Madam Chair, good afternoon. Distinguished members of the committee, my name is Riley, R-I-L-E-Y, P. Harrison, H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N, and I am a fleet manager for the City of Philadelphia. In response to your question relative to painting at the facility, there are currently no plans to have any painting being done at this facility.
Mr. Riley, we always worry about answers that start with, "There are no plans for. . . " Her question is, will there be painting there? And your answer is. . . ?
Thank you. They were my two concerns. 57 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990718 Thank you very much.
No, wait a minute, Mr. Harrison. Mr. Rizzo has some questions.
I'd like to go back over to Commissioner Tolson in reference to the scenario that you just described. A truck breaks down, the compactor breaks down, it's towed back to the facility. It's towed back at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, full of trash.
Fleet Management doesn't repair that truck till the next day, so that truck will sit overnight, full of trash, at that repair facility until the repairs are completed. If it's an engine or it's a hydraulic failure, that truck is going to sit until Fleet Management repairs it with trash in it; is that correct?
Not necessarily. It could be that Fleet Management will have to eject it or dump it at the site and then we would put it into another truck to take away. Because sometimes Fleet Management can't get into the truck that 58 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990718 they need to because of the trash existing. In any event, what happens is, they have to dump it out and put it into another truck and then take it away. And also, if it's not necessary to dump it out, Fleet Management could do their repairs with the trash inside; however, they work off- hours as well so that the truck would not have to be down for long periods of time.
However, Miss Brown's concern is not how long it takes to fix it but whether it sits in her neighborhood contaminating the air of the residents in her ward. Your answer was, at no point will a truck filled with trash sit in the street; it will be in a warehouse, waiting to be fixed, or doing whatever you do. She doesn't really care what you do.
You're telling me that that truck full of trash is going to be brought inside of a building and contained inside a building until Fleet Management repairs it? Mr. Riley, is --
It's brought back into the facility, and Fleet Management repairs it inside their base.
If the repair requires something that's up front, say, motor-wise, they don't have to eject the trash in order to do that repair. If there's a problem, say, in the back of the truck and they have to remove the trash, then they put it into another truck and they take it away.
Okay. The point, and I don't mean to cause a problem here today. This sounds good on paper, and I'm coming from a realistic approach to what I know happens versus what's supposed to happen, and I'm just trying to 60 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990718 make it clear that if that truck comes back to Fleet Management and is full of trash, in my opinion, it's not going to immediately be put inside of a building where the community is protected. And that that truck -- again, from knowledge and experience, that truck could sit in the parking lot outside. Mr. Riley Harrison can answer that question. How immediate that that truck is going to be put inside to me is questionable.
I think we have two questions here, Councilman. It depends on the nature of the breakdown and the repair that needs to be made. If it's something similar to changing a flat tire, it can be done in most cases while the operator waits. Or if it's a light bulb or something that needs to be repaired, normally it's done, you know, on a priority. If in fact it's a major repair involving an engine or transmission or a rear end -- which from time to time happens -- then we have to make a decision with the Operating Department. You know, will the vehicle be towed to a transfer station and unloaded, will it be 61 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990718 ejected at the site and reloaded into another compactor? Will it be transferred to another repair facility, of which we have 17? So depending on the workload at the time, and in most cases, supporting this type of operation that's hours a day, you know, we'd 8 set the priority and work with the Department to 9 try and, you know, expedite the repair or transfer 10 it to one of our other facilities. 11
And her concern is 15 a legitimate one: that her residence not be 16 exposed to an additional health hazard because of 17 the condition of our trucks. 18
Miss Brown, are 20 you satisfied that you've gotten a reasonable 21 answer to your reasonable question? 22
All right. Are 24 there any other concerns by members of the committee? 62 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990718 (No response.)
Bill No. 990724, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for use by the City and affiliated agencies, including the Free Library of Philadelphia, for offices and/or library purposes, premises located at South Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 17 Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. 18
Thank you. Good afternoon, Commissioner. Proceed with your testimony. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Good afternoon, Chairwoman Clark. Again, my name is Andres Perez, Commissioner of the Department of Public Property, and I'm here to testify on behalf of Bill No. 25 990724. 63 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 This bill will permit the City to sublease property located at South Seventh 4 Street to support the Free Library's requirements 5 for a branch library facility within the 6 surrounding neighborhood. 7 The Department of Public Property 8 supports the measure. And, accordingly, I 9 respectfully ask that City Council approve the 10 bill and that the rules be suspended so the 11 ordinance may be passed upon second reading at 12 Council. 13
Thank you. 14 This is to be an additional branch 15 library and not replacing an existing one? 16 COMMISSIONER PEREZ: It is an 17 additional branch library, which I believe they 18 are referring to as the Independence Branch.
Independence. I was going to ask if there had been a name proposed for it. It's going to be very hard for me to be against a new library, Mr. Perez. You know I'm an librarian. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: The building may 64 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 be more familiar to you as the Balch Institute.
Oh, yes. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: We are renting space within the Balch Institute.
So you're going to have that shared space. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Yes.
With the -- they are an ethnic studies community. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: For ethic studies and research, right.
All right. Located in the Balch. Are there any questions by members of this committee? Mr. Rizzo, any questions? (No questions.)
Are there any other persons present in the room who wish to be heard to speak in favor of or against the proposed new library? Note that I'm giving you daggers. There being none. . . 65 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 As happy as I am about the library, I ought to ask some questions. What's the length of the lease? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: It's a 29-year lease.
And the rate? And how many space will be subleased? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: We will be leasing, in round numbers, 7,700 -- a little more than 7,700 square feet of rentable area, which is a little less than 10 percent of the building's gross. The rent gradually increases from the first year at $14.25 a square foot through the 29th year at $17.50 a square foot.
And not warehouse space. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: No. It represents the price of the neighborhood.
Does it include fit-out? 66 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 COMMISSIONER PEREZ: We are fitting it out to the library's --
And that's in addition to the -- COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Yes, the Capital Program Office will be renovating the space for the library.
Okay. Were any other sites considered for this branch? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: I don't believe so. I think when this site was brought to our attention, the location, the synergy with the Balch Institute, a nonprofit organization, the condition of the space, it doesn't require extensive fit-out for the normal building conditions, it's got to be turned into library-type space. And it met the library's requirement for the general territory served.
One last one. How do the community residents feel about the proposed use? Did you do any community -- COMMISSIONER PEREZ: I believe the Library personnel did, but Mr. Shelkrot was here 67 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 earlier. I don't know if he's still here.
I'm not speaking for Councilmember DiCicco but I am aware of his efforts in that particular neighborhood of Washington Square West. One of the things that neighborhood does not have -- it has a lot of good things, but one thing it doesn't have is a Free Library, and that was one of his efforts in attempting to find adequate in that community which, would enhance the quality of life and hopefully keep some of our residents living there. So I think there was extensive communication and conversation with the community. And this is something that they were really pushing him to get done.
Thank you. 68 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 (Bill Fleming comes forward.)
Good afternoon. My name is Bill Fleming. I'm the Administrative Services Director for the Free Library.
Good. How does the community feel about the proposed new branch?
The community itself is very excited about the new branch. And I guess in connection with Councilman DiCicco's efforts to get this project off the ground, they were the prime force behind getting this branch in this neighborhood, and they are very excited. We expect them to assist the Free Library in its programming efforts and also efforts to build the collection through private fund-raising.
So if I take what Mr. Kenney says on Mr. DiCicco's behalf and yours, the idea for the branch might have come from the community rather than the other way around.
Absolutely. Absolutely. We felt -- we have a number of branches around the City. Currently -- we have currently 49 69 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990724 branches. But there are sections of the City -- this one in particular -- which did not have a branch library to adequately represent its community and its culture and diversity. So this is a terrific location for the branch, we feel.
So this is an underserved community which will now have its needs met.
All right. Are there any other questions? (No further questions.)
Okay, thank you very much. Are there other persons in the room who wish to be heard to speak in favor of or against this bill? If so, please let me know. (No response.)
One more, Madam Chair. Bill No. 990728, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to convey to the 70 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia certain premises located at 1822 through 1835 Callowhill Street, and authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into or to execute such other instruments as may be necessary or desirable to effectuate the provisions of this ordinance, all under certain terms and conditions.
Commissioner please. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Thank you and good afternoon, Chairwoman Clark. My name is Andres Perez, Commissioner of Public Property. I'm here to testify in support of Bill No. 990728. This bill will permit the City to transfer a certain property located at 1823 Callowhill Street to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia. The Children's Crisis Treatment Center has been the sole tenant of this building since November 30, 1998. The property consists of a three-story masonry building, with 12,166 square feet of space. The Department of Public Property acquired the land in 1947. 71 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 The Department of Public Property supports this measure and, accordingly, I request that City Council approve Bill 990728. I also ask that the rules be suspended so that the ordinance 6 may be passed upon the second reading of Council. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any questions by members of the committee? What's the significance of being the sole tenant? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: My understanding is, they've been in here since 1978 providing a variety of human services. There is a representative available for further questioning regarding the center's actual operation. There's been a nominal lease with the Department of Public Property. I believe it's a dollar-a-year lease for a number of years. That lease lapsed some time ago. And in looking to get things back in order, they have expressed their interest in acquiring the building through either a long-term lease or direct ownership so that they can facilitate fund-raising for capital. 72 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728
By "they," you mean the Children's Crisis Center. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Yes, the Children's Crisis Center.
And it will go from $1-a-year rent to owning the building? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Yeah.
Okay. I'm still having troubling with "sole tenant." COMMISSIONER PEREZ: It's a small building, and they've been --
Has somebody proposed a joint lease? What is the significance of sole tenant? They've been a sole tenant all along, right? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Yes.
And under the one year that you propose and the one-year extension -- and that is what you're asking for, right? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: No, we're actually asking for authorization to transfer it to the Redevelopment Authority, who will enter into a redevelopment agreement with the Children's Crisis Center. 73 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728
Mr. Perez, maybe you can put it on the record. We were in a public hearing on an entirely different matter, and the phraseology "redevelopment agreement" was utilized, which seemed to have some time deadlines by which certain actions, construction activities, or bringing building up to certain codes had to be done within a certain amount of time. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Right.
Is that the same context in which you're using the term? COMMISSIONER PEREZ: It's the same approach. The agreement will contain conditions similar to those conditions that we've asked for in other similarly situated arrangements, where title will not transfer from the RDA until the organization has met those milestones, which most often include a fund-raising target and an acceptable renovation plan.
Do you know what the fund-raising target is for this group? 74 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 COMMISSIONER PEREZ: I don't. I'd be glad to ask Mr. Valdes to step forward if he's still here.
Mr. Valdes, will you join us, please. (Mr. Valdes comes forward.)
We apologize for using your whole day up. I hope you've enjoyed your afternoon.
Please introduce yourself to the record and spell your last name for the benefit of our stenographer, and help us in any way you can to understand this deal.
Sure. My name is Tony Valdes, V-A-L-D-E-S. And in terms of the question, we have some initially estimates as to what it would cost to bring the building in terms of meeting some of 75 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 the code requirements and some other improvements that we need to make immediately. And it looks like it's going to be about $1.2 million.
And you believe you have the capacity to raise $1.2 million?
Certainly. In addition to getting assistance from a capital campaign organization that could help us raise that amount of money, we have a history of having been able to be -- we've been quite successful with fund-raising. We've raised between 1.5 to $2 million over the last 4 years, just in --
In traditional fund-raising, we have in the last three and a half years. And that's total, without having a capital campaign. A capital campaign would be significantly more intense.
Our fund-raising is primarily through -- I mean, our operations are funded primarily through billing for services.
We provide mental-health services for young children who have been abused.
Valdes. Mr. Valdes, what's the length of the term of the redeveloper agreement?
We have not engaged i a conversation with them as of yet. I think, if I understand, it's pending this process.
All right. So you're asking us to pass the bill, then you're going to enter into negotiations, or final negotiations, with the RDA about the length of time of your redevelopment agreement. Without getting in the middle of your negotiations, but needing to ask this question, can you give us a range of time during which you 77 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 think it will take you to be able to get the building up to code?
The report that we have from the consultants that we've spoken to is, the fund-raising will take between a year and a half to just over two years. How much of the work can begin once the money is being raised throughout this time certainly depends on how quickly the money is raised. But it should be, in terms of money being raised, it should be completed in a little over two years.
Now, is it clear that you wouldn't start until you have raised the entire amount? Or would you start when you had raised a substantial amount and were satisfied that the other is coming?
It certainly depends -- and that's going to be based on certain stages in terms of what other priority projects there are within the overall plan. Once we reach certain dollar figures that we would be able to begin and complete certain priority projects, then we would jump in and begin those before we had raised all 78 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 of the money. However, our intention would be to make sure that each step of the way, we've raised enough for that particular project that's next on list.
Present population? It's children from throughout the City. We serve children between the ages of and 13, although focus is on children between and 9.
We serve each year approximately 900 children to 950 children.
No, it's primarily outpatient services, community-based, office-based. We have day services for children who need, you know, five-day-a-week services, and we do traditional independent --
'Cause some of us don't know those services, could you briefly tell us what you do. 79 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728
Certainly. We provide mental health services therapy for children and their families in their homes and in the schools.
Excuse me. I need to vote. Mr. Rizzo needs to go and I need his vote. So we're negotiating how I can get his vote and let him go at the same time.
I'll vote yes on all of the bills in front of this committee today.
All right. Thank you. I appreciate you coming today, Frank, very much.
And are you also leaving a vote to suspend the rules so as to permit consideration?
Yes, so that we can 80 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 hear these, I guess, tomorrow.
Yes, thank you. So Mr. Rizzo is leaving his vote yes for the bill 5 and yes to suspend the rules. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Okay. So you were giving me what a day is like of, what a typical day is like.
Oh, we have several different types of services, but I'll go through a couple of the different ones. We have one service which is partial hospitalization. The children come to us every day five days a week for six hours a day. This program focuses on children between 4 and 6 years of age. They are provided with a therapeutic environment. It's a very structured environment to really work with children around socialization issues, isolation issues. Of the children in this program at some point have been through a traumatic event or have been abused.
Yes. And so most of them 81 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 come to us with issues around isolation, not being able to interact with other children and with adults, issues of trust. So we work with them in terms of beginning to sort of come out of their shell. And eventually, we prepare them to be able to go on to kindergarten and succeed in school, which is one of the big issues with children, particularly with the children who are in that in 4 to 5-year-old range. Other services we provide are home- based services. We provide family and individual therapy in the home and support services for the families and the children. We provide traditional office space therapy, where families will come in and meet with a psychologist, a social worker, or a psychiatrist one day a week and go over issues that they're dealing with their child and helping child move forward and the plan that's been developed for the child. We also have a specialized program, a trauma program that works with children who have been through a recent traumatic event. So we'll end up responding and supporting families, for 82 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728 example, in a recent shooting, a surviving victim of a fire where the rest of the family has been killed and we'll work with the child in terms of their therapy and beginning to move forward.
They simply call us. Usually, it's the referrals from schools, from hospitals. And families themselves can contact us directly. The Department of Human Services and different groups will contact us when they have a referral.
Okay. I thank you very much for that thumbnail description of your program. I think I've visited that program just once, but I appreciate being refreshed on what you do. Are there questions from members of the committee? (No questions.)
Are there other persons in the room who wish to be heard to speak now in favor? (No response.) 83 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Bill 990728
Good afternoon again, Madam Chair and members of the committee. Thomas Chapman for the City Planning Commission. The City Planning Commission, at its meeting of November 4, 1999, reviewed Bill No. 12 990728 and recommended that it be approved.
Thank you very much. Did you -- did we hear from you on all the rest of them?
Okay, thank you. All right. Thank you, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER PEREZ: Thank you.
The public hearing 84 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting Public Property and Public Works is now adjourned. - - -
We will now go into a public meeting. The record will reflect that Bill No. 8 970746 is being held. Bill No. 990645. Mrs. Blackwell?
Yes, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 990645 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and that the rules be suspended so that it can be heard at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor say aye? Opposes, nay? I'm one person short for a quorum, and I don't want to have a defect. - - -
Thank you, Mr. Kenney. I appreciate you coming back. So far, we are about to consider Bill 25 No. 990645. Mrs. Blackwell has made a motion that 85 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting it pass. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor, say aye? Opposes, nay? Bill No. 990645 has been passed out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and the suspension of the rules so as to permit consideration at the next hearing of Council. The next bill before us is 990669. Mr. Kenney?
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 990669 be referred out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor, say aye? Opposes, nay? There being no nayes, Bill No. 990669 has been passed out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and with a further recommendation that the rules of Council be 86 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting suspended so as to permit first reading at the next stated meeting of Council. Next before us is Bill No. 990671.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 990671 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and a suspension of the rules so as to be heard at our next session of Council.
Madam Chair, as the sponsor of the bill, I'm requesting that the bill 12 be held. There will be another public hearing of the Committee on Public Property and Public Works prior to the end of our session. And as you recall, in the public hearing, there were some outstanding issues with regard to this particular bill.
I'm more than happy to accommodate that request, certainly.
Okay. The next bill is 990 -- oh, so the disposition of Bill 24 990671 is that it is being held at the request of the sponsor until certain questions have been 87 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting answered. Before us now is Bill No. 990718. Councilwoman Blackwell?
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 990718 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also for a suspension of the rules so that it may be heard at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor, aye? Opposes, nay? There being none, 990718 is reported out this committee with a favorable recommendation and with a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first consideration at our next meeting of City Council. Mr. Nutter, please, for 990724.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill 990724 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. 88 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting (Duly seconded.)
All in favor, say aye? Opposes, nay? Then Bill No. 990724 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and with a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next stated meeting of Council. The last is Bill No. 990728.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 990728 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and an additional request made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
All in, favor say aye? Opposes, nay? Then this bill, 990728, is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and with a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first 89 11/9/99 PUB. PROP. - Public Meeting reading at our next stated meeting. That then concludes our calendar for today. I thank the members of the committee very much for coming. (Adjourned at 3:00 p.m.) - - - 90 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, November 9, 1999, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS BILL NO.'S 990645, 990669, 990671, 990718, 990724, 990728' __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter