COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 401, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, February 24, 2000 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA, Chair COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DI CICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO PATRICIA RAFFERTY, CHIEF CLERK VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 Invocation
Good morning, everyone. I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of the Council is present. Council will come to order. Members will take their seats, and visitors will retire to the seats outside the rails. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair welcomes the Reverend Clarence Hester, Pastor of the Erie Avenue Baptist Church. He is here today as the guest of Councilman Goode. Members and guests will please rise. REV. HESTER: Giving honor to God, to you, Madam President, and the members of this Council. We do thank God for this privilege to stand before this prestigious body of servants and lift you up to an all mighty God. Let us pray. All mighty and everlasting God, we come, we come pausing in this moment to beseech you that the spirit of prayer and reverence of your name may prevail in these deliberations. We pray that this Council will be blessed with your aid. We even come now thanking you for the new blood that has been pumped into the arteries of this body of the government that they may be used as an instrument to Invocation awaken this Council to their best potential and possibilities, that they may become instruments deeply conscious of your omnipotence and of the great gifts with which they have been endowed. We pray that their affections may be guided by whatsoever things are true and honest, things that are just and pure and of good report; that their understandings may be enlightened by your wisdom and that spirits may be empowered by your spirit. Even now, Lord, we ask that you sanctify their thoughts and intentions, even their words and actions, that all they think, speak, or do may abound to the honor of you and the well-being of our municipality. Make them aware of the enormous opportunities they have been granted and challenge them with the wide influence that they enjoy. Make them to know that you, who is our creator and redeemer, do hold each one of us accountable for the use of all our strengths and abilities, all our powers and privileges, and yes, even all our influences and opportunities. Remind us that much is expected from those who have been given much. We pray, Lord, for your assistance to Invocation know what things are required of us by you and by our fellow man. Help them, Lord, to face the serious facts of our times and to find in you the courage to meet them with wisdom, discipline, and resourcefulness. Release within them the power of the Holy Spirit with which a truly democratic and Christian city is obtainable right now. Oh, gracious God, in these disturbing but tremendously hopeful times, grant unto us to all an undiminishing faith in the absolute necessity of the inward life, in the efficacy of the dedicated intelligence, and in the power of an active even sacrificial goodwill that we may live today the life of a better tomorrow. We further pray that you will grant those who we have entrusted with the authority of government to be responsible, wise, courageous, and strong. And guide us, the people, to respect them and to support them in all wise legislation in faithful administration that we may all prosper under equal law. Lord, even now we ask that you achieve unity of purpose among us and grant unto us the victory of faith in the ideals to which we are Approval of the Journal committed as a city. Strengthen us with the honor and grant us all peace. Provide us, dear God, with the strength and spiritual substance for performing with great might the task with which our common life yet confronts us with. This we pray in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Chair thanks Rev. Hester for his inspiring invocation. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of February 17, 2000. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. We move for the approval of the journal of February 17th. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the journal of the meeting of Thursday, February 17, 2000, stand approved. Requests for Leaves of Absence All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion carries. The Journal for Thursday, February 17, 2000 is approved.
The next order of business is requests for leaves of absence. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. There are no requests for leaves of absence on the part of the majority.
The Chair thanks the Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Longstreth.
Madam President, there are no requests of leaves of absence.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair will dispense with the regular order of business to recognize the guests and visitors joining us today in Chambers. On behalf of all members of City Council, I welcome you to our Council session this Welcome and Presentations morning. We appreciate your taking the time to join us as we attend to the legislative affairs of our City. We invite to you come again. Today, we are very pleased to welcome a colleague from the great city of Florence, Italy. He is the Honorable Federico Tondi, and he serves the good people of Florence as a Councilman. This is Councilman Tondi's first time in the United States, and I would ask him to stand to be recognized so that we can certainly welcome you. (Applause.)
I invite Councilwoman Miller and Councilman Cohen to come forward to make a presentation honoring the Central High School boys and girls cross country teams. Will coach Fred Rosenfeld and those accompanying him please come forward? (Guests come forward.)
Thank you, Madam President. It's with a great deal of pride that the three Councilmembers here, Councilwoman Miller, Welcome and Presentations Councilwoman Brown, and myself present this resolution commemorating what we think may be the only time this has happened in the history of Philadelphia and probably Pennsylvania and maybe the nation. This is a resolution congratulating Central High School's boys and girls cross country teams on winning the Public League Championships in the same year. And we know of no other high school anywhere in the country which had both teams win in the same year in the Public League Championships. Whereas, on November 4, 1999, Central High's student athletes accomplished the very impressive feat of defeating 22 other schools and winning both the boys and girls cross country championships on the 3.1 mile hilly and very difficulty Belmont Plateau Course; and
Whereas, these victories marked the first time in the 23 years that the Philadelphia School District High Schools have fielded both male and female cross country teams that one school had the distinction of winning both championship races in the same year; and Whereas, the varsity boys championship team consisted of seniors Michael Carnevale, Tony Welcome and Presentations Fulton, Kiran Cooke and Douglas Dawson; Juniors Gerald Bright and Peter Shayhorn; and freshman Darrell Johnson; and
Whereas, the varsity girls championship team, who are repeating as public league were seniors Thais Serrano, Melissa Roberts; juniors Rachel Goldberg and Eva Fertman; and freshmen Ahmirah Cottman and Jasmin McClendon; and Whereas, particular congratulations are due to Coach Fred Rosenfeld who is in the second year of coaching those teams at Central High after being a very, very successful coach at Overbrook High School from 1972 through 1992; therefore
Resolved by the City Council of Philadelphia that we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Central High School's male and female cross country teams in winning the Public League Championship in this extremely demanding sport that requires great stamina, strength and mental toughness. Resolved, further, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Fred Rosenfeld and the members of the teams as evidence Welcome and Presentations of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body. Signed by President Anna Verna, sponsored by Councilman David Cohen and Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, and cosponsored by all other members of City Council. Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Coach Fred Rosenfeld for remarks. Mr. Rosenfeld: Good morning. I rarely write anything down, but I did this time. Central High School, for those of you who have not visited, is about excellence; that is what we shoot for. And these teams have both worked extremely hard to at least approach excellence. These young people that you see in front of you represent the very best of what sports and public education should be about and is all supposed to be about. To me, excellence is represented by getting the best out of yourself especially when it counts the most, and they did. Cross country, for those of you who have never seen it, is tough. It requires a tremendous amount of training to be prepared for the physical pain, which is always there, and the psychological challenges that go with every race. The sport Welcome and Presentations receives very little publicity, and so being here in front of you is very special for these kids. A few years ago there was a lot of talk in the schools about teaching self-esteem, and I've always known that high self-esteem only comes with true personal achievement and it certainly can't be taught in a classroom. However, it's a real result of seeing the fruits of your labor, and these young student athletes have witnessed that great success. I have a sign in the school that says "team" and it spells out for each letter a word, "together everyone achieves more," you've probably seen it. The recognition that is being received today is in honor of a very unique achievement for two outstanding teams. Many of these team members have tremendous individual accomplishments, but we wouldn't be here and wouldn't be recognized if it had not been a team effort today, much as you all have to work together as a team. I just briefly would like to mention a few things about students so you know them. Our seniors, we are proud of all them, but we have a young man up here on our team who has 1540 in his SATs out of 1600. Michael, just wave. Communications (Applause.)
He's very embarrassed by that. We have a young man up here who's offered full scholarships athletically at a couple schools already. Tony, would you just raise your hand. (Applause.)
We have another young man with orange hair somewhere, he's in the back. He's just been accepted to Cornell University and will compete for them next year, and is our team manager. (Applause.)
And on the girls side we also have very similar things. As I said, Central is about excellence and we shoot for it at both ends. These 16 students with me represent about another 35 or so who we couldn't take out of school today. So even though they're our very top, it reaches a lot of people. Thank you for having us here. (Applause.)
Council will Communications be at ease. (Council at ease.)
The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-at-Arms deliver the messages from the Mayor to the Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk will read the messages from the Mayor.
To the president and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia. I'm transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body an ordinance approving the redevelopment proposal of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of a portion of the Parkside National Register Historical District Redevelopment area, Parkside National Register Historical District Urban Renewal area, and declaring the redevelopment undertakings in the project to be an important part of the City's program to remove and prevent the spread of urban blight.
The message will be printed in the Journal. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions The Chief Clerk will read any other communications in her possession.
Since there are none, the next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I'm sorry, Madam Chair. For some reason I'm out of the sorts today. We move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit consideration of resolutions at the time of introduction. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit immediate consideration of resolutions at the time of introduction. All in favor of the motion will vote aye. Those opposed, nay. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions The ayes have it. The motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance amending Chapter 9-700 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Amusement Business," by amending Section 9-703 entitled "Dance Halls and Dances," by prohibiting minors from entering or remaining on any premises which possess a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board license, all under certain terms and conditions. Council
An ordinance amending Chapter 10-100 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Animals" by amending Section 10-105 entitled Animals Committing Nuisance" by expanding the section to include nuisance committed upon the private property of an owner and animal noises which cause unreasonable annoyance, disturbance or discomfort to a person or persons, under all certain terms and conditions. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Chapter 10-100 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Animals," by amending Section 10-102 entitled "Administrative Provisions," in Section 10-103 entitled "Licensing and Rabies Vaccination," by decreasing the maximum number of dogs and cats permitted in residential areas.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. This morning I have two bills and one resolution.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance approving the redevelopment proposal of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of a portion of the Parkside National Register Historical District Redevelopment area.
The bill will Introduction of Bills and Resolutions be referred to the appropriate committee.
And an ordinance amending Section 19-201 of the Philadelphia Code relating to City depositories by clarifying and updating a list of institutions in which the City is authorized to deposit funds and by amending certain conditions.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
Madam President, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion is carried. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Krajewski.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mariano.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance establishing a four-way stopping regulation at the intersection of Tulip and Wakling Street.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions
A resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs to conduct hearings on the internal process utilized by the Department of Recreation in designing, developing, and completing capital projects with regard to strategic deadlines, assignment of contractors and vendors and other requisite tasks.
This resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognize his Councilwoman Miller.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution calling on the Committee of Public Health and Human Services to conduct a public hearing to investigate the current system of direct filing juvenile cases into adult court and make findings and recommendations concerning its use and the treatment and conditions of the confinement of this category of juveniles. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions
The resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Madam President, I have no bills or resolutions worthy of consideration by this body today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Good morning, Madam Chair. I have no bills and no resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance enacting a new chapter 9-2300 of the Philadelphia Code entitled "Protection of Displaced Contract Workers," and Introduction of Bills and Resolutions amending Section 19-2602 entitled "Licensing," to require that all contractors awarded contracts for the performance of food and beverage hotel service health care, janitorial building maintenance service within the City of Philadelphia.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority for Industrial Development without consideration a deed located at 1313-15, 1325 Race Street.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill. Introduction of Bills and 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 Frankford Avenue at Poquessing Creek Woodhaven Road and Knights Road, and Academy Road.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution authorizing City Council's Committee on Labor and Civil Service to hold hearings on ways to encourage Internet and other E-commerce related businesses to locate in the City of Philadelphia.
This resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Longstreth.
Madam President, Introduction of Bills and Resolutions I have no bills or resolutions.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to conduct hearings on whether the parking facilities and the operations pertaining thereto at the Philadelphia International Airport should remain under the jurisdiction of the Philadelphia Parking Authority or be transferred to the Aviation Division of the City of Philadelphia.
This resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, some young people have just joined us at our session. They are fourth graders from the Sharmont School in the 21st Ward, and I wanted to recognize them and acknowledge them. Speeches We are pleased to have them here today, and maybe they can stand and be recognized.
We do not have a calendar, so this will conclude our business portion of today's Council meeting. Are there any speeches on behalf of the minority? (No response.)
Are there any speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. On Monday this week the School Board decided to go along with a request from the Mayor to delay action on the approval of charter schools that have been pending before the Board for decision. The state law requires the vote on the charter school approval or disapproval to be made within 75 days of the first public hearing on charter school applications, and therefore, wound up creating an Speeches end-of-this-month deadline for the approval of the charter schools. The Mayor, and I understand his concern and appreciate the situation, wants to wait until his new School Board that he's going to appoint has an opportunity to review these requests and to make a decision. The process for naming a new school board is ongoing, and my understanding is there's about 75 names being considered for potential appointment which can create some delay in the appointment and therefore some delay in the approval or disapproval of the charter school issue or the applications that are pending currently. The charter schools have the ability to appeal directly to the State to receive there approval. But my concern is not necessarily with the Mayor's desire to have a school board that he appoints in place to decide this issue, which I think is admirable, it's the concern that I have of the message we may be sending to charter school advocates and the parents in our City. Charter schools wound up being created as a result of people's dissatisfaction with the public school system. One of the main reasons why Speeches so many people have left our City in the last decade, an estimate of 150 thousand or more, is because of their lack of confidence in the public school system. Parents ultimately have a choice when confronted with the inability to get the best education for their children or to feel a level of comfort that their children are receiving the best available, and that is that they pick up their families and they move to a district or to a neighborhood or to a community that has a school system that they're comfortable with. I am fearful that we are sending a message that charter schools are not important to us, should be in some way obstructed or delayed. And my concern is, is that some of these parents who are desperately seeking other opportunities for their children may decide that waiting for another year is just too long and may be putting up their house for sale and looking in suburban and New Jersey communities for a place for their families to live. I would urge the Mayor to either get his school board appointed as quickly as possible or to allow the current school board, which is very informed and has done a pretty good job in dealing Speeches with these issues and have had at least three separate hearings on these schools, to make the decision so that we can comply with the state law and allow these schools to be formed and move forward in educating these children. Because I do believe in the end and if we don't and if we avoid this issue, we're going to wind up losing more parents, more taxpayers, and more citizens from our City into our surrounding suburbs. So I'd urge the Mayor to get moving on his appointments or this current school board to come back and do its mandated job of deciding and approving, I think, eight schools that were on the list to be approved. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you Councilman. Are there any other speeches on the part of the majority? (No response.)
There being none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion to adjourn.
Madam President, I move that the Council be adjourned until Thursday, Speeches March 2, 2000, at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stands adjourned until Thursday, March 2, 2000 at 10:00 a.m. All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it. The motion is carried. Thank you all very much. (Council adjourned at 10:35 a.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of February 24, 2000, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: STATED MEETING ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public