Statements by Brian E. Lewis
596 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
You have parking ambassadors up there. Okay.
Play from 28:32Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
Understood.
Play from 29:41Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
Okay. I I appreciate you uh answering my questions and uh I'm going to uh give it back to uh the the chair. Thank you.
Play from 29:45Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
Uh like I said, this is something that I wanted to explore 2 years ago. Um, I based on what I heard, I I don't really know if this is feasible right now.
Play from 1:08:56Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
Uh first and foremost, um we really can't make any decisions on the city level until we request a change in the charter, because this is something that's going to have to go before the legislators. And you don't know
Play from 1:09:08Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
if they want this or not, because you have the JP court, and that's funding the state, and they're state legislators. So, uh again, um my concern is always the cost. That's why I asked the financial-based questions,
Play from 1:09:24Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
what would the court bring in, how much are we going to put out. As we all know, uh this fiscal year we ran a deficit, so or came pretty close.
Play from 1:09:42Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
Um, so all those things being said, um the jury's still out with me.
Play from 1:09:54Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
I I think my my opinion as far as if you're going to utilize this court in any way to commit people into psychiatric uh hospitals uh or drug treatment centers, you're treading in uncharted waters because I don't know if the JP courts can even do that now. My understanding is, and this was speaking with Judge Witham, is that Superior Court judges uh generally commit uh offenders that need psychiatric evaluations uh into those facilities. So you're you're treading um like I said into uncharted waters because you know, you're you're violating people's constitutional rights doing something like that. And I can give you an example, coming from uh Jersey, years ago uh they used to allow municipal court judges up there, it was called a um an MCO, municipal court order, where they would commit somebody for 30 days into a psychiatric facility.
Play from 1:58:31Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
They took that away from municipal court judges, and they revised the system where if you had a psychiatric a person, you know, with uh you know, bizarre behavior, uh they would um contact a psychiatrist, and a psychiatrist had to get involved at that point with the police department, where they just couldn't commit them like they used to. So that's something that is kind of concerning, and, you know, Mr. Neil had brought that up in his summation at the beginning.
Play from 1:59:29Jul 21, 2026, Alderman's Court Ad Hoc Meeting
I'm fine with referral, but I'm not fine with committing. A city could never do that.
Play from 2:00:23Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Uh, thank you, uh, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Ms. Duca, how much is this going to cost our constituents? I don't see a fee in the, in the proposed ordinance.
Play from 02:54Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The only question I have is if there's any money left over, specifically it states in the ordinance that the money has to be allocated for certain things, am I correct?
Play from 08:03Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
So if there's funding left over, what's going to happen? Will that have to come back to Council to be appropriated to something specific? Just hypothetically if there's any money left over because it states, again I reiterate, that it has to be allocated for certain things. Example, if there's extra money left over in the Police Department and the Chief wants to go out and buy some drones, can he go ahead and rightfully do that or does that have to come back to Council or you? Can you explain that or elaborate on my question?
Play from 08:37Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Okay, thank you. So I just want to make sure, again, that the money is specifically allocated for what's supposed to be allocated for.
Play from 09:54Jun 8, 2026, Special Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting
Thank you.
Play from 10:02Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you for your report, Chief Carey. I just have a couple questions with respect to You said we need a ladder truck, am I correct? Not an engine, right?
Play from 22:46Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Ladder truck. Um, would it behoove us to jump on that right away to specifically lock in an interest rate? Because I know when we purchased the previous apparatus, we wanted to, um, kind of expedite it so we could get locked into that specific lower rate. What is your opinion on that?
Play from 22:56Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
So, when do you anticipate we need to get this done? Because I would recommend you collaborate with Ms. Mawhinney, our finance director, to bring it to the next council meeting if if if not the following.
Play from 24:11Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Okay. Excellent. And when you purchase the new apparatus, um, do you use the bells and whistles from the previous one to be cost-effective, or is that going to be, um, an addition to what we're paying for the ladder truck?
Play from 24:36Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
So when you auction off or sell the old piece, you utilize that funding to purchase the extracurricular—and that's how I'm going to identify it—
Play from 25:40Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
uh, hoses, siren, uh, strobe lights, etc., correct?
Play from 25:48Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Okay. I I was talking about like, you know, the bells and whistles that comes with it.
Play from 26:18Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Okay, so we don't have to pay for that. [laughter] Because I thought we talked about this once before and he says, well, these trucks come pretty much stripped. They're basic. We got to put everything else into them.
Play from 26:24Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Okay, I just want to make sure. Um, and my last and final question is, um tonight, um we we had a crowd come out from the neighborhood where Robbins Hose Company is located pertaining to various issues with homeless individuals. And, you know, I would just like for you to elaborate, you know, on the record because you know, I, and you know, I think all of us here in this chamber supports the fire department. You know, it's volunteer. You guys put your lives on the line every day to protect the citizens of this city. What are you currently experiencing over there, as of this date, with individuals congregating in the neighborhood? Because I know you and I spoke about this, but I'd like you to put it on the record if you don't mind.
Play from 26:37Mar 23, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Two things. Uh, this Wednesday, March 25th, there will be a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at Bally's Casino, uh, at the uh, uh, the Kooler Lounge, and on Saturday the 28th, there is a Easter egg extravaganza at the Murphy School from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. That's going to be sponsored by Tracy Palmer Ministries. That's all I have.
Play from 43:56Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Can I just interrupt you for a minute? Chair?
Play from 57:01Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Mr. Chair, um this is actually in my district, the second district, where you intend to implement this project. Um I have a couple questions and my first one is, um how do you intend to get the community to buy into this? Because uh where you intend to place these, you have Clearview Meadow development. Um and if they don't, and I suggest that you, you know you said you were going to go around with with flyers and, you know, talk to the community, you may want to um make an appointment to address their homeowners association...
Play from 57:03Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
...at their monthly meetings, because I think that's very important.
Play from 57:49Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, because I'm very familiar with the area um and uh you know it don't look like you have a lot of space there because actually uh about uh a year ago there was tents erected on the land where you intend to...
Play from 57:52Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
...put these tiny homes. Um the other question is uh if this goes through, uh how do you intend to police the project?
Play from 58:02Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Also, and I'm sure you're aware, you have Luther Village over there, which is a senior citizen community,
Play from 59:33Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
which is in close proximity across the street. That means that you're going to have to get those residents to buy into this, too.
Play from 59:41Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yeah, and my final question right now, because I'm sure I'll have more questions, is what if it don't work? Then what do you intend to do?
Play from 59:48Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Pack up and go home. Okay.
Play from 59:59Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I think a major question that's going to come up by a lot of residents over there, because they're my constituents-
Play from 1:01:13Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
and one is going to be, are you going to fence the area in?
Play from 1:01:20Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Are you going to fence the area in? Is there going to be a fence around the perimeter?
Play from 1:01:25Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. Thank you for answering my questions. We'll definitely be having a further dialogue. Okay, thank you. That's all I have right now.
Play from 1:02:15Mar 10, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes. I, uh, as Ms. Hall indicated, have been dealing with a lot of, uh, concerned constituents, uh, over various, uh, code enforcement issues, uh, crime in the area. Uh, most of the, um, issues I referred to Ms. Duca to address, or Mr. Eddie Kopp, our chief code enforcement officer. Um, I had discussion with the chief last night briefly, uh, regarding trying to, uh, ascertain a a camera still in the alleyway over there between Stoney Creek development and Barrister, because, um, that's one of the areas that is attracting a lot of crime. Uh, not only code enforcement issues with an abundance of trash, but, um, I I've I get at least, um, uh, three to four phone calls a a week, um, from constituents over there complaining about drug transactions going on in that alleyway, uh, with park in. So, um, I look forward to, uh, having dialogue with the chief, maybe we can set up an appointment, uh, to talk, you, I, and, uh, Councilman Rocha, and see if we can come can come up with something as far as, uh, getting a camera back there, so so, I know funds are tight, but maybe we could, um, uh, collaborate with another, uh, agency in the state that could, uh, give us something on loan, and that's all I have.
Play from 1:25:41