[0:00] [Music]
[0:02] foreign
[0:08] [Music]
[0:50] thank you
[0:51] [Music]
[1:22] thank you
[1:25] [Music]
[2:18] thank you
[2:21] [Music]
[2:28] foreign
[3:15] [Music]
[3:35] foreign
[3:45] [Music]
[4:20] thank you
[4:22] [Music]
[4:39] foreign
[4:40] [Music]
[5:28] thank you
[5:36] [Music]
[5:53] foreign
[6:30] [Music]
[6:31] foreign
[6:38] [Music]
[7:08] foreign
[7:14] [Music]
[8:26] thank you
[8:40] [Music]
[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