City Council

NOTE: THE FULL TEXT OF ALL REPORTS, PETITIONS, ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, MOTIONS, AND OTHER PAPERS WHICH APPEAR HEREIN BY SYNOPSIS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR EXAMINATION AT THE CITY CLERK' S OFFICE DURING THE REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. THESE MINUTES DO NOT PURPORT TO CONTAIN THE FULL CONTENTS OF THE MATTERS DISCUSSED. East Orange City Council Special Meeting Virtual Meeting Zoom Saturday, November 16th, 2024 I. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Councilman Casim Gomez Councilman Bergson Leneus Councilman Sammed R. Monk Councilwoman Amy Lewis Councilwoman Naiima H. Fauntleroy Councilwoman Alicia Holman Chairman Vernon Pullins, Jr. ABSENT: Councilwoman Tameika Garrett- Ward Councilman Christopher Awe Councilman Christopher D. James The City Clerk determined there was a quorum and the meeting commenced at 10: 17 AM. CITY OFFICIALS: Ronald Hunt, Esq., Corporation Counsel II. SALUTE TO THE FLAG III. SILENT PRAYER IV. SUNSHINE LAW STATEMENT THIS MEETING, WHICH CONFORMS WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW, CHAPTER 213, P. L. 1975, IS A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. NOTICES HAVE BEEN FILED WITH OUR OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER WITH THE CITY CLERK AND POSTED ON THE REGULAR BULLETIN BOARD. THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY, STREAMING ON FACEBOOK LIVE AT FACEBOOK. COM/ EOCITYCOUNCIL. RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL TO CITYCOUNCIL(a EASTORANGE- NJ.GOV 1  BY 5: 30 P. M. TO BE READ DURING THE OPEN HEARING OF THE CITIZENS PORTION OF THE MEETING. REPORT OF COMMITTEES A. FINANCE Councilman Leneus motioned for an executive session on personal, legislation, contracts, and confidential matters. Councilwoman Holman seconded the motion. 1. A roll call was taken: Aye: Councilman Gomez, Councilman Monk, Councilman Leneus, Councilwoman Lewis, Councilwoman Fauntleroy, Councilwoman Holman, Chairman Pullins Nay: None Abstain: None Absent: Councilwoman Garrett- Ward, Councilman James, Councilman Awe 7- Ayes, 0- Nays, 0- Abstentions, 3- Absent) Entered into Executive Session at 10: 31 AM. Exited Executive Session at 11: 52 AM. A roll call was taken: Aye: Councilman Gomez, Councilman Monk, Councilman Leneus, Councilwoman Lewis, Councilwoman Fauntleroy, Councilwoman Holman, Chairman Pullins Nay: None Abstain: None Absent: Councilwoman Garrett- Ward, Councilman James, Councilman Awe 7- Ayes, 0- Nays, 0- Abstentions, 3- Absent) X. HEARING OF CITIZENS 1. Virginia Jeffries: City Clerk Cynthia Brown has been charged with reading into the record the names of persons and their comments for virtual meetings. City Clerk Brown' s required function is to properly record City Council Meetings. In the November 9, 2024, Special City Council Meeting, City Clerk Brown would not read Lamar Williams' s complete email into the record. Chairperson Pullins, you are responsible for failing to have a citizen' s full participation by having their email shortened and altered by City Clerk Brown. Omitting names of persons by City Clerk Brown during the OPEN HEARING OF CITIZENS is not a proper recording, which leads to an incomplete record of the November 9, 2024, Special City Council Meeting. This can be easily verified. This is a 2  violation of the OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. Future virtual City Council Meetings should not omit the names of persons participating in the OPEN HEARING OF CITIZENS. In addition, the time of submission should be recorded. What personnel and litigation matters need to be discussed? Are they Contract negotiations, Layoffs, Terminations, East Orange Board of Education shared agreements, East Orange Board of Education budget shortfall impact, or Budget Matters for the City of East Orange? Something else? Why were there so many Special Meetings scheduled at such short notice? Will the East Orange City Council fully inform the citizenry as soon as possible through City Council Meetings and the East Orange City Council website? Will any of these meetings be made public? If so, when? If not, why? 2. Brother Lamar provided multiple emails from previous meetings that were not able to be read within 3 minutes, according to OPMA, and they were provided to members of the City Council. XII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Councilman Lewis moved to ad' ourn. The motion was second by Councilman Monk and the meeting was adjo t 12: 05 M. Cynthia S. Brown V Pullins r. City Clerk City cil Ch nnan