Good afternoon.

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday, March 4th.

Please stand for the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation by Imam Dawood Ha.

Who's brought strides?

And sweet one.

One nation, under God, indivisible liberty, and justice for all.

Oh, almighty God Allah, we give you thanks.

We thank you for blessing us with a good day.

Thank you for giving us health and giving us strength and giving us the vision to come together to discuss the affairs of our people.

We ask that you would bless all of those who are gathered.

Bless this council and bless all those who show the interest in our people, and we ask that you would bless the council, members who give their all for our community that you will bless them with wisdom and insight, understanding, and have them to make the best choices and decisions considering our people.

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

Roll call.

Council members they council Gonzales Present Kelly here.

Here Ramos.

Here Scott Roundtree.

Here President Pronto.

Present.

Yes, we have students here from Arts High School that are visiting us.

They're council members for the day.

And we are so happy to have them here.

And there's a few of them that are here that actually performed and saying at my swearing in one hundred days ago today.

So thank you for being here today.

Yes, thank you.

Welcome.

Council President, Council members.

We are on page three of the agenda.

Item five.

Reports and recommendations of city officers, boards, and commissions.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Pintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President.

Yes.

Ordinances from first reading.

6 FA is an ordinance amending the multi-way stop intersections.

By designating 18th Avenue and South 13th Street as a multi-way stop sign intersection in the South Ward.

Sponsored by Councilman Council and second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

The ordinances adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law.

And a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on March 18th or as soon thereafter as possible in the council chamber.

Resolutions.

711A is a temporary emergency appropriation to provide funds for the 2025 public safety answering point grant.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is an application acceptance of grant funds to obtain funding for the Newark Tree Canopy Initiative.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Soba?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R2A.

Council as a whole to return to the administration.

Roll call to return administration.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Soba.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R2B is issuance of an estoppel certificate and subordination intercreditor agreement.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R6A's settlement of civil litigation.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Abstain.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

No.

Seven R8A is establishing a sister city relationship with Villanova de Cobrera in Portugal.

Sponsored by Councilman Quintana.

Second by Council President Crump.

Roll call.

Council Members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R8B is recognizing and commending resolutions.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Rocco.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

C is expressing profound sorrow and regret.

There's a motion to amend on the floor to include Hip Hop Icon Oliver Power Grant of the Wu Tang Clan, sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Bernard McAllister and Kent Torain, sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

And Faith Eger Jr.

sponsored by Councilwoman A.

Senior.

Senior.

My apologies, senior.

Yeah.

Roll call to amend.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Soba.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Now roll call to adopt as amended, please.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R11A is accepting a grant funds to redesign Broadway Park and develop the site into a new city park.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

Communications.

Items 8A and B are regarding the affirmative action review council.

A is the appointment of Councilwoman Bay to serve.

And B is the reappointment of Mr.

Baptist.

Council as a whole to adopt A and B.

Roll call.

Council Members Bay.

Abstain.

I need to abstain for that vote.

Correct?

You can vote for you.

You can vote for yourself.

I can vote for yourself.

Okay.

Of course.

Sure.

Yes.

So is that a yes?

That's a yes.

All right.

Affirmative.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Sorry.

Item 10.

Miscellaneous is the approval of the raffle license.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

At its starters.

7R2CAS is a professional service contract to provide planning consultant services.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Soba?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

D is approving the assignment agreement for Clinton Arms Associates Limited.

Council is a hold to adopt.

Roll call.

Council Members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

E is authorizing the Newark Central Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation to determine if an area is needed of redevelopment in the East Ward.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R4AS is approving form of sale of city secured bonds.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R6BAS.

Is the amendment to the CPACE program agreement?

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Rounttree?

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

We are in the hearing of citizens portion.

I'm sorry, I don't know.

Yeah, I'd like to.

Second.

Thank you.

Councilman, what number was it coming back?

7R 11A.

Oh, 11A.

Okay.

All right.

We have no disponsors.

Duly noted.

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.

Appearing.

Alohawak bar.

Alahu Akbar.

That's the sound that the Muslims say when they get ready to go to war or going to fight.

Last month, Rachman Muhammad, deputy mayor, invite me to go fight him outside.

My name is Alif Mohammed.

Court Towers.

And I accepted.

Court Towers.

Alif Mohammed, near school president.

Back in January, I was speaking, and when I left out, I had said something to Rachman.

He was upset with me.

And I went outside and he came out in the elevator.

So in that video that he said two weeks ago, I do got him on tape.

I got him on tape approaching me aggressively, and I got him on tape where we get ready to fight.

So tell him he's on tape now.

So he comes out and he and he tells me, don't say nothing.

Don't say his name no more.

So I said I do what I want.

So he looking at I said, why you want to do something to me?

So he said, yes.

I said, well, let's we don't do it here in the hallway.

Let's go outside.

So we went outside, and it was two other gentlemen.

I didn't know who they was with, but they got on the elevator with us.

We went outside, and I took my glasses off and I took my coat off.

And I said, Alaw White Ball.

Let's go.

That's right.

I learned how to fight in 1964-65 across the street to karate school.

In 1970, I switched to the karate school, K system, Sanders Creek.

Now, I could still talk that 73.

Now I didn't want to talk about this.

The only person I talked to outside of my crew was Pat.

And the reason why Pat was talking about it because he was trying to get us back together.

And I said, what happened?

That we was fighting.

It took me four minutes for me to come out of it.

Uh was Donna Jackson was there and they didn't know there.

She was there.

She pulled Rot Mar back.

I didn't come out of it because I didn't know if I was fighting three guys or one.

And a young boy came by and said, OG, come on, OG.

Come on, OG.

And that's what brought me out of it.

I went home.

I try to calm down.

Because I from I'm from a serious situation.

We go all the way.

See, I come from the crew in the 60s and the 70s.

So I'm a different situation.

And I had to be careful because Rach Ma's mother is a dear friend of my Muslim sister for 50 years.

So I had to consider her.

I had to consider her.

And I wasn't going to talk about it until he came up and did that.

Whatever.

Now he didn't say nothing about it.

Then he came in the office.

He said, I'll leave.

You know that boy is bluffing.

Because you came down to fight and he started talking.

I said, he right.

He said he's a bluffer.

He ain't built, how the kids say.

So I'm gonna because I love his mother so much.

Now what I'm giving y'all is the email, the text mother that fast put out on Facebook.

I did a live.

She came on a Facebook, and you see it's nothing nasty there.

And she was saying, I'll leave, come on.

Let's be nice.

Rachman is upset about some of the things MIDI did.

And see what happened.

Y'all don't see.

I don't know what happened, but MIDI, somebody called, they want to file Rachman.

Y'all know how I am.

They don't like, they like loyalty.

What you mean your mother said you don't like what well I you did to I'll leave.

So I'm gonna pass, but I don't want him, I'm not gonna speak too much again.

Like colleagues following said, you ain't gonna go on this birthplace no more.

Uh because I love the sandwich I said, no, I'm not gonna stay away from.

I'm gonna stay away from them because I come from a dinner different generation.

Now, as far as me being a liar, I come up here with papers.

I don't come up here with hands.

I come up here with papers.

I didn't say that he made the deal.

I said I met with the mayor, and then the mayor sent her the next day and said, This is law.

Bachman can't make no deals in here.

Middy told me that a long time ago.

I say something about Rachman.

He said, I'll leave it's only two people to make deals here.

Me and my brother.

Rach Mond on me.

Matter of fact, I don't think they trust Rothbard.

And as far as him talking about resolving it, I know he told you, Pat that he resolved it.

I know he told not the, I know he told Louie, I know he told Ramos, and I definitely know he told Louise that he resolved it, and they broke the agreement.

I'll bring Lamonica here, I bring everybody that he resolved it.

So all I'm saying is that's good agreement, and also that's when I dismissed it.

So far as him saying pro call.

Thank you for your comments.

So, how about this?

Salama Lakham.

Uh comments, next speaker.

Bradley appearing.

Good afternoon, council members and residents of the room.

My name is Fakira Bradley, and I stand in front of you as a community servant.

To the honorable members of the New York City Council, I respectfully submit this written statement for inclusion in the public record regarding the matter that I believe implicates my civil rights and raises concern about the appropriate use of authority within the council chambers.

I'm currently just scheduled to appear in municipal court at 31 Green Street on March 6, 2026 at 9 p.m.

before your honorable judge Giselle in connection with harassment charge arising from allegation that I raised my middle finger during the council related interaction.

I wish to stay clearly that I did not threaten, pursue, or repeatedly engage in alarming conduct toward any individual.

Undergy law, harassment generally involves intentional conduct carried out with the purpose to alarm or seriously annoy another person.

Often requiring repeated communications, threats, or a curse of con that course of conduct, a single alleged gesture, absence, threats, or repeated behavior does not inherently satisfy that legal threshold.

It is my position that the circumstances surrounding the charge raised concerns regarding freedom of respection, expression.

As a resident attended public meeting, I protected under the First Amendment right of the United States Constitution, which safeguards the rights to free speech and position the government for a redress of grievousness.

While public meetings may enforce decorum, policy enforcement must be applied fairly, consistently and without retaliation, due process.

The 14th Amendment guarantees that no individual shall be deprived of liberty without due process of law.

When criminal charges are initiated in circumstances that do not clearly meet statutory requirements, it raises legitimate concerns regarding fairness and procedural integrity.

Equal protection and retaliation concerns.

I have experienced exclusion from community food hubs and civic spaces following this conflict.

If access to community resources restricted based on personal disagreement rather than policy violations, such as actions, warrant review to ensure compliance with the equal protection principles.

Right?

So I ain't do nothing wrong, right?

And I'm tired, and I know exactly who did it.

Rather than a submission is made to request that the council ensure that the authority exercised with public chambers is applied consistently without personal biases, that the residents are not subject to criminal charges as a result as a personal conflict, that the civic participation is protected, not discouraged through penetrating measures.

That any concerns regarding misuse of authority are reviewed through appropriate oversight mechanisms, public confidence and local government depends upon transparency, fairness, and equal treatment under the law.

I respectfully, I respectfully request that this matter be reviewed with those principles.

Listen to me.

I have not threatened anyone.

And the same person that got these fake charges put up on me.

I did everything for this person, right?

I don't like her.

I don't bother her.

And I forgave her.

But I need this problem rectified because I know who put them charges up on me.

I was here and it was in 2024.

I had a warrant for a year, walking around the street, and I'm going to be combative with the law because I did not do anything.

So if they would have came to lock me up, what if I would have got killed?

Or a police officer get killed me not knowing I got a warrant.

I need this problem handled.

I gotta go in person in front of this judge from virtue because I stated my I gotta pay for a lawyer because some charges were shrunk up on me because a person don't like me because you can't manipulate me or bully me.

And forget about it.

Don't put your hands on me, because I'm gonna hit you back.

I come with all respect, but this is my life on the line, all over a law, and I can't, and the same person I can't miss for without pay.

I need this rectified.

I go Friday, because it happened here.

Thank you, and please.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lisa Mitchison Parker.

Not appearing.

Felicia Austin Singleton.

Not appearing.

Lamont Vaughn.

Appearing.

Lamont Vaughn, Newark, New Jersey.

Let me begin by saying Justice for Wally Bay.

He still call for that.

The attorney general has not released the body camera footage of that incident.

And I say again that the family, just like any other family in Newark, deserves that information, and the public deserves that information.

See what you guys can do.

I wrote this letter that I am passing out in the community.

I'm gonna read it on the record and to the people who are watching at home.

But before I begin, let me state here, now, and moving forward, that whenever I speak at the city council meetings, yes, I work for the city of Newark.

But when I speak here, check the paperwork.

This is my break time.

I am off the clock.

So I speak as a citizen, and there is no conflict.

My fellow Newark resident, my name is Lamont Vaughan.

I am 43 years of age, and I'm from right here in Newark.

My mother, Cynthia Vaughan lived at 226 Livington Street, and I attended what was once 18th Avenue School where Willie J.

Young was my principal, and Thelma Hobbes, may she rest with God, was my favorite teacher.

As a young man, I made mistakes, took some wrong turns in life, and found myself in some very uncomfortable positions.

I dropped out of school in the fifth grade and was a client of diaphers, was in and out of programs, was a repeat offender before the courts, was incarcerated several times, and literally had no clue about life, community, service, unity, and all the other forces like greed, disenfranchisement, racism, and prejudice.

My eyes were open to all of these things and much more by way of my life's experiences.

As I matured, no matter the mistakes I continue to make along the way, my heart turned toward the damage, the oppressions, and the suffering that exists in this community.

I have seen the frauds line up, use this community as a springboard for their personal gain, say hell to with this to hell, say to hell with this community and move on.

I have seen the semblance of real and authentic take seat, but only to become the best deliverers of the norms that we dread as a community.

I have seen them all get in and do nothing for our babies, our future, and those that we say are our tomorrow, other than offer to them one of our favorite pastimes, sports.

I have watched as both people and developers have come into this community only to suck our resources dry and siphon off the dollars to their communities.

In short, I am seeing the very same things that you are seeing.

A community with great history being bought, sold, and siphoned off right in front of our faces to the highest bidder.

Sadly, not too many original settlers, nor settlers and families are benefiting from any of this.

Sadly, the people in every single ward of this city feel unsafe and are being displaced because of a climate like this.

And sadly, we the people in this city election after election continue to vote for stuff like this.

In May of 2026, 2026, 2026, May 12th.

You will be able to go to the polls and create a new norm, a new norm, a new norm, a new norm in the North community.

You'll be able to go to the polls and set a new mandate for Norfolk of your choice.

And herein lies the room.

You will have the opportunity to go to the polls and vote for someone who comes from you, who is just like you, who feel what you feel, who know what you're going through, who will forever stand for you, and who has already been and will continue to fight for you.

His name is Lamont Vaughan.

This is a campaign that you have to tell your mother about, your grandmother about, your elders about, tell your friends and other loved ones about.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

I appreciate it.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Malik H.

Cooper.

Mr.

Cooper.

Malik Cooper appearing.

Great day, beautiful people.

Not good morning.

Did you hear what I just said?

Good morning.

Today is the day we change how we think.

Malik Cooper, Newark, New Jersey, running for City Councilman at large.

Yeah.

It's happening.

I'm gonna start with this.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change.

The courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

I said that prayer because that prayer is something that everybody in this room can relate to.

The base on the prayer for me is courage.

When I'm in this room, I realize that to get on this mic, it took me courage to look in the video that we see over here on YouTube, and I'm a person that works in TV and beauty and all of this stuff, and it looks like a show.

And I don't like it.

And I normally sit in the background, I don't say nothing.

I just help my community, and I don't say it, I don't ask for praise, I do none of it.

And I also watch people make it look like a show.

See what I'm doing?

I'm making it look like a show now because that's what you're used to.

See what I'm saying?

Um everybody's used to it being a show, and you're right now, you're looking at somebody that does shows, right?

But I also see education, and it's not coming from y'all.

It's not coming from the people that were voted in to not just sit behind and say, yes, yes, yes.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and finally a no in the seven months that I've been watching YouTube.

Finally, a no.

When does the show stop?

Let's let's play with it.

I could talk about everything everybody else talk about.

Let me start with 25 year abatements, and half of y'all gonna be dead, and y'all left that on our kids.

Oh shit.

Just think about it.

You may not be here, and you said yes to our future being destroyed.

Do you understand how deep?

I sat here and listened for seven months, and I said, I gotta say something different.

Cause I done came in here and I watched that man stand up there and feel some type of way about Wally Bay and tell y'all y'all ain't gonna do nothing.

He right.

You know why you right?

Because it takes y'all seven months to agree on even showing that y'all want to give that 30,000 million dollars or whatever that is.

It took you seven months to decide that.

It took you 16 months to figure out how to get the budget together, and it's still not together.

You're spending money that you don't have the right to spend when there's a new sheriff coming in town.

Young blood for mayor.

Let me just put that out there so anybody that understands young blood for mayor.

Malik H.

Cooper, been here my whole life, 53 years old.

My mother was a drug addict.

She changed, she was the reason I'm standing here.

Because every year she comes to me and say, do something different, now look.

This is my difference.

Okay.

Watch and learn.

This is not poetry.

This is the real me.

The only thing I'm looking at is the people I circled, just so we know.

So it's no fake, it's no written, it's no AI, it's no chat GPT.

It is the real me, the same thing you're getting from the educators to the side of me.

I've watched them try to teach you, and you kept saying yes.

I'm suggesting that the community says no.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker, Queen Dinisha Kleiber.

Appearing.

Asalam alaykum, walekum masalam, rock month, to already mentioned it.

Young blood familiar.

Since you already mentioned it.

So I'm gonna skip that and I'm gonna get to real business real quick.

I just want to say thank you to Michael Silva.

You did an amazing job during the snowstorm.

You really spoke up very bravely.

You don't have a component, and I told you the last time.

You can do whatever you want.

And we appreciate you stepping up.

Now we need for the rest of y'all to do the same thing.

We got a war too.

There's still mountains of snows where you can't see when you turn in.

They're covering the stop sign.

If we run past the stop sign, what do we do?

We get flagged down, we get tickets, we get pulled over.

So we need it's not snowing, no, it's not, but we still need that snow removed on every block where there's a mountain.

Secondly, I have been getting so many calls inboxes from different neighbors of different wards, and it's for all y'all.

The garbage.

Nork looks like trash.

I have two cars sitting currently because the rats have eaten my car wires, and nobody's gonna help pay for it.

I gotta do that on my own when I get the time to do it and the funds to do it, right?

I heard somebody say on the news the other day the rats are coming out.

No, the rats been out.

More are coming out.

Oh, the raccoons, you see them?

No, there's more babies coming out because we look like a trash city.

And I wonder why.

Our government is trash.

Trash.

Y'all don't hear nothing that we are saying.

Amina Bay, thank you so much for having Tammy.

She's really, she's remarkable.

Thank you so much for responding.

Um, can't wait for the meeting.

The pre-Kelly, thank you.

When you pick up the phone call, I know sometimes y'all really be like, oh God, what does she want now?

I'm only just one of your aides that don't get paid by the city.

That's it.

I work for each and every last one of y'all, but mainly my community.

They come first.

Now, my favorite person, Ramos.

We have a problem.

My McDonald's on Broadway has a problem.

I need for you to hear me today, because I need for your people to chase me down, just like the pre-Kellys and the Mina Bays.

We have children constantly coming in our stores again, rolling up blunts, smoking, and I thought they were high schoolers.

These are elementary kids.

Parents.

Y'all are horrible.

We it starts at home.

We need to learn how to contain our kids from inside the home so they'll know how to represent us outside.

How dare one of our children go out there and I'm out here saying black power this, as a lama lakeum that vote for this person, this, and our kids are out here stealing cars, selling drugs, doing drugs, committing all these crimes.

We are at fault as well.

And I ain't saying we because mom's doing it, but I'm a part of the community, and these are all our babies.

Back in the day, everybody was our parents.

Everybody was able to tell our kids to sit down, hey, don't do that, don't do this.

And now today is oh, don't talk to my baby like that.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

That's not parents, sweetheart.

Or, sir, it's not parenting.

We need to get back to the basis.

We are in dyingly need of a change in this city.

Everyone has a right to run for office, no matter if they fit your criteria, if they're team based.

Because let me tell you something, this is a movement.

And I'm a part of this movement.

And I got a lot of voters.

So y'all better get right.

Y'all going anyway, because we're gonna make sure y'all going.

I'm encouraging every mother, every child that is 18 years of age, every person, every mainly the homeless people, to get out here and vote May 12th.

I'm encouraging you to make a change because it's free.

I'm encouraging you to make a change because we need this change.

I'm encouraging you because we are tired of you guys saying yes.

And the way y'all are looking at me off there like it's a funeral.

Ramos, please get in contact with me because Broadway is off the chain.

Please, sir, I'm saying it out loud on YouTube or my Facebook live, because y'all know I go viral, right?

Anytime my phone click on, it's viral.

But it's not always about negative things.

I really want change for my city.

Peace.

Young Bluff and Maya.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Opal, all right.

I don't see Miss Wright not appearing.

Deborah Salters.

Appearing.

Great day, Newarkers, Deborah Salters from Mayor, May 12th, 2026.

Newark has consistently been ranked among the 10 dirtiest cities in America.

Always ranked in the top 10.

Number two, number four, and number six.

We've come to you time and time again and time and time again.

You look at us like we have four heads and we don't know what we're talking about.

Uh, this travesty with the snow and with the garbage and with the garbage cans.

Somehow, when you all speak, you always try to make it the people's fault.

Somewhere in there, it's the people's fault.

But it's never the people's fault because this last time when you talked about the snow, you wanted people to move their cars, even before the last blizzard.

People were not double parked, none of those things.

We were out of the way.

Your plows came through several times and plowed us in.

We dug ourselves out again.

Didn't throw the snow on the street.

The one who did were frustrated.

But the point is this.

The monies were given for everything that we need.

Everything throughout the years.

The mismanagement, the malfeasance, and the theft has been out of control.

So you're it's like writing a post data check and you don't have the money in the bank.

You all have been spending money that we don't have.

That's why our labor for uh the VPW is not what it's supposed to be.

They're not supposed to be doing garbage.

They're supposed to, I mean, doing snow, they're supposed to be doing garbage.

So now the small staff you have is split between everything that's supposed to get done, along with the recycling.

Silver.

Now, because the city is in a deficit and y'all need money, all of a sudden, the parking that's normally not ticketed, Monday night.

Tickets all the way up to Raymond Boulevard.

Says prohibited parking from 12 midnight to 6 a.m., Tuesday, 30, Thursday, Saturday.

It was Monday night.

So all those tickets need to be taken back.

But again, you're you're burdening the people with more money in addition to the astronomical rents because y'all messed up.

You messed up the money.

You dropped the bag.

You messed it up, but you're gonna make us pay for it.

You took away the other parking to put other people on top of us, overburdening us with people.

Now you want to take away the other lots that you say nobody parks in.

But again, why are we paying for parking when we pay enough for rent?

It does not make sense.

You messed up the money.

Stop overburdening us.

And I'm giving y'all that ticket.

Somebody paying that ticket.

I'm not paying it.

I'm telling you now, along with these other tickets that you have these police officers who don't even know how to write a uh police report efficiently.

You have quantity and not quality.

They don't know the job.

They've written ticket upon ticket in a legal parking space in your ward.

And it needs to be handled.

I'm not paying these tickets.

I'm one of the most legal abiding, law abiding citizens, but this is what you all do because we speak truth to power.

I'm not gonna stop.

You understand?

Because you've been in place long enough.

You all have said yes, yes, yes, yes to everything that hurts us.

You have not passed legislation to benefit we the people.

You haven't done it.

Now we have another ordinance for another sister city.

Another sister city.

How does that benefit we, the people of Newark?

How?

And do we have money involved?

Okay.

Last time you were in your feelings about, oh, I don't, I'm I do what I want to do, and and I don't just do things for one people.

Listen, actions express priorities.

I'm not in my feelings.

It's facts over feelings.

Go to the video tape.

Go to the conversations that we have had.

This is not new.

I'm not new to this.

I'm true to this.

I stand 10 toes down.

There are things I could talk about right now.

I could have been paid to shut up a long time ago.

But I bow my knees to the true and living God, not to any man.

Do you understand that?

And then your money ain't long enough no how.

But that's beside the point.

You say you love the seniors, but then you run the seniors out of their home with these taxes again, water bills, light bills.

And what do you do for the people?

Absolutely nothing.

Norkers.

May 12th, 2026.

It is time to fix this mess.

Vote them out.

Treat them like the garbage that they've treated you like, leaving it on the streets for months and weeks.

You have not been treated well.

Treat them like they've treated you, like the trash on the street.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council President and members of the North City Council.

I last addressed this body on September 2024.

And I appreciate the opportunity to share an update on the progress, challenges, and mission of Brothers Building a Better Nation.

Brothers Building a Better Nation was founded on September 10, 2020 on Cutler Street, right in North New Jersey.

It began out as a formal program, but as a small support circle where brothers would gather, speak honestly about the experiences and received guidance from older peers.

What held that circle together was the spirit of brotherhood.

It was the belief that when men show up for one another with accountability, compassion, and love for their community, healing becomes possible.

As the circle grew, young men brought friends and families began reaching out.

Conversations among a few brothers grew into small, medium-scale community gatherings, such as the Cutler Street Summer Fair.

And across Newark, we delivered mentorship and connection.

Through that work, we recognize a deeper need.

Many of the brothers who showed up were not only looking for guidance, they were carrying trauma and unmet mental health and behavioral health needs.

Over the past several years, especially since September 2024, Brothers Belinget Better Nation has evolved to meet the reality of those needs.

Well beginner support group grown into direct service providers, focused on healing through mental health and behavioral health.

Today we provide intensive and community therapy services.

So what that means is that we go to where the healing is needed.

We go to the brothers' homes to the court uh to the basketball courts, wherever they may be to deliver therapy to them right there at the doorstep.

A majority of our staff also live in um in Newark, keeping this uh work rooted in community from 2024 to 2025.

The Brotherhood has grown significantly with a contract with Medicaid and Partnership for Chosen of Essex.

We were able to increase our revenue from 188,000 to 512,000, and also kick off our 7th Avenue Community Community Center project.

Uh we strengthened partnerships, including our collaboration with Mentor Newark in December 2025.

We transitioned our temporary space into Mentors North on Broad Street, allowing us to remain closely connected to the Lower Broadway community.

Our work is grounded in healing-centered engagement.

This approach recognizes trauma, but focused on strengths, relationships, and identity.

Mentorship within this model is not only just supervision, it is a relationship that helps brothers develop confidence, emotional regulation, and pathways to education, careers, and healthy adulthood.

The spirit of brotherhood that started this organization continued to show itself in the lives of the people that we connect to our work.

For example, the first brother who graduated our program was a brother that didn't finish his high school diploma.

Through mentorship and guidance, we supported him and made sure that he was able to finish GED.

Now he works as one of our behavioral assistants, helping the next generation of youth.

We also uh supported families.

One single mother who once experienced homelessness was able to stabilize her housing and with support from our organization.

Her son graduated from our program, and now she also works for our organization.

And we're assisting that sister with getting her license as a social worker.

Thank you, uh, Councilman Crump for also assisting us with that sister as well.

The same spirit of brotherhood has shaped my own journey.

The work inspired me to enroll at Rutgers University School of Social Work and get my second master's degree.

I'm currently in my final year and graduate in May with a 3.8 grade average, and also looking to take my license exam on the 18th.

The past year has also brought real challenges as well.

Through work through the work billing backlogs, project delays, funding delays, and also the most painful loss I've ever faced, one of the most painful losses of our first licensed clinician, William A.

Moore.

He passed away several weeks ago, and many of us know him as Brother Moore.

And in recognition of his impact, we renamed our program to the William A.

Moore and Community Program, and we asked that the city um consider a resolution honoring his life and contributions to the well-being of the youth and families in North.

Another priority where we seek uh the council's guidance involves our mentorship program.

BBABN was uh rewarded uh grant from the city um for through the community-based violence intervention program, Pathways to Promise.

We're grateful for that recognition.

However, delays in contracting and disbursement limit our our ability to fully activate the program.

But even in moments of exhaustion, the spirit of brotherhood continues to move us and move this work forward.

It is why young people keep showing up, and why we believe the next generation of Norse young men can inherit a stronger foundation than the one many of us receive.

Thank you for your time and your consideration.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Darnella Lee.

I believe oh, there she is appearing.

Guys morning, I want to thank the Lord for waking us up this morning, blessing our family, our friends, the homeless, the needy, our friends.

I'm gonna do a moment of silence from our make Alistair.

And my cousin Don the Round Tree, I don't know with her last name, turned or Rostas, my cousin Patty.

I want to give a moment of silence for them too.

Okay.

I want to read on something that I didn't have planned.

Someone brought it to my attention.

It's the piggyback off what Deborah said.

So you can United Community Village right now is dealing with they the tenants that pay the money for their rents, they pay the water bill.

But the tenants paid a whole water bill.

They agreed to pay half.

So they get a manager, the half, but they still end up paying the whole.

But they don't allow them to have the water bills in a name.

The water bill is in the name of Pacific Valley and Sewage.

The entire water bill when they agree to pay just the Waterbill and not the sewage.

So I just need y'all to get over there, have somebody check it out, and they say they keep changing management.

That's you community, United Community Village over there on 332 South 8th Street.

Okay.

Um, the other thing, I just want to know, Pat, did y'all dismantle section three for the tenants if they want to work with North Housing?

I know you can't answer now.

Okay, the pictures y'all have.

I do want to say this.

Deborah Saltis had got Ketlin, the director from the health department on his situation with 516.

Along with Reverend Roundtree, she's wanted a council at large.

What you were looking at, they didn't just give up.

Just been going on since 21.

What you looking at is what was deleted out the system.

I was trying to get the original from 21 that Ketlin deleted.

These are the holes that are in the closet and the other mold that they didn't get to.

Because the deal was put all my stuff in the closet, pack the stuff with my mother thing, so it never was gotten to.

This picture which y'all seen with Stefoster, Tommy McGee Donald, every page on that page from November the 30th of 2021.

Nothing was done except they removed the wall with Kyle Fouche and Renee Selfley, along with five guys from Home Depot and a company called Watts Construction.

So it's been leaking since 21.

Every time in the tub, you see this double lot.

So I asked for to be tested for a mold special test and the legenders, because we had that in 23.

So if it's been leaking, so I had the guy to come up the other day because how did every mold spot came back?

And I'll tell my y'all, it's worse than before.

They covered it.

But when he took this out, you can see the hole under it.

He called me in the bathroom and said, Didi, we gotta break the wall.

I said, absolutely not.

Because you know mold is behind, it's been running.

So when you run a tug order, you put your face to the shower, you hear it running full.

Someone is second, it's coming through down.

The young lady Lisa that lived three in, she had a bad case of mold in her tub.

She's died.

So if it wasn't for round tree, Reverend Louise Round Tree through David Salt is getting her on it and Ketlin.

I wouldn't be able to prove this.

We're doing a task force tomorrow.

I'm hoping y'all can have Mr.

Spicer to walk through.

I wanna say it was a head man.

His name is Ahmed.

He wasn't there at the time.

The young lady, Sharon Mohammed, she was getting on it.

They brought Judy the Smean there.

Three years she's supposed to take care of this.

I don't like hearsack, but they're saying the reason that thing getting done, she's close with Mr.

Spicer.

They put a notice decease under my door for 30 days and turn right around and then tell me I'm got a two-bedroom, so they want to transfer me to Stephen Crane with a mold is at or lease the villa.

I said absolutely not.

You have five, 50 seniors that have two bedrooms.

Been asking the down signs on an inline like mine, oxygen tapes and everything.

I said, get dumb.

Mrs.

Spicer came before y'all said he'd rather for them to move inside.

Hi.

All the eight apartments on my floor has not been done.

Department with the mold, they're going in and out.

They've been working on the floor since I talked to you.

So I'm looking forward to tomorrow, but this been 21 years.

So if it's in a wall, they're gonna bust it.

I gotta be out of there.

Pat, I don't know if you allowed this.

You my sister Elaine friend.

You sits on the board, one of the commissions.

How do you do that to me?

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Latoya Jackson Tucker.

Good afternoon, Latoya Jackson Tucker.

Good new.

I have a heavy, heavy heart.

I am very disappointed.

With one, with me even feeling like I could be in communication with the department of police as a community person, as a black person, um, as a mother, as a voting citizen.

I am very, very upset.

You know, we make relationships, we work with each other in the community, but when something happens, a situation that you want resolved or you want to get handled, they treat it like a job.

Color people that look just like you that could be picked up and put down whenever they feel like it.

Whenever a pale face feel like it.

So for me to see my community, especially the men in my community dance for stripes or accommodations or whatever.

It disgusts me.

That's a word that my grandmother used to use.

I'm very disgusted right now.

The cockiness.

I walked in here, and usually when I walk in here, and there's no offense to the cocky white shirt in the back.

But usually it's a pleasant feeling when you see different people in the North police uniforms.

It doesn't feel like that.

You got people saying smart stuff, knowing seeing the video.

You got our North Police Department joining forces with the Excess County, their Bureau of Narcotics doing joint task forces, but they won't collaborate to talk to the people and give answers.

Like it doesn't behoove me to disgrace people of color that look like me.

But I have feelings.

I am somebody.

They are somebody.

So I'm gonna I'm gonna read this because I read this often.

I left it, and I mean this.

This is something that I speak when I speak to the young people, I have them say.

I done worked with the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

They done adapted this to the Brick City Peace Collective, but my community is not giving me no answers.

My son is sitting in the county off a wandering charge, facing going back to jail for five years.

I've been nine and a half years by myself, not the streets, not his family, not my community, me by myself.

Because he don't want to speak up and help a department that is fully funded with millions of dollars to do their own investigations.

They want to make him a tool of torture for his own community.

So I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in my community.

It is my personal approach that creates the culture.

As a part of my village, I possess tremendous power to make my community life miserable or joyful.

I can be a tool of torture or instrument of inspiration.

I can embarrass or empower her or him.

It is all in all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated.

And my community be humanized or dehumanized.

I do make a difference.

My mouth ring bevs.

Everybody that comes up here, our mouth ring bevs.

I don't never come in here and disrespect the council.

But our people are mad.

It is a thousand people trying to run for these seats.

I could appreciate the people that have helped me like Brown Tree and Crump do it all.

Pat, even Amina with her 100 days.

I could look at my emails and see that she is trying.

But our community is so divided.

Even when they put that stuff in the Ibound news.

Them people, that's not my color.

Don't care if my son has a business degree.

Don't care if he has HVAC or anything.

Don't care about his criteria.

It's the way that he looked.

He is already guilty.

And to proven innocent.

He is a black man.

And the same thing that's happening to him could happen to any one of y'all.

We see our people that done work with the administration in the newspaper taking the phone.

Stop taking the phone and do something for your community.

It's a lot of stuff I can get up here and say.

I'm not playing with them.

And I appreciate Mayor Baraka for picking up, for following through, for answering me.

But our people are mad.

Do your jobs.

Do your jobs.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Shaquille Moore.

Mr.

Moore.

She killed more.

Not appearing.

Pablo Oliveira.

Mr.

Olivera.

Not appearing.

That concludes the hearing of citizens for this agenda.

Thank you.

Anything from the council?

Yes.

Councilwoman Bay.

Thank you, Council President.

First of all, I just wanted to, you know, again, acknowledge we have students here from school, and I appreciate them being here.

Hopefully, uh the council will be able to, you know, just give them a word after this meeting.

Um I wanted to um honor the second anniversary of the passing of Miss Vanessa Thompson Graves, who is a um uh an employee of North Public Schools for over 30 years.

She was a um crossing guard who dedicated her life to the security and protection of our children, um, and also the beloved mother of our own, uh, the city's own Shalika, uh, Mikey Thomas and Flowers, and we wanted to honor her today.

Also, we wanted to mention that um, and um just mentioned um today being my hundredth day, um, I have three pieces that are going to the clerk's office that hopefully I will be able to get support on.

Um, one is a uh ordinance to help uh support the assembly bill that's gonna support resolution um that's being presented by assemblywoman uh Brent Brittany Timberlake to strengthen the law on window guards, um, and it's currently being considered in the New Jersey State Assembly.

The other is um an update to an ordinance to add more specific fines for businesses not shoveling in front of their properties so people can stop walking in the street and be able to walk on a sidewalk when we have these major snowstorms, and the other is one to um have an ordinance to support um Ido Fitra as a municipal holiday for the city of North.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Councilwoman.

Any anything else?

All right, let's uh anything from the administration.

Yeah, excuse me.

I'm sorry, I'm I thought I looked over at you, you didn't say anything.

I was like, Oh, right.

I'm sorry before you begin, the deputy mayor.

Let's get councilwoman Scott Brown tree, the floor.

I mean, they have to wait through the whole meeting before we can respond to the public, so I do want to say something in regards to the statements that were made.

Um first start with uh Deborah Salters with the tickets, and and there are individuals that have been to my office, and I don't know about the other council people regarding resolving the matters of parking and tickets.

I won't go into the details of what my office has done, but I can only speak to my office and know that there were some resolutions last year.

Whatever's going on this year will be something new, and I know Miss Salters can attest to that.

And when she walked in my office, there were many phone calls, there were many things resolved, and that doesn't have to um if you want to know what it is, you can speak to Miss Salt, and she will give you uh the run of the record of what I did resolve as a as a result of council woman uh round tree.

There was one initiative that myself and councilman Silver did work on prior to me working on what I did.

I prayed that we can come to some resolution regarding our residents and parking.

There are some things that, and I have to say on record, there are many things that are in record that are law that has to be um looked at, reviewed, and uh probably updated because some of these ordinances are old, some are new, and as a legislator, I'm looking into quite a few ordinances.

I spoke to the clerk uh six months ago about one.

I'm speaking to her yesterday about two more to pull them so that we can either update them, bring them to 2026 and consider the residents regarding a law that might have been made 60 years ago that might not apply to 2026 where our city is right now and where we're going.

Uh, that's that in reference to Mr.

Anella Lee.

I think we've been working on this with housing and these properties for the past year.

I know that I've worked very closely with the health department um in making sure that Newark does its part.

I do want some resolution with this because I say it over and over again to keep coming about to coming up or for us to continue to deal with the same thing over and over again and expecting something different is insanity.

So I really, for the past three years or whatever time God has positioned me up here to hear the same thing over and over again.

I can't even sit in a meeting in the church or in the mass gin or a community meeting and hear the same thing for the last three years, five years, 10 years.

So I'm hoping we can come to some resolution regarding these senior buildings because they are the shoulders that we stand on.

And um, I know Caitlin is doing her part, so we're gonna follow up on that again.

Um, to Latoya, uh Ms.

Tucker, I feel your pain.

Uh I'm a mother.

Uh I have a son, and it's imperative.

I think we've spoken to set up the meeting with my office.

I had to run you down this time because you were so busy, but I was determined to make sure you got this meeting so we can set up the you were working on the drill and the information that was going on with that prior to this happening with your son.

So that's what I'm trying to do.

Make sure that there's something that comes out of what you're asking for.

You um, I think councilwoman Bay and I were going to set up a meeting with you, but I we got to get started.

We got to do what we gotta do.

So I've already spoke to her.

We're already working on setting up an event.

Whoever comes, I'm going to sponsor Councilwoman Bay can join me, but we're going to sponsor this event for you to address those young people that are dealing with those issues that you spoke to.

We talk about, and I'm I'm going to get up off of this in a minute, Council President.

But we talk about people bringing solutions or helping us or us being a part of the solution and not the problem.

The truth of the matter is the only way we can be a part of the solution is to assist someone that has a solution that makes sense.

But you can't just come and talk to us.

Someone came into my office yesterday with a written solution for an ordinance.

You came to our offices with a written document to do a program.

It's one thing to talk about it, to have something tangible to say, look, we got to work on this.

But those who are running, I wish you well.

And let's see where we go from here.

But the truth of the matter is, those three people that I just spoke to, I have been working with, and I do want to move forward with the meeting.

I do want to move forward to see what we can do about the parking.

And I definitely want to do something regarding the quality of life that our residents are dealing with, and that's on any level.

Regarding the snow and the garbage, I think the director addressed a whole lot of it yesterday.

We're not always, I should say, accepting, because the truth of the matter is, and I think I said this to a couple of individuals in the legislative body, that people don't want to hear nothing about how you're trying to fix it.

They just want it fixed.

So we can talk all day about how we're getting it done.

But at the end of the day, y'all just want to know is it fixed?

Is it done?

And then you want to see the results of that.

So thank you for your patience.

Thank you for your time.

Um, and thank you for council president for letting me have this moment.

Thank you, councilwoman.

Deputy Mayor.

Afternoon, council.

Good afternoon.

Uh the only reason why I'm speaking here is because I was texting from a lot of folks about what was said earlier.

Um I just wanted to clarify some things because you know, hopefully, this will be my last time.

Well, it will be my last time.

I am a Ramadan.

I hate the fact that I gotta keep going through this.

Um, but I am glad, Brother Alif, who, by the way, I've said before, it's been like a father figure to me since I was a kid.

He's really close to my family.

And I hate that we even have to keep going through this uh foolishness.

Uh, but I'm glad he cleared up what he said last month, because last month he did say that I came to him to make a deal.

All he has to do is listen to the tape.

Today he's saying that Midi said that I am not, I can't make any deals.

Well, I agree with Mitty.

You know what I'm saying?

I can't make any deals.

So he's absolutely right.

But I'm glad that he came up here and clarified because last month the things he said was illegal for what he was saying that I did.

It was saying I offered him a quick pro quote that he does something and we do something for him.

And that would be illegal.

So I'm really glad that he came up here and clarified that Amiri said, the chief of staff said that I am not authorized to make deals because I absolutely have not made any deals with Brother Alif.

This notion that I offered him to fight is just like one of the most bizarre things uh that I've heard from this.

Brother Alif offered me downstairs to speak to me because he said some craziness in his uh council chambers.

I went outside, he jumped in a karate stand and said, Ah, she.

And I told him, I don't even know what that means.

But brother, I would never put my hands on you.

And the brothers that came up to stop us, I said to them they had nothing to worry about because I respect him enough not to do that.

I mean, he's been a family friend of ours for years.

I should not have to come to this mic and defend or say anything like that.

Uh, I just think that we are in a silly season.

There are people coming up here saying all types of ridiculous, crazy things that should not be said, but they want, that's cool.

Uh, but I think at some point we do have to defend ourselves as an administration.

And you, as a counselor, to be honest with you, have to begin to defend yourself because some people believe this nonsense.

There are some people that believe this nonsense.

There are a lot of untruths that's being said out there that are not factual.

Not factual.

You know what I'm saying?

There are a lot of things being said that's not happening that's actually happened in this administration that if people just research and they just ignore it for their own purposes or their own political purposes, they will see that those things exist.

And we don't sit up here and we don't defend that enough.

And that's just wrong.

This notion that the mayor don't trust me or MIDI called Midi ain't never called me to fire me.

Listen, I don't live my life.

And any all y'all know, I don't live my life in that type of fear.

This is my second career.

I retired from one before.

I don't live my life in that type of fear of somebody fire me, or rather they trust me or not.

I care about rather the residents of the city, trust me.

The mayor hired me to do a job for the residents, and that's who I do that job for.

They are the only ones I'm concerned about whether they trust me or not.

I want everybody to be clear about that.

And when that trust is gone, Rachman Muhammad will be gone.

Thank you for your not next speaker.

Thank you for your comments, though.

Uh councilwoman Scott Round.

To Deputy Mayor's point, um, I just want to say this for the public and for the speakers.

Um, if there's anything you want to know about Reverend Round Tree, please ask me.

I don't think nobody knows me better than me.

If there's anything that you want to um say, I think four of us were implicating in knowing something.

We all know something, and they were like, you know, you know, and you know.

I don't know what you think I know.

But in case somebody wants to know whether I know or not, please ask me because I would never want to be implicated in knowing something that I don't even know what you say, and I know.

And I tell everyone, I know me better than anybody.

If you have any questions or anything that you require me, please come up to the mic like you should say.

Thank you for you.

Uh no, no.

I'm confused about what you're talking about.

Oh, you're talking about.

No.

Can you explain?

No.

Okay.

It's hard.

Um I'm just making a statement based on something that was directed at me.

No, not you.

Okay.

So let's not, we're not gonna have any following out right now.

Let's know back and forth.

That's that's the council rules that's been the council chambers, that's been the rules forever.

Things are not gonna change now, just because no, no.

And I just said no back and forth, and then you're doing it back and forth.

Miss Clydeburn, please.

Miss Clyber, please.

You want me to leave?

Miss Clyber.

If you're gonna disrupt the meeting where we're trying to conduct meetings, and even doing this in front of children, it is so unprofessional to allow them.

We have rules, and we will follow those rules.

All I ask is for you to follow the rules too.

That's all.

I'm not asking you to do anything else, but follow the rules that we have.

When you spoke, we gave you the respect.

We didn't disrupt you, we didn't bother you.

And so I'm not going back and forth.

If you continue, we will have you removed from the chambers.

No, I can leave on my own.

I've been so then leave on your own then.

Because we will no, I'm uh you know what?

Please remove Miss Uh Clyburn from the chambers, please.

I wanted you to explain.

Officers, please remove Ms.

Clybern from the chambers.

You know, we've had many conversations.

You always have the ability to talk to me.

But miss Nanal.

Don't touch me.

Don't touch me.

All right, I'm not that don't touch me like I said.

Okay, but let's go.

Keisha.

Keisha.

Keisha.

Cut it.

Cut it for the moment.

I'm not getting none of you.

Okay, you're still here.

Excuse me.

Y'all in my way.

No, no calling out.

Come on.

Ms.

Jackson, no.

All right, we're back on councilman counsel.

It just for uh transparency's sake and clarity for the students here from Arts High School who come to be engaged in civic engagement uh during the council meeting the council after the speaker speak, uh ask if any of the council people have a response to what was said or what was mentioned by other individuals that were in the crowd.

Sometimes there's no response, and then sometimes there's response.

Then he asked the administration, which is two different legislative bodies, the let the administrative body and the legislative body.

If the administration has something that they want to say, the deputy mayor is a part of the administration.

Something was said about the deputy mayor earlier that the deputy mayor wanted to bring clarification to, and at that time where he was given the floor, have every right to do so.

And so once the time that is suspended for individuals who have signed up to speak is over, they cannot return back to the mic to speak again.

So that is just what happened.

I just wanted to explain that to you guys at Arts High School.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Council uh we're going to motions now.

All right.

Councilman Silva will start with.

No motions.

All right, Councilwoman Scott Ryan.

Yes, I have some announcements and one motion.

Um start with the announcements.

Um tonight at 5 30 p.m., the mayor will be hosting his citywide IFTAR at 5 30 at JFK Recreation Center, 211 West Kenny Street, North, New Jersey.

Ramadan Mubarak.

On March 12th, we will be hosting, along with the mayor and myself, the Department of Recreation and Senior Services, the North Interfaith Alliance, continuing to move North forward, remembering our past and embracing our future.

Black History Celebration Brunch, which will be held on March 12th, 2026, from 11 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

Our speaker will be a 15-year-old Little Wonder.

His name is Minister Hilton Rawls III.

And of course, the mayor will be speaking, Adorian Mary Thomas will be a will be giving remarks, and Junius Williams, our city historian, will be doing a presentation.

Health is one of the foundations and platforms that our office, my office stands on, along with some of our other colleagues.

I'll be hosting health is the foundation of everything, and it's a conversation that can change everything.

We're gonna be dealing with all forms of cancer prostate, breast, ovarian, cervical, pancreatic, uh, leukemia, childhood, cancer, colon, liver, bone, lymphoma.

There's so many forms of cancer.

Uh, but we know that this awareness has many colors, and prevention is our goal.

So on March 14th at 10 a.m., we will be hosting this event that will be on site colon cancer screenings available.

It's going to be at the First Baptist Penny Memorial Church at 572 Broad Street, North, New Jersey.

Reverend Nicholas Alexander Johnson is a pastor.

It's free admission.

Uh, my partners in this is Odyssey International University Hospital and a couple of other um organizations are joining us of Live Survivor Spotlight, a powerful journey to survival strength.

Much will be served.

From further information, you can call 973-733-3794.

As we know that they're in the we're in the season of Ramadan and Lent.

I do believe that the North Interfaith Alliance, which I'm the founder of and the faith leader for the city, that we and vicinity that education about religion is very, very important and where you stand on your faith.

So I will be hosting along with the NORCO Faith Alliance, two faiths, one spirit of devotion.

The presentation will be done by Imam Daohat, Hawa, Reven Aisha Maribel, and there's one more speaker that will be two young ladies and two men, two faiths, one spirit of devotion.

We'll be at the Kruger Scott Mansion at 601, Dr.

Martin Luther King, Junior Boulevard.

It'll begin at 5:30 so that everyone can get back to their mass jids.

The breakfast will consist of a grab and go.

That is March 15th, Sunday, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

On March 23rd, we will be celebrating the sixth annual event of the North Interfaith Alliance and Mayor Raj Jaguaraka's day of prayer, praise, worship, and the word.

Uh, for six years, we started with one night of praying for our city, praying for our state, praying for our country during COVID.

It was only supposed to be for a week.

Now, six years later, seven days a week, there's either an email or a pastor or someone praying every single day and giving an encouraging word.

So we'll be celebrating that on March 23rd, the sixth anniversary, six years later at Jehovah Jira, praise and worship church center 505 South 15th Street, Newark, New Jersey.

Um, the host pastor is Bishop Rudy V.

Carlton and Lady Linda Carlton, which I want to wish a happy anniversary.

They're celebrating 37 years of pastoring, and they are retiring.

This is on March 23rd.

One more.

March 24th, the Newark Citywide Women's Meeting will be held at the William Mobile Ashby Community Training Center.

This is our meeting replacing our February meeting.

This is hosted by our first lady of the City of North along with myself and Councilwoman Amina Bay of the Central Ward.

I do want to do one express profound sorrow and regret whose homegrowing uh service I attended this morning, and that is Nyby Williams, who is the father of Ponticia's grandbaby.

Um the celebration this morning was well attended, council members, uh packed with a lot of our young people.

So I just want to leave the message that uh we embrace our children while they can feel, see, hear, and know that we can show them love and not wait until we have to go into somewhere like cotton and and pack the house.

Uh and and embrace our parents too, because as uh Miss Tucker stated, um some of our parents I'm a parent of a son.

I didn't get no book, Mother Adams, I didn't get a book telling me what to do when this baby was born, Council President.

It was something that it's like on-the-job training, and just because children go astray don't always mean that their mothers take the blame because some mothers and fathers are just learning their way.

So let's be more encouraging when our children stumble, because we stumble too, and that's important that we support our babies.

Congratulations to Arts High to your first, other than singing in the chambers, encounter with government, and may God bless all of you and your future endeavors and whatever it is that you're going to do.

May God continue to bless you, keep you, and happy Ramadan, happy Lint, bless Lynn to all of you watching, and once again, North New Jersey.

I thank you for allowing me to be of service to you.

God bless the city of North.

God bless the world.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Second one I motion.

Councilman Kelly, roll call.

Council members may, yes.

Council.

Yes.

Ramos absent.

No, I'm here.

I'm sorry.

King kind of absent.

I'm sorry.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Councilman Ramos.

Have another one with me.

No.

Um just a few announcements.

The first one is that on Tuesday, March 10th, uh, my office is sponsoring its annual uh job fair at the Waterfront uh recreation center located at 2 Grafton Avenue.

We will be there from 10 a.m.

Uh to 2 p.m.

I believe the city uh emailed it out to everybody today.

We've posted it on all our social media sites.

Uh so far we have about 30 employers that have confirmed their participation.

So definitely help us spread the word and um let's get as many people out as possible on Tuesday, uh March 10th.

Uh on the 23rd of March.

We are hosting a veterans resource event uh in collaboration with Senator Ruiz and the uh county executive uh Joseph Di Vicenzo.

That's gonna be at the Cherry Blossom Center, which is located in Branch Rook Park, March 23rd from 10 a.m.

Uh to 2 p.m.

And a lot of the focus is gonna be on you know county services that our veterans may be eligible for, including SNAP, health insurance, uh through Medicaid, family care, uh some housing assistance uh for those veterans that may be facing some kind of uh housing crisis.

We're collaborating with Bridges Outreach, which does have a veterans program, and we're hoping to get the word out so we can get as many veterans there as possible.

Uh tonight the mayor's office is hosting something at the uh park elementary school, and this is about um solar.

Uh there's community solar programs that are available in the state of New Jersey.

Uh they they basically um put up panels in these common locations and residents, depending on income eligibility, may be able to opt in.

Uh we we all know how much our utility rates have gone up in the state of New Jersey uh since July of last year, and many of our not just homeowners, but renters, especially seniors on fixed incomes, are paying a greater share of their income to utility costs, and and it definitely is an impacting their quality of life, it's impacting our ability for our seniors to afford you know basic things such as food and rent.

And it definitely is impacting their quality of life.

It's impacting our ability for our seniors to afford basic things such as food and rent.

So tonight at Park Elementary School from 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

They're doing a presentation and they're gonna talk a little bit about this particular program called Solar Landscape.

So I'm hoping that we can get people out there as well.

On Monday, March 16th, my office along with Senator Ruiz and Councilman Quintana, we're we're sponsoring a Iftar at the um Roseville Avenue Masjid Nia at uh 6 p.m.

So we're we're inviting our residents to participate, and we're love to be honored to have our distinguished councilwoman from the central ward there with us as well.

Make sure my office sends you all the details.

That's it from uh from me.

Thank you.

No motions.

All right.

All right.

Uh Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Council President.

Um I would like to make a request to the administration for uh I need that list for these landlords, the worst landlords list to be able to submit some possible worst landlords in the West Ward.

Um another thing uh announcements, just like um Councilman Ramos said that we are doing the entire city is doing the free information sessions on community solar, clean affordable energy for all.

We are doing hours in the West Ward Thursday, tomorrow, March 5th at 6 p.m.

That's tomorrow, March 5th at 6 p.m.

at Speedway Avenue Elementary School, which is 701 South Orange Avenue, 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

Please tell a friend to tell a friend.

Um I know I've been getting a lot of calls in my office about PSE and G bills.

Um this is a way that the mayor's office has come up with to try to you know battle those high energy bills, and there's gonna be a lot of free information about the community solar and clean affordable energy.

So please tell a friend to tell a friend and arts high, tell your parents if you're in the West Ward, come to Speedway Avenue School 701 South Orange Avenue tomorrow, so we can lower that energy bill.

Umsalam alaykum to all my Muslims.

We are having community iftar at UVSO, which is United Vellsburg Service Organization in the West Ward, and it's powered, presented by Good Deeds, Urban Seeds Grow, and myself.

So join us please to break fast together in the spirit of Ramadan.

Uh SUNA Foods and Afro-Caribbean cuisine will be provided.

And it's not too late to donate.

If you want to donate or partner for more information, call 862-400-9980.

And this is happening next Thursday, March 12th, 2026.

And our Musalima Councilwoman, you are invited as well.

Um doors open uh prior to MAGRIB.

Uh Iftar serves at MAGGRIP, which is 1033 South Orange Avenue, Newark, New Jersey.

So please tell a friend, bring your prayer rugs with you.

Um and also we're doing a stronger together youth call to action at Essex County Westside Park Community Center in the gymnasium at 600 South 17th Street.

So please come out to the West Ward.

It's an event sponsored by the mayor's office, myself, and this will be Saturday from 6 p.m.

to 9 p.m.

March 7th this Saturday, and it's to call our youth to action.

You know, a lot of people say that we have nothing to do in our city, and I believe there's a lot to do.

You just gotta seek it out and do it.

And for more information, uh visit WWOVP T R O V P T R dot org, Office of Violence and Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

Um, and also on March 26th from 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

I'm doing my third annual glass ceiling women's awards.

We do it right here in City Hall, and we have some great women who've who have done some great things in this year that we will be celebrating.

Um so please be on attendance for that.

And once again, that the glass ceiling awards is March 26th.

So please tell a friend to come out, and then the last thing we have the first annual MS Walk.

The MS walk is happening in April.

Um not the last thing, but it's it's happening April 19th, Sunday at the Westside Park Trail.

We're gonna walk the Westside Park Trail for three miles from 9 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

Now the last thing it's time to register to vote, you know, registration for our our high school students for the school board election.

The last day is, I believe, Pat, you can help me with this March 17th, I think.

I believe it's March 17th, the last day for you to register to vote.

So, you know, us as a council, we set up here and made sure that you had the right to vote, you know, at in high school at 16.

So for the school board election, and we just ask that you you utilize your rights and vote.

And the last day to register for the school board election votes is March 17th, and then the last then we after for the municipal, we have registration vote education event that's happening April 2nd.

This is for the municipal elections at Westside Park Community Center.

And if you're not registered to vote, make sure by April 2nd you get to Westside Park Community Center and register to vote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Second.

Is there I'll second it?

Thank you.

Roll call.

Council members may council, yes.

And Alex Absent, Kelly, yes, kinda absent, Ramos.

Yes, Scott Roundtree.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Councilwoman, a councilman council.

Yep, thank you, uh, Mr.

Chair.

Um March 11th, uh, which is a Wednesday 2026 uh at the William Mobile Ashby Community Care Center.

Uh we will be hosting uh IFTA uh for our uh brothers and sisters.

We're still uh in the midst of celebrating Ramadan uh at 7 p.m.

Uh that is Wednesday, March 11th, 2026 at the William Mobile Ashby Community Care and Training Center, 695 Bergen Street.

We're asking all to come out uh and attend.

Please bring your prayer rub with you.

Uh for more information, you can call 733-3753.

Also tonight, uh super proud uh that we have four of our basketball programs that will be playing in the state sectional final.

I mean the state semifinals uh on tonight.

University will play Newark Tech, uh the girls at 5 p.m.

at University High School, as well as the Shabbaz Bulldogs will be playing Newark Tech Boys at 7 p.m.

at Shabbaz High School, and the Arch Girls will be taken on Glen Ridge today at 4:30 at Arts High School.

Big shout out to Arts and the Arts Boards will be taken on Glen Ridge tonight at 7 p.m.

So we should get somewhere, enjoy something, and support our young people.

That's what we should do.

Let's go north.

Thank you.

Uh Councilwoman Bay.

Thank you, Council President.

First thing I want to apologize for going out of order from before.

So apologize for that.

Um I do have an announcement.

Um, we're gonna be hosting our Central War Community Conversations.

It's a community meeting um next Tuesday, March 10th at the City Plex Theater on Springfield Avenue at 6 p.m.

All are invited.

We will have representatives from uh North PD.

We'll have Fourth Precinct Captain Uh Laurie.

We have the New York People's Assembly, North uh Department of Public Works, Code Enforcement, and the Office of Violence Prevention.

So we definitely ask all to attend if they can.

Um, also just wanted to again mention, and I'm gonna do this every few meetings to remind the people that I always have representatives here from my team, uh Tolu Kadri, Tammy Mack, Ron Reyes, uh Eva Lee, Colone Mincy, and Renee Only.

I do understand what Deputy Mayor was saying about feeling that defense, I don't feel like I also have to defend ourselves because we talk to residents directly, um, especially several of them that were here speaking together, but I do understand um us having to make sure that we create um correct narratives.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

All right, it's me.

A couple things I want to just uh announcement and uh motion again uh on March 6th this Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.

Our office is hosting an Iftar.

Uh it's gonna be at the Temple of Hip Hop uh 55 Ludlow Street, Nork, New Jersey, hosting uh uh hosting it along with University Hospital.

Um all are welcome to come breakfast and we have our Imam coming to uh pray um second.

I want to congratulate uh and I can't remember the exact name of the tournament, but Arts High uh cheerleaders, that just appears you're here, and it's just it's great that Arts High is here.

Uh the cheerleaders for winning uh the competition this past Saturday or Sunday, no, I'm sorry, Sunday, and uh Gloucester County Community College, I believe is where we were.

Um both the junior varsity and varsity won their competitions and are heading to Florida.

So congratulations to them.

Yes, just clap it up.

Great routines, great routines.

I tried to do a little bit.

They did the Dougie and some other things, but all right, all right.

Let's move on.

Um those are my uh announces, but I also want to just follow up again.

I I I bring it up about the roof and JFK pool.

Uh I haven't gotten any response back.

Um that there's a hole in the roof, uh, especially during the summer.

We've gotten a number of complaints from the seniors.

Um and it presents a a situation where it's uncomfortable for them to swim or to use the pool, and then a lot of them do not come because of that.

Um I I know we have a new uh engineering interim engineering director, but uh, but I really hope there's some movement on that because at this point it's been uh I'll say a minute um that we haven't that we've discussed this and haven't had a resolution and that ends.

Yep, that it that ends my motions.

Second by councilman Kelly roll call council members bay, council, yes, Gonzalez absent, Kelly.

Yes.

Yes, Scott Roundtree, Silva, yes, President Crump.

Yes, motion to adjourn.

Bay, yes, Council, yes, Gonzalez absent, Kelly, yes, I'm sent Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, Nova, President Crump.

Yes.

Everybody have a great week.