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I'll put them on the table
thank you
I'd like to call the city caucus a
meeting to order for Monday May 22nd
2023.
we have two public hearings this evening
if the clerk would please read
public hearing number one the
determination of the environmental
significance of rezoning parcels between
Hamilton Schenectady strong streets and
parts of Summit Avenue and Mumford
street from R1 single family District to
R22 family District
public hearing number two public hearing
number two rezoning Parcels between
Hamilton Street Schenectady Street
Strong Street and parts of Summit Avenue
and Mumford street from our one single
family District to R2 to family District
we have 14 items for original
consideration if the clerk would please
read item number one item number one for
original consideration a resolution
authorized in the mayor or his designee
to enter into a contract with New York
State dormitory Authority for a state
and Municipal Grant in the amount of 125
thousand dollars for the Central Park
Greenhouse discussed the committee
without objection on consent item number
two item number two for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor or his Destiny to enter into a
contract with New York State dormitory
Authority for a state and Municipal
Grant in the amount of 125 thousand
dollars for the Woodland Preserve
discussed and committed with objection
on consent item number three item number
three for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the commissioner
of Finance deposit and increase the
capital budget codes that have been
designated specifically for the
Consolidated local streets and Highway
Improvement program extreme winter
recovery pave New York State touring
route and paver potholes funding in the
total amount of four million eight
hundred five thousand 599.40
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number four item number
four for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the fee waivers
for exterior building repair permits
discussed in committee without objection
on consent item number five item number
five for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the mayor or his
designee to enter into an agreement with
Schenectady Community Action Program for
a not to exceed amount of two hundred
thousand dollars for rental assistance
discussed
roll call by Miss Patrick
item number six item number six for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the allocation of thirty
thousand dollars in CD cdbg funding to
sjta for youth employment as part of the
tree planting collaborative discussed
and committee without objection on
consent item number seven item number
seven for original consideration a
resolution authorizing an amendment to
the collective bargain agreement
2020-2024 between the city of
Schenectady and the Civil Service
employee Association local 1000 afscme
AFL-CIO for the city of Schenectady unit
8501 of the Schenectady County local
number 886 related to salaries
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number eight item number
eight for original consideration a
resolution confirming the appointment of
Anil mcgo to the Schenectady of
Schenectady civilian civilian police
review board
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number nine item number
nine for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the sale of a
vacant lot at 22 minder Street for five
thousand dollars
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number ten item number 10
for original consideration a resolution
authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at
22 and a half Catherine Street for one
thousand five hundred dollars discussed
in committee with objection on consent
item number 11 item number 11 for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at
910 State Street for forty thousand
dollars discussed in committee without
objection without objection on consent
item number 12 item number 12 for
original consideration a resolution
recognizing National Caribbean American
Heritage Month 2023 discussed and
committee without objection on consent
and this will be presented at a later
date item number 13. item number 13 for
original consideration a resolution
recognized in June 2023 as a lesbian gay
bisexual transgender and queer pride
month discussed in committee without
objection on consent and this will be
presented on June 3rd
item number 14 item number 14 for
original consideration a resolution
recognizing Pastor Felicia Collins
discussing committee with objection on
consent and this will also be presented
at a later event
if there's nothing more to come before
the city council Cox I've asked for a
motion to adjourn motion by Miss Patrick
second by Mr mutivaren all those in
favor
aye we are adjourned
I'd like to call the city council
meeting to order for Monday May 22nd
2023.
and Israel is Reverend Lynn Bolden here
not I'd ask us all to stand
and first of all I asked for us for a
moment of silence for this 20 school
children who died in a dormitory fire in
Guyana
thank you
at this time uh I'll offer a prayer
father we come before you we thank you
for this opportunity to continue to
serve in the capacity that you've
allowed us to be we ask that you be with
us in this deliberation tonight in these
conversations tonight be with us Lord as
we share our thoughts our concerns God
and we ask that you will just um create
an understanding amongst us so that we
are able to work together successfully
for the residents of the city we thank
you for the opportunity to work together
and we ask that you will continue to
bless us and help us move forward as a
city that is concerned for all of its
citizens in Jesus name I pray amen
I would ask a council member the Toro to
please lead us in the pledge pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the Republic
for which it stands one nation under God
indivisible with liberty and justice for
all thank you
and as the clerk to please complete the
Roll Call
Mr Mutual
Mr Toro
Mr Farley here Mr Williams
Miss Patrick here Mr palamini here Miss
Porterfield here
we had two public hearings this evening
and just a reminder we've extended the
public comment for the public hearings
to four minutes and I respectfully ask
that anyone who is caught here to speak
on the public hearing to only speak to
the subject relevant to the public
hearing number one is regarding
the determination of the environmental
significance of resulting Parcels
between Hamilton Schenectady strong
streets and parts of Summit Avenue and
Mumford street from R1 single family
District to R2 family District
I see no one signed up so if there's
anyone who wants to speak to that and
just sign down the wrong sheet let me
know at this point
if not I would declare that public
comment closed
public hearing number two resulting
Parcels between Hamilton Street
Schenectady Street Strong Street parts
of Summit Avenue and Mumford street from
our one single family to R2 to family
District
again I don't have anyone signed up for
that particular public hearing if
there's anyone who signed on the wrong
sheet please come forward at this time
if not I declare a public hearing number
two closed
I'd ask for the approval of May of the
minutes of May 8th
um second by Mr Williams all in favor
if the clerk could please read any
Communications and petitions
Communications presented to city council
for Monday May 22nd 2023 under official
there were none under a general there
were none and under petitions there were
none
council members I call any council
members now to provide committee reports
any committee reports
at this time we'll have pillars of the
floor for the legislative agenda
I have one person signed up to speak
Elisa Martin
and just remind your mom it's a three
minute you'll hear the timer
good evening everyone and thank you for
the opportunity to speak my name is
Elise Martin and I am the community
services director at scaff
as you know scap is a provider of
services for people facing homelessness
eviction and in need of Supportive
Housing Services we are present in City
eviction Court every week to provide
support for people facing eviction and
when funds are available we Aid in
rental arrears
we work very closely with area landlords
and while the moratorium prevented our
community from being flooded with
homeless during the pandemic
it put considerable pressure on
landlords dependent on rental income to
live
I'm here tonight to share with you some
statistics that highlight the housing
cost that burdens our community
people who are living near or below
poverty lines struggle to meet basic
needs even don't even during low
inflation periods the inflation rate was
seven percent in 20 and 21.
6.5 in 2022 and is averaging 5 this year
well everyone has experienced a cost of
living increase people living on low
income are at considerable risk of
homelessness because of the inflation
scaps 2022 Community needs assessment
identified that 38 percent of all
households in the city of Schenectady
are cost burden meaning that more than
30 percent of their income goes towards
their housing costs and approximately 52
percent of this group are renters
according to the National low-income
housing coalition's 2021 Outreach report
the maximum affordable rent for
Schenectady County families with an area
median income 30 percent or below is
717 dollars
the fair market rent for 2021 for a
two-bedroom in Schenectady County was
one thousand one hundred and Seventeen
dollars and a family in Schenectady
County would need to earn almost 45
000 annually which is an average hourly
rate of 21.48 to afford this however the
hourly average rate for renters in this
community is
14.62 cents Hud's fair market rent for
this year for a two-bedroom apartment in
this community is one thousand three
hundred and thirteen dollars which is up
nearly 18 in the last two years
to further demonstrate this need there
is an average of 68 cases a week in City
eviction court and almost all of these
cases involve a need for rental rear
payments
over 120 households are currently housed
in motels and this demonstrates how
oversaturated our shelter system is
because they can't be served by the
shelters that are in our community
and there are over 350 homeless
households on our counties coordinated
entry waiting list who are waiting for
housing and on average they're on that
wait list for at least six months
rent affordability affordability was a
significant concern before the pandemic
but the surge in inflation has made it
even harder significantly affecting
those that we serve especially those on
fixed incomes
choosing between rent or food rent or
obtaining medication paying rent or
ensuring that your children have
clothing these are the type of struggles
that we see the families we serve
dealing with every day the additional
two hundred thousand dollars in cdbg
funds will assist an average of 52
households with rental rears all the
payments go directly to the landlord
which is a win-win for our community the
landlords and the tenants
because it keeps people housed and gets
that money out to the landlords who need
it the New York State emergency rental
assistance payment program also known as
e-wrap has paid to this day
almost 14 million dollars to Schenectady
and Rental arrears I'm going to need you
to summarize please
I'm going to need you to summarize
please
um and there are also an additional one
million dollars that we've paid in
emergency shelter grants all right thank
you thank you
foreign
I have no one else signed up to speak so
I declare the public comment on the
legislative agenda closed
at this time I asked approval of the
legislative agenda
motion by Mr and second by Mr Farley all
in favor
we have won a roll call Item this
evening
if the clerk would please read item
number eight excuse me item number five under original
consideration a resolution authorized in
the mayor or his designee to enter an
agreement with Schenectady Community
Action Program for a not to exceed
amount of two hundred thousand dollars
for rental assistance
need a motion
by Miss Patrick
second by Mr palmy
any discussion prior to the vote
go ahead
okay
if the clerk would please call the roll
Mr mutaviran yes
Mr Toro
just like to say a few things
thank you for your comments here this
evening I don't think it's our role to
judge the worthiness of individuals that
scap serves to receive this funding
assistance
let's let scap do their jobs using the
guidelines they have in place and get
this funding to them as soon as possible
so that landlords receive rent and
tenants are not displaced unnecessary
again it's a win-win I vote Yes
barley
um I would just like to say um I think
that this is a clearly an issue that
we've been speaking about
we've had town halls I know we've got a
lot of feedback so I think that this is
you know probably one of our most
important responsibilities as serving on
this council is to make sure that people
get what they need to live within the
city I also think that we have a
responsibility as this body to take into
account this is um funding
due to a pandemic and I think that
living through this pandemic is
something that none of us have ever
experienced the first time going through
it so I think that
um it's always right to ask the right
questions when doing this but I I just
want to say that I'm full support of
this this is what our community needs
and we should respond and respond in a
way that makes the most sense and thank
you for your work
I will yes
Mr Williams
so I unlike uh Miss tutorial I don't
think that putting in place concessions
or stipulations is in any way shape or
form us determining the worthiness of
individuals who are seeking These funds
I do not agree that this is us judging
however I think as advocates for the
city of Schenectady it's our
responsibility to do so in a manner
that's financially responsible and I
think placing
um
parameters I think allows us to be good
stewards for the entire Community it's
our responsibility to make sure that any
action that we support upholds those
standards for everyone throughout the
city of Schenectady and I think adding
these doesn't in any way
overall hamper their work and due to the
statistics that we heard there is a
continuous need and I would like to
continue this conversation onto how we
can disperse more Monies to support this
but that is the conversation for later
however I do vote in favor of this yes
Miss Patrick
thank you I called for the roll call
vote on this resolution because I'm
still upset about what happened at last
week's committee meeting scap clearly
has the expertise to determine how to
best use this funding to prevent
homelessness why would we think we know
better than they do why should we
micromanage an organization that for
decades has been in the trenches our
role as city leaders is to find and fund
the best Partners to help us serve the
citizens of Schenectady in scap we have
the right partner for this funding and I
vote Yes
thank you first of all thank you Scott
for coming into for making your comments
and um
so let me just tell you that yes I did
bring up concerns and
questioning and asking questions
shouldn't upset any council member
because that's part of what we do here
and as funders we should be asking
questions about
um about how the and how we're spending
our funding and so not only did I ask
questions there I called the executive
director to get clarity on that because
that to me makes a lot of sense and
additionally that we want to make sure
as we're spending this funding funding
we're spending in the most the most
possible the most
um by using the most prioritized
prioritizing the people who need it the
most and that those were what my
comments were about and what they still
remain as we have heard from landlords
who have not gotten their rent so we've
heard it from both sides so asking
questions just means you need to get
clarity around the situation before you
make a decision and that is what we
should always do when you're spending
any City money so I I think it's um
unfortunate that a council member felt
upset by questions being asked but if
you don't ask the questions you won't
have the answers and also it's not
judging the worthiness of any individual
I have known scaps worked for years on
end I've worked with people who in
situations myself who are don't aren't
in Good Financial places but the other
thing that we also want to do is to help
people to become empowered and to get
out of those situations as well and not
to always feel that we it's consistently
about giving to people and not trying to
help them Empower themselves so asking
questions it's just for clarity not for
only for us but for the taxpayers as
well so everyone understands how the
money is being spent what the purpose is
the landlords understand who have come
to us with questions what's going to
happen and how it's going to work so
questions will be asked and as long as
we get clarity and it makes sense
absolutely
um you know I can concur with that and I
do vote Yes on this piece of legislation
thank you
this piece this resolution passed
unanimously
at this time I asked for privilege of
the floor regarding General City
business
I have three people signed up to speak
Ed laven Jr
I'm sorry four people
good evening mayor McCarthy chairwoman
reporterfield and City Council Members I
have sent emails to several council
members chairwoman Porterfield was the
only response I received she sent me to
the commission on judicial conduct
the city council was the law making and
governing body of the city the council
appoints the city clerk and
commissioning board members it also
determines policy improves contracts and
agreements set salaries and approves
contracts for goods and services it
adopts all legislation governing laws
and procedures followed in the city I've
been here several times at my complaint
in judicial corruption by three civil
court judges I brought proof yet no
council member has done anything to help
me instead they accept the corruption of
three judges instead of honoring their
oath of office the mayor and all council
members have all Swan sworn an oath
which as it follows
I do solemnly swear or affirm that I
will support the Constitution of the
United States and the constitution of
the state of New York that it will
Faithfully discharge the duties of the
office of the mayor of ski city of
Schenectady according to the best of my
ability council members also similar in
wording I am now asking you that you
deal with my complaint and honor your
oath of Law Offices to protect by
constitutional rights of due process and
a fair hearing
this is not a request it is your job to
honor your oath of office it's not your
job to cover up for three corrupt judges
by doing nothing
makes me feel like you're part of the
problem in Schenectady court system I've
already shown that the mayor of council
members are responsible for protecting
my constitutional rights you are also
responsible for not acting on my
complaint that federal laws were broken
by these three corrupt judges and city
clerk's office this is a color of law
violation once you are notified of a law
that has been broken you are responsible
for acting on it the mayor does not have
the right to not meet with me it is part
of his duties as a mayor but he knows
this that's why he does not want to meet
with me as all of you know it these
three judges are guilty of obstruction
of justice also if you choose not to do
anything about this I will be sending
all your names to the Department of
Justice for a color of law violation I
will also be seeking an attorneys
through the city of Schenectady for
being deprived of due process of fair
hearing by three corrupt judges in the
city clerk's office
and the mayor's council member is doing
nothing about it
as I have said before the mayor
orchestrated having the person who did
the YouTube video of me falsely arrested
yet wants nothing to do with three
corrupt judges in City Hall arrested for
the federal crime of conspiracy deprived
me of my civil rights of due process and
a fair hearing and if you think I'm
going away I am not if you want to get
rid of me act on my complaint but I
really expect no one here to do anything
because I find that corruption is
rewarded in Schenectady
and falatico is the mayor's Golden Boy
it truly amazes me that the mayor and
City Council Members would rather cover
up for three corrupt judges in the city
clerk's office that have broken federal
laws to weed out these corrupt judges
but this is Schenectady and mayor
McCarthy is the city council thank you
Michaels of Perry
beginning Mr Mayor city council
president miss Porterfield Council
Members First of all I'd just like to
say two things one I'd like to thank the
city of Schenectady snap crew we have an
island in our neighborhood or a property
and I appreciate when I call there that
they do come and they do know that I
know they're busy but we appreciate that
and thank you very much for that the
other thing I wanted to comment on is I
want to thank Mr Williams thank you you
and me have been dealing with um the
workshops and the Committees for like a
year and that you started on May 18th
thank you for that I look forward to uh
to getting together with you more to
work on this and I hope we can do with
committee to do this and I want to thank
you for that part of it thank you very
much and I just had a small letter I
just wrote up that I would like to read
if I could please
um to our forums and our workshops I
feel that as a city much like a country
we have a lot of work to be done in
order to do this we all need to work
together
seems some we all excuse me we all share
this city to live to work to play yet
there are divisions and political issues
that keep getting in the way of moving
forward
I believe that there is more that we
have in common with one another than
there are differences and that coming
together to discuss our views concerns
and so we hopefully provide the
groundwork to make our city a better
place construction communication is key
to doing doing anything
and we hope for these forums to provide
the structure for that I feel that
there's a need and opportunity to learn
from one another and to grow as people
by sharing not just our grievances but
our ideas for their Solutions it's an
opportunity
whose time has not just come but in long
overdue and I hope we can work together
in Schenectady to build a better
Schenectady thank you for your time
thank you
Wayne Harper
you know Marion you were given that
speech about
you know asking questions and should you
I'm thinking you're almost out of order
people know about asking questions I
mean it seems so trivial I don't
understand why you did that
but you did it now
I'm here to talk about Neil as a Neil
Gollum
this new Schenectady
you know in my mind that's right up
there where we keep Miss Liberty those
letter writers they're worried about
Miss Liberty she's not where she belongs
she ought to be in the park down there
by the college but she's up here by the
train station it's ridiculous so
I've got a challenge for Neil
I'd like them to call the mayor's office
and I'll take him for a ride around new
Schenectady and I'll show them some
things if he really wants to get
involved and make a difference
and
I'm thinking maybe we ought to get with
Roger Hall
and I'd like to talk about new
Schenectady from a different perspective
and that's overcoming this body and the
way we conduct ourselves in this city
I think we need managers for these
departments we need to go back to a city
manager perhaps or maybe something
different there's room for discussion
but this isn't working it hasn't worked
in Generations
and you don't even come here with a
mindset of looking at how to cut costs
or have an original idea you follow the
same old tired routine generation after
generation
and it gets it's it's tiring and and
quite frankly that's why a lot of people
are leaving New York
and I want to give a shout out to and I
don't even know Matt Nell again never
met him and that Tom Kennedy
but I want to give a shout out to them
for raising some issues that they did in
this city and maybe if we had more
Republicans and I'm not a Republican
but maybe if we had more Republicans we
could raise some other issues and going
back to that swimming pool that really
upset me you know what that's like your porch is falling off
your house your roof is leaking and your
windows are broken and what do you do
you go out and buy a luxury vehicle
that's what that said to me and come on
up to Bellevue you know the
neighborhoods in this city
started with Hamilton Hill how many
years ago
that went then it went to Brandywine
Avenue that area State Street then it
went into Mount Pleasant that
neighborhood was lost now it's coming to
Bellevue so it won't be long before but
what's going to be left
uh the GE plot and maybe a little bit in
The Stockade so you know we need people
that first of all
come out of the private sector a lot of
you folks not all but most of you you've
had
private or or government jobs or or
school system jobs so all right I see I
see that is that where the clock is up
there you're here to
you're welcome Wayne
Rod Huber
I'm a little nervous I've never been
here
good evening everyone I have a few
things to discuss which I don't
understand
a few years ago
put new windows in City Hall for nine
hundred thousand dollars
what's next for them
central air I don't understand
our roads aren't paved but they spend a
lot of money on everything else
wine
I don't understand
and now now you're going to spend 10
million dollars on a pool where the park
is still they they don't collect the
leaves or anything
I don't get it
but the roads are paved by Central Park
aren't they
and then they let OTB go to hell
they spend more money
got to have things in the right order
here
city of disconnected we're the taxpayers
that pay
but we're not getting any Services I
live in Woodlawn we got to beg for
services the plow comes digs up our lung
that's all we got you know what I'm
saying and I've lived there 25 years my
world has never been paid why
we pay our taxes and we don't get the
right services
it's got to change got to get some new
blood in the the government here
secondly the hardest or whatever thirdly
whatever anyways the Harvest working
people in the city are the sanitation
workers
and they're treated like dirt
which is wrong I work for this city and
I did my job well
anyways
I go to pay my taxes in the mayor's
office
and I always got to get somewhere to go
with me because I'm treated so badly and
today one of the clerks
you know when you're an older person
they just don't care and she banged her
fist on the counter because I had to ask
her to repeat it I wear a hearing aid
why
I suggest sheep over anger management
you call City Hall and they say we'll
have them look into it you're never
going to call back
then again our return pay what gives
gotta have some new people here
because nothing gets done I don't mean
to complain about but right is right
so we need some stuff done that's all
thanks guys
thank you
I have no one else signed up to speak so
I declare the public comment on City
business closed
at this time any miscellaneous business
of the council
Mr Williams
uh good evening and I would like to
thank everyone that came out to speak
absolutely this is your opportunity to
host your concerns and definitely
holding us accountable as a as a
collective body I want to take a moment
to
um echo on the sentiments of Mr Mike
Shapiro definitely hosted a really nice
Forum at Union College and I'd like to
give a shout out to him initially for
bringing forth an idea and using this as
a uh
a tool to remind the community that some
change takes time and some change is
slow but with the proper due diligence
we can see things into fruition this was
an idea that he brought forward to me
about having a community conversation
which morphed over a series of months to
us reaching out to a partner and braver
Angels I'd like to thank Mike and Bruce
and also as reaching out to Blair at
Union College Who provided a venue for
us to host this conversation among many
tenants uh preached the understanding of being
transparent inclusive and stepping aside
from ourselves and understanding that
just because you view things from from a
certain vantage point it doesn't mean
that your truth is absolute and it
doesn't mean that you can discredit
someone else and as we look to enter
another election year it is our
responsibility as those running for
office but also as those voting to have
these conversations effectively with the
best intent in mind because we are
a reflection of what the next generation
is going to potentially embody and it is
our responsibility to do that in a very
productive and Equitable manner next I
would like to take this moment to just
highlight that I heard from a number of
individuals speaking about just the
conditions of where they live at in the
city of Schenectady and I think it's
important to highlight that there is an
application on the city website see
clickfix recently this past Sunday I
went on a walk to Central Park and I
noticed that there were some potholes
over on Spruce Street it is not and it
cannot be the sole expectation for city
council to fix the city it is a
collaborative effort and I say that
fully accepting the accountability and
responsibility I have with this position
however we need to do so in a manner
where we are also feeling these
complaints because there's no way that I
travel the entire city however please
hold us responsible keep coming to the
real regardless of whether you see
improvements or Updates this is your way
to keep this on our foresight but
definitely that is how you can get
things fixed in the city of Schenectady
but also asks as a number of residents
spoke or a number of individuals spoke
about certain things I would ask for you
to stay after because a number of those
issues are being addressed and I think
it is our responsibility that when we
hear things to make sure that we provide
the proper context so that you yourself
can continue that conversation and bring
that information to your Social Circle
circles as well thank you
Mr motivator
thank you
I just want to highlight one of the
items that we voted on tonight I just
want to remind the permit fee waiver
again we are voting to waive the permit
fee application fee for all exterior
work that's 56 dollars and a hundred
dollars for roofing permit this program
runs through June 4th of 2023 to August
31st 2023 and I encourage homeowners to
please um you know utilize this um
generous offer from us over several
years we have
giving this to the community because we
cares about the community so I encourage
homeowners and I encourage my colleagues
when you're out there of course please
it's all of us this is not John what if
you're in program it's all of us we all
make this happen so I want you to remind
and to remind the homeowner to take
advantage of this program in the next
three months starting June 1st and you
have 12 months to complete the work it's
56 application fee for all exterior work
and a hundred dollars for All Roofing
permit that's 100 waiver for roof so
once again homeowner we're here giving
back to the community and I ask that you
take advantage of this thank you thank
you
Miss Patrick
thanks
um I just wanted to mention that the
Schenectady Blue Jays had a wonderful
grand reopening of the ballpark at
Michigan Avenue the other day and it was
really wonderful to see all the baseball
players and their coaches assembled the
other day
um it was a very exciting time I did not
grow up here or play baseball here as
some of my colleagues did but it was
nice to hear especially from many of the
parents about the um the role that these
coaches play in their kids in their kids
lives and how they're teaching them
leadership and team team skills that are
going to carry on for the rest of their
life so it was a great event and I
really want to thank the volunteers that
run that League because they did it
they've done a tremendous job and then
also I just wanted to
um you know Monday
next Monday is Memorial day and a time
for us to reflect on the service of so
many people that lost their lives uh in
our in our various conflicts so I hope
that everybody enjoys the the day that
they have off but also remember those
that sacrificed their lives for us thank
you this tutorial
thank you president Porterfield so again
I'd like to just take a moment to
recognize Memorial Day next Monday
There's no council on the Schenectady
County website there's listings of all
the events and um that are paying
tribute to our veterans in all different
locations throughout the city including
a parade and a mass even next Tuesday at
Saint Adalbert Cemetery so please visit
the Schenectady County website so we can
honor our veterans those who have fallen
and we can also remember those in Our
Lives who we lost also on Memorial Day
thank you mayor
oh Mr Bowen
back in August we passed a resolution
asking for home rule legislation for
Speed cameras in school zones
particularly
earlier today we received an email from
Miss Porterfield and basically
um
what had happened was the resolution was
never sent to our state legislators
um
when I reached out to our city clerk the
answer was I sent it to the people you
said to send it to and receive no
further instruction
well the process is we pass as a council
the clerk sends the resolutions out to
the state legislatures
to his credit Mr Williams reached out
and tried to figure out what was going
on with these resolution with the home
roller Regis legislation
we put aside our well-documented
differences and tried to work together
reaching out to one of our legislators
the legislative Aid told me and I passed
that on to Mr Williams
that a letter was necessary just stating
that yes we did in fact pass this it was
on the agenda from Monday night
somehow it was removed so must something
must have happened between when the
legislation was out the agenda was out
and Monday night
and then
um I had brought a letter as per the
instructions of the aid we didn't need
to pass anything it was already a past
resolution it was just stating what we
had already done
several member signs some didn't
neither here nor there
however the problem is the general
incompetence
of what happened here
this isn't the first home rule
legislation that did not reach our state
legislators
so now we're in very serious shape of
getting legislation that residents in
the city
have been asking for months
getting it even looked at in order to
get it scored we needed to have very
specific language in the letter
as per the aid
that was conveyed in the letter I read
it to the person she said that is
correct
the letter we received in the email
today will not suffice first of all
there's a gazillion typos
secondly there's not specific
information
so now we're in very serious Jeopardy of
not even getting this a number in order
to get passed and looked at
the incompetence here is just remarkable
and it it's to some ways point the
difference between the public and
private sector
so now instead of having something that
should have been looked at we probably
won't have this looked at
or number at least numbered and then
looked at
in order to solve a very serious problem
we're having in the city
so people should be very aware of this
they should be very angry about this
because we've had issues with speeding
all along
as well as other home rule legislation
that never reached our state legislators
there is a process the city council
passes it the city clerk sends it to the
state
it's been that way forever
and for people now to say well what's
the process or who should do this or it
could be this one it could be that one
no it's always been that way when the
city council passes the home rule
the clerk sends it to the state
so this is just
unacceptable because now we have
individuals throughout the city seeking
our assistance and we've let them down
it's just an embarrassment yet another
one for the city council
thank you madam president this guy just
reviewed your email or sent around
can I ask what happened with the
legislation I put forth I thought we had
unanimous support to
seek the same home rule legislation that
Albany got where
the initial criteria for an eviction
proceeding would be required that the
uh
property is on the landlord registry
and that would require home rule
legislation so we could
he's talking about speeding but I'm
talking about a similar piece of
legislation because
the rules for home rule are the local
legislative body half has to pass a
request that's sent to the state
legislature
a bill is then introduced and then it
comes back for the local legislative
body to pass a resolution in support of
the introduced legislation
and so I'm asking now on the
home rule legislation for tying eviction
proceedings to participation in the
landlord registry if we move that
forward and is there a bill introduced
she said she'd have to look
thank you madam president thank you all again for coming out this
evening and just to lend some clarity to
Mr palamini's comments the piece of
paper that he brought was um not a
letter it was not was not actually
discussed during committee but simply
asked for a signature from all of us so
again we need to discuss it have
questions asked and answered and not
just a piece of legislation I got no
prior email prior to that or any of that
I understand what it was about however
if we're moving forward and doing a
letter it also should come through the
clerk's office neither the clerk nor our
Corporation Council had any knowledge of
that before we it got to that meeting so
there are guidelines that we need to go
by and any legislation or anything that
goes through this city council should be
captured and recorded by the clerk's
office that piece of paper did not go
through that process and therefore that
would not have happened so
um in terms of that it just simply means
that individuals on the council we
should work through these systems the
way they're set up regardless of
whatever your personal feelings are and
then we can get these things moved
forward so that information did not come
to the proper channels again it did not
come into the clerk's office it was not
seen by our Corporation Council and that
is the way that these things should be
moving forward to make sure that we keep
an accurate record not everyone on the
council will always be here all the time
so those that come behind us need to be
able to to see what we did and what
order we did it in and where things lie
so those are the reasons um for us
moving forward in a different direction
and again I spoke to Mr Colden regarding
that and if there's anything more that
needs to go into the letter then we can
definitely add that but communicating
with the clerk's office and with our
Corporation Council as we move things
forward is really important for us to
get things done
so thank you all and I also want to
um just to remember all of our veterans
who have lost their lives for our
freedom in this country and for the many
freedoms that we um
freedom of Liberty religion and all the
freedoms that we enjoy so I just want to
um to remember all of them and to say to
everyone as you're observing those dates
that you remember your families and
enjoy yourselves out there but let's
remember what Memorial Day is really all about it's about those
service members who gave their lives to
us so thank you and we will not be
meeting next Monday because it is the
fifth Monday so thank you all for coming
out tonight at this time I asked for a
motion to adjourn
moved by Miss Patrick second by Mr
motiveran all in favor
we're adjourned have a good evening