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to call the city council committee
meeting to border for Monday December 19
2022.
ladies and gentlemen tonight ladies and
gentlemen the meeting is in order
hello the meeting's in order
thank you
the first committee is finance
thank you good evening everyone of
course item is the 2823 New York State
stop DWI planned Brands assistant team
good evening
requesting that we accept the 2023 New
York State stop DUI Grant it's 22 000
there is no matching funds involved we
use this for Staffing to
accept the advice
any questions
go ahead please so um with the police
department I see that it's coming
through the county
to the police department yes will the
county be involved at all in doing the
actual
um UWI itself
so the high enforcement of the patient
than they are yeah so the regular
um funds are just forced into dpd and
the high enforcement we work with other
agencies so maybe Schenectady and maybe
Niskayuna that is for the high bills
high visibility the six thousand dollars
that's in conjunction with the other
agencies but then all that money comes
through the city okay thank you
any other questions
I'm moving second all in favor all right
thank you the next item is just a
reminder the application for ReStore New
York around Seven Grand
reminder the public hearing is scheduled
for the 27th of this month
the next item is the home called for
public hearing and home Consortium
allocation plans this plan is here
um so this request is in relation to
your home park
um our home Consortium which consists of
the city of Schenectady and Troy and
also the town of common room was
allocated
3832
771 million dollars through the home art
program and this is administered through
HUD so it's separate from our
um our other apartment allocations we've
had to go through a pretty extensive
planning process to come up with the
allocation plan that we've included the
summary of and the whole plan is located
in the spaces that are noted
um this allocation plan isn't funding to
direct organizations it's just looking
at the uses for the funding so the
eligible activities that the funding can
be used for so that includes affordable
housing development uh non-congregate
shelters Supportive Services and the
tenant-based rentals assistance so those
are the four different categories that
we looked at how to break up the funding
in terms of its uses once we submit this
allocation plan to HUD we will then
there will then be an RFP process for
service providers and organizations to
apply for that funding so we are looking
to call for a public hearing that would
be held on Tuesday December 27th at 7 pm
during the regularly scheduled council
meeting and this is just for purposes of
hearing comments on
the public comment period is open
through January 6th
questions
all in favor
the next item is
regards to the arpa allocation and
supportive here thank you so at our last
committee meeting a couple weeks ago we
had this on the agenda to ask for an
update to see where we were with the art
applications we heard from organizations
who were expecting letters and when they
were going to get their funding so
um I know that there was some action
taking place that has taken place so at
this point in time I was wondering where
we are with that in terms of the
timeline in terms of the contracts and
you know when people can kind of expect
to see some movement on their
applications on their Awards
so
I indicated before I sent out the
letters to roughly 20 groups for the
background information
there are some contingencies in those
with the exception of the YW and safe
Inc I think those contracts are this
much ready to yeah I think the Mr Marty's been working in
the law department on putting the
contracts together
obviously one of the the letters
included I think Financial documentation
another documentation that had to come
in I believe that was going to go
through the development department I
don't know exactly where that stands in
terms of receiving documentation from
those organizations I anticipate that
the contracts will go out before the end
of the week this week you know once it's
reviewed obviously by the development
department
obviously we spoke about the
contingencies you know some of the
contracts well excuse me some of the
allocations required
a match contingency be met before we
enter into contracts so I believe when
the letters were sent out from the
mayor's office they included the
resolutions so that those organizations
would see what the council authorized or
didn't authorize at that time so
obviously there were allocations for all
but not authorizing contracts just yet
for many
so the ones that didn't have
contingencies are the ones that the
contracts would be correct so I believe
that's the YWCA I believe there was no
contingency for
um I mean I think the resolution came
around at the beginning of the meeting
today I believe there's no contingency
for the Green Market I think there was
work that may have already been done by
clockers that the council authorized
funding for so we'd have to check
obviously one of the things we'd have to
do on that end is verify that that work
had been done then you know obviously if
the work has already been done received
receipts and see what worked actually
you know what they said in order to
reimburse them for that that funding
um
and I believe there was some other I
think as the mayor said safe Inc and I
you know I don't want to be quoted
um I believe there were at least uh two
other organizations maybe not on this
resolution from
um from August 22nd but there was a
resolution from September 12th uh where
I think there was certain uh
organizations that didn't have any
contingencies
thank you just yet if you have anything
to add to that
okay thank you and we'll just we'll keep
bringing this forward so we can keep
track and people can hear um where
things are to light
thank you
that there were no continues and the
other resolution though there I don't
believe there were contingencies
thank you yep thank you
do you want us back because this was a
hell door from last two weeks
yes to bring it back in two weeks two
weeks yes so we can just stay updated
okay
the next item is a
little discussion regarding the Aquatic
Center
um
allocation of our location and also to
look at the fourth set of allocation
that we did when the resolution was
passed we discussed verbally at a table
here in regards to our timeline but we
never end up on the resolution
so you want to discuss in terms of
on the second set of allocation we had
given them 12 ones but this Forest
allocation there was no timeline so we
just want to address it should we attach
a timeline to the fourth set of
allocation like what we have done for
the second third of our location so I
want to discuss is some very new to the
table in terms of one set doesn't have a
timeline the other step has a timeline
I think that we should put a form
timeline with regards to this allocation
also I discussing Mr Colden I missed the
uh they think that we should also if
you're not mistaken
certainly I'm sorry go ahead certainly
it's up to the council in terms of what
it would like to do in terms of you know
setting the deadline when contingencies
have to be met in the September 12th
resolution for many of the organizations
that had to meet financial goals they
did not do it as Mr mood Barrett said in
the August 22nd resolution so certainly
it's completely up to the Council on how
to handle that
so I was thinking about since we passed
this in August we should apply here 12
months the same as we did for the second
arm set
so that would be for any of these that
not just the acquired I know this says
the Aquatic Center but it would be any
of the ones
um that we were looking at the Aquatic
Center and I realized that all of them
had a chance timeline
I think for us to be consistent we
should apply um a timeline in addition to that we
have we are we have given we're given
time on how we can spend this money so
there's the allocation timeline there's
a time time limit spent so if we leave
it open-ended then you know that may put
in a position that even though we
allocate if they don't match it all
they're matching and they're not there
what do we do in that case so I would
say that we would need to do that
good ideas and um you know obviously the
resolution that was passed out the first
resolution of August about the 22nd all
it was was and we discussed it obviously
that at that meeting and you know I
remember obviously asking exactly what
you wanted to do as a council and it was
just allocating the funds for that
particular purpose but not authorizing
the contract whereas the other
resolution from September the council
you know allocated the funds for the
particular project and also authorizes
the mayor but
um to enter into those agreements but
for those agreements where the
organization had to have or had to meet
a contingency before they could enter
into the contract they had to meet that
contingency right so this these would
still have to come back to the council
because there hasn't been any
authorization to have the mayor enter
into these contracts
if they have to raise other money there
still needs to be some timeline in place
for them to to do that because if they
don't then we've left it open and
conceivably could be to the end of the
time that we have to spend money which
won't work so we have to figure out some
type of timeline
um in order I I believe in order to do
that
okay
it actually um
12 months
on the second set of application so I'm
thinking about we do the same for this
one here do an amendment to include the
timeline be 12 months from when we
passed it
I'm just suggesting that
Mr Colton is saying that they we haven't
entered the timelines were given to
those that were a contract was assigned
with and this doesn't have one is that
what I had indicated was the resolutions
are obviously different in that this one it's only you know you're you
allocated funds for a particular
projects the other one from September
you both allocated and authorized the
mayor but set those contingencies for
those contracts where you know they had
to raise additional funding those
organizations had to raise additional
funding certainly the council can put a
one-year contingency and you know for
these allocations so that you can let
those organizations know that this isn't
you know you're not you're not going to
go a year and a half down the road
you're not going to go two and a half
years down the road we're gonna be you
know the city council can certainly say
we're going to hold this allocation here
for a year and in that year you have to
come back and and show us that you have
the funding in place to move ahead with
the project
that's certainly the prerogative that
can be the prerogative of the council
and that's what I'm leaning towards
because if it's one set is treated
differently from the second set it's not
fair
well I agree with that um I think that
we
probably need to have uh you know a
spreadsheet or something that actually
showed
um all of the allocations all of the
decisions that we made
um and and you know it will say this one
had this uh contingency this one had
that consider you see this one had no
contingency unless everybody has a
complete memory of every single
uh project and what we said about each
of the various projects
I would suggest that we need to see that
but I think I I support making the
timeline
consistent across all of the projects
that we agreed on now would we have to
go back and re-vote on on these since we
didn't do that
I'm not following you the first
resolution the one that was from August
since we didn't put that language
you don't have to you don't you would
have to vote if you're going to be
resolving to put a contingency and that
doesn't currently exist within the
resolution okay yes so the Resolute the
second resolution was one year that took
you if you want to be consistent that
took you to September 12th if you wanted
23.
any thoughts how we move forward
well miss Patrick is asking for um for
it well no I mean that a spreadsheet
just to be clear on what what we're
asking
I'm okay saying that we want to just
stretch it we want to make sure that all
of the allocations are consistent with
one another I'm just saying that it's
there's several that had these kinds of
contingencies around the money and
that's not
it's not clear it's not in here I mean I can go back to all of my notes and
kind of scratch it out one by one but
just wanted to make that clear that it
wasn't just the Aquatic Center oh no
there's never several hours we're
thinking about um the reason why because
we have mentioned verbally here that
we're going to give the Aquatic Center
21st of December
this year oh I was looking to bring it
to the table to give them an extension
but then realize that speaking to us
holding on them
so that's why I brought it up for him
for the sake of clarification if I may
so the council did authorize the
contracts for this resolution for Green
Market for
safe Incorporated for
um
the city center for the little league
and for the hearing aid Community
Foundation which means
they did authorize well we know the city
projects we would have to put that up to
Ben in any of them
but Miracle on frag had a contingency
had to meet funding requirements Capital
Region Aquatic Center needed to meet
funding requirements the Schenectady
Foundation sitcom and city of
Schenectady needed to meet funding
considerations or contingencies rather
so that would cover
you know for the purpose of this
resolution those organizations that had
funding contingencies
there's like four of them what companies
second page correct everything on that
back page but for the city of
Schenectady Foundation yeah
go ahead uh I just want to also point
out that that one with um I I don't
remember the financial contingency on
the Schenectady Foundation sitcom SUNY
Schenectady but that also does include
concern for the hungry so I just wanted
to clarify that
um because that was part of that package
also it's in the third column if you
look in the language of the third column
it said it includes concern for the
hunters so I just wanted to make sure
that that was
they would be getting their contract as
well but I don't remember what the
financial contingency was there the
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um
though the first the contract hasn't
even been authorized by the city council
so you still have to come back right it
was only the allocation for a particular
purpose so the council hasn't authorized
a contract yet with any of those
organizations right right
and certainly I'd have to go back I
don't have the documents related to
you know the financial
contingencies for that project
that would be something that would have
been in the packets
um you know I think when the council is
considering everything to begin with
nice okay
so I'm suggesting we go ahead and um to
get the document that Miss Patrick's
asking for and also for those if we
haven't authorized a contract and I
don't and I have to agree with Miss
Patrick I don't remember us there being
a contingency for the uh for the food
access and all the different agencies so
if we could just have that information
I'm Sorry Miss Patrick Miss Dia yeah
I I think for that one it was more of a
question of how the funding was going to
be distributed because the request was
more than what the million dollars or I
think that was allocated was so I think
that's all that was was just make sure
everybody was on the same page about how
the funding was going to get broken up
okay
yeah that makes sense because it was
presented to us as a bulk number when in
fact there were four different agencies
uh organizations I should say asking for
four different amounts of money so that
you're you're I absolutely remember now
because it was six hundred dollars for
Schenectady Foundation it was X for the
others X you know y z
um and how would that have played out we
did not discuss so
and I think led to some confusion on the
agency's parts as well I got some calls
about that afterwards
so thank you how can we move forward in
terms of an amendment or a resolution so
it's a 12 months starting from
August 22nd you want to go 12 months or
just from my clarification this is up to
the council obviously
going from the date of this resolution
or being consistent with the second
resolution and giving them until
September 12 2023 right so I think
that's one question that I would have
and then I would suggest that you know
it's not necessarily
creating a new it's not necessarily A
mending resolution it's referring back
to this old resolution whereas the city
council passed this previous resolution
I can refer to this and um
say related to that resolution that city
council is going to create if you're
going to do this a deadline in which the
contingencies have to be met and what
those contingencies are
there any objection we're in terms of
instead of August September
I'm going to September to be consistent
I'm fine with it because we we actually
haven't done anything and no one's got
anything yet so we're eating into the
time already so fine with that all right
oh no
all right so I will need a motion to um
do we know what those contingencies are
you know okay
I think we should I think we should get
the contingency
get the stuff more in more detail
because it was more than one item that
we wanted
yeah you can't vote on this yeah
okay so let's um follow up with the
detail of all the contingency items for
Forest allocations like an allocation
and then we both zoom in the timeline
for the course so we can do that in two
weeks time okay yeah
all right
any other item before Finance
motion to adjourn second all in favor uh
thank you I'd like to call to order City
development and planning and I am going
to not move the agenda around a little
bit um so we're going to ask for item
number five to come first discussion
recommendation from the Planning
Commission Iraq regarding 308 State
Street so Ms kitchen would you like to
join us here sure
um do I have to stand there yes you have
to stand here
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um excuse me Mr Brown do you want to do
that or you can come and do it it's up
to you
thank you
good evening my name is Gloria I am the
chairperson of Schenectady Heritage
Foundation which is a an advocacy group
for historic preservation in Schenectady
County so we appreciate the opportunity
to make this presentation to the city
government in order to uh
try to get overnight to start Zoning for
the group of parcels that are now
gathered under the address of 308 State
Street originally of course they each
have separate addresses but
the current owner has Consolidated them
into one parcel known as three out of
eight so just want to clarify that that
when we're saying 308 we're really
talking about four different buildings
um
so I guess we can go to our next slide
this is a very short PowerPoint just to
explain our Viewpoint
we're going to talk about what overlay
historic zoning is and
uh what is it why are we doing this now
what is the criteria for such domain and
why are we interested in
having this selling for 308 State Street
and then just to review a group of our
supporters that are with us in seeking
this semining change
now over the zoning historic overlay
historic zoning
um the only thing it really does is to
add
schenectady's historic district
commission as a
public entity that will overstay any
changes or
to the exterior of a property that
houses so we have there's no different
than on
it's actually no different than any
other historic district or landmark
building in the city
it does not change any of the uses that
are allowed by the law
under this under the current zoning and
it doesn't restrict what you can do with
your property at all as you can see just
three of these examples that I picked
out
in the staff cases District we have
Arthur's Market
and then the Union Street Corridor
historic district we have
an office building I believe the address
is 508 and the restaurant chenu which
has also been used for different
purposes over the years and
um as a matter of fact one of our
council members has her business in on
in the United States Corridor which has
the same overlay assembly so there's no
restriction at all about what you can do
it's just that you need or reside from
our historic district Commission
now you might ask why this is the timing
right for overlay and stirred Zoning for
these buildings well
um The Heritage Foundation feels like
Schenectady is really at a turning point
now
with its zoning and development and
rebuilding revitalization of downtown we
really support
building on the success of Metroplex has been around for 20 years
now give or take
and we think they've done a fabulous job
we don't always agree with everything
that's happened we've lost
some of our very nice architecture
downtown as we all know
but generally speaking we think we're at
a point now where
um we want to move away from the 1960s
version of urban renewal where it's
really almost like a scorched Earth a
type of policy where
if a developer was interested in doing a
project in your town you were so
desperate you had to accept anything
that they said well we think that we're
far beyond that point in Schenectady we
have
really good examples of our historic
district
our historic architecture that have been
retained and repurposed for a variety of
abuses and you want that as a matter of
fact in our comprehensive plan from 2020
is specifically stated that we want to
use overly Disturbed zoning in order to
protect the best of our historic
architecture and when we have this
appreciation for not only our history
but our research built an environment we
get a diversity of buildings which
attracts A diversity of businesses and
of residents and we feel very strongly
that that's what what creates a thriving
city which is worse it's going to have
to do is moving towards now here's the criteria for overlay
historic Zone you all got a packet from
us I don't think I need to read all of
this here but it's basically
um that if a historic building has these
qualities as identified with historian
people or events Etc
um these are the uh this is the criteria
where we make a decision you know this
is what we use we don't use oh can we
afford X Y and Z we don't use uh all
these other things that doesn't match
such and such
we are focused on on these criteria
you're doing a great job
of course the the uh
the most important building in this
stretch of State Street
is the Masonic temple the former Masonic
temple and this is an old postcard which
really
shows up probably around
um
1920 or so
um
and it definitely does possess
special character or historic or
aesthetic interests or value as part of
our cultural political economic or
social history of our locality region
State and the coordination
um
the Masonic temple was
built by the Brown family actually but
the Masons took it over about a decade
after it was built and as we go on to
our next slide we'll see the the mesos
were incredibly important in
schenectady's history if you look over
on on our
portraiture of Mayors in this corner of
this
a room
two-thirds of those men
and of course Karen Johnson would not be
able to join Mason she would have been
on the Eastern start but two-thirds of
them were Masons and and many of them
actually were Grand Masters
um the Masons started in Schenectady
before the Revolutionary War and also in
their pack that there are many examples
of some of the artifacts that this group
of men still still has and they have a
wonderful archive called historic
documents
but to get back to their Beginnings in
the Schenectady George Washington
actually visited them several times and
slept in The Stockade in a building
there and uh he was he himself was a
grand master in Virginia
but our Masons here actually grew the
food that kept Washington's troops alive
during the
war in Valley Forge
now the temple that we're seeing now was
built by the Brown family and they had
their furniture store there
in the early part of the 1900s
and one of Mr Brown's daughters Helen
brown created Brown School which
actually is still obviously in a school
today
one of her very important people in
Schenectady Joseph Yates
who was our first mayor and I'm sure his
portrait is up there but he was the
eighth governor of New York State the
supreme court of justice and he was a
master at our particular the seven
o'clock
and as I said before most of our Mayors
have been Commission
so the the current temple on also of
Mississippi criteria for
architecture okay
it is
we're going too fast now sorry yeah
thank you little bodies and
distinguishing characteristics of both
neoclassical and Italian Renaissance
Revival architectural Styles which um
people have questions about it you can
ask me later but it's uh these are just
some of the details and an overall view
of the building
Southern Masonic temple is also an
example of the work of a designer whose
work
significantly influenced an age and era
it was designed by William Neal Smith
that little plaque is from the larger
plaque that the Masons actually took off
of the building when they sold them and
um
he was a contemporary of The Architects
that built this building
and also many buildings in lower
Manhattan and
a lot of them are in this historic
district called The Stone Street
historic district but he was quite
influential and
um
both in New York City and in Upstate New
York Little Falls City Hall right here
is another example of this building
oh this is a panoramic view of the
intersection of State Street and Erie
Boulevard
and you can see that it really does
occupy the unique location and it's very
imposing in this intersection on
imagine it without that building there
but if you have overly disturbs only at
least it offers some protection to the
best of our historic buildings it's
become it's obviously a very familiar
visual feature in this area this
neighborhood
now just moving on to the other
buildings in the streetscape between
Erie Boulevard and the railroad overpass
again it's the first four buildings this
building here was
um on the left
most recently the Chamber of Commerce
building
and when I did research on these
buildings
they all were built in approximately the
mid part of the 1800s
there's very little changed over all
those centuries it was just really
amazing
and this building has a direct
association with our first bank the
Mohawk bank which started in The
Stockade in 1807.
and in 1820 it moved to the star Cave
Inn
a person wasn't the second in them
because they were doing so well
and by 1907 the bank became a national
bank and they moved to State Street but
in a block lower than where they ended
up and after several mergers and
Acquisitions they ended up in the
Chamber of Commerce building
and uh in the bottom right you can see
one of the early checks
so they were witnessed to almost all of
the major events in Schenectady over the
centuries you know dealing with
financing the earth now to financing
some of our some of our buildings that
we're trying to say it now
and the next buildings were Consolidated
into rednecks clothing store I think
most people are familiar with that
before that they they really housed a
great variety of small businesses in
Schenectady which of course is a great
business model we really are trying to
do that now so we're not a one company
Town anymore and I think we all know how
that turned out
but redness itself was established in
1941 it's almost 70 of course years ago
and over those years they were the go-to
place to close all of our industrial
workers that were here helping to build
Schenectady and to what it is today just
masses of mostly men
went to these stores to get their
uniforms you know their their workflows
my dad included
Schenectady and if you look in the upper
left corner photo you can see that the
buildings are very little changed from
those days even
before those days uh the big difference
is of course when the college building
is gone
and the Trustco Bank has taken over more
buildings
so our supporters so far
um
both the historic district Commission of
Schenectady and the Planning Commission
support this zoning change unanimously I
don't know if I was ever at a meeting
where those groups unanimously passed
and what they did with this and in the
community we have the support of both
the city and the county historians the
preservation League of New York State
Schenectady County Historical Society
Wisconsin Association and the GE Realty
Club association
and importantly the Past Masters of
Saint George's Masonic lodge number six
which began
actually couldn't begin here they began
much earlier than that but ended up in
Schenectady like that building and
several architects in many individuals
so far
so just to rehash why we're looking to
get this protective Zoning for this
group of buildings
um we want to preserve our historic
resources and follow our comprehensive
plan you can see right here it says I
don't know if you can read it in action
2. provide historic district overlay
protection so many for important
buildings this is part of the historic
preservation
section in our 2020 comprehensive plan
so this is what the community has agreed
they want to Schenectady to be doing
this we also want to build on
metroplex's success and we want to have
that to support a vibrant and diverse
downtown
so you can see in this this is a very
old photograph and you can see the
redness buildings they haven't changed
very much this is prior to the Mason's
building their new building here
because that is the brown furniture
company so we know that this photo is
from around the turn of the last century
but here we have redness with the bay
window the chamber building we're
essentially the same which is
pretty impressive after all these years
it shows that these buildings are very
adaptable and they've become sort of an
iconic Corner in our community so I'm
happy to answer any questions if anybody
has them
any questions
so
um what do you have your packet all the
way thank you very much all the
information that Miss kittson has gone
over and also a letter from the Planning
Commission asking the city council to um
recommend it to the city council to
amend the overlay uh historic district
to include 308 State Street
any questions regarding that
um
all those in favor yes
kind of getting ahead of where you at
yeah because it's going to involve oh
the public account Seeker that's right
uh that's right just designating the
city council's lead agency going through
the secret process
through this 30-day public comment
period correct
um and then also a call for public
hearing at some point to change the code
yes if I'm missing anything uh call for
a couple caring seeker and
all right so and it's a question of it's
not although it's not required you have
to do a public hearing to change the
code
um you can do a public hearing for the
secret process you at least have to do a
30-day public comment period
um as part of Seeker okay so it's going
to be the lead age that I would do it
everything separately lead agency
um opening and opening up the secret
we've done in the past you've done that
together
um and then the 30-day public comment
period and then a call for a public
hearing
so we need a motion for all three of
those I would do um one motion for lead
agency and opening up the secret process
of the 30-day comment period and then
separately
um you'd want a resolution to uh do a
call for a public hearing
um for the zone changes and you're
inclined also as part of the Seeker to
do a public hearing you can certainly do
that as well
okay so the first one is um I would need
a motion to
um name the cities of the agency and to
do a Seeker for the city council to be
the lead agency and open up the 30-day
public comment period for the Seeker
okay so moved second all's in favor
um this next is to do a motion for the
call for public hearing for the zoning
correct does that have to be the way are
you planning is
the change to the code are you delaying
that until after the secret period
yeah so that's they're not going to do
that
sorry I just want to make sure that we
have the order correct on this
um
I don't think yeah I think you have to do the secret
period first and then so that will come
back to the council for the uh
Mr Marnie do you want to adjust this
um sure they could run can you can you
please sorry
um I do believe they could run together
uh if the council is inclined they could
run the public hearing
um this would just be a public hearing
for purposes of
giving more public comment uh on the uh
on the zoning change
so we're looking at Seeker would be
Monday right we'd open up the public
comment period events Monday that would
be a 30-day period you could do the
hearing at the conclusion of that or you
could run it simultaneously
I think the question was the actual code
change really overlay that would happen
after that resolution would have been
correct that would happen after okay
after the Seeker or republican period
has been closed okay
thank you so we um then the next
opportunity to call for a 30-day
um public comment
right that's part of the initial lead
agency opening up the 30-day public
comment period for the purpose of Seeker
okay right and then you can also do the
call for separately separate resolution
call for a public hearing to let the
code okay
but you could actually take action to
amend the code until after the public
comment period has ended thank you but
we can still call we can still call you
can still do a call for public hearing
okay
so it's a motion to call for public
hearing so much second cause in favor
aye
okay we're gonna move back to the top of
the agenda
so um
building code changes for banquet
facilities
good evening again
um so this request is based on a lot of
requests that we've received recently
um
banquet halls
um so the current is open code permits
banquet facilities in the C3 Waterfront
mixed-use District but that's the only
District that they are currently
permitted in and are you stable
um so due to this limitation we've been
seeing people trying to figure out ways
to operate you know similar facilities
whether it's trying to do a social club
or a private Lodge and there's a lot of
like there's not a clear consensus from
the definitions that were in the code
about what each of these things were so
what we're proposing here is a zoning
chain request to allow for more
opportunities for business owners to
provide banquet facilities to serve the
community in commercial districts the
Planning Commission is aware of these
issues and discussions for the need to
change the zoning code you can see in
the use table we are proposing to allow
it in all of our commercial districts
aside from the C1 district and also to
allow in the M1 and M2 districts
um
I mean I think that's kind of what the
general overview so there's two requests
here
um similar because it's a zoning code
change we're looking for the council to
pass a resolution declaring the agency
for the environmental review for these
changes we've also provided
um the definitions that were amended to
clarify thank the facility and private
uh private club
and launched
and this is related to
an item that's further down the agenda
when it comes to the certificate of use
process
um so that's going to be for for the
daily agenda so we're looking again to
the council first the player lead Agency
for the environmental review
any questions council members questions
all those in favor um and so item number
two the call for public hearing for
zoning change
tell me second all those in favor
thank you and the third item agenda is
agenda item is approval to extend the
cdbg contract with the Miracle on Craig
street please yeah sure so we've been
working with America you can come up as
well
um to focus on the Redevelopment of the
Carver community center this has been a
work in progress for some time we're
back here tonight to discuss extending
our timeline for the CDG contract and
also extension of the timeline that's in
the current use agreement both of these
are I believe set to end at the end of
this year and we want to give an update
from we have tap on board who's
providing healthy control services via
Garden Health Center of tab and we also
have members from the Miracle on Craig
street so they're going to give a quick
update on where the project is and the
next steps and then we can discuss these
um amendments to the to the timelines
okay
good evening
um council president mayor council
members my name is Barb Nelson I'm an
architect with tap vllc and I'm a
director at teping we are a 54 year old
non-profit architecture and planning
office and we do a lot of projects like
this we work with very distressed
buildings I'm sorry I don't have photos
for you but we do have a presentation of
the floor plans is that right
we have them in our packets all right
okay I sent a slight difference Dan
that's the best thing do you think you
can board up here
um
questions
[Music]
yeah what you're finding your packet are
the architectural drawings uh to date
um we are maybe 20 30 finished with our
architecturals
um
and the engineers are on board we've had
uh hopes to to finish and get this out
to fit in by the end of the year
um we're just swamped and that's just
not happening but we have promised to be
outdated in February so that we can have
good competitive prices and we can be in
construction this spring the condition
of the building I'm sorry I don't have
photos it's just been really tragically
vandalized for 10 years
but the uh the good news is that it
wasn't Community Center it will be a
community center again it's not a change
of views the code issues are not
[Music]
you know terribly hard to comply with so
we are working to at this point to
design
the facility pretty much putting it back
to the facility that it was so we're
trying to keep costs as low as possible
uh speak to the budget a little bit we
understand that America has received or
been awarded a million uh 250 000. we
are doing our best to meet that as a as
a budget the biggest issue there is the
mechanical systems that have all been
damaged
removed
as you can imagine copper and steel
everything is really been damaged and
taken out windows are severely damaged
or missing entirely so so my current
budget that I that I've been you know
trying to monitor is closer to a million
five but we're doing everything we can
to to bring that down with every
decision we make whether it's a movable
wall or not if we don't have to move it
we're just trying to work as as much as
we can within the parameters of the
existing building
the program for the building which I
could let the board members speak to
um is is also pretty much tailored to
the building so there'll be three
um classroom type spaces they may be
rented to small startup businesses they
may be utilized for programs there's a
good size space that was the library
which also could be used for civic
meetings or rented for individual
programs on an event basis and then
there's the auditorium which is not a
regulation basketball court but good
perhaps court and and after school and practices as well as volleyball
badminton yoga whatever else and
banquets and Community meals
and there will be a kind of a lounge or
Lobby for for informal meeting as well
so we're aside from just doing the
architectural plans and the engineering
plans we are working with the miracle
board to lay all of that out the uses
and the spaces available laid out in a
program document so that they can
develop a performer you know this kind
of space could be rented on a monthly
basis and bring in this much a year this
kind of space might be an event and
program area so you might have a rental
for you know two nights a week or five
weeks or certain class that kind of
thing so we're trying to
bring all that data together so that
we are able to look at
you know the potential income for the
building and the potential operating
costs and and it's looking you know
right now we're just using very
conservative numbers but a facility
income of roughly fifty thousand dollars
certainly looks like we'll cover the uh
the utilities and basic maintenance
certainly there's going to have to be
you know fundraising that goes into
sapping and things like that but right
now our objective is to complete our
plans
by the end of January and we very much
hope that you will grant them the
extension so that we can complete this is actually a historic building
it was I guess the original Center
burned and was replaced in some friends
of mine grew up there oh yeah yeah you
remember that place for me but this
particular building was built in the 70s
when 50s and Schmidt they're very
um well-known architects in this area
and it is on the historic register so
we're doing our best to really keep it
intact work with what's there and it's
really a sound sturdy building it's just
the Mechanicals have been completely
ripped out so um so that's where the
majority of our cost is
any questions I do have a question the
last time there was a presentation here
um there was a talk about um putting up
a fence to kind of protect the perimeter
of the parking lot which people are
using to well Park whatever they feel
like and now that the scent Winter's
here I'm sure it's going to become even
more so in the parking lot and I don't
see that it's happened yet right right I
was asked to help with the fence and I
suggested that we get a a survey and
then we finish our
preliminary site planning so that we
know exactly where the fences should go
and whether we should be changing
locations of gates and whatnot so that
may be on me but we'll we'll be wrapping
that up again before the end of January
we don't have to wait until this
construction documents are complete we
had a meeting with us before last month
November and um I'm sure we could
probably get that result at the next
meeting okay so we do have some vids but
I need to talk to those bidders and find
out what plan they based
mixtures the plan that we're that we're
ending up with there's things like
exiting from the auditorium we need
sidewalks you know to public area so
I just want to make sure the fences line
up with uh so we don't have to redo
anything we don't want to have to redo
anything okay questions Miss Patrick yes
um could you remind me what the
contingency on the funding is on this
one
I think she's talking about I'm sorry
um
uh yes so I believe it was because we
didn't have architectural drawings to
price to figure out what the cost of the
project was
um we didn't know if it would exceed the
funding that was allocated from what I'm
understanding now they are trying to
keep the budget within that that number
um but we have to really wait to see
what the bids come back at and at that
point we'll know you know we have I
think we've been more issues Barb and
the team has been working on General
Clause estimates but until we put it out
to bid we won't have that number it
sounds like that will be in February and
then we'll see if there is more funding
that needs to be raised for the actual
construction however I think a lot of
the additional fundraising will be for
the actual operating cost of you know
running the building and and moving into
that so I think before we anticipated a
much larger number but I think we're now
trying to tailor it to the funding
that's available and with when the bids
come back we'll see if um we need to
there needs to be additional funding for
the that you know that the arbor
funds will be continuing on so we want
to we need to make sure we can complete
the construction of course
um but we just don't have the number the
hard numbers just to say what that
number is and that's really the cdbg
funding no prescribing no I'm talking
about the art book ones right yeah the
cwg funding is
um is is sort of separate and that was
for the to pick the Design Services
right there was also the fence that was
going to be completed this summer
um but it was it just didn't make sense
to move forward with that until we
actually think related to the design of
the building and more comprehensive look
at the site and what needed to happen so
the contingency on the 1.25 article
funding was that the fundraising that
Carver needed to do in order to complete
the project would be completed within
Now
by September of 2020.
um right yes so that's still that Still
Remains and it's just a question of what
is that final construction cost going to
be
does it fit within the money that's
allocated or is there additional funding
that's needed
no
swings so thank you for the presentation
I think a lot of members in the
community are really excited to see this
process move forward you know a lot of
work has been done I know you mentioned
that your current budget uh it's
currently projected at 1.5 million are
there any other outliers or questionable
areas that have repeated concern I
appreciate it being mild but I think a
lot of us want to make sure we're
putting in place a resource that is
beneficial and is not shortchanging the
community that's in directing right
well I was glad to see that Craig street
is receiving a full
revitalization so that I didn't need to
have sidewalks in the trees in my budget
anymore that kind of thing I can tell
you that the house on Dwayne street is
not included in our in that current
budget that was
so that that's an add-on sort of the
work that we've been doing
um but we'll
we're also working with the seat Center
just find out what items can be done
what elements of the work can be done as
training exercises as as educational
opportunities
um it's going to be a lot of sheep
breath
to be placed a lot of painting a lot of
you know some minor carpentries so we'll
be working with the seat to see how we
can we can bring those numbers down and
we'll be looking to find contractors
that'll you know work with us creatively
but it'll be a full competitive process
and when we select a contractor it will
start so we've got a couple things in
there that we've
um identified as Alternatives that we
can pull out you know if the numbers
come in too high what's the left
um we want to build a corridor through
the courtyard we can actually take that
out there's a number of things like that we could kind of peel back and that
can be done at a later time
um but but yes our intent is to make the
building whole not to leave any part of
it you know undone for a later time
and to provide the facilities that will
be needed and useful in the neighborhood
the swings and just the secondary
consideration I know there have been
volunteers actively working
currently I think would be smart to kind
of identify that cost savings as a way
to appreciate their work done and how
that has saved some dollars yeah
good evening everyone
I'm Juliana Obi I am one of the board
members of Miracle on Craig and also a
former sanctity Community member and to
your point we have
um we did figure out what the dollar
amount was for the volunteers over the
years we have saved about sixty thousand
dollars just having volunteers come by
um we are very anxious as well to have
that fence put up just to continue to
safeguard our building but thank you to
our every weekend I think during the
summer probably from May all the way
until November we are volunteering or
having volunteers come out to help keep
the area clean the last thing that we
want is for the building to be an
eyesore to the community so we are very
aware of the need for volunteers and the
consistency that it takes to keep and
maintain that that area looking up and
decent until construction is well
underway so thank you for asking that
and I do want if I if I may I do want to
speak to you I know that a question for
everyone including board members uh
folks that are interested in the project
supporters of the project whether
Financial or just in spirit are always
wondering is our sustainability and what
that looks like when the doors are open
so we did put together we will share
with Kristen
um we did put together what a projected
first year budget would look like when
the doors are open speaking to some of
the partners that we would have in the
space speaking to the membership that we
would charge to use some of the spaces
that barb was talking about and how that
can help us flourish when those doors
are open so we'll make sure that this
committee hits all of um all of that and
it is just a projected definitely
looking to work with organizations and
businesses that are already up and
running and very successful in the area
that can speak to what we want this
community center to be whether it be
partnering with new choices or
Schenectady school district
C Center of course and other agencies
and bringing those folks on to partner
with us to rent space out of and be a
consistent partner so that we aren't
having to go month by month and say you
know we're bringing in this little bit
of money but really having those
long-term contracts so as the building
starts to be worked on we'll be able to
do walk-throughs with those agencies so
that we can show them what projected
space would look like and getting some
mlus and contracts together for that
sustainability
are there plans uh it was brought up
that you know one point where we may not
be enough so are there it's a lot of
money though um
what are the plans for all the
fundraising we're getting matching funds
to have are those kind of um are you
working on those things at the same time
yes absolutely so now that we can almost
we can't take a breath but we can almost
take a breath in not having to fundraise
for the you know the humongous project
um the 1.2 1.5 whatever it's going to
cost we are now as a board looking for
donors to
I guess increase the numbers you know we
had an amazing event on Saturday
um this weekend thank you for your
attendance um mayor thank you for your
attendance as well and those while it's
amazing to have those people in that
space
um that have been supporters for the
seven years we've been working on this
project we are absolutely at the same
time that Barb and her team is doing
their thing on the back end we are also
doing ours to make sure that we can
cover any additional costs and not just
the building costs once the building is
done we have to furnish the building as
well so we're talking Furniture
technology applying for Grants applying
for anything that makes us more energy
efficient anything that makes clean
water you know in the building so the
list goes on but now as a board we are
able to kind of dig into
um another type of funding to cover more
of the
um the overhead you know costs and
things that it will to make this
building look beautiful like it deserves
to be on the inside and out
and uh Mr Farley yeah so I I just I
think it's noteworthy that when we talk
about sustainability that we also think
about
um the longevity
um which you know I I think about this
project um less than seven years I think
that that is actually a strength I think
that's something that's very unique
about this project is that
um there was we were very intentional I
was fortunate enough to be a part of
some of this initially very intentional
about getting
um input from the people that lived in
the community and I and I think that
when you have that level of buying and
you have that level of being really
culturally responsive
um and understanding the needs wants
concerns and strengths of the community
that that you know combined effort is
something that speaks to sustainability
in a way that we generally don't talk
about but I think that it is equally as
important and extremely noteworth
any other questions or comments
okay we have two things before us
tonight uh the first is to approve the
extension of the cvbg contract with
Miracle on Craig Street which is you
know thank you well which Miss Nelson
spoke to
all entertain a motion so second all
those in favor
and the second one is to approve or
amend the youth agreement with Miracle
on Craig Street unless there's more
questions or discussions around that
I think they answered everything within
their within their um presentation but
everyone anyone has additional questions
regarding or not
all's in favor
aye
[Applause]
thank you very much thank you for coming
okay and uh we're gonna actually do an
iPhone 5 so item six
will be a housing Town Hall follow-up
discussion
thank you so I'm excited to announce
that uh this past December 1st we
successfully held the housing Town Hall
where we had members from both sides of
the conversation tents landlords
homeowners also members of local
organizations just present in speaking
to our city council I think by all
accounts it was a success it was
definitely very well attended and the
feedback that I got was very positive I
thought this would be an appropriate
opportunity to hear from the other
council members the reflections on the
event I thought on Baseline
consideration and provided a lot of
members of our community the opportunity
to see one of our very vital resources
the boys and girls club and then
secondly I thought it was a nice
opportunity for interaction so I think
commonly when we hear of discussion it's
very easily are people to become
defensive I thought one of the the
Staples of that evening was the ability
for people to listen from all accounts
I wanted to take time to this address uh
some of the tenant concerns tenant
recommendations and also landlord
concerns and landlord recommendations I
want to preface this this is not all
inclusive just the reflection of some of
the the discussion items that were
brought up from a tenant standpoint some
of the concerns were month-to-month
leases the payment history however still
being asked to leave secondly it was
properties sold right from underneath
good on-time tenants and we're speaking
more about the transience factor and
then also rents raising higher than
wages some of the 10 recommendations
centered around more stability and
leasing agreements also addressing
landlords who aren't taking care of
their properties and also instituting
programs that turn into lapitative
properties into more affordable housing
for low-income and impoverished
communities and shifting gears some of
the landlord concerns were sent around
an appropriate level of government
involvement putting that mildly and
understanding that Solutions of me to
take into account
Rising expenses and why are homeowners
considered easier targets secondly there
was landlords are simply looking to make
ends meet will there be a cap on supply
chain labor costs and also other
Associated Rising expenses and also
perceptions of police being Protestant
or anti-landlord and some of the
landlord recommendations center around
segmenting larger larger portion of our
new developments to low-income families
offering incentives for landlords and
then also I know slick from their share
at the time bar was present talking
about the landlord licensing program so
very uh powerful conversations that were
present I know some of the concerns were
around rent stabilization and rent
controls and I'm excited to identify
that there were a lot of recommendations
to include that but also understanding
what our city council is authorized to
do before I turn it over to the
counselmers I thought it was important
I appreciate the comments that I
received from Chris Mullen initially
when this conversation was brought
forward it was understood to have
quarterly meetings and one of his
suggestions was having this be
specialized around a topic to kind of
spur the community to address an issue
rather than just having it just be
present four times a year and also I
appreciate Maurice Brown giving insight
into how the structure of the meeting
was very necessary so that we captured
information the proper way and also
welcome the appropriate information
so again thank you to everyone
um looking forward to hearing your
comments and incorporating those into
potential next town hall in the future
topic depending
um are there questions
all right so mayor I wanted to ask you a
specific one that was brought up about
the um the landlord licensing program
that's being discussed
that was mentioned at the meeting
so could you just tell us a little bit
slick mentioned it but didn't really get
into it the ongoing discussion with some
of the council members with select some
of the staff
it's a they're updating a handbook it's
a point we're not
think prepared to come back with a final
recommendation yet but it's still being
evolved and looked at handbook for the
landlords correct
that was done
a number of years ago and it's just
being updated now
any questions or comments
um I can't say that I did hear um from
the Department of development there and
so on the tenant side they do have
updated tenant handbooks as well so
those are there and already available
so Mr yes Mr Williams so I guess in
conclusion I'd like to make sure I'm not
speaking for the council I think the
next steps definitely include working
more collaboratively with some of our
local organizations we're probably
better suited to help impact this
conversation so our own danger
appropriate I would like to forward
these meeting minutes
agencies and then we can bring this back
up for follow-up discussion to identify
how to start actioning or evaluating
what are actionable items from the notes
any feedback at all from Council Members
based on the news sir yeah
Mr Farley so awesome I have a lot of
feedback as far as the town hall I think
that it was a great success I think any
time that we increase access to
government
um we will increase participation and I
think that just by judging of the number
of people
um that were there this is clearly a
issue that's resonating with our
residents and so we want to continue to
do that so I think that you know I'm
really impressed and happy with with the
turnout that we had there
um I think that um the issue when um I
brought it forward
just in the conversation
um here and that we had at our larger
council meeting
I don't think that we really got to
appreciate or understand the full
breadth of the issue until we have the
town hall I think that just the
attendance alone and people's ability
you know we talk about this issue as one
side landlord side tenant side what I
was most impressed by was that there was
a lot of
um Common Ground there and there was a
lot of shared concerns shared values and
shared expectations
um for us as a community so I think that
we are closer
um to or in more agreement with one
another than we think and I think that
that's why we have to be really
intentional about creating the
conditions such as a town hall where
people can demonstrate that so I just
want to say that I was really really
happy about the town hall the
participation and
um again I want to make sure that you
know to slick and any other council
members who are working on this
when I brought this forward to council I initially said I welcome everyone as a
thought partner and I
want to encourage you to uh you know
please include me in those conversations
um and let's continue to work together
to find a solution
so uh Mr Williams and I did attend the
slickville last slick meeting
Schenectady landlords and influence too
influencing change for those of you that
don't know the acronym and one of the
some of the feedback we got was
specifically that they would like to see
more of an interaction at that
particular meeting we listened to what
people had to say they were you know
they gave their opinions thoughts
experiences which I thought was very
important so but what what was
articulated at the Slick meeting from
the members that were there that they
wouldn't want to have more of a back and
forth that they you know say what they
exam saying us you know have a to
actually engage in dialogue as opposed
to the um how we how we presented the
town hall I don't think
there would be any opposition we would
just have to figure out what that would
really look like and I'm not sure how
that would look in town hall format but
I wanted to bring that forward and also
during the feedback that was given at
that meeting we got a lot of positive
feedback people were happy that it
happened and thought that it went well
and I will say not that I expected
anything different
um that there was you know there was
respect everybody respected the other
person's opinion it didn't get it was
not controversial as someone who tried
to kind of imply in a meeting I was in
recently I'm like that didn't happen it
was not this it wasn't that it was just
this is where I stand and this is how I
see it and this is you know where I
stand in South I see and like I always
say how you see it depends on where you
sit so we got to see both sides and how
they saw it and um and I think they were
came people came away with an
appreciation for how the other person
saw something they may not have had had
they not had to inherited firsthand from
the other person's account so as we move
forward on to taking consideration all
the feedback that we've gotten whether
it's at the meeting the follow-up
meeting slick head and and people can
still you know give their input to
council members and council members of
course are very much encouraged to give
their input because it's a very serious
problem that we have we're having here
in the city and so we want to make sure
that we're ongoing in terms of
addressing it
so Mr Williams you'll follow up with the
notes
any other discussion regarding this
anything else to copy for uh City
development and planning
if not on a motion to adjourn so moved
second all those in favor
okay gotcha um I'd like to call our
daughter cover my operations we have
four
items on the agenda um
first or we're going to call a
discussion regarding the new Schenectady
uh
because try teaching by Mr O'Neil
president workfield thank you as you
know Mr Gold Neal came to see us a
couple of weeks ago and did a
presentation on new Schenectady and we
didn't take any formal action and he
then reached out to me and said that you
know he really wanted some things really
specific and concrete from the council
so he's here again tonight to just say
that and because we didn't have any
there was no formal action taken we
discussed it I can tell you he said that
he didn't feel like he got much feedback
so he's back tonight to kind of
articulate to us exactly what he would
like to see the comments have happened
well maybe not let me see if I don't
know okay for the camera okay here we
are
I'm back tonight because I really would
like to get a sense from the Schenectady
city council about how you feel about
this the whole purpose of our effort was
to gain reputation for Schenectady
that's what we started with a long time
ago over the last 30 years A lot has
happened and in the past few weeks
there's a lot has happened we have
finally
decided to work with a with a plan that
would bring our reputation back the
theme that we have picked is new
Schenectady and we have we are in the
process of finalizing a major billboard
campaign that will basically say we are
new Schenectady we have been talking
with CBS about programming there and
they're very excited about the
opportunity not only for Schenectady but
for the opportunity it gives them as a
business to promote their business in
Schenectady to promote Schenectady
businesses we've also talked with said
newspaper and they too are very excited
about the opportunity of promoting
Schenectady just the other day a couple
days ago I got some interesting
information as we get the ceg the center
for economic growth
report looks at growth gross national
product if you will for the region 218
counties in Northeastern United States
this is over the past few months this
has just come out Schenectady County had
the second highest increase of 8.2
percent in New York state
the entire Northeast we rank 15. the
other very positive finding is that our
growth was across the board in real
estate Hospitality tourism manufacturing
research and development so what's
happening here is is really hitting some
very strong cars we did a market
research with about 500 people this past
weekend here's what we discovered we
discovered that 70 percent are aware of
what's going on in this community so
people do know there are always people
in the community who don't have a clue
and I'm always surprised how do you
drive around this community and not know
that there's good stuff going on we got
problems but we're working on them to
see that you are
also we got information that the female
sanctity feel very strongly 70 percent
feel that we should be promoting
ourselves and telling people about what
we're doing so that's been my role ever
since I took this responsibility I don't
get paid a heck of a lot it's a matter
of fact I don't get anything but the
opportunity really was for us to create
a reputation for ourselves and I think
we're now at the point where we're ready
to go and the theme of new Schenectady
was the very best one that we could
choose because new can get dropped off
at any time if we should so choose but
by using the word new it's going to
cause people to ask the question what
are you talking about what do you mean
and so that's what I want to try to do
I've been moving ahead we've got a
beautiful billboard campaign
CBS wrgb is excited I talk to those
people and said you guys forgot what
major famous and they but we're talking
about I said television was invented
here you don't tell anybody about it
you've got lots of things to be to be
famous for and so here we are and I
really like to know also I think you all
know that one of the things that we did
we decided to write a book about what
happened here think about it a history
book on what's happened in Schenectady
over the past 30 years
that's pretty exciting the author is
Phil Patrick he's a famous local author
he's he's a professor at College teaches
writing and he has written the book and
as a matter of fact he had given me some
copies that I'd like to share with with
the council so you too can read the
history of Schenectady what's actually
happened here over the past 30 years I
really would appreciate your feedback on
it I think it's it's quite an
achievement so my question is do you
support the idea of us working hard to
promote new Schenectady we are new
Schenectady and talking about ourselves
as new Schenectady do you support that
position
don't everybody answer once
so I perch okay so
um I guess I would start by saying um
there's nothing more powerful than a
narrative about a city or a place or
even circumstances and I think that you
know I have friends and family that
don't live too far from here but when
they come to visit
um have been like
bring them downtown to a show and you
know they're they're very impressed with
uh our city here and you know I've heard
that over and over yeah that's one of
the things that drives me yeah so I
would so though I'm encouraged when I
hear they're like oh that's wow then it
does kind of beg the question of well
what did you think about Schenectady you
know for you to be so surprised that this is your experience now so I
think that you know just those type of
exchanges and the fact that you're
saying that you've had a similar uh
conversations kind of um you know it's a
testament to the fact that we need to
make sure that we're better at telling
our story so I think that was very clear
in the research the community the people
that we researched to understand 70 said
you need really to promote yourselves
better yeah yeah yeah so um so I
appreciate all the work that's happening
in Schenectady
um I think that yeah any anything that
will allow us to better tell that story
to communicate to the people the type of
community that we are and I think even
going back to our our earlier
conversation
right down towards the town hall we just
had I left feeling we are a community of
solutions you know people then just come
with complaints people came with
Solutions suggestions and pledging you
know some level of support so yeah I I
you know and I I definitely uh support
uh the idea of branding ourselves
um in a way that is engaging her name is
I'm sorry I'm I'm councilman Farley okay
yeah yes yes new councilman
good for you
no worries anybody else got a feeling
do you support this and right words
matter and I say to our entire Community
we're not saying Schenectady is perfect
this is not perfect Schenectady it's new
Schenectady and I appreciate you trying
to uh be our biggest cheerleader so
that's something that a lot of people
struggle with I think now is the perfect
time to uh take a pause and appreciate
the the strides that have been made and
I can absolutely see our our vocal
Community getting behind that
um I I do not think that it is a
far-fetched to say that uh
trying to
differentiate between the the old
perspective of how people use
Schenectady is something that I battle
with day in and day out people come here
and they are the assumptions of coming
to an inner city and it's frustrating
um but I think the way that we combat
that is identifying how we've made
improvements in such areas and how we're
continuing to build on this new
narrative so yep I want to support
everybody thank you sir anybody else
yes
hello how are you
um I think that first I want to say
thank you for everything that you've
done already to this point in terms of
trying to boost our reputation and get
the word out to folks that it is a new
Schenectady
um and I think anything that we can do
to try to as you and I have discussed
try to enhance our reputation and bring
more positive spin to what has been
happening here over these last couple of
decades
um is is very powerful and I appreciate
all the work that you've been putting
into it any other council members have
something to say yes
thank you good evening so absolutely as
far as the new Schenectady here to me
Schenectady Schenectady and has a
special place in my heart I thank you
for everything that you do as far as
new I'll go with it
but it's connected and it'll always be
Schenectady and um it has a lot of
history
and has a lot of good people and has a
lot of great businesses and
um I'll go with that new and improved
[Music]
as a marketing tool which we know you're
a genius at so I don't know if I go that
far not even my mother would go that far
so I'm I'm I'm I'm I mean I mean if
you're willing to put the time and
effort into this that I mean as long as
we just remember it's always ice guys
I've done most of the creative work I am
our advertising I have done that I've worked with Sean Gonzalez he's a price jumper he's offered to help
with the Billboards and so forth so I
have gotten some help but most of it I'm
doing myself the best part anybody else
got a comment sir thank you thank you
what are you doing and I like in
Schenectady I'm very supportive of the
work that you're doing and highlighting
the positive things that's happening in
Schenectady so I want to thank you and
I'm very supportive of it and whatever
help I can
me I'm glad to help in any way possible
to help you promote Schenectady and
Schenectady is here for all of us thank
you thank you
councilman thank you I think it's been
mostly said so
um say what you have to say sure I just
did
so I wish you well and I think it'll go
very well and you think it's a good idea
I think it's something that will help
with the marketing in the city and
that's a good thing okay okay I got what
I needed a box of books I'm going to
open and leave it for you
but I I think it's important to kind of
push back and get a clear answer I think
everyone else and Mr Gold into your
credit is asked everybody my friends
call me
thank you Neil golden
I think it's appropriate to give me yes
or no answer so I would like to get you
we just got a struggle so I think
I'm gonna take a vote
beautiful
I don't know if that's exactly how that
works I just wanted I'd like to go in
from our mayor
I support it
yes so um I think that we have to have
my story so the full support of the
council the question becomes what that
support looks like do we offer
resolution
or do we just offer a lot of support
because as I had a conversation with the
mayor today and he was bringing up some
you know all the things that have
happened that all of us know the things
that how things have improved downtown
the development all the many many things
that could be part of it which just to
be clear we're not changing the name of
the city right simply um using his
marketing to say Schenectady is new and
all the things that have happened over
time used it when they said and retired
and then it went away but what happened
to their sales when they said it was
amazing and it will happen here too
people will ask all of us what do you
mean no and then you explain to them and
what people are telling you that's what
I found out so okay I also think it's
noteworthy that we don't you know this
isn't just you know
um a shiny new name this is really a
name that's reflecting the work that has
already been done and that's continuing
to happen I think that's a really
important distinction
um because it's not just a name it's it
we're we're not renaming it we're we're
saying that we want to make sure that
when we reference Schenectady we include
the Renaissance that's happening and
that's continuing to happen so
discussion on that
so um
so the question becomes to be supported
in form of a resolution or a letter of
support right
to say we don't have to have a letter
yeah
I can see your faces and I can see how
you're responding and every time we've
talked to any organization group of
people there always have been a series
of smiles and I think the fact that we
can see what's already happened here
speaks for us the fact that so many
people want us to to talk about it and
show our pride is going to help this community to show itself is a
better place look I was born here in
1937.
who's the mathematician figured it out
okay
but thank you for your attention
everybody thank you
okay well thank you for coming back
thank you everybody thank you you're
welcome
okay so our next item is the civilian
police review board or
mayor McCarthy no no we're not going oh
we're not there yet number one okay
uh
Christopher Martin for uh cph
hello again uh so in connection with the
zoning changes in this DIY proposed with
respect to the bank facilities and
private clubs and lodges we are also
proposing an upbeat to the city
certificate of use process for those
that are aware of the certificate use
process is something that most
businesses many businesses are required
to go through in the city it's about
some kind of law environment and it's
specifically for purposes of ensuring
that those businesses are operating with
all those correct approvals if they have
their their health department permitting
and their liquor licenses and it's
specifically geared before
restaurants
bars any premise for or alcohol is being
served on the premise
convenience stores and second hand
dealers
so those businesses all come they make
an application they support their all of
their documentation insurance
requirements and uh they um
can get a certificate of use with the
changes especially allowing banquet
facilities now in all commercial
districts arguably under the security
use process any any business that was
providing food on site or alcohol I'd
say would already need to require but we
thought it would make sense to provide
some clarification and ordinance to make
sure that the public was very crystal
clear that those businesses would be
required so we've added banquet
facilities to the certificate of use
chapter for the nuisance ordinance in addition to
private clubs or lodges while we were
amending the ordinance we we thought
that we would also add
tobacco and cannabis retail and
consumption lounges as a newer use that
hasn't previously been contemplated and
that included modifying a portion of the
ordinance as cannabis is now illegal and
our ordinance contemplated that being
needed so we've made those changes there
was one recommendation that I did
receive with respect to the definition
of the cannabis
and tobacco construction lounges and
that was to remove the Anwar language
and just stage four so it would be
tobacco or cannabis retail and
consumption
[Music]
okay
any any questions comments on this
language
um because you just can't go over that
again so I wasn't clear but uh some of
the feedback I got was that that was
confusing
um it might be a little confusing the
idea was that if you had cannabis and
tobacco or you were cannabis or tobacco
that really requires good use but really
the more capture both okay even if they
were in one business if they had one or
the other capture both so it's just a a
language question and that would include
game show
um so vape shops smoke shops cannabis
retail where cannabis is cannabis Sports
battle are the primary item being so
consume documents
um
so
obviously one of the
businesses that currently the code uh
anticipates needs to get a certificate to be used as a convenience
store I've noticed something that we've
heard of I don't believe that there's
been a lot of vape shops and smoke shops
that have been opening and they do not
necessarily fall within the definition
of convenience store the way we have it
defined in The Code by you know
by including Vape Shops and and smoke
shops and also these cannabis retail
consumption locations we are capturing
those businesses that you know they may
sell chips right and they may have you
know beverages but they don't fall
within the definition of convenience
store because they don't have the daily
um you know products that you might find
in convenience store which is what is
anticipated in the definition of
convenience store so part of that you
know I think is the pro the thought
process we have and including these
businesses and certainly they're a
concern for code enforcement purposes
and that's one of the um
requirements after you get a certificate
of use is that you get a an inspection
of the premises to make sure that it's
safe because you're going to have people
from the public going there and
potentially staying some time in there
so that was I think again part of part
of the thought process in terms of
banquet facilities and private clubs or
lodges is Mr Marty indicated we're
looking to change the zoning code as it
relates to that this is really
somewhat similar to you know a food
establishment when you talk about a
banquet facility in a private club or
Lodge and or a bar in a bar is any place
that serves alcohol so it doesn't mean a
bar in maybe the sense that we think of
a bar you know so if you serve alcohol
you're considered a bar under the code
so this makes it clearer since we're now
you know potentially going to allow
these facilities within the city to make
sure that it is completely understood
that they too um are subject to having
to get a certificate of use
we got it remember I got it go
um so what I was curious about is
how will this affect um existing
business like will there have to be code
enforcement going back to businesses
that are already operating or are they
what's your sense of businesses that are
existing out there that don't have the
certificate
um you see what I'm saying like so with
respect to banking facilities and
private clubs and lodges if they are
already selling food or have alcohol on
the premise they would be required to
have a certificate to use some of the
current code so even if you're doing
like a BYOB you still need a liquor
license and you still need a certificate
of use from the city that's connected so
those businesses are already really
required to get the certificate use
um there may be obviously we don't have
any cannabis retail yet so the only
businesses that may be existing uh are
the tobacco retail and consumption
lounges and the vape shops so there are
many of them throughout the city that do
not accurately have some pretty uses
that they were not captured as a
convenience store
so how will
we
um be getting the word out and this is
for in public hearing I understand but
you know getting the word out to those
existing businesses and then is that a
code enforcement piece in terms of who's
going to go out there and okay that's a
great question the city council has
changed the code in the past related to
certificates of use it actually used to
be that the certificate of use was just
good you didn't have to renew it now you
have to renew it annually and
um in the past what has happened is code
enforcement has sent out letters to
businesses saying you need to have a
certificate of use and they've given
them a period of time to make sure that
they are responsive right
um you know most of those businesses we
know their retail locations we know how
to you know send them mail so that they
actually receive it or would we already
have something on file because maybe
they pulled a permit in the past and we
can send something directly to the
business owner
um so we have we do send letters out to
let them know that's what's happened in
the past that's what I anticipate will
happen if the council were to make these
changes to the code we'd make sure that
you know because you know the idea here
is that we're look we're not looking to
punish anybody for not having it we're
looking to make sure that people
actually comply with the law that we
know that their promises are safe
um so we want to encourage people to you
know apply for their certificates views
provide us with the necessary
documentation and get the inspections
Etc
um so we'll be sending you know when I
say we it's the city it doesn't it
hasn't come from the Law Department it
comes it has come from code enforcement
in the past yes
so
thank you for people so you're seeing
people who don't right now have a
certificate to use they will there will
be an expectation for them to get one
what were we thinking about a timeline
for that I'm just thinking about I'm a
small business and there's things like
I'm just you know I want to make sure
that we're being fair and Equitable to
our small business owners you know I
can't answer that question what the
timeline is
um you know because I don't issue those
tickets obviously that comes from code
enforcement I think generally though you
know um
there's there's a realistic expectation
uh you know that people will you know
comply and um and to be honest in the
past before anybody's sent to court you
know for not having a certificate of use
we make sure that a letter is gone out
you know that that was a question
because they get a letter to notify them
that they need to have a certificate of
use when they go through the planning
um through site plan approval process
one of the things that comes up from
development is hey you're opening a
business that's subject to having a
certificate of use you need to make sure
you get that before you open up and you
know usually they're in the past there's
been some back and forth I know I've had
correspondence with Mr mudiveran about
this where somebody doesn't have a
certificate of use then they apply and
maybe they don't have all the
documentation so it's been denied
they're not being sent to court right
away right we're working with them to
make sure that you know they get the
documentation that they need now there's
this thing on the other hand with some
people just kind of ignore the fact that
the law is you know such where you need
get a certificate of use and you know we
try to you know get them to comply
obviously we can't you know we can lead
them to water and tell them here's the
application here's to hear the things
you have to submit but we can't you know
force them to submit it so in those
instances they do get sent to court
um in terms of you know an actual
timeline
I don't have that you know I can't tell
you I think it's you know we use some
discretion and we're reasonable
um you know obviously this is just a
call for a public hearing and maybe you
know there's some thought to be flushed
out if this goes ahead and how we're
going to you know internally notify
those business owners to let them know
that you know if this goes through you
know if it does go through what we will
be doing in terms of notifying them
um
no I don't think that is something
that's going to happen overnight where
all of a sudden you know the council
passes uh the change to the code and the
following day if people haven't applied
they're going to get tickets right I
think there'll be a notification process
like there is with renewals
um to let people know that you know hey
the code's changed and now you're
subject to you know this particular
sexual law that you weren't previously
you know having to follow and here's
what you have to do
more during a public hearing but I do
think that
um if we are changing something and we
know as to what date and effect that change would be in fact I think
that it wouldn't be too much of an
expectation to say that if a letter goes
out on this day
or you know whoever we send that letter
out to has this amount of time because I
appreciate the ability to be flexible
people I think that's important however
when we have matters of compliance and
we use discretion then we open the door
for inequity so I think that we should
just really as a say to be paying close
intention to that
and certainly if the council was to
agree to these changes
um you know you can go with an effective
date right so potentially you can go
this is effective 30 days from you know
passage so that you know during that
time period Then you know that gives
code enforcement time to reach out
um and you know knowing that in 30 days
this is now going to be an effect and
you have to be ready to go in 30 days to
apply and you know for your certificate
of use and have your paperwork in so
that you're not out of compliance right
since there are specific businesses that
currently do not are going to fall under
this but don't have it and we know what
those businesses are are we going to be
making them aware of at least the call
for public hearing I don't know how many
people like read the paper and recognize
even what this code means and what it
may mean for them so these particular
businesses are now going to be impacted
by this are we going to be sending a
letter I suggest that to let them know
that doesn't come from I mean that's
certainly up to the the council some
letters to those businesses in the past
that hasn't come from the Law Department
businesses or you know certain folks are
impacted by a change to the code this
one of those things where you kind of
just have to pay attention to what's
going on at the city
um you know that's certainly that's you
know city council can you know look at
some letters out I don't have a listing
of all those businesses obviously it's
not something that our office has we
don't maintain a list of all the vape
shops or smoke shops in the city of
Schenectady in my office that is that's
not to say that you know there is an
ability to you know identify them maybe
in another department
so if they exist and there must be a way
to if they're doing business in the city
of Schenectady but there's got to be a
way for us to identify that their their
hair and doing business well I think
part of the process is that this is one
of the reasons why you know I think also
we're requiring a certificate of use
because we may not always be able to
identify every single smoke shop or vape
shop if we create a requirement that we
can then follow up to see if they have
the certificate of use you know I can
tell you obviously anecdotally just you
know being around the city I see a lot
of smoke shops I don't know you know who
the owner is I don't know the exact
address and I certainly could you know
list every single one because I haven't
seen them all I just know that there are
quite a few out there but certainly the
Law Department doesn't maintain a list
of those you know smoke shops and vape
shops I'm sure I can do a Google Search
right and then figure out where they are
but there may be another department in
the city that has that information but
the Law Department doesn't have that
well I really think there's a way we
should be able to tell businesses that
this is going to happen it's and you
haven't had to have it before when
you've opened your business but you have
to have it now or this is coming or even
have give them an opportunity to come to
the public hearing I think that's uh if
it's if it's not something like you you
spoke to the other ones already know
that when they start their business but
we are considering
um doing something different to
businesses that did not need it before
so I think even making them aware of the
public hearing if we can figure out a
mechanism to do that it's important so
that people won't come and say well I
didn't know
so I we I believe we should really try
to figure that out well we can't come in
and said they didn't know
it's very good to work with them this
need it was new as of whatever day we
you know if we pass it the person to
um effect here's the applications to me
we'll make an appointment with Cole to
come to make sure your compliance your
building and hold on it I mean because
again
they're not always reading that
Christmas paper going to the website to
see what's in it but again so they're
not compliance to come in here's your
application will work with you that's
that which is exactly my point that
they're not reading they're looking
every day and paying attention because
they're running their business so
therefore we should figure out a way to
let them know not only does it let them
know um it gives them an opportunity to
come to the public hearing and to see it
because they have to say so I I again
will reiterate that I we need to if
these businesses we're changing
something then it's way different than
what we're currently doing that we can
figure out a way I can't imagine it's
that difficult to make um make these
businesses aware there's got to be a
list somewhere
so the first office worked for us we
could ask the clerk's office to work
with the assessor's office to find out
the businesses and send out a letter
that works for me
yes
so many signs all that other stuff well
the department with the Department of
development have any of that information
we probably don't have a comprehensive
list because it would just be the ones
that have come to us for other people's
so I think probably working between the
Departments you could come up with
something but we don't have a
comprehensive like I wouldn't want to
include some and not other and I would
want to make sure that we did it
comprehensively obviously so
um working with the clerk's office I
would ask that we come up with a
comprehensive list so they can know
about this I think it's important
and not when after it's all said and
done they didn't give a chance to give
their input and now it's said and done
because others or and maybe sometimes no
one comes in public hearings so this is
impacting people's business itself
oh man clarification yeah specifically
are you are you looking for us to make
an attempt to notice the businesses that
already aren't covered so this is
specifically just the tobacco uh retail
and consumption because this is a change
for them is that correct that would be a
change for them anybody else had already
had food or alcohol
right only the ones and this is a change
for them so they're aware that the
others already knew that in all our
spirits
well
we'll support you as much as we can but
I just want to make sure that we're
trying to be as Fair as we possibly can
to our business owners we're making
changes
quick question so um
under the code right now as a new system
we think about like places like uh kind
of like a convenience store like this
like our Cumberland Farms stores they
all fall under that right now
correct yeah
beginning was around stations
any other questions any other thoughts
on that
um
because I'll make a motion for a call
for public hearing
someone second all's in favor
aye okay
thank you thank you though
okay so next on our agenda uh there's a
civilian police review board uh mayor
McCarthy
thank you Mr chairman the police
Community review board is made up of uh
individuals recommended by different
entities within the city uh spect United
neighborhoods is set in the name of
DeSoto it was a primary member in Ms
Isaacs is an alternative
to you and us for your favorable
consideration
any further discussion thoughts on that
I'll accept emotion I'll move it second
all those in favor all right thank you
okay so the next on our agenda
there's a discussion around the Clean
Slate act uh council member Williams
thank you so this is definitely a very
uh Progressive topic please simply put
his uh
racially objectivity Public Safety but
most important it's an economic Justice
Bill we have a few speakers and
attendance tonight I'll call up shortly
by just providing some background Clean
Slate act which is past the New York
State Senate I do have the bill numbers
it's currently sitting in the assembly
will automatically seal conviction
records now I feel part of the issue
with that is understanding what records
are sealable so quickly three years for
misdemeanors and seven years for
felonies it allows individuals to move
on and fully return to this Society so
part of the issue that I think is at
hand is the effects of covid and they
are long lasting and to none of which
are more notable than unemployment and
lack of affordable safe housing
so partly that this community of
individuals with convictions the stigma
commonly associated with a person having
such is that it places them at a
tremendous disadvantage absentee
considerations for time served and
continue conduct so this bill simply put
eliminates barriers to stable employment
and housing which are foundational
pillars of any successful household that
is not an arduable that's a fact so
taking the necessary steps to align our
community with other municipalities that
have joined these efforts seeks to
bolster our community so we continue to
talk about a new Schenectady and I wish
Mr Gold was still present and how we can
take active steps to ensure that these
individuals who have served their time
who have continued to put forth the best
efforts
making sure that these types of
penalties are not long lasting or
Perpetual punishments that place them at
a continued lose-lose situation so I
think it's an appropriate time and I
want to make sure I get their bios
correct I would like to ask Trent refers
to come up
yeah
who is the founder of tech Valley
Hospitality shuttle in 2016 to improve
the accessibility of food medicine and
employment opportunities in or around
the
amaround the Catalan District in New
York today the shuttle service also
provides transportation to more than 50
hotels including those owned by Marriott
Hilton and weddings and clients include
Starbucks and FedEx and I'll have the
discretion of council president
Portugues wanted to highlight the
automatic ceiling I'm just going to read
verbatim from an information packet that
we received from misdemeanors it's three
years for sentencing excluding in time
spent incarcerated and for felonies it's
seven years from some same excluding any
time spent incarcerated and also the
person that's eligible for this are
those that have completed their jail
time prison time that have completed
probation and paroles the convictions to
be cleared is not
uh excludes as sexual offenses and then
they must have not accrued subsequent
New York State convictions or any
pending charges during our wait period
so Trent I appreciate you being here
just provide some life experience around
how
well a good evening everybody how you
doing uh my name is Trenton Griffin bro
like what I said I'll operate Tech
Valley show I also have another business
GB Logistics
um I'm my business is I bring third and
fifth as biopox Citizens in the capital
Region's largest by a box so together if
you put my businesses together I
probably am the biggest African-American
employer in the capital region match
that with my organization Tech Valley
show this year was just nominated
actually the first black owned business
to ever be nominated by the Albany
Business Review as one of the best
places to work give you a little
historical data like that from pouring
about 100 people Fleet of Route 50
vehicles at this time
um but at one point I was identified as
o5a1273 that was my dig number in 2004
2005 when I went Upstate to prison for a
four to 12 year prison sentence for a
important narcotic sales
um I say this is all relevant because
one I had to go through so many barriers
upon release I was continually told no
or not given jobs
um I was I actually couldn't go back to
college immediately because I wasn't
able for like eligible for certain
grants and things of that nature
um at the time my wife now was living in
housing but housing wouldn't let me stay
with her because of I was a convicted
felon so I literally have lived through
the effects of what this bill is going
to be able to help others not have to go
through and I think that's very
important because as I started with
um being someone who now operates some
of the largest uh back-owned businesses
in the area best places to work
highlighting forms Bloomsburg
um you know just has a lot of positive
things going on
um
I I'm one of the very few who are able
to come out and redefine their lives in
their way because of the barriers but I
do believe in my heart if some of these
barriers were immune you would see a lot
more success stories just like that and
additionally on top of understanding the
effects from our business I'm gonna put
my business cap on now and all we hear
about is the great resignation how
employers are struggling to find
employees at this time but my
organization actually through our driven
to work program we help employees we
have helped employers find employees and
the big portion of these employees are
individuals who were formally
incarcerated so I know for a fact that
there's many local businesses of Mr
golub who was Justin here I know golovum
employs a lot of individuals who come
home from incarceration
um and a lot of other major Employers in
the area do the same and so a bill like
this is in my opinion and no greater
being someone who's actually lived
through it but on top of that the
economic effects that I have on this
region actually on the whole state is is
also makes it a no-brainer in my mind
you have over 30 000 people incarcerated
in jail right now prisoners and dogs
right now
facts show that 95 of people who are
incarcerated are going to be released so
you have merely 28 27 000 people who are
going to be released back into the
community and it also see we also see
that recidivism breaks about half of the
people will go back to jail but would it
feel like this I can almost guarantee
that you will see that number go from
half to probably half of that percentage
as well half of the barriers if you
can't find employment most people are
going to be stuck doing things that they
probably shouldn't be doing and a lot of
times you can't find employment because
you're being punished for something that
you already serve time for so again a
bill like this is absolutely a
no-brainer in my opinion from from a
business standpoint from my business hat
on as well as from the fact that I
actually have lived through the effects
of what this bill is hoping to change
Thomas questions
so at this time I'd like to bring the
president uh invite Carmel Griffin who
was born and raised in Schenectady New
York Carvel is the father of Ford will
be known in the future as the father of
investing his investment philosophy his
minimal debt buy and hold while buying
within the same Community as you grew up
in over video new city council everybody
else my name is Carver from formerly
known as
1101-3052 now the difference between me
and his journey is I was a federal
prison so when you go to federal prison
you don't have the same barriers the
state prison when you're released so
when I was releasing I wanted to get a
job I didn't have that same period of
somebody telling me no so my
mother-in-law she worked at momentum
performance material at the center of
Waterford
and she told me to come over here you're
gonna have to take a test I took a test
I passed it it was a math test passed
the math test I went to the interview
and the best thing about the interview
was I got some face time like this
because if you look at me
I don't look like nothing I'm just at
113052 with no charges that were drug
charges right so when I got that
FaceTime it was in front of five
separate people they actually decided to
hire me
so I got hired when I got hired I go
into a building that was outside the
chemical plant it was more manufacturing
and my mother has been in that building
30 years so she walked me in there and
she showed me what to do and everything
there was test driven it wasn't what
your knowledge was about anything if you
could pass that test if we trained you pass that test you'll move up so I
ended up moving up I ended up playing
chess over there and I went into the
chemical plant but when I got into the
chemical plant it was a little more
different it was more no nobody looked
like me really I was in the building
with 50 people and I worked in methadone
and Salat times and uh sulfuric acid if
you know the black rail cars that you
see run around I unloaded them into
asylums and stuff like that I checked
with a lot of temperatures things of
that nature so it won't super sure I get
into this building and I'm in the
building I'm doing well right
and somebody starts to research me they they figure out some way that
they've researched me so now they had a
meeting about me being in the building
was I danger we had sulfuric acid we had
methanol we have chloride so
it was just an awkward position and one
person actually stepped up for me I was
on my shift and he ended up having the
same birthday as me the same bill maybe
so he trained the hell out of me like
when I say when everybody else was
sleeping on that third shift he had me
up making sure I was going to be
successful
and it it just was it it was Monumental
it was somewhere that I'm looking at I'm
like there's nobody in these places that
look like you know anybody that was
working there was action that looked
like me nine times out of ten was the
janitors working for I forgot the
company but I'm sitting here at night
time making forty dollars an hour and
I'm sleepy
we are sleep next to computers as long
as nothing's going wrong in this
chemical plant
you sleep you're making money everybody
in there is making seventy to a hundred
thousand dollars doing literally nothing
and I couldn't believe it I'm like are
you serious all I gotta do is show up
here so long story short me inclining
trying to get to the next level
so one week was three to eleven you'll
be off the weekend then you work 11-7
for seven days and you worked seven and
three so when you're working with
somebody in this place excuse my
language I slept okay and pooped
everything everything happened there we
had a kitchen workout everything is like the fire like a fire company if you
do everything man so it was my time to
uh some test came and you could pass
tests you can move on so I didn't know
it I didn't know the information but I
knew I could pass the test
at any time of them it took the test I
passed the test I went to another ship I
had nobody to hover over you on that
other ship
that should the person that I took his
job basically he was my trainer I took
his job because he didn't take the test
but I did take the test so they moved me
in his position and his job was to train
me and he would lose his extra five
dollars an hour because what happens is five people on the ship if one person
doesn't come in the low man on the
bottom which is me I have less seniority
I automatically make an extra five
dollars an hour you have 60 days you
have 90 days you have 120 days that you
don't come to work because you've been
there before it's time vacation so
automatically I'm making twenty to
thirty thousand dollars extra I was
going to be able to have that once I
moved into that but I couldn't get
that when I moved into that shift
because there was some opposition people
gaining up on them knowing that I didn't
know the job
and it was just it just didn't work out
but needless to say during that time I
stayed in my 401k they matched five
percent I put 15 into my 401k I saved my
401k after taxes they usually tell you
to say the pool okay before taxes
whatever it is you save some money you
know you're not saving much money it's
fifty dollars a hundred dollars you know
I see but long story short when it was
time for me to Exit momentum on a
positive note and I seen my time wasn't
going to be here anymore I took my 401k
and I invested in the housing I invested
in Schenectady so I own multiple
properties commercial property in
Schenectady right now so I'm saying that
to say the foundation for anybody coming
home from prison or any of these
situations you need you need a
foundation it's like a house if you
start building it on something that has
a bad Foundation eventually it's going
to crack it's gonna fall so having this
clean sleep act and just Savage somebody
to have sex time to say hey I'm this I'm
not this piece of paper and it's seven
years that's a long time though
to be doing something correctly
especially coming from a situation in
the environment that Savage come from we
haven't had uh we just haven't had the
same opportunity because I know I know
why it happened
you know with a lot of people that look
like you know don't look like me just
coming from that environment need this
right here it's a it's it's the case of
somebody when everybody's trying to
survive you're going to do something
when you're trying to survive but if
you're already living you got to have it
so you can make certain different
decisions you you can actually make a
decision you were not making people that
are surviving aren't making decisions
whatever they did they didn't make that
decision they just walked and the
decision was kind of made formed from
the environment that they came to me but
when you're able to live have somewhere
to go and have a job you can equal to me
a decision a formal decision
that's all I have to say thank you for
listening
thank you
all right so thank you to both those
individuals who by all accounts are
success stories I understand that um
conviction there are certain
expectations to make sure that you can
return the proper way and these
individuals have done so and have
highlighted The Continuous issues that
they experience after having served
their time and continue to do certain
actions thereafter it's safe to under
it's important to understand that there
is currently a ceiling process that's
available to individuals with
convictions however it is implemented by
less than one percent of individuals
with convictions which causes you to
pause and then asks what is the
effectiveness of said legislation if it
is in itself a barrier to these
individuals returning to society so I
see the automatic ceiling process as a
way to again remove some of those
barriers being intentional with our
language there are multiple quotes one
of which I wanted to read verbatim
because all too often the consequences
of criminal record last for life which
can mean Decades of diminished job
opportunities so I had a very thoughtful
conversation with one of our Civic
leaders in the city and we talked about
how we have this Arbor funding which is
very limited in nature if you understand
this is a one-time use
this platform but it's this is an
intentional opportunity to remove these consequences or or frustrations or difficult Natures for these
individuals to provide continuous
economic gains for our community you
know we're building and growing within
so I'm excited to hear from the other
council members and this is a bill
that's received countless support from
all different individuals partially
Business Leaders and one of the more
prominent individuals to join this
conversation is JP Morgan out of the
conversations that I've had throughout
the city I've heard nothing but but
positive feedback and if we were to
proceed look forward to identifying
those those organizations at a later
date
any thoughts and further conversation on
this
okay
um I did I don't think this is part of
this but I did want to point out that
the New York State Business Council also
supports this Sports clean slate and for
the same reason because employers are
having problems finding
um employees and so from a business
perspective from an economic perspective
makes sense so it's not just I know
sometimes people look at this type of
legislation and think it's only like
perhaps grass or Grassroots
organizations or people who are impacted
by it but not necessarily it's based on
what it can do and how it can impact
people economically and in their lives
going forward and so that there isn't
that recidivism rate which has been
spoken to there are other organizations
recognize all of that and say okay then
you know we're willing to take this and
so the New York State Business Council
is one of those organizations and as
we're considering it um I I think that
all council members when you have the
opportunity to where it says learn more
at the bottom of the handout that was
provided to all of you that that you can
take the time to to do that and to look
at it and for us to consider you know
how we can also support this because it
doesn't just impact communities around
us it also impacts our community because
anyone who's released from incarceration
is returned to the community from which
they were incarcerated so that means if
they were incarcerated from Schenectady
that's where they release them too so
um just wanted to say that I I think it
makes sense and it's you know about
economic Justice and you know we talked
about housing and how people can't
afford housing so this impacts
a a number of things
yeah I guess I would just add that I I
share uh the same kind of settlements as
Trent you know that I think it's it's a
no-brainer I think that the
um as it's written there are uh certain
considerations and protect the factors
that one you know might jump out to
anyone to say like you know what about
you know someone who was convicted you
know of a sexual crime against a child
or something like that I think that um
you know those type of things will are
clear and things that you know has a
concern a Community member might pop
into your head you know you know what
are their protective factors for someone
in those um circumstances in in
and it's plainly written that someone
um and that and set circumstance really
wouldn't be eligible for this I just you
know it's kind of sad that you know we
are where we are in a society that we
have to you know convince people of the
humanity of others and providing them
access and opportunity not to a handout
not even necessarily a hand up it's
really allowing them to to put their
hand in and contribute to society and I
think that um you know
it's not lost on me that as
so much work has went into this and I
appreciate the uh you got sharing um you
know your personal stories and and I
would definitely consider you guys
exceptional people
um but we can't govern for the exception
right you know we have to make sure that
we're governing that uh in ways that
give everyone the opportunity and
someone shouldn't have to be as Dynamic
and as brilliant as as maybe the
gentleman that were here before us
um it could be a regular old Joe like
myself but have an opportunity
um to uh contribute to society and I
know that that not only does that
increase protective factors but
obviously there's an economic argument that um is pretty clear in a
diminishing job market faced with
inflation and so on so there's so many
other reasons that we should just
support this but if for nothing else
that it just makes pretty plain common
sense to do so so I but I'm almost
troubled by the fact that
we're we're just getting here to to
support something like that that's
probably my biggest issue with it so
it's an absolute over here for myself I
welcome any other comments or questions
on this
um so three years
and seven years what happens in the
three years you're still billed as
I'm sorry you're still building us you
know just getting out of prison you're
still built as a number of employers
um people who you work at the department
from they all still can have that
information is that correct
until you yeah until you've completed
that that time frame yes right right
to me it doesn't make a lot of sense
um you know for them getting out they
want to get out and get moving
um so I'm wondering where the three
years and the seven years come from
you know what I'm trying to say
right so just it's three years from
sentencing not not from release
um three years from sentencing
not including not including the time
spent in jail though right
excluding any time excluding any time
it's holding any time of course right
I'll just share today
it will trigger after a person's
finished confirmation right so after
time serve often being probation and
parole then the three years is active
misdemeanor seven years
so then I mean so we're looking at
someone can return to the community have
some post supervision parole or
something like that for maybe a couple
years
and then the cloud starts I'm going to
stay successfully completed that which
is again I think made me if I understand
what you're saying here
what are they doing in the meantime
they still played three or seven years
yeah yeah that's one of the records are
sealed I think that's just the
clarifying point right that's right
that's what you want to do yeah
so
enough there's still a felony
misdemeanor but they still have that tag
with them
and that's after completing
post-supervision whatever that is so
it's extremely unfortunate that again I
think that this is something that we're
not even scratching the surface as to
where we we need to be um but uh
[Music]
we are here present program
so are you are you saying what happens
in the time well they're no no one's
just
after three or seven years
[Music]
you know I'm just thinking you know me
as a as an employer or as a landlord or
something
um you know I would want to know
who I was renting to who I was employing
and within that three to seven years if
you come then I'm obviously no oh okay
sorry saying like you support this or
are you saying I'm just saying three to
seven here I mean you're already
you're out
just hope you're not waiting three years
to look for a job or an apartment but
you already
yeah I think what this is getting at is
that when you get out you gotta you know
provide for yourself and for your family
so in order to be a productive member of
society you likely go on a job search
and in that three years or that seven
years
um after completing your sentence and
whatever Pro supervision you're still
less competitive than someone
um than others even after kind of
serving it's equality or the appointment
that we're able to get isn't the same
quality as somebody else basically it's
like we're we're just surviving we're
scratching instead of having an
opportunity to ask somebody else has
that doesn't have the same situation of
course and I think it comes back to
FaceTime because when you're just
looking at these pieces of the paper
even when you see my name cardo
it's not John
there's a difference
[Music]
no I know I think that you know that highlights you know that we know
that when we look at our incarcerated uh
people in our society right now we are
black and brown people are
disproportionately
um impacted uh and there's been a lot of
um work around you know
some some reform and things like that so
I think like as we know that that's the
direction that we're heading and then
you know we have to not be afraid to uh
talk about the fact that uh this
disproportionately impacts already
marginalized communities and creates
conditions in which people are
far more likely to have less
opportunities meaning that they have
less opportunities to to support
themselves or family increasing the
likelihood of someone choosing a
different path so if we want if we want
people to stay home and be productive
members of society we want to be after
they've already paid their debt to
society we want to be doing everything
in our power to increase access for them
to have a job and it's a safe place to
live and not just can't believe we're
still trying to figure that out that was
a yeah anyone else gotta talk about that
oh Johnson with regards to the Bill's
delay in the assembly do you know the
reason why the bill is being delayed are
put on hold
uh I can't talk to that I know it was
currently sitting in a committee as of
May of this year hopefully with a new
cycle as of January and looking to get
more support for municipalities
highlighting this as an issue that they
would like to see progress forward this
is part of the reason why cities
throughout New York State have been
joining into this they're not going to
say fight but into this discussion about
how this is economically feasible and it
also taking demands of Mr Farley's voice
from himself it is something that's been
earned already so as miss the total
highlight yes three years and seven
years respectively is a long time
comparatively speaking there's nothing
currently available right now so if it's
better than the alternative
I think
you probably know that there's not a lot
of them you know this isn't something
that is like partisan you get a lot of
bipartisan support around this for
different reasons and there's uh you
know lots of organizations and agencies
that
um are traditionally uh pretty
conservative and
um I have really uh been uh vocal
supporters of this because it makes
sense you know it is an economic sense
here too and I again I hope that we
don't have to appeal to the uh economics
in order for people to see the value in
this because we're talking about human
lives but if we need to go to that level
it's there as well it's pretty sad so I
never thought so they're just looking
for a support resolution
towards the assembly Honda Center to
resolution I want to be dispatchable she
would say I probably recommend a
statement support to where it's
currently still needed at so it's safe
to be assimilate but one to bring it
back uh in two weeks for uh
discussion but at this point I just
wanted to kind of approach the topic see
that there are any opinions or comments
or concerns
trying to do all the content as a
conservative cursive
and then bring it back to us
president program okay so um there was
also and I'll share this article with
everyone there's a there was a panel and
they're talking about how things like
act will address the workforce so as Mr
Williams has said for us to just take a
look at the information that's provided
for us visit this website formulate any
other questions we have and also to I
would forward this and also about the
New York State Business Council just so
we have all the information in making an
informed decision as as
in terms of whether we think it proven
to support this particular piece of
legislation so so I'll forward that and
any other information that I have so
that you'll have all the information
today we talked about the power of
language and how language matters and I guess I have another issue with this
besides the fact that we have the
convincing people um it's also like kind
of the language I think clean sleep
doesn't really capture it because it's
almost as if we're wiping away you know
someone's deep but that's not what we're
doing here they've already they've
provided us as prep that maybe we should
have knives talk to them about coming up
with a better
Billboards are not at that but really
clean sleep is kind of suggestive of
something that this doesn't represent
this is this is after someone has
already paid their debt to society
um uh in full and then there's some time
after that you know so again this isn't
uh wiping anyone sleep clean if anything
it's just really
it's a community benefit that we can get
a more qualified robust Workforce going
so
okay so we'll look to bring that back in
a couple weeks and talk discuss it
further after the council has had
time to research it
like the entertainment motion surgery
seconds
vacation
[Music]
oh we just adjourned the California