Council Meeting Wrap-Up: February 21, 2024
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Good morning, Hoboken, and happy almost end of February! To start today’s message off, I wanted to address the elephant in the room. Why is it still cold? As discussed in my last summary, I was promised by both Punxsutawney Phil and Hoboken Phil that spring was just around the corner. Since then, we had two snow events and it’s still pretty cold out. What’s up with that guys?!?!?
Anyway, to the topic at hand, our last council meeting (February 21). And what a council meeting it was! At the start of the day, we were geared up to discuss and debate some hot topic issues… namely cannabis and e-bikes, but those were removed from the agenda during the day. However, the meeting was still filled with plenty of drama due to our extended public comments portion which focused largely on the Israel/Gaza war. Let’s jump right in.
Critical Business Not Heavily Discussed – Firefighters and PILOTs
More Firefighters Proposed
Up for first reading (which means was no Council debate on it – you can read my tutorial on first vs. second readings here) was an ordinance to increase the Hoboken Fire Department’s table of organization by eight. What does that mean? Our table of organization (TOO) is the enumeration of all our firefighters from the chief down to the newest person. Currently, that number stands at 123, which sounds like a lot, but considering the fire department runs 24-7 across numerous firehouses it really isn’t. In fact, at our current staffing levels our firefighters are not staffed to recommended standards when they go out on calls.
When you call for help and the fire department shows up with a truck, the national recommendation is for four people to be on that truck. One captain to manage the crew from the outside, one to get equipment ready (like fire hoses), and two to go inside your home to inspect. This is the best practice to ensure the safety of our teams and of you. At our current staffing levels we are not meeting that standard.
Today, when you call the Hoboken Fire Department, three people show up, a captain and two firefighters. The result is we run the risk of not having sufficient people to execute the job safely and appropriately. Lucky for Hoboken, this hasn’t resulted in any real negative effects thus far. But when it comes to public safety it’s best not to rely on luck.
The solution then is to increase our TOO to 131 (an increase of eight). This will give our fire department the ability to staff trucks at the recommended levels and promote safety for all of us. I supported this ordinance change in subcommittee, am happy to sponsor it now, and am glad to see it passed unanimously on Wednesday. Next step is second reading where I am sure there will be a debate on costs – my understanding is the costs will be relatively flat – but I consider this an investment in our overall security. Let’s not be pennywise and pound foolish.
PILOTS (Not the Flying Kind)
Another critical item was the passing on second reading (next stop is the Mayor for his signature) of an ordinance approving the execution of a financial agreement between Hoboken and Observer Highway Urban Renewal LLC. This relates to an exciting project, Hoboken Connect, that will transform our NJ Transit Hub with a series of commercial and residential buildings. This multi-phase project is slated to begin construction this year and will create thousands of jobs in Hoboken and generate substantial revenue for the City. Running the risk of oversimplifying things, what we approved on Wednesday was (in part) permission to enter into a PILOT agreement with the developers. PILOT stands for Payment in Lieu of Taxes - which are negotiated payments to the City, instead of property taxes. PILOTs are most often agreed to when the City wishes a development to include some community benefits (e.g., increased open space, affordable housing, etc.), the inclusion of which would not make a project financially viable for the developer without a break on property taxes.
Public Comments on the Israel Gaza War
Now for the heavy stuff. At each Council meeting we reserve time for the public to speak on any topic they wish, regardless of whether it is on the agenda or even within the purview of City government. People often use this as a platform to promote or discuss topics they would like the City’s attention on. Typically, public comments lasts a half hour or less with a handful of speakers participating (each speaker is entitled to five minutes). On Wednesday night there were 29 speakers with public comments lasting two hours – with the overwhelming topic being the conflict in Israel, and specifically whether the City Council should adopt a ceasefire resolution at an upcoming meeting.
Generally, there were more speakers supporting a ceasefire resolution than those opposed to it (however, we have since been flooded with emails against such a resolution) and each speaker, regardless of viewpoint, was respectful yet passionate. There was a lot of historical context provided, and there were facts presented on casualties, descriptions of suffering, and discussions regarding causalities. The whole two hours were intense to say the least – but as a governing body it is important for us to provide a forum for people to speak their views. As a community we hold free speech sacred and I’m glad we are still able to provide a safe place for people to speak their minds. Ultimately, I share Mayor Bhalla’s view that no one in our community is for war and we want an end to human suffering, as a community though there is a disagreement on how we do it.
With respect to that disagreement, as the evening progressed one thing struck me as paramount – the idea that there are certain people who feel that it’s unsafe to share their views, for fear of harassment or reprisal. This is something that has come up in my interactions with residents with increased regularity on both sides. Most recently, I spoke with a neighbor who is Jewish and against a cease fire resolution who professed to feeling unsafe or uncomfortable outwardly supporting Israel. In contrast, during a conversation with a close friend who is Muslim, he lamented that he felt nervous about saying anything outside of his closest groups for fear that “saying the wrong thing would be social and professional suicide.”
As a community leader, one of my jobs is to help ensure we treat each other as neighbors – with respect and dignity. I’ll say it again, free speech is sacred to me. In Hoboken we live together, we work together, our children play together – we should be able to have difficult conversations and emerge remaining if not friends, then at least with a respect for each other. I’ve spoken with numerous people on both sides of this issue and in all instances the vast majority have admitted that their own views are multi-faceted. They also equally expressed sadness over this issue creating a fissure within our community. As we think about next steps and how we move forward as one Hoboken, I committed to them and I will commit right here to doing what I can to begin to close that fissure. My plan over the next few weeks is to begin hosting intimate conversations bringing individuals from both sides of this topic together for open and frank conversations. Speaking directly with each other and not speaking at each other is how we can move forward and I’m excited to do my part.
What Happened to Cannabis?
The day before our Council meeting we were all set up for a classic Hoboken brawl - with me in one corner and Councilwoman Fisher in the other. I was proposing an ordinance change which would align our local cannabis distance requirements with respect to schools with that of the State alcohol requirements (200 feet). The reason? Over the past few months, I’ve received a lot of input on our existing cannabis requirements, specifically how arbitrary and restrictive they are. So, considering the spirit of the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMM Act) was to “adopt a new approach to our marijuana policies by controlling and legalizing a form of marijuana, to be referred to as cannabis, in a similar fashion to the regulation of alcohol for adults, we decided to propose this ordinance. As expected, Councilwoman Fisher was opposed and, therefore, proposed her own resolutions opposing my ordinance. Why? I’m not sure, considering she could have simply voted No. But we found ourselves again sharpening our proverbial swords getting ready to do battle… over pot.
So, on Wednesday I decided to take a different approach. To be clear, I believe I had the votes to pass my ordinance both on first and second reading. I also believe, however, that proceeding on Wednesday, would have done nothing to bring our City together on this subject… so I picked up the phone and called Councilwoman Fisher. We spoke for nearly 30 minutes on the subject and agreed to try and move forward together. Our shared goals being to revisit our geographic restrictions (which I believe form a de facto ban on cannabis retailer in Hoboken – see cannabis map here), promote social equity in our cannabis market, and increase enforcement measures. Over the next few weeks we will be meeting to discuss our views and I’m confident we’ll be able to find a compromise that furthers our shared goals.
What Happened to E-Delivery?
Regarding the E-Delivery ordinance up for consideration (you can see me and Councilman Presinzano discuss this on Fox 5 News), this was too pulled at the last minute. However, as I wasn’t a sponsor, I’m not sure why. I planned to vote No again as I continue to be worried about unintended consequences associated with the original ordinance and worry about whether it can be administered effectively. Again, as a community and as a Council we have the same goals here… to promote safer sidewalks for our residents. However, our approaches differ. The original ordinance put the burden on delivery persons and the city to register, test, license, etc. hundreds of people over the next few months. My preference is to put that burden on the apps and businesses that employ those delivery people.
I’m not sure where we stand with the ordinance as it is, however, I am pleased that Mayor Bhalla has put together a working group on this topic. This working group consists of council representatives (including me), parking department representatives, police representatives, and community representatives. We are currently planning to meet on March 5th for initial discussions. There is a lot of work to be done, but I believe if we focus on our shared goal, we can get there.
Other Fun Things
Best Line: Best line of the evening went to City Clerk Jimmy Farina for pronouncing Councilman Presinzano’s name correctly. Look, we love Jimmy – he is a Hoboken (and perhaps national) treasure. However, I remember it taking him a few meetings to get my name right, so I’m glad he’s gotten there with our newest member.
Most Important Vote (to me): The ordinance to increase the Hoboken Fire Department’s table of organization was the most critical to me. I’m glad it passed unanimously. This will directly lead to a safer Hoboken when passed.
If you’d like to more on any of these items, or have questions about other issues, please email me at councilmanquintero@gmail.com. Also, if you’d like to get these messages directly, please visit joequintero.com or sign up directly here (https://joequintero.com/joe-email-list) (note: no need to sign up if you have already, direct emails will launch soon).
