City Council

COUNCIL CONFERENCE MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 CITY HALL - 5:00 PM A Conference Meeting of the City Council of the City of Trenton, New Jersey, was held on the above date at 5:15 p.m. in the Council Conference Room, City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Council President Paul M. Pintella. Council President announced that adequate public notice had been provided to the public specifying the time and place for this meeting in accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act. Said notice was mailed to the Times and the Trentonian Newspapers, posted on the first floor bulletin board in City Hall, and filed in the City Clerk’s Office on June 21, 2007 by Resolution No. 07-316. The agenda for this meeting was mailed, posted and filed on September 14, 2007. ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Messrs. Bethea & Coston, Mr. Melone (arrived at 5:23 pm), Mr. Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6 ABSENT: Mrs. Lartigue – 1 DOCKET REVIEW: Appearance: Renee Haynes, Chief of Staff Jane Feigenbaum, Business Administrator Council reviewed the docket items. PUBLIC COMMENT: Zachary Chester, 1405 Stuyvesant Avenue - spoke on resolution no. # 5vr which awarded a 5-year contract to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital for $338,000.00 yearly. He requested that Capital Health System be notified of the complaints filed. Jackie Blakey, 15 Fell Street – spoke in opposition of the 40 year pilot being requested by Bayville for the Broad Street Bank Building. James Fouse, 13 Cavell Street – spoke on several issues: He complained that Comcast Cable Company did not have a senior citizen discount; He also suggested that the City have a parade for the Trenton Thunder Baseball team for winning the AA Championship. CIVIC MATTERS: Councilman Coston 1. Passed out a draft copy of an Ordinance with regards to Police staffing, and stating that Council should review police staffing, and increase the number of police officers. 2. He asked Administration if the firefighters had received their back pay. 3. He also requested a presentation from Full Spectrum to discuss their plan. Councilman Melone 1. Asked to schedule the Police Director to come before Council for a workshop. Councilman Bethea 1. Asked administration if Full Spectrum’s term as a developer had expired. 2. He asked for a copy of the City’s Economic Development Master Plan. 3. He also asked that Comcast Cable Company be invited to come before Council for a workshop. Council President Pintella 1. Congratulated the Jazz Festival staff for the great job they did. 2. He thanked the Departments of Public Works and Recreation for the wonderful job they did with the cleaning and maintenance of the grounds for the Jazz Festival. 3. He also asked Director Jackson for an update on the Mill Hill Parking Decals. Councilman Segura 1. Commended Director Jackson on the street paving work they did. City Council Conference: Minutes September 18, 2007 1 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSEES REVIEWS 1. New Home Liquors Corp., t/a Same 810 Stuyvesant Avenue Appearing before Council on behalf of New Home Liquors Corp., Mr. John F. Vassallo, Attorney with the law firm Kearns, Vassallo & Kearns, Mr. Miguel Rodriguez, owner and Monica as translator. Council President asked Mr. Rodriguez if he ever received any of the invitations Council had send out and never responded to them. He asked Mr. Rodriguez if he was aware of the special conditions placed on his license. Mr. Rodriguez was advised of the charges being filed against his license. City Council and Mr. Vassallo discussed suspension of his license to settle the charges and reached an agreement concerning same. City Council and the Licensee agreed to a ten day suspension to be served two days per week for five weeks. Reading and action on Resolution # 07-513: RESOLUTION GRANTING RENEWAL OF PLENARY RETAIL DISTRIBUTION LICENSE # 1111-44-040-004 FOR 2007-2008 The Resolution was moved by Councilman Segura, seconded by Councilman Melone and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 Reading and action on Resolution # 07-514: RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE LICENSE SUSPENSION AGREEMENT FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE NO. 1111-44-040-004, NEW HOME LIQUORS, INC., T/A NEW HOME LIQUORS, 810 STUYVESANT AVENUE The Resolution was moved by Councilman Segura, seconded by Councilman Melone and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 2. OZ Juan, Inc., t/a Passions Restaurant & Nightclub 801-803 E. State Street Appearing before Council on behalf of Oz Juan, Inc. t/a Passions Restaurant & Nightclub, Mr. Vassallo, Attorney with the law firm of Kearns, Vassallo & Kearns and Mr. Juan Martinez, owner. Council notified Mr. Martinez of the charges being file against him. City Council and the Licensee agreed to a ten day suspension to be served one day per week for ten weeks. Reading and action on Resolution # 07-515: RESOLUTION GRANTING RENEWAL OF PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION W/BROAD PACKAGE LICENSE #1111-33-200-004 FOR 2007-2008 The Resolution was moved by Councilman Melone, seconded by Councilman Segura and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, – 5. Absent: Ms. Lartigue – 1 Abstain: Mr. Pintella - 1 City Council Conference: Minutes September 18, 2007 2 Reading and action on Resolution # 07-516: RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE LICENSE SUSPENSION AGREEMENT FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE NO. 1111-33-200-004, OZ JUAN, INC., T/A PASSIONS RESTAURANT AND NIGHTCLUB, 801-803 E. STATE STREET The Resolution was moved by Councilman Segura, seconded by Councilman Melone and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 3. Quil-to, t/a El Rancho Restaurant & Bar, 200 Fulton Street Appearing before Council on behalf of Quil-to, t/a El Rancho Restaurant and Bar, Mr. Vassallo, Attorney with the law firm Kearns, Vassallo & Kearns, Mr. Jose Bernal, Manager & Mr. Quilto Torres, owner. Written complaint received by the office of Citizens Complaints was read for the record by Council President Pintella. The complaint included loud music, patrons urinating outside, cars speeding down the street, and fighting. Council notified Mr. Jose Bernal, the manager and Mr. Quilto Torres the owner, of the charges being filed against the license. City Council and the Licensee agreed to a fourteen days suspension to be served on a one day per week basis for 14 weeks. Reading and action on Resolution # 07-517: RESOLUTION GRANTING RENEWAL OF PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSE # 1111-33-028-008 FOR 2007-2008 The Resolution was moved by Councilman Coston, seconded by Councilman Bethea and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 Reading and action on Resolution # 07-518: RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE LICENSE SUSPENSION AGREEMENT FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE NO. 1111-33-028-008, QUIL-TO, INC., T/A EL RANCHO RESTAURANT, 200 FULTON STREET The Resolution was moved by Councilman Coston, seconded by Councilman Bethea and adopted with the following vote: Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD APPOINTMENTS: City Council interviewed the following candidates for the positions available on the Housing Authority Board. • Ms. Ann Labate, South Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey • Mr. Kyle P. Ledford, 927 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton, New Jersey • Mr. Kesner Dufresne, Jr., 24 Pierce Avenue, Trenton, New Jersey • Mr. Gary Gentry, 68 Spring Street, Trenton, New Jersey City Council Conference: Minutes September 18, 2007 3 Councilwoman Staton moved to appoint Mr. Gary Gentry to the Housing Authority (unexpired term of Marion Allen, to expire on July 27, 2010), seconded by Council President Pintella. Motion carried. Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella – 6 Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 Councilman Melone moved to appoint Mr. Kesner Dufresne to the Housing Authority, (5 year term to expire on July 27, 2012), seconded by Councilman Segura. Motion carried. Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella - 6 Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 Councilman Segura moved to appoint Mr. Kyle P. Ledford to the Housing Authority, (to fill the unexpired term of Marion K. Ray, to expire on July 27, 2008), seconded by Councilman Bethea. Motion carried. Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella - 6 Absent: Ms. Lartigue - 1 EXECUTIVE SESSION: Councilwoman Staton moved to adopt a resolution to go into Executive Session, seconded by Councilman Bethea, motion was carried and resolution was read into the record. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 et seq. the public is hereby excluded from the following discussions; involving the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of, promotion or disciplining of any specific prospective public officer or employee or current public officer or employee employed or appointed by the public body, unless all the individual employees or appointees whose rights could be adversely request in writing that such matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the contents of these discussions will be disclosed to the public once the matter involving confidentiality of the above no longer requires that confidentially. City Council went into Executive Session at 8:23 pm; reconvened in Public session at 9:26 pm. Council members and the Acting Deputy Municipal Clerk, Penelope S. Edwards-Carter discussed the condition of the City records maintained in the basement of City Hall and the damage being done. Concern was voiced that unless the issue is addressed historical documents will be lost forever. Meeting Adjourned at 9:38 p.m. Respectively submitted ___________________________ __________________________ PAUL M. PINTELLA PENELOPE S. EDWARDS-CARTER CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ACTING DEPUTY CLERK City Council Conference: Minutes September 18, 2007 4