City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, September 11, 2023 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of August 28, 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 August 28, 2023 The East Orange City Council met on August 28, 2023, at 5:42 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; Bergson Leneus; Vernon Pullins, Jr.; Christopher Awe ABSENT Mustafa Al-M Brent Alicia Holman Amy Lewis Christopher D. James 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 Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor JP Porcaro, Director East Orange Public Library Lloyd Raheem, Acting Director Planning Rupert Bell, Director Public Works ALSO PRESENT Tony Jackson Mayor’s Office Muzammil Mohamed-Stevens Public Works Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent Procurement 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. Lurena Morgan Smith – Memorial 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 300 - FINANCE VERNON PULLINS, JR. – CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 301. Personnel Resolution Authorizing the Continued Acting Appointment for the Position of Director of Policy, Planning and Development Resolution to be presented 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 #17 Resolution to be presented 309. Stop Payments In Committee 310. Legal Transfer In Committee 311. Tax Payment Plan In Committee 312. Tax Appeal Refund In Committee 313. Annual Tax Sale In Committee 314. Tax Abatement In Committee 315. In Lieu of Taxes In Committee 316. Bills, Claims & Appropriations (8/28/23) Resolution to be presented 317. Tax Sale Assignment In Committee 318. Tax Lien In Committee 319. Tax Lien Redemption In Committee 320. Budget Insertions In Committee 321. Status of Women In Committee 322. Auction In Committee 323. Emergency Appropriation - $1,348,700.00 Resolution to be presented 324. State of New Jersey, Department of Human Services Resolution to be presented National Opioid Settlement Proceeds - $125,035.17 400 – 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  400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION - Continued MUSTAFA AL-M. BRENT – CHAIRMAN Claybrooks, Gomez, James 406. Resolution Authorizing a Professional Services Resolution to be presented Agreement Between the City of East Orange’s Department of Health and Human Services and Essex Regional Health Commission 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 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 903. Resolution Authorizing and Approving an Award Resolution to be presented Of Contract Through the Somerset County Cooperative Pricing Program for the Purchase of Golf Course Maintenance Materials from Siteone Landscape Supply 904. Resolution Authorizing and Approving an Award Resolution to be presented of Contract Through the Somerset County Cooperative Pricing Program for the Purchase of Golf Course Maintenance Materials from Fisher and Son Company, Inc. 905. Resolution Authorizing and Approving an Award of a Resolution to be presented Contract Through Morris County Co-Operative Council Pricing for Resurfacing of Various Streets 906. Resolution Awarding a Contract for Architectural and Resolution to be presented Engineering Design Services for a Water Reserve Feasibility Study 907. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Application Resolution to be presented for a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Treatment Works Approval for South Burnet Holdings Urban Renewal LP (Block 386, Lot 2,3 and 4) 908. Resolution Accepting the Proposal for the Roof Resolution to be presented Replacement for the Pool House in Elmwood Park  900 - PUBLIC WORKS - Continued CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Pullins, Jr., Garrett-Ward, Claybrooks 909. Resolution Awarding a Contract for Professional Services: Resolution to be presented Environmental Consulting Services for the City of East Orange, Firehouse #2 and #3 910. Resolution Authorizing Plumbing Services in Relation to Resolution to be presented the Renovation of City Hall 2nd Floor Bathrooms, Through the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission Co-Op Purchasing Program ($47,214.00) 911. Resolution Authorizing the Renovation of City Hall 2nd Resolution to be presented Floor Bathrooms, Through the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission Co-Op Purchasing Program ($156,010.00) 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN – CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Leneus 601. Ordinance on First Reading Ordinance No. 23 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 26 of 2022, As Amended, Which Legalized and Regulated the Sale of Recreational Cannabis and Cannabis Products Within the City of East Orange Ordinance No. 24 of 2023 Bond Ordinance Providing for Various 2023 Capital Acquisitions and Improvements, By and In the City of East Orange, In the County of Essex, State of New Jersey; Appropriating $26,808.00 Therefor and Authorizing the Issuance of $25,531,300 Bonds or Notes of the City to Finance Part of the Costs Thereof 602. Ordinances 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 Authorizing the Settlement of a Resolution to be presented Workers Compensation Litigation Matter – Terrence McKenzie vs City of East Orange 610. Resolution Providing Local Support for Resolution to be presented Baked Goodz LLC to Operate as a Class (Sent back to Committee) 5 Microbusiness 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. Jenika Spence – 60 Burchard, Neighbor is threatening to put a fence up in the middle of driveway. 2. Gefoffrey Burbage – Neighborhood is being disrupted with parties and events and would like legislation that prevents parties. 3. Abel Rump – Outrageous about all the parties at 415 No. Arlington 4. Rita Butts – Inappropriate behavior happing in the Presidential Heights because of unauthorized parties. 5. Corina – Infrequent quality of life and safety in Presidential Heights, Speeding, noise complaints.  OPEN HEARING OF CITIZENS - Continued 6. Thelma Stevens – Loud music, lots of hanging out, loitering in front of my house (413 No. Arlington) all coming from 415 No. Arlington. 7. Marilyn Kelly – Wants to understand the law of Cannabis and how private it is. 8. Cheryl Gandy – Repairs not being made at 49 Prospect Street, leaks, Rodents, Fire Hazard in the laundry room, also, have questions about Cannabis being smoked in the apartments and in the hallway. 9. Lorraine Alexander – Smoking & Drinking in hallway, that needs to be addressed. 10. Mr. Shaw – Needs repairs to the basketball court in Soverell Park. 11. Simmon Jelks-Bandison – 120 So. Harrison, complaints about repairs & Code Enforcement not ticketing & fining the building owners. 12. Erica Coleman – Duplorable conditions at 75 Prospect Street, ceiling fell on my head, giving me a concussion. 13. Alicia Richardson – Policies with landlords not being enforced at 75 Prospect Street, and not getting any response from the Rent Leveling Board. 14. Orlando Torres – Spaxel Management no longer own 49 Prospect Street. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Justin R. Brown, Deputy City Clerk