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[9:15] I'll put them on the table

[9:31] thank you

[9:42] I'd like to call the city caucus a

[9:44] meeting to order for Monday May 22nd

[9:46] 2023.

[9:49] we have two public hearings this evening

[9:50] if the clerk would please read

[9:53] public hearing number one the

[9:55] determination of the environmental

[9:56] significance of rezoning parcels between

[9:58] Hamilton Schenectady strong streets and

[10:01] parts of Summit Avenue and Mumford

[10:02] street from R1 single family District to

[10:05] R22 family District

[10:07] public hearing number two public hearing

[10:09] number two rezoning Parcels between

[10:11] Hamilton Street Schenectady Street

[10:13] Strong Street and parts of Summit Avenue

[10:14] and Mumford street from our one single

[10:17] family District to R2 to family District

[10:20] we have 14 items for original

[10:22] consideration if the clerk would please

[10:24] read item number one item number one for

[10:26] original consideration a resolution

[10:29] authorized in the mayor or his designee

[10:30] to enter into a contract with New York

[10:32] State dormitory Authority for a state

[10:34] and Municipal Grant in the amount of 125

[10:37] thousand dollars for the Central Park

[10:39] Greenhouse discussed the committee

[10:42] without objection on consent item number

[10:43] two item number two for original

[10:45] consideration a resolution authorizing

[10:47] the mayor or his Destiny to enter into a

[10:49] contract with New York State dormitory

[10:51] Authority for a state and Municipal

[10:53] Grant in the amount of 125 thousand

[10:55] dollars for the Woodland Preserve

[10:56] discussed and committed with objection

[10:58] on consent item number three item number

[11:01] three for original consideration a

[11:03] resolution authorizing the commissioner

[11:05] of Finance deposit and increase the

[11:06] capital budget codes that have been

[11:08] designated specifically for the

[11:10] Consolidated local streets and Highway

[11:11] Improvement program extreme winter

[11:14] recovery pave New York State touring

[11:17] route and paver potholes funding in the

[11:20] total amount of four million eight

[11:22] hundred five thousand 599.40

[11:25] discussed in committee with objection on

[11:27] consent item number four item number

[11:29] four for original consideration a

[11:30] resolution authorizing the fee waivers

[11:32] for exterior building repair permits

[11:34] discussed in committee without objection

[11:36] on consent item number five item number

[11:38] five for original consideration a

[11:40] resolution authorizing the mayor or his

[11:42] designee to enter into an agreement with

[11:44] Schenectady Community Action Program for

[11:46] a not to exceed amount of two hundred

[11:47] thousand dollars for rental assistance

[11:49] discussed

[11:51] roll call by Miss Patrick

[11:57] item number six item number six for

[11:59] original consideration a resolution

[12:01] authorizing the allocation of thirty

[12:03] thousand dollars in CD cdbg funding to

[12:06] sjta for youth employment as part of the

[12:09] tree planting collaborative discussed

[12:11] and committee without objection on

[12:12] consent item number seven item number

[12:14] seven for original consideration a

[12:16] resolution authorizing an amendment to

[12:17] the collective bargain agreement

[12:19] 2020-2024 between the city of

[12:21] Schenectady and the Civil Service

[12:23] employee Association local 1000 afscme

[12:27] AFL-CIO for the city of Schenectady unit

[12:30] 8501 of the Schenectady County local

[12:33] number 886 related to salaries

[12:37] discussed in committee with objection on

[12:39] consent item number eight item number

[12:41] eight for original consideration a

[12:42] resolution confirming the appointment of

[12:44] Anil mcgo to the Schenectady of

[12:46] Schenectady civilian civilian police

[12:48] review board

[12:49] discussed in committee with objection on

[12:51] consent item number nine item number

[12:54] nine for original consideration a

[12:55] resolution authorizing the sale of a

[12:57] vacant lot at 22 minder Street for five

[12:59] thousand dollars

[13:01] discussed in committee with objection on

[13:03] consent item number ten item number 10

[13:05] for original consideration a resolution

[13:07] authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at

[13:09] 22 and a half Catherine Street for one

[13:11] thousand five hundred dollars discussed

[13:13] in committee with objection on consent

[13:15] item number 11 item number 11 for

[13:17] original consideration a resolution

[13:19] authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at

[13:21] 910 State Street for forty thousand

[13:23] dollars discussed in committee without

[13:25] objection without objection on consent

[13:26] item number 12 item number 12 for

[13:29] original consideration a resolution

[13:30] recognizing National Caribbean American

[13:33] Heritage Month 2023 discussed and

[13:37] committee without objection on consent

[13:38] and this will be presented at a later

[13:40] date item number 13. item number 13 for

[13:44] original consideration a resolution

[13:46] recognized in June 2023 as a lesbian gay

[13:49] bisexual transgender and queer pride

[13:51] month discussed in committee without

[13:53] objection on consent and this will be

[13:54] presented on June 3rd

[13:57] item number 14 item number 14 for

[14:00] original consideration a resolution

[14:02] recognizing Pastor Felicia Collins

[14:05] discussing committee with objection on

[14:06] consent and this will also be presented

[14:08] at a later event

[14:10] if there's nothing more to come before

[14:11] the city council Cox I've asked for a

[14:13] motion to adjourn motion by Miss Patrick

[14:15] second by Mr mutivaren all those in

[14:17] favor

[14:18] aye we are adjourned

[14:20] I'd like to call the city council

[14:21] meeting to order for Monday May 22nd

[14:24] 2023.

[14:26] and Israel is Reverend Lynn Bolden here

[14:31] not I'd ask us all to stand

[14:37] and first of all I asked for us for a

[14:39] moment of silence for this 20 school

[14:41] children who died in a dormitory fire in

[14:44] Guyana

[14:57] thank you

[14:59] at this time uh I'll offer a prayer

[15:01] father we come before you we thank you

[15:03] for this opportunity to continue to

[15:05] serve in the capacity that you've

[15:07] allowed us to be we ask that you be with

[15:09] us in this deliberation tonight in these

[15:11] conversations tonight be with us Lord as

[15:13] we share our thoughts our concerns God

[15:16] and we ask that you will just um create

[15:19] an understanding amongst us so that we

[15:21] are able to work together successfully

[15:22] for the residents of the city we thank

[15:24] you for the opportunity to work together

[15:26] and we ask that you will continue to

[15:28] bless us and help us move forward as a

[15:30] city that is concerned for all of its

[15:31] citizens in Jesus name I pray amen

[15:35] I would ask a council member the Toro to

[15:37] please lead us in the pledge pledge

[15:39] allegiance to the flag of the United

[15:42] States of America and to the Republic

[15:44] for which it stands one nation under God

[15:48] indivisible with liberty and justice for

[15:51] all thank you

[16:05] and as the clerk to please complete the

[16:07] Roll Call

[16:09] Mr Mutual

[16:10] Mr Toro

[16:12] Mr Farley here Mr Williams

[16:16] Miss Patrick here Mr palamini here Miss

[16:20] Porterfield here

[16:23] we had two public hearings this evening

[16:25] and just a reminder we've extended the

[16:27] public comment for the public hearings

[16:29] to four minutes and I respectfully ask

[16:31] that anyone who is caught here to speak

[16:32] on the public hearing to only speak to

[16:34] the subject relevant to the public

[16:36] hearing number one is regarding

[16:41] the determination of the environmental

[16:42] significance of resulting Parcels

[16:43] between Hamilton Schenectady strong

[16:45] streets and parts of Summit Avenue and

[16:47] Mumford street from R1 single family

[16:49] District to R2 family District

[16:52] I see no one signed up so if there's

[16:55] anyone who wants to speak to that and

[16:57] just sign down the wrong sheet let me

[16:58] know at this point

[17:01] if not I would declare that public

[17:04] comment closed

[17:06] public hearing number two resulting

[17:09] Parcels between Hamilton Street

[17:10] Schenectady Street Strong Street parts

[17:12] of Summit Avenue and Mumford street from

[17:14] our one single family to R2 to family

[17:17] District

[17:18] again I don't have anyone signed up for

[17:20] that particular public hearing if

[17:22] there's anyone who signed on the wrong

[17:23] sheet please come forward at this time

[17:26] if not I declare a public hearing number

[17:29] two closed

[17:33] I'd ask for the approval of May of the

[17:35] minutes of May 8th

[17:37] um second by Mr Williams all in favor

[17:42] if the clerk could please read any

[17:44] Communications and petitions

[17:49] Communications presented to city council

[17:51] for Monday May 22nd 2023 under official

[17:54] there were none under a general there

[17:56] were none and under petitions there were

[17:58] none

[18:02] council members I call any council

[18:03] members now to provide committee reports

[18:06] any committee reports

[18:10] at this time we'll have pillars of the

[18:13] floor for the legislative agenda

[18:15] I have one person signed up to speak

[18:19] Elisa Martin

[18:25] and just remind your mom it's a three

[18:26] minute you'll hear the timer

[18:29] good evening everyone and thank you for

[18:31] the opportunity to speak my name is

[18:32] Elise Martin and I am the community

[18:34] services director at scaff

[18:37] as you know scap is a provider of

[18:39] services for people facing homelessness

[18:41] eviction and in need of Supportive

[18:43] Housing Services we are present in City

[18:46] eviction Court every week to provide

[18:48] support for people facing eviction and

[18:51] when funds are available we Aid in

[18:53] rental arrears

[18:54] we work very closely with area landlords

[18:57] and while the moratorium prevented our

[19:00] community from being flooded with

[19:01] homeless during the pandemic

[19:04] it put considerable pressure on

[19:06] landlords dependent on rental income to

[19:08] live

[19:09] I'm here tonight to share with you some

[19:11] statistics that highlight the housing

[19:14] cost that burdens our community

[19:16] people who are living near or below

[19:19] poverty lines struggle to meet basic

[19:21] needs even don't even during low

[19:23] inflation periods the inflation rate was

[19:26] seven percent in 20 and 21.

[19:29] 6.5 in 2022 and is averaging 5 this year

[19:35] well everyone has experienced a cost of

[19:37] living increase people living on low

[19:40] income are at considerable risk of

[19:42] homelessness because of the inflation

[19:45] scaps 2022 Community needs assessment

[19:48] identified that 38 percent of all

[19:51] households in the city of Schenectady

[19:53] are cost burden meaning that more than

[19:56] 30 percent of their income goes towards

[19:58] their housing costs and approximately 52

[20:02] percent of this group are renters

[20:05] according to the National low-income

[20:07] housing coalition's 2021 Outreach report

[20:10] the maximum affordable rent for

[20:13] Schenectady County families with an area

[20:15] median income 30 percent or below is

[20:20] 717 dollars

[20:22] the fair market rent for 2021 for a

[20:25] two-bedroom in Schenectady County was

[20:28] one thousand one hundred and Seventeen

[20:30] dollars and a family in Schenectady

[20:33] County would need to earn almost 45

[20:36] 000 annually which is an average hourly

[20:40] rate of 21.48 to afford this however the

[20:46] hourly average rate for renters in this

[20:49] community is

[20:51] 14.62 cents Hud's fair market rent for

[20:54] this year for a two-bedroom apartment in

[20:57] this community is one thousand three

[20:59] hundred and thirteen dollars which is up

[21:02] nearly 18 in the last two years

[21:06] to further demonstrate this need there

[21:08] is an average of 68 cases a week in City

[21:12] eviction court and almost all of these

[21:14] cases involve a need for rental rear

[21:17] payments

[21:18] over 120 households are currently housed

[21:21] in motels and this demonstrates how

[21:25] oversaturated our shelter system is

[21:27] because they can't be served by the

[21:29] shelters that are in our community

[21:32] and there are over 350 homeless

[21:35] households on our counties coordinated

[21:38] entry waiting list who are waiting for

[21:40] housing and on average they're on that

[21:42] wait list for at least six months

[21:47] rent affordability affordability was a

[21:49] significant concern before the pandemic

[21:52] but the surge in inflation has made it

[21:54] even harder significantly affecting

[21:56] those that we serve especially those on

[21:59] fixed incomes

[22:00] choosing between rent or food rent or

[22:04] obtaining medication paying rent or

[22:07] ensuring that your children have

[22:09] clothing these are the type of struggles

[22:10] that we see the families we serve

[22:12] dealing with every day the additional

[22:15] two hundred thousand dollars in cdbg

[22:17] funds will assist an average of 52

[22:20] households with rental rears all the

[22:23] payments go directly to the landlord

[22:25] which is a win-win for our community the

[22:27] landlords and the tenants

[22:30] because it keeps people housed and gets

[22:31] that money out to the landlords who need

[22:33] it the New York State emergency rental

[22:36] assistance payment program also known as

[22:39] e-wrap has paid to this day

[22:41] almost 14 million dollars to Schenectady

[22:45] and Rental arrears I'm going to need you

[22:47] to summarize please

[22:48] I'm going to need you to summarize

[22:49] please

[22:52] um and there are also an additional one

[22:55] million dollars that we've paid in

[22:57] emergency shelter grants all right thank

[22:59] you thank you

[23:02] foreign

[23:04] I have no one else signed up to speak so

[23:06] I declare the public comment on the

[23:08] legislative agenda closed

[23:12] at this time I asked approval of the

[23:14] legislative agenda

[23:16] motion by Mr and second by Mr Farley all

[23:20] in favor

[23:23] we have won a roll call Item this

[23:25] evening

[23:27] if the clerk would please read item

[23:29] number eight excuse me item number five under original

[23:34] consideration a resolution authorized in

[23:36] the mayor or his designee to enter an

[23:38] agreement with Schenectady Community

[23:39] Action Program for a not to exceed

[23:42] amount of two hundred thousand dollars

[23:43] for rental assistance

[23:46] need a motion

[23:48] by Miss Patrick

[23:50] second by Mr palmy

[23:54] any discussion prior to the vote

[24:01] go ahead

[24:04] okay

[24:05] if the clerk would please call the roll

[24:08] Mr mutaviran yes

[24:10] Mr Toro

[24:13] just like to say a few things

[24:16] thank you for your comments here this

[24:19] evening I don't think it's our role to

[24:22] judge the worthiness of individuals that

[24:24] scap serves to receive this funding

[24:27] assistance

[24:28] let's let scap do their jobs using the

[24:32] guidelines they have in place and get

[24:34] this funding to them as soon as possible

[24:36] so that landlords receive rent and

[24:39] tenants are not displaced unnecessary

[24:41] again it's a win-win I vote Yes

[24:46] barley

[24:50] um I would just like to say um I think

[24:52] that this is a clearly an issue that

[24:54] we've been speaking about

[24:55] we've had town halls I know we've got a

[24:58] lot of feedback so I think that this is

[25:00] you know probably one of our most

[25:03] important responsibilities as serving on

[25:05] this council is to make sure that people

[25:06] get what they need to live within the

[25:08] city I also think that we have a

[25:11] responsibility as this body to take into

[25:13] account this is um funding

[25:16] due to a pandemic and I think that

[25:18] living through this pandemic is

[25:20] something that none of us have ever

[25:21] experienced the first time going through

[25:23] it so I think that

[25:24] um it's always right to ask the right

[25:26] questions when doing this but I I just

[25:28] want to say that I'm full support of

[25:30] this this is what our community needs

[25:31] and we should respond and respond in a

[25:33] way that makes the most sense and thank

[25:34] you for your work

[25:36] I will yes

[25:40] Mr Williams

[25:42] so I unlike uh Miss tutorial I don't

[25:46] think that putting in place concessions

[25:47] or stipulations is in any way shape or

[25:51] form us determining the worthiness of

[25:53] individuals who are seeking These funds

[25:55] I do not agree that this is us judging

[25:57] however I think as advocates for the

[26:00] city of Schenectady it's our

[26:01] responsibility to do so in a manner

[26:03] that's financially responsible and I

[26:05] think placing

[26:07] um

[26:08] parameters I think allows us to be good

[26:10] stewards for the entire Community it's

[26:12] our responsibility to make sure that any

[26:14] action that we support upholds those

[26:16] standards for everyone throughout the

[26:17] city of Schenectady and I think adding

[26:19] these doesn't in any way

[26:22] overall hamper their work and due to the

[26:25] statistics that we heard there is a

[26:27] continuous need and I would like to

[26:29] continue this conversation onto how we

[26:31] can disperse more Monies to support this

[26:33] but that is the conversation for later

[26:34] however I do vote in favor of this yes

[26:38] Miss Patrick

[26:39] thank you I called for the roll call

[26:41] vote on this resolution because I'm

[26:43] still upset about what happened at last

[26:45] week's committee meeting scap clearly

[26:47] has the expertise to determine how to

[26:50] best use this funding to prevent

[26:52] homelessness why would we think we know

[26:55] better than they do why should we

[26:57] micromanage an organization that for

[27:00] decades has been in the trenches our

[27:03] role as city leaders is to find and fund

[27:06] the best Partners to help us serve the

[27:09] citizens of Schenectady in scap we have

[27:11] the right partner for this funding and I

[27:13] vote Yes

[27:19] thank you first of all thank you Scott

[27:21] for coming into for making your comments

[27:23] and um

[27:25] so let me just tell you that yes I did

[27:27] bring up concerns and

[27:30] questioning and asking questions

[27:32] shouldn't upset any council member

[27:34] because that's part of what we do here

[27:36] and as funders we should be asking

[27:38] questions about

[27:39] um about how the and how we're spending

[27:41] our funding and so not only did I ask

[27:43] questions there I called the executive

[27:45] director to get clarity on that because

[27:48] that to me makes a lot of sense and

[27:50] additionally that we want to make sure

[27:53] as we're spending this funding funding

[27:54] we're spending in the most the most

[27:56] possible the most

[27:58] um by using the most prioritized

[28:01] prioritizing the people who need it the

[28:03] most and that those were what my

[28:04] comments were about and what they still

[28:05] remain as we have heard from landlords

[28:08] who have not gotten their rent so we've

[28:11] heard it from both sides so asking

[28:13] questions just means you need to get

[28:14] clarity around the situation before you

[28:17] make a decision and that is what we

[28:19] should always do when you're spending

[28:20] any City money so I I think it's um

[28:23] unfortunate that a council member felt

[28:25] upset by questions being asked but if

[28:27] you don't ask the questions you won't

[28:29] have the answers and also it's not

[28:31] judging the worthiness of any individual

[28:33] I have known scaps worked for years on

[28:35] end I've worked with people who in

[28:37] situations myself who are don't aren't

[28:40] in Good Financial places but the other

[28:42] thing that we also want to do is to help

[28:44] people to become empowered and to get

[28:46] out of those situations as well and not

[28:48] to always feel that we it's consistently

[28:51] about giving to people and not trying to

[28:53] help them Empower themselves so asking

[28:55] questions it's just for clarity not for

[28:57] only for us but for the taxpayers as

[28:59] well so everyone understands how the

[29:02] money is being spent what the purpose is

[29:03] the landlords understand who have come

[29:05] to us with questions what's going to

[29:07] happen and how it's going to work so

[29:09] questions will be asked and as long as

[29:11] we get clarity and it makes sense

[29:13] absolutely

[29:14] um you know I can concur with that and I

[29:16] do vote Yes on this piece of legislation

[29:17] thank you

[29:21] this piece this resolution passed

[29:23] unanimously

[29:27] at this time I asked for privilege of

[29:29] the floor regarding General City

[29:31] business

[29:35] I have three people signed up to speak

[29:38] Ed laven Jr

[29:42] I'm sorry four people

[29:45] good evening mayor McCarthy chairwoman

[29:47] reporterfield and City Council Members I

[29:50] have sent emails to several council

[29:51] members chairwoman Porterfield was the

[29:53] only response I received she sent me to

[29:56] the commission on judicial conduct

[29:58] the city council was the law making and

[30:00] governing body of the city the council

[30:02] appoints the city clerk and

[30:04] commissioning board members it also

[30:06] determines policy improves contracts and

[30:08] agreements set salaries and approves

[30:10] contracts for goods and services it

[30:12] adopts all legislation governing laws

[30:15] and procedures followed in the city I've

[30:17] been here several times at my complaint

[30:19] in judicial corruption by three civil

[30:21] court judges I brought proof yet no

[30:23] council member has done anything to help

[30:25] me instead they accept the corruption of

[30:27] three judges instead of honoring their

[30:29] oath of office the mayor and all council

[30:31] members have all Swan sworn an oath

[30:33] which as it follows

[30:35] I do solemnly swear or affirm that I

[30:38] will support the Constitution of the

[30:39] United States and the constitution of

[30:42] the state of New York that it will

[30:43] Faithfully discharge the duties of the

[30:45] office of the mayor of ski city of

[30:47] Schenectady according to the best of my

[30:49] ability council members also similar in

[30:51] wording I am now asking you that you

[30:54] deal with my complaint and honor your

[30:55] oath of Law Offices to protect by

[30:58] constitutional rights of due process and

[31:00] a fair hearing

[31:01] this is not a request it is your job to

[31:04] honor your oath of office it's not your

[31:06] job to cover up for three corrupt judges

[31:08] by doing nothing

[31:09] makes me feel like you're part of the

[31:11] problem in Schenectady court system I've

[31:13] already shown that the mayor of council

[31:15] members are responsible for protecting

[31:17] my constitutional rights you are also

[31:19] responsible for not acting on my

[31:21] complaint that federal laws were broken

[31:23] by these three corrupt judges and city

[31:25] clerk's office this is a color of law

[31:27] violation once you are notified of a law

[31:30] that has been broken you are responsible

[31:32] for acting on it the mayor does not have

[31:34] the right to not meet with me it is part

[31:37] of his duties as a mayor but he knows

[31:40] this that's why he does not want to meet

[31:41] with me as all of you know it these

[31:43] three judges are guilty of obstruction

[31:45] of justice also if you choose not to do

[31:48] anything about this I will be sending

[31:50] all your names to the Department of

[31:51] Justice for a color of law violation I

[31:55] will also be seeking an attorneys

[31:56] through the city of Schenectady for

[31:58] being deprived of due process of fair

[32:00] hearing by three corrupt judges in the

[32:02] city clerk's office

[32:04] and the mayor's council member is doing

[32:06] nothing about it

[32:07] as I have said before the mayor

[32:09] orchestrated having the person who did

[32:11] the YouTube video of me falsely arrested

[32:14] yet wants nothing to do with three

[32:16] corrupt judges in City Hall arrested for

[32:18] the federal crime of conspiracy deprived

[32:20] me of my civil rights of due process and

[32:22] a fair hearing and if you think I'm

[32:24] going away I am not if you want to get

[32:27] rid of me act on my complaint but I

[32:30] really expect no one here to do anything

[32:31] because I find that corruption is

[32:33] rewarded in Schenectady

[32:35] and falatico is the mayor's Golden Boy

[32:38] it truly amazes me that the mayor and

[32:40] City Council Members would rather cover

[32:41] up for three corrupt judges in the city

[32:43] clerk's office that have broken federal

[32:45] laws to weed out these corrupt judges

[32:47] but this is Schenectady and mayor

[32:49] McCarthy is the city council thank you

[32:57] Michaels of Perry

[33:01] beginning Mr Mayor city council

[33:03] president miss Porterfield Council

[33:05] Members First of all I'd just like to

[33:07] say two things one I'd like to thank the

[33:09] city of Schenectady snap crew we have an

[33:11] island in our neighborhood or a property

[33:13] and I appreciate when I call there that

[33:15] they do come and they do know that I

[33:17] know they're busy but we appreciate that

[33:18] and thank you very much for that the

[33:21] other thing I wanted to comment on is I

[33:22] want to thank Mr Williams thank you you

[33:24] and me have been dealing with um the

[33:27] workshops and the Committees for like a

[33:29] year and that you started on May 18th

[33:31] thank you for that I look forward to uh

[33:33] to getting together with you more to

[33:35] work on this and I hope we can do with

[33:37] committee to do this and I want to thank

[33:38] you for that part of it thank you very

[33:40] much and I just had a small letter I

[33:42] just wrote up that I would like to read

[33:43] if I could please

[33:54] um to our forums and our workshops I

[33:56] feel that as a city much like a country

[33:58] we have a lot of work to be done in

[34:00] order to do this we all need to work

[34:02] together

[34:04] seems some we all excuse me we all share

[34:08] this city to live to work to play yet

[34:11] there are divisions and political issues

[34:13] that keep getting in the way of moving

[34:14] forward

[34:15] I believe that there is more that we

[34:17] have in common with one another than

[34:19] there are differences and that coming

[34:21] together to discuss our views concerns

[34:24] and so we hopefully provide the

[34:26] groundwork to make our city a better

[34:27] place construction communication is key

[34:30] to doing doing anything

[34:33] and we hope for these forums to provide

[34:36] the structure for that I feel that

[34:37] there's a need and opportunity to learn

[34:39] from one another and to grow as people

[34:41] by sharing not just our grievances but

[34:43] our ideas for their Solutions it's an

[34:45] opportunity

[34:46] whose time has not just come but in long

[34:48] overdue and I hope we can work together

[34:50] in Schenectady to build a better

[34:51] Schenectady thank you for your time

[34:53] thank you

[34:55] Wayne Harper

[35:01] you know Marion you were given that

[35:03] speech about

[35:05] you know asking questions and should you

[35:08] I'm thinking you're almost out of order

[35:11] people know about asking questions I

[35:13] mean it seems so trivial I don't

[35:15] understand why you did that

[35:17] but you did it now

[35:21] I'm here to talk about Neil as a Neil

[35:24] Gollum

[35:26] this new Schenectady

[35:28] you know in my mind that's right up

[35:30] there where we keep Miss Liberty those

[35:33] letter writers they're worried about

[35:34] Miss Liberty she's not where she belongs

[35:37] she ought to be in the park down there

[35:39] by the college but she's up here by the

[35:41] train station it's ridiculous so

[35:45] I've got a challenge for Neil

[35:47] I'd like them to call the mayor's office

[35:49] and I'll take him for a ride around new

[35:52] Schenectady and I'll show them some

[35:54] things if he really wants to get

[35:56] involved and make a difference

[35:58] and

[36:01] I'm thinking maybe we ought to get with

[36:03] Roger Hall

[36:05] and I'd like to talk about new

[36:07] Schenectady from a different perspective

[36:10] and that's overcoming this body and the

[36:13] way we conduct ourselves in this city

[36:16] I think we need managers for these

[36:18] departments we need to go back to a city

[36:22] manager perhaps or maybe something

[36:24] different there's room for discussion

[36:26] but this isn't working it hasn't worked

[36:29] in Generations

[36:30] and you don't even come here with a

[36:32] mindset of looking at how to cut costs

[36:35] or have an original idea you follow the

[36:39] same old tired routine generation after

[36:43] generation

[36:44] and it gets it's it's tiring and and

[36:47] quite frankly that's why a lot of people

[36:49] are leaving New York

[36:51] and I want to give a shout out to and I

[36:54] don't even know Matt Nell again never

[36:55] met him and that Tom Kennedy

[36:59] but I want to give a shout out to them

[37:01] for raising some issues that they did in

[37:03] this city and maybe if we had more

[37:05] Republicans and I'm not a Republican

[37:07] but maybe if we had more Republicans we

[37:10] could raise some other issues and going

[37:12] back to that swimming pool that really

[37:15] upset me you know what that's like your porch is falling off

[37:20] your house your roof is leaking and your

[37:23] windows are broken and what do you do

[37:25] you go out and buy a luxury vehicle

[37:28] that's what that said to me and come on

[37:30] up to Bellevue you know the

[37:32] neighborhoods in this city

[37:34] started with Hamilton Hill how many

[37:35] years ago

[37:37] that went then it went to Brandywine

[37:39] Avenue that area State Street then it

[37:41] went into Mount Pleasant that

[37:43] neighborhood was lost now it's coming to

[37:46] Bellevue so it won't be long before but

[37:48] what's going to be left

[37:49] uh the GE plot and maybe a little bit in

[37:53] The Stockade so you know we need people

[37:56] that first of all

[37:58] come out of the private sector a lot of

[38:01] you folks not all but most of you you've

[38:04] had

[38:05] private or or government jobs or or

[38:09] school system jobs so all right I see I

[38:13] see that is that where the clock is up

[38:15] there you're here to

[38:21] you're welcome Wayne

[38:24] Rod Huber

[38:40] I'm a little nervous I've never been

[38:42] here

[38:43] good evening everyone I have a few

[38:45] things to discuss which I don't

[38:47] understand

[38:48] a few years ago

[38:50] put new windows in City Hall for nine

[38:53] hundred thousand dollars

[38:54] what's next for them

[38:56] central air I don't understand

[39:00] our roads aren't paved but they spend a

[39:03] lot of money on everything else

[39:05] wine

[39:06] I don't understand

[39:08] and now now you're going to spend 10

[39:10] million dollars on a pool where the park

[39:12] is still they they don't collect the

[39:15] leaves or anything

[39:17] I don't get it

[39:18] but the roads are paved by Central Park

[39:22] aren't they

[39:23] and then they let OTB go to hell

[39:27] they spend more money

[39:29] got to have things in the right order

[39:31] here

[39:36] city of disconnected we're the taxpayers

[39:38] that pay

[39:40] but we're not getting any Services I

[39:42] live in Woodlawn we got to beg for

[39:44] services the plow comes digs up our lung

[39:47] that's all we got you know what I'm

[39:49] saying and I've lived there 25 years my

[39:52] world has never been paid why

[39:55] we pay our taxes and we don't get the

[39:58] right services

[40:00] it's got to change got to get some new

[40:02] blood in the the government here

[40:06] secondly the hardest or whatever thirdly

[40:10] whatever anyways the Harvest working

[40:12] people in the city are the sanitation

[40:14] workers

[40:15] and they're treated like dirt

[40:18] which is wrong I work for this city and

[40:21] I did my job well

[40:24] anyways

[40:26] I go to pay my taxes in the mayor's

[40:28] office

[40:29] and I always got to get somewhere to go

[40:31] with me because I'm treated so badly and

[40:34] today one of the clerks

[40:36] you know when you're an older person

[40:37] they just don't care and she banged her

[40:39] fist on the counter because I had to ask

[40:42] her to repeat it I wear a hearing aid

[40:45] why

[40:48] I suggest sheep over anger management

[40:55] you call City Hall and they say we'll

[40:58] have them look into it you're never

[41:00] going to call back

[41:01] then again our return pay what gives

[41:05] gotta have some new people here

[41:08] because nothing gets done I don't mean

[41:10] to complain about but right is right

[41:13] so we need some stuff done that's all

[41:15] thanks guys

[41:17] thank you

[41:25] I have no one else signed up to speak so

[41:27] I declare the public comment on City

[41:29] business closed

[41:32] at this time any miscellaneous business

[41:33] of the council

[41:35] Mr Williams

[41:42] uh good evening and I would like to

[41:43] thank everyone that came out to speak

[41:44] absolutely this is your opportunity to

[41:46] host your concerns and definitely

[41:48] holding us accountable as a as a

[41:51] collective body I want to take a moment

[41:52] to

[41:53] um echo on the sentiments of Mr Mike

[41:55] Shapiro definitely hosted a really nice

[41:58] Forum at Union College and I'd like to

[42:00] give a shout out to him initially for

[42:03] bringing forth an idea and using this as

[42:06] a uh

[42:08] a tool to remind the community that some

[42:11] change takes time and some change is

[42:13] slow but with the proper due diligence

[42:15] we can see things into fruition this was

[42:16] an idea that he brought forward to me

[42:18] about having a community conversation

[42:19] which morphed over a series of months to

[42:22] us reaching out to a partner and braver

[42:25] Angels I'd like to thank Mike and Bruce

[42:27] and also as reaching out to Blair at

[42:29] Union College Who provided a venue for

[42:30] us to host this conversation among many

[42:33] tenants uh preached the understanding of being

[42:37] transparent inclusive and stepping aside

[42:39] from ourselves and understanding that

[42:41] just because you view things from from a

[42:43] certain vantage point it doesn't mean

[42:45] that your truth is absolute and it

[42:46] doesn't mean that you can discredit

[42:47] someone else and as we look to enter

[42:50] another election year it is our

[42:52] responsibility as those running for

[42:54] office but also as those voting to have

[42:56] these conversations effectively with the

[42:59] best intent in mind because we are

[43:04] a reflection of what the next generation

[43:06] is going to potentially embody and it is

[43:08] our responsibility to do that in a very

[43:10] productive and Equitable manner next I

[43:13] would like to take this moment to just

[43:14] highlight that I heard from a number of

[43:16] individuals speaking about just the

[43:18] conditions of where they live at in the

[43:20] city of Schenectady and I think it's

[43:21] important to highlight that there is an

[43:23] application on the city website see

[43:25] clickfix recently this past Sunday I

[43:28] went on a walk to Central Park and I

[43:30] noticed that there were some potholes

[43:31] over on Spruce Street it is not and it

[43:34] cannot be the sole expectation for city

[43:36] council to fix the city it is a

[43:38] collaborative effort and I say that

[43:40] fully accepting the accountability and

[43:42] responsibility I have with this position

[43:44] however we need to do so in a manner

[43:46] where we are also feeling these

[43:49] complaints because there's no way that I

[43:50] travel the entire city however please

[43:52] hold us responsible keep coming to the

[43:54] real regardless of whether you see

[43:56] improvements or Updates this is your way

[43:59] to keep this on our foresight but

[44:02] definitely that is how you can get

[44:04] things fixed in the city of Schenectady

[44:05] but also asks as a number of residents

[44:07] spoke or a number of individuals spoke

[44:09] about certain things I would ask for you

[44:11] to stay after because a number of those

[44:12] issues are being addressed and I think

[44:14] it is our responsibility that when we

[44:15] hear things to make sure that we provide

[44:17] the proper context so that you yourself

[44:19] can continue that conversation and bring

[44:22] that information to your Social Circle

[44:23] circles as well thank you

[44:31] Mr motivator

[44:34] thank you

[44:36] I just want to highlight one of the

[44:37] items that we voted on tonight I just

[44:40] want to remind the permit fee waiver

[44:42] again we are voting to waive the permit

[44:46] fee application fee for all exterior

[44:48] work that's 56 dollars and a hundred

[44:51] dollars for roofing permit this program

[44:53] runs through June 4th of 2023 to August

[44:56] 31st 2023 and I encourage homeowners to

[45:00] please um you know utilize this um

[45:03] generous offer from us over several

[45:05] years we have

[45:07] giving this to the community because we

[45:09] cares about the community so I encourage

[45:11] homeowners and I encourage my colleagues

[45:13] when you're out there of course please

[45:14] it's all of us this is not John what if

[45:16] you're in program it's all of us we all

[45:18] make this happen so I want you to remind

[45:20] and to remind the homeowner to take

[45:22] advantage of this program in the next

[45:24] three months starting June 1st and you

[45:27] have 12 months to complete the work it's

[45:29] 56 application fee for all exterior work

[45:32] and a hundred dollars for All Roofing

[45:34] permit that's 100 waiver for roof so

[45:37] once again homeowner we're here giving

[45:39] back to the community and I ask that you

[45:41] take advantage of this thank you thank

[45:44] you

[45:45] Miss Patrick

[45:47] thanks

[45:49] um I just wanted to mention that the

[45:52] Schenectady Blue Jays had a wonderful

[45:54] grand reopening of the ballpark at

[45:57] Michigan Avenue the other day and it was

[45:59] really wonderful to see all the baseball

[46:01] players and their coaches assembled the

[46:04] other day

[46:05] um it was a very exciting time I did not

[46:07] grow up here or play baseball here as

[46:09] some of my colleagues did but it was

[46:12] nice to hear especially from many of the

[46:13] parents about the um the role that these

[46:17] coaches play in their kids in their kids

[46:21] lives and how they're teaching them

[46:23] leadership and team team skills that are

[46:26] going to carry on for the rest of their

[46:27] life so it was a great event and I

[46:29] really want to thank the volunteers that

[46:33] run that League because they did it

[46:34] they've done a tremendous job and then

[46:36] also I just wanted to

[46:39] um you know Monday

[46:41] next Monday is Memorial day and a time

[46:45] for us to reflect on the service of so

[46:47] many people that lost their lives uh in

[46:49] our in our various conflicts so I hope

[46:53] that everybody enjoys the the day that

[46:56] they have off but also remember those

[46:59] that sacrificed their lives for us thank

[47:01] you this tutorial

[47:06] thank you president Porterfield so again

[47:08] I'd like to just take a moment to

[47:10] recognize Memorial Day next Monday

[47:12] There's no council on the Schenectady

[47:15] County website there's listings of all

[47:18] the events and um that are paying

[47:20] tribute to our veterans in all different

[47:23] locations throughout the city including

[47:25] a parade and a mass even next Tuesday at

[47:28] Saint Adalbert Cemetery so please visit

[47:30] the Schenectady County website so we can

[47:32] honor our veterans those who have fallen

[47:35] and we can also remember those in Our

[47:37] Lives who we lost also on Memorial Day

[47:40] thank you mayor

[47:44] oh Mr Bowen

[47:47] back in August we passed a resolution

[47:49] asking for home rule legislation for

[47:52] Speed cameras in school zones

[47:55] particularly

[47:56] earlier today we received an email from

[47:59] Miss Porterfield and basically

[48:04] um

[48:05] what had happened was the resolution was

[48:08] never sent to our state legislators

[48:12] um

[48:13] when I reached out to our city clerk the

[48:17] answer was I sent it to the people you

[48:19] said to send it to and receive no

[48:22] further instruction

[48:23] well the process is we pass as a council

[48:26] the clerk sends the resolutions out to

[48:30] the state legislatures

[48:32] to his credit Mr Williams reached out

[48:36] and tried to figure out what was going

[48:39] on with these resolution with the home

[48:42] roller Regis legislation

[48:45] we put aside our well-documented

[48:48] differences and tried to work together

[48:52] reaching out to one of our legislators

[48:55] the legislative Aid told me and I passed

[49:00] that on to Mr Williams

[49:02] that a letter was necessary just stating

[49:06] that yes we did in fact pass this it was

[49:10] on the agenda from Monday night

[49:13] somehow it was removed so must something

[49:17] must have happened between when the

[49:19] legislation was out the agenda was out

[49:22] and Monday night

[49:24] and then

[49:26] um I had brought a letter as per the

[49:30] instructions of the aid we didn't need

[49:34] to pass anything it was already a past

[49:36] resolution it was just stating what we

[49:40] had already done

[49:42] several member signs some didn't

[49:45] neither here nor there

[49:47] however the problem is the general

[49:50] incompetence

[49:51] of what happened here

[49:54] this isn't the first home rule

[49:56] legislation that did not reach our state

[49:58] legislators

[50:00] so now we're in very serious shape of

[50:04] getting legislation that residents in

[50:07] the city

[50:08] have been asking for months

[50:12] getting it even looked at in order to

[50:15] get it scored we needed to have very

[50:17] specific language in the letter

[50:21] as per the aid

[50:23] that was conveyed in the letter I read

[50:26] it to the person she said that is

[50:29] correct

[50:30] the letter we received in the email

[50:32] today will not suffice first of all

[50:35] there's a gazillion typos

[50:38] secondly there's not specific

[50:39] information

[50:42] so now we're in very serious Jeopardy of

[50:45] not even getting this a number in order

[50:47] to get passed and looked at

[50:51] the incompetence here is just remarkable

[50:56] and it it's to some ways point the

[51:00] difference between the public and

[51:01] private sector

[51:04] so now instead of having something that

[51:07] should have been looked at we probably

[51:10] won't have this looked at

[51:12] or number at least numbered and then

[51:14] looked at

[51:16] in order to solve a very serious problem

[51:18] we're having in the city

[51:22] so people should be very aware of this

[51:25] they should be very angry about this

[51:27] because we've had issues with speeding

[51:31] all along

[51:34] as well as other home rule legislation

[51:36] that never reached our state legislators

[51:39] there is a process the city council

[51:42] passes it the city clerk sends it to the

[51:45] state

[51:46] it's been that way forever

[51:49] and for people now to say well what's

[51:51] the process or who should do this or it

[51:55] could be this one it could be that one

[51:57] no it's always been that way when the

[52:00] city council passes the home rule

[52:04] the clerk sends it to the state

[52:07] so this is just

[52:09] unacceptable because now we have

[52:12] individuals throughout the city seeking

[52:15] our assistance and we've let them down

[52:18] it's just an embarrassment yet another

[52:21] one for the city council

[52:28] thank you madam president this guy just

[52:31] reviewed your email or sent around

[52:34] can I ask what happened with the

[52:35] legislation I put forth I thought we had

[52:38] unanimous support to

[52:41] seek the same home rule legislation that

[52:44] Albany got where

[52:46] the initial criteria for an eviction

[52:49] proceeding would be required that the

[52:52] uh

[52:53] property is on the landlord registry

[52:58] and that would require home rule

[52:59] legislation so we could

[53:01] he's talking about speeding but I'm

[53:04] talking about a similar piece of

[53:06] legislation because

[53:07] the rules for home rule are the local

[53:10] legislative body half has to pass a

[53:13] request that's sent to the state

[53:15] legislature

[53:16] a bill is then introduced and then it

[53:20] comes back for the local legislative

[53:22] body to pass a resolution in support of

[53:26] the introduced legislation

[53:29] and so I'm asking now on the

[53:33] home rule legislation for tying eviction

[53:36] proceedings to participation in the

[53:40] landlord registry if we move that

[53:42] forward and is there a bill introduced

[53:44] she said she'd have to look

[53:50] thank you madam president thank you all again for coming out this

[53:54] evening and just to lend some clarity to

[53:57] Mr palamini's comments the piece of

[54:00] paper that he brought was um not a

[54:03] letter it was not was not actually

[54:05] discussed during committee but simply

[54:07] asked for a signature from all of us so

[54:10] again we need to discuss it have

[54:13] questions asked and answered and not

[54:15] just a piece of legislation I got no

[54:16] prior email prior to that or any of that

[54:19] I understand what it was about however

[54:21] if we're moving forward and doing a

[54:22] letter it also should come through the

[54:24] clerk's office neither the clerk nor our

[54:27] Corporation Council had any knowledge of

[54:30] that before we it got to that meeting so

[54:33] there are guidelines that we need to go

[54:34] by and any legislation or anything that

[54:37] goes through this city council should be

[54:39] captured and recorded by the clerk's

[54:41] office that piece of paper did not go

[54:44] through that process and therefore that

[54:46] would not have happened so

[54:48] um in terms of that it just simply means

[54:50] that individuals on the council we

[54:52] should work through these systems the

[54:54] way they're set up regardless of

[54:55] whatever your personal feelings are and

[54:57] then we can get these things moved

[54:58] forward so that information did not come

[55:00] to the proper channels again it did not

[55:02] come into the clerk's office it was not

[55:04] seen by our Corporation Council and that

[55:06] is the way that these things should be

[55:07] moving forward to make sure that we keep

[55:09] an accurate record not everyone on the

[55:12] council will always be here all the time

[55:14] so those that come behind us need to be

[55:16] able to to see what we did and what

[55:18] order we did it in and where things lie

[55:20] so those are the reasons um for us

[55:22] moving forward in a different direction

[55:23] and again I spoke to Mr Colden regarding

[55:26] that and if there's anything more that

[55:28] needs to go into the letter then we can

[55:30] definitely add that but communicating

[55:32] with the clerk's office and with our

[55:34] Corporation Council as we move things

[55:36] forward is really important for us to

[55:38] get things done

[55:39] so thank you all and I also want to

[55:42] um just to remember all of our veterans

[55:45] who have lost their lives for our

[55:47] freedom in this country and for the many

[55:49] freedoms that we um

[55:51] freedom of Liberty religion and all the

[55:54] freedoms that we enjoy so I just want to

[55:56] um to remember all of them and to say to

[55:58] everyone as you're observing those dates

[56:00] that you remember your families and

[56:01] enjoy yourselves out there but let's

[56:02] remember what Memorial Day is really all about it's about those

[56:06] service members who gave their lives to

[56:07] us so thank you and we will not be

[56:10] meeting next Monday because it is the

[56:11] fifth Monday so thank you all for coming

[56:14] out tonight at this time I asked for a

[56:16] motion to adjourn

[56:17] moved by Miss Patrick second by Mr

[56:20] motiveran all in favor

[56:22] we're adjourned have a good evening

Schenectady City Council Meeting, May 22, 2023

Transcript