Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. 12/3/09 - STATED - 2ND READING We will now consider Bill No. 090776.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a License Agreement between the City of Philadelphia and Juniata Golf Foundation under which Juniata Golf Foundation would operate, manage and maintain Juniata Golf Course as a public golf course.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The last bill to be considered is Bill No. 090778.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into a license agreement between the City of Philadelphia and Impact 12/3/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Services Corporation under which Impact Services Corporation would operate, manage and maintain Walnut Lane Golf Course as a public golf course.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. This concludes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. Next month President Obama will be bringing together industry leaders, businesses, labor leaders to discuss the can create jobs. Today, as we speak, our Mayor and Congressman Brady and Congressman Fattah are having a similar discussion about how we can translate the Recovery Act to include everyday blue-collar, white-collar workers within the City of Philadelphia. These are important steps. I'd like to also thank Councilman Clarke for asking that Council be represented on all matters of Recovery, and to that end, we are working with both the Administration and private sources to try to put our arms around this whole Recovery Act and translate it into jobs and tax ratables for the City of Philadelphia. Della Clark in West Philly will be hosting a Business-to-Business Forum Monday, December 7th from 9:00 to 12:30 out at 46th and Market. I think this is an important step of bringing information about contract opportunities and participation from underserved businesses, disadvantaged businesses and minority businesses. This is a joint effort between this Administration, the City Council of the City of Philadelphia and all those parties interested in obtaining contracts for Recovery. So I think we are making baby steps, but steps in the right direction to put America and Philadelphians back to work. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam President. I know all of my colleagues have read in the papers and seen the reporting on the tragic death of Joaquin Rivera, and while we need to explore what happened in this case -- and Aria Frankford Hospital is an important -- I don't want that to be the last thing that people remember about Joaquin Rivera. Joaquin Rivera was a great man, a humanitarian, a musician, an activist, a Puerto Ricano who served this community for many, many years. As an Olney counselor, I met him when I was 15 years old. He was very active in everything that had to do with Puerto Rican pride, cultural preservation and language preservation. He worked with me on many initiatives: Boricua First, National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights and many other things. Many of you had had an opportunity to see him, if not hear him, because he has participated in all of the events that I have hosted here in City Council, bringing to us full-core Puerto Rican music. Personally, Joaquin is one of the shining examples of the potential that we have as human beings. He believed in the best of everybody, and he could make our communities and this city great. It is a shame that he has died under these circumstances, and we in Council here should play a role in ensuring that no one ever dies under these conditions, but I did not want that to be the last memory that you had of Joaquin. I apologize to Joaquin for what he went through, and I apologize that this is the way many people in the City of Philadelphia who were not blessed to know him will remember him, but I want my colleagues and this Council to know that Joaquin Rivera is one of the shining examples of a Philadelphian who believed not only in his Puerto Rican community, but believed that we were a great city. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam President. My brief remarks go to the question raised by Councilwoman Sanchez, and, that is, what role, if any, is there for this body to look more closely at that incident. Mr. Rivera's death indicates that no place is sacred when it comes to crime, including hospital emergency rooms. No citizen, no matter how vulnerable, is exempt from dying what may have been a preventable death even in hospital emergency rooms. So for sure, this case raises a host of troubling questions, and for me the principal question is, first, what are the best practices and what I call standard operating procedures for any hospital emergency room. And then, secondly, where does this particular hospital facility measure up. So, yes, I will be calling on Council Committee on Health and Human Services for us to have hearings to examine openly and hear and learn what are the standard operating procedures, and I will certainly be asking my colleague Councilwoman Sanchez to co-sponsor that resolution with me. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. We remind our colleagues and their constituents about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance and discounted medicine table again is outside in our hallway. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any other speeches? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 10th, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on December 3, 2009, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)