City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 8, 2024 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of March 25, 2024) Vernon Pullins, Jr. City Council Chairman First Ward Second Ward Christopher D. James Christopher Awe Amy Lewis Sammed R. Monk Third Ward Fourth Ward Bergson Leneus Casim L. Gomez Vernon Pullins Tameika Garrett-Ward Fifth Ward Alicia Holman Naiima H. Fauntleroy 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 March 25, 2024 The East Orange City Council met on March 25, 2024 at 5:30 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 L. Gomez; Sammed Monk; Bergson Leneus; Amy Lewis; Naiima Fauntleroy; Alicia Holman; Christopher Awe; Christopher D. James; Vernon Pullins, Jr ABSENT Tamika Garrett-Ward CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT Ronald Hunt, Esq. Corporation Counsel Law Department Eladio Negron, Director Property Maintenance Solomon Steplight Business Administrator Tina Sakajani Tax Assessor Dorothy Gallagher, CFO Finance Rupert Bell, Director Public Works John Porcaro, Director East Orange Public Library Horace Henry, Acting Director Health Department Jerome Pearson, Director Recreation Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department ALSO PRESENT Captain Wayne Adams Police Department Tony Jackson Mayor’s Office Muzammil Stevens Public Works Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent Procurement Luis Cabrera Human Resources There were 36 Citizens in attendance 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. Virginia Jeffries – Stated she emailed entire governing body & Mayor’s Office about receiving adequate notice to receive City Council Meeting Agenda and would like the Regular Meeting Agenda available to her & the public 48 hours in advance. 2. Marvin Weiner – Congratulated the Administration & City Council for the Redevelopment in the City and feels safe in the city. Not happy about the demolition of Brick Church and would like Prospect Street to be renamed Brick Church in its honor. 3. Bibi Stewart – Would like the City of East Orange to support Cease Fire Resolution for all people being killed in Israel. 4. William Hubbert – There are three parking spaces in front of his building that are handicapped and disabled and there is no signage to let vehicles know. 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 SAMMED MONK – CHAIRMAN James, Fauntleroy, Lewis 101. Recreation Department In Committee 102. East Orange Public Library In Committee 103. Melinda J. Hill – Memorial Resolution to be presented 104. Honorable Carol Y. Clark – Commendation Resolution to be presented 105. Honorable Andrea D. McPhatter – Commendation Resolution to be presented 106. Betty Neal-Mantion – Commendation Resolution to be presented 107. Rosalind Johnson-Gayton – Commendation Resolution to be presented 108. Dr. Jennifer Payne Parrish – Commendation Resolution to be presented 109. Tiffany “The Budgestnista” Aliche – Commendation Resolution to be presented 110. Glenda Wright – Commendation Resolution to be presented 111. Dr. Chaplain Linda Rozier – Commendation Resolution to be presented 112. Reverend Millie Biggins – Commendation Resolution to be presented 113. Roger Rucks – Memorial Resolution to be presented 114. Margaret Kinney – Memorial Resolution to be presented 200 - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING CHRISTOPHER D. JAMES – CHAIRMAN Leneus, Awe, Fauntleroy 201. Brick Church Mall In Committee 202. Brick Church Urban Renewal In Committee 203. Economic Development Corp. In Committee 300 - FINANCE BERGSON LENEUS - 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 No. 6 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 – 3/25/2024 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  300 – FINANCE - Continued BERGSON LENEUS - CHAIRMAN Lewis, Holman, Gomez 320. Status of Women In Committee 321. Auction In Committee 322. Authorize Payment of Accumulated Absence Resolution to be presented Liabilities to Former Employees 323. Resolution Awarding Professional Services Resolution to be presented Contract for Special Redevelopment Counsel for the City of East Orange 400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION NAIIMA FAUNTLEROY – CHAIRWOMAN Awe, 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 500 – HOUSING, LICENSING AND INSPECTION CHRISTOPHER AWE – CHAIRMAN Holman, Monk, Leneus 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, Leneus, 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 Authorizing the Renewal of a Resolution to be presented Contract With Sunbelt Rentals Inc., for the Rental of Temporary Facilities 800 - PUBLIC SAFETY AMY LEWIS – CHAIRWOMAN Monk, James, Garrett-Ward 801. Police Department In Committee 802. Fire Department In Committee  900 - PUBLIC WORKS CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Fauntleroy, Garrett-Ward, Monk 901. Capital Improvement Projects Under Construction 902. Streetscape In Committee 903. Resolution Authorizing the Renewal of a Contract Resolution to be presented With Maintenance Mart, Inc. for Janitorial Services for Municipal Properties 904. Resolution Deactivating a New Jersey Transit Resolution to be presented Bus Stop (#17554) on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (AKA Main Street) at South Walnut Street 905. Resolution Authorizing the Designation of Restricted Resolution to be presented Parking Spaces 906. Resolution Designating a New Jersey Transit Bus Resolution to be presented Stop on South Orange Avenue at Sunnyside Terrace 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN– CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Awe 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 Authorizing the Settlement of a Resolution to be presented Workers Compensation Litigation Matter 610. Resolution Authorizing Settlement of Litigation Resolution to be presented in the Matter of Denita Graham v. City of East Orange, et als. 611. Resolution Authorizing the Settlement of a Resolution to be presented Workers Compensation Litigation Matter 1000– COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE 1000. East Orange Parking Authority In Committee Meeting adjourned at 6:13 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Cynthia S. Brown, City Clerk