5/6/19 Caucus Meeting
By: Carolyn Maxwell
Council President
William Petrick
PERTH AMBOY – There was a rather odd exchange between Council President William Petrick and Councilman Fernando Irizarry regarding the Council ‘s Amendment to the Budget. The problem arose when Irizarry questioned the Council President’s suggestion that the Council’s salary be increased.
Irizarry asked, “What is the rationale of this increase?”
Petrick explained, “If we take on PARA’S responsibilities, then I felt we needed an increase. We would need to put money in for services that we request of other departments and attorney fees.”
Irizarry still wasn’t convinced. He explained, “We will be doing work that people voluntarily did for free. And now we will get paid what they did for free?” Irizarry continued, “We are talking about people getting laid off while increasing the Council’s salary. It doesn’t look right. It was not supposed to cost any money for the Council to take over PARA, but it’s doing the opposite.”
Petrick responded, “Everything we do is costing us money. Look at the Batista Lawsuit, which probably could have been settled for $100,000. (It’s still ongoing). PARA was costing the City money. The BID Office being located in City Hall is costing the City money.”
Irizarry countered, “I wasn’t in support of your (Petrick’s) Amendment and that’s why I didn’t respond to your email.”
Petrick told Irizarry, “I wish you had.” Petrick then stated, “People in this building were overlooked, while the Mayor favored others in her office (with raises).”
Irizarry then stated, “You (Petrick) approved these people (in the Mayor’s Office).”
Petrick countered, “Not all of them.”
Councilman
Fernando Irizarry
Councilman Helmin Caba then talked, “I feel a strong need to take over PARA. We need to make cuts to keep taxes down. If taxes go up, then so do rents. We should have done small increases each year. I’m not afraid of meeting with the DCA (Department of Community Affairs). We should raise taxes 1% and use surplus money. The bottom line is we have to look out for the taxpayers and residents.”
Council President Bill Petrick then responded to Caba and made a reference to something that Business Administrator Frederick Carr said earlier during the Meeting. Carr had started out by saying the Council amended the Budget to try to reduce it to a 1% increase plus using the surplus. He said, “Some of those layoff positions were already paid for. The DCA is concerned about the Budget and wants to meet personally with the CFO, myself (Carr), the Administration, and the Council. You will need to hold a public hearing on amendments. If the Council adopts the Mayor’s original budget, then a meeting with the DCA is not needed. $7.3 million was the original deficit. It was reduced down to $3.3 million after the Mayor presented her budget.”
So, when Petrick responded to Caba, he said, “We should rubberstamp the Mayor’s budget and everything will be fine? Can we get that in writing?”
Carr responded to Petrick, “You need to adopt the budget first.”
Councilman Joel Pabon then commented, “I really don’t want to use the surplus and I’m willing to forgo our raise and I’m willing to give up the 1.3% increase. Some positions can be combined.”
Petrick then suggested, “We can use some of the funds that the City receives from the cable companies.”
Councilman Joel Pabon then spoke up, “I never rubberstamped anything, but it’s not fair to keep nonessential people.”
Petrick responded, “It’s not fair to have the 5% increase. We found a lot of savings in the Mayor’s budget. No one knew where the Mayor was for a crucial Budget Meeting. I was open to all suggestions.”
Councilman Fernando Irizarry then spoke up, “We all made suggestions in private sessions and outside meetings with the Administration. We never rubberstamped a budget. Our suggestion was a 2.5% increase. I didn’t say we would go along with the Mayor’s Budget.”
Councilwoman Milady Tejeda then commented, “Our community is complaining. I’m not interested in getting a raise. If we can get the tax increase to only 1%, I’m all for it.”
Irizarry commented again, “This (the City) is a public business and when their costs go up, they try not to pass the cost to the clients, but sometimes this has to be done.”
Petrick spoke next, “I still believe we can do cuts. The Mayor’s position should be part-time. Any rate increase (parking, meters, bulk pickup services, permits, etc.) is a tax. When the Mayor increases the salaries of some of her staff, then that’s a tax on the residents. You asked for some of the money from the last PILOT to help pay for taxes.”
Councilman Helmin Caba then spoke up, “The Administration did not honor that request.”
Petrick continued, “We questioned Bryan Walensky (former Parking Utility Manager) and other employees inflated salaries many times. Corporations cut middle managers many times. The Fire Department is here, and they do a lot of hard work. We need to protect ourselves as a Council. We have not gotten honest answers to our questions. Bridge received a PILOT and flipped the property (after receiving the PILOT).”
During the public portion, Former Councilman and City Resident Ken Balut came up first, “Some citizen made comments about a company that got a contract to do some work (tile and roof repairs at Olive Street Community Center). Now, there’s a half million dollars’ worth of equipment being requested by the Department of Public Works (R-219-5/19 thru R-223-5/19). The Mayor’s Budget kept getting bigger – more than the Police Department and Fire Department (individually).” He then asked if the Council knew about a Police Officer who got shot at on Saturday. “There were two fires today, but there were no press releases about them. So far, there have been 18,400 calls to the Police Department, but we are not hiring any Police Officers. We may have to give some grant money back. The Mayor spent $5000 (in taxpayer’s dollars) to pay Kushner. You didn’t question the Mayor’s association with Kushner. We subsidize the Y, and no one questioned the Board of Education who gives the Y money. You (the Council) are going to have the same issues with the Budget next year. You should cut a quarter of million dollars from the Mayor’s Budget.”
Businessman and Resident David Caba comes up next. He questioned the new park that was supposed to open up soon. “It was supposed to happen in 2019. It’s a park for the kids. Information and knowledge is power. This Administration feels that no one knows anything. We want to know what’s going on. The park went from opening up in 2019 to now 2021. I like this Council, but do what’s right for the people. Some of these salaries in the Mayor’s Office is not right. It (the monies) should be given to Emergency Workers. Recently I was at a Burlington Coat Factory and someone came up to me and said they were a Police Officer who lives in Perth Amboy but works in another town. He told me, “Keep up the good work.”.”
Law Director Peter King then responded to Caba’s remarks about the park, “It’s a County Park, and we have no part in its delay.”
Former Council Member and Resident Lisa Nanton came up next, “There’s a difference between what you (the Council) do and a corporation. A corporation wants to make a profit. When it comes to a budget, you start with 0% – not half of what was presented to you. It’s not your money that you are offering – it’s taxpayers’ money.”
She then asked a question about R-226-5/19 – Authorizing execution of a relocation sanitary easement agreement with NCP Perth Amboy Holdings, LLC. (225 Elm Street). “Is this costing us money?”
King replied, “It’s not costing the City money.”
Nanton continued, “If Department Heads don’t show up at a Meeting, you can dismiss any of the resolutions they put on the Agenda.” She then referenced R-219 thru R-223. “You can’t vote on them without having the information. If you table those items, do not put them back on the Agenda.”
Resident Vince Mackiel came up to speak next. He said, “I had talked to Greg Fehrenbach (Former B.A.) about the structural work on the Elm Street (Market Street) Bridge. Please follow up on this.” He next talked about Communication No. 12 – Regarding Business Administrator Frederick C. Carr submitted a copy of a U.S. EPA Press Release regarding the proposed expansion of cleanup of contaminated groundwater at the CPS/Madison Superfunds Site in Old Bridge.
Mackiel told the Council about an article where the residents sued DuPont for unclean water. He then had a question regarding the Budget. He mentioned it was said there was an increase of insurance (for the Employees). “What percentage of the Budget was insurance for Cigna and the prescription plan. There are many political issues going on (in the City). A private company is bucking the system. We need Medicare for all.”
