STATED MEETING 1 2/2/2023 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, February 2, 2023 10:40 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY LOZADA COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILWOMAN SHARON VAUGHN MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK STATED MEETING 2 2/2/2023
Good morning, folks. We're going to get started. Sorry for the delay. Thank you. Everybody is seated. We're going to get started. We've established our quorum, so we're going to start out with our invocation today. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair recognizes Imam Farid W. Rasool, Amir and President of Majlis Ash-Shura of the Philadelphia and Delaware Valley and Imam of Masjid As-Sabiqun. He is here today as the guest of Councilwoman Gauthier. I would ask all members and guests to please rise. (Councilmembers and guests rise.)
Peace be unto you. As-salamu alaikum. I'd like to say to all of you in remembrance of our Mayor. So today is actually the one-year anniversary of us STATED MEETING 3 2/2/2023 year, and to be here today is a great honor. But before I say the prayer, I'd like to say this to you. I'd like to tell you something to think about while we're praying and, that is, there was a little boy who was an only child, and his parents were doing very well and he moved out into the suburbs. And so when he got out to the suburbs, he had a big driveway and a swimming pool and everything in the back. And at the same time, he had the basketball court to play with, but he had nobody to play with. So he was always playing catch by hisself, catch by hisself, throw the ball, try to run and catch it. And after a while, he got tired. So when his daddy came home in the driveway, he ran up to the car and said, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, please play catch with me, please play catch with me. So the daddy had all his work STATED MEETING 4 2/2/2023 said, son, I can't do it right now, but I promise you tomorrow when daddy comes home, daddy promise you he'll play catch with you. And so the next day the little boy was out there waiting for daddy to come to the driveway, and when daddy came up to the driveway and pulled up, he ran to the car and said, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready. And the father forgot that he promised him to play catch. So he said, oh, yeah, we supposed to play catch today. He said, okay, well, walk here in the office with me so I can take my briefcase in the office, son, and then we'll go play catch. He said, okay, okay, daddy. Okay, daddy. So the father was trying to figure out how can I buy some more time, because I need to get this work done for the office. And so then the little boy said, dad, dad, are you ready? STATED MEETING 5 2/2/2023 -- he holds his briefcase up and blew all the papers out. He said, well, listen, listen, daddy got to just put these papers together, and when daddy put these papers together, while he's doing that -- there was a map of the world on the desk, and he took the map of the world up and he tore it up in all these pieces, and gave them to the boy and said, while daddy is putting these papers together, you put these papers back together, you put this map back together, and then we'll go play catch. He said, okay, daddy. Okay, okay. So the little boy came back 15 minutes later saying, daddy, daddy, daddy, I got it, I'm ready. Let's go play catch. And he said, son, you can't be ready yet. So he walked in the other room and looked, and the map was put together. He looked at his son. He STATED MEETING 6 2/2/2023 said, I didn't know I had a genius. Looked back at the map, said, it's really put together. Then he said, son, how in the world did you put that map together? He said, daddy, there was a picture of a man on the back of it, so I figured if I put the man together, the world would be in place. So today I'd like to offer this prayer and invocation based upon us trying to make the world be in place and know that we can only do that by helping every man put himself together. I will first say the prayer in Arabic and then I will say it in English so you know what I've said. ) Oh, Lord, we pray that you would bless this body of assembly. We pray that you will fortify their hearts and swell their hearts with purity of intent. We pray that the goodness that will come from them by the way of the duty for which that they do to others STATED MEETING 7 2/2/2023 a brightness in the eyesight of your view. We pray that you will make them have the courage to stand for truth in the presence of falsehood.
We pray that you will have them to -- give them the courage that they would knock their brains out of falsehood with the truth that they hold. And we pray that their footsteps will be fortified in the way that is beneficial to humanity and pleases thee and make all of them successful in the way that pleases thee and make them successful in this life as well as the hereafter and make them die like (unintelligible) of willful submission to you. Ameen. )
Thank you so much, Imam. We appreciate your spiritual guidance today. Thank you so much. STATED MEETING 8 2/2/2023 be at ease. (Council at ease.)
Again, thank you. Thank you, Imam. And our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting on Thursday, January 26, 2023, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, January 26, 2023 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, January 26, 2023 stand approved. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 9 2/2/2023 (No response.)
The ayes have it, and our Journal is approved. And our next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members of Council, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. And I recognize Councilman Squilla for a motion concerning certain legislative matters that may arise during the course of the Council session that were not listed on the Calendar today prior to our session. Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this STATED MEETING 10 2/2/2023 Council and, as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first reading, reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, amendments to bills re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible actions by Council that arose too late to be included in the Calendar that was published prior to today's session.
Can I get a second? STATED MEETING 11 2/2/2023 (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the legislative matters stated by Councilman Squilla may be added to the agenda for today, should those matters arise during the course of the Council session. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion granted. And our next order of business is communications. I would ask the Clerk to please read the messages from the Mayor and any other communications that he may have in his possession.
From the Mayor to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am STATED MEETING 12 2/2/2023 of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2252 Hope Street and 2309 Palethorp Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District; and A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon situate in the Third Councilmanic District; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Independence Mall Urban Renewal Area, Unit No. 4, identified by house number and street address as 217 through 253 North Ninth Street; and An ordinance amending Section STATED MEETING 13 2/2/2023 14-300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Administration and Procedures," by changing the language pertaining to quorum for public hearings of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you, Mr. Decker. That concludes our communications, and our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions. And I would ask the Clerk to please read the titles of the bills and resolutions offered by our members today.
Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson offers a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings examining the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on Black-owned businesses and the disparity in rates of closure.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold public hearings on the creation of the 21st Century School District of Philadelphia CTE middle and high school focused on careers in trades and technology.
And a privileged resolution recognizing February 2023 as Career and Technical Education Month in Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution recognizing February 2023 as Environmental Justice Month in the City of Philadelphia.
Councilman Thomas offers a privileged resolution honoring STATED MEETING 15 2/2/2023 and congratulating Champion of the Week, Anthony Caple of Mercy Career and Technical High School, for his success in founding, promoting, and managing his own clothing brand, 5 Star Clothing.
And a privileged resolution honoring and congratulating educator Marvin Dutton, for celebrating his organization Marvin's Education Services' 10-year Anniversary servicing the youth of Philadelphia.
Today's Calendar. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. I wanted to take a moment to welcome Marvin Dutton of MES Services and congratulate them on ten years of service. As this is the first Council STATED MEETING 16 2/2/2023 session for Black History Month, I thought it would be important to recognize a Black business that's not only thriving here in the City of Philadelphia but also offering free programming and free services to young people all across the City of Philadelphia. Can we take a moment to just ask all of the young people who have benefited from Marvin's Education Services that's here in City Council today just to stand up and welcome them to our Council session.
Please stand up. Thank you. (Some audience members standing.) (Applause.)
Thank you, Council President. I also want to say STATED MEETING 17 2/2/2023 congratulations to our Champion of the Week. It's important that we continue to highlight and recognize young people who are doing positive things across the City of Philadelphia. Thank you, Council President, and thank you, colleagues.
Thank you, Councilman. And welcome and congratulations. Thank you guys.
Councilman Jones offers one bill and four resolutions. On behalf of Council President Clarke, an ordinance authorizing the construction, installation, ownership, use and maintenance of a sidewalk cafe at 425 through 449 Spring Garden Street.
Thank you, STATED MEETING 18 2/2/2023 Mr. President. The resolutions that are being offered today, particularly centered around education, are inspired by our Chair of Education, Member Isaiah Thomas, who Herculeanly had a hearing, a marathon hearing, diving deep into some of the issues centered around education, public education in the City of Philadelphia. What he allowed us to recognize is that all of us support the School District, support our education, but we do have questions as to when and how things are done and holding people accountable, and sometimes we have to ask uncomfortable questions to get to a place where we get comfortable solutions. So I want to thank him for co-introducing these resolutions today.
Councilman Jones offers a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on STATED MEETING 19 2/2/2023 Education to hold public hearings examining the levels of learning loss as well as attendance trends as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and to understand how the School District of Philadelphia plans to address these issues.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to examine the top performing magnet schools in Philadelphia, understand their strengths in relationship to underperforming schools, and to develop strategies for future success.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to evaluate tracking for post-graduation pathways including STATED MEETING 20 2/2/2023 college retention rates, career alternatives, military opportunities, and the school-to-prison pipeline.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to examine the progress of the school safe corridor program, to understand its effect on violence reduction.
Councilman Johnson offers two resolutions, a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the Philadelphia Water Department request to increase water, sewer and stormwater rates and charges and its impact on the citizens of Philadelphia.
This STATED MEETING 21 2/2/2023 week's Calendar.
And a non-privileged resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass House Resolution 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.
Thank you, Council President. I just want to make brief remarks on my resolution I introduced. S. House and Senate to approve the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. S. S. Senate. The drafting of the federal legislation was preceded by a series of protests against the deaths of numerous African Americans at the hands STATED MEETING 22 2/2/2023 of police officers, including the 2020 deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. The passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would address a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability, including combatting excessive force and racial bias in policing. The bill increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices in training requirements. It would limit qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer. It would establish a framework to prevent any remedy racial profiling by law enforcement to federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and STATED MEETING 23 2/2/2023 restricts the use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds. As Vice Chairman of the City Council Public Safety Committee, I support the hard work of our Philadelphia Police Department. It understands it is necessary to have -- I understand it's necessary to have police officers, but I would never support any law enforcement officer that abuses their power. According to the non-profit organization Mapping Police Violence, at least 1,176 people were killed by law enforcement officers in the United States in 2022, the most of any year since at least 2013. That is an average of more than three people a day or nearly 100 people every month last year, according to Mapping Police Violence. These are reported deaths at the hands of law enforcement, including people fatally shot, beaten, restrained, and tasered. One of the latest incidents happened three weeks ago when 29-year-old STATED MEETING 24 2/2/2023 Tyre Nichols was brutally beaten by Memphis, Tennessee police officers. The graphic video of the beating shows the officers punching, kicking, and beating Nichols, even after he lay helpless laying on the ground. " Davis, for her decisive action so far in this case. The five police officers have been fired and charged with murder. Their specialized unit has disbanded. Two more officers have been suspended. Two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant was also fired, and more discipline is expected to happen in the future. At Mr. Nichols' funeral, he was remembered by family and friends. It was a celebration of his life, but there were also calls for police reform, not just in Memphis but throughout the nation. Our Vice President, Kamala Harris, attended the funeral and delivered an impassioned STATED MEETING 25 2/2/2023 speech calling on Congress to approve the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Even Tyre Nichols' mother, Ms. RowVaughn Wells, called for reform as she fought back tears and spoke lovingly of her son. She said, and I quote, "We need to take some action, because there should be no other child that should suffer the way my son and all the other parents have lost their children. We need to get that bill passed, because if we don't, that blood, the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands. The only thing that keeps me going is that I truly believe that my son was sent here on assignment from God, and I guess now his assignment is done. He's going home," end quote. Tyre Nichols joins a long list of Black men and women that have been killed by law enforcement nationwide.
There are the names you know, George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Philando STATED MEETING 26 2/2/2023 Castile, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown and others. Philadelphia and the Greater Delaware Valley region is not free from people losing their lives due to actions by law enforcement. In June of 2017, we saw that 30-year-old David Jones was shot three times in the back by then Officer Ryan Pownall as Jones was fleeing during a traffic routine stop. , Terrell Mitchell, Stanley Cochran, and James Alexander at the hands of law enforcement officials. Let's say their names and never forget their names. Again, as Vice Chairman of the City Council's Public Safety Committee, I support the hard work of the Philadelphia Police Department every day. I understand it is necessary to have police officers protecting and serving, but I would never support any law enforcement entity that abuses their power. STATED MEETING 27 2/2/2023 Thank you very much, Council President, for your time and consideration. )
Thank you very much, Councilman. That will be on next week's Calendar.
Councilwoman Lozada offers an ordinance establishing parking regulations in the vicinity of: Penn Street and Wakeling Street; Griscom Street and Orthodox Street; Leiper Street and Pratt Street; Saul Street and Pratt Street; Penn Street and Harrison Street; Saul Street and Sanger Street; Margaret Street and Torresdale Street; Granite Street and Darrah Street; Margaret Street and Duffield Street; Dyre Street and Darrah Street.
Next week's Calendar. STATED MEETING 28 2/2/2023
And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2252 Hope Street and 2309 Palethorp Street located in the 7th Councilmanic District.
Councilwoman Brooks offers a privileged resolution honoring and recognizing the dedicated service of Betsy "Ms. Betty" Beaufort, whose determined advocacy on behalf of her South Philadelphia community has strengthened her neighborhood, as well as the City of Philadelphia.
Councilman Driscoll offers a privileged resolution honoring and celebrating the 2023 Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
And a privileged STATED MEETING 29 2/2/2023 resolution honoring and celebrating the career of Joseph T. Ashdale.
Councilman Squilla offers a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Clarena I.W. Tolson on the occasion of her retirement from public service.
And a non-privileged resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Independence Mall Urban Renewal Area, Unit No. 4, identified by house number and street address as 217 through 253 North Ninth Street.
Councilwoman Bass offers four resolutions, a privileged STATED MEETING 30 2/2/2023 resolution recognizing February 2023 as American Heart Month and honoring the American Heart Association of Philadelphia for their work in providing health resources in Philadelphia, emphasizing the importance of heart health, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
And a privileged resolution recognizing, honoring and celebrating Imhotep Institute Charter High School on its 25th Birthday.
And a privileged resolution honoring the Philadelphia Tennis Club for being the second oldest Black-owned tennis club in the country.
And a privileged resolution honoring the Woodford Tennis STATED MEETING 31 2/2/2023 Club for being the oldest Black-owned tennis club in the country.
Councilman Oh offers a privileged resolution recognizing and honoring Rodney Little for his exemplary and outstanding service as a dedicated public servant, police officer, union leader and military veteran.
There are no other bills or resolutions being offered today by the members, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. Decker. That concludes our introduction of bills and resolutions by our members, and our next order of business is reports from committee. And the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a report from the STATED MEETING 32 2/2/2023
Thank you, Mr. President. The Committee of the Whole reports five resolutions with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read that report.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee of the Whole, to which was referred Resolution No. 220689, entitled a "Resolution appointing Miquon Brinkley to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District"; and Resolution No. 220690, entitled a "Resolution appointing Jeffrey Brown to the Board of Directors for the Old City Special Services District"; and Resolution No. 221036, entitled a "Resolution appointing Paul Badger to the Board of Directors of the Center City STATED MEETING 33 2/2/2023 District"; and Resolution No. 221037, entitled a "Resolution appointing Valerija Beares to the Board of Directors of the Center City District"; and Resolution No. 221038, entitled a "Resolution appointing Anna Bonie to the Board of Directors of the Center City District," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached resolutions to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Jones. Excuse me. Resolution No -never mind, Councilman. It's on me.
Resolution No. 220689, Resolution No. 220690, Resolution 221036, 221037, and 221038 will be placed on our Final STATED MEETING 34 2/2/2023 2ND READING Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. And that concludes our reports from committee, and our next order of business is the consideration of the Calendar. As there are no additional bills on our First Reading Calendar, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for the purpose of calling up resolutions and bills on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar today.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions and bills are being called up from Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today: Nos. 210434, 230039, 230044, 230045, 230046, and 220918. All other bills and resolutions are being held.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you very much. Before we consider these resolutions and bills, we will consider STATED MEETING 35 2/2/2023 public comment. Your public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for possible action today. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up for today's session, you may do so now at the table outside of the Council Chambers with the Sergeant-at-Arms. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet, and under ideal circumstances, which we apparently do not have today, we have a significant list, today's time limit will be two minutes, but we want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to testify. So I'd ask that you please adjust your testimony to reflect a two-minute time limit. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, we intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit STATED MEETING 36 2/2/2023 when you begin speaking. When you go to the podium, you will see a green light. It will be your time to speak. When the light turns yellow, you will have 30 seconds remaining on your time, and when the light turns red, we would ask you to please adhere to our guidelines and conclude your remarks, and you will then be disconnected, and please yield that to the next speaker. We also reserve the right pursuant to Council rules where we may limit repetitious comment on the same subject matter. We actually do have that today, but because of the issue relating to the significant testimony on 18, we will hopefully try to get everyone in in their testimony. If we're ready, Mr. Decker, can you please call the first name on the list.
The first speaker today, Mr. President, is Rachel Kemp offering comment on behalf of Stacey STATED MEETING 37 2/2/2023 Phillips, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
My name is Rachel Kemp. I am here on behalf of Dr. Phillips, the CEO over at WPACS. I have been working there for about two years now and I've lived in the West Philadelphia community for 20-plus years. WPACS is very excited about the Cobbs Creek Foundation and what they're doing in the community, the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and what that means for our community so that our students and families will have a place where it will be safe. For the first time in decades, this historical landmark is being revitalized, and it deserves the STATED MEETING 38 2/2/2023 recognition. Even though the actual educational center will not open until 2024, their educational team volunteers have been running excellent programs within WPACS, which is known as the West Philadelphia Achievement Charter School. I'm sorry, you guys, if I didn't state that. These programs have been supporting our children and families. Our children have been doing math tutoring programs, which they love. Also, the Cobbs Creek Foundation has been coming in to donate different baskets and stuff for the holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, they've been doing social-emotional program learning with our students as well, and the educational -- the staff, I'm sorry, the staff from the education center have been working closely with the school to ensure that programs reflect the needs of our community. STATED MEETING 39 2/2/2023 Thank you. I see there's a red light, so I'm going to end and just say that we are greatly appreciative of the Cobbs Creek Foundation and I look forward to many more. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Mr. Decker, hold on one second. Before we proceed, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just really briefly, during the part of our program in which we recognize or actually when Mr. Decker was reading the bills and resolutions introduced today, I did want to make mention that we have in our presence Imhotep Charter School, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and we have some folks here, if they could stand, from Imhotep Charter School. All right. And so we want to -- STATED MEETING 40 2/2/2023 (Applause.)
We want to recognize their achievement in excellence. I remember when Imhotep started and they started in lots, actually in module units, we'll call them, on lots in Northwest Philadelphia. And so here we are 25 years later, and it's a wonderful example of excellence. And I also wanted to just very briefly recognize the Woodford and Philadelphia Tennis Clubs as being in the 8th District and also the first and second oldest Black tennis clubs in the nation, and we wanted to just recognize that we have that distinguished organization within the City of Philadelphia. Thank you, Mr. President.
Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. STATED MEETING 41 2/2/2023 (Applause.)
The next speaker is Asmeret Easley, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Hi, everyone. My name is Asmeret Easley. I'm a proud native of Philadelphia, which encouraged me to aim to be where I am today. I am one of the proud principals at Overbrook Educational Center, also known as OEC, here in the School District of Philadelphia in Overbrook. We are a K to 8 school that serves one-third of visually impaired students in our district. Thank you to City Council for listening and ensuring access to share my STATED MEETING 42 2/2/2023 viewpoints as an educational leader in the community. Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What will the legacy be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind? I'm in support of Bill 220918 because of the relationships that have been built with my students through the Cobbs Creek Foundation community. My students will attend a safe, state-of-the-art educational facility that promotes self-esteem and positive racial identity. The relationships have been built, from supports from funding for 8th graders, volunteering and providing support for graduations, weekly academic after-school clubs, and monthly Saturday programs, and I can't forget our mentoring programs with our middle schoolers. Investing in the revitalization STATED MEETING 43 2/2/2023 is an investment in the community. Many students have a vision with their own eyes that their community is worth an investment now. Why should I have to search for the exposure for my students outside of Philadelphia for an example to experience golf or safe havens to take part in hobbies that they deserve? I recall one of my third graders saying to me one day, noticing contractors and backhoes, are we getting something new across the street from our school? I shared, this is our hope. He smiled and said, we can do it. The current climate in Philadelphia is deserving of this. Children deserve to be safe, especially with the gun violence in our city that we experience, and have access to beautiful, brand new space. The project will create hundreds of job opportunities for residents and boost local economic values and partnerships and small local businesses to collaborate with the STATED MEETING 44 2/2/2023 exposure. Think about what I said, the legacy. The legacy starts here. As I close today, consider what we stand by at OEC. We need to do what is best for children, not what is best for adults. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Blain Stoddart, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and to the Honorable City Council. My name is Blain Stoddart. I run BFW Group, which is a construction project management company. I am here to STATED MEETING 45 2/2/2023 support the Cobbs Creek Foundation and the Cobbs Creek Golf Course. It is formerly an abandoned 350-acre site that has been abandoned for almost 50 years, and the Cobbs Creek Foundation has come into the City to help to revitalize that property, working in tandem with the City Recreation Department. It is a public golf course, not a private golf course, and they will begin, Mr. Chairman, Mr. President, to take our kids off the street and build an education center so that our kids can do non-traditional sports and so that our kids can get educational enhancement. Some trees have been cut down, Mr. Chairman, but the trees should not have been there in the first place because it is a golf course. And so they will be replanting 1,500 trees and 15,000 native plants back on this property. Last, but not least, I'm going to say this: I got involved because, as STATED MEETING 46 2/2/2023 you know, for 30 years, long before George Floyd, I was advocating for Black and brown businesses to get work, and we are working with 200 Black and brown and Latino businesses, construction-related businesses, architects and professional services and contractors in the City to get work, and Cobbs Creek was kind enough to call me, because I'm an advocate for Black and brown businesses to get work on construction projects. And so the fact that they called me got me excited, because most times developers and non-profits don't even call us back when we are trying to get work. So I could go on and on and on. Some people said that it's going to affect the environment and cause sickness in the community, but it's a golf course. This is the last thing I'm going to say. Nice neighborhoods get golf courses, like Bryn Mawr and Ardmore and Bala Cynwyd. And so to have a public golf course in our neighborhood is a good STATED MEETING 47 2/2/2023 thing and adds value to our neighbors and takes the kids off the street and helps us against gun violence.
And I appreciate everyone's passion, but we have a significant list of people on the list today and we really want to be able to get everybody in to testify. So please limit your conversation. When you see the red light come on, please conclude your remarks. STATED MEETING 48 2/2/2023 Thank you.
Shawmar Pitts, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Shawmar Pitts and I'm a co-manager director at Philly Thrive, and I'm here to speak about the golf course and Cobbs Creek. So now, first and foremost, I would like to applaud the Cobbs Creek Foundation for any good work that they have done to help our community as people has just testified to, and at the same time, my opposition to the golf course is the way it's been done. As the gentleman has just STATED MEETING 49 2/2/2023 spoke, this has been abandoned for a long time. He said over 50 years. So now when we come to the City and we ask for pieces of land or anything of monetary substance to support the community and the youth in our community to stop the gun violence, we don't get any tread-way, right? But when -- and this is not just the Cobbs Creek Foundation. This is all over the City, because there's redevelopment and development going on all over the City. So I am opposed to it, because when people from outside the City come in the City, they are able to get the monies needed and the support needed for their projects. But when we, African American men, who have been in Philadelphia our whole lives, when we come and we ask for grants and stuff like that, we get met with things like we got reimbursement grants, right? You got to pay the money -- you got to bring your receipts for the money you spent. STATED MEETING 50 2/2/2023 Did the Cobbs Creek Foundation have to get reimbursement grants or did they get money in the City's budget? I think they got $3 million from Parks and Rec and a $3.4 million grant from the state. We ain't never got $6 million for nothing we tried to do. So I'm not against a golf course and diversity and things like that, but I'm for the youth. I'm for them. We've been cut out from the economics since I was their age, before I was their age, and we're going to be cut in. So when they came in, now they got a $60 million project going on. When they going to spend $6 million on them? When they going to spend $6 million and spend it on them? That's why I'm opposing it. I'm not opposing it just because it's a golf course. I'm opposing it because when you have like Hilco, for instance, you have Hilco, they in our community STATED MEETING 51 2/2/2023 right now.
They in our community right now. Right now they're in our community. And they come and they get to make policy. When we come to the policymakers, we don't get to make no policy. How they get to make policy to push us around?
We ain't got no community involvement in every development every time we sat in person meeting, in person meeting. Ain't never showed up.
Well, you keep saying one second. We got a lot of people that want to talk today.
I understand. I understand. I'm sorry, but I'm just saying. They get to push us around and we've been here our whole lives. They've been here for two years.
And City Council -I ain't never seen a City Council that represented African Americans the way we got now. Look how many African Americans we got.
Sir, sir, you got to -- really, you got to like -
You keep saying that. You keep talking. I'm trying to be respectful. But we can follow up. All right? You can't go on and on. I'm trying to be respectful. All right?
Please, listen to us, man. Please. Thank you. Sorry for going over time.
Thank you, sir. We'll follow up. Thank you. STATED MEETING 54 2/2/2023 Next name.
The next speaker is Fred Stirre, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Thank you. It's Fred Stine, S-T-I-N-E. Thank you. And for over ten years now, I've been a Board member with the Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition, and for over 30 years I've worked with the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, which is a non-profit environmental organization where I help design, plant, and maintain urban forests and riparian buffers. For the friends and neighbors and the Delaware Riverkeeper, I urge Council to vote no against this bill, 220918. Cutting down more trees and clearing the land of natural vegetation could contribute worsening flooding, could contribute worsening air pollution, worsening heat island effect, and other STATED MEETING 55 2/2/2023 public health impacts to all City residents but particularly residents of Overbrook, Cobbs Creek, and Eastwick. According to Philadelphia's own Tree Philly, trees are one of the best investments we can make in the future of our city. When properly cared for, urban trees provide valuable and vital services, like clean air, increased property values, peaceful neighborhoods. Planting and maintaining trees addresses all three of the pillars of sustainability, environment, economics, and society. The Cobbs Creek Foundation is not replacing the public health and environmental value of the trees they're cutting down. They are cutting and clearing thousands of mature plants, trees, including the 500 mature heritage trees already cut down. They're not replacing them at a one-to-one. They're cutting down 24-inch diameter trees and planting two-inch caliber replacement. STATED MEETING 56 2/2/2023 It's not a one-to-one. In the presentation of the Arts Commission, the developer shows that on the driving range and youth golf area alone, just in that one area, which is about 13 acres, which is part of the bill in the steep slope area, they will be cutting 150 heritage trees, and the heritage tree is 24 inches in diameter. According to their plan, they will be replanting 62 trees. They're cutting down 150 large trees, which provide all these benefits that Tree Philly has advocated for, and they're planting 62.
Thank you. And my last comment will be, they anticipate it's going to take 20 years for those new little trees to grow to provide the same ecological and economic value that the trees they're cutting down. We urge everyone -- on balance, STATED MEETING 57 2/2/2023 this is going to benefit wealthy outsiders more than it will benefit the residents of Philadelphia.
The next speaker is George Guy, commenting on a resolution that is introduced and will be adopted today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson. (Witness approached podium.)
I'm George Guy and I'm here on behalf of Philadelphia Tennis Club. I'm here to thank Councilwoman Bass for this resolution that she sponsored. I'd also like to thank you personally for the help that you and former Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds STATED MEETING 58 2/2/2023 gave us a few years ago. We were in dire need of your assistance, and you came through for us. We appreciate it. But I'd also like to thank Katherine Gilmore Richardson, and our club is in your district. Now, for the sake of full disclosure, at Philadelphia Tennis Club we've always considered to be the oldest Black tennis club in America, because we actually own the land as opposed to our esteemed friends and colleagues at Woodford, that land is owned by the City. Anyway, PTC was founded by people of color so they had a place that they considered their own. We are in historic Germantown. Tennis is a great game, and our goal is to promote tennis for underserved inner city youth, and that's our goal and our primary mission. We have seven well-maintained, beautiful clay courts. Now, clay is different than hard courts. It's great for the body. It's softer. STATED MEETING 59 2/2/2023 And it's a great facility and a great place for youth, young and old. As a matter of fact, I think all of you should take up tennis. If you still play, you should come join us, and if you're thinking about taking up tennis, you should come around and see. So I look forward to have all of you visit us in Germantown. It's a great club, and I'd like to thank City Council and Councilwoman Bass one more time for this resolution. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Alexa Ross, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, STATED MEETING 60 2/2/2023 everybody. My name is Alexa Ross. Hearing that there is a cap of five speakers for and against, I want to give a chance to anyone that is opposed to the Cobbs Creek overlay bill, if you want to stand up or raise your hand, because I know a lot of speakers were turned away, just a moment to show those who were turned away. (Some audience members standing.)
I'm with Philly Thrive. I've also been on the Board of Eastwick Friends and Neighbors from 2013 to 2015. I'm here today to talk about the fact that corporate profits are at an all-time high, right? So in the last -the third quarter of 2022, corporate profits were $2 trillion. Meanwhile, inflation for the everyday person is at a 40-year high, right? And so when we look at the Maguire family, billionaires who are part of the Cobbs Creek Foundation, STATED MEETING 61 2/2/2023 who the City allows to lease a $90 million property. So this land is valued at $90 million, and they lease it for $1 for 70 years. So clearly things are severely out of balance, and I implore the City Council leadership to help restore the balance, because the flooding that's going to come as a result of all this tree loss and the way that these old growth trees actually provide a kind of support for erosion that new trees cannot provide, right? And we have to just stop handing out corporate -- you know, giving corporations tax breaks. Also Hilco Redevelopment Partners got a tax break. The first thing they came to Philly and did was get their taxes waived, their city taxes that would go to the School District waived as part of a Keystone Opportunity Zone. So an economy where we keep giving billionaires major tax breaks and STATED MEETING 62 2/2/2023 write them into city budgets, meanwhile Philadelphians are facing double the prices at the grocery store for food, makes no sense whatsoever, and the burden really is not on us to make an argument as to why this makes no sense, but the burden is really on you all to explain under what economy, under what city where we care about children and we care about the betterment of everybody does it make sense to be cutting this much money for billionaires and corporations. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Linda Smith. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Linda Colwell-Smith. I'm Interim Co-Chair of the Friends of STATED MEETING 63 2/2/2023 the Free Library of Philadelphia. We work to support the Free Library with our advocacy and efforts in the community. And I'm up here today to thank Councilmember Brooks and City Council for honoring one of our own, our own Ms. Betty Beaufort. (Applause.)
She's been a member of the Friends and she's one of our Board members. She's a longtime community advocate, and she's had at least 25 years with us fighting for her beloved Queen Memorial branch. And I've had the honor of working with her to keep our entire library system open in 2005, 2008, 2011, and we're still fighting to this day. One of Betty's biggest strengths is, she speaks truth to power, and she's not afraid to talk. And she saw -- for instance, she saw a need in STATED MEETING 64 2/2/2023 her community for a place for teens to go safely to talk and to recreate and just to socialize in good fellowship. So she founded one of the first teen centers in a Free Library of Philadelphia branch in the City, and it opened the day before the pandemic shut the library system down. But I'm happy to report it's back open and she's fighting for it again. (Applause.)
I mean, Betty is an inspiration to us all. She recognizes that Queen Memorial branch, every single branch of the Free Library, they're the heart and the soul of their communities. They're a safe place for seniors, for families, for kids and that they're worth fighting for. I'm honored to be standing beside her. I hope to do it for many more years to come, and I know our group feels the same way. STATED MEETING 65 2/2/2023 Again, thank you, Councilmember Brooks. Thank you, City Council, for honoring our Ms. Betty. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Enrique Hervada, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Thank you. Good morning. My name is Enrique Hervada. I'm the COO of the Cobbs Creek Foundation. I thank you for the opportunity to address. As I stated before, we're not a corporation. We're not a developer. We're a 501(c)(3) non-profit working in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, Parks and Recreation, the Philadelphia Water Department, and I'm STATED MEETING 66 2/2/2023 here to address the bill today regarding the overlay district for Cobbs Creek. The ordinance is essential for moving our project forward. Its minor steep slope disruption is required for the creek restoration plan. Restoring the failing creek is a requirement for our lease with the City and will not only benefit the golf course and surrounding community, it will provide no increase in downstream flooding. As previously stated, we have followed every applicable agency's requirements, including, but not limited to, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia Arts Commission, Planning Commission, and Water Department, and will continue to do so. The Philadelphia Planning Commission unanimously approved moving forward with this ordinance at their meeting on January 19th. We submitted a letter recently from Patrick Patterson STATED MEETING 67 2/2/2023 that shows the effects of the project. Recently seven amendments were added to the bill, and they're all environmental amendments that were required from talking to the neighbors and things that they wanted, and we agreed to all seven of those amendments to the bill. Thank you for your time.
The next speaker is Lawrence Szmulowicz, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
Hello. My name is Lawrence Szmulowicz. I'm a volunteer with the Cobbs Creek Environmental Justice. I live downstream from the golf course in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood where I organize trash clean-ups and bird walks. First of all, we welcome the amendments. They are a step in the right STATED MEETING 68 2/2/2023 direction. Unfortunately, the amendments do not resolve the core problem with the bill. The bill still gives the developer free rein to cut down trees on any steep slope within the 350-acre premises. The new time limit on the exemption has no practical value. The developer will cut down all the trees that it wants long before the exemption ends in July 2024. Moreover, the amendments do not address the fundamental lack of transparency. We still do not know basic details about the developer's plans. How many trees do they plan to cut down? Do they include any heritage trees? How will they prevent erosion, landslides, and sediment pollution in our waterways after they cut down the trees, whose roots literally hold the earth in place? We do not have these answers, because the community has not had the opportunity to pose those questions. Normally a developer who wants to cut STATED MEETING 69 2/2/2023 down trees on sleep slopes must apply for a zoning variance. As part of that process, the developer must meet with the community at the local RCO, explain their plans, and answer the tough questions. There is no reason why the developer can't apply for a zoning variance here. In fact, they originally did apply for one, but they withdrew it in March 2022 before they met with the local RCO. When the Planning Commission asked the developer why they didn't proceed with a zoning variance, their chief operating officer replied, because our attorney told us that a legislative exemption is cleaner. Well, the developer's attorney is right. It is cleaner to get a legislative exemption than meet with the community, explain your plans, and answer tough questions. It is cleaner to bypass community input, because democracy is messy. STATED MEETING 70 2/2/2023 But whether it's convenient for a developer or not, the community has a right to give input and be heard on the issue -- on the use and development of our public lands, especially when the development potentially threatens our environment, health, and safety. City Council should not get into the business of enabling developers to avoid community input by carving out special exemptions to our local environmental protections. So we respectfully ask you to remove the steep slope exemption and let the developer apply for a zoning variance, as they should have in the first place. At the very least, do not vote on this bill until the developer does what they should have done in the first place, go to the Overbrook Park Civic Association RCO, bring your blueprints, bring your environmental assessments that you said you have, and please answer the community's questions. STATED MEETING 71 2/2/2023 Thank you.
The next speaker is Edison Frazer, commenting on 220918. (Witness approached podium.)
My name Edison Frazer. I'm with Philly Thrive. I oppose this bill, 220918. This is my whole thing. I keep on hearing everybody talk about education and stuff like that but the park own Cobbs Creek. First of all, most of them kids that's doing the shooting ain't even in school. You go out there right now and they out there right now. So our program is to get to the kids and change they thinking. Like we keep on coming to these meetings. STATED MEETING 72 2/2/2023 Gauthier office, she reached out to me, her secretary want to talk to me, but ain't nobody get back to me yet. My program is, what we trying to do is save the youth and stuff like that. By cutting down the trees, what is you doing? And I can talk to you, Jones. What is you doing? When you cut down the trees, you blocking the shade. So our gas and our electric bill going to go up. And somebody just got shot around there last night too. I live right down the street, and the population is 30,000, and 80 percent is Black. They didn't go around the neighborhood, Enrique, and tell when y'all put this golf course up, y'all going to -- pesticides and all that stuff going to lead to our community and stuff like that. I came to you, Jones. So I'm asking you, can I have a meeting with you so I can put my program on the other STATED MEETING 73 2/2/2023 side? All them dirt bikes that's on the street, we want to get them on the field like that. It's nowhere for them to ride. And the reason why we took the sign down, because they already said they was in the park already. So we keep on coming to the -I oppose this bill because, I mean, y'all cut down trees and it wasn't legal, and then last week you said that you was going to held up on the bill. Now it's like -- come on, Jones. I live right down the street from this community, man. I live right down the street from this community. They want to come in here. Golf is for rich people. Golf is for rich. Is it free to play golf? Is it free? I want to know if it's free, because I'm gonna sign up right now if it's free. So I'm asking you, Jones. I'm asking you, Gauthier.
I'm saying, you reached out to me. You said -- you reached out to me. I got the checks right here. Call me to your office. Let's talk. Let's talk. Let's talk, Jones. All right. If we -
Hold up. If we going to coincide, I'm on the other side, Jones. You know what I get. You gave me money to do my thing.
You gave me money. I want to help the youth. You know what I'm saying? I want to help the youth. You gave me money. I'm tired of seeing these Black kids dying and all this stuff. These corporations and stuff is coming in here.
You know what I'm STATED MEETING 75 2/2/2023 saying? So I want to know, can I have a meeting with you, Jones?
Please have respect for everybody who wants to speak.
Come on, call me, Jones, like you call me, man. I ain't trying to put you on the table or nothing like that. Come on, man. You gave me money to do my program, but I ain't get all of it. They got $6 million to do nothing, man. Come on, y'all.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. Councilmember Gauthier, did you want to... (Applause.)
I want to thank Edison for his comments. I'm always willing to meet with any constituent, but not those that come to the office in a threatening manner, STATED MEETING 76 2/2/2023 particularly with female staff.
Thank you, Councilmember. Mr. Clerk, can you please read the next person to testify.
Hi. My name is Erica Zurer. I'm a member of the citywide Friends of the Free Library. Linda introduced the group. Most of you know the Friends of the Free Library, but I came up to speak on a little bit of a personal note. I want to say I'm kind of new to Philadelphia. I haven't been here that many years. I want to say that Betty is Philadelphia. I found that out. She is definitely Philadelphia. She's a crown in the jewel of Philadelphia. When I came here, I was lucky STATED MEETING 77 2/2/2023 enough to meet her not that long after through the Friends of the Free Library. I want to say she's a mentor. I want to say that Philadelphia City Council and the Mayor know, you'd better listen to Betty. Thank you, Betty. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. Mr. Clerk, please read the next person to testify.
The next speaker is Lynn Landes, commenting on 210913. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. I'm Lynn Landes, Founder of HealthAlertPhilly.org. I support Resolution 210913, but today I'm here to talk about vaccines. For all FDA-approved vaccines, STATED MEETING 78 2/2/2023 including COVID shots, there is a Section 13 to the manufacturer's package insert which admits that the vaccine has not been evaluated for its potential to cause cancer, damage DNA, or impair fertility. Yet despite this lack of minimal testing, our federal health authorities continue to maintain that these vaccines are safe and effective. Many people got the vaccine, the COVID vaccine, thinking that they were FDA approved, but it appears that those approved vaccines were not made available to the public. What the public got and is still getting are experimental vaccines under an emergency use authorization, meaning little effective safety testing was conducted. To date, the COVID shots are the most harmful and deadly vaccines in the history of the CDC, with soaring numbers of people suffering from blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and other sudden illnesses. STATED MEETING 79 2/2/2023 The public is becoming increasingly aware the vaccines in general are resulting in widespread harm and death. Countless books have been written and studies published that offer overwhelming evidence the vaccines did not stop the deadly contagions of the past. Instead, new sewer systems, water treatment facilities, and better nutrition did that. Even polio was most likely caused by DDT, a paralyzing insecticide, not by a virus. When DDT was phased out, polio subsided. In fact, the leading cause of polio today is the polio vaccine itself. And that's what many people don't understand about vaccines. Some can spread the very illnesses they claim to prevent. It's called vaccine shedding. So is Big Pharma spreading illnesses through vaccines rather than preventing them? It certainly looks that way. STATED MEETING 80 2/2/2023 You can learn more at HealthAlertPhilly.org. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. Mr. Clerk, the next person to testify.
The next speaker is Christopher Gladstone. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. Good morning, President Clarke, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, my Councilperson, Councilwoman Kathy Gilmore Richardson, and the rest of City Council. My name is Christopher Gladstone Booth, and I want to thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of the Woodford Tennis Club. Woodford Tennis Club was founded during the Civil Rights era in STATED MEETING 81 2/2/2023 1958 by eight working-class people who decided not to wait for inclusion but to actively seek a place that they could call their home. Divine intervention is what many of us believe sent George Logan, a police officer in the 14th Precinct and one of Woodford's founding members, to drive up a driveway in Fairmount Park to find an overgrown piece of property that vaguely resembled tennis courts. Upon Officer Logan's inquiry, he did discover that it had been abandoned by the City some 20 years before and it was a part of Fairmount Park. Royal Sims, who is currently the President of the Veterans Administration here in Philadelphia and one of our founding members, cut a deal with the City. The City agreed to lease that abandoned, discarded property to the Tennis Club for $1 a year for 50 years, and needless to say, we are well into our second lease. It was a part -- at that STATED MEETING 82 2/2/2023 point, the members bought the house and the joining property to the tennis courts in 1958. What is Woodford? Woodford is legacy. My father was a founder. I'm a Board member. My daughter is currently a member. Woodford has turned out a number of nationally ranked players, including my daughter, and it continues to support players with professional aspirations. Woodford is home, home to countless years of youth tennis programs exposing African American children to the game of tennis. And, finally, Woodford is history. It truly is apropos on this 2nd day of February to recognize Woodford and its contributions to African American history. But let it not go unrecognized that Woodford also is an integral part -was and is an integral part of Philadelphia history. When you look up little known history facts -- STATED MEETING 83 2/2/2023
-- about the City of Philadelphia, there is a possibility you'll see a picture of 424 East Wister Street, better known as the Woodford Tennis Club. Thank you, Council folks, for this resolution. It is deeply appreciated.
The next speaker is Nasir Williams. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is Nasir Williams. I'm currently a sophomore at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School, and I'm here to speak on STATED MEETING 84 2/2/2023 my experience with MES, Marvin's Educational Services. I've been around since the very beginning of MES. I've enjoyed participating in MES as a student-athlete and someone who always wanted better for myself. MES helped shape myself and my peers into better students and helped us excel in the classroom. Marvin made sure I got help with any of my work whenever I needed it, and he started to train myself and a few other students in basketball while still tutoring us. MES kept us off the streets and motivated to be great men and influences in our communities. Marvin, I appreciate everything you do for us and being a mentor in our community. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you STATED MEETING 85 2/2/2023 so much for your testimony. Mr. Clerk.
The next speaker is George Lane. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. My name is George Lane. I'm currently a sophomore at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School. I'm here today to speak on my experience of growing through MES. When asked what MES is exactly, I always have to include it is more than an organization, business, or a team. It's a family. Through MES, I gained a lot of lifelong connections with my other fellow teammates or brothers that grew through MES as well. We had the opportunity to be a mentor by two amazing male role models, Brother Marvin and Brother Ryan, who still got us in a positive direction today. Being completely honest, I wouldn't be the student or young brother STATED MEETING 86 2/2/2023 I am today without the help of MES. Year in and year out, I can probably say that I have been on honor roll with straight A's every semester since I was first introduced to Brother Marvin, which is when I was a first grader. In addition, my brothers present today are honor students just as well as me. Since day one, Brother Marvin is always attempting to give so much attention to the value of education, the reason being the importance of how much as asset an educated minority male can be. As stated before, I'm proudly grateful to say I grew through MES. Without MES, I wouldn't be who I am today. I dedicate every accomplishment to MES and Brother Marvin. He been around since ground zero, and this recognition can't even sum up how much thankful I am for him today. STATED MEETING 87 2/2/2023 (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, please read the next person to speak.
The next person to speak, Mr. Chairman, is Marvin Dutton. (Witness approached podium.)
I feel like I'm back at a basketball game, I'm being called out for the starting lineup, Marvin Dutton. My name is Marvin Dutton. I'm the CEO of Marvin's Education Services. If you hear me, clap once. (Audience members clapped once.)
If you hear me, clap twice. (Audience members clapped twice.)
That's something that we do in the classroom just to kind STATED MEETING 88 2/2/2023 of get your attention. There's an African proverb that says you can't thank the person that crossed the bridge without thanking the people that built the bridge. So I'm very thankful for my family. I'm very thankful for my students. Can we all give them a round of applause again, please. (Applause.)
Thank you to Councilman Isaiah Thomas and City Council for honoring MES as we celebrate our ten-year anniversary, ten years of hard work, ten years of commitment, ten years of sacrifice. It's my honor to give back to the community, to impact the life of a child, to impact a family, to positively impact the community. And so I'm extremely thankful. There's a saying that goes STATED MEETING 89 2/2/2023 like, when spiders unite, they can tie up a lion. So together we can do some amazing things. So, again, thank you, City Council. I really appreciate you, everyone. (Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you. Chief Clerk, please read the name of our next speaker.
The next speaker is Valerie Susan. (Witness approached podium.) MS. McLOYD: Good morning. My name is Valerie Susan McLoyd. First, I want to thank my Councilman, Kenyatta Johnson, for the resolution on urging the United States Congress to pass HR 1280, the George Floyd Justice and Policy Act. But I'm here this morning to stand with the rest of -- if everyone can STATED MEETING 90 2/2/2023 just stand up who is here for Ms. Betty Beaufort. (Some audience members standing.) (Applause.) MS. McLOYD: So I want to thank Councilwoman Brooks for honoring Ms. Betty. Betty is my neighbor for the 1300 block of Garnet Street. We met about 15 years ago. I was serving as the block captain for about 20 years. And every time it was time to go out and work, Ms. Betty was there. I could always depend on her. So I wanted to come out and just honor her for her passion for the community, because that's what we need, more people who are passionate about the community, passionate about the work and determined to get the work done. So thank you, Ms. Betty. STATED MEETING 91 2/2/2023 (Applause.)
Thank you. Chief Clerk, can you please read the next person to speak.
The next speaker is Maria Ortiz. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Marie Ortiz. I'm here to honor Betty Beaufort. She is the only one in our community that stands up for us, fights for us, whether the person like their opinion or not. One thing I can say, Betty, you are phenomenal. Don't let nobody take that from you. You are a phenomenal woman, a woman that speaks the truth, a woman that knows what the community needs. And more leadership in our community need to listen what our community needs. Like Betty Beaufort, she always there to help the people less fortunate. STATED MEETING 92 2/2/2023 I was in a situation a couple years ago. Betty came to my aid. You know, it's funny when you have leadership in the community, they don't even help you, but you have people like Betty Beaufort that's willing to help you. Betty is there for me now. I might have struggled staying still with my daughter. She has cancer, double mastectomy, been to service four times, but Betty has always been there for me through the right and the wrong and the indifferent. Betty, thank you for being a friend, thank you for being a leader in the community, and thank you for speaking and upholding on what you stand for and what you say. Thank you, Ms. Beaufort. (Applause.)
The next speaker STATED MEETING 93 2/2/2023 is Ogbonna Hagins, commenting on 230044. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Ogbonna Hagins. I'm going to be speaking about the Bill 230044. Even though I understand the sentiments of wanting to condemn the Union League for giving the honor to the Governor of Florida, I think there are far more institutions and organizations and people that should be condemned in the City of Philadelphia. We have a School District that has consistently failed our children, and the education data shows that six of ten children who graduate cannot read, write, or do math on a high school level. Eighteen years ago Dr. Ed Robinson was consulted by the School District of Philadelphia to infuse African history into 17 books that were STATED MEETING 94 2/2/2023 used by the students in the District. And why is this relevant? It is relevant because the infusion had been proven to teach not only African American students about their history but all students of the greatness of African culture, which is rarely done today. It was also proven that when African American children learned their history, they are far less likely to be violent, and their overall grades improve. If this infusion of African history was infused into the curriculum, it is very likely that the violence that we see in our city would not be occurring. So, yes, condemn the Union League, but also condemn the School District of Philadelphia, which, by the way, is the only district in the state that does not have an elected school board. And I was just given a text today, because I made a post on Facebook, STATED MEETING 95 2/2/2023 that Philadelphia has not had an elected school board since 1867. So I'm saying to you condemn the Urban League, but let's do right by our children in Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. (Applause.)
The next speaker is Jonathan Leibovic, commenting on 230044. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Leibovic and, yeah, absolutely, condemn the Union League for sure. This is a song that's definitely about that bill number that you just said. STATED MEETING 96 2/2/2023 (Witness singing his testimony below.)
They cut down the trees and they put up a golfing course. And the billionaires behind it showed no remorse. Don't it always seem to go that you got to be a rich white man to get anything done in this town. They cut down our trees and they put up a golfing course. They want to cut corners, bypass the RCOs, but the people won't stand for that, oh, no, no, no, no. Don't it always seem to go that the developers get millions of dollars in tax breaks. They cut down our trees and they put up a golfing course. Hey, Curtis Jones, quit hanging with CCF. They pay a dollar and grant to the City double UTF. Yeah, don't it always seem to go that you got to make thousands of dollars in legal campaign contributions STATED MEETING 97 2/2/2023 to get your zoning permits approved. They cut down our trees and they put up a golfing course. Late last night, I heard an awful sound, and a big yellow tractor tore all our trees to the ground. Now, don't it always seem to go that backroom deals are how business is done. They cut down our trees and they put up a golfing course. And I'm going to keep on singing about it until my voice is hoarse, because the billionaires behind it show no remorse. Most the people showed up today, we came out in force to say you got to prepare if you want your golfing course. Thank you. (Applause.)
Okay. So for your information, in the STATED MEETING 98 2/2/2023 event you want to use it as an audition tape, Channel 64 runs this over and over. But thank you for your testimony, sir. Next speaker.
Hold on, Mr. Decker. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I want to also just take a moment of personal privilege to acknowledge my colleague Councilwoman Kendra Brooks for acknowledging and honoring a longtime Point Breeze legend, community hero, Ms. Betty Beaufort. Ms. Beaufort, can you stand. (Applause.)
Ms. Beaufort is a part of the Concerned STATED MEETING 99 2/2/2023 Citizens of Point Breeze as well as the Queen Memorial -- Friends of the Queen Memorial Library. Most of you in this body know I'm born and raised in Point Breeze South Philadelphia like all my life. And so I know Ms. Beaufort growing up as a young man in South Philadelphia. And so I just want to commend her for her hard work and her dedication to improving the quality of life of the residents in Point Breeze. And she has no problem speaking truth to power and always speaks with a sense of passion and commitment for doing what's right on behalf of the people in Point Breeze South Philadelphia. So I wanted to give you your flowers as well today as a co-sponsor, Ms. Betty, and tell you to keep up the good work and God bless. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 100 2/2/2023
The next speaker is Melissa Robbins, commenting on 230044. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon, Council President, members of Council, and taxpayers. My name is Melissa Robbins. I'll be commenting on Resolution 230044 sponsored by Councilwoman Sharon Vaughn and Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson. I'd like to say thank you for everyone who participated in the press conference last Tuesday denouncing the honoring of Governor Ron DeSantis as well as the protest. What many of you do not know is he left there and then was honored by one STATED MEETING 101 2/2/2023 John McNesby, President of FOP Lodge. What does the Union League of Philadelphia and the FOP leader president have in common? A history of continued white supremacy and public anti-blackness. Most of you don't know that on Election Day, the people who voted over there by the FOP that sits close to Councilmember Brian O'Neill's office, the Black people that voted over there heard the N word, monkey word, gorilla word. I'm here to say Governor DeSantis represents a part of American history that is behind us, and anyone who agrees with that way of thinking or submits to that way of thinking, you are a racist, you are anti-blackness, and the days of subjugating Black people are over. (Applause.)
Our city is STATED MEETING 102 2/2/2023 44 percent Black people. Just like the gentleman said, we have awful graduation rates, awful matriculation rates here in the City of Philadelphia, eds and meds. Why are our kids not in those classrooms? Why are our schools not fully funded? How long do you intend to beat a dead horse in order to continue the life of white supremacy that requires a continued subjugation and oppression of Black people? We see it. We feel it. Our poverty is us. Our children, our inability to own a home, start a business, be educated, travel while being Black. You get your golf courses. You get your special clubs. We get nothing. You criminalize our Black males as they die in the streets, but there's enough land for a dirt bike park so they can ride free, generate money, perform. They're excellent. They're brilliant. How many more years must Black STATED MEETING 103 2/2/2023 people suffer? How many? How many? I don't prepare to do it anymore. So for the Black people who want to pay it off, let me tell you something. It's a whole lot of people like Melissa Robbins. I ain't for sale. You sold my ancestors. Stop taking money to benefit in the moment while your people suffer. Look around the City. Look at Atlanta. Get up off your butts, work together, and bring Black people up. We want money. We don't want your apology. We don't want your scholarships. We don't want your meals. We don't want your hamburgers, and we don't want your goddamn pictures. Invest into our communities. Give us access to the money. What was the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, Build Back Better, where are those millions of dollars? Harrisburg is sitting on 12 billion. Give that money to Black people. We STATED MEETING 104 2/2/2023 earned it. We deserve it. Our ancestors built this country on our backs and we're tired of anti-blackness and racism.
The next speaker is Tiffany Green, commenting on 230064. (Witness approached podium.)
They already warned me, this is her day, so I won't start anything. Tiffany Green. I'm here to honor Betty "Betsy" Beaufort. I want to talk about her real quick, because she is the quintessential activist. An activist is a person who campaigns to bring about political and social change or to hold STATED MEETING 105 2/2/2023 elected officials accountable, which many who are here today, and I want to say I give thanks to all of you. But the point of it is, an activist has to be about purpose, passion, a love for people, and pressing forward and committed. Talk about purpose. I met Betty through a long-term activist, Mamie Nichols, 90 years old. Mamie called me, said that she going up against a billion dollar company, can you do the groundwork. When I came there, she introduced me to Betty, and Betty said she wanted to help out, and we went forward. We won that campaign. After that, Betty was there. They wanted to close down the libraries. Betty came out. We went over there. We found out. We've been at that campaign. At that campaign, one day we were supposed to have outdoors around City Hall have a protest. Not too many showed up because it was raining STATED MEETING 106 2/2/2023 terribly. Betty called me and said, Tiffany, you ready? I said, it's raining. She said, a little water won't melt you. I said, I don't know. She said, be down there. So I come down there. She's standing out there with her grandson with the sign. There was only about ten of us at that point, because people didn't show up. We going around and around and around. The major media show up. All the sudden Stan and his wife said, we gonna take a gift up to Mayor Michael Nutter. At that point, Betty -- he said, who with me? Betty stands up and said, I'm with you, Stan. I'm going with you. So they go up to Michael Nutter's office and take him this coal to represent if he close down the library. At that point, that story ran on Channel 6. I just want to say Betty has STATED MEETING 107 2/2/2023 been there from the beginning. If it's snowing, she's there with her boots. If it's raining, she's there with her umbrella. And I want to say it's been a pleasure to serve with Betty Beaufort. When they tried to close the recreation centers, she was there. When they tried to close -- when they closed down Smith, she was there. We are activists, and we do what we do. And I want to say that I'm glad we're honoring her while she's living at this point so she can hear from all of us that we really appreciate Betty Beaufort. And I want to say that I think a vote today for that resolution is a vote for someone you know who has given themselves freely, voluntarily, and that's what we all need to be about at this particular point. And, Betty, I took a chance down here with all this high-risk STATED MEETING 108 2/2/2023 COVID -- and you know I did -- for you, and I want to say thank you for your support. And also I just want to say, can we reinstate the virtual option for people who are high risk and do not want to come down here to City Council? We deserve to have that alternative to still put forth our right, and you should provide that to us, because as long as COVID is out here, we should not have to risk our lives to come down here for a three-minute comment. Thank you very much.
The final speaker, Mr. President, is Catherine Hicks, commenting on 230044. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. I'm Catherine Hicks and I'm here representing the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP on behalf of the Resolution 230044. Thank you, Council President, Council, and the public for allowing me to be here today to speak on this. I am here because we stood in front of the Union League more than a week ago in protest of the Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, being honored with the highest honor that that league could give. We are in total disbelief and appalled that he who disrespected us as the Black and brown community was taking out Black history studies in our schools. He is known for being a racist. He has brought out the woke, stay woke now on looking at Blacks and browns as not being good enough for us to teach in schools, for us to have that type of curriculum. I denounce that. We, the STATED MEETING 110 2/2/2023 Philadelphia branch NAACP, denounce that. Those who stood with us denounce that. I am in support of this resolution, and I feel that we have to stand up and say that this is not something that we are going to have happen in our city. We are not going to allow our city to be smeared by somebody -- the Florida Governor DeSantis who comes here and then we acknowledge him with an award. So I feel that we all, we all should stand and denounce this, ask the Union League -- we have demanded that they rescind that, and I'm asking that they rescind that honor, because he does not deserve it. Our students have the right to know their history. Our Black and brown children in schools deserve to know their history. And so I am in total support of this resolution, and I ask everyone who stood with us that day, which included STATED MEETING 111 2/2/2023 Black Women's Leadership Council, the Black Clergy, NOW, and a number of organizations and the community, the large crowd that stood out there, we ask that you all hear this and that you do continue with this resolution. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. Is that it, Mr. Decker?
Thank you very much. That concludes our public comment session for today. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. STATED MEETING 112 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, please read the title of Resolution No. 210434.
A resolution calling on the City of Philadelphia to implement minimum force training for all law enforcement officers.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move that Resolution No. 210434 be taken from the table. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor of removing from the table? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Resolution No. 210434 is STATED MEETING 113 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING now -- Councilman Oh, are you going to call it up for a vote now?
Hold on. Mr. Decker, hold on one second. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you. Thank you, Council President. I wanted to ask the sponsor of Resolution 210434, Councilmember Oh, if he could just give us an explanation. He said he was going to wait until next week, so that we understand what he's seeking to accomplish. Thank you.
Thank you. STATED MEETING 114 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh.
Thank you very much, Council President. This was brought up before and I think it has sat for a while. I think the Tyre Nichols case once again raises the issue of training. We authorize police officers. We train them. We give them lethal force. They are able and trained to use maximum force. They should be trained to use minimum force. People think that comes naturally. It does not. And I'll just give a quick example. If you and I are engaged in a physical confrontation and we are of equal strength, you give 100 percent, I give 100 percent, but when it is unequal, when my 50 percent is too much for you, I may feel that I am not using much force on you, but you may feel it's quite different. When people are excited, when STATED MEETING 115 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING their adrenalin is going, it does take training. People also naturally when they feel their life is in danger, they get a lot of adrenalin. Their blood sugars rush. That is what's supposed to happen. And so the measurement of the danger is always enhanced, and it does take training to understand and to measure what the danger actually is. That's true of anyone who does any type of combat sport, from wrestling to boxing to kickboxing. You learn that over a period of time. However, when you are using 100 percent of your strength and I'm using 60 percent but there are five of me, when there's five people using 60 percent on one person, I may just think I'm holding your arm, another person may think they're just holding your leg, but the other three people are doing things we don't know. Maybe someone accidentally hits you in the throat. Maybe someone has a knee in your STATED MEETING 116 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING solar plexus. Just even without the force itself, the excitement that occurs, the adrenalin, the stress, the anxiety, if you have any type of situation, you could be seriously injured from there. It is the responsibility of the City to properly train those it authorizes to use deadly force, maximum force, and other types of force. It is good for the officers. It's good for the public. The failing of what happened in Memphis is the responsibility of each one of those five police officers and everyone who is watching, but the other failure is the failure of the City of Memphis and its police department in not training those it holds responsible. Now they are arrested, they have been fired, and they will face murder charges. This happens time and time again, and there should be training. It STATED MEETING 117 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING just -- it happens in many police departments around the world and in this country. There is no reason not to train people. They should be trained. It does not come naturally. So I put this forward once again in response to what happens. Thank you.
Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Councilmember Oh. Thank you.
Thank you. That will be on the Calendar next week available for a vote. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, back to 230039.
A resolution urging the United States Congress to pass the "Gun Records Restoration and STATED MEETING 118 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Preservation Act," introduced last session by U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, which would repeal the Tiahrt Amendments, whose provisions have hampered efforts to address gun trafficking by, among other things, identifying and holding accountable irresponsible gun dealers and owners.
Council President, I want to commend you for offering this resolution, because often times when we talk about the issue of gun violence, we never get answers to the question where the gun is coming from. So many young people in the City of Philadelphia and all throughout this nation, particularly in urban neighborhoods, have access to illegal guns. And so I just want to commend you for sponsoring this resolution, STATED MEETING 119 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING because this also goes to the heart of how we address the issue of gun violence, and that's access to illegal guns. And with that being said, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Thank you, Councilman. Mr. Decker, 230044.
A resolution condemning the Union League of Philadelphia for bestowing its highest honor, the Gold Metal, upon Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. STATED MEETING 120 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Let the record reflect there's one opposition -- the Chair recognizes -- did you want to be recognized, Councilman O'Neill, or did you just want -
Councilman O'Neill, did you just want to STATED MEETING 121 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING vote? Okay. There are two no's. Thank you. The Chair again recognizes -Councilman Johnson, are you good? Okay. The motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Decker, 230045.
A resolution urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to introduce legislation allowing Cities and Counties of the First Class to set their own minimum wage laws.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Harrity for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 122 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and the motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, 230046.
A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3001 Martha Street located in the 1st Councilmanic District.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 123 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 220918-AA.
An ordinance amending Chapter 14-500 of the Philadelphia Zoning Code, entitled "Overlay Zoning Districts," by creating a new subsection, entitled "Cobbs Creek Golf Course Overlay District."
Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for putting me in touch with the proper organizations to seek guidance about environmental justice. It is not a perfect thing, but it is an overall good thing for the benefit of the community. We are talking about in STATED MEETING 124 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING context -- and for the record, people have a right to speak, but they don't have a right to the facts. There is a golf course in Cobbs Creek that was abandoned pretty much for 15 years. We've had deceased bodies taken out of there. We've had missile silos installed in there. We've had homeless encampments when people need places to stay. But none of these environmental folk were a part of those discussions. Freedom to speak but not freedom of the facts. Not one dollar of government money from this city is going into the restoration of that golf course. That's 60 million plus that we can count, raised by people who care about the historic nature of the first integrated golf course in the City of Philadelphia. I don't know where these people were when I first was elected and we walked through the neighborhoods and collected golf balls, because of the STATED MEETING 125 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING broken fences, that were in people's windshields and in their homes. I don't know where these people were when we went through infestations of lantern flies, infestation of possums and raccoons in the community adjacent, Overbrook Park, Overbrook, Carroll Park. But it is important to know that we, in spite of that, are willing to continue the dialogue. I learned a lot about environmental justice. Thank you, colleagues. Thank you. And I'm committed to making sure that that process continues in spite of this vote. But in context, Mr. President, we've been doing this for ten years. We started this under the Nutter Administration, because we realized then that for all of our collective golf courses, the City of Philadelphia only received $15,000 annually in revenue, had exceeding expenses to keep these public golf courses open. And so now we have an opportunity to get three teams financed STATED MEETING 126 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING within, you know, the golf course's area. Golf teams, you have a commitment from them to do dozens of kids every year that will learn golf course management, which leads to careers, pathways out of poverty. So you have to weigh the good with the bad, and the good far exceeds the bad. I have brought for you -- and Councilman Squilla was excited to finally see -- e-mails supporting the golf course. Many a people in Overbrook Park can't come down here. Why? Because they're at work. But I'd like to submit this as a part of the record to show that there is substantial support. And we have had dozens of meetings, and we know what my district needs. And I respect everybody downstream, going to speak to everybody downstream, but charity begins at home in the 4th Councilmanic District, and I would call for the support and passage of this bill, looking at the STATED MEETING 127 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING greater good for the City of Philadelphia, and trust the fact that I will not stop talking to environmental groups. This has two amendments already because of things we've heard, things we've agreed upon, things we've considered a part of the legislation. That won't stop after today. So I thank you, Member Johnson. I thank you, Member Richardson. I thank you, Member Gauthier, and all members of Council for asking the tough questions and making us find the right answers. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Johnson, did you wish to speak?
You're good? Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is STATED MEETING 128 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
Aye. STATED MEETING 129 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President Clarke. STATED MEETING 130 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Thank you. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings examining the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on Black-owned businesses and the disparity in rates of closure, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying STATED MEETING 131 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion passes. The Chair recognizes Councilman Johnson.
Yeah. Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to take a moment to commend my colleague Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson for this particular resolution. I remember when the pandemic first hit the City of Philadelphia and we were getting bombarded by calls from Black and brown small businesses here in the City of Philadelphia who needed a lifeline of support to help their businesses continue to stay afloat. And even though we're slowly coming out of the pandemic, we need to make sure that we do not forget that they still STATED MEETING 132 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING continuously need support in getting their businesses back up and running based upon the impact that COVID has had on their business structure, their business revenue post the pandemic. And so I want to thank her for making sure we continue to stay on top of this issue, because at the end of the day, small businesses here in the City of Philadelphia keeps us afloat. We may think it's the large corporations, but at end of the day, it's small businesses that hire the most amount of employees in our economy regionally. So thank you very much for allowing me to acknowledge her for her laser like focus on this particular issue.
Thank you, Councilman. Thank you. And thank you, Councilwoman, for your great work, continued presence on the City Council of Philadelphia. We look forward to many more. STATED MEETING 133 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker.
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold public hearings on the creation of the 21st Century School District of Philadelphia's CTE middle and high school focused on careers in trades and technology, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to take a moment to commend you and Councilmember Thomas, our Chair of Council's Committee on Education, Dr. Watlington, Ryan Boyer from the Philadelphia Building Trades, and everyone who was involved with the announcement that was made last week at Strawberry Mansion High School regarding a program that will help move our young people into good-paying, STATED MEETING 134 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING family-supporting and sustaining career opportunities with the trades. And so this resolution is really the impetus to talk about an idea that I really want to see come to fruition, which is the creation of a 21st century middle and high school in the City of Philadelphia that is primarily focused on careers in the trades but also careers in technology. We know that Philadelphia has a burgeoning life sciences industry. That is not coming but an industry that's here and still coming, and we want to make sure that our career and technical education programs are realigned from a curriculum standpoint so that we can ensure our young people can go directly into those career opportunities. So I know that we need to create this type of school for our young people that's state-of-the-art so that they have additional opportunities, because I learned as a former teacher STATED MEETING 135 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING that not all of our young people will go to college, but they should be college or career ready at graduation, and that's what we need to continue to do. So with that, I move the adoption of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the motion passes and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing February 2023 as Career and Technical Education Month in Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The STATED MEETING 136 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution recognizing February 2023 as Environmental Justice Month in the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson. STATED MEETING 137 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you, Council President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and congratulating Champion of the Week, Anthony Caple of Mercy Career and Technical High School, for his success in founding, promoting, and managing his own clothing brand, 5 Star Clothing, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
The STATED MEETING 138 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. And I also want to take a moment again to recognize Mr. Anthony, who joined us a little late today, because he's our Champion of the Week for today. So recognize Mr. Anthony. Move for the adoption of the resolution.
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 139 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and congratulating educator Marvin Dutton, for celebrating his organization Marvin's Education Services' 10-year Anniversary servicing the youth of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Thomas.
The Chair recognizes -- Councilman Johnson, did you want to be recognized? Are you good? Did you want to be recognized?
Thank you, sir. I just want to also -- I got a lot going on today, but it should be duly noted I want to acknowledge Councilman Isaiah Thomas for taking the time to STATED MEETING 140 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING honor Marvin. I've known Marvin -- probably he first started his program was around the time my son was born back in -- some time ago. My son is eight now. So I met Marvin about two years before then, but I was always impressed, because he took one of the key issues that we have to address here in the City of Philadelphia, and that's making sure our young people are educated, right? Education is the passport for all of us out of poverty. So for him to create his own tutorial program, right, that supplements the education our young people are receiving in the Philadelphia public school system and our charter school system as well as our private and parochial system is a mission that I believe is worthy of the honor that he's receiving today. And so I wasn't able to be with him during his ten-year celebration last weekend because I was out of town, but he STATED MEETING 141 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING did give me a call and just asked for my support, and I just want to let him know that I will continuously support him as he moves forward. We partnered on other initiatives that he provided services to, and I just want to hope that all the people in this body, if you're looking for a person to partner with in your district to teach young people around achievement and education, achievement with math, then I would ask you to consider working with this young man and this particular initiative, and just want to personally publicly acknowledge him and thank Councilman Thomas for bringing him to this body. And that's one of his, I guess, part of Team Thomas. So thank you for your hard work.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, STATED MEETING 142 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Council President. Thank you, Councilmember Johnson, for your kind words, as well as Councilmember Vaughn for your kind text message and all of my colleagues in Council. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings examining the levels of learning loss as STATED MEETING 143 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING well as attendance trends as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and to understand how the School District of Philadelphia plans to address these issues, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
In conjunction with Member Thomas, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on STATED MEETING 144 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Education to hold public hearings to examine the top performing magnet schools in Philadelphia, understand their strengths in relationship to underperforming schools, and to develop strategies for future success, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
In partnership with Chairman Thomas, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. STATED MEETING 145 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
And a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to evaluate tracking for post-graduation pathways including college retention rates, career alternatives, military opportunities, and the school-to-prison pipeline, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
With apologies to the Chairman for the amount of work he's going to have to put in for all of these resolutions, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? STATED MEETING 146 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to examine the progress of the school safe corridor program, to understand its effect on violence reduction, introduced today by Councilman Jones.
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) STATED MEETING 147 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the Philadelphia Water Department request to increase water, sewer and stormwater rates and charges and its impact on the citizens of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
STATED MEETING 148 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and recognizing the dedicated service of Betsy "Ms. Betty" Beaufort, whose determined advocacy -(Applause.)
-- whose determined advocacy on behalf of her South Philadelphia community has strengthened her neighborhood, as well as the City of Philadelphia, introduced today by Councilwoman Brooks.
I move for the adoption of this resolution. STATED MEETING 149 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and celebrating the 2023 Saint Patrick's Day Parade, introduced today by Councilman Driscoll.
Council President, I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. STATED MEETING 150 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution honoring and celebrating the career of Joseph T. Ashdale, introduced today by Councilman Driscoll and Councilman O'Neill.
The Chair again recognizes Councilman Driscoll.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. STATED MEETING 151 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and honoring Clarena I.W. Tolson on the occasion of her retirement from public service, introduced today by Councilman Squilla and co-introduced by Councilman Phillips.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.) STATED MEETING 152 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING
The motion passes. The resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Phillips.
I just wanted to make -- thank you, Council President. I simply just wanted to add a few remarks about Clarena Tolson. Clarena Tolson is someone that is near and dear to my heart. I love Mrs. Tolson. She is not only -- she is known to you as Commissioner Tolson, but for me when my mother passed away 13 years ago, a friend of mine named Laurena Tolson came into my life and said, I heard that your mom passed away, and I wanted to invite you to our family dinner. At the time, I did not -- for Christmas. At the time, I did not know that Mrs. Tolson was the City STATED MEETING 153 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Commissioner for Streets. I just knew that her mother was a great cook and that she needed someone -- she wanted to invite me over to dinner. Ever since then, Mrs. Tolson and the Tolson family has been there every step of the way in anything that I needed. This family has provided me mentorship. They provided me with support emotionally and, most importantly, they provided me with a lot of love, and Mrs. Tolson has always been at the helm of that. One of the things I'll tell you about Mrs. Tolson is that a lot of people don't know in the City of Philadelphia, I did mention that she's an excellent cook for sure, but she's full of laughter, full of love, and she's also a person who is just really good with connecting her friends to opportunities and supporting them to be excellent individuals. So I was very happy when Councilmember Squilla helped to STATED MEETING 154 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING co-introduce this -- asked me to co-introduce this particular resolution, because I really love Mrs. Tolson, and I want to thank her for her 40 years of service to the City of Philadelphia under six different mayors. As the Streets Commissioner, she was one of the most innovative people ever. She helped us really energize our recycling program. And one of the stories that her husband said, and I'll stop here, her husband made mention of the fact that -- and the blizzard of 1996 occurred and there was six men that came to their door to literally shovel her out, and when they shoveled her out, she said, I'll be back, and she never came back many -- until days later. That shows her dedication to the City of Philadelphia. So I just want to say I'm just so happy that we're honoring her for all of the service that she's done to the City. STATED MEETING 155 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
I join my colleague, Member Phillips, in recognizing Ms. Tolson, Commissioner Tolson. She's a 4th District resident, but as Streets Commissioner when I first got elected, we kind of wanted to take a deeper dive into departments and I made the mistake of challenging her that I could throw more trash than she could. Well, after one block of throwing trash, it was over, and she kept going and kept going and was an amazing leader of that department. I further remember as an elected official a great snowstorm. I can't remember what year it was, but Wynnefield -
'96? Well, STATED MEETING 156 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING this is after I was elected. So this one I remember because I was getting so many calls. I was overwhelmed, President Clarke, with calls about small streets and we couldn't get people out, and it was so bad that the EMS people had to take people out on sleds, and I'll never forget her sending the troops, the plows through Wynnefield, and I just couldn't -- I recorded it. I still have it. And people were clapping just to see that kind of basic City service that for 40 years she provided. And so she went on to the Parking Authority, but, you know, I hope that the next Mayor will be smart enough to bring her back somehow, some way as a consultant, because when it comes to basic services, she knows her stuff. So thank you, Member Phillips, for recognizing her.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 157 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. I too wanted to thank our colleagues Councilmember Squilla and Councilmember Phillips for recognizing Clarena Tolson on the occasion of her retirement. I too wanted to give her kudos, and on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, I just wanted to mention that she too is a Girls' High graduate, our 222nd graduating class of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, my neighbor in the 4th Council District, and a tremendous public servant who really embodies the intangible spirit of the Philadelphia High School for Girls. So kudos and congratulations to Clarena Tolson. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman STATED MEETING 158 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. I also too rise to acknowledge the dedication, the public service, and the work of Ms. Clarena Tolson as we honor her today. Most people may or may not know that she hails from South Philadelphia. Her dad was the former State Representative of the Ceda (ph) Hill of the 186th Legislative District by the name of State Representative Ed Wiggins. He was also the protege of the late Congressman Bill Barrett, who was the powerhouse in South Philadelphia. Clarena Tolson is his daughter. So she comes from a long line of public servants and has always remained committed to improving the quality of life of not only all Philadelphians but also her late -- also her home neighborhood of South Philadelphia, still being a member of Union Baptist Church at 19th and STATED MEETING 159 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Fitzwater. So when I saw the introduction, I said it's only very fitting to acknowledge her, but also the very heartfelt words that Councilman Phillips shared regarding his relationship, that's Clarena Tolson. That's always been her character and how she carried herself. And so with that being said, I wanted to add my words of support as she's being acknowledged on this day. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Thank you, Mr. President. I was here when Clarena Tolson started, and I'm proud to say I was because I'm witness to how she started. She started in a new position helping City Councilmembers with constituent services. I'm not even sure the position exists anymore. But she STATED MEETING 160 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING looked like she was in high school when she started. She would be in my office and I'm sure my colleagues' offices, but I know in mine, at least once a week. And now I understand the level of service, public service, she had in her DNA, which I wasn't aware of it. But when you say somebody started at the bottom and worked her way up and became the top dog in the department, she was that. She started at the lowest level and rose to the highest level, and it's deserving. And while her hair may be a little grayer, she looks like she did when she started in the early '80s. And she's always happy too, which has been mentioned. Never seen Clarena upset, no matter what you were -not yelling but trying to get done. She always just knew what she was doing. And now that I know her background, it explains why someone was so mature in the STATED MEETING 161 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING area of public service at such a young age and continued to grow. But I'm glad I got to mention that. I'm glad I got to know her from the beginning.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to echo the sentiments of my colleagues. Clarena Tolson was someone that I knew in many different capacities, you know, whether it's Revenue or Streets or the PPA or, you know, any of the different departments in which she worked in. She just had a real spirit of excellence. And so I just wanted to join the chorus of my colleagues and salute her as someone who was always wanting to be helpful to each and every one of us, no matter what department you're in, who you represent. Clarena was a real STATED MEETING 162 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING trooper, and it's going to be a real loss I think to the City of Philadelphia that she retires. Hopefully she won't go far and we'll be able to call on her for her expertise. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. I actually forgot. Mr. Decker, did we call for -- we did already? Thank you. Thank you all. Do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution recognizing February 2023 as American Heart Month and honoring the American Heart Association of Philadelphia for their work in providing health resources in Philadelphia, emphasizing the importance of heart health, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
The STATED MEETING 163 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I do want to recognize that we did have representatives from the American Heart Association here, but they had to leave for their conference. So we want to shout them out and recognize that they had been here earlier. You know, I move for the adoption of the resolution, this very important resolution. Thank you. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion passes. The resolution is adopted.
And a resolution STATED MEETING 164 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING recognizing, honoring, and celebrating Imhotep Institute Charter High School on its 25th Birthday, introduced today by Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and honoring Rodney Little for his exemplary and outstanding service STATED MEETING 165 2/2/2023 2/2/23 - STATED - 2ND READING as a dedicated public servant, police officer, union leader and military veteran, introduced today by Councilman Oh.
Thank you. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted.
There are no other resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar, Mr. President.
STATED MEETING 166 2/2/2023 We will now -- that concludes our Calendar for today, and we will have our speeches on behalf of the members. Speeches on behalf of the minority? The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks.
Thank you, Council President and Council colleagues. I want to take a moment to lift up the resolution that I passed today honoring Betsy "Ms. Betty" Beaufort, who many of you know for her years of dedication and service in her South Philadelphia community. As we enter Black History Month, this is the first in my series of resolutions honoring Black women for their essential contributions to our city. I knew Ms. Betty well and I've seen her strength as an organizer firsthand. She and I organized together STATED MEETING 167 2/2/2023 education, against predatory development, and I've always been in awe of her integrity. And I thought it was important, I think my colleague Councilmember Johnson mentioned, to give people their flowers while they're living, and too often as Black women, we're not honored until the end. So I thought it was important that we honor folks who paved the way for my advocacy and my organizing. She taught me so much when I just started out as a young organizer. It was the three amigos, Ms. Betty, Ms. Wilma, and Ms. Maria. She was here too. Oh, she had to leave. And I just want to make sure that I honored them now. Ms. Betty has been an integral member of several neighborhood-based campaigns, including the Coalition to Save Libraries in 2008 and 2009, the Coalition to Abolish the Undemocratic School Reform Commission, the group of Point Breeze neighbors that organized an STATED MEETING 168 2/2/2023 sale of Smith Elementary School to be turned into luxury apartments. Ms. Betty has never been afraid to stand up to powerful interests, whether it be fighting against multi-national corporations attempting to interfere in our neighborhood or a local developer threatened retaliatory measures when Ms. Betty joined the lawsuit against them. Ms. Betty's passion and devotion is in every campaign she's worked on. Her work in the Coalition to Save Libraries led to being named the President of the Friends of Queen Memorial Library in Point Breeze in 2009, which is the position she continues to hold today. And at the time when our young people need investment and support and robust programming more than ever, Ms. Betty's passion for education, community advocacy, libraries reminds us STATED MEETING 169 2/2/2023 funds for these City services. And I know there are many people in the Council Chambers today who showed up to celebrate Ms. Betty, some have left, because of her work that she has been doing for years and for others. Her courage is an inspiration to people who believe in doing what's right, and I'm so proud to honor her with this resolution today. Thank you so much, Council President.
Thank you, Council Lady. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Vaughn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to take a STATED MEETING 170 2/2/2023 on the recent headlines that have refueled national dialogue about police reform and corruption within law enforcement. As I'm sure many of us were, I was sickened and horrified by the footage released last week of Tyre Nichols' arrest and savage treatment at the hands of the members of the Memphis Police Department. My immediate thoughts were what if it was my son, what about my inability to protect him if, God forbid, something like this were to happen to him in DC, especially with him being so far away from anyone else in his family and/or village. My subsequent thoughts were of the heartache that too many Black mothers have been forced to endure because of cowards and monsters who hide behind badges as well as an oath to serve and protect our communities. This is what creates the mistrust that runs so deep within the Black and brown communities, STATED MEETING 171 2/2/2023 leads me to the recent news of the Philadelphia Police Department's 22nd District captain, Nashid Akil, who's accused of paying himself with an anti-violence grant meant for a youth boxing program called Guns Down, Gloves Up that he started. He, like the former Memphis police officers, betrayed our trust of their communities. Maybe not the same way, but it's betrayal nonetheless, and Captain Akil should be terminated for his actions. Behavior like this must have consequences. Behavior like this is exactly why so many people, particularly our youth, struggle to have faith in those who claim to stand for justice and reform. Behavior like this is what overshadows the good, honest deeds of the law enforcement officers who really do care and have the best interest of all our citizens at heart. STATED MEETING 172 2/2/2023 some outstanding work around police reform. Consider the fact that the traffic stop that led to Tyre's death might not have happened in the first place if he were driving here in Philadelphia, thanks to Councilman Thomas's driving equality bills. And through Councilmember Jones's hard work, the establishment of our brand new Citizens Police Oversight Commission gives us hope that we can build a just system built on community trust. And we can't build that trust unless we can hold police accountable when people in their custody are injured and killed. We must and will always demand better for those who we rely on to protect us. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. (Applause.) STATED MEETING 173 2/2/2023
Hello, Council President. I just wanted to thank my co-sponsor, Mike Driscoll, and all of my Council colleagues for voting on my first resolution today to raise -calling on the Legislature to raise the minimum wage. I firmly believe that this is a human right, and people should be entitled to a living wage, something they can raise their family on. And I am so happy that everybody voted for this resolution today. But I also am saddened, because yesterday, and it's an everyday occurrence in my neighborhood, we had another victim of gun violence. A 48-year-old man was shot at the Market-Frankford Allegheny El stop. He was shot in his back, you know. It's just senseless violence. And I would be doing us a disservice if I didn't also STATED MEETING 174 2/2/2023 to man up. And if they don't want to do it, then give us the right to enact our own gun legislation also here in the City of Philadelphia. Enough is enough. Somebody has to make a stand. And I can tell you if they don't have the guts to do it, I know this body does. So just pass the buck and we'll take it. Thank you, Mr. President.
I just saw a group of young people coming in. I'd like to recognize them, but I do not know who they are. Can you quickly just, whoever brought them in, could you just -- sir?
Hi. I'm Sarah Julie and I'm from Parkway Northwest. STATED MEETING 175 2/2/2023
Thank you all so much for coming in. We appreciate it. (Applause.)
Awesome. Unfortunately, we're getting ready to close out for the day. So next time come a little earlier so you can see us in action. We appreciate you being here, though. Real quick, I'm sorry -- the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
I just wanted to recognize that they are from the 8th Council District as well. STATED MEETING 176 2/2/2023 (Applause.)
Great 8. Thank you all again. Next time just come -- we really would like you to see what we do here. It's important. We appreciate you all being here. Before we close out, I just want to make an announcement. The Philly Street Light Improvement Project is on Thursday, February 2nd in the Caucus Room immediately following our Council session, and lunch will be provided. That's always a good thing. The Philadelphia Energy Authority, the Streets Department, the Office of Sustainability, and the project's lead vendor, Ameresco, will provide detailed project updates, how stakeholder engagement is being incorporated in citywide lighting design, an update on project costs and bond issuance, and the STATED MEETING 177 2/2/2023 timeline, which is very important, for installation and data-driven process for prioritizing neighborhoods with the greatest lighting needs. I see Emily Schapira over there from our Energy Authority. So, folks, it's real important. I know we were out in the street yesterday and people were talking about being able to light the streets up is a significant issue as it relates to public safety. So that's available for members and staff immediately following the Council session. And with that, the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February 9th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
STATED MEETING 178 2/2/2023 moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February 9th, 2023, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The motion carries. Thank you all very much. ) STATED MEETING 179 2/2/2023 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, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. S 21:4, 18, 95:5 118:21 42:2 72:3 73:3, 17, 171:12 62:5 20, 22 118:3 urge 54:19 village 170:17 19 74:17, 18 wealthy 57:2 white 96:9 umbrella 107:5 56:25 violence 20:12 75:2, 17, 21 Week 15:2 101:6 102:10 unanimously urging 21:4 23:13, 20 76:19, 21 77:4 17:3, 21 73:11 wide 22:7 66:22 89:21 113:10 43:19 47:4 80:21 89:20 109:12 113:5, widespread uncomfortable 117:24 121:10 49:8 94:16 90:9 96:13 20 117:19 79:4 18:17 use 17:17 118:17 119:3 97:18 98:2, 14 133:22 137:19 wife 106:15 Undemocratic 22:14, 25 23:2 146:11 173:20, 99:10 103:5, 138:9 160:6 Wiggins 167:23 70:5 78:17 24 14, 15, 16, 17 170:8 158:13 underperformi 98:2 114:12, violent 94:12 104:21 105:3 weekend willful 7:18 ng 19:16 14 116:10 virtual 108:6 106:25 107:6, 140:25 Williams 144:6 UTF 96:22 virus 79:14 13, 18 108:3, 5, weekly 42:20 83:20, 22, 23 underserved Utilities 20:20 vision 43:3 7 118:14, 24 weeks 23:25 willing 75:23 58:20 147:7 visit 59:10 120:20, 21, 25 week's 19:9, 92:7 125:10 understand visually 41:23 132:7 134:6, 20 20:6, 15 Wilma 167:16 19:5, 15 20:12 <V> vital 55:9 15 138:6 21:2 27:10, 25 Wind 51:4 23:8 26:22 vaccine 78:4, voice 97:13 139:14, 15, 22, 28:8, 18, 24 windshields 47:14 52:10, 11, 12 79:16, voluntarily 24 141:3, 8, 15 29:5, 12, 23 125:3 53:10 21 107:21 154:5, 22 30:11, 17, 23 wish 127:20 79:19 93:10 vaccines 77:24, volunteer 163:4, 8 31:5, 14 wishing 35:24 113:21 115:9 25 78:9, 14, 17, 67:19 166:12 167:17 weigh 126:8 Wister 83:7 143:3 144:4 21 79:3, 7, 19, volunteering 174:3 176:12 welcome withdraw 146:10 160:7 23 42:19 wanted 15:21 15:22 16:14 10:12 understanding vaguely 81:12 volunteers 40:13, 18 67:7 17:11 67:24 withdrew 123:19 Valerie 89:16, 38:5 84:7 90:18 176:4 69:10 understands 19 vote 54:20 99:19 105:16, well 3:9 4:15 Witness 37:3 23:7 Valerija 33:4 70:19 107:19, 19 113:17 5:4 7:17 19:4 41:10 44:18 113:3 131:13 133:15 28:15 38:20 48:10 54:5 STATED MEETING 22 2/2/2023 57:15 59:22 worsening youth 15:14 62:22 65:12 54:23, 24, 25 49:7 50:11 67:16 71:12 worth 43:4 56:5 58:21 76:11 77:18 64:21 59:3 72:6 80:14 83:21 worthy 140:21 74:17, 18 85:6 87:10 WPACS 37:12, 82:13 139:9 89:17 91:9 16 38:7 171:7, 18 93:3 95:16 wrap 56:18 96:2 100:9 wrestling <Z> 104:14 108:24 115:12 zero 86:22 159:21 write 62:2 130:4 woke 109:21 93:20 Zone 61:23 woman 91:19, written 79:6 Zoning 13:5 wrong 92:13 69:3, 8, 15 women 25:21 Wynnefield 70:16 97:2 166:20 167:9 155:23 156:10 123:10, 11 Women's Zurer 76:8, 12, 111:2 <Y> 13 won 105:17 y'all 72:19 wonderful 73:9 75:13 40:11 yeah 4:14 Woodford 95:20 96:23 30:25 40:14 131:11 139:18 58:14 80:22, year 3:2 82:5, 8, 12, 21:21 23:16, 15, 17, 21 83:8 19 81:23 86:3 Woodford's 126:4 155:22 81:9 years 15:24 word 101:13 37:14, 15 words 142:4 40:11 45:6 159:6, 11 46:2 49:3 work 3:25 52:14 54:10, 4:23 23:6 13 56:21 58:2 26:20 30:5 61:5 63:16 46:4, 9, 11, 16 64:24 76:21 48:20 63:3 81:15, 23 84:11 88:18 82:13 88:17, 90:16, 22, 23 18 90:13, 14 99:11, 22 92:3 93:22 103:12 126:16 102:25 105:11 132:23 141:20 124:7 125:17 145:15 158:6 140:7 152:19 162:20 168:15 154:5 156:14 169:7 172:3, 166:16 169:8 yelling 160:22 worked 54:13 yellow 36:5 160:11 161:18 97:6 168:15 yesterday workers 24:16 173:18 177:10 working 37:13 yield 36:10 38:23 45:8 young 16:7, 11 46:5 63:18 17:4 59:3 65:22 141:14 85:25 99:8 working-class 118:19 133:24 81:2 134:19, 22 world 5:8, 9 135:2 140:11, 6:5, 9, 12 16 141:11, 14 117:3 161:2 167:14 168:21 174:19