Board of Commissioners

1 1 CITY OF UNION CITY HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY 2 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 3 : REGULAR MEETING : TRANSCRIPT OF 4 : --------------------: PROCEEDINGS 5 6 COLIN POWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1500 New York Avenue 7 Union City, New Jersey 8 Tuesday, December 6, 2022 9 Commencing at 7:00 p.m. 10 11 M E M B E R S P R E S E N T: 12 LUCIO P. FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER WENDY A. GRULLON, COMMISSIONER 13 MARYURY A. MARTINETTI, COMMISSIONER (Via Zoom) CELIN J. VALDIVIA, COMMISSIONER 14 BRIAN P. STACK, MAYOR 15 M E M B E R S A B S E N T: 16 17 A L S O P R E S E N T: 18 SCARINCI HOLLENBECK 19 BY: ANGELO AUTERI, ESQ. Corporation Counsel 20 RAY GONZALEZ, ESQ. 21 Attorney for the Union City Alcohol Beverage Control Commission 22 HILDA ROSARIO, City Clerk 23 24 SUSAN BISCHOFF, CCR, RPR 449 Columbia Blvd., Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 25 201-933-8220 SBischoffccr@yahoo.com  2 1 A P P E A R A N C E S: 2 PAUL J. GIBLIN, JR., ESQ. Attorney for Roberto Bonilla 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  3 1 I N D E X 2 PAGE 3 CALL TO ORDER 4 SALUTE TO FLAG 4 4 ROLL CALL 4 5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 5 6 CONSENT AGENDA 6 7 REGULAR AGENDA 12 8 CITIZENS ADDRESS THE BOARD 13 9 LIQUOR LICENSE PUBLIC HEARINGS 16 10 Reuben Liquors 17 Roberto Bonilla 19 11 12 ADJOURNMENT 23 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  4 1 MS. ROSARIO: Can everyone please stand 2 for the Pledge of Allegiance? 3 4 (Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance was 5 recited.) 6 7 MS. ROSARIO: This is a regular public 8 meeting of the Union City Board of Commissioners 9 being held on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 10 7:00 p.m., at the Colin Powell Elementary School, 11 1500 New York Avenue, Union City. 12 This meeting has been called in 13 accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. 14 Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided 15 as follows: Was forwarded to The Jersey Journal, 16 The Record, and The Hudson Reporter, has been 17 posted on the bulletin board in the City Hall and 18 has been made available to the public in the 19 Office of the Municipal Clerk. 20 21 ROLL CALL: 22 23 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Fernandez. 24 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Here. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon.  5 1 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Here. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 3 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Here. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 5 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Here. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 7 MAYOR STACK: Here. 8 9 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES: 10 11 MS. ROSARIO: First item on the agenda 12 is the approval of minutes. Motion to approve 13 meeting minutes for the November 15, 2022, Board 14 of Commissioners meeting. 15 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 16 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 17 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 18 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 19 Fernandez. 20 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 21 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 22 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 24 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti.  6 1 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 3 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 4 5 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 6 action on the following items in total: 7 8 CONSENT AGENDA: 9 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims. 10 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 11 Concurring Claims. 12 ( 3) Resolution Approving the Escrow Refunds. 13 ( 4) Resolution Approving the City Payroll 14 10/22/2022 - 11/04/2022. 15 ( 5) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 16 10/22/2022 - 11/04/2022. 17 ( 6) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of Premium 18 Monies Collected At the Tax Sale. 19 ( 7) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of Payment 20 For Real Estate Taxes on Block 175, Lot 5 Also 21 Known As 1908 Summit Avenue, Union City. 22 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 23 Duplicate Payment For Block 193, Lot 36, CO201, 24 Also Known As 523-25 34th Street, Union City. 25 ( 9) Resolution Authorizing Refund of Redemption  7 1 Monies to Outside Lienholders. 2 (10) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 3 Duplicate Payment For Real Estate Taxes and 4 Abatement Taxes on Block 104, Lot 1 CO406 Also 5 Known As 1901 Summit Avenue, Union City. 6 (11) Resolution Authorizing Assessor and Special 7 Counsel to Correct Errors in Tax Assessments, Sign 8 Stipulations to Correct Said Errors, Settle 9 Certain Appeals, and File Municipal Tax Appeals on 10 Behalf of the City of Union City For the Period of 11 July 1, 2022 Through and Including June 30, 2023. 12 (12) Resolution Re-Appointing Lilia A. Munoz As 13 Municipal Judge For the City of Union City 14 (January 1, 2023-December 31, 2026). 15 (13) Resolution Supporting the Drive Sober Or Get 16 Pulled Over 2022 Year End Holiday Crackdown. 17 (14) Resolution Amending 2022-2023 Schedule of 18 the Board of Commissioners. 19 (15) Resolution Designating Palisade Avenue From 20 33rd to 34th Street As "Nick Galis Way". 21 (16) Resolution to Authorize Extension to 22 Contract For Grant Writing Services.) 23 24 MS. ROSARIO: There are 16 items on the 25 consent agenda.  8 1 One, resolution approving the payment of 2 claims. 3 Two, resolution approving payment of 4 concurrent claims. 5 Three, resolution approving the escrow 6 refunds. 7 Four, resolution approving the City 8 payroll from October 22, 2022, through November 4, 9 2022. 10 Five, resolution approving the library 11 payroll from October 22, 2022 through November 4, 12 2022. 13 Six, resolution authorizing the refund 14 of premium monies collected at the tax sale. 15 Seven, resolution authorizing the refund 16 of payment for real estate taxes on Block 175, Lot 17 5 also known as 1908 Summit Avenue, Union City. 18 Eight, resolution authorizing the refund 19 of duplicate payment for Block 193, Lot 36 CO201 20 also known as 523-25 34th Street, Union City. 21 Nine, resolution authorizing refund of 22 redemption monies to outside lienholders. 23 Ten, resolution authorizing the refund 24 of duplicate payment for the real estate texes and 25 abatement taxes on Block 104, Lot 1 CO406, also  9 1 known as 1901 Summit Avenue, Union City. 2 Eleven, resolution authorizing assessor 3 and special counsel to correct errors in tax 4 assessments, sign stipulations to correct said 5 errors, settle certain appeals, and file municipal 6 tax appeals on behalf of the City of Union City 7 for the period of July 1, 2022, through and 8 including June 30, 2023. 9 Twelve, resolution reappointing Lilia A. 10 Munoz as Municipal Court Judge for the City of 11 Union City January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2026. 12 Thirteen, resolution supporting the 13 Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over 2022 year end 14 holiday crack down. 15 Fourteen, resolution amending 2022-2023 16 schedule of the Board of Commissioners. 17 Fifteen, resolution designating Palisade 18 Avenue from 33rd to 34th Street as "Nick Galis 19 Way". 20 Sixteen, resolution to authorize 21 extension to contract for grant writing services. 22 Mayor abstains on payments on Chasan, 23 Lamporello and Mallon. Mayor, would you like to 24 take -- 25 MAYOR STACK: I would. Just before we  10 1 do, just on number seven, resolution refund of 2 payment, that address has to be incorrect because 3 1908 Summit Avenue would be Jose Marti School. So 4 maybe it's a typo on 1908 or maybe it's not Summit 5 Avenue. Just have somebody check that. Because 6 Colin Powell School occupies 18 to 21 Summit 7 Avenue on the east side of the street, which would 8 be the even numbers. 9 MS. ROSARIO: It says 1908, but I'll 10 check. 11 MAYOR STACK: Maybe take this off. 12 MR. AUTERI: It's 1901 on the 13 resolution, Mayor. 14 MAYOR STACK: It is, okay. 15 MR. AUTERI: Let the record reflect this 16 is a resolution to approve the refund of duplicate 17 payment for 1901 Summit Avenue. 18 MAYOR STACK: Very good. That's the 19 building on the corner on the opposite side. 20 MS. ROSARIO: 1901. 21 MAYOR STACK: Anyone wishing to comment 22 on the consent agenda, please step forward, state 23 your name and address for the record. 24 MS. ROSARIO: Motion to close public 25 comment?  11 1 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 3 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 5 Fernandez. 6 Commissioner Fernandez. 7 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 9 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 10 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 11 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 13 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 14 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 15 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 16 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Are there any 17 payments -- 18 MS. ROSARIO: No, there is none. 19 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Okay, thank 20 you. 21 MS. ROSARIO: You're welcome. 22 MAYOR STACK: And I'll be recusing on 23 any matters relating to Chasan Lamporello? 24 MS. ROSARIO: Yes. 25 MAYOR STACK: You got it.  12 1 MS. ROSARIO: Motion to approve all 2 items on the consent agenda? 3 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 4 MAYOR STACK: Second. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 6 Valdivia, second by Mayor Stack. 7 Commissioner Fernandez. 8 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 10 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 11 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 12 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 13 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 14 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 15 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 16 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 17 18 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 19 action on the following item: 20 21 REGULAR AGENDA: 22 1. Resolution for the payment of claims to the 23 Union City Board of Education.) 24 25 MS. ROSARIO: There's one item for the  13 1 regular agenda is resolution for payment of claims 2 to the Union City Board of Education. 3 MR. AUTERI: Tonight, the Board will be 4 invoking the doctrine of necessity to permit 5 Commissioners Valdivia and Grullon to provide a 6 vote on this matter. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Motion to approve item one 8 on the regular agenda? 9 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 10 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 11 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Second. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 13 Grullon. 14 Commissioner Grullon. 15 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 16 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 17 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 18 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 19 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 20 21 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: 22 23 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor, would you like to 24 take public comment? 25 MAYOR STACK: First I'd like to thank  14 1 the Commissioners for moving 100 percent of our 2 meetings throughout the community in a different 3 location whenever we meet. 4 And at this point, I'd just like to take 5 any public who would like to comment on any matter 6 concerning municipal government in the City of 7 Union City, please step forward, state your name 8 and address for the record? 9 MR. GARCIA: Andres Garcia, 121 34th 10 Street. Just to thank you, Mr. Mayor, Brian Stack 11 and the Board of Commissioners for the good job. 12 Thank you for Peter Street, what amazing -- just 13 as soon as they open it, all the parking is full. 14 You pass any hour, you pass 1:00 in the morning, 15 2:00 in the afternoon, it's full. I just passed 16 right now to come here, it's full. Thank you very 17 much, great job and happy holidays. 18 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. You 19 also, thank you very much, sir. 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: I'd also like to 21 say something on number 15. Nicky Galis? He's 22 one of the best basketball player in Union City 23 history. He played for Union Hill, it was a 24 little before I went to Union Hill. But he became 25 a superstar in Europe, he was a Michael Jordan of  15 1 Europe. He was drafted, he went to Seton Hall 2 University. From there, he went to the Boston 3 Celtics, he got hurt -- he went there by one of 4 the biggest basketball people in Boston, regretted 5 not to keep him. But he became a superstar in 6 Europe, you can Google him. He's an amazing 7 basketball player. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Good to know. 9 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. I'd 10 also like to comment on the resolution 11 reappointing Judge Lilia Munoz as our Municipal 12 Court Judge. Judge Munoz has done a tremendous 13 job as our Municipal Court Judge. Always with 14 dignity and respect for the law. She's done an 15 excellent job. She's been here since I think 16 early 2000, late '99 she's been appointed. I'm 17 hoping she's with us as a judge for many years to 18 come. She's done a great job and I'm proud that 19 we're reappointing her. 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: I agree with 21 you. 22 MAYOR STACK: Anyone else wishing to 23 comment at this time? 24 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor, can I have a motion 25 to close the public comment portion of this  16 1 meeting? Mayor Stack. 2 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 3 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 4 Fernandez. 5 Commissioner Fernandez. 6 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 8 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 10 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 11 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 12 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 13 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 14 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 15 16 LIQUOR LICENSE HEARINGS: 17 1. Change of Corporate Structure 18 application. 19 Licensee: Niel Akshar, Inc. 20 T/a Reuben Liquors 21 Address: 2117 Summit Avenue 22 License No. 0910-32-178-005 23 Application: Change of Corporate 24 Structure 25 Attorney: Gerald Miller, Esq. And Sunny  17 1 Desai, Esq. 2 3 2. Transfer application 4 Applicant: Roberto Bonilla 5 Address: Pocket license 6 License No. 0910-33-038-005 7 Application: Person-to-person 8 Attorney: Paul J. Giblin, Jr., Esq. 9 10 MS. ROSARIO: Now, we have our liquor 11 license hearings. Mr. Gonzalez. 12 MR. GONZALEZ: Good evening, Mayor, 13 Commissioners. 14 MAYOR STACK: The portion of the meeting 15 that we're going to right now, for the public's 16 knowledge, is on liquor hearings. At this time, 17 the ABC prosecutor, Mr. Gonzalez, will now take 18 over the presentation. 19 1. Change of Corporate Structure application. 20 Licensee: Niel Akshar, Inc. 21 T/a Reuben Liquors 22 Address: 2117 Summit Avenue 23 License No. 0910-32-178-005 24 Application: Change of Corporate 25 Structure  18 1 Attorney: Gerald Miller, Esq. And Sunny 2 Desai, Esq. 3 4 MR. GONZALEZ: Thank you, Mayor. 5 We have two matters on the agenda today. 6 The first one is Reuben Liquors, 2117 Summit 7 Avenue. It is just a change of corporate 8 structure, I didn't ask the parties to come in 9 because there were three actual owners, which each 10 held 33 and a third percent. One of them is 11 leaving, so the balance is now going to be 50-50, 12 it just requires that the Board approve, but it's 13 the same owners. 14 MAYOR STACK: Great. 15 MS. ROSARIO: Motion to approve? 16 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 17 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 20 Valdivia. 21 Commissioner Fernandez. 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 24 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia.  19 1 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 3 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 5 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 6 7 2. Transfer application 8 Applicant: Roberto Bonilla 9 Address: Pocket license 10 License No. 0910-33-038-005 11 Application: Person-to-person 12 Attorney: Paul J. Giblin, Jr., Esq. 13 14 MR. GONZALEZ: The second is an 15 application by Roberto Bonilla, he is purchasing a 16 license and it is going to be held in pocket 17 status. Since he would be a new owner, I did ask 18 him, he is here present with his attorney. I'll 19 ask them to come up. Prior to coming to the 20 Board, we've done the process of reviewing the 21 application. Sergeant Zeron has also made sure 22 that the background checks have come out clear, 23 has done a completed study on Mr. Bonilla, where 24 the access came from, and the police department is 25 satisfied that this gentleman would qualify. I  20 1 know Mr. Giblin wants to say a couple items to the 2 Board. But I believe it's properly before the 3 Board at this time for consideration for a 4 transfer to a pocket status license only, not to a 5 location. 6 MR. GIBLIN: Thank you. Mr. Bonilla's 7 going to take the license and hold it -- 8 MAYOR STACK: Did you enter your 9 appearance? 10 MR. GIBLIN: Sure, sure. Paul Giblin on 11 behalf of the Robert Bonilla, sitting to my right. 12 Mr. Bonilla is going to take a license and hold 13 it, he's looking at possibly opening a restaurant 14 or bar sometime in the future in Union City, 15 should he be able to find a building to 16 accommodate same. 17 Mr. Bonilla has a bar restaurant already 18 in Bergenfield, he has a couple fish markets, one 19 in Hackensack and one in Westfield, and a 20 supermarket. So he's -- in the time I've known 21 him, he's been a very industrious, hard working 22 man. And I think if he does decide to put a 23 restaurant or bar here, I think it will be an 24 asset to the City. 25 MAYOR STACK: Great, thank you.  21 1 MR. GONZALEZ: Just so the Mayor and 2 Commissioners are aware, Sergeant Zeron did send 3 notification to Bergenfield where he is an owner 4 of a liquor license establishment and there's been 5 no violations. 6 MAYOR STACK: Excellent. 7 MR. GONZALEZ: So that was -- 8 MAYOR STACK: How many years has he 9 owned that establishment? 10 MR. BONILLA: Around ten years. 11 MAYOR STACK: Ten years, very good. 12 Welcome to have you. Good luck. 13 MR. BONILLA: Thank to the City and the 14 town. I see a lot of opportunity to do business 15 here in this town. And we try to make a new 16 business, new people coming from New York and 17 Union City. I think it will be something nice. 18 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Just be aware, 19 Union City is the most densely populated -- one of 20 the most densely populated cities in America. So 21 just be aware where you're looking and where you 22 open, just be aware of how much residential you 23 have in that area and what is else going on in the 24 area. 25 MR. BONILLA: Yeah, I want to see  22 1 like -- 2 MAYOR STACK: Right. It would be good 3 to be in contact with Sergeant Zeron and the 4 police department, they can help guide you on 5 that. 6 MR. BONILLA: Okay. 7 MAYOR STACK: Great, thank you very much 8 and good luck to you. I'll make a motion. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 10 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 11 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 12 Fernandez. 13 Commissioner Fernandez. 14 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 15 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 16 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 17 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 20 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 21 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 22 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 23 24 25  23 1 ADJOURNMENT: 2 3 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 4 adjourn this meeting, Mayor? 5 MAYOR STACK: Yes, thank you very much 6 to everyone who attended the meeting. 7 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 8 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 10 Valdivia, second by Commissioner Fernandez. 11 12 (All Commissioners indicate in the 13 affirmative.) 14 15 (Whereupon the meeting was adjourned at 16 7:14 p.m.) 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  24 1 Brian P. Stack 2 Lucio P. Fernandez 3 Maryury A. Martinetti 4 Celin J. Valdivia 5 Wendy A. Grullon 6 Board of Commissioners 7 8 9 Attest: 10 Angelo Auteri, Esq., 11 Corporation Counsel 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  25 1 C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 4 5 6 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a 7 true and accurate transcript of the testimony and 8 proceedings as taken stenographically by me at the 9 time, place, and on the date hereinbefore set 10 forth. 11 12 13 14 SUSAN BISCHOFF, CCR, RPR LICENSE NO. 30XI00233700 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25