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File #: 160002    Version: 0 Name:
Type: COMMUNICATION Status: PLACED ON FILE
File created: 1/4/2016 In control: CITY COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action:
Title: 1 1 2 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA 3 STATED MEETING 4 5 6 Academy of Music Broad and Locust Streets 7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Monday, January 4, 2016 8 10:00 a.m. 9 10 PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE 11 COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL 12 COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN 13 COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM 14 COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON 15 COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH 16 COUNCILMAN BRIAN J...

Title                                                            1

 

 

 

        1

 

        2               COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

 

        3                         STATED MEETING

 

        4

 

        5

 

        6                         Academy of Music

                                  Broad and Locust Streets

        7                         Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

                                  Monday, January 4, 2016

        8                         10:00 a.m.

 

        9

 

       10      PRESENT:

                   COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE

       11          COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS

                   COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL

       12          COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB

                   COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN

       13          COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE

                   COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM

       14          COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON

                   COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON

       15          COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR.

                   COUNCILMAN DAVID OH

       16          COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL

                   COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER

       17          COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ

                   COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN

       18          COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA

                   COUNCILMAN AL TAUBENBERGER

       19

 

       20

               MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK

       21

 

       22                       - - -

 

       23

 

       24

 

       25

 

 

 

 

                                                            2

 

 

 

        1

 

        2                    MR. TALIAFERRO:  Ladies and

 

        3          gentlemen, welcome to the investiture of

 

        4          members of Council, the organization of

 

        5          City Council, the inauguration of the

 

        6          Honorable James F. Kenney as Mayor, and

 

        7          the investiture of members of the

 

        8          Judiciary, City Commissioners, Sheriff,

 

        9          and Register of Wills.  We ask that you

 

       10          please turn off all pagers and cellular

 

       11          phones and please be patient.  We will

 

       12          start in approximately five minutes.

 

       13                    (Brief pause.)

 

       14                    MR. TALIAFERRO:  Ladies and

 

       15          gentlemen, good morning and once again

 

       16          welcome to the investiture of members of

 

       17          Council, the organization of City

 

       18          Council, the inauguration of the

 

       19          Honorable James F. Kenney as Mayor, and

 

       20          the investiture of members of the

 

       21          Judiciary, City Commissioners, Sheriff,

 

       22          and Register of Wills.  We ask that you

 

       23          please turn off all pagers and cellular

 

       24          phones for the remainder of the ceremony.

 

       25          Thank you.

 

 

 

 

                                                            3

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    And now we would ask that you

 

        3          would rise and bow your heads for the

 

        4          invocation given by His Excellency,

 

        5          Charles Chaput, Archbishop of

 

        6          Philadelphia.

 

        7                    (All members and guests rise.)

 

        8                    ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT:  Samuel

 

        9          Adams, the political philosopher and one

 

       10          of our nation's founding fathers, once

 

       11          observed that a person is the truest

 

       12          friend of the liberty of his country who

 

       13          tries most to promote its virtue.

 

       14                    As citizens of the United

 

       15          States and this wonderful City of

 

       16          Philadelphia, we've inherited freedoms

 

       17          and opportunities that set a standard for

 

       18          much of the world.  We have so very much

 

       19          to be grateful for as we begin a new

 

       20          year, and let us turn our hearts for a

 

       21          moment to the one God who made us and who

 

       22          sustains us with his love.

 

       23                    Let us pray.

 

       24                    Father in Heaven, Scripture

 

       25          teaches us that you formed us in the

 

 

 

 

                                                            4

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          womb, you created us in your image, and

 

        3          you guarantee the dignity of each and

 

        4          every human being.  Make us faithful

 

        5          stewards of the time you give us in this

 

        6          world.  Help us to be builders and

 

        7          peacemakers.  Help us to remember the

 

        8          poor and to protect the weak.  Help us to

 

        9          reflect your light to the world and to

 

       10          show by our action that truth, integrity,

 

       11          and service still shape the purpose of

 

       12          American public life.

 

       13                    Bless Mayor Kenney in his time

 

       14          of service, the members of our City

 

       15          Council, their families, and all the men

 

       16          and women who serve with them, and pour

 

       17          down your grace on all Philadelphians so

 

       18          that the renewal of this great city will

 

       19          begin and take root in the goodness and

 

       20          decency of its people.

 

       21                    We ask this in your name as

 

       22          your sons and daughters, confident of

 

       23          your love.

 

       24                    Amen.

 

       25                    (Amen.)

 

 

 

 

                                                            5

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    MR. TALIAFERRO:  We invite you

 

        3          to remain standing as the Philadelphia

 

        4          Police and Fire Departments, along with

 

        5          the Philadelphia Prison System Honor

 

        6          Guards, present the colors, while the

 

        7          Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale leads

 

        8          us in singing the National Anthem.

 

        9                    (Colors presented and National

 

       10          Anthem sung.)

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    MR. TALIAFERRO:  At this time,

 

       13          please welcome City Council President,

 

       14          the Honorable Darrell L. Clarke, to the

 

       15          podium.

 

       16                    (Applause.)

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Good

 

       18          morning.

 

       19                    (Good morning.)

 

       20                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  It

 

       21          is a great day.

 

       22                    I'd just like to take this

 

       23          moment to welcome and thank everyone who

 

       24          has taken time out of their busy day to

 

       25          witness their government in action.  It

 

 

 

 

                                                            6

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          is truly a great experience.  I hope that

 

        3          you really enjoy yourselves, so much so

 

        4          that in four years you come back again.

 

        5                    At this time, I'd like to

 

        6          acknowledge some special guests who are

 

        7          joining us today:  Archbishop Charles

 

        8          Chaput, Reverend John Roberts, Reverend

 

        9          John Swope, Reverend Terrence Griffith,

 

       10          Rabbi Jill Maderer, former Governor Ed

 

       11          Rendell, former Mayor John Street, former

 

       12          Mayor William Green, former Mayor Wilson

 

       13          Goode, and Mayor Michael Nutter, the

 

       14          Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper, the

 

       15          Honorable Rosalyn Robinson, the Honorable

 

       16          Kevin Dougherty, the Honorable Susan

 

       17          Gantman, the Honorable Marsha Neifield.

 

       18          And I also wish to acknowledge all the

 

       19          elected officials that are here today and

 

       20          to acknowledge my family who is here with

 

       21          me today.  I just have to give a

 

       22          shout-out to them.

 

       23                    (Applause.)

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  This

 

       25          being the day fixed by the Philadelphia

 

 

 

 

                                                            7

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Home Rule Charter for the organization of

 

        3          Council of the City of Philadelphia, the

 

        4          hour has arrived, and we will now proceed

 

        5          with the organization of Council, the

 

        6          investiture of Councilmembers.

 

        7                    The first order of business

 

        8          will be the election of a temporary

 

        9          chairperson.  Nominations are now in

 

       10          order, and the Chair recognizes

 

       11          Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

 

       12                    COUNCILWOMAN BROWN:  Thank you,

 

       13          Mr. President.  I nominate Councilman

 

       14          Bobby Henon.

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       16          Thank you.

 

       17                    The Chair now recognizes

 

       18          Councilman Green.

 

       19                    COUNCILMAN GREEN:

 

       20          Mr. President, I second the nomination.

 

       21                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Are

 

       22          there any other nominations?

 

       23                    (No response.)

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       25          There being none, the Chair now

 

 

 

 

                                                            8

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          recognizes Councilman O'Neill.

 

        3                    COUNCILMAN O'NEILL:

 

        4          Mr. President, I move the nominations be

 

        5          closed.

 

        6                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

        7          Chair thanks the gentleman.

 

        8                    The Chair now recognizes

 

        9          Councilwoman Parker.

 

       10                    COUNCILWOMAN PARKER:  Thank

 

       11          you, Mr. President.  I second the motion.

 

       12                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       13          Thank you.

 

       14                    All those in favor of the

 

       15          motion say aye.

 

       16                    (Aye.)

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       18          Those opposed?

 

       19                    (No response.)

 

       20                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       21          ayes have it, and the nominations are

 

       22          closed.  There being no further

 

       23          nominations, all in favor of the election

 

       24          of Councilman Henon will say aye.

 

       25                    (Aye.)

 

 

 

 

                                                            9

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        3          Those opposed?

 

        4                    (No response.)

 

        5                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

        6          ayes have it, and Councilman Henon has

 

        7          been duly elected temporary chairperson.

 

        8                    (Applause.)

 

        9                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Well, good

 

       10          morning and thank you.  The first order

 

       11          of business, I appoint Mr. Michael Decker

 

       12          temporary Clerk.

 

       13                    The next order of business is

 

       14          the filing of certificates of the

 

       15          election.  The Clerk will call the roll.

 

       16          I direct the Clerk to call the roll,

 

       17          beginning with the

 

       18          Councilpersons-at-large in alphabetical

 

       19          order and then proceed with the District

 

       20          Councilpersons in the order of their

 

       21          districts, beginning with the First

 

       22          District.

 

       23                    Clerk?

 

       24                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Allan Domb?

 

       25                    COUNCILMAN DOMB:  Present.

 

 

 

 

                                                           10

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Derek Green?

 

        3                    COUNCILMAN GREEN:  Present.

 

        4                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. William

 

        5          Greenlee?

 

        6                    COUNCILMAN GREENLEE:  Present.

 

        7                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Helen Gym?

 

        8                    COUNCILWOMAN GYM:  Present.

 

        9                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. David Oh?

 

       10                    COUNCILMAN OH:  Present.

 

       11                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Blondell

 

       12          Reynolds Brown?

 

       13                    COUNCILWOMAN BROWN:  Present.

 

       14                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Al

 

       15          Taubenberger?

 

       16                    COUNCILMAN TAUBENBERGER:

 

       17          Present.

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Mark Squilla?

 

       19                    COUNCILMAN SQUILLA:  Present.

 

       20                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Kenyatta

 

       21          Johnson?

 

       22                    COUNCILMAN JOHNSON:  Present.

 

       23                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Jannie

 

       24          Blackwell?

 

       25                    COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL:

 

 

 

 

                                                           11

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Present.

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Curtis Jones,

 

        4          Jr.?

 

        5                    COUNCILMAN JONES:  Present.

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Darrell

 

        7          Clarke?

 

        8                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        9          Present.

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Bobby Henon?

 

       11                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Present.

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Maria

 

       13          Quinones-Sanchez?

 

       14                    COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ:

 

       15          Presente.

 

       16                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Cindy Bass?

 

       17                    COUNCILWOMAN BASS:  Present.

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ms. Cherelle

 

       19          Parker?

 

       20                    COUNCILWOMAN PARKER:  Present.

 

       21                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mr. Brian

 

       22          O'Neill?

 

       23                    COUNCILMAN O'NEILL:  Present.

 

       24                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Henon,

 

       25          a quorum of the members-elect is present,

 

 

 

 

                                                           12

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          and I have in my possession certificates

 

        3          of election from the County Board of

 

        4          Elections in Philadelphia, indicating

 

        5          their election on November 3rd, 2015 for

 

        6          a term of four years, commencing the

 

        7          first Monday of January, AD 2016.

 

        8                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Thank you,

 

        9          Clerk.

 

       10                    The investiture of members of

 

       11          City Council will now proceed.  The

 

       12          members-elect will rise and take the oath

 

       13          of office, which will be administered by

 

       14          the Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper,

 

       15          President Judge of the Court of Common

 

       16          Pleas.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Good

 

       19          morning.  I would ask that all members

 

       20          who will be given the oath this morning

 

       21          please stand, place your left hands on

 

       22          the Bible, and raise your right hands.

 

       23                    If you all could just repeat

 

       24          after me.

 

       25                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           13

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

        3          Congratulations.

 

        4                    (Applause.)

 

        5                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  The next

 

        6          order of business is the election of a

 

        7          President of City Council for the City of

 

        8          Philadelphia to serve for four years,

 

        9          commencing January 4th, 2016.

 

       10          Nominations are now in order, and the

 

       11          Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.

 

       12                    COUNCILMAN GREENLEE:  Thank

 

       13          you, Mr. Chairman.  I proudly and with

 

       14          great honor nominate Darrell L. Clarke.

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Thank you,

 

       17          Councilman.

 

       18                    At this time, the Chair

 

       19          recognizes Councilman Oh.

 

       20                    COUNCILMAN OH:  Mr. Chairman, I

 

       21          second that nomination.

 

       22                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Are there

 

       23          any further nominations?

 

       24                    (No response.)

 

       25                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Hearing

 

 

 

 

                                                           14

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          none, the Chair recognizes Councilman

 

        3          Johnson.

 

        4                    COUNCILMAN JOHNSON:

 

        5          Mr. Chairman, I move the nominations be

 

        6          closed.

 

        7                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  The Chair

 

        8          recognizes Councilman Taubenberger.

 

        9                    COUNCILMAN TAUBENBERGER:

 

       10          Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.

 

       11                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  All those in

 

       12          favor will say aye.  Those opposed, nay.

 

       13          There being no -- all aye?

 

       14                    (Aye.)

 

       15                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Those

 

       16          opposed?

 

       17                    (No response.)

 

       18                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  There being

 

       19          no further nominations, those in favor of

 

       20          the election of the Honorable Darrell L.

 

       21          Clarke as President of City Council will

 

       22          say aye.

 

       23                    (Aye.)

 

       24                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Those

 

       25          opposed?

 

 

 

 

                                                           15

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (No response.)

 

        3                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  The ayes

 

        4          have it.  However, the temporary Clerk

 

        5          will call the roll.

 

        6                    Clerk?

 

        7                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

        8          Bass.

 

        9                    COUNCILWOMAN BASS:  Aye.

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       11          Blackwell.

 

       12                    COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL:  Aye.

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       14          Clarke.

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Aye.

 

       16                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Domb.

 

       17                    COUNCILMAN DOMB:  Aye.

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Green.

 

       19                    COUNCILMAN GREEN:  Aye.

 

       20                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       21          Greenlee.

 

       22                    COUNCILMAN GREENLEE:  Aye.

 

       23                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman Gym.

 

       24                    COUNCILWOMAN GYM:  Aye.

 

       25                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Henon.

 

 

 

 

                                                           16

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Aye.

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

        4          Johnson.

 

        5                    COUNCILMAN JOHNSON:  Aye.

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Jones.

 

        7                    COUNCILMAN JONES:  Aye.

 

        8                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

        9          O'Neill.

 

       10                    COUNCILMAN O'NEILL:  Aye.

 

       11                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Oh.

 

       12                    COUNCILMAN OH:  Aye.

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       14          Parker.

 

       15                    COUNCILWOMAN PARKER:  Aye.

 

       16                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       17          Quinones-Sanchez.

 

       18                    COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ:  Aye.

 

       19                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       20          Reynolds Brown.

 

       21                    COUNCILWOMAN BROWN:  Aye.

 

       22                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       23          Squilla.

 

       24                    COUNCILMAN SQUILLA:  Aye.

 

       25                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

 

 

 

                                                           17

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Taubenberger.

 

        3                    COUNCILMAN TAUBENBERGER:  Aye.

 

        4                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  The ayes are

 

        5          17; the nays are zero.  Councilman Clarke

 

        6          having been unanimously chosen by the

 

        7          members of City Council, I declare that

 

        8          Councilman Clarke is duly elected

 

        9          President of this Council body.

 

       10                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       11                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  A little

 

       12          anxious to come to the podium here,

 

       13          Council President.

 

       14                    I appoint Councilwoman Blondell

 

       15          Reynolds Brown, Councilman Greenlee,

 

       16          Councilman O'Neill, and Councilman Oh to

 

       17          escort Council President Clarke to the

 

       18          rostrum.  Joining the President at the

 

       19          rostrum will be Nita Wroten and Helen

 

       20          Brown.  The oath of office will be

 

       21          administered by the Honorable Rosalyn

 

       22          Robinson, Judge of the Court of Common

 

       23          Pleas.  You may proceed to the rostrum,

 

       24          please.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           18

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    JUDGE ROBINSON:  Council

 

        3          President, place your left hand on the

 

        4          Bible, raise your right hand and repeat

 

        5          after me.

 

        6                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

        7                    JUDGE ROBINSON:

 

        8          Congratulations.

 

        9                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       10          Thank you.

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  It is now my

 

       13          pleasure to present to you the President

 

       14          of City Council, the Honorable Darrell L.

 

       15          Clarke.

 

       16                    (Applause.)

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  I'm

 

       18          sorry I was a little anxious.  It's only

 

       19          my second time.

 

       20                    Folks, I just want to say that

 

       21          it is a pleasure of having an opportunity

 

       22          to serve as the President of the City

 

       23          Council of Philadelphia.  It is one of

 

       24          the best jobs in the City and one of the

 

       25          best jobs in the country.  So I want to

 

 

 

 

                                                           19

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          truly thank my colleagues, all of my

 

        3          supporters, all of the wonderful staff

 

        4          that we have and the people that have

 

        5          given me this awesome opportunity.

 

        6                    To my colleagues, some old

 

        7          friends and some new friends, it is my

 

        8          honor to continue serving the people of

 

        9          the City of Philadelphia as President of

 

       10          City Council.  I want to thank you again

 

       11          for this privilege.

 

       12                    Four years ago, as some of you

 

       13          may recall, I stood on this stage and I

 

       14          was a little nervous, it was my first

 

       15          time, I must admit, but I was extremely

 

       16          optimistic and extremely determined to do

 

       17          the business for the citizens of the City

 

       18          of Philadelphia, and as a result of that,

 

       19          I'd like to say I am so proud of this

 

       20          City Council, the people that I have

 

       21          worked with.  And I know that I may rub

 

       22          some people the wrong way, but the last

 

       23          four years I've worked with what I

 

       24          believe to be the best City Council in

 

       25          the City of Philadelphia's history.

 

 

 

 

                                                           20

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (Applause.)

 

        3                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  And

 

        4          that doesn't include the new members

 

        5          because you guys weren't here.  So I'm

 

        6          sure you'll enhance that.

 

        7                    But together we modernized

 

        8          property assessments, streamlined

 

        9          planning and development functions in an

 

       10          historic reinvention of municipal

 

       11          government, created the nation's largest

 

       12          Land Bank.

 

       13                    Thank you, Councilwoman, for

 

       14          that awesome work.

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  We

 

       17          authorized an independent Water and Sewer

 

       18          Rate Board to protect consumers and

 

       19          strengthened regulations to make

 

       20          building, demolition, and construction

 

       21          safer.

 

       22                    Councilman Jones, I want to

 

       23          thank you for chairing those hearings.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  We

 

 

 

 

                                                           21

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          adopted strategies to build an affordable

 

        3          future, and that is very important in

 

        4          today's times.  Solicited citizen input

 

        5          and community sustainability initiatives

 

        6          at town halls throughout the City of

 

        7          Philadelphia and began working with

 

        8          stakeholders.

 

        9                    And, Mayor Kenney, I want to

 

       10          thank you.  That trip was awesome to

 

       11          Cincinnati.  We look forward to expanding

 

       12          on that.

 

       13                    And the last four years were

 

       14          extremely productive, and I'm

 

       15          particularly proud about the fact that

 

       16          we've worked together.  And you look at

 

       17          the vote count and the number of our

 

       18          sessions and there were a lot of 17-0,

 

       19          16-1's, 15-2's.  And as a matter of fact,

 

       20          I tell my communications person that a

 

       21          press person actually called me and said,

 

       22          You know, you guys are boring.

 

       23                    What do you mean?

 

       24                    You're always together.

 

       25                    I said, Well, you know, that's

 

 

 

 

                                                           22

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          not a bad thing.  And I had to apologize

 

        3          for not having to fight on the floor of

 

        4          City Council.  We didn't do that this

 

        5          term, right?  Nobody threatened to throw

 

        6          anybody out of the window, right?  A la

 

        7          Abscam, there wasn't a movie made after

 

        8          us.  But we did some good work.  But

 

        9          guess what?  We still have so much more

 

       10          to do.

 

       11                    In spite of the significant

 

       12          problems we tackled and milestones we

 

       13          reached, far too many issues remain

 

       14          unresolved.  None of us here, especially

 

       15          those in this beautiful amphitheater, can

 

       16          feel good about being the most

 

       17          impoverished of the major U.S. cities.

 

       18          Nor can we feel good about unemployment

 

       19          in some of our neighborhoods,

 

       20          unemployment that actually reaches

 

       21          upwards of 40 to 50 percent in some of

 

       22          our communities.  We cannot feel good

 

       23          about vacant lots and blighted conditions

 

       24          that still are a part of some

 

       25          neighborhoods' landscape.  We have to fix

 

 

 

 

                                                           23

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          that.

 

        3                    The previous term Council made

 

        4          a significant proposal to ensure

 

        5          equitable growth throughout the City of

 

        6          Philadelphia, to make sure that every

 

        7          neighborhood, every neighborhood is a

 

        8          community of choice.  And I want to thank

 

        9          my colleagues for working so diligently

 

       10          toward the goal of equitable communities

 

       11          that are inclusive of everyone regardless

 

       12          of who they are or how much they earn.  I

 

       13          want to thank you guys so much for that

 

       14          great work.

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Here

 

       17          in the City of Philadelphia, a city of

 

       18          working-class communities, that

 

       19          conversation begins and ends with

 

       20          affordability.  For those of us who got

 

       21          knocked down during the recession,

 

       22          whether by job loss or lost savings,

 

       23          getting back to where we were has been

 

       24          difficult, has been extremely difficult.

 

       25          Young people are delaying homeownership.

 

 

 

 

                                                           24

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          People who used to be homeowners are now

 

        3          renting.  There are some significant

 

        4          challenges.  And in spite, you do see

 

        5          market-rate housing in a lot of sections

 

        6          of the City of Philadelphia.  And I want

 

        7          to thank Mayor Nutter for working with us

 

        8          to ensure that we have significant

 

        9          growth.  But the simple reality is that

 

       10          most of our citizens cannot afford the

 

       11          cost of those new market-rate housing.

 

       12                    So last term, City Council set

 

       13          out a goal to building 2,000 new

 

       14          affordable, workforce units on vacant

 

       15          land in gentrifying neighborhoods to make

 

       16          sure that everybody had an opportunity to

 

       17          live in these choice neighborhoods.  We

 

       18          are already bucking a trend that is

 

       19          making other major cities less affordable

 

       20          and less inclusive.

 

       21                    We will also be rolling out a

 

       22          comprehensive energy strategy to help

 

       23          homeowners, businesses, and our own City

 

       24          government to increase efficiencies,

 

       25          reduce costs, and create more than 10,000

 

 

 

 

                                                           25

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          new green jobs along the way.  To the

 

        3          press, stay tuned for that.

 

        4                    We know that a good quality of

 

        5          life is not just about having a place to

 

        6          live.  Economic opportunity, giving

 

        7          people the ability to sustain themselves

 

        8          and their families and have real pride in

 

        9          earning a living, is critical to creating

 

       10          healthy communities.  I'm talking about

 

       11          jobs, jobs, jobs.

 

       12                    So to create new jobs, we will

 

       13          propose the following:  A targeted and

 

       14          coordinated effort among the private,

 

       15          public, and non-profit sectors to secure

 

       16          an amendment to the Uniformity Clause in

 

       17          the Pennsylvania State Constitution,

 

       18          which will allow our city, for the first

 

       19          time in decades, to truly reform our tax

 

       20          structure.  This isn't just about

 

       21          delivering tax relief for homeowners --

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  I

 

       24          know some Chamber people like that.

 

       25                    This isn't just about tax

 

 

 

 

                                                           26

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          relief for homeowners, although that is

 

        3          definitely a laudable goal.  This is

 

        4          about making targeted investments to

 

        5          stimulate the economic growth and the

 

        6          prosperity of our city.

 

        7                    Two, we need to make sure that

 

        8          young people in the City of Philadelphia

 

        9          graduating from the Philadelphia public

 

       10          schools and other high schools are

 

       11          prepared to join the workforce.  For

 

       12          some, that might mean moving on to

 

       13          college and maybe even grad school, but

 

       14          college, particularly with the insane

 

       15          costs and debt associated with it, is not

 

       16          for everyone.

 

       17                    So what we want to do and have

 

       18          started those discussions, that we have

 

       19          been blessed to have world-class higher

 

       20          education institutions and teaching

 

       21          hospitals in the City of Philadelphia.

 

       22          Few cities can beat us in eds and meds.

 

       23          As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to

 

       24          say we're the best.  I know Boston is

 

       25          maybe a close second, but at the end of

 

 

 

 

                                                           27

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          the day, the City of Philadelphia has the

 

        3          best eds and meds.

 

        4                    (Applause.)

 

        5                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  So

 

        6          understanding that, understanding that,

 

        7          as we talk about the School District and

 

        8          some of the curriculum changes, while I

 

        9          understand that we are mandated to teach

 

       10          to the test, how about teaching to the

 

       11          job opportunity?

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       14          Wouldn't that be a novel idea?

 

       15                    So as a result of that, we have

 

       16          had productive conversations with our

 

       17          major universities, including Penn,

 

       18          Drexel, and my personal favorite,

 

       19          Temple -- it's in my district -- about

 

       20          increasing partnerships with Philadelphia

 

       21          public schools.  And I want to thank

 

       22          every college and university official who

 

       23          had looked me in the eye and told me they

 

       24          are committed to doing more for our young

 

       25          people.  They're committed, and I'm

 

 

 

 

                                                           28

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          looking forward to that.  Together, we

 

        3          must find a way to get more Philadelphia

 

        4          public school students on a path to tech,

 

        5          health, science jobs right here in the

 

        6          City of Philadelphia.  That, by the way,

 

        7          is how you really address economic

 

        8          inequality - education plus opportunity.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Now,

 

       11          about our schools.  It is beyond

 

       12          unconscionable that in this economic

 

       13          recovery the big banks, the corporations,

 

       14          the CEOs are doing better.  They're doing

 

       15          real well, real well.  But across the

 

       16          country, the simple reality is that

 

       17          school districts are starving.  And this

 

       18          is not just morally wrong, it is also

 

       19          extremely counterproductive as it relates

 

       20          to our health and our long-term

 

       21          viability.

 

       22                    We are competing with countries

 

       23          around the globe that don't just think

 

       24          twice about investing heavily in

 

       25          education.  In the City of Philadelphia,

 

 

 

 

                                                           29

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          the birthplace of American democracy, we

 

        3          don't have enough teachers, nurses,

 

        4          counselors, books to give our kids a

 

        5          quality public education they need to

 

        6          become successful adults.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  But

 

        9          today we have more reasons to be hopeful.

 

       10          We have a governor in Tom Wolf, who is

 

       11          here with us today -- Governor, where are

 

       12          you?

 

       13                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       14                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  All

 

       15          right, Gov.  We still love you here in

 

       16          the City of Philadelphia.  I don't know

 

       17          about any place else in the state, but we

 

       18          love you here.

 

       19                    So I want to thank the

 

       20          Governor, who is insisting on a

 

       21          responsible spending plan that funds

 

       22          Pennsylvania schools in a responsible

 

       23          way.  And we will --

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  And

 

 

 

 

                                                           30

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          we will, in just a few minutes, have a

 

        3          Mayor in Jim Kenney, a South Philadelphia

 

        4          guy --

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  --

 

        7          coming from a row home community, just

 

        8          like myself, who knows the importance of

 

        9          a well-rounded education not just for all

 

       10          kids, but especially for the most

 

       11          vulnerable kids, kids who are born into

 

       12          less than stable conditions and less than

 

       13          perfectly safe communities.  So we look

 

       14          forward --

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  --

 

       17          to ensuring that opportunity, because all

 

       18          children deserve a quality education just

 

       19          as our own.

 

       20                    Last November, our new Mayor

 

       21          and our new chief education officers and

 

       22          members of my staff, we visited

 

       23          Cincinnati.

 

       24                    I'm going to go off script a

 

       25          little bit on this.

 

 

 

 

                                                           31

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    We saw something that was

 

        3          extremely exciting.  We saw a school that

 

        4          had every opportunity in that school for

 

        5          healthcare.  I mean, they literally had

 

        6          an eyeglass store in the school.  It was

 

        7          awesome.  And I got to tell you, I'm not

 

        8          easily impressed, but I was impressed.

 

        9          But the simple reality is for every city,

 

       10          you need to have a different business

 

       11          model, and in the City of Philadelphia,

 

       12          as we move towards adopting the community

 

       13          school model in a very aggressive way,

 

       14          the simple reality is, to some degree the

 

       15          challenges for that child are not just in

 

       16          the classroom.  It's in the home.  It's

 

       17          in the way to school.

 

       18                    (Applause.)

 

       19                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  It's

 

       20          all of the issues, the social issues,

 

       21          that surround that child's life.

 

       22                    So what we say, we have to

 

       23          address the entire child.  We can't

 

       24          simply just focus on the classroom.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           32

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  So

 

        3          what we're talking about is creating

 

        4          community schools in an aggressive way.

 

        5                    Mayor, I hope I'm not taking a

 

        6          part of your speech.  I'm sorry, because

 

        7          I'm free-lancing.  I get excited about

 

        8          this.

 

        9                    When we talk about the things

 

       10          that people need in communities, we talk

 

       11          about we do not have a City Hall in every

 

       12          neighborhood, right?  We do not have a

 

       13          library in every neighborhood, right?  We

 

       14          do not have a hospital in every

 

       15          neighborhood.  But guess what we have in

 

       16          every neighborhood?  A school.  So that

 

       17          school should be the focal point of every

 

       18          imaginable service that we can deliver to

 

       19          our citizens, and I think that approach

 

       20          will allow us to create the environment

 

       21          that will make every neighborhood a

 

       22          neighborhood of choice.

 

       23                    (Applause.)

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  So I

 

       25          just want to say I'm extremely excited,

 

 

 

 

                                                           33

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          obviously, about that potential.

 

        3                    City Council has already

 

        4          started the process towards community

 

        5          schools, and we'll be talking about that

 

        6          in a little more aggressive pace, but I

 

        7          want to talk about one thing that has

 

        8          recently become a topic of discussion.

 

        9          Very shortly we will be making an

 

       10          announcement on significant reforms of

 

       11          our criminal justice system, right?

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  That

 

       14          is not sexy.  People, okay, whatever.

 

       15          But the simple reality is that it affects

 

       16          your life if you pay taxes.  It affects

 

       17          your life if you have a family member

 

       18          that has had a challenge.  It affects

 

       19          your life if you happen to live in a

 

       20          neighborhood where crime continues to be

 

       21          a challenge.  It will affect your life if

 

       22          you are a member of the City of

 

       23          Philadelphia.

 

       24                    So with this reform, we will

 

       25          look at every opportunity, because we

 

 

 

 

                                                           34

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          truly believe that no Philadelphian

 

        3          should live in fear of those sworn to

 

        4          protect and serve them, meaning the

 

        5          police, nor should any Philadelphian who

 

        6          has made a mistake and is remorseful and

 

        7          wants to turn their life around and

 

        8          become a productive citizen be denied

 

        9          opportunities to do so.

 

       10                    (Applause.)

 

       11                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  So

 

       12          to all of you and to my colleagues in

 

       13          particular, all of you, I want to thank

 

       14          you so much for the last four years, and

 

       15          I look forward to the next four years,

 

       16          because it is going to be a blast.

 

       17                    So to all of you, I want to

 

       18          thank you so much for being here today.

 

       19          May God bless you.  Thank you so much.

 

       20                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       21                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       22          Thank you.  Now it's time to get back to

 

       23          real business.

 

       24                    The next order of business is

 

       25          the election of the Chief Clerk of the

 

 

 

 

                                                           35

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          City Council of Philadelphia.

 

        3          Nominations are now in order, and the

 

        4          Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.

 

        5                    COUNCILMAN SQUILLA:  Thank you,

 

        6          Mr. President.  I nominate Mr. Michael

 

        7          Decker.

 

        8                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

        9          Chair thanks the gentleman, and the Chair

 

       10          now recognizes Councilman Domb.

 

       11                    COUNCILMAN DOMB:  Thank you,

 

       12          Mr. President.  I second the nomination.

 

       13                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Are

 

       14          there any additional nominations?

 

       15                    (No response.)

 

       16                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       17          Hearing none, the Chair recognizes

 

       18          Councilwoman Bass.

 

       19                    COUNCILWOMAN BASS:

 

       20          Mr. President, I move the nominations be

 

       21          closed.

 

       22                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       23          Chair now recognizes Councilman Jones.

 

       24                    COUNCILMAN JONES:  I second

 

       25          that motion.

 

 

 

 

                                                           36

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        3          Thank you.  It has been moved and

 

        4          properly seconded that the nominations be

 

        5          closed.  All those in favor of the motion

 

        6          will say aye.

 

        7                    (Aye.)

 

        8                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        9          Those opposed will say nay.

 

       10                    (No response.)

 

       11                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       12          ayes have it and the motion carries.

 

       13          There being no further nominations, all

 

       14          in favor of the election of Mr. Michael

 

       15          Decker as Chief Clerk of Council will say

 

       16          aye.

 

       17                    (Aye.)

 

       18                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       19          Those opposed?

 

       20                    (No response.)

 

       21                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       22          ayes have it.  However, the Clerk will

 

       23          call the roll.

 

       24                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       25          Bass.

 

 

 

 

                                                           37

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCILWOMAN BASS:  Aye.

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

        4          Blackwell.

 

        5                    COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL:  Aye.

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Domb.

 

        7                    COUNCILMAN DOMB:  Aye.

 

        8                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Green.

 

        9                    COUNCILMAN GREEN:  Aye.

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       11          Greenlee.

 

       12                    COUNCILMAN GREENLEE:  Aye.

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman Gym.

 

       14                    COUNCILWOMAN GYM:  Aye.

 

       15                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Henon.

 

       16                    COUNCILMAN HENON:  Aye.

 

       17                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       18          Johnson.

 

       19                    COUNCILMAN JOHNSON:  Aye.

 

       20                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Jones.

 

       21                    COUNCILMAN JONES:  Aye.

 

       22                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       23          O'Neill.

 

       24                    COUNCILMAN O'NEILL:  Aye.

 

       25                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman Oh.

 

 

 

 

                                                           38

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCILMAN OH:  Aye.

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

        4          Parker.

 

        5                    COUNCILWOMAN PARKER:  Aye.

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

        7          Quinones-Sanchez.

 

        8                    COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ:  Aye.

 

        9                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilwoman

 

       10          Reynolds Brown.

 

       11                    COUNCILWOMAN BROWN:  Aye.

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       13          Squilla.

 

       14                    COUNCILMAN SQUILLA:  Aye.

 

       15                    CHIEF CLERK:  Councilman

 

       16          Taubenberger.

 

       17                    COUNCILMAN TAUBENBERGER:  Aye.

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Council President

 

       19          Clarke.

 

       20                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Aye.

 

       21                    The ayes are 17; the nays are

 

       22          zero.  Mr. Decker, having received a

 

       23          unanimous vote of the members of Council,

 

       24          I now declare Mr. Michael Decker duly

 

       25          elected Chief Clerk of the City Council

 

 

 

 

                                                           39

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          of Philadelphia.

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  At

 

        5          this time, Councilman Greenlee and

 

        6          Councilwoman Blackwell will escort

 

        7          Mr. Decker to the rostrum.  Judge

 

        8          Woods-Skipper will administer the oath of

 

        9          office to Mr. Decker.

 

       10                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Mr.

 

       11          Decker, if you will place your left hand

 

       12          on the Bible and raise your right hand

 

       13          and repeat after me.

 

       14                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       15                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       16          Congratulations.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       19          Thank you, and congratulations,

 

       20          Mr. Decker.

 

       21                    At this time, I will name the

 

       22          officers of the City Council.  Please be

 

       23          advised by a vote of the democratic

 

       24          members of Council, the Honorable Bobby

 

       25          Henon was elected Majority Leader, the

 

 

 

 

                                                           40

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Honorable --

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

        5          Honorable Blondell Reynolds Brown was

 

        6          elected Majority Whip.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  And

 

        9          the Honorable William Greenlee was

 

       10          elected Majority Deputy Whip of the City

 

       11          Council of Philadelphia.

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Also

 

       14          be advised that by a vote of the

 

       15          republican members of Council, the

 

       16          Honorable Brian J. O'Neill was elected

 

       17          Minority Leader.

 

       18                    (Applause.)

 

       19                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  And

 

       20          the Honorable David Oh was elected

 

       21          Minority Whip.

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       24          Thank you.  The next order of business is

 

       25          the introduction of a resolution

 

 

 

 

                                                           41

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          concerning the rules of government of the

 

        3          Council of the City of Philadelphia, and

 

        4          the Chair recognizes Councilwoman

 

        5          Blackwell.

 

        6                    COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL:  Thank

 

        7          you, Mr. President.  I offer the

 

        8          following resolution.

 

        9                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Mr.

 

       10          Decker, would you please read that

 

       11          resolution.

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  A resolution to

 

       13          provide Rules for the Government of the

 

       14          Council of the City of Philadelphia.

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       16          Chair recognizes Councilwoman

 

       17          Quinones-Sanchez.

 

       18                    COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ:  Thank

 

       19          you, Mr. President.  I move that the

 

       20          rules, as set forth in this resolution,

 

       21          be adopted as the temporary rules of

 

       22          Council until the permanent rules are

 

       23          adopted.

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       25          Thank you.  The Chair thanks the

 

 

 

 

                                                           42

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Councilwoman.

 

        3                    The Chair now recognizes

 

        4          Councilwoman Gym.

 

        5                    COUNCILWOMAN GYM:

 

        6          Mr. President, I second the motion.

 

        7                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        8          Thank you.

 

        9                    All in favor of the motion will

 

       10          say aye.

 

       11                    (Aye.)

 

       12                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       13          Those opposed?

 

       14                    (No response.)

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       16          ayes have it and the motion is carried.

 

       17          The rules contained in this resolution

 

       18          have been adopted temporarily.  The

 

       19          resolution will be placed on the Final

 

       20          Passage Calendar for consideration at our

 

       21          next session of Council.

 

       22                    The organization of the Council

 

       23          of the City of Philadelphia and the

 

       24          investiture of the City Council members

 

       25          are now complete, in accordance with the

 

 

 

 

                                                           43

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          provisions of the Home Rule Charter.

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        5          Council is now honored by the presence of

 

        6          John Roberts.  I ask you all to please

 

        7          rise as I invite Reverend Roberts to lead

 

        8          us in prayer.

 

        9                    (All members and guests rise.)

 

       10                    REVEREND ROBERTS:  Let us all

 

       11          pray.

 

       12                    Lord, thou has been our

 

       13          dwelling place in all generations, before

 

       14          the mountains were brought forth, forever

 

       15          thou has formed the earth and the world.

 

       16          Even from everlasting to everlasting,

 

       17          thou art God.

 

       18                    Our Father, we just want to

 

       19          take time to thank you.  Not only did you

 

       20          wake us up, but you helped us to get up.

 

       21          You blessed us with a portion of strength

 

       22          where we were able to bathe ourselves

 

       23          without any assistance.  And then you

 

       24          brought us to this place on this morning,

 

       25          covering us with your divine protection.

 

 

 

 

                                                           44

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    We ask now that you would bless

 

        3          these great leaders of this great city.

 

        4          Bless our Council President.  Thank you

 

        5          for the service that he's already

 

        6          rendered.  We ask that you will continue

 

        7          to give him wisdom and knowledge and even

 

        8          a greater understanding that he might

 

        9          lead this great city, along with those

 

       10          that are in the office along with him

 

       11          working to make this city a greater city.

 

       12                    We pray now for our children,

 

       13          that you will cover them in your divine

 

       14          protection.  All lives matter.

 

       15                    Bless us now and we shall be

 

       16          blessed.  Heal us now and we shall be

 

       17          healed.  For how good and how pleasant it

 

       18          is for brethren to dwell together in

 

       19          unity.

 

       20                    Except the Lord build the

 

       21          house, they labor in vain that build it.

 

       22          Except the Lord keep the city, the

 

       23          watchman waketh but in vain.

 

       24                    We ask that you would be with

 

       25          us on today, and when we leave this

 

 

 

 

                                                           45

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          place, let us continue to bind together

 

        3          to make this the greatest city in

 

        4          America.  I believe we can do it.  We

 

        5          trust and look to you, the author and

 

        6          finisher of our faith.

 

        7                    Bless our Councilperson.  Bless

 

        8          the President.  Bless his family.  Keep

 

        9          them safe from hurt, harm, and danger.

 

       10          Bless my good friend and President,

 

       11          Darrell Clarke.  Touch his body, keep him

 

       12          strong physically, naturally,

 

       13          spiritually, with the wisdom of Solomon

 

       14          to lead this great city, along with our

 

       15          newly appointed and elected Mayor of this

 

       16          great city.

 

       17                    And we ask this in thy name and

 

       18          for our sake we pray.  And as always,

 

       19          Lord, I thank you for listening.  And all

 

       20          God's people said amen.

 

       21                    (Amen.)

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       24          Thank you, Reverend.

 

       25                    Everyone please be seated.  At

 

 

 

 

                                                           46

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          this time, I invite the Enon Tabernacle

 

        3          Baptist Church Choir to perform "I'll Say

 

        4          Yes."  The choir is directed by Garland

 

        5          Waller.

 

        6                    (Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church

 

        7          Choir performs.)

 

        8                    (Applause.)

 

        9                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       10          Thank you.  Extremely inspiring.

 

       11                    Today we are also honored by

 

       12          the presence of Reverend John Swope.

 

       13          Before we proceed with the induction of

 

       14          the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, I

 

       15          invite Reverend Swope to lead us in

 

       16          prayer.

 

       17                    REVEREND SWOPE:  We give thanks

 

       18          today for how this ceremony has been

 

       19          sprinkled with prayer and song.

 

       20                    Good and Gracious God, we who

 

       21          gather today in prayerful recollection

 

       22          for the inauguration of our new Mayor,

 

       23          James Kenney, do so mindful that we are

 

       24          citizens of a great city that mirrors the

 

       25          rich pluralism and diversity of our

 

 

 

 

                                                           47

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          country.

 

        3                    We are a people who come

 

        4          together out of multiple backgrounds,

 

        5          ethnic, racial, and religious, cultural

 

        6          and social, with varying interests,

 

        7          occupations, and matters of living.  We

 

        8          ask that you continue to bless us as

 

        9          Philadelphians as we seek always to

 

       10          respect one another.  Make of each of us

 

       11          a productive citizen, willing to

 

       12          collaborate together for the good of our

 

       13          city.  Bless us with the fruits of your

 

       14          spirit - love, joy, peace, patience,

 

       15          kindness, gentleness - so that we may

 

       16          truly reflect in our lives what we know

 

       17          in our hearts, that we are all brothers

 

       18          and sisters of one another since we are

 

       19          all your children.

 

       20                    On our Mayor-elect, James

 

       21          Kenney, who assumes his responsibilities

 

       22          to lead our great City of Philadelphia,

 

       23          we ask an outpouring of the gifts that

 

       24          are yours alone to give - wisdom and

 

       25          understanding, counsel and fortitude.

 

 

 

 

                                                           48

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          May we always see in him dedication to

 

        3          the service of our great, diverse city,

 

        4          and may he always see us as willing to

 

        5          work with him.

 

        6                    Impute Mayor-elect Kenney with

 

        7          the spirit of truth and grant him wisdom,

 

        8          insight, boldness to address the

 

        9          challenges confronting our historic city.

 

       10          Captivate his heart, Lord.  Mold his

 

       11          ethos, Lord.  Inspire his mind, and

 

       12          mentor him as he exercises the

 

       13          responsibilities of his office.  May he

 

       14          be protected by the shield of your

 

       15          righteousness and be armed with the sword

 

       16          of your spirit.  Set down even deeper in

 

       17          him, oh Lord, the sensitivity to the

 

       18          burdens that each of us bear.  Make him

 

       19          even more attuned to that groaning that

 

       20          arises from the soul of our city, that

 

       21          groaning that calls out for justice in

 

       22          our time.  May he seek ideals beyond what

 

       23          the eye can see and seek always the

 

       24          greater good.

 

       25                    Finally, Almighty God, we ask

 

 

 

 

                                                           49

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          that you let the brightness, gentleness,

 

        3          and mercy of your countenance shine upon

 

        4          this wonderful city.  Each one of us, out

 

        5          of our various faith, traditions, and

 

        6          heritages, pray in your most holy name,

 

        7          and let us say together amen.

 

        8                    (Amen.)

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       11          Thank you so much.

 

       12                    We will now proceed with the

 

       13          induction of the Mayor of the City of

 

       14          Philadelphia.  The Chair appoints

 

       15          Councilman Squilla, Councilwoman Bass,

 

       16          Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez, and

 

       17          Councilman Johnson to escort the

 

       18          Honorable James F. Kenney, Mayor of the

 

       19          City of Philadelphia, to the rostrum.

 

       20                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       21                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       22          Chair also invites Brendan and Nora

 

       23          Kenney to join him at the rostrum.

 

       24                    JUDGE DOUGHERTY:  Place your

 

       25          left hand on the Bible, raise your right

 

 

 

 

                                                           50

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          hand.  Please repeat after me.

 

        3                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

        4                    JUDGE DOUGHERTY:

 

        5          Congratulations, Mayor Kenney.

 

        6                    (Standing ovation.)

 

        7                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        8          Thank you.  The Chief Clerk will now read

 

        9          the certificate of election of the

 

       10          Honorable James F. Kenney as Mayor of the

 

       11          City of Philadelphia.

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  Jim Kenney, at an

 

       13          election held November 3, 2015, you were

 

       14          duly elected the Mayor of the City and

 

       15          County of Philadelphia for a term of four

 

       16          years, commencing the first Monday of

 

       17          January 2016.

 

       18                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       19          Honorable Kevin Dougherty, Justice of the

 

       20          Pennsylvania Supreme Court, will

 

       21          administer the oath of office to the

 

       22          Mayor.

 

       23                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I'll go again.

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       25          old saying, it was so nice, sometimes you

 

 

 

 

                                                           51

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          want to do it twice.

 

        3                    Ladies and gentlemen, I present

 

        4          to you the Mayor of the City of

 

        5          Philadelphia, James Kenney.

 

        6                    (Standing ovation.)

 

        7                    MAYOR KENNEY:  Thank you.

 

        8          Thank you so much.  I can't tell you how

 

        9          humbling and what an honor it is to be

 

       10          standing in this wonderful room with all

 

       11          these people that I have known my whole

 

       12          life and have worked with and to have

 

       13          been sworn in, with my children holding

 

       14          the Bible, by a young man who just got

 

       15          elected to the Pennsylvania Supreme

 

       16          Court, who lived --

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    MAYOR KENNEY:  -- who he and

 

       19          his brother lived about 100 yards from

 

       20          our home in South Philadelphia, with his

 

       21          brother John, and Kevin.

 

       22                    We did pretty good, Kevin,

 

       23          don't you think?  God bless America.

 

       24                    And it's going to take me a

 

       25          little time getting used to not being in

 

 

 

 

                                                           52

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          City Council, because I voted three times

 

        3          during the course of the session.  I kept

 

        4          on saying aye, and my daughter kept on

 

        5          looking at me like I was nuts.

 

        6                    First, I want to thank my

 

        7          parents and my children for their support

 

        8          today and every day.  Thank you so much.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I also want to

 

       11          thank the Council President and City

 

       12          Council for allowing me to be here today.

 

       13          This is, after all, your session and your

 

       14          reorganization.  I look forward to

 

       15          working with you in the years to come on

 

       16          many important things.  We will be

 

       17          partners in this endeavor, and we will

 

       18          show you the respect that you've earned

 

       19          as independent elected officials in

 

       20          getting the job done for all the citizens

 

       21          of this city.

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I'd like to

 

       24          thank Governor Rendell, Mayor Street,

 

       25          Mayor Green, Mayor Goode, Mayor Nutter,

 

 

 

 

                                                           53

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          and Justice Dougherty and, importantly,

 

        3          all of our tremendous City workforce who

 

        4          help put this all together and who are

 

        5          working out in the street right now in

 

        6          every capacity to make our city run.  I

 

        7          thank you for all your work.

 

        8                    (Applause.)

 

        9                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I asked some of

 

       10          my predecessors for advice on the address

 

       11          I'm about to deliver, and above all else,

 

       12          they said to keep it brief, except for

 

       13          Mayor Street, who said as long as it

 

       14          takes.  Admittedly, that's never really

 

       15          been a big problem for me.  Back in

 

       16          February, I believe I sped-read what was

 

       17          supposed to be a 15-minute speech in

 

       18          about 60 seconds.  So bear with me.

 

       19                    We actually held that first

 

       20          campaign speech in the Mayor's Reception

 

       21          Room, and looking back, I guess it was a

 

       22          little presumptuous, but I wanted to

 

       23          launch our campaign there because it was

 

       24          the first time I was ever in City Hall,

 

       25          was when my mother took me to that very

 

 

 

 

                                                           54

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          room to see my father promoted in the

 

        3          Fire Department.  So that room has

 

        4          special meaning for me.

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    MAYOR KENNEY:  It was actually

 

        7          Mayor Rizzo who swore him in, which was

 

        8          an interesting process.

 

        9                    From a pretty early age, I

 

       10          understood that dad didn't just work to

 

       11          support our family.  He worked for all of

 

       12          Philadelphia's families.  And that meant

 

       13          that sometimes he was even going to be

 

       14          required to put other families before his

 

       15          own.

 

       16                    When you're a child, that kind

 

       17          of sacrifice seems normal.  It's your

 

       18          reality.  But looking back, I see how

 

       19          extraordinary the sacrifice was that both

 

       20          my parents made.  During my dad's long

 

       21          hours at the firehouse, my mother raised

 

       22          all four of us while also working outside

 

       23          the home so that we could attend

 

       24          parochial school.  When I went to the

 

       25          Prep, the Jesuits articulated my parents'

 

 

 

 

                                                           55

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          sacrifices as the "magis," which loosely

 

        3          translates to "doing more," doing more

 

        4          for others.

 

        5                    At the end of the day, it was

 

        6          the Jesuits' teaching and my parents'

 

        7          selflessness that led me to this stage.

 

        8          Together they taught me that you could

 

        9          never truly be happy unless you're in

 

       10          service to others.

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    MAYOR KENNEY:  Over the last

 

       13          year, we articulated a lot of different

 

       14          ways that we believe our administration

 

       15          can serve the City - expanded pre-K,

 

       16          stronger neighborhood commercial

 

       17          corridors, community schools, and

 

       18          community policing.  And while those

 

       19          policies cover a wide range of issues,

 

       20          they all come from one fundamental truth:

 

       21          government functions properly when it's

 

       22          accessible and accountable to the people

 

       23          it serves.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I learned that

 

 

 

 

                                                           56

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          truth working in my early days of

 

        3          government.  I started my political

 

        4          career working in constituent services.

 

        5          It was my job to help folks get their

 

        6          water turned back on and to change the

 

        7          alley lights and to replace the

 

        8          basketball nets at the rec center.

 

        9                    Thank you.  Councilman Johnson

 

       10          is always recked out.

 

       11                    And when you spend all day on

 

       12          the phone with people, you realize that

 

       13          when government just works as it's

 

       14          supposed to, it can dramatically change

 

       15          people's lives.

 

       16                    For the one in four people in

 

       17          this city living in poverty, an effective

 

       18          public transportation system can make the

 

       19          difference of whether or not they can

 

       20          afford to go to that job interview.  For

 

       21          a young family, affordable pre-K can make

 

       22          the difference of whether or not they can

 

       23          save for their children's college

 

       24          education.  For an immigrant

 

       25          entrepreneur, a City Commerce

 

 

 

 

                                                           57

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          representative who can speak their native

 

        3          language can make the difference between

 

        4          a business that succeeds and one that

 

        5          fails.

 

        6                    Accordingly, the vision that

 

        7          will guide this administration is that

 

        8          City government should first and foremost

 

        9          deliver efficient, effective services to

 

       10          every single Philadelphian.

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    MAYOR KENNEY:  And that is

 

       13          regardless if they live in Northeast or

 

       14          Southwest or if they're a knew transplant

 

       15          or their family has lived here for

 

       16          generations.

 

       17                    That may sound like a "back to

 

       18          basics" approach, but in reality, it is

 

       19          as large and difficult a goal as ever

 

       20          been announced on this stage.

 

       21                    Providing efficient and

 

       22          effective services means that our

 

       23          government has to be ethical and open

 

       24          with taxpayers about the work they pay us

 

       25          to do.

 

 

 

 

                                                           58

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    Providing efficient and

 

        3          effective services means educating all

 

        4          our children where they live.

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    MAYOR KENNEY:  Our children

 

        7          should not have to get up before dawn and

 

        8          take three different buses to get to a

 

        9          good school.

 

       10                    (Applause.)

 

       11                    MAYOR KENNEY:  But in order to

 

       12          make quality schools in every

 

       13          neighborhood a reality, we will need the

 

       14          private sector and our non-profit

 

       15          partners to come together with the City

 

       16          to create community schools, as Council

 

       17          President laid out very enthusiastically.

 

       18                    Providing efficient and

 

       19          effective services also means that

 

       20          everyone feels that they can walk the

 

       21          streets safely and with dignity.  But in

 

       22          order to make that a reality in

 

       23          Philadelphia, we will have to put aside

 

       24          our differences and acknowledge two

 

       25          things:  that black lives do matter.

 

 

 

 

                                                           59

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (Applause.)

 

        3                    MAYOR KENNEY:  And that the

 

        4          overwhelming majority of our police are

 

        5          decent, hard-working public servants who

 

        6          risk their lives every day.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    MAYOR KENNEY:  We need to give

 

        9          our police the tools to establish strong

 

       10          relationships with the community they are

 

       11          sworn to protect and serve.

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    MAYOR KENNEY:  Furthermore,

 

       14          providing efficient and effective

 

       15          services means that parents working two

 

       16          or three jobs should not live in poverty.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    MAYOR KENNEY:  But in order to

 

       19          create a living wage economy, our large

 

       20          corporate banks will have to invest in

 

       21          our small neighborhood businesses.  Our

 

       22          corporate suite executives will have to

 

       23          hire our returning citizens coming back

 

       24          in reentry.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           60

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    MAYOR KENNEY:  And we will have

 

        3          to stop pitting the growth of blue-collar

 

        4          jobs of the poor against white-collar

 

        5          jobs in our hospitals and tech firms.  We

 

        6          have to, we must do both.

 

        7                    To achieve this vision, we will

 

        8          have to work together.  Government simply

 

        9          cannot do it alone.  We need our

 

       10          businesses, our non-profits, our

 

       11          universities, and everyday Philadelphians

 

       12          to come together and row in the same

 

       13          direction.

 

       14                    That kind of unity may seem

 

       15          impossible to some, but there are so many

 

       16          Philadelphians that are already doing it.

 

       17          There are volunteer mentors who go to

 

       18          South Philadelphia High School every day

 

       19          to keep kids in school and off the

 

       20          streets.  There are corporations that

 

       21          fund scholarships for our parochial

 

       22          students, like the Neumann-Goretti

 

       23          Women's Basketball Team, so that those

 

       24          young women could become not only

 

       25          national champions on the court, but also

 

 

 

 

                                                           61

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          be the first in their families to go to

 

        3          college.

 

        4                    (Applause.)

 

        5                    MAYOR KENNEY:  I can't see you

 

        6          out there, but I'd like the national

 

        7          champion women's basketball high school

 

        8          team to stand to be recognized.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    MAYOR KENNEY:  And I just have

 

       11          one more thing to say to you:  Squad.

 

       12                    I love them.  They're great.

 

       13                    There are police officers who

 

       14          volunteer with PAL programs so that more

 

       15          of children's first interaction with

 

       16          police officers are positive and fun.

 

       17          And there are community activists who

 

       18          organize so that we all are forced to

 

       19          acknowledge and do something about

 

       20          injustice in our society.  There are

 

       21          community development corporations that

 

       22          work with neighbors and developers to

 

       23          make sure that our city grows, but

 

       24          doesn't lose their oldest residents in

 

       25          the process of gentrification.

 

 

 

 

                                                           62

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (Applause.)

 

        3                    MAYOR KENNEY:  So to all those

 

        4          Philadelphians and all the rest who have

 

        5          entrusted me with this great

 

        6          responsibility, thank you.  Thank you

 

        7          from the bottom of my heart.  I promise

 

        8          to serve you, to be accountable to you

 

        9          and, most importantly, to listen and to

 

       10          work with you so that we together as

 

       11          Philadelphians can make every single

 

       12          neighborhood in the City of Philadelphia

 

       13          the best that it can be.

 

       14                    God bless you, and let's go to

 

       15          work.

 

       16                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Get

 

       18          those pictures.  Thank you.  This is

 

       19          going to be good.

 

       20                    Mr. Mayor, again,

 

       21          congratulations.

 

       22                    I now --

 

       23                    (Applause.)

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  I

 

       25          now invite Reverend Terrence Griffith to

 

 

 

 

                                                           63

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          offer a prayer for the City.

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    REVEREND GRIFFITH:  Let us

 

        5          pray.

 

        6                    God of our weary years, God of

 

        7          our silent tears, thou has brought us

 

        8          thus far on our way.  We come today, God,

 

        9          on this auspicious occasion to say that

 

       10          without you, this day would not be

 

       11          possible.  For this, we give you praise,

 

       12          honor, and glory.

 

       13                    We pray, God, for our beloved

 

       14          city, a city forged from the love of

 

       15          liberty.  And so we pray that every

 

       16          citizen from gentrified South, affluent

 

       17          Center City, to the poverty-ridden

 

       18          corridors of West and North Philadelphia,

 

       19          we will be equally liberated.

 

       20                    We pray, God, that love would

 

       21          flow from heart to heart in the city

 

       22          whose name sprung from the root of

 

       23          brotherly love.

 

       24                    We pray that on every block and

 

       25          on every street, each will be her

 

 

 

 

                                                           64

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          sister's keeper and each man will be his

 

        3          brother's friend.

 

        4                    We pray, God, for a city where

 

        5          mothers and fathers will not have to

 

        6          mourn for children shot down by stray or

 

        7          intentional bullets.  We pray for a city

 

        8          where law enforcement and citizens are on

 

        9          the same page in a city where justice

 

       10          will roll down like waters and

 

       11          righteousness like a mighty stream.

 

       12                    Bless our city, Lord, and may

 

       13          we act like the mother city of America.

 

       14          And while I'm at it, God, I pray that you

 

       15          give us a championship next year.

 

       16                    (Laughter.)

 

       17                    REVEREND GRIFFITH:  Help us to

 

       18          become that city where the tired and the

 

       19          poor, the dispossessed and the immigrant

 

       20          can find rest and relief.  But ultimately

 

       21          we are looking for a city whose builder

 

       22          and maker is God, a city free of theme, a

 

       23          city free of death, a city where there

 

       24          will be one race, one creed, and one God.

 

       25                    Thank you, God.  And we are

 

 

 

 

                                                           65

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          careful to give you the praise, the

 

        3          honor, and the glory.

 

        4                    In the name of Jesus, the

 

        5          Christ, we pray.

 

        6                    Amen.

 

        7                    (Amen.)

 

        8                    (Applause.)

 

        9                    (The Girard Academic Music

 

       10          Program Concert Choir performs.)

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  How

 

       13          about that, Girard Academic Music Choir.

 

       14                    (Applause.)

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  At

 

       16          this time, the Chair invites the newly

 

       17          elected officials to take the oath of

 

       18          office in the presence of Council, the

 

       19          Mayor, and other dignitaries.  Would the

 

       20          Judge of the Superior Court of

 

       21          Pennsylvania please rise to take the oath

 

       22          of office.  The Clerk will read the

 

       23          certificate of election for the Judge of

 

       24          the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

 

       25                    Mr. Decker.

 

 

 

 

                                                           66

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    CHIEF CLERK:  Alice Beck Dubow,

 

        3          at an election held --

 

        4                    (Applause.)

 

        5                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

        6          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

        7          elected Judge of the Superior Court in

 

        8          the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a

 

        9          ten-year term, commencing the first

 

       10          Monday of January, AD 2016.

 

       11                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       12          Honorable Susan Gantman, President Judge

 

       13          of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania,

 

       14          will administer the oath of office.

 

       15                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       16                    JUDGE GANTMAN:

 

       17          Congratulations.

 

       18                    (Applause.)

 

       19                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       20          Congratulations.

 

       21                    The Chair now invites the

 

       22          Retention Judges of the Common Pleas

 

       23          Court to please rise and take the oath of

 

       24          office.  The Clerk will read the

 

       25          certificates of election for the Judges

 

 

 

 

                                                           67

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          of the Court of Common Pleas.

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  Gwendolyn N.

 

        4          Bright.

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Glenn B. Bronson.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ann M. Butchart.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Matthew D.

 

       11          Carrafiello.

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Amanda Cooperman.

 

       14                    (Applause.)

 

       15                    CHIEF CLERK:  Charles J.

 

       16          Cunningham.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Idee C. Fox.

 

       19                    (Applause.)

 

       20                    CHIEF CLERK:  Marlene F.

 

       21          Lachman.

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    CHIEF CLERK:  Patricia

 

       24          McInerney.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           68

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    CHIEF CLERK:  Walter J.

 

        3          Olszewski.

 

        4                    (Applause.)

 

        5                    CHIEF CLERK:  Frank Palumbo.

 

        6                    (Applause.)

 

        7                    CHIEF CLERK:  Lillian Harris

 

        8          Ransom.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Susan Schulman.

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  Lisette

 

       13          Shirdan-Harris.

 

       14                    (Applause.)

 

       15                    CHIEF CLERK:  Leon W. Tucker.

 

       16                    (Applause.)

 

       17                    CHIEF CLERK:  And John Milton

 

       18          Younge.

 

       19                    (Applause.)

 

       20                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

       21          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

       22          retained Judge of the Court of Common

 

       23          Pleas of Philadelphia County for a

 

       24          ten-year term, commencing the first

 

       25          Monday of January, AD 2016.

 

 

 

 

                                                           69

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        3          Thank you.

 

        4                    Judge Woods-Skipper will

 

        5          administer the oath of office.

 

        6                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Judges,

 

        7          if you will place your Bibles in your

 

        8          left hand and raise your right hands and

 

        9          repeat after me.

 

       10                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       11                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       12          Congratulations.

 

       13                    (Applause.)

 

       14                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       15          Thank you, and congratulations.

 

       16                    The Chair now invites the newly

 

       17          elected Judges of the Common Please Court

 

       18          to please rise and take the oath of

 

       19          office.  The Clerk will read the

 

       20          certificates of elections for the Judges

 

       21          of the Court of Common Pleas.

 

       22                    CHIEF CLERK:  Scott DiClaudio.

 

       23                    (Applause.)

 

       24                    CHIEF CLERK:  Michael Fanning.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           70

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    CHIEF CLERK:  Abbe Fletman.

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    CHIEF CLERK:  Daine Grey, Jr.

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Chris Mallios.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    CHIEF CLERK:  Rainy

 

        9          Papademetriou.

 

       10                    (Applause.)

 

       11                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ken Powell.

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Mia

 

       14          Roberts-Perez.

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    CHIEF CLERK:  Tracy B. Roman.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  Stephanie M.

 

       19          Sawyer.

 

       20                    (Applause.)

 

       21                    CHIEF CLERK:  Kai Scott.

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    CHIEF CLERK:  Lyris Younge.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

 

 

 

                                                           71

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

        3          elected Judge of the Court of Common

 

        4          Pleas of Philadelphia County for a

 

        5          ten-year term, commencing the first

 

        6          Monday of January, AD 2016.

 

        7                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        8          Thank you, and congratulations.  Judge

 

        9          Woods-Skipper will administer the oath of

 

       10          office.

 

       11                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Judges

 

       12          will hold your Bibles in your left and

 

       13          raise your right hand and repeat after

 

       14          me.

 

       15                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       16                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       17          Congratulations.

 

       18                    (Applause.)

 

       19                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       20          Congratulations.

 

       21                    The Chair now invites the

 

       22          Retention Judges of the Municipal Court

 

       23          of Philadelphia to stand and take the

 

       24          oath of office.  The Clerk will please

 

       25          read the certificates of election for the

 

 

 

 

                                                           72

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Retention Judges of the Municipal Court

 

        3          of Philadelphia.

 

        4                    CHIEF CLERK:  Frank T. Brady.

 

        5                    (Applause.)

 

        6                    CHIEF CLERK:  Pat Dugan.

 

        7                    (Applause.)

 

        8                    CHIEF CLERK:  Barbara S.

 

        9          Gilbert.

 

       10                    (Applause.)

 

       11                    CHIEF CLERK:  Charles Hayden.

 

       12                    (Applause.)

 

       13                    CHIEF CLERK:  Gerard A.

 

       14          Kosinski.

 

       15                    (Applause.)

 

       16                    CHIEF CLERK:  Marsha H.

 

       17          Neifield.

 

       18                    (Applause.)

 

       19                    CHIEF CLERK:  Dawn A. Segal.

 

       20                    (Applause.)

 

       21                    CHIEF CLERK:  And Craig M.

 

       22          Washington.

 

       23                    (Applause.)

 

       24                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

       25          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

 

 

 

                                                           73

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          retained Judge of the Municipal Court of

 

        3          Philadelphia County for a six-year term,

 

        4          commencing the first Monday of January,

 

        5          AD 2016.

 

        6                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        7          Congratulations.  Before the Retention

 

        8          Judges are sworn, the Honorable

 

        9          Woods-Skipper will administer the oath of

 

       10          office to the Honorable Marsha Neifield.

 

       11                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       12                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       13          Congratulations.

 

       14                    (Applause. )

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  Now

 

       16          the Honorable Marsha Neifield, President

 

       17          Judge of the Municipal Court, will now

 

       18          administer the oath of office to the

 

       19          remaining Retention Judges of the

 

       20          Municipal Court.

 

       21                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       22                    JUDGE NEIFIELD:

 

       23          Congratulations.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

 

 

 

                                                           74

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Congratulations.

 

        3                    The Chair now invites the newly

 

        4          elected Judges of the Municipal Court of

 

        5          Philadelphia to stand and take the oath

 

        6          of office.  The Clerk will please read

 

        7          the certificates of election for the

 

        8          newly elected Judges of the Municipal

 

        9          Court of Philadelphia.

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Christine Hope.

 

       11                    (Applause.)

 

       12                    CHIEF CLERK:  Joffie C.

 

       13          Pittman.

 

       14                    (Applause.)

 

       15                    CHIEF CLERK:  Sharon

 

       16          Williams-Losier.

 

       17                    (Applause.)

 

       18                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

       19          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

       20          elected Judge of the Municipal Court of

 

       21          Philadelphia County for a six-year term,

 

       22          commencing the first Monday of January,

 

       23          AD 2016.

 

       24                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       25          Judge Neifield will now administer the

 

 

 

 

                                                           75

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          oath of office.

 

        3                    JUDGE NEIFIELD:  Place your

 

        4          Bibles in your left hand and raise your

 

        5          right hand.

 

        6                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

        7                    JUDGE NEIFIELD:

 

        8          Congratulations.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       11          Congratulations.

 

       12                    The Chair now invites the City

 

       13          Commissioners to stand as their names are

 

       14          called.  They are Anthony Clark, Lisa M.

 

       15          Deeley, and Al Schmidt.

 

       16                    (Applause.)

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

       18          Chief Clerk will now read the

 

       19          certificates of election for the City

 

       20          Commissioners.

 

       21                    CHIEF CLERK:  Anthony Clark.

 

       22                    (Applause.)

 

       23                    CHIEF CLERK:  Lisa M. Deeley.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    CHIEF CLERK:  And Al Schmidt.

 

 

 

 

                                                           76

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (Applause.)

 

        3                    CHIEF CLERK:  At an election

 

        4          held November 3, 2015, you were duly

 

        5          elected City Commissioners of the City

 

        6          and County of Philadelphia for a term of

 

        7          four years, commencing the first Monday

 

        8          of January, AD 2016.

 

        9                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       10          Thank you.

 

       11                    Judge Woods-Skipper will

 

       12          administer the oath of office.

 

       13                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  If you

 

       14          will place your left hand on your Bible,

 

       15          hold it in your left hand, and raise your

 

       16          right hand and repeat after me.

 

       17                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       18                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       19          Congratulations.

 

       20                    (Applause.)

 

       21                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       22          Lisa, you have some pretty excited fans

 

       23          here.

 

       24                    (Applause.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

 

 

 

                                                           77

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Thank you.  The Chair invites the newly

 

        3          elected Sheriff of the City of

 

        4          Philadelphia, Jewell Williams, to stand

 

        5          and take the oath of office.

 

        6                    (Applause.)

 

        7                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        8          Mr. Decker, please read the certificate

 

        9          of election for the Sheriff.

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Jewell Williams,

 

       11          at an election held November 3, 2015, you

 

       12          were duly elected Sheriff of the City and

 

       13          County of Philadelphia for a term of four

 

       14          years, commencing the first Monday of

 

       15          January, AD 2016.

 

       16                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       17          Judge Woods-Skipper.

 

       18                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Sheriff,

 

       19          you will place your left hand on the

 

       20          Bible and raise your right hand and

 

       21          repeat after me.

 

       22                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       23                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       24          Congratulations.

 

       25                    (Applause.)

 

 

 

 

                                                           78

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        3          Congratulations, Sheriff.

 

        4                    The Chair now invites Ronald R.

 

        5          Donatucci, Register of Wills, to stand to

 

        6          take the oath of office.

 

        7                    Mr. Decker, please read the

 

        8          certificate of election.

 

        9                    (Applause.)

 

       10                    CHIEF CLERK:  Ronald R.

 

       11          Donatucci, at an election held November

 

       12          3, 2015, you were duly elected Register

 

       13          of Wills of the City and County of

 

       14          Philadelphia for a term of four years,

 

       15          commencing the first Monday of January,

 

       16          AD 2016.

 

       17                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       18          Judge Woods-Skipper will administer the

 

       19          oath of office.

 

       20                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:  Place

 

       21          your left hand on the Bible and raise

 

       22          your right hand and repeat after me.

 

       23                    (Oath of office administered.)

 

       24                    JUDGE WOODS-SKIPPER:

 

       25          Congratulations.

 

 

 

 

                                                           79

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (Applause.)

 

        3                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        4          Congratulations.  Democracy, you got to

 

        5          love it in the United States of America.

 

        6                    For our final musical selection

 

        7          today, the Girard Academic Music Program

 

        8          Concert Choir will perform "You Raise Me

 

        9          Up."

 

       10                    (The Girard Academic Music

 

       11          Program Concert Choir performs.)

 

       12                    (Standing ovation.)

 

       13                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       14          Thank you.  That was truly lovely.

 

       15                    As we conclude the ceremony, I

 

       16          want to thank the Inaugural Committee for

 

       17          their hard work for today's ceremony.  I

 

       18          also want to thank our clergy members for

 

       19          being with us and offering their

 

       20          prayers -- and Lord knows, we need

 

       21          prayer -- for us and for our city.

 

       22                    The Chair now invites Rabbi

 

       23          Jill Maderer to give a final benediction.

 

       24          And I'd ask that all members and guests

 

       25          please stand.

 

 

 

 

                                                           80

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    (All members and guests rise.)

 

        3                    RABBI MADERER:  Today, we who

 

        4          call God many different names and we who

 

        5          choose not to call to God at all, we

 

        6          Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu,

 

        7          Buddhist, Philadelphians of diverse

 

        8          neighborhoods, races, sexual

 

        9          orientations, and languages, today we do

 

       10          not take for granted this peaceful

 

       11          transfer of power we call democracy.

 

       12                    Grateful for the past leaders

 

       13          who have renewed our city and for the

 

       14          incoming leaders who are dedicated to the

 

       15          promise of our city's future, we rejoice

 

       16          in a Philadelphia whose murals open our

 

       17          hearts, whose culture stimulates our

 

       18          minds, whose food delights our palate,

 

       19          whose diversity inspires our souls, and

 

       20          whose history deepens our roots.

 

       21                    This week the Jewish community

 

       22          read in our sacred text the story of

 

       23          Moses' call to leadership.  Tending the

 

       24          flock in the wilderness, Moses notices

 

       25          the bush that burns, but is not consumed.

 

 

 

 

                                                           81

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          When Moses sees that he is standing on

 

        3          holy ground, God charges him to lead the

 

        4          Israelites, saying, "Now go, I am sending

 

        5          you."  Humble yet courageous, strong yet

 

        6          compassionate, sensitive yet visionary,

 

        7          Moses heeds the call.  He cares for and

 

        8          empowers the poor, uplifts the degraded,

 

        9          and sees dignity in the eyes of every

 

       10          human being.

 

       11                    Holy One of Blessing, as we go

 

       12          forth from this investiture, we ask your

 

       13          blessing on Mayor Kenney, Council

 

       14          President Clarke, our Councilpersons,

 

       15          City Commissioners, Sheriff, Register of

 

       16          Wills, and members of the Judiciary.  As

 

       17          they dedicate themselves to lead our

 

       18          city, to solve our common problems, and

 

       19          to lift up all Philadelphians, God, we

 

       20          ask you to fortify and inspire our

 

       21          leaders with humility and courage,

 

       22          strength and compassion, sensitivity and

 

       23          vision that they may care for and empower

 

       24          the poor, uplift the degraded, and see

 

       25          dignity in the eyes of every human being.

 

 

 

 

                                                           82

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2                    Ignite within our leaders

 

        3          fires, fires for justice and for mercy.

 

        4          Ignite within them fires that burn, but

 

        5          are not consumed, that their actions may

 

        6          bear witness to the holy ground on which

 

        7          we all stand.

 

        8                    Amen.

 

        9                    (Amen.)

 

       10                    (Applause.)

 

       11                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       12          Thank you all very much.  We have one

 

       13          last bit of housekeeping.  I would ask

 

       14          that our good Councilwoman, Councilwoman

 

       15          Reynolds Brown, make a motion for

 

       16          adjournment.

 

       17                    Okay.  Different scripts.  Give

 

       18          me your script, Councilman.

 

       19                    It's all good.

 

       20                    May we please remain standing

 

       21          as the Philadelphia Police and Fire

 

       22          Departments and Prison Guards now remove

 

       23          the colors.

 

       24                    (The removal of colors.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

 

 

 

                                                           83

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          Thank you to Philadelphia's finest.

 

        3                    (Applause.)

 

        4                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

        5          Would our visitors and guests please take

 

        6          your seat for the conclusion of our

 

        7          Council session.

 

        8                    The Chair now recognizes

 

        9          Councilwoman Reynolds Brown.

 

       10                    COUNCILWOMAN BROWN:  Thank you,

 

       11          Mr. President.  I move that City Council

 

       12          stand adjourned until Thursday, January

 

       13          21st, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

 

       14                    (Duly seconded.)

 

       15                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       16          Thank you.  It has been moved and

 

       17          properly seconded that the Council stand

 

       18          adjourned until Thursday, January 21st,

 

       19          2016 at 10:00 a.m.

 

       20                    All those in favor say aye.

 

       21                    (Aye.)

 

       22                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:

 

       23          Those opposed?

 

       24                    (No response.)

 

       25                    COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:  The

 

 

 

 

                                                           84

 

 

 

        1              1/4/16 - STATED - INAUGURATION

 

        2          ayes have it, and this Council stands

 

        3          adjourned until Thursday, January 21st,

 

        4          2016, 10:00 a.m.

 

        5                    Thank you all very much.

 

        6                    (Applause.)

 

        7                    (Stated Meeting adjourned at

 

        8          11:45 a.m.)

 

        9                        - - -

 

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                                                           85

 

 

 

        1

 

        2                      CERTIFICATE

 

        3               I HEREBY CERTIFY that the

 

        4      proceedings, evidence and objections are

 

        5      contained fully and accurately in the

 

        6      stenographic notes taken by me upon the

 

        7      foregoing matter, and that this is a true and

 

        8      correct transcript of same.

 

        9

 

       10

 

       11

 

       12

 

       13      --------------------

 

       14      MICHELE L. MURPHY

 

       15      RPR-Notary Public

 

       16

 

       17

 

       18

 

       19

 

       20               (The foregoing certification of this

 

       21      transcript does not apply to any reproduction

 

       22      of the same by any means, unless under the

 

       23      direct control and/or supervision of the

 

       24      certifying reporter.)

 

       25

End