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Record of Proceedings

Newark Municipal Council Special Meeting: Approvals and Drop-In Center Discussion (2025-01-14)

Municipal Council — Tuesday, January 14, 2025
BodyNewark, New Jersey
SessionMunicipal Council
DateTuesday, January 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 20:13

Original source
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0:21

Good morning.

0:23

Welcome to the special meeting conference of the Newark Municipal Council on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025.

0:30

In accordance with New Jersey law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Star Ledger, the Jersey Journal, and the public at large establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting.

0:42

In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on January 10th, 2025, at the time of preparation and posted on the website of the City of Newark.

0:52

Roll call, please.

0:54

Present.

0:56

Gonzalez.

0:57

Present.

0:58

Kelly.

1:02

Here.

1:06

Present.

1:07

Soba.

1:08

Here.

1:09

Present.

1:11

Council President, Council members, we are on page four of the agenda.

1:17

7R1 A.

1:21

S through 7R1BS are emergency appropriation, temporary emergency appropriations.

1:32

A is for the housing opportunities for persons with AIDS.

1:36

And B is the emergency solutions grant.

1:38

Council as a whole to adopt A and B.

1:41

Roll call.

1:42

Council.

1:43

Yes.

1:45

Gonzales.

1:46

Yes.

1:47

Kelly.

1:48

Absent.

1:49

Quintana.

1:50

Yes.

1:51

Ramos.

1:52

Absent.

1:53

Scott Roundtree.

1:54

Yes.

1:55

Soba.

1:55

Yes.

1:56

President Clump.

1:57

Yes.

1:59

7R2 AS through 7R2 B are all for on call environmental consulting.

2:11

Council as a whole to adopt.

2:14

My apologies.

2:16

7R2AS through 7R2CS.

2:22

Roll call.

2:26

Council.

2:27

Yes.

2:28

Gonzalez.

2:29

Yes.

2:30

Kelly absent.

2:31

Quintana.

2:32

Yes.

2:33

Ramos absent.

2:35

Scott Rounttree.

2:36

Yes.

2:36

Silva.

2:37

Yes.

2:38

President Crump.

2:39

Yes.

2:40

Madam Clark, but that was through C S or through DS.

2:43

I forgot to include D.

2:45

My apologies.

2:45

7R2C and D are all planning consulting services for economic and housing development.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement█████████████████████████████29%
Homelessness███████████████████████23%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████17%
Affirmative Action███████7%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Newark Municipal Council Special Meeting - January 14, 2025

The Newark Municipal Council held a special meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 3:15 PM UTC (10:15 AM local time). The council approved multiple appropriation and professional services contract items, received public comments on the planned Drop-in Resource Center and city finances, and discussed the center's timeline and design.

Consent Calendar

  • Adopted emergency temporary appropriations (7R1A-B) for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and the Emergency Solutions Grant.
  • Adopted on-call environmental consulting contracts (7R2A-C) and planning consulting services for economic and housing development (7R2C-D). Council President Crump noted a correction to include items C and D after the initial vote.
  • Adopted a professional services contract (7R3A) for engineering services to prepare design and bid documents and provide construction management for the renovation of the new Newark Drop-in Resource Center, and rescinded the previous award to DRG Architects (7R3B).
  • Adopted professional services contracts for law department litigation defense (7R6A-I).
  • All consent items passed by roll call vote; Councilmembers Kelly and Ramos were absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • George Tillman, a social justice advocate, expressed concerns about the administration's lack of compliance with municipal laws, particularly regarding Newark Works and affirmative action. He requested a plan of action and accountability for tax abatements and workforce recruitment.
  • Deborah Salters opposed the Drop-in Resource Center location, saying businesses and PSCNG had objected but the city proceeded anyway. She also criticized the city's recurring emergency appropriations and borrowing practices, calling on residents to demand a government that prioritizes people.

Discussion Items

  • Councilmembers asked about the Drop-in Resource Center's abatement process and timeline. Director Lewis of the Office of Homeless Services stated the space was purchased last year and is an 8,000-square-foot facility designated for a 24-7 drop-in and resource center for unsheltered residents. A previous design firm dropped out, causing delays. The new firm will start design this month, aiming for opening by end of year. The design will stay close to community-informed earlier plans.
  • When asked about interior amenities, Director Lewis confirmed the center will include showers, a kitchen, counseling spaces, meeting rooms, and washers/dryers, but no beds.
  • Councilman Gonzalez suggested exploring interlocal agreements with neighboring towns for building inspectors. Director Martinez Wood of Engineering said she would take it into consideration and it may appear on the next agenda.

Key Outcomes

  • All consent agenda items were approved.
  • The Affirmative Action Review Council will meet on Monday, January 27 at 5 p.m.; the council invited Mr. Tillman to attend.
  • The Drop-in Resource Center is expected to open by the end of 2025.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. Welcome to the special meeting conference of the Newark Municipal Council on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025. In accordance with New Jersey law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Star Ledger, the Jersey Journal, and the public at large establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting. In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on January 10th, 2025, at the time of preparation and posted on the website of the City of Newark. Roll call, please. Present. Gonzalez. Present. Kelly. Here. Present. Soba. Here. Present. Council President, Council members, we are on page four of the agenda. 7R1 A. S through 7R1BS are emergency appropriation, temporary emergency appropriations. A is for the housing opportunities for persons with AIDS. And B is the emergency solutions grant. Council as a whole to adopt A and B. Roll call. Council. Yes. Gonzales. Yes. Kelly. Absent. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Absent. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Soba. Yes. President Clump. Yes. 7R2 AS through 7R2 B are all for on call environmental consulting. Council as a whole to adopt. My apologies. 7R2AS through 7R2CS. Roll call. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly absent. Quintana. Yes. Ramos absent.

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