COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:15 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN MARIA QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO PATRICIA RAFFERTY, CHIEF CLERK V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670
Good morning. I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of this Council is present. Council will please come to order. Members will take their seats and visitors will retire to the seats outside the rails. To give our invocation this morning, the Chair welcomes Chaplain Sonia Soto. She is Chaplain of the Philadelphia Prison System and is here today as the guest of Councilman Rizzo. I would ask all members and guests to please rise. (Members and guests rise.) CHAPLAIN SOTO: Let us pray. Loving God, we come before you this morning first of all to thank you for this day that you have given us. Second, I pray that you bless this session as they come together to make important decisions concerning our city. Give them wisdom. the peace and the safety of our city and our city workers. Bless our Mayor and all of our elected officials and all those that are in leadership. I also pray for the rest and relaxation of all as they end this session until the fall, and for this, we shall give you all the glory and all the honor. Amen. (Amen.)
The Chair thanks Chaplain Soto for her very inspiring invocation. Council will be at ease. (Council at ease.)
The next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, June 12, 2008, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco. Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, June 12th stand approved. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, June 12, 2008 stand approved. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. The next order of business is requests for leave of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, on behalf of the majority, there are no requests for leave of absence today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Madam President, there are no requests for leave at this moment from the republicans.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The noise level is really much too high. People having private conversations, I would suggest you do it in the corridor. The Chair will dispense with the regular order of business to recognize our guests and visitors joining us in Chambers this morning. On behalf of all members of City Council, I welcome you to our Council session. We appreciate your taking the time to join us as we attend to the legislative affairs of our city. We certainly invite you to come again. time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee, who will present a resolution proclaiming June 21, 2008 as Screen Actors Guild Founders Day. Will Mr. Tom McCarthy and those accompanying him please join the Councilman at the podium. Oh, my, and we do have a very special guest here.
Good morning, everyone. I'm very happy to present a resolution proclaiming June 21, 2008 as Screen Actors Guild Founders Day. Whereas, in 2008, the Screen Actors Guild, SAG, is celebrating 75 years of pioneering for actors' rights through collective bargaining, contract enforcement and the hard-fought gains of fair wages, residual payments, and health and retirement benefits since its founding on June 30, 1933; and Whereas, with 20 branches across the United States, SAG has grown into a 127,000-member union representing pictures, television programs, commercials, non-broadcast industrials, video games, music videos, Internet work and all other new media formats; and Whereas, the Screen Actors Guild contracts continue to provide vital protections for actors by keeping pace with advancing technology and ever-expanding new media platforms; and Whereas, the Guild's legislative efforts have benefited society as a result of advocacy securing and improving film incentives throughout the country, fighting movie and news media piracy, privacy protections, child labor laws, healthcare reform and basic worker rights issues at the municipal, state and federal levels; and
Whereas, SAG aggressively advocates diverse hiring practices, has a longstanding practice of fighting discrimination and increasing employment opportunities for performers disabilities, women, seniors and performers of color; and Whereas, the Philadelphia branch has supported a long tradition in the film industry, from Philadelphia's own Sigmund "Pop" Lubin's invention of the motion picture projector, to today's film incentive package and the film work that it has generated; and Whereas, the Guild is recognized as a vital creative force throughout the global entertainment industry and its influence on the local, state and national economies, and its impact on our national artistic and pop cultures are significant; therefore
Resolved, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia, congratulates the Screen Actors Guild on its 75th anniversary for its distinguished history, advocacy and accomplishments on behalf of its members, and proclaim June 21, 2008 Screen Actors Guild Founders Day in the City of further, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Tom McCarthy, Screen Actors Guild, Philadelphia Branch President. This is a true and correct copy of this resolution, which was sponsored by myself, signed by Council President Anna Verna and co-sponsored by all members of City Council. Congratulations. (Applause.)
The Chair recognizes Mr. McCarthy for remarks. MR. McCARTHY: What a wonderful day for us to start our 75th anniversary here in this gorgeous room in this gorgeous building of the City of Philadelphia, of which I've been a part of in this town for 70-some years. I would like to thank Bill Greenlee, first of all, for putting this all into motion and getting this day for here, Anna Verna, the President, the entire City Council. And I would like to introduce a couple of people behind me that have taken part in this for years for Screen Actors Guild, the Philadelphia branch. We have our Council members. Over here is our Executive Director, Marcia Fishman, and we have Deborah Carn, we have Tom McNutt and his lovely wife, Helen McNutt, who is our national Board member. We have Sylvia Kauders, we have Harvey Jaffe, and we have a distinguished guest to my immediate left that has come in from California to observe this day here in Philadelphia with us, and she is Connie Stevens, who is our national Secretary/Treasurer. So please welcome Connie to our City of Philadelphia. (Applause.) MR. McCARTHY: So on behalf of the 1,700 union members of the Philadelphia branch of the Screen Actors Guild, we thank you, Philadelphia. (Applause.)
Thank you. As Secretary/Treasurer of the 122,000 members that have entertained you royally, we are thrilled as we celebrate our 75th year of entertaining the entire world. Thank you so much for giving us this day. We appreciate it. (Applause.)
The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell, who will present a resolution honoring The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival. Will Mr. Adam Travia and those accompanying him please join the Councilwoman at the podium. Councilwoman Blackwell is being and Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. As a life-long Shakespeare lover, it is a great honor and also we're proud to mention that this is their 11th anniversary, and I will tell you, if anybody sees David Raphaely playing Romeo, you will always see him as Romeo. Melissa Dunphy is wonderful as Juliet, and certainly Damon Bonetti as Mercutio, Pericles. So I invite you all to join. Resolution honoring The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival for its commitment to producing excellent Shakespeare productions and education programming and making both accessible to all. Whereas, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival was founded as the Red Heel Theatre in 1989, initially focusing on classic works of English theatre; and Whereas, in 1993, Carmen Khan became the Artistic Director of Red Heel and in 1996 focused the company's efforts on the works of Shakespeare, renaming it The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival; and Whereas, since that time, the Festival has produced 30 plays, reached nearly 30,000 high school students and nearly 70,000 adult audience members and is considered one of Philadelphia's great cultural institutions; and Whereas, since its inception in 2000, the Festival's Open Door Project has reached nearly 30,000 students from Philadelphia, the Greater Delaware Valley and New Jersey, from semi-rural communities outside of Philadelphia to troubled inner-city neighborhoods; and
Whereas, for eight years, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival's Open Door Project has welcomed thousands of students throughout its student matinee series Festival entertains 3,000 students with approximately 30 daytime performances, which consistently sell out; and Whereas, the Artist-in-Residence Program component of the Open Door Project invites students to study Shakespeare through performance where teaching artists collaborate with classroom teachers to lend students in hands-on activities that address both the literary and performance aspects of the plays; and Whereas, through a partnership with the renowned Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival hosts special all-day training workshops for teachers under its Shakespeare Set Free Teacher Training; and Whereas, in the 2007-2008 season, the Festival welcomed 4,107 students with matinees and in-classroom residencies; 17 teachers for Shakespeare 30 classrooms from 16 schools and residencies, nine of which participated free of charge; and
Whereas, the students and teachers served by the Festival represent every religious and ethnic group from the Philadelphia region's diverse communities; and Whereas, the Festival is the only arts-in-education provider in the region that is dedicated exclusively to Shakespeare-focused education programs which have been developed by working closely with classroom teachers and experts in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction of the School District of Philadelphia; Whereas, the Festival actively targets and serves those schools that currently have little or no theatre arts programming and seeks to provide every student, especially the underserved, with the opportunity to attend professional performances of exceptional artistic in stimulating educational activities that will deepen their understanding of Shakespeare's language, his stories, themselves and their world and in order to provide lifelong learning. Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the City Council of Philadelphia hereby honors The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival for its commitment to producing excellent Shakespeare productions and education programming and making both accessible to all. Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival as a sincere expression of the Council's acknowledgment and gratitude for the Festival's contribution to the cultural life of Philadelphia and the education of the City's youth. Thank you. Congratulations. (Applause.)
Thank you to Councilwoman Blackwell and the entire City Council. I would like to introduce Taylor Williams, who is our Board Chair for The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival's remarks.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful and most wonderful, wonderful, and yet again wonderful, and after that, out of all whooping. Thank you, Councilwoman Blackwell, so very much for this wonderful resolution in honor of The Shakespeare Festival, and to you as well and to all of the Council. You have heard of the thousands of lives that the Festival endeavors to touch free of charge or, at the most, minimal charge each year. We'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about a new Open Door Project that we'll be initiating fall, and that's a touring company within the schools, which we hope will reach 10,000 more school children in the Philadelphia area. Thank you very much for recognizing the power of Shakespeare to lift the human spirit and to challenge the human intellect. Thank you for recognizing our work. We appreciate it. We are out of all whooping. Thank you. (Applause.)
The Chair now recognizes Councilwoman Tasco, who will present a resolution honoring the career of Anthony Lewis. Will Mr. Lewis and those accompanying him please join the Councilwoman at the podium. Councilwoman Tasco is being joined by Councilman Goode and recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. We give out many resolutions in this Council, and today this is one that I truly, truly enjoyed presenting to this young man who we met many, many years ago when we were in the advocacy field together. So today I am proud to present this resolution honoring the career of Anthony Lewis. Whereas, the Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Mr. Anthony Lewis for his several years of civic and community service to the citizens and institutions of the City of Philadelphia through his outstanding career as an activist, advocate and leader in the housing and construction industries; and Whereas, Anthony "Tony" Lewis, as we lovingly called him, is a product school system and is a graduate of Thomas A. Edison High School and a graduate of Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science; and
Whereas, during his time in Knoxville, Mr. Lewis began his activist career as a civil rights organizer, where he was arrested and jailed 14 times in protest to open theatres, restaurants and other public facilities which, along with other protests, ended the practice of Jim Crow in Knoxville; and Whereas, Tony Lewis is retiring as a Managing Director of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, HADV, where he created the Housing Association Reinvestment Corporation, a community development corporation that provides homes for low-income residents through sweat equity, and the Housing Association Information Program, a HUD-certified provides pre-purchase, eviction and foreclosure counseling to over 13,000 families through negotiations and budget planning; and
Whereas, and under Mr. Lewis' direction, HADV began its Public Housing Tenant and Tenant Management Training Program, and through this initiative, Abbottsford Homes became the first public housing site in Pennsylvania to be managed by tenants and HADV became the co-owner and co-developer of the Southward Plaza and the Raymond Rosen scattered site public housing development; and Whereas, he co-founded the Housing Consortium for Disabled Individuals, a non-profit advocacy corporation to improve housing opportunities for physically and mentally challenged citizens; the Philadelphia Revitalization and Education Program with the Laborers' International Union of training to public housing tenants interested in joining the Laborers Union; the Diversity Apprentice Program, a pre-apprenticeship program to prepare minorities to complete the application process and to the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades; and the Lancaster Avenue Redevelopment Corporation with State Representative Louise Williams Bishop, a non-profit community development corporation created to revitalize the West Philadelphia shopping corridor; and
Whereas, Mr. Lewis is a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and has donated countless hours of volunteer work with community and other organizations, including, but not limited to, Laborers Local 332, he's a member; the National Organization of African-Americans in Housing; the NAACP where he's a life member; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he's a member; National Low-Income Housing Coalition, he serves Board; the Governor's Housing Task Force; the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government; Bishops Housing Task Force; the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, where he chairs the African-American Committee; and the 6ABC Minority Advisory Board; and Whereas, Tony Lewis has received more than 50 awards in recognition of his service and contributions, including Citations from two Governors, the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives, and three of our City's Mayors. Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, that we hereby recognize and congratulate Mr. Anthony Lewis for his several years of civic and community service to the citizens and institutions of the City of Philadelphia through his outstanding career as an activist, advocate and leader in the housing and revolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Anthony Lewis as evidence of the sincere sentiment of this legislative body. We thank Tony for his many, many years of leadership in the City of Philadelphia. The housing industry hasn't been the same since he became involved, and we wish him well as he moves forward into the years of retirement. We love you, Tony. (Applause.)
Thank you, Councilwoman Tasco. I just want to say thank you to this illustrious body for this honor and this recognition, and to say that much of what I have been able to achieve over the years has been because of the support of many of the Councilpeople who sincerely joined us and worked with us, knew the importance of making a difference. A few years ago, the Housing Association had a program which was entitled The Lives We've Changed, and we were actually surprised ourselves, and I think that as I leave the Housing Association and as I move to some restful retirement, I think that the thing that will bode me and help me move through this process and the thing that I want to thank you for your support for is the number of lives that we've changed. As I meet and talk to some of those people, a welfare mother who now is a vice-principal of a school, a welfare mother who now is a deputy or assistant director of a free library, those are the things that will be memorable to me. And I, again, thank this Council and encourage you to continue the work that you're doing. I think that we Council. I commend you for the sacrifice that you make. And, again, I thank Councilwoman Tasco and all of you for this award. (Applause.)
The Chair now recognizes Councilman Clarke, who will present a resolution recognizing the accomplishments of the Community College of Philadelphia Sports Teams. President Curtis and those accompanying him, I would ask that you please join the Councilman at the podium. And I see that Councilman Greenlee is being accompanied by Councilman Clarke and also Councilwoman Brown. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, today an unfamiliar position by not being the tallest person on the stage. But it's okay. Madam President, it's a pleasure today to be here to honor the Community College of the City of Philadelphia, a school that has been recognized for its educational excellence, but today we talk about the other side of the equation, the great athletic teams. So on behalf of the City Council of Philadelphia, we'd like to recognize the accomplishments of the basketball, the cross country/track and field and tennis teams at Community College of Philadelphia. Whereas, Community College of Philadelphia has an excellent athletics program, in which the men's basketball team has won two consecutive state championships, the men's and women's cross country/track teams have won statewide awards, and the tennis team captured its first Pennsylvania College 2007 and was runner-up in 2008; and Whereas, the Colonials cross country/track and field, tennis and men's basketball teams at Community College of Philadelphia continue to distinguish themselves as champions in their leagues and encourage individual athletes to excel in academics and as athletes; and Whereas, 2006, 2007 and 2008 will go down as some of the best years in history for the College's coaches and sports teams, all of them bringing home more than their share of championships and accolades; and
Whereas, Rogers Glispy, Assistant Director of Athletics and coach of the men's and women's cross country and track teams, and Ephener Green, Assistant Coach, received the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2005, 2006 and again in 2007, along with Assistant Coaches Mr. Eure and Taylor; and Whereas, Glispy and Green also received two consecutive Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year Awards after the men's team won their second PCAA state championship and the women's team won their third; and Whereas, the men's and women's cross country team celebrated another championship season in 2007, going undefeated in league competition to win the PCAA State Championships; and
Whereas, not only did they win every 2007 meet as a team, but then freshmen standouts Pamela Alva and Alex Bernier earned Runner of the Year Awards; and Whereas, the men's basketball team, not to be outdone, capped its undefeated 2006-2007 season with an unprecedented win over Beaver County Community College in Pittsburgh to capture the PCAA Junior College Championship. The College's men's state championship in 2008 by defeating Beaver County again, this time in Philadelphia; and Whereas, the victories made men's basketball coach Robert "Dondi" DeShields the first African-American coach to win the state basketball title, not once, but twice; and Whereas, no college basketball coach in Philadelphia can match Coach DeShields' winning 58 and 10 record of the last ten years; and Whereas, the tennis team served up an equally outstanding performance, capturing its second statewide doubles title and fifth singles championship in the PCAA men's competition; and Whereas, Community College of Philadelphia draws students from a wide range of ages and backgrounds, and seeks to provide a coherent foundation from where they can achieve their goals. Now it is, therefore
Resolved, by the Council of the City of Philadelphia, to commend Community College of Philadelphia for its outstanding athletics programs Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Community College of Philadelphia. This was signed and supported by all members of Council. Congratulations. (Applause.)
Councilman Clarke and members of Council, thank you very much. It's a real pleasure to be here today and to be able to share with you not only the achievements of our athletes, but the fact, as Councilman Clarke knows, that they are student athletes. I'm joined today by Dan McElhatton, the Chair of our Board of Trustees, some of the vice-presidents and staff at the College, and I certainly want to recognize the reference that Councilman Clarke made, Ollie Johnson, our Athletic Director in the back. You've heard the names of some of our coaches. There are five coaches with us today. From basketball, Dondi DeShields, Robert DeShields, down this side, I think; Ed Geiger, there's Ed over there; cross country, our Coach of the Year, Rogers Glispy; and the two tennis coaches, John Thompson, Thomas Evans. You have a sampling of the students. They're not all here today, but we have a lot of the young men and women. I appreciated that earlier this month Councilman Clarke came to our house and helped us in our internal celebration of these athletes, and as I said, they're student athletes. And I know that Councilman Clarke heard that day from the make sure that the students focus on the academics, and among this group, some are continuing into next year with us, some are graduating, will be moving on to four-year colleges and universities. So this is a group of student athletes and they are exceeding, achieving in every possible way. So to Council, we thank you again. And it's all about our students. We hope that you will join us in congratulating them on a great year. Thank you.
Dr. Curtis, I see that you have some members of your Board here. I think it would be nice for you to introduce them. You can simply introduce them. I see Mr. McElhatton and -- who else is here? Just mention them.
Sure. As I indicated earlier, we have the Chair of our Board, Dan McElhatton, and then a member of our Board of Trustees, Varsovia Fernandez. (Applause.)
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, with us today --
Councilman, just a moment, please. The noise level is much too high.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, there's a young man that just graduated 8th grade from the Scotland School for Veteran Children in Scotland, PA. His name is Iscar Smith and he's visiting us today, and he lives in Councilwoman Maria Sanchez's councilmanic district. He's in the City today and I wanted to introduce him to everybody, because he's in checking high schools out, Masterman, Central and a couple other places. So his goal -- and I think we'll all be happy to hear -- is not that he wants to be a City Councilman, that he wants to be a State Senator. Iscar, welcome to Philadelphia.
Welcome. The next order of business is communications. The Chair requests that the Sergeant-At-Arms deliver the messages to the Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk will please read the messages from the Mayor.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on June the 18th, I signed the remaining bills that were passed by Council at its session on June 5, 2008; and I am pleased to advise you that on June 18th, I signed all of the bills that were passed by Council at its session on June 12, 2008; and I am transmitting for the consideration of your honorable body a draft of a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Cecil B. Moore Avenue Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Brewerytown Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the of a portion of the Point Breeze East Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Central Germantown Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the development contract for the redevelopment of the urban renewal of a portion of the South Delaware Redevelopment Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Tioga Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Tioga Urban Renewal Area; and A resolution approving a two-year extension, until June 30, 2010, for the Zoning Code Commission's adoption and provision of a written report containing the Zoning Code Proposals and a Zoning Map Revision Plan; and An ordinance authorizing the Commerce Director and the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire an approximately 17-acre property in the vicinity of Island Avenue, Penrose Avenue and Escort Street and to extinguish a deed restriction on the property; and Pursuant to Section 2-307 of the Home Rule Charter, I am today for the recommendation of the City Planning Commission on the following bills: Bill No. 080467, Bill No. 080469, 080487, 080490, 080491, 080496, 080502, 080503 and 080527.
Thank you. The messages will be printed in the Journal. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read any other communications in her possession.
Thank you. The next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Today I introduce one resolution signed by everyone and co-sponsored by Councilmen Green and Jones.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution calling on the Philadelphia City Council to urge the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 1400 or House Bill 2601 and for the Governor to sign the final legislation to establish the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. I have no bills or resolutions today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Krajewski.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer one resolution.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the resolution.
A resolution honoring Robin Mackintosh on his retirement from CBS 3.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Krajewski.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, I offer one resolution and two bills on your behalf.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first bill.
An ordinance authorizing the Commerce Director and the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire an approximately 17-acre property in the vicinity of Island Avenue, Penrose Avenue and Escort Street and to extinguish a deed restriction on the property.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Point Breeze East Urban Renewal Area.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion on the resolution.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving a final plan for the establishment of the Greater Cheltenham Avenue Business Improvement District.
Madam President, I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you, Madam President. Today I offer three resolutions.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first resolution.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Tioga Urban Renewal Area.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Tioga Urban Renewal Area.
Again, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Central Germantown Urban Renewal Area.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Hi, Madam President. I offer one bill co-sponsored by my colleagues Blondell Reynolds Brown and Bill Green and two resolutions also co-sponsored by them in addition to Curtis Jones.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance amending Chapter 21-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Scholarships," by creating a program to solicit contributions to the CORE Philly scholarship program through the use of a check-off box on customer bills issued by the Water Revenue Department and the Philadelphia Gas Works.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution authorizing the Council Committee on Education to hold hearings to investigate the present state of Charter schools in Philadelphia and to examine the oversight relationship between Charter schools, the Philadelphia School District and the School Reform Commission.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and the resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution recognizing radio personality Marvin Barrish for his dedication to charity and perseverance in the face of physical adversity.
Councilwoman Sanchez has moved for the adoption of the resolution. Do I hear a second? (Duly seconded.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Madam President, I offer no bills or resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance amending Section 9-211 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Boxes for the Distribution of Printed Material," by including certain portions of the commercial area in the vicinity of Main Street in Manayunk, under certain terms and conditions.
The bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer no bills or resolutions today.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. I offer two resolutions today.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first resolution.
A resolution calling on the City of Philadelphia to include the flag of Bangladesh in the display of flags on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution urging the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to amend House Bill No. 2380 to include a three percent cost of living and adjustment for publicly mandated human services purchased by counties, including child welfare, mental health, mental retardation, drug and alcohol treatment and long-term care.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I offer three resolutions. One resolution was co-sponsored by my colleagues Councilman O'Neill and Councilman Clarke and another resolution was co-sponsored by Councilman Kenney.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the first resolution.
A resolution approving a two-year extension, until June 30, 2010, for the Zoning Code Commission's adoption and provision of a written report containing Zoning Code Proposals and a Zoning Map Revision Plan.
The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution calling on the office of the Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Public Utilities and the Philadelphia Parking Authority to explore the creation of parking opportunities for motor-driven cycles, including motorcycles and scooters.
Again, the Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract, disposition supplement and ground lease of the Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the South Delaware Redevelopment Area.
The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Madam President, I have five resolutions and one bill.
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of the bill.
An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Arch Street, 18th Street, Cuthbert Street and 19th Street.
This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution authorizing the Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold hearings regarding the City's Operating Budget for Fiscal 2009.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution will be referred to the appropriate committee.
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the Brewerytown Urban Renewal Area.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)