8/10/22 Council Meeting
By: Carolyn Maxwell
PERTH AMBOY – During the first public portion on agenda items, Resident Ken Balut spoke first.
Council President Bill Petrick spoke up to remind Balut that he speaks directly into the mike, “Because there is a conspiracy theory that we are deliberately muting you.”
Balut stated, “I don’t know why there is a problem because I always talk loud.” Balut asked, “Why are we refunding money back on R-398 for the Perth Amboy Harborside Marina 2022 Mooring Summer Season?” He then asked, “How much money was spent for R-401 ($276,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act with a contract from Spatial Data Logic)?”
Business Administrator Michael Greene responded to R-401 first, “These are for eight meters and the money has not been spent yet because of a supply chain problem.”
Balut continued, “You should have a running total of where all this money is going. There also is a lot of hidden money. We are paying a lot of interest fees on bonds and the lawyers are making a lot of money on legal fees. Now, we have another lawsuit against us due to a person drowning. We don’t know the amount of the fees that the lawyers are charging. We are getting $16 million in a two-year timeframe. We are giving millions on no-bid contracts. I don’t trust these contracts and these bids. Both Democrats and Republicans do it and also people who give donations.”
The next person to come up and speak was Carlos Rodriguez who is the owner of Torres Café on High Street. He referenced R-392-8/22 – Approving a seasonal fixed location peddler lease at the foot of Sadowski Parkway and Madison Avenue with Carlos Rodriguez d/b/a Torres Café. “We pride ourselves on being one of the last Puerto Rican Cafes in Perth Amboy. We are looking to get approval of this license. I spoke with the Clerk’s Office and with Councilman Pabon. I also supplied a contract (for this location).”
Law Director William Opel responded, “We just had to make a slight change in the hours of operation.”
The next person to come to speak was Precious Ojeda from the Jewish Renaissance Foundation. She told the council that she has copies of the presentation that was made via Zoom at the Caucus Meeting, and she is here to answer any questions they may have about the organization.
No one had any questions.
Public Comments (for agenda items only – Participants Via Zoom)
Resident Sharon Hubberman spoke first. She asked for a list of the items that the $3.8 million of the American Rescue Fund and how much for each item. She also questioned, “What is the citywide camera system?”
B.A. Greene responded, “The sum of the money will go towards a computer replacement network upgrade and system updates. License plate readers, a video security system for public safety (broadband and security for our citizens). They can pinpoint where a crime is happening.”
Hubberman then asked, “Will there be additional items added? It is disturbing to have cameras all around the city. Who will be monitoring this? It is against our constitutional rights. They are not in critical spots (regarding terrorist threats).”
Councilman Joel Pabon responded, “We need to table this ordinance. There is not enough information. We need an explanation of a layout of the cameras. A lot of our firetrucks need a lot of room (when turning onto the streets). What are we getting with this new truck? It is a lot of money.”
Councilman Torres spoke up next, “I want to table this ordinance.”
Pabon stated he would second that because each item should be voted on separately.
Fire Chief Ed Mullen spoke up via Zoom to talk about the new firetruck. “It is a pumper and will be replacing a 33-year-old truck and is the same price as the current pumper.”
Police Chief Cattano came up to the mike to speak, “The surveillance cameras will be placed in public areas on the streets.”
Councilman Torres said, “That is a lot of money just to have license plate readers.”
Cattano then explained, “There are a lot of stolen vehicles that are coming into Perth Amboy.”
Pabon spoke up, “We need to find out about those stolen catalytic converters.”
Petrick then asked, “Will those cameras have real-time monitoring?”
Cattano explained, “They will have artificial intelligence and will be able to view past and current crimes.”
City Clerk Victoria Kupsch spoke up, “We can move the ordinance when it comes time to vote.”
Councilman Pabon asked, “When will Elizabethtown Gas end their work so we can start paving on those streets? They started working on some of those streets months ago and we need to be kept abreast.”
Council President Bill Petrick spoke up next, “During the Diaz administration, they were proactive getting the work done on the streets, so we could start paving on a street that Elizabethtown Gas was working on. The meters that are being placed in front of buildings are dangerous.” He referenced the explosion of a former building that had a laundromat on the first floor and apartments above it on New Brunswick and East Avenues around 20 years ago.
Petrick asked for any updates at the boats at the marina that were in slips that were too small for them. Greene said he would get the information for him.
The council voted on the ordinances. The first two ordinances passed. Both dealing with mandatory onsite affordable housing set aside. Public Hearings were held on June 8, 2022, for both of them.
Ordinance No. 1 – Handicapped Parking Spaces regarding additions. It was Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 2 – Regulating News Racks in outdoor public spaces. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 1 (first reading) – Using the American Rescue Plan Funds for equipment for the water/wastewater utility. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 2 (first reading) – Using $3,860,000 of the American Rescue Plan Funds for the acquisition of various equipment. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Torres. When it came to voting individually, Tejeda and Morales voted, “No” to table. Motion passes.
Ordinance No. 3 (first reading) – Using $650,000 of the American Rescue Plan Funds for the replacement of all existing single-head parking meters. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 4 (first reading) – American Rescue Plan Funds for Construction of Smith Street Shop Distribution Building for the Water Utility. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 5 (first reading) – Designating Handicapped Parking Spaces regarding additions. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 6 (first reading) – Smoking and Lighted Objects – Removed at the Caucus.
Ordinance No. 7 (first reading) – Amendment to a Lease Agreement between the city and New Cingular Wireless, PCS, LLC (AT&T). Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
Ordinance No. 8 (first reading) – Amendments to the Focus 2020 Redevelopment Plan for Area No. 2. Moved by Pabon. Seconded by Tejeda.
For the consent agenda, R-382, R-384 thru R-391; R-393 thru R-402; R-404 thru R-411; R-413 thru R-422 was moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda.
R-383 – 8/22 – Overriding the Mayor’s Veto of an ordinance entitled “Public Entertainment.”
Councilwoman Milady Tejeda had a question, “It looks like there were additional changes made such as no beer garden by the Wilentz School and I saw a 3-hour difference in the time of the festival.”
Councilman Pabon mentioned, “The time would be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday for the festival.”
This resolution was voted on individually, Morales, Tejeda, Pabon voted, “No.” Resolution does not pass.
R-392 – 8/22 – Approving the fixed location peddler license with Carlos Rodriguez located on the foot of Sadowski Parkway and Madison Avenue. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda. When voting, Tejeda abstained.
R-403 -8/22 – Authorizing a settlement in the matter of Ivette Rios vs. the City of Perth Amboy in an amount not to exceed $14,000. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda. When it came time to vote, Petrick and Pabon abstained.
R-412 – 8/22 – Accepting a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Project Funding in the Amount of $1,500,000 for the Perth Amboy Public Library Renovations and Upgrade Project.
B.J. Torres said, “We need to have a presentation. People wrote about not having the needed personnel, but we need the money, so I vote “Yes.”
Council President Petrick said, “Who will oversee this money and the construction?”
Greene responded, “It will be shared services, but we will still have oversight of the project.”
Petrick continued, “All of those on the Board were appointed by the mayor and will have a lot on their plate, plus they should have their own attorney.”
There was a late-starter R-423-8 /22 – Opposing Elizabethtown Gas Company Petition to New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to review its basic gas supply service rate and Conservation Incentive Program Rates. Moved by Pabon, seconded by Tejeda to be put on the agenda. All voted “Yes,” for this resolution.
Public Portion (in-person first):
Resident Ken Balut spoke first, “Is Joel Rosa now working in the Library?
Petrick answered, “Yes.”
Balut then talked about security cameras, “Which we’ve had before…and the information on the cameras should be held for 60 days. What is the timing on the cameras? There are a lot of trips and falls and other incidents and cameras would be a good solution. We are not as safe as people think. I feel safer on some streets in Newark than I do here. We need safe streets and housing. We can use grant money for solving homeless, and there is property available. There are a lot of legal fees when we use bonding, and this has got to stop. We are now flushed with money that we didn’t have before.”
Petrick asked B.A. Greene, “How many active cameras do we have at the marina?”
Greene was not sure, but he said that the police have access to the recordings and Eddie Perez Jr. is the Marina Supervisor.”
Petrick continued, “There is also a car that was hit and wound up on the sidewalk by the Vocational School.”
Resident Dorothy Daniel came up to speak next. She wanted to know if the library is handicapped accessible. “I go to the Woodbridge Library because they are handicapped accessible.” She then asked if we have the monkeypox vaccine.
Greene responded, “It is in short supply everywhere, but we are reaching out to the county.”
Daniel continued, “They have a high count of monkeypox in New York and you know, over the weekend they come here to shop.” She continued, “They need to build a footbridge over Rte. 35 by the new high school.” She also mentioned that there should be a new entrance to get into Wendy’s and QuickChek and people should only be allowed to exit on to Rte. 35 when leaving those two locations. She said, “People should be aware when flying a flag outside, along with the American flag, the American flag should always be flown higher than any other flag.”
Petrick said, “I agree.”
Businessman Carlos Rodriguez from Torres Café thanked the council for approving his seasonal license for the location on Sadowski Parkway.
Council Comments:
Councilwoman Rose Morales said, “I thank everyone for participating in person and on Zoom. On August 17th at 6:30 p.m. at Woodbridge City Hall, there is going to be a rally to oppose the new powerplant in Keasbey. National Night Out had a good turnout and I want to thank the police department. I hope everyone enjoys their summer. Be safe.”
Councilman Joel Pabon said, “We need an update on monkeypox. We always read about it and see it on the news. I rely on these updates for Covid or any other health concerns. There are many monkeypox cases in New York, especially with Black Males. Be careful and take precautions. I want to congratulate the Special I Police Officers. There were good turnouts for National Night Out and Peruvian events.”
Director of Department of Human Resources Dianne Roman spoke via Zoom about monkeypox, “We reached out to local pharmacies, other cities, and the state regarding vaccines. New Brunswick has some vaccines, but the state wants to make sure they have the correct and current information before sharing it with the public. I’ve met with our hospital personnel, and they have no information from the state, yet.”
Petrick stated some of the symptoms of monkeypox. “It is a virus, has a rash with painful eruptions on the skin. You should avoid close contact with a person exhibiting those symptoms. Males are more susceptible because of not taking the proper precautions.”
Councilwoman Milady Tejeda thanked all who participated tonight. “And all of the community organizations who planned all of the activities. National Night Out was tremendous, and the Basketball Workshop with Brian Taylor was fun.”
Councilman B.J. Torres said, “This is why I have been fighting for our own public health department. There was an AIDS Epidemic at one time, and now we have monkeypox. We need proper information. People had health issues when we had Superstorm Sandy, and people still have issues when they were locked up for such a long time during the Covid Pandemic.”
Council President Bill Petrick thanked all who participated tonight and on Monday. “We need more people to come here. I’m glad to see there are more people making improvements on their homes and properties. Be careful with Covid, because there is another variant that came out. It is mostly practicing common sense.” He also congratulated all those who were promoted to the position of Special I Police Officers. “Good luck. I hope you all do well.”
The meeting was over at 8:32 p.m. All council members were present in person.
