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connect the urban renewal agency
first item on the agendas the acceptance
of the minutes of May 16th meeting
entertain a motion to approve of my Mr
palomini seconded by Mr motivir and all
in favor I stay opposed next items
resolution
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2023-01 authorized Elise of 100 J Street
to Metroplex
it's a lot across the street to the fire
was we've talked about before but it's
in the title of Surah so that it would
entertain a motion to approve that move
with Mr palamini thanks I got a
Porterfield all in favor any opposed
resolution is adapted next to the
resolution is
2023-02 authorizing the transfer of
property currently owned by Surah to the
city of Schenectady again in this this
would be a general authorization where
when we take property in in rev
foreclosure we then transfer it to Surah
where there's some accounting and tax
advantages to the city this and what we
do now is do an individual resolution to
transfer it back when we sell it this
would just authorize a blanket transfer
upon the authorization of the city
council to sell those properties
entertain a motion to approve
so when we when the individual
properties come you're saying we'll see
them as individual properties say that
once again you're saying that when the
properties come individually you will
see them
to the city council the city council
would have to authorize it and this
would pre-authorize returning it back to
the city when we actually sell it thank
you entertain a motion move by Mr
palimini secondly Mr motiviran all in
favor
aye any opposed any other business to
come before the agency
by Mr motivaren agency stands adjourned
thank you
all right the first item on our city
council agenda
um meeting to order for Monday February
6 2023 first item on the agenda
presentation Mr Colony yes um there's a
company called create about door they do
garbage cans with basically garbage can
recycling bins that they can put
throughout the city
these bins would be maintained by them
they sell ads on them we would get some
money in exchange but to give a
presentation we have Jim diamond from
creative outdoor and you should all have
that in your packet unfortunately we're
unable to get the computer equipment
going but if you want and he just has a
short presentation to let everybody know
about what the garbage can
deal with thank you counseling thank you
for allowing me to speak tonight
as he mentioned you have the uh packets
in front of you with general information
about the program I'm going to go over
that very quickly and then I would like
to answer any questions that you might
have most importantly again thank you
for the time to speak tonight so
creative outdoor
started in the 1980s we have over 250
Municipal relationships and Partnerships
throughout North America we have over 17
000 units in place and 5 000 sponsorship
clients that utilize our units on a
monthly basis
we only offer TurnKey amenity programs
to municipalities that are cost free 100
cost free the municipality and to the
citizenry
so our core philosophies are that the
street Furniture blend in and keep the
integrity and the community standards in
both appearance and advertising on all
of the units these units will be three
units wide about six feet wide by two
feet deep with sponsorships on both
sides and as Mr palomini had mentioned
we handle everything
installation procurement installation
maintenance
handling the advertising and the
collection there is no responsibility by
the city the the program is completely
controlled by the city 100 both in
locations and who is allowed to sponsor
these programs
so we don't we don't allow big National
companies it's all local business
advertising that would take part in this
there's also an element with this
program in which Schenectady could take
advantage of
five percent generally of the units for
local community messaging at no charge
so whatever
it may be a large Festival that's going
on or a a big push for recycling in a
lot of cases they do recycling education
information on them as well as we have
reached out to local community
organizations and schools in which we
Supply them with local with recycling
educational materials so that they can
promote this message throughout the city
again the city controls 100 of the
locations of these as well as who is
allowed to sponsor them we handle
everything else it completely
indemnifying the city of any liability
we have insurance on each every one of
them if you desire that they're in a
location where let's say there's no
concrete at the time we will put the
concrete pad in and install it all with
ADA compliance all keeping site
triangles in mind at all busy
intersections so the safety is the
priority
that is the broad Strokes of this
program I don't want to take up too much
time so I'd like to answer any questions
that you might have about the program if
I can so would you speak a little bit to
the revenue sharing piece of it and just
to clarify there are two options for
garbage collection one our city Crews
would pick it up the other
um would be I'm your responsibility
absolutely so there is a revenue sharing
portion of this a port a percentage of
the monthly Revenue that is generated by
the local sponsorship would come back to
the city that percentage is purely based
on how much work we are doing as a
company versus how much the city is
taking on and by work I mean emptying
and collecting these units we will
always maintain them we will always
fix any repairs and all of that
100 of the time collection if we are
going to collect we will collect all of
them
and it will be a lower percentage that
the city will receive as far as Revenue
let's just say for round numbers five
percent of the revenue would be
generated would come to the city monthly
now if we were going to do the
collection we it would probably be about
five percent if Schenectady was going to
continue doing the collection as you
have you and you have containers
throughout the local city here if DPW is
going to do collection
we may it may be a 15 of Revenue would
be coming into the city each month it's
all gonna that's a little fluid in the
agreement just based on how many units
we're placing and how much collection
we're doing
are there any other questions that
are there municipalities around the fed
or are you already working with yeah yes
so I'm working with in this stage quite
a few I was brought in with creative
outdoor to bring this into the New York
Market we have a great concentration in
the Florida area that's where our home
headquarters is and we have a great com
uh
number of units and relationships in the
Massachusetts Long Island
Rhode Island and New Jersey areas it's
my job to expand us into the New York
Region so we're your first year contact
which you're essentially saying yeah not
contact but yes and we're in this
process I can't use any as reference
because we're in the contract
negotiation process or we're in the
presentation processes right now but
other municipalities that are looking at
this all the way down to the up and down
the Thruway including my hometown
Syracuse which
they've got a they've got a a different
aspect of this program
based on the picture that I this
particular picture yes it looks like I
mean they're very large I thought the
dimension said 71 inches actually
um it does so
that's that's pretty weird
um this is and you can there's three
collection there's recycling trash
that is actually whatever the city wants
it to be so I mentioned Syracuse has a
little bit different of a program
they're solely interested in litter
abatement they don't want to go the
recycling route because litter is such a
problem they're doing all three litter
all three are going to be trash we'll
move into the recycling as the education
gets better but they need stuff up off
the ground so they're going Litter with
all of them right now and they're using
some of their own cans to supplement
that as well because that's their main
issue okay so I'm sorry to interrupt
those three can be whatever the city
wants it can be commingle glass Plastics
and trash it can be co-mingle uh glass
paper and trash whatever you want it to
concentrate on and so they're locked in
they are a lot of things yes because
people try to collect the recyclables
absolutely
my other quick question is um you said
that they that Syracuse has their own
recycling has their own trash bins as
well in conjunction with this because
the information we said that you would
want us to remove all the trash cans
which has been said thousands of dollars
over the last couple years absolutely no
I I would not want you to
do away with your Cur we can replace
some of them and we can you can relocate
some that you currently have uh usually
those the ones that I have seen
throughout the city are the 45 gallon
steel containers
um or 50 gallon steel containers
we can re-locate those with DPW and to
other locations if you want these units
to be in specific locations we this is
completely controlled by the city so we
will be fluid to whatever your needs are
with that we we don't want to just put
them in the landfill for sure we want to
utilize them as best we can
so uh if I understand correctly like
there's you know there's different costs
associated with um the proper you know
processing of trash or and you know
recycling tickets so just that
um impact uh the proper sharing so in
other words if we say we want to go
um you know recycling you know um but
that you know recycling versus Trash
um will that impact the profit share or
what what our operations team that's a
great question our operations team is
has that all under control and it's all
kind of baked into the program now I
don't know how familiar you are with
landfills and that process but there is
a tipping fee when we when you bring
this bag of recycling or trash to the
landfill there's a tipping fee for that
bag of trash that would still have to be
covered by this city because it's the
city's refuse
um we will take it there and we will
provide receipts for everything that's
brought in tipping fees would
wouldn't change at all you're currently
paying for them and that would continue
we just cover everything else
so just for some further information
there's been some conversations with
commissioner Lafond the mayor a couple
other individuals the idea is to replace
some of the garbage cans in the city
that just aren't very good
obviously to keep in mind the what the
neighborhoods have done with some of the
newer garbage cans and their programs to
keep those in place
and to try to do that in a mixture so
that work that the neighborhoods have
done to put those those nice garbage
cans in still remain but the other ones
that are probably in disrepair do get
replaced it wouldn't be an extra load
for the garbage Crews I think Mr Lafond
is there so that was a discussion to
take place to make sure that one
burden our workers even more and so
that's kind of what has taken place up
until now
so do they would how would the unions
play into this at all in terms of
someone else doing that work I guess
that's more of a question for Mr LaVon
in terms of collection which is
something that our I think is we're
collecting it now you know the city was
open to it we will continue collecting
it that way our share of the revenue
would be greater we're collecting them
now
um throughout the city and you know
depending on that but about 500
difference
you know we talked we can handle the
extra load of picking this trash up if
it was trash or if it was recyclables
that we're doing the current
so that means that our our staff our
city staff would need uh keys to oats
because a lot so they would need key
said that'd be part of them their work
to open it okay
another question um about the the size
of these and where these are based on
the pictures I've seen they look like
they're mostly in downtown areas or
shopping malls or those kind of things
are these also located in neighborhood
high traffic areas is where we like to
concentrate both for the recycling
portion of it and the sponsorship end of
it because those sponsors want the
highest traffic that they can
receive based on their locations now
some might like the entrance to to a
not a not a not a neighborhood itself
but uh on a higher traffic portion
because they're on that side of town or
they're on the other side of town and
they want more traffic being generated
that way how the very briefly how this
process works is if this is something we
move forward with once the arrangements
and the agreement is reached percentage
and things like that then
once we have the agreement signed by
both parties we send in our auditor and
he would come here and he would spend a
day looking at the high traffic areas he
would speak to whoever the point person
was going to be and he would also
utilize a Google Maps because you can do
street view now and we would put
together a list we've been doing this
for going on 45 years we would put
together a list of where we know that
these units would be
in the best interests of the city and
our sponsors our two partners in this we
would submit that list to the city for
your approval now you may say yes these
40 spots are perfect these ten no we
don't want them here we want them here
and we would just go back and forth with
that you're in complete control 100 of
the time and everything would be hashed
out that way so there would never be a
question of what we do want to hear also
they can be moved at any point in time
if there's a DPW project and you're
widening a street we have to take three
hours we take them out we hold them and
then we put them back in when that
project is done or we relocate them it's
based on whatever Schenectady would need
at that time
that need to be
in this in a city this size I would say
that 40 would probably be a safe minimum
um we don't want to exceed one per
thousand people population generally one
per thousand is a perfect fit for both
the sponsorship and the city needs you
know in in the higher traffic areas I
have
quite a few municipalities one that's
being started installation in the next
two weeks they're doing two phases
they're doing a phase one with their
first 47 and then they're adding 20 more
probably in six months just because they
want to do it in phases like that that
was what council wanted so again we can
adapt to anything like that but in order
for this program to work we do need
we're going to hire someone in
Schenectady to do this the maintenance
to take care of these units in order to
pay that person what they deserve and
what they have earned you gotta have at
least 40 in the city this size to make
it worth their while and then the second
question art is uh perceptual but uh
vandalism is pretty straightforward are
very considerations to like us
maintaining the Integrity of the the
devices or is there an expectation where
something was continuously destroyed or
damaged you yourself would identify this
as no longer a viable location so this
is a partnership uh we are going to be
100
replacing repairing they they're going
to get power washed at minimum monthly
if they need it more they're going to be
seen weekly and they're going to be kept
up
the technology around the maintenance is
one of the most impressive parts of this
program
whoever is in control of this will
actually have a website for each and
every unit and they will be able to go
on and see real-time maintenance data so
let's say there's a loose bolt that's
popping out of one of the feet they
would take a before picture they would
fix it they would take an after picture
and all of that data would be uploaded
immediately so whoever is in charge of
that can view it as much as they want
if we have a unit that just becomes a
problem now one gets hit by a car we're
going to come in within 24 hours and
we're going to have that replaced
especially when it's a safety
if there's vandalism let's say it's
no man 11 no vandalism is appropriate
but let's say it's really inappropriate
that's going to be handled within 24
hours we're not going to let that stay
other maintenance concerns everything
can be done over the Internet we also
have a live person that will answer the
phone in operations that can handle any
concerns if we have a problem with one
specific unit that just keeps getting
vandalized and damaged we may just have
a conversation of is this worth it for
either of us to have this unit in this
place can we move it somewhere else it's
a partnership you're always going to be
in control of that
yeah
one question uh cooperation Council if
we were to move forward with this
program do we need to amend the city
ordinance to accommodate for outdoor
advertising
for this program
I've looked into this very briefly
um I think it's worthy of me taking a
deeper dive into it and look at some of
the case Law related to this
um so what I would say is I would like
that opportunity part of it is I it has
to do with essentially what what we're
putting it on rather than you know the
billboard or you know a sign on premises
you know case law generally says and we
can discuss it you know in Greater
detail that the city is not required to
follow
every aspect of the zoning ordinance
um I know Mr Marty and I have talked
briefly about this but it's certainly
worth a deeper dive the other thing I
just want to add as it relates to
advertising because this has come up to
um
the city would be hands off on
determining who gets to advertise
um and or who doesn't get to advertise
that has to be handled strictly by the
company so as to not
essentially violate anybody's First
Amendment rights so the company would be
handling all aspects of Lucas to
advertise
can I just speak to that momentarily so
I really appreciate you bringing that up
it always comes up
uh the first amendment is a it's the
first of the Amendments it's a very
important one
we have very high standards when it
comes to who can sponsor these
no tobacco no alcohol family-friendly
local business there's one caveat to
that
with marijuana being in on everyone's
mind and these local dispensaries and
things like that we typically will leave
that up to the city if the city says we
don't want a part of that we want to be
hands off we will that will not be
something that we would allow a
sponsorship it's it has to be wholesome
family friendly local
the dog groomer the doggy day care the
daycare the the diner that's the
businesses that our advertising team has
the most success with we stay away from
political we stay away from we we stay
away from anything that can be a hotbot
okay
so if I understand what you're saying
correctly but even in that circumstance
the city wouldn't be saying you know we
you know it would be this industry yes
it's not allowed you know we're not
interested in advertising for this
industry not a particular
uh a company that's in such what you
know we wouldn't be in by at least you
know if someone's first amendment was
right is that how you understand it
again I can speak more you know in terms
of like legal advice obviously
um an executive session if the council
would like but just as a blanket matter
the city shouldn't be involved in any
determination on legal lawful activities
for the purposes of advertising if
something was obviously you know
advocating for the use of not advocating
but you know illegal drug you know trade
obviously that would be against the law
and that would not be something that
would be a lot we could say no you can't
advertise that but for anything that is
lawful my recommendation is the city
does not make any determinations we
leave it up to whomever we're going to
contract with to make those decisions
and we don't say yes or no it's going to
be decision of whomever we are
Contracting with
questions
so I'd just like to I can follow along
with uh
with Mr palomini after this but I just
want to just mention the process
um as we're talking about legal I can
submit a blank sample copy of the
agreement
for so you can see what it's all about
and what is what letters what's
our responsibility versus uh what's on
the city I can supply any information
that Council would request and I thank
you for your time oh yes please so you
know you said this is absolutely no cost
to us actually we're going to get
Revenue how do you generate your revenue
from the local sponsorship sponsorship
yep that's it yes local sponsorship and
I can just speak to that a little bit
because a lot of times I will get what
happens if you don't get a sponsorship
what do we do then we will it is one of
the lowest cost advertising avenues for
a small business small businesses can't
get the high highway billboard the
television and radio ads and the
newsprint are tough expensive these are
very affordable for the local business
that's why they're so popular with the
local business our average sponsorship
client stays with us for 7.2 years
and that's the Mom and Pops that they
stay with us that long so it's very
popular with them and we have we will
have in specifically in Schenectady we
will have a waiting list for these units
within a year
once our uh advertising team gets a hold
thank you absolutely thank you for your
time I appreciate it thanks for coming
over government operations we have three
items on the agenda
the first is regarding the frequency
question of white votes in this qualify
good evening thank you who's here again
to answer any questions you may have and
then we have this discussion about a
month ago no white jokes the frequency
is that we're looking to do a public
hearing between moving frequency
reflection for white goods the monthly
basis versus the weekly and stated in
the state code currently
somebody was under your dentist
came in to see if I can answer any
questions
so yeah some questions
so we we talked about the last time and
I guess it wasn't clear for me anyway
that this had already moved forward
without the public hearing that they were printed with this change on
there already correct they were praying
because yes I authorized the printing
with the modification on it we did not
change the procedure in the fields but
the timeline would have put it that we
would have to either reprint it or put
it back another year and we've talked
about this for a year about Shifting the
white goods collection to a more
efficient manner so it's going to be one
day a month again it is opposed to the
random operation that we use now and so
it's just trying to build some
efficiency into it uh it's created a
little inconvenience or uh question by
the public again but the service has not
been shifted and again asking the
council to move ahead with this so in
fact we can modify it so it builds a
little operational efficiency into the
system having said that the way the
market is now with recyclables with
white goods
there's actually a premium on it so most
of the Scrappers go out and pick it up
and we're in fact not picking up much in
all of the curve is that correct and a
lot of times you know when appliances
are delivered the delivery guy is taking
them and you can call somebody they're
going to come get your appliances for
freeze lines so you can have them but
we're seeing very few you know large
household appliances if they're doing
washer dryers out there on the curb and
we have a truck out there on a weekly
basis and it's just an efficient
operation you just be out there on a
weekly basis waiting for a call because
we may have one you know some of them
well it is because
um the I'm sorry
because we I we all started hearing from
the public like what's changed what are
white goods even was the question and I
know we had a discussion that we should
say what like what goods really were
because
I know what the industry says it is I
understand that we understand what it is
but the public journalism because I got
phone calls water wipers the further
um confusion was that people didn't
understand based on the new schedule
that white goods and their garbage
collection day would like fall on the
same day sometimes and furthermore what
was the process because there was no
explanation as to what was the process
going to be
Pride there was just new um a new
schedule put out and there was no
explanation I asked you about that about
what we're going to be doing some public
service announcements so all this has
come back because the process the proper
procedures that this would have changed
the code and then we would have printed
that and that didn't happen so that's
why we're back today to get some a
better way to roll this out to get more
information out to the public
um and you know to figure out how we do
this so that the council so it comes to
the council at the appropriate time
before we move forward with doing the
work we've had some calls you know
downstairs and we've directed them to
the city code
161-21 where it defines white goods and
has bulky washers dry refrigerators it
is in the city code it's always been in
the city code
and we have not a mayor stated we have
not enforced anything it was on the
schedule and it's highlighted on the
schedule as a normal pickup day with the
weight Goods attached
um but anybody who's putting white goods
out right now we're collecting them on a
weekly basis if they're out there
there's been no change in service but we
were getting to the end on time slip by
we're getting that we had to get the
schedule out if we put the schedule out
without that on the schedule it would
have been costly because then we had to
fall and schedules back in and then
recruit them with the white goods on so
we did print it with the white goods
designation on once a month so if we did
not everything would have been out
nobody would have known and we won this
would have waited until 24 to do it and
gone through another year of putting the
truck out there on a weekly basis
so we did you know we did put it out a
little prematurely because we were under
the gun to get the schedules out
just a concern so we're asking for a
public hearing here
so if the public were to come out and
say we're against this once per month
pick up I'm just using that what are we
going to do we're going to go back and
print this reprint this
we'll have to put the word out that
we're just going to continue to do what
we're doing and that's it I don't know
how the public would you know it's
weekly versus monthly when does it come
up like we said we hardly pick up any of
these anyway and these big bulky items
are being taken by The Scrappers in the
middle of the night
yeah that was my concern I mean is like
uh we you know we are doing it we're
confident public but we already did the
work
so what is the purpose of the console
here at this point what is the purpose
of the council at this point in time
will they show that we can actually
change the operations in the field and
reduce the cost of garbage collection
that's correct but then we already
printed this we're telling the public
it's once per month pickup but now we're
doing the the work to make it the
legality of it
bro
so would so
what was the like is there you know
being that we're in the position that we're in here is this you know is
there a way to kind of uh you know
transition it kind of it sounds like
you're you're saying that there's no
change of service
so other than let's print it on the card
we have not changed the collection
service for the white goods we are still
going out if we're called because we
have a rack truck that goes up if they
uh the truck calls and says there are
way Goods out and then truck goes and
picks it up
we have not changed the actual service
provided to the taxpayers of the city of
sanctity based on the schedule we're
still picking up on weekly basis
but how do people know that how would
they know they sell the schedule how
would they know
there's a lot of things we didn't
discuss in the code I mean we're not
supposed to pick up trash that's in a
dark bag right now we pick up
everybody's Treasures in a dark pack
city code States it should be in a clear
bag
I pick it up
pick up every trash bag that's a black
bag that I can't see what's in there
city code does say we have to pick up
clear bags I don't think you can buy
clear bags anymore
so maybe it's time that we really look
at our city code and make some
adjustments to this whole city code
[Music]
any other questions comments on that
yeah so so we want to go to public
hearing into Mr Moon Baron's point if
the public says absolutely not
then our recourse is to still move
forward with what we printed on the if if the public hearings is absolutely
not in the city council wants to not do
it like this will reprint the cards and
we'll take it off the car
well we're just going to continue to do
what we're doing now
to put it up it gets picked up
and so then this then the car becomes
non-void
um that that particular thing on which
your garbage is picked up is marked on
that car and again we have talked about
this for over a year of trying to
improve efficiencies in the garbage
collection and this is one of the items
I'm asking the council to move this
forward and hold a public hearing aid I
don't disagree we've been talking for a
year unfortunately though the process
didn't go the way the process should
have we have been talking about for a
year and it didn't come before the
council in order to change the code so I
have to tell you that I am taking
exception to that
and I there's other ways that we could
have like worked with Scrappers perhaps
to make a list have them fall I mean
there's there's innovative ways that
have actually been given to me since
I've been doing phone calls and all of
this would have come forward in the
public hearing before we printed our
schedules so that mayor I have to tell
you is is bothersome for me that you
know that it didn't come from the
council in order to change the code
which is how it's supposed to happen
and that's why I came back again because
there were people that didn't understand
of the council
so at any time in the last year you
wanted to go before the council you
could have put it on the agenda it
wasn't for me to put on the agenda I was
I went to one meeting and that was the
only meeting I was ever invited to and
so those talks obviously continued and
then it came here and when it got to the
agenda it was not me who put the engine
No Agenda items are forwarded to me and
then we can say yes or no and going
forward
we'll have to make sure that everything
has been done properly before it gets on
the agenda
any other questions or comments concerns
around this item
Okay so
I guess yes
I just want to make sure so I'm only
taking that moment to pause because I'm
but it seems like what we're talking
about is
um just the the timeline into what the
cards had to be printed versus in the
process of what usually
um what is supposed to happen in order
to do that that's just kind of source so
work but as a body we're not
um
we're we are in agreement that with uh
input from the public hearing or in
agreement that this might be a more
efficient way to collect the white goods
it's just the process of what we've got
here what we're saying that's correct
okay all right well I just wanted to
meet you there for viewers and everyone
that it's more about the process than
what we're saying so
um it entertaining motion to uh for
public hearing
okay
hold us a favor
okay next item on the agenda is a
reminder of modification for article two
of the city code for partner
certifications use public hearing loss
on the 9th Chris morning
good evening everyone it's just a
reminder for the changes for the
certificate of use ordinance this has
already been through public hearing it's
already been through committee once
before
it had been adjourned from the last
committee meeting so that we could take
this together with the zoning changes
that busy I'll be presenting later for
medical facilities
the proposed revisions haven't changed
much since the first committee meeting
that this went through we did updates in
the gender language
some of the Antiquated language on the
code which we could try to do we're
going to be
a piece of the city code and we did
provide a more specific definition for
the Cannabis uses and the tobacco uses
some of the internal feedback that we
had received was that it was perhaps
convey that it would Encompass all the
businesses we were trying to collect my
understanding has noticed didn't go out
before the public hearing or all of the
existing vape shops and CBD shops that
may be affected by the ordinance and
that there was very limited comment
received from the public with respect to
the changes
could you just talk a little bit about
the language change like what was for
people were more specific
um so no maybe not I shouldn't say
specifically just to give a better idea
sure for sure yeah the code um uh the
code used a lot of language that was
gender
um and then it also often referred to
servants so we didn't strike that
language and change it to something a
little bit more generalized
uh and then with respect to the actual
definition
we just wanted to be clear that
uh you know with regard to the tobacco
and cannabis uses that
it cannabinoid as well just based off of
some of the state definitions and how
they've been treating the uses what we
had originally provided just wasn't
specific enough which it would have left
out businesses that should be included
so we just kind of broaden it to cast
The Wider neck yeah yeah okay let's go
based off of uh based off of what the
business is primary source of income is
so it would be considered you know a
vape or a tobacco retail or a tobacco
consumption or cannabis consumption in
retail if if their primary source of
income at retail are part of those
specific products for the perfect
paraphernalia related to those products
and then they would be required to get a
certificate of use there are some
businesses that they might sell those
products ancillary to what their Prime
like the grocery store that has
cigarettes or a convenience store that
has cigarettes even though convenience
stores are bad examples to register but
um uh you know if it's their primary
source of income at retail the festival
we want to capture is particularly use
how do we determine that because it's
one thing to say the primary you know
what their what their what they had to
stop primarily or what they you know but
like the primary source of retail they
would have to uh
[Music]
the kind of disclose those records to
the city so we can see okay you're
selling you know 70 of your sales are
you know CBD or something like that
that's how we read the determination
sure yeah it would be something that
would come up during the enforcement
process so if one of our officers had
determined that it appears that they
have their primary income Source would
be one of those items you know they
would be ticketed as part of their
defense that they provide that
documentation to the city to show that
fact that they will be required to
register or if they go to notice a
violation even without a ticket to court
they could provide that documentation to
show that they would not be required to
register same kind of the same thing no
appreciate it and any other comments
questions on this
[Music]
so third and uh final agenda item from
government operations is clearing the
sport New York State Clean Slate act
that's Mr Williams thank you so after
careful consideration and reflection on
the comments that were provided during
our previous council meeting if that was
appropriate to bring this item back with
the full presence of the council I know
one of the comments that were made by
Miss tutorial one of the first thing
here tonight was with respect to just
languages and how this as a legislative
item that's evolving the language could
continue to change and I just wanted to
make it blindly clear putting forth this
declaration of support would be into
what this text currently is at this day
so
[Music]
um
that's that's my comment I'd like to see
this Florida Lottery committee open to
discussion
any other comments concerns around that
you know
so second who's in favor fine
operations
call to order finance and the fourth
item is the healthcare workers bonus
program Grant Chief Mourinho
foreign
healthcare workers bonus program
um it's really the state legislation it
was rolled out in August of 22.
where the uh for governor Coco
and everybody will go off decided to get
back to the healthcare workers and it's
a program where people that work certain
times both a pandemic certain investing
periods could receive up to three
thousand dollar bonus and there's all a
lot of
criteria that you have to be
Schenectady fire department meets the
criteria to be an employer that offers
both doesn't offer that participates
here's the thing with this
um it's legislation you really got to do
it if you don't do it you can choose not
to do it
um but then there's a thousand dollar
per employee required
so I don't think you want to get a job
uh so what it is is there certain dozen
periods we've done all the groundwork
um so we know who's going who's eligible
for the fullness there are two vesting
periods that it'll be three thousand
dollars per person the state once we get
all the paperwork in the state will send
the money to the city and then be
distributed to all the members
so that's the presentation I don't know
if there are any questions in the
legislation I kind of spelled it out
better questions
oh no I was just saying this um
it seems like a really great thing and I
know that this uh
I think this was like maybe like the
second version of this that was supposed
to come out from the state if I remember
I'm not really sure
um but I just knew that um in the
earlier conversations after you know
during the pandemic
um you know us taking the opportunity to
demonstrate the value of our healthcare
workers I think we should do that almost
every chance that we get
um and this is State money that's coming
into the city
um so you know you know I think that
that's a really good thing
I did have a question and I did look
over at them so I appreciate you sending
the link and giving the opportunity to
look at that and my question was about
uh employees who were hired like
um within that time not at the beginning
of the time framework within that time
frame and so
um what would their opportunity to
benefit from this be that was a great
question and I did look into that
um those employees have different
investing periods too to
so they may not be able to participate
in the first one the second one that's
where the vast majority of the
membership will participate in but there
are I think a total of five right so so
we'll be watching that and when they
attend to those dressing periods we'll
be applying for them
[Music]
and there's no match for the city this
is all at State given the money thank
you and
see when this was rolled out there was a
lot of confusion it took um originally they said the city
was going to have to first pay the money
and then be a reimbursed but that's not
the case
oh great that's great yeah and that's
right there's a time frame uh that we
have to we have to get all this stuff so
everything's got to be into this state
it's by March 2nd okay and um and then
we have to distribute the money here to
these out there we receive federal so
it's a neural time frame
go ahead please I want us a comment uh
covet has
[Music]
significantly affected the workforce in
general and I think there's no other
industry
Health Care industry that has seen the trends negatively with keeping
workforces in place and a lot of
hospitals are struggling but I think
this program that I've been recipient of
and being a worker in the healthcare
industry a very small consideration for
the work that year firefighters have
done and continue to do on a continuous
basis so thank you for taking the
ownership to submit this program and
make sure that your your staff will run
for it thank you
Chief thank you for all the importance
of this program and always thank you for
looking out for your department and your
startup and two senior Department
appreciate it
thank you if there's no other question I
may have a motion please for the
purposes of passing this
um there hasn't been I thought to Mr
Ferrari about this a budget line that's
been created for this so my suggestion
would be what gets passed would be
um creating the budget line for the
funds having been received for the
healthcare worker bonus program and
authorizing the expenditure to those
employees who are eligible
to receive set funds pursue into the
terms of that that program
absolutely
second all in favor aye thank you again thank you
um
the next item is the 2023 capital budget
reappropriation Mr Ferrari
thank you president borderfield to the
Council of the mayor what we're doing
here in this legislation as you know as
a part of the 2023 adopted capital
budget there was a million dollars set
aside for the purchase of four Packers
of garbage trucks for the cities
connecting
um
and as you know that we uh we don't go
out to ban these things so we won't get
the money until May of of this year and
Manufacturing delivery of the trucks
have taken 18 to 24 months so if we wait
a minute we won't get these trucks till
October 2024. uh we do this I think last
year too when we did we we're a plan is
to borrow the money from our fund
balance uh and you guys so that we
cannot put the purchase order in as soon
as possible and get the trucks delivered
uh you know before you know before
anybody else can that's the whole secret
of this thing and put the purchases in
so we can get an earlier delivery uh
once we make the sale in um of May of
this year we return the money back to
the general fund for that
questions
if there's a question so second all in
favor
the next item is the 2023 budget and
position and reappropriation yes uh this
is uh this is from the ID Department
what we're looking to do here is uh uh
is to uh move the land administrator
which is mostly uh software type guy and
what we're looking to do is uh is due to
the increase of like cyber threats and
greater need for communication between
the city and departments especially now
with the police department the new
accent accent system uh the ID
Department believe that they need a
higher level of Technology person in it
so what we're looking to do is to remove
the land administrative position and
increase it to a chief technology
officer which which has been approved by
Civil Service
we've we've posted a job we've got some
applications what we're looking to do is
uh uh create this Chief technology job
officer one of the things I want to note
is that there's no change in the salary
or the budget line but we're just just
moving things around the new uh the new
technology officer and his biggest thing
will be a disaster recovery fault
tolerance Sonic managing Sonic walls
managed in the Cisco Tyler networks
cyber security preparedness anti-spyware
and the list that goes on and on because
of Marriott I think you know the number
of threats that we see every day is
increasing uh at a large number
so we're asking to to make this change
for us
go ahead please uh the rest of your
knowledge this change will be able to
address any future I.T needs that the
police department will have we're hoping
that's what we're hoping for uh you know
I know what you have the specialized ad
of course uh you know we also hoping
that in the future also get more it guys
involved with that too
thank you thank you
so is this a civil service position the
um yes the Civil Service yep
[Music]
thank you
any other questions
second all in favor all right thank you very much thank you the next
item and announcement for cdbg slash CV
small business grant is the other
good evening everyone
um this request is related to the cdbg
CV funds that we received through the
cares act from the housing of the
Department of Housing and Urban
Development so we are requesting to
allocate two hundred thousand dollars
for small business grants so as part of
the economic recovery aspect of what we
are doing with that Grant you might
remember we've already funded this in
partnership with the Community Loan Fund
in the past the assisted over 64 local
small businesses with grants of up to
ten thousand dollars we're finding that
many businesses still identify the
effects of copin 19 as a as a barrier to
their success and have needs that have
you know shifted slightly since 2020 but
are still needs and impact from the
pandemic so we're basically just looking
for
um right now we're just looking for a
five-day public comment period
um to allocate this funding for the
small business assistance program it's a
five-day comment period because it's
cares act funding so it's emergency
funding essentially usually would be a
30-day common period as you know when we
make changes to our regular HUD
allocations so this is just for the
comment period and then we will come
back to you to ask to authorize the
mayor to enter a contract with the
community along one
go ahead please so in discussing this
um we talked about you know how you how
businesses know that it's available so
it's just not businesses were just
really familiar with us and
um so can you talk a little bit about
how to make sure we do our public
Outreach to make sure small businesses
are aware yeah I mean the Community Loan
Fund has a large network of businesses
that they work with them and provide
training for and that's also part of
this program that businesses who
um work through the grant also have the
opportunity to attend different
trainings and things that they offer and
then we also have a list of businesses
and a network that's building
um and we would yeah we would intend to
put it out in a lot of different
platforms whether it be a newspaper or
you know social media to make it public
that you know that their systems is
available so we'll we will definitely
put in the newspaper yeah yep
question any other questions
motion to move forward is second all in
favor
the next item is authorization to enter
an agreement that this is the house for
100 000 for neighborhood stabilization
rental rehab program Miss Diaz thank you
yes along the same line CBG CD funds
we're looking at our new
our neighbor area funding and this
wasn't
um to a specific project at the time
that was just allocated and we are going
to see sort of what goes to the top as
priorities one of the things that a lot
of our housing Partners have been
expressing is the lack of availability
of affordable housing and some of the
challenges and difficulties with rental
arrears that accrued over the course of
the pandemic the eviction moratorium and some of the issues that are facing a
lot of our our housing developers our
housing Partners like the Bethesda house
who is really working with our most
vulnerable populations so what this
proposal is is to allocate a hundred
thousand dollars in cdbg CB funding to
the Bethesda House of Schenectady to pre
and administer new affordable housing
landlord assistance program so this
program would essentially support
landlords to address some of the issues
that prevent them from from placing
families and individuals into housing
there would be a set of criteria that
would be set up to ensure that the forms
and required documentation
for the eligibility of the program or
met and was in you know in accordance
with the with the CB funding
unfortunately Kim Shepard couldn't be
here tonight she was Ill so she would
have been able to explain a little bit
better around some of the issues that
they're dealing with I know we just got
updated numbers from the coordinated
entry
um through cares and there are currently
334 households and which includes 94
families that are eligible for housing
assistance program and they're on the waiting list essentially
we're just waiting for units to be
available for housing so there is this
is really um you know deals with housing
instability
um I think I included some of the
information vetted landlords will be
provided financial assistance this would
total no more than ten thousand dollars
per unit
it would come with a period of
affordability in that agreement so this
would ensure that the assisted units
remain affordable and accessible to
individuals and families at or below 50
percent of the area median income and
this would be for at least three years
that period of affordability would be
tracked so that we can ensure that you
know it's it's serving the population
that we would need it too
any other questions good so I'm just
it seems like if the the families that
we're speaking of that were around that
waiting list
I'm wondering if the resources will be
better
um allocated directly to their families
or because it seems like if we're
talking about landlords this is too
um
assist landlords with their property in
order to to is this thing to get into
the code or get it to a place where
families can
um you know live within it and then
safely or it's like yeah so the issue is
that so there's the codes there's the codes issues where we would
any money that we invest in we will make
sure that the the property is up to code
um so there's that issue but then
there's the housing quality standards
which through the Section 8 program
units have to meet in order to to house
anybody in the unit so sometimes it's
kind of minor repairs that need to be
made in order to make a unit available
and that's really what we're talking
about because because of the housing
instability right now like there's a lot
of people with vouchers that just there
is literally no unit for them to go into
so we're we're trying to address it and
I think it's working with the landlord
specifically that work with Bethesda
house and scap and the other housing
Partners so that they they know who they
are
um and they're going to make sure that
they're vetted and that you know it's meeting the requirements that we
need to move to use the funding towards
um towards that effort of just getting
more units available I think a lot of um
you know with the eviction moratorium
and the rental of years that build up
during coven the landlords just don't
have the funding to kind of fix some of
these sometimes it's a minor thing
um and that's why this is only up to ten
thousand if the scope of work is larger
than that the landlord would have to
provide that match to actually pursue
the work
um so it's it's kind of trying to
instead of a incentivize making housing
available for the people who need it the
most in the city
my one question was just due to language
I think similar to what Mr Farley
constantly identifies I think committee
and then showing a proven history of
renting to low income or low to moderate
families is important so would you be
open to adjusting the language yeah and
that is something that we'll be working
on like once this gets approved then we
really have to work on a contract and
finalize the criteria and that will be
absolutely something that we would we
could incorporate and then secondly uh
always trying to make sure we take care
of the the city first I think that's a
powerful narrative so would you be
opposed to having
homeowners prioritize using construction
agencies that originally within the city
so you might have noticed there was some
language about that in here we did have
the conversation about Bethesda house
working with um the affirmative action
office and the construction skills
program to kind of incorporate into
these repairs where possible so that is
definitely something that has been in
discussion and will likely also be part
of the agreement once we get to that
point thank you
go ahead please so since we're assisting
landlords with these funds and I know
that your the language here says that
we'll keep them affordable but is there
anything in place
um to say that they can't raise the rent
more than a certain percentage like you
know five percent of some other
municipalities do I know we can't we do
that can't do that with everything but
in terms of this funding because
um generally speaking when people
improve their property then they tend to
want to raise the rent because the
property has been improved but they're
improving the new property for the
benefits coming from the city so will
there be anything in place that says you
cannot raise the rent
um you know the numbers we've heard 200
or whatever uh and there or is there a
stipulation is can there be a
stipulation how much within a certain
time frame you cannot raise the rent so
much
yeah I think that that's probably
already built into the agreements that
with the subsidies that they're
currently that Bethesda house currently
uses with landlords I I would assume
that that's already we would we could
confirm that but I would think that that
would already be built into their
agreement with landlords when they're
working with them but we can confirm
that with um Bethesda yep all right
thank you
here sorry go ahead please let's send a
comment on that question uh that
President Porterfield brought up in my
experience in dealing with HUD in a
prior life if
um the units have to be are geared
towards affordability to a certain Ami
which 50 50 there's an equation that has
to be done at the HUD level to determine
based on the area median income what
affordability would be for rental prices
for those units so it's already baked
into the Ami for the Target groups
so the rent can be it can't go up so
much it's always based on what the area
made in immediate income is for the
particular group that's being targeted
50 Ami or below
go ahead and we'll just say that
um maybe it's been updated recently but
that formula that was using
um for some time now uh I don't know if
it really reflects you know someone's
true uh means quality in life as far as we look at that threshold I think
it was a little outdated um you know if
I remember correctly
um also
it was ten thousand dollars
per unit right so but not for up two
tenth of two again so I guess I'm always
trying to think about you know when I
say you know landlord and you know it's
connected you're thinking about that you
know you know more mom and pop landlord
right right I mean that's you know I'm
just trying to see that you know that
this is something that benefits that
because if it's up to ten thousand per
unit but not per landlord then I if I
have multiple units and you know I can
take up a lot of this resource right I
mean and I think and this is actually a
very limited amount of funding so we're
requesting 100 000 so that could be ten
properties a little more depending on
and it really is going to be a
case-by-case Solutions into looking in
that but no I I wouldn't think that it
would go to like one landlord with 10
units so that's not the intention
um and I also just want to clarify that you
know Bethesda house is really working
with the most vulnerable populations
these are this is specifically for
homeless prevention so it's not really I
mean that's the targeted population
I agree and appreciate that the
population I'm thinking more on the uh
landlord I'm just you know receiving of
these funds I just think about like you
know how do we make sure that we are
maximizing these type of programs
because anytime reality is anytime we're
working with systems um people who are
you know
uh you know
inequitable outcomes are produced due to
the nature of the system itself right so
kind of to president porterfield's
earlier Point around people who are very
familiar with us as a city
um it's being big landlords who might be
very familiar with um
Bethesda housing or not just them but as
far as you know in the know around these
greens and how it's fine so I just want
to make sure that you know and I don't
think that that's necessarily a
conversation for you here and now but I
think it's important to note that we
just want make sure that we are
maximizing this by uh how can people
yeah no that's that's definitely been
part of the discussion as well and I
think
it's um yeah I think it's going to be I
think that this is really responds until
a set of prices yes
and is trying to also address some of
the tension that's built up right
between and there's a lot of landlords
who don't want to work with you know
some of our housing providers because of
what happened in the last couple of
years and we really need to rebuild
those relationships and do something
that's actually going to produce results
for getting people housed in the city of
Schenectady so that's what this really
is and it's not a lot of funding but
we're hoping that if it's successful and
it's something that makes sense that and
it's still needed that we can look to
other resources to help support in the
future very well done thank you thank
you
any other questions
foreign
yeah so this item was um we had an
application in our last year's uh annual
action plan and it was a proposal by the
Schenectady Guyanese Community Center
for fifty thousand dollars although it
was something that I think you know was
supported they really just needed to do
a couple of things in order for us to be
able to fund the initiative with one of which was getting city council
approval so on January 18th this past
month 2023
um thus the Planning Commission approved
project with that news we're we're
looking to move forward to allocate 50
000 towards the community center and
offer the mayor to enter an agreement
with the Douglas community center this
is to renovate their vegan building
that's at 1218 6th Ave and it would
provide a food pantry to Residents in
Mount Pleasant and additionally provide
traditional cultural programming for the
community
questions is there any contingencies
attached to this
or something so I think there is a
budget attached as well
um which it shows kind of what they've
put in already so they've already done a
significant amount of work
um there's there's so you can see there
that we're basically contributing 50 000
to the remaining 115 000 project scope
to complete the construction
so the other funding is in place yes yep
thank you
any other questions
some second all in favor all right
the next item is a mending resolution
2022-214 to apply a one year time frame
to Aquatic Center and Miracle on Craig
Street Harbor allocation
back in August of last year when we
there were two agencies that we didn't
apply near timeline
we discussed this several weeks ago and
we put it on hold because we wanted to
make sure that we looked for both our
locations and to make sure we're
capturing all the agency that didn't
have the timeline and these are the only
two agencies that didn't have a timeline
so the proposal proposal is to amend
this resolution and to apply a one year
Times line to these two agencies as was
previously discussed
since not only things
questions
seeing on morning second all in favor
aye thank you
the next item is a request authorization
for 1.5 million dollars in hard mode
funding for sidewalk Improvement
I am a party
thank you Mr chairman again submitting
to the council request for some funding
but the more I believe is a pragmatic
component of this request is to put a
fixed dollar amount on
a sidewalk Improvement so that a
homeowner knows what the number is uh
it's kicked around now for four years
maybe longer of doing these improvements
on the streets where residents would
petition come back to the city council
after they got a number of signatures
and then trying to come up with a
formula that reflects
something the city is going to
contribute and there's something that's
going to be the responsibility of the
property owner
engineering spends a lot of time doing
calculations on these going back and
forth everybody's is a little bit
different uh
we end up wasting a lot of time and
effort on this and what I'm asking the
council to do is put in place
a fixed dollar amount per foot
on the Frontage of your sidewalk and
then when we go out to bid you know some
are going to come in a little bit higher
some will be a little bit lower but the
city would pick up that variable cost
and the council would again set the
fixed dollar amount so the homeowner
would know if you have a 50 foot
Frontage if you have 100 foot front edge
what your fee is and again the past
practice has been when the work is done
the homeowner could either pay for it
in total really at the end of the year
with that first tax bill or it goes on
the tax bill for a period of time
determined by the city council which I
think you've used 10 years for the past
their sidewalks could go easily 15 years
depending on making it affordable and I
think we've used the last one an
interest rate of four percent but
it's a good program there's a lot of
interest in it in the city but we've
gotten bogged down in the minutia of
going back and forth arguing about these
let's say an arguing discussing
variations in
what are minor
uh design features on each individual
property and I believe that's just
holding up the ability of some
neighborhoods or streets to move ahead
with this and so asking for the council
to come out uh send a message that
you're agreeable to a fixed dollar
amount and move ahead so that we can
again take some of the streets that are
in the pipeline now and then also
encourage other
streets to petition and commit and work
with them to replace the sidewalks
go ahead please so for um the fixed recommendations
fixed cost of 55 per linear foot
correct I think the ones that we've done
in the past have been just above 55
so it's
very close to that
um
you could do 49.99 it's a sale tonight
Mr wall can answer this question if not
so
um is there a like can would you be able
to tell like an average cost of what it
would be for an average home or is it
just so different from all the homes and
the properties in today's market yes
yeah in today's market what we're
looking at the camp and Earth's League
the ones that we have done and then the
average cost of somewhere between 80 and
115 depending on the complications
but if you didn't find one in your phone
okay
and then and so we're seeing the city we
cost it would cover 55 of them we would
do 55 per month
and
then I just want to make sure that what
we're doing is this would affect both
programs we have the program this would
be supplemental with that program
because we already have a capital fund
that is already created for sidewalks
and these two would work together then
okay
go ahead please so
it seems like this is is a matter of
like just the way of the formula we've
been using as a city just this is way
more efficient effective way to do this
and get it done we're doing a very
complicated way and coming out with
about 55 dollars I'm saying or I should
say a little bit above or a little bit
of low you can just set a fixed out is
it 50 is it 55 something so that the
homeowner
they want their sidewalks done they want
to know what it's going to cost them and
adding 100 bucks here or taking
something off there it complicates it
and slows it down and I think it adds an
element of frustration
for the homeowners
um answer
we have a million dollars set a size of
revolving one million views set aside
it's basically this one by five little
company van deck or are we going to do
away with the Hamptons and again with
the amount of need that is out there
believe that that it's a step in the
right direction but hopefully we would
again use that and be coming back to you
seeking more funding in the future that
would get us you know the rate we've
been doing it
uh
be able to do it for a period of Time
begin to get a broader buy-in from
residents in the city
go ahead so I guess I want to see how I
can appreciate doing things in a way
that just makes sense for people and
increases access unless they get it done
I guess my my question would be
um why are Harper funding is there any
other existing funding that
would uh
that we could use to do this
you know we have some that is previously
bind the dealing mechanism would be
either
put in another budget or to
Bond it going forward
so the so the money that's there um in
the capital budget right now so so the money is so the money isn't the
problem the money is there
not not talking about the arbor money
the money is there it's just the process
is needs to be fixed and therefore
people can access the money that you're
saying to fix the process and then add
um to show that we're in fact serious
about addressing the problem
I'm picking up in more uh a larger
Shield because the previous one we did
at 30 percent somewhere around Europe
cities here on the second box of uh you
get it depending on yes so this would be
pretty much be upload towards like 50
percenters right so it just came good
for the hormones
any other question of this
is it's known as a column and definitely
identifying appropriate dollar amount to
the various Point helps to increase the
Streamline this process definitely
sidewalks are quality of like issue that
many schenectadians experience
and I want to make sure that we're being
intentional as a council where if this
is funds that we're putting forth to
assist homeowners with making sure their
sidewalks are up kept I want to make
sure these aren't costs that are being
transferred to renters
so I don't know if there's any way of
not suggesting that I just want to make
sure as a council we're identifying some
indirect uh
issues that we could be transferring on
to internal directed community
I'm in favor
making sure everyone knows that we're
taking into consideration all aspects of
what this how this can lead to them
[Music]
Mr Holton is the way that that can be
addressed or is that if when you fix
your sidewalks that's whatever you want
to do you want to do with the rent it's
essentially outside of you know how
we would essentially be interfering with
you know the ability of a landlord to
negotiate a contract with a tenant in
the form of police thank you
but this again originates
via a petition process by Property
Owners on the street
so people petitioned in one house happen
to be rental in their sidewalk is
non-compliant either they would be
incorporated in it or under today's code
we can go in and cite them and replace
the sidewalk and put it on their bill
their tax bill is a municipal voucher
which in fact is a more expensive way to
do it and again is it individual
property owner fixing the sidewalk in
front of your property is more expensive
than when we're doing this as a major
Municipal project of replacing the whole
street we're getting better value in
terms of the quantities we're buying in
the end result adds more value to the
properties as a whole so I understand Mr
Williams concern but I believe that the
impact of this actually benefits people
to a higher level than some who
potentially might be inconvenienced by
it
any other questions are coming in
motion to move forward
second all in favor
aye
the next two item is our provocation for
stymet spark Improvement and Road Park
Improvement
back when we discussed our second
um sorry
we second allocation our publication we
question was raised as to why um money
was not set aside first time it's far
and it's probably brought us up and
drilled Park and was probably myself was
Porterfield and then we looked at it and
then we went back to the stakeholders
them and they provide us a
to-do lists of things what they need at
both parts I'm sure each one of you are
happy and things here so proposing based
on the estimates that was provided
we're asking or suggesting um to the
council my colleagues that we set aside
five hundred thousand dollars each so
same as part and Grove Park 500 000 and
to leave that with the mayor and the
city staff to look at how they can work
with these two parks with all the
additional parks that already have
received funding and able to take care
of the basic needs of these two
operational parts
so with you here we're asking for that
amount of money to be set aside from our
location for these two parts
misfortable
so one of them came from Mr palomini
where he's um there's funding that's
outlined
for
Simon's park for a five thousand four
hundred four five thousand five hundred
thousand forty two dollars and so you
can look through that um and then
additionally something that came from
the grass Park Cricket Association who
is the group that uh it's mostly Cricket
played in grab Park I believe we all
know that so they've submitted some
information to what's actually back in
October that we're bringing forward now
as we're talking about these parts
to see what the things need to be done
there is no price tag attached to this
we would need to work with the
engineering department to see you know
what the price would be and all of that
however we wanted to be able to bring
this forward now because we are making
uh Investments and improvements in Parks
throughout the city wanted not to
overlook any parks especially that
they've already come to us and master so
as we've been doing this and we're
getting to the season where people are
going to start wanting to use the park
we wanted to make sure we brought this
forward and started moving ahead on this
so that's why you're seeing this today
to help with some work out there
so I'm not sure if that is part of this
also here
no we can inquire everything
so listen to set aside money and put
that there so that the city can start
moving forward to address some of these
concerns at these parks
any other questions regarding setting
aside five hundred thousand dollars for
assignment spark 500 000 for Ground Park
so can we move them together and have
one resolution
you can certainly do that but you need
to do it separately as well yes I think
we should move separately because if we talked about the money from um sex
that we may not believe that funding
unless it will still come back that way
yeah
okay so we'll start this part all right
motion so it moves like our problems and
second all in favor
aye and a motion to move real far
allocation second all in favor
the next item is allocating additional
art of funding for the Central Park Pool
spray pad and facility Mr wall
thank you
I need another hand uh good evening so
what we have here is as you're aware of
the city council appropriated 4.95
million dollars for the design and
construction of a pool in Central Park
um that project was designed wet bid and
we received the bids the bids were more
than the funding which was 4.95 I
provided you with a cost summary in your
package so the total cost of the project
considering all soft costs and money
spent to date is approximately 10.1
million dollars which is really unless
with a short poll of approximately 5.2
million dollars over the 4.95 that was
allocated so what we like to do is make
a request to allocate the additional
Harper funding so that we can award and
constructible
who
why is it coming up now to additional
5.5 million dollars is it added warrant
scope of work or is it costs over a
um I would say that it's probably a
little of each thing as we started with
the project
um you know it was a Central Park Pool
had the location we worked to develop
the location back when we started as we
started the developable location we
started to find the needs of the
facility so the facility that was there
previously was a tennis Stadium what a
lot of people didn't know as a tennis
Stadium did not have a sanitary line it
had actually septic tanks in the ground
so this is a public facility that we're
looking to use essentially from May 1st
to October 31st so things like sanitary
affirmative water line more robust
Electric System all those things needed
to come in those were substantial we
started getting into the code
requirements for the pool parking we
were hoping to use Fair Avenue parking
requirements need to be closer to the
building for buses and things like that
to come than it was mechanical we have a
separate mechanical building we have a
splash pad because the pool can only be
from usually July and August and two
months so we wanted a facility that was
more readily available for people who
are maybe there for the tennis or for
some other events they're like the
baseball if it is a May season or later
on because we usually have our splash
pads open from Labor Day Memorial Day
past Labor Day and then as you see as we
got into it and we actually bit it the
cost that came back were substantially
higher you know we sat with our
Consultants on that steel epoxies
materials a lot of things went up I
actually have a list of other things
regarding the utilities the supporting
facilities the cap we did have some
issues with our apprenticeship program
and the specialty contractor mainly the
pool contractor
there were really only one pool
contractor who could meet our cap
requirement so we had that
also as we got into it the building is
built as a municipal building which is a
higher grade than even a commercial
building we have van
the whole building is CMU which is a
concrete block with a finish on it it
also has steel trusses not wood trusses
so it is a stronger Municipal Building
compared to maybe what a community
center built for their facilities so all
these things cumulative
tick tick tick added off to kind of what
we have today and you know in
discussions with the committee it was
you know we had estimates but the
estimates were always with large
asterisks as it could be this it could
be this so the thought was let's bid it
let's get a hard number of what this
would actually be in real dollars we
actually were concerned at one point
that no one would bend the pool because
no one was qualified we actually did a
lot of back and forth with contractors
Law Department purchasing at the time
and we actually were able to find one
that was applicable to do it and uh and
that's kind of up to speed where we are
right now with the project but uh we
wish it was less but the number we feel
is in there also not to be forgotten is
the soft cost of that which are
construction Administration and
construction inspection so those
typically run between 10 and 20 percent
that's why on your summaries I actually
provided you with the percent of
construction because that is like an
industry standard for all my federally
projects which we do I'm usually right
around 15 percent for design and 15 for
construction so I just wanted to show
that you know
Saratoga Associates their design fee was
essentially five percent and our other
fees are six and three percent so
they're all well under kind of what the
industry standard would be I also would
bring up the fact that I just am about
to let the King's Road Bridge Project
which is a bridge replacement and in
order to actually let that project I had
to seek approval and funds from the cdtc
committee which was an additional two
million dollars so that was a four
million dollar project and I needed
additional two million dollars to be
able to do that that was approved last
week so we are moving forward with that
but that kind of puts you in the realm
of the market that we're in we were
fortunate in that case to have that
resource to go to for the bridge for
this with the pool we have our own
resources so with that I'll open it up
to questions and the marriage here
according to it
so you said that they're so you've
mentioned two things committee and then
you also said that some of these are
added things but are not a part of the
original plan yeah uh the original plan
it was a the pool with the associated
pool house but as we went I mean the
splash pad was probably the one that
would be the ad because it was discussed
you know the pool season is so short
we're making these investments in the
splash pads and other Parks is now the
time to have one at Central Park and the
pool committee decided that now you know
now is the time to have a splash pattern
if it's going to be somewhere it's going
to be there we have the space if you've
been to the site it's quite large but
now that it's clear so that was a
decision by the committee to to do that
um because that's the biggest you know
another thing is we move the
mechanical room out from inside the main
building to a separate mechanical
building we thought that would be more
efficient to have everything you know so
that we're not integrating public and
everybody into there another decision
that was made was that
the building should be more prominent to
the tennis courts so as you know the
tennis Association USTA uses those
tennis courts a group of 18 Courts for a
lot of their tournaments they bring
about 300 people in
um they rent a fleet of porta potties
for those events and they've actually
asked us to build them a facility we
actually had it designed by the lake
Freight Gilmore and bid but that
facility came in at over half a million
dollars in 2016. and we couldn't justify
the investment just the bathroom it was
just a bathroom with a roof so we we
scrapped it we said that it's too much
for bathrooms for the tennis court so
with this opportunity in this location
what we did was we decided okay well do
we really want to have this million
dollar bath house that we use July and
August so we hold it towards the tennis
courts so it was you know closer to the
road which was also ideal for security
purposes and now what we're doing is
part of that other allocation of the
harp up outside defense Central Park
money we're going to improve the
intersection there with stop signs
crosswalks so that if people who are
playing tennis want to use the
facilities along with people who are
running or using the baseball field or
other things we have that building now
there and we're looking to use it from
May to October similar to the other
buildings and that building will have
changing rooms bathrooms family
bathrooms which are not available in the
other bathrooms and we know that family
bathrooms are a thing because we're
trying to move away from gender
discriminatory bathrooms so this
building will have three family
bathrooms available as well as the
standard male and female rooms so that
was a change because that actually made
the building a little bit bigger because
we wanted to make sure that we could
accommodate all these uses and use it
more through the year it has an entryway
it's it's a very nice building you know
we talked internally you know did we
want the building to look like a you
know it was always going to be made of
masonry there's always going to be a CMU
building but this is C you with a steel
truss it's not a CMU flight roof bunker
you know it's an attractive building
um
so that was those were some of the main
changes that led to this I don't think
we were going to get away with the
parking it was discussed originally to
really try to use Fair Avenue but even
if we push the facility all the way to
the back of the site Fair Avenue is
still down the slope and across the
field to get to there it was a little
far especially if we're thinking about
there's going to be we're hoping that
there's going to be swim meets and buses
and people uh coming and handicap
accessibility so that's why we decided
to pull it forward and that made the
parking lot we met with music Haven on a
gold she liked the idea of the parking
lot if you saw the layout of the parking
lot we also have it set up so that we
can close if we needed to the road prior
to music Haven and use the parking lot
as a turnaround right now if you were to
go down to music Haven there's a just a
terrible not a roundabout it's just a
dead end so people go down there and
they just stop so this parking lot was
thought that okay if you put a fence
here and we put it here you can actually
turn around and we wouldn't have to have
people go down towards the Pavilion in
that area to kind of stop the congestion
so these are you know a lot of different
discussions that were had with the
committee we had a great committee we
had members from music Haven and we had
you know a diamond and we had uh Pam
Perlman with the greenhouse and the Rose
Garden also so it was that it was a good
committee but you know as the the
desires and the talks and how this is
going to integrate into the park we did see the costs encryption
[Applause]
so I appreciate the
um background so definitely I can
understand that the changes were
warranted in scope I think for me
personally it changes my understanding
of how this was going to be a phased in
approach I thought this is something
that we were going to gradually step
into and I apologize for my
misunderstanding that that was such but
I thought this was going to be a good
year so in my understanding of
advocating or communicating this to the
entire community that we are now
investing
hundred percent more dollars into this
one area of the city and understandably
this is
the conjula of Schenectady and we all
agree on that are there any other
funding methods to support this and the
only reason I want to ask is if this
truly is the opportunity moment to put
forward all these dreams because we now
have this money available are we
evaluating alternatives
before just saying yes because the money
is available now
it always look to use arpa money for
this project and again we are under
pressure to close the existing swimming
facility because it just does not need
current code issues we were able to keep
it open in 22 working with the county
and
more attendant monitoring this timeline
will probably not get it open as early
as I would like even though until we
award the contract sit down with the
contractors who won't have a definite
timeline but the option becomes we're
going to have to close that other
sewing facility in want to get this open
as quick as we can get it built and have
it as a facility that reflects
the quality that we're putting in a
diamond to music Haven and golf course
the Rose Garden
this will fit in there and it is part of
The Branding of Schenectady
the previous issue with the garbage
schedules I think it'd be important to
kind of take a take a pause and make
sure we make make sure we're considering
all of their aspects of how we can
financially fund this project but also
it's giving us an opportunity to remind
the scantalians that we are putting
splash pads in other areas of the
community so although this would not be
a resource available at Central Park
there are other entertainment areas
for them to be able to
have recreational water water fun
a question of
I don't know where are any updates on
the federal infrastructure funding
that we were supposed to receive
those are on an application basis either
competitive or
going through the state we have not
received any additional funding at this
point
thanks
so we we submitted an application but
nothing yet no some are based on
application so you have to apply for a
water funding you have to apply for
Broadband you have to apply for
different areas so we have is there
something open where we could apply for
a water and have we
for water well you said water funds so
if you reduce water and sewer primarily
it would not
well at this point for a swimming pool
okay even if we have to put more um you
said we haven't divert what we have to
put in pipes now there are some things
some utilities we have to put in yes but
that wouldn't come under that that's
what you say
those components have not been looked at
for other funding yeah I think if we
I don't think it would be the right
application of that grant for this
particular project that is more for I
would say large distribution or a
Mainline these are essentially larger
style laterals like you would have in a
house they're not you know water mains
so if we were going to go through the
effort of filling out an application for
that you know like for instance I know
that they try to do one for the water
wells you know that's almost a
multi-million dollar project so that's
worthy of that kind of an effort because
it is competitive funding this kind of
thing would be I don't think is
competitive if you're doing it in a in a
solicitation like that
my further question is there's been talk
and there was an application that was
submitted for doing something at the
casino which is in the park but this
none of this includes trying to do
anything
to that for that building now
correct it does not and we're going to
meet with the group uh
I think Mr Kerry's talking about coming
in next week
where they've modified their proposal
and concept and I'm not aware of what
details they have
look forward to meeting with them
I know there was another
uh there were some other community
interest in that uh building
um
that there's a possibility of maybe a
collaborative effort so I just want to
make sure that we make sure that we
extend that invitation or you know
and I think they're open to that yeah
to put
more utilization in there gives
everybody benefits off you know each
other's involvement in time here
we've we've investigated that facility
years ago it will need significant
improvements so if we decide to do those
improvements for one of the association
you'll most likely see me in the next
Capital requests here with that in a
facility request because it will be
significant but it's worthy it will
restore and put it what it will be
significant
5.5 million already for this pool ad
project
I I have two Capital codes set up that
I've been using for 4.95 million so if
there is an additional one I'm
I I missed it we haven't needed it we
have the money but I can I can look I
don't believe we have that so you're
thinking there's another 500 yes
correct
about 500 000 yeah is it 5.5 million set
aside for an additional we originally
4.5 of them has about a million dollars
it was 450 000 4.9 right
I I may be wrong I had my codes as 404.5
million remaining out of 4.95 because
495 was for the design so or 450 for the
design but I could have it if it's there
it's fine there's two codes that are set
up for the project you might want to
look into that because I think um we did
pass in one of the allocations an
additional an additional one million on
demands request to set aside now there
was an additional one million
dollars pass for arpa for what we what
we staff Call outside the fence
so this project is what we're calling
the inside defense project which is the
pool facilities the outside defense
project is for the intersection the
parking areas you're going to develop a
path between Fair Avenue and music Haven
with white it's for the improvements to
bring people to the park safer so you
are correct that we did pass that but
that is while it's related to the pool
it's also more for the general
improvements of the Park yeah because it
I'm looking at my document always has a
Central Park Pool General site one
million dollars on top of the 4.5
million correct that one getting it
though is you are correct but the
intention of that was for for so with
that money we were going to do the
intersection over like I'd explained
earlier we were going to clean up the
parking area in front of the tennis lots
and we were going to officially make
that path uh that right now is kind of
more of a dirt road that goes behind a
dime and that people walk on when they
go to music Haven with with lights and
things like that
um so that was what that one million is
and that's what we would that's why we
call it General site improvements
because it's for the park as a general
area so bear in mind we have they are
also allocated funding for the tennis
court yes or the tennis facility yep can
you just mention about doing some work
with this million dollar there
tennis court so no
um so the tennis court half a million
dollars was for the repair and
restoration of the courts themselves the
courts themselves have bird baths and
cracks and things like that which occur
over the time
um last time we did work on those courts
was 2016 and enabled in order to keep
them in the USDA condition we have to do
that and that was the estimate that we
have to to do that we had a meeting with
them but yeah so I could I mean I could
put together a summary of what all this
is for but that 500 was for inside the
fence of the tennis courts yeah then the
million was for outside of everything to
kind of make the connectivity
yeah if you can just look into the
millionaire like look at the narrative
here it's saying Central Park Pool in
general side yep that's why we look at
it and we pass it based on adding
additional funding towards a pool
because
I have a slide of what I use to talk
about a little bit and what that was for
but it's more of a connectivity uh
surrounding the park it was uh pool and
this is the pool itself
good please so these profits you're
giveness I often with projects like this
there's change orders this is not even
taken to consideration because we won't
know it yet if any change orders come
about so that is if you look into the
middle of the sheet uh contingency for
change orders eight percent so that's
okay so that is in in there I'm not
saying that we're going to spend all of
that but the idea with that is that I
have something to spend if we have
change we're going to have change with
this it's just the you know the amount
so given the fact that we have already
done a lot of due diligence we've taken
down the trees we've done site we have
all borings and we know that the soils
in the area are good we don't think
we're going to uncover any Boulders or
oil tanks or anything like that usually
contingencies 10 to 12 percent so we
felt safe enough to bring it down to
eight percent and that is in here so
that I don't have to come back and ask
for additional applications because you
know the difference between money like
this and saving money is the payment
money I kind of have we get from the
state in federal money I it's kind of
like my this is different this is hard
because there's not money set aside in
the budget for pools so that you know
anything pulls in Parts have always been
hard for us in the capital because you
have to set aside that money
specifically
muscle only just for us so you know for
us to keep up our record can you list
all that added facilities or anything
that comprise that follows on the
facilities where you say Central Park
pools spray bad and Facilities
yeah the facilities were and if you
cannot today but you can listen and send
it to the college okay another idea of
what your what do you mean by facilities
it's what we're calling the bath house
yeah and then Palm Hospital
any other questions
this icon is just a discussion
purpose no I'm asking you for
authorization for funding
I think it's in on the city that I'm not
planning here
you have it here as icam number two
item number two so yeah
so these already have gone out today
you're asking them for the money but the
bid's already been done right the
just came in
yeah just to be clear this particular
piece of legislation the recommendation
is to authorize the finance commissioner
to allocate an additional 5.2 million in
arpa funds for the Central Park full
spray pattern facility project so it was
not a discussion item
no no if you look on this city
development planning there's an item
there it's an experience
item number one and two is for them yeah
discussions for Revere Avenue
so one or two are to award-bidden
contract
right
correct
okay
any other discussion
I've you know I'd like to see I mean
you've explained a lot today and I would
like to say like this is more than we
had initially when it came before the
council I'd like to see it as a con as a
comprehensive package and then we do
have three council members in this thing
tonight
um who didn't get to hear all this
discussion so
um that's where I am with it right now I
just like to see is there something that
we don't have to
um that we don't have to do these bids
are good for 45 days and
yeah what's the timing on that yeah so
we got caught in a little bit of a
catch-22 that I wasn't really prepared
for but
um we had the bids out on December 2nd
um we had some questions so we pushed
out the return date to Thursday January
12th so that we could give everybody
time because there were a lot of
questions like I said with the cap and
with some of the things with regard to
the pool uh January 2nd was legislative
conference so we didn't have time to
review the bids and get them in the
legislative conference on top of that as
you'll see in your uh
what is your agenda today we did not get
a mechanical of it so then we also
wanted to have that together we only got
three of the four so then we held off
until the next but there was a dark
Monday on January 30th that pushed us
out the extra actually you know two
weeks almost so now uh 45 days this is
the best cycle to do it if we wait for
the 45 days it's Jan February 26th is
when that 45 days is over but the next
council meeting is February 27th and
then we would still have to get the
signatures on the agreements so that's
why we thought to bring them both to you
today was to try to stay within the 45
minutes
timelines here
and they ask on the table is to get more
details get a list of all these things
here I'm sure
Madam President we can schedule a
special meeting a finance meeting and a
special city council meeting to
accommodate that you meet your timeline
to get this done before the 26th so it
will be proven that you give us that
information okay and we have the council
member the next meeting and we can
discuss it in more detail and have a
look at all the added facilities and the
scope of work
and we can move forward I don't think it
would be a issue having special meetings
to accommodate this
absolutely
I'm not available
um I would like all of the council
members to to at least hear the
conversations today and we have three
people that are missing I I knew that
two I didn't know the third
um so I would really if we could just
move along and we'll have a special
meeting and with finance and counseling
to make sure that everyone is clear and
again this what we understood when this
initially was brought to us has grown
tremendously so um that for me is a
concern that we heard about it after the
growth of it as opposed to on the front
end of it
so just want to take a little bit more
time to absorb all of that
yeah so is that oh yeah we'll get to it
the same with items one and two City
development planning all three rules at
the same time so we wouldn't be able
until we make sure we have the funding
all the funding in place we can't award
bids of contracts but we would hope to
do all of them special meeting yes
that's correct yes so he will be
discussing our allocation and then
contract
for these um
and he had a question regarding this
item
[Music]
all right
um
make sure we work with the clerk we will
call for the special meetings and make
sure the council members get it and get
the information once you receive the
official documentation we'll schedule
and call the yes yes I'll send all the
information to Sam tomorrow
okay okay
all right thank you for your time
and obviously Ron Gardens office on our
ewbe
um
goes on this project as well
yeah
[Music]
he said yes yes
all right the next item updates on our
phones powerful allocations the best
Quarterfield
yes um
so you know we've allocated a lot of
money so at this point in time I'd like
to know where we are with that
um where our contracts are within I did
send an email out and so let me just
also say that Mr Ferrari did provide for
us the remaining funds uh about 8
million in our for funds so this point
in time for those the money that we have
allocated the council is allocated I'd
like to know where we are with the
contracts what's been sent out so
looking for the update from
um thank you from development and uh
also I sent the email to Mr Golden so
I'm not sure how we're going to who's
going to take one role
yet
um yeah so just to give a brief update
without going into every single
um awardee of the arpa funding um we we
did execute the contract fully with YWCA
which is great because that was a
critical needs project for some of their
critical repairs of the facility we have
the same thing has their contract
they're reviewing it and that should be
executed I would say very shortly
um we will be coming back next cycle
with the food Council
allocation I think we need to get
approval from the council to go to
contract so we we um we will be bringing
that back on the next cycle for approval
based on discussions with the foundation
and sitcom and the other partners to
come up with a final budget
um I believe in addition to that we are
just still waiting on the pre-contract
requirements from various organizations
before we can actually enter into
contracts for those projects and we
still have some awards who who really
haven't responded to the request for
that information so far so I think you
know
after some time we should start to I
mean I know we have the year timeline
placed on a lot of the projects but I do
really think we should probably come up
with a you know a timeline of when we
can receive these pre-contract
requirements and you know what to do
beyond that
um do you have any other I mean I got
those
unless you guys are good questions yeah
so yeah I only heard you mentioned like
two people so far yeah
we gave a lot of requirements for people
for the pre-contract stuff I'm thinking
it'll save us a lot of time and effort
and the tail end after we get these
contracts executed just making sure
everybody has you know a good shape
and they're prepared to move forward and
effective efficient manner so I think
people are trying to get their their
stuff together
so we definitely need a timeline so
specifically those who didn't have any
contingencies
um
none of this like nobody has responded
they have no contingencies and still I
haven't gotten the information to you
they're they're getting it together um
there's some back and forth they don't
necessarily have all the documents they
need to have
um there's polish procedures in place
that we ask them put in place they're
working to get together and aspects yeah
so there's been a lot of communication
and contact with a lot of the
organizations but we're just not at a
point to enter a contract yet
um and some of it is you know some of
the projects are also you know we're
waiting for them to add final budgets
and things like that so there's just a
lot of moving Parts with a lot of the
projects and also getting you know the
organizations to get together those documents so that's kind of where
we are but we do have you know the
contract we've worked with the law
Department we have the template we're
working with the organizations we're
just not really in a position to to
execute on the ones that we don't have
all the information for
oh
go ahead with this would you stand there
at this time are there any projects that
you are more worried about than being
that deadline
and if so I think that would be
appropriate to provide the listing or
update to the council as
well we can we can look more more into
that game
yeah and like I mean I would say the
ones who just haven't responded I mean
we can actively reach out but you know
there's a limited time that they're
going to spend doing that you know
um you know we want to be proactive
about executing these projects we also
can't you know just continuously reach
out if we're not really getting a
response so yeah at a certain point
we're going to have to evaluate that and
then
I imagine like bootcampus but so much
hand-holding but based on my scope and
uh
viewing comparatively with what you have
been receiving from other projects I
would just like to know what monies
could potentially be returning to the
council that we need to then focus on
how do we reallocate that in the worst
case scenariants I think this point in
time it's gonna you know we don't have
that number yet
um most the big ticket items that you
had large allocated dollars to
um had a significant number of
contingencies cash them any other money
they need to raise so once we get a
better idea of where they're going to
stand with those projects
give you a better idea of how much money
you'll get back you know most most of
there's some that are fairly
significantly small
um you know ten fifty thousand dollars
which is a small amount of money I was
gonna say but for this for 52 million
dollars it's not it's not a significant
amount but so we'll we'll have a better
idea probably in a few months of what
money is probably could be reallocated
yeah we definitely need to know that and
uh so I would like to post it to the
council that we discussed getting a um
because it sounds like you're kind of
extreme amount of work to do and it's
beyond what you normally do that we um
talking about using some of the arpa
funds to actually hire Consultants who
keep track of this money
um it's a lot for our you know it's
additional it's an additional um job to
do beyond what staff is already doing
and so I would like to propose that we
look at how to consultant to keep track
of keep track of the projects keep track
of the money and just you know um
we're looking at that internally to
match it up to be able to do the
allocation and then do the monitoring
so you're not you're you're saying
you're not interested in doing an
outside consultant to bring in I didn't
say that they said we're doing it we're
looking at one
house or
actually have somebody else as a
consultant
[Music]
so as far as the timeline goes um
obviously we'll be looking at are you
know depending on again project scope
amount you know the contingencies that
are put in place
um we should probably have like a
timeline thing this is the deadline but
that deadline then would have to take
into all those considerations so I just
wouldn't you know want to have an
expectation for
um a project with no contingencies or
maybe some small contingencies put them
at the same timeline as a project with
lots of contingencies because that was
just you know be setting them up for
failure so I'm just concerned about that
kind of
maybe you guys put the ones with
contingencies you did actually put a
timeline in place fourth and
um so okay I was talking about
um people that are like we're not
hearing back from or saying or like
there's some there's some figuring out
why you know yeah some documentation
that needs to uh that needs to be
produced
um yeah so I was just thinking around
those you know if we put together so we
have that that overarching timeline
where we talked about adding in an
additional timeline for paperwork
compliance is that what we're saying
it's about you know right related like
an intern deadline to get that stuff in
so that will make sure
that's right and if that was going to
happen those are just the considerations
that we've obviously implemented but I
think is worth enough
so um so thank you for that we were very
intentional about how we were spending
money make sure that certain
organizations got money however we are
also held to a timeline so if we can't
if we everything can be gotten in the in
within our time frame then we have to
make sure that we're understanding that
we would have to recapture some of those
funds so it's important that's why I
think it's important that we have
someone who's extremely dedicated to
making sure that that work is done so
um that we've you know allocate the
money and we're not giving any of it
back
um so what I'm going to ask for you is
like probably every couple of weeks now
at this point in time every Community
needs to just see where we are I think
we really have to stay on top of this
and um
if you could if it's just those couple
months if you would just be specific
with the ones just send an email and
I'll make sure sure yeah I didn't know
if we wanted to go through like every project but yeah we can we can
send that information so that
everybody's aware and if someone reaches
out that
it hasn't gotten in touch or something
we can we can you know
be able to to talk to them yes because
people are asking we do receive phone
calls so just like but so where things
are that would be great yeah
so we'll have this back
uh two weeks okay any other icon before
Finance
I have a motion to a driver second all
the paper uh thank you call to order
City development and planning and based
on our prior discussion
um items number one and two will be
considered when we have a special
meeting
that will be called regarding the
allocation of funds
item number three discussion of uh
Revere Avenue paper Street development
feasibility studies
thank you uh so if you recall several
months ago I came before you with a
proposal from CT mail to discuss the
scoping an investigation if the Revere
Avenue could be developed from paper
Street into an actual road we reviewed
the document together and the question
was brought forth about how future costs
would be handled and what the I guess
what the owner the owner of the
property's commitment would be as we go
forward with the investigation I believe
it is the property owners desire that
the city front this cost for CT mail to
do the investigation and then at that
point on to go forward they would be an
active partner in the development of the
area the owner of the property has
written a letter that is in here and the
owner is here today to discuss the
development and moving forward with the
project it so it would be great if we
could have a conversation today about
how we want to move forward with this
and I would welcome would you want to
come up with Frank and uh if there's any
questions we can discuss together
you do have
my uh proposal uh Chris had asked me to
submit something to you so that you can
see you know what our involvement it
would be just so you understand I'm not
the owner my wife is
um
she allows me to you know to make
condemnments for her anyways what we would like to do here is we we
have tried to develop this ourselves and
we found that we you know there were
environmental issues that needed to be
addressed and in doing so we weren't
proposing necessarily to put the road
through so what I'm asking for is a
feasibility study to see if the road can
go in and at that point then we will
determine you know how we're going to
perceive this because the development
team still is interested in the property
[Music]
so you're asking us to pay the six six
thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars
to for this visibility yeah
and these properties have all paid taxes
oh yes
many other properties have been owned by
the family for almost 50 years now and
uh
my wife's inherited you know this he's
the 17 icon 17 Labs you guys have it
split up on third view that's because
some of them have been combined
but anyways
um over the course of that time over the
course of the last 30 years I've been
looking at several different projects
you know what we can do with this what
we can't do
and with the zoning change you know to
the uh what was it R3
we were allowed you know to do the
multiple dwelling which is this is
surrounded by apartments from R1 correct
from a single single-family photographer
if you know the area the area is
multi-family homes
actually at the time when the zoning was
done I'm surprised that it wasn't
changed then you know just because
everything around it was an organ
so uh at any rate we found you know we
did find some developers that were very
interested in the property and that's
when we ran into some of the
environmental issues
and I feel pretty strongly that I think
that the city has a better chance of
getting those approved than we would as
private investor private Developers
[Music]
oil spills or anything like that you
know these property uh it has What was
seen as some unclassified Wetland areas
you know what we want to do is we're
talking about a very small area within
the right-of-way on adjacent to his so
what we want to do is to figure out the
feasibility see team mail the reason
that we are looking to work with TT mail
the CT mail is the city's ms4 and storm
water consultant they're very uh versed
in both the city and regionally how to
work with local Army Corps of Engineers
and the DDC
um because even though on any map that
exists because we've done the research
these are not uh classified they do not
exist on paper they still exist
physically as a wet area in the city and
we do our due diligence to see if this
can be developed if it cannot be
developed that's going to take us down a
different road because if we come into
the terms of this area cannot be
developed then these Parcels are
essentially
right well one one thing to keep in mind
is these parts that were part of a
subdivision of the city probably I would
say 70 or 80 years ago these properties
were set up paper streets
Lots were established Lots were sold
resold sold over again sold at tax sales
and so on on Down the Line
and that's how it was developed
now Wetlands act didn't come in a big
play until 1971 and they never really
came around with any real program on
that until the late 80s early 90s
so I mean you know actually if we had
done something with it in the 70s you
know maybe this wouldn't even be there
but I think that's where we had where
the city has an opportunity to work with
you know other agencies the federal
agencies and the state agencies to keep
this on the tax maps the way you want
um and it does say including
reimbursable expenses so
uh yeah so reimbursable expenses in
regards to this is technically if they
print a very large map where they do
mileage that's a reimbursable expensive
it's it's usually percentages more than
that it's we're not you know 35 cents a
mile they come from our office to here
so it's not it's not anything we're you
know we're not paying for a trip to
Vegas or running of a helicopter it's going to be they're usually well
climbed and it's not Central Park no
any questions any other questions from
Council Members I will say so I would
pay for this out of a operating code in
the engineering department that is
called fees for services I do keep a
fees line with money for hiring of
consultants and surveyors and things so
while this is not 100 budgeted when I
came to you there is budget to pay for
this portion of it so this is not
something that you know is outside the
realm of anything I don't have to you
know go digging it up I'll be able to
all right any questions
Mr Williams I know um do your recent uh
updates on the existence of paper
streets we're saying they're far in
between right
sorry as my follow-on question is making
sure this is seen as an opportunity and
not necessarily an obligation to do a
consideration too with
Chris
an opportunity not up yeah this is very unique and the uniqueness of it is
typically our paper streets are actually
around like Cal Brook Parks diamonds
Park Woodlawn they're around the park
area we do still have some but they can
be developed a little bit simpler this
particular street is entirety between
two streets next to two developed pieces
of land it's very unique because if for
some reason it could not be developed
then all the parcels on either side of
this are landlocked by all of their
neighbors and hence unusable and then I
would have to work with the property
owners and the assessor and possibly
Andrew to find okay well now you know is
it really how do we how do we do that
because the parcels then are you know
I'm not saying that every empty parcel
should not be a park you know we don't
have we don't really have a need to make
another Park in the area but this is a
it's a conversation um I can't remember
how many years ago it was it was
somewhere around six or seven years ago
Steve strickman did a very large study
around a little while and he just
started consolidating paper streets
around the Woodlawn preserve because
Woodlawn preserve was turning and
working with the Albany Pine Bush This
is not that I think that given the
location of this and giving that it
cannot be incorporated into other
aspects of parks or public lands I think
that it would be in the city's best
interest to work with a property owner
and just see this to its natural
conclusion
and if you know wherever that may be you
know and work with them and work with a
property owner because otherwise I I
don't know what you know what we would
do with it and it would be better to
keep this on the tax roll than to have
some things and have it justice
you know undevelopable area
thank you any other questions
well I will I will just say one thing
there's one volume up because it came to
me you guys didn't bring this up but uh
we built did talk with Metroplex and
given the location that it is solely uh
residential they at the moment are
saying that you know they'd like the
city to to work on it because they
prefer downtown mixed-use with a little
commercial just that that came up I did
uh when I talked with Mr irva I did go
and have a meeting with the Metroplex
Development Authority because I thought
that this was uh and then the whole city
is in Metroplex but they had talked with
him previously or were aware of it and
they said that they're just not this
isn't in their wheelhouse as of right
now so maybe down the line as we get
things going there'll be something but
right now they ask that the city takes a
lead on us there is the potential that
you know you could have some commercial
development in there as part of the
mixed use so I mean that is allowed in
the zoning so that is a possibility also
are there any other questions you have
anything else no I'm sorry I just wanted
to put that out there I did my due
diligence
any questions
um
the next item on the agenda is a Seeker
for building changes for banquet
facilities Miss DIA
[Music]
so we've completed the 30-day secret
review city council as the lead Agency
for the zoning coaches for Bank
facilities been discussed before with
the public hearing is held and so the
first action would be
um like issuing the negative declaration
for Seeker
have any questions
and next item agenda remind you donate
for change the language facility and
private clubs for a lot of them it's
just a reminder yep so reminders um once
The Seekers passed then you would pass
the amendment to his own program as
outlined anybody have any questions
around that
Mr Chipotle clarification the city
council approved the um
I think what Mr Marty presented earlier
related to the change to the certificate
of use process that referred to a
definition that is part of this code
change there's nothing that would
prevent the council to issue the deck
and also pass the ordinance at the
meeting on Monday that the council isn't
going to be doing the the passage to the
amendment to the zoning ordinance
at that time I would request that the
council again wait on the change to the
certificate of use because it does again
refer to a section that doesn't yet
exist in the code as it relates to the
definition so the set the council can
take action at this next meeting on
Monday to do the negative declaration
for the resolution and then pass the
ordinance
look at the Zone chair the zoning change
oh so you at first I thought you said we
should you no I'm saying you can what
I'm saying is it I wouldn't you have to
I wouldn't move ahead with a certificate
of use if you're in a change
if you're not going to move ahead with
the zoning change for death defining big
wood facilities private clubs and lodges
because the certificate of use refers to
this change so maybe this should be done
first so that way but what I'm saying is
I'm sorry what I'm saying is
um the council can move ahead with
um both doing the negative declaration
and passing the ordinance amending the
zoning code at Monday's meeting and that
wouldn't necessitate then holding off on
the certificate of use uh ordinance
change
um
yeah
but if the council is going to wait on
the zoning change then it should also
wait on the certificate of use change
I don't think we're waiting on the
zoning change I just wasn't sure because
it was it was a reminder and the
implication I want to make sure the
application wasn't uh to wait no no that
was just saying the public hearing just
reminded the public hearing already
happened
okay sure all right
so that was it for the Builder
facilities yes
um
oh yeah so I need a motion to okay so
second
all right that's the only changes item
number five
item number six you're gonna be here for
a little while
um the secret Amendment to the
overlaying Historic District 308 State
Street yep
um
so this is related to the overlay
District at three-way State Street once
again
um we've completed the 30-day secret
review with the city council estate
agency you would pass the negative
declaration in terms of environmental
impacts
any questions
so second all's in favor all right item
number seven is the reminder with the
amendment to the oh
it's really State Street in the public
hearing is held on January 9th perfect
so this is just approving that Amendment
I'll understand oh are there any
questions
so second all those in favor
item number eight
purchase option agreement for various
properties with uh Capital Region land
bank for the revitalization of Summit
Avenue this year
okay so we um we're here tonight we have
some of our partners here in the room as
well
um the city of Schenectady and the land
bank have partnered on various
neighborhood Improvement projects that
resulted in removing over 2 200 flighted
properties in the creation of over 250
minutes of new housing in multiple
neighborhoods
um there is as you are well aware of the
situation in Summit Ave where the city
owns a concentration of many vacant
inflated properties we've been for a
long time trying to find the right
opportunity that was a comprehensive
strategy for redevelopment in this area
we are working with Partners at MLB and
kfk who are here tonight as well as
David from the land bank to discuss this
proposal which we are excited about
because it's it's for home ownership so
this isn't for you know a large
development this is to create it is
ourselves but it's for it's for home
ownership and we're excited about that
aspect of it so
um I want to invite Pam swanigan from
AFA and Damien
um we have a quick there's just a quick
presentation here that I'll that will
let them go through and then we can talk
about the actual
um options
absolutely I'm looking at the pan first
so
um aik Property Group
in general thank you very much this is a
once in a generation opportunity from my
perspective as a small uh
African-American developer in the area
we're able to create generational wealth
through creation of new homes
it's not rentals and the most important
and exciting part about it is that the
homes that we sell will be the first
individuals who live in the neighborhood
and then we will cast The Net wider but
we want to focus
primarily on those who've lived in the
neighborhood for a while and so um I'm
gonna
the gentleman over there I don't
remember your name you were talking
about Ami the homes would be affordable
um 80 Ami and that will make it more
available and possible for the Neighbors
so we've been listening to the
neighborhood and this is what they
wanted not rentals well we made rentals
of course but they also need homes that
they can pass on to the next Generation
so with that I'll let
um
Daniel talked more about the technical
pieces
um thank you very much you don't mind
going back on this live for a moment I
think that you know I'm especially
excited about being able to have this
partnership with aik I think MLB's
Mission and aik's Mission are very
synergistic in this particular situation
and between the two of us what we're
really looking at doing is improving the
city is connected in one neighborhood at
a time we're hoping to create a program
that's going to be reused throughout all
Schenectady and have something that is
going to be successful and as Pam said
really create that generation of wealth
that Equity those homeowner ownership
homeowner opportunities that we're
looking to create thank you
so moving on to some of the specifics of
it we're looking at 19 Parcels in and
around 7th Avenue there are 18 that the
city owns one we're working with the
park with the county
um you know we are still looking at
potentially adding additional if that
works but from the moment we really want
to get these under control
the district is R1 and R2 zelding we
have a little over 12 Hertz total linear
photo Frontage you know kind of
hearkening back to the sidewalk
initiative we're going to be replacing
the sidewalks in front of the homes that
were renovating but obviously we would
still love to see kind of a continued
Community Renewal and support so having
something that allows you to kind of
redo that whole streetscape would really
be beneficial across the board
we're looking to do 21 proposed
structures of those structures that will
be 41 living units so we're looking at
doing about 20 attached duplex style but
they will be built and sold as single
families with a full two-hour rate in
between the two families we've seen this
done in some larger instances in the
suburbs we're trying to make home
ownership a little bit more affordable
and we're kind of paring it down and
focusing on you know targeting people
who are making between 40 and 65 000 a
year to be able to afford that so we're
targeting schenectadys 80 Ami not the
whole census trap and we're essentially
performing
home ownership opportunities where you
can own your own home less than twelve
hundred dollars a month Piti working
with Metroplex on on some of the
particulars of it but we're really
excited to be at that Target price point
so you know that's kind of the overall
we are working on several different
initiatives with this program uh we are
examinating examining modular housing as
an opportunity we're examining smarter
networks we are examining we had really
anything that we can do to bring the
cost of living and the cost of home
ownership down for the end user the main
goal at the end of the day is to provide
affordable TurnKey solutions for again
that Target popular is 40 to 65 000 a
year and one thing that's very near and
dear to Ron Gardner and of course the
mayor and everyone else's heart is the
need to make sure that the mwve
community is included during the
construction process and we're going to
try what we can to have
workers from seat
and also
movement of protege opportunities where
we can to make sure that not only are we
creating new housing opportunities but
we want to teach and show those that are
interested how to actually
build these homes especially if we're
able to get the modules
so from a timeline standpoint you know
we're looking to essentially get the
option agreement approved so that we can
begin to move forward and spending some
hard cash doing due diligences getting
our drawings together environmentals
working on the actual entitlement
um you know the process and David will
of course directly if I'm wrong but you
know we're essentially asking for the uh
an option with the city for the land
bank and then they're looking off from
the rnt to kind of turn around and we'll
close all of that at once and we're
looking to be closing in July
we've already had a lot of discussions
with financing Partners already we do
have turn sheets in place from Banks
we've met with HCR on the particular
subsidy that we're looking at using this
is going to be a new subsidy to
affordable home ownership opportunity
program
we're really excited to be able to take
that subsidy and push the sale prices
down very aggressively like I said 150
000 for home ownership and really we
want to get shovels in the ground and
start kind of working this July and
August so that's kind of we've prefaced
ourselves to do and then be able to have
housing up and running in the first
quarter of next year
exactly I I just wanted to to clarify
that we're so we're looking to enter an
option agreement with the capital region
land bank for these properties they are
going to be working on the demolitions
and some of the demolitions and asbestos
have been in different things like that
so that that is the ask is that we enter
um an option agreement with the land
bank
closer so David at The Landings on David
at Metro Place yeah so you might want to
know why why are we really involved here
so the governor obviously has put a lot
of money into affordable housing uh the
ahop program affordable home ownership
program is is a new initiative that
allows you to build Roundup housing
which is great you know it's more energy
efficient it's very very hard to get
some of our properties up to energy code
so it's it's a new program also there's
been a new commitment from the state for
land Banks we started receiving some of
our operations funding again we added
about a year or two off from when some
of our original funding had uh had dried
up and we have a phase two uh program
that was just announced and we'll be
applying for it in March for additional
Project funding so you know there's I
think we identified a ninth uh property
that should come down it's unsafe uh
it's been sitting there blighted for too
long it will allow the land bank to
participate in taking that demolition
Mountain you know we're pretty good at
and we'll be very excited and you know
make our uh our application even more
successful the state knowing that we
have two terrific developers partnering
uh behind us to uh to make this new
homeownership opportunity so if you have
any questions for me please let me know
so um I know that Miss swanigan talked
about like Partnerships and making sure
homeownership and people from the
community can you talk more about the
initiatives that you really talked about
doing parallel in terms of Preparing
People while you're doing the work oh
thank you for that question
um that's really important
not only will we be partnering with bcni
to do the initial first-time homebuyer
workshops but we've reached out to you
Inc because once you get in the home you
also want to be able to stay in the home
so that means you want to learn the
basics of budgeting and so we have
partnered with uh Angela Tatum and and
her husband there's a non-for-profit organization and they
do such terrific work you should go to
the website it's a beautiful website and
we will be partnering with them and
making sure it's um eight or 12 week
Workshop where they break down their
budget know how much they need in order
to meet with the mortgage so we want
them to not just be able to buy the home
we want them to be able to pay the bills
and and stay in the home and one last
thing I know that you've probably even
talked about it that much but there's
Energy Efficiency Focus from the state
for that ahot program so we're able to
maximize the amount per unit and so we
will be focusing on that to help to help
keep the utility costs down so I'm not
sure that that answers your question it does it does okay I just want to
clarify we want to clarify that you're
paying for these properties they
purchased by one time oh
so the intent is 3 500 uh per lot uh
what would happen is uh if we move
forward uh and the problem which it will
uh the 3500 will come back to the city
the land bank is not trying to get any
proceeds from this we're just trying to
bring in some additional resources I
just wanted to make sure that it was
good enough very good point yeah
and you did talk about
um hiring local women and the
organizations that you you were looking
at
and then the sidewalk so thank you for
bringing that up because that was
another part of our conversation and
also
you you'd mentioned that you would want
people to maybe kind of um
kind of give it kind of publicizes where
he's looking for people who are looking
to die
um to be homeowners in this process so
will there be a way that we we can be of
assistance with that how would that work
yes so
um working in the m and wbe field for
decades with the state I know how
important Outreach is in the community
and so we're looking to partner with any
of the local influencers or people who
have nice oh who have the reputation and the stature in the community to help
bring this program to them so we can
start the bedding we'd like to start the
vetting tomorrow
because we really need to sell the homes
once we built and and we expect that it
may take up to nine to 12 months to get some people ready to actually
purchase their own prospective home
buyers so we're looking for you to
recommend
um individuals in the community not
necessarily just from the churches but
other community activists who would like
to partner with us I would love to sit
and have coffee with them and we can go
from there
neighborhoods Incorporated the first
time home ownership classes uh they have
a wealth of information that can be get
people prepared so that when they're
looking uh to make their first home
purchase hopefully one of these uh
they'll have some down payment
assistance and other resources available
so those programs already exist and if
people were to contact me or Christians
department or better neighborhoods
directly they could attract you to them
so the homes you described early similar
to the ones where you said that because
you said that you could do they be side
by side but you could buy one or the
other are they similar to what they did
on Hamilton Street with those houses
there are you familiar with them
so if you're still there yeah I think
it's a similar model I'm particularly
excited a few of the duplexes would be
sold to a single buyer so they could
possibly have some rental income or you
know a different multi-generational
situation or something like that but
yeah I think if you're still little bit
of work to do in the design
but that is the concept
another question can't remember this
love so um I'm wondering and I'm
wondering you're talking about focusing
on people that live in the neighborhood
so I'm all for that I think that's a
great approach
um wondering like how are we defining
those in the neighborhood and are we
able to do that I guess that was kind of
my question for you for you if
fair housing laws take precedence
equipment right but we do Outreach and
we start we start with the people in the
neighborhood who asked
to be able to buy homes where many of
their families have lived for decades
and generations and I think it's only
right to bring it to them and then we
cast The Net as wide as the market will
allow
okay yeah I I agree I agree with that at
least I'm going to I just you know for
me
quite frankly I want to know because
this sounds great this sounds amazing
you know and I'm very excited I share
your excitement around the project I
just I'm looking for those um what you
know what we might describe as the guard
rails of equity for this to actually
play out in its intended purpose
um you know other scenarios you know not
hearing the financing is connected of
course just another scenario sometimes
um these projects are taken out in with
a certain energy and a certain uh
culture about it and then
you know hear things like well the
Market's not there kind of like some of
the feedback we hear and we talk about
like section free workers like well
there's none here so you know even
though this money should be invested in the community which are often
marginalized communities that money
um as a matter of
uh you know kind of practice ends up
leaving so that's what my last question
was about not about the great and
amazing work that you're planning to do
here
um I I think I would like to respond by
saying that
you know aik's track record
and even relatively short of that time
has been very terrified and it's been
very good in what they're bringing to
the table
on MLB has a 75-year track record of
integrity and working with people and
delivering on what we've promised that's
why I've nobody's been able to be around
for 75 years so I would say that you
know your concerns are not invalid you
know there's a lot of times where you
know it feels like a mating switch
sometimes there's there's a reason that
sometimes the developers the bad guys
are the RoboCop movies right like you
don't want to have that you know massive
just flip of expectations
um so I think we're very sensitive to
that and we're really looking forward to
the opportunity to deliver on the
product that they're uh that we're
presenting today
yeah
um so definitely thank you for the
presentation and the background and
context to what the intent is with this project Endeavor and definitely
have a lot of the efforts to see
replicated throughout the community I
definitely think it's important to
highlight how we can partner with some
of the other Generations but I think
part of the uh
um the Allure of New York City is how
there are families that can cite that my
grandfather built or worked on that
skyscraper and I think that that's an
important aspect to reach this next
Generation to let them know and have
that buy-in to be those boots on the
ground for like a better words but um
definitely the Schenectady has a
plethora of resources available so are
you still open to other Workforce
Development programs that might be
interested in partnering with you
similar to how you envision apartment
with the seat yeah absolutely I think
that we you know we have the opportunity
with this program to work on training
and those skill sets to the populations
you know we're currently factoring you
know building these with union labor
which is probably something unheard of
that you're seeing with affordable
housing and it does cost a little more
to use Beauty labor but the benefit of
that is that we can bring people in and
have them be trained by Union Tradesmen
who have been Carpenters who have really
been able to do that and get that true
experience on site and that was one of
our founding principles when when we
even first started talking about this
project with rock Gardner and the
affirmative action office is to make
sure that we have a piece of it and
we're going to continue to add anyone
who is interested in working with us on
that that portion of it as well
Kevin I just want everyone to know how
only we need it over here I'm sorry I
just want everyone to know how unique
this partnership is and how necessary it
is because a traditional developer won't
necessarily see enough meat on the bones
if you will to go into
an interested in neighborhood
and build new housing that's quality
sustainable and energy efficient and the
ahop program as I said before is a once
in a generational life
opportunity for all of us to get behind
to make sure we make impactful change
over the next five years because this is
one of hopel's initiatives
it
last I read it will be around for at
least five years so we need to strike
while the iron is hot get as many homes
built as possible and get as many people
engaged as possible
and you mentioned unions and so I
remember in the prior conversation said
there may be opportunities for people to
get into
the union with your assistants through
working on this project
uh yeah that's correct we actually we've
already assisted one individual getting
into the Union from around the center
where Jim dazi our president has
sponsored them and you know that is
going to or anticipate in continuing
that initiative as well is that if
people if you put the work in you have
to you should have the same
opportunities that everybody else has
had and sometimes access to those
opportunities is not really there so you
know we really want this to provide the
access to the opportunities so that you
put the work in you either do the
training you're doing the program if
you're meeting with us you're doing the
Empowerment Center doing C and you know
you're not just doing it and they're
turning around and going okay what now
skills training program
um that we started you know this past
fall and I think I don't know the there
was maybe just under 30 participants of
that and then it's always a question of
what is the next step so being able to
actually engage them on a project that's
happening in Schenectady to learn to
continue to learn those skills in the
field will be really really impactful I
think sometimes we forget that we're
not only having a conversation with
ourselves there's also a number of
viewers who are being engaged also if
someone was looking into this
conversation wanting to get more
information can they reach out to
YouTube and also how in contact with you
um
they can call me
um I don't know if it's appropriate to
give my number out um well you do have
you have people work in the public
sector too they can always contact you
yeah
uh yeah so um you can contact me at
Metroplex that's where the land bank is
operated out of Christians Department of development I didn't even
explain how to you know get involved
with the Union get a job in this but
it's the same hard work to be mortgage
ready here because at the end of the day
what the state is doing is they're
filling a gap because it's not always
economically uh workable it's not a
model that works to build these houses
so the state is filling the Gap they're
responsible for filling it at the end of
the day they need mortgage qualified
individuals to buy these because that's
going to really improve the whole entire
neighborhood we want as many of those
folks who are already living in the
neighborhood already call us home whose
families call home but you need to start
the work today you know you need to call
me you need to call Kristen and we can
direct you to the right people to take
the steps you need to do to be
financially prepared and have that
commitment letter so that when they're
done and they have the keys they have
someone ready to move in and make this a
great home and it's a terrific Street
you look over those views uh you know it
was out there today there's tremendous
opportunity and the people who are
already living there should be the first
to get the opportunity but they need to
start that work today
thank you
well I want to thank you for the work
you've done for the partnership you've
put together and because I I think it
also is a very exciting project I'm
looking forward to it and uh so thank
you and you know waiting for the ground
to be several big round in June
so thank you for the bill for always
over commitment
and I think I could speak for all of us
as council members we would want to
partner and make sure that we have
people from the community to uh to
assist getting connected with you and
I'll share my card with you okay if
anyone wants okay
so thank you so they ask us to authorize
the city of Schenectady to enter into an
option agreement with the capital region
land bank for the parcels that were
listed there was one parcel that wasn't
on that list and the request that we had
forwarded to Sam so I just wanted to
make sure when we do move forward that
it's included in the can you tell the
resolution I believe it's 546. I have it
right here yeah it's yeah it's 549 uh
Summit Avenue session block and law
49.31-3-46.1
49 49 that coin Thirty Thirty-One Dash
three dash 46.1 okay everybody knows
that block right yeah it's also known as
559 Summit Avenue
what's the number 549 Summit Avenue I
believe that's what Mr Brown said in his
email okay
um the only
um question I have for the council in
terms of drafting this if it's going to
be approved is
um it's an assignable purchase option
agreement with the land bank assignable
to either aik or this is the development
team or uh MLB
um and then obviously the length of time
to exercise that option so it's not a
never-ending option and
[Music]
all right
how long the council wants to keep the
option open so it doesn't run
indefinitely which
and we have an existing access agreement
uh where we can
request to the mayor to allow us to
access the property so we can move
forward with removal at the same time
okay so that doesn't it's you want to
know the length of the options yeah
uh 18 months I think is a is a fair
consumption yeah okay that sounds good
we won't need 18 months
does that answer your questions yes it
does thank you and you know we'll try to
keep everyone updated too as as projects
move along and you know we'll just try
to keep everyone updated on the progress
obviously
I think we're committed to making
something happen on Summit and we're
happy to have the partners that we have
right now so
any other questions or comments
not contain a motion second all those in
favor thank you
forward to it
okay the next item in the agenda is a
change to the public assembly
application and fees
thank you
all right so I just want to change the
language for the public assembly fee and
add a new line for having Affordable
Feed to the public because I need to
currently have the reason for this is
when we do our daily report was reported
by state we have a hard time
um
so by adding these fees we'll be able to
run more accurately
are there any questions everyone has the
information center for the fee changes
so just to be clear there's the highest
fee was 250 dollars and that has not
gone up so it's not been a fee increase
in that in that way that's great it's
just that there was an additional fee
included so it started 75 and then it
was 125 and then they're adding 200 to
ensure that they can capture it
correctly for the reports that you have
to run is that correct that's correct
are there any questions
hi thank you oh thank you
he's the only one first time
okay the next time I'm Gonna Get You
there's a ceremony resolution
recognizing Black History Month Mr
Farley thank you president
um as we all are aware of Black History
Month is here on black history is
American history
um it's just uh this is just another
opportunity for us to uplift recognize
on the contributions
um made by uh black people in this
country
um and and abroad and I think that you
know every time you get an opportunity
you should do that um
resolution
um and doing and recognizing black
history again as American history
any questions
so second Alan Baker aye
uh the next item is a ceremony
resolution recognizing Foundry foundry's
Day for the NAACP so the NAACP is
celebrating 114 years anniversary of
being founded and uh so the the
legislative request is there in front of
you so what I'd like the council to do
and there is going to be a celebration
this year held by the NAACP uh and
Schenectady so I just wanted to make
sure that we had a resolution to be a
part of that celebration and recognition
so I'm asking for a resolution for that
so second I was in favor um
okay the rest of the items on the agenda
are for property sales so we would have
to go into the access to that so this
time I'm going to recess City
development and planning
so second all in favor all right we're
recess
I'd like to call over the claims
committee we have three episodes in
Genesis active sessions so I'd like to
ask for a motion
litigation
publicly