Jersey City Municipal Council Caucus Meeting – March 24, 2026
Jersey City Municipal Council Caucus Meeting – March 24, 2026
The Jersey City Municipal Council held a caucus meeting on March 24, 2026, from 4:06 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eight council members were present (Council President Ridley absent). The meeting covered department reports, resolutions, ordinances, and appointments. No public comments were taken. Key items included emergency temporary appropriations, affordable housing trust fund dedication, public safety updates, infrastructure projects, and reappointment of the HEDC director.
Consent Calendar
- Finance (Kyle O'Dea): Resolution 26-12 authorizing emergency temporary appropriations of $423 million (53% of the prior year’s final appropriations) to fund operations through June 2026. Resolution 26-143 for calendar 2025 appropriation reserve transfers to cover health insurance and deferred charges. Resolution 26-147 requesting dedication by rider for the affordable housing trust fund, a formality to reserve funds (up to 20% for administrative costs, including the Office of the Right to Council).
- Human Services (Colin): Three MOUs renewing agreements for senior congregate meals (Paco and Grace Church sites) and a joint summer food service program with the Hoboken Boys & Girls Club. The Hoboken site serves approximately 50 meals daily; all costs are covered by USDA grant funding.
- Fire (Acting Director Hart): Acceptance of a $20,000 FEMA fire prevention grant (city match $950). Award of a $100,000 contract for SCBA breathing apparatus maintenance. Renewal of cybersecurity software (Safeware) costing $141,600, which has prevented any successful cyberattack on JCPD since COVID.
- Cultural Affairs (Director Goodman): Indemnification agreement with NJ DEP for city events at Liberty State Park (Summerfest concert series).
- JCMUA (John Fog): Three-year bulk water agreement with Veolia at $2,938 per million gallons, generating an estimated $7.5 million. Proceeds offset city water rates; state law prohibits profit.
- IT (Noble): Ratification of a $141,600 contract with Network Management Solutions for computer network hardware and software support, effective January 1, 2026. Council noted the contract start predated their approval.
- Redevelopment (Tunya Smith): Resolution authorizing an area in need of redevelopment study for the Christ Hospital site, with eminent domain powers except for two owner-occupied properties (188 Palisade and 2020).
- Infrastructure (Drew/Lindsay): Ordinance amendment for no parking near PS16 extending afternoon drop-off hours to 6 p.m. Second reading of parking zone ordinance around Liberty State Park station (to be carried for community meetings). Two time extensions for Christopher Columbus Drive grants (2023 and 2024 funding years) to align with MUA water/sewer work.
- Other: Ordinance amending fixed salaries for certain employees. Resolution adopting amendments to the Power House Arts District Redevelopment Plan. Resolution authorizing tax cancellation for Gateway Park Plaza. Ratification of auto impound management software contract. RFQ for legal services. Designation of August 27 as Andrew Jerome Washington III Mental Health Awareness Day. Recognition of National Community Development Week. Resolution supporting NJ Senate Bill S3382 (school facility bonding, up to $10.5 billion). Appointment of Andromon Jawer to the Women’s Advisory Board.
Discussion Items
- Public Safety – Police (Director Ambrose): Director Ambrose reported on reorganization, creation of a domestic violence unit and traffic unit, data collection, and 911 center improvements. He emphasized walking patrols and community policing. Council members raised concerns about AI in public safety; Ambrose confirmed no facial recognition use, only for communications and report-taking. Ambrose committed to transparency through weekly crime statistics.
- Infrastructure Appointment (Andy): Andy presented his background in safety and transportation planning. He outlined a vision for community engagement, filling vacant division director positions (municipal engineer, transportation planning and engineering directors), and focusing on Vision Zero. He acknowledged the need to improve communication with underserved communities and cited the ongoing Jersey City Transportation Master Plan with thousands of public inputs.
- HEDC Reappointment (Leah Chalone): Director Chalone discussed HEDC’s nine divisions, focusing on affordable housing, inclusionary zoning, and governance. She addressed challenges in the Division of Housing Preservation, including incomplete rent registrations and coordination with the municipal prosecutor. She noted the recent audit of rent control buildings as an opportunity. She recused herself from matters involving her husband’s architecture firm. Council members questioned the department’s historical pro-development posture and the record of affordable housing production (30,000 units built since 2010, fewer than 500 affordable). Chalone defended professional decisions and committed to carrying out the mayor’s policies, including a 20% inclusionary zoning floor, cautioning that it may require more PILOTs.
- Affordable Housing Trust Fund: Extensive discussion on the dedication by rider, the spending plan approved by court, and the need to reconstitute a committee for future project approvals. Councilman Gilmore requested a copy of the court-approved spending plan.
- Morris Canal Greenway: Award to Tomco Construction for sections 35, 10, and 11, funded by a $5.1 million federal grant and $289,000 in city capital. Includes soil remediation, permeable pavement, drainage, lighting, and security cameras.
- Bike Share Extension: Two-month extension of the contract with Lift Bikes & Scooters (City Bike) at $84,060 for Jersey City; costs offset by $250,999 in 2025 revenue. Council discussed station placement and data access.
Key Outcomes
- All resolutions and ordinances were discussed in caucus; formal votes will occur at a subsequent regular council meeting.
- The Liberty State Park parking zone ordinance is expected to be carried to allow community meetings.
- Director appointments for Public Safety (Ambrose), Infrastructure (Andy), and HEDC (Chalone) are pending council approval.
- The rent control special investigation committee will receive full cooperation from HEDC, including timely document production.
- The administration committed to providing detailed budget line-item breakdowns and notice before changing fixed salaries for directors.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everyone. We're about to get started. If we can find our seats, silence our cell phones, close the back door, side doors. I greatly appreciate it. Test. Clear. Hi. All right. Good afternoon, everyone. This is a municipal council caucus meeting. We had a scheduled 4 p.m. start. The clock on my cell phone is showing 406. PM may I have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting, Councilperson Brooks. Present. Councilperson Zupa. Councilperson Efros. Present. Council person Little. Present. Council President Pro Temp Gilmore. Present. Councilperson Singh. Present. Councilperson Griffin. Present. And Councilperson Levaro. Here. Council President Ridley will be absent for the meeting. So we have eight council members in attendance at 4.06 p.m. And in accordance with New Jersey laws, pamphlet laws, 1975, Chapter 231, the Alban Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law. Adequate notice of this meeting was provided by email or to um by electronic to the Bergen record and also the El Specialito. In addition, and assigned its preparation, the agenda of this meeting was similarly disseminated on Friday March 20th, 2026 at 9.05 p.m. To the mayor, business administrator, municipal council, and published in the newspaper. So we are so I can certify as our total compliance with the sunshine law. So I'm gonna turn the meeting over to our council president pro temp Gilmore. Thank you, Sean. The first speaker, uh first presenter finance cow. Good afternoon, council. I have uh three items for the finance department. I will start with 10.1 resolution 2612. This is a resolution authorizing emergency temporary appropriations for calendar 2026. Uh this is just an extension of our temporary budget while we continue to work with the state and the mayor's office and the business administrator on putting together uh final budget to bring the council for introduction. Uh the total appropriations here will be 423 million, which is 53 percent of what our prior year final appropriations were. But the idea here is to fund us through the end of June. Uh what we did on the salaries and wages is we took the current projections through the last pay period, projected that out through June. Um other expense items for contracts. We did some outreach to the department directors to see what they may need to uh extend existing contracts or come to council for new awards. And on the other end, there are debt service obligations that we need to account for and some statutory obligations as well, such as pension payments and contributions uh that are due April 1st. So if there's anything particular, uh the council has questions on, there is a memo provided as well, which highlights uh the methodology that was used uh by the budget officer in preparing this and some of the contracts uh that we are requesting funding for alternatively.
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