City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, August 14, 2023 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of July 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 July 24, 2023 The East Orange City Council met on July 24, 2023, at 5:45 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; Tameika Garrett-Ward; Vernon Pullins, Jr.; Amy Lewis; Christopher D. James; Christopher Awe ABSENT Mustafa Al-M Brent Bergson Leneus Alicia Holman CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT 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 Jamal Pearson, Director Recreation Eladio Negron, Director Code Enforcement Monica Reed, Director Human Resources Maurice Boyd, Director Public Safety Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor JP Porcaro, Director East Orange Public Library Lloyd Raheem, Acting Director Planning ALSO PRESENT Tony Jackson Mayor’s Office Muzammil Mohamed-Stevens Public Works Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent Procurement Captain Sanchez Fire Department 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. Resolution Authorizing the Award of Contract for Resolution to be presented Raising Opioid Awareness at the East Orange UnityFest Community Festival 104. Leon Vaughn – Commendation Resolution to be presented 105. Vashti Trent White – Memorial Resolution to be presented 106. Resolution Authorizing the Award of East Orange Resolution to be presented 2023 Child & Adult Care Food Program Contract Between the City of East Orange and Nu-Way Concessionaires, Inc. 107. Resolution Authorizing the Cancellation of the Resolution to be presented Award of a Contract for Opioid Awareness at the East Orange Unityfest Community Festival 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 Designating Kae Victus, LLC as Resolution to be presented Redeveloper for 81, 122 and 126 Hollywood Avenue Located in the Sussex Avenue Redevelopment Area and Authorizing the Execution of a Redevelopment Agreement with Kae Victus, LLC 205. Resolution Designating Burrowes development Resolution to be presented Group LLC as Developer for a certain Property Located in the Transit Village Redevelopment Area 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 #14 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 (7/24/23) Resolution to be presented 316. Tax Sale Assignment In Committee 317. Tax Lien In Committee 318. Tax Lien Redemption In Committee  300 – FINANCE - Continued VERNON PULLINS, JR. – CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 319. Budget Insertions In Committee 320. Status of Women In Committee 321. Auction In Committee 322. Duplicate Tax Payments - $4,732.20 Resolution to be presented 323. Authorize Payment of Accumulated Absence Liabilities Resolution to be presented to Former Employees - $37,197.65 400 – 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 City of East Orange Resolution to be presented To Maintain its Lease Agreement with Central (Back to committee – 7/24/23) Suites, LLC for the Rental of Space to House its WIC Program 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 508. Resolution confirming the appointment of Beth Resolution to be presented A. Coleman to the East Orange Housing Authority representing the First Ward 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 800 - PUBLIC SAFETY AMY LEWIS – CHAIRWOMAN Brent, James, Garrett-Ward 801. Police Department In Committee 802. Fire Department In Committee 803. Resolution Authorizing the City of East Orange Resolution to be presented To Accept a Subgrant Award of the Federal Fiscal Year 2022 of Emergency Management Performance Grant and Emergency Management Agency Assistance  900 - PUBLIC WORKS CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Pullins, Jr., Garrett-Ward, Claybrooks 901. Capital Improvement Projects under Construction 902. Streetscape In Committee 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN – CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Leneus 601. Ordinance on First Reading In Committee 602. Ordinances on Second and Final Reading Ordinance No. 14 of 2023 An Ordinance of the City of East Orange, County of Essex, State of New Jersey Amending Chapter 159 of the City Code Entitled “Housing Standards; Property Maintenance” to Revise the Chapter Ordinance No. 15 of 2023 An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 218 of the City Code Entitled “Rent Control and Conversion” to improve the Rental Increase Application Process and Provide Safeguards for Tenants under the Truth in Renting Statement and Prevent Retaliatory Acts by Landlords Ordinance No. 16 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Article II Chapter 260-9 of the City Code Entitled “Stop Intersections” to Provide for the Creation of Four- Way Stop Signs at South Burnet Street Ordinance No. 17 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending Sections 260-9 of the East Orange City Code to Provide for the Creation of Four-Way Stop Sign at the Intersection of William Street and Greenwood Avenue Ordinance No. 18 of 2023 An Ordinance Repealing §150-5 Through §150-11 and adopting §150-101.1 to §150-101.6 of the Code Entitled “FloodPlain Management” Adopting Flood Hazard Maps and Designating a FloodPlain Administrator Ordinance No. 19 of 2023 An Ordinance of the City of East Orange, County of Essex, State of New Jersey, Granting a Deed of Easement to Brick Church Urban Renewal I, LLC, Brick Church Urban Renewal II, LLC, Brick Church Urban Renewal III, LLC, and Brick Church Urban Renewal VII, LLC 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 Waiving the Twenty Day Effective Resolution to be presented Period on Ordinance Numbers 14 and 15 of 2023 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. Trevor Howard – Problems that were reported in her apartment and building (49 Prospect Street) have yet to be addressed. 2. Rashan Elenay – Requesting speed bumps on Ely Place, due to speeding on the street. 3. Farah Abdur Raheem – Excessive speeding on Oraton Parkway and Freeway Drive, Illegal dumping, vandalism in the area and I am also requesting a traffic study. 4. Albert Growls – Building owner Creative Capital, LLC at 4 Chestnut Street, Money Orders are being stolen and the tenants are requesting an investigation of the building owner or the East Orange Post Office. The meeting was adjourned at 7:01 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Justin R. Brown, Deputy City Clerk