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Paterson's UEZ five-year plan met with scrutiny as council presses for broader outreach and budget detail
Summary
Council members questioned the Urban Enterprise Zone director and consultant about limited business outreach, budget visibility and program delivery while the consultant said the draft plan includes public-survey appendices and that the consultant contract was capped at $123,000.
The council extensively questioned the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) director and the outside planning consultant about a draft five-year strategic master plan the city needs to maintain eligibility for UEZ funds.
Chris Dopney of CME Associates, the consultant on the project, told the council the plan reflects a year-long process that included public outreach and appendices with survey results. "I believe we had over 400 responses to the public survey, which is all in the appendices here," Dopney said. He also told the council that the consultant contract was not to exceed $123,000.
Several council members said they wanted direct confirmation that businesses across the UEZ had meaningful input. Councilman Jackson and others pressed the director for a list of participating businesses; the director said participation lists and engagement details are in the master-plan appendices but agreed to return with clearer documentation. Council members said they saw limited sign-in sheets tied to particular neighborhood meetings and asked for broader door-to-door or one-on-one outreach to small-business owners across the UEZ.
Council members also asked for a clear accounting of how much UEZ money remains and how prior projects (for example, a Clean Commercial Corridor initiative) have been implemented. The director and consultant confirmed some projects are underway and said additional reporting will be provided. Because of those outstanding questions, the council moved the UEZ plan to the regular agenda for more time and asked staff to set a committee meeting where council members and business owners can review the plan and appendices in detail.
Council direction and next steps: the council asked the director and consultant for (1) a verified list of businesses and associations contacted, (2) the current UEZ funding balance and expenditures to date, and (3) a schedule of additional forums targeted to underrepresented parts of the UEZ before the council votes on final adoption for state submission.
