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[11:55] everybody
[12:05] like to call to order the city council
[12:07] Caucus meeting for Monday April 10 2023
[12:12] we have two public hearings this evening
[12:14] if the clerk would please read public
[12:16] hearing number one public hearing number
[12:18] one
[12:19] the 2023-2024 proposed HUD annual action
[12:22] plan
[12:24] public hearing number two amending the
[12:28] city the Schenectady city code to add
[12:30] Provisions related to the use of school
[12:31] bus stop armed cameras
[12:33] we have nine items for original
[12:35] consideration if the clerk would please
[12:37] read item number one item number one
[12:39] under final consideration an ordinance
[12:41] to amend section 186 6-16 of the code of
[12:45] the city of Schenectady discussed in
[12:47] committee without objection on consent
[12:48] item number two item number two for
[12:51] original consideration a resolution
[12:52] calling for a public hearing on the
[12:54] abandonment of a portion of Amelia
[12:56] Street discussed and committed with
[12:58] objection on consent item number three for original
[13:01] consideration a resolution calling for a
[13:03] public hearing on the abandonment of a
[13:05] portion of Larch Street
[13:07] discussing committee with objection on
[13:09] consent item number four item number
[13:11] four for original consideration a
[13:13] resolution calling for a public hearing
[13:14] amending sections 248-18 of the
[13:18] Schenectady city code to designate Fuller street from South
[13:22] Church Street to South Ferry Street a
[13:23] one-way Street discussed in committee
[13:25] with the objection on consent item
[13:27] number five item number five for
[13:28] original consideration a resolution
[13:30] requesting State legislation requiring
[13:32] compliance with the city code related to
[13:35] residential
[13:36] rental residential property registration
[13:39] for eviction proceedings discussed and
[13:41] committed without objection on consent
[13:43] item number six item number six for
[13:45] original consideration a resolution
[13:48] confirming the reappointments of Father
[13:49] Dominic isopo Lawrence dalke and
[13:52] Lawrence DeAngelis and confirming the
[13:54] appointment of Michael Michael Dalton to
[13:57] the city of Schenectady Board of Ethics
[14:00] discussed and committed with objection
[14:01] on consent item number seven item number
[14:04] seven for original consideration a
[14:06] resolution approving the increase of the
[14:08] Schenectady Municipal Golf Course rates
[14:10] for the golf cart use discussed and
[14:12] committed with objection on consent item
[14:14] number eight item number eight for
[14:16] original consideration a resolution
[14:18] authorizing the mayor or his designee to
[14:20] enter into supplemental agreement number
[14:22] three with New York State Department of
[14:24] Transportation for the implementation
[14:25] and funding in the first instant 100 of
[14:28] the federal aid and state marchaselli
[14:31] program eight eligible costs
[14:33] of a Transportation federal aid project
[14:36] and appropriating funds for replacement
[14:38] of Kings Road Bridge over CSX New York
[14:42] State DOT pin number
[14:44] 1758.95 discussed in committee with
[14:46] objection on consent item number nine under contract and
[14:50] Supply a resolution awarding the bid and
[14:52] contract for crack ceiling of city
[14:54] streets 2023 to Sealcoat USA
[14:57] Incorporated in the amount of 157 380
[15:01] dollars
[15:02] discussed the committee with objection
[15:04] non-consent if there's nothing more to
[15:06] come before the city council caucus I'd
[15:07] ask for a motion to adjourn
[15:09] my Ms Patrick second by Mr mcvering all
[15:12] those in favor
[15:13] aye we are adjourned I'd like to call
[15:15] the city council meeting to order for
[15:17] Monday April 10 2023.
[15:20] and I'd like to call on Pastor Gene
[15:22] Nicole Simone two for the
[15:24] prayer invocation
[15:30] let us pray
[15:33] Lord we thank you for this day and for
[15:37] now for allowing us to come together for
[15:39] the business of the city
[15:41] Lord as we are coming out of this High
[15:44] holy season in many Faith traditions
[15:47] Lord help us to hold on to our faith our
[15:51] compassion our hope our integrity our
[15:54] morals the things that we were taught as
[15:56] kids growing up Lord help us to hold on
[15:59] to our heart of service
[16:02] Lord as the council members and others
[16:05] are serving the community serving this
[16:08] city Lord may we be guided by you may we
[16:12] be guided by our compassion and our love
[16:14] for our fellow brothers and sisters in
[16:16] the name of Jesus I pray amen amen and
[16:19] as councilmember Williams who lives in
[16:21] the Pledge of Allegiance
[16:26] States of America
[16:28] and to the Republic which it stands one
[16:31] nation under God indivisible and with
[16:34] liberty and justice for all thank you
[16:40] if the clerk would please complete the
[16:42] Roll Call
[16:45] Mr motiveran
[16:47] Mr Taurus absent
[16:50] Mr Farley is absent Mr Williams
[16:55] Miss Patrick
[16:56] Mr palomini Miss Porterfield here thank
[17:00] you
[17:03] we have one out of order resolution recognizing Saint Albert's on
[17:09] 20th anniversary and I'd like council
[17:10] member palominium to please present this
[17:12] resolution
[17:49] may I have the floor you have the floor
[17:52] this is a resolution recognizing Saint
[17:54] adelbert's 120th anniversary
[17:57] whereas the church of Saint Adalbert
[17:59] Schenectady New York is proudly
[18:01] celebrating its 120th anniversary on
[18:04] Sunday April 23 2023 and whereas In 1902
[18:09] 70 Polish immigrant families who had
[18:12] been drawn by the promise of political
[18:13] Liberty economic prosperity and
[18:16] religious freedom to the United States
[18:18] determined that they needed a place to
[18:20] worship God in the Roman Catholic
[18:22] tradition educate their children to be
[18:24] contributing members of the American
[18:26] society and maintain their cherished
[18:28] polish culture and whereas two
[18:31] committees were formed one was to select
[18:34] the site for the church while the other
[18:36] was to seek approval to establish the
[18:38] parish on December 1st the first
[18:41] committee placed the deposit on seven
[18:43] Lots between Crane and Lansing streets
[18:46] when Spring weather allowed it they
[18:48] began clearing trees and preparing the
[18:50] site for Three Wooden buildings a church
[18:53] a school and the rectory and whereas in
[18:56] the meantime this second committee
[18:58] approached Bishop Burke who gave his
[19:00] approval and suggested that the parish
[19:02] be named for Saint adelbert and whereas
[19:05] on March 30th 1903 the first mass was
[19:09] celebrated in the parish on the newly
[19:11] completed Foundation of a parishioner's
[19:13] house on June 4th 1903 the certificate
[19:17] of incorporation of the church of Saint
[19:19] Adalbert was signed
[19:21] uh where whereas on July 4th 1903 the
[19:26] foundation of the wooden church was
[19:28] completed in a temporary floor installed
[19:30] by Autumn the church school and rectory
[19:33] were completed and whereas on October 9
[19:36] 1909
[19:37] the wooden church was destroyed by fire
[19:40] arrangements for a new Brick Church
[19:42] building were being planned and the
[19:44] Cornerstone was laid in the spring of
[19:47] 1910 and whereas on April 7 1911 the
[19:52] completed
[19:53] brick structure was dedicated
[19:58] it's long and whereas created on a hill
[20:02] stands the church of Saint adilbert its
[20:04] magnificent steeple spiraling heavenward
[20:06] a reminder of the shrine of Our Lady of
[20:09] chenstahova
[20:11] I practiced the spiritual and cultural
[20:14] focal point of Poland thus located it
[20:17] offered a panoramic view of the city of
[20:19] Schenectady and whereas Saint Alberts is
[20:22] today under the spiritual guidance of
[20:25] Father Matthew h forzoni and whereas
[20:28] Saint adelbert stands stand stand stands
[20:31] prepared to meet the challenges of the
[20:34] coming decades while retaining the
[20:36] spiritual resolve which characterizes
[20:38] its past now therefore be it resolved
[20:41] that the Schenectady city council and
[20:43] the Mayor Gary R McCarthy do hereby
[20:46] pause in her deliberations to call on
[20:49] all schenectadians to celebrate the
[20:50] 120th anniversary of Saint adalberts and
[20:54] learn more about the church's enormous
[20:55] contributions to the city of Schenectady
[20:58] this was previously moat passed so we
[21:01] don't have to do that again no prairies
[21:02] congratulations
[21:07] thank you
[21:13] and would you like to introduce your
[21:16] colleagues
[21:18] okay first John I want to thank you
[21:20] because he was my contact person thank
[21:22] you so much
[21:23] I do want to thank the city of
[21:25] Schenectady and everybody for being here
[21:29] mayor McCarthy thank you Gary the
[21:33] president of the city council Miss
[21:35] Porterfield thank you Marion and all the
[21:37] city council people over here I think I
[21:39] know most of you not everybody here I do
[21:41] want to thank all our parishioners we
[21:43] have we have more but we you know they
[21:45] wanted like two or three hundred people
[21:46] wanted to come here I said no we we're
[21:48] not going to do that that's that's way
[21:49] too much you know father for Sony
[21:51] couldn't make it he had other things
[21:53] going on he's got a lot of things on his
[21:54] plate anyway
[21:57] um
[21:58] our church is not hard to believe I've
[22:00] been going to church there for 70 years
[22:03] you know I haven't been going there for
[22:04] 120 just 70 years but unbelievable our
[22:08] church I also I always want to say I
[22:10] think it's one of the best looking
[22:12] structurally in the city of Schenectady
[22:15] and I also think it's one of the best
[22:18] looking Churches in the Capital District
[22:20] but that's my own personal point of view
[22:23] you know for sure no it's a beautiful
[22:24] church if you ever get a chance if
[22:27] you've never been in Santa Barbara's you
[22:29] should come over there come over for the
[22:31] mass and if you can make it to the mass
[22:33] you should just come over and look to
[22:34] see what you are missing and it's always
[22:37] we always have great greeters here and
[22:38] things like that everybody's always
[22:41] smiling look at that you know it's
[22:42] always like that okay listen I'm gonna
[22:44] stop talking thank you so much and your
[22:46] father for his only viewers here he
[22:48] would say God bless you and God bless
[22:49] America
[22:50] okay thank you thank you
[22:56] yeah in Polish you would be saying
[23:41] thank you everybody thank you have a
[23:47] good evening
[23:54] Philadelphia
[23:55] thank you
[24:05] we have two public we have two public
[24:08] hearings this evening and I just want to
[24:10] remind you that we've extended the
[24:12] comment a public comment for the public
[24:13] hearing to four minutes and they also
[24:15] respectfully ask that you only make your
[24:17] comments relevant to the public hearing number one the 2023-24
[24:23] proposed HUD annual action plan
[24:28] and I see that
[24:30] I have no one signed up to speak
[24:34] so I declare the public hearing closed
[24:38] um
[24:40] is there anyone here that has signed up
[24:42] to speak to the public hearing regarding
[24:44] the Schenectady city code to add
[24:45] Provisions to relating to the use of the
[24:48] school bus code camera
[24:50] okay so that's public hearing number two
[24:53] so I have no one else no one signed up
[24:55] to speak so I declare that public
[24:56] hearing closed
[24:58] I'll ask for approval of the minutes
[25:00] from March 27 2023.
[25:03] so
[25:04] um second by Miss Patrick all those in
[25:07] favor
[25:08] aye
[25:09] ask for the clerk to please read any
[25:11] Communications and petitions
[25:17] Communications presented to city council
[25:19] for Monday April 10 2023 under official
[25:22] there were none under General
[25:24] from members of American Legion Post 21
[25:27] a thank you note for the much needed
[25:29] donation under petitions there were none
[25:34] call on City Council Members to provide
[25:36] any committee reports
[25:40] this time we'll have privilege of the
[25:41] floor related to the legislative agenda
[25:47] I have no one signed up to speak
[25:50] so
[25:51] for the legislative agenda for things
[25:53] that are on the agenda you you signed up
[25:55] on an on City business sir
[25:59] we we have no one on that sheet so if
[26:02] there's something on the agenda that
[26:03] someone like to speak to this is the
[26:04] opportunity
[26:06] is it on the legislative agenda
[26:14] yes yes then you can come at this time
[26:17] you're welcome
[26:21] I apologize
[26:25] say okay
[26:35] and again I have four minutes is that
[26:38] you have three three okay good evening
[26:44] um I'm Reverend Nicole John Simone
[26:46] president of the Schenectady NAACP and
[26:49] as president of the local branch of the
[26:50] NAACP I often hear the concerns of the
[26:53] people of this community
[26:55] both black and white young and old these
[26:57] concerns don't always come in the form
[26:59] of rank complaints sometimes people stop
[27:01] me in the grocery store stopped by my
[27:03] church call me on the phone to voice
[27:05] their concerns and they trust me to
[27:07] bring those concerns to you so I want to
[27:09] bring to your attention this evening
[27:10] something that I have now received
[27:12] several complaints about the community
[27:14] is greatly concerned with the way that
[27:17] the board of Ethics is being used by
[27:19] members of this Council
[27:20] in 1971 the Schenectady city council
[27:23] recognized the fundamental principle
[27:25] that officers and employees of the city
[27:27] hold their positions to serve and
[27:28] benefit the public and not for obtaining
[27:31] unwarranted personal and private gain in
[27:33] the exercise and performance of their
[27:35] official powers and duties with that
[27:37] principle in mind clear and reasonable
[27:40] standards of ethical conduct were
[27:42] established with the City Board of
[27:45] Ethics being charged with the obligation
[27:47] to review issues and render opinions
[27:49] relative to the administration of these
[27:51] standards this is the overview as stated
[27:54] on the city's websites website the board
[27:57] was formed for this reason in 1971.
[28:01] it was not formed to be used as a weapon
[28:03] against your colleagues
[28:05] and that is what people are seeing right
[28:07] now that is the complaint that they're
[28:09] bringing forward
[28:11] and that concern is further affirmed
[28:14] when you go to the city's website and
[28:16] the only other complaint to be found is
[28:18] one made against another
[28:19] African-American council member 10 years
[28:22] ago
[28:23] so
[28:24] is it correct
[28:26] that although the ethics board has been
[28:28] in existence for 52 years the only time
[28:31] it's been used to make complaints was
[28:33] against two African-American city
[28:36] council members of which there have only
[28:37] been four
[28:40] maybe I'm missing something
[28:43] perhaps older complaints have been
[28:45] removed from the website but the truth
[28:46] remains is that the last time the board
[28:48] was used was to bring a complaint
[28:50] against an African-American council
[28:52] member
[28:54] no wonder why people are stopping me in
[28:56] the stores calling me on my phone
[29:00] I'm taking their concerns seriously and
[29:02] I hope you will do the same
[29:04] I hope you will take a close look at how
[29:07] this board is used who serves on this
[29:09] board the diversity of this board the
[29:12] mission of this board
[29:13] and view the original intent of this
[29:16] board
[29:18] thank you for your time and attention to
[29:20] this matter
[29:21] thank you
[29:25] I have no one else signed it to speak on
[29:27] the legislative agenda so I declare the
[29:29] public comment close
[29:33] ask for approval of the legislative
[29:40] agenda
[29:41] movement second by Mr Williams all those
[29:44] in favor
[29:46] aye
[29:48] this time oops one second
[29:51] is metal sheet okay as for privilege of
[29:54] the floor regarding General City
[29:55] business
[29:57] I have eight people that are signed up
[30:00] and the first person is Bailey Gardner
[30:08] and I just want to remind you it is
[30:10] three minutes for this part of it okay
[30:11] thank you you're welcome good evening I
[30:14] am Bailey Gardner I am from Schenectady
[30:16] County connects which many of you may
[30:18] know has connected a job training agency
[30:20] so we operate the Summer Youth
[30:22] Employment Program and last year believe
[30:24] it or not for the 2022 program we
[30:26] received 479 applications of Youth who
[30:30] are eager to work throughout the county
[30:32] and from that 479 applications we have
[30:36] the ability to fund 190 positions and
[30:39] that was until just before the program
[30:40] when the city and the school district
[30:42] came together and we just need to thank
[30:44] you for your support of an additional 75
[30:47] youth last year it was tremendous that
[30:49] we were able to then take on those 75
[30:52] youth individually interview them place
[30:54] them at work sites throughout the county
[30:56] and they got their six weeks of work
[30:58] experience through the county and City
[31:00] partnership with the school district
[31:02] support on the administration in the
[31:04] school district has been tremendously
[31:06] supportive of our programming we now
[31:08] have an inter internship partnership
[31:09] that is also a part of the city
[31:11] partnership and we thank you for that as
[31:13] well we have some of our youth here
[31:15] tonight to speak to you about their
[31:16] experiences and just to share with you
[31:18] how impactful this has been not only for
[31:20] the summer experience where some of
[31:22] these youth get their first jobs some
[31:24] have the job coaching that they need to
[31:25] be successful and learn the foundational
[31:27] skills that they may not have learned
[31:28] had they just started a job showed up
[31:31] late and then got fired so we're there
[31:33] to be that intermediary where we really
[31:35] support the youth and teach them those
[31:37] skills and really help them to learn the
[31:39] foundational skills that will help them
[31:40] on a career pathway towards
[31:42] self-sustainability which I know is a
[31:44] city school district and County priority
[31:47] for all of our citizens here so I just
[31:49] wanted to thank you again for your
[31:51] support we would love to have a
[31:52] conversation about how we may be able to
[31:54] further this partnership for the 2023
[31:56] Summer Youth Employment Program and some
[31:58] of our youth are also signed up for
[32:00] privilege of the floor so thank you so
[32:01] much and have a wonderful evening thank
[32:04] you
[32:06] Ronaldo Guerrero
[32:18] hello my name is Ray and I would like to
[32:21] start with thank you for giving me a
[32:24] chance to actually start my first job
[32:27] and now also like to thank my job coach
[32:30] for teaching me a lot of
[32:34] skills that I will need later on in my
[32:37] career
[32:43] I work at the Mount Pleasant Boys and
[32:47] Girls Club and
[32:52] hopefully
[32:59] thank you guys thank you for coming
[33:05] Mariah Jacobs
[33:10] it it says Jacob's here
[33:16] hi my name is Mariah and I'm interning
[33:19] as a media specialist for Schenectady
[33:21] County School District
[33:22] My overall experience so far in this
[33:24] internship has been very pleasant and I
[33:27] am very happy I got this opportunity I
[33:29] really enjoy working
[33:30] with the student voice and documenting
[33:32] other people's experiences likes
[33:34] dislikes and changes they would like to
[33:36] see happen in Schenectady I would
[33:37] recommend this internship to others I
[33:39] actually have there's great connections
[33:42] opportunities and experiences with the
[33:44] youth program and I would like to thank
[33:45] my job coach and my supervisor Dr Cottle
[33:51] even though he's not here but I still
[33:53] like thinking and I like thank you guys
[33:55] for listening thank you thank you
[34:01] Brian Hernandez
[34:14] hello my name is Brian Hernandez and I
[34:17] would like to start off by saying thank
[34:19] you for your contribution to this
[34:21] program and I'd also like to thank my
[34:23] job coach I speak on the behalf of me
[34:26] and many other kids that we are truly
[34:27] grateful for this opportunity
[34:30] um but more on me it I work at
[34:34] ring of Hope boxing club which some of
[34:37] you may have heard of it's on Erie
[34:40] Boulevard it's an amazing boxing program
[34:43] where we teach kids from all ages even
[34:46] adults yes
[34:48] just stop by
[34:51] um
[34:52] but
[34:53] I don't really have like a certain
[34:56] position I work as a coach sometimes I could be the janitor
[35:01] to help out but um
[35:04] my experience in the program has been
[35:06] great I've been going to this gym for
[35:09] two years and I've only been working for
[35:12] the gym for like about two months but I
[35:15] built an attachment before I started
[35:18] working so it's been great I got to I've
[35:20] been my coach is my boss so
[35:24] sometimes sometimes he get uh
[35:28] ordered me to do something in like a
[35:30] coach way
[35:31] but it's it's been great
[35:35] I get to basically work with my second
[35:37] family and get paid for it and um it
[35:41] feels very rewarding
[35:43] and
[35:44] at the current moment I I just turned 16
[35:48] like last month so
[35:52] um I just got my permit and soon enough
[35:54] I'll get my license so this program
[35:57] and hopefully I get a car but this
[35:59] program is could eventually help me fund
[36:02] for that car
[36:04] and any suggestions no
[36:08] um
[36:11] and I recommend that kids join it it's a
[36:14] it's they're they take care of you and
[36:18] yeah we're taken care of if we need
[36:21] anything we could ask them they make
[36:24] sure that we are doing what we are
[36:26] supposed to and
[36:29] um
[36:30] and they work very well with our
[36:32] supervisors my supervisors Kenneth
[36:34] Brooks which some of you may know so and
[36:37] he tells me that it's super easy for him
[36:42] it's very and it's super easy for me too
[36:44] and I think it's super easy for anyone
[36:46] who wants to join but um that's all for
[36:50] today and uh thank you for hearing me
[36:53] thank you for coming thank you
[36:57] and I have heard of Ring of Hope and
[36:58] I've been there
[37:00] Ed laven Jr
[37:09] I'm sure you all remember me from the
[37:11] March meeting prior to St Patrick's Day
[37:14] that's where you told me the mayor
[37:16] doesn't deal with judges
[37:18] I just would like to read you the statue
[37:20] the mayor also signs all commissions and
[37:23] appointments and approves all official
[37:25] bonds unless an ordinance otherwise
[37:27] prescribes at 79.90 statutes direct the
[37:31] mayor to be active and Vigilant in
[37:33] enforcing all laws and ordinances for
[37:35] the government of the city and to
[37:37] properly deal with any neglect or
[37:39] violation of Duty by a subordinate that
[37:41] statute 79.200
[37:45] so now I would like to ask that question
[37:46] again what do you intend to do about
[37:49] these three corrupt judges and city
[37:51] clerk's office that deprive me of my
[37:52] civil rights the due process and a fair
[37:55] hearing
[37:59] as I explained before sir this is your
[38:02] opportunity for public to come and to
[38:04] speak but this is not where we there
[38:06] will be a dialogue you would have to
[38:07] make an appointment to speak with the
[38:09] mayor if that's your desire
[38:12] will be about both of you
[38:15] thank you
[38:18] Mariah Lopez
[38:24] hello
[38:28] um I had plans to read notes
[38:32] um but I'm not
[38:34] um my name is Mariah Lopez I am the
[38:37] volunteer executive director of the
[38:39] oldest trans Rights group in the nation
[38:41] I understand that I have three minutes
[38:44] uh
[38:46] I'm gonna try to keep it within that but
[38:48] I'm not sure a trans woman of color has
[38:50] ever addressed this body and I want to
[38:52] give you a little bit of my background
[38:54] that's going to inform hopefully my
[38:55] brief comments that we can all follow up
[38:57] during normal business hours I have
[39:00] brought some of the most meaningful and
[39:02] important landmark cases for Trans
[39:04] rights in the state of New York
[39:06] I have been bringing litigation against
[39:09] the city of New York which has
[39:11] considerable more resources than the
[39:12] city of Schenectady since at least 1999
[39:16] the most recent Landmark case I settled
[39:19] was in 2021 because of that the city of
[39:22] New York is now committed to opening
[39:24] trans and disability-friendly shelters
[39:26] in every Borough
[39:27] on the way over here I had a friend in
[39:29] the Comptroller's office do a little
[39:31] back of the envelope math and we believe
[39:33] that I have cost the city more than 20
[39:36] million dollars
[39:39] so I'm going to ask that this Council be
[39:41] responsive I am now a local resident of
[39:43] the city of Schenectady
[39:45] that gentleman and I come from entirely
[39:47] different backgrounds but I will say
[39:49] unlike that gentleman my organization
[39:51] and myself have access to some of the
[39:53] best constitutional lawyers in the
[39:55] country
[39:57] I do not believe a lot of what I have
[39:59] observed here on the city level
[40:03] on the local city government level is
[40:05] entirely ethical as it pertains to poor
[40:08] and disabled people and so I will be
[40:10] following up with my city council folk
[40:12] here about bringing local legislation to
[40:15] fill the gaps to protect poor and
[40:18] vulnerable people
[40:20] I can guarantee you though that if I
[40:22] decide to start making noise oh and
[40:25] vocal and why and hrx send their regards
[40:28] I guarantee you if we decide to make
[40:30] noise here
[40:32] it will be a noise that can drive the
[40:34] Democracy I hope
[40:37] that is someone that has been as
[40:39] consequential as I've been
[40:40] with the expertise in human and civil
[40:43] rights that I have that will be easy to
[40:45] plug some of the sort of holes and gaps
[40:48] and with that I'll give several examples
[40:50] and then see my time
[40:54] New York State's change to the scoff law
[40:57] s are allowing local the local
[41:00] Schenectady traffic division and SPD to
[41:03] Target certain groups or to recklessly
[41:05] enforce in a way that disproportionately
[41:07] negatively impacts poor and minority
[41:10] communities
[41:11] the city council knows that the city has
[41:13] a surplus financially you do not need to
[41:16] be going after poor people with a gotcha
[41:19] game so that they're forced to move
[41:22] their cars to the other side of the
[41:24] street and by the way this is hyper
[41:26] local government I get it but living
[41:30] here coming from New York City
[41:34] it is apparent that one of the sort of
[41:37] one of the one of the draws is that
[41:40] government is local and small and it
[41:43] should be more responsive I have raised
[41:45] issues about I hear my time ma'am uh
[41:49] with regard to some of the executive
[41:51] agencies and SPD and I haven't got that
[41:54] much of a response from the mayor's
[41:56] office and Corporation Council Perhaps
[41:58] it is
[41:59] time for city council to act and finally
[42:03] I'm going to ask that city council
[42:05] consider legislation for right to
[42:07] counsel for poor minority folk here
[42:10] facing landlord tenant court some people
[42:12] can't even read
[42:13] those people should not be expected when
[42:16] it's one of the most consequential
[42:18] decisions in their life to stand at Pro
[42:20] Se and landlord tenant Corps thank you
[42:22] for being considerate and allowing me to
[42:24] go over ma'am and rest you enjoy the
[42:27] rest of your evening thank you
[42:30] Wayne Harper
[42:33] yeah
[42:35] you know you can be poor minority
[42:38] but you could get someone to read to you
[42:40] if you can't read sick and tired of
[42:42] hearing people that can't follow the law
[42:44] and then when you try to enforce the law
[42:46] it's about race and I'm getting sick and
[42:49] tired of hearing about race everything's
[42:50] racial today and it's mainly
[42:53] Marion black on white now
[42:57] uh it's a Reverse Racism
[43:00] and let me just say right now call Wayne
[43:02] Harper racist call me anything you want
[43:05] but I'm getting fed up with it and uh
[43:08] and it seems like we just keep taking it
[43:11] and taking it and taking it and um
[43:15] if you're not a law breaker you have
[43:18] nothing to fear you can't read and write
[43:20] my father couldn't read and write
[43:23] but he knew what the law was you get you
[43:25] learn it from other people now
[43:27] I don't know if you could rescind that
[43:29] 10.1 million it'll probably go above
[43:31] that for that swimming pool
[43:34] that to me is sickening when I read that
[43:37] kind of stuff that makes my blood boil
[43:39] and I noticed at that committee meeting
[43:41] I happen to catch it on TV
[43:44] Carmel and Doreen they sat across from
[43:46] one another in the commit in their heads
[43:48] as the two salesmen for this pool their
[43:51] heads were going in unison
[43:53] uh we could better spend that 10.1
[43:56] million on sidewalks curbs roads
[43:58] bellevue's a mess a National Grid tour
[44:01] up Bellevue to put in gas lines as a lot
[44:04] of the other the rest of the city
[44:06] uh there's so many area lead pipe we
[44:09] have lead pipes going into homes people
[44:11] are bathing drinking water that may be
[44:14] contaminated that money could be spent
[44:16] better someplace else
[44:18] the other thing they said that that pool
[44:20] is going to be a destination oh how
[44:23] laughable I can hear people now I was
[44:25] going to go to Lake George or sagin dog
[44:27] or maybe Saratoga Lake but you know what
[44:29] I think I'm going to go to Schenectady
[44:31] pool so who's going to pay for the
[44:34] additional policing the upkeep of the
[44:37] grounds you know there's a lot of
[44:39] expense that's going to go with that and
[44:40] I didn't see and are we going to charge
[44:42] a fee
[44:43] and then I'm telling I'm thinking we
[44:46] could probably smell the chlorine up in
[44:48] Bellevue to counteract the urine that
[44:51] goes in the swimming pool I mean I
[44:53] wouldn't swim in a swimming pool today
[44:54] I'm too conscious of disease and I think
[44:58] we lost sight that covet is still alive
[45:01] and well
[45:02] and it may be coming back around with
[45:04] other illnesses and here we're going to
[45:06] congregate people in pools so that's my
[45:08] two cents worth if you could rescind it
[45:10] because I didn't know there was a I
[45:12] didn't get the comment period on that
[45:14] maybe I was in the hospital
[45:16] now lastly
[45:19] City ethics board repairs Farley probe
[45:23] I watched I happen to catch that
[45:25] committee meeting
[45:28] when um
[45:30] Mr palmetti raised that issue
[45:33] you Marion went after him like you were
[45:36] damani's attorney
[45:39] and I think it's more than reasonable
[45:41] based on what was said in the paper and
[45:43] if it's not true I'm sure you're going
[45:45] to ask for a retraction
[45:47] but when you come to the receipts
[45:50] and you owe back taxes you don't qualify
[45:53] you've got to be squeaky clean to sit in
[45:56] these or you should be
[45:58] and then to see that you're double
[45:59] dipping
[46:00] with the school system which are joined
[46:03] at the hip by the way to teachers union
[46:04] with you folks
[46:06] so that needs to be looked at and not by
[46:09] a an Ethics board I don't trust that
[46:12] ethics board the people and I see where
[46:14] Michael Dalton was just your time has
[46:17] expired what's that your time has you're
[46:19] over your time oh okay so lastly then to
[46:22] close I think
[46:25] um I think Damani you should have
[46:28] resigned quite frankly and we're going
[46:31] to have 86 000 new according to the
[46:33] National Democrats IRS agents maybe one
[46:37] of them should be assigned here let's
[46:39] find out what's really went on okay
[46:42] thanks
[46:43] thank you
[46:45] I have no one else signed up to speak
[46:47] for public comment in the city business
[46:49] so I declare it close
[46:51] this time any miscellaneous business of
[46:53] the council
[46:56] Mr Williams
[47:02] thank you
[47:04] I definitely want to start off by
[47:06] thanking the youth that were present
[47:07] here tonight I hope they understand that
[47:09] the power of their voices is something
[47:11] that they're learning to express and
[47:13] hone definitely these obstacles that you
[47:15] are learning are going to absolutely
[47:16] follow you for the rest of your life and
[47:18] it is a an amazing opportunity for
[47:22] Schenectady to be such a pivorable
[47:23] experience for them as they go down that
[47:26] journey I wanted to take a moment to
[47:28] thank a few agencies that hosted a
[47:31] housing form a few weeks ago I would
[47:34] like to thank the New York state
[47:35] division of Human Rights the Schenectady
[47:37] County Human Rights Commission The Legal
[47:39] Aid Society and all of us Community
[47:40] ethic group for hosting a successful
[47:43] conversation for housing protections on
[47:46] March 30th one of the underlying tenets
[47:50] that we addressed was knowing your
[47:53] rights and understanding the resources
[47:55] that are available for you
[47:57] it's important that you either take down
[47:59] this address this website or pass along
[48:02] to someone that you think might be best
[48:04] uh in in use of this but
[48:08] dhr.ny.gov is your way to be able to
[48:10] submit complaints against discrimination
[48:12] uh in respect to renting or purchasing
[48:15] of a home and this agency will
[48:17] investigate and potentially present your
[48:19] case in court now I know we're talking
[48:21] or heard a lot about uh funds or being
[48:24] able to understand or have the
[48:26] wherewithal to recognize what is
[48:28] available to you and honestly it begins
[48:30] with understanding what your rights are
[48:32] so please get smart again I would like
[48:35] to respond that website is
[48:38] dhr.ny.gov second I would like to to
[48:41] thank for the continuous work of the
[48:43] Schenectady any inner city Ministry for
[48:46] hosting this form I'd like to
[48:47] acknowledge that their food program is
[48:49] doing the Abundant work of making sure
[48:52] that everyone has access to healthy and
[48:54] nutritious meals in Schenectady if you
[48:57] are looking for an opportunity to
[48:59] dedicate your time or monetary
[49:01] contributions this is an excellent
[49:03] opportunity again this agency is doing
[49:06] the good and tough work of making sure
[49:08] that food is accessible to scantalians
[49:11] whether you've been here your entire
[49:12] life or you just arrived this is
[49:15] available to you uh second I wanted to
[49:17] take an opportunity to announce that in
[49:19] partnership with braver angels we will
[49:21] be hosting a workshop at Union College
[49:23] to address skills for Bridging the
[49:26] Divide which is a workshop to provide
[49:29] resources we're talking about political
[49:30] issues in a constructive and empathetic
[49:33] way there will be more information to
[49:35] come but that event will take place on
[49:37] May 18th from 6 to 8 30. there will be
[49:40] more information again and flyers and
[49:42] sign ups that will be presented to the
[49:43] community
[49:45] next I'd like to acknowledge that as we
[49:47] look forward to warmer climate please enjoy your time in your backyard
[49:53] or in the park in a considerable manner
[49:55] definitely music and excess noise is
[49:57] something that we continuously deal with
[49:59] please be respectful of your neighbors
[50:01] and also individuals that are sharing
[50:03] those safe spaces because as much as we
[50:05] pride ourselves on the benefits of this
[50:07] community we cannot over enjoy at the
[50:10] expense of others and I thought it was
[50:13] important to just address The Continuous
[50:16] conversations and topics that have been
[50:18] directed at my Council Peter Damani Farley at this
[50:24] present time these are allegations
[50:26] and there have been other
[50:28] well-positioned bodies that have looked
[50:29] into these matters for myself I've
[50:32] respected and appreciate the
[50:34] contributions councilman Farley has made
[50:36] not only to the Schenectady city council
[50:38] but also to the work he continuously
[50:39] does at the Schenectady City School
[50:41] District I think it is more than
[50:43] appropriate to have defenses in place to
[50:45] ensure that he is not taking on this
[50:48] conversation alone I understand that the
[50:51] work of the board of exit the the ethics
[50:54] board is important but as we have heard
[50:57] um
[50:58] if something Walks Like A Duck
[51:00] quacks like a duck
[51:03] what is it
[51:04] so I'm confident that as this
[51:07] investigation in whatever manner it
[51:08] conducts itself I know that the
[51:11] respectable and ethical manner that Mr
[51:13] Farley conducts himself will be present
[51:15] and I look forward to a retraction being
[51:17] issued to the paper and I hope that he
[51:20] continues to do this positive work in a
[51:22] manner that is most befitting of his his
[51:24] uh his his ethics thank you
[51:34] Mr Farley
[51:38] I guess it's only right so
[51:40] um
[51:41] you know politics a lot of politics is
[51:43] about managing Optics and you know I'm
[51:46] not the best at that
[51:48] um and
[51:50] it's not lost on me that um you know
[51:52] when you take strong positions and you
[51:55] call out things like you know bias
[51:57] discrimination and systemic racism and
[51:59] you call them exactly what they are you
[52:01] know
[52:02] um and you do so explicitly
[52:05] um and on record you make enemies
[52:08] and that's okay with me because I didn't
[52:09] come here to make friends I came here to
[52:11] make change
[52:12] and that's what I'm going to continue to
[52:14] do
[52:15] um it's also not lost in the public that
[52:17] this ethics board that has not convened
[52:20] and
[52:21] um to to deal with the issue in 10 years
[52:24] uh was last brought together
[52:27] to investigate
[52:31] another
[52:32] person of color
[52:34] um on on the city council and none of
[52:37] this happened until I sat here and
[52:40] called out a certain pattern of behavior
[52:43] and not my opinion just a pattern a fact
[52:46] pattern or behavior that um
[52:49] really just cause things what they are
[52:51] and I'm going to continue to do that if
[52:55] you know people of color have been used
[52:57] to historically systems being weaponized
[53:00] against them as a way to buy their
[53:01] silence you know I know it just burns
[53:04] your biscuits that you can't keep this
[53:05] boy in this place
[53:07] um I didn't come here
[53:09] um to dance to whatever music that you
[53:12] guys been playing for years and years Schenectady is not a great
[53:17] place for everyone it is a great place
[53:20] for some it's a good place for some and
[53:23] it's full of great people however we
[53:26] cannot be afraid of better and if as
[53:28] politicians or elected officials when
[53:31] someone who tries to reach out to you
[53:32] privately to bring things to your
[53:34] attention and say let's fix this if you
[53:37] won't engage in those conversations and
[53:39] then you have to bring it on the floor I
[53:41] am who I say I am I'm like everybody
[53:43] else as far as my state taxes that's the
[53:48] real thing that's not the only bill that
[53:50] I have that I have to pay that I'm
[53:52] working on uh after uh a financial
[53:55] hardship that so many people have
[53:57] explained and have experience
[53:59] um but outside of that
[54:01] you know I'm so proud of the work that
[54:03] I've done in the community and the large
[54:05] team of people that I've done and done
[54:07] that work with it speaks for itself and
[54:09] so I there's I I don't scare that easy
[54:14] um my I don't have that type of brittle
[54:16] spirit I am who I say I am we're going
[54:18] to continue to work we're going to
[54:20] continue to call out systemic racism and
[54:22] until we as a city take a hard look at
[54:25] who we are and not and and start to
[54:28] allocate funds in a way that's aligned
[54:30] with Equity not just saying it like
[54:32] saying like we're not just going to give
[54:35] the money to the people
[54:37] um of this big box agency because they
[54:39] play golf with us and they've been
[54:40] getting money for 20 years and so we
[54:42] take it a step further to say let's talk
[54:44] to the people that the services are
[54:46] being provided to let's talk to the
[54:48] people that are the line workers the
[54:50] people that are engaging in the
[54:51] community in this work
[54:52] and when we start to ask ourselves those
[54:54] hard questions we might not always like
[54:56] to answer but that's okay it's about
[54:58] asking the right questions so I'm here
[55:00] for it and I'm gonna continue to do it
[55:02] what I do and I'm going to continue to
[55:04] fight and advocate for the people and
[55:05] you don't have to be perfect through
[55:06] that thank God because I wouldn't be
[55:08] here if that was the case thank you
[55:11] Mr palamini
[55:15] yeah there's a systemic pattern here
[55:18] every time something
[55:21] happens that
[55:22] someone makes a mistake somebody screws
[55:25] up
[55:26] here comes the racism charges
[55:31] yes the Ethics Committee hasn't been
[55:34] in in play in 10 years
[55:37] probably should have
[55:39] been if there was something
[55:40] but here we have a situation where we
[55:44] have contracts that are nearly identical
[55:47] six hundred thousand dollars of money
[55:49] that could have gone to Children went to
[55:53] an individual and employees the school
[55:56] district says well it looks like it's
[55:59] probably not illegal where to trust the
[56:02] school district who's had cover-up after cover-up who are just
[56:06] covering up for themselves
[56:09] we have unpaid taxes we don't know about
[56:12] that's for 16 17. we don't know about
[56:14] any years after that we don't know about
[56:17] workers compensation we don't know about
[56:19] disability
[56:21] Insurance there's a lot of questions
[56:23] that aren't answered and for ethics
[56:25] board to look at this and say nothing
[56:29] wrong or something wrong or to have a
[56:32] district attorney or the the attorney
[56:34] general or the Comptroller look at it
[56:36] and say hey there's nothing here
[56:41] is a legitimate question hundreds upon
[56:44] hundreds of people have asked me about
[56:46] this and say stand up
[56:50] so I will continue to stand up and try
[56:54] to do the right thing
[56:56] and if that means calling out
[56:58] individuals who have done something
[57:02] as I expect I will stand up
[57:06] but this every time something happens
[57:10] it's you can play the record over and
[57:12] over again
[57:13] and that's what it is
[57:16] so I'm going to stand up
[57:18] you can compare yourself to whoever
[57:22] compare yourself to more like George
[57:24] Santos or to Donald Trump tactics that
[57:27] you're using
[57:29] that's what's going on here
[57:32] and I will continue to stand up for
[57:34] taxpayers they've constantly said
[57:37] keep up
[57:38] and I will continue to do so
[57:41] mayor
[57:43] you madam president
[57:45] and we're starting to see the weather
[57:47] shift for hopefully we'll be warmer
[57:50] weather going forward
[57:52] there are still some potholes that will
[57:55] be appearing I would encourage people to
[57:58] use c-click fix so that we can get them
[58:00] identified get them on a schedule to get
[58:04] them filled it's the batch plants open
[58:06] up that will be able to respond in a
[58:09] more timely manner and again appreciate
[58:10] the council approving the cracked
[58:13] ceiling contract tonight for roads
[58:15] because that's one of the cheaper ways
[58:17] to maintain Street surface and to
[58:21] prevent some of the more expensive
[58:23] maintenance
[58:24] Mr Farley will be opening the golf
[58:27] course
[58:29] this Saturday I don't get to play with
[58:32] those big bucks vendors
[58:36] hopefully get out once or twice this
[58:38] year and hope other council members
[58:39] would get the opportunity to enjoy the
[58:43] golf course it's one of the things that
[58:45] we learn from covid that more and more
[58:48] courses are using now is that when the
[58:50] course opens on Saturday we will not
[58:52] allow the carts to go out
[58:55] in the superintendental make that
[58:57] decision like a week or 10 days out and
[59:00] what we found is by allowing that brief
[59:03] period of time for the grass to get
[59:05] better established
[59:07] it allows the course to go through the
[59:10] summer in a much higher quality it's
[59:14] Greener you don't have the brown spots
[59:16] and the overall visual aspect of the
[59:19] course is much better and so it was a
[59:21] learning experience one of the odd
[59:22] things from covid that we picked up and
[59:26] are now using as a standard practice
[59:29] thank you madam president thank you
[59:31] mayor I'd also like to thank everyone
[59:33] that came out tonight to speak and to
[59:36] the young people we're appreciative at
[59:38] least I am and that this Council was
[59:40] able to be able to fund the program and we can see some of the benefits and
[59:45] I'm sure there's more so it was really
[59:46] great it's always great to hear that
[59:48] something that you did with had a
[59:49] positive impact and for people to come
[59:51] back and tell you because God knows that
[59:52] we hear enough of other things
[59:55] so I just you know I just can't ignore
[59:58] the elephant in the room the
[59:59] conversation about the ethics board and
[1:00:02] um it was spoken of tonight and it's
[1:00:05] clear that the ethics board has said
[1:00:07] that it refers to employees or officers
[1:00:10] of the city at the time the things that
[1:00:13] we're talking about about council member
[1:00:14] Farley occurred prior to that so I just
[1:00:17] want to make that clear for everyone so
[1:00:20] that there's no mistake about my comments regarding whether or
[1:00:25] not it should be coped before the ethics
[1:00:27] board and
[1:00:28] let's just State the facts it is a fact
[1:00:31] that the last time the ethnic ethics
[1:00:33] board was called it was about against an
[1:00:35] African-American person that's not
[1:00:37] racism that's a fact you can look it up
[1:00:39] you can go see it it's a fact so uh I am
[1:00:42] very clear because of the climate that
[1:00:45] we're in not to call things racism when
[1:00:47] they're when it's a possibility that
[1:00:48] they're not but you can't argue with the
[1:00:51] facts
[1:00:51] and if we want to talk about it I want
[1:00:53] to just mention what happened in
[1:00:55] Tennessee where there were lawmakers who
[1:00:57] stood up for children getting killed and
[1:00:59] talking against guns and two of those
[1:01:02] lawmakers were African-American and the
[1:01:04] third was not and the two
[1:01:06] African-Americans were expelled and the
[1:01:08] third was not so you can come to your
[1:01:10] own conclusion on that
[1:01:12] so it's not sometimes and it's racism
[1:01:16] and I one of the speakers said that
[1:01:18] they're getting tired of it I think we
[1:01:19] are all getting tired of it and those of
[1:01:21] us who have lived with it for years are
[1:01:23] tired of it as well and I think that if
[1:01:25] we just we can try to work together and
[1:01:27] overcome it but recognize other people's
[1:01:30] situations if you've never walked in
[1:01:31] their shoes
[1:01:33] and respect that and have conversations
[1:01:35] about it and I'm hoping that this is our
[1:01:38] last debate on the floor
[1:01:40] um against and between two council
[1:01:41] members because as people say that I'm
[1:01:44] hearing from the public I hear as well
[1:01:45] about the in those particular
[1:01:48] interactions maybe it's time for a
[1:01:50] private conversation gentlemen
[1:01:53] if there's nothing to come before the
[1:01:55] city council
[1:01:56] tonight I'd like to ask for a motion to
[1:01:58] adjourn
[1:02:00] second my move by Mr Farley move second
[1:02:03] by Mr all those in favor
[1:02:05] have a good evening