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 VETERANS MEMORIAL SCHOOL 1401 Central Avenue 7 Union City, New Jersey 8 Tuesday, December 19, 2022 9 Commencing at 7:06 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 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: JORGE de ARMAS, ESQ. Corporation Counsel 20 21 HILDA ROSARIO, City Clerk 22 23 SUSAN BISCHOFF, CCR, RPR 449 Columbia Blvd., Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 24 201-933-8220 SBischoffccr@yahoo.com 25  2 1 I N D E X 2 PAGE 3 CALL TO ORDER 3 SALUTE TO FLAG 3 4 ROLL CALL 3 5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4 6 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION 5 7 CONSENT AGENDA 7 8 REGULAR AGENDA 14 9 CITIZENS ADDRESS THE BOARD 15 10 ADJOURNMENT 17 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  3 1 MS. ROSARIO: Please stand for the 2 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 Monday, December 19, 2022, at 10 7:00 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Elementary 11 School, 1401 Central Avenue. 12 This meeting has been called in 13 accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. 14 Adequate notice was forwarded to The Jersey 15 Journal, The Record, and The Hudson Reporter, has 16 been posted on the bulletin board in the City Hall 17 and has been made available to the public in the 18 Office of the Municipal Clerk. 19 20 ROLL CALL: 21 22 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Fernandez. 23 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Here. 24 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 25 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Here.  4 1 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 2 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Here. 3 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 4 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Here. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 6 MAYOR STACK: Here. 7 8 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES: 9 10 MS. ROSARIO: The first item on the 11 agenda is the approval of minutes. Motion to 12 approve meeting minutes for the December 6, 2022, 13 Board of Commissioners meeting. May I have a 14 motion to approve? 15 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 16 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 17 Valdivia. 18 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Second. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 20 Grullon. 21 Commissioner Fernandez. 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 24 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia.  5 1 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 3 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 5 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 6 7 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 8 action on the following item: 9 10 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION: 11 1. An ordinance amending Chapter 301 of 12 the Code of the City of Union City Entitle 13 "Peddling and Soliciting" setting forth permitted 14 hour of operation.) 15 16 MS. ROSARIO: There's one ordinance for 17 introduction. Adoption on first reading 18 authorizes the Municipal Clerk to advertise the 19 ordinance with a notice of the introduction, 20 together with a notice of the time and place when 21 the ordinance will be considered for final 22 passage. The ordinance will be further considered 23 at a meeting of the Board of Commissioners to be 24 held on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the Emerson 25 Middle School, 318 18th Street.  6 1 MAYOR STACK: All this ordinance will do 2 is it's going to govern the vendors that are out 3 in the street right now. We have some vendors 4 that are staying out there all night, whether it 5 be with a hot dog cart or with a vending truck, 6 they're out there all night. This will just have 7 them out there from, I believe, 7 a.m. to -- 8 Jorge, what time? 9 MR. De ARMAS: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 10 MAYOR STACK: To 11 p.m., which I think 11 is more than enough time and not to have them out 12 there. I just think that leaving them out there 13 3:00 in the morning just makes an attraction for a 14 problem to take place. 15 And it's something I noticed just from 16 driving around late at nighttime, as many times as 17 we speak to them. And some of them are leaving 18 the vehicle or the piece of equipment, the cart, 19 or whatever on the street, actually leaving it in 20 a parking space at nighttime. It takes up a 21 parking space, but also again it leads to 22 vandalism. We just want them to take it with them 23 and come back in the morning. They're welcome to 24 do it seven days a week, but at least to be out 25 there from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. is more than enough  7 1 time for them. And nothing good is going to 2 happen in those hours of the nighttime. That's 3 all it's doing. I'll make a motion to introduce. 4 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack, 6 second by Commissioner Fernandez. 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 following items in total: 20 21 CONSENT AGENDA: 22 23 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims. 24 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 25 Concurring Claims.  8 1 ( 3) Resolution Approving the Escrow Refunds. 2 ( 4) Resolution Approving the City Payroll. 3 ( 5) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll. 4 ( 6) Resolution Authorizing Refund of Redemption 5 Monies to Outside Lienholders. 6 ( 7) Resolution Authorizing Tax Refund in Tax 7 Appeal Decisions By the Tax Court of New Jersey. 8 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 9 Payment. 10 ( 9) Resolution Authorizing the Receipt of Bids 11 Fro Elevator Inspection Services For a Second 12 Occasion. 13 (10) Resolution to Adopt a Union City Vision Zero 14 Action Plan to Achieve the Goal of Eliminating All 15 Traffic-Related Injuries and Deaths in Union City 16 By 2027.) 17 18 MS. ROSARIO: There are ten items on the 19 consent agenda. 20 One, resolution approving the payment of 21 claims. 22 Two, resolution approving the payment of 23 concurring claims. 24 Three, resolution approving the escrow 25 refunds.  9 1 Four, resolution approving the City 2 payroll. 3 Five, resolution approving the library 4 payroll. 5 Six, resolution authorizing refund of 6 redemption monies to outside lienholders. 7 Seven, resolution authorizing tax refund 8 in tax appeal decisions by the Tax Court of New 9 Jersey. 10 Eight, resolution authorizing the refund 11 of payment. 12 Nine, resolution authorizing the receipt 13 of bids for elevator inspection services for a 14 second occasion. 15 Ten, resolution to adopt a Union City 16 Vision Zero Action Plan to achieve the goal of 17 eliminating all traffic related injuries and 18 deaths in Union City by 2027. 19 Mayor abstains on payment to Chasan 20 Lamporello and Mallon. 21 Mayor, would you like to take public 22 comment on the consent agenda? 23 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Just before we do, 24 just for the Commissioners, this was a late entry. 25 I always like to try to circulate so everybody  10 1 could read it. And I'll circulate it -- I think I 2 may have put it in the folder today, you may not 3 have gotten in your office. This is really a good 4 thing, this vision zero is an organization that 5 has come forward. It is quite detailed, the 6 proposal that they made about eliminating traffic 7 deaths, not only in urban areas, but throughout 8 the State of New Jersey. 9 We've seen how many individuals are hit 10 by vehicles, not only in Union City, but in Hudson 11 County. We've seen it happen. We've seen people 12 get hit down Tonnelle Avenue, 1&9, which is a 13 state road. We've seen the consequences what's 14 taken place, I mean it's bone chilling what you 15 see taking place. 16 But even here in Union City about a week 17 and a half, two weeks ago, we had a crossing 18 guard -- not a crossing guard, I'm sorry -- we had 19 a pedestrian get struck on 13th and New York 20 Avenue. Somebody turning the corner struck the 21 pedestrian. And there's been others in the City. 22 So we'd really like to take this approach, make 23 the City safer, look for recommendations from 24 professionals, maybe get at least one other 25 Commissioner to serve on this committee. I'm  11 1 going to serve on it as the director of public 2 safety. We'll have the chief, we'll have 3 representatives of the parks department, all the 4 departments will be represented, revenue and 5 finance, public works, public affairs, and then 6 we'll get people from fire prevention. 7 It's pretty much laid out when you read 8 the ordinance -- the resolution, it's pretty laid 9 out. You'll have recreation on there, just a lot 10 of different perspectives. And we'll start 11 meeting on a monthly basis, maybe before or after 12 a Commission meeting, just to really look how we 13 can make it safer. 14 So we've tried with flashing signs in 15 the community, better striping in the community, 16 safer crosswalks, brighter street lights. But 17 even in daytime, we need to look when it's light 18 outside, we need to look for other ways to make it 19 safer. 20 We live in the most densely populated 21 city in America, all of us know that, I don't need 22 to preach to the choir. But see how we can make 23 it safer. Maybe there's a recommendation that 24 Wendy has or Lucio has, Celin, Margie, that may be 25 the chief doesn't see, I don't see, that maybe the  12 1 engineering firm that represents the City, 2 Colliers Engineering, doesn't see. But I think 3 there's more and more we can do. And I just felt 4 this was a good opportunity. 5 On top of that, when you adopt this, you 6 could also apply for funding. I think it's up to 7 like -- I forgot the number, Jorge, do you 8 remember, it's like 15 million dollars that's set 9 aside for Vision Zero in New Jersey. I read the 10 whole packet, it was quite thick. But there's 11 money that you can apply for for other items. 12 Like being that we're going to do Hudson Avenue, 13 next summer, we'll start Hudson Avenue. What else 14 can we do to enhance that? And we'll have 15 testimony, we'll have public hearings, stuff like 16 that. And we'll do this from now until 2027. 17 This committee will meet regularly, whether we do 18 it quarterly, monthly, we'll come up with that. 19 But I'd like to try at least to get one of the 20 Commissioners also see if they'd like to serve on 21 this board. I think this would be great. 22 Anyone wishing to comment on any matter 23 on the agenda right now, please step forward, 24 state your name and address for the record. 25 Seeing none, I'll make a motion to close  13 1 public hearing. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 3 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 5 Valdivia. 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 MS. ROSARIO: Motion to approve all 17 items on the consent agenda? 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 20 Valdivia. 21 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Second. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 23 Grullon. 24 Commissioner Fernandez. 25 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes.  14 1 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 2 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 3 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 4 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 6 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 8 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 9 10 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 11 action on the following: 12 13 REGULAR AGENDA: 14 15 1. Resolution approving a payment of 16 claim to the Hudson County Improvement Authority.) 17 18 MS. ROSARIO: There's one item on the 19 regular agenda, resolution approving payment of 20 claims to the Hudson County Improvement Authority. 21 Commissioner Martinetti will recuse from the vote. 22 May I have a motion on item number one? 23 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Motion. 24 MAYOR STACK: Second. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner  15 1 Grullon, second by Mayor Stack. 2 Commissioner Fernandez. 3 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 5 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 7 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 9 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 10 11 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: 12 13 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor, would you like to 14 take public comments? 15 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Just before we do, 16 I would just like to thank the Commissioners for 17 their dedication and all the work that they're 18 doing in the community to make it a better place. 19 It's truly making Union City like a large family. 20 They saw us being together as one and being 21 together as a family, we bring the community 22 together. 23 I'd just like to thank each and every 24 one of you for the hard work that you put in, your 25 dedication and loyalty to the community and to the  16 1 City. Thank you very much. 2 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: I'd like to 3 thank you for everything you do for the City. 4 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: We had a great 6 year this year in terms of new projects and some 7 that are still coming and that's because of your 8 leadership as a state senator and especially as 9 Mayor of Union City. 10 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 11 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: And I want to 12 that you for everything you do for Union City. 13 And I want to thank the city clerk, the attorney, 14 yourself. I want to wish the three of you a 15 healthy and blessed new year. 16 MAYOR STACK: And thank you for your 17 work. 18 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Thank you. 19 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 20 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Thank you. 21 MS. ROSARIO: Thank you. 22 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: We won't meet 23 again until we meet in Emerson. 24 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 25 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Happy holidays.  17 1 MAYOR STACK: And healthy and happy 2 holiday to everyone in the community also. 3 Anyone wishing to comment on any matter 4 concerning municipal government in the City of 5 Union City, please step forward, state your name 6 and address for the record. 7 Seeing none, I'll make a motion. 8 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack. 10 Second by Commissioner Martinetti. 11 Commissioner Fernandez. 12 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 13 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 14 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 15 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 16 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 17 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 18 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 20 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 21 22 ADJOURNMENT: 23 24 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 25 adjourn?  18 1 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion. 2 MAYOR STACK: Second. 3 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 4 Martinetti, second by Mayor Stack. All in favor? 5 6 (Whereupon, all Commissioners indicate 7 in the affirmative.) 8 9 (Whereupon the meeting was adjourned at 10 7:17 p.m.) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  19 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 Jorge de Armas, Esq., 11 Corporation Counsel 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  20 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