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AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CHANGE OF THE NAME OF BROAD STREET, IN ITS ENTIRETY TO MAYOR KENNETH A. GIBSON BOULEVARD, PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 40A: 67-1(k).
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WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson, was born Kenneth Allen Gibson on May 15, 1932, in Enterprise, Alabama; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson’s family moved to the Central Ward of Newark, New Jersey, when he was eight (8) years old, and the Honorable Mayor Gibson, went on to graduate from Newark’s Central High School; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, studied civil engineering at the Newark College of Engineering, which is now the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and subsequently worked as an engineer at the State of New Jersey, Highway Department; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, served in the United States Army as a civil engineer; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, served in an engineering position at the Newark Housing Authority from 1960 to 1966 and as Chief Structural Engineer for the City of Newark from 1966 to 1970; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, was elected as Mayor of the City of Newark in 1970, becoming the first African-American Mayor in Newark’s history and the first African-American Mayor of any major city in the Northeastern United States; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, was re-elected three (3) times as Mayor of the City of Newark and served in office from 1970 to 1986; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, became the first African-American President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1976; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson, was credited with stabilizing the City of Newark’s finances during difficult economic times and improving the City of Newark’s health services, leading to reductions in the rates of tuberculosis and infant and maternal mortality; and
WHEREAS, his rise to power is well chronicled as he led New Jersey’s largest City in the aftermath of the devastating Newark “Rebellion” of 1967 and successfully guided the City through America’s turbulent years of the 1970’s and 80’s, featuring racial discord, financial distress and social upheaval; and
WHEREAS, the revitalization that the City of Newark is currently experiencing, has its roots in the Honorable Mayor Gibson’s tenure; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Gibson passed away on March 29, 2019, at the age of 86; and
WHEREAS, the sincere admiration he received from the community for his stewardship during his sixteen (16) years of leadership has endeared him to the residents of Newark as one of its greatest public servants of all time; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate, and altogether fitting, that the City of Newark should pay permanent tribute to this man of vision and commitment to our City, and should keep his name and his works in the minds of his generation and those to come; and
WHEREAS, to honor the exemplary character, outstanding achievements, and cherished memory of the Honorable Mayor Gibson, and to mark his passing; and
WHEREAS, as a further tribute to this legendary Mayor, the City of Newark, has renamed Broad Street in its entirety to Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40: 67-1(k).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. Broad Street, in its entirety, be and the same is hereby changed to Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:67-1(k).
2. The erection of signs thereon and designation of numbers of premises and change of municipal maps and records, shall be made accordingly.
3. To the extent applicable, the City Clerk shall file a copy of this Ordinance in the Office of the Essex County Register, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40: 67-2.
4. Certified copies of this ordinance shall be forwarded to the United States Post Office, State of New Jersey, Department of Transportation and the Essex County Commissioner of Registration and Superintendent of Elections.
5. If any section or provision of this ordinance shall be held invalid in any Court of competent jurisdiction, the same shall not affect the other sections or provisions of this ordinance, except so far as the section or provision so declared invalid shall be inseparable from the remainder of any portion thereof.
6. This ordinance shall take effect upon final passage and publication in accordance with the law.
STATEMENT
This ordinance authorizes the name change of Broad Street in its entirety to Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard.