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 MUSTO CULTURAL CENTER 420 - 15th Street 7 Union City, New Jersey 8 Thursday, October 19, 2023 9 Commencing at 7:05 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 CELIN J. VALDIVIA, COMMISSIONER BRIAN P. STACK, MAYOR 14 15 M E M B E R S A B S E N T: 16 MARYURY A. MARTINETTI, COMMISSIONER 17 A L S O P R E S E N T: 18 SCARINCI HOLLENBECK 19 BY: SAMANTHA BLAKE, ESQ. Corporation Counsel 20 21 HILDA ROSARIO, City Clerk 22 23 24 SUSAN BISCHOFF, CCR, RPR 449 Columbia Blvd., Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 25 201-933-8220 SBischoffccr@yahoo.com  2 1 I N D E X 2 PAGE 3 CALL TO ORDER 3 SALUTE TO FLAG 3 4 ROLL CALL 3 5 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION 4 6 CONSENT AGENDA 6 7 CITIZENS ADDRESS THE BOARD 15 8 ADJOURNMENT 16 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  3 1 (Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance is 2 recited.) 3 MS. ROSARIO: This is a regular meeting 4 of the Union City Board of Commissioners being 5 held on Thursday, October 19th, at 7:00 p.m. at 6 the William V. Musto Center at 420 - 15th Street 7 in Union City. 8 This meeting has been called in 9 accordance with Chapter 231 public law. Adequate 10 notice of this meeting has been provided to The 11 Jersey Journal and The Record, has been posted on 12 the bulletin board in City Hall and has been made 13 available to the public in the office of the 14 Municipal Clerk. 15 16 ROLL CALL: 17 18 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Fernandez. 19 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Here. 20 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 21 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Here. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 23 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Here. 24 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 25 MAYOR STACK: Yes.  4 1 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti is 2 absent. 3 4 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 5 action on the following item: 6 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION: 7 1. An ordinance of the City of Union 8 City, County of Hudson, New Jersey, appropriating 9 the sum of $7,000,000.00 in funding from the state 10 transitional aid program for the acquisition of 11 certain capital equipment and the completion of 12 various capital improvements.) 13 14 MS. ROSARIO: The first item is the 15 ordinance for introduction. Adoption on first 16 reading authorizes the municipal clerk to 17 advertise the ordinance with a notice of the 18 introduction, together with a notice of the time 19 and place where the ordinance will be considered 20 for the final passage. The ordinance will be 21 further considered at meeting of the Board of 22 Commissioners to be held on Wednesday, November 8, 23 2023, at St. Anthony School, 700 Central Avenue, 24 Union City, New Jersey, at 7:00 p.m. 25 MAYOR STACK: Just this ordinance is  5 1 real important. I just thank the Commissioners 2 for working together with me on this. I want to 3 thank Governor Murphy for the commitment that he's 4 made to helping the urban areas. 5 These are improvements and repairs, 6 $3 million towards Hudson avenue that the Governor 7 helped us with, $3 million toward the purchase of 8 the teamster building for affordable housing, 9 $250,000 for bicycle lanes, $150,000 for various 10 sewer line improvements, acquisition of and 11 installation of additional street signs in the 12 city, to secure them to be held properly, sidewalk 13 repairs throughout the community and pothole 14 repairs for a total of $7 million. 15 MS. ROSARIO: An ordinance of the City 16 of Union City, County of Hudson, New Jersey, 17 appropriating the sum of $7,000,000.00 in funding 18 from the state transitional aid program for the 19 acquisition of certain capital equipment and the 20 completion of various capital improvements. 21 May I have a motion to introduce? 22 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 24 Stack. 25 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second.  6 1 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 2 Valdivia. 3 Commissioner Fernandez. 4 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 6 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 8 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 10 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 11 12 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 13 action on the following items in total: 14 CONSENT AGENDA: 15 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims. 16 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 17 Concurrent Claims. 18 ( 3) Resolution Approving the Escrow Refunds. 19 ( 4) Resolution Approving the City Payroll From 20 September 9, 2023, Through September 22, 2023. 21 ( 5) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 22 From September 9, 2023, Through September 22, 23 2023. 24 ( 6) Resolution Authorizing Refund of Redemption 25 Monies to Outside Lienholders.  7 1 ( 7) Resolution Cancelling Taxes on Property 2 Deemed Exempt For 100 Percent Disabled Veteran. 3 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of Premium 4 Monies Collected At the Tax Sale. 5 ( 9) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 6 Payment. 7 (10) Resolution Authorizing Area in Need of 8 Redevelopment Study For 707 Summit Avenue Also 9 Known As Block 32.01, Lot 4 and 810 Kennedy 10 Boulevard, Also Known As Block 43, Lot 6 and 812 11 Kennedy Boulevard, Also Known As Block 43, Lot 7 12 For the City of Union City. 13 (11) Resolution Authorizing the City of Union 14 City to Apply For and Obtain a Grant From the New 15 Jersey Department of Community Affairs For 16 Improvements to Bergenline Avenue From 30th Street 17 to 37th Street in the City of Union City. 18 (12) Resolution Authorizing the City of Union 19 City to Apply For and Obtain a Grant From the New 20 Jersey Department of Community Affairs to Support 21 the City's Homeless Prevention Program in the City 22 of Union City. 23 (13) Resolution Approving Chapter 159 For 24 Supplemental Transitional Aid Capital Project. 25 (14) Resolution Authorizing Payment to A&J  8 1 Construction Group, Incorporated, For Emergency 2 Repair Services At Various Locations in the City 3 of Union City. 4 (15) Resolution Authorizing Payment to A&J 5 Contractors Group, Inc., For Emergency Repair 6 Services to Mitigate Potential Public Safety 7 Hazards At Various Locations in the City of Union 8 City. 9 (16) Resolution Authorizing Payment to Adamo 10 Brothers Construction For Emergency Sink Hole 11 Repairs and Excavation For Sewer Lateral 12 Inspection Services At 644 36th Street. 13 (17) Resolution Authorizing Payment to Adamo 14 Brothers Construction For Emergency Sewer Lateral 15 Repair Services At 418-421 7th Street. 16 (18) Resolution Authorizing Payment to Adamo 17 Brothers Construction For Emergency Sewer Lateral 18 Repair At 316 10th Street. 19 (19) Resolution Amending Resolution Number 20 08/16-10 to Award Contract For Television 21 Advertising Services For the City of Union City 22 For 2022 Through 2023. 23 (20) Resolution Authorizing Receipt of Bids For 24 2023 Bicycle Lane Striping Project. 25 (21) Resolution Authorizing/Ratifying Contract  9 1 For Kerrigan Avenue Roadway Improvements Project 2 (Phase 1) to A&J Contractor Group, Inc. 3 (22) Resolution Authorizing/Ratifying Contract 4 For Kerrigan Avenue Roadway Improvement Project 5 (Phase 2) to A&J Contractors Group, Inc. 6 (23) Resolution Authorizing Receipt of Bids For 7 2023 Street Sign Replacement Program. 8 (24) Resolution Authorizing Receipt of Bids For 9 Snow Removal and Post-Storm Services For the 10 2023-2024 Winter Season. 11 (25) Resolution Amending Resolution No. 10/3-17 12 Awarding Contract For Personnel Consultant 13 Services For the City of Union City For 2023. 14 (26) Resolution Designating 45th Street Between 15 Park Avenue and Brown Street As "Patria Y Vida 16 Way".) 17 18 MS. ROSARIO: There are 26 items on the 19 consent agenda. 20 One, resolution approving the payment of 21 claims. 22 Two, resolution approving the payment of 23 concurrent claims. 24 Three, resolution approving the escrow 25 refunds.  10 1 Four, resolution approving the City 2 payroll from September 9, 2023, through September 3 22, 2023. 4 Five, resolution approving the library 5 payroll from September 9, 2023, through September 6 22, 2023. 7 Six, resolution authorizing refund of 8 redemption monies to outside lienholders. 9 Seven, resolution cancelling taxes on 10 property deemed exempt for 100 percent disabled 11 veteran. 12 Eight, resolution authorizing the refund 13 of premium monies collected at the tax sale. 14 Nine, resolution authorizing the refund 15 of payment. 16 Ten, resolution authorizing area in need 17 of redevelopment study for 707 Summit Avenue also 18 known as Block 32.01, Lot 4 and 810 Kennedy 19 Boulevard, also known as Block 43, Lot 6 and 812 20 Kennedy Boulevard, also known as Block 43, Lot 7 21 for the City of Union City. 22 Eleven, resolution authorizing the City 23 of Union City to apply for and obtain a grant from 24 the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for 25 improvements to Bergenline Avenue from 30th Street  11 1 to 37th Street in the City of Union City. 2 MAYOR STACK: That's in reference to the 3 UEZ. So the UEZ funded so far, since the creation 4 of the UEZ has funded from 37th to 49th, the 5 sidewalk improvements, the lights, and ultimately 6 we'll pave the street once we get down to 30th 7 Street, which we're hoping will be at the end of 8 next summer. We'll be down to 30th Street, the 9 lights will be installed. Then we'll pave from 10 30th to 49th to do it one time. I don't want to 11 do it piecemeal. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Twelve, resolution 13 authorizing the City of Union City to apply for 14 and obtain a grant from the New Jersey Department 15 of Community Affairs to support the City's 16 homeless prevention program in the City of Union 17 City. 18 Thirteen, resolution approving Chapter 19 159 for supplemental transitional aid capital 20 project. 21 Fourteen, resolution authorizing payment 22 to A&J Construction Group, Incorporated, for 23 emergency repair services at various locations in 24 the City of Union City. 25 Fifteen, resolution authorizing payment  12 1 to A&J Contractors Group, Inc., for emergency 2 repair services to mitigate potential public 3 safety hazards at various locations in the City of 4 Union City. 5 Sixteen, resolution authorizing payment 6 to Adamo Brothers Construction for emergency sink 7 hole repairs and excavation for sewer lateral 8 inspection services at 644 36th Street. 9 Seventeen, resolution authorizing 10 payment to Adamo Brothers Construction for 11 emergency sewer lateral repair services at 418-421 12 7th Street. 13 Eighteen, resolution authorizing payment 14 to Adamo Brothers Construction for emergency sewer 15 lateral repair at 316 10th Street. 16 Nineteen, resolution amending resolution 17 number 08/16-10 to award contract for television 18 advertising services for the City of Union City 19 for 2022 through 2023. 20 Twenty, resolution authorizing receipt 21 of bids for 2023 Bicycle Lane striping project. 22 Twenty-one, resolution 23 authorizing/ratifying contract for Kerrigan Avenue 24 roadway improvements project (Phase 1) to A&J 25 Contractor Group, Inc.  13 1 Twenty-two, resolution 2 authorizing/ratifying contract for Kerrigan Avenue 3 roadway improvement project (phase 2) to A&J 4 Contractors Group, Inc. 5 Twenty-three, resolution authorizing 6 receipt of bids for 2023 street sign replacement 7 program. 8 Twenty-four, resolution authorizing 9 receipt of bids for snow removal and post-storm 10 services for the 2023-2024 winter season. 11 Twenty-five, resolution amending 12 resolution No. 10/3-17 awarding contract for 13 personnel consultant services for the City of 14 Union City for 2023. 15 Twenty-six, resolution designating 45th 16 Street Between Park Avenue and Brown Street as 17 "Patria Y Vida Way". 18 Mayor, at this time would you like to 19 take public comment? 20 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Just before we do, 21 on number 20, on the receipt of bids for the 22 bicycle lane striping project, that will be done 23 in the spring of next year. And the street signs, 24 any street signs that been have taken or stolen, 25 we just resecuring them and getting new sign,  14 1 that's all. 2 Anyone wishing to comment on any matter 3 on the consent agenda, please step forward, state 4 your name and address for the record? Seeing 5 none, I'll make a motion to approve. 6 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 8 Stack, second by Commissioner Fernandez. 9 Commissioner Fernandez. 10 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 11 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 12 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 13 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 14 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 15 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 16 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 17 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 18 approve all items on the consent agenda? 19 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 20 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by 21 Commissioner Valdivia. 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 24 Fernandez. 25 Commissioner Fernandez.  15 1 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 3 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 5 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 7 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 8 9 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: 10 11 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor, would you like to 12 take public comment on any portion of this 13 meeting? 14 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Anyone wishing to 15 comment on any matter concerning municipal 16 government in the City of Union City, please step 17 forward, state your name and address for the 18 record? Anyone wishing to comment at this time? 19 No? Seeing none, motion. 20 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 21 Stack. 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 23 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 24 Fernandez. 25 Commissioner Fernandez.  16 1 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 3 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 5 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 7 MAYOR STACK: Yes. No liquor hearings 8 tonight? 9 MS. ROSARIO: No, no liquor hearings 10 tonight. 11 12 ADJOURNMENT: 13 14 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 15 adjourn? 16 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 17 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 18 MS. ROSARIO: All in favor? 19 20 (Whereupon, all Board Members indicate 21 in the affirmative.) 22 23 (Whereupon the meeting was adjourned at 24 7:15 p.m.) 25  17 1 Brian P. Stack 2 Lucio P. Fernandez 3 Celin J. Valdivia 4 Wendy A. Grullon 5 Board of Commissioners 6 7 8 Attest: 9 Samantha Blake, Esq., 10 Corporation Counsel 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  18 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