2/12/18 Caucus
Business Administrator
Adam Cruz
PERTH AMBOY – Resident Stanley Sierakowski referenced the last Council Meeting when former Council President Lisa Nanton quoted the stature of an Ordinance specifically regarding appointments of members to the Redevelopment Agency. Sierakowski said he looked on the City’s website that part of the stature is missing (No. 18-313-8-17), or at least he couldn’t find it.
He then continued, “Ordinance 894 was passed by the Council in the past. The Faulkner Act has 12 different governing boards. The Mayor appoints department heads. You override the Mayor’s ordinance.”
Law Director Peter King responded to Sierakowski’s comments, “I have been calling the DCA (Department of Community Affairs) about this issue.”
Resident Ken Balut came forward, “I OPRA’d a request about the cost of sending the Chaplains to Puerto Rico.” He continued and talked about the number of students that have come into Perth Amboy between 2010-2015. “The amount of students and taxes went up. The overdose that I mentioned (at a previous meeting) happened at a church that cares for the homeless. I also think that R-67-2/18 (CDBG grant of $33,079 to the Jewish Renaissance Community Development Corporation) and R-68-2/18 (CDBG grant of $39,950.80 to the Raritan Bay Area YMCA) should be tabled. They should be here to explain what that money will be used for. Remember that employees from Joe Vas got grants and houses through a fake lottery. There is a church on Cortlandt Street that would be great for a homeless shelter. They have a big kitchen and a lot of room. Churches are trying to sell property. Don’t give money to the Y and JRF.”
Business Administrator Adam Cruz responded to Balut’s comments about the Chaplains’ trip to Puerto Rico, “The Chaplains paid their own way and there was no cost to the City.”
Resident Jeremy Baratta came up to speak. He wanted to inform the Council and City Residents that there is a legal services office located on the 3rd floor of the Five Corners Building. They can help a lot of people in Perth Amboy. “They’re useful, especially when it comes to housing issues. Now, they have a funding problem. They pay for parking spaces and maybe the City can comp some of these spots.” Baratta suggested that maybe they can get some CDBG grants.
B.A. Cruz responded, “The County has to make that request.”
Resident Vince Mackiel came up to speak and mentioned a HUD Open Public Records Meeting that he attended recently. “The CDBG is a federal grant. People talk about the structural differences in the City. I lived in a house for a year with no heat. I called various agencies to look at this problem. The chimney was replaced. People need to make structures and make sur enough heat is provided. Please consider the extreme weather conditions.”
B.A. Adam Cruz responded to a question about the City Police who went to Puerto Rico, “We (the City) were reimbursed by the State through FEMA for those officers who went to help in Puerto Rico.”
Responding to Mackiel’s question on safety issues regarding buildings, Cruz said, “We have a program that is addressing the carbon monoxide problem.”
Acting Fire Chief Ed Mullen came up to explain this in more detail, “We’ve had a program for carbon monoxide detectors for decades. We now have 200 units each of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to distribute, and we’ll be going door to door. We’ve installed s a number of these detectors since Saturday (2/10/18). On March 10, the City will have a: “Sound the Alarm” event (in coordination with Red Cross). We will be going door to door (to see if residents need detectors). The Mayor and I did an assembly at a school with 500 people in attendance. Information is given in Spanish and English.”
Councilman Fernando Gonzalez had a question regarding how CDBG grants are awarded. “We used to have a community group who decided who gets these grants. I have a problem with the Y because they owe us a lot of money. The Y owes us $22,000 a month. It costs me $15 to use the facility in Woodbridge. I want all organizations requesting grants to tell us how they are using them and to thank us for giving it to them.”
Councilman Joel Pabon talked about how people have been calling him to say the homeless are sleeping in McDonald’s and in people’s hallways. “I don’t know if that church building (that Balut spoke about earlier on Cortlandt Street) is available. If it has a big kitchen and a lot of room, then we should look at it. People come here because they know they can find a spot to sleep here.”
Cruz responded the County has been proactive to see how many homeless from other towns are coming here. “The new warming center has been very active and providing new resources. Our Police are always very proactive.”
Councilman Irizarry had an excused absence.
