City Council

The Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Hackensack was conducted as an Electronic Public Meeting in lieu of its in-person regular Public Meeting previously advertised for 7:00 P.M. at the Council Chambers at Hackensack City Hall. This Electronic Public Meeting is being held in lieu of an in- person public meeting due to the state of emergency arising from the current situation involving the COVID-19 Virus and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public. The meeting was held on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 8:06 P.M. Members of the public were able to participate in the meeting by using the “Zoom” online meeting platform. Mayor Labrosse called the meeting to order and the Deputy City Clerk Allison Saabye announced that the meeting was being held in accordance with the Sunshine Law, notice having been published according to law, with a copy on file in the City Clerk’s office, and a copy posted on the bulletin board in City Hall. Ms. Saabye: Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act and recent regulations issued by the State of New Jersey, the following procedures will be in effect for public comment during this remote public meeting of the City Council. The public shall have an opportunity for comment during the designated public portion of this meeting. The time period for public comment is limited to three minutes for each speaker and no person may address the Council more than once, except for speaking during an advertised public hearing for an ordinance. At the time designated for public comment, the Mayor or other presiding officer of the Council will recognize one speaker at a time. That speaker must identify himself or herself by full name and whether or not he or she resides in Hackensack. No other member of the public is permitted to speak unless recognized by the presiding officer, and other remote attendees may be muted during that time if necessary, to eliminate background noise. Meeting attendees shall exhibit appropriate demeanor during this meeting, as required by Section 37-15 of the City Code. In the event any member of the public becomes disruptive at any time, that individual may be muted by the presiding officer and will receive a warning that continued disruption may result in being prevented from speaking or removed from the meeting entirely. The Zoom meeting platform has a texting function, however, this is to be used only for the purpose of advising the City’s IT staff of any technical concerns or issues. The public may also submit written public comments to be audibly read into the record by the City Clerk during the public portion of any remote public meeting of the City Council. Comments can be submitted by regular mail or by e-mail to asaabye@hackensack.org. Comments received less than five hours before the start of a meeting may be carried to the next meeting. Any person who actually speaks during the public comment portion of a remote public meeting may not also have a comment read into the record. The City Clerk will stop reading a written comment into the public record once it reaches the three (3) minute limit. Duplicate written comments may be summarized and noted for the record in a consistent manner. Attendance Ms. Saabye called the roll: Mayor Labrosse, Deputy Mayor Canestrino, Councilman Battaglia, a Councilwoman Von Rudenborg and Councilman Carroll were present. City Manager Vincent Caruso, Deputy City Clerk Allison Saabye and City Attorney Steve Kleinman were present. Flag Salute Proclamations and Presentations – None 09/28/2021 1 Approval of Minutes A motion to approve the Executive, C.O.W. and Regular Meeting Minutes from August 16, 2021 was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino, seconded by Councilman Battaglia and approved by Mayor Labrosse, Deputy Mayor Canestrino, Councilman Battaglia, Councilwoman Von Rudenborg and Councilman Carroll. A motion to approve the Executive, C.O.W. and Regular Meeting Minutes from September 14, 2021 was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino, seconded by Councilman Battaglia and approved by Mayor Labrosse, Deputy Mayor Canestrino, Councilman Battaglia, and Councilwoman Von Rudenborg. Councilman Carroll abstained. City Manager’s Report The City has officially launched our Facebook and Instagram pages. We have added a Twitter account so please search the City of Hackensack to get the most up to date information. The Health Department is offering the COVID 19 vaccination by appointment only on Tuesdays through November. Please refer to the flyer on social media for details. The City of Hackensack and Main Street Alliance are hosting Food Truck Fridays until October 8 on the Green from 11:30AM to 2:30PM. The City along with the Main Street Business Alliance will be hosting an event music, food, brew, and art festival on October 9 th at Atlantic Street Park. The City and ICAL are hosting Dancing for the Cure for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 9 in Foschini Park from 11AM to 1PM. Details on social media as well. The City will be hosting Slam Dunk the Junk on October 30 th. Registration will begin on October 4th and can be found on the website. Upcoming fall events include a pumpkin carving contest, Halloween movie night and Boo Through at Foschini Park. Details are on social media by next week. Due to the shortage of sanitation trucks, the City has resumed one day per week garbage collection until further notice. The pickup day is the same day as recycling and grass pick up. Last meeting, we did a presentation of the covid mini grant program for small businesses and renters. The small business program is now accepting applications. The details are on the website. We strongly encourage businesses with 25 employees or less to apply. The renters assistance program will be rolled out within the next two weeks. More details will follow. 100 Prospect parking spaces will be added. The ordinance is on the docket tonight. The street lights on James Street were reported to PSEG for inspection and progress. We are waiting for them to do a retrofit LED study with more efficient light and brighter lights. We are aware that Summit and Passaic is in need of upgrade. We are working on a grant and in the meantime, we repainted the crosswalks there. A questionnaire was sent out to residents of Fairmount Avenue about speed humps and the majority were not in favor of them. Additional 25 mph signs were added to the road and now we are in the process of painting slow school zone on the pavement. Resolutions Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK 09/28/2021 2  RESOLUTION NO. 385-21 FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 45-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 166 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE ENFORCMENT,” ESTABLISHING FEES TO BE CHARGED FOR APPROVAL OF TENTS SUBJECT TO UCC REVIEW A motion was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that there be a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING – No one from the public wished to speak Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that the public hearing be closed. A motion to Table this Ordinance was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia. A motion to Remove the Ordinance from the table was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia. BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, that Ordinance No. 45-2021 has passed its second and final reading and is hereby adopted. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 45-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 166 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE ENFORCMENT,” ESTABLISHING FEES TO BE CHARGED FOR APPROVAL OF TENTS SUBJECT TO UCC REVIEW WHEREAS, Chapter 166 of the Code of the City of Hackensack (“Code”), “Construction Code Enforcement,” establishes an agency responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code within the City of Hackensack; and, WHEREAS, Section 3 of Chapter 166 of the Code establishes and authorizes the fees to be charged by the City’s Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency; and, WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the Construction Official and the City Manager, a specific fee should be promulgated for the review and approval of those tents that require a construction permit under the Uniform Construction Code (see N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: Section 1: Chapter 166, Section 3 of the Code of the City of Hackensack is hereby amended as follows to add a new subsection (n) to Section 166-3(A)(1) [additions by underline]: §166-3 Fees. A. Minimum fee: The minimum fee for a basic construction permit covering any or all building, plumbing, fire protection, electrical work shall be $50. All fees shall be rounded to the nearest dollar amount. (1) The building subcode fees shall be: (a) through (m): UNCHANGED 09/28/2021 3  (n) Tents. [1] Under 500 square feet. $150. [2] Between 500 and 16,800 square feet. $350. [3] Over 16,800 square feet: $1,500. Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 166 of the Code shall remain unchanged. Section 3: Repeal of Inconsistent Provisions. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but only however, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, it being the legislative intent that all ordinances or part of ordinances now existing or in effect unless the same being conflict or inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance shall remain in effect. Section 4: Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof for any reason is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance, but shall remain in effect; it being the legislative intent this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part. Section 5: Codification. This Ordinance shall be a part of the Code of the City of Hackensack as though codified and fully set forth therein. The City Clerk shall have this ordinance codified and incorporated in the official copies of the Code. The City Clerk and the City Attorney are authorized and directed to change any Chapter, Article and/or Section number of the Code of the City of Hackensack in the event that the codification of this Ordinance reveals that there is a conflict between the numbers and the existing Code, and in order to avoid confusion and possible accidental repealers of existing provisions not intended to be repealed. Section 6: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 386-21 FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 46-2021, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO ADD AND DELETE A BUS STOP ON PROSPECT AVENUE WITHING THE CITY OF HACKENSACK Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that there be a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING – No one wished to speak. Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that the public hearing be closed. 09/28/2021 4  BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, that Ordinance No. 46-2021 has passed its second and final reading and is hereby adopted. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 46-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO ADD AND DELETE A BUS STOP ON PROSPECT AVENUE WITHIN THE CITY OF HACKENSACK WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, the governing body of a municipality may make, amend, repeal, and enforce such other ordinances, regulations, rules and by-laws not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United States, as it may deem necessary and proper for the good of government, order and protection of person and property, and for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties conferred and imposed by this subtitle, or by any law; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:4-8(e), the governing body of a municipality may, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, and consistent with the current standards prescribed by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, by ordinance designate stops, stations, or stands for omnibuses on any street under its jurisdiction, subject to guidelines issued by the Commissioner of Transportation; WHEREAS, pursuant to the above-noted authority, the City Council of the City of Hackensack has established locations for bus stops on certain streets within the City, as enumerated in Section 170-62 of the Code of the City of Hackensack; and, WHEREAS, the City Council, noting the approval of New Jersey Transit, has determined that for safety and the expedition of traffic on the streets within the City, a bus stop on Prospect Avenue should be relocated, as set forth herein. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: Section 1: Chapter 170, Section 62 of the Code of the City of Hackensack is hereby amended to add and/or delete the following bus stops [addition by underline]: §170-62 Schedule XIII: Bus Stops. In accordance with the provisions of §170-21, the following described locations are hereby designated as bus stops: A. Hackensack Municipal Road Added Stop: (7) Along Prospect Avenue, southbound on the easterly side thereof at: Berry Street – (far side) – Beginning at the southerly curb line of Berry Street and extending 135 feet southerly therefrom (location 12198): Hackensack Municipal Road Deleted Stop: (7) Along Prospect Avenue, southbound on the easterly side thereof at Berry Street – (far side) - Beginning at the southerly curb line of Berry Street and extending 100 feet southerly therefrom (location 12198) Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 170, Section 62 of the Code of the City of Hackensack shall remain unchanged. Section 3: Repeal of Inconsistent Provisions. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but only however, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, it being the legislative intent that all ordinances or part of ordinances now existing or in effect unless the same being conflict or inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance shall remain in effect. Section 4: 09/28/2021 5 Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof for any reason is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance, but shall remain in effect; it being the legislative intent this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part. Section 5: Codification. This Ordinance shall be a part of the Code of the City of Hackensack as though codified and fully set forth therein. The City Clerk shall have this ordinance codified and incorporated in the official copies of the Code. The City Clerk and the City Attorney are authorized and directed to change any Chapter, Article and/or Section number of the Code of the City of Hackensack in the event that the codification of this Ordinance reveals that there is a conflict between the numbers and the existing Code, and in order to avoid confusion and possible accidental repealers of existing provisions not intended to be repealed. Section 6: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 387-21 FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 47-2021, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 121 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “PEDDLERS,” TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF GOODS AND SERVICES ON CITY PROPERTY WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that there be a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING – No one wished to speak. Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that the public hearing be closed. BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, that Ordinance No. 47-2021 has passed its second and final reading and is hereby adopted. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 47-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 121 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “PEDDLERS,” TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF GOODS AND SERVICES ON CITY PROPERTY WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, the governing body of a municipality may make, amend, repeal, and enforce such other ordinances, regulations, rules and by-laws not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United States, as it may deem necessary and proper for the good of government, order and protection of person and property, and for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties conferred and imposed by this subtitle, or by any law; and, 09/28/2021 6  WHEREAS, additional legal authority, including but not limited to N.J.S.A. 40:48-1, authorizes the City Council of the City of Hackensack to adopt ordinances regulating commercial activity on property under its control; and, WHEREAS, the City Council has been informed by its public safety professionals that vendors, solicitors, peddlers and others have been using City property such as parks, fields, playgrounds and parking lots to sell goods and/or services to the public without the City’s knowledge and authorization; and, WHEREAS, the City Council believes it is necessary and appropriate to regulate any and all commercial activity on City property and believes such action is in the best interest of the health, safety and welfare of the community. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: Section 1: Chapter 121 of the Code of the City of Hackensack, “Peddling and Soliciting,” is hereby amended as follows [additions by underline]: §121-9 Prohibited practices. In public parks and public areas, no person shall: A. No peddler or solicitor shall call attention to his business or to merchandise by crying out, blowing a horn, ringing a bell, other than the doorbell of a building, or by any other loud or unusual noise. B. No peddler or solicitor shall conduct or attempt to conduct his business at any residence or on any property on which is posted a sign indicating that such peddling and soliciting is prohibited. C. It shall be unlawful for any person engaging in the business of peddling or soliciting to park any vehicle within the lines of any public street, road or other public place, for the purpose of engaging in such business, for a period longer than five minutes. No such vehicle used for the conducting of the aforesaid business shall be parked at any on-street or off-street parking meter space. Peddlers and solicitors are to conduct their operations by continuously moving from location to location. D. Notwithstanding any other provision of the City Code, and except as set forth herein, it is unlawful for any person to solicit, sell, or offer for sale any goods, wares, or merchandise, or any service whatsoever, on any City-owned property, including public parking lots, whether or not such person so soliciting, selling, or offering to sell has a business license for an established business within the City. However, the City Manager shall have the authority to grant permission to do so for a defined, limited period in conjunction with a City-sponsored or approved event on City-owned property. Any such authorization by the City Manager shall be in writing with a copy provided to the City Clerk and command authority of the Hackensack Police Department. The foregoing prohibition shall not include a concession that is authorized by the City Council to operate on City property. Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 121 of the Code shall remain unchanged. Section 3: Repeal of Inconsistent Provisions. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but only however, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, it being the legislative intent that all ordinances or part of ordinances now existing or in effect unless the same being conflict or inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance shall remain in effect. Section 4: Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof for any reason is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance, but shall remain in effect; it being the legislative intent this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part. Section 5: Codification. This Ordinance shall be a part of the Code of the City of Hackensack as though codified and fully set forth therein. The City Clerk shall have this ordinance codified and incorporated in the official copies of the Code. The City Clerk and the City Attorney are authorized and directed to change any Chapter, Article and/or Section number of the Code of the City of Hackensack in the event that the codification of this Ordinance reveals 09/28/2021 7 that there is a conflict between the numbers and the existing Code, and in order to avoid confusion and possible accidental repealers of existing provisions not intended to be repealed. Section 6: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 388-21 FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 48-2021, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO ADD A NEW HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE IN SECTION 49.2, “PARKING FOR THE HANDICAPPED” Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that there be a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING – No one wished to speak. Motion offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia that the public hearing be closed. BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, that Ordinance No. 48-2021 has passed its second and final reading and is hereby adopted. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 48-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO ADD A NEW HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE IN SECTION 49.2, “PARKING FOR THE HANDICAPPED.” WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, the governing body of a municipality may make, amend, repeal, and enforce such other ordinances, regulations, rules and by-laws not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United States, as it may deem necessary and proper for the good of government, order and protection of person and property, and for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties conferred and imposed by this subtitle, or by any law; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hackensack wishes to amend Chapter 170 of the Code of the City of Hackensack, entitled “Vehicles and Traffic,” to add one (1) new handicapped parking spaces to Section 49.2, entitled “Parking for the Handicapped;” and, WHEREAS, the Hackensack Police Department and the City Engineer have investigated the matter and have determined that adding such handicapped parking spaces will not significantly impact on-street parking, nor will it affect traffic flow. 09/28/2021 8  WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the City’s best interest to take this action. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: Section 1: Chapter 170, Section 49.2 of the Code of the City of Hackensack is hereby amended as follows [additions by underline] §170-49.2. Parking for the handicapped. E. Designation of parking areas. In accordance with this chapter, the following locations shall provide parking for the physically handicapped: Parking Lot or Street Side Location/Number of Handicapped Spaces 967 Main Street West From a point 276 feet south of the south/west curbline apex of Main Street and South Lake Drive to a point 22 feet south thereof/1 Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 170, Section 49.2 of the Code of the City of Hackensack shall remain unchanged. Section 3: Repeal of Inconsistent Provisions. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but only however, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, it being the legislative intent that all ordinances or part of ordinances now existing or in effect unless the same being conflict or inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance shall remain in effect. Section 4: Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof for any reason is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance, but shall remain in effect; it being the legislative intent this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part. Section 5: Codification. This Ordinance shall be a part of the Code of the City of Hackensack as though codified and fully set forth therein. The City Clerk shall have this ordinance codified and incorporated in the official copies of the Code. The City Clerk and the City Attorney are authorized and directed to change any Chapter, Article and/or Section number of the Code of the City of Hackensack in the event that the codification of this Ordinance reveals that there is a conflict between the numbers and the existing Code, and in order to avoid confusion and possible accidental repealers of existing provisions not intended to be repealed. Section 6: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 389-21 09/28/2021 9  INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 50-2021, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO REMOVE A HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE FROM SECTION 49.2, “PARKING FOR THE HANDICAPPED” (30 EMERALD STREET) BE IT RESOLVED that the above ordinance, being Ordinance 50-2021 as introduced, does now pass on first reading and that said Ordinance shall be considered for final passage at a meeting to be held on October 12, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be reached at the regular meeting place of the City Council and at such time and place all persons interested be given an opportunity to be heard concerning said Ordinance and that the City Clerk be and she is hereby authorized and directed to publish said ordinance according to law with a notice of its introduction and passage on first reading and of the time and place when and where said ordinance will be further considered for final passage. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 50-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” TO REMOVE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE IN SECTION 49.2, “PARKING FOR THE HANDICAPPED,” (EMERALD STREET) WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, the governing body of a municipality may make, amend, repeal, and enforce such other ordinances, regulations, rules and by-laws not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United States, as it may deem necessary and proper for the good of government, order and protection of person and property, and for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties conferred and imposed by this subtitle, or by any law; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hackensack wishes to amend Chapter 170 of the Code of the City of Hackensack, entitled “Vehicles and Traffic,” to remove a handicapped parking space from Section 49.2, entitled “Parking for the Handicapped;” and, WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the City’s best interest to take this action. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: Section 1: Chapter 170, Section 49.2 of the Code of the City of Hackensack is hereby amended as follows [deletions by strikethrough] §170-49.2. Parking for the handicapped. E. Designation of parking areas. In accordance with this chapter, the following locations shall provide parking for the physically handicapped: Parking Lot or Street Side Location/Number of Handicapped Spaces Emerald Street North From a point 339 feet west of the northern curb line of Emerald Street to a point 365 feet west thereof/1 Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 170, Section 49.2 of the Code of the City of Hackensack shall remain unchanged. Section 3: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. 09/28/2021 10  Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor CITY OF Labrosse X HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 390-21 INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 51-2021, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” ADJUSTING THE NO PARKING AREA ON PROSPECT AVENUE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BEECH STREET BE IT RESOLVED that the above ordinance, being Ordinance 51-2021 as introduced, does now pass on first reading and that said Ordinance shall be considered for final passage at a meeting to be held on October 12, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be reached at the regular meeting place of the City Council and at such time and place all persons interested be given an opportunity to be heard concerning said Ordinance and that the City Clerk be and she is hereby authorized and directed to publish said ordinance according to law with a notice of its introduction and passage on first reading and of the time and place when and where said ordinance will be further considered for final passage. CITY OF HACKENSACK ORDINANCE NO. 51-2021 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 170 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” ADJUSTING THE NO PARKING AREA ON PROSPECT AVENUE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BEECH STREET WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, the governing body of a municipality may make, amend, repeal, and enforce such other ordinances, regulations, rules and by-laws not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United States, as it may deem necessary and proper for the good of government, order and protection of person and property, and for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants, and as may be necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties conferred and imposed by this subtitle, or by any law; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hackensack wishes to amend Chapter 170 of the Code of the City of Hackensack, entitled “Vehicles and Traffic,” to adjust the no parking area on Prospect Avenue near the intersection of Beech Street; and, WHEREAS, the Hackensack Police Department and the City’s traffic engineering professionals have investigated the matter and have determined that taking this action will increase parking in the area without any substantial negative impact on safety in the area; and, WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the City’s best interest to take this action. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, as follows: 09/28/2021 11  Section 1: Chapter 170, Section 50 of the Code of the City of Hackensack is hereby amended as follows [additions by underline, deletions by strikethrough]: §170-50 Schedule I: No Parking. In accordance with the provisions of §170-7, no person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any of the following described streets or parts of streets: Name of Street Sides Location Prospect Avenue East From a point 210 feet south of the southerly curbline of Beech Street to a point 50 feet southerly thereof From a point 25 feet south of the southerly curbline of Beech Street to a point 25 feet southerly thereof; then, 170 feet south of the southerly curbline of Beech Street to a point 23 feet southerly thereof Section 2: All other provisions of Chapter 170, Section 50 of the Code of the City of Hackensack shall remain unchanged. Section 3: Repeal of Inconsistent Provisions. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but only however, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, it being the legislative intent that all ordinances or part of ordinances now existing or in effect unless the same being conflict or inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance shall remain in effect. Section 4: Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof for any reason is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance, but shall remain in effect; it being the legislative intent this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part. Section 5: Codification. This Ordinance shall be a part of the Code of the City of Hackensack as though codified and fully set forth therein. The City Clerk shall have this ordinance codified and incorporated in the official copies of the Code. The City Clerk and the City Attorney are authorized and directed to change any Chapter, Article and/or Section number of the Code of the City of Hackensack in the event that the codification of this Ordinance reveals that there is a conflict between the numbers and the existing Code, and in order to avoid confusion and possible accidental repealers of existing provisions not intended to be repealed. Section 6: This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, adoption, and publication in the manner prescribed by law. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X 09/28/2021 12  CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 391-21 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REJECTION OF ALL BIDS FOR PINE STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WHEREAS, the City entered into an agreement with the New Jersey Water Bank (NJWB) for the Pine Street Improvements Project; and WHEREAS, the City advertised for bids for the Project pursuant to certain general and technical specifications and received and opened five (5) bids on September 1, 2021 pursuant to those specifications; and WHEREAS, upon review of the bids and consultation with the New Jersey Water Bank (NJWB), the City has determined that although approval from the NJWB SED office was obtained, the NJWB did not issue an Authorization to Advertise letter pursuant to NJWB requirements and therefore the contract cannot be awarded pursuant to the terms of the City’s agreement with the NJWB. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the City of Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey that all bids for the Project received on September 1, 2021 are hereby rejected because the Authorization to Advertise pursuant to NJWB requirements was not issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection per the NJWB requirements; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City shall re-advertise for bids for the project in accordance with the general specifications compliant with NJWB requirements and in accordance with the Authorization to Advertise per NJWB requirements and the City Manager and all other applicable city officials are authorized to take any actions necessary to further the intent and purpose of this resolution. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 392-21 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CHANGE ORDER #1 TO NEGLIA ENGINEERING FOR PROSPECT AVENUE MID-BLOCK CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WHEREAS, the City of Hackensack required engineering services related to the 2021 Road Resurfacing and Improvement Program; and WHEREAS, a contract was awarded to Neglia Engineering in the amount not to exceed $105,815 on January 26, 2021, as per Resolution #35-21; and WHEREAS, the City has decided to expand the project to include mid-block crosswalks on Prospect Ave. where it intersects with Berry Street and Golf Place, necessitating an additional cost for the engineering services required for said project; and WHEREAS, the City Manager now recommends the awarding of Change Order #1 in the amount of $7,650 for these additional services. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen, as follows: 1. Neglia Engineering of 34 Park Ave., Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 is hereby awarded Change Order #1 in the amount of $7,650, bringing the total amount of the 09/28/2021 13  contract to $113,465 for the Prospect Ave. Mid-Block Crosswalk Improvement Project, in accordance with the proposal attached thereof. 2. A Certification of Funds has been prepared and authorized by the Chief Financial Officer for the said contract assuring that there is a sufficient appropriation to fund the purchases authorized in this resolution as an express and mandatory condition of the award of this contract. 3. The budget account to be charged is C-04-20-041-000-600. 4. The Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized to sign the contract documents necessary to effectuate the award of this contract. The City Attorney shall review any and all contractual documents prepared in furtherance of this award. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 393-21 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AWARDING OF A CO-OP CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A 2021 CHEVROLET TAHOE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE WHEREAS, the Hackensack Administration Department is in need of a vehicle and wishes to purchase a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Sport Utility Vehicle; and WHEREAS, the City of Hackensack wishes to purchase this vehicle by using the services of an authorized New Jersey Pricing Co-Operative, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:34-6.2(3): and WHEREAS, the purchase of goods and services by local contracting units is authorized by the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-12; and WHEREAS, the City of Hackensack participates in the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey Pricing Co-Operative and wishes to utilize their Contract #65MCESCCPS Bid #ESCNJ 20/21-09 for the purchase of Cars, SUV’s and Vans; and WHEREAS, Mall Chevrolet of 75 Haddonfield Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 is an authorized vendor under the ESCNJ Co-Operative; and WHEREAS, the Qualified Purchasing Agent recommends the utilization of this contract on the grounds that it represents the best available price; and WHEREAS, the actual price of the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Sport Utility Vehicle is expected not to exceed $45,516.92. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the City of Hackensack, County of Bergen, as follows: 09/28/2021 14  1. Mall Chevrolet of 75 Haddonfield Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 is hereby awarded a contract in the amount not to exceed $45,516.92 for the purchase of a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Sport Utility Vehicle. 2. A Certification of Funds has been prepared by the Chief Financial Officer for the said contract assuring that a sufficient appropriation in budget account 1-01-22-195-195-204 exists to fund the purchases authorized in this resolution as an express and mandatory condition of the award of this contract. 3. The Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized to sign the contract documents necessary to effectuate the award of this contract. The City Attorney shall review any and all contractual documents prepared in the furtherance of this award. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 394-21 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that the bills in the following accounts be and are hereby ordered paid: Current Fund $ 425,538.21 Grants 17,394.06 Payroll 1,896,460.58 Public Parking System 2,136.83 Capital 103,884.16 Escrow 24,406.52 Trust Account 57,765.24 Total Expenditures 2,528,585.60 Interfunds/Transfers $ 146,792.60 Council Intr Secon Yes No Abstai Recuse Member o d n Absen d 09/28/2021 15  t Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 395-21 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING HEALTH DEPARTMENT REFUND BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that the proper officers be and are hereby authorized to make the following refund(s) for the reason(s) stated: $15.00 Payment collected at the Hackensack Health Department for 1 Birth Certificate, Health Department Receipt #421 on March 13, 2020. Refund to: Chevon L. Zakrzewski 30 Busteed Drive Midland Park, NJ 07432-1904 Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg Deputy Mayor Canestrino Battaglia Carroll Mayor Labrosse CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 396-21 PULLED RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HACKENSACK, HACKENSACK PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS IAFF LOCAL 2081, AFL-CIO, CLC, AND HACKENSACK UNIFORMED FIRE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, IAFF LOCAL 3172, AFL-CIO, CLC WHEREAS, Timothy Rice (“Employee”) was employed as a Fire Fighter/Fire Officer by the City of Hackensack (the “City”); and WHEREAS, Employee became totally and permanently disabled, and ultimately passed away on June 12, 2021; and 09/28/2021 16  WHEREAS, Hackensack Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 2081, AFL-CIO, CLC (the “Union”) is the collective bargaining representative for Fire Fighters employed by the City; and WHEREAS, the Hackensack Uniformed Fire Officers Association, IAFF Local 3172, AFL-CIO, CLC (the “Association”) is the collective bargaining representative for all Fire Officers (with the exception of the Fire Chief) employed by the City; and WHEREAS, the City, the Union, and the Association have negotiated the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement regarding provision of health benefits to the surviving spouse and qualifying dependents of the Employee, the terms of which are incorporated by reference herein; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that the Memorandum of Agreement as between the City of Hackensack, Hackensack Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 2081, AFL-CIO, CLC, and Hackensack Uniformed Fire Officers Association, IAFF Local 3172, AFL-CIO, CLC, the terms of which are incorporated by reference herein, be and hereby are APPROVED; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager, the City Attorney, and the City Labor Counsel are authorized to take all appropriate actions so as to implement this Resolution. Council Intr Secon Abstai Absen Recuse Member o d Yes No n t d Von Rudenborg X Deputy Mayor Canestrino X X Battaglia X X Carroll X Mayor Labrosse X CITY OF HACKENSACK RESOLUTION NO. 397-21 RESOLUTION APPROVING AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE WITH THE HACKENSACK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, INC. TO OPERATE THE CITY’S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER WHEREAS, the City owns and currently operates the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (“Arts Center”), located at 102 State Street, along with the adjacent Atlantic Street Park; and, WHEREAS, the City’s vision for the Arts Center was to create a location within the City for playwrights, musicians, directors, choreographers and visual artists to offer the highest quality of entertainment for all ages and across all disciplines; and, WHEREAS, in order to advance the City’s vision for the Arts Center, particularly given the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has entered into discussions with a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Hackensack Performing Arts Center, Inc. (“HACPAC”), to autonomously manage and operate the Arts Center; and, WHEREAS, the parties have entered into discussions regarding an agreement to establish HACPAC’s authority to operate the Arts Center and adjacent Atlantic Street Park for an initial term of five (5) years, with options for future renewal and subject to HACPAC maintaining its status as a 501(c)(3) organization at all times; and, 09/28/2021 17  WHEREAS, this Agreement contemplates HACPAC overseeing all activities and events at the Arts Center and operational control at the facility; and, WHEREAS, the City Council believes that HACPAC and its Board, which consists of many prominent individuals in the community, is well-suited to ensure the future success of the Arts Center. WHEREAS, the parties have reached tentative agreement on the key terms and conditions of this Agreement, and the Council wants to express its support for same while the final legal details are resolved. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Hackensack, in the County of Bergen, State of New Jersey as follows: 1. The Mayor, City Clerk, City Manager and City Attorney are authorized to finalize the terms of a five (5) year agreement for HACPAC to operate the Arts Center and adjacent Atlantic Street Park and to take any additional actions necessary to further the intent and purposes of this Resolution. 2. A certified copy of this Resolution shall be provided to the appropriate representatives of HACPAC. Public Comment A motion to open the meeting to the public was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia. Margo Cooper – Hackensack – I would like to know about the purchase of the Chevy Tahoe vehicle? I want to know the purpose. Is it for the Police? How much is it? City Manager responded - It is for administration; it is not for the police. It is replacing an existing vehicle. It is being bought through a co-op. Peter Marchesani – Hackensack – Is once a week pickup temporary? Mayor Labrosse responded - It is long term temporary. We purchased three trucks for the three we lost. The new trucks won’t be ready for a while since the body and chassis come separate. We will probably have once per week pick up through the winter and then by Memorial Day we will look into renting trucks to deal with the influx of garbage in spring and summer until the new ones come in. Mr. Marchesni responded – We went back and forth and I forgot we had twice a week pickup. The default condition was we would go back to normal pick-up day which was with recycling day. I was trying to explain to neighbors. At work I picked up issue that had to do with Ted’s calendar which has Zone 8 pickup on Friday but recycling is Thursday and that would be confusing because you would not know the correct day. More important would be the way it is communicated now. I hope the information would still be on the website now that we have social media. As far as Nixle, I am getting calls from the city with no identifier and one had to do with the pickup. Some say City of Hackensack and some have no number. I don’t know why it is coming up that way. Mayor Labrosse responded – One of the calls came up for me as spam and it was a City of Hackensack call. We need to come up with a better way for people to know because some don’t use social media or the website. 09/28/2021 18 Anthony Griffin – Hackensack – I live on Esplanade and I have a question about flooding. I saw there was some sewer discussion earlier and we got really impacted badly at Suburban Terrace condos. Is there discussion about the brook which runs all the way to Van Saun Park? Has that been on the table at all? Has it been looked at? Is there plans for mitigation? Mayor Labrosse responded – I am down by you on Brook Street. Coles Brook is over by me and the flooding was insane. That was the first time I ever saw the Esplanade like that and I have been here over 40 years. Coles Brook is owned by the County so we can reach out to them. By the time it got to Route 4, it was a raging river and took out Madison Arms Apartments and they are totally out of there now, over 100 people. They were red-tagged completely. It is a problem. There is no easy way to say this but it was a 500 year storm and was the largest rainfall we have had in that amount of time in recorded history. That plays a lot into it. We will keep an eye on it and reach out to the County. Mr. Griffin responded – This was the worst I have seen it in 20 years. It actually reached my door. I took a peek at the end of the conduit and it looked pretty clogged and that it needed to be cleaned. Nothing would have helped with Ida but it may help for the lesser rains. City Manager responded – We reached out to the County regarding Coles Brook and they are going to schedule to look at it to get some debris out of the brook. We are going to be assisting them with that. Suburban is having a meeting with Deputy Chief Niland to seek some FEMA mitigation funding to try to do something with the banks of that brook to help mitigate it further. Mayor Labrosse responded – Esplanade is in the groove and gets water from both sides. All the water from Maywood runs down to Coles Brook. Deputy Mayor Canestrino responded – They should look at the catch basins there as well. Anette Jankowski – Hackensack – May I ask about Ordinance 51-2021 on the additional parking on Prospect and Beech? How many spaces are being added? There already is an issue with parking on Prospect with visibility when entering and exiting the buildings as well as people illegally parking. City Attorney responded – I believe it will be more parking than currently exists. Mayor Labrosse responded – That building came to us because they do not have enough parking as is. Justin Mignogna – Hackensack – I was wondering why the Rice resolution got pulled? Mayor Labrosse responded – Legal counsel bought some questions to us to look into before we vote on it. The City Manager will reach out to the union tomorrow. City Attorney responded – It is strictly a legal issue based upon my advice. Brigitte Rucker – Hackensack – I have a question to the Council and Manager based upon the Council meetings. I called this morning to the Clerk’s Office and was told the meetings were being Zoomed because it was a recommendation that you guys were following from a Governor. I asked where it was placed on the website. I kept trying to ask her and they said it was due to a recommendation due to covid. I called the Governor’s Office and there is no recommendation because schools are open and restaurants are full capacity, the BOE is in person, what is your true reason why you are on Zoom? I spoke to Danielle from Governor’s Office. She told me to go to NJ.gov, go to COVID 19 and told me to look there for 09/28/2021 19 recommendations. Can I get an answer from you Mayor or City Manager of why you guys are not in a public forum? Mayor Labrosse responded – There was discussion after we went back live. I am not aware of any recommendation from the Governor. It is definitely covid related. There was no discussion with the Governor. It was decided and I questioned it myself. I had the Clerk’s Office poll all the towns. It was pretty much 50/50. The covid numbers are going up 30 to 40 per week in Hackensack. I work at the hospital and we have way more Covid patients very ill with the variant than we should have. The Council believed it was safer to do Zoom meetings for now. I prefer being live and in person. We are playing it safe. We feel it is safer for the public. We have never had this much participation from the public as we have since we have had Zoom meetings. We are averaging 20 to 25 people and that is a good thing. I don’t know about the recommendation, maybe someone in the Clerk’s Office misspoke. I don’t recall anything from the Governor. Ms. Rucker responded – The saddest part is I don’t think you guys are attuned to one another. Your City Clerk’s Office should know what to say because now it sounds like a lie was told and instead of them finding out and following through to you or the City Manager, or the Head City Clerk, that is what I am trying to say here. I am glad about the safety. She kept saying that as if it were law, if it were true. She did say the Mayor and City Council. Everyone needs to get in tune to one another. Mayor Labrosse responded – The bottom line is we are trying to keep everyone safe. Deputy City Clerk Allison Saabye responded – We have guidance from the DCA, Department of Community Affairs, and it does say we strongly encourage that all meetings subject to the Open Public Meetings Act be conducted exclusively using communications equipment. I will send it to Ms. Rucker. Ms. Rucker responded – Can you tell me when it was dated? She could not find anything in her file and she works in the Governor’s Office. Ms. Saabye responded – It is not dated but it is currently posted on the DCA website. Mayor Labrosse responded – When we say the Governor, it means Trenton. Victor Geddis – Hackensack – I understand your position in keeping the citizens safe but that is no excuse for poor communications from your office. When you make a statement that this is a recommendation from the Governor and it is not true and you continue to say, not you but your clerks. Ms. Rucker reached out to the Governor’s Office and reached out to people and they said there is no record of that at this time. It might have been said in the middle of covid but not now. The City Manager should make sure they are giving out correct information and not just making something up. Mayor Labrosse responded – I can tell by the way the Deputy Clerk read what she read that it was not just fabricated. It wasn’t off the top of her head. The DCA, the Department of Community Affairs, is part of the Governor’s Office. When people say I reached out to the Governor, I reach out to him all the time, I am not talking to Mr. Murphy, I am talking to the DCA, the Local Finance Board, all different divisions. If someone calls the Governor’s Office and asks if they said that, then they are going to say no I didn’t say that because they don’t know directly who you have dealt with. There is some miscommunication here but it not intentional or misleading. The bottom line is these meetings are being held like this for safety reasons because the numbers are high. If other towns are doing it differently, I understand that. I am the one person who wanted to stay live. Council members will confirm it. It is a democracy and I lost four to one and here we are on Zoom. 09/28/2021 20 There was no intentional misleading or miscommunication. If they said they spoke to the Governor’s Office, they spoke to someone in Trenton. Cheryl Jones - Hackensack - I would like to propose residential sticker parking for South Main St in the vicinity of the ECDC preschool. Cross streets are Lodi St and Broadway. Reason being is that area residents have been consuming up parking spaces with business vehicles. Recent examples of vehicles include two school vehicles leased to a company in Lodi, NJ (one minivan and one mini bus), a plumbing van, and an extended cab pickup truck used for landscaping. In addition, there are multiple out of state cars such as New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, right after these vehicles leave for work in the morning, staff from the ECDC school begin to take over any available parking spots. It has been increasingly difficult to obtain parking even during the day time hours. I petition the council to extend the residential parking sticker program to the northern area of South Main St. Thank you for your time. No one else wished to speak. A motion to close the meeting to the public was offered by Deputy Mayor Canestrino and seconded by Councilman Battaglia. Council Comments Councilwoman Von Rudenborg – I would like to highlight several great things presented at the COW meeting. Thank you to Erin for the presentation on the updates to our sewer projects. It is the single largest project going on right now and it is important to have updates in a way we can all understand. Erin did a great job. Thank you to Mr. Gelber for presenting his little library initiative hopefully funded by the Elk’s National Foundation and also to Mr. Terzano for the picket park initiative. These are great examples of grassroots projects put forth by dedicated and hardworking resident volunteers. Although these projects may seem small in scope compared to other city projects, they are just as important because it offers the opportunity for residents to get involved and shows how important the volunteers are. The more volunteers the better. Mr. Gelber was talking about reaching out to Boy Scouts and the schools and really getting everyone involved which is important. I spoke with Mr. Terzano about the pocket parks and having the group be hands on and having them come up with the vision and the city supporting them. Maybe we can get benches donated in memory of people, or even with the library boxes. These projects promote community bonding and getting people out which is important with the pandemic. The Council appreciates all the hard work and dedication. It is a lot of hard work to put these initiatives forth. Deputy Mayor Canestrino – It is wonderful to see everyone work together, the Elks, the Chamber of Commerce, having more hands especially volunteers show we are all working to a common goal. We have talked about these pocket parks for a while and the Council prioritized it. It is a great reason to not only clean up these properties but putting them to good use. They are small spaces that people can enjoy. People really do come up with some wonderful ideas. Anyone not at the COW meeting that wants to hear about the sewer updates, it was the first of an item that is now always going to be listed on the Committee of the Whole meeting. The videos are always posted so if you are interested take a look to see what we have accomplished so far and what is coming and the plan moving forward. We will be giving a progress report at the COW meetings on what is going on now. I think this will be an opportunity to keep everyone in the loop, understand why we are doing it and what is being done. One week we can be making good progress and another week we may have uncovered another problem. That is what it is about to keep everyone informed. Another thing on the agenda was the HACPAC Agreement. We have been working on getting the performing arts center engaged with a group that will help raise money and bring in higher performers and provide services to the public. This is a good step forward and we will be finalizing the agreement soon now that the HACPAC is opened back up again. I did receive a 09/28/2021 21 phone call from the Regional Director of the FAA, we are continuing to fight for the pilots to use the new path and have the airport encourage the use. I get a lot of phone calls and emails on this. We did get a little spoiled during covid but not it seems worse than ever. We also have a lot more people working from home who may be more aware of it now than what they were out working. We need to continue to log those complaints and push the issue to get this alternate path used. As far as the conversation about the Zoom meetings, we looked at the new cases from the Health Department and the numbers were similar to what we saw last October before they went through the roof and we are praying that doesn’t happen again but no one knows. You always want to err on the side of caution. We don’t want anyone to be in a position where someone comes to a meeting and doesn’t feel well after. It is really nice to be in person and see people and be out together but we have to weigh all the options. We have gotten emails that people do like this option. Even if they are not asking questions, they are listening in so in many ways we have reached a broader audience. It is something we need to continue to think about. The more the merrier. Thank you to those who came. Councilman Battaglia – I want to thank Erin for the presentation about the sewers. Happy Retirement to Al in the Building Department. Thank you for the years of service to the City. We will continue with the work on Passaic Street. I want the ask the City Manager to look into the radar because they do not really work. I would love to see what the radar by the Bergen Mall is like. It is much better than what we got. I am happy for Gary and company for their work on the pocket parks and they are going to contribute to beautifying our city. Thank you for coming. Councilman Carroll – I would like to thank the new City Manager for being on top of things and being very thorough. I love the idea of pocket parks and little libraries. I did see some videos on the little libraries and I think it is going to be a great asset to our City. I would like to thank Erin for a job well done presenting the sewer updates. Mayor Labrosse – Thank you to Steven Gelber for the presentation on little libraries. They are a great idea. It is a great concept. We will do our best to make sure we help with the grant. Thank you to Erin. I am looking forward to the finish line next year to help alleviate some of the flooding. The pocket parks are a great idea. I’ve said for years that American Legion would make a great park. They should have a say in the design of the park. It is part of the ideology of the Environmental Commission so they should be involved with the design of the park. Many areas of our City flooded. I heard mentions of wards before. We have five wards and they all had an extensive and tremendous amount of flooding. The area just west of Railroad Avenue flood on a regular basis and is definitely a problem area that will be addressed with the stormwater job that is coming up that way. We are committed to continue to move forward with flood mitigation throughout the City, not just there because there are other areas that flood too. We are going to be looking at Coles Brook too. Even if it is squeaky clean, with that type of storm, you are going to have flooding. Erin mentioned this would be considered a 500 year storm. No one in our lifetime has seen something like this before. It was the worst in recorded history. Everyone sustained some sort of damage. The Deputy Mayor before said she lost her basement. I still have extensive damage to my house. It has not been fun for anyone. It is a City wide issue, not just one area although some are worse than others. On the docket tonight was the Prospect Avenue mid-block crosswalk design so we are moving forward with that. I am looking forward to the HACPAC resolution. It will be a group of well known people throughout the community helping to bring in acts, fundraise, raise money, work with Greg Liosi who does a great job, and I am hoping everyone works together to make this the best little theater in north jersey. Check out the website for upcoming events. Have a great night and week. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 9:18 PM. Approved by Mayor and Council on November 9, 2021. 09/28/2021 22  _____________________________________ Mayor John P. Labrosse, Jr. ____________________________________ Deputy Mayor Kathleen Canestrino _____________________________________ Councilman Leonardo Battaglia ___________________________________ Councilwoman Stephanie Von Rudenborg ______________________________________ Councilman Gerard Carroll Deputy City Clerk Allison Saabye, RMC 09/28/2021 23