One of the most points of the meeting was the approval of a resolution authorizing the settlement of a pending litigation claim in the case of Justin Montgomery versus the city of Paterson. Strong opposition was voiced by a council member, who noted the mistreatment of a young black man and the perceived unfairness surrounding the case. Despite the dissent, the resolution was adopted with a majority of yes votes.

In a similar vein, the council addressed various workers’ compensation claims, including those involving Sierra and Ishmail Kvan versus the city of Paterson. The latter case drew specific concern from a council member who alluded to previous issues with an officer involved in the matter. Additionally, the council voted on a resolution involving a claim by Muhammad Khil versus the city, with all these resolutions passing by a majority of yes votes despite some debate.

The discussions on these legal settlements highlighted underlying tensions regarding the fairness and transparency of the process. A council member abstained from voting on one litigation case, citing concerns about the clarity of the proceedings. During the public portion of the meeting, community members and former council members alike called for greater accountability, urging the council to provide clear explanations for their votes on these critical resolutions.

The implementation of new solar power trash compactors was also a topic of interest, with the contract awarded to Premier Compaction Systems LLC. A council member underscored the benefits of the compactors’ foot pedal feature, and the resolution passed with strong support, although one member was absent for the vote. Meanwhile, a contract for cleaning commercial corridors was awarded to Taro Building Services Incorporated, despite concerns about hiring a company external to Paterson, and the potential loss of grant funding if the service was not utilized.

The meeting’s agenda was briefly interrupted during the public comments section when a constituent was allowed to speak about a neighbor’s around-the-clock business operations, even though they had not signed up in advance. The issue was acknowledged by a council member who assured it had been reported to the appropriate authorities.

Further topics of discussion included the upcoming annual walk organized by Ceasefire, aimed at preventing gun violence, and local concerns raised by the president of the East Side neighborhood association regarding Airbnb, parking, and garbage issues.

Councilman Alex Mendes took the opportunity to announce his candidacy for re-election, advocating for more staff and resources to address issues with garbage pickup and recycling. He urged residents to report any problems and also shared personal news, extending birthday wishes to family members.

Additionally, an announcement was made about an event to honor 22 women with the “Women Who Rock” award and an invitation to a grand opening of a councilwoman’s headquarters.

The meeting concluded with a special session to discuss and approve resolutions for pending workers’ compensation claims and litigation matters, followed by an executive session for further deliberation on these issues.