City Council

CITY OF EAST ORANGE THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, June 24, 2024 5:30 P.M. (Minutes from the Meeting of June 10, 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: @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 June 10 th, 2024 The East Orange City Council met on June 10th, 2024, at 5:40 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; Tamika Garrett-Ward; Christopher Awe; Vernon Pullins, Jr ABSENT Christopher James CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT Ronald Hunt, Esq. Corporation Counsel Law Department Solomon Steplight City Administrator Eladio Negron, Director Property Maintenance Dorothy Gallagher, CFO Finance Rupert Bell, Director Public Works Phyllis Bindi, Chief Police Department Lloyd Raheem, Acting Director Policy, Planning & Development Jerome Pearson, Director Recreation Monica Reed, Director Human Resources Davizael Sanchez, Deputy Chief Fire Department ALSO PRESENT Luis Cabrera Human Resources There were 20 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 SAMMED MONK – CHAIRMAN James, Fauntleroy , Lewis 101. Recreation Department In Committee 102. East Orange Public Library In Committee 103. Terrance Bell – Commendation Resolution to be presented 104. Alfred Marion Hamer – 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 Resolution to be presented Duplicate Tax Payment - $2,986.58 303. Labor Negotiations In Committee 304. Tax Revaluation In Committee 305. Tax Sale Certificate In Committee 306. In Rem Foreclosure In Committee 307. Payroll No. 11 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 (06.10.2024) 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 320. Status of Women In Committee 321. Auction In Committee 322. Resolution to Adopt CY2024 Municipal Budget Resolution to be presented 323. Resolution Authorizing the Advertisement for a Competitive Resolution to be presented Contract RFP for Third Party Administrator Services for the City of East Orange 324. Resolution Authorizing the Advertisement for a Bid for Resolution to be presented Tree Planting Services for the City of East Orange 326. Authorized Payment of Accumulated Absence Resolution to be presented Liabilities to Former Employees - $24,735.96 400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION NAIIMA FAUNTLEROY – CHAIRWOMAN Awe, Gomez, James 401. Child Guidance Clinic In Committee 402. Health Department In Committee  400 – HEALTH and EDUCATION (CONTINUED) NAIIMA FAUNTLEROY – CHAIRWOMAN Awe, Gomez, James 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 Execution of a Grant Resolution to be presented Agreement Between the City of East Orange and NSI Lender LLC in Connection with a Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Grant in the Amount of $7,280,00.00 707. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Grant Resolution to be presented Agreement Between the City of East Orange and the Department of Environmental Protection in Connection With a Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Grant in the Amount of $7,280,000.00 708. Resolution Authorizing the Use of CDBG Funds to Assist Resolution to be presented With Asbestos Removal and ADA Compliance for Firehouses 709. Resolution Awarding a Professional Services Contract Resolution to be presented To Millenium Strategies and Aubrey Group as Grant Consultants for the City of East Orange 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 In Committee 902. Streetscape Resolution to be presented Resolution Authorizing Change Order No.1 for Construction of Main Street Streetscape Economic Development Authority Project  900 - PUBLIC WORKS (CONTINUED) CASIM GOMEZ – CHAIRMAN Fauntleroy , Garrett-Ward, Monk 903. Resolution Authorizing and Awarding a Contract to Resolution to be presented Ben Shaffer Recreation for the Purchase and Installation Of a Shaded Structure at Columbian Park 904. Resolution Authorizing the Designation of Restricted Resolution to be presented Parking Spaces 905. Resolution Authorizing the City of East Orange to Resolution to be presented Exercise the Option to Extend a Contract With Suburban Disposal, Inc. for an Additional One-Year Period for Solid Waste & Recycling Collection Services 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION ALICIA HOLMAN– CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Awe 601. Ordinances on First Reading Ordinance No.15 of 2024 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 33 of 2022 Relating to Salaries and Classifications of Certain Municipal Personnel of the City of East Orange That Are Members of The Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO Ordinance No. 16 of 2024 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 on Midland Avenue at Edgewood Road Ordinance No.17 of 2024 An Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Article II Chapter 260-9 of the City Code Entitled “Stop Intersections” to Provide for the Creation of Three-Way Stop on Edgewood Road at Crescent Road 602. Ordinances on Second and Final Reading Ordinance No. 10 of 2024 An Ordinance to Transfer a City Property to Legacy Urban Development, LLC in the Greenwood Redevelopment Area Under the Auspices of N.J.S.A.40:12A-1 et seq known As the “Local Redevelopment and Housing Law” Ordinance No. 1 1 of 2024 An Ordinance of the City of East Orange Amending and Supplementing the Transit Village District Redevelopment Plan and the Sussex Area Redevelopment Plan to Permit Cannabis Uses in Accordance with Chapter 120, Cannabis of the Code of the City of East Orange Ordinance No. 1 2 of 2024 An Ordinance Supplementing Part III, General Legislation, Chapter 120, Cannabis Section 120-6, Zoning Generally, Subsection C, Zoning Districts, of the Code of the City of East Orange with the Addition of Section 120-6(C)(5), Authorizing Cannabis Cultivation and Cannabis Manufacturing in Certain Properties Identified on the Tax Maps of the City of East Orange as Block 23, Lot 3 and Block 10, Lot 1 Ordinance No. 1 3 of 2024 An Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Chapter 51 of the City Code Entitled “Land Use, Article X, Administration: Miscellaneous Provisions: to include a Section for Escrow Account Pursuant to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law Ordinance No. 1 4 of 2024 An Ordinance Supplementing Chapter 5, Article VII of the City Code entitled “Division of Tax Collection and Revenue” to include a Section for Short Term Rentals 603. Bingo/Raffles In Committee 600 - LAW AND LEGISLATION (CONTINUED) ALICIA HOLMAN– CHAIRWOMAN Garrett-Ward, Lewis, Awe 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 Providing Local Support for Stock Box LLC Resolution to be presented To Operate as a Microbusiness Cannabis Retailer in The City 610. Resolution Providing Local Support for baked Goodz Resolution to be presented To Operate as a Microbusiness Cannabis Retailer in The City 611. Resolution Providing Local Support for HZY Goods Resolution to be presented LLC to Operate as a Microbusiness 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. Virginia Jeffries: There is no information/agenda on the website for the Regular Meeting. The budget was not posted on the website. The public has no idea about the budget amendment because on the website only the notice was posted. Resolution I-217- Resolution authorizing the awarding of a contract to Ben Schaffer Recreation, how much is this contract going to be? The commendation resolution for Terrence Bell was done during the committee meeting so the agenda needs to be corrected. Congratulations to all cannabis presenters, the board and the council. She is impressed with the council giving them the opportunity to do business in East Orange. 2. Alistar Loddell Sr.: The old Rite Aid is overgrown and there is a huge rodent and pigeon problem. His neighbor’s lawn on Princeton Street is overgrown in the front and back and attracts rats and cats. There are a lot of businesses coming into East Orange. He has vested interest in building East Orange and would like to know how to get involved. 3. Brother Lamar Williams thanked Cynthia Brown (City Clerk) and her staff. He asked residents to remember young people that have passed away. He’d like continued awareness of this topic. He thanked the Council for recognizing Terrance Bell. He asked that the City Council support Sydney McLaughlin Levrone as the Olympic trials are coming up on June 21, 2024. Meeting adjourned at 10:28 PM. Respectfully submitted by: Cynthia S. Brown, City Clerk