Putting the "unity" back into our Community!.............."The way to move mountains, is one rock at a time"......................."Blogs are the town squares of yesterday.".......Under God!
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Showing posts with label Trenton City Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trenton City Council. Show all posts
Thursday night, as I did Tuesday night I will be ducking the hot topic talk regarding the whole 'background' check issue and opting instead to focus on something more substantive, altruistic, and important; 13-56 an ordinance establishing a Trenton Americans with Disabilities Act Committee.
Sam Folgelgaren, a young, bright, and full of life College of New Jersey student is the brainchild behind the Committee. He is a caretaker for his brother Danny and knows all too well the obstacles that disabled people face.
There are currently 17,000 (plus) Trentonians in the City who will benefit from this Trenton ADA Committee. Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who visited Project Freedom at Trent Towers during her term many times, has received more than an ear full of what obstacles disabled people face on a daily basis in her Ward so it was meant to be when Sam approached Councilwoman Caldwell-Wilson seeking her to sponsor the formation of an ADA Committee here in Trenton. She of course has answered the call and we are two meetings away from the final adoption of the ordinance and if passed; Trenton wins.
It will be the first ADAC in Mercer County and will make a difference in the quality of life of Trenton's disabled. Mr. Wiener, an attorney at the Community Health Law Project is on board and will help the committee navigate the 51-page Act of 1990.
Please support the formation of a Trenton ADAC and if need be you can contact the Committee via email at trentonadacommittee@gmail.com
To watch both recorded meetings of Tuesday's and Thursday's Trenton City Council meetings just click on the picture of City Council to the right of this post.
To my shock and amazement City Councilwoman Kathy McBride fell for a serious April Fool's joke as she announced during the Civic Comment portion of the meeting that "I received a call about a serious epidemic that is spreading and that one Trenton resident has now, it's called Blue Waffle Disease." For those of you who are not up on Urban slang, 'Blue Waffle' is what we men say about a woman who has a dirty vagina. It's a complete Urban Legend, it's just a slang term.
McBride made Sam Hutchinson come to the podium and asked him to have the Health Director look into the matter....lol......I wasn't the only person who immediately knew that someone was playing a joke on her but how could we help? The words were already out of her mouth. If Kathy McBride is considering a Mayor run she might want to learn how to use Google first.
In other City Council news, City Council President Holly-Ward suggested that the Council vote on the Docket tonight so as to cancel the need for a meeting Thursday, that motion passed and so did the Docket minus 13-147 and 13-150 which were pulled. You can review what passed and what was pulled in the post below this one. Also passed was the second readings of the ordinances on the Agenda.
The next meeting will be April 16th, I will be live streaming the meeting at 5:30 sharp. There were four public comments that mostly had to do with Director Rivera, one man's complaint is that the TPD website has not been updated with Rivera's information because it still has Juniak's info posted on it. He said our TPD website was an embarrassment, huh? Is this guy serious? I am not going to go into all that was wrong with his statement but Rivera was in attendance and who knows, maybe Rivera will start up the 'Directors Blog' again.
Throughout the meeting the notorious Daryl Brooks (self proclaimed Civic Activist that is better known for being a sex offender and Mack supporter) was antagonizing me throughout the meeting and as I was leaving City Hall. He used the terms "faggot who likes to take it up the ass" "go get some cupcakes" and a couple of other remarks. Mr. Brooks would find his time better spent promoting his Audio Book rather than coming to City Council meetings to antagonize me, from what I heard he hasn't sold one copy. Just saying....
There is a story up on the Trentonian newspaper website referring to the 'blue waffle' incident, I am the guy who came up to her and told her someone played a joke on her, you can read the story HERE
For your review. I will be posting a link Tuesday night for the Live-Stream. Soon you will be able to watch the live-stream without having to come here by watching it directly on Facebook, I am still waiting for uVidy.com to finish their Beta mode process. The meeting and Live-stream starts at 5:30 sharp.
Tuesday's Agenda and Docket are below for your review, note that there will be a second reading and public hearing on the TESC Project, please read Kevin Moriarty's blog post HERE before attending the meeting. This is only a Docket review, the hearing where you can speak on the ordinance and when the ordinance will be voted on by City Council is Thursday February 7th.
Also note item 1e in the Communications and Petitions section (2nd page), it appears as though the young men who were in a brawl with off duty Trenton Police Officers at a local pub are suing us as they have filed a Tort Notice. One of the young men is the son of a retired Trenton Police Officer. To read more on that incident, click HERE --- I am hoping the Times of Trenton follows up on this article written by Matt Fair and gets a copy of the lawsuit and the disposition from the IA investigation to ascertain whether charges were sustained against the officers' involved in the brawl.
Live Stream will be for Thursday's meeting, this meeting is just a Docket review.
Tonight's live stream is cancelled due to technical difficulties.
This Tuesday's City Council meeting is building up to be an interesting one, besides the final vote on the second reading of the Ordinance to reduce the Indicted Occupant of the Mayor's Office salary therefore reducing the next property tax hike, there is now a new issue regarding just that---property taxes. Please take the time to scroll down to the right of this blog until you get to Reinvent Trenton's link and read what Dan Dodson has to say on this issue.
I will be live-streaming at 5:30PM sharp, the Agenda and Docket is below for your review.
First off, for all of the parents out there, the Trenton Fire Department is handing out 700 toys at the Roebling Market complex at 10AM and 11:30AM Friday December 21st. Thank you to George Muschal for announcing that during Civic comments.
I first attended the City Council Meet & Greet (conversations with Council) at 4PM. It was a good meeting, it went so well in fact Council President Holly-Ward said they would do it once a month in 2013. I would guestimate that twenty-three residents attended as well as mayoral hopefuls, press and Council members. Councilwomen Holly-Ward and Caldwell-Wilson and Councilmen Chester and Muschal fielded most questions and concerns from those in attendance. Obviously missing was all of the Park Rangers, there was none and I pointed out that security which is overseen by Roberto Mendez has become dangerously lax when it comes to City Council events. I have not seen a metal detecting wand in over six-month's.
Dan Dodson read a short presentation on behalf of The Majority For A Better Trenton. Read it below.
Then someone was speaking and started quoting Rush Limbo (Limbaugh) and that was my cue to exit and wait in the hall for the regular council meeting to start. It started late but went by quickly for the most part, if I'm home by 8PM I'm happy.
The Agenda went quickly with only a handful of public speakers and Civic Comments. Below is an impassioned plea for unity by Dan Dodson and preceding Dan is African American Chamber of Commerce President John Harmon looking for answers to questions he's been asking for quite awhile now. I think Council members can relate, they are still waiting for answers for their own abundance of questions.
Speaking of questions and answers which seemed to be the theme of the day, after the docket was addressed, West-Ward Councilman Zachary Chester reminded me of a tenacious litigator as he fired off good points and good questions about the bust of President Obama in the City Hall Atrium. As I was listening to Councilman Chester I felt like I was in an episode of Law & Order or something. Chester was directing his questions towards Anthony Roberts (who was not in attendance) via Sam Hutchinson with a couple of questions directly for Business Administrator Hutchinson like "did Roberts have permission from Hutchinson to purchase the base for the bust?" Hutchinson answered "No, he did not have my permission."
Chester asked why Roberts, as president of the Obama Bust Committee (or whatever they are called) was seemingly performing Committee business on City time. Chester stated that he was handed a 4-page reference to the bust two days before it was presented and he received it via Roberts during regular business hours for the City. President Holly-Ward described it as two Anthony Roberts: one the Committee President and one the City employee.
When Chester put forth a motion to have a resolution drafted to demand Roberts and the City employees on the 'Bust Committee' appear before Council to answer a lot of hard questions....Holly-Ward asked "which Roberts do you want?" "Both!" Chester exclaimed. The motion passed and a resolution will be drafted and one of the other good questions is....Chester said while looking at the invoice from Stone Tech he saw that the base was paid for ($1,000) but questioned whether we can be expecting a bill for installation because installation was not included in the price of the base? Chester said 5 contractors are on the plaque of names of the donors and that is clearly a pay-to-play violation and hopes that all donors know that they can't write off their donation with the IRS unless Roberts 'Bust Committee' is an official 501c3 non-profit organization.The plot thickens.
And so will my waistline this Holiday Season (as usual) and in the spirit of the Season I will end the year by writing one good thing about Kathy McBride, 'I am growing to very much enjoy her Multi-Cultural Holiday Display in the atrium and thank her for including that big ole' Christmas Tree, even if it was defecated on by pictures of the Indicted Occupant of the mayors office.'
Because I noticed in the 'traffic' and 'audience' section of this blog that (for some reason) people from every Continent on earth is reading what I write......I will end this post with....
I wish all of you a happy and safe Holiday or Holidays's depending on your individual belief's, see you next year!
Well very few folks were able to attend last nights Council meeting so it went rather quickly due to a few things: the minutes were finally accepted by City Council and are completely up to date (congratulations City Clerk's Office); there were only a few public speakers and Council breezed through the docket.
The only resolution pulled for a hearing was # 12-683, the liquor license renewal of a pocket liquor license held by Michael Matucheck. As you may recall Mr. Matucheck had Juan Martinez speak on his behalf before Council regarding opening another 'trouble bar' at the intersection of Anderson and Hudson streets in the City's Chambersburg section.
Martinez testified to Council that he "had no financial interest in the bar whatsoever." He lied, which is why I am no fan of his and do not trust him.
One interesting point is that some bids such as the one for Municipal Court language translation services are being rejected because the State of New Jersey DCA is taking too long to approve them, the bids have to be approved within 60-days of it's submission although a 60-day extension can be requested.
Kathy McBride wants the community to know that there will be an Open House for Trenton City Hall's Multi-Cultural Holiday Display in the Atrium Wednesday December 19th and toys that were collected by Trenton firefighters will be handed out to children who attend, it starts at 5PM sharp.
I spoke and weighed in on a couple of matters, first about the plaque on the Obama bust in the City Hall Atrium and I also weighed in on Councilman George Muschal undermining Trenton Police Director Ralph Rivera in the press. Council has repeatedly stated how they loathe the Mack administration communicating with them through the media/press yet Councilman Muschal is doing the same thing with regard to Rivera.
Unfortunately I felt like Clint Eastwood speaking to an empty chair at the Republican National Convention because neither of the two men were present for the meeting last night. A video of my comments is below.
Mayor Mack's press release today started out with the line "I would like to take this time, again, to commend Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Qareeb Bashir for hisleadership during this natural disaster." << This statement directly contradicts Mayor Mack's assertion that he has been at the helm throughout the horror-show-for-Halloween nicknamed "Frankenstorm" but known to those Trentonians still without power and in turmoil as Hurricane Sandy. It is abundantly clear that Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson (who also consulted with former Public Works Director Eric Jackson when he couldn't reach the Mayor), City Directors and City Council members were the ones on the frontlines looking out for us, at best, Mack was simply kept abreast of the work other people were doing. The salary-cut ordinance was first read way before Hurricane Sandy hit so Mack is the one who is playing politics during a calamity NOT City Council. Also in his statement he states he updated his Facebook status a dozen or more times, the only problem with that is that Mack unfriends anyone who disagrees with him....so how is that effective? Besides I would be ashamed to have him in my friends list. On Facebook, I am actually "friends" with the people in my "friends list" and I am no friend of Tony Mack in any way, shape or form. Either way Fire Director Bashir wants the public to be made clear of one thing "don't use electric or gas heaters inside the home and if you absolutely must; use radiator-type heaters." Okay, now to City Council business. Below is a Flip-Clip of Council President Holly-Ward stating how dismayed she is over the fact that Council members (specifically East Ward Councilwoman Reynolds-Jackson in this clip) are "arguing for a man who isn't even here to argue for himself." Reynolds-Jackson then goes into a rant and suggests that "we pay Mayor Mack to go away." No seriously, she actually suggested that, watch for yourself. None of it matters for now because Mack vetoed the Ordinance today.
I did not get a whole lot of Flip video of the Ordinance arguments but I do have plenty of Public Comment videos. Also last nights recording only streamed, it did not record. The site I am using (uvidy.com) is an upstart that is in Beta Mode and still working out bugs, it may pop up at a later time but as of now, it is not up on the site. The Flip-Clips I have should give you the gist of how the meeting went.
Below is Councilwoman At-Large Kathy McSnide's retort to retired TPD SRGT Russell. I did not catch Russell's full Public Comment because I was away from my camera but I can tell you that Russell basically lambasted McSnide for her comments to reporters that she is upset with Police Director Ralph Rivera JR's staff moves and specifically targeted Captain Paul Messina being transferred to head of patrol as she referred to him as "Captain Sleepy."
Russell spoke with unwavering confidence of the Police Director and said that the "dissention within the TPD" McSnide speaks of, has been going on for years. -----Message to SRGT Russell, you are a beautiful person, keep fighting the good fight! For whatever it's worth; I got your back!---
Below is something positive that kicked off Public Comment. The Coach of TCHS Debate Team addresses City Council.
Below Dion Clark broke my heart with his comments regarding Mayor Mack's salary. He isn't the first person I voted for that I now regret voting for and he won't be the last. Clark seems to have a problem letting the 2010 defeat to Verlina Reynolds-Jackson go. Clark brought up the ATV & Dirtbike debate and West Ward Councilman Zachary Chester defended himself when Clark suggested that meeting with these vehicle users was wrong, that there is nothing to talk about. Chester retorted that he will meet with any constituents who require a meeting and detailed what occurred at the meeting. He also stated that the State of New Jersey is supposed to designate three locations where ATV & Dirtbike riders can ride their vehicles legally, yet the State has failed to do so.
Shaheed Morris commends Sam Hutchinson, the Police & Fire Departments and Retired SRGT Carol Russell below.
Jim Carlucci Addresses City Council and refutes claims that the Ordinance to reduce our absentee Mayor's salary is punitive, rather, if the shoe fits.....
Thursday evening's City Council meeting was again another marathon for the record books. After a couple of hours of public comment and a break, Council business began.
It started on the most positive note I have ever witnessed, a presentation, and I usually loathe presentations but this was one that was sought out by Council President Holly-Ward and NorthWard Councilwoman Caldwell-Wilson and is called Ban The Box.
It is a law that is already in place in 38 jurisdictions throughout the United States and is also in place in Federal Government hiring practices and U.S. corporations.
Ban The Box delays criminal background checks until later in the hiring process after skills and qualifications have been considered. No more will you see a little box on your employment application asking you whether you have ever been convicted or arrested for a crime or not.
Past discretions would be considered only after a person has been vetted based on their knowledge which basically means less discrimination against those of us, especially within an urban environment, that have had unfortunate run in's with the law, more especially those of us who have had these law breaking indiscretions occur while experiencing the exuberance of youth in a poverty stricken, crime ridden neighborhood.
Kudos to the above mentioned Council women who engaged this campaign to end discrimination against those who have not made it out of the hood completely unscathed but turned their life around in the end.
Unfortunately after that came a shameful -no- strike that- several shameful and creepy rants by Councilman Bethea who as an elected official threw Separation Between Church & State out the window and opted instead to invoke (in one of his creepy-preacher-rants) the Biblical story of "he who be without sin cast the first stone." I was reminded of Sunday School at the Salvation Army as a kid but was quickly snapped back to reality when one of Bethea's rants angered Council President Holly-Ward so much that she dropped a powerful bomb.
The rant was regarding Bethea once again trying to put a motion on the floor for a vote by the body to elect a Council Vice President. The motion failed three times already and Council President Holly-Ward said that an ordinance is being drafted to address the fact that their is no official position on the books for a Vice President. The current process allows the Council President to select whom may stand in for her during any absence.
Bethea referred to the current process as a "dictatorship" ( a word he chose to use several times throughout his rants), during her retort Council President Holly-Ward said that she has a CD recording of a meeting that shows that City Clerk Leona Baylor manipulated the process to favor Councilwoman Reynolds-Jackson be elected VP. Holly-Ward said that she will be taking the recording to the Law Department.
To that Baylor erupted stating "I'm sorry that Council members are fighting but don't include me in this" << paraphrasing if you want to get the gist of the verbal confrontation fast forward to 3:49 in the entire recording HERE
In the end the Resolution and Ordinance that has caused so much contention the past few days; the resolution of a vote of no confidence and the first reading of an ordinance that would cut the Mayor's salary in half, passed.
I will be uploading plenty of FlipCam clips of public comments and such later on in the day, please check back later for that video footage.
As for the buzzing or crickets sound you hear throughout the above recording of the entire meeting; nothing I can do about that. It's either you listen to that buzzing or I go back to having an open mic that captures every distracting sound from the gallery.
Okay, well first off I know everyone wants to see the video below before seeing Phyllis Holly-Ward snap Mayor Mack back to reality.
Roy Sumners who did some lucrative flooring work for Mayor Mack's Learning Centers (aka libraries) was leaving City Council Chambers when he approached and exchanged words with Mayor Assistant Anthony "I'll get back to you on that" Roberts.
Sumners invited Roberts to fight outside of chambers, Roberts obliged, Roberts did not get the attention of police or security, he simply walked out with Sumners egging on a confrontation.
I got the attention of Detective Alexis Durlacher, she ran ahead of me in the hall and separated the two after she saw Sumners push Roberts. As I see her now trying to keep Sumners back and no Park Rangers were helping her, I ran back into Council Chambers to get one of her brothers in blue; SRGT. Adrian Mendez who quickly responded with Park Ranger "Grace" and together they ejected Sumners from the building.
When I asked Durlacher why she didn't eject Roberts as well because he was seemingly encouraging a physical altercation she replied "Sumners is drunk or high on something, he was the problem."
Although as you will see in the videos of the Mayor's appearance below, Roberts interrupted an exchange between councilman Zach Chester and the Mayor.
It was a busy night for Durlacher, she had to deal with a few other incidents of unruly activity from the gallery of Mack Cronies sandwiched with Mack critics. You may be particularly interested in the first video of Mack's appearance below because City Council President Phyllis Holly-Ward slams the gavel down on Mack and tells him to....well....just watch.
Below is Mack's full appearance. I am working on uploading the public comment portion now. Check back in a few hours for that. Also, I had audio problems again last night (with the live-stream not the videos below), a big thanks to the city clerk for letting me plug into her audio mixer but the websites (two) I use to live-stream were acting up, I will work out the bugs by tomorrow night's meeting.
