can you send danar zo yeah does have yeah that's what I say it should be on the meeting invite it's on the one that she said she was coming yeah it's right below it but if you can send it to her and the same sorry just give us one second technology is great and also at the same time lots of moving lots of moving parts so just want to make sure we get everyone that's trying to get into the meeting on the meeting good evening everyone welcome to the West Orange human relations Commission meeting um we meet the fourth Monday of every month my name is Liz I am the chair of the human relations commission we'll do is a quick just attendance just roll call everyone just if just your name um just for attendance purposes for a meeting agenda that gets posted onto the West Orange site the so you'll just give your name first and you first and last name first and last name um and they can identify their yes and then if you are a commissioner mention you're a commissioner and then we will move forward I'll do the admitting while we do the names so again my name is Liz milham and we can start we can start behind me and then we'll go around the room and then go into the table hi everyone my name is Rachel Cohen hi good evening RAM and and if you guys can speak loud because we are recording so that we can take notes if later if necessary but yes n just name amen IIM um da Adams um Vice chair of Joyce Harley commissioner gon new [Music] commissioner and sish L's new commissioner I thought I would be able to all right I'm gonna move off of being able to admit people okay so usually we have we do have an agenda that we go through through the day but I do see we have a lot of guests um in in in the building so I definitely want to you know acknowledge that space for you before you just go through our regular you know just our Martin Luther King there are things that as Commissioners that we are going to um we do need to discuss um let's see we do have should we do Rosen Thorn um we can you want to do Ros and Thorns we can okay so usually what how we do begin our meetings and we hope that this isn't the only meeting that you attend we do go through as just commissioner based um so it is quick but we do go through our Rosen thorn of within the month so a high and something regard if you didn't have a thorn it's just your roles um and would you like to share so we can start with you Don we'll start in the room I'll go to the Commissioners that are on Zoom okay so my roles for tonight is um when I first got on the commission um I had a son who graduated high school and I can happily say that he's in his junior year and he will be graduating 25 that's my rose um and we spent this holiday together I haven't seen him since he left so it was good um I don't have any Thorns right now um I don't have any Thorns so I'm going to pass it to sisha commiss um well the highlight of my day was I received my appointment letter as the new commissioner for HRC so very excited to fulfill this role um in future duties um I am with Dawn um no thwn for for me um all positive and just having a good Thanksgiving was able to spend time with family I'm sure everyone can relate in terms of just coming Fresh Off no more turkey right no more turkey I I have some at home Sor and then you can pass it to gonna pass it to Amy oh no we passed it um I guess I'm gonna have to Echo almost everything that that you said I mean it was quite an honor to be asked to serve on this commission and I'm looking forward to offering anything I can and making a positive difference uh for the whole Community um just flew back from Florida seeing my my family my college one college kid oh and best Rose is that my daughter um who's graduating this year just got accepted uh to FAU so who go out um so it be EMP Nester next year so I guess that's my Thor you have to toss it to oh I have to toss it I'm going to toss it to you because I was going to before good evening everyone my name is mar and my T ected um for M for school me and I know it's going to be a lot of work and I take it like every day is day of learning so January will first one and you know I'm really excited about it uh family I had a chance to see Mom everybody's healthy that's my point I don't have my Roes everything was perfect and thank you for the you go next okay good evening everyone I'm Joyce Harley I've been on the commission for a while U had a wonderful Thanksgiving lot to be grateful for um and the real rose is that we have such a wonderful attendance at one of our commissioner meetings we've never had in a long time so much interest in the work that we do so I'm really really glad to see everybody here and um I really don't have any Thorns this month so pass it on to you madam chair yes and I'm gonna first passing on to the people online so Dagmar if you want to give your rose and your Thorn okay I'm here I had a little trouble getting on but I'm here now um my my rose I've been losing a lot of weight recently my thorn I gained three pounds over Thanksgiving that's a thorn or Rose that's a thorn that's a thorn but I'm but I will have that corrected and I'm working on it and I'm happy to be here so I'm waiting for the meeting right and carlen hi my roses I really did have a good Thanksgiving as well thanks to Don who always supplies mac and cheese to my son who thinks I'm a horrible cook so don was my roast this weekend and truthfully when I consider all that's going on in the world I have no THS I'm grateful and as somebody noted I'm grateful to see so many people here because it basically says that restoring is still a community that cares and people show up when they need to so thank you and Natasha good evening everyone um I'm uh excited to be here um I've been volunteering with the HRC since 2021 and um you know I have I I guess my roses finally um I have um you know the privilege of serving the township of West Orange in a in official capacity I guess you know if you will as an appointed um commissioner um Thorn is just busy season for me at work budget season so it's it's it's I have not slept since last night so so thank you and then last sumara um I first want to say welcome to all the new Commissioners and happy holidays to everyone and uh my rose is I am most grateful to dawn for supplying me with coconut cake and anyone who knows me knows I vehemently as a Latina ironically hate anything coconut flavored but she introduced me to this coconut cake that slaps and now I'm addicted so there in lies my rose and then my thorn is in harmony with dagmars I lost all this fantastic weight and then gained it behind the coconut cake so there is my rose and my thorn but welcome to the new Commissioners and we go forth making good things happen in West orang thank you um so just being last this week my roles is that for the first time this year we have 13 Commissioners so every spot is finally filled um so I'm just hoping as we move forward into the end of the year then moving forward that we are we have more participation more ideas more Community input and just able to do more from this space um as we have new people that are in and engaged and ready to move forward and also I am finally I'm going on vacation before my hashtag road to 40 it's Sagittarius season I am now officially on a hash road to 40 movement so I'm going finally going on vacation from work and from a lot of things um it's taking a few days off so I'm really excited about that um days huh not 40 days no not 40 days a few days a few days off a few days off I if I was like Jesus I mean I would just say I would take 40 days and 40 nights um but my I don't have any Thorns for myself personally um so I am I'm just very grateful for my life but so I don't have any Thorns that I would say like let me complain about this that's going on in my own personal life I think that it I can get through the things that I'm getting through and there's a lot bigger thing things that are bigger than me before I would complain about anything happening in my life at this moment not that there anything that's happening in your life it's not that it's not important it's that um sometimes it's like okay for me I just would it's not important in the moment um I we do need as the Commissioners I did send the October 23 minutes from last last month's meeting um if you see in the minutes we didn't summarize what everyone was saying I posted the link to the video that is also posted on the Township's website because that sort of encompasses what the entire meeting was um from beginning to end so that's why there wasn't a breakdown of Don said this or so and so volunteers said that like it it just didn't break down so I just want to know if we can do an acceptance of those minutes I move the acceptance of the minutes of the October meeting and do we have a second second second and all in favor hi any any abstaining all right so we'll move those minutes forward um well I I don't think I can vote right because I wasn't at first first of all I wasn't there last time I you can abstain you can definitely abstain from the vote of the minutes so you can put you down as abstaining from it since you born it there anyone who wasn't there must have stayed yeah so it's fine to put you as OB staining and we have and then we have Forum to accept the minutes and then those will go into the Township's website um you know it's 7:20 we can put 10 minutes before for just the call to order the beginning a um meeting um as they have introduced themselves we do have four new Commissioners which will give them the opportunity to really introduce themselves and where they want to move forward but we have Natasha kesa Tamisha lemons Amy Galton and Ronald Slaughter that have now become Commissioners on the HRC so we'll give them time later on if time allows just to introduce themselves where they see themselves moving forward their interest and things like that um we do go through old business and new business but as we have many visitors in the room I'm really excited to just hear what brought you here um what your feelings are so we'll move to number seven on the on the agenda and go into public comment so at this let me just get sry when you're speak I just want to go through you think in just having bigger meetings they just want to lay out just rules of engag M so with opening up the conversation I know just an idea sometimes we do talk about topics that are sensitive and complex so they'll lead to just passion and emotion within that conversation we want this to be a safe space um so to communicate about conflict so it's important that we approach it with empathy respect and openness to listen and learn um everyone will be on mute that will mostly be on Zoom even person we just want to be quiet and respect the person that's speaking at the time um we're online if you on Zoom please use the raising hand icon so we'll have we'll be able to give everyone the opportunity to talk we will go back and forth from in person to zoom just to allow just a flow and people on Zoom don't feel or they're not seeing we want everyone to be seen we're going to try to keep all comments to at least three minutes minutes just to give everyone the space to talk and also because the meeting usually goes to 8:30 just to respect people's time that we just keep comments to at least three minutes um so we just have to be aware it's going to be uncomfortable conversations there's going to be disag internal disagreements that we will have but um the mute and just being respectful of where we're speaking and just avoiding any type of hate speech is important um the A diversity organization is being able to try to be that middle ground which is hard in any type of conflict um but you do want to be open to the space of what everyone is feeling um in the in the end we may have to agree to disagree um but as long as we listened communicated well and just respect respect others at all times and let's try to actively listen that like instead of being prepared to respond to what someone's saying actively listen to what someone is saying um without thinking of how you're going to respond what they're saying um and that's definitely a way to just give people the respect and that space before we decide what we're going to respond um so again I want to welcome all the guests if it's your first time here Welcome to our human relations commission meeting um I will definitely open up in the room first on you want to speak please just your name if you're from West Orange or if you're from another town and then you can discuss what you need to discuss somebody just texted me ask me okay um I'll text it to you and then you can text it to them um if anyone we can raise hands and then we can move forward yeah okay can we just do one yes sorry um protocol um we have an agenda so we're GNA accept the agenda so I move that we accept the agenda as you have amended it oh anyone second that I second I changed the way the flow of the agenda flow so second and all in favor I hi any opposed all right all in favor we'll move forward with that thank you um my name is Rachel Cohen and I've lived in West Orange since 2017 I'm with a group of diverse West Orange residents coming together to stand in solidarity with our Palestinian Arab and Muslim neighbors who feel unseen unheard and unsafe in this town at the moment many of them did not come in person for that reason I spent my entire adult life working in the global health and humanitarian field principally with Doctors Without ORD so I speak to you not only as a resident but as someone who's keenly aware of the humanitarian consequences of the violent conflict unfolding the state ad mission of this body is among other Foster communication understanding and cooperation among all groups and residents otes a regular civil and productive communication between the diverse groups of residents of the Comm but when a member uh in fact chair of T he shared a post on warning the loss of both Israeli and Palestinian lives and call on all people to acknowledge the humanity of both it's my understanding that she was forced to retract in post in invasion of terrorist sympathizing and anti-semitism then a new commissioner was appointed who's a moderator of a townwide Facebook group that has featured islamophobic content threats including doxing of minor and sought to curtail free speech in our all of which contri the HRC organiz in so doing the HRC and in the town has embraced only certain numbers of our of AG shown concern only for Jewish hurt and grief only Jewish lives you all know and understand that those who have family and friends or loved ones affected by the atrocities of October 7th are grieving and fearful and experiencing Trump so why is it not self-evident that those uned or loved ones in Gaza who have been under constant Siege and bombardment for seven weeks and who have lived under 75 years of occupation are also in deep F and fear and intergenerational Trump acknowledging the humanity of Palestinian and calling for an end to the violence can only be twisted into anything even close to anti-Semitism when the current Crisis crisis is taken out of its geopolitical context when Palestinian lives are devalued when Palestinians are in fact dehumanized as they were during the previous meeting and when Jewish grief is weaponized in the service of e no nationalism according to the New York Times the New York Times not the Ministry of Health and Gaza conservative estimate suggests that before the humanitarian cause upwards of 15,000 Palestinians were killed 10,000 of those are women and children civilians times sites experts saying that and I quote the rate of death during isra assault has few precedents in this Century this body cannot do much to resolve that entrenched global conflict but it can and must take at least three modest steps now active and meaningfully involve Palestinian and other Arab and Muslim community members in the HRC and in your formal Communications or West orang Town West Orange Town Communications or events concerning the current crisis concerning anti-Semitism or islamophobia rising in our community make good on the HRC Mission by creating positive and constructive opportunities for dialogue and learning and Community Building among our diverse community and recommend that the mayor exercise her leadership and demonstrate support for members of the Palestinian community of West Orange thereby recognizing the humanity of all in our thank you okay and then we'll move on to someone online NOA NOA I see your hands raised if you unmute yourself yes can you hear me um yes hi my name is NOA and um Miss MIM I want to start off by thanking you for the initial post that you had shared on Facebook that sadly was taken down it was one of the few posts in this town that really made me and many other Palestinians and Arabs and Muslims feel included and I really want to apologize that you had to spend over two hours listening to Residents in West Orange accusing you of being uneducated and careless you are simply being compassionate I wish I could join you today in person but given the language used by our town residents on multiple platforms including your last meeting and the town council meeting I feel extremely unsafe and hending in person today on multiple occasions speakers mentioned Humanity however their message was never about Humanity I'm quoting one of our town residents who said calling them animals is way too nice they're monsters not all Palestinians are innocent of course there are some but understand that they have been ruled by Hamas for a very long time and they have been raised to want to kill Jews these are the innocent Palestinians that you are referring to they want all Jews to be dead I cannot express how disappointed I am by seeing almost a hundred Neighbors in town nodding in agreement to this how am I perceived by my neighbors in this town this brings me to the mission of the HRC I ask you to actively and meaningfully involve Palestinian and other Arab and Muslim community members in any formal HRC or West Orange Town Communications activities or events concerning the current crisis and deeply concerning increase the anti-Semitism and islamophobia in our community and neighboring towns this would be in keeping with a paragraph two no you NOA yeah you went mute on your when you were stating your last um statement where how far do you hear me um you were going to article two and then you went mute can you hear me now yes um this would this would be in keeping with a paragraph 2517 of the ordinance that establishes the HRC I ask you to make good on its by creating a positive and constructive by creating positive and constructive opportunities for a dialogue learning and Community Building among our diverse Community the Palestinian Arab Muslim and Jewish communities in our town are hurting and increasingly frighten frightened for their safety I call on the HRC to organize an Interfaith vigil and healing circle circle for our community in West Orange um in partnership with everyone thank you so much thank you so much we don't what are you trying to do we're trying to get some more chairs down there for people coming in so no one has to stand wait where did your chair go there's a chair there I don't want her to fall in just a quick thought does everyone have seat that is in the room I just want to make sure I know we have how many more seats do we need if if you if you if one of you takes this chair then we can just push the other chairs down that's probably a smart idea yeah if you guys take those then we push the other down do we have enough are we if if you guys wanna if you guys want to push those chairs I'll I'll no no you guys definitely you guys are here chairwoman since these people are late can we address these people that are raising their hands please yeah we will We Will We want to make sure that um anyone in the room is seated that we're okay yeah all right so now we'll go back to the room right there just state your name and if you're from town I am you have to speak up so that the people online yeah just Raise Your Voice son they can't hear you good um I wanted to start off by saying I stand in solidarity with community members fighting against the part and genocide as a member of this community I believe it's crucial to recognize that support for international Wars will always impact our local Dynamics the ongoing support of a bloody war funded by the US driven by profit has reprotected at the micro micro local I observe how our community leaders are taking sides in this war causing friction among one seemingly peaceful neighbor amidst this merciless conflict our Town's leadership has chosen to symbolically align Side by displaying the Israeli flag after community members reached out to share that the symbolism was dangerously one-sided this just and that this that this gesture imp a belief that war is the only solution to problems despite the well-known fact that war creates more vience the re repercussions are becoming evident as community members once par onus are now antagonizing each other justifying Mass death online a Facebook page that proclaims to be the voice of the city and in person invoking fear in our Muslim community members using symbols and antagonistic approaches to endorse violence has further consequences I ask that the HRC end its proar stance and call for an interface vigil that Mourns the countless desk and supports the actual members of this community it is disheartening to witness the rise of anti-muslim racism anti-Semitism and attempts at censorship as people grapple to control the narrative people of West Orange we consider aligning with this dangerous propaganda that has always been used to tear us apart last week's meeting council members shared that they wanted to create a legacy so why don't we create a legacy that upholds multiracial anti-war thank you thank you go back the online Stephanie Leone Leone sorry hi that's okay hi Stephanie Leone I'm a West Orange resident the summer after my family and I moved to West Orange in 2016 we attended a march to protest police violence against black people in America where commissioners of the HRC spoke openly and bravely and solidarity with black liberation I felt proud of my new chosen community and inspired by the promise of the HRC that version of an HRC the commission that stands up for our community the stands up for against State violence that doesn't Bend toward political pressure or influence or a desire to appease the loudest in the room that HRC lived UPS to its mission statement it stood for human rights and we seem to be a long way from it the State admission of the HRC is to Foster communication understanding and cooperation among all groups and residents of the township to promote the collaboration and preservation of our residents unique cultural customs and to promote the regular civil and productive communication between diverse groups of residents of the township and yet as we witness a humanitarian crisis a genocide we are met with communication from our human relations commission that centers the trauma and the loss of only one group of people effectively humanizing just one side of this tragedy while excluding Palestinian experiences and voices since the retraction of your original statement or repost and the subsequent post that centered Israeli voices and experiences the HRC has done nothing to Foster communication or understanding of our Palestinian Community here in West Orange nothing to acknowledge their Collective trauma our community is looking to local leaders for guidance to set an example for how we can show up for each other Palestinian Arab Muslim neighbors have shown up at every town meeting possible to tell you that they do not feel safe and is not only because the current narrative coming from our Township Administration and this HRC is a one-sided pro-israeli approach but it's also because this commission actively emboldens islamophobic racist and anti-arab sentiments as evidenced in its most recent commissioner appointment when this commission's leadership includes members of our community who moderate local social media hate groups allowing for threats and harassment of minors it Bec clear that you are not at all invested in sustaining respect for all members of our diverse Township we are residents invested in protecting all members of of this community demanding that the HRC live up to the ideals outlined in your mission statement what can you do as local leaders as a commission to encourage positive and constructive connections across diverse groups of residents what are you doing to ensure the inclusion of all residents in the leadership of Civic and Community issues what can the commission do to support and encourage our mayor to employ a more nuanced and balanced approach to Township Communications on the crisis of in Israel and Palestine all around our town on front lawn signs and in the mayor's latest social media post we read hate has no home here but it's not hate that we're dealing with it's indifference indifference to the 15,000 Palestinian lives lost indifference to the three Palestinian college students just shot recently in Vermont indifference to the rising islamophobia in this country and in this town I know the values of Martin Luther King are near dear to our HRC let's remember as he cautioned the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and the cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people I implore you to reflect on how this commission can better serve all of our diverse community and truly honor those principles of Dr Martin Luther King reissue a statement that affirms the value of all lives ensure that all Commissioners reflect the values outlined in the HRC mission statement engage all members of our community both Jewish and Palestinian voices in meaningful ways recommend that the mayor exercise her leadership and demonstrate support from members of the Palestinian community of West Orange thereby recognizing the humanity in all of our town thank you thank you Stephanie okay we'll move to someone in the room I I saw your hand I I don't know anyone's name but I did see your hand in the red if you can give your name and where you're from sure um my name is I'm gonna I'm gonna move I'm gonna move the computers closer to everyone as we charge my name is I'm a yeah I'm just turning it off I I am a Jew who was born and occupied Palestine I'm sorry but we can't see anything we could just see a ceiling those of us who are on Zoom all right that's okay perfect perfect perfect thank you this is Joanna speaking out by the way this is Joanna you don't okay I do apologize if you can fix the computer just so it can just hear her yeah so they can go and she doesn't want to be seen so that's why okay all right okay though I keep getting interrupted can I start over yeah I didn't start the timer yet so we got all right again I'm Tova uh West Orange resident I was born I'm a Jew that was born in occupied Palestine and I'm proud to work with a diverse group of just asmed West Orange residents uh to stand up against the genocide that's being waged right now against the Palestinians and Gaza and the and the vile character of pro Zionist narrative in this town we are for peace and Humanity for all and stand in solidarity with Palestinian Liberation being anti-zionists is a political statement against the occupation of Palestine people supporting the ongoing genocide and Gaza are equating any criticism of Netanyahu and his government with being anti-semitic how can being against genocide be anti-jewish um we call upon the h SE to directly and meaningfully involve Palestinian and other Arab and Muslim community members in any formal HRC or West Orange Town Communications activities or events concerning the current crisis and or the deeply concerning increase in islamophobia and anti-Semitism and in our community in neighboring towns this would be in keeping with paragraph 2- 51.7 seven of the ordinance that establishes the HRC especially with what just happened in Connecticut with the the um shooting of those three young men it's just uh uh it's something high priority that needs to be taken up by the HRC make good on its commission the HRC should make good on its Mission by creating positive and constructive opportunities for dialogue learning and understanding and Community Building among our diverse Community the Palestinian Arab Muslim and Jewish communities in our town are hurting and increasingly frightened for their safety as evidenced by all the people who said they can't even come to this meeting in P person because of that we call on the hfc to organize an interface vigil and healing circles for our community in West Orange uh in partnership with Palestinian Arab Muslim and Jewish community members uh we actually like the reconsideration of the appointment of a new commissioner who is a moderator of a townwide Facebook group and has either posted or failed to remove racist anti-palestinian and Islamic islamophobic content allowed for violent threats including doxing of minors exercising their rights to protest and sought to curtail free speech in our town by branding anyone who calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza or for solidarity with the Palestinian people as so-called terrorist sympathizers or anti-sites believe me I am not an anti-semite these behaviors directly contradict the HRC ordinance so finally we call on the mayor to exercise true leadership by demonstrating support for members of the Palestinian community of West Orange the HRC must advise the mayor to balance her and the town's Communications to show our diverse West Orange residence that she stands with the Palestinian community in addition to publicly supporting the Jewish Community she's not once uttered the word Palestine or Palestinian for her quote unquote hate has no home here statement released a few days ago Rings Hollow and is generic and cryptic at best it does not help our community members see one another in our full Humanity thank you for sharing Susie was next yeah when yeah um yeah if if and just putting on a three minute timer for everyone so when you hear it you can just finish at your last statement um online you should be able to hear the timer as well and then back the get that update that Rings the timer yes never she men I like I knew what the sound was but everyone's timer may have different sound so let we'll do that um and then we will go back to online Suzy L's Ione if you want to unmute yourself yes hi how are you good how are you you good thank you sir want to give your name and what Town you're located in yes my name is Susan um I was a former West Orange resident now in Livingston and um I wanted to come over here um but now addressing some other issues that I'm I'm hearing um first to address um NOA I think it was none of your Jewish neighbors are attacking you in fact we'd love to speak with you in regards to how we can somehow have peace um and we don't hear that coming from your you guys nobody ever talks about peace and no one has even condemned Hamas for the atrocities that that they did on October 7th the barbarism the the the kidnapping the murdering the raping the disgusting Behavior nobody has condemned them and that to us is appalling um but we understand that's you know that's your point of view and and that's you know for you to take But please understand that that to us is very hurtful um and it's really unbelievable that Hamas has declared war on Israel on October 7th they declared war on us we did not declare war on them so when a country is gonna shoot rockets at you come and and murder over 1400 Israelis and Muslims as well they murdered Muslims as well kidnapping kids murdering babies and kids this is a serious issue so Israel is defending itself again you can have your opinion but this is not a quote unquote genocide which means that we're deliberately killing people an aim of destroying your nation because that's not what we're doing we're trying to get Hamas out so that the Palestinians can live in dignity and peace because they do deserve that they are people we see them that way Hamas does not hamas's leaders are billionaires Living in Qatar they don't even live in Gaza what who's going to call them out this is never going to end and we see that we want peace Israel's always wanted peace we've given land we've given you Gaza just let's live in peace but they do not want peace so stop saying it's our fault and going to all these meetings and putting us down that we're attacking you because that is not happening now as a Jewish member who has family in Israel and I'm scared for them this is this hits to the core as you can hear my voice so I just want to come on here really to say that we need to educate people on who Hamas is their terrorist organization shut your stupid mouth everything you said is a lie there you go you see this is what I'm talking about Hamas is not a terorist organization Hamas is a terrorist organization recog I can we this is why we can't have peace because people like you recognized by the government recognize if you are if you're on the chat please do not unmute yourself unless asked to I just got I get I please do not unmute yourself unless asked to this isn't a forum for us to go back and forth with each other it's a safe space for people to express what they're feeling um a lot of people are going through different sides um different sides of what's happening I'm going to stay muted so they can hear me from that one um so everyone will have a different experience on how they're going to express it you may not agree with it that is fine no they're not someone speaking you do not have to agree with them but please do not unmute yourself unless as to just so thank you Susie for sharing um we're going to move into the room and then we'll go back to someone online um I think the biggest thing is it's it let's not make attacks on people you're expressing your thoughts suggestions the best thing we can do is suggest ways to move forward as a community so we can reignite and rebe at peace if we can create some peace within our community suggestions in that would be great um this isn't a forum to attack each other I know that it happens in different spaces I've heard it already but if there's ways that we can move forward as a community that would be the best way to Leap Forward um and don't want it to be an attack on anyone um any religion rate anything I know it's a lot happening um May you in the gr I'm going to I'm saying your shirt colors cuz I don't know I know everyone said their names I don't have your name I'm just going to put this closer to you I know you don't want to be on video but I just want to put it closer to you so that people online can hear you but if you can state your name and then where you're from my name is k and I'm a West resident and I stand with all the just Justice minded people here the diverse West Orange residents who want to come together against this war for peace this is in memory of those lying in the mass Graves of Gaza and I want to say their names Maria Al gazali four months old murdered May 5th 2019 Ibrahim alantis s months old murdered May 14 2021 Fatima Al masri 19 months old murdered April 1st 2022 khed Abdul khed M Maha Alaba two Monon old quadruplets October 18th 2023 and Crown thy good with Brotherhood from sea to shining sea terrorism it's what the big army calls the small army Netanyahu says October 7th was Israel's Pearl Harbor moment do we really want to invoke how the US punished the Japanese internment camps hirosima and Nagasaki but since the comparison has been made that must have been the justification for the total weight of bombs dropped on Gaza already exceeding the weight of nuclear bombs on hirosima and nagataki talk about history repeating itself when people are losing their jobs being doed and publicly humiliated and made to retract statements in this town you know what that's called it's called fascism so before we stand and accuse others of terrorism realize the US government and the government of Israel have a history of terrorism and occupiers don't get to tell the people living in occupied territories who are occupi that they don't live in AP partai check yourself please we better thank our lucky stars that are brothers and sisters Among Us no fascism apartheid and imperialism when they see it and they're willing to put their lives in the line lay down in streets and on highways get arrested and chain themselves to boats that are weapons that are going to kill these children let me tell you the elites of the US Israel and Hamas love to see us put on our gang colors and wear those flags like cases and believe that we're fighting terrorism or some kind of Total War and they laugh they laugh because they're not going to shed a drop of blood okay and that's the real crime the duplicity it's always been about resources like oil and trade Suz benan just Google everything I've said and since that's something Democrats and Republicans for the most part happen to agree on that's why they're willingly sending billions of our tax dollars to Aid this genocide You're Gonna Move online to It's My Wish oh I it yeah hi hi hi guys my name is rawish I'm a West Orange residence uh since 2016 um I'm saddened that I'm unable to attend in person today because like a lot of us here I do not feel safe due to the rising islamophobia I I am deeply concerned about recent events in our community it's disheartening to witness our leaders taking sides in a distant War causing tensions among one once peaceful neighbors symbols such as the recent display of a flag can deep deepen divisions and contribute to confrontations both online and offline I'm sure many of you have seen that I urge our community leaders to reconsider their positions and focus on creating a legacy of multi-racial unity against War instead of divisive symbols let's come together for an Interfaith vigil to mourn lives lost and support one another our community should be a place of understanding not a platform for violence or divisive ideologies let's prioritize Building Bridges and fostering dialogue for a future where every member feels heard respected and included in addressing Rising tensions our HRC must actively engage with all members especially acknowledging concerns raised by our Arab Palestinian and Muslim neighbors additionally it's concerning that a new HRC member also a Facebook group moderator has allowed doxing threats and the amplif amplification of anti-arab racist and islamophobic rhetoric this member's statements and sharing of debunked conspiracy theories are alarming such Behavior contradicts the principles of our community and the mission of the HRC let us work together for a community where empathy triumphs over animosity understanding prevails over Prejudice and we collectively build a legacy of unity and peace thank you um we're going to move back to some people in the room she's under three minutes um again I know it's a few statements to new Commissioners um let's refrain from those and let's focus at the topic that you guys have at hand because I don't want anyone to feel that they're being attacked on while being present and listening um so let's focus on the bigger picture because it's bigger than what a person will represent and that and that then that's it so we'll move back into the IT wasir Madam chair uh commissioner Ortiz has her hands raised for a while I I know um we're going in order I don't know who we speak but we are going in just order the way we're seeing it on the computer um and I get it I get what you're saying but I just I I will I will take the burden of it all um if you want in the sense I'm going to like say things to but I just don't want it to be a personal attack on anyone that's a commissioner and volunteering New or Old within the mission as the chair there's definitely suggestions or thoughts in thought of what you may think but not in attacking a person directly even I know that there's feelings that may be felt on things but I just don't want it to be personal attacked on anyone um I didn't know how I saw two hands but I didn't know who was first but if you were first I thought you were first okay if you guys can help me with who raises their hands first that would be great too thank you thank you um my name is n I've lived in West Orange for three years I'm really grateful to be in community with with a group of justice-minded have to speak up really keep saying well the computer comp sorry I'll lean a little so folks can hear speak louder yeah Okay g my name is natana and I've lived in West Orange for three years I'm I'm really grateful to be in community with a group of justice-minded diverse West Orange residents who have come together to stand for peace and Humanity for all and to stand in solidarity with Palestinian Liberation um a longtime social worker and educator for justice and Community Action and I'm a West orang resident parent and neighbor and I I really believe in the potential for the HRC to Center Collective Liberation as a core value which I think means moving beyond values as opinions and towards values as guideposts to meaningful action I really believe that moving in solidarity with an oppressed people is moving with all oppressed people until we are all free that systems of Oppression are all connected that we are all connected or we are alone and Liberation is single Global struggle I really believe we have to do this work together and that's why I'm here at this meeting and I appreciate the space that you've offered us to share um it's been named multiple times and I listened to all of the hurt and pain at last month's meeting that was shared there is pervasive fear hurt trauma that the Jewish communities in our town the Palestinian Arab Muslim communities in our town have been feeling and so with this in mind given the mission of the West Orange Human Rights Commission I want to just Echo two calls which speak to what you are asking for actively and meaningfully involving Palestinian and other Arab and Muslim community members in any formal or West Orange Town Communications activities or events concerning the current crisis and the deeply concerning increase in anti-Semitism and islamophobia in our community and in neighboring towns I also want to Echo the call upon the HRC to create positive and constructive opportunities for dialogue learning and Community Building among our diverse Community it seems from all that I've observed and experienced that a call for an Interfaith or secular vigil healing circles would be responsive given all of the pain that has been shared I really support that proposal and I think doing so in partnership with Jewish community members Palestinian Arab Muslim community members is the way forward I know I'm one of many who is willing to be involved in Community Learning and Bridge Building um and that I think is what you're asking for um and so I I want to also say that the the leadership of our town needs to see all of our community members in our full humanity and to actively model this through statements and action so to the extent that the HRC can support the mayor in Partnership to ensure future statements and actions are doing so it will only move us forward thank you move to online do you have the same order that I have just to make sure that I'm not I have Nancy okay so um nor as you mute yourself yep hi thanks everybody I'm N I live in West Orange I moved to West Orange in August 2016 and like many people in this extremely diverse town I was terrified after the 2016 elections scared for the safety of my brown Sons my hijabi mother and my visibly Muslim immigrant family I was so relieved to find the HRC a West Orange organization committed to diversity and inclusion on October 23rd the HRC released a statement of humanity empathy Mutual grief mourning and healing for both the Jewish and Palestinian communities on October 23rd the death toll in Gaza was over 5,000 half of them being children while Jewish family spent yet another Shabbat praying for the safe return of hostages and mourning the deaths of 1200 Israelis a statement recognizing the pain of Jewish Muslim and Palestinian communities in town was again an example of the hrc's dedication to diversity and inclusion it recognized that suffering pain and mourning are not limited to one Community it is extremely disheartening to hear that a statement of empathy understanding and healing was retracted a statement that is meant to highlight the need to build Bridges between communities of West Orange that are suffering was removed and called anti-semitic per the West Orange website the official website the HRC quote makes recommendations to the mayor that informs policies procedures and educational programs that will support an agenda that identifies addresses and dismantles all types of discrimination I won't get into the newest appointment I think lots of folks on the line have already done so and I don't want to make anybody feel bullied or left out so I'll skip over that but between that appointment and the fact that a statement of inclusivity of empathy was retracted it is clear that the HRC is currently not upholding its own it's a very own mission statement these actions are neither inclusive nor diverse nor Equitable they are prioritizing the pain of one Community while excluding another the fears I had in 2016 are back after Palestinians in America have been Target of hate crimes from the ruthless murder of six-year-old W El fomi to the most to most recently the shooting of three Palestinian students in Vermont who were shot for wearing a Palestinian CAA this is also why I've joined over Zoom for my safety I ask the HRC to have meaningful involvement with the Arab Palestinian and or Muslim citizens of West Orange in any formal HRC or West Orange Town Communications activities or events so that we can address the deeply concerning rise of anti-Semitism and islamophobia this would be in keeping with paragraph 2- 51.7 of the ordinance that establishes the HRC I ask the HRC To Be A Champion for Building Bridges between communities that are in a great deal of pain to make good on its mission to create positive and constructive opportunities for dialogue learning and community community building through a community vigil that holds space to mourn each other's pain none of us can heal until all of us can heal and I also want to note that having somebody from another town come on to tell a visibly Muslim woman a visibly Muslim Arab woman in West Orange that no one is attacking her and that her feelings are not valid and that she never wants peace and that she needs to condemn Hamas is deeply inappropriate and islamophobic thank you for sharing okay we'll move to someone in the room hands up did you have to speak hear the room um I'm listening to all this and and it's like on October 7th a knife was stabbed in my heart my family's heart when 1,400 people were massacred in Israel women children and I hear all these people talking about genocide and the Palestinians and I feel terrible for any innocent people who are being killed but Israel didn't start this war they were attacked 1,400 civilians were murdered 240 civilians were kidnapped and they're still hostages Amy knows me sh yes thank you so so listening to all this I mean when when George Floyd was murdered I stood on Main Street with my neighbors and I protested for them and then I come in here and I hear people talking about genocide we haven't lived in Gaza Israel gave up Gaza in 2005 we have nothing to do with Gaza so what genocide what occupation I don't understand where this is coming from I I just I feel like West Orange I've lived here for 35 years and it's not my home anymore this is not a place where I feel welcome that that's it I I can't I can't say um we'll to someone online n Nancy hi um my name name is Nancy I've lived in West Orange for the last 40 years and I I have to agree with the last person who spoke um I think that all of the Jewish Community Mourns the Palestinian deaths in Gaza nobody nobody wanted those deaths however let's remember at 911 when we were attacked nobody said don't fight back nobody said don't get us don't don't kill uh Bin Laden nobody said we have to protect our we don't have to protect ourselves Israel now has to protect itself the leaders of Hamas have said very publicly that they're going to come back and back and back until every Jew is killed until Israel is gone do you sit back and just let that happen you can't let that happen we Israel asked people to move out of the area where they were bombing what other country ever does that they asked people to move out the leaders of Kamas said stay put so what is Israel to do just let themselves be killed again and again and again I I totally agree with the people who said that they want that they want I don't know about a vigil but certainly education sessions certainly education to to listen to both sides and understand the feelings of both the Palestinians and the Jewish people in West Orange but honestly nobody can sit back and let themselves be killed the Jews did that once before and we lost six million people we can't do that again it's just not going to happen again and and the person who referred to Israel as occupied Palestine and I don't know if that's going to your minutes or not but Israel is not occupied Palestine Israel is a nation it it it is recognized by the world as a nation and not only is it a nation but it's a nation who is given this world most of it advances in in medicine and technology and everything else it is not occupied Palestine it is Israel and if if people don't accept that there will never be peace and I think we do all need to sit down and we need to talk and at the last meeting and I was there in October we talked about education sessions I don't believe anything has happened but I think it has to happen because somebody has to understand that Israel is not going to sit back and let itself be killed and let itself be obliterated and when you say from the river to the sea that means no Israel and you have to understand that and nobody's going to let themselves just be just be gone I'm sorry and that's I think we need to move forward on in education and understanding thank you Nancy for sharing and then we're going to move to the room no yeah no I'm gonna like good evening everyone my name is Ramsey abdala I've been a resident of West waren since 1986 I've served two terms under two different mayors as an HRC commissioner in the past I'd like to start off by saying I've heard a lot of rhetoric so I'm going to address it headon okay first of all the equivocation of what happened in 911 with the United States and what's going on with the Palestinians in Israel is absolutely asinine because it is completely two different different situations you had a foreign entity attack the United States across the globe on its own soil we are talking about an occupation yes it is occupation it has been deemed an occupation by Amnesty International by the UN UN Human Rights Watch it is an occupation I would love for people to understand that the world did not begin on October 7th okay October 7th of 2023 there have been 75 October 7ths of 2023 for the Palestinians for the past 75 plus years that we've endured okay so please do not conflate this that's the second point the third point that I would like to address okay is when we sit here and we talk about Israel exists and you realize that from The River To The Sea means that Israel will not exist anymore funny enough the term from the river to the sea was first said by benguan and by gold of my ear intended to mean that they will conquer everything between the river to the Sea the fact that we have adopted that and taken it back and taken ownership of it and said from The River To The Sea Palestine will be free is a completely different narrative than the one that they proposed initially when they made the statement okay if we're going to move forward we started this commission when I was on it by saying the HRC puts the unity in community and I understand that a lot of people don't understand the political pressure that's placed on this body and that there are constraints and restrictions to how far you can act but the one thing that I will say is your number one objective is to root out Prejudice bias hatred and one-sidedness and I couldn't help but notice that one of the Commissioners sitting at the table's face contort almost in mockery at every statement that was made by somebody who is pro Palestine my suggestion to this body is if we are going to could completely bring unification to Palestine to the Palestinian issue then yes education is needed but not by the terminology by which it was proposed because their terminology of Education means re-education which means programming to believe the narrative and the propaganda strategy that they employed history history is very honest and it's straightforward and as much as you want to contort it as much as you want to massage it and as much as you want to manipulate it it just doesn't work that way and to say that being anti-israel or anti- Zionist is anti-Semitic absolutely not because the one point that you fail to understand and recognize is that Zionism was actually a 19th century movement that was based in Catholicism and Christianity the founder of the wzo Theodore Herzel was an atheist he was not even Jewish yes okay and therefore I know how much you would like to push this agenda of it's a religious War but guess what Palestinians come in all religions shapes sh sizes and colors there's Palestinian Christians Muslims and yes even Palestinian Jewish people that are losing their lives in Gaza and in nais and in Ral and in Jerusalem okay so I would like to say to you please if we're going to talk facts let's talk facts leave the propaganda for the news they do a better a better job at it anyway thank you okay we're going to move to Mo pesi I'm going to ask you to unmute yourself mic check can you guys hear me yes excellent masam no pesi Brooklyn New York ironically enough I saw a lot of people talking about 911 I'm a first responder that's me in the background purposely wore that and I purposely made sure to wear my free Palestine t-shirt I believe the speaker before me laid out a couple of facts and with all due respect I don't like to talk from an emotional perspective because I don't think emotions uh really employ a lot of the critical thinking that is essential to lead a government particularly a local community so let's talk facts fact number one invoking October the 7th is like watching a season of Game of Thrones thinking you understand the entire character and narrative base the story and the plot doesn't begin on October the 7 it begins when the Palestinian territory was usurped from the Palestinians and yes it was colonized let's talk facts it is it is ridiculous to ask a Palestinian to defend their victimization or to tiptoe around how they want to employ the vernacular which emphasizes their colonization I guess a lot of us must not be familiar with the story of Nat Turner Nat Turner was deemed a terrorist Nat Turner murdered 55 to 65 white people in order to escape bondage and free the people that he was enslaved by of which the majority were women and children to the white slavers Nat Turner was a terrorist but to the black folks in which he broke the bondage of slavery he was their freedom fighter now you don't have to like the facts and sometimes the facts make you uncomfortable but the facts don't change the Palestinians should not have to be held accountable or be Representatives or spokesman for Hamas and Anyone who puts people under that pressure to be a representative or a spokesperson for Hamas quite honestly is not only being disingenuous they're spreading propaganda and when you hear rhetoric being employed against the Palestinian people and Muslim people categorically and referring to them as you Gods well we heard this narrative before people of color have always heard this narrative before that's like asking the black community to be a spokesman for the Bloods or Crips or any type of cruel gang affiliation what you should be doing is listening with an authentic ear holistically and trying to ascertain what are you doing wrong and why can't you understand them it is not their job to understand you for 75 to almost 80 years they have been the ones that needed to be peaceful needed to be listening needed to be quiet needed to be uh victimized and told that if they speak out the weaponization of the term anti-semitic is constantly thrown at them why is that where have we gone as a society that we claim to be so woke but yet we can't have a basic conversation that should have been had 80 years ago and I don't know who this person is that you guys are talking about but quite honestly I look at it like this if one person truly wants to be a leader and you know that you are falling short of fulfilling that obligation a true leader will step down a true leader who cares about their Community will look invertedly at themselves and say well clearly I'm not fulfilling the obligation for my entire Community if they're feeling this way a real leader knows when to step up but also knows when to step down but more so I've heard nothing on here but rhetoric rhetoric after rhetoric after rhetoric let me tell you a little bit about 911 thank 911 is absolutely nothing like SE OCT well thank you I'm gonna move to someone in the room thank you for sharing and didn't know if you guys thought know the this is we' amended the agenda to public forum to allow people to speak during public comment um so that's where we're at so we're at the public comment of allowing a safe space um for people to speak and express the things that need to be expressed and then hopefully looking at ways I know there's a lot of things that have been suggested so looking at ways to move the community forward do we have any one out of hand raised in the room I think no I'm gonna do room online okay so name okay my name is ibraim I've lived in West Orange for almost 30 years I love the diversity of this town that's why my wife and I stayed here and raised three children I am Palestinian a proud Palestinian yes it is genocide what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinian people is genocide 15,000 lives dead is genocide half of them children is genocide I'll repeat is genocide okay hate has no home here this is West AR's motor right well it's sad to say that it does live here it lives on the Facebook account that the newly appointed commission model the Facebook group that group that also Bears our Town's name and zip code West Orange 07052 this group incites hate intimidation and bullying anyone that comments on that group that is not in line with their agenda Qui is quickly attacked and harassed as of recent there were calls for doxing the children because they were planning a walk out of the high school excite their right of free speech through this face group Facebook group they were calls to identify and hurt each children our children West Orange children I understand that the FBI and West Orange police are involved and will be identifying or have already identifi the people committing this crime however these attacks continue today as they can't get over the peaceful March that students were able to pull off I am so proud of them you all should be too they are smart and articulate I repeat they are smart and articulate these are your children these are West orang children I chuckle I chuckle every time I think about it they the people on Facebook are reeling with anger and hate and and and give hate towards these children some of the comments read how dare they do this in this town especially this town this new commissioner has done nothing to moderate this Facebook Facebook group she herself has violated every rule that's stated in this group she allows people people to be harassed and bullied she allows islamophobia and racism if she can't moderate her own group how could she adhere to the requirements of the human relations commission maybe she'll just break them like she does with her own group I respectfully ask that the mayor and the commission reconsider their choice as doesn't work well with the values that West orang holds clear if she can't moderate a simple Facebook group how could she serve on the commission she goes against the commission's purpose of fostering understanding and cooperation among all groups she's the but not the right candidate for the commission please reconsider her nomination and pick someone who truly represents West AR thank you all right we're going move to suara I know you're you were next I'm GNA ask you to unmute Samara did we lose her she's there can you hear me yes we can hear now I um I'm I thought that this meeting was going to follow the agenda and now I see that it is supposed to be a safe PA a safe place this week to discuss the same things we spoke about last month so I'm following along and I'm listening but more more than more than anything else I hear interspersed with a lot of concerns valid concerns from some of our our Palestinian neighbors and friends and our Muslim neighbors and Friends Along with our Jewish neighbors and Israeli neighbors and Friends concerns in regards to how our commissioners are maneuvering I'm concerned that now all attacks are being focused on the Commissioners I'm not sure I'm not positive who is running the Facebook page and I say that simply because I'm not on Facebook so please forgive me that I am not on and have never been for the I can't say never I'm blocked from Facebook because I locked myself out for quite a bit quite some time now I'm only on the the Instagram but and I say the Instagram the kids make fun of me but I'm confused as to why each and every person who has gotten on has made it their business to Target the commissioners as if you don't do do our our members in this town not understand that each of the eight Commissioners are chosen by your council members do you know how we get seats we're not elected we're not elected officials each of your council members who you do elect council members who you vote for Council Members choose two Commissioners and from those Commissioners you you do understand that we don't wield power right we have been here and we're appointed and we do the tasks that are assigned to us which usually come about I mean literally the grunt work which usually comes about throughout the year and we do it lovingly we volunteer thank you Natasha because I've been sitting here quietly listening we do it loving we we go to our day work we give of our we take away from our children and our and our families and we give back to the community and this is this is the most turnout I have seen in the over a year or a year now that I've been here not one of you not one of you have I seen turn up for any other event any other crisis have I seen this room full ever in the year that I have sat as a commissioner thank you Samar move to someone in the room I didn't see a hand I've been on the lookout for you okay hi my name is a um I'm a new West president I just want to say I didn't get a Lo package about this meeting happening um and I think that people who live in this town do have a right to express how they should be governed and I understand that it might come off as though we're targeting uh one commissioner but if it is hate speech that they're producing I do think that is something that concerns me um and also I think that the Facebook group should be shut down you know just from hearing hearing what's happening like you know I'm catching up I think if it's that bad I know that people might not be on Facebook I know that um social media is not real life but even our kids people are online they are receiving information online we're talking about rhetoric misinformation there's a lot of stuff that goes on online I think if it's causing all these issues that we should call for the Facebook page um to be shut down but also I don't think people are wrong for pointing out somebody and I think that you all should be more upset about that rather than saying that we're just tin toing somebody so just wanted to say [Music] that um we're going to go back to online I have Google Google pixel 6A if you want to unmute hi this is Rachel can you hear me yes um hi so uh I was asked to join this meeting um just to offer a different perspective but I'm not exactly sure what is um being being asked of the HRC right now um I would I would agree with those who are upset about things that were post on the zero on the West Orange Facebook page um regarding doxing children um and I myself are not I'm not on Facebook um as of now I took I'm taking a break um I I welcome you know pointed criticism and specific um valid arguments uh against hate speech um now that being said I don't think the same is being reciprocated from people who are quote unquote on the other side and obviously by that uh I mean if if if someone is saying you're being anti-semitic maybe you should take a step back and ask why instead of just telling us that we're you know full of like I mean be humble like just listen nobody listens to us um you know you you live in a town where 8% or so of the citizens happen to be Jewish um maybe you should listen to us when um when we're hurt and and when we're trying to communicate that um as far as the quote unquote one-sided narrative and propaganda uh you can't just like take history and facts and label pieces of it as propaganda just because you don't like it um you know history is what it is it's it's it's not arguable so um if we don't have the same set of facts we cannot communicate with each other and we can't move forward if everything I say you think is propaganda then we're never going to get we're never going to get past this it's very upsetting um I had no idea how hateful people in this town were after October 7th um seeing the the vital online uh and just the complete display of no regard for the humanity of the Jewish people who live in this town um it's been very upsetting and you know if you guys have pointed valid specific criticisms of the Israeli government the military the horrible air strikes in P in Gaza that none of us want then say that but you lead with hatred and you delegitimize Israel and you delegitimize Jews and our experience and you use our own experience like the Holocaust and a real genocide against us look at the word genocide in the dictionary it's an intentional killing of an entire group of people because you want to get rid of them you don't want them to exist anymore anymore please stop using that term about an unfortunate War thank you thank you Rachel um in the room I'm gonna we have one more person online and then we will I'll take if there anyone in the room that's looking to other than the commissioner other than the commission but anyone else so I have one two two more people in the room so I'll do the one person online and then we'll go to the two in the room and then um move to some commissioner speaking and next steps mov forward is I have another Rachel Rachel hery that's not the same Rachel that spoke if Rachel hery if you want to unmute here I am do you hear me yes okay so yeah I'm sorry I wasn't at this meeting I had no idea also I am not on Facebook so I don't know the particulars of that page but I do take objection to the person who was speaking um again taking rhetoric from what happened to the Jews by the Nazis and using that anti-jewish rhetoric to accuse the Jews is deadly wrong and unfair unprofessional and ironic wouldn't you say we were literally subject to genocide six million people killed in gas Chambers for no reason except they're being Jewish and any of the casualties in Gaza right now were because Hamas is putting tunnels under hospitals is using human Shields you cannot blame the Jews for what Kamas is doing you say free Palestine well Palestine historically was called Israel there was a king of Palestine quote unquote his name was King David and he built a temple where the Muslims now have their Temple right on top of where our Temple was like in 300 BC before Christ at these marches these are full of hate it was not appropriate in the name of the West Orange School to cut school and go in March and say Jews should die Israel should be killing killed from River to I don't even know the phrase but you say it all the time um Palestine really never existed it was Israel a Roman the Romans if people would know history the Romans captured Israel and were very much against any religion and because they believed in the body and stuff like that not God to eradicate the religion they renamed Israel Palestine it's not a real name of the land it's what some Roman person named it I would also say that all of Jordan was in that area called Palestine and I don't know about Gaza to tell you the truth if it was even part of Palestine but everyone's marching free Palestine meaning either all of Israel are not clear why G is involved in this moreover Israel is not a paride there are numerous Supreme Court judges um Prime Ministers not prime ministers in the parliament you didn't have that in South Africa so it seems to me that the worst of the rhetoric is just being thrown at the Jews all of a sudden we're Nazis all of a sudden we are South Africa when you have in our Congress the equivalent of Congress ared parties of equal status so it's lies and I object as a resident of this town thank you for sharing okay I had two people in the room and then we'll move to and then Mo to commissioner forward I know you had your hand raised and someone not you had your hand raised I hate pointing I'm like I didn't know okay um I don't know whose hand was first so first I want to thank uh uh this the city of West Orange uh for the opportunity I've had to work with the students in the district and for also um opening up a space for me to come for from the projects where I live 10 minutes down the road and being able to come downtown and see all the pro the fabric of the residents and everyone that plays a role so that people like me can come from something a little bit more a little more headache to a little bit more peaceful um I guess I just want to begin by asking if the Israel flag is still um flying outside one of the outside of the the government building one of the main government buildings in the city and what that means for everyone involved in this issue I think just hearing what everyone is saying I think my initial reaction is that working people whether Arab Jewish Mexican like myself or wherever we're from we have no Nations and that is is what history demonstrates to us again and again we're able to see through this racist and imperialist atrocity that is the that is using religion and nationalism and racism to divide both Israeli and Arab workers to kill to kill to disregard to hate both sides and it's for to prop up a new set of of fosses a lot of us who are here with the intent of supporting those who are receiving the bigger blowback which is all these Palestinian Palestinian lives are being ignored and those of us who also in some way are not communicating it this way but also has to be said that the Jewish state has betrayed Jewish workers by helping the US after World War II be able to be the genocidal Force within the the racist division inside of the US of the working class and of the international working class across the world pal Hamas the Palestinian Authority is is no better in the sense of Hamas taxing 60% of what comes in and what Palestinian working th people do the danger that we face is between choosing a lesser evil new set of bosses that haven't showed their potential in dominating a new working class in a new nation choosing between them and a more dangerous and imperialist back ruling class in Israel the danger for me is seeing last night in the news that because of of this conflict in Israel venezuel the the local bses in Venezuela want to start another conflict with Guyana this is the RO to World War II we don't have to choose one boss one set of bosses or another we can choose our class and that and and in fighting to have that bigil is not saying the same thing I'm saying it's not the same lth it's not working class Unity but it has a kernel of it and the most revolutionary thing we can do as workers is reject the misleadership of the HRC if they're not willing to fight for us to unite around that Unity thank you okay um sorry I'm not good at at speaking in front of anybody but um my name is Alex Bross uh I'm 28 and I've lived in West Orange for uh all 28 years and um and I just want to say as a as a Jew living in West Orange um I'm honestly a little a little shocked at I mean I I I knew anti-Semitism existed and I just I I didn't I didn't think it was this outspoken this open I'm just I'm very surprised and um I I just want to say that I've been to more than four four or five rallies for Israel since October 7th and at every rally me and my Jewish community members my Jewish brothers and sisters we come together and we cry and we pray and we sing and we mourn the losses that we just endured we don't we don't call for anybody's death no no Palestinian no Jew no no nobody we we don't come together and talk about how evil the other side is we come together and we Embrace each other because of our pain and we we we come together and we unite because we're feeling so alone and I've I've been I've been to Israel multiple times right I don't know how many of you have actually been to Israel and have walked around Israel and have walked to the cotel the Western Wall walking through the Christian quarters and the Muslim quarters and walking up to the wall and seeing a Jew wearing AA and jeans next to an Israeli soldier next to a rabbi next to a Muslim woman next to of every every different denomination you can think of just living as one living peacefully living together with each other not hating each other not hurting each other just living and coexisting this exists I can promise you I I don't know this as a fact but I can promise you I can promise you from the bottom of my heart that if you go and try and go to Gaza you will not find a single Jew at least not alive one you're not going to find one in Gaza we can't we couldn't if we wanted to we couldn't even go and visit we would be killed immediately so I just I want I I wish my one wish for all of you is to go to Israel you can you can we are so welcoming of everybody you can go there are there are grants if you're Christian if you're Muslim you're welcome to come and see for yourself not true as a Palestinian I can okay I'm a I want I want to thank everyone for you guys come and it's your time it's not you're not paid to be here it's your time you guys are residents we all are residents um for the commissioner they're volunteering their time the same way I know last month's meeting um it was very it was populated a lot with our Israeli and Jewish residents um and one of the things that I said at that meeting is come to more HRC meetings don't just come when something then happens let's come and find ways to bring each other together throughout the entire year not just when something happens are we then reactive as a community and trying to bring parts of our community together it's a meeting that happens once a month that is volunteers everyone's volunteering their time it's an hour and a half that we usually have the meetings and then there hours outside within that week that everyone is committing to try to do something and the more representatives from every Community then shows within the work that the HRC can do so it's very important to this not just be the only meeting that you show up for it's a continuation of meetings to show up and make sure that your voice is heard the same way and in regards to the post and then the repost in if there's there's working with the HRC on a post that supports Palestinian loss but does not hurt another group of people and that's what it should be a combin b and we worked with leaders within the Israel Community to find something where it didn't hurt where the words or whatever said isn't just things reposted and it hurts them in the same way you know we're here if you're like let me come and let my voice and we combine and we work with the Commissioners there's a post that can be made in regards to flag raisings flag raisings are not by the township they're not by HRC we support if someone calls on the HRC to support a flag raising we're there to support it but they are done by community members that come and volunteer their time and get their group and they work and they raise money and things like that I do the Haitian flag raising every year I started the first month I found community members that were Haitian that came and we came together and we raised money and we put the program together and we go to the town and ask them for the date and things like that but it's not and the HRC is not the one that came to me I went to First the township and then and time partnered with the HRC but it's important to not your voice is able to be heard and doesn't need to be siphoned but if showing up at the things are important expressing what's the best way for this is a great space expressing the best way for us to support you um and to support each other because it it shouldn't be where we need to tear one group down to bring up another group we need to be able to support each group and it's hard it's it's emotionally hard for everyone that's involved that something's impacting them and it and it could be directly happening within your family um so it it it's a very it's a very linear space going to open up the space for Commissioners to speak this isn't to be and as for Commissioners it's not a space I don't want it to be defending but more or less so let's speak to ways of healing and moving forward I know a lot of things mentioned today were you know Interfaith peace visuals healing circles educational SE sessions even mentioning those things it's important to then come back and say can I volunteer for one of these things cuz I can't lead a Palestinian educational Circle or session but if someone's like I you know I can I want to be in this group that puts this together let's get a group together and let's commit do subcommittees and have a group come together that has representatives from many different facets that can express and educate the community so then it's not one-sided but it's important to show up and be here um same things with healing circles and Interfaith peace vigil it's important to just everyone to be involved on all sides of it um in order for us to move forward so again I'm going to open up to the Commissioners that want to speak and and wanted to be in a space of moving forward in positive ways um so we can open it up I don't know if I have any Commissioners that are on Zoom if you guys want to raise your hands and what I'll do is I'll first open it up to the Commissioners in the room if you guys want to I don't know no Joyce yeah I just um I'm glad I'm I'm really glad that we we're having this session I am a commissioner and I've been a commissioner for um quite some time I was appointed by councilwoman uh Tammy Williams I think it's very important for people to understand how you become a commissioner and if anyone has an OB objection to a particular commissioner stance go to the person who appointed them because our chair didn't appoint us we didn't appoint each other so that's the first you know tactic or strategy if you're unhappy with anything I say go to commissioner Williams and let her know you're unhappy don't come to my brother and sister Commissioners because they didn't appointment that's the first thing in terms of procedure I think you need to be procceed Ed Al correct if you have something you want to say or something you want to get done secondly we came up with from hearing last month and this month we know that there are positions and there are two sides to every story and I've heard people say no there's only one side no there's only one side but there are two sides and I think we have to be cognizant of it but there's one flag outside let me you would let me finish it's not an interrupt moment don't don't interrupt because we're not debating we're not combating with each other because I have I was gonna get to the flag so just give me a moment um if you will okay so as I said there are two sides and we have to as residents as Commissioners as humanitarians as people of knowledge and goodwi we have to listen to to both sides and anybody that says there's only one side I personally Joyce Harley commissioner believe they are dead wrong there are two sides there have been losses and disproportionate losses on both sides you heard the number today 15,000 Palestinians 14400 Israelis in the minds of most people that is hugely disproportionate we've heard that the Palestinians elected Hamas well let me tell you America elected Donald Trump and I would hate to be tagged with that atrocity that's my personal opinion that's my personal opinion anybody doesn't like it go to council Willam and let him know you didn't like what he said okay so please please please do that I welcome that because I can defend anything I have to say been to Israel twice I have well I'm not debating I'm not look please I'm not debating anybody I'm pcing my I know you are I heard you say that but you're you're you know what you are out of order I am speaking I have the floor I've been recognized by you're looking at me no I'm not looking at you I'm just looking am I looking at you I'm sorry no I was I'm looking around the room I'm looking around the room so no and if I look at you do not take it personally I'm looking around the room and I'm also visually impaired so I don't really know who I'm looking no everybody knows it I'm working on I'm visually impa I have a disability so um I've been to Israel I've been to Israel twice I went on missions with my church a Christian Church a Baptist church and we saw in our group what was going on so I have a certain um um uh understanding of where everybody is coming from and I think we as the HRC have an obligation to address through the means that everybody has stated here you know different things that you heard our chair said if you want to be in educational Circle we need to hear the education on both sides we need to hear the history on both sides we need to do the the um the vigils on both sides with respect to the flag you heard our chair she's absolutely correct if you want a flag raised you come to the town you let us know what you want to do we have never turned down any organization or any people's flag raising idea I don't think we've heard about a flag raising I supported the flag raising for juneth came to the town with the NAACP guess what the flag was raised so do not believe that a decision has been made to curtail the flag raising of any group or organization or Nation we don't do that we recognize and respect and with respect to Facebook I am in an international boycott of Facebook I joined the international boycott because of all the disinformation misinformation and ugliness that came out in Facebook so I don't know what's been posted the uh boycott ends allegedly December 31st but guess what if they ask me to join and they continue it I'll stay in it because of disinformation and hatred that's posted I've not seen the Facebook page that people have have made oh sorry I want yeah I W to made reference to okay yeah I'm gonna do that's I haven't seen it um and I just think I'm sorry if I thank you and Amy Maria I um I'd like to thank everybody for welcoming me so warmly to the commission um and um I'm here and I'm going to be here um I have work to do and nothing that has been said tonight warrants my that nothing I've ever done warrants my not being on this committee and I'm honored and grateful councilwoman Scarpa for appointing me to this who appointed you counc woman scarped um and my opinions my thoughts my beliefs what I know to be facts are well known I've stated them and publicly here at the last meeting before I was appointed I spoke of them again at the Town council meeting last week I very clearly um and multiple times um denounced the was not my post I am not taking responsibility for anybody's words but mine and I just want to make that very very clear to everybody whether it be in person or on Facebook the only person's words who I have to be responsible for are mine that's it okay and I stand by things that I have said and if you want to come at me on things that I have said I prefer a dialogue I welcome that I will sit down with you I will discuss with you we maybe can learn from each other that would be really great so I do welcome that okay I Facebook's a flawed thing we all know it's a flawed thing we all get emotional sometimes and we all kind of jump in on something whatever just I I let post go through so that Gia can get her cupcakes sold or whatever is having whatever Drive I send whatever through that's I'm not monitoring every single post it's not my job to well it's a volunteer job I just so that you can all kind of find a handyman I you know and what goes on that I might put participated goes on because I have a voice just like you that said my job here is different and I actually owe you a bit of an apology which I had said when you done okay when you post and then somebody comes at you as far as an HRC that you represent an HRC and I said that before I was appointed and so when I was asked to appoint I said well I don't want to be a hypocrite here okay and so I don't want to be a hypocrite here but when I'm on okay I will and so I I apologize I speak for me I will consult and and i' I've since learned a lesson and so I'm publicly apologizing to you for what I said last time okay and so I just want to make that all clear but my stance is is that I support I Am pro Israel without a doubt I am a Jew I am here as a representative of West Orange I do represent everybody but I'm also representative of the Jewish Community thank you um M um yeah Susan um yeah I'll go yeah as councilwoman please um to say thank you for taking the appointment I know it was a very courageous thing for you to do and I ask Amy to sit on this committee because I thought at this difficult time it's so important to hear her voice I think it's been so important to get someone from the asan Comm committee to get someone from ining committee I think it's very important for us to hear every everybody from every part of our of our Township it's important for someone of all different cultures to and you know it's the committee is to has a mission of bringing this Township and I'd like to see that happen I mean my mother always told me you catch more flies of Toney than and I think if we're going to really understand one another I think the more even tempered and respectful we could be of one another even we despise what the person is saying I think the more understanding will be thank you Mar um thank you to everyone who who were here today it's very sad situation we all understand as Joyce mentioned we is always two side of the story we need to be educated because we know the people we know our neighbors but we don't know what is the culture and you know I respect that because I'm a foreigner and you know Peru but maybe you don't know how was how I was educated and how you you all were educated um first of all you know I always think about respect we need to respect each one of us we are different each one of us have a different point of view and we need to you know respect each other it's not only respect we have to bring all the community together as you know as I give my time because I really love to give my time to the community you all have to give the time because I would like to learn about your community I would like to be involved in order to bring the community together Palestinians Israel everybody you know because that's the only way our community will be you know free of hate be hated or feel isolated this is what we have to do work together in order to put the time you a young adult you know let us know how do you feel about you know being isolated what do you want to share about your culture same thing with the ussh community you know this is what we have to do work together in order to see this community improve and BR to come together so every flag can be raised I you know it's I understand how do you feel I feel the same way many years ago but I say you know okay so how do I'm going to know that I'm exist in this community I have to step out and say you know okay next year I'm going to raise the Peruvian Flag on July 28th sen we have to do that we have to talk we need to communicate we are here HRC it's a diverse Community we have unity and respect we have to come together and do the best that we can in order to bring this community together and you know we have to support each other that's the only thing so hello everyone um I am Tanisha lemons I am a newly appointed commissioner um first want to say thank you for everyone who came out tonight to educate us and to voice your opinions on everything that's taking place um this was supposed to be a time f for us to introduce the new Commissioners and um for you all to get to know us um but I I do think it's very important that I let you all know my stance and um my purpose of joining and I think it has been said multiple times um but for me the main goal is is Unity um and to bring our community together um I think it's very important that we stay focused on West Orange Community I think it's very important that we respect everyone in this community and as someone who has experience um hatred personally I understand how it can be to walk in your own community and not feel safe and that bothers me um so for everyone who vo their opinions both sides in terms of feeling hurt feeling unharmed or feeling unsafe um it it it really bothers me um and as a commissioner my main goal is to make sure that we focus on bringing us together and making sure that our community is not undivided um and that's one thing I do not want to see I do not want to see our community fighting each other or blaming one another and I just want everyone to feel safe and to be able to enjoy our neighbor Hood um and I just want us to remember that and we shouldn't forget that main purpose is to make sure that all individuals are heard everyone is respected and everyone feels safe um and that's all I would like to say for right now um but yep thank you and I'm I'm happy to be a commissioner and I look forward to working with everyone thank you and then we have two Commissioners online um currently if you want to unmute yourself oh hi um first I just want to say thank you to everyone um I I listened um listening to what everybody had to say the first thing that came to mind is I agree we do need an education for me I have to say honestly we listened to um the meeting last month we listen to today and and and it has been quite an education for me really an education uh and I think that we have a responsibility to educate everybody in the right way because as we have all mentioned here social media is not necessarily the best educational tool um and and I as a parent of of young adults and high schooler I'm very mindful of the education they're getting on social media so as a commissioner my goal here is to make sure we have education and first let me just say the I'm I'm really I know everybody's talking about West Orange and maybe some disappointment but it is really a privilege that we could have this conversation that we still have a forum regardless of the fact that we don't necessarily agree everybody here is allowed to respectfully Express themselves and that in itself is a privilege so I applaud West Orange and the council for facilitating these conversations I'm going to be um to be quite transparent when last time and this time when I came in I thought we were going to have our agenda with you know what the coun what the the the Commissioners had planned to discuss in terms of upcoming activities however the everybody was flexible to be able to allow for these conversations and I think what's going to get us to where we need to be is to continue having conversations it may not have to be during the commission's time so we may have to facilitate conversations and and and zoom is a great Forum because it allow people to um if they don't feel safe yet they can keep them themselves off however we just have to know we have to control it respectfully but it is a good thing that West orang facilitates that type of conversation and allows everybody to express and learn so I know we've talked about education and nothing really seemed to happen between that time and not so the council Commissioners can meet and figure out if we can facilitate some conversations that would allow for education so somebody who is really knowledgeable a subject matter expert we might have to get subject matter experts to really educate us um and the community because whether you're Jewish Palestinian whatever it is the rest of us are also getting an education I'm neither Jewish or Palestinian but it has been very educational for me at this point in time and I would like to see how we can spread the education proper education that is so one of the things I would like the the Commissioners to take forward is just how we going to facilitate education right education of everyone and then people can come in and listen respectfully but let's not I want the value here to be that a that we are fortunate to be in a town where we have these forums available and we can try to work we're starting at probably polar opposite but there's an opportunity to come together so thank you for everybody who educated me even the negative information is an education in and of itself if you take it properly so I just want to say that and as a commissioner I am still committed to helping us to get to where we see each other as one human race thank you because we are humans thanks and then um n Natasha if you want to unmute um I'm going to stay off camera because for whatever reason when my camera's on um it distracts you for the uh internet connection sorry so first of all I'd like to say thank you like all of my uh colleagues have said thank you all of you for coming I've been volunteering um I am a commissioner newly appointed um but I've been volunteering with the HRC since 2021 and this is the first time that I've seen as many people on um in a meeting um and it was nice to see and though the circumstances were not as nice to see but I was pleasantly um surprised to see such numbers in one meeting so I as I listen to everyone this evening and as a long-standing resident who has raised three children in this beautiful town and I continue to raise you know them I sit here as someone who believes in the power of um Peace and Reconciliation right in this instance in the context of the ongoing conflict with uh Israel and Palestine um and you know I have friends on both sides and it's easy for us to get caught up in the narratives and the divisions but we must you know as a community I think it's so incumbent upon us to remember that the ultimate goal is not victory for one side but a lasting and just peace for everyone right the issue faced by Jews Muslims or Arabs in this conflict are not endemic to just our community this is not just West Orange going through this because I've heard people say well I've lived in this town for so long and I'm disappointed there's anti-semitic there's anti-muslim there's anti- this it's not just here anywhere we go this conflict is there and so the pain the loss aspirations for a better future are Universal right in and it's in this univers universality of human experience that should bind us together as a community in our Pursuits for peace right peace and Reconciliation require it requires difficult conversations and concessions from all parties and that you know this is not just a you know a solution for uh Palestine Israel it's any human relation right it means a in the pain the loss on both sides right while working towards a future where both Israelis and Palestinians and all of the West Orange Community can coexist in Harmony and security respect prosperity and just love for each other thank you Natasha two seconds two seconds please as a community let's let's let us be the voices and let's be the leaders for other communities you know because I know we can this community in West Orange is a vibrant we've coexisted for so long Jews Muslims Africans blacks Caribbeans whatever you name it we've coexisted we're a diverse community and we've coexisted so I think it's incumbent upon us and I'm ready I've been ready I you know and I think that I speak for the entire commission when I say that we are ready to help and to be part of this unity and this love and this you know pursuit of peace and acknowledgment of pain because it's pain that's causing all of this frustration and all of this you know what we what we perceive as hate it's pain thank you Natasha let me um one I do want to I know we're past time but if the Commissioners can stay a little bit long just so we can go through some of the housekeeping things moving forward um I know a lot of people in the room shared different um suggestions called suggestions suggestions on things that we can do if you're still in the room or online and you're interested in being part of a subcommittee that works on creating an Interfaith peace vigil please you know write your name email address and phone number and put that that's what you're interested in being a part of if you're if you feel that you're more called to be part of a healing Circle put that like you would want to be on a subcommittee that helps organize things like that if you're in an expert within an educational session and creating that space please put you know name email address and that is a area of focus that you would like to focus on so that we can have someone from the commission reach out and begin to put these subcommittees together and we'll open it up you know on Facebook like these are subcommittees that we're looking to draw people to be a part of so that we can get a group of people on and working on things that will begin to move us forward so if those are things that you're interested in being a part of um definitely please you know if you're on Zoom um put your name email address and which group that you are part of you want to create the groups or you want to create the groups no we'll create the groups but put which group that you're interested and then someone on the commission will get we'll figure it out from our end and then if you're in the room if you're interested in one of the groups we can um let Tamisha know and which one and then we'll make sure that we get that down so that we can begin to create those subcommittees that then can move those pieces forward and I'd like to add one one other thing because a number of people have mentioned flag raising if you have a desire for your flag to be raised let us know it's not us who supposed to know hold on let the town when I say us let the town know and then we get involved because it comes it comes to us to help facilitate making it happen but let's make sure that we don't leave anybody's flag out because when you fly one flag and not another that does send a potentially negative signal okay thank you um that will close public comment and then we'll move on to the area thank you that we'll move on to the areas of the of the agenda um we accepted the meetings we did a brief introduction to our new commissioner um I definitely want to give you guys this space moving forward to um you know I as to me you opened up with a little on why you're part of the commission things like that so we'll get back to that um I do want to recognize one of the things that you know we go into business on things that we've done sometimes everyone doesn't see but um suara are you still on the line Zar I cannot see okay well don don I know you worked really closely with her if you want to just talk about the HRC and the back to school backpack drive that was organized and how many backpacks yeah how many backpacks were given um through the HR with school supplies already in them and the other things that were given so originally we planned on doing the back to school um book drive solo we were going to just do it ourselves but then when um councilwoman um Tammy Tammy Williams had um put a mental health Forum together we joined forces with her um we did was we had 100 I think 150 book bags was our goal um where we asked different people in the community to make contributions um whether it was book bags pencils pens whatever it was to make sure that we had enough supplies for those 150 bags the day of the event we had um donations of book bags supplies um bikes scooters you know everything that we wanted to make our children in the community um was able to receive um at the end we had maybe 15 book bags left and they were donated to um a local school I'm not sure which one but they were given to that school overall um the event was well received all the children were very happy um and it was something that we've been vision visioning visioning for a while and thanks to um West sence Council and everyone who was a part of that it made it even more of a success um we don't know what next year will look like but we're hoping to do it again um and just make sure that maybe we'll not double our bags but make sure that every person who comes in the door um does get something we had a total 150 bags was our goal um we had 15 bags left I don't know where they went but they 15 bags went in elementary school so that if any kid came to school and they still didn't have their supplies yet or needed it that the school can just give them a bag that already had star when did this ende start this huh when did this endeavor effort start this it started over the summer and then the event was in September the event was in September and everyone gave the backpacks and stuff Facebook so much I don't know how I'm so it was it was part of it was part of the health and wellness there but um but we were still able to supply a lot of kids and you know kids won bicycles and things like that so it's just in the sense moving forward we're able to then Supply more kids and that's another thing with diversity it's not just racial it's also understanding our social economic that even though we're all in West Orange we still have different social economic classes no I'm saying like di diversity inclusion people always go it's like just race but we also have to go into like race literature economic class and we have to make sure we hit all those targets so I think the book back Drive definitely hit that socioeconomic Target that we have to realize just because we're in West Orange there are some people that are in town that they may not have been able to get a book bag or pencils and crayons for their kids so it's like it's good when we do come up with those initiatives that hit the different Dei spectrums so that we're you know our our net goes our net goes wider um so it's yeah Beyond just our FL everything it's like our net can go wider when we think about the different areas of Dei and what we can do that can then impact it directly um we have I I know we have four four new Commissioners so I don't know if you guys I know Natasha received it I would have to send it out to Tamisha Amy and I know and Ronald received it so Tamisha and Amy I do have to send you guys the survey but um for Martin Luther King we do annually we do a Martin Luther King celebration um on the Monday of Martin Luther King and we've held it at the Life chistian Church West Orange High School and Liberty Middle School um and I'm going to send you guys a survey there's a subcommittee that works and put together some names and they have a list of people that should be receiving what is the word called um the potential honores yeah the honores who we honor we usually honor three to five people so it's I think there's a list of six people um things that they have done their West Orange resident what they've done and um why they've been picked and then just if you fill out that survey that then allows the subcommittee to narrow who to be picked get Awards made for them and also there's the there's a guest speaker suggestion on there so if you can either agree or and and the space is open if you have a different suggestion and want to put a reason why someone should be the guest speaker at this event the space is there to also submit additional names so it's not only it's to hear your voice but we have you know the subcommittees are made so it's not always everybody 13 they come back and they can give a report which I'm GNA pass on to Don to just give an update on the entire subun thank you so much Elizabeth for not letting me speak thank you I appreciate it just one one one question um we had closed public comment after our last speaker Rachel John I do know that you did want to speak but if I reopen up the zoom for everyone to speak I didn't want to not allow 49 other people to speak but you are definitely like I emailed you sent you the message you can definitely email your sentence um to the HRC or you could have shared it and we could have shared it within this meeting um but Don do you want to give um a subcommittee or Jo just one one qu one one thing for the new members um as you know we're already practically in December so once you get the survey please let us know as quickly as possible because we have to confirm the speakers and confirm the honores and their presence so if you could just look at it immediately and get back that would be very very helpful to the subcommittee send it it's I'm in I'm in I don't want you to Don as Don does her yeah want you to know to do it immediately I got thank you so my we had a we had a meeting um on November 6 um it was myself Elizabeth Maria Patricia Colin and some volunteers are not available so if anyone is interested in joining the the subcommittee you can let me know now so that when we have our next meeting you can be a part of that um so and it's volunteers and Commissioners that are part of if you're interested in helping organize the Martin Luther King event um you know put it in the chat or in the room just let us know right so this year's theme well next year's theme for 2024 is living the dream it starts with me spreading hope courage and unity so that's going to be the theme for 2024 for the MLK um so the honores do I mention the honor I can't secret right um so um Colin do you want to speak on the video that we going to be compiling together do you have an update for that okay so what we thought we would do was um because we've done so many different events and activities and supported different communities in the town we thought that we would put a video together to compile what we do so that way if if anyone hasn't been a part of an event they can actually see what the HRC has represented throughout the 2023 year um we have multiple pictures um everything everything that we've done will be on this video it'll be a five minute video but it'll have everyone um you know and everything that we've done um what else I can't mention certain things so I got to wait for that um as far as tabling um Joyce you're going to follow up with that piece where the library right yes in the past we've had such tremendous cooperation from our librarian and what we'll do is have a representative from the library put out books and information about things that are related to Dr King right and as far as the the um securing the location have we made any progress with that we're in email communication with the superintendent and things like that to get that location and we still have food services so once we we'll know it's either going to be the high school or Liberty so both have been asked and we'll see what's available based on their availability okay so it's one event that we had I think it was juneth we had the senior steers was it Jun silver steppers silver steppers so Pat is going to look into seeing if we can have them at our event and hopefully they can join forces with the step team at the high school so that way they'll be a little bit more um entertained yeah the idea of the event is where in the subcommittee has is to look at every age group and making sure that every age group can be represented um at the event so if someone does know someone at the elementary school we are looking you know to combine with the elementary school our teachers and seeing if they want to do a display of art from the you know from the elementary school and have them be available I know that I I know we saw at roselt they have a Poetry Club if there are students you know two or three students that they would want to recommend and getting them involved so it's looking at each school and seeing the best way to get them involved so that each age is sort of represented throughout the community and no one feels like oh well it's only for the kids or it's only for the adults every age should be representative we all live here and um we're all able to be a part of the event so if there's suggestions or thoughts you know again it's volunteers and Commissioners that and the Commissioners are volunteers but it's everyone that comes together in order to make the event and more hands make for light work so if you know something or like oh I have a connection with so and so expressing that information then allows okay we don't have to go searching we're able to then get another group or area involved in order to create a really impactful event last year's event turned out a little bit over 300 people the more that we keep going and the more people that get involved and give ideas it helps to grow the number so that it means even more so the main thing is right now is for the Commissioners to vote and then we'll be able to move forward okay so yeah so I will open your phone do it now no no you don't have to do it but but do it do it with end of the week and then anyone that doesn't that vot's not in I can help you if you're in the house I can help you now and then we can move forward we're voting for people who are vo yes are they already pre-chosen they are there's a group that's been pre-selected and the reason why um that they where they go with what the theme of the event is so no writing can you can so it does have a space like yeah it has a space to write in a candidate on Egypt there's someone that you're like oh well you know no one knows the work or something this space is there for people to write in someone and they also has looks like information of yeah so you can information Nom not just random yeah you're not you're voting with intelligence I do think they should know who the silver sers are they're amazing one thing is the the video um paen has identified someone to do the video would be um monetary cost to the HRC um so if we we would have to vote for that because they would want to start working on it as soon as possible if you're moveing someone has to make the motion the amount so the amount for the video um that would be done would be $125 and it would compile all the pictures that we send um making sure that all the pictures that are sent are um like the quality mhm is good um and they would make sure that it's presented given to us reviewed and then they would be we would be able to use it and the amount is $125 um that's a recommendation from the committee yes so it's a it's a it's a com it's a video compilation I think three minutes of the of the three to five minutes no no no of things HRC has done through the years that would play during it we could and we can use it at other times but they there is a person that's been suggested that would make the video their cost is 125 um I don't know anyone that make videos I mean I can they have identified somebody but theyve identified someone a professional that can make a video for us and take our pictures I would abstain from the vote on that because I don't know enough of what the committee has done over the years so if there needs to be a motion move it okay it's been moved by the chair the subcommittee and the committee we don't need a second so he can go straight to the vote so if it comes from committee I'm a team player but I'm standing because I don't know um me Commissioners that are online just want to make sure so what we're voting for is to spend 125 on getting a professional video done of what the HRC has done through the years that can be used at the ml event and at Future event it's a three minute highlight reel um all in favor I hi hi hi s before I vote I I just need to know only because since I volunteered for the um Treasury and I guess now I'm actually the treasurer the co- Treasurer with uh commissioner Maria um was a budget devised and presented to the fin Finance the MLK MLK program yeah we had that according to them according to them um they are not necessarily going to fund it unless we present it to them so I just want to bring that up I know we're voting to to to do this but I just wanna well I know I know in the past since I've been on the commission um every year we would um once we identify the plaques for the honores we would always pay out of pocket and then we would be reimbursed and it's been working that way ever since I don't know right so just so you know they've tightened up like there was a whole big thing with reimbursing another event I'm not going to mention it here because you know um and so the you know and this came directly from the finance department so that's why I'm saying we need to be careful ful like before we spend our own money so what we can so what we can do is we can vote on we can have a vote on deciding to move forward and then as Treasurer if you want to open up that communication and um carlen if you send the information for who the who the the company or the person is that's making the video and we and Natasha then if you open up the communication with Sherry in being able to see you know that we voted that we wanted to pay this out and then we move for you can let us know if they've declined it but at least at this point we can either agree or disagree in spending that amount right so can I ask a question then to um uh you know I guess the the head of the committee um are there any other expenses that we're looking at other than this video re there will be expenses and there there's a there's a a lot amount of expenses that have been happened for the Martin Luther King celebration every year that's always been paid out um so I'm just saying this you know when I went to her um the chairman the chair recognized me the point of the point of fact is we have a budget for the Martin Luther King um celebration we put it in when we start started out did so there's a budget for that the line items as long as we don't exceed that budget as we go along with the line items then that will be okay asking let me finish let me finish so once we have the budget then we can go through this is one line item as the chair has said there are other items that we're going to incur but as long as we're staying consistent with the budget then and you can share that and whoever else is your co- Treasurer can share that with Sher or whoever else you need to speak with with um what we're doing tonight is perfectly okay to recommend $125 for a vendor to do the video because we know the budget for MLK is more than $125 and in addition to I'm sorry you finished yeah I am I'm just trying to keep and in addition to that this is one of our biggest events that we do so I don't foresee them denying any of our requests because um it's been something that's been traditional for the last five to six years maybe just have to make sure that we stay within our budget and present it present it um accordingly question I have a couple of questions is there an overall budget for the HRC for the entire year so big question the this answer is no no there formally there's not a formal budget that says this is what or excuse me is there an allowance for the so there is an allowance that the HRC has stayed consistent with for for spending for the entire yearend for the entire approximately how much um what what 47 approxim 40 it's 42 I think for the year approximately 42 42 call 4,000 yeah okay and and then for all events and that's for all events for 12 months out of the year for everything and what percentage of that 4,000 is spent on MLK approximate it is Vari it it it it's varied because there's been there's events that happened earlier where speakers been paid recently then we did two years with covid we did video um so we just had to pay a videographer to record and do video and then last year we did the students so we we didn't Ur cost of speaker so it it varies depending on what the program entails so there's some there's some fixed cost you get to choose to speak there's and there so there's some fixed cost of food um and we pay the custodial staff because school is closed on Monday so there's some of those costs that are fixed costs within the budget but it does it has varied each year depending on speaker and other areas of the program um so it that's why it's hard to be like oh no we spend this every year on it you said it's your biggest your biggest event of the year it's the biggest fair to say that you've spent more than more than 25% of of the overall annual budget on yes we have one event I think in the past probably in the past yeah do you remember what we spent last year uh commissioner Dawn off the top of my head I would have to say no um no last year we probably spent the second and the third largest I think we spent donation organ um didn't we pay somebody didn't we pay a speaker or we were looking to pay we didn't pay a speaker so I think we maybe spent I want to say for the PLS right program so we didn't right I think we paid less than $1,000 for the entire event last year it most the second and third largest programs that HC pays money for team it depends I just want to say this just from a procedural standpoint we're kind of out of because we have a motion on the floor if you want me to vote on whether or not I spend money I want to understand where money is going right% of ask questions with respect to the Martin Luther King to be gerain so it's it's not that in the sense it's not that because we didn't spend any money towards we didn't spend any money towards juneth this year right um they're in it a some of the funds and budget has gone through organizations that have come and ask for support of HRC so there was we sponsored and we sponsored items for the lgbtq event that occurred we sponsored items love un love and unity we sponsored a bounce house to be present at that event so if organization at the the West pride no at the pride that was one event the unity the love and unity event that's a different that's a music there's a different so if an organization comes to the HRC and is looking for us to sponsor something they can present what they're looking never thought to ask for that right like we we sponsored the same thing the haian flag raising we came and real you know we were like can you sponsor this portion of this so so okay so yes so organizations have the ability to come to the hrcc but one of the events that the HRC puts on is primary like has been in the past the M okay right um so that's how we start off the year usually with that event um other events that we to put together we are paying for you know we are looking paying for different aspects if we need water on event if we're tabling water sometimes we're just donating it at our pockets things like that we've done things for the Art Council so it varies okay in it's really who ask okay who asked the HRC for support okay um so that's how that's how that goes this one is one plan plan so is this video a slideshow it's a it's a like a slide it would be a slideshow with music in the back probably that's really not that hard to put together that's why it's only $125 can we I really don't want to be I'm a I'm a parliamentarian by Nature so we are we have a motion it came from a committee it didn't need to be seconded all right we've had a discussion but the discussion must be gerine to the motion we're kind of going all around and time is you know piing so I call the question and you you so again the motion is to pay $125 for someone to make the video all in favor I I Thank You Tasha I Natasha I heard you I not in favor and Po and abstaining okay the motion carry motion carry so we'll thank you look to get that video and that video can be used multiple ways multiple ways um throughout the year so yeah I appreciate the Robert's Rules but we just got here let speak for myself I just got nothing was given in advance and saying this is the way we've always done stuff here's a budget and I'm walking in cold you're going to have to expect some questions at least while or educate me between now and then December thing you have to learn is that your questions have to be jine to the motion and that's why you abstain properly abstained so okay so that is with the subcommittee and what right now the other new business that I had was something that even just occurred in the room but just moving forward um getting the HRC to connect with all the other organizations that are in town that are doing things so we have the AA it's aapi is that it or am I missing a letter okay I was like I didn't know if I was missing a letter we have the West Orange African Heritage yes um and then we have again reaching out to members that have held flag raisings already so I have the there was an Indian flag raising that we just get notified on but we're we don't have we haven't created a relationship with the person that took the time to organize it okay um there was an Italian flag raising again trying to make sure that we get a connection to who organ organizing it let's see ways to make sure that their voices are coming to everyone's voice the Ethiopian eretrian flag was raised making sure and even if it's getting their flyer things like that um I know there's different Hispanic flag raisings making sure that we're connecting with the people that are in charge of that are even for sending that email to get approval from the township saying maybe if we reach out to Sher like hey can we get their information to begin a dialogue with the HRC and people I have Israel flag raising and I was like there's and then there's I like there's other groups that have raised Flags there's also the group um the men who cook it's a big men's organization they hold an event yeah they hold an event at the high oh it's from the African see I didn't know who organized it I just knew it was like The Men Who C but I'm like thinking single sometimes there's not I think there's there's an opportunity for us and I think I've said this before of us getting um more men involved within the organization and doing some things that are even geared towards men men's mental health different things I think sometimes we focus on just families or women and sometimes they go in that way we're definitely a woman heavy commission we now have two men but in in connecting with that group that organizes that men's event and seeing another men's event that maybe we can help with them and there's also additional groups that I I don't know about that may pop up and have a poster or a flyer or something um you're going to get one from John Jay the Jamaican organization in New Jersey you'll get a request we flag raising as well okay so it's it's us connecting with them um Israel raised their Flags last year too didn't it I it was huh yeah and the Palestinian group they should raise their flag as well so if people like the thing is it's if someone sends like the Ethiopian Aran flag raising we didn't organize it they didn't and they didn't we didn't they didn't say oh HRC we want your support in doing this but the only thing that they asked from us is hey can you just share that this event is happening of course we can post that you're having a flag raising on the page so that people can know something's happening in the community so that is that's fine like fine for us to do sh's person she coordinates right so yeah so it's connecting with her but also connecting not just it being Sherry being the responsible party to connect with us us being able to connect with the person that decided to move this forward here all the time people don't know what's going on that's a I mean we had a bunch of people say they don't even have Facebook so I'm not sure how everyone will get information that's a whole another layer to tackle um so the in so that that's it in moving forward in creating you know a subcommittee that works and tries to get contact information for all these groups another thing that I wanted to address that was in new business was just social media in general um after last month and just a repost in looking at a task force within so like just a subcommittee task force that comes together so it can be like four people two that comes together three yeah well three yeah three I'm better H odd numbers are odd three so three people that come together to create State create a statement not necessarily get supposed right they come together when something happens they create a statement that then can get emailed to the group of Commissioners that then say you know where people can put their lens and say you know this may be it's a little to this way that way like to find the best way because repeating just our mission statement doesn't work people feel like it's just like okay no one cares reposting definitely doesn't work because you don't know how it impact any group so um in creating a task force it allows one you know through okay three people three people to come together create a custom custom message that the HRC can then stand behind and then that can get emailed to the members we can do it could say hey this happened we need everyone to submit their thoughts and and then we can move it forward so similar to what we did when we reposted the um message with Israel and went there was a group that worked on it huh yeah so it's a it's a group that put it together then it got emailed to everyone and said please feedback things like that before we post it so that was just in moving forward oh carlen you're not muted oh sorry so I just want to share something I learned di officer um when we create that group that group should come up with a a response management template because what I learned a Learning lesson for me is that when you respond to one thing and don't respond to others that in itself causes disension and problems so I would say when the group comes together they should come up with a response template if x happens we respond if y happens we don't respond maybe this is for a different group to respond but do come up with a template on what we are responding to because that in itself I have learned is can be very Pro problematic so just something I want to lesson on top of the message also being able to have responses within that no when we decide so when an event occurs some sometimes we respond sometimes we don't we or we may not know but coming up with the things that the HRC will take responsibility for responding to and what they will not respond to that way we have a justifiable if it's ever as why didn't you respond to X and you respond why we have this is our criteria for responses because otherwise like I said we'll run into another issue where people say oh you responded to this event supporting this people or you responded to that because it affected this one but you didn't respond to some other event and you want to be part of this you wanna be one of the three in this task force I can't help because I did have to create a a template for my job to help myself as a DA officer so yes I'm happy to help so we have C is anyone else interested in being part of she got three people now I volunteer okay so we have Amy and Joyce making statements okay so you guys will you guys will get together and then huh this is going to be a subcommittee and a task force for social media Caren we will work under your leadership will lead it and then we have Amy and Joyce and then you guys can create that and then we'll fit we'll iron that out and then see yeah we'll bring it back to yeah the next committee yeah we we'll work on a template and then we'll bring it back to it yeah and um I mean I have on here and I'm and it's it's not a bring it it's not a full thought but in with social media um just in response to ourselves we have a personal there's personal social media in Township group social media and um and there's not a what's that there's no rule around it for the Commissioners there's no like how you're supposed to be there is an assumption that people make oh because you're part of the hrsb this is how you should be this is what you can or cannot say that hasn't been that hasn't been there's nowhere formal that that's in place um I mean there's like there's a responsibility there's there's a sense there's a responsibility because we are part of the human relations commission and we we're we're volunteering on time and being on a commission that Fosters around unity and bringing the community together so it's important in in what we say but again I don't know your thoughts or I wanted to gather everyone's thoughts on the fact like with personal or and how we personally personally are in Township groups because I know for any of us I know there's things that have been said to different members at different times um within Township groups or about their own personal things so I don't know want to get feedback on what people think on on it I don't know I just know that where you get penalized by people that don't even show up in the room one of the things that we might might want to do and we made it clear that people's personal because you know Amy was targeted today okay those are her personal opinions and as I said to the group that everybody who was assembled if you're unhappy with anything that a particular commissioner said it done that's my phone I'm sorry take it to the person who appointed that excuse me I wasn't targeted just for my personal opinions tget for manag I was targeted for what other people said okay and predominantly for if any Jew said anything I got targeted you did get targeted and and that is is wrong okay despite the fact that even when they they properly called that no one should be doxing a child nobody bothered to say wow but I did notice that Amy repeatedly said I don't condone that's what I'm saying that in order for us to try to police that if there is unhappiness with the behavior the postings of a member let them take it to the person who appointed them because we can't police each other and I as I said everybody knows who I was appointed by you don't like what I've said take it to my council person and if she feels that I have not represented her well she will ask me to step down and if anybody asked if she did I would step down and I'm sure if you were asked to step down you would step down we can't police that here and I don't think we need to be so reactive to to what people said you know today because it was clear they were targ well that was that was that was that was on the agenda before I even knew they did the idea last minut you were targeted so let's not let's not try to police each other what is actually the purpose of the social media why do we have a social I'm not asking who are you you Larry mayor so um I I have a question really what I'm always you know social media becomes really obious the person I'm sorry no they can't hear you hear my is is what is the purpose of the social media for this particular committee I that's me the the HRC social media yeah oh the HC yeah we W talking talking about you came in late yeah we're talking about a social media page that one of the Commissioners either administer or post some or her own social his or her own social media page that I do not recommend that we try to police right right you have your own personal social media but there's no social media page particularly for HC does have a Facebook they have Facebook page and that's where they posted event the yes that's where they posted the event that's but that's where the October 23rd or I think that was the date whatever statement whatever and that that we came in and then we all spoke and then you guys all work together and everybody worked to rep and that's where they posted that and that's what's but not everybody thought it was but the answer your question is AD advertise events it's a form of advertising we know that social media is a very popular platform so it's a way to if somebody are people allowed to put anything hateful in there no it's all yeah so I media is a monitor no that's like a group I'll explain the difference and show you later don't worry whatever yeah so it's not like a the group one I think it's important um that I think we all realize that that page represents a Township it's not a place for people's personal that's and that's what got us into trouble you know it's a it represents a Township right okay but the Facebook group does not anything that I post or Amy or anybody else post that's their own personal right and that we cannot and should not I firmly believe should not try to pleas and I my apolog to you which you have not even put me into accept but I hope you AC I think um even with the I know that there task force in that I think that if there's even a statement that you guys can come up with because I do know and not just like I know not just you I know that there's other people that have posted something within a West AR 0752 or a West AR 411 under their own name as their personal self but because they're listed on the HRC page as a commissioner some someone says something or name calls them and I've just seen it in the chat like they get name calls for what their opinion is on their personal ques so I do agree where it's like you don't want to police your personal thought and your idea and all of a sudden because you joined the commission you can't be your own person if the it's not a roboted for but we if people do attack other people within one of the groups if they're because they're part of the commit I very important that we understand as commissioner you're public figure yes so that's what I was trying to if you were anyone in a leadership position you have to understand that you're not just a personal individual anymore you're a representation of HRC and I I personally think when you join something and you agree to be of a of any type of title you have to understand it's not just about you right um I I think we all should agree right for example I'm an educator in the schools and I don't go on social media or post or say anything because I feel I'm a role model for children and I don't want anything to be taken out of context exactly I AG that's the responsibility we kind of have I think you have to be mindful you can't just think up yourself when you're in a leadership position because it's not it's just GNA harm everyone and if because you any any of us if people have a complaint about it take it to the person for example if they felt whoever felt you were out of order go to Susan and then you have to evaluate whether this is someone that you want to represent you on the HRC but I do agree we should be mindful and you wouldn't join the HRC I would hope if you were filled with hate so I don't think there's anything we can do about it other than be individually Mindful and let the public know if you don't like what your commissioner said go to the person who appointed them just like if somebody didn't like what you did in your school they go straight to the principal the superintendent even down to the State Board of Education if they were that offended by it Natasha you wanted to say something because you're not muted yes I well I didn't want to every time I started speaking I the other people could hear me but I didn't want to compete in what but um what tamish said is what I wanted to say but essentially yes You Can't Lose Yourself because you're a commissioner but to whom much is given much is expected and so as a you know as a commissioner we we do and and also when when we read our um our commission right when we read our commission our job is to unite right it's to get people together and so we may I mean there may be instances where we may have differences of opinion in terms of uniting people but when you speak you need to make it clear that you're speaking not on behalf of and I think that's very important as a as a protocol to establish um because when you make certain statements especially in as a as a commissioner you are always in a capacity of you know as you're a commissioner you know it doesn't leave you because you're not in a meeting so I think it's very important you were asking how do we feel about that I think we need to establish or the council or somebody needs to establish protocols in terms of social media use and and all of that because not not to restrict the person but at least if you're going to say something that could be perceived or received as being biased um hurtful painful whatever to someone you need to say it in the capacity of Natasha the individual not Natasha and you need to state that you know not Natasha the commissioner or not Elizabeth the commissioner or not you know uh whoever because if we don't make that distinction then the whole the whole government gets blamed too the mayor gets brought in the you know the the all the Commissioners get brought in and it's not fair to anyone if you're going to go Rogue in the in in essence so it's okay to be individuals but you have to establish you know um certain criterias and if you choose to become a commissioner then you need to abide by those uh parameters you know um that's what I think thank you for sharing your thoughts on that um I mean it it definitely was just a it opened it up in the sense for a topic for discussion just because I know um different people have had personal just things that have happened within those areas um other than that for in terms of agenda we've already done public comment so that is completed um I do I didn't know if any Commissioners had anything that needed to be put on new business and can I say something I'm sorry can I can I just you know because the I I wasn't there in October I know it's late and I but I think I need to say this I wasn't there in October but I heard a lot about October right tonight we heard a lot and outside of tonight there's a lot being said about the October meeting I think we need to meet um separately you know from from the regular meetings that we have monthly to establish um to you know to go over our commission really and to kind of you know ensure that we are communicating that to these you know when these people show up in these meetings because our job is not to take sides my I don't come here to take de side for Israel or Palestine I come here to unite and to embrace both you know and make sure that as a commissioner and as a human relations commissioner that I I can be a vehicle to you know help them join together my job is not to take sides for Israel or Palestine right I think we I think we did that with that with providing the same space time going over time for the meet but just giving each everyone the opportunity to speak and express themselves and even changing the agenda both times just to make sure that that space is given not at the end of all our housekeeping but at the beginning um because it's a public meeting that anyone's able to attend you don't have to RSVP things like that and it's always put just to respect everyone's voice even if you don't agree with their voice ma uh Madam chair I I I'm not opposed to what happened tonight you know obviously I I yeah yeah no I get that with it I'm just saying that we need to make have clear language that when these types of you know conflicts erupt in our communities that people understand we're here as Rec reconcilers as peacers not as oh I'm on Israel's side or I'm on Palestine side or I'm on whoever side that's not what we're here for and I think we need to what I'm saying is we need to meet separately look at our our mission our commission and say to ourselves you know and really understand our commission so that the narrative when the these things happen we all are on the same page when we're communicating what the narrative is for this commission is what I'm saying so Natasha um I'm just gonna interrupt you real quick so we we've tried that multiple times and due to like life happening for all of us we weren't able to successfully do it and now that we have 13 Commissioners total we can revisit our getting together as a commission revise reviewing our mission statement you know recreating what we want to put out into West Orange Community making sure we're all on the same Accord because um we already see what it looks like and we want we know what we want it to look like so we have to um you know 2024 is like right right right behind us um so we need to start thinking about what what we want it to look like um moving forward and that's because we need to have the respect of the community in order for this commission to be relevant and I think that I think it's time to bring back when it was and and I Natasha I think you were you were volunteering at the time but I remember like when they were everyone was trying to get together to come up with the task force and a retreat I think it's time that like it it's it's time um I don't know if someone wants to oh here you go okay look I I I I know how much time I got but if someone wants someone wants to lead in trying to put together we can Resurrect The Retreat we had the framework laid out we stopped doing it for the benefit of the new Commissioners because there was an election coming we didn't know who would be commission right we have a full compliment of Commissioners we can just dust that off maybe you know dust it off and put it in place so that we can have the retreat because that was the purpose of the retreat because we were going too far a fields we fell our mission so Natasha I don't know if you or if someone spot Natasha I don't know if you or if someone else wants to volunteer and just getting everyone's schedule organized so that we can figure out the because that that's the hardest part weren't you on that I know it was me she was volun she was volunteering at the time now that she's admission but everyone was everyone's to participate but someone needs to organize the day that everyone can I know my capacity day not a night it's a it's either it was gonna be an evening it was either a Saturday morning it was like a morning so it was yeah so it was like trying to figure out what works for everyone but someone just needs to take the responsibility of figuring that will you take that on I with you only because we have the pieces already just to organize what day let me let me just take whoever's doing it we have to include Pat she was a part of that ini very much a big part of it so she has I'm just gonna put it out there she would be a part of it yeah so we need to make sure she so all I'm asking is who wants to just get every all 14 14 people schedule from yeah I'm not even going into the Pieces Just who wants to get 14 people schedules together who's Pat I'm sorry who you wanna are you okay with communicating and getting figuring out what day works with everybody I mean I'll send out a a calendar okay so Natasha will work on getting and figuring out the day and then we can move to those next steps of um next steps of what that Retreat will look like um are you allowed to are we staying a whole day or half a day let me call you and I will tell you kind of what was laid out okay that'll be the easiest thing so we can wrap up this game meetings and every I realize that bed and the Town Council and this committee this commission as well all have public comment so my curiosity is is that part of the charter of West Orange that every one of these communes requires public comment so only reason I ask a question is because I'm on other boards right I just came from board meeting that's why I was late uh I came to the board meeting and what you usually do you're required to submit your discussion before the meeting or otherwise it doesn't get on the agenda so my curiosity is actually had the same conversation with the the Board of Ed people was actually Susan as well is that every other board I'm on and I'm on 10 boards so every board you have you're required to send them a list of your questions before the meeting so there's no surprises nobody's nobody gets like upset and everybody comes here to the meeting formulate a response and yeah exactly and then so I don't know is I don't know if this is a West Orange thing or is it a it's pretty widespread so I want the best way that I can one it's when the agenda template has sort of been passed down for a few years at this point um at the at the meeting that Town Council held at the beginning of the year in regards to what the agenda should look like it's still formulate after this agenda with a public comment area open this is something that we can talk to see if this is if it has to be like this because if other group because it the paperwork that they gave at that meeting with what your agenda should be outlined has that public comment area open so that so we just continued with it being the same way um if it's not a rule if it's not a rule that's something that we should definitely because I didn't know that other organizations didn't do that but that's something governmental organizations with open public meetings act know no so we we are a government organization so that is why we do that as to what it is required I agree with you on public but maybe there's aeria meetings with you and I was on the Federation board also the township the all the commissions underneath the town were given were given the same agenda to agenda outline to follow so all the West Orange commissions within town were given that so that's where the public comment are is can make that are you done with the agenda I can vote because I have I have knowledge of so go ahead make the motion question for J all in favor hi I any anybody want to still hang out and all that all right bye bye you guys thank you yeah the chitat that the chitat they're open still yes they're open americ also the last I went what was it again Liv in the dream F from Hunger I have gar and Rec