During the public session, resident David Sivon voiced his frustration regarding a towing incident during a recent snow blizzard. Sivon, from Englewood Cliffs, described being unable to navigate Booth Avenue as his car was buried under heavy snow. He criticized the Department of Public Works for exacerbating the situation and recounted how, after managing to shovel out his car, it was towed by Atlantic Towing and left in a swampy area. Sivon detailed the damage to his vehicle, including a torn bumper and mud throughout the interior. He further lambasted the outdated equipment used by the towing company, which he claimed contributed to the damage.

The meeting also addressed ordinance 2607, concerning the contract for Department of Health employees represented by Local 108 RWDSU AFL-CIO. The ordinance was scrutinized during a public hearing, where a resident, Raymond Diaz, raised questions about the contract’s duration and the specifics of percentage increases. The City Manager clarified that it is a three-year agreement, effective retroactively from January 1, 2024, with increases under 3%. Following this clarification, the council unanimously adopted the ordinance.

Another agenda item was ordinance 2608, which authorizes the sale of land at 285-287 West Palisade Avenue without a public auction. The ordinance was introduced for the first reading and unanimously approved, with a public hearing scheduled for March 17, 2026.

The council’s consent agenda included resolutions 91 through 93B, with resolution 91 concerning a contract for plumbing services. Councilman Kevin Wilson raised concerns about the bid’s details, particularly the absence of journeyman rates, although totals of $500 and $420 were noted. Wilson emphasized the need for transparency and quality assurance, questioning if a formula error had affected the bid presentation. City Attorney Bill Bailey acknowledged the concerns, suggesting the figures reflected totals from the rates listed above, despite the journeyman designation being marked as not applicable. The council debated the importance of selecting the most responsible bid, even if not the lowest, leading to a decision to table resolution 91 for further review.

Resolution 94, which involved a fee waiver for youth soccer, passed without discussion, and resolution 95, appointing Kelly Reyes as an assistant prosecutor, was approved after a brief motion and second. Resolution 96 was tabled.

The meeting also addressed a $99,000 expenditure for Prince Concrete Construction. Resident Raymond Diaz queried whether this expenditure related to snow removal efforts. The response clarified that the funds covered various city projects, including pothole and sinkhole repairs, and were not solely for snow removal.

Magda Garcia, a resident, inquired about removing her property from a housing overlay ordinance, stressing time constraints due to a personal obligation. The council informed her that a meeting addressing the housing overlay was scheduled for March 9th, offering to discuss her concerns afterward.

Towards the end of the meeting, there was a discussion about the format of city council meeting minutes. A resident compared them to the more plansning board minutes, to which a council member explained that council minutes are summarized rather than verbatim.