City Council

COUNCIL CONFERENCE MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 30, 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 October 26, 2007. ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura (arrived at 5:17 pm), Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella - 6. ABSENT: Ms. Lartigue – 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Adoption of the following resolution to go into executive session was moved by Councilwoman Staton, seconded by Council President Pintella and carried by unanimous vote of Council. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO PERMIT DISCUSSION OF PENDING LITIGATION WHEREAS the City Council deems it necessary and essential to conduct a discussion concerning pending litigation, specifically: Taja Durling, et al v. City of Trenton, et al. Docket Number 04-cv-3777(AET) Ronald Kostzyu v. City of Trenton Docket Number CSVOT 02670-07 ; and WHEREAS the public disclosure of such discussion will be contrary to the interest of the City of Trenton and will not permit the fuller view of said matters; now therefore be it RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Trenton that a discussion be held on October 30, 2007, at or about 5:00 p.m., in the Council Conference Room at which session the public will be excluded pending the discussion of said matters only. The public shall be informed of the determination of the City Council with respect to the final disposition of said pending proceedings, which final disposition shall be memorialized appropriately and adopted at a public meeting as soon as practicable. Ayes: Messrs. Bethea, Coston, Melone, Segura, Ms. Staton, Mr. Pintella - 6. Absent: Ms. Lartigue – 1. Councilwoman Lartigue arrived during Executive Session at 5:26 pm. Council reconvened in open session at 5:55 p.m. All members were present with the exception of Councilman Segura who left the meeting at 5:58 p.m. City Council Conference: Minutes October 30, 2007 1 PRESENTATION: Full Spectrum Group, LLC Appearance: Walter Edwards, CEO Carlton Brown Messrs. Edwards and Brown thanked the City for allowing them to come in front of Council to make their presentation. They gave an overview of the Trenton Town Center project. They voiced concern that they have already invested $3,000,000 in the project without any agreements from the City of Trenton. They submitted letters from the US Bank, Bank of America and others who are willing to back their project and provide financial backing. They advised Council that the Banks and the State would not give them financial backing without a Developer Agreement. They stated that it was illegal for a bank to give a Commitment Letter to a developer that does not have a Developer Agreement. A detailed discussion was followed by a question and answer period. Councilman Melone left the meeting at 6:50 pm. DOCKET REVIEW: Appearance: Renee Haynes, Chief of Staff Jane Feigenbaum, Business Administrator Council reviewed the docket items. Council President Pintella made a motion to go into public comment, seconded by Councilman Coston, and carried by unanimous vote of Council. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Patricia Stewart, 679 Lamberton Street – spoke on several issues: She asked if it was a good ideal for an Assemblyman to work for the City; she said that the Flu Shot program was excellent but wanted to know if signing a contract in pencil was wise she felt that a document sign in pencil could be alter. Paul Harris, 137 Centre Street – Informed Council that on Sunday at the South Riverview Park they would be having a Fish Fry in support of the democratic individual running this year. Dion Clark, 323 Walnut Avenue – spoke on several issues: He thanked Councilwoman Staton for inviting him to the concert featuring the Whispers and Stephanie Mills; the Mayor told him that they would be doing major demolition on Walnut Avenue; the City should get started on the Rental Advisory Board. Mr. Rodriguez, 140 Mott Street - Complained about the Soho Bar located at 142 Mott Street. Bea Perry, 27 Sylvester Avenue – spoke on several issues: She was impressed with the Mayor last week; she thanked the Street Department for removing the graffiti on Hillside Avenue; dog signs should be put up; speeding on New York Avenue and Sylvester Avenue and the big trucks going down the street; trees covering the street lights need to be trimmed; the City needs to put left and right turns street signs on Sylvester Avenue. Zackary Chester, 1405 Stuyvesant Avenue – spoke on several issues: He stated that the Mayor did a wonderful job on the State of the City Address; the City should have brochures on their accomplishments; he told Councilman Coston that he was doing a great job because two of the things he had brought up to Council were mentioned in the State of the City Address by the Mayor; questioned if Robert Wood Johnson Hospital had seen the bids from the other bidders; the City should sit down with Capital Health System to talk about what is going on; Full Spectrum should only get six months to come back with an update on their project. City Council Conference: Minutes October 30, 2007 2 Donald Brokate, 104 Cornwall Avenue – spoke on several issues: He felt that the representatives for Full Spectrum were not prepared for the presentation; he complained about four vacant properties on South Hermitage Avenue; he stated that he is very concerned with what is going to happen to the Mercer Hospital property. James Foust, 13 Cavell Avenue – spoke on several issues: He stated that this City was under siege; there are too many drug problems on Sanford Street; people are leaving this City at an alarming rate; kids don’t go to school any longer it’s the parents fault because they are not doing their job. Councilman Bethea made a motion to close public comments, seconded by Councilwoman Lartigue and carried by unanimous vote of Council. CIVIC MATTERS: Councilwoman Lartigue 1) Asked to schedule a meeting on the Sherman Avenue School Investigating Committee on November 5, 2007 at 5:00 pm. 2) She asked if the information requested from the School Broad had been received. Councilman Coston 1) We still don’t have a representative from the Police Department. 2) He turned in a medical bill for one of the residents relating to the police stand off this summer on the 600 block of Centre Street. The meeting Adjourned at 8:19 p.m. Respectively submitted ___________________________ __________________________ PAUL M. PINTELLA JUANITA M. JOYNER CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ACTING CITY CLERK City Council Conference: Minutes October 30, 2007 3