[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