10/7/19 Caucus
By Carolyn Maxwell
PERTH AMBOY – Director of Human Services and Recreation Ken Ortiz appeared at the council to discuss why the land swap between the city and the Board of Education is vital. Ortiz stated, “The proposed land swap exchange started in 2013 after a study was done to address key items such as open space and park land. Most athletic fields are in the northern part of the city. We need to address our open space land. 25% of our city’s households do not own a car. Compared to other cities, we have a significant lack of parks and open spaces. Many of the most densely parts of the city have the least amount of parks. We have a deficit of 30 playgrounds. There were many suggestions from focus groups. An organization called Kaboom has helped build playgrounds around this city. Dalton Park just added 2 basketball courts. A kayak storage was placed on Sadowski Parkway and we are getting a ton of activity from out-of-towners who use the kayak ramp. This is an opportunity to generate revenue in renting and storing kayaks. Also added on Sadowski Parkway were water fountains and a shower and a recreation facility. I can get more details about these facilities that were installed during a holiday. The Middlesex County Park located on Washington Street has an expected completion date by the end of 2020. Second Street Park has 6 acres (to build on). The Raritan River Park which is located by the Victory Bridge will have a large ballpark, a riverwalk, and a fishing pier. Washington Park is in total disrepair. Over 200 kids started their own softball leagues and they do their own officiating. We’re trying to patch up (the field) so the storm water doesn’t cause flooding. We’ll have to install more synthetic grass. We’ll expand our parks quite a bit, but we need to generate revenue, so we don’t have to use city funding to maintain the parks. We have to follow the criteria from Green Acres and the NJDEP. We’re looking to do an exchange of property with the Board of Education involving the Seaman Street lot, Lucey Center, the New Brunswick Avenue parking lot and Flynn School. With the Seaman Street lot, elevated levels of lead and arsenic were found and that’s why Kaboom rejected that area for a playground. The state said to remove the contaminants or cap it. Some contaminants (on the Seaman Street lot) were just 6 inches below the surface. Kids like to dig, and 6 inches is nothing, and they can easily be exposed to contaminants. The Lucey Center (on William Street) has .69 acres, but there is a lot of vandalism that goes on there, and there is only one way to go in and out. With the Board of Education property, they have 1.5 acres located on the corner of New Brunswick Avenue and East Avenue. Regarding the lot at Flynn School – we never took ownership of the property, although we maintain it. Of the 1.5 acres (New Brunswick Avenue and East Avenue), the Board of Education wants to put a preschool on it. There’s a lack of parking and would be an even more increase of traffic. We’re going back to the Board of Education to see if we can make a swap for this land. We don’t have money for the remediation of the Seaman Street land. We can swap the Flynn School park for the Seaman Street park. It’s giving up clean property at Flynn for the contaminated property at Seaman. It’s a 2 for 1 swap.”
After the presentation, Business Administrator Frederick Carr talked about the Best Practices inventory for the calendar year 2019. “We were able to correct the deficiencies early. We have 43 right answers. Only 30 right answers are required. Because of this, state aid is not needed.”
City Engineer Jeff Rauch came up to explain R-429: Authorizing execution of a professional services agreement with Center State Engineering for oversight services required for the replacement of the Fayette Street Bridge from start of engineering design to final construction in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
“We have to review the status, make recommendations and do the invoicing which will involve several city departments. NJ Transit and the NJDOT will make the final sign-off. The bridge will be demolished completely and replaced. There will be pre-manufactured sections will replace the old sections during certain times when rebuilding the bridge.”
Ken Ortiz came up to talk about R-453-10/19 – Authorizing submission of an application to the Middlesex County Department of Community Services for the Code Blue Warming Center Funding Opportunity. Ortiz explained, “This is to reimburse us for running the program or if we have to contract a third party to do so. We and the city of New Brunswick are Tier 1 status. We’re eligible to get up to $25,000 in reimbursements. We have to follow the Code Blue criteria. Every municipality should have a Code Blue Shelter.”
Councilman Fernando Irizarry spoke up, “I heard a rumor that people from other cities are dropped off here.”
Business Administrator Frederick Carr spoke up, “It’s not a rumor.”
Councilman Joel Pabon questioned, “Can we get more than $25,000 since we get a lot of people coming in here?”
Ortiz replied, “That cost is set. The county provides cots, bedding, food, and linens. City buildings are used. We can use the Prosperity Center (on Smith Street) to send people to sleep overnight. I’m asking the council if you want a storefront where people can stay overnight? In our building, we separate people who are homeless from families who just lost heat. There are a lot of moving parts.”
Irizarry said, “We are always on the losing end. You are telling me there are not 10 homeless people in Woodbridge? We are being abused.”
Ortiz responded, “We fight to get more restrictions (on people coming from out of town for assistance). When those people contact us, we try to see if they can get assistance in the towns where they live.”
Irizarry continued, “I’m not telling you that I’m against the homeless, but we are being taken advantage of.”
During the public portion, resident Maria Garcia came up first. She asked a series of questions and wanted a response after she asked them, “Was the Mayor involved in preparing the budget? What was the shortfall in the budget? What departments did you (the council) make cuts in?”
Carr responded, “The Mayor was involved in the budget. The shortfall was $7.3 million. Initially, the increase in taxes was 5.4% and then presented to the council at 3.7%. The council made cuts, layoffs, and reductions. Programs got cut. There are no cuts in the staff. There were positions that were defunded. Only the Mayor can layoff or fire employees. Employees were transferred or are still working in their same departments.”
Resident Stanley Sierakowski came up next. He referenced R-447-10/19 thru R-452-10/19 (dealing wit the CDBG Grants). “I remember when a woman came here to try to get a grant to restore a private historic home. Have people come here to explain their needs and what they intend to do with the grant.” He also asked, “What is the status of PARA being dissolved? There was an emergency PARA meeting held without a quorum. You don’t have the power to dissolve PARA. The meeting was held at 10:00 a.m. One of the PARA members had recused himself for 10 years when it came to the Kushner properties because his wife owned one of the units. For this PARA special meeting, he phoned in and voted “Yes” on all agenda items. It was an invalid meeting. They approved the 600 units (that Kushner wants to build).”
Law Director Peter King responded, “The council can make an application with the DCA to dissolve PARA. PARA said they sent information to the DCA on why they should remain intact (because they are still in negotiations with a lot of contracts).”
Resident Ken Balut came up to speak about some of the rising legal fees on some cases being litigated, “The Batista fees are already up to $150,000.” He also said for R-450 – CDBG Grant for the YMCA: Center for Support, Success & Prosperity in the amount of $15,000. And R-451 – CDBG Grant for the Jewish Renaissance Foundation Alternative Education Institute in the amount of $15,000. “We should not give the Y a penny. With the Jewish Renaissance, people were given houses that they were not qualified for. Was that a poor person who benefited? The lawyer who drew up the contract was one of our judges. You all went on a conference involving the poor. The 10:00 a.m. PARA meeting was a fraud. Jacobs (the PARA member who called in to the meeting) sold the unit to his wife for a dollar. Hindenlang at one time lived at a Kushner unit. That meeting should have been voided. Quinones (former Perth Amboy Law Director) said she was negotiating with the city with Kushner (even after she left the city as Law Director). We are supposed to be sharing the profits with the Y. This has got to stop. Bring it up to the comptroller’s office. After I left the council, I wrote a letter with complaints about the Y. There was supposed to be a meeting and the meeting was cancelled. The hospital will be turned into a psych ward. The council gets blamed for everything.”
Resident and businessman David Caba came up to speak next. “I look at the disrespect (that was shown at the last council meeting (9/25/19)). I deal with other cities that act very professional, then I see people here disrespecting the council. We even had a bishop who said he had a church on 185 Hall Ave. who tried to get you to change your vote. You got elected to look out for 60,000 people and not just 4 people. This bishop threatened you by saying you will not get reelected. I’m shameful and I have a lot of integrity and I take pride in it. Asbury Park which also has water views is selling their properties for $5 million. We are putting rental units on the Waterfront.”
Resident Alan Silber came up next, “When I heard about the PARA meeting, it was disgraceful. Was there anybody there from the public?”
Carr responded, “I went in (and saw some of the members) and went right out of the room. They threw George (the cameraman) out, so there was no filming of the meeting.”
Silber continued, “If you can phone into a meeting, why even bother coming to a meeting?”
Law Director King explained, “Calling in to a meeting is an exception.”
Silber then continued, “Why was it an emergency meeting? The mayor has been in office for 11 years and she works for the city. She does not own it. She might own certain people. That meeting (PARA) was shameful.” He then referenced homeless people, “When I was driving on Market Street when I was going to the train station to drop off my wife. When I arrived at the train station, I saw people in the waiting room sleeping on the floor and on benches at 10:00 a.m. Also, it’s not the council’s job to translate for people (who come up and speak in another language). When people watch it on TV, it’s as if the council is speaking those words – and not translating for the person speaking.” Silber then referenced the bishop spoke in Spanish at the 9/25/19 meeting and Councilman Fernando Irizarry translated the bishop’s words into English. “I saw a picture of that bishop whispering in Assemblyman Coughlin’s ear. Was he translating for Coughlin?”
The Council adjourned into closed session. Councilman Helmin Caba was not present at the Caucus due to illness.
