Board of Commissioners - Board of Commissioners Meeting

CITY OF UNION CITY HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS : : TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDED REGULAR MEETING : _ : PROCEEDINGS Jose Marti Freshman Academy 1800 Summit Avenue Union City, New Jersey Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Commencing at 7:10 p.m. M E M B E R S P R E S E N T: BRIAN P. STACK, MAYOR LUCIO P. FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER MARYURY A. MARTINETTI, COMMISSIONER CELIN J. VALDIVIA, COMMISSIONER TILO E. RIVAS, COMMISSIONER M E M B E R S A B S E N T: A L S O P R E S E N T: DOMINICK CANTATORE, ACTING CITY CLERK SCARINCI HOLLENBECK BY: MONICA E. de los RIOS, ESQ. Corporation Counsel GREGORY T. FARMER, ESQ. Attorney for the Union City Alcohol Beverage Control Commission  2 I N D E X PAGE CALL TO ORDER 3 SALUTE TO FLAG 3 ROLL CALL 4 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4 ORDINANCES FOR HEARING AND ADOPTION 6 CONSENT AGENDA 9 ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION 15,17 REGULAR AGENDA 19,21 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD 22 LIQUOR LICENSE DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS 33 ADJOURNMENT 38 PROCLAMATION GIVEN BY PETER CROCE 39  3 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: This is a Regular 2 Public Meeting of the Union City Board of 3 Commissioner, being held on Tuesday, December 2nd, 4 2014, at seven p.m., at the Jose Marti Freshman 5 Academy, 1800 Summit Avenue, Union City, New 6 Jersey. 7 Everyone please rise to the Pledge of 8 Allegiance. 9 10 (Whereupon the Pledge of Allegiance was 11 said.) 12 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: This meeting has been 14 called in accordance with Chapter 231, Public Law 15 of 1975, the Open Public Meeting Act. Adequate 16 notice of this meeting has been provided as 17 follows: 18 Notice of this meeting setting forth the 19 time, the date, location, and the agenda, to the 20 extent known, was forwarded to The Jersey 21 Journal, The Record, and The Hudson Reporter, has 22 been posted on the bulletin board in City Hall 23 and has been made available to the public in the 24 office of Municipal Clerk. 25  4 1 ROLL CALL: 2 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Roll call. 4 Commissioner Fernandez? 5 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Here. 6 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 7 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Here. 8 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 9 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Here. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 11 Martinetti? 12 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Here. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 14 MAYOR STACK: Here. 15 16 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 17 31, 2014, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 AND NOVEMBER 21, 18 2014: 19 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: First item on the 21 agenda is approval of previous meeting minutes -- 22 MAYOR STACK: I’ll move it. 23 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 24 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- from October 31st, 25 November 18, and November 21st, 2014.  5 1 Motion made by Mayor Stack. 2 Second by Commissioner Valdivia. 3 Commissioner -- 4 Roll call. 5 Commissioner Fernandez? 6 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 8 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Abstain. 9 ACTING CITY CLERK: Recusing. 10 Commissioner Valdivia? 11 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 13 Martinetti? 14 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: I’m abstain-- 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Recusing from -- 16 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: I’m recusing from 17 November -- 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- November 21st -- 19 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: No, November 18. 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: November 18. 21 Mayor -- 22 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Aye on the rest. 23 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 24 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 25  6 1 ORDINANCES FOR HEARING AND ADOPTION 2 CONSIDERATION: 3 4 1. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TRAFFIC CHAPTER XVI 5 OF THE “REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF 6 UNION CITY, 1996” 7 8 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second item is 9 Ordinance for Hearing and Adoption Consideration. 10 An Ordinance Amending Traffic Chapter XVI 11 of the Revised General Ordinances of the City of 12 Union City, 1996. 13 Mayor, do you wish to take public comment 14 on this Ordinance at this time? 15 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 16 Anyone wishing to comment on this Ordinance 17 please step forward, state your name and address 18 for the record. 19 Just if you could, Monica, if you could 20 explain what this Ordinance is, -- 21 MS. de los RIOS: Yes. 22 MAYOR STACK: -- what it entails? 23 MS. de los RIOS: Yes, Mayor. 24 This is -- this Ordinance prohibits right 25 turns at all times of the day on 37 th, 41st, 36th  7 th 1 and 34 Streets. 2 MAYOR STACK: This was done after review by 3 the Police Department. 4 Originally, many residents came to myself 5 and some of the other Commissioners and mentioned 6 that many drivers were making a quick right turn, 7 especially in some of the school areas and places 8 where we have our senior buildings. 9 We felt that this was a proactive approach 10 for public safety. 11 Seeing no other on this matter. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 13 close public hearing? 14 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 16 Stack. 17 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 19 Fernandez. 20 Roll call. 21 Commissioner Fernandez? 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 23 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 24 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 25 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia?  8 1 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 2 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 3 Martinetti? 4 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 5 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 6 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 8 adopt? 9 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by Commissioner 11 Martinetti. 12 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 14 Valdivia. 15 Roll call. 16 Commissioner Fernandez? 17 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 19 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 21 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 22 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 23 Martinetti? 24 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 25 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack?  9 1 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 2 3 CONSENT AGENDA: 4 5 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims 6 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 7 Concurring Claims 8 ( 3) Resolution Approving the City Payroll for 9 the Period of November 19, 2014 through December 10 2, 2014 11 ( 4) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 12 for the Period of November 19, 2014 through 13 December 2, 2014 14 ( 5) Resolution to Amend Award of Contract for 15 Transcription Services 16 ( 6) Resolution Awarding Contract to Central 17 Poly Corp. for Poly Garbage Bags 18 ( 7) Resolution Approving Assignment of Lease 19 for the Billboard at 2920 Bergenline Avenue 20 ( 8) Resolution Approving Participation in the 21 Houston-Galveston Area Council Cooperative 22 Purchasing Agreement in Order to Purchase 2 23 Ambulances 24 ( 9) Resolution Authorizing Refund of Redemption 25 Monies to Outside Lienholders  10 1 (10) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 2 Premium Monies Collected at the Tax Sale 3 (11) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of a 4 Payment Made on the Wrong Parcel 5 (12) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of a Tax 6 Appeal Issued by the Tax Court of New Jersey 7 (13) Any other matter of City business that may 8 arise 9 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Next item is the 11 Consent Agenda. There are 12 items on the 12 Consent Agenda. 13 The first item. 14 Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims. 15 Second item. 16 Resolution Approving the Payment of 17 Concurring Claims. 18 Third item. 19 Resolution Approving the City Payroll for 20 the Period of November 19, 2014 through December 21 2nd, 2014. 22 Item 4. 23 Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 24 for the Period of November 19, 2014 through 25 December 2nd, 2014.  11 1 Item 5. 2 Resolution to Amend Award of a Contract for 3 Transcription Services. 4 Item 6. 5 Resolution Awarding Contract to Central 6 Poly Corporation for Poly Garbage Bags. 7 Item 7. 8 Resolution Approving Assignment of Lease 9 for the Billboard at 2920 Bergenline Avenue. 10 Item 8. 11 Resolution Approving Participation in the 12 Hudson (sic)-Galveston Area Council Cooperative 13 Purchasing Agreement in Order to Purchase Two 14 Ambulances. 15 Item 9. 16 Resolution Authorizing Refund of Redemption 17 Monies to Outside Lienholders. 18 Item 10. 19 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 20 Premium Money Collected at Tax Sale. 21 Item 11. 22 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 23 Payment Made on the Wrong Parcel. 24 Item 12. 25 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of a Tax  12 1 Appeal Issued by the Tax Court of New Jersey. 2 Mayor, you wish to take public comment on 3 any items on the Consent Agenda? 4 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 5 Just before we do, the assignment -- the 6 lease on -- of the billboard at 2920 Bergenline 7 Avenue is in reference to a billboard that we 8 have up there concerning public safety. That was 9 the only reason that we rented it. 10 It says, See Something, Say Something; has 11 Union City Police number up there. 12 Just a public safety awareness. I know 13 that this is a nominal lease; very small amount 14 of money. 15 Do you know off the top of your head, 16 Monica, how much we pay a month here? 17 MS. de los RIOS: I do not, Mayor. 18 MAYOR STACK: I think -- I think it’s the 19 range of anywhere from 500 to a thousand dollars 20 a month we pay for this billboard. 21 But it’s in a critical location because 22 when you’re coming down Bergenline Avenue, the 23 lease is right there. 24 I’m sorry. 25 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: The billboard.  13 1 The billboard is -- the billboard is right 2 there right in front of you. 3 And hopefully in the future we’ll be able 4 to illuminate it a little bit better but during 5 the day you could see it very well. It’s See 6 Something, Say Something -- in English and 7 Spanish -- just to get more people to call the 8 Police Department. Something we’ve been trying 9 to do and it’s actually helped us in Union City 10 with public safety and reducing crime in Union 11 City. 12 On the other matter, in reference to the 13 purchase agreements to order two ambulances. An 14 ambulance is an expensive item; it’s a big-ticket 15 item, no doubt about it, but it’s needed. 16 Our ambulance system probably does about 17 10,000 calls for service a year. We’re very 18 proud of the response time we have with Union 19 City EMS. 20 It’s actually -- George Fierro is the Chief 21 Supervisor. And it’s actually under the Police 22 Department; the Chief of Police actually has 23 jurisdiction over the ambulance. 24 Something we’re very proud of. On most 25 nights, on weekends and on holidays we run up to  14 1 three ambulance service, usually there’s always 2 at least two in service. 3 Anyone wishing to comment on the Consent 4 Agenda, please step forward, state your name and 5 address for the record. 6 Seeing none. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 8 close public comment? 9 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made -- 11 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Second. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- by Mayor Stack. 13 Second by Commissioner Valdivia. 14 Roll call. 15 Commissioner Fernandez? 16 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 17 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 18 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 19 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 21 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 22 Martinetti? 23 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 24 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 25 MAYOR STACK: Yes.  15 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 2 approve all items on the Consent Agenda? 3 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 4 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by Mayor Stack. 5 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 6 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 7 Fernandez. 8 Roll call. 9 Commissioner Fernandez? 10 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 11 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 12 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 14 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 16 Martinetti? 17 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 19 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 20 21 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION: 22 23 1. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER XVI OF THE 24 “REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF UNION 25 CITY, 1996”  16 1 2 ACTING CITY CLERK: Next item is an 3 Ordinance for Introduction. 4 This Ordinance will be further considered 5 at a meeting of the Board of Commission to be 6 held on December 16, 2014, at seven p.m. at the 7 Robert Waters Elementary School, 2800 Summit 8 Avenue, Union City, New Jersey. 9 First Ordinance in Amending Chapter XVI of 10 the Revised General Ordinances of the City of 11 Union City, 1996. 12 MAYOR STACK: You can go right ahead. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 14 introduce? 15 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 16 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 17 Stack. 18 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 19 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 20 Martinetti. 21 Roll call. 22 Commissioner Fernandez? 23 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 24 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 25 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes.  17 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 2 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 4 Martinetti? 5 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 6 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 7 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 8 9 ORDINANCE(S) FOR INTRODUCTION: 10 11 2. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 359 OF THE 12 CODE OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY ENTITLED “SOLID 13 WASTE” 14 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Next Ordinance is 16 Amending Chapter 359 of the Code of the City of 17 Union City Entitled Solid Waste. 18 MAYOR STACK: Monica, you want to explain 19 this Ordinance? 20 MS. de los RIOS: Yes, Mayor. 21 This Ordinance is applicable to commercial 22 businesses. 23 MS. DILLON: Can I ask you to speak up 24 please? 25 MS. de los RIOS: It sets the solid waste  18 1 and recycling pickup time between 12 a.m. and 2 seven a.m. It ensures that pickup is complete by 3 seven a.m. 4 MAYOR STACK: Right. Which is important 5 for the children going to school. 6 This would be the private hauler that 7 operates in the City. From -- basically, from 12 8 o’clock at night and they’re out of the City by 9 seven o’clock in the morning. 10 Correct? 11 MS. de los RIOS: That’s exactly right. 12 MAYOR STACK: Some nights they try to sneak 13 into the City ten o’clock at night. I’ve seen 14 them as early as 9:45 at night. And sometimes 15 people don’t have their garbage out. And then 16 the garbage goes out and we get stuck picking it 17 up. 18 Regardless of this we have our own garbage 19 trucks that roam the City picking up the 20 receptacles, picking up some of the other bulk 21 items, whether it’s furniture or stuff like that. 22 But this would keep in check our private garbage 23 hauler which we’ve had a lot of issues with over 24 the last year or so. 25 I’ll move it.  19 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 2 Stack. 3 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 4 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 5 Fernandez. 6 Roll call. 7 Commissioner Fernandez? 8 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 9 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 10 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 11 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 12 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 14 Martinetti? 15 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 16 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 17 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 18 19 REGULAR AGENDA: 20 21 1. Resolution Approving the Redevelopment 22 Agency Payroll for the Period of November 19, 23 2014 through December 2, 2014 24 25 ACTING CITY CLERK: Next item is the  20 1 Regular Agenda. 2 First item is Resolution Approving the 3 Redevelopment Agency Payroll for the Period 4 November 19, 2014 through December 2nd, 2014. 5 There a motion? 6 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 7 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion. 8 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 9 Stack. 10 Second -- 11 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- by Commissioner 13 Martinetti. 14 Roll call. 15 Commissioner Fernandez; recusing. 16 Commissioner Rivas? 17 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 19 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 21 Martinetti? 22 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 23 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 24 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 25  21 1 REGULAR AGENDA: 2 3 2. Resolution Authorizing the Payment of Claim 4 to the Union City Board of Education 5 6 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second item is 7 Resolution Authorizing Payment of Claim to the 8 Union City Board of Education. 9 Is there a motion? 10 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 11 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by Mayor Stack. 12 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Second. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 14 Rivas. 15 Roll call. 16 Commissioner Fernandez; recusing. 17 Commissioner Rivas? 18 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 19 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 20 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 21 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 22 Martinetti? 23 MS. de los RIOS: Recusing. 24 ACTING CITY CLERK: Recusing. 25 Mayor Stack?  22 1 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 2 MS. de los RIOS: And just to be clear for 3 the record, we are invoking the Doctrine of 4 Necessity to allow a vote here. 5 6 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: 7 8 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor, do you wish to 9 take public comments? 10 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 11 Anyone wishing to comment at this time, 12 please step forward, state your name and address 13 for the record. 14 I’d like to thank those residents that are 15 here this evening. We try to -- we move all -- a 16 hundred percent of our meetings throughout the 17 City each week. We move them into -- 18 I’m sorry. 19 Every two weeks. We move them all over the 20 City to each neighborhood. This evening, 21 obviously we’re here. Our last Commission 22 Meeting was on 5th and West. And we do this on a 23 rotation basis. 24 Whether we have 50 or 55 Commission 25 Meetings a year, they’re moved to a different  23 1 neighborhood every two weeks to give the public 2 access. 3 This is in addition to the Mobile Mayor’s 4 City Hall, to the Police Community Meetings, the 5 Public Safety Meetings that we offer in the City. 6 On this meeting tonight everyone from 21 st 7 Street to 30th Street, Palisade to Kennedy, 8 received a notice about this meeting. 9 I would like to thank those residents that 10 take time out to come to the meeting. I know 11 that we’re moving into the cooler weather and 12 weather that’s not the best. 13 But we do get a great turnout at most of 14 our Public Safety Meetings. We averaged this 15 summer -- the Chief and I held about 85 this 16 year. And we average probably at most of the 17 meetings 40 to 50 people at the Public Safety 18 Meetings and I feel that’s made a big difference 19 in keeping crime down in our community and 20 getting the public involved in what’s happening. 21 So I would like to thank everyone for being 22 here. 23 MS. FAVUZZI: I do have a question. 24 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 25 If you could just step forward just --  24 1 MS. FAVUZZI: Are you taking general 2 questions? 3 MAYOR STACK: Yeah. Sure. 4 MS. DILLON: Right over here. 5 MAYOR STACK: If you could just state your 6 name and address for the record. 7 MS. FAVUZZI: My name is Dorothy Favuzzi. 8 I live at 2006 Kerrigan Avenue in Union City. 9 MS. DILLON: Can you just spell your last 10 name for me? 11 MS. FAVUZZI: F-A-V-U-Z-Z-I. 12 MS. DILLON: Thank you so much. 13 MS. FAVUZZI: I live at 20th and Kerrigan 14 and across the street is that Red Wallet 15 Corporation, which I know has recently been sold 16 so they say. 17 But there are rumors flying around in the 18 neighborhood that the City is either purchasing 19 or interested in purchasing it maybe for a DPW. 20 So I just would like to know is the City 21 purchasing or interested in purchasing? And, if 22 so, to what purpose? 23 MAYOR STACK: No. No. We’re not. 24 There was talk. We looked at many, many 25 different sites, Dorothy, in the community.  25 th 1 Obviously we have to vacate the 27 Street site 2 on New York Avenue; -- 3 MS. FAVUZZI: Right. 4 MAYOR STACK: -- from 27 to 29, New York to 5 Bergenline. 6 We’re able to use about 30 percent of the 7 site right now. Most of the facility is shut 8 down due to some structural problems that we’re 9 having there. 10 We don’t own that site. It was leased by a 11 prior administration from New Jersey Transit. 12 We are in the process of looking in 13 different locations. That was a site that was 14 mentioned to us but we’re not going there. 15 MS. FAVUZZI: Okay. 16 MAYOR STACK: No. 17 MS. FAVUZZI: Great. 18 Thank you. 19 MAYOR STACK: Absolutely. 20 Are you happy or sad about that? 21 I’m just kidding. 22 MS. FAVUZZI: No, I -- 23 MAYOR STACK: I’m just kidding. 24 MS. FAVUZZI: -- I wasn’t sure one way or 25 the other.  26 1 MAYOR STACK: No, no, I know. 2 MS. FAVUZZI: I hate to see it be 3 abandoned. 4 MAYOR STACK: Whatever we do in any 5 neighborhood, we would -- you know that, our 6 policy is to let the public know exactly what 7 we’re doing. 8 Had we even thought about and became 9 serious with that, we would have sent out a 10 notice; if there was any type of negotiation 11 taking place. 12 We’ve done appraisals on many different 13 properties in the City to see what the market 14 rate is for rental or buying them right now, 15 because we’re in a little bit of a tough spot. A 16 little bit is probably a major understatement. 17 We can’t find property comparable to 27 th Street. 18 We’ve even looked out of the City. We’ve 19 looked on 1 and 9 in North Bergen. We looked in 20 Jersey City. There’s really nowhere in Weehawken 21 or West New York. 22 But we’re looking at maybe two or three 23 different sites in the City right now where we 24 could house the vehicles and then figure out 25 where we’re going to go from there.  27 1 But that won’t be one of them. No, it 2 won’t. 3 Thank you. 4 Anyone else wishing to comment at this 5 time? 6 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Actually, can I make a 7 comment? 8 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 9 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes, Mayor. 10 Last week was Thanksgiving week. I would 11 like to wish everyone, you know, happy belated 12 Thanksgiving. 13 And then it was a celebration that -- a 14 great meaning for Americans, so we celebrate it 15 and thanks to you, Mayor, you did a tremendous 16 job, tremendous work for the community, for Union 17 City. I mean non-political. This was a great 18 act -- 19 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 20 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: -- when you approached 21 the whole City of Union City and you say here we 22 are to make sure that you celebrate nice 23 Thanksgiving. 24 There was food for a lot of people in five 25 different locations.  28 1 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 2 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: So, you know, 3 congratulations for a great job. 4 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: I mean we’re so proud 6 of the type of work you do for the poor. 7 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 8 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Thank you, Mayor. 9 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much, 10 Commissioner. Thank you for mentioning it. 11 The dinners that we held city-wide, the 12 five dinners, were attended probably over -- a 13 little over a thousand residents came out. Some 14 were homeless; some were just home by themselves 15 on Thanksgiving. But you could see great need in 16 the community. 17 It’s unfortunate but I have to say this, -- 18 because I really have to zing The Jersey Journal 19 and the local newspapers -- you’ll never read any 20 of that positive stuff in the local press. 21 You’ll never read what a job the Chief of 22 Police is doing in the Police Department on 23 reducing crime. But you’ll read about that one 24 crime. But you’ll never read about the good 25 things that are happening here in Union City.  29 1 It seems The Jersey Journal’s coverage is 2 focused on Bayonne and Bayonne only. And that’s 3 sad that we don’t report the good, what’s taking 4 place. 5 Of course you got to report the things that 6 are negatively happening but you need to report 7 some of the good things, too. 8 But that argument with The Jersey Journal I 9 dropped probably about ten years ago. I’ve been 10 the Mayor 14 years; I probably dropped that after 11 about four years of being Mayor -- to push The 12 Jersey Journal to write anything positive. But 13 be that as it may. 14 Thank you, Commissioner. 15 And thank you to everyone for attending the 16 meeting this evening. 17 Anyone with any further comment or -- 18 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: I’d like -- 19 MAYOR STACK: -- at this time? 20 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: I, too, would like 21 to make a comment, Mayor. 22 And you’re Public Safety and I got to 23 commend you for incredible Public Safety work 24 with community policing, our Chief of Police. 25 With what’s going on in Ferguson nowadays  30 1 and, you know, we had no incident in Union City. 2 And I think that goes a long way by saying that 3 the Mayor’s effort with community meetings and 4 community policing, where the Police Department 5 goes house to house knocking on doors seeing if 6 there’s a problem, goes a long way in 7 communicating with the community to avoid 8 situations as are happening countrywide, which I 9 personally see as an embarrassment to our 10 country. 11 And I want to commend the Mayor, as Public 12 Safety Director, and the City Administration for 13 this wonderful effort in policing our community 14 and being a friend to the community, not an 15 adversary. 16 So, congratulations, Mayor. 17 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 18 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Thank you very 19 much. 20 MAYOR STACK: Thank you, Commissioner. 21 Anyone further at this time? 22 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: I just want to 23 comment and add a little bit more. 24 We’re probably the only city that the 25 residents have access to our Police Chief  31 1 personally. When we have the meetings across the 2 City, not only with the Police Chief but the 3 Captains, the Lieutenants, -- I can’t mention all 4 their names -- but I want to congratulate them 5 for the job that they do. 6 And we’re probably the size of Ferguson; 7 probably even more dense, and we don’t see this 8 in Union City. 9 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Anybody else? 11 Is there a motion to close public comment 12 portion of this meeting? 13 MAYOR STACK: Motion. 14 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Motion. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 16 Stack. 17 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Second. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 19 Rivas. 20 Roll call. 21 Commissioner Fernandez? 22 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 23 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 24 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 25 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia?  32 1 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 2 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 3 Martinetti? 4 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 5 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 6 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Next item is Liquor 8 License Disciplinary -- 9 MAYOR STACK: The portion of the meeting 10 that we’re going into right now is on liquor 11 license disciplinary action. 12 And then we do have a meeting after that I 13 believe with the taxi cab owners? 14 MR. FARMER: Yes. 15 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 16 That’s a follow-up to our last meeting. 17 MR. FARMER: Yes. 18 MAYOR STACK: Okay. 19 20 * * * 21 22 23 24 25  33 1 LIQUOR LICENSE DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS: 2 3 1. Caribe Club Restaurant t/a Caribe Club, 727 4 24th Street, Liquor License No. 0910-33-210-005 5 2. Wendy C. Diaz t/a Tropical Bar & 6 Restaurant, 4100 Bergenline Avenue, Liquor 7 License No. 0910-33-060-003 8 MR. FARMER: There are only two matters on. 9 10 * * * 11 12 CARIBE CLUB RESTAURANT t/a CARIBE CLUB, 13 727 24th STREET, 14 LIQUOR LICENSE NO. 0910-33-210-005: 15 16 MR. FARMER: The first one is Caribe Club. 17 I got a call today from Ray Gonzalez. He’s 18 going to be representing them. And, therefore, 19 I’d ask you to carry it just to the 16 th. 20 MAYOR STACK: And that will be on for the 21 16th? 22 MR. FARMER: That’s correct. 23 MAYOR STACK: Okay. 24 MR. FARMER: Richard? 25 MAYOR STACK: Is there another one on  34 1 today? 2 MR. FARMER: Yes. 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Yes. 4 MAYOR STACK: Okay. 5 MR. FARMER: Tropical. 6 MAYOR STACK: Okay, I got it. 7 (Whereupon, there was a pause in the 8 proceedings.) 9 10 * * * 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  35 1 WENDY C. DIAZ t/a TROPICAL BAR & RESTAURANT, 2 4100 BERGENLINE AVENUE, 3 LIQUOR LICENSE NO. 0910-33-060-003: 4 5 MR. FARMER: This is Tropical Bar and 6 Restaurant. 7 The situation, counsel represents 8 Tropical -- 9 Why don’t you put in -- 10 MR. CROSSIN: Representing Tropical is 11 Altamura and Crossin, by Richard Crossin, 4000 12 Bergenline Ave, Union City. 13 MR. FARMER: I’ve already spoken to Mr. 14 Crossin previously -- and this was on last time 15 but because of an illness of Mr. Crossin we 16 carried it tonight. 17 What the situation is, the Police were 18 going by and they saw a scuffle in the doorway of 19 the bar. They went there. They broke it up. 20 They checked to see if there were -- the 21 paperwork was in order and it was not. 22 I’ve spoken with Mr. Crossin about it and 23 we’ve agreed to a recommendation to the Board of 24 a ten day suspension. And it will be from 25 January 5th to January 14th.  36 1 MAYOR STACK: Mr. Crossin, are you in 2 agreement with this? 3 MR. CROSSIN: I am, Your -- I am, Mr. 4 Mayor. 5 And, by the way, thank you, Mr. Mayor and 6 the rest of the Board, for granting me that brief 7 adjournment so I could discuss it -- 8 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 9 MR. CROSSIN: -- with my client. 10 In mitigation, if I may, this arose between 11 two co-workers who came into the bar and appeared 12 very social and were having a beer. Then there 13 were angry words. One co-worker got up and 14 headed to the door. And before he could get out 15 the other chased him and they exchanged blows 16 there. There was no opportunity with the staff 17 to intervene. 18 But we acknowledge our responsibility under 19 the first specification, as well as the paper 20 violation. 21 And my client has authorized me to accept 22 Mr. Farmer’s recommended penalty; I respectfully 23 request that the Board approve it. 24 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 25 Make a motion to approve.  37 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made -- 2 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- by Mayor Stack. 4 Second by Commissioner Martinetti. 5 Roll call. 6 Commissioner Fernandez? 7 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 8 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 9 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 11 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 13 Martinetti? 14 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 16 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 17 MR. FARMER: Okay. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: That’s all, right? 19 MR. FARMER: That’s it. 20 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 21 MR. CROSSIN: Thank you. 22 23 * * * 24 25  38 1 ADJOURNMENT: 2 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion -- 4 There’s no other items on the agenda, is 5 there a motion to adjourn? 6 MAYOR STACK: Yes. Motion. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 8 Stack. 9 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Second. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 11 Rivas. 12 All in favor? 13 14 (Whereupon, there was a chorus of ayes.) 15 16 ACTING CITY CLERK: Thank you. 17 Mayor, do we have -- 18 MAYOR STACK: I believe the taxi cab 19 owners, yes. 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: No, we have -- 21 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Peter. Peter. 22 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- Peter first. 23 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Peter. 24 MAYOR STACK: Oh, I’m sorry. Sure. 25 Come right up. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.  39 1 MR. CROCE: Hello, Mayor. Nice to meet 2 you. 3 My name’s Peter Croce. I was born and 4 raised in Union City. Went to school at Saint 5 Augustine’s; graduated Union Hill in 1975. 6 And I have the Hudson County Chess 7 Association; I started the chess program up many 8 years ago. And based it mainly out of Hoboken 9 but I branched out all over Hudson County. 10 And the reason why I came here tonight is 11 because I’ve been dealing with a lot of 12 municipalities. And Union City, I feel blessed 13 that I was able to come back and give back to the 14 children of Union City. But Union City’s 15 Commissioners all were open to me running the 16 chess tournament. 17 And so what I did was we had two very 18 successful tournaments. Over a hundred children 19 participated. Mayor (sic) Valdivia, Mayor (sic) 20 Fernandez, opened their arms to me, okay, and to 21 the children. 22 So what I did was -- I’m not a big speech 23 maker but I made a plaque for you and -- 24 MAYOR STACK: Oh, very nice. 25 MR. CROCE: -- the Commissioners.  40 1 And what I did was I made it personally 2 because I felt it was very personal and I feel 3 very honored that you guys helped out -- 4 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 5 MR. CROCE: -- to Union City. 6 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. I appreciate 7 that. 8 MR. CROCE: So I want to give this to you 9 personally. Okay? 10 I never met you before. I heard so many 11 good things -- 12 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 13 MR. CROCE: Thank you everybody. 14 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 15 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Thank you Peter. 16 MAYOR STACK: I appreciate that. Thank 17 you. It was very nice of you. 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Okay? 19 MAYOR STACK: Anytime you want any facility 20 in the City, don’t hesitate. 21 MR. CROCE: It sounds that way. 22 MAYOR STACK: Anytime. 23 MR. CROCE: And, really, I heard so many 24 good things about you -- 25 MAYOR STACK: Thank you.  41 1 MR. CROCE: -- over the years, I had to 2 come here and thank everybody. 3 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. We 4 appreciate it. 5 MR. CROCE: I’ve seen all you guys -- 6 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 7 Happy holidays, too. 8 Thank you. 9 MR. CROCE: Thank you very much. Thank 10 you. 11 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 12 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: And he was part of 13 the backcourt of one of the best players Union 14 City ever had. 15 MAYOR STACK: Really? 16 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Nicky Galis. 17 MR. CROCE: Nick Galis, yeah. Yeah. 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: He played for Union 19 Hill High School. 20 MR. CROCE: I played under the last State 21 Championship for Union Hill. 22 MAYOR STACK: Wow, that’s great. 23 MR. CROCE: But I came here to thank you. 24 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. Thanks 25 again, I appreciate that.  42 1 MR. CROCE: All right, thank you. 2 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 3 Thank you. 4 5 (Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded 6 at 7:31 p.m.) 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  43 1 ________________________ Brian P. Stack 2 ________________________ Lucio P. Fernandez 3 ________________________ Maryury A. Martinetti 4 ________________________ Celin J. Valdivia 5 ________________________ Tilo E. Rivas 6 Board of Commissioners 7 8 Attest: 9 Dominick Cantatore, 10 Acting City Clerk 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  44 1 STATE OF NEW JERSEY: 2 : 3 COUNTY OF ESSEX : 4 5 I, KAREN A. MARINO, assigned transcriber, 6 do hereby affirm that the foregoing is a true and 7 accurate transcript in the matter of the REGULAR 8 MEETING of the UNION CITY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, 9 held on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, and digitally 10 recorded. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Monitored and Proofread by: Deborah Dillon