Council person that's going to be sworn in July 1.

So that person will have an opportunity at least to um, you know, I know Councilman Gonzalez has been driving conversations on the budget for a long time, and you know, we appreciate his diligence, but we do have a new person that's coming on board, and it's important for her to have an opportunity at least as uh initial responsibility to weigh in a little bit on on the budget process as well.

Certainly.

With respect to that, uh through the council president to you, I have offered to meet with the new council member to answer any questions in advance of uh her voting on the budget, and I presume that she will be here to participate in the hearings as well.

Thank you, Eric.

You will thank you.

Uh quick question in terms of and the anticipation of when we would receive the the budget packets, the uh initial information you will get some additional information today, the budget packets will be put together over the next week or so, uh, or less than a or so in about a week.

All right, thank you.

Any other any other any other questions from the council?

Alright, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Bay.

You're welcome.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council, absent, Gonzalez, yes, Kelly, yes, yes, Ramos, yes, got Roundtree.

Yes, Silva.

Yes, President Clump, yes, 7R8BS is establishing a sister cities relationship for Arcos de Val de Bes, Portugal, sponsored by Councilman Silva.

Sended by Councilman Kentana.

Um, we have reviewed and you know, we talked about it, the deputy mayor leads of the Friday.

We spoke about it and it's all clear.

So, you know, through your office, I I want to thank you for clearing it and making sure that that sister city is in good standards.

Thank you, Councilman.

Anything else?

Is a person, supposedly Google it.

It can be that simple, right?

Roll call.

Council members Bay, yes, council absent, Gonzalez, yes, Kelly.

Yes, Kintana.

Yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

Council President, Council members, we are on the added starters.

First one is 7R 8 C S A S, which is a whole harmless for the North Fan Village, sponsored by Councilman Silva.

So our second second by Councilman Cantana.

Anything you want to say?

Yeah.

I just wanted to uh thank the business administrator, uh, the city of Newark, the mayor.

Uh this is something that we're putting on for everybody.

It's a family-friendly event.

We invite everybody from all parts of the city of Newark outside the city of Newark.

Uh if you're a vendor, get in touch with my office.

We'll be happy.

We have 39 days of this going on.

It'll be going on from July uh June 11th to July 19th to the finals.

Uh anybody who wants to participate from the city of North priority one is our Newark uh business owners and vendors to come out uh and be part of this.

We uh we want to make this uh a great event.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity having the World Cup here in New Jersey, and we want to make sure that we make Nork shine.

So anybody that wants to participate from any other parts of the city, please contact my office and we'll get you we'll make you part of that fanfest.

Thank you, Councilman.

Roll call.

Council members Bay, yes.

Council absent, Gonzalez, yes, Kelly, yes, Iamos, yes, Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes, President Crump.

Yes, 7R6 AAS is a professional service contract to provide legal services concerning litigation defense matters.

Council's a whole to adopt.

Uh Mr.

President.

Councilman uh Ramos.

Is there any particular reason why this is on today?

Was this left off from the bundle of legal contracts that we got to vote on last time?

Corporation council.

Good morning, Kenya.

So that's essentially what happened.

During the last meeting, we didn't have the opportunity to get it on.

We wanted to make sure we get it through the process.

Unfortunately, you know, we were worried about some of the other um issues that the other departments had to deal with.

During the last council meeting, we didn't make this one.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Absent.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

Council President.

I think the administration has another addition.

Corp Council.

Sure.

Good morning again.

We do have another added starter.

It's 2607 81.

That's the legislator number.

It's in reference to an economic development matter, which the deputy mayor will address right now.

Good morning, Council President, Councilmembers.

Allison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development.

First, I want to sincerely apologize that you do not have the file in front of you.

So thanks in advance for just listening.

Second, this project is related to 10 Park Place.

And then it was about 50% less than what the going rate is now for retail per square foot space.

And last they are also doing additional affordable housing for artists and for seniors.

And that will be above and beyond the focus area for 60% of AMI and below.

Again, the reason why we're asking you to consider it today is because they're trying to get HMFA financing, and that has deadlines associated with it.

Unfortunately, it was not approved, so that you could see it immediately, yesterday.

So again, I apologize for that.

And I'm happy to arrange a meeting with anyone who'd like to talk with the burger organization about the project and about the benefits that they're bringing to the city with the project.

Oh, I'm sorry, and one last thing.

Uh the tax abatement committee did review this and did um agree to allow it to move forward.

So that was through the tax abatement committee about 30 to 45 days ago.

Uh quick question.

First, did you say the number of years for the tax abatement?

I don't know if I heard that.

Uh I apologize, council president.

And then the number of units.

Uh, yes, I'm sorry.

Uh so forgive me.

Um, the number of units is a hundred and ninety-six residential units, um, and all but one will be affordable.

So a hundred and ninety-five will be deed restricted, and one will be for the management um office.

Super.

The breakdown of the units is 53 studios, uh, ranging between 27% of AMI and 57% of AMI.

The then there will also be 16 two bedrooms between 30% of AMI and 57% of AMI.

And then there'll be 10 three bedrooms from 30% to 57% of AMI.

In addition, again, as I was sharing, there'll be a set aside for seniors of 10% and a set aside for artist housing of 10%.

The 3,000 square feet or ground floor retail will be deeply discounted at about 50% of the current market.

So again, the current market is about 40 dollars a square foot, and they're starting at 20 dollars a square foot.

And it does comply with all the laws and ordinances set forth by the state and the local municipality.

Thank you, Council President.

I did have uh preliminary conversations, um, but we needed to do a follow-up.

So if you can set that up because I need um more information on the further breakdown, um, how many you what was the breakdown of units for seniors?

Is it the studio apartments?

Is it one bedroom?

What does that look like?

Um, and also what that cost is, um, what the the price points are for those specific units, and also we talk about community benefit, what that looks like um for this uh for this project.

And so that was the initial conversation, but I never got the follow-up, so if we could have that follow-up conversation, I'd appreciate it.

Uh sure, I will reach out to the developer.

I wasn't aware that they didn't follow up with you.

Thank you, Congressman uh Ramos.

Yeah, um, you know, I I understand the urgency, but you know, the fact that we don't have any backup documentation to review, we didn't get any paperwork ahead of time, you know, puts us in a pretty significant disadvantage to evaluate and not I'm not trying to say that what you're telling us isn't true, but it's important that at least we have some paperwork that we can review on these projects.

Yes, understood.

But when are we gonna get documents on this?

After the vote, the file is completely in legislatar and it's gone through my approval, and the remaining um approvers are expected to do that eminently.

So we still have to come in for an abatement beyond this.

Oh, sir, this is the abatement.

Oh, this is the abatement.

Okay.

So I thought this was the letter giving them the authority to seek state tax credits.

Uh no, sir, you have already done that.

Okay, so what I will suggest or recommend is at this point, since this is an ordinance and not a resolution.

We do have another opportunity to vote on this.

Um between now and the next meeting, if if the council still chooses to approve today, between now and the next meeting, that uh questions will be answered.

Uh information will be provided, documentation will be provided to the full boat for the full council for their review.

So, council president.

Um again, I apologize that it you do not have it.

Um I am able to give you what I have, but unfortunately I wasn't able to have it fully through the process.

Ms.

Chair, Councilman Council.

So, as the the chair of the tax abatement committee uh over uh seeing whatever the information that was uh not submitted, I know we had a plethora information that was submitted to us uh from the tax abatement uh committee and in conversation with folks that were there.

But I think more importantly here is that there is a deadline uh that needs to occur.

Uh and it is critical to our response, I understand by the conversation with our colleagues, uh, but in reviewing this and sitting with with the tax abatement committee, this is probably one of the rarest uh kind of of developments and not just developments and looking at it, but just in terms of price points uh as it relates to uh the residents of the community, the location uh that is going to be in it.

I know many people always talk about uh downtown and what is happening downtown and how uh many people are priced out of downtown and how we continue to struggle in the area of affordability uh of what is happening down there.

But when we talk about uh this particular uh project and the amount of units all uh being between 20% AMI and 50% AMI from 53 studios to the 16 two bedrooms and 10 three bedrooms.

Um I think it's critical um that we don't we don't you know miss this moment uh to be able to do something that is going to help our residents uh in this regard.

Uh I know we have um information uh from our uh tax abatement uh committee.

I don't know if it could be sent over from all of the things that we discussed or talked about that was related to this project as well as the information that uh our council colleague is looking for from the Century Ward.

Uh, but just in terms of financing, uh the way that the state is moving now and all the things that are happening in the federal government.

I don't know if we want to be, you know, uh at a disadvantage to uh not approve a project uh that is going to help the the really help the the benefit of our uh folks in the city to be able to come in uh and ascertain these apartments at these rates.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, Councilman Reynolds.

Yeah, I don't think anybody here is trying not to support the project.

You know, we we all want access to the same information that you have access to.

So, you know, I like the uh council president's suggestion.

I know this is on um uh a cycle as far as how we're gonna review it.

So if we move it forward, I don't think it hurts the legislation's opportunity to get adopted later on, and by that point we will all have privilege to the same information that councilman counsel and the others have had.

Thank you, Councilwoman Day.

Yes, um, and I understand what what uh councilman counselor is saying, and and like councilman may also, I agree that you know we all want to see affordable housing, we all want to see this project move forward, but again, as a body, and specifically for me as the councilwoman for the central board and is being in my board, we have a certain due diligence that we have to do and to make sure that we review the information in its entirety at the time that we are asked for our vote.

So that's the only thing that's why I'm just asking for the additional meeting, because again, I did have the opportunity to review uh documents beforehand and have the conversation, but there is some follow-up that needed to be done, and so because we had no idea that this was happening, you know, taking a little aback.

So um I I appreciate Deputy Mayor's um presentation, but if we could just make sure that we get that information, because again, we do not want to hold the progress, none of us do.

Yes, understood.

Um, and again, this is not the way I like to do business either, and I apologize for the request um at such a late moment, but this is not my preference either.

Councilman Gonzalez.

I my objection would be that uh we are creating precedent if we do that, and uh then later on this a other meetings, some other stuff may come at the last minute, and uh we will be in a position not to say no because uh we already did for this one.

So I believe it's important that uh that we take the time to review the information and make sure that that's uh that's what we want to do that uh this is the information that is provided is something that's uh satisfy our our needs, and uh something that uh we are comfortable with voting.

Understood, and I'm here to encourage you to support it, but at the same time I understand the council will have to vote their conscience.

Thank you.

Anything else on the council?

All right, roll call.

Well, um, so uh here's here's again here here's my suggestion.

And I will say this that we uh vote today to advance and adopt in between that and and I understand what the what what councilman uh Gonzalez is saying.

And at the end of the day we have a vote here today and we vote our conscience.

If you want to vote it down today you can vote it down.

If you want to move this forward we move this forward is that acceptable to the two we're talking about moving it forward with having the information before before the next vote yes that would definitely be we don't have the information before the next vote is this a resolution or is this a it's an ordinance this is on introduction a communication yeah so yes that's like all right all right I think we're all on the same page now all right that's what the president suggested yeah so but but Mike will we will vote on this matter to advance and adopt.

You want to advance it or advance and adopt I think in order for it to to meet the deadline it needs to be advanced and adopt and voted on second reading at the June 17th meet is that correct yes council president um one of the um uh scheduling challenges is that we have one council meeting a month and so in order for it to take three readings it would not be approved until um july and so that would be past their deadline so july 15th would be the third reading and that was the reason for asking for it to be advanced and adopted so the we'll vote today but with the understanding and and I just want really want to uh uh make it clear because I think the council uh feels this way is that there's a lot of information that needs to be uh provided uh meetings need to be had information needs to be shared prior to the June 17th vote understood all right thank you so we'll we'll vote today to advance and adopt first reading thank you roll call council members bay yes council yes yes Kelly yes to advance and adoptana yes Ramos yes got round tree yes yes yes council members we are in the 30 minute public comment portion of the I'm sorry before we start yeah uh early I wanted to record my votes for seven or eight a b uh and C as yeses all right so so noted thank you council before we go to the public hearing I just wanted to uh to ask the deputy mayor uh where are we with the the change that I had requested of having more units at 60 percent and less unit at 80 percent uh yes council president um allison ladd director of economic and housing development uh yes we have received the information uh from the clerk's office regarding the change uh to IZO as recommended by council member Gonzalez uh we are now preparing it to go to the central planning board uh for them to refer it back to council well it's it's taking it apparently a winding road because that was that was uh at the beginning of the year I believe we're even uh last year that I suggested that uh and the it has taken six months uh to go from the clerks to take a let me say well, I I let's say I understand that go around moves slowly, but I believe that we have sometimes to to do something, let's say a little bit more expeditiously.

And uh this time uh I am going to be uh missing the opportunity of voting on that item because it took so long.

Um I will do all that I can to bring it to back to you before the July 15th meeting, which I know will be your final meeting, um, and we'll at least be able to have you be able to look at the June 17th meeting, sorry, July 15th, June 17th.

Sorry, in my head, Rob.

I'll pass uh I pass it on to the council lady uh elected so that she can vote for that and increase the number of units at 60% and reduce the units at 80%.

You'll probably we can call it the Carlos Gonzalez ordinance.

Uh yes, um, you know, not that you're asking me, but I will tell you part of the reason was is that we were looking at other changes to inclusionary zoning, and we were trying to decide if we should do just one change or do multiple changes, and so that was what the delay was.

Um, but I am willing to have us go in two steps and we'll be able to do the first.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, Councilman Ramos.

Yeah, it's not not for your deputy.

I just a few things I want to see if we can if I can just highlight.

Um, one is uh I spoke to the BA yesterday about these issues we're having with PSE and G.

If we can send like a strongly worded letter on behalf of the council, they're doing a lot of these gas line replacements in various parts of the city.

Originally, it was supposed to be done by a private contractor.

Um apparently PSC and G decided to split the work between the private contractor and PSE and G employees.

Um those areas that are being handled by PSCNG directly are a huge mess.

I mean, there's dust everywhere, they have signage uh authorizing the streets to be blocked off for uh at least six weeks.

They've been on Lake Street for about two months, and you have to guess what day they're actually gonna show up in front of your house to do the work, and it's a huge inconvenience for our residents in the neighborhood.

Um they're not doing a good job cleaning up after they do the gas light replacement.

You know, I'm not I'm not sure um if there's any kind of leverage that the city has with this utility, but but they have to be you know better actors when they do work in the city of Newark and they have to clean up after themselves.

If it was any other contractor that we hired to do that kind of work and they left the kind of mess that PSC and G leaves behind, it would be fined.

Um so I I would ask through your chair and the clerk and through the BA's uh interference that we we send something out to PSC and G.

Maybe have them appear before us like we've had so many times in the past.

I know Councilman Quintana's brought them in about lighting.

Uh, we bought them in in the past when they installed these ridiculously large utility poles in our residential areas, you know, they they have to do they have to respect the city a little bit more than what they do.

Thank you.

So Mr.

Chair, Councilman.

So that that's a continuation of uh a special meeting we were supposed to have with PSE and G, Optimum and Verizon, around uh the the hanging of these wires uh all on these poles, the looseness, the wires that are falling down causing problems all over the place.

I'm not sure uh who the contact individuals should be, and maybe we need to begin to reach out to corporate to find the connection.

But those individuals need to be in here, you know, concurrent to what uh council colleagues have said uh they have to be responsible and accountable for the things that they're doing in the city and not just pass off uh responsibility.

You know, public service is oh, we rent the uh uh we rent the polls out, the other folks they come in and say the polls don't belong to us, and there is really no real initial uh kind of directive of what is happening.

Uh, but what is happening is a lot of sloppy work around the city, falling wires all over the place, and we need to really begin to come to head uh with the execution of this stuff.

Thank you.

We really need to try to schedule it as soon as possible, please.

Please.

Anything else from the council?

All right.

Open it up, council president, council members, before we go to the public comment, I just want to state for the record that the ordinance adopted as six FA today will be advertised in accordance with law.

And a public hearing will be held at the next council meeting on June 17th.

We are in the 30-minute public comment portion of this meeting where each speaker will have three minutes to speak.

Please state your name for the record.

Is there anyone wishing to address the council members?

Good morning.

Good morning.

Donna Jackson, Council Elect at large.

First, let me say, it's gonna be difficult for me to be a team player if we're gonna keep rushing stuff.

I feel slighted today by the rushing of this budget.

I have been a critic of the budget for the last three years exclusively.

We are in some troubling times, and I'm not gonna sit back quiet.

I'm telling you right now, I'm not.

These public hearings that are supposed to occur on July 15th or whatever day it was, they're not gonna be rushed either.

The public is gonna have an opportunity to have input.

Last year when we did this, the year before last, a fiasco.

You're not gonna do a whole budget, every department in one day.

Some of these budget hearings are gonna be in the evening because people and homeowners work.

And we cannot continue to do business as usual.

We're getting ready to saddle these homeowners with this rebound and tax increase at the same time.

Now we can we can debate the one percent.

I'll sit down with Mr.

Pennan so he can show me.

But to have this introduced today with no paperwork again in front of you, I got a problem with that.

And I know it's deliberate.

I'm taking it personal.

Yes, I am now.

Everybody's going, oh no, no, we're not doing that.

I don't believe it.

I'm glad that they got it done in time, but you're rushing it because you know what's coming up there, and it's gonna be accountability, and we're gonna do it right.

So please, when you're planning the budget hearing, don't do it in one day.

Because I'm gonna object.

I'll bring the people down here, and we're gonna have a public hearing for real for the first time in 20 years.

Because we're not gonna keep pushing this path and not have people involved.

I hope that executive budget for executive protection went from that 20, 30 million dollar range down to five.

Because if it didn't, that's the first thing I'm pushing for.

I don't have personal protection.

Nobody needs that much.

Delaney Hall, a fiasco.

How do we allow that?

And why are we suing Delaney Hall?

Where do we get the money from for that?

I hope that's not this contract today.

I hope it's not.

You shouldn't have allowed it to go that far.

We should not have allowed for our police department now to go down there and be in harm's way.

I'm not having it.

We're not doing that.

The governor shouldn't have stepped in and we shouldn't have made this a political football, and we allow that.

You need to tell the mayor when he's wrong, and he's wrong on this one.

He's wrong.

The council calendar needs to be restored.

June ain't no summer month.

School's still in, we're still working.

Go back to the two meetings.

Should have never been changed.

You can get the one meeting for July to one meeting for August, but not for June.

It should be a day meeting, which should have been today, and a night meeting on the 17th.

We need to really stop disrespecting the process.

Gas and electric, PSENG, lastly, I'll close with this.

The city had an opportunity to file for a waiver with the Board of Public Utilities.

And we are one of the only municipalities.

Let me just finish that did not do that.

Okay.

Thank you for your comments.

You're welcome.

Appreciate it.

Next speaker.

Action Jackson.

First, let's take a moment of silence.

Danielle Smith.

Hope Brown's true you're listening.

Okay, a couple of things, you know.

I was all for, I'm all for keeping Delaney Hall open.

But then I went and did my research.

You know, why close Delaney Hall for what?

You're not talking about closing uh all the jails of the state in New Jersey are messed up.

All the state, all the jails, all the black people, all the jails are messed up.

You know, not just Delaney Hall, you know.

And then I got a question for you, Council President.

When you're dead broke, right?

You got the Newark police going down there.

Who paid who paid for all that overtime?

Is the governor gonna write a check out for you?

Because now they're putting the New York police department back down there.

Who paying for that?

I like to ask that to my friend, the BA, Mr.

Penetton, because the city got to pay for it.

Come on.

Now they were in the mighty South Ward on Freeland Heisen Avenue over there by the projects, and the New York police did a good job over there, Councilman.

I guess you sent them over there, you know, to get it straightened out.

And uh they're over there, but I don't know if they're still over there because they weren't there yesterday.

But you gotta put the resources back up there to the mighty South Ward with Patrick Council and the projects to stop all that drug activity over there, not at Delaney Hall.

This ain't about politics.

Forget about politics.

You got like a Hakeem Jeffers, he come over here, close Delaney Hall, go to Rikers Island.

They got plenty of problems over there.

You know, all the jails got problems.

You know, that's why I wish your man uh wish your man to come down here, my little brother born.

Vaughn good on all that prison stuff, prisoner re-entry.

You know, we might have to get the young guy involved.

Because waste of time with Delaney Hall.

I mean, it's good you know, you want politics and be on TV all day.

That's slick, but it's costing it's cost of money.

And I like how this council stood up today to the administration, deputy mayor lad.

Come down here prepared.

Why wouldn't you come down here prepared to this bona fide body?

You'll come down here half step and being slick.

And as far as my man Miles Berger and the Burgers organization and the and in the uh powerhouse central ward, that's a great project.

That's what I've been talking about every time with the tax abatement coming down here.

I know you're gonna have points going back and forth, making your adjustments, but uh, that's a good product.

Of course, Donna said the medium income is cheaper than 86,000.

You know, but you're starting, you got a starting part.

Stay in line with the budget, Council President.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Mike checked, Donald Jackson, New York resident, and uh chief of staff to out thing, acting counsel at large, Donna Jackson, so we can get those rumors out the way.

Last time I came before this body, I talked about good governance, and it appears that we are lacking good governance, and I think it shows throughout the voting process, the low turnout.

People are tired, people are tired of the rhetoric, people are tired of the talking.

And in my conversations with some of you in passing, I've said, you know, you get to the council meeting, you get before these agenda items, you make very good points, and then we hear yes, yes, yes, yes, and for to come up and say, Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have this prepared, or I'm not ready.

It's just not showing good governance on the executive side or the legislative side.

Now, the building in particular I'm familiar with because I worked there back in the day.

What senior is going downtown to Rector Street?

What about the parking?

What about the access?

What about the ADA accommodations?

Those were problems when we worked in that building.

Now, again, some of you may be privy to information that I'm not because I'm on this side.

But has that come back to the full body?

Was that discussed amongst you all?

Clearly, it wasn't because it was a lot of questions.

It's not your problem that these folks aren't prepared.

If you ain't prepared, that's too bad.

It's not our problem.

And what it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong, but it always seems like you all have to be stepped on and take the brunt of folks, for lack of a better word, preparedness or incompetence.

And residents are tired.

I know I am.

I'm tired of hearing the same story.

Throughout my whole adult activism life, it's always the same story, the same result.

I know y'all gotta be tired because I definitely am.

So I'll say that to say this.

The handwriting's on the wall.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Morning, council.

My name is Andre Santana.

This is for Mr.

Pellington.

Mr.

Pennington, I put an open request for a data dump of your GL for 24 and 25, along with the charter accounts and account codes.

And I haven't received that yet.

I mean, something relatively simple.

You know, if you staff doesn't have the skill set, that's a problem.

But you passed deal.

So I just want to know what's the status of that.

Thank you.

So that was you were directing a question to the council.

Okay, good.

The hearing is for directing conversations to the council.

Questions to the council.

Next speaker.

Good afternoon, council members.

Good afternoon.

Good morning.

Oh, well, oh, good morning.

Good morning, everybody.

I'm sorry.

We know you, Miss Bradley, but can you state your name for the record, please?

Oh, my name is Fakira Bradley, a resident of New York, a resident of the South Ward.

But I don't want to get my address.

Um, good morning.

Council members, I stand before you today, not only as the founder of Restoring Hope Norwegian, but as a resident and advocate who believes in the power of the community.

I'm asking you to help us restore hope, restore unity and restore love and show me love for my block party.

Um, I'm asking you, wait, for nearly 30 years, our block has not had a community block party.

We have a generation of children who have never experienced what it feels like to see neighbors come together in peace, laughter and fellowship on the very street that they call home.

Today, as a resident of Skylar Avenue, ready for families, already seniors, already, most importantly, our children are waiting.

This event will bring together all the people of different ethnicities, backgrounds, and walks of life.

It will remind us, despite our differences, we are all one community.

At the time, so many neighborhoods are struggling with division.

We are choosing unity at this time when many people feel disconnected.

We are choosing connection at this time when people feel like they don't have hope.

I'm restoring hope.

Um, I respectfully ask this council to support me, and the request is going through now as you allow me the opportunity to show you what I can do, and I want to cordially invite you all to my block party, my first ever big event in the South Ward.

So I know right now we all in the pivotal time of life.

You know, we all got our flaws, we all got our good, we all got our bad, we all do some stuff.

Ain't nobody perfect, but I stand in solidarity with my people just to let you know, and thank you for your support.

I ain't always been a spring chicken, but I'm honest and I'm youthful, and I'm loyal, and thank you for your service.

Everybody got flaws.

I definitely appreciate you, and I want to give a shout out to Ross.

I don't care how nobody feels, every certification I got, everything I got through the nonprofit programs that he funded.

I took it to the top, and I'm definitely grateful and appreciate, and I don't look boobs.

I'm not getting paid for it.

I'm just speaking my honest opinion.

Thank you for your service.

Louise Scott Trial Tree, I love you.

Alright, thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

No others.

There are no other speakers.

Public comments now closed.

Get a motion to adjust uh anything from the council?

Anything from the administration?

Okay.

Yes, Council President Eric Pennington Business Minister.

Just uh quickly, if I could, with response.

Go ahead.

With respect to the uh to the budget, um, you know, as was raised by you, Council President, that uh there needs to be hearings and that they would not be held in one day.

That's the administration's position.

We intended for that to be the case.

Um, but there's one of the reasons why, in response to Councilman uh Gonzalez's request that we get this budget introduced sooner.

It gives us a little more of an opportunity.

We have until July 15th.

Um we are prepared and we'll make ourselves available uh for those uh for those hearings.

Um with respect to uh council elect Donna Jackson.

As I indicated, I will meet with her prior to her being sworn in and after uh to accommodate her and anyone else to make sure that they have sufficient information without uh with respect to the to the budget.

Uh regarding Delaney Hall being called a fiasco, the uh the administration and the mayor uh have done a yeoman's job to make sure that what has been characterized as a fiasco has been minimized and quite frankly is under uh amazing control.

As the mayor indicated yesterday at the press conference, our Newark police are trained to handle these situations and we deal with protests on a weekly basis and handle them quite well.

In the wake of George Floyd, people should be reminded that while cities burned around the United States, the City of Newark not only did not burn, it didn't have one shooting uh or one stabbing, and quite frankly, even though there were some uh minor arrests, it was minimal with respect to how things were handled elsewhere.

Those same tactics are now being used with respect to the protests at Delaney Hall.

They have uh minimized over the last two days under the direction of the mayor and uh uh Director Miranda.

Um, it is our intention to allow First Amendment protests to go forward.

That's the law, and that is what the city uh is all about inclusiveness and uh openness and making sure that people have uh their constitutional rights protected.

There is an administration in Washington right now that does its best to tamp that down to step on the necks of individuals, to uh treat them with disdain and disgust and uh with violence when they exercise their constitutional rights.

We don't do that here, and we have been uh extraordinarily successful and will continue to do so uh with our partners working to make sure that people have the right to protest while we still make sure that Delaney Hall does everything that it's supposed to do, and the geo group doesn't use its billions of dollars in profit uh at the expense of the uh detainees, and we'll continue to do that.

Um, regarding uh again the budget uh regarding the the executive protection unit, uh those details will be provided, and council members will have an opportunity to vote on it one way or the other, and we will answer the questions uh again to stand up here and not have uh uh just throw out numbers without having the data is a little bit dangerous, but people have the opportunity to say what they want to say, and we will provide the facts and make sure that you have sufficient information to vote your conscience as we work forward.

Um, with regard to there's a request regarding uh who's paying for our police to be down at Delaney Hall.

The city is, and we are using taxpayers' money to do so, but be clear uh this administration, the business administrator in particular, has requested from the governor's office that we were provided with uh funds to cover the overtime at Delaney Hall and for FIFA.

Uh the state police got 66 million dollars for uh FIFA coverage, none of which has been given to the city of Newark, none.

We have officers who are gonna be in uh the ironbound and in the West Ward and in the Central Ward to deal with and everywhere in the city to deal with FIFA related events.

Uh, and we're gonna have to cover that cost ourselves.

The state has said that they will look into it, and I will follow up with them uh in the next few days uh to see how much of that sixty-six million dollars will come to the city of Newark.

We believe that at least uh 10% of that six point six seven million dollars of it should come here so far we've got none of it.

So with your help uh perhaps we'll get a dollar or two.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome uh with that being said uh roll call to adjourn or motion to adjourn roll call I just want to make an announcement council president I'm sorry uh before we Councilwoman Scott Round yeah I was trying to say that I wanted to just announce uh tomorrow thank you council president I was trying to say before the VA came up about tomorrow's motor vehicle inspection at the Temple of hip hop 55 Ludlow Street um tomorrow that will be occurring and for those who want to um get their cars inspected and the vehicles inspected please call my office for further information 973 733 3794 it will be taking place tomorrow from 8 30 a.m until 2 p.m.

Only motor vehicle mobile inspections also I will be a date coming up for individuals to come to the mobile unit uh that we're currently getting ready to schedule to get their new IDs meanwhile everyone have a great day thank you council president thank you councilwoman uh roll call to adjourn council members they council yes and dollars Kelly absence absent ramos absent Scott Roundtree yes Silva President Crump yes