Board of Commissioners - Board of Commissioners Meeting

CITY OF UNION CITY HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS : : TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDED REGULAR MEETING : _ : PROCEEDINGS Bruce D. Walter Recreation Center 507 West Street Union City, New Jersey Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Commencing at 7:04 p.m. M E M B E R S P R E S E N T: LUCIO P. FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER MARYURY A. MARTINETTI, COMMISSIONER CELIN J. VALDIVIA, COMMISSIONER TILO E. RIVAS, COMMISSIONER BRIAN P. STACK, MAYOR 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: KRYSTLE NOVA, ESQ. Corporation Counsel  2 I N D E X PAGE CALL TO ORDER 3 SALUTE TO FLAG 3 ROLL CALL 3 CONSENT AGENDA 4,20 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD 11 MOMENT OF SILENCE 22 ADJOURNMENT 22  3 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- Public Meeting of 2 the Union City Board of Commissioner, being held 3 on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at seven p.m., at the 4 Bruce D. Walter Recreation Center, 507 West 5 Street, Union City, New Jersey. 6 Everyone please rise for the Pledge of 7 Allegiance. 8 9 (Whereupon the Pledge of Allegiance was 10 said.) 11 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: This meeting has been 13 called in accordance with Chapter 231, Public Law 14 of 1975, the Open Public Meeting Act. 15 Adequate -- adequate notice of this meeting 16 has been provided as follows: 17 Notice of this meeting setting forth the 18 time, date, location, and the agenda, to the 19 extent known, was forwarded to The Jersey 20 Journal, The Record, and Hudson Reporter, has 21 been posted on bulletin board in City Hall and 22 has been made available to the public in the 23 office of Municipal Clerk. 24 25 ROLL CALL:  4 1 2 ACTING CITY CLERK: Roll call. 3 Commissioner Fernandez? 4 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 5 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 6 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Here. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 8 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Here. 9 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 10 Martinetti? 11 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Here. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 13 MAYOR STACK: Here. 14 15 CONSENT AGENDA: 16 17 ( 1) Resolution Approving the Payment of Claims 18 ( 2) Resolution Approving the Payment of 19 Concurring Claims 20 ( 3) Resolution Approving the City Payroll for 21 the Period of April 30, through May 13, 2016 22 ( 4) Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 23 for the Period of April 30 through May 13, 2016 24 ( 5) Resolution Approving Disciplinary 25 Proceedings Against Il Paradiso t/a Il Paradiso  5 1 Corp., Located at 1108 Summit Avenue, Liquor 2 License No. 0910-33-103-002 3 ( 6) Resolution Approving Disciplinary 4 Proceedings Against Mi Otra Casita t/a Mi Otra 5 Casita Bar & Liquor LLC, Located at 401 30 6 Street, Liquor License No. 0910-33-080-009 7 ( 7) Resolution Approving Disciplinary 8 Proceedings Against Los Reyes Bar t/a Partners 9 Associates LLC, Located at 3329 Hudson Avenue, 10 Liquor License No. 0910-33-011-008 11 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Person to Person 12 Transfer of Liquor License No. 0910-32-082-011 to 13 OM SAI RAM from Fiji Wine and Liquors 14 ( 9) Resolution Authorizing the CFO to make an 15 Emergency Appropriation for the State of 16 Emergency Related to Snow Storms 17 (10) Resolution to Authorizing the Insertion of 18 an Item of Appropriation 19 (11) Resolution Authorizing to Cancel 20 Outstanding Checks from Current Bank Account 21 (12) Resolution Authorizing to cancel 22 Outstanding Checks from City Salary Bank Account 23 (13) Resolution to Approve Extension of Contract 24 for Webmaster with AlphaDog Solutions 25 (14) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of  6 1 Redemption Monies to Outside Lienholders 2 (15) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 3 Premium Monies Collected at the Tax Sale 4 (16) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 5 Overpayments Made for Real Estate Taxes on Block 6 50, Lot 11 Also Known as 313-15 11th Street and on 7 Block 50, Lot 9 Also Known as 309-11 11th Street 8 (17) Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 9 Duplicate Payments Made on Block 52, Lot 19.02 10 Also Known as 420-22 11th Street and on Block 217, 11 Lot 16 Also Known as 116 36 th Street 12 (18) Resolution Approving the Agreement for 13 Unpaid Taxes upon Real Property Known as Block 14 125, Lot 2, 2202 New York Avenue 15 (19) Any other matter of City business that may 16 arise 17 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: First item’s a Consent 19 Agenda. 20 Item 1 is Resolution Approving the Payment 21 of Claims. 22 Item 2 is Resolution Approving the Payment 23 of Concurring Claims. 24 Item 3 is Resolution Approving the City 25 Payroll for the Period of April 30th through May  7 1 13, 2016. 2 Item 4. 3 Resolution Approving the Library Payroll 4 for the Period of April 30th through May 13, 2016. 5 Item 5. 6 Resolution Approving Disciplinary 7 Proceeding -- Proceedings Against Il Paradiso, 8 also known as Il Paradiso Corp., Located at 1108 9 Summit Avenue, Liquor License Number 10 0910-33-103-002. 11 Item 6 is Resolution Approving Disciplinary 12 Proceedings Against Mi Otra Casita, also known as 13 Mi Otra Casita Bar and Liquor LLC, Located at 401 14 30th Street, Liquor License Number 15 0910-33-080-009. 16 Item 7. 17 Resolution Approving Disciplinary 18 Proceedings Against Los Reyes Bar, also known as 19 -- as Partners Associates LLC, Located at 3329 20 Hudson Avenue, Liquor License Number 21 0910-33-011-008. 22 Item 8 (sic). 23 Resolution Authorizing the CFO to Make an 24 Emergency Appropriation for the State of 25 Emergency Related to Snow Storms.  8 1 Item 9 (sic). 2 Resolution Authorizing the Insertion of an 3 Item of Appropriation to the Budget. 4 Item 10 (sic). 5 Resolution Authorizing to -- to Cancel 6 Outstanding Checks for Current Bank Account. 7 Item 11 (sic). 8 Resolution Authorizing to Cancel 9 Outstanding Checks for City Salary Bank Account. 10 Item 12 (sic). 11 Resolution to Approve Extension of a 12 Contract for Webmaster with AlphaDog Solutions. 13 Item 13 (sic). 14 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 15 Redemption Monies to Outside Lienholders. 16 Item 14 (sic). 17 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 18 Premium Monies Collected at -- at Tax Sale. 19 Item 15 (sic). 20 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of -- of 21 an Overpayment Made for Real Estate Taxes on 22 Block 50, Lot 11, also known as 313-15 11th Street 23 and on Block 50, Lot 9, also known as 309-11 11th 24 Street. 25 Item 16 (sic).  9 1 Resolution Authorizing the Refund of 2 Duplicate Payment Made on Block 52, Lot 19.02, 3 also known as 420-22 11th Street and on Block 217, 4 Lot 16, also known as 116 36th Street. 5 Item 17 (sic). 6 Resolution Approving the Agreement for 7 Unpaid Taxes Upon Real Estate (sic) Property 8 known as Block 125, Lot 2, 2202 New York Avenue. 9 Mayor, there are no item on Consent Agenda. 10 Do you wish to take public comment on -- 11 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 12 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- on the Consent 13 Agenda at this time? 14 MAYOR STACK: Anyone wishing to comment on 15 the Consent Agenda, -- the items that we just 16 read -- please step forward, state your name and 17 address for the record. 18 Seeing none. 19 I’ll make a motion. 20 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there -- 21 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: I’ll second it. 22 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion made by Mayor 23 Stack. 24 Second by Commissioner Rivas. 25 Roll call.  10 1 Commissioner Fernandez? 2 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 4 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 5 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 6 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 8 Martinetti? 9 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: I’m abstaining on 10 number 6 that pertain to Luis Diaz and any other 11 payments related to Union City Construction Code. 12 Aye on the rest. 13 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 14 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Is there a motion to 16 approve all items on the Consent Agenda? 17 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Motion. 18 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by Commissioner 19 Valdivia. 20 Second by Commissioner Martinetti. 21 Roll call. 22 Commissioner Fernandez? 23 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 24 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 25 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes.  11 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 2 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 4 Martinetti? 5 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yeah with the 6 abstentions that I’ve named before. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor -- 8 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Aye on the rest. 9 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- Stack? 10 Mayor Stack? 11 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 12 13 OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: 14 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor, there no -- no 16 other items on the agenda at this time. 17 Is there a motion to adjourn? 18 MAYOR STACK: Yeah, no, just before we do, 19 anyone wishing to comment at this time, please 20 step forward, state your name and address for the 21 record. 22 Sure. 23 If you could just stand right over here. 24 MS. SCHUMACHER: Where do I stand? 25 MAYOR STACK: Right over here. Just close  12 1 to that. 2 MS. SCHUMACHER: My name’s Leeann 3 Schumacher and -- 4 MR. DILLON: Can you spell that for me? 5 MS. SCHUMACHER: L-E-E-A-N-N. Schumacher, 6 S-C-H-U-M-A-C-H-E-R. And I’m on the 33rd Street, 7 313. 8 I -- I just wanted to know about the 9 problem with Duarte Park and because it -- a lot 10 of activity there and when we can expect -- 11 MAYOR STACK: They’re probably looking at 12 July. 13 MS. SCHUMACHER: July. 14 MAYOR STACK: There’s been some delays -- 15 the construction is on target; it’s just the 16 manufacturing of some of the toys. 17 MS. SCHUMACHER: Okay. 18 MAYOR STACK: One of the -- they’re being 19 specially made for that park -- 20 MS. SCHUMACHER: Um-hum. 21 MAYOR STACK: -- and there was a problem 22 with the design on one. On the ship. 23 MS. SCHUMACHER: Okay. 24 Because the -- the neighbors on the block, 25 we’re a little concerned about the security after  13 1 the park opens because we feel going to be a lot 2 of kids. There’s a lot of cars coming in there. 3 There’s a -- there’s a bunch of things. And I 4 actually wrote a -- a letter about it. 5 I’m going to -- I’m just -- I -- I just -- 6 should I just send it to you? 7 MAYOR STACK: Yeah get it to me. 8 Absolutely. 9 MS. SCHUMACHER: Yeah. 10 MAYOR STACK: We’ll handle it immediately. 11 MS. SCHUMACHER: Yeah, some -- and just if 12 there could be like some major thought about 13 security. Because there’s homeless shelter close 14 by. There’s -- 15 MAYOR STACK: But there’s been problems in 16 the park now? 17 MS. SCHUMACHER: In the summer there are 18 always problems. 19 MAYOR STACK: Yeah, well, -- 20 MS. SCHUMACHER: And once the kids start 21 coming, there’s going to be a lot of problems. 22 You know, -- 23 MAYOR STACK: But we really haven’t had 24 much -- much problem in that -- in that park at 25 all over the years.  14 1 MS. SCHUMACHER: Not in the park, on the 2 -- on the block. 3 MAYOR STACK: Oh, we’ll handle it. No 4 problem. 5 MS. SCHUMACHER: Yeah. 6 MAYOR STACK: The Chief and I we’ll handle 7 that. No problem. 8 MS. SCHUMACHER: And -- and, you know, we 9 can talk -- 10 MAYOR STACK: Sure. 11 MS. SCHUMACHER: -- maybe about some 24 12 hour kind of ideas for cameras and -- 13 That’s what we’re -- 14 MAYOR STACK: We’re looking at that. 15 MS. SCHUMACHER: -- hoping for. 16 MAYOR STACK: Absolutely. 17 MS. SCHUMACHER: Yeah. Fantastic. 18 MAYOR STACK: Get me that letter, Leeann, 19 I’ll take -- 20 MS. SCHUMACHER: I -- 21 MAYOR STACK: -- care of it right away. 22 MS. SCHUMACHER: I really appreciate it. 23 MAYOR STACK: Any time. 24 No problem. 25 If you can get that to me as soon as you  15 1 can. 2 MS. SCHUMACHER: I will. 3 MAYOR STACK: Thank you very much. 4 MS. SCHUMACHER: I got it all written out. 5 MAYOR STACK: You got it. 6 MS. SCHUMACHER: Thanks. 7 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 8 Anyone else wishing to comment on any 9 matter? 10 Sure. Maybe you can stand right over here. 11 MS. LEAVY: Hi. Hannelore Leavy. 12 MR. DILLON: Can you spell that for me? 13 MS. LEAVY: First name or last name? 14 MR. DILLON: Both. 15 MS. LEAVY: Both. Okay. 16 H-A-N-N-E-L-O-R-E. Leavy, L-E-A-V-Y. 17 MR. DILLON: L-E-A-V-Y? 18 MS. LEAVY: Right. 19 MR. DILLON: Yup. 20 Thank you. 21 MS. LEAVY: Hi, everybody. Hi. 22 I have a question. I -- I think you got my 23 message, -- 24 MAYOR STACK: I did. 25 Thank you very much.  16 1 MS. LEAVY: That -- that is so wonderful. 2 Every morning I go by with the dog -- 3 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 4 MS. LEAVY: -- and I want to go up there 5 but dog is not allowed. So, -- 6 MAYOR STACK: We’re going to be building -- 7 we’re going to be building actually a dog park on 8 the corner of 20th and Palisade. 9 We’re just waiting for DEP approval because 10 being that there’s water in the reservoir they 11 would consider it. Even if it’s on the outside 12 of the perimeter of the reservoir, they consider 13 it a dam wall, which would have to be put up. 14 MS. LEAVY: Um-hum. 15 MAYOR STACK: So we’re actually looking at 16 that piece on the corner, which will be a couple 17 thousand square feet of a dog park. 18 It’s going to be right on the corner of 19 20th and Palisade, which on the Weehawken side is 20 Washington; Union City side is 20th. But it will 21 be right on that corner, Ms. Leavy. 22 MS. LEAVY: Okay, that’s a -- 23 MAYOR STACK: I’m hoping to get it done -- 24 MS. LEAVY: -- small -- 25 MAYOR STACK: -- this summer.  17 1 MS. LEAVY: That’s a small space. 2 MAYOR STACK: I’m hoping -- just as long as 3 DEP -- 4 Yeah, we’re going to expand it out a little 5 bit though. We’re going to fill it in, expand it 6 out. 7 MS. LEAVY: Okay. 8 And then you’ll put the bus stop on the 9 other side? Or is the bus stop going to stay 10 there? 11 MAYOR STACK: No the bus stop can stay 12 there. 13 MS. LEAVY: Yeah? 14 MAYOR STACK: There’s no interference at 15 all. Yeah. 16 MS. LEAVY: But I think I mentioned it to 17 you before but since I’m here I wanted to see 18 whether you can rectify the situation. 19 They moved the bus stop on New York Avenue 20 from 15th Street to 14th Street. 21 MAYOR STACK: Right. 22 MS. LEAVY: Now we have a bus stop and you 23 go south on 13th Street, on 14th Street, and then 24 on 19th Street. 25 Doesn’t make any sense to me. Why -- why  18 1 would the bus, you know, one block and then you 2 have nothing for five blocks. 3 So who is responsible for that? That we 4 are changing -- 5 MAYOR STACK: New Jersey -- New Jersey 6 Transit is but they look at our -- our advice on 7 some of the bus stops. 8 It was moved away from the school, which -- 9 where it was for years because some parents, and 10 rightfully so, made a -- made a complaint that 11 the buses were pulling over while kids were 12 trying to cross the street. 13 Myself, the Chief felt it was a good move 14 to move the bus stop out of there. That’s why it 15 was moved. 16 MS. LEAVY: Yeah. Well, I’d like to get my 17 bus stop back on 17th Street because that used to 18 be here -- 19 MAYOR STACK: Right. 20 MS. LEAVY: -- and somebody -- it -- it 21 just vanished at one point. And I think, you 22 know, we talked about this several years now -- 23 MAYOR STACK: Right. Then the next one is 24 on 19th, right? 25 MS. LEAVY: 19th.  19 1 MAYOR STACK: 19th. 2 MS. LEAVY: So now it’s from 14th to 19th; 3 so it’s five blocks. 4 MAYOR STACK: Right. 5 MS. LEAVY: That’s a long walk. 6 MAYOR STACK: I’m -- I’m going to take a 7 look at that. I definitely will. 8 MS. LEAVY: Um-hum. Um-hum. 9 And then there is also, when you come out 10 of the City, -- 11 I mean there is a bus stop on Palisades on 12 20th and on 22nd, on each side of the reservoir. 13 But when you come out from the City, there is 14 only one on 22nd. 15 MAYOR STACK: Right. 16 MS. LEAVY: And then nothing on 20 th. So, 17 that’s -- these things don’t make sense to me. 18 Anyway, that’s -- 19 MAYOR STACK: I’ll definitely -- I’ll take 20 a look at 17th Street. Let me take a look at 21 that, okay? 22 MS. LEAVY: Yeah. That will be nice. 23 Thank you so much. 24 MAYOR STACK: No problem. You make a good 25 point --  20 1 MS. LEAVY: Thank you, Mayor. 2 MAYOR STACK: -- about what you said there. 3 MS. LEAVY: Okay. 4 MAYOR STACK: Thank you, Ms. Leavy. 5 Sure. 6 Seeing no other. 7 ACTING CITY CLERK: That’s it. 8 MAYOR STACK: Seeing no other. 9 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion to close. 10 ACTING CITY CLERK: I’m sorry. 11 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Motion to -- 12 13 CONSENT AGENDA: 14 15 ( 8) Resolution Authorizing the Person to Person 16 Transfer of Liquor License No. 0910-32-082-011 to 17 OM SAI RAM from Fiji Wine and Liquors 18 19 ACTING CITY CLERK: I want to go back to 20 the Consent Agenda. Item -- 21 I think I -- I believe I missed item 8, 22 person to person transfer. 23 MAYOR STACK: Resolution Authorizing Person 24 to Person Transfer Liquor License N -- I’m sorry 25 -- Number --  21 1 ACTING CITY CLERK: Yes. 2 MAYOR STACK: -- 0910-32-- 3 ACTING CITY CLERK: Right. 4 MAYOR STACK: -- 082-011. 5 ACTING CITY CLERK: To OM SAI RAM from Fiji 6 Wines and Liquor, Located at 2209 Bergenline 7 Avenue. 8 MAYOR STACK: I’ll make the motion. 9 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by Mayor Stack. 10 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: I’ll second. 11 ACTING CITY CLERK: Second by Commissioner 12 Rivas. 13 Commissioner Fernandez? 14 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Yes. 15 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Rivas? 16 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Yes. 17 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner Valdivia? 18 COMMISSIONER VALDIVIA: Yes. 19 ACTING CITY CLERK: Commissioner 20 Martinetti? 21 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Yes. 22 ACTING CITY CLERK: Mayor Stack? 23 MAYOR STACK: Yes. 24 Anyone further wishing to comment at this 25 time before we close?  22 1 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Mayor, I’d like to 2 -- being that she passed away and she was -- she 3 worked for City Hall, she’s a family member of 4 our Commissioner Valdivia, I’d like to hold a 5 moment of silence for Miss Julia Valdivia who 6 recently passed away. 7 8 (Whereupon, a moment of silence was 9 observed.) 10 11 COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ: Thank you very 12 much. 13 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 14 15 ADJOURNMENT: 16 17 ACTING CITY CLERK: No other items on the 18 agenda. 19 Is there a motion to adjourn? 20 COMMISSIONER RIVAS: Motion. 21 ACTING CITY CLERK: Motion by -- 22 COMMISSIONER MARTINETTI: Second. 23 ACTING CITY CLERK: -- Commissioner Rivas. 24 Second by Commissioner Martinetti. 25 All in favor?  23 1 2 (Whereupon, there was a chorus of ayes.) 3 4 MAYOR STACK: Thank you. 5 6 (Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded 7 at 7:16 p.m.) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  24 1 ________________________ Brian P. Stack 2 ________________________ Lucio P. Fernandez 3 ________________________ Maryury A. Martinetti 4 ________________________ Celin J. Valdivia 5 ________________________ 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  25 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 heard on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 and digitally 10 recorded. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Monitored by: Kevin Dillon, Jr. 25 Proofread by: Deborah Dillon