[0:36] [Music]
[2:28] yeah
[2:46] [Music]
[3:58] he
[4:12] [Music]
[8:28] he
[9:11] okay somebody needs
[9:14] it I'd like to call to order City
[9:17] meeting for Monday September 11
[9:20] 2023 we have 20 items for consideration
[9:24] the CL please read item number one item
[9:27] number one for original consideration
[9:28] and ordinance approving and authorizing
[9:30] the supplemental Bond ordinance in the
[9:32] amount of
[9:35] 2,275 or
[9:37] 25275 th000 for the North ferry Street
[9:40] Pump Station discussed in committee with
[9:42] objection on consent item number two for original
[9:46] consideration a resolution calling for a
[9:48] public hearing of the 2022 Consolidated
[9:51] annual performance and evaluation report
[9:54] discussed in committee without objection
[9:55] on consent item number three item number
[9:58] three for original consent consideration
[9:59] a resolution calling for a public
[10:01] hearing of the proposed 2024 operating
[10:03] budget and the capital budget for the
[10:05] city of skty discussed in committee with
[10:07] objection and on consent item number
[10:09] four item number four for original
[10:12] consideration a resolution authorizing
[10:14] acceptance of funding from the New York
[10:16] State for the purchase of a new fire
[10:18] truck discussed in committee with
[10:20] objection on consent item number five for original
[10:24] consideration a resolution referring the
[10:26] draft ordinance establishing a six-month
[10:28] Mor atorium on the submission and
[10:30] processing of building permits
[10:32] certificates of occupancy certificates
[10:34] of use and land use approvals for smoke
[10:36] shop vape shops and tobacco or vape
[10:39] consumption businesses within the city
[10:41] of sken to the sken County Economic
[10:44] Development and planning department
[10:46] discuss and committee with objection on
[10:47] consent item number six item number six
[10:50] for original consideration a resolution
[10:53] authorizing an easement to Niagara
[10:55] Mohawk power Corporation DBA national
[10:58] grid for the installation of an overhead
[11:00] electrical service in Central Park for
[11:02] the new pool splash pad and ancillary
[11:05] facilities discuss in committee with the
[11:07] objection on consent item number seven for original
[11:11] consideration a resolution amending
[11:13] resolution 2023 029 to modify the time
[11:17] period for Miracle on Craig Street to
[11:18] secure required Financial commitments
[11:21] roll call by Mr palamini item number
[11:25] eight item number eight for original
[11:27] consideration a resolution amend in
[11:29] resolution 2022 224 to modify the time
[11:32] period for young women's Christian
[11:35] Association of skty DBA YWCA
[11:38] Northeastern New York to secure required
[11:41] Financial commitments roll call by Mr
[11:44] palamini item number nine item number
[11:47] nine for original consideration a
[11:49] resolution amending resolution 2022
[11:52] 024 or 224 to modify the time period for
[11:56] electric city food Cooperative
[11:57] Incorporated to to secure required
[11:59] Financial commitments roll call by Mr
[12:02] palamini item number 10 item number 10
[12:05] for original consideration a resolution
[12:06] amending resolution 2022 224 to modify
[12:10] the use of funds for SKC Community
[12:12] Action Program Incorporated roll call by
[12:15] Mr palamini item number 11 item number
[12:17] 11 for original consideration a
[12:19] resolution revoking the appropriation of
[12:21] American Rescue plan act funds for the
[12:24] stock a Association of New York new
[12:27] connected New York for a re
[12:28] revitalization project as authorized by
[12:32] resolution 2022
[12:34] 224 act funds for
[12:39] this revitalization project as
[12:42] authorized by resolution 2022 224
[12:45] discussed in committee with the
[12:46] objection on consent item number
[12:49] 12 item number 12 for a original
[12:51] consideration a resolution revoking the
[12:53] appropriation of American Rescue plan
[12:55] act funds for Proctors reopening safety
[12:58] upgrades as authorized authorized by
[13:00] resolution 2022
[13:03] 224 discuss in committee with objection
[13:06] on consent item number 13 item number 13
[13:08] for original consideration a resolution
[13:10] authorizing the sale of 4051 Street for
[13:14] 26,1
[13:16] 14851 roll call by Mr
[13:21] palamini item number 14 item number 14
[13:24] for original consideration a resolution
[13:26] authorizing the sale of 874 em Street
[13:29] for
[13:30] $553
[13:32] 24.11 roll call by Mr
[13:35] palamini item number 15 item number 15
[13:38] for original consideration a resolution
[13:41] authorizing the sale of 105 Congress
[13:43] Street for
[13:45] $2,777 and10 roll call by Mr palamini
[13:49] item number 16 item number 16 for
[13:51] original consideration a resolution
[13:53] authorizing the sale of 1040 wendle
[13:55] Avenue for
[13:57] $16,999 7 cents roll call by Mr palamini
[14:01] item number 17 item number 17 for
[14:04] original consideration a resolution
[14:06] authorizing the sale of 1038 Glennwood
[14:08] Boulevard for
[14:11] 35,500 discuss in committee without
[14:13] objection on consent item number 18 item
[14:16] number 18 for original consideration a
[14:19] resolution authorizing the settlement of
[14:21] a claim by Nicholas
[14:23] fio discussed in committee with
[14:25] objection on consent item number 19 item
[14:28] number 19 for original consideration a
[14:30] resolution recognizing the Junior League
[14:32] of sken and Saratoga
[14:34] counties this uh item will be taken out
[14:37] of order and presented
[14:38] by Mr
[14:42] palamini item number 20 item number 20
[14:45] under contract and Supply a resolution
[14:47] awarding the bid and contract for the
[14:48] 2023 Harley-Davidson police motorcycle
[14:51] to Brunswick Harley-Davidson
[14:53] Incorporated in the total amount of
[14:57] $298.9 this discuss in committee with
[14:59] that objection on
[15:03] consent if there's nothing more to come
[15:05] before the city council caucus I ask for
[15:06] a motion to adjourn moved by Miss
[15:09] Patrick second by Mr turo all those in
[15:12] favor I we are
[15:14] adjourn I'd like to call the city
[15:16] council meeting to order for Monday
[15:18] September 11th
[15:19] 2023 and I'd like to call on Reverend
[15:22] James Ki for the prayer
[15:27] invocation let us begin our evening on
[15:31] this solemn day this 22nd anniversary of
[15:35] the Attacks of September 11th 2001 in a
[15:38] moment of
[15:46] silence September 11th is a day of
[15:49] remembrance on this solemn anniversary
[15:52] pause to remember the many people who
[15:54] died in New York Virginia and
[15:57] Pennsylvania because of terrorist
[15:59] attacks recall the trauma and
[16:01] heartbreaking events that occurred that
[16:04] day and pray for those who lost their
[16:06] lives and those that continue to suffer
[16:09] we turn to you then Lord for the help we
[16:12] need give us hearts that seek to love
[16:15] all people regardless of race religion
[16:18] or nationality strengthen our hands to
[16:21] do the work that lasting peace requires
[16:24] help us to trust in you you are
[16:26] changeless and look after our needs we
[16:30] listen to these words from the prophet
[16:33] Isaiah we have a strong City he appoints
[16:36] walls and bworks for open the gates that
[16:40] the righteous Nation may enter the one
[16:42] who remains faithful you will keep him
[16:45] in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on
[16:48] you because he trusts in you trust in
[16:51] the Lord forever for he is God the Lord
[16:54] we have an everlasting Rock The Way of
[16:57] the righteous is smooth smooth oh
[16:59] upright one make the path of the
[17:01] righteous level
[17:04] amen like to call on council member D
[17:06] Tor for the Pledge of Allegiance I
[17:08] pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[17:11] United States of America and to the rep
[17:15] for which it stands one nation under God
[17:19] indivisible with liberty and justice for
[17:23] all thank
[17:27] you
[17:29] clerk could please read call the
[17:35] rooll Mr Mutan is absent Mr Toro here Mr
[17:39] Farley here Mr Williams is absent Miss
[17:43] Patrick here Mr palamini here M
[17:46] Porterfield
[17:48] here we have one out of order resolution
[17:51] uh recognizing the junior Leos
[17:52] connecting Saratoga counties and I call
[17:54] on Mr palini to present this
[17:57] resolution
[18:18] here may I have the floor you have the
[18:21] floor this is a resolution to recognize
[18:23] the Junior League of skincity in
[18:24] Saratoga counties whereas the
[18:27] association of junor leagues
[18:29] International is a global women's Civic
[18:31] leadership organization that was founded
[18:33] in
[18:34] 19901 by Mary Harman with the support of
[18:37] elanar Roosevelt and whereas the Junior
[18:40] League of skty and Saratoga counties J
[18:43] LSS was founded in 1932 by a group of
[18:46] SKC women including Katherine s or K
[18:50] rosendal and whereas J LSS has worked
[18:54] for more than 91 years to Build a Better
[18:56] Community by launching lasting impactful
[18:59] Community programs such as operation
[19:01] back to school kids in the kitchen
[19:04] discreet dignity community hospice the
[19:07] league room at Proctors Dominion house
[19:09] courta appointed special Advocates and
[19:12] children's grieving Center at Haven and
[19:14] whereas the Junior League of skincity in
[19:17] Saratoga counties is helping lead the
[19:19] efforts with ajli to launch the
[19:22] inaugural F the good day on September
[19:24] 14th
[19:26] 2023 and whereas find the good day as a
[19:29] special day of unity and compassion that
[19:31] aims to spread kindness uplift others
[19:34] and Inspire positive change across the
[19:37] capital region and the nation and
[19:39] whereas find the good day as an
[19:40] opportunity for individuals families and
[19:43] organizations to come together as change
[19:46] makers and create a ripple effect of
[19:48] positivity throughout our community it
[19:51] is a day to reflect on the goodness
[19:53] within ourselves and find inspiration in
[19:55] the acts of kindness we have witnessed
[19:57] and particip ipated in throughout the
[19:59] year and whereas the Junior League of
[20:01] skincity in Saratoga County invites
[20:04] everyone to make a difference on this
[20:06] significant day whether it is through
[20:09] acts of service volunteer initiatives or
[20:12] simply spreading positivity through kind
[20:14] gestures every contribution has the
[20:17] power to create lasting change and
[20:19] whereas the Junior League of SKC and
[20:21] Saratoga counties is honoring Mohawk
[20:24] Honda as their first find the good
[20:27] awarde for their commitment to the
[20:29] junior League's Mission and whereas
[20:31] Mohawk Honda serves as a valuable
[20:34] partner to dozens of community-based
[20:36] organizations throughout the region and
[20:38] has provided valuable resources and
[20:41] support to the junior League's operation
[20:43] back to school and discreet dignity
[20:45] programs now therefore be it resolved
[20:48] that the city of skincity and the city
[20:50] council and Mayor Gary R McCarthy pause
[20:53] in their deliberations to encourage all
[20:55] scadian to celebrate Thursday September
[20:58] member 14th as the Junior League of
[21:00] skinc and Saratoga counties find the
[21:03] good day and encourage all residents to
[21:05] find the good in our community I'd like
[21:07] to move this I'd like need a second
[21:10] please second by Miss Patrick all in
[21:12] favor I motion passes congratulations
[21:20] I the councilman just said would you
[21:22] like to speak so I don't have to I know
[21:24] that was like a a Hall of Fame level of
[21:27] uh words there but thank you very much
[21:30] to councilman palamini to Mayor McCarthy
[21:33] who has always been a a trusted and good
[21:35] friend to the Junior League of SKC and
[21:36] to the entire city council what an honor
[21:39] this is for us this is our first ever um
[21:42] do the good day and we thought no better
[21:45] way than to try to launch it here in
[21:47] these city council chambers so thank you
[21:49] all very very much for your ongoing
[21:51] support of our community programs and of
[21:53] our Organization for thank you
[22:02] [Applause]
[22:09] have six six
[22:11] roll
[22:26] sales
[22:29] one two three four
[22:32] five six seven eight got it thank
[22:38] you thank
[22:41] you the clerk I like to ask for approval
[22:44] of the minutes of August 28
[22:49] 2023 mve by Mr
[22:52] Farley second by Mr Turell all in favor
[22:56] I if the clerk would please read read
[22:58] any Communications and
[23:05] petitions Communications presented to
[23:08] city council for Monday September 11th
[23:10] 2023 under official there were none
[23:13] under General there was an email from
[23:15] pety Boris stating that some people are
[23:16] allowed to speak While others are not
[23:19] the continuous word of the used
[23:21] marginalized and her feelings of
[23:23] betrayal regarding the Public's costs
[23:25] and why her social security retirement
[23:27] was cut by 45% under petitions there
[23:30] were none thank
[23:33] you this time we have privilege of of
[23:35] the floor related to the legislative
[23:37] agenda and I have two people signed up
[23:39] to
[23:41] speak first uh Judy W Meer from the
[23:44] Capital District tobacco free Coalition
[23:47] hello good evening I'm the director for
[23:49] the Capital District tobacco free
[23:51] communities and I just wanted to share
[23:53] some information I know you are
[23:55] considering um some work with um smok
[23:58] and vape shops in the city so I just
[24:01] wanted to share some information that's
[24:03] new um I know that you know
[24:07] that there's more tobacco and vape
[24:09] retailers in neighborhoods with the
[24:10] lowest income and we know that this
[24:13] leads to health disparities I years a
[24:16] year or so back we presented some
[24:18] information from neighborhood
[24:19] conversations that we had um we know
[24:22] that those with less education and less
[24:24] income smoke at much higher rates uh the
[24:27] state rate right now for tobacco use is
[24:29] about 12% those with education with low
[24:33] education with just a high school
[24:34] education smoke at a rate of about
[24:37] 19.4% those with incomes less than
[24:39] 25,000 smoke at
[24:42] 20.4% and those with mental distress at
[24:46] about 19% so we know that there's these
[24:49] Health disparities that occur we also
[24:51] know that tobacco retailers are not
[24:53] evenly um spread throughout the city and
[24:56] the county um we we know that
[24:58] municipalities can do things to address
[25:01] these Health disparities they can change
[25:03] how their City looks and I know you all
[25:05] are very um you know very well aware of
[25:08] that so by implementing policies that
[25:11] can limit the time place and manner of
[25:12] tobacco sales and there's about 19
[25:15] communities so far across New York state
[25:17] that have done licensing zoning have
[25:19] done things to limit where tobacco and
[25:21] vape retailers are the city of of
[25:25] Syracuse is the most recent one just
[25:27] last week they unanimously passed a
[25:30] resolution to have licensing for all
[25:33] their tobacco and vape retailers and
[25:36] with that licensing you they will not be
[25:38] allowed to have um a tobacco or vape
[25:41] retailer within 750 feet of a school of
[25:45] a public park or of another tobacco uh
[25:48] retailer Vape retailer and they also
[25:51] will have a process with that licensing
[25:54] for every two that close only one will
[25:56] be provided so ultimately the total
[25:59] number in the city of s Syracuse will go
[26:02] down um so I just wanted to share that
[26:04] information with you and let you know
[26:06] that if you have any questions you can
[26:08] always reach out to us we have a
[26:09] wonderful piece that goes through how
[26:12] municipalities can address um their vape
[26:15] shops their smoke shops and the like so
[26:18] thank you very much for the opportunity
[26:20] thank
[26:24] you Carol Delamar from The Stockade
[26:27] Association
[26:32] good evening mayor and city council um
[26:34] my name is Carol D marer and I am chair
[26:36] of the preservation committee for the
[26:38] stockid
[26:40] association
[26:42] um I I wanted to I'm here to comment on
[26:45] item number 11 um on the agenda which
[26:48] has to do with the revoke revoking of
[26:51] the arpa funds that were originally
[26:53] awarded to The Stockade Association um
[26:56] for a revitalization project
[26:58] what I want to make sure everyone who is
[26:59] aware of is that revitalization project
[27:02] is for the historic pumps northberry
[27:05] Street Pump Station I see on the agenda
[27:08] there's also the $25 million bond for
[27:11] the new building that new building bond
[27:14] does not include any funds for the his
[27:17] preserving protecting revitalizing
[27:20] making use of the historic pum station
[27:24] so but I want you to know that this the
[27:26] Stu associ a fully supports the money
[27:30] returning to the city because it is a
[27:32] city-owned building property and while
[27:34] was stock Association has been very
[27:37] active in in pursuing and making
[27:40] recommendations about this building we
[27:42] aren't in a position to do any work
[27:44] within within that so I want to make
[27:45] that want to make that clear um and but
[27:48] since the initial award was made back in
[27:51] September 2022 The Stockade Association
[27:54] preservation committee has been meeting
[27:56] with the city's staff
[27:58] about how this how to carry this project
[28:01] forward um we are aware that city city
[28:04] staff has begun discussions with an
[28:05] outside consultant to create bid
[28:08] documents for exterior maintenance work
[28:11] um restoring the historic windows in
[28:14] that building and for any of the
[28:17] exterior sort of repair of the the
[28:20] stucco and all that stuff the intent was
[28:22] that was coming out of the
[28:25] 750,000 but the other part of this
[28:28] um need is for an evaluation of the
[28:31] interior of this of this building um
[28:34] because in order to order in order to
[28:37] fulfill sort of the feasibility of the
[28:39] ReUse of that building that was spelled
[28:41] out in a in a report two years ago
[28:44] through technical assistant Grant from
[28:47] the preservation League that the city
[28:49] got it required quite a bit of work in
[28:52] understanding what needed to be done on
[28:54] the inside um so I want to so a lot of
[28:58] those tasks are outlined in that report
[29:01] that the city generated two years ago
[29:07] um so so back in March the stockage
[29:11] association preservation committee
[29:13] worked with the development office um to
[29:16] secure a grant from the preservation
[29:18] League to create a building condition
[29:20] report on the interior of that building
[29:23] the funds did not come to the city for
[29:25] that but we feel even though that um
[29:28] that that that funds
[29:30] $34,000 should come out of the 750 so we
[29:33] can move this project along the purpose
[29:36] of the condition report was to create
[29:38] planning documents because this is an
[29:41] extraordinary detailed
[29:43] project and so I want to make sure that is on clearly on the agenda of the
[29:48] people that are that are working on this
[29:51] at the city level it's a
[29:53] $34,000 grant proposal that was received
[29:56] by preservation AR from preservation
[29:58] architects who did the original re reuse
[30:02] feasibility study of that of that
[30:04] property and we just feel it's like it
[30:06] they're very familiar with the property
[30:08] and it would be a good use of 34,000 out
[30:11] of the
[30:12] 750 to to move that project along I need
[30:15] you to summarize please the the our
[30:17] original proposal and award from the
[30:19] city was to seek funding to repurpose
[30:22] this historic Pump Station into a
[30:23] community interpretation Center event
[30:26] space similar to what's in some of our
[30:29] other Parks I'm sorry I really hate to
[30:31] interrupt you again but your time is
[30:32] I've let you go over your time so
[30:34] where's the lights for all this oh we
[30:35] don't they I don't know what that
[30:36] happened to the lights anymore I
[30:38] apologize thank
[30:42] you I have no one else signed up to
[30:44] speak for public on the public comment
[30:46] on the legislative agenda so I declare
[30:48] that public comment
[30:51] closed I at this time I ask for approval
[30:53] of the legislative consent
[30:55] agenda motion by Miss Patrick second by
[30:58] Mr
[31:01] Farley all in favor I okay we have eight
[31:05] items for roll
[31:11] call First is item number
[31:15] seven if the clerk would please
[31:23] read item number seven for original
[31:25] consideration a resolution amending
[31:27] resolution 2023 029 to modify the time
[31:31] period for Miracle on Craig Street to
[31:32] secure required Financial
[31:45] commitments is there any
[31:49] discussion
[31:51] call all right move I need a motion to
[31:55] move that Mr Po second by Mr turo all in
[32:01] favor okay so this point in time we'll
[32:04] have the roll call Mr Toro no Mr Farley
[32:11] yes Miss Patrick
[32:14] yes Mr palamini no Miss Porterfield yes
[32:19] so the motion
[32:24] fails okay item number eight for original
[32:30] consideration a resolution amending
[32:32] resolution 2022 224 to modify the time
[32:35] period for young women's Christian
[32:37] Association of SKC DBA YWCA North
[32:41] Eastern New York to secure required
[32:43] Financial
[32:44] commitments I need a motion to move that
[32:47] Mr palamini to the agenda second by Mr
[32:50] Turell all in favor
[32:53] I roll call yes we need a roll call
[32:58] discussion oh is there any discussion
[33:00] for the roll call all right okay Mr Toro
[33:05] no Mr Farley yes Miss Patrick yes Mr
[33:11] palamini no Miss pteri yes so we need
[33:15] just for for the audience we need at
[33:17] least four votes to pass it so that
[33:19] motion that motion also
[33:24] fails item number nine need a motion to
[33:27] move this Mr
[33:30] palamini second by Mr tur all in favor
[33:34] I any
[33:36] discussion the clerk would please read
[33:38] the call the
[33:41] role Mr turo
[33:44] no Mr Farley yes Miss Patrick yes Mr
[33:50] palamini no Miss Porterfield yes motion
[33:54] the item fails item number
[33:59] 10 need a motion to M Mr pal movees it I
[34:03] need a second second by Mr Turell all in
[34:06] favor
[34:07] I is there any discussion on this
[34:11] item the clerk would please call the
[34:13] rooll Mr Toro no Mr Farley yes Miss
[34:19] Patrick yes Mr
[34:22] palamini I want to explain the votes on
[34:25] these last several resolutions including
[34:28] this one so I'll speak to this one in
[34:32] particular we had an arpa process put in
[34:35] place uh last year uh and quite frankly
[34:41] it was never followed we had a review
[34:44] process asked people to go through the
[34:46] process of taking their their time and
[34:49] reviewing
[34:50] applications in which we were supposedly
[34:54] going to look over those and talk over
[34:56] them that never happened uh we came
[34:59] together and all of a sudden money was
[35:01] being doled out at that time or shortly
[35:04] later I should say a series of
[35:08] contingencies were put in place to
[35:10] actually designate the money to various
[35:13] organizations such as um the connect the
[35:17] action Community Action
[35:20] Program the contingencies were put in
[35:23] place for basically a year to allow the
[35:27] organizations to meet the requirements
[35:30] to get the
[35:33] money some of these organizations came
[35:35] back asking for more time uh others
[35:38] didn't may not even know that they could
[35:41] do that um there's other applications
[35:45] where the original application has been
[35:48] changed completely from what has been
[35:52] now given money
[35:53] for or allowed money for that that's not
[35:57] fair to organizations who've put in
[36:00] applications whose uh funding might not
[36:04] have happened if you change your
[36:06] application from the initial to the end
[36:09] you should be put back into the pile and
[36:11] looked at with the entire group none of
[36:14] that happened everything here has been
[36:18] arbitrary four months here 6 months
[36:20] there it it it's completely pulled out
[36:24] of the air and yes the organizations
[36:27] asked for some of those but again the
[36:31] fairness and and the process here
[36:33] following our procedures just didn't
[36:37] happen and to those organizations that
[36:40] didn't get funded you should look into
[36:42] this
[36:44] seriously I mean you you've been not
[36:47] awarded money other organizations were
[36:50] awarded money for a a a proposal that
[36:53] was put in that was completely changed
[36:55] and still allowed the
[36:57] money this entire arpa procedure has
[37:01] been screwed up from the the start and
[37:05] it's really Troublesome I understand
[37:08] these resolutions will pass likely in
[37:11] two weeks when other members of the
[37:14] council
[37:15] attend but the reality is there's a process that we need to to
[37:21] hold to and we just didn't do that we
[37:23] didn't even come close it was just
[37:26] willy-nilly
[37:27] here's I like this
[37:29] group I'm going to give money to that
[37:31] group and so forth and just completely
[37:35] arbitrary So my answer is
[37:38] no Miss Porterfield thank you I just
[37:42] like to lend some clarification to the
[37:44] statement that was just made first of
[37:46] all there was a process and let's also
[37:48] keep in mind that during this all of
[37:51] this um there things change people's
[37:54] timeline change things in increased so
[37:57] for people to come for to ask for an
[37:59] extension just makes sense for us to
[38:01] consider that and that have this hard
[38:03] and fast role the two hard and fast
[38:06] dates that we have are from the um from
[38:09] the federal government which say by the
[38:12] end of sept by the end of 2024 we must
[38:15] have allocated all of the money and by
[38:17] the end of 2026 all of that money must
[38:21] be spent one of the things we did with
[38:24] this arpa was to try to make sure that
[38:26] organization who don't normally get an
[38:28] opportunity to be funded or have that
[38:31] opportunity to be funded and we are
[38:33] working with those those organizations a
[38:35] large amount of the money as you all
[38:37] know has gone to the city and the city
[38:39] has the capacity to do those things and
[38:42] every council member who sits here today
[38:44] had an opportunity to participate in the
[38:48] process and if they felt that the
[38:50] process wasn't all they wanted it to be
[38:53] had an opportunity to uh instead of
[38:55] offer criticism to offer some solutions
[38:58] to the things they thought were not
[39:00] working well so our staff has been
[39:02] working with the um and we have our
[39:05] staff has a lot to do and this is
[39:07] additional on top of what they already
[39:09] do so our staff has been working
[39:11] diligently with these organizations and
[39:14] let me also State these are
[39:15] organizations that have been serving our
[39:17] community for a very long time and doing
[39:20] a very lot a lot of good work in the
[39:22] community and serving people who really
[39:24] need the help one thing I've said from
[39:27] the beginning of these coid funds is it
[39:29] h Co impacted every single person in
[39:33] this world not just in this country so
[39:35] when this money came
[39:37] in we had discussions about how that
[39:39] money should be spent and I was very I
[39:41] feel felt strongly then I feel strongly
[39:44] now that not all of it necessarily had
[39:46] to be spent on City projects but those
[39:48] organizations who lost funding uh lost
[39:51] staff and all all those things during
[39:53] coid would have the opportunity to do
[39:55] move forward the projects that they
[39:57] needed to move forward so that is what
[39:59] we did I still feel that we did that
[40:02] properly and um I will vote Yes on
[40:09] this the motion fails we don't have
[40:11] enough votes thank
[40:14] you item number
[40:16] 13 I need a motion to move it Mr
[40:21] palamini second by Miss Patrick all in
[40:24] favor by okay um any discussion on
[40:30] this
[40:33] discussion all right then we'll have the
[40:36] vote Mr Toro
[40:39] no Mr Farley yes Miss Patrick yes Mr
[40:44] palamini no Miss Porterfield yes motion
[40:52] fails item
[40:55] number
[40:57] that was number seven right 14 item
[41:01] number 14 that's
[41:04] right I need a motion moveed by Mr
[41:09] palamini second by Mr Toro all in
[41:12] favor any discussion on this
[41:16] item the clerk would please call the
[41:19] role Mr Toro no Mr Farley yes Miss
[41:24] Patrick yes Mr par
[41:26] no Miss Porterfield
[41:29] yes the resolution
[41:31] fails item number 15 any a motion to
[41:34] move this to the agenda move by Miss
[41:36] Patrick second by Mr palamini all in
[41:39] favor
[41:41] I any discussion on this
[41:44] item the clerk could please read the
[41:46] role call the role Mr Toro no Mr Farley
[41:52] yes Miss Patrick yes Mr palamini no Miss
[41:57] Porterfield
[41:59] yes and item number
[42:03] 16 motion by Miss Patrick second by Mr
[42:05] palamini all in
[42:07] favor is there any discussion on this
[42:11] item the clerk please call the role Mr
[42:14] Toro no Mr Farley yes Mr Patrick or M
[42:20] Patrick
[42:21] yes Mr
[42:25] palamini so just so the the audience and
[42:29] people watching at home understand
[42:31] usually housing sales go relatively
[42:34] smoothly no issues at all these four are
[42:38] quite different these houses were
[42:41] foreclosed on by the
[42:43] city um and to me this sets a very bad
[42:49] precedent now just because we've done
[42:51] something in the past doesn't mean we
[42:52] need to continue doing that but in this
[42:55] particular case
[42:56] we're creating an incentive not to pay
[42:59] your taxes what we have here is four
[43:02] houses that were foreclosed and and I'll
[43:05] speak to this one on Wendel Avenue for
[43:09] example and it went through the
[43:10] foreclosure process it has started the
[43:14] city has the
[43:16] property so now the council has decided
[43:20] that they want to allow the homeowners
[43:25] or some family member the ability to
[43:29] purchase the home back by paying the
[43:32] back taxes any fees and $1,000 on top of
[43:37] that now some might say well hey this makes the city whole well does it
[43:43] the fact is in order to get a
[43:45] foreclosure it takes generally speaking
[43:48] 3 years some of these houses were much
[43:51] longer uh certainly because of coid that
[43:55] not the um the problem with the
[43:58] homeowners in this particular case but
[44:02] during that time we've always been told
[44:05] that if you pay your taxes if everybody
[44:07] paid their taxes and did it on time we'd
[44:10] have a 10% tax cut so what we have now
[44:14] is people who haven't paid their taxes
[44:17] now having their house financed or their
[44:20] lifestyle financed by the city and that
[44:23] city is paid by the rest of the
[44:26] taxpayers so as taxpayers we are now
[44:30] financing the lifestyle the housing of
[44:34] these individuals who've had their house
[44:36] foreclosed
[44:38] on because for several years they didn't
[44:41] pay their taxes so instead of having
[44:44] extra money the city had to either
[44:46] borrow which in case the city has to uh
[44:50] pay interest on that and the rest of the
[44:53] taxpayers instead of getting addition
[44:56] services or a tax cut now didn't get any
[45:00] of that because we have a a number of
[45:04] individuals not paying their
[45:07] taxes so what we have is the rest of the
[45:11] city
[45:12] financing individuals the city as acting
[45:16] as a bank in
[45:18] essence that's just not right but it
[45:22] gets
[45:24] better at least one of the individuals
[45:26] if not more wants to sell their house so
[45:30] now we've acted as essentially a pseudo
[45:33] morgage company where we've
[45:37] paid interest we've not allowed they
[45:40] didn't pay their taxes so we've taken
[45:43] that and they've lived there for free
[45:47] and now we'll profit on the
[45:50] sale where's the fairness in that to the
[45:52] rest of the city
[45:54] taxpayers
[45:58] and the other issue is we haven't
[46:02] created any sort of policy we are doing
[46:05] this without any policy put into place
[46:09] so therefore anybody who wants to write
[46:11] a letter in and says hey my property
[46:15] taxes I'm at
[46:16] foreclosure I had circumstances you
[46:19] should uh look at these and allow me to
[46:23] purchase my house back
[46:27] well we have no grounds now to turn
[46:31] those individuals
[46:32] down because we didn't create a policy
[46:35] first so if the casino decides not to
[46:38] pay their property taxes or some other
[46:41] business owner and a bunch of property
[46:43] owners what does that put the financial
[46:46] situation of the city in it puts us in
[46:49] complete chaos and on the verge of
[46:53] bankruptcy the argument will be well we
[46:56] don't want to create
[46:57] homelessness that argument holds no
[47:00] water if these individuals are coming up
[47:03] with the money whether it's themselves
[47:06] or from somebody else to pay off the
[47:10] mortgage um the uh foreclosure
[47:14] costs then they had money presumably to
[47:18] live
[47:19] elsewhere several of these individuals
[47:22] also had
[47:23] opportunities to get help and they
[47:29] refused so this is just a bad precedent
[47:33] it sets a bad example and it really
[47:36] creates a situation where we're now
[47:39] acting as a
[47:40] bank and that's just not fair to the
[47:43] rest of the city and I vote
[47:45] no thank you Miss Porterfield thank you
[47:48] just want to add some clarity to the
[47:50] statements first of all I just want to
[47:52] say there were extenuating circumstances
[47:54] where the individual idual who were
[47:56] forclosed on are not the ones that the
[47:59] property is being sold back to so I just
[48:01] want to make that 100% clear and most of
[48:04] them were elderly people and their
[48:07] families found out the situation they
[48:09] had gotten themselves into and I will
[48:11] say I don't want to create a homeless
[48:13] situation for anyone but especially for
[48:16] elderly people so I don't think it's
[48:19] beyond reason that a city council would
[48:22] get them all of the taxes back so it's
[48:25] not as Mr palamini has stated that we're
[48:27] not getting the taxes and they have a
[48:29] free ride they are paying every dollar
[48:32] that they owe and we've also as added
[48:34] additional money that they have to pay
[48:36] in addition to court costs so this is
[48:38] not a free ride and we are not asking
[48:41] tax payers to pick up the dime for for
[48:44] individuals yes we did consider these
[48:46] PKS they came to us and as I told you
[48:48] they had extenuating circumstances there
[48:49] were older people they didn't do what
[48:52] they should have done their family found
[48:53] out didn't want to see their family in
[48:55] the street and we did take that in
[48:57] consideration didn't give them any kind
[48:59] of deal or anything like that to but you
[49:02] have to pay every single penny so um we
[49:05] have done this in the past and Mr
[49:07] palamini knows and he probably voted for
[49:09] it yes at the time because there was an
[49:11] extenda circumstance so um you know Mr
[49:15] palamini talks about you know we the
[49:17] taxpayer when frankly Mr ta Mr palamini
[49:20] is now paying his taxes in roddam so you
[49:23] know that's all of us that are here that
[49:27] are taxpayers as well are to consider
[49:29] this so I just want the public to know
[49:32] that is although it sounds like we're
[49:34] asking you to pay something for someone
[49:35] else we are not they are asked to pay
[49:37] that and another thing is they will
[49:39] never be able to be in this situation
[49:41] again it is not something that can
[49:42] happen over and over and over again so
[49:45] we in we I beg your
[49:48] pardon okay I'll something no no when it's your time you certainly can so
[49:55] that the city council did decide to do
[49:57] that to take into consideration the
[49:59] extenuating circumstances for these
[50:02] families and to all allow them to retain
[50:05] their um property by paying back all of
[50:08] the taxes not some not a portion and in
[50:12] addition to that they have to pay every
[50:13] closing cost that goes along with it and
[50:15] there's an additional that the city
[50:16] council put with it so I think that in
[50:19] trying to keep people in their homes
[50:21] it's some it's a good thing that we're
[50:22] doing we talk about the shorting hous uh
[50:25] excuse me the housing shortage that we
[50:27] have and all of those things so all of
[50:29] that take in consideration that we've
[50:30] gone through coid people have gone
[50:32] through all of this yes we did allow
[50:34] these people to return have these homes
[50:36] returned to individuals but not the ones
[50:38] that they were foreclosed on so just
[50:40] want to make that 100% clear with that I
[50:43] vote
[50:44] Yes the measure fails we do not have
[50:46] enough votes to pass it thank
[50:54] you this time it's privilege of the
[50:57] flooor regarding General City business I
[50:59] have five people who have signed up to
[51:02] speak uh Mark and Marge laqua I always
[51:06] I'm not sure if I say that
[51:12] properly good evening um honorable mayor
[51:15] and honorable city council uh I'd assume
[51:19] that we come up here to to give thanks
[51:21] to everybody um I'm one of the people
[51:23] the last one that Mr pal just spoke on
[51:25] number 16 um and you know when someone's
[51:29] on disability when someone's not able to
[51:32] pay their things they going through a
[51:33] pandemic and they're living paycheck to
[51:36] paycheck even less than that to the
[51:37] point she can't pay for her own diabetic
[51:40] medication you have to consider people
[51:42] Mr pal Mar and rest of the city council
[51:45] consider people you may not have that ex
[51:47] that extenda circumstance you never been
[51:49] there never felt it but consider people
[51:52] have a heart there's an underbelly in
[51:55] this world world but people are trying
[51:56] to do the right thing we were scrambling we got the money to pay
[52:01] everything back plus whatever they added
[52:04] on so I was I thought it was going to be
[52:05] a
[52:06] congratulatory and thank you to the news
[52:08] connecti but Mr pal Mar I I really am
[52:12] disheartened to hear what you had to say
[52:14] you don't consider people and I hope you
[52:16] do from this point I pray to God for you
[52:18] and everyone us I pray to God for you to
[52:20] that you open your hearts up we are as
[52:22] connected Deans we've been here for 12
[52:23] years and for one one small time when
[52:27] people could not afford to pay their
[52:28] taxes so that they could survive and you
[52:31] want to throw them out their houses on
[52:33] the on outside it's not right I ask you
[52:36] open your hearts up open your eyes up
[52:38] and see what's going on in Connected you
[52:40] want to change you put Billboards for
[52:41] news connecti let it be that there can
[52:45] be policy there can be precedent but let
[52:47] it start now and as our dear president
[52:51] said these are other people who are
[52:53] stepping in to help the family it's not
[52:55] that they're abandoning them we're not
[52:57] saying forget you I don't I'm not
[52:59] putting a dime out for you the taxpayers
[53:02] are not seeing anything and truly
[53:04] speaking if you took a a a whole
[53:06] countywide vote they would vote in favor
[53:09] because they don't want to see people on
[53:10] the streets the homelessness I just came
[53:13] from Texas the other day for a funeral
[53:14] homelessness all over the country is
[53:17] egregious but for a place like Upstate
[53:19] New York the place that hous the people
[53:22] that takes care of people you need to
[53:23] show that you're here to help the
[53:27] people I have nothing you know else to
[53:30] say I thank you I love you all with my
[53:32] heart and God bless you all thank you
[53:34] thank
[53:35] you Ed Le
[53:41] Jr good evening Mr Mayor chairwoman
[53:44] Quarterfield council members I'm here
[53:47] for another council meeting knowing full
[53:49] well none of you will do anything for me
[53:51] the criminals are not in the streets
[53:53] they're in the office and for the work
[53:54] for the city of skincity because it is
[53:57] far more important to cover up for the
[53:59] crimes of these three judges that
[54:01] corruptly deprive me of my
[54:02] constitutional rights and committed
[54:04] obstruction of justice in the process
[54:07] the same crime the mayor is guilty of by
[54:09] not meeting with me and acting on the
[54:11] crimes and proven in these meetings it
[54:13] makes all of you and the mayor complicit
[54:15] after the fact especially when the mayor
[54:17] keeps my ethic complaints out of the
[54:20] Gazette the mayor is responsible for the
[54:23] enforcement of laws in the city of his
[54:25] concy and to ensure Justice is provided
[54:28] kind of hard to do his job when he is
[54:30] covering up for the
[54:32] criminals same thing you council members
[54:34] are doing you all swear an oath to the
[54:36] Constitution when all of you do nothing
[54:38] it becomes a conspiracy to deprive me of
[54:40] my constitutional rights and the mayor
[54:43] is keeping me out of the Gazette no
[54:45] matter there are other ways to expose
[54:47] you I knew before I came to the first
[54:49] meeting all of you would do nothing for
[54:51] me what have any of you done for the
[54:53] 1100 St Clair pensioners who have worked
[54:56] 10 to 50 years at St clar's why would
[54:59] the mayor do anything for me he has done
[55:01] nothing for the 1100 innocent workers
[55:04] victimized in concy by the Catholic
[55:06] church has the Mayor found some money
[55:08] from the budget has the mayor City
[55:11] Council Members held a fundraiser
[55:13] started to gofund me
[55:15] anything what did you do have I sh say a
[55:17] prayer for
[55:19] him the mayor and City Council Members
[55:21] want to distance themselves from the
[55:23] criminals and will do nothing for the
[55:25] innocent victims maybe because someone
[55:27] will find out the mayor and council
[55:29] members are not here to help they are
[55:32] only here to cover up and keep it out of
[55:34] the news you are all part of the problem
[55:37] not the
[55:38] solution thank you thank
[55:42] you Tom
[55:45] capano hope I didn't really mess it up
[55:47] too
[55:50] bad Mr mayor council members I'm here
[55:53] tonight Tom capuano to express my
[55:56] concern about the leaking sanitary sewer
[55:59] pipes that have been contaminating the
[56:01] Hans Groot kill the levels of bacteria
[56:05] are dangerous for everyone living in the
[56:07] area along that Creek and even more
[56:11] dangerous for those taking drinking
[56:13] water from sources
[56:15] Downstream I attend Sunday services at a
[56:19] church right next to this Creek and our
[56:22] ministers shared with us a letter from
[56:25] the city of
[56:26] skincity written several months ago that
[56:29] reads in part like this quote sample
[56:33] collecting and testing for the Hans gr
[56:35] kill will continue through July the
[56:39] samples will be collected from a
[56:41] selection of storm structures in the
[56:43] watershed
[56:44] area it goes on to say that MJ
[56:47] engineering and the city with closed
[56:50] circuit TV and dieet testing will come
[56:52] up with some answers about about where
[56:55] the pollution is coming from most
[56:58] significantly the letter closes like
[57:00] this I quote a report summarizing the
[57:04] results will be prepared and provided to
[57:07] the city in late August 2023 end quote
[57:13] I've looked on the website it could be I
[57:15] just didn't find the results but if they
[57:18] have come in uh I would like to know how
[57:21] to how to access them and uh uh I urge
[57:26] the city to make those results public
[57:30] and that way discussions can begin
[57:34] immediately on how to address the
[57:38] contamination thank you thank
[57:45] you Tom
[57:53] Kennedy
[58:05] good evening
[58:07] everyone uh I wish I can better terms
[58:10] but I
[58:11] can't uh first like to start off with
[58:13] the tax thing you overheard me say why
[58:16] not when you said well they can't do it
[58:18] again unless I know unless there's a
[58:21] policy that's been established then why
[58:24] can't they do again but I would like to
[58:26] thank uh councilman P manyi for at least
[58:29] looking out for the taxpayers in the
[58:31] city uh there's a lot of people out
[58:33] there who can't pay their taxes they
[58:35] scrim there's a lot of older elderly
[58:37] people that go out eating so they make
[58:40] sure that they pay their tax for I know
[58:41] a lot of them so there's a lot of people
[58:44] out there that are
[58:45] hurting let's let's face it Biden's uh
[58:47] Biden's America is not putting food on a
[58:50] table for many people so I don't want to
[58:52] hear about you know I I understand we
[58:54] everybody has to have a heart and you
[58:56] want to have uh you want you want to do
[58:57] this establish a policy cuz then
[59:00] everybody can be not just the your
[59:02] friends and your donors and your buddies
[59:05] everybody in the city is connected so
[59:09] that's what I got to say about that and
[59:10] we'll deal with we'll deal with the
[59:11] media and the rest of it um I by the way
[59:15] I'm the chairman of the Republican party
[59:18] as far as the uh arpa money I want to be
[59:21] very clear uh I heard the the uh
[59:26] Council president's uh I don't I don't
[59:30] know how to describe it but uh her U
[59:36] remarks her take there thank you I
[59:39] appreciate it I'm kind of a little
[59:41] remarks I'll give that to you um what
[59:45] we're going to do as a party is we're
[59:47] going to ask for United States Treasury
[59:49] Department to look into your process I
[59:52] think again there's a lot of people have
[59:54] a lot of problems with the way you
[59:56] didn't follow the rating of the things
[59:59] you pick Cherry Picked again your
[1:00:01] friends donors buddies people who work
[1:00:04] on your campaigns etc etc so we're be
[1:00:08] asking for them to take a look at it and
[1:00:11] uh we can you can uh give them your
[1:00:13] remarks I'm sure they will Enlighten uh
[1:00:16] the fellows in DC secondly uh another
[1:00:20] issue it seems like we got a lot of
[1:00:23] them I think we can all agree that the
[1:00:28] emergency uh Communications in the city
[1:00:31] is essential for the safety of our
[1:00:33] people I think when you look at the U
[1:00:37] our heroes are out there every day
[1:00:39] firemen or First Responders our officer
[1:00:42] our police officers uh that is their
[1:00:44] Lifeline many times in a terrible
[1:00:47] situation it's also Lifeline of our city
[1:00:50] residents that are in trouble so when we
[1:00:53] get reports that
[1:00:55] councilman Farley hared and
[1:00:58] harassed a city employee responsible for
[1:01:02] the communications because some car that
[1:01:05] either he owns or doesn't own or knows
[1:01:07] or whatever car was towed let me see if
[1:01:11] I can get this
[1:01:12] right words to the effect do you know
[1:01:15] who I am Iden then identifies himself as
[1:01:20] councilman Dean fary now I don't know if
[1:01:22] these things are true I I can just say
[1:01:25] the reports that we got from people
[1:01:28] who've been affected by this now what I
[1:01:32] would ask for is simply the city du a
[1:01:39] investigation you
[1:01:41] have you know Gary who I think about
[1:01:44] today Charlie Mills I used to see him
[1:01:47] for lunch every once in a while great
[1:01:50] guy tell you like it is so I think of
[1:01:53] him today
[1:01:57] uh I called my congressman three times
[1:02:01] the Washington office when I was over
[1:02:03] there in Albany
[1:02:05] picketing never heard from
[1:02:07] Paul I didn't really expect to he's not
[1:02:11] really good at getting back to Veterans
[1:02:13] World War II veteran disabled combat
[1:02:16] veteran myself went to try to see him
[1:02:19] never could accomplish it so I hope that
[1:02:23] well he's another
[1:02:24] darling of of the political
[1:02:28] system so the only way he'll leave is if
[1:02:31] he
[1:02:32] expires or he decides not to
[1:02:39] run I want to read I got a fan club
[1:02:42] going well it's the same person two
[1:02:44] letters I want to read the
[1:02:46] letter I got it Saturday morning I tell
[1:02:48] you I get a good chuckle out of it keep
[1:02:50] those letters coming if you're watching
[1:02:52] Mr busy person shows up at committee
[1:02:55] meeting council
[1:02:58] meeting knows knows nothing
[1:03:04] issues knows nothing issues are dumb
[1:03:08] Dum well I'm not so dumb that I don't
[1:03:10] know that dumb ends with a be stay home
[1:03:14] nobody cares what you say senior said I
[1:03:18] got to laugh at this the senior centers
[1:03:20] are centers are
[1:03:22] open I probably will run into them there
[1:03:25] if I was to go and who knows you know
[1:03:27] you never know what's in your future so
[1:03:30] come on down introduce yourself now
[1:03:32] where is 12309 that that's that's a
[1:03:35] better neighborhood isn't it you and who
[1:03:36] somebody here in 12309 that's where it
[1:03:39] comes from I'm thinking they're over
[1:03:41] there in nkuna or some place but I'm
[1:03:43] glad they're watching me and they know
[1:03:45] where I go when it comes to the meetings
[1:03:47] and I'll continue to do it because it's
[1:03:49] my civic duty and there's a lot that
[1:03:52] could be corrected the only thing thing
[1:03:54] is they need to line up here can't do it
[1:03:57] by myself an army of one it's hard to
[1:04:00] pull off thank you
[1:04:04] Mariam thank you Mr
[1:04:08] Harper I have no one else signed up to
[1:04:10] speak for public comment on City
[1:04:12] business so I declare this
[1:04:15] closed this time any miscellaneous
[1:04:17] business of the
[1:04:22] council I'm Miss Patrick
[1:04:28] well I just wanted to say I'm
[1:04:29] disappointed that those measures failed
[1:04:31] this evening I think that we had uh
[1:04:34] quite a lengthy discussion at our
[1:04:36] committee meetings last week uh where we
[1:04:39] went through all of this and certainly
[1:04:41] we all uh can disagree on issues but I
[1:04:43] also think that as public servants it's
[1:04:45] important for us to understand that
[1:04:47] sometimes you can make arbitrary
[1:04:48] decisions I think also we discussed
[1:04:51] setting policy around the um notion of
[1:04:54] foreclosure um and I'm sure that that
[1:04:56] discussion will happen uh in a future
[1:04:58] committee meeting I'd like to see that
[1:04:59] happen um but I think that we all
[1:05:02] discussed the fact that um they were
[1:05:05] extenda uh circumstances with those
[1:05:08] foreclosures I think we all understood
[1:05:11] and as uh the gentleman here said I
[1:05:13] think we all were trying to have a heart
[1:05:16] and understand that um you know like it
[1:05:19] is it's not black and white everything
[1:05:21] that happens um we talked about the fact
[1:05:23] that we might have been setting
[1:05:24] president but we also um did say that we
[1:05:27] needed to make sure that we were um you
[1:05:30] know thinking with our hearts thinking
[1:05:32] with our heads but also understanding
[1:05:34] that we were going to need to have some
[1:05:36] guidelines going forward but also have
[1:05:38] some flexibility as city council people
[1:05:40] and as public servants um I'm very
[1:05:44] disappointed about some of the arpa
[1:05:45] decisions that that failed this evening
[1:05:47] especially in light of the fact that one
[1:05:49] of them in particular is preventing
[1:05:50] homelessness another one is preventing
[1:05:52] food insecurity and another one is um
[1:05:55] working with people who are victims of
[1:05:57] domestic violence so I have to also say
[1:06:00] I didn't think the process was a good
[1:06:01] one necessarily uh that we followed
[1:06:04] right from the start of the Opera funds
[1:06:06] but I do think that last week we put a
[1:06:08] lot of consideration into these uh
[1:06:10] decisions and again um I can think in
[1:06:13] one of those instances where the
[1:06:15] organization itself had actually had to
[1:06:17] wait so long for us to make a decision
[1:06:20] that they had actually taken care of um
[1:06:22] what they needed which was in fact coid
[1:06:25] supplies um so in changing their
[1:06:27] proposal to something that all of us
[1:06:29] actually voted on for a few weeks ago uh
[1:06:32] to give them money for that very same
[1:06:35] project um you know which is going to
[1:06:37] prevent homelessness um it's just
[1:06:40] disappointing so I just wanted to say
[1:06:42] that uh thank you anybody
[1:06:45] else Mr
[1:06:48] palamini so in regards to the
[1:06:51] Foreclosure certainly nobody wants to
[1:06:54] have anyone kicked out of their house
[1:06:57] that's absolutely The Last Resort and is
[1:07:01] a horrible
[1:07:02] situation but the fact
[1:07:05] is we didn't create a
[1:07:07] policy it is
[1:07:10] arbitrary and without the policy anyone
[1:07:13] can now come
[1:07:16] forward what do you tell the elderly
[1:07:20] lady in Hamilton Hill that says to me
[1:07:24] John I have to pay my taxes you know I'm
[1:07:26] struggling food costs are up but I'm
[1:07:30] doing
[1:07:30] it the Widow the widower in the north
[1:07:35] side who John come look at my
[1:07:39] property look I'm keeping it up nice I
[1:07:42] want the neighborhood to be
[1:07:45] proud but I'm struggling
[1:07:49] too or the Widow in Belle viw
[1:07:55] who to even though it's been years since
[1:07:58] her husband
[1:08:00] died
[1:08:02] is at the mere mention of him
[1:08:06] cries and is struggling
[1:08:09] to pay the
[1:08:12] bills but is making sure she pays the
[1:08:16] mortgage we have to consider those
[1:08:18] individuals as
[1:08:20] well that's having a heart too
[1:08:25] and without the policy in place prior to
[1:08:28] doing these
[1:08:30] things we've now created a bad
[1:08:35] situation
[1:08:37] period now you want to mention paying
[1:08:40] taxes in reram I also pay taxes on my
[1:08:44] address in
[1:08:45] skety unlike you who accepted benefits
[1:08:49] you shouldn't have received so if we
[1:08:52] want to go down that road we can
[1:08:54] mhm but the reality
[1:08:57] is people are struggling they're doing
[1:09:00] the right
[1:09:01] thing and we should have created a
[1:09:03] policy
[1:09:04] first that would have prevented anything
[1:09:08] going forward in terms of unequal
[1:09:11] treatment or unethical
[1:09:14] Behavior probably not the right word but
[1:09:17] I'll stick with
[1:09:19] it so here we have a situation where yes
[1:09:24] we have a heart for people but we also
[1:09:26] have a heart for those individuals that
[1:09:28] I spoke about who are paying their taxes
[1:09:32] and are
[1:09:34] struggling
[1:09:36] this the arpa situation you want to say
[1:09:39] oh well you could have put things
[1:09:42] forward we did you just ignored them
[1:09:44] just like the application the of the
[1:09:46] review process we told you some things
[1:09:49] you chose to go forward with
[1:09:51] anyway that's fine
[1:09:55] but if you want to correct things at
[1:09:56] least get it
[1:10:01] right Mr
[1:10:08] Farley not even sure where to start here
[1:10:11] okay so I guess we'll start talking
[1:10:13] about the arpa funds um you know the ARA
[1:10:18] funds that the city has received was a
[1:10:20] response to a once in a generational
[1:10:23] crisis that did impact the entire world
[1:10:26] that's why that money showed up um when
[1:10:30] you have that type of uh money show up
[1:10:33] to the city it's really important that
[1:10:34] we
[1:10:35] recognize the money doesn't belong to
[1:10:38] City
[1:10:39] Hall the money belongs to the people and
[1:10:43] the effort that you
[1:10:45] saw the unprecedented effort that you
[1:10:47] saw to engage the community in a way
[1:10:50] that hasn't happened before was a way to
[1:10:52] respond to be be responsive to the needs
[1:10:55] of the community and include their voice
[1:10:57] in the
[1:10:58] process and if it didn't go
[1:11:01] perfect guess what that's what happens
[1:11:05] when you try to be Innovative and you
[1:11:07] don't allow tradition to stifle
[1:11:10] Innovation when you're welcoming people
[1:11:12] into a
[1:11:15] process I find it
[1:11:17] troubling to hear Mr Palin's point of
[1:11:20] view on
[1:11:22] extensions for
[1:11:25] nonprofits who apply for this funding
[1:11:28] knowing that he was a part of the same very governing body that voted
[1:11:32] unanimously to double the price of the
[1:11:35] Central Park Pool to almost to the $210
[1:11:39] million and we did that in good faith
[1:11:41] understanding that during the process
[1:11:44] price of materials have gone up as well
[1:11:46] as availability for those materials so
[1:11:49] it's important that when you give these
[1:11:51] type of statements that you provide
[1:11:53] their appropriate context so if you're
[1:11:55] going to make those type of
[1:11:57] considerations and understanding for the
[1:12:00] city then you are morally I would say
[1:12:05] obligated to make the same type of
[1:12:07] considerations if not more for those
[1:12:10] small nonprofits who are doing the very
[1:12:12] work on the ground in the community
[1:12:15] every
[1:12:16] day I would also
[1:12:19] say to this conversation around
[1:12:22] foreclosures
[1:12:25] what I would say to
[1:12:27] the people that you talked about and the
[1:12:30] lady in Hamilton Hill and the Widow in
[1:12:34] Belleview I would like to
[1:12:37] say you have a body a governing body
[1:12:42] that not only is responsive to your
[1:12:44] needs but takes into
[1:12:46] consideration the fact that there was
[1:12:48] just a
[1:12:50] pandemic and that if you are in a
[1:12:53] position to now pay your taxes in full
[1:12:57] that's the part that we need to talk
[1:12:59] about this is not a hand out this is a
[1:13:01] hand up which makes our city
[1:13:04] whole and keeps people's in their house
[1:13:08] while we heard our entire city talking
[1:13:09] to us about the housing crising that
[1:13:11] crisis that we're facing right
[1:13:13] now so I would like to tell them that we
[1:13:17] listen to you we care and based on the
[1:13:21] information that you've given us we're
[1:13:23] being responsive but unfortunately I
[1:13:25] can't say that to the theoretical person
[1:13:28] that you're making up your head or the
[1:13:30] really real person that is listening
[1:13:33] today I'm not really
[1:13:36] sure how
[1:13:39] we get to a place where someone
[1:13:43] is putting together the resources to
[1:13:47] save their home in the midst of a
[1:13:49] housing crisis and we prioritize our
[1:13:52] commitment to bad
[1:13:55] practices that will only amplify the
[1:13:58] very housing crisis that's on our hand
[1:14:00] when we don't have
[1:14:02] to I invite you to be really clear about
[1:14:06] when you make these statements and sound
[1:14:08] like it's some fiscally irresponsible
[1:14:10] thing when you know it's not the city
[1:14:12] the the first thing here is that the
[1:14:14] city is made whole and people get their
[1:14:16] home that's called a win-win doesn't
[1:14:19] happen often in politics but when it
[1:14:20] does we really should grab a hold of it
[1:14:22] and celebrate the fact that we are being
[1:14:24] Equitable responsive to the needs of the
[1:14:26] people that live in the city the people
[1:14:28] that live in the city because it's their
[1:14:33] money thank
[1:14:35] you
[1:14:37] mayor thank you Madame President it's a
[1:14:44] always interesting to come to us
[1:14:46] connected city council
[1:14:48] meeting uh just on the Central Park pool
[1:14:51] the pool cost really didn't didn't
[1:14:53] double uh it was additions to the pool
[1:14:56] that drove it up so I think the actual
[1:14:59] pool costs were up about 30% but uh
[1:15:02] Community input and uh investment in the
[1:15:05] future brought the price tag up and uh
[1:15:08] it'll be something that I think when we
[1:15:09] look back in 10 years and 20 years that
[1:15:12] people will say we made the right
[1:15:13] decision to make that investment on the
[1:15:17] uh sampling of the creek through the GE
[1:15:20] plot uh we did map out a timeline for
[1:15:23] that to be done by the end of August uh
[1:15:28] High Water Events dilute the
[1:15:30] effectiveness of the
[1:15:31] sampling and so the uh rain uh this
[1:15:35] summer has slowed that process down but
[1:15:39] uh the report is being compiled put
[1:15:41] together uh and again that condition has
[1:15:44] existed for decades uh we're working on
[1:15:48] it to identify where the sources are
[1:15:50] coming into that Creek uh they could be
[1:15:54] in the city uh they could be one of our
[1:15:56] neighboring communities uh but it's a
[1:15:59] slow methodical process to track it back
[1:16:02] and then to be able to put in place uh a
[1:16:05] solution for that uh want to thank
[1:16:09] everyone who came out this weekend we
[1:16:11] did the health fair around City Hall
[1:16:13] Stockade art show the Greek Fest the
[1:16:16] Italian Fest council member Doro thank
[1:16:19] you for that the uh Caribbean fest uh I
[1:16:22] think that was the maybe the largest
[1:16:24] crowd I've seen in Central Park since
[1:16:27] I've been there uh I know Mr Mutan spent
[1:16:30] a lot of time on that apparently had to
[1:16:32] take tonight off to rest up from uh all
[1:16:35] his uh efforts on that but uh again it
[1:16:39] is really a great day for the community
[1:16:41] where we get to see uh the strengths we
[1:16:43] get to see the diversity people come out
[1:16:45] have a good time and generally the
[1:16:48] weather was cooperative uh little bit uh
[1:16:51] warm but not as warm as it has has been
[1:16:54] and so I thank everybody who made that
[1:16:56] possible uh especially the city staff in
[1:16:58] terms of supporting it but again it's a
[1:17:01] uh just a good Collective message for
[1:17:03] the city of SCCY thank you madam
[1:17:05] president thank you mayor and I I want
[1:17:07] to Echo those comments it was a
[1:17:09] wonderful I I made almost all of them uh
[1:17:11] events we had around the city and it was
[1:17:13] just really wonderful to see all the
[1:17:14] diversity that we um have within our
[1:17:17] city and people who came to to be a part
[1:17:19] of that it was just a great great
[1:17:21] weekend um all the different foods and
[1:17:24] you know people just having a really
[1:17:25] good time and I heard no incidents and
[1:17:27] sometimes you know when there's MTH
[1:17:28] crowds you think perhaps but people were
[1:17:30] just enjoying themselves so much it was
[1:17:32] wonderful to see and really wonderful to
[1:17:34] be a part of so I congratulate all the
[1:17:36] groups that put those things together
[1:17:38] because they clearly took a lot of work
[1:17:40] um so thank you for that I just wanted
[1:17:43] to just remind folks that this Council
[1:17:45] uh operates by majority rule so anything
[1:17:48] that passes as though sometimes it's
[1:17:50] presented as though uh Madam president did that it takes a majority
[1:17:54] of people on the council to make move
[1:17:56] these things forward we have discussions
[1:17:57] we move them forward or as you saw
[1:17:59] tonight sometimes things don't move
[1:18:01] forward so this is a a group decision
[1:18:03] that we make um and to Mr Kennedy's
[1:18:06] point if you have a person who has a
[1:18:08] concern please have them uh give their
[1:18:11] concerns directly to City Hall I
[1:18:13] appreciate you bringing that here um but
[1:18:16] we can't operate on hear say so if that
[1:18:18] person would like to make that um
[1:18:20] complaint certainly um ask them to do
[1:18:23] that so we could look into
[1:18:26] it um and also in in terms of uh people
[1:18:30] that um in terms of council members and
[1:18:32] people saying that you know they they
[1:18:34] have different needs we all or most of
[1:18:37] us know about the different programs
[1:18:38] that are out there so when someone comes
[1:18:40] to you I encourage you to say if you're
[1:18:42] in need of food there's this program to
[1:18:44] help or that program to help so that we
[1:18:46] can make sure that we direct them to
[1:18:47] that we know that we have a lot of needs
[1:18:49] in our city which is why we also have
[1:18:51] those programs in our city which is also
[1:18:53] why we fund those programs in our city
[1:18:55] so I encourage people to do that I know
[1:18:57] that people have needs and the reason
[1:18:59] that these particular properties came to
[1:19:01] our attention is because not because
[1:19:03] they're our friends or our donors or all
[1:19:05] the other things that are said but there
[1:19:07] are people that came to us that said
[1:19:08] this is my
[1:19:10] situation um so I just you know want
[1:19:12] people to understand that we are a
[1:19:14] council that
[1:19:15] listens and addresses
[1:19:17] issues and there are people who would
[1:19:20] want you to believe otherwise but one
[1:19:23] thing I can say about us is we come up
[1:19:25] with Solutions and not just problems so
[1:19:28] I thank you again all for coming and
[1:19:30] with that entertain a motion to adjourn
[1:19:32] mve by Miss Patrick second by Mr Farley
[1:19:34] all in favor we are adjourned have a
[1:19:37] good
[1:19:46] night