Jersey City Council Preview: Inclusive Business Ordinances, More

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City's next City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26 at 6 p.m. and the agenda is full of ordinances, resolutions and letter readings.

There are four ordinances on the agenda for a first reading, four ordinances for a second reading and 37 resolutions that will be voted on.

The Council meeting can be viewed online and is open to the public. Residents can speak during the public speak portion of the meeting, but must sign up before the meeting. A form can be submitted online to sign-up for public speak.

On the agenda for first readings is an ordinance that would try to route up to $35 million to minority, women, veteran, disabled or LGBT owned businesses. If passed, the ordinance would require departments to look for qualified, minority-owned businesses while they look for bids. The city already has a requirement that any contract that costs under a $17,500 bidding line must have at least one minority-owned business quoted. The new ordinance would expand the rule to contracts over $44,000.

The full ordinance can be read here.

On the agenda for a second reading is an ordinance for amendments to the Jersey Avenue Light Rail Redevelopment Plan. The plan makes room for possibly 7,000 new housing units and calls for just over 1,300 affordable housing units. The amendments were highlighted as a way to bring the plan in line with the city's new inclusionary zoning ordinance which prioritizes affordable housing.

Read the full ordinance here.

Among the 37 resolutions is a resolution to renew the contract of Netchert Dineen & Hillman, Esqs, an outside law firm, to handle an ongoing police brutality lawsuit pending against a Jersey City police officer. The firm would represent Jersey City Police Officer Morton Otundo in a lawsuit filed by Jonathan Sanders in U.S. District Court on January 26, 2018. The lawsuit claims Sanders was a victim of false arrest/imprisonment, illegal search and seizure and that the officer used excessive force.

The full ordinance can be read here.

The full City Council agenda is available online, all links to documents relating to ordinances and resolutions and other agenda items are located in links on the right side of the document.