foreign
[Music]
[Laughter]
excuse me
foreign
[Music]
thank you
hey don't worry
thank you appreciate that
there are hours
something I would like to do it won't
make it much money
[Music]
I guess I have a lot of time
did you put it in the budget
that's kind of asking tonight
[Music]
thank you
hello
[Music]
are you put in all the updated
information I believe that's what
Anthony is doing now
oh God
sure
okay great yes
um
foreign
[Applause]
foreign
possible
uh Anthony is still printing out some
last the last kind of changes so it's
going to be a few minutes probably in
Philly
Sam thanks for printing on the sound
foreign
[Music]
I've seen yeah
it's insane and I can just put them up
in your face
put them up
I think next week what did it get the
tree
coming up soon together it's going to be
corrupt the smaller ones in there yeah I
saw them all yeah oh yeah
um
[Music]
I'm happy because coming down myself
yeah yeah
people spend the second
largest amendment
I like it because there's people in the
neighborhood gallery and then right us
that would decorate for right
field is probably on a plane right now
to New Orleans for Halloween oh my gosh
oh
send you I have a
I told her that but they they they're
going to these trick-or-treat things
these I don't think she'll spend much
time off of burgers
lots of prayers this weekend
people give out some certification of
the type of in the prison review
I got Snickers Reese's cups and genuins
so we're probably going to put them in
back but I think I need to know where
I'm going to get dressed up into this
house
it's Halloween I will not be home
really cool not a big fan yeah
see my birthday birthdays I was for a
couple of years when I was like a
teenager still living at my parents
house and I would get dressed up and sit
outside like that was a stuff yeah yeah
and I decorated it and I got all this
candy but it was more like you could do
self-serve right remember the first year
of clothing it's like it feels like the
first few kids actually dumped
everything in their bags
we didn't have that happen
I feel like with uh
with the camera doorbells you know it
makes it you know easier I think for
people to kind of peek that's on what's
going on
if you had a ring well bills still
remember some days ago they had little
treat bags remember the little paper
ones oh my goodness even if it was just
one piece of candy
in a baggie last year so I'm trying to
find the bag so we can do it instead of
doing baggies because it would be
prettier I remember Burger King used to
sell the one dollar Fries coupons
love getting those thank you so easy
coupon go get your small fry there's
people that actually do give up there
you know big size candy bars but I never
got that when I was killed there was one
block in our house we'd go in the
afternoon and we'll go back and change
we'll go at night
and come back with a full pillowcase
my brother always had a pillowcase
all the stores down the street from my
house used to give out candy too so we
used to go down there Ellen's going to
crust from St Catherine is um
oh like a Housing Development you know
not necessarily seniors a lot of people
can't think of the names
[Music]
I'm excited they're walking across the
street that's great
if you don't have school on Monday
teachers something or other
what are you going to be this good job
foreign
yes
[Music]
I love that me too
I know um
there's two Costco stuff in the office
over there like all the time and the two
cocker spaniels they have that are
therapy dogs yeah
Here Comes Anthony
um
[Music]
[Laughter]
action
s
we can't leave
foreign
[Music]
[Laughter]
[Music]
oh no
um
sometimes
it says
he said it says this says
horse
that's what that last word means yeah
uh
if you're missing anything else
well I think we're going to do this soon
because that's for you
yeah
uh yeah
there we go
all right
but I didn't get any water so we should
have four yeah
I don't have any water and neither does
oh I've got a water I don't have trash I
guess did we do trap no
it should be water store everybody yeah
beautiful
anything is missing you got water we got
soil we'll get a general
breakdown he doesn't have particles
um
plus the capital
yes
everybody has all the darkness yeah
everyone has all of that way
foreign
yes
everyone has oh yeah yeah sorry yes
all right um well everyone else over
here to for this Finance meeting but
just before that I just want to say a
couple things uh I know that it was a
long process and that we but we all work
together and put in what we were
interested in putting in in terms of how
we wanted our budget to look I believe
that all of us have the same goal of
making sure that our residents get the
best budget possible in terms of making
sure we don't cut any service be it
First Responders or Wastewater or any of
that in addition to that we want to make
sure that there is no undue burden on
our on our taxpayers so um you know we
took time to look through the budget
we've had meetings actually with the
mayor and I'm sure that
um as council members we've discussed it
I know that Mr mciveren has asked
questions and
um asked questions ask people to submit
questions and they've gotten the answers
to so all of that has been taken into
consideration as we've done this budget
I know there was some concerns because
we had talked about
um using some um of the fund balance in
our discussions realizing that there had
already been 10.5 million dollars almost
about 10.483 that had been set aside
already to
um for lost Revenue so in when we had
our final discussions with mayor we took
that into consideration and rather than
going to the fund balance we're able to
use to put some of that in so that the
concerns that were raised by many
council members of uh using all of our
performance and also not touching our
fund balance which has been addressed
with this uh most everything that's
happened up to this point has been a
proposal so I know that this um some of
this was tried in the Press even though
we hadn't made final decisions but we're
here today to make those um final
decisions hopefully we can walk out of
this room with a past budget and
everyone has the opportunity to say what
it is that any concerns that they have
but hopefully we're coming to the point
where we can come out with a budget that
is um fair to taxpayers making sure that
the city does not go into debt and we're
able to pay all of our bills and all
council members concerns have been have
been taken into consideration as with
any budget it's about negotiation it's
not about everybody walking away from
the table with exactly what they asked
for that's not generally how it works
every negotiation so I believe we've
done 12 negotiations and we have we're
presenting some to the council tonight
to take a look at what is being proposed
in terms of this budget and
um any questions concerns or
uh that you may have can we can take it
from there and this is the finance
committee that we'll be um coming to uh
before tonight so Mr motiv Aaron
thank you getting everything one I would
like to call the finance committee to
order
and before we go into the documents I
just want to you know mention a few
times that um
hearing for evenings and it was in five
actually five evening and here we are
today if you're another session six
session and hopefully we can discuss and
arrive at a conclusion this evening
um I want to thank the department head I
want to thank
um as a priority and his staff for
working with us to answer all the
questions I mean all the questions
answered from Mr Ferrari into the
department head and I think that was
well done well organized and I want to
thank um everybody who was involved in
getting that to the council member and
have the questions answered and we've
been able to have a small town process
at the conclusion of all of that
many many proposals and I want to be
careful not changes many proposal was
submitted to me and I compiled that last
Friday and I had the opportunity to
discuss that with me McCarthy and the
commission of Finance before we discuss
it on the floor visual proposal that we
went through in detail
and we looked at it we at the end of the
meeting Friday we I asked Mr Ferrari to
put some numbers towards these narrative
and to submit to us and he did that
yesterday and we were able to look at it
I was able to look at the number
yesterday and today I would miss a
Ferrari Indian party this afternoon I
had a meeting with him with Porterfield
and look at numbers there were some
there was some adjustment that
we made it because
um 20 20 and 20 and 2021 they were
already money set aside for um budget
deficit to help us with the 2022 2023
and 2024 budget and that was a total of
10.5 million dollars
so by doing that and making an
adjustment we were able to start off
save more money that is available in
arpa and she'll put back all the items
that were proposed to remove from arpa
funding to General funding that was
restored by using money that was already
allocated prior to several meetings ago
when we were meeting with regards to
allocating Harper funding so the
proposal that was submitted was to
remove artwork funding and to use
General funding that was reported this
afternoon so all the items have been
funded
what originally funded by arpo will
actually be funded by Arco but is
funding from the 2020-2021 last Revenue
allocation which was 10.5 million
already set aside so that will bear in
mind with that allocation and that
correction that was made we're now
seeing with the document that we have in
front of us here in our location
and factor in the 2.4 million dollars
and we're using this for the 2023 budget
which is considered additional
lost Revenue
we're seeing a balance of alpha
remaining from 10.1 million
10.1 61 million dollars so those were
adjustments by working with the mayor
working with Mr Ferrari and staff we
were able to identify and make this
adjustment as this was already in there
so I want to Echo that out that
our performing is restored back and the
money is not coming out the general fund
so whatever was
document was submitted to us yesterday
by Mr Ferrari it was to look at it and
look at how
this is good news for us
another stuff
um let's do a little bit sewer
based on recommendation
from last
[Music]
um
Fridays and overwhelmed we were able to
come to a
bring it to the council default Council
an adjustment to the Sewer
and their free increase
The Proposal was a
proposal for sure was 25.24 cents
based on discussion last week into this
week and today we are bringing to the
top full Council the proposal to
increase that by half instead of 25 000
24 cents we were increased on that by
half
that is a proposal on the table based on
the feedback and based on a discussion
if we were to go into water
same discussion here
also to change this and bear in mind the
proposal to changes was that majority of
us were asking for is zero increase in
water and so
there was a compromise to bring to the
whole Council
this afternoon and the water is also
going up by
half so instead of 12.97 that is being
cut by half and that's a proposal being
fatal
this evening
the next document that we have here is
um
the console budget changes from the
general fund
as we discussed this last week and
these are being present
to the full console
and many of these that we have here that
was supposed to be transferred to the
general fund are now being transferred
to our for funding and we keep myself
with the 10.5 million dollars that was
already allocated
so these items are being funded as
this year are performing until next year
without Crow funding and not from the
development
happiness
thank you
also if you look at the top of the page
there is a based on the proposal the ask
is to reduce attacks by one percent and
that is equivalent to 316
290 dollars
with a new budget of 31 million 312 710
that's the first line on the general
fund page
and then the Refuge crash and collection
we are asking that we remove completely
and there is discussion
um being held right now in terms of the
mayor has a programming put in place so
he's discussing his staff and how we can
report in terms of handling excessive
garbage and things like that and we hope
that we can address that in in a couple
weeks
prior to the tax bill will also we can
do an amendment with regard to how we
move in terms of adding feeds to this so
the reason why that is being held until
we can get more information on that
the coveted systems we are using
2.406 250 from the arpa funding to help
with the budget this year
and then we are using 5 million 882 282
from the money that was set aside I just
spoke about 10.5 million dollars
so in overall we're using 2.4 5.8
and then we're taking 3.7 million
dollars from the general fund
so these are shifts that happen um
basic discussion today and based on some
adjustment that Anthony had
um
that I've had and then the bottom here
again is the detail of all the uh
purpose um
changes that um
on the table to the floor and if we have
discussion we can discuss we will
discuss this the
General fun everybody has a copy of
general fund
sorry Capital phone sorry
there's one changes here
and I think this has to do with um
yeah the question I was asked on this
item
on the solar no it's the computer parts and things that I
have from the police department 223 423
000 and I think
um Mr Ferrari came back to us and told
us to remove that item and that was the
answer to that question instead of
providing they were asked to remove the
item is not needed so that's the only
changes to the capital
um budget all right
other than that um we are here we're
gonna open professionals and discussion
on this and I think what we have here is
a pathway to move forward this budget I
think um some of us will bring in the
newspaper please disregard that um
differently because differently and into
that and people in motion and run high
in newspaper so I want to say we're here
to work for the people and we're here to
do the work and deliver the work that
people are all the time in and I have to
give you know the mere credit I mean
deliver a budget we must be passionate
about you about your budget and um if I
were you I would say no no but the
council has to do what they have to do
and I think this is a recommendation on
the table for us to go over and ask
questions and let's move forward
budget
when we had our discussion this
afternoon and that's what we're asking
we only had our discussion this
afternoon because we were going to make
some calls and we did uh yeah okay
we didn't get very glad so so I can't
support this
mayor is that your only concern
yes that we're using our compliance the
condition of our funds is you cannot use
it to reduce taxes
so
yeah as I mentioned to you this money is
not coming out tomorrow we have seed out
in municipality in the country using uh
money to give tax incentive back and
this money is coming out of the general
effect
The Narrative is that we have to address
that this is coming out of the general
department 316 000.
and that's our fault
go ahead please so
um I guess I'd like to know where in the
general fund that piece is coming from
but also
um in terms of the body cameras the
reduction of the 223 000 from the
capital budget was that something that
was
discussed with the chief or if you
recall it
does a meeting with the police force of
Mike here Steve the chief Seaver
mentioned that stability they need the
money because they're using the Axiom
they said they didn't want to they
didn't they didn't want to say no to the
money but they didn't need it for action
okay I didn't have a note on that yeah
and I think that was disgusting
yeah you did this because I have to
mentioned that at the meeting and then
we follow up the question was asked and
then Mr Prairie came back and says
remove it the question was made from my
notes yes because I I don't have that in
mind it doesn't know that I have any
questions
yes Mr Speaker did mention that
but
let's check because we had so many
pieces of paper that I want to make sure
I don't have everything down
could we ask the chief to weigh in on
that
I actually I should ask you yes
I hate to put you on the spot but
I know that that's on eventually will
have the new
yeah I mean it's my understanding that
we didn't see the additional funding for
the axon project but we're going to stay
inconsistent with our requests to fund
that technology and that was a part of
our consistent request so I have to
check with my seat or see if yeah if he
has to I know we had grant funding to
cover this year coming on but I just
hate to set his behind
that potentially was part of his
financial plan for paying for it yearly
um Chief I can say they could
specifically say well you know we'd love
to have another we really don't need it
right now he actually said that so
that's on camera yeah that's what that's
what announcement he answered the
question and then the question was asked
again and then the answer came from this
before I read this um no answer but just
to remove that items no I don't need it
doesn't know what I have
I mean do you need the funding
well uh my understanding the 233 000 223
is
three years of the replacement of that
equipment
and it wasn't just body cameras it was
computers yeah servers other things like
that so I mean I guess
if uh if that's what he said
no we can correct it if you think that
that's a mistake
I he just didn't make me aware of that
and well it keeps up maybe because I'm
gonna address your proposed cut and the
overtime line
yeah
um
let's address the um 223 I mean
so it's the capital function it's a
capital budget and uh if they were
miscommunication from what was presented
to us the question was asked
Chief you're saying that we needed over
the next three years
I personally don't have once you add
that back in 2.3
so before I open up I want to make my
stand on that 223
000 in capital budget for
a computer
server not cameras not cameras exactly
well well the body more cameras we're
almost there are the capital budget and
you had to purchase them right but now
it's a soft it's a service okay so we we knew going into the agreement that it
was going to be project neutral but it
was going to be consistent with what we
always did we're asking for an increase
right
go ahead please I had numbered his
preference yeah that night and number
one was PD slash computer and servers
and body cameras at 223 that was his
first preference and the funding yeah Mr
all right
um
if there's a support for it we can add
it back
that was a misunderstanding or
miscommunication thank you
I'd appreciate you adding it back in
yeah yeah so Mr Ferrari we even had that
back sorry for that
um in this communication so 323
will be added back to the PD and capital
budget and that was the only change I
think yeah that was that was only three
capital
um yeah just to be clear that was made
based on what two favorite percentage
Yeah that would promote based on what he
told us on the question that was asked
and the answer that we got so
[Music]
foreign
on this line was for
425
306 dollars every Tuesday of a timeline
made out of month
after the discussion and feedback
they asked went down to 256 thousand one
six one
that is on ph one of the general
um
go ahead please so we're consistently
over budget with this every year
what makes us think cutting it
is a good move
the notes that I have here is because of
what was asked of us last year to
support police increase they start
reading our notes at a police increase
the Staffing and things that actually
the chief told us that by doing that
we're gonna eventually see savings
coming from the reduction end of the
time and I think some of the that was
some of the arrays and the question the
proposals
then we went back from the original Last
of 425 306 from the 2023 higher that's
the Total Staffing was a 70 Fringe
benefit
but then it was reduced back after
discussion to 256.
and 334 right from 420 429 5.
oh maybe it's a I was looking at it
and now it's down to 256 161.
sorry I'm looking in the budget
it says
334 241 on that line but
31.
um
proposal sheet that was submitted Friday
I do have that yeah that one will sell
you
more detail on it
I was just looking at the original
budget okay where are we projected the
hit overtime this year
roughly
it's probably going to be close to 2
million
so then we're at least 200 000 below
the proposed budget
how will that Impact Staffing and
dealing with issues
may I add response time please because I
think that that our big problem right
now is
hiring police officers and getting them
fully trained to meet the doctor that's
been reported to us for Staffing until
that happens we have to fill the shifts
with overtime
we have nine officers in the police
academy right now we have four in field
training there's 13 right there they
can't work all the time
so we're just filling those spots right
now for dealing with an increase in
crime so making uh Staffing changes by
bringing investigators down toward
Patrol isn't the smartest move this like
I set us back even farther so we will
stay within whatever budget we're
afforded we may have to reduce our
staffing levels to get there and what
that means is that we just don't hire as
many officers to get to where we
currently are on a daily basis
and ultimately
you know depending on whether we have
major events it could impact specialized
details as they come up but that's
always an unknown
so Chase just that I'm kind of a bit
about something in terms of the higher
income last year and into this here next
year how is that going to roll out
to better serve your department
and to help with this
deal with that
well with me you can't seem to get ahead
I mean we hired nine and we lost eight
retirements
and then we lose two of the transfers so
we're while we have nine in the academy
and we have four in field training right
now we have by the end of the year we'll
have 13 openings that we're going to
have to fill and we're consistently
trying to catch up in all those openings
right now are in our Patrol Division
which is where the Lions share of the
overtime is being spent
it's
the lag that we've been in is going to
take more than one year
but funding is available under those
retirement lines that can be used to
offset
any other costs
sure we always take a look at our budget
towards the end of the year to see what
money is available if we need to come
and ask for the value of the transfer so
there is funding available on if your
retirement my retirements or 10
retirement
I'm sure what else on it can be adjusted
to use
until until you get new hires
yeah well it's just a wash yeah so
if we're spending two million in
overtime now
and Regatta Walsh and we have guys that
can't
do over time
then where do we expect we're gonna fill
in the the time that's necessary unless
we actually do cutbacks to Patrols
thank you
any questions asked in terms of
hiring
officers
and we have continued to do that we
continue to support this budget is
carrying new officers into next year and
2022 also have officers being hired
so it's a matter of retirement funding
is available
yeah but we have to address across the
board too to address that so we don't
want to say that the time is cut but we
don't have any funding there is funding
available
that can be used
so Chief I understand that um the new
people can't work overtime but will them
now be on the street because you did
send us an email about how many people
are going to get on the street so them
going on the street will reduce some of
the hours of the folks who are now
working all the time because now we're
putting more officers
um in the field
it definitely helps us having those we
just had four come out of field training
they help us with our midnight shift
right now and then the other four that
are in a field training should be off
I want to say by mid-December so so they
will be able to help us out also which
means that you know the numbers that
show up are good we don't have to have a
higher level which is where we want to
get to many times with crime being high
even when we have those numbers of
people show up have a supplemental
Staffing on the street to do targeted
details
for a chronically committed with the low
Staffing that we've had we haven't even
had the ability to hire those officers
even if we wanted to
so it's a it's not even really a
financial issue as much as it is a
Staffing issue right now but at some
point our staffing will get there and we
want to reduce crime that we're going to
want to have somebody available to do it
so it's for me the consensus is uh if
we're incorporating a new technology
into the department and then if we're
refurbishing a lot of here
technological resources recognizing that
those cost savings might not be
experienced immediately
um but again
adding more money to the overtime budget
or recognizing that the original
consideration of reducing it or not
reducing it but
um further evaluating that four hundred
thousand dollars might have been
excessive
so the new figure of 256 000 I think
incorporates what everyone has already
identified as you ask some technology is
going to assist when it does that is the
question but eventually having the
additional officers is going to assist
um
I guess it's then a game of windows cost
savings actually contribute equipment
but a question that I had was I know
you're making considerable efforts with
working with the community so have you
recognized or do you foresee any
benefits from the relationships that
you're establishing with local
organizations as we start to mention
what community policing looks like in
Schenectady so it is entirely not what
is the police doing to respond to crime
or inappropriate behaviors but how can
as a community be surround and and help
guide that change with you as well
stuff it's not
I see a difference and I think my
investigators do too where the level of
cooperation for solving crimes is
certainly higher
um but it's really not something that we
can quantify with numbers to say that
yes we're seeing a difference but it's
you know crimes you're being committed
we're making those arrests is it's just
that you know so so I think that uh we
continuously engage with the community
and ask them to be
part of a solution with helping us we
did it last night with Community
meetings and it's very important for us
to get the community to be a part of
helping us keep the city safe it's just
a matter of uh
getting enough officers out there to
respond to the volume of calls that are
coming in
right now
go ahead so the other position that um
is being suggested to be cut is the
information Tech specialist that is 65
000 that I think was a new
um position I think and I think that
um you were stating that position would allow a police
officer that would be a civilian and so
therefore a police officer would be
um wouldn't have to do that any longer
and you could use that police officer to
actually be
police officer a police officer doing
police work I was going to say
um so can you speak a little bit to that
as well because that's also being
proposed as being cut
yeah I mean this is a position that I
have a lieutenant that I've asked that
actually help us make advances in these
technology and what I found is that a
large amount of his time is being spent
doing things out of somebody can do uh
issuing equipment taking equipment and
sending it out for repair this morning I
pulled in he's helping uh he's one of
our guys from the Communication Center
installed Raiders and cars so these are
the things that could be done by a
civilian don't necessarily have to be
done by a lieutenant
so that's why we asked him the position
so that that Lieutenant can actually do
the work necessary to get that
technology to help reduce crime to help officers get the information that
they need to reduce crime to reduce the
need for police officers we've we've
built the foundation of Technology at
this point we just haven't started
framing the house yet with it and that's
the that's where the next step is that I
want to go with it
um so if that position isn't funded
we'll have to figure out a way to do it
in-house and my only other option is to
use police officers
sorry and I just want to ask
um again to Mr Williams I think we did
all identify that it obviously will take
some time for the new technology to be
to arrive to be put into a place to be
you know for training and and those
kinds of things do you have any sense of
what that timeline might be at this
point for axon
well I think there's other Technologies
we should have axon
deployed by the first of the year okay
we'll be issuing it I would say a month
or two to actually have fully up and
running okay and that's across the board
from Cars camera body camera systems
interview
and then even the virtual reality
training of many of these other
Technologies I'm always optimistic when
I can say next year's the year we're
going to do it but I truly believe that
next year we will be making a big jump
if not by then this year but a big jump
and doing some of these things well it's emerging technology so there's no
blueprint in place for us to say yes
we'll have this by this time it's a work
of progress we're we're actually doing
things that we'll be speaking about at
national conferences right at some point
so it's it's it's really cool
interesting thing but it takes people
that don't
but Chief um currently you're utilizing
the central I.T department for any it
related work that is needed we are yes
and just to reference that
um
we're actually in this 2023 budget there
is an additional staff for the central
I.T Department
so they are actually beating up with
additional Staffing here
so so actually can you continue to use
this office and they're getting
additional staff at this point in time
I think the need is there then
we can revisit it
I certainly can
I'm going to say this in the best way it
makes it helps them they're very
overwhelmed
um one of the reasons I've asked for
this is that there's a lag between
passage or something and actually
getting it done
through Central I.T and this is not a
knock on a lawn or John or anybody that
works there it's just they have a lot
going on not just the police department
but every other department that's using
technology So the plan was never to
replace them but to supplement them with
the with an embedded uh civilian that
can actually manage the technology
that's in the police department that's
really overwhelming at this point
so um to that comment of where that
position and that assistance will lie
and just responding to miss Patrick's of
like a cut I think it's important that
we recognize that words matter and I
think that was a the theme that was
recognized from the recent article in
today's paper I think we're just trying
to identify whether the comparative
advantage of having this resource in
your current department where you do the
work you understand the system outweighs
the potential absolute advantage that it
would make sense having this in an I.T
Department I absolutely yield the fact
that they maybe or probably are
overtasking overburdened but I I
wholeheartedly think that supporting the
department who can meet the needs for
the entire city I think is a better
position to take that way that we have a
unified front of understanding what the
needs are across the board and if it's
as simple as well what needs and
resources that they need I think it's
easier to best bolster them than having
satellites and I think that I'm open to
any comment from afford
I suggested that that was the
theory of the council is approaching is
to move that line item out of
the police department budget put it in
I.T so we'd be able to hire the person
and then give me the ability to assign
them an appropriate manner wherever
they're needed
but then based on discussion on there is
also a new hire I.T higher on the
Channel online team Department I could
hire four people we have six to four and
we can't seems like I didn't want to
cook so please go ahead please
for what it's worth
I can't remember how many years ago
maybe eight years ago when we merged our
communication center with the unified
Communications with the county
while we had it in-house we had a
communications director who served the
role similar to what I'm trying to bring
back here that managed our technology
but when we merged with the county
that's one of the jobs that left the
police department and we served to miss
him
now even more because we have more
technology like body cameras and car
videos this will be before all of that
so that's kind of where we we've kind of
fit we've plugged that Gap by using
Personnel within the police department
but now we need cops
go ahead what I was going to say is that
I think we're putting um additional work
into the I.T Department besides this
um when we think about some of the
things that we are hoping to accom I
think that Mr colluccio when he
presented to us was talking about some
of the um needs that even from his area
to that area
um might be increasing so
it seems like we've made a commitment
and a substantial commitment to the new
technology that the police department
will be
um having and putting into place over
the next several years and
um
I feel that that really
weighs even harder that we probably
should use the um Information Technology
Specialists within the police department
um as opposed to being in I.T I think
also and the mayor spoke about this when
he presented the budget originally which
is that the need for cyber security
um and the kinds of things that we're
all facing on but you know that the city
has been facing an increased level also
puts additional burden on to the team
down in RIT department so
um I hear what you're saying I I I
in terms of siloing and and that type of
thing but even when I think about the
kinds of things that I'm hoping at least
that we will be able to accomplish soon
sooner rather than later around traffic
issues or you know those kinds of things
I mean there's going to be additional
burden
um on our Police Department as well as
on you know some of the other technology
that the city is currently employing so
I would still advocate for that position
[Music]
um
and I think there's other places where
we could trim from the these suggestions
on this on this page that we that we
have in front of us this evening
just uh basically no say to address
um
give commentary guys so miss the
collusion yes he has a building uh
principal building on it I mean people
are who is actually functioning as an
I.T person
[Music]
so he has the support here
in his own Department
the job description here is inaccurate
so that's what I am here so that's what
I'd say so yes he is having a backfield
here and that person's assistant and
also doing additional work to my point
of he's in other words he's not meeting
the I.T result
[Music]
rather than having multiple hires so I
think that's where the note I have from
based on feedback
yes so with Exxon coming on board how is
that you know they you said they were
going to be doing a lot of the they'll
get the data and they'll be doing a lot
of the information you know they'll be
doing a lot with the data so can you
talk a little bit more about that
because you know that's what the IT
people do so how is Aston supplementing
that since we're going into a contract
with that
well
one of the reasons why
uh this person is important for us is
the fact that is a technology
quartermaster for us and and Mr Williams
uh
point I just want to make clear that it
was never intended to take an I.T person
having work for me it was always going
to work for John's hierarchy with under
bowand they would just be embedded at
the police department kept holding on to
all that Hardware that we need and then
be there to work on the software as
needed the axon technology once
implemented will certainly be less labor
intensive for doing so many things like
production transcription and even
finding and retrieving videos for our
district attorney's office for Discovery
all that stuff is going to really
streamline all that there will be a need
for somebody to be a liaison to the
district attorney's office it just won't
be there as much so
axon is actually going to make the job
easier but we will have
what which we currently do have the
hardware maintenance piece of it we
currently have that with Panasonic we
will have that with axon if a camera
breaks it has to be taken and sent out
for repair a spare taken out of storage
and issued out and of course the logging
and tracking with all that stuff
thank you
any other questions for the chief
thank you thank you
the other one I just want to um on page
one all the way to the bottom
fleet manager this was a recommendation
from the mayor and Commissioner of
Finance so make this adjustment on this
sheet
some of the place manager and assign the
funding onto the assistant fleet manager
32.
[Music]
that's what this is
um
so I think when we heard about that
position from I guess it looks like it
must have been
Mr Food Show maybe Mr Lavon was it Mr
um he mentioned that the fleet manager
position was a contractual position so
it's okay to eliminate a contractual
this is way a city
this is a
once uh in the csca bargain
so we'd be eliminating a position from
the cscaa
Civil Service issue
so
what was the final step on this the
assistant
right there
are you talking about
step five that's probably fair I'm sorry
step six step six
music here that we talk about this
last week and I think I made some more
but I want to clarify it so I am almost
Patrick you were asking for this to be
coming from the general fund instead of
um
I did make notes but I wasn't getting
along with it so I'm not sure if you
want to talk about it I think you talk
about it but if you don't mind I did
speak about it um the reason that I
would prefer seeing you come from the
general fund
um I think that what I said at the last
meeting was that music Haven is a
tremendous resource in terms of the
diversity of the audiences that come the
thousands of people that come throughout
the summer to not only the concert
series but also the support that paid
music Haven staff at that point
um also give to some of our special
events that take place at music Haven
um so
basically the twenty thousand dollars
um would help support probably the music
um aspect of Music Haven
um music Haven itself raises
um sometimes more than 150 000 in
private funding every summer to do what
they need to do
um to present this concert series
um and supplement the other activities
such as Caribbean day or Juneteenth
um that happen in Central Park so
um that was what I was advocating for
and I was hoping that it would go into
the general operating budget and thus be
something that we would discuss again in
2024's general operating budget
so that's why I had suggested that
instead of Harper thank you for doing
that because I made some knowledge that
I wasn't sure if it's horrible or a
general form I did say yes
any question on this on being funded
from the channels one
I don't have an issue with having this
uh permanent budget and we need to
support music with it I mean we were all
um and received an email they left their
policies upward of 150 000.
and twenty thousand dollars to support
that
it's not a bad thing to start with
[Music]
the other stuff here I wanna I would
like to talk about the youth employment
um that the money was originally
allocated forty three thousand dollars
to the USB Road and we're actually
making a recommendation to keep this
money in-house at 107 000 to bring that
up to 150 000 and it's huge employment
to the city is connected these lives
Schenectady school district near McCarty
I'm a school district this year had a
program that was running it was very
successful a forest program I think we
need to build on it and allocating 150
000 will give them a flexibility to work
for the school district and to work with
these students so to get them reply out
of you know so here are additional
funding and more more students towards
this program
I definitely support that
we discussed this by last Friday but I
just want to Echo it's worth
and we got an opportunity to um to
listen to that photo
yeah and on the success of the program
and things like that so you know we were
briefed on the many things that happened
here
foreign
office and we see that there's
added changes here so any discussion on
um
the affirmative action
um
officer and they added staff and the
expense
at 1430 100.
I can say I do support that we heard
from Mr Mr Gardner in regarding what
they're doing what also what they're
trying to do in addition the mayor has
consistently said that he wants to do a
program that would use
folks from that um from from what Mr
Gardner was doing and the program that
he's running he has been
kind of doing what he's doing with
assistance from other staff but not a dedicate not dedicated staff to do
what he's doing and I believe he's I
he's shown results he's shown that you
know he's getting getting some getting
the work done that he's intended to do
however I'm sure that uh he could use
some relief I know he spends a lot of
hours here uh at City Hall
and so I think we should just go we
should do this to increase the work
that's being done and to support the
other programs that are being suggested
and to also make sure that as we have
different projects that are here in the
city that we have folks who are coming
through this program we're able to be
able to work on those projects in the
city and therefore increase the people
who live here because that's one of the
things he's focused on to make sure that
they are be able to gain an income buy a
home themselves and do all that so I
know this program is doing well and part
of what we always talk about when we
talk about budgeting things is that the
program has to produce or or show some results and his program has
definitely shown results so I would I
would support that
and the other comments in this
the other one I would like to also touch
base on is a deputy registered and this
might come on let's put Tennis Club do
you want to talk about this position on
the important and why you need about it
sorry I missed you last Friday so we'll
talk about it and I have a military that
says I should ask you to kind of give us
a brief a brief summary
on what's happening there
so the deputy registrar position
is needed for many of much of the vital
records that we're doing right now the
state has
changed many of their processes within
the past year
where they've increased it and shifted
the burden onto the municipality rather
than onto the safe employee more of the
filing and even printing of documents
where they're not providing us all of
that anymore
so it's needed that where we have these
staff Staffing
support all of that
and I just almost pulled them back and
we did talk about the principal building
audience on AP clerk who is actually
functioning as an iot person 1620-100
but straightforward to the page that
person is actually getting adjustment
and functioning design people
thank you
go ahead sorry I I think that um this is
sort of a general statement across the
uh Staffing lines and I want to start
out by saying I have the utmost respect
um for the work that our city staff does
but there's also
for me
and I guess I want to hear a little bit
more from the mirror but
I feel that over the course of the time
before the budget was presented to us in
its original form obviously the mayor is
the CEO of our city met with all the
cotton heads met with you know our
Commissioner of finance and and
um
I'm
a little uncomfortable with making
decisions that are not the decisions
that our CEO has spent time on
deliberating And discussing I feel that
it is our responsibility because the
budget is our responsibility I
understand that completely but I also
feel that the day-to-day sort of
operational
piece of what happens here
um is just not uh you know I think we're
here a lot all of us are here a lot
meeting with folks and and seeing what
happens but we don't have that same
level of day-to-day operational
expertise
um so
I don't know if you want to comment but
we're making you know this would make
Staffing changes
um
uh again I've made my recommendations
for Council
to democracy some people have the
opportunity to do an end run may present
the council with more of a limited
perspective
and but that becomes your final decision
my recommendation for the original
budget
so go ahead so I understand what you're
saying Miss Patrick however you know it
is the council the council to to
um to pass the budget to make sure that
you try to make sure that all
departments are
able to function to vestibility we have
continually talked about the openings
that we have that's just been a
conversation for quite some time and I
respect that uh you know deferring to
the mayor however it is a system of
checks and balances and so part of our
responsibility is to you know to pass
the budget and to and
I know that the mayor going into this as
any of C CFO or CEO would is knowing
that what they present won't doesn't
necessarily mean that's what's going to
walk out the door so I believe that the
mayor as has approached this as a
negotiation process as he does all
negotiations and that things will change
so I I don't think that's lost on any of
us so
um I'm not sure if there's a particular
Department that you're thinking that we
you know we've made too many changes or
we shouldn't make any changes but
um it's you know it's something that we
have to really consider in terms of
Staffing we can talk about it all the
time how there's limited Staffing houses
where the city is understaffed we've
heard it from the department heads not
only just during budget season I mean on
a continual basis we've had Cohen
Sportsman who is doing better now when
there was a discussion and said how many
people are missing and he told us how
many people are missing his department
so you know we want to be able to
provide the best Services possible to
our our employees
um are excuse me our residents and part
of that is making sure we're standing at
the level that we can do that
I'm just to answer that I mean almost
every budget as long as I've been in the
council we have made changes we have
made changes and be able to make a
recommendation to us we need changes we
discuss it we focus on it and it's
adopted uh and then we have documents
Financial Services
we have to look at the minute also look
at the uh
the numbers in the budget and also take
more time to look at we can't pass on
importance of attack speed
every time we have to you know
increments in this budget we're looking
at passing on some fees increased
to the taxpayer water and soil
some of us mentioned last week that they
were
followed no increase I myself made a
followed no increase after talking to
the mayor I am comfortable to for a
small increase and yes I am open to next
year to look at another increase because
we have Debt Pay 2020 believe 2023 into
2024 and a couple changing the position
after listening to the media this
afternoon and Mr Ferrari on how we move
forward in one episode
about half of that and next year I'm
committed to to look at that and to
support
our living flower
so just on that note
um in terms of the tax cut
um and certainly I understand I mean I'm
a resident here as well obviously uh you
know we know what our tax situation is
but my My worry is that if we do make a
tax cut of even the one percent
um what happens next year I mean are we
going to end up having to increase taxes
by two percent
um you know or in other words is there
an incremental change even there that on
like the changes that are being
presented tonight in those other two
funds
um I just want to get a thought on what
does the future hold
um if we if we if I can address that
basic conversation that I have the
commission on finance
we have money set aside from our money
set aside for 25 October 2023 2024 so
how can any deficit that's what we took
some money today to help in this 2013
budget they are additional funding
available there
in the millions of dollars to help push
it that's what you're talking about
there so if there's any shortfall
the budget is there except we can't use
it for the tax cut
um so we have to really look at you know
this other 300 last week we have a
Special Olympics a priority and he
mentioned to us that the revenue of
looking at increasing revenue and
revenue sustainable
over the years so that we can sustain
after Harper is over and done
we have Revenue coming in to keep these
jobs in the surface flooring so that was
Mr Ferrari's comment last week to us how
do we sustain these
circus and uh after the monitor
and I have one more thing I do want to
end with all due respect
um in terms of adding the legal services
um to city council and I guess the
civilian police review board
I really feel hearing from you and the
mayor last week about the fact that and
I've talked to some folks since then the
fact that there used to be an attorney
from our Corporation Council who uh his
office
um who would attend every civilian
police review board
um I would love to see that reinstated
rather than spending more money on an
additional attorney and with that in
terms of you know discussion and
compromise Etc I really don't think that
we need to add an attorney
um for city council I just
um you know as I said last week
um I think that
in terms of the support that we get from
our Corporation Council when any of us
have an issue or a question or something
that you know we need legal a legal
opinion I guess I would say
um I have been completely satisfied
um and I don't think it's been too much
of an additional burden I think probably
in the three years that I've that I've
been on Console I've probably you know
could count on my on one hand maybe
um and you know Mr Golden has always
either met with me or certainly You Know
spoken with me about my concerns so
I don't know I don't want to put you on
the spot but I just don't see the need
at least for
um an additional hire
um to work with city council I just
think that's
spending money that we don't we don't
need because we have you know the
expertise here and the corporation
council's office
just to clarify we're not we would we
put it we wouldn't have hired someone
here that's what we're talking about fees for services so
if all right but okay I just mean it's
fifty thousand dollars that I don't
really really think that we need to
spend additionally if we're looking for
ways to you know make up for example the
[Music]
um
you know the 316 000 or any of these
other changes that would be a place that
I think that we could eliminate some
money from from this proposal
my question is you so you're saying that
um due to your your experience of you
know speaking from your experience that
um
that we have I know you have more than
adequate legal support for City Council
election position right
for the police Community review board
um you don't think that uh they need any
outside counsel that they would need I'd
like to see us return to the model that
existed when Mr motivator for example
was on the civilian police review board
um where someone from our Corporation
council's office and I understand that
this would you know add to uh once a
month the work of your office but
apparently
um there was someone from that office
that would would attend every civilian
produced review board meeting and I
think also the fact is that we have the
commissioner of Public Safety as well
um you know we'll also can lend
um Council to the civilian police report
as well so I just throw that out there
and open the circus session and
compromise yeah so I guess my question
is so
have you spoken to anyone from the
police review board about this issue
since last time we met I did yeah okay
and they gave they told you that they
didn't think that they needed the person
that I spoke to had formally actually
also been on the civilian police review
board and also expressed some problems
um that someone from the corporation
council's office no longer met with the
civilian police review board on a
regular basis and so in other words I
thought that that would be fun okay so
they so they were saying that this used
to happen this practice is no longer
happening so they're saying it returned
to that progress okay so what I would
say too is that you know the
conversations that I had with people
um I think that this board is is very
unique to the other boards they serve a
very unique uh a need and
the idea that you know we are limiting
which
I see and they the person I spoke to
agreed that we would be kind of limiting
their resources to do this already very
important uh job
so I I don't see why why we wanted to do
that and we can't again to me in my
opinion we can't kind of and I'm not
saying you're doing this I'm saying you
know this is what I don't want to do I
don't want to pay lip service to say how
important this is and then the people
who are in the position to do the job
that we're recommending and asking them
to do if they're asking um and saying
that there's a need for that and we have
the means to meet that need then we need
to do that because it's not I feel like
we're not we're just kind of
checking that box effect it's important
but
you know you can get your needs met this
way when they have a very specific uh
kind of uh very unique role in that
board and there's a lot of other uh
variables but a lot of tensions that
they have to balance to certain that
capacity so I just don't see how he
would
understand the complexity and the
gravity of what they do without
resourcing them adequately
I think that's the manor and the chief I
think you meet regularly with the
leadership
has the leadership ever asked for this
or said that none of their needs are
being met
like just back up I think they said
there was always a Corporation Council
to me I'm not sure that was 100 true but
like 90 some percent of the time they
would have somebody there and what seems
to have collapse somehow was the request
getting to the corporation council's
office that there was going to be a
meeting
so that where we haven't been Staffing
it the request hasn't been put in
or something to be there it's like oh
I'm not blaming yeah
please go ahead um we've actually spoke
to Scott Barbara Rich over at the police
department recently who um
Daryl Mallard
um in the past so prior to maybe
becoming a Corporation Council back in
uh Mr Valentino in this Corporation
Council
we attended I attended
um
a smattering of cprb meetings
I can think on one occasion a question
came up for me during those meetings
because generally what had happened was
I think at the time dick shave was still
the chairperson who had been chair for
quite a while obviously and I know you
know council president Williams
eventually joined uh
the questions were more geared toward
and from when I was there
questions about materials
not so much legal questions of any sort
and obviously I'm you know available if
a question ever came up and sticking to
um
officer bobrowman she indicated that you
know there haven't been
a whole lot of cprb meetings at times
because of Quorum issues I think there
may have you know I know this is this is
a quorum issue that actually went back
quite a ways right but I think there may
have been at least I think I don't know
maybe four or five meetings that didn't
happen because they couldn't get a form
that being said you know I'm available
you know certainly you know if there are
questions that you know that are arising
during those meetings or questions
related to process or processes in
person you know obviously I have you
know the utmost faith and and the police
officers who sat the meeting to make
sure that materials are there and you
know the
um the folks who are on the cprb you
know know that what's in Chapter 93 I'm
planning to attend the next meeting I've
already prepared a PowerPoint to kind of
go over what's in Chapter 93 go over the
you know the responsibilities and you
know the rules and the obligations and
the bylaws Etc so that you know
everybody's really starting on playing
field
you know if you want my two Sunset
outside counsel I'm happy to provide
that
um
I think you know
my office has been short staffed
Networks
I don't say with bone thin but it's just
for as it is right now it's just me and
one other person that's full-time
determines
we have a part-time attorney
as well
you know we do our best to staff you
know those meetings were legal questions
tend to come up and we've said if for
some reason we can't stop a particular
meeting if there's an issue that comes
up that could not be addressed at that
point in time to you know if they can
table the issue their cable the matter
and you know bring it to us but or if
they know anticipate that there's going
to be a legal question let us know in
advance so we can be there now if you
know this is the first time that I've
seen on paper this you know allocation
for outside Council to the police review
board but apparently there's apparently
there's been some issue that hasn't been
brought my attention about the use of
you know about legal questions coming up
during the cprb meetings I'm happy to
you know make sure that either I attend
the meeting or my assistant Corporation
Council attends the meeting to address
those issues and it's obviously like any other time if there's a legal
question that we can address we don't
know everything we can't know everything
about the law but I'm happy to you know
don't reach out to outside counsel
obtain outside counsel because one thing
I don't want to do is obviously provide
bad legal advice right take early
because I I you know I believe in cprb I
know the sensitive issues that they deal
with and because of that it's it's
important right that if we're going to
provide a little advice that you know we
get it right and if we don't know the
answer we don't make up an answer we
refer it out to outside counsel so
my my take on it is you know I have my
own outside counsel like you know that's
in part of my budget I'd rather try to
address this in-house because I think
it's a better use of dollars and cents
and see if we can address the issue and
you know we'll commit to going to the
cprb meetings on a regular occasion
um and if we can't answer those legal
questions we'll refer to outside counsel
we'll seek outside council's advice to
address those concerns
so my question is so if we budget for
this
and because again I think that what
we're we don't want to pin to good
practices against each other and that's
what I don't want to see us do so I
think that I appreciate
um you know kind of your office
recommitting to attending these meetings
I think that that is really a beneficial
thing and into the capacity that you
could do so I'm sure that they would
appreciate it as well
um
so I think that that's a yes and then
the and would be
um you know because what happens if we
budget for this money and then your
office is able to
handle all the issues in-house and we
don't end up spending that money that
money then we'll return to the general
fund is that fun okay so so therefore
it's if we need if they need the money
for outside counsel and decide that they
want to use the money they can but
however if your offices has the capacity
to cover it then they won't then they
won't use it so what so what I would
suggest is that we do both we make sure
that we give them a fund a funding line
and allocate funds of that because we
say that this is important to us we say
that that this is this we understand the
complexity of what they're asked to do
and all the tensions that they have to
balance right and if
they're requesting that but they are we
give it to them and then we give them
the support through Corporation Council
as much as we possibly can and then if
that
meets the need then why would they need
to spend the money and then we would be
we would lose nothing for it
so I never got my question answered
about have you met regularly when the
cprb leadership have they requested
anything and has it ever been denied and
I've never actually seen a request for
this the individuals I've spoken to have
indicated have not indicated that they
they've never asked her so I'll just put
it that way
I do meet them regularly I don't take
monthly meetings I I send my Office
Professional Standards there
um if I do meet you there regularly I
would say it's it's twice a year and um
they've never brought anything to my
attention asked me for legal advice more
broadly concerns that's my role is to
continuously ask them if they need
anything more from me is the process
working for you
and then I leave it at that I try to
stay separated
and again I would I would say you know
in in the just in the spirit of having
true and honest um dialogue and role
clarification and I think that
um someone who is tasked with
um a pretty delicate uh you know job of
kind of oversight and inquiry
um
I didn't expect them to go to the chief
to say that they are are in to fulfill
that need I think that there's a certain
uh
there's some requests that are coming
within their purview and I hadn't you
know the person that I had spoke to or
two people the person I spoke to you
know definitely um hadn't said that they
had made such a request for you or any
requests from you that hadn't hasn't
been fulfilled so let's go to to be on
the record with that thus far however I
think that we have to acknowledge
that there is the position positionality
and this really matters so if we again
if they don't if we dedicate the line
and they don't you use it we don't lose
it so why wouldn't we dedicate the one
the reason we're going to dedicate to
mine is because we're talking about
fifty thousand dollars which could be
used in other areas I'm not saying cprb
is not important but we have the ability
through the Corporation Council to
address their needs as well as their
external needs should they need those so
we're talking about 50 Grand when we're
throwing around some other stuff and
that's why we're questioning it it's not
that we don't think cprb is important or
that they don't play a key role but when
we have scarce resources which we do
it's important to try not to overlap in
our resources well and I can appreciate
that both that in this context is not
overlapping whatsoever what we're doing
is we're dedicating the line and we're
actually demonstrating the values that
we portray and we talk and pay lip
service to all the time we're
demonstrating that by making an
investment but the Safeguard to your
point so we don't
overlap the resources is that
re-engaging the Corporation Council and
having them attend so if they're able to
meet the needs of the board then they'll
meet the needs of the board and the
board won't have to use that money but
for us to say that we're not going to
give them an option to me is very
limiting and it's micromanaging and it's
not
being fully
genuine in recognizing the multiple
dynamics that they have to navigate to
do the very
important specific job that we ask them
to do
so Chapter 93 outlines two Financial
considerations that need to be made on
behalf of the civilian police review
board one is maintaining an annual
membership to Nicole which is a civilian
oversight uh entity in the United States
and the second is having a variation of
some funding to assist with uh
performing reviews or investigations to
some degree or
being a member of the review board
they're definitely uh normalcies that
you take on from meeting to meetings so
absolute yields the fact that this
hasn't been something that has been
implemented routinely however if we look
at the simple fact of what does the city
code outline us to do I think it is our
requirement to fund them based on what
is outlined and I think putting forth
monies for them to be able to utilize
legal services to be able to have access
to the Law Department to include the
routine attendance from the police
commissioner that is simply us hedging
our bets and to miss Patrick's Point
that is what budgeting is it is how you
best position an entity to succeed so I
look at all of those different variables
that essentially we're trying to
um
bolstered the success of this
organization or of this board so in
reviewing everything that's put before
us it is not fifty thousand dollars it's
twenty five thousand dollars
but I think again words matter it's
twenty five thousand dollars that we're
looking at
um allotting to the outside Legal
Services the civilian police reborn in
that sense I think looking at everything
that was previously discussed if we use
this or not having it specifically
put underneath their budget line allow
us to do one of two things that was
outlined by the Deputy Commissioner it
will allow us to track whether it is
something that is actually beneficial to
this board or not and if it's not I'm in
total support of removing it all
together however we need to be
consistent with our practices and remove
it from the city code
consideration that
he's now full fully sad
so how are we going to take away the
resource from this golden office to help
others so I'm just going out and
go ahead please thank you I'm obviously
you know
I've been looking at Chapter 93 and I've
been preparing you know this PowerPoint
a bit so I want to be and I agree with
Mr Williams that you know the language
of the code matters considerably when
looking at all this this language in the
code related to the cprb hiring an
independent investigator to assist them
in reviewing things and also you know
I think having a dedicated staff person
in the past
the only place I think
Council was under the law departments
in the blood Department's budget line
and there's language in the law that
says that the Corporation Council hires
outside Council for the city when
necessary so I know you know who's been
an indication about you know the cprb
itself pertaining outside Council
um you know obviously I wouldn't make
that referral
um if necessary because I said I have
that in my budget line and that's
something I would obviously do
um like I would do with any other
department we've done that um at times
if necessary we can't handle something
in-house we've had no problem referring
it to outside Council we do that with a
lot of employee matters
um you know things like that go to perm
and you know workers comp and you know a
lot of things
um I'm hoping my Staffing level goes up
so I'll become a little bit easier and
we're not stressed so thin sometimes but
obviously you know
cprb is important when any commission is
important to bza like all of our you
know all of those you know commissions
and boards are very important and you
know we try to do our best to staff when
we see it being necessary and
um obviously this is coming to my
attention now because again I hadn't
heard anything from anyone you know the
chairperson since Rivera I have not
heard from her about this I haven't
heard from the officers who stopped the
meeting there was legal questions that
were coming up obviously I would be
there for is this a Corporation Council
Chris Lonnie would be there
that doesn't fall in deaf ears you know
we want to be responsive to the needs of
those boards and those committees and
still we do that
um
yeah so in the you know I'm not going to
tell obviously with the council what to
do or not do that's not my position
um you know if the situation arises
though where you know they have a legal
question the cprb we're going to try to
do it in-house obviously and if we can't
do it in-house then we're going to make
the referral to an outside you know Law
Firm to handle it so it wouldn't be the
cprb you know obtaining Council it would
be me a painting Council on behalf of
really the cprb
McCarthy did mention that we should
encourage the police uh review board to
reach out to a public safety
commissioner and to hear these concerns
so I will encourage everyone including
myself to reach out to the police report
to reach out to the public safety
commissioner and to help Channel this uh
concerns and to the law department and
see what help can be provided to this
board and this board need help
right I don't want to go back in time
when I was there but yeah they need help
they need to function properly and I
think we need to assist them right again
I think Rockford's
you know nothing that I really
disagree with I don't I don't think that
we're not aligned on well at least and
what we're saying as far as valuing what
they do and understanding the importance
of the of the of them resisting and then
I
saying that he has money in his budget
line in order to do that if that's
something that they need so my question
then becomes or then we're not really
necessarily just talking about money
we're talking about power we're talking
about their ability to access the
resources that they need to do to do
what they need to do and if all things
you know organic we're saying that we
understand the complexity of what
they're doing if they're reaching out to
council members saying hey this would be
something that would be beneficial for
us as a board then I think that we
should support them by doing that
um and then I think the the safety net
there
um to access those funds or to use of
those funds is Corporation counselors
needing us to recommit to engaging this
them as a board and if that happens
in a in a satisfactory way for them then
it's a new point so let's let's let's
allocate the money to them let's
demonstrate let's actually do what we
say be who we say we are resource it not
just live service and then hopefully uh
they'll be able all their needs will be
met by Corporation Council and the
safety percent if that's the case then
we're in a great place and if it's not
then they have
um another uh resource available for
them to do their report book
I just want to remind everyone that when
we had talked about this before we had
talked about to the point of increasing
the fees for service in the law
department so it's not like we didn't
talk about making sure the money in the
budget but however it was uh it was I'm
going to say by the finance department
saying that it's easier to track if it
was separate so let's keep in mind that
we had talked
yes not you but
that that the Deputy Commissioner said
it would be easier to track over
separate so we talked about adding money
to the Law Department fees for services
for out fees outside Council we talked
about that so it's not like we didn't
talk about putting it in there it just
became a matter of where we put it
I I think we didn't come to a decision
on it though I know that we talked about
that but I was looking forward to this
meeting this evening
um to really Hammer up these decisions
and see what kinds of compromises and
you know I think we were waiting no we
did we did we did came from
um 25
000 each and it goes to the city council
25
000 on the 10 10 440 on the city council
on 10 attempt 440 on the police review
board no I know that that is my note
that what we end up discussion and
that's what we were to ask the finance
department no I know that we put that
down it was 25 and 25. I definitely know
we did that I guess I thought that we
were then tonight going because we we
went down the whole list whether it was
um the addition of a staff in city clerk
or the creation of a new department for
affirmative action
um some of these things I think that we
did go down that whole list with the
idea that tonight we were going to be
you know kind of discussing those things
and deciding whether we in other words
we did definitely fill in those lines
and I guess I have to say if again I'll
put out there that if we were going to
compromise I absolutely don't think we
need the extra I mean I don't know
nobody else is dropping in here but that
we don't need the money for the city
council park right yeah this is
an hour and a half hours on this item
under the end that's what we have
decided that the pathway forward so it
was 82 then this Ferrari suggests why
now 50 25 25 we all seems to
another head and she told him yeah
it was to be talked about yeah
so can we go around as it is with um
well uh 25
um in the city council line 25 in the
review board line as it is can we go
around and get kind of games on the
council members and how do you feel
about that
could we do that just just me I finish
up sure Mr Poland I mean um 25 000 for
City Council Members us looking to
discuss something and we need legal
advice I mean
have you ever I mean you've always been
there for each and every one of us when
we've called and without
bias
on something we might need it's legal
law
I have nothing ever been brought to my
attention where
nobody's excuse me of being bias
um you know if I thought that there was
some compliment you know between my
duties and representing the city you
know as the city council or between city
council people or between the city
council and the mayor's office the city
council and the department
if I sought the conflict in that it or a conflict in my ability to perform
because the city council is making some
type of decision it was looking for
legal advice that impacts limit me or my
office
that would be referred out you know good
outside Council the situation hasn't
Arisen where I've seen a conflict and or
that anybody has raised to me that
there's a conflict in my ability to act
in an unbiased manner you know and may
make decisions that you know you don't
agree with that certainly happens and I
know the mayor you know has made
decisions that the mayor doesn't
necessarily agree with that's just part
of you know the process you know not
always going to be you know not always
going to be just you know a pushover or
rollover in terms of my legal opinion
because I have to look at the law the
way it's written right at the end of the
day my job's back to city
um you know from liability so
you know I don't know what question
there is exactly about you know
you putting it you know the city council
agreeing to put 25 000 in the line
um obviously as I said if there's a
conflict
um you know inherent or perceived
um then I would refer to that
hasn't happened and nobody has as far as
I know at least you know anything to me
directly to me indicating a conflict in
my ability to act
um you know objectively I think
foreign
just to the other point I mean even if I
look at what's on this piece of paper
that we've been given tonight
um under line 16 2100 when we met the
other night we did not discuss
um it looks like it looks like on this
sheet it says increase this position by
5642.
but then I think on the sheet we came
we're given tonight it looks like we did
not
um increase the position by 5 642 we're
deep yes I'm sorry are you talking about
the principal billing audit and AP clerk
okay you moved on to something well no
I'm just saying just in terms of
comparison in terms of my understanding
from the other night was just that we
were going to make some decisions
tonight and so I think that I think I
mean baby I'm reading it wrong but I
think that's is not what we talk is not
what we wrote yeah the other day the
other night they were the increase was
like 11 something 11 000 something and
so in our discussion it was to reduce
that 11 000 by 5 000 that's what you're
seeing here yeah so the increase was not
eleven thousand but five thousand that's
what that's what the decrease is now the
decrease of the original salary but a
decrease of the post increase
but the so the mayor requested 77 771
right which is an increase salary 72
000 129. so that is an increase of five
thousand six hundred
budget
of course
the point being we were going to just
discuss everything tonight
yeah no that's fine yes are we just you
know compared to them most of the stuff
done on the
proposal if you did touch with them it
might be a few that we can custom look
was the article moving the fund from the
airport to general fund and he has
to look at the numbers but then things
change today
so they are taking away funding for the
article it's a general fund that was a
very far so
the help of that
thank you
go ahead please just saying that to Mr
Williams point if we run an entity to
succeed give them the
what they need and just to get rid of
the information tax specialist when the
Department's asking for that you know we
have to be first of all
foreign
taking your position
on this issue and right now
can we go around and get the usernames
so we can at least as far as the
um you're asking about outside Legal
Services yeah between the police Rescue board and
you just go forward
because that's go ahead because we're
having a discussion we're having a
discussion I want to understand that but
if then you do that for every single yes
that's right I'm not entertained to do
that for every single piece so we we
want to we want to stay here all night
tonight
to miss Patrick's Point there's been you
know her and I've been pretty vocal
um and then changing of our ideas around
this so I you know just kind of want to
get a position from where people are at
but
you know
so but I'm completely fine with not
without doing that I mean I made my
position pretty clear you know
I am what I say that is what it is
always so that doesn't change for me
you can move on to the next thing
we need to touch on
well I think we have to unless somebody
else says something I think we have to
go back to the um
tax
you said we're requesting that was the
first thing that the mayor said about so
I mean
I think we need to discuss that
excuse me sorry
and they're taking a break
do you want to wait on this bathroom hey
Miss Porterfield yeah why don't we take
uh
thank you
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
yes
[Music]
I think there's going to be a butter
shortage
yeah Atlanta Lakes my sister just texted
me
um
you're sorry
foreign
[Music]
so let's see
this chance
foreign
all right so let's continue the
discussion on this Quarterfield just um
it was before we went into a break what
about the
property tax
tolls property tax production
one percent equivalent 316
290 dollars
open for discussion on this
so I guess I'm a little confused with
regards to
how the art for money is being used for
the losses
when we have 5.3 million in unfilled
positions
yet we're looking at
according to Mr Ferrari roughly two
million losses here now I understand the
2 million is going to come out of this
article stuff or largely from that you
know but we still aren't accounting 35.3
million
going forward so how are we going to do
that
of
um
[Music]
10.3
yes 10.3 uh and that's that's we're
going to use the 2 million this year
that's what we're estimating that loses
8.3 and then with the five point eight
penalt planet and the 2023 budget and
that leaves us uh with uh about four
million left
all right for a lost revenues for 2024.
but going forward we're not accounting
for that at all right
so well
go forward and have it if you don't use
that account don't not if you don't if
we don't uh use it all you know
where we can still push it forward and
but Mr we just mentioned nearly also on
this document here is 10.1 million
dollars that is available but if there's
additional losses yes if that can be
taken out from this 10 point almost 10.2
million dollars so that means we're not
going to spend anything else for
powerful money
going forward no we took out I took out
that money now it was always what I'm
saying is you're putting it aside we're
putting inside we're not spending the 10
points yes
the 20 23 Revenue loss or lost Revenue
3.4 million dollars
I understand that but we have 5.3 we're
not accounting for
because we didn't fill the positions and
we keep talking about 63 unfilled
positions which is 5.3 million going
forward not just today
one two three years out
we don't have an account for that money
this is priority can you address that I
understand what you're saying and uh
that's one of the reasons why we should
not uh decrease taxes
of cost risings this is not the type of
thought I wasn't
as we're going through here we're hoping
like you said to stabilize our revenues
to come through here to pay for that uh
I understand yeah we have those jobs
openings but as you as you've seen you
know we're not filming about those jobs
either I understand that but if we could
increase revenues by 5 million we'd
already done it
yeah okay what was referral you want to
address this also is uh 4.6 but yeah you
know in our 2022 budget we had a
formulated uh we had a budget of 4.6
we're estimating only using half that
so that's for the other two point I
understand but going forward is what I'm
talking we're talking strictly today
we're not looking forward
correct and that's going to impact us in
one two three years or more correct
we're looking at 2023
this is that we're looking at snapshot
in Time versus a dynamic that's why I
that's why you know with the various
budget we're looking to raise uh the
artist fees to keep the tax lined up
keep the taxes at a stable level and you
know raise up and you know we talk about
erasing other fees as we go along for
years too because as like any other
business you have to raise your prices
has a cost goes up because of the cost
of employment cost of insurance costs of
all those benefits
[Music]
you're cutting uh taxes you're cutting
uh uh the fees for services or you know
with the uh water not water source but
even with uh the trash and stuff like
that you know when you start cutting uh
you know it's going to come back you're
going to have to raise it eventually
you're gonna have to raise it I mean a
huge amount right so it just multiplied
so it actually goes on yeah so I think
23 24 you're gonna be okay 20 25 you
might be doing a six percent tax
increase you know that's what I was
trying to get at earlier
I mean the minimum that's what I asked
for you know I know uh uh you're you're
taking a 1.1 million already for the
trash I know that's something you're
gonna have to address into your comments
into the year 2023 but at least the Hope
line on on the uh the tax uh tax
payments you can hold the line at 316
pounds I mean it doesn't sound like a
lot but it really that's a beginning
it's a beginning because I'm telling you don't want to two years from now
when you guys are trying to be real life
and you have to raise taxes for four
percent
it's not going to be a pretty butcher
what you want to do you want to rise you
want to do it things have a small level
small bits are going all the way up yeah
that's why we posted about a dollar a
week of a dollar a week for the garbage
I mean you know that's that's that was
our thought of trying to do things
slowly you know not that I was smiling
because um last week last week Friday
you told us that if you proceeded is
from bankruptcy yeah yesterday and today
we found the 10.5 million dollars
we don't want to scare people out there
you know all these things and then um
well running set aside 12 seconds but if
you were looking at what you're doing uh
last week before we found it I want to
thank John for helping us do that uh
because
uh Derek was was still in the room
you're not supposed to use
your taxes and we're using quite a bit
of our money through
foreign
thank you
discussion on this the sport Affairs
oh I'm just listening to what Mr
Ferrari's saying and you know and and I
keep hearing it over and over again
because let me just be 100 transparent I
was in favor of
um
reducing the tax burden on our
um our residents but I don't I want us
to be caught in the quandary that we
spent money in a way that was
inappropriate and they come back and say
Hey you shouldn't have done that and
here are the reasons why
so two Mr Ferrari's point you know I
know you might have said that half a
joke but I also believe that a lot of
Truth is said in jokes and um I think
that you know we have to
talk to the people that live in the
cities connected to like adults and and
let them understand that you know as
much as we beloved uh you know
if we're not in a fiscal position to do
that then we can't do that until you're
pointing around you know when you when
you're running again to uh you're not
going to get reelected if you have to
raise taxes so many points I mean that's
a calculation that really shouldn't be a
part of how we make our decisions here
so right I mean and I know that
you know everyone might not share that
at least in action more so in ideology
but yeah if we're not in a fiscal
position to cut taxes then we
shouldn't do that
right
I mean yeah
one of the one of the suggestions I
submitted um last week including myself
the hearing and discussing and
compromise and working yesterday today
the day before was a Ferrari I've taken
a full-time job in his office
another discussion with the mayor I can you know push back a little on
this and not um
we can rule out and increase I mean not
sorry we don't mind Lucas
I don't want to increase um
I'm gonna hold on but I just wanted to
clear it and I know the way I mention it
already and we've been back and forth
since Friday
well we get we can use money to provide
a tax break this is not our we have
money in the general fund we have money
now
if we were to proceed and if I were to
Stadium if we had a majority here and
you say that we were going to get the
tax Breakers
but I am okay took all off
and to listen to my good friend zone
and we can hold out from this
even even after your family with 10
million dollars yeah wow there we go
well I appreciate it I appreciate you
yeah the work that we all have at this
table we all hear these people to
discuss to work with the Department to
work within a compromise not everybody's
going to get what they want never going
to happen
and we have at some point we just have
to sit back in our lives and you know
move forward
for the best we can uh please thank them
for take overtime speeds that's our job
we have to be careful now because if
we're not too careful we might start to
contradict the narrative that we're not
actually working together to get and
getting stuff done
we're a little careful about that
any other discussion is what do you want
to keep this here
I guess my only question is so if we um
agree to not have the one percent tax
cut now what do we do in terms of we
need to uh go back to the computer and
okay so let's just go back to the free
course backup we just reports
the proposed budget yeah
we're not taking money at the end of the
land we just go back we're actually
removing money against that line taxes
but going back to the maintenance
proposed budget of 31 629
[Music]
and uh
one of uh article my strategies you know
African 16th house yes
so just I'm sorry just run down that on
this place
budget okay 31 million 629.000.
based on the proposal that was submitted
last week they were asking for a one
percent tax reduction equivalent to 316
292. taking that out so that was going
to reduce
the
appropriate functions
like 31
312 710. basically back here now I think
there's a compromise that we're not
going to reduce taxes by that amount of
316 000 290 and reward back to the
mayor's proposed budget of 31 million
629
000. Mr Ferrari will do the in and out
and uh
foreign
anything else to discuss on this
I'm just I'm just sort of out I know
[Music]
maybe I should say it out loud
questions
[Music]
is
yeah
and then we'll give you the
what do you need to change it
the opportunity to drive from the
resolution
and come back to the council I'm just
going to be a little taller than
consider control
go ahead please so Mr Colden review the
changes before
once we finish and we decide to move
forward Mr Coleman will get a copy he
has a copy there's any markups he will
make notes
um
able to graph up his resolution
to the council before yeah about
committing based on the changes Anthony
mix okay I can go upstairs because then
he will also agree with you you
understand okay
are there any other discussion on this
items
did we put the volume
[Music]
I always let you know I'll call you out
and I'll let you know you don't have to
do that with me
did we put the money back into the
capital budget for them yes we did okay
that was the only change I believe that
was in that so
um
Miss Patrick sorry that's right my
attention on the capital
223 houses
because because that's the nearest
wasn't that it doesn't have to change
okay so please put that back in there so
that that was a misunderstanding from
Police Department
[Music]
that we were able to put it back
you raise your hand on me you get your
own point over
saying that I really told this
I'd like to make a motion to move the
budget uh with the discussed changes
they have a second all in favor
aye
are there any other businesses for
finance
second all in favor
aye we are here thank you
um
it's crazy
um
foreign
[Laughter]
20 20 21 those are twins
I just had this from yesterday
it wasn't the totals were always good
hmm
get the total first score
that's the best thing I've ever been
here foreign
signatures
[Music]
thank you
foreign
thank you
foreign
oh yeah
thank you
foreign
thank you
foreign
Maybe
so
no oh no
thank you
um
foreign
okay
thank you
Maybe
Chinese
space
good
thank you
okay
foreign
before
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
foreign
I think
thank you
foreign
yes
assistant
thank you
I'd like to call to order this Festival
City council meeting for Monday excuse
me Wednesday October 26 2022
we have one item on the agenda
the clerk would please read
item number one for final consideration
an ordinance percentage section 36 of
the second class cities law and article
six of the chart of the city of
Schenectady approving and adopting the
proposed operating budget for 2023 and
authorizing the appropriation therein
enumerated
discuss the committee with our injection
okay roll call by Mr palomini
but please call the one Mr Williams yeah
Mr Farley yes
Miss Patrick I'm going to vote
um yes because I want to say that I am
um I'm pleased with the ability that we
had tonight to compromise with one
another and
um I think that you know I appreciate
that as a council we were able to make
some decisions together on this there
are definitely things still that I'm not
necessarily completely happy with
um I will say in particular the items
related to the police overtime and the
um the staff person in the police
department
um I wish that those had been able to
remain in but that being said I'm going
to vote Yes as well
Mr YouTuber
sorry I was just questioning uh the
capital budget is not here as well
there was no changes
it's all the mayor supposedly which is
why I asked that question initially I
want to make sure that we get great
before we pass
so yes I
um you know a budget process uh the
other thing we've been doing for you
know and I think um this year will be a
lot of questions new council member I
appreciate all the questions I'll answer
I repeat myself all the answer I want to
thank you Mr Ferrari
um
providing him all the answers about
watching anybody any council member
asked a question and it was an answer
because I make sure I make sure that I
chose to my Safari and the question was
answered and make sure to provide the
opportunity to everybody to get an
answer to understand the budget and to
answer questions and the opportunity to
process on you know all the information
everybody has an opportunity to look at
the budget look at the question look at
the answer and yes we sometimes we can't
dig or heal in the sand we have to
compromise as Patrick mention compromise
and move forward and was the best for
our city I think this is a good budget
and I'm happy that be part of it and to
vote Yes on it and we'll give it to the
mayor to
for 20 Century operating am expense
my vote is yes thank you this is the
term I'm happy with the way things
worked out tonight absolutely working
together
but I also feel that we need to make
more fiscally responsible decisions so
we can move our city forward in the future so I vote
now
Mr palomini
I'd first like to thank my colleagues
for all their hard work good questions
actually very good questions
however I'm very concerned with the
sustainability of this Budget moving
forward
um unfortunately this is typically How
We Do budgets at least in my time being
on Council as a snapshot of time
and
I think we need to start really
considering our future projects and this
budget is such that I really don't feel
we're in a good position moving down the
road one or two or three years
especially since we're going we're in a
very high inflation period that
inflation is not going away anytime soon
quite frankly it might last a while
we have the Federal Reserves going to
have to increase
interest rates that's going to be an
impact on our bonding and costs there
and unfortunately the Federal Reserve
tends to
overshoot with interest rate increases
and
we're projected to go on a pretty
substantial
um
recession hopefully not a depression
next year and I really question our
ability to generate the revenues that
we're talking about
um
I just don't think this is a sustainable
budget and for that reason I'm voting
now
this Porterfield thank you so I also
want to thank everyone who's asked
questions put in some hard work
especially thank you to Mr Baron for um
leadership on this and for the mayor for
putting forth his budget I've heard with
everyone said we've talked about it you
know we've been meeting several times
and I agree that we also didn't get
everything that everyone wanted however
we did to come to a compromise I
understand what Mr palawini is saying
but it as he said it's way we we
generally do budget so this is not new
to this year in terms of how our budgets
are done and if going forward we need to
he whoever is the finance chair wants to
or the mayor it's really the mayor who
wants to project it out that's something
certainly a topic for discussion as it
is um today you know um like I said you
know we put forth we put some things in
we took some things out made concessions
different places so I'm comfortable with
this and I vote Yes on this budget
so the motion passes five to two
contain a motion to adjourn
second by Miss Patrick I was in favor
um thank you and good night good job
I enjoy the rest of their evening
[Laughter]
[Applause]
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thank you so much
all right take care have a good night
thank you very much hey
sorry
[Music]
good night
what what do you have to finish
all right
yeah I mean you were saying it there but
because the way this kind of came
together in the last couple days the
compromise has reached yes
I took some work
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