Newark Municipal Council Regular Meeting - December 6, 2023

The Newark Municipal Council held its regular meeting on December 6, 2023, at 12:30 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 920 Broad Street. Council President LaMonica R. McIver presided. The agenda included ordinances on first and second reading, over 30 resolutions, and a hearing of citizens. This summary is derived exclusively from the published agenda, as no minutes or transcript were available. Actual outcomes (approvals, deferrals, rejections) are not recorded in the provided materials.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Seventeen citizens were listed to speak under "Hearing of Citizens," including: Linda McDonald Carter, Yusuf Shabazz, Debra Salters, Mark Mugarero, Debra Mapson, Tallauche Hunter, Gee Cureton, Eli Kwawukume, Munirah El-Bomani, Jacqueline Peoples, Corey Harris, Opal R. Wright, George Tillman Jr., Zjante I. Ramgeet, Rev. Queen Mother Imakha, Dr. Theresa Allen-Johnson, and Angela Williamson. No record of their remarks or any testimony was provided.

Ordinances

First Reading (introduced for public hearing on December 20, 2023)

• 23-1651: Amendment to Title X, Chapter 23 (Five-Year Tax Exemption and Abatement) to reinstate five-year tax exemptions for multiple dwellings, commercial, and industrial structures.
• 23-1785: Authorization for a settlement agreement and first amendment to the redevelopment and property conveyance agreement for 152-164 Rutherford Street (East Ward) with 152 Rutherford Street Urban Renewal, LLC.
• 23-1557: Authorization for a first amended agreement for sale and redevelopment of properties at 209-219 Irvine Turner Boulevard (Central Ward) with Davidson Abraham and Associates, LLC and Mount Hope Housing Company, Inc.

Public Hearing, Second Reading, and Final Passage

• 22-1405: Amendment to tax abatement for New Center City Apartments Urban Renewal, LLC to extend construction timeframe for rehabilitation of two buildings (49 affordable housing units) at 76-80 Court Street and 40-44 W. Kinney Street (Central Ward).
• 23-1247: 25-year tax abatement for Washington 303 Urban Renewal, LLC to renovate a five-story commercial building into a ten-story mixed-use building with 74 market-rate and 18 affordable rental units at 303-309 Washington Street (Central Ward).
• 23-1112: Authorization to acquire a permanent drainage easement from Centerpoint Rutherford Urban Renewal, LLC for $10.00 for storm drainage pipes at 49 Rutherford Street (East Ward).
• 23-0936: Amendment to tax abatement for 579 Broad Urban Renewal, LLC to reduce market-rate units from 48 to 40, allow short-term rentals, and reduce ground-floor commercial space at 579-581 Broad Street (Central Ward).
• 22-1391: Amendment to tax abatement for New Irvine Turner Apartments Urban Renewal, LLC to extend construction timeframe for rehabilitation of four buildings (94 affordable housing units) and a new community building at 385-432 Irvine Turner Boulevard (South Ward).
• 23-1493: Amendment to traffic ordinance prohibiting right turns on red at Frelinghuysen Avenue and East Peddie Street (South Ward).
• 23-1791: Approval of a permanent easement over International Way and under Haynes Avenue Bridge to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for $1.00.

Resolutions

Administration (7R1-a to 7R1-i)

• 7R1-a: Contract with Weequahic Park Association, Inc. for community violence prevention through youth mentoring (up to $124,500 from ARPA funds). Item was deferred from previous meetings.
• 7R1-b: Amendment of 2022 NJDEP Volkswagen Mitigation Grant to increase allocation to $4,851,375.22 for eight electric refuse trucks (City contribution $537,854.66).
• 7R1-c: Budget insertion of $63,701 from HRSA for COVID testing, vaccination, and therapeutics.
• 7R1-d: Budget insertion of $1,694,000 from NJ Office of Homeland Security for Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) preparedness.
• 7R1-e: Budget insertion of $3,800,000 from NJDEP Green Acres for rehabilitation of Jesse Allen Park.
• 7R1-f: Budget insertion of $1,156,073.43 from NJ Office of Information Technology for 911 system upgrades.
• 7R1-g: Budget insertion of $1,000,000 from HRSA for a school-based clinic at Park Elementary School.
• 7R1-h: Budget insertion of $27,500 from HRSA for COVID-19 vaccination capacity (amendment to earlier grant).
• 7R1-i: External transfer of $257,776 within Water Utility for year-end funding.
• 7R1-j: Application/acceptance of $16,472,151 from HUD for 2023 One-Year Action Plan (CDBG, ESG, HOME, HOPWA).
• 7R1-k: Application/acceptance of $1,228,148 from NJDEP for Natural Climate Solutions Grants.
• 7R1-l: Use of state contract to purchase law enforcement firearms equipment (up to $69,323.40).
• 7R1-m: Open-ended authorization (up to $600,000) to purchase automotive vehicles from eight state-approved vendors for 2024.
• 7R1-n: Use of state contract to purchase computer equipment from Dell (up to $300,000).
• 7R1-o: Use of state contract for advertising and public relations services from Princeton Partners (up to $2,671,212) for the Mary Eliza Mahoney Health Center.
• 7R1-p: Bid contract with Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences for Opioid Response Team (up to $200,000).
• 7R1-q: Bid contract with Peckham Materials Corp. for liquid calcium chloride for snow/ice removal (up to $130,000).
• 7R1-r: Bid contract with Complete Hydraulic Works for maintenance of Delta DSC 2000 barriers (up to $90,000).

Economic and Housing Development (7R2-a to 7R2-f)

• 7R2-a: Private sale of 488 South 12th Street (Central Ward) to Solace Realty Concepts, LLC for $21,200 to build a two-family home. Deferred from previous meetings.
• 7R2-b: Private sale of seven parcels (575 South 10th Street and 586-610 South 11th Street, Central Ward) to Supreme Home Developers, LLC for $182,353.41 to build a five-story, 64-unit building with 13 affordable units. Deferred.
• 7R2-c: Private sale of 77 South 14th Street (West Ward) to Stephanie N. Baker for $20,000 for excavation and rebuilding. No prior deferral noted.
• 7R2-d: Amendment to contract with Sage and Coombe Architects for Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge services (up to $3,457,090.48).
• 7R2-e: Remediation agreement with PSE&G for access to public streets to address former Market Street Gas Works contaminants.
• 7R2-f: Declaration of 23-37 University Avenue (Central Ward) as an area in need of redevelopment.

Engineering (7R3-a to 7R3-d)

• 7R3-a: Authorization for competitive contracting for dockless vehicle share program with Bird Rides, Inc. and Veoride, Inc. (two-year permits, $125,000 each plus $0.25 per trip fee). Deferred from previous meetings.
• 7R3-b: Acceptance of $1,721,729.63 from NJDOT for Newark Ironbound Roundabout Project (construction and inspection services).
• 7R3-c: Amendment to 2018 Safe Routes to School grant, accepting $1,000,000 from NJDOT (reduced from original $1,200,000).
• 7R3-d: Amendment to Ferry Street Pedestrian Safety Corridor Improvements grant, increasing funding from $2,703,000 to $5,663,005.13 from NJDOT.

Health and Community Wellness (7R5-a to 7R5-d)

• 7R5-a: Amendment to HRSA grant for COVID-19 vaccination (increase of $27,500, extending period to December 31, 2023).
• 7R5-b: Amendment to Office of Minority Health grant (no cost extension to June 30, 2024, total project cost $4,112,359).
• 7R5-c: Application/acceptance of $5,600,000 from HUD for Lead Hazard and Healthy Homes Reduction Program (total project cost $6,386,353, City contribution $786,353).
• 7R5-d: Application/acceptance of $63,701 from HRSA for COVID testing, vaccination, and therapeutics (period September 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024).

Law (7R6-a to 7R6-d)

• 7R6-a: Settlement of civil litigation (Victor Manata et al.) for $150,000 from Insurance Trust Fund. Deferred from previous meeting.
• 7R6-b: Settlement with APS Designs, Inc. for $81,375 for design services at Mulberry Commons Park.
• 7R6-c: Professional services contract with Hendricks Appraisal Co. for tax appraisal services (up to $156,000 for 2024).
• 7R6-d: Exception to public bidding with West Publishing for online legal research (up to $197,512.68 over three years).

Mayor's Office (7R7-a)

• 7R7-a: Acceptance of $6,732,267 from NJ Department of Community Affairs for a Community Resource Center to serve homeless residents (period through December 31, 2026).

Municipal Council and City Clerk (7R8-a to 7R8-g)

• 7R8-a: Establishing 2024 meeting dates.
• 7R8-b: Establishing 2024 municipal holiday schedule.
• 7R8-c: Waiving special event permit fee ($550) for Newark Holiday Festival Kick-Off (November 25, 2023).
• 7R8-d: Hold harmless agreement for annual Three Kings Children's Celebration on January 5, 2024 (rain date January 12).
• 7R8-e: Exception to public bidding for legal services from Arleo & Donohue, LLC for election matters (up to $50,000 for one year).
• 7R8-f: Recognizing and commending 18 individuals and organizations (e.g., Clarence Maney Jr., Brian K. Logan, Sgt. Pedro Rivera, Elizabeth Del Tufo, Michelle Gonzalez, etc.).
• 7R8-g: Expressing profound sorrow and regret for seven individuals (Leonard Moore, Karriem Roulette, Marshall Cooper, et al.).

Water and Sewer Utilities (7R12-a, 7R12-b)

• 7R12-a: Professional services contract with Jacobs Engineering Group for Montclair Rechlorination Station Rehabilitation (up to $71,600).
• 7R12-b: Application/acceptance of $997,809 from FEMA for BRIC 2021 Newark Ironbound Resiliency Hub Phase I (total project $1,396,932.60, City contribution $332,603).

Communications and Other Business

• 8-a: Appointment of Eugenia Hamlett as Landlord Representative to the Rent Control Board (term ending November 21, 2025), replacing Brenda Wilson.
• 8-b: Ordinance to transfer city-owned properties to Invest Newark for Homeownership Revitalization Program.
• 8-c: Ordinance granting 30-year tax abatement to Gateway Lofts Urban Renewal, LLC for construction of 27 market-rate and 31 affordable units at 84-92 Parkhurst Street (East Ward).
• 8-d: Ordinance designating Springdale Avenue and North 12th Street as a multi-way stop intersection (North Ward).
• 8-e: Ordinance amending short-term rental regulations in Title XVIII.
• 10-a: Raffle licenses for 25 organizations (e.g., Saint Vincent Academy, Covenant House, NJPAC, etc.).

Key Outcomes

• The meeting agenda does not indicate which items were adopted, deferred, or rejected. No minutes or transcript are available to confirm the council's actions. For specific outcomes, refer to separately published minutes or official records.