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I'd like to call the city Caucus meeting
to order for Monday June 12 2023.
we have 19 items for original
consideration if the clerk would please
read item number one item number one for
original consideration a resolution
declaring that the amendment of chapter
264 the zoning of the code of the city
of Schenectady relating to the rezoning
of multiple Parcels between Hamilton
Street Schenectady Street Strong Street
and parts of Summit Avenue and Mumford
street from the R1 single family
residential district to the R22 family
residential district will not have a
significant impact on the environment
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number two item number two
for final consideration an ordinance
amending chapter 264 zoning of the code
of the city of Schenectady changing the
zoning classification of multiple tax
Parcels located between Hamilton Street
Schenectady Street Strong Street and
parts of Summit Avenue and Mumford
Street discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number three for original
consideration a resolution accepting the
2022 external audit
discussed in committee without objection
on consent item number four item number
four for original consideration a
resolution authorizing an agreement with
the Capital District YMCA for the
2023-2024 HUD Continuum of Care
discussed in committee without objection
on consent item number five item number
five for original consideration a
resolution authorizing an agreement with
Metroplex Development Authority for the
North Center Street reconstruction
discussed in committee without objection
on consent item number six item number
six for original consideration and
resolution authorizing the waiver of
apprenticeship requirements for the
Schenectady Municipal Golf Course
irrigation installation discussed in
committee without objection on consent
item number seven item number seven for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing an agreement with the land
reutilization Corporation of the Capital
District for Dem for demolition of 715
Rankin Avenue discussed in committee
without objection and on consent item
number eight item number eight for
original consideration the resolution
authorized on the sale of 715 Rankin
Avenue for three thousand dollars
discussed in committee without objection
on consent item number nine item number
nine for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the issuance of
revocable permit number 675 to 101 State
Street partners LLC for two signs that
will encroach the city's right away at
101 State Street discussed in committee
without objection on consent item number
10 item number 10 for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the sale of 1012 Eastern Avenue for one
thousand five hundred dollars discussed
in committee with objection on consent
item number 11 item number 11 for
original consideration a resolution
authorized on the sale of 2315 van
Franken Avenue for fifty two thousand
dollars discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number 12.
for original
consideration
a resolution commemorating June 14th as
Flag Day item number 12 will be taken
out of order and presented by council
member Patrick
item number 13. item number 13 for
original consideration a resolution
recognizing the celebration of
Juneteenth discussed in committee with
objection on consent this resolution
will be presented at a later date
item number 14 for original
consideration a resolution recognizing
Sergeant Robert Becker
discussed and committee with objection
on consent they honored uh Sergeant
Becker on this past Saturday and the
resolution will presented to him
personally
item number 15. item number 15 for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the settlement of a claim by
Crystal penicia discussed in committee
with objection on consent item number
16. item number 16 under contract and
Supply a resolution authorizing mayor
are his designee to enter into an
agreement with calanan Industries for
the 2023 Schenectady chips pavering
program base bid and Alternate one and
the amount of four million 465
591.33 discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number 17 item
number 17 under contract and supply
a resolution authorized the mayor or his
designee to enter into an agreement with
still sending Electric Incorporated for
the Central Park a diamond Lighting in
the amount of seven hundred and sixteen
thousand two hundred dollars to
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number 18 item number 18
under contract and Supply a resolution
authorizing the mayor are his Destiny to
enter into an agreement with James H
Malloy Incorporated for the Michigan
Avenue baseball field wall in the amount
of eighty three thousand nine hundred
and fifty dollars the discussed in
committee with objection on consent item
number 19 item number 19 under contract
and Supply a resolution authorizing the
mayor or his designate to enter into an
agreement with Newcastle Paving LLC for
the North College Street rehabilitation
in the amount of 412 000
261.79 discussed in committee with
objection on consent
there's nothing more to come before the
city council caucus I ask for a motion
to adjourn moved by Ms Patrick second by
Mr Williams all those in favor
aye we're adjourned I'd like to call the
city council meeting to order for Monday
June 12 2023.
I'd like to ask for everyone to stand
and we'd have a moment of silence
and you can reflect as whatever your own
beliefs are
thank you I'd like to call on the city
clerk Samantha Miku for the Pledge of
Allegiance
liberty and justice for all
thank you
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item number 12. it's a resolution
commemorating June 14th is Flag Day
council member Patrick
over here
Madam president may have the floor you
have the floor sir ma'am thank you so um
June 14th is Flag Day I'd like to
introduce um Jesus Santiago who's the
director of Veterans Affairs for
Schenectady County who's here today to
um take the resolution from us
whereas on June 14 2023 millions of
Americans everywhere will observe Flag
Day
and whereas we pause on Flag Day to
celebrate the history and symbolism of
the flag of the United States of America
and whereas what we know fondly as the
stars and stripes and Old Glory was
adopted by the Continental Congress as
the official American flag on June 14
1777 during the Revolutionary War and
whereas the first American flag was
designed to represent the 13 original
colonies with 13 white stars on a blue
field and 13 alternating red and white
stripes with the Stars arranged in a
circle based on the idea that all
colonies were equal
and whereas in 1782 the Congress of the
Articles of Confederation chose the
colors for the Great Seal of the United
States with these meanings
white for Purity and innocence red for
Valor and hardiness blue for vigilance
perseverance and justice
and whereas in 1818 the United States
Congress decided to retain the flag's
original 13 stripes and add new stars to
reflect each new state that entered the
Union
and whereas in 1916 President Woodrow
Wilson issued a proclamation that
officially established June 14th as Flag
Day
and whereas in 1949 national flag day
was established by an act of Congress
and whereas since 1960 50 stars on the
flag represent each state in the Union
and whereas Flag Day reminds us that we
are one country United despite our
disagreements
now therefore be it resolved that on
June 14 2023 Mayor Gary McCarthy and the
city council of the city of Schenectady
respectfully asked that all Schenectady
residents pause to reflect on the
blessings of the United States of
America by offering a prayer of
Thanksgiving for our democracy our unity
and our independence
I'd like to make a motion
to accept the resolution
a second
Mr blueberry second all those in favor
aye thank you most impact
on behalf of the Sandy County Veterans
Services I want to thank the council
and I'm chair and the mayor I almost
promoted you sir I'm sorry
if that's willing I want to greatly
appreciate it for for this opportunity
and if you know any veterans please come
out and reach out to us so we can help Okay thank you very much
have a great day I keep a joke for you
guys thank you
click please complete the Roll Call
Mr motivaran Mr Toro
Mr Farley Mr Williams
Miss Patrick
Mr palomini Miss Porterfield here
I'd ask for approval of the minutes from
May 22nd 2023.
moved by Mr Williams second by Mr
motivaran all in favor
the clerk could please read any
Communications and petitions
Communications presented to city council
for Monday June 12 2023 under official
there were none under General from Mark
Baker an email explaining to health
hazard from the radiation of LED street
lights
and under petitions there were none
like the colony City Council Members to
provide committee reports
any committee reports
this time we'll have privilege of the
floor on related to the legislative
agenda and just before I um actually do
that I just want to make a statement an
individual came to me because they'd
come here to have privilege of the floor
and after they spoke to say what they
want to talk about they said that they
were approached by someone in the
audience about what they spoke about so
everyone here that comes here to speak
has a right to say whatever it is on
their mind as long as they're going by
the guidelines with profanity and
attacking people and all the things that
are in our guidelines so other than that
we just ask people to respectfully
accept that other people have a right to
speak here at this committee meeting
without any feeling any fear of backlash
or from anyone else that's here just
wanted to make that statement because an
individual did reach out to me and also
indicated that other council members had
um had observed what happened this well
so I just wanted to make it clear that
you're all welcome here to say what it
is that you have to say as long as you
go by the rules that are written out
clearly on our statements in terms of
the protocol with making making
statements here at this rail
so we have no one signed up for
privilege of the floor for the
legislative agenda so I declare that
public comment closed
I asked for approval of the legislative
agenda
we'll move by Mr motivir in second by
Miss Patrick all those in favor
will now have privilege of the floor
regarding to General City business and I
see that four people are signed up
the first person is Kathy Sullivan
hello everyone how are you
I just really came to see
um who might have the courage to look me
in the eye tonight
um people I've contacted and uh once I
gave them my address
contact sort of ceased
um
my address is still fake doesn't exist I
moved there 15 years ago it's on hungry
Hill
15 years ago
and it was fake then it's still fake now
the number puts me in the town of
Rotterdam not in Schenectady thus
denying me the right to vote thus
denying me any uh access to any um
small business loans anything in the
city of Schenectady
um
there is toxic sludge there are
inaccurate pieces of information
other pieces that I can't get from
everyone that I've asked you know the
people that you think that are tasked
with helping the community that agencies
council members these kinds of people
you think that they are here to help you
well my education since covet has been
different
very different information was all I was
looking for never asked for anything
except information that's what I was
looking for information advocacy these
sorts of things that's all that's all I
moved into where I moved where I live when my son was five years old he's
20 now
I didn't know anything about this
nothing was disclosed to me there was no
certificate of occupancy no one told me
anything about the surrounding area busy
single mom you drive past things every
day you think you all are here to
protect us from these sorts of things
yeah my my research
shows that there's concern
in that area period
you all either know it or don't but
there is no one even has the guts to
come and talk to me about what I know
about what I've researched I spent three
years I've worked since I was 17 years
old nearly every day
I've paid my dues
in a lot of ways that some of you don't
know and some of you do
all I ask is information I ask respect
same respect I gave you when I all voted
for all of you all of you I was a
Democrat my whole life
now I only want to vote for people that
can look me in the eye
that's all I Came to Say
thank you
Wayne Harper
you know Marion I didn't think I put my
name down on four blank lines so that I
didn't have to speak that soon but hello
Miriam
you didn't want to say hello to me at
the committee meeting I certainly did
say hello sir
yeah that's all right now
I'm going to send out a request to the
community to the 10 people that might be
watching
today was my start of my fourth week of
picketing at the Albany VA hospital that
fella from the county he was upset when
I told him why would you want to pick it
well why wouldn't I he didn't care about
my agenda he just got upset because he's
with the county
um so I'm asking any veterans that might
want to come and support me I'll give
you my agenda and why I'm there
especially any first air Cavalry that
might be out there maybe you can get
word to them
uh the other thing I want to say is I
shed my blood for the right to speak
here
as did a lot of veterans and this
business if it's a privilege and I'm
going to be looking into that uh what's
it what do they call it the open
meetings law what is that law is it
says it's a privilege I'm going to be
looking to see what we can do to change
that law
and the other thing I get a kick out of
it's wear ass season I call it a
warehouse
because whenever it's an election cycle
we get to wear asses we bring them out
of woodwork get that wear ass
now the last thing
those comments I made at the last
meeting about Matt and elegant whom I've
never met
and uh Tom Kennedy who I have met I
don't really like them
I got an anonymous letter a little
letter from someone I want to read it to
you because I got to tell you I've come
to the conclusion that if not all of you
most of you Democrats are crazy
yeah and and I really mean that
you support GOP and Schenectady I don't
know if that was supporting them but I'm
not a Dem I'm not a republican they
might think I am
they are corrupt losers
the whole party wake up I Gotta Laugh
this stuff makes me laugh at these crazy
no no shot
um they have no shot them in a landslide
your issues stink so you see
you just come here to me and in 05 I got
a long letter that did a whole mental
breakdown and profile it's just amazing
and I know it had and like this I don't
even know how to get my address
but they do they have their methods
that's it thank you
Edmund Lavin
good evening Mr Mayor chairwoman
Porterfield City Council Members I have
filed an Ethics complaint against all of
you for not honoring your oath of office
and protecting my constitutional rights
of due process and a fair hearing of
which three corrupt judges deprived me
of in Schenectady civil court
should be interesting to see if the
mayor keeps me out of his connected he
Gazette again
that's what he calls transparency in
government seems to be more important to
Mr McCarthy to cover up for three
corrupt judges than to honor his oath of
office regarding the Constitution
the mayor has said it's not his
responsibility yet he believes it's his
responsibility to chase down women going
through the garbage to collect
recyclables and wants them arrested
I am told the officer that did not give
him a breathalyzer is promoted to
Lieutenant
he also made his own laws in City Hall
that no one could use a camera and had
Daniel of YouTube New York State audit
that did the video on me falsely
arrested for knocking on Plexiglas
his law is no longer enforced in city
hall because it's against the
Constitution yet the charges against
Daniel are still pending
and he's before fellow Tico
I was at the meeting at sccc with Mr
McCarthy chairwoman reporterfield but
was chased Away by two sheriffs claiming
I could be there but my signs couldn't
I left even though my first amendment
rights allowed me to be there with my
signs because if arrested I knew miles
Reed would not put me in the Gazette
I came back at the end of the meeting it
was not hassle because they could not
arrest me in front of everyone leaving
the mayor and falloutico are two peas in
a pod they both think they are the law
and make their own rules contrary to the
Constitution of the United States they
are both corrupt
the mayor refused to meet with me
because he knows he must turn falatico
in for depriving me of my constitutional
rights
as all of you here must do it is a color
of law violation because you didn't act
in my legitimate complaint
the mayor does not have the right to not
hear my complaint and cannot treat me as
an adversary that is also a color of law
violation this is the same old corrupt
Schenectady
where the mayor keeps the truth out of
the paper and news stations while
protesting in front of City Hall I've
been told that falatico tells litigants
they have no civil rights and changes
the Judgment after they leave the court
same thing he did to me
valetico actually stole money from me I
was garnishing wages
volatico vacated my judgment 11 days
before the Herring and would not release
the checks that had come to courthouse
before the trial
and you all pledge the allegiance to the
United States of America
we all go before God thank you
Mark LaCroix
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person Council my name is Mark Lacroix
because on behalf of my mother Marge
LaCroix
this past week our home was foreclosed
on without any I mean I've done any
warning for us to know that it was being
foreclosed on for tax purposes we were
in the middle of a sale of the property
to pay those taxes and to be the
satisfied the city and then we get a a
notice saying that it's foreclosed upon
the city owns the property now
um we've been living here for about a
little over 11 years we've always done
everything we can the property was
bought from the city we also have other
properties that we pay taxes on this
property took a while to fix it up from
the the laptop the way it was and so we
did fall behind
uh when we did try to always pay our
taxes on time you know if it did fall
pandemic happened my mother and father
are both on disability
um so it falls on on all of us to pull
whatever money we have together to pay
the taxes and survive at the same time
um and I can honestly say that we've
done our due diligence I always
seen the city as a fair place a place
that there there are going to do their
due diligence but we'd not even get a
posting on a door saying that the place
is being foreclosed on I heard from uh
corporate Council that uh two millions
were sent out and returned to the city
and so we live at our home so there's no
way that it would have came and sent
went back when we get tons of mail all
the time so I am just pleading with the
city towards in support of uh Redeeming
the property so we can do ourselves we
can give the money to the city for the
back taxes from 2019 and that um
everyone will be satisfied
thank you
I have no one else signed up to speak so
I declare the public comment for up City
business closed
Simon and miscellaneous business of the
council
Mr Williams
good evening and I would like to thank
everyone again for coming out to speak
this absolutely is your right and
opportunity to vocalize issues to us as
a council on our Collective and it's
important to exercise that I wanted to
take a moment to just address something
that I've noticed and it appears to be a
concerned effort to discredit the
leadership and abilities of council
president Porterfield and city clerk Sam
uh regarding the last console comments
that were made regarding the competency
and the gazillion errors
I requested to get an understanding of
what those Corrections should have been
and what was received was a matter of
removing two words and capitalizing two
words
and I don't know if that is apparent to represent a gazillion corrections but
and these seats and these roles that we
have to advocate for Change and to do so
in a collaborative manner
in my professional experience I think
it's it's respectful to do such in a
manner that provides those opportunities
uh to to to adjust
but then also does it in a manner in
which uh continue forth the mindset of
this is a city
that is
that isn't always perfect
and this legislation is draft item I
think it is important to make sure that
we support a collaborative government
and I truly believe that the comments
that were made during our last council
meeting were not reflective of that so
I'd like to take a moment to just
appreciate the work that was done forth
and I believe there will be some
additional remarks made regarding the
subject additionally I'd like to remind
the community that the Summit Avenue
Redevelopment project which will
generate 38 single-family homes and
three two family homes is underway
myself and Justin shares were out
walking the Summit Avenue area of the
community and we received a number of
feedback from interested residents
please share this information with those
of you that are interested in becoming
homeowners and I believe this project
will have
untapped benefits not only for this
community but in other communities
throughout the city as we attempt to
replicate this moving forward
I would like to also take a moment to
congratulate in advance the new police
recruits that will be sworn in this
Friday
the commitments that you'll undertake to
benefit this city are those that you
should not take lightly however I'm
confident that the training in your
personal ethos will guide you throughout
these commitments
uh next I would like to thank uh the the
fathers that exist within the city of
Schenectady with the Happy Father's Day
coming up and I tried to identify an
appropriate quote as I am a new father
and the one that I stepped on was when
my father didn't have my hand he had my
back and I know that there are no
perfect parents but definitely the role
of shepherding a young individual
throughout his his life's very life
Journey correction is an undertaking
that should not be taken without proper
consideration and and respect for the
roles uh that that you are charged with being and I would like those
individuals that are in these positions
of being a father or being a parent
um just show my appreciation moving
forward
and then lastly I would like to
congratulate all of the influential
people that were responsible for a
successful Schenectady High School prom
although I was an observer my daughter
is not old enough yet
um it was a beautiful moment and there
was some colorful attire that I would
not be so confident to wear myself but
the the young individuals seem very
excited and joyous moving forward I hope
that they truly appreciate the
contributions made from volunteers
planners and also administrators it is
not something that should be taken
lightly and definitely it shows the
value that we see in them and also in
our community collectively thank you
mayor
we just want to thank everyone for
coming out
speaking had
the prom was there graduation is coming
up this next week it's always good to
see the enthusiasm and the students face
as they go through a significant
milestone in their
educational process and then also their
lives and so hopefully people will be
able to come out and enjoy that it's six
o'clock I think I'm drawing a blankets
next Thursday or next Friday but on the
high school campus on the home rule
legislation again that is a fairly
simple process
again but there's technical components
of it so the legislative body at the
local level has to pass a resolution
asking for the authority to do something
that is not
otherwise granted to a municipal
government
that is then transmitted to the
legislature a specific bill is
introduced
and once that bill is introduced then
the legislative body is again asked to
formally endorse and request that that
bill be passed
once the legislature then passes the
bill the governor signs it then the
local government is given the
opportunity to
enact or perform something that is not
otherwise available to them by law
and what I had suggested was
we're all talking about uh
rental issues affordability within the
community and distressed property
so we have a large number of landlords
who are totally compliant they provide
safe and decent housing they meet the
code requirements they do what is
expected of them unfortunately there's
still a subgroup that does not
comply they're the houses the apartments
that we generally generate complaints
from
in that group does not comply with our
rental certificate registry
in what they asked and what the council
had moved forward and again it was just
in a disjointed manner that uh
again hopefully we can all come together
get that put in place is that a landlord
would not be able to start an eviction
proceeding
if they were not
a participant in the registry so that
they would have to comply with the
fundamental rules that we have in place
and those rules require that we inspect
the property so that it makes sure that
it's up to code that it's safe and
decent housing and it is something that
I think we all agree on unfortunately
the timing has not moved as smooth as I
think any of us would have liked and how
do we now take that going forward to be
able to see that that is enacted which I
believe will help us get a higher level
of compliance with the rental
registration and the end product will
also be a higher compliance with just
the basic safe and decent housing
criteria that we want everybody to enjoy
in the city and not only the city it's
one of the things where we're looking
Albany happened to have that passed
we're looking to get it passed there's
other municipalities that have done it
it's one thing in my humble opinion that
the legislature should just grant to
municipalities across the state so that
it would be universally applicable and
it would help not only Schenectady but
other communities and so I look forward
to working with you as we go through
that process to try and get that
implemented because I believe that it
will benefit everybody in the community
thank you madam president thank you and
I'd also like to follow up on some
comments regarding the the home rule not
just for the eviction but also for the
speeding so Miss Michael and I worked
with a summer limits tax office and also
Senator tedesco's office and there are
Bill numbers for all of those things
they did not make it out of committee
this time but there are Bill numbers and
so when they reconvene they will be
taken up again so just if any council
member wants the information on the bill
numbers we can certainly um you know
provide that to you so uh just to know
that you know we knew that process was
not a process that happens a lot in
terms of home rule here so we you know
contacted our Representatives our
colleagues at the state to make sure
that we went through the process and got
it done the way it should be done and
again we did receive Bill numbers
unfortunately we would not be able to um
it was not able to get out of the
committee this time but we already have
we're already ahead of that so when it
when the reconvene we'll be able to
um to resubmit those so I just wanted
everyone to be aware that that process
has happened and in in terms of um let
me just answer some questions that have
been asked to me regarding speed humps
we have a couple of speed humps over
here in the city
um for the for the I'll give you some
background I asked for that in 2020 is
when I actually started talking about
these speed homes and so now we're at
the point where we do have two that are
down and the council allocated twenty
thousand dollars towards towards getting
speed humps right now there were two
according to our our city engineer
they're going to have them down and then
they're going to move them so it's like
a pilot project so they are there and
for those who are continually asking for
them this is a pilot project we can
certainly talk about having them in
other parts of the city as well but just
to let people know that it is something
that we've been working on for a while
and just getting started but hopefully
the legislation that was that we started
back in 2020 will be able to move that
forward more rapidly at this point and
get more because speeding is definitely
an issue that we have throughout the
city
also like to just remind everyone that
Juneteenth is coming up this Friday
there will be a ceremony in Vail Park
by Community fathers and then on the
17th we'll be in Central Park and the
stage and it should start at one o'clock
next Monday is a holiday
so we will our committee meeting will be
on Tuesday
and then I'd like to also say Happy
Father's Day to every to all the fathers
with that I'll ask for a motion to
adjourn
over Mr Williams second by Mr Farley all
those in favor
aye we're adjourned
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