Adequate notice of this meeting has been given in accordance with the open public meetings act pursu pursuant to public laws 1975 chapter 231. This agenda is complete to the extent known and was sent to the Trenton Times and Trentonian newspapers posted on the first floor bolden board in city hall filed in the city clerk's office and posted on the
city of Trenton website. Formal action will be taken. Roll call. >> Councilwoman Edwards >> present. Councilwoman Feliciano >> present. Councilwoman Frisbee >> present.
>> Councilwoman Gonzalez >> present. >> Councilman Harrison. >> I imagine he is in route. Vice President Williams >> present. You presente >> and council president Figaroa Kenberg >> present. >> Myself Brandon Garcia municipal clerk
present. Mr. Colloji will be present telephonically in one moment's time. and in uh city attorney West Bridges >> present. >> Thank you. And madam president, if you
give me one moment, please Oh, I'm sorry. Uh, Madam President, if you like now, at this time, I could read the invocation. Thank you. Almighty God, who holds the fate of man and nation, we most humbly beseech thee to bless this our city, these deliberations, and these thy
servants, that they may act with wisdom and understanding for the good of our community and thy greater glory. Amen. >> Madame President, first on our agenda this evening is a recognition. Um, and I'll leave it to you to introduce that recognition.
>> Thank you. Um, we do have a recognition of Janet Kley Porter this evening. Um, she's a city employee and who is leaving us. And with that, I would like councilwoman Tesca Frisbee to please
read the resolution. recognition. I'm sorry. So, good evening everyone. You absolutely can come to the mic. So, we want to make sure that we recognize those individuals who have
done the work, who have labored in our community, and let you know that we appreciate the years that you have been here, Miss Porter, and that when you go that you know that you have been recognized by us, that we acknowledge the work, the hard um especially over the last uh year where you actually
stepped in and helped out with our seniors. Uh that was really a lot that you did. Um, I know I know your plate was full more than it norally is and we greatly appreciate you for that. So, with that, that's why we wanted to make sure we recognize you this evening. And it says the city council, city of
Trenton, special recognition, honoring Janet Kicki. Did I say it right? Porter. Say Kley. >> Kicki. Thank you. Kley Porter, MSW. Whereas Miss Jennice Kley Porter, MSW, began her career with the city of Trenton in October 1986 as a social case
worker with the division of welfare. And whereas Miss Janet Visionary's leadership has led an an impeccable career of con of constituents relations, homelessness responses, workforce development, re-entry services, and
senior services. And whereas Miss Porter has held various positions throughout her career such as social case worker in the division of welfare aid to the mayor Arthur J. Holland carmen J um Ameni and Douglas Horter Porter I
don't know why I'm getting his name wrong. Douglas H Palmer he would get me bad. later appointed as the first director of the mayor's office of citizens concern and information the Palmer administration job developer for department of health and human services
and later joined the mayor's office of employment and training to assist residents including justice impacted individuals in overcoming employment barriers the department linked employers to incentive programs to encourage sustained hiring
partnerships as a social case worker supervisor. She oversaw various services to the elderly and homeless. Miss Porter was promoted to social case worker supervisor of and CAS center director and concluded her career as interim
director community relations and social services. And whereas Miss Porters has served our great city of Trenton to the best of her ability for nearly four decades, her steadfast commitment to public service, equity, and collaborative problem solving services
to the residents of the city of Trenton is exemplary to be followed for four years and decades to come. Now therefore be it resolved that the city council of the city of Trenton, county of Mercer, state of New Jersey hereby recognizes and honors Miss Janet
Klei Porter for 40 plus unwavering years of service to the city of Trenton and is signed by all city. Madame President, I put it back in your hands now. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Frisbee. Yes. Miss Porter, would you please express
some words? >> Yes. Thank you. Good evening, city council president, members, friends, and colleagues. Thank you, city council, for acknowledging my 39 plus years of public service with the city of Trenton. My
time has flown by. First and foremost, I give all honor and glory to God for guiding and directing me throughout this journey. My faith, belief, and trust in God have been the foundation of my survival and success over these past 39
years. Public service has never been just a job for me. It has been a calling and a ministry. It gave me the opportunity to draw upon my upbringing and share knowledge, skills, and compassion inspired by the love that God
has instilled in me. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of working with Trenton, New Jersey residents to empower them and to make a positive impact on their lives, especially those who are marginalized in a meaningful and
personal way. Integrity has always been my guiding principle and I have strived to inspire that same standards in others. To the cease center staff, also known as CAS, thank you for your dedication and for
always rising to the occasion. Because of your hard work, the C Center earned recognition as a respected member of not only the Trenton Mercer COC community, but the entire Trenton community for housing and re-entry resources.
My ministry spans six mayors and 10 health and human service directors. Throughout this journey, I have received unwavering support from many people, many of you in this room who offered
guidance, advice, and encouragement. I cannot name everyone individually, but I want to acknowledge Ruth Carter, my colleague, supervisor, and friend for the many years of service. My family has been a great source of
strength. I am most grateful for the constant and unwavering support of my late husband Kenneth and my two daughters Sheres and Lauren. Oh God, they have been my rock during challenging times. Their love and
encouragement helped me push through to earn my master's degree in 2017 in social work. Even as Ken battled cancer, Um, finally, it has been a pleasure working with each of you over the years
through the COC on a mayoral campaign, uh, the Mercy County Reentry Coalition as colleagues and as friends. While this chapter of my life is coming to an end, I am excited about the new chapter and that what lies ahead. I will be
embarking on a new venture that will allow me to draw from all the knowledge, experience, and connections that I've gained over the years. Stay tuned for more. I accept this recognition on behalf of my staff, the CE center, and
the division of community relations and social services for the hard and selfless work they continue to do for the least of these. I thank you all for being here this evening. I appreciate your warmth, your
kindness, and your well wishes. And I want to give a special thank you to Alberta's Carol for ensuring that the seniors from the reading center were able to attend this meeting. Um, as I close, I leave you with these words
from Micah 6:8. He has shown you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much, Miss Porter. At this time, I would allow for any of my colleagues if you have any words that you would like to express to Miss Porter. Um, and then after that, we will take a photo um and then return to the deas. So, if any of my colleagues would like to say a few words, Council President. >> Yes. Councilwoman Gonzalez.
>> Yes. So, to this beautiful young lady standing in front of us, we just want to say congratulations. You know, it's bittersweet for some of us to see you go, especially me. Um, I just want to thank you for always being a mother figure to me. Um, advice, encouragement.
Anytime I call, you are there. And you do have a heart to serve and you also know how to be firm when you have to make decisions. So, I want to thank you for always being your authentic self. Very. I mean, no one could do it like you. You do it so nice and gracefully
when you have to put someone in check. So, I just want to say I appreciate you. I love you. I know this isn't the end for our relationship, but I'm excited for what's to come in your next chapter. We love you. >> Oh, we love you, too. Thank you,
>> Council President. >> Uh, Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Thank you, Miss Janet. >> Yes, Miss Crystal Feliciano. >> From the days of Shiloh through our journey forward now, >> um, it has been a pleasure to know you,
to actually know you. Mhm. >> Um to to have experienced you for exactly who you are, to know your daughter, to experience my girl Shereice. Um I see I know where she gets her tenacity from.
>> I want my daughter to stand up. >> Um >> I know where she gets where she gets who she is from, right? They say she get it from her mama. And so I just want to thank you for your service to the city of Trenton. I want to thank you for loving um on the people
here for real. Thank you for the work that you've done from your heart. Thank you for pressing through the hard times when things weren't going easy. Thank you for still showing up when you were going through your own storm. Thank you for still keeping us at the forefront,
right, and serving selflessly. >> We appreciate you. I appreciate you. I love you and I wish you Godspeed as you continue your journey forward. Thank you. >> Love you. Thank you. Council Vice President Williams. >> Miss Porter. Um,
>> I'll just try to be as brief as I can, but there's a lot of folks are going to miss you. I know you know that. >> And it's incalcable how many lives you improved, how many people you helped rebuild, and likely how many lives you
saved. And uh, our city thanks you for that. uh you can never repay someone such as you for what you do because that goes beyond the words public service but when we think of public service we think of you and I hope we will see you often
and I'm sure when the writing center reopens we will see you there with us so God bless >> thank you thank you >> council president >> yes councilman Edwards >> thank you >> miss Janet >> yes
>> this a bittersweet moment I know this is a moment that we all look forward to every once in a while with, you know, retiring someday after such a career, a long career. And you did not have an easy job working with the
underserved, the marginalized and our most vulnerable populations in human humanity, not even just in our city, but to humans in general. And to that, I want to say thank you. The I witnessed a
lot of your passion. I witnessed the hard work. I mean, all the way down to the testimony of getting the the one unhoused woman from off of Front Street Garage. That's a testimony to the work that you do and have done for nearly 40
years in our city. And you leaving some big shoes to fill. Some big shoes to fill. So, I just want to say again, thank you >> for being there for those that couldn't even help themselves. >> Thank you,
>> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Thank you, Council President. So, Janet, um there's a saying that says, "Let the work that I've done speak for me." >> Yes. >> And your work has done a lot. And when
you look around this room and those that couldn't be here, it speaks to the value how people value you and the volume of which you've touched people's lives. I hope you receive that you're receiving your flowers on today. >> We thank you and we appreciate you for
your dedication and your hard work that you've done. Uh you're one of those women in the community that your yes is yes and your no is no >> and that that I respect. Yes, >> that's how we know that we can we we know that you're a woman of honor because you're not going to waver.
You're not going to say one thing and turn around and do another thing. That is a model for all to follow. >> So, I thank you for your what you've done. I thank you for um even how you have uh instilled in Charice. Um Sherice is a leader and I see you in the community. I see what you're doing uh
young woman and um I know that you you've got some big shoes to fill, but um I know you've got your own shoes. walking as well. But mom taught you right. So I just want to um tell you that I appreciate you. I think that you are a star that just keeps on shining,
but you don't come out in the front. You did you let your you shine from the back cuz you lift others up. And I just want to make mention of two things. I remember um most recently working with you with um those uh seven apartments that burnt on Olden Avenue. And I
remember your steadfastness in making sure that every family was taken care of. I now know that you did that as as you worked with your husband >> when you worked with him and even through the storm, you still still pressed past the storm and that was a
lot. So I just want to say thank you. Thank you for weathering the storm with us. Thank you for being here with the good in the good times as well. And I pray that God continues to watch over, protect and guide you in this next chapter in your life. may be your richest chapter, your best chapter as you continue to walk in the light that
you've already been given in God's word name. Amen. >> Thank you. To God be the glory. Thank you, >> Councilman Harrison. Miss Janet, thank you for all the souls that you've touched. Um, the world needs more people like you and Ruth Carter because you do the work that is so greatly needed in
this world. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart and we're sad to see you go, but we know that you've helped this city so much. So, thank you for all the blessings. >> Thank you. >> Thank you to my colleagues, Miss Porter. Um,
you have served and God knows what we're put on this earth to do, whether we're put on this earth to serve, enjoy our lives, raise families, what have you. And you've done all of those things. and you have give
you given your time tirelessly and effortlessly to others. So I am grateful that we are able to honor you tonight. I'm grateful to all the wonderful words of my colleagues tonight. You are we have celebrated and honored so many
people on this council and you are up there as one of the most deserving. So, thank you so much for all of your tireless efforts. >> Um, everything you've given to the city and everything you've given to others. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. >> We're going to take a quick picture um and then we'll be right back on the tickets, guys. Yep. Awesome. Did you see Children. Thank you. Okay, we'd like to we'd like to resume
if everybody could get back into your seats if you're staying so we could continue the meeting. Yes. >> On your call, Madam President. >> Um, >> yes. Go ahead. Continue, please. >> Okay, Madam President. Next on our
agenda for this evening is a presentation. Um, this presentation is from Mr. Terrell Smith and regarding participatory budget process. >> Yes, we may present >> he has a he has a presentation up and as I understand it, Madam President, he's
going to have 10 minutes. Correct. Yes, 10 minutes. >> All right, sir. You'll have 10 minutes for your presentation and then after that the council will engage in Q&A or whatever it may be. Okay. >> Thank you, Mr. Smith. You may proceed. >> Um, good evening everyone. My name is um, Tyrell Smith. I am a social
entrepreneur from the city of Trenton and I am the owner of Trenttown Market. Um, our slogan is we are more than a farmers market. We are a community hub for all. And tonight I'm going to be um, presenting to you about >> Excuse me, Mrs. Smith. I'm sorry. Can we shut those doors, please?
Thank you. >> I still got my time, right? >> You're good on your time. >> So, tonight, this evening, I'm going to be presenting to you about participatory budgeting and um the project that we have going on in the choice neighborhood
um zone. So, before I get started, I I'm not up here by myself. I have a team of people with me. So, I just want to acknowledge those who have been a part of this process from the beginning. I would like to acknowledge Councilwoman Crystal Feliciano who has been part of part of this process since the beginning. Um I would like to recognize
um Mr. Shakara Johnson from um for the glory of God that's part of this um process. Recognize uh Nisha Thompson's from PBC Seeds that's part of this process. U recognize Miss Sharice Porter from KP initiative. And also I see that
um Nancy Yunker was on the line um from prepared to vote and also Mercy County Community College. um and also Trenton Health Team and also Trenton Housing Authority. So um thank you all. So what is participatory budgeting? Um, at
Trenttown Market, we are have we we have been awarded a grant for $10,000 um to engage in a process, a civically community engaged le process to engage community and put to community at the center of dollars. allowing the community to build trust with businesses
and also um those who um are normally in power and control giving the community control and power of their own thoughts and ideals and the imagination of what they would do if they have funding. So everything is going to be high level so I can just explain it and if you have
questions I can have answer questions afterwards. Participatory budgeting is a dramatic a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. In this case, it is the funding that we was awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation was $10,000 from the Trenttown market. So, the Trenttown market have $10,000 where we're going to be centering the voices and ideals of community on how they would like to see the funds spent. The process
step one is the is the design process. A steer committee that represents the community creates the rules and engagements of the plan. So this plan and this process is totally engaged by community. Um right now we in a pro right now we are in the in process of
getting ready to a launch of community engagement where we're going to be um putting an application out for community members to be part of the steering committee. The individuals that I mentioned beforehand are part of our advisory board. So this process when we get ready to launch our application
process, we're going to be taking applications from the community so they can tell us um what they want. So they be able to just create the process whether um it is someone that's voting from six all the way up to 80. Um and
it's specifically located in the um in the in the choice neighborhood zone because it's only $10,000. So um we want to keep it kind of confined to that zone so we able to make sure we evaluate in our process and understand the process um better. So that's why it's specifically inside the choice
neighborhood zone. That's step one of the process and it helps us build trust um amongst the community and help us build um you know have the have the community um be able to understand you know how civic engagement and budgeting work. Step two,
the brainstorming ideas. participants generate and share ideas for projects at an in-person event and online. So, a lot of people inside the community, they will say, "Oh, if I had $10,000, this is what I would do with it. I would want to put a pocket park. I would want to do a
garden. I would want to speed bumps. I want to do beautifification." So, this what this process is for. This process is for us to gather information and for allow the community to come up with these bright ideas because so many so often people come into our community and tell us what we want and tell us what we
need. So this process cuts that out and put community right at the center so they could come up with their own ideas because I guarantee you if you go outside right now and ask the community members what they want, they're going to tell you what they want and what they need. Right? So this what this process does is put the community at the center
of ideal making and ideal collection. Step two, the develop proposal. Proposal developers meet to develop the ideals into feasible projects and proposals. So this is a whole separate committee, a whole separate process where we get
people from on the de on the proposal side to say, "Okay, all right, we have this $10,000. We have these ideals, but are they feasible?" Someone from the community may come up and say, "Oh, I want road work to be done. I want this to be done." Well, from my research, it takes a couple million dollars to do a
road, right? So, it's only $10,000. So, we don't have that money to do a role, but we do have enough money to do some beautifification. So, the the funds that we have are underneath three lens and underneath three pockets. Um being that our community being that our market is
focused on agriculture. So it's going to be food justice, environmental justice and beautify community beauty beautifification community beautifification. So this what the funds the three pockets of the funds what the funds going to be do was going to um was
going to do. So they'll be able to this group of committee members will be able to make sure that the ideals are feasible and they're not going above our our heads but keeping it at a level where the community um can see the money at work and actually see the dollars go
out and actually see the dollars be spent. And this is good because so many people come to these meetings and they don't know how the budget works. They just think that the city has all this money to do this and to do that. But if they actually see what it takes for projects to get done, they'd be more
inclined to be respectful to council members when they see them outside in the public and also be able to be more respectful to the process of how things actually work. So this is a grassroot level on how to teach community to be civically engaged while fostering trust
and building relationships so they can actually see how they dollars work in real time. Step four, the voting process. So this is the process where we get we get all the ideas we go through the proposal process and now we're actually holding
ourselves accountable right and allowing the community to come in and vote on a process. So we also working with another community organization called the community hut app. So all the digital contact that's going to be coming from um our our our process and our events uh
will be on the app. So, the community that's inside the choice neighborhood district will be able to vote directly on the app or come to a in-person event where they can, you know, where um they can fill out a ballot, put the put their
um put their vote in that ballot on the winning on the projects that won. I mean, you know, for the projects that made it to this process and um they be able to vote on these different processes. We can make it a um a big fun event. The first um time I saw this in real time when I was in Freehold with my
mentor Nisha and we went down to Freehold. Freehold have a participatory budgeting project where they allocate $250,000 to the community and the community be able to decide how these funds are being used. It was a fun family event where people was coming out and um they had a
little booth and they was able to cast a vote in their booth. Um for example um the city recreation department does a phenomenal job during the summer. So, we will be able to post um our voting booth as if it's inside the choice neighborhood district, post our booth
inside a event that the community that the city is already doing and the community in that district can just come out and vote. Right. Step five, funding the winning project. This another term, another way that we are holding ourselves accountable
because now that the community did their part, now it's time for us to fund the Renon project. So we um take the funds, we look at the winning the winning um the winning projects and we put our money right behind it because we want the community to know that you can trust
us. You can trust the process. You can trust the civic engagement process. You could trust the democratic process because now you see and like I said in real time the funds being used. Step six, evaluation of process. The steering committee and participants
evaluate if goals were met and plans changed to the next cycle. So with anything, we got to document it, right? We want to make sure that we are holding true to what we're saying and be able to look at the process, engage the process and see where we went wrong. How many communic how many community members came
out, who didn't we engage, but how can we get better, where we can improve at. So this is step six, the evaluation process. We were we are in partnership with the um Princeton um research group. Yeah, the Princeton Research Group where
they're going to be doing evaluation process for us and helping us come up with survey questions um to be able to um evaluate this whole process. So, um that's the evaluation process so we could do it all again. So, hopefully the city will say, "Hey, I like what you guys were doing. How can we pick this up
on a citywide initiative, right?" and um and be partners on this where we will come in and help through workshops and to be able to engage with community and elected officials because this is a governing process. We just don't give them the money just let them run. Wow. It has to be controlled, right? So, we
be based off our evaluation and our process, we'll be able to see how to best implement it around the city or make it a city-wide initiative. So, what kind of budgets? Like I said, it's many kind of budgets that can be
used. Um, there's city and county, state and federal budgets, there's non-governmental budgets, there's discretionary funds, there's school budgets, there's public budgets, but these funds are coming directly from the Trenttown market. And this how we are using these funds um from us. Um we are one of the first businesses inside the
city of Trenton to be able to um have this initiative and be able to give our funds directly to the community this way to make sure that um you know the community the community is heard. Hopefully with inside this district we can be able to um build relationship with other
>> I apologize that is your 10 minutes. >> Oh okay. I'm open to um any questions. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Smith. Um I we we've known each other since we were grade school, so I really do appreciate
you coming in and giving this presentation. Um it was very profound and it it is you've always um you've always been about giving back to the community, which is, you know, not everybody does it. even you know some
nonprofits and stuff that come before us you know your idea is always ground roots let's give it back to the community and and that is commendable and I really do appreciate you said something specifically about teaching communities to be civically engaged and
that is something that we don't just learn >> already you know what I'm saying we sometime we don't know how our government works we don't know how the the legislative branches works we don't know what our voices do we don't even know enough um to register to vote and
vote and what that means. So, you taking it in another angle and bringing it to the community in this way. Um it's it's commendable. I I have no other word for it. So, thank you for that. Um
so, I the only the only question I have and I'm going to open it up to my colleagues. Um, with regards to this money that is participatory budget, um, are we talking like asking for
government entities to pull from their budgets or are we talking about grants and donations given to your business that you're pouring back into the community? >> So, um, two-part question. So, the funds that we have are from we have got a
grant from the Robert Wood Johnson um, foundation. And so those are the phones that this project will be working on. But um for example in NORC they have funds outside of they launched the PB project from the office of sustainability. So that funds they already had with inside their budget. So
for example park and recreations have funds right and some things that you guys are already doing. So if just take them funds and set it to the side and say hey we're going to use these funds for participatory budgeting. I know you guys have like a youth council right? So you could say just like NORC with the office of youth office sustainability
they have a youth program you could just say the funds that we already had allocated for that we could just put it underneath participatory budgeting and let the funds be used that way. So it would be not asking for any additional funding. It would be funding that local government already have.
>> Okay. See you you're starting this off with a grant from Robert Wood Johnson asking for line budget items from the government sort of like for these types of >> so I'm not specifically at this moment asking for anything um partnership we're asking for partnership so when we get ready to launch it um you know sharing
it on the city website maybe coming out to our our our events um helping us with the voting process with inside that district that district right now is kind of split in two so it's the north ward and the west wart Ingram Avenue sits in the west board. So maybe having that
representation of both of the um council women to be part of what we're doing in that neighborhood. Um eventually um in the future if this is a process that the city would like to take up on then we will be looking and exploring how can we look at the budget
that the city already has and how can we um create a line idle budget for participatory budgeting with the funds that's already have that you guys already have like they doing in NORC um and they doing have done in Jersey City and what they currently doing in Freehold. >> Right. I I'm going to pass it on, but
yeah, participary budgeting like basically asking the the city in this circumstance to set aside funds and then maybe have biddings or biders like from organizations to try to gather some of that funding for this to try to see how
they can be applied to the community. Is that is that kind of where we're going? >> If the if the city, if I'm hear you correctly, right, if the city has the funds, let's say for example with inside park and wrecks, right? If you guys were already going to plant trees, if you guys are going to already do these things, it's just already just taking
the funds that was already done for that and just say this is a participatory budgeting pocket. We we will um center a community around the funds or you guys could take funds that you already have access of funds whether they're coming
from um um Harper funds or anything like that or any u the um the rescue funds or something like that. I probably I don't want to speak out of term but some of these funds that you guys already have marijuana tax where the they have to already have funds already contributed
to the city and just take them funds and say hey we want to allocate these funds for participatory budgeting and center community around it. >> Thank you. That's what I was thinking. Thank you for that clarification. Council >> um yeah thank you council president. Um
you kind of almost answered it but just for clarity um first of all thank you for the presentation. um she said it said it best. Um you've always been a community person and inclusive and I love when people come here with a presentation but also with solutions to some of the issues that we're having and they come with their own funding. So I
just want to say thank you for that. Um but my only quick question was going to be um I know you said this is geared towards the choice neighborhood program um or the choice neighborhood. Um but does that mean that the community members that are part or that want to be
a part of it must be in that area too or are you >> So yes. So being that the budget is small >> Uhhuh. >> Um it is primarily for the choice neighborhood district is open to residents and businesses. And what's so um special about the um the process with
the steering committee, they get to decide how that process work. So they can say we have teenagers that live in here. We have elderly people that live in here. We have babies, well not babies, we have like six-year-olds that live in this community and we want them to be able to have their voices heard.
So the steering committee can say from six to 80 can be able to vote long as they live inside this area. And it's teaching the youth from the early age how to be civically engaged. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, thank you. That was my only question. >> Thank you. So, Tyrell, thank you for
coming in. Um, I appreciate uh the follow through with that. Thank you to the rest of the advisory board. Um, we've been working on this. Um, just to counsel, Terrell and I actually met with the superintendent of the school board.
Um, and this was last year sometime where we went to pitch it to the school board. He loved it. We're working with our student government association. Yes. Um, I'm the advisor of that at the high school where we're looking to bring it where the youth will bring it before the
school board to have the conversation along with Tyrell about how it will benefit. And so basically, everybody has money. We have money for everything that we're going to to spend throughout the year, right? So
again, it's not asking for anything extra. It's just saying, "All right, public works, you have x amount of dollars. What are y'all looking to do with it?" So then they're like, "Oh, well, we want to pave up some streets and put out some trash cans. We want to put some lights up." Blah, blah, blah.
So then they say, "Okay, let's make a part of that, this participatory budgeting process." And then we let the community decide if there's $50,000. Okay, y'all. Here's the categories you can choose from. Do you want to see
this, this, or this, right? They can make it where it can fit into what was going to be the plan of the administration, but then the people would drive and speak to what they want to see with the money. And then through them voting for it and then through the
committee being around at the different um outdoor events that recreation has throughout the year. Well, not through it's not going to be like the whole year, but throughout the summer or however long it takes that people would vote, yes, we want, you know, the street lights or yeah, we want the trash cans or yeah, we want this or yeah, we want
that. And then at the end, >> we take it back >> to the administration and say, "Well, based on what the people said, >> they want you to take this money and this is what they want you to do with it." And then the administration will go along and do that. And so we're still
we're killing two birds with one stone. The administration is getting what they want. Council is getting what we want, but most importantly, the community is getting to be a part of the process. And then hopefully through that that will make people start to think more about the voting process and become more
engaged in the process. So, excellent job with this. I'm I'm blessed to be a part. I'm looking to see what we can do to keep it moving forward and educating the community on a lot of levels and getting people involved in the process. >> Thank you. And and just to piggyback on
Councilwoman um Feliciano, that meeting with um Dr. Earl was phenomenal. He um I'm not gonna say the funds that he committed because um you know we're still working on that but he just got up and say let's do this for both high schools. So like he believed in the process. So um um we are still looking
to um help the students the the government students um design a propo a design a presentation to present to the school board. >> Madam President. >> Yes. Uh Councilman Frisbee. >> Thank you. So one Mr. Smith, I want to
thank you for your thorough presentation. Um, that was really good. I wish I we had a little more time to let you get to the end of it, but um, from what you did um, present, I really did appreciate it. My question was going to be on sustainability, but I have I now have a better understanding of that.
Again, it is not that you're coming to get funds and it is what using what is already in play. >> Yes, >> I really love the idea that the community is going to have their voices heard. It's one thing to send something, send an email
>> um to your your mayor, to your directors, or to your council members, but to come out and actually have your vote. And I love that you put a bo box out there that said vote, that actually um that makes it really plain for me. They're going to vote on it. And that's right, the best the one that um is voted
on with the most um with the big larger count that is the one that wins. Um so I just want to say good job. I I think it's a good model for educating and empowering our community. Uh it is really good for the community to learn how dollars work. And that's the part
that I think this is going to really drive home is that you can actually >> make the difference in the community that you live in so you can be a participant in your comm community in your community. And I love the name particip um participatory budgeting. It's a tongue twister, but I absolutely love that. Thank you. So really that's
um I think all I know you said it was um hitting the areas of food, environment and I lost I missed the last one. >> So um um underneath three pockets which is food sustainability and ownership, environmental justice and also um um community beautifification because these
are the um insecurities that we notice with inside the choice neighborhood zone. Um 97 in food insecurity, right? So everyone that's over there have they don't have access to fresh foods and produce that's why our market is coming over there and um it's high in poverty.
So when it comes to the economic gap over there. So we're just really trying to engage community and allow community um to see how when business community and um the city work together, how um
things get done and move forward and um how you can from the young age of six to the old age of 80 re-engaging and retelling that story and rewriting a narrative on the voting process right here in the city of Trenton. >> Absolutely. So, thank you again and I invite you to come out to my Westward
community conversations that are held on every second Thursday of the month of the Westward um police station at 600 Artistan um where you can share this out with them. It'll be award so I'll make sure that we um we connect on that. >> Yes, we're looking forward to it. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman
Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. Just want to uh thank you, Mr. uh Smith, for coming. Terrell, you always do a great job. everything you do, you put all your heart and your soul and your mind into and we're lucky to have that. >> Thank you. >> Here. Um, I also want to thank you for
creating the uh the market at uh 16 West Ingam. That is going to be a really great thing for the city and a feeding soul in that neighborhood off of MLK. So, thanks for that also. >> Thank you. >> So, what you're doing here is very exciting and I'm hoping to see it grow.
Um it certainly it reminds me of when we we started about 20 years ago maybe 30 years ago but I hear about microl lending >> which became a worldwide concept particularly to health communities. So familiar with it >> uh it feels like there's some echoes of that. So I really love that. But my only
question would be um as far as what would be your greatest challenge you see expanding this forward and then also do you have like your three five year like what's your vision? what would be your your goal you'd love to see this grow into? the advisory committee, we uh we
have a strategic plan and we looked at our SWAT analysis and I think one of the biggest um challenges or you know hurdles or threats not threats but biggest challenges that we have is the community engagement department the community engagement part of it but that's why we
partnered up with people that's a little bit much smarter than us which is the the Trenton Health team and um the Trenton Housing Authority because they already have a grip on that community and they already have a voice to that community. It's basically like engaging um and getting the information out because we noticed that everyone is not
on social media. So, it's just like how can we create that um create that community or create that atmosphere where um people are stopping at the market um coming to the um coming to the events that we put out and um also
getting in front of um the community that's inside the church neighborhood district. So that's one of our biggest challenge, one of our biggest hurdles, but it's also one of our biggest opportunities too, so that we could be able to um you know see how we can um you know expand it. So it's one of our biggest opportunities as well.
>> And then uh what would be the best way for people to find out about the budget process and what you're doing social media or the web? >> So as of right now um because we rebuilding our website um so as of right now they can find us um at info
at Trenttown. That's t r n t o w nearket.com. So they can email us up. They can email us and we can be able to um engage that way or they can follow us on social media if they are in social media. But we are working on our our website and we
will have a drop-own participatory budgeting page so they can be fully engaged on the process. And like I mentioned before, we're going to be working with um the community hut app and everyone I think that's one of the best apps that Tinton has. So if you don't have the the community hut app,
shameless plug, download them right now and because there's a lot of information that comes on that app and that's where our information will be digitally um broadcasted throughout the city and also Peterson Breaking News. We going to be able to use local media as well. >> Thank you very much. Thank you, Council
President. >> Thank you uh Councilwoman Edwards. Thank you. Um, first and foremost, you know, this is a wonderful idea. Congratulations on making it to the level that you have. I remember meeting with you nearly a year ago when you
first explained this to me and I love the idea and I think it's something that we are missing in the capital city. I don't like when we make decisions for people without including them and oftent times they don't feel heard and a lot of
people don't feel like you know their vote matters and things like that. So putting the the medicine in the candy and making this a fun >> type of way to participate I think it will work over well especially with the youth and I'm glad that you are
involving them because they are our future. They are the ones that when we build it, they're going to be the ones using it down the line. Their children will be using it. Some of us are kind of aging out. I will say uh this will be beneficial in terms of like the parks. You know, the
city had redeveloped a lot of the parks in uh around Trenton >> and some of the feedback that we got was either they didn't know about it or they took the zip line out of Villa Park and we like the zip line. So a lot of the kids don't feel like they have something
that they could go to the park to do, you know, for them. That's what they like, you know. U so including the kids and the youth in the neighborhood as well, the residents in the neighborhood, who knows what they want. They live there, they have to go to this park or
because it's close by. A lot of the times we see people that go outside of the city to parks instead of going to the ones in their neighborhood. Yes. And I think if the children were involved in the the conceptual design of the park, they would use it more. Like for
example, implementing a basketball court in a neighborhood where basketball is popular versus tennis. >> Yeah. you know, or having both tennis and basketball, so you're reaching both demographics or a multicultural sports arena where you can implement soccer,
basketball, tennis, and other types of sports as well to make it a versatile place to be for all demographics and, you know, interest areas of sports. >> I agree 100%. I think going forward, you know, that's something that the
administration could do feasibly, you know, to include the community into the process without over complicating it through an advisory committee or the youth council like you mentioned. Um, I would love to see that youth council active. >> So, when you have time, the office in
NORC, the office sustainability, I think I believe it's called go green. What is it? Go green. Jen Green. Um, and they have that office in NORC. Um the mayor gave them $50,000 $50,000 for them to decide what to do with the funds and they just been
rocking it ever since. Um Freehold is rocking it. Jersey City has been rocking in New York, Boston um and yeah, so there's a lot of places that's with inside our geographic that is um doing it um to and I think Triton itself um
needs to pick it up and you know should pick it up because it's a process that's taking us into the future and allowing our young voices to be heard. >> Nice. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. Um, I just want to say in addition to that, I'm going to go I gave you all a flyer. U
one of another projects that we're doing, uh, we have a 7week um, urban farming food justice sustainability workshop. So, we're going to be um, um, teaching community how to be how to own their own food and what the food justice
look like. It's a seven-week program. Um, the slots are going to be going fast. If one of you u would like to register, I say please register um on to be a part of that workshop to see exactly, you know, what it means to own your own food.
>> Thank you so much, Mr. Smith. Um thank you to my colleagues for all your questions and your comments. Again, I mean, I'm proud always of all your initiatives and your accomplishments. You know, we are down bottom South Trenton through and through. So, very very proud. So, thank you so much and
thank you for bringing this initiative to Trenton. you know, other municipalities are doing it. Um, and I think it's great. So, thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you. And thank you all for your time. Thank you. >> Mr. Garcia, we can proceed. Um, at this time, I think um do we have any
individuals who are here um on behalf of being appointed to any of the boards of commissions that we have um recently um approved? Madam President, if you like, I can call some names. >> Sure.
>> Could you could you call names based on the the the council or the commissioner the board that they have been um uh voted to please? >> Certainly. Uh for senior advisory board, Miss Cordelia Stton,
>> she is present. Miss Bain, would you please come up and just speak about your um appointment to the senior advisory council >> after this? >> Good evening. My name is Cordelia Stton. I reside at 310 Gardner Avenue and I am
pleased to have been appointed to the senior advisory council. Um, what I hope to bring to that council is, um, what I hope that working on that council will bring back to you, some of the ideas of seniors, some of their
special needs and concerns, some of the services they'd like to see, some of the services they may not feel like they need anymore. I think you need to just hear from them. You need another voice. Um, and since you guys are so open, which I really like, you really want to
get all this input. I think the senior uh advisory board will be a great vehicle for seniors all across the board. There's quite a few of us. Um as I understand it, there's a representative almost from every ward. And so that's a very good because every ward has its own unique needs just as
the seniors do. Um I uh I currently serve on the housing authority and I've worked uh and I've also served on the zoning board. So these kind of appointments I don't take lightly. I put everything into it and I hope that I will be able to um serve on this
committee and bring forth the uh um desired outcomes that the council was looking for. >> Thank you, Miss Steven, and thank you for your service. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um for the street naming committee of
the West Ward, Winston Mills. It's not present. >> Oh, yes. Mr. Mills, please come up. >> Mr. Mills, thank you for accepting this role. Would you like to share a few words? >> Thank you um very much. Um this is my first time doing this, but I'm very
proud to do this uh for the city, and I'm proud that you guys thought of me to um name the street naming. I have a lot of friends, this elders that deserve this um that that really deserve a
street named after them. So, and I have a friend in here. Her mother, I think, deserves to be a street named after her mother. I'm not going to say her name, but she's, you know, but thank you guys very much. It's good seeing you. I
haven't seen you in a while. Hope to see you soon. That's it. >> Thank you. Winston Mills, Donna Wellins. >> Good evening, Miss Williams. >> Good evening. I didn't know I was going to be saying
anything, but I don't mind. Okay. I don't mind. Um well, when um Councilwoman Feliciano uh approached me about um the street naming committee, it was so
um coincidental because I was just putting together um for my students uh street names and facilities of African-Ameans that um are in our city.
And I was just putting that together and I was and she came up like you know to me with that and I was like this is God. So um I I am I am very much a faithful um Trenton resident. Um and I I love
celebrating our seniors. um not only our singers but um people um that that that um care about our city, you know, people that make um significant contributions to our city. So, um I would love to be a
part of of this committee and I just thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Wellins. >> Ed Livingston for South Ward Street. >> Mr. Mr. Livingston cannot be here for um he is yeah he stuck out but he um has
accepted and he is excited about this position. >> And finally, Miss Marge Cwell Wilson from North Ward. >> Good evening, council president, vice president, council members. Um, I know
that it's always a task on council when someone requests to have a street named after them. So, we had to set up some rules and regulations. I don't know what the responsibility is going to be for um us on the committee. I'm sure we'll find
that out. But I'm thrilled because I do like to see our Tranonians names blazed all over the city um because they've given so much to the city. But I also think that we have to scrutinize and make sure that they're welld deserved.
So I want to thank you. I don't know who recommended me, but I want to thank whoever it was and thank you all. >> Thank you Marge. Thank you so much. Madame Caldwell Wilson. All right, we can proceed. Brandon, is there anybody
else? >> I don't believe that we have anybody else here present uh for any um council appointments. >> Okay, thank you. We can proceed. >> Certainly. Um at this at this time, Madam President, we have reached a point of
public comment for agenda items only. If I could have the clipboard for public comment for agenda items only, please. It's the one right sitting right there. Yes. Jorge, while you're back there, could
you please open the door for gentlemen? Thank you. Thank you, sir. Madam President, we have one, two, three, four individuals listed for public comment. For docket items only to the public, public comment will be five minutes for each individual. You
may address any item on the docket or agenda. and you please do state your name and address for the record. The council is not obligated to respond to you. The first person listed is Miss Cordelia Stton. Good evening,
310 Gardener Avenue to the council president and distinguished members of council. I looked over the docket, saw a few typos, but I'll let that go. One of the reason why I'm up here though is to talk about um the uh resolution for the street naming
committee. I think that is such a great idea. March hit it right on the nose. Um this city has is so rich with history. We have had so many uh individuals who have made contributions from oh from young to old and it's really good when
you can have those kind of um those displays of recognition on the streets especially for our children because they're going to miss all this history all the local history you know of people and uh this is just a great way to um show your appreciation. So, I hope that
that uh committee gets up and gets moving, gets the uh rules and regulations and the criteria they're going to need so you know that they the um the naming, you know, goes through smoothly. But it's a great idea. The other thing I wanted to make mention of is that uh I looked at all of these
ordinances where we are selling um public properties. I that is so wonderful because for uh a lot of a lot of times when I come to these council meetings um people are saying how um hard the process is to purchase these homes and they want to do something with
them and I see there's almost half a dozen on here. So that's a great thing. So I don't know what's making this process move quickly but uh please make sure it continues. That's a great way. It encourages people to make investments in the city when they know they don't have to wait years or more for
acquisitions of homes, especially those homes that are, you know, all boarded up and they're not on rolls. They're not doing anything but just being, you know, bringing down resing down communities. I'm not going to be here for the ordinances uh because I'm getting I have
to get get ready to go home. But I do want to say that um I looked over the one for the water rates. I know that you folks have been working hard and you've even created some sort of ad hoc committee. Uh I know it's not going to be easy, but I know that you all are going to work very hard and very
diligent in making sure that whatever uh decisions are made, they will be made in the best business and not for just today but going forward for future generations. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Miss Dayton.
Jaylen Fair. >> Good evening, council. Caitlyn Fair, 215 South Clinton Avenue. Um, just a couple of brief things. Um, ordinance 26016, I'm really happy to see on the docket this evening. Um, this is
a huge issue that I know the city has been battling for a long time and I have personally appeared before council previously to uh air my grievances about. Um, the one thing that I will say in regards to this is that I do hope
that the Department of Housing and Economic Development will put an apparatus and the staffing in place to make sure that we're actually able to implement um, APPA and make it so this ordinance
actually has some teeth to it. Um, that's something that has been on the books previously, but we have not had the capacity in the in in the city to actually implement it, which makes it really kind of obsolete. Um, and it's a really really useful tool um, in dealing
with this issue of dilapidated properties that are just essentially being landbank by individuals, developers, and so on. So I really do hope that the the department has put some thought into how they will actually um ensure that the the staffing and the
apparatus to implement that are in place as a consequence. Um the other things briefly that I wanted to touch on is uh 26007. Um, I don't know what the status of the ordinance is pertaining to or I don't
even know if this actually came um to be. Um, but there were some discussions at one point about LLC's applying to purchase property and the barriers and obstacles that creates for holding those entities accountable when we have issues like the dilapidated properties. Um, and
so I just want to make sure this is something that falls within the ETC neighborhood and we have a lot of issues there with um, absentee landlords and redevelopers who purchase properties and sit on them. Um, and I do see that this is being purchased by an LLC. I did some
digging to see if I could identify who actually is a person attached to this LLC. I didn't come up with anything. Um, so I just wanted to uh request that that be something that continues to be considered about having an actual contact person um associated
with these entities that are purchasing property so that we can actually enforce the consequences um and you know get in contact with those folks if there are issues with the properties. Um the last thing I'll say is I wish that Mr. Smith had stayed but I really appreciated his
presentation regarding particip participatory budgeting. Um, that's something that ETC does a lot of and is the the bulk of what we do with our NRTC funding. Um, and it's a really really powerful tool. Um, and so I hope that
the city will look into how we might be able to implement that with some of the funding um that the city has and and get some of our youth involved and other community members um involved in the process of looking at and helping to give input on how money is being spent
in the city. Thank you. Robin Vaughn. Hi, Robin Vaughn, 1100 Styus Avenue. Uh, I wanted to speak to ordinance 260001, the water rates increase. And um I think
that is essential. Uh when I was on the council, we introduced the first water rate increase uh ordinance uh in 2020 that came after 13 years of no
increases. So, we all know that Trenton, we are very fortunate like many other municipalities that we own a municipal water system. A municipal water system is the
cornerstone of redevelopment. It stabilizes and supports regionally economies, not just our own, but without Trenton Waterworks, the region would suffer. And anybody who understands
what a water system provides economically and fiscally knows that that's a cornerstone of redevelopment. And to even suggest that customers have
any um interest in that is just um uh diabolical. Um, I would like to see the surplus in the reserve accounts. The I want the council to share how healthy they are
after the increase and what the projected funds for the surplus accounts and the reserve accounts are. And that those particularly the surplus which the council has full legal jurisdiction over you can use it for anything you choose
for the residents of this city. The surplus is the dividends for the taxpayers that the burden that we carry for our all departments not just the water department something that the other townships the
the customer countships they don't have. And I would like to start focusing. We have a lot of external advocacy around the water department. We need to start looking internally and use your power as the board of directors of Trenton
Waterworks to work with the union members. Ron McMullen was who's the other one? Ramona Thomas, Debbie Parks. I don't know how she is the the the the the Mercer County chair and also the
president of a international union. That's a major conflict. But at the end of the day, they need to make sure that our professional folks are well um compensated. The mayor has given himself and his administration raises. You have
all gotten raises. There's no way at this juncture that our professionals and workers at that water utility should not be getting raises. You should get the um the unions in here and get them busy
amending those contracts and we don't have to wait until the election so the mayor can get elected. Now, what I'm going to say is to the workers of the city of Trenton, if these unions are not advocating for your raises, you need to
stop paying your membership dues. Period. End the story. And they they need to be in these meetings advocating for that. And anybody who's not is not for Trentonians
and they're not for Trenton and they're not for Trenton Waterworks or any other of our revenue making departments. So I would want to see that type of advocacy from each and every one of you for our water employees and I want to
see an emergency contract for that frazzle. What happened with that? Are we getting that fixed because this tool they claim was so um catastrophic uh in catastrophically
uh in need of remediation and nobody is saying jack crap about it now. So where's the emergency contract to get that fixed? We don't want to see an a sabotageable uh uh a manufactured violation around
it. So, we want to know where we are with that. Get our employees the raises that they deserve. And that's all I have today.
Isa Craig Good evening, council. My name is Kesha Craig and I'm here regarding the vacant property at 153 Fountain Avenue in Trenton. This is my family home. I've been trying
to purchase and restore it since 2021. My goal has always been simple, to reinvest in the neighborhood and bring a long vacant property back to life. Over the last few years, I reached out
multiple times to the city, including in October of 2021, but never received clear guidance or how to move forward. Only recently was I told the property is
not available because it's a part of the choice neighborhood plan, a designation I was never informed of while actively pursuing the property.
As of today, the home remains vacant and no redevelopment has occurred. I'm not here to oppose the city's goals. I support the revitalization. I'm here asking for clarity and
fairness. Specifically, I'm asking when and by what authority this property was placed into the choice neighborhood plan, whether that designation permanently
blocks private accusations or if reconsideration is possible and who should work who should I work with directly to get clear authoritative
answers. I'm ready to move forward in good faith, whether that's through acquisitions or understanding why no pathway exists. I respectfully ask the council's help in
getting transparency and direction so this property doesn't remain vacant. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Madam President, those are all the individuals I have for public comment for
docker agenda items only. Um, if you wish you could please ask for a motion to approve communications petitions and reports. >> May I have a motion to approve communications petitions and reports? >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Councilman Harrison. >> Yes. >> Vice President Williams. >> Yes.
>> Council President Figueroa Kenberg. >> Yes. >> Motion carried. And that brings us to ordinances for second reading and public hearing. >> Yes. Proceed. >> Ordinance 26-001.
Ordinance amending chapter 309 article 2 water rates and charges of Trenton municipal code revising water rates for the city of Trenton and townships of Euing, Hamilton, Hopewell, and Lawrence in accordance with NJSA 48 3123C
and NJSA 483110 providing funds for capital and operational improvements required by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection through administrative ative consent orders with the city. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this
time? Seeing none, Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve. >> May I have a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Second. >> Council President. >> Yes. Council Feliciano. >> Thank you. I just have a quick question
um before we go to the vote on that. On page one, two, three, four, I want to say page seven. Um number 26.
Item number 26 in the list. It says illegal connection bypass of water meter 3500 for the 3/4 service line plus 500 for each additional incremental size. C Trent municipal code at 309-5
unauthorized use of water. Ordinance 237 which we did back in 2023. Um, I have presented an ordinance amending and supplementing 3098G of the code of um rates and charges for
illegal connection and bypass of water meters. And this was pursuant to NJSA 2C um 20-8 theft of services after going over it with our attorney Mr. Colloji back then. Item 10 of that ordinance
says the illegal connection bypass of water meter is $2,000. see the Trenton municipal code because he was saying that that was the max that we could have increased it to because of the state statute. So my question is
is number 26 of what they're looking to do now to move it to the 3500 is that is that the same is that acceptable because we're touching the same thing. >> Um good evening Sean Sample director of water and sore. Um, I'm not sure what
the state could implement that would prevent us from going to to to change that allotment. Um, we could look into that. I'm not sure what the state code says that would prevent us from doing that. >> Well, we addressed it though. So, is I
don't know Mr. Colloji's on the line. We have Director Bridges here. Um, per that we were supposed to have do we have the copy of this? We were supposed to have this on the deis for us to look at as well. Um because we've amended because we have
this ordinance where before we made it to 2000 which was because of our legal guidance saying that that was the maximum per the state law NJSA2C 20-8 theft of services.
Is it permissible now to say that they can increase this to $3,500? That's just the question. Or are we adding the $500 for each incre additional size? Like we didn't get into
um the meter sizes back then. It just it was just termed as illegal connection bypass of water meter from 600 to 2000. C Tinton Municipal Code 309-5 unauthorized use of water.
>> Councilwoman, did you want Mr. Collia to comment to that? >> I want him or director Bridges who looks like he's about to say something. >> Yeah, thank you council president if I may. Um I do recall when council proposed that ordinance for the that se theft of services and at that time it was 2000. I did look at this ordinance
as well as um our outside council looked at. I don't know if that's been revised to to be increased or if it's in accumulative in terms of per um per violation, but when we looked at it, the the the structure of the penalties were proper. I just don't know. I I wasn't thinking about that until you just
brought up. So, I haven't really sat down with the two to marry them. >> So, can we then >> I don't know if Mr. Colloji if he could hear me and and also hear the question if he >> I'm having Yeah, if you could just say it a little louder. I'm I'm here right now. It was all chopped up. I'm sorry.
>> The the question essentially is the proh proposed ordinance for second reading has a $3,500 uh maximum penalty whereas the one the council had done I believe maybe two years ago two and a half three years ago um the maximum penalty was 2,000 and
whether or not they're in conflict with each other if there's been a revision or >> Mr. Bridges, I'm so sorry. It's so muffled. I'm really having a hard time hearing you. >> Um, other than, you know, you being present via the phone. If u, if you'd
like, if you can log on, you might be able to hear the question from Mr. Bridges a little bit louder. >> I would say >> I could do that. >> I mean, I would say with respect to this ordinance in terms of >> You just want to put it Does he just want to speak it into the phone? >> You want to hear? Yeah, that's good.
There's a question, Mr. Colloji, about the second reading of an ordinance providing penalties for illegal water connections. Council had previously passed one uh whereby the maximum penalty was 2,000. This one proposes 3500. Um I have not looked and married the two. Um and I don't know if you have
or or if that question even asked of you prior to tonight. >> I can tell you that the basic law is that the maximum penalty we are allowed to impose for an ordinance violation is $2,000. I didn't draft this ordinance
involving the water rates. Unless there's a specific statute that allows this particular issue to go beyond the 2,00 that would be the only way it would be viable and as I said I didn't draft it so I don't know but the basic rule is
200 unless there's some other provision of law that says otherwise. >> So so a suggestion I have council president and Mr. you can weigh in as well is to um in include a savings claw and a savings clause rather to say to the extent that any portion of this
penalty is deemed um not proper that it will not stop the full force of the ordinance and we and we will still have the prior ordinance. What's your position on that Mr. Colloji? >> Yeah. Yeah, I could certainly I could certainly live with that. So if it's council and a council
president's council wish to do a minor revision to this ordinance simply stating um to the extent that uh any provision of the of this ordinance as it relates to the penalties is deemed improper that uh it will not affect the uh overall um uh force of the ordinance
and the city will still remain um uh have the still penalties clause under the ordinance that was prior passed by council. That's not the wording, but basically if any if any provision is deemed inappropriate, the provision is still legal. >> Council Feliciano, does that satisfy your um inquiry?
>> Yes, that's fine. Just so long as we we cuz we did it and colloi confirmed it. >> It's a very good question. We can just still move on. Yes. >> So, Mr. Garcia, I'd like to move to um an approval for the ordinance and then an approval for an amendment.
Uh I think you need a madam um humbly madam president you'll need an approval for the amendment prior to the approval of the ordinance and madam president I have a question also on that same page >> yes council fry >> so are you uh done okay so it on same page very top line where it says
multi-unit property with 30 to 125 units my question is do is there a cap that the city has on the number of units that we have is um 1325 is that the cap app. >> Well, from our experience, most that is
about the cap we've been dealing with in in all the developments that we've seen so far. So, we had to put that number on there to so we could work from that downwards. So, we don't we haven't experience of going any higher than that. So,
>> so the reason I asked that is just in case there are should we have that amended to units to with 30 units and above um so that we cover everything so that we're not giving ourselves a cap because if we find a unit that has more than 125
um 125 then that one would be excluded in that. So that would be by my request is that we would change that with 30 units and above um on item D on that same page. Okay. >> And then I have one other question on
page three. Um line item four. It says uh veterans or spouses of veterans who are qualified for property tax relief pursuant to NJSA and seniors um seniors and disabled
persons of surviving spouses of same who are qualified for property tax relief pursuant to NJSA 54- col4 through8.40 40 are granted a discount of 10 10% on
consumption charges and fixed services. And it goes on to say about as long as their p their bills are paid for on or before their due date. My question I have with that because I I love the idea of that. I think that is really great is will this be applied automatically or is
this something that has to be requested by the residents repeatedly? So is it each time they're paying their bill? do they have to come back and say I am a qualified person that um qualifies for this 10% discount um how does that work
>> so that's been in place for not previously once they are registered with the system it's it's in part of the system it becomes automatic >> so it is automatically >> yes but once they go through the whole registration process >> page three that's page three >> um A4
okay thank you so much for that thank you madam president >> thank you council President. >> Yes, Councilman Feliciano. >> So, to Councilwoman Frisbee's point, because I know that there are certain apartment buildings, I lived in one in a development that had more than 125
units. I think like she to her point, we should not limit our potential of what we we can get and and like pigeon hole ourselves here. So, I think that we should amend that to say the multi-unit property with 30 or above 30 units or
more. >> Yeah, that's >> it would be $10,000 because we're going to pigeon hole ourselves with that. >> So, if that if that's all right with the council, it should be with 30 or more units. >> Yeah, my um
>> my suggestion was with 30 units and above. >> Okay. Um, so there that that's all I I thought that that should say so that we are inclusive of everyone, >> right? >> Um, and not capping ourselves. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Feliciano. Counciloman Frisbee, I see no more
questions. Um, Mr. Garcia, I would like to move to um a vote on the approval of those amendments at this time. >> Uh, certainly. Just um I guess I'll defer to the attorney or solicitor. Can we frame those amendments and then I'll
ask for a motion? The amendment with respect to the savings clause is um in the uh would the section deemed penalties extend any provision any portion of this provision is deemed improper that it does not uh affect the enforcement of the ordinance.
>> Thank we have to limit it to just that one and not the overall ordinance because that would be too too material to make >> council president specific to that provision to that provision. wage direct bridges. So basic um yeah it's it's in
um sorry it's under schedule G miscellaneous charges for all users. They're both under there and this would be um section 19 letter D as well as section 26.
Um Councilwoman uh council vice president Williams. >> Thank you council president. I just want to ask if we could uh kindly have the clerk uh once all the uh edits are made to send all of council a final copy of this subordinates. >> Thank you.
>> I'll circulate that. >> Thank you. Um so, uh Director Bridges, did you get that? Those two again section G, miscellaneous charges for all users. Um, and this was um
number 19 point D and number 26. >> I was I was hoping the clerk was taking it cuz you >> I got it here. Section 19D, section 26. I also have an item D 30 units and above page three line four seniors uh senior
discount 10% of consump 10% of consumption charges applied. Well, that's applied auto that out. Sorry. Yeah, that >> I was reading down the line. My apologies. And yeah, I think we I think I I believe we stopped at uh the 30 units or more.
>> It was a 30 units and more. And then number 26 um expressing >> Oh, yeah. >> 30 units and above. >> 30 units and above. Yes. Thank you. >> So with those being said then, Madam President, if the amendments are summised to your liking, uh would you
ask for a motion to approve that a motion? Will somebody motion that amendment? So moved. Second. >> Thank you. Roll call for the amendments. Ordinance 01.
Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Councilman Harrison. >> Vice President Williams. >> Yes.
and pre council president Figuroa Kenberg. >> Yes. >> Motion carried. And with that being said, madam president, if you want to ask for a motion to approve ordinance 26-001. >> Maybe we have a motion to approve 26001 with the amendments.
>> So moved. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes.
>> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Figuro Kenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Ordinance 26-002, an ordinance authorizing the execution of a management agreement between the city of Trenton and the rescue mission of
Trenton for the management, monitoring, and maintenance of S Southern Park and surrounding vacant spaces. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? Come on up. Please state your name and address for the record and you will have five
minutes. Robin Vaughn 1100 Styverson. I spoke about this particular ordinance on its first reading. Um I don't know whether or not any research was done or any investigation by the administration on
it. Uh but a shared service agreement or a management agreement with a nonprofit organization is uh by state statute is unlawful. So, I don't know what's going on here with the rescue mission and giving city
property to them. They're a nonprofit organization. We give them grant money. How is it that they are getting property with no type of obligation
except for they're going to maintain it? Maintain it how? with our taxpayer dollars that we give them anyways, they get grant money up the wazoo. I mean, what is going on here?
So, I just want some type of accountability here, a shared service agreement. I hope that the business administrator or our monitor at DCA needs to address this because
shared services agreement is only done between municipality to municipality, government to government, city to county, county to state, vice versa, not with a nonprofit organization.
And that's all I'm gonna say, but keep being unlawful. >> Thank you, Miss Vaughn. Um, Director Bridges, I did ask this question after um, Miss Vaughn proposed it um, in the last council session. Can you kind of
reprise us of your response >> about this specific ordinance? >> Yeah, the the specifics are the actual facts are we're not giving the land away to anybody. It is a long-term lease. Um the shared services portion of it is involving both this um both the city and
the county and um not only has have I looked at as law director standpoint we've had outside council look at it as has the county of Mercer as has the rescue mission. So just to put any misnomers to bed this is not something we're giving any land away. We are uh
entering into long-term lease where they're going to beautify it, rectify it, um remediate it, and and uh and there's also some added benefits that I can't talk about now because they're in the works, but could also help the city as it relates to um certain open space
um opportunities. So, we're not giving land away. We're entering into shared services with with another government entity to do this work and uh it's going to be a really nice project when it's done. >> Thank you, Director Bridges. Um, BA register, do you have any information to
provide with regard to this ordinance reasoning? >> Maria Richardson, business administrator. Thank you, council president. Um, basically we we have been having uh some conversations with um the rescue mission and other groups. This is
a management agreement rather. Um and we are basically giving them the ability to um manage that um that's that open space there for park
to build and maintain a park. If we don't do this um they will not have the ability to raise the money. They have to have the use of that uh open space for about 15 20 years in order to for organizations to grant money to them to
build a park. But it will continue to be a cityowned property. They will only maintain it. >> Thank you. So again, it's not a sale of property. It is management, monitoring, and maintenance of the property for use. >> Yes. Thank you. Yeah. >> And if I may piggyback on BA Richardson,
um our taxpayers will not be paying for the maintenance. That's why it's a maintenance agreement. Uh the rescue mission will be doing that. >> Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you. >> Never mind. It It says on here management agreement. It doesn't say
shared services agreement. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Councilman Edwards, >> I'm sorry I left my mic on. I was only going to say the same thing. Councilwoman Feliciano said that this is not a shared service agreement. It's a management agreement and um it's it's
clearly written here. So, I'm I'm still in support of this. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh, Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to remind uh in case anyone doesn't know that this park will be the Harlon Joseph Peace Park. uh it's going to be named after a great tronian who uh
unfortunately lost his life uh during the 1968 riot as he came was a divinity student and he ran all the way from Carol Street to downtown to help quell the violence and it's a park that will have many uses as uh director Bridges uh mentioned it'll be beautiful but also
will serve the community in a lot of great ways. >> Thank you council vice president for sharing that story again. Um Mr. Garcia we could proceed. Certainly. Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? Seeing none, Madam President, if
you want to ask for a motion to approve. >> May we have a motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh Madame President. >> Yes. Council, >> I just uh thank I just want to say I am excited about this management agreement that we're going to be doing with the rescue mission. it's going to give a
better quality of life for us many of our residents who have um fell on hard times and otherwise the space would be dormant. So I am glad that we're going to be doing something very productive with it and I am glad for this agreement. I hope we have more like it.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Um Mr. Garcia, we could proceed. >> Certainly. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes. Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez,
>> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> And Council President Figueroa Kenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. On to ordinance 26-003, ordinance amending and supplementing
chapter 14 of the code of the city of Trenton, traffic as it applies to parking restrictions for vans and trucks in residential areas. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? >> Robin Vaughn 1100 Styverson. Um,
having businesses to be able to park their commercial vehicles in front of their business 24/7. That's what it says 247, right? I just want to know how is that going to be enforced? Are there going to be parking permits established
with the chief of transportation? I don't know if it's Anthony Centur. Is it going to be how what does that look like? Are they going to have a you know like handicap type signs that designate that's their parking space? Like how is
that going to be enforced? But I don't think this ordinance is a good one. Uh it doesn't prioritize the residents. The business owners most likely do not live in Trenton. Residents should not have to compete with uh uh business owners uh
off business hours on weekends and etc. For them to say 24/7 just means that they can't park their vehicle in their town and in their city and they want to come into Trenton and leave their business vehicles on our streets and
devalue our property and appearance of our residential and business areas. So 24/7 go to any municipality whether it's Philadelphia, New York. Actually
deliveries in New York City deliveries are only on certain days. I believe is Mondays andor Thursdays. So the fact that they need 247 cart blanch to park in front of their businesses,
that is absurd. So, uh, I have a business across the street from my home and I have complained sometimes that they have left commercial vehicles. They've been, you know, very, um, you
know, uh, cooperative, but nobody should come out after business, after their businesses close, business hours. That's all that's all they need 24/7. Go in their communities. I bet you they can't do it. I bet you their council would not
even think of uh passing such a law or favor. Go to Princeton and try to park on Nassau Street in front of one of those business 247 or give them a permit or a reserve parking space. Go to Mil Hill
and see if that will happen and which communities are going to be zoned for this nonsense. So, I don't know who came up with that. Clearly, somebody who's real slow. Um,
because that is absurd. Let me see a commercial vehicle parked out in front of my house and that store is closed. Business hours. I could see granting that during business hours what 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. like any normal
city that has common sense laws and ordinance. So that's all I have to say about that. Thank you. Um there were questions about this ordinance in the last meeting um in
specific to if it would apply to all businesses and if it was um zoned to which um businesses that this would apply to. Um this is a loading zone and it is I I believe one or two vehicles max. I I'm not sure on that clarity. I
know there were questions. Um if Mr. is anybody here to speak to this ordinance just to answer those quick questions for us. I know this is second reading. Anybody public works? Thank you, Zoya. Council
President um Anthony Santoro would be the appropriate person to answer questions and he is not here. I don't feel comfortable answering any questions about that ordinance. >> Okay. Thank you. B I mean this is second reading. There were questions asked in docker review and I know council
colleagues had a chance to answer their questions in first reading. At this time does any of my council colleagues have any additional questions to this ordinance? Councilwoman Frisbee. So, Madame President, um this is something
without the conversation all that came on insultingly any prior is something that I actually do have concerns about. Um, we're trying to get trucks, vans, commercial vehicles off our streets and
aesthetically we don't I don't want them I don't want them sitting in front of my house. I don't want them sitting in front of my neighbor's house. I don't want them sitting in front of anywhere. I think they should have their own place that they are uh designated to be in. So, I question
this. I understand where it came from and we do want to support business, but um I do not agree that we should have commercial vehicles that are staying on our streets overnight. We definitely should have them. They they should have
a place just like we all have a place for our vehicles. I believe that commercial vehicles should have their own place as well and especially one to two spaces. Our city is really tight for parking as it is and so I really do not
think that this is something that works to our residents who pay our taxes here. I do not believe that this works to our benefit. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Um I I wanted to speak to that because those were my questions. I'm looking for my docker review questions that I had. Um but from what I
understand, this will only be allowed for certain businesses and in front of the business. There is another ordinance that's coming before us this evening for first reading that does um seek to keep uh commercial vehicles from 19 ft and
above off of our residential streets um from I believe 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 in the morning. So that is something that is being presented u later. This is something specific for the businesses for them to just park at their businesses in their um I guess their
coded zoning areas. Um, so with does anybody else have any other questions? >> Council President, >> Council Feliciano. >> So it says that the the the businesses are in residential areas. I read I'm reading the memo, right?
Businesses in the city in residential areas. And then you have another that's coming up saying that it can't be but a certain feet from the thing. >> Okay. >> Within within that time. Go ahead. >> Zap me in. >> Step in.
>> I think there's just it's apparently a lot of questions with respect to this. So, if it's council president, uh, with your permission, I'd like to pull this to allow this these questions to be answered because it seems like we have several. And, um, I >> thank you. >> I think best of action.
>> Yeah. Again, this is I mean, this is second reading. Um, so yes, we can certainly pull this. >> Ordinance is pulled. On to 26-004. Ordinance amending and supplementing chapter 14
of the code of the city of Trenton traffic as it applies to Malberry Street. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? Seeing none, Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve. >> May we have a motion to approve.
>> So moved. Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams
and Council President Figuro Keeper, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Ordinance 26-007. Ordinance authorizing the sale of city-owned property commonly known as 396 to 398 North Clinton Avenue and 28 East Burn Avenue and identified on the
city tax maps block 21403 lots 22 and 23 block 21501 lot 19 pursuant to NJSA 4A1213C to 713 Whitaker LLC for the sale price
of $23,000. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? >> Seeing none, Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve. >> Do we have a motion to approve? >> So moved. Second. >> I'm sorry, who's the second?
>> Gonzalez. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. Give me one second. I'mma abstain from this one. Thank you.
>> Not Councilwoman Frisbee. I have a question before I answer give my response and my my question is um because we've had so many properties that we have not voted
on because of the lot size that this they're being able to build and all the rest of that. We now have this lot where some of them are are standing buildings, some of them it is a a um it is a lot and there others two pieces have
buildings on them. Does this mean that all those other properties that we blocked, those that we pulled, those that have been brought before us or that were presented prior to us
uh putting a hold on things, are those going to be grandfathered in? because fair I I want to make sure that we're fair with everybody and that we're not just um saying yes to one because one of the lots we're giving for $1,000. So, I
would like to make sure that if if we're going to be if we're going to start voting on these again that we need to make sure that every that this is going to be for everyone and for those that went that went before us, are those also going to be given the same lenency um
the same respect? I think that's my question. >> Is there somebody from the administration that would like to answer to her question? Do you want to >> director Bridges? >> Yes, it it is. Yeah, we're in the middle
of a vote. >> Okay. So, my I'm going to go back to You don't that I don't even need an answer. My motion is my my answer is no. >> Yes. Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. Vice President Williams
>> saying >> and Council President Figuro Kenberg >> no >> motion failed. Ordinance 26-00008, an ordinance amending Ordinance 25-138,
which amended chapter 2, article 3, section 2 through 7, entitled boards, bodies, and commissions and repealing and replacing chapter 2, article, and I'm so sorry, this is 14. Section 71
entitled, Is that right? Section 71. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. entitled Landmarks Commission for Historic Preservation and Chapter 315, article 15 entitled Historic District Regulations of the Code of the City of Trenton. Are there any members of the public that
wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? Seeing none, Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve. >> We have a motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes.
Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> And
Council President Figuro Edenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. On to resolutions. Resolutions. Madam President, are there any resolutions this evening that you wish to pull for either a roll call vote or for uh questions?
>> Council President. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. >> Council Feliciano. >> 2634 35 3640. >> 36 is pulled by a has been pulled by administration. Just to let you know, CP
and Council Councilwoman >> uh Council Feliciano, what was the one after 35? 34 35 40 >> 40. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Council President. >> Council Gonzalez. >> Um 2646 and then
um 26028. >> Okay. One second. >> Sorry, that was the first one. >> 04. Okay, >> Madam President. >> Yes. Yes. Frisbee 26029 260326035
and that's it. Okay. Um, Councilwoman Edwards, >> sorry, I just forgot to turn my light off. >> Okay, thank you. All right, let's go ahead and proceed. Um, starting with Council Gonzalez 26028. Yes, I had a
quick question with this. Um, just to make sure I thought I mean I could have if correct me if I'm wrong. I thought in some one of our emails um with uh attorneys and legal that we weren't allowed to kind of negot do the
negotiating forous. >> I just want to double check to make sure that that's >> Council President, if I may. >> Yes. >> Um yeah, I I did um um request of the clerk that this not be placed on on the agenda. um for the reasons that were articulated in the email you received um
in terms of I just don't think it's proper for council to be at negotiating table and then um conflict yourself out in terms of voting um that's really an administrative function and uh I believe Mr. colloji put in writing the council his interpretation that so I I did ask
for it not to be on but I was told that um council desired a discussion in that regard so >> okay thank you I was I was just cur I thought I saw that so I just wanted to make sure um >> I I did not sign it >> we could roll call this one for me >> director Bridges I mean I just want to
hear from uh Mr. Colli I did not hear from Mr. Colli directly that he recommended this not be on the docket >> I I I think that's a good suggestion Mr. Colloji if you understand the question you can give them your interpretation of the statute of this. >> It was done clearly recognizing the
power of the mayor to negotiate all agreements on behalf of the municipality. It was in no way intended to be an encroachment onto the mayor or the administrative aspects powers. It was designed to kind of create a
dialogue between the council and the administration so that all of the issues that the council has repeatedly brought up over the years regarding theou would be uh communicated to the administration
for further communication to the DCA or whoever they're negotiating with. So, this was not intended uh, you know, in any way to be a usurpation of anyone's powers. If you want to pull it, we can pull it and Mr. uh, Bridges and I can
see if we can work out some more acceptable language by the next meeting. That's certainly one option. >> Council President, >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> thank you. So, the intention of this ad hoc committee, I see in the title and
Mr. Colloji had crafted it and put negotiation in it. I asked for this because we do I I have questions and I know that there's other council members that have questions about how we're getting to certain points with the DCA with thisou.
No one wants to tell the administration how to do what it is that they they do. But we do deserve to have clarity on what it is you want us to vote on at the end of the day when you present thisou to us and we just say yes. It appears to
me, in my humble opinion, that many times the administration will just go ahead and say yes to what DCA says because they're they're I don't know if they're nervous about pushing back or we need the money so bad. And yeah, we do need the money, but there's certain things now that have been brought to
light that I have an issue with. We we can't give out turkeys to the people in the street. This ain't Princeton or Lawrence or Hamilton. We can't have programming for the children, summer food for the kids. How is it that DCA can come and impose such things and the city will turn around and say, "Okay,
yes, just give us the money." Then who's really fighting for Trenton? So, I ask that we have this committee to sit and talk with the administration to go through theou so that we can ask questions about, hey, when you go to the
table, can you ask them this? Because then what's going to happen is if we don't when it comes before us for a vote this time then I'm going to ask every single question here on this day is and I'm hopeful that someone will have an answer. Enough is enough. We've been through this long enough. We're not
green anymore, right? We're not green anymore. And we have a right as the legislative body to ask the questions that we want to know before we just come and you throw a document in front of us and we just say yes. That is why I'm asking for this committee. I'm not
negotiating anything. We're asking for clarity and understanding. Thank you, Council President. President President, >> yes. May I clarify something? I I just need to clarify that I have not received any indication from DCA that they are
opposing for us to uh run or implement any programs directed to children or any programs related to the summer food service program. summer food service program is a uh standing program that
it's paid for the states paid uh from the department of agriculture, the federal department of agriculture through the state department of agriculture and DCA has not made any um indications that they would like us to
limit that. Um the indications that I received from DCA were pertaining to SE expenditures for food um but nothing to do with the summer food service program. I just want to clear that. >> Council President, >> Council Feliciano.
>> Thank you. BA Richardson. >> Sure. >> So we just had a last minute Black History Month flag raising that was put together. Why was the delay? >> What was the delay? I don't know what you're talking about about any delays.
>> Have any other programs been scheduled for the rest of the year recreational for the city? >> Do we have are we are we going to do what we did? Is there an issue? Wasn't there issues with Halloween? We couldn't do things. We can't give out stuff. We can't All I'm saying is respectfully to
you, BA Richardson, we deserve to sit and have a conversation. We deserve to have the conversation. No one is challenging what it is that you all have to do and what you're faced to do to get what you
need to help our city. But I can't sit back and not ask the questions that need to be asked now that I'm understanding exactly how much DCA is encroaching on us with certain things and do it in clear conscience. I I I I'm hopeful that
y'all are asking the questions that need to be asked, but I want you to ask our questions. I want to send your concerns, Councilwoman Feliciano. I just wanted to clear the record, you know, as of some information that was not accurate. >> I just took that because I'm like, if they cutting out the programming and they we can't have anything, then it's
going to be that as well. I know that they have put restrictions on certain things about food because there was an issue with the Halloween thing and other programs that were happening where people were looking for things and they were like, "No, th this is how we function. This is what
we do." Some of these kids don't even leave the city of Trenton. Like I I just feel like we deserve a seat at the table beforehand so that we can just have a conversation. We're not trying to tell you how to do it. We just want to go line by line with you and just ask
certain questions for you to ask DCA when y'all go and negotiate. You do that. We just want to put our questions first with you rather than because like I said, when you come back this time, then then y'all going to have to answer. And then it's not going to be well let me check with DCA like I don't I don't
want to hear that respectfully. >> Noted council president if I may also I I agree with Councilwoman Christopher Feliciano. However, again as to Mr. Colloji's point I think this should be taken back and reworked because if you just look at the plain title of it you
need to have answers to all those questions but it said to work with the administr with with the administration to negotiate the memorandum of understanding with it's speaking about directly negotiating with the with DCA which cannot happen. So I think with
some minor revisions I agree with all of your points but you cannot negotiate with DCA just reading the plain language of the resolution. with some minor tweaks. I think it could definitely be a posit a win-win and something that I think we all can agree on. But what we can't agree on is this body nor any
members of this body can negotiate quote with the division of local government services. >> Council President tweaks, >> thank you for that, Director Bridges. As I said when Colloji put it together, he put the wording in about the negotiation, right? So we just need to
tweak that part. We I don't want to negotiate anything. We want an ad hoc committee so that we can work with the administration in discussion of the the memorandum of understanding um that that is being given by the DCA.
Can can we just amend it real quick right now? >> So can I just say real quick? >> Thank you. It just if if it's just a like two words, >> a resolution creating an ad hoc committee to work with the administration who negotiates a m um a
new memorandum of understanding with division of local government services. Would that work? >> Who negotiates? Yeah. >> Right. Who? Yes. Take out the word in and put who and instead of negotiating with negotiates. >> But can you say that again? I didn't get
it. So, and a resolution creating an ad hoc committee to work with the administration who negotiates a new memorandum of understanding with the division of local government services.
This is the administration who negotiates. >> Mr. Cloji, does that does that sound sufficient to you? Mr. Collic, I'm >> sorry. Did you repeat the question, Mr. Garcia? >> Yeah, the third warehouse is what I was
going to get to that. Mr. Colli, um, Councilman Frisbee is proposing that the the resolution title be changed to a resolution creating an ad hoc committee to work with the administration who negotiates a new memorandum of understanding with the division of local government services rather than it
saying um to work with the administration in negotiating. Yeah, I would I would change the verbiage to indicate that it's an ad hoc committee for the purpose of working with the administration prior to its
negotiations with the DCA. This way, it makes it abundantly clear that we're only sitting down with the mayor and administration and we are not uh part of the actual negotiation process that might offend the Faulner Act. >> Correct. Yeah, Councilwoman Feliciano is
is simply asking to have a voice at the table. Um, in the third, whereas well, do we need to make any amendments to that where it says whereas the city council has determined it to be in the best interest of the city to work with the administration in attempting to negotiate and effectuate certain
revisions to set on issues relating to hiring discipline, um, contract negotiations, public contracting, and general oversight. Council President, can't we just strike that whereas altogether? Can't we just leave it as relative to the municipal
operations period now therefore be it resolved? Can't we just strike that third whereas >> and then and then that eliminates because we going to talk about what we going to talk about? >> Right. Director Bridges or or Mr. Collois, does that work for y'all? >> My preference would be to have to sit
down and look at this and to revise it in its entirety and not do now. I just I'm I'm concerned about the the verbiage. some concern about the various uh you know functions of the administration. I'd like to have conversation Mr. Colloji about it. Um obviously you can defer to your
council's um uh opinion on this. Um and but at this juncture I'm not going to be signing until I have a little bit more robust conversation with him and do some research myself on it. >> Council President Gonzalez. Okay. Um I don't want to speak certainly
for uh Councilwoman Feliciano, but I am curious if it might help to uh clearly lay out if it's so that the ad hoc committee would be acting in an advisory capacity rather than a regulatory capacity or that could be in tuned as
such. So it makes it clear at the very beginning and you know that this is hey we have questions just like you're saying um let's get some answer to these questions and we're only advising you we're not telling you what to do. Council President, can I answer that real quick? >> Yeah, Councilman Feliano.
>> So, I get where you're coming from, Council Vice President Williams. I mean, we however we need to word it, right? We're not we're we're just sitting to have the questions that we have to be answered so we can just go
line by line with the administration about this. I don't think that this is I don't think we need to draw this out. I don't I don't think we need to circle around it. I just think that um I'm good with it if you say in an advisory
capacity. I mean I don't it we could strike the third whereas and call it a day. And I know that there's some members that are against this um from the administrative side. Um
but we need to do this. We have a right to ask the questions and and um I just say that we amend it and strike the third. Whereas >> Madam Councilman Edwards, >> thank you. Um I agree with all what was
said. I too have you know in my crusade to implement ad hoc committees to get us more you know involved with these day-to-day things to an extent have asked my questions about this as well and I too got the same answers that
councilwoman Gonzalez had that the negotiating of the contracts is strictly the administration's role the mayor's uh role as per the Faulner act >> we understand that I am in support of of a version of this that makes sense
legalitywise that serves as sort of an advisory or a recommendation with it to the administration and you know and I don't even think we need to strike out completely the third whereas if we can say something along the lines
as whereas the city council has determined it to be in the best interest of the city to work with the administration in an advisory capacity to review theou prior to their attempt to negotiate and infectuate certain revisions to said
MLOU etc etc. I think that's fair. It doesn't encroach or or overstep our capacity as the legislative body of the capital city but it provides oversight of the administration which directly
states in the Faulner Act is our role here as council. So, I am not in favor of just letting this die because someone doesn't like this happening and feels as though their authority is being challenged because that's not what this is. We need efficiency with our city and
thisou dictates how this city is ran dayto day including having the Halloween festival and providing food, including the block parties that the administration is doing and providing food. we're prohibited as a city from doing a lot of things as stated in
thisou. So I do believe to councilwoman Feliciano's point that this is a vital ad hoc committee that would be essential in correcting the things that's stopping us from having a good quality of life here at the very basic level in the
capital city. So let's get this done. >> Yeah. >> And let's stop the excuses. Let's stop dancing around because people feel threatened and let's make sure we work together to make sure this city is operating efficiently. >> Thank you. >> Council President, if I jump in very
briefly. >> Go ahead, director. >> Um, allow me to be clear. Um, this is not something where anyone, not any council member, not any member of the administration said they're in opposition of council woman's uh inquiries and getting information. to
quite the contrary. This is simply a matter of uh number one the applicable Faulner Act and two as I said reading the plain language of the resolution. My concern was if a council member were negotiating at the table those that council member would be barred from
voting on it those two ad hoc committees. So that that was for council's protection not for anyone's desire to crash this or not for any uh one's desire to make it more difficult to get answers to those very important questions. However, um now that we've u beat this dead horse, I've had enough
time to look at the language and something that I would be comfortable in revising it to allow to go forward on the third whereas would be whereas the city council has determined it to be in the best interest of the city to and I quote what I wrote down meet and confer with the administration prior to
negotiation of saidou on issues relating to hiring fire negotiating public contracts general oversight. To Mr. Colloji's point that will give council some warm cozy feeling that there their um concerns, rightful concerns and everything council Christophiano said.
We um often share in those difficult conversations, but you'll have um some confidence that you'll be heard and that your um concerns will be heard when the negotiations start with DCA. So, if that's uh council's will, um I can propose that amendment again and we can
go forward and vote on this one. >> Anybody have Councilwoman Edwards, you had something else? >> Um I was just thinking along the times of legality, right? If there are things that prohibit us legally, if these
things can be proven that we cannot vote because there's some sort of conflict of interest because we are involved in the contract negotiations, I would suggest that we still move forward with a variation of this ad hoc committee even if it's just three of us and we meet and
comb through with Mr. Colloji our attorney and we can provide a list of recommendations to the administration so that way that we have a degree of separation and we're not involved in the contract directly. So I just wanted to put that alternative out there if it
comes out that these things are prohibiting us. I think I think the two marry each other well as I said with the revision in the second where asked to meet and confer with the administration prior to the negotiation of theou um I think that is uh protecting this council sufficiently so that you will not have
any um conflicts or anything of the sort. It will allow you to do the process that you just articulated um in conjunction Mr. Colloji and everything can uh I believe move forward properly and legally and with those revisions I would be able to sign it as to form legality. Yeah,
>> council president. >> Council Blissella, >> I'm sorry. So, just for clarity sake, can the can Mr. Garcia read the amended title and then the amended third?
Whereas, just so we can have clear understanding of the verbiage so that we can vote on the amendment and then vote on the >> um vote on the resolution itself. >> Yes. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Garcia. Certainly. Once those amendments are
written down and the title is written. >> Yeah. Yeah. Mr. Bridges, can go ahead. Can you >> if you could read the full resolution into the record? >> It could read. Yeah. >> As amended, it will read a resolution creating an ad hoc committee to meet and confer with the administration prior to
the negotiation of the memorandum of understanding with the division of local government services in Perez. MOU. >> Okay. That's the title. Mr. Bridges, what about the third whereas >> that is the title as amended? >> Yeah,
>> the in the third whereas it is amended to read whereas the city council has determined it to be in the best interest of the city to meet and confer with the administration prior to the negotiation of saidou on issues relating to hiring,
discipline, contract negotiation, public contracting and general oversight. Okay. All right. Um, anybody have any concerns with those amendments? Councilman Frisbee, >> just for a clarity, were you um in the
whereas where you said for the city council to meet and confer with the administration prior to meeting with whereas the administration the administration meets that so that we're all clear that that it's not >> do you understand what I'm saying?
>> Um, Rachel, whereas again Whereas, right? So, whereas the city council has determined read it one more time and I'll stop you right where I needed. >> Yes, sir. Um whereas the city council has
determined it to be in the best interest of the city to meet and confer with the administration prior to negotiating >> prior to prior prior to the administration prior to the administration. Okay, that's we can add
it to prior to the administration negotiating negotiating theou on issues relating to and continuing to the end of that sentence. >> There you go. >> Okay. All right. Is everybody else comfortable with this moving forward? I don't want to keep going back and forth and I mean
if anybody else has not come through I'm going to ask that we you know. >> So is everybody comfortable? >> I was going to say like uh council president. >> Yes council president. So, um I just just because of the hesit I just feel like it's kind of being rushed. Um and I
know that uh director bridges to just kind of rewarded the the I'm not opposed of the I understand the idea. I understand why this is presented to us, but I just also feel like it's kind of like like we have to do it tonight and I don't feel comfortable doing that. I
just wanted to put that on the record. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. I mean, I I just feel like it's semantics at this point when it comes to this. Like, we understand what the goal is and it's just kind of getting the wording. So, I appreciate your sentiments, >> Council President. >> Councilwoman Fiano. >> So, to Councilwoman Gonzalez's point,
it's not being rushed. Um, certain things we can do on site and with the amendments and certain things we can't. They're going to get theou and it's going to come before us soon. And so, that is why I'm like, we we can move. This is we have emailed this back
and forth where this could have been rectified even before tonight from the administration. Now we're here and now it's and now we're seeing this. Um it was re it was um discussed and recommended by our legal council that it
would be something that is okay to do. It is all right for us to move and do this and ask the questions. Um I believe that we need to go ahead and get this done so that we are up and the
committee can move um to meet with the administration to go through so this way we can pose what it is that we want to know and just get the ball rolling on it. So that is you know respectfully my opinion on this. We're not rushing this. This is necessary. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. So if if we can move forward with these amendments council president >> as they are coun vice president Williams >> thank you may I just have a quick question um with this and I'm supportive of this uh would DCA have any uh qualms
about this process or a change in way of doing business and I would ask that for uh Mr. Bridges and BA Richardson I just like to get their perspective. No, I I I think it would have been a concern prior to the amendment, but now with the amendments, I mean, again, that's that's
another issue. It just was it c it just over too many lines crossing it shouldn't with the amendments making clear it's meeting conference, keeping the lines of communication open, getting your request to issues that you have in terms of asks or interpretation of it to be able to meet and confer with the
administration. I I believe that this is would be a perfectly fine document and and one that no one would question including DCA. It's basically sharing information which quite frankly we do anyway. So it just really memorializes it but it again confirms that you know you guys want some some stuff heard
before those negotiations happen which is fine as as amended. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Um thank you Mr. Colli. I mean, uh, for clearing that up like I I had not heard prior to this that, you know, you were not in favor of this. So, thank you so much for clearing that up with
us. I'd like to proceed at this time. >> Okay. Madam President, if that's the case, then you're going to want to ask for a motion or you're going to want somebody's going to want a motion to amend the resolution as
>> uh recited by Mr. Bridges. I'd like to make a motion that we amend the resolution 26028 to have Director Bridges um proposed to us tonight. >> Second. >> Motion second. Call the role. Councilwoman Edwards.
>> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Vice President Williams. >> Yes. >> Council President Figureroa Kenberg. >> Yes. Motion carried to amend and uh madam
president if you want to ask for a motion to approve that. >> May we have a motion to approve with the amendments. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes.
>> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Council uh Vice President Williams. >> Yes. Council President Figuro Royal Kenberg. >> Yes. >> Motion carried. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, Councilwoman Feliciano 26029.
>> I have 46. >> Oh, C. I'm sorry. >> Oh, wait. You had >> 46. Okay. >> Oh, >> but it it's just something really quick. One, I'm definitely in support of this. Um, but I know I've been going back and
forth um also um with legal about um ICE agents being able to use mask and all of that thing. So I wanted to see if we could amend it to include that >> or should that be something totally separate? >> Council President, >> yes you had. >> So Councilwoman Gonzalez, that should be
its own uh separate separate thing. And actually Mr. Colloji uh helped draft this and so this is uh simply to have a separate >> Exactly ma'am. uh have council on record and then also calling on the legislature to pass legislation which would help municipalities be able
>> to keep out ICE detention centers. >> Gotcha. I'm I'm I'm all for I just wanted to see if that would be something totally different. So consent CP for me. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um Councilwoman Edwards, >> sorry. >> This is 046. >> Thank you. My work just my mic just started working out of nowhere. Um I
just had a question. Is this a typo in the title the res a resolution opposing the sighting of or should it say sitting of? >> That is Oh, I'm so sorry. Go ahead. >> Um, I would, if I might, if Mr. Colli can answer that, I believe it uh I could
see where both ways it could be, but I believe that is the legalistic way to say this for actual placing of a location, whether it is uh by creating a property or leasing a property. Without Mr. you if he can answer that for us. >> Yes, thank you. Cuz I was concerned
about the spelling >> sighting. Sighting. We looked it up and confirmed it. Yeah, it's sighting. >> Okay, >> that's sit. >> We looked it up. >> Yes, it is a sight of some place. Not citing, not not repeating or you know
>> quoting. Okay. >> It's the sit as in the situating of a >> Yeah. >> something location. >> Council members, you satisfied? >> Yes. >> Okay. Council Frisbee, you have question 046. >> Does it go? >> Okay. >> Is it
>> Madame President? Madam President, one more thing cuz cuz this is what's causing the confusion for me >> in the title is saying with with one T which I understand >> situated sighting and then in the first whereas it says sitting as in Si Ti N.
>> Okay. So, I wasn't I wasn't sure on which word we're going with here. And it's saying it as with it's it's alternating throughout the document. In the title is has one T. The first whereas it has two T's and in the fourth
whereas it I mean no the first further resolved has one T. So I'm very confused on which word we should be using. >> It should be the one T. If there is a place where the two T's are still >> present, we'll make sure the original has So >> one T.
>> Yes. The first whereas and the now therefore it be resolved has two T's. >> First whereas >> next >> and the now. Got it. >> Thank you. That was my confusion. I'm like wait which one what what does this word mean?
>> I'm not going to lie. We were for a bit. >> Thank you. Council Vice President Williams. >> Yes ma'am. I was just curious if we may have uh asked Mr. Garcia to read this resolution into the record. If not in due of time, I understand. >> Yeah, I don't I don't think that's
necessary at this time, but go ahead. Mr. Garcia, can you please read this in the record? >> Uh, certainly. If I could have 46. Thank you. Oh, we got it here. Uh, resolution opposing the the sitting of opposing the sighting
of any federal immigration detention facilities within the city of Trenton. Whereas there have been indications that the federal government is desirous of sitting additional federal citing additional federal immigration detention
facilities within the state of New Jersey. And whereas in light of nationwide controversies surrounding federal immigration practices, such facilities are immortal to the public good and only to only serve to further inflame dissension among our immigrant
population. in addition to posing a potential threat to safety of all residents. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the city council of the city of Trenton that it goes on record as vigorously opposing the consideration or
sighting of any such facilities within or near the city of Trenton for the reasons of force said. And it is further resolved that the New Jersey legislature is hereby urged to pass any necessary legislation to preclude the sitting of
the sighting of facilities such facilities within highly populated areas including cities such as the city of Trenton. And it is further resolved that a confirmed copy of this resolution be rewarded be forwarded by the city clerk
to the governor of the state of New Jersey, the Senate President of the State of New Jersey, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, and all members of the New Jersey Senate and New Jersey Assembly representing the city of Trenton. And it is further
resolved that this resolution shall take effect pursuant to Loftton. Thank you, Mr. Garcia. Okay, consent. >> Okay, thank you very much. Let's proceed. >> Um, so 2629 was in fact one of them. Councilwoman
Frisbee, so I just had a question about how did we get to the members? I one I I love the idea of this committee, but I just want to know how do we get to these individuals um
that were selected council. >> Thank you. Mhm. >> So, back when we had presented well and I had presented the um the street renaming after talking to
Anthony Santo, they talked about having we put in there when we voted that it would be someone from each ward and everything like that because of the fact that there were questions I guess or at one time they were talking about dissolving the ethics
committee. which we had already appointed these people and had them come in and and said that they would do it. Um not to have them not be able to do anything. It was offered to say do you want to do that? Right. And then there
was a question about the parking authority. there there was questions about things and so that's how it came to that. when it came to the south ward and it came to the east ward when they we looked back at it and went over it,
um there were two vacancies that were open. And so the council members in that respective area were sent emails asking if they had someone that they wanted to put for that area because the other one was taken with Winston who was from the west, Marge who was from the north. And
so then when I saw Donna, we had a conversation and she was saying about her wanting to be involved in something with the city and doing something. I said, "Well, submit an email and just say that you're interested. You live in the east." And she said, "Yes." And so because she submitted the email in the
east, then she was selected that way. And I guess Mr. Livingston from the south was selected that way. >> He was on the prior committee that was dissolved. That's what you're saying. The ethics committee. >> So there was a question about them not them doing the way with this the
city ethics and folding it into the state and because it looked like it was moving in that direction was like well we just can't just leave these people hanging out there. They're like calling saying y'all not calling us in for nothing. What are you doing? Erica Presley was asked as well but she declined being on the street renaming
committee. She said she wasn't interested in doing that. So those people were asked and that's how that that's how that went. >> Okay. cuz these individuals are actually >> requested requested to be a part of some that that's that's what I'm trying to get to. Did we go and select them or did
they come and ask us? Okay, thank you for that. >> Yeah, you're welcome. >> consent. >> Thank you. Um 26032. Is that Frisbee or Feliciano? >> That's me. >> Okay, Councilwoman Frisbee,
>> thank you. Uh 32. Oh, this was um this was just a c a curiosity. I I on the back of page four. Um I was really curious as to how why there's a 100% on line six and there's
nothing there. Was that just an error? Was a typo um for the percentage and then 90% for the Sakler Realy Services Group? Uh that's that's really what my only question about that. I is is that a typo? Is that where is there supposed to
be something there? Which page are you? On page the back of page four. One, two, three. Yeah, four. The back of page four. You'll see um one through nine and it's line six.
Resolution 032. Oh, that's the Okay, that's making this 7:30, but that's not adding up to here. What is the resolution number? >> That's resolutions 26-032. >> Oh, that makes sense. 78. So, it is the
totals, I guess. So, the word total should have been there. That's what I'm missing. I might I'm drawing a blank here. Okay. So, that's what So, it should have just been the totals. >> Yes. >> Okay. Never mind. >> But council vice president. >> Yes, councilwoman Feliciano.
>> So, but even in looking at that, the total is incorrect cuz 70 + 30 is 100 + 10 is 110. So that first that first year column it
was it's not 100%. It's 110%. So my my >> But then also should line six say totals. It's on the back of page. >> Look. >> So you're talking about the the scoring
sheet. Yes, ma'am. >> I'm just It was driving me nuts. I'm I'm a numbers person. I'm sorry. It It wasn't adding up. And then there was no line there. I'm like, was there something that was supposed to be there that they got 100% they got 90%. And if
it's totals, if you would just put totals there and then again, then column B has to add up. >> Gracias. I'm just saying I was totally lost. It's it's it's this little brain. It numbers matter for me. And so as and
and so that was it. It did the column B was not adding up to 100. It's more than 100. C is 90. 70 80 Yes. 90 7 8 No, it's not 70. It is
not. It's 100. See that? My brain was It was doing that right. So, yeah. So, column C says 90% but it's really 100%. So, and if that is supposed to be the total line, can we put the word total on line six? >> Uh yes, we can do that. Um
>> and adjust the numbers. This is um actually when when usually the departments prepare the scoring sheets and we are working on on having it more uniform. So purchasing it moving forward it's going to prepare the scoring sheets
based on 100% not in 110 points like this one because it tends to be um >> it tends to be confusing. So >> yes and if you just put that little word >> luckily for for this case it's only they are scoring just one uh vendor so it
really would not make it >> much of a difference but it would make a difference if there were more than one vendor. >> Thank you. Gracias. >> Yes. >> Thanks. >> So that was 26034. >> Uh yes 26032.
Okay. We're still okay consent. Thank you. >> Yes. >> All right. Um 26034 Feliciano. >> Thank you. >> Just a quick question. It says that um on the memo attach please find a
resolution tax collector to produce and execute installment payment agreements at her discretion. So what does that mean at her discretion? >> Yes. Basically this is one of those statutory um >> entitlements I would say um but it has
to be by resolution. the the tax collector uh upon this resolution will be able to uh negotiate plan payments with individuals who owe taxes, but it has to be through this
resolution. This is something that we do every year, >> right? So, is there criteria? And I'm only asking because like there have been a lot of um issues as we've heard and seen here on council through the years about the tax collector at office and just everything. So now in looking at
her discretion, I just want to know what her discretion is. Like does she have a scale that she works from? Is it, you know, due to your income situation? Like >> it's due to income, but it's more it's also statutory, right? If you um
regularly do not meet the arrangements, um then it is her discretion to deny one, you know, payment arrangement. So, can she deny an arrangement without somebody not >> without somebody messing it up? Like,
can I just walk in there and can I get an arrangement and then could, >> you know, Jane Doe walk in and get an arrangement? Like, can she just be like, "No, >> no." So, it is it is stipulated by the regulations. So, I can share the regulations with you. What is the
discretion? >> Okay. Thank you. That's that's what I'm getting at. Thank you. If you could share that with the council, I would appreciate just so we could see it. Consent. Thank you. Um 26035, Councilwoman Feliciano and Councilwoman Frisbee.
>> Thank you, >> Councilwoman uh Frisbee. So, thank you, Madam President. My question with this is um will we send out certified letters? I know I've been asking about this for a while and
there I I know that they said that there's a cost that is in that would um take place with that on behalf of the city. If that is the concern of the city, then we can take that same cost and put it to the homeowner. The fee can
be assessed to the homeowner um for the certified letter if that is the concern of the city. But it is important to me that we take every opportunity to help our residents maintain their property. So, and I believe that a certified
letter removes all doubt that you cuz regular mail, they could say they never got it. Certified mail, someone signed for it. I don't care if it's Joe, whoever. Um, someone signed for it. It got to your property. And so will we and if not can we put that in there that a
certified letter it will be sent out to those before we initiate taking their property. I am not sure that we will be a able to do that because I know that the fees are also limited by the statute but I will
have to look into the statute to see how if that is if we are able to do that because the statute limits the fees. If we could look into that I would appreciate it. I I was I've been this is something I know I've been asking for
for months now that we uh send out certified letters before we um move with to the move to seizing someone's property. So uh if you would let me know about that and and if it if we are
allowed to do so can we assess that fee that certified cost to the homeowner? Mr. M president, if I may um add to BA Richardson's response, >> um this the these are all this entire process is statutory based and the
statute is very specific. The statute, the court rules which work in harmony of each other are written in a way to protect residents, to protect the home buyers, to give them uh ample notice and opportunity to defend, ample notice to
find whatever remedies they can through the court. that which again is statutory and even subsequent to these leans being these leans and licenses being issued. There's very specific laws and statute that still allows them to um not only
confirm that they've been noticed but an opportunity to reclaim to the extent possible. So what I can tell you um I I cannot say at what point in time certified mailers are sent out but the court rules and the statute is very clear that process cannot go forward
unless and until they have confirmation that the homeowner is aware and that homeowner makes themselves known. No, no one you can't get to this process without um a homeowner being aware of what's going on. So um that I can share that uh statute with you as well as the
court rules but the notice provision are very provisions are very robust and I can assure you that all these folks that are involved with this unfortunate circumstance are aware of what's going on. >> So I just want to I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> I would like to clarify that the this uh
specific resolution it's another one that you know that we need to deal with in a yearly basis. This uh specific resolution basically just establishes by statute what is the the percentage that we are able to charge uh for delining
taxes. So most of the uh language in this resolution is statutory and but you know I can look into your suggestion for other resolution that we could include but for this specific one this refers
just to uh what we are allowed by law to to charge uh for delining taxes the percentages and we need to ratify that yearly. So thank you for that clarity. Now my question is to director Bridges.
Um how do we know that they have been notified? How we have how do we guarantee you saying that it we have to make sure that sure of it. How how are we sure of it? We're sure of it because we would not be able to get to this point without having
some kind of confirmation that the the uh homeowner has knowledge of has received has received even the first notice of whatever lean resulted in this or a court notice that these actions were uh going forward. Um again, I I I
can give you the statute, but it's it's it's very robust in terms of the notice provision. Um, that's >> I understand what you're saying, but you're using the word confirmation. And to me, confirmation is like there is an acknowledgement. A a signed letter, a
signed card lets me know that's confirmation. Other than that, unless we have someone that is going door to door, we don't I don't know if how do we otherwise get confirmation if it's not via mail. So, that's that's that's where I'm stuck right there. you keep saying
that we we don't do we can't get to this process without confirmation. >> I I can send to you the process for that and what the confirmation of receipt looks like. Um I I again I I not anticipate needing an illustration there, but I'm more than happy to get that to you tomorrow.
>> Okay. Thank you, sir. Councilwoman Feliciano, >> thank you. Just a quick question just for people um that are listening in and or just reading this. So we said that the
interest rate of 8% right on the first 1500 of the delinquency and then 18% on any amount in excess of $10,000 right and then a penalty of 6% to be charged on any delinquency in excess of the 10,000. So
the penalty is payable to the city but then okay and then the 18% is payable to the city. >> All of it is paid to the city. It
depends. Yes. Um it depends on on the amount uh of the delinquency. Right. So, but that all that is statutory. Those those numbers are um by the New Jersey statute. And so, it's just that we need
to ratify it every year. >> Okay. >> All of it is statutory. Mhm. >> So when you when you factor in So like if it's if it's $20,000, are you are you
taking the the 6% penalty off of the off of the 20 or are you taking the 6% off of the 20 and the 18%? >> It depends on on when you pay when it becomes delinquent. Uh for example, if
you owe 20,000, right, you will be paying 8% in the first,500, then you will be paying 18% in the difference between the 1,500 and the $20,000 plus the 6%.
>> But the 6% is off of it's it's not going to be the interest isn't going to be hit on the the the 6%. No, the interest the interest will be on the delinquent tax delinquent delinquent amount.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Consent. >> Consent. >> Yeah. For me. >> Consent. Thank you. >> Okay. Um 26040. That is either Feliciano or Frisbee. I'm sorry. >> That's me.
>> Okay. >> Thank you. Oh, just out of curiosity on that, what were they looking to do? >> I do not have that information. Um, but this was um they they submitted plans um
for a prop for some renovations that they were going to be doing in a property and then um they decided to not do it. And uh so we needed to return the monies that they that we were keeping in escrow for them.
>> Okay. Consent. >> Thank you. Um Mr. Garcia, that is all of our resolution um questions this evening. We can proceed to the consent agenda vote. >> Certainly, Madam President. If you want
to ask for a motion to approve resolutions 26-029 >> 28 >> we voted >> we voted on 28 >> oh sorry I apologize >> 029 045 046
0301 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. >> Then we have a motion to vote. >> So approved.
>> Second. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams,
>> yes. Council President Figuro Edenberg. >> Yes. >> Motion carried. On to ordinances for first reading and introduction. Ordinance 26-005, ordinance authorizing the sale of city-owned property commonly known as 340 Rutherford Avenue and identified on
the city tax map as block 4403, lot 34, pursuing NJSA 481213 C to Vladimir Castillo for the sale price of $12,500. And madam president, if you want to ask
for a motion to approve. >> May we have a motion to approve? So moved. >> Second. >> Madam President. >> Um yes, Counciloman. >> Thank you. I have a question for the administration.
When these ordinances for the property sales are being considered for a vote from council for approval, what is that process in terms of in what order you're going in? Now, I know, you
know, it's case by case, you know, going through vetting each of these applications and things, but I'm seeing fluctuations in the applications being introduced. The one that didn't pass earlier by the
same person that's trying to purchase this one that we're on right now, his that application was submitted in August. Now, we've had people waiting for years. I know we've had people waiting for months that submitted their applications
prior to August that probably has satisfied all of the requirements to come to council for a vote. This application is has been submitted in May. The next application has been submitted in July. These
applications are sporadic September and things like that. How is it that this particular person seemed to have been fasttracked along the process to come to council for approval when we know for a fact there's
been other applications submitted before his because of the volume of people that are coming to the meeting saying so. So what can we explain what happened here? Councilwoman Edwards, I would not be able to explain that because I I'm
really not I am not part of the process. Um that is a bad excuse actually. I just don't know how that it's is done. >> Okay. >> Um we have staff in housing and economic development that receives the
applications. They go over the applications. Some of them might need additional information or um they do not I honestly cannot explain it because I don't know how those that seem to be
submitted recently made it to to the top of the list. I would be making stuff up and I don't that's not my style to come before you and and say no >> I don't know. I appreciate your cander.
Perhaps someone from the housing and economic department directly can answer these questions because I'm concerned on how this person has skipped over dozens of more people that we know submitted applications that from what we are told
submitted everything they're required to submit to prove that they would be a good candidate for that property to purchase it. Um I can pass that information to to uh the individuals in housing and economic development. I my apologies that we don't have anybody
from housing tonight but there was Jolanda that faced uh issues this evening that I will not share uh publicly but the intention was to have some somebody from HD here tonight. But
I I can gather that information for you and present it during the next um committee subcommittee meeting and then share it for the next uh full meeting council meeting so that everybody knows what the situation is. But I I really
don't know how some individuals have to wait for three years and then these applications made it to the top. I don't know. >> I appreciate that. >> Thank you, BA. I just wanted to say something really quick before I move on with you guys. Um uh interim director um
Vasquez was supposed to answer some questions for council this evening. Um I don't know why she had to leave. Um and Mr. Beach, I knew that he cannot be at this meeting tonight. Um before we proceed um with the um property
ordinances, I just wanted to share that as much as I had been saying about the lot sales um for the city of Trenton and what it's zoned for um that 2500 square feet is not in fact the minimum size lot that could be sold that's billable
that's buildable the city of Trenton. As much as I had said it, I had a meeting with Mr. beach. I had shown him the zoning. Um it was still it still seemed to be arbitrary information. Um in our first Hed meeting, my first Hed meeting,
I brought it up. I was sent zoning from um Hed um from Miss Vasquez and it did in fact um state exactly what I had been saying about what a buildable lot size is in the city of Trenton. That 2500 square feet is not the minimum buildable lot size for Trenton. that there are
zones in the city of Trenton where 1,200-500 square feet are minimum buildable size lots. Um I did get an apology because I have been saying this um quite often and um I think it's unfair that some of these lot sales have
gone on prior to this. Um people have been able to sell to buy lots for as little as $1,000 or less in some circumstances and they are in fact able to build um structures on them. Um, so I just wanted to say that before we
proceed, um, with again the property sale ordinances. Um, so with that, uh, with the ordinance that you had a question about, um, Counciloman Edwards, did you have any further questions with that? >> No, I don't have any further questions
with that. This one is actually a brick and mortar on this property. I don't I don't have any questions on that in terms of the amount of the purchase and the size of the lot. I'm just I'm just very concerned about how this person skipped above everyone else and and I
want to avoid the any perceptions of impropriy or favoritism or anything for that uh of that matter because we have a lot of people that have been waiting for a long time. And so I just want to lead with fairness, make sure we're doing
this the right way. Uh, we did not hear any of these properties at our last HED meeting. Um, we didn't go over any properties at our last HED meeting. We went over the process of the application and things like that, but we have a meeting coming up this Monday that I
assumed we would be going over these properties with Mr. Beachch who was at that last ad hoc meeting. So I don't know why we still don't have an understanding of why you know the purpose as we discussed the purpose in the beginning of the meeting of the ad
hoc committee for Hed was to vet these properties and we didn't vet them. So in that process, I would like for us when we're talking about, you know, introducing these for them to go in the order in which we received them in and
in in that process go with the ones that qualified when we got their from the date we got their application. Now, it's going to fluctuate. I understand that because some people have missing documents and things like that they they have to come back with. So, we're not going to exactly be able to go in a first come
first- serve order in terms of getting these applications approved by council. However, the first first come first- serve basis on a first come first serve terms of being qualified for these properties. I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people that were
qualified for these properties prior to August with the other application we seen earlier tonight. And then in May of last year as well, we've had people that's been applying for property since we've been on council in 2023. So, how does this guy just slide straight
through above all else? That's my concerns. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, and to that point, I just want to say, you know, there there are a lot of things wrong with these properties, well, with these sales, these applications, as we've been saying. Um there is there is an individual there's an application on
this docket um that the individual came and had an application process and put through and was supposed to come through counsel and the person had no identification at all. Um they did go back and rectify and the person got identification afterwards but again there are some things that were being
done that are just unacceptable. >> Madame President. >> Yes. So, I'm not going to talk about lock size or anything else like that cuz I've already stated my two cents on that earlier. What I am concerned about and
Councilwoman Edwards did uh touch on as well is the application dates. We had a woman here just tonight, Miss Kesha Craig. She said from 2021 she had been trying to purchase her family's
property at 153 Fountain Avenue. How all of the dates on these one, two, three, four, five properties that we have um for first reading this evening all have 2025 dates on them. How did we
get to 2025? And we haven't processed the ones from 2021, 2022. I know there are several from 2023 and so many of them that we actually pulled. I'll go back to that again that we pulled, we tabled, however we we want to word it,
but that we did not vote on, they were taken off our the desk to come before us. And now we are voting on properties that have only been submitted and I'll say the last six months and forward or less as I believe the earliest date on here
is July of 2025 that I am perplexed on and I am not I I I don't feel comfortable voting on something that we are just getting that others have done prior and they're
they're They're they're things are I don't I don't know where they are. So I I'd like an um to find out where those properties are, where those applications are. Why aren't those being considered especially before these? Yes, I want every vacant property, every dormant
property in our city uh sold. I want to fix up, beautify our city, but I also want to make sure that we are moving um with some type of protocol that needs to we need to make sure that what applies for one applies for all and that is not
what I am seeing right now. So I am not comfortable voting on any of these this evening. Thank you. >> Council President, >> Council Feliciano, >> thank you. So again, I I share everyone's sentiments. This goes all the way back to when we first started this
process. Back to when I created a spreadsheet where I asked the questions about the sizes and how we arrived at the numbers and the dollar values and why there was no checklist. And we worked to create a checklist for the administration to use to try to figure
out what was going on and how you could charge somebody to to for a driveway the same that you would charge somebody who could build a lot on the same size property. It has made no sense then and has it makes no sense now. I know that
people um some in the administration were frustrated with council v council president Figueroa Kenberg for abstaining or just not voting but it just was not right. And now we've come to the standpoint where we've been pushing back and forth and back and
forth and back and forth about how it just was not making sense. And then during this whole time like she she's arguing about the zoning and stuff. No, nobody thought like to look I don't think Jim B should be over HD. That
that's just it. That that's all. I don't think that he should be over the process. We have not been steered in a clear direction. The administration needs to hire a good capable competent HED director to oversee the department because what is happening now is not
right. So when you had your um HD subcommittee meeting, were y'all presented with these ordinances here? You were not. So So respectfully, I don't even know how they're in front of us now if you all didn't see this at the subcommittee meeting because that's the
point of us creating and having the subcommittee in the first place. The dates are wrong. These should have been reviewed and looked at, right? And and some kind of clarification could be made. I'm not voting on any of these. I think that Jim Beach needs to be taken
off of Hed and someone qualified and competent needs to be put in that position. Thank you. >> So, respectfully, Councilwoman Feliciano, yeah, these were brought to us um later in on Friday. Um and any lot sales were removed, were pulled from
that. Um so, I left these on for council to look at them and make their own determinations. Thank you, >> Council Council Gonzalez. Yeah. So, I I mean I definitely agree with us having because I know of many complaints about
you know some people waiting um before some of these dates too, but I also know that there is I know specifically one cuz I see the young lady in the audience now who actually tried to do this process a couple of years ago and then because of the change of the process
redid the application and redid the application again and then here we go to pull it one more time. Is she on? >> She's on here. >> Uh, Miss Was it Washington? 2610. 2610. >> So, I mean, like, I get it cuz trust me,
>> 2610 is not on the docket. >> It It is. >> It was pulled. >> Oh, it was pulled. I'm sorry. My bad. But however, just as an example, >> I do know that there are several people who have done this process two, three years ago and then therefore they are
now trying to redo the process over because of us trying to put a checklist in place and do certain things. So, you know, to that I I mean, like I said, I'm getting bombarded with emails and um people complaining that they've been waiting for months and months and
months. So, I totally understand that and I don't want us to ignore anyone that came prior to. But at the same time, we do have people who did start the process three and four years ago and then here we go changing it and changing and changing and then they're redoing it and redoing it and now they come before
us and then we're going to pull it all over again. >> I just wanted to state that. >> Council President, >> Council Council Frisbee. So, to to Councilwoman Gonzalez point, that type of thing. So, I'm looking at
2610 now and I would vote on knowing that having that information, but that information is not on here. Those are the types of properties that we want to get past. Those who have been applying and applying and applying and applying for years and years, but that
information is not on here. I would love to be able to get if someone if she's here and we there's nothing in here that says anything other than 2025 and that information knowing that we should have had the original documents
attached to this >> so that we understand that this is something that did not just start in 2025 but this is something that we actually she's been pursuing or whoever it is has been pursuing for some time. So this way we know that we're operating in decency and in order. And that's
that's the point for me that we're operating in decency. We're operating in order and that someone like this who's had her things pulled or put on the back burner for years now we're finally getting it passed. That's what we need to but and looking at this and looking at this
that doesn't come through to me and I would vote on this this evening. Counciloman Frisbee, thank you. those um just just for the record that ordinance were sales of lots and again um the city was not um putting forth the sale of lots properly per zoning um and that is
the reason why that was pulled. >> So it was pulled >> got pulled by the yeah got pulled Yeah. per the zoning. Yes. >> Madam President >> Councilwoman Council Vice President Williams >> actually if if I might ask if Councilwoman Edwards could go first. I
think she did. >> Councilwoman Edwards, >> thank you. Um, CBP, uh, I just wanted to just piggy back off of what Councilwoman Frisbee said. As Councilwoman Feliciano and I are discussing things over here on how we
can improve this, there is an internal checklist that we receive as council members, the public doesn't have that the administration completes. At the top of it, it has a checklist date on when this was uh done internally. But the
date of the initial application received should reflect the actual original date of the of the application received. Not the application they had to redo, you know, because the application changed, you know, because we're improving the processes and things like that, but the
original date. So if this um person has submitted their application in 2021, that's what it should say, not the new application date. So when we meet with Hed on Monday, we'll be sure to include that in the conversation so that we have
clarity on when the original application that that needs to be reflective of the real first time, not the new one. So thank you. Um, and I would also say I am comfortable with going to the ones
that we know for a fact has submitted applications. So, Miss Miss Washington's uh ordinance on here, I would like for us to vote on that tonight if everyone is No, we can't. >> It's not on the docket. >> They they pulled it back and pulled.
>> I had it in front of me, so that's why I was going off of that. >> It was pulled. Oh, it was pulled. >> It's locked. It's not on the docket. Yeah. >> Oh, it's locked. >> Yes. >> Oh. Thank you. >> Yes. So, >> so they had to go to >> No, it's it's it was it was never on here. It was in my original docket, but
I guess it was pulled and I wasn't aware. >> So, she needs a zoning variance for this. >> Yes. So, Councilwoman Edwards and Council Vice President Williams were in the ad hoc subcommittee meeting when we were told again adamantly that the minimum buildable size lot for the city of Trenton is 2500 square ft. And then
they proceeded to send us the zoning which is what I was using to say that that was not accurate. So after that yes these were pulled. >> So council president >> because of the the zoning issue what will be the impact to the is there an
impact to the sales price of this? Tell us. >> Yes. >> What what now must happen so that miss so that people in the audience and anybody that needs to know what now happens. >> Councelor Fle that's a great question. Um the answer that I have at this point
is not a full answer other than that the city will be reworking the rubric. Hopefully there will be an answer to that the next HUD subcommittee meeting on Monday. >> So in reworking the rubric are you saying now that the price may go up? >> I I I can't give I can't give you
information because I don't know the answer. Only thing I know is that they will be reworking the rubric. Okay. >> We will have more answers hopefully by Monday subcommittee meeting >> respectfully. I think that because you didn't get any of this. And I and I know it's a pain and a strain to
everybody. I I I understand it and I get it. I I don't think we should vote on any of these until you all have met on them as the HD subcommittee. You have flushed these out and we figure this thing out and come with something that makes
sense. The way that this has been happening from day one has never made sense. It benefits some people, not all people. It has to make sense for everyone across the board. >> Thank you. This is exactly what I've been saying. Thank you, Council Vice President.
>> Yes, ma'am. Um, I am fine either way uh if we decide to proceed or if we uh pull these for tonight. What I would like to suggest, and I know this may feel drastic at first, a 30-day hard stop so we can make sure that the systemic issues are happen with rubric and
everything else are handled and handled correctly. Because for us to go through this, it seems every single uh meeting, every month. Uh this has been a heck of a process since when we first came on to council, even just getting LLC's properly identified and having articles
of incorporation. We need to make sure that this is over and done with. And when this checklist comes to us, when the applications go out, I love the idea of uh having a applicant list when they originally applied, not just the most recent time
because we should know that in the case of uh 153 Fountain, to me, that's a travesty. Um, I know, you know, we need to have properties available if something happens like a Choice Neighborhood project and it's going to be a great project, but that woman and
that family deserve to be have the chance to buy that property long before Choice Neighborhood came around to us. >> Madam President, CVP, Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yeah, I was just going to try to keep it real brief. Um just just going back to um I think councilwoman Feliciano um or
Frisbee, I forgot who mentioned it, but as far as um you know what has been done prior and it does it change the the amount being sold that kind of goes against what the whole purpose of this was which was which was to allow our local
people to be able to afford to buy property that was has been vacant for many many years. I don't understand why we don't I I don't get where the disconnect is and I get we want to be fair across the board. However, someone who has been living next to a vacant
property for 30 something years and then we want to now raise the price for them to purchase it. Um it just doesn't make sense to me. It feels like we're going against exactly what we were planning to do and what we were trying to do with allowing local people to obtain these properties. And that's where my
frustration is because now we're going to probably skyrocket this these the the the amount that we want to accept and then we're going to have vacant property sitting for another 40 to 50 years and it's like that's avoid that's just going against everything we thought this was supposed to do. Now I do agree with us
having it a fair process. However, I don't want it to, you know, reflect or have some type of consequence about how much they're paying and all of that stuff. Just wanted to put that out for the record. Council >> Council President Council member Frisbee.
>> Council President. So I am not in agreement that we uh defer these for 30 days. I believe that we can get this done. We should be able to get this done by our next council meeting. 14 days. I think is more than ample time. I don't think we should put residents on hold
again for 30 days. Every day is a there's a price tag that is associated with it and we need to be mindful of that. We keep saying we want to uh help move this along, help get our allow the residents to get these properties, but the longer we wait, the the longer we
they they have the more they have to come out of pocket. So, I believe we should be able to move this do something with this by the time we get to our next meeting this month. Um, I would like to see something to help the help us help our community get these lots and these
properties um at a in a timely manner and in a fair and equitable manner. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, to Councilwoman Gonzalez's point, I understand your frustration and everything. Um, some of us have been frustrated from the very beginning when
it comes to the zoning. There's ordinances behind that. That's not us saying we going to do this. That's the law saying it. So if the if the administration and those that they put in charge of the the work didn't do
their due diligence to make sure that what they were putting forth before us, we we have to correct it and we have to do the right thing because that's what we're here to do. And so I understand and and I get it hearing the people that come forward, but now we're looking in
these dates and everything and then to Councilwoman Edward's point that people are just showing up and then we have people that's been waiting for years. This whole thing has has been shoddy work just to move properties along and that's not fair to the to the residents.
That's not fair. And and again, if we have to take yet another step back so that the administration can take a positive, fruitful step forward to produce something that was good and right, then I'm willing to do that. And
I'm sorry for any inconvenience that it causes the residents in the city. And I and I get it cuz I want our people to thrive and own property and everything else like that. But as I've said from the beginning with my spreadsheets and charts and everything else,
time this should have just been handled differently from the very very beginning and we wouldn't be here now today. So I I I get I get it. I'm frustrated, too, because it seemed like the administration stuff just wasn't
listening and now here we are. So now maybe people will listen. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, so with that, I would like to move a motion to table these ordinances as they pertain to property sales um until our next council meeting.
>> That's a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> And to clarify as tableabling resolution numbers, I'm excit 260009, 261, 012, and 18.
and 18. That was motioned. It was I'm sorry that was second. >> Second by Feliciano. >> Thank you. Motion second. And roll call is Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes.
>> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Vice President Williams. >> Yes. >> Council President Figuroya Kenberg. >> Yes. Motion carried. Items are tabled un this is tabled until the next public meeting. >> Next public meeting um for the record is
um the 18th 19th 17th 17th. Yes. They will be tabled until the February 17th meeting. >> Tabled until the next public >> and they will be addressed at an HD subcommittee meeting. Thank you. >> Okay. With that being said, that moves
us to ordinance 26-13, calendar year 2026, ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits to establish a cap bank NJSA4A445.14 in the amount of 7,659,3487. Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve.
>> Yes, we have a motion to approve. So moved. Thank you. Roll call. Vice President, excuse me, Councilwoman Edwards, my apologies. >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Figuroa Kevin, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Ordinance 26-16, ordinance amending chapter 132, property
maintenance of the code of the city of Trenton to add article 10 entitled long-term vacancy and stalled redevelopment properties to establish standards, search charges, and enforcement mechanisms for prolonged
vacant and inactive redevelopment sites. >> May I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Councilwoman Edwards, roll call. Councilwoman Edwards, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> And Council President Figuro Keber, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Ordinance 26-17, an ordinance prohibiting the parking of certain vehicles on city streets within the city
of Trenton. >> May I have a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Second. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano.
>> Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. Uh before I ask, I just want to clarify this does include commercial vehicles that are long-term as well. And does that also include if they have
commercial vehicles that are open on private lots on vacant lots? >> I don't know that. I'm sorry. I don't I don't know that it does apply to vehicles in vacant lots. Um I know it is for residential parking
>> council president. >> So my question on here is because I know that in my ward this is an issue. >> We have vehicles that are on people will buy lots. >> They will park their commercial vehicles. Matter of fact, they're dumpster two dumpsters on one property
that I'm looking to get um fined, but they're sightly and that's not the purpose for them having bought that property. So, um I would like to have this um actually I would like like to
though we can have this amended because I would like to for to include commercial vehicles long-term that are also in on private property as well. Um, and when I say private, I mean open properties, vacant properties. Do you
having dump dumpsters and all that other kind of stuff that's just sitting? You bought the property to build on it, not to sit and use as a parking lot. >> Okay. Humbly, Councilwoman, I know that you have some uh >> clarity that you need or you may wish to amend, but right now we have a motion to
approve on the floor. So, if I could have your vote, please. >> So, then my answer is no. >> Not it. And we'll move on to Oh, excuse me. Uh, Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Um, uh, I
my only I guess I can't talk about it because it's first reading. >> First reading. Yeah. >> Oh, okay. >> I mean, you guys could talk, but it was a motion to second. If there was discussion, it should have happened then outside of >> We'll discuss later. Yes. >> Okay. >> And Vice President Williams.
>> Uh, yes. But I would if on a second reading if we may I'd like to include dump trucks >> and council president. >> Yes. Yep. >> So if we if we can have a quick discussion um Mr. Garcia >> say again >> we can have a quick discussion about
this. >> Uh yeah you've approved it for first reading as it is right now. So if you I mean >> right so I I to speaking to uh Councilwoman Frisbey's point I do believe that there is an ordinance that already exists about that about um the parking in lots that are um that are
city or private owned that it is like it's it's it's something of an eyesore or whatever. There is there is an ordinance that already exists because I've actually addressed it um and trying to get some of these lots cleaned out for things that are in their dumpsters and these vehicles and things of that nature because there's a lot of them in the city of Trenton like you say.
>> Um so this is different. This is just for street parking um from the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. That because the original ordinance for this um only included commercial vehicles with the business name or ladder ve ladder
trucks, ladder vans. So this was to include any vehicles that are over 19 ft long, limousines, multi- um multi- cargo vehicles, um seven plus seats and things of that nature that are parked in the streets in any given day. So, thank you
for that clarity. Um, Madame President, Mr. Garcia, if you would send me that lot, that that um that ordinance, I would greatly appreciate it and then see about how we can get some things enforced in the community. >> Thank you.
>> Yes. Um, Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to request uh for next reading if it might be possible have a small edit uh flatbed trucks and dump trucks if that's appropriate at that point. So I know we both share a dump truck on
Furman um one night in the north, one night in the south and other areas. >> Okay, thank you. I will I will um have the conversation with Mr. Colloji who definitely helped me with this and this was approved by Mr. Santo and Mr. Bridges as well. So thank you. Yes. Take
that in patience. We can pro I see no more question. Oh, Councilwoman Edwards. No, I see no more questions. Mr. Garcia, we could proceed. >> Okay, Madam President, those are all the items that I have under ordinances
>> for first reading. At this time, move to public comment. And public comment will be f to the public. Public comment will be five minutes for each individual. You may address any item that you wish. The council is not obligated to respond.
First individual listed is Cordelia Stton who has left. Robin Vaughn, please state your name and address for the record. Oh, I'm sorry. This is Robin Washington. I apologize.
I apologize. I'm sorry. My apologies. Good evening. My name is Robin Washington. I live at 447 West Hover Street, Trenton, New Jersey. I've been trying to purchase two vacant city owned
lots since September 2019. I've come before city council on multiple occasions. Um June 3rd, 2025,
that was eight months ago today. I came in and made a formal request to be able to purchase those two lots. I'm sitting here and I'm listening to different variations of what policy should be or
should have been when I applied submitted my application in 2019. Whatever the existing policy was at that time, I complied. I made an offer. There was a counter
offer. I accept it. I was informed that it would go before city council. I have come down here on multiple occasions throughout the years starting in 209 after I submitted my application 2020
2021 22 23 24 25 and now we're in 2026. I was informed that I could not just buy one lot that I had to buy both lots. So I made that commitment with this new application process. Oh, you have to
submit a new application. Okay. I submitted a new application and I also wrote on that application original submitted September of 2021. I hear what you're saying,
but as a resident, as a citizen, it is not sitting well with me because I have complied with everything that has been requested of me. This was put on for first reading for December. The first meeting in December,
everything got tabled. The only phone call that I have received from anybody in city hall was this past Friday to tell me that this property was not going to go on the agenda again today. That's the only
call. I've come to these meetings and asked for information. I've come down to city hall to ask what is it that I need to do? Nobody can give me answers, but yet I'm being further denied. I'm hearing this conversation that folks
that are just submitting applications in the last 6 months, they're getting approved. So, six years versus 6 months, it it does not sit well with me. It does not sit well with me at all. I've abided
by whatever rules that I was told at the time and it seems like for, you know, just an independent woman that I can't get what I want and I'm going to try to be as politically correct as I can be,
but if I'm not, I apologize. I see individuals that do not look like me, that do not dress like me, who do not worship like me, come into the city, buy properties, they don't maintain them.
They come in, they the new thing now is they're coming in and they're doing LLC's as it was mentioned earlier because I took a little note. Uh, one young lady said that she tried to research a LLC to see who the folks were and she couldn't find out who they were. But I can just
imagine who they are because uh someone in the city told me that these outside folks have bought 250 city- owned properties, but yet I'm trying to just get two lots across the street from my house in the
neighborhood that I live in to improve my neighborhood. But I I I I can't get anywhere. But other folks that don't live in this city, they can come in, do whatever they want, and it's okay. And I have a real issue with that. I have a
real issue with that. And this being tabled again. Okay, I'll be at the next meeting, and I'm going to see what I'm told then because it's it's just to me, it's ridiculous. Two vacant lots that's been sitting there. And from what I'm told, I'm the
only one that's interested in buying the two lots. And I'm I I am very very frustrated with this whole whole procedure. I am very I'm I'm
not disillusioned to the point that I'm going to stop because I've come this far. So I'm going to see it through. Thank you for your attention. Uh Caitlyn Fair, excuse me. No. Yes. Caitlyn Fair. >> Oh, y'all made us earn our public
comment today. Uh, Caitlyn Fair, 215 South Clinton Avenue. Um, I'm usually here before you in the capacity of ETC, but I'm here today in my capacity as a resident. Um, I have some concerns about
the way that snow removal was handled recently, and some of you have been on my tirade of emails that I've been sending back and forth to different departments. Um, but to this day, as I was driving here, there are still city sidewalks that are not cleared. um
including major sidewalks that give access to the train station, the pedestrian islands across Market Street and South at the Market Street uh and South Clinton intersection. Uh the sidewalk that runs along Market Street
that many people traverse to get to the train station. Um none of the curb cuts are shoveled. None of the sidewalks are shoveled. Even the sidewalk right here in the back of city hall next to the parking lot is not cleared. Um, this is a safety hazard for residents and it's
really concerning to me particularly as a city that's trying to orient itself as a transitoriented city and attract people to come here and live here because of the proximity to public transportation and trying to brand itself as that. If people can't access
the public transportation because the sidewalks are not available to them, that's a problem. and we have a branding issue then, right? Um, additionally, it's obviously a safety hazard. I watched somebody trying to navigate one of the curb cuts with a cane who almost
fell in the middle of Market Street, and you can imagine that that would be an absolute disaster, right? Um, and you all know well that we are a city that also deals with a really high number of lawsuits, personal injury lawsuits, and
all types of things. Um, and I think that these things are connected, right? It's important. Quality of life includes our ability to get around the city. Um, and so that's something that I would like to understand how that's being handled better because currently it's
not being handled so far as I can tell. Um, and we're also not getting any response. So, as I mentioned, I've sent multiple correspondences about this, and the only response that I've gotten has been an email back from Coun Council Vice President Williams, even just
acknowledging that I've sent these correspondences. So, I'm really concerned about um the lack of communication from public works when these issues are raised um and what the expectation is of that department. So as
far as this is concerned um in addition to that this also speaks to a larger issue with some of the large developers in the city who own multiple um properties, large properties who are also not clearing their properties um
and who are have vacant and dilapidated properties that they've been sitting on for 20 plus years that they are not clearing the sidewalks in front of. This happens to be an issue on my particular block. So my entire block in the residences where people live is cleared.
But once you get to the lot at the end of my block that's owned by a major developer that has to this day not been cleared and again inhibits access to the train station and people who live on that block who utilize the train station on a daily basis. Um that's all I have
on that. I have another issue with traffic enforcement, but I'll I'll talk about that another day because this I've we've talked about that before. Um, and I'd like to, you know, continue to understand what's being done in the city about traffic enforcement. Um, and the
other thing I just want to say is that I want to give a shout out to the city clerk because you do an excellent job and it's a very thankless job. Um, and you know, certainly I'm sure that we all make mistakes, right? you're not a perfect guy, but you're really a breath of fresh air after the last clerk that
we had. And I just want to acknowledge you because I think that, you know, you probably don't get that often. So, I just wanted to share that with you. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, >> Victor. Victor Rizari, 19 Morland Avenue, Trenton, New Jersey. It's honor to be in
front of you again. You putting uh putting the work in. Uh I am proud of you. Uh I said you're doing a great job. I'd like to uh give thanks and uh thank God for the leadership of the the
African-Americans of 1555 to 1619 and from 1619 to uh 1865 for all the hard work they uh they have put in the sacrifices and uh the way they have uh differently have expressed
their uh concern for the American way of life according to the constitution like Frederick Douglas and then you got like Hu Newton and Malcolm X mix, Mr. Faracan and and uh more more importantly the honorable Elijah Muhammad which I am a
uh FOI inactive since 1991 but I've been I've been affiliated with the Nation of Islam since 83 and I take offense to all the uh black Americans that are on YouTube and elsewhere that have been putting down the African-Americans
especially uh the civil rights movements those participants like John Lewis and Martin Luther King And uh those their background and what they did in their personal life that have nothing to do with the public life that is to serve the country. Uh which they were asked
many of them were asked and volunteered and died for. Uh and some were motivated and and uh and uh move to uh also influence the Puerto Ricans of the the young lords and uh the Latino community which I call the Gumbolinos.
Uh, I like to say that uh, Malcolm X, he uh, promoted or advocated for black nationalism and not black extremism. It's a big difference and it's causing a problem in our communities. But that I've been saying lately or previously is
that had to do with the war good war going good and the devil uh, so-called Lucifer Elohim which is Yakob and Shabbaz. All right, that's the uh, continuing war of black and black crime. But my point is that uh on CNN today I
saw where uh there was a table of uh individuals discussing the immigration problems and the white people or well I call them arians have been killed lately uh standing out for uh representing helping out the the immigrants and then they were kind of got to the point where
eventually got the nerve to say that there's a discrimination against the Latino community or people the brown people which actually obeys people and uh That's that's the problem that is causing all this is behind uh where extended from Jahooa
the um the war on drug executive order uh 11727 should be repealed and being the trend is a sanctuary s uh city I would recommend or suggest that would be the one one of the first cities in uh in America to re ask for a repeal of that
11727. Now, uh, it started to, that was started by Jay Hoover to destroy the black community. It spilled over to the Hispanics, but the product comes from lands of the Hispanics and Puerto Rican. I'm not Puerto Rican, but Hispanics or
South Americans. So, I call Gumbolinos. And uh, since everyone else is making uh, getting uh, making, you know, getting rich off. In other words, their substance is illegal until a person is arrested, then it comes becomes legal to use it against that person.
uh in the country they come from which are not classified as terrorists which is back backwards. Uh we uh as Hispanic now uh Gumbalinas we're being discriminated against and uh the immigration laws not only uh hurts the
black community but it discriminates totally and completely against the Gumbolinos which is the Hispanics and I think that's unfair. So now that um because of the uh wrongdoings of the politics of other countries and Americans is involved in it with the
mafia again the Abraas and mafia and so-called Israelis and not the Jews is affecting us as uh Hispanics and we are being also discriminated from not our what we call black nationalists but black extremists and uh they themselves
are hurting the black nationalists who are pro-American. And that's the big issue here is now to become at one time to become an American pro-American will be called Uncle Tom. But with time and progress and education and enlightenment, you become humble and
law abiding and uh do as you're told. Like the Nation of Islam was known for being so crisp and on point all the time that they were uh looked for to be to be hired by the white establishment because of their discipline. Even though the black extremers would consider us as
robots under the honorable Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X, now Minister Lucas Lewis Parac. So my point is that uh those black nationalists that become Americans are now Oh, excuse me.
Thank you, Robin Von. Robin Vaughn, 1100 Stson Avenue. Um, I just want to say, um, allow ICE to do its job.
I'm American. I'm black American, multi-generational American, and um, I support bloodline citizenship. If you're not native to this country,
then you need to go back and build your own nation and stop taking up resources that Americans are entitled to. You're not going to use my taxpayer dollars for pe for folks who are from another
nation. And the black community have endored police brutality for decades. Even here in Trenton, we still have this outstanding uh United States Department of Justice
investigation because of brutality that the majority of black Americans have experienced in this city with law enforcement. So now that law enforcement is going after illegals, people who are breaking
the law and our government supposed to uh somehow someway uh prevent them from doing their job and these people are supposed to stay here. Get them out by all means necessary. Don't use another taxpayer dollars to
save illegals. And we, as we know, we're fiscally and economically challenged as it is. And I appreciate everyone who is challenging the state and pushing back on their
aggression in Trenton. We live in a state that our New Jersey Constitution says home rule is the law. Every municipality has a right to self-govern. and DCA, the state of New Jersey. I
won't say DCA because under the state, that's a state department just like D. They have been overstepping their um their powers. And it's time that Trenton push back and challenge and
legally challenge. You have a right. You're the legislative body. You have to control of our fiscal government, not the state. And you deserve to be in those meetings. You're entitled to be in those meetings. And you signed theou
too, not just Reed. So get on back with that. Okay. That's a lie. Blatant lie. Okay. Reed does not unilaterally uh sign theou. Okay. So thatou is perpetual punishment
and it's unconstitutional. thatou is in my opinion and some other legal advisors is been is been is arbitrary and compricious. So we need to do something about that as
a council as citizens and taxpayers and residents of this city. We're not taking it anymore. We're going to push back even if we have to go to John Roberts. Trenton is we gonna get our money. The
state needs to pay its taxes. That needs to happen. You know, when I was on the council, so sad, United States government, when I was on council, the press was here, the fourth estate, every council meeting, we had
noble, you know, professional journalists. We had Isaac Avaluchia, we had Penny Ray, we had um uh Solomon Rockman. They set the press set there. We had Kevin Sheay. They were here every council meeting holding everybody to
account. I couldn't get off that dis without them coming to me commenting and covering every piece of legislation this council bought up and challenged this government. You guys don't have that. And that goes to transparency and not
holding the administration accountable. And that's intentional done by the state. I'm telling you, they are out of line. And it's and it's a shame. And none of you are talking about that. No
media coverage. Nothing. That's not the way government and democracy works. We have three pillars, right? the executive branch to the judicial branch and the legislative branch and the fourth estate is the media. Where are they? Where aren't they
covering? Where's John Barry? Where's the Trentonian? Okay. Where are they? And it's intentional. And that's all I want. Isha Craig. Madame President, those are all the individuals I have for public comment.
Uh to start with civic comment. >> Thank you. Um Councilwoman Edwards. >> Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I have a few things that I want to discuss, but I want to start off with um piggybacking off of Caitlyn Fair's snow
removal issues. myself as well as other council colleagues. But just speaking for my myself because I don't want to misrepresent anyone. I reached out to the administration to bring forth many concerns from dozens of residents, business owners, and what have you
across the city and employees at local businesses as well that complained about the lack of attention in their area in terms of snow removal, particularly around the post office, around city hall and motor vehicles. uh these these are
public sidewalks in a lot of these areas and they were not shoveled or and the streets were not plowed. Just for example, coming down Market Street right now, when you're coming up from from Route One,
when you get to Jackson, you have to merge over into the left lane because that entire right lane is covered in snow. It's been more than a week and most of us on this day is stood with the
mayor during this press conference and heard the plan plowing curb to curb until they see black top and then they're going to come back and put salt and sand down or what have you. And that was not done the way that it was expressed. And I get that
there are issues that may have prohibited the efficiency of this process, but again, it's been more than a week and that lane is still blocked and there's no indication until you get right there and then now everyone is
fighting for that one lane to go straight down market and it's dangerous and I almost got ran off the road because I didn't even realize the lane was ending because of the snow, you know, and then and then vice versa being in that left lane and people trying to murder merge over at the last second
because they're realizing it's covered in snow and they're getting caught in each other's blind spots trying to merge into this one lane. So, please address that in the sidewalk. I know that is a private business token the medicinal uh
area right there if we can have them shovel up the sidewalk around there to to get to these curb cuts right here in the back of city hall. You can't walk down the street either. So, it's these things matter. Accessibility
matters, especially for people that have low balance that need tools like canes and walkers and wheelchairs. I do want to touch on the property purchase process because this is an ongoing process that we've been trying
to clear up for such a very long time. And you know just reiterating some of the sentiments of my colleagues this we need this to be a functioning department and it hasn't been. Even with the ad hoc committee we still can't seem to get an
understanding of presenting these applications to that committee before they're brought to a vote on council. That's all we're asking so that all of these concerns can be addressed so that people are not given false hope coming here and then we have to address this
publicly because of the inadequacies of this process. So let's work on that. I'm glad that we have a meeting on Monday. I saw that calendar invite earlier today and I'm sure the three of us will um have thorough notes coming out of that
meeting and hopefully some solutions. In terms of ad hoc committees, I want to thank Director Simple and BA Richardson on meeting with us uh with the Trenton Waterworks ADHO committee for our first meeting on January 27th. It was very
informative. We covered a lot of information uh beginning with you council approving nearly $50 million in state bonding and grants to invest in long overdue water infrastructure. And the funds are being
used to upgrade facilities, replace lead line services, improve sa safety systems, and strengthen the reliability of our water supply. We also went over the capital improvement plan a little bit and in the capital projects that
they're moving forward with including the HVAC and fire safety upgrades at the water facilities and continued less on lead service line replacements. We did discuss that there are some issues with accessibility to the homes because people are skeptical. So, we talked
about some um other alternatives to help uh gain access and we also talked about uh improvements to the raw water intake system to ensure it operates reliably year round and especially during the winter conditions. So, we did talk about what are some
alternative solutions to fixing this water intake system so that this frazzil ice doesn't continue to us. So, um there is some other litigation around contracts and things with people that are not satisfied for getting these bids. Um and we're put
>> Thank you, Council President. Good evening, everyone. Thank y'all for sticking around with us here tonight. Um, I just want to I'm glad that we're moving along with the senior citizen advisory board. Uh, eventually we'll be
able to hopefully within the next month have a meeting to get that underway so we can move on with that. We also have the multicultural heritage board that I'm still waiting for the administration to present the resolution with the names
of the organizations that was also done. um years ago as well. Not sure what the holdup is, but I'd like us to come on and get it done. The whole reason of the multicultural heritage board is to help out in celebrating the rich cultures
that we have in our city. The city doesn't have to lift the load alone. We bring the people to the table and let them bring their ideas and then their resources as well to make sure that we're touching everybody right where they are in the city to help raising
flags or just different options that we can have as far as how we celebrate each other in the town. So, I'd like to see that done so that we can get that underway as well. We've been waiting what seems like forever. Thank you to my colleagues for passing the water rate
ordinance. Um I also want to give proper credit where credit is due. I want to thank Ammeris Jones who works at Trenton Waterworks who actually brought it to my attention who brought the question to my attention. I had first brought it to
council. I asked the consultant back in June. um they were supposed to take it away and think about it and come back with something. That didn't happen. And now here we are. Um she works over at the waterworks in the billing department
and she brought it she had also brought it to um her people. Not sure what happened with it, but when she brought it to my attention, I thought about it, it made sense. I didn't really look at it like that at first and then when I look deeper into
it I'm like you know what let's push it forward and let's see what happens and now here we are. So when people want to say that we don't have good qualified people that work at the water department, I do beg to differ and I do want to publicly thank her for caring
enough and pushing the needle forward to ask the question because now due to her diligence, here we are today and we have a solution that prayerfully is going to work and produce good results for the water um for the company and for our
city and for the residents um therein. Thank you for moving forward with the ad hoc committee. Um I appreciate that. My colleagues, I thank you for less working through it and getting it done. This is critical. Um we're going to need two I'm
going to work on the committee. We I need two more people to join me on it so that we can start scheduling the meeting so that we can start having these conversations. I think that it will it'll help all of us to understand and have our say at the table so that we can
get our questions and things um resolved and answered, right? And then our viewpoints move forward as we move along with this. Shout out again to Tyrell Smith and the Trent Town Market and the phenomenal work that he's doing. Um, I
do want to thank BA Richardson for meeting with us a while back about the participatory budgeting possibilities. Um, while nothing was like set in stone and concrete, I'm hopeful that that will be something that can be taken into
consideration that we can revisit that again. You revisit with Tyrell and see how we can incorporate that um into the city. I also would like to say that um thank you for everybody for just doing
the best that you could do with the hands that the cards that you're dealt that work in the administration for those that really do the work. Thank you. You are all greatly appreciated. I do want it to be taken seriously though about what I said about having good
competent people in these positions. We want to call things out sometimes, but then we want to skate over the people who we kind of like and all that kind of stuff. I'm not here to really like anybody. I just need you to do your job. And so, um, as we look and see, we
deserve better. We need better. We always have. And there were certain things that maybe we didn't see along the way, but the but but the we see it clearly now. Changes need to be made. We need to move in a forward direction and
we need people in position that are able to make that happen. So with that being said, I thank you all for your time. God bless and good night. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Thank you, Council President. So I want to say first happy Black History Month
to everyone and thank uh Councilwoman Feliciano for the lovely pens that she gave to us. I appreciate that. Um, I wanted to say I know that a lot has been said about the snow removal, but I do want to say thank you to our public works team. They really worked hard and
are continuing continuing to work hard to remove the snow. I took a video, a small video of um some of our team members. They were out there even yesterday trying to break up the ice and move it off the corners. And yes, it is frustrating. they we don't have a large
team but but what we have we are doing a really great job with so I ask folks to keep calling in tech uh emailing us and letting us know where their issues they are being very responsive but I give um major shout out major hats off to you
thank you for the phenomenal work that your men did mind coming back out when they needed to so I appreciate that um congratulations to Janet Porter and thank you for the 39 years of service. I still think she should have stayed that last year, but she needed to do what she
needed to do what was best for her. But we do appreciate her diligence and all that she has given to our city. Uh I greatly appreciate it and I also want to we will honor and um acknowledge director Terry. He did leave. He's traveling now, but when he comes back, I
did promise we are going to have a recognition that will acknowledge him in April. Um, we have to acknowledge people, give them their flowers when we have the opportunity. Saying thank you does not cost us anything. And I want to make sure that I'm going to say it over
and over and over again just to as many people as I can. Um, this next Thursday on February 12th at 5:30 p.m. will be my Westward community conversation. I invite you to come out. Our very own city clerk, Mr. Brandon Garcia will be one of our speakers along with our uh
Diane Geroski who is our surrogate. Um please come out and you can get some questions answered that you might not know that you need to have answered and then ask questions. So once they um finish talking about what they have to present to you and also in giving credit
what credit is due, I want to thank um Council Feliciano again and Maris now that I know that she was part of that as well um for making sure that we got these um these this water rate um ordinance done and and these rates
adjusted. Um I know it wasn't easy. I know it was a lot of work and I know that you have been diligent with that. So, I just want to say thank you for the work that you put in and thank you for listening to other folks as well because um we sometimes don't always do that, but I appreciate that you're actually taking into consideration um all of us
should do that others. So, Maris, shout out to you um as well. And Tyrone, awesome job you and your team with the participatory budgeting. I look forward to hearing more about that. I want to thank everybody that came out this evening. Um, for those who have issues,
some who had concern, I completely empathize with um, I'm sorry, her name I'm drawing a blank on it, but who Miss Rob, Miss Kesha Craig, um, I understand your frustration and I'm hopeful that we will be able to get this thing together so that next time she comes here, she
will have a a favorable um, outcome with us. Thank you to all the directors for everything that you do. Um, it's not easy. I know that. Um, thank you to each and every single last one of you. we are appreciated to those of our um officers who stand at the our security that stay
here with us night after night that we're here. I thank you as well. I appreciate you as well. Um and with that, I'm going to reach a part portion of our city's recognition mission which is we recognize that the people of
Trenton have made us guardians of the public trust. We are committed to government with integrity and fiscal responsibility to seek excellence in city's operations and to serve all the city's people with respect and compassion. We are doing our best to be at our best. We thank you all and I
appreciate my colleagues for the work that we put in together uh respectfully. I appreciate each and every one of you for the work that you put in. Have a great evening. Get home safely. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh first I just want to say happy Black History
Month to everyone and thank you for coming to the meeting. This was a really rigorous one and I think a vigorous one at the same time. So this was this was a very productive night. Um just want to follow up regarding the snow. Thank you to public works for everything you done.
Uh you guys uh men and women had to remove uh nearly 20 inches of snow uh and do it during one of the longest cold snaps we've had in many years. And uh while we're warm and safe in our houses, you all were out there trying to get
everything done as much as you could. Where the hiccups along the way here and there, there are definitely some things we can improve and I know they'll get improved and I just want to thank you again for what you did for the that time and you're still doing that. No, hasn't all gone away, of course.
So, I just uh want like to also thank everyone from the writing center who came here tonight and the assistance that was given to get them here for uh Miss Porter uh and her um you know the moment we shared with her. It was very very special. Uh not many cities have
employees who stay as long and do as much good as she did for us. The next Northward CIS Police Advisory Council meeting is on Wednesday night, February 18th, uh from 5:30 to 7:00 at Galilee Baptist Church. I don't believe
we will conflict with City Stat this month. It's usually every other month. So, I hope to see uh some of you there with us. And I just want to uh just add we are doing our best regarding uh home
sales, property sales. As you heard, my colleagues were very eloquent on it. Um, please extend this girl some grace. We're working through a process that hasn't been worked upon in a long time, and I think some great things are happening. It's taking longer than we wanted, but they are happening. Uh,
finally, I just want to thank my colleagues uh for voting uh for uh 26046 tonight regarding the sighting of federal immigration detention facilities in the city of Trenton. I think this was something important uh because and I'm
just going to read this. In uh November 2024, after the current occupant of the White House won election, the ACLU learned through records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, otherwise known as ICE, was considering
the Bo Robertson Treatment Center at 377 Enterprise Avenue here in Trenton for a defense a detention center. The center, as described, would be used for housing immigrants detained by ICE. It likely would not be the only place considered in our four wards over time. Thank you
to Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman who first spoke out condemning this potential location in the north ward. Uh ICE's interest in the Bo Robinson treatment center became much more public because of her. To date, this center has not been used by ICE or the federal
government for immigration actions or detentions. And this resolution will not impact ISIS's operations presently. Given the growing controversy surrounding ICE and Customs and Border Protection and its deviation from only detaining the worst of the worst to its
deta treatment of detainees and observers and protesters to the chaos created in and around already established detention centers around the country, Trenton does not need or want a federal immigration detention center here. With the demands placed on our
already stretched thin Trenton law enforcement and emergency response services, I suggest that it would it is prudent, it is very prudent that our capital city take a firm stand and state that no properties in our city should be used by the federal government or private entities as many of these
detention centers are privately run. And I'm glad we did that tonight. While ICE, CBP, and other federal agencies are mandated to conduct their missions by those in charge of them, our council is not required to sit idly by and say nothing. Nor are we to not take any
future actions as a municipal body as is legally determined. Large cities such as Kansas City, Missouri, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and small cities in towns like Richmond, Virginia, and Roxbury, New Jersey have or will be taking action on their own accords regarding detention
centers. To me, a nice detention center uh and the ones operating currently and functioning are not an example of American values or Trenton values, and they certainly have no place as they are in densely populated cities such as ours. Included in this resolution, as
you heard, is a call for our state legislature to pass any necessary legislation to preclude the sighting of any facilities within highly populated areas such as ours. I hope such legislation is passed soon to help protect cities such as our capital city
from having to host immigration detention centers. Thank you very much and have a great night. >> Thank you, council vice president. Thank you guys for sticking it out with us. It's been a long night. Um just want to say thank you to department department of public works. You guys did do a good
job. I mean there's a lot of coverage. There's a lot of things. There was a lot of snow. Um, it was really, really cold. Things iced over. Um, you guys were very responsive, so I do appreciate you all. Um, you know, and we have to hold ourselves accountable at some point, too. People didn't move their vehicles.
They stayed. They won't dig out their own sidewalks. You know, at some point in time, we have to hold ourselves accountable for what we're responsible for. Um, so again, uh, thank you to you and your department. Um, Mr. Waya. Um, I really do appreciate you. um to the
police and all those those that were involved in towing and things of that nature. You know, some people were towed, some people weren't. Um we just we need to work on uniformity across the board, but you know, it really was all hands- on deck and and you all did a phenomenal job, all the departments who
took part. So, thank you all for that. Um with that being said, I want to thank you all again for being here. I want you guys to get home safe. Thank you to my colleagues. A lot of great things happened tonight. A lot of great discussions. Um, no need to beat dead horses. So, have a wonderful one and and
and take care. Thank you, >> Madam President. If you want to ask for a motion to adjurnn. >> May we have a motion to adjurnn. So, move second. All >> say I. Is there any opposed? >> None opposed. Meeting adjourned.