All right, Mr. Garcia, we can proceed. >> Certainly, Madam President. Trenton City Council regular meeting April 21st, 2026 is now called to order. Please stand and salute the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty for all adequate notice of this meeting has been given in accordance with the open public meetings act pursuant to public laws 1975 chapter 231
to the extent known it was sent to the tren Trenton Times and Trenton news in city hall and filed in the city clerk's office and posted on the city of Trenton website. Formal action will be taken. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards.
>> Councilwoman Feliciano >> present. >> Councilwoman Frisbee >> here. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez >> presente. >> Councilman Harrison. Vice President Williams >> present Presente.
>> Council President Figuro Gettburg >> present. >> Myself Brandon Garcia municipal clerk present. Mr. Colloji is called to notify us that he is in route. He expects to be a few minutes late. And Mr. Bridges I
imagine is coming as well. And I'm sorry, >> Councilwoman um Edwards just walked in. >> Certainly. We'll mark her present. Thank you. >> And Mam President, if you like at this
time, I'll read the invocation. 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. Okay. And Madam President, at this time, I believe we have presentations this evening. Uh the first presentation is from Robing Blocked 2. >> Yes, sir. Um it was my understanding
that Mayor Rigor wanted to introduce um this group. Do we know is he coming? >> Okay. I would like them to go ahead and proceed um should he come in he can um say a few words after. Thank you. >> And just to be clear, Madam President,
and so the presenters know, they will have how many how much time for their presentation? >> 10 minutes, sir. >> Thank you very much. Okay, gentlemen. Is that better? And C, pick it up. All right. I follow instructions well.
So, um, council people, thank you for having us here. Since we have 10 minutes, I'll make it brief. Uh, my name is Steve Patron. I'm the managing member of Harvest State Group. We are the conditional designated redevelopers of
Robing 2. We've been for the last 180 or 90 days um we have been working on coming up with a concept plan for Robing. I want to just briefly introduce our team members. I've got with me Peter Havnanian from JS
Havnanian, the 60-year-old building company from South Jersey. I've got Bill Warbert from Barton Partners. Um they're architects and planners from um over the river in Pennsylvania. Barton Partners
is the name of the group. Uh Sean Jackson from Isles. And not with us is um Dennis Moran from O'Donnell in Colorado. They're our structural engineers. And John Gillis, he's our LSRP.
Um we've had several site visits, various members of the crew at various members various times. Um we reviewed whatever documentation we could find, uh whatever the city had and whatever we could find in our own. Basically, the reports that
we have is a structural report from 2017. I don't know if you've seen that, but I can certainly get you copies of it. Um, it's 63 pages. It goes to the condition of the buildings. It didn't measure the
integrity of the concrete or anything like that. It was more a visual inspection. It made several recommendations as far as sa saving the buildings. also many recommendations about showing up
windows, uh, brick work and things like that where it wouldn't fall on the sidewalk or or or cause a safety hazard. Um, all the environmental information that we were able to obtain both from the DNIline website and also from the city. There's
nothing past 2017, so it's not very productive. There's a lot of outdated um reports that are there, a fair amount of work that has to be done. We've had ongoing discussions with private entities uh public organizations
uh to measure to get input and also to measure their interest in partnering with us in redeveloping this site. We've commissioned a market study, both residential and commercial, with the goals of understanding what buildings we
could save and repurpose and also creating something that would be a benefit for the community. So, um, we're here tonight looking for an extension of our redevelopment designation. I'm going to turn it over to Bill from Barton Partners. He's going to walk through a
concept plan. This isn't the final plan. This is just where we got to after we started to put the pieces together. And I want to talk about it when Bill's done, but since we only have 10 minutes, I'm going to let it get started and flip through. >> Good evening. Thank you very much. I
appreciate it. And I'm going to go quickly and happy to answer any questions later. Uh this is the existing site. Obviously this is a plan concept that we have come up with for this site and on this
concept we are preserving do we have a laser? No laser. So we are preserving the largest building on the site which is designated as building 54 on the map. Um we'll talk about building 54 in a minute
what we're thinking for that. This plan incorporates three types of residential housing. The orange buildings to the Mott Street side are stacked town houses at three stories. The yellow buildings on the interior are standard town homes
at three stories. And then the building that is on let's get the is it Harrison on the on the right hand edge is a 36 unit threetory apartment building. One of the things that we really tried to consider and
think about as we were laying this plan out was making connectivity back into the neighborhoods and providing open spaces, parks, recreation areas, and connecting ways. It's hard to see on this diagram, and I could go up and point it out, but there are walking
trails that go through the site. I'm going to skip past this because this is essentially the same slide. We talk a little bit more about the open spaces here and then we'll talk about building 54. Building 54.
And I should point out that we are going to do an extensive structural inspection of this building before we can determine whether or not this building can be saved. Um, but the idea is we've kicked around several
ideas. This is just conceptual. the idea of potentially doing this as a food incubator space where there's a shared kitchen concept and small restaurant and tours will come in and set up shop. Could be a host of different stores that
end up in here. Um there's some visuals for what these places look like. Again, more more of the same. And here's the outdoor spaces. And as I mentioned, you know, we looked at doing
that sort of that central green in the middle where that could people could filter out from this building, it could be, you know, events could happen a couple times during the year. The piece that's down in that lower right or
excuse me, the lower left, we see that more as more of like a park element for the neighborhood. And then there's connecting sidewalks and greenways through there. So this is more indicative of what we think that public space, you know, a little bit smaller scale but not
different in use. These are some potential representative elevations for what the town homes may look like. Certainly, we want to study the neighborhood more in depth. We've looked at the neighborhood. the neighborhood, you know, it's it's
definitely an urban fabric, but the homes tend to all have pitched roofs in the neighborhood. So, it's not flat roof town homes, but we want to be sensitive to what the elements are in the neighborhood and what the materials are in the surrounding neighborhood. Likewise for the apartment building,
this kind of really just sort of represents more of what the scale of the building is and what it could be. One of the things that we had a lot of discussion about, especially with the homes, is, you know, that idea of a front porch element that faces the
sidewalk and the walkable sidewalks and neighborhoods through here. And then this is part of the structural report that has the ratings for the buildings. And then the photographs to the to the left hand edge were
photographs that were in the report minus that aerial shot at the bottom that were taken in 2017. And then the photographs on the right hand side were images that we took while we were walking the site in the fall of 25. And it kind of shows the the comparison of
what the conditions were then to what they are now. Um, I don't know if you guys have this on a screen or the ability to see this, but you'll see that there's some real deterioration in the roof. The roof has really been compromised quite a bit. There is a 12-in tree growing in the
first floor of this building. And on the second floor, there are small trees and small shrubs, for lack of a better term. And then the the second floor is covered in moss and grass, and it's holding water as it did in 2017. It was holding water
in 2017 17 as well and the roof has deteriorated further. So we really need to get in and determine whether the structural integrity of the building has been compromised before we can declare that we want to save it. But we do really want to try to save this
building. We think this is probably the most promising building on the site for something to happen. And that's it. >> Thank you very much. Um, I believe Mayor Gusar is here. If you'd like to say some words, closing them out, mayor, and then
I'd like council to be able to ask some questions. >> Thank you, council, council president, and distinguished members of council. Um, I wanted to put it in perspective by talking about the Robing Wire Works Building, and I'll be real brief.
overall. Um I got to take a tour of it and um it it's the formerly Art All Knights building and right now they're replacing the roof and all the windows on the three tiers. That's a $7 million
job just for the windows and the roof. The rest of the uh phase two is another $7 million which would be a $14 million project. The building on M Street is similar but unused and you could imagine
the cost of saving that when we're we're investing $14 million into the Robing Wireworks building. The other project that we have is the Carver Center. I know it's near and dear to all of our hearts. We've secured $2.9 million and that's just going to take care of the
structural beam issues and the roof itself. We're also spending $3.5 million on Eagle Tavern. So, the city has about 30 historic pro properties and you could think of them and I could let you give
you a whole list later on. Um, but we have to pick and choose. We have to prioritize what we're going to save. We would love to save Rolling Block 2. Council had a chance. A prior council had a chance and voted it down. we had uh Princetell, that whole place would
have been developed if if they gave them the go-ahad. They didn't. And so those buildings continue to deteriorate and um we even brought in Paul Panac to take assessment. Well, first of all, we had our engineers firm and said that the
building uh could not be saved. We also had our our code enforcement officer went in there and said it was an imminent hazard. And then even Paul Ponacci looked at it and he said, "Yeah, the building could be saved, but at what cost?" And while at originally we said
we wanted to just demolish half of it and try to save the other half, even Pacci agreed that it's cost prohibitive to try to save it. And it is a shame. It's not your fault. I didn't put it in that condition, but it is what it is. We
have an opportunity to redevelop Robing Block 2 and bring market rate housing in it. And we're really excited about the the possibility. We still are dedicated to saving Robing Wireworks. There are two other blocks, Robing One and Robing 3, that have
preserved buildings, but Robing block two is in the condition that we have to make some real hard choices. And um if you have $14 million per building, that's great, but I I don't know where that's going to come from. So
um it is a shame, but this is this is an exciting project that can move the city forward. And we have a number of large developments, and you're going to talk about the transit village. We're the last city on the entire New Jersey transit that does not have a transit
village. And we have an exciting proposal to have one where people can walk to the train station then go on to either New York or Philadelphia. So there's a lot of exciting development proposals in in the city. You see it with the Van Skyver. You see it with the
Bell Telephone Building. You see it with Rolling Block 3. There there is a lot of expressed interest. And I'm really excited about the Burwell uh uh project that's on Wall Street that will bring housing to Wall Street where there was
nothing there before. So um it is a shame. It is what it is. Um but I think this is an opportunity to extend the site control so that they could develop a real plan for Rolling Block 2. We can
start all over again. We can look for a godfather of sorts that will come up with $14 million per building without even having uh the capital to to create a development project out of it. So
that's where we are. >> Thank you, mayor. Um if you wouldn't mind, can you stick around? I want now to have an opportunity for myself and my council colleagues to ask questions and I'm not sure if they're going to be aimed at you particularly or redevelopment people. Um, so please stick around. Thank you for that
information. Um, I I have a few questions. Um, >> this structural report is from 2017. Um, one of the first things that was was pointed out that the one building that can be saved and then in and you know going into the presentation it was like
it may not be able to. We haven't really gone in, we haven't really assessed it. We don't know. Um, when is it going to be reassessed and when did the Princetail deal fall through? Just curious. um seven years ago. >> It was one of It was right out of then.
>> No, it was uh 2018 to 2019. >> Okay. >> That was last assessment. Okay. Yeah. >> Um so, you know, in order to bring a presentation before us and saying this is the only building that we think that we can save, but we don't know that we
can. When would we have an answer as to whether or not this building can be structurally saved or not? being that the other building that we thought was going to be saved at least partially um kind of got ripped down without our knowledge of um we kind of got um
sideswiped in that. We were not made aware um and we don't want to see that happen again. So what does that look like and when is it going to be uh re um inspected? We we had CME, our engineering firm, went into the Mot
Street building and they'd made an assessment that the the building could not be saved and that it was an imminent hazard. We had our own code official went in there and said it's an imminent hazard and already a wall section had
been compromised and collapsed. So, we had a demolition company came in to do up to the collapse. Uh but then even when Paul Ponacci came in, he said that you can't save the building. >> Okay. >> And so it was fluid. God forbid somebody
went in there. There we've had squatters that have gone in there. We've had it's an attractive nuisance for kids to explore in. We could not um risk keeping the building up any further. >> Thank you. I mean, and that's understandable. It would just have been
um nice that that would have been translated to us since people did come into council specifically to speak to this and we asked questions and we were not given accurate answers at the time. Um and it kind of makes us all look like we don't know what's going on in our city which is is something that none of
us want, right? Um okay. So another question I had about this. So the rest of these buildings that are not going to be salvaged and we're going to be town houses or whatever, I feel like a lot of town houses in the city typically fail, what's going to make these town houses um persevere?
>> Well, first of all, you have a company that believes in the in the project and that is is building them. Uh you also have to think of what is Trenton going to look like for the next 20 years. Don't look at it as what is Trenton going to look at like today. Just drive
out there. That's what Trenton looks like today. Um, this is an opportunity to create market rate housing would attract the middle class and transform that neighborhood. It would add life to Robing Block One, the the the market that's there. Um, you could have
entertainment possibilities that are there. And I think that, um, as development comes in and more and more people believe in the city, um, they're going to take a chance. young generation such as you cannot afford New York or Philadelphia
anymore. And especially when kids are coming out of college, they're looking for a medium-sized city that's walkable, that has things to do, that has a downtown. And that's what the vision for Trenton is. Um we're working on uh South
Warren Street where um we can we can have um a hotel that that's under consideration. Also, you have a company like Ginger Peach that's in Lawrenville actually wanting to pick up and move into Trenton. And I think that's an exciting possibility and we should
promote that kind of development whenever we can. Um the exercise tonight is giving uh Havate another six month sight control so that they can come up and develop a plan um and and be able to
come back here to present to council. Uh ultimately council is in the driving seat. Um you could say no, we don't want H state to continue to have site control. We want to look out there to see what else is there. That's fine. But uh keep in mind
that time is of the essence and that these buildings are not in the greatest shape. And it is a shame that the prior council and this is not any anyone here. Joe was was here was an advocate for the redevelopment of that block and it it um
would have been a different story. >> So, two questions. I'll give it to my council. Quick questions. One, um when can this be reassessed? This building 54. >> Um it's being reassessed all the all the time and um CME only did the M Street
building. We we're CME is under contract with us. we could send them to to make an assessment of the other buildings. That could be part of their responsibility. Um the code enforcement official can also look at the other
buildings. Um but uh just in discussions with them, it's not pretty >> and and Okay. And what is Ginger Peach? Tell us. Ginger Peach is a is a bakery that's in uh Lawrenceville on Main
Street and they're going to occupy the site of the uh Starbucks that is on South Warren Street. They're going to move their production facility because it's bigger here than Lawrenceville, do the production facility will create
jobs, uh but also have a bakery shop uh for on-site purpose purchases. >> All right. Thank you, mayor. I'm going to pass this on to my council colleagues who has questions. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> So, thank you, council president. Thank you, mayor, and thank you to all who
came to present this evening. I have um so the my first question is CME, you said they did the assessment of building 54. >> What was their recommendation? >> Tear it down. >> Could not be saved. >> Okay,
that's Well, that was theirs. I want I want to hear what they actually um said. >> Yeah, that report is available and I believe I forwarded it to council. >> Okay. And then I um this is see if I have any more for you. So um I don't know if this is going to be for you
mayor or for the those others who presented. I see that there the three-story homes. One I know the work of JS Hub Hubanian. I actually bought a home in West Hampton and you were the builders there and the work there was absolutely fantastic. Cried, but I had
to leave it. So, I know your work and I know that it is quality work. Um, so I appreciate that we have um you here. Second, I want to say in moving Trenton forward, there are a lot of things that we want to do and preserving our history
is extremely important to all of us. Um, but preserving life to me is even more important. I would not have anyone to go into a facility, a building, a structure that is not safe, which is why I wanted
to know what CME's recommendation was. I don't I don't weigh history over life. Life is the thing that I'm more concerned about right now. And always I'm always whether it is the building the building we can take some of the bricks and we can make hopefully something that can be in honor of that
to um honor the the structure itself and the history there is what I would hope if we were to go forward with this project that we would do. Um I am not for preserving something that might at some point come down on someone. So, that is my uh response to that.
>> And I I don't mean to interrupt you, but if any council member would like to take a tour of Robing Wireworks, please let me know. I really encourage you to go there to really imagine the possibility. That is our civic center in the future. Um the second phase is to put in HVAC,
flooring, more bathrooms, and an industrial kitchen so that um we could truly have events um sponsored by the city of Trenton. So, I didn't mean to interrupt you, but if any I really urge you to look at
>> what a substantial investment by the city, $14 million um to to bring that to life and and that's preserving history >> and I appreciate that. Um we're investing all that and like you said, we have to pick and choose. We'd love to preserve all of it um all the entire
town, but that does that's not a reality. Um I did have a question about the buildings themselves. but said that they three-story town homes. My questions about that is are those going to be one family? Are those dual family?
>> Um for >> we're proposing a combination of for sale and for rent. We think there needs to be some for sale again here there needs to be some forale construction that people can buy and own. They are um
a combination of um individual and what we call stacked town houses or backtoback town houses which sort of inter interconnect but they're not connected together. These aren't like two family houses or three family houses. Um
again this is a concept plan. It's not the final plan. I'm here tonight because um we have to do our own investigation of the larger building that we want to preserve and I've got to spend $75,000 to do that. They need to test the
concrete. They need to do other things. I don't understand that world, but that's what I'm told they need to do. Our hope is to preserve it. I look at this site as the gateway to Chambersburg. I'm envisioning a culinary school there, uh a bakery. We've been
talking to different people that um want to look at doing a a brew pub and and a bunch of other things that could be very very exciting. So, we want to save that. But the other ones we can't save. I don't want to spend money wastefully
>> if we're going to move forward and make a commitment to this. You need to know that that's the only building that we're targeting to save. We cannot save the other ones in our plan. So if you really want the other ones to be saved, tell me now. There's a lot of other things I can
do and I don't need to spend the money. >> Yeah. Thank you. So, so I respect that and I I like honesty. I like even if I don't like it, I love I can appreciate that and I can respect that. So, thank you for that. Um, >> and you asked a question before about how long the structural engineers, I
think they're about two to two and a half months to do the testing they need to do on the floor, on the columns, on the sides, and everything else. They wouldn't be doing this if they didn't think that we can do it. >> Excellent. My next question, I really quick, I just want to bounce off. I just
want to be clear. 54 is still intact. Building 54, >> is that the building? >> That's the one is still intact, right? Which what was that? Which was the one that got demolished? >> Mree. >> M tree. Do we have a number on that building? >> Okay. So I just want to be clear. So 54
can still be >> So 57 is 57 was the one that was demolished and 56 is >> but 56 is >> 56 we can still work with. >> Yes. >> Okay. So that was not the one that >> 54. 54. >> This is the one if you're coming out of
robing market. >> I'm sorry. This is a bunch of confusion. I need 56. we can still work with. That is not the one that >> CM 54, excuse me, 54 is the one that CME did it said is we can still work with that one. >> That's the one we're working on.
>> 57 is the one that they said we should not that is that one should be condemned. It should be demolished. That's Well, that's the one that is down. Yeah, that's the one that's No, no, I just We've got too many numbers up here. 54 57 54 We've got a up. 57 is
already down. Um, that's where I am. >> So, bu to put it in perspective, building 54 is, and correct me if I'm wrong, Bill, it's like 45,000,000 square feet per >> per floor for two floors. It's a big building.
>> Excellent. Thank you for that. the drive out out of Robling Market. You're looking straight at it. >> Got it. Thank you. Um, don't even go. I got to cut just a few more. The So, I know we're going to the questions will come and I know this is really not the town time to ask about parking and all
the rest that because all that will come with it, but just know that that is something that would be um a big issue because of we are already tight here in the city um for parking. So just knowing how many how um car that's going to be a question that will come up repeatedly. The number of parking spaces per unit um
because folks will have more than one too um going forward. Uh number of parking family. So I I think that is about it. I love the idea. we get it back on the tax role as far as um getting and then it helps
with our community, helps with getting jobs back in here, getting folks in um good homes, solid homes, homes with integrity. Um and I love that it will we have a you're uh talking about having a walking trail um and the open space. The other question that I would um have you
take into consideration and maybe I'm just I missed it, but I did hear you say there was a to the bottom left there was going to be a parking a rather a park. Um with all of that space, I would hope that that's not going to be the only park um for the that community. Um that
there would be more playgrounds in that uh um >> yeah, there's there's there's a larger area in the center of the site that that we're looking at. Um, and you talked about uh respecting the history of it. We also thought, Bill had mentioned the walking trails that it it could be um
like monuments that go along that show the evolution of how it was developed and how it was built. These buildings started in the mid 1800s and went up all the way to the 1920s. So, there's a history of how it evolved. And we can we can demonstrate that as somebody's walking through with monuments
>> and maybe even using some of the bricks if they're they're salvageable. That might even be uh something. That is all I have. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh Council Vice President um Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh so I
have a few questions and I just want to say this is I just find it interesting and ironic. We're sitting in front of this beautiful Everett Shin painting that is to honor the factory workers that were in those factories that made the wire rope for the Golden Gate
Bridge, for the Brooklyn Bridge that you know after the invention of the I-beam that all came from Trenton. And this is a city where history, every part of history is important. And you know, things have been
reinccorporated to new buildings. Uh Trenton Lofts is a great example of that. There are other ones. Uh when I look at those buildings, I see the Power District in Kansas City, Missouri. I see uh the district warehouse district in New Orleans. I see the district in
Raleigh, North Carolina. I see possibilities there. Now, maybe not every building saved, but I do know that some of these buildings there has to be a way to reuse some of because we had a presentation, at least one if not two
presentations I believe in 2023 uh from other developers who said that they could save some of these buildings. Now, granted, that's three years ago. We've had two blizzards and some other weather since. Um, so I'm very disappointed to hear that
basically all the buildings except for 54 will be gone. And if 54 sounds like it's on shaky ground and needs another study, >> well, I wouldn't be spending the money to study it if we thought it wasn't going to work. And I would ask you if other developers came forward with these
proposals to save the buildings, where are they now? >> So, um, maybe somebody has a has a better idea. I would encourage you to go take a a tour of these buildings and you'll see the condition they're in. I mean, the stuff is just falling down. I >> I would love to. I was hoping I actually
I'd love to see that and I'd love to see the wireworks work because we all approved that. That would be something fantastic to see. And also, I do remember in 2018 when there was a big municipal cleanup of uh some of the robing factors, particularly along
Hamilton Avenue. I was a part of it. Um the mayor was a part of it. I believe Councilman Harrison was with us. uh and Samuel Winelli, my family was there. Uh it was inspiring to think that, you know, we were going to be helping to may hopefully save one of these buildings. And granted, that was before the whole
Prince thing, which is in the rear view. We have to move on. Um we want to see that area developed. We want to see people living there for sure. But I guess my my main question is is it not possible just even with the
steel framing to preserve one of these buildings in the best shape it can even if it's a smaller size than it was rather than whole cloth um we would at least to remember the robings we would have you know the wire works of course and then one and uh three I believe were
mentioned that they're still they're preserved they're being used but as far as the other buildings yeah They're gone. Uh M Street uh is still there. Uh that one that was a very large building. It was incredible driving along it to see how much of the
block it took up actually and to try to imagine you know the industrial processes that were there. And this is something you know there's a saying once you know something's gone you know that's when you realize you know what you what you lost. And you know have
seen the designs and I have a very open mind. um something you I hope eventually, I know you're still working on different concepts that would fit in with the neighborhood well, but also honor that history very well because young people do want to live in old
buildings. Um they do want to they they think that those aesthetics are cool. One of the reasons Art Night was such a awesome event is because of the venue it was held in and hopefully, you know, with Wireworks that's going to happen again. it. You know, my only other question would be, you know, fitting the
topography of the neighborhood, um, access roads, uh, etc. >> Do you feel that more of a suburban design? That to me, that's what I saw. A little bit more of a suburban design is going to >> I'm afraid that's what it looks like. >> Yeah. And just working with the because
we're we're basically in a grid that's not too dissimilar from Greenwich Village in that >> area. We're we're very into working with stakeholders. I'd love to work with a subcommittee on the architectural uh on on whatever we're proposing to do
in new construction. It has to fit in. You mentioned about, you know, can we save another building and save this and that? I mean, if we struggled, could we save a little tiny building, but what are we going to do with it? It's not just the condition of the building, it's the size of the building. It could be obsolete for any other sort of purpose.
Um, these things are incredibly expensive to to do and we feel okay with the bigger building because we think that it has enough bones that we can do something important with it, but the
other ones it just doesn't work. >> So, not not even one of them would be possible. >> And and we're not looking for sure >> spire money or any sort of thing. We do we do our own equity. We do traditional funding. We're not looking for
grants and historic preservation money and those sort of things. If if we get this thing done, once we once we start to make the investment, we want to get it built. So, if you want something done, this is what we can do. Um, again, it's a concept plan. We can move things
around. We can do other areas for recreation or whatever. Um, but we're looking at it and again I'm saying if you really are going to be we want to save more buildings, I'm not your guy. Let me know now. Okay.
>> I don't want to have to spend the money and then come back to you six months later after working hopefully with a subcommittee and coming up with something that is a catalyst for the entire area over there. This block is the blight. That's it. you clean up that blight and everything else in the area,
you know, will benefit from it significantly. >> Well, thank you for your cander and I appreciate your answer, sir. Thank you. >> Council President, >> could I just add they are saving a building. They're saving the biggest building that's on the block. So, there is a building that is going to be saved
or they hope to. >> Thank you, Council Vice President. Um, Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Thank you, Council President. Thank you, mayor, and everyone for coming and speaking with us tonight. Um, I certainly can appreciate my um, colleagues concerns about looking to
preserve uh, the area, but I also can appreciate your your honesty in what it is that you said about look, we're either going to do this or we're not, and if we're trying to hold on to something that just may not be feasible to hold on to, then you're not the person to do it. I do believe in the
preservation of history when we can preserve it, when when we can do it, when it makes sense, when it makes sense um dollars wise, when it makes sense safety-wise, when it makes sense overall. We are we are unfortunately in
a situation because of things of the past that we do need to move past. That is then and this is now. I think that um I'm excited for what's to come. I'm excited for us to be able to move forward with this. It is unfortunate that the the building that I guess we
thought was going to be up actually came down. I think that the main concern was the lack of communication of that happening when that happened, right? And so I think that um when decisions like that are made or situations like that arise, just give the the council a
little bit of courtesy to just say, "Hey, we know we said this, but this is what's happened and life happens and things happen." But that is the whole point of us communicating with each other to make sure that we're all still moving forward together so we're not here in situations like this. So again,
I thank you for coming forward. I'm excited for what's to come. I'm looking forward to the project um hopefully moving ahead and us getting this underway so that we can continue to to clear out the blight to help move Trenton in a positive direction and to give our people even more positive
things to look forward to. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh, Councilwoman Edwards, >> thank you. Um, good evening. Thank you for joining us and for all of these updates. And
a lot was said. I I'll start there. A lot was said. As a history buff myself, I like to see history pre preserved. But, um, history can be preserved in a lot of different ways. Images
reconstructing new things with with the materials from a different project, stories told, things like that. We can do photos on the walls. We could do murals. We can do different statues. I like those ideas. I don't believe that
holding on to buildings that that present imminent danger to the surrounding environments is wise for anyone. It's dangerous. There's a lot of people that go in those buildings all the time. They've been set on fire multiple times. And I do understand that
time has passed and we've had some harsh winters. We had a few heavy snows which caused a recent collapse, partial collapse of the building. So just understanding things were
just nature's way. And that's what happens when properties sit there for a long time and go underdeveloped and unmaintained and things have happened prior to this council. So I think we have a responsibility to just move forward in the best way that we can. I do have some
questions. Um we did agree to a six-month hold inou and everything like that and to uh for some assessments to happen. which or what assessments were they and can we
see any copies of them? What were the outcomes of them so we can see what's going on exactly with the property? I like the presentation, but I don't believe that we received any copies of any assessments that were done. We did. Okay.
for the ones that that were asked for tonight. There were certain assessments that the mayor referred to that needed to happen. I assume we're going to happen during this process. So, >> I believe I forward you the CME report that recommended that the building be
demolished. Um the whole purpose of of Havstat uh six months they did an initial uh study and um and came up with a formula plan of where how to proceed. They just said they need another six months uh to
finish their their uh their site. >> Okay. So >> and correct me if I'm wrong. >> No, that's what I'm referring to. The six months. I'm not referring to the the building 57 that Yeah, I saw those CME reports. have been active on the on the
campus uh doing environmental studies uh taking initial assessment doing architectural renderings of what could fit in there. Um but there is they have to complete the plan. Um and that's why they're asking for another six months.
>> Okay. So >> maybe shorter. Maybe they may come in 6 months and say they need another 6 months or they may say it's not uh economically feasible to continue. But that's the whole purpose of giving a company um such as Havat 6 months sight
control so that they can go on the property and and make those assessments. >> So they had sight control for the first six months. Correct. >> Yes. It's just concluded. So um it's not concluded but the studies
that were done those are complete or you need more time to finish the studies because I don't believe we receive copies of any of those studies. >> Right. It's it's an ongoing process in in in our business. Six months is tomorrow. It goes very very fast. There are a lot of people that have to get
involved in a team to coordinate things. Um I I think the mayor's right. I mean, it's it's possible in six months from now, we'd be back here saying, "Here's where we're at. This is what we've done, and we need more time." Um, when you stick a shovel in the ground, you're
committed to the project at that point. I do the front end. Peter sticks the shovel in the ground, you know. So, we're investing a lot of dollars as we go through, paying professionals, getting um all the analysis done that we
need in order to confirm that what we're what we're proposing to do uh has the highest probability of success. We're not there, but I needed to come here and tell you that if we're going to proceed any further, this is where we're at. The only thing that we can do is the bigger
building. We can't save the other buildings. Could somebody else do it for some purpose? I I don't know who it would be. They would have come through. They would have surfaced already. And the buildings aren't getting any better. >> So, so far the assessment, the studies
that you have done determined that out of all of the buildings, only building 54 is possibly salvageable and the rest would have to come down. >> Correct. >> Okay. But and and I think the mayor tried to make the point before when he was talking about $14 million to
repurpose a building. We don't have that kind of money to put into this. It's not the same animal. So, um you can save anything with the right amount of money. You can take each brick apart. You can chip it off and becomes church brick and put it back together again like a Lego
set. But at what cost? You know, it's too expensive. So, we can't make it work. Um we we realize that this is an important site. The buildings are important, but the site is very important to the entire neighborhood.
And so what we're proposing to do is something that we know we can do and will be a catalyst for the entire area. >> Okay. Thank you. Um I don't believe I have any further Oh no, I did. So, you
mentioned market rate housing for town homes and things like that. Market rate housing for rent. You mentioned a food incubator. Are you planning on incorporating any other mixeduse storefronts, entertainment for the public?
>> Yeah. So, um it's interesting. We've been talking to a lot of third parties um about different uses. I sort of got married to the idea of a culinary institute there for a couple of reasons. One is they can train people in the
neighborhood. The other thing I thought about was uh the CIA where the students go there, they cook during the day and people come at night and I thought you somebody had mentioned about parking that this is a great location because at night you don't have a lot of parking in the roadway market but you have a lot of
parking places that are vacant which is across the street. We can light up the street, have people come from out of the area like they do used to do in Chambersburg. Come from out of the area, sample, you know, what the students did during the day. Along the way, other
ideas came up. All really surfacing around food, entertainment, that sort of thing. So, we're we're again these are concepts. They they aren't fully vetted out. We don't know tomorrow somebody may come up with a better mousetrap. Um
We'll figure it out as we go. And six months is not a lot of time to do that. But we have been out talking to different people and coming up with different concepts and seeing what pieces fit together best for the the
success of the development, but also the success of the neighborhood. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. I don't have any further questions. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Council >> Gonzalez. Yeah. Most of it has been somewhat answered. I was going to ask
about the um who would first of all, thank you so much for coming before us and sharing this information. Um but about the unforeseen remediations or any environmental issues, would you all be covering the cost within this six months?
>> There hasn't been anything done on the environmental front since 2017. Anything that we can find, >> right? There are a lot of open items at the D. I spoke to my LSRP and I said, "We got to get our arms around this." They said, "Well, the LSRP off record is
removing himself from record." So, the environmental is a wild card right now. We really don't know what it is, right? >> We're working on it. >> Okay. >> But we we don't know what it is. >> Okay. Um, and some of the other questions will come
further down, but I I do want to say that I am also in agreement with Councilwoman Feliciano and Edwards as far as, you know, sometimes we want to preserve, but there are ways to do that. So, you know, I am excited to see what will come out of this uh project because we do want to get rid of that blight
that's been, you know, an eye store for a very long time in that in that area. So, um, most of my questions have been answered. Thank you so much, >> Councilman Harrison. >> Um, like to start off like the mayor said, Princeell was a huge mistake. Um,
but I'm glad to see that my council colleagues are willing to move forward. Um, we have to continually move the city forward. Uh, it was a mistake by the last council, but we we have to keep looking to the future. And um, you're correct. Uh, the mayor had said that we
and we want to move the city forward. It's a gateway to Chambersburg and um the community and the neighborhood wants to see this developed. Thank you. >> Thank you all so much. Thank you so much for your presentation this evening. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you, Council President. Members,
>> Mr. Garcia, we can proceed to next presentation. >> Certainly. Next presentation listed is Uriel Burwell for redevelopment of Wall Street. >> Thank you. Please advise there's 10 minutes for your presentation. >> Good evening everyone. Just want to say
thank you to Mayor Guiro and his administration for providing me with this opportunity to come and speak to you all. And of course I want to thank you all for being here to listen to Yes, that's it. to listen to it. I'm I'm very excited about everything that's happening in Trenton. I've been down here for a
while. I work with the housing authority and been working and seeing how much the city is increasingly changing on an ongoing basis and it's really exciting to see some of the big development that's starting to come to the city and people are definitely excited about coming to the city of Trenton. Um my
project is based on the fact that not all not all people want to move outside of Trenton and before we allow everyone to be unable to stay in the city of Trenton like many of cities like Newark 80% of the people renting and all of those folks can't afford to stay in that city. So it's very crucial that as
developers come and start to build houses at market rate levels that we're mindful of that potential of that process. And that's one of the things I'm hoping to do here to start with. We're doing eight modular homes here on Wall Street and let that be a standard for growth as to how we can start to do
more housing in the area for workingclass families. Um the project is may have to help move this thing, but let's see. The project is called the Wall Street Development Project. It's comprised of 11 I mean 12 lots along the
street from 30 to 56. Um, okay. All of the yellow lots are parcels that I'm pursuing from the city to develop those particular units, all multi-unit homes. Um, uh, that'll be approximately 2200 to 2500 square ft. It's located near the
corner of North Clinton Street. And, uh, each of those houses again will be modular, probably take about 6 months to a year to actually complete the entire project. And because they're two family homes, it would make it a little bit more affordable for working-class families in the area, as well as
speaking to Mercer County um Mercer County about the firsttime home buyers program to possibly help some persons uh to help them, you know, provide them with down payment assistance for these homes. Um again, these are preliminary designs
that we've worked on before. So, this is not the final design for it, but it is actually showing that there's two off- streetet parking garage off one garage, but it's two parking uh spaces underneath the house. Each house will be comprised of two units. Again,
approximately 2200 to 2500 square ft. Right now, this particular design has two bedrooms on each floor. that could expand to three bedrooms, but again, because of the cost of it to actually bring it, that will affect exactly how much um these units will be selling for.
So, that's going to vary. That could vacasillate between um cost. So, we have to be mindful of that because once you start to get to three bedroomedroom houses, modular homes, it starts to go up and then therefore making it unaffordable to work and families. So, we want to keep that in mind as we begin
to uh move forward with the project. Um it's just this is a preliminary design again. Um based on what's happening in the area, we definitely plan on creating a design that's more friendly with the community that's matching existing buildings. Some
of the buildings that's currently there, they're actually much taller than these buildings here. So, we want to try to build something that's going to complement what's already there as well as bring out the energy for something new so that other persons who are coming to the community can see the value in that particular area. It's located about
a block away from the train station. And I think right now because these will be modular homes, it's just a phase in what's going to come to the city next in terms of developers coming and wanting to do more stick built um housing. My experience in doing this, I've been doing development um in the city of
Newark for 30 years. Cavania, Society Hill, all those projects, lots there were all vacant prior to them coming in and seeing what they did. Even in my neighborhood where I grew up, it was all abandoned lots. And I see now going back there um on Springfield Avenue, 20th
Street, some of the most abandoned areas in the city having put those houses there 12 years ago and now going selling those houses as affordable housing for $200,000 12 years ago. And to go back there now in 2026 and see people on Springfield Avenue buying two family
homes for $850,000. So, I am more than certain that if we can start here on Wall Street is definitely something that could um cultivate into bigger uh bigger goals of building more affordable housing. So, that's part of um what it is that we're
looking to do. Again, these are all preliminary designs, so I won't spend too much time talking about it. Just a brief history of myself. Um you're certainly welcome to ask me all the questions about the particular site there. One of the goals being also um going back to the slide is to make the
community more walkable from the train station to make it something that individuals can actually walk through the block. Right now it's all vacant properties on the block. So it's not a lot of um blight, a lot of properties just sitting down. It may be three or four, but um I think that with this um
this development here definitely um bring that into it. I wanted to share a bit about myself, some of the things I've been doing here in Trenton. As I mentioned, I worked for the housing authority from 2010 to 2015. So, that was one of the things that um I really learned about the city and seeing some
of those houses at that particular time that was $60,000. I was really fascinated by that. So, I started working down here and going back and forth. But today, those same houses that were 60,000 in are now 200,000. Some of them in the same conditions, some of them may be a little bit worse. But to see that that's what's happening here in
Trenton is the same thing um that happened in New York. So I see it coming for Trenton. I know developers are really excited about what's happening in Trenton. A lot of developers, despite what you want to believe, they're outside of Newark. I mean outside of Trenton and they're looking to buy properties in Trenton to hold because
Trenton is coming. It's here now. So it's coming. But a lot of developers, not necessarily you guys here, next time I come, I'm going to bring my architect and engineer and my environment. this. So, I'm not going to bother Rosen. That's that's another issue.
That's another issue. No, not you guys. Whatever. But, so, um, that's one of the things I see happening here, and I'm more than confident that that's something that's going to come with this project. Again, 198 West Havanian Street is a project
that I renovated uh, maybe six years ago. We sold that property for 200,000. But again today that very property is easily worth 260 270. Sold it to a local family, beautiful local family. Um and again they live there now very very um
happily in that particular house. This is 569 Brunswick Avenue. This is another property that actually renovated on Brunswick Avenue. Again, sold it to another local family. Um, I believe it was $1.90 we sold it for. Um, and we provided them
with a subsidy uh with $10,000 to actually do that. These are just more pictures of how the property looked as we renovated or it's kind of small but um if you can see some of it. It's just, you know, what we did to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, floors
um to each of the property, but uh we were able to salvage it and go from there. With regards to modular housing, my experience recently I was approved by um the zoning board to do a modular house at 46 Wayne Avenue. And I'm sure that most of y'all have probably gotten
emails from me about 46 Wayne Avenue. I've been working on it for a while. And um it's a this is not this not this particular one. 46 Wayne is one that's I've been working on that's very similar in style to this one here. This one here is 792 South 14th Street that I did in
Newark. And I'm using this as an example because it's something that we want to replicate and bring here to Trenton and do a lot more. But again, that's the drawings of it. And this was the actual house once it was finished. So again, bringing something with flavor, some
with energy. As I said, everybody don't want to leave Trenton. People can't afford to leave Trenton. People just want to stay here. Every not everybody want to leave our urban cities as people think. Everybody don't want to leave Trenton. So there's people who want to be able to afford houses and here and live here with that extra income. Again,
it's able to soften what it is that people are paying for their mortgages. And one of the things that always help that is the amount of their down payment tax abatements. Um those are some of the small things that have to be mindful of in doing this um sort of project.
Last slide on that particular one. Um, so that's what I'm asking for. There's approximately, let me go back again. Um, 46 Wayne Avenue. That's here in Trenton. That's an,00 um square foot house. It's the zoning board recently gave it second
memorialization in March. Uh, we recently submitted construction drawings for that particular unit. Had a lot of people inquiring about this one um this one property that we're doing up there. So, um, I do have pictures of it. I don't know how to actually pull it up here, but have some pictures of it if we
could get them up here. But those 12 lots that I'm asking for along Wall Street are all vacant parcels right now that I intend to um plant these eight homes on as soon as possible. They're all contiguous parcels, but we'd have to eventually subdivide them so that it's
made evenly or, you know, so each lot has the same square footage, possibly a little less, a little bit more. One of the things of course that's going to affect it is the current um redevelopment plan for the area. I think it has I believe it's 6,000 or 7,000 square feet in average as a part of that
redevelopment plan that's already in place. So we obviously have to go to the planning and zoning board to talk about reducing that um reducing that square footage or maybe building on smaller lots. Um I think that's all for me. Uh if
there's any questions, I'm willing to take some. And >> thank you so much, Mr. Burwell. >> Um I have a couple of questions and I'll open up to my colleagues. Um so looking at some of these lot sizes, yeah, one particularly is much smaller than the others or two. One's 13 and 16.
>> Um are those also going to be two family homes? >> Yes. Well, what would happen is we'll again um end up merging all of these lots and have the architect um subdivide them such as here. You'll see that some of them are um it's only it may be 10
lots, but in actuality once we put it together, merge them, had the architect subdivide each of the lots, they'll all have, as an example, 5,000 square ft per lot. Some of these lots are too small to put um a house on, which is what happened to us on Wayne Avenue. the lot
was 18 feet wide or 19 feet wide and because it wasn't contiguous to another house, the city required me to come in and reduce the size of the house so that we would have three feet on the left and right. So, >> so there are a few properties that are miss that are not part of your plan that
are not contiguous to the others. Yep. >> Um 56. So 52 and 54 are not part of what you're taking and neither is 48 and a half. >> That's correct. >> Okay. So, what is your plan? Because those are smaller. Six, the 50 and 56 are much smaller. What's your plan for those?
>> Um, those particular lots, again, we're looking at doing slimmer houses, maybe Trinity style homes on those particular parcels as opposed to what we do on 20 on 30 to 46. On those particular designs, particular lots, we certainly
be more to be more creative. Specifically, lot 13. That's probably the smallest one. Lot 50 is 23 by 100. So that's certainly large enough to develop something there. Uh the lot, the green lot here is something that's owned by the church. Lot 23 that's privately
held. Um that's a vacant lot. That's an individual I haven't had a conversation with, but certainly uh willing to um reach out to him to make that connection. 17, 14, and 15 are all current properties that are in place already. So
>> Okay. Thank you. Um so if you could just explain u for those who don't know what what is modular housing? What is that? >> Modular housing is um housing that again is built in a factory as opposed to um on the street um or stick built. It's
the same as stick built but it's just built inside of a factory saving time, saving material um as opposed to being built on the street with conditions, weather conditions like we had over the winter time. You can't build in those conditions. You have to have folks inside. you can't have them on the streets doing that. But in a in modular
housing, you're able to um build those units in a faster time, pick the materials, bring and cut and paste those houses in a short period of time. So that's the difference with stick built. Again, that's a little bit more costly. Stick built could be 250 per square foot
as opposed to modular homes being 150 per square foot. So that would make it a lot more affordable for workingclass families as opposed to trying to come in and do stick build. I'm presently doing stick build homes in Newark, but those six stick build units can cost you $500,000 to build it. 550 with all the
soft cost and everything that comes along with it. And as we talked about in some of the projects, you really don't know what's underneath the ground. If there's contaminants, if there's old tanks, if there's houses that were pressed down from fires, you never know exactly what's underneath the soil until we acquire it. So, if you're just
getting it vacant, once you look underneath there and see boil oil bo oil tanks and houses and you know, other things that happen, um that could be part of the issue, like I said, and build stick build in uh Norc is 500, but here you could possibly get that same house um of similar character for
300,000 if it's modular, you know. So, >> Okay. And you're looking to um sell these houses once you'veated them. Okay. And what is your target audience? The target audience is um working-class families here in Trenton as well as families who fall within an affordable u
median income for Mercer County. Um again, that down payment is also crucial. Right across the street, you have a church there that has more than a thousand members that will probably, you know, be interested in acquiring some of these properties. I also spoke to um the executive director of um Trenton Housing
Authority about the Choice Neighborhood as to whether or not we could possibly utilize some of the $19 million that they have outside of the Choice Neighborhood. And Clifford Godfrey said, "Of course, you know, there's monies that can be used not only for Choice Neighborhood, but there's a possibility again because I've also worked at Trent
Housing Authority and I knew Cliff and uh Leget and Galani, all these guys and whatever. um part of that story and knowing that I used to work there and coming back to utilize this for affordable housing. So the target audience is uh people that fall within that 80% median income here in Mercer
County. Um uh some families who can just you know but it's all really based and target for families that live here in the city of Trenton. Um so I don't have an exact income requirement. So what they would have to do that's something to be more tailored once we get exactly what it is that we're going to be
building there. But it's certainly in my ideology for people from Trenton because eventually these houses and other houses, they may not be able to afford if you don't do it now. >> I appreciate that. Thank you so much. I mean, I like that there's two-car garages in these. Um I asked about the
audience because I know that the um the townhouse is built across the street from Coopers. um they were sold I think initially they wanted I think 250 or 300,000 and then they went down to 199 or something and then a lot of them failed you know with the homeowners that
did purchase. So I just think you know just being mindful yeah you know of the target audience when we're doing this we don't want these homes to fail we don't want our homeowners to fail >> and again that's one of the crucial parts about have making sure that homeowners are have gone through training to purchase these houses. We
don't want to just dump them off and sell them to people who again can't afford to take care of them or can't take care of them. That's really crucial too. Like I said in in my experience, making sure that these individuals know how to take care of a house, what does it mean to be, you know, paying your taxes, what is a tax abatement, how often you need to pay that kind of
stuff. You know, your mortgage payment, what's going to be happening with these properties or whatever. Consistency with taking out your garbage, what are your taxes doing for your properties. These are all crucial factors that um I think the homeowners need to go through that. we talked about like iss having programs, housing authority having
programs to help people do that. And that's definitely something that would be um crucial to my heart, not just as a builder, but something to make sure that people don't get in here and fail. So, >> thank you, Mr. Burl. Before I before I um let my council colleagues um ask any further questions, um I understand that
uh our mayor Riier would like to say a few words. Yeah, I just Yuriel proves that not all people from bed are bad from North Jersey. Um, uh, Reverend Harris made the introduction and, uh, also, uh, he's
also working with Reverend Rodriguez. Um, so that whole neighborhood will pop out. Um, uh, both Rodriguez is has his, um, uh, development plan on the left and Uriel has his development plan on the
right. And then across the street at 70 North Clinton, uh Avalon is bringing the old mayor's mansion back to life. Uh so this is a truly a neighborhood that will uh benefit from its close pro proximity to the train station.
But we enjoy the relationship not only with uh Peter Havnian's group uh but also uh Yuriel Burrell. Uh there's a lot of development interest in Detroit Trenton and we want to make sure that uh they're happy with us as much as we're happy with them.
>> Thank you, Counciloman Feliciano. >> Thank you. >> That was a lot. >> That was a lot. >> Wow. Thank you. So, I I just have a quick question um just to refresh my mind and probably the law director will be able to answer this
question for me. I thought that when we were doing this, maybe I'm thinking incorrectly. We said that people could only buy like five lots at a time. >> Am I wrong in the thought of that? >> The the whole >> That's different. >> This is this is a development project.
So, it's different than >> it was so much talking going on, mayor. I just I'm just here. I don't >> as opposed to to buying uh properties separate >> from an individual. >> Okay. Uriel is a a certified developer. Um although he comes from North North
Jersey, >> right? >> Um nonetheless, this is a development project, so of course we would go beyond the >> the five of the Okay. Thank you. That that's it. Thank you. >> Well, I was just about to get a job with you guys, man.
>> Houseman Harrison, >> my my question is how long does it take to build these modular houses? the modular homes themselves inside the factory, right, could take two weeks to build the actual house inside, but the process of getting to that point is where that time comes from. When you're
talking about hiring lawyers, architects, engineers, surveys, doing environmental studies, those things take a lot of time as well as cost. Before we even build the house, you could spend almost $200,000 before we even put the first house there. Once we've already selected cabinets and things like that
to go inside, inside the factory, it takes them two weeks. But the process of getting there, them ordering project products and stuff like that, that could take six to eight months. But again, pending conditions, um, you know, turnaround from the city, different things like that, zoning board approvals, architects, all of that stuff
takes um, so much time to get approved that it could take nearly a year just to get a project like this materialized. So, >> thank you. Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, Council President. Hi, Mr. Burrow. Uh, thank you for your
presentation. Uh, I know this has been a long time in process from the emails you've always sent us. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I just have a few questions. So, the first one I have is uh, regarding the square footage, it looks like from the calculations, it's going to roughly 800 850 to about 1,50 square feet for
each unit >> depending on I know you have a couple narrow. >> Yeah, these are just preliminary designs. This is in the final form. Um, these designs are a bit older. So, like I said, we certainly hope to come up with some a little more savvy, but um it'll certainly be between uh 800 to
1,000 square feet per floor at minimum two bathrooms and uh maybe handicap accessible for some of them as well. >> Okay. And then as far as the garage goes, uh there'd be one garage per set of double units. So, uh, does the
downstairs apartment or how basically downstairs townhouse, do they get access to the garage solely since there's two parking spots? >> This this parking garage underneath would be mostly for the owner. Um, whoever, if he's on the first floor, sometimes the owner wants the second floor for a better view. Sometimes they want to stay on the first floor, but
typically based on a design, the owners would normally get the access and go from the inside up to the first floor and then, you know, tenants have to go on the outside to get into the second floor apartment. But usually in in addition to that where the apartment is there's always or there
will be a half bathroom or you know extra room where they could possibly put a TV and some other things storage whatever they choose to put down. So it's usually for the person that owns that particular house. >> Okay. And my other question uh is
because Wall Street um is a one-way street and presently there aren't driveways cutting off uh the sidewalk. So, I didn't know if you already talked to traffic and transportation about that because that will be unusual. Yes. But
also for turning radius into the uh the driveway for the garage, etc. >> Um making sure as far as uh the other homes. I know there's not a lot uh there's not too many homes there that have been saved from all the decades, right? >> But so people have access to church has
access to off- streetet parking across the street, right? And I didn't know if you already had those conversations with traffic and transportation downstairs. >> We have not had that conversation yet. But one of the things in in looking at my experience knowing that driveways always take away parking spaces. So knowing that if we're going to put eight
houses there is that's already eight parking spots already gone along that street. >> But the good thing in this particular development is that across the street there's the church there that lines up almost 1,000 square feet >> along that side. maybe longer than actually thousand in length that we
could possibly start to have additional cars parked there only for this particular case because again with two family houses it will certainly generate more people who utilize their car to go to work. So but on the other side with the church being so long that's probably where um some of the people end up parking.
>> Okay. I'd just like to suggest um you have a conversation with them sooner than later. Only reason being if there's any uh ordinances that have to change parkish, they actually come to us to for approval. Y >> um and to make sure that this is all
worked out before you start building. >> Absolutely. That's approved and absolutely. >> Um and my other just is uh more of a I don't know if it's a suggestion or a question because uh entering Wall Street's actually a pretty busy intersection. Um it's a little cockeyed
uh with Chestnut East Street um as well as Wall Street and they have Raul Wallenburgg and there's there's a double island with a traffic light there. Um and then when people go on to Wall Street, they make a b quick bend over the creek. Um, just as far as this first
houses, again, just making sure you have that conversation with uh traffic and transportation if there's any additional signage or anything because you're >> for the first time in decades, there will be a lot of people and a lot of cars going down that street. >> Um, not to make sure they beat the light
at East State Street, but also at North Clinton. Um, so just, you know, I'd like to see this all work out safely for everybody. >> Yep. Absolutely. That definitely be a part of um the planning. Okay. uh with the architect engineer to make sure that those things are and having that conversation uh with the city to make
sure that that's um in place and as you mentioned that's definitely something that's a part of all the redevelopment plans having two overlapping redevelopment plans have to figure out what's going to sit best for that particular neighborhood. So, okay. >> And just last quick question. Um, so and
apologize if I did missed this. As far as the yards, uh, that would go with the properties, they already been tested um, for any, you know, old lead, pottery, >> they have not, but because we're able to get the the, um, land at a lower cost, it's something that we're willing to
absorb in doing something like this, as well as possibly talking to D or talking to DCA about um, providing some grant monies if it's going to be affordable. as I mentioned um was speaking to Galani as before he left and um Cliff about possibly providing some affordable
housing dollars, you know, to bring down some of that cost and possibly sponsoring. All those things will bring down our cost. >> Sure. >> Um if you're getting a land like the lot we bought on Wayne Avenue, we paid $40,000 for that lot. So, of course, obviously that sales price is going to be higher, but now with lower cost in
land, we utilize some of that monies to clean it up as well as possibly uh utilize CNI funding to prevent our costs from going too high. >> Okay. Um and when you do uh that testing or coordinate with uh D and so forth to
make sure it's tested um that we get a copy results of it as well as administration just because you know we're dealing with remediation and the north ward and other parts of the city too. Absolutely. And we want to make sure going into this that everything's been settled and remediated. >> Y thank you very much sir. Good luck.
>> Absolutely. That's very crucial to um any person that's doing a mortgage title work um if they're going to secure a mortgage. That's definitely something they're going to want to see. And during the phase one e ESA, I would definitely make sure that the city sees exactly where that cost even if in the event that I have to come back to say, hey, I
need to sell these houses at a slightly higher price because there were so many contaminants or because we had to go six feet deep and clear the soil. Those are some of the things we should be mindful of, too. So, I have to share it with you because if it is, you know, seven oil tanks there that could that's been leaking for years, that could also
affect the cost of um the project. >> Well, let's hope there's no oil tanks. >> Yeah. No, >> thank you. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you so much, uh, Councilwoman Frisbee. >> So, thank you, Council President, and thank you for the presentation. Um I just have one. It's not even a question.
It's a suggestion and you just alluded to it alluded to it um a while back and this is for all the of the developers. I am a parent of a child who's differently aabled. So I was looking at uh your slides and all of them had steps. So I
don't know if in the back or even when you're accessing the garage if there is access through there so that someone be it a senior or an individual who's differently aabled if um you would make sure that they are taken into consideration. >> Absolutely. that's something that we haven't provided a final design for us,
but it's definitely something that we want to be mindful of because as we continue to build the neighborhood, we want to be mindful. Um, Councilwoman Williams had me to reach out to one of the persons from the local VA and one of the things we talked about and speaking to him is that there has to be some
possible entrance. these particular designs don't exert that. But as we talk to the architect, maybe there is one or two that we can design to have that so that in the future we can utilize that same design to do um dozens more or whatever. So um right now that's just a
egress on the first floor for in and out. But as far as actually placing a ramp there, there isn't anything not yet anyway until we design. So >> or even if you don't have the ramp, just maybe access from the garage or even from the back there. There may be an entrance, but um I chair the uh ADA
board here in the city of Trenton for some years and that's some of the things that we used to people just don't take for granted even on the sidewalks themselves giving access um to get up on the sidewalk themselves. So, I know this is all stuff that would be coming, but just things to take into consideration
as you're moving about. Absolutely. Thank you so much, Madam President. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much, Councilwoman. >> Councilwoman Edward, >> um I don't I don't have any more any questions. Actually, all of my questions were answered
um were asked and answered already. So really as a comment, I really like this two family home design >> uh and recognizing that a lot of our city are low income uh people, we need
opportunities for people to be able to build generational wealth to be able to, you know, get into a housing to ownership affordably. A lot of people don't look at home ownership as affordable housing, but it's time that we start doing that. I actually became a
homeowner by purchasing a multifamily property. And at the time, I couldn't afford a mortgage on my own, but with tenants to subsidize my mortgage, I did. And now I'm on my fifth property. So imagine a lot of people who are low
income. And I made $45,000 at the time I bought my first property. just so you understand um what most of our residents are living with you know unlivable wages in a lot of uh areas of the city. So this is an opportunity for you know a
tenant to have affordable opportunity as well as someone who wants to become a homeowner and be able to have off streetet parking. I think this is amazing that street does have ample parking because the church does take up a big blueprint of it and there's nothing along the side like you said.
So, I don't think this would disturb the housing that's over there already. I'm very familiar with this area. >> I really really love this this concept and I wish you all the success >> for sure. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you, council colleagues. Thank you so much
farewell for this presentation. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for having me. I'm really excited about it. Like I said, you know, I've been working on this for a while, but definitely to see the change. It's just me speaking from my heart to see what's happening in Trenton and having had that 30 experience and see how explosive it is in Newark and to know that most of the
people there in Newark, even the houses that I build, I can't even afford those same houses, but knowing that Trenton is changing, >> the community has to be ahead of it now because as it starts to grow, um there's not going to be much room. >> Well, thank you so much for bringing this to us and for continuing to pour into
>> Trend. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Garcia. We can proceed. >> Certainly, Madame President. At this time, we reached the point of public comment for agenda items only. If I could have the clipboard for public comment for agenda items only. Um, time
will be limited to f five minutes for each individual. You'll address items only on the docket or agenda for this period. The council is not obligated to respond to you. Please do state your name and address for the record. Madam President, we have five individuals listed. First list person listed is Mr.
Paul Short. >> Good evening, mayor, council women and men, uh, council president. Thank you very much. My name is Paul Shore. I'm partial principal of the 425 Greenwood, Inc. project which is across the street
from the proposed U demolition of 418 and 434 Greenwood Avenue for what's called phase one of uh Ajax which is owned by Dan Brennham. My objection to
that ordinance which is on the docket is that it should not be passed and I'm offering a counter proposal a counter proposal that I would be responsible for and I pledge this to
preserve 418 Greenwood Avenue as we have preserved 401, 407, 415, 425 and 21220 and I use those buildings as my witness. You can see them. They're there. We did
it. We did it without financing from other people. We did it with a successful collaboration with the city, with construction, with all developers, with contractors. So, we know how to get it done.
And frankly, it's a little upsetting to hear developers come into the city and threaten you that they will leave if in fact you don't do what they say they want you to do. Our whole effort has been to collaborate
with neighbors, city officials, contractors all the way through. It has taken time because redoing restoring old Victorian buildings takes effort. It takes
in a way re-educating ourselves and contractors as to how it gets done. Um, just as a point of reference, this building at 418 Greenwood Avenue, when I sent this material out to you guys today, and I'll give you a hard
copy for the record, is owned by the Case family, uh, now the Nikolai family. And uh they have paid they they they owed a tribute cuz over a hundred years they have saved this
building for over a hundred years and it's a testament to their respect and love for the city that they have done that to their stamina by preserving and living in 418
Greenwood Avenue. I honor that by making the pledge that I made tonight to you. Part of the redevelopment plan, the redistricting for the train station involved a very long and arduous
planning process and culminated in the train station redevelopment district which has at its heart the Trenton train station. I would like to point out that the district plan I'm give you give you a
copy of the key element in that the key condition of that plan is that at the corner between South Clinton Avenue and Waldun Avenue along Greenwood Avenue there will be a gateway into the transit center
their gateway and it was planned this way for more than 30 years was to be similar to the gateway on the other side of the train station. And in this instance, they wanted to make sure that it was not
residential. The key point is not residential. The developer that is proposing to tear down these buildings, one of which I think can s be saved, I will pledge to save it.
is proposing residential project not going to work. We know it's not going to work because we've lived there, worked there for 40 plus years. So on your on the drawing that I just
gave you, there's a description on the back of what this corner has to do. This plan envisions a new gateway development at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and South Clinton Avenue. This development will
serve to connect the neighborhood south of the train station to the development around the station. As such, a grand entrance way is envisioned at the corner of South Clinton Avenue and Greenwood Avenue that will serve will invite
pedestrians through this complex to the train station. The new complex will be a significant office structure with a grand with a ground floor plaza and atrium and result with retail.
Some I can't read as well as I used to. So sometimes I I I left my glasses back. There they are. You can't even see where your glasses are. It's so hard hard. It's amazing. Um so the design this is what you get to be when you're 80 years old. This fe this
design >> Mr. Shore your time is up. >> Okay. So the other thing that I wanted to show you was that this project. >> Sir, your time is finished. Thank you. >> This is the only other thing I wanted to say. This will take a minute. I really
can't do make any any exceptions. >> They give me some time. I'll take >> So if you if you'd like to sign up for public comment, you can and you can continue. >> Yeah, >> see if proceed. >> Certainly. Caitlyn Fair.
>> Good evening, council. Caitlyn Fair, 221 South Clinton Avenue. I also um rent an office from Paul Shore in 407 Greenwood Avenue and I can attest to his competence in restoring historic buildings. Um I'm going to do this fast. I timed myself. Uh I'm here in reference
to ordinance 26024. Allow me to start by saying I'm a huge proponent of redevelopment and agree that the city needs it. As a member of the city's zoning board, I have been encouraged by several development projects that have come before us. Even with some of the challenges and concerns that we have been confronted with
associated with those projects, for some projects, we have been able to arrive at reasonable terms for the projects to proceed. Others are simply not appropriate projects for the proposed sites, particularly in light of testimony provided by neighbors to these sites. That said, both as a neighbor and zoning board member, I have several
concerns about this project, particularly the portion of it that is planned for the intersection of South Clinton and Market Street, which I think is phase two by the Greenwood Avenue extension. For starters, it's important to consider the context that we have just had a highdensity apartment building constructed two blocks in the
other direction. And there is another property that Ajax is currently constructing on Greenwood Avenue just a few blocks east. These redevelopment projects have already and will continue to put a strain on this area by introducing new traffic, parking, garbage, and other issues. However, I have fewer concerns about the direct
impact of those current projects to the neighborhood as I do about the project in question. I'd also like to enter into consideration the current zoning of the area in question. This area falls within the RPZ 10 zone, referring to the Robing Gateway Redevelopment Plan zone
according to Trenton's master plan and zoning regulations associated with the zone are as follows. The Robling Gateway redevelopment plan should reinforce and strengthen the existing urban character of the neighborhood and promote a diversity of mutually beneficial land uses to include new housing, new
neighborhood scale commercial uses, neighborhood scale cultural facilities, and supportive institutional uses. Regulations within the plan should seek to preserve the architecture within the area and new development should contribute to existing traditional urban character. Per the zoning, all new
development and land use is intended to be both mutually beneficial to the existing neighborhood, these are my words now, and to be neighborhood scale. This project meets neither of these criteria. The maximum building height in this area is three stories. None of the residences in this neighborhood have
been privy to the none of the residents in this neighborhood have been privy to the plans for this project, nor have we been included by the developer in any proposed plans with the exception, I think, of one of my neighbors. Um, so we don't know exactly what is being proposed, but I can't imagine that a 150
unit apartment building would be neighborhood scale. Additionally, to my knowledge of the project, there's no mutually beneficial use for the existing neighborhood. And in fact, a project of this scale and nature would result in negative impacts to the surrounding neighborhood. I have many concerns with this project, including the impact of
increased density on our existing parking, traffic, and garbage issues, as I mentioned, which I've detailed to you all elsewhere. For example, this project would displace 15 plus cars that currently utilize and pay Ajax um with the associated lot and the culde-sac for
parking due to there being no street parking along South Clinton, creating an even bigger parking crisis than we currently have. However, my biggest concern about this particular ordinance is the invocation of eminent domain. While we have heard testimony from the developer regarding his intent only to invoke this for the property owned by
Interstate, there are no protections built into this ordinance to protect the possibility that he may change his mind at some point based on his plans. As you all know, we have a shortage of home ownership in this city, resulting in poor stewardship and caretaking of properties and areas across the city. In
a oneb block radius of this project, there are at least 12 homeowners. People who have invested decades sum their lives into this city. people who have restored and maintained 120 plus year old historic buildings to make their homes in, who clean and maintain the busy and challenged blocks that we live
on. This ordinance could easily rob us of that investment via eminent domain or displace us as a result of the negative quality of life impacts associated with this potential development. This just scratches the surface of my concerns about this particular portion of this project. As you have all been made
aware, it's an attractive project in theory, and it could work, but at what cost? The actual impacts of this project on the neighborhood and existing residents who have not been consulted or considered whatsoever would be potentially catastrophic. The presenter earlier said, "Not everybody wants to
leave Trenton, and that is true, but it is becoming increasingly difficult in my in full transparency and honesty to stay here, and I'm asking you to please not push us out further." I also have a petition here signed by um some of the
homeowners and residents in a oneb block radius of this proposed project that I can hand over to be reviewed. I gathered these signatures within a 1 hour time frame today. So, this is not even a full representation, but just what I was able
to capture today. Thank you, Caitlyn. >> Absolutely. Thank you. Alejandra Mondraong. >> Good evening everyone. Um, thank you for your time. >> I'm also here to speak to you regarding
ordinance 26024, but I'm going to take a different approach. I did not grow up in the city of Trenton, but I was educated at my college degree is from Ryder University and I am a first generation college student. through my friendships from
people from Trenton that went to Ryder with me, I fell in love with your city and now I've moved into your city and I have been living here. I'm now a resident of 215 South Clinton Avenue. And so what I want to share with you today is what our neighborhood looks
like now. We are all town houses right on South Clinton Avenue. We go out, we support each other. We have built a community and around that entire section of the city, we are trying to come back to the city and make it residential. One
family, two family homes um so that it can feel like a neighborhood. Here's where I'm concerned and I'm here just to give you grievances. I don't have any recommendations for solutions. But what I have noticed because I am also a commuter, I will go work in the city. I
get on the 7:15 train every day. Since the beginning of this year, more and more trains are cancelled. So, there have been many times. So, I'm on the 7:15 in the morning that gets me into the office around 8:40.
As a first generation college student, I'm also really proud to say that I work in corporate America. These are all goals and dreams that are not always accessible to members of our community. I grew up in a city in North Jersey
um that looks like Trenton and so it was always my dream to come back to a community like the one I grew up and I grew up in Bake, New Jersey. So Trenton, New Jersey actually looks like where I grew up and I wanted to bring corporate corporate dollars into communities like this. I get my hair done locally. I get
my nails done locally. I want to support local businesses, bring back those um monies from banks here anyway. So, I get on the train at 7:15 and then I get usually leave the office around 5:00 5:30 on a good day. Anyway, I usually
get home around 8. The cancellations have been non-stop. And so, two things I want to share with you. My concerns are mainly around some of these developers, right? And what are they doing with these massive properties that they're literally planting next to every single
train station? New Brunswick, one-bedroom apartments average $2,300 a month. Two-bedroom units reach $3,200. In Addison, onebedroom units range between $2,200 and $2,600 a month with
larger units exceeding 2,800. In Princeton, we all seen the beautiful development they built over there. one-bedroom apartment 2650 etc. What has that done? Again, in 2026,
New Jersey Transit has been suffering major several major delays and cancellations, and they have been widely attributed to the overall um overlapping structural um operational issues such as aging infrastructures
and also um the fact that Amtrak owns a lot of those rails. So all of these properties are being marketed as um essentially commuter heavens, right? But New Jersey Transit doesn't have the capacity to continue supporting this.
And this is a major issue on the NJ um the Northeast Corridor. So, I'm simply here for you to consider all of those factors as you evaluate these developers proposals, especially since already here
we've heard from two very capable um companies. I feel like both of the projects that were presented even tonight seem great for the city, right? It seems like they've done their homework. You look at the roling um again, this is from somebody that just
moved into the city a few years ago. You look at the Robling development, there's plenty of parking. It actually has contributed a lot of beautiful housing, loft style situ um apartments, and it's doing great. I just don't, no disrespect
to all the architects and engineers in the room. I just don't see how you squeeze 150 unit um building in the corner of South Clinton Avenue. It's just nowhere to go. I literally park my car there every day. And you know, I
have had difficult times um connecting with the property owner of that parking lot. But you know, you chalk it up to like it is what it is. You pay your parking every day so my car doesn't get towed and I live there, right? So like I have to pay for parking.
So anyway, thank you for your time. >> Thank you, >> Frank Ferris. Hi. Um, I'm here to speak about the uh 418 Greenwood Avenue. I I noticed in the uh >> Mr. Ferris, can you tell us your um address, please? >> Oh, I'm at 401 Chamber Street in
Trenton, New Jersey. I noticed in the uh first reading for this that um they didn't seem to know that the houses that are at 418 is in a uh historic zone in front of you. you have a map that shows you where
the Greenwood Historic District is and that has several connotations if you decide to um take any of the architectural resources from that historic district both federal,
state, and uh and local. Um, also you see that the footprint that Vista has shown you is also right on top of 418 and 434. The uh testimony last month was that the
uh area is blighted. The only part that's blighted, it seems to me, is the 434 part of the block. Everything else looks uh okay, especially 418. That's a historic building and there are legal con um uh u
problems that could arise if you go to court and take it and the court decides that what you did was uh in violation of the Galanthian um uh standard. I would uh suggest that the city look very carefully and check to see if there has
been any kind of historical checks with both the state and the federal uh guidelines that are set for that uh historic Greenwood Hamilton area. Thank you, Daniel. Daniel Breno
Okay, lot to get into. Real quick, let me just address uh some of the comments earlier, which is good. So, Paul Shore's comments um is ironic because he bought properties from the city of Trenton 25 years ago in a disposition agreement. A couple of them are still vacant. So,
he's in he's defaulted on these for 23 years. Um, as far as Caitlyn's comment, um, and the size of the project, I don't know where this number is coming from. 150 units at that corner. That's not anywhere nearly contemplated for the size. We actually plan on creating a new
parking lot. And Caitlyn, you're more than invited to park there. So, I think we clean that up. But, I want to put this whole thing into perspective. At the last meeting two weeks ago, Colin reported that the city of Trenton lost $50 million in ratables. That
should concern all of us. And now we have to face a tax increase because we're losing ratables. But yet in every other municipality in New Jersey, ratables are growing and increasing. In fact, in the entire state over the last 5 years, property values have increased
40%. So we are missing all the wave of all the good positive things happening in New Jersey and we're the only sitting being left behind. So here's what's really interesting. this project that we're doing and as far as like 418 Greenwood 434, they're not
part of this agreement in the sense that those that project is on a separate path and it's already approved. But an overall project for three sites, interestingly enough, can add $50 million of ratables and replace those
lost ratables so you don't have to keep taxing all of us in the city of Trenton every year. So this is a kind of outcome we should be working towards growing the t tax base not increasing the tax rate with respect to the billboard site which
is the only site we're contemplating and need any assistance from the city of Trenton. We have zero interest in any other sites. We're very clear about that. Uh, the city's own planning analysis previously described these billboards as a violation of the zoning ordinance,
having a negative visual impact and contributing to neighborhood decline. The city should actively be working to remove billboards in residential neighborhoods. This is not an allowed use. These billboard companies took advantage of Trenton years ago, the
weakness, and got variances to do these, but these are not allowed uses. So, I don't know why everybody's so concerned about billboards. They're terrible use. Um anyway, this whole thing is not complicated. This ordinance is an extension of project timelines as a
direct result of city delays and an opportunity to replace lost ratables and improve a key gateway to the city. So what we're asking here is do we want to keep raising taxes on the entire city or do we want to approve this extension and
move forward? Thank you. Madam President, those are all the individuals I have listed >> for public comment for agenda items. >> Thank you, Mr. Garcia. At this time, we can move on to approval of communication, petitions, and reports. >> Certainly, Madam President, if you want
to ask for a motion. >> Yes. May we have a motion to approve uh communications, petitions, and reports. >> So move. >> Second. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Councilman Harrison, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. and council president Figuro Kevin.
>> Yes. >> Motion carried. >> Moving on to all business at this time. Ordinances for second reading and public hearing. A moment please. >> Yes. May we have a motion to um May we proceed?
>> Certainly. Ordinances. Ordinance 26-024, ordinance authorizing the execution of an amendment to disposition agreement and the sale of city-owned properties to Vista Center Development LLC. 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. I'm sorry, Mr. Shore, I know you were uh commenting to this as a Did you want to take this moment? Understood.
>> Paul Shore, uh, principal in 425 Green, Inc., I'm a little confused as to exactly what was the ordinance that was passed just now? >> Not >> that was passed. You said >> there were none that were passed. >> Okay.
>> This is this is second reading for the ordinance. >> Oh, this is the second reading. >> This is second reading. Correct. >> Okay. Well, I would like to speak very briefly. It's why you're called up, sir. >> Thank you, uh, council president and mayor. Uh, as I said, uh, we have developed
this project with the assistance of the county, the state, the city contractors, and we've have it filled. It has been filled. I'm not sure where uh Dan Brena is getting his information, but you come
every day. You're invited. Take a look. uh we have uh hundreds of children coming for preschool education uh parents probably at least a hundred parents. So it's uh a little baffling to
me about misinformation and why one would need to make that statement. But uh you got it and now you hear the counter. Uh, like I said, I'm willing to make the investment to preserve that building as well as
make the investment that brings tax ratables. We've done that. We brought those back from uh dereliction, drug addicts, the corner had prostitution. We have persevered just as Carolyn Casease and
her family, the Nikolai have persevered. So with with that said, thank you very much. >> Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? >> Go ahead, sir. Please state your name and address for the record. >> Frank Ferris, 41 Chamber Street,
Trenton, New Jersey. Uh just wanted to make it clear that you know that case that he's talking about is from Case Pork Roll. They are famous and been in Trenton for over a hundred years. They have contributed taxes and they have contributed um employment and I think it
would be a shame if you knock down a house that is so beautiful in the architectural as an architectural gem for the city and to keep knocking those down those houses over and over again is just doesn't seem very fair. >> Thank you. Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak those
ordinance at this time? Go ahead ma'am. Kaylin fair 221 South Clinton Avenue. I just want to emphasize that my biggest concern with this particular ordinance is the eminent domain clause and the lack of restrictions around that clause
to that to the interstate billboard property there. We have no guarantee as neighboring property owners, including the sign shop in the back, um, including the two owner occupied houses that are on the culdesac right next to the vacant
properties that Ajax owns and is planning to, um, incorporate into this project. We have no guarantees that the imminent domain will stop at those billboards. There's no protections for us as residents in there. Um, I'm I am
more than supportive of development in this area. I think it would be great to have something other than a dirt lot and two bandos and a couple of billboards next door to our homes. But again, none of the neighboring residents who are all single f is all single family homes.
It's all primarily owner occupied. This is a very specific neighborhood that we're talking about um that has a lot of investment and none of us have been to Dan's point involved in or con consulted or looped into what the plans are for
that area in a way that we can feel comfortable understanding the ways in which parking will be incorporated and how that will or will not impact us. Um what the proposed plans are. I'm going off of what was testified in the last meeting where this is going to bring 5
to 600 new residents to that area with a total of 300 units. So, I'm just going off that math to assume what's going to be in that area based off of the occupancy that was stated was going to be in the building across the street. So, I'm just doing basic math here, right? If that's not doesn't align with
the actual project, I don't know because I have and nobody has given us any information. So again, I'm I'm happy and and Dan and I have had conversations in the past. You have my phone number, like I'm happy to to, you know, be involved
or be looped in or be, you know, consulted on this. Um, but in in good conscience, I can't come up here or I can't allow for this to go forward without saying something given the concerns that I have and the lack of information that we have as residents
who live directly adjacent to this properties and will be absolutely immediately impacted directly impacted by whatever this project may or may not be. Um, so that's that's kind of what I have to say on that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Garcia, really quickly
before we ask anybody else if they have questions about this. I do want to ask this question to both Mr. Brena and to our law director if if um if he's the appropriate person to answer, I did ask these questions in docket review specific to what will that parcel of land where the billboards are, what will
that parcel of land be utilized for? Um and I also want to speak to um this 500 to 600 residents coming into this area. Um, is that an an accurate number or not? >> Thanks for the question. So, first of
all, uh I appreciate Caitlyn's concern about the uh condemnation and there she said there's no protections. There actually are protections because the only way that you could pursue something is if a property is listed on our agreement. And the properties she's
referencing like Georgia's shop and the houses, they're not on our list in our agreement. So, we couldn't request the city to proceed on eminent domain for that. Um, as far as the 5 to 600 people, that's assuming about two people per
unit. So, you cut that in half, that's about 250 to 300 units, three parcels when we have approvals for 100 units. The other one's about 125 units. And this corner site, we're still working up design, but it could be like 50 to
something units, 50 to 65 units, which is not intensive. And as far as like how it all works, you go before the planning board, you go before the zoning board, you put your plans before them, public has time to comment and um work out all the issues at that point. Right now,
design is not part of this, but there's a concept at this area to create and bring residents there. as far as like traffic and all that stuff. If you think about precoid, um we have a parking garage on Walnut
and Greenwood that was 1400 cars. It used to be close to full pre-COVID. Now it's like 30% occupied. So even if we built all this stuff out fully, we'd have less traffic right now than we did prior to that. So as far as other comments regarding
like office being the only use, that's not true. The this zoning that we have offers a number of uses, residential, office, all that stuff. But I think we all know that there is literally zero office demand in Trent right now and probably will be the case. I wish it
weren't, but um any comments about like residential won't work. That's not true. I've been doing it for 26 years. We brought thousands of people into trends. So, we're confident that we'll be able to bring more. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Brennan. I don't think you answered the question, though.
Um, with regard to the parcel that could potentially be overtaken by internet domain, disregard to that, I understand there's no houses there. There's billboards. It's a part it's a small parcel land. What is the >> the proposed use? >> An apartment building. >> An apartment building. >> Yep.
>> Okay. For >> parking, >> like I said, 50 60 units. >> I didn't realize it was that large. Okay. >> That's not that big considering the size of the parcel. >> Mr. President, if I may follow up on one point. >> Yes, director. >> Um, and I think the point that also
needs to be made, I understand everybody's concern, but with respect to the possibility, albeit possibility because we don't know if that's even going to be required because um, Ajax has had the opportunity to even negotiate these things because they don't have an active contract. But with respect to that possibility, it's only
two properties. The two properties that have the that that have the billboard, it's in the agreement. It's spelled out in the agreement. the only two properties that that process is even possible. So, I just wanted to point that out in response to everybody's concern. Don't assume, read the actual
contract. You have questions, come and ask. We're more than happy to decipher, interpret it for you. But, it's two properties. It's limited to two properties and is expressly spelled out in the terms of the now outdated redevelopment agreement. >> Let's also be aware that in every redevelopment plan in the city of
Trenton, condemnation's allowed. It's actually the main tool that state has provided areas to develop. It's it's all we have really in these urban areas. >> Any other questions while I'm up here?
>> Thank you, Mr. Madam President. >> Uh yes, >> thank you. I have several questions to follow up on this. Uh thank you, Mr. Brennan, for being here. >> Sure. Regarding the imminent domain, >> the only two properties you say are
listed are just the billboards. Correct. >> So in that immediate area, the two billboards, the >> We own all the other properties. >> No other properties in that area. You don't own anything else? >> No, we do. We own everything flanking the billboards. Billboard's right in the
middle of our ownership, >> right? Okay. So, in schedule A1, you have a list of over a dozen properties here from Greenwood, South Clinton, Canal Street, Walden Avenue, and and there's an
extensive amount of properties. So, you only own the two that are vacant on the right hand side of the billboard, or do you own all what is it, four or five of those properties? >> There's several there. Yeah. So, if you're facing the billboards, it's
vacant and vacant lot and vacant building on the I'm sorry, on the left and then vacant on the right. >> Yes. Yes. I saw the lot to the left and then the buildings to the right. It looked like it was two vacant houses and there were two occup
>> right. >> So, do you own the two that are occupied on the >> No, we're not interested in those. >> So, those are not your >> They're homeowners. We're not interested in that. >> Okay. So the two houses, the lots, the two billboards and the
empty lot that abuts South Clinton. >> Correct. >> Those are where you want to develop this 50 to 60 unit apartment building. >> Yes. >> Um do you think that that's quite a bit for that area? >> No. >> I'm concerned about parking because
there's >> We plan on parking there. >> Okay. Um how many parking units do you think you could fit in there? We usually shoot for one parking space per unit even though our real demand is about 70%. So if you build 100 apartments that we tend to find our demand and this is
over 20 years for about 70% of the apartments people looking for cars now at the train station theoretically we should have less demand because hopefully people are using the train to get to work. >> Okay. So
if you planning on building 50 to 60 units and say you know you unless you require people or restrict people from having cars let's say you have one car per unit 50
cars are you going to have 50 spaces in that immediate area without depending on any existing parking structures elsewhere? >> Yes. >> Okay. in it and are you planning on expanding into the street because there is a large circle.
>> There's a large circle there. There's some excess property that the city owns. We could also incorporate into that. That was contemplated initially. Yeah. >> So, so >> it's all empty. It's vacant. It's not upkeep. Migrants will sit there. There's a lot of trash there. We could also
clean up the sidewalk there and well traverse. So you do plan on like hardcaping that out to create parking out of the >> That would be best. Yeah. >> Okay. Have you met with any of the residents over there?
>> We have not proceeded with our design yet. So this is we're not at the design phase yet. Normally this happens at the point of design. Do you think that it's too premature to have a conversation with them to get early support for this project?
>> Yes, because this, like I said, this is an extension of agreement that we started many years ago. >> And has that agreement actually expired? >> Yes, that's why we're here. >> And you need an extension? >> Correct.
>> Mr. Bridges, can you let us know? >> I'll hold on. Thank you. I don't have any further. >> Okay. >> Council President, >> Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, ma'am. Uh thank you, Mr. Brener, for being here with us tonight and all the residents who came also. So
I have a few different questions and um I will ask uh you a question and then possibly u Mr. Bridges and administration. So I do uh have a concern because these this is in North Ward obviously as you know um the area where the uh I know it's it's a distance
but where you have billboards that possibly would be claimed by eminent domain. So there is a large culde-sac there right now that are used by the residents who live there as well as emergency vehicles, garbage trucks and so forth. So where you might be putting
I believe you said fixed 50 to 60 units uh which would butt up against uh Market Street partially South Clinton up to the row of houses where Miss Fair um lives etc. Uh would you be claiming uh looks
it looks from this you'd be having to claim some of the culdeac. Is that incorrect? >> You cannot you need it for emergency vehicle turnaround. >> So you would >> that stays intact. >> Okay. So you would go uh basically a little plaza with the sitting area with that. Exactly.
>> Okay. But nothing would go into the right of way of the culdeac. That would remain as is >> because it's a dead end. You need to be able to have emergency vehicles come in and turn around. >> Okay. So, where would your parking be located >> on the site? The footprint's actually quite large.
>> Yep. So, I'm I'm looking at between Clinton uh market and a railroad. >> It's at the bottom at the bottom. >> That whole basically below the circle. >> Below the circle. >> Okay. So, this area here across the
street from where Miss Fair lives where there's uh the warehouse. I think there was a paper company so forth. That's where your parking structure would be or parking Correct. >> Lot would be Y. >> Okay. >> All right. So, that would be interesting to see. Okay. >> Yeah.
>> All right. So, my other question would be regarding um what would happen legally with the uh Greenwood Hamilton historic district. This would be more so for Mr. Bridges and potentially Mr. Colloji. So being that it is an established historic
district, >> that corner site you're referring to is not >> No, I understand that. But this would be uh actually going back towards 418 434, >> right? But as I said at the last meeting, that site is has site plan
approval. It's approved. Construction starting soon. It's sort of a mood point with respect to this agreement. >> Okay. And I understand your point of view. I I do. But I want to ask our attorneys a question. So my question with that would be uh being that it is a
longestablished historic district, would that open up the city uh to any potential litigation um from anyone who would be interested in preserving either of those properties as part of a historic district or does uh I know uh
we are going to be merging and creating a Trenton Transit District plan. Uh would that supersede the origination of the historic district? I I mean without having a specific example of what we're talking about, it's hard for me to um give a proper
answer. I know if it were the landmarks, if it were something historic that would require them to go before landmarks and make a presentation and have an approval, that would be part of the site pan site plan approval. I think where we are right now at the concept phase, I don't know that we're even at that point where we're looking for that type of
granular information in terms of the buildings that we're looking to either renovate, demolish, remove, whatever the case may be. But, um, like I said, if I if I had a factual basis or a factual property, I would be able to properly tell you, but I don't know where we are in terms of the historic district there
versus landmark. So, I I just can't answer kind of in the abstract. I >> All right. Well, it's on actually on this map here. Um where floor 18 which is a it's a stone house has a carriage house uh attached to it or in the back rather and there's like kind of a old
old style uh side porch with a roof that a carriage I guess would have pulled up and then the folks would get out of the carriage and go in the house. Um that is still intact. There is a house at 434 which is in very bad shape. There's open windows on the second floor and so forth
and there's off people sleeping on the front porch. Um, but the 418 property and 434 still fall into what is drawn out to be the Greenwood Hamilton historic district. So that's where my question is. If this was established in 1982,
um, is it possible to tear down those properties for a development? Um, even if we're going to be having a new redevelopment plan, does the new redevelopment plan and whatever agreements Mr. uh Brandon's company have worked out with the city, does that
supersede this original historic district being established? >> It it wouldn't supersede it. Again, if it assuming your facts accurate that it's historic, there would be a process for that. It wouldn't necessarily stop it, but there would be much greater hurdles and additional things that had
to be established before that could be done. I guess I would um you know punt the ball back to Mr. Brennan to say has there been an analysis with respect to those specific properties with respect to their historical um attributes andor whether there are any requirements before work can be done on those two
properties. >> Sure. I can tell you that part of the approval process with the planning board is to first um go through the landmarks and landmarks does have an opportunity to appine on that and it went through all that process. So, it's contemplated in our planning that you can develop,
you can demolish, you can do all kinds of stuff even it's in a historic district. So, as far as can there be any suit against the city, I don't believe there could be because we've looked at this because we have approvals and it is part of the landmark process. So, they
and landmarks also is only advisory. They're not regulatory. >> And and to be clear, if anybody were bringing any action, we wouldn't be open as liability. we would be bringing to action for somebody not following our ordinances. So >> I mean frankly you'll have bigger issues
that the robing site that was presented tonight because in that redevelopment plan specifically states that buildings will not be demolished in the plan specifically. So I said forget I was here a few years ago and offered to do that site and
offered to pay a lot of money and I said I'd save all these buildings but you want to pass that's fine. I don't care anymore. But so that's those are are national treasures. So if you're willing to do that, that's something you need to consider. That's even a bigger issue.
Thank you. Um and then my last question actually for his administration. Um if I guess Mr. Cherry can come up. >> Do you want to stay up here? >> Yeah. Yeah, if you can come to the mic, Mr. Cherry. Uh thank you, Mr. Bren. I appreciate it. >> But
Good evening. >> So, Mr. Cherry, um, at our last meeting with for the first reading, uh, claim was made that the Interstate Billboard is in, uh, behind on its taxes, which was concerning, uh, if true, because one, it would be behind on its
taxes. And the second part would be that we hadn't collected those taxes, and I know Interstate is a company that's quite large coast to coast. So the lot for that dubbed the two billboards that we've been talking about at the call the sack of Canal Street. Are they in fact
behind on their taxes for interstate? >> We don't have record of any billboards in the city being behind on their taxes. >> Okay. So the answer would be no on that. >> The answer would be no. Not as far as I have any record of. >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much,
sir. Appreciate it. Council President Council >> Feliciano. Thank you. Okay, so Director Bridges, just quick questions, please. Um, just looking back at the the memo back from March 24th, 2026, and we went
through this already, but just to for consumption one last time, um, litigation was filed by a neighboring property owner due to a deficient train station redevelopment area plan. Who created the deficient redevelopment
plan? >> I believe that was the allegation in the um litigation that it was insufficient. I I >> But would it have been against the city? >> No. No. >> Okay. >> No. >> So, we didn't It says the city chose not to defend the suit.
>> Correct. >> Okay. >> It was a It was a suit by a neighboring uh redeveloper who was challenging the redevelopment piece of it. We I I that started start started when I first got here in 2019. The city did not um choose to take a defense up because we did not
want to defend private um companies who were having um disagreements with each other >> having issues. Okay. >> They did that on they took their fight up and went to the appellet division ultimately to superior court and that challenge was denied and that was really the the lynch pin to bringing us here today because there was such delays due
to many things including the litigation. >> Okay. And so this this um this property that we're saying is historic,
forgive me for for not knowing. Um is there anything that would prohibit historic places from just not being knocked down? Is there no committee that they go before to have these conversations?
Um, is it is there nothing? >> I'm sure that there is, but as we said today candidly, I don't know the the the answer to where somebody goes for that. I don't know if Mr. Brena or if anyone administration answer I just don't know the process for addressing whether or not to demolish those historic sites. I
do know there's a landmarks application. Um, but >> but it went this passed through landmarks and everything. >> Yeah, I I don't know the answer and I wouldn't want to give a half answer. It wasn't not a question I was anticipating today. Um, I know I had the dem uh the eminent domain piece of the concern and
other issues. This was not something that I uh took the time to look at with any great detail. >> Yes. When you do development in a landmarks district, anything you do, the landmarks committee gets a copy of your
application. they have a 45day opportunity to review it and opine and put a report and provide that to the planning department um planning board for the approvals so they can recommend we um oppose this, we don't oppose this. Um and so Landmarks was given an
opportunity and it's just a it's not a regulatory thing. They just uh advise the planning board and just give advice. We went through that process and we went to the planning board and for this particular project we received a 70 unanimous approval for the planning
board. >> Okay. And can you tell us what the landmarks um >> they said they actually were given plenty of time. We presented before them and I think they dropped the ball and
didn't even provide a report to the planning board >> which happens frequently. Okay. >> So, with to so to that end, right, when when we have um systems in place that are supposed to >> check and balance all of this, it just
would make things just a little bit easier for, you know what I mean? >> Yeah. I mean, we years ago, we tried to do an office building and we went and got approvals and they were actually in favor of taking these buildings down at the time. And I have that report from years ago that said, "Yeah, this is a higher, better use,
>> generate more taxes." and um what our planning seeks. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Mr. Brennan. >> Yes. Okay. Um just
>> Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry. Yeah, Hold on. You You already were able to speak to this. I'm sorry. >> I was just going to address the the ownership of 418. That's all. >> Sorry. Mr. Garcia, can we please proceed if anybody else wants to speak to this ordinance at this time and has not spoken?
>> 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. >> Thank you. I'm sorry. Who was the
second? >> Gonzalez. >> Sorry. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards >> abstaining. >> Noted. Councilwoman Feliciano.
It is over. Can you come back to me? >> Sure. >> Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Yeah. It's it's a tough one, but I'm going to say yes.
>> Councilman Harrison. >> Yes. >> Vice President Williams. >> Abstain. Council President Figuro Kevinberg. >> I'll go before the president. It's okay if that's okay. Did you? >> Certainly.
>> Yes. >> Council President Figuro Kevinberg. >> Yes. >> Motion carried. Ordinance 26-36. Ordinance rescending the sale of city-owned property commonly known as 44
Budenaut Street and identified on the city tax map as block 2602 lot 22 to Uve Trevetti. Are there any members of the public that wish to speak to this ordinance at this time? Seeing no well hold on seeing none. Madam President, if you
want to ask for a motion to approve. May >> we have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Councilman Harrison, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Figuro Edenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. On to resolutions. Madam
President, are there any resolutions that you or the rest of council would like to extract for questions or potential consent agenda this evening? >> Council President. >> Councilman Fiana. >> Thank you. 26 142
143 149 >> 149 >> 146 147 157 156,
150, and 155. >> Council President, >> one second. >> Okay. >> And then >> Yes, ma'am. I just have um 149. >> 149. >> Yeah. >> Council President.
>> Yes, Councilman Edwards. Uh 141. Give me a minute, please. Okay. >> That all council woman. >> Um Oh, 148. >> That's it. >> Thank you. >> That all. All right. All right. Let's
get started. Um, Councilwoman Edwards, start with 26141. I actually don't have any questions. I want to roll call this. >> Yeah, thank you. >> And uh our Miss Fox is here if you wish
to speak with her. >> Okay, we can Yeah, we can roll call. She didn't have questions, so we can roll call. Uh moving on. 26142. Counciloman Feliciano. >> Thank you. So, just a quick question on this. I know I had asked this before, but since I see the words summer food um in the
pool and all this other kind of stuff like that, um how many positions are we going to have for summer food program this summer? >> Councilwoman, I'll allow the director to to who's more familiar with the program. Paul Harris, uh, director of parks and
recreation. Um, one one I'm sorry, but I don't know the total off the top of my head, but it's the coordinator 11 one uh 1111. I'm sorry. Hold on. I got it. I I know ex the exact amount.
11 11 site supervisors plus 11 + 11 + 4 + 2 39 >> 39 total positions. >> Yeah. Yeah. Compared to 89 previous year. >> So in previous years we had 89 positions that were filled uh with students and
the like. Right. >> Yes. >> That were able to work. So we went from 89 to 39. So we dropped 50 positions. >> Yes. That will be for this summer for our students. Okay. Thank you.
Consent. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh, Councilman 26143. >> Thank you. >> Hello. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. So just a quick question with the current with the management system that we have. Do we have the
capability with this um system to be to allow for supervisors to tap into calls um and monitor the monitor uh phone calls as a means of of uh performance tracking. Like when I used to work in a uh telemarketing center, we had it where
because it's a high volume call area, uh the supervisor could actually tap in and would listen and they would have that recording, right? calls may be monitored for training purposes and the like. Do we have anything like this through this system that's available? >> Uh, we do not, but I just to clarify,
calling a call management system is a little bit misleading. Okay. This is more like the backend that even allows the phones to function. So, it's not the software, it's not a >> um a call routing system. nothing on the
front end, but just allowing our phones to even >> do phone things. That's what this this uh system does. >> Okay. All right. Well, I still then want to suggest that if we don't have something in place where we can monitor
what's going on, that the administration respectfully considers looking into something like that, like especially when we have high call volume call volume areas like over with customer service uh throughout the various departments that may be of some use. Thank you. Consent. >> Of course.
>> Thank you, Councilwoman. And uh 26149, you're up again. >> I just have um I know it's myself and Councilwoman Gonzalez. The only thing that I have with this is that there's a typo. Um, in the title it says uh 1 2 3
4 5. The fifth line down it says exceed 131,046520 per month. That should be per year for a period of two years. >> That's that's all I have. >> Thank you. Um, Councilwoman Gonzalez. >> Thank you, Council President. Just a
quick question as to um like I noticed in here it says for Trenton City employ one, I think it's a great thing for us to have, but um for it says the city of Trenton employees and members of their household. So, we extend these services to people to their family members also.
>> Yes, this specific service is offered to our employees and their immediate family. Okay. >> So, members of their specific household >> that's in their household, not like Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Consent for me. >> Thank you. Um, Mr. Garcia, do we need to do a vote of amendment for the title
change or are we good? >> No, >> I'm being advised no. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Clergy. Um, 26146, Council Feliciano. >> Thank you. Right. 26146.
Um, what does cancelled certificate of sale like? What's that mean? Who and who canceled it? >> Um, I can get that information. I I don't know. But what it typically means is that uh someone went to sell the property but didn't end up following
through on that. >> Okay. So, they changed their mind on doing it. >> Yeah. >> And then what is an assignment overage like? How does that happen? Um when a uh I can get more detail but when a an assignment is made we assign a
particular lean if that lean was smaller than we assigned for some reason for some factual error then that would be an overage in the assignment. If the owed amount was lower than we actually assigned but I can ask for what
specifically happened in that particular case. I think that moving forward with this just for um just for us to be able to see a clearer picture of what's going on like when for the ones that say dup duplicate payment
>> if we saw you know the dates that the duplicate payments were made. >> Okay. >> So then that way we could see it um if there was an assignment overage if if the difference could be shown like what the variance was that
created that so we could see that to understand that. Um, yeah, I think that would help a little bit more just so we could see what's going on. Thank you. Consent. >> Thank you. And 26147, Councilwoman.
>> Thank you. Uh, so on here we have all of these certificates that are here. Um, and we see the cancel explanation, but we don't see any of the amounts that were cancelled. >> I can ask the tax collector to provide
those. >> So, I think that just again so we can just see dollar amounts of what's going on, have a column put where we could see the dollar amount and then that way we could have the total of the amount of of the erroneous uh tax certificates as
well, right? We would like to see that uh as well. Thank you. Consent. So, we'll see that moving forward. Correct. >> Yes. Yes. I will speak to the tax collector about that, including that information in the packet. >> Thank you. Consent. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh,
Councilwoman Edwards 26148. >> Thank you. I'm just asking for the administration to explain this resolution um for council and the public's understanding. Good evening, council. Yolanda Vasquez, interim director, housing and economic
development. Um, resolution 148. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Sorry. uh we had a teams meeting with EDA and the sort of certain language changed within the resolution and that's what that was just changing that language so
that the I actually have the specific um it has to change for the mayor to have the authority to accept the grant and effectuate it that wasn't in the resolution previously. Okay. So the grant is still valid. It's not going back. Is there an expiration
on the grants? >> Well, we didn't finish the whole This is for the hotel, >> so that hasn't even um they're still in the process of doing the agreements and so forth. So, the city hasn't even gone through that process yet. >> Okay. Good. Good. Because there's, you know,
>> people speculate, there's rumors. So, that's why I wanted to ask these questions, but the rumors are there's an expiration on the grant from EDA for the $4 million. So, I wanted the public to hear whether that's accurate or not. But
that information I didn't >> run from the >> He's saying the time frame runs from the signature when we actually go through the the process of acquiring the property and then transferring it. >> Okay. So, since we're not there yet, that timeline has not begun. Correct.
>> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. That's it. Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you very much. >> I'm sorry. Were you done, Councilwoman? I'm sorry. Thank you. >> Thank you, ma'am. I just have actually have uh just two a couple quick followups from uh Docker review.
So, the first one was I I know uh in Dr. Review asked about getting the street lights turned on that are in front of the hotel in Lafayette if there's any uh word from public works if they were able to get um any word from PS&G whomever to
get those back turned turned back on. >> No, I was not given an update for that. And >> okay, so that's something like a conduits underground. So it' be something that the owner, the future owners would have to take care of,
>> right? If I recall, the lights are actually connected to the hotel. >> So there's no there's some of the light fixtures on the street are powered by the >> Oh, they are because the ones on um on Warren aren't. So just bad luck there. >> But some of them are powered by the
hotel. So if there's no power in the hotel, the lights won't work. >> All right. Well, hopefully we get that done soon. And then the only other question was just to follow up just so I know this was and Dr. V did did get an answer on it but for the public because people do ask about this uh maybe uh Mr. Cherry maybe maybe the right person. How
much uh money is still left on the original bonds that were issued to build the hotel back in the 2000s? >> Okay. >> Uh good evening, Madam Vice President. Uh I don't have that number in front of me, but it's it's under a million
dollars that we're that we have remaining on those bonds. >> Uh we have Oh, the the remaining hotel debt is $250,000, which is due in February 2027. Thank
you. >> Thank you very much. And I apologize. I shouldn't assumed you didn't have that with you, Miss Director B. >> He's even more prepared than I am. So, >> thank you, ma'am. Thank you, Council President. That's good news. >> Are we consent? Thank you. Uh, Councilman Feliciano
26157. >> Thank you. >> So, with this uh grant, are there any stipulations on the on the properties to be demolished? Um, do we have to get permission to when we want to move forward with
demolishing properties? >> This is supposed to improve the process. Previously, we had to do a checklist for HMFA to get the funding. We had to get pre previous like prior authorization from them to do the demolitions. This is just switching that process over. So, it would be the grant money agreement would
be with DCA instead of HMFA. >> Okay. And do we have uh any homes in mind that we're using this towards? >> We do have some that are imminent hazards. I don't know the exact addresses right now, but we do have some
that have to come down. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Consent. >> Wait, I have a I have a question. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Um, in light of uh the rolling block property that came all the way down, um, I know that at first in docker review, you had stated that some
of this funding would probably be used for that because that was an emergency demolition. Um, and knowing that the whole building versus a couple of walls had to come down. Um, where is that funding coming from and what was the total cost? Do we know? I recall was
over 650,000. I can't give you the exact amount from the top of my head. Um and that was actually something that was discussed with DCA so we can get prior approval so that we can so that they would reimburse us for the cost. >> Okay. So prior approval for if in case it needed to all come down versus a couple of walls. Was there difference a
differential in price >> cost? No. The quote was given for the whole structure because I mean ultimately the building sub code had already deemed an imminent hazard and the construction official stated also that it had to come down. So, I mean, he
went for the quote for the whole demolition. >> So, DCA is eating that cost and none of this 7.25 million will have to pay for anything from that demolition. >> Well, I'm I'm It's part of it, isn't it, >> Morris, please?
>> Yeah. The um the cost for the demolition we we're we paid for, but it's eligible to be reimbursed from DCA's fund, not HMFA. HMFA. I'll give you an example. There were five row houses on Dye Street, right across the street from
HMFA that burned down in the middle of the night because of squatters a few years ago. Called up HMFA and said, "Will you uh authorize payment of the demolition?" They said, "No, you didn't have pre-clarance." Um the HMFA requirements were
engineering reports, environmental reports, uh studies, plans and um uh so DCA, the Cheryl administration recognized the ownorous
uh requirements to get reimbursed, switch it over to DCA. DCA is more of they will they will pay for they will reimburse demolition costs incurred by the city. >> So so just to be clear though this 7.25 million will nothing of this will come
out for the robing demolition >> for the M street building will be reimbursed otherwise we would have to eat those costs. >> Okay thank you. Thank you. Um consent council FO. Okay, thank you.
Council Feliciano 26156. >> Thank you. >> You know me. >> Hello. >> Good evening, Dr. Diego, Department of Health and Human Services. >> Good to see you. >> Thanks. >> So, question. So, we're not doing
sidewalk improvements. We said we're going to purchase mobile medical unit equipment. So, you know, I'm all happy to hear about the mobile medical equipment, right? and we said something about COVID 19 and that's nice. But I remember talking to uh BA Richardson
about a mobile mental health unit a couple years back. Is this going to be a part of it? Because COVID mental health, you know, absolutely. So these funds are very specific. Um so um they're specific
to prepare, prevent and respond to CO 19. Sidewalks were allegible. However, because of the timing, uh we need to spend the funds before June the 12th, right? We have to switch it into the mobile units. The mobile units are for prepare uh prepare, pre prevent and
respond to CO 19. We can utilize it also for mental health, but it has to be attached to the co 19. >> No, I understand that. Yes. Because we had discussed this before and it was said that we could have the mental health mobiles to kind of move around. So, as I'm seeing this and tying it with
the co 19 cuz that could be really depressing and stuff, you know, make it work. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Um, and how come, and I don't know if you'll know this answer, but how come we didn't catch the fact that we didn't use the money from 2019 till now? Like,
we're here now. It's 2026. How did we miss that with the sidewalks and stuff? How do how did we I I I'm not sure about that. So what I'm talking about is that I have to spend it before 12 uh 12 well 12. >> Yes. >> So who was responsible for it before you?
>> Um >> 2019 >> 2019 I'm I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I wasn't here at >> Wasn't Maria the or was it a >> Okay. >> I I don't think so. I'm not sure about that. >> Okay. So that was somebody that's no longer here. Okay. So we'll look forward
to the mobile health co 19 mobilebiles. Thank you consent. >> Miss Wait, Mr. Cherry, if you don't mind kind of speaking to why that sidewalk money was not used and what you discussed with us in in docka review, um how that money would be
reapplied for sidewalk repairs or a different money where that's being pulled from. >> Yes, it well it is our intent to continue to do sidewalk repairs. We're just going to apply additional money, different money
to that purpose. This is the application of just this uh specific CDBG money, but we will provide additional money for sidewalk repairs. We are not avoiding that project. We're just reallocating these funds for a different project and
allocating different funds for the sidewalk repair project. >> And again, this is different from the $1 million that we got for sidewalk repair, I guess, last year. Correct. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. addition to >> Yeah, this is this is this was additional monies that were already
allocated for sidewalk repair. We got additional money subsequent to that, but this is being pulled back, but they're going to give us more money for sidewalk repairs. That's what we understand. Thank you. Is that accurate? >> That's correct. >> Thank you. >> That's correct. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Counciloman Feliciano. Uh consent as she
stated. Um and Council Feliciano 26150. Ma'am, >> do you have any questions, Council President? We almost there, y'all. We are almost there. Listen, so here's the thing. I don't even have a question. I'm glad that we finally went ahead and we going
to go ahead and do this for these parking enforcement officers that we pushed back. I'm glad that me harassing the mayor. He sent over uh an email and stood 10 toes down for the parking enforcement officers and got it done. So, I'm very happy about that. So
hopefully we will have um safety with our parking enforcement officers and then accountability so we can see what's really going on in these streets when these tickets are issued all the way around. Thank you. Consent and I just want No, I'm kidding. Councilman Feliciano 26155. Ma'am, close
this out. >> Okay. >> Good evening. >> Hello. Sean Simple, director of strength and water and sewer. >> Yes. >> Just one question. >> Okay. >> Is this going to be the final touch to this with this frazzil ice? Like is this
it? When we do this, we ain't going to have no more problems. >> No, this is not the final. >> Oh. >> So before you we have to do a a engineer evaluation of the entire take at what caused the whole frailized situation. So I know you all
visit the plant and we show all the hydro burst system. So one of the problems that we found out and we discussed with the engineers who built who was responsible for the screens is that we were not blowing them off fast enough. So this system is to upgrade
that. This year we made it through because we had to rent a compressor to do the blowoffs more frequently than we should. But this is just we have a three-year evaluation, but this is just a step that we're taking to get us
through to some point. But the the honest evaluation will be coming soon. It's a three-year study engineering. So, it'll be coming before you soon, that resolution. And the thing is though, we actually went with the consultant that the state told us to use to do this. So,
with us having to pay this money, are we going to look to them to recoup some of this money? Like, we're paying out all this extra money. It's not our fault. This was their consultant. This was their issue. Um, I think at some point we need to look to them to re to give us
some money back because we're we're having these expenditures by no fault of our own. >> I think we're heading in that direction, but I can't go into >> Right. Right. Okay. Very good. Thank you so much. Consent. >> Thank you very much, Councilwoman. Council. >> Yes, Councilman Edwards. >> Sorry. I wanted to back up to 141. I
want to resend the roll call and just ask simply that the administration just formally introduce um the the appointee and just explain, you know, a summary of the qualifications and performance and the reason behind the reappoint, especially
when it it grants tenure. So, I think that should be a standard formality for anyone that they want us to consider a vote to reappoint or appoint for the first time. Thank you, Councilwoman. I think some of that was answered in docket review. Um, Mr. Cherry, are you
up to speak to this? >> Uh, I can. I just want to see it. It seems Miss Fox stepped out, so I just want to go grab her. She was here. Uh, but I want to give her the opportunity to speak to her. No, no problem. I just want to give her an opportunity. So, if you just give me a minute,
>> we'll wait. We'll wait a second. Go ahead. >> Yeah, Mr. Garcia. Um, let's move to uh vote on the consent agenda. Let's leave this one out at this time. >> Certainly, Madame President. At this time, I believe we could um >> if you want to I'm sorry.
>> So, yeah, we can roll call. I mean, we can consent for the rest. Starting with 26 months. >> I'm sorry. Hold on one second. What is this? What walk on is that state? Is it not on the It's not on the docket.
Madam President, at this time well m we'll I'll deal with that matter in a moment. At this time, want to ask for a motion to approve a consent agenda consisting of 26- 142 143 149 158 1446
147 148 157 156 150 151 152 153 154 and 55.
>> May we have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez,
>> yes. >> Councilman Harrison, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Figuro Kenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Councilwoman Edwards, it doesn't look like uh Miss Fox is being located. Are you comfortable proceeding
to vote for this at this time? >> I'm I'm fine. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. Mr. Garcia, can we move to approve um resolution 26141, please? >> Uh Madam President, you can 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. >> Councilman Harrison, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams,
>> yes. >> And Council President Figuro Keber, >> yes. >> Motion carried. >> And that brings us to ordinances for first reading and introduction. Ordinance 26-038,
Ordinance authorizing the sale of city-owned property, commonly known as 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 56 Wall Street. And identified
on the city tax map as block 1403, lots 22.05, 22.04, 22.03, 22.02, 02 22.01
22 21 20 19 18 16 and 13 pursuant to NJSA 4812 13C to Burwell Enterprises for the sale price of $60,000. Madam President, if you want to ask for a motion to approve. Do
>> we have a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. >> Councilwoman Edwards. Yes. Councilwoman Feliciano, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Frisbee,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Councilman Harrison, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes, sir. >> Council President Figuro Kenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried.
>> And with that being said, this brings us to the point of public comment this evening. If I could have the public comment clipboard, please. Oops. Thank you. And Madam President, at this time I have 12,
24, 25. Oh, those people left. They >> 26 individuals listed for public comment at this time. >> Mr. Garcia, I'd like to make a motion to um condense the the public speaking time to 3 minutes. >> I don't think any >> So moved.
>> Okay. So to clarify, that was moved by >> Frisbee. >> Thank you. And second by >> Feliciano. >> 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 Figuro Kenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Thank you. To the public, uh, any individual that is
speaking this evening, you are limited to three minutes. The C, you may address any item you wish. Please do state your address and name for the record. The council is not obligated to respond. The first individual listed is
Ray Dish. Moving on to Victor Irizari. >> Good evening. Victor Rari, 19 Morton Avenue. Trenton, New Jersey. It's a pleasure again. Uh uh last uh last time I approached the city council, I was at uh the stat city
staff meeting and I was uh I said kind of I recommended that uh the city provides the city residents, those with the skills of fixing houses and plumbing and electrician, uh rehabbing and so forth for whatever reason. uh and then
just sell it off to someone else that's interested in redeveloping like these gentlemen come here to do uh to provide us with an opportunity to put our skills to work in. have your directors uh whichever department they are from uh come up with some type of uh training
program so we can uh we we ourselves invest our bodies and skills into uh fixing the houses up and cleaning up the neighborhood and uh uh providing uh income for ourselves and then we pass it on to someone else come out the city to
uh uh to invest in it. It seems like every all all these uh areas that they're redeveloping around uh the train station, which means to me people are coming in and out and u those within the city is not going to benefit from this at all. Uh now last
time I was uh researching uh for the for the mayorship uh someone was one of the police officers became lieutenant retired and so forth. I think it was the mayor's job and uh wanted to be a director of police
uh was uh was saying when I looked at the history of he he claimed to be a 26 year off police officer which I see no development for the progress of the city at all from the department you know police department and then I'm looking
at the city's history from 26 years ago that it was it was on its way up and developing and then I look again today these developers coming in but Trenton is is considered a a city that's underserved. Underserved and then uh the
rent people living in these houses apartments or town houses are living like 30% of their income is going to rent and then therefore they have to go out of town New York wherever they come from to work to come back to city tren
take about 12 hours out their day. I think it's unfair. Uh I think I mean I know my point is that I hope the next mayor that comes in with the you know eboard I mean of uh council uh that's going to promote and uh continue with the status quo that continues to keep
not only Trenton but the whole America uh underdue to again uh the uh Jay Gahuba and um uh Richard Nixon and uh executive order 11727 that we people of
color that we are also semite or aboriges people of color not that we have the power are not using the power to make these changes. Thank you. >> Thank you >> Marcia Edwards. See
Hi, my name is Marcia Edwards. I'm from 1427 West State Street. I'm here representing uh the word sanctified church. I was before you um about eight months ago in reference to the same items.
Um I I have uh three uh things that I'm concerned with the most. I will state first. the status of the purchase application of 334 to 336 North Montgomery Street, which is right beside
where my church um is resides. And we're uh planning on getting that to enclose it and make it into a parking area so that you know drug addicts and um you know people that come and use um
use and leave uh paraphernalia like um needles and garbage um right on our church. If you look at the picture, um I had a color copy that I gave to the mayor, but um it's right next to the church building and we're dealing with
that. And we're also dealing with the um DW um oil um company uh parking right in um the Allen Street still. Um people leaving like um garbage and um oil and
all kinds of um debris right next to our church. We've been trying uh for years to um you know get this addressed. Um we were never told that an oil company was going to move behind us which I believe is illegal because it's a residential
area. you know uh we have companies talking about gr you know visions of grandeur for Trenton who is going to address um you know these kinds of things that has you know go been going on in Trenton you know to people that
reside in Trenton and I've resided in Trenton I've been to Trenton High I have children that's been to Trenton High I've got um children that uh you know you graduated college and live in Trenton and um I'm appalled
that um these kind of things are allowed to go on. While we do want to develop our community, we also want to stop people from littering, people from, you know, leaving drug paraphernalia right in the midst of Rivera School. We're
we're we're a stone throw away from Rivera School. Children pass our church every day. And you know uh hepatitis is on the rise, AIDS is on the rise and all this could affect our community. Something has to be done and um you know
we have also had meetings with the mayor and we have addressed the mayor before he um left and we want to know what is going to be done. Um number one we we need to get that area so that we can enclose so that this um doesn't impact
our church immediately. And secondly, we need to have sanitation, the police, and everyone in charge to come out and get this um get something done about this. >> Thank you, ma'am. That is your time. Gail Boil.
Good evening. Thank you all for receiving me. I came because as Marcier Edward said, first of all, I live in Trenton. I've been living here for 20 I got divorced
in 24 22 years. I came from California and in ' 88 and I saw that I came up to Trenton because my ex-husband was used to be over Hogenas Ice Cream. So I was we moved down to Pennsylvania and then I
just drove up here and I decided I looked around. I had never seen any place like this. So I said I'm going to help. So I've been helping now look like 30 some years. All right.
My life has been invested in here trying to do some good. They moved in about three or four years ago, some type of recycling oil company. It used to be a a company behind me that work tractor trailers and things. They
never notified us. These people, we can't we've been parking there for since 95. We can't park on Sundays. They have like eight big old oil tankers. They over our fence came some um pallets
with oil all over them. So, we just picked them up. You know, it's just nasty. Then on the other side of us, as she showed you, they fix cars. They throw trash. So, I don't know what to do. I think the
city of Trenton ought to fence off that side of the building, the 334 that she talked about on that side because they work on cars. We have broken glass, shattered glass. I mean, piles of shattered glass. We have children and things to come to church.
But now we all have to go park up the street, do something else because this oil company moved in. I called D last time we were here. They made them put the oil barrels up in the yard. So instead of parking two trucks back in
the yard, they parked the trucks outside and they added another five or six trucks to it and put the barrels up in the air in the yard so the D wouldn't get them. We can't park. We can't drive. They they block off the alleyway and
we have service basically at night. So they park their trucks there and go home before we start service about 4:35. All right. So we can't and on Sundays we can't park and they're destroying city property. Reason I know if you drive
down Montgomery Street and look at the sidewalks, they turn up on the sidewalk and break up the cement. I don't know what to do. We call the mayor. We call every What do you do? Is there any suggestions on how you all
could help us? I I'm old now. All right. I'm tired. I work very hard in the city of Trenton. I really have. I've fed families and I didn't ask for no charity. I didn't ask people to help me.
I worked very hard and now my old age goodbye obey orders. >> Can you please provide the address where you're just where you're talking about so that >> 338 North Montgomery the church building and it's a historical church too. It used to be a old YMCA.
>> And the address in question is 334 >> 338. >> And then it's the the garbage is on the >> Thank you. >> Let me just on the left side and the trucks eight and seven or eight trucks are on the right side. So we're blocked in with terrible. >> Thank you, ma'am.
>> Thank you. >> Anna Paola has Pasino. I tried. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi. Good evening, city council members. Good evening to
everyone. My name is Anna Paola Pasmino and I am the executive director of Resistencia Axion. I know that um we have been in conversation and thank you for uh allowing us to talk off record
and now today here as we are here in the spirit of community. Um we're also uh doing this so that our community members can also understand how city council community and meetings work. Um you as you will see there is a lot of our
families here today as well. We want to bring into the space um some of these voices that are no longer with us today but that their families have been um torn apart basically because of ice in
our communities. Um many of the these people have been h handed over to ICE. Uh we do this in a spirit of strengthening the cases that many of these ordinances that we have uh in the
state and in the city um have really given us as guidelines for law enforcement to collaborate with ICE. Um, despite the new legislation from the state, we are still in need of protections for our residents in
Trenton. Our community has very little protection, almost zero, without a judicial warrant um that is validated when ICE is unseen. So, as community members, we are doing everything that we can to protect one another. As you can
tell, we have rapid responders here today. Um, we operate in our office here in Trenton and some of them work and live in the city as well, but we really want to have the city to uh protect us
as well and be part of this conversation from stopping tearing families apart. Um, I want to also share some examples of families who have been um supported by our organization but that also could benefit from more protections. We have a
family here who um daughter was detained while she was um talking to police uh during a domestic violence issue. And most often like you know domestic violence situations um police gets called in and then both can be detained.
Once that she was detained, she was handed over to ICE and taken to the Elizabeth Detention Center. um she is now in Louisiana and going to be deported to her country um without any
due process. So we're asking here today um and you will hear from others as well that we are ensuring and want to make sure that the city is not collaborating with ICE. uh police have been um at some
of the scenes where ICE is also there and we want to just utilize our city resources in any way that can enhance our community. So, thank you so much >> Shane Freriedman. I have a few copies of >> Thank you. Um, good evening, uh, city
council. My name is Shane Freeman. Uh, I'm a Mercer County resident and an organizer with residency in Axion. I'm here this evening to present some data recently acquired by the University of California, Berkeley through a Freedom of Information Act request which they've graciously shared with us. While the
data seems to describe interactions between Immigration, Customs Enforcement or ICE, and police departments throughout New Jersey, I would like to focus specifically on the data coming from the city of Trenton. Um I've handed out some printouts of of this data. Reading left to right from reading um
left to right from the top of the document, we see the gender and birth year of unnamed people who are picked up by the Trenton Police Department, charged with a criminal defense, held through what is called a detainer, and finally taken into ICE custody from October 2022 to the present. Note that
none of these people are marked as aggravated felons, and all of the criminal cases are marked as pending. Please also note that there was no judicial warrant involved in these instances according to the data. Again, this is language coming from the Freedom of Information Act request, not from us
or myself. I and my fellow organizers, including multiple people with graduate degrees and fields that involve data analysis, have studied this at length. Our interpretation is that nearly 200 people in the past three and a half years, have been handled handed over to ICE by the Trend Police Department through what is called a detainer
without a warrant. According to ICE.gov, of a detainer is a request from ICE that asks a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency to hold a so-called alien for up to 48 hours beyond the time that they would ordinarily release them. So, the Department of Homeland Security
has time to assume custody. This seems to indicate that if charged with a crime, a person can be held beyond the legal limit in a taxpayer funded cooperating facility before being handed over to ICE. Again, cooperating facility is not my language or resistencia language. is the language coming from
the federal documents. I'm sure it is not news to anyone on this council that black and brown people are policed and criminalized at higher rates than white people in this country. So, it's not enough to say that these people were criminals who deserve to be handed over or that they deserved it
because they were not citizens. We all know that these are dog whistles that the federal government is using in order to disappear people into their for-profit immigration warehouses. Also, if the charges are pending, then this indicates that these people did not receive due process as is their constitutional right. They were never
convicted for the offenses they were charged with. So, we are here tonight for two reasons. First, to remember these people, though we do not have their names. Many are still, we think, being held in ICE facilities, separated from their families and from legal representation. Second, we are here to
ask for an ordinance that ensures that we are not using our resources as a community to support ICE, whether in jails or on the streets. Thank you, >> Jessica the Falco. Yeah. >> Hello, Jessica Defalco. I'm a Mercer
County resident. I'm also a rapid responder with Resencia um responding to calls here in Trenton. Today, I'm here to lift up a young woman, a community member, was born in 2006, and the date of her detainer was March 2nd, 2026. She
only had charges or accusations that were pending, no warrant, and the cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Next, I'm lifting up a male community member born in 2002.
Date of detainer for him was um May 26, 2026. Again, only charges or accusations that are pending. No warrant and cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. Again, this person did not receive due process. Thank you.
Please, please, I'm sorry. Just please be mindful going forward. It's it's custom and in and in procedure that um you provide your full address when you come up to the mic to speak. Thank you, >> Joselyn Doran. >> Good evening. I'm Jocelyn Doran, 1742
South Clinton Avenue and I am a rapid responder with Resistencia and I respond in the Trenton area. I am here this evening to lift up our male community member born in 1992. Date of detainer was June 15, 2025. He
only had charges slash accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. This community member did not receive due process. I also want to lift up our male community member born in 1998. Date of detainer was May
21st, 2025. He only had charges slash accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was Trenton Police Department. This community member did not receive due process.
Finally, I also want to lift up our male community member born in 1983. Date of detainer was May 10th, 2025. He only had charges slash accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton
Police Department. This community member did not receive due process. Thank you, >> Paula Alexson. >> Good evening, Madame President. Good evening, Madame Vice President, members of the council. My name is Paula
Alexson. I reside at 127 Vroom Street in Franklin Park uh neighborhood in the South Ward. Trenton's Franklin Park is a diverse neighborhood. It is historically an immigrant neighborhood and currently with a strong and glorious Hispanic o
Latina presence. My neighbors are hardworking. my neighbors in the northeast block, many uh of who have become close friends are workingclass families. I know uh them and am known by them and they have become friends. My
Spanish is virtually non-existence but to estan my friends. I believe in and appreciate my neighbors. Their status is not my concern. Their welfare is. I stand up for them as important members of our
community. We watch out for one another neighbor to neighbor. I am gravely concerned for my neighborhood families and for the families in this set uh city threatened and stalked by ICE. Um I am frightened for them and I worry about
them and I especially worry about the hearts and the minds and the spirits of the many children. I speak to their families. I know the children are living in daily fair. I am angry. I am a Trenton rapid responder with resistencia.
I am lifting up a man who was born in the year of 1985. His date of detainer for his body was April 23, 2025. He had no charges or accusations that were pending. There was no warrant. the cooperating facility,
the Trenton Police Department. This man did not receive due process. I lift up an unknown gender person who was born in 1987. The date of their detainer for their body was April 17th, 2025.
This person had no charges or accusations that were pending. No warrant. Cooperating facility, the uh Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. And I lift up a man who's was born in the year of
2004. His date of detainer for his body was April 13th, 2025. No charges or accusations were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. This man did not receive due process. Thank you
so much for your time. Hold on. Ramaninder Mahani. Was that close? Uh, the first name was uh my name is Ramninder. Sorry. Uh, my name is
Ramninder Moltani. Uh, I live at 13 Frigiel Road in Monroe Township. I'm a rapid responder with Resistencia and I respond in the Trenton area. Today I'm lifting up three of our male community members. The first was a man born in
1989. The date of his detainer was August 29th, 2025. He only had charges or accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trent Police Department. This person did not receive due process. The second man was
born in 1986. The date of detainer for his body was September 25th, 2025. He only had a charge or accusations that were pending. No warrant cooperating facility was Trenton Police Department.
This person did not receive due process. The third man was born in 2002. The date of tetainer for his body was September 24th, 2025. He only had charges or accusations that were pending. No
warrant. The cooperating facility was TR Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Thank you. >> Christine Deler Basta. >> Good evening, madam. Excuse me. I have a bit of a cold. Good evening, Madam President and fellow council me council
members. >> Thank you. Y >> thank you for your time this evening. I'm one of the many rapid responder and volunteers with resist resistencia and action. We respond every day in Trenton and in the local county and I'm here to testify about my stolen community
members to lift them up. I have witnessed people stolen and it's like ripping your heart out. So I speak for them until they can come. I'm here to lift up a man born in 1989, 37 years old, who was detained November 6 of
2025. He had no charges, only accusations were pending. He had no warrants, and he was not a danger to anybody. He did not receive due process, and the cooperating facility was Trenton police. I am also here to lift up a man
born in 2002, 24 years old, who was taken in November 1st, 2025. Again, no charges or accusations pending. He had no warrants and he was no danger to anyone. He did not receive due process and the cooperating facility was Trenton
police. We I am also here to lift up an unknown gender person who is 37 years old, burring in 1989 who was taken October 9th of 2025. Again, no charges or accusations pending, no warrants. It was not a danger to anyone. Did not
receive the due process. The cooperating facility was Trenton police. I'm here to lift up a woman who was 26 years old, born in 2004. She was taken April April 2nd, about more than a year ago of 2025.
She had no charges or accusations. These are our neighbors. I'm here to lift up a man born in 1989, 37 years old, also taken on April 22nd, April 2nd of 2025 with no charges,
accusations, and no warrants. He did not receive due process and the cooperating facility was Trenton police. And lastly, I'd like to elevate a woman born in 1984 who was taken on March 23rd of 2025. She also had no charges or accusations
that were pending. They had no warrants and they were not a danger to anyone. She did not receive due process in the cooperating facility with Trenton police. These are our neighbors. I miss their music. I miss their families. And I can't believe we would support them
being taken from our community, ripped from our fabric. And I stand here to testify that we need to bring them home and stop this illegal injustice. Thank you for your time. Thank you, ma'am. Can you please provide your address? I'm sorry. >> Yes. Uh 1742 South Clinton of Trenton.
>> Thank you. >> Jessica Corrosa. >> Good evening. My name is Jess Corrosa. I'm also a rapid responder with Residencia in the Trenton area, 1742 South Clinton A.
I would also like to lift up some community members who are not able to speak for themselves today. The first is male born in 1992, detained June 24th, 2025.
The second is a female born 1984, detained 3225. And the third is an unknown gender, also detained 3225, born in 1982. All three of these people only had
pending charges, no convictions. There were no warrants and Trenton police uh were involved. Um they cooperated. Uh there was no due process for either of these three
people. Thank you, >> Emory Gobola. Good evening. My name is Emry Capollo. I was born in Trenton. I live in 610 Lawrence Road, Lawrence, New Jersey. Played baseball, the police athletic league in Trenton. So, I was very, let's
say, introduced to the Trenton community at a young age and I really enjoyed my time there and I learned to really appreciate the variability of the culture and community of Trenton. So, I'm here to um speak out my I with rapid
responder with Mrs. Tensia and I want to speak on behalf of three community members that were detained, abducted. And the tragic thing, I mean, it's bad enough to be abducted, but the worst thing is that they were abducted just before Christmas in 2025,
which must have been heartbreaking for them and their families. So the first person was a male who was born in 1982 and he was abducted on December 18th, 2025. The second person was also a male born 1989.
He was abducted on December 17, 2025. So both one week before Christmas and the third was a female who was born in 1985. And she was abducted 127 2025, September 7th, 2025.
And none of these people had any only had charges, accusations that were pending. There was no warrant. The cooperating facility, Mr. Tren Police Department, and the community member did not receive due process.
Thank you. Asma ni. Is that I'm not sure. It's okay. >> Thank you. Um, >> my name is Asma. The Asma Alhuni,
>> it's Arab. >> Thank you. >> Um, the address is 1742 South Clinton Avenue. Uh, I am a rapid responder and, uh, the people that we're bringing into this space are no longer here. And so,
we're actually quite proud. I know it's late, but we're quite proud to remember them in spirit. They're no longer with their families here, but it's important that we mention the dates and who they are because these are human beings. It's
I have dance today. I rather be dancing, but I am here because we serve families. We have faced ice a lot and it's important that we are protecting our community. I am telling you right now, we are under attack
by our government. Our federal government is attacking us. Nobody is coming to our aid. We're not asking you to come to our aid right now. The only thing we're asking
is, can you please not assist them in attacking us? We're tired. I'm tired of looking at kids who don't have fathers. I'm tired at looking at kids who don't have mothers. I'm tired of us picking up the pieces for community members that
need to be with their families and just because of fear-mongering are no longer with their family members. We are here to say please. I know the Trenton Police Department can't stop ICE, but what they can do is
not get involved when they come to our community and say, "Hey, help us." Last year when ICE called Trenton Police Department, not only did they set up a perimeter
to make sure nobody gets between them and the family, but they actually went further and arrested me. Arrested me for what? So that ICE can continue to lie to this
family and get them out. Long story short, with this family, they've written us and said, "Thank you so much. We had a baby and we are together. That's why we do this work. So, we're asking it is not okay to hand people over who just have charges. There's a constitution and
that constitution says innocent until proven guilty. I'm sorry I'm looking at you, but I want you to know you are supposed to uphold the constitution. We're not here to attack you, but we're here to say these people don't have due process. Please do not hand them over to ICE just because they have charges. As
we know, brown and black people that look like you and me are oftent times caught up in a system, this racist system, and they can't even stand before a judge because we're handing them over to ICE. So again, I'm not trying to attack you, but we got to do better. And the only way to do better is to create
policies to ensure that the police department aren't guessing what they should and shouldn't do, and rather have clear guidelines. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Joanna. I'm sorry I don't Thank you.
>> Okay. Hi, my name is Joanna Lloyd. I live at 211 Sher Road in Robinsville. I'm a rapid responder with Resistencia and I respond in Trenton. Today I'm speaking out for our community members. Community member was born in 2006. The date of detainer for his body was
January 1st, 2026. He only had charges or accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Our community member was born in 1990. The of detainer for his body was
December 29th, 2025. He only had charges or accusations that were pending. No warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Our community member was born in 1993. The date of detainer for his body was
December 20th, 2025. He only had charges or accusations pending. There was no warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Thank you for your time. >> You Shu
Hello, good evening. Um, uh, my name is Yoshi. I'm organizer with Residentia in Axion in the, uh, Trenton area, um, address 1742 South Clinton Avenue.
Um I think a lot of people have already pointed out that um these um people who had um been listed in in the uh printout
from University of California, Berkeley had been um detained um without charge, without um due process and under the Constitution
uh everyone within the jurisdiction of the uh United States um is accorded uh due process and also like uh an immigration uh status, you know,
if let's just like talk about that like that's just like civil offense. is not um you know a criminal offense and but like none of these people have been charged with anything and then they're put into a detention center and then
deported from this country. Um and uh I believe the numbers are something like 1,000 people a day are being detained in this way. Um, so I'm going to be
holding up three um individuals who had been detained without due process and um and or deported. Um the first one is um of the
male gender um born 1994 and uh their uh detainer was date of detainer is uh February 21st 2026 so this year. Um the second individual is male uh born 1990
and their date of detainer is uh February 7, 2026. And finally uh uh the individual's gender is male um birth born 1988
and uh their date of detainer is January 28, 2026. They just had charges or accusations that were pending no warrant, no judicial warrant. and the cooperating facility was the uh Trenton Police
Department. This these three community members did not receive due process. Thank you, >> Jenny O' Conor. Ashley Bats. >> Hello, my name is Ashley and I'm a youth organizer with Resistencia Axion. I
would appreciate your full undivided attention as I speak. Thank you. The first community member was a male born 1998. The date of his detainer was January 20th, 2026. They had only pending charges, so in other words, accusations.
There was no warrant for him. And in the own federal government's words about his arrest, they stated the cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. The second community member I'm bringing into the space, male, was born 1987. The date of his detainer was
January 17, 2026. He also only had pending charges and was handed to ICE without ever having been found guilty of anything. The third person male was born in 1998. The date of his detainer, January 12th, 2026. Just like the rest
of his detainers, he only had pending charges. Never found guilty, but presumed guilty. And so, although our constitution states the words innocent until proven guilty, this clearly wasn't followed for them. no due process for
these or many other immigrants. And why? Simply because they look different and speak different from you and I. Unfortunately, these are three people out of hundreds that we don't even have the time to go over all of them. I live in Trenton and I work
closely with the families of people who have been detained. Many people who wanted to be here today to speak before you, but fear and trauma keeps them away. We support families of those who have been deported and those living every single day terrified that they could be next. The documented and
undocumented live in fear in this free America. As I do this work and become more and more familiar with the faces of agents and cops, they begin to blur together because I have become more afraid of the Trenton police helping ICE than just of ICE acting alone. ICE has at times
depended on local police to create perimeters for them, allowing them to abduct innocent people without the headache of a community calling them out. They rely solely on local law enforcement to do the groundwork that allows them to separate families and
terrorize neighborhoods, which is simply disgusting and unacceptable. This is why clear guidance is urgently needed. There must be firm rules that prevent corroboration with ICE unless there is a valid judicial warrant and the consequences should be clear. No
spaces in between and no changes. There is no leadership if there are no consequences. Our local government should not make it easier for federal agents to target our neighbors. Instead, they should be providing protection for the people who help pay their wages. We ask you to act now and pass protections
that make it clear Trenton stands with its community, not with family separation. Thank you. >> Fatima Mugal. >> Good evening. My name is Fatima Mughal. I'm a rapid responder of the residents in Axion and our address is 1742 South
Clinton A. I'm here to lift up three more of our immigrant neighbors who were handed over to ICE. The first community member was female. Her birth year is 1996 and the date of her detainer was July 14th, 2025. She only had charges and accusations that were pending. There
was no warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. She did not receive due process. There was also a male community member whose birth year is 1989. The date of his detainer was July 13th, 2025. He only had charges, accusations that were pending,
no warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. He did not receive due process. There was a third male community member whose birth year was 1992. The date of his detainer was also July 13, 2025. He only had charges and accusations that were
pending. There was no warrant. The cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department and he did not receive due process. Thank you. >> Eileen Bird. >> Good evening. My name is Eileen Bird and I am a rapid responder with Resistencia
and our address is 1742 South Clinton. I'm here because uh we work in Trenton. We try to rescue people in Trenton, try to help people in Trenton. And I think
it's important to be here tonight even though I'd rather be home. Um it's worth waiting through the council meeting to be able to speak and bring up the names of people who have been taken. Um so the first person that I'd like to
bring up is a male who was born in 2002 and his date of detainer was 88 2025. So a young man. Um he only had charges or accusations that were pending. He uh
there was no warrant and the cooperating facility was the Trenton police. That person did not receive due process here in America. Uh the second person is another male born in 1997
and his date of detainer was 72095. Again, he only had charges or accusations that were pending. There was no warrant. And the cooperating facility was the Trenton Police Department. Again, he didn't receive due process.
It's not fair. Um, then the third person, another male born 1987, his date of detainer was 71825. only had charges or accusations that
were pending, no warrant, cooperating facility, trend to police department, and he didn't receive due process. So, as others before me have said, what we're asking is that the police not
help ICE. They do their job. ICE does their job. But for the police to hand people over to ICE, to hold them for 48 hours and give them to ICE is wrong. So, um, thank you for your time and for staying late
tonight. Thank you, >> Austin Edwards. All right. Good evening, everyone. Uh, my name is Austin Edwards. I am a an attorney. I am a school board member, uh, former NAACP president. Um, I, as
you all know, I am running for mayor this year, but most importantly, I'm a Trenton resident and a concerned citizen. I live at 916 Belleview Avenue and I hope you all just like myself are
disturbed by what we heard tonight. We've heard many community members talk about our neighbors, our friends, and our family members who've been taken in the middle of the night and sometimes taken in the middle of the day
from those that they love. And those consequences aren't just abstract. I know on the school board, we deal with those issues every single day with our children and our families who don't bring their children to school
because they never know what the consequences whether they will safely make it to or from school every single day. With NAACP, we dealt with that issue. This is not just one specific community or another. This is all of us dealing
with civil rights violations. And the theme that we keep hearing time and time again is that our community members don't feel safe even with our police department.
Now, as leaders here in the city, we have a responsibility. When I worked at the attorney general's office and we were writing the immigrant trust directive, we specifically wrote it with this scenario in mind. It was
with the idea that local police should be the trusted voice, the trusted force in our community. There should be a difference between ICE and our police department because when you trust your police,
crime does not continue. And I'm beginning to hear that this year crime is beginning to rise. And I don't think that that's a coincidence. I think it's because our community does not feel safe calling our own police department
to protect them. So what I ask you all to do, you have a pending resolution, you have a pending ordinance before you, please send a message to the community. You have the power to let them know that
they will be safe. Please let them know that we can protect them. Thank you very much. >> Galaxy Nadira. >> Good evening, council members. My name is Galaxy Nadira. I am a Trenton
resident. I live at 221 Jackson Street just around the corner. I know that we have come and spoken to you guys before. Um, thank you guys for staying this time and shame, but I'm here to speak on behalf of community members that have
been abducted. Um, one being a female born in 1989. They were detained February 24th, 2025. Again, all of these people do not have charges. They're all pending and they're not felonies. The cooperating facility,
the Trenton Police Department. Again, a female born 1992, detained right around Christmas. Imagine, let's say you have an aunt and she's an immigrant and she gets taken a week before Christmas.
How would you feel? I don't feel like it's necessary to reiterate the same things over and over again. We work with these families directly. I have seen children torn apart from their families. You cannot imagine the suffering that
these people go through on a daily basis. And I would implore you to, you know, pass this ordinance to stop collaboration between the police department and ICE. So I yield my time. Thank you, >> Marl.
Sahib Jami. >> Good evening, Council 1742 South Clinton. I am an educator and a researcher at Princeton University and I'm a resident of Mercer County. Um just a correction, it was brought to my
attention that the data that was being shared from the list that was provided um was specifically that there were no convictions, not charges um in those cases. A community member was female, born in 2002, detained on July 9th,
2025. Accusations were pending. There was no warrant. a cooperating facility, Trenton Police Department. This person did not receive due process. Community member was born male born in 1998, was detained
on June 29th, 2025. Again, accusations were pending. There was no warrant. Cooperating facility, Trenton Police Department. Another community member was female, born on in 2002, detained on June 29th, 2025.
Accusations were pending. There was no warrant. Cooperating facility, Trenton Police Department. These individuals did not receive due process. I'm reminded of a popular quote, "A single death is a
tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic." We have now read to you some of the cases where Trenton Ped's collaboration led to detainment without due process. and we have provided you a document with
a plethora of such cases. In October, I came here and spoke to you all to alert the council of Trenton PD's collaboration with ICE that I had witnessed on two separate occasions, one in August and one in September. I also
painted a vivid image for you of what took place one early September morning on Lambertton Street. a vivid image of what I saw when I arrived in in response to a rapid response call. I gave you several photos I had taken of Trenton
police officers aiding ICE agents as they ransacked a home and detained a relative of two young girls whose mother had been detained earlier that morning. Tonight, I'm here to appeal to this council's sense of responsibility to
take initiative. I ask that you please use your power to pass and enforce relevant ordinances, resolutions, anything, any legislation that is enforcable that recognizes that these people, these lists of people are a
tragedy that is happening on our watch. A tragedy that has been enabled and facilitated by the Trenton Police Department. Thank you. Reverend Eric Kusman. >> Good evening. You might be shocked by
this. I'm Reverend Eric Kusman. I'm at 1748 South Clinton Avenue, but I'm actually here talking about gun violence. Something different. Um, I've noticed there's been an uptick of gun violence in the city of Trenton. Uh there's been gunshots going off in the south ward at
times. Um I'm just here to talk about the efforts that we do at St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church, a part of the Raw Tools organization. I have a question. How many firearms were getting off the streets from the city of Trenton last year? I'm just doing statistical
numbers. Not many. The Raw Tools organization has gotten over 1,000 guns off the streets last year. And if you don't know what Raw Tools is, it's war spelled backwards. What we do is we um we're federally trained to dismember firearms
and disarm them. Uh we chop them up and we literally turn them into garden tools and jewelry as you see with this cross around my neck. This actually used to be a barrel of a 12- gauge shotgun that was off the city streets of Trenton. So when you create an environment, as you know,
the Southward has been getting kind of tame with violence because we've built trust in the community. It's important to be visible with our community and I offer our services to you a part of the Raw Tools Network to help combat gun violence in this city.
But just to be on topic of one thing, one thing I don't appreciate are people that lie to me in the house of God. Director Wilson, I'm looking at you. You told me specifically at a community meeting that you do not collaborate with ICE. And after what I heard today, you
lied to me in the house of God. Repent and be forgiven, sir. That's all I have to say. Thank you. Farana's shining. Good evening, council. My name is Farana Shami. I work at Catholic Charities in
Trenton. I have been serving the Trenton population for many, many years. I used to work at St. Francis, which is where I witnessed Trenton police murder someone on hospital property. Um, I've been learning so many stories over the years
about Trenton police. And even in this um area like just me coming here to voice my opinion and feelings I was stopped by the security guard for no reason. I mean there's just harassment at every level on a professional level with clients I serve on my case load to
the people that I serve in my community. I've been organizing with resistencia for over a year now. We have witnessed collectively so many heartbreaking stories. So many families that are torn apart. children that don't have fathers anymore, mothers that are left without
an income and suddenly have to try to pay their rent somehow. I mean, it's just tragic. The very least that we could have, you know, from any of you in power is just to make sure that Trenton police is not complicit. I think this is
just bare minimum that we're asking for. And it's sad that we have to come here again and again and we've waited hours just to be even able to tell you all this. It really shouldn't have to be a thing again. I mean, I can go ahead and read more people's, you know, day of
their um birth and the date of their arrest and the fact that there was no conviction, the fact that these charges were just pending and there was no due process. But I think you all get the point. We're all trying to share various different people's information on a very
very long list that even if we all kept going, it would still not be enough time to let you all know the exact amount of people that have been detained, the exact amount of people that have been deported, ripped apart from their families. There's just not even enough
time to try to capture all of that information. But we're trying. We're showing up here. We keep coming here. We're going to keep coming here. We want to see change. Whenever we see ICE, we see Trent police. Why is that? You say that there's no complicity, that they
are separate entities, but for us, they're one and the same. They call their guys up. I was with Asma when she was arrested. I was there when we were trying to alert community members of their rights just to tell them, "Hey, you have the right to remain silent. You don't have to speak to them." They
thought that we were such a threat that they called Trenton police. I was almost arrested myself just for trying to keep our community safe. Just for telling people you don't have to open the door. You have the right to remain silent. This this is really just basic
information. Like we're not even doing anything really that radical. We're just telling people these are your rights, which is something that you all could be helping us with as well. Letting community members know, letting the population of Mercer County know what
their rights are. Madame President, those are all the individuals I listed I have listed for public comment at this time. Uh Madam President, it's my understanding that Director Wilson would like to speak if that's your wish. >> Okay, that's fine. Yes, please. Uh Director Wilson, um before you speak,
Director Wilson, um I just want to be clear that there is no ordinance before us tonight. There's still not an ordinance. Um there have been several meetings, emails back and forth. Um um a couple of my cal colle colleagues have been included as well as our legal
counsel um the law director um and the police director have been in meetings and um we have gone back and forth with a draft ordinance that we are looking to put forward um with all the information
that was mutually discussed. Um, so when those revisions are done, we will continue to go back and forth in order to put this um up, but there is no ordinance tonight or resolution for the record. Director Wilson. >> Um, Director Wilson, Steve Wilson, Trent
Police Director. Um, liar. Well, let me start by saying I don't live at 1742 South Clayton Avenue. The Trenton Police Department does not collaborate with ICE.
This document made in a a university on the West Coast. Um, not one name was given to you. Not one thought about how the the
cooperating facility is Trenton Police Department. How did we cooperate? You see all these names on here? This is like hundreds of names. Not one video of Trenton Police Department transporting. Uh, not one video of somebody in the Trenton Police Department and ICE coming
there and taking them. We don't cooperate with ICE. We don't do that. >> Excuse me. Excuse me. No, we're not doing that. Sorry. Please, please be respectful. Everybody was respectful when everybody spoke. Please be respectful. Thank you.
>> They say they locked up without warrants. Whose charges are they talking about? warrants. Are they talking about federal charges? Are they talking about municipal state charges that Trenton police officer would would uh would charge detainers? We don't deal with detainers.
If we lock up somebody and their charges and the protocol is that they go to the county workhouse, detainers go there from from ICE. They don't they don't come to us and the county deals with that. We don't deal with that.
Um, and I'm I'm just blown away like this. I'm looking at this report. There's not one name on there. They're just there's uh the person did not receive due process. Who who they claiming the due
process from? They talking about Trenton Police Department. They talking about ICE. What ICE does is no business of the Trenton Police Department except under the immigration trust directive. now codified. The governor came out with three bills that strictly says that what we can and
cannot do. The governor had a press release about her new portal. In that press release, she said, "Take pictures, take videos, do so from a safe distance, and don't interfere." Now, I'm paraphrasing, but that's what
she said. I watched that very carefully. Every time I saw that broadcast, I watched it. We had a recent incident here where a homeland security uh law enforcement officer was surrounded by the resistance.
Yes, that person called the police. He was in his vehicle by himself. No one else was around, but resistance got called out and they are rapid responders and they responded rapidly and they blocked them in with their cars. What does that remind you of?
Minneapolis. And what happened there? He called the police. We had to respond. When people call the police, no matter who they are, the Trenton police must respond by virtue of their job. They filmed themselves chasing this guy around the city like they were cops and
this guy was a robber. They filmed themselves violating motor vehicle rules. Now, should I go have my officers look at the video and write them tickets? You heard it proudly. They did that.
They broke the law. Proudly. Excuse me. I'm sorry. Please, no outbursts. Respectful, please. Thank you. >> And then at the end of the video that they posted, well, the only reason Trenton police came out here is because they called
them. Yes, we have to come out when people call the police. On that day, there was a 7,000 person Jewish event at the Cure Arena. Homeland Security was here. The Joint Terrorism Task Force was here. uh specialists from the state
police were here and there's extra Trenton police here for that event. Now I have no control over the federal government. They don't tell me exactly what they do. ICE certainly doesn't tell me what they do here.
We have joint operations with ATF, with FBI, with DEA. We no longer have operations with ICE. And I can't say it plain enough. Now, as far as Lambert Street,
what was reported to you by the resistance was only half of what happened. That was a child welfare issue. The mother that was detained claimed that her six-year-old child was locked in a house by herself.
>> I'm sorry. No, we're not we're not doing this. Um Mr. Mr. Garcia, can you please review uh rules of decorum for counsel? >> Yes, madam president. Which rules of recordum if you're interested at this at this time? Um while Mr. While M.
Director Wilson is addressing individuals here, we do not have outbursts. Um, and I will add that there were no outbursts while during public comment. So, we would appreciate that there are no outbursts or no heckling or no other comments made while director
Wilson is addressing. >> Well, we will ask that persons be removed. Thank you. >> Please continue, director. >> So, the mother who is being detained claimed that her child was locked in the house. So, we had to respond to that child
welfare. We also contacted DCPN because that's what we have to do in cases like this. The Trenton police officer made a forceful entry in there u with regard to responding to the child welfare when the
officer went through the window discovered that there was four adults in the house who were running around. And so the officer called for help because there was four adults in there running around and the the mother had said that the
child was in there alone. That makes for a dangerous situation for a police officer. He called for help and the cops that were outside responded and so did some of the ICE members. They ran in that house because an officer was calling for
help. Now, the person the uh the person that the children were turned over to was vetted by DCP&P and they were turned over to a family member and the police department left. those adults that were in the house,
they didn't get arrested and from what I'm told and I don't know for sure that they were undocumented as well, but ICE only took the person that they had the detainer for at that time. That's the whole story. That's not the story that you all got.
And as far as Barrett Street, perimeter control, traffic control, and crowd control is what the police department does. We have to protect everybody. You've seen it on TV with these big protests with ICE, cars driving through
the crowd, hitting people. I can't have that here. I have to protect everybody. I have to protect everybody who sets foot in this city. That's the job of the police department. And some may think it's distasteful and
some may think we're collaborating with ICE, but that's just an opinion. I deal in facts. I deal in the law. Don't forget, I am the son of an immigrant mother. Don't let yourselves be triggered by, oh, the
black and brown people. I know where I work. I've been working here for 30 years. This is a majority minority city. I know where I work. I made a career at a helping make the city safer.
That's why I came back as the director and I jumped at the chance to do it. I'll not have people lying on the police department or trying to mis miscue the facts and make us look like the bad guy.
We are not. And as far as guns off the street, I suggest some people look at our city stat report. You all get it. >> No. Can >> Can we please have that individual removed?
>> You need to be removed. Thank you. >> Everybody has been respectfully listening to everybody this evening. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. >> Can we please get through the rest of this meeting? Thank you. As far as the
gun program that pastor is talking about, that's like the buyback program that has to go through the county. He wants folks to surrender them and then just destroy them and make jewelry out of them. That sounds nice, but what if they're weapons that were used in
crimes? You now have destroyed the evidence. I can't do that. I can't permit that. I don't have the power to do that. that has to be discussed with the prosecutor's office, which I told him before. You get presented with a halftruth. He I
guess he forgot about the conversation we had. I don't want any of you to ever think that we are out here helping ICE. We don't. There is only certain very few special
exigent circumstances where we're allowed to do that and has been codified by the governor and and her three new bills uh made it even stricter and we will abide by those bills because that's what we do.
And lastly, I'll say this. We have been accused and accused and accused of violating the immigration trust directive. But you know who hasn't accused us of doing that? The New Jersey Attorney General,
the top cop in the state who makes sure that law enforcement in the state of New Jersey doesn't violate that directive. They haven't said we've done it.
And they reviewed Barrett Street. Some folks don't know that, but I'm really tired of this nonsense. It's not my investigation. It's theirs. They reviewed Bear Street and we founded that we that we did nothing wrong. So, I'm hoping to put a lot of this
stuff to rest and at the behest of Mr. cherry. I'm trying to really keep it together without screaming and yelling, but this is very upsetting to me because I don't want you all to lose trust in the police department. I don't want the citizens to
lose trust in the police department. And by the way, we're in a negative crime rate right now, too. I'll comment on that. And there is an uptick, but there always is, and you all know that when the weather gets warmer, the activity on the
street um prevails. And the Trenton Police Department will remain diligent and viligent in providing safety and doing what we can to keep the city safe and our citizens safe. And anybody who's here, we have to
keep them safe, too. So on that note, that's u that's all I have to say and thank you very much for allowing me to to uh defend the hardworking men and women of this police department >> because it's not me that's out there, it's them.
>> Thank you. Thank you, director. Um before we proceed, I just want to I just want to say um it's not often that we have to ask for somebody to be removed from chambers, but we just ask for respect across the board. Um mutually if if we allow somebody to speak or
multiple persons to speak, we should allow everybody to speak. And that's what that was for. That's all. You know, we hear but just the same as we listen to everybody who spoke tonight, we also need to listen to what our director is saying as well. Um, so that was no disrespect to anybody in the room, but
just a level of decor that we asked for. Thank you. Um, at this time, Mr. Garcia, I would like um in solidarity with the public tonight, I would like to ask my council colleagues if they'd be willing to reduce their civic comment to three minutes tonight. >> So, move second.
>> Second. Thank you. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Feliciano. Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Yes. Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Figuro Edenberg, >> yes.
>> Motion carried. >> Thank you. >> So, with that, um, Councilwoman Edwards, >> thank you. I don't have much to say. Um, I sympathize with Resistencia and I stand with them in solidarity in
following the guidelines of our f our federal and state laws and um and and just holding them to the letter of those laws. Um, moving on, there was an incident
yesterday um with tenants in Kingsbury Towers that was addressed rather quickly. So, I just wanted to give a quick shout out to Kingsbury Property Management Company and the owners for interceding and addressing the needs of the residents concerns pretty swiftly.
Um, I was able to confirm that irregardless of what made it to social media that they were being addressed even prior to the social media post. Kingsbury is not under the jurisdiction
of city council. However, we are here, you know, to liazison as needed when there is lack of response from the property management company or the administration. But the proper protocols is to contact the property management company and then contact the city
inspections department if they are not responsive to the needs of the tenants. Um and that's all I have. My heart is also with those that have, you know, been victims of gun violence lately and
I'm hoping that people will stop this senseless violence and that uh we will have peace in our streets this summer. Thank you and have a good night. That's all I have. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Frisbee. >> Thank you, Council President. Um, I just
want to first start off with saying I sympathize with anyone and all the families that are going through challenges. Um, but anyone whose loved ones, neighbors have been taken or taint detained. Um, falsely my heart goes out to you and I'm
absolutely standing in solidarity with you. Um, as a city council member, I do want to say that I they someone said um, we need to do something. because most of us have done something and I will say one of the things I have done is posted on social media every the the rights um
in both English, Spanish and and Creole. Um I've also passed them out. I've also gone to different organizations and locations um and my colleagues have done there are many of them have done the same and more and we have shown up as well. So that's to say that someone also
made mention about our colleague not being here uh during public comment. you don't know his situation, so please don't judge. Um the other thing I want to say is um I'm grateful for everybody that came out. I'm glad that everybody
comes out. Everybody has opinions, but um we do have to be respectful of one another. Um that I I don't care for outbursts. I just think it's disrespectful when someone is speaking and and they gave you the respect of listening to you, you should also give
them the same respect on that. I'm going to say that um this Saturday we have what is called Tinker and STEM lab. It is going to be at 471 Parkway Avenue in the city of Trenton. It is robotics and engineering and science that is going to
be held not just for children but for everyone. There'll be giveaways and all kinds of great um experiences. time is from 12:00 pm to 3 pm. Again, that is this Saturday, April 25th, from 12 pm to 3 pm. Um, and again, it's going to be on
May 23rd, and that's at 471 Parkway Avenue. Also, where Orange, where I happen to be the Mercy County um lead for Mom's Demand Action for Gunsense in America. I have been a part of them for over nine years, and I advocate for gun
safety on a daily basis. I speak I sit before legislators. I have been to council whether it's to Washington DC and then I have sat and I have um spoke before our um president Joe Biden. I do my work and I continue to do that and we'll continue to do so. But on
Saturday, June 6, we invite you to come out to Cat Walder Park between 10:00 a.m. and 12 pm where we are doing a what we call party in Orange, but it is our largest event where we um lock hands and put love around those families who have
been impacted by gun violence. Um for those who attend my Westward community conversation, instead of it being on May 14th, it's we're going to move it to May 15th because our mayor is having his state of the city on that day. and I would want to be present folk. So, I
will be sending out my flyer with that update on there. Um, and I think that is about it. Oh, Kingsbury, is that my three times? Um, that's my three times. And Kingsbury, I'm glad that we got things in um order
as rapidly as we did. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, I'm just going to go out of order. I'm sorry. I'm just going to go ahead and do mine real quick. Um again, the resistant people, thank you for coming tonight and for expressing your concerns. Again, um some
of you were not in the room when I did say it's it's not our we don't like to have to ask somebody to leave and I'm saddened that everybody left at that time, but again, it's just a matter of being respectful to everybody in the room. Um I told as I told them, you know, we listened to you guys. We also
needed to listen to our police director, you know, just to set the record straight. I look forward to continue to work with you guys to get this ordinance done. We know that the state legislation had holes and you guys brought it to our attention. Um I do look forward to having this for first reading at our next meeting. You know, we do look to
work with you guys and everybody else. We're truly saddened by all the families that have been burdened across the country. So, um I thank you guys for all of your work and hopefully we can do what we came to do what you guys came to
do. Okay. Thank you very much. Um, with that, um, being said, and I also want to thank, uh, my council colleagues who are also working on this with us, Council Vice President Williams and Councilwoman Gonzalez, um, and our legal staff, um, and Director Wilson who is
sitting in those meetings to make sure that this makes sense across the board for everybody. Um uh with that being said, my um Southward CPAC is on Thursday 5:30 at um Holy Trinity Church at 8:24
um Grand Street. So hopefully people come out. Um let's continue to do the work of the city um and move ourselves forward. Thank you all for staying tonight, for being here. Um you know, it was a heavy evening and you know, some things are heavy and some things are
hard to discuss. Some things are hard to face. Um, but we are listening. We are listening. So, thank you all very much. Um, Councilwoman Gonzalez, thank you so much, Council President. Um, I'm going to be really quick. First and foremost, I just want to send prayers out to the
Reigns family um, as we lost one of our jewels in the city. Um, also to all of the people who have been affected by the uptick in the gun violence that we we are seeing. Um, also prayers to all of the names that were mentioned today by Rasi Sencia. As mentioned earlier, we
are in the fight with you and we are trying to make sure that we do everything possible to make sure that um, policy is in place. Um, just on a lighter note, uh, I want to congratulate Stalin Hernandez who is the first person from Trenton Central
High School to receive the Trenton Softball Hall of Fame scholarship and that will be going on in the first week of May. So kudos to him as he is the first person from Trenton to receive that award. Um as far as you know we did have some tough tough decisions to make
tonight and you know I just want to state for the record that you know uh although I really wish that some of our developers would consult with our community um prior to coming before us. We do see a lot of blight in this neighborhood a lot of blight in the city
period. And the whole goal of us is to try to redevelop um to bring more tax revenue here to the city of Trenton. And you know, sometimes those decisions are hard, but if we don't move on certain things, we're going to continue to look at
vacant properties and abandoned properties and jeopardize um you know, all of the other residents with people coming into those vacant properties. And as we all know, we had fires in some of these buildings and houses and and so, you know, those decisions are hard, but
we do want to see development here in the city of Trenton. Um, I do want to acknowledge and say thank you to all of those who presented from Robing, um, Uriel. Um, and I I love the fact that he is implementing the affordable housing because although we are developing, we do want to keep our residents here in
the city of Trenton. Um, so with that, I just want to say thank you um to everyone for being here this evening. Um, there were some announcements. I can't find them real quick. Uh, um, there's a yoga that's happening um,
April 23rd at 6 p.m. 219 East Handover Street. Um, and I think that's all for today. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Council Vice President Williams. >> Thank you, ma'am. Uh thank you for everybody uh who's stayed and everyone
who's watching on uh internet. Um I had a couple questions for fire department, police department, but given the time I will send those through administration to you guys. Uh so I'd like to first uh talk about we have a Northwood Citizens Police Advisory Council meeting on May
20th, Wednesday, uh at Galley Baptist Church, 440 Martin Luther King Boulevard from 5:30 to 7. And I should know who our guest will be uh by our next council meeting, but please attend. We had a really good robust meeting uh last week
with Jay Watson from the uh from Conservation Justice with New Jersey Conservation about all the trees that are going in the ground. It was very interesting uh the presentation and what they're trying to achieve with reducing heat islands in our city. Uh, also this
past Saturday was the great North Trenton Youth Baseball Parade uh down MLK from Galilee Baptist Church to uh East Singham Avenue to the ball field. It was absolutely wonderful to see the children, see their smiles, see the
parents. Uh had the first ball go up singing Take Me Out to the Ball game. Uh it was a blast and I look forward to doing it again next year. Uh they are uh they still do have openings for youth uh from ages I believe it's uh six to or 5 to 12 rather. Uh so if you're interested
in North Trent youth baseball, you don't have to be from North Trent. They take kids from all over 609 3968724. Again 6093968724. And I just want to remind uh folks particularly on issues of immigration and ICE. uh this council, everyone on
this council has tried to notify everyone and anyone uh including folks uh in our Polish community uh Ukrainian others. Uh if you want to do something interesting, just Google all the uh nationalities of people who've been taken by ICE. You will find every
country in the world including Great Britain on that list. So this isn't just a problem that affects uh unfortunately it's really hard. It's the most uh biggest effect of course is on uh folks in Latino community, black and brown
people, African uh folks from Africa and so forth. But this is a bigger issue. Don't let the media define it to just a couple groups of people. Um, and with that, I just want to remind everyone this council unanimously passed 26046,
which was a resolution in early February that stated that the city of Trenton does not want a ICE detention facility in the 7.5 square miles of this city. So, make sure you tell people that. That is an important thing. We're one of very
few cities in New Jersey who have done that. And there's not a lot of things we can do versus the federal government, but this was something we made. We made a stand. We made a statement. And we are all in this together. I hope you hear that from our colleagues. But also, we
have to make sure we're right. So, Director Wilson, thank you for coming up and speaking tonight and giving your side of story, police side of story. There's a lot more we have to learn and we have to get this right. So when the ordinance comes, I do hope that we bring
it to the AG's office. AG Davenport is doing an awesome job and I would be shocked if her office would not want to make sure that everything we're doing. >> Councilwoman, I believe that's your time. >> Oh, it is. I'm sorry I didn't hear it. Thank you. Have a great evening, everybody. Bye. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Yes. And I just
want to give a special shout out to our uh council attorney, Mr. Colloji, for assisting with that ordinance that we are going to bring forward. So, thank you, Mr. Colloji. Um, with that, uh, Mr. Garcia, can we have a motion to adjurnn? >> So, move. >> Second. >> That was moved by Edwards, second by
Frisbee. Correct. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Roll call. Councilwoman Edwards, >> yes. >> Councilwoman H. Councilwoman Frisbee, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Vice President Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Vigor Edenberg, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Meeting adjourned. Thank
you all.