City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, May 8, 2023 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of April 24, 2023) CHRISTOPHER AWE City Council Chairman First Ward Second Ward Christopher D. James Christopher Awe Amy Lewis Brittany D. Claybrooks Third Ward Fourth Ward Bergson Leneus Casim L. Gomez Vernon Pullins, Jr. Tameika Garrett-Ward Fifth Ward Alicia Holman Mustafa AL-M. Brent Like Us on Facebook: @EASTORANGECITYCOUNCIL The following minutes are of necessity, condensed and abridged and do not purport to contain the full contents of the matters discussed. The items referred are subject to legal opinion as to validity. MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING April 24, 2023 The East Orange City Council met on April 24, 2023, at 5:49 P.M. in City Council Chambers, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, and New Jersey. Adequate notice of such a meeting was duly given in accordance with law, by publication in local newspapers and by posting on the bulletin board outside and within City Council Chambers. On Roll Call the following Members of Council were present: Casim L. Gomez; Brittany Claybrooks; Mustafa Al-M Brent; Tameika Garrett-Ward; Bergson Leneus; Alicia Holman; Vernon Pullins, Jr.; Christopher Awe ABSENT Amy Lewis Christopher D. James CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT Honorable Ted R. Green Mayor Solomon Steplight, City Administrator City Administrator Ronald Hunt, Corporation Counsel Law Department Dorothy Gallagher, CFO Finance Yvonne C. Blake, Acting Director Health and Human Services Tiffany Harris-Delaney, Director Planning Jamal Pearson, Director Recreation Eladio Negron, Director Code Enforcement Monica Reed, Director Human Resources Rupert Bell, Director Public Works Maurice Boyd, Director Public Safety Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department Bruce Davis, Acting Chief Fire Department Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor JP Porcaro, Director East Orange Public Library ALSO PRESENT Tony Jackson Mayor’s Office Muzammil Mohamed-Stevens Public Works Robert Lawson Planning COMMITTEES 100-ARTS, RECREATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS 200-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING 300-FINANCE 400-HEALTH AND EDUCATION 500-HOUSING, LICENSING AND INSPECTION 600-LAW AND LEGISLATION 700-PLANNING AND GRANTS 800-PUBLIC SAFETY 900-PUBLIC WORKS 1000-COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE  100 - ARTS, RECREATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS BERGSON LENUES - CHAIRMAN James, Brent, Lewis 101. Recreation Department In Committee 102. East Orange Public Library In Committee 103. Armour Harding Brown - Memorial Resolution to be presented 104. Dr. Nastassia Davis - Commendation Resolution to be presented 200 - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING CHRISTOPHER D. JAMES – CHAIRMAN Leneus, Pullins, Jr., Brent 201. Brick Church Mall In Committee 202. Brick Church Urban Renewal In Committee 203. Economic Development Corp. In Committee 204. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Resolution to be presented Redevelopment Agreement Between the City of East Orange and Vida 31 Washington, LLC for 31-33 Washington Street 205. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Resolution to be presented Redevelopment Agreement Between the City of East Orange and Legacy Urban Development, LLC for Property Identified on the Tax Map of the City of East Orange as Block 72, Lot 25, Commonly Known as 41-49 Fourth Avenue 300 - FINANCE VERNON PULLINS, JR. – CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 301. Personnel In Committee 302. Tax Refund In Committee 303. Labor Negotiations In Committee 304. Tax Revaluation In Committee 305. Tax Sale Certificate In Committee 306. In Rem Foreclosure In Committee 307. Payroll #8 Resolution to be presented 308. Stop Payments In Committee 309. Legal Transfer In Committee 310. Tax Payment Plan In Committee 311. Tax Appeal Refund In Committee 312. Annual Tax Sale In Committee 313. Tax Abatement In Committee 314. In Lieu of Taxes In Committee 315. Bills, Claims & Appropriations (4/24/23) Resolution to be presented 316. Tax Sale Assignment In Committee 317. Tax Lien In Committee 318. Tax Lien Redemption In Committee 319. Budget Insertions In Committee 320. Status of Women In Committee 321. Auction In Committee 322. Duplicate Tax Payments In Committee 323. Duplicate Tax Payments In Committee 324. Resolution Authorizing the Installation and Resolution to be presented Upgrade of the Council Chambers Audio and Video System  300 – FINANCE - continue VERNON PULLINS, JR. – CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 325. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Resolution to be presented Two (2) 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe’s 4WD 4 Dr 5W4 SSV Package NJS Through NJ State Contract 21-Fleet 01485 326. Resolution Authorizing and Approving an Award Resolution to be presented of Hunterdon County Educational Commission Cooperative Purchasing Program to Furnish and Delivery of Working Clothes and Footwear from American Wear 400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION MUSTAFA AL-M. BRENT – CHAIRMAN Claybrooks, Gomez, James 401. Child Guidance Clinic In Committee 402. Health Department In Committee 403. Mental Health Board In Committee 404. East Orange General Hospital In Committee 405. East Orange Board of Education In Committee 406. Resolution Authorizing the Award of a Non-Fair Resolution to be presented and Open Contracts for Special Senior Service Programs for 2023 500 – HOUSING, LICENSING AND INSPECTION BRITTANY D. CLAYBROOKS – CHAIRWOMAN Holman, Leneus, Pullins, Jr. 501. Rent Leveling In Committee 502. Affordable Housing Program In Committee 503. Housing Authority In Committee 504. Housing, Planning & Coordinating In Committee 505. Private Parking Rentals In Committee 506. Senior Citizens Housing In Committee 507. Housing Summit In Committee 700 – PLANNING and GRANTS TAMEIKA GARRETT-WARD – CHAIRWOMAN Gomez, Claybrooks, Holman 701. Community Development In Committee 702. Safe and Clean In Committee 703. Small Tools Library In Committee 704. Green Acres Grant In Committee 705. Women’s Summit In Committee 706. Resolution Amending Resolution I-346 Authorizing Resolution to be presented Award to Alpha Drones USA, Inc., to Facilitate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification Training for East Orange Residents 800 - PUBLIC SAFETY AMY LEWIS – CHAIRWOMAN Brent, James, Garrett-Ward 801. Police Department In Committee 802. Fire Department In Committee 900 - PUBLIC WORKS CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Pullins, Jr., Garrett-Ward, Claybrooks 901. Capital Improvement Projects under Construction 902. Streetscape In Committee  900 - PUBLIC WORKS - continue CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Pullins, Jr., Garrett-Ward, Claybrooks 903. Resolution Accepting the Bid of Grade Resolution to be presented Construction for the Second River Channel Proposed Retaining Wall Replacement 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN – CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Leneus 601. Ordinance on First Reading Ordinance No. 10 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 12 of 2013 to remove a Deed Restriction 602. Ordinance on Second and Final Reading In Committee 603. Bingo/Raffles In Committee 604. A.B.C. In Committee 605. City Council Rules In Committee 606. Settlements In Committee 607. Comcast/Suburban Cable Contract In Committee 608. Taxi Cabs vs. Livery Licenses In Committee 609. Resolution Amending Resolution I-135 Resolution to be presented Resolution Providing Local Support for the Flower Garden Dispensary LLC to Operate a Class 5 Standard Retailer in the City 610. Resolution Amending Resolution I-136 Resolution to be presented Resolution Providing Local Support for Stock Box LLC to Operate as A Class 1 & 2 Microbusiness Cultivator & Manufacturer in the City 611. Resolution Amending Resolution I-137 Resolution to be presented Resolution Providing Local Support for Nimbus Holdings LLC to Operate as a Class 5 Standard Retailer in the City 612. Resolution Amending Resolution I-138 Resolution to be presented Resolution Providing Local Support for Kress Green LLC to Operate as a Class 5 Standard Retailer in the City 1000– COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE 1000. East Orange Parking Authority In Committee OPEN HEARING OF CITIZENS Pursuant to Article IV, Section 3 of the Rules of City Council, each person wishing to address the Council, shall step up to the microphone, shall give his/her name in an audible tone for the record and unless further time is granted by the Presiding Officer, shall limit remarks to three minutes. All members of the public are expected to conduct themselves in a proper manner. Any derogatory, abusive, or threatening statements will not be permitted. The Chair will immediately rule such conduct out of order and terminate any further comments. 1. Sonya James – Brick Church, asking for injunction, wants to get property Historical Commissioned. 2. Mark Lowe – Complained about 77 So. Munn Avenue, needs painting and several repairs. 3. Joe Watson – Stated Site Control was not required for Micro Cannabis Business. 4. Carlatta Craig – 77 So. Munn Avenue apt. 104 repairs are not getting done, been waiting 3 weeks. 5. Ronald West – States people are afraid of change, and we can be well bullied, but loves the City and wants to see progress. The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Justin R. Brown, Deputy City Clerk