted council member just stay quiet listen I mean not I'm sorry councilman just a minute just a minute stay quiet it was it wasn't about you councilman just uh yeah Jackson you like to instigate things let me let me go with you now let me go with you now the reason why your legislation is in the floor is ready for a vote it's because you finally thank God follow Corporation council's advice I will encourage everybody to watch the council meeting last week the workshop I told you in your face finally the reason why the legislation is that is because you allow Corporation Council to go over review it do it correctly and sign on as a council president I have a responsibility I cannot put any legislation that is not being reviewed by Corporation Council and I know you were so irresponsible with a lot of things but you were pretending for me to add you item that is not being reviewed by Corporation Council he's here to protect us so you are on the legal committee one of the main reason why I put you on the legal committee is to follow the process don't come to me you need to learn to go to the Committees and do your job now when you put a legislation I'll be more than happy I had nothing nothing against you brother my job as a c president is to bring this Council together and if you have a very good idea how I'm going to say no if I love the city parel how I'm going to stop you with a good idea if I know if the right thing to do I can't I can't and I would never do that all I'm asking you is follow the process and any council member and and their witness I never I never in my second term as council president I never stop any Council college for bringing legislation into the floor that help the city par in closing Madame ba I wish you the best of luck we have a lot of work to do I don't know who's going to be your replacement but we have a lot of work to do so I know you're not know you moving into a different level um I just going to say I wish you the best of luck with that be say my vote is yes mad cler thank you the votes are nine in favor none against the public portion is hereby Clos CL let's take item 27 Kirk I make a motion to move item number one for a vote second there's a motion in the second on the floor clerk I'm sorry no just stay there c m just The Corporation Council man clerk there's um I make in the beginning I made my comment and I asked for advice for legal for Corporation Council he definitely asked me that he told me that it I was correct I could I have I could definitely take the item off the agenda that's what I did in the beginning of the meeting now two council members they put a motion to vote on this item that is that is being removed out of the agenda I need Corporation councel legal advice for Corporation councel and mad cler if that's to because I I already me mention on the multiple occasion that the item is being removed from this agenda and then if you want you dis to me and then after that make the record on all right I'm sorry um can you just repeat that I'm so sorry no problem so in the beginning of the meeting I mentioned a multiple occas that item number one is being out of the agenda it's being removed so I asked for a legal adice from Corporation Council he told me that rightfully so I could definitely move the item out of the agenda so we're not voting this item is back is out of of the agenda now I have a motion from councilman Jackson s up by councilman M to vote on the item that I already removed so I need Corporation Council legal opinion and I need your opinion and um before we move on the item has been removed from the beginning I mention that okay I'm not even sure where to go with this now to be honest with you I'll just defer to Corporation Council Corporation Council council president thank you um so so when the council president takes action particularly on an item like this to remove it from the agenda it's presumed to be uh on consent and unanimous if a council member objects to Corporation Council has floor council members please can I finish please cooperation Council please continue councilman Jackson may I finish absolutely thank you so when uh normally council president when you remove an item on agenda it's presumed to be done um unanimously and on consent but in this situation where you have uh several council members that are objecting to it if you want to table the item you would have to put it uh to a vote to table it and if it passes then the item would be tabled if if it doesn't pass then the item would uh proceed on the agenda and proceed to a vote is there already a motion on the floor we appreciate your your um your outline council president as on the floor there's a motion on the floor as the president you should be councilman Jackson be vastly counil Jackson there a motion on the floor guy doesn't even understand his Ro I totally understand you try to be so disrespectful that's what happened I'm not like you I follow legal advice thank God that you sitting on this chair there's a motion on the floor for ID don't number one to be considered for a vote is being moved by councilman Jackson second by councilwoman m we need a unanimous vote to bring this to bring this Idol back into the agenda we do not need it it's already on counc counc president that that's I took off the agenda so if I may coration Council just for clarity purposes so in order for for you to table it over the objection of other council members there has to be a motion to table it and Council have to vote uh if if Council votes to table it then it's tabled if the motion to table fails then it would proceed uh for actual vote on the item okay well it's already it's already a motion there a motion there already motion on the item number one there's a motion and second to vote on it item number one mad clerk let's read item number one and second read to the record and you either vote up or down I'm Sorry's that item number one there's a there's a motion on the floor to continue with item number one motion the table it's uh there not a motion to take it's a motion to for to take item number one for a vote okay do you understand canoll call Madam clerk Madame clerk should I read item into the record M public hearing is now open for item number one those wish please read into the record cler before we continue item number one uh for a second reading public hearing is required ordinance amending chapter 195 of the Patterson New Jersey Code camping on public property Health and Human Services order uh or ordinance number 25-1 it was moved by Jackson second by m who mov in second Public heing public hearing now open members of the public that which you speak on item number one um the floor is now is open to speak on item number one move to close second move to close on item number one on public hearing move by councilwoman Dava second by councilwoman Ms Ro call man to close the public portion on item number one roll call I'm sorry cotton roll call to close the public portion on item number one councilman abdelaziz councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson yes councilman KH yes councilwoman M A Clos public portion yes yes yes councilman Udin yes counc president my V is yes CL the votes are seven in favor uh two absent um it's closed thank you mad cler roll call Mad cler on item number one on second reading roll call on item number one on second reading councilwoman cutton no councilwoman Dava I already made my statement before no no okay councilman Jackson thank you madam Clerk and just for a point of clarity this is not to an effort to uh oh you're not supporting to have a disdain because obviously this is something that's not not good for the community but this is definitely an effort to show that um uh there's a there's a process here and everybody has to follow by that process as the council president you should know what the process processes first of all the City attorney is not the parliamentarian now to the deputy Clerk's um um uh dismay she's not the clerk Madam clerk is out and you know she may she there may be some things that she's not as familiar with so there is no issue with um um you know calling on Corporation counsel or anyone else but I'm explaining it to him he doesn't even understand that he does not have the authority to just put things on the agenda remove things from the agenda and that's part of the issue we're having here there's a process and this Council functions as a body of one not as a president you don't have the all owed authority to make certain decisions now and to move things a certain way now you were embarrassed this proves that this was a terrible idea you felt adate about it but I'm still looking for your support for all of these other items that I that I did right now I'll just make this last point I'm a legislator that is my job to legislate now it's just so happens that I've been the only person to write my own legislation my legislation never requires a legal opinion never requires yes we would submit to a legal opinion and the attorney it's happened in the past the attorney can advise the council that this may not be the right thing to do and the council may feel adamant strong about it and say you know what we're still going to approve it if my item was insufficient which the attorney failed to talk about why it was insufficient he just said it's legally insufficient no that's not what a legal opinion is based upon I'm disappointed that the lawyers had already left a legal opinion is based upon based on this law this statute this F federal guideline this city ordinance this zoning ordinance this is why it's not and that was never provided but not going to prolong this this is a great thing to see this thing um be voted down in a unanimous fashion it shows that the council truly understands and appreciates the community's perspective and I'm happy to be the one that have brought that forward Madam clerk my vote is no thank you councilman councilman K thank you madam CL is clear council president stated to table he on the table this item removed from the agenda go back to square one and it's pretty clear some of the council member want to make a fuss out of it so V yes yes I will vote Yes with my points okay coun many of the city around us we don't see any homeless people you don't see people people people um sleeping sleeping in the park here and there there are probably few but not as many as CIO parison why because they have a legislation like this in book legislation like this in book we have to start somewhere and many of these nonprofit organization even come came here to tonight they get funding to do some work in the community to help prevent this homelessness as well homelessness when this we do need more we do need more funding definitely we do we need to all work together I don't want to see somebody froze to death out there with this ordinance in place the police officer will have a teeth on the on the law so at least they could go get them from freezing to death they might not want to they might not want to go they might not want to go I know that what he says is harsh in there the judges has comp the police officer have comp you don't think they have compassion hey is is is that's my opinion that's my opinion you could laugh all you want everybody has something in it that's my belief and my vote is yes madame clerk thank you councilman councilwoman Mims so I I'm glad that we're actually going through the process of voting on this item um I will stay consistent to the from the very beginning um the root of homelessness is multifaceted we're not going to fix it by putting people in jail we're not going to fix it by um finding them as a matter of fact I didn't get to allude to it earlier but we have something in place called the criminal Bell reform so even if you lock them up within two to four four hours they're going to be out based on their own recognizes so taxpayers you would pay for each of these people if they were to get locked up you would pay for that right taxpayers you would pay for the police officers whether in regular time or overtime and then you would pay if there were lawsuits based on whatever action took place in the interaction of them trying to be removed because we all know that there are some homeless that are very aggressive very when you're trying to approach them trying to go to them and have interaction especially if you're trying to remove them from where they've been which they've marked as their territory so there's a lot of people pieces um that goes to this and I think before um anything like this ever comes back that we have to consider the person and not not whatever else is going on but we have to look at people as humans and be more compassionate with that stated my vote was no in the beginning my vote has not changed my vote is no thank you madam clerk thank you councilwoman councilman uden thank you madam clerk um so Patterson the purpose is not to criminalize ing the uh homelessness or unhoused people maybe the way of proposing is wrong maybe we have to find proper solution maybe the the the way we we were addressing it maybe that was not the proper way but since our purpose is to find a home for them or not welcoming the problems from our neighbor towns or throwing their problems on our shoulder I think that that those who came here today and I believe and those uh nonprofit those those supposed to give shelters and they are as they stated I believe that we need a presentations from all these stakeholders the care about Patterson I believe there should be a presentation here in the chamber with what could be the possible solutions and what could be comparative to other municipalities as well so I believe this should not be egoistic stand today there should be strategic stand today and I don't want this matter the subject should die today by just voting up or down I want the subject to be in conversation and we have to find proper Solutions so I welcome all the people that came here today and I want those organization that're involved with those unhoused people they propose us that help us to find proper solutions that could be very strategic I believe since they have experience on those H particular item so with future Solutions I would say that this is not the time to move forward or this is not the proper way to move forward so I change my vote to no thank you councilman Council so everything have been said tonight I I want to say thank you to everyone that came out with a compassion and passion of this subject um first we had to create a a homeless service office in the city of pison with resources real resources and then get the key Partners to work towards get the funding through HD and other partners that could help us create a real shelter a real place that they could live and be there because some of them don't have even families and probably put in a place that they could have their own Recreation and keeping busy with the right resources um they could move forward in life and uh create a working program for them I think that it will be beneficial but once again we cannot do it by ourself that's why we have organization in the city of patteron nonprofit fi bases people that are educated and orientated in this kind of of of issues in any other City people came from Princeton and and they came down here to because something had been working out there in those cities and they want to implement it here when the national uh homeless Council came here they came here because they emailed me and uh they was concerned and they want the ordinance read it up and down and they study it with the attorney and they saw that that something was wrong something was wrong um you know um this should not come back if it don't have the real resource in place and when we talk about real resource not just amend a ordinance is to create a real ordinance separate for any other ordinance in City passing that dedicate to the arous individual you in the city of patteron that include resources that include funding a line item in our budget to identify through that Homeless service office that they could utilize that funding with the nonprofit and they work together to address the issues of homel the City Pass regarding the police ladies and gentlemen there's ordinance there's law in the book that they could address those type of quality of life in the city of patteron but we need more officers we need more officers the amount of call they get a day that still the board is full of calls from the lowest call from blocking a driveway all the way up to a shooting etc etc is not enough law Enforcer that we have in the city of Patterson as somebody stated here police cannot address everything in the city of Patterson sometime we have to step forward and say we want to put our 50 cents to uh the cost and making sure it works M forward I'm happy that this came to a conclusion for a vote and um but next time it comes in in front of us to bring something that real is have sust and that is not emotional motivate because tomorrow I want to say I did this ordinance to address the homeless situation but the police and the mayor have not done nothing so why you doing ordinance and you not you going to know it's not going to take you anywhere it's not going to take you anywhere I have a real plan but don't take it for granted that's the problem when we have plan that so get up councilman you hurry get up and leave point point of don't address me that you rush holding his 3 minutes he been speaking for like 20 minutes so if you're in a hurry coun same get up and leave because I'm making my statement council members please council members that's the problem when they have it lose it when they lose the case they would just want to rush things right that you you saw that right when they losing things they want to rush things come on councilman we need to leave I'm not a hurry they cut the meeting from 4: to 2: council president point of order when now was the point order what is the point order for what i is my time my time to speak my Council counil to vot it's 1:00 in the morning we still have the constituency here and we still have an agenda to finish so you know that's a point of order the point of order is that can you please vote no you're not going to rush me Council woman because I don't rush you when you speak I don't speak as long as you do so I do make sense when I speak I don't change my my term just because I want you really because yes I'm really yes because it's time to put my foot down of any things that you guys want to do here in the city counil me come on ladies and gentlemen as I say when they have a they trying to stop the real facts saying that Madam clerk my voice is know in this nonsense that they just put in front of us thank you true and real Leadership Council president thank you madam clerk I definitely appreciate and um I'll definitely be brief um I'm not I don't feel embarrassing by having the community here by having all the leaders expressing their concern this is a legislative body Council Members if I may this is a legislative body and I'm a legislator all I do is to create legislation and I have a lot of passion for this city and I'm going to continue to doing that I'm not I'm a fighter and when I hear the community that they come in front of this Council make recommendation and express their concern I take that very seriously and that's the reason why you see all the notes with the name of the person that make the comment this is very important for me because people elect me to serve the community and that's what I'm doing right now but I will stay behind my legislation and let me tell you this I'm going back to the table I'm going to have a already having a meeting with the director and there's going to be a meeting where I hope to see a lot of those entity because I as I mentioned in the beginning I'm not going to stop asking for help if we agree that there's no problem in Pon by having those people on the railroad track on the the bridge by R 19 across the street from school in the downtown area unting defecating and a few and maybe twice a uh a year we send public work to clean all that mess we putting our DPW workers at risk of of getting sick of getting sick Patterson think about that when we do that so-call operation that we're going to click on under the bridge that we're going to clean maybe once a year twice a year that's a so-call solution that some people are having we putting our DPW workers at risk of getting sick picking up all that trash from month and month they don't have any bathroom they just out there so it really break my heart to put our DPW workers on that position and it really break my heart to see our children in the morning on the way to school seeing people urinating our side seeing things like that females senior they don't have a choice but our homeless population people that unfortunately are out there they do have a choice and I'm going to say this there's a lot of institution in the city of pison that they getting funding to help people mentally and adult the different area just speak please so all I'm asking is to let's sit on the table because doing nothing is not an option in the city of pison doing nothing is not an option if and if you don't agree just do walk around walk around and you see the condition of our city my V is yes par cler thank you council president the votes are two in favor six against one absent the ordinance is hereby fails it fa cler let's take out of 27 mad clerk we have a a list of item that we need to go through item 277 27 we don't have that item number 37 27 27 correct what 47 27 27 Okay resolution authorizing the first option year renewal contract to Prime Point LLC for payroll services for the city of Patterson RFP number 20 21-37 for the Department of administration Administration resolution number 25 col 029 Some Mo second move by councilwoman Davila second by Council roll call 27 discuss discussion councilman Jackson we we talked about this last week Madam B I'm aware you were not here um there was a point in time when we gave the AR raise to the Personnel director to run payroll out of the Personnel department now yet again good night yet again we're um we're approving the was the money that was given to that to that to for for uh processing payroll in housee was it ever resend it no because this there was a switch number one there is always technology involved one way or the other so for payroll whether was Edmonds or whether it was Prime point so previous um and even as we started the the current Personnel director was running payroll through Edmonds um she is now while when we switched the Departments and payroll went over to finance then Personnel took on the responsibility for insurance which was under Finance so the compensation has remained the same for different responsibilities okay I did see roll call M CL on item 27 roll call on item number 27 for adoption councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman daver yes councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk see this is how you know we drip the city dry um you know we give out pay increases to people um s we give out pay increases for people to do certain job and then we go out and Outsource it and hire a third party contractor to come and do the job I'm coming right now and and this is exactly what I mean the same way that we mysteriously hired Aaron back and didn't you know let the public make make it aware to the council this is why I I I I have these things things have to constantly be scrubbed I won't be supporting this Madam clerk my vote is no thank you councilman councilman khik thank you madame this is not something uh new that we voting on WE approved this contract in 2021 2021 this is not something new I think some of the council member probably just woke up my vote is yes Madam CL thank you councilman councilwoman Mims yes councilman Udin my vot is yes yes yes councilman VZ I recall when this came in place we was in the middle of the pandemic and me facated to do uh the employee get paid on time and uh and all this um situation with payroll so um my vot is yes thank you council president my vot is yes M clerk thank you the votes are seven in favor one one absent and one no the resolution is here I adopted thank you m clerk now let's uh go with item number 28 Madam clerk 20 2 28 item number 28 is resolution authorized and award of contracts with certain approved State contract vendors for various departments and divisions Administration resolution number 25 colon 030 so move move by Council MAV second by councilwoman Mims a roll call M clerk on item 28 roll call for item number 28 councilwoman coton yes councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson no councilman khik yes councilwoman M yes councilman Udin yes yes councilman valz says yes council president B is yes cler thank you the votes are seven in favor one not not in favor and one absent the resolution is hereby adopted I don't number 29 M clerk item number 29 resolution memorializing and honoring The Life and Legacy of Dr Mary Elizabeth Garner sponsored by councilwoman Ruby n cotton councilwoman Dr Lisa Mims councilman Michael Jackson and co-sponsored by councilman VZ move it city council resolution number 25 031 move it was moved by councilwoman Ruby count second by councilwoman Mims Council and Council point of order um I would like that it be moved by all three Council people myself cotton and Jackson if possible let the record reflect item 29 mad cler will be moved by the three council members um and second by council member Les call council president my councilman Jackson respectfully and I appreciate the gesture of councilwoman members but Madam clerk you do not have to add me as a as a person that moved it I'm H as a sponsor that's sufficient enough okay appreciate it thank you okay so myself and K thank you roll call Mad clerk on item 29 roll call on item number 29 for adoption councilwoman cotton thank you madam clerk um you know I'm just um I was just so disappointed that I could not make her funeral service that was held at car historic Cary Baptist Church but I can say one thing I have known Dr Mary Elizabeth Garner for over 45 years um and I always said to people when she summons you you show up when she give you some advice you take it um cuz she's only telling you good things of what you need to do so with that being said Dr Mary Elizabeth Garner you're going to be dearly dearly missed by me the cotton family and the city of Patterson with that being said Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman Dava my vote is yes thank you councilman Jackson thank you uh Madam Clerk and and you're you're right um councilwoman cotton I did have an opportunity to attend it was um very somber um situation uh and and seeing her family and just understanding the contribution that she's made to the to the community the pictures that they had on display um you know really enlighten me on on some of the work that she's been doing um for years so I'm looking forward to um to uh uh you know celebrating you know her continued um Legacy in the in the First Ward and and and I'm hoping that both um councilwoman cot and the Mims you'll join me I'm actually drafting a piece of legislation to rename the um Street I know the community is not necessarily in favor of street namings but this one I definitely think is uh welld deserved you know she's she's made her Mark um on on that uh Community she's blessed so many families throughout the years and um I think it's um it's it's a it's the least that we can do to allow her Legacy to continue on Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you thank you councilman councilman colleag my Bo yes mam clerk thank you councilwoman Mims um thank you councilman Jackson um I will be honored to be um a part of that uh Dr Mary Gardner was a uh Beacon uh Trailblazer and a legend in our community um with many um outstanding accreditations being a African-American female doctor and owner of the community health center we could talk about Dr Mary Gardner and the things she's done for so many people that at times could not afford to get um their uh checkups or get their immunization records we have a lot of students that come into our school systems and sometime it's hard for them to get an appointment to go um to get their physical and she always made sure that our students were taken care of um as councilor moton stated we were not able to attend the F funeral services because we were at the county committee voting for our Senator elect Benji Wimberly and our assembly elect um abdell aiz and so to the family to all of her friends I call them the core Golden Girls I know they're watching if not tonight but they will definitely be watching watching this meeting you did a awesome job you laid her um to rest like a queen and you are to be appreciated and to be celebrated Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you Council councilman Udin my vote is yes Madam clerk thank you councilman Dr gner Dr Mary Elizabeth Garner one thing I Mar from her is that she always every time we used to go to her celebration at her Center she always has some gift for us always and one of the things I admire from her is that even that she was afroamerican and a lot of people thought that that Center was only for Afro Americans and that was not the case her board she guaranteed that her board was diverse diverse I recall I recall one day she told me councilman I have two slots uh for the board and I was not a counsel I just was a person that always involved in the community and she wanted me to be in that board um you know and her board was diverse and one of the things I appreciate from the pison health center is that they serve under Financial families you know people that are in needs and not only that the patteron health center had received a lot of individuals that don't have the same status as others with a minimal donation of $4 $2 and that's that's what all Community is all about and moving forward hopefully those that stays in the board and stay managing the pis Health Center continue the legacy of Dr gner the condolence to the family once again I was there and um I had the opportunity to excuse some of my colleagues uh because we was at a committee um event but my cond goes to the Garner family rest in peace bre in Paradise in the place that the Lord has for you um my vote is yes to thisor council president thank you m clerk um Dr Garner uh impact uh the life of thousands of people in in our community um her contribution was remarkable into the city of patteron it was very emotional to be at the funeral uh with so many people so many great leaders from our community saying you know giving her the last goodbye and it was impressed you know the um on her casket it say I made it my way I still have that in my mind uh she was a fighting she was a true leader in our community um she will be missed so my deepest condolences to the family she was a a very close friend to the family especially to my wife uh and my great brother my brother Bernard Johns also as well so may she rest in peace my vote is yes M clerk thank you council president the votes are nine I'm sorry eight in favor one absent item number 29 is hereby adopted thank you m clerk item number 30 item number 30 item number 30 resolution designating February 2025 as Black History Month in the city of Patterson with the theme African-Americans and labor the vital role of black labor in shaping American Industries rights and communities sponsored by councilwoman Ruby n cotton councilwoman Dr Lisa Mims councilman Michael Jackson and co-sponsored by all of the remaining members of the municipal Council city council resolution number 25 colon 032 moving second was moved by councilwoman uh K and councilwoman M second by councilwoman Davila councilman Udin roll call councilman valz too I heard himoun I didn't hear but as spons uh move also by um second by Council Les roll call CL on item number 30 roll call on item number 30 councilwoman thank you madam clerk um as we're going to celebrate U black history month for the month of February um our flag raising will be February 1st um at noon and then we will do our awards ceremony on February 21st um and where we will be back to the council chambers to do the uh award um the the honores uh with that being said Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman dava my vote is yes thank you councilman Jackson yes yeah councilman khik yes councilwoman Mims yes councilman Udin yes councilman valz let's celebrate but not only that day and the flag racing let celebrate 365 years uh days of the year my what is yes thank you Cass council president by CH clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent resolution number 30 is hereby adopted thank you item number 31 m clerk 31 item number 31 resolution memorializing The Life and Legacy of Samuel Torres Senor sponsored by councilwoman Marissa Davila councilman Lewis valz and councilman Shaheen khag city council resolution number 25 colon 033 so move move second was moov by Council Dila councilman second by councilman and councilwoman Ms and Council councilwoman roll item 31 roll call on item number 31 councilwoman cotton yes councilwoman daver so um I'm not going to go into detail you know in terms of speaking about you know Mr Sammy Torres senior who uh is um the belated brother of uh mayor Joy Torres um when he passed away all of the sudden um you know councilman uh khle velis and I were sitting together and uh we called on you know mayor Torres because we wanted to honor him he was a successful businessman he was a veteran he was a police officer a retired police officer and you know it's it's unfortunate and so um as someone you know that that has a legacy here in the city of Patterson we thought it best you know to honor him so you know with that said you know this is for you um mayor Torres uh and for your entire family my vote is yes thank you um councilman Jackson yes councilman khle thank you madam Madame clerk um Sammy Torres was the second residents he's a retired Patterson Police Officer he also served in patter Board of Education as well to community Person Public Ser servant um I'm honored to uh be a sponsor of this res resolution my vote is yes Madam cler thank you councilwoman Mims mayor Torres and to the Torres family um Samuel was a man of wisdom and guidance many times I received calls enter text messages messages in regards to um his advice or wisdom on things that are happening in the community thank you for life well lived in the great city of Patterson my vote is yes thank you um castan Udin uh thank you Madame Clark my sincere condolences of the tus family and uh we pray for the Departed soul of uh torus Sor and uh I had an opportunity to meet him multiple times again we miss him dearly my V is just thank you coun president oh what about me oh councilman VZ I'm sorry thank you uh to the tourist family uh Joy um Freddy and the whole entire Samar Tori family our condolence this was a chalky one we was not expecting um this news I think I was one of the first one that they called it that night and um I spread it with my colleagues um you know but when you think about Samuel Torres uh when it was quality of life issues in the city of patteron he always used to call me to or councilman to bring ideas into the table and and and say I think I was and the first thing you say I was a police officer of many years this never happened this never this and um you had to listen to him and the other thing is if a lot of Latinos have their businesses today it could be liquid store bars grocery stores is because this gentleman lead the way to businesses to the Latino community and others and others so that Legacy was put in place I I I I could see his priority was to build up the business industry in the city of P so let's continue uh memorizing his life and his legacy and this will not stop here if we continue copying or doing the same advice that he just give us to Mo for in the city P he loved the city of patteron trust me he did love the city of Patterson and all his family does don't get it wrong so saying that Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilman council president thank you madam Clerk um my great friend Sami Torres been he rest in peace he's definitely he he dedicated part of his life to serve the great City Pon at the police department and and also in other capacity um definitely I really missed those time to go into the uh Fifth Avenue business and just spend time with him having conversation having a dialogue he was a very smart man and he gave me a lot of good advice a lot of good advice he will be misses um May Jo told we definitely express our deepest condolence to the entire family um and this is the least that we could do recognize his life and dedication and his services to the city of pison my vote is yes mad clerk thank you castman um the votes are eight in favor one absent item number 31 is hereby adopted thank you mad cler item 32 it 32 item number 32 resolution honoring and memorializing The Life and Legacy of Margaret Elizabeth Robin sponsored by councilwoman Ruby n cotton and councilwoman Dr Lisa M city council resolution number 25 034 move it second move by councilwoman um Captain second by councilwoman Mims uh roll call by clerk roll call on item number 32 councilwoman cotton thank you madam clerk I just want to say I'm sorry um it's been a long late um Memorial memorializing the like and Legacy of mar Elizabeth Robinson um she has lived in the fourth War for probably 50 years I've known her for the last 45 years uh constituent I can say that um I know I know all her children uh she has been a she was a community person all the time she cared about she lived on Madison Avenue she took here Madison Avenue and I just want to say to the family it was truly an honor to be able to have a a friendship with someone who was only a constituent in the fourth W for at least 50 years she's been there probably longer than that but she was very supportive and to her children um she to her daughter to her son-in-law rever cash and to the first lady cash her daughter which is Kim and then she had five Sons and two daughters so with that being said your mom to the Robinson family to Mr Robinson um she was an extraordinary woman she was a community person she loved the community she did everything she possibly could for the community with that being said Madam cler my vot is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson yes councilman KH yes councilwoman Ms to the entire family there were many times um that I went and sat on the porch um I called her mother Robinson where we would sit on the porch and laugh and she would always talk about the Legacy and all the people from the community that made the city so wonderful so her wisdom is going to be missed but to her family I don't want to call them by name but we um had the opportunity to go by the uh the funeral services um and we're looking forward to present this to the family um thank you for loving our community Community thank you for your wisdom and your guidance we respect and will never forget your legacy my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilman Udin my vote is yes Mamer thank you councilman valz yes Madam clerk council president my V is yes M clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent item number 32 is hereby adopted thank you m clerk item number 33 on the agenda it number 33 resolution commemorating Muslim Heritage Month the month of January 2025 in the city of Patterson sponsored by councilman um MD Ford Udin councilman sh shahen khik councilman Allah Al abdelaziz and co-sponsored by all remaining council members city council resolution number 25 035 second move some move move by councilman league and second by Council Davila councilwoman Ms and Council Ro and councilman as well Ro cler Madame clerk let the record reflect that councilman Udin is Mo moving alongside with councilman colleague as both our the sponsor and the rest are Coes um um second so roll call 33 roll call on item number 33 for adoption councilwoman cotton thank you madam CL I want to say um to councilman um for udine and councilman shalik and councilman wishing you a happy Muslim heritage month for the month of January with that being said Madame clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman Dava here's to the Muslim Community uh in the city of Patterson my vote is yes thank you councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk Madam clerk please do not include me as a second as council president said everyone else and uh my vote is yes thank you councilman colleague thank you Madame clerk um 2023 Governor Phil Murphy signed a resolution uh with the Senate and the assembly to declare or designate January as a Muslim Heritage Month uh thank you councilman Udin for taking this initiative and um doing a resolution in city of patteron for Muslim Heritage Month of um this month and definitely um a support of this resolution my vote is yes mam thank you c c woman MS so I love this Muslim quote and I I have it hanging in my office it says kindness is a Mark of Faith and whoever is not kind has no faith I love that quote with that being stated my vote is yes thank you councilman nton um thank you madam Kirk so uh the purpose of the resolution is to um uh to recognize the contribution of the Muslim Community here in the state of New Jersey and our purpose to recognize the individuals and the communities uh contribution in the city of Patterson and I supposedly reach out to the Corporation Council to put another resolution together to honoring the uh faith-based leaders or organization uh to recognize them but because of my own lacking and I was actually sick to days and yeah so don't worry nothing nothing is going to make you see so we are I'm working on this um to see if we can host an event to uh recognize the individuals or organization that has contributed from the Muslim Community so I'll let my coun colleague should know if we put anything together um I definitely will reach out to the Corporation Council tomorrow by reaching out some of the organization uh if you can do something so I I believe that I can reach out to my Council colleagues with uh further details tomorrow so that being said um my vote is yes to close the uh support these item thank you Council councilman pleas I want to commend councilman colleague also councilman uh for uh for bringing this resolution honor in Muslim Community um month um I respect Muslim Community and I respect how they seek God and I respect that I apologize councilman khag for trying to throw you out of the meeting before that's how you know sometime we get hate right so um but I apologize this is listen that's that's that's what Muslim is all about no yeah I almost R him out you don't like it go you know and I I I apologize we friends I love you brother I love you a lot no not really you know he knows let's celebrate together you know let's celebrate together is 135 you know okay so we we could you want me to throw you out again just kid let's celebrate the Muslim Community let's celebrate Muslim um Heritage M um and do what we my vote is yes um kudos to you councilman for and councilman colleague looking forward to celebrate diversity in our community uh we definitely love our Muslim Community they being supported by this Council uh for you know we be behind our Muslim Community from day one so I'm looking forward with that celebration I love to go to South pis when you have to try to to get my food with that being said my V is yes mad cler thank you m CL item 34 resolution honoring integrity Lodge 51 F and a m p ha and Fidelity chapter 16 o s pH in observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by councilwoman Ruby cotton city council resolution number 25 calling 036 move it it moved by councilwoman H Ruby cut and second by councilwoman M roll call man cler on item 34 roll call on item number 34 councilwoman cotton thank you madam clerk I just want to say that um the Integrity lodge number 51 and the the Eastern Star Fidelity chapter number 16 over at the Masonic temple 224 Broadway and I I would like for my Council colleagues to if they get an opportunity just to read the um the bio um the resolution and and there are items in there that that I was surprised that that that that were that were in there that um the cotton family contribute a a whole lot to um getting the uh Integrity lodge number 51 getting started also um the cotton family did a lot to get the uh Fidelity chapter number 16 Eastern Star my husband loved the the Masons my mom loved the Eastern stars and I can say these two uh organizations have done a lot in our community and will continue to do a lot in our community and it's only fitting for me um to recognize them for the month for Black History Month 2025 but that being said Madame clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman Dava councilwoman daver my V is yes thank you councilman Jackson yes councilman KH yes councilwoman Mims great work I'm sorry sorry great work great organization great pick councilor Mott my vote is yes thank you councilman Udin item number um I oh is it my vote uh this is a great uh you say pick by uh councilman Kon and my vote is yes I'm sorry I missed that sign okay thank you you said yes councilman valz yes thank you council president i v say cler thank you item number 34 is hereby adopted thank you m clerk item number 35 item number 35 resolution honoring Reverend Teresa Nance in observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by councilwoman Dr Lisa MIM city council resolution number 25 col 037 so moved second move by councilwoman Mims and second by Council DAV councilwoman and councilwoman councilman for roll call CL on it 35 roll call5 counc cotton councilwoman cotton okay um councilwoman this is a great pick too councilwoman M Teresa n in the community for a long time have done so many great things for all of us um you can talk to her she's been a mentor she's wonderful great Pig Teresa Nance no Reverend Teresa n with that being said Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilwoman DAV you said so I've had the opportunity to know Reverend for many years worked very closely with her um at the college um I work with her daughter um I wish her nothing but blessings I'm very happy uh councilwoman Mims for um choosing her as an honor uh my vote is yes thank you um councilman Jackson thank you Madame clerk my vote is yes councilman KH my vote is yes madame clerk councilwoman Mims when we talk about a woman of stature a woman of intelligence and a woman who has helped and assisted so many people in so many areas especially politically to move from one place to the next Reverend Teresa n the great work the great teachings her Bible studies Her counsel with so many other pastors in the community um this is a great pick I just want to thank my godmother Miss Barbara um Miss Betty Simmons my godmother for coming and having a conversation with me um in regards to uh Reverend Nance Reverend Nance did my first political video when I ran for office I will never forget our conversations continuously um and I am grateful for her daughter in love Lauren Nance and her son Bert I'm looking forward to honoring this great woman my vote is absolutely yes thank you councilman newon um my vote is yes councilman blz I approved this message of council woman men your vote is yes yes thank you council president my V is yes M clerk votes are eight in favor one absent 3 item number 35 is here by adopted thank you m cler item number 36 item number 36 resolution honoring P County under Sheriff homberto quad quad quad okay for his trailblazing career in law enforcement and community service sponsored by councilman lisis VZ and co-sponsored by councilman MD Ford Udin can you please add me coun uh Council U Madame clerk can you add councilwoman um D Dava has as co-sponsor also U Council woman men's as co-sponsor yes and uh also councilman mandat you don't mind to be co-sponsor too who else that's it council president co-sponsor yeah okay and Co sponsored by councilwoman Dava Mims and councilman council president Mendes and also Madame clerk before you move forward um everywhere as there's some missing on quad like the fourth where as is quad not quad so whatever you see whatever you see the word quad make sure has the Dr let's make those S correction M Clerk and roll call on item 36 roll call on item number 36 councilwoman cotton what is that councilwoman cartton I'm sorry madam clerk um this is a resolution onor uner Cado yes um excellent choice council member Lon councilman Udin councilman um Dava and councilwoman members but I want to say congratulations he's been a with the Sheriff Department for a really long time and he is a trailblazer in law enforcement in our community with that being said Madam cler my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilwoman DAV um I'm the sheriff Umberto quad um I've known you for many years before I was an Ed official uh your lovely wife your family uh you have you are a retired police officer detective uh in the Patterson uh police department and now as under Sheriff you know I'm saddened that you'll be leaving the county um but I hope that now you take some time to relax and enjoy uh your family um councilman valis thank you so much for for putting this forth I know that he was honored today at the um County the County Commissioners honored him today and um none of us were able to be there as you know they have their meeting but we have ours so um you know with that said um my vote is yes thank you councilman Jackson yes councilman GLE yes councilwoman Mims under Sheriff thank you for your dedication and service and your consistency and your loyalty to ensuring the protection and the service to all of our residents throughout the um County of Pake we honor and appreciate you I'm sure even though you're retiring we're definitely going to stay in contact with you you know we love your wife Carol um cadr um and we know you're not going too far we still have your phone number we love you our vote is yes thank you councilman nen thank you madam Clark so uh under quado I know you for many years and your family again I thank you for your service to the P County and also the city of Patterson and I think uh this is your time to relax give time to your family and another skill the last time we really enjoyed in the uh convention he's a very good singer nobody knows that and he gave us very good time last time so uh I again I wanted to enjoy your time but can thank you first for your service to our County my V yes thank you councilman blz uh Mr cuad I know Mr cuad early sorry late 80s we used to do karaoke and River Street a lot it's yeah yeah you know when we was younger we used to do a lot of karaoke uh but that's not only that that's him as a person but if you look his service you know serve our nation serve Ser volunteering as a constable serve as a patteron police officer and retire then was the director of Transportation I believe at the uh P County Sheriff Department then moved forward to um be the unders sheriff and um this says a lot of his character it says a lot of his work and the law enforcer and the community service that he have done it's really a trailblazer recognized by the state of New Jersey recognized all over Puerto Rico and here in the United States so this this means a lot for him for his family sacrificing the time of his family to serve others so is even that he's retiring it's a loss for p County sh Department hopefully in the future the pay County share Department could find somebody that could fill this big shoes that fill this shoes we need we need representation in the P County sh department so this is a loss for the P County sh Department even that he's retiring with honors my vote is yes thank you councilman council president thank you m clerk um Berto guado he is definitely a friend of the great city of Pon he's a true role model that start you know his career here in the city of Patterson and he have done an outstanding job of the sheriff Department we're looking forward for that celebration and enjoy life brother we love you my V is CH clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent item number 36 is hereby adopted uh thank you m clerk item 37 3 37 is that item item number 37 resolution honoring GA District Elder Pamela pedford pastor of Greater Bible Way Church and observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by councilman Lewis valz city council resolution number 25 colon 039 second second move by councilman B second by councilman M and councilman fudin roll caller on item 37 councilman C for second please a second as well let the record reflect that Council M uh it's um also second this motion okay thank you okay Council cotton I'm sorry roll call I told him he can't he can't move over here he got to go back to his seat we here he down there what we doing now all right thank you councel uh thank you madam clerk I want to say to councilman valz uh perfect um uh pick for the um uh for the Black History Month celebration um District Elder pamel peder passed a greater byway Church which is right across street from your house um excellent you know Community uh I remember if you remember during covid um there weren't many churches that were open so but I know that greater Bible Way Church was open um when when Co came in and I appreciate a lot of us weren't able to go to church and but then you still had her church uh their Church greater byway Church were open I appreciate that excellent pck council member last for the deservance of Black History Month congratulation District Elder Pam pedford my vote is yes thank you councilwoman cotton councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson yes councilman KH yes councilwoman M to my sister and pastoral colleague I love you sister great selection um councilman valz I know that you have a great relationship um she brags on the work that you do and your W my vote is yes ioun n Pastor we're looking forward to celebrating you on the 21st my vote is yes thank you cman valz oh the Pamela Pamela that's the way Pam Pamela I put a little bit of Spanish on it that's okay all right pfor you know this is one of the living the legacy of the pedor family you know uh one our abys administrator Mr Tom um Tom p uh Charles pedafor and then it's great dad that you know P Pastor fed for and also the whole family ped for family you know this church is in front of my house and um this church served the community in the pandemic they they they used to lend the church for to to service the people to pass away because there was no funeral home around and they do a great job to the divers in this in the fifth War and the residents of pus so congratulation thank you for letting me honor you in this history Black History Month my vote is yes thank you councilman um council president my vote is yes M clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent item number 37 thank you mad clerk now let's read item number 38 on the agenda item number 38 is resolution honoring Denise Coba and observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by councilwoman Marissa Dava city council resolution number 25 040 second it was mooved by councilwoman Dava sen by councilwoman Mims and councilwoman Ruby cotton roll call cler on item number 38 roll call on item number 38 Council cotton I want to say congratulations to Denise cobber and observance of the Black History Month celebration U sponsored by councilman Marissa Dava Madam clerk with that being said my vote is yes thank you councilwoman Dava I know that Denise has worked for the city of patteron I believe for over 14 years I've known Denise before I was an elected official we served in a capacity together with a women's group Denise kba is pitted me of classiness uh professionalism a woman of God and as you all know my colleagues you know that every year when it comes to Black History Month Or Hispanic Heritage Month i' like to honor city employees since we unfortunately do not honor them enough so with that said she works for the Department of Health and Human Services she runs our Ry and white program and I'm just so happy that we'll be able to be honoring her uh for Black History Month my vote is yes thank you councilman Jackson yes councilman khik councilman C yes Madam cler thank you councilwoman Ms another great pick councilwoman dabla it's always a great thing when we honor the employees of this great City congratulations to Denise our vote is yes thank you councilman uden my vote is yes M councilwoman valz great Pig councilwoman Dava and I apologize also before um my V is yes thank you coun council president thank you mad clerk uh Council I'm very important to recognize our our employees that's tremely that build the morale within the within the department and the community as well my V is yes M clerk thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent item number 38 is hereby adopt item number 39 M clerk item number thirding code 50071 g titled rental or leasing of parking spaces in residential districts sponsored by councilman Michael Jackson City Council resolution number 25 colen 041 I'm going to Second it because I need to understand what it is we don't have the item we didn't receive what this is neither do I you don't have the item no no we came later on but somebody please explain there there's a motion on the floor it's been moved by Council Jackson you second Council M yes he been second by Council M discussion discuss discussion UMC who got to talk about it Council Pro so counc uh even the workshop session the item was the details was missing uh in regular meeting the details is missing so we need the uh details to it what we are voting for9 not hearing you yeah we are voting for 39 but what what it is about there's no Dr that's why I said what is it about there there's a motion on the floor a motion on the floor it's on the floor okay the body President we have the original I'm sorry council president we do have the original sign I'm sorry councilwoman we have the original sign 39 okay councilwoman Jackson does it very good so councilwoman this is does really doesn't do anything there's a there's a uh ordinance already on on the books which prohibits um or outlines that the requirement to be able to charge for parking for um homeowners building owners landlords and there's a a specific provision um that has uh four points that are required um the first is uh I have to have approval from the one of the effective boards the second is um uh they have to have 25% more parking um that is required of the project and the third and fourth are very just nominal they're like um you know they can only rent to residents of the surrounding neighborhood and Etc so this I this this this item is just encouraging the uh the administration to enforce an already existing zoning um ordinance that many um City residents are being taken advantage of because they're being charged for parking um where they're not supposed to charge for parking according to the zoning ordinance so um it's something that I had every intention on writing to begin with and when I did my research I found out that it already existed so it didn't require to be written it just required something like this just to have the council acknowledge that it exists and encourage the uh the administration to enforce it that's it will you have one here just counciling I'm sorry councilman KH no Ruby I was UN Council thank you council is it is it fair to say it's just a Feelgood resolution it doesn't have any tip to it it does have it's already uh we have it on the book basically that's what it is correct uh Corporation Council or mam clerk council president may I yes uh corpor Council please yeah so um just for the record uh legal had reviewed this uh resolution and suggested changes from its original form to councilman Jackson um we sent guidance on it and to his credit councilman Jackson adopted the latest version we printed it on reso paper and I signed it and un fortunately didn't make it into your packets but we signed it and sent it up to the clerk's office last week so the clerk has the the resolution on reso paper signed by the Law Department um furthermore um to continue what councilman Jackson had apprised his colleagues on the council uh this resolution uh does not force um or take any action it is essentially um the Council if it adopts it requesting that the administration adhere to what is already in ordinance and law understood understood thank you thank you I'll I'll support that resolution I'll support the Feelgood resolution for Council um Council rby say that again councilman I said I'll support the field good resolution for Council M for Council MC right okay yes I'm sorry but my my my I think one of my questions is I see on here it say rental leas in space should equal more than 25% of required parking space what do that mean I don't know what the 25% because it said or not more most my understanding is that it should be two spaces per unit and now you got 25% so what that means so that has no um bearing on the 25% has no bearing on whether what's required whether it's required 1.7 2. whatever per unit that doesn't change what it says is if the landlord so shall seek um the opportunity to charge for parking they must have 25% more than what's required so if they're required to have two and if they have 10 units that's 20 so they have to have 25% more than the 20 if they're going to charge if they're going to charge charge they cannot charge for the for the ones that they are required to have further further um uh uh it outlines that um even if they do have the 25% more the item number one says that they must first seek permission from the prospective board in order to be able to so they have 25% more and they still have to seek permission from one of the prospective boards and the board then makes a uh a judgment based upon the community need all right any other councilman councilman Bess yeah council president I believe the uh parking requirement change from 1.5 to 1.8 parking space per unit um and everything's in the book and Zoning there's a word called variances uh is up to the Comm Commissioners uh to listen to the expert in front of the boards and to Grant it if their variances is good or not and um and uh regarding the regarding and I this is how I see it regarding the landlord and tenant agreement um I don't think we going to spend time in all those signing contract or agreement with landlord and tenant you know after people get to apartment and they move into it everything is good then a month or two everything is bad so I think there a landlord tenant agreement over there is a landlord tenant issue uh the rules already set we got professional on H boards that uh analyze this with professionals uh we attorney and um they could ask for various that the uh uh land use permitted so uh I I I will support the resolution uh later on all right can miss R call on item number 39 roll call on item number 39 please cler councilwoman coton yes councilwoman Davin so you know I I I read the resolution you know and and understanding you know what legal indicated I I know what you know councilman Jackson you know um is continuously talking about you know the parking situation um um the only thing is that you know we have our boards right and and you know they have to follow the land use law all right um the board's discretion is to if granted to issue uh variances as they deem it necessary um and so when I read this I'm reading that it's just somewhat supporting you know to request to the board but it's specifically letting the board know specific to the planning board it says the council specifically urges the planning board and board of adjustment to minimize or eliminate the granting of variances from the set standards and so you know with that said this is why we have um Commissioners that we appoint to these different boards um and you know this to me is like taking away that um that courtesy if I may say it that way you know it's their vote if they decide that they want to approve a variant or not so this is kind of like us telling them no you have to enforce it if if I'm not correctly this is the way I'm reading it I'm not sure if if if that is what this is am I misunderstanding it council president um councilman councilman col um no I'm just saying can can let let's ask Corporation Council can you answer that question council president thank you and I'll be brief um so councilwoman D but I just wanted to just make sure as it was originally written it it was uh mandating um the administration but that's not a lawful act on on behalf of the council U so it was Rewritten so that it urges compliance and it doesn't mandate anyone to do anything this is really just if the council adopts it expressing uh its wishes which it's free to do by way of resolution okay all right well with that with that explanation you know I I will be in full support but again um you know I I do not want any boards to think because I I'll never forget the day I went as a constituent some building was being built and I made a statement as as someone who was going to live by the new building and I made the statement that I choose to live where I want you know so if I choose to you know live in a place that does not have parking that's on me if I choose to live in an apartment that does not have washer and dryer hook up that's on me as an individual and um I was somewhat um somewhat I guess I shouldn't use the word attack but I was really ridiculed you know for for speaking on that because the Commissioners you know felt that you know what you don't have the right like you know we're the Commissioners and we are the ones that you know approve or deny projects and and um variances and so forth uh but with the clarification um I I'll vote yes thank you councilman Jackson thank you madam clerk so just to comment on that um that's part of the reason why the city's in the condition it's in there's many people Commissioners who sit on boards who think that they're endowed with the power it's actually the council that's supposed to direct all activity in within the city the council in collaboration with the administration and um the council as an appoint the appointing body should be encouraging for their appointees to you know act responsibly um but this legislation doesn't have anything to do with that this legislation doesn't have anything to do with restricting and let me just you know for a point of clarity and I'm going try to be as quick brief as possible the first draft included the word to uh um uh compel and I'll be totally honest as a young kid growing up in the i in the in the in the hood compel from many perspectives meant to encourage but I recently found out and I I just kind of um uh uh you know slipped me my mind for the brief moment I found out through my own court hearing that in the court of law that the word compel is actually actually a lot stronger than um than I intended for it to be outside of that there was no other wording or anything else within the within the draft that was inappropriate but for whatever reason I I really don't care how it's written I don't care who writes it as long as it makes it to the to the to the vote so we can move forward but now I'll just say this this was the easiest slow pitch that I've ever been tossed because it doesn't matter how the Council votes the council can all vote no guess what it's already a law I merely put it on here to see who's going to support it and who's not because if you have a building that you was given approval to build and you have 100 parking spaces and they're all empty because they're being charged for parking and the residence are parking on the sidewalk or on the street that's an issue that's an issue and that means that the reason that that um crosswalks are being parked over and stop signs are being parked too close to and the police department is cherry picking in the middle of the night 3:00 in the morning towing cars is because landlords are being allowed to charge for parking illegally so this is a you know as councilman KH called it a feel-good resolution but guess what it's going to feel very good to all of the constituents who' been get in charge for parking and as the council moves to approve this and even if the administration chooses not to you know I can collaborate with them with some legal Partners to make sure that um all the people who pay for parking will be will find their way to a full reimbursement that's what that's about so Madam clerk I appreciate all the work Corporation counsel thank you for your input and um guidance and And Delay now we got people that can further think about it and vote in the affirmative if Madam clerk my vote is yes thank you councilman councilman khik thank you Madame clerk this this resolution has nothing to do with people parking on crosswalk people parking on sidewalk there isn't enough parking that's because you're not smart understand council members please somebody smart enough who understand it understanding a put a put a resolution on the floor has no kind of tee to it is already in the book so that that's that's that's called a smart um resolution bringing on the book and same as bringing a ordinance in front of the council to give an entity 90e tax abatement that's called responsible physical responsible counsilman that's what I call it and I didn't even say anything like I said this is just a feel good piece of paper feel good C moris used to say feel good resolution my vote is yes to make councilman Jackson feel good thank you thank you counil Council woman MS it's 2:06 a.m. Do You Know Where Your Children Are My V is yesz time to go home 20 all right um okay again thank you madam Clark so the thing I liked about this draft I think um and from now I I'm thinking to draft my own ordinance resolutions because every resolutions have like councilman Jackson mentioned his name almost in every paragraph that's what I liked about this or resolutions no his name is in every paragraph so it means that he really worked hard for this one my V is yes thank you councilman councilman valz councilman valz councilman valz your vote listen I'm not here to make feel you know I support councilman Jackson um and I said it before that he just brought things that sometimes um you know sometime could feel good right but when I see the word enforcement urging he could turn things around he could turn things around today he mentioned it the way he mentioned everybody claing he nobody knew what he was talking about let's be honest because people going to think that because he's putting this out there people had the right to tell a landlord you're not charging me for parking and that's wrong right here that's wrong that's a landlord and tenant situation in agreement it's a landlord and Tenon agreement we cannot legislate in your private property that's why we have boards that knows what they doing we have professional traffic engineering we got individual goes in front of this board and tell the the the the board the zoning boards or whatever what they think they need I have I have projects in the Fifth Ward that traffic engineer uh justify the parking only because they have mass transportation in the area and they don't need that much parking for a project so you have to sit there and listen to the vares and the and the um and what the professional bring in front of them instead of going around saying that they charge it for parking this and that and and let me tell this all the projects in the fifth W drive through those project that has parking underneath they all full they all full so saying that I don't care he feel good or not I don't think they'll have no sense like this is a Feelgood resolution to say that hey I fight for you for parking or whatever I don't think that you know councilman Jackson I commend you because you're trying to do your best in drafting your resolution that sometime I don't understand but my vote is no my vote is no council president you could put in the video thank thank um thank you council members toight um but um this is a clear example that the why councilman Jackson legislation are not getting into the on the floor it's not because council president tried to stop him from any doing this is not my intention even though he doesn't um miss an opportunity to accuse me that I'm blocking I don't even know I'm blocking for about what so but this this item is here and it definitely this is a real feel good resolution because we'll have no impact there's already LW in place in the book and I'm I'm not here to endorse or support real feeli good resolution I'm here to find real solution for the problem that affecting the cityor pison my vote is done Madame clerk thank you thank you council president anybody want to change the vote council members Madame clerk please uh read the votes thank you the votes are seven in no no no six in favor two against one absent item number 39 is hereby adopted thank you m cler we have item 46 and 47 m cler the last two item item number 46 item number 46 there's two more item there's two more item Council M that we reading to the record there's uh councilman Jackson Anar for the Black History Month and my Anar which is item 46 and 47 theendum item item number 46 46 is uh honoring leavon Jones mersen in observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by councilman Michael Jackson City Council resolution number 25 col 048 second second move by it was moved by councilman Jackson second by councilman and councilwoman Mims uh roll call man CL on item 46 roll call on item number 46 councilwoman cotton councilwoman cotton my vote is yes councilman councilwoman councilman Jackson yes councilman khle yes councilwoman Ms congratulations thank you for for the great work that you do in our community with our young people we love and respect you my vote is yes Council thank you councilwoman councilman Udin the great pick councilman Jackson my V yes thank you councilman gz good resolution this one my vote is yes counc president my vot is yes cler thank you the votes are eight in favor one absent coun item number 46 is here by do I 47 cler number 47 is resolution D Keith Watson and observance of Black History Month 2025 sponsored by council president Alex Mendes city council resolution number 25 col 049 second second move by council president Mendes second by councilwoman Mims and councilwoman and second by councilman also for and Council roll call cler on item 47 uh roll call on item number 47 councilwoman coton yes councilwoman Dava yes councilman Jackson he left left councilman kle yes madame clerk councilwoman M yes councilman Udin Kei councilman Udin this is you said yes yeah I definitely uh great pick and I think you know i' love to celebrate key Watson can wait on the uh can wait for the 21st my V is yes thank you councilman uh bz passion guy faithful guy that man his hat we faithful and um always involved in the community when it comes up to the third W my vote is yes thank you the votes are seven in favor I'm sorry council president thank you m cler my brother Kei wax I'm looking forward to celebrating with him on this Black History Month celebration well deserved Keith that's been involved that's my Jamaican brother he's been involved in this community for many years I met him way back when he start uh at East Side park with the cricket house uh fighting and advocating for this community and it will be an honor to support you you've been a great friend you've been a lawyer phenomenal person not only for me but for my family as well and for the entire city of Patterson congratulation brother my V is yes thank you councilor president the votes are seven in favor two against two absent I'm sorry item number 47 is here byop may I have a motion to close move to close move to close by Council DAV second by councilwoman Ms and councilman for roll call cler to close our regular meeting where did he go he left motion to close the meeting of January 21st 2025 councilwoman cotton who did Jackson I know what you know what just is the last meeting oh my goodness oh we counc your vote all right yeah no I'm waiting um I just want to say um I mean this has been a really long meeting it's like 2:15 now but I want to say to the community um um for those that came out tonight um to to voice your concerns about the different things that are the what's happening in the community I just want to say to you Kathleen this is your last meeting uh working with you was a pleasure you know one thing you know I can come downstairs and and and meet with you um if I have to ask you any question and to me that's what as a council member that's what you should be able to do um I always say that um and I'm normally um one thing that I think that what happens is that sometimes people forget like I would leave council meeting at 12:00 at night and go to work I did it for three years I never complain I never said I got to do this I never said I had to do that um when they call when they call committee meetings at 10:00 in the morning I use 3 hours of vacation or two hours of of of personal time never sick time so I just want to say that you know people sometimes forget um of being a counsel person um you chose to do this when you chose to be a counsel person you chose that you want to help the community you want to do what you need to do you didn't get here and I reminded everybody that you don't get here because you thought you going to get benefits cuz there was never benefit of being an elected official you became elected official because you wanted to help people you want to make sure you work with the government to make sure everything is right so I want to say to you Kathleen it's been a pleasure I know we will see you again um along the line you know you're going down to the state which is wonderful for you um and I always say you have to have friendship if you're going to make anything work and I just want to say to also to the community and there's a lot of organizations um that I personally support and you know when you understand how you personally can help and support I've never been the one to pick and choose whenever I receive uh something and I just want to name a few of them that that I've been supportive of and I just want to say to my jumpstart Community training which is my a Jamie Bland I want to say to my P and cares I want to say to my hearts and Hannah I want to say to my Ruby Vision I want to say to my tier one with Dr Moody I want to say with chosen generation I want to say with mure sister I want to say I am my sister I want to say ceasefire Patterson I want to say growing in Grace I want to say mainstream recovery I want to say bugs Foundation I want to say the AF cotton Foundation I want to say the ver a foundation I want to say New Jersey Community Development Corp I want to say National Council nego women I want to say bade County African-American women Incorporated I want to say to all my churches that I know and everybody complain about church churches but all churches do all different things and they have all things that they do for us I want to say to all my divine nine organizations my paternities my sororities I want to say to my Integrity lodge number 51 I want to say to all my Eastern stars out there like I said before my mom love the Eastern stars and I also want to say to my American Temple number 258 I want to say to my American lodge number 333 and I want to say there's so many organization out there and no one to me is better than the other and I always say to people but we have to learn how to work together because we all got a specialty in something we all do things specialty and so I just want to say but I do want to say to I want to say to Joel Ramirez of our health and human services when we did our best to get someone off the street and I can tell you they can Joel Ramirez do his best to help people get into shelters and he do his best to help people get somewhere and for people to put the wrong message out there that we have workers in this city who do not work I can tell you they work and I want to tell people that they work cuz they don't understand what we get every day or what the kind of calls that we get to my Corporation counsel I can go downstairs at any time to my CFO I can go downstairs anytime I can go see my security guy Hector NIS I can go see all of them I can see I got but to my um Deputy clerk yes ma'am and I want want to say to my my secretary Phyllis I mean Sophia Alexander and to my Deputy clerk Phyllis Riley you ladies work hard I'm in the I'm in there every day seeing what you ladies do and for somebody to say the meeting's been cut short you know it's hard to do these meetings and stay here now they got to be back in the morning you got to be back so I want to say I appreciate you two ladies for everything that you do and to our Corporation to our lady back there doing the minutes I appreciate you to my it person my both it to my security I appreciate you with that being said we all can do this together ain't about a i it's it's not a i it's a we we got to be here together to put this together so ain't nobody s nobody in this city better than another thank you TV Land God bless you all out there have a good night um please um my Madam ba it was been a pleasure working with you but I know this is not the last that we're going to see you that's right thank you that being said my vote is yes thank you councilwoman coton councilwoman D and let me just remind them I would leave here at 12:00 at night and go to work okay coun and the only one that know me only one that knew that I did that was councilwoman daver cuz she knew I went to work at 12:00 at night when I left council meeting yep thank you and with with that said I approve that message and I appreciate you all so I'm not going to mention you all by name and all the organizations that she mentioned um but I do want to address Madame ba Madame ba I know that um you know this is your last meeting uh I know that there's going to be a smooth transition hopefully we get the best okay to fill the ba seat um I thank you for at least staying on board once a week okay for that easy transition which I think is very important since I do know that there's quite a few uh projects that are pending and stuff that you were working on that so I do appreciate that you are not just letting that go and that hopefully there'll be an easy transition uh so you know I want to thank you for your years okay uh thank you for being a paronian for living here um I hope that you don't decide to move the second ward which is what I consider one of the best Awards as well um but on a serious note you know I love Patterson and and appreciate you know each and every one of you to every person that came all 35 36 constituents uh just know that when we sometimes get up ladies room whatever I want you guys to know that we're also listening to the meeting inside so we're not ignoring we know what's going on in here all right so um you know to every person that came forward um you know and with that said you know once again you know congratulations to Senator elect who will get sworn in uh next Thursday the 30th and uh to our assembl men uh soon to be elect because he will be swor in uh this Thursday um he will be missed and I'm looking forward to having the conversation with council president and the team to decide and the council you know what our route will be as um I know councilman Jackson mentioned that he was not given the opportunity and I will say I was not the cting council president at the time and at that time um the city council president felt that um they did not want to give the upper hand but I do recall um when I became council president and the vacancy for the sixwood was there uh unanimously we all supported uh the um councilman you know to sit in the seat and then he ran a special election so I hope that we so it's a long 10 months so I think it's important that we um you know definitely move forward you know into us uh appointing so with that said good night to my colleagues I as well as councilwoman cotton for the last 11 years I get up I can leave at two o00 have to be up at 6:00 to be at work so I understand that with that said good night my vote is yes and for the record I spoke two minutes thank you councilwoman Council great great job councilwoman DAV it's like that commercial of energy in her bnny remember when start keep going going going that's the the I'm not talking about you coun councel you did a great job and M Madam mad Madame congratulation you moving up that's what I that's what I like about um you like those about your your um all of us want to move up not only me so I want to congratulate you and I know you are a second world resident uh I'll knock on your door here and there and I have your cell phone as well no she's not living she she my her parents Liv in the third thank you councilman and um it's 210 my vote is yes 224 2 thank you counc coun thank you madam cler Madam clerk thank you for all that you've done for the city I know you'll do well Madam ba I know you'll do well as you go higher and deal with us on the state level but I know you're very happy that you do not have to deal with the drama from these City Council meetings being here um until 2:24 in the morning um I want to congratulate uh Senator elect Benji wly um and also once again assemblyman elect abdell aiz um to everyone time to go home it's 2:25 in the morning Madam clerk I love all of y'all good night my vote is yes thank you councilwoman councilman thank you madam Clark thank you Patterson for uh those who are here those who are still watching us live um Madame B's last meeting and Madame B just know this I know that you took a lot of hit sometimes we had to stand for certain situation but just know they nothing personal um uh you did a wonderful job and you were hardworking woman that's no question about your um you know uh work ethic and and this is why you are moving up so congratulation your new position new Endeavors and again um you are you are here with us I believe since you are in Patterson and would like to see you moving forward and Patterson moving forward but you'll be dearly missed here in the chamber thank you Council um and also we going to miss our Council colleague Al aiz uh congratulations to him and also Senator elect um assembly man Benji barley and my vote is madam CL thank you for being here everyone uh including Rafal my vote is yes thank you councilman councilman valz watch the clock um Madame ba his V is yes madame ba uh corporate Council through the chair I would like to uh request a resolution honoring the years of service that Madame ba have given to the city of Patterson is yeah is is a must um and thank you Madame ba because I know we have met in the good and the bad and the middle at the end and sometime in the front but people that knows the tough job that you have we understand why you always getting the Heap on behalf of the mayor instead of the mayor sitting there and getting that heat you was there representing this Administration and some of the decision was probably not the most common one or the one that we always like but you represented the mayor the way that he want him to represent him so sometime you didn't want to do things because you the ba but you had to represent the mayor saying that my time is up corporate Council I want that resolution for the next Workshop or if there's a special meeting please add it to that special meeting based on pres uh the request from me to council president saying that good night I haven't spoke a lot so I'm leaving tonight early my dog is upside down at home my vote is yes council president thank you thank you thank you Madame clerk 2:27 almost 2:30 in the morning um Madam ba what can I say it's been a phenomenal pleasure to work with you you've been very professional uh from the beginning since we start this great uh relationship me as a councilman you as a as our VA of the city um you've been extremely helpful uh in a lot of different situation a lot of different scenarios so I wish you the best of luck I know you you'll be great you been you're moving up at the state level you're not going anywhere you parently leaveing the third war the Run Avenue in the morning I always pass by there making sure that that my my constituents are fine so we're excited you are pisonia you're not going anywhere uh we know that we we could count on you if we need you uh and you're not you're not you're not leaving you're going to stay around I'm very sure of that um to my um great friend Senator Benji wimbley Senator elect congratulation brother well deserved I was excited uh phenomenal time about the bonefire we to to spoke a lot but this is the beginning there's a big fight on June and there's a huge fight in November we're going to be behind you every step of the way uh so action speak louder than word brother congratulation also our Assan elect alab de aiz it's definitely was a great was phenomenal time with here at the council here he's a he's very professional and he's going to continue fighting for the city of Pon and also uh for the state of New Jersey now as our new assemblyman uh to pison thank you so very much all the members of the community for being here at the council and express your concern about some of the legislation that we have in the book we're looking forward to go back into the table table and just continue working I'm a fighting and I'm not going to never going to stop fighting for my community I love this city last but not least all those resident from the third from the third world that they calling me today that there was a lot of truck at East Side park on on the on the baseball field is because lot of redub renovation already starts so don't be afraid we have a lot of equipment a lot of truck on the field that's is related with the renovation of our um Lobby field to our Police Department thank you mad clerk thank you Sophia thank you it's 2:30 in the morning may God bless the city of pison good night good night my yes mad clerk thank you council president the votes are seven in favor two absent the meeting of the regular meeting of January 21st 2025 is hereby adjourned thank you Patterson God bless you Madame ba on your next assignment