[0:00] [Music]

[0:17] I'd like to call to order the city C

[0:19] Council cus meeting for January 8th

[0:24] 2024 we have two items for original

[0:26] consideration if the clerk would please

[0:28] read item number one for consideration a

[0:36] resolution authorizing is design to

[0:38] enter into agreement with the New York

[0:40] City Department of Transportation for

[0:42] implementation and funding in the first

[0:44] instance 100% for the federal aid and

[0:47] state Market Sal program a eligible cost

[0:49] of the Transportation federal aid

[0:51] project and appropriating funds for

[0:53] Crane Street Bridge rehab rehabilitation

[0:56] New York State Department of

[0:57] Transportation pin number 1762 .36

[1:01] discussed in committee with an objection

[1:03] on consent item number two item number

[1:05] two for original consideration a

[1:07] resolution recognizing the contributions

[1:09] of 518 elevated and recognizing January

[1:13] as National mentoring month this item

[1:15] will be taken out of order and presented

[1:17] by councilman Williams if there's

[1:19] nothing more to come before the city

[1:20] council caucus I ask for a motion to

[1:24] adjourn all those in favor I we're I'd

[1:29] like to call the order city council

[1:30] meeting for Monday January 8th

[1:33] 2024 and I'd like to call on rivan Amari

[1:36] to do the

[1:40] invitation Dr Martin Luther King uh

[1:42] whose birthday we celebrate in the

[1:44] coming weeks is quoted to have said as

[1:47] early as 1956 and I quote with some

[1:49] addition that the end of nonviolence is

[1:53] foration the end is redemption so the

[1:56] aftermath of violence isness but the

[1:59] aftermath of violence is the creation of

[2:02] the Beloved

[2:03] Community As We Gather asistive body of

[2:06] this community we before the ction

[2:09] birthday legy we are reminded of many

[2:13] hopes and aspirations of the community

[2:15] that led struggles for civil rights for

[2:18] all our square a project of the

[2:20] commission of religion and race of the

[2:22] United Methodist Church identifies 25

[2:25] traits of the Beloved Community First

[2:27] suggested by Dr Arthur Wright As We

[2:30] Gather in prayer this evening there are

[2:32] five of those traits I'd like to

[2:34] highlight to encourage the legislative

[2:36] and governance leadership of this body

[2:38] for our beloved's concy the Beloved

[2:41] Community is expressed in the following

[2:43] ways one exhibits personal authenticity

[2:46] true respect and validation of others

[2:49] two recognition and affirmation not

[2:52] eradication of difference three builds

[2:55] increasing levels of trust and works to

[2:57] avoid fear of difference and others four

[3:00] focuses energy on removing evil forces

[3:03] not destroying persons and five promotes

[3:06] human rights and works to create a

[3:09] non-racist society would you join me in

[3:12] prayer omniscient everpresent and all

[3:16] powerful source of goodness We Gather

[3:19] this evening asking that you bestow on

[3:21] these your children your gifts of Peace

[3:25] wisdom fellowship and strength we pray

[3:28] that these values of beloved Community

[3:30] those who inspired in Josiah Roy Martin

[3:33] Luther King and Arthur Wright will

[3:35] continue to inspire our work and

[3:38] Leadership with this community Inspire

[3:41] us all I pray and Inspire these your

[3:44] children the president of the council

[3:45] and the council members the mayor and

[3:48] everyone who labors to govern the

[3:50] municipality with your presence and as

[3:54] Paul the Apostle encouraged the church

[3:56] in Philippi this your service may be

[3:58] encouraged if anything is excellent and

[4:01] if anything is admirable focus on all

[4:03] your thoughts on these things all that

[4:06] is true all that is Holy all that is

[4:09] just all that is pure all that is lovely

[4:12] and all that is worthy of Praise may it

[4:15] be so in the name of everything that is

[4:18] Holy good and righteous amen amen thank

[4:21] you Reverend I'd like to call in

[4:23] councilman M Mancini toas in the

[4:27] pledge I plge

[4:41] Unice thank

[4:45] you if the clerk could please complete

[4:48] the roll

[4:52] call Mr muon pres Mr

[4:56] Toro Mr Farley is absent

[5:00] Mr

[5:01] Williams Miss

[5:04] Patrick M Mancini here and Miss

[5:09] Porterfield

[5:11] here we have one out of order resolution

[5:14] recognizing the contributions of 518

[5:16] elevated and I'd like to call on

[5:18] councilman Williams to present this

[5:23] resolution those of us those are here to

[5:26] accept it please join us behind the

[5:28] rail

[5:35] come behind the rail on the other side

[5:37] yes thank

[5:41] you I beg your pardon oh of course yes I

[5:46] thought you were coming to be

[5:55] a may I have the floor you have the

[5:57] floor sir all right before I begin with

[5:59] this this resolution I would just like

[6:00] to outline that I am a a direct

[6:03] recipient of mentorship and although not

[6:05] this program to definitely the

[6:07] generosity of a community of individuals

[6:09] that felt it in their best interest to

[6:11] impart some wisdom on a young individual

[6:13] like myself so I'm very honored to your

[6:15] presenting this

[6:16] today so today a resolution recognizing

[6:19] the contributions of 518 elevated and

[6:22] recognizing January as National Mentor

[6:24] mentoring month whereas 518 elevated was

[6:27] founded in 1997 as Capital Region

[6:30] sponsor a scholar in Alban New York and

[6:32] whereas 518 elevated now covers all of

[6:35] the counties that Encompass the capital

[6:37] region of New York and has graduated

[6:39] over 350 people through its program and

[6:42] who have earned a post-secondary degree

[6:44] and whereas 518 elevated is now known

[6:47] for its specialized programs mentoring

[6:50] professional guidance and academic and

[6:52] financial support for qualifying

[6:54] participants in the Capitol region and

[6:56] whereas by assembling a network of

[6:58] Business Leaders educational Advocates

[7:00] and dedicated volunteers promising youth

[7:03] are provided opportunities and access to

[7:05] higher education that may be otherwise

[7:07] unav unavailable and whereas 518

[7:11] elevated has promoted mentoring through

[7:12] its partway Pathways to college program

[7:16] engaging members of the community to

[7:18] participate and share networks knowledge

[7:20] and expertise with students from across

[7:22] the region and whereas January is known

[7:25] as National mentoring month an annual

[7:27] campaign dedicated to raising awareness

[7:30] about the power and impact of mentoring

[7:32] and to recognize and honor the

[7:34] contributions of mentors now therefore

[7:36] be it resolved that the connected city

[7:38] council and Mayor Gary R McCarthy do

[7:41] hereby pause in their deliberation to

[7:43] recognize 518 elevated staff and

[7:45] volunteers for their continued

[7:47] dedication to providing Equitable

[7:49] educational opportunities to students

[7:51] and work ready adults in the capital

[7:53] region including skincity and applaud

[7:56] 510 elevated for its accomplishments in

[7:58] the city and County of skty and the

[8:00] capital

[8:03] region and i' like to move a resolution

[8:06] I need a second please second all those

[8:09] in favor I congratulations to

[8:16] pass I didn't know I get to say

[8:19] anything thank you very much um the work

[8:23] that we do is a testament you know as he

[8:25] said um mentoring brings students

[8:29] opportunities exposure and networks that

[8:31] they may not get otherwise so we're

[8:33] happy to continue that in the city of

[8:35] skty and Beyond and thank you for

[8:37] recognizing um us and the volunteers and

[8:40] the organization we are honored thank

[8:42] you thank

[8:46] you and I'd also like to um thank our

[8:50] director of development Miss Alexandria

[8:52] Carver for bringing this to our

[8:53] attention so we could pass so we could

[8:54] have this

[8:57] resolution and need approval of the

[8:59] minutes for uh December 26th and January

[9:03] 2nd

[9:05] 2024 second by Mr Williams all those in

[9:07] favor I ask the clerk to please read any

[9:11] Communications and

[9:14] petitions Communications presented to

[9:17] the city council for Monday January 8th

[9:19] 2024 under official from the mayor a

[9:21] list of appointments dated January 8th

[9:23] 2024 under General from Thomas Kennedy

[9:27] connect GOP chair and email regarding a

[9:30] closed meeting held by the Council on

[9:32] December 28th 2023 at 5:30 stating that

[9:36] this meeting was a violation of the New

[9:37] York State op meeting law and under

[9:40] petitions there were

[9:42] none thank you at a call on city council

[9:46] members for any committee

[9:49] reports this time we have privilege of

[9:51] the floor um related to the legislative

[9:53] agenda and I have no one signed up to

[9:56] speak so I declare the public comment on

[9:58] the legislative agenda

[10:00] closed as for approval of the

[10:02] legislative consent agenda need a motion

[10:05] Miss Patrick second by Mr mutar all in

[10:08] favor

[10:10] I we'll now have privilege of the floor

[10:13] related to the to General City business

[10:15] and again I have no one signed up to

[10:17] speak so if there's someone here that

[10:19] doesn't know the process and wanted to

[10:21] speak okay all right then um if you

[10:25] would just come to the

[10:28] microphone

[10:33] and we would need to state your name and

[10:34] I need to let you know that you have

[10:36] three minutes to speak uh uh good good

[10:39] uh actually good night my name is Andre

[10:42] Gerard uh some people know me as AKA uh

[10:45] triple

[10:46] OG um I am uh the founder the CEO as

[10:51] well as the executive director of a

[10:54] business called gang affiliated

[10:56] nonviolent guidance over here in

[10:58] skincity

[11:00] um I'm making a diligent effort um to

[11:02] give back to the community of which once

[11:05] I I was um part of

[11:09] Destruction um at 51 years old uh my

[11:12] calling is to reduce violence um I am

[11:15] very active in the community they know

[11:17] me um I have't I have issues with

[11:21] financing uh my business I have been

[11:24] recently attacked by um you know um the

[11:27] sheriff department they decided to take

[11:30] away the community

[11:31] Unity um you know I I purchased a

[11:34] community Unity truck to help you know

[11:37] um provide food you know and uh hats and

[11:41] shirts you know to to the community that

[11:43] I'm reducing violence in and uh I have a

[11:47] lot of support but I noticed that I get

[11:51] I'm loved and I'm hated you know I just

[11:53] and then I I don't know or I'm not

[11:56] properly um I would say um I know

[12:01] there's money and there's resources that

[12:04] would be much happy that I am taking uh

[12:07] a leading role in uh reducing violence

[12:09] in SKC and when I say violence I am

[12:12] promoting hugs no slugs and you know I

[12:16] had just have a way of you know

[12:18] interacting with the youth when they see

[12:21] gang affiliated non-violent guidance I

[12:24] mean they just they just come to me and

[12:28] just explain to me the things that is

[12:30] going on I have stopped a lot of murders

[12:33] violence uh stabbings I can tell you

[12:36] that there's a lot of domestic violence

[12:38] and connecti and all I am striving to do

[12:40] is my part and um my name is Andre

[12:44] Gerard um I am right-wing working class

[12:49] I am

[12:49] GOP my business other business is called

[12:53] uh black Republican movement ww.com you

[12:56] can go and lo log on and find out more

[12:59] about black Republican movement.com here

[13:02] in SKC in the

[13:04] 518 um uh I I'm just grateful to be able

[13:08] to uh you know do cookouts and reach out

[13:12] to the people out here in skincity who

[13:14] are homeless who are veterans uh who are

[13:18] going through issues with addiction and

[13:20] stuff like that I just I'm out in the

[13:22] streets and I also have secular

[13:25] knowledge on a different level so it's

[13:28] just you know I just know how to uh

[13:30] interact with the people it's just that

[13:33] you know um it's just terrible what's

[13:35] going on it's a very crisis is a

[13:37] terrible crisis of violence in uh sken

[13:41] and uh if it's not addressed properly um

[13:43] it's going to end up like another you

[13:45] know Albany or you know Troy and

[13:48] hopefully uh you know um I can help with

[13:52] you know get some resources to reach out

[13:54] to the youth because you know when they

[13:56] don't have activities and recre ational

[13:59] things to uh participate and they just

[14:02] uh you know find you know themselves in

[14:06] trouble thank

[14:12] you Elizabeth

[14:17] Walsh good evening

[14:19] all my name is Elizabeth Walsh I reside

[14:22] in The Stockade neighborhood I come

[14:24] before you today not only as a resident

[14:25] of The Stockade neighborhood but also as

[14:27] a planner who is committed to advocating

[14:29] for walkable vibrant neighborhoods and

[14:32] climate resilient regions where everyone

[14:34] can Thrive a little over a year ago I

[14:37] moved here from Denver Colorado where I

[14:39] taught Community Development at the

[14:40] University of Colorado University of

[14:42] Denver this is the first time in 25

[14:44] years of living in urban neighborhoods

[14:46] that I've not been able to safely walk

[14:48] bike or take a bus to meet all of my

[14:50] weekly basic

[14:52] needs uh thankfully with your

[14:54] collaborative leadership with uh all

[14:57] sorts of public sector Civic and private

[14:59] Partners uh and your strategic

[15:02] Investments a future of Transit oriented

[15:04] sustainable development is on the

[15:06] horizon thank you for all you have done

[15:08] in collaboration with County officials

[15:10] to support Transit oriented development

[15:12] one of the key priorities from the SKC

[15:15] 2020 comprehensive

[15:17] plan

[15:18] um pardon me which was adopted in 208

[15:23] it's been so exciting to see the Gateway

[15:25] Mobility Pub the Region's first major M

[15:28] multimodal Transportation Hub adopted at

[15:31] State and Church Streets now it's easier

[15:33] than ever for SKC residents and visitors

[15:36] to conveniently and comfortably access A

[15:39] diversity of Mobility options including

[15:41] access to over 10 major bus lines as

[15:44] well as a bike and scooter share program

[15:46] and parking for electric vehicles and

[15:48] personal bikes now people can get off a

[15:50] bus hop on to a bike and access all of

[15:53] what downtown SKC has to offer while the

[15:56] new Gateway Mobility Hub is really

[15:58] exciting it's also important to remember

[16:00] that activating multimodal Mobility hubs

[16:03] like these requires a larger Equitable

[16:06] Transit oriented development strategy

[16:08] people are only free from dependence on

[16:10] automobiles where they can easily access

[16:13] all their basic weekly needs near

[16:15] Transit stops for instance commuters are

[16:17] much more likely to use a bus when they

[16:19] know that they can make a quick stop at

[16:21] the grocery store before they have back

[16:22] and the bus at the end of the day to go

[16:25] home surely that's one of the many

[16:27] reasons that the 20 20 comprehensive

[16:29] plans implementation strategy

[16:31] recommended to make it a priority to

[16:33] quote identify locations and complete a

[16:36] feasibility study for an inner city

[16:38] grocery store although we all know that

[16:41] downtown skd has not had a downtown

[16:43] grocery store in 20 years more than 20

[16:45] years it's important to recognize that

[16:47] City staff and elected leaders have been

[16:50] really diligent in moving that plan

[16:52] forward there have been several

[16:53] completed uh feasibility analyses that

[16:56] reveal that a grocery store located very

[16:58] close to the mobility Hub is not only

[17:00] feasible but would also significantly

[17:03] contribute to our local economy and to

[17:05] the Community Health of surrounding

[17:07] neighborhoods thankfully we also know

[17:09] that there's tremendous momentum under

[17:10] the way thanks to the Thousand Members

[17:14] Plus of the Electric City Co-Op and you

[17:17] all for investing in the co-op a million

[17:20] dollars of arpa money along with the 3

[17:22] million committed from the county the

[17:24] other great news is that the county

[17:26] connecti now owns an impressive

[17:28] assemblage of parcels oh that's time

[17:33] guess you can finish your sentence but

[17:35] then I need you to summarize an an

[17:38] impressive assembl are Parcels

[17:40] immediately next to the Gateway Mobility

[17:42] Hub um which is an un paralleled

[17:45] opportunity to collaborate to attract

[17:47] the uses that can really support

[17:48] Equitable Transit oriented development

[17:50] thanks thank

[17:52] you I have no one else signed up to

[17:55] speak so I declare the public comment of

[17:56] City business closed

[17:59] any miscellaneous business of the

[18:01] council Mr

[18:10] Williams uh good evening and thank you

[18:13] although we haven't experienced a lot of

[18:14] snow I thought it was important just

[18:16] take a moment uh to appreciate the uh

[18:18] Investments uh that have been made um

[18:21] yesterday there was

[18:23] a that was uh present within our city

[18:26] and I want to remind the residents that

[18:27] it wasn't a coincidence that our

[18:29] roadways and streets were paved in most

[18:31] instances Equitable fashion I wanted to

[18:33] take a moment to I think it's easier to

[18:35] criticize uh sometimes so I wanted to

[18:37] deliberately take a moment to just

[18:38] appreciate the uh investment uh that our

[18:41] office of General Services makes to

[18:43] ensure that our roadways are always uh

[18:45] clean and drivable for our residents um

[18:47] but I also wanted to identify that as I

[18:50] was putting out trash out front of my

[18:52] house today uh regardless of the weather

[18:54] conditions heat rail heat rain hail or

[18:57] snow um our uh sanitation department uh

[19:01] does an exceptional job with removing

[19:03] all of that and uh I know during our

[19:05] budget season uh we definitely

[19:07] deliberated at length about how to fund

[19:09] that resource but I think it's safe to

[19:11] say at no point do we undervalue uh that resource ability to meet the needs

[19:15] of our growing city uh to both uh our uh

[19:18] Street um plowing efforts during our

[19:21] winter seasons and also to our

[19:22] sanitation department I sincerely wanted

[19:24] to just say thank you for the hard work

[19:26] I think we're du another snowfall either

[19:28] today or tomorrow uh so everyone please

[19:30] be safe uh and also intentionally if you

[19:33] live around a school zone please make

[19:35] sure you are cleaning your Pathways uh

[19:37] in a lot of instances there are um

[19:40] families that are transiting into

[19:41] schools uh by foot and what makes it

[19:43] more difficult during our seasonal

[19:45] weathers is having ice or unpaid

[19:47] walkways so although it might be an

[19:50] absent consideration to yourself please

[19:51] make sure you are not inhibiting um or uh putting in place any more

[19:56] obstacles that are preventing venting

[19:58] our younger uh students from reaching

[20:00] and getting a formal education daily

[20:02] thank you thank

[20:05] you

[20:08] mayor thank you Madame President and

[20:11] followup to uh councilor member Williams

[20:14] uh had the uh snowstorm got through that

[20:17] pretty good the forecast for tomorrow

[20:21] has uh some snow starting in the

[20:23] afternoon changing to rain there may be

[20:26] an inch or two so it could be

[20:28] significant but they're also

[20:29] forecasting uh wind gusts that may

[20:32] approach 50 m an hour so there's a

[20:34] chance for trees to come down power

[20:36] lines to come down and we just have

[20:39] people be cognizant of that and be

[20:42] cautious always treat a utility line as

[20:45] it being a live electric line and if you

[20:49] do lose power or see down uh telephone

[20:53] pole trees or anything to make sure you

[20:55] call National Grid or 911

[20:58] one thank you madam president thank you

[21:01] mayor I'd like to thank everyone that

[21:02] came out this evening to um make their

[21:05] concerns uh known to the city council

[21:08] and um I also want to thank all the city

[21:10] council members I I think we're off to a

[21:12] good start and welcome to Mr manini and

[21:16] thank you for leading the pledge today

[21:17] so um you know I'm looking forward to

[21:19] all the work that we'll be able to do

[21:20] collectively and collaboratively with

[21:22] the mayor for the city of SCC so I'm

[21:24] excited about

[21:25] 2024 just want to remind everyone that

[21:28] next Monday is Martin Luther King is

[21:30] Martin Luther King day is observed so we

[21:32] will not be having our committee meeting

[21:34] on that Monday but instead on Tuesday so

[21:36] Monday's a holiday so would and there's

[21:38] a few observations around the capital

[21:41] region for those of you who want to take

[21:43] out the time to um to do that and let's

[21:45] just as we um celebrate Martin P King's

[21:48] birthday let us just remember what he

[21:50] stood for and that it's not just a day

[21:52] to observe but absolutely to believe in

[21:55] what he preached in terms of um working

[21:58] together and the Beloved Community thank

[22:00] you very much and with that I'd ask for

[22:02] a motion to

[22:05] adjourn I move by move by Mr Williams

[22:09] second by Mr Mancini all those in favor

[22:12] I we're adjourned have a good

[22:15] evening oh I kept them longer than they

[22:17] wanted to

[22:26] stay

Schenectady City Council Meeting, January 8, 2024*

Transcript