Good evening.

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday, January 21st.

Please stand for the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation by Imam Mujahadeen Mohammed.

And we're so I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

With the name of God, the merciful benefactor, the merciful redeemer, we come together.

Our Lord, let us enter this meeting through the gate of truth and exit through the gate of truth, and grant us from your presence a power to assist us.

We pray for our youth that they may find the healing, the success that they need.

We pray for our pioneers, our elders for their struggles, and we ask God to give us the strength to leave us away from those evil ways.

We are reminded about these words.

Council members.

Present council.

Present.

Absent.

Here Scott Roundtree.

Council President, Council members.

We are in the hearing of citizens portion of this meeting where each speaker will have five minutes to speak.

When your name is called, please approach the podium and address the council members.

The first speaker is Alif Mohammed.

Good afternoon.

I mean, good evening.

Good evening.

What's gonna happen?

I'm gonna start going back to the beginning of things.

Some restrictions that the federal authorities have allowed me to start saying some of the things I want.

So guys, my brothers, in March, I'm gonna release a lot of things.

I'm gonna release the videos of the chief of staff saying illegal things.

Now you see the form I got in front of you.

You see that I was sworn in, and I had a fiduciary responsibility.

When I came down to the housing authority, I was trying to figure out how to help.

So I went first for the house, and then I found out back to terrorists committed.

So then I said, and I told the mayor, I told Middle, I said, let me look at vendors that maybe we could come back in-house.

Because that's the good thing to get jobs back for people.

See, all that crime stuff ain't gonna stop until they got jobs.

You know, you go talk all you want and everything, unless they got jobs.

And I came up with an idea about the landscaping because the company was doing a horrible job.

And I did a resolute, I tried to do a resolution the first year, and Eddie Ellsborne was he let me talk, and he said, Well, commission, that's not in front of us.

So we gotta vote.

So I say, touche.

The next year, I go to do the resolution.

Ian and them didn't even want to do the resolution.

So guess what?

Carlos, I did my own resolution.

Got the legend used to it pass.

When it passed, 10 minutes after the meeting, I got a phone call for Mitty.

I didn't take the phone call because I had told Mitty that he has a bad habit of jumping and just hearing people, and he couldn't do that to me.

So 44 times in that weekend he tried to call me and I wouldn't take the phone call.

It just happened that he came in my office uh on Monday unannounced, and he came in and tried to convince me.

What happens is in my office, I'm a school, so I have cameras.

The state let me cameras.

And what happened during the pandemic, they gave me some cameras.

I said, give me the best cameras because I couldn't come out and my man couldn't come in.

I said, give me the best cameras.

Come to find out, we didn't know that the cameras was recording audio.

The audio is gonna tell you that the uh what the mayor do, what they don't do, all the deals.

So then they tried to remove me, and that's the what you see.

There's only three people up there know about the removal.

They tried to remove me.

They tried to remove me because they said that I uh said that Victor Sorello had a girl pregnant and she didn't know.

Which is true, but they know the father was.

What was BS?

And what happened?

I'm doing it short.

Kenneth, you know, I do a live now because of Felicia threatening me.

So it's uh uh you'll see it on live because I do like 20, 30 minutes.

Watch it, Louise.

And uh what happened, uh Kenneth Lewis came to my house on a Saturday and served me, and when he was talking to me, he said, This is not you know, you can't put nobody off.

There's nothing here.

This is BS.

So what happened when I had the audio, I said, I told him a couple of days later, I said, hey, we're gonna have a meeting.

I want to bring that in.

But before that, I don't know what was wrong with Louie then because the judicial committee was John, Louis, and Gonzales, because Alex came on and said that I think the man filed the stay, fouled the stay on it because I said it was the investigation.

And Gizalis, so they said, Well, the courts is closed, and Gonzalez said anytime a person filed a motion with a court, you ask you give them a courtesy.

So Louis sat there, and John was the committee, he's supposed to get up.

So he act like he didn't know because the secret was Pat that all the black uh council members gonna stay.

So John act like he didn't get the message.

Oh, something wrong with my phone.

When he found out that John went to his father, and the mayor told him you shouldn't do that.

Let them do their own door.

He said, No, Alif is my man, I'm cool, I don't want to do this.

So John Sharp said, then don't do it.

Alif is a very been around a long time, and he's one of the most serious Muslims in this town.

So look at my live in March.

I'm gonna release the three-hour video that I've been talking about for five years, plus a lot of other criminal stuff because the feds say I can say a lot of stuff now, and I'm gonna rip this thing apart.

And I'm gonna rip this thing apart.

You know why?

It's election time.

Well lake of my song.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Dr.

Leah Owens.

Appearing.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Dr.

Leah Owens, Ports and Policy Analyst for the South Ward Environmental Alliance.

I'm here tonight in support of agenda items 2515 10 and 251511, also known as the Ports for People, Newark Fossil Free Future Ordinance.

I also want to acknowledge the Newark residents who are here in the chamber with me tonight.

Community members who took time out of their evening because the decisions before you directly affect their health, our health, our families, and our future.

Your vote tonight to advance these two items is a vote for the people.

When we say fossil free, we mean eliminating our dependence on fossil fuels, these non-renewable energy sources that release large amounts of carbon dioxide and harmful pollutants when burned.

These emissions drive climate change, but they also drive something much more immediate for Newark residents, poor health.

As background for the larger community audience, once adopted, the Newark Fossil Free Future Ordinance will do two essential things.

First, it will amend the zoning and land use code to prohibit new or expanded fossil fuel facilities that are major sources of air pollution, as defined by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

These are extri extremely high thresholds that apply only to the largest polluters, such as petroleum bulk storage terminals and fossil fuel powered power base power generation.

Sorry.

Second, it will amend the finance and taxation code to prohibit public investments in these major fossil fuel facilities, ensuring Newark's dollars support clean, modern, healthy energy systems.

But this ordinance is not just about land use or finance, it's about health.

The health of Newark residents today and the health of generations to come.

Currently, there are seven facilities in Newark that qualify as major sources of air pollution, and those seven are responsible for a disproportionate amount of the pollution burden our communities carry.

These sites emit nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and fine particulate matter, which are pollutants directly linked to asthma, COPD, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and developmental harm in children.

And the harm doesn't stop at the emissions coming from the smokestacks of these facilities.

Hundreds of medium and heavy duty trucks travel to and from these facilities every day, adding another layer of toxic exposure.

By prohibiting public investment in major fossil fuel facilities, this ordinance ensures Newark's resources are directed toward clean energy solutions that reduce these health burdens rather than deepen them.

And we know what's possible.

Most of these major facilities are located in and around the port.

Initiatives like the Clean Ports Program, which Port Newark is already a part of, shows us the future.

Battery electric trucks, hydrogen-powered equipment, modernized infrastructure, and good paying jobs that don't come at the cost of our lungs, of workers' lungs.

Both the Port Authority and the City of Newark have already committed to reducing reliance on fossil fuels through multiple policy tools, including the city's community energy plan, which is undergoing community input right now to update this plan.

This ordinance aligns with those commitments.

It puts those commitments into action.

It protects residents while supporting the transition.

Both institutions have already said they want.

SWEA, our community partners, and the Newark residents standing with me tonight, urge this council to act swiftly on these two agenda items.

A Newark fossil free future is about choosing clean air, healthy lungs, and a future where our children can thrive.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Kim Gaddy.

Appearing.

Kim Gaddy, uh, founder and executive director of the Southwood Environmental Alliance.

And it's great when you have qualified staff like Dr.

Leah Owens, who can kind of lay out what needs to be said, and I can just kind of reiterate some things.

But I want to start off with you have an office of sustainability here in the city of Newark, and I fought really hard to establish this office under prior administrations.

And I fought really hard to establish this office under prior administrations.

It was first established under Corey Booker.

But the Office of Sustainability just changed its name to resilience and community transformation.

And I just want to kind of give you a definition of sustainability.

So as you're thinking about this ordinance and your role as council members for this August, for this community and with the August responsibility you have, sustainability means using resources responsibly to meet current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own future, focusing on long-term ecological balance and humans between people and nature by integrating environmental, social, and economic factors.

When we talk about resilience, you know, that's the capacity to withstand hardships and to snap back.

We know that Newark is Brick City, and we are resilient, strong.

We have overcome a lot of things.

But community transformation means that we can't continue to do the things that we've always done that are harming our communities.

We have to think about leaving this city better off for the future generations.

So we can't continue to be dependent upon fossil fuels.

You know my story.

Fourth generation Norca, three children who have asthma, only because I was determined to stay in this city.

My daughter went off to college in Ithaca College, never had an asthmatic problem.

She lives in California, haven't had an asthma problem.

My 21-year-old Julian, all why he was at R Tide, Harriet Tubman, never lizers in the nurse's office, right?

It's because of the color of our skin and the zip code that we reside in that individuals feel our life is not worthy.

And you have that responsibility to change that narrative to really transform this city and not be about transactions for developers, transactions for businesses, transactions for any and everybody that comes knocking on this door.

Community transformation is making the political, you know, taking the side of community, being driven by community power and having the political will, the political will to do right by the voters who elected you to your position.

Right?

We have to understand that it is up to us.

Ain't nobody coming to save us.

So we got to rely on the people we elected, or then we have to look at who can replace you and do the things that we need to be done.

So I am so thankful that you're moving these two agenda items forward, looking forward to having the conversations, but let's not let people dictate to us.

We know what's best for our people.

They're not dying at the numbers that we are.

You heard Dr.

Owens.

The statistics are like alarming.

They're more senior citizens, and I'm so thankful for the seniors who are helping the Southwater Environmental Alliance, who have COPD, asthma.

I talk to Myra Hops all the time, right?

Our commissioner, Lynn, Miss Linda, right?

They have asthma and they are struggling just to breathe.

We can change all of that.

The city of Norfolk is planting trees all around because they understand now, don't let developers come in and just tear down a tree.

They know the benefits of that tree and how it's uh blocking and it's a barrier for the pollution.

So let's be strong.

Let's be norkstrong, right?

It's about solidarity, standing with the people.

It's about support, making sure that you are supporting the right kind of ordinances to move this city, right?

And then it's about real solutions.

Southwater Environmental Alliance is about real solutions.

We don't bring BS to this body.

We bring real solutions.

And so I'm hoping that you vote your conscience and vote for the people.

Peace and blessing.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lisa Mitchison Parker.

Okay.

Good evening, criminal cultists running our government.

Welcome, Amina Bay.

You have joined the ranks of those that lie, steal, and cheat for their seats.

Let me dispel the lie about you being the first Muslim council person.

Because Gail Cheneyfield Jenkins is the first Muslim woman on the council.

She attended Clara Muhammad School, Temple number 25, that is now known as Masjid Mohammed.

You are not the first.

Team Baraka loved to rewrite history along with the lies about the state of Newark.

The disrespect by you and the traveling circus of thugs during the campaign and election day.

Let me know all I need to know who you are and what you represent.

Lies about our budget deficit.

It's been a year since these some of these council members came up in Society Hill about our taxes.

Mr.

B.A.

Today does not have an approved budget for 2025 as of 2026.

We got a 24.8% tax increase to renters, property owners, and businesses.

40 million in 10 years you approve to give to the Riviera a private developer, and yet you got an agenda item here for 30 million dollars to pay back a bond.

You robbing Peter to pay Paul and not bringing in the resources from all the agencies that's supposed to anchor this city.

You lie about the crime stats.

It's a lie.

We had gunfire on my block on December 23rd.

Two two mass shootings, and unfortunately, a child lost his life.

I lost my brother to violence.

And it's deplorable for the parents and the families that have to deal with that kind of tragedy with the blood is on your hands.

Where are the warming centers for the homeless during cold blue?

I walked in Penn Station yesterday going into my beloved New York.

You had almost a hundred police in there.

No homeless inside or out.

I guess that was in preparation for Mikey Cheryl.

I don't know.

But that was the coldest day of the year.

And I want to know where all those people found warmth at in this city.

This is an election year for all of those seats.

Don't allow these political prostitutes to have your vote when they have done nothing to improve your quality of life in 10 plus years.

No jobs, no relief for the suffering, overburdened taxes, vote them out in 2026.

Oh, and let's talk about the new scam for payment of water lines that we don't own the infrastructure.

Thank you, Kim Gaddy, for bringing up environmental justice, because we still got dirty water.

We don't got dirty air, and we still don't have a report on the pipes that didn't get replaced after the feds busted jazz for not doing that job.

Lord have mercy.

Let me just say this.

As we celebrate and commemorate Martin Luther King, don't worry about what's going on in Washington and a dude down there telling us the sky is green when we know it's blue.

Focus on a dude on the second floor here.

That lie every time he comes before us and haven't done anything for the residents that live here.

While y'all line your pockets, give perks to all the developers, and here we have Nadira Brown that been coming here for two years, and you got three council members in the South Ward, never helped up.

And Lewis, over at the health department, you ain't squatting either, and I'm I'm paraphrasing.

Start doing the work of the people and stop pimping us and preying on us, P R E Y.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Ms.

Bradley is, I don't think she's here.

Not appearing.

Felicia Austin Singleton.

Uh Miss Engleton is appearing.

Happy New Year, everybody.

That bald and dropped it in Times Square.

Let's not drop the ball in his council chambers this year.

I first want to start off on a personal note.

Congratulations.

Thank you for honoring the Central World Krugers.

I was a team mom of the Central War Titans, which is now the Kruegers.

So when I walked in and saw that y'all were honoring these kids, my son used to play on the team.

It was it was magical to me.

It brought me to tears.

Y'all need to give him some money because we did get money at the time from Raz J.

Baraka, who was South Ward Councilman, and we was Central War, so y'all need to give him some money and stop playing.

But it was it was meaningful to me because I was a team mom and everything I did, I did out my pocket.

And with hotels, food, whatever it was, it was to keep my son safe.

I was just telling Bernard Chase, it was me, Bernard Chase, and Darnell Chase, and Hassan Williams that was doing um Central Um Titans.

I was just telling him his brother Darnell would be happy because he was gunned down in the city of Newark.

So it meant a lot to me to see that.

But business at hand, and before I get started, Councilwoman, I come to this mic to work with everyone.

Everyone.

We had a lot of mishaps when we had no representation.

Representation.

Representation.

This woman, I told y'all was not ready for Washington, D.C.

She wasn't ready.

90 days in, Trump sends her notice you're about to be an insurrectionist when she was down there at the Treasury Department.

Then she goes over there to the ICE detention city to talk about immigrants, criminals, rapists, drug dealers, whatever they had going on in there.

But she never stepped foot to a residence home in a central war for the people who voted her in.

Never 440 Washington.

New community.

Come on.

Y'all got the emails.

We ain't gonna fight this year.

This election time.

We're not gonna front.

Everything before it came to this mic, I had it in the email to you.

Say I'm lying.

Say it.

Because if it wasn't Central War, every last one of y'all was on it.

It's time we stop.

It's time we stop.

You got a man that was killed on Evergreen when you have an agreement.

Have an agreement with the Northhouse and Authority to provide security to protect the people.

Am I correct?

Where is it at?

Come on, Pat.

You have four million dollars up there in the budget to protect and serve the people.

Now, before I come out with my official statement on it, I want I want to see video cam.

I want to see it, so that's justify it.

But at the end of the day, one life is one too many.

And when every penitent came up, I leave said 10 people is killed.

Ten people was killed, and you know it was, and y'all liars, y'all don't report it all.

The dead bodies that are found, you don't report it.

We're here about a week later.

It's 2026.

If you're not coming for the people, it's election time.

Get up.

Nobody ain't forcing you to sit there.

Get up.

Run on your own merit.

Run on your own merit.

Stop breaking up, Team Baraka.

Because I don't like half of them anyway.

Some of them I do like and I get along with, but half of them I don't even like anybody.

So let's get them out.

And this ain't personal.

This business.

This business of the city.

30 million dollars.

Y'all gonna pay back a loan, which y'all said Lisa Mitchell Parker was lying over the budget, but came up here and said it.

But then also let me get this part out.

Y'all lied about to um Didi Lee.

Didi Lee came here for two or three years and said it was mold and JC White.

Y'all are public, every council person except you.

Every pound supposed up there owe her an apology publicly and personally.

Because it wasn't until Spicy came up here and said we had an investigation by the state and the federal investigation that we had mold.

We had mold.

People died.

So if it was my loved one, I would be exhuming their bodies to see what did they die from.

And I will charge you with it.

Personally, each council person here, the mayor, and then the city of North.

Because y'all listened to it for two or three years and did nothing.

Didn't go over there, didn't do nothing.

This year we gotta do better.

We gotta address the resident issues.

We gotta see what people are talking about and have compassion for the people who vote you in.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Dember Salters.

Deborah Salters appearing.

Great evening, Newark.

Mayor, Deborah Salters, 2026.

Getting rid of the corruption and everything broken, we will fix.

So earlier, the BA decided to put himself on my radar.

Wasn't thinking about them.

Had nothing for him.

But he says he knows nothing about the 255 million dollar deficit.

If you go to the article that was published in Tap Into on January 9th, you will see the breakdown of when he said he started it off from the council meeting, and the finance guy, Mr.

Guzman, said what the 255 million amounted to.

In the paragraph, it says that brings the city's outstanding debt total to 255 million, 317, 2200.28 cents, according to Guzman, assuming the refunding bond ordinance is approved.

It goes through the entire deficit that we have, the 30 million we have to pay back.

And I have told you all, please do not get up here and call me a liar because each time I will show you.

So, Mr.

BA isn't finance under the business administrator.

So if you don't know this, and finance is under you, you should be fired.

Because you're receiving a 300,000 salary along with perks.

And what do we get in return?

More debt, not a budget.

No finance is being brought into the city.

We get a fire sale for 30 million dollars because we have to pay this bond by March 3rd.

So, sir, please do not come for me if I don't sin for you because the proof is there.

Your finance guy said it out of his own out.

It's a front page article.

Our city's in a mess.

A complete mess.

How tired are you, Newark?

How tired are you?

Are you tired enough to make change?

Because some folks just like to complain.

Some like to just complain and get things and be quiet over no.

Are you ready to make a change?

Because now is the time.

Because if we don't make the change now, we are doomed.

Do you understand that?

There's no way to dig out of this hole other than to fix this mess.

And the only way to fix the mess is to get rid of the ones who made the mess.

Because they're beholden to the ones that got them in the office.

We are paying the brunt of these taxes for developers who owe us 10 million plus each.

That could close this deficit.

But they're not running up on them like Rihanna and making them give us our money.

Go get our money.

But why can't you get our money?

What backdoor deal was made?

Who paid into your campaign coffer to where if you go get the money, they're gonna come knocking at your door.

Now you know I gave you a you know I did uh right so we need representation from us for us.

You understand?

It's time I'm tired.

I'm tired.

This administration has been one big party.

Party over here can't stop, won't stop.

People die and they partying over here every time.

Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on parties, and our people can't pay their rent.

Struggling to eat or buy medicine, no health care.

City workers with health care paying out their nose.

But you've got your mayor, your uh uh uh corporation counsel, who's also the assemblyman for Patterson where he's from Lamonica MacGyver, you got them rallying for the illegals, and we can't get a dime.

What are we doing?

If you are truly tired, you now have the opportunity in May 2026 to fix this mess.

You understand me?

If you haven't been in a fight, don't come up in here.

You didn't show up then, we don't need you now.

If you didn't show up then, we don't need you now, because you're simply more of the same, looking for your name and lights.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Am I gone?

Appearing.

Good evening, council uh good morning.

Um I was intending to come here today to talk about something totally different than what I'm gonna talk about today.

Um a young man in this city named Wally Bay, um, who a lot of us know as Brother Grills.

Today, we had a rally for the brother or a protest at the police station, and there's some demands that were made by the people, from the people, of the people, and for the people, right?

That I believe you all should take countenance of today.

The first demand that I think you all should take countenance of today is the demand to require no Norfolk police officer should be looking like an IC agent operating in this city wearing a mask and plain clothes.

That has to stop in the city of Norfolk today.

Years ago, a brother was murdered by Norwice officers undercover in plain clothes on 12th Street in Woodland.

We rallied for that brother, brother Turtle.

I'm talking about.

Every day.

Not to have them picking and choosing when they want to wear it.

No, they have to wear it.

Secondly, we're demanding that if you are a Nork police officer, and you are required to wear that body camera as per the policy that we put forward today, or as the mayor put forward then, the extension, the expansion of it, should require that no work police officer can work with any other outside law enforcement agency that does not have the body camera policy.

Why?

Because Norc police officers are using that particular loophole in the clause to partner up with the county, the sheriff, the state police, the FBI, and thereby target the very people that they couldn't target while they were working with Norfolk with the body camera on.

We need to stop this stuff, or more people are going to be dying at the hands of your police on our streets, and it's only but so much that the people are gonna take.

Let me say this.

In 2026, we're gonna make some changes in this city.

I'm running for councilman at large, and I've been clean on purpose.

I haven't touched nothing illegal in this city deliberately on purpose, just for this moment.

When the people of this city elect me, councilman at large, the jig is up.

Overnight, these departments in this city are going to begin respecting the residents in this city.

The police in this city are going to stop with the overly police aggression that exists in this city that allowed a situation like what happened to Wally Bay to happen again.

Please, counsel.

Take good consideration of what I'm asking.

Demand that your officers that work for you, whose checks you pay, whose budget you allocate.

Demand that they stop looking like ICE.

The man that they it is not professional to wear masks and cover your name on your badge.

The people in this city have a right to know who's jumping out on them.

We want those answers.

Give us some justice for this brother.

Speedily reach out to the attorney general.

And ask them to expedite this.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Not appearing.

Shakir McDougall.

Appearing.

Miss Doc, please.

Please, Miss Doc.

Please do not call out so we can hear the speakers.

Thank you.

Shakir McDougall.

Okay.

Good evening, Council President, Council members, and members of the public.

My name is Brock.

That's what the community knows me as.

And I'm here tonight because I deeply care about North.

Not just where it's going economically, but who it's leaving behind along the way.

We hear a lot about opportunity in this city.

We hear about growth, development, innovation, and investment.

And make no mistake, Norc is positioned for success.

We have an airport, we have rail, we sit at the center of North Jersey's technology and logistics corridors.

We have talent, culture, and creativity in abundance.

But opportunity without accountability becomes exploitation.

And growth without community becomes displacement.

Right now, divisive rhetoric is pulling people apart while real issues on the ground are being ignored.

I don't want our young brothers and sisters to believe that success only looks like chasing money.

Especially if that chase costs us our people, our neighborhoods, and our humanity.

The money will come.

It will come because we are talented.

It will come because North has what everyone else needs.

But we cannot be so focused on coming up that we forget about who we are responsible for lifting up with us.

We cannot win if our people are losing.

That means we take care of home first.

Clean air, clean water, healthy food, safe streets, a real life of equality for the people who already live here.

Because if we don't take care of our people, who gonna do it?

And that brings me to development.

Right now, Norfolk is being held hostage by developers who sit on properties, stall projects, and allow blight to spread while waiting for the perfect deal, all while entire blocks suffer.

That's unacceptable.

If you don't want to do business here responsibly, then do business somewhere else.

If you're going to let properties rot while extracting value from our city, that should be clearly identified and no longer tolerated.

Nork is not desperate.

Norc is valuable, and Norfolk should never be treated like a bargaining chip.

That's why I'm calling for a creation of community oversight committee, a body that reviews major development projects and ensures they align with the needs of the people who actually live.

Development should not happen to communities, it should happen with them.

Now let's talk about jobs, real jobs.

We need our youth trained for every job in this city, and not just youth.

Everyone who wants to work should have a pathway.

Elevator inspectors, technical trades, infrastructure jobs, the kind of positions that already exist here, but too often go to people who don't live here.

If we're serious about this opportunity, then we must be serious about training.

And yes, that requires funding.

But here's the reality.

When people are trained, employed, and have somewhere to go and something to build, there's less need for constant policing.

Investment in people is prevention.

Employment is public safety.

Redirecting even a portion of those resources toward job training creates a cycle where the city becomes safer, stronger, and more stable.

Not through force, but through purpose.

Now I want to talk about accountability.

I was informed that body worn camera footage exists in a recent incident, but that it must go through the attorney general's office before the release.

I understand process, but I also understand precedent.

When an ICE agent killed Ms.

Good, body camera footage was released within 48 hours.

48 hours.

So if that can happen there, it can happen here.

That's why I'm calling on this council to enact a resolution requiring the release of body worn camera footage within 48 hours and serious incidents.

This is not unprecedented.

It's responsible.

Transparency calms community.

Transparency reduces speculation.

Transportation allows people to be critical as they should, based on facts, not rumors.

Delays do the opposite.

Silence does the opposite.

And finally, we must talk about healing.

When something like this happens, the impact is not isolated.

These families are affected.

Friends are affected.

Neighborhoods are affected.

And yes, even officers and their families are affected.

The city needs a space to heal.

So we're fortunate to have a council who has members who are people of faith, parishioners, and community leaders.

Policy matters, but compassion matters too.

There should be community-wide access to mental health and wellness resources, spaces for dialogue, and support for everyone impacted.

Mr.

Medoule.

Thank you for your comments.

Your time is up.

Thank you.

Oh, and I'll be back for my apology next time.

Queen Danisha Clyborn.

Appearing.

Queen Danisha Clyvern.

No, I'm not running for nothing.

I want to take a moment of silence that for the brother that we lost on Monday.

Okay, so I came here for one thing, and I'm gonna talk about it briefly, and then we're gonna get into the real thing.

So I am the community liaison manager for McDonald's.

We run 14 McDonald's with three being within the city of Norfolk.

I have been complaining.

I've been calling the police.

We have a huge homeless issue on West Market.

Um we have another issue at 188.

Miss Marion Bay, please take this down.

We need some help over there with the kids for as McDonald's, they're out of control.

Um it's been going on for 10 years.

We pay $60,000 per month for armed guards, and they're still not working.

I do want to say thank you to some of the parents that reached out to me and helped me control their kids because they worked at West Market.

We need the same thing at 188.

But what I am here for today is we are tired being sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Let me tell each and every last one of y'all, and because this is a part-time gig y'all have.

Why is the pre-Kelly missing and y'all make a lot of money?

I do y'all job every day.

I don't get paid for it, right?

So I just need y'all to hear this one chant.

I need y'all to be loud with it, and I need y'all to come behind me.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

You all have been sitting here, most of y'all since I was a child.

We are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

This is the family, the sons, the mothers, and the sisters of this brother.

We demand answers immediately.

It's gonna take more than rallies.

It's gonna take more than council meetings.

It's gonna take more than the mayor's letter.

We need you guys to be proactive.

Because you are not active.

Y'all look like y'all asleep and y'all need some coffee.

Come see me at McDonald's.

But we need y'all to wake up.

There's a lot of crime that y'all keep saying that, oh, the crime went down.

No, the crime isn't down.

What it is is when we call the police, we make accusations on the on a person.

Y'all don't report it.

It's not being reported.

Your police officers come out.

They don't do reports.

So, yes, to you, the crime is down because you're not out here on the street seeing what we see.

We need y'all to get out those chairs.

Come out them offices.

Get off your other six-figure paying job.

And come see what we see.

Come feel what we feel on these streets.

The crime is not down.

It's only down because you're not reporting it.

This family demands answers.

It's gonna take more than you telling us to wait on an investigation.

These babies have lost their father.

These mothers have lost a loved one.

The sisters have lost a brother.

If it was you, you would be outside rallying and making all this noise.

Because we did it.

Over 300 some odd weeks.

We did it.

Now is our turn again.

Your police officers are disrespectful.

They need to learn how to respect.

They need to be retrained immediately.

How dare you say you're gonna offer an 18-year-old that's not even mature enough to be a human first as a teenager to be a police officer.

How dare you?

The cops you have on the field now don't even know how to respond to the families.

While we're on our way to a rally, we get a call that the young man brought that past Monday.

Sons were pulled over by your police with the brother on our way to a rally.

It's very unacceptable.

We need answers.

We want meetings with each and every one of y'all recently and after in office now.

We are demanding you guys to meet with this family now.

You should be giving out your cars to this family now.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Say his name.

Now thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Miriam Day.

Good afternoon.

My name is good evening, I should say.

My name is Marion Bay, and condolences to the family.

Really?

I'm so sorry that happened.

And I am not related to Amina Bay.

I just wanted to make sure you know that.

Um the reason why I'm here this evening again is I'm a Newark homeowner and I work for the city of Newark.

And I'm always talking about the slum lords that we have.

And this is what I want to read, because I have this in an email that I will be sending to all the council members.

Okay.

Senior citizens living in Newark buildings are enduring unacceptable conditions.

For example, at 1060 Broad Street, residents lack hot water and heat.

Some purchase their own heaters too with uh do due to the cold weather.

In addition to a lack of lack of heat, mice infestation, and persistent mold threaten their health and well-being.

The problem is widespread here building in North are currently faced with repeated cold violations for issues including broken utilities and pest infestations.

This neglect affects vulnerable populations like our seniors and formerly incarcerated, brothers and sisters.

You know, when I say brother and sisters, I'm talking about black, white, and Latino.

Okay.

And those returning home from prison are assigned to shelters with deplorable conditions and are threatened to be sent back to prison as I have said before if they complain about conditions and treatments.

Slumlords who are absentee owners continue to purchase properties and allow them to deteriorate, ignoring necessary repairs and safety codes.

Garbage accumulates on the streets for days.

If you go on my street right now, you'll see that it's been on the street since months since Tuesday.

Okay?

The garbage is not gonna be picked up until Friday.

Okay?

And so the garbage accumulates on the streets for days with no accountability, for string dangerous and unhealthy environments.

Our children growing up in these neighborhoods come to accept unsanitary streets as normal, while landlords themselves reside in clearer, more affluent areas like South Orange, Maplewood, and Montclair.

Okay.

So my concern is if it's why isn't it happening there, but it's happening here.

Okay.

And then regarding the sanitation department, because when I first started working for it uh for the city of North, I was also in charge of the mayor's sanitation program.

Okay, so I know the brothers and sisters got issues down there, and I want you, brothers and sisters in the sanitation department to know that everything is gonna be okay.

Okay, just continue to do what you're doing.

Don't give them no reason to send you back.

Okay.

So here's the thing.

Employees of the New York Sanitation Department encounter their own set of difficulties.

For instance, their parking, the parking lots are filled and are closed at the start of their shifts, which is at 6 a.m.

Workers must park on the streets and risk receiving parking tickets.

This issue lies in the sanitation department's failure to remove non-operational vehicles and hire adequate mechanics to repair sanitation trucks that are in these lots.

In this lot, if this action, if these actions were taken, more parking space would be available, and additional jobs could be created for New York residents.

Staffing shortage extend beyond parking.

There is an urgent need for more laborers to ensure if to ensure effective waste management.

Additionally, many employees repay report confusion and inconsistency regarding overtime pay with unclear clear calculations for those working over time.

There's an issue with their pay.

So if you can speak to someone in sanitation to find out what's going on with them, please do that.

Okay?

To address seniors, uh senior housing problems, Norfol should enforce stricter penalties for negligent landlords, including increased fines for repeated code violations and mandatory repairs within set time frames.

And the uh I'm not I'm not gonna read all this, I'm gonna send it to you.

But here, but here's the deal.

The responsibility is not just on the landlords, it's on the tenants too.

Okay.

And our association is gonna be holding a meeting with the tenants so they can know what their responsibilities are, when they should put out the garbage, and also with these slum lords.

We will be getting in contact with them, and we will let you know.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Good evening, everybody.

I want to thank the Lord for waking us up this morning.

Blessing our family, friends, homely, the homeless, feminines and eminence.

As salam alaykum.

I want to give a moment of silence for Malik Bay and others that lost their lives.

Excuse me, wally bay.

Wally bay, wali bay, wally win.

We've been having a situation with Nor Cows and Authority with the Mold.

Everybody's aware of it.

It's been going on for many, many years, not just with 516 Bergen Street, down Dayton Street, Stephen Crane, Georgia King Village to Nevada, 1060, with all of it.

Everybody's aware of it.

This administration has been covering up what people would do to get elected.

The first sign running for governor, God ain't please.

Going from 10 to 12 bodies to all over a hundred.

I said it to y'all.

Same thing with the COVID.

COVID is back.

What happened to the programs?

Having all the masks back on.

The grants ran out for the cover for the COVID money.

So the COVID is not important.

COVID and the fluids back up.

You got asbestos and lead and mold in these housing from housing while kids are in there.

They already two and three grades behind.

That don't make them go four grades up.

Kids go to school hungry.

Some got led in a house, some got mold.

Some ain't fortunate.

Some are getting sick from mice droplets, rat droplings.

You talk about asthma.

You talk about kids coming up, all this.

We didn't have Crohn diseases.

We didn't have mold.

I mean, we didn't have cancer like the rate we have it.

It's in the fools, you all aware of that.

These food pantries gotta do better.

We do appreciate what they get, but you can't keep giving food out that expires two days later.

People depend on that.

People go to school, the kids go to school, the parents working three and four jobs, they send their kids to school for breakfast and lunch, so when the school is closed, they don't eat.

We gotta go back to the old fashioned ways, helping in the hospitals.

Used to call them what they was the um the candy stripers.

We gotta do in the communities, get our help with the homework.

You stop after school programs.

A lot of kids' life will be safe if they had some safe zones.

We don't have the penny RKs, we don't have no boys and girl clubs.

Get them, you gotta get them active because we losing them.

And I'm not gonna say y'all don't care, because I know some of y'all do care.

But when the selection, that's when y'all want to do.

We got five months.

We gave y'all 15 years, something got longer.

I've been in the politics for 50 years.

I realized the other day.

I started passing out literature.

I was eight years old.

Everybody's running for so many positions.

We need to sit down, come together, and have one to run, and we work it together because we don't want to start it back where it was at.

We gotta use a strategic plan.

We already see what it is.

We've been bringing, bringing stuff to here, and they looked the other way.

But I'm appalled that I've been bringing this to the council and here to learn that Keisha Davies, who deleted this list that could have saved lives with documentation from the code enforcement health department.

I just learned, and I might be wrong if I'm corrected.

That I heard you were an attorney.

I'm hoping that's not true.

I don't want to believe an attorney will allow people to die with the biggest cover up.

We all know about it.

We gotta do better.

I don't wanna be the bad guy to go to when we gotta check each other.

We gotta go to the white man.

I don't want on every levels, prosecutors officer to state level.

Now I'm going on a federal level.

I've been there, but now I got proof.

Nobody owe me no apology because I'm doing God's work.

I am the lady version of Obadiah, and not many know much about him, but you better know he was a servant of the Lord, and that I am.

So, with that being said, everybody have a great evening on purpose.

Nor do something, nothing.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Happy New Year.

That's the second time you heard my name tonight.

Not Daryl Brown, North New Jersey.

I guess it's a blessing and a curse when you don't look like what you've been through.

People keep bringing up my name, but people don't really believe the story, and they feel like I made it up, but I'm not here to make it up, and I'm not here to entertain you just to keep coming here to talk about my circumstances.

But Shakima Thomas posted something.

Remember, Shakima Thomas asked where she's at.

La Monica, Leander.

So she posted a lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good just because it's accepted by a majority.

So it's 2026.

Let's not get amnesia.

They showed you how they were 2022, 23, 24, 25, even before that, but I only get five minutes to speak.

City of New York, it's time now.

We need to change some seats.

Nothing personal, but this is business.

My name keeps coming up because let me tell you what I went through today.

Yesterday I made a phone call.

Where I'm living at, it's very cold.

When you walk in the front door, something fell in the ceiling, all this debris on the floor.

Code enforcement told me to call the health department because I told them also the mold is coming up because keeping the oven on, something black growing.

I'm not an expert, but so you call the health department who tells you to call 4311.

4311 gives you back all the numbers you just called, telling you to call, so you keep getting the runaround.

So what is the protocol when you're calling in a complaint?

But I just found out, and I told them to watch tonight because I'm gonna give them a shout out.

I'm not gonna use his name, but you promoted someone in code enforcement who wanna feel very important.

Back in September 2025, called me.

He says September, I say August is still next to each other.

Oh, Miss Brown, I heard you're still having problems with your apartment.

We need to do an inspection.

Well, why?

When in April of last year, you deemed it an illegal conversion.

Oh, so why are we doing another one?

You want me to take all because I don't have no more time because I've been going to court with this second landlord since May.

We go back February since May, y'all.

And I'm dealing with another landlord with court.

But people don't understand you gotta take off your own personal time, miss your days, miss your time, miss your money.

My medical already went up another 38%, and I only got a 2% raise, and we all had math.

38 and 2 don't match.

So code enforcement told 4311 supervisor that when she reached out on my behalf.

Oh, Miss Brown missed that emergency inspection.

When when did the emergency happen?

Because I've been calling since last year to get help.

But they have this one inspector that comes out when he gets his request, he comes to your house, don't contact you first.

He gets there, like, oh, call you click, you're not there.

I'm gonna send you out a letter entry.

For what?

Call me and make an appointment so we can do this inspection.

But see, a lot of people play games around here, and that's what we've been doing in this city playing games, playing with people's lives.

And unfortunately, my condolences to the family.

This is sad because this is not the first time, and it shouldn't continue.

But we need to make some changes.

People want to run, that's fine.

Kind of interested too.

Somebody finally read the law, only a hundred signatures.

Oh, what happened to the 1700 to 10%?

But I never found that law.

We gotta start validating, following up.

We need to start checking what they tell us.

But it took many years of people not being on that ballot before because they kept you all.

Don't keep the people off.

Sign those petitions.

You ain't locked down, ain't gonna do much.

Yeah, it is scary.

Cause I'm going through it.

They came in my house today, 32 degrees.

Where am I supposed to go?

I don't even have any money.

I had to use my last, couldn't make the car payment, so my daughter could go in the hotel because keep on being sick.

What do you do?

I got a great job, but my home pay that I bring home is getting wrong.

So I need for you all to pass the word.

No, don't have a lot of money.

There's gonna be many people running.

It's not about the money, it's about the people making a choice.

Look at Daddy's little girl, that movie at the end.

What happened when the community came together?

Oh, y'all better watch that from 96 Tyler Perry movie.

Now my time is about to be up, and you know, some people tonight got to speak over their time.

I'm not even gonna take that chance.

Last time I got put out, and I can't afford that again.

Because I need to speak to the people, remind the people because this is a platform.

Share it's 2026.

It's time to change these seats, and if we don't do it now, it's not gonna happen.

Thank you.

Good night.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

All right.

I believe appearing.

No, she's appearing.

No, you're not.

Okay.

Yes.

Good evening.

My name is Opal R.

Right.

I reside at Vanderpool Street in Newark.

And my concern is with the Dodd uh Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Consumer.

Don't y'all ever think Protection Act?

That's Title 10.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I'll be back.

We want to.

You can continue now, please.

Thank you.

On Title Ten, uh, the Consumer Protection Act.

I was uh on section ten forty six, the amendment to the uh expedient funds available act.

There's a um I had mentioned this um over, I guess at least three times because it has to do with the um the measure of money that's more or less uh in the uh resident the residential area.

And that is why I mentioned it so many times, and this amendment is for the expedient fund available uh the availability uh improvements.

Um six oh three of the expedient funds availability act is amended in subsection A to D by striking one hundred dollars and inserting two hundred dollars.

Which, if you read it would um give the inform uh give you more information where it is available at a financial institution in the state.

I believe there was emergency financial stabilization, which the um which the uh consumer would like to uh use the ATM, the automatic ATM in the area.

Uh maybe they would need a loan under an emergency, but for the city, uh you have this emergency financial stabilization, and it says upon the written determination, uh the of the corporation and the board of the governor, board of governors, the um corporation shall create a widely available program, and so I guess they would be able to uh find out exactly which programs have been entered from the city of North.

I would also like to just start by um mentioning there's a uh couple of things I would like to mention.

One is uh the shocking news that was um pronounced it was announced that the Venezuelans were their president was uh removed and jailed exactly in New York City, uh, where I had already mentioned my opposing to jailing uh P.

Diddy.

Um this is where he ended up, and uh it's all based on non-communication.

They're saying that the uh several presidents, several several leaders around the world are talking to our president, and they cannot seem to connect or be able to express themselves.

And there's just the communication is just um just recently, I believe they said that the Venezuelan president and wife was invited to sit in DC and have a dinner, and then only less than three weeks this occurred.

Uh another thing is that we're dealing with ICE, ICE, uh these people have been identified, their identity is Italian descent.

So, how do we see what they're doing to people who they are placed basically in the diverse community?

They are one of a they come from, they descend from the same uh we originate, he when they come here to this country, they came to settle.

So I don't see why we can't seem to speak upon or speak to them to until there's some civil resolution.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Okay.

So prior to the incident that happened with uh man, I call him Al Muhammad.

I know I pronounced it a little incorrectly, and his uncle Wally Bay.

I my topic, because you always have to give a topic.

My topic was going to be about the things that I like that Trump is doing.

I like that he's doing the four or five, four-seven account for the kids in 15 or five years, they have $5,000, $15,000, the Dell family putting this $6 billion in, they'll probably benefit because you know they'll get the float the interest.

I like that.

I like the fact that he told the credit card companies to make it 10%, because it's 30%, 30 more than 30%.

I like that.

I like the fact that he said to other countries, the pharmaceutical companies, you're gonna, we're gonna pay less than what those countries are paying for drugs in our country.

I like the fact when he sat around with the oil companies after the Venezuela incident, and when the president from Exxon said he don't think that he it's a good investment for him.

I like that whole gangster move when he said to him, well, you won't be a part of it.

I like all of that.

I like when he talked about tariffs because we act like tariffs is something new.

Tariffs is not new.

When we go back in history, particularly in the 1800s, Congress allowed 50% tariffs.

So let's stop acting making people fearful of some of the things he's doing because he he said it, he said it best.

He said they're just like me.

You're all just like him.

You're just like him.

You do the same thing.

He said that he reduced crime violence like never before in history.

Whereas J.

Baraka said he reduced crime like it'd never been before in 60 years.

What's the difference?

He said that he wanted these Wall Street investors to stop buying up single family homes.

He even named the name of the companies.

That's how gangster he is.

Mr.

Baraka talked about it.

Now the Mr.

Trump put forth an executive order.

You know about it, Mr.

Baraka, but what did you do?

Nothing.

Nothing.

And you're gonna take on who?

So that's what I wanted to talk about.

Then I get the phone call that, as I call him, is Al Muhammad Hamine is his name.

He's the nephew of Wally Bay.

And I think Man was in that car with him.

So I get the phone call about the incident.

And see the difference between the officers for Newark that had on the black mask and the black uniform.

No, Ice have on a uniform, a gun, and it says ice.

So you aware who they are.

Because I'm gonna tell you right now, and and I it's true.

I love you, Lamont Bourne, but Raz Baraka is over the police.

He could tell them today to change that damn uniform.

Because I'm gonna tell you right now, if an officer hadn't walked up, walks up to me in a black mask, black uniform.

I don't know who he is.

He getting ran the fuck over straight up.

Straight up, he getting ran the fuck over.

Because I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you're coming to do.

And God would have to come down from heaven and tell me that man, if he was in the car with his uncle, that him and his uncle tried to intentionally run over a new police officer.

I don't believe it.

And so Rash, if you call the ice agent that killed Renee a savage, but then you're gonna say in your statement about your own officer, oh, we're gonna wait for an investigation.

That's the bullshit.

Straight bullshit, Rash.

That's why you say shit.

Watch your language.

I'm laughing not today.

The president say it, the mayor in Minneapolis say it.

But not that's a good thing.

And I don't give a fuck because I'm gonna say it.

I'm not them.

I know you not me.

And you not me.

And you not me.

And that was not your son.

That was not your baby.

Not only did she lose her son Wally, but she lost her daughter, who was the nephew that was with his uncle's mother.

You don't feel that you've never felt that, and neither did I.

I wouldn't wish that on nobody.

So when we act out in here because of that, because you forget Raz Barack used to the same thing.

Negro, you black ass Negro, you should do the same thing.

Now you don't know what to do.

Remove from the chambers if you continue with that language.

Uh-huh.

Yes, you will.

Do something then, Larry.

Do something then, Larry.

Do something then, Larry.

Miss Saunders is right behind you.

Next speaker.

Denise Sanders.

Good evening, Council people.

Good evening.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Denise Sanders.

I live at 288 Ridgewood Avenue, right on the corner, Belmont Terrace, and um Ridgewood.

I am senior citizen, and I am elderly.

I'm a homeowner.

But I've had a park parking space, handicapped parking space for over 10 years.

I was told this year that because way a hundred feet around the corner, I have a parking garage and driveway.

I'm not entitled to a parking space.

I cannot walk 150 feet.

It's very dangerous.

The ground and everything is dangerous.

I need someone to help me.

I need my handicapped parking space.

I cannot.

Everybody, you know, this this whole meeting was more than I thought.

My little many thing, you know, could help.

Somebody needs to help.

Patrick Counsel, my councilman that I voted for you.

I'm going to call you, give me my address, my telephone number, and I want you to come see the situation that I have.

Okay.

I'm going to call you tomorrow.

Denise Sanders, listen for me.

Okay.

Thank you.

I need my parking space.

Please don't take it.

Thank you for your comments, Miss Sanders.

Muta El Amin next speaker.

Muta El Amin appearing.

Peace and blessings.

My name is Muta El Amin.

I'm a lifelong New York resident.

Before we get far start, I want to get the business, right?

Your vote matters.

In 2022, the mayor seat was secured by less than 15,000 votes.

At large council people seats were secured by less than 10,000 by less than 12,000 votes.

And your ward council people seat was secured by 2,000 votes.

This is less than 3% of the voting population.

Less than 3% of the voting population decided who runs our city.

All right.

Now I'm gonna go on to speak about reparations.

I am a black American.

I descend from chattel slavery.

I want to go on to speak words of people who we respect.

Frederick Douglass.

You cannot bootstrap your way out of chains.

That's Frederick Douglass.

The cause of poverty is not individual weakness, but social injustice.

That's WED Boys.

Ida B.

Wells.

The way to write wrongs is to turn the light on the truth of the truth upon both of them.

So when we're talking about transparency, it means a lot.

So get ready.

Philip A.

Randolph.

Freedom is never getting.

It is won.

Martin Luther King.

It is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man he ought to lift himself by his bootstraps.

We just celebrated Martin Luther King's birthday.

Do we believe what he actually said?

We're gonna go on.

We're gonna go on to some other things, right?

Because the whole the my thing is, right?

The freedman flag that used to fly in New, New Jersey.

Where is it?

The freedmen flag that used to fly in New, New Jersey, that my elders and my ancestors fought for.

It flew in New, New Jersey first.

That means that we were on the forefront of whatever it is, the black struggle, black liberation looked it like.

We have definitely taken a back seat, and I'll mention the cities which we have taken the back seat from part my own my brief moment.

Okay.

Number one, we have Evanston, Illinois, who currently have a reparations bill.

We have Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who currently have a reparations bill.

We have Greenbelt, Maryland, who currently have a reparation bills.

We have Amherst, Massachusetts, currently have a reparation bill.

We have St.

Louis, Missouri, currently have a reparation bill.

We have San Francisco, California, currently got a reparations bill.

Currently got a reparations bill.

We got Boston, Massachusetts.

Currently have a reparations bill.

We have Kansas City, Missouri.

Currently have a reparations bill.

Detroit, Michigan, Wilmington, Delaware, and Tallahassee.

Where's New York on that list?

My name is Mutal Ame.

I am running for West Ward City Council.

And I promise that reparations will be on my list.

Peace and blessings.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Oh, I'm sorry, Besan.

I forgot.

Donna Jackson, Norwich, New Jersey, North, New Jersey.

I'm just trying to figure out what you guys want to say now.

Mr.

Pennetton, don't roll up in here.

You and Kenyatta, after we finish speaking, saying nothing.

Tap into 2007 million dollar deficit.

Lies that y'all been telling for the last five years.

Every time we get up here, you let Mr.

Pennington, we're gonna sue him for defamation of character.

About to do it.

We're gonna sue Kenyatta, defamation the character.

We're gonna sue Kareem, defamation of character.

Nothing wrong with the water.

Oh, we fixed everything.

Oh, the couplings are there.

Oh, we put in real copper.

What block you put that on?

What block you put that on?

Because guess what?

I now just found out.

The few lines that you did change.

The copper grade is a damn two.

It's supposed to be an eight.

Still trying to kill us.

Y'all ain't worth a quarter.

We don't have one construction certified engineer in this city.

Ain't nobody impressed because y'all got rid of the uh IT engineering lady.

Who do you you think?

It's called the ship be sinking.

59 people done took out petitions to run.

And y'all scared.

Because I know y'all scared because you're like, oh, what Donna gonna do?

Oh, Donna doing something.

Yeah, something big.

I think I'm gonna do mayor at large.

And I only want one check.

One seat, one seat.

Y'all got 15 jobs.

I just want two.

Right?

Because I'ma sit up there and hold myself accountable in that corner.

Right?

Because that's what we're supposed to do.

So I'm gonna motivate y'all to check me.

I wish you would.

I wish you would.

Because it's time.

It's time.

Because you know what people calling me now?

All the proper Norkers.

Oh my god, Donna, they really don't have money.

Oh, we heard you on Instagram.

We didn't know you were on Instagram.

Thank you, Mr.

Youngblood.

I'm on there, but I ain't, you know, no status yet.

But I got some now.

I got people calling me from out of town, out of state.

Oh, Miss Jackson, what's going on in New York?

Oh, your mayor is horrible.

Yes, he is.

And so is my council.

Because yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Y'all think y'all gonna walk out in this community right now with all this have and talk about something, and all y'all doing is protecting illegal immigrants at the ice detention center?

What?

You ain't shut down new community, not one senior building in this city.

Y'all have done nothing.

I just told y'all two months ago that the state just passed a law where the landlords could go to jail.

Now, Pat, you done did a couple of big things over there in that south.

I ain't even going.

I'm not even gonna play with you.

We got some new ballers at 103.

I am impressed.

I'm impressed.

Now, what I need to help you do is put Raheem in jail, Mr.

LLC Boy, for having those people over there for all of that time with no heat and hot water.

You and uh Roundtree have met with them owners at good neighbor.

How dare them disrespect us?

See, y'all gotta put some feet.

I know y'all money coming from the LLC boys.

I get it.

I get it.

But y'all owe us.

You're not doing nothing about the homelessness, you're not doing nothing about the illegal eviction.

You got people living in subsidized houses getting evicted.

How the hell that happened?

How is that happening?

How we got over a million landlord tenant eviction cases at Essex County Court.

How?

In two years, y'all watching the people.

S Lewis, how many people coming in there for security?

Apartments looking for them 200 units.

He got he needs 7,000.

How many people walking in one tent?

How many people go on the bridges and these nasty attitude people?

We need to shut down every community-based organization in this city until Donna do an order.

With the people who have come in for service.

See, the one thing y'all don't do is check nobody.

Everybody runs in this city with immunity.

Now let me say this to my law enforcement family.

Y'all are gonna cause a racial war in this city that does not need to happen.

So you guys have sat there and allowed these folks that have been on the police department to bring their family in.

No training.

They a detective in two years, and now they on a jump out squad.

Now they come out on the street in black.

They ain't even got a black, because I just said black uniform.

They in black Nike suits because they want to look like the shysties.

They got full shasties.

My kids know what I'm talking about.

They got the Nike ski mask.

That cost 120.

I'm getting ready to get one.

I'll run up on the police.

Let's see what they do.

So when they shoot me, because they think I'm gonna rob them, because they can't see me.

What y'all gonna do?

Nothing.

Miss Jackson.

The police department must.

Two seconds.

The police department must respond immediately when situations happen.

You don't have the right to have families fighting at that hospital because you're lying.

When you had somebody kidnapped, because that's what it's called for eight hours.

Thank you for your hands.

They had that baby for eight hours in the precinct and wouldn't know the possibility.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Cesare Adams.

Uh um, I don't see Mr.

Adams not appearing.

Latoya Jackson Tucker.

She's appearing.

Uh wait, wait.

Oh, hold on, Cesar.

Wasn't here.

So, Miss Jackson, you're next.

I don't know you sometimes, sis, but I love you.

Good evening, Latoya Jackson Tucker.

Um, I just want to throw a couple of words out.

Perception, accountability, influence, unity, decorum, and real time.

What y'all seeing here tonight was our community having feelings because something has hit home, right?

But I've been down here, it's been a lot of people down here years after years talking about this stuff, right?

So we gotta understand that when things like this happen, when people get mad and start getting mad at our elected officials, the people that's from Newark that we see every day, is because we wanna see y'all be accountable for us and do more.

So, like a situation like this doesn't have to be negative.

When things hit home and people got that fire in their heart when they want to move, that means you have the conversations to get them to support you the way that you need them to support you.

We need real conversations.

We don't need black on black crime, because that's what goes on down here.

Everybody that sat in that room, even when the room starts getting crowded, even the undercovers that start sitting in here so they can make sure that y'all was safe, are from our community.

Our community can't fight community.

We can't have black on black crime, we can't have black on brown crime, we can't have the north and the south beefing, the east and the west beefing.

It don't make no sense.

So when people are in their feelings like that, that's when I come down here, that's when I basically what I've been saying.

I don't know if y'all catching it, if y'all understand, but enlighten me.

Tell me how to support y'all.

Allow me to make a difference, or y'all to make a difference so it don't look like y'all just sitting behind this chair.

Empower our community.

The mad ones, my mad aunties empower us.

My aunties that know how to empower us like him, daddy, empower us.

This is a moment right now where we need to be empowered.

When the conversations, the elephants in the rooms that we've been coming down here to things that we gotta worry about our decor room and how we gonna look like I don't have, I can't come down here week after week and get on y'all.

I'm on Mikey Cheryl.

That's who I'm on.

Because to me, that makes sense.

She's a woman like me.

She might not understand the things that she needs to do for us, but I can't fight y'all.

Y'all want to minds, y'all wanna ours?

How can I come down here when I know it's so in this moment?

How can I come down here when I know it's so in this moment, use us in a positive way.

Use us in a positive way, empower us.

It's so we fighting with each other, we coming down here, but nobody is empowering the community.

I went out there to tell them because they mad.

They were saying all types of stuff.

I said they can't answer y'all back until everybody is finished talking.

They will answer y'all back.

So if y'all can't stay just watch, because y'all can watch it live.

We need people that's going, if you know something, tell it like it is.

Just tell a person what it is, but we also need for y'all to speak.

This is a moment when y'all should have opened y'all's mouth and don't let say fuck ethics.

They said the sunshine law say I can say what I want.

No, you can't.

If this is the time for us to say screw ethics, screw perception, screw how it's gonna make me look and let me let these people know how they can support me.

We got a lot.

I wish they was here so I could have asked the people in the room that's the leaders that they have not seen stand up so they can know who they are.

Because we can't keep fighting each other.

I know it's people that want to fight, they're gonna die fighting, but it don't make sense to fight each other.

We are intelligent people.

We can have conversations and I'm guilty.

I'm guilty because I'm tired of people playing in my face.

So you know they say don't poke the beer.

I consider myself a gorilla.

Don't poke the gorilla.

Don't keep making me come back in your face begging when you in position to be able to help me, help me.

If we can't have a conversation like this, pull me to the side and let's have it in a bat.

Let's go in executive session.

Let's talk about the things that we need to talk about.

But we gotta stop playing with our people, and we gotta have the balls to do what we need to do in this moment.

Make this moment a positive moment while these people got that fire.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Okay.

It's just too much.

Good evening, people of Newark.

All I could say is this good rhythms.

Fail leadership, no other way to describe you.

Four more years of this new workers.

It's insanity.

It's just insanity.

Just recently, when they lifted the ban on a dissent decree, just the other day, I said, listen, we better start a cop and gob watch.

Didn't I text y'all?

Cop and gub watch.

Citywide.

Got my camp quarter, got some other ones coming in.

And here it is, boom.

You done shed the life of a Muslim.

Humble brother, all I could say.

Good brother.

Whatever he was sitting in that car, and whatever y'all did, listen.

I helped get the signatures for the police.

Help call, because they they was attacking me left and right.

So I know you corrupt.

So who give this?

She gotta be a Democrat.

Demon crack, demonic crap or whatever crap.

Judge that released the order to remove this uh uh dissent decree on this on this police department.

You're still corrupt, out of control, and the dissent decree should have came back to the people so we can have our opinion if we think you I know you got cases, after cases that you swept under the rug while they was under a cassette decree.

We've been calling for Peter Harvey when he was uh uh the person in charge as the monitoring the dissent decree on y'all.

Police and governmental terrorism, no other way to describe what was going on.

We see the jump out, boys, and don't get me wrong.

Some people being in the gray areas, but you don't go around hunting down white people and other people of this uh ethnic group, like you gunning down our people.

This is totally unacceptable.

This city should go up and the people should rise up like never to not like no tomorrow of this murder.

Now we don't let you get away with the assassination and covering up of Imam Hassan, and you're still dragging your feet about that.

Because you don't care.

In the words of Ida B.

Wells, those who commit murders write the reports.

That's one of her famous speeches.

Those who commit the murders write the reports, and that's what y'all do.

Y'all a despicable eternal fans.

We were our uh uh broadcasters who's policing the police.

We need police and governmental watch in this community like no tomorrow, because y'all out of control too.

How dare you call one cop in another state a savage, and you got savages paying police running around in this community, sicking your dogs on people.

That's what you do, and you did it.

You two up there sucked the dolls on me.

Brought them sent up to my house, seven big foot, six foot police.

And this discontinued.

This is continue to happen.

But four more years of this, knockers is insanity.

We the people, we need term limits, we need a homeless bill of rights, we need a checkbook, because I got on it this uh this morning about the budget.

This man should be terminated.

Yes, of this fake BA who came in with a criminal investigation over our budget, terminated, and you ain't doing nothing because you spineless Negro peans.

Thank you for your comments.

Richard Fox.

Richard Fox.

Richard Fox.

Uh John, can you help Mr.

Fox to you?

Here we go.

Oh, I got it.

Thank you.

Oh, again.

There we go.

Got it.

President Crump, members of the council, and members of the public.

My name is Richard Fox.

I'm president of the Northern Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey.

The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans.

Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Through our network of blind members, we we have many programs, services, and resources to defend the rights of blind Americans, provide information and support to blind children and adults, and build a community that creates a future full of opportunities.

Many of whom live in Newark, and the majority live in Essex County.

These are accessories at light-controlled intersections that speak, walk, and don't walk signs for blind people and vibrate for people who are deaf and blind.

So when I am standing at an intersection where one of these signals are, and the don't walk sign is lit up, the device says wait every few seconds.

When the walk sign lights up, I hear walk sign is on to cross Broad Street.

You can imagine what a game changer this is for blind pedestrians.

Now in March of 2023, County Executive Di Vincenzo announced a 46 million dollar grant was coming to Essex County to upgrade 54 intersections throughout the county to make them safer.

We had 17 intersections in Newark.

I attended one of the public hearings last June only to learn that only 10% of the intersections in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge were slated to be outfitted with APS devices.

I have yet to learn what the plans are for Newark.

When I heard this, I asked myself, do blind people deserve only 10% safety upgrades?

I don't think so.

So I'm asking every member of this council to do a couple of things.

One, help us find out how many Newark intersections are slated to gate get APS devices.

Two, use your influence to ensure that every intersection on the Newark Upgrade list gets an APS device.

And three, whenever a Newark intersection is upgraded from now on, an APS device is part of that upgrade.

Thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts.

I am looking forward to the day when it can be said that Newark is the most accessible city in New Jersey as far as blind people are concerned.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for your comments, Mr.

Fox.

Next speaker.

George Tillman Jr.

Up here.

Good evening, George Tillman Jr.

So what you're receiving is an ordinance package that was put together today for me by the clerk's office, and I want to thank them for always being there for me and making sure I need to have the information that I need to come before this council.

Um that package that you have.

It includes five ordinances.

It includes six S and FA from October 11, 2000, the first source linkage program, an amendment six S and FB, March 21st, 2001, the hiring of Newark residents for training and employment.

It also includes 6S and F D, November 18, 2002, the Newark Employment Commission, the Newark Resident Employment Policy.

It also includes 6S and FB.

February 19, 2003, contractors and service providers.

It also includes 6PSF-E, November 7, 2011, the hiring of Newark residents by contractors or other persons doing business with the city.

It also includes 6PS F-C, June 17th, 2015.

The Newark Resident Employment Policy Implementation Monitoring Enforcement, Newark Works, Repelment of the Impelment of the Newark Employment Commission.

Mr.

President, I've come before you on several occasions and I've requested a special conference to address and get an update on the state of compliance for the City of Newark regarding the Affirmative Action Review Council, Newark Works, and our compliance as far as the government is concerned with putting together of that affirmative action review council, an update to let us know the members that have been selected for it.

Also we would like to have my discussion with the clerk DeSilver in his office.

York works and our um compliance as far as the government is concerned with um putting together of that affirmative action review council an update to um let us know um the members that have been selected for it also um we would like to have um from my from my discussion with um the clerk the silver in his office the Norc Employment Commission that was under the 2002 ordinance the duties were given to the affirmative action review council in 2015 there is no specific uh language in any ordinance or what the duties are for the affirmative action review council except for the language of enforcement and monitoring.

There is no detailed information, it only says it's taking over the duties of the Newark Employment Commission, which was repelled.

That commission had no duties assigned to it.

So again, I'm asking you, because when we talk about this affirmative action review council, we still don't know or have an indication of specifically what exactly the affirmative action review council is going to be doing under this ordinance that was established in 2015.

So we know we're here now in 2025, and we still don't have a functioning affirmative action review council.

So I'm coming before this body, I'm giving you the ordinance um councilwoman Bay.

I know this you're just here, but these ordinances are very important.

Please, if you you can't get a chance, go through all of them, they're very important because it's a necessity that we address this.

I've not come to this microphone now for a month, and I've not heard any updates on the affirmative action review council.

I've not heard any updates on how we're going forth with this noncompliance to this government.

So if I can get some answers to what is the state of the compliance of the government, if we're going to have a special conference to address these issues that we have going on with our noncompliance.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lucius Jones appearing.

Happy New Year, Council members, public Newark.

My name is Lucius Jones, and my residence is 224 Richie Lou Terrace in Newark, New Jersey.

This year represents 39 years of being active in the city of Newark for me.

You know, I started off at 19 years old with this process of getting active and staying active.

I normally listen to Reverend Allen when he talks on Sunday and he speaks about the man in the mirror.

And he says you need he needs us to not just depend on the activists, the organizers to do something, but we need to take some initiative and do it ourselves.

And I want to tell you something else about Mr.

Fox.

Mr.

Fox is also an educator.

So he he teaches everything high tech educator.

So when we come out and we talk about something dear to us as far as safety, I also want to point out the talk before I get into safety to let you know that over the next by 2000, by 2030, there will be more blind seniors than ever in the history of this United States.

More blind seniors from macula degeneration to glaucoma to all types of different eye diseases.

Since I've walked into this chamber, based upon my age, your age you get older, your vision starts to change.

Being able to cross the street safely is extremely important.

The commission for the blind can teach you mobility.

They can teach you mobility, how to move with a cane.

However, they cannot teach you, they it's difficult to teach you how fast to move when you pull that cane out.

People got the iPhone in one hand, a drink in the other hand, and they drive in the car with their knees.

We need to have the opportunity to have this council strongly consider what the National Federation of the Blind, Northern Regions is promoting, and so we can incorporate these accessibilities into our safety in Newark.

It took years to get rumble strips, and now they're all over the place.

We're now saying we're ready to go to the next level and bring in traffic life that allow people with visual disability, senior citizens, an opportunity to cross the street before the light turns green.

Because you know what happened when the light turns green.

Everybody hits the gas.

Thank you for your time and opportunity.

I look forward to coming to you again.

Thank you for your comments, Mr.

Jones.

Council President, Council members, that concludes the hearing of citizens.

Anything from the council?

Yeah, Mr.

President.

Councilman Council first.

Yes, sir.

Just a couple of things first to uh Dr.

Owens and the South Florida Environmental Alliance.

Uh again, I thank them for their advocacy uh in their fight uh in the Zill for Environmental Freedom and Environmental Justice.

Uh again, as I uh said earlier uh today at the pre-meeting, and I stand with them uh in this ordinance and uh recognize the importance of it.

Uh and I know that many have been on the battlefield uh for a very long time.

I know it's back in uh 1994, uh uh then very young uh Kim Gaddy uh was uh talking about uh all of the issues uh that was happening around the Dayton Street area uh where airplanes were flying uh and releasing fuels uh right out of the the air in the plane, and there was massive studies uh that were done in that area about the correlation between the dropping of fuel from the air uh as it relates not just to asthma issues but cancer issues in that in that area, uh, and then for her uh fight to continue to you know move forward uh as it relates to issues with with our own family uh and then bring all of that together uh to ensure uh that uh an environmental alliance was created, uh not just to deal with issues around the South World, but citywide.

Uh, I think this is this uh ordinance is moving and going in the right direction.

Uh it will bring that kind of environmental freedom uh to the city, and I definitely uh support it.

Uh and secondly, uh again, as we talked this morning about this whole issue around what is happening with the handicap parking and and all of those different things.

I'm again glad that Ms.

Sanders came in uh to talk about uh her uh very uh specific issue uh and her concerns, uh, and it is my hope that her uh request for her signage to be re uh to be restored is restored uh for the issues and concerns uh uh that she has to deal with on a daily basis.

And thirdly, I just want to make very clear to everyone uh that we all uh need to pray for uh the city, the South Ward, uh, for the incident that happened.

Uh I applaud uh all of those individuals who've come out to to march to protest tonight, uh, to lend all of those things because uh I come from a place of aggravacy uh and and have never left it.

And so uh I applaud their effort uh to be able to march and to protest in a respectable way to get their voice across and to want to get information and hear information uh from the independent investigation that is going on by the attorney general's office.

We know that there is a process that they go through uh in terms of you know, crime scene, evidence collection, conflict, releasing uh footage and whatever uh that looks like, uh, but we know that we want to continue to, you know, pray for that mother who lost a child, regardless of whatever the situation, the circumstances is, uh that is a mother that has lost a child, uh uh sisters who have lost a brother and brothers who have lost the brothers.

And so uh we want to uh you know stand with that family at this time uh in this transition period that they're going through to encourage uh whatever situation uh in terms of the investigation from the attorney general's office that needs to happen, uh, that we encourage those things to uh happen uh in a respectful and expedient way, and we continue to uh encourage uh the family to protest and ask for justice and information from the attorney general's office uh as well as it relates to what is happening.

Uh but we want to pray for the city, uh, those officers uh and and this family that we can uh find some reprieve, and especially down in that area uh of Hanford and Ross and Mitchell Place, uh, that we all need to come together collectively uh and begin to deal with some of the issues uh that that are transpiring and happening down there and and and to ensure uh that any life that is lost was never lost in vain.

And absolutely we want to continue to say the individual's name.

Uh we want to say it in a name uh with the respect uh that that it was given.

And so uh we we want to continue to do that and not use it for selfish gain, uh, but use it that something productive can come out of all of this loss uh in what is happening and occurring.

And so um I'll continue to pray uh for for this family, pray for the the South War community uh and continue to uh you know move forward uh to ensure that uh the South Ward continues to work uh at uh trying to move and advance itself in in a better light.

So I just wanted to you know share those things uh you know from my standpoint.

Thank you, Chairman.

Thank you, Councilman, Councilman Gonzalez.

Your mic is off, Councilman.

To Mr.

Fox and uh and uh Lucius, uh let me remind you that I have been trying to get uh that this uh this types of uh lights in the city of North for the last five, six years, uh we have made some progress, but not that much progress.

Uh I have uh I have every time that we have someone from the engineering department come here with some kind of projects, I ask for the status of uh of this uh uh instruments in every light in the city of Newark.

We want those uh those lights to be uh conducive to the uh hearing pair, to the vision impair, so that they can let's say listen to the instrument giving instructions on when to close to uh to cross the streets.

So we take uh your comments very seriously, and we are working on that.

Thank you, Councilman.

Any other councilman, councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Um first too, since um Councilman Gonzalez, thank you, Council President, ended up um talking about uh Mr.

Jones and Mr.

Fox for a very long time before uh my even became a council person, um advocating for the differently abled has been a strong passion.

Um some of the signs and some of what happened even with council president uh McIver were here was because of an advocate called Tyson Haley, um, who once someone was hit by a car because they could not hear the horn being blown.

So we have been um working tirelessly to try to get these ordinances and like the the people, the public, they come in, they say that the power is in our hands to do certain things legislatively, and so I'm praying that we can move forward, Mr.

Jones and uh uh Mr.

Fox.

Uh Southwood Environmental uh Miss Gaddy and the team, thank you, thank you, thank you for your advocacy because even though I've never suffered any breathing um situations, I do know many people that have.

And as a result of that, to see people struggling to breathe, not knowing whether they're going to make it um to get the assistance they need, whatever we can do, we should be doing it, and we should be voting for whatever advocate comes up to help us with a better clean, a clean air environment.

There's so much in the air, not to mention the garbage and the there's so many other things we breathe that uh what you're fighting for and what you're advocating for.

I truly 1000 percent support.

So I'm glad that we're moving forward with this with the necessary information that needs to be provided to Ms.

Jackson.

Uh Latoya, we have been talking and um I am praying that as a result of the last meeting that Councilwoman Bay and myself did speak about the organization and and the information that you've provided with us.

It's like we don't want to just sit here and hear things and not move on them.

It's like they say keep on doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity.

And and I'm not, as far as I know, I'm not diagnosed, I might be, but I would like to not be doing the same thing and expecting something different.

And I believe you have something to offer with your organization.

You know, you can they say you can learn a whole lot from uh dummy, but the truth of the matter is there's some information that you're a very intelligent woman, and what you bring, I think is worth us looking into the drill and all of that.

We need to sit and talk with you as sisters to um for the community and try to see as a mother raising two sons um and having been through what you've been through, which leads me to my next comment.

I am a mother, I am an aunt.

And while people might not understand or think that you can feel what someone feels, I I was really, and I did with a lot.

Miss Jonah Jackson, Miss Cassandra Doc, these people have dealt with uh being on the front line of individuals that have had been killed and in the street and the homicides and and dealing with parents, and and yes, it hurts.

I mean, if you if you're human, if you should feel something, and tonight, um, yes, I'm calling Mr.

Wally Bay's name because the truth of the matter is he's somebody's son, he's somebody's brother.

He's something that does not matter.

And we have to understand that no matter who you are in this community, somebody gave birth to you.

We have all made bad decisions and good decisions.

That does not mean that whatever the circumstances are that we can sit back and just and just bask in the fact that, oh well, we'll get to it.

No, it hurts.

It hurts to see a community.

And in the hospital or on the street, I respond in a way that I will pray and see what I can do.

But Daddy Laman said you can pray all day and stay on your knees.

If when you get up, you don't do nothing.

God's not gonna drop the results in your lap.

So I really do pray that as a people that because this is very painful to see those people standing in this room, and you cannot tell people how to grieve.

You can't tell people how to hurt, you can't tell folks calm down where somebody in their family has been gunned down.

You can't, if you have a heart attack, you can't tell somebody not to cry because their mother just had a heart attack or their father just had.

So, yes, yes, I I understand the pain, I understand the anger, and because we're all different human beings, we respond differently, and just because we don't agree, don't mean I'm wrong and you're wrong, we're just looking at it differently.

But as a community, my prayer is rather than add insult to injury, that we'll do what we can to be as the most supportive instrument, individual, whatever we can do to make it just a little bit easier, because nothing's gonna make it right when somebody's life's gonna be taken.

Nothing's gonna take away or fulfill that void because that is a space.

So some of y'all get up here and say it's a lot.

Ms.

Darnell Lee, and to those who are talking about the mole, I'm not gonna sit here and let people say that nobody's doing anything and nobody cares because some of us have been in these buildings, some of us have called the health department, some of us have called the state.

So normally I wouldn't say nothing because it's like it's so, you know, whatever.

I'm here as a servant to hear you, and I welcome you, I welcome everything that everybody says, no matter how you say it, what you say, I'm good with it because this is your time to hold us accountable.

But what I'm not going to do is continue to sit here and know I've showed up and know that I've called about the problem and know that I've been there to do something, and then at the same time, we all get put in a situation where nobody cares, nobody showed up.

I've been on director um all brook case for so long, and she's doing her job to hold the counter stable, I mean the state accountable to check these buildings.

And the last meeting I stated, and this is what I think with the entire council.

I said, we've got to get a list of those buildings, and we got to make some visits and we got to talk to the people.

So people will know we're not just talking about it and sitting here listening.

So we're making some moves.

They say, look, we can't keep having people come in here.

They say there's 50% and 50% of stories, and so we're in the middle is the truth.

I don't want to even have that type of discussion.

I'm going to, Madam Clerk, get a list of those buildings off record that these people are talking about, and we need to go to those visits, um, those buildings.

We need, I don't care what ward is in, you got four large people up here.

That means we got the whole city.

We're not accountable to support these ward council people with the issues they have.

And I don't want to sit here and just act as if though, oh well, it's Pat's problem, or it's Councilwoman Amina's problem, or it's Jeffrey Kelly's problem.

It's all of our problems that's on this council.

So if they make it to 973-733-3794, and it's a Southboard issue, I'm gonna call counseling counselors.

If I can't get him, I'm gonna call a signing.

And the same goes for them with me.

We shouldn't be holding things hostage if it's a problem.

We're all in this together.

So wherever we're going in to Mr.

Um Tillman's point with this affirmative action, I met with every department.

We have them all in the room in the conference room.

Every last person that's accountable in this city, BA, corporation council.

I had every department to answer your questions.

Well, I did ask, and let me put this one the record.

Whatever's in here we're not doing needs to be removed.

It doesn't make any sense to keep coming back to the microphone, talking about something that we're in that you say it's been not in agreement with, or that the city's not doing.

If it's in here, then we're going on.

I'm going on one record that I have ads.

Let's review these ordinances.

And there's its law and it be removed.

I've done everything with this affirmative action committee with Bray and Silver to meet with you to try to resolve whatever issues within our power.

There's the administration side, and then there's the municipal government side.

And I and you know this.

So I get it, and I get your frustration.

But after everybody in the city that holds an office, it has something to do with the ordinances and administration met with you.

So to your insatisfaction, maybe it hasn't been resolved, but I don't want to keep coming back with the same problem.

We're gonna do something about this.

So corporation council, Madam Clark, please let's address this resolution, this ordinance rather, and let's do what we need to do to fix this.

So this won't be another topic at the microphone.

Thank you.

Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman Bay.

Thank you, everybody.

Councilwoman Bay.

Yes, uh, thank you, Council President.

Um, I first heard about the um the tragedy with Wally Bay because someone texted me and offered me condolences because they thought that this was someone that was related to me because we had the same name.

But just because we're not related by blood does not mean that we're not North family, and so any loss of life is a tragedy.

And so, of course, I echo my uh council colleagues in offering sincere condolences and prayers to the family of Wally Bay and everyone who's known uh and cared for him and knowing that um I'm also agree with uh Sister Latoria Jackson Tucker when we need to work together, and we are gonna be working together to improve the conditions of our city and our people so we don't have any more of these tragedies.

Um also um regarding Ms.

Clyburn's comment regarding um the homeless and the um the warming centers, we actually did have that conversation that information does go out, but we are working towards making sure that it is more widely known, and so all of the agencies of places that we know that are unsheltered, um they inhabit making sure that that information is out and that um the people are going to get our unsheltered residents and making sure that they get to the warming center, so that is actually being taken care of as we speak.

Um also, Mr.

Tillman, the first source agreement.

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

We need to meet about that.

If you are willing, I would like to sit down with you and talk to you about that.

And also just on a very joyous note, we want to congratulate the Central Ward Cougars on their championship and um their 40th anniversary, and for note we did give them money.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh any other comments from the council?

All right, I I got a few things to uh just a couple items I wanted to bring up.

Uh number one, my son lost to the Cougars.

And so I told him not to switch teams, but he should have stayed with them.

Uh but but seriously, uh a couple things.

I just wanted to just just at times, you know, and and councilwoman, I think uh uh Scott Roundtree said it, you know.

We we do care.

We do try to help.

And and sometimes people come to the microphone and say that we've never tried to do anything and never tried to help people, but we have.

We just don't put their personal business out there.

Uh um, and there's been many times that I've helped people that come to the mic and and and will say the worst things about me.

But I still help because that's my job, and that's what I'm here to do to help.

I didn't get in this position just to sit up here and talk.

I tell people this the council meeting is 10% of my job.

The rest is behind the scenes helping people, trying to do what we can with best for people.

And regardless of what people say when they come to the microphone about me, uh, I'm still gonna do that.

Uh and I just wanted to say that today.

Um, I appreciate Mr.

Fox being here.

Um, you know, as as as and Mr.

Jones, as as you know, um my mother um was a strong, strong advocate for for those who are blind and visually impaired.

Um I actually still kept a um uh uh a girl typewriter that she had.

It has somebody gave it to her, it has flowers in it actually now, and made it a nice uh uh uh uh nice decoration.

So it's a keepsake, and and so we're gonna continue to do that.

I know the councilman Gonzalez is is has been pushing for years, and I will continue to work with him and work with everyone to make sure that we do what we can to help and assist.

Um other thing I wanted to just I don't want to go too much into it because I think uh councilman uh uh uh counseling and councilwoman's got round she spoke about it.

You know, every time I go to a Southport Environmental Alliance meeting, I learn something new.

And I appreciate Kim Gaddy and her advocacy.

Uh and and the other organizations that are part of this.

I uh, you know, I I don't hesitate to have a meeting when she asks to have one, and I continue to push, that's why I am I am uh sponsoring those two uh ordinances because I think it is important that we make sure that we don't not only make uh have a uh clean air today or work on that before our children and our children's children.

This is not something that's just about what goes on today, what goes on tomorrow, but what goes on long past we're alive and we're uh six feet under, I'll say.

Uh and my kids are breathing air, and my grandkids and it's so important that we respect the environment and we respect the the families that are and we know the issues that are suffering that we're suffering in the communities, and so we continue to advocate for things like that, and we appreciate your advocate because advocacy, uh Ms.

Gaddy and all those, Altherese and his organization, and everyone else who's who's uh a part of making sure that our environment is safe and and gets better for our community.

Uh all right, one last thing I just want to say.

Um, with the tragedy of Mr.

Bay, you know, it's important to understand that we respect uh let me speak for myself.

I respect the pain of the family.

I respect that how they feel about their loss.

Umbody wants to lose a member of their family, uh, no matter how.

Um and tragically, uh, you know, uh it can it it's not something that we anybody would want to experience.

Um with everything said, I just believe that we continue to, and I'm not the pastors up here, but we pray for the family, we pray for the officer, we play for everybody involved.

Uh it's so important that that through tragedy we heal.

And and I think we we we're gonna have to figure out a way to heal.

Um, not an easy thing, but something that we should really really work on doing.

Um, you know, I I I can't imagine losing a member.

I could I couldn't uh uh and as much as I um let me just end right there and and so continue to pray for the family, pray for the officer, pray for everyone involved.

Anytime we lose a uh someone, it's it's a tragedy.

Um with that being said, I'm going to ask if the administration has anything to add.

Uh good evening, Eric Pennington, business minister.

Just uh Good evening.

A few things um if I could.

I mean, a few speakers uh came up and indicated based on an article in the January 9th issue of Tap In Two, uh, they indicated incorrectly that the city I hate to say this.

Can you I speak a little louder so I really can't hear you?

Absolutely.

Let me get closer to the mic if I could.

There were a couple of speakers who came up and referenced the tap into article from January 9th, indicating that the city had a deficit of 255 million dollars.

I have the article here, um, and I'll just read the headline myself.

It says NORC is to issue 30.1 million dollar refunding bonds to pay back state as debt rises to 255 million dollars.

That's the headline.

Here's the article, and anybody can take a look at it.

It may be that the people who spoke either misread the article, didn't understand the article, or don't know the difference between debt and a deficit.

And I don't mean that disparagingly.

Some people may not know debt is not a deficit.

Nearly every municipality in the state of New Jersey has debt.

You have to buy fire trucks, police cars.

Um we have to pay for all sorts of things that require us to incur debt, but that does not put us in a deficit.

Indeed, with a budget of nearly one billion dollars, which has passed.

I think somebody else mentioned that we don't have a past deficit, uh, have don't have a past budget, they're incorrect about that too.

But with nearly a one billion dollar budget of 255 million dollars in debt is within the statutory guidelines that the state sets for municipalities of our size.

So we are not in a deficit, and the debt is appropriate for what we have.

If any of the speakers who uh some of them are running for office as I understand it, want me to explain to them the difference between debt and deficit, they can come to my office, and I'm happy to go over that with them so that they can accurately explain to the people who they want to represent that they know what they're talking about.

Um there was an issue with the handicap parking that was raised as well.

I spoke about that earlier at the pre-meeting.

I don't know the specific situation with respect to the resident on Ridgewood, uh, but I will have engineering look at the application again.

We look at every handicapped application uh on a case-by-case basis, everyone in the East Ward and West Ward and Northward, wherever it is.

Um, we will take a look at that one again.

She raised an issue that may not have been apparent, and that is uh if a resident has a uh driveway, they're typically precluded from having a handicapped parking space.

What I heard today is that the driveway uh is about a hundred feet away from the entrance.

If that is the case, there's something we can look at.

I don't know the particulars, but we'll certainly take a look at that and make sure that uh it is uh appropriately addressed.

Um, from from my perspective, uh Mr.

McDougal raised an issue as to whether or not um we have enough jobs for residents, and certainly there are uh residents who want jobs.

We are in the middle of a hiring freeze, but he mentioned uh a couple of jobs um that we are still hiring for because they're critical.

I think he mentioned elevator inspectors.

We are hiring for elevator inspectors.

I don't know if he knows of an elevator inspector, but if he can bring that to my attention and they're qualified, we'd be happy to hire them.

We're also looking for um UCC inspectors, engineers, fire inspectors, and building inspectors, as well as a few others.

If he uh knows of people who have those certifications and qualifications, we are happy to hire them, uh particularly if they are NORC residents.

Um there's a couple of other issues that were raised.

I think uh corporation council and Kareem wanted to speak.

I don't know who wants to go first, but go right ahead.

Uh good evening, uh Kenyatta City of North Corporation Council.

So I do recognize and appreciate that there are a number of people here uh to talk about the incident that took place uh I believe it was on Monday.

Um, as I mentioned earlier today, as of uh 2019, the state law requires that there be an independent prosecutor involved in any death caused uh in reference to uh contact with the officer.

Um, and as a result of that, that you know, the the law really speaks to to some of the purpose, the purpose is for transparency and to make sure we avoid conflicts.

Um, you know, as you can imagine, uh I'm gonna assume that the officer uh has either lives in NORC now or did live in North at one point or another.

Uh and I also am going to assume that the young man that unfortunately uh died is also a NORC resident.

So, you know, of course, the uh the the city as a whole is you know dealing with two NORC families that are involved in the situation.

So the law really speaks to the fact that in the prosecutor has to do it so that we have transparency.

I think it's also important to note that uh in that same uh statute also speaks to the fact that there has to be a there's a grand jury requirement.

So after the investigation is done by the independent prosecutor, and that can be a team of people who collect all the data, all of the videos, uh interview the people that were there.

When I say collect the videos, it's city videos, state videos, if there's a uh a private location as well, all that information has to go to and through the independent prosecutor.

Uh, but as I mentioned earlier, um the grand jury requirement also speaks to the fact that um the facts have to be presented to the grand jury unless, unless the AG that declares that it is uh undisputed situation.

So, and if the the AG decides to do so, at that moment the AG has to make a public statement explaining the investigation and why he or she decided in this situation we have a new AG, uh she would have to say why uh she declared that it did not have to go before a grand jury.

Now, if the after if the actual case investigation is presented to the grand jury and is and there's a no-bill, that's essentially means that the grand jury decides not to indict uh the people involved, at that moment the AG has to come out and do a public statement explaining the facts of what the investigation and you know, all the information that they got from the investigation and why they decided to present it, but more importantly, to explain that the grand jury did not provide an opportunity to indict the person.

Uh I think all that is important because uh while we recognize and appreciate that at one point in time these investigations will be done internally, life has changed.

And I do appreciate the fact that you know, folks from from the council, of course, from the administration and throughout the public, we always fought for this type of independence.

So I think you know, while I recognize that we're hurting, I'm happy that we're in a space where there's gonna be an independent investigation.

The other thing that is also important is that after the AG's department, AG's office determines if there's wrongdoing, the city has an opportunity to also conduct an administrative aspect of it.

So even if the person is indicted or no bill, the city can decide if they want to suspend the person or what have you based on an administration situation.

So, you know, while we are far away from that, it speaks to where we are.

Uh finally, I know that there was a number of questions or comments about the consent decree, and I think it's it was unfortunate because we all recognize and appreciate where we were.

What I mean by that is where the police department was when you know, listen, from what I even understand before I got here, the mayor himself was involved in, and the members of council was involved in asking for the aid to uh put a consent decree.

And it's hard for us, it's hard for me to sit here and know the hard work that those folks that are part of the consent decree team, and of course the officers involved with all the training and all the steps that we've taken to move forward with the department and to hear people talk bad about the entire apartment.

I recognize that unfortunately, you know, we're not perfect, and there are while there are less lawsuits, while there are less uh, you know, uh IA complaints, we do have work to do, and the administration will continue to work with the public safety director to make sure we move the department in the right direction.

Yeah, thank you, corporation.

Uh Larry Councilman Ramos.

Yeah, I have a question for the corporate counsel.

So I think one of the speakers addressed um or made a recommendation about releasing you know body worn camera footage within 48 hours.

Can you explain to us, you know, based on the um mandate that fortunately these kind of um incidents have to be investigated by the attorney general?

At what point would North police or the city be able to release uh footage if they were to release it?

So unf unfortunately, but fortunately, right?

The fact that there's an independent investigation, the city of the unfortunate that the incident happened.

No, what I'm saying is as far as uh it's it's fortunate that we have an investigation that's independent, but it also takes uh the authority out of our hands.

So when I say unfortunately, but fortunately, right?

Uh, you know, the city of North, we cannot release anything because we don't have we were not allowed to be involved with any of the investigations.

So the body camera, if there are bare body camera footage, it has to go directly to the AG's office and they're in charge of the releasing.

And believe me, when it's when when they're at the point where they want to release it, they're gonna release it publicly.

They may give us a notice that you know it's gonna be released, but the public will have an opportunity to do so.

They would also put it on you know the AG's website from my experience with working with other you know situations where the AG's office has done the investigation, and then they'll also make it their business to make sure that the family sees it before the public sees it because you know it's one thing to turn on the news to watch an incident involving your loved one, it's another thing to have an opportunity to process it, and that's part of the reason why they take control over the investigation, and but more importantly, the releasing of sensitive information because there may be other people involved in the situation who may be afraid of you know what else could happen.

Somebody else can be a witness, and they don't might not want their identity to be a part of the releasing of the information.

Thank you, Kenya.

And I I had another another issue.

Um just a comment about the handicapped parking permits.

I know we heard from Ms.

Sanders today.

I I heard from the senior who lives on Clifton Avenue.

So I'm I would recommend that as part of the review that they're gonna do with some of these um seniors that for whatever reason now are not eligible.

Can can they look to see what you know what criteria did the city use previously to approve the permit?

Because in the case of the woman on Clifton Avenue, she's had that handicapped parking sign for probably 20 years, and now all of a sudden she is ineligible.

So someone must have reviewed it and approved that.

I don't think we've changed the law recently, but you know, maybe there's maybe they made a mistake in approving it, right?

For that long, but um maybe there's something there that um created the circumstances behind us approving it.

So thank you, counselor, councilwoman Scott Roundry.

So so to um council, thank you, Council President.

To Councilman Ramos's point, um, I got two phone calls today regarding parking.

I think I sent one email to Mr.

Concepcion and to Mr.

Adams uh regarding and I probably should start CC and you, Council President, because what's so unfortunate that even though this law has been changed, NORC has residents that as you just stated 20 years, 20 years now.

We know that there's some laws they said that if you have a driveway, I know Councilman Council spoke of that, but the lady that spoke tonight said that she hasn't walked 200 feet, so like are there any stipulations that Nor can put into place, uh Mr.

BA uh to allow some type of provision for residents that really qualified and they're handicapped that we can make some type of provisions as lawmakers here in the city of Newark for those residents that can prove well their doctors said they have COPD, like the young lady this morning they came.

So I'm I'm thinking as they're always saying that we legislate that if it's some way we possibly without breaking uh state law, um the city of Norway can make provisions for those folks that have those type of or allowances for those residents, such as the woman that was here this morning whose husband had five issues, um, and that does not have a driveway.

So I'm asking if we can look into that part to see what we can do to accommodate with engineering some type of legislation that will make allowances for those individuals that have those type of mitigating circumstances to assist them.

We can get to that.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

If there's nothing else, let's get to the agenda.

We didn't get to it yet.

If we haven't gotten there yet, Council President, Council members, we are on page four of the agenda, item six ordinances on first reading.

Six FA and B are fossil fuel ordinances.

A is to prohibit any new or expanded fossil fuel facility, and B is to prohibit the use of city funds for fossil fuel, sponsored by Council President Crump, and second by councilman council.

Roll call council members bay, yes, council, yes, Gonzalez, yes, Kelly absent, quintana, yes Ramos Yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, yes, President Clump, yes, the ordinances adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law, and a public hearing will be held at the regular meeting on February 4th or soon thereafter as possible.

Public hearing, second reading, and final passage.

Council as a whole to defer.

Roll call to defer.

Council members bay, yes, council, yes, Gonzalez, yes, Kelly absent, quintana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree.

Yes, Silva, yes, President Clump.

Yes.

7 R1A and B are temporary emergency appropriations.

A is for the 2026 operating budget, and B is for enrolling residents in the health insurance using Get Covered New Jersey.

Council's a whole to adopt A and B.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Quant.

Yes.

Excuse me.

7R2A is new construction of a three-family home for rent in two affordable units and one unit at market rate in the South Ward.

Sponsored by Councilman Council.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Klump.

Yes.

Council President.

B, Council as a whole to return to the administration.

Roll call to return to administration.

Uh just one.

I'm sorry, Councilman Gonzalez.

Yes.

We were supposed to interview the people buying the properties.

I haven't seen them coming to be, let's say, interviewed.

They were here today.

They was here today.

Yeah, we're talking about the the uh 2A, the one that the sale, they were here today.

It was here today.

So if you would have called them up, doing a previous one.

The thing is that we don't know let's say if they are here or not.

So let's let's do this in the next meeting.

President the past the deputy mayor would bring them up just to introduce them like Carlos said we we wouldn't even we wouldn't know that they were here so noted yeah that we're here uh council sponsor yeah we know we know we we're council sponsor more uh uh uh under understood uh BA but in the future we'll do that it passed that record passed all right all right seven R2B uh council as a whole to return to the administration I'm already throwing off what I'm supposed to say at this point roll call roll call to return to administration got me up council members bay yes council yes Gonzalez yes Kelly absent quintana ramos yes Scott Roundtree yes yes President yes C is new construction of a two family home in the central and south ward motion to defer sponsored by councilman council second by councilman Gonzalez roll call to defer council members bay yes council yes Gonzalez yes Kelly absent quintana yes Ramos yes Scott Roundtree yes yes D through K are professional services contracts D is for planning services E and F is for surveyors G is for environmental services H is for real estate appraisals I is for planning services J and K are both for environmental services Council as a whole to adopt D through K roll call to adopt Council members Bay Yes Council Yes Gonzalez Yes Kelly absent Quintana yes Ramos yes Scott Roundtree yes yes L is investigating an area in need of redevelopment in the East Ward sponsored by Councilman Silva second by councilman quintana roll call council members bay yes council yes Gonzalez yes Kelly absent quintana yes Ramos yes Scott Roundtree yes yes President Clump yes 7R 3A through C are resolutions from the Department of Engineering regarding grants from the New Jersey Department of Transportation A is to increase funding for the broad street pedestrian safety improvements B is requesting additional time for the Newark downtown bikeway program and C is requesting additional time for the Newark Morris Canal bikeway project Council as a whole to adopt A through C.

Mr President before we vote Councilman Gonzalez say we we have here a point uh vote for the directors uh the director of engineering West let go uh we should I believe we should be notified when the this uh this happens let's see uh these are the managers of the of the city of Newark uh we have relationships with these individuals I heard about uh Miss uh Dolores Martinez wouldn't being out smoking a cigar someplace some somebody said to me do you know that uh the engineering director is no longer in the city so I believe that's not the right thing to happen I believe that the administration should let us know when something like that happened I don't want let's say to to ask for permission to do anything but I believe we should be informed uh councilman I do believe we got an email from the BA giving the I did I did not oh you didn't get it I'm gonna go okay council president I'm Eric Penny's business administrator I apologize I sent it to the lister that said council members I sent it to the clerk and I sent it to others before uh anybody knew so I sent it to you guys first I apologize I have to check my listserv and make sure you're on there it's uh it might happen like the the invitation that I was supposed to get for the inauguration that it went to the junk mail right yesterday I found out that I had the the the email there gotta check it your spam check your spam councilman yep I thought you got it but I'll check on that all right roll bro I think all right we're good all right roll call council members bay yes council yes Gonzalez yes Kelly absent quintana yes ramos yes Scott Roundtree yes President Crump yes 7R5A is an application acceptance of grant funds to support the state of New Jersey and enrolling residents in the health insurance using get covered New Jersey council as a whole to adopt roll call council members bay yes council yes

Council members bay?

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R5A is an application acceptance of grant funds to support the state of New Jersey and enrolling residents in the health insurance using Get Covered New Jersey.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R6A is settlement of civil litigation.

Council is a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B and C are professional services contracts for the law department with Dakotas Law Firm.

B is amending the agreement.

And C is special tax litigation.

Council is a whole to adopt B and C.

Rocco.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Councilman Gonzalez.

Yeah, I know.

Said I see a million and change going to one firm.

350, 300, and then the added, I said added starter for 800,000.

I would like to hear why we have to say that concentration of a fees in one firm.

All right.

We got Mr.

BA coming up.

Sure.

Eric Pennington Business Administrator.

Two things.

The first two are being handled through the law department and their special expertise in those two areas.

The third is going through EHD.

Most of the money that is the up to amount is going to be paid through the trust accounts that are established to pay for those services.

So even though we may have to front the money, be reimbursed and have it come back, we expect that most of that is not going to be ultimately a burden of the city.

I heard something about the split or something like that.

Yes.

That's true.

The the Dakota's law firm is now splitting into two.

That's part of the reason why you have these uh amendments so that the lawyers who represent us in the vast majority of the cases they're going with Dakota's Doyle.

Uh the other firm is going to stay intact, and they don't typically represent the city of Norway matters.

So that's what precipitated some of these amendments.

Okay, thank you.

Well, thank you.

Resumed.

Yes, yes.

Kelly absent, quintana.

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R7A is a reappointment of the interim chief financial officer.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R8A is the whole harm list for the annual Day of Love Senior Brunch.

Sponsored by Councilman Ramos.

Second by Councilman Quintana.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is recognizing and commending resolutions.

Council is a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members.

Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

C is expressing profound sorrow and regret.

Council is a hold to amend to include Marcos.

Christopher Rodriguez.

No.

Roll call to amend.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

President Crump.

Yes.

Council is a whole to adopt as amended.

Council members.

Rocco.

Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly Absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R9A is acceptance of grant funds to upgrade the 911 system.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly Absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

Communications.

Item 8A is an original.

I'm sorry.

Item 8A is an ordinance authorizing the First Amendment to the original tax abatement granted to Cathedral Park Associates LP for an affordable housing project in the North Ward.

Council as a whole to advance to first reading.

Roll.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly Absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is an ordinance amending parking, stopping, and standing by adding information regarding parking of vehicles on yard frontage.

Motion to advance and adopt on first reading.

Sponsored by Councilman Ramos.

Second by Councilman Gonzalez.

Rocco.

Councilmember Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly Absent.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

The ordinance adopted today at 6FC on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law, and a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on February 4th or soon thereafter.

Mr.

President.

Councilman Ramos.

I just want to say thank you to the clerk's office and to the administrator and the public safety for working on this so quickly.

Like I mentioned earlier at the previous.

This is an issue that keeps coming up at our community meetings.

So this will help the police division issue summonses when people park illegally on their property.

So thank you, Councilman.

Council President, Council members, we have one added starter.

7R2MAS is a professional service contract for Dakota, which is amending legal services for redevelopment and land use matters.

Roll.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly absent.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

That concludes the agenda for this meeting.

All right.

I think we can go right into motions.

Councilwoman Bay.

Start this way.

No motions.

All right.

Councilman Council.

I'd like to have a sorrow on regret for the family of uh Wally Bay.

Also, uh on February 7th.

Uh we'll be hosting a pre-Valentine's Day concert at George Washington Carver from 2 p.m.

Doors open.

Showtime starts at 3 p.m.

So we're asking all to come out and attend.

Uh it is uh a great day to celebrate the spirit of love uh as we enter into uh February, which is African Ancestry Month, uh but we will be having Freddie Jackson uh along with uh talent the comedian and Jay the Comedian uh so come out to our annual pre-Valentine's Day concert, uh the comedy and RB edition Saturday, February 7th, 2026.

Uh doors open at 2 p.m.

And show starts at 3 p.m.

at George Washington Carbra.

Uh if you're interested uh in a ticket, you can uh come to our office here at City Hall.

You can also stop at George Washington Carver at 333 Clinton Place, North New Jersey, or at Coombs Tax in the County at 953 Bergen Street to pick up tickets for the event.

South Work Councilman Pat Council and Mayor Razley Baraka is hosting this event free of mission with ticket.

And so we're looking for folks to come out and participate and bring the person that you love with you.

So again, just want to uh thank each and every person that will be attending.

Thank you, Councilman.

Uh sorry, second.

Second.

Second by councilwoman uh uh actually her councilman Tana first on that one.

Roll call.

Council members may council yes, Gonzalez absent, Kelly absent.

Yes.

Ray Mose.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silver, absent.

President Clump.

Yes.

Councilman Katana.

No motions, Councilman Silva.

Uh Silver.

Councilman Ramos.

No motions, Mr.

President.

Yes, sir.

Councilwoman Scott Roundry.

You know I got some.

Just um expressing profound sorrow and regret for the family of uh brother Wally Bay.

Uh they are going to um be having Genaza, but I just want to just present.

Expressing profound sorrow and regret for the family of um our beloved brother Wally Bay.

Um, of course, tomorrow is the mayor's men's and women's meeting, which will be held.

No, Friday, I'm sorry, uh, January 23rd.

We're coming together with the women and the meeting with special guests from Port Authority and prime contractors.

Find out about business opportunities related to the 3.2 billion air train replacement program.

This will be held at Central High School, 246 18th Avenue.

Uh the speakers will be once again from Port Authority, New York, New Jersey, Airland, Rail, and C.

And the guest speakers will be speaking again about business opportunities, contracts if you are an entrepreneur in this field of development to the 3.2 Air Train Replacement Program.

Again, this is going to be held on Friday, January 23rd.

Also on January 26th, we will be celebrating our citywide, hosted by Mayor Baraka, uh North Municipal Council are sing in praise of King.

Uh, the 38th annual, celebrating the life of Reverend Dr.

Martin Luther King, the civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump will be our keynote speaker.

Performances by the City of Newark Brotherhood Ensemble under the direction of Professor George Sykes, Mia X.

There will also be a performance, uh, I should say ministering, of Vincent Bohanan.

And of course, our MC will be Adorian Murray.

This will take place on this coming Monday, January 26th, 7 to 9 p.m.

Doors will open at 6 p.m.

I do have some tickets left for faith leaders.

If you call 973, 73374 for the general public, you will call 973, 733-6400 if there are any tickets left.

Again, for faith leaders, I do have a few tickets left for the Muslim Christian and any other community of faith.

They gave me so many for that community.

But I'm sure that if you call my office and you'd like to attend and I have a ticket, I will surely not hold back for making sure someone has that seat.

Again, my number is 973-733-3794.

As you know, for the last 10 years, uh, we have been doing mammogram screenings, and now we have added on cervical screenings.

Um we are now doing it, and we have another female to join us in this battle and presentation.

And her name is Councilwoman Amina Bay.

She will be joining myself along with Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, Wednesday, January 28th, 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

at Citiplex, North, New Jersey, and the ward, where she is now elected to be the councilperson.

Uh we move around the city, but we're in her house on January 28th.

So I might just call on councilman council uh when we get back over to the south to get your girls to come get the chest checked out and the bottoms checked out.

Yes, this is important.

Early detection is very, very important.

Again, that's Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

City Blacks 36394 Springfield Avenue, Newark, New Jersey.

On the same day at the Temple of Hip Hop, 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m., Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker and myself, along with Stone O Public Affairs and NJ Office of Public Defenders, will be hosting, I don't even know which expungement clinic this is, but I've done like about seven.

We were talking about individuals that have things that can be expunged, records that can be expunged.

Again, Wednesday, January 28th, 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

Temple of Hip Hop 55 Ludlow Street.

If you're interested in getting an expungement, please RSVP.

There is a QR code.

If you go online, if you're not online, call 973, 3794 again.

Speak to Mr.

Demetrius Key.

And of course, we will move forward to make sure that your name is registered and passed on.

At 2 o'clock, if you're not in the door, we'll probably have you scheduled to come to the next expungement clinic because the doors will close after 2 p.m.

Last but not least, we have myself and Councilman Crump.

I'm always pulling them into some things.

The New Jersey Gallery is celebration of HBCU voices, featuring Virginia Union University Gospel Choir and the Hampton University Gospel Concert Choir.

And the Voices in Harmony, hosted by Terrell Bell, will be held on Saturday.

Oops.

Oh, I think this is good.

February 7th at 4 p.m.

Free admission.

RSVP is required.

Clearview Baptist Church, 314 Hobson Street, Newark, New Jersey.

This event did require registration, and we're up to about 300 already, which is really a good thing, because we got over 300,000 residents in the city.

And I think between Councilman Council, well, if not more, if not more than 300, because I always say that Pookie and Ray Ray, there was hiding in the back that didn't want to be counted in the census.

So, you know, we we say over 300,000, but there's enough events going on for us to be able to make sure that this HBCU piece is going to be big.

And I know Freddie Jackson's gonna be big too, because they come in to hear our brother do what he does.

So both of these things will be happening.

This is happening February 7th, 4 p.m.

free admission.

Last but not least, I said that before.

This is the third closing for a Baptist person.

Uh there's some birthdays in the house.

And uh I do want to wish Mary Barnwell a hundred happy centennial birthday.

Mary Barnswell is the mother of Masani from Source of Knowledge.

She celebrated 100 years last week.

Looks, I mean, just amazing, Councilman, Council President.

Uh, she looked amazing.

She was dancing, they had a big party for her, and so we want to wish her.

We want to ask also uh Nancy Key, which is my assistant's grandmother who's late related to John P.

Key.

They're all celebrating today and yesterday.

Pastor Michael Carr is today.

Happy birthday.

And I know I'm gonna steal this from him, uh, temporarily, legally, and that is there's a young lady whose birthday is today.

You know her very well.

And this young lady is the only daughter of the honorable God bless her soul, Mildred Crump.

I own Sherry Sage Crump.

Today is her birthday.

So I know you can do what you want to do, but I want to make sure that I wish that sister a happy birthday.

Um, on behalf of me and my sister to Sherry Sage Crump, happy birthday.

And in my closing remarks, I just want to say uh the mayor would always say, Reverend Round, she's gonna pray for the perpetrator and the victim.

The truth is we have families that need to be prayed for, no matter what, on either side.

And the truth is my prayer is that as we pray for all of the circumstances that hurt us, that hurt our families, that God will prevail, and that we will have some type of compassion rather than building off of others' pain, because sometimes we don't even understand what we're doing.

And I say we sometimes things are said to ignite a fire when we really should be trying to suppress it.

That's personal.

So as I close, Council President, my colleagues, I just want to say once again to the family of Brother Bay, our prayers are with you.

And um to the listening audience and to those who have spoken, please know everything you say is welcome at that microphone.

Whether um you think we agree or don't agree, once again, just because we might not see things the same way does not mean you're wrong, and does not mean we're wrong, we just might be seeing it differently.

But one thing is for sure that from the mayor on down to the administration.

When you come to the mic, your assignment might be in your mind to hold us accountable.

Absolutely.

That's what you come to the mic for.

You use your time to address issues that you want us to focus on, that you want us to work on, legislation that you want us to either improve or change for in the best interest of the people.

Well, we the people, we part of me the people.

So we thank you for speaking up for we the people, because we the people are here too.

Once again, thank you, NORC.

Thank you to our speakers, thank you to my colleagues for being inclusive, and thank you to the mayor and the administration.

And it is a blessing and a privilege and an honor to serve you.

Thank you for allowing me this space.

God bless you, and have a great night.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Is there a second?

Uh who said that?

I don't know where it came from.

Okay.

That's on the council second.

Rocco.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Kelly absent.

Ramos.

Yes.

Yes.

Is that round tree?

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Councilman Silva.

Uh, yeah, just um quick uh ask if uh Director Adim, I know he's I don't know if he's still here or not.

But uh, I know there's significant snow coming on on us, uh believe Saturday to Sunday, possibly into Monday.

Uh I've never been part of a uh a major storm like this.

If we can get like updates, like hourly updates on what is taking place in the city as far as uh snow plowing and other things that are going on.

I know the office of emergency management gets involved as well, but if we can get hourly updates so we don't have to keep uh reaching out to him and texting him just to let us know uh what's going on in our wards as far as cleanup goes.

Thank you, Councilman.

Council President, Councilman, reach out to OEM.

If it's a major storm, the operation shouldn't be open.

So OEM is where everybody meet.

The Office of Emergency Management.

If it's a major storm, I know this is the first one.

The Office of Emergency Management will be open, and they'll be doing that.

Thank you.

All right, 480 Clinton Avenue.

Some of y'all have never been there, right?

Make it your first trip.

If we we've been there a bunch of times, some of us have been there a bunch of times.

Go ahead.

Councilman, uh wait, I'm sorry.

Can we can we in terms of the snow?

I I indicated to you, uh, the Passic Valley is available to the city.

Right in case of snow.

So we need to dump some snow.

Yeah.

You're gonna drive a truck?

I know how to have a CDL.

You sure?

All right, that's what I'm saying.

We'll make sure you're available, not just to say, I'll do a little garbage truck too.

Right.

All right, or you're out on it.

Thank you.

Uh, anything else, Councilman Silva?

That was it.

So that's not a motion.

Thank you.

So our two things.

One, Councilman Ramos asked me to on my glasses off to read it.

Uh from Councilman Ramos, uh, our North Ward Councilman.

So University Hospital in partnership with North Municipal Council and Anibal Ramos Jr., Councilmember of the North Ward University Hospital Supplier Engagement Series.

We hosted in the North Ward.

We've done there have been several that University Hospitals done in other wards.

And this one is in the North in conjunction with Councilman Ramos.

Come do business with University Hospital.

We invite you to join us at our supplier engagement event where we aim to build lasting partnerships, explore opportunities, and support the growth of small local and diverse businesses.

This will be on January 27th, 5 p.m.

to 7 p.m.

Doors open at 4:30.

Um Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, Branchbrook Park Drive, North, New Jersey, 07104.

There is a QR code that I think we all can provide.

There's also for questions.

So that's important information for everyone to have.

Second thing I just want to bring up is a sorrow and regret for the uh our business administrator Eric Pennington on the loss of his father.

Um losing a father is not an easy thing.

I still fail mine from 35 years ago.

So you know, my thoughts and prayers are with you as well as I'm sure all of us here.

Um and so I just wanted to do a sound regret for that.

Uh any uh can I get a second second sex?

I I think a second by the entire council um roll call.

Second.

Oops.

Council members Bay, yes, council Gonzalez absent, Quintana Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump.

Yes.

Motion to defer to almost a defer motion to adjourn.

I'm sorry, I didn't say Council Members Bay, yes, Council, Gonzalez absent, Kelly absent, Quintana Ramos.

Yes, got round tree, Silva, yes, President Crump.

Yes.

Everybody have a wonderful rest of your week, weekend, and be safe on Saturday night, Sunday morning, please.