January 22, 2025

Court towers Aleef Mohammed president founder near school I'm gonna go back to Felix for which we finally call little bricks and I'm gonna start there What I'm gonna have to do is I want to take my time. So this might take two different meetings I can't do this. Mr. President in five minutes or three minutes So it's basically I'm giving you almost the same thing I gave you before But I want to start at the beginning and I what I want to do now is I want to set the climate This was November and this is 2020 at that time. I was team Baraka I was probably outside of the person that Didn't have a job or wasn't bitten and from it their biggest supporter. I probably spent 1860 70 80 grand of my own money pushing team of Barack so I was serious So when this went down I was on the team I was a true believer and then so it started at the Phillips for it's a it's sitting there and there's a deal came up and I want to start at the beginning that the deal it came up and then I want to start is I got called down When this meeting that's at the end five. I got called down by bears office Because they weren't happy on what I did with this thing So that's the first not the first time I got called down, but it was a real serious situation and the conversation went like this This he said yeah, I said it's a bad deal. He said this is the mayor's student I said it's a bad deal. He said it's the mayor's student. It's a bad deal Five times he looked me in the eyes. He said this is the mayor's student. I said it's a bad deal and I come from if you friends you don't put your friends in bad deals Well suppose you wanted something I leave I said I wouldn't come with a bad deal I wouldn't put something so we started off with Victor tried to sneak it Victor Sorrello tried to sneak it with two resolutions It was two separate situation one was bad job when this was Muhammad Ali Avenue Was on them badger Avenue deal and he and Victor knew I was fond of Not a Webster. I mean his dad used to hang out back in the day and mr West 40 years ago a lot of y'all don't know about that. Well, we oh you do that that means you're old Very expensive place. That's what the mayor everybody hung out Everybody hung out there and we hung out there and his father hung out with his father So when I seen it, I said I got to read the papers So he sent me the prop the proposal at one o'clock at night. It was 180 papers So when we came to the work session, I said Ain't gonna read this in one day. So I said I'm on a redevelopment committee. That's the page you see first So when we get there in the redevelopment you see I want you to find the caster now remember this this is this time That's why it's gonna be it's gonna take my time Warren had been let go the Rockers asked me to tell Mars he had to go Boss left I said whatever deal you want. He said I want with What's calm I want a year then he called me back. See, I'm not gonna be tired Anyway, when this deal happening and I got to go back and tell you about Mars Mars When the house of thought he build the police precinct there were major problems with Mars because he's a straight-up smart Philadelphia guy there was a lot of things that was happening that he wouldn't allow so they didn't like him and Victor was running the show now and I went page by page and I want to see so this is gonna take time I want you to understand. I want to see the actors there. It was Costa and before I sit down I asked Costa I said aren't you local 55? Because local 55 is in this deal and she said to me Now we know she's the president of local 55 now So it's gonna take a little time. You got to give me a little time with this pastor Give me a little time with this. I'm gonna take it slow

That's so now I'm a Laker. Thank you for your comments next speaker Lisa Mitchison Parker Today criminal cult is running our government. I Lisa Parker resident of Newark have made Numerous requests from the clerk's office Keisha Daniels for a forensic audit by the OIG in Washington of all city Agencies invest Newark Newark Parks Foundation for misuse and abuse of federal state and municipal funds Eric Pennington the BA that when I was here last time He disputed the fact that the city is not in a structural deficit It is in a structural deficit because from the years Deficit of over a million dollars that's been compounded over a four-year period So we are in a six hundred and eighty eight We have a debt of the money that you borrow through bonding now the typical When you put on that press conference about all you were doing for the homeless when on December 18th you took out a six million dollar bond a Six million dollar bond for the taxpayers to pay that debt Where did all the money go and the resources for the homeless that you was allocated? Moving right along I'm gonna address the the comment that was made about Taxabatement and what I described to you as political will because on every single one of these ordinances you amend the amendment to Ordinance that you're trying to pass instead of doing your due diligence as Legislators to help the people that are really in need now The political will tell me why that high par garden was given another 50 years of tax abatement when they have 50 years hadn't even expired and you gave them another 15 years in 2020 you just recently gave Wesley towers a Retroactive tax abatement when they owe us Property taxes you turned around and gave 1060 Broad Street who almost has a hundred years of tax abatement It's having the political will to help the people that are in society hill and University of States Now I'm address all of these tax abatements and a pork belly that y'all been given to your friends First of all before you come and give us a Revaluation you should have never agreed to tax us last year The you gave the landlords this year and last year that they could increase the rents by five percent We're people supposed to go and yet you got all the perks For all the developers and not the people that created these neighborhoods So the first thing I want to talk about is all your revenue streams that you're not even taxing Let's start with the recycling and sanitation The Nina Simone building from invest new it we supposed to be collecting revenues from them Accountability for all the collections that we made the cash parking lots that you have going on All the movie shoots that y'all do here bring a queen Latifah everybody else. Where's that money going? Allison lad with her lying self come up here every time to talk about the AMI that they flip So the developers don't have to pay into the housing trust fund for low to moderate income Why aren't you making these developers payday fair share? You should be ashamed of yourself then the lastly invest new it that you way of housing all these properties and Selling it to your friends family and donors that don't have to pay their fair share and property tax So before y'all go around the city and talk to people about Revaluation how about coming up with a plan for the residents?

Not appearing Emily Akins, I believe appearing Sorry, um good evening Emily Akins resident The first one is the special election for the Westport seat. I mean that the Westport. I'm sorry because I'm looking at you It looks a little bit suspicious that it's not filled Since it's been vacant and I think the people need an explanation as to why full transparency You have a staff is still working and many people many residents don't know why and what they're doing To understand what it is that they do for eight hours a day if they are working eight hours a day And if they're still receiving their salary if it's a full salary we need full transparency and only you can give that to us as Voters we have a right to know what's going on It is January going into February 2025. We would like that seat built This morning it was Gonzalez who asked really good questions For miss lad and she didn't answer and she said she needs to send an email I'm not sure why she has to send an email when everything should be public and the people want to know what's so private That can't be discussed out loud because he has very good questions Wrong is so much better than rates. I don't get it for the questions that were asked to be answered by Miss lad in front of everybody because there's no secrets here unless it fits, you know Personnel matter we get that having meetings behind closed doors But when it's dealing with the public and it's dealing with so-called affordability Any of these agenda items where a vote is supposed to take place? so many people come up here and they have You all say yes, and I'm starting to wonder We may vote for you and I'm not even sure if we're really voting for you all I'm starting to think that that's kind of We put you in these seats allegedly to work for us But you're working against us and that's by your votes Really? We're just wasting our time talking to everyone up here Okay, if a new store is going up and we're telling you all the reasons why it's hurting the neighborhood like another smoke shop We don't want any our kids. We don't want to near the schools Okay, give you all the reasons you all shake your heads. Yes. Yes. Yes, I agree and then turn around How do you think that makes us feel that just goes to show you don't care Now I know many of you have aspirations of running for a higher office Many of you want to keep your seats. I don't know. Maybe you guys decide you want to run for Assemblyman who knows what you want to do? Now I'm not always here, but I'm watching and it's really sad Because I see that our people mean nothing People will come up here talking about the same things over and over and over again and still had no resolution And all we want is resolution. We don't want to come up here all the time talking about the same thing over and over and over Look at Georgia King Village. They still got rats They're back. They're back and what's being done? But a slap in the face making deals with the same developers Y'all don't put your foot down for nothing. It seems like you benefit and we don't benefit so then what's the point? Now I have to leave because I gotta go get my son So after all this is said and done if you can answer my questions

I'll be great. Thank you. Thank you for your comments next speaker Deborah Salters appearing See that deputy mayor lad sent us some information yesterday regarding this potential added starter So if you wouldn't mind I would ask her to just give us some information particularly interested in the fact that you know the city's looking to Invest about five million dollars in CDBG funds to develop about what is it 66? affordable housing units and I'd just like to know how does this Subsidy compared to other projects that we've subsidized Subsidy compared to other projects that we've subsidized using CDBG funds and and is that the equivalent of our annual? What kind of position does it put the city in in terms of having funds available? To support other initiatives and projects throughout the city of North Authorize a resolution for the problem economic and housing development or privacy I'll read about it to convey city-owned property to facilitate the development of affordable housing Yes, there was a there was an appraisal as late as December of listing the value of that property at one point one eight zero one one million one hundred eighty thousand dollars and we're transferring that property for $23,000 in addition to that we're providing for that property five million dollars in CDBG monies and The tax evasion the city contribution towards that project is $93,000 per unit so I don't know if we have ever done that before for any other You know, we have transferred property in the past at a reduced cost for the development of affordable housing You know my questions are in line with what I asked yesterday and based on what councilman Gonzalez Said as well is that you know, I did here for the development and I'm not trying to say that 60 some Out units of affordable housing is not an important But considering the fact that you are looking on the financing side to provide, you know What y'all said that didn't happen. You want to make me look like I was crazy, right? Your own words and even the council president at the time said and I would play it But I wanted to say something where she says and I'm not talking about no low income I'm talking about affordable meaning people that could come into this city and live here So those are her words go back to the video yourself and watch it So the next time you want to get up here and call me a liar don't the only liars are the ones in this administration that gets up here lying all the time to the people and thieving of our money and our resources when we get up here, we're not getting up here to waste our breath And the disdain that even the mayor shows he was on the call earlier and a woman had put a question in the comments Oh, she's always on here with this negative energy Just just answer the low-hanging fruit and you run it for governor. You got to be kidding me When all the resources you all hate the people you show it daily the guy wouldn't came to the reassessment of the taxation The woman asked are we gonna be priced out? He said it depends on how much the city needs

Thank you for your comments next speaker George Tillman jr. Appearing good evening George Tillman jr I'm glad we haven't so much attention on these tax abatements and what's going on in a way that they've been utilized and with These developers and who's benefiting from these tax abatements Miss Parker, she she she identified quite a few How this administration has been moving? We gave a tax abatement as she's miss Parker said to a developer who owed the city 1.5 million dollars who already had 50 years of abatement and was non-compliant series of developments where we the administration come to this might where the development is Anywhere from 50% to a hundred percent already complete and then coming to here when they was non-compliant and still getting the tax abatement It came through communication on page 31 There's 43 units that this administration is bringing forth to give a tax abatement to 43 units at market rate for a 30 year tax abatement So when you look at this administration and how they are continuing to give all these benefits To these developers and not only that in that same in that same developer Who's getting this this who's putting this application in for this 30 year tax abatement with these 43 units at market rate? I'm from the understanding because I wasn't clear. There's five other buildings that supposed to be attached to it But you're separating like this Hunger Games where you're separating people and you put them all all I guess the upscale They're gonna get the tax abatement even though they're all sitting there in a market rate But the serious thing that is that we're coming to right now after all of this Continue to come to this microphone for almost two years and we've sat down. Yeah, we've had meetings Councilwoman roundtree and but there's nothing been done since November when we sat down last year We have been coming to this mic since November 2023 We already in 2025 talking about the same issue and now again We had a we had a halt with nothing has been done because the deputy mayor rock mama hummer This name about deputy mayor rock mama how because he represents the mayor And the mayor's is put him in this position to do exactly what he did for ten years and no it works nothing There's no workforce that was developed over ten years Yet he keeps coming up to this microphone saying that no residents aren't working because there's no Qualified workforce in our city and that's not true at all. The work is not being done since we met in November on how he's going to Address the deficiencies that was created by Newark works 2015 said that they were going to supply all the residents for all the construction developments for Everyone that needed that needed demand power. That was the agreement that the city said they were going to do that now They're gonna come us and say that that was just a goal We just said that but you're gonna keep giving out the tax abatement saying that it was a goal So it was a goal so why did if it was only a goal why do you have to pay penalties? Why are they being fined for a goal? There's just a goal. Why would you just tell somebody? Oh, just just we gonna you have 50% new residents. It's just a goal. You ain't got to do it It's just a goal. Just give a good faith effort. It's okay They don't benefit or just keep giving out the tax abatements. No It's not it's not difficult to come up here. I don't even want the deputy mayor anymore because the mayor is responsible for hiring that deputy mayor and He should he should at this point and I hope this is not a statewide agenda because if this is a statewide agenda This is sad if they're gonna be giving out tax abatements to develop a statewide for building market rate throughout the state We doomed there is no way we gonna exist in this state because what they're doing in this city So I'm not understanding what what what's the point of all these tax abatements at this at this at this point We talked about those corridors today about how you recruit those businesses give those businesses some abatements Maybe you get those those those those storefronts filled up, but you're doing everything but the wrong thing in

Thank you for your comments next speaker. Nadira Brown Nadira Brown, North New Jersey on the last meeting. I'm not really quite sure what address to put I Mean is it no 982 Brewer Street is another agency which one is this one? Well, let me get started cuz you only get five minutes and I want to say happy new year to everyone Saw something earlier online and it said accountability is so important to me nobody's perfect But don't try to flip the script and make my reaction to issue when your actions lit the match. I Want to first start out this year and apologize for coming to you with my concerns Again, I want to apologize. I took up your time to let you know what's going on in my life Which represents many many individuals in this city? My life is some a open book due to the fact that I've been coming to the meetings and it's on YouTube But I just want to let you know I'm gonna let everything out five minutes not gonna do it We need a platform so everyone can understand what's really going on People come up to you after the meeting zone. Let me get your information Let me get your number call you back on list and they call you back like I tried to call you I'm like, well, what's our oh well, uh, stop sending the fake Oh, I need you to understand that you are representatives, but you have people that work with you your aids We're the aids without the pay. That's why the people keep coming to us because we do get some solutions done One of the things I need you to understand being in the community I'm fortunate to have a job where I do that, but I was doing that before I had the job One of the reasons that I'm known and as well and I'm not trying to pat my back. I follow up Whether I have an answer for the person or not So I just want to give some feedback to you since this is your last year your stretch I know many people want them out, but why get them out? Let them finish. They messed up this far But the sad part is you've done some great things, but your great things are being covered by the negative I wish people stop coming to me saying well why such a such didn't help you Well, you in the same position to help me. Why didn't you help me? But the thing about it is it's not necessarily helping me I still got to get through my trials and tribulations I'm afforded the opportunity to speak to you, but I just want to let you know it's not just me So if you couldn't even help me, who are you really helping in the city? Now I want to let the residents know it's not all their fault I got to get together and get organized and get right We all don't got to be besties and we all don't got to come together We could be like both trying you know how it's different pieces everybody fabulous, but when they get together boom okay This y'all last year run for it do what you got to do But y'all got to realize yeah, I got some strong people we got a we could keep talking to him It's just my pain. I know I'm the new kid on the block some people don't really understand me and know me get to Know me but at the same time realize sometimes people in position believe they're doing the right thing Let me give you example during the pandemic right? They told people they can't be put out they ran with it didn't pay rent Oh my gosh who told you but instead of going back to educate them they found all this money to give them Okay, but what about the people that's working that don't qualify for anything so then they made a law We can't tell if you were evicted from court, so that's why now I believe they're looking at the court foulings when you're looking for an apartment There's really no help and it's a lot of resources out here, but guess what they're not for everyone Everyone it's not on them. You got assembly you got Senate you got Congress We need to start making every meeting and voicing our concerns don't leave it. Just here's not all on them But you got to get together you got to get right. I don't care if you like me or not I want to thank you for the time and again apologize for even bringing up my concerns Some of you don't understand why you're in your seat you believe you are but who am I to tell you? Well my time is up because again can't say everything in five minutes But my mayor somewhere else holding another meeting at the same time so respectful good night

Miss May appearing good evening. Good evening. My name is Marion Bay. I am a Nork resident an investor in Nork I work for the city of Nork and Major renovation of the buildings and schools under the New Jersey School Development Authority It was created to completely fund construction and renovation in 31 of the state poor school districts in the city of Nork we have that chance to create jobs and Opportunity for our Nork residents the massive amount of money that is coming in this city via Construction projects and developers must be used to create employment opportunities Successful when the district hired qualified black and Latino men and women With trade positions and skills in the community who were Nork residents the key is to hire Qualified experienced Nork residents and to assist young Nork residents who are in these trade schools They are attending with entry-level jobs Let's take advantage of this opportunity by providing jobs for qualified experienced Nork residents It must be mandatory qualified residents will get employed though I am speaking of construction trades there will be there will be office jobs managers administrators Etc created our residents can apply for these jobs as long as they are qualified Let's set aside a certain percentage for Nork residents. I Want to thank the brothers and sisters who are working at DPW the Department of Public Works and One of the essential which is one of the essential agencies these employees must be treated with respect The jobs they perform in the city is crucial and when you treat staff with respect You get more out of them. They must be paid right and on time Just think how you would feel if you were treated like they are I know it's difficult for some people because they have a title and it's used as a weapon of power But it's possible we got to do better on how we treat Nork employees in all Nork agencies needed to most most of the equipment needed to be replaced and Repaired trucks have been broken down need to be Need to hire more laborers and CDL truck drivers and better management We need experienced people who know what they are doing that includes payroll as well We need trucks need the trucks just for recycling They need they need to be clean because all of the garbage and water is Water from the garbage trucks contaminate the recycling Therefore we need trucks just for garbage and clean the garbage before they recycle PSE&G is building a power plant on South 15th Street in Central Avenue. They are forcing residents out of their homes and businesses Can the council provide information about about this project in the West Ward since they are building a power plant that means jobs PSE&G is is forcing residents out of their homes or businesses. What type of compensation will these residents receive from PSE&G and in in addition since this is going to be a power plant We need to think about the health concerns because it will be hazardous You know if they're building this plant I've had residents on that block to tell me What's been happening to them and my concern is that? With all the things that's going on here in the city of Newark with the development There should be no reason why Newark residents are not working. I want to say qualified experience Newark residents are not working and as a Newark resident and homeowner I Am very concerned when I see brothers and sisters who want to work But they say they can't find a job when many of them are qualified here in the city of Newark Okay, and I just want to thank you for the opportunity to speak with you and thank you Thank you councilman Rowntree and thank you Do it all for for your assistance in in helping a young lady Thank you. Thank you for your comments next speaker Hey, yo, what's good? Oh, yes, mr. Council I'm coming All right. Let's start with some solutions. Okay DPW needs an app Okay, so we can do things like send out blast alerts updates reminders of all events and changes Get them more money get an app. We're gonna be a big city, right? We're looking forward, right? We're gonna be To these business. Oh, hold on. Let me get to the business administrator First of all, I wouldn't come up here to disparage our mayor It's about the appearance of impropriety that's concerning and it was just an observation that could have been inferred To the homeless are about what Patterson is doing talking about locking up people because they're homeless Okay, they're gonna try to use these terms I guess a quality of life issue quality of life issue tell these these jobs That these people can't afford to live here and that's why they're being homeless Public health is an issue quality of life is an issue But is it because poverty is a blight in our community and y'all trying to attract all this white money? What about the ice detention center that's coming to the South Ward the old Delaney Hall I heard about that How long we gonna be quiet about that? Are we a sanctuary city or not? Now to these business and corridors, okay, they not coming because people broke That's why we have convenience stores. Okay, can't nobody afford nothing. Can't afford no jewelry shops Okay, and these kids need help reading and doing math that should be our priority not no jewelry shops Okay, I understand you want that hotel at the old Clinton Avenue. Let it go Okay, and just tell the people it's bodegas. That's who's selling tobacco They selling little loosies and stuff like that. They are the convenience stores. They have the convenience Okay, again, I told you we need to they need to beat the streets Getting the communities. Well, where the officers the officers ain't opening up no businesses We we understand that's what we want to do. But people have the right to their privacy Okay, the individual privacy of individuals Circumvents all this public health all all of that stuff enough is enough. They did that with Colvin locking people down Yeah, so so here we go. Here's the scenario, right? So you got Walgreens selling tobacco You got the gas station selling tobacco. You got the liquor store selling tobacco You got the Chinese store selling tobacco. You got dollar general selling tobacco, which one of them businesses are going to be fine Or which one of them new businesses because if somebody else come up here and they got a big name their brand name, right? Right, cuz that's what people of color like they like brand names So they're gonna go with a brand names are or they gonna go for convenience. So who's gonna be taxed? You've got these property owners who have been allowed to leave our properties vacant Let's talk about their right there on Madison and burger Okay, cuz I know you have something you trying to do with the whole Bergen corridor You're gonna be expanding all of that, right? You got a church right there on Ferguson at Bergen and Madison that just been sitting there that school that that bus been sitting out There in that lot for years. There used to be a chicken shack on the next block There used to be a liquor store right there. How long are these properties allowed to leave stuff vacant? Mr. Counsel, are you on their backs like that? What about right there on Clinton and Bergen across from the precinct the the old furniture store? How long is that gonna be vacant? What about the other property that's supposed to be housing? How long is that gonna be vacant? Are you on their backs? What about the library that was sitting right there? What about that? These kids need help reading and doing math. That should be our priority. The businesses are gonna come Support the businesses that are here. Let them know that you have their back. Whoo. Um Mr. Silva, okay, they're gonna try to put that power plant down there I know Trump has already done sent the word out. All right, but again health concerns People start losing their hair or or there's cancer something like that. You don't want that on your conscience Thank you for your comments next speaker

Miss Gardner not appearing now. She the singleton the singleton appearing Good evening members of the North City Council honor of a mayor rise Baraka and team fellow residents and community members My name is Nasheeda Singleton and I would like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak before you today the guard depressing and ongoing issues faced by the residents of 440 Washington Street as A proud resident and a voice for the community. I am here to share not only our challenges But also our hopes and appreciation for the support we received thus far in July of 2021 my then 12 year old daughter and I were placed at 440 Washington Street with the help of the city of North to escape a 13-year domestic violence relationship to begin our journey of rebuilding our lives Initially this building provided the safety and stability. We desperately needed However over the years I have witnessed a significant and heartbreaking decline in the quality of living The living conditions at 440 Washington Street have become increasingly untenable The lack of sufficient heat during frigid temperatures unreliable access to hot water and frequent overflowing garbage are not merely inconveniences but threats to our health safety and dignity Residents are also could contending with broken elevators leaving many elderly and disabled Tenant stranded or unable to navigate their daily lives with ease the flooded lobby caused by backed up sewage exacerbated already difficult conditions Equally concerning is the lack of safety and security in our building as residents We deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing our homes are secure and our environment is livable the kid could be Excuse me the conditions we are enduring have left many feeling neglected and disheartened We the residents of 440 Washington Street come to you today not just with grievances, but with an appeal for continued partnership Moving forward we ask for the City Council staff force of staff fast support and holding accountable those Responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of our building We urge you to ensure that these issues are resolved swiftly and sustainably so that no resident has to endure another day of such Your support thus far has been valuable to the City Council Mayor Barack and his team and all the community members who stood with us your advocacy has provided some ease and comfort During these challenging times your efforts have reminded us that we are not alone in our struggle that the voices of we the people matter And that change is possible when we come together as one on behalf of the residents of 440 Washington Street We thank you for your time your action and commitment to ensuring the better quality of life for all Newark residents Together I am confident we can overcome these challenges and create a living environment that reflects the values the standards Thank you for your continued attention to this matter and thank you for standing with us as we work to restore dignity and safety In support and Ashita I came here about five years ago and spoke to City Council And I had asked for you all to come out and investigate 440 we had heard that City Council received some type of money and you gave abatement to I've tried to move but it seems there's nowhere to go in this city right now. I Why use Newark as Newark the great city? Why not just say? Regeneration of Newark because that's what it's becoming Somebody is going in our mailboxes and now we have to go downtown to the main post office to get our mail Security has allowed people to go in the security booth and to take out mail and now they have Called the mayor's office a long time ago two years ago and said that my apartment I changed a lot and that the management team although they changed it They gave out master keys people tenants have been Maintenance men walk into an apartment where there's a mother and a daughter There's a mother and a daughter the same people that stuck on the elevator and this child Has a condition now. They no longer live there. I am ashamed Because people have said to me why are you living there? I'm trying to get out and I know that it seems that this city no longer wants decent tenants I'm retired from a job that I worked 35 years It is cold in my apartment when I left my apartment today. It's ice cold Our hot water. We don't have decent hot water I thank the mayor for sitting up a meeting last week and also bring in his his Council, but that's not going to do it. We need the City Council to cancel For one month come November we have no heat until until Then you want to give then he wants to give us heat We have no repairs. We don't even have decent maintenance Management teams I got blinds that are down and I've asked the management to please fix it Then you come in and you rob my apartment because I write a letter to HUD Saying that you are that you try to extort money out of me. I have the copy of that I want to move out of Newark and run there are times I just want to run and not even say I live in Newark I know the people that are watching City Council are gonna say to me my friends. Why you just don't leave Well, if I could find a place to live I would leave with affordable rent I cannot afford I I can't get section 8. I'm overpaid. I worked I Just want to find a decent apartment or be able to stay in my apartment this child here Neshida she's hard-working and all we want is a decent place to live Why don't you all come and mr. Quintana as you said treat people the way you want to be treated? So therefore we're asking you to sit treat us the way we want to be treated as decent So where's Eric Pinnerton? Oh, he gonna wait till we finish You know get up here and explain, you know why he stepped down from the city of orange doing the orange? Corruption scandal since you want to come behind us come behind us and explain that So no occurs it is definitely time for you to wake up stand up and to stop allowing these failed political cons and To keep brainwashing and bamboozling you We are in the worst conditions under these democratic You want to look at the one to point the finger here want us to go look over here, okay? But we're gonna deal with what's here the housing crisis I want to tell Ras Baraka and Louis the relative No homeless plan is nothing but putting bandage on an open wound a lot of mismanagement of funds and media propaganda We received almost a billion dollars for homeless and rental assistance and the homeless point account Continue to rise and that's a fact the math ain't math in the return on investment don't match the dollars Building and preserving low-income low-income housing and homelessness Not more shelters not more drop-in centers and not more containers and not more hotel Billion-dollar construction boom taking place and as I continue to say what's in it for us Chased out of all of us that were all of us we come up here about the same issue under this administration a Deputy mayor a full employment pushing a fail and dysfunctional training and job program Make it make sense and none of y'all ain't doing that to you know provide transparency oversight ain't gonna looking at nothing This yes. Yes. Yes. Yes all other buddy. Yes. Yes. Yes At one point the unions included my former union Which I'm one of the founding members of local 55. We once was a powerful force For change before Wayne Richardson got put in office During the Booker administration these seats was flooded Council meetings flooded streets flooded We used to flood and protest over local jobs and local contractors. What happened union leadership? The officials didn't help produce jobs and local contract. It was political suicide for y'all For social change and y'all know that if we get the unions back in here and the people to fill these seats up the 80% of tenants who are suffering the slumlord conditions and oh, let me talk about the slumlords Texts abatement this administration keep giving out without oversight and accountability Almost every building that you gave millions of dollars to and tax abatements are dilapidated Dilapidated falling apart and had norcas living in hell and you should be living in hell, too We should be shutting down these streets. We'd be shutting down these council meetings We should be doing all we can to shut down. I'm gonna get my extra minute. Thank you for your comments next speaker Wish I did get paid cuz none of y'all wouldn't be up there Condition this city has ever been in Raz. I want to thank you for destroying the city of Norfolk You don't let these LLC boys come in here and take your drawers off There's not one young person that is a resident of this city From the age of 20 to 50 that could do any business in this city and Raz is your fault Just like the young man said LLC boy leader Now we could charge whatever we want for Raze and who opened that door you Negro as Miss Doc says it You ain't even worthy rise of your name being said go ahead with your idiot self pick up that petition in two weeks Because you don't have a record to run on You haven't helped one person in here that ain't Clapping for you. You don't have nobody on your team To correct you. That's why you keep making mistakes When you got a chain you always got to have somebody this my partner right here rather die We done had some discussions you thought we know each other And walk in the room and present a united front because we understand the mission But in order for this degradation to come in particular the black folks and now you don't pull the brown in there It's always a darkie at the table and rad you the damn darkie You don't even know how to negotiate report authority. That's why we in this condition Y'all don't know how to negotiate report authority. This is why we in this 70 million a year They give New York six billion a year. We don't even get one Rad you don't even know because you so much of a Narcissist but I was gonna say that other word help me partner You can't even negotiate and can't even respect former mayor Gibson. I mean, I'm sorry James who walked in there and walked out with almost two billion dollars. You could never do that You sit in a meeting with the president's of Panasonic and one of your ignorant staff members says Oh, where do we get the check from the president? All right to check you dummies Not competent to do nothing not one director has moved any department in this city forward on no level Y'all destroyed the summer youth program destroyed it The same things that we kick Corey's behind for we kicking your behind 15 times order Because you wasn't supposed to this was not the assignment. This is not what we signed up for in 2012 And I'm calling you a punk because you continue Corey Booker you got 25 police Because you know you come out here on this street And I talk about no bullets. I'm talking about hands on your brah hands on you because we got men in this community We got women we folks you got to walk with the guns. You can't even walk out here. You was a nooka You're worse than Corey. He had 10 you got 25 You think it's okay to spend 30 million dollars of our money on executive protection because you are punk Resign and I said it I won't say it again, but I said it cuz it needed to be said For 40 Washington Street, they got eight billion dollars worth of assets and y'all come y'all little punk bus over there Oh, we're gonna do this. We go y'all ain't gonna do nothing Because they don't pay this to your campaign funds 515 Elizabeth Avenue no heat today It's 10 degrees outside every building out here. Y'all ain't doing nothing Cold enforcement don't do nothing cuz they don't know the job They got registered with the state. I gotta call the state to come in on top of y'all How many fires been paid in cold enforcement in this city since Rasmund the mayor how much money we got over there parking? You talk about we say you stealing you damn right where the money where is it 25 million dollars y'all paid to the company that oversaw the lead service line Replacement and we still got lead and everything else in the water. Y'all should be ashamed of yourself You should all resign and if you want to sign my petition, but no confidence and Razz Baraka

Elia Mordano, can we get some order, please? I'm sorry. Go ahead and and I'm clerked jay coulter There you go. Good evening. Mr. President and the honor 350,000 residents of the city of Newark 700,000 in transient as I've just been amended on my statements I've seen so many strong black women from Newark come into this chamber meeting after meeting And there's a handful of brothers who are coming in to support those women. I'm gonna term This is the year of the black madonna and collective change this year Universal change like we've never seen before Many deals don't help the taxpayer at the city county or community level And the Essex county commissioners who oversee the Essex county jail both the Essex county youth house Are operating out of alignment with the national constitution Where is our recycling plan to fabricate building materials to build affordable housing? Speaking for you. Mr. President to the councilman in the north ward There's a company called conceptos plasticos And when I was a college student when we went to Florida, Florida, they were in they were from columbia But they were giving a symposium in florida about using recycled plastic through a hard plastic plant on building They weren't able to fully do it in florida, but they've done it across south america Follow up with conceptos plasticos to see if they can come to newark to help us with our shortage of 30 000 units It's very hard to blame trump when a lot of these city and county policies are self-inflicted So although this is the year of the black madonna and of collective change We want both this body to start to communicate at the county level on what we all are going to do to continue to distribute quality city services municipal services everything from dpw all the way to Supporting our health department our health department is And if we don't get serious, we'll be dealing with even a higher overload between that department of health and The question of the day in the year of the black madonna Are you leveraging our congressional representation? On resources that are critical to the city of newark whether that's newark housing authority 16 year olds are being allowed to vote in the spring which I like the idea as a parent But it is a very slippery slope because once you allow the teenagers to vote I believe as a father that they should be able to legislate We have adults over the age of 18 years old over at the school board right now who are not providing us with I do like the president of the school board. He has been very Kept an open door with parents, but his colleagues don't know their right hand from their left hand. Mr. President There's some gifted and talented in this city that can amend the board of education's bylaws and they actually sit as legitimate legislators our boys and girls who have been trained by some of the parents aunties and uncles behind us Whether that's the warrior of the people miss deborah salters whether that's miss muneer bermaniel Whether that's mr. Uh, george tillman jr. Honorable father Miss lisa parker richardson hammering y'all on the ordinances and the policies that you all have passed in majority So as I close the office of homeless and intervention you need to be meeting up with the board of education To get a more solid agenda on a national agenda on securing more homeless resources Particularly for norke's families that are under 50 000. Mr. President in annual income Mr. President speaking through you to my representative in the south ward I wish all your colleagues a happy new year in this year the black madonna But this is also a year to take note and take notice Of us building a better quality norke for everybody A completely legit legitimate gentleman. Mr. President Was zip tied in his house by the norke swat team and i'm not speaking against the good officers out there Who have tried to do good things and maybe you've retired and stuff, but I um I will send it to you. Mr. President and it doesn't look constitutionally good. He zip tied his children his wife and him I'm sending you the information. I'm not going to put his name on the record, but it was an unfortunate casualty of justice Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your comments

Next speaker latoya jackson tucker appearing Good evening everyone. Good evening. Let's wait. Jackson. Tucker norke Um, I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in my community It is my personal approach that creates the culture as a part of my village. I possess tremendous power To make my community life miserable or joyful. I can be a tool of torture or instrument of inspiration I can embarrass or empower hurt with him in all situations It is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated my community be humanized or dehumanized I'm a baby of the bunch. I don't have as much experience as y'all wanna As the mothers and aunties in these chairs But it hurts my heart every time I come down here and there's no disrespect to anyone For our entire community we all every one of us in this place right now look the same And I know sometimes it's upsetting to have people playing in your face I think that's what some of the community may feel like, you know Y'all have the right policy and we don't feel like i'm gonna say we because i'm part of the community That we're not happy with what's going on, but we can't continue to Fight each other. It doesn't look right. This is black on black crime It's it's black on black crime. Nobody has to do anything because we do it to each other now I'm praying i'm gonna continue to pray i'm gonna continue to come down here bring this piece of paper Say what I need to say because I really want unity in my community sure some people Who I have been angry with that I might want to line up and slap them in the face Shoot them the one or whatever but at the end of the day when I come outside my door When I come to these council meetings when I go into my community, i'm still seeing everybody Waking up every day seeing people and being angry over and over and over and over So as the baby of the bunch because we got a bunch of kids in north. We always telling them talking about How much they don't do or how they act how they perform? But y'all are my examples y'all are my examples this whole entire every director The mayor everybody is my examples of how I need to be in my community And I remember the honorable mayor baraka during the pandemic The your movements and your character when you well as we was going through this it might not be verbatim I remember me getting up my shop was closed there had no money I could pull up the food pantries and not feel Disrespected because I was already doing the work They would say l jackson salon ride to the back fill my car up and then I would share with my whole complex A pill one village. We showed love we was together fighting the police I mean not fighting the police but fighting the people that came into our community at the new office of violence prevention To make sure that nobody was going to tear down our community But we continuously tear down each other now, and I know we might have some issues everybody in this room has not Made me like even miss gaylord from last week that came up here saying she was going to help me then Um, i'm not sure like give me a heads up when you coming down here, but I can't Some you know, I don't like people playing in my face But at the same time I have to be an example of what not to do and how to handle things because I know i'm stamped Already you should feel like you stamped already you stamped already your stamped already So when we really realize that we're not in control and god is in control And we start putting those things first and start treating people like we love each other Because that's what's going to move us different ways not coming I i'll never open my legs for the maid But when I ask for something he responds in a way because he knows that I care about my community Jump I may have to call him again, but he knows that I respond to my community So please understand how we need to communicate with each other because y'all breaking my heart I'm a baby to all of y'all. Thank you for your comments next speaker Yes, good afternoon. Good evening. My name is opal. All right reside at vanderpult street in newark, new jersey This law that is cited dot frank wall street reform and consumer protection act It is to promote the financial stability Title 11 the federal reserve system provisions third it says that the federal reserve act has And it's according to this it says the third Is relating to the emergency lending and it is amended They shall establish established procedures to prohibit borrowing Insolvent and such procedures may include And at the time of the borrower at the time the borrower the information in the certification material Thank you. Thank you for your comments next speaker So this month was dr martin luther king's birthday, right? So let me just take these five minutes and dedicate them to him Now god, I need you to do me a favor because martin is sleeping And the only person that could communicate with him for those of us that are believers I need you to whisper to him and tell him That you were fighting the day you lost your life Because they were being oppressed not paid They even had that you even told them because they were holding up signs to let them know they were a man And they wanted to be respected as a man Facility and he talks to them men like they are nothing He even tells them at one point he even said to them i'm not your father And he also tried to make them seem like they need to just appreciate the fact that you even have a job So god, I asked you a long a couple of months ago to do him like you did moses Whatever, I don't know what your plans are for him, but whatever Happens do not let him go in that seat god Because he making preparations for another seat Don't let him go in that one either. I'll be talking about that one tomorrow night Because he needs to be stopped because he the worst And I think you did I think you were somewhere even talking about Martin Luther King because you made some comments. I want you to shut your mouth I don't need to call you no names because somebody else did that already Are the reason why again those workers down at dpw? You continue to build which means more garbage is going to be accumulating So why are you creating more garbage for them to pick up? So you don't have to pay them then and then let me tell you what your good friend sister soldier said She said the only black people who can become mayors Of these cities are people who compromise And real quick see I don't know what white man told you almost 11 years ago because I remember being at your second Celebration when you first won the mayorship when we was at, uh, robert street Under little room and I remember eric b saying rast for governor rast for governor And you know, i'm the one always cheering when he said that I had to stop for a second like whoa Put this together almost 11 years ago and told you you need to run for governor So now I see why you move like you moved But god, I want you to do something for me I want you to stop him s t o p s t o p stop him. Thank you for your comments next speaker

First, let me begin by saying happy new years to Um mayor baraka and the administration the people in the city of newark Like the sister at our previous meeting said her name was aleah If she had to be someone sitting at home watching Um, yes, she would agree that you know these people Who come here and speak are the examples of leadership and what it takes to be a community advocate and all of that But what she also said that many of the people who come here and speak The thing that she would get is that they were bad examples Of that and and I think that's very important right when we're talking about unity in the community uniting people Moving forward stopping oppression stopping this and stopping this and doing this today and make sure it gets done and Because you can't do it alone one of our leaders dr king himself Said that no one is an island right and we know that right nothing can get done with just I me my that You know with that type of thinking and I just don't understand that how we But I still think we're getting somewhere or doing something or having some kind of an impact When we're not that's why we're still doing it for five years seven years Ten years three years or whatever because there's no impact. There's the uh That's another story. We may really need to rethink our strategy and approach as to getting things done Raise the awareness, right? I just want to say this a few things My brother tailman may be right about tax abatement Maybe that needs to change and maybe it is unfair and all of that, right? I haven't reviewed the process myself to say either or right. How do we do it? Maybe the mayor is somewhere else and not sitting at his house or in his office watching this council meeting But it's somewhere else on city business and or you know doing whatever he's doing right? Every council meeting is beginning just to watch The people you and I speak about but that doesn't mean that they don't review it though or go back to it or any of that the mayor now to that standard but that's another story too, um You're tired of being in crash we're tired of But we want to the republicans is we tired of diversity and equity and inclusion too Those things can be worked out too, right? You know You know, I just came from delaney hall a few months ago That's not in the south ward. It's in the east ward, right? Uh, so maybe we need to relearn our city again, right? Those those geographical areas and stuff like that. So there's some things we can agree on some things we can disagree we disagree on right? How do we get there? That's the big question Is it to keep yelling pounding how going to the feds and then the white people coming? Nigga, I've never heard that before but excuse my french. I'm just using it as an example. I just never heard it The kook us clan type of language by black people to black people, you know In this just don't understand it. Let's talk about 440 real quick. I've been down there So the conditions it is crazy in there, right? Got pictures in my phone Black mold all type of stuff, right? How do we get to a solution with that? First we all agree that nobody should be living in those type of conditions. We agree with that, right? So I have a proposal that I would like you all to consider that is When these conditions are identified in properties, they are immediately abated and dealt with On the city's dime a special emergency fund Make the property owners pay the city back with interest If they don't want to pay back, let's talk about taking the properties. Thank you for your comments under the public health banner Council president council members that concludes the hearing of citizens So, um several things. Thank you council president. Ms. Parker. I think I mentioned in the last meeting Um that spoke to my colleagues. I do want to One way or another address and meet with for an update and for all of the information that you provided To at least address it again. I'm sure there's some probably some new homeowners over there But we do want to address it and address your concerns. So that is going to happen I think I'm going to send some dates to us and we're going to and I spoke to There's several of us but whoever is willing to attend and is able to attend. I know it's a central ward Property, but there's four at largest and we're going to do our best to adhere to your concerns and your wishes I said there's four there's all all of them will be I'm aware in reference to 440 Washington street When I went to the building I made it very clear and 2025 has to be a year of consciousness We have to be aware that when things come across our desk We have to address it if we don't know about it. We get something different once you know about something you're responsible President former council president mcgiver was dealing with some issues. They didn't just come it's not just a four-month-old problem There's been problems there as miss brown stated for a very very long time I just became aware of how they were being dealt with and they're going to be dealt with I know the law department might have some responses I'm not sure who else might have responses to it because there was a whole team there But I also know that there's a tax abatement committee and we're going to do our part to Address the issues regarding them. There's no reason if something is brought to our attention that we see the conditions Our residents are living in and we can sit here consciously and not hold these landlords accountable Councilperson knowing that that seat is currently vacant We have to address it and we have to hold that landlord accountable one way or another So miss brown we thank you for your concern and we thank you With dignity and respect and you deserve the same thing for your quality of life and for us being sitting in these seats I think that's all for now. Just those two things Thank you so much. Thank you councilman councilman gonzalez. Yes, uh as president of the tax abatement committee, we heard Miss singleton and miss brown and we are The owners or the management of 440 to a tax abatement committee on the 29th That we're going to have a tax abatement committee Convey the message to them the invitation to them so that they come before us and we can we can Find out what they are going to do in order to in order to keep the tax abatement that they have My concerns is not about um 440 right now, but mine is to address See if she's still here but her concerns about the pseng Switching station. So I just want to let everybody know we've had At least three or four definitely three that I remember Before with pseng with the community of that area We called district leaders in I made sure that everybody in that community understood I mean we did it. Um, miss g curitin was there We we've been we we called out to all of the people who were in the area So that they can come out ask the hard questions to see if they wanted it and it's not building. Um A new structure or it's not putting out anybody's homes It's actually building on one of the old structures updating it building the facade a new facade Looks equivalent to what's going on in the neighborhood. So it's not Pushing anyone out of their homes. We answered all of the questions even down to employment I myself reached out to an architect that was from new jersey to actually help design and build Bring his staff along to work alongside the engineers at pseng. So norc norc is hired norc is employed Employed norc is informed multiple times three or four times community meetings um, we even bought in the urban lead to um To actually reach out to the to the residents in the community We bought in the district leaders like g curitin to reach out to the district leaders So to mother bay, there is no no one being pushed out of their homes I don't you I know you have information because you speak to other people in the community But I don't know why they told you anybody's being pushed out. There's no structures other structures being built Pushing anybody out of homes. It's the current structure Being updated to handle the power surge that is coming in that part of the west wall Councilman cantana. Yeah, miss brown. Uh, good evening I will i'm gonna make my business to visit you on friday about 11 Okay, I will I will come I I want to come because I said you said that I have to be concerned. I am concerned And I am concerned and I have been concerned Even when boarding homes in in the city were issues. I was concerned. So i've been concerned. So I will be concerned Councilman council, thank you councilman krump first I think it is the contention of every person and every council person up here to be concerned About every resident in the city especially around uh building owners who are not doing what they're supposed to be doing For those residents in the building. So our sentiments for 440 across the board are correct Been very aggressive and will continue to be very aggressive about what is happening over there But but also want to you know, make sure That we are prudent in our entire approach Miss aiken's earlier asked a question about what was happening in the central ward the central ward office is still active We every meeting we make sure that we let people know that if they have constituent concerns They can reach out to that office that office is there to handle constituent concerns Those individuals are working every single day diligently Trying to hear the concerns of the folks in the central ward and then mr McDougal, you know, he he talked about the furniture store on on bergen and clinton avenue If he would have seen the sign or came to some meetings He would know that the south war promise is about to knock that building down and partner with the ymca Not only build office space not only build apartments In that area. He also talked about the old lincoln fry that was there if he went by there Because it's about to get redone. And so the the work That is happening in the south ward as I always say as the councilman of south ward is very intentional and specific And so when he gives credence or talks about the convenience store component and he's all over the place with it Once again any new or newly constructed convenience stores. We're asking To be 500 feet apart not to diminish people businesses not to allow people to set up businesses But as council people we have the responsibility to change the narrative of how we want our neighborhoods to look And if we want to say well, what about smoke shops and what about? Barber shops and beauty parlors we can do all of that under all of those Ordinances and I have no problem doing it and it's why I again ask my colleagues for that that kind of you know But we have a responsibility to to share vision in this city, right? When we talk about the nuzler when we talk about the expansion of of corridors and being able to create walking Traffic and foot traffic. We have to be able to do that We can't in one instance as a council or a community Talk about the things that we don't we want to see but then come back and talk about the things that we don't want There we have to think about commerce. We have to think about building economy we have to think about creating job space and opportunities for for workers and and The the difference of coming up or down, uh, you know Ultimately will not stop me from having this kind of conscience conversation Or pushing thought that we have to push in order to make sure that this city is better Not just for us for generations to come our argument sometimes in itself gets some kind of a bit selfish Because we're just interested in our moment and our opportunity when there are children and grandchildren who are looking Towards us to be able to lend a footprint or a mark or something better for them In the long range right and so, you know, I share his I share his sentiment I uh, you know encourage him to come in hang out with me. There's a meeting this saturday At 30 dimmer street to talk about the the library expansion project on bergen street Right, which is going to be a phenomenal project which is in a partnership with the library and clinton hill community action So the fact of the matter is people are working in the in the south ward Organizations are working in the south ward nonprofits are working in the south ward because they want to refocus They want to reimagine and they want to rebuild a better place for them to live For them to play and for them to be able to raise their children and grandchildren So I just wanted you know to you know, make that point clear. Thank you councillor When you all spoke no, none of us up here spoke Yeah, thank you. Mr. President. I just want to Speak about an issue the councilman council raised which I wasn't aware of So that the um, the staff from the former councilwoman's office is still employed I would just like some clarity from the clerk's office. Do they work for the clerk's office? Because if they're they're still on staff, I think it's information that should be shared with the public So if they do have any issues and concerns and I think internally we have to just have a conversation on You know how that's possible because I know we've had Situations where people have vacated their seat in the past and some of those staff people Ended up getting employed by the city clerk's office So just want clarity on that doesn't have to be right now. I know it's a personnel matter So you probably got to discuss it in executive Any other council councilman silver, uh, yes, um, I just want to go back to a few people miss akins Uh was in regards to councilman gonzalez in this morning's meeting talking about 270 Deputy mayor lad sent out to us was a picture to better understand the um the property Uh, if anybody saw this morning's meeting councilman, uh gonzalez was questioning Uh the land the value and I was trying to explain that It had no road access that it was behind a business that it was behind homes That it was contaminated and I think the picture that we received from the deputy mayor Uh, just a little straight away and that um, the the body shop Mechanic shop owned both sides of it and this was just in the middle. The second one I want to talk about is Regarding the the austin street. So these buildings are not going to be built side by side They're actually going to be built all five buildings are going to be different parts of the city And the affordable housing component of that which will actually be somewhat near like 35 percent This is probably the last building of the five that are going to be built And so the affordable housing will actually be built first out of all five buildings Shakir, uh, mr. McDougal, uh regarding the uh, the station the that they want to build in the east ward. We've already My council colleagues and myself along with our state delegation senator. Ruiz And our assembly women, uh have given a letter and sent the letter to governor murphy Plant in the in the east ward and are not in support of that So that was several months ago. I believe when all this discussion was going on about it was some 2024 that we had a support letter together along with our state delegation I have worked with the the central ward office Representation that there's someone there that they're there to help and serve the central ward residents I receive emails on different matters that are going on in the central ward that they that they are addressing Abandoned as some people would like to say there are folks working there and we're going to continue to work there And as as i've said in other meetings, we're going to continue to have the at-larges Right now doing more and being in the community Being in the central ward a lot of the activities and events that i've planned lately have been in the central ward And we're going to continue to do what we can for the central ward until we have the special election The floor and allow him this all right. Good evening everyone harry pennington business administrator Just a actually a few comments. I'll start with 440 washington street Which is one of the most pressing issues that we're dealing with right now The mayor's directed the administration to address those issues several people have spoken about it. There's been a task force led by engineering through code enforcement That involves several of the departments To address issues that are there the north people's assembly serentia mcgillroy is taking comments and questions from anyone With respect to that property to make sure that the issues are addressed One of the things that we are having the task force look at is identifying all the issues So that there's proper notice to the owners who have not been cooperative Um, but we're getting notices to them so that we can get them to the law department we are looking at Whether or not we want to bring an action in court to appoint a receiver similar to other Failed to maintain the property the mayor has directed us to do that in probably three or four properties five properties now He's been extraordinarily aggressive in making sure that residents Are not abused by the owners of these buildings This particular building I think councilman gonzalez said that the tax abatement committee on the council side is looking at it We also have directed through the mayor and ehd to look at whether or not The tax abatement should be put in default. You know, that is there's a that's a sticky situation to some extent Because we are trying to work with the owners if we can before we put in receivership We want to make sure that they have enough resources to do the repairs, but they have to step up Take the notices that we give them and make the appropriate attempt to get these problems fixed So we're heading down the path of looking at receivership looking at the repealing of tax abatement And taking other issues to bring all the violations into court. We will continue to do so So i'm glad to see that the residents came out here today Mayor baraka met with many of those residents already and he's the one who directed us initially Oh, I've got almost a month over a month ago now to go down there and get this process started There have been several comments too about the dpw employees this happens to be one area that I agree with many of the comments made from the audience and from the Council members that the dpw employees are valued They have one of the most difficult jobs in the city and by and large they do a good job They're obviously with everything there are Some areas where we can improve and we have a new director uh tarik rolan who is working on making sure that The comment in particular I want to address was making sure that the employees are treated with respect and dignity And that is one of the first things that mr Rolan has attempted to implement in his role as interim director I think the prior direct prior into director cream adeem set some policies and procedures in place Uh, which are good and try roll on is following up on those and is focusing on making sure that the employees are valued We negotiated a what I believe is a good contract But now what we have to do is make sure to the to the point that was made That the employees get paid on time they get there over time when they're supposed to get it and that they paid a living wage uh, indeed the wage that the dpw employees received Was the catalyst for why mayor baraka implemented a 40 000 dollar minimum salary for all full-time employees The dpw employees now the vast majority of them make a minimum of 45 000 dollars per year And are receiving uh annual stipends for the last three years to supplement that amount of money money that they've earned They've earned this money and they're entitled to it and we will continue to work to ensure that they understand How much we value them and that is a charge that mr. Rolan has and he's actually leading the way on that With respect to the the public service transfer station Um that transfer station, I think it was said is on their property already And in the last I guess 10 years or so they've built two pretty significant transfer stations in the city And the city has been involved in the design development and implementation of their transfer stations in with the cityscape the one on washington street was uh, heavily negotiated to ensure that the aesthetic of the Was fitting and appropriate for the citizens of nork before that over on west larker street over by central avenue A very highly negotiated discussion between public service Integrally involved in getting that station up and making sure that it too fit within the aesthetic of that neighborhood We anticipate the same thing will happen with the current Station that's being transfer station that's being built now and we'll make sure that we stay on top of that So we do think that that's a valid concern There was one comment raised about the fact that there's still lead in the water in that we Have not done the city has not done the things that it's supposed to do And the company that we hired to oversee this we shouldn't have paid them the money that we Were supposed to have paid them. I just want to have to refute that Has been replaced the ones that were identified as having not been replaced because of some fraud Have all been replaced the tests for lead in the water even with those A couple of anomalies that were fraudulent never exceeded the federal mandate Over the last several tests over the last several years The dp and epa allowed the 15 parts per billion of lead in the water The amount of lead that's in north water is closer to zero. There's less lead tested lead in the water from Norc city water then there are those bottles of water that the council is drinking not that i'm trying to shock any of you but Drinking norc's water is going to give you better results than the bottled water that you drink So I encourage you encourage you to continue to do that Oh, he's probably using norc water out. Let's stop to make that call please Let's let the ba finish your stay. Yep. I only have two two more things with respect to the um, The city's budget mayor baraka has submitted a balanced budget to the state every year in the last several years with minimal Tax increases the tax increases are heard at covered at less than 2.2 2.3 2.4 Over the last six seven eight years and we anticipate we'll be able to do the same thing again this year So the city remains in compliance with the statutory obligation with respect to the budget We must submit a balanced budget we have done so and we will continue to do so The final point I wanted to make was with respect to reevaluation of city properties Inspections will begin at the end of this month in the south ward There's going to be a community meeting in the south ward. I think on the 28th Probably councilman council knows better than I and the reevaluation inspections will begin the day after In the south ward, then it will go through the east ward. We encourage all residents to comply With the inspection every inspector will have a badge They'll be identified when they come to your house and they will seek to gain access So that they can properly assess what your home looks like Revaluation is not an attempt to increase anyone's taxes In fact, it is essentially a zero-sum game That means that if they at the end of this process There's a determination that somebody's property in the central ward goes up in value by one dollar In taxes somewhere else there's going to be a decrease By one dollar. So this is an equalization process that's mandated by the state And we are hopeful that all residents will cooperate with the reevaluation And there will be several community meetings to discuss this and we hope everybody participates If council president council has any questions i'll answer any questions councilman kelly Yes, psng owns the property that they're doing the work on and we brought in a newark architect But we allowed after the first design we allowed the residents in that area to actually be part of the design So what's being built is actually the input from the residents in that area I just wanted to include that and it was four meetings instead of three I'm, sorry was and we have four community meetings instead of three and the residents in that area actually are the ones who help design All right. Thank thank thank you. Thank you Uh councilman, yeah, this is in in response to eric. I forgot I had in my notes chey colter had mentioned the whole issue of You know, I had a lot of questions about that process when it came before the council. I thought You know was kind of rushed and I know, you know, there were reasons Why then the state decided to make it law So can we get a briefing from the clerk's office about how that's going to work mechanically at the elections coming up? And the other question I have and I and I raised it when this whole came up is um You know how we're going to deal with the thousands of kids in newark that are legal residents, but are not citizens And they are increasing in numbers in every high school Throughout the city is just not the north ward the east ward Disenfranchising a huge segment of our student population in the process of doing so So I think it's important for us to have some conversations to see how that issue is going to be resolved because If the intention is to expand and allow students to have a voice in this process You can't do it and not include thousands of kids who are legal residents, but are not yet citizens Thank you councilman. So we have a next special conference is when