Good evening.

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday, April 15th.

Please stand for the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, an Invocation by Pastor Dr.

Lawanda Williams.

One nation, under God, indivisible.

Liberty and justice for all.

We thank you for everything that will be said.

We ask you, God, we thank you for peace.

We thank you for peace that surpasses all understanding, God.

We ask you, Lord, as we come together as one in unity, we believe you that it is already done.

We believe you, God, that it is already done, and we thank you, and we bless you right now.

So we thank you and we give you glory right now.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

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

In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on April 10th at the time of preparation and posted on the city's website.

Roll call.

Council members may present council absent.

Council President, Council members, before we start the hearing of citizens, I just want to announce for the record that Councilman Gonzalez is absent.

Thank you.

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

Appearing.

Okay.

Middy got on the radio.

What's the name of that radio A Squad Rebel?

And said that he wanted me to call the FBI for him.

And I say that I don't have to call him because he's all around your people visiting now.

They're visiting.

Maybe they don't want Rachman to know that they're missing, but they are visiting Midi's friends.

And some friends ain't telling that they're being busy.

And then, like I said, also, you could call your sister, your older sister.

She met with them ten times.

She might know the number better than I do.

Alif Muhammad.

Court Towers.

Alif Mohammed, President Alif Mohammed Near School.

Salam Aleykum.

I gave you some statutes.

And these statues come from the federal government that was sent to Washington, DC.

And I'm gonna read some of the statutes, and these statutes are from the video.

The first one is conspiracy against rights.

Be careful with this one with yourself because you be interrupting us when we were talking.

But these are felony.

That's not a fellow.

It would be civil with you.

The deparations of rights under the color of law.

Death of bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds.

You know, when you're in the housing authority, and when I give Louise a job that she's not qualified for that you send her down there, that's deaths of funds.

Is that there for what?

All right.

Um fraud, and also this is another one, guys.

Official misconduct by public, but that's uh that's a new jersey.

And the big one, Felicia had props, Rico.

Rico was a criminal empower with more than four people, she called it.

And uh we know it's more than four people.

Now, what I'm coming here for today is it's election time, and I want to talk to the people in the housing authorities who I had the relationship when I was the uh commissioner.

I want to talk to the people in the housing authority.

I want to talk to people on section eight.

Totally, when you put them all together in families, it's probably a third of New Jersey being touched by Section 8 or the Housing Authority.

I want you to listen to commissioner, ex-Commissioner Alif Mohammed.

This is my uh pick.

I'm picking Gail Cheneyfield.

Please vote me for Central Ward.

There's nowhere in the world.

Amina Bay can stand up to Gail Cheneyfield.

Amina Bay one last time by cheating.

And we're not gonna let that happen this time.

Uh in the South Ford, y'all know I love Pastor.

I love you so much.

You know, I love them, but don't vote for them.

But I'm not gonna get in the race because I don't know who I but I think they're gonna be in the runoff, Louie.

And um uh it's gonna be a rough race, you know.

I like Asia.

I remember when she ran with Dawn.

The Westboard, this guy became my man, and I'm gonna stay out of there, but I'm gonna be in Bradley Court for the mayor, for my mayor, and for other people out, councilman large.

So I'm gonna be in Bradley Court, but I'm not gonna stay out of it.

And McCoy, we go way back.

Uh Louise, I want Donna to take your space.

I think she would do better.

I think that you are not fulfilling the qualifications.

You got a lot of Johnny on the spot, but you ain't got no solutions.

I told you a long time ago, you are a councilwoman.

You're not the aide to the mayor no more.

Every time you go somewhere, you got a promocation for you and a proclamation for the mayor.

You don't work for the mayor no more.

You're a legislative, you're a council person, and I'm still waiting on the answers to uh what's that?

Society Hill after a year.

At large.

At large, I'm picking my nephew.

Junior, former police officer, entrepreneur, and for my other at large right now.

Donald Jackson.

Now I need everybody to clap for that.

Wouldn't that something to be Donna Jackson up there?

Boy, they would tear the place up.

Jamal.

Louise is a good aide.

So when you become mayor, you make sure you make her aid.

You got that, my brother?

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Rodney Davis.

Appearing.

Well, Brother Alif, you don't have to, it ain't no dream because it looked like Don Jackson gonna get it.

But uh you should probably be the highest vote getter.

Make no mistake.

As you go around in the neighborhoods all five wards.

I don't play one side, I'm definitely all city.

So it look like it's gonna be that way.

But Councilman Crumb, I'm gonna ask you a question this this evening.

Uh first question I have for you can we take this down this glass?

I believe that's one of the reasons why so many people are running.

Because you got this thing where we're not on the same level.

You guys are up there and the people over here.

So that glass came up down to COVID, COVID's not around here, calling the doctors, so we can take it down.

It played out.

Second thing that played out, we had the uh lovely councilman McGyver.

She started out with that uh, thank you very much.

Next speaker, please.

Now, Councilman McGuiver, she bounced, she out of here now.

You know, she's doing bigger and better things for herself.

I congratulate black woman making success or whatever, that's her.

But at the same time, let's get a different saying than uh next speaker, please.

People come down here, listen to the people, they come out here with nothing, pouring their hearts out.

And it's like, yeah, thank you.

Next speaker, please bounce.

So we can do something about that, it'll be good too.

You know, next question I got there.

Somebody told me the other day, said, bro, what you gonna do about this 700 million deficit?

Is that true?

We gotta do something.

Who has a 700 million dollar deficit?

And we gotta get something, even though it's election time, you guys are running everything.

Why not we have a town hall regarding the budget so everybody could, you know, see where it's at?

Why we hiding and playing, you know, playing hide and go seek with this budget, you know.

Third thing is can we get some potholes fixed around here?

I mean, this is terrible, man.

Every street got potholes.

Is there a paving plan?

Can we get an answer on that?

Can we get a paving plan going on?

I mean, if you dry, I mean, if you don't gotta pay for your tithes and stuff, you say, I don't care if I hit the pothole.

I get it, I understand.

But can we do something about these potholes, man?

This is more than ridiculous for American city, United States of America.

You know, so before I begin to say I got a couple of questions, and uh, I like to go on further with it.

And that's these construction projects.

Of course, you know that's my uh pet peeve, of course.

Oh, there's one other thing I want to ask you to tell you, council.

You got the guy with the camera over here.

Why do the citizens of Newark and the rest of the world look at my bald head shiny?

I want y'all to have the camera on my face.

What's going on with that, man?

You know, we should you should be able to see a face in America City, United States of America.

It counts, this ain't personal.

I seen counsel the other day.

He said, Why you coming for that?

I said, No, that's my man.

I'm just talking business.

I remember Millsy Crumb used to say, we here for business.

People want to see my face.

I'm A3, Rodney Davis, and I'm running for mayor.

We got a lot of underside of voters left.

And uh, people want to see me.

You know what I mean?

They like seeing fat chubby, they want to see me.

So we gotta do something, council.

We don't have what is with that?

The camera over there and over there, you know.

This is 26.

You don't gotta roll like that, you know.

That's what I want to say.

Before I get to my questions, uh, council president, is the union jobs.

I got a call from local three the other day.

They're saying, we know we like to hire some new orgas, get them off the street, get them in a union so they can have a career.

Are y'all gonna negotiate with the union?

Because the rest of the cities in uh America are doing that.

They're negotiating with the union to get bona fide paying jobs.

So I mean, I would like to say to the city of New York now, you know.

I would like to say to y'all, if y'all want to continue having potholes, your garbage not getting picked up.

Let's not get to the snowplow removal and the same old same.

And you can get with this, or you can get with that.

You should get with this, because this is where it's at.

Unless you want the same old same.

You have to be experienced to have this job.

What a track record, God bless me with, and you have to be this ain't no all-the-job training job.

So I wish all of y'all to get out and vote.

Don't be afraid.

Black people first and women, white women died in this country, got pissed on, fired on, sprinkled along with the hoes, the vote.

Y'all have a good day.

Get out there and vote.

Next speaker.

Jimmy McCoy.

Appearing.

For those who don't know me, hello.

My name is Jimmy McCoy.

The Jimmy the Real McCoy.

Now, my presence here is to reclaim the West Ward.

I'm entering to this Westboard race 2026 for councilmen.

My poster's been turned turned down, been denied access to certain facilities.

And even some of the friends that's part of certain organizations have turned their backs.

My voice is not being heard.

So that's what brought me here today.

And even there's no formal setup for the even for the for the candidates in the West Ward.

Not as of yet.

And we less than 30 days out.

So I'm gonna begin.

Oh, yeah, by the way, uh Depree Keller, this is uh nice that you were cleaning the streets for four years in the office.

You decide to clean the streets.

That's nice.

That's really nice.

It's admirable.

Absolutely.

And this is the most we have ever seen.

Not a lot of times on social media, on tour, or even um doing something at a party.

But my thing mainly is this.

When we needed you the most, when I'm gonna say the seniors, when they lights went out, when their power went down, where were you?

They called me.

It was cold, rainy outside.

The people at St.

Mary's.

When I tell you it was colder inside that building than it was outside, rainy and cold, and even they didn't have backup generators or nothing.

There's no critical care assessments for these seniors.

And y'all, and time and time again, I say people get up here and speak, and nothing is ever done.

And if you go back years back, it's the same old nonsense.

So, Kelly, the people of St.

Mary's is still waiting for those pancakes that you promised.

You don't recall that, huh?

That's okay.

That's okay.

But for the most part, I'm entering in this race because I don't want to set serve any self-interest groups.

I want to serve the people.

And with the people and together and with the organization, we can really change this thing.

I mean, not only just to change, a transformational change.

Restructuring and doing it all together.

Now, when you talk about my plans, it's simple.

I want to organize the renters and I want to organize the homeowners.

Because now you're not just talking about a block association with 20, 15 people, you're talking about organization where you have 15 to 20,000 people, and that number counts.

So when that number shows, and when that number counts, you guys will definitely listen to that because that's 15 to 20,000 votes.

Secondly, I want to also do a CAP program.

It's a community apprenticeship program for the youth.

We have to get them involved.

We have to get them more prepared and ready.

Thirdly, we really don't need any more rappers inside this politics group, being honest.

We need dentists, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, technicians, etc.

My whole thing, and I have to say this, is that when we become totally inclusive, we as a ward, we as a ward, do better.

The chaos that I see in crime is ridiculous.

And we drive by South Barn Javelin like it's okay.

That's ridiculous to me.

My background, a lot of people know it.

My military background, even my organizational skills.

If I can do more in 90 days when I get in that seat, and you did in four years, I want you to shake my hand.

Oh no, of course not.

I know we all know talk is cheap.

We know that.

But I invest in these streets.

I invest in programs, I invest in progress.

Also connect and correct things.

Let's move the West Word in the direction that it needs to go.

By now, no shouldn't be trying to move forward.

We should be thriving by now.

Amen.

Jim McCoy 2C.

West Ward.

Next speaker.

Nadera Brown.

Okay, right.

Oh, yeah, let's get that energy going, everybody.

Let's get that energy going.

Little dry up in here.

I'm sorry, name on the record.

My name is Nidara Brown.

I just want to make sure I'm covered up.

Don't want to show any paraphernalia that's not associated with this room.

Hey, I gotta say myself.

I got to cover up.

Everybody worrying about where I work.

Don't worry about where I work.

I help the people.

I'm blessed to have a job where I work to help the people.

But let's not blend it.

Let's not get it twisted.

I'm still qualified to be on May 12th ballot.

Because I care about the people.

And it's not just about caring.

You gotta follow up.

Because I found this outside, y'all.

I really didn't put no bullet holes in it, but it's the holes in it, and it was on the ground.

And it says Nort deserves real work, not noise.

How do we start a campaign flyer?

Where we're not noise.

You're focusing too much attention on the people that come up here and speak to you.

But unfortunately, you've been in here, not everybody hasn't been in here, some couple months, but you've been in here four years and you want to run around now.

Why don't you put this on live right now?

That's all I see every day.

But it's just the point of this is hearing of citizens, and you don't hear us.

So I just want to go over, you know, some of these great accomplishments from the team, the public safety.

It's the lowest crime rate in 64 years due to community-based approach to safety.

But let's just go with it.

He established the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma.

You established it, but what did you do with it?

So then you place social workers in every police precinct to address trauma, mental health, and conflict.

Now I know one social worker that works really hard, and I don't want to bring her name up because every time I bring somebody's name up, you just go, you know, messing with folks.

But these social workers still need to get to the resources that's out here, but you're not communicating with the people out here.

Then you want to talk about affordable housing.

We still playing with that.

You expand the pathways to home ownership.

Stop with this vague, because all the loyalists that come out here that want to rah-rah for them, go ahead.

Vote for them.

I need people to support me that understand me.

I don't need your support.

But at the same time, keep it real.

What have you done?

We ask for specific.

Give me examples of what you've done.

You can't run around these last couple weeks because you ain't did nothing in four years.

Well, it's been a lot of years, you know, but at the same time, I'm not here to throw jabs, but at the same time, I'm tired of coming up here to talk to you about it.

But at the last meeting, the council president said they was gonna help that woman, so she's still with them rats.

But y'all think giving a one week at a hotel is gonna solve a problem.

So you take a person out, then you put them back in a situation.

What is the problem?

Why can't you help?

Oh, because you said if you talk about me, I ain't gonna help you.

What kind of mess is that?

But that was so professional.

Do you know your ethics?

Well, I would like to ask something on record.

Us individuals have to come out here and park on the streets.

We're getting tickets for the special event parking.

And if you look up the law, the council meetings isn't qualified as a special event, but yet we're getting tickets.

I want to propose a solution.

Maybe a lot, 25 spots in the parking deck, because it's after work, after the employees leave, that maybe we can get a spot because there's nowhere to park outside.

And then if you don't take care of the ticket, then your license suspended, North don't tell you, then they want to hold months away appointments.

I'm just bringing up something, but I wanna bring up this last thing.

Food distribution.

Partner with Hello Fresh to distribute over two million meals every Wednesday since 2019.

Well, a thousand meals times 52, 52,000 times is 364,000.

Oh, no wonder the budget ain't right because you don't even know how many meals you gave out.

You don't know how to add a subtract.

But I'm a naysayer, I'll be a naysayer.

Oh, I'm negative.

No, I'm bringing facts.

Accountability does feel like an attack, but I'm sick and tired that y'all sitting here acting like everything okay.

Oh, I'm getting ready because it's 18.

Let's do the countdown.

Let's do it.

Thank you for your compliments.

Come on, next speaker.

Like, come on.

You don't know what I've been through.

Come on, sis.

I hit the bottom and I'm still here.

Come on, sis.

Still here.

And I'm gonna keep trucking, and I'm gonna keep doing because we all have it.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Tanisha Gardner.

It's Gardner appearing.

Do the math.

Do the math.

Good evening.

Good evening.

The Globe mentioned in the article that I'm not a credible mayor or candidate for rises.

I would like to ask what clarifies me as credible.

It's being credible someone who's dedicated their life to community reform and empowering people living in poor housing.

It's being credible speaking up, educating and advocating for the people that are too scared to fight for justice.

Because they don't want to get evicted.

Is it being credible standing up against oppression for all the men and women in the community who don't have basic necessities or resources to live and provide for their families?

It's being credible advocating for laws from the federal, state, and local that impact us all.

Last time I checked, I've been doing all these things for a long time.

Not just because I'm running for mayor.

And even though people may not have the courage to acknowledge my sacrifice, I know God does.

So I ask you again.

What does this article mean when it says that I'm not credible?

Am I not credible because they believe I'm not educated enough?

Or do they think I'm not intelligent enough?

Do they think that I'm not credible because I'm not rich enough?

Or does it mean being a single mother raising three daughters make me less credible than that man sitting in that office as mayor?

Does me being bold, honest, outspoken, fearless, selfless makes me not credible?

Or maybe a black woman in politics make me not credible enough to revive, to resurrect, to inspire, to lead, to have the to lead the half and the have nots, the rich, the poor, the youth, the elders, to a better life, to a better way to live in a peace to not community for our children and for our family and for our city.

Now I would like to ask all the citizens in the city of Newark.

You tell me, do you think if I'm not credible enough?

So I asked you to vote for Tanisha H.

Garner for Mayor, so we could change this city.

We put too much work.

We have been suffering.

Things are changing in this community.

It's changing around the world.

It's gonna take each and every one of us to be able to make that change.

I don't care what color you are, where backgrounds you come from.

We're all being affected.

And we must all work together.

And we must all stand up together.

So once I say again, vote for Tanisha H.

Garner for mayor, A6.

God bless you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lisa Mitchell Parker.

Appearing.

Good day, criminal cultists running our government.

No gas.

Electric clown, expect a circus.

Um, I handed y'all this paper here because Allison Ladd at the last meeting when you were selling the lots and approving for Kawa Eita Towers, came here and said, Let's talk truth and the facts.

Well, I gave you this, it's a court document, the truth and the facts about Kawiita Towers.

And the main person is listed is Allison Ladd.

And what they accuse you of is political exploitation, malfeasance, gamesmanship.

They also said about you that uh, where's it at?

They said so many things about y'all.

But let me let me go on.

Alison Ladd was complicit in being a dishonest broker.

The property on your document was assessed at 2.2 million dollars.

You sold it for $33,000.

That's in February 2021 from your own resolution.

Fast forward, December 21st.

We had a settlement of 450K and 73K for your missed deeds over this project.

That's over half a million dollars we spent and still didn't make no money on that.

Then last month you sold it for 500K to one of your friends and put a female on it, because you know that's a hot topic, but it's still friends and family.

Don't play with me.

Then you turned around.

The same man, Newark Tech World that's on there for a settlement.

You sold them a property last meeting that was assessed at 1.7 million for 525,000 dollars.

I bring this to your attention to prove our city is being mismanaged, um, property being sold and developed by friends and family and donors, and it's the reason the city is bankrupt.

Um, we can no longer afford to elect the same people that are not representing our interests.

They're coming knocking on your doors, passing out literature.

Where were the elected when you had no heat, no hot water, no, no garbage pickup?

Three times on my block, no snow removal, pothole, dirty water, high taxes, no jobs, no career paths for our young people, and public safety is at an all-time low.

Stop lying.

At the end of the day, my community, I take them very seriously, society hell.

We all came out 400 strong, told them what we didn't want in our community.

The same developer been there three times under different LLC names, but it's the same people, and y'all think people are stupid.

And so here what I want to say.

We are the people that invested in the community, we maintain the community, and we made it attractive for people.

Now, just because they the same ones that's affiliated with y'all, donate to all of your campaigns, and by the way, I saw you the other day with the attorney for the KS group at the planning board when y'all had that big fundraiser with Shaquille O'Neal there.

I'm paying attention to y'all at the end of the day.

Y'all came, three of y'all came.

I don't want to call your names out, but three of y'all came and said y'all was gonna address legislation to help us with our tax abatement, the unregulated HOA fees that no one can afford.

And it's been over a year because you came there in January and you did nothing.

Let me take my first my last minutes to say this.

Lisa Gray is on the school board, she's A6.

The same people that y'all asked off on your flyer here for school board, is some of the same people that y'all had running against Gail in the last election.

Tammy Holloway to spoil it as she was.

I'm telling you, Newarkers, Jamal Youngblood, Gail Cheneyfield Jenkins, Donna Jackson, Louie Quintana, Nadira Brown.

Vote for people that have your interest, not the people that's selling you out and having come see you in four years.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Felicia Austin Singleton.

Contend oh Lord for those who contend with me.

Fight against those who fight against me.

Psalms 35.1.

If y'all don't know what it means, go ask Pat and Pat and Louise.

Patrick, you have a lady right here from the South Ward that called your office and needs to speak to you.

So can you send a representative over to speak to her?

She was told to come to the council meeting, but she can't speak, so she's here.

Yeah.

So we're here at election time.

And we got Team Baraka coming against each individual candidates.

You got Rachma Muhammad, and I don't need him, Eric, or pet council president coming up here to say anything because I said his name tonight.

If he wants to, he can sign up and speak like just like us, not tonight.

At the end of the day, he's on Facebook two hours after eight o'clock, making videos for team Baraka.

What jobs is he creating by doing that?

Then you got the surrogate of Essex County, Joey D and Leroy Jones.

Get your boy.

Don't put him back on the ballot if he's over here supporting Team Baraka.

Let's be real about this.

That's not their job.

Their job is to connect people to jobs and then go and go over somebody's burial last plans.

That's it.

You should be running on your own merit at each time him.

Not a team.

Because at the end of the day, if we don't like somebody on the team, guess what?

We exing all of y'all out.

Vote all of them out if you don't, if if nothing has been done for you.

What have you done for me lately?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

I want I do.

And I hope I don't get people in trouble.

I hope.

Thank you, Louise Roundtree, for answering my calls and addressing issues of people that is homeless.

Not one, but many.

But many.

I can come up here and beat you down, but I can't come up here and say thank you.

Do it all.

My councilman.

Councilman, my councilman.

I should say that to Joe, right?

George King Village.

Georgia King Village.

Meeting at the meeting, and those residents came and told you that we had we are scared of the pit bulls.

We're scared of the pit bulls.

It's pit bulls out here.

Three people's more somebody.

Sue the city.

Sue each one of them that bought their tails over there to George King Village and it went on her.

The blood is now on your hands.

The blood is on your hands.

You knew Georgia King wasn't good.

You knew they were slum lords.

By the way, do help Mary Rouse.

She has no hot water.

Didn't have no hot water in the in the snow.

She's back on Facebook saying she has no hot water.

We have to do better.

LM should be zero.

They should be head of that list that y'all supposed to create it.

Supposed to create it.

Take Georgia King tax abatement tonight.

You can do it.

You have the power.

Take it.

They neglected residents.

They didn't care.

They had the drug activity out there.

Pit bulls out there.

How much you need?

How much you need?

Take their tax abatement.

But you gave them the property next to the museum.

So I'm I'm thinking the more I'm corrupt, the more I get from the city.

See, if y'all had caught me when I was 18 or 25, I would have been down with y'all.

Trust me, I would have been down for the get down.

But I ain't get to be this age to go to jail for somebody else's foolishness.

Are you kidding me?

Are you kidding me?

You got me twisted.

I can't kiss my own behind.

So damn if I'm gonna kiss yours.

I can't do it.

But yet and still, y'all sit over here and want to be team with Rocka.

Run up your own merits.

And I just want to say happy birthday to my commissioner.

Oh, she left.

Well, happy birthday to Linda Washington, New York Commissioner.

She wanted to come down here to see what was going on.

But y'all used to vote.

Y'all, y'all so disconnected from Newark House and 30.

Y'all used to vote on a minutes on here.

How come they not on the agenda tonight?

Because they had a meeting last month.

Y'all corrupt, diabolical, don't know no other way to describe it.

Fail leadership.

Fail leadership.

If you know God, I hope you get on your knees tonight and ask him for forgiveness and come do the right thing by the residents.

It's election time.

If they haven't heard your calls, if they haven't answered your cries, if they haven't done a thing, vote them out on May 12th.

It's over.

We need something new in New York.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Gail Cheney Phil Jenkins.

Appearing.

Good evening, Gail Cheneyville Jenkins, 88 Richmond Street, Newark, New Jersey.

I just wanna say the mere fact that right now my face is on television.

And within two seconds, it's gonna be off.

And you've been doing that to the rest of the speakers.

That's so petty and childish.

You all are supposed to be above that kind of decorum.

You know, you talk about the Republicans and how they act.

You guys are acting worse.

That is so petty.

And that is the way that you guys feel about the residents.

See you one minute and you go on the next.

We got less than 26 days before this election.

And this is my final appeal to every Newark resident, especially those who live in the Central Ward.

I've heard from seniors who are living in deplorable conditions, being told they have to vote for specific candidates or risk being evicted.

Whatever happened to civil rights when our people die for the right for people to be able to vote.

They have managers who don't listen to them.

They are spoken to like children.

The elevators don't work half of the time, and far too many have given up hope.

But on May 12th, every voter has a chance to make a difference for themselves, their neighbors and their children and the children of Newark.

You have to participate in your own rescue by coming out to vote.

Because there's no superheroes, there's no martyrs.

You have to participate, and we're asking all hundred and seventy thousand voters in the city of North.

We know you're tired, we know you discussed it, but come out one last time.

I've heard from many young families that can't afford housing that you all can is affordable housing in this city.

It's not affordable.

But if it's affordable, who is it affordable for?

It's not affordable for the young people who live in the city of Newark, who've gone to school, who graduated with degrees, BAs, and and and masters, and they can't get a job, but a chick that was at a gogo bar shaking her behind can get a job in the city.

How are we doing that?

Why are we doing that?

That's disgusting.

That there is not a pathway to employment for our youth and for other people who are qualified in this city.

The developers are getting richer and they're building substandard quality housing while this city is derelict and collecting many of the tax abatements that are owed from these developers.

Now let Miss Jones on South Sixth Street not pay her taxes.

Her house will be foreclosed on.

It will be taken away.

But at the end of the day, the developers get a break.

They don't even get a slap on the wrist.

They get rewarded.

I've heard from the small businesses that have had to close their doors because the city's parking authority is not friendly to customers.

It has time, it's not time to help the small, it's time to help the small businesses, which are the backbone of this city.

The parking authority, the um Ronnie Davis mentioned about the pot um potholes.

We're all driving through these potholes, these craters.

I hit a pothole so damn going big, it changed the damn radio station for me in my car.

I mean, this is ridiculous.

It's true.

Where's the plan for repairing these streets?

You had the opportunity to do it when 82 million dollars came into this city during COVID, and everybody was at home.

You could have paved the streets then.

People could have moved their cars, and we could have had nice asphalt streets.

My hope is that for the people in the Central Ward and all of North.

You have enough hope and enough fight left in you.

Because this is a fight for the soul of this city.

It is a battle.

And you guys need to understand something.

That plexiglass represents what you all don't want to see and hear and touch.

But you'll go and knock on somebody's door and shake their hand and say, hey, I'm I need your vote.

Come on, folks, we're better than this.

At the end of the day, it's about dignity.

You drop food off for the seniors, and they can't even get the food upstairs from that from the first floor to the 15th floor, but you'll come and put a petition underneath their door, you come and put a flyer underneath their door.

You'll come and put a flyer underneath their door.

Where's the humanity?

You got to care about people at some point in time.

It's not about May 12th.

It's about May 13th.

Because let me tell you something.

With all of these people running, we here, and I know y'all hear it, because when y'all call them, they're telling you, I don't want to hear from you.

People are tired, and they're not gonna go away after May 13th.

They're gonna be here, and we're gonna be here, and we're gonna make sure that we put together some referendums to make sure that the work that needs to be done in this city gets done.

My name is Gail Cheneyfield Jenkins.

I'm running for Central Board.

My line number is C2.

Thank you for your comments.

Thank you for your time.

Shakir McDougall.

Mr.

McDougal is here.

I do not think he is appearing.

Next speaker.

Rachel Jones.

Rachel Jones appearing.

I'm so sorry.

I'm here tonight because I'm really very tired, vulnerable, hopeless.

My name is Rachel Jones, and I reside at Sixth Virginia Plaza.

I'm here today to speak about the ongoing unsafe living conditions in my home.

Conditions that have been ignored for over five years, and a serious incident that happened happened on March 9th and March 25th.

That made me feel unsafe in my own space.

For more than five years, I have consistently reported major issues in my unit.

This includes a leaking ceiling, holes in the flooring, electrical problems that could potentially cause a fire, and plumbing issues that allow water and at times other substances to run through the walls.

To put it plainly, every time I take a bath or even flush the toilet on the second floor, I am at risk of flooding the first floor.

You can actually hear water moving through the walls.

Because of the ceiling leak, water buildups on the floor, and I have slipped and fallen multiple times as a result.

This is not just inconvenient, it's dangerous.

I suffer from epilepsy.

So these falls are not minor accidents.

They are serious threats to my health and safety.

Despite repeatedly bringing these concerns to management, the only action taken has been temporarily patchwork repairs.

Maintenance workers come in, apply quick fixes, and leave, but not the root, but the root problems are never addressed.

From what I have observed, these repairs are not being handled by properly licensed professionals, especially when it comes to structural plumbing and electrical work.

As a result, the same issues continue over and over again.

I have lived in this unit for over 20 years, and I have experienced conditions like this.

What makes it even more difficult is emotional toll.

Living in a space where you don't feel safe, where you are consensusly worried, falling, flooding, or something worse, create ongoing stress and anxiety.

And to add to that, I have been reaching, I have tried reaching my case manager, Angelica Vargas, for the past month without any response.

Now I also need to address what happened today, which is March 9th.

When you came to my resident with two men, and you entered into my home, which I am speaking about the New York Housing authorities, I repeatedly asked that you leave, but my request was ignored.

I felt unsafe.

My boundaries were not responded.

We respected, and because of that, I have no choice but to call the police.

No tenant should ever have to feel that way in their own home.

Under new Jersey tenant law, I have the right to quiet employment enjoyment of my home.

That includes protection from unauthorized unlawful entry, except in true emergency.

Proper notice is required before entering to a tenant's residence.

What happened today was not just inappropriate, it was intimidating and deeply distressing.

When you combine that with unsafe living condition, I have already been dealing with for years.

It only increases my concern for safety and well-being.

So today, for accountability and action, I am requesting a full inspection of my unit by licensed professionals who are qualified to properly assess the repairs.

Structural plumbing and electoral issues.

I am requesting permanent repairs, not temporary fixes that we that will finally resolve the hazard that have existed in my home for years.

I am requesting written clarification about what happened, why my home was entered, and what policies in place regarding staff access to tenant units.

Am I requesting clear communication for it moving forward?

I need to know what the plan is, what the timeline is, and how many homes will be brought back to a how my home will be back brought back to back to a habitable condition.

Please understand after 20 years of living here, I'm not asking anything unreasonable.

I am simply asking to live in a home that is safe, a home where my health is at risk, a home where my rights as a tenant are respected because of how long these issues have been going on unresolved and how serious they are.

I have also made a cop, I also made sure to copy the executive doctor of the Newark House of Authorities, Department of Housing.

Unfortunately, your time is up.

Okay.

Well, thank you for your comments.

If you have a seat, I know somebody from our staff is going to speak with you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Mary Bay.

And before I get started, I have to say thank God for everything.

You know why?

God bless me to turn 75 years old last Monday.

And you know what I have to say?

Go shorty.

It's my birthday.

Happy birthday.

Okay.

So I came here today because I wanted to thank the council.

As you know, my TV show, Television, honored six women on March the 27th.

And the Newark Municipal Council gave them a resolution in addition to Mayor Baraka, in addition to the assembly woman, and also the governor.

And I wanted to thank you because these women are hard-working women that helped to build Newark.

So that's why we gave it to you.

Thank you.

And every year, my TV show, Tell a Vision recognizes the women.

I, my name is Maryam Bay.

I'm sorry to introduce myself.

And uh Councilman Roundtree, I want to thank you because you respond to me as well.

I appreciate that.

And I want to say again that God is good.

With everything that's going on here, I live in Newark.

I've owned my home for 34 years in Newark, and I work for Newark.

And the brothers and sisters that I work with, they have some serious issues, particularly housing.

And we have to address that.

And what I want to say is that on my block, it looks a lot better.

But the concern is is that this is not hopefully this is not just because it's election time.

And afterwards, it's going to be the same.

Because the slum lords that we have, if you come and look at what they have in front of the house, I was I was out yesterday in South Orange, also in Maplewood.

Okay, it doesn't look like that.

And I'm trying to figure out, I know there's some people who who work for the city of Norway who live in South Orange and Hillside Union County.

Um where they live, it doesn't look like what where we're living.

And why is it allowed?

I'm concerned about our children, thinking that this is supposed to be normal.

This is not normal behavior.

We don't want them to think that living in filth is normal.

And then the other thing is that people be driving real fast on the blocks, not taking the fact that the kids are playing on the streets.

So I'm hoping and praying to God that we're going to make sure that these slum lords are held accountable.

Okay, for what they have been doing for years.

Because of my block, it never looked like this.

And I've been living on my block for 34 years.

So I know what it looked like then and what it looks like now.

But now it looks a little bit better.

You know, and um I wanted to thank you for that.

I really appreciate that.

And with everything that's going on, we need to be held more accountable for what is going on so that we can take care of our community.

And that's one of the reasons why I work like I do for the city.

I not only I not only work uh seven hours uh a day, I work on the weekends too.

Because I have brothers and sisters who are coming home from prison and they need certain things that I cannot help them with during the daytime where I work at.

Okay, it's getting to that point.

And I'm here to service, and that's what I will continue to do.

And again, I just want to thank you.

And um I have to say, uh, Ali.

I went to Wake Lake High School too.

But I'm but I'm older than you.

How old are you?

Okay, I'm 75.

Okay, okay.

Yes, okay.

So have a wonderful day.

And everybody, everybody who's looking at this, who's hearing this, the one that's in charge is God.

Come on.

That's the one who's in charge.

Okay, and that's one of the reasons why I'm so grateful to God that He's gotten me to 75 years old so I can continue to do the work.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Jamar Youngblood.

Jamar Youngblood.

I want to address two things with my time.

First, I want to share what's happening with our DPW workers, and second, I want to reshare my plan that I presented to our city council members last year.

I received many messages from our DPW workers who are dissatisfied with how they are being treated.

Here's one of them.

A quote.

They put people on the back of garbage trucks illegally.

They promise us benefits every year, and we never get them.

Since I lasted this long, it is clear I am suitable for the job.

And it is unfair that residents are blaming us essential workers for our dirty streets when it is clear that we have bad management.

It's like they want us to remain stagnant and dependent on them instead of providing opportunities for us to grow and climb the ladder.

I am currently homeless, and I went to City Hall to ask for help over a year ago, and no one has caught me back.

I am tired of giving my all to our city and trying to make our mayor look good when we truly get no love down here.

Not all of us are felons, and we shouldn't be treated as such.

Our streets are dirty because we do not have enough workers and we are not being taken care of.

Our trucks always break down, and we really want to know where the money is going.

We received 80 million dollars from the federal government during the pandemic because we were essential workers, but only a small group of people received payments.

We just want to know where the money is going.

End quote.

I just want to say to our DPW workers, you have 27 days until the election.

Now is the time to make your demands clear and have your voices heard.

You are just as important as our police and firefighters and deserve to be treated as such.

If your concerns are not addressed now and this administration stays in the office after May 12th, you will face four more years of the same treatment.

I am begging you to organize and make sure your concerns are heard in the next few weeks.

And if you need help, I am here.

Now let's talk about the plan we created for our city.

Last year, I presented a plan to our council members created by a group of North residents called North 30.

The goal of the plan is to build a self-sufficient and fully transparent city by the year 2030.

We decided that in order for our lawmakers to create effective policies, we must first understand the different needs of North residents.

We organize residents into four groups: emergency, surviving, doing okay, and doing well.

Emergency includes residents struggling with basic needs like food, shelter, and safety, while surviving includes residents who are barely meeting who are barely meeting basic needs without stability.

Doing okay includes a residents meeting their needs with little savings, and doing well includes residents who are financially stable and have disposable income.

This frameworks allows the city to target resources and policies more precisely so each group gets the support needed to improve their quality of life.

The remainder of the plan expands affordability and economic stability by creating co-ops for essential services, launching our own local currency and keeping money circulating within our city.

It also strengthens transparency and government accountability while improving our technology infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

Lastly, our plan invests in residents through job training, education, and pathways to ownerships so residents can own their future in our city.

Norkers, I urge you to read our plan before you head to the polls on May 12th by visiting NORT30.org.

To our council members and administration, I hope we can work together to implement these ideas regardless of what happens on election day.

Again, I do not have any real beef with any of you.

I just love the people in our city, and I truly believe we can do better, y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Marilyn Sowell.

Maryland Sowell.

Up here.

Hello, I'm Marilyn Sowell.

North resident my entire life.

North resident, my entire life.

I am here today because I have been going back and forth with the police station, prosecutor's office, and written countless letters.

No one cared or cares about the constant pain that I am in.

Right now, and I'm dealing with a situation that is deeply ruining my life, as well as my sisters.

I'm being attacked cyberly.

My cyber harassment is nothing like the typical online drama that you heard of.

These people are cyber monsters.

My home, my lights, my microwave, AC, wash machine, radios, my heat, my deep freezer, and even a battery operated Swiffer MOP is brought is brought under their control.

These monsters on a deli.

Each year that pass, I observed the control grow to levels that makes my story surreal.

They are attacking my work, cutting my hours, cutting my hours.

Somehow I'm punched in anyway, and the clock will run on for hours and hours.

The attacks on my 76-year-old sister is sinister.

They started with her TV lights being blown out, cancellation of her life alert, her transportation from the doctor and to the doctor be canceled.

Her blood pressure machine, false reading.

As I mentioned earlier, this is nothing like the typical online drama you have heard.

On December on December 31st, on December 31st, my sister was admitted into St.

Michael's Hospital.

Her blood work came back low potassium.

I automatically knew that that can't be right.

She takes 20 milligrams of potassium every day and eat lots of bananas.

I told her son of my suspicions, but I said nothing.

I was I was I he said I was crazy and I did nothing.

By January the 2nd, 2026, she was in heart failure.

Medicine was given to her to counteract the overload of potassium she received.

At this time, at this current time, she's still suffering from some of the effects of having too much potassium in it.

But I had knew that it was my cyberstalkers.

I can grant any authority figure permission to speak to any of her doctors to solidify my claims.

I bring this serious matter before you for some relief for me and my family.

I'm gonna end my speech with my eight-word entry.

Please save my sister.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

I could barely hear.

Mayor, City of Newark, May 12th, 2026.

You know, let me talk about this uh pre-meeting yesterday.

Now I don't know.

I guess because you all are sitting so comfortably, because you feel like you got it in the bag.

Ramos, I I've never known you to be this sloppy on the council.

Like you've been smacking, like the last couple meetings, you're smacking and you yeah, and I'm just what?

You know, and then you've got the president up here with his two naked drinks.

You got the Dunkin' Dunnless coffee, you got the water, you got stuff everywhere.

And I'm watching this for professionals, and they're laughing at the city of Newark, because this is what you all have become.

Then when the questions are being asked, or the plans are gone over, you're sitting there just, yeah, the air is stale, y'all are just rope, everything's like, yeah, we know what's gonna happen, we're gonna say yes to this, and we get the attitudes.

I mean, you have to see these people dissect everybody for years.

But anyway, it's it's a travesty.

It really is.

And so, Newark, Newark, New Jersey, my people, my Norkites.

You all have to pay attention because it's time for change, it's been time for change.

If you want someone that has been here, has not gone anywhere, regardless of whatever was going on, then you vote for Deborah Salter's 1A, Operation Clean House.

There is no working with these people.

Do you understand that?

For those of you who are like, oh, I just want a better relationship with my mayor, I just want to work with these people, these people will not work with you.

Then you have your mayor at 777 with Shaq and all the stars who always, yeah, we gotta keep him in office forever and ever and ever.

Well, I wonder why, because they benefit and we don't.

If you think you can't live now, what do you think is gonna happen if you allow this this travesty to continue?

You have to stand up, rise up, get up, and vote May 12th, 2026.

It's not about new faces and let's try this.

You know who's been here working.

You know who has you and your best interests at heart.

I'm not trying to make history, I'm making changes, saving lives.

In fact, we had 14 police officers on one man a couple days ago, sitting there eating his soup, minding his business.

Seven cars roll up on this man.

He asked him what's going on.

Then he gets tried to touch him.

Then they want to get mad because he's pushing them off.

Wind up arresting him, banging his legs and doing things like this.

These police, since I'm telling you, consent decree.

I told you guys, they're out of control.

And those of you who are telling our black children to not become officers, shut your mouth.

They need to become police officers.

They need to become police officers because the lines have been drawn.

These Latino Hispanic officers take care of their own.

I've seen it, I've experienced it.

They get caught with no licenses, no registrations, no anything, no tickets, they don't tow their cars.

I've been in accident.

I'm telling you, we cannot act like it is not happening.

It's happening.

And I'm telling you that day one, Operation Clean House.

May 12th, we have got to clean this house.

We've got to clean the filth and corruption.

We've got to set this thing straight.

Norc needs someone who is going to do the right thing for the right reasons.

I'm not trying to get along with anybody.

Oh, did that pop-up ever happen?

At the situation.

Because, you know, there's a living situation where uh, you know, I always reach out and uh to make things happen, but it's been over a week, right?

And it's it's dire straight, mold and all of these things.

So I'm telling you, I'm tired of talking to people who don't care.

I have been someone and am someone that is everywhere in this city for everything.

When we didn't have a central war person, I was fighting for the central ward.

Did I not call you uh at large as out about that?

Did I not come and get you and bring you to the places?

So I get the work done.

I'm out here.

Now I know those don't support me who I've worked shoulder to shoulder with because you wanted to be your friend.

And since it can't be your friend, you'd rather let the city burn.

Then do you really love the city?

Or are you just like this administration that's here?

Huh?

Because you just like them if you don't want the person to get the job done.

Like who you want.

I am the one to get the job done, because I'm already doing it.

Whether I receive any, because I don't receive anything except the pleasure of helping the people.

Let's stop playing games and call it what it is.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Anna Jackson.

Uh I know I saw her.

Yep, appearing.

Oh, yes, yes.

Lord Jesus.

Amen.

No, not yet.

By the end.

Donna Jackson.

Team Baraka.

We done rocked y'all world.

The boy twirling at the state of the city address.

So unprofessional to the rest of the world.

What kind of dance was that?

Oh, he was imitating me.

Okay.

Big mouth that don't know nothing.

I'm glad I gave you a little dance cue, Mr.

Baraka.

Still didn't get it right though.

You didn't twirl around enough.

You didn't shake your rear end enough.

Rise, rise.

No, fall, fall.

It's just gonna have to fall, fall.

That's what it's gonna be.

You want to play with me?

Let's play.

Send your letters, send your stuff, play.

Come on.

Lies.

More paperwork.

More paperwork.

It's your paperwork.

Send you a no resolution.

I didn't make up the money.

You did.

You did.

So let me get to it.

For all the city employees that received your retro pay, you are more than welcome.

And you have one person to thank for that.

Donna Jackson.

Because if not for me, and I'm gonna brag on myself, they would have did nothing.

Your union ain't come to this mic?

Donna came to the mic.

Donna made Mr.

P come to the mic in November and say the retro pay will be rolled over into 2026.

So where the lie at?

That's what you did.

Then you turn around and only smack them with six, seven hundred dollars.

Duh, that's not the retro pay.

Where the money at?

Same question.

And I love it now that the youth involved.

That's why y'all can't take it.

That's why they're dancing.

That's why we out there doing stuff that you ain't never did.

And the problem is that y'all got an attitude.

You know you're wrong and you got an attitude.

I remember coming out of Donald Payne's funeral.

And the lady from Channel 7 and Channel 4 came straight to me.

What words do you have to say for us to remember Councilman Payne?

Congressman Pain.

And I said to her, no matter what, that man always maintained a relationship of communication, even when I told him he wasn't doing nothing.

And I told him that.

Y'all gotta learn.

You gotta learn.

You didn't learn.

This is public servant.

Gotta learn.

So let me go to this.

You know, you got your little crew.

That's good.

We got crew too.

Okay.

No our crew growing.

Because they're sick of y'all.

That's the sentiment across the state.

Not only in Norfolk, across the country now.

Thank you, young blood.

Thank you, my son.

Thank you.

For sharing me and everybody else.

Because we taking over.

We're taking over.

So let me go to this plan that y'all signed.

Fabilla Victoria.

Villa Victoria.

Stop calling me.

I'm at the meeting.

Villa Victoria shall mean the construction improvement and rehabilitation of 194 affordable housing units.

This was signed.

2021.

Whew.

What unit got done?

Which one?

Can't tell.

I know you're holding your head over there now.

Oh my God.

Rush, rush, fall, fall.

Get on your knees, because that's what y'all are doing.

You let these LLC boys come in here and rape this city.

Y'all let it happen.

And let me tell all you employees that got a check.

Y'all better see me.

Y'all better see me because you don't pay me union dues, but I got y'all that money.

And you better talk about it.

You better do what you gotta do.

It's okay.

It's okay.

I'm good.

They can video me.

Because I'm all over anyway.

Make me a super superstar.

Go ahead.

Because I can wear it well.

Because I don't have an attitude.

I am angry and disappointed because we're not supposed to be here.

We are not supposed to be here.

Get these senior builders together.

Get these child safety bars on these buildings because they're not on there.

We done lost a baby already.

Y'all still ain't checking the building.

Hire some people that can read that know code and go out here and stop letting these buildings go up with no permits.

Just because it's political time, just because you owe them money, stop letting these people build this upstanding nonsense in my damn city.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lisa A.

Gray.

Lisa Gray.

Appearing.

Okay.

Hello.

Can you guys hear me?

Yes.

Okay.

Um, good evening, Council President.

The other council members.

I'm Lisa Gray from New York, New Jersey.

Um, I am Lisa A.

Gray for the people, and I'm running for a seat on the Newark Board of Education.

My poll number is A6.

I am running for the school board on a platform of accountability, transparency, inclusion, and equity.

I am the only woman running against a slate of men.

Now, this is significant because if you watch the school board meetings, it's primarily the women who challenge the superintendent and hold him accountable.

If I weren't for it, watch it yourself.

Um the men who I'm running against, I refer to them as the yes men.

And I'm referring to them as the yes men because their campaigns are being sponsored by, supported by, and financed by a group of high-powered politicians, including some of Newark's Millionaire Council people.

Newark School District has a 1.6 billion dollar budget.

Yet less than a third of our students are reading at grade level, and less than 20% are doing math on grade level.

After COVID, Newark schools received a record 287 million dollars in COVID recovery funds.

Only 5% was allocated for tutoring.

5% now, nearly 16,000 students were identified that they needed tutoring.

Of that number, right?

That's 40% of the student body population who was identified as needing tutoring.

Only 1,900 of those students received tutoring service.

That's roughly 5% of the students who needed it.

My question is this only 5% of the budget of the 287 million was even allocated for tutoring or learning loss.

So I want to know who made that decision.

Oh, somebody tell me who made that decision.

As a school board member, I will make sure that financial decisions are transparent, equitable, and focused on student success.

As a school board member, I will track progress publicly.

I will make sure that policy decisions reflect what's best for the students and not politics.

As a school board member, I will make sure students, parents, and educators have a real seat at the table and a real voice in the decision making process.

So please vote A6, Lisa A grade for the people on Tuesday, April 21st.

That's next Tuesday, A6.

And I just want to talk a little bit about what the role of the school board member is.

The role of the school board members are to set funding priority priorities and to allocate the budget based on student needs.

The role of school board member is to ensure equal access to school programs, in regardless of the student's social economic status, or what part of the city they go to school in.

Part of the school board members' responsibilities is to engage the community and even oversee the procurement process.

Who is getting these contracts?

Where is the $87 million going?

I talked to some students, and I can tell you that their concerns are mental health supporters.

They want a say in the decision making process.

And they have approached the board on multiple occasions asking for that power.

And they've been turned down.

They're concerned about safety.

They're concerned about conditions in the building.

So again, I want to introduce myself.

I'm running for the Newark Board of Education.

Right.

And most importantly, the voices of this community.

Newark serves more than 41,000 students, 67 schools, 70% of our students come from economically disadvantaged households.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Elijah McMorgano.

Appearing.

All right, Mr.

Morgano.

Please come to the mic and speak.

So hallelujah.

We uh Mitakoyeo Yasin live from uh look Lakota Land.

That means we all relations in Ken.

So for those that don't know, like the officers that arrested me on February 13th, they don't know that this is Lenape land.

So I acknowledge that this is Lenape territory, land of the Munti, Unami peoples.

I recognize many New York residents carry aboriginal, which means original peoples of the land, and melanin abundant bloodlines with inherited sovereign rights.

I pledge to honor aboriginal titles, support land back, and never participate in displacement.

So I'm a veteran.

We had to take an oath.

Everybody sitting in these chairs had to take an oath.

The people I support because they all support people.

Latoria Jackson for school board because she's a dope parent.

Deborah Salters because she helped people, and Mutah Alamine because he changed his life.

Right.

And I we took a pledge.

So I'm about to share with y'all my pledge.

Y'all haven't seen me here, right?

Because my life was threatened, and my dad's jobs was threatened for me coming here speaking.

I haven't threatened anybody.

I asked for apologies.

I educate, and I got threatened.

So imagine with a 15-year-old and 16-year-old that hasn't done the work that I did with an eight plus ACE scores is going through.

That's a system, an addiction.

So people's pledge, this is genocide by paperwork.

It ends now.

And from 2015 to 2024, the medium home value went from 242,000 to 465.

That's 92% increase.

The rent went from 1,500 to 20, 2100.

Homeless population, that so-called went down.

I'm I'm part of the houseless community, right?

The so-called went down 60% from 2023, it was 1,595.

2024 was 2451.

Right?

So who's buying North?

Almost 50% of all Newar estate equals institutional buyers.

Those are the tiny hats, those are the LLC boys, right?

That's an acute and predominantly black neighborhoods.

Only 24% of Newark workers have jobs in Newark.

The rest commute from New York City.

Y'all ain't building those towers for our people.

Y'all building those towers for the commuters.

And I look, y'all know where I reside?

Right in front of that tower, right by the FBI building.

I reside right there.

I wake up there and I reside in an empty lot on South Tempest.

This is where the people do the work.

I don't have to come in here to do the work.

And y'all ask me about my family.

I can't see my family.

Because I can't see my family because I'm a veteran that got anger issues, and I was taught how to kill people and follow orders as a veteran.

Follow orders, kill people.

And the fact that I'm here and I speak truth to power.

My birth name is Elijah Abdul Samad Morgano.

That's the ones who walk with Yahweh.

And y'all wonder why I got this unicorn on, right?

Because what I'm saying is real.

This is genocide by paperwork.

Zoning laws allow luxury development.

Black neighborhood tax credit, 740 million developers, minimum affordability, credit checks.

Jim Crow standards block black HUD.

I didn't have to go search for this.

My AI gave it to me.

My AI gave it to me.

So that means y'all can all research this, right?

So the pledge is right, ending genocide by paperwork.

Recognize that 92% of home value increase and 54% of holding homelessness spikes while luxury condos go to New York City commuters and systematic of black Norkers.

I pledge to fight for community land trust, not the Nork Community Land Trust.

Aboriginal community land trust, tenant protection and housing that serves families and the houseless and the Norkers, not developers, spectators.

I will never accept campaign contributions from slum lords or vote for policies that displace the original residents.

Protecting our children, right?

Children, families, and veterans.

I pledge to dismantle the school of prison pipeline, honor our elders, and support family forms.

Lift up the houses.

Even when I recognize colonialism, slavery, capitalism, and white supremacy are active systems still operating today through zoning, credit checks, and corporate land grabs.

I will name these systems.

And listen, y'all gotta sleep at night with that.

The truth has been spoken.

And then y'all could pledge accept the pledge or nah.

Because all money ain't good money.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lucius Jones.

Lucious Jones.

I don't see him, unfortunately.

Queen's 90 Clive.

Lucius Jones not appearing.

Queen Danisha Clive ones.

Appearing.

All of them.

All of us not.

Can we can we get some quiet so that we can hear Miss Clyburn?

Queen Clinton.

It's okay.

I'm okay with it.

Alright.

I want to make sure.

Queen Danisha Clyde Burn 39A, 14th Avenue, New York, New Jersey.

It's election time, y'all.

May 12th.

It's election time, y'all.

So I keep hearing everybody in the main one saying, we on the rise.

Homelessness is on the rise.

17-year-olds that don't have no services, been on the rise.

Our light bills are definitely on the rise.

The drug epidemic is on the rise.

Having programs is a lie, and it's definitely on the rise.

How I know?

Because I had a person that voted through the mail.

And she said to me, I'm a grandmother, and my son died, and I have my grandson.

I went to the boys and girls club, and they want $900 for the summer.

I wasn't trying to say she was lying.

I had to go see for myself.

It's the truth.

$900 for a summer program.

Please write that down.

Yup, sent you award.

Because it's the only one in Newark.

The only one in Norway.

Right?

So that's just one thing.

Because I only come to them like with facts.

Because like my boy said you could Google it, but some of this stuff you can't Google.

You gotta go outside and be a part of this stuff and get these phone calls.

Right?

And then you find out.

So I want to know how many people in here know about the mother that shot a 17-year-old pregnant daughter.

Because y'all ain't helped this little girl.

Guess who got the call yesterday?

Me.

It ain't my job.

But it is because I'm a part of the community.

And because you guys sit in these seats, it is your duty to serve us when we have questions, when we have problems, to answer them and solve them.

Or else, why you here for 30 years, 20 years, 16 years, four years, four months, or whatever months.

Why you here?

I don't want to come here.

But this is the only way I can see all y'all at one time.

And oh Gonzalez is missing.

So this isn't even a this isn't even fair, right?

We this is not even a uh council meeting because you have a person missing.

I think it's in your laws, you all have to be present to vote, right?

Oh, I don't know.

Y'all better look that up.

Look it up.

Anyway, past that.

I need help for this 17-year-old pregnant mom that's homeless.

There were no programs I even called Difus.

Difus said, y'all, and I ain't a fan of them.

Difus said that you cannot, they can no longer take kids from mothers or fathers if they're homeless because it's poverty.

Almost threw up.

Call them and ask them, please.

All y'all should be writing that down.

Because everybody has a case some kind of way.

If you call Dyfus to get help because you're homeless, they don't help.

The only thing they could do is give you beds, dressers, maybe clothes, and some food.

What I'm gonna do with that outside.

Oh, maybe they could put it on the stairs of City Hall and come live here.

Along with the grandma of the 17 year old that's disabled and homeless now, and the two-year-old son.

And mommy's still on a loose.

So we're on the rise of what?

Locking up the wrong people, giving the wrong people tickets, pulling us over for apparently nothing sometime.

Because I got some of those too, and I'm tired of paying them.

Sometimes they just appear and I ain't even driving.

And I'm like the lady that was at the mic.

I'm starting to think my bed transforming because it leaves before I do.

Y'all don't understand we got a mental crisis in here.

Some of that comes right to this mic.

But y'all wouldn't know that because y'all don't be around these people.

We are around all this stuff we talk about every single day.

Big shout out to Muta and my brother Priceless for the Bradley Court program.

It's a sad they're gonna close down, but we still need some space for them kids because they're hungry.

They need somebody like Goodman to mentor them.

Big shout out to my boss, Jessica McBoss lady for helping me supply the vegetables and the fruits.

You guys should be doing that too.

Don't come visit during Thanksgiving.

They gotta eat every day.

And I go for all of y'all.

We need help out here.

Oh, I got a nonprofit now, Kentana too.

So if y'all got some funds, I need that money.

Okay.

I need gas money.

My mileage going up on all my cars because I drive them all.

We're looking for a bus to bust these kids out of North because there's nothing pretty for North.

We're not on the rise.

We're definitely not on a rise.

And it's getting hot.

Thank you.

My time wasn't up.

Don't do that.

Next next speaker.

Darnella Lee.

Darnella Lee, I don't think I saw her.

Darnella Lee.

Not appearing.

Opal Right.

Is a peering.

Oh, yeah.

Yes, good evening.

My name is Oprah, right?

I reside in Vanderple Street in New York, New Jersey.

And my concern is the implementation of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

On Title Ten, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

It is cited as the Consumer Financial Protection Act of Two thousand ten.

In section ten seventeen funding penalties and fines.

Each year, the Board of Governors shall transfer to the Bureau from the combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System, the amount determined by the director to be reasonably necessary to carry out the authorities of the Bureau under federal consumer financial law and taking into account such other sums made available to the Bureau from the preceding years.

And there's a funding cap.

And most it's the budget and financial management.

There is the operation of plans and forecasts, the financial statements that the Bureau shall prepare.

And there's also the use of funds, the funds that are attained, they are transferred to or credited to the Bureau funds shall be immediately available to the Bureau and under the control of the director.

I would like to also just go into a little of into the of course I'm hoping that our council people will be able to assist our consumers going into our throughout the year.

Also, we have the Title 11.

There's the Federal Reserve System Provisions.

It says that the board shall establish procedures to prohibit borrowing from it's um it says that as practicable after the uh date of enactment of this uh law, the board shall establish by regulation and consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the policies and procedures governing emergency lending under this under this paragraph.

Such policies and procedures shall be designed to ensure that any emergency lending programs, any emergency lending programs or facilities.

Thank you for your comments.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Lamont Vaughan, City of Newark.

First, I would like to start by saying justice for Wally Bay.

We still need to get that done and deal with the police officer that dealt with that brutal situation of murder.

Our brother, right here on our streets.

Secondly, I'll start by saying, reading this note, which says that leaders don't have all the answers, though others may think they do.

Leadership isn't about showing people how energetic, enthusiastic, or even entrepreneurial one is.

Leadership is about moving the dial.

Leaders are always on the learning curve.

They know they haven't arrived until they've shown others by their own example how to be the best they can be.

Leaders have impact.

Ladies and gentlemen of the city of Newark, I am Lamont Vaughan, and I am running as to be councilman at large here in the city of Newark because I want to be one of your elected leaders that have impact.

And in the lives of many in this community, I have my receipts.

And at that time, we were dealing with over a hundred and thirty semi-murders per year.

Are we there today?

No.

It is a disgrace to come to this microphone.

Tell the people in this city that we are living in the same conditions of murder in our streets, public safety in our streets.

Then as we were then, today we're not.

There are men and women in this community day and night, overnight, while many of y'all are asleep.

Stopping the madness on our streets so that when you wake up, when your kids wake up to go to school, they safe.

This is a fact.

I'm outside at night.

Every damn night.

So I'll dare somebody to test that one.

Stop that.

Now, number two.

Many of our OVP staff members are out at night.

They are at our schools doing safe passage every day.

Breaking up fights around our schools every day.

How do I know?

Because I'm there.

Where y'all at?

Patrick Council, our councilman.

My good brother has joined us breaking up fights.

Stop it.

Now I girl, I do this for free.

Get a check.

I was doing this before, OVP.

But let's not go there for free.

Let's not go there.

Councilman at large.

Let's get some truthful stuff done on this council.

And we can do that maybe the 12th by switching it up.

They have the power.

Thank you for your comments.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Cassandra down.

Up here.

Come get his phone.

Come get his phone.

Whose phone?

It's not yours, Larry.

One minute.

Okay.

Alright, let's let's let's let's get some quiet so we can hear Miss Doc.

Alright, Mr.

Baughan.

Mr.

Vaughan.

Mr.

Mr.

Bourne.

Mr.

Bourne.

Mr.

Bourne.

If you want to talk to somebody, take it outside at this point.

We are.

Take it outside.

Mr.

Vaughn.

Well, son, we pay y'all.

You made your point.

But Mr.

Bourne.

Mr.

Bond, you'll be escorted if you continue.

Please.

Please allow the next speaker.

See, this is what this is the problem.

But we pay y'all.

Y'all where y'all at because we put that work in.

Way.

Way before y'all.

Mr.

Bourne.

Put that work in.

Raz is only the mayor because we put that work in.

Let's be clear.

Raz is only sitting there in a lot of the rest of you only sitting there because we put that work in.

For nothing.

365 days.

He talk about the three years he talking about, we put that work in.

And way before there was a New York anti-violence coalition.

We put that work in.

For nothing.

So that when they got the money, I'm okay with you having the money.

Because we put the work in for you to get it.

Now, May 12th, New York, you got work to do.

You got work to do.

Even if I want y'all to force Mayor Raz Baraka into a where the point where it's a runoff.

Do not let this Negro walk in there just like that.

Do not make him make him.

It's because we have to argue like this because of him.

You the cause of us arguing like this, Raz.

You the cause of us not wanting to support you, you, you, you, or you.

He is.

He's directly responsible for it.

He did nothing.

Nothing that we talked about.

Nothing.

He makes us come here.

He make me curse.

He made me want to say it right now, but you know what?

Calm down, Cassandra.

Because he makes me want to say it.

Sick of him.

In May 12th, New York show him.

Show him.

And on top of that, JD Vance, get here.

Vice President JD Vance, get here.

Along with that fraud coalition that y'all put together.

Get here.

Because it's happening.

You know where I'm going to tell you the start of that?

In addition to the snap money that he got during the shutdown.

Where residents supposed to get that $600.

Some just got theirs last week.

He said three days.

Huh.

It's almost five months.

Start there, JD.

Now I know you got a whistleblower on little program.

How I'll need that, but there's some out here that would do it.

They need it.

Because I'm gonna just give it up.

I'm gonna get mine up for free.

Well, I want you to another place I want you to start at, get down to vital statistics.

Because I'm gonna tell you how the fraud started Medicaid and Snap.

Because he give them IDs.

He don't even know who they are.

He can't verify who they are.

They just get a city ID.

And then when they get over to 50 South Clinton or 321 University Avenue, they give them the benefits.

Medicaid snap.

They'll know who they are.

And I believe, and Dr.

Oz, you dead on it.

You've dead on it when you talk about the application.

Because only application that talks about non-citizen, citizen, and it may also talk about voting.

Nobody verifies that when they get in y'all's office.

Not verifying that.

Go directly to the nonprofits.

Because that's where it's at.

Come on, JD.

Because that's where it's at.

And then I want you to start with Catholic charities.

Get over there.

Oh my God.

Get over there.

I'm spare you.

But I really want them to go there.

Because it's happening.

Fraud.

I told y'all.

But Senator Who has this doing?

And the rest of them down here.

Just immigrant stuff.

And that's going to have no love for them.

But we are first.

We Americans.

We Americans, all right.

And we should be first.

How dare y'all?

Eh, even down to when the EBT.

When them girls lose that EBT and that money be taken off.

You ain't never seen a Latino come down here and say they uh stabbed beneath it.

Never.

You don't see no non-citizen come down here say they have a taken off.

And guess what the money be split at?

Bodegas across the country.

Figure it out.

Figure it out.

Figure it out.

I'm gonna tell you something, Lord.

May twelfth.

Force this Negro into a run off.

Embarrass him.

Make him where he lay down at night and be and cry like he had made this residents of this city cry.

Cause he disappointed.

He f up this city.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Let's have some order in here today.

Mr.

Vaughn, Miss Doc.

Let's have some order or you will be removed.

Mr.

Bond.

You will be removed.

I'll give you one more opportunity.

If you cannot control yourself, you will be removed, all right.

Everybody, let's hear Mr.

Coulter speak, all right?

You don't want to be removed.

So let's let you want to be a council person, but you can't control yourself right now.

Let's just let the person speak.

Let him speak.

Officers, please remove Mr.

Vaughan.

Officers, please remove Mr.

Vaughn.

If you cannot, if you keep you disrupting the meeting, you get removed.

You we are trying to conduct business here.

Mr.

Vaughn, please be please leave.

No, at this point, at this point, Mr.

Let's have some quiet so that we can continue the meeting.

Thank you.

Mr.

Coulter, please come up and address the council.

Come on, let's look, Mr.

Coulter, please come up and address the council.

Thank you.

Good evening, North residents, guest members, and friends.

My name is Chay Coulter.

I'm a father of an eleventh grade high school student.

And this evening um I greet you as a working class resident, and I want to represent all the working men and women and families that are in New York.

First, off of the um top, there's a large cut of uh payroll employees and employees coming across North public public schools.

And through a close family friend, Miss Ortiz should not be firing all of those and laying off several swaths and large percentages of black educators.

We need our black educators in North.

So we're speaking to you, Mr.

President.

If you can speak to the school board members that you all have endorsed and packed our school board with these politically minded school board members, protect the black and brown education and the Afro-Puerto Decanio students that need quality brown and black teachers in front of their classrooms.

Gail told y'all this evening, and she told all of us, we must participate in our government, not just in uh analysis, but to actually get involved in it.

Everyone is needed to be registered to vote and vote in all of your wards.

Have you seen and confirmed the housing conditions?

And I'm talking particularly housing generally, but particularly senior housing.

We are in a state of emergency.

That's such a broad umbrella.

These homeowners, systemic foreclosure, over taxation, the high inflation, that's all interconnected to how the national economy is managed through these regional federal reserve banks.

Now that's something for Congress, and you all have created and endorsed and supported a Congress woman, but you're not speaking and leveraging our participation and representation there to get some economic tangibles for the residents and families of North.

So shame on you for not engaging the points of reference that Miss Opal right has brought up.

Y'all have made Mr.

Pennington's job probably ten times as hard.

I wanna say that we have in the past brought up the multilinguage ordinance, but some a senior citizen asked me if the school board had been drinking wine to engage in a half billion dollar lease.

These are the school board members that all nine of you all have endorsed.

And if we're gonna engage at that kind of systemic level of taxpayer waste, it's just outright crazy.

Um to say that we have a fiscal board in our tax department, in our finance department, we don't have a fiscal board.

Right now we have an underserved finance department who's doing double work, and y'all have still several complex financial deals coming to our city, and you all are not being briefed and informed on how complex these new deals are coming to Newark.

I wrote some notes, but I want to step back a little bit and surrender 10 seconds of my time to one of the South War district leaders who passed away, Brother Christopher Webwood Jr.

will do seven seconds for him right now from the Democrat side.

And it made me nauseous on the way to this meeting to know that the civilian complaint review board, mayor Raj Baraka's top legislative priority.

Some students of mine and friends of my son were trying to attend the meeting, and they said, Coach Coulter, Coach C, the meeting is in Clifton.

So speak speaking to you, Mr.

President.

Why is the civilian complaint review board in Clifton at the library?

What is Rick Robinson doing?

We have the men and women in Newark that are under the bad practices and policies of the bad officers, but you're having the meeting in Clifton.

If there's any other reason for y'all to not get re-elected, it's partly that.

Like that y'all would have something so close and tangible to us so far away.

The health department under Miss Caitlin has been doing good, and the recreation department.

But the rest of y'all, we hold these truths to be evident that this government is broken and out of control.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Latoya Jackson Tucker, good evening.

Good evening.

Um, I just wanna take 10 minutes of silence for all the negativity that just went on in here.

And I just, and no disrespect, but I wanna address what you said.

You supposed to, you running for counsel.

You wanna run for counsel, but you can't control yourself.

So I just wanna just internalize all of that because people feel like I wanna run for school board, but I can't control myself.

So if the young man was still in here, I would have said a couple of things about these organizations and ecosystems because I know that I have tried and had patience for everything and everybody.

One of the reasons why I'm voting for Mayor Baraka is because when I text him, when I call him, he picks up and he answer.

We have conversations, and I know that he sees me in a city full of chaos.

But for somebody to challenge somebody on them not being able to keep control with all that's going on in this city and all that goes on in our lives, I have a problem with that.

And I know that's not true.

We all have our moments, so we don't want to get stuck in them at no time.

We have a crisis within our city.

We have a bunch of people that's empowered in different ways that need to be together, but we are so separated.

And it like I'm trying to hold my tears back.

Because when I come to this mic and I speak about things, it's lived experience.

And it's also tonight, me sitting in here seeing my community divided is a lived experience.

It's trauma.

I don't like it.

I see people on this side that's been supportive to somebody that I still support and they hurting.

I said that a year ago, hurt people, hurt people.

It's reactions.

How can we sit back and not react or be told how to feel, how to be, what to say when we see all this stuff and we have lived experiences.

Over patience at this mic, because I understand what my mouth can do.

If I really told people how I feel, or if I acted away with people who didn't feel like I was deserving of a position.

School board, for example.

You don't have to have a college degree.

You have to be 18 years old, a registered voter, able to rewrite, comprehend, live in the city of Newark and don't have a record.

I qualify.

And I feel the shade and the hate in the last couple of weeks on social media with different things that people have been trying to do to assassinate my character.

I can't be assassinated when I know this stuff is real life-lived experiences.

How can I feel a way?

How can my character be tested when I'm living in the city of New York having patience, having respect, and live in real life situations?

I've done been a business owner, a single mother.

I have tried, don't have a record.

I've been challenged.

I can't, I can't move out of subsidized housing right now because I can't afford it.

I say I have a senior citizen mother that live in the South Ward that I can't even conversate with the South Board aid that the mayor have appointed because we don't get along.

I have to call my girlfriend in the office.

But we have these different people in different situations that's supposed to support the community, but they got chips on their shoulders.

So how do we supposed to feel when we come to this mic?

Those of us that has had patience that share our situations with y'all and get help.

Like I I can't come to this mic and disrespect any of y'all because I understand and I look from a different lens in a different way.

But we can't we can't continue to go along to get along.

We can't continue to fight each other in these systems that they don't want us operating in the first place.

We gotta get it together in our hearts.

So a lot of times people don't understand why I come to this mic and why I speak about my business because I'm trying to touch the hearts of the people that's supposed to be doing the job.

The hearts of my community that have done the work way longer before I even stepped up into place.

We definitely gotta get it together.

I'm not gonna be, I'm not gonna stay stuck in the moment.

I hope that young man don't stay stuck in the moment.

I hope you don't, or anybody else in here, because we got work to do collectively.

I hope y'all understand.

Thank you for your comments, and I agree 100% with you, Miss Tucker.

I do apologize uh to Mr.

Vaughan and the audience.

That those that know me know that's not normally what I would say or character, so I do apologize for those for those comments.

They were not what I would normally say.

Council President and Council members, that concludes the hearing assistance.

I can't hear you.

I'm sorry, that concludes the hearing of citizens.

All right.

Anything from the council?

Anything from the administration?

All right, something from the administration.

I do want to.

Did you see the camera?

Yes.

I'm sorry, uh, before you come up, court counsel uh councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Well, well, who I wanted to respond to is no longer.

Well, just for the record say there was this um, there's so many things I wanted to respond to.

However, I just want to respond to the pop-up um regarding one of the shelters.

Uh it was done.

Um, I was not there, but I was notified that it was done, and there are pictures and recordings of what the findings were, which they stated they did not find, they have not had a chance to review the documentation from the inspection, but I will, and I will share it also with you, councilwoman May, because it's somewhere in your office.

Uh I mean in your ward.

Um, when I was asked uh council president, um, and informed that there was some mold in this particular shelter.

I then called, of course, the health department.

And um, as you know, sometimes we don't get a chance to call folks and say we're on our way.

But I did call uh the director of the health department and uh direculario, and they conducted whatever the inspection was, and as I stated there were pictures and documentations, I will follow up with that, but just for the record, the individual that requested this inspection.

I want them to be aware if they're tuned in and if they're not, then I will reach out to them because I just got that information this afternoon.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Council President.

Also, um know the the family that uh cliver I was talking about.

Um I'm gonna make it, you know, with concerns about what was going on with them with you know, concerning the the mother shooting her daughter.

Councilwoman Bay, thank you, Councilman.

Uh yes, I just wanted to also respond to Miss Uh Clapper.

Hopefully, I I um that you get a chance to speak to to Miss Mac in my office, so she's gonna follow up.

And yes, uh Director Lyrio, he's already on top of it.

So um we all committed to work together to help this family and any other that you find that is in need of assistance.

Thank you.

Corporate counsel.

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

So I just want to address a number of things that have been said.

Uh I'll start with uh there were some comments in reference to there's no pathway to employment in the city of North.

Um, you know, when I heard that I was a little surprised because I know that Ms.

Gaylord is here.

Um, of course, her office is involved with you know training and also placement of people, but I'll tell you that in the last language that I'm gonna use 10 years, for example, there are literally more people employed in police and fire and DPW and engineering, etc.

DPW engineering, etc., code, et cetera.

Those folks are from North.

Uh I I don't want to go through the whole uh highlight of what the mayor did when he spoke to the fact that we've given a number of kids an opportunity to go to St.

Elizabeth, NJIT, and Ruckers.

How the mayor talked about how some of those young people have now graduated from those places and now are involved in you know some serious, serious opportunities throughout the country as a result of being involved in the program.

Um I know there was some comments about affordable housing, and um, you know, unfortunately, I I'm just in a space where I just don't like when people try to push someone down to make their point.

There was a comment about you know, uh kids can't get a job here but women in bars or something like that.

You know what?

Like we we cannot be in that space, right?

We cannot be in that space where we're trying to look at people who are trying to bring themselves up in a space and say that because they're getting an opportunity and because of their employment path in the past or their their their criminal history, their work history, or what have you, it's wrong for us to do that, and I don't think it's right for me to sit here and just listen to that, right?

And and I'm just not that type of person that's gonna say that we should try to pound on people.

I know that there were some comments in reference to uh the boys and girls club, and I know that's I mean that's unfortunate that if that is true about the cost of the boys and girls club, uh the director is here from our recreation.

Uh I I just wanted to make sure that the young lady had all the documentation and the director from recreation gave her the information to share with those people.

But for five dollars, for five dollars a year per person, a person can be involved in all of the rec activities that we have here, right?

There are by far uh four centers of hope, six uh locations for just recreation.

I mean, we have summer programs, we have camp watershed, we have basketball, boxing, and everything else around the around this city in reference to an opportunity.

Uh I do appreciate the fact that on Fridays we get KPIs, and where the director talks about the increase in numbers.

Uh, we have doubled our numbers in when it comes to uh the people we service in rec and in senior services.

Uh there was a comment about a pothole plan and and recognizing that um, you know, our folks in DPW have already started the pothole process.

We've already uh began the uh collaboration with PSCNG to deal with uh their paving, and of course, our pavement pen has been given to council.

Uh they we will make the pavement plan public.

So I spoke to the BA.

We will work with IT to make the pavement pan public so that people within the community can know when their block is going to be paved and they can prepare for it.

Um there was uh a number of comments in reference to um reference to Cowway Either Towers.

I mean, I you know, again, when when when when I when I was here, I want to say a meeting or so ago, and I saw the people who were involved in that project.

I thought I would just inspire by the fact that those were North people.

There were uh women of color that were involved in the project who are taking on a responsibility of taking on a historic project and also adding some great amenities uh for people in this community.

When I hear people talk about it in a negative light, I'm almost surprised because since I've been here, people have been talking about giving people from this community an opportunity, right?

So when I when I see a bunch of people in the back row and they're proud to be a part of the project, it almost surprises me.

We also heard some information, unfortunately, um about, you know, and I'm sure the BA will will address this issue on um Ms.

Jackson.

I don't really say people's name, but one of the speakers uh talking about taking credit for folks getting retro pay, I'm sure the BA will address that.

Uh the BA and the and and the unions have been in negotiation uh and have had plans to deal with retro pay and everything else for some time now.

You know, that the fact that somebody comes to the council uh to talk about the issue doesn't mean that they're solving the issue, right?

So uh, but again, I'll leave that to the BA when he comes up.

I know there was some information in reference to the unfortunate um accident on Elizabeth Avenue.

Um I I will tell you all that um we are in litigation with those folks right now.

I can't give the council and of course the public an update that all of the windows in that building that have kids under 10 years old have window guards.

Every single one of those apartments.

Now, I will tell you that um we are in a fight with them about their process and their plan to um replace all the windows in the building.

Uh we are having some intense uh discussions, and we expect to be either in a space where their plan meets our requirement, or we'll have the judge call it.

Um, I will give the council and of course the administration an update in the next few days.

Uh finally, I know there was some comments in reference to uh the CCRB and there being some meeting in Clifton.

That is like the the last thing that's possible.

Uh their meetings are in the library.

Um, I will also make sure that Mr.

Robinson uh uh makes sure is that the CCRB meetings are on the city's website as they're supposed to be, and that folks have an opportunity to be a part of that process.

And then finally, I know that um there has been a number of comments in reference to, of course, uh some of the issues that's going on with some of these landlords.

Um, as you know, the city has taken on a uh very aggressive approach uh dealing with you know some of these issues when it comes to people's uh housing conditions.

I will tell you all that the city has um activated the bad landlord list on the website.

Um it it gives details about the different um properties that each of the landlords own, uh the number of violations and things of that nature.

Now we'll also tell you that um you know it also gives tenant an opportunity tenants an opportunity to uh email for help, and it's literally tenant help at ci.nork.nj.us.

Uh tenants can have an opportunity to send information via email to that email, and it will at least start the process of us paying attention to what's going on.

Uh of course, it may resolve uh result in us uh uh sending code fire in the and the other folks who are in the health department and things that nature to those locations.

Um I will tell the council members, and I'm sure some of you have gotten phone calls uh since the mayor made the announcement, uh, that that announcement has at least started the process of having folks call us and say, listen, I want to get off the list, and they're giving us the reasons for why you know they want to fix the opposite the issues that they have, they want an opportunity to sit down.

Uh so it is at least starting to move us in the right direction.

I think the BA may have uh some responses to some of the comments that were made.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Mr.

BA.

Sure, good evening, Eric Pennington BA.

I'm literally gonna take a couple of seconds.

Um Corporation Council gave a comprehensive response.

One of the speakers, there are several speakers who indicated that they're running for office.

Um, and they deserve to be heard to some extent, but they don't deserve to be able to put forth information that is just so totally outlandish that it doesn't get some rebuttal.

And one of those speakers indicated that the city is facing a 700 million dollar deficit.

Um that is so impossible and outrageous given that the entire budget is 950 million dollars thereabouts.

The 700 million dollars is uh suggests that 70 percent of the budget is unfunded or more.

That's just not the case.

Uh the other thing is legally, statutorily, we cannot submit an unbalanced budget.

So we're working on that.

But this notion that there's a 700 million dollar deficit is just so outrageous.

I just need to respond to make sure that people understand that um that is just not true.

Now, I think the most important thing about that is the person who said it probably believes it.

And it strikes me that somebody who would say something like that without having any factual information to back it up, is not qualified to run for office if they really believe that that's what the budget situation is.

And just like I offered to another candidate to come to my office to go over the budget and to learn of the process and to learn what it is, I'm happy to entertain that gentleman as well.

He can come to my office, and I'll give him a basic primer on what the uh budget is all about, and um, I'm happy to uh invite him in and do that.

The other is with respect to uh retro pay and pay for DPWs during uh COVID.

Um every DPW worker has received everybody DPW worker who worked during COVID received the stipend.

Um there were some negotiation as to whether or not they each received all that they were proposed to, and within the uh this past year, uh I believe we have resolved that for every DPW worker there is.

If there's a worker who believes that they're entitled to pay that they didn't get, they should speak to their union.

I negotiate with the union all the time.

Ms.

Chambers is the person that we deal with.

Uh I commend them to reach out to her to resolve that, and I'm happy to work with her to get that resolved.

But we have um provided all the workers with the retro pay that they're entitled to and the uh COVID stipends uh as well.

Um I think the corporation council addressed everything, everything else.

So unless there's any questions.

Mr.

President, Councilman Ramos.

It just has to be a um one of the speakers mentioned that we had an employee in the Department of Public Works that's been working as a temp essentially since 2021.

Is that possible or it is possible, but it is likely that it wasn't continuous.

I think the more important part of that though is even temporary workers get sick days.

So I don't know what the reference is.

It's an ordinance that we sponsor some years ago.

They get five regulating private industry, so I would imagine it applies to us as well.

It does.

Even if you're a temporary worker under what used to be called CSS or now it's uh precise payroll, they get five sick days, uh whether they're in the union, not the union permanent or not.

So that representation was incorrect.

I'm glad you brought that up.

Uh, there is a possibility that someone has been on uh temporary workforce four or five years, but it's probably because there was a break in service.

But if that if I have that information in the individual, I'm happy to look into it.

Would would it be possible for us to get a breakdown of um what percentage of that workforce in that division is classified as temps, and then kind of uh sure understanding when their date of hire was and are they represented by the union as a temp?

And I'm I'm surprised that the union doesn't object to the city having such a large number of temporary employees in union in union positions, right?

Okay.

I haven't characterized as a large number of employees.

You may have more information than I have as to what the ratio is between temporary workers and provisional or permanent workers.

I don't know.

Yeah, provisional, yeah, I understand.

But the temp temp is a very different classification.

I understand.

You asked me for the data, and then you just said that there's a large number of them, so I I don't know that that's the case.

I will get you that information.

Yeah.

The the other thing, uh, Eric is that the comment about like addressing the situation with potholes, and I know right now we spoke a few council meetings ago.

We're we're relying on the city crew to essentially address the complaints, and you mentioned that at some point you guys were looking to bring in a private company to assist, and and I really think it's needed because I'm not sure what kind of progress the city crew is making.

You know, I would imagine they have a limited number of uh resources, equipment, um, and and it just feels like it's painfully slow right now.

And and we do send um areas over, we're trying to be patient, but you know, obviously the residents are concerned, it's almost middle, it is the middle of April, and typically by this time of year we we're out there full force addressing potholes.

So, what's the plan?

Are you guys bringing in a private company to help?

But if so, by when uh it is a valid concern for everybody with respect to potholes.

There are some streets that are uh worse than others, and we need to get that fixed.

Um I'm not exactly sure that I said we're gonna bring in a private company, but what I wanted to do is get a pothole, rent another pothole truck to help.

And and if we had to bring a crew along with that, we would do that.

Um I don't know the status of that at the moment.

The uh potholes are handled by the Department of Public Works.

Uh the director is here, and he can't address that, but um you know I'll commit to making sure that we ramp up the number of people we have working on the pothole crew to address the issue that is a legitimate concern of yours and residents.

And the last thing, and um, Mr.

B, I I know our office and the concern regarding um Second Avenue and there's some chat around social media about the city hasn't done anything in the it's a street that's a really bad shape.

I know our office and the concern regarding um second avenue and some chatter on social media about the city hasn't done anything in the street that's in really bad shape, and ironically, it's like half the street because the other half of the street I think was paved as a result of the lead service line replacement, but for whatever reason, the other half of the street that has homes that probably benefited from lead service line replacement, the paving was never completed, and I think that's happened in a bunch of areas.

Uh I would imagine around the city.

So I I'm not sure if part of the contract that was issued to the uh companies that did the replacement was supposed to incorporate paving, or there were separate companies that were contracted to do paving.

So in that particular instance, I would just ask your office to check to make sure because I know part of that street was paved after the let service lines were replaced, but for whatever reason the other half wasn't.

All right, this is in the in the roseville session, or you are you talking about second avenue above Roseville Avenue.

Okay, yeah, that's that's where the the complaints were made on social, and I think our office um forwarded them to you this week.

Okay, and thank you so much, Mr.

B.

You're welcome.

I'll look into that.

Council President, Council members, we are on page four 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, Kelly, yes, Dana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump, yes, ordinances on first reading six FA is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to Namor 763 South Orange Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a new five-story mixed-use building, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call council members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump, yes, B is an ordinance that ratifies and authorizes the second amendment to the original tax abatement granted to Spruce Park Associates.

Council is a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree.

Yes, Silva, yes, President Crump, yes, C is an ordinance authorizing the mayor and or his designee to enter into and execute an agreement with Bergen Street Partners LLC for sale and redevelopment of city-owned property, sponsored by councilman counsel, second by councilman Kelly.

Roll call council members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, yes, President Crump, yes.

D is an ordinance ratifying and authorizing the mayor and or his designee to enter into and execute a lease agreement with South Orange, New Jersey LLC for office space sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by councilman council.

Council members, Councilman Crump.

I thought I seconded it.

Yeah, that was I second that one.

Oh, my apologies.

Second by council president crump.

I apologize.

Roll call, sorry.

Council members may council, yes, Kelly, yes, Quintana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, 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 May 6th in the council chamber.

Resolutions.

7R1A and B are both temporary emergency appropriations.

A is for the urban and community fostery program, and B is for the Ryan White HIV Health and Support Services.

Council to hold to adopt A and B.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

I'm sorry, yes.

C through F are purchasing resolutions.

C is rescinding the contract with unique security and consulting.

D is a state contract for water sewer equipment and supplies.

E is an extension of an emergency contract for elevator inspections.

And F is a bid contract for traffic sign materials.

Council as a whole to adopt B through, I'm sorry, C through F, please.

Roll call.

Council members.

Buncil.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

G and H are both contracts with recipients to provide community-based violence intervention and prevention and youth mentoring and or safe passage.

Council as a whole to adopt G and H, please.

ROCO.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

I is a competitive contract to provide youth service provider.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R2A through C are private sale and redevelopment agreements.

A is new construction of a two-family home to be rented to Section 8.

Housing Choice Voucher Participants in the South Board.

Council's a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

You said C, I'm sorry, A through C.

Just A right now.

Oh, okay.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is a motion to defer by Councilman Council.

Second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call to defer.

Council members bay.

Yes to defer.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes to defer.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

C is to build a three sing fan single family homes to be sold at an affordable rate to income qualified households earning 100% AMI.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

D through H are professional service contracts.

D and E is for on-call environmental consulting.

And F through H are for legal services for redevelopment land use matters.

Council is a whole to adopt D through H, please.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Kintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

I is a grant agreement for the Central Ward.

Council is a whole to adopt.

Council.

I'm sorry.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Stay.

Kelly.

This is a 7R2J, correct?

No, this is I.

I.

Yes.

It's I.

Yes to I.

Yeah.

Speak up over there.

Whisper it.

Yes.

For I.

Kintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

J is a loan agreement for the housing and urban development.

Mr.

President.

Councilman Ray Mills.

Thank you.

And I know we came in late to the pre-yesterday councilman council had this cannabis committee meeting that ran a little bit late.

I just had a few questions about this.

I know this was authorized previously, and at some point the city went, I guess, to HUD leverage its CDBG money to essentially create an opportunity to borrow up to documentation says 20 million dollars for the purposes of the Section 108 program.

Why is this project being considered?

And is this in lieu of private financing or is it a subsidy in addition to the private financing?

I don't know if somebody from economic development could just briefly answer those questions.

Deputy Mayor.

Good evening, uh Council members.

Allison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development.

To the question asked about the Section 108 program, what was stated is true.

The Section 108 program was approved many years ago for utilization of these funds to be able to have the dollars today and then repay over time.

One in particular was the renovation and redevelopment of Kruger Scott Mansion.

So you may remember that from some years ago.

And so that is a development that actually ended up declining the section 108.

And so that's where there were some funds available.

And next, uh the city has the administrator is Invest Newark, and InvestNORC is the entity that did the selection and underwriting for the project.

And then the city's role was to ensure that it still complied with HUD rules, and which we did, and we had legal counsel who was able to attest to that so that we did it in the right form and fashion.

The last part as far as how widely was it advertised.

So what percentage of the overall project is the 2.5 million.

Do we know is it there has to be private financing involved as well?

Correct?

Yes, I believe so.

Uh Council President, to the question, I would say yes, um, I do not know the total development cost.

I know that um that it is going to be building a larger community center.

Um, and so this was a portion of the funding that was needed to close a gap.

So the the individual lots make up a a bigger project because the projects that you referenced that we've invested Section 108, you know, Kruger Scott Mansion being one, these are very large.

I I thought these were individual like homes that they were building on these lots, so that's not the case.

They're putting up some kind of community center.

Oh, yes.

Um, so council.

It's just a lot of the loan documents that are connected to the resolution.

Uh yes, I understand.

Um, I believe the summary is the last page of one of the loan documents, so I would agree that it's not spelled out as clearly.

Um, so you could see that.

Um, second, I would say that the um information is that yes, they are going to be doing the um community center, and then there is also going to be some housing, but this is not for housing.

This is to fund the community center.

So so the the loan program is guaranteed by the city CDBG funds.

That's kind of like how section 108 works, correct?

Yes, correct.

So if you have a situation where uh recipient defaults on payment, is that potential penalty to the city from HUD as far as the CDBG funds?

What kind of guarantees do we have that um you know the the applicant is not gonna um it's gonna comply with the terms of the agreement and in turn make sure that we don't lose any subsequent CDBG money?

Are there any protections that we have as part of the agreement with the uh developer that you're aware of or give back to us on the uh I'm happy to uh respond to that more clearly, but I would say that it is similar for us as any other loan product or private sale that we do have clients for it.

We also do have to send reports to HUD regarding any type of use of the federal funds, especially Section 108, and they had to give the affirmative approval, um, which I believe was attached in the legislature file to be able to utilize the funds for this purpose.

I appreciate your response, Deputy Mayor.

Thanks.

Thank you, thank you, Deputy Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman Councilwoman uh bay.

Yes, thank you, Council President.

I'd like to sponsor this.

I couldn't hear you, I'm sorry.

I would like to be a sponsor, uh councilwoman.

I'll second it.

Second by councilwoman Scott Roundtree Rocal Council members bay, yes, yeah, council abstain, Kelly, Quintana, yes, Ramos, uh yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump K is execute an affordable housing agreement for home funds with rising plains urban renewal LLC to develop and construct a new four-story 19-unit affordable and supportive housing development.

Council as a whole to adopt, rocouncil members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, Quintana Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, yes, President Crump, yes.

L is referral to the Central Planning Board for an amendment to Title 41, zoning and land use regulations.

Council is a whole to adopt.

ROCO, Mr.

President, Council.

Some documentation about whether or not the um landmarks commission was involved in this, and I want to thank the clerk and the department for sending that over.

So I'm good with it.

Thank you.

Rocco, Council Members Bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, Quintana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, yes, President Crump, yes.

7R4A and B are both finance resolutions.

A is approving the form and sale of city secured bonds, and B is a professional service contract for tax appraisal services.

Council as a whole to adopt A and B, please.

ROCO.

Council members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, Tana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Browntree S.

Sova.

Yes, President Crump.

Yes.

705 A through D are amending resolutions for HIV AIDS Health and Support Services.

A is for Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly, B is Apostle House, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly.

C is Urban Renewal Corporation, and D is High Synth AIDS Foundation sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Silva.

Council is a whole to adopt A through D with sponsors, please.

ROCO Council Members Bay, yes, Council.

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Sova?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

E is a contract with the grant sub-recipient to provide emergency shelter service.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Rocal.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

F through Q are contracts with sub-recipients to provide HIV AIDS related health and support services.

F is the community health law project.

G is Smith Center for Infectious Disease.

H is Catholic Charities.

I is Rutgers University.

J is Broadway House.

K is St.

James Social Services.

L is Nord Community Health Centers.

M is Rutgers Start Program.

N is AIDS Resource Foundation.

O is Urban Renewal Corporation.

P is Catholic Family and Community Services.

And Q is North Jersey AIDS Alliance.

Council as a whole to adopt F through Q, please.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

R and S are amending acceptance of grant funds for COVID-related expenses and SS acceptance of grant funds for the Ryan White HIV Health Support and Services.

Council as a whole to adopt R and S.

Roll Call.

Council members.

Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

T and U are gift donations to the Department of Health and Community Services of Health and Wellness.

T is a vehicle for homeless outreach and from Port North Container Terminal.

And U is food from Cooper's Delhi for the Give Kids a Smile Day.

Council as a whole to adopt T and U.

Rocco.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

In Tana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Sova?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R6A and B of both settlements for the law department.

Council as a whole to adopt A and B.

Rocal.

Council members B.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Sova.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

C and D are both professional services contracts for the law department.

C is for labor and employment matters.

And D is for litigation defense matters.

Council as a whole to adopt C and D.

Roll Call.

Council Members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Sova?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R8A through N are Council resolutions.

A is a street designation for Faith Evans.

Sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Second by Councilman Council.

P is a street designation for sport maritimo.

Mortunese.

Sponsored by Councilman Silva.

Second by Councilwoman Bay.

C is declaring May 2026.

Mental Health Awareness Month, sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Second by Council President Crump.

D is declaring May 2026 Lupus Awareness Month.

Sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Second by Council President Crump.

E is a whole harmless for National Youth STEP competition.

Sponsored by Councilman Council.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

F is a whole harmless for I Dream a World, Songs and Verse to inspire a nation.

Sponsored by Councilman Council.

Second by Council President Crump.

G is a whole harmless for the annual Mother's Day Senior Brunch, sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilman Quintana.

H is waiving fees for the South Ford Community Walk, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly.

I is waiving fees for the Mother's Day Festival, sponsored by Councilman Quintana, second by Councilman Ramos.

J is establishing a sister cities relationship with with Monrovia, Liberia, sponsored by Councilman Kintana, second by Councilman Kelly.

K is an exception to public bidding for the records management system.

L is support for the week of the young child, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Kelly.

N is recognizing and commending resolutions, and N is expressing profound sorrow and regret.

Council as a whole to adopt A through N with sponsors, please.

Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Um 7R8A.

I believe yesterday was corrected on that Councilman Council actually sponsored and I co-sponsored the street dedication for Faith Evans.

So reverse the reverse of sponsorship.

We said that yesterday, Councilman.

Sponsored by Councilman Council, seconded by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Right.

Thank you.

All right, roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R9A through C are public safety resolutions.

A is a professional service contract for psychological consulting services.

B is the acceptance of grant funds for police overtime.

And C is an exception of public bidding for the emergency alert system.

Council's a whole to adopt A through C.

ROCO.

Council members B.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Sova?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7 R 12 A through C are water sewer utility resolutions.

A is a pre-litigation settlement.

B is a change order for B rehabilitation of the Pequanic Aqueducts.

And C is a professional service contract for engineering services for the Virginia Street Pump Station.

Council as a whole to adopt A through C, please.

Roll call.

Council members.

Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Hintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Communications.

Item 8A is an ordinance granting a 20-year-long tax abatement to Neymar South Orange Urban Renewal LLC for a project in the West Ward to construct a new five-story mixed use building.

Council as a whole to advance the first reading.

I thought it was advanced and adopt on this one.

Yeah.

It's advanced and adopt on first.

Okay, advance and adopt.

Roll call to advance and adopt.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement to 1080 Bergen Developer Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the South Ward to construct a new five-story mixed use building.

Council as a whole to advance the first reading.

Yeah.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

C is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to Marbum Holdings Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a new four-story mixed use building.

Motion to advance and adopt our first reading.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Rountree.

Roll call.

Council members.

Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Rountree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

President Crump.

Yes.

D is an ordinance amending traffic.

Parking, stopping, and standing to regulate the parking of construction related vehicles in residential districts.

Motion to advance and adopt our first reading.

Sponsored by Councilman Silva.

Second by Councilman Ramos.

I want to say it was sponsored by Councilman Kelly, right?

No, no.

No, no, this was Councilman Silva.

Silva.

Councilman was the second, I believe.

Oh, all right.

Look, I stand corrected then.

I had it wrong.

I'm sorry, I was at eight.

See.

It's a little late, Larry.

That's what it is.

It's been a rough couple days.

Mr.

Chair.

Yes.

Can we make sure that the insertion of the uh hitch trailers are added into uh yes, it's gonna be re-advertised.

Yeah, and and could I could I um I I agree with councilman counsel on that and I believe currently that's that's that's illegal.

You can't park a hitch trailer on a city street, even though I'm they're allowed to for whatever reason, but I don't believe you can legally even with food trucks.

You can't they have to be connected to uh uh another poll vehicle, but we see food trucks also that are these little hitch vehicles that are converted into um food trucks.

Yeah, that's something we should send notice to the police division that they should be enforcing that right now.

Thank you.

Roll call council members bay, yes, council, yes, Kelly, yes, Intana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, your mic is off, Councilwoman.

Yes, Silva, yes, President Crump, yes, 10 A is approval of the bingo and raffle license.

Council is a whole to adopt, roll call, council members bay, yes, council Kelly, yes, Intana, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Slump, yes, Council President, Council members.

We have an added starter, 7R6EAS is a settlement with the law department.

Council's a whole to adopt.

Uh Councilman, not councilman.

I think we're good.

Uh what's your name again?

Sure.

Corp Council, excuse me.

Don't feel bad.

At 9 34, I'm gonna apologize.

Uh, first of all, we did not uh I did not recognize that this not make the agenda yesterday.

Uh it was an issue in our office.

Uh this is a settlement with a law firm.

This is in reference to their their billing.

Uh they had to help us on workers' comp uh matters from last year.

So this is to take care of the end of last year's bill.

Um, unfortunately, it did not make the agenda in time.

Um, they were dealing with more than 30 cases for us and workers' compensation.

Uh we transitioned from using as using them in this space, they do uh litigation for us, and I thought it was only appropriate that because I promised them that it would make the agenda, and because it's a law, a local law firm.

I wanted to make sure I got them paid.

Thank you.

Any questions for council corporation council?

It works out, it works out.

All right, hearing none roll call.

Council members bay, yes.

Council, yes, Kelly, yes, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump, yes, that concludes the agenda for this meeting.

Anything more Mr.

President, all right, uh Councilman Ramos.

I'm gonna excuse myself.

I definitely um need a snack.

I don't want to get accused of chewing while at the meeting.

Okay, so everybody has a great meeting.

Thank you, Councilman.

All right, uh let's let's let's go to motions and we'll start with councilwoman day.

Um not in motion, but I have a um just an announcement if I may or announcements.

Okay, um, we're real quick because it's late.

May say Saturday, May 2nd.

Um, our council office is sponsoring our very first Central Ward Family Day at Central High School from 12 to 5 is open to everyone, all ages, free of charge, of course.

Um, whether you in a stroller or a walker, we have something for everyone, so we hope everyone will come.

And then also I just wanted to uh take a point of personal privilege and um congratulate my line um offer, congratulations on my delta versity for my line sisters, my 83 line sisters from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in Court tomorrow's our Delta Adversary.

Very good.

Is that it?

That's it.

All right, uh Councilman Council.

I think was she made you made a motion.

Oh, you made a motion?

Oh, I missed the motion.

I apologize because uh second second by councilman council roll call second, yeah.

Council members may.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Donna Ramos absent.

Scott Roundry.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Councilman Council.

Yep.

Just a reminder of a motion that uh uh made prior to have a special meeting with individuals from public service, uh Optimum and Verizon as it relates to the number of wires that are hanging around uh the city.

It is becoming uh a nuisance, and we need to have all three of those entities in here as uh all three of them keep moving responsibility levels, and so that needs to happen as soon as possible.

Do we do it's another motion?

Second second by councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council, yes.

Kelly.

Definitely, yes.

Donna Ramos absent, Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Councilman Kelly.

Uh no motions, Council President.

Just uh announcement.

Want to announce uh the West Wars Spring Festival.

This year we have the honor of sharing that responsibility with uh our Central War Councilwoman, Miss Amina Bay.

We will Saturday, May 2nd, 230 p.m.

So after you go to her first event, you can come on over to her second event.

She's partnering with the West Wardway from 2.30 to 5 30 p.m.

Liberty Park 401 West Market Street, right across from uh the business pods that we're putting there and diagonally across from Georgia King Village.

There'll be a live DJ and the dance floor, Miss Roundtree.

Fun games and prizes, crafts.

Uh more information, you can always reach out to Zakia branch of PWI, which is 862-240-955.

Thank you.

Uh Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Oh, you know, I got a whole lot.

I know y'all ready to go home, but how about we do this?

We're gonna go to Councilman Silver.

We're gonna go to Councilman Silva first this time.

Councilman Silva, you have anything?

Yeah.

Uh so just time.

Since I'm quick.

Um April 25th, we're having an autism event.

It's open to everyone in the entire city to come out.

I know councilman um or councilman Crump is having his this uh weekend, and mine is the following weekend, but it's open to everybody.

Anything I ever do, whether it's an Easter egg hunt, uh back to school, it's open to the entire city of Newark.

It's open to all our kids, not just for East Ward, but for everyone.

So I just want to make that clear here.

Uh April 22nd, uh 7 30 to 2 p.m.

Uh e-waste uh near Peter Francisco Park.

So if you have any electronics, please drop it off.

Again, open to anybody in the entire city to come out.

Uh there's a truck there, we'll help you unload it and put it in the truck.

So again, it's partnering with Panasonic.

Uh it's an e-waste event, 7:30 to 2.

This Saturday, the 25th, uh Saturday, the 25th as well.

Um, it's the mayor's call to youth action uh from 6 to 9 at uh east side high school.

Um I'll be there.

The mayor will be there.

Um, we'll be there uh, you know, receiving you.

Uh any uh youth that want to come from again from the rest of the parts of the city, the other wards, you're more than welcome to come down to Eastside High School right on Van Buren Street.

And just uh a message.

So uh I wasn't here at the last meeting uh due to a tragic incident involving a dear friend of mine, Al Coutinho.

And I just want to thank all my council colleagues uh for their tremendous support.

The BA, uh the corporation council, the mayor, uh tremendous support for me and the family.

Al was a dear friend, uh a mentor.

Uh the reason I'm sitting here uh is from Al Coutinho who believed in me.

Um, and he's gonna be missed.

And I'm hoping to uh on June 10th, name the Ironbound Field after him.

Uh Al uh has a tremendous soccer program with uh 2,000 kids throughout the city.

Um 58 teams and 16 national championships, all built with kids from the city of Newark, and his legacy will continue on for generations and generations.

I want to thank all the residents who came out.

Uh so Joe's supposed to show you how many people uh Al touched.

And so again, so many residents as well from other parts of the city of Newark who reached out for me to pass their condolences on to me and the family.

So I'm really appreciative of all of my council colleagues, the mayor again, the BA and Corporation Council constantly checking up on me.

And uh Al would want us to keep working hard and moving the city forward.

So uh just thank you to everybody.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, Councilman Silver.

Yes.

Well, here we go.

Let's Councilwoman Scott Roundry.

Okay, good evening, Council President.

For those who are still up and watching this eventful meeting tonight.

Uh I first want to start with my motions.

Um, I want to extend uh profound sorrow and regret to the passing of Bishop Kenneth Robinson.

He is a founding father, member of council, uh bishops to Northeast Central Regional Bishop.

Uh he transitioned and to the full gospel movement.

It is a great loss to individuals like Bishop Rudy V.

Carlton and others that served with him.

Uh we do express our profound sorrow and regret.

Then there is Sister Gwendolyn Thomas.

We want to also express uh profound sorrow and regret to the family of Sister Gwendolyn Thomas on her transitioning as well.

And now we'll move on to announcements.

Uh well, first let's start with back up.

There will be a resolution acknowledging and declaring April 11th through April 17th as Black Maternal Health Week, which we're in the middle of the middle of.

And we want to congratulate the founding organization as they celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Everyone knows that our first lady Linda Baraka, Congresswoman Lamonica McIver, are champions, and for sure throughout this state.

Uh, First Lady Linda Baraka has been speaking up on behalf of the maternal uh mortality rate and what goes on with our uh Brown and our mothers, uh, my minority mothers who are giving birth and the death rate of those mothers, um, the children or mothers and giving childbirth.

So we truly are putting a resolution in place.

Um, it's already written, I believe uh Madam Clerk will be putting that into record.

More announcements, everyone.

On April 25th, we talk about grief and what's going on.

I believe that a lot of our mental health issues um are tied to grief of some sort.

It might not necessarily be because someone transitioned, it can be grieving on many levels.

So we will have a grief symposium that will be sponsored and hosted by myself and Reverend Elizabeth Tisdale, um, which is um from Perry's funeral home.

Uh, there are some other people like Jan Kettles and some other individuals that will be participating in the symposium.

Um, I don't know that my other council colleagues get these calls, but I get calls for paying for funerals, I get calls for paying for plots, I get calls for dressing, and we're here to do all of that if we have the funding.

But with the proper pre-planning, if you can buy a pack of cigarettes for ten dollars a day, you can buy an insurance policy for a dollar a day to make sure.

So we want to help our residents that are not planning properly for their loved ones, and realizing that GoFundMe is not insurance.

Um planning probate.

If you don't have anything but a television to leave, don't have folks coming down here trying to get us to get you into the apartment to get that television, and you and the sisters and brothers are fighting over that.

We're going to help you.

Um, and it is pertaining issues pertaining to dying, death, and bereavement.

These are real issues.

So we want to help you.

I will be reaching out to Al Tri Kinney, which is our Essex County surrogate, uh, to make sure that just not just funeral directors and grief counselors are there, but also individuals that can help you with planning.

Speaking of Linda Baraka and Amina Bay, our council Central Councilwoman, uh, we along with uh our partners will be hosting our next women's meeting, which will be held Tuesday, April 28th, 6 to 7.30 at the William Mobile Ashby Community Care Training Center.

Uh the agenda is doing business with University Hospital and FIFA Opportunities.

This is going to be held once again Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

at the William Mobile Ashby Community Center Community Care Training Center, 695 Bourbon Street, North, New Jersey.

Your host, First Lady Baraka, Councilwoman Roundtree, and Amina Bay.

Individuals are talking about reading.

Individuals are talking about literacy.

Many people come to the microphone and talk about education.

But one of our partners is hosting a parent literacy awareness workshop.

I'm partnering with the Brick City Peace Collective along with Communities Incorporated.

Dr.

Brenda Bird from Helping Hands Community.

I am a friend.

I am a brain.

And of course, the City of North.

It's being held April 29th, 2026 at the Shawnee Baraka Women's Resource Center.

Parent Literacy Awareness.

There's some things.

If you came to me, Council President with the math that the children are doing today, I would probably have to go to AI to get the answers because it's much different.

We don't teach cursive anymore.

There's so many things at the educational system.