Jersey City Municipal Council Caucus Meeting (March 10, 2026)

The Jersey City Municipal Council held a caucus meeting on March 10, 2026, starting at 4:01 PM and concluding at 5:59 PM. Six council members were present. The meeting was a discussion session for ordinances and resolutions scheduled for a future formal vote. Below is a summary of the key items discussed.

Discussion Items

• Franklin Street One-Way Conversion (Ordinance 26-010): Director Banghart presented the proposal to make Franklin Street one-way westbound between Palisade Avenue and Central Avenue. Councilman Lavaro noted the proposal may have been discussed under the previous council. Councilman Griffin raised concerns about truck access to a Stop & Shop and congestion near a cardiologist's office during school pickup/drop-off. Infrastructure staff said they will mitigate response time impacts (a one-minute increase observed during a pilot) through design modifications and coordination with the fire department. They also plan to work with the school and Hudson County TMA on congestion. The ordinance is on second reading.

• New Parking Zone 20 (Ordinance 26-013): Director Banghart introduced a new residential permit parking zone east of Pacific Avenue near the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station, responding to the suspension of overnight parking at the NJ Transit lot. Councilman Efros asked about extending similar zones west of the station; staff agreed to schedule a meeting. Discussion also touched on petition requirements and timing of the parking restrictions.

• Affordable Housing Portal Contract (Resolution 10.17): Director Gazell presented a one-year renewal contract with Intellix Inc. for $199,680 to maintain the affordable housing portal (affordablehousingjc.com). The portal has over 14,000 registered users, 550 units listed, and received 500,000 views in Q4 2025 alone. Councilman Gilmore asked about incorporating public housing; Gazell noted technical and financial challenges but expressed willingness to explore. The contract is for maintenance and support.

• Fair Housing Act Deadline Extension (Resolution 10.12): John McKinney (Law Department) explained a resolution to immunize the city from lawsuits while negotiating the final housing element and fair share plan. The state's rehab obligation estimate is approximately 3,200 units, but the city believes it may have sufficient credits. Councilman Griffin asked about the identification process and potential for some properties to miss out. The resolution is needed to meet the March 15, 2026 deadline.

• Payroll/HR Software Contract (Resolution 10.23): Director Vargis presented a $45,600 annual license renewal for Unicorn HR payroll software, noting past implementation issues have been largely resolved. Councilman Gilmore raised employee concerns about time clock rounding; staff clarified that for hourly employees, rounding up to the quarter-hour applies but is balanced by rounding down on the back end, ensuring no net loss for full shifts. A detailed report on outstanding issues was promised.

• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (Resolution 10.14): Amanda presented a contract with Jolt Charge to install 25 fast-charging stations evenly distributed across wards. Councilman Gilmore suggested exploring meters that allow non-EV parking as well.

• Youth Environmental Program (Resolution 10.8): Amanda presented a grant application to NJDEP for a six-week summer program for youth ages 16-20, offering stipends, hands-on training, and a community green infrastructure project (e.g., pollinator garden). Funding up to $100,000.

• Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan Amendment (Ordinance 26-015): Matthew Silver (Planning) presented an amendment to include the Queen Latifah firehouse (155 Morgan Street) into the rehabilitation district to allow a banquet/events facility. Planning confirmed no new residential rights are created, thus no inclusionary zoning trigger. The developer agreed to maintain the historic facade.

• Animal Control Shared Services (Resolutions 10.19, 10.16, 10.14): Director Burns presented shared service agreements with Guttenberg and Hoboken for animal control and sheltering, and a TNR contract with The Traveling Vet. He reported that the city fixed 900 feral cats in 2025, and that a full-time in-house veterinarian is being pursued to reduce costs. Council members praised the cat rescue community.

• Legal Representation for Officers (Resolutions 10.24, 10.25, 10.26): Three resolutions to retain outside counsel for officers involved in the Andrew Washington lawsuit and a related matter. Councilman Gilmore noted personal relationships and abstained from discussion. Corporation Counsel explained the city's statutory obligation to provide representation; the contracts are for specific cases with negotiated rates.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; all items are expected to be voted on at the March 11, 2026 council meeting.
• Staff will compile data on Franklin Street emergency response times and school congestion plans for council review before the vote.
• A meeting will be scheduled to discuss expanding parking zone 20 to the west side of the light rail station.
• The law department will provide a memo on the limits of the city's obligation to defend officers.
• The Jackson Hill Main Street SID budget and assessment roll were discussed and will be voted on; the council also approved a request to move the Transgender Day of Visibility resolution to the top of the agenda for the formal meeting.