--------- Thank you, Rafael. Good evening, Patterson. Good evening to all the resident of the great city of Patterson. On behalf of the municipal council, we welcome you to the workshop section this May 13, 2025. As it stated, the meeting is now called to order. Madam clerk, please call the role. Roll call for the
workshop session of May 13, 2025. It is now 6:33 p.m. Councilwoman Cotton. Thank you. Councilwoman Dava, present. Councilman Jackson, Councilman Khik, present. Councilwoman Mims, I'm here and
ready to serve. Councilman Omar, here. Councilman Uden, good evening, Madam Clerk. I'm here. Thank you. Councilman Vez, Council President. President, Madam Clerk. Press, Madam Clerk. We have seven present at this time. Council President. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Can you please
read the statement of compliance, Madam Clerk? Sure. Statement of compliance with the open public meetings law 2024 through 2025. Meeting date May 13, 2025 time 6:30 p.m. Adequate notice of this meeting was
compiled and disseminated in accordance with the open public meetings law in the following manner. One, the annual meeting notice of regular meetings and workshop sessions of the municipal council was compiled for the year 2024 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 Pose County Post, Dominican News, Laiskea International, Ellis Basiel, the Patterson Press, the City Post News, Tap into Patterson, The Weekly Bangala Patrika in addition to any other publication duly requesting ing 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. And five, a copy of the reg 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 law. Council president. Um, thank you madam clerk. And before we start with payment of bills, we have a presentation by councilman far. Councilman. Well, thank you council president. Good evening Patterson. Uh today I am honored
to uh invite my interns who are current and present Patterson public school students. They're here to present a rationale that why we the city of Patterson like Newark have to make history to allowing 16 and 17 years old
to be participate in Patterson board of education election. And before I start this, I would like to introduce here with my legislative aid Leana Burgos. So introduce the presenters. And I would be very quick, but I believe that these youngsters are not just in the classroom
are learners, they are our future leaders. So again, I want everyone to uh welcome them our future leaders here in the council chamber by your applause. Thank you very much everyone. Good evening. Um, mic is on. Well, I don't know if you
can hear me, but um, my name is Leana Burgos, and as he, the councilman at large, said, I am his, um, current legislative aid. I want to introduce you all to this group of interns that have been learning about public um, advocacy for the past couple of months, and they
have something very important to tell you today. Thank you. Hi. Um, my name is Noelia Par. I'm an 18-year-old and I'm currently attending John FK High School. I'm a senior and it's very exciting me for me to say that in my last four years, it is not up to
now my last year in high school that I have touched a physical book. It's my first time in my four years of high school that I have touched a physical book and read past one page. Now before this year I have only been
doing repetitive tasks on a computer screen only done computer work reading short text then don't really go in depth we doing shallow work only repeating and repeating and repeating and never analyzing now the goal of education the
is to challenge students to enhance critical thinking is something that Patterson the Patterson school system has not done for us. We have not been taught to analyze any any book not to think. We haven't read Dotoveski,
nothing that actually help us understand things better. We haven't been prepared for college. And it's very saddening me saddening for me to say this because I as a reader I'm very compelled to read and and analyze things and this helps me see the world better. But we have not
done this and the public school system is failing us in some ways. This is why we want to introduce to you guys this um um this new policy. Um I will make it very short. I had
actually a student um from Kennedy High School send me a story about a little bit of an issue that she had with a council with a um counselor at her school. Um she actually had her transcript misfiled and almost didn't graduate. The counselor actually wasn't
able to help her at all. She just looked her in the eyes and said, "Well, I'm sorry, but you can always get your GED next year." And that broke her because she worked hard. It wasn't a misfile assignment. It was a misfile transcript that was not sent to her college
applications. Eventually, a teacher was able to cut up and help her and that's why she's able to now be able to go to college next year. But that is something that actually my brothers also um um where like that happened to them as well in Kennedy where the Stras was also
misfiled and he almost didn't graduate high school either. So that is something that needs to change and the students are the ones that are leaving this every single day and that is why we're trying to introduce this today and hopefully get your support to back us up. Um so the
So this um statistics that we have here were taken from students from John F. Kennedy High School and East Side High School and the question was do you believe your school is preparing you for college and 30% said yes and 50% said no. So
that has obviously that has to change because obviously we want the graduation rate to go higher and especially that they have a chance to go to college. And then the next slide the question was do you know who the uh members of the board
of education are? 50% said no 33% said yes and 16% said maybe. So that also has to change because even though they're not of age they should have a voice and a vote into what is being who's being elected and who's going to be in charge
of their future. Newark is the largest city in the state of New Jersey and Newark took the first step to a greater youth. Newark city hall amended their ordinance to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in the school board election. So
last month student voted for the first time in school board election. Newark's impact. In 2024, Newark's became the first city in New Jersey to allow 16 and 17 years old to vote in school board election. If if it start it started with two students,
Yanju and Anjali Krishna Morti who were frustrated by being left out of decisions. Their advocacy led to real policy change in the city of Newark, the largest city in New Jersey. Now, why should Patterson become the
fourth city in the United States to lower the voting age? Well, in the 2023 school board elections, border turnout was only 3 to 5% compared to the 15% turn on council election. Now, this suggests that many adults who students are very subject to the Patterson school
education are unaware and disengaged from the um school board elections. This is not okay. Parents should be paying attention to who is choosing the child's education. No. Research confirmed that 16 to 17 years old are neurologically
and socially matured enough to vote responsibly. Younger voters are just as informed and politically engaged as older voters. And now I think that they are more aware of the political issues going on and that they should be given an opinion. Now allowing students to
vote empowers those who most are affected by school board decision to show the palestans value youth youth voice and exclusive democracy. So we're directly we're directly impacted by the school board decision but we don't have a say.
Lowering the age to 16 gives us have a say in our own in our own education. We understand that the city council may not have the power, but they could have us support our 16 and 17 year olds in the city to help us have a say in who was going to be in charge of our future and
our education. Newwork already has the steps already has taken the steps and has already passed it for the 16 year olds to do the voting and all we're asking is for your help in orders for Patterson to follow through. Just to finalize this, um, thank you so
much for your time today. We have trust in our leaders and all we want is change. We believe that 16 and 17 year olds are able and are capable of being able to know what's wrong in their school system and what they want to change. All we're asking for your support to back us up when the time to
change comes. Thank you very much and have a good evening. Thank you so very much. Thank you. Um, thank you, Councilman Fury, for a phenomenal presentation getting our youth involved in in the process of election in the city of Patterson. Um, so now we're
going to start with our agenda. Council President, thank you very much. Council member Far. Uh, Council President, thank you very much. And again, I'd like to mention that when I offered the internship program about 3 months ago, about 40 plus students from different schools and colleges apply to work under
my office. 40 plus students from different organization are working and this is a team who works under the ad uh supervision of a group from Montlair State University. John is right here. Adriana is not here. So they are actually closely reading the municipal
uh rules and regulation not only in Patterson but also comparatively the other municipalities. So these are the future leaders. They are now involved and we want to see they're engaged for the future of our city and of our state. Again, thank you very much for your
support and we like to see that change coming where our children are being part of the change making. So, thank you everyone. Thank you very much. Thank you, Council Fodin. Now, we going into payment of bills. Councilwoman Davilla. Thank you very much, Council President.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. to my council colleagues, uh, madame clerk, to our new, uh, corporation council, not I'm sorry, business administrator. I'm looking at two, but I was speaking uh, on our BA who, uh, today is his first
meeting. He's been with us now for, I think, a week. Yeah, a week. Uh, so we welcome you to the city of Patterson. Uh, we're looking forward uh, to working with you. I'm sure uh you'll have a chance if you have not done so already
to have your one-on-one which with each council member. Uh so with that said uh council president and council colleagues, we have before us a 94,69,650.82 bills list summary of dispersements. Just so you all uh I I
would ask that you look at the statutory expenditures which are um a total of 52,993,423.78. Uh included in that is almost 15 million of the county taxes. Uh in addition, there are two board of
education payments for a total of 12,73,839.84. Uh this was because we only meet twice uh a month. Uh there is two payroll weeks totaling 11,294,7529. So the total uh in addition
also 33 million of this is also pensions about 28 million uh for police and fire and 5 million for civilian. Uh there's also a $4.2 million uh payment to the soar utility. So when
you look at this insurance payments also uh 5.2 million. So the total amount once again is $94,69,65082 cents. My motion is for payment of bills. Second. It was moved by Councilwoman Davilla and second by Councilwoman um Mims. Um roll call.
Madame clerk on payment of bills. Roll call for the payment of bills and the amount discussion. Discussion. Councilman Jackson. Right down. Council President, can you get the outline to me the $28 million in uh police and retirement fine uh for police and fire retirement. How long How
long does that is that period for? Let me open the floor to uh Mr. B. Um I mean I'm asking you. You ready to just vote on this right away? It's like call for a vote which we're now in. I'm asking you. Do you understand it? You ask a question. I totally understand vote on it. So you
should be able to explain it. Council President, can you explain it or not? If you're looking for an answer, Mr. Civil will open a phone. Can you explain it or not? That's my question. No, I'm not here to explain it to you. But this the administration will. Very good. Mr. Mr. Silver, if you if you can please because
obviously this guy's ready to vote on something and don't even know what he's voting on. Sure. That's that's our pension payment for 2025. Our pension payment last year for police and fire is was 26 million. This year is 28 million. Where where is there a sheet in here
with the breakdown of that is in this in this uh this business? It's not in here. I can email it to you if you like. I mean, I'm expected to vote on the bills list for for almost $100 million or $52 million of a special payment on the on the uh statuto funds and and it's
not in the it's not here. It's not presented. You guys didn't go over it in finance committee. Um we never bring back up to bills up here. We we never have a payment of $54 million. That's not that's not that's not very normal. Our pension payments are every year. There are always
payments of $54 million at a bills is is not normal. every year in April and May we have pension payments, sir. So yet again, just because we do something every year doesn't mean that the details of it should not be here. I should be
able to look at it as I'm voting on it. You're expecting everybody's going to go down the line and just vote in the affirmative. And we have no details. No details of $54 million expenditure. All right. Proceed. It's like business as usual.
Roll call, madam clerk. Roll call for the payment of bills in the amount of 94,69,65082 cents. Councilwoman Cotton, Madame Clerk, let the record reflect that I am excusing myself from this payment of bills. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Dava
to everyone that is listening and for those in in TV land. Uh the payment of bills and the summary of disparance are discussed in a finance committee of which is comprised of four individuals and the reason it comes before is because the entire council has to take
action. These items are discussed uh thoroughly in finance and uh I cannot vote against something that I know that yearly has to happen right you know it's unfortunate that pension plans do go up
all right and uh if you um look at the amount of the 52 million there is a breakdown there um it's never been the norm to bring the amount I mean we talked about we got tablets so we don't kill many trees. All
right? And so that's why I've never seen us have that amount of of paperwork before us. Uh my colleague um is right in asking the questions. He has all the right to do so. He does not sit in finance. So he has the right and I think
that you know through the uh um council president to our CFO. I'm sure that you will be able to send all that information and not just to our Councilman Jackson, but to the entire uh um council as a whole. So, on that note, uh Madame Clerk, my vote is yes. Thank
you, Council Councilwoman. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Madam Clerk. So, let me be clear. We have four individuals that just sat in finance committee. The details of this should
have been there. She as you said there's a tablet CFO didn't point to say you know I have the the outline in my tablet you said I had to email it to you that means whatever was discussed in finance committee the four of you should be able to come out here and explain it
and outline it to the rest of the council at least to me I mean I seem to be the only one that's concerned about it but you guys should be able to come out here and outline it to me council president is just ready to move it right along let's just vote he can't explain it that means he doesn't understand it. That means he's going to vote in the
affirmative just because he's being told to do so. We not us not having the details. It's just business as usual. Let me tell you what that is guiding us gotten us. And Mr. Ba, I I appreciate all the phone calls and things of that nature. And I'm I'm hoping that we can
have a a smooth and amicable uh uh relationship. I'm positive we can. I'm just asking for the things that I'm entitled to. Right now, there's an entity called the PRC. And I'm sure you don't know about it, but if you can, please get get some information because I need to see all the financials on the
PRC. It's a $40 million fund that all of a sudden now is going to it's we bought the the building on on East Railroad Avenue for $6 plus million. That's supposed to be our communication room for the last 3 years. It's still not up and running. All it spent it on the business incubator and now they're going
to spend another $2.5 million on it. All of the things that you guys continue to vote yes on. It's never the details in our ear. I've been asking for the details in the PRC for the last You want it 10 years. The Henchip Stadium, $110 million. Now
all of a sudden, we found another $2.5 million of which $1.4 million was overruns. And we don't have no details. All these four people that sit in this finance committee don't have no details of this spending. And it's obviously not that
important. Um, but I cannot just con, you know, blindly vote on something, the details aren't here. We're here to be responsible. You want to understand why the community is in the condition it's in. This is why our primary role as council is to be responsible on the
spending. How you have four individuals in the council sitting a finance committee for however many for an hour or whatever the case and they can't come out here and outline and tell us where this money is going. 28 $28 million. They can't tell us where it's going. No
details here. There's no of all these papers, these trees that we've killed. There's not one page that outlines the $54 million. Madame Clerk, my vote is no. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Khalik. Thank you, Madame Clerk. We receive our
um payment of bill on Friday and we come here on Tuesday and vote on it. If I have any question about any line item or anything is not outlined, I make the phone call to CFO or Mr. Ba to get the
information. $28 million police and fire retirement payments. It's clearly outlined. Not only that item, every items is outlined on this payment of bill 36 pages. If you want a receipt of
every page, every item in here, we're gonna have probably 20,000 pages. If I have, if I feel like there's something wrong with a payment, I'll make a phone call and ask for the receipt or any documents that I need. I don't see
anything wrong with these payments of bill. My vote is yes, thank you, Councilman, Councilwoman Mims. And um just to add to that to the public on the ledger when you come into the city council chambers for those that are
watching you can operate if you want to reach out to me you all know my information you can call me and I'll send this to you but if you come into the chambers every week the secretary is doing an amazing job in the clerk's office of laying out the material. Not
only is it here and we talk about breakdown, I wish the camera could zoom in. If you turn to the back of the page, it's totally broken down as to what it is for. So, if you look at it, it will
tell you that $28 million was fire and police retirement pay. It talks about all the other retirees, they're getting paid. It is clearly broken down. So, even if even if say you didn't read your packet on
Friday, you came here tonight, or if you're a resident, you came, just turn over the page. It's clearly here. We have nothing to hide. We're voting on people that worked hard, they retired, their paychecks. That's what the bulk of
this is for on tonight. And there's other payment uh just regular payroll that's on here, too. But if you can all just get a copy of it. I want you to see it or I'll pass this out if somebody wants to see it and just flip it over. You'll see all in the back people that
work that retired their paychecks. That's what this is for. And I see I'll I'll give it to you. Yeah. But I'll I'll give it to you so you'll see it. But I just want people to know that this bill's list as previously stated, it comes to us every Friday. It is also
emailed to every council member. And then of course if we have questions we can ask in the finance committee we go over it review it we ask additional questions but I I love that now they break it down on the back. So just in case you're not clear you're not sure it
clearly outlines what we're voting on. So as I always say services rendered deserve to be paid and it's clearly outlined here. Madame clerk my vote is yes. Thank you, Councilwoman. Me, Councilman Omar, yes. Thank you,
Councilman. Councilman Uden. Yes, Merrick. Thank you, Councilman VZ. Thank you, Madame Clerk. Uh just to add a little bit into the discussion, uh Councilwoman MS is uh totally right. And when you look at the bill that we've
been paying today, I'm well satisfied seeing that we have a lot of rental assistant payments, those that are needed in our city. So I believe the u the payment is fair. My vote is yes. Thank you councilman. Council president.
Thank you madam clerk. Let me I I really wants to um just recommend my colleague to do their homework and if they have any question yes you have from from Friday all the way to Tuesday to reach out to the new VA to reach out to the new CFO and and police and fire retirement $28 million. Those are the
police officer and the firefighter that I retired that need that money that need that pension. So with that being said, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Council President. The vote. Madam Clerk, like to reconsider my vote, please. Thank you. Thank you. So if anyone was here at the last
meeting, I just saw one of the the union reps walk in. The city of Patterson is being sued by the firefighters union. In fact, there was arbitration done where there was a independent company that was hired that has found that has been over
$25 million in inappropriation, inappropriate spending. I had asked the council president when were we going to do a review. Many of you were here at that council meeting, you saw the council president say we're going to review that in a private session. I said we should
have a discussion in public so the public can have an opportunity to hear us discuss this. If this is clearly outlined, maybe one of them can talk to me about how many firemen are being paid into the pen from the on their pension
and how is that being impacted from the audit that was just recently done that a judge has just recently ruled against the city against this council and our irresponsible nature in how we're conducting our vote when it comes to
payment of bills. So, if they're trying to outline that it's here and he's not reading his packet and he's irresponsible, when are we going to do the review in public for the firefighters union that hired a third party company to do a an an audit and
find that we have been irresponsible in our spending? How many police officers are being paid in this? Where are their names? How many firefighters are those firefighters involved in this pending lawsuit? There's many different levels
of of understanding that you have to have that's not included in here. This document is five lines. One, two, three, seven lines for $54 million. Yeah, I could possibly go through here and climb and figure out
maybe there may be, but there's nothing in here outlining this $28 million. And I tell you what, there's not. There's nothing in here explaining whether or not there's any validity to this lawsuit that's just been placed on us uh from
the firefighters union. So, I don't know what you're talking about. But what I do know is we're taking a beating and the state right now had just put forward a mandate that if we do not approve the budget, meaning they're going to bully us to approving the budget that they're
going to start deducting $25 a day from this council. Is that saying we've been responsible? Is that outlining that this has been a responsible council in our in our in our judiciary responsibility to being prudent on our budget? That does not outline that. That that sounds like
a lot of excuses of going down the line of yes votes. I'm not going to be a part of that. In in the light of the public, let's put on record what it is that we're losing and what we're spending and why we're spending it. not just come through here one bulk uh billsless vote
and blindly vote on something without the details given from finance. Madame clerk, my vote is no. Thank you, council Councilman Jackson. The votes are seven in favor, one against, one recusal. The Thank you, madam clerk. Madam clerk, how many speaker do we have? The payment of
bills is hereby adopted. Thank you. How many speaker do we have? We have 31 speakers. Okay. So members of the public at 8:00 we have a special meeting meaning that we have to meet into a executive section at the council and then right after we have to open the
chamber for to take formal action. I'm going to start the public portion now. Um the list will say I know most of the people they all sign on the list. Please I will I'm going to exercise the threeinut rules respectfully. Right after the three minute there's a clock
in front of you and there's a turn right there that you could see. That way you could use your time effectively. I will ask you respectfully to move and allow the next person to speak. I know there's a lot of anger in our community. There's a lot of there's a lot of violence in our city. A lot a lot of people feel
anger. But we're here to hear you. We're going to hear the community. We need to hear why you came to say to address the council, to address the administration because this is the people's house. Remember that the quorum and the respect that you need to have in the chamber, not only for the council members, but only for the city of Patterson also as
well. and for our youth that are watching this meeting and for the youth that we have here. So I want to ask to madame clerk to call the first speaker to use the three minute the first three minute first speaker. Yes council president the first speaker is Mariela Selin. I hope I'm pronouncing that
correctly. Mariela Selin what is okay. Please state your name and your address ma'am. Thank you. Our mic is on. Mic is on.
Good evening. My name is Mariela Secllan and I am the president of the board of trustees of the Peruvian parade. Peruvian parade is a longstanding institution that nearly 39th years have been running a Peruvian parade through
the cities of Pay Clifton and Patterson. We're here tonight to ask just for one simple thing. We would like clarity on the permit process to run a parade. That's all. We have organized a Peruvian parade
in Patterson, a beloved tradition that celebrates our culture, our heritage, and our contributions to this city. Many of you members of the council have celebrated with us. You've marched with us. You've stood with our community year
after year. That's why this situation is both painful and confusing. Last July, we submitted a letter of intent to have a parade and
requesting the application to obtain the permit. However, this was not granted to us. We follow every instruction from the offices, but the application that we
presented when we were told to present was not even submitted. Meanwhile, a newly formed organization who is led by a former president of the Peruvian Parade
who served for two terms. He opened up a new organization and he with his uh organization was were granted a permit. He was able to file on July 31st which is the day after we
requested the application. We're not here to divide. We're not here to argue. We're here to seek unity. We simply want to understand what happened and more importantly how
do we fix it together. The Peruvian parade belongs to the community that built it. Our only goal is to ensure transparency, fairness, and the opportunity to continue honoring our
heritage as one united community. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Hector Castillia. Please state your name and address, Mr. Cast. Dr. Hector Castile,
1000 Madison Avenue. U I've been Thank you very much for listening to me today and happy Mother's Day to everybody. I'm here because I going to give you the basically the timeline of what
transpired last year. On July the 30th at 10:00 a.m., I myself presented a letter for the department addressed to the Department of Permits and Licensing. attention
decoll requesting a permit to hold a Peruvian parade and festival on July 27th of 2025. The the letter was officially received and date stamped by Mrs. Hish Mama who works for Mrs. McCall. Copies
were delivered also to the mayor Sandra also to the legal department and also to the city clerk. On the same day, Miss Williams informed Dr. Castillo, who is me obviously, that all parade permits and
applications must be submitted six months in advance of the event. These same guidance have been provided to the organization and for the previous two years. Myself currently I serve as
trustee of the proven parade. January the 24th to 25, a formal letter from DeMarco and Demarco, the legal representatives for the Peruvian parade addressed to Dela
Mcccoall Fisher office requesting officials of official permit application was given to Mrs. McCall. On that day, Miss Williams provided the application to
myself. That was January 24th. On January 27th, the completed permit application was delivered to Miss Williams. However, she declined to accept payment for the application and stated that the application will be
forwarded to the Patterson legal department for review. Miss Williams also informed me that the city representative will be contacting me from the legal department as of today. As of today, I have not never been
communicated. I have never been told what happened to our application. I went myself and I have called at least 10 times to the legal department specifically to Mr. Abushi. Up to this point, we haven't
heard anything and we don't know what happened to our application. Our application is on hold yet. The application of the other organization has been accepted. This is not fair and it's up to you. Thank you
members to do something about it. Thank you. Thank you Dr. Garcia. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Mimi Seova. Please state your name and address. Sure. My name is Mimi Seulva. I'm from 207 Westervelt in the city of Loi. I'm
going to get down to the nitty-gritty. My two partners already said we're board of trustees and I would like the attention of everyone. We went ahead and got and gave you guys a packet of each timeline. How does the applications were submitted? We got the opera from New Jersey Peruvians as well. And you could
see that the dates are not fair. I'm here. I went to the city of Clifton. I asked for unity. They said they don't want unity. They don't want to work with us. I'm tired, guys. This is ridiculous at this point. I don't see the justice
in it. All I see is corruption. I see people c it's ridiculous. It's to the point that this is not for us. This is for the community. This is what we're doing. We waste our time. We do what we need to do is for the community. The president that is right now for New
Jersey Peruvians, he has served as terms for two years. He went ahead and he did his own organization, which is fine because everybody has the right to do their own organization. but don't take the route that has been with us for literally 39 years, which is
incorrect. That's exactly why I'm up here. I respect the city of Patterson. I know most of you. I see where all you guys come from and what you guys do for your community. I ask for you guys to please go through this packet. Please see the injustice of the dates of what
went down. How are you going to tell us that there's a six-month ordinance and then you come back and you accept an application for someone else? That is incorrect. That is injustice. Not just for the Peruvian parade, but also for the community, the Peruvian
community that has been backing up this organization for 39 years. I don't care what happened between presidents. I really don't care about that. That's not what I'm here for. I'm here to work for the community and for us to do something
and to continue what we're doing. So, I ask every single one of you, please check these packages, see the injustice that is going on. That to me just shows me that Patterson is not doing what's right as per their ordinance of 6 months
and then you guys come and accept somebody else. You guys won't even accept. We won't even we you guys won't even give us an application which is crazy. Not even an application that is unfair and injustice. We come and we get an application in
January and we go ahead and we follow everything that everybody do everything that Miss McCall said, Dela, we followed everything. So I used to ask for unity. I'm not asking for unity anymore because they stated in the city of Clifton that
they don't want unity and that's messed up. What's his name? That's messed up. And I know all all of you guys here, you guys work for this city and you guys unite to work for this city if I'm right. But I think it's incorrect for them to say that they don't want to work
with us. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Cler. Yes, Council President. The next speaker is Jenny. I'm sorry, I can't make out the last name. S. All right. Okay.
Please state your name and address and address for the record. My name is Jenny Strata and my current address is 604 Harrison, New Jersey. Thank you. How's everyone doing? I was looking at all the uh forms this
package that was given to you all and I would really appreciate if you take the time. Please take the time. As my colleagues were mentioned, it is
unfair. It is unjustice is what happening to the institution that represents Peruvians, not just here in Patterson. We're talking about out of the country. A lot of people look forward for this
event and for us not to have it is really saddened a lot of our community, our leaders. What happened in the past, it doesn't represent me.
I see ex-presidents here sitting with us because they want this parade. It's not right. Absolutely. It's not right. We're putting our time and
energy to come together as a community. And all I hear, well, I don't know. It's like I'm blind. I'm deaf. We're hear our voices. At least hear our voices.
Please get that list back. If it is a problem, that's not my problem. All I want to know is consider it. Please consider
it. And look in this package how unfair, how unfair we've been treated. And yes, they're here. The other party are here. Yeah, I can't see. But names, they're not going to unite with us. They're not going to want. So why Okay,
thank you. Why are we fighting for? We're here to unite. And I'm certain that a lot of people will come and show up and say whatever they want to say. This is not what represent us. The
Peruvian parade is being celebrated 39 years. And for us not to have our parade is very shameful. It really hurts me because as a Peruvian, I'm very proud of where my roots
are. And when I see the floats, when I see people are being honored, and I'm sure you've been to our events because I see you all a different type of Peruvian event. Thank you. Please look at the package. Thank you. Next speaker, madam
clerk. The next speaker is GMO Garcia. GMO Garcia. Okay. Please state your name and address. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Um I just want to take one minute from you
guys. We deliver a package to you guys to review it. Just review the package because we believe in God and we believe in justice. You know I want you guys decide
not for me personal not for anybody personal not for anybody personal you need to decide for the community you want see my community united it's not the ego the person look for because too
many leader look for the ego we not looking for that we're looking for united community Peruvian community please read the package and make sure and check the days. I just asked
for that adjusted. It's not because I want to do it. No, the organization stay for 40 more years and we going to the side. But this is what what we give it to our community, our kids. We don't
show to our kids that community that is not unioned. We need to show our kids that we work hard for them. You guys needs to see the package reviewing. Even though one of
the application doesn't have the notoriize, you supposed to bring the whole package with notoriized signature. You know, they did in one minute. Please review the package and
decide what is the justice for the community. The community deserve a parade and festival. Not for me, it's for community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Cameo
Black. Please state your name and address. Thank you. Good evening. I came down here for multiple reasons. Um, far as dealing with the Patterson Police Department, I have a police report, but I'm going to
leave it alone because I was able to get in touch with internal affairs. So, I'm going to go to the next topic. I don't know how y'all sit here. Y'all could put me out cuz I'm going to I'm about to show out. So, y'all can put me out. But these ass rules that y'all came
up with, how y'all going to sit up here and ask for quorum, ask for people, tell people what tone of voice y'all could speak in? Y'all must have lost y'all damn minds. Y'all had to lose y'all mind. Y'all can't even sit up here and give us respect and look at us when
we're talking. Everybody moving around and everything else. Where's the man that's keep getting drunk crashing cars up and then the city keep on getting him more cars. Y'all could I'm sick of y'all. I'm so tired of y'all. Y'all told y'all I was not coming back down here
because it fall on deaf ears. Y'all ridiculous. Y'all make this city look bad as hell. Everybody is in distress. We're tired of y'all. The taxes keep going up. Trash is going down. Andre, you sitting
up here talking about, "Oh, we got two new trucks." We need way more than two damn trucks. Then y'all constantly keep repaving the same stuff. When is the bottom of um Gum Street going to get done? People coming, they lose their tires. We're sick and tired.
We're tired of being tired. Then y'all, I'm sick of y'all. I'm really tired of y'all. And if y'all ever think by y'all sitting up here, this it would never ever stand ever. I'm not respecting nobody up here. When y'all respect us,
then we respect y'all. Alex Mendes, you sitting up here talking about the community, y'all here for the community. When the y'all going to show us y'all here for us? Y'all don't give a about us. Y'all playing y'all our face. Y'all show us every day. Y'all don't give a about us at
all. From the board of education to the um city hall down, everybody everybody play in our face. And like I keep telling all of y'all the same we reason why we here because of a car accident. We got to start standing here all the
time. Stand together united because when we come deep like this, everybody going to know we're standing on business. We're tired and it's up for whoever and whenever. I'm tired. Mr. Speaker, medical clerk. Next speaker is Corey Teague.
Commissioner dumb ass. Please state your name and address. Thank you. Commissioner Corey Teague, Patterson School Board, 65 Prince Street. You know, I'm standing here tonight because I am embarrassed as an elected official in this city.
At what point are we going to say that this particular councilman needs to be removed from the city council? At what point are we going to say that? Is it going to get to a point where he's going to kill somebody in this city before we decide that something has to
be done? He killed somebody already in another town. But are we going to wait till somebody dies here in the street because he's driving through the streets drunk? Ladies and gentlemen, these seats that you hold do not belong to you. They
belong to them. I think you need to understand that. There's a there's a statement from the uh Declaration of Independence, not to be confused with the Constitution, which says when a long train of abuses continue on without being
addressed, that the people who have the responsibility to do something or have the ability to do something also have the responsibility to throw off such government and bring on guards for our future security. That means if something is wrong, those who have the power to do
something about it have the responsibility to do something about it. There is no rule of decorum that can protect any politician at the voting booth. We have the power to go there and make our voices known. It's up to you
how you want to decide that. But I'm going to tell you right now, we cannot continue to allow this because right now we are a laughing stock in this entire state. They're allowing whatever they're just allowing anything to happen. So I want to see tonight is this council
going to respect the actual seat like how they go after Councilman Jackson for telling the truth. I want if they can go after him for telling the truth and try to accuse him of being racist and trying to accuse him of all of these things, but this guy's running people over in the streets and
nobody's doing a thing. Do you even respect the seat that you sit in? Forget about titles. Forget about names. What about the seat? There's a constitution for the city. When the city was founded, remember at
one time we had alderman. Then we switched to Faulner Plan D and then we moved to city councilman. There is an actual process here and you got to say, "Look, Lewis, we're friends, but guess what? You can't sit in this seat anymore because you're not representing our city."
That's all I got tonight. Good evening. Thank you, Commissioner. That's next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Ernest Rucker. Please state your name and address. Ernest Rucker, Patterson, New Jersey.
First of all, I want to know who the hell did this. All right, let's get let's get let's get rid of this first. When I see decorum on that side of the aisle, I'll show you decorum.
When I see respect on that side of the aisle is when I'll show you respect. Other than that, that is nothing. We come here week in week out and all we see is confusion. We hear lies, people
crediting themselves. I'm sick of it. I did this. I did that. And the city is filthy as hell. I am doing this for the community, but nobody got jobs. Oh, I I believe in community, but rent is skyhigh.
But what I really came here to talk about is the city of Paris is asking for $6 million from the state to cover his budget. I came a couple weeks ago and I asked you where is the godamn $24
million that you have in surplus? How are you raising taxes on people that cannot afford it when you have $24 million in surplus? Do you think everybody here is a fool that we just listen to what you tell us and
don't check it? I have the audit. You're sitting on $24 million. If the state does not give us $6 million, go in that committee, take the money out and keep the tax at 2%. Now, you
guys are the people that watch the budget. Y'all are supposed to do legislation, not Christmas parties, not turkeys, not block parties. Legislate. When is that going to happen?
This is the wildest council I've seen in 50 years. No respect. No respect. But you'll ask us to stand here and honor the time.
Honor the respect. When are you going to show it to us? You know, we made a big mistake. We sat back and we sat home during election time and vote the same set of back in office. Same set of back in
office. And I I wonder why you don't respect us. Well, why should you? We're stupid enough to keep doing the same over and over again and don't think it's not insanity. I don't give a how you feel about
what I'm saying because as far as freedom of speech is concerned since I have to keep training you on this and maybe you need your legal opinion. Your rules, your regulations does not trump. Cut that damn thing off for a minute. I'm not Mr. Rock. I'm not
finished. Not Mr. Rock. I'm not finished. Can you listen to me for a minute? I'm not have me removed. You have a large list of people after you and I want you to please I am going to close this waste time. I'm going to finish it. Thank you, Rocky. Nobody moves me. I'm going to finish it. Thank
you. As I was saying, I will start respecting you when you show us respect we've been begging for year in and year out. Thank you. Now you can have your mic.
Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is um Nalaysia Washington. Yeah, she's she's coming. Noia, Washington, please state your name and your address,
please. Is he coming back? Vela is whatever his name is. He's a coward. He's up. My name is Nalasia Washington. Early Monday morning, I was hit by a drunk driver around 1:30 a.m. And that drunk
driver was Councilman Lewis VZ. And I want to know, what will his consequences be? How is he even here today and not being held accountable for what he did to me? I'm out of work and I can't attend school, but he's here today making his money while I'm missing out
my mind. I have a daughter along with monthly bills. This is not acceptable. And I'm standing here today to let all y'all know I'm not going to stop until something is done about this. That's bigger m the next speaker. She has more time going at go.
You should have never allowed him to leave that party and you knew he was drunk. You should have gave him a Uber or whatever. Now you see what happened to my daughter and her friends. You were in there dropping it low, too. You see the videos? How do we respect you
people? How? He sure was. He was drunk just like the other one was. And like she said, we're not giving up. I want you out of that seat also. You're just like him. Y'all are drunk. And now he want to walk
out. You're drunk. We need you out of that seat. I want to see you in jail. That's where I want you at. In jail. Where is the attorney general? Where is everybody else at? I don't want to be involved with Patterson. I'm taking it
out of here because you, my fellow, you are going to be dealt with. And that is from the pit of my heart. Not the bottom, the pit of my heart. Till the day I die, I'm going to make sure you pay for what you did to my child. And that's all I have to say. Thank you.
Best speaker. The next speaker. The next speaker is Leah Mora. Is she here? You're after her. You're after her.
You're after her. Good evening, honorable council members. Um, good evening. Good evening. I'm here today because I'm deeply disappointed by the events of the last council meeting. There are children at home who watch
these meeting and I ask, what are they supposed to think of our leaders when they see all this chaos? As our leaders, you are called to set an example to others, not lead not lead them astray. The Bible reminds us in Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12, "Let no
one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." We all, we are all meant to lead by example, especially in those especially those in positions of
authority. The Quran also teaches us the importance of good leadership. In in Sah in Sarah alam chapter 3 verse 159 it says and by the mercy of
Allah oh Muhammad you dealt with them gently and if you had been rude harshhearted they would have disbanded you from you from about you. This reminds us that leadership should be rooted in gentleness and kindness, not
harshness and division. Thanks to the YMCA of Patterson, I had the privilege of attending a conference where children learned how to debate and present bills. When you see how these children handle disagreements peacefully and respectfully, it should make you reflect on your actions. They show better theor
decorum than you do as adults. Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. We can't move forward if we keep treating each other this way." Respect and kindness can get us much further. I don't understand why you can't work
together. If you use your ideas in the right way, we can make great progress. But if everyone just blames each other, nothing changes. Romans 12:10 tells us, "Love one another with brotherly affection. and outdo one another in showing honor instead of blaming. We
should be lifting each other up and working towards solutions. By putting up walls, you are only holding our community back. We need unity to move forward. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. Next speaker is Chanel Fields.
Please state your name and address. Thank you. Chief, I'm going to try out the rules tonight. My first issue is Javana's Sunshine Daycare Center. I would like to know. I saw many
council people commenting on it and I would like to know what's the status in retaining the ongoing daily security. Lewis, you know, I'm coming for you. Somehow I believe that your position has gone to your head so much that you feel
untouchable. And last I checked, your position doesn't make you untouchable, which makes you more your most recent actions even more disgraceful. May I ask you, how is it that you're still driving around in another vehicle already without being made to check into some
form of rehabilitation? How many more lives have to be destroyed before you're held accountable? You see, what I've come to realize is that you're not just a danger on the road. You're a danger to the
people who foolishly keep trusting you to lead. News flash, you're not capable. You never been. But what you are is a daily reminder of what a disappointment and a disaster look like at the same time. What you fail to realize most is
that the public service what you fail to realize most is that public service and public recklessness cannot coexist. Resign before your next vehicular mistake becomes another obituary. You took an oath to protect your community, not endanger it with the
alcohol bottle in your hand. Your poor choices and despicable leadership have spoken far louder than your campaign promises. And they scream, "I don't care who gets hurt in this community." You have blood all over your hands and no amount of political spin by the corrupt
mayor Andre Seya, the lackluster radio silent business administration, the planted attorney generals, the untrustworthy councils, what appears to be complicit police department, the side dealing tow truck company, the deviant
news reporter, and all who cover your filthy behavior. Let me go back down. Let me go to moderate. None of them can wash the stench of blood that spills from you right now off your hands. You better hope that justice comes from the courts before fate decides it will come
from the people you have continuously bullied, threatened, and betrayed. You've turned your official title as councilman into a personal shield for your political crimes and regular misdemeanors. And that shield is quickly quickly cracking. While you were so busy launching your your soy
Natasha campaign, somehow you forgot that so much Natasha Tambian, many of us are still waiting on job opportunities that your nepatism stopped us and stops us from receiving. Here's truth. You should have taken your
own advice. Seek the Lord, brother. One woman is dead. Another person has a broken neck and may never go back to a pain-free life again and you're still walking free. Can someone from this council explain how that's possible? Will no one speak up. Leadership is
earned, not abused. I'm going to stop because you asked for three minutes. I'll continue next week. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Kamisha Rogers Jones. Tanisha Kamisha Rogers Jones. Tanisha,
she's not here. Okay. She's all right. The next speaker is when she come back, we go back to her name. Next speaker, ML Henry Adamson. How you doing, Henry Adam? Please state your name and address, please. Thank you. Adamson, Patterson, New Jersey. Um,
first I want to just give our heart out to the victim that lost his license over the weekend on Mother's Day. He was a good guy. I mean, Ros store. Second, um, still want to talk about the
downtown conditions of downtown. I know the camera down there, it did help a little bit. It did clean up a little bit, so you know what I mean. But third, the video over the weekend. Oh man. And I and I know the young lady that got in a car
accident. Um it's like watching hearing like to hear about when a a councilman anybody get accountability of get um hear like a councilman get a situation three times.
It's like ridiculous. Old articles started popping up. Um, it's ridiculous. And watching the video and then he act like he didn't even care. That's another thing. I see both y'all, you and him partying. It's
cool. I mean, I enjoy y'all right to have a good time. But Council Mendes, I wish you as a friend or colleague would have just told him jump in the Uber for the night. Um, Mr.
less. I just think you probably need to just go to rehab and um get in correct. I don't think you're a bad person. I'm going to tell you that for a fact. I don't think you're a bad person at all. And I don't think you need to be removed. I just think you probably need a break from
here. Clear your mind up. Straighten out whatever demons you got in your closet. Get yourself in order. But I think you do need a break from here and everything. Go get some help and figure out what's going on. So that's all I got really to say.
That's about it. Speaker, Madam Clerk, um trying to figure out the name. Can you help me with this? Who's this? It looks like I think it looks like Ruez. Ruez. Is there a Ruez in here that signed up? A
Ruez. A Clarian Ruez. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Please stay. Good evening everyone. I'm Victor Urbz, 231 Marcus Street. I wish I could come here and say that Councilman Veles is the problem.
I wish I could say that because it would be limited to that. You know, Malcolm always talked about this vicious cycle. Poverty, you know, uh uh inferior education, unemployment, unemployment, inferior education, poverty. I couldn't
figure that out. We have a vicious cycle here as well. So, who is this? We have an act. The police are supposed to take care of that act. They did not. Now it turns into a
conspiracy and that's the problem because if something happens there as to the incident and I love and I'm a good friend with BZ but the wrong is wrong, right is right. when the police gets at the scene. And I've been
going to the community meetings with the police to build this community trust. Been going to those meetings. I've been participating in those meetings. But something happened here. And as an attorney that that deals with these type
of issues and the scene is where he's at. The breathalyzer, the the field sobriety test, all that's supposed to be done right there and then. He's not even. So, and if it wasn't,
I'm not coming at you. I'm coming at the system. Mar that failed every single one of us. That That could have been me walking with my wife. That could have been any one of us walking with our kids and the system has failed to remedy the
situation. And as long as that systemic um failures continues, we're going to be back here over and over again. And I am deeply disappointed in the Patterson Police Department for their
failure. And again, I am not coming at anyone. I'm coming at the system that has continuously failed us. And having said that, it is imperative that now this failure has turned into a
conspiracy, a cover up. And that takes it to a whole another level. This is why the very beginning it has nothing to do with veles. He's just the piece that set it off. So, I just hope I just hope that the system that's here to protect us
takes the right steps and the measures that are supposed to be in place to safeguard against events like this. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Mario.
Is there Mario? Mario. Yeah. Let's move to the next speaker. Madam claro council president. No, no. If you see here, I just want to make sure that we don't leave nobody behind. I just want to make sure that the person that sign up get the
opportunity to speak. Um, thank you. Please state your name and address. Hi, good evening council president and members of the city council. I'm sorry for absent my name. My name is Saro Bueno. I am trusted to the New
Jersey Peruvia in when the president Carlos Taylor. We are here today to affir the New Jersey Peruvian Inc. had complete with all delights and required for our
flac and festival. Our team has working delightly and transparently in the planning and per me process. We are not involved in any legal
dispute nor under we are under investigation or lawsuit religious to our organization nor our events. Let us be clear, we do not engage in any backroom deals and we do not exchange
campaign contribution for last many and political favors. Our commitment is to show our history, tradition and culture to the community through our
parade festival, not politics. We respectfully ask that the city council recognize the integrity and time or our work honor to process has been
followed. We have done our part and we ask you respectfully do yours by treating our application in a venuing fairness and respect it deserve.
Thank you so much, Council President Alis Mendes. This speaker, Madam Clerk, Kylie Mos, the next speaker is ma'am, please. What's the next speaker, madam
clerk? Oh, yes. Good. Good evening. Good evening. It's been a while. I'm praying. I'm praying for the city. I'm praying for everyone. Um I'm
here on behalf of a project that um I've been working on with Council President um Mendes and the Patterson Housing Alliance. This project came out of um a response when the council president
when council president put out the ordinance for the homeless um to be criminalized. Out of that we begin to have discussions around that. Me and him begin to talk. I am the owner and
director of hope through care which is the family shelter. also the founder and director of heart of Hannah Women's Center which is a service homeless s housing service provider. We do provide rental assistance and a whole bunch of other services.
out of the discussions with um council president, this whole discussion began around how can grassroot organizations access funding to CBDG to assist with the homeless project, you
know, the homeless issue here in the city of Patterson. At the table was myself, other G grassroot organizations, Black Lives Matters, Mature Sisters, Ruby's Visions, and the
attorney, the Dominican group, I can't pronounce the name properly, that was just up here. So, it's been some ongoing discuss discussions. In those discussions, we end up having a discussion with DCA to see how we can
make this happen. how we could address the homeless issue. I want to read something real quick about the project. Um council is going to present it tonight. It is called the Patterson Bridge Project. It is bridging um the
homeless to housing. getting those that are sleeping in the street, in the tent, in the business corridor, um coming off of Route 19, Ward Street, up and down Main Street, getting them
ready for housing. Um we are asking DC um the state for funding to provide housing vouchers for these individuals. I am here asking the um city council to
support this project. Let me just read a little bit about it real quick. I know I'm on the clock and it's a little intimidating because I'm a thinker and a talker and trying to beat the clock and I just want to read
some information about the Patterson Bridge program. But I think the beautiful thing about the Patterson Bridge program, it gives an opportunity for those grassroot organizations, and there's a number of you sitting on the other side that have been fighting with
me and other grassroot organizations for us to access funding to do the work that we do. And a lot of times these groups are doing the work for free. here's an opportunity for them to be paid for the work that they do, but also
I'mma have to email it to y'all, I guess, because I can't I couldn't get it out. We'll have the discussion under the workshop uh in a little bit. Thank you. Thank you, Kayla. It's a great program. We're ready. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Ruby Clark.
Oh, I can't wait. Let me be real quick. Let me read it real quick. Okay. the Patterson Bridge program and task force. According to the statistics for
the point in time count, P the city of Patterson out of P County had 411 homeless individuals when the county had 400 altogether the county had 423 and 411 of them were identified for
living in the city of Patterson. The Patterson Bridge program is a strategic targeted initiative designed to integrate and mitigate and reduce homelessness in the city of Patterson. It addresses crit
critical gap issues such as those that have untreated I I know what I'm talking about. Untreated mental health, untreated substance abuse. It involves intensive case management. And it doesn't only involve the grassroot organizations. All stakeholders will be
invited to a seat at the table. And I just hope that you all will take the time. A lot of work, a lot of thought, a lot of discussion went into the project. And I just hope please I pray it's it's not about politics. It's about helping
those that are out there on the street. We complain about them. So we are doing a concerted effort to help those people to help themselves and get them off the street. They do not belong on our streets. Our seniors don't need to experience it. Our kids don't need to
experience it and we don't need to experience it. So I hope that we're able to move the politics out of the way. I pray and be able to get the job done and begin to do something that we all been talking about. And this includes not
just the larger organizations. We always talk about EVAs and straighten out. This includes those grassroot organizations that's out there already doing the work. I got Thank you. Thank you, Kelly. Thank you. Um, Speaker, Madam Cler, point of
order. Council President, point of order. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Council President. First of all, Miss Mars Meeks, let me say this before I begin. You already know I'm in 1,000% support of whatever it is that you're
working on. I've done so in the past. I will continue to do so, not only with my uh lip service, but also supporting you financially. But council president, you've just done a this community a huge disservice in allowing certain council
members. You guys have conspired and worked together to silence the community and silence those members of our community that have come forward to be able to have the privilege to be able to to convey their time to someone else. And now when you allow one person to do it just because it's working on behalf
of yourself, you violate the policies of this council. You violate the policies that you sir have been holding up so so um wholeheartedly. you have you have you have failed this community and with the poor leadership
that you did continue to display, right? And if you're going to continue to do things like this, my faith in you has definitely been lost a long time ago. But I need to point that out. If you're going to do something for one, you must do something for all of the community.
You cannot be just because you're intimidated by Mr. Rucker, you let him extend 10 minutes and then you cut off Mr. Olivaris promptly before 3 minutes gets there. Miss Moss, we we appreciate and respect her, but Miss Wahita Muhammed is just as important. Miss uh
Cameo Black is just as important and anybody else that wants to come up here and express themselves is just as important. And you just displayed a despicable act just now, sir. I wanted to place that on record. So, let's continue with the public portion. Madam Clerk, what's speaker? Point of order
has to be answered to, Council President. Right. So, so, so, so, so it's very, so it's very, so it's very simple. Um, it's very simple. Everybody remember, everybody remember very brief. Everybody remember when I introduced the the legislation to stop what the
administration has since stopped and is addressing the homeless population that we have and the disaster that we have in the downtown and throughout the city of Patterson. I was punished. I was attacked because I was I was criminalizing homeless. Because of that, I opened my door to all the institution,
all the grassroot organization and we start working and we got all those ideas. We put it in paper. We put it to legal and I said, "Let's present it." All it cares about if we're going to fix the homeless situation. We got to get those grassroot that are doing the work here and not getting anything on the
table. So that's what that's what I'm doing at this time. I'm willing to entertain any discussion, but I want to move to the public portion because I know there's a lot of people yet. Let's call the next speaker. Again, council president highlighting something that you're doing. Can you call that speaker? Just the other day, the mayor's
personal guard was out here kicking those people out of those tents, throwing all those tents in the garbage. I had video of his personal security guard about what you're doing for the homeless population. I really wants to I really wants to I know you didn't answer to the point of order. No, because quite
honestly to the point of order. I could I could go one on one. The idea that you have you tried to disrupt this meeting. It's not about disruption. It's about decorum. What you don't understand. It's about decorum. It's about fair treatment. And it's about equitable
treatment. You haven't been listening. Just because somebody's coming over here talking about homeless, they get a special privilege because nobody Everybody has a century. didn't hold the mayor accountable when his personal security guard went out there and kicked those homeless people out of their tents
with no solution while it was raining. While it's raining, he's kicking them out of tents, sending them out on their own. You didn't hold the mayor accountable, but you're going to you're going to allow somebody to extend their time, send their time to someone else. So, so let me call the next speaker. I'm going to click we call the next speaker. Next speaker is Marian Rivas. Marian,
while we wait for the next person, you resend the rule. The rule that was put on the book to stop me from sharing time or passing time. I want to see that on your next resend the ruck. We hear you, Mr. Rocky. Let's go to the
next speaker. Please state your name and address. Good evening, council members. My name is Maria Rivas 73 Nikboker Paris, New Jersey. I am former president of Peruvian
parade and Peruvian par is in my heart. I think I respect all of you. Let's be respectful members of the public. Let's be respectful with everybody when I talking right now. Please continue Maria. Please, please. I hear so many
things and Mrs. um Mimi say she's here to say the dirty things. Well, me too. And the president's Mr. Germo
Garcia which I defend so many times. I put my face for him. I defend him against Dr. O and many other people because of our institution he betray
me also Mr. Chapi Ken who become the messas of Peruvian par but he was take to court for our past
president and founder GMO Caligari and I have the proofs Peruvian par is 501c3 nonprofit organization and still now we don't have the papers
for the taxes of 2003. Okay. Also, Mrs. Memes, who is a former president, Oyama, not Councilwoman M. All
money to a person for $13,000 for her past festival. Because because you want to trust. If we trust if we trust if we trust you for
Peruvian par miss, you have to be listen. You have to be respectful. You're going to have to lead the chamber respectfully. I listen you. We hear you. You have your you three minutes on the clock. You know the truth. You say you want the truth, but say the truth. Maria, this is the
situation. Let's continue. As a group, of course, because you're now part of the directors of the trustees of Peruvian par, how can we trust you, council president, if you all I'm sorry. Either either either you
allow the next speaker or you're going to have to leave the chamber. Let's be respectful. Every every speaker have the three minutes. Can we be respectful and civil? Council President, just a minute. Council member, please. Council member, let's let's continue with the pool portion. There's a lot of people in the
room. Please. I understand, but you take my time. Just wrap it up, Maria. I know. I understand that. Go ahead. What I want to say is if you people here, council members who do the correct things, do the correct thing. Okay? I am not here
to defend nobody. If if they want to do things regarding Peruvian par first they has to clarify okay a um debt for a hand for
$1,1500 order by Mr. Stodei to Peruvian par and is not clear so we have to clear that Mr. Garcia and I told you that many things. Thank you, madam. You want us to be trust do everything correctly. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Cler. Don't lie to the
people. Don't lie. I all the papers here. The next speakers. All the papers. Gilmo Garcia. All the papers. Members of the public, please. Paper talk. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Gilmo
Garcia. Huh? Galler Garcia. Uh, okay. He already he already he already used the mic. Let's speak your mic. Um, three minutes. Mariel Huetas. Sorry.
Okay, it's coming. Thank you. Please. So, you name it. Name it. Name it out just for the right. Thank you. Marcelas. speak closer to the president of the board of trustees of New Year's Peruvian. Mr. President, council members, good evening. Thank you for
allowing me to be here. It's only one thing that I want to say. We need to get a permit from the city of Paris. We came in here to the correct office. We request the paperwork. They give us instruction. We comply with with all of
them. I've been hearing here insinuations about the way that we receive the permits or applications. I think it's very unfair the people coming here and insult the good workers of the city of Paris by insinuating that they
are somehow twisting anything. They are very very strict with the follow the rules. They don't let you they don't let you get away with nothing. I want to tell you that you have very good workers in the city. And one other
thing, they are Peruvians. I am Peruvian. But they coming here asking for unity. You don't get unity by requesting. You get it because people want to be together with you. Maybe
somebody has to get a hint that when somebody wants to be with you and you don't want to with them, it means something. That's all I had to say. Thank you, sir. Thank you, speaker. Am I correct? Next speaker. The next speaker is Geette
Freeman. Geette Freeman. Geette Freeman. Okay, let's call the next speaker. Speaker is Zeli Thomas. Please state your name and address. Uh Zeli Thomas, Patterson, New Jersey.
Um before I start, I want to say there's a lot of things that's happening in the city of Patterson um all the time, but I'm sure that many of us who are on social media seen the viral video of the young man who was um brutally killed um
or sitting outside, which most of us do, trying to enjoy our day, trying to enjoy a life. And I know that many of us who seen that video, it did something wrong with our spirit. And I don't have the answers for it. I just know that seeing things like
that really rubbed me the wrong way. And things like that shouldn't be happening in the city of Patterson, but it seemed like they always do. And it seems that people in the community are always coming to our
elected officials for either answers or themselves are providing answers and solutions and they're not getting the support that they need and the support that they deserve. And this comes to a lack of accountability because you cannot have
justice without accountability. And that brings us to the situation with, you know, our brother VeZ. And we have a lot of times the these ideas of the police. They keep talking about we need to build trust. We need to build trust. And they having all these
listening sessions, but you can't build trust with listening sessions. And then you have a lack of accountability with your actions. When things like that are happening at the scene, we want to be able to trust that police officers are doing the right
thing and that we're able to trust that the processes are being followed and we don't have to guess or wonder if they're not being followed. And it's always happening in the city and needs to stop. And that's why you see so many people out here today because they don't trust
the city. They don't trust the people that's in charge and don't trust the people who took oaths to protect us and to serve us because we don't feel protected and we don't feel served. Many of you on Facebook probably
seen um a post of a young woman saying that there was a break-in a robbery in a home of her her mother and he waited for 3 hours for the police to arrive. four four hours for the police to arrive
where that man was inside. Why? Why? And again, we come with solutions and our sister Kelly Moss is coming with a solution to address the homeless crisis here about this Patterson Bridges program that provides
outreach, provides housing to folks that are houseless. And instead of ignoring it, I really want you to look into it and support these initiatives. Support the people that's in our community because we deserve that support and we deserve that justice. Thank you. Thank
you, Sally. That's speaker. The next speaker is Michelle Keychin. She's not here. He's not here. Okay. It's called the next speaker. Next speaker is Eddie Oliviveres. Good evening everyone. Boy, where do we
start? Well, I am going to start by saying that uh Alex, this is for you. Uh you say that we shouldn't address you by name. Well, I'm addressing you by name. So, here is how I feel about your
protocol. It says something about the tone which I should use. Councilman Jackson in fact has asked me to watch my tone. Councilman Jackson, you can go to hell. I will use the tone that I feel appropriate to address these
comebacks. I am going to talk about an article that was written on April 23rd, 2025. And I quote, Mr. Veles, I'm going to quote you first. We need a comprehensive plan before it gets out of
hand. The article was written about that young lady that was killed. She was pregnant. And you feel that we need a comprehensive plan before uh uh before things get out of hand. They're not out of hand yet.
Wow. You're out of hand with all that drinking and all of that nonsense. I am going to address the bouncer. He I am quoting him the same article. It looks like an isolated case. That's
what it looked like to him. An isolated case. That lady that was killed. He thought it was an isolated case. But what a fool. What an embarrassment you are to the Dominican community. I am going to keep on quoting
Alex. She says, "Thank God nobody else got hurt." Well, a pregnant woman was not enough. Maybe we should have had more people get hurt. Right, Alex? It was not enough. He feels that this is what he I'm quoting him, you know. Thank
God nobody else got hurt. Finally, I am going to address uh s I'm I'm going to quote him. The cameras would talking about the cameras that are being uh installed throughout the city. Reassure our red
residents that their children will have safe spaces to play. Do you guys feel safe? Anyone? Anyone? What a bunch of idiots we have here. What a bunch of idiots. And I'll
tell you why it is that the situation that that we have here in Paris. Patterson, please listen to me. Please listen to me. I am telling you what the problem is. With the exception of Michael Jackson, the city is in the hands of a bunch of scumbags. They're attracted to politics because only in
politics you lying, cheating, uh, cutting corners pays off. You couldn't even apply as an assistant to a plumber to clean toilets. You would need some training. But over here, you don't need anything. That's why you're attracted to
politics because all of your dirty shenanigans, but for that, you need a a corrupt administration. And you have it in sh That's the reason you guys seem to be thriving. Good day. Next speaker, madam clerk. The next speaker is Anthony Wheeler.
Rogers again. No paper miss their names. I really don't be knowing how to come up here because it's like hell of distractions even dealing with you. Like I'mma really like represent the people right now. The last time we was in here like you told
Councilman Jackson, no matter if it was intended as a gun or a gut. If your intentions was to cause some type of emotional disturbance, that's how it's going to be tooken as. Then when you got up and launched forward, it shows action that you was willing to carry out. some
type of threat or harm to Councilman Jackson and to the public. Council President, you bear witness to this all. You bear witness to the car accident. You bear witness to his behavior. You as council president got to ask this man to
step down and resign. It's done. It's done. It's done. It's done. It's done. Your is done. It's like us too. Us too. Us as blacks.
Us as blacks, we come a long way. 160. I was posting this stuff about black history because like it's not too long ago that this stuff was going on. Senior citizens of today are responsible for the madness in Patterson because the way I chose to parent was the worst ever.
And I'mma stand for the little bros that's out there on demon time putting that twerk in because they hate their mother cuz they don't receive that love they supposed to get from them. That's why they on demon time. That's why this whole city on demon time because it's the senior citizens. Y'all never y never
gave us love. Y never showed us the way. Y never showed us how to be happy, how to have hope, how to have joy. Y never told us do nothing because y'all was raised by slaves. And understand what I'm saying that you was raised by slaves. That they had a concept that you had to be educated. You had to be
strong. And that was real. Because you had positions like these that was full of white people that ain't want no work with us. All they wanted to see us was do the hardship. But we got to bring a new way. We got to bring a system that relies and benefit our people. Nothing
y'all do benefits people. It benefit private people. Um side deals and stuff like that. But we could come up with a whole new system like I was speaking about affordable commerce to whereas like we might still pay high taxes but them taxes we paying high would be
benefiting the people to whereas like when we got stores coming together subsidizing essentials to whereas we could afford um commerce then we can really say like ah we bringing a family together because that's where it's at like people hungry people is getting
evicted. These are the real issues that's going on in Patterson. Everything else is like distraction. Let's focus in how we stop getting these landlords which is really responsible because they don't know how to get money so they putting it out of tenants like yo cover my taxes. You supposed to be able to
cover that yourself but you won't allow put it on the tenants and stuff like that. We could cover a a portion of the uh taxes but the whole nah nah. What I'm saying is this. We got to create a new system. Even though it's
gonna be cost effective, it's gonna be benefiting the people. And Mike Jackson is gonna be the leader of that. That's all he's showing us. That's all he's showing us how to lead the people. And he been shown. So when he come out, we people that not don't look at his stuff
may not understand what he's saying because you don't know what's going on. But I know what's going on. So I'm interpret that in a way that we understand uh together what's going on. We getting evicted and we hungry. We're not going to do about it. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.
The next speaker is Wajita Muhammad. Miss Wajita. Swajita, you state your name. So, so madame clerk, we have uh we have 15 more speaker. I understand that we have uh just a minute, Miss Wajira. We have a
a a special meeting advertised for 8:00, but what we going to do, we're going to continue with the 15 speakers. I want to get everybody to speak because we're getting into a executive section after that. So, Madame Clair, let's continue with the public portion to make sure that everybody get the opportunity to speak. Okay. So, Miss Wahira, good
evening. Go ahead. Go ahead. Majiraa with God's name. Good evening. I come here for one and two reasons. Because I'm really, really tired of seeing the egos and the arrogance of our people. I mean, you all
sit there and you act like you want us to come and help you, but when we come, we get those arrogant faces that you feel like we don't need to tell you nothing. But then we look around and what are you doing? It's all
about I everything that you do, it's about sign my name on this. Put me as a co-chair of this. Put me up there. I mean, come on. Are you serious? But I want to know what I want to know.
How many of you going to sign the petition that we have to now tell the last enough is enough. Are you going to re get your egos in check enough to say we are no longer going to accept this
shine of that light that we are seeing that is so dogone dark. Everybody is calling us from the south, the north, the east, the west. What is happening in Patterson? Are you serious?
And then you sit there with that look on your face like we have no other choice but to let you do what you do. But let me tell you, you see these people, they're tired of being tired. and we're not going to just sit back and allow you all to keep getting what
you're getting and we get what we get which is nothing. So I want to know what are you going to do? So we'll see at the end of this. The other thing I want to know is the reason that the story is
such a shame is that the police was there. And when I think about the fact that other people have been stopped by the police and given citations out the gazoo, but when this man is stopped thbling all over the place with a car
totally wrecked in the street, he is allowed to walk away and nothing happens and none of you are saying anything other than Jackson. And that's sad. That is sad because what it means to me is if
it had been me or my child, you would have done the same damn thing and I want you to know that you would have seen a whole another wajita because this is unacceptable and you're going to have to pay this price. The other thing is I want to know so we
have a new person as the business administrator. Is that correct? Finally. The other thing as far as the so-called rent level board, did you all decide yet whether or not you're going to go ahead and name a president and a vice
president so they can do real business? Uh, that's not going to do. You're not going to do that either. Okay. The last I'm going to get you that question, Miss Waja. So, you going to answer? No. By the end by the end of the by the end of the section, I really want I want to make sure that that you get the answer to that question. Okay. Okay. The last
thing, can I ask Councilwoman Cotton? Why do you have to recuse yourself with the payment of bills? I was asked that question. So, I just want to ask you, can you tell me that there's an item on that bill that um I get help from and I cannot vote on that. That's why I have
to excuse myself. Thank you, Miss Wita. That's why. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Mike Taylor. Next speaker is James Evans. Mike Taylor. I'm sorry. The next speaker, Mrs. Taylor, is in the second floor. Madame clerk, let's wait.
Okay. He's on the second floor. He's coming down. Oh, okay. I believe so. He's up there. But this I think this is James Evans. One second. No, no, no. Wait. Um, let me speak. My name is uh James
Evans Patterson Ray. Uh, there's a couple. Are you Mr. Mr. Taylor? No, he's on the second floor. He's That's what I just said. That's why I asked you. No, no, but he's in the back. He's there. Now, please state your name and address.
My name is Michael Taylor. I'm the daughter I'm the father of Mary Taylor that got killed on October 1st of 2023. She got killed in the drive by shooting. At the time of my daughter's
killing, Attorney General Matt Placken took over the Patterson Police Department. Matt Plackin evidently took over the um Patterson Police Department because our mayor Andre Seyad is incapable of taking
over the police department of running the police department. I'm here to hold the governor, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy accountable. I'm here to hold the attorney general Matt Placken
accountable. And I'm here to hold our mayor Andre Seat account. Reason why I'm call I'm holding him accountable because if he was able to run the run the city properly, we wouldn't have uh this this
um this amount of distrust in the community. Do y'all trust the mayor? About two weeks after my um daughter's killing, they had a um event at the Great Falls
Center, the mayor was there, city council meeting members was there, and of course the public was there. What I'm getting at is since that meeting, it's been a whole
bunch of killings and everybody know that. But it won't be no safety, public safety in Patterson until the killers of my daughter are arrested. They still running out on the street
Patterson. When they shot when they the guns they used to kill my daughter was straight assault rifles. It was six culprits. I I am here to for justice for my
daughter. I can't bring I'm also bringing peace in Patterson. I'm holding all the black community um accountable. This is where the problem is within the black community. The shooters been going on in Patterson
before all of them elected. The shooters been going on before Michael Taylor and Mary Taylor came here. So what I'm getting at, I'm holding the black community accountable, right? This has to stop. You have black
leaders who've been um so-called leaders for years and years, but nobody has come to the community and say, "Y'all got to stop the up the hill down the hill. You got to stop the block the block. We can't come here and blame the city
council, even though I'm going hold them accountable and I got a lot to hold them accountable and everything, but it takes the community. It takes the black community to cease it, the results of
parenting has has engulfed our youth. As y'all see, it's I don't even blame it on the youth. I blame it on our our I blame it on the parenting. I blame it on all the
black people done sat around for years and years and let the shootings go on and on and everybody don't say nothing. That's like we right here all different cultures and everything. I I know they they they got to look at us like damn
it's the black people. It's the black people for our black people. How could we even have a business? How could a business, a black business prosper in Patterson? Because if we can't trust going over this side of the hood, I
can't go over this side of the hood, this side of town. It got to stop up the hill and down the hill. So, we're back with saying holding the mayor accountable and everything. Um when they had the meeting at the um Great Falls, Coun um Benji Wimbley was
there. Like I said, all the council members there. Y'all haven't spoke about gun violence. No one on that panel has spoken gun violence outspokenly to even bring a threat. Even the mayor, the um the the the governor,
that's they once they seen the um the shooting on my daughter, the youth seen it, they think they could get away with it. Y'all done gave the governor, Phil Murphy, done gave passes for our youth to give drivebys with that no chase policy. And my daughter case wasn't the
only case that been um jeopardized the public safety of of Patterson, I mean of New Jersey. It was other cases throughout New Jersey where somebody got shot, they hit the highway, they gone. So I'm holding the mayor accountable. If he if he was a mayor and
about our city, he'd be right over there taking the heat like the legs do. And I got to continue on. And I got to continue on. Um about a month after my daughter um passed away um council president VZ I mean Mendes pardon pardon
me you had a um public safety meeting on the third ward at that time um Abasi was the officer in charge could you please tell the P Patterson people what officers in charge mean and who p
the people of Patterson want to know who's in charge of the P Patterson police department and also So you said at that meeting that which I feel totally lied to. You said at that at that meeting that it will be a public
safety meeting. You will have the fire department, all public safety agencies in the meeting. I feel totally lied. Everybody reason why they get over with the lying everything and it can't be trusted. I got to hold you accountable because you lied to me. is
because Matt Plattton, Matt Platton, attorney general, we want to know people um coming up to the mic. We want to know if you cheated in election or not. It's simple as that. If you ain't cheat, now if he ain't cheating election, if he
did cheat in election, he deserve to be mad. But if he if he and Matt Placken, the attorney general, deserve to go. So what I'm saying is we got an election. We got election everybody. Our answers and I felt highly
disrespected from my answers that you cheated if you did. I'm being honest with you. So how what kind of integrity was in here if he's the um council president and people pouring out their heart and everything and he done cheated. All right. And also I got to
say um to Valz while I'm going. Valz, my daughter got shot in your war. reason why I'm on you. You said you lost 300 votes last April. I came to the meeting. You wonder where the votes went. You told the um your um board who voted for you come talk to you. You ain't what?
You never did nothing public safety and mention anything about my daughter shooting. It's nothing um you got no kind of public safety equipment. Well, my daughter got shot at. And then last but least, you're not holding everybody account holding I done held everybody
accountable and everything. First and foremost, much as I um got to hold the um young people accountable for killing my daughter, I want something structured put up 20 years ahead now. I'm talking about now. I'm talking about
the future. I want I want to to prevent gun violence. I would like to have random um weapon searches at the school, a scared straight program. I want to I want to speak for the juveniles. I want to them the juveniles in Patterson to
have their own juvenile facility when they have when they build a new jail for P County jail. I would like I would like our young black kids. I would like to have our young black kids and all kids to learn to be ma to be mandated
mandatory while they in jail for um vocational training. Why you just lock them up? Give them vocation training so they could learn carpentry, auto mechanics skills that they could survive out here. We have failed our kids. The parents have failed our kids. The
parents of my daughter have faith. No, no, no, no. First and foremost, first and foremost, I come. Please let me speak so I can get it all out right now. I'm still morning. This is what I'm talking about. How he going to rush me off the mic? I'm mourning my daughter
and he cheated on the election. Next speaker, Madame Clerk. No, no, no, no. I got one more thing I'll give you. Sir, this is for the peace in Patterson. If you look at the time that I give you because I understand that you have a lot to say. There's other speaker that I'm trying to address to make sure that we
hear them before. Listen, listen for a minute. Just give me a minute. I mean, we have a special meeting in executive section. I want to make sure that we hear every person. I give an additional time because I know that you are allowed to say respectfully. If you could wrap it up, that way we could allow the next people to speak before we get into
executive section because if it's fair that we hear what they need to say as well. All right, I'm agree. All right, I'm gonna wrap it up. I just want justice for my daughter and peace in Patterson. I want the killings to stop. But it can't stop with just me coming up to the mic as being the victim of a um
of a homicide. I'm challenging the parents of Michael Davis, a son-in-law, Christopher Thomas, and Cadia Cadesia Freeman, to turn your to turn your family members in to the US District Attorney, Alina Haba, a public safety
director right there. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, man clerk. The next speaker, James Evans. Please state your name and address. James Evans Patterson. Good evening, Mr. James. Good evening. Uh, I have a lot of
different uh, topics to talk about, man. But I heard somebody talk about like the homeless. Like, like it's sad because I know the city was given a couple dollars to go towards building housing for the homeless, but instead of them building housing, they built a dog park. Like
basically saying basically saying that a dog the dogs are more important than than people. And then you want to find the people that don't have you want to find people that don't have housing or don't have a place to stay or anything like that or you want to lock them up.
But if you would have did what you were supposed to do with the money in the first place, it wouldn't be those type of problems. Y'all make a lot of money off people because for one, what y'all doing is y'all overpop populating our city. You're bringing people and you're housing people from New York over here.
You're building all these buildings and then the people that's here the people that's here can't even get apartments or anything like that because you want them to make you want them to make three times of their rent and majority of the people can't make three times of what rent is like at the end of the day. So
you have a lot of homeless people and for one I'm going to speak I'm one of them that don't have a spot and you have jobs where people are trying to get jobs but the jobs are not paying people enough to take care of responsibility. So what do you do? You come to the streets, you go to the streets and
that's where y'all make y'all money at because at the end of the day, like you're not giving nobody no jobs. And I don't want nothing given to me. I'mma earn it regardless. I'm going to earn it. And I feel like I have the credentials for certain jobs, but I can't get the jobs because I have a lot of jobs telling me that I have to be
bilingual clerk. Why should I have to be bilingual if if English is number one? English. English. Oh, now I can't talk. Now you're not listening to me. No, no, just listen. All right. Just make sure you pay attention. English is number one. Spanish ain't number one. I
shouldn't I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have to be here. Listen, bro. If if if I was in Dominican Republic or if I was in Puerto Rico, I wouldn't have to They wouldn't have to learn English because I'm there. I would still have to learn Spanish. So why is it that I'm
here and I have to learn for jobs that I have to learn Spanish? Like I got a trade in medical billing and coding for the past seven, eight years and cannot get a job in that field because I am not bilingual. So basically I wasted my money for what? I wasted my money for
for for what? I shouldn't have to be bilingual. They should they should make it whereas it's easy or not easy. It's it's supposed to be where it's supposed to be equal. It's not equal at all in no way, shape, or form. Like you see this guy, he just gets up, he leaves. There's reasons why he's leaving and stuff like
that. Cuz if that was me in the other situation, I'll be in jail. I'd be in cuffs. And y'all notice just as well. And y'all not this. And when I came down here two or three years ago, you out your mouth said, "Oh yeah, the same things that I'm talking about now is the same things I was talking about then, bro. The the same bro.
Housing, all of that. Housing. We need more programs for these kids and everything. You have nothing for these kids out here. This is why they running into the streets doing the stuff that they doing. Build programs, bro. That's all you have to do. people jobs. Let people work. Real jobs
where they can pay rent and take care of their family. You need two jobs to provide for your kids. Now, now you working two or three jobs and what you're doing is you're neglecting your kids because you have to work two and three jobs. So, you have to come on. You got to think about it, bro. My mother My
mother did that for me where I had to raise my sister because she had to work two jobs. Do I say she neglected me? No. But that's what's going on. It's neglect, bro. Y'all need to wake up. All of y'all up here are full of bro. Except my next speaker, Madam Clerk.
Next speaker is Jason Canel. Jason Canel. Hey, how you doing? My name is Jay. Everybody know me as smooth. I own a barber shop on Ellison Street for many years. I want to know is why is it we're small businesses. We need people to come
in to feed our kids, take care of our family. But when these movies come over here, nobody want to pay us. So how you going to tell me I could go to your house? You having a party, I make you shut it down because I decided to come make a movie over here. When y'all going to think about us? Y'all get paid. Why
can't I get paid? Why can't everybody else around here get paid? I'm speaking for everybody, not for myself. Because there's a lot of businesses out here that don't get paid. My landlord don't want to hear the movies came here. I can't afford not customers not coming in. PSNG ain't trying to hear that I'm a taxpayer. I've been a taxpayer
since 2008. I own my own business. Why is it that I got to come here and fight every time a movie come? Y'all should fight for us. Y'all here for us right now. Jackson, I I want to thank you cuz you did step up. I talked to Dela. Dela
don't give a She says she do, but she don't give a about nobody. Andre don't give a He a piece of He got to go. I tell him in his face all the time. But when when are y'all gonna kill about us? When are y'all gonna step up? Why we got to fight
every time a movie come? There's another business owner. There's another one. There's a bunch of other that if people don't come, we don't make money. How am I going to feed my children? You get to feed your children every day, right? So why I got to fight with child for my money?
That's all I got to say. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Jennifer Enriquez. Jennifer. Is Jennifer here? Next speaker. Next speaker
is Orietta Fernandez. Good evening uh ladies and gentlemen, council meeting representatives. My name is Oetta Fernandez. I'm a healthcare provider specializ in pain management and I have
a lot of pain in my heart. But before start talking with dignity and education to all of you, thank you very much. Thank you very much because you Patterson City and I have
proof of what I'm going to say were the lead city in cultural cultural movement. You let the Peruvian community be in the
news. You were all of you council women and council men were in the newspaper and the very well-known newspaper especially I'm sorry all of you were really Oh no just continue were really uh just
continue you were really leading culture. Thank you so much because I'm not coming here to fight. I'm not coming here to tell you uh to force you to make decisions
that you really don't want to do it. There is something called word. Four letters word. You all of you are sitting in this room because all of you need to have word. We have a right side and a left
side. a very divided community. We know that. But we are not here to come and disrespect representatives. Thank you so much for letting Peruvians do a festival, do a parade. I think that I saw Mr. Veles dancing in
the last party in the big party in um in in Woodland Park. He was very nice dancing. And I got to say something else. This is not about a monopoly. Nobody is the owner of Peru. If you have the opportunity to
receive representative from one side and from the other, you have the choice to decide whose background is the best one to run in your city. Do you remember the last time ex group left your cities with a
lot of garbage with a lot of dirtiness embarrassment all over the news? Let me make this. However, last year we have a successful festival. Last year all of you let us run a parade with dignity. We
have we have one issue, but ask this group, how do they leave the city? They let they left the city clean. We got to say thank you to the police department, DPW. Thank you. More than that, thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, man.
The next speaker is Maris. I'm sorry, but I can't make out your last name. Is there Maris? Next speaker, I'm going to cl The next speaker is Carla Forbes. Carla Forbes.
The next speaker is Eric McKenzie. Can I? Um, the next speaker, you got to be in the list. I mean, you remember me, right? I know, but uh just No, just a minute. Just No, no, just there's we have a list of speaker. Get your name on the list. Stay right here.
Get your name on the list. Pardon me, ma. Pardon me. Good. Okay. Good evening. Good evening, McKenzie. Uh, I'm here to bring to your
attention the lack of response on the police department. I woke up, got in my car as I do on every day, and I noticed my light was blinking. So, it was out.
Went to change the bulb, and a bullet came out in my hand. I got it somewhere with me. I brought it with me. It's in my pocket. I brought the bullet with me. I called the police to make a report.
and over an hour nobody came. I called back to said that it was pending pending on Pearl Street where two people was killed within the last 5 years because of uh
illegal parties in the basement of people houses. And I don't understand what it is with the police department. And I'll have nothing against them, but I can tell you what I know about the police department. If you don't live here in Patterson, you don't care about
Patterson. You come to get the check and go home. And a lot of those cops that's out there now, say what you want to say, they're afraid because the kids on the street got better weapons than what they have and they're running rampant. We saw it
on Sunday. They're running rampant. It's out of control. The other thing is all these tickets cuz people want to park on the sidewalk and I got to step over people that's building tents on the sidewalk
and they not getting tickets. You're either going to clean them up or I'mma park on the sidewalk and give you back your ticket. Besides the dog crap, the the raccoons, the possums, the homeless people, this city is a
dump. It's dirty, filthy, and I'm in the fifth ward. And fifth ward is first. Fourth ward is bad. But trust me, fifth ward is running a very close first with you guys because I'm be
I'm truth with you. My councilman ain't doing nothing in the fifth ward. Give out all the free turkeys you want. I ain't that hungry. Trust me, a turkey is not going to solve the problems in Patterson.
We have enough turkeys in Patterson. Gobble gobble. It's time to clean Patterson up. And it starts here. If the head is wrong, the tail will be wrong. And we know the head is wrong. I agree with these business people. You
get up in the morning, you can't even get downtown because everything is blocked off. Movies everywhere. Where's that money going? Where's that money going? If you ain't going to do nothing with the money, give it back to the people who got a business and losing money. Give it to them. Thank
you, brother. And who want the bullet? cuz if not, I'm going to keep the bullet and educate my children on bullets cuz uh this city is out of control. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next
speaker is Elvis Durham. He's not here on Madam Clerk. Next speaker, Hayan Ununice. Hay. Oh, he's in the back. Please state your name. Yeah. Give it to Hayan. Give it to
Sophia. Sure. Han Ununice right here. You have Good evening. Yeah, I have the name. I have the name. Good evening. Uh I'm coming here today. Uh I tried to
come last week and week before you guys you cancelled the meeting. My concern about the tax property and we heard we heard about the school budget is sky is coming from 500 million now to 800 million and city budget comes maybe 400
some million dollars. I remember when Jeffrey John he was the mayor it was 157 million and we are double it our tax property is jump in 2017 my tax one of my property tax property I pay 17,000
now it's 26 I don't know next quarter how much it's going to be it's going to be maybe 27 28,000 a year okay I bring to your attention to prove you are with the community with the homeowner or you
are with the those investors who contribute money to everybody in this building. Okay, we need to stop that. If you are with us, if you are with us, we need to put this request in the agenda
to f to vote for to terminate tax aidment. Everybody in this city is equal. And those investors they build in Paris, in South Paris, in East Paris, North Paris, they rent their apartment
in high rents value. In South Paris, apartment threebedroom, $3,200 and they pay nothing. They pay no taxes. Everybody must pay taxes. Florio, Abdul, Muhammad, Mike, John, Nathan,
David, everybody must pay tax. Everybody, I pay my taxes. I have a properties. I pay taxes. I never apply for tax amendments. Okay? I love my city. I live in my city. I invest in my
city. Okay? We need I know we need to pay for our kids in school. We have also employee in the city. When I saw the hiring $30,000, what do you mean $30,000 for a new employee? What he going to cover? He can't cover his rent. Is one
bedroom in Paris almost 18 $2,000 rent? How he ar earn 30,000? He going to pay rent 2,000 a month is almost 24,000 after he deduct the tax incomes he become zero. He will uh be standing in
front of the building social service to collect welfare. is not fair. This is now in your hand. If you are not going to approve this to be an agenda, vote for I'm going to go collect petition to put
it in the pallet next November. Okay? If you are not going to go do to do that by your own, I will put it in the pallet. Okay? Thank you so much. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Kamisha Rogers Jones.
Good evening. Please state your name. Thank you. Kamisha Rogers Jones, uh, Fort Patterson, New Jersey. Um, I'm here as a very concerned constituent. I witnessed my aunt's home being
um, burglarized. We watched it in real time as my one aunt was watching from her ring and my other aunt was running out the door to jump in her neighbor's yard for
safety. We called the police telling them that someone is breaking in the door right now and my aunt is in the home and no one came. They sent the ambulance.
Not one police officer came at the aid of my aunt or my other aunt that was terrorized by this young man who has been terrorizing the community for months. It is well documented that he is
terrorizing specifically women. No one came. My aunt is a homeowner in the third ward. You guys are raising her taxes and she gets no public safety support at
all now cuz like a lot of us like to tell I'm from Patterson too and that's my aunt and we have a big family and if we take this into our own hands
if I call my cousins who will respond and we take it in into our own hands, then what? Then you come. Then you want to come after my family. But if you guys are not going to protect
us, if you're not going to come to our aid, we called you while it was happening. And we were told there's a lot going on. We are the third largest city in P in New Jersey. And you telling me that our
police department can't handle more than one crisis at a time? Shame. But if we respond, then it'll be a problem. Then it'll be black-on-black crime. Then it'll be this and then it'll be that.
But if you guys aren't going to help us. Now what? The truth is vigilante justice will be next. That's right. And I'm I'm speaking facts. Like I'm not encouraging it. I'm telling you this is what's next. Because
if you can't protect our communities, now we will. Now everyone's talking about gun license, gun permit. Is this what we want? We called while it was happening and no one came to help us. Four almost four
hours later, one cop Mhm. One cop showed up. Two hours later, detectives showed up with an attitude like we did something to them.
Disrespectful to her, sarcastic to her, taxpayer, and you you don't like when we say it, but we're paying your salary. And you come to my home after I've been injured, after I've been disrespected, and give me your behind gifts.
I'm supposed to feel bad cuz you got to work. Enough is enough. Like I'm That's my auntie. And y'all know me up in here, but that's my auntie. And I go I go hard for her. You
hear me? Don't play about my family. That's my daughter right there. I go listen. Mess around and find out. All right. And I mean that with all my heart. My mom was a pastor. I am from Kergy. I get it. But listen, I
don't play about my family. And I've given you a chance. I encourage people to go out and vote. Listen, let's work together. Solutions. That's what I do. But nothing for hours. We're watching as he
is kicking in her door. And we said they are get he's in the house now. My un had to run out the back door and hide in another yard and nobody came for almost four hours. And then you come with attitude. Now you got an
attitude with me cuz I'm mad. Should I be? Should I be? That's my auntie. She's crying. She's screaming. And now I'm rushing over there because look, it is what it is. If I catch him, we just going to do what we do. Mhm.
Thank you, Commissioner. Like, come on. Listen, I know I'm over my time, but I want to say this one thing and I I I always end it with this and I'm community. Are you Are you tired?
Wayne, you got to say enough. If they can't get the job done, vote them out. Use your voice. You have the power. They only doing what you allow them. We do
nothing. We don't vote. Thank you. Let's speak representation. Vote them out. Get some people in here who's going to get the job done. Use your voice. Come on y'all. Stop letting them play in your face. We letting it. We
allowed it. And now look, next speaker might clerk. The next feature speaker is Michelle Kitchen. The next speaker, but y'all suck. Y'all suck. Where's Phoenix? Where's Phoenix? Nobody knows yet, right? years later.
Respectfully, you're not in the least. Allow the speaker. Madame clerk, speaker, madam clerk, please, please announce your name and address. They going to do They listen to y They going to go home and seek Africa.
They don't give a about nothing about nothing. Nothing at all. Y'all don't care. I don't care. Yeah, you tell the police. I know. I know. Let's hear the police.
Go ahead. Let's speak mad. Name it. Name it out just for the record. Michelle Kitchen. Go ahead. Please state your name. Good evening. How we hear you? Can you hear me? Yes. Just speak close to the mic. All right.
My name is Michelle Kinchin. I had to write this I'm writing this down. I wrote this down because it's it's very emotional. So, I'm trying not to um be emotional today. So, I'm here as a concerned resident and
taxpayer of Patterson to express my deep frustration and fear following a recent emergency in which my home was broken into on Saturday, May 10th, while my
sister was inside. I called 9 911 immediately and explained that the break-in was happening in real time. I'm literally watching it on my ring. And despite the urgency, it took over three
plus hours for the police to arrive. This delay made me feel helpless and my sister unprotected. The officer who eventually responded explained that calls are
prioritized, but how can an active break-in not be urgent? This experience left me and my family feeling like my safety and our lives did not matter.
My question is, if it's a one emergency, one place, do the whole police office team go to that one site? Which we know it doesn't because we saw a police officer riding past the next block. So,
I know that's not the case. This is totally unacceptable. I understand that there may be challenges in staffing or even funding, but the residents of Patterson deserve timely protection and a piece of mind.
We need transparency and accountability. And most important, we need solutions. Is the Is the pay an issue? Is it the training that's an issue? Is the staffing level an issue? or just the
mismanagement of the resources. I urge you to take this seriously and address what is clearly a crisis in public safety. Please do better for me, for my family, and for
every resident who simply wants to feel safe in their own home. I'm to the point where I cannot sleep at night because I am literally watching a camera and I got to get up the next day
to go to school to teach my children that I that I can't because I am tired. This is unacceptable and you guys have to do better. I'm calling my council people,
my counselor at large, council people from other areas because we needed somebody to just come. My sister had to go to a neighbor's house just to hide. We should be able to feel safe in our own
home. And thank you for just listening, but please, please, please come up with some solutions better than what we have. This is just unfair and thank you for listening. Thank you. Next speaker, madam clerk. Next speaker is Joel
Keys Joe P. Patterson the accountability challenge. Due to my role in the incident at the last meeting regarding Councilman Valz, I'm going to introduce a teaching practice I use in my classes,
the accountability challenge. My students and I take it whenever an incident results in a problem. The accountability challenge detects whether or not there are severe ego defense mechanism issues or flaws in the belief
system. The ego defends everything in our belief system, especially the flaws. The accountability challenge consists of two questions. How has the system contributed to the problem? And how have
I contributed to the problem? The system and everyone involved will always contribute to every problem. And that is why we refer to the second question as the question of the highest integrity. It requires integrity to ask and
correctly answer how have I contributed to the problem. This question of the highest integrity engenders the practice of self-reflection or self-critique. Once the person becomes receptive to self criticism, it will
prepare them to be receptive to criticism from others. The outcome produces an individual with integrity who is receptive to criticism, has emotional maturity, and takes accountability for their actions. During the final weeks of his life, my deceased
comrade Dana Mayan asked me how many times I could rationalize and justify breaking decorum and embarrassing myself. Doug Noble is Councilman Jackson's cousin and one of my surrogate brothers. Councilman Jackson and I
dissuadeed him from attending the meetings because although he is a peaceloving, wonderful human being, he has a greater propensity to engage in combat than me and Councilman Jackson. He watched the video and said, "If I
behave like that, he might as well attend the meetings because I behave the way we anticipated he would." He said, "You're not helping Mike if you act like that." and you already know this. He concluded by saying, "We don't expect
you to behave like this because that is not you anymore. You have overcome too much and come too far and now have too much to lose." Jim Piscatano is a longtime friend who doesn't hesitate to tell me that I'm a valued mentor and
even an idol of his. He texts me and said, "You cursed at him? Damn, that is unlike you in that type of setting." The point of presenting the testimonies of Dana, Doug, and Jim is to show the benefits of taking the accountability
challenge, which is becoming receptive to self-criticism and then receptive to criticism from others. In conclusion, as a result of taking the accountability challenge, I apologize to the entire council for breaking the quorum again
and especially for yelling out curse words. I vow to never do that again. Lastly, there's a petition going around stating Valz must go inquire about it, find it, and sign it. Thank you.
Speaker Madclair. Next. The next speaker is Kenyatta Stewart. Is she here? She's not here yet. That's speaker. Anna Anna Martinez. Hello. Good evening. Anna Martinez. Um, Faith
Ward. In the story of Ezekiel and the Valley of Bones, God chose Ezekiel's leadership to give breath of life and spirit in the bodies of bones, initiating the process of restoration and transformation.
Patterson. I believe in leadership with a cause and with a soul. Enlightened leaders are advocates from listening and activists from problem solving. And they are chosen to lead the community to
progress and transformation. As citizens of Patterson, the restoration and transformation progresses with each one of us. And each of our body, heart, spirit, and soul matters. We are significant bodies with
souls, but our spirits are yet to be fully restored and transformed in this city. Although the city has few goodhearted, humble, and generous leaders, they are overshadowed by self-proclaimed,
overrated, and famed driven leaders. We're surrounded by egoistic leaders, which makes us deceived, confused, hurt, and angry. Patterson leadership is not just the
mayor and the it is every city officials who are representing us as a community. It is our behind the scene community leaders and it is the home school and business
leaders. It is fair to mention that our present mayor as the face of the city with supportive exemplary leadership has managed to highlight and support somewhat cultures, education and
progress through the turmoil we live in Patterson. His energy is duly noted and his leadership has mostly been upbeat and professional under pressure with a diplomatic spirit. Unlike other city
officials and community leaders, Parisians seek significant leadership that does not promise yet delivers with time and space for the community to thrive and shine.
believe in a leader with a calling that brings out the good and the best in us. A leader that acknowledges our 52 cultures and support our creative healing and transforming minds and spirit. Thank you. One please believe in
a chosen leader who walks among us and recognizes we matter by grace of God. Our Valley of Bones restored and transformed and led by a visionary leader will bring the city of Patterson to its renaissance. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, man.
The next speaker is Maris. Next speaker. Maris. Thank you. Next speaker, man. The next speaker is hold on one second. Kenyatta Stewart. Thank you. Thank Thank you. Yes. See, good evening.
Good evening. How you doing? Good evening, uh, council president. Good to see you all. Uh, always a pleasure. Thank you for the consideration. Uh, just coming from outside doing a little campaigning as you can see with my rain jacket on. Um, you know, I just wanted to first uh
come to greet you all. Uh, it's all right. Don't worry about it. It's all right. I understand. I get it. Uh, also want to just come to greet you all, say hello, and recognize that. Ladies, ladies, ladies, members of the
public, let let's be respectful. Let's be Let's be respectful. officer. Officer, please please officer just Rafael. Just officer. Officer. Officer. They have to be
removed. Officer Oh. out of here. officer. But they both they both have to be removed. I
apologize. Sorry kids, but they're not right. They broke it just like right. She's gone, man. Officer, can we continue with the meeting, officer, please?
We hear you. Mr. had uh so mad clerk and you um just just start the clock again for just just a minutes. I'm waiting for him to get to the mic. So I never come here second.
I'm done. Please. I'm done. Go ahead, Mr. Kinyatta. Good evening. Welcome to the Grey City Council Chamber. No, I mean, listen, I don't call it crazy. I just call it uh people with passion. You know, folks uh folks are just upset, frustrated, looking for
answers, you know, and they come here for they come here for answers, even if this is the place to get the resolution. So, you know, I'm glad you all are at least patient enough to, you know, deal with some of the stuff that happens here. Uh but I
wouldn't refer to it as crazy. Um, I say great to our great city cat. Okay, I'll say great. Appreciate it. Um, so I also want you all to realize that um, you know, folks in the community, uh, folks in the community are, you
know, a little passionate about things that's going on because it's touching our families. Um, you know, as you know, there's a little activity outside. Unfortunately, you know, folks are Um I'm sorry. You know, I'm I'm sorry, guys. I'm just When I hear activity, I'm trying to stop it. You We apologize.
That's all good, man. I understand. Uh as as I said, though, you know, uh many people are just you know, going through it. They they see you know, activity happen uh getting closer and closer to home and uh you know, they're looking for looking for answers. They're looking for some type of solution. Um, you know,
unfortunately, uh, many of us spend a lot of time worried about what's wrong as opposed to putting together something that's right. That's true. Um, you know, I'm not gonna, you know, uh, Sterling and Anthony Davis, not going to win or lose my campaign on on the city council steps because this ain't the place for that. But I'm just going to ask you all
to have, you know, some some grace with these folks. You know, folks are going through it. Um, you know, and unfortunately they don't know how to react. And, you know, when you get upset, you react a certain way. And then sometimes you look back and you say I made a you know mistake on TV. Um you
know I will tell you though that the community is watching us and uh they want to know what we going to do as a people. Uh I'm going to ask you all if possible to create some type of committee uh and yes work on some mental health you know solutions for folks
because unfortunately you know sometimes I'm at my red end too. So sometimes I go overboard. Um, finally, uh, this is just my message for the young guys outside.
Um, we got to stop. That's what it come down to. We just got to stop. Um, I'm going to spend the next few weeks uh campaigning in a different way because I just think that it's, you know, partially my fault and
men from the community's fault that some of these young boys are losing losing touch. Uh, so it's our responsibility to go back into the community to make sure that they understand that they can be loved and they don't have to make the type of mistakes that they making. So, uh, I'm going to go try that kids go try to find that kid's mama and see if I can
turn them in. Take care, guys. Thank you. Thank you, Kinata. Next speaker, madam clerk. Yes. The next speaker is Sebastian Mahia. Is he here? Stop telling me what Kenyatta Stewart
for the New Jersey State Assembly. Make no mistake about it. While we waiting for brother Mahia to come up here, but I negle regret not to announce that bullet voting. Good evening. It's important. All right.
Council, good evening. Thank you for having me. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Uh, there's a lot of things going on. I'll be mindful of the time. Firstly, I would like to start off by thanking Councilwoman Dr. Mims for giving our boys basketball team their um their championship jackets.
Thank you for always being there and supporting. So Patterson is at a turning point. We have a decision to make. We're in a time of crisis and it's either going to go left or it's going to go right. The ball is in the court of the
people, the members of this council as well. We have a mayor that instead of facing the community in issues of crisis and times of crisis, he chooses to have a town hall on Zoom. And that t town hall
served as a political showcase of a candidate for assembly that was a councilman that always wanted the meetings to be on Zoom. And on top of that, he was late to every single council meeting that I saw him at. That's why even though I'm a conservative, I'm asking my friends on
the other side of the aisle to support Kenyatta Stewart for assembly. And as a conservative, I will be supporting Frank Filipelli for Senate because we're tired of seeing the same faces in the same spaces. Okay. So,
and I will be I I have to address um my councilman and and someone that although we were competitors and and I do see you in in a sense of my competition, you are still the leader of the ward that I
reside in and you still represent the people that I love and I also represent in my own way. you know, as a as a member of an advisory committee with our officer in charge, I've had the opportunity to help
build trust once again between the Patterson Police Department and the community. And I would hate to see all the work that we put in go down the drain because protocol was not followed accordingly at a traffic stop in which
people were injured. I'm not here to to to uh relish in a time of of reckoning for my councilman because I genuinely care about him and the well-being of him and the residents of my ward. But I do
genuinely from my heart, Lewis, if you committed the acts that you are being accused of to face the music with honor and do what needs to be done and if it is true to seek help because there is a lot of programs and things that you can
do and and to and to just just become a better person at the end of this, you know. And again, I'm not here to gloat. And if you think you can't do that, then you should step down and someone else
should step up. Thank you. And speaker, madam clerk. The next speaker is Billy Primpy. Greetings, council. Greetings, city of Patterson. Good evening. Um, Billy Prempa, congressional candidate for the ninth district Republican party. Um,
I've heard the word accountability come up multiple times today and I wanted to kind of start with telling you guys something that's always stuck in the back of my mind from the time I was in boot camp up until now. One of the things they told us was that the weakest person in your flight is only as strongest as the weakest leader in your
team. And the truth is the leadership from the top all the way down has been subpar. I've heard people complaining about violence in our community, trash in our streets, a lack of recreation for our youth, and something that I found very
interesting. Uh, Councilman VeZ, I don't mean to beat you up, but I can't reach out to you on social media. You blocked me. You don't like the accountability, but you you wrote a letter to Alena Haba not too long ago requesting that she looks into our city because there's a
lot of nonsense going on in our city. We've got a council president that's been accused or indicted again for voter fraud and we still don't know the facts. But I will tell you this, you're you're living up to it. You're trying to state your case. If you're an innocent man, you're an innocent man. But at the same time, this council is requiring decorum.
They're requiring respect. And at the last council meeting, I don't believe you carried yourself with any respect, not just for our council members, but for the members of our public as well, too. To make matters worse, I I have no You have no idea the amount of people from within the city of
Patterson and all across the Knife District that have sent me the video, multiple videos of what happened about two days ago when you were behind the wheel. Now, the thing that concerns me is not long ago, you were in an incident where when you crashed your vehicle, someone tragically lost their life.
Everyone in this room, if we were in those same circumstances of what we saw the other day, we'd either be in handcuffs or we'd be scrutinized. The question that I've got is, if this happened to you a long time ago, you should be driving safer than
anybody in the city of Patterson. But anyone that sees that video and looks at it, it's very hard to defend that you weren't under the influence. I mean, listen, I'm pretty sure everyone in here has had a drink or two at least once before. But my question
is, when the accident was done, were you breathalyzed? No. Were you held accountable? No. That's why accountability absolutely matters. See, if we continue to vote for the same posi, the same click, the same gang, the
same people that support each other and donate to each other's campaigns and keep the same thing going, you're going to get the exact same results. So, with that being said, and I mean this with all due respect, Councilman, I think you need to get the cardboard box, fill it up, cover it up, and resign. Thank
you. And speaker, Madam Clerk, speaker is Zakiya Mack. Please state your name. Thank you. Zakia Mack, Patterson, New Jersey. There's about 13. We have a lot of issues that's going on in the city of Patterson from council, mayor to
everything in between. We sit here, we're talking about raising taxes, people already struggling. We're not making men's eating our making men's meat in our home. You want to know where the money is at? Why is there so much money being
returned back to the state? Why is it that HUD is asking for money back? Why is the board of education renting a building for 10 million and you have a building that's liable downtown that you own? It's not
something that you renting. You own the building. But we're spending all of this money for uh um new furniturees for superintendent. Every time a new superintendent come in, they get expensive furniture, $285,000 salaries, and we have nothing
to show for anything that is being taken. Nothing. School lunch is still bad. Chromebooks are terrible. You're losing teachers left and right. School's old. Lunch is old. Yeah,
espees in every building in the city of Patterson. We're not even caring about what we're putting our kids into. Okay? You guys are supposed to be the leaders. What are our kids looking at? This is supposed to be a time for you to mentor our kids so they can be the next ones to come in and take the
seats that you have here. No one is has done any mentoring. Election time is now. Now everybody's taking pictures. Oh, we got to get this done. We got to do this. We got to do because it's election time now. But after the election time and the chicken is gone and the white castle is
gone, nobody else is. You're out here doing nothing. But you constantly come to the residents for money that we don't even have. We're paying $2,000 almost $3,000 in
rent for what? I can hear my neighbors conversation the whole thing either on the phone or not. We are every I don't like to use them as to call them addicts but we have the disadvantage the ones that are on the
streets that want to change. You can you guys keep saying that oh nobody wants the services nobody want the services. Have anybody spoken to them to ask them if they wanted the services? What is the outcome when I receive these services? What I'm going to do when I come out of a straight and
narrow? Do I have a volunteer program to where I can go and volunteer at a supermarket and I can get my my skills up so I can have a job so I can pay for rent? This is the problem that we have here and no one wants to come with the solutions. Everybody wants your vote
when it's time to get that vote. But then after when that is done, we have nothing else to say. We need to get it together for our kids' sake. It's no longer about us. It's our children that are at stake right now. And we're watching it as they
ride by, drive by shootings, robbing people. Pe Mother's Day was the mo the worst day possible that a person could lose a child for no reason at all. We're we have to do better in the
city and we need to start with our leaders. We need to get people in here that want to do the job, not just collect and run the check. And I'm talking to my people, my people of color, we need to start voting because we're not doing it. And the more we sit
and let it go, the more tragedy is going to happen. So if you don't want to vote, don't come up here and complain about anything if you have not voted to change what we going through in the city of Patterson. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Ernest
Mack. Good evening, council and to all the concerned citizens here. I'm not going to beat up on anybody today. Y'all been beat up pretty good. I'm going to express what my feelings are about my city that I grew up in. I'm a lifelong
member of Patterson. I raised a family in Patterson. My wife and I built a home here for us in Patterson. Recently, my wife passed away and I um carrying the load myself. But that's okay. That's not I'm not here for
anybody's pity. I'm here because of the cost of living and what it takes now for a person to maintain their life in Patterson and maintain their home. Six months ago, you guys went up on their taxes. My mortgage
just went up. And now coming back around again. You guys want to raise taxes again. And it's and and I was raised to believe I was taught that every problem is not solved by throwing money at it.
But you have to have some kind of organization, some kind of management. Somebody has to know what they're doing besides sitting behind a desk looking cute. So, what I suggest that we do, all of y'all that love our children like I
do, with your nice suits on, I wear suits, too. I like that. Cut your salaries in half and donate it to our city and to our schools. And then you will see how it feels the parents when you are going up on their mortgage and
their rent and our children come out of school and they won't have a home to go to because their parents can't afford the home. I know it doesn't matter to you guys because you guys right now settle good in your salaries. It's totally repugnant to constantly throw
money at a situation over and over and over again. I spoke to the mayor, you can tell the people who are in distress, they're here, but there's a community that's not here today. They doing well cuz they mayor taking care of them.
And I had spoke to the mayor myself and he called me because I had a street sign that the city sanitation had ran over and knocked it down over on 18th Avenue. A year
ago, nothing done yet. A year and I can't get a street sign up, but you guys want to raise because every time you want to do something for yourself, you say our children need it. And that's a lie because when I was raising my
children, that same excuse, that same thing is for the kids. And my kids was reading out of Xerox books, not even hard cover. They were eating lunch with the rats and the roaches. The same thing that's going on right now
today. And it's ridiculous that people have to go through this stressful time. Everybody is going through something on their own. I I worked Give me 30 seconds and I'm finished. Yes. I worked in law enforcement. I retired.
And in law enforcement is like the military. It teaches you something. If you're a black officer, it lets you know what you can do and what you can't do. And it holds you accountable to everything that you do. You have no wiggle room, no way out.
So, I had to stand on my principles and I thank God I did because I retired with my head up and with respect and accountability. But in that whole thing, if an allegation came up against you, it didn't have to be proven. You were
removed until that allegation was found either substantial or whether it was not. It didn't matter how good you were, didn't matter how bad you were. And I'm saying to my councilman, this is your second go around that you have been accused for
this very thing. And it's time for you to move aside, be investigated. Let the investigation take its course. It can't do it now because they didn't brealize you. They covered for you. They protected you. They looked out for you. It's a good old boy system. And then you
guys give each other those astronomical raises like you did that female last superintendent that you retired with hundreds of thousands of dollars. That could have went for our schools. I know why you did it. Because when it's your turn, you want everybody to join in
with you. I know. So you leave us as citizens out in the cold and you guys pad your pockets and your wallets and you move out of the county and you have live your life. And if you see anybody like me coming
through your you call the police. That's what you do. That's what's been going on for centuries. And people, we've been falling for that. We've been used we've been used by that. It's time for us to wake up. They can't do it. We can.
That's it. Know who you putting in office. Know who you are electing. See what they want out of what they're doing. A pension. Is that what you're looking for? You're looking to pad your pockets and don't care for the
people. We keep putting these people in office. We have the power and the authority to get these people out. We cry here all the time. We whine all the time. And is the same thing over and
over again. I'm sick of it. I paid my way through. Yeah. I paid every tax that you guys ever put up. Never had to come to you begging you for anything. But you guys have not given us nothing but heartache.
Thank you, Councilman Jackson. I just want to say to you, okay, I admire your courage. I hear a lot of things about you. I hear a lot of complaints about you. I hear all the stuff on the side, but I have never heard nothing
that I heard about you coming from him. But he gets more of the condemnation than you do. And something is wrong with that. Thank you. Councilman, I know you you're the councilman in my ward. I know. I
came to you. I asked you about that tree that was leaning over my house. you before it fell. That's on the list. And you and you and you helped get that tree out of the way. I appreciate that. I also came to you about that stop sign,
that four-way stop sign where where people are coming from Van A wide open straight down the to to Route 21. I talk to you. I talk to the mayor. I go up in the East Side Park. I see over there by the mosque, they got four-way stop
signs. They got police alerts things. They even took the street and altered the street to accommodate their community. It's on the It's on the list. You stop sign. It is wrong for this kind of stuff to go on. That's why none of them are here cuz they're being taken care of. But my taxpayers money is
paying for them. It's something wrong when you can come into this country and have a home and make a business and all of that ready for you and nobody else can function but you. There's something wrong. Everybody has a right to live. Everybody has a right to make their own
way. But don't take my taxpayer dollars, suppress me, and then you lift up another community with my money. That's wrong. I ask you to talk to your no-show mayor and tell him that street sign is
still not there. The four-way stop signs are still not put up. Traffic is still shooting up and down the street. And my house was hit by a car that ran out of control and hit my home. I know. Thank you. And it's on the list, by the way.
It's it's on it's on the list on public work for you. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Cler. Next speaker is Allison Williams. Allison Williams. No. The next speaker is Wene Rogers.
Please state your name. My name is Wallen Rogers. Can you hear me? Okay. I came down here to complaint. This is my first time talking to this council. I want you to know that I don't
have any more respect for any of you. Dr. Mims, my nephew, told me to say hi to you. Your cousin But he also wanted me to tell you that he has no more respect for you guys. He's watching from Virginia.
You know, he moved out of Patterson because the taxes got so high. I paid rent in this town for 51 years. Now I'm paying taxes. So you're going to have a problem out of me because I don't appreciate the way you're spending my money. I'm paying
taxes now, you know, and I'm not getting anything for my money, you know. I got alcoholics on the panel that don't know how to drive. If it was me, I'd be in jail. You know, I got people on the panel that's steal elections. If it was
me, I'd be in jail. You know, it's disgusting. This whole thing is run like a circus. And I have to sit and watch it and get phone calls from relatives that used to live here, but
they no longer live in this crappy town. And they're calling me, "Wally, it's time for you to leave. I was born here. You're not going to run me out. But I know how to run all of y'all out at the ballot box." You understand me? Because this is embarrassing. This is not how
you represent me. I don't I don't drink and drive. So I don't want you representing me as a person who drink and drive. It's something I have never ever done. Okay? I don't steal. So I don't want a thief
representing me, you know? And then what are we getting for our tax dollars? I worked on two social committees during my tenure here in Patterson. the African Heritages
Committee and the money that you charge to have a peaceful event in the park is ridiculous. Now, I work on the McCoy Foundation and we're trying to have a
peaceful event in the park and the fees that you charge are ridiculous. And we've never ever ever had an incident in the park where you got to charge us all this money. The only problem we ever had in the park was
a problem that your president created. And even then, no police officers were involved in that. So why are we being build all this money, damn near half a million? Why? It doesn't make any sense
whatsoever. Where is the money going? Where's my tax money going? You know, yeah, I exaggerated a little bit on that price, you know, but it's still ridiculous because where's the money going? Would you f to tell me my time is up? I want to tell you your time is up,
too. Thank you, speaker, madam clerk. Next speaker is Joyce Thomas. Joyce Thomas. Good evening. Good evening everyone. It's such a pleasure to be here. I've never been here before, but it's such a
pleasure to be here. I live at 532 River Street, the street that Patterson forgets. We have so many crates. People are losing tires now. It's supposed to be fixed, but they're
taking so there sweet time. So next year this time, I don't think it's going to be done. We're losing times. In fact, I have spoken to the mayor over and over and over. It's going to be done. It's going to be done. So they do a little patching and then I don't see anyone
again. But I'm here this evening to talk about Jamaica Day. Mhm. Now, the first time the McCoys paid $500. Last year they paid $3,500. And this year you're charging
them 8,200. We are taxpayers. We pay taxes. This is a park which is supposed to be free. So what what's going on? Who's going to get this money? 8,000. They're
not making a profit. This is free. What's going on? I have been a resident in Patterson for many years. I'm originally from Jamaica. Jamaica became independent. No one hears but from Great Britain in
1962. Now we celebrate every year. We celebrate because we're not home. We celebrate in the park. There have never been an incident, a shooting, nothing in the park. So why do we need to pay this kind of money? and we look forward to it
every year. This is the only thing we have because we're not in Jamaica. This is free. This is clean family fun. You have vendors selling food so they can make some money. We have regga music one
day and then we have gospel music. So it's not something that the McCoys are making any money on. This is not a money thing. But we have people from New York. They come from New York. They come from all over. Tina, I see people sometimes where I haven't seen in a long time.
This is like a reunion and we enjoy it. You have hundreds and hundreds of people just dancing and singing and and having a good time. So why are you charging 8,200 and where is this money going from? So we need to have
it. We are going to have it this year and we need this money to be reduced. I I don't know who is responsible, but we know we don't have $8,200 and we aren't going to have it. Some of you are from the islands, you know, we
celebrate. So, we need I don't know who's in charge. I don't I don't know who I'm speaking with, but we need to pay less. It's supposed to be free. It's a park. It's open. So, you guys need to do better than this. Thank you. Next
speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker is Lucinda Council. State your name, please. Lucinda Council from Patterson. Um, I'm here to piggyback off of what my two sisters prior to me
shared talked about which was Jamaica Day. I am the mic a lifelong speak close to the mic that way they could they could hear. I am a lifelong resident of Patterson. Last year I participated in the planning with the planning committee
for the Jamaican Day celebration that's hosted by the Bill McCoy Foundation. Um me I'm not Jamaican, but I wanted to be a part of this of this event that is so a longstanding
notfor-profit free event that brings so much joy and unity to the community. But this year, as we started to plan, saw that the charges, as was said before, went from $500 two years ago to
$8,100 this year. So, I can't find out. I can't understand and justify, and I was hoping that maybe somebody here would be able to help us with that. What how do you jump from 500 in two years to
8,100? Um, I felt so strongly about this. This is my first time speaking in front of the council, but I really wanted to say something and and bring it to your attention. I also wanted to know what is the city of Patterson planning to do in
lie of events, community events that like like this is that are being priced out. I mean taxes are going up year overyear astronomically and the community is getting less and less in terms of benefits, recreation services. So what
is the the city planning on doing to replace free events that are being priced out and um can't afford to continue. That's all I have. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. The next speaker
is Nay Jimmy. Jimmy, there he is. Sorry. Next. Good night. I want to talk to Mr. Yaso. I my first time coming here. I'm Dominican and everybody make a queue like the Dominican people and
everybody. But I don't never see that German coming for the fair work and do nothing. Anytime he got a legend, oh no, only black people. I'm black. My father Haiti and I'm working too hard. Have a bill. and what two burg and you talk too
much and you don't do nothing in the first world war I have it there more than 10 year you never see you the time the floor everybody floor it and never you go over there never you see over there in Paris and you only talk open your mouth blah blah blah blah blah blah that's only you
do it I'm Dominican and I'm Haiti too okay I'm working too hard pay my tax here I've been a person and nobody hope the government come and talk blah blah blah too and he say he open the people they flow and he don't do nothing the government is saying like you like
that's only the government doing it and and the police too the police too come to over there make a ticket the one side send the car 3:00 in the morning take every car and pay the ticket why you know send 3:00 in the morning clean the tree the people come
to my shop and take it try taking my money I'll call the police wait a hour when the police not coming they only give it ticket to my car. I pay there last two months ago. Last two weeks ago, I paid $2,000 for take the car for the pound for he take the car
right have approved. I have approved the car my car right here to the plane right here on everything and the police take it and that's why he got time for pay ticket put ticket. But why he don't have a time clean the tree? Why he not do that? Everybody say the major not the
major and you and the and every police and every councilman here is supposed to be do the job. I work too hard and pay my tax here and you don't do nothing for the first one and and everybody everybody all the mayor no police have the problem together the whole community
work together that party no clean I need everybody working together and clean and clean and do work work no come help clean the the tree the whole par I'm working too hard and he clean the whole paris everybody all together
and you don't see no Gabby and P you see no Gabby in Paris and everybody talking I have a rain and parking my car and all the way the police coming easy make a ticket to the CL the morning. I know she never you supported your people in that f only say oh no the
Dominican people black people no everybody is same thing same blown no matter why you're black same blown and you are working only for think about you there nobody changing you for almost 20 years thank you only you here do you speaker madam clerk the next speaker is
Bill McCoy Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Councilman Bill McCoy. Served on the municipal council for 20 years from 2000 until 2020. And I think the question was
asked, "Was the election stolen?" Yes. Um, the attorney general has issued a superseding indictment that says yes, that was stolen. And if nobody has asked for tonight, I'm going to ask the council president given the charges that he ought to resign from his position and
step down. Nothing stolen should be held in possession. He said in the paper, oh, that it was unfair to have an indictment. He sound like Donald Trump. The unfairness is that you're sitting there in a stolen seat and being paid by the taxpayers and not doing the
job. I want to say that I came here tonight not to say all of that, but to speak to um the Jamaica Day Festival. But the responsibility of true leadership is first to be able to listen, learn, and respond to the cries
and the concerns of the residents. I stand before you this evening as a victim of crime and I watched on Facebook someone losing their life over a a a chain or senseless act
and it pains my heart because my wife could be mourning today for two years ago I was assaulted by two men with bats and believe me the streets are talking we know where they come come from and we know the motivation behind what they
what they did that day. So I'm here today to stand up and to say with all of you that we require require justice and accountability starts at the top. Accountability if you ignore it for the council president,
you're going to ignore it for everybody else. So I think we need to step up and to do the right thing. And I thank the council, the um attorney general for finally um laying out for you um an indictment of charges that tell you
exactly what happened in 2020 and showed you the evidence of what happened. And council president, you can be um mysterious as ever you want to be, hold yourself in a fantasy land, but your day of reckoning is coming and it is on the
agenda. Let me say real quickly that the folks that talked about the increase in charges, we're doing a free event to bring our community together. And the 8,100 that was talked about, that was just for
DPW for cleaning up for two days. We are being assigned three supervisors to to to supervise a cleanup. I'm not too sure what three supervisor going to do on two days to clean up, but that's
$8,100 for $8,200 for DPW, $8,100 for the police, $1,000 for the fire department, $750 for insurance, $350 for a permit for a total of $18,5628 to in order to get a permit to
put on a free event for a community, one that has been without any issues until the council president came here and and started something. And what everybody doesn't know, he took me to court and charged me with criminal charges that I
had to answer into the Hailton Municipal Court. He came, he was the only one that testified, he was the only one that presented evidence and the judge threw it out on his heel. But I still had to pay my lawyer. He's got his lackey
behind me who has filed a $2 million liability charge against me for somebody say you stole Jamaica Day. I don't know who owns Peru. I don't know who owns Jamaica. I don't know who own the United States. Madam Clerk, who next speaker,
Madame Clerk, was council president, you gave everybody else a minute. I'm your speaker. No, you're not my opponent. to everybody. You're not my opponent. Let's go to the next speaker and clerk and you're not my You're not really my
opponent. Trust me on that. Trust me. Believe me. Let's speak, man. The next speaker is not my opponent. Tiffany McCoy. Let's speak mad clerk. Members of the public, please, please, please, please, please, please state
your name. We we have maybe few. How many more speaker madam clerk we have? One, two, three. I think it's about five count. Five members of the We have five more speaker and we have a special mad clerk. We got five speaker. Yes. Yes. No, we keep going up and up. We have a
special meeting that is supposed to council member council member madam clerk. So let's go through those speaker because we have next speaker. Point of order council president. Next speaker. Point of order. Point of order, sir.
I don't know where you think this is, but that counsel to some. How approp How inappropriate is that? Go ahead. What's your point? How inappropriate is that? You want me to ask? My point of order is the disrespect. No, I don't understand where you think you are. You just What?
I'm Listen, I'm I'm at the council chamber. That's not how you That's not how you speak to anyone. Go ahead. That's not how you speak to anyone. I mean, thank you. It was Appreciate it. you who it was you who told the clerk to add everybody to the list. Sure. So now you want to place what I tried I'm not
trying to rush the rest. Let let me just finish. What I'm trying to say is we have five three lawyers waiting for a meeting that we need to have to resolve a legal matter. Now I don't want to leave nobody behind. Let me finish. We have to get into a meeting. The meeting was advertising for 8:00 p.m. on on the
public. Now I know I want to make sure that everybody get opportunity to speak. So, we're going to go through the five speaker that we have because after that, we're going to have to do a a close section that everybody have to leave the chamber. I'm sorry. I do apologize if you feel offended by that, but let me go through the next speaker. That way, we
could cover the five, but you're in the list. You're in the You're in the list. If if you feel offended, I say I do apologize to you. I just want to make sure that you get a chance to speak. I want to hear I want the community to
hear. When I click um say five speaker, the next speaker is Tiffany McCoy. Okay. Thank you. Please state your name. Thank you. So there's a downside to a downside to
politicizing your office. Um the passion that exists in this room tonight is a manifestation of that downside where you lose faith, you lose
hope, you lose confidence in the leaders that you elect or not to an office to represent you. That's the downside because politicizing community work, which this is, you serve
your community, right? We talk about politicians and everybody's talking about a political a political system because that that's what we exist in, right? It's a paradigm of political structure. Malcolm X talks about it. If you want
to revolutionize a system, you don't become a part of it, you destroy it. Right. So you guys came into this, you know, you had people that came before you, the Councilman McCoys and the Morrises and the Dixons and the Roies and and the um Ames Vera Ames Garns who
came before you that were a part of a system that they laid a foundation for you to uphold. You're not doing that. So the people that are coming from the city, that's what's driving this momentum here. That's what's filling up the seats. That's why you have so many
people wanting to speak to you and wanting to express to you because people are passionate about the pain that they're feeling. 5.6 increase. Again, council president, you ran your entire campaign against my
father on the fact that he beared the burden of tax rising. And here you are and yet they rise. Here you are at the helm and they still rise. So, so the idea that um I get I move
along to get along is no longer enough. People are the not only are the tax um taxes increasing, the death tolls are increasing. People are losing their lives. My father talked about it. I was there. I responded to him being beaten
by two men wielding bats in front of my home at 7:00 in the morning and there's still not an answered call. I could have put out the video that we have of those people that came to my house cuz I have it. We're not here for that. This is that this is traumatizing to my family
and to our community. I know what these people are feeling. I know what Felix's family is feeling. I know what people are going through cuz it could have happened to us. And he and his colleagues were comp complicit and silent up until this day. You've never
called my house. You never visited my house and given us any regards about what happened to my father two years ago. Taxes are still high. Crime is still high. Disrespect is at an all-time
high. Threats of violence coming from council members is at an all-time high. When is it going to stop? Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Deborah Hannibal.
Next speaker, man. Okay. Um, the next speaker is Audrey Sterling. Next speaker, the next speaker is Anthony Davis. Councilman Anthony Davis. And Good
evening. Um, former council Anthony Davis, city of Patterson. I want to uh first uh give my condolences to Mayor Sharp James family. Uh we lost our mayor,
Norc. And I want to uh say happy birthday to Stevie Wonder, 75 years old. I am uh related to my uh quarterback, high school football quarterback uh Joe
Keys and explaining and um I agree with you. Uh uh council president I I I I'm I'm just there's a lot of things I want to say and I still believe that you got to command the room and if people are going
to be disrespect both sides they got to go council as well as the audience. There's no reason anyone should be in here disrespecting the chambers. No one. You just heard from Tiffany McCoy. Passionate, but you didn't hear
her disrespect the council. You didn't hear her disrespect the community. That's how people got to talk. That's right. You could be angry. You could be upset. You could be passionate. But you do not need to be in here swearing and cursing and disrespecting this room.
Anyone, both sides. And if you have a problem with that, so be it. Command your room, sir. Command your room. Um, no one can Well, council members can't remove
another council. You cannot. You can't cension them and censions council members for what has happened on anyone. You can do that, but you cannot remove them. Even if you want them to remove, you cannot.
Only way people do that is people vote. people out or they resign. So look at what's going on. Our community is hurting. I said three years ago about this racial
undertone and here it is. We do have and it's going to get worse if we don't get together and stick together. I yield. Next speaker. Thank you. The next speaker is Trisha Thompson.
Good afternoon people. Good afternoon council. Good afternoon community. Good afternoon councils. I'm standing here today because I am tired. I'm frustrated and I'm sick of what's going on in our community. As a young black
girl, we stand today and we look what example do the council set for the young people. Lead by example and we follow. You set no example. What do you expect the youth of today to do? The youth of today is not like the youth.
That's not three minute council. No. No. Read and clerk. Can you restart the clock please? Our youth of today is not our youth of 20 30 years ago. Our youth are rising differently. You have to provide
activity for them to do. no activity. What do you lead them to do? Our youths out here are single parent. Some youths did not have parent guidance. If you don't guide them, what do you expect them to do? The guns. Who providing it?
Some youth don't even have access much less to sign their name on a paper. How do they get the guns? How do they get the guns? Where is our community? Where is the protection for
our kids? People are laying on the side of the road. Patteradison, everybody comes and dumped it here. Our tax dollars and I can speak because I work. I don't rely on the system. We pay taxes, but still yet
there's nothing done in our community. Council, something got to be done. We're speaking but you're not hearing. We're speaking but you're not even looking at me. I like when I speak I get direct eye
contact with all due respect. Mhm. Because you expect that from me. Correct. We are here speaking and I watch you sit beside your councilman beside you laughing and talking. It's disrespectful. I watch your action from the minute I
walk in this room and I can tell you you don't care. We vote you in, we can take you out. Until we rise and get them out, nothing will be done. We put them in, we take
them out. Our vote counts. Our voice count. No protection. I have witnessed police on 10th half that's supposed to serve and
protect. Not doing it. crooked because they're not from here so they don't count. One activity I keep in the park every year to celebrate Jamaicans independence. Why do we have to pay so much
money? What is it going towards? Now we have to pay taxes but still yet when they put the bulk outside it's not picked up. So what we paying them to clean? Did you read the contract before you
signed it? So you raised taxes which you said McCoy was getting blamed for it. You're here but still taxes raised. It's going up and up and up and up. Will it ever stop? Bulk is on the street not
being cleaned left in front the house. So what are we paying taxes for? You come into a black community but you want us to live like the white community as Princeton. One moment please. But when you check Princeton community and they pay tax, these things
are covered in it. They have a day for bulk. So they drive around that day and they pick up the bulk. Correct. In Patterson you can't raise taxes but the money is not benefit the community. My daughter walked to school every day.
I think she's in danger. Why is all these people that's on the side of the street from Patterson? No. But what do you do about it? We live on a $15 pay rate a hour. You raise taxes in Patterson. What do you
expect we young people to do? Let's speak for myself. I get 1685 an hour, work 40 hours a week, right? My rent is $3,000 for threebedroom, not included light,
not included heat. Tell me after I finish pay car insurance, food gas, no food stamp, no section aid. How do we provide a home for our kids? But still yet you
raise taxes, landlord raise rent. Where do we stand? Should I be homeless? Because we are the part of a bridge for it. Veterans that get social security that is only probably $1,000 a week. How do
they pay for that? We got to do better. Thank you, M. Speaker. Just listen. But here. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam clerk, council president, we have one last speaker and that's Joseph Hart. Joseph Hart. I think he may have left.
I'm not. He's not here. Okay. Oh. Oh, there he is. Joseph, I'm sorry. Who's the next speaker by the clerk? Joseph Hart. Okay. I'm a native Pisonsonian. I've been like hearing all this stuff that's going on. And I'm not
here to bash any of you guys cuz I'm quite sure there ain't nobody who ain't been at dinner or had a drink or whatever and went and drove around. Look at these cats on a scooter bike. Now look at the transit buses that can't
make their turn on Ellison Street. It's going to be a bad accident there one day. But you know what? As for the garbage and whatnot, to me, garbage is garbage. And I feel like this. garbage. Pick up the garbage. Why not have the recycling truck pick up
right in back of it? That way it won't be no I'm trying not to cuss, especially in front of these kids, but in front of all the other you know. I'm sorry. You see, you know, and it's like the
mayor should be here. I mean all the other times when I used to like watch this on TV it was like you know you one eye on Patterson and what it was like a joke but Graves was there. This may not here I don't know him that well but he's
always fixing up this fixing up that. How about the sidewalks? How about painting the yellow lines again for the pedestrians? Because I hate that. You see a lot of knuckleheads. They'll just don't park. don't give a damn. And and
run the red light, too. Not when Joe crossing that line, I I'll make them stop. I know I get cussed that probably. I don't give a damn cuz I'm like this a mug could rob the bank or something. You stopping when I'm coming through. You
know, cops catch you, they get you. That's all it. But that's me. I got my reasons why my attitudes like that because I used to have a job for 29 years and I lost it because of the co crap and I ain't my mind ain't been
right ever since. But you know way things is as a movie of kuhan loop Paul Newman and shoulder Martin said what we got here is a fail to communicate and that's
what we got here in Patterson. you know, nobody understand each other. Nobody cares, you know, but you know, it is what it is. And I'm just trying to live my life every day I can, you know, and that's all I got to say. I'll be back
again. Y'all be safe and happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there because every day is Mother's Day. Thank you. Are you on the list? All right. All right, Council President. Seeing none, move to close. Council President, there's one young lady in the back. She's been
waiting for quite some time. It's only three more minutes. She was apparently on the list. Yeah. The one young lady we can let allow one. She's been sitting there patiently and I don't know what happened to the list, but you have one young lady. Do you came How are you? Do you want you came to speak on the uh All right.
Okay. M clerk, can you start the three minute for the young? Would you state your name, please? My name is Esmerald Aldo. A from Patterson. Mic is on. Just speak close to the mic, please. My name's Asaralda and I'm from Patterson.
Um, I'm here tonight to speak on something that has impacted me personally. Recently, my parked car was hit and damaged by a vehicle driven by a member of this council. While I understand accidents can happen, what followed has been
deeply frustrating and disappointing. I rely on my car every single day to get to school, to job interviews, to doctor appointments, and to h to handle essential errands. Being without it has caused serious financial strain, missed opportunities, and unnecessary stress. I
never expected to be in this situation, especially when the apha driver is someone elected to serve this community. What's even more troubling is that I haven't received any clear communication about who's taking responsibility for the damages and I need resolution and
account accountability. I don't deserve to be left in the dark or much less burdened by something that's not my fault. That's all. Wow. Wow. Thank you. Um Sophia, can you get her information, please? Thank you. Seeing no move to close. I have a motion to close public
portion. Move to close. Move to close by Councilwoman Mims. Second by Council President Mendes. Roll call by clerk to close the public portion. Roll call to close the public portion. Councilwoman Cotton.
Oh, Councilwoman Davila. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Madam Clerk. So, what we're speaking to is integrity and and a lack of a lack thereof. And
the brother that came to uh to address me, I've never received a phone call from you. I come Listen, there's so many problems in this city. I got people getting killed. You think I'm just going to ride around and ask you, do you have problems? If you call me, I will show
up. Sir, you had a moment to speak. I didn't say anything while you came and, you know, said all these derogatory things. I I'll come to your I'll come to your business. I'll give you my cell phone number. I don't think you understand how government works. You're talking about police officers writing tickets. They answer to the mayor. I'm
the only one out there challenging police officers when they're mistreating the public. So, I don't know what you're talking about. But again, it's about integrity. As I was taking my my daughter to school one day in Montlair, I hit somebody's car. Now, he was rushing around me, but you know,
nonetheless, I hit his car. We exchanged numbers. It was no need for for us to to to get the insurance companies involved. I had to pay for his damages. I had to pay for his uh uh Tesla to get fixed. And this guy is out here hitting people
with such a lack of integrity. this young girl, who knows what challenges she has to meet and what obligations she has to meet. Right away, there should have been a note left on the car saying, "I hit your car. I'm going to take care of the
damages, but it's a lack of integrity." Now, I'm going to shoot him some bail on this. Some some of you may may not agree, but I don't necessarily go all the way in with way a lot of you would were going in with about him because
this is a common occurrence. You know how many people in this community are driving with a needle hanging out their arm, passed out at the wheel, smash up three, four parked cars, sideswipe cars, and the cops have never taken them under
custody. have never given a a toxicology test. They say send them to the hospital. They go to the hospital, the emergency room. The people don't want to deal with them there and they let him right out 5 minutes later. So I told the reporter, check the
reports and see this is where the council's job is. What he doesn't understand our job is to hold them accountable. How many now we know all the drugs that's going on in the city. people coming in the city to buy drugs. How many times has someone been arrested
for driving under the influence? How many times have we seen somebody given a sobriety test in the middle of the of of of the yellow line? I've I've never seen it. I've never seen it. So, I'm curious, Mr. B, I'm going to need a report from the PD. Mr. Director Jerry Spezial, I
want to know how many people have been arrested and charged with driving while under the influence. How many people have been have been given a breathalyzer test? How many people have been given a sobriety test? How many people have been arrested because he should have got arrested that day, taken to the
hospital, and given a a a mandatory uh blood test? Now, I'm going to take it even further where there's such a lack of integrity because the young lady accused him of being drunk. A whatever, right? If it was me
and I knew I wasn't drunk, I would have went to the hospital and asked them to please conduct a test, I want to prove to the young lady that I wasn't under the influence. But no, we look about we we try to look how we could get over the
same way that when I accuse by the way and everybody I wow wow how bad that is. The civil service test says you are required to speak to write to understand English. It's not it's not a crime not
to understand English. You could speak any language. But to get a job when you're related to the person on the elect on the on the on the council, that is what's illegal. And not one council member has stood up against that as as
we spoke. But if he was a person of integrity and and I was wrong, he would have had his wife come to the podium and speak and even if it was broken English, I respect that. Or do a video in English. No, we do a video as a victim but only in
Spanish. Just proving the fact that you don't speak English, that you shouldn't have gotten a job over somebody else who's more qualified. But when we look at the corruption that's going on, you look at what's happening. Where's the level of accountability? They all vote for each other. Uh, who just said it?
Somebody was talking about the um homeless situation. You just saw the article. $4 million from housing that got returned back to HUD that was supposed to be designated for section 8 to homeowners.
We allowing our people to be out here taken advantage of by by developers that is raising the rate that's so unaffordable. And yet, who do you see saying anything about it? But they're getting upset because I'm calling it out. Right. So, I want to give give and
I apologize. Deacon Mack, I appreciate you coming and the Mora, the girls, the young Mrs. Mora and these two wonderful young ladies. I think they've already left. I had the pleasure of going down to New Brunswick. The YMCA put together and it's been going on for 80 years. I
had no idea it is a it is a actual governance seminar. They go away for about 3 4 days and they hold all the positions that you could think of in governance from the governor's seat all the way on down from the lobbyists to and these these young ladies they
actually wrote a legislation. They wrote they do what my colleagues do not do cuz nobody up here writes their own legislation but me. But this is these young ladies who wrote their own legislation. I'm going to make it available to you guys cuz it's phenomenal stuff. one of them she wants
to present it to the council which by the way all of you have the ability to do the public is a capable of providing um legislation directly to this council to be voted on so I want to give them some props and the YMCA for doing what they do and by the way the YMCA was
named in in those home dollars monies that was claimed to give be given back because the administration failed yet again more money that went back right how many of you recall me beaston And I'm going to do a I'm going to do a more extensive video about this cuz councilman McCoy knows about this. Well,
the PRC is is one of the derelic entities in this in this community that gave me the toughest time in business. I've been in business for 30 plus years about 25 years, right? And I broke my back in that place. I still have not lost it. They know they're they're
cheering for that, right? But from $3 $400,000 in grants that I wrote for myself before I was elected, $1.4 million that I borrowed, the lending capacity of the PRC is from
100,000. Please listen to this. 100,000 to 3 million. And director, I'm gonna need a speech. I need a meeting about this. I need a I need a audit of that PRC, those funds. 100,000 to 3 million. I was the only
black recipient. And to the gentlemen, I was one of maybe five Hispanic uh uh recipients cuz you guys know my mother is Hispanic, right? Poya Compredo, they got over $500,000. All those different
stores in the mall, $5 600,000. The the supermarket that was next to 90 Delaware got close to $2.5 million. All of them defaulted. I got 140,000. Now, a lot to a lot maybe a long time ago. That sounds like a lot of money. I could spend 100
grand in about a day, two, three days. That's pennies in comparison to what we're spending here. And watch be wasted. 140,000 they gave me. They made me wait 7 8 months, which made me have to close. I had to become my own chef. I
lost staff. I had to I I had to hold down a mortgage for seven, eight months while they derelically held that money up. Now they're going to turn around. We and everybody on here, they all sat next to me while I call it bloody murder. The
the the building on Ellison Street, we paid $6 million and that building won't even appraise for 2 million. Now we paid $6 million that we use that PRC money, $7 million for the for the uh business incubator over on East Railwood Avenue.
Now the mayor after they done failed and never gave one report for the stadium for $110 million, not one report. How many yards of concrete was poured? How much did the all of the materials cost? None of these guys asking the question.
110 million we let get wasted. Now we let Joe that stadium it was our stadium. It no longer belongs to us. The Jackals playing there. Now, this female uh uh football team, professional football team, that's supposed to be for our
kids. Now, they're going to take $2.5 million more of that money just to put two professional soccer teams without a report on who's going to make be the beneficiary of it. Who's going to make the money? So, the $1.4 million in deficit
with $700,000 being being called administrative. Administrative. What does that mean? who got paid from that? Where the checks? Look at this guy. He's a He's a functioning illiterate. He doesn't even understand what's going on. And yet he's going to continue to vote
for it. Right. Then he says, "I showed up to the ribbon cutting at the stadium. I won a state championship there. What do you think I would do? Just because the money's being squandered and I'm telling you that the money's being squandered, does that mean I don't show up to the ribbon cutting?" No. But what he did was he voted in the affirmative
on the Fifth Avenue project that now the Patterson Housing Authority is getting ready to let this man make $40 to $50 million in in in between developers fees. What we did is a scam. He bought
all these properties for a dollar. All those properties on on Jefferson Street, Art Street, Garfield Avenue, North Main Street, East Main Street, North Third Street, those are his properties that he's not paying full taxation for because they're falling under the opice
of housing of which we have our our great chairperson now of the housing authority to thank for this because now he's going to he's taking money off of these vouchers that he's getting and he's selling those properties back to himself, meaning he's going to pay himself. health $16
million and on top of that 20 plus million dollars in developers fee. Why they so quiet? Crickets when when that when the developer came here and Kamisha you were sitting right there. Who did he call out? Did he call Mendes out? No. Because
Mendes said, "Oh, thank you for such a wonderful job you're doing for the people and giving them housing." No. Thank you for ripping us off. Thank you for ripping us off. And then the developer had the nerve to say, "Oh, Councilman Jackson, you'll be happy to hear this my last project. However,
yeah, because you done stole from us so much. There's no other projects for you to steal from." So, it's it's ridiculous, man. Lack of integrity. Omar, pay attention. Please, sir. Don't fall into the same uh uh traps of the devious games as these people.
The day the day the day that Bobby Williams was burying his daughter. Destiny. Her name is Destiny. Alex Mendes. The day that Destiny was being buried. You would have thought he showed
up to the services. No. They was doing a ribbon cutting of a field. At the time, somebody sent me a video of the mayor, Alex Mendes. Uh, I believe Omar was there, uh, uh, Al Deaziz was there for a
ribbon cutting when a young girl who was pregnant, 21 years old, was just gunned down in your city. You would have figured every flag in the goddamn city would have been flying a half mass. You would have figured the city shut down because we're
mourning a young lady and a family that just lost their daughter. So, you know, they out here cutting ribbons, man, celebrating, doing redoing parks, you know, while Mike um Taylor
talking about, well, it's not the government. Yes, it is the government. It is our responsibility. You know, those there's big vacuum trucks that come into Patterson every morning right across the street from Wendy's. We pay these guys millions of dollars to come vacuum or we own vacuum trucks ourselves. We could be
employing people. Get rid of all these contracts and employ people. You know why I'm excited? Cuz I already know. You don't need to tell me. I'm going to win the next mayor's race. And I'm going to show you how to fix this place. I'mma stop people from stealing from us. I'mma stop people from taking from us. I'mma
put people back to work. People are crying. They dying with rents going up so high. And what do we do? We we finagle the planning board and we continue to allow people to knock down one to two family houses to build 1625 units without parking spaces.
It's freaking crazy. So yeah, you better keep holding the council accountable. The housing authority, they answer to the council. The housing authority are managing properties that's owned by the city. These properties are not owned by the
housing authority. They're not owned by the housing authority. So the derelic management falls back on this council from your appointees that's sitting over there and allowing for this stuff to happen. Lastly, the I'm going to put out that video. I was trying not to cuz you know
the brother young brother who works for the mayor, he's a police officer. He's a good dude. He's just following instructions. It's raining. Raining. I think this is over the weekend. Raining. Rain just starting to come down. He's out there in the middle of that park right off Route 19 forcing all those
homeless people to pack their stuff up and throw it in the garbage. Like, I get it. You don't want the homeless to make you look bad, but at least provide a solution for them. You done made made the paved the way for all these developers. The least they could do is give you some free apartments so that
you could put some homeless people in there or or for that matter the PRC money. How about taking that and giving it to the homeless situation? How about taking that and and giving it to entities that's providing these these uh
outlets or these uh these community engagements? But no, we're going to take $2.5 million and give it back to Von McCoy so these guys could put it all in their pocket without an audit. Without an audit, it's criminal. Criminal over
$40 million director that's unaccounted for. I want a full audit. I want an audit of what's going on with the PRC and I'mma file a lawsuit. I'm the only business that the PRC has ever took taken to court and challenged. They still they're garnishing my council
check wages now for that that measly $140,000 while they're giving away $2.5 million so somebody could bring a soccer professional soccer team in here so so somebody else could make money who never
made a contribution to the stadium. They can't tell you one dime the de how much did did the developer invest in that project. Ask them that. Ask the finance committee that goes in there have private meetings. Ask them how much did the developer contribute. They can't
tell you. They can't tell you. Oh. And then they say, "Oh, well that's not us. It's the school board. Oh, school board. Oh, it's not us. It's the council." They all doing the same thing. Kissing somebody's ass while somebody else is getting rich. while our community suffering. Those people that live over
there in those houses up by the stadium, the stuff fell apart the first year, windows falling out of the building, the cheapest materials they could possibly use. And go down there and look at what the what this guy is doing in the housing uh authority uh properties. He's walking away just in the developer fee
alone. The moment he signed the contract, over $20 million in developer, 20 million that one guy is putting in his pocket. Then he turned around. I got to say it again. It's not to not to continue and ramble. He's going to sell
the properties that he has owned for the last 25 years that he let go derelict. When G did those videos, where's G? He left already. Those videos on that on those abandoned homes that he went and then boarded them up cuz they was abandoned for so long. Why? Cuz he's waiting for this check. He let those
properties go derelic. People over there over there living without air conditioning. And now he's going to sell the property. Flip. make a new LLC, sell the properties to himself for $16 million. Then he has a architectural
design fee on the on the on the on the on the uh on the the the budget for close to a million dollars. Wait, he's rehabbing. That means he's going to go paint, put new tiles down, maybe some new cabinets if we're lucky. And he got
a million dollars in architectural design fees. Then there's $350,000 per per site. So $700,000 in legal fees. Who's the chairperson over there? Um Miss Rogers. Oh, I forgot. You know
who that is. The the people sitting there and allowing for this to happen. $350,000 in his legal fees and then $75,000 per site for the city's legal fees. It's an embezzlement. Where's the accountability, people?
Ask them to tell you what part of one thing that I said just now is a lie. And I will resign right now. If any one of them I will put in my letter, I'll write it on this piece of paper. What part did I lie about and I'll resign. Tell the
mayor to come. He could easily get rid of me. He don't have to spend $350,000 on an election to try to get rid of me to go lie steal and cheat and steal absentee ballots. I'll resign now. But you can't. You don't even know what's going on. Madame clerk, my vote is no.
Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Mims to the public that is present and to the public that is watching. I I do this every week and I I'm going to continue to do it. I want to thank you for taking time out, sacrificing, taking time out of
your busy schedules to watch and or to be in the chambers. We in this room, for the most part, have lived longer than we have left. We've lived longer than we have
left. We're in the midst of a chaotic upheaval in the community because over time things have been left undone. People have heard but have not
listened. Complaints have went forward and have not been answered. We've made requests and there was no deliverables on the request. We as the legislative body, we take the
brunt of the upset, uh, frustration and the anger from the community because we're here and they're not able to give it to the administration for
where the direct reports they report to the mayor. And so we don't mind that you come and have the complaints when you call us. No matter what time of the day or
night, sometimes I get calls 4:30 in the morning. We answer the calls. When Miss Kitchen had her issue, and I know she was very frustrated, she called me. Not just called me, I called and gave it in.
I went to the mall. It's Mother's Day weekend. Only to receive the call when I was leaving. I don't have to lie. She's right there. Only to get the call that no one still had showed
up. I made the call again that she's she knows. I didn't just call. I showed up at her house. I don't have to say all the time the things that we do to go above and beyond
our call of what's in what we're supposed to do in this role because there's so much that happens that um when we get the calls or we see the videos circulating of a young man who
we've been in the store who's helped probably the majority of the community always joking humor and to watch on video as they were playing dominoes selfishly self
selfishly be taken away from his family with a child sitting right there. This is not just the first. I mean, there's many incidents of things that's been going on over
time. And it doesn't it's not just one ethnicity. It's across the city. It's it's all over the city. It's not in one ward. It's not in one section. It is absolutely everywhere. And to hear the
cries when I get the phone calls, to see the faces and the anger of the people in the community for one not getting answers as to who did these crimes answered or to have to sit in
court and see those people that did the crime get released and or get looked at with dirty looks because they're frustrated and they're angry because their loved one is no longer here. My prayer is that
everyone, everyone talk to your children every day, your grandchildren, your nieces, your nephews, your cousins, everybody. If you work in the
schools or wherever, every day, tell them how much they are appreciated. Tell them you love them. Tell them that someone cares. Because you never know how that
will impact a child, no matter what the age is, from a newborn all the way up to even now. We all have to be a part of this broken
system to help. Whether it's through prayer, whether it's through conversation, encouragement, whatever it takes. But we have to all instead of pointing fingers, put our hands to the plow. Because if we put our hands to the plow and come together in
an all hands on deck to get it resolved, we won't have time to point fingers at who could, who can't, because we're all trying to help because we all live in this city for the most part. We live here. I pay taxes just like you pay
taxes. We have the same same concerns you have. taxes increasing, not receiving the quality of service, the streets are filthy, the dumping, the o the homeless. I thank God for our officer in charge. They're going
to do special attention for Sunshine um daycare. We gave them the hours of operation and just other locations where our young people are going into preschool and you have vagrants and homeless that are sleeping across the doors before our children can enter into
the schools. So Patterson, I know it's frustrating to watch my cousin John text me. He said, I got to make it clear that he is not embarrassed by me sitting here. He said he's happy I'm here. And he said, thank
you for giving the message. But I want to say this to to everyone. I I don't mind that you come because you're coming out of frustration. You're upset you're not receiving the services that you are paying for. You live here and you
deserve better. And so I have no issues with you coming and you deserve better. I don't know how I would respond if someone was burglarizing my home and and a cop didn't show up. I I don't know
how I would respond cuz I know initially it's shock and then after that it's so many other things and I'm going to leave that where leave that there cuz Kamisha I I get it. So as much as we have
done, we can do more and we are doing it. There's a lot of work that goes on in our committees and I would love and I'm putting this challenge to the community for those sitting and those watching. I would love a hundred people
to do a shadow a day in Councilwoman Mim's shoes. I want you to come when I have my committee meetings. I'm going to let you know the day and I want you to participate when there's other things going on. I want you to sit. We get our packets on
Friday. I'm going to make time on a Saturday so you can sit and you can see the agenda cuz I think it's important because sometimes we're sitting here and we can hear a whole bunch of stuff but you you don't have this information and sometimes it's confusing. So, I'm
putting that challenge. Text me, inbox me, call me, whatever you need to do, but reach out to me. I'm putting that challenge out. And in closing, if you have some ideas andor solutions, I heard you um
sir, when you gave the about the e-commerce and all that, great idea. We need that information because that is how we get to to build our community because you got to give this information. We have our directors here.
We have uh the mayor is always watching the meetings. You have all these people sitting here. But we need to get ideas from you cuz if it's something that's not happening, give it to us. Say, I have an idea. There's a few people that have given me stuff. I've given it and
we put it in action and it's happening. So help us help you. We can't help you if you're not saying to us what it is you need. And I know it's frustrating sometimes when you're like, "Well, I'm telling you don't raise my taxes. I'm telling you
not to do whatever." 2% is mandatory. As long as we continue to get transitional aid, we have no other choice but to increase by 2%. 3% 4% 5% all that, that's a totally
different story. But 2% is what we are mandated to do to avoid having heavy increases into the tax small taxpayer base. And so if you need me, I'm here. I want to
thank everyone that reached out to our family. We lost a family member. Very heart-wrenching um in our family. Um, and a lot of the young people, whether I've they've been a part of my school or other schools
that I've been a part of, sometimes I've seen the the person that morning or the afternoon, I work in a school where two two weeks back to back, there was shootings right at outside the door,
right a little an inch from our school, and kids were in the building. So, it's scary for everybody. It's not just scary for one group. It's scary for everybody cuz all of our lives are hanging in the balance.
Madame Clerk, Deputy Clerk, everyone that's here, I made a comment before about putting safeguards in place and I'm happy to see tonight that they were wanding and checking pocket books. I was
happy to see that because times are serious and we can't take anything for granted. So, I'm really happy to see that we're taking these matters seriously because we're living in very serious serious
times. With that being stated, Madame Clerk, to close the public portion, my vote is yes. Um, Councilman Omar, let's continue to pray for our city. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you,
Councilman Odin. The sweetest one. Good evening, Patterson. Those who are here in the chamber and those who are watching us live, um thank you very much for your participation. When you show up based on any issue or just to um educate us what's happening in the city of
Patterson or make your voice heard anyway, whatever reason you show up here, it means that you care about Patterson. So, I really appreciate your presence here in this chamber. So uh many issues were were shared or concerned and we all every day speaking
about it and if I just start with um the spec that police is sponsored in the city of Patterson we all have that experience anywhere you want accident you're waiting for police to show up three four hours that's everyday issue
in in in our city however the incident was shared that someone was forcibly were trying to get home and harm the occupant and and police is showing up after 4 hours. This is alarming.
I am feeling unsafe at my own home. Exactly the feeling coming right now. So I think we all and especially Patterson Police Department and the administration have to find a way that this kind of situation cannot behold like four hours,
3 hours, not even four minutes. Anything could have happened on the day and if this is just an example, we don't want to see more examples out there. We are losing our family members for multiple incidents. And here I like to share something that
happened a few weeks ago at the East Side Park. The young lady was shot during the daytime. I was in the park at Barkley Park with my daughter. I got a phone call from our
coach Alfredo that he needs police officers at Pennington Park because people he had a game over there and young folks from different schools are playing there. People parked uh illegally everywhere and he felt unsafe.
So I called police and I I also went there in person. When I just went there I got a call that there is an incident happened in East Side Park. But think what happened about six 7 months ago we approved 77 cameras $1
million and if these cameras were there in presence then we could have some clips. We could bring the criminals and and call this not going to happen because there's no footage available.
On the mother's day evening when I'm out with my family, I got a call from another uh the supervisor from recreation department. Sorry, I'm sorry. There's we end up process crossing the bully portion.
Please continue. council. Paulina called me on on on Mother's Day evening about crying on the phone that uh she was painting the basketball court in Pennington Park. Someone broke the uh lock and got inside and people are playing
inside. Think this exactly what's happening but we cannot catch anybody because we do not have any proof that who did what not. And we are talking about that your house is unsafe. We are unsafe everywhere. But it's not really when we
speaking about it can sound like or smell like is administration versus council. This is not exactly what we our stand for. It's about cooperative action. It's not really speaking against administration. That should not our should not be our stand and this is not
my stand exactly. But administration has to take every single incident happening this city of Patterson in serious consideration and make sure that nothing is happening in the near future. or anytime in the future that happened to
the uh the resident's uh house in third W. Someone was trying to forcibly got inside the home. How would you know it's not going to happen to me today? How do you know it's not going to happen to you today? The incident happened inside park. How would you know this not going
to be repeated tomorrow today? So this kind of seriousness we have to have. I understand this everything else we are doing repaving street having the parks it's amazing it's a great things no question and I
appreciate that but on top of this I have to be safe with my daughter myself with my family in the park that comes along with it just improving the parks is not the only thing can be done so this is this is important I believe that
this administration will take these things in seriously and and make sure that this implementation should take place as soon as possible. Possible tax hike. Uh there's an um uh budget introduction vote in
special uh section. So uh I don't want to just spend time on this but just know this. I am not going to support the tax hike one more time when everything is tightening. I understand this $33 million that that we expecting from the
state. All right. Then take the floor and speak. If you really want to speak, then take the mic and speak. Come on, council members. Just I do. If you speak on the background, how am I going to express my voice?
You need to keep speaking. Nobody's talking to you. Councilwoman just please council member. When you're talking about the introduction budget, which is 5.6%. I understand exactly the same year. This is not a tax adoption. I understand that. But when we when you're
depending totally on $33 million transitional aid when the state is is tightening it its own belt cutting everything under Trump administration that exactly happened in 2016 in in uh
um Atlantic City if you remember that how would you know this is not going to happen to city of Patterson. So this is exactly what we are talking about. We should have plan B ready depending on something that Trenton is going to write a check and this is the only thing. No, this is not strong
administration. We have to have plan B ready. If this now would happen what's the second option when the admin the mayor called for town hall meeting and I was really happy. I was really happy because I believe I believe that there would be a
plan shared with the city of Patterson. However, at the end of the day, I found out this it totally does not make sense. There's no hard number only depend on transitional aid, no plan B. There's not even a second choice that if I would receive 20 $20 million instead of 32
million, what would happen? So again, let's let's save this topic for for the time being come and I'll really express my voice. But Patterson, you should know that I want to see that no more tax
hike, but real plan, real plan should be in place. Those are here are for many reasons. Um I say the uh the people from city of Patterson and our neighbor towns speaking about Peruvian parade.
Perubian parade one of the parade that we really enjoy much and I love to see that Peruvian community one one of the wonderful communities that's celebrating this special momentum together what makes me very upset that
when I or us are the part of the division that bothers me we should be part of the unity we should find a solution if two there there is a misunder understanding somewhere in the community we should be
part of this solution instead we take take side and play role of this division that's that's upset me I am one thing just bothers me about it and I would say even last year I enjoyed this before I did 39 years one
of the group mentioned that they they celebrated it other groups that started last year that's not my stand my stand is if someone can ask for application How would I stop giving application to someone? I can deny it afterward that
okay you you are not meeting the requirements. That's another thing. But everyone has right to get an application. So since this was spoken and the paper was given that the application was asked to democ um the director of community
engagement. She has to come here and express that was exactly happened. We cannot pick and choose the side. This is a beautiful community. I like to see both side together. Why they have to side this side and that side? Why I have to be part of this division?
And this exactly division happen in every single community because our political empowerment. Some people don't do anything. They divide people. What will happen is if I don't get this side, I'll get this side. I don't have to work. Is because I'm part of the
division. Wake up people. This is important. I don't take anything personally. I sit down with Mayor Anisay very respectfully and very personal relationship as well. He's a wonderful person. No question. But when it comes to the business of the city of Patterson, I have to state what exactly
I need to state. It's a business and people gave me assign me for this job. So again, the wonderful people right here, don't just listen to us. Use your common sense. Find a way to come together. Once
you are together, you are stronger. People like me and myself cannot play game with you. Whether I have to serve you well or I have to leave this seat today, that's exactly what I have to do. Too many things happening in the
city of Patterson. Too much drama, too much chaos, too much attention takers. This is exactly you signed this job for. So again, um, Madam Crow, thank you everyone. Thank you for joining. Um I again would like to see this community
coming together. Doesn't matter I have this seat today or not but one thing I believe that I like to see Patterson is growing. That's exactly my mission and our mission should be. Thank you everyone. My vote is yes. Thank you
Councilman Councilman. Thank you madam clerk. Tonight I go to say this and I'm gonna say loud and clear. I listened to every word, every concerns
that was brought at the public portion. I took notes. I will pray over it. And that's the only I have to say. My vote is just to close the public portion. Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Cotton.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, I had to step out for a minute cuz I had some something going on at my house. But, um, there was a lot of speakers here today and and there's a lot of concerns. Um, especially with the police
department. Um, I got a message from someone from the police department about a listening session they're doing again uh May 20th. I think it's May 20th. Um, another listening
session. Um, it's May 22nd, Thursday at in the first ward, school 28. I just want you to say that so you know because what Oh, 6:00 because with some of the stuff that was said today, it's awful. It's
awful. Um, someone asked about Governor Street. My daughter went to daycare there in 1980. Martha Bose, greatness came out of that daycare center. And I said to Sunshine, greatness going to come out of your daycare center. But I what I said
to her was that I need some men. We sometimes we just can't wait for the police department. I need some men to come with me to say to them, "No, you're not going to hang out around these young kids coming out of school. you're going to have to get up and go
somewhere else cuz they coming from 12th Avenue. So what I find is that I've lived in my house for 40 years. 20 years ago I could get neighbors on my block to go to a house is 20 of us deep
saying you not going to do all of that noise all night long because it's 20 of us now. Now you really can't get that many. But still, we have to be able to to do something.
And let me just say sometimes that um they need to hear from you. The police department needs to hear from you. The dissatisfaction of not getting the calls, not showing up, they need to hear from you. Um I went to a program last um
this Saturday passed and um I met a young lady from Newark, New Jersey. She was the public safety deputy mayor for the city of Newark under Mayor Ro and she um explained some of the programs that they did. And what they
did was they put all the gangs, they brought them all together. the Bloods, the Crips, the Latinos, they brought them all together to try to make them understand like what's happening, like what's going on, like why are you why
are you after each other like this? Why you you're hurting innocent people? So, I want to say to all the men out there, if you ready to walk with me, I'm ready to walk because we need to like make sure that we have to try our best to
stay safe. And you know, um, believe it or not, I did a uh a career day at one of the schools, and I'm not going to say which one, but out of the 15 kids in the class, two of them knew who I was, president. And the
reason why they knew who I was because their mother and father is watching this council meeting. And the first thing they said to me is why everybody cussing all the time. I don't know. I don't know why. They shouldn't be, but they really shouldn't be. And so they're watching us. And believe me, our children are
watching us. We have to do oursel, I think, to uh to adopt kids. Maybe adopt a classroom. We have to adopt. You know, I just did a great venture with Jamie Bland. We took nine kids to Selma,
Alabama. You know, people talking about investing money. I invest my money in my community. I can clearly say, Councilwoman Mims, we put a lot of our money back in our community because you try to support activities and events that are doing for
the community. That's what you want to do. Events and community things for the community. So we have to understand that it takes all of us. And when I was in that classroom, I said to those kids, I said,
"When you go home, tell me what do you do? Are you in an after school program? Are you in a a a a team basketball or softball or soccer? Um are you in a club?"
we have to um some way or another put our children back into the community with us. And I remember years ago being at Eastside High School as a president of the PTA and when I said no, no, we don't need to adopt kids. We need to
adopt families cuz everybody in the family needs help. They need that they're thinking differently. And I remember growing up and going to different conferences and they said what is said in the house is what kids
do. When you say something to your child in the morning and it's not a good thing, they're going to be angry all day long. They're going to be angry all day. So you do your best to try to make them happy first thing in the morning. Because if they're happy first thing in
the morning, then they'll be okay all day. they won't have that angriness in them. And you know, we got to look at some of these state laws, these federal laws that have changed. I had two brothers and they were both
incarcerated. One of my brothers came out of prison with a BA degree. They didn't realize, oh, we can't let that happen. We making them, they going to be able to take care of their self when they come out. We need to change this. And that's exactly what
they did. They made it so hard now for them to come out. When they came out, if they didn't have family members to help them, they could not survive. I remember co-signing for my brothers, helping him get an apartment. I was even everything he done to me, I
helped him because he was my brother. He was my brother and I could not let him go to wayside like that. So, we in community, I'm willing to help anybody. I always said it and I'll keep saying it. I don't need to know you to help you. If you come here, I'm going to do
the best I can. And I had a lady today, Councilman Menddees. She came looking for you, but I happen to be in the office cuz I'm always here. ICE is not just Latinos. ICE is Haitian. Ice is
Jamaican. Ice is Bahamas. They coming for all of them. Ain't just Latino people. Ain't from Puerto Rico, Dominican. They coming for everybody who was not from this country. And so she needed help to figure out what to do. And I was able to call a lawyer that I
knew that Mike can. It's about knowledge. If if I learn something, I'm going to share it. If I know somebody that can help you, I'm going share it with you. That's what we have to learn to do. Let's build our community back up. Back up again. Because I lived on
12th Avenue and we could sleep on the porch all night. didn't have to worry about a thing. And the address actually was 109 12th Avenue between Cal Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard. But let's let's go back and let's help our children. Let's help our community.
Let's help our kids. We need to do what we need to do to make it better. And please, I want you all that that spoke tonight, and there's so much stuff going on. is so much to please go to that uh um listening session on May 22nd at 6:00
at school number 28 um for for for and and voice your concerns. It should not take no 4 hours. Somebody in your house, what you both do? And then you go what? Beat them up. What you going to do? How you get them out? That means you got to get out the house. Like
what you do? And you know it's like um you know and one thing I can say I both of my neighbors on both side of me got cameras and I love it. I love them cameras. They shine on my house and shine on my house. They got lights. I don't know. I don't
care. Brighten up my house. And when everybody walking, I get a call in a minute and they said, "Councilwoman, somebody in your yard." All right. Make me go outside and look. But we have to work with each other, help each other. I know we got a meeting to go to, but I
want to thank everybody who came out tonight who everybody who voiced their concerns, everybody to, you know, you you got to remember one thing is that we do care. Y you know, we do care. I do care
because when I sit here and I have to hear people and try to figure out how I can help them. And I remember posting something and I'm going to leave with this. When you got a mortgage, it took me five years to understand how to read my mortgage. It took me five years. And
what the mortgage company does, you might be short $500 in your escrow, but they going to charge you 1,500 next year. That 1,500 going to cause your mortgage to go up. That that's what's causing your even though they may not need it, but that's what they going to
charge you. And I had to learn the hard way that I would have to pay my $500 so my mortgage could stay the same. I done told you over and over. Look at public service. This they got that third party billing on there. I cancel my third
party billings. My public service bill went down $150. Um we got to look at stuff that we do to make it better and show you. But if I can share what I've learned, I want you to share. Then you share then you share
because I say to um uh tenants all the time they cannot raise your rent. You they cannot don't let them fool you. Only one that can throw you out your house is a judge. That's right. A landlord can't put you out. And if you don't understand something, do your best
to find out. And when you find out, then you share your information with someone else. So with that being said, thank you all for coming out. Please go to that listening session. It's just wonderful. We got to help each other. And any information I can learn, I done learned too the hard way. But I'mma I'mma tell
you. I'mma tell you. I'mma tell you. I'mma tell you, council woman. Thank you. I don't know why you saying something to me. I didn't hear you say nothing. Nobody else. You heard that. You vote, Councilwoman. Madam, I'm sorry. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Council. Thank you to
our new lady. You our new lady, Diane, and Sophia. Thank you. So, so my vote is yes to close the public. Please thank you my great council woman uh Kton. So members of the public, please just allow me a few minutes just to
address some of the concern of uh the resident that came into the council chamber today. Today we have 47 speaker 47. We didn't turn nobody away. Everybody came and expressed their concern. And I want to say thank you to
the public. Everybody stood within the three minutes almost almost everybody within the three minutes and we took care of 47 speaker a lot of them they came in with a lot of frustration a lot of anger
um desperate because our community is really suffering uh with the the violence that we facing in our city we have people dying for those that that doesn't know that young man that died on Russell Park that young man was very close to my family that that business
being owned by by a family member and I know that kid for many years. He was a phenomenal kid, a hardworking kids. He was managing the business already. Um, and those people they took his life and everybody saw that video. That broke my
heart and it happened this Sunday. He was like a family to me. When I have this young lady that got killed on East Side Park, when I have a shooting going out in our community, when I when one of my constituent call for a 911 respond and the police have to wait 3 hours,
it's hard to justify this. And I really hope that the administration was watching this meeting because 99% of all the concern that you express go directly into the administration. As a governing body, we give the administration all the resources to make sure that they do
their job. But I'm extremely concerned and and and and I'm here just to listen to the people and take action. I'm all about action. Bis is a great city. But when I came here and I encourage the resident that come in front of the council not to curse is because you know
our children watching this meeting and there's so much violence in our community. How can you go back to our kids and say listen you have to behave. You have to conduct yourself in a in a in a in a responsible way. when you get in front of the mic and you start cursing with no
regrets. Just think about that for a minute. I'm not saying that that you cannot come to this is the people's house. We got 47 speaker. I didn't didn't turn nobody away and everybody spoke there. But there's rule. I got the three-minute rules which is everybody
was a bye-bye. But why you have to curse? I understand the frustration. But collectively we have to take action and we got to hold everybody accountable. If you ask me councilman as a councilman of the third war what you have done when the incident happened at
Eastside Park I will tell you right now I was the only councilman that reach out and I've been reach out for over a year to the sheriff department to put together a plan to address the safety of East Side Park and I've been in conversation with them. I've been advocating for the million dollars that
the administration has for 75 cameras to put cameras around the park. I've been requesting camera way before this incident happened in our parks and in those location you could check the council meeting you could go back to the record. That's action. When that
happened, I called Sheriff Damo. He gave me six camera to cover all the main entrance of the park. I asked the OIC for full police presence at the park. Before the incident, we already have police presence at the park. After the incident, we double the presence at the
park. And in the third in the third world, that's what I have done. I I I think that when I was attacked with the homeless population, with the homeless situation, the legislation that I introduced criminalizing the homeless, all those entity that came in, I open my
office and I told them come and talk to me. I want to hear your idea because if you have a better idea than my idea, I want to work with you and you know why we that we have Patterson Bridge program. We have a phenomenal program with Kelly Mos Black Life Matter all
those grassroot entity books on the ground entity to get funding to help our homeless to take homeless off the street with a phenomenal program that is being used in Atlantic City and in other city and it's been phenomenal. That's what I talk about being in the effective
legislation and doing the work. Um, you know, when when it comes to um when it comes to me as an elected official, I was elected in 2010, highest bulett reelect in 2013, highest bulett 2018, second in the row. In 2020,
I got I was elected here. They took my election. They make me run in November. I was elected again. And in 2024, I was reelected again. I've been reading this seat three times. So I don't have competition. You know why? Because I'm the best councilman that the third war
has. Let me explain you why. Before Before I don't want to talk about the past, but if you go since I've been here, repet section totally repaved. Last week we repaved from East 40 all the way onto East 33rd. All those road they haven't been fixed in over 30
years. Now they all done. And we continue working. We fixing rivers three. We and with on the agenda we have east 84 east 35 to be redone. That's what I'm doing. If you go by Brilland Avenue, I'm install park renovated. Brilland park renovated our east side
park which is one of the most beautiful park and I take pride of that. Every night you see me at 9:00 in the morning closing the park with with a police officer and DPW and in the morning I patrol my park to make sure that everything is fine. The playground that was destroyed for many years is totally
brand new. State-of-the-art playground. The roller rink totally brand new. The tennis court renovated. Larry Doby field. We did the grand opening. And on the agenda, we have the little Larry Doby field that is going to be redone. That's what I'm doing as a council of the third war. I'm the best over there.
Now, every morning, let me explain to my third world resident what Alice men do every morning before I get into my office because I own two business. I don't live from politics. I do real estate and I have a management company. But before I get into my business at 7:30, I drive around the third war. The
third war is clean. And you know why? Because when I see people dumping garbage, I call Billy and he got to get the job done. When I see something happen, I call the department and they got to get it done for me. That's what I do from 7:30 to 9:00. I check my work because I'm not going to wait on It's
easy to complain. I could sit here and I could do a checklist of all the horrible things that has been going on with the city of Patterson and I could come here and bash administration left and right. That's easy. That's very easy. You know what is a hard thing to bring people
into the table and do the job with all when all those entity came and beat up on me because I tried to criminalize the homeless. I didn't took it personal. I told them listen you might know something that I don't know. You might have a better plan than I do. All I want is to I don't want to see those homeless
there. Doing nothing is not an option. Patterson downtown is a disgrace. You have people urinating in public, sleeping on the court, doing everything there. I refuse to stay quiet and do nothing about it. That's the reason why I met with all those entity and we got a great plan and it's in the floor. We
already spoke with Senator Wimbley. He's in full support. So that's what I'm doing as a legislator. I'm doing my work. I would like to encourage everybody. We could do better. We could do something to make Patterson better. every day and we could put politics aside. I've been elected how many times
I say highest vulgar I want to wait when my when my time in court come and I will clear my name just pray for me if you're a good Christian if you're a good person but until then I being extremely blessed in the city of Paris and I could do a lot for the city and I already doing it
I'm not I don't sit here to complain I complain with the director when we talk about the building department there is a disgrace that we have in the building department that people have to wait six seven months for a permit that's what I do but I'm working with her because I know that we could fix it. I have a legislation on the floor that we going
back and forth because we could we leaving a lot of money on the table by not fixing the building department. As a legislator, I'm effective and that's what you have as a legislator. When I see a problem, I sit down with you. Even with you, we we don't need to like each other to work. The mayor and I were not
friend. Let's get that clear. We're not friend. He's not my friend. I am the council president and it's my job and my responsibility to work with him and to get the job done. Now we going back and forth with this budget because I we we
here in the community and when you have 5.6 on the on an introduced budget and you have 47 speaker crying because of the condition of our city, you have to pay attention of you have to pay attention to the people. You have to listen to the people and there's things
that we have to change in the city. Speaking about the instant of my colleague, I was at that event on Sunday. I was honoring a a musician that came from Dominican Republic. I gave him the plaque. The councilman spoke on the
on on the on the on the stage. He went to the stage. He was totally fine. A lot of people accu, you know, asked me why if he was in trouble, why you don't help him? I would never leave somebody behind when we have the conversation when he was there. He was totally fine. All
right. I learned about what happened at the next day. The only thing I'm going to say is that nobody's above the law. I spoke with OIC and I asked OIC to do a thorough investigation and give us a result. I feel bad that it's a council
ki, but the police have to do their job. I got to do my job as a council president, as a council member. I'm not I'm not a police officer, but I'm expecting the police officer to do their job. That's what I'm expecting. So So with that being said, Patterson, there's a lot more that we could do for the
city. To the Peruvian parade, GMO, I want to say thank you. I want to say thank you to you in public because a lot of people in this city know what you have done for the city, not only for the city of Patterson, for the entire state of New Jersey. you are one of the most helpful person in our community and to
the entire Peruvian uh parade uh organization. I don't know the title, but I know you, I know Mariel, I know some of you guys, but I see the job that you have done and it's my my heart is broken because I I refuse to see the Peruvian community so divided. I refuse
to see it and I'm not planning to attending those the the parade of the festival and I my heart is broken because you you guys there's a But Piso is the house of the Peruvian community in the state of New Jersey. So the Peruvian parade has been doing this
festival for 37 plus year. Now we have a new entity. Why not getting together? You guys are great. You guys make our city great. The history of the Peruan community is incredible. But you guys are so divided. All I want to see is only one resolution. Let's work
together. One do the festival, another do the parade. Do it together. You guys are do you all Peruvian, you know, I'm a little bit of everything. I'm Dominican. I'm black. Well, I'm black and you know, so so everybody knows me, but I'm a little bit of everything. I love to join you guys. But it's hard. You guys, you
know, contributing a lot to the city. You have a lot of business. You have the Peruvian corridor. We have a lot of business here. So, my recommendation is come together. Come together because you know what? You guys are better together. As my council woman say, you guys are better together. And I know it's not
impossible. I don't know that I don't know what happened because I'm not into you. Ask me for a discussion about this that I say absolutely yes. I want I want you guys to come in front of the council because my council ki they wants to hear what happened. They want to know the other side of the story. So now they
know. But all I pray and I want to see is a a a united coalition amongst you guys and be able to to do move this festival, the parade and everything forward. and that way we could all join this event together. You know, last but
not least, um to the administration um do we have a new VA? Welcome to our new VA, Mr. Simmons. Uh I know you have not you took notes. There's a lot of discussion that need to take place with administration and all the issues that are affecting our community. And I'm going to close with this. I understand a
lot of members of the community in the city of Patterson. You have you need to have one or two job or sometime three job to be able to put food on the table and you got to have husband and wife or two partner working in order to cover the rent and bills. I know what people
going through in the city of Patterson. So, we got to we got to do better. We have to do better. But I'm committed to serve my city. I'm ready and I love this job every single day. May God bless the city of Patterson. And my vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Council President. The votes are seven in favor,
one against, one absent. The workshop session is hereby closed. I'm sorry. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Now, portion the public portion. Appreciate it. Now, now we have we have a executive section. Now, we council president, let's move to uh suspend the
workshop to go executive. Sure. Let me uh to the community. So, now we're going to have a close section. So, we will after the vote, we're going to ask everybody to just let us know if we just have five items. is going to be very brief and then everybody will come back in right away. Okay. Um motion to get
into executive section by Councilwoman Dav suspend the uh workshop to go into executive and second by Councilwoman Cotton. Roll call, Madame Cler, to suspend the workshop. I'm sorry I didn't get the first motion by Councilwoman Davlin and second by Councilwoman Cotton. Cotton. Okay. Thank
you. Roll call to adjourn the workshop session. Um, council I'm sorry, council. What? Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Cotton. We're suspending the workshop to
go into executive. Yes. Thank you, Councilwoman Davala. Yes. Thank you. Oh, thank you, Councilman Khalik. Didn't get Councilwoman Men said yes.
Councilwoman. Yes. Councilman Omar. Yes. Okay. Councilman is out. Come on. Vote. Yeah. I know. You don't want to? Yeah, I got it. Um, council president. Uh, my vote is yes, but included. Thank you. Okay. The votes are Councilwoman,
you want. Six in favor, three absent. The workshop session is hereby closed. Thank you, Madam Cler. Uh, Raphael. Um, Madame Clerk. Um, so yes. So, no, no, you don't have to cut her. So, we're going into the uh
suspended. I'm sorry. The workshop session is suspended. Thank you. Exactly. So, now now, madame clerk, we're going into the uh special meeting. Um, good evening everyone on behalf of the Paris Municipal Council, we welcome you to the special meeting on May 13. The meeting is now called to order.
Madam clerk, please call the role. Yes, council president. One second. Let's have a discussion. Let's go to the executive session. Roll call for the special meeting on May 13, 2025. Councilwoman
Cotton. Councilwoman Dava. Councilwoman Dava. Thank you, Councilwoman Khik. Yes. Thank you, Councilwoman Mims.
Yes. Thank you, Councilman Omar. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Council is out. Council President, um I vote yes, Maduro. Thank you. The votes are six in
favor, three absent. The special meeting is is open at this time. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Please read the 48 hour notice. Yes, council president. Meeting covered by 48 hour notice. Notice of the time, date,
location, and agenda of this meeting was transmitted to the North Jersey Herald News. The Record, the Arabic Voice, The Italian Voice, the Pose County Post, Dominicanana News, Lisckea International, Ellis Basiel, The
Patterson Press, The City Post News, Tap into Patterson, The Weekly Bangala, Patrika in addition to any other publication duly requesting such notices. At or about 11:00 a.m. on April 29th, 2025, such notices were posted on
the bulletin board in the offices of the city clerk at city hall. Council President, um uh thank you, Madam Clerk. Madam Clerk, can you please read the item into the uh into the agenda? Yes. City of Patterson notice pursuant to the open public meetings act be
advised that the municipal council of the city of Patterson has scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday May 1325 at 8:00 p.m. to be held in the council chambers third floor city hall 155 market street Patterson New Jersey
for the purpose of discussing the following matters resolutions resolution authorizing a municipal council executive or closed session in or joining the city council chambers 155 market street to discuss pending
litigation in a matter of Gabriella Vasquez versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25 colon 231 formal action will be taken. Two, resolution authorizing a municipal council executive or close session in or
joining the city council chambers 155 Market Street to discuss pending workers compensation in a matter of Hilda Diaz versus City of Patterson law resolution number 2532 formal action will be taken. Three,
resolution authorizing a municipal council executive or close session in or joining the city council chambers, 155 Market Street to discuss pending workers compensation in the matter of Scott Eastston versus city of Patterson law.
Resolution number 25 colon 233. Formal action will be taken. Four, resolution authorizing a municipal council executive or close session in or joining the city council chambers, 155 Market Street to discuss pending litigation in
the matter of Omar Leiddesma versus city of Patterson law resolution number 254. Formal action will be taken. Five. Resolution authorizing a municipal council executive or close session and or joining the city council chambers 155
Market Street to discuss pending litigation in the matter of Fred W. Lar Lar versus City of Patterson law 20 resolution number 2535. Formal action will be
taken. Executive sessions, executive or close session in or join in the city council chambers, 155 Market Street to discuss pending litigation in a matter of Gabriella Vasquez versus City of Patterson. No formal action will be
taken. Executive or close session in or joining the city council chambers, 155 Market Street to discuss pending workers compensation in a matter of Hilda Diaz versus City of Patterson. No formal action will be taken. Executive of close
session in or join in the city council chambers 155 Market Street to discuss pending workers compensation in a matter of Scott Eastston versus city of Patterson. No formal action will be taken. Executive or close session in or joining the city council chambers 155
Market Street to discuss pending litigation in a matter of Omar Leiddesma versus city of Patterson. No formal action will be taken. executive a close session in or joining the city council chambers 155 Marcus Street to discuss
pending litigation in a matter of Fred W. Larry versus city of Patterson. No formal action will be taken. Resolutions. Resolution authorizing settlement of pending litigation claim in the matter of Gabriella Vasquez
versus City of Patterson law resolution number 2536. Formal action will be taken. Resolution authorizing settlement of pending workers compensation claim in a matter of Hilda Diaz versus City of Patterson law resolution number
25237 formal action will be taken. Resolution authorizing settlement of pending workers compensation claim in a matter of Scott Eastston versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25238 formal action will be taken.
Resolution authorizing settlement of pending litigation in a matter of Omar Leesma versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25 colon 239 formal action will be taken. Resolution authorizing settlement of pending
litigation in a matter of Fred W. Larry versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25 colon 240 formal action will be taken. Addendum. The following resolution is
also scheduled for your consideration at the special meeting of the municipal council to be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. in the council chambers, 155 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Patterson, New Jersey. Item to be included on the agenda. Resolution
authorizing reading of the calendar year 2025 municipal budget by title only and the introduction of the calendar year 2025 municipal budget finance resolution number 25 colon 241 formal action will
be taken. Council President, thank you madam clerk. Now we have to turn the TV off. Uh Raphael. Yes. Um Ryan, thank you so very much. Let us know when everything is off. Ryan Did they vote on that? Mhm. We go into
into executive section. We'll be back after the fight. Part: 2
Thank you so much for your patience. Can we make a motion to open up? I need a move by Councilwoman Davis. Second by Councilman Khalik and Councilman Omar. Roll call to open up our meeting again.
Roll call to open up the No, no, the sorry special meeting. The special meeting. Yes. Um, Councilwoman Cotton. Yes. Councilwoman Dav. Yes.
Councilman Kik. Okay. Thank you. To open up the special meetings. Open back up. I'm sorry, Councilman Jackson. You Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, yes. Councilman Jackson, I didn't see you sitting there. I'm so sorry.
Thank you, Councilman Khalle. Councilwoman Mims, I'm sorry. Councilman Omar, yes. Councilman Uden, absolutely. Councilman Vez, yes. Council President, yes. Thank you. 1, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight. Okay, the votes are nine in favor. Special meeting is hereby open. Madame clerk, let's eight on favor. Item 14, item eight. Madame clerk, can we take item one absent? Number nine. Number nine or
number eight? Item nine. Okay. Number nine is resolution authorizing settlement of pending litigation in the matter of Omar Leesma versus City of Patterson law resolution number 2539. So move. Second. Moved by Councilman
Zavalis, second by Councilman Veles and Councilman Omar. Roll call. Madam clerk. I'm sorry. Do we have those item that the item or you took them away? I know, but we still You can't. Those are confidential. No, I I know the details are confidential, but we still have the
items. There is you. No, no, it's in the blue folder. I'll give you this blue folder and then the confidential details. No, I don't roll call. Mer, roll call on item number nine.
Councilwoman Cotton. Yes. Councilwoman Dava. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Thank you. Um, Madame Clerk. I mean, one, I'm not I'm not against this individual um being rewarded for the abuse that he
took, but what I'm going to point out is the fact that this administration um caused this entire thing. Now, the taxpayers are paying yet again. It comes before us because the administration, the mayor has some personal vendetta and
utilizes his seat as a as a position, a situation of power. And who pays the price? The residents pay the price because the mayor with his nonsense. Madam clerk, my vote is no. Thank you, Councilman.
Um, Councilman Khalik, yes. Thank you. Councilman Omar, yes. Councilman Uden, yes, Lark. Councilman Vz. Thank you, cooperation council, for diligent work with the outside uh attorney on this case. Uh, save us
taxpayer money. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman. Council President, my vote is yes, madam clerk. Thank you. Okay, the votes are how many? One, two, three, four, five, seven in favor, one
against, one absent. Resolution number nine is hereby adopted. Item six. Madam clerk, thank you. Wait is where is six? One second. Council council president. No problem. We We'll take
item six. I have it. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Read. I'm sorry. I I I can't understand you, Councilwoman. She say eight eight in favor, one
negative, and uh seven seven in favor, one absent, and one no. Five, six, seven. That's what you said. Yeah. Yeah. You want me to read the roll call again? Okay. Seven in favor, one against, one
absent. Great. Yes. Item six, madam clerk. Item number six, resolution authorizing settlement of pending litigation claim in in the matter of Gabriella Vasquez versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25 col
236. So move by Councilman. Can I have a second? Second by Councilman Omar. Roll call. Madam clerk on item number six. Roll call on item number six. Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Dava. Yes. Councilman
Jackson. No. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Khik. Yes. Councilman Omar. Yes. Councilman Uden. Yes. Yes. Councilman Veles. Council President. Yes. Madame
Clerk, thank you. Um, the votes are Hold on. This is crazy. Seven in favor, one against, one absent. Resolution number six is hereby adopted. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Item number seven.
Item number seven's resolution authorizing settlement of pending workers compensation claim in a matter of Hilda Diaz versus city of Patterson law. Resolution number 25 col 236. So move. So move by Councilman Veles, second by Councilwoman Dava and
Councilman Uden. Roll call. Madame clerk. Item number seven. Roll call on item number seven. Councilwoman Cotton. Yes. Councilwoman Dava. Yes, Councilman Jackson. Yes,
Councilman Khik. Yes, Councilman Uden. I'm sorry, Councilman. Omar, yes, Madam Clerk. Councilman Uden, I said yes. Councilman Vez, yes, Madam Clerk. Council President, yes, Madam
Clerk. Thank you. Both are seven in favor, eight in favor, I'm sorry, one absent. Item number seven is hereby adopted. Item number eight, madam clerk. Thank you. Where's eight? Where's
eight? One second. Councilman's eight. Okay. I don't see eight. Just give me this. Resolution authorizing settlement of pending workers compensation in a matter of Scott Eastston versus city of
Patterson law resolution number 25 col 238. The move moved by Councilwoman Davis, second by Councilman Veles and Councilman Omar. Roll call, Madam Clerk, on item number eight. Item number eight. Yes. Thank you.
Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Dava. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Just for a point of clarity, I mean, I am supporting this. I was asked or if in case those who want were wondering why I did not
support the other item with this um you know the PD definitely has to begin to do a better job. This is this is ridiculous that that nobody's being held accountable and it's it's a matter of you know we do whatever we want to. We treat people however we want to and then the city is just going to pay for these
uh these uh lawsuits that come about. You know, I I I I despite what may be rumored, I try to be very respectful. I just had a police officer on the fire scene last night just be totally disrespectful to me,
call me a idiot. And um I'm just trying to be helpful, trying to call 911 for a for a police fire, and they come around there barking rules. They don't know how to talk to people. Not all of them, but a large majority. And while we're spending out this money, taxpayers
hardearned money while people are they still want pay increases. So part of the reason why I didn't support that other item, but I understand this is a work in comp comp. My vote is yes, madam clerk. Your vote is yes. Thank you.
Councilman Khalik. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you. Councilman Omar. Yes. Councilman Uden. Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Councilman. Okay. Uh, council president. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you. The votes are seven in
favor. I'm sorry, eight in favor, one absent. Item number eight is hereby adopted. Item number 10, madam clerk. Thank you. Item number 10, resolution authorizing settlement of pending litigation in the matter of Fred the W.
Laria versus city of Patterson law resolution number 25 col 240. So moved by council member. Can I get a second? Second. Second by councilwoman Dabler. Councilman Omar. Roll call on item number 10.
Councilwoman Cotton. 10. Councilwoman Dava. Yes. Counciloman Jackson. Pass. Pass. Councilman Khalik, yes. Councilman Omar, yes.
Councilman Uden, yes. Mirk, yes. Councilman Vez, Council Pres, I'm sorry, Councilman Jackson. Councilman Jackson. Yes, thank you.
Um, Council President, yes. Thank you. Both sir, eight in favor, one absent. Item number 10 is hereby adopted. Item number 11, madame clerk. Oh, we still have more. Oh, item number 11,
resolution authorizing reading of the calendar year 2025 municipal budget by title only and the introduction of the calendar year 2025 municipal budget finance resolution number 25 col 241. So moved by Councilwoman Dava. Can I get a
second? Second by Councilwoman Cotton. Why was that? Number 11. Item 11. Item 11. Discussion. Discussion. Councilman Khalik. Uh, Mr. CFO, can you give us the
summary of this uh upcoming introduction of the budget? Yeah. So, summary of the budget. Um, salaries are going up $4 million from 2024. Insurance is going up $3 million from 2024, and pension is going up $2
million from 2024. Um, right now the introduced budget is at 5.6% still. What's What's the percentage again? 5.6%. And again, the reason is because we've asked for state aid. Um, we won't get an
answer from the state until after July. So, I'm only allowed to put the amount that we had in as last year. The amount we had in last year was 27 million. We asked for 33 million. Um I'm not allowed to put the difference until the state gives us a response on what they're
going to give us. So this basically this budget is based on uh us getting $27 million transitional aid. Correct. Or 33 million from last year. The it's 27 million from last year, but we've asked for 33 this year. I understand that this
the budget in front of me is based on we getting $27 million from the state. Correct. Correct. Within with that there's going to be 5.6% tech potential uh tax increase.
Correct. With the 27 million. Correct. Okay. Council are you done council? No. No, I'm not done. Uh well uh last conversation that I had with you was uh look into some line item see if we could
reduce it before with the introduction of the budget. Have you looked into it or was uh and I I even identified some of the line items that are so we went through um vacancies and
removed all vacancies and that's still based on payroll projections that I've done. It's still at 5.6 still with the with the with the reduction still 5.6%. Okay.
Council President, Councilman Uden first and then Councilman Veles. Thank you very much, Council President. Um, Mr. CFO, uh, this is the second time we are discussing about this budget. Uh, once it's appeared in the workshop
session, we uh made our voice u about 5.6% introduction based on based on a hope that we are going to receive $33 million. But there was no other options where I stated that
what would happen if we do not receive $33 million. I want to just state one more time to the public that we are speaking about a budget introduction with the hope that we'll
receive 30 $33 million transitional aid and we can go down to minimum requirement of 2%. And this is the hope we are expecting and this budget is totally based on the hope. My question to you CFO that what would happen if we do not receive this $33 million from the
transitional aid if I may jump in at this time. Sure. Sure. Um welcome to the chamber. Um um Mr. Ba and uh uh you know go ahead. One second. Um Mr. BA since you are new
to the chamber just give like a brief intro to the community so they know exactly who you are and then if you can just answer Councilman Odin. Thank you. Perfect. Thank you council president. Hi my name is Mark Seaman. I'm going to I'm the new BA for the city of Patterson. Um prior to coming here I was the deputy
county administrator for the uh county of Payic. So I made about a twob block walk over here to start my job uh here for the city. Uh I've got roughly 12 to 13 years of government experience, nine on the um local level
and then four in the county. I have a master's in public administration with a concentration in budgeting and finance. I've you know, this is the first week that I've been in the city in this role. Um you know, in a perfect world, this isn't what I would like to be presenting to the council at this time, but this is
where we are with the budget. Um the opportunity for the city right now is to introduce the budget and then the state has the opportunity then to see that they're working with real numbers. That gives us the opportunity to then see what we can do in the event that we in
the event that we do not get this aid. We now have a time frame to figure that out. Now the CFO has been through this process multiple years. This is my first crack at it and I've had about a week of looking at the budget. Do I feel that there are probably areas that we can
look at deeper? Absolutely. Um, we're going to work with that. I've been working with the state directly for the last week and then I've been meeting with them prior to taking on this job. So, working with the state, they've also provided particular opportunities that we can also be looking at to help make
this a better situation. right now. That would that would result in needing more conversation with the governing body to see what you would be interested in what what your level of interest is in particular ordinances that we could be looking into. But the reality of that is
too is that I would like to be able to have these conversations with you guys directly to get an idea of what you think is appropriate. Do I want to present a 5.6% increase? Absolutely not. From an introduction perspective, I'm comfortable with that because I know
that we are not going to adopt that. I'm sorry. Thank you, Councilman Odin. Yes. Um, so Mr. VA, you said you are confident that we will receive how much you will receive out of 33 million requested transitional aid, you think? I I can't commit to that because the state
hasn't provided that. I just know that if once we introduce then they had the opportunity to look at our budget the right way. Now, we have a deadline of making sure that this is introduced by the end of this month. Now, there's the opportunity to see if there's anything
that we can do in between that time, but at the end of the day, that would result in us having another special meeting at the end of this month. And I don't have a guarantee that I would be able to put something like that in such short notice. And for the public to also understand, my wife is giving birth at 7
in the morning tomorrow. So, I don't the time the time frame is a little different for me right now. So, I will be doing the best that I can throughout that time, but I think that if you give me more time with regards to the introduction, I will have it gives me a a faster jump into jumping into trying
to figure that out. Mr. VA, um I I understand your situation and I welcome you here in the city of Patterson. You are just dumped in the middle of the conversation cuz conversation started way before even you uh you know come to the city of Patterson. The point is that
this expectation which is $33 million transitional aid if we receive that we are going to go down and that's what was stated by the administration that we're going to go down to two 2% which is a minimum requirement correct but what's the second plan by the administration
that what would happen if we receive $20 million what what would happen if we appear the same situation that happened in 2016 in city the answer would be that we would have to look at layoffs. That's 100% what the answer would be. There's no other way.
If we if we get less than the 27, there's absolutely no way that we would be able to function without doing sentences. I thank you. Uh thank you, Mr. B, for be honest and be, you know, truthful answer. Now, I'd like to before I close, I'd like to state one more time to the public
that we are expecting $33 million. And I wish I hope that we receive the expected or or the amount that we expecting from the state. However, this is again this is just a hope. We do not even know how much you're going to receive. If I go
back under Trump administration 2016 in Atlantic City, Atlantic City is about to lose everything. We all know about the situation that happened. They are totally hoping like us today how we are standing totally based on the transitional aid. Atlantic City was doing the same thing in 2016 and they
ended up with losing almost everything. We don't want to see city of Patterson facing exactly the same thing that Atlantic City faced in 2016. Yes, I understand that this is an introduction which is a plan. But plan should have a second plan that we cannot just based on
a hope on certainty. We should have a strategy. That's exactly what I'm standing for. I am not against the introduction. I'm against your plan. There is no second plan was stated by anybody, not by CFO, not by mayor or anybody
anywhere. And I cannot just support something that is totally based on a hope. A family cannot run on a hope. A family had their planning, budget planning. We all do have that. And a city cannot run in a hope. So that's all
ex I I can state to the public. I stated multiple times uh you know before I I believe that and and I think that initiative was taken by the CFO or someone from the administration that sit down with the council members and find or hear from
them in in in informal setting or somewhere not on the uh in a live camera but here what's the possible solution could be instead they're coming up with same budget with no slight changes at all and this is totally wrong. One thing
we should know this what happening in Trenton. We all know that they are cutting their their budget. They're tightening their belt and we expecting exactly $33 million to me is a just a uh I don't think we are receiving that's
I could be wrong but again you cannot even state that we are receiving it but up from that situation I don't want to see that exactly what happened to Atlantic City in 2016 that's happening to our city in this year in 2025. So with that being said, I'd like to state
to the public that we are have to be strategized. We have to be well planned instead of just based on hope. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Council Councilman Valz and then Councilman Jackson and then Councilman Davo. Thank you, Council President. You're doing a
great job. Um um Mr. VA. Um, once again, welcome. In the short time that you've been here, I think they haven't highlight you in
enough. And I just going to go in this administration, they have come to us and say, let's change the health plan to state plan. is going to save us $10
million a year. They came back saying that they increases the health plan. We have to go back to the taxpayer. They came and say let's create a sewer utility because that's going to take a
burden to the city of taxpayers. Still we are paying more for sewer utility in the city of Patterson. They came up to us and say, you know, council, we're going to save
$10 million yearly in the garbage contract if we if we support their plan that the DPW was going to be taking ownership on the bulk
pickup. And what we see in our city is the contrarity of saving. If we was saving, we don't see our street dirty. People don't pay a lot of sewer fees, you know. Not only that, we created
a just in case you don't know, we created a um a scroll account for developers to put their money there to be able to, you know, get the developer fee moving forward and still we don't have answer
where's that money at or where it's being utilized. Right now we have in front of us a budget, but I don't see the resolution attached to it. that speak about this budget. Now, I sent a letter to the
mayor regarding his um uh section in um how you call it Zoom to the community. I was watching it and it's then came no plan on it. I expressed myself in that letter to the mayor to
come forward and tell us the plan. I even request in that letter that he be present today to justify the 5.6 uh presentation introduction. So if I go into
balance what he have told us in the past based on this 5.6 fixitious that he trying to make believe that it's not going to happen. But if we present it is going to tell them listen the
state is going to say you know what they the introduction is great 5.6 let's stick on that 5.6 26. Let's not give in 27. Let's give in 23. Okay? Because they already presented
a budget with 5.6 tax increase. There's no guarantee. There's no guarantee because then the state probably going to say, "Where's the revenue? with the crew revenue for the past year have been this administration
bringing to the city of Patterson without going to the taxpayer pocket. I still cannot digest that we are going to do introduction. And everybody's been telling his only introduction is only
introduction is to the state no that we doing an effort to submit this budget with a tax and increase 5.6 but just to gamble just to gamble. And when you gamble and you roll the
dice those dice cannot match what really we are expecting with this budget. You know, in the past budget approval introduction, I would say we the city have to be more
independent. Try to budget the police different. Try to budget the the the fire different. Try to budget DPW different and other service around because the state is going to get tired of uh giving money and and and we don't
see it uh develop in the city of Patterson. It goes to lawsuits. It goes through insurance. Tomorrow they approve something. They say, "Oh, we had to come back because the insurance of uh health
insurance went up." No, we had to come back because we need to increase the sewer fees to balance the budget. So, it's like a cash 20 thing, you know, is is a game. Once again, he ignored my
letter. why he ignored my letter because he didn't answer it. Second, he's not here requesting him to come here, you know, and I think that the same way a gentleman say today, you know, um, Councilman Velesie is getting the beat.
The mayor should be here sitting down and listening to the concern of the community, especially when the governing body asks him to at least come here. At least come here. So, you know, I'm I
still analy analyzing the uh the budget up and down, but this 5.6 um is is not convincing me. Um even as an introduction, I will be more comfortable when we get
adopted. That's when I going to feel more comfortable. No. Hey, I I just Councilwoman Councilwoman with all your respect, I'm Well, since Councilwoman, with all your respect, I'm making my diligent comments and that's what I'm
saying. Taxpayers out there are suffering. We get the calls when the garbage is not picked up. Look at downtown as it is. Restaurant are still suffering. uh uh the problem with the rats and rudens and all that baloney
that we have in downtown. Still a plan have not been put in place. Okay. They promised us that when those street trucks arrive that downtown was going to be a priority. The trucks arrive. Nothing is happening in downtown. Still
the SID is not even putting the budget to work. So I could go on and on and on and on and we could name a lot of things that you see as a residents of Patterson. Look, today residents of
Patterson complains of a call of service. I'm not going to elaborate on that because uh ACA has two stories, right? So you know but this budget right now before it is
not representing the uh what we see out there. So moving forward, you know, you guys had the role the vote and let me say this the letter um that they sent up from the state. Okay, is a letter that I could read. You
have any question about I could simulate, but I'm here to do what I was elected for to protect the taxpayers of the city of Patterson. Thank you, Council President. Uh thank you, um council members. Thank you, Councilwoman, Dr. Lily Samin for covering me during the U executive
session. Uh thank you. Uh yes, like always. She's always doing a great job. I know I have Councilman Jackson, Councilwoman Davilla based on my notes. Correct. Counciloman Jackson. Yes. Thank you, Council President. One um I
mean it's it's the council's job. I mean, I hear a lot of complaints, but it's the council's job to actually put put forward a balanced budget. Councilman Odin, you kind of had me lost. I don't know what you're talking about relative to Trenton and circumstances that have nothing to do with Patterson, but um maybe that's
something you can enlighten us on. Um Mr. Ba, um you you spoke with regard to the potential of introducing some ordinances that may be able to benefit the budget. You want to uh elaborate a bit on that? Based on the climate of conversation,
I'm not sure how much you're going to like it, but it's about increasing the UCCC fees and as well as increasing the sewer rates. Well, recommendations from the state. Okay. So, one, we've already done that and slapping, you know,
residents uh, you know, with with more increases, I don't think it would be the, uh, very advantageous. Is that something that you um personally have come up with or is that the suggestion coming from the mayor's office? No, those are suggestions that were provided by the DCA that have been provided in
the past. DCA what um in relative to these um uh I I forget how you phrased it, U Mr. CFO, but basically the um the hiring freezes. So, has there been an
evaluation on services that's going to be uh diminished because these positions that we're we're not we're not um filling? What target what target positions are we talking about? And what and in doing so, what exactly would be the
savings? How many positions? Which positions we're talking about? And what's the projected um uh cost cuts? So, right now we're just holding on them until we know exactly what amount we're going to get. Um, if let's just say they
come up if the state comes up with um you're going to get just to throw a number out there, you're going to get 32 million instead of 33 million, then we would have to evaluate which positions we would cut and not hire and or if we have to do something else, we would evaluate. Do we have a current list of
open positions that's not being filled due to this uh objective of possibly not filling uh positions to to to uh to circumvent the budget? Uh we is that the vacancy list? Yeah, I'm going to need a
full list of every single position in the administration that's that's not filled and the corresponding pay for that specific uh position. I can't be responsible and look for potential ways to balance the budget if I don't know
which positions are are are still vacant and how much the potential savings would be that has to be measured and weighed over potentially writing uh an ordinance to implement new fees. What what have we done an evaluation on our uh our
our state health plan? How many how many um how many uh uh uh claims have we had over the last 3 years? Our usage our usage rate is 116%.
I'm sorry. Our usage rate is 116%. So for us to leave the state um my understanding from our um administrators, the people that are do insuranceances, it would have to be between 90 and 95%. So we're way over. Um, just to go back in 2019 when we went
to the state, um, we were paying our health insurance cost was about $58 million at the time. Our insurance after 7 years now is $60 million. So, at the time it was worth it to go into the state health benefits plan. Um, the state health benefits, it was how much?
50 $58 million at in 2019. 58 million. Yes. We're paying now $60 million. That's 60. That's seven years later. So that plan again I I don't know how much it would have went up every year but if you after a year after Okay.
So what you can provide for me is one year to year when we changed over to the to the uh health the state health plan. You said we're paying 58 million. Mhm. So what we paid the the subsequent years as
well as the the uh the use rate and specifically an outline I want to report on all of the uh the claims that were made year to year and um if if we're at
114% because after year two we went up substantially. We only saw savings one year. No, that's incorrect. So, what was it then? I can provide you the amounts, but again, if we were paying $58 million in 2019 and we're
paying 60 now, we saw basically savings every year until this year. the last the last basically that's why I'm asking for the numbers because from from my understanding the very next year when we went to to to do the budget for the
following year it went up substantially it was no longer the same savings that we had when we were self-employed I mean self-insured. So I mean we can have the debate later. I just want to send me the uh the information via email. And
um uh lastly, where on the budget have we been impacted by these the recent salary increases that that's been given to the PD? What's been what's been the percentage of increase on that line
item? The percentage of increase on PD is $3 million. Yes, sir. The percentage uh the percentage Yes. 3 million. So that 3 million is potentially the difference between what
we asked for and what we're asking for. What we were what was that? 27. So about 4%. 4%. All right. I'll wait to get that email. We We're voting on this tonight, right?
Um, thank you, Councilman Dav. Thank you very much, Council President. Um, I know that this item and I'm looking at my phone because I was looking for the letter that was sent to us hereby ordering us that by statute
we're supposed to have an introduction of the budget. So when I hear some of my colleagues say, "Oh, I'm not supporting the increase." They're making it seem as though we are increasing. There is a potential. There's no there's if you if
you understand the process, you can't talk about an adoption without having an introduction. So the introduction absolutely should somewhat reflect what the adoption is going to be in a normal world, right? But we understand that the
city of Patterson, you know, is so dependable on this transitional aid, right? And with that is is is is like saying, you know, I get welfare and I have this letter that says you got to do these five things. If not, you can't get your welfare check. Right? So basically that's that that that's what's going on
here. So, we all received this council entirely received this letter after us not um um because the mayor, okay, because the mayor has to the obvious, you know, and I did ask like other uh um colleagues
asked the mayor to be here. He had another commitment. All right? This is his budget being introduced through his administration to us. We in in finance did, and I'll put it on record. I requested to to the CFO um um to go
ahead and and do a budget without having any transitional aid. So you could see the the astronomical amount of money that then taxes would be increased, right? But bringing it back, we have a mandate by statute. Okay? And so where I
am right now is I don't support a 5.6 increase. I would never. And if that were the the case that today I support an introduction so they can in good faith see that we are doing okay and making sure that we follow our fidiciary
responsibility. When it comes to adoption that is when those increases would be and if that was the case I won't support that absolutely not but right now we have a mandate so everyone wants to go ahead and ignore it. I'm not going to ignore it. I'm going to take
action on what I believe is the right thing because we are not in the in the position to lose any money that's been given to us. We are not. This city is cash strapped. You know, if this city
took action on increasing certain uh um fees that need to be increased that haven't been increased in years, 20, 30 years. I mean, we all see what's happening. We all see nationally speaking, we all see all of the increases. Let's we're not blind to it,
right? There has to be increases. Do I agree with my colleagues when they say that you know what I pay taxes as well, right? And we're not getting the services that we deserve like P does. I mean, I work in PI. It's a beautiful city. And congratulations on a landslide
to Mayor Laura. You see the difference and the work that's being done in P. When you look at Clifton, when you look at other towns, right, Patterson, we as well. But I'm going to tell you something right now. When I hear people say, "Oh, this city is effed up. This
city, this city?" No. It's the people. The people are the ones tossing the garbage in the streets. I've seen it with my own eyes. Do some workers not care about where they work? Absolutely. Absolutely. So, we can't take the onus away and just put it all on the council
or put it all on the administration. No, we live in this city and that's the common denominator that we have to love where we live. We have to respect where we live. And at the end of the day, we have a responsibility and that responsibility where we are right now is
that we have to have an adoption, not an adoption, correction, an introduction before May 30th. Well, guess what? Today is May 13th workshop. We're not taking action today. I'm sorry. We are taking action. If we do not take action today
and we had to move this, it would be moved to the 20th. Correct? And if we didn't take action there, there are no meetings unless there's a a a special meeting. I would like to see who here because you have to have at least for an introduction majority, which would be
five, right? Not super majority. And so all I'm saying is we are here today and I'm asking my colleagues, let us do what is right. Let us not let us not tell the community we are increasing 5.6%. Because we're not. So if this passes
today, I want to see who gets who gets in the mail a bill that says that your taxes have increased 5.6%. That's not happening. In the adoption, I know you ain't cutting me off, council president. I'm not. Oh, okay. No, because let me
tell you, I have maintained myself throughout this meeting. It it is now 12:24 and I have maintained I've been very quiet. I voted yes or no. And I believe that at this point right now, this is something very important. Let us stop lying to the people. Please let us
stop lying. Let us take action and be responsible when it comes to the city of Patterson pertaining to this introduction. Uh thank you. I I I think you know this is one of the most um uh important council president if I may and my apologies. Um I did ask through the
CFO I said also prepare another budget like do some type of of of of decreases right like come back to us because we could do it we the council but guess what I wanted to see what the administration would cut and what I was told is well we're not going to take
that action but then if we come and we do it right because we have that right to do that. So, it's like this back and forth. I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that. And that was sad to me. But at the end of the day, I will say this. I am in support of doing an introduction because I'm I'm in support of making sure that
Patterson is taken care of and that our transitional aid is not in jeopardy. Thank you. I thank you. I I think this is one of the most important conversation that we should have right now at this time and we have to spend as much time as possible having a discussion about this introduced budget. Even though I will go further, I believe
that we might need another meeting to be able to go over this budget. Um because I mean we have to face a reality out of the 47 speaker that we have tonight. You hear how people are suffering and struggling and in my war in the third war every every time I knock on the
door. The first uh question that I have, councilman, what can you do with our taxes? We losing our property. We can't afford anymore to pay our property our taxes uh in my war. And that's that's a conversation that we having and it's hard. Um, when you go to T toawa and and
I'm in the real estate business, you go to T toa, you go to Horum, the the same property in Towa pay less taxes than Patterson. The the same property structure, size and uh and Horth pay less taxes than Pison and people start comparing. But what make up what make
our decision more difficult is the lack of service that we getting the garbage in the community the bulk situation of people scheduling the ball pick up and and the city doesn't pick it up you know building department leaving money on the table by not enforcing the law that we have in the book when we go in and and
have conversation with those constituents they ask us are you enforcing the law that you have in the book because you coming into my pocket to ask me for money but are you guys enforcing the law that you have in the book And by doing that you will you will get enough ratable to plug it into the budget. So that's the conversation that
we having and I think this is not an attack. This is a discussion that the administration need to be on the table with us because we all suffering. Trust me, believe me on what I'm telling you. People are running away from Patterson because of the high taxes. It just unacceptable. You have a two family house paying
$16,000 in taxes in Paris. The same side of property in Toro pay way less. You go to Horon, the same situation. I do this every single day. I check in the garden estate list every single day. And it's tough to do business in Patterson because of the taxes. There's a building
on Bilanabrio $29,000 in taxes, a mixeduse building. So, how can you justify that? So, we need to have this conversation. This is not an attack. And and if we are responsible, we got to face and we got to hear the voice of the people. So, with that being said, Mr.
clear for just a minute. I have a two question. Uh I haven't have any question about the budget. I will go with council cat, council mess and then but on the uh on on the u on the um on solid wage on the on 2024 we allocate for solid wage
117 million 197,282 and on the budget 2025 we allocating 121,974,000 with 77. So we allocating $4.7 million more on this introduced
budget. Why is that? No. On salary, not did you say solid waste? Salary. Salary. Salary. Yes. Yes. Why? $4.7 million more. So it's a combination of um the contracts of every contract, police and fire contracts. What percentage that
does 4.77 almost five reflect? So uh I believe 4% of it is police. 4% and then the rest of it is just small percentages of everybody else. I and and as we all know as we all know salady so we got the 2% across the board
4% you got some saving that we got to look at this number we could reduce this number so because we putting 4% on top of solid wage and salary doesn't change much so we have a room here so take note on that on salad and wage so I'm going
to the general appropriation general appropriation on 2024 we have 243 million 160,884 on 2024. On 2025, we're getting 248,690,614.
$5.5 million difference there. Can you explain this on this um on the total general appropriation? So that includes um health insurance and that also includes salaries. What percentage? You're looking at the total. You're just looking at total
numbers now. Oh, I'm This is page 19. What percentage is the $5.5 million uh reflecting on the $248 um million? You're looking at page 19. Page 19. Correct. So yeah, the difference is between
salaries is $5 million difference between salaries and um the cost of insurance. Okay. I I think on those just on those two item on the um on the salient wage in the increase of $4.7 million almost five million we have to
go back and take a look at that. We could get some reduction and we could reduce that number. So, let's take a look at that line item. And also on the general appropriation that 5.529 million, we have to go and double check that because if we could reduce that, those are only two item that we could
just squeeze it a little bit more. We got to do more with less now. Uh we I everybody's struggling financially. So, we do have to do more with less. So, so that's those two item that I that I want definitely look at. I think that, you
know, it we will help the the taxpayer if we show that we're not going 2% on on the introduce. And let me just say this in closing. We understand and we going with the introduce with 5.6 praying that the state will give us the 33 the $33 million. And that's not we it's not
guaranteed that the state will give you the the $33 million. So we got to do the job now. If we do the job now, we check all the line items, see where can we save, you know, we we doing the work ahead of time. If you look at the history of transitional A, Mr. CFO,
every city start on transition A and as years after year they start depending less and less on transition A. That's how Newark did. That's how Jersey City that now they on transition A. We increasing the number every year. We asked for 24, then 27, and then now
we're going for 33. We're gonna have a new governor next year. We don't know what's going to happen, but we got to start get we have to start getting ready now, making those tough decision to get the city on track. So, I want to look at into those number and and that's that's what I have for now. So, let me go back
with Councilwoman Cton, Councilman Mims, and Councilman Dean. Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Um, I have a question. I I'm um Everybody knows that there's not one council member sitting up here that's
going to vote for a 5.6% tax increase. Not one. Not one. Now, it's going to fall into the hands of how are we going to This is an introduction and a gentleman back there in the green shirt, you talked about
your taxes. Let me tell you something. By the time we adopt our budget, you won't get your bill until October. So, your August bill is will be out in October. Then you got November looking
right in your face. So, we going to either have to make a decision because there's nobody sitting up here that's going to do a 5.6 increase on adoption. This is just to introduce. And so when they come back, they're gonna
have to figure out or we gonna have to figure out how we going to get it because to get the traditional aid you need, we can only do 2%. It been happening for the last two years. And you probably know you I just
paid my tax bill Friday, May, for my May bill. I just paid it Friday. It's due f it's due May 10th. There's no way any of us sitting up here is going to do a tax increase of 5.6%. There's no way. Either
they're going to have a major layoff, something's going to give. I'm not sure what it is. That's too late. They're going to come. I said to the mayor, you needed to come here to explain. I was the only council voted and then maybe I voted no for the
garbage contract. When I did my research, I found this company never did residential garbage pickup. They only did apartment buildings, restaurants. So, how you have a company who never did residential house house?
You see them guys walking down the street, they not even on the truck no more. They just they walking down each house throwing the cans in the back. But supposedly that saved $20 million. Now, I'm not sure now. Is it 20 million? because now we got this buck pickup that that's not getting picked
up. And they also I was a no vote also for the sewer tax. I said let's do consumption and not house
size. I have a two family house. The house next to me is two family. The house on the other side of me is two family. There's three in mines, but there's 10 over here and there 15 in that one. It doesn't matter how many people living, but we should be paying
sewer fees by consumption and not house sizes cuz you got a lot of seniors that are living in one family houses is only two people. It's only three people and they're paying the same amount for a house or one family with someone with
eight people. It should not be that. It should be separated. So, nobody is going to go with a 5.6% tax increase. And we're going to have to it's going to have to be figured out that and
they, you know, they're going to have to come up with something else. But, and believe me, they watching this all over the state. Everybody's watching us tonight. Everybody's looking at it to see this is only introduction. One thing is that I I know me as a counciloman is
not going to vote on a 5.6 5.6% increase. I'm not. They're going to have to come down and they going to have to come down. They have to come down. This introduction was due March 31st. So, they gave us another 30 days.
And if we want to start changing some of these laws that are on the books, statutory 8 laws, that means our state senators got to put something out there. our state assembly people got to put something out there. It has to get on the floor. Then it has to be voted on. It has to be signed by the
governor. So if you want to extend something, I think that in the last meeting that we did have before they took it off the agenda, they didn't want to do anything until August. You can't you can't introduce a budget. You can't introduce in August
and expect a vote in August. You just can't do it. And know you know everybody gonna say what they want to say and that's fine. I'm saying for what I've been through what I've been through and let me talk about Jeff Jones who was the mayor. He was the one Jeff Jones was
forced to start charging for festivals and parades. He was forced by the state of New Jersey when you get transitional aid then you we can no longer foot these bills. The city could no longer foot the police, foot the DPW, foot all of them.
So he had to come up with that. So I'm not going to never I'm not going to vote for no 5% 5.6 tax increase, but to introduce to try to work in good faith with the state cuz that's where we get our we depending on them right now for
money. Um and see how we can work this out. But there's some things that I would do differently. And I suggested that and most people know what I said about the sewer. Most people know what I said about the garbage company. You know, I' I've said those are the things,
but you know, we're never nobody sitting up here and everybody can have a different story. They can say however they want to say it. None of us sitting up here is going to vote for a 5.6 tax increase. I can tell you that right now. And we're going to maybe we're going to be in for
gentlemen in the green. We get ready to get into some hard times, gentlemen. For all these homeowners out here, we get ready we get ready to catch it. I pay my taxes. We get ready to catch it. If we don't if we don't do the right thing, we get ready to catch it. I'm telling you. And you can say you heard
it from Councilwoman Cotton. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Councilman Mims right after Councilman. So although introducing a budget at one number with an anticipation or the hopes of
receiving transitional aid in the amount of 33 million or 27 million at minimum. It's without listening to the community and saying we're introducing 5.6%
6% but we're introducing it. But if we don't get this money from the state, this is a reality because sometimes introduced sounds introduced and is it could be less but then in reality 5.6
remains. I would like to see and I'm putting it on the record since 2018 we've been on this council and we have supported some of the initiatives that were brought forward. Councilman Valletz spoke about many of them whether it was
sewer uh the waste contract for the new contract when it was pushed to get rid of Roselli which I felt was a issue to get rid of get rid of Roselli and now we see the residual of getting rid of the other garbage company and now the city
is absolutely filthy with all his bulk being dumped all over the community and so many other things. But we have voted and I would like to see a report on all the items items sewer fee the garbage contract and so many other things fees
that we've increased. I want to see a report on how much revenue has been saved and or brought in to this city based on those items that were brought to us that we approved that we were told we would save so many millions of
dollars. I I would like to see that because that's problematic for me that we've sat here, we've supported items with an anticipation based on what was presented to us that we would save dollars and we've been on transitional
aid for probably 30 years at this point. We've been on it for a long time. Didn't just get on it uh as of yesterday. And I would like to see what is the plan to transition us off of transitional aid. Are we anticipating or looking or have
some plans to get some raidables? Do we are we looking at some big business to come into the community? I would love to hear a plan and I know it's been stated but and even if the mayor wasn't available tonight I believe that there needs to be a forum whether it's here in
this chamber where the community could come out and they have an opportunity to speak but there needs to be clearly before we vote on this or in the intim of if it doesn't pass or whatever happens there needs to be a conversation with the community because the reason
why the community has such an issue with an introduce of 5.6% or introducing anything that increases is because of the quality of service or lack thereof. For example, I saw someone post they were talking about
street cleaning. They watched they didn't see an anybody give a ticket. Now, mind you, I was sitting in a location and I did see the inspector give out tickets, but in that particular area, they didn't see it. So if there's an inconsistency in that practice for
whatever reason, we're losing revenue. And not that we build our revenue base on if you don't if you don't move your car, we get a ticket, but it's something we have in place. So we have a fine process in place, we should be enforcing that fine. So I think we have to be um
those that are responsible for those um different um departments should have in place enforcement. Why are we missing so many tickets? why is this not happening? Um whether it's inspections, uh building inspections, permits,
whatever that process is, we have increased a lot of fees. And I would like to see on a report how much money has been brought in based on the fees that like sewer fees. We've increased that. I want to see how much money has been brought in since we've increased
the fees. I want to see how much money has been brought in with the garbage contract. It's just recently changed, but I want to see how much money has been brought in. Anything that we've supported or voted on that is supposed to bring in revenue, I want to see it. How much have the courts brought in? I
want to see that. Whether it comes to uh any of the inspections that are going on, whether it's building inspections, zoning inspections, all of those areas was being brought in through our police department. How much money? Because that should be included in this budget um
conversation as well. In addition to that, 5.6% to hear the community talk about how they can't afford any more increases and not to
operate behind that means we're not listening to the community. And in the other in the last meeting when this item was tabled, I questioned I didn't say let's wait until we find out how much money we're receiving from
the state. I asked the question, is it feasible for us to like maybe do it before the time so we know they're giving us x amount? I didn't say we should do it. I asked the question and posed it on the floor. Since we're not going to find out how
much we're getting until like July or August, how much time do we have to do that? In turn, we received a letter from uh DCA saying they would, which which is hilarious to me. I've been in in politics for 10 years and a former
schoolboard commissioner. I've never seen anybody send a letter bullying council members to tell them if you do not introduce this if you don't if you don't adopt the if you don't pass the introduced budget you will be
fined. I think that's crazy to say if you don't introduce and this is why I think it's crazy right last year we had an issue with the percentage of the introduced budget this council and I know you're new Mark but I want you to
go back and watch it we had some serious issues and it was reduced down to 2.9% the introduced and then at the adopted it was only 2%. So, if you know that we have a concern and we've said it, why
are we not listening to the council members and the community and working and doing our our your due diligence on your side to say we got to bring this down. 5.6 is not going to budge, right? We
have to bring it to a place where we can get it supported. Whether it's at 3%, 3.5, whatever. What is that? having a conversation with C with the council members where what where can we take this where we can get the support just to introduce so we can work this out
until that time but to give five 5.6% knowing that council members have said it time and time again we cannot support introduced at 5.6 6. This is I don't know what happened from last year to this year cuz last year they were
like, "Okay, we'll work it out." And they reduced it to 2.9. This year it's like, "We don't care what you said. We're just going to, you know." No. So, what happened? Wait, I I have the floor. Um
Oh, okay. So that's that's just what I'm saying. Last year we had some concerns. You worked it out. Got it to 2.9 and introduce and 2% in the adopted. We have to do the same due diligence. I know you
would love tonight. I can't speak for nobody else, but I I've Mark, you know, I told you I was not supporting 5.6%. I said it last week and I'm not and look, I'm not supporting and introduced in a 5.6%. I don't care what it is because
you int if you support an introduce if we don't get that money introduce will become reality and adopt it. So we have to push the meter and say to the administration 5.6 is high for our for our small tax base. That's it's too
high. So we got to work it out. I don't know what it will take, if it takes another meeting or whatever that requires, but we have to do that because in order to get it done, you got to get the votes and if you don't get the votes, it's not going to pass and you you need the votes. We got to count to
five. All right. Right. Oh. Um, thank you, Council Mig. Thank you, council president. Um, thank you to my council colleagues, m Mr. CFO. So we have raised almost all the fees including swear
fees. Recently Patterson board of education raised 4% tax hike which we have nothing to do. I completely understand that but the homeowners ultimately the tenants have to pay that regardless. My question to you is that
right now the reassessment is going on in the city of Patterson. Even if we raise only 2% tax hike, forget about that tax hike that we are speaking about. From the previous years, this year the property value went up from 30
to 40%. If this is the case with this revaluation, reassessment, how would this impact the tax the taxes that people are paying now? Anybody can answer that.
So, if you've made no assessment change, if you've made no uh judgment uh to your property, if you have if you haven't done a tax appeal, the your assessment with this reval is going to go up and the rate's going to go down. So, it's no effect. Now, if you've made a tax appeal
in the last year, then it might affect you. But for anybody that hasn't done a tax appeal in the last few years, it the assessment goes up, the rate goes down. That's how it works. So this is not going to impact at all. You're saying
for the people that have not done tax appeals. If you've done a tax appeal and then your assessment changes based on that tax appeal, then your your rate might increase. Yes. So if I'm not wrong, when you're saying tax appeals, Mr. CFO, and I'm pretty sure that you're more knowledgeable about this. When you're saying tax appeal, tax appeal
comes from CMA, comparative market analysis, which is if I if I put my if I do tax appeal on my property, it means that I have to find in my neighborhood similar or same properties and that is paying lower than my taxes. That's
called that's that's actually tax appeal. It does not really mean anything. What I'm trying to say is that if the average price go up that we all have to pay increase the taxes amount and that reassessment taking place after
pretty long time there is no communication clear communication was taking place from us to the resident of the city of Patterson is everything is very blindsided and one thing very upsetting which is when we spoke about
this budget in the introdu Last workshop session it was removed from the regular meeting because you had the expectation that it's not passing but there's no initiative was taken by the administration that can we sit down
with this council body that find what's the alternate solution. If you recall what happened last last year's budget you came up initial budget came up like 4 point some percentage then you sat down with us we offered our own
expertise and whatever knowledge we have and we came up with 2 some whatever number that was that was good initiative but this time I felt that administration is very comfortable that this is going to go through with the allies that are sitting here and blindly is going to support that exactly the feeling working
in me and that should not happen. So, no question. Thank you very much. Thank you. I don't if I just may say one thing just to clarify on what happened last year. Last year, we introduced a budget with a $25 million TA. We were asking
for 27 and we adopted for 27 with 27 million. This year, we're doing exactly the same thing. We're introducing a budget with $27 million TA. We're asking for 33. And if we get the 33, it goes back to 2%. It's exactly the same thing. is just different amounts that we're
asking from transitional aid. That is that is exactly what happened last year. There is no other thing that happened last year but that is we are not allowed to introduce with more TA than we have for the prior year. Mr. Mr. CFO so since you are speaking I had no question but
since you stated something what was last year budget introduction tax hike 2.9% 2.9%. I believe in introduction it was 3.4%. Yeah. No, that was initial plan from your side. Then you sat down with us when we gave you our plan and then it
came down to 2 some percentage. That's exactly what I can recall. Okay. All right. U So, so I know I know council members I I know I know some of you are ready for a vote by a council woman. Just a u just a quick question as CFO just on the same line on page 25 if you
look at the the total public and private program offset by the revenue by revenue in 2024 we allocate 10,831,628 on the 2025 budget we have in front of us 20,450,93 so we have $9.6 $6 million
over. Those are grant funded. Those are grant funding positions. Those are grants. We got more grants this year than we did last year. Okay. There are both on the revenue side and on the appropriation side. Okay. But why you going almost double? What is the rationale based? That's a projection that you have. No, we have more grants
this year. The the grant amount this year we have $20 million in grants. We had $10 million in grants last year. So if you go through So council president council president I I'm sorry. I got council member last
and I and after you councilwoman I think you know we're receiving a um lead hazard control grant for $7 million that we didn't receive last year. So there's how much 7.1 7 million170 more. Yes. We didn't receive that last year. We're
receiving this grant this year. Okay. All right. Council President, may I Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Um CFO, I looking at this um
budget and the last page number 41 actually 42. Yeah, 41 and 42 the same. And all pages that I'm seeing here says
adoption for year 2025. It's saying all the notes that I see here, it says resolution for the year 2025 may be presented by taxpayers or others 2025.
In any of these documents, I see a word introduction. Okay. Now at the end of 42 or 41 is the same summary of appropriations last page but the one that say section two up and adoption up
and abdoption for year 2025 is what you see there. You're talking about 4% of tax increase from the school board. You're talking about I believe is um I don't know how much is
the county uh tax increase. Now 5.9 presenting in this temporary budget or not temporary uh introduction budget that they want to call it introduction
but still at the end of the page say that up in adoption for year 2025 it is what it is. It is what it is. So without counting, you know, people talk about, okay, 5.9, right? That's city municipal
taxes, right, Councilman? What about the open space? What about the library? Okay, that the library and the open space are not included in a 5.6
introduction. It's not included. I don't see a document here that says we are introduction on this budget. Now my question is to CFO who prepared this budget for you?
We prepared a budget. Who is we? Finance. Who is finance? My staff. Me and my staff. You and your staff. When was prepared? The budget itself or Yeah. All this document that you have here when it was
prepared uh probably from I would say March till it's a working document from now all the way until it gets adopted. So uh that's justified why the former BA was in your office every time. What?
Excuse me. That you had to get the assistant of the former BA for do this budget. I just want to know if you had an assistant to prepare this budget in your office. You just have to say honest
yesterday. I'm not sure what the question is. Do you got the assistant of the former BA to prepare this budget in your office during the after hours or during the work time? No. Or at least a week at least one day in a week. No.
So, so, so the reason is because there's nothing different here only that some items are increase some items representing that the revenue is going to be low. Look at
the look at the revenues from DPW Councilman that they expecting to get only in one week this past month. DPW claims that they did 12 10 days almost a million something dollars
whatever it was in tickets and still they're presenting here the DPW is going to do $100,000 on the appropriation and uh in revenues so that just SA silver with all your respect that your knowledge on numbers and you went to school for that for
clarification that goes through the municipal court if this this this budget is rep represented and inflection in inflation. You know that is not real. It's not real. Why if you know if you
have this relation the state has a relation with you guys, why not present a responsible budget that the taxpayer are going to be happy to see in return back in service. You still could
present the mandatory tax increase is 2%. You could present a budget that represent 2% introduction. And still the state is going to say, you know what, you guys need help. You guy needs help.
Let me give you now instead of 27, let me give you 30. Because you at least presented a responsible budget. Now you're gambling with the state. You make them believe the state that you're doing
a a service to the city of Patterson representing a budget that's inflated. Those numbers are not real. They are not real because we could have, you know, we we could have the time and talk about the budget
discussion and all that here and and when we say, "Okay, cut here, cut here. uh we're not going to vote for this online item and then cames back that you don't even take the recommendation of the council. You know, I didn't have
access to my phone. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we sending to the state a letter of intent that this is what they want to do. But I think that what will be the letter
intent is telling the state, listen, by law, you tell us that we only could increase 2%. This is a responsible budget without hurting the taxpayer money. Please help us with more funding with more aid, you know, to the city of
Pas and then we could come back and say the administration represent the city of Patterson taxpayers right now. Right now, this is everything I see here. Municipal data 2025. At the end it says up in adoption. That means at the end
they could say oh this is what they ask. This is what they get. Fix my phone tomorrow. Okay. So um um you know last question um um through the chair. No they haven't answered but you know la if you want to
answer you can answer now after the last question. you prepared the budget March and um do you have the luxury time in a week that the VA is here to go over this budget and say you know what we
could save taxpayer money. Have you presented this? had you sit down with him and they say, "Do you think this is the right thing to do or you think we could do some cut here, cut over here, present the right numbers? Do you present it to the B8?" So, I'm going
to jump in on this one, Councilman. So, I have been here for a week. I have had meetings with the state twice now. I've had meetings with the CFO a couple times throughout the the last week. This is not an easy decision. Budgets are not meant to be easy. Budgets are meant to be tough. What I'm saying to the council
is I've had a week to look at this. I know what the laws are pertaining to this introduction that it's something that it is mandated and it's something that we have to do. Do I want to come back with a 5.6? Absolutely not. I wouldn't accept that either. What I'm asking for is more time. What I'm asking
for is the opportunity to really dive into this budget to see what there is that can be adjusted. I want to be able to look at this with our financial professionals. I want to be able to look at this more with our auditors. I just I've had I've had seven days. How much time do you need? So, so, so let's do
this. Just a minute. So, so let's do this. Um, I don't anticipate adopting until we have the state numbers. So, they they gave us they gave us to May 30, right? Something like that. Right. That That's correct. Councilman, we have another we have another let's do this.
My recommendation is can you go back to the table of numbers with your with your CFO and if council president want to do a special meeting next week he could do so and probably record doctor next week we
still we still we do we do council bless we we do meeting on the 20 also as well so May 20 also we're meeting I I I think that you know council president selfishly Like there's the answer. I want to be able but council president just recommend you just listen just in
some item that he just presented today. He could recommend you some item that could be cut right there. Especially like the the the first that increase on 4% on on solid wage. I think that that definitely could be reduced and we all know that 2% is a cap that we have in
the city. We have 4% items. So it'll be definitely it'll it will be beneficial for everybody to go over and take a look at those numbers. So we have another meeting on the 20 council members. So and we could have a special meeting. Councilwoman Dav. Okay. So before council president council president
before I wrap up. Thank you very much council president. I haven't finished. Council I haven't finished. So so they gave us up to May 30. We could we could take action. Hold on council president. Just just a minute. Just a minute. Council member that
counciloman we we not violating the law. Listen we are listen we are pass Dava I members you're anxious to approve this right away but today but let me tell you something the letter says here that to have to to May 30th
2025 there was some recommendation made by council president. There's other recommendation made from councilwoman uh men and him and and me myself. Let's take action today. If it fail, you come back on before the 25th.
The 30th, sorry, before the 30th and convene and bring a responsible budget to represent the tax the taxpayer of the city of Pass. I'm not saying not taking action. We got to the 30th. So So, so Madam Clerk, so roll call on this item, Madam Clerk. So, council president,
thank you. Um, you know, sometimes people like to hear themselves speak and just use a responsible budget, responsible budget. You know what a responsible budget is? That it's what's before us. The responsibility that we have, we are past
due. So, this whole thing of waiting, you want to continue extended, fine. I'm here to take action today. This item from what you hear here, it's going to fail. We know. But we're it's on this agenda to take action. Now I am going to say this and I'm going to ask this question because there were a few
individuals who did ask we have a surplus. So I'm going to ask the CFO and the BA. Okay. And put it on record. Why can't you use the surplus? 23 million 24 I believe and I'm going to have the CFO clarify that but I do
believe that that is a part of theou that is with the state that we have to maintain. I believe it's 25. Is it 25 million? But it's I think it's a 15 or 10% number. Okay. So, can I hear that again? Say it again. He's going to explain it. So, we're we're not allowed to use anything that we can't replenish.
I'm sorry. How much is the $25 million? $24 million. We have 24 million surplus. Yes. Correct. On the setting aside, but by law, we cannot use those $25 million based on the state guideline. Theou Yes.
We have to keep that there. So when the community comes out and says why where is a 24 why can't you use that to balance a budget right that is the reason why again we'll go back to theou a lot of what happens is we have to look
at the document that's before us if we didn't have this money this transitional aid and noou I'm going to tell you right now I don't know who here because you know what they keep talking about oh responsible budget I want to know what items are going to be cut. If you're okay with cutting
police, if you're okay with cutting fire, if you're okay with cutting recreation, that's what I want to know. Okay. All right. So, let's present to you the 2% that which is what's mandated. Council members, who on this council is going to vote for that? So,
so council members 106, please let's make your comment through all the votes. So, madame clerk, let's vote on this budget. Right after that, I will take the agenda and I will go over the agenda with Madame Clerk. is 10:07 a.m. So, roll call. Madam clerk, roll call on item number
11. Um, Councilwoman Cotton. Is it on? Yes. Everything was already said. They've been saying over and over. Mr. Green Shirt Man, we going to catch it. And I'm letting you know right now. They can say whatever they want to say, but we going to catch it. Madame Clerk,
my vote is yes. Thank you, Councilwoman Davalo. Uh, in agreement uh, with my colleague, Councilwoman Cotton. And, you know, a lot has been said today, and I'm not saying that every colleague of mine, you know, doesn't have a reason, you know, to put forth, you know, in terms
of not wanting to increase. I'm not there. But please don't be fooled. Today's item is an introduction that is mandated by statue. Please, if you can, uh, Mr. uh uh um uh corporation council get me please the statute so I could
just put it on record there's a statute in place that we must follow okay and we are past that statute and date all right and we are not doing what we're supposed to be doing so um I'm not putting in jeopardy the 27 million I'm not the city
has requested additional because we can't see prices continue to increases we we we we um approve right? Contracts like we vote on contracts, right? So, I want to know who here is going to vote and say, you know what, no
increases this year. It's impossible. How do you want to continue to do business and stay flat and stay the same? You can't. So, with that said, I am not voting today for an adoption of a budget. I am not voting to increase
5.9%. It's not happening today. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do responsibly, okay? and that is to make sure that we get the full transitional aid that we're requesting and following the mandate that was given to us in writing and I am not getting fined
weekly or daily whatever it is. Okay. My vote is yes for the introduction council woman council. Thank you madame cler clerk. You know what
irresponsible? Even the statue said to introduction and we have a deadline date council. We did not know until we got the letter. So who is responsible for it? That's right. The administration.
Come on. Okay. So who is responsible for it? Council, you know, is March 31st. I didn't know that. No, I I didn't know. I did not know. He was never introduced in March before March 31st March 31st. He
said he started working in March in the in the budget. It came from our CFOs own the B. That's another thing um the introduction of the budget should reflect
the adoption of the budget. That's true. Okay. Another thing also I spoke to member of the some of the members of the administration and I gave them some suggestion he was completely
ignored well I would like to see a budget with a 2% which is mandated by the by the state that's one thing another thing for time being is it see for time being I suggested that we
cut all the OT's in every department. Okay. Also other exp the line item other expenditure meaning buying the furniture, buying this, buying that for the each department.
Another thing I suggested was hiring fees. Why don't you look at those take off those line items and see what we come up with? What's the percentage? Well, hopefully, you know, when you if it if it doesn't get
introduced toward adoption, um if it doesn't pass tonight, if it passed tonight, oh well, I'm not supporting it now tonight. But if it passed tonight, hopefully you could look into my suggestion for the adoption. If it doesn't pass, hopefully you could
look into it before the introduction. My vote is no. It is what it is. Thank you, Councilman. Council um council woman mess. So you're both. Thank you. Let me show you what responsible looks
like. We have an item before us. Well, we have an item before us. We have a letter from DCA telling us that if we don't adopt by May 31st that they're going to find each
council member $25,000. But let me show you what responsible was like. We don't even have a resolution. So I don't know how anyone's voting. We have no resolution signed. Nothing's uploaded and nothing
is here. We're voting on a piece of paper without the proper documentation. Oh, now we're getting it. But it's all we we didn't have this. It's just being h we were voting on something. We didn't even know if it was signed, sealed,
delivered, or nothing. That was by mistake. It's not uploaded. I love you, too. But so, we got to make sure we have the information to make sure for
me, as Councilman Khalik said, we asked for it to be reduced. I commend I know Mark, you just got here and I think you know I know tomorrow morning or well in a couple hours your wife is going to have a baby but I think
he should be given the time to try to work with the council with some of our ideas and some of the things we're we're saying tonight about the reports of where this money is so we can bring this to a place where it's more digestible for our residents and even for this
council because the residents elected us to do a job to make sure that we're not whether it's introduced or adopted, we're not presenting 5.6%. I I just can't do that in the face of the that come to the mic that's on the phone that's emailing and and we get
so many emails from them through city hall. I know we could do better. So, I'm just going to say that I know we could do better and I know you're going to help us get there. So, with that being stated, um I cannot support 5.6. Um just thinking about in school
when it says I can't support it here, I can't support it there. I can't support it anywhere. So, I can't support 5.6. My vote is no. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Omar. So, I'm just going to be very brief. I'm going to support the
introduction and I'm going to work closely with the administration to make the appropriate cuts. Now, if it's if we don't get to 33 million, but we'll wait on that. My vote is yes, madam clerk. Thank you, Council. Councilman Nuden. Thank you, Madame Clerk. City of Patterson.
So, the first meeting I believe took place with the DCA in March. When I sit down at the DCA, um two of my council colleague were in present. when you're speaking about 5.6% I had multiple argument with the DCA
representation and at a time I was told that you'll be personally sued if you don't support it just just just recall I left the meeting I said I'm not going to support that 5.6% 6% hike regardless what's going to happen. Now we are trying to state right
here in the meeting that it's the last minute we do not have enough time. I don't want the administration take make it a norm that come to the last minute and and and push us to support something and that should should not happen. If
you know something important you should show up to the council on timely manner. This is your responsibility. After the DCA meeting, this budget introduction came straight to the council. No council
workshop session, no separate meeting with the council members. And and I am personally saying that I stated that this kind of budget which is hoping on $33 million transitional aid totally based on it is a hope is not a strategy
and a city cannot run on a hope. We need a plan B and a strategic plan for the future. As you all know this, recently Patterson Board of Education raised 4% tax hike when a significant percentage of
the property taxes go to the Patterson Board of Education. And this is this is a hike that that burden has to take to all the property owners and ultimately it's going to pass to the tenants. So we all are have to get impacted when all the
inflation the all hikes in every directions people are about to lose their properties. When you're talking about the homelessness we are actually doing opposite. We are pushing people out of their homes by doing all the things that we are doing right now.
We raised all the fees including swear fees in the expectation that people going to take take less or decrease the tax burden but we don't see any kind of changes and recently we have received
unfortunately for some reason I I don't know I was not included to the email received a letter stating that if we do not introduce budget before the May 30th Then $25 fine will be charged per day to the
council members. I want to state right here to the public. I can take this 25 $25 burden to my shoulder. No problem. But I cannot introduce a budget which has no plan
which is going to going to unhouse you, bring more frustration to you. On top of this the services is going down by down day by day. If we do not talk about this introduction at this point then city the administration is not going to take any
of the things seriously. They are not going to care what's the services people are getting or not. If people pay a dollar people deserved a dollar service from us. That's that's that's what that's what the taxes stand for. But our
situation is different. Tax is going high, services going down. There's no connection. We are just talking about the time and time sensitive, but we are not talking about the tax burden, the situation the Patterson going through.
People spoke about the public safety and and and response rate of the Patterson Police Department. People spoke about the cleanliness in the city, the services that we have, the frustrations that people are going through. We are not speaking about that. and budget has to
reflect the services that people are getting. So city of Patterson introduction adoption doesn't matter. We cannot just depend on transitional aid. Another thing you should know we are just giving that oh we receive transitional aid because of that we have
to uh do minimum 2% tax hike byou I understand that but just depending on transitional aid is not a strong administration. We have to find a path that we don't have to depend on transitional aid. Find a plan five to 10 10 10 years that we don't have to depend
on transitional aid. That should be our plan. If we really talk about the strong admin administration we are talking about the administration, we talking about the time sensitive. We are talking about transitional aid minimum 2%. They have minimum 2% every every year
tax hike. How long people going to stay in their homes? How long you think people can take the burden? Even if you pay off your house, the senior citizen, they were happy after 30 years of paying mortgage. They were saying that I paid
off. But trust me, this is not happiness at this point cuz they have to pay even more because of our tax burden. That's we are pushing on people's shoulder. We are acting like we are not part of these people. We acting like we're not part of this city. That's exactly way how we are acting. These are our people. These are
our families. Just know this when we are we are giving this extra burden their shoulder. They have to survive. And survive how comes? Whether they have to cut on their groceries or they whether they have to go to the shopping mall to take their children
out, they have to come somewhere and we don't even think about it. So this administration has to be more serious and and and have to find a strategic plan and the plan has the intention that we don't have to depend
on transitional aid in the near future. With that being said, my vote is strong now. Come on. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman VeZ. Councilman Vez.
It's 12:21. Council member, listen. Let's finish the Let's finish the vote, please. First of all, um I don't know if I'm missing a piece here, but uh we didn't have a public hearing uh to people who express their
self in this introduction. Um I didn't I didn't recall unless I was out of the country that um this this public hearing was performed. Um or not. Um I see here that this this
last resolution was prepared in April 2025. The one that I received April 2025, you know. Once again, I respect the letter that the state sent us. It gave
us the due date on May 30, 2025. That gave time to the administration to go over the other expenses, other items in the budget that they could represent the right numbers that
really represent the taxpayers of the city of Patterson. I think that some recommendation was made by council president um and other recommendation was made way back uh from us as a council members and and I recall when
they switched calendar year sorry fiscal year to calendar year because supposedly they was going to present the budget way before the end of the year. Ladies and gentlemen, we don't have short memory.
The administration forced us to change fiscal year to calendar year to go align with the state budget. I recall that and still we are in May
and they haven't present a responsible introduction budget for we could send it to the state. I don't have no doubts that this numbers reflect a cro a clone
of the past business administrator and not a real fact budget for the city of Patterson. Saying that we still got what is today's date? We got three more weeks.
They we are responsible legislator. We're going to be here making sure making sure the administration represent the taxpayer the city pass Mr. Ba that will give you time to go over all the expenses some
real numbers on revenues and some real numbers of introduced budget that not reflect. If you tell me we're going to present a introduction budget of
250 now we could understand that we could see you know work on it but 5.6 we send in a letter to the state that this is the intention of the administration no matter what they going to give us they still have the intention
to increase tax by 5.65 65% in the city p saying that you know if they find us you know I know the other council member will bail me out with $25 a week a day sorry a day uh we could pay
little by little but you know I had to stand with my taxpayer and this and this and this decision of mine is because I watched that Zoom meeting and there was no plan presented if the state decid
side to not give us $30 million. Saying that, good morning. My vote is no to this introductory budget. Councilman, um, Council President, um,
thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, you know, talking about the budget and voting of the budget is more than voting on the number. It it's voting on on the hope of of the people in the city. It's voting on um you know the biggest concern and the burn of our resident which is taxes
every time and as I mentioned this before I have a lot of senior homeowners in the third war in the city and I when every time I visit those family the first topic is taxes um we have a lot of family that they live on a fixed income
they don't get a raise they don't get a salary increase every year and but we increasing taxes every year and That's one of the number one reason why people choosing to leave the city of Patterson to move out of this town because the
taxes doesn't reflect the amount of services that they receive, the quality of service that they supposed to receive. And we do living a lot of money on the table. I've been the one speaking about consistently about the street cleaning going out with our inspector. We leaving thousands of dollars on the
table. I've been the one speaking about the the building department uh you know having people waiting for years and months for permit that could generate thousands of dollars to the city not enforcing the law that we have in the book to correct the problem that we're facing in the city. We're leaving
millions of dollars on the table. So when we sit down with a family and we talk about increasing their taxes the first question is like what about what are you guys doing about this? What are you guys doing about the condition of the city? you know uh are you guys giving ticket to those people that are
breaking the law? How can you guys generate more revenue? So the we need to continue with this discussion. Today on the on page 17 I I show the administration that they have 4% increase 4,776,795 over the last year budget on
solid wage. So that's 4%. We could reduce it to 2% and we'll be in compliance. We'll be giving out the 2% that that that that we have to increase, but we will reduce 2% that's over $2 million on that line item only. So, and
if we go on page um 19, we you could look at it as you look at it, we have a different a difference on the total general appropriation by municipal purpose with $5.5 million also as well. So those are line item that we got to
look at it that we have to see how can we reduce it. So you already have one that we could reduce over $2 million at one shot. We have to do better. We have to get back into the table. Uh Mr. CFO, let's get all those ideas because you know we working for the people and this
work that we doing now, we're going to have to do it later. And I'm just saying this, we've been lucky because last year we asked for 25. Um the state gave us 25 and then we asked for 27 and they gave it to us. Now we asking for $33 million.
We had an election in November. We don't know what's going to happen which is the new governor that is going to be in Trenton. We have to make those tough decision now as a business owner. I got to work with my budget and I cannot spend money that I don't have. Let's do
better and let's work on that. So with that being said, I'm looking forward SA to have that conversation about all those line idol and and and we could that way we could come back with something stronger, something that represent the voice and the concern of
the resident also as well. My vote is not mad clerk. Okay. Thank you, council president. The votes are three in favor, five against, one absent. The resol Council President. No, I'm
sorry. Was the vote? The votes were three in favor, two in favor. Oh, three in the three in favor. Five against, one absent. Resolution fails. All right. So, so the uh So, it's 120.
It's uh it's 138. Council President, Council President. So, we we have to close before you close this meeting. U you I just want to remind everyone here that they already appropriate from this budget 2025 money from it. So you imagine
what's going to happen. Okay. So So what we're going to do now is 1:30 a.m. So we're going to close the special meeting. We're going back into the workshop and and and I'm mad clerk, we're going to work on the agenda tomorrow. It's 1:30. Let's close the workshop. Let's close the special meeting. We closing the special meeting
now. So motion to close the special meeting. Move moved by councilwoman Councilman Khig and second by council Mims and council veles. Roll call to close a special meeting. Just really quick, um corporation council, I'll call you tomorrow cuz I had an item that should have been on first read on this
agenda. So I will call you tomorrow. So possibly it will be on for next week. I will. Thank you. 7 7:30 in the morning. Roll call, Madam Clerk. Roll call to close the special meeting of May 13, 2025. Councilwoman Cotton.
Councilwoman closing. I'm sorry. I'm um I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Before before we start, we're roll call. So, I know we have members of the Peruvian community here. Just a minute. Council, we're not taking any formal action today. We're not voting on anything. Just to let
everybody know, but I I really want to, you know, thank you guys for being here and having this discussion. But I know everybody will make the comment at the uh during the during the closing. Roll call. Roll call to close the special meeting. Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Dav.
Okay. Yes. Sure. Sure. Public. I'm sorry. I was I wasn't here by when we started meeting. No, no, no. No, no, no. I'm sorry, Councilwoman. I I came a little late after the discussion but let's open the public public portion is now open for the special meeting.
Members of the community that we should that we should speak on this special meeting. We don't have anybody in the list. Seeing a lot of people out there but nobody want to speak. Okay. Motion to close the spe the public portion. Moved by counciloman David. Second by councilwoman Cotton. Roll call by the
clerk. Roll call to close this. You want to speak? No. You want to speak? No, it's fine. Yeah, he wants to speak. Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. Why is he putting the task too high? Why don't bring money to a little community?
bringing more people today for putting the community more high more people I need people give for work but I don't have money and the government said to me oh I want to support you for making more money do you
the government do nothing hide I have a I can people work for me but the people have a money for the time nothing got no money nobody got no money in that The one I need
money to the community and give you a little I don't need to bring you half a million or 200. I like somebody nobody that's outside
money everythingbody I said opportunity. Nobody give opportunity commercial. Yeah. Yeah. I told you to the woman about faith to faith. He know Bailey. I think he only talk blah blah blah blah and he not do
nothing. I want to see f. But I want to see faith to faith. But he he liar. He real liar. That's why democrat I'm sorry everybody here. Democrat. Monopoly for democrat. Yeah. Thank you, brother. You're not talking about appreciate it. So, motion
to close by. It was motioned to close by Davila and second by Castle Man. Roll call to close the public portion of the special meeting. Madam clerk, roll call to close the public portion of the special meeting. Councilwoman Cotton, yes. Councilwoman Dav, Council Khalik,
yes. Councilwoman Mims, point of privilege. She had her hand up. I don't think you saw her. She was trying to speak. Oh, I didn't notice. But maybe about this one. Yeah. Uh, go ahead, Maria. Uh, she's speaking on the on the budget. Um, I I don't know. Just we have just have a we cannot control.
We just have a public We cannot control public portion. I mean, go ahead. Yeah. Does it have to be budget related or can I talk about any of the item? But now she's there. She's there. You there. Express your concern. Mariel, are you there? Thank
you very much. One second, council president. This is this has happened throughout the entire night. You can't change the rules for one and for another items. The public hearing that is here today is pertaining to the items on the
public on the special meeting. Are you speaking on behalf of any of the items that we took action today in the special meeting? No, I wanted to invite the other Peruvian institution to join us. That's all I wanted to say. That's good.
Okay. All right. So, council council members, thank thank you, Mariela. Council members 135. There was a public portion. The person's there. She she she say what she need to say. Why we have to be so rude about something? Why? Let's
because there's an order in Let's continue. Roll call. Council members. We were in the middle and we were in the middle of a robot. Madam cler, please continue. You can't change the rules for not do it for council woman and I'm putting that on. Councilwoman Mim saw her raising her. I didn't saw her and
I'm sorry. I do apologize. That's the reason why I'll call you in the mic. If you see I don't stop nobody from speaking. We got 47 speaker and we continue the meeting. So 47. All right. So so so let's continue. Let's continue. Roll call. Councilman Omar,
your vote. Yes. Thank you. Oh, I didn't I didn't No, she didn't. I checked you. Yes. Well, Councilwoman Mims, so before this is to Okay, we're going to come back, right? To close the meeting. All right. So, I'll talk about that later. Um, my vote is yes to close the special
meeting. Yes. Thank you, Councilman Uden. Yes, but yeah, Councilman. So, I'm not going to wait later because the gentleman and the I understood what he says. He said like I say that mayor always blah blah blah blah not me. This
gentleman here lost his property at the at the at the flood. The governor walks with him and listening to his concern. No one is in the state came down say here's money for you could put
your feet up in your business. The mayor walked and said that he was going to cover him, that he was going to take care of him and the governor was there. Have you seen a penny? No. So I know this gentleman quite good. He's not talking about me. He's talking about the
mayor promise. The governor promised and all that stuff in the flooding. So I know I got good relation with him and I know why he suffer. So and what he's trying to say is Mr. Ba, Mr. Ba, Mr. VA.
Mr. VA, it's good to you listeners. It what the budget should reflect and that's what he's saying that this budget should reflect help for business owners, help for those struggling. $68 million
came through this city. $68 million came to this city and not 2% were invested to small business in the city of Patterson. So saying that, uh, madame clerk, um, we
need to put a closure at the at the, um, at the agenda for special meeting for we could educate and advise the resident that the public portion for special meeting is only for the items in question for it could be advice and they
probably know the procedure. Saying that, I learn it from him. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman. Council President, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk, to close the um special meeting. Close the public portion.
All right. So, motion to close the special meeting. The items are eight in favor, one absent. The public portion is hereby closed of the special meeting. Okay. Thank you, Mad. That was to close the public portion. So, move. Now, can I have a motion to close the special
meeting? Move. Moved by Councilman Davis, second by Councilman Eevee or Udin and Val. Roll call to close the special meeting. Roll call to close the special meeting. Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Cotton.
Cotton. Closing the special meeting. Congratulations, Mr. B. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you, Councilwoman Davlin. Um, we're congratulations. We're voting on closing
the special meeting and resuming the workshop. Yes, my vote is yes. Okay, Councilman Khalik. Thank you, Madame Clerk. Um, I just want to clarify something. Gentleman spoke about the small business funding. There are many
funding available even during COVID, during FEMA is always small business funding a you have to follow through the process. Don't expect somebody to bring you a check. Congratulations. You got a small business business, take the check.
There there are there process you have to apply and there are a lot of grand money too. So you have to follow the process. You're just not going to get a check sitting at home. Also, council president, um I'm requesting um I see a item about a festival, Peruvian
festival. We heard we spoke we heard on the public portion they're still here. Uh hopefully even though you're going to decide all the item is going to go consent or regular. I would like in front of them I would like you to take
item number 36 after we uh close the um special meeting. Item 36. Yeah. Right. No, I'm we're voting on closing. Item number 36 is a festival city council. We do not we do not approve any parade
licenses. We got nothing to do with it. We only vote on festival. So there's the item number 36. Hopefully if there's a discussion needed, you discuss it and we move forward with the item. My request to be on regular. Thank you, Council
President. And my vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman. Next, Councilwoman M. We we we have we we have a Mr. Mr. Garcia, we have a we we have an item on the agenda. All the paperwork,
everything is correct. We don't do the paperwork. We're going to move forward and we're going to vote on it and that's all. That's that's the only that's I'm not going to go back and forth. Council me council members here, they understand
the process. We have an item on the agenda. You guys been here since early. You don't have item on the agenda. I don't think it's not on the agenda. You here with some request. Hey, you bring your item in front of the agenda. I'll vote yes for it as
well. I'll vote. I'll be the first one to support your festival. When all the paperworks come in front of me in the workshop or a regular regular meeting, we'll have discuss the first one after roll call tree before. Thank you. I
voted already. Council President, I'll be the first one to vote on it. Bring the paperwork. Bring bring it on the uh put it on the agenda. Thank you. It's not me. I'm still figur. So, so I want to say congratulations to our
new BA. um his wife, they will be having a baby in a couple hours. So, I want to congratulate um him and his wife on their new baby. I also want to congratulate my daughter. Um she got promoted to principal tonight as we were
sitting here and I'm very excited. She's born and raised Patterson um and has been in the educational system for in Maryland school. Maryland, I don't know the name. This is a new school. Brand new school. Brand new
building. Brand new facility in Maryland. So I in Maryland. She was here. They never gave her Don't I don't want to say it on the mic. But um congratulations to my daughter Dr. Jasmine. Um tonight she was voted on um
unanimously approved. She went through seven rounds um of her interview process and as we sat here tonight it unanimously approved her and she spoke so well and my grandbaby got on the mic and said wow. So that was approval for
me. So congratulations Dr. Jazz. I'll be down to celebrate you in a couple days. Um madame clerk my vote is yes. Thank you Councilwoman. Councilman Omar. Yep. Yeah. Where's my sheet? We resuming into
workshop as well as Are you going to continue workshop or no? Thank you. Just resume it and close it. Resume closing. Okay. Uh thank you madam clerk. So since we are going to be uh right after this we're going to close the workshop session as well. So I just would like to
mention that when we do street renaming I want to make sure that the committee sitting down committee has to have meeting before it comes to the workshop cuz it's going to be two of them are on the agenda. It's one of my very close
person John Dano way which I'm completely supporting. I could you know I'd love to see myself there as well as a sponsor. However, uh I like to see the committee is sitting and discussing. It didn't go to committee. It did not go through. No. Second thing is item number
54. Item numberif Okay. Which is item number 16. I'm talking about council president. No, no, we are talking about Yes. Special meeting. But since we are closing item number 54, uh I'd like to state that mayor cannot sponsor any rename of the street. It has to have one
of the council members. What item number 54 what another renaming of the street any which is war street just I am not against any of them I am completely support and I would love to see myself as a sponsor however
committee has to meet discuss before it comes to the workshop session regarding regarding the perubian uh no item number 36 regarding the public is still sitting
here from Peruvian community and wonderful people on the both sides. I'd like to state that council president council president I want before close the public portion council member just council members I I wanted to since the
complaint appeared here people's provided the statement that they requested to damole director damak about the application and application was not served I believe that the director has
to answer the question whether she has to appear here in the council or whether has to write her written statement cuz if it does not happen there would be always pick and choose. It's not about this wonderful community. It's about any communities any entities that's going to
take place. So that kind of conversation has to be cleared out with with the director director to say who applied what's the situation or not. and and again I like to see both groups are working together and we like to
celebrate together but answer has to be cleared out when she is blaming for this and that I this is what I don't want to hear I want whether written statement from her or she has to come here in the council so I'm going to email her tomorrow morning whether she's coming
here in the next regular meeting on the 20th and explaining what happened with the situation or she has to write a written statement if If she she doesn't do that, it means that she's hiding something. That's exactly what I want to state. So, with that being said, my vote is yes. Tell us to cover what happened. She has
to state here or she has to write something. What happened? She don't have to come before us. Okay. How are we going to make it? Okay. But where is it? I'm saying I'm sorry, Counciloman. What are you saying? No, I'm saying you have they gave they gave the copy council.
Let's finish. Let's finish the roll call and then we could just have a quick discussion about this. Let the vote. Let me vote and then and then that way we could just wrap this up. Okay. I'm saying to you can't make nobody come in front of him. Who is he? He can't make no a city employee come in front of him.
He can't do that. So don't don't pretend to. You have to rise. You have to rise cuz he cannot. Councilwoman, wait. First of all, I like to No, no, no. This is this is kind of like very disrespectful. Councilman, I respect you. First of all, who is he to bring the employee here? If
any employee just pick and choose, I have right to ask her question and she has to answer the question. She whether she has to write an email, whether she's coming here, but he cannot say that I cannot ask question. Council members can't be yelling just okay. Council members,
council me. Don't be lying to the people. All right. So, um I don't know. Lying. Why? Be be respectful to the ladies. There's no point of yelling. Nobody. So, council council woman, please, may I may I wrap up, please? I don't like that. You fooling people.
Don't blind. Okay. So, that's right. Have you noticed that before I speak there's always argument. I had to bring the peace. You going to tell that girl, right? So ladies and gentlemen, all the respect of the two
groups that's here, they've been here all night long. They express are listening to the group of the original Peruvian parade and also the one that is established.
Now, one of the most common that I heard tonight from these two groups was about half hour ago. We asking that we work
together. That was about half hour ago. That happens. Huh? No, no, no, no. I'm saying today. tonight. Let's work together tonight. But I recall from this chambers when the
two group was here in the dilemma, I stated Dr. T and Dr. Castillo, you guys are doctors should find a forensic way to unite the Peruvian community. Right. So, hold on,
hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Because you know what? Let me say this. I'm not gonna take blame of the mess of the mayor or any employees here for furitism of any
group of any group. Councilman colleagues just stated, "Bring your application complete. Let's put it to a vote." And we do that.
Now the problem is who's going to give authorization downstairs to accept the application? Who's holding that? And to be fair, this process of the Peruvian
parade should be managed from the beginning the right way. The right way. What happened? We have a closure in the ordinance or in
DBW that you cannot celebrate two festival in a month in the same street same day. Same day, right? So let's be honest, we couldn't one group does it one day and the other group does it in the other day
and everybody be happy. Now I understand the sentiment of 27 Julio. I know the sentiment because that's the official day of the independence of Peru and everybody want to celebrate at the same
day of the Peru and the 27 of July. But I don't want to hear nobody from the Peruvian community saying that's is our fault. No, we are always trying to work
with anything that they put in front of us. I even recommend that the title of the festival not include Peruvian parade because people were thinking that we was a proven parade. It is a parade. You
can't do that. But the title we could put a resolution to approve festival without putting the organization. We could put it in the body who is the the the organization but the title okay was confusing people
around. Listen community especially Latino community you saw what happened today. You saw what happened today. Let's dance together and let's get the
common sense of this. If they already had the parade this year, the other organization could have the festival into next year. probably you guys get together, create a new board
with group from here, a group from over there, work together for the benefit of the Peruvian community. And when we talk about the benefit of the Peruvian community,
we need to make sure that aos are out of the table. I had a meeting at the Peruvian consulate last week and when I heard the numbers of people running for president I said for
real 45 45 for real and I say can they get together and make this happen. So ladies and gentlemen, Councilman uh uh Councilman uh Uring uh is passionate when it comes
up to a process of follow procedures. You know, he's going to make good statement, but Councilman Khalik, you stated right, the BA is not here. Um Mr. Bushi, I don't know if you could talk to administration
if they want to bring the application in. You know, there's no such thing that say who put it first or who put it second, who put it third. There's no such thing. We want to work with all of you
guys. We want to celebrate with all you guys. And we cannot ignore the legacy of the original Peruvian parade. And we can ignore also the individuals
that one fashion the other thinks that they could do it better. Let's be honest. Okay. So saying that hopefully we don't get crossify after tonight more than we have been.
um 154 at night. Good morning everyone. My vote is to close this this uh special meeting and adjourn the workshop at the same time. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman, council president. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I think that during the
closing of this section, we already addressing this matter on item number 36, which is the resolution on the Patterson Cove chapter 129 bazaar addressing the license for the uh New Jersey Peruvian Inc. to conduct the festival. This is the um the resolution
that we have on the agenda uh from the new organization and the biggest complaint has been because the original Peruvian Pray Inc. was blocked from uh uh introducing the application and it's been denied. They've been they've been submitting multiple documents
uh letters and expressing that and that's that was the main reason I put the discussion on the floor now before we take from my action. I have a lot of respect for the Peruvian community for all the leaders Kim Garcia I know how much of respect him you Marella Dr. Teo
and Dr. Castillo, phenomenal leaders in the proving community and for me I feel you know my heart is broken just by see the community so divided and but on top of that as an elected official it's my responsibility to get to the bottom of
of what happening because there's a person on charge that work for the city she doesn't work directly for us but she work under the mayor under the administration and I need to make sure that she was fair with the process that's that's the only thing I'm are taking side over here. It's already
bad as it is because I want to see my Peruvian community together. But the Peruvian uh uh the the regional organization stated that they came first that it been denied and now we have this bottom line. We have this legislation. Now, Councilman Being have all the right
as an elected official to request the presence of any director and to request the information. Now, we want the director in charge, Dala McCll, to send the entire council a full an explanation of what exactly happened because we want
to hear from her because we have all the right to question her. All the right to question her. That's what we that's what we're here for. So, so that's what is on the agenda. And and and and I would love to find a way to see see you guys be able
to put the application. any council member we could vote. So we are a independent body and each council member is one vote. I'm one vote and I would love to see it because since we are the one that could approve it, I want fairness. You vote for whoever you
choosing one. If if if you guys cannot come together all I want to see I would love to see our community our Peruvian community together united. I don't see any reason why I don't really see it. Unfortunately, Peruvia pray in doesn't have a an an application here because
you got you guys been denied. That's what I have. I'm going to wait for that detail of Dela and see and I want her to explain to us what happened because I want fairness here. That's what I want. I like to sleep in peace and on the Nazi
concern I will support and allow and the person to use their power to block any institution. I'm not here for that and that's not me. So, I was expecting to have that and and and let's wait for next week for for the for the for the vote and and you guys reach out to her
and you got you have all the right to submit your application. You have all the right to submit it. With that being said, Madam Clerk, my vote is Thank you, Council President. The votes are seven in favor, two absent. The special meeting is hereby adjourned. Thank you,
Madam Clerk. Council President, before you close, there is something that I'd like for corporation council because it all sounds good. It all sounds good. And you have a week to put this application in and it it it isn't so. Well, it's being told to you today. It isn't. So,
okay. No council member has the right to direct anything through our Faulner Act, okay? And he's going to read the statute and put it on record. Everything goes through the administration through the mayor. Okay. Everything. So, no council member here can ask an employee to come
here and you question them. Absolutely not. So, corporation council, I'd like you for you to please put that on record. Secondly, I'm just going to say this. They continue to fool you. Okay? And I am tired of my name being dragged
all over the floor as I am a culprit. I'm the one dividing or doing this. That is not so. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. People are going to believe what they want to believe. I know that I'm not involved. I do nothing on the day-to-day operations. I have nothing to do with licensing. As a
matter of fact, okay, I've never stepped in that office, ever stepped foot in the 12 almost years that I've been here into that office. Okay? So, whoever says that it's me, that I'm the corporate, that I'm helping this, absolutely not. And I'm putting that on record and I could
stand on that. Okay? But I am tired of some of my colleagues making you believe, oh, somebody did something wrong. How dare I say that someone that an employee did something wrong? You're supposed to use the word allegedly. And
based on the information that I saw here, I saw a letter of intent from Peruvian Parade. It's in here. I saw it, but I didn't see a complete application. And you have three different people filing things. You have Dr. Castillo on
a letter of intent. Okay. Then you have another months later, the next year over, you have uh um uh Mrs. Slen on it. So, so it is not a complete and it's not just filling out the application. You have to meet with police chief, fire,
listen, fire, police, DPW, contracts, insurance. So, all I'm saying is when somebody says to you information. No. So, but that's what I'm saying. So, but that that those are the things. Listen, I I cannot tell you why.
Okay. I'm just tired of my name being dragged as though I'm the one in the middle. So, so with that said, with that said, corporation council, can you please put on record that no one on this council can address a city employee and
demand them to come here and question their work, okay? that it should be done through the administration as per our Faulner. Can you please council president? But you you can write allow corporation council cuz you're saying corporation
like like council woman I'm I'm waiting for you to finish. Okay. Corporation council council president. May I? Correct. Thank you. Uh thank you uh councilwoman Dava for that inquiry. So pursuant to the Faulner Act uh 40 col
69A- 37.1 all contact with the employees and all actions and communications concerning the administration of government and the provision of municipal services shall be through the mayor or his designate except as otherwise provided by law. Nothing in
this section shall be construed to prohibit the council's inquiry into any act or problem of the administration of the municipality. Any council member may at any time require a report on any aspect of the government of municipality
by making a written request to the mayor. Thank you. So, so very clear. So very clear. We re Listen, I could send an email to the administration making requests for explanation from that person that work there. That's our power. That's our power to hold the
administration accountable. I I listen and I'm not accusing anybody. But listen, if I'm sitting here and I've been responsible and I know and I see that something is not right, I have all the right to make a request of clarification in writing from that
department. Let's just leave it at that. Let's not get things twisted. And you could request the mayor to come here publicly. You could request the mayor, the director. This is our power. So, so, so nobody's not questioning what you said. You said you demanded her to come
in front of here. That's what was said. Now he's saying that we need to write Listen, he said that he she need to submit a report of what happened. You said she was for you want her to come here. You want to race her, then write her, but you can't force her to come and
council president. You cannot do that. So don't keep lying to the community of what you think you can do and you can't do. He is lying. Can I can I I I have the floor. I have the I have the floor. Council members,
council members, Councilman Councilman Khalik has the floor. Right after that, let's definitely close the one President. I have the floor. Let's say this. Council has already
start. And then right after that, listen. Let Calh finish. Please go ahead. Thank you, council president. I don't even know. Why are we making a show up in here is it's like a show to me or whoever. We could call council.
You could call her anytime. You could stop by her office. You could find out what happened. I could go by Dea's office. I could give her a call. Hey, council woman, what happened? come from a meme. Anybody could go find out why are we
making it. So I'm speaking, sir. I I have utmost respect for you, Mr. Garcia. I have utmost respect for you. I have known you for years. I'm speaking. Please do not disturb me. I have no
clue what's going on. I thought I thought that you wasn't with Peruvian parade before. That's what I'm thinking. Now I see you are in per with Peruvian Parade Inc. as far as I know my knowledge I if I recollect
uh couple of years ago you did a parade and Peruvian Parade Inc. kicked you out then you you organizing so I don't even know what's going on honest with you I am not updated the judge or or somebody I heard
it from your own mother they kicked you out of the organizing or something now you coming with parading so it's a mess out there I don't know what's going on downstairs so so basically like I said we don't need to create a show here council president please do your due
diligence you are the council president you are a leader in this Darius, go talk to DEA, find out what happened or whoever you need to speak to and those that's on and let us know and let's move forward with the not only the council council not only for me this it's not
only me I want I want I want an explanation in writing to the entire governing body which is fine perfect so so because I think it's our listen it's our job and our responsibility to make sure that administration is not blocking any entity specifically that's our right
that's that's our And that's the right thing to do. So, so, so with that being said, before before council members, um, madame clerk, so we resuming into the workshop. Um, so, so we close the
special meeting. We had to Yeah, we closed the special meeting. We had to vote. Yeah. No, no, we had So, we resuming into the workshop. Um, so let's a roll call to resume and reopen the workshop. And after that, we'll close it. Uh, I will do the I will do the closing. So, roll call to resumeuming to
the workshop. Roll call to reopen the workshop. Um, Councilwoman Cotton. What are we doing now? Reopening the workshop. I thought we did that already. We did. No. No, we didn't. No, we did not. Yes. Thank you,
Councilwoman Dava. You don't want to close it. Okay. Yes. Okay. Councilwoman Councilman um Khalik. Yes. Yeah. Thank you. Councilwoman Mims. Wait, so what are we doing now? Just opening the workshop. Reopening the
workshop. Motion to close them. Yeah. Yes. Thank you, Councilman Omar. Yes. Councilman VZ. Yes. Thank you, Council President. Yes. Mer to close. Second. Just wait for a
vote to be count. Okay. Hold on. Hold on. Okay. Six. Okay. Um, the votes are six in favor, one I'm sorry, one against and two absent. The um
workshop is reopened. Yes. Thank you, council member. May I have a motion to close the workshop on the cliff? Motion to close. Moved by council member Le and second by council Eevee. Don't leave. Don't leave. Roll call. Roll call to resume to close the workshop. called to
open the workshop of May 13, 2025. Councilwoman Cotton. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just want to say um I was just looking through this. Um I want to say uh give my condolences to the Charlotte Williams family. Uh her mom was Miss
Moore. Miss Moore lived in the Fifth Avenue project for years. Um she was truly truly a community person and her daughter Charlotte. And I just want to send my condolences um um to you to to the family out there. Also um this past
this weekend coming up um my aunt passed in Queens. She is the last living relative on my father's side, she was 90 years old. So my family now on my father's side is no more sisters and brothers. Everybody is gone. And so I
would be traveling over there. And I said, and that's why when you hear me talk about family and community and doing things, um people are slowly leaving here quickly. Um and you're going to have families that are not going to there's going to be totally nobody left. Um especially if you don't
have grandchildren um to carry the name on. So I want to say to community, let's just care for each other as much as we can um and not be going back and forth, back and forth. Um what I find is that um you may not like the answer but it is
the answer and sometimes you have to accept the answer. You may not like how it is but it is the answer. So but we as a community must do our best to do what we can for each other. But I want to say to you all out there, thank you all for coming out tonight. Thank you TV Land
for watching it. Um sometimes people, you know, we say different things to each other. Um, but I think um, council members sometimes need to understand what they can do and what they cannot do. And one thing I'm not going to do is tell you a
lie. And I know it's a lie. I'm going to tell you the truth whether you like it or not, but I'm going to tell you what it is. And sometimes people don't want to know what it is, but I'm going to tell you what it is. With that being said, everyone, corporation council, my madam clerk, my secretaries Diana, all
my council members, all let's all have a good night. With that being said, Madame Clerk, my vote is yes. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Dava to close the workshop. Okay, she's out the door to close the workshop. Thank you so
much. Um, Councilwoman Khik, I don't know where. Good night, everyone. My vote is yes. Councilwoman Mims. Okay, Councilman Omar, it is 210. Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Please make sure
your children are rested, they eat well, and they're in school on time. We're in testing in the Patterson public schools until the 21st. My vote is yes. Good night, everybody. Thank you so much, Councilman. Um, Omar, good night, Patterson. Yes, Councilman Vez, my vote
is yes. So, Council President, uh, Council President, perception is a lot. When you see a deputy mayor in the sigh of the other organization, it says a lot. Okay, it says a lot. Perception
is really important. When you see a deputy mayor of the mayor's office loving for an organization, it says a lot. Says a lot. Perception. Perception means a lot. So saying that, I just want
to send my deepest condolence. I know my colleague knows about uh Carlo Garcia passed away. Uh I feel bad with that with that family because two years ago the daughter request me the name of the street and I gave it to the six world
councilman and um disappear. So moving forward council president you going to see a resolution of Carlo Garcia. We we do it together. Yeah we gonna do it together. I have the res this is what happened. I have the uh the biography of
Kal Garcia two years ago and I gave it to Al Deiz. He says there was a lot of street naming in the in the mist that we could do it after but now he's in the state. So I'm taking ownership with council president on that. If you want
to be co-sponsor we could do it. So it's only one block that he wants. So saying that uh good night, stay safe, peace everyone. in the city of Patterson. God bless you all and let's pray each other. Uh saying
that the secretary, let's welcome our new secretary at the city at the city council. Uh council president, council president, our new secretary. Oh yes. Yes. I know she's going to be and there's other staff in the office. Thank
you for the work you guys be doing. Let's keep on continue praying for madam clerk saying that Peru Thank my vote is yes to go home. Thank you councilman. Council president. All right. So so council member before so
please do not leave the room. So just before uh it's it's almost it's 2:14 a.m. Once again I want to thank all the resident of the great city of Patterson for coming into this meeting. It's been a long meeting. U let me let me just u express my deepest condolences to uh Mr.
McDaniel my neighbor for over 20 years. he passed away a few days ago. Um so let's keep their family in our prayer. Let's pray for all those that lost loved one uh due to the violence in our community. Let's let's pray for our city
um to to to the entity to the prayer. I want to say thank you. I I I I did the right thing. I want transparency and perceptction become reality. I don't want the administration to be favoring one group and not other group. I'm not here for that. I want to make sure that
we do everything across the board. I'm pray to see both community together and I'll pray that the provian praying will be part of this festival and the parade. That's what I'm praying. So, so let's continue the work to the third war in the city of Patterson this past week. We
re we refinish we resurfacing all the way from east 40 all the way to east east 34. All those road that already done on the agenda. We have east 84 and east 85th and in the third war. So we continue the resurfacing project in the
third war and we just continue the work without distraction. Uh madame clerk, thank you mad clerk. It's been a rough meeting but we did well. Sophia, thank you to our new uh secretary Diana Ramos. Diana, thank you so very much. You know it was kind of rough but you will get
used to Diana. You will get used to. So let's pray for our community person. You got my cell phone number 9739301436 if you need to reach out to me. I want to say good night Patterson. God bless you all. Thank you madam clerk. My vote is yes. Thank you council president. The votes are seven in favor
two absent. The workshop session of May 13, 2025 is hereby adjourned. Good night Patterson and good morning Patterson.