5 speakers · 1,880 words of public testimony
>> All right. Thank you. Good morning, council. Uh my name is Christina Cherry.
council. Uh my name is Christina Cherry.
council. Uh my name is Christina Cherry. I am a district leader from the I am a district leader from the southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder here in Newark. Um I'm really happy and here in Newark. Um I'm really happy and excited to see all the development excited to see all the development that's happening, but I want to talk to that's happening, but I want to talk to you guys about what we're dealing with you guys about what we're dealing with right now in the school areas. Uh Roman right now in the school areas. Uh Roman Construction has closed down South Construction has closed down South Alexander Street on the week of school Alexander Street on the week of school mandates. This is the week that we have mandates. This is the week that we have been waiting for our children all year been waiting for our children all year long to take the state testing. We just long to take the state testing. We just failed the third and eighth grade failed the third and eighth grade practice test mandates. It's important practice test mandates. It's important that we can get our children to school that we can get our children to school in a timely manner without fighting in a timely manner without fighting construction. I'm happy about the construction. I'm happy about the development. This is great. The city is development. This is great. The city is moving forward, but we're not taking moving forward, but we're not taking into consideration the parents who have into consideration the parents who have to get the children to school. The fact to get the children to school. The fact that they have to get to work in a that they have to get to work in a timely manner. We now take 40 minutes timely manner. We now take 40 minutes for me to get to Clinton Avenue on my for me to get to Clinton Avenue on my block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton Avenue. 40 minutes just to get to my Avenue. 40 minutes just to get to my house because of the school traffic, the house because of the school traffic,…
council. Uh my name is Christina Cherry. I am a district leader from the I am a district leader from the southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder southward, uh a mother and a stakeholder here in Newark. Um I'm really happy and here in Newark. Um I'm really happy and excited to see all the development excited to see all the development that's happening, but I want to talk to that's happening, but I want to talk to you guys about what we're dealing with you guys about what we're dealing with right now in the school areas. Uh Roman right now in the school areas. Uh Roman Construction has closed down South Construction has closed down South Alexander Street on the week of school Alexander Street on the week of school mandates. This is the week that we have mandates. This is the week that we have been waiting for our children all year been waiting for our children all year long to take the state testing. We just long to take the state testing. We just failed the third and eighth grade failed the third and eighth grade practice test mandates. It's important practice test mandates. It's important that we can get our children to school that we can get our children to school in a timely manner without fighting in a timely manner without fighting construction. I'm happy about the construction. I'm happy about the development. This is great. The city is development. This is great. The city is moving forward, but we're not taking moving forward, but we're not taking into consideration the parents who have into consideration the parents who have to get the children to school. The fact to get the children to school. The fact that they have to get to work in a that they have to get to work in a timely manner. We now take 40 minutes timely manner. We now take 40 minutes for me to get to Clinton Avenue on my for me to get to Clinton Avenue on my block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton block, South 17th Street from uh Clinton Avenue. 40 minutes just to get to my Avenue. 40 minutes just to get to my house because of the school traffic, the house because of the school traffic, the house because of the school traffic, the gridlock, Great Oak Lakes, and the gridlock, Great Oak Lakes, and the construction that's happening. I don't construction that's happening. I don't know who's approving these construction know who's approving these construction permits, but they should take into permits, but they should take into consideration the schools that are consideration the schools that are around there. It should not start till 9 around there. It should not start till 9 around there. It should not start till 9 in the morning, not at 7:00 a.m. I was in the morning, not at 7:00 a.m. I was told that construction starts at 7 in told that construction starts at 7 in the morning in the residential area by the morning in the residential area by schools. Are we taking the children's schools. Are we taking the children's cons uh mindsets into consideration when cons uh mindsets into consideration when cons uh mindsets into consideration when we're approving these permits? I don't we're approving these permits? I don't think so. I was told straight up by the think so. I was told straight up by the foreman, "No, ma'am. We start at 7:00 in foreman, "No, ma'am. We start at 7:00 in foreman, "No, ma'am. We start at 7:00 in the morning." I took the time to get the morning." I took the time to get there earlier today. I wanted to thank there earlier today. I wanted to thank Councilman Council for calling them, but Councilman Council for calling them, but Councilman Council for calling them, but they did not listen to you. What did they did not listen to you. What did they do? They started earlier today. I they do? They started earlier today. I got to the school at 7 this morning and got to the school at 7 this morning and they already closed down Alexander they already closed down Alexander Street after they promised they would Street after they promised they would start after 9:00 a.m. I go back home start after 9:00 a.m. I go back home this morning. Took me 40 minutes. You this morning. Took me 40 minutes. You know why? There's construction happening know why? There's construction happening know why? There's construction happening on Madison and 18th Avenue and there's a on Madison and 18th Avenue and there's a on Madison and 18th Avenue and there's a school on 17th and Madison. There is a school on 17th and Madison. There is a terrible gridlock, double parking, terrible gridlock, double parking, dropping off of lumber and materials for dropping off of lumber and materials for dropping off of lumber and materials for the construction to happen while we're the construction to happen while we're just trying to get home or our children just trying to get home or our children to school. I don't know who's approving to school. I don't know who's approving this, the UCCC, the building permits. this, the UCCC, the building permits. This needs to be taken into This needs to be taken into consideration. This is the week of state consideration. This is the week of state consideration. This is the week of state mandates for our children. They should mandates for our children. They should not be concerned with getting to school not be concerned with getting to school on time or the parents getting to work
on time or the parents getting to work on time. My name is Christina Cherry
on time. My name is Christina Cherry running for city council 11B. Thank you running for city council 11B. Thank you guys for your time. I have nothing else guys for your time. I have nothing else at this m Thank you. at this m Thank you. >> Thank you. >> When I become mayor, we become mayor >> When I become mayor, we become mayor Freeman. Freeman. um to this is a letter that serves as a um to this is a letter that serves as a formal demand for immediate and formal demand for immediate and corrective action regarding ongoing corrective action regarding ongoing conditions in the city of Newark that conditions in the city of Newark that have largely degraded the quality of have largely degraded the quality of life for residents and now present a life for residents and now present a clear public health and safety risk. For clear public health and safety risk. For clear public health and safety risk. For nearly 12 years, I have submitted nearly 12 years, I have submitted written complaints, emails, and calls to written complaints, emails, and calls to written complaints, emails, and calls to the mayor's office, council, the mayor's office, council, administrative staff regarding chronic administrative staff regarding chronic sanitation failures, illegal housing sanitation failures, illegal housing conditions, and systemic breakdown in conditions, and systemic breakdown in enforcement. These communications have enforcement. These communications have gone largely unanswered. In the absence gone largely unanswered. In the absence of these responses, I have been forced of these responses, I have been forced repeated in-person attempts to seek repeated in-person attempts to seek accountability. On May 4th, while accountability. On May 4th, while attending the mayor's mayoral event, I attending the mayor's mayoral event, I again attempted to raise these concerns again attempted to raise these concerns directly. Instead of receiving directly. Instead of receiving acknowledgement, I was subjected to acknowledgement, I was subjected to dismissive and inappropriate conduct dismissive and inappropriate conduct while which further reflects on a while which further reflects on a pattern of disregard for residents pattern of disregard for residents complaints. I was pushed down the steps complaints. I was pushed down the steps in front of Patrick Council, South Ward in front of Patrick Council, South Ward council person and then gas lit about council person and then gas lit about the…
on time. My name is Christina Cherry running for city council 11B. Thank you running for city council 11B. Thank you guys for your time. I have nothing else guys for your time. I have nothing else at this m Thank you. at this m Thank you. >> Thank you. >> When I become mayor, we become mayor >> When I become mayor, we become mayor Freeman. Freeman. um to this is a letter that serves as a um to this is a letter that serves as a formal demand for immediate and formal demand for immediate and corrective action regarding ongoing corrective action regarding ongoing conditions in the city of Newark that conditions in the city of Newark that have largely degraded the quality of have largely degraded the quality of life for residents and now present a life for residents and now present a clear public health and safety risk. For clear public health and safety risk. For clear public health and safety risk. For nearly 12 years, I have submitted nearly 12 years, I have submitted written complaints, emails, and calls to written complaints, emails, and calls to written complaints, emails, and calls to the mayor's office, council, the mayor's office, council, administrative staff regarding chronic administrative staff regarding chronic sanitation failures, illegal housing sanitation failures, illegal housing conditions, and systemic breakdown in conditions, and systemic breakdown in enforcement. These communications have enforcement. These communications have gone largely unanswered. In the absence gone largely unanswered. In the absence of these responses, I have been forced of these responses, I have been forced repeated in-person attempts to seek repeated in-person attempts to seek accountability. On May 4th, while accountability. On May 4th, while attending the mayor's mayoral event, I attending the mayor's mayoral event, I again attempted to raise these concerns again attempted to raise these concerns directly. Instead of receiving directly. Instead of receiving acknowledgement, I was subjected to acknowledgement, I was subjected to dismissive and inappropriate conduct dismissive and inappropriate conduct while which further reflects on a while which further reflects on a pattern of disregard for residents pattern of disregard for residents complaints. I was pushed down the steps complaints. I was pushed down the steps in front of Patrick Council, South Ward in front of Patrick Council, South Ward council person and then gas lit about council person and then gas lit about the incident which I recorded. Uh the the incident which I recorded. Uh the conditions at issue are not minor conditions at issue are not minor inconveniences. They are systemic inconveniences. They are systemic failures uh that uh have escalated into failures uh that uh have escalated into a public health concern. Specifically, a public health concern. Specifically, chronic sanitation f failures, including chronic sanitation f failures, including chronic sanitation f failures, including broken or insufficient street cleaning broken or insufficient street cleaning equipment, garbage collection services equipment, garbage collection services that result in persistent accumulation that result in persistent accumulation of waste. Rodent activity has increased of waste. Rodent activity has increased significantly creating conditions significantly creating conditions historically associated with serious historically associated with serious public health risk. Uh bubanic plague public health risk. Uh bubanic plague for one example. Uh flooding conditions for one example. Uh flooding conditions in residential areas have emerged in residential areas have emerged exacerbated by poor sanitation exacerbated by poor sanitation infrastructure and lack of m infrastructure and lack of m maintenance, illegal conversion of one maintenance, illegal conversion of one and two family homes into overcrowded and two family homes into overcrowded multicap dwellings that are generating multicap dwellings that are generating excessive waste, unsafe living excessive waste, unsafe living conditions and increased strain on conditions and increased strain on already failing uh infrastructure. These already failing uh infrastructure. These already failing uh infrastructure. These illegal and uh substandard housing illegal and uh substandard housing practices have enabled uh by inadequate practices have enabled uh by inadequate and ineffective policy. Uh properties and ineffective policy. Uh properties operating in violation of occupancy and operating in violation of occupancy and safety codes produced significant more safety codes produced significant more waste and contribute to neighborhood waste and contribute to neighborhood deterioration and created environmental deterioration and created environmental u issues. Uh uh this I demand a formal investigation, immediate inspection of investigation, immediate inspection of enforcement actions, immediate um enforcement actions, immediate um implementation of enforcable penalties implementation of enforcable penalties including fines, corrective orders, including fines, corrective orders, repeated for repeated code violations, repeated for repeated code violations, written response by the mayor's office written response by the mayor's office and the city council to this complaint, and the city council to this complaint, which I'm going to submit to the law which I'm going to submit to the law department, the city clerk, and then I department, the city clerk, and then I will take corrective actions afterwards. will take corrective actions afterwards. will take corrective actions afterwards. >> Thank you for your comments. Any >> Thank you for your comments. Any >> Thank you for your comments. Any additional speakers? Seeing none, the public speaking is now closed. Before we wrap up, we have to
>> We are now in the 30 minute public >> We are now in the 30 minute public comment portion of this meeting where comment portion of this meeting where each speaker will have three minutes to each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Please state your name for our speak. Please state your name for our records. Is there anyone wishing to records. Is there anyone wishing to address the council? Good morning. >> You can pull the mic down. Okay. >> You can pull the mic down. Okay. >> You can pull the mic down. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. Good morning, >> All right. Thank you. Good morning,