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[14:08] I'd like to call the city Caucus meeting

[14:10] to order for Monday July 10 2023

[14:14] we have 12 items for original

[14:15] consideration if the clerk would please

[14:18] read item number one for original

[14:21] consideration a resolution determining

[14:23] that the Washington Avenue Pump Station

[14:25] resiliency project and the water

[14:27] resource recovery facility resiliency

[14:29] project our type 2 actions pursuant to

[14:32] six New York code of rules and

[14:34] regulations

[14:35] 617.5 and not subject to review

[14:38] underseeker

[14:40] discuss the committee with objection on

[14:42] consent item number two item number two

[14:44] for original consideration an ordinance

[14:46] dated July 10 2023 authorizing the

[14:49] issuance of

[14:50] 9842 271 aggregate principal amount of

[14:55] Serial bonds of the city of Schenectady

[14:57] New York pursuant to the local Finance

[14:59] law to finance construction and

[15:01] reconstruction of improvements to the

[15:03] water resource recovery facility in the

[15:05] city of Schenectady at an estimated

[15:07] maximum cost not to exceed 49

[15:11] 842.42 to 271 dollars Levy of tax and

[15:16] annual installments and payment thereof

[15:18] the expenditure of such sum for such

[15:21] purpose and determining other matters in

[15:23] convex in connection they're with

[15:25] discussed in committee with objection

[15:27] and on consent item number three item

[15:30] number three for original consideration

[15:31] an ordinance authorizing a second

[15:33] supplemental Bond or an instated July 10

[15:35] 2023 authorizing an increase in the cost

[15:38] of the construction of the new North

[15:41] Ferry Street Pump Station by one million

[15:43] two hundred twenty three thousand five

[15:45] hundred and fourteen dollars the

[15:46] expenditure of such sum for the purpose

[15:49] and determine determining other matters

[15:50] in connection there with discussed in

[15:53] committee with objection on consent item

[15:55] number four for original

[15:58] consideration an ordinance dated July 10

[16:01] 2023 authorizing the issuance of 11

[16:04] million 624 114 aggregate principal

[16:09] amount cereal bonds of the city of

[16:11] Schenectady New York pursuant to the

[16:13] local Finance law to finance

[16:14] construction and reconstruction of

[16:16] improvements to the Washington Avenue

[16:18] pump station in the city of Schenectady

[16:20] at an estimate maximum cost not to

[16:22] exceed 11 million six hundred twenty

[16:25] four thousand twenty four thousand one

[16:27] hundred and fourteen dollars Levy of tax

[16:29] and annual installments in payments

[16:31] thereof the expenditure of such sum for

[16:34] such purpose and determining other

[16:35] matters in connection there with

[16:37] discussed and committed with the

[16:38] objection on consent item number five for original

[16:42] consideration and resolution authorizing

[16:44] the 2023 budget reallocation related to

[16:47] an agreement between the city of

[16:49] Schenectady and the police benevolent

[16:50] Association discussed in committee with

[16:52] the objection on consent item number six for original

[16:56] consideration a resolution authorizing

[16:58] the mayor or his designee to enter into

[17:00] an agreement with New York State

[17:01] Department of Transportation for the

[17:03] implementation and funding in the first

[17:04] instance 100 of the federal aid and

[17:07] state March of Sally program Aid

[17:09] eligible costs of a Transportation

[17:11] federal aid project and appropriating

[17:13] funds for Craig Street pavement and

[17:15] Bridge Rehabilitation project Albany

[17:17] Street to Wiley Street New York State

[17:20] DOT pin number

[17:22] 1761.69 discussed in committee without

[17:25] objection on consent item number seven for original

[17:28] consideration a resolution endorsing the

[17:31] Schenectady inner city Ministry

[17:33] application to the New York State

[17:34] Department of Environmental Conservation

[17:36] for the Southern Pine Community recovery

[17:39] program Grant discussed in committee

[17:41] with objection on consent item number

[17:43] eight item number eight for original

[17:45] consideration a resolution authorizing

[17:47] the issuance the revocable apartment

[17:48] number 676 to Destin Charter Prep School

[17:51] for a sign that will overhang the city's

[17:53] right-of-way at 530 Franklin Street

[17:55] discussed in committee with objection on

[17:58] consent item number nine item number

[17:59] nine for original consideration a

[18:01] resolution authorizing the sale of a

[18:03] vacant lot at 118 Victory Avenue for one

[18:06] thousand five hundred dollars discussed

[18:08] in committee with objection on consent

[18:09] item number 10 item number 10 for

[18:12] regional consideration a resolution

[18:13] authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at

[18:15] 815 Bridge Street for two thousand

[18:17] dollars discussed in committee without

[18:19] objection on consent item number eleven under contract and

[18:23] Supply a resolution authorizing the

[18:24] award of of contract for the Rice Road

[18:27] fluoridation Improvement project

[18:29] discussed in committee with the

[18:30] objection on consent item number 12.

[18:32] for under contract and

[18:34] supply and resolution authorizing the

[18:37] issuance of a purchase order for sodium

[18:39] hypochlorite 2023 discussed in committee

[18:41] without objection on consent

[18:43] if there's nothing more to come before

[18:45] the city council caucus I've asked for a

[18:46] motion to adjourn Ed by Mr mutabaren

[18:50] second by Ms Patrick all those in favor

[18:52] aye we are adjourned I'd like to call

[18:54] the city council meeting to order for

[18:56] Monday July 10 2023.

[18:58] and I'd like to call on rev Ronald hunt

[19:00] for the prayer invocation

[19:05] I ask for the blessings of the people

[19:08] who have been called to leave this

[19:09] community in which we live and work and

[19:12] play

[19:13] members of the councils to the employees

[19:15] the mayor and those of you making for

[19:16] and wanting change in our communities

[19:19] help our leaders to not just ask how do

[19:22] we fix this but what do we need to learn

[19:25] how might we need to change and to whom

[19:28] do we need to listen

[19:30] help our community by bringing Creative

[19:32] Solutions to our challenges I remind all

[19:35] of us as Citizens because we all forget

[19:37] from time to time especially in the

[19:40] noisiness of what passes for political

[19:42] debate today that these officials are

[19:45] not only leaders but also servants and

[19:48] that it is their responsibility and ours

[19:51] to serve the common good of all

[19:53] remind them that no matter where we live

[19:56] everyone gay straight transgender black

[19:59] whites hispanically Muslim children

[20:03] received for atheists are our neighbors

[20:06] our siblings and it's throughout the

[20:08] ages prophets have called the leaders of

[20:12] the people to respect and protect the

[20:14] least of those among us our children the

[20:17] elderly the poor those who are hungry

[20:19] those who have no homes those who are

[20:21] ill and body mind or Spirit the

[20:24] strangers and immigrants in our midst

[20:26] those who live on the margins those who

[20:28] are alone those who are forgotten

[20:31] grant them and us the wisdom and courage

[20:34] to know and do what is right and good

[20:37] and true

[20:38] may they and we speak out when it is

[20:41] time to speak out and listen patiently

[20:44] and receptively when it is time to

[20:46] listen

[20:47] may they and we always be guided by the

[20:50] spirit of community by the spirit of

[20:51] justice and by the spirit of love

[20:53] this we pray in the name of all that we

[20:56] hold sacred regardless of individual

[20:58] deities and all that we hold good and

[21:01] right and true may it be so thank you I

[21:04] now ask for a moment of silence to honor

[21:07] Mike Tierney who perhaps passed recently

[21:10] he had graduated from the ambassador

[21:12] program at the City Mission to work at

[21:14] the City Mission bookstore before his

[21:16] past

[21:23] foreign

[21:24] thank you

[21:26] Paul and Bob Sanders to lead the Pledge

[21:28] of Allegiance

[21:29] e

[21:43] thank you

[21:47] the clerk would please complete the Roll

[21:49] Call

[21:53] Mr

[21:54] president Mr Toro here Mr Farley here Mr

[21:58] Williams

[22:01] Miss Patrick here Mr palamini Miss

[22:04] Porterfield here

[22:12] ask approval of the minutes for June 26

[22:15] 2023

[22:16] moved by Miss Patrick

[22:18] second by Mr Farley all those in favor

[22:22] aye

[22:23] I would ask the clerk at this time to

[22:25] read all any Communications and

[22:26] petitions

[22:32] Communications presented to the city

[22:34] council for Monday July 10 2023 under

[22:36] official there were none under General

[22:38] an email from Lori Hoyt with suggestions

[22:41] for Central Park and under petitions

[22:43] there were none

[22:45] thank you this time any committee

[22:47] reports from council members

[22:50] any committee reports

[22:54] okay

[22:56] right now we're going to have privileges

[22:58] for the legislative agenda

[23:01] and I have one person signed up to speak

[23:04] Robert Sanders

[23:06] excuse you've changed your mind

[23:13] okay no worries

[23:16] all right so I have no one signed up to

[23:18] speak

[23:18] so I declare the public hearing excuse

[23:21] me the public comment and legislative

[23:22] agenda closed

[23:25] as for approval of the legislative

[23:26] agenda

[23:28] moved by Mr Williams

[23:30] second

[23:31] by Mr mutaviran all in favor

[23:35] thank you

[23:36] it's time privilege of the floor

[23:37] regarding General City business

[23:40] I have six people that are signed up to

[23:43] speak

[23:44] just want to remind everyone that you

[23:45] have three minutes to speak and you will

[23:47] hear a timer when it's the end of that

[23:48] time

[23:50] first person Ed laven Jr

[23:57] good evening Mr Mayor chairwoman

[23:59] Porterfield Council Members First I

[24:01] would like to know why my ethics

[24:03] complaint was not in the newspaper it is

[24:05] an election year

[24:07] the mayor is to enforce all laws in the

[24:09] city and to ensure Justice none of you

[24:11] have yet to act on my complaint of

[24:13] obstruction of justice by these three

[24:15] blatantly corrupt judges and I brought

[24:17] you proof

[24:19] the ethics board is a joke called and

[24:21] states that mayor does not have to meet

[24:22] with me I brought the complaint here so

[24:25] yes he doesn't have to meet with me

[24:27] but he has heard my complaint and he

[24:29] needs to address this federal crime to

[24:30] follow Tico has committed

[24:33] that is where my ethics complaint lies

[24:35] how is it that the mayor and city

[24:36] council members have done nothing to

[24:38] help me and instead violate their oath

[24:40] of office to protect the laws of the

[24:42] Constitution

[24:43] I guess it's ethical to cover up for

[24:45] three corrupt judges that break the law

[24:47] the mayor keeps it out of the newspaper

[24:50] you're all paid representatives of

[24:52] tax-paying citizens and none of you are

[24:54] helping me that is the color of law

[24:56] violation

[24:58] when I have a problem with government

[24:59] and I come to you you're supposed to

[25:01] represent me and make sure that I am not

[25:03] treated like a whistleblower and an

[25:04] adversary like the mayor has treated me

[25:08] you're all in violation of your oath of

[25:10] office none of you have protected my

[25:12] constitutional rights and you all swore

[25:14] to protect them

[25:15] the mayor has put the kibosh in my

[25:17] billboard and has mile Reed editor

[25:19] Gazette in his pocket

[25:21] I will expose you Mr McCarthy I have new

[25:25] signs being made I got fallacy code and

[25:27] small claims court then I got mccarthied

[25:30] in City Hall

[25:31] and you should all watch YouTube New

[25:33] York State audit and see how the mayor

[25:35] makes his own laws and violates Daniel's

[25:37] constitutional rights

[25:40] he's the guy that did the video of me

[25:44] valetico falsified evidence and said I

[25:46] was paid by garnishment and substantial

[25:49] Justice was done that is a lie I never

[25:51] received another check from garnishment

[25:53] yet they came to the courthouse before

[25:55] the child

[25:57] status obstruction of justice it is also

[26:00] a treasonable act by fallotito

[26:06] any judges does not comply would result

[26:08] to the Constitution of the United States

[26:10] Wars against that Constitution engages

[26:12] in acts in violation of the supreme law

[26:14] of the land

[26:15] the judge is engaged in Acts of treason

[26:17] the United States Supreme Court stated

[26:19] that no state legislator or executive or

[26:22] judicial officer can war against the

[26:24] Constitution without violating his

[26:26] undertaking supporting them

[26:29] this is for you mayor

[26:31] we could go on quoting Court decision

[26:33] after court decision however the

[26:35] Constitution itself answers our question

[26:37] can a government legally put

[26:39] restrictions on the rights of the

[26:40] American people at any time for any

[26:42] reason the answer is filed in article 6

[26:45] of the United States Constitution

[26:46] Miranda versus Arizona

[26:48] we're right secured by the Constitution

[26:50] are involved there can be no rule-making

[26:52] or legislation which would abrogate them

[26:56] so your executive order doesn't really

[26:58] count

[26:59] when it goes against the Constitution

[27:01] and Daniel can bring his camera into

[27:04] City Hall and use it

[27:06] in public accessibility areas he doesn't

[27:09] need Mr Coleman to escort him anywhere

[27:13] or impede his progress

[27:15] time is expired sir you're supposed to

[27:17] enforce the laws your time is expired

[27:19] sir

[27:20] thank you

[27:26] Reverend Nicole John Simone

[27:34] good evening

[27:37] council president mayor McCarthy and

[27:39] council members as I have stated at this

[27:43] meeting before as the president of the

[27:46] NAACP and a pastor in this community I

[27:50] will always bring to your attention the

[27:52] concerns residents bring to me

[27:54] and so with that being said Donna you

[27:58] Sally I hope I'm saying that correctly

[28:01] um

[28:02] made the following statement on social

[28:04] media and she is from from her own words

[28:08] the new executive secretary for our

[28:11] mayor

[28:12] and uh for the sake of time I'm not

[28:14] going to read the entire comment

[28:16] but what she wrote was the following I

[28:19] am the new executive secretary for the

[28:21] mayor we are making a lot of positive

[28:23] changes I admit there have been there

[28:25] has been neglect to a lot of

[28:27] neighborhoods but we have more absentee

[28:30] landlords than we can deal with and yes

[28:32] we have too many migrants

[28:35] and panhandling

[28:37] we are addressing it and working on a

[28:40] solution

[28:42] residents are concerned that there is

[28:45] someone working in the mayor's office

[28:48] who views migrants as a problem

[28:52] all residents

[28:54] including migrants immigrants should

[28:58] have the right to feel comfortable to

[29:00] call the mayor's office but how is that

[29:02] supposed to happen when there's a person

[29:04] answering the phone who already has a

[29:06] president Prejudice position towards

[29:08] them

[29:11] so um

[29:14] I don't expect any of you to be able to

[29:17] change anybody you that is certainly

[29:19] beyond your power to be able to change a

[29:21] person's views and positions and

[29:23] character but you do have the power to to vet people that work in your

[29:28] office to hire them to terminate them

[29:31] and things like that I am personally

[29:33] offended by this comment

[29:36] um my husband is an immigrant to this

[29:39] country he has lived here almost a year

[29:41] now he has proven to be a productive

[29:44] resident of Schenectady a hard-working

[29:46] man a man of faith and what does that

[29:49] mean that migrants are a problem and a

[29:51] solution that needs to be solved and so

[29:54] people are offended and I am offended

[29:57] these comments I'm making I'm sure are

[30:00] part of public record now that I'm

[30:01] saying them here at this meeting but you

[30:03] will have a letter from the NAACP uh

[30:06] following this and we want to know what

[30:09] will be done

[30:10] about it

[30:12] because

[30:14] people are now feeling a certain way

[30:16] that you know someone who works for for

[30:19] this in this building felt comfortable

[30:21] making that comment publicly and stated

[30:24] that she works for our mayor

[30:27] and that she called certain residents in

[30:29] this community a problem

[30:32] so I would ask you to please look into

[30:35] this

[30:36] I'm sure that you understand how these

[30:39] comments are prejudiced and that you

[30:42] will follow up on it thank you thank you

[30:48] Joanne perilla Lasky

[30:58] there's just a couple pictures

[31:01] um okay I'm to Imperial Alaska I live at

[31:04] 805 Londonderry Road and I'm a long time

[31:06] resident and lover of Schenectady and an

[31:08] asset to the city because I always do

[31:11] volunteer things anyway I've always kept

[31:14] my property in Tip Tap shade as you can

[31:16] see from the pictures it's well kept

[31:18] neat no you know garbage or anything

[31:20] around

[31:22] um and our people in our neighborhood

[31:23] really do take pride in our neighbor in

[31:26] our neighborhood and our the appearance

[31:28] of our property I actually walk the

[31:31] streets often and pick up garbage that

[31:34] people throw out of their Windows

[31:35] because they throw their soda cans and

[31:37] their coffee cups out the windows and I

[31:38] do that so you can imagine my um

[31:41] displeasure when

[31:44] because I put my garbage out a day early

[31:46] because of the Juneteenth well there's

[31:48] two reasons why I'll tell you that in a

[31:49] minute when I found a 50 citation I had

[31:53] somebody went to the trouble of a

[31:54] three-page letter saying that you've got

[31:57] a 50 citation because you put your

[31:59] garbage out early we had two two reasons

[32:02] for that

[32:03] um one it was the Juneteenth holiday

[32:06] which screws us all up and we always

[32:09] kind of look at each other's properties

[32:11] to see who's got their garbage out and

[32:12] so on and um two uh our just just FYI

[32:18] londonderry's not even on any of your

[32:20] Maps just take a look at the map that

[32:22] you have for your trash trash Maps our

[32:25] streets aren't even on that map I know

[32:28] that when it comes because I because I

[32:30] know that's we're in that neighborhood

[32:32] but if you look Londonderry does not

[32:34] appear on that map so that's another

[32:35] thing that kind of annoys me because I

[32:36] do look out the window to check other

[32:38] people's garbage so anyhow you can

[32:40] imagine my displeasure when I found a 50

[32:42] citation in my mailbox because I had put

[32:45] things out on the wrong day so you asked

[32:48] for Creative Solutions I'm a 30-year

[32:50] teacher and that's what we do we look

[32:51] for Creative Solutions and rather than

[32:54] um having a citation of that amount why not just a little warning and say

[32:59] Hey you put your garbage out the wrong

[33:01] day if I get a three three page or four

[33:03] Page Letter which costs them probably a

[33:06] lot more instead of my neighbors a lot

[33:07] of my neighbors too

[33:09] um to do then just a little note saying

[33:11] you put it out all right so we made a

[33:13] mistake you know that's the right way to

[33:15] do it I'm I'm proud of the city I love

[33:17] the city I always have I've lived in The

[33:19] Stockade I've lived in Bellevue

[33:21] um I grew up in Rotterdam this is my

[33:23] city this is my home and to do this

[33:24] seems very to me um

[33:27] really ridiculously punitive that's all

[33:31] and I I just would hope I called and I

[33:34] came down and I said well there's

[33:36] nothing you can do about it you know and

[33:37] to me I don't like that answer I think

[33:39] that that was the wrong answer I think

[33:41] that we could a little perhaps a little

[33:43] warning a little note

[33:45] saying this is the wrong day and we

[33:47] would be very we're very conscientious

[33:49] about the property I mean you guys have

[33:52] my pictures there it's not like I have a

[33:54] junky property or people in my

[33:56] neighborhood do so that's what I have to

[33:58] say I don't know where I go from here I

[34:00] would like some if anybody has a

[34:01] suggestion that would be great but uh

[34:03] that's it so thanks

[34:06] I was angry I'm still angry a little

[34:11] bit oh

[34:17] well at least keep one for the record

[34:19] yeah

[34:22] thanks all right you're welcome thank

[34:25] you

[34:28] Robert Sanders

[34:36] good evening Mr Mayor Madam president my

[34:40] name is Robert Sanders I live on

[34:41] McDonald Avenue I just wanted to talk to

[34:44] you about a couple items um

[34:48] one I spoke about rent and I saw mayor

[34:50] Adams from New York City you know there

[34:52] was this woman who actually berated him

[34:55] because he gave his first rent increase

[34:57] and it was only of three percent

[35:00] after five years

[35:02] now I've got two run increases this past

[35:06] one was 25 percent and the other one was

[35:08] 17

[35:09] and this is Schenectady New York or not

[35:11] New York City we don't have subways we

[35:14] don't have rail systems going all over

[35:15] we don't have five boroughs okay um

[35:19] I think landlords here are ridiculous

[35:22] one bedroom apartment eleven hundred

[35:24] dollars it's out of control you heard me

[35:27] say that the last time something has to

[35:29] be done why don't we we have invested

[35:32] money in building housing here I do know

[35:34] that but people are just getting sucked

[35:37] dry there's no equity

[35:38] you know there's got to be something

[35:40] done there's got to be something to

[35:41] where you know there's a cap

[35:45] in place I'm going to say that much but um

[35:50] I got to follow up on the you know

[35:52] migrants there because you know I'm for

[35:54] immigration if you could speak the

[35:56] language

[35:57] if you have a job

[35:58] you could live in America that's and you

[36:01] have housing that's how I feel about it

[36:03] but you know if you know if you ever go

[36:06] back there's immigration law right on

[36:08] the books saying what you have to do

[36:11] past immigration I noticed because of my

[36:14] parents

[36:15] and actually there's a test you have the

[36:17] pass you know about geography who's this

[36:21] President this this it's pretty it's

[36:23] pretty you know daunting I think they

[36:25] shouldn't you know lean it right up to

[36:28] three things I said

[36:29] but uh

[36:31] back to this you know when you're paying

[36:35] you know 1100 1300 for a one bedroom

[36:39] apartment and a mortgage for a house is

[36:42] cheaper there's something wrong and the

[36:44] income the average income is forty five

[36:46] thousand dollars per person in

[36:48] Schenectady

[36:50] they're all just gonna leave

[36:52] if the bottom ever falls out here

[36:55] there's a big problem and most you

[36:57] people I know you are you're good people

[36:59] you're easy to work with you know I've

[37:02] known Marion I know the mayor I know you

[37:03] all you know there's you know landlords

[37:06] you've got to say listen everybody

[37:08] should make a dollar it should be fair

[37:10] that a landlord makes money but when

[37:12] they're sitting in there charging you 25

[37:13] every year my landlord says your rent's

[37:17] going up every year it's going up every

[37:19] year that'd be fine if the one up you

[37:21] know five percent

[37:23] six percent or if there was a massive

[37:24] increase you know anybody that's on

[37:27] Social Security knows the biggest Social

[37:28] Security increase was last year of eight

[37:31] percent

[37:32] and that was it and this year you're not

[37:34] getting any

[37:36] okay tell that to a landlord okay

[37:39] city council you know I know you're just

[37:41] a city council I did preach the county

[37:43] okay I did do that but there's got to be

[37:47] some type of you know where you've got

[37:50] to say something to these landlords

[37:52] Association whatever they call

[37:53] themselves they came up and talked to

[37:55] you I think if you're a time have a good

[37:57] evening thank you

[38:00] Brian and Emily template

[38:06] sure if I got the last name right

[38:11] Templeton the the handwriting is not

[38:13] always great though yeah thanks okay Brian and Emily

[38:21] and

[38:22] um similar to a previous person

[38:24] um

[38:26] we received um

[38:28] one of the more Charming sides of

[38:30] Schenectady

[38:31] but that's not really where we were

[38:34] going to start we're going to start with

[38:35] we moved to Schenectady about three

[38:37] years ago and there's a lot of things in

[38:38] the city that we really and truly like

[38:40] and we we enjoy living here you know we

[38:42] like the diversity of the city we like

[38:44] the fact that we can you know bike a lot

[38:46] of places that they're close by they're

[38:48] near our jobs and so like we really do

[38:52] like Schenectady and you know we both

[38:54] moved here to to the upstate New York

[38:57] area to work in Renewables I'm in

[39:00] research and Emily's

[39:02] um in solar and storage yeah at GE and

[39:06] we intentionally picked Schenectady as a

[39:08] good school system for our daughter too

[39:09] so we're you know we're part of the

[39:11] community and really enjoy being here

[39:14] um

[39:14] but we got a citation about our yard so

[39:19] we have uh more Loosely kept yard but

[39:23] it's one that's intentional we have a

[39:25] lot of wildflowers we let the

[39:26] wildflowers in our yard grow

[39:28] um and we think it's an asset to the

[39:32] community to have a place for

[39:33] pollinators to grow and that sort of

[39:34] thing so yeah and we also in the evening

[39:36] see a lot of fireflies come out

[39:39] and so you know and you know basically

[39:42] this has happened two years in a row in

[39:44] the very spring we get a note uh notice

[39:47] and then as the flowers start to bloom

[39:49] all of a sudden

[39:50] oh they're wildflowers but if you mow

[39:53] them down before they bloom

[39:55] well you know they they don't bloom

[39:59] um and so we actually did email some

[40:02] pictures of our Flowers In Bloom to

[40:04] Marion because we had talked to you at

[40:05] the farmer's market yesterday and

[40:08] um so we would also love to have anyone

[40:11] who would like to you guys have our

[40:12] address we would be happy to you know

[40:14] show us show you guys our yard

[40:17] um

[40:21] it says I translated it because her

[40:23] handwriting is not always the best it

[40:25] says I would like to keep my wild lawn

[40:27] with the robins and the birds the

[40:29] squirrels the bees the butterflies the

[40:31] rabbits and the groundhogs to the city

[40:33] council by Anna Laurel Templeton read by

[40:35] Brian and Emily that's what you guys

[40:37] think

[40:39] so in conclusion you know we've heard

[40:42] about you know the city faces many many

[40:44] problems and a lot of them are very

[40:46] difficult

[40:47] but in a lot of ways this is one that

[40:49] you guys have the power to you know do

[40:51] something about you know and we would

[40:53] suggest you know either one you know

[40:55] consider the fact that you know that you

[40:57] know wildlife habitat or you know

[40:59] pulmonary habitat is a thing and

[41:01] secondly you know if you guys wanted to

[41:03] actually have you know say a program so

[41:05] that like yards could get pre-approved

[41:07] or some sort of like guidelines like

[41:10] that would also be viewed positively

[41:11] what's not viewed positively is you know

[41:14] every year getting a citation

[41:16] um that's a little crafts and threatens

[41:17] up to you know 250 a day for not mowing

[41:20] so thank you guys very much thank you

[41:30] Wayne Harper

[41:37] Marion Dave Elmendorf over here didn't

[41:40] sign the sheet and he wants to speak

[41:44] so you might want to call on them

[41:47] now

[41:49] I'd like to suggest that the city

[41:51] started registry of complaints about

[41:53] city employees

[41:56] I think it should be put in a computer

[41:59] and we start to log who these employees

[42:02] are that don't speak to Residents in a

[42:04] proper way

[42:06] and we shouldn't have to foil

[42:08] to get that information of how many

[42:10] complaints they get and I'd like to

[42:13] nominate Paul Lafond and Phyllis in the

[42:15] water department as two that should be

[42:17] on the sheet or as a complaint

[42:20] Paul took months to get back to me from

[42:23] phone calls and some of the requests

[42:25] came from the mayor's office and he

[42:27] ignored it I know it was months because

[42:29] I called them before I went in the

[42:31] hospital I was in the hospital for two

[42:33] months when I finally when he finally

[42:35] called I said you know it took you

[42:36] months to get back to me says yeah I

[42:38] know I'm going to have to do better

[42:40] so we need to do better the residents

[42:43] deserve better

[42:45] and as far as Phyllis goes she's got a

[42:47] nasty disposition and she tried to find

[42:50] sexism in our conversation where there

[42:52] wasn't any but I got her squared away

[42:55] but I've noticed I've talked to her two

[42:56] or three times she don't have the right

[42:58] tone to be dealing with the public

[43:00] and we don't deserve it

[43:03] no

[43:05] I think maybe every six months at least

[43:07] maybe a minimum of once a year

[43:10] they ought to be they ought to get

[43:13] together in a group and be told who they

[43:15] actually work for because I think they just work for you folks here

[43:18] they they work for every resident

[43:20] taxpayer out there

[43:22] and we deserve better and someone needs

[43:24] to see that we get better so

[43:29] who was it they used to say and that's

[43:31] all I have to say about that was that

[43:33] Forrest Gump I think that's

[43:34] [Laughter]

[43:36] no I want to conclude

[43:39] you know that Andrew Wade he's one of my

[43:41] favorite reporters at that Gazette and I

[43:43] forgot at the last meeting to point out

[43:45] the fact that him taking his two young

[43:48] children

[43:49] in my opinion now this is just my

[43:51] opinion

[43:52] but for him to take his two young

[43:54] children to that gay pride parade I mean

[43:56] very young that should be considered

[43:58] child abuse my opinion

[44:01] all right I guess oh one last thing I

[44:05] started my eighth week of picketing at

[44:07] the Albany VA hospital and I challenge

[44:09] some of those veterans out here in the

[44:11] county or the city to come and join me

[44:13] yeah especially if you were in the first

[44:15] air Cavalry well no one showed up but I

[44:18] will tell you this

[44:19] I've had I've met some wonderful people

[44:23] stopping you generally young women

[44:25] stopping they bring me water they really

[44:29] are concerned for me one is taking the

[44:31] bar exam and the other young woman 21

[44:33] years old is going to be is applying for

[44:36] law school so it's refreshing to see

[44:39] that there are young people that really

[44:40] are that

[44:42] you know involved with seeing you

[44:44] sitting out there it was very moving

[44:46] thank you thank you

[44:51] now there's another gentleman that

[44:53] wanted to speak you did not you weren't

[44:55] signed up that you wanted to speak

[45:04] hi mayor McCarthy people the council my

[45:06] name is

[45:08] I just I might be able to write your

[45:10] name on the sheet my name is art morato

[45:12] m-a-r-o-t-t-a

[45:13] and this is David Elmendorf

[45:16] okay

[45:18] we represent weedican Motors and

[45:20] recently there's been a proposal for

[45:22] CDTA bus stop to put a stop in front of

[45:24] our building

[45:26] um

[45:27] the stop would be almost the same size

[45:30] as the one that's across the street

[45:32] which would span about 26 feet from

[45:34] start to finish

[45:36] that would be detrimental to our

[45:37] business half of our

[45:40] Street Frontage to the left is where we

[45:42] have cars out for sale it's basically an

[45:44] extension from our office inside that's

[45:46] where we display cars

[45:49] um it's a carport that's covered that

[45:52] covers about 15 cars

[45:54] um

[45:56] this is where we display cars put cars

[45:58] on a test drive we also have two service

[46:00] doors that we service and sell hundreds

[46:01] of cars a month okay

[46:03] they want to put a structure in front of

[46:06] the carport that would basically cover

[46:08] all of our illuminated signage it would

[46:11] basically hinder us doing business on

[46:13] almost 45 percent of our street Frontage

[46:15] so we've talked with them a few times

[46:18] we've offered what I feel is that we

[46:20] feel our reasonable suggestions to put

[46:23] the bus stop in a better place that

[46:25] doesn't hinder on anybody's business

[46:27] obviously our main concern is people's

[46:29] safety we obviously have a business to

[46:31] protect but we feel that there's other

[46:33] locations that are close by that they

[46:36] can put their stop that are less busy as

[46:40] far as traffic there's a car wash next

[46:42] door it's a very busy intersection

[46:45] um so we've talked with them we've had a

[46:47] couple meetings with them they've come

[46:48] out mayor McCarthy I think you've seen

[46:50] the carport when you've come to visit

[46:51] the store once or twice

[46:53] uh we just feel that

[46:55] anything that's in front of our business

[46:56] like that is going to hinder what we do

[46:58] we've been there for 102 years

[47:00] and uh

[47:03] we just feel that that's not something

[47:05] that will be beneficial to us and also

[47:07] the safety of the people

[47:10] if I might add one of the things that

[47:12] years ago we did have the bus stop there was no cubicle but we used to have

[47:19] a lot of damage they'd leave garbage

[47:21] we've had to have cars painted scratched

[47:24] and it was a real problem of course the

[47:26] green Union was also there then and they

[47:29] used to leave grocery carts there and we

[47:31] used to have to wheel them back and

[47:33] forth and that was quite a bit but

[47:35] obviously that's gone now but we're

[47:38] still going to have and they admitted

[47:39] that we would still have the vandalism

[47:41] problem and it's an issue

[47:43] concern for us you know we have a

[47:45] thousand dollar deductible in each car

[47:47] so that expense gets can be very

[47:51] expensive to us and

[47:53] so uh if there's anything you folks can

[47:56] do we would really greatly appreciate it

[47:58] we're willing to look at other options

[48:01] we may have one and I'll bring this up

[48:05] two doors down is our body shop now I

[48:08] haven't talked to this with my partners

[48:10] but we could maybe put it there which

[48:13] would make it that much closer to the

[48:15] crosswalk which is the concern

[48:17] that they have for jaywalking so

[48:22] um that could be a possibility we

[48:24] probably could get that done if that

[48:26] works for the CDTA so uh with that being

[48:31] said we appreciate the time for being

[48:33] here and

[48:35] hope that we can work something out too

[48:38] to better everybody certainly the safety

[48:41] but certainly our business which we're

[48:42] concerned for so we thank you for the

[48:45] opportunity thank you thank you thank

[48:48] you

[48:51] I have no one else signed up to speak so

[48:53] I declare the public comment of City

[48:54] business closed

[48:57] and at this time any miscellaneous

[48:59] business of the council

[49:03] is Patrick

[49:08] thank you I just wanted to announce that

[49:11] on July 22nd from noon to 3 is the

[49:14] seventh annual uh honorable Karen B

[49:17] Johnson family fun day over at Steinmetz

[49:20] Park

[49:21] um which you know we'll we'll have about

[49:23] a thousand uh Children and Families from

[49:26] the neighborhood there's pony rides

[49:28] there's food it's all free

[49:31] um there's lot there's about over 30

[49:33] Community organizations that will be

[49:36] there to

[49:38] run activities run arts and crafts

[49:40] activities but also to give resources

[49:43] and information out to the family so I

[49:46] just wanted to announce that thank you

[49:51] okay I'm here

[49:56] thank you madam president I appreciate

[49:58] the individuals that have come out

[50:00] tonight who got cited those things can

[50:04] be forwarded to my office for review

[50:06] sometimes they are legitimate sometimes

[50:08] there's a misunderstanding in terms of

[50:11] some of the applications of the code and

[50:13] sometimes it just takes a little bit to

[50:16] straighten it out and bring some common

[50:18] sense to it also we lucked out in terms

[50:21] of the weather those places south of

[50:23] here and east of here had some

[50:26] unfortunately some severe flooding which

[50:28] is still going on

[50:30] and uh just that we should be thankful

[50:34] that uh Mother Nature Smiled On Us a

[50:36] little bit and we're able to

[50:39] hopefully enjoy some good weather ahead

[50:41] of us but thank you madam president

[50:43] thank you mayor

[50:45] I'd also like to thank everyone that

[50:47] came out tonight to express their

[50:49] concerns about what's going on in the

[50:51] city

[50:52] um

[50:53] and maybe waste for improvement

[50:55] and I just wanted to note that I'm sure

[50:57] we've all read about it about the number

[50:59] of overdoses that we've seen lately

[51:01] within our city so that means there are

[51:05] people out there suffering who are

[51:06] suffering from this addiction problem

[51:09] and in lives are lost as a result of

[51:11] that I know that our Police Department

[51:13] is doing some work around that I just

[51:15] want to remind those who are in that

[51:16] situation as well as those who know

[51:18] people in that situation that there are

[51:20] resources out there and to Avail

[51:22] themselves to that to those resources

[51:25] because any loss of life is is not a

[51:28] good thing so just and my condolences to

[51:31] the family who who lost loved ones as a

[51:34] result of this

[51:35] and let's just all be careful with the

[51:37] weather out there it's very very hot and

[51:39] unfortunately I had a friend who lost

[51:41] their husband in this immense heat just

[51:43] being outside in the yard so let's be

[51:45] really really careful

[51:47] with that I'll ask for a motion to

[51:49] adjourn

[51:50] moved by Mr Williams second by Mr

[51:51] multiver and all those in favor

[51:53] aye we are adjourned have a good evening

[52:04] [Music]

[52:53] thank you

Schenectady City Council Meeting, July 10, 2023

Transcript