Good morning, everyone. What a beautiful day. My name is Victoria Jones Caul and I am Evette's sister. First and foremost, let me give honor to God, who makes all things possible. I would like to say a few words regarding the resolution that City Councilwoman Brooks presented. On behalf of our mother, Marie Jones, and the entire Jones family, I would like to thank City Councilwoman Kendra Brooks for honoring my sister with this resolution. STATED MEETING 91 2/9/2023 Our family is very proud of Evette. My sister has worked tirelessly for the children, the parents, community members, and staff members of the PFT. She has fought to preserve public education and to ensure that our children receive the best quality education possible in Philadelphia. Thank you all very much for honoring my sister and working with her. She has done and continues to do wonderful things. Thank you. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Lynn Landes, founder of HealthAlertPhilly.org. I support STATED MEETING 92 2/9/2023 Resolution 210913, but today I'm also here to talk about COVID. After three years of the COVID nightmare, the public deserves a complete review of what happened. For an illness that was not life threatening for over 98 percent of the population, the ill-conceived COVID mandates resulted in a massive loss of jobs, businesses, and schooling. Many people are still being forced to take harmful and deadly experimental COVID vaccines in order to keep their jobs. Only Pfizer's Comirnaty and Moderna's Spikevax are FDA-approved COVID vaccines. However, they are not sold to the public, as far as we know. What the unknowing public gets are the more dangerous and risky experimental vaccine. Big Pharma makes big money off of COVID while our federal health authorities protect them by over-counting COVID injuries and deaths and undercounting injuries and deaths from STATED MEETING 93 2/9/2023 the COVID vaccines themselves. Both the COVID illness and COVID vaccines need to be thoroughly investigated, with special attention to microclots in the blood. The soaring rates of strokes, myocarditis, and sudden deaths in vaccinated people around the world are particularly alarming. Recently and disturbingly, the FAA lowered heart health standards for airline pilots, while the military has quietly dropped its COVID vaccine mandates, but enormous damage of untold proportion has already been done by these experimental vaccines. We seriously need an honest accounting of what went wrong and why, or it will happen again and again. You can learn more at HealthAlertPhilly.org. Thank you very much for your attention.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. STATED MEETING 94 2/9/2023
The next speaker is Rikkia Brown. (Witness approached podium.)
Hi. Good morning. Good morning. Rikkia Brown, special education teacher for children with autism. I have had many teachers in my lifetime, and each one of them affected my attitude towards education in a unique way. I have developed a different relationship with each and every one of them, and one of course I reminisce about some of my teachers more than others. A teacher never knows which student he or she is going to inspire to achieve his or her goals. Sometimes a teacher might feel that he or she has not done much for their student, but that student might feel that particular teacher has highly contributed to his or her attitude about education in a STATED MEETING 95 2/9/2023 positive way. Furthermore, one of the greatest and unforgettable memories that stand above all my experiences as a student was the time I spent with one of my elementary school teachers, Ms. Jones. Ms. Jones was the most patient teacher I have ever had. She treated her students the way she would have wanted to be treated if she was a student. That was with respect and dignity. With all honesty, when I say that Ms. Jones was almost in a good mood every time I seen her, I never once saw her lose patience with her students. Ms. Jones motivated me to wake up five days a week ready for school mentality. I was ready to go. Moreover, it is effortless to mention Ms. Jones' passion and devotion for teaching. She always wanted her students to go to her for help. I became so comfortable with her that I would go to her after school to ask for help with STATED MEETING 96 2/9/2023 difficult homework assignments. She always had a smile on her face and helped me with an open heart. I can see Ms. Jones' passion for teaching from the very first day I met her. I transitioned to Ms. Jones from another third grade class where, let's say, I wasn't fitting in. We wasn't cohorted. To sum it up, Ms. Jones had shaped my attitude and changed my conception about education. One of the things I have learned from Ms. Jones that has strengthened me and is keeping me going in life is, every problem has a solution. You may not find a solution today, baby, but it's there. Ms. Jones' contribution to my self-concept and education is one of the reasons why I have managed to come this far in life. Thank you for being you. I love and appreciate you so much. I am my student's keeper because of you. STATED MEETING 97 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you.
There are no other speakers on the public comment list, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our public comment for today, and, again, I want to thank everyone who has come down to witness their government in action and participate. We will move to our Calendar and consider the bills and resolutions on our Second Reading and Final Passage. Mr. Decker, would you please read the title of Resolution No. 210434.
A resolution STATED MEETING 98 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING calling on the City of Philadelphia to implement minimum force training for all law enforcement officers.
I see we have -- the Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. I do want to explain the -
Hold on one second, Councilman. Can we keep the voices down, please, so we can hear. Thank you, Councilman. Like old times, right? I'm sorry, Councilman Oh. Please proceed.
Thank you very much, Council President. I do want to explain to the public what this issue is about, what is this resolution. So this resolution was introduced May 6, 2021. It's been almost two years. The resolution was introduced STATED MEETING 99 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING after the horrendous murder of George Floyd, and it has raised the question of what are we in Philadelphia doing to ensure that that type of thing does not happen. And there have been other responses from other jurisdictions as well, all of them well intended, but not all of them effective, and I think that is really the crux of the issue, that we cannot solve problems simply by putting words on paper and instructing people what to do. That does not solve the problem totally. It is helpful, but there has to be something more than that. Recently we watched virtually the same problem occur in Memphis with Tyre Nichols, and as in the case of George Floyd, it is the same issue with Tyre Nichols, that it is not only the police officers to blame who were engaged directly but those who were standing around watching, but ultimately it was their employer, the city, the government for failing to train them appropriately. STATED MEETING 100 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING That is the responsibility that every employer bears, and particularly any executive should be responsible for the performance of their employees. I'm going to read what this resolution says. It's been a while. Minimum force training provides law enforcement officers with the physical skills and mental perspective to use no force or the least amount of force required when faced with a confrontation under stress. Minimum force training is a valuable tool for law enforcement officers and civilians alike. Police use force and training protocols are particularly salient following high profile incidents of overly aggressive, officer-involved confrontations, and unintended shootings. As a result of George Floyd's death, there is a national push to reform laws and protocols pertaining to police conduct and liability. STATED MEETING 101 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Some of these efforts are questionable and may result in unintended consequences that increase crime and injury. Minimum force training can reduce the number of these tragedies by balancing lethal force responses with more appropriate responses based on the circumstance. Law enforcement officials in neighboring Bucks and Delaware counties have already begun exploring the implementation of minimum force training as a component of its mandatory police officer training. In the best interest of its officers and the public, the Philadelphia Police Department should implement minimum force training to complement traditional, lethal force training. In order to implement minimum force training, the City will need to establish a training program for the Police Department, establish parameters STATED MEETING 102 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING for how officers will be expected to complete the training, and define administrative regulations for receiving compensatory time and other reimbursements for completing the training. New Jersey in 2020 implemented reforms that included training for minimum force, minimum force. And I'd like to just read a response to New York's sweeping reforms. This is by the President of the Police Benevolent Association criticizing the legislation. Quote, "This sweeping proposal would make it impossible for police officers to determine whether or not we are permitted to use force in any given situation. " In a city with over 500 murders each year, police are facing complicated situations, and we need more policing, but the public also wants to know what STATED MEETING 103 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING the City has done to better train the officers so they respond appropriate and there are not unintended consequences.
The problem with legislation, though well intended, is that the legislators often are very detached from the realities of what those officers do. A person who is a police officer, their job is to intervene, but there are rules of engagement. If they don't know what the rules of engagement are, one consequence is they don't engage. That is a disservice to the public. You call 911, you're expecting someone to show up. They don't show up or if they show up, they don't get engaged, don't get involved, at the risk to your life or your health. They should be trained. There's no reason not to train your employees. But poorly written legislation, which nonetheless based on good intention, results in unintended STATED MEETING 104 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING consequences. For example, laws that create confusion result in inaction. That results in too many officers being confused about what to do. Restricting the ability of one officer to, for example, put his body weight or her body weight on someone in an effort to control them may result in five officers trying to hold down a person. It may result in unnecessary use of striking. It's not necessary. Laws that discourage more gentle techniques result in more harmful techniques or more aggressive techniques. Laws that prevent physical restraint results in tasering. That's not an acceptable thing either. So legislating things, while it sounds good, is removed from what the officer does. One of the things we can do is, we can train the officers in the use of minimal force or no force so that they are more confident, more calm in assessing the situation. We don't want STATED MEETING 105 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING to have unintended consequences. I believe that weak people are not strong. Weak people are not strong. Making a police force full of weak people results in unintended consequences. We need strong people who are well trained and disciplined so that they can intervene. When they intervene and things don't go well, we don't want them to use clubs or sticks or guns. They have to be better trained. Other jurisdictions have implemented minimum force training. The question is, how do you practically do it, how do you train someone and teach someone that when they see a knee on a neck and a person saying I can't breathe, that they intervene. You can kill that person. Sometimes people can hyperventilate out of anxiety or fear. When they say they can't breathe, they can't breathe. But if you don't know that, if you don't know what you're STATED MEETING 106 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING doing, you can really seriously hurt someone. It is a good idea to train people to understand what's going on, to be aware, because that is part of their duty. They are civilian servants. They serve the civilian population. The issue that appears to be troubling folks is this line here: Some of these efforts are questionable and may result in unintended consequences that increase crime and injury. I'll stand by that. If that line were not in here, we could just solve every problem in Philadelphia with legislation. We could have people writing laws and not knowing the exact subject matter that they're talking about, imposing it upon other people. Training, best practices so that police officers have more than two or three choices. Typically while they receive some training in non-lethal techniques, that's like telling someone STATED MEETING 107 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING to ride a bike. You can't teach someone to ride a bike verbally. They have to get on the bike. And they can't ride down a smooth road, because they can't ride with confidence. They have to train until it is muscle memory, they don't think about it, they do it, and they're aware of what they're doing so that they do not hurt other people. I've done martial arts my whole life and I've been in the military and I've had physical confrontations. I've had deadly confrontations.
When someone is in a training facility, when someone looks like they're in distress, they automatically release the hold. That's not a thought process. When someone can't breathe, they release the hold. When someone is gasping, they release the hold. When someone says "tap," they release the hold. When someone taps the ground or stomps their foot, they release the hold. There's no thought to it. You immediately release the hold. STATED MEETING 108 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING We're watching George Floyd, and time and time again that officer did not remove his knee, and no one around him had him remove his knee for both the officer's sake and George Floyd's sake. It's a tragedy. It's a murder. It's a homicide. But it is a liability on that government for what it failed to do, something we should do, and if the Administration does not do it, this legislative body should insist upon it. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. And I want to thank our colleague Councilmember Oh for that explanation and for reading the resolution and pointing out the specific stances that we have issue with. But I want to take this body back to the Council session on Thursday, STATED MEETING 109 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING May 13th of 2021 wherein on and 74 of the transcript of the Stated Meeting, Councilmember Oh stated that minimum force training is not up to City Council. And I'm quoting. "That is something that is within the purview of the Administration and the Police Commissioner. City Council will not be involved in creating a program. We can have a hearing, then they, meaning the Administration, have to create the program." Council President, it is of my belief that this debate and this resolution is gratuitous, it is futile, and it is unnecessary for this august body to continue to entertain. And with that, I call for the question of the day.
Traditionally call of the question means an immediate action. I do want to recognize, if it's okay with you, Councilwoman, that I see Councilman Jones STATED MEETING 110 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING and Councilman Johnson have had their lights on.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, colleagues. As Chair of Public Safety responsible in part for dealing with the Police Department, courts, prisons, I've gone up to the Police Academy dozens of times, either to talk to Scared Straight or to take tours. In fact, on March 3rd we have scheduled a tour for all members to go and take a firsthand look at that training. I agree with Kathy Gilmore Richardson that we didn't -- I mean, this STATED MEETING 111 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING is a non-binding resolution. The training that I have observed at that Academy often is non-lethal. It is judo. It is different forms of hand-to-hand combat. My objection to this resolution lies deep within its wording that suggests after the death of George Floyd that some of the justice reform efforts actually caused more crime. Now, I'm of the opinion that words do matter, because words create thought and thoughts create actions, and to connect criminal justice reform to the need for better training are two separate topics that should be detached. Had that not -- that clause not been in there, I would be voting for this bill -- this resolution today, knowing that the Mayor can choose or not choose to honor it. But when you put words in there that, in my opinion, are inflammatory and not provable, I think you do that resolution a disservice. So STATED MEETING 112 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING I would be opposed to this resolution being passed. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. So in the spirit of the legislation, I thought the original intent was to do minimized training. Obviously if I'm the author of today passing -- urging Congress to pass the George Floyd Policing Act, it kind of undercuts what I'm actually advocating for. So I talked to the author of the bill about the wording and so forth, but I won't be voting for the bill. But it also brings to my mind a bigger part of the debate and the conversation. I'm more than willing to work with my colleague on this issue. STATED MEETING 113 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Training is one thing, but cultural competency in law enforcement is another thing, right? And I remember after the death of George Floyd, and everything is on social media, and for some apparent reason when there's an African American male pulled over, there is no level of restraint or professionalism, but when somebody who's, to be quite frank with you, of Caucasian descent that's pulled over, some reason, somehow there is some level of restraint. And so for me, it's more about the cultural competency of how our officers engage with African American particularly young men, secondly young women. And there were countless times on social media after the death of George Floyd where people showed examples, clear examples, where other individuals who were not African American descent, primarily Caucasian, were very, very aggressive of officers and were given like ten opportunities to not get shot or STATED MEETING 114 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING murdered. But if you're African American and you say one word back, like why am I being pulled over, what's the reasoning, you probably won't make it home. And so hopefully we can take this debate from training to also cultural competency and how you engage. And I think the reason why we wanted to focus on hiring officers locally is because a lot of times -- and I went to Mansfield University, upstate Pennsylvania. People who do not grow up in the City of Philadelphia, some that come from rural neighborhoods to get jobs here in the City of Philadelphia, some that come from the suburbs that have never been in an urban environment have a very certain perspective of African American young men. And if you become an officer, you bring those biases and those stereotypes with you to the streets of the City of Philadelphia from a law enforcement standpoint. So hopefully we can elevate STATED MEETING 115 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING this conversation when we talk about training but, most importantly, cultural competency, because an officer from Grays Ferry may view things a little bit different than a person that's recruited from a rural county to police in the City of Philadelphia. And so I wanted to put that on the record, because it just brings in my mind when we talk about police interaction and some people qualifying what's appropriate and what's not, I'm probably one of the key qualifiers because, you know, I'm one of the guys that grew up in the neighborhood, you know, former corner guy just hanging out with my guys in South Philly and probably had more interaction with officers than maybe the average individual and kind of know how to deal with them, but for the most part, making sure we're paying attention to the implicit bias that goes along with some of the policing that we see today. STATED MEETING 116 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING And so I just wanted to put that there -- put that on the record, and obviously I won't be voting for the bill.
Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to agree with my colleagues. I'm going to be a no on this resolution. And the resolution sponsor talked earlier and kind of glanced over some of the clauses in the resolution that people have an issue with, but I just wanted to pause for a minute to make sure that they were read into the record correctly. So those clauses are: Whereas, as a result of George Floyd's death, there is a national push to reform laws and protocols pertaining to police STATED MEETING 117 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING conduct and liability; and Whereas, some of these efforts are questionable and may result in unintended consequences that increase crime and injury. That's not a small thing, right? That not only changes the whole intent of the resolution, it honestly makes me distrust the intent. I don't know what this bill -or what this resolution is trying to do. I'm very offended by that, and I will be voting no, and I just wanted to make that very clear.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate everybody's input. We're going to vote on it. I'll just say that people want police. People want to call 911. They want an answer. They want police. We're having a problem with STATED MEETING 118 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING police, police not answering the call, not sure what they're going to do, de-fund the police, fund the police, all those type of things. If you're going to increase police, you have to equip them. You have to train them. People want police response, but they want to know that the City has done something so that there is a change and that the police are better trained. Yeah, there's all kind of subjective fears, and unfortunately a lot of it has to do with race, no doubt about it. Someone sees a person with tattoos, they feel more afraid. They see someone with a lot of big hair and a big beard, they get afraid. Someone has got a swastika, they're ready to shoot. Unfortunately, all of these subjective fears, that is natural physiology. It is to save your life. When you believe, however right or wrong you are, that your lifer is in danger, STATED MEETING 119 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING you enhance that. The way you overcome your natural self-defense instincts is through training so that you can better gauge and better judge so that you do not overreact, so that you can react with calmness and objectivity. At the end of the day, whatever this is, it is a resolution. It's not binding. It urges the City to implement, to begin the process of coming up with a practical way to train police so that they are able to make better judgments, comfortable to use no force or minimum force. I will say to what I generally hear is, I know that Councilmember Curtis Jones is a boxer. You don't go to the gym for a month and then ten years later you can step in a ring. You go into the gym and you learn to box and you refine it and you refine it and you refine it, and as you continue to have the experience, your body moves without you STATED MEETING 120 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING thinking. We need for people under stress to be trained so that when their life is in danger, they do not unnecessarily take somebody else's life. Anyway, thank you very much.
Thank you. The question cannot -- that's not binding until there's a motion, is my understanding. So there has to be a motion on the resolution. The Councilman just spoke. He didn't make the motion. Councilman, do you want to make the motion?
There you go. Call to the question. I'm assuming we will want a roll call?
You STATED MEETING 121 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING ask for a roll call also?
I don't think so either, Councilman. Has it been seconded? (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor?
It's pretty close. No. I'm just kidding, guys. I'm sorry. A little levity. The ayes have it. The motion and resolution is disapproved. Thank you.
The nays STATED MEETING 122 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING have it.
Mr. Decker -- I'm sorry. The nays have it. I'm sorry. I was wondering why people were looking at me like that, right? I'm sorry. The long debate kind of got me off (unintelligible).
Look, it's an interesting day. We're going to do an Eagles cheer after the Council session to get back on track. All right. The resolution is denied. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No -
Council President, can I be recorded as aye on that close vote.
Let the record reflect that Councilman O'Neill -- anybody else -- Councilman Oh. And Councilman Driscoll, do you want to STATED MEETING 123 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING be voted?
When they call it to the question, it's time to -- you got to vote.
Once he made the motion, the rules require that the vote be taken initially, but I can always recognize you if you want to -
Look, we had a lot of healthy discussion on this and it's going to be a topic we're going to talk a lot about, but, you know, what we didn't talk about today is, we have a STATED MEETING 124 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING police officer in the hospital that was shot twice yesterday, and I would just like this body for a moment of silence and quiet prayer for that gentleman and his family that was protecting all of us in the City of Philadelphia yesterday.
All right. Can we get a moment of silence on behalf of the recovery of the police officer that was shot twice that is in hopefully a much better condition than today. Can we get a moment of silence, please. (Moment of silence.)
Mr. President, I also wanted to be recognized on -- STATED MEETING 125 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
I had pushed the button before he passed it. I just want to say that maybe Councilman Oh is from the privileged society that has not had to have the talk with their children, as President Biden mentioned in his State of the Union address. I have two Black children that live here in the City of Philadelphia, and we all -- I have had to have the talk with my children about if you get pulled over, get stopped, turn your light on, don't say anything, don't reach for anything, put your hands on the dashboard or on the steering wheel and don't make any sudden moves. So that was the reason that that last resolution would have also STATED MEETING 126 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING received a no vote.
All right. Well, what we have traditionally not done is be specific about criticism of members. We try to keep this accord. Criticize the issue, the policy, but we kind of leave that personal stuff.
But thank you. Thank you for your words. We're going to move on from that, if it's okay with you all. Thank you, because we do have -
The vote has been taken. You know, let's move on. Thank you. Mr. Decker, 230062.
Resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. STATED MEETING 127 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Let the record reflect that Councilman O'Neill has voted nay on the resolution, and the motion passes and the resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 230063.
A resolution STATED MEETING 128 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2252 Hope Street and 2309 Palethorp Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Lozada.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 230068. STATED MEETING 129 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Independence Mall Urban Renewal Area, Unit No. 4, identified by house number and street address as 217 through 253 North Ninth Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The STATED MEETING 130 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 220689.
A resolution appointing Miquon Brinkley to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is STATED MEETING 131 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. Mr. Decker, 220690.
A resolution appointing Jeffrey Brown to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. STATED MEETING 132 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, 221036.
A resolution appointing Paul Badger to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
One more time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 221037.
A resolution STATED MEETING 133 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING appointing Valerija Beares to the Board of Directors of the Center City District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Councilman Johnson, did you want to be recognized?
Sure, Council President. I just want to take a quick moment of personal privilege before STATED MEETING 134 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING the time gets away from us to acknowledge a visitor in our Chamber today, the current Whip of the General Assembly of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, soon to be Majority Appropriations Chairman, my State Representative of the 186th Legislative District, Jordan Harris. I just want to acknowledge him. (Applause.)
Hey, Whip. Sounds good to be called the Majority Whip? That's what I'm talking about. Thank you. Thank you for coming in. Mr. Decker, did I read 221037?
A resolution appointing Anna Boni to the Board of STATED MEETING 135 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Directors of the Center City District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion passes and the resolution is adopted. We have no bills today, so, Mr. Decker, would you please read any additional resolutions.
A resolution also naming the 700 block of North Broad Street (between Fairmount Avenue and STATED MEETING 136 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Brown Street) "Reverend Dr. Herbert H. Lusk II Way," to honor the astounding, Christ-driven legacy of the Senior Pastor of the Greater Exodus Baptist Church and CEO of People for People, Incorporated, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President Clarke. On your behalf, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 137 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it. The motion passes, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring the African American Children's Book Project on the Occasion of its 31st Annual African American Children's Book Fair, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 138 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and celebrating Philadelphia Eagles Seasonal Sports Performance Associate Autumn Lockwood, the first Black woman to coach in the Super Bowl, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. In memory of my cousin, the first African American in the Football Hall of Fame, Emlen Tunnell, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 139 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilwoman, I have to ask you about that trophy on your desk. I've been looking at it all day.
This is Emlen Tunnell, the first African American in the Football Hall of Fame, former New York Giants player, former Green Bay Packer coach recruited by Vince Lombardi, author of a book Footsteps of a Giant, and U.S. Coast Guard hero who saved the lives of two of his shipmates in the war.
STATED MEETING 140 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. We may want to take pictures with that afterwards. Mr. Decker, go ahead.
A resolution honoring and congratulating the Champion of the Week, Monica Miraglilo, for the work of her company, Girlbuild, which trains women on how to renovate, design, and finance their own home improvement projects, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I encourage everybody to check out this initiative, and I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 141 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution congratulating the Philadelphia Eagles on their National Football Conference Championship Win, and Challenging the City Council of Kansas City to a bet that the Eagles will beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Can we acknowledge the affirmative passing of this resolution with a "Go Birds" on three?
One, two three. (Go Birds.) STATED MEETING 142 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
That resolution is enthusiastically adopted. Thank you.
And a resolution authorizing the joint City Council Committees on Public Safety and Education to hold public hearings to examine the status of capital programs for infrastructure repair as well as for toxic hazard remediation in Philadelphia's public schools, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 143 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the joint City Council Committees on Public Safety and Education to hold public hearings to examine the School District of Philadelphia's use of in-school and out-of-school suspension as well as other disciplinary tactics to understand what actions merit such a penalty, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 144 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the joint City Council Committees on Public Safety and Education to hold public hearings to examine statistics for in-school violence protocols, student-to-student violence, parent-to-parent violence, and teacher safety, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. STATED MEETING 145 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings on the status of Hilco Redevelopment Partners proposed Bellwether District Development Project, formerly known as the Sunoco Refinery Site, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying STATED MEETING 146 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring Philadelphia artist King Saladeen for his artistic contributions to Philadelphia and for his community advocacy through his foundation, Create Motivate Inspire, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 147 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing Evette Denise Jones, a caring educator, fierce advocate, and a lifelong community builder, who has tirelessly fought for the children, teachers, and parents of Philadelphia and for schools that meet the needs of the communities that they serve, introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. STATED MEETING 148 2/9/2023 2/9/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)