[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[40:50] The notice requirement provided for the open public meetings law has been satisfied. Notice was properly given, said notice has been properly transmitted to the courier, news on Monday, August 17th, 2026, as well as posting on the bulletin board in city hall. Clerk, can I please have a roll call?
[41:08] Council members, Brigadier Owens.
[41:10] Present.
[41:11] Graham.
[41:11] Present.
[41:12] Craig.
[41:13] Is it?
[41:13] Councilman Wyatt.
[41:15] Councilman Durham, roll call.
[41:16] Councilman Sussan.
[41:17] Present.
[41:18] Vice President Hockiday.
[41:19] Present.
[41:20] Councilman President Cherry.
[41:21] Present.
[41:22] Six members, present and call.
[41:24] Thank you.
[41:25] So we now move on to public comment.
[41:27] Limited to resolutions and ordinances are being heard tonight.
[41:36] Comments are limited to resolutions only third being heard tonight.
[41:39] A total of 30 minutes has been allocated for public comment.
[41:42] limited to resolutions, e-speaker will be given three minutes.
[41:47] When you come to the mic, please state your name and municipality.
[41:51] If you'd like to call in, please dial area code 309-205-3325.
[42:00] 5, the meeting ID is 9, 9, 2, 9, 6, 3, 5, 7, 3, 9, 8.
[42:12] The floor is now open.
[42:16] Council President, if I could just note that this is a special meeting and we can only
[42:22] have comments on the resolutions being discussed this evening.
[42:25] There is no general public comments for this meeting.
[42:28] Thank you.
[42:29] You're welcome.
[42:30] Okay, well, I don't know if this contains me or not, but I'm gonna go for it
[42:34] So just to give you a little background. I was born and raised in Plainfield
[42:39] For about 40 what's your name? Nicole Johnson and what municipality? Where do you look? I'm on Leeland Avenue
[42:45] Yeah, I've had two homes here in Plainfield
[42:48] I recently what was it years ago? What resolution are you referencing tonight? I'm represented taxes
[42:54] This is my first time and I just wanted to know as far as well
[42:59] I came back recently after six years,
[43:01] I purchased a home that my parents left me.
[43:05] And I'm just curious as to what exactly,
[43:08] I just see so many apartment buildings
[43:10] being raised in Plainfield.
[43:13] I don't know if that has anything to do
[43:14] with what your resolution is, but I'm curious as to what
[43:20] Plainfield is beginning to look like, the taxes
[43:22] that this increase has been increased
[43:27] because of all these apartment buildings, is this the New New York that I'll come back to
[43:33] that I've recently purchased a home man. So I was wondering if anyone could give me some type
[43:38] of idea. I mean, every street I go down, it's a new apartment building being built. The rent is
[43:45] high. Okay, I was waiting for somebody's reaction, but it's high. It's not affordable. So what is the
[43:54] plan. What is what does the future look like for Plainful based upon this? Can
[43:57] somebody just kind of give me an idea of somebody that came back to Plainfield
[44:01] after being after leaving for six years?
[44:06] Nicole will gather your questions
[44:07] and we'll have somebody from the administration to answer. Okay.
[44:12] Oh, then I
[44:13] going answer now. No, no. You have a total of three minutes. Okay. I guess that's
[44:17] my three minutes. So that was my biggest biggest question I have to ask. Thank
[44:23] you Nicole. Okay. All right. Thank you.
[44:28] Good evening.
[44:36] I was born and raised in Plainfield for 32 years. Plainfield had been my home. I also worked at the Plainfield Public Library, but tonight I am speaking for myself as a Plainfield resident.
[44:48] First, I want to acknowledge that the city has historically funded the library above the legally mandated minimum. I am generally grateful for that.
[44:55] tonight I am asking you to continue
[44:57] the commitment and fully fund the library.
[45:00] My heart is with my colleagues, especially the 10 employees who have so far received individually off notices. But tonight, I want to focus on what these reductions can mean for the point of community. Not accounting for civil service, bumper rights, local history could be reduced to one employee, you services to two and a half employees, circulation to two employees, tech desk eliminated, team librarian gone, and the list goes on. Those aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. Those are people who open the doors.
[45:28] The people who help residents use computers, apply for jobs, find information, get library cards, access literacy services, bring their children to programs, or simply find a safe place to spend a few hours.
[45:41] I don't know what the library's future operation plans will be, but I can do basic math.
[45:46] If you don't have enough people to staff circulation reference, you can't adequately open to the public.
[45:51] If you don't have enough staff to safely operate the building, something has to give.
[45:55] that could mean fewer services, fewer programs, reduce hours, most likely all three.
[46:01] When I accepted the job at the library four years ago, I took roughly 80% pay cut.
[46:06] I didn't take the position for the money.
[46:08] I did it because I love playing field, and I want to give back to the community that raised
[46:11] me.
[46:12] A public library is one of the few places left where you can walk through the door without
[46:16] being expected to buy anything.
[46:17] You can simply be a human who needs something.
[46:20] And none of these services happen because we have a beautiful building.
[46:23] They have been because there are people inside the library provided them.
[46:26] We have invested a great deal into the Plainfield Public Library as a physical space.
[46:30] We need enough staff to keep that space accessible to the community.
[46:34] The legal funding minimum should be the floor, not the goal.
[46:37] Plainfield has historically recognized that and I thank you for it.
[46:40] The library is crucial to the health of our community and need it more now than ever.
[46:44] Tonight I am acting you to fully fund the Plainfield Public Library, protect the investment
[46:48] we made, and protect Plainfield residents access to the library.
[46:51] Thank you.
[46:57] Good evening, council, mayor, members of the public, my name is Andrea Jeanette, I work
[47:04] at the children's department at the library, I'm a member of IEPTE, Union Council 8,
[47:12] and we provide so many services to the public, we provide our literacy to the youth of
[47:18] playing field, access to information, universal access to information, anybody can come find
[47:24] out about anything at our library. We have, we help people with job searching, we preserve
[47:31] the local history of playing field, and we provide free programs to families, to veterans.
[47:38] If somebody has a court appointment, they need access to Zoom. We help them out. Sometimes
[47:45] they have issues, let's say, with technical issues with a computer. Now the whole tech
[47:52] help team is gone. If you have a senior, somebody that's having issues with social security,
[47:57] navigating a website of the government. If you have an issue with someone that is applying
[48:03] for a job or an issue of unemployment, now that help is gone. And so is our team librarian.
[48:10] We are supposed to get, I guess we're in the middle of getting some funding for the new team room.
[48:15] Now we don't have anybody to manage that team room because she's going to be gone. It's like so
[48:21] many wonderful staff co-workers of mine. And I think it's a shame that we are, that
[48:28] MAP, Mayor MAP, your administration has chosen to defund so many essential services for
[48:34] this town that we need. And I think it's really a travesty. I don't think we have to
[48:41] fund beyond the minimum. The minimum, like my colleague said, is just the floor. And we
[48:49] shouldn't be taken from the endowment. That money is not meant for operations and
[48:53] salary. It's physically responsible for an administration to be taken from that fund.
[48:59] That fund is for materials and for other things. So I think we can take this into consideration.
[49:07] We know that this institution is a cornerstone for the city. And I think there are other places
[49:13] to cut. I know there are other individuals in the city administration that have high
[49:19] salaries that have rental car space by taxpayers and there are other avenues for cutting if we really want to but let's not
[49:26] Defund programs for the youth if for our seniors and for veterans if we really love the library like everybody does love is in
[49:36] The budget we need to fund that library now with the minimum but with the best for playing field residents. Thank you so much.
[49:43] Thank you on this. Thank you for your comment.
[49:48] Hi, my name is Patricia Fleming. I live on Sweetly Hollow Lane, and I'm on the board of the library.
[49:54] My question has to do with the difference between the public notice, which said it was going to be a general discussion of the budget,
[50:01] and the agenda, which seems to have very specific dollar amounts and departments.
[50:06] So, I appreciate the fact that you're letting us talk about other things, but I just was
[50:13] wondering why the discrepancy between the public notice and the agenda.
[50:20] Thank you, Patricia.
[50:24] Good evening, everybody.
[50:26] Juan H. Ambles Plainfield, New Jersey.
[50:29] I'm glad that I made it.
[50:31] I'm out of breath.
[50:32] I hopped over here very quickly because I just left our public library where I am a GED
[50:41] and I tutor in the math department.
[50:44] So we just finished practicing the equations of a line
[50:47] and the various formulas that we need to,
[50:49] but because I'm dedicated to my students,
[50:52] I took a risk of not being able to come to the microphone tonight
[50:54] because the volunteers at the library are very important.
[50:58] The majority of the people that come to get that GED tutoring
[51:02] must do so after they leave work.
[51:06] They're coming to get their GED
[51:08] so they can better their lives and better their employment.
[51:12] Many of them don't get to work a nine to five job, right?
[51:15] They're working different hours, sometimes they come,
[51:18] sometimes they can't.
[51:19] But with the library closing at 6.45 due to cuts,
[51:23] what happens when people normally get there at 6?
[51:27] It takes way more than 45 minutes for people to understand.
[51:31] When you use Y2 minus Y1 over X2 minus X1
[51:34] or when you use the slope intercept formula.
[51:37] It takes a very long time to teach them how to look at that and identify what they're
[51:41] looking at, how to eliminate choices on the test, how to talk through what they're doing
[51:46] because I don't know if you know it or not, but math is its own language.
[51:49] You just can't speak English and be able to be good at math.
[51:52] You must speak math-ish, right?
[51:55] So it takes a long time to be able to teach my students math-ish.
[51:58] And if they have a language barrier to begin with, you will find me at home trying to translate
[52:05] right from English because I have a student who's from Haiti. You'll find me
[52:11] trying to translate because I have a student who's from South Sin Salvador and
[52:15] this takes time. So what would normally take maybe an hour of tutoring per night
[52:21] might take two two and a half and with the library closing at 6.45 how do we do
[52:26] this? How do we serve those people right? We say playing field is a welcoming city
[52:34] and we welcome everyone, that means that a lot of the people that we welcome, especially
[52:38] welcome into the library have many challenges. And I just want to talk about the challenges
[52:42] of language barrier because I'm just the English language learner doing the best I can
[52:47] as a volunteer for the library. A lot of times people always say, well, pot lady, what do you
[52:52] do for the city? Well, the first thing I did for the city when I came here and nobody knew
[52:56] was I went to the library and I said, I will be a math tutor because nobody wants to tutor
[53:01] You're in math because some people say math is hard.
[53:03] I don't know.
[53:03] It's pretty simple for me.
[53:05] Speaking other languages is not, but I can speak math language.
[53:08] So I think that it is very irresponsible, irresponsible for us not to fund the library
[53:16] at what it was funded at before.
[53:19] Not even saying go above and beyond, just give what it was given before because our library
[53:25] offers so much.
[53:27] I'm such a library nerd that no matter where I go in the world, there's two people.
[53:31] places I want to go, I want to see their zoo in Aquarium and I want to see the library.
[53:36] I went all the way to Egypt and all by myself because nobody else wanted to go.
[53:41] I traveled to Alexandria so I can see the library there.
[53:46] Thank you.
[53:46] I'm a library nerds.
[53:47] Let's fund our library.
[53:49] Thank you.
[53:49] Thank you.
[53:56] Everyone.
[53:57] My name is Maligreso.
[53:58] This is my daughter Nina Rutherford.
[54:01] We're here to talk on behalf of the public library and the unfortunate situation that
[54:06] that the library is in right now.
[54:08] As you know, it takes a village to raise a child.
[54:12] This child has been raised by the wonderful people
[54:14] at the library.
[54:16] Some of them are here, some of them we saw earlier.
[54:20] And I really cannot think or fathom
[54:24] how I would have done the gigantic task
[54:29] of raising this daughter without the people
[54:31] at the library, at the Plainfield Public Library,
[54:33] holding me in teaching us.
[54:35] They've held us through grief, through counsel, through cooking classes.
[54:41] They've made this little person around the person, a great citizen of Plainville.
[54:46] If she is not the embodiment of the great city of Plainville, because in great part of the library, I don't know what is.
[54:54] I know a lot of you have never seen at the library unless you're campaigning or at an event.
[55:00] And so I know you probably don't understand the magnitude of the services that will be cut if you do not fund the library, fully fund the library, but even beyond us, even beyond us being selfish and me coming to talk about me, my family and my daughter,
[55:17] there's many families that depend on all the services and all the people at the library.
[55:22] people that unfortunately have no homes that can back, that can take bath, that can make
[55:30] copies, that can eat there, there's always somebody welcoming them.
[55:34] So I think it's an unfortunate decision that at the moment you are not found in the library
[55:41] and are even entertaining the thought of them using the same mismanagement of the city and
[55:48] use their reserves to try to cover the whole the area right now because of that it's terrible
[55:55] and I just want to say that all of you have run under democratic and be funded in a library
[56:02] it's just a mega move simply that thank you thank you very much everybody
[56:11] else hi
[56:18] everybody
[56:18] excuse my setting but I have reason tonight good evening my name is Cynthia Smith and I'm here
[56:25] tonight to speak on behalf of the Plainville Municipal Employees Association.
[56:31] So I want to start by saying that back on June 4th, all the unions were called into
[56:37] a meeting and we were told that there was going to be furloughs, layoffs across all the
[56:43] unions, that the events were being cut and that there was a need to change our health care.
[56:48] here. Everything is back.
[56:53] All things were taken off the table. Even the events are back.
[56:57] We just had one Saturday. That's another one scheduled in September for the House Music Festival.
[57:02] We were told those things were going to be cut. So now we're left with the employees being
[57:07] cut. With the exception of two employees that are in DPW, all the rest come from the PMIA.
[57:15] And they are the people that open the doors for you when you come in, when you call on the phone those are the first voices you speak to.
[57:22] They are the ones that issue your permits, they are the ones that do the work.
[57:27] So anytime one of the directors that sit before you, every council meeting has an assignment, they're giving it to those group of people to get the work done.
[57:36] So when you cut those employees, you're cutting services.
[57:40] It's too many services is all over the place to name because I can't do it in three minutes, but
[57:48] With everything being said the one of the biggest things was saying switch to the omni a plan, right?
[57:54] Change our health insurance. Well the employees of the city of Plainfield have switched in and out of
[58:01] Health plans to help the city over the years to
[58:05] Lord of course of health care and the reason why I'm bringing it up tonight is because it was set like we have a rich plan
[58:11] and it's like the employees never did anything
[58:13] to help reduce the cost of health insurance.
[58:16] We've been ending out of the state twice.
[58:19] We've been on the difference card.
[58:21] We've been on so many things.
[58:22] But if you tell us on June 4th
[58:25] that we need to make a decision by July 1
[58:28] and there's other plans that you never bought before us,
[58:31] but you knew since November,
[58:33] is that the employees fault or whose fault is it?
[58:36] Because if you were to told us back in November,
[58:39] you would have enough time to go through all the other
[58:40] plans to see if it was something else that we could all agree with. It's seven
[58:46] unions that turned down that plan, not one, but it seems as though the one union
[58:50] is receiving all the bulk of the cuts is coming from one union. Not the other
[58:56] unions that was told it was going to be cut as well. Not the furloughs that we
[58:59] heard about, but let me move on from that. The last thing I want to say about the
[59:05] insurance plan is that we had open enrollment and during an open enrollment period
[59:09] you could switch over. I would like to know how many administrators switched to the
[59:15] army plan. I don't think any of them switched on an open enrollment. So you should leave
[59:19] by example, if it was so important to switch the army, how many of them switched to the army
[59:23] point? How doubting. So with that being said, I'll re-spoke about how many people are being
[59:30] cut. Three minutes. What is that? There's no time. When you have to discuss the cuts and
[59:36] things in that nature.
[59:37] Thank you, Ms. Smith.
[59:38] I'll be back every month.
[59:40] Thank you.
[59:41] Anybody else?
[59:47] Good evening.
[59:49] Rocca Taylor, citizen playing field.
[59:51] I'm standing here as a citizen this evening
[59:53] to speak the reference to the budget
[59:54] as it pertains to the library.
[59:57] I'm a former teacher here in the city of playing field.
[1:00:00] They are palaces for people. They help build the resiliency of the community, and given the
[1:00:06] hostile circumstances that we're living in under the federal mandates of our current leadership,
[1:00:11] when people have to make choices about buying gas, buying food, whether to pay the rent.
[1:00:18] The first place they go for free events, parts of recreation, and the library, when new people
[1:00:23] come to the community, they want to find out what's going on in the community. They come
[1:00:26] parts of recreation or they go to the library. People are under pressure to raise their families
[1:00:32] here we want them here in Plainfield. We have to make it easier for them. We have to have
[1:00:38] services. I don't know if you're aware but we're area eligible for free and reduced lunch.
[1:00:44] That means that our families are under certain income. They don't have money to perhaps take
[1:00:52] take care, go into New York City and take their kids
[1:00:55] made you to the movies.
[1:00:57] You know, they get to go, they get to go to the library
[1:00:59] because there's three, there's three things there.
[1:01:02] And again, everybody can go there.
[1:01:04] It's handicapped accessible, you wanna have a community meeting?
[1:01:07] You have to put in an application,
[1:01:09] you don't have to have insurance, it's free.
[1:01:11] I know the challenges, I'm part of the administration,
[1:01:14] I work here and I'm certainly not here speaking
[1:01:16] out of order to my budget.
[1:01:18] But, when you talk to, when you want to know what's important to people in a municipal budget,
[1:01:24] it's what they budget for.
[1:01:26] It tells, it's very telling what we support.
[1:01:30] The library supports everyone.
[1:01:31] It's not just a place of depository for books.
[1:01:35] It does so much more now.
[1:01:39] There's no librarians in schools.
[1:01:41] They're now called Media, something or other.
[1:01:44] I'm sorry.
[1:01:45] Media specialists.
[1:01:49] research skills, library skills are entwined in the core curriculum standards, where people
[1:01:54] supposed to learn that. If you go to that library any evening, even for summer reading
[1:01:59] lists, where do you think these young people will access these books so they can meet the
[1:02:04] mandate so we can have a literate community? It's the library. We want, we want to build
[1:02:09] a nation of readers, you have to have a place for them to read. A safe place for them to
[1:02:13] go. I'm just asking you, I know you fully can't fund it, but a good will, consideration,
[1:02:20] show the community that you understand, you can't do it all, but you can do a little
[1:02:24] bit more so the doors can stay open. Otherwise, you're going to have kids, our students,
[1:02:30] whether they go to charter or playing for public schools, not being able to do their work.
[1:02:35] I know if you're aware, everyone don't have internet access. They go to that library for
[1:02:40] access. You know, people who we have access to it, they don't. Again, ask for your consideration
[1:02:47] and thank you. Thank you, Stella.
[1:02:57] Hello, everyone. My name is Cynthia Slade. I live at
[1:03:00] 1309 Clushing Road in Plainfield. And I am the president of the Board of Trustees at the library.
[1:03:06] I wasn't going to say anything at first because I felt that two weeks ago everything was that needed
[1:03:11] to be said was said, but I am so, so proud of the community how they came out and talked
[1:03:18] about what we mean to them. The services that are provided here at the library are second
[1:03:25] to none. We have a facility that people are in awe of, and our plan was to not only continue
[1:03:33] to do the services that we currently have, but to expand them as well. And we have great
[1:03:38] plans to do that. We have a great facility to do that. As was said before, you know, you
[1:03:44] can come to the library, you can, it's free, you can, you can also have all kinds of
[1:03:51] events at the library for free. You don't have to pay a fee, you don't have to have insurance,
[1:03:56] you can come there and have a job there and all other things that you would like to have
[1:04:00] there. So, the people that come there, you have to see them. If you've not come to that
[1:04:07] library, you have to see the people that come there. Some of them don't have any place
[1:04:10] to go, but they come there, they take advantage of the services, they come in from the
[1:04:18] coal, come there on the winter, on the winter day, they come in from the coal, and we have
[1:04:23] to make sure that they're okay, that they have services, and they're learning, even though
[1:04:29] they come there to get out of the coal, they're learning different things because they're
[1:04:32] have taken advantage of our services. I can't even say it as eloquently as the people
[1:04:40] who have already talked about it because they live it. I'm asking you to re-evaluate
[1:04:48] the deep cuts that you have had in our library budget. Ten people are going to be affected.
[1:04:54] 10 people, we've not even been able to, at this point, to rehire.
[1:05:01] So we have a tremendous reduction in staff, which means that we have a reduction in hours,
[1:05:08] which means we have reduction in services that will be provided to the community.
[1:05:12] We are a jewel in the crown of the Queen City, and guys, you've got to treat us that way.
[1:05:19] Okay, you know, we'll do as much as we can, but you have got to treat us like you, like
[1:05:25] we're the crown, the jewel that we are.
[1:05:29] So I'm asking you to take a, I don't know where you are in the budget process.
[1:05:33] At this point, if you have taken what we have asked of you two weeks ago, if you've evaluated
[1:05:40] it, if you've made adjustments, if you have, thank you so much, if you haven't, please take
[1:05:46] Take a look and to reevaluate and to go ahead and to furnish our budget 100%.
[1:05:53] Thank you so much.
[1:05:57] Thank you.
[1:06:00] Good evening.
[1:06:01] Good evening.
[1:06:05] Good evening.
[1:06:05] My name is Asha McRae.
[1:06:07] I need my address.
[1:06:08] I don't know.
[1:06:09] Just a municipality.
[1:06:10] Oh.
[1:06:11] They claim furniture.
[1:06:12] Is it?
[1:06:13] The burning question is, how did we get here?
[1:06:15] Several months ago, during the state of the city, everyone was told that finance is
[1:06:20] of the city were strong, they gave false hope for the residents, due to zero tax increase
[1:06:25] and employee employees, due to all the increases instead, some being paid at the top of their salary
[1:06:32] guide, who wouldn't believe the finances were strong, with no official hire or freeze or
[1:06:38] promotion still taking place, but our chosen may, choices made substance, the councilman
[1:06:47] should look closely closely at the things you vote for and they have last name
[1:06:51] consequences. We can't continue to do the same things and expect different
[1:06:55] results. High entry level salaries,
[1:07:01] statements, etc. They all matter. I read that for someone and I also want to
[1:07:07] speak on the library my child seven years old and she has been a girl scout for
[1:07:11] the library for the last three years. She loves going to the library. She loves
[1:07:16] their events that they have and if they don't have Girl Scout the library where are we going
[1:07:20] to host them. They can't sit outside. They do Girl Scout going to Wednesday time. We need
[1:07:26] the library. We need the Girl Scout and stuff to keep going and we need just the facilities so
[1:07:31] if not the library where because we don't have a why even. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:07:36] Nancy
[1:07:44] Pivovar, long time resident playing field.
[1:07:49] My concern is a couple of the young men spoke about using the reserves and the endowments
[1:07:55] of the library and you're going to put the library in a sticky liquid if they have to
[1:08:03] use the endowments or the reserves because under the law's own New Jersey the state attorney
[1:08:11] general has to step in and make sure that donor intent and prudent spending
[1:08:17] limits are followed. That's what happened with Milenberg. I know that Mr.
[1:08:23] Munchello and I were at court about the Milenberg endowments many years ago. So
[1:08:29] I just question the use of the endowments to make sure that the library is aware
[1:08:34] that the state attorney general depending on how much funding is involved may
[1:08:39] have to weigh in on that. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs.
[1:08:52] Maureen. Is anyone online?
[1:09:00] No, come on.
[1:09:01] Okay. So you're naming me Nisipali. Pamela Dunn playing field. I'm here about the library.
[1:09:10] My granddaughter goes the library all the time. She was a little upset when the renovations
[1:09:16] was going on. But once it came through she was really excited. Now y'all talking
[1:09:20] about not funding it. Where are these kids gonna go if you don't fund a library?
[1:09:25] We don't have a community center. We don't have a why. So where are they going?
[1:09:30] That's all I want to know. She loves the library. I hate to have to tell her we
[1:09:35] don't have a library in Plainville. It doesn't make any sense. You all need to figure
[1:09:40] it out. Please.
[1:09:51] Everybody else?
[1:09:58] Good evening everybody. My name is
[1:09:59] to Rocky Gilbert. I am a proud, proud employee of the Plainville Public Library. I work now
[1:10:07] in youth services. Youth services, we basically service from newborn to 18 years now.
[1:10:17] When
[1:10:18] I started at the library, basically, I started under the management of misgenies people.
[1:10:25] and she said and always stressed that every class that came through the most
[1:10:29] important word in Plainfield Public Library is public. Public from here to
[1:10:35] here and beyond. There is no place name it if you can. There is no other place
[1:10:43] that anybody can go and do the things in the library that we provide okay of all
[1:10:51] ages. We talk about partnership with the community. I see the police. We partner with them. I see the
[1:10:58] fire department. We partner with them. I see EMT. We partner with them. I see city council. We partner
[1:11:05] we are. We are a community partner. We are more than just a cut and a number. We are a resource
[1:11:14] and we are resource without prejudice. We honor everybody's position in life, whether
[1:11:23] creed, color, whatever the economic status, we don't ask any questions. Okay? We don't
[1:11:30] ask anything. All we do is serve this to the best of our ability. In the time now, it's
[1:11:40] interesting that this is happening on the cusp of a new school year. And many of us have
[1:11:45] grown up in the plainfield school system where libraries have changed. Okay. So this would be a
[1:11:54] big change and a big detriment to our students who are now entering into a new year and to the parents
[1:12:01] that work beyond five o'clock that must come later. And we can all amen to that because I'm sure
[1:12:09] So we've all worked a position where services had to be rendered and we ran to the library
[1:12:15] and had to make it before we closed and put the lock to the door.
[1:12:20] So I want you all to think about that.
[1:12:23] I want you to think about it hard and I'm going to just pull on your emotional co-tales.
[1:12:28] I want you to really think that we knew needed the library the most and was there when you
[1:12:34] turn the door and when you walked in.
[1:12:37] if it was good and if it's not I want you to think about that too when it's not
[1:12:44] able to when the door is not able to be open and folks need us and we're not
[1:12:48] there so God bless and I hope whatever you decide you decided with yourselves
[1:12:56] in mind and the public in mind all
[1:13:14] right thank you all
[1:13:22] right thank you everyone
[1:13:23] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Taroca, for that. Anybody online?
[1:13:30] All right, B.A., would you like to answer any of those questions?
[1:13:35] Council President, is the public comment closed before we provide the way?
[1:13:39] I have a motion to close public comment. Thank you, cooperation.
[1:13:42] So moved.
[1:13:42] And Council
[1:13:48] President Azmer, I will begin to provide a response on behalf of my administration.
[1:14:03] First, most of what was said by the speakers, I agree with when it comes to the value of
[1:14:13] in the library to the community.
[1:14:16] I don't think anyone can argue with that.
[1:14:19] And I said the same at the August 10th meeting as well.
[1:14:26] That a library is a tremendous asset to the community.
[1:14:31] And we have always seen it as such.
[1:14:34] And we've always gone above and beyond
[1:14:38] to provide resources to our Plenty library that none of the other libraries
[1:14:45] around the state are privileged to get from their governing body.
[1:15:00] We've always gone way above and beyond. And so facts do matter. And I believe that it was Mark Twain,
[1:15:13] who said that I like and make its way around the world, halfway around the world, before the
[1:15:21] truth has had an opportunity to put issues on. And the reason that is important is because
[1:15:27] facts do matter. The library has not, and I repeat has not, been defunded. That is false.
[1:15:39] There's no truth to that notion that the library has been defunded. And the library had not been
[1:15:48] close by this administration or by anyone else. The library remains open as an
[1:15:55] asset to this community. We have eight departments within city government
[1:16:01] all of which made a request to the BA to my administration for a certain
[1:16:12] number of dollars that they would have liked to have to run their individual
[1:16:20] departments this calendar year, 2026. They all submitted their wishlist and
[1:16:30] none of them got what they wanted. They were all significantly slash because in
[1:16:38] budget, you never get what you want. And so the library is no exception. But the claim
[1:16:46] that the library will defund it is totally and absolutely false. There is no truth, not
[1:16:53] once in tell of truth, to that notion. And so I should further state that when it comes
[1:17:03] to layoffs. The library supposedly has laid off ten hours contemplating. The city has
[1:17:12] laid off fourteen people.
[1:17:15] The city has a budget of a hundred and nineteen million and has
[1:17:21] a surplus of only two hundred thousand dollars. Now anyone with a math background can simply
[1:17:31] We do the percentage and you see that that would not even register.
[1:17:35] We have $200,000 of surplus on a budget of $118,190 million and the standard is that your
[1:17:47] surplus, the correct work is fund balance, should be about 10% of your operating our budget.
[1:17:56] And so we had $200,000 on a $1,819 million budget.
[1:18:02] The library was, whose budget is about $2.5, has a surplus, a fund balance of $765,000.
[1:18:14] And as a percentage, that is roughly 26, 27%.
[1:18:19] Now, further to that, the Library in 2025 received a toll of $3,884,000 from the City of
[1:18:38] 1,462 was the required statutory minimum and then on top of that was a million and 91
[1:18:52] and then there was 1,331,000 that we provided for health benefits, for our total 3,884.
[1:19:04] In this 2026 budget, the library had been given 1,632,000 as the statutory minimum.
[1:19:18] We added another 693,000 and then there is $2,489,000 of health insurance for a total
[1:19:31] of $4,814,000. So in 2026, the library has been provided with $4,814,000 in total compared
[1:19:45] to 2025 of $3,884. That is an additional $930,000 that we have provided or are provided
[1:19:58] into the library in this budget.
[1:20:02] And so facts do matter.
[1:20:04] And we are not, you know, the valuing on the library,
[1:20:09] the library is significant.
[1:20:11] I have repeated that over and over again.
[1:20:14] And we value what the library provides.
[1:20:17] But to say that the library had been defunded is totally false.
[1:20:23] That's not true.
[1:20:24] We have increased the amount that we have in this budget to provide for the library statutory
[1:20:33] minimum plus some plus the health insurance that we pay on the library's behalf, as well
[1:20:41] as other services that we provide to the library, such as the processing of payroll, such
[1:20:47] is security such as maintenance, all of those costs that are not passed on to the library.
[1:20:55] So I just want to put things in proper perspective in terms of the total that's being given
[1:21:01] to the library in 2026 versus 2025, and to try to just dispel this notion that the
[1:21:11] library had been defunded. And when it comes to fully funding,
[1:21:19] the notion on the part of
[1:21:21] some people that fully funded means given a person what he or she wants, that's not the
[1:21:29] definition of fully funding. If we fully funded every department in the city, all eight of them
[1:21:36] Would have gotten what they asked for and the budget would be on bearable in terms of the tax increase
[1:21:43] That would have had to be passed on to the property owners in the city
[1:21:47] So fully funding does not mean what you ask for and so we have done everything we possibly could to provide
[1:21:56] The library with dollars and with other resources and those are the facts
[1:22:02] those are the facts. And so, I wanted to make sure that that is on the record in terms
[1:22:11] of what the library is being given in 2026 versus what it was given in 2025. Thank you.
[1:22:20] Thank you. Mayor, quick question. The 765, 765,000. Where did you get that number from?
[1:22:28] 675 is the surplus is the fund
[1:22:30] data. So if I say to step in
[1:22:32] something I misspoke. OK, so
[1:22:33] 75 is the library's fund
[1:22:37] balance. Thank you. I
[1:22:39] transpose the numbers. Thank
[1:22:41] you. Any questions?
[1:22:46] Any
[1:22:46] other questions from my
[1:22:47] colleagues? Sure. Yeah, can
[1:22:51] I ask questions? Yes. So from
[1:22:54] library representatives, I'm
[1:22:57] aware that with the number that has been introduced from the administration is short of what you requested, and in reaction there has been some threats, not threats, but there's been proposed library closures, layoff notices have been issued, etc.
[1:23:24] I'm wondering if there is a possibility of undoing any of that or all those decisions final
[1:23:32] at this point.
[1:23:33] We haven't passed a budget yet, but I know some of those things have already in motion.
[1:23:40] So I'm wondering what the library's flexibility is to keep its door open as much as possible.
[1:23:52] or to lay off less or no employees is that something that's in stone, or is it already a done deal?
[1:24:06] With the chair of the library, come up and speak on behalf of the library.
[1:24:10] And before we even have you answer that, do you want to have her answer that question?
[1:24:16] Yes.
[1:24:16] Because I know there's hardly other questions.
[1:24:18] So I think I understand what you were saying is there's some flexibility who asked the question and that.
[1:24:26] So what has taken place is in accordance with the civil service rules,
[1:24:31] we did have to notify the universe that was being affected and also the individuals of the titles that were being affected.
[1:24:40] So we had to do that. There was a 45-day rule that you had to adhere to.
[1:24:47] So that has taken place.
[1:24:49] The employees have been notified.
[1:24:51] The flexibility that you were talking about
[1:24:53] is probably what we were talking about on the 10th.
[1:24:56] I think our representatives came up, came.
[1:24:59] And we're redoing some things.
[1:25:00] I think we talked about the chiller.
[1:25:02] We went through that whole thing.
[1:25:06] The $600 and some $1,000 that the mayor is talking about
[1:25:10] is that we had for our fund.
[1:25:13] Was funds that we have on the books
[1:25:16] folks that we had an agreement before in the past, the way that we operated in the past,
[1:25:22] was to pull down money for capital operations that we needed to, capital improvements that
[1:25:29] we needed to make.
[1:25:30] And those things are very expensive, so we pull them down, we hold on until we pull them
[1:25:34] down until we have enough money to do exactly what we needed to do.
[1:25:38] So we do have the money to do the chiller.
[1:25:41] We talked about that on the 10th, I wasn't here, but I know that we talked about it.
[1:25:45] But we know how much that costs.
[1:25:47] We have to have it because we need to be prepared for the summer that's coming up in the
[1:25:54] past.
[1:25:55] We've had to close down days because of the air conditioning unit.
[1:25:59] We're going to be in, we're into conversations with PSE and G to see if we can have a program
[1:26:08] where they can take part of it, pay for part of it, and then we kind of, we match it.
[1:26:14] So that's what we're in the process of doing.
[1:26:17] So we need to have some of that money aside.
[1:26:19] It's not a surplus.
[1:26:20] It's money that we need to have in order to operate.
[1:26:25] Man, you gave a lot of different numbers and whatnot.
[1:26:28] My head was spinning around because many of those numbers,
[1:26:30] I've not heard before or seen before.
[1:26:33] But I do know that we do do a lot.
[1:26:38] We pay our electric bills, we do our maintenance.
[1:26:42] All of those things we do ourselves,
[1:26:43] and you don't do, okay?
[1:26:45] And that's okay because with the partnership,
[1:26:47] you do some things, we do some things to keep it running.
[1:26:51] So we do to answer your question, we do,
[1:26:54] and we're looking to have some latitude
[1:26:56] in trying to make this less harsh on our employees.
[1:27:03] And so we do.
[1:27:04] We don't hopefully, you'll help to give us something
[1:27:07] to help us as well.
[1:27:09] But yes, we do.
[1:27:10] Okay. Councilor President, I have a point of order. We have a legal concern.
[1:27:17] Okay. So excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. Give me one second, please.
[1:27:23] Councilor President, we are here tonight under a special meeting. The rules, the statutory rules,
[1:27:28] regarding special meetings are very, very clear. The only items that can be discussed are the items
[1:27:33] that are specifically noticed on the agenda. Correct. There are two items on the agenda. We've
[1:27:38] now had sort of a presentation from the library and there's been somewhat of a negotiation
[1:27:46] with regard to their budget.
[1:27:48] I would caution, just counsel, that although the budget is an item, the continuing of
[1:27:53] the questioning of the members of the library board and their personnel falls outside the
[1:27:59] scope of this very specific meeting, which is a special meeting under the 48-hour rule.
[1:28:05] Thank you.
[1:28:05] So, Corporation Council, I'm going to push back on that and ask the question because if there's an amendment that we'd like to make tonight, that is part of the budget conversation.
[1:28:15] Correct?
[1:28:17] No amendments were noticed for this evening, whatsoever.
[1:28:21] The budget is presented or you can either vote up or down on the budget or you can vote to extend the temporary budget so that the administration is able to make payroll for the next payroll.
[1:28:35] Those are the only items that can be done this evening.
[1:28:37] If you wish to make amendments, amendments can be done at the next regular meeting.
[1:28:41] But no amendments were made available to the public, and therefore it wasn't noticed and
[1:28:46] cannot be voted on this evening.
[1:28:50] Mr. President.
[1:28:51] Yes, ma'am.
[1:28:52] I would like to add for the benefit of the library and the public as well as for the government
[1:28:57] body, that the numbers that I recited earlier can be found on sheet 20 of the legal
[1:29:06] So line item budget, which each member of the government body has a copy of.
[1:29:12] And which it is also on the city's website.
[1:29:17] But sheet 20 gives those numbers that I cited for it.
[1:29:31] All right, Council.
[1:29:33] Yeah, so in some,
[1:29:38] you know, perhaps I'd like to see an amendment regarding giving the library additional funding.
[1:29:45] But the questions that I had matter in terms of what the library is able to do with additional money that I have.
[1:30:00] That we are able to give. And, you know, just straight up, like if the library is able to improve its services, retain its employees, then we should try to give them more money. I mean, that would be my position, right? But if the library is in a position where they're unable to make any moves, you know, they're not able to guarantee employees to keep their jobs and the services will continue to be cut. Then, you know, then why shouldn't they
[1:30:29] sacrifice like every other department if they are going to do what they're going to do
[1:30:35] anyway. So that's just my position. So now we're in a position where you know we don't
[1:30:41] have any amendments and it's probably the will of the council to introduce at least one
[1:30:47] amendment to bridge the gap with the library. So it's just a blood business.
[1:30:54] So in our last meeting corporation council is my understanding that the motion could be
[1:30:57] made on the floor for the amendment?
[1:31:02] Yes, we're not in advance.
[1:31:04] We're not in that meeting anymore.
[1:31:06] That meeting, that's a regular meeting.
[1:31:08] A special meeting has very different rules.
[1:31:10] A special meeting as you can only vote on the items that are presented.
[1:31:14] No amendments can be made at this time.
[1:31:17] You're certainly able to make amendments at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
[1:31:21] But this meeting is either to vote the budget as introduced or to vote to extend
[1:31:27] and the emergency temporary appropriations so that the administration is able to keep government functioning.
[1:31:38] Those are the only two items that can be voted on because especially on this. Thank you.
[1:31:42] Thank you. Any other questions?
[1:31:44] No. I'll make a motion that we table the budget.
[1:31:49] Second.
[1:31:49] Second.
[1:31:51] All right.
[1:31:52] Clerk, can I please have a roll call?
[1:31:56] This would be, this would be Resolution 31426, Motion of Table by Councilman Briggs-Jones,
[1:32:03] seconded by Councilman Wyatt, Motion of Table of Councilmembers Briggs-Jones,
[1:32:10] Councilwoman
[1:32:11] Briggs-Jones.
[1:32:12] Yes.
[1:32:14] Graham.
[1:32:14] Yes.
[1:32:15] McCray.
[1:32:18] Wyatt.
[1:32:19] Yes.
[1:32:20] Sessions.
[1:32:20] Yes.
[1:32:22] Vice President O'Hockaday.
[1:32:23] Yes.
[1:32:23] Yes, Council President Chary.
[1:32:26] Yes.
[1:32:26] Six in favor, one opposed.
[1:32:30] This resolution's been tabled.
[1:32:32] Thank you.
[1:32:35] We have resolution 315, 26.
[1:32:38] At the tempering?
[1:32:39] We're emergency appropriations.
[1:32:41] I make a motion and we extend it.
[1:32:45] Is that motion to adopt?
[1:32:46] Can I have a motion to adopt this resolution?
[1:32:48] For our resolutions are 315-26.
[1:32:53] So moved.
[1:32:53] Seconded.
[1:32:54] Clerk, can I please have a roll call?
[1:32:56] Roll call resolution 31526, Council members, Briggs Jones.
[1:33:00] Yes.
[1:33:01] Graham.
[1:33:01] Yes.
[1:33:02] McCray.
[1:33:02] Yes.
[1:33:03] Why?
[1:33:03] Yes.
[1:33:04] Sessoms.
[1:33:05] Yes.
[1:33:05] Vice President Hockiday.
[1:33:07] Yes.
[1:33:07] Council President Cherry.
[1:33:08] Yes.
[1:33:09] Actually, the animus 31526 has been adopted.
[1:33:12] All right.
[1:33:13] That concludes the resolutions.
[1:33:14] Thank you.
[1:33:14] Just a note to our Council ahead of our next schedule meeting, CFO, are you asking for a list
[1:33:23] of amendments?
[1:33:24] How would you like to receive the list?
[1:33:31] Well, how would you like to receive the amendments?
[1:33:36] Do you want it to be emailed to you?
[1:33:38] Do you want it to be sent to the chair?
[1:33:41] How would you like that to happen?
[1:33:42] You can send them by email.
[1:33:45] Individually.
[1:33:46] Okay.
[1:33:47] Do you mean individually?
[1:33:49] By each council person send them individually to you.
[1:33:52] You can put them together and you can send an email.
[1:33:55] Okay.
[1:33:56] All right.
[1:33:56] Madam President, can I just ask a clarifying question in terms of process, thank you.
[1:34:04] So with regards to amendments, it's my understanding as it was shared with me and
[1:34:10] I may have this incorrectly.
[1:34:12] Is it the responsibility of council to go through this document and identify the individual line
[1:34:22] items we want to take, we want to move money from one to the other, or is it the council
[1:34:29] can make a recommendation that we want we would like to have the administration reconsider
[1:34:36] appropriations of X amount for X units. So if I could just get clarification on process
[1:34:41] that would be helpful.
[1:34:43] It can go, it can, is incumbent upon council to identify the lines in which they want
[1:34:51] to either reduce or increase. However, if it is done in a more general fashion, it then
[1:34:57] falls to the administration. I can't speak to the administration where the administration
[1:35:01] will receive that and do it to the council's liking. So the surefire way is to identify
[1:35:08] the lines as a body that you want to move.
[1:35:13] As far as what the administration would do with
[1:35:15] the more general request, I can't, maybe the administration can speak to that, I can't
[1:35:19] speak to that, but legally speaking, it would be your obligation.
[1:35:24] And man, ask a follow-up question about process.
[1:35:28] Sure.
[1:35:28] And so if we're asking for reconsideration of the overall budget, that may imply that
[1:35:38] the determined tax increase that has already been established may increase based on whatever
[1:35:47] ever we are asking for so so I'll just give an example just for understanding so if we said can we give the the library another hundred thousand dollars you know as a good faith effort would the administration then be able to say okay council if that is your wishes and you're not identifying a line item to take that from that five point oh oh whatever it was in terms of taxes is now.
[1:36:17] Now I'm going to represent this.
[1:36:19] Yes, yes, and that can happen.
[1:36:21] Also, I just, for everyone who's thinking about process, once Council makes it amendments,
[1:36:25] it then has to be resubmitted to the State for their review before a final adoption.
[1:36:31] And, and, and Corporation Council, correct me if I'm wrong, there's a threshold, there's a certain amount
[1:36:35] for the, if we increase the budget, that we have to get approval from the State.
[1:36:41] I'll turn to my finance director on that one.
[1:36:48] So whatever changes to me, I would still have to send to the state, but there is a
[1:36:53] potential where we would have to have a public area and then work on it and then but what
[1:37:01] ever changes in it, I said, what the state has approved would have been changed, so the
[1:37:06] state needs still needs to be notified.
[1:37:09] Okay.
[1:37:09] There's an answer for me.
[1:37:10] Yes it does.
[1:37:11] Thank you.
[1:37:11] Let's go ahead, come to President Ledney.
[1:37:14] Hold on, Mayor.
[1:37:15] Sorry.
[1:37:18] What's the duration?
[1:37:20] It's the passing of the budget.
[1:37:22] So if we pass the template, we pass the template budget tonight,
[1:37:25] that is good for how long?
[1:37:27] That's good through September.
[1:37:28] September, what?
[1:37:30] The end of September.
[1:37:31] That's already it.
[1:37:32] Yes.
[1:37:33] So then at the next meeting, I will be here again,
[1:37:37] with another template.
[1:37:39] Understood.
[1:37:39] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:37:40] I think.
[1:37:40] And just a note for the council.
[1:37:42] I'll be reaching out to each one of you individually
[1:37:44] and receiving your amendments.
[1:37:46] If you have, and we may have a special meeting,
[1:37:48] or we may present at the next council,
[1:37:50] what are the other?
[1:37:53] Council President.
[1:37:54] I'm sorry, the mayor did have the floor.
[1:37:56] Yes.
[1:37:57] I want to clarify that at this point,
[1:38:02] this budget was presented to you by the administration.
[1:38:06] It was approved by you on introduction.
[1:38:08] It is your budget and changes can be made by you, by way of amendments.
[1:38:17] So that's totally up to you and any impact on property taxes would be based on the decision
[1:38:25] that you make.
[1:38:26] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:38:26] We are aware.
[1:38:28] Thank you.
[1:38:29] Councillor?
[1:38:30] Yes.
[1:38:31] A few things.
[1:38:31] One is a point of clarification.
[1:38:34] So tonight we were not able to make any amendments at all.
[1:38:36] this was the agenda. Hold on, Councillor.
[1:38:39] I just want to make sure that you're being heard.
[1:38:42] I was about to say I didn't even start it.
[1:38:46] So we could not make any amendments tonight.
[1:38:48] So time is our most precious asset.
[1:38:50] So why do we have this meeting tonight?
[1:38:52] There was no deliberation with the administration and the council about any changes whatsoever.
[1:38:57] We just presented the same budget and resolutions that we presented the last time.
[1:39:02] So why are we here tonight?
[1:39:04] I can answer that.
[1:39:08] The reason why we're here is because if you did not choose to either adopt the budget
[1:39:18] or pass the temporary emergency appropriation, you would have opted to shut the city down.
[1:39:25] And so we came here tonight with that knowledge and to give you an opportunity to do the right
[1:39:32] thing by either pass and adopt in the budget as with approved by the state of New Jersey
[1:39:38] or pass in a resolution to increase the temporary emergency appropriation.
[1:39:46] That is why we hear this evening.
[1:39:49] As of this evening, the council has yet to provide any amendments to the budget as approved
[1:39:57] by the state.
[1:39:58] And so the administration, we were of the firm belief given the fact that you have not
[1:40:05] made amendments and the state approved a budget that you would adopt this budget.
[1:40:11] And so we remain very disappointed that the budget has not been adopted.
[1:40:15] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:40:16] Okay.
[1:40:17] Thank you.
[1:40:17] We were talking about the tax vows as well.
[1:40:22] Do we have to certify tax rate because the bills appear to be higher than anticipated?
[1:40:30] How can you have a certified tax rate if you don't have an adopted budget?
[1:40:34] So why do we have higher bills then?
[1:40:37] The statute allows the tax collector to provide an estimated bill to the taxpayers of the
[1:40:48] city of Plainfield.
[1:40:49] And that is why taxpayers receive estimated tax bill because we needed to have the cash flow in order to pay bills.
[1:41:02] And so the bill that our property owners receive is an estimated tax bill allowed under the statute.
[1:41:13] And that estimated tax bill would be true up once this budget is adopted and
[1:41:19] Proper owners would receive the final tax bill upon the adoption of the budget.
[1:41:24] Yes, thank for the lesson. We received it in the mail. It says estimated tax bill. This year was higher than those in the past
[1:41:31] So that's the why I asked the question. What was the certified tax bill?
[1:41:34] Secondly, we talked about Dylan and facts. So tonight in this room, we talked about the library
[1:41:39] We talked about the cuts, we talked about how important a library was to our community.
[1:41:43] But there's also people in this room who work very hard for the city who receive layoff notices.
[1:41:49] And no longer have jobs.
[1:41:52] I don't know why we were smirkin' about that.
[1:41:56] I don't know what on the corporation, hold on, thank you.
[1:41:59] I know this personnel issue, we don't want to dive in, just please don't say anyone's names.
[1:42:03] Okay, I don't have to say anyone's name, but they're in the room.
[1:42:05] You can stand since we're doing the facts.
[1:42:07] If you were impacted, if you had to go, if you were laid off, if you had to receive a salary decrease,
[1:42:15] these are facts, so decisions that we make when we put these things forward,
[1:42:19] it's not just, oh, we're dealing with facts, this is what it is, you have to pass it.
[1:42:22] These are people's lives.
[1:42:25] Councillor Cousin, we're violating this special moment.
[1:42:26] Thank you.
[1:42:28] Any other comments from my council colleagues?
[1:42:31] Just one more question, Madam Finance Director, can you tell me with this budget as present it,
[1:42:37] What does it remind me? What does the tax rate increase? What's the percent that the taxes would go to?
[1:42:43] The budget before you has 5.4, 2 percent increase.
[1:42:49] Okay. And that's based off of the assessed value of the home.
[1:42:57] That's this. That's a 5.4 percent increase.
[1:43:02] Thank you. I'll follow up with my questions offline. Thank you.
[1:43:07] All right. Any other questions?
[1:43:10] Thank you.
[1:43:11] Can I have a motion to adjourn?
[1:43:13] So moved.
[1:43:14] Sure, thank you.
[1:43:15] Thank you, everyone.
[1:43:16] Have a good evening.
[1:43:25] Thank you.
[1:43:28] What's your health?
[1:43:31] That's it.
[1:43:32] The latest reason does not allow the budget not.
[1:43:35] It's an additional judge.
[1:43:36] Let me just say the police.
[1:43:38] Sorry.