We welcome you to the January 20th 26th City Council meeting in accordance with chapter 231 public laws of 1955.

Adequate notice of this meeting was provided by resolution of the municipal council adopted on June 17th, 2025, setting forth the schedule of meetings for the year 2025-2026.

Send notice was published and posted on the city hall bulletin board by the office of the city clerk.

Please be further advised.

This meeting will be conducted in person.

The Zoom stream provided is for viewing only and is offered to the public as a convenience.

On January 9th, 2026, public notice and zoom instructions for this meeting were published in the Harold News and posted on the City of Pisake website, www.city of Pisake.com, Council agendas.

Instructions are also available on the last page of this agenda.

Please be guided accordingly.

Vocal, please.

Councilman Love.

Present.

Councilwoman Mello.

Present.

Councilman Mayer.

Councilman Garcia.

Present.

Councilman Colon Montañez.

President.

Council President Sheer will be here shortly.

Yes.

Invocation, please stand.

Let us bow our heads.

Blessed are you, O Lord, King of the Universe, creator of heaven and earth.

First and foremost, we thank you.

We thank you because each and every one of us woke up this morning.

And that is reason enough to give you glory and praise.

Lord, we ask that you would guide us through this meeting as we do.

The business of the people of Passake, that you allow this council, all those involved to make decisions based on what is in the best interests of all the community, guided by the wisdom that you give and by compassion and care.

We ask that you bless this ceremony, all the words that are spoken, all the presentations.

We ask that you watch over our city, always our children, our families, our seniors, all those who serve in uniform and out to make this city better.

We give you glory and praise in your most holy name.

Amen.

All right.

Well, it is a joyous night as we join together on the celebration of Martin Luther King.

So I am actually going to hand the mic over to my colleague, Kelsey Man Love, so we can get started with this beautiful presentation.

And I hope everyone enjoys thank you, uh, Councilwoman.

Uh, first and foremost, we have a long program.

Um, it's sometimes I share with the mayor, sometimes you don't have enough, and then you wind up with more than enough.

Um, but for for Dr.

King and his celebration, um, I wish that we can be here until midnight.

I wish.

Um, because the man of that stature and the man that single-handedly, um, of course, with with a lot of other people, so single-handling might not be the right term, changed the world and made it possible for us to be here.

So I just want to say welcome to all of our students first.

I'm sorry, all of our students, please give them a round of applause.

I also want to say uh welcome to our our seniors, who's a new edition, right?

We got to give our seniors a round of applause.

And that's probably one of the rare times I'll say the youth before the seniors, but you guys know why I did that.

Right.

Because you're passing the torch.

And then for all of us, the parents that's here, um, celebrating with us and all the all the rest of the community.

Uh, we're going to get um right into it.

First, we're gonna have our uh opening prayer by Reverend Basserville.

All right, if you can just approach, right?

Let's give them a hand.

Let us pray.

Father God, in your word, you say how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity.

So, Father, we come out tonight in unity as we celebrate.

The birth and the legacy of the Reverend Dr.

Mont Luther King and to just assemble with one another, Father.

We thank you for all that has been said and done, and all that will be said and done in this place on tonight.

Father, as we leave this place and as we go throughout the celebration and this meeting on tonight, let your spirit of unity rest rule and abide.

Bless our efforts, our thoughts, our words, our deeds, and our actions.

And we know that if you bless them, that you will give them the increase.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Thank you, Reverend Baskerville.

And now for those of you who don't know what libations is, you'll find out very shortly.

Um, we have our resident libationists from the city of Passaic, former border education member, and one of my besties for real, Evelyn T.

Robison.

Let's give a round of applause.

It is indeed an honor for me to be asked, and I thank our um councilman Dr.

Love for this opportunity to share this ceremony, which really goes back to the traditions of the motherland, the continent of Africa for which we all came from.

And in libation, what it is is that you give honor to you give honor to our Lord, you thank our Heavenly Father for the fruit that started with the fruits, and when you plant your seeds, and when you plant and you ask them to grow, and you give reference to the to the ancestors, those who came before you who laid the way, and so with libation, before we start anything, what we do is we ask the permission of the elders, and I'm going to ask one of the elders who is always oh there she is.

Um, who has always been gracious to accept.

So I'm going to ask Mrs.

Hunter.

Do we have your permission to go forward?

Does she hear me?

Mrs.

Hunter, do we have your permission to go forward with this ceremony?

She said yes.

Okay, let's give Ms.

Hunter a hand.

Okay.

All right.

So with libation, usually what happens is you call out a name of someone famous, someone who has made a contribution.

And with Dr.

King, a year ago, a new president was inaugurated a year ago today.

And I got to thinking about how this is Dr.

King's day.

Yesterday was his day, the 15th was his birthday.

And I thought it not robbery to concentrate on what he said during those turbulent times in the 60s.

As a child of the 60s, I remember.

And I saw Bull Connor doing his thing.

I saw all of that.

And as a teenager, I always wondered how could this man be so strong and still remain calm.

And as I'm getting older, I understand.

So with libation, when I do, I'm instead of doing a name, I'm gonna do it a uh one of his sayings.

And when I say that, you would we will pour the water.

If we were outside, it would be on the ground, so they can symbolize the growth of the seeds.

So with the plant, I'm not gonna overwater.

It's a beautiful plant.

Um, so we're not gonna so what I would do is for those who agree with the saying, you would say amen, or as we say, as she okay.

So the first, I need somebody to do the water, sister Woodson.

Would you be kind enough when I do the name and you could pour the word?

Don't overwater.

I don't want them charge me for a plant.

Dr.

King, the first one he said, one of the ones he said was we are prone to judge by our salaries and the size of our automobiles rather than by the quality of our service relationship to humanity.

So we say Ashe to service, not judgment.

Never never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or an animal is at stake.

Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.

So we say Asha to not being afraid, our shame.

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.

You don't have to have a college degree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.

So we say grace towards others.

If you cannot fly, you can run.

If you can't run, you can walk.

If you can't walk, you crawl.

That's what I'm talking about.

But whatever you do, you keep moving forward.

The time is always right to do the right thing.

So we say Asha to doing the right thing.

The day we become silent about the things that matter.

And I partnered with this with his saying, in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

So in the tradition, I would ask that you at one time when I count to three, shout out the name of someone that made a difference in your life and has you as you are here.

All of you are serving.

All of you are eligible, and all of you are responsible and accountable to serve and stand up to do the right thing.

So when I count to three, count say shout the name of whoever it was that made a difference in your life.

One two three beautiful and Ashay.

God bless you.

Thank you, sister Robinson.

If you didn't pick up a program, um some of you know by heart.

Uh, we're going to be led by um Mr.

Place and Pace.

Place and pace.

Um, a student from pace who's going to lead us and lift every voice.

What we ask is everyone please stand up for the black national anthem.

Let all be joyful.

Let it reason loud as a role.

Full of the faith that the dark past has full of the hope that the present has let us march on till victory.

We want to give her another give the musicians and the young lady another round of applause.

I'm in a good way and very proud.

We're going to ask our seniors to come forward.

And as they come forward, we will announce some of our dignitaries in between.

So you guys come up whenever you're ready.

Give them a round of applause as they make their way out there, please.

And as they make their way, I want you to realize and notice that some of these seniors, um, they were out here in the fight, and they were here in the struggle with Dr.

King when we could we got beaten going to the voting booth, right?

And couldn't go into City Hall.

They were there, so please keep that in mind when they sing these next elections.

Yes.

So I have the great honor this evening to uh be a part of the Basake Silver Senior Community Choir.

Come on, let's give it up for them.

We are here to celebrate Dr.

King's birthday with each and every one of you.

We are here to celebrate Black History Month with each and every one of you, and we are here just to celebrate being here today.

What do you think about that?

Amen, amen.

And uh, we thank Mayor Laura for always being in our corner, allowing us to create this beautiful group of voices, and as Dr.

Love said, they've been in the struggle, they're still here.

These are the pillars of our community, so sit back, relax, and please enjoy.

I'm the quiet director.

My pastor, I'm so glad to see him.

Come on to him, mayor, and Dr.

Love Leggo and our panel.

We're listening here, we're gonna do a little set for you.

Amen.

And we also want you to join in.

Everybody in the community to join in.

So as they get prepared, we just want to recognize a few individuals that's in the audience.

Uh, we want to recognize Dr.

Hall, the executive director of UPO.

Deputy mayor and one of our great administrators in the district, Dr.

Edwin Garcia.

Deputy, Deputy Mayor, Minnie Hiller Austin, Minister Ashley Lipsko.

Pastor Carl Ellen.

Vice Principal and extraordinary, what was a teacher, but educational leader, Sheila Woodson.

Former NAACP president Calvin Murray.

And we have the current president of the NAACP, Sherry Grayer.

We shall not, we shall, we shall come.

Let's join here, which is part of your neighbor next to you.

All hands.

We shall come.

We shall do shall come.

We shall come.

We shall come.

We shall come.

We shall come out.

I am not free.

I am freed to be shall come.

We shall come.

We shall come.

We shall come in to be shall we shall right now.

They're gonna be worth a lot of money in another week or so.

We want to acknowledge the presence of our mayor of Hector Lara.

Council President Gary Sheer.

Once again on Zoom, we have our councilman Joe Garcia.

Here with us, we have Tanya Mello.

We also have Councilman Shane Monk, who's on Zoom, as well as Daniel Mayer.

I'm gonna have to say Councilman Garcia again because the beautiful councilwoman told me to say it again.

All right.

So please give him a round of applause again.

We want to give a big shout out to Chief the Chief of Police, Louis Guzman, Robert Mooner, our deputy fire chief.

Thank you for being here with us.

Diane McNair from the housing.

Justinia Conquavis.

All right, give her a round of applause.

Sometimes you need help.

Doris Dudak who takes care of all the purchasing and the money, please thank her.

Our finance director, Omar Garcia.

You heard from her earlier, uh, but does a great job with our seniors, and that's Mrs.

Francine Wise, the senior for my director.

And if you're looking for a good place to live and buy, you need to check out Miss Joyce Gregory, huh?

Okay, my councilwoman is on her job.

Um, we met Evelyn T.

Robinson when she did the libation.

But we're gonna meet her again.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Um we will go through names as we go on with the show show.

Um, but before I uh go on any further, um, I want to give a big big shout out and a thanks, man.

And we do this every year and we make sure we don't forget to miss our city clerk weatherly free ass every year to do a phenomenal job with decorating and doing things that I have no clue until I can't hear they done.

So thank you again.

Um, we also want to thank Tiffany uh Crockett, Mrs.

Crockett principal, um, who's out on sickly, but still manage to Hazel Harding teacher with Hazel.

Yeah, she's back there.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us things.

And also um, we have a teacher of the year in the building from school twenty-five, and that's Giselle Estevas Castro.

Thank you.

And we will have some more, but right now last on the list, and it was purposely done.

Um sometimes we take for granted individuals, but this individual I'm never gonna take for granted.

Um I don't care.

I start texting him like crazy in January or December, December.

Um, probably the first week in December, and I know he's looking at his phone, and I'm calling him and I'm begging him to answer me back, and he never answers until he says we'll be here, and that's Mr.

Place.

We just don't know too much easier, and then also the students from peace, right?

All right, we can move on.

Um, right now we have students from I don't remember now.

I need my glasses, you get all them.

All right, we have a student pledge.

Thank you, notes to MLK because of MLK, the time capsule presentation to the future students.

This is um presented by the second and third grade students at Maha Ma Gandhi, school number twenty-five.

Thank you.

Testing, you got them all.

Yes, good evening, and welcome on behalf of school 25.

Principal Dr.

Ragone, A.P.

Sheila Woodson, A.P.

Nicola Gillow, and our school ambassadors, as you see.

Today we come together to celebrate the life and the legacy of Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

His work continues to inspire us to treat one another with respect, to believe in all fairness, and to make our community a better place.

I am the coordinator of the student event committee at school 25, and it is my pleasure to introduce the school 25 ambassadors of 2025 and 2026.

I would like to start with my second great ambassadors, Natalia Angelis.

Diana Colomarazan, Damapena, Matthew Baxquest, Matthew Basquez.

He's ready, he's ready.

Alani Bridges, Nathaniel Diaz, Fernando Sorriano, and Adelaide Valenti.

Our ambassadors have created a pledge inspired by our school vision and the mission shared by Gandhi and the change of Dr.

Kang.

I'm a homda Gandhi School 25.

That our dreams are worth nurturing and our voices are worth hearing.

We are the leaders.

Lied by Dr.

King's values of fairness, kindness, and hope.

Who watched who were together in experiments?

That learn and build strong social and emotional skills.

We are leaders who are becoming life fluent readers, writers, critical thinkers, and communicators.

As learners, we are leaders.

Thanks to our ambassadors have written thank you notes to honor his leadership and the lasting impact of his legacy to their lives.

Dr.

King's acts of nonviolence and the I have a dream has become a reality in so many of our ways.

We have become a time where we can leave others with kindness.

These notes will reflect understanding and his values in hopes of carrying legacy forward.

Thanks to him, I can hop on a bus, train, or even cruise in a self-driving car.

Yes.

It would have gone viral in under five minutes.

Yes, that's true.

Thanks to him, he held powerful words turned into Pell Frows.

Upgrading freedom from a dream into a real life future to update America.

Thanks to him, everyone has a fair chance in life.

Like making sure no one gets all the cookies while others only get clumsy.

Take your time.

Take your time.

So we made a time capsule.

So we will leave it to others.

And their notes are gonna reflect values, their hopes, and where we're headed off, where we're not gonna look back.

Alani Bridges, can you step up?

Alani is a confident and expressive talent that shines through dance and performance.

She's a member of a recognized dance company.

Alana, you can suck up to the casting.

Dear future me, I dream of dancing on big stages and acting in amazing stories.

Keep practicing, keep shining, and never stop sharing your talent, your talent with the world.

I will leave you my favorite Broadway show play, Bill and Netflix show list, and good luck, scrunchie to show to put up your hair and don't look back.

Nathaniel Diaz competes in two elite football teams, the Bergen Stars and the Dream Chaser.

Last month he was recognized by EA Top 100 as one of the nation's top 300 youth football prospects and has been named among the sixth finists to upcoming spring showcases in Delaware.

Football is my passion, and I hope you are still running, kicking, and playing with your best effort.

Keep chasing your dreams on and off the field.

That's for me, right?

That's for me, right?

Fernando Soriano is an inventive student who loves building and designing new ideas.

His strong problem solving skills have helped him become one of the top debaters and future builders at school 25.

Hope you've made inventions that are make life better and fun.

Graduate of MG.

I mean J.

Adelise Valencia.

She is considered a strong candidate for the gifted and talented programs that are provided by PASAIC and has offered and has been offered opportunity to explore advanced art classes.

Natalia Angelis.

Natalia is a high performing student who shines in the arts and always is exploring new ways to create and express herself.

I dream of being an artist.

Explored new styles and never stopped making art.

I want to see the world and share my ideal with others.

I will leave you my artwork.

Diana Colomaraza has been one to navigate through any app in school and has been working towards becoming the go-to tech wiz.

She has received awards and in recognition for her lead skills on district platforms.

And having fun doing it.

I will leave you my iPad.

Emma Pena is a fierce competitor in the gaming world.

Her skills have been categorized as a rising esport star, known for her strategic thinking and lightning fast reflexes.

Hi, I have a dream of making the coolest videos.

Gaming keep keep learning and turning your ideas into gaming that are adventures.

Matthew Vasquat.

Matthew is a dedicated student who works hard in science every day.

He asks thoughtful questions, enjoys learning how things work, and never gives up when a problem feels challenging.

I love to ask questions like why and how does that walk?

And is that life outside of all?

I will leave you my goggles and my science again.

As we end our presentation, let us remember that Dr.

Martin Luther Kings Jr.

dreams lives in each one of us.

And as you can see it with our students as well.

His words remind us that kindness is powerful and it takes us far.

Fairness matters because those are our steps.

And that every voice can make a difference because it is heard.

We honor Dr.

King by treating others with respect, standing for what is right, and believing that we can help make a world a better place.

Just like he dreamed.

We can be the change, and it starts with them.

Next, we're gonna have Galexis Pacheco from LS Portugal School number 22.

Let's give her a round of applause.

So the corn ends and dip his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage.

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied, so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with the fearful thrill of things unknown but long for still.

And his tune is heard on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom.

And he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams, his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream.

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied, so he opens his throat to sing.

The cage bird sings with the fearful thrill of things unknown, but long for still.

Why you set up Joshua Ramirez?

Let's give Joshua a round of applause.

Oh, Joshua.

Martin Luther King Jr.

at the March on Washington, 1963.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation.

This momentous decree is a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.

It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But a hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.

A hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still badly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.

So we've come here today to traumatize a shameful condition.

In a sense, we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check.

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of independence, they were singing a promisory note to which every American was fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men will be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust all white people.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights.

When will you be satisfied?

We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.

We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.

It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

Live out the true meaning of its creed.

We will hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia's sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream.

One day, right here in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must be become true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening islands of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from lookout mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi, from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city.

We are free at last.

We also want to recognize uh president of the board education, Judith Sanchez, who's also on Zoom.

After the selections from uh Pace and Pace Place and Pace, um, we will we will hear from our closer, and that's no other than uh Revin Baskerville.

Of living life on America, and you can find the fire by seating you, so we can walk it out.

We will walk it out and mountains and our eyes up to day, our eyes unafray, and I do it and dance a hint times again, and we're rise up, I like the ways will rise up and spine the do it as a hands again when the silence is in quiet, and it feels like it's a gay heart to breeze, and I know you feel like I promise we'll take the world to its feet mountains, we can choose feed mountains and our eyes, our eyes like the day, our inspirate as a hit again, we need home, and for that we have and for that we have each other, we will rise away and our eyes up I like the ways that rise up the age I will rise a thousand times again.

We also want to acknowledge a brill Morales of one about court education members who awesome.

And I need to apologize because sometimes we say the city clerk, Mother Lee and her staff.

And we should name them because they participated in making this place very nice.

So a rallies, thank you.

Susan Corona.

Teresa.

When the night has come.

And the land is dark.

And the moon is the only light will see.

No one won't be afraid.

Just as long as you stand, stand by me.

So don't talk instead by me.

Stand by me.

And the sky that we have on.

Should tumble in home on the mountains.

Stand by me.

Soy stand by me.

Oh stand by me.

Oh stand.

Stand by me.

Stand by me.

Oh stand by me.

Oh stand.

Stand by me.

Stand by me when the night has come.

The land is dark and the moon is the only life will see.

I won't cry.

I'm crying.

Shed a tear just as long as you stand.

Stand by me.

So tell it all instead by me.

Oh by me.

Oh stand by me.

Stand by me.

Oh stand by me.

Stand by the way.

Everyone put your hands together for all of the great or you can do better.

Put your hands together.

Do me a favor, look at the person near you and say, stand by me.

I was looking at council president.

I thought I was gonna have to pass him the mic.

He was getting into that one.

So he was really rocking and rolling.

Amen.

Amen.

I greet you with the apostolic greeting of grace and peace be unto you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's good to see all of you out on tonight.

Before we go any further, let's give our students a hand.

See how excited they are.

There you go.

Stand up.

Stand up.

There you go.

Every student in the building stand.

Every student.

Every student.

There you go.

Every educator in the building stand.

Every educator.

There you go.

Give them a man.

Give them a hand.

And parents.

Every parent, just wave your hand.

Now do me one favor.

Students, I want you to point to your parents and repeat after me.

You ready?

Point to your parents, find them, and repeat after me.

Say, I love you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Put your hands together and give them.

We give deference to our honorable mayor in the house on tonight.

We thank him for all of the years that I've been here.

He's been a very present support.

And before I go any further, I also want to uh give you greetings from the great Mount Mariah Baptist Church, where I am the proud pastor.

I'm coming up on 15 years, and they still haven't thrown me out of town yet.

So God bless.

I love you, Mount Moran.

There's nothing you can do about it.

Our mayor, God bless you, sir.

Uh, council president shear.

It's good to see you.

All council members too.

Councilman Dr.

Terrence Love.

My family sends their greetings to you because he always asks about my family.

My family love him.

He's always checking up on my family and me.

And so they told me to tell you hello.

They were not able to be here tonight, but they send their regards.

I want to say to you, thank you.

Whenever we need him, he's always a phone call.

And he always answers the phone.

So that's good to you, and we want we want to thank you for all the years that you've been a support to the Mount Mariah Baptist Church and our community.

And we want to thank all of our council members for being supportive of the community.

Oh, we ought to give our hands for that.

And our mayor and city government, we thank you.

To all of the clergy that's assembled.

Clergy, can you just raise your hand?

And to all of our civil servants, all of our police officers, our fire, to everyone.

Let's give them a hand.

And in order to achieve what we need to achieve, we need the beloved community.

And so we thank the beloved community.

Every time I go to a Walmart, every time I get out of my car, and I see a police officer, I look at them, I say, thank you.

That I can go home and go to sleep and not worry about a whole lot of nonsense happening in my house.

Amen.

And so we ought to say thank you to all of our civil servants.

Thank you very much.

Please say go with me.

Oh, we're bringing you a scripture that is pretty.

I will not be before you long.

I will be bringing a scripture that could be found in our Torah for our Jewish brothers and sisters.

In the book of Leviticus and Numbers, also found in our Christian Bible.

Kings, Leviticus, Numbers, can be found in the Quran.

For Islamic brothers and sisters, and their hadith and in their surah.

So I want to bring a scripture that we all can identify with.

Amen.

Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate.

And they said to one another, why are we sitting here until we die?

If we say we will enter the city, the famine is in the city, and we will die there.

If we sit here, we're gonna die.

Now, therefore, look at your neighbor and say, Now, therefore, let us go to the army of the Syrians.

If they keep us alive, we shall live.

If they kill us, we will die.

The word of the Lord is already blessed.

Father, bless this word in Jesus' name.

I pray, Amen.

While we sitting here until we die, if we say we enter the city, the famine is there, we're gonna die there.

If we sit here, we're gonna die here.

Now, therefore, let us go forward.

And if we live, we live, but if we die, we die.

Look at your neighbor and say the preacher's about to preach.

Even if it kills me.

Look at your neighbor and say, Even if he kills me, my brothers and my sisters, and it's also good to see you, Dr.

Hall.

My brothers and my sisters, at the core of Martin Luther King's theological understanding was the principle of divine discontent and the imperative of action over passive suffering.

A state where one refuses to be satisfied with unjust or lethal conditions being marginalized.

In fact, this understanding permeates his discourses, his sermons, his books, his quotes, and in our text, the lepers refuse to remain still, reflects King's famous instruction on perseverance.

If you can't fly, run.

If you can't walk, but whatever you do, what keep moving forward.

But he also, in his letter to the Birmingham jail, he wrote in 1963, there are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true that they are worth dying for.

Look at your neighbor and say, I'm not tolerating you, I'm accommodating you.

In the text, we see some strongholds that need to be brought down, and one of the strongholds is that we find four people who are marginalized because of a skin orientation.

Uh oh, they are marginalized because of a skin orientation.

Now, if you know anything about the Trans Jordan plateau where scripture was taking place, it was hot there, and so what would happen, Dr.

Love, is that if a person's skin broke out in a bump or a sore, then they would immediately say that the person had leprosy.

Oh, y'all stay with me right now.

Now you know how it can be in the hot summertime, even here in Porsaic.

That every now and then, if you're young, especially, I don't quite go that way like I used to, but if you're young, you can get a little acne on your face, you get a little bump.

Well, there was a practice going on between the priest and the the Roman government, and this happens in the new testament, but it was also a practice from the old testament that when a person who had influence who had money or has some substance, if they got a bump on their face, then they would push them into a leper colony.

If they didn't have it, when they got there, they would catch it, then they would die, and they would take their property and split it up amongst themselves.

Oh, let me help me, Holy Ghost.

So they would take a person, put them in a leper colony, waiting for the person to catch leprosy, leprosy and die, and then they would take their house and split their property.

Okay, y'all got it.

Now, let me fix this.

I'm gonna pay, I'm almost done.

They set it up in a colony.

Now, a leper colony, they had to live outside of the gate, they could not live in the community with everyone else, so they had to be outside the gate, and so they set up a leper colony outside of the gate where they pushed everyone with leprosy into this colony.

In other words, they set up a ghetto, I mean a situation.

Uh, y'all caught that uh outside the gate.

Y'all get that?

Uh they set up a region where they could uh uh a housing, or they set up a place where they would put them uh and concentrate concentrate everybody.

Oh, y'all got that in that one location, stick them outside the gate, and then what they would do is they would have what was the beginning in scripture of trickle-down economics because what they would do is they would take whatever they had left over, the scraps food, and they would put the food outside the gate, and then you had the people uh in the colony fighting uh for scarce resources.

I'm looking for somebody to know where I'm going already.

So they they would fight in the leper colony if they didn't have enough food to eat, uh so only the strong was able to what uh survive, they were only the one whoever could beat up the other one, or whoever was the strongest was the one who got fed.

Or I'm looking come in, come y'all help me.

Y'all say amen with me.

Uh let me tell you something amen to a preacher's like saying sick them to a dog.

Uh the more you say amen, the harder I'm gonna preach.

I'm gonna get there sooner, amen.

So they stick them in a colony because of a skin orientation, but every now and then something would happen.

In other words, somebody inside that colony that didn't even have leprosy uh, and we find this out in Mark 140 through 45.

Uh, Jesus came along, and when he ain't something how things can turn around when Jesus, anybody ever seen a turnaround when Christ showed I'm looking for somebody and said I was on my way to a devil's hell until Jesus showed up or I'm looking for some real church folk in here that said I know what it's like when Jesus shows up every now and then somebody would also not get leprosy and would be able to survive the leper colony, and then when they survive the leper colony, they would have to go back to the priests and be assimilated back into the community as Moses had instructed them, and they had to stand up in front of everybody and let them know I will not be your leper.

I'm looking for somebody right now that can stand in what man said, Preacher, I will not be anybody's leopard.

Almost there.

Now we got four people.

Let me know, Green.

We got a colony.

You don't form a colony for four people.

A colony is normal for hundreds of people.

Which lets me know that not everybody that you can count can be counted on.

Oh, let me say this.

Especially when it's voting time.

Not everybody that can count, you count, can be counted on.

You had a hundred and some folk in a colony, but only four people out of the hundreds of people said I want to do something about my situation.

Do I have four people in here?

Do I have four that said I want to do something about my do I have more than four people?

I'm looking for somebody to raise their hand and say, I'm one.

There you go.

Only four people, and that's what's wrong with us.

We complain, but we sit.

Don't complain about how bad things are, and you sitting in the seat of doing nothing.

I'm almost there.

Whenever a leper approached someone, let me put some context to this.

There you go.

Help me out.

Just to let them know I was an elementary principal for it for 12 years.

So I yeah, I miss you guys too.

They would holler, unclean, unclean.

Don't you ever allow somebody's opinion of your self-worth to become your reality?

Don't you ever allow somebody else's opinion of you to dictate who you are.

They said I wouldn't make it, but again.

Some folks said I would never be nothing, but I did all right.

Am I the only person here that somebody wanted to put you on the ground and throw dirt over you and proclaim your benediction, but yet I rise I'm looking for somebody that said, I made it and I'm standing here today.

So here they are.

Why sit here until we die?

People killed me.

Dr.

Love talking about I want to go back to the old days.

You can never go back.

For a day or so, but not long.

We can never go back.

So stop glorifying what used to happen when we talk about we're gonna go back.

I remember I grew up in the south.

I grew up in the segregated south.

I grew up with Woolworth.

I grew up in Roses in Woolworth and the five and dime store.

When I grew up, you you couldn't even sit at the lunch because I grew up.

I grew up I don't want to go back to that.

Says that our people are so used to going through the back door.

That if there's no back door, they'll make one.

We can never go back.

We can't sit here.

Many of our community members can't even walk the street.

For worrying about if they're gonna be, you know where, man.

We can't stay here, beloved.

Things have to get what?

Better.

If we stay here, we're gonna die.

So the only option we have.

And the lepers in the text says we might as well go for and if they keep us alive, we live, and if they kill us, we die.

But the text don't end there.

Turn the page.

Go to the fifth verse.

Because when they started going forward, the Bible lets us know that they start marching into the Syrian camp.

And when they started, and preacher already know where I'm at.

When they started marching, it were four men.

And while they marching, four men sounded like an army of thousands.

Because what God did, what God magnified the footsteps, and when they got there, they all have ran and left the whole army ran and left everything for them.

But what I want to say to you right now, huh?

Don't worry about how God gonna do it.

We spent too much time worrying about how he do it, that's his problem.

But I know one thing, won't he do it?

I'm looking for somebody that said, Won't he do it?

How he does it?

I don't care how he do it.

He can come in a boat, he can come in a plane, huh?

He can come in a war wind, huh?

You can come on a sailboat.

I don't care how you get here, just get here.

I'm looking for two or three folk, and when they started marching, going into the camp, uh my Bible lets me know that when they got there, all of the jewelry, uh, all of the clothes, all of the food have been left behind uh for them.

Um beloved, sometimes uh we feel like we are not making any progress, uh, the timid soft steps of the lepros men walking on the path to the camp was amplified and magnified by God now into a roar of chariot wheels rumbling, huh?

Swords clanging, uh, horses panting, soldiers shouting and trumpets blasting.

This roar melted the Syrian soldiers' heart into a fear.

The church and our community many times may seem uh like a ragtag group of weekend warriors with low budgets, untrained soldiers, uh underpaid leaders with highly criticized efforts, but with a task which seems unattainable, unimaginable, and unfathomable.

But God can amplify our voice, magnify our work, glorify our endeavors, rectify our failures, mystify our enemies, gratify our labors, huh?

Many are waiting for God to move.

But I'm stopping by here tonight to say this.

Uh don't you just sit there, get up and do something, huh?

Look at your neighbor and say, Bust the move.

Don't just sit there, huh?

Get up and do something, huh?

Even if it kills me, I'm going forward.

Give us some out of high five and said, Don't sit there.

Now pull them like you're pulling them out of your seat.

So don't sit there.

Get up and do something.

Or pull your neighbor and say, get up.

Get up.

Get up, get out.

I tried to warn you, he's a closer, but this is a great segue.

Um, as he talked about standing.

We're gonna bring in our another student, Abrielle.

Abigail, uh Robinson, who's gonna come up and do her insert about stand.

Oh, I've got eyes in the back of my head.

Just in case I have to run.

I do what I can when I can while I can for my people.

While the clouds were back in the stars till the night, that's when I'm gonna stand up.

Take my people with me.

Together we are going to a brand new home.

Far across the river.

Can you hear freedom calling?

Calling me to answer, gonna keep on keep it on.

I can feel it in my home.

Early in the morning.

Before the sun begins to shine.

But gonna start moving.

Before the separating line.

You know I gotta make up mine.

And I don't mind if I lose any blood on the way to salvation.

And I fight with the strength that I got until I die.

So I'm gonna stand up.

Take my people with me.

Together we are going to a brand new home.

Far across the rim of your freedom calling, calling me to answer, gonna keep on keeping it on.

What's around the bin might be hard to face this out of the home?

And I dress myself.

Stand up, take my people with me, together we are going to a brand new home far across the river.

Can you hear freedom calling me to answer and I keep on it on I'm gonna stand up, take my people with me together?

We are going to a brand new home far across to river.

Can you hear freedom calling?

Calling me to answer, gonna keep on it on.

Take my people with me together, we are going to a brand new home far across the river.

Can you hear freedom calling?

Calling me to answer, gonna keep on keep it on.

Sometimes you gotta set things up the way you want them to go.

We started off with our seniors and we ended up with our youth.

And we had everyone in between.

Um this actually concludes our our program.

Um before I turn it back over to our council president, um once again.

I I I think I thanked everyone and I'm going to do it once again.

I want to thank the youth.

I want to thank Mr.

Place again and Pace for always coming, and every single performer who came up here before us.

And um, before uh council president takes over, uh, he'll direct us, but place and the pace team will play us out or re as we exit.

So thank you, Council President.

All yours.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, Mr.

Mayor, for uh allowing us to do such a splendid and wonderful program tonight.

This was a great program, wasn't it?

And on behalf of the council, I want to particularly thank Councilman Dr.

Lowe's for the role which he undertakes every year and does such a wonderful and amazing job.

We're going to take a 10 minute break at that point.

We will come back into the business portion of the council.

We invite you to stay for the business portion if you would like to.

If you are planning just to talk, we ask you to do outside in chambers so that we can move the business of the city along.

I'm told there are refreshments, and please grab some as you go.

Yes, yes.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you.

Very good.

If there's a motion, please to reconvene.

All right, the miconvene.

There's a second row call to reconvene, please.

Councilman Monk.

Councilman Love.

Present.

Councilwoman Mello.

President.

Councilman Mayer.

Councilman Garcia.

Present Councilwoman Colom Montañez.

Right there.

And Council President Sher.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen.

If you don't have a copy of tonight's agenda, just there are copies located at the exits and entrances to this hall.

You can also look on your internet and get onto the city's website.

This meeting is the one we're coming.

Where you will be able to follow everything that is going on, including background information and material on each and every resolution, comments, and mailing.

At this time, we are up to room number four of our agenda, the minutes of our July 15, 2025 city council meeting.

Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes as presented by the clerk?

Seeing the light at this time, is there a motion please to accept the minutes?

Move it.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

We're up to hearing of citizens Roman number five on our agenda.

In accordance with the open public meetings act, NJSA 10 colon 4-1 at sec.

The council opens every public meeting for comments of the public.

However, in accordance with NJSA 10 colon 4-12, nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the discretion of a public body to permit, prohibit, or regulate the act of participation at any meeting.

Therefore, please be advised that the council will not entertain any statements or comments from persons who communicate obscene material, make statements which are considered bias intimidation, in which a person intends to intimidate any individual or group because of race, color, religion, gender, handicap, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, or makes these comments intending to harass or speak any offensive language.

The person who makes these statements will relinquish their allotted five minutes for public discussion.

If you would like to address the council, we ask that you share with us your name.

And that you limit your remarks to five minutes and five minutes only.

But the uh council president does not undertake that responsibility.

Is there anyone who would like to address the council at this time?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

Evelyn T.

Robinson, 2226th Street.

Um wanted to first of all, Dr.

Love.

This was awesome.

I mean, and following the young people and the seniors and the whole atmosphere.

And um, I saw you, Fernandez and Lord singing stand by me.

I saw you.

You know, with that.

I just love the engagement of everyone.

The entire audience was it was just really a beautiful vibe.

So I thank you once again.

And it was an honor to be a part of this of this ceremony.

I want to thank the um I haven't been here since it's instituted.

I've been running around.

That shuttle has got it going on.

They call it the Laura Bus.

Someone told me said, I said, I went for the shuttle.

They said, Oh, you mean the Laura Bus?

I said, Yeah, wait for the Laura Bus.

I'm like, his name is Honest, so he's the Laura Bus.

And this is like, why was it Laura?

I'm like, okay.

Um, that has been such a blessing.

It has been such a blessing.

And then when you instituted the Saturday and Sunday schedule, and then to have it available for New Year's Eve.

That, you know, um, when a city, when you when you have leaders, and particularly our mayor, and I don't care what they say, stay on Facebook, stay on Instagram, do what you because it keeps everyone involved and lets them know.

Folks can't say, I didn't know what was going on.

You're not paying attention.

And I know a lot of people are not on social media, but those of us that do can spread the word to those who don't.

Um, they have the we have them even in our buildings on you know I'm the president of Real and Village.

We have the flyers, they're in the hallway, so our residents will know.

And on top of that, I want to thank you for making sure that that bus stop is on Sixth Street and Passaic Street, not around that corner.

I had made that I had asked about that, and the mayor made that happen.

Um, I'm standing waiting for the bus on Wall Street, and this young lady, I'm like, oh, you here because of their blocking the she said, Oh no, we received a request from the city to change the bus stop from Wall Street turn to Passake and Sixth Street.

That's my mayor.

So Mia Gande, which I always call him that when I'm talking, I thank you, and I thank you, and I thank the support of the council for doing the things.

Those you think those are little and small, but they're not.

Particularly downtown, we're the most populated and um and the most physically financially challenged ward in um in the city.

And I know because I have the stats.

So I thank you for looking and listening and covering the whole city, particularly with the bus, um, with the Laura bus.

And um, and I I think 2026 is gonna really open up and provide more, particularly since we have the advocate now with the count in the county with our commissioner and looking out for us.

And so I wish all of you a blessed 2026, and thank you once again, Dr.

Love.

And I'll be back when I'm back.

God bless you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Good evening, 23 Assm Place apartment 60.

I just came tonight, really.

Um, first I want to say to Councilman Love, Dr.

Love, wonderful program.

Wonderful, wonderful.

And it's always a pleasure to hear from Reverend Basketville.

He told me I didn't age and I gotta come back and see him some more.

Um, but I came tonight to introduce to the city the new pastor Williams Chapel and Design Church that's located on 133 Myrtle Lab, the Reverend Joshua Corbin.

He is Amy Zine Bread, a product of St.

Paul's Amy Design Church that one time was in Trenton Moore to Youngwin when they built the bigger edifice.

Um Livingstone taught Hood Theological Seminary, and he is an educator in the city of New York.

So I want to stand up, Pastor.

In Zion, um considering his pastor's age, so it was my duty when he contacted me today and say I'm coming to the meeting for me to be here with him.

And thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, Chief Gozman.

When I wanted to introduce him to you, he was gracious enough to be introduced to him.

He wants to do a mighty work.

He's a young man.

We plan to work him to death at William Chapel.

Especially now that we don't owe anybody anything, no money, no nothing.

So we plan to do more and expand better in the city of Basai.

Williams Chapel was one time a full pantry that serviced over 200 residents in that area.

Um, and when COVID came, and our bishop Dennis Vernon Poctor shut all our Zion Church down for health and safety reasons, and the Mr.

That the lady that had it one time was a Marvel Snow.

But we are working diligent with the state of New Jersey to bring that back.

Because it was always to me when I went to visit my church on those pantry days that to see the people in the need, the need that was there.

And through Reverend Corbin's efforts.

And to our sister over here, Sister Tanya Mello that always reminds me that she lived next door to our parking lot and our parking lot was her park to play in after we pulled our cards out.

So she's always been a support.

And I just um wanted you to know what our plans are in the city of Basake as far as being the hub of the Amy's Art Church here in the city of Basin.

Thank you.

And Renee, if you don't mind, um let Pastor know.

Um he wears his pen proudly, but the official fraternity.

I told him that's coming in.

It's Omega Sci-Fi Incorporated.

I told him that coming in.

I said I'm gonna introduce you to Dr.

Love, but he's a mega sci-fi.

He's still I ain't gonna get into y'all battle.

Everybody's divine nine, so he's a good butt.

I just wanted to know, and I want to say, because you mentioned it today, um, and your remarks, I want to say to Wesley Frias and them when I started when Pastor Corbin came to us like over a month ago, and he had some concerns and wanted to know things that go on in the city.

And when I spoke to Weatherly, she was gracious enough to help me out.

Thank you to the city clerk and her office.

Sorry, Minnie Austin, 368 Highland Avenue, Persake, New Jersey, 71 years there at that location.

I love it here.

You make a difference.

When people talk but don't walk the walk.

I tell them you haven't been to Passake yet because we walked the walk.

I want to thank the protocol was set all of you.

I want to thank you, Dr.

Love for yesterday in church, reminding people to be here.

I want to thank you, Mayor, because you said my name first.

And and I was honored to be first with that on the oh, she left.

Okay.

But I want you to know that there was a gentleman, his wife and him were in the audience here.

He doesn't have a hat yet, this hat, because we're working on him earning it.

And his daughter was there performing.

She had on a little checkered black and white dressing, a little small little thing.

They just came here from Iraq.

He got a visa to get his wife here because he was served 10 years over there for the United States Army.

The first spot they came to was 135 Summer Street and said, We don't know anyone.

I don't know what we're gonna do.

They're saying my visa for my wife is not right.

That I gotta do this.

I told him first thing we're gonna do is let you join right here.

When he saw me today, he ran over to hug me and told me everything's falling in place.

But one of the things he said most of all, my daughter wanted to go back, but this made her want to stay.

When we clapped and still, she came over after and said thank you.

And I said, No, let me thank you.

So sometimes you don't see a roses until you die.

But I'm telling you right now, that was a rose with no thorns.

They had a good things to say about us, and they've only been here six months.

Well, but I want to thank you for doing sometimes.

People don't understand what a program can do when our kids come before an audience.

Some will never ever get another chance to what they had today.

So I thank you.

We appreciate all you're doing.

Keep on doing the work you're doing.

Thank you.

Councilman Love, please.

Yes, um, very briefly.

Um Deputy Mayor, you you constantly come here and thank us collectively, individually on a number of occasions.

And I think the mayor does a good job with thanking you as well.

Um, and we don't always get a chance.

I'm going to say this.

I'm not going to say his name.

He wouldn't mind me saying his name, but what you have done for a personal friend in the last few weeks, uh, a veteran who was lost, homeless, um, and took them by his hand and got them vouchers and and got all and and slowly gaining all his benefits is the essence of what um veterans should receive.

Um you have always been on the ground like that.

I don't know all of the people I've heard, but this one is personal, and I just want and you didn't do it because it's personal to me, you did it because he's a veteran and deserves it.

So I want to say thank you for that.

All right.

Thank you, Councilman.

Is there anyone else who would like to address the council, please?

Yes, Sherry Greer, 77 Brook Avenue, C seven.

I just want to say to the council, thank you, thank you, Dr.

Love, for this evening's program, and also to just remind you, first families here.

And um, but no, just the just to go back a little bit on with what Ms.

Evelyn was talking about when she was talking about the transportation.

So about a month ago, about three, I mean, about three weeks ago in the school district, we had received district wide um information about the access link, and that it will be free until June with our students.

And so when we were trying to work with the parent liaisons to link up some of our students who are in need of those transportations, we set um according to the flyer.

Is it that it was expired?

We reached out our parent, our school attendance officer reached out to the county level.

They said it ended that was of June 2025.

So I just wanted to get clarification.

Is it still in effect because the flyer was sent out recently or is it null and void?

So then that can you know put them back on the right track come tomorrow.

Mr.

Fernandez, would you be aware of the uh of that situation, Christine?

Uh I'm not directly aware of the situation.

We we don't handle the program.

Um, so I'd have to go, Mayor.

Do you know if they just for clarity?

Because we're not talking about the shuttle, the shuttle is free.

You're talking about the uh access link.

The access link and then the flyer went out.

If you can get the fire to our office, if you need it to just send you, we'll reach out directly to them.

There's any conflict.

I'll assure you that we'll call on behalf of the city if they advertise that it should be free to this date.

We'll make sure they're aware it could be a clerical mistake or some kind of error or just miscommunication.

But we'll reach out if it's the county program.

Okay, great.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Uh the mayor wanted us to make sure, and if you look at our flyer, we actually sent out a flyer to the schools where our stops are in relation to the schools.

Okay.

So that children, if they do not have that access, still have our show.

I'm sorry, Mayor.

I wanted to make sure I touched on that.

Yes, especially with the transferring so many of the kids from the high school to our downtown.

The shuttle goes right by there, so it's easy for them to get on it and get to school, and we're actually looking to start earlier for that purpose.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Thank you for speaking.

Thank you, ma'am.

Anyone else?

Oh, there's an action.

There's a second, I'm sorry.

Council President.

Sorry, go ahead.

I'm informed by our attorneys that uh due to some prior communication that it is incumbent upon the uh council to read the comments of uh of uh a resident uh during the uh public portion.

I'm asking our attorney to please read the note of the minutes per se.

Thank you, Council President.

This is from Parker Brown Jr.

Good evening, Council President and members of the council.

I want to speak to a broader issue that continues to show up in our redevelopment ordinances and zoning changes, including those on tonight's agenda, and how this density incentives and redevelopment tools are actually affecting residents in real time.

At the last meeting, the council considered an ordinance that allowed a density bonus for developers in exchange for additional affordable housing units.

Many residents I've spoken with are confused about what policies like that actually mean for them.

So I want to speak plainly.

On paper, density bonuses sound like progress, more units, some affordability, a technical win.

But the question residents are asking is it technical?

It's human.

How does this help us later or at all?

In the short term, these policies do not lower rent for current residents.

They don't stop displacement.

They don't provide immediate relief for families already struggling to stay in PASAC.

In the medium, affordable housing often comes with income thresholds, lotteries, and timelines that many existing residents may never qualify or access.

Affordable does not always mean affordable to PASAC as it exists today.

And in the long term, increased density without strong guard rails raises a concern, high property values, more development pressure, rising rents and taxes without clear tenant protections, rent priority or requirements that benefits flow directly to the community.

The upside disapportionately favors developers, not the people living here.

So this isn't about development.

It's about taking raceful necessary questions.

How many units are actually produced who qualifies to Persake residents receive priority and what protections exist to prevent displacement has redevelopment accelerates?

Those answers are not being clearly communicated.

Affordable housing policy should not only be legal minimums or incentivize construction, it should measurably improve quality of life for the people already called this city home.

This is the standard residents are asking for.

This is the standard redevelopment policy, should be judged by.

Certainly, if you'd like.

So just for clarity, just so everybody in the public end for the record to be clear.

What the ordinance did last week was actually promote more affordable housing.

So the idea was that you would get a density bonus, and when it's a fraction of a unit, the way the case law was for non-affordable units, was that you round down so that the density is less.

This was from studies and numbers and averages that was done by the federal government for our county and our region, and that's what those uh affordability numbers uh that's where they came from.

So I just want to make the record clear because I know there was some confusion on uh in the letter.

Uh so I just wanted to make it clear.

This was a density bonus for affordable housing and affordable housing only.

Thank you, sir.

Is there anyone else who would like to address the council at this time?

Council president, just briefly, the clarification we wanted to ask through the council president to Mrs.

Greer was this accessing is referring to um the transportation for children with disabilities from voter.

The move, I believe this is the move that you're speaking about uh that's where the confusion is because access link provides transportation for children with disabilities, adults with disabilities from the front door to the schools.

So that the flyer, excuse me.

So did the flyer explain if we can go through the council president, just for clarity for us to get this information right away for tomorrow.

Um, is that a flyer that went out in regards to the Passake County move program or the access link transportation?

Access linking usually is for the children with disability.

Do you know which one?

If you can just find out for us when you get it to us, could we want to know exactly who to reach out to?

Because if it's for children with disability, we want to make that an immediate priority.

We'll still address it if it's transportation in general, but we don't want any of the children with disability to miss their rides.

Okay, as as as quickly as you can, and obviously, this is critically important.

Anyone else wishes to address the council?

If not, is there motion to close public hearing?

So move it.

Second, motion and second roll call, please to close public hearing.

Councilman Love, yes, Councilwoman Mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia.

Councilman Colom Montañez, yes, and council president shear.

Yes, we're up to remember number six on our agenda ordinances for second and final reading.

Hearing is required.

Number one, proposed ordinance number 2506-25, an ordinance amending the redevelopment plan for Market Street redevelopment plan area introduced at the council meeting of December 16th.

Is there a motion, please to open public hearing?

Move it.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Love, yes.

Councilwoman Mellow, yes, Councilman Mayor, yes.

Councilman Garcia, yes, Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, ladies, at this time, ladies and gentlemen, the council will be deliberating proposed ordinance 2506.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and this item only?

Seeing no hands, I'll move to close the public portion.

Motion is there a second, please.

Second, motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

Councilwoman Colomon Tanez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

At this time, the council's deliberating proposed ordinary zero six.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and this item only?

Seeing no hands, I'll move to closing.

I think we did this twice.

We're on the we're moving on the ordinance.

Let's have a motion to move the ordinance.

So move.

Second.

Motion, second roll call, please.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tannez?

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

The motion passes.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

We're on communications remember number seven.

Items two through is it eleven?

Two through seventeen, excuse me.

Are there any questions on two through seventeen?

No.

Seeing your lights at this time.

Is there a motion please to accept items two through 17?

So move.

Second.

Motion and second.

Roll call, please.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tannez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

We're up to resolutions.

Remember numero eight.

Number 18 is a resolution authorized and closed executive session.

Susie, do we need closed executive?

Mr.

Fernandez?

No, Council President.

Mr.

Mayor, sir.

Members of the council?

Yes.

Very good.

Is there a motion, please to accept 12 through 27?

19.

19.

Is there a motion, please?

Move it.

Second.

Motion and second.

Roll call.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

Are there any questions, please on the resolutions as presented?

I have one.

Number 24.

Your question, please.

Um, what is it grant about in an application?

What did it offer?

Excellent question.

Mr.

Fernandez.

Yes, so this is a grant to install another electric vehicle charging station.

So through the parking deck, the mayor had authorized for us to be able to open up the William Street parking lot.

And that is right now in this area, the only parking lot without a TV charging station.

So this would go to putting a an electric vehicle charging station right here on the William and Washington Street lot, uh, right outside City Hall.

Okay.

Mr.

Fernandez, if I may on 29, please.

Rent level board attorney increasing original cost from 10,000 to 160,000.

Yes.

So the reason for that, Council President, if you recall when the contract first initiated at the beginning of 2025, there really wasn't a rent leveling board.

It was during the midst of 2025 that this council actually appointed board members and they actually started having meetings till that point.

Uh they were just writing letters and memos to the tenants based on the current ordinance, which did not have rent control.

Uh anything prior, anything that was prior 99 did, but the majority of homes did not.

So what happens?

This led to additional work to actually manage the meetings, as you can see.

Uh, on this meeting, you had a number of minutes from the activities that the board is actually having.

So that's really the and by the way, but for the record, I won't say how much to not embarrass uh the attorney, but there was a significant decrease from the actual billing.

So there was a discussion in the billing was reduced significantly from its original bill uh for the hours that they work, so they were kind enough to reduce the bill from its original form.

Currently, does anyone pay for these services or are they simply services of the city?

So right now they're the services of the city, uh, but there are penalties that are being imposed as they come that would go into paying you know the expenses of the rent leveling board.

But as the board just began, there were I mean I must have that I'm very interested in the board paying for itself.

On the other hand, given the specific subject, if there in fact is is a financial hurdle that the very people that were trying to help the most are being affected negatively that obviously is not where we want to go.

So that's a that's a great uh question.

And the the response is that those violations are for property owners that break the law, right?

So the idea would be the the violation and the penalties come from breaking our code, and that's really gears to the landlord, not the tenant, right?

That the in the worst case, what would happen is a tenant would have to pay the rent that was increased because it was legal, and for the owner, the worst case is they broke the law and they would get penalties and violations for increasing the rent beyond what the law allowed.

Are there any other questions?

19 through 319 at this time.

Is there a motion, please to accept items 19 through 30?

So move.

Second, motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Love, yes, Councilman Mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilwoman Colombo Tanez, yes, and council president shear.

Yes, thank you.

One thirty-one, please is a resolution reappointing members to the board of zoning adjustment.

Harold has an uh Dinay Road Rhodes, is it right?

Yes, Rhodes.

Rhodes, uh Ms.

Rhodes is being nominated uh by councilman love.

That is that is your case, sir.

Yes, sir.

And Harold Hess, I believe, is being nominated by Councilman Monk.

Yeah, correct.

Very good.

Is there a motion to accept 31 appointing Ms.

Rhodes and Mr.

Hess?

So move it.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Love, yes, councilwoman Melo, yes, councilman mayor, yes, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, yes, councilman Colombon Tanez, yes, and Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

Number 32, please, an ordinance amending the designation to restrict the parking for disabled persons by New Jersey license plate number.

Is there a motion to set down for second and final reading in our meeting of February 3rd?

Move it.

Motion local.

Councilman Love.

Yes, Councilman Mellow.

Yes, Councilman Mayor, yes, yes, Councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colombo Tanez, yes, and Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

One's number 33.

Yeah, yes.

An ordinance adopting a redevelopment plan for block 4108 lot 64, 185 Lexington Avenue in correspondence to in the city of Passaic, New Jersey.

Second and final reading to be set for February 17, 2026.

Is there a motion to accept for set down for second and final reading at our meeting of February 17?

Move it.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Yeah.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Colomontañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Number 34, please.

A proposed ordinance amending chapter 317 zoning.

Article 3, definitions and word usage section 317-10.

Definitions.

Article 4.

Excuse me, Article Article 6, conditional uses.

Section 317-16.

All zones and Article 4, schedule of regulation.

Sections 317-11 adoption of schedule of the city of City Passaic, a code to permit short-term rental units in all zoning districts.

Second and final reading to be set for February 17, 2026.

Is there a motion to accept for set down?

Moving second motion and second roll call, please on 34.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colomb Montanese.

Yes.

Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Number 35, please.

Proposed ordinance amendment chapter 100.

Certificate of occupancy and tenancy.

Section 100-1.

Definitions, Section 100-15.

Short-term rental unit registration certificate of the City of Passaic Code to permit short-term rental unit registration certificates.

Is there a motion, please to accept for set down for second and final reading at our meeting of February 3rd?

Before the roll call, I'd like to just get clarity from Mr.

Fernandez.

What are we doing here?

Um, Council President and uh members of the council, this is for the uh registration for temporary housing, um, as far as like Airbnbs and hotels type of temporary housing, not to be confused with rooming houses.

So this this would what this does is um where 34 allows the permitted use, right?

As temporary uh limited housing, 35 actually requires a registration so that these units are registered with the city of Passake, which is in tandem with 36, which is the law of the state of New Jersey that allows a tax on occupants for hotels and Airbnbs and motels and things of that nature, uh, which the city of Passake doesn't have.

So they're they're kind of a tandem, they work in uh collective collaboration with each other, one feeds off the other.

So by uh passing this is for first reading.

For second reading, if it passes, what does it practically allow uh resident to do?

So um what the 34 and 35 do 34 allows you for a limited period, it's a maximum of 90 days for the year that let's say you go on vacation a couple days.

I don't know, uh I've never gone on vacation for 90 days in a year, but if I go away for a week or two, Mr.

Passaic, you might be able to do that for a week or two, and you uh would like to rent it out while you're away, like an Airbnb situation, you're allowed to do that.

Um but 35 says for you to do that, you have to register, and it has to be a legitimate safe environment uh for you to be able to do that.

You can't run a business out of this, like you can't go ahead and buy a multi-unit apartment building and turn them all into Airbnb.

That would be a hotel, and that would still require a use variance, just so it's clear with everybody, and then ultimately 36 is a uh state regulation which imposes an occupancy tax for any of these types of uses so that the city of Passaic would get a user fee from those individuals renting the units.

Do we have it's a very big it was when we were researching it right, Mayor?

It was unbelievable the amount of units right now in the city of Passaic that are having that are on Airbnb and at significant prices because our because of our location.

We always keep talking about the proximity to New York and to a lot of other activities, but Mayor, I don't know if you want to take it away.

As to the council president's question, what does it allow residents to do?

Unfortunately, what we have identified is that some are already doing it.

What this does is it regulates it.

It really is an ordinance to ensure that individuals aren't abusing, and as we look forward uh to the FIFA championship in our area, so many municipalities are looking ahead.

That's what this is designed for, Mayor.

Not necessarily just for this.

In general, people have been taking advantage of the opportunity, the proximity of New York in order to rent out empty spaces.

We want to cap it, make sure that it's limited.

We want to cap it, make sure that it's limited so individuals aren't depriving um uh residents of opportunities to use units for 12 months or throughout the year making the business.

So this limits the time, but it is keeping in mind the FIFA will be here, and many municipalities will be looking to do Airbnbs.

Some may be trying to convert some of their empty properties into hotels, and we're going, no, you cannot.

If you want to do that, you're gonna need to register, you're gonna need to pay a tax for the city, and we need to inspect it and make sure that everything is done on the up and up.

So we're being proactive, obviously, speaking with the council, considering the research that we've done around the state of New Jersey and big uh event-driven uh activities such as FIFA or Super Bowls or things of this nature.

FIFA is gonna be long and drawn out, and we want to make sure that we have all of our ducks in order to prepare and protect our residents.

And and now everybody knows in the city of the sick when to go on vacation.

We're getting like three thousand dollars like a week.

Does this does this supply if I'm a renter?

Can I do this also?

No, no.

It's restricted to homeowners.

Yeah, so the idea the idea is okay.

So one of the things that we want to make sure we don't do is convert any affordable residence into anything other than that.

So this is not permitted that.

This is specifically for a homeowner that is going to go away, leave their facility, and then rent it while they're away.

It actually deters them from yes, thank you.

So a first-time home buyer, for example, spent uh immense enough time, saved his or her money.

Um, they put something down.

Can they participate in this?

Yeah, let's say they go to Florida for the summer, and they want to list it for Airbnb and their property, they want to go for a month, and it's convenient for them, and they feel that they can trust the individuals.

They're gonna have to obviously register, make sure that it's inspected.

If it's being used for that purpose, now there's an additional tax, it's important for the city.

And um, yes, they they will be able to participate, but only if they register, other than that, they can receive extremely hefty fines and uh even be held accountable to the extent where their property can be um not seized.

That's strong.

I see what you're saying, but it means that there can be more restrictions on them, even for rental or uh any opportunities with the city to receive funding for improvements, whether they go to code, becomes part of your application, anything that you want to do out of the board, redevelopment, any variants you're looking for, they're gonna look at this and say, hey, you violated the law before.

So there are some stiff penalties that can come.

So quite candidly, I uh wanted to ask specifically about these uh proposed ordinances so that everyone is aware of them that they are controversial, it's not the black and white issue at all.

Um, but for many people it might be very positive and good for them.

Well, taking your example of a first-time homebuyer in an affordability con uh in the affordability uh aspect, one of these individuals on on a good concert, let's say from a very popular individual can make their months worth of mortgage in that one week of rental and and make it affordable, which is very exciting.

Pretty much, but again, I'll reiterate council president.

In our research, uh, people are doing it already all over the state.

They're just not getting regulated, and we want to ensure that it is regulated, and then not only for the city's perspective, but for the owner for their protection, because it's not registered, and if people damage their home, you know, you're gonna have to explain why you have strangers in your home while you are away.

And mayor, uh I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, councilman.

I've got councilwoman mother first, please.

Oh, thank you, Council President.

Um, so with this, I mean, I've done a lot of Airbnbs, and also the city will issue the right.

You mean you've you've gotten other places you're not doing Airbnb out of your home.

All right, I've yes, I've stayed at a lot of Airbnbs.

Well though city be issuing legal yes, yeah.

So that's why I'm asking checking.

So they actually give you um a certificate, so certificate where they will have to display it, and when you come in, you see, to make sure that it is legit because a lot of times people will rent you stuff that is not legal, so the city will also issue that certificate as well.

That's ordinance 35.

That's what ordinance 35 does.

Okay, good, good.

That's that's that's really good.

Well, my buddy here said he'll be going away for 90 days.

Councilman Love, please.

Yes, just two things, and and councilwoman touched on it, and and mayor, you talked about um protecting the homeowner.

And I know for a fact that it was a dull purpose to protect the renters and the people with the Airbnb.

There's horror stories out there that folks are uh renting Airbnbs and they have no privacy, like the the owner is like living like in the same room, not even like the same apartment.

So I want to thank you for that, first of all, and um council woman got it half right.

Um I just want to uh make sure that I clarify uh what vacation is because I usually take vacation um at council um council president's house or council um councilwoman mellow's house for about 90 days.

So I want to make sure that I'm not violating anything.

So what is the the change is they will not be able to rent it to you as an Airbnb as a process.

No, no, you're saying you haven't been paid.

No, no, I take vacation.

Sum of 20,000, the councilman.

No, it's the house.

You guys are missing.

As a matter of fact, you can have everything in the house, including my kids.

Uh many Austin got it.

Yeah.

I want to know because I usually I tend to frequent their houses for 90 days.

Is that considered vacation that I can rent out my place?

I want to know if the council is considered a full-time resident of the city of Passage.

I just want to you're not limited from where you go.

You're you're free to go wherever you want to go.

Again, what you stated though is extremely important, and I want to make sure anyone watching online, those who are here present, don't miss that.

Some of those horror stories of the properties that individuals are putting up for Airbnb that are not registered, they're not being regulated, they have hidden cameras in sensitive areas, whether it's the bathroom, the shower.

Sometimes the apartments themselves um have certain uh structural compromises, they're not up to code, someone gets hurt, yes, and the individual is limited.

Whereas once it's registered from the city, you have more recourse.

You can say, hey, why wasn't this taken care of?

We can inspect, we can ensure that individuals understand the law, they can be held much more accountable than if it's just a private interaction between two individuals off the record.

So it does it does add a level of protection both for the renter, for the property owner, and uh the city.

Very important.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good deal.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Fernandez, for uh uh Zex was it we're on I'm sorry, whether they're number 35.

Well councilman mayor has his hand up.

He would like to speak councilman mayor, councilman mayor.

Can you hear us?

Okay, can you remove you?

Yeah, I said we can hear me.

Yes, yes, yes.

Um I have limits to the amount of people in the house.

So next time I can make the case.

Can you understand?

Councilman where it's very hard to understand you, councilman.

A little better.

Councilman.

Yes, closest friends that are here and B.

And uh we're looking at the say next.

Is there gonna be limited that can stay in the house?

Oh, the limit on the people that can stay in the house.

Occupancy.

Yeah, so that's actually um that's a great question.

So what happens is they're still regulated under the state of New Jersey's hotel and multiple dwelling law, because that's how the state of New Jersey is considering them.

So there's occupancy standards for maximum occupancy loads, which will not change.

So if they want to overcrowd it, they will still be breaking the law.

And now we have a reason not to renew this the registration.

So there's repercussions for not following it, but there is under state regulation and occupancy load for hotels and multiple dwellings, which this would fall under.

Under the transient, there's like a transient section of the code.

You heard that, councilman?

Yes, thank you.

Council President, I believe the attorney wanted to clarify something.

Did you thank you, man?

90s the maximum.

It doesn't matter, you could scatter them throughout the year, like you can pick and choose which is the best time to rent it, or you can go away for 90 days and just get a couple of renters.

To the councilman's question, if it is if it is, if it if it passes the occupancy limit, neighbors obviously would call, and then of course there would be a response from the city, and they can terminate the stay immediately and hold the uh owner accountable.

Right, and the apps, the apps, the apps like an Airbnb app also hold the renters uh to their standard.

If they see that there's a lot of issues with them, they will not allow them to use their platform anymore to rent it.

So it has multiple repercussions to protect the renters.

if it is if it if it passes the occupancy limit neighbors obviously would call and then of course there would be a response from the city and they can terminate the stay immediately and hold the uh owner accountable right and the apps the apps the apps like an Airbnb app also hold the renters uh to their standard if they see that there's a lot of issues with them they will not allow them to use their platform anymore to rent it so it has multiple repercussions with it's to protect the renters can't use it anymore if they wreck the houses and the owners can't use it if they're doing something illegal with the houses so uh it kind of works in tandem right and is that is that a requirement of registration to use that app well yeah if if they're registered Airbnb yes because they have to register it they have to come in and have a legitimate platform that you're operating so meaning it's it's not gonna be I personally want to turn my uh my home into a renter so you have to put in an application registered it has to be inspected then it has to be approved no I got that but that app part of it is that part of the registration budget specific not to that app as we can't promote a specific business but in general yes that's to your question yes if there's a different platform that they're using or a different um resource but it must be something organized and registered to the city okay in a normal rental situation I'm limited to people that are being rented to family members right is that the case here what do you mean family members um that five of us get together we want to rent a yeah house in Pacific and we each rent a bedroom so that the th that okay so let's break that down because there's a lot of situations different yeah it's not unlike you go to a a summer home right and a family gets together you and your brothers get together with you know your significant others and rent a location like you can still do that because we're looking at a house right for example if it was your home right there was there's space for individuals to go to each room and be the couples can have their own privacy without it being overcrowded that's a legitimate purpose they're not overcrowding it the facility is registered and you can rent it as long as you don't exceed the the limited amount of time but again if you have now each of you have five or six individuals with your like your family is multiple children then you may run yourself a foul of the occupancy load which would then create a violation and possible uh penalties and fees for doing that okay any other questions I know I have one question one second first whether we were on third this is on 34 we've been 35 it's on 35 very good I'm sorry councilwoman I just want to make sure they have to be they have to be registered with any app that deals with the Airbnb I was going to say Uber they would have to tell us where they're advertising like yeah but I'm saying there it has to I just want to make it clear that you can do an Airbnb but it has to be registered with an app it doesn't matter which one with an app a resource uh an organized platform because there's many different um platforms that are used whether it's a specific app we really can't get into that specifically because it would be promoting one particular business but when you register you you have to present how it's going to be rented and then obviously that gets considered in the approval for your property including you know the the inspections so if if I'm talking about a home and it has two bedroom and I'm intending to rent it out personally and say I'm I'm gonna rent it out for two months as a fret house we're gonna go no that's not what this is intended for.

Um it's limited you you only have for a certain period of time and you have to show us how you're doing that how is it getting advertised what what platform are you actually presenting it on because if you get a violation the city can report that violation to that platform and you can get suspended or removed from it.

And then the limit is 90 days for the year for the whole year.

Okay.

That's in 19 yeah the keys in here you have to be registered with the city so how you advertise it right to just some the key here is you have to register this and we need to know where you're advertising it whatever do you need to get permits you might it depends I mean it depends on the condition of your home that's where the inspection comes in who pays for the inspection the the property owner who's gonna put not the city not the city passes passes that charge along yeah it's it's like any other repair that has to be done it's it's on the property owner not the city on the owner not on the renter well if the renter damages something that requires a permit I'm sure within the rental agreements you know usually they put a hold on your credit card for a certain amount of money back to the councilwoman's question just 90 days for the whole year you can't do 90 days and then not rent it for a day and then do 90 again for the year it's 90 days okay so I do have question so I decide to buy the lot next to Dr.

So I decide to buy the lot next to Dr.

Love here.

And I build a house and I want to rent it out.

Um let's say for Airbnb, put it on the platform.

It's empty.

I created just for that.

90 days.

It's only 90 days.

Okay.

We're talking about the uh the other nine months of the year.

It will not be able to.

So there's a lot of people.

This is a great point.

There's a caveat.

There's a caveat.

It has to be your primary residence.

Yeah.

It has to be your primary residence.

So it's not buy a home.

Remember what we said that the mayor wanted to protect the sanctity of the renters in the city of Passaic.

It has to be your primary residence.

You can't buy the house next door.

Is that what she's saying?

No.

No, yeah.

No, yes, exactly.

Exactly that.

I'm not gonna live in it.

I have my own my primary home where I stay.

And I buy a house.

Because I'm gonna call.

Is that 90 days?

Yeah, so the so the permit.

Um that's a good question.

So within that ordinance that you're voting on now, uh it's from January 1st to December 31st, and the fee is the fee, whether you buy it in June or you buy it in January.

That way it incentivizes everyone to come in January so that from January to December, it's 90 days, right?

And you gotta renew so every January 1st, you gotta renew the registration.

Every January 1st, doesn't matter what it is.

If you want to rent it for those 90 days, you gotta come in January 1st.

If you don't, you're still paying the January 1st to you're still paying for the whole year.

You're still paying the whole year.

Now, if it's FIFA time and you're getting $4,000 for the room, then maybe you pay the $250 for the registration in December.

I don't know.

It's up to you.

There's six different rooms up there.

Council President, I don't know if councilman mayor has his hand up from before.

Is it new hands?

Councilman Mayor.

Yes, I'm assuming the registrations will cover the assumption is that the res the registrations will cover and there's you've got to speak slower.

It's impossible to understand you.

Is there a projected amount of revenue that this will bring to the city?

Is there a projected amount of money that it's hard to tell because right now there's so many that are doing it on the app, but there's also so many that aren't doing it on the app that are just doing it that it's kind of hard.

I could tell you and you're free to do it right now.

You can go on Airbnb right now, and you can see the number of units that are available in the city of Pasai, it's an open app, like you don't have to, there's no hiding it.

So there's a there's a nice number.

You can you can anticipate 250 dollars per registration and you can anticipate a three percent tax of whatever that is.

So if it is FIFA week and it is four or five thousand dollars for that week, we're getting three percent off of that, right?

That's the way it would work.

So if you do that, if you extrapolate that over 90 days, and and FIFA is almost like a monthly thing.

I mean, it could be significant for that period.

You're gonna get bulk, right?

You're gonna get bulk.

Like if uh, you know, Taylor Swift is playing in uh you know Met Life Stadium.

Maybe we get a whole bunch of you know, something like that.

That's a big star that comes in, you might get a little higher rate, and that will come off of the top.

To the councilman's point, um for me, council president, and perhaps we can do a little research of any other municipality that has passed a similar ordinance of the tax, maybe one that is uh comparable or comparable to our city, and find out possibly what their revenue have been.

But we're not gonna be able to know regarding FIFA because we haven't had this.

Yeah, I think the last time they came to New Jersey was 94.

Yeah, when we didn't have these things in place, so at best we will we can take a guest councilman and give you an idea, but these numbers are really hard because we have no point of reference for them.

We just know that we're not getting anything now, and they're not being regulated, and we're allowing people to utilize their house however they'd like to.

Yes, God bless them, I record.

Uh this is on 36.

We've been discussing, yes, brother.

35.

35.

Oh, sorry.

We we read 35 into the record, yes, sir.

Good on 35, please.

Is there any motion to accept for sit down for second and final reading at our meeting of February 3rd?

Move it.

Oh question, councilman.

Did you say motion, Daniel?

I did.

Okay, we have a motion.

We have a second.

World call, please on 35.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tanez.

Yes.

Hey, Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

We're up to 36, please.

Proposed ordinance amending chapter 275 taxation to include Article 5, hotel, motel, and short-term rental, unit occupancy tax, authorizing and imposing an occupancy tax on certain rentals in the city of Passaic.

Is there a motion to set for set down at a meeting of February 3rd?

So motion.

Second.

And second road call, please.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombo D'Ennez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Before we get to the bills and reports, um, and I want to apologize.

Number one for myself for head of tobacco getting in my own foolishness.

Uh, but the program today, I think we all agree was absolutely spectacular.

Um, the mayor and I have the privilege to uh attend the swearing in of the governor, uh governor.

Um, and I must tell I'm I'm not sure which I thought was more impressive, either this evening or or this uh or this earlier this morning.

I did want to make an announcement to members of the council in terms of budget.

Um traditionally we have we appoint a budget committee, which I would still like to do, but in the meantime, as ideas cross your desk, someone suggests something that's worth noting.

What I'd like to do is if you'll put items like that, um, increase here, decrease there, whatever it is, put it on a white piece of paper, submit it to our clerk.

We'd like to take all of those comments and roll them into one document uh without any authorship, right?

Um, thereby getting some new ideas, perhaps in the process.

Maybe we can be doing things a little bit differently and save some money or make some money or whatever.

Um, so that's just uh a statement, uh, if I may.

Uh we're up to payment of bills from the number of 10.

Are there any questions on the bills?

Seeing none, is there a motion to accept the bills, please?

So thank you.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Melo, yes, Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Yes, Councilman Garcia.

Yes, yes, Councilman Colom Montañez and Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Fernandez.

Not at this time.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, sir.

I just want to echo the words that have already been shared.

Uh fantastic job by Councilman Dr.

Terrence Love, the clerk, all who were involved together from our former commissioner of the Board of Education, Miss Evelyn Robinson, with that presentation and that very unique take this year.

I think I appreciated.

It was I like that with the statements, as well as all of the children and the Reverend, um, the music by Mr.

Please, of course.

The presence of the community was wonderful.

I want to join with um council president in congratulating our new governor of the state of New Jersey and our lieutenant governor, Governor Mikey Cheryl and Lieutenant Governor Dr.

Dale Caldwell.

I want to thank the assemblyman for the opportunity to join with him.

I was actually on the stage and got to meet the uh new governor's parents.

Had a wonderful time talking about PASIC, and uh they were lovely people, and uh see our our council president in a different setting with his assembly seat dealing with all the commissioners, the new appointed individuals.

But um, I do want to share for those present and those watching online.

He alluded to it, but I want to I want to just share this.

I think it's important for the community to know.

We were both given the opportunity to go to the ball.

The governor's ball, it started at seven.

Yeah, I hear you with the awe, and you you can you can probably tell by the black tie and the dress, but uh we would have come dressed up anyway.

The council president, um, as well as myself.

I'll share that because I it is true.

We were out of it we could not miss our Passake MLK uh event.

We found it that it was important every year.

The community comes out, the kids put so much in it.

Our council colleague, councilman Dr.

Terrence Love spends so much time calling months ahead with getting no calls back until the last minute.

But I do want to state that because sometimes in that other role in the assemblyman um hat we forget that he gets invited to a number of things, and uh he he makes it out to our community events always and prioritizes that and that speaks a lot towards his character and his leadership.

Uh I will admit that at a certain point we were trying to figure out whether the meeting would end in time for us to rush out of there.

Um, but no, I think today we were so blessed to see our young people and to see them express not just their talent but continuing this wonderful tradition of instilling in them the most important values and principles, and remembering why we can all gather together here, people of different backgrounds and races and cultures, how we can interact and govern over the city, how you can see faces of individuals on a dais that perhaps 50 years ago or more you would not have been able to see.

And that's important.

And again, I want to thank the council president, all of the council members, and again the hard work of the clerk, Madam Weatherly Frias, and our assistant clerk Adeli, and all of the staff has uh as Dr.

Terrence Love already highlighted them, all of them.

That's all I wanted to say.

Thank you, Council President.

That's why he's the mayor.

Is there motion to adjourn, please?

So move motion motion and second to adjourn.

Roll call, please.

Councilman Love, yes, Councilwoman Mello, yes, Councilman Mayer.

Councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colomon Tanez, yes, and council president Sheer.

Yes, thank you very much.

This meeting is adjourned.