City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, November 13, 2023 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of October 30, 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 October 30, 2023 The East Orange City Council met on October 30, 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; Tameika Garrett-Ward; Bergson Leneus; Alicia Holman; Vernon Pullins, Jr; Amy Lewis; Christopher D. James; Christopher Awe ABSENT Mustafa Al-M Brent - Arrived @ 6:05 pm Alicia Holman CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT Solomon Steplight, City Administrator City Administrator Ronald Hunt, Corporation Counsel Law Department Dorothy Gallagher, CFO Finance Bruce Davis, Acting Chief Fire Department Jamal Pearson, Director Recreation Eladio Negron, Director Code Enforcement Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor Lloyd Raheem, Acting Director Planning Rupert Bell, Director Public Works Maurice Boyd, Director Public Safety Shantika Dorsey, Acting First Assistant Corp. Counsel Law Department ALSO PRESENT Pamela Holmes, Assistant Director East Orange Public Library Muzammil Mohamed-Stevens Public Works Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent Procurement Horace Henry Health 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 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 Saint Paul African Resolution to be presented Methodist Episcopal Church, as Redeveloper of Certain Property Known as Block 720, Lots 58, 59 and 60 on the Official Tax Maps of the City of East Orange 205. Resolution Amending I-175 of 2020 and I-224 Resolution to be presented of 2020 Which Designated Garden State Episcopal Community Development Corporation as Redeveloper for Certain Properties Located in the Greenwood Redevelopment Area 206. Resolution Amending, I-138 Which Authorized Resolution to be presented the Execution of a Redevelopment Agreement Between the City of East Orange and Legacy Urban Development, LLC for the 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 Confirmation of Re-appointment - Chandra L. Rainey Cole in the position of Municipal Court Judge 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 #21 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 (10/30/23) 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  300 – FINANCE - Continued VERNON PULLINS, JR. – CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 321. Status of Women In Committee 322. Auction In Committee 323. Resolution of Certification of Annual Audit Resolution to be presented Report for Calendar Year Period Ending December 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021 324. A Corrective Action Plan for the Calendar Year Resolution to be presented Period Ended December 31, 2022 325. Resolution Appointing the East Orange Municipal Resolution to be presented Public Defenders 326. Resolution Authorizing the Advertisement of Resolution to be presented Request for Qualification Proposals for Various Professional and Consultant Services 327. Resolution Authorizing the Installation and Upgrade Resolution to be presented of the East Orange Municipal Courthouse Video Surveillance Security System, Through the Union County Co-Op 326. Duplicate Tax Payments - $4,331.00 Resolution to be presented 400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION MUSTAFA AL-M. BRENT – CHAIRMAN Claybrooks, Gomez, James 401Child 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 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 508. Resolution Authorizing and Ratifying a Resolution to be presented Contract to Utilize Spatial Data Logic Software System Services for the Department of Code Enforcement 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-268 of Resolution to be presented 2023 for an Award of Contract to Nishuane Group, LLC for Professional Planning Consultant Services  800 - PUBLIC SAFETY AMY LEWIS – CHAIRWOMAN Brent, James, Garrett-Ward 801. Police Department In Committee 802. Fire Department In Committee 803. Resolution Authorizing an Award of a Resolution to be presented Non-Fair and Open Contract for the 9-1-1 Ani-Ali Interface System Provided by Spok Inc. for the Department of Public Safety 900 - PUBLIC WORKS CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Pullins, Jr., Garrett-Ward, Claybrooks 901. Capital Improvement Projects under Construction 902. Streetscape In Committee 903. Resolution Authorizing the Designation of Resolution to be presented Restricted Parking Spaces 904. Resolution Authorizing and Approving an Award Resolution to be presented of Contract Through the Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS) for the Design and Installation of Holiday Decorations and Lights at City Hall Plaza 905. Resolution Authorizing the Award of Service Contract Resolution to be presented to Trane U.S. Inc. to Provide HVAC and Boiler Maintenance Within the East Orange Police Department 906. Resolution Accepting the Bid of American Asphalt Resolution to be presented & Trucking LLC for the Milling & Paving of Various Streets Funding Year 2023 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN – CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Leneus 601. Ordinances on First Reading Ordinance No. 27 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 19 of 2023 of the City of East Orange, County of Essex, State of New Jersey, Granting a Deed of Easement to Brick Church Urban Renewal III, LLC and Brick Church Urban Renewal VII, LLC Ordinance No. 28 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 21 of the City Code Entitled “Court” to Authorize the Appointment of Two Additional Municipal Court Judges Ordinance No. 29 of 2023 Bond Ordinance Providing for Phase II of the Lead Service Line Replacement Program of the East Orange Water Commission, for and by the City of East Orange, in the County of Essex, State of New Jersey Appropriating $25,000,000 Therefor and Authorizing the Issuance of $25,000,000 Bonds or Notes to Finance the Cost Thereof Ordinance No. 30 of 2023 An Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Chapter 218 of the City Code Entitled “Rent Control & Conversions” 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  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. The question was asked, what can be done about homeowners that constantly get the police called to their residence. The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Justin R. Brown, Deputy City Clerk