Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 080931. (Applause.)
An ordinance amending Chapter 12-3000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use of an 2/5/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Automated Red Light Enforcement System to Prevent Red Light Violations," by authorizing the installation of red light enforcement systems at certain additional locations.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, this bill passes. We will now consider Bill No. 080946.
An ordinance amending Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Traffic Code," to establish towing zone locations and hours in the University City area.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 080948.
An ordinance authorizing and directing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 231 by changing the grades of 2/5/09 - STATED - 2ND READING Cross Street from Gates Street to Hermitage Street and Gates Street from Silverwood Street to Cross Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The last bill to be called for consideration is Bill No. 080950.
An ordinance authorizing the paving of Cross Street from Gates Street to Hermitage Street and Gates Street from Silverwood Street to Cross Street.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. That completes our Calendar for today. I have a very important announcement to make. It's my understanding that Councilman Brian O'Neill became a grand-pop for the first time last night. (Applause.)
His daughter, Megan, gave birth to a little boy at 6 o'clock last night in California. Brian, congratulations.
Are there any speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
I see there are speeches on the part of the majority. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. And I will be brief. I do have an announcement and then brief remarks. I would like to first remind invitation offered by Ms. Ramona Riscoe Benson and myself inviting all of us to the African American Museum of Philadelphia on Thursday, February 19th wherein we will have an opportunity to look at the Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776 to 1876 exhibit. So I would ask my colleagues to please put that on your schedule and seek, if you can, to join us on February 19th. Secondly, Madam President, we, the members of this body, live in a world often where people will listen to what we say, but they will always believe what we do. I would like to go on the record to offer my full support to citizen Sandra Dungee Glenn with hopes that she can continue in her role as Chairwoman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission and retained purely for what she has done. What are the facts? Under her leadership, test scores in our city have gone up, teaching vacancies have declined, and academic and contractual inclusion is now the norm. Because of her leadership, now all Philadelphia School District students are required to take an African American history course as part of the curriculum. And so my hope is that with these tangible, solid facts and results, our Mayor will look favorably upon the notion to retain Ms. Sandra Dungee Glenn as our School Reform Commissioner. I will close by adding that under her leadership, the members of the School Reform Commission did a vast search and hired Dr. Arlene Ackerman, a no-nonsense, in-the-trench leader who is tackling the multiple challenges facing that $2.3 billion organization. So given these, it is my hope that our Mayor, as he deliberates on this important appointment, that he will indeed consider retaining Sandra Dungee Glenn specifically as the School Reform Commission Chairwoman. you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. I'd too like to join my colleague Blondell Reynolds Brown in urging our Mayor to swiftly make a decision and support the reappointment of Sandra Dungee Glen. Other than the fact that she is a public school graduate, other than the fact that she's navigated deficits and is moving us towards a green curriculum in high schools and in middle schools, she has the kind of temperament to get along with a diverse group of people and manage through a number of difficult situations. In this time when our young people are at a 50 percent dropout rate and we have made improvements upon that sad statistic under her leadership, we want to keep moving in the right direction. colleague Jerry Mondesire of the NAACP in urging our Mayor to keep her and reappoint her. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Everyone will see on their desk flyers that say "Climb Aboard." This is the Montel Williams bus that has been advertised for months, and we've used it many times. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance allows people of low income to get about three months' free prescriptions. Now, we will have between Councilman Jones' office and mine, there's a table there every Thursday from 10:00 to 1:00 with literature and information, and we invite -- Councilman Greenlee is already taking advantage of the opportunity. If anyone will call me, to have this bus come, all you have to do is give the location and they will come at the prescribed number of hours, and you can invite your constituents who may need help to come out and sign up for free prescription assistance. So I'm happy to offer this, certainly share this information with everyone, and feel free to let me know if we can be of help to you and your constituents. Thank you very much.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to just make an announcement that on this past Saturday in the Pennsylvania State Committee, Councilwoman Marian Tasco was elected to the Democratic National Committee, the DNC, as the Philadelphia rep, and she's actually filling the vacancy of our former colleague, Carol Campbell. (Applause. )
Thank you very much. Thank you to everyone for that recognition. I'd just like to piggyback on the comments made by Councilwoman Brown and Councilman Jones regarding our representative Chair of the SRC, Sandra Dungee Glenn. She is a quiet force, very inclusive person and has done an awful lot. She loves children and she loves education. I think she's done a very good job, and I don't see us changing horses in midstream at this point. I too support her reappointment and also reappointment as Chair. I think that is community that has a large population of minority students, and she has done very well by that position. So I support her.
Thank you. Are there any other speeches? (No response.)
Seeing no one's light on, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February the 12th, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February 12th 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 11:20 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 February 5, 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.)