Instructor to guide us accordingly.

Um we are on uh Rebu numeral four of our agenda this evening.

Agendas are available outside council chambers, but you can access them on the internet under the city of Passaic, where you will find all the proposed resolutions, ordinances, receipt of correspondence, etc.

available to you as provided by the administration to the council.

In accordance with the open public meetings act, JSA 10 colon 4-1 set, 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 comments from persons who communicate obscene material, make statements which are considered advised 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 comments intending to harass them speak any offensive language.

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

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council?

Good evening, Council President.

My name is Yosef Wolf.

I want to ask there's a planning board meeting last night where they actually introduced a very nice multifamily project.

And I asked the planning board why in the past dozens of projects has there not been any for sale construction in the city.

And these are very large projects.

Seems that Passaic has presidential towers, they have Carlton Towers, but in the past dozens of projects, there don't seem to be any for sale housing.

Additionally, there have been some large lots that were sold to developers, and the developers chose instead of putting up townhouses, they chose to put up one, two, or three multi-million dollar houses.

And I've asked this council, and I want to ask again two things.

First of all, the point where it says it's up to the council to make the redevelopment plans that are sent to them.

And I'm asking, is this council doing enough to encourage for sale housing to encourage home ownership, additional housing that people could buy and know that they could stay in these units as long as they want?

The planning board said the city council is sending them the redevelopment plans for a view.

But this council is making the redevelopment plans that they abide by, meaning anything that has to encourage for sale housing for sale as opposed to for rent, has is up to this council.

And I'm asking if this council is doing enough to increase housing in the city that's available for sale, not just for rent.

It was on Century Place in Passaic.

But on top of that, they added a restriction of 15%.

That's one five fifty, I'm sorry, 20% set aside for affordable housing.

That means the developer who builds it has to set aside the five units.

They have to set aside a housing unit that's below cost for them.

But when it comes to rentals, there's only a 15% side, which is lower.

But if you look at the statistics, there's nothing being built for sale.

So what is the big impetus to put in this set aside for affordable when they're not even building middle class housing?

They're not building townhouses, it's not worth it.

So maybe take away the restriction, and maybe people can build for sale housing so people can buy townhouses and places to live in Passaic as to possibly just renting.

My third question is there is a tax abatement that if somebody builds in PSA additions to their house within 30 days, they can go to the city and they can ask for an abatement, a five-year step up.

First, you have to pay 20%, and the final pay 80%, and then it goes to regular.

So someone could be doing a construction project of 150, 200, $500,000, and the city is talking about how they have abatements and abatements for these people, and it's $25,000 that the city is getting them a five-year tax break on.

Thank you.

Mr.

Fernandez, would you like to take uh take a drive here?

I'll try to remember the order, but um Mr.

Wolf likes to take bits and pieces of things and missing the whole picture of the of the discussion.

And quite frankly, the market is what dictates what's gonna happen.

So we don't tell a developer that it has to be X, Y, or Z in our zoning ordinance, right?

So a lot of like century place.

I could tell you for a fact, we did have a specific discussion about having townhouses, and the developer chose to make the one family homes because that is their right, right?

That's the ordinance that it is, that's the market, that's the way it goes.

These are not redevelopment plans far far and large.

Redevelopment plans are very specific, and I could tell you that one of the most recent plans included townhouses, which were on Anchorage Avenue.

So that was something that this council passed at the direction of the mayor, uh had me put together for the council to review.

So, quite frankly, the answer's question more succinctly, it's really up to each developer and their investment in that property, and then it'll come to the planning board for their evaluation of that proposal in comparison to our ordinance.

So, really, we're we don't drive that.

That's based on the investment of the specific property owner.

Um, as far as uh tax abatement goes and the total amount, that is dictated by the state of New Jersey and the um short-term tax abatement law, which dictated the 25,000.

I could tell you that the council uh that the mayor had requested and we proposed an amendment to our um rehabilitation portion of the tax that this council passed to to create greater incentives for uh property owners to fix their homes, but we're limited by the state statute and the numbers that they dictate to us.

But what we did in the last amendment, Mayor, I don't know if you want to add on because I think everybody knows by now the mayor's position on improvements to properties and how we want to promote and not penalize people for improving their properties, still has to be done within the auspices of the statute, and we went as far as legally possible using the statute uh that we must.

If I could ask aside from what Mr.

Wolf was addressing, I'm sorry, aside from what Mr.

Wolf was uh discussing, but just as a general question, does the city uh show um positive prejudice to purchase versus rental?

So it's it's really on a project by project basis, so it has to be it has to sit on its own merit, and the discussions that we've had is a balance of housing.

So all the documents that we write and how we write it, in fact um we propose, right, Mayor, on the R1 zones, townhouses to incentivize you know that for sale on larger lots instead of McMansions, let's call them, which was the term that was used.

Maybe I'm dating myself, right?

Um for that purpose.

So this administration and this council have taken actions to show that they do want to incentivize for purchase housing, but also the need for affordable housing, where the 15 and 20% came, which by the way was also guided by the state of New Jersey and the state fair housing act, which required 15% for rentals and 20% for sale.

And the reason for that is because the belief is that a for sale property creates generational wealth.

So when you're doing a large project, when you're doing a large for sale project, you want to make sure there's enough affordable housing so that people can uh use that um that income base and maximum uh price base to have people that otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity in certain projects to have opportunities, and that's why the state of New Jersey put the 20% that uh this administration proposed in this council approved for those types of projects.

So I can say the full spectrum.

It's always been a balance depending on where it is.

Do we ever when we're contacted by uh builders, developers, do we ever sit with them and let them know that we have positive prejudice towards purchase?

So it seems to me that so many of the projects that we've entertained have in fact been rental.

Um I think that some of that is uh people waiting for the market to change and short-term effect, but it seems that there's a whole lot of others that could be oriented to purchase, right?

So the the larger ones, the ones that we have the opportunity to have those discussions, right, are those that have to be looked at on a case by case basis, right?

Versus the ones that come in under the zoning ordinance, which is the majority of them.

So let's be clear.

The majority of them come in with their own projects, we don't sit and have discussions, right?

And maybe I know what you're trying to say, but I would say there's no prejudice in any way, whether it's for or not, for sale or rental, it depends on the project that we have the opportunity to have a discussion on.

So if these are larger plots of land in multifamily residential areas, or you know, uh, for example, if there's structures that are getting getting adaptive reuses, they're multi-families.

Now, when we're defining multi-family, right?

That doesn't mean that that multi-family can't be a condo situation, right?

So, like 285 or Carn Towers.

Corn Towers is a multifamily building, they just conduct it out because condo, you know, there's the use, and then there's the form of ownership and the form of ownership, right?

So, to your point, the market can dictate if they're getting enough prices, a good enough prices in the market to condo them out, then they would condo them out.

And a lot of times developers may start off as multifamily and then condo it out if the market's strong enough in any specific area.

So I just wanna I just want to show that because people say, oh, they're all multi-families, but multi-families doesn't mean that they're gonna be rentals, it doesn't necessarily mean that it can also mean if if the market is strong enough that it could also be condominiums, right?

So they could be condoed out, which has happened in the city of Passaic throughout the years.

A nice question, if I may, uh, on this is there anything that we can be doing, obviously within the limitations of the law and our finances and the rest of it.

But is there anything that we can do to encourage back from this slide?

Uh we're encouraged uh purchase rather than rent in our form of government.

This is a learned question, I feel like no, I'm just wondering in our form of government.

I mean, if we can get a list of these magnanimous developers that will purchase property and then not look to make a profit and provide two or three townhouses that would sell at appropriate prices for people, but I mean, I know there are certain forms of government, I don't know which ones come to mind where the governing body um imposes um certain prejudices on developers, tells them what they can develop, how much money they can make, or what would be most conducive.

I mean, I've seen conversations in more social settings, social.

I've seen lists on these social settings, social lists that could be um approached in terms of government.

There's certain states nearby where maybe approaches like that have been mentioned and people have rejected.

But I'm I'm trying to understand the question because sometimes as mayor confuse, if if there's a property, and I do mean this seriously, if there are any suggestions of these developers, and I I know that I was being a little facetious and the adjectives are description, magnanimous and generous that would like to purchase property, um, take some of these blighted areas, perhaps identify an area and say, look, I'm I'm gonna spend the millions of dollars to purchase it, sometimes to demolish it to construct it, but do it uh according to what the restrictions of the city.

But I think what the business administrator kept articulating was incentivize and the market.

I think council president, this governing body have done a good job to incentivize, but not to compel and your your question was very specific.

What can we do to encourage?

And I think what we have been doing, but we're definitely open to any conversation because we have created initiatives.

I mean, even with the tax abatements with the incentives when it comes to rentals, and I understand the concerns and the desire to have people have ownership, but I think this government body has taken an amazing approach in terms of balance to try to create affordable housing to incentivize more investment, but also to encourage individuals who do want to invest and get a return on their investment because it's just the reality of development.

I uh to date I haven't found one yet.

I believe there's some that are out there, motivated by a remarkable and profound altruism to say I want to I want to invest and make nothing back.

In fact, I'm looking to lose money.

How can I benefit the city?

I'm sorry, you have you have council president, like you.

I sometimes have the same question.

How do we encourage them?

But I I I want to come in because this council has created ad hoc committees, has met with the ministry, the business administrator, have consistently requested from our attorneys to let us know how far can we go, what is legal and what is not.

But I am a little confused as to what is the request specifically from uh the speaker because I'm a little confused in terms of the sales.

I do want to go through the council president because I believe the council president understands it.

Did you understand the initial question?

I think there was references to construction sales and um RC seller.

I'm sorry, versus rentals.

Yes, are you clear on it, Mr.

BA?

Because I I will admit as mayor, I got a little bit lost on what is the specific request for the approach of this governing body.

So I can only speak for myself, although in casual conversations which I've had with uh a majority of my colleagues on the council, I believe there would be um very well interest to explore how one can maximize purchase of property uh and and then live in that property, right?

Um by whom by the purchaser, yeah.

So to your question, we are doing it, okay?

And I'll explain, I'll give you just a few of them, right?

It's a balance.

So depending on the parcel of land, you're gonna see multifamily if it belongs, or homeownership, right?

We have rehabilitation programs, down payment programs, down payment assistance programs, right?

All uh uh first-time home programs, first-time home buyer program, things to keep you in your home so you don't lose it, and for you to purchase your homes.

Um, you've passed ordinances which allows for a diversity of home ownership types of housing, like we've discussed in the speakers discussed about townhouses, right?

We then even went as far as saying if you're doing townhouse projects and it exceeds five units, one of those units has to be affordable to make sure that there's opportunities for those that may have otherwise not had opportunities, and then those individuals can use the other programs like your first-time home buyer program to be able to get into it, right?

You even explored rent to buy.

Yes, that was a big one with with HUD, right?

But again, it's their first strings.

We have to abide by what how far they let us go.

But this administration and this council has gone to the maximum to incentivize investments in of all types and kinds within the city of Persig.

But as an example, I'm just to add to Mr.

Fernandes, and I don't want to.

Yeah, no, I'm fine.

I'll have a number of likes on, and I don't want to go too too long with this, but um just one quick note, and then is that you know, I believe there would be very real interest on behalf of this council to follow the mayor's lead to join with him, however, can be most comfortable and it would be most effective, but to see if we can raise the anti here a little bit, see if we can uh push a little bit more.

There is no doubt we've seen it um in in support of first-time home buyers with properties scattered all over the place.

And the question was well, do they need each other closer to survive?

And the answer is proven under your leadership guidance, that's not the case.

You can put property here, and it alone will generate around it.

We know this better to care of the homes, uh, flowers and paint is painted over, there's no peeling.

Um, and and we've been extraordinarily successful in that.

So, yeah, I would just as a uh as a last point.

Whatever we can do, I think um this generational wealth is something which um was an aha moment for me at least.

Um it represents such a sea change conceivably in in in urban communities like ours.

Uh councilman mayor.

Thank you, Council President.

Um in the R1 zone, it was mentioned that there was townhouses a lot in the R1 zone.

R1 and R.

So the R1 isn't just dedicated to single family homes.

Antana.

So that century place, for example, that's sentry place.

That was in, you know, I want to say to our one, I don't remember exactly, but it was often with our mom.

It was in R1 zone.

And they had the option.

They had the option.

I chose three single family homes.

That was their choice.

They had the ability, and I want to say it was somewhere in the neighborhood of five or six townhouses, roughly.

Again, I'm doing this off memory, but around there, which would have only required one affordable which.

So I guess, and to the mayor's point, because I don't want to lose this.

What's the point of building?

And I think the speaker tried to allude to it, building a bunch of multimillion dollar homes if they're not affordable to everyone.

And that's where the balance comes in, right?

So if I'm building an 18,000 square foot home, who's gonna afford that?

So then what you do is you create a balance where smaller homes, like town homes, right, can be developed, where then you can put down payment assistance, still keep it sort of relative within the market rent, right?

The market rate, and have someone have an opportunity to get it.

So remember what we're trying to do here.

We're not just saying, let's just build home ownership.

We're saying we want to build affordable homeownership.

That begs the question again, and I'll repeat it for whom?

Because when you're looking for assistance, and I know that most individuals aren't privy to this information, and I don't want to go wrong on it, but you have to income qualify to receive first-time home buyer funds, you have to income qualify to receive some of these uh grants.

The challenge is some of the individuals who income qualify don't qualify for anything else.

You know, qualify for the bank, they don't qualify with the credit check, they have other challenges.

So we're left as a city, as you're saying, council president.

What can we do?

You know, we've taken approaches with ADUs, accessory dwelling, and stating that if we allow you to build it, we don't compel you.

Perhaps you don't have the funding, but if if somehow by chance you can, that may allow you to stay in your home, uh, rent the home to your children, or bring income into your home, pay off your mortgage.

Now you have home ownership, you pass on the home to your children in the next generation, and that creates some of that generational wealth.

We we've done what we can.

That's not to say there aren't other suggestions that we're open to.

It's just sometimes the way that it's presented, and I'm I don't want to come across as frustrated at all, but sometimes for me, and perhaps there are others that get it better than me.

I'm going this ideal scenario where individuals want to purchase property and then build it specific to whatever the neighborhood wants and provide affordable housing as the city is attempting to get while still ensuring that individuals are attracted to the city and invest because they can make money.

Sounds great.

I just don't know how you do it practically.

So we try our best to take approaches, understanding, and I think the business administrator stated it perfectly, case by case.

Some projects are a lot easier to work with.

Other projects, we go, it doesn't work here.

I know the numbers seem like they can, but it just doesn't work, whether you're applying for funding, and some with the tax abatements with EDA grants, with certain programs, we can attract individuals, we can repurpose an industrial property, get commercial, make residential, make it affordable.

And then others, someone will buy it and say, look, I do, I want to put three very big homes and make money back because I purchased it with partners, and I'm beholden to them.

And I took a loan out from the bank, and it is my desire to pay back the loan and perhaps make enough money to send my kids to college.

Pay off some bills.

And I feel sometimes that approach of looking at someone who's investing, making a profit and judging them and acting like they're doing something wrong, is unfair because I go, yes, I've seen some other states, some states very close to us that seem to want to penalize and attack individuals for making money.

And we go, look, you want to make money in the city?

Great.

That's wonderful.

As long as you work with us, but to a certain extent, we we we don't have that kind of thing, a form of government at some times, and it is true.

There are certain projects where they're beyond the scope of what we are beyond what we can do.

If they don't get a tax abatement, if they don't need any funding, and we try to limit them for subjective reasons, we might find ourselves uh with litigation and they'll end up developing anyway.

So we try to do these things appropriately.

That's what I'm trying to point out to.

But I think to your point, yes, we will explore any option in order to increase home ownership and opportunities for those in the city of Passake who otherwise would not have had a chance to own a home.

We want to see that in the city, but we can only do it within the law and according to the programs and finances that are available and those who qualify.

We went on a on a tour, I think it's like maybe five years ago, council president.

Excuse me, we did uh we did town form meetings at the boys and girls club for first time home buyers program.

I remember councilwoman uh mellow and councilman love showed up.

We took it downtown, we went around the city, we showed up to uh not-for-profits, faith base, and then we went to our community development and said, How many people have applied?

Two people, and it wasn't that they weren't interested, there were other qualifications that restricted, but again, to the point, I think it's a good point.

We'll try everything that we can to explore additional measures or initiatives that we can take.

I just want to be candid in the answer that it's not as easy.

Thank you, Mayor.

I know it's been long.

Can I have 20 seconds, Max?

Comments, or you're you spoke your time is up.

I only get to speak once.

Uh councilman.

Will you finish with the question?

Yeah, so the R1 zone is strictly is not strict.

There's townhouses.

That was a recent amendment made by the council just prior to me coming up to me.

That was actually that was enacted that was passed to accommodation people trying to this exact conversation.

And guess how many of you having the same conversation against the have done it?

Right?

Century had the opportunity to do that on this brand new ordinance, and they chose to do the three houses, right?

Do you see what I'm saying?

Like it's it's the only question is that I have is we're getting closer.

What maybe we're getting closer?

We're getting a little closer.

Even in the interest is movement.

Well, it's movement.

Instead of they could have built one big humongous mansion and they built three, right?

Like humongous mansions, and councilman mayor, Councilman Mayor.

Yeah, I don't want to have you escorted, sir.

The architect said that.

I don't want to have you escorted from chambers officer.

That's it.

That's an inaccurate statement.

And I spoke I spoke to the architect.

I I appreciate his input with whatever specific little one word he hears from a but I'm part of the whole conversation.

And the whole conversation of that project was determining what the cost of construction was for additional units plus the return on building three massively large houses versus six townhouses, and what the return would be on top of the cost of construction.

And they ultimately decided because it's not our money, it's their money, that they were gonna build three.

But I can tell you that the lack there wasn't because I lack a trying, because we would have loved to showcase the first right after the ordinance passed, the first successful usage of our first-time home buyer, affordable housing money.

And by the way, just so you understand the kicker, we're giving money to individuals to build it.

So it's not like other towns that have no money.

We're using HUD funds to per to pay for that unit.

It's a choice that the developer has to make.

We're giving them all of the that's why I'm saying I trust that this administration is and this council with everything you've passed, is doing what we maximally can do under the law, right?

Short of compelling, which legally we can't compel.

Is that the point I was trying to make?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Councilman Monk, please.

Thank you.

It's the likelihood is it can't work exactly for what you just saw where the person bought a house and wanted to uh either put up six town homes or three big homes, okay.

Where the city is, the cost of the home throughout the whole city.

You can't pick up a home for $50,000, okay.

Where you can say, fine, I can take three homes now, okay.

For $150,000, I can put up six town homes.

The cost of homes today, Pisag, every block of the city wouldn't mean that if I want to build townhomes, the cost of the land for each town home will probably be 250,000 to start.

Now, if you start your land costs at 250,000, it can't work for town homes.

The only thing that could work is to build a single family home, they can sell for a million dollars.

So it works in municipalities where you can pick up a house for $15,000.

But it cannot work in the city of Passaic, where every home is going to cost you four to seven hundred thousand dollars before you even start.

It's a blessing and a curse, right?

So it's a good thing.

So I don't want to.

And the uh depressed, horrible city of Camden that we all know so much about, and some of us grew up next door to things have changed there.

Things have changed in Atlantic City.

So whatever it is, I've I'll be honest, I've sat many times with the Google maps of the city of Passaic and look for a piece of land, we could do exactly that because unfortunately we can't, we don't have a place for the young families who want to settle who grew up here and want to settle here.

They can't afford a lot of them don't want to buy a home.

Some of our homes in the city are 100 years old.

They don't want to buy a home that's that size and so big and old windows and the cost of heating and so on and so forth.

They want something new, it could be small, something that's controllable in terms of utility expenses and so on and so forth.

But there is no land.

I've looked at it, I've studied it, you know, and on top of it, maybe 15, 20 years ago before warehousing became popular.

Back then, okay, you know what?

Take down a warehouse, right?

And put up 50 townhomes.

But warehousing became super expensive, super expensive.

Not selling those.

You can't take down take down an old warehouse and put up.

It just can't, it just doesn't work.

These logistics centers, like the one we did on Eighth Avenue and on Jefferson, the old Panasote.

They're paying a premium for the land above residential numbers.

If you thought it was that I saw the numbers, I'm like, this is four times what anybody would pay to make this entire lot residential.

So there's no way to hit even the older you think, oh, that's why adaptive reuse, right, is the next viable option.

But when you have a five, six-story building built in the 1800s with three four-foot thick concrete floors, you're not knocking that down.

You're gonna rehab it.

And what can you rehab it, right?

It has to be condos or apartments.

I mean, that's the nature of where we're at.

We've even explored with banks, bank-owned properties.

We've reached out to our congressional representative to see if there's any measures and laws that could come over rather than holding on to properties long term because they pay the taxes off on them, they can be comblighted.

Sometimes there are banks that are out of the state that are owning the properties.

We have no means of forcing them to sell the properties, even for initiatives like affordable housing, or to create condos, or to have these uh we've explored them, but I don't want to in any way present that we're closed off to them.

We're saying is that it's one thing to paint this ideal picture, you know, this remarkable utopic city that I haven't seen yet, but the same could be where again these investors come in and they buy the property, they buy the property at at market value, and then say I don't mind losing the money in order to meet everyone's expectations.

That's just not the reality.

People invest to make money, and then where we can encourage and incentivize, we do it with the funding that we can provide you with because then we can tell you it has to be affordable, you have to provide this many units.

Has it happened?

You know, Councilman Monk said, no, maybe one or two have occurred since I've been here, where someone gets a deal on a property.

Maybe there's a not-for-profit that's sold off.

But once they get a hold of that, they're looking to make as much money as possible.

That's where the city can push and say, you know what, we won't allow you to build.

And then nothing happens there.

And they hold on to it for as long as they can or sell it to someone else who's gonna be a little bit stronger in their push to building.

It's just a reality.

But yes, Council President, we will explore further and we'll be more than open to partnering with the state.

As you mentioned with your colleagues, it's not just PSIC.

It's around the state.

Thank you, sir.

Councilman Locke, please.

Yeah, I mean, all the points that I had in my mind have been um discussed at nausea, but I just wanted to reiterate you know, some of the things that the mayor said.

Um goes out sometimes to developers and cities on the types of um projects that may work.

So when they're going to present them, they're not going to try to present projects that is going to create time, money, legal expenses, and driving it along and trying to get it done.

Um rental properties has worked, as councilman monk um strategically and and eloquently pointed out.

It's very tough to grab a piece of property um at 250,000 or even 450,000 and build townhouses that you're going to be able to sell to make one of your money back, let alone a profit.

So I I think that in itself makes it very difficult for this administration to even entertain um and and approach.

And again, people are coming in with their own monies.

So I think they they pretty much have an idea of what they would like to do when they come um to the city of Passake.

Those first time home report home buyer programs are phenomenal.

And I just want to commend administration for continuing and expanding them.

Um I'm I'm a product with first home buyers program, and I'll tell you uh it probably was the best thing for me being a young father at the time and and making a very minimum amount of money at the time.

So I just hope that we continue and we explore even more with that.

But I think it's it's one of those things where developers are going to come in, our city with their mind made up on how they want to make money, and and Mary said it best.

It's going to be very difficult to tell someone with this rate and the market rate now is it's not stable.

It goes up, it goes up.

You buy a piece of property and you just dump it right away and lose out on money.

I think it's gonna always be tough.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

So anyone else who would like to address the council motion to close.

Motion and second to close public hearing.

Workout, please.

Councilman Monk Councilman Love?

Yes, Councilman Lelo?

Yes, Councilman Mayer?

Yes, Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Councilman Monk is an affirmative vote on that, please.

Remember number five ordinances for second and final reading hearing is required.

Number one, proposed ordinance number 2527-26 in order to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank.14 introduced today's fifth council meeting.

For those of us who have forgotten, can you share with us briefly what it is that we're being proposed to do here?

Yes.

So part of the uh statute stepped by the state of New Jersey is allowing you to increase your budget by what a cost of living adjustment, which is set by the state.

Another piece of that, which for calendar year 2026 is two percent of an adjust of your adjusted 2025 budget.

They also allow what they call a uh an uh increase of up to three and a half percent.

So that's an additional one and a half percent of a bank that you can take on the 2025 adjusted budget.

So for this, what that means for the for the city is we have about 4.3 million dollars of a cap bank with this of which 1.5 percent or 1.6 million dollars is the additional.

That doesn't mean that we are increasing the budget by that.

That just establishes a bank for a future years that in the case that it becomes needed, for example, in next year in 2027 or 2028's budget, you have that available cap bank for any type of extraordinary increase.

Yeah, so surplus would be for example, how you fund that increase, but this cap is the statute what allows you statutorily to even increase your expenses by that.

So for all intents and purposes, the state pretty much gives you a limit to how much your budget can increase, right?

And now this CAP bank assist you with an additional 1.6 million dollars if need.

So just as an example, right?

The pandemic hit.

Right?

We were blessed that we got a significant amount of funding.

What if that funding wasn't there?

And now we needed to raise over the cap because of this global pandemic.

This would allow us to tap into that money to address that.

So it's it's we like to call it the rainy day fund, but it's really for catastrophic like it's it's it's my understanding just to be clear that you can only tap into the CAP bank with the express approval by ordinance of the council.

Yeah, yes, sir.

So again, this is just establishing it, and yes, the council would ultimately approve it of the usage of it in the following year's budget through the approval of said budget.

Right.

It goes through the budget process.

So you'll be you'll you'll have the same review and analysis you have with any budget, just knowing that we have because of XYZ, we had to tap into that bank.

Okay.

Any questions?

If not, can I have a uh motion, please to open public hearing?

So move.

Second.

Zo 2527-26.

Madam Clerk.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Is there a maker of the motion, please?

Move it.

I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen.

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

Say no hands, I'll move the closed above the portion.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Thank you.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

On the ordinance, please is there a maker?

Move.

Second.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

The ordinance passed?

Yes, sir.

The ordinance passes.

Number two, please.

Proposed ordinance 2531-26.

In ordinance demanding the designation of restricted parking for disabled persons by New Jersey license plate number.

Is there a motion, please to open public hearing?

So move.

Motion?

Thank you.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Shares.

Yes, thank you.

At this time, ladies and gentlemen, the council is deliberating proposed ordinance 2531-26.

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

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

Second.

Motion and second roll call to close public hearing.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Woman Mello?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

That was only ordinance.

No.

On the ordinances are maker, please.

Motion.

Second.

And second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Colombon.

I'm sorry, Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Uh we have communications items three through seven.

Are there any questions, please on three through seven?

Senior liar says there's a motion to entertain three through seven.

Move it.

Second.

Motion and second roll call, please on three through seven.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Remember seven or agenda current year 2026 budget adoption, public hearing required.

And there is a resolution subsequent to it, adoption of the current year 2026 municipal budget.

We've been informed from uh the local government services uh bureau in Trenton that unfortunately the uh those people responsible for accepting the budget and making sure that it is indeed co-cided and lease exists under the laws proper laws of the state of New Jersey that they uh ask us not to pass this ordinance tonight.

They do ask, however, that we open conversation and leave the table open till our next meeting.

Is that phrased correctly?

Yes, Consider.

So part of the statute requires that they review it and come back with either no comments or with comments, and they have not had the opportunity to complete that review, and what they're saying is to open the hearing and then carry it to at least the next meeting.

Is that correct?

Um, Mr.

Garcia.

We can close the public hearing, and then the but the actual resolution or the vote on whether or not to adopt the budget will have to get carried to the following meeting while we await for the division of local government services approval.

And at that time there will be public comment provided.

There is not needed to satisfy there will be public.

There will be public participation provided at the next meeting when this is proposed for adoption.

Yes, sir.

Absolutely.

Just keep the question.

Very good.

Are there any questions, please?

On these uh admittedly interesting mentionations.

Senior Light, is there a motion please to accept current year 2026 budget adoption?

Open the public hearing.

Open public hearing.

Okay.

Is there a motion to open public hearing?

Move it, Council President.

Second.

Motion and second to open public hearing.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Shearer.

Yes, thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, at this time the council is deliberating proposed budget item, current year 2026 budget adoption public hearing is required.

We welcome your comment tonight.

This item will be left open until our next meeting on June.

16th.

On June 16th.

At which time additional comments of the public will be welcome.

Is there anyone who wishes to adjust to council at this time?

Seeing no answer, is there a motion to motion to move to continue the open public hearing until next meeting?

I second that.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

Now we are not doing the adoption.

Is that correct?

We are going into communications.

Right?

Okay.

We didn't flub it up too much right now.

On items nine through 17.

Are there any questions, Mr.

9 or 17?

Um just councilman mayor?

See water supply?

It sounds like the PVWC has remedied whatever situation was in the city.

Is that correct, Mayor?

It was extended to the city.

Boil water, they're still working on it.

Expectations, I believe, are that it will not be done before tomorrow evening.

The mic wasn't on.

They extended the uh boil water to PASAC initially.

It began with a water main break of 51 inches in Clifton.

Then uh they continued work and they had a boil water alert in Clifton earlier this morning, and then it extended to the city of the SAIC, but there is no expectation that it will be done tonight.

Who owns that agency?

They are so flubbing up sometimes.

Thank you, Mayor.

We are up to resolutions.

We did pass that, yes.

Items on nine through seventeen.

Are there any questions, please?

If not, is there motion please to accept?

9 through 16.

Second, and second roll call, please on 9 through 16.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

Of two resolutions, remember numero eight or not.

Council President.

They just did that already.

What are we doing now?

17.

Because I forgot 17.

Okay.

On 17, is there a separate vote to accept 17, please?

Second.

Motion and second roll call, please on 17 only.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia?

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

On 18, a resolution authorized and closed executives, ma'am.

Do we need closed to see?

No, Council President.

Mr.

Fernandez?

No, Council President.

Mr.

Mayor, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Members of the council.

No, sir.

If we could look please at items 19 through 24.

Are there any questions, please, on 19 through 24?

I have one on 19, Mr.

Fernandez.

What do we we're extending the current contract?

The reason for that, Council President, is that we went out to bid multiple times.

Every time we went out to bid, it was significantly over budget to the tune of 50% higher than it was the last time.

And it's and that's up 50% higher from the one before that because of the pandemic.

So we've kind of uh blew a line in the sand and are now discussing pricing with the the bidders and seeing if we can't get a better price.

So that's why this is this resolution.

So what so what happens?

Are we forcing the current company to continue doing so we're not forcing, we amicably requested, and since they're one of the betters that we're negotiating with, they have uh graciously accepted to extend it until the negotiations no firm indication that they would get the contract.

There is no firm indication that they won't get the contract, absolutely not.

Why mayor?

Thank you.

Why is there don't what do we pay for when we're doing recycling?

Isn't there some value to the recyclables?

Yeah, so there's two that it's two parts of the bid.

One part of the bid is the hauling, which is an expense, and then a part of the bid is the marketing, which is the revenue.

So we try to maximize the marketing and try to minimize the uh the hauling, but in either case, it would net net be an increase of 50% from the last contract.

So what we asked is for the uh recycler under this resolution to continue at the current rate, not the bid rate, the current rate until we can negotiate who the hauler is going to be for the upcoming year and who the marketing is going to be.

Because it could be the same individual, like it is right now, or it could be separate, it could be one company for marketing and one company for hauling.

So we're trying to figure out how we can get the best uh price.

Thank you.

Any questions, please on 1922?

Yes, Council President.

Councilman, just um if the administration would just um give a brief synopsis of uh 24 the fever.

Um you want to take this as the FIFA party watch parties.

Yes, I don't know what a party is.

You don't know what a party is.

Uh so you have to say we're we're not we're not calling it FIFA Marsh Friday.

We we are calling it um obviously uh as a city, the logo will be uh football friendly and soccer ready city.

We did not receive a FIFA uh designation, nor do we receive any FIFA grants, which actually is both a blessing and there's some challenges though.

We didn't receive the revenue.

It freed us up to have different kinds of events because FIFA is quite restrictive in terms of the kind of events that you can have in the community.

Um for those who don't know anything that occurs during FIFA is not considered a local incident but can be considered an international incident because a FIFA and that's not to say anything of the cities that did receive the designations, they're having events close off.

We're gonna focus on our community events.

Now we've had outdoor watchings before, but these watch parties will be unique.

We have secured uh what is technically um categorized and described as a gigantic outdoor viewing screen with the huge, yes, council maybe huge.

I know yes, and uh we're gonna bring them out, we're gonna have the restaurants come out with their food, we're gonna close off the streets.

Now we've had similar events like this, like on Market Street when we have the parklets, we allow people to bring out the ceilings during COVID.

This isn't something new, but in terms of the watch party, what we will have is designated areas for specific games with uh police presence, obviously ensuring that DPW is there to maintain the cleanliness.

We'll take all the appropriate precautions, but again, the goal is to have the community that can't go to the Meadowlands, even though I will share with you I was just online and uh the tickets are now going for resale, about 7,000, 8,000 per ticket.

So if uh it's gonna take the council.

That's we were talking about the cost again.

This is a given opportunity for families, for children, and perhaps even some of the earlier games to uh make some uh some agreements with these after school programs or during school programs to bring the youth out and watch the games as a community.

We're extremely excited about this.

Recreation has been working along with the administrative team, our clerk, our police, our fire, our business administrator, our UEZ, and so much more.

So we're extremely excited.

There is some funding sources that we're using through UEZ through the EDA, the economic um development authority of the state that assisted us in securing some of the resources and some funding.

So we weren't that hurt by not getting we would have loved the FIFA money.

It would have been a challenge with communities like ours to have the restrictions to your example.

Open air events weren't as encouraged if you're uh having a FIFA event.

Uh FIFA cities, they technically may not be allowed to have other soccer events, so they're not confused with the official flag designation, whereas we have many small soccer teams that can participate in different tournaments at our activities under the PASAC banner of celebrating the world soccer event.

So it's we're a little more creative with how we describe it, but we can also do a lot more.

That's an overview there, Mr.

Administrative.

If you want to share anything, uh right.

It was missing, buddy.

How many, how many of these uh next Thursday is the kickoff event at uh Monroe Street?

We're shutting down portions of my Mexico versus South Africa.

South Africa, Mexico versus South.

So we we uh uh very blessed that Mexico is the opening game of the tournament, so we get uh a lot of our community can share in that uh and and one of the directions from the mayor is that he wants it in every section of town so that everybody can share it.

So game one is here, then depending on the different weekends.

You may have one in you know uh downtown by factory two twenty in Thur Ward Park for a weekend and back for the culmination of the World Cup at Pulaski Park, which will be uh akin to the fireworks show, which will be the week before.

So we're gonna have a lot of action in the city of the same.

I believe that was gonna be councilman mayor's question whether we were taking it around the city.

No questions.

Any other questions on uh 2324?

Second is there a motion, please to accept items 19 through 24.

Move it, council president second motion and second on 19 through 24.

Councilman Monk, yes, councilman Lowe, yes, councilwoman Mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, and council president Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Schedule a meeting on 25 and 26, both regard an appeal of concerning the rent leveling board.

Is there an expectation that these be hired as soon as they that these be heard as soon as they're they brought to us?

Can they be delayed a little bit?

I believe they they can be delayed a little bit, but the rent leveling board's decision is stayed pending our determination.

What I'd like to do is I'd like to move the uh I'd like to move the hearings not to June 16th when the budget is being prepared and presented, but uh to the meeting following.

Um the following meeting would be the July 1st meeting.

Very good.

If that's to the council's pleasure, is um that's the reorg so it's the re or July 21st.

July 21st instead.

How's July 21st?

Everyone.

Okay, July 21st.

Is that with the administration's pleasure?

So what is I'm sick that uh actually have we have we heard any of these appeals?

Yeah, these are the first.

We haven't just we haven't heard any appeals yet, right?

This is gonna be the first one.

Yeah, so it's interesting because you're hearing two of them, and one is from a tenant, and one is from a landlord.

So it's interesting that the first one through here are one from each party.

It's correct.

That is the first one, and that was discussed when the rent leveling board was uh again revived that.

Any decision that is uh not finalized there, any appeals go directly to the council to me.

Very good.

So we'll set the date down for both of them to be July 21st.

Do we need to do that by vote?

Yes, sir.

Is there a motion, please to accept uh to schedule hearing for items 25 and 26 at our July 24th meeting?

21st, he's 21st meeting following council business.

Remove it, Council President.

Thank you.

Motion, second, please.

Second, motion and second, thank you.

Well, call councilman monk, yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes, Councilwoman Mellow, yes.

Councilman Mayor, yes, councilman Garcia.

Yes, and Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Payment of bills.

Are there any questions on the I'm sorry, sir?

Item number 26, please.

Absolutely.

You're not looking for my vote.

You did 25.

Uh okay.

I thought we were doing them together.

I'm sorry.

No, that's fine.

Very good.

On the payment of bills.

Any questions on the bills?

Is there a motion, please to accept the bills as present?

Move it.

Motion and second roll call on the bills, please.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Council President Sher.

Yes, thank you.

Administrators report, Mr.

Fernandez.

So I just like to say one thing, and that is to uh thank all the staff members that have been an integral part of the preparation and planning for the PASAIC soccer ready watch parties that have been instrumental.

Uh specifically, obviously the police department's been great, fire department, but our city clerk's office with our UDZ uh coordinator literally went business to business.

They're still one of them is still out there right now trying to get businesses to sign up and be vendors for that kickoff event.

So I just wanted to put that on the record and thank them for all their effort to try to make this a successful kickoff event.

Very good, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Tennyson Park has been open today.

Families are very excited.

Um obviously there was so much that was done, renovated additional equipment that was added.

Go by and check out the park.

It was uh just beautiful work that was done.

There's one uh piece of equipment, a seat that uh we're still waiting on delivery, but we covered it up and opened it up the for the families today.

Um I do want to share to the council members.

You'll hear of some trees that were removed.

We went through all the appropriate channels, we uh examined the trees, we planted additional trees in there, but we added shade.

We put umbrellas up in uh special seating areas to the air where the spray pads, which is uh the water portions of the amenities that we provide at our different parks, and they open up tomorrow.

So you may get questions community when are the spray pads gonna open up, the temperature is rising 90 degrees and up, and that's gonna open up tomorrow and will stay open from now on as the temperatures are expected to continue rising on the 14th.

We have mentioned it earlier.

There will be a big procession in the city of Passake.

Very big procession by the uh diocese of Patterson.

There will be uh individuals coming in from uh Chicago, New York, and all over.

We've had these processions in the past, but this will be bigger as it is, commemorating uh specific religious anniversary.

June 14th is a Sunday, so we want to make sure they're aware.

Uh we will send out information to your emails, uh, council members, so please look out for that.

We'll try our best to uh give you a call beforehand.

Um the procession begins on that Sunday around three o'clock in the afternoon, and we'll uh we'll end at Passake Stadium, and that will be uh around six o'clock, where they will begin their ceremonies.

We've had processions like this in the past that ended on Wall Street, some that went all around the city and came back to Myrtle Avenue.

But this everything will be combined together for it.

So please look out for those.

We'll make sure to send the flyers out to all of the watch parties to all of the council members so you're aware of the different locations and when they will occur.

This is the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

Know that the 4th of July event, if you think the previous years were big, we have secured quite the spectacular show, but we're also combining it with a concert.

We will have a concert in the park, and uh, we are looking to secure reenactors of the revolutionary war to come in dressed up.

We are taking volunteers, so if any of the council members have taken their uh their horse riding lessons, we have a little for those who did not hear online council president city's going out the horse.

That's all that's hilarious.

But uh that was good.

So we wanted to let you know just because there will be a lot of events around our city over this month, and I know that we're coming back together a little bit later um in the uh month.

We want to let you know.

So please look out for those emails because there is a series about four or five events starting tomorrow, St.

Anthony's Family Festival, the carnival that they have every year begins.

It goes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and it's a pretty big festival that will occur.

The Salvation Army in the city of Passake recently had a change of ministry leadership.

They're actually beginning a program where they're sending children to um to camps out of Passake for free.

They're paying for the children to go.

It is a camp in Pennsylvania.

I met with them today along with the members of our clergy leadership and not-for-profit organizations in the city of Passaic, but we welcome the new leadership on and then also I want to share on many of you who know the family personally.

Um Reverend McKinney, who took over the ministry uh from her father, uh, will be leaving Calvary and uh starting uh position in Texas, starting a position in Texas.

So for those, and I know uh many on the uh days are very close to the family.

You may want to send out a congratulations.

She was just appointed.

Um that was shared with us, and we're extremely excited for her new opportunity, but we'll miss her here.

She has become such an integral part of uh community outreach programs.

And then lastly, I want to recognize um uh Miss Karen Carrera, who works with our business administrator as his assistant along with uh the administration and those who assisted me.

We put in an application, uh, Council President, members of city council to be included in the historic um trail, the state trail for the African American history.

And uh in doing some research, I will share that I had found uh a Reverend Pence, who was the first ever African American attorney in the history of Passake County, and uh he had his office across from the VFW on Summer Street, right across from it at the building, and he was one of the founding members of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.

Our application was accepted.

It was uh co-authored by myself and Karen.

What that means is that she worked tirelessly for days, and then I added my name at the end of it somewhere on like the 17th page.

Karen, you're on Karen's like that is accurate.

I just didn't expect you to tell everyone.

Maybe I look I did I will admit I I found the name, but Karen did so much work and putting this application together and working with the team.

It was accepted by the state, and we received the plaque from the city for the city.

So we will be putting together an event where we will hand over this uh marker, this historic marker, it will be placed at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Maine Avenue, and we are officially part of the trail, meaning that anyone looks it up for the state, wherever they go around the state, we have a specific area where people will come and see this marker and learn about uh Reverend Pence, who was uh such a remarkable figure in the history of the state, and uh I believe the marker also recognizes him as one of the leading founders of one of the political parties in the city of Passake and for the county in the state, uh a party that may more align with the administration in Washington, but back then it was a different kind of party.

So say it first.

Um yes, yes, but at the time there was a lot of difference.

I believe the um President Lincoln was part of the uh party.

But he was born in the 1800s, and I had just run into his name doing some research and uh requested a submit him.

Excuse me.

The Underground Railroad was not in secular.

There are um locations that were included, and um Mr.

Ron Van Ransinger, uh, through the Van Rinse there, the who ran here, Hunter.

Um they they had markers.

I think we have two locations that were identified in the city of Passake, and I know Patterson has.

Yeah, but this is a little different.

This was a historic trail that was created by the state of New Jersey, and we were able to be included in this application.

So we're very excited about it.

Very cool.

Okay.

Anyone and members of the council wish to say?

Yeah, I just a quick question um for administration.

And um, and it'll help me too, and the public because usually the business administrator takes care of me when I get a complaint from a tenant about their treatment from the landlord or not fixing things, mold and those things, attorney of their business administrator, but I don't know what takes place.

So I'm just asking where should tenants go uh with those types of complaints.

Is it written rent leveling board?

Is it here?

It's here when it comes to uh issues of code of heating, anything that has to do with uh the quality of life, the living conditions that would come here.

Rent leveling is more in terms of paying the rent increases of the rent or any disputes that you have in the contract, the lease, uh the termination of the lease and things like that.

And again, that is uh just one level of government that we have here.

Obviously, there's tenant landlord court that they can pursue.

And typically we would request that they come here first, but they always have the option to go straight there.

Sorry, mayor specifically who when they come here.

Uh human services.

Okay.

If they need the information specifically uh regarding any dispute when it comes to rent, evictions, and but when it comes to actual repairs of the home, you know, we had uh we had a few complaints towards the uh beginning of the spring because we had those days where it went from 90 degrees and then the next week it shot down.

Yeah, it's like 50 and 40, and and some landlords never turned the heat back on.

Those we refer to code, code makes a phone call and inspects.

Okay, thank you.

And then if I may, Council President, I want to congratulate those on their primaries and the election.

I know that the county commissioners, those who are running for Congress and uh different offices.

Um I want to commend the um the city clerk and all of the staff there worked very hard.

We had early voting in the city of Passica again, and that was a big deal, but things ran smoothly here, and congratulations to everyone who secured their positions to run in November.

Thank you, being no one else, is there a motion please to adjourn?

Move it.

Motion is there a second?

Second, second motion and second round call to adjourn, please.

Councilman Monk, yes.

Councilman Love, yes, Councilman Mello, yes, Councilman Mayer, yes, Councilman Garcia, yes and council president Shares.

Yes, thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.