okay meeting call to order council member abz Anderson here council member Chapman here council member Clayton here Deputy Mayor Quinn here mayor Moore here please stand for silent prayer a moment of reflection we will now salute the flag I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all as to comply with the open public meetings act chapter 231 pl1 1975 adequate notice of this meeting has been provided in the following manner the annual notice was forwarded to the Asbury Park Press the coaster and the Star Ledger on January 22nd 24 and posted on the bulletin board the same date all notices are on file with the city clerk at this time mayor Moore would like to present checks on behalf of Joey pado and the Asbury Park Fishing Club thank you uh on March the 3rd was the 3 first fishing as par fishing club more than a flea market the best show on The Jersey coast Joey pal has been running it for 31 years that's where part fishing club that holds of salt water fishing the country and he takes the gates and he gives it to charity so Amy is going to read the letter we have some recipients with us tonight they're going to come up and get the checks the Asbury Park Fishing Club held its 31st Annual fishing show at the Berkeley Ocean Front Hotel on March 3rd the successful event would not have been accomplished without the efforts of you and the council continue to endorse our organization a membership appreciates his annual opportunity to showcase this Historic Hotel our be our beautiful beach front in the city of Ed Park special thanks to Cory low director of groups sales Steve Philly director of engineering the owner of the hotel whose name is stolski and the staff of the Berkeley Ocean Front hotel for accommodating our show as as an expression of our commitment to Asbury Park it is with great pride that I present to the city council the following checks to the organizations that benefit the city I'm going to say one thing which you might have already said of listening but they turn these checks around for the nonprofit organizations in a week we to 10 days which is unheard of in Asbury Park so kudos to Joey Pato for making um all of these organiz organizations a lot brighter and happier right now first check goes to Asbury Park [Applause] littley okay thank you second check is Asbury Park Boys and Girls [Applause] Club third check is Big Brothers Big Sisters mm County Fourth check is ffil Food [Applause] Bank and who could do anything in this town without Debbie Delisa ASB Park Board Walk cat rescue called and she's a little bit under the weather but I know she's going back Joe Park Asbury Park [Applause] recreation Joey and the fishing club always gave Che to to for to to whatever it is no longer there but we have Community [Music] Karm check in for okay and then on top of these checks given out the communities checks are made out to clean ocean action the American lorial society and Shark River hangers trout tournament for kids all on behalf the ad group par fishing club and all of you would like to say a word Jo's watching on TV with his beautiful wife Casey and thank sorry on behalf of coach will uh I'm sure he thanks you very much for this on behalf of community Karma and the ASB Park toy drive thank you they sure provided toys for probably almost over a thousand children coming on behalf of the boys and girls want to say thank you thank you Joe we appreciate your continued support thanks all right for a photo everybody I mean if the entire Council wants to come down the photo thank [Applause] you and very quickly Joey PL Casey p and all the members of The Hasbury Park Fishing Club thank you so very very much thank you thank you we're now on to special events applications good evening mayor and Council um this evening there are 34 applications before you only one is new and that would be for the Asbury beer wine in spirits Festival on June 29th are there any questions on any of the applications no thanks but do me a favor I got another check for you thank you thank thank you thank you we're now on to Matters from city council council member of Anderson none for me thank you thank you council member Chapman yes so on uh March 21 from 10: to 11: we're hosting a coffee with the council person and this one will be at the Social Services office at 8:01 Springwood Avenue at the transportation center and I just want to remind everybody else too there's a daay cleanup this Saturday at 9:00 at the boat ramp at Waterworks Park 7th and Main Street hope to see you there thank you council member Clayton nothing at this time thank you Deputy Mayor Quinn nothing thank you mayor Moore no thank you thank you Matters from the city manager nothing thank you matterson City attorney and nothing for me either Reon thank you now on to public participation may have motion to open the meeting to the public move to open second second all in favor I public participation portion is now open any member of the public who wishes to speak please use the microphone state your name and address for the record and there will be a three minute time limit again your name and address rest for the record thank you Mike hold on just one second Mike please I know we have a big crowd and I know there's like going to be difference of opinions but there can be no cross conversations if there's cross conversations you're going to be asked to leave so let everybody just say what you have to say be respectful and everybody have a good evening thank you Mike go ahead sure uh Mike Sedano 1000 4th Avenue hello Council um I'd like to take a couple minutes just to summarize the letter that um I managed to distribute to you all uh the subject being to amend the 1201 Memorial Avenue Redevelopment plan uh we urge you to permit vehicular access from Memorial Drive not 4th Avenue as it's already stated to to do um while we as a concerned group of neighbors want to support a project that turns the empty lot into a thriving part of our community we believe the access currently being considered onto Fourth Avenue does not equitably distribute the new traffic nor does it do enough to minimize the negative impact of that traffic into the west side we recommend the access to these residences be changed to Memorial Drive our letter signed by dozens of concerned citizens looks at the situation from three distinct Vantage points number one pedestrian safety Fourth Avenue is a street routinely crossed by school AG children and residents walking to the beach adding potentially hundreds of vehicle trips on this already well-traveled he uh street is asking for more accidents and pedestrians will suffer number two impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods every side street that crosses 4th Avenue will become a cut through as drivers look for Sunset third 5ifth or raspbury Avenues many of these intersections have no traffic lights accidents are bound to occur number three why deviate from the existing pattern of curb cuts on Memorial Drive Memorial already has many businesses with curb Cuts leaving 300 ft of Memorial Drive Frontage without a curb cut presents the appearance of a fast traffic Zone that will encourage speeding and dangerous driving we are the directly impacted residents of the neighborhood therefore we ask that you engage in a traffic study to provide you and us with data which is the informed way to make this decision we respectfully ask you to consider a study let the public know the findings and ultimately amend the Redevelopment plan to orient vehicular access from Memorial Drive rather than from fourth or fifth Avenues even the developer is agreement with this approach thank you okay thank you hold on a second Matt uh we have two of City professionals here tonight will'll briefly answer some of your remarks so have Beth MCM planner and James come on over and address the reasons why fourth is chosen over Memorial a hand mic over there if you need it also use these okay you can use those as long as everybody can hear you thank you very much uh uh thank you for your comments identify yourself best I'm sorry my name is Beth mcmanis I'm one of the planning Consultants working for the city I'm planner at Kyle mcmanis Associates uh as was referenced the Redevelopment plan currently calls for Access not along Memorial Drive the reason for that that is there there are a handful of reasons but one overarching is typical in traffic planning policy and procedures you typically see driveway access provided on Lower order or lesser traffic streets and that's exactly what the memorial plan Redevelopment plan does and part of the reason for that is uh also for pedestrian safety one of the uh aspects that I think is anticip ated here in the city is that not only is there significant uh pedestrian uh traffic along uh morial drive already but that's anticipated to grow and if you think about uh zoning along this road there's opportunities for additional development and Redevelopment that will certainly increase pedestrianism along that street and I think it's also important to consider some of the destinations that we see along that road which include uh the high school which is certainly proxim to Memorial Drive and we also have significant commercial uses such as a grocery store a little further down the street and so these sidewalks are certainly used to access these important areas uh additionally I think it's important to consider the design of the site and one of the aspects of the Redevelopment plan is we have a very small setback along Memorial Drive versus uh roughly 25t setback along 4th Avenue and so by virtue of those different setback the exit from the parking garage also creates a safer opportunity along fourth rather of the memorial because as you exit the building you have approximately 25 ft to view who might be walking along the sidewalks and so there's uh almost no opportunity to create a conflict with a pedestrian along the sidewalk as you're immediately exiting the parking garage because you have that additional visibility and so I think the design of the site and of the building also lends itself to the current access location and I'm James Bano I'm the director of transportation for the city just to follow up on what Beth was talking about you know we do have some data that goes along with this analysis in this decision um the do New Jersey D has a traffic Camp from moral drive that has about average of 9,000 over 9,000 vehicles per day on a Memorial Drive from our own counts and studies we do have traffic Counts from Third Avenue which is of similar geometry and length and character uh and those have about 4,000 5,000 vehicles per day so they're about half the amount of vehicles you have a Memorial Drive we find that with between the setbacks of the building being zero feet on memoral drive and 25 ft on Fourth Vehicles exiting and entering the site will'll have more opportunity to see pedestrians bicycles and other vehicles when exiting the site onto 4th Avenue rather than Memorial Drive additionally Memorial Drive will be be restriped with protected bicycle Lanes in the upcoming months um if you put a driveway on moral drive along with these protected bike Lanes bicyclist coming across you know blocked by traffic might be not be able to see a car quickly coming off moral drive into a parking uh parking lot or parking deck so we feel it is safer for pedestrians bicycles and drivers to position this driveway on Fourth Avenue rather than Memorial Drive thanks guys thank you Matt Matt Daniels t 26 Monroe Avenue I am here to present what could be called Mammoth County for palestine's resolution to you but I believe it would be fair to say that even uh the residents of Asbury Park that are here uh maybe on the side back as well uh and a quick other thing uh I am comforted uh by the amount of inclusion to different types of uh different races uh Creeds uh Sexes of humans and this and I also want to state that we will we know that you won't be voting on this and so we are more than willing to uh and want to work with uh the city council if you see something or want something extra in there or something that fits more of the ball that's conducive to success for this uh and so without further Ado um uh this is a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel and resumption of full humanitarian Aid were asked the mayor and the city council of the city of Asbury Park New Jersey recognize the importance of peace and security for all communities and Nations around the world regardless of nationality ethnic or religious affiliations and we're as the mayor and the city council of Asbury Park advocate for the safety dignity freedom and equality of all people regardless of religion race or or nationality and whereas the mayor and the city council of Asbury Park recognize that all human life is precious and whereas on October 7th 2023 a violent attack by Hamas climing the lives of over 12,000 men oh sorry 1200 men excuse me women and children in Israel with 240 more taking hostage and whereas since then over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed including 326 health workers 10 36 un Aid workers and well over 70,000 civilians injured and whereas lives continue to be at imminent risk of death if a ceasefire is not achieved without delay now therefore be it resolved that the mayor and City Council of Asbury Park New Jersey hopefully join with representatives of other cities and calling on our president our Senators are Congressional members to demand an immediate ceasefire of the violence in Gaza and isra real immediate sorry immediate delivery of humanitarian Aid and the safe return of all remaining hostages prisoners and be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be sent to the offices of NJ Congressional Representatives senators and the United States President Joe Biden urging them to take immediate action thank you for your time I know that you'll be hearing a lot more uh but we just thank you for your consideration in this and we look forward to working with you on this thank you [Applause] my name is Andrea LaVine I'm not comfortable giving my address I live in Asbury Park I'd be happy to give that to you afterward would that be fine thank you we acknowledge that this land upon which We Gather is part of the traditional territory of the Lenny LPE we acknowledge the settler colonization of being here as we're gathered right now we wish our Muslim neighbors Ramadan kareim and asalam I'm here on behalf of Jersey Shore food not bombs and Jo and Jewish voice for peace today is global day of action for Palestine we are here to demand that Asbury Park City Council move forward with a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza Israeli Holocaust and genocide scholar and Professor Raz seagull called this a textbook case of genocide back in October we are five months into this and still trying to convince people of this fact as a child of as the grandchild of Holocaust Survivors myself I know the way weight of genocide has not only on survivors but the transgenerational post-traumatic stress passed on every single member of my grandpa my grandpa Jack's family including his wife and children were excuse me his first wife not my grandma and children were exterminated in Poland from my grandma Edna only she and her sister and her cousin survived the Holocaust the rest of their relatives and communities were exterminated they burned in the burning Center of Kelo they were forced to dig their own Graves my Grandma Edna and her sister were imprisoned in a Nazi ammunition Factory which is a slave labor camp in scarco Ciana in Poland she and her sister were 10 and 12 years old making bullets and packing boxes for the Nazis the same bullets used to kill their Community my grandpa Benny and Grandma Rose's families were exterminated Grandma Rose was in aitz and stof camps building Landing strips for the war effort her first husband not Grandpa Benny was shot in front of her both grandpas never spoke about what they saw so I literally have no idea of what happened to them last August I saw with my own eyes the ammunition Factory in scisco Camana in Poland I walked in aitz concentration camp and I saw their pre-home Wars in L ghetto they saw the unimaginable and thank God they survived and I can be here today to tell you their story I am anti-war and anti-occupation and support the end of occupation of Palestine it is out of not in spite of my own own Heritage and being a descendant of a holocaust and genocide survivors that I refuse to allow their tragedy and the sheer Horrors that they survived to be weaponized against the Palestinian people it is heinous that politicians agencies synagogues Jewish groups and Jewish individuals use the experience of my family to justify actual known war crimes and actual genocide in the name of protecting jewi people we must not be influenced by people and their agendas when they are functioning out of trauma and blaming the wrong group of people in order to maintain power and land the Palestinians had nothing to do with the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust I went to the West Bank myself in 2008 ma'am your time's up finish your sentence finish your sentence she's going to finish my statement I went to the West Bank in 2008 and I have family in Israel I saw both sides of the apartheid wall I asked Muhammad outside of Janine refugee camp what can I do he said go home and tell your country that we are not [Applause] terrorists hello my name is Ali Gyer can you please speak closer to the microphone up we can't hear you hello my name is Ali Gyer kaana I'm a resident of Northwest Asbury Park and a proud voter I'll will gladly give you my address privately after this I'm I'm going to wrap it up here what can Americans do he said go home to your country and tell them we are not terrorists so 16 years later the same length of time that Gaza has been under the military blockade and under an open air prison I repeat again Palestinians are human beings with families who deserve to have dignity they deserve to have to celebrate Ramadan and pray right now they deserve to have food to break fast during their holy month of Ramadan my dear friend osma messaged me this morning saying that she went to jenin yesterday to see a doctor and she had to run to her car because Israel occup forces started shooting take a stand here in Asbury Park and join the many cities and countries that are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza be on the right side of History uphold our values your values if you were in Rafa or a communist and your children were being indiscriminately bombed inside of a hospital and starve what would you want the politicians in Asbury Park New Jersey to do with you do for you knowing that those bombs being dropped were made here in America and if the world could do something it could bring lasting peace to your family you have the opportunity now it is no more what would you do if you lived during American Shadow slavery would you have been an abolitionist or would you have or what would you have done if you had lived during the Holocaust would you have resisted the Nazis support a ceasefire now we stand solidarity with people across the world at least eight silent genocides nine of you currently include the ongoing trans genocide in Congo Sudan Ethiopia negoro kabak West Papa guini ethnic genocide of wegers in China Myanmar all hate crimes against black and Indigenous people worldwide queer people including our trans siblings and trans Youth and all oppressed people we must take action towards the liberation of all people we demand a permanent ceasefire we demand an end to the blockade of Gaza we demand an end to the military occupation of Palestine um I uh am a practicing Jew and every Friday night I saying shaam RAV it is a Jewish prayer for peace and this is my favorite commentary out of the sedor I read every Friday night it is called an appendix to the vision of Peace It Is by Yuda Amai don't stop after beating the swords into plowshares don't stop go on beating and make musical instruments out of them whoever wants to make more war again will have to turn them into plow shares first there's further commentary that what happened Once Upon a Time happens every single day and the only way we can possibly combat that is to hold hands and March forward this is in the holy book that I read every Friday night and I cannot read that without asking you to support a ceasefire 13,000 children have passed and I don't know what I'm supposed to do but I can ask you to do something my taxes as a taxpaying citizen are being used to bomb innocent civilians and I simply cannot remain silent about that and I ask that you support a ceasefire [Applause] well thank you hello there Council my name is Josh I live on Su Avenue I can give you my full address later I've been in Asbury Park resident for six years I've also been a healthc care professional for 10 years first one being an EMT then an ER Tech and now a respiratory therapist I seen a lot on my line of work but nothing compares to the amount of desolation and pain I see C's news reports and videos coming out of Gaza every single day recorded by gazin themselves and Palestinians themselves and how much pain and torture they're going under no clean water no food no clean medical supplies no oxygen no blood to give no anesthesia to get the thousands of dying and wounded going through surgery a relief from their pain as a medical professional that is literal the literal definition of hell I don't know what else you could describe it as over 4,000 de over 40,000 dead in little o little over four months or 12,000 of that is children again that just breaks every single soul every single fiber of my being to hear that working with children every single day at the job that I do all because of a callous and spiteful government in Israel who chooses to do this for their own game all because Palestinians choose to be def fighted against occupation in literal apartheid for the sake of Palestinians clinging to life and surviving for the sake of the aid workers working tirelessly to Aid their PE to Aid the people there for people of all faiths Jews Christians Muslims still living there in God Gaza and in Palestine for the Dignity of the city of Asbury Park and the council for Citizens like myself here who are proud to call this my hometown my my place where I live for such a long time and I want to continue to be proud of living here for the sake of all Humanity sign this look at this resolution ceasefire now it is the only logical and Humane option to pick thank [Applause] you [Applause] hi rup scupa I live in the Steinbeck building you repeat your name Rupa dupta thank you I live in the Steinbeck building and have been asbery resident for 12 years there's little in our world that is black and white so much about the region of Israel and Palestine its history its people and generations of conflict cannot possibly be reduced to such simple terms if displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to make a home for Jews was the wrong thing to do what would have been the right thing what does the world owe a historically oppressed people how long does a statute of limitations on a piece of land last the things that are black and white are that Collective punishment that is that indiscriminate murder and dehumanization of Palestinian civilians as a revenge for the actions of Hamas is not only wrong but a war crime as defined by the Geneva conventions bombing hospitals and universities is wrong starving a populace withholding Aid and then firing upon those Desperately Seeking food is wrong and simply cruel Beyond imagination it seems as if the current is Israeli leadership's aim is to wipe out the Palestinian people entirely because they know that anyone who survives will be radicalized against Israel with every fiber of their being and rightfully so but do you know who else they'll be radicalized against us the United States Israel's greatest Ally how many more 911s will we experience in the future as a result of our aiding and abetting a genocidal regime and who ultimately will pay for these crimes not us but our children our children whom we've already burdened with so much we cannot keep forcing our children to pay for our sins it is a responsibility of Our Generation to fix this to persuade those in power to do the right thing and turn away from this current path that leads to nothing but more death destruction and needless suffering at the very least we have to be able to look our children in the eyes and tell them that we tried that we used our voices to say not in our name and demand to see SP [Applause] now hi good evening hi good evening Doris Lynn um I live in Freehold Township but I am here here in Asbury Park almost every Sunday with food not bombs we share uh food and groceries uh donated items with the public um so I I have a connection with Asbury Park that I feel deeply um I urge you to support this ceasefire resolution the history between Israel and Palestine is complicated but what is happening right now is not comp complicated killing 30,000 more than 30,000 civilians is genocide it's not complicated to take a stand against war crimes it is not complicated to take a stand against genocide international human rights groups the United Nations Doctors Without Borders Amnesty International Oxfam are all calling for a ceasefire I urge you to stand on the right side of history and support a resolution for ceasefire thank you [Applause] thank you next good evening uh my name is Sarah Marie is this good uh I'm from Ocean Township I am also Palestinian my kids are Palestinian to sum up 75 plus years of Oppression and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in just three minutes I will start by saying this Israel is a settler colonial state whose existence depends on the destruction and total elimination of Palestinians I'm in a constant state of shock and disbelief that we have to continuous beg and plead that the people of Gaza and occupied Palestine deserve basic human rights they don't have water they don't have electric they don't have food there are women having C-sections with no anesthesia no hospitals no proper medical equipment no medicine yet people can still sleep at night as if nothing is happening as if this is okay this is not okay this is not okay is it not okay for you if you're black if you're white if you're purple if you're orange if you're green if you're blue it doesn't matter we all should have equal rights we should all have equal rights we are begging I don't understand how people justify the killing of 40,000 people 13,000 kids those are my kids right those are my kids those are our children they're your children 17 over 177,000 children have been orphaned I don't know how I'm supposed to continue how when this just keeps escalating and getting worse every single day you are talking about deliberate starvation what what year is this I don't understand we are in a battle with the most terrifying type of people the type of people that feel Joy when a Palestinian child is murdered the type of people that look at others a second class if you're in this room and you think that there's anybody that is less than you I'm so sorry for you I pray for you I pray for your healing because it's not okay and I'm sorry that somebody taught you that I'm sorry that you were conditioned to hate it's not normal it's not okay we are witnessing a genocide in real time we're seeing the raw images and videos and we're responding like any normal human being would respond in shock and disbelief and outrage and in Devastation due to the lack of humanity presented by our so-called leaders thank you nonetheless my last sentence I I want to end by saying that we will always remain hopeful and we will never give up the fight for justice fre house fre [Applause] house I thank you I'm going to tell everybody if people continue to go over the three minutes I say finish the sentence and they go on for a paragraph or two I'm going to say 3 minutes and you're done with it so let's you see the long line of people let's be respectful give everybody a chance to speak thank you hello my name is Emily I'm a resident of mwan not Asbury Park where my resent of M my voice shakes because I'm Jewish and I was raised in a Zionist synagogue we had an Israeli flag up on our altar we were raised with fear and and it's understandable why we're fearful because when you're part of a group that has been attempted to be wiped from the planet that's been in diaspora for so long it's a pain that's been carried for so many generations 2,000 years right but when I got a bit older and I was in my late teens I'm in my early 40s now I started to notice that on the the news every time I saw there was a conflict in Israel a conflict I'll put in quotes that the death toll for the Palestinians was so much higher than it was for the Israelis and this very simple statistic got me questioning what was going on and I started to learn more my mind changed and then the greatest heartbreak my Jewish Community I no longer had that home and I grew up in Iowa there's not a lot of us there we had to together but I lost all my people my mom called me a self-hating Jew because I chose to love and see my fellow human beings and so much love to my Palestinian sibling who just oh my God I have a 10-year-old and I've been in agony trying to figure out how to teach him about his people and his history and extracting this imperialist and what I mean by that is you know countries coming in and taking over a land that belongs to another people and shoving them out and trying to teach them what it is to be Jewish without having that confused with our identity and who we are and I've talking as a Jewish person because our identity has been used to justify what's happening in Palestine but with everything that we are you know we are taught as children tun to heal the world and we need to heal the world we need to heal our relationships with our Palestinian siblings my ancestry that's Jewish is spartic that means that we found refuge in countries that were you know under the rule of our Muslim and Arab siblings we found safety there and this relationship was divided when Europeans began to colonize and take advantage of that so we seek to heal this please pass this resolution the ceasefire resolution to stand with the right side of History stand against aparte thank you thank [Applause] you hi my name is Ash I'll give you the legal information later but I'm a resident of Albury I come to you asking for you to consider the resolution that over 60% of Americans would agree with which would be a fully drafted ceasefire resolution that he told you about I find it extremely unjust that my tax dollars are funding the unnecessary killings of people in another country and it is shameful when our own government will not consider what the majority of our population wants which is the ceasing of the violent and brutal killings the manufactured famine and the unlawful imprisonments of an entire population of men women and children as well as Aid to be sent to the roughly 5 billion starving and recently homeless Palestinians who are left the death told has surpassed 40,000 and 70,000 are injured and if you stand for democracy then you will stand with us I believe in a fair and just system even if that is what we are not experiencing right now I believe there are still people in law who wish to represent the wishes of the people and I hope that you will join the single New Jersey representative who calls for ceasefire because as far as I know there's only been one I have met people who are Palestinian and who have fled to America in search of safety and a better life because this is not start October 7th the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian people started in 1948 when Israel decided to become a country and plant its roots in the already inhabited land that was Palestine and after centuries of Oppression and killings and continued stealing of lands October 7th is simply what garnered the attention specifically because of the Hamas retaliation now Israel admits that many of the Israel deaths that day were friendly fire but like all gross Injustice no matter what happened Israel and our own country Alik need a scapegoat Palestine has no military they cannot defend themselves and any act against their oppressor will be deemed as terrorism I will never forget the story of hind the 5-year-old girl whose family was shot by Israel soldiers hind was locked in the car surrounded by her dead family members for days until she passed from starvation her and her cousin who and IED survived the initial attack called an ambulance but that ambulance that was dispatched to help them was bombed and they all lost their lives as well and every time I see a child who has died of hunger in Gaza who shriveled corpses look like Halloween decorations because their skin has been shrink wrapped to their little bones I feel sick and I'm outraged that my tax dollers are funding this and I'm outraged that our government will not listen to us and I am outraged that people are blindly choosing the side of the oppressor a member of our own US military could not handle this Injustice it sickened him to his very core and we lost Aon Bushnell an active duty member of our Air Force because he felt the only thing left to do was to participate in a most extreme form of protests which being self imulation Bushnell would rather end his life in the name of the cause than continue living bearing the weight and knowledge of the suffering of Palestinian people so please help us end the suffering by considering the ceasefire resolution that we will be handing to you thank you thank [Applause] you just to make sure like I can leave my information just for later is that okay no we need a name and okay all right so my name is anai Preston and I'm resident of asay Park and for reasons regarding my safety I will not I didn't get your name I the clock what's your name Ania Preston thank you gra yes and I will not disclose where I were in the name of my safety however what I will say is that I am a college graduate and I've seen the horrors of anti-Semitism in islamophobia after October 7th as well as being an intern of a congressional staff again will not save my information because I am aware that I have received death threats as well as doxing threats but in the five months since I've since I've seen everything that has happened as much as I have Greed for the many Israeli lives that are lost on October 7th it is not justified the ongoing ethnical rer of Palestinians in Gaza and the West fake especially during the holy months of Islam I do not need to be Jewish or Muslim to have a Sol ground on my morals for how for how I have watched my Muslim classmates and colleagues from just be harassed violently spat on receed death threats for an incident that they had no part of other than watching their families die I protested with them sat in educational workshops with them p Palestinian Palestinian mois with them and are all sharing the community grief and fear of academic McCarthyism I'm still dealing with that now as I have graduated the last part being is true because many of my classmates involved of the students for for justice in Palestine were not only suspended during final season but their organizations were frozen all because we have asked to divest from Zion extremist funding and in my short time of interning as Congressional staff the war has this war and is and everything that has going on within Palestine has burnt out nearly all of us as intern teams as we fear constituents cursing us out of our name crying in hopelessness and calling day and night to the point where I remember 20 constituents by name and address yelling at us for our uselessness regarding that many of our many of my staff are on their side yet we cannot say anything out of fear of being fired and just this past Thursday I received a call from one of my constituents asking why of all of all places to even work I'm working with someone that is complicit to genocide I did not have the heart or the flexibility to tell her that out of all the 70 jobs that I I have applied to it was the only job that could ever give me something and if I quit then it would be a loss of my path of career and policy and advocacy but to be unemployed in an already disaster's job market I have everything to lose if I lost the only job that has said yes to me and so I cried to myself and as much as I wish to be the only guiding hope to my constituents I know fully well that no one is listening to nearly 2,000 calls per week about a ceasefire not just from Muslims and Arabs but from Jewish people Christians veterans children and other races that are called from from across New Jersey all that have said not in their name not on their taxes and not targeting their family and not on mine either thank [Applause] you hello uh my name is is Jaclyn Blair uh my Hebrew name is Elana TOA and I live in belmare New Jersey um and I'm urging the council to pass a ceas fire resolution um just to address some of the rougher edges I understand anyone who would want the return of their loved ones and safeties but you cannot bomb your way to peace Jewish Liberation will not come from the oppression of Palestinians it has been made very clear that the only way to get a hostage exchange is done is through ceasefire negotiation all human life is precious and both the Israeli hostages and the Palestinian hostages deserve their freedom I believe everyone has a right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness as outlined in our own Constitution and if these rights are inalienable and god-given like the god like the document suggests surely it transcends borders and nationalities as well surely some of us were not created more equal than others the continued and spreading violence concerns me deeply on a personal level seeing iOS soldiers spraying students at Colombia with skunk water on an American soil was unsettling to say the least these are actions we must condemn on the most certain terms so that they do not continue to be perpetuated please forgive me if I butcher this but yazan Al kaara a 10-year-old boy was starved to death there were pictures of him and I don't want this to happen to my 10-year-old cousin or to anyone at all residents of this country who understand the criminal levels of food waste that occur here know that we have enough for everyone if we just manage our resources properly and fairly and from a pragmatic lens Asbury Park is a Beach town and in the first 60 days of the Zionist bombardment of Gaza more carbon emissions were produced by this aggression than the 20 most climate vulnerable Nations produce in a year if we add the infrastructures built by both parties it's more than 33 I've been watching the ice caps in the Arctic thin last week it got so bad in March that the methane was spewing out beneath the thin fractured ice above the edge of the E entire East Siberian shelf it's not lost on me how bommy it's been for this season I love Asbury Park and I don't want to see it underwater it would be really hard to get pizza at Johnny Max at the coastline floods Humanity's future depends on our Collective efforts to stop all war we can keep Banning single- use plastic items and it's a good start but we need to dismantle the entire War Machine and establish a peace economy if we would like to survive as a community or as a species in general thank you for your time ceasefire now free [Applause] Palestine my name is Alexandra and um I live in belmare but I've lived in Asbury for eight years before that and I work in Asbury for it's going to be 10 years now and um every day I wake up and try to do the most loving thing I can and that is why I'm here um I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said yelled begged pleaded and I have zero faith in colonial systems and governments I'm solely here for the people and the land of Palestine and to do anything possible to get this genocide to stop it is an attack on children women men animals land Mother Earth Spirit Source god goddess any any word you want to call it is it attack on life itself we want Asbury to be on the anti-genocide side of History we need a ceasefire resolution free Palestine love Palestine thank [Applause] you good afternoon my name is Aaron and I'm coming here from East Orange New Jersey and I am with the party for socialism and liberation 40 years ago my father spoke out against apartheid in South Africa calling for his university Stonybrook University to divest from all companies supporting apartheid it is that same desire for justice for the 30,000 dead in Gaza whose Spirits cry out for justice the tens of thousands of children who are starving to death watching their very bodies waste away the tens of thousands of women who have to give birth without anesthesia the most gruesome of fashion not seen since before modern medicine what inhumanity could Inspire such torture against an innocent people so I ask you of the council to listen to the words of those before me the words of the masses and to stand beside Justice for you have two choices to stand beside us and call for justice where you will be remembered for that Noble stand or to stand against us and ignore us and to be forgotten among the many oppressors of History who have whose names have long since passed from historical record and most importantly you will have to explain to your children and your children's children why you could not stand for justice when the cry rang out to you why you cannot see the poor Palestinian children whose skin who barely have muscles on their bones crying for food the babies crying for milk for mothers who are perished under Rubble I ask you why are we deliberating this why do we feel the need to deliberate the humanity of a people suffering under occupation and War and thus I it pains me so much to feel the need to defend the humanity of a people a thousand miles away but here is what our society has come down to and thus I end my speech with this long live the Palestinian people free the Palestinian people and justice for the Palestinian [Applause] people my my name is Michael Green I live at 300 Emory Street I'm a 60-year resident of Asbury Park onun and off my children come here and live here regularly and they're here for the summer from the river to the sea from Hamas to freee freie we live in the best place in the whole world asber Park we have gay we have straight we have Christians we have Jews we don't have hate we don't allow hate Hast doesn't belong here and nothing like that belongs here we belong with people that would annihilate us gay my son's gay they kill him there are plenty of people here gay straight not disagree power anger we don't have that here I have a hurt heart I have a hert heart to even hear of an agenda like this we are here to make sure that Asberry place is a place pork excuse me Asbury Park is a place where a man can go down to the pool where a man can go do what he wants to do or a woman where we have the freedom and we don't have to worry about someone having an agenda on their way of life and the way of Hamas would kill and destroy all non-believers that's all I have to [Applause] say hello my name is Dan rosette I'm a resident of East Brunswick but I'm the director of community relations for the Jewish Federation uh in the heart of New Jersey uh which represents the Jewish community in Greater middle sex among counties I would like to thank the council for respecting free speech for all and for supporting the Democratic right of all citizens to express their opinion I'm a facts guy so a few facts on October 6 there was a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7th this all changed when Hamas massacred over 1300 Israelis violently raped and murdered countless women carried out hundreds of executions beheadings and kidnapping sorry I allowed all of you to talk S I said there'll be no cross conversations everybody's been respectful so far please let it continue or else people are going to be asked to leave the room thank you on October 6 there was a SE fire between Israel and Hamas and Gaza on October 7th it's all changed when Hamas massacred over 1300 Israelis violently raped and murdered countless women carried out hundreds of executions beheadings and kidnappings of Israelis of all backgrounds religions and ages failing to recognize and remember this reality outright ignores how this conflict began and ignores accountability for hamas's Action saying that October 7 the October 7th attack is a result of 75 years of occupation ignores facts in 1948 there were no disputed lands Israeli territory was within un recognized borders in a small part of the greater Jewish ancestral Homeland by calling that occupation you do not support a two-state solution deny Israel's right to exist and say Israelis deserved what happened to them promoting misinformation and dismissing facts is propaganda despite irrefutable evidence verified by Major media outlets and the United Nations is a denial of Truth and threatens Jews in this country and in our local communities and most of all it does not do anything to Sol the real problem go to saturday. October sorry Saturday october- 7.com to see for yourself be warn the context are extremely graphic the truth can be difficult to handle because it May challenge beliefs perspectives or self-image facts matter the Jewish community affirms and encourages peace-mind people of of good faith and Good Will to affirm that the suffering of all innocent people including Palestinians of course at the hands of Hamas is very real and tragic must be held accountable for the current humanitarian crisis the fate of Palestinians in Gaza is at the hands of Hamas leaders based in Qatar far removed from the fighting living in luxury putting their own interests ahead of the people of Gaza where is the outrage in protest this war ends now if Hamas returns all hostages and surrenders immediately solving the humanitarian crisis War kills and harm civilians with catastrophic effect on the health and well-being of all involved this war can end now if Hamas returns all all hostages and surrenders thank you people are going to be asked to leave have three minutes please guys hi my name is Mark Lyn I'm nearby in Ocean Township I've had a long relation relationship with Asbury Park both working and living in it um I don't fear retaliation because I don't have a job worth keeping um fortunate for me I have been involved somewhat in in the occupation going back to the PLO in the early days of uh the occupation and I just heard something here I couldn't believe that um first of all two words there's two words you have to know illegal occupation it's that simple illegal we here in a municipal illegal occupation they will blur it with some kind of Jewish mythology that they hijacked from 3,000 years ago these are Zionist European colonizers it is that simple um many of our parents and grandparents fought Fascism and this is the same fight and if you think it's not a local issue when you do your budgets and see the kind of money that we're spending there and can probably go right next door to Deal New Jersey and look at the profits because many of the propers are who lives here I kid you not illegal occupation is all you need to know Geneva 5 States very specifically that any occup and this was written for the Jews of the Holocaust any occupied people it is not only your right to resist it is your duty to resist Geneva five illegal occupation when they come here to muddy the ERS and talk about oh we had a ceasefire that's baloney was there a ceasefire when the fascist walked into Alo a mosque and massacred people in a mosque right in a Mosk they're bombing churches they don't care they simply don't care and it's not going to happen on my dime thank you folks hi my name is ardin jetti I will disclose my uh address later but I'm a resident of how New Jersey um like many people here have already said since the events of October 7th 2023 about 100 Palestinians are reported to have been killed by the iof every single day even more are injured and even more go unreported because they are trapped under Rubble of their homes that have been destroyed they die from bombs they die from starvation dehydration disease the list goes on and they are dying from all of these things because and I want to make this very clear I'm talking about the Israeli government not the people I believe people are innocent it is the government we are talking about the Israeli government has blocked a trucks from entering Gaza they have bombed hospitals they have bombed schools they have bombed any place where it is safe for these innocent people to reside they were ran out of their homes they were told to go south the I bombed where they were told to go they went South again and again and again and again until there was no South left to go to Rafa the most southern part of Gaza became the most populated place in all of the world for a few days the people of Palestine were told that they would be safe in Rafa and then the Israeli government bombed Rafa most of the people that are dying are children and I mean I don't know for sure but I don't think children can join terrorist groups it is clear that there is indeed a genocide happening against the Palestinian people I don't know of a single circumstance a single World a single Universe where a genocide of any people is a good thing I don't know how that can be a solution so please please I urge for a ceasefire now now [Applause] um my name is Danielle Oola and I'm not a resident of Asbury I'm a resident of Howell um I am not here today because I am Palestinian but rather because I am Kenyan for those who don't know Kenya is a beautiful country in East Africa that has produced cultural and political exports such as Lup yongo Barack Obama and some of the fastest people in the world in 1888 Britain began the colonial occupation of the land my ancestors have inhabited for centuries just as they have in occupied Palestine and stayed there until 1963 when they were forced out by indigenous Kenyans rightfully claiming our independence during the Malu Uprising beginning in October of 1952 and Lasting until December 1959 20,000 indigenous Kenyans were slaughtered and more than 1 million were detained in concentration camps for the crime of being Kenyon in claiming their indigenous land freedom and rights I see many similarities between the Kenyon struggle for Independence and the Palestinian struggle for Independence the drink known as English British tea and enjoyed by many every morning and evening is actually grown in the rift valley of Kenya by laborers who never see half of the profits they bring to European and American corporations just as kak Al kuds an a Palestinian Sesame bread in Diwali a Palestinian stuffed grape leaf dish is claimed by Israeli settlers as their own just as Israeli soldiers post bragging inside the homes of dead and displaced Palestinian women exposing their private garments and their commitment to their modesty and haa Kenyon women were brutally raped and molested and tortured in the name of defeating an uprising scen as Savage and unfounded by their British colonizers I stand before you asking for your support of a ceasefire not only as a Kenyon but as a human and someone who has enjoyed the beautiful shores of Asbury Park my favorite Beach since before I could even remember Seas fire now thank you hello my name is Lauren bof I'm a resident of Neptune and both my husband and I have worked for several years in Asbury Park I will not accept that this is complicated murder cruelty torture and starvation are not complicated Concepts they are the starkest most cartoonishly obvious examples of evil of wrongs to be fought full-throated and with everything you have this is not just about the murder of over 30,000 Palestinians or the displacement of over 1.5 million it is about the destruction of infrastructure mosques churches hospitals Banks and Records this is not just an attempt to annihilate Palestinians through genocide but to wipe them from history to make them a footnote a whisper but these crimes are not a whisper they are not rumor they are carried out in broad daylight with our tax dollars and our comfort and complicity we are taking part in the violent eraser of an entire people due to centuries of islamophobia and for the purpose of tourist destinations and the harvesting of natural resources these horrific acts of evil are photographed recorded and shared as widely across the internet as a family vacation I put my child to bed at night and watch videos of Palestinian children voraciously eating grasp out of grass out of desperation and hunger their limbs amputated without anesthesia their cries for Mama and Dada as they kneel before their lifeless bodies this is not the fault of Hamas Hamas does not force the iof to indiscriminately detain torture and murder men women and children who have nothing to do with their government and are simply trying to live a life like all of us you learn about the Holocaust as a child and you cannot fathom the banality and casualness of evil we have all consumed stories of World War II and supposed or hoped that we would be brave enough to be part of the solution to be the good guys history is now the chapters are being written now calling for a ceasefire is the bare minimum and every person owes that minimum to Palestine these are people they deserve their Humanity it doesn't have to be proved just because this is happening half a world away to people who live differently than you pray differently look different it does not excuse you from giving a work with these organizers sign the resolution ceasefire now Philistine har free [Applause] Palestine my name is Juno Snider and I'm a resident of Ocean Township I don't have any particular connection to Palestine I'm not Palestinian I'm not Muslim I don't have any particular connections to Israel I'm not Israeli I'm not Jewish so why the hell am I up here I am up here because I am a human being I have a pulse I have a heartbeat and I do not stand with genocide there is a weite online it's called queering the map this is a website where people from all around the world can share their stories of queerness as a queer person I would like to read some of the excerpts from Gaza I don't know how long I will live so I just want this to be my memory here before I die I am not going to leave my home come come may my biggest regret is not kissing this one guy he died two days back we had told how much we liked each other and I was too shy to kiss last time he died in the bombing I think a big part of me died too and soon I will be dead I will kiss you in heaven I've always imagined you and me sitting out in the sun hand in hand free at last we spoke of all the places we would go if we could yet you are gone now if I had known that bombs raining down on us would take you from me I would have gladly told the world how I adored you more than anything I'm sorry I was a coward this is where I first fell for you it was 2021 the last major Israeli bombardment on Gaza you never knew you were the reason that I first listened to my favorite bands or watched portrait of a lady on fire everything comes back to you now you are a student abroad and Israeli occupation bombs may take everyone and everything you ever loved away your mom your home your memories I am so sorry the world failed you that your mom sister best friends everything is lost in this genocide those were three individual people of the thousands that live in Gaza their stories are being erased their Heritage is being erased this is not just a genocide of people it is a genocide of Heritage and history I asked no I beg for Asbury Park to be on the right side of History to demand a ceasefire when I watch a video of a baby with a broken leg I think of my baby cousin when she was just a baby when I hear about women having C-sections without Anastasia I think of somebody I knew who had a C-section and how painful that must have been for her even with anesthesia imagine without anesthesia women in Gaza do not even have the right for menstrual hygiene products there are no pads in Gaza there are no tampons in Gaza they are using bits of cloth just to give themselves some strand of dignity thank you thank [Applause] [Music] you hello my name is Lisa carasic I live in Ocean Township but my family is a long history in Asbury Park I work for the Jewish Federation representing all Jews of every ideology across Mammoth and middlex County there's a ceasefire proposal on the table now according to Major news outlets such as Reuters CNN Al jaaz and many others Israel agreed to that proposal a week ago Hamas has not just yesterday White House National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said the following that the news is not reporting that this the ceasefire on the table now has built into it that if Hamas would simply release women wounded and elderly at this time then they can build on that so the question is why is Hamas holding on to this ceasefire proposal and the question is where is the outrage for that if Hamas thinks so little of its own people that it's declining to accept this proposal it raises a lot of questions as to the um civilian casualties we mourn every innocent life lost there is no if Ander but about that each one is tragic uh John Spencer who is chair of the urban Warfare studies at West Point and served for 25 years as a US infantry Soldier including two tours in aaq says that Israel does more than any other nation in history to avoid and prevent civilian casualties with Weaponry warnings and more Hamas doesn't let its own citizens into its 400 some miles of tunnels to use his shelter where is the outrage for that Hamas uh locates its operations in hospitals mosques schools and now Refugee centers where is the outrage for that Hamas has a history and it continues to use its people as human Shields and we agree it is tragic every innocent life lost is tragic there are Hamas rockets that have killed countless Palestinians as well um and I and I would like to say regarding the occupation question that Israel left and I'm not the the the most updated on the the year but I think it was 2005 or 2006 Israel left Gaza in an attempt to create a lasting peace it has not occupied Gaza or even had any sort of government role in Gaza since that time and so I don't deny the tragedy let's place the responsibility where it lies and let's get our facts right [Applause] thank hi my name is Leland Carlton I would implore people to uh look into human rights organization reports when they get their facts on History um in the past five months I've seen images that no human being I hope you guys are listening NE Neil where are you from I hope that you're listening in the past five months I've seen images name address my name is Leland Carlton I'm from Lambertville New Jersey I don't feel comfortable giving zionists and Nazis my address but I would like to speak as an American in democracy and I'm going to take my three minutes in the past five months I've seen images of little dead babies and kids that no human being should have to see and there's no excuse for it okay I stood up here when we pledged to the flag for liberty and justice for all and I would sincerely implore you to ask the question does liberty and justice for all apply to just a a segment of people just a segment of people in America who have money or does it also apply to little Palestinian babies and kids that are getting bombed getting their arms and limbs torn off I would like you to ask that question do these Palestinian babies and kids that the Israeli state government calls little snakes and amalik that they can mow the lawn on every couple years and disintegrate I would like you to ask yourself is that liberty and justice I don't think it is torturing Palestinians locking them up in an open air prison in concentration camp in Gaza for the past 20 years raping their women look it up in human rights reports if you want to talk about women's rights raping little boys and children tearing families apart that's not my idea of Liberty and Justice this is nazil likee behavior and abuse of power and I'll tell you that I despise Nazis and my grandfather fought in the second world war risking his life to live in a Land of freedom and Justice while fighting Nazis which I don't like and we don't like fortunately for him he was able to enjoy Liberty and freedom here in Little Silver New Jersey and I can't imagine that my grandfather would take kindly to seeing images of dead little gods and babies in the thousands we refuse to stand on the sidelines like the German civilians who stood on the sidelines while Jews were being deported on trains to concentration camps we demand that our politicians start listening to their constituents and we demand for a ceasefire now what human being with a conscience justifies torturing children as a way to fight Terror that my friends is Terror we demand a ceasefire now stop the um hi my name is Gabriella green I'm with Howell um if you'd like my full address I could give it to you afterwards that's good okay um I am one of the hundreds of people who have been calling politicians every single day almost every single day to call for a ceasefire in Gaza I have gone and spoken with some politicians in person as well and they have given me empty platitudes and it makes me feel upset because as a citizen we are being taxed and our taxes are going to Israel to fund the bombings the statistics of just Asbury Park there has been 266,000 every year 92 children receiving free or lowcost Healthcare Two element School teachers 758 households with solar electricity produced for a year seven students with their loan debt canceled and 231,000 that our politicians are supposed to represent us and they haven't been representing us at all we have been calling hundreds of people every single day have been calling our representatives and they don't listen to us so that is why it is so imperative that as you can see everybody from all over the area has come here today because we believe that as Citizens we are hoping that you as a council instead of a a politician who acts like they they are Untouchable and they don't really go near us I mean I've spoken to some of of them and they act as though you know they are they're listening to us but then they go behind our backs and do the opposite of what they agreed with to our faces so we are coming here today to ask that you stand alongside us the people of your town and demand a ceasefire in Gaza and demand the release of hostages on both sides of this war of this genocide there are over 3,000 people detained in Israel that are Palestinians unjust detainment before before October 7th and we want the release of all of these hostages Israel and Palestinian alike we're not anti-semitic for demanding that we're not anti-semitic for demanding humanitarian Aid basic human rights for these people and that's why today we've come here to ask you to stand for what we believe in and what we hope you believe in as well thank [Applause] you hello everyone my name is Tom odan and I'm a resident from Middletown New Jersey I've been doing community work here in Asbury every Sunday with food not bombs for a few years now so I feel connected to asur as well I'm here to support the proposal for ceasefire in Gaza the highest estimates of Civilian death in Gaza are that over 38,000 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF of those 38,000 92% of them them are civilians the lowest numbers which fully exclude male adult male deaths have a civilian rate of 62% over the last 5 months Israel has made it abundantly clear by its actions that it is no regard for human life in Gaza and these people are simply in the way of their greater goal all of us that have watched the IDF commit these atrocities that have claimed thousands of Lies Li lives with a lack of restraint or any condemnation from the United States given that the US funds Israel with 3 billion dollar per year and increased that number last year to 14 billion to pay for the weapons of this genocide we all have stake in the efforts for a ceasefire while I additionally support the release of Israeli hostages the idf's constant bombardment has done more to kill those hostages than to release them it was a dipl diplomatic hostage exchange that released these hostages and provided a temporary ceasefire what we need is an immediate lasting ceasefire that will lead to unhindered humanitarian Aid and a hostage exchange deal that releases all hostages from Gaza and all hostages from Israel if the federal government will not fight hard for a ceasefire we must show our support through our local governments such as yourself let Asbury Park lead the way as so many of us are from different towns and look to you as a Beacon of Hope please support the proposal for an immediate ceas lasting ceasefire today thank [Applause] you hello um my name is Jess mccormic I live in link newe your name uh Jess McCormick thank you thank you um and I live in l i I'd rather not give my address but I do live in linkof New Jersey and I have been um a dweller of Asberry for years um I'm a active figure in the local art and music scene um I'm a little nervous so if my voice is shaky I do apologize um there was something that was said before by someone who spoke um who wanted to bring some facts and I was remed of a book that I read um very um very quickly after the events of October 7th which is an event that I think shocked all of us I don't think a single person in this room wanted any of those innocent people to die and I know that that's still true today none of them deserve it but I read a book and excuse the pronunciation by enan Papa who is a Israeli historian born in haa um who has written many books about the history of Palestine and Israel and all of their conflict over the last few years um there was something that was mentioned that there was excuse me if I'm paraphrasing um that there was not an established Palestine but this is what he read or wrote in one of the first chapters talking about the background of the occupation Palestine was not an empty land it was not a desert waiting to come into bloom it was a pastoral country on the verge of entering the 20th century as a modern society with all the benefits and ills of such a transformation its colonization by the Zionist movement turned this process into a disaster for the majority of the native people living there he goes on to say that Zionist Zionism was a um Christian Colonial project before it was ever a Jewish one and it was something that was presented as again I hate this phrase um as a solution to the the Jewish Problem again if I'm phrasing I apologize but the history of Israel is one that makes me very uncomfortable because I don't believe that any of people there really know the full scope of what is going on and I my heartbreaks for all of my Jewish friends whose um families are fighting with them currently my heartbreaks for all of the people in this room who have been yelling and screaming for months hoping for some kind of resolution hoping for some kind of change um and I only have 30 seconds left but this personally I'm I'm low on the ladder here but as a queer and trans person I've been seeing a lot of legislation being passed for years talking about how uh we don't deserve basic Liberties either healthc care the bathroom anything and actions like this happened years ago and now we're seeing the results of very very violent policies like that I'm afraid that it's going to happen here and because I love my people here and because I love people in General I'm calling for a ceasefire free Palestine thank [Applause] [Music] you my name is Rabbi label Shapiro I live in Long Branch prefer not to give my address publicly I'm in Asbury almost on a daily basis to serve the Jewish community in Asbury Park Asbury Park has a long beautiful history of inclusion I want to thank the council for your service in the late 40s the community in Asbury Park collected arms to support the great state of Israel they sent ammunition to Israel to defend and fight for their survival so I am sure that Asbury will continue to support the free state of Israel a call for a ceasefire is a call for Israel to surrender to Kamas that's what a call for a ceasefire is the good news is that's not going to happen the great people of this country support Israel the great people of the city of Asbury support Israel Israel will not surrender to Kamas the only way to have Safety and Security for all people there is to free the hostages and Hamas to disarm be dismantled and then the people in Israel will be safe and free and the people in Gaza will be safe and free only if Kamas is gone the Kamas has called caused death and destruction to the people of Israel Kamas has caused death and destruction to the Palestinians in Gaza and you know what the more Palestinians that die the happier Kamas is Kamas gets strength raises funds and gets support from people when more of their people die and starve so yes the people of Gaza are suffering and it's only because of the leadership of their people the hateful killers of Kamas modern day Nazis that the people in that region are suffering the Jewish people conclude their prayers three times a today with o Shalom may God who brings peace in heaven bring peace down here the Jewish people have been a people of peace from the beginning of time and that's we pray for peace For All Mankind but you cannot you cannot surrender to people that hate and want death and destruction so um long live the people of Israel may God Bless the people of Asbury Park may God bless all good people and may we have peace o Shalom may he make peace down here for all man kind and let us say Amen [Applause] thank good evening my name is Susan I live in Freehold I'll give you my address later I manage a small business in Asbury Park on bangs Avenue I don't understand what you people expect the city of Asbury Park to do about International politics I just I don't what do you expect them to do if you are going to call for a ceasefire talk to Hamas Hamas is the one who is saying no they will not release the hostages there's a one-year-old there a one-year-old baby they don't know if he's dead or alive with his four-year-old brother and his parents thank you to the two or three people who gave acknowledgement to hostages there is a a a music festival a peaceful Beautiful Music Festival on a Jewish holiday Jewish Youth and Young adults who celebrating peace and they were massacred they were slaughtered how do you not see these pictures how do you not hear about young Israeli women who are attacked in their own homes having their breasts cut off and Hamas and innocent civilians playing football with women's breasts you're so concerned with Humanity do they not count do the men that were raped by men not count or is it because they're Jewish that they don't count your efforts at peace are misguided you are blaming the wrong people Hamas is the elected government of Gaza they 80% of Gaza would elect them again they have pledged to annihilate Israel from The River To The Sea means wiping out every Jew from The River To The Sea that's not peace sorry you can wave your flag as much as you want to me it represents hate and it represents somebody who's looking to kill the ire and that's not acceptable I I'm not speaking to these people because they're too busy waving their flags and they're not listening I'm hoping the council will ignore this crap and stick to Asbury Park business because we don't belong in international politics here I thank you very much for your time [Applause] hi my name is Gloria paret I live at 3056 Avenue Asbury Park I lived here for approximately 10 years I'm very sympathetic to both sides but I'm not here for this um I am here to talk about my property taxes going through the roof um I have seen an increase over compounded over the last three years of approximately 30% which is unsustainable I am unfortunately considering leaving Asbury Park because if the taxes keep on going up like this I will not I have I live in the single family residence I do not have income from other sources um I am imploring the council to look into ways to help the people that uh they have purchased here several years ago to do something about the increase in taxes I understand that a big chunk of my taxes is because of the school budget other towns have much less administrative costs than Asbury Park the standing of um the um the status of change of the of the kids uh sorry I'm a little nervous um the school funding is very um High the administrative costs are very high compared to other towns which have less children and they have higher grades um in addition to okay that's issue number one issue number two is I understand that all new development going up in the Waterfront Redevelopment zone are getting pilot programs I would like to know from the council how long is the new pilot programs for some of the projects were 10 years I heard that some buildings are having a 30-year pilot program which is not fair to the people who live in town that are paying their full property taxes to have the new development come in and be subsidized basically we are no longer a blighted city we are upand coming people intern people know about us internationally we're not blighted anymore I don't believe that that new developments should be um subsidized and those are my concerns thank you [Applause] okay stay there for a second I'll answer some of your questions oh just because you had specific questions so yes the taxes are high and it's uh mainly the board of education but I do not blame the Board of Education the state enacted a new law about eight years ago called the S2 bill and it's like nobody can even know the formula of S2 it's a better hidden secret than the form of Coca-Cola one part of it is definitely enrollment besides that it's a guess uh so the board is crunched with the Draconian cutbacks and that's why last year's tax increase was so large previous years the council did as much as we could try to make our budget flat or no increase knowing that the boards was going to be substantial last year the city also had a small increase this year the Board of Education is in the same position if not worse than last year where they're going to lose 10 million instead of 8 million we board of education has reached out and met with Senator goow and other politicians the city has been in support of the board to like other towns are getting loans give the Board of Education a loan that I'm paying back over 10 years where some towns aren't going to pay it back whatsoever uh we're thinking about anything and everything and as far as the Waterfront and Pilots a deal struck in 2002 between a previous Council and a developer that we cannot overrule it's a signed contract so yes any development in the Waterfront Redevelopment Zone automatically gets a pilot and they are 30 years 30 years and that's something we can't we we can't you know unilaterally change so it's a signed contract but we are cognizant that the taxes are high we're cognizant about that people may lose their houses more people may lose their apartments and the only thing we know for sure the board of education's money is part of the funding is enrollment so if more people are forced out of apartments and we lose more kids they're going to get less money next year so it's a vicious circle cycle that's a catch 22 to all of us and we're totally aware of it and city manager and staff are looking at our budgets and seeing what we can do to reduce them as much as possible to help the hopefully we get help at the state level with the board of education budget else last year's increase is going to look like nothing compared to this year's so I hate to be brutally Frank with you but that's the truth but we are working together to try to make sure that does not happen so does that mean that next year's taxes are going to go up even more if the Board of Education doesn't get some relief from the state yes dramatically more probably 25% I'm not happy saying that but I'm not going to lie to you either I mean we're aware of it we're working together with them you can do all you want over there it's the facts people don't like facts I don't care but like okay any other questions you have you can either get in touch with the city manager Finance myself any council member we'll try to explain it to you better just one more question about the pilot is that the 30-year pilot program is that just for the new construction yes but that's all that's going on new construction and word development Zone Construction in Waterfront too right anything any construction in the water front like the bar the bar was built 10 years ago did they get a 30-year pilot yes so they have 20 years to go for example North Beach I believe some of them has expired correct because they had a different pilot some of those some of those came back online most of Wesley Grove is off of pilots and they're back on conventional taxes also so some of them were 15 and 20 years they've expired so you're right North Beach and Wesley Grove the majority of those are back on conventional taxis so all new construction in per perpetuity is going to have a 30-year pilot program is is it time liit 30 years of the agreement of 202 that's right until what until when until 2032 2032 okay okay thank you okay and again please if you have any questions you can go to the city website call the finance office call the city manager you can call me we'll try to give you as much information as possible we we know it looks like bad right now and we're fighting to get as much money as we can from Tron okay thank you thank you Felicia Simmons Su Avenue Asbury Park I'm not up here um but I I CED to is how I live my life people who know me know that I sto watching television and reading the news um over a decade ago cuz I am a crybaby and how I will it'll it'll me so I get up and I work with my hands and I work in my community and things in which I can touch and build and and grow cuz all things um all politics are local so on that behalf I'm speaking to people who had left for this evening and I'm going to piggy back for the young lady who just spoke before me and I'm asking um to table the short term that's on the agenda tonight because the people here need to be able to speak the people who wanted to speak on it had to leave because they were overwhelmed and I want to just say that working with your hands and building a community that you want to see is important every every every tear that is shed is important I I pray every day I pray all day long if you stop and see me with my eyes closed randomly it's because I'm saying a quiet prayer for somebody and something and so I'm praying for everyone and also reminding that everything that we do from local up is important every everything that we say everybody who prays is important so I'm on on behalf of the people who are here right I'm compelled to sit up there and to say some facts that we opted in to the poot pans who assess every year right I often to some facts that there are people dying down the street there are hungry people here every day there are people dying of heroin INF fital there is drug problems there are Mental Health crisis everywhere right there are jobless and hurt people and hurt people hurt people and hate breeds more hate and breeds more hate and breeds more hate and there's people who live out of fear every day right because they could be like me and they watch the news and be crippled right and and and in a ball and crying in tears I had to walk out of here at least three times right for all the tears that are shed all the blood that is on the ground and then it takes me back to my Center which I came here for right West Side Community Center that was built with all hands right our gymnasium is rumored to be built but Tuskegee Aran and Mr hes from H gas station a Jewish founder we started right here in Asbury Park our history in Asbury Park is diverse and contradictory and um outrageous right cuz only a land built by a Methodist blessed by a witch could be right with over a 100 churches in a square mile okay thank you thank you thank [Applause] you good evening my name is uh John Shu 209 West Shirley Avenue uh Edison New Jersey uh just want to speak a little bit about uh resolutions um you know I wish when the Iraq War happened I wish there was resolutions passed passed in towns all over the country uh posing the Iraq War over a million Iraqis lost their lives because of that um I spent a lot of time helping the nurses at Robert Wood Johnson New Brunswick um they were on strike for 131 days uh because of I would say corporate greed and uh we passed we passed 25 uh 25 resolutions in towns uh supporting the nurses and supporting their strike um and I know I know there's always a lot of resolutions whether it's a state policy or um or or just a just a good good settlement good sentiment so there's nothing wrong with passing a resolution uh supporting something that the town believes in as a reflection of the values of the town I just like to speak also about October 7th even even before this this issue didn't start before start on October 7th um there was so much that was happening there were uh periodic raids to homes of Palestinians they would be random and it's a way to cause Terror in the population and um and this this is done to uh oppress people um they also there's also uh a parthe there's also separation um there's a in the West Bank it's called the apari wall and the um a lot of Israelis they have no idea what life is like for Palestinians over that wall they have two separate highways uh there's a checkpoints um in Gaza if someone well in in West Bank if someone wants to sorry in Gaza if someone wants to leave Gaza and to travel a little bit just maybe seven miles they need to allocate maybe six hours for that to get through all the checkpoints um two just two years ago uh the very respected generalist Sharin Abdu Uplay she was murdered um by the Israeli Army uh during a raid at the West Bank um there's something called uh mowing the lawn and everyone needs to look that up Google that and that is periodic um murdering of Palestinians to make sure the population does not get too high there there's there's been a lot going on and you know it's it's been it's been a tough time I I have um talked to my Jewish friends and friends that have gone on Birthright and uh they do not this history is not discussed this history is very important to understand what is going on there why there is um resistance to such oppression uh but you know I I I think the lives of Jewish lives are safer when oppression of Palestinians um is is ended so that's why I support this resolution [Applause] thank hi my name is Lee dim and I am profoundly grateful and proud to say that I'm a resident of Asbury Park and to be honest of the United States how lucky are we um I'm kind of nervous I really don't have any speech prepared I just have a lot in my heart and in my head and I really just wanted to say something um a big part of my family is Jewish we lived in Israel for two years I worked in the West Bank on peace initiatives with Incredible Jewish and and Muslim people all over the the area and and I can tell you it it hurts to see the division here because I know a very important part of Jewish life is something called Talam and tun and what that means is to heal the world and to teal a heart um and that is a profoundly important part of Judaism right and so what we're seeing now I think across the world is a lot of pain and a lot of misinformation um we know if this happened you know Israel is the size of New Jersey if what happened on October 7th happened in Asbury Park or New Jersey gosh we'd be overwhelmed with grief and with with anger and all of this the hard part though is that I feel like right now and this is my opinion I I it's just how I feel I feel like um those that are trying to protect the sanctity of Palestinian life are being considered anti-semitic and that's just really hard to see you know I have I have four kids and I you know and and of course my kids have friends and so and I work with a lot of young people and I'm I'm I'm excited and proud and hopeful for this younger generation because I think unlike what some people say I I see that they study they do their research maybe it's easier now because they do have a phone right they can just you know hey Siri what's the answer so it's easier than when I was a kid but but they're reading back and they're looking at history and they're looking at making up their own minds and trying to understand and all I want to say to everyone in the room is try to feel each other try to understand each other's pain and try to find a way not to work against each other but to hold hands and I don't know what that means I don't know what the future looks like I just worry not only about the future of the Jewish State because we really need that in the world I believe I I don't think it's the right configuration as it stands by any chance and I am absolutely not a fan of the leadership um because I don't like it when 30,000 innocent civilians die I just don't think that's okay I don't know if a ceasefire is the right way to go but we have to put some sort of I think we have to put some sort of hold on the weapons that we you know some sort of conditions on on our support for Israel I just again I don't know how that looks but um I would encourage everybody to not only to try to not be as in each other other's faces but maybe write letters to your Congress people or think through as opposed to a single word ceasefire H how how can we incentivize others to to work to get Hamas out of the mix so that Palestinian people can stop dying right how do we stay partners with it with Egypt so that American forces are more safe thank you sorry thank you very much um good evening city council my name is Catalina gagliotti I live in Cliffwood New Jersey um so if you don't think this is a local issue I would urge you that you're wrong you heard from um my colleague about the about the money the local money that's being used to fund this genocide and then you heard about the unsheltered here in Asbury Park imagine what that money could do here if it stayed in our own community history will remember that the United States supplied Israel with the bombs that murdered 30,000 plus Palestinians the majority of whom are women and children I'm a law school student at one of New Jersey's fine in institutions I study international law I stud international human rights law the international court of justice has ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide the US is bending over back backwards to break its own laws I encourage you to look up the Ley act and international laws the genocide convention is a dual mandate not only do we have an obligation to prevent it to H from happening we have a duty to stop it instead we're aiding it abetting it with us tax dollars I refuse to be complicit at minimum a fire resolution is a wakeup call to our elected officials in Congress and in the White House who seem to have forgotten that they serve the interests of the people not the lobbying groups that fund their campaigns and line their pockets so I urge you please as a symbol for what this community stands for let history show let the record show that the city of Asbury Park the city that's been a beacon for human rights in this local area let the record show that we said no not in our name thank you [Applause] [Applause] I I'm actually my name is Gabriela kuchin I'm at 2096 Avenue um I'm actually GNA speak a little bit more about what Gloria spoke to and just want to um implore the council to see if the Waterfront Waterfront Redevelopment plan can't be modified I've read through it and I've seen it has been there's been modifications made to it over time there's so many people here in the community that have been here for 20 years 30 years they're the people that actually built back Asbury Park they bought houses that were really dilapidated they actually took chances when when there there people didn't want to come to Asbury Park and these are the same people now that are funding these condos the people who are buying these condos that are a million two million $ three million dollars that are second homes so we are all subsidizing all these extremely rich people the people on the west side that are barely making it are subsidizing these ultimate super super rich people I don't understand I mean I understand why North Beach was done North Beach probably needed some sort of pilot but that was a 10-year pilot somewhere along the line something was modified to make it a 30-year pilot I'll probably be dead in 30 years my grandkids will be paying I mean we probably won't be here in 30 years even if we could be here in 30 years because I don't think a 25% increase in taxes is sustainable probably for even you guys I mean it's crazy and it's supporting a school that is not really working for the kids that it's just it's the worst ranked School in in the state there's something just throwing more money at it is actually not working so I just would ask that we look at something it seems illegal that there is unfair taxation that the rich are paying less and the poor or the people that are established and retired are paying more so I just would ask that that you be creative and see if there's a way that that you could re work with the developer and say this is just not sustainable people who are actually making the city who care about the city are being forced to leave thank you [Applause] so I don't care did anybody lose a backpack outside already yeah might be what huh Can you go see if it's you I will so it's not Kevin you got it be know me it was okay next time I can I go or were you going to reply to her what were you going to reply to her or yes thank you okay we agree with you that 25% is not workable again we're working with the Board of Education we're working amongst ourselves you can attend Board of Education meetings and express your displeasure there uh as far as the tax again this was a something passed by the state of New Jersey not locally not by the Asbury Park Board of Education if you read in the papers Neptune got CED Asbury Park got CED La Branch got clobbered Red Bank got clobbered uh so along the Jersey Shore as much as the governor said I'm fully funding education we're losing another $12 million so you know don't believe what you read in the papers but I would suggest attending Board of Education meeting asked him the questions I give you my word that everybody up here totally agrees with you I can't afford 25% increase but that's what the numbers are projected to be right now and that's like you know there's a magic wand at the end of the rainbow and that's what we're hoping for a couple years ago Senator gopal was able to get a six to seven million to stop an outrageous increase that year uh we've reached out to our Loc loal Representatives uh goow Peter ball and donlin and told like right we're going to lose the fabric that everybody moved at Asbury Park for we're going to lose the diversity longtime residents are going to be it's it's going to be gentrification on steroids there's no question about it so we're all concerned about it we all want to stop it we're doing our best and we'll keep you AB breast any questions feel free to call I'm was going to do two quick answers Gabrielle the Amendments that you do see in the agreement the only way it's amended without litigation is by consent and I can assure you the developer is not going to consent to get rid of pilots and the um decision for Pilots was litigated and the city lost so it was litigated I'm gonna say 201 11 or 12 but I can get you that decision thank you and thank you of course hello Council my name is Emily nans I uh am not comfortable uh announcing my address so I will give it to you after just give us a t oh sure redbeck New Jersey thank during lockdown I was a medical assistant and I worked in cardiology and on the weekends I was working the imedia carees helping with Co testing I didn't survive a pandemic to be complicit in a genocide that we are witnessing every day I want to first thank the council for taking the time to listen to me and my colleagues for what we are asking of you to consider on voting it's important that this resolution comes to your attention and that it is voted on in the favor of a ceasefire now because of current New Jersey legislation that is affecting our local government and our state government S1 923 prohibits investment of pension and annuity funds by state and companies that boycott Israel Israeli businesses I am an American citizen and I do not want to be living in a country that is signing a pledge of allegiance or an oath to a foreign entity that is doing what with my tax dollars murdering children weaponizing a religion that has already had a holocaust I want to address those of that denomination very quickly if you want to call me anti-semitic you're a liar I was raised Catholic my family on both sides has strong Tides as Jewish people from learning their recipes to assisting Jewish neighbors to prepare their homes for the Sabbath to being welcomed into Jewish temples to witness my middle school friends perform their bar bought mitzvas I know the book of David I know the book of Jacob I know the book of Ru and I know of Rachel my family leaves stones on tombstones for our loved ones and we leave a chair open at family events for Elijah I know the loving welcoming of the Jewish people and I know Judaism is not this violence it is the occupation of a government that is weaponizing your history I know you are in pain and I know that it is hard having to deal with a cognitive dissonance of what you have been taught you are part of one of the most loving doctrines this world has witnessed we share a book for my teaching when I was raised Catholic I'm no longer practicing blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness of my sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven There were some unfortunately some lies that were said to you to councel and I just want to tell you that on October 7th footage and communication audio was intentionally hidden and deleted this can be viewed on the Jerusalem Post thank you thank [Applause] you let let me let me just say I see some people in line that already spoken you get one shot to speak so if you're if you're already spoken you're not going to get a second chance okay well you're not the only one my okay and understood okay thank you okay hi Grace runda 1513 Park Avenue very Park and I just want to say that after Hamas did invade Israel Benjamin not who I always say his name wrong I apologize got on national TV and said kill them all he never differentiated between the civilians and Hamas and I am not pro Hamas I am not anti-semitic but it is a genocide that does need to stop you're welcome also I'd like to know where the IDF was while Hamas ravaged Israel for over 7even hours where was the IDF they never showed up and he will not answer as to where they were he said that's a question for later it is a question for now it's something that really needs to be thought about and there needs to be a permanent ceasefire not a six week peace fire as Israel has proposed okay now I do have a question for you because Airbnb did send out a letter to everyone involved with Airbnb that Asbury Park is looking to come into their private accounts is that true do you know anything about it say the question again Airbnb sent a letter to everyone in Asbury Park concerning their accounts that the town is looking to come into their private accounts and investigate what is going on and I'm Wonder did you receive complaints from people do do you know anything about it airb Airbnb is not coming in your account the we have made minor minor changes to the short-term rental ordinance as a result of abuse of the short-term rental ordinance the changes to the short-term rental ordinance are on our website highlighted in red but what you're going to see in those highlights is that it's basically about primary residency because guess what people are buying houses in Asbury Park and short-term renting not living in them so you are not allowed to do that in Asbury Park this is to protect the housing stock of Asbury Park and slightly slow down the gentrification on steroids that we're seeing so we are not no what you have read is incorrect I've spoken to Airbnb I've explained to them this ordinance has been in effect for eight years the changes that we have made are in red on our website I don't know why they're fear-mongering okay well obviously they were thank you for that I have one other question concerning taxes I understand that the school district takes up a huge amount of taxes however I'd like to know if it's true that the police department everyone got a new vehicle no that also is not true you get a new car it's not it's not even close to being true it's that close like onethird of the police department got new vehicles we have 95 police officers we don't have 95 cars okay all right thank you uh good evening everyone my name is Luna Bas I can your name and address Luna benegas thank you I'm a resident of Somerset County um I hate public speaking but I feel that I'm compelled to share my thoughts growing up I was deeply impacted by learning about what happened in the Holocaust when ing all the atrocities committed against millions of Jews simply because they were Jewish they endured starvation beatings and torture I've had the privilege of meeting Holocaust survivors in listening to their stories firsthand as an innocent child I believe that such Horrors would never happen again because we learned from history however recent events have shown that history tragically repeated itself it pains me to hear that hate still thrives in this world how can we turn a blind eye to the suffering Palestinians and claim that is not our concern as an American I'm aware of the role of my country and the impacts that is committed on so many countries around the world and we always say oh poor them oh not our problem but we're the ones who are doing it we must acknowledge our responsibility our tax dollars comp contribute to what's going on in Palestine and it's important that we stand up for the rights of Palestinians and advocate for their freedom to the river to seea may God free Palestine thank you thank [Applause] you hi could everyone hear me yeah all right hi my name is Ally Wilson I'm speaking from belmare Council thank you so much for letting us be here today and thank you for meeting with Matt and I the other day when you called us to learn a little bit more about why we are here I'm very proud to be a part of an amazing organization that focuses on our community here in Asbury Park Long Branch Lakewood and soon bread Bank I'm really proud of being a part of food knot bombs so food notot bombs if those of you aren't familiar with us we hand out food every Sunday no questions asked right over there at the train station and you might wonder why the name food not bombs well why are bombs dropping when people are starving why are our taxes going towards bombs dropping on families across the world when there are people across the street who cannot feed their families why are we paying on average $86 per taxpayer to fund a war halfway across the world when we got done handing out food over in Long Branch now you might ask yourself okay we're here talking about a global issue what does this have to do with asbery why are we trying to ask for a ceasefire resolution to the city council of Asbury Park the global is now local whether we like to admit that or not and you're hearing everyone here move to tears talking about an issue that not only impacts us because we are human but impacts us because we are watching people starve in lifetime how many people in this room have watched starving children go across their feeds on social media lately how many of you have seen children so thin that you could count their rib [Music] cage how many of you have been physically affected by seeing these images watching your mental health watching people that you don't even know go through a starvation that is caused by your tax dollars that is why we are here today and that is why we want to pass this ceasefire resolution here in Asbury Park because we have a loving beautiful community that is passionate and caring for others and what is happening globally is happening locally thank [Applause] you Matthew Sigman Asbury Park uh first uh great job in the SC Patty's parade that was pretty fun right good job Council that was great thank you very much uh didn't have anything planned didn't know this was going on here I am uh I'm Jewish I'm also Pro Zionist however before we get you know all Flags you know this is a horrible situation it's terrible on all sides I raised my hand because I don't like seeing death and brutality nobody should um but to also think that Israel wasn't going to retaliate is also kind of questionable um just to go around why where was the IDF that day so that was Sim Tor that was a celebratory day on a Saturday so the IDF they they they weren't doing anything um you know we're very reactionary as people you know I thought we were getting towards peace before October 6 October 7th and then October 7th happens and we're clearly not um it would have been great if we had this kind of support prior to that um you know I think we all want coexistence uh when we hear River to the sea I mean where where would the Jews where would the Jews go where would where would we go I mean so I'm a holocaust I'm a holocaust Survivor like some of the other speakers here and you know I I I feel a little bit differently I feel that you know uh you know my grandmother was a Survivor I'm I'm I'm a I'm a spawn of her if what would happen if that happened again where where would I go where would I Turn to You know I I agree 30 40 how many lives 6 million Jews death is death it's all awful but I also think we need to you know how can we end this right now I mean is is Hamas really the best leadership for Palestine are they really the ones that are going to lift them up I I want to lift them up I want to make Gaza not me personally but I mean I think we all want to it should be beautiful it should be Dubai let's let's make it a successful place where where kids can Thrive and not and not learn to hate their neighbor I visited Israel they don't they don't hate we don't we don't they don't hate there's no I I mean I can't speak for everybody I can only speak for myself I'm not talking for about you historical facts my historical facts but I was there there wasn't an idea to hate the other um I think we're led by lies I think all of us collectively on both sides and I think that I I I think there's so much Common Ground the passion on both sides of of of of Life on both sides if we could use that to come to the table I thought we were doing it I thought prior to October 7th I thought I was quiet maybe something was going on Saudi Arabia was looking to try to make peace you know it's it's a very crazy conflict and yes it is it's awful to see life on both sides you know I support Israel because I'm a Jew and I'm my grandmother died on the Holocaust I don't want that to happen again and I totally understand the plight of the of the Palestinians and statehood we need to find a solution ceasefire now it's a great idea and I believe in it we also have hostages what could we do to stop it what could we do to stop people dying in general um I respect everyone's passions it was great to hear everybody tonight and I thank you and I wish for peace and I wish for coexistence thank you very much [Applause] hello um I was not planning on speaking um my name is Kimberly Obie I now live in Ocean um I was actually pushed out of Asbury because I couldn't afford to live there uh but I did live in Asbury for 7 years before that happened I felt compelled to come up here because the man who just spoke uh was very aggressive to us on the street as we were hanging our you know our updated information he talks about wanting peace he wasn't very peaceful to us um you know if you want to have an open dialogue you know we're here but I just felt compelled to come up here there's a lot of emotions here today basically people don't want to see innocent people dying and I don't know why that is so hard to wrap your head around no matter what your religion is no matter what you believe in I urge people to actually educate themselves on the history of Palestine and Israel because I feel like a lot of people in this room may not even be that as educated including myself um admittedly I never spoke out about Palestine until October 7th and I've done a lot of uh research since then I think doing research is very important we are if you have a phone if you have access to a library it is very easy to do research and find correct information um I have had such a hard time um mentally physically these last few months um because it is so so incredibly hard when you yeah we're seeing in livetime what's happening in Palestine it it is literally it it has affected me so much I I don't even want to go out and hang out with my friends because I I have this constantly on my head you know what is happening over there and and how it seems like what can we do to stop it and this is why we're here to talk to you and to say that local politics do not influence a larger picture is wrong it is wrong that is ignorance things always start from the bottom always um please please consider you know a resolution for Seas fire we want peace we want peace thank you [Applause] thank you that's pretty good hi uh Rita Morano 8th Avenue uh I could talk a little bit about Hassan is a terrorist group in case anybody doesn't know it and they taking over Palestine I know this because I happen to be a full Syrian and my aunt was a Palestinian and she had seven children in Palestine so I know all about it ever since I was a kid 1947 so I I don't want to talk too much about it but you have to know that what that group is and then if you understand it then you can have peace but not not with a group like that they go around killing people I enjoy it and you have to understand that but I I want to talk about something else I want to talk about Carol Tories I didn't get a chance to talk about her before but she was a friend of mine from [Music] 1972 and we were good friends and as Amy knows she was a gay girl and and we never ever had a discussion about that we were always good friends and she happened to be the first one to be the victim of enant domain in case anybody doesn't know that she owned the albon hotel she had and then she changed the name of it but it was an old woman's hotel and they took it away from her and the in domain is not a very pretty thing as you all know but Carol was a good friend and we had at that time in the 70s we had six gay bars we had a gay restaurant which we ate out every Wednesday night spaghettis and meatballs and then we had a gay movie so I don't want to ever hear in this room that we are none that we're against anybody because we're not we're very peaceful people and I don't know who all these people are but they should come to a meeting about the Border if anything we we're getting run over with the Border as you know but that's about it and some lady ask where all the money goes I'd like to tell her well part of it went to Black History dinner and that's it thank you R thanks go ahead my name is Hana I I live in liquid Township yes can we have signs please my name is Hana I live in Lakewood Township I came here tonight purely for a community health project I'm a senior in nursing school at georgean court University I came here tonight to learn about public health I didn't know that I came here tonight to find out uh that there are so many confused Americans who live right near me I have a lot of family in Israel and I've personally spent a lot of time in Israel and I've seen all sides of the conflict I don't think there's a black and a white right and wrong but I do know what's right and wrong when I see pictures of girls my age in bloody pants because they were raped by a music festival I know there's a right and wrong when I see pictures of babies murdered in their home I know there's a right and wrong when I went to visit Israel and I see thousands of fresh Graves of people murdered while living their lives and only here in the news about the thousands of dead Palestinians nobody remembers the thousands of dead Jews I went to Israel this December to check if my family is safe and to see my country when I was on the way home everyone in the airport was discussing the things they saw and didn't see one of the woman who made the biggest influence on me is a Doctor Who's volunteered many times in Palestinian um areas she works for like she does aid for for poor children um and she works them and her coming back from that trip and telling me that she could never ever do that again the things she saw on that trip the things we all saw I I could go on and list it but words are not coming to me now all I'm saying is if you do your research and you look at what's actually happening not just what the media is pushing in your face then you can see that both sides are hurting you can see the Palestinians who are coming forward and talking about their abuse in the hands of Hamas I have been to many mixed neighborhoods in Israel where Arabs and Jews live peacefully together however in any Arab exclusive neighborhood in Israel there are massive signs warning Jews not to enter as a Jew there are parts of Israel I am not allowed to enter there is no part of Israel that an Arab is not allowed to enter they are the ones who make the segregation not us they're the ones who hate us we want peace and we are willing to live along with them and I'm sorry that people who have never been there and don't know the facts think that they can say that terrorist should be rewarded for their act of violence thank you thank [Applause] you good evening Council uh Regina Flemin 506 8th Avenue Asbury Park I came to talk about the uh the vehicles for the beach and I was so surprised so welcome all you folks from out of town and in in town and it's great to see activism right things do change with activism is there a council in the state of New Jersey now considering a resolution anywhere yes there is interesting I was not aware of that um so for the record I don't agree with war I've had five uncles in World War II a father and uh a grandfather on Normandy Beach so I come from a family that has served and they all say the same thing when asking so do you ever want to talk or discuss what went down and they say that's in the past it'll never be repeated and if I was ever to be called for arms again I would not carry a weapon I would just carry the Dead and one of them did do that so I'm I'm for peace and resolution but I'm also for uh cleaning my feet up on 7th Avenue beach so there's two showers there and there's no place to clean your feet like the Surfers beach and the reason I bring this to your attention is because I suspect there are additional funds for the beachfront and if there are I think we should look at the fact that there's a playground there and a lot of parents love to let their children run and have a good time in the sand very understandable and great exercise I'm all for it um but there's no place for the children to wash off their feet unless they stand in the line for the shower or if you're just coming off the beach there's no place to just wash your feet unless you stand in the line for one of two showers yeah so that's just a consideration and something I'm pointing out as a resonant and uh 25% tax increase yeah been here 20 years had a business here successfully for 13 it's it's a Tipping Point I think for a lot of us I share that no I agree with you about the taxes and believe me that number is not coming from the city that's coming from the Board of Education as far as the showers on the beach we agree with end they're going to be at it this year and right now there's no showers anywhere because it's still winter time if the bo was turned on on we'd have broken and frozen pipes yeah no no no I'm not asking to turn on but I'm saying if you have additional funds for the Waterfront development the you're reading our minds that's some when we had a beach committee meeting we said that's add them so they should be added correct yes that's one of our additions for this year okay great thanks so much thank you all right have a good night hi uh you can call me m I'm not giving out my address I live in norc so I'm just you here you can call me m because I'm not giving out my personal information this is being live can't hear your name oh you can't hear meam Pam no M the letter M M no just call me m m m your name is m yeah okay is that an issue um so I'm just coming up here because I'm from norc I'm a basically a tourist in asbery park I come here every year you guys have the best beaches I'm not going to lie I come here with my sister my mom we love it but now that I come here every year I see the poverty in this town I see the the the gfic of this town it's honestly like appalling like what are you doing to prevent that from happening anything because it's really sad fact that nobody's going to be able to live here come let's say 2025 2026 you want to raise the taxes by 25% who's going to be able to afford that none of your residents are they won't be here um so that's why I'm here to call for a permanent ceasefire like you guys need to get your act together and all I really want to leave is with you guys need to actually look up the facts look up the NECA in 1900s that's an actual fact that happened before October 7th look at October 2nd how about 2013 how about 2018 when they had the great return like you guys want to sit here and say Hama started it this wasn't started 5 months ago this started years ago and now you see why we come here because we care and we want to see those people helped not hurt and it's disgusting that none of you were even like looking up you're looking at your book you're not paying attention like uh that's it thank you I Ed my time you want to do live anybody else like to be heard before we close the public portion have the microphone you haven't spoken already have you okay thanks hello uh everyone uh my name is prie uh I'm from mro Township in Middle sex County okay I'm not from asbery Park um but I come every summer I come to the beach in Asbury Park and I love it and when whenever I come you know I see kids um swimming at the beach people playing with their families and it's it's like you know an incredible place for families to come and enjoy from New Jersey and other area and when I see Gaza people in Gaza cannot enjoy their sea they cannot go more than three nautical miles from the sea even though it's their Homeland it's their sea they cannot uh if they go accidentally go beyond the three nautical miles they will be shot at by the Israeli military so um what I wanted to bring attention is um a lot of people today spoke about ceasefire that existed before October 7th and uh I wanted to clarify that what we are asking you to do is not the ceasefire that existed before October 7th um you know before October 7th people in Palestine did not have control over their land their a airspace or their sea space they they had to go through checkpoints in their own Homeland they had to they were separated highways and separated neighborhoods in their own Homeland that's not what we asking you to do they before October 7th in 2023 hundreds of Palestinians were killed before October 7th there was no ceasefire before October 7th and we are not asking you as to take us back in time we want we asking you to take us forward and bring a real like talk about real ceasefire the people in uh the people we elected that the people we take pay our taxes uh you know salary for in the Congress we have called them hundreds of time from New Jersey from across the country they're not listening to us and what we are asking you to do is take our voice to them because you are closer to the community here so we are as hoping that you will listen and you know take our voice to the Congress so this we can actually have a real a real ceasefire thank you move to close all in favor public participation portion is now closed thank you now if if you're going to stay for the rest of the meeting we have to conduct the regular business but if you want to we'll give you a couple minutes if you want to leave or if you want to hear I don't care it's boring stuff you can stay listen to it but we're going to have to ask for like silence so if you're go to talk you better all taking it outside not in the hallway either outside the sound is inside there is I know I [Music] just talking again we ask you to please Take It Outside The Chambers please we're now on to the minutes I have the executive meeting and regular meeting minutes of February 28th 202 and the executive and emergency meeting minutes of March 5th 2024 do I have a motion move it second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn has left the room mayor Moore yes we're now on to consent agenda resolutions all matters listed on consent agenda are presented collectively to the city council and will be considered for approval with one vote these matters are considered to be routine in nature and there will be no individual discussion of these items if discussion is desired by one or more Council members as to any particular item then said item shall be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately on consent agenda tonight we have resolutions 2024 149 through 2024 151 and 2024 157 and 158 these include resolutions these include resolutions appointing members to The Code Enforcement quality of life committee the appointees are Stephanie acman and anniah Preston with a term to expire January 15 2025 and the appointment of the house Authority Kyle Weeden with the term to expire April 30th 2028 do I have a motion for consent move it second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes we're now on to individual resolutions resolution 2024 1552 resolution approving payment of bills move it second council member Bez Anderson council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor MO yes resolution 2024 1553 a resolution authorizing the inspection of an influent pump at the wastewater treatment plan move it second council member Bez Anderson council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes resolution 20244 resolution authorizing the annual renewal of vector scheduling software for the fire department move it second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn mayor Moore yes resolution 2024 155 resolution of the city of Asbury Park releasing the performance bond for 545 Lake Avenue block 3105 lot 4.01 second council member Bez Anderson council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes resolution 2024 156 resolution of support of a grant award extension from the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the Asbury Avenue bikeways project move it second council member Bez Anderson council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes resolution 2024 159 resolution authorizing the purchase of two new kabas with hopper for the beach Department mov second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes resolution 2024 160 resolution authorizing payment to air systems maintenance for additional work needed to the chilled water pumps at the municipal building second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn mayor Moore yes resolution 2024 161 resolution authorizing an annual HVAC preventative maintenance agreement with air systems maintenance move it second Council memberz Anderson council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes we're now on to ordinances for introduction I have ordinance 20245 this is the 2024 cap rate ordinance with a public hearing date of April 4th I'm sorry April 10th 2024 who you don't have to say anything yeah this is just the you you're here it's just the introduction go ahead yeah the cap rate ordinance is required to be adopted every year before we do our budget um it allows us to go up to three and a half% of our operating budget um last year we were at 47 million we'd be up to 49 at the max does it mean we're going to be doing that that's just the Max and the state requires this this is something we do every okay thank you Joan do you have a motion to introduce 20245 move to introduce second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes ordinance 202 4-6 ordinance of the city of Asbury Park amending and supplementing Chapter 30 entitled Land Development regulation of the code of the city of Asbury Park as well as the Redevelopment plans for the scattered site stars and Washington Avenue Redevelopment area regarding accessory dwelling units with a public hearing date of March 27 2024 do I have a motion moveing second council member Bez Anderson yes council member Chapman yes council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes resolution 20 I'm sorry ordinance 2012 24-7 ordinance of the city of asra Park amending and supplementing chapter uh 13 in entitled property Improvement and neighborhood preservation property maintenance code of the code of the city of Asbury Park in order to establish a new section thereof entitled accessory dwelling units with a public hearing date of March 27 2024 do I have a motion mo may I have a second second council member abz Anderson council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn mayor Moore yes we're now on to ordinances for second reading public hearing of ordinance 202 24-4 ordinance of the city of Asbury Park amending and supplementing article 13-1 1300 entitled short-term rentals of part two rental property of chapter 13 property Improvement and neighborhood preservation property maintenance code the code of the city of Asbury Park did you provide a brief overview on this sure actually I think Deputy Mayor Quinn already uh gave a very good summary of it in her comments during the public comment period but basically um these are minor amendments to the existing short-term rental ordinance that was adopted about seven or eight years ago um that were recommended by staff who are actually um enforcing and implementing the ordinance in order to ensure that those who are short-term renting their properties are actually residents and primary residents of the city of Asbury Park and um we have found that there are some who are gaming the system and hopefully with these new amendments it will help to cut down on that thank you Fred may have a motion to open up the public hearing on ordinance 20244 move to open second second all in favor by public hearing heing on ordinance 202 24-4 is now open any member of the public who wishes to speak please use the microphone your comments may be regarding ordinance 20244 only um hello yes um for the people who left um Zumba and U asy and family that came but KDAY they had questions on um they received a letter also saying is there any part that will attach to the personal people's account um for the short-term rental and um also the exact um portion that targets outside town and would it is there any mindful or unmindful that's what I'm looking for harm that could be to um locals um residents of the the properties so that was that clear enough I'm not sure but I'm going do I'm going to do the best I can in the heat because I'm I'm dying up here I'm I'm hot flashing Galore up here so let me be clear there 95% of this ordinance is not being changed 5% of this ordinance is being changed and the 5% of it is related to proving this is your primary residency and the reason that we are buckling down on proving that it's your primary residency is because we continue to get people buying houses saying they live here never living here and then short-term renting it all year so I spoke to Airbnb any complaints that airnb Airbnb sent me have been in the ordinance for eight years so if you're currently short-term renting you've dealt with 95% of this ordinance and unless you're gaming the system this ordinance is going to have zero to no effect on you but it is absolutely going to affect the people who are short-term renting and this is not their primary residence okay but specifics um cuz one words cuz one word can change a whole context of a contract so is there uh specifically any part that will go after or address people's personal finance accounts I didn't read it so this is a question related to someone else there is not and and this ordinance affects short-term rentals not short-term rentals in the southwest not short-term rentals on the east side short-term rentals across theard it does not affect sections of the city in different ways the ordinance applies to short-term rentals and again if it is your primary residence this is going to have absolutely no effect on you if it is not this is absolutely going to affect you okay and is there any um um thing that could actually hurt a a person because again one word can change um the whole context of it so I believe so Felicia I don't believe so okay um yes that's correct there there's there is nothing that would hurt anyone who there's nothing that's going to hurt anyone who was a primary resident of Asbury Park who was short-term renting their property okay thank you what's a shortterm rental less than 30 days Days less than 30 days how many less than 30 days short-term rentals apply for any unit that you want to rent out less than 30 days so if somebody wants to do Fourth of July weekend if somebody wants to do a common one to see here now that that's where these come into play okay see with you move to close second second all in favor public hearing on ordinance 2024 D4 is now closed may have a motion to adopt 20244 move to adopt second thank you council member Bez Anderson council member Chapman council member Clayton yes Deputy Mayor Quinn yes mayor Moore yes no one has anything else I will take a motion to adjourn move to ajour all in favor I meeting is thank you everyone thank you good night