The Newark Municipal Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting opened with a moment of silence and tributes from multiple council members following the passing of Congressman Donald Payne Jr., a former council president. The agenda included public comments, first‑reading ordinances, public hearings on second‑reading ordinances, a large consent agenda of resolutions, and several council motions.
Approximately 25 speakers addressed the council, many offering condolences on the passing of Congressman Payne. Key positions and concerns included:
Good evening. Welcome to the regular meeting for April twenty fourth, twenty twenty four. Please rise for the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance, followed by invocation by Iman Dow Hag. Praise you for being our Lord. We praise you for and thank you for all the good and all the favors that you were showered on us. We seek your mercy and your forgiveness. And that you will bring justice and balance to our deliberations, we accept to bless this gathering and blessed results of this gathering. Present Silva. So if you could just join me now for a quick moment of silence. Thank you. As many of you know and have heard already, and those who haven't, um, our congressman uh passed away today. Uh, Congressman was the council president um here in the great city of Norca served as a council member and a freeholder um in you know, many uh active roles here in the city, and it's a very sad day. So on behalf of this council, um, we join our residents, we join the city and those in other cities as well that the congressman represented in the loss, and as we pray and be with his family, his wife Beatrice and his children, um, we just ask that you keep them in your prayers and your thoughts as they get through this grieving process. Um, at this time, I'll turn it over to council. Um, anyone from council that may have any comments or may want to make a quick statement. Councilman Council. Thank you, uh, Madam Chair. Uh again to uh the paying family, uh, to all of those in the 10th Congressional District, and more importantly, uh to our entire South Ward family. Uh, you know, we mourn the loss of Donald, who uh was a Bach Avenue uh baby, uh raised in the South Ward, very vigilant uh in love uh everything that he did in the South Ward, uh his fight, uh his desire uh to uh fight for those things that uh were right, even in uneasy situations. Uh he was not always uh a screamer or a yeller, uh, but he moved with diplomacy and got the job done in Washington uh and was always able to make sure uh that the city of Newark was taken care of on all fronts. Uh the entire South Ward Democratic Party uh mourns his loss uh for the work that he has done uh and his family in helping to keep that organization together and moving uh in a very proactive and positive manner. And we send our condolences again to uh his wife, his children, uh, and the entire South Ward uh during this loss. And we ask that we all just you know be encouraged and think about uh the importance not just of wellness but uh the things that he fought about uh and we will continue to fight for those things as well. Thank you. Councilman Crumb. Thank you, Council President. You know, what one of the reasons I wear a bow tie and wear these funky socks is actually because I'm emulating uh Congressman Payne. Um I saw him and I said that looks sharp, and I started wearing I wear a bow tie all the time now, but you know, he was somebody who you admired. Uh I I used to tell him when he was a council president, I'd say, you know what, you don't necessarily speak a lot, but when you do speak, we we should all listen to what you're saying, because when he did speak, he would say something that to me was was profound, something that was necessary to be heard at the time. So I just wanted to say, you know, to the family, to all his friends, to his staff, to all those who've known him and loved him over the years, my deepest condolences and prayers to the to everyone. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Crump. Uh Councilman Gonzalez. Yes, I just went to say my condolences to his family, friends, and co-workers. Uh he Donald was someone that was uh special to us here in the council when he was president. Uh he was someone that always looked for consensus, always look for what was best for the city of New York. And uh I applaud his work and uh wish that he be taking care in heaven. Thank you, Councilman Gonzalez, Councilman Kelly. Thank you, Council President. Um, I don't know if a lot of people knew, but you know, the Congressman was like my big brother. I mean, you know, he would he would just call me randomly and just go out to eat or call me randomly and and talk about hip hop and you know, and when he would come out with me, sometimes he would wear his big gold chain, you know, just trying to be hip hop and always made me feel comfortable. Um, when I was running my nonprofit organization, 211 Community Impact, he was one of the first elected officials ever to tell me, you know, he's proud of me and in what we're doing in the city, and you know, he's one of the people that made me believe I can be an elected official. Um, I was I was around him a lot. I was just with him, you know, probably almost two weeks ago, even probably less. And uh if I if I say that I have a friend that's an elected official from the city of Newark, it would be that guy, our congressman, you know, great guy. Went down to Washington to see him a couple of times, and really took care of me and made me proud to be from Newark and made me understand uh the power that our city has and just believing in me. He's probably like I said, one of the first people to believe in me in this city, and uh he's definitely gonna be missed. So I send my condolences to his loved ones, to his family, to his friends. No, he's definitely gonna be missed. God bless the Payne family.