So in the most recent past, the Department of Streets has decided to take on the job of building the trail system out and then assuming the responsibility for maintenance.
Yes, ma'am. Thank you. 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. Bill Number 2401 is introduced by Councilmember Driscoll. This would allow the city of Philadelphia to acquire right-of-way land for the purposes of connecting and extending the Delaware River Trail by constructing a trail in the Tacony, Holmesburg area. The proposed right-of- way runs between Princeton Avenue, Pennypack Path, the Delaware River, and State Road. Upon completion of construction, the right-of-way will be operated and maintained by the Philadelphia Streets Department. The proposed right-of-way will be acquired as part of this larger circuit trail system in Philadelphia. This concludes my testimony. Happy to take any questions.
Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions from members of the committee? There being none, will the clerk please read the names of the panel that are here to testify on Bill Number 240428.
Councilwoman, there are no 24 speakers signed up for 240428, but we do have --
-- we do have written testimony from David Wilson, Deputy Managing Director for General Services. (Witness approached witness table.)
I'd like to make a comment first, if you don't mind, Councilmember.
Thank you. Colleagues, this bill, 240248, is a bill that I introduced that would prohibit the city from entering into a lease or extended any leases for a site at 2100 West Girard Avenue that we are, particularly my office and members of the Fairmount community and other communities in North Philadelphia, just have some questions about that specific usage. But I think that, we put this bill in to have a substantive conversation with the administration on the property rather than putting in some resolution or anything like that. We wanted to be able to talk substance, and I 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. think it is unfortunate that the administration has chosen not to have someone come and testify on this bill so members of the public can hear, or members of the community can hear what the administration's position is in their community. And I am grateful that there are folks here who stuck around who want to give their testimony on the record. But I just think that these folks are owed a conversation, a public conversation, a transparent conversation. And as your councilmember, that's what I try to do by putting forth this legislation. So I just want that community to know and all community to know that we're trying our best to get information and to communicate that back with you. So thank you all for coming today and being willing to testify on this.
So we will now be opening to public comment. And the next speakers are Tim Butters, speaking on 240428, Teresa Hoberg speaking on 240428, and Richie from PhillyCAM speaking on 240383. (Witnesses approached witness table.) 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC.
Good afternoon, members of council. My name is Tim Butters. I am the president of the Fairmount Civic Association. I'm here to support the bill introduced by Councilman Young, 240428. The Fairmount Civic Association is a group of volunteers, and we represent the residents of Fairmount Community. I agree with Councilman Young that what we want is more dialogue and transparency around the lease at the 2100 Girard facility. Currently we're concerned about the safety of the building, which has multiple violations at this time, and the impact on the neighboring communities, which include two direct schools, Gerard College, and the city school in Fairmount. And it's adjacent by a couple blocks to the Beige-Martin Elementary School and Middle School, as well as St. Joseph's Prep. Since the facility has been expanded to include increased homeless services, we've had reports of increased drug use, increased drug paraphernalia and trash, including needles and baggies, overdoses. And these are things that we were not ready to be helping people with because 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. we didn't know that it was coming. And maybe if we were more prepared, we had a dialogue with the city, we would be more prepared to help our community take on these challenges. Thank you for letting me talk to you guys.
Thank you. My name is Teresa Hoberg. I am a director of the Fairmount Civic Association and obviously a resident of Fairmount. I agree with what Jim Butters has said. My concern is also that in considering this lease, that it be structured -- this is our only avenue for dealing with the use of the property. We don't really have a legal avenue. So we're counting on city council to help structure the current and prospective use of this property, and that would include, obviously, putting in a use that has some controls on the population, which it does not seem to have at this point, and that it be a reputable operation. And also going forward, it's important that we bring in to the extent that we have illegal activity happening on the streets that we involve the police department because that can be 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. something that the operators of the property themselves cannot handle. It falls outside their purview. So it needs to be two-pronged issue. I'm hopeful that we don't just consider terminating the lease at the end of two years. It's only two years left, because, as I understand it, the state then has the opportunity to make a lease with somebody else or sell it to somebody else or enter into a contract with another provider that we may have even less control over. So I think it's in our benefit to work with the state to try to negotiate the terms of a lease and control the type of use and the operators of that facility that works both for their needs and also considers the community.
Thank you for your testimony. Other questions from the members of this committee? The chair recognizes Councilmember Young.
Thank you. And these aren't questions that are for you, too, specifically, but I just wanted to put them on the record if, in case there was someone here 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. from the administration who were able to testify on this lease. Just a couple of questions about, what are the services being offered at the site. Who are the providers of these services? When were these providers selected? Will there be medically assisted treatment here at this site? What is the census of the site? How many participants are at the site? How are you able to come to the site in the first place? So just a few, I think, basic questions that the community members have that we would definitely would like to see answered as we move forward this process. And just for the community's understanding, City Council's authority is to authorize leases that are for more than a year. And so in this particular case, if the mayor or if anyone decided, any folks from the city decided that we're going to just continue on a year-to-year basis, they also have that ability without coming to City Council. So I wanted to put that clear on the record. This legislation will only prevent the city from entering to any leases that are more 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. than a year. So, the administration does have the ability, like I said, to enter to leases at a smaller length of time. But I also hope that our state partners use their state prerogative. They like to throw that word around there because it's a state-owned facility. And so hopefully, they will use some of their influence in trying to ensure that the community that they represent as well is being heard when it comes to the use of that state- owned facility. And so I just want to, again, thank you both for coming out to testify on this matter, just to give a sense of the sentiment of that community. And I know that it's something that is just new or hasn't been seen in that community in over 30 years. I'll say. And so we want to make sure that we have the ability to mitigate some of the negative issues that could potentially arise and that are arising in that community. Because, as I stated yesterday at a hearing, people need treatment, people need service. No one is questioning that. No one is against that. I think that when you are placing that 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. type of service in the community and there are negative quality of life, things that happen, a community should just be prepared to deal with those things and understanding that treatment is necessary. So I just want to, again, thank you for coming out, for your testimony on this bill.
Thank you for your testimony. Mr. Clerk, are there any anymore panelist or anyone here to testify?
Yes. I have Richie on behalf of a PhillyCAM for 240383. Is there Richie in the room? (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.
Sorry. My name is Zoe Sanderson. I am a Fairmount resident. I'm in Councilman Young's district. I just wanted to echo what my neighbors and FCA board directors said. I appreciate you bringing this to the council's attention. And as a neighborhood, we sort of felt blindsided by this. And so we just want some transparency 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. and communication about this facility, understanding that it's a necessity, but also hoping that we can have some discussion about what that means for our community. And we want to be helpful, but we also want to be informed. So going forward, I'm hoping that we can have an open discussion with the administration on this particular issue for the sake of the community and for the city.
Are there any questions from any members of the committee for this? The chair recognizes Councilmember Young.
I just want to thank you for coming out and testify today and waiting out this hearing on this legislation. And I look forward to working with you and the community members on trying to continue this dialogue to get information so we can best work 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. with the administration on providing that service, but also making sure that the community is protected as well.
Thank you. There being no further questions from members of the committee and no further witnesses to testify on the bills before this committee today, I will ask if there is anyone else present in the hearing whose name we have failed to call and wishes to offer testimony on the bills being considered today. Hearing none, I want to thank the panels and the witnesses for their participation today. We value your advocacy. This concludes the public hearing of the committee. We will now go into public meeting to consider the actions to be taken on the bills before this committee today. We will now convene the public meeting. Mr. Cameron, will you please call the roll to take attendance of members. Members that are in attendance, will you please indicate that you are present when you hear your name is being 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. called?
Thank you all. A quorum is present. And we will now begin the public meeting. We will now move to amend Bill 18 Number 240383. The chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill Number 240383.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill Number 240383. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee. I move that the amendment to Bill Number 240383 be 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. approved. (Duly seconded.)
The chair notes for the record that Councilmember Jamie Gauthier seconds the motion. It has been moved and property second, that the amendment to Bill 8 Number 240383 be approved. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the amendment to Bill Number 240383 has been approved. The chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a single motion on Bill Numbers 240383 as amended, 240187, 240435, 240303, 240370, 240423, 240425, 240431, 240428 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of council be suspended to permit first reading of these bills at our next session of Council.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move the Bill Number 240383 as 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. amended and Bill Number 240187, 240435, 240303, 240370, 240423, 240425, 240431, 240428 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended. I submit the first reading of these bills at the next session to Council. (Duly seconded.)
The chair notes for the record that Councilmember Young seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly second that Bill Number 240383 as amended. Bill 13 Numbers 240187, 240435, 240303, 240370, 240423, 240425, 240431, 240428 as reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of council be suspended to permit first reading of these bills at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes carries, and the motion is approved. This 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. includes the business before this committee of Public Works and Public Property for today. Thank you all very much for your attendance. (The Committee was adjourned.) 5/22/24 - PUBLIC - BILL 240187, ETC. CERTIFICATE OF TRANSCRIPTIONIST I, KEZIAH MWANGI, Legal Transcriptionist, do hereby certify: That the foregoing is a complete and true transcription of the original digital audio recording of the proceedings captured in the foregoing matter. IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of June, 2024. ______________________________________ Keziah Mwangi