City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, December 18, 2023 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of December 11, 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: @EASTORANGECITYCO UNCIL 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 December 11, 2023 The East Orange City Council met on December 11, 2023 at 5:44 P.M. in City Council Chambers, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, and New Jersey. Adequate notice of such 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 Gomez; Brittany D. Claybrooks; Tameika Garrett-Ward; Bergson Leneus; Alicia Holman; Vernon Pullins, Jr.; Amy Lewis; Christopher Awe ABSENT Mustafa Al-M Brent (Absent ) Christopher James (Absent) CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT Ronald Hunt Esq. Corporation Counsel Eladio Negron Code Enforcement Horace Henry Health Department Rupert Bell Public Works Bruce Davis Fire Department Lloyd Raheem Planning Jerome Pearson Recreation & Cultural Affairs John Porcaro, Director East Orange Public Library Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor Raymond Garcia Police Department ALSO PRESENT Tony Jackson Mayor’s Office Muzammil Stevens Public Works LaDonna Johns Mayors Office of Employment & Training Raquel Ferguson Procurement There were 16 Citizens in attendance. 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 LENEUS – CHAIRMAN James, Brent , Lewis 101. Recreation Department In Committee 102. East Orange Public Library In Committee 103. Dr. Rb Alverna – Commendation Resolution to be presented 104. The Academy 365 Inc. – Commendation Resolution to be presented 105. Mother Louisa Wede Freeman Seton – 100th Birthday 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. – CHAIRWOMAN Lewis, Holman , Gomez 301. Personnel In Committee 302. Tax Refund - Duplicate Tax Payments $2,029.46 Resolution to be presented 303. Labor Negotiations In Committee 304. Tax Revaluation In Committee 305. Tax Sale Certificate In Committee 306. In Rem Foreclosure In Committee 307. Payroll No. 24 Resolution to be presented 308. Stop Payments In Committee 309. Legal Transfer ($2,391,968.19) Resolution to be presented 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 (12.11.2023) 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. Resolution Acknowledging Completion of Resolution to be presented Best Practices Inventory 323. Resolution Authority to Award Window Contracts Resolution to be presented Between $17,500 To $44,000 to the Qualified Purchasing Agent Raquel C. Ferguson, QPA – Pursuant to the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 Et Seq 324. Resolution Authorizing the Renewal of the Resolution to be presented Enterprise Microsoft Office 365 Subscription 325. State Of New Jersey, Department of Human Resolution to be presented Services National Opioid Settlement Proceeds 326. State Of New Jersey, Department of Health Resolution to be presented Strengthening Local Public Health Capacity Program Grant 2024 327. State Of NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety Resolution to be presented 2023 Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over Holiday Crackdown Grant 328. Resolution Authorizing the Award of a Contract Resolution to be presented to Linkedin Corporation - City of East Orange 329. State Of NJ, Division of Highway Traffic Safety Resolution to be presented FY 2024 East Orange Pedestrian Safety Grant  400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION MUSTAFA 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 and Award of Non-Fair Resolution to be presented and Open Contract for the Royalty Glass Works, Glass Conference Room Enclosure for the Department of Health and Human Services 407. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of One (1) Resolution to be presented 2023 Chevy Equinox (1XX26) AWD 4DR LS Through NJ State Contract 20-Fleet-01393 408. Resolution Authorizing the City of East Orange to Resolution to be presented Maintain it’s Lease Agreement with Champak K. Gandhi, MD for the Rental of Space to House it’s East Orange Substance Abuse Treatment Program 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 Resolution to be presented I-160 of 2023 Awarding a Contract to Big Belly Solar, LLC for Solar Powered Smart Compactor Receptacle Bins 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 Non-Fair Resolution to be presented and Open Contract for ESI Equipment, Inc. for the East Orange Fire Department 804. Resolution Authorizing the Repairs of Ladder 1 Resolution to be presented for the East Orange Fire Department from Fire Fighter One Apparatus, LLC 805. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract Resolution to be presented to Firefighter One for Five Fire Apparatuses, Through the Houston-Galveston Area Council National Cooperative Purchasing Agreement 806. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract Resolution to be presented Through the Dept. of Law & Public Safety, Division of NJ State Police Dept., to Enter into an Agreement for Radio Networking Services, Through the New Jersey Interoperable Communications System (NJICS) 807. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract for Resolution to be presented Eight (8) Unmarked 2023 or Latest Model Year, Explorer K8A AWD, Through the Cranford Cooperative Pricing System 808. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract to Resolution to be presented Gentilini Motors, Through the NJ State Contract Cooperative Pricing (20-Fleet-01393) for Two (2) Chevy Equinox Vehicles (1XX26) 4DR AWD LS 2023OR Latest Model Year 809. Resolution Authorizing the Department of Police to Resolution to be presented Purchase a Telecommunication System, Equipment and Services 810. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of M.E.E. Resolution to be presented (Municipal Equipment) Outfitting East Orange Police Department Service Truck 811. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract for Resolution to be presented Five (5) Marked 2023 or Later Model Year, Ford Explorers K8A AWD Through the Cranford Cooperative Pricing System 812. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract Resolution to be presented Through the Union County Cooperative Pricing System for Security Camera Upgrades and Camera Expansion for the Police Department 813. Resolution Authorizing and Award of Contract to Resolution to be presented Route 23 Auto Mall Motors, Through the NJ State Contract Cooperative Pricing (17-Fleet-00241) For One 91 (Ford F-550 Chassis 4x4 SD Super Cab 192” WB DRW XL 9x5J) or Latest Model Year 814. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Radios Resolution to be presented from Motorola Solutions, Inc. for the East Orange Police Department 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. Ordinances on First Reading In Committee 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 Extending Local Support for Stock Resolution to be presented Box LLC to Operate as a Microbusiness Cannabis Cultivator and Manufacturer in the City 610. Resolution Extending Local Support for Kress Resolution to be presented Box LLC to Operate as a Microbusiness Cannabis Green LLC to Operate as a Standard Cannabis 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. Cheryl Gandy asked that Code Enforcement enforce the TOPA Act as it relates to affordable housing in East Orange. 2. Rasheda Berry said there is a trailer park built behind her house and believes people are living there illegally. 3. Erica Coleman thanked Code Enforcement for coming to 75 Prospect Street to enforce the law. Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Cynthia S. Brown, City Clerk