Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, May 16, 2019 11:17 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN AL TAUBENBERGER MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
Good morning. We're going to get started now, if members will take their seats. Any visitors or guests, if they can retire behind the rail, we will get started with our session today. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Quasim Rashad, Amir of the United Muslim Masjid. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Jones. I would ask all members and guests and visitors to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests, and visitors rise.) AMIR RASHAD: Good morning. (Good morning.) AMIR RASHAD: In the name of almighty God, most gracious, most merciful, praise be to God, the cherisher and the sustainer of the worlds, most gracious, most merciful. Master of the dead judgment, you alone do we worship and your aid do we seek. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 way, the way of those in whom you have bestowed your grace, those whose portion is not wrathed, and those who go not astray. Dear all hearing and merciful God, we beseech your blessings upon the Council, who have been gathered here today and called as leaders of this great city, which derives its name from the Greek phrase Philos Adelphos, ironically so named by an English Quaker seeking refuge from religious persecution from his homeland. Like its founder, we call upon these great members of City Council to lead this city of brotherly love, to defy with temerity those who would dare use hatred in the form of anti-Semitism, nationalism, Islamophobia, homophobia, or any other phobia or ism and weaponize it; that we reject that ideology in favor of love for peace, true justice, and mankind. This is the month of Ramadan in Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 -- and was revealed to our dear prophet Muhammad, the prayers and the peace be upon him and a criterion for all -- a guide and a criterion for all of mankind. Ramadan is also the month when Muslims pray extra prayers, fast 29 of 30 days, and wish goodwill to all men. So we pray, almighty God, to unite this Council, to uplift this city with its leadership, empower them to serve as people in a manner befitting his continent in an era of social justice turmoil and uncertainty. Guide them with the insight to legislate justly, not just for law and order but to maintain this city and elevate it to its greatest heights. This city and its leadership were formed to be a beacon and a model of brotherly love to the region and the nation. Almighty God, remind them that they are not only leaders, but also servants and that it is their Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 responsibility, as it is all of ours, to serve the City of Philadelphia and the common good. Remind them that no matter where we live, everyone - black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Atheist - is our neighbor, brother in humanity, and that throughout the ages, that God through his prophets has called the leaders of the people to respect and protect the least of us who are able to protect ourselves. Grant them and us the wisdom and the courage to know what is right, good, and true. May they and we speak out when it is time to speak out and listen when it is time to listen. May they and we always be guided by the spirit of community, by the spirit of justice, and by the spirit of love. This we pray in the name of all that we hold sacred and holy, all that we hold good and true, and as the Christians and the Jews say amen, we, the Muslims, Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 solidarity with you ameen. Thank you, and may God bless you all and bless the City Council and everyone in its range. (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you, Amir, so much for those inspiring words. Appreciate it. (Council at ease.)
Thank you again, Amir. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 9th, 2019, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 9th, 2019 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, May 9th, 2019 stand Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. And our next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the majority, there are no requests of leave of absence today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. And the Chair now recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the republicans, there are no requests for Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
The Chair thanks the gentleman. At this time, I would like to dispense with the regular order of business and I would like to say how much we genuinely appreciate you being here today. We really appreciate the fact that you're here to witness your government in action. So we hope your stay here today is a pleasurable one and a knowledge one. Thank you all so much for being here. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee, who will present a resolution honoring Coach Fran Dunphy. Would Coach Dunphy and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)
And joining Councilman Greenlee, we have Councilman Green and Councilwoman Bass. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
Hold on a second, Councilman. Folks, a little quiet, please. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President. Before we present the resolution, I also want to acknowledge back there one of our friends, former State Representative George Kenney, who is now with Temple University. Sir, nice to see you. He made me say that. Those of us who are college basketball fans know a lot that the Big Five basketball is revered, and it's revered certainly for all its great players over the last number of decades, but also for its great coaches, and the gentleman we're honoring today is right at the top of that list. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 honoring Coach Fran Dunphy for his outstanding career as a coach, mentor, and educator. Whereas, after graduating from Malvern Prep, Dunphy was a star player with the La Salle Explorers including serving as a co-captain his senior year where he averaged 18.6 points per game and led the team in assists; and Whereas, Coach Dunphy began his coaching career in 1971 as an assistant at the United States Military Academy and his other assistant coaching stops included his Alma Mater plus the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania; and
Whereas, in 1989, he was named the 16th Head Coach at Penn where he would go on to compile a 310 to 168 overall record in his 17-year career. His Quakers Teams won an unprecedented 48 straight Ivy League games from 1992 to 1996. He won ten Ivy League Titles in his career at Penn and Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 University's Hall of Fame; and Whereas, on April 10th, 2006, Coach Dunphy became the first person to serve as the head men's basketball coach at two Philadelphia Big 5 institutions when he took over the reins of Temple's program from Hall of Fame Coach John Chaney; and Whereas, his extremely successful tenure coaching the Owls included ranking third on the school's win list, earning American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times, guiding the team to eight NCAA Tournaments, five conference titles and victories over seven top ten teams; and
Whereas, one of the most respected coaches in the nation, Dunphy has coached eight Conference Players of the Year, three Conference Rookies of the Year, five perfect Conference seasons and 54 All Conference honorees; and Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Whereas, Coach Dunphy finished his career with an overall record of 580 wins and 328 losses, including a 270 to 165 record at Temple and an induction in the Big 5 Hall of Fame; and Whereas, Dunphy is also in his 12th year of teaching at Temple's prestigious Fox School of Business and is very active in the Coaches versus Cancer Campaign and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the City Council of Philadelphia hereby honors and congratulates Coach Fran Dunphy for his many dedicated and successful years of coaching and wish him all the best in the future. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Dunphy as evidence of the sincere sentiment of this legislative body. Coach, thank you and congratulations for all those many years Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 City. (Applause.)
And the Chair recognizes Coach Dunphy for remarks. COACH DUNPHY: Thank you, President Clarke. I appreciate it. I'm happy to be here this morning. This is a bit humbling, to be honest with you. I was interested in watching all of the festivities that went on in the other room, and I'm reminded that all of you as City Councilmembers are coaches of sorts. You have big staffs and you have people that you answer to, people that you're trying to make better, your lives better, the communities better. And everybody has got a song to sing, and we must listen to those songs. It's interesting to watch them. I'm grateful for my time here. I'm always grateful for my time coming to City Hall. It's a spectacular edifice Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 think people should see. I think we all drive past it often. I don't think we appreciate it quite for all that it does. And I'm grateful for what all of you do. You give your constituents your time. It's your greatest asset and it's your time, and I think all of us would be grateful for that. These are all jobs that are not easy. I appreciate that. I understand it. The last thing I wanted to just get across to all of you is, yesterday it was a culmination of a life well led. Last week we lost a great Philadelphian in David Montgomery of the Philadelphia Phillies. So yesterday was his funeral service. There was no greater man, in my mind, how he lived his life, and it was always for others. It was never about David. And to do the things that he did as the Chairperson of the Philadelphia Phillies and what he brought to his work every single day was just extraordinary. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 asked by one of the journalists in Philadelphia, Jim Salisbury, how he would like to be remembered, it was interesting his comment. And he thought for a second and he said there's a statue right around City Hall of John Wanamaker, and at the bottom of that statue is one word, and that word is "citizen." And if we could all be the kind of citizen that Wanamaker was, most assuredly the kind of citizen that David Montgomery was, then we would have a better Philadelphia and a better society and a better community, and I think we all look to that. Again, grateful for all of the work that you do. Grateful for what Philadelphia brings to all of us. Whether you live in the City or you live around the City, we're all Philadelphians just trying to do the very best that we can. And if we have that one word in our lexicon and we use it and we live by it, we'd be all better off. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Philadelphian, and I've worked 35 of my last 40 years in the City, we're not perfect, but we sure try like crazy, and I'm grateful for that and I appreciate today and all of you, those people sitting in the background as well as all 17 of you who do such great work for the City. I thank you. Thank you for this resolution. I'm very appreciative. Appreciate it. Thanks. (Applause.)
Thank you, and congratulations. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla, who will present a resolution honoring PATCO. Would John Rink and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
And joining Councilman Squilla, we have Councilwoman Parker, Councilman Domb, and Councilwoman Bass and Councilman Green and Councilman Taubenberger, Councilwoman Blackwell and Councilman Greenlee and Councilman Henon.
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here. As you see on your desks, there's a little red bag there that will give you just a little remembrance of the 50th anniversary of PATCO, which we're celebrating today in this resolution, a great transit agency. We're honoring the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary.
Whereas, the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) High-Speed Line began operation in 1969, was the first of an entirely new generation of mass transportation. The Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Jersey commuters with a quick, inexpensive, and reliable trip to Philadelphia. The high-speed rail line provided an original running time of 22 minutes from Lindenwold to 15th and 16th Street and Locust in Philadelphia. Similar trips by car and bus were 45 and 60 minutes, respectively; and
Whereas, the vehicles were automated trains which operated on a dedicated right-of-way at speeds far exceeding those in neighborhood streets. PATCO was the first rail line in the country to offer a direct challenge to private automobile, a remarkable achievement and one of deep significance for the future of commuters in the United States; and
Whereas, the new vehicles were completely automated. The train operators only had to push a button to start the train and to open and close doors at each station. The Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 ability to stop the train in an emergency and operate under manual control. Under normal operation, the train is controlled by signals transmitted through the rails which allowed the PATCO trains to operate at an original speed of 75 miles per hour; and
Whereas, personal comfort was provided for the public, the cars were designed to be spacious, extra wide doors allowed passengers to enter and exit, temperature and humidity control, as well as enough seats for all passengers;
Seats were designed to be roomiest seats ever. Seating was also designed to fit the passenger's body better; and
Whereas, train operation was created to operate at a frequency such that commuters had little time to sit around the station. What few minutes commuters Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 in pleasant, modern stations. The air-conditioned station interiors were designed to feature a clean-lined combination of glass, tile, and concrete - materials believed to be attractively utilized and easy to maintain. Glass-bordered entrances and head houses projected an effect of spaciousness; and
Just a point of personal privilege, a very dear friend of mine, Fred Williams, was a 20-year-plus veteran of PATCO High Speed as an employee. Whereas, to attract commuters, ample parking was provided at each station. Parking lots were created with ample lighting, fully paved, and drop-off locations which were referred to as "kiss and ride" stops, which allowed commuters to be driven to the station, dropped off and picked up; Whereas, over the fifty years of service, PATCO has undergone changes Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 -- Councilwoman Bass is next.
Whereas, over the fifty years of service, PATCO has undergone changes to adapt to the success it has generated. Parking lots have been expanded to accommodate the increased number of commuters driving to the stations, stations have been modernized and improved with the installation of elevators and signage, Woodcrest Station was constructed in 1980 with a direct connection to Interstate 295, the fare collection system was replaced with a modern system which is integrated with SEPTA's fare collection system, and all transit vehicles have been overhauled and installed with modern systems; and
Whereas, PATCO continues to provide the level of service which it set out to create fifty years ago. In order to maintain that level of service, continued maintenance and repair along with improvements to Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 be performed every day. The work which PATCO employees perform on the equipment and infrastructure will ensure that the line will continue to operate as intended for the next fifty years; now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the City Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby honor the Port Authority Transit Corporation on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary. Congratulations. (Applause.)
Thank you. I'm sorry. We're conducting business. The Chair recognizes Mr. Rink for remarks.
Thank you, Council President Clarke, Councilman Squilla, members of Council. It's an honor to be here to accept this resolution on behalf of our Board of Commissioners, our CEO Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Hanson, the over 350 PATCO employees and, more importantly, our customers. For over 50 years, we've connected South Jersey to the City of Philadelphia, moving over 10.8 million people each year either to work, attend school at a higher learning institution in the region, use one of the various hospitals and, more importantly, all the cultural activities this region has to offer. So it's an honor and privilege that you recognize PATCO as an important part of the City of Philadelphia and its region, and, again, thank you for this honor. (Applause.)
Thank you. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Thank you, and congratulations. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla again, who will present a resolution recognizing Maurice German. Would Mr. German and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)
Joining Councilman Squilla, we have Councilman Greenlee, Councilman Henon, Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez, and Councilman Green and Councilwoman Parker.
Good morning, and thank you again for being here. This resolution is sent to a person who really had his heart in the right place to do the right thing at the right time, and it's something that sometimes does get overlooked, but in this case, we wanted to make sure that people know that there are great citizens out there in our city and that they should be recognized. And that is why Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 and honoring Maurice German for literally going above and beyond the call of duty to rescue an animal in distress.
And whereas, Mr. German is a lifelong Philadelphian who grew up in North Philadelphia and now resides in West Oak Lane. Mr. German has an Associate's Degree from Community College of Philadelphia and two daughters ages 19 and 18. His oldest is a college junior and his youngest a high school senior; and
Whereas, Mr. German is a member of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 13000 and started as a lineman with Verizon in 2007 where his duties included replacing copper and fiber cables, utility poles, guide wires (support wires from pole to pole) conduit and occasional pet rescue; and
Whereas, Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 crew were working in the Port Richmond neighborhood on Saturday, March 16th when he was approached by a neighbor with a strange request for help. It seems that a cat, "Momma," somehow climbed to the top of a utility pole and was stuck since 9:30 p.m. the night before; and
Whereas, Momma's owner tried unsuccessfully to rescue her from the top of the utility pole for several hours Friday evening; and Whereas, Mr. German and his crew, after completing their current job in the area, set up their safety zone around the bucket truck and used their specific training and skill set to rescue Momma from the top of the utility pole; and
Whereas, Mr. German and crew were able to reunite Momma safely to the arms of her owner while a gathered crowd cheered and Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 for going above and beyond to aid an animal in its time of need; and Whereas, after the cheers, several thank you's and a few pictures, Mr. German and his crew, like most heroes, rode off into the sunset to finish the rest of their workday; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that it hereby recognizes and honors Maurice German for his selflessness and compassion for an animal in need. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Maurice German further evidencing the sincere sentiment of this legislative body. Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Mr. German for remarks. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
Good morning, everyone. I would like to thank my union CWA, ACCT of Philadelphia, Peanut, and my mother, Sharon German, and just say thank you for everything, all the support. (Applause.) UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: We would just like to thank City Council for recognizing the work that Maurice did, thank Council President Clarke and all the members of Council. Maurice did this selfless act and just continued on in his workday, not realizing, you know, that there was anything than just doing what was right. And he did what was right that day, and we really appreciate it. Thank you very much, Maurice. (Applause.)
Thank you, and congratulations. Our next order of business is Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 communications, and the Chair requests that the Sergeant-of-Arms delivers the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. Mr. Decker, please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on May 15, 2019, I signed all of the bills which were passed by Council at its session on May 2, 2019, except Bill Nos. 180998 and 190231, which I am returning without my signature. And I am submitting herewith for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution approving the reappointment of Rasheia Johnson to the Philadelphia Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board; and An ordinance authorizing the Streets Commissioner and Procurement Commissioner to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Philadelphia Municipal Authority through which the City will assume certain rights and obligations under an agreement the Authority will enter into with Waste Management of Pennsylvania, Incorporated for the processing and marketing of recyclable materials, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Those messages will be printed in today's Journal. Do you have any additional communications?
Thank you very much. Our next order of business is introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.
Yes, Mr. President. Good morning. Good morning. I offer one resolution this Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 morning.
A privileged resolution recognizing Sarah Glover for her historic tenure as the 21st President of the National Association of Black Journalists.
And that will be on today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I offer two bills.
Thank you, Councilman. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
An ordinance authorizing Rene Woodlin to own and maintain an existing over-sized balcony in the Public Right-of-Way at 1438 North 29th Street; and An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Aspen Street, 26th Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue.
That will be referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Henon.
Hold on a second, Councilman. Folks, can I ask you to please keep your voices down. If you want to talk, you can go in the hallway, please. Thank you. Mr. Decker -- the Chair Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 recognizes Councilman Henon.
Thank you, Council President. Today I offer two resolutions, one on your behalf.
A privileged resolution recognizing May 20 to May 26, 2019 as National Emergency Medical Services Week in the City of Philadelphia and Further Honoring Philadelphia Paramedic of the Year Christian Apelt.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the reappointment of Rasheia Johnson to the Philadelphia Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board.
And that will be on next week's Calendar -or that will be referred to committee actually. The Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Jones.
Mr. President, today I offer two bills and one privileged and non-privileged resolutions.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 56th Street, Poplar Street, 55th Street, and Cambridge Street.
And an ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," to revise certain provisions of Section 14-504, entitled "/NCO, Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District."
Referred to committee. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
And a privileged resolution recognizing the Philadelphia Muslim Community and acknowledging May 5, 2019 through June 4, 2019 as the holy month of Ramadan.
And a non-privileged resolution supporting the creation of a citizens' commission for legislative and congressional redistricting.
And that will be on next week's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 57th Street, Springfield Avenue, Cobbs Creek Parkway, and Woodland Avenue.
And an ordinance amending Section 9-213 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Farmers' Markets," by adding a permissible location on South Broad Street; and An ordinance regulating the direction of movement of traffic on certain portions of 85th and 86th Streets, Eastwick Avenue, and Harley and Luther Places.
Those three bills just read by the Chief Clerk will be referred to the appropriate committees. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Good Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 morning, Council President. No bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Good morning, Council President. I have one bill and one privileged resolution.
An ordinance approving City participation in the Commonwealth's Property Assessed Clean Energy Program.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce & Economic Development to hold hearings regarding the PHL Neighborhood Growth project.
Today's Calendar. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Mr. President. No bills or resolutions today.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym.
Thank you, Council President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.
Thank Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 you, Council President. I have one privileged resolution and it's co-sponsored by all members of Council.
A privileged resolution declaring May 2019 as "Older Americans Month" and recognizing the contributions of older Americans in the City of Philadelphia.
Today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Thank you, Councilman.
An ordinance authorizing the Streets Commissioner and Procurement Commissioner, on behalf of the City, to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority through which the City will assume certain rights and obligations under an agreement the Authority will enter into with Waste Management of Pennsylvania, Incorporated for the processing and marketing of recyclable materials.
And an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Walnut Street, Front Street, South Street, and 8th Street.
Referred to committee. The Chair recognizes Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have no bills or resolutions.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you, Council President. I offer three privileged resolutions co-sponsored by Councilmembers Squilla, Taubenberger, Bass, and Domb.
A privileged resolution authorizing City Council's Committee on Streets and Services to hold public hearings regarding accountability for the state of road surfaces in Philadelphia.
And a privileged Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 resolution welcoming the esteemed LRRP/Rangers of I Company 75th Rangers to Philadelphia on the occasion of their national convention and thanking them for their distinguished service.
And a privileged resolution recognizing the United States Army for providing for the safety and security of the nation since its creation in the City of Philadelphia 244 years ago.
Also today's Calendar. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions, and our next order of business would be reports from committee, but we have no reports from committee today. So our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. There being no bills on the First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilman Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions that are on our Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the following bills on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Bill Nos. 190353, 180950, 181009, 181046, 190085, 190103, 190104, 190105, 190121, 190184, 190209, 190210. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit the use of a Consent Agenda to consider the bills just read by Councilman Henon. All in favor say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 2ND READING
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and we will consider the Consent Agenda shortly. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Henon for the purpose of calling up bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the bills being considered on the Consent Agenda, the following resolutions and bills are being called up for the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today. They are Bill Nos. and Resolution Nos. 190242, 190346-A, 190372, 190387, 190391, 190392, 190395, and 190315, as well as 190316. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Okay. Our next order of business is going to be public comment. We're going to make a slight revision today because of the volume of individuals that we have testifying today. We will be cutting the timeframe from your testimony from three to two. That will enable us to get everyone on, because there are a lot of people that want to testify. Council has an engagement, and I call it that. We're actually supposed to be at the Veterans Affairs initiative across the street. There's a veterans fair that we're all supposed to be there to present members from our veteran community, and we might run into a timing issue where we might have to take a short recess, do our obligation to our heroes with the veterans and then come back to continue this. So we'll just have to see how this plays out during the course of the public comment. So the public comment will go as follows: Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 When your name is called, you will go to the middle of the Council Chambers. There's a podium. There's a device on that podium. When the light turns green, it will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds to conclude your remarks. When the light turns red, we're asking you to please adhere to our guidelines given the volume of people from a timing perspective to acknowledge that guideline and conclude your remarks. So, again, we're asking you to please shift your testimony to reflect two minutes. Mr. Decker, please call the first name on the list.
Good afternoon. Hello. My name is Abby Stomackin and I'm a Philadelphia School District public Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 school teacher. I deal with foster care youth on a daily basis, and it affects not only my job but my family. Statistics show that Pennsylvania's State of Welfare 2017 report that 8,020 children were entered into foster care in 2016. It shows that the number of children entered into foster care has risen by 32 percent since 2012. The abuse report in 2016 also showed that 5,567 cases of child abuse were taken. Out of those 5,000 cases, 847 were substantiated. That means that 55 percent of the children in foster care families were in those reports. The statistics get worse when 247 were repeated cases. It also shows that 503 of them were female and 344 were male. Alarmingly, 995 cases were screened out by insufficient information, which leaves no information about why they were taken out. In those 2,272 people that applied to be foster care Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 parents, they were declined because they were perpetuated and substantiated perpetrators. What people need to realize is that numbers are not just numbers. They are children. These statistics are real, and they are reality that these children go through. They wake up to them, they go to school to them, and they come back to those same situations. An article in Education Stability for youth in foster care states that less than one-third of those students that change one time in high school do not graduate, and that is detrimental because our graduation rate in Philadelphia is 67 percent. What I have to say is that Philadelphia, there are 32.677 Pennsylvania foster care youth in the population, and that actually means that next year 10,567 of them will be in here.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 testimony. (Applause.)
Mr. Decker, can you just call like three people so they can be teed up. (Witness approached podium.)
I'm an attorney who works in the court system. I'm on the wheel. I represent over 250 families. Fifty-five children are on the Child Advocate. I believe that we should pass Resolution 190346 and have a committee chaired by Councilman Oh and Cindy Bass. (Applause.)
Let me give you some examples of how we could save money in DHS and what one judge did. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 We had a case where a child was taken away from a parent. We were going to give the child back to the parent. It cost $350 to give them a water heater. DHS said no. So the child had to remain in care until that water heater was purchased. Finally, the judge in that case said we're wasting money. $38,000 a year to put that child in -- to be cared for. He ordered that the water heater that cost $350 be installed. The child was returned to the parent. (Applause.)
And DHS objected to that. Another case is where a child was not given to their kinship parent. DHS did no family finding. We have ten people who would have taken the people. That case is still pending, so I can't talk about that, but DHS must look at practical solutions which would save money. Therefore, I ask for 190346 to Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 be passed unanimously.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
Kara Fetty, Caroline Hill, followed by Yolanda Bryant. (Witness approached podium.)
Thank you. I am here to encourage the Resolution No. 190346 to be passed and chaired by David Oh and Cindy Bass. They are definitely for the children. They are only looking at their best interest. And I kind of stick out as a sore thumb in this process, as I am actually an adoptive parent, not a biological parent. But DHS came in and they stole my intended adoptive son and allowed a private agency to take him, with no custody order or court order, and sent him to Netherlands. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 We're sending our own children out of this country, and I'm curious to know how many of these biological parents have been affected even by that. But the fact that it's even happening to us as adoptive parents and foster parents, DHS is intimidating us. They are threatening us by affecting other adoptions that we're in the process of. They're threatening us by making sure that we can't support these children who do need to come into care, and they are making sure that we are the ones who are shown as being vindictive and selfish. So I strongly encourage the resolution to be passed. It has to be passed. We have to protect these kids. It is all about them and nobody else.
Hi. My name is Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Caroline Hill. I'm with Every Mother is a Working Mother. I'm here to say to tell y'all that I had two nieces that DHS gave me in 2011. 2012 they came and took them from me for no reason. They went to court that week of Easter. They took the kids. I couldn't get in touch with nobody. Everybody on vacation. That following Monday, we go into court. They said in court -- they lied. They telling the judge I have mental issues, financial business, being evicted and everything, and I had been in my home for over 20 years, and the judge tells me whatever I hear in court, don't say nothing. So I have to sit there and listen to these people lie about me about my niece. DHS came to my home, seized the kids, which was there for a year, and tell me that they are doing good, they are looking well, and then months later they come and take them out of my home for no reason at all. I had permission to see them, Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 to visit them, and been able to come to my home. Then one night they came to my home and my niece, she's one years old, she telling the DHS worker, bye-bye, see you, you know, like telling the man to go ahead on, we home. And then when they get back where they at, they saw tantrums, so they stopped the communication with me and my nieces. They stopped the visitation because the kids was acting out. These kids wasn't just acting out. They know where they wanted to be at. They wanted to be home with me where they had been for a whole year. And one of the nieces was so traumatized that she was seeing a therapist, and the therapist told them if they removed her again, that she would have a setback. And she did have a setback after they removed her, and her hair fell out, she lost weight and everything. And I just am here to support the bill to investigate why these kids Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 was tooken out of my home. And that's all I have to say.
Thank you. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)
I'm sorry. Ma'am, I'm sorry. What's your name again?
Rasheedah Hassan. I'm a mother who also have nine children in care -
All right. So was your name called? So we got to get some clarity. We've tried to -
Your name has to be called for you to testify. So we can't have everybody testifying today. So only if your name is called. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
Good morning. My name is Yolanda Bryant. I'm a grandmother of two kids in October the '18 I had took to Saint Christopher's Hospital. My two grand-kids was being physical assaulted and sexually molested, ten and five years old. The hospital had notified DHS because my grand-kids was at a location that was at a mental health facility when I had got the text messages, and when the DHS people had got there, they said a supervisor had told them that the children wasn't able to come home with me. From there, when we went to the court, the supervisor had brought the molester to court, which is the perpetrator that did this to the two children, and the supervisor turned out Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 to be the aunt. He has a sister also that's in DHS too that's under the Commissioner, that works there. From there, I wasn't allowed to go in no courtrooms. They put the sheriffs there with all the evidence that was being seen. They never let nothing be seen. On December the 3rd, my two-year-old granddaughter that I had from birth that was never under DHS, she was given to me by social workers from the hospital for my daughter with mental health. They came to my house from -they was upset because I kept coming to every court date, and they removed her from the courtroom -- from my home. They falsified so many reports. They said the child was endangerment. They said the child -- they changed her last name. It was so many things that they had did. They never implicated him. And I just feel as though this resolution is -- reform is best to have. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 They acting as -- the DHS is acting as they are the SVU unit as they police us, as they the judge. They making decisions that they don't have decisions to make. On March 3rd -- 24th I had got a phone call from the DHS, and the DHS had said that they never checked the guy out that did it and said that I was indicated. And I said, how was I indicated from just picking up the kids to take the children to the hospital? If we don't have a reform or something better -
The next five speakers commenting on 190315 and 190316 will please approach the podium. Lola Oladapo, Reverend Gregory Holston, Gabe Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Morgan, and Gina Cain. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon, City Council. My name is Lola Oladapo. I'm a Philadelphia resident and serve as a volunteer civic trustee with the Campaign for Civic Cities, a national initiative designed to bring civics back into our schools and communities. As a civic trustee, I, along with 23 other civic trustees, took an oath to leave our city better than what we found it. We do this by taking a no-blame approach to solving the City's most intractable issues. We meet monthly to engage in solution-based conversations, then bring these solutions to our representatives for consideration. We are currently looking to reduce the poverty rate here in Philadelphia. We recently learned through a 2018 study done by the Pew Charitable Trust that we are the largest Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 poorest city in the nation, with some 25 percent of the 400,000 residents living in poverty, half of which live in deep poverty. We recognize that there are multiple reasons for why our poverty rates are so high, from the lack of livable wage jobs to inadequate skills for the current industry that make up our economic landscape. That means that we believe that one of the biggest drivers of our city's poverty rate and the economic insecurity experienced by Philadelphians, which is often overlooked, is our at-will employment law. As an at-will employment law states, employers have the power to terminate a person for no reason, any reason, as well as for immoral reasons, and there's very little a terminated person can do unless they fall into a protected class. If Philadelphia residents are Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 ever going to pull themselves out of poverty, they need a fair workweek -thank you, Councilwoman Helen Gym -- a livable wage, and job stability. We're here to stand with the parking attendants and demand that you guys pass "just cause" legislation. Thank you.
Reverend Gregory Holston also commenting on 190315 and 190316. (Witness approached podium.)
Hello. My name is Reverend Gregory Holston. I'm the Executive Director of POWER. POWER is Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower, and Rebuild, 65 congregations across the City of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 In 2016, POWER put on what was called a Poverty Summit, which we issued a report called Black Work Matters. In that report, we listed and talked about the poverty in the City of Philadelphia is at a 25 percent, now 26 percent rate, almost 400,000 people living in poverty, almost 200,000 living in deep poverty. And at that time, that was roughly $5,500 a year for an individual. We recognize that unless we empower service workers all across this city and made service work work that was good jobs at good wages that could sustain families, unless we did that and make service workers the manufacturing jobs of today, that we would always be the biggest poorest city in this country. (Applause.)
So we believe the bill here today of "just cause" and making sure staffing is up to par in the parking industry is taking one more step in the right direction of Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 protecting service workers and lifting up service workers in this city. When we stand with workers and make sure that they have a living wage, when we make sure that they're not fired for just no reason or any reason at all, when we stand with workers and make sure that they are safe on the job so that they're so afraid that they're even afraid to go to work, when we stand with workers and stand with workers and believe with workers and hope with workers and build a better place with workers, we can make the change in our city. POWER stands with SEIU and all of the parking attendants today to make a better place in the City of Philadelphia.
Also commenting Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 on 190315 and 190316 are Gabe Morgan, followed Gina Cain. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Gabe Morgan. I'm the Director of SEIU 32BJ, which represents almost 20,000 property service workers here in Philadelphia, 175,000 property service workers in the eastern seaboard. I'm here today to support the parking regulations that have been put in front of this Council with the support and advocacy of Councilwoman Cherelle Parker, with the support of Councilman Green, Councilwoman Sanchez, and Councilwoman Gym, who have put forth this legislation which would really help a group of about 2,000 working poor people in the City. These are the folks who take care of people's cars who come into Center City and into West Philly, work under poverty wages and terrible Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 conditions in lots throughout the City. This legislation would do two things. One, it would make sure that an industry with a track record of mistreating workers finally has to abide by some basic standards to ensure some form of dignity on the job for people who desperately deserve it, folks who came to this country seeking the American dream, folks who are just simply trying to pull their families out of poverty, often working two or three jobs. That's what "just cause" provides the workers. The second is safety. This is an industry where workers are routinely left alone and customers are left alone in parking lots. And I just point out just two weeks ago in the newspaper there was an incident with someone wielding a machete who tried to take someone hostage in a parking lot in Philly. Routinely in the papers we see where lots of understaffed. They become places where violence happens, violence Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 to workers, also violence to customers. So there's also legislation in addition to treating workers well that will also allow there to be minimum staffing to make sure workers and customers are not in an unsafe situation and have a way to notify the City if they are. So I want to thank Council and everyone who has led this effort. We really look to Council in these times to try and lead on behalf of working poor people when our federal government will not. This Council has done that for airport workers. It has done that for security officers. It has done that for cleaners, and we hope you'll lead again to help parking workers as they try and fight their way out of poverty. Thank you very much.
Gina Cain. (Witness approached podium.) Stated Meeting May 16, 2019
Good afternoon. Sorry. Thank you for taking the time to hear my concerns. I am Gina Cain. I work at the -- I'm a parking attendant. I worked at DLC for five years. It will be six years next month. I'm a mother. I'm a grandmother. Some days I fear for my life working at this job. There are not enough workers. I work from 10:00 to 6:00. I'm by myself on the job. I work in a booth. I have to lock the doors. I'm talking about the garage is open that for any access or anybody that can come in. I have had homeless people come into my window, banging on the window. I should not have to fear for my job. In the parking industry, we know that we can be fired or punished at any time for no reason. We work very hard Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 and deserve to be treated with fairness. I get paid minimum wage. I'm 50 years old. I get paid 7.66. I started with 7.35. And it's not fair. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
Commenting on 190184 in this order, Randy LoBasso, Jana Tidwell, and Nick Rogers. Please approach the podium. (Witness approached podium.) MR. LoBASSO: Hello. Thank you for taking our testimony.
Good afternoon. MR. LoBASSO: My name is Randy LoBasso. I work at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. We support automated enforcement for Roosevelt Boulevard because we know it's been proven to make streets safer for everyone. Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Roosevelt Boulevard is the most dangerous street in Philadelphia. Twenty-one people were killed in traffic last year on Roosevelt Boulevard. But I'm mostly here to represent a woman named LaTanya Byrd, who in 2013 lost her niece and three of her nephews while they were crossing the street legally on Roosevelt Boulevard. For the past three years, Latanya has been working to get this bill passed in Harrisburg and was successful. (Applause.) MR. LoBASSO: All right. So I have a message from Latanya. Before I move on, I just want to let everybody know Latanya's niece was named Samara Banks. Three of Banks' children, Saamir, Saasean, and Saadeem, they were all killed on Roosevelt Boulevard, and Latanya has made it her mission to get this passed. She sent me this text message earlier: The mission to support the Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 installation of speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard has always been dedicated to saving lives. It has been a long journey, and the number of deaths due to speed has accelerated. I know it takes time to get this lifesaving technology up and running. However, the next person's life at stake doesn't have time. Please think of our community of people. None of us want to be added to the number of deaths. We don't want any other family member's last memory of their loved one to be a traffic death that could have been prevented. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony, sir. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Jana Tidwell. I'm the Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Mid-Atlantic in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Roosevelt Boulevard is arguably the most dangerous stretch of highway and the most deadliest here in Philadelphia, if not in the nation. Between 2013 and 2017, 139 people were killed or seriously injured, and over 2,700 crashes were reported. AAA supports Bill 190184 to pilot an automated speed camera program along Roosevelt Boulevard. A recent AAA poll of Philadelphia area residents indicates that more than half, 52 percent, support the use of automated speed enforcement to ticket drivers who exceed the posted speed limit. In addition, this same poll showed 21 percent of motorists believe that a divided highway is the most important location for speed cameras. AAA believes that when implemented with proper procedural safeguards and protections for motorists Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 as outlined in this bill, automated speed camera systems can contribute to the goal of reducing unnecessary fatalities and promoting traffic safety for all users. AAA endorses the following safeguards that are included in this legislation focused on safety, transparency, public access, flat contractor fees, police -not a contractor -- overseeing the program, posted warning signs, and an 11 mile per hour speed limit -- 11 miles an hour over the speed limit before the citation is issued. We urge Philadelphia City Council to pass 190184. Thank you. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)
Hello. My name is Nick Zuwiala-Rogers. I'm the Transportation Program Director for Clean Air Council, and I'm here to represent both the Council and the pedestrian advocacy organization Feet First Philly Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 that we sponsor. We are here to strongly support the proposed automated enforcement on Roosevelt Boulevard. This is a key part of the City meeting any of its Vision Zero goals. The Roosevelt Boulevard is one of the deadliest roads in the country. It's received national coverage for how dangerous it is, and just on an average year, about one person dies there every month and almost half of them are pedestrians, greatly overrepresenting the pedestrian makeup of the crashes on the Boulevard. This automated enforcement is necessary because there's no good way for police to enforce speeding on the Boulevard. There's nowhere to safely pull people over. So this automated enforcement, not only does this remove bias from enforcement, but it's also the only way to do this here. It would be very disappointing Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 to stand by and do nothing any longer. We worked really hard to pass this at the state level, and we are really looking forward to the City implementing this important measure now. So, again, both the Council and Feet First Philly strong support this bill, and we appreciate your time today. Thank you.
Commenting on 181063, in this order, Rachel Barata, Saleem Faison, and Owen Setiawan. (Witness approached podium.) MISS BARATA: Hello. My name is Rachel. I will be speaking on Bill No. 181063. I'm 14 and in 8th grade at FACTs Charter School about to enter high school. I currently live in South Philly. There are a lot of people like me, a young teenager living in South Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 Philly. This means that there are a lot of people whose lives and futures are at stake. The science is clear. The only way we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change is to get off of fossil fuel such as coal, oil, and gas as soon as possible. However, PGW's proposal about LNG is a sad stain to add another very strong fossil fuel, the liquefied natural gas plant. They want to do this where I and a bunch of other people live. If you accept this proposal, it will affect many people's lives, including the lives of children and teenagers who will have to suffer the most, children and teenagers that many adults say are the future. Approving this massive new fossil fuel project will make it even more difficult for Philadelphia to do our part to solve climate change. So why is this project going in the other direction? This plant would only be one Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 mile away from where I live. If this plant was agreed to, I would have to deal with breathing polluted air every day. I want the City Council to think about how many lives it would affect before you vote on the LNG plant proposal. Thank you. (Applause.) (Witness approached podium.)
Hello. My name is Saleem Faison. I will be speaking on Bill 181063. I go to FACTs High School. I may not have asthma. That might not affect everybody in this room, but many people in Philadelphia do. Many of them come from low-income families. There's a question I need to ask you: How many lives must be sacrificed for you to realize that this LNG proposal is not a good idea? Would you rather pass -- have money than keep children alive? Be honest. Ban on natural gas. Even in a Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 liquid form, it will release toxic chemicals into the air. These chemicals have been shown to cause problems such as asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease for many people. A lot of people that come from these neighborhoods of the LNG plant can't afford the medical help that they need. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Owen Setiawan and I'm going to be speaking on Bill 181063. I'm currently an 8th grader living in South Philadelphia where the proposed location for the planned liquefied natural gas facility will be just about a mile away from where I live, and I personally would like to ask every single City Councilmember to deny this proposal because of all the effects that it would Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 cause to our environment, all the effects that it would cause to human beings and animals alike. Being a part of the new generation is making me deeply concerned as a comparison of our energy consumption and the amount of effort we are placing at controlling the global climate crisis. This has become a crisis because of the only small decade we have left to make a major change to prevent irreversible damage, one decade to make an actual commitment. Now, if this issue were never tended to, then it would just be passed on to the next generation, right? Yeah. Well, that's my generation. That's the young people on the streets of Philadelphia being taught how to prevent this issue when the adults are not working on it. And we're going to be facing droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and extinction. And global warming won't only be affecting Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 humans. It's going to be affecting animals, who will die, and animals such as the Bramble Cay melomys who will become the first mammal to be taken victim by climate change and have gone extinct. And you may be wondering now why does an issue all the way on the other side of the world affect us and our small community in Philadelphia? If we pass this facility, we're going to send a symbol to the people of Philadelphia that we approve of this action, we approve of this behavior. But, no. Together we can stop this and we can help to create a better future for children. Thank you. (Applause.)
Okay. As I indicated earlier, we have to take a brief recess. We have an obligation across the street. We have to honor a number of veterans. So we're going to recess, and after the recess, we'll come back and conclude the public Stated Meeting May 16, 2019 comment and the rest of the session. So if I can ask the members if we can go across the street to the plaza and do our pittance to our veterans.
I'd like to make a motion to recess, adjourning back here in this Council at 1:30. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)