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 Thursday, December 7, 2023 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 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 RAMON 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 CIRO MEDEROS, ESQ. Attorney for El Cobre Lounge, LLC 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 PRESENTATION 6 MINUTES 5 7 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION 6/8/9/10/11/12 8 CONSENT AGENDA 14 9 CITIZENS ADDRESS THE BOARD 26 10 LIQUOR LICENSE PUBLIC HEARINGS 11 El Cobre Lounge, LLC 28 12 ADJOURNMENT 32 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  4 1 (Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance was 2 recited by all.) 3 4 MS. ROSARIO: This is a regular public 5 meeting of the Union City Board of Commissioners 6 being held Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 7:00 7 p.m. at the Colin Powell Elementary School, 1500 8 New York Avenue in Union City. This meeting has 9 been called in accordance with the Open Public 10 Meeting Act. Adequate notice of this meeting has 11 been provided as follows: Was forwarded to the 12 The Jersey Journal, The Record, has been posted on 13 the bulletin board in the City Hall and has been 14 made available to the public in the office of 15 Municipal Clerk. 16 17 ROLL CALL: 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: Here.  5 1 SPECIAL PRESENTATION: 2 Senate Citation for Paquito D. Rivera. 3 4 MS. ROSARIO: We have a presentation 5 this evening. Commissioner Fernandez? 6 7 (Whereupon, a special Senate Citation 8 was presented to Paquito D. Rivera.) 9 10 (Commissioner Martinetti joined the 11 meeting.) 12 13 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 14 action on the following item: 15 APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES) 16 17 MS. ROSARIO: I'm resuming with the 18 meeting. The next item on the agenda is the 19 approval of meeting minutes. Motion to approve 20 meeting minutes for the November 8th and the 21 November 21st? 22 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 23 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 24 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 25 Stack, second by Commissioner Fernandez.  6 1 Commissioner Fernandez. 2 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 3 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 4 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 5 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 6 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 7 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 8 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 9 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 10 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 11 12 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 13 action on the following item: 14 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 15 1. ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL 16 EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 17 40A:4-53(h) FOR THE PAYMENT OF CONTACTUALLY 18 REQUIRED SEVERANCE LIABILITIES IN AND FOR THE CITY 19 OF UNION CITY, COUNTY OF HUDSON, NEW JERSEY.) 20 21 MS. ROSARIO: There are six ordinances 22 for introduction. Adoption on first reading 23 authorizes the Municipal Clerk to advertise the 24 ordinance with a notice of the introduction, 25 together with a notice of the time and place when  7 1 the ordinance will be considered for the final 2 passage. The ordinance will be further considered 3 at meeting of the Board of Commissioners to be 4 held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at the 5 Veterans' Memorial Elementary School, 1401 Central 6 Avenue, Union City, at 7:00 p.m. 7 The first ordinance is an ordinance 8 authorizing a special emergency appropriation 9 pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:4-53(h) for the payment 10 of contractually required severance liabilities in 11 and for the City of Union City, County of Hudson 12 in New Jersey. May I have a motion to introduce? 13 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 14 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 15 Stack. Second? 16 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 17 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 18 Commissioner Fernandez. 19 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 20 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 21 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 23 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 24 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 25 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes.  8 1 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 2 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 3 4 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 5 action on the following item: 6 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 7 2. ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTING AND AMENDING 8 THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF UNION 9 CITY, AMENDING THE RESTRICTED RESIDENTIAL PERMIT 10 PARKING PROGRAM.) 11 12 MS. ROSARIO: The second ordinance is 13 ordinance supplementing and amending the revised 14 general ordinance of the City of Union City 15 amending the restricted residential permit parking 16 program. 17 May I have a motion to introduce? 18 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 19 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 20 Stack. 21 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Second by Commissioner 23 Valdivia. 24 Commissioner Fernandez. 25 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes.  9 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 item: 12 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 13 3. ORDINANCE SUPPLEMENTING AND AMENDING 14 THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF UNION 15 CITY, AMENDING THE PARKING METER ORDINANCE.) 16 17 MS. ROSARIO: The third ordinance for 18 introduction is an ordinance supplementing and 19 amending the revised general ordinance of the City 20 of Union City amending the parking meter 21 ordinance. 22 May I have a motion to introduce? 23 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 24 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 25 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner  10 1 Valdivia. Second by Commissioner Martinetti. 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: Commissioner Martinetti. 9 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 10 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 11 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 12 13 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 14 action on the following item: 15 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 16 4. ORDINANCE AMENDING 155 OF THE CODE 17 OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY TO REVISE THE FEE 18 SCHEDULE FOR NON-LIFE HAZARD USES.) 19 20 MS. ROSARIO: The next ordinance is 21 ordinance amending 155 of the code of the City of 22 Union City to revise the fee schedule for non-life 23 hazard uses. 24 May I have a motion to introduce? 25 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion  11 1 MAYOR STACK: Second. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 3 Martinetti, second by Mayor Stack. 4 Commissioner Fernandez. 5 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 7 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 9 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 10 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 11 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 13 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 14 15 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 16 action on the following item: 17 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 18 5. ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 155 OF 19 THE CODE OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY TO REVISE THE 20 FEE SCHEDULE FOR BUSINESS LICENSES.) 21 22 MS. ROSARIO: Fifth ordinance is an 23 ordinance amending Chapter 155 of the code of the 24 City of Union City to revise the fee schedule for 25 business licenses.  12 1 May I have a motion to introduce? 2 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 3 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Second. 4 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Commissioner 5 Valdivia, second by Commissioner Grullon. 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 17 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 18 action on the following item: 19 ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION: 20 6. ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 290 21 ENTITLED "PARKS AND RECREATIONS" TO EXTEND THE 22 HOURS OF OPERATION FOR ELLSWORTH PARK.) 23 24 MS. ROSARIO: The sixth ordinance is an 25 ordinance amending Chapter 290 entitled "parks and  13 1 recreation" to extend the hours of operation for 2 Ellsworth Park. 3 MAYOR STACK: Maybe if you want to go 4 over that, Angelo, just for the public's 5 knowledge, exactly what we're doing. 6 MR. AUTERI: Sure, Mayor. This one is 7 just specifically for Ellsworth Park. So you know 8 during the winter months, it closes -- a lot of 9 the parks have amended park hours because they 10 close earlier because it gets dark. This 11 ordinance is going to carve out Ellsworth Park and 12 keep it open, I think it's until 8 p.m. so they 13 can see the Christmas lights. 14 MAYOR STACK: Exactly. Just for 15 Christmas. 16 MR. AUTERI: Just for the months 17 November and December. 18 MAYOR STACK: Just to say that Becky and 19 the others that are involved with the Christmas 20 lights, Alicia, did a very good job at Ellsworth 21 Park, 31st and Bergenline, and the Plaza Arts have 22 been done over the weekend, Washington Park. 23 They've really done a nice job to bring Christmas 24 spirit to the City. Becky, Alicia, all them are 25 involved with that. And this is a good thing,  14 1 just carving out so people can go to the park and 2 enjoy it. Thank you. 3 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 4 introduce? 5 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 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: Commissioner Martinetti. 16 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 17 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 18 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 19 20 (Whereupon, the Board discussed and took 21 action on the following items in total: 22 CONSENT AGENDA: 23 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims. 24 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 25 Concurring Claims.  15 1 ( 3) Resolution Approving the Escrow Refunds. 2 ( 4) Resolution Approving the City Payroll 3 10/28/2023 - 11/10/2023. 4 ( 5) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 5 10/28/2023 - 11/10/2023. 6 ( 6) Resolution Authorizing the Adjustment of 7 Taxes For the First Half of 2024. 8 ( 7) Resolution Cancelling the First and Second 9 Quarter Taxes. 10 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of Premium 11 Monies Collected At the Tax Sale. 12 ( 9) Resolution Approving Chapter 159 Police 13 Services Salaries and Wages. 14 (10) Resolution Approving Chapter 159 2023 Drive 15 Sober Or Get Pulled Over Year End Holiday Crack 16 Down Salaries and Wages. 17 (11) Resolution Approving Chapter 159 FY 24 18 Pedestrian Safety Grant Salaries and Wages. 19 (12) Resolution Approving Shared Services 20 Agreement With Hudson Regional Health Commission. 21 (13) Resolution Approving Change Order # 1 For 22 Reliable Tree Services, Inc., For Additional 23 Trees. 24 (14) Resolution Supporting the 2023 Drive Sober 25 Or Get Pulled Over Year End Holiday Crack Down.  16 1 (15) Resolution Authorizing Contract For 2 Accounting Services For the City of Union City For 3 2024. 4 (16) Resolution Authorizing Contract For 5 Alcoholic Beverage Control Prosecutor Services For 6 the City of Union City For 2024. 7 (17) Resolution Authorizing the Award of Contract 8 For Auditing For the City of Union City For 2024. 9 (18) Resolution Awarding Contract For 10 Architectural Services For the City of Union City 11 For 2024. 12 (19) Resolution Awarding Contracts For 13 Architectural Services CDA For the City of Union 14 City For 2024. 15 (20) Resolution Authorizing the Award of a 16 Contract For Bond Special Counsel Services For the 17 City of Union City For 2024. 18 (21) Resolution Authorizing Contract For 19 Corporation Counsel Services For the City of Union 20 City For 2024. 21 (22) Resolution Authorizing Contracts For Special 22 Construction Code Litigation Counsel Services For 23 the City of Union City For 2024. 24 (23) Resolution Authorizing the Contracts For 25 Engineering Services CDA For the City of Union  17 1 City For 2024. 2 (24) Resolution Authorizing Contracts For General 3 Engineering Services For the City of Union City 4 For 2024. 5 (25) Resolution Authorizing Contracts For 6 Substitute General Engineering Services For the 7 City of Union City For 2024. 8 (26) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Green 9 Acres Open Space Grant Consultant Services For the 10 City of Union City For 2024. 11 (27) Resolution Authorizing Contract For General 12 Counsel For the City of Union Community 13 Development Agency For the City of Union City For 14 2024. 15 (28) Resolution Authorizing the Contract For IT 16 Webmaster Services For the City of Union City For 17 2024. 18 (29) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Labor 19 Counsel Services For the City of Union City For 20 2024. 21 (30) Resolution Awarding Contract For Library 22 Board Counsel For the City of Union City For 2024. 23 (31) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Planning 24 Board Counsel Services For the City of Union City 25 For 2024.  18 1 (32) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Planning 2 and Zoning Board Consultant Services For the City 3 of Union City For 2024. 4 (33) Resolution Authorizing the Contract For 5 Planning Consultant Services For Affordable 6 Housing Matters For the City of Union City For 7 2024. 8 (34) Resolution Authorizing Contract For the City 9 of Union City Community Development Agency 10 Planning Consultant Services For the City of Union 11 City For 2024. 12 (35) Resolution to Award a Contract For Police 13 Physician Services For the City of Union City 14 Police Department For 2024. 15 (36) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Rent 16 Stabilization Board Counsel Services For the City 17 of Union City For 2024. 18 (37) Resolution Authorizing Contract For 19 Substitute Public Defender Services For the City 20 of Union City For 2024. 21 (38) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Special 22 Hearing Officer Services For the City of Union 23 City For 2024. 24 (39) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Special 25 Redevelopment Counsel Services For the City of  19 1 Union City For 2024. 2 (40) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Special 3 Counsel Services For the City of Union City For 4 2024. 5 (41) Resolution Awarding Contracts For Special 6 Projects Planning Services For the City of Union 7 City For 2024. 8 (42) Resolution Authorizing Contract For Zoning 9 Board of Adjustment Counsel Services For the City 10 of Union City For 2024. 11 (43) Resolution Authorizing Contracts For Tax 12 Appeal Counsel Services For the City of Union City 13 For 2024. 14 (44) Resolution Authorizing Contract For 15 Transcription Services For the City of Union City 16 For 2024.) 17 18 MS. ROSARIO: There are 44 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.  20 1 Four, resolution approving the city 2 payroll 10/28/2023 - 11/10/2023. 3 Five, resolution approving the library 4 payroll 10/28/2023 - 11/10/2023. 5 Six, resolution authorizing the 6 adjustment of taxes for the first half of 2024. 7 Seven, resolution cancelling the first 8 and second quarter taxes. 9 Eight, resolution authorizing the refund 10 of premium monies collected at the tax sale. 11 Nine, resolution approving Chapter 159 12 police services salaries and wages. 13 Ten, resolution approving Chapter 159 14 2023 drive sober or get pulled over year end 15 holiday crack down salaries and wages. 16 Eleven, resolution approving Chapter 159 17 FY 24 pedestrian safety grant salaries and wages. 18 Twelve, resolution approving shared 19 services agreement with Hudson Regional Health 20 Commission. 21 Thirteen, resolution approving change 22 order # 1 for Reliable Tree Services, Inc., for 23 additional trees. 24 Fourteen, resolution supporting the 2023 25 drive sober or get pulled over year end holiday  21 1 crack down. 2 Fifteen, resolution authorizing contract 3 for accounting services for the City of Union City 4 for 2024. 5 Sixteen, resolution authorizing contract 6 for alcoholic beverage control prosecutor services 7 for the City of Union City for 2024. 8 Seventeen, resolution authorizing the 9 award of contract for auditing for the City of 10 Union City for 2024. 11 Eighteen, resolution awarding contract 12 for architectural services for the City of Union 13 City for 2024. 14 Nineteen, resolution awarding contracts 15 for architectural services CDA for the City of 16 Union City for 2024. 17 Twenty, resolution authorizing the award 18 of a contract for bond special counsel services 19 for the City of Union City for 2024. 20 Twenty-one, resolution authorizing 21 contract for corporation counsel services for the 22 City of Union City for 2024. 23 Twenty-two, resolution authorizing 24 contracts for special construction code litigation 25 counsel services for the City of Union City for  22 1 2024. 2 Twenty-three, resolution authorizing the 3 contracts for engineering services CDA for the 4 City of Union City for 2024. 5 Twenty-four, resolution authorizing 6 contracts for general engineering services for the 7 City of Union City for 2024. 8 Twenty-five, resolution authorizing 9 contracts for substitute general engineering 10 services for the City of Union City for 2024. 11 Twenty-six, resolution authorizing 12 contract for green acres open space grant 13 consultant services for the City of Union City for 14 2024. 15 Twenty-seven, resolution authorizing 16 contract for general counsel for the City of Union 17 Community Development Agency for the City of Union 18 City for 2024. 19 Twenty-eight, resolution authorizing the 20 contract for IT webmaster services for the City of 21 Union City for 2024. 22 Twenty-nine, resolution authorizing 23 contract for labor counsel services for the City 24 of Union City for 2024. 25 Thirty, resolution awarding contract for  23 1 library board counsel for the City of Union City 2 for 2024. 3 Thirty-one, resolution authorizing 4 contract for planning board counsel services for 5 the City of Union City for 2024. 6 Thirty-two, resolution authorizing 7 contract for planning and zoning board consultant 8 services for the City of Union City for 2024. 9 Thirty-three, resolution authorizing the 10 contract for planning consultant services for 11 affordable housing matters for the City of Union 12 City for 2024. 13 Thirty-four, resolution authorizing 14 contract for the City of Union City Community 15 Development Agency planning consultant services 16 for the City of Union City for 2024. 17 Thirty-five, resolution to award a 18 contract for police physician services for the 19 City of Union City police department for 2024. 20 Thirty-six, resolution authorizing 21 contract for rent stabilization board counsel 22 services for the City of Union City for 2024. 23 Thirty-seven, resolution authorizing 24 contract for substitute public defender services 25 for the City of Union City for 2024.  24 1 Thirty-eight, resolution authorizing 2 contract for special hearing officer services for 3 the City of Union City for 2024. 4 Thirty-nine, resolution authorizing 5 contract for special redevelopment counsel 6 services for the City of Union City for 2024. 7 Forty, resolution authorizing contract 8 for special counsel services for the City of Union 9 City for 2024. 10 Forty-one, resolution awarding contracts 11 for special projects planning services for the 12 City of Union City for 2024. 13 Forty-two, resolution authorizing 14 contract for zoning board of adjustment counsel 15 services for the City of Union City for 2024. 16 Forty-three, resolution authorizing 17 contracts for tax appeal counsel services for the 18 City of Union City for 2024. 19 Forty-four, resolution authorizing 20 contract for transcription services for the City 21 of Union City for 2024. 22 Mayor recuses from line item 6, Mayor 23 abstains on payments to Chasan, Lamparello and 24 Mallon. 25 Mayor, at this time, would you like to  25 1 take public comment on the consent agenda? 2 MAYOR STACK: Yes. Anyone wishing to 3 comment on the consent agenda, please step 4 forward, state your name and address for the 5 record. Seeing none, I make a motion to move with 6 the exception of the ones the clerk just mentioned 7 on my part. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack, 9 second by Commissioner Fernandez. 10 Commissioner Fernandez. 11 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 13 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 14 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 15 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 16 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 17 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 18 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 19 approve all items on the consent agenda? 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 21 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by 23 Commissioner Valdivia, second by Commissioner 24 Martinetti. 25 Commissioner Fernandez.  26 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: Commissioner Martinetti. 7 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: 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 on any portion of this 15 meeting? 16 MAYOR STACK: Sure. Anyone wishing to 17 comment on any matter concerning municipal 18 government in the City of Union City, please step 19 forward, state your name and address for the 20 record? Seeing none, motion to close. 21 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 22 MS. ROSARIO: Motion by Mayor Stack, 23 second by Commissioner Martinetti. 24 Commissioner Fernandez. 25 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes.  27 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 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  28 1 LIQUOR LICENSE HEARINGS: 2 1. 0910-33-208-010 3 El Cobre Lounge, LLC 4 4413 Bergenline Avenue 5 (Attorney Ciro Mederos, Esq.) 6 7 MS. ROSARIO: We have one liquor license 8 hearing. Mr. Gonzalez. 9 MR. GONZALEZ: Yes. Good evening, for 10 the record, Ramon Gonzalez, G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-Z, Union 11 City ABC prosecutor. 12 There is one matter and that's El Cobre 13 Lounge, LLC, located at 4413 Bergenline Avenue. 14 They are present today, they are represented by 15 Mr. Mederos. 16 Obviously, the board is aware that 17 before it even gets to this stage, a lot of work 18 goes into it. With the assistance of Sergeant 19 Zeron, all the paperwork has been reviewed, 20 approved and qualifies for the application. Even 21 prior to that though, with the assistance of 22 Lieutenant Dunlay, he's made inspections, met with 23 the people, and he explained to them what's 24 required of them. 25 After both of those reviews, they have  29 1 come up with a satisfactory recommendation. And, 2 obviously, as I tell all counsel and their 3 applicants, it's always subject to this board 4 approving them. 5 Based on the paperwork and review from 6 the police department, they would be in order. 7 And it would be satisfactory if the board would 8 like to approve them. And, obviously, please if 9 there's any comments? 10 MR. MEDEROS: Good evening to the board. 11 Standing to my left is the proprietor of the 12 establishment. He has been a businessman doing 13 business on Bergenline Avenue for over ten years. 14 He's well part of the community, has expanded his 15 enterprises to include this new venture of his. 16 And I'm sure he'll be an exemplary licensee. 17 I would ask respectfully of the board 18 that they grant the license to him, since he has 19 shown to be a reputable business person and a 20 member of the community. 21 MAYOR STACK: Okay, sure. Lieutenant, 22 Sergeant, what's the background on this 23 establishment? 24 LIEUTENANT DUNLAY: It's El Cobre 25 Lounge, it's been operating for many years under  30 1 one ownership, it's changing now. When I met with 2 Mr. Ospina, he indicated that he's going to keep 3 one of the managers who's pretty familiar with the 4 establishment on board. And he's going to be 5 assisting him, as he has no real prior knowledge 6 on how to run a liquor license establishment. 7 I did open the doors and made available 8 to him, should he require any assistance. We even 9 offered we would set him up with the detective 10 bureau, you know, show him what the proper 11 paperwork is and what needs to be handled. 12 Additionally, he was referred to the ABC website 13 where the manual is readily available in English 14 and Spanish where it tells you what the 15 requirements are and what is necessary. 16 Like I said, he is a businessman, he is 17 is business owner. He has been in the area for, 18 like Mr. Mederos said, for about ten years now. 19 We have no objection at this time. 20 MAYOR STACK: Are we still doing the 21 classes? 22 MR. GONZALEZ: Yes. 23 LIEUTENANT DUNLAY: Yes. 24 MAYOR STACK: I just want to make sure 25 everybody is afforded the classes with us. How  31 1 has the establishment been on their record going 2 back? 3 LIEUTENANT DUNLAY: There's been very 4 minor issues in the past. There really hasn't 5 been any major thing that I could point out. We 6 did have Covid, so there was the two year slow 7 down with everything. 8 MAYOR STACK: Right. 9 LIEUTENANT DUNLAY: But even before 10 that, there wasn't much going on. 11 MAYOR STACK: Good. Just make sure 12 nobody's congregating in front of the 13 establishment, obviously. We're not serving 14 people when they're intoxicated, we're proofing 15 everyone to make sure we're not serving a minor. 16 We just don't want any issues there. Make sure 17 there's security, stuff like that. You understand 18 everything I'm saying? 19 MR. OSPINA: Yes. 20 MAYOR STACK: Just want to make sure. 21 Thank you very much. Any other commissioners have 22 any comments? Questions? Okay, no. Thank you 23 very much. 24 I'll make a motion to approve. And good 25 luck in your establishment.  32 1 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 2 MS. ROSARIO: Motion made by Mayor 3 Stack, second by Commissioner Fernandez. 4 Commissioner Fernandez. 5 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 6 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Grullon. 7 COMMISSIONER GRULLON: Yes. 8 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Valdivia. 9 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 10 MS. ROSARIO: Commissioner Martinetti. 11 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 12 MS. ROSARIO: Mayor Stack. 13 MAYOR STACK: Yes. Thank you very much. 14 15 ADJOURNMENT: 16 17 MS. ROSARIO: May I have a motion to 18 adjourn? 19 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion. 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 21 MS. ROSARIO: All in favor? 22 (All Board Members indicate in the 23 affirmative.) 24 (Whereupon the meeting was adjourned at 25 7:15 p.m.)  33 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  34 1 C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 4 5 6 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing 7 transcript of the AUDIO RECORDED proceedings in 8 their entirety, as taken stenographically by me, 9 is a true and accurate transcript of the 10 proceedings as recorded, and to the best of my 11 ability. 12 13 14 ____________________________ 15 SUSAN BISCHOFF, CCR, RPR LICENSE NO. 30XI00233700 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25