[0:02] [Music]

[0:28] yeah

[0:31] [Music]

[2:28] yeah

[2:31] [Music]

[3:28] yeah

[3:33] [Music]

[3:58] yeah

[4:00] [Music]

[5:28] he

[5:35] [Music]

[7:58] yeah

[7:59] [Music]

[9:28] what

[9:47] good

[9:48] evening before the meeting starts I'd

[9:50] like to turn the floor over to Mayor

[9:52] McCarthy for a special trophy acceptance

[9:54] from Union

[9:58] College

[10:04] so good evening I'm Jim mlin

[10:07] director

[10:15] yes so good evening I'm Jim mlin

[10:18] director of Athletics at Union College

[10:19] and I want to thank the council for

[10:21] providing us a few minutes here to uh

[10:25] return the trophy to Gary McCarthy's

[10:27] office where it rightfully belongs and I

[10:29] also want to thank the residents of SKC

[10:31] who provide so much support for our

[10:33] hockey teams as season ticket holders uh

[10:36] just a few weeks ago we were down at the

[10:38] MVP Arena and we had over 6,000 fans

[10:41] watch a union RPI game with many SKC

[10:44] residents there proud to say that we

[10:47] took the trophy back home from

[10:50] RPI and it is going where it rightfully

[10:55] belongs outside the office of G Gary

[10:58] McCarthy so so thank you

[11:02] [Applause]

[11:21] Gary yeah you hav you started

[11:27] super

[11:39] [Applause]

[11:58] and the this point in time I'd like to

[11:59] yield the floor to councilman John

[12:24] muchan thank you good evening everyone I

[12:26] would like to um call Mr Walter Simkins

[12:31] for a

[12:33] presentation

[12:55] ceremony okay um we just wanted to

[12:58] present this this is Black History Month

[13:00] so we wanted to acknowledge Black

[13:02] History Month um with a presentation to

[13:06] the first elected African-American women

[13:09] uh who received uh the uh vote to be on

[13:13] the city council and now president of

[13:16] the city council and to also reflect on

[13:19] what connecti is is about and how it is

[13:23] operating as a town here being

[13:26] representative of the leadership in

[13:28] herban America so if you could would you

[13:32] just unwrap that for her please and this

[13:35] way we like to uh be able to

[13:39] say okay are we dramatic

[13:44] okay and we'd like to present this to

[13:49] Maran

[13:51] Porterfield okay and recognition of who

[13:53] she is and what she does okay thank you

[13:57] so much

[14:00] thank

[14:01] you and this is the artist uh Salon

[14:06] hul Rand salano he's the artist who did

[14:10] it and U

[14:12] hey

[14:14] okay um for so first of all I'm

[14:17] extremely surprised had no idea so thank

[14:19] you so much I'm very touched and uh what

[14:22] can I say but to say thank you to

[14:24] everyone who helped me get here this

[14:26] wasn't a journey that I took by myself I

[14:28] stand on the shoulders of many people

[14:29] including my ancestors so right now the

[14:32] ancestors are celebrating um what is

[14:34] going on here and also to thank all the

[14:36] residents this connec who voted for me

[14:37] it's how I got here and thank you for

[14:39] the continual support of the council

[14:41] members so there's just so many people

[14:43] to support in the mayor's office and the

[14:44] staff there are a lot of people's

[14:46] support it's not a journey that one

[14:47] person takes on their own they need the

[14:49] support of others to continue and

[14:51] sometimes the journey is a bumpy ride

[14:53] but then it Smooths out so I just want

[14:55] to say thank you for that and thank you

[14:56] Walter for your continued friendship

[14:58] over the years we've known each other

[15:00] for such a long time but you never cease

[15:02] to amaze me I'm just very surprised

[15:04] today and uh Roland thank you for uh

[15:06] that's a likeness of me well a few years

[15:09] ago but I still all right so thank you

[15:12] again so much and uh Happy Black History

[15:14] Month to everyone thank you thank you so

[15:16] [Applause]

[15:27] much

[15:38] thank you Mr

[15:40] muar now I would like to call the city

[15:42] caucus to order for Monday February 12th

[15:47] 2024 we have 18 items for original

[15:50] consideration if the clerk would please

[15:51] read item number one item number one for

[15:54] original consideration a resolution

[15:57] calling for a public hearing creating a

[15:58] special assessment district for sidewalk

[16:00] improvements on a portion of Central

[16:02] Parkway discussed in committee with an

[16:04] objection on consent item number two for original

[16:08] consideration a resolution appropriating

[16:10] American Rescue plan act arpa funds and

[16:13] authorizing the mayor to enter into an

[16:14] agreement for the Mohawk Harbor Event

[16:16] Center discussed in committee without

[16:18] objection on consent item number three for original

[16:22] consideration a resolution authorizing

[16:24] the mayor or or his design to enter into

[16:27] an easement and mainten agreement with

[16:29] the Arts Center and theater of concy

[16:31] Incorporated DBA proct theater at 432

[16:35] State streets connected New York for the

[16:37] installation of underground utility

[16:39] lines discussed in committee with

[16:41] objection on consent item number four for original

[16:45] consideration a resolution authorizing a

[16:47] 2024 capital budget reallocation related

[16:50] to the purchase of Information

[16:52] Technology servers discussed in

[16:54] committee with objection on consent item

[16:56] number five item number five for

[16:58] original consideration a resolution

[16:59] confirming the appointments of Ellen Mel

[17:02] Basher

[17:04] chedrawi and Tate otar to the board of

[17:06] directors of the Downtown special

[17:08] assessment district and downtown concy

[17:10] Improvement Corporation discuss in

[17:12] committee with an objection on consent

[17:14] item number F six item number six for

[17:16] original consideration a resolution

[17:19] appointing appointment of Christopher

[17:21] Marney to the city of SKC Board of

[17:23] Ethics roll call roll call roll call

[17:28] by Mr

[17:30] Toro item number seven item number seven

[17:33] for original consideration a resolution

[17:36] authorizing the mayor to enter into an

[17:38] intermunicipal cooperation agreement

[17:41] with this connected County for project

[17:43] give 2023 2024 and to accept funds

[17:46] therewith discuss in committee with

[17:48] objection on consent item number eight for original

[17:52] consideration a resolution authorizing

[17:54] the mayor to enter into an agreement

[17:55] with Mars pet care and Civic design

[17:58] Center to accept a grant for the better

[18:00] cities for pets program

[18:02] 2023 discussed in committee with

[18:04] objection on consent item number nine for original

[18:07] consideration a resolution authorizing

[18:10] the mayor to sign collective bargaining agreement CBA

[18:15] 224-226 between the city of skty and the

[18:18] International Brotherhood of Electrical

[18:20] Workers Local 236 related to salaries

[18:22] and benefits discussed in committee with

[18:25] objection on consent item number 11 item

[18:27] number

[18:29] 10 for original consideration a

[18:31] resolution authorizing the mayor to sign

[18:33] the collective bargaining agreement 2024

[18:36] 20 to 2027 between the city of SKC and

[18:39] the North Atlantic State's Regional

[18:41] Council of Carpenters Local 51 related

[18:43] to salaries and benefits discussed the

[18:46] committee with objection on consent item

[18:47] number 11 item number 11 for original

[18:50] consideration a resolution authorizing

[18:52] the mayor to sign the collective

[18:53] bargaining agreement 2024 to 2027

[18:56] between the city of skty and District

[18:59] Council 9 painters and Allied trades

[19:01] International Union of Brick Layers and

[19:03] Allied Craftman Craftsman Local 2 and

[19:07] the United Association of Journeymen and

[19:09] apprentices of the plumbing and pipe

[19:11] fitting industry local 7 related to

[19:13] salary and benefits discussed in

[19:16] committee with an objection on consent

[19:18] item number 12 item number 12 for

[19:20] original consideration a resolution

[19:22] authorizing the sale of 701 Veil place

[19:24] for

[19:25] $70,000 discussed in committee without

[19:27] objection on consent item number 13 item

[19:29] number 13 for original consideration a

[19:32] resolution authorizing the sale of a

[19:33] vacant lot located at 902 McCullen

[19:35] Street for

[19:37] $2,500 discussed in committee with an

[19:39] objection on consent item number 14 item

[19:42] number 14 for original consideration a

[19:45] resolution authorizing the sale of 951

[19:47] Strong Street for

[19:49] $83,000 discussed in committee without

[19:51] objection on consent item number 15 item

[19:54] number 15 for original consideration a

[19:56] resolution authorizing the sale of 20

[19:58] 2832 coniston Road for

[20:00] $30,000 discussed in committee without

[20:02] objection on consent item number 16 item

[20:05] number 16 for original consideration a

[20:08] resolution authorizing the issuance of

[20:10] revocable permit number 679 to the

[20:12] horses Lounge for a sign that will

[20:13] overhang the city's right away at 912

[20:16] mccullin Street discuss in committee

[20:18] without objection on consent item number

[20:20] 17 item number 17 under contract and

[20:23] Supply a resolution awarding the bid and

[20:25] contract to the city of connected Court

[20:28] Improvement base bid and add alternates

[20:30] one and two to Carver Construction

[20:31] Incorporated in the amount of

[20:54] $671,000

[20:56] discuss in committee with objection on

[20:59] consent if there's nothing more to come

[21:01] before the city council caucus I ask for

[21:02] a motion to adjourn moveed by Miss

[21:04] Patrick second by Mr Mutan all those in

[21:07] favor I we are adjourned I'd like to

[21:10] call the city council meeting to order

[21:11] for Monday February 12th

[21:13] 2024 and I'd like to call on Reverend

[21:16] Ginn Robert from Faith Tabernacle for

[21:18] the prayer and

[21:24] vacation shall we bow our hearts in

[21:27] prayer

[21:29] dear God we thank you tonight for this

[21:34] opportunity we thank you for life we

[21:38] thank you for

[21:39] breath we thank you because your word

[21:42] says that prayers should be made for all

[21:44] those who are in Authority that they may

[21:47] lead a quiet and Peaceable life in all

[21:51] godliness and

[21:53] honesty we thank you for our mayor thank

[21:56] you for our city council president thank

[21:59] you for the city council members thank

[22:03] you for the hard work and sacrifice that

[22:05] they're making we pray today that you'll

[22:08] bless them we pray tonight dear God that

[22:12] the items that are before them to

[22:14] deliberate on you'll give them your

[22:17] wisdom your

[22:19] counsel give them your

[22:21] guidance that they will make the right

[22:25] decision for the forance and the

[22:29] enhancement of the development of this

[22:33] great city of skinc today we ask your

[22:36] blessing tonight upon this meeting we

[22:38] ask your blessing tonight upon the city

[22:42] of SKC we pray there father that you

[22:46] will take control and bless everything

[22:49] and every decision that will be said and

[22:52] done here tonight in their son's name

[22:54] Jesus amen amen amen I'd like to ask

[22:58] David Hogan Camp to Le Us in the

[23:00] pledge you

[23:14] David

[23:16] indivisible andice for

[23:18] all thank

[23:21] you I'd ask the city clerk to please

[23:24] complete the Roll

[23:26] Call

[23:28] Mr Toro here Mr Farley here Mr Mancini

[23:34] here Mr

[23:35] muen Miss Patrick here Mr Williams here

[23:40] miss bfield here thank you I ask for

[23:42] approval for the minutes of January 22nd

[23:45] 2024 moved by Mr Farley second by Mr

[23:48] muin all those in

[23:51] favor if the clerk could read please

[23:53] read any Communications and

[23:56] petitions

[24:02] Communications presented to the city

[24:04] council for Monday February 12th

[24:07] 2024 under official from Mayor Gary AR

[24:10] McCarthy a list of appointments dated

[24:12] February 12 2024 under General an email

[24:15] from py Boris regarding various issues

[24:18] including council's allowance technical

[24:20] difficulties with inferior equipment and

[24:23] Ai and wanting her house household

[24:26] possessions returned to her under

[24:28] petitions there were none thank

[24:31] you I'd like to call on council members

[24:33] for any committee

[24:37] reports this time we have privilege of

[24:39] the floor related to the legislative

[24:41] agenda and I have two people signed up

[24:45] to

[24:47] speak

[24:49] um oh I Todd okay from discovers

[24:54] connectd I have terrible handwriting my

[24:57] apologies

[24:58] uh good evening everybody I am Todd Gano

[25:00] executive director for discover conc uh

[25:03] Madam president Mr mayor council members

[25:05] here on two items on the agenda uh first

[25:07] the resolution appropriating arpa funds

[25:10] uh for uh the Mohawk Harbor Event Center

[25:13] we've been for this uh for from the

[25:15] get-go uh really aside from you know a

[25:18] place for Union hockey uh men's and

[25:20] women's uh hockey games bring that

[25:22] trophy home um we see it as a as an

[25:25] opportunity for for much more than that

[25:27] we've working very closely with a

[25:29] developer to make sure that the facility

[25:31] is uh adaptable for other uses like

[25:34] youth basketball youth uh volleyball

[25:37] Cheerleading Gymnastics what have you

[25:39] conferences and trade shows ensuring

[25:41] that the floor is is flexible uh in its

[25:44] space having removable hockey boards so

[25:46] we're able to do all those things so

[25:48] there's a huge uh use for this Arena

[25:51] outside of hockey and we're so excited

[25:52] to uh to get to work on that we have um

[25:56] actually on one of the platforms we

[25:58] belong to called play easy it's where we

[26:00] get a number of our Sports leads we're

[26:02] actually starting to get leads already

[26:04] for the arena uh which is very exciting

[26:06] for 2026 27 28 and Beyond so um really

[26:11] excited about that the other is for the

[26:13] uh the tennis court refurbishment um in

[26:15] Central Park and I thank Chris whan and the work that they have done up

[26:19] there um on those courts we're getting

[26:22] ready it's February but you know May and

[26:25] June are right around the corner working

[26:27] with us sta on their uh weekend

[26:29] tournaments they generally bring in this

[26:31] has been going up for the last few years

[26:33] but anywhere between 14400 1500 room

[26:35] nights in our hotels uh which translates

[26:38] into dinners downtown shopping downtown

[26:40] and throughout the entire County as well

[26:42] so fully supportive of that as well and

[26:44] I just wanted to thank you all for your work on both projects thank

[26:49] you ran

[26:56] artist good evening rishan Aris uh City

[26:59] resident City business owner I want to

[27:00] speak about uh number one resolution

[27:03] calling for public hearing creating

[27:05] special assessment district for sidewalk

[27:07] improvements on the portion of Central

[27:10] Parkway just a reminder uh before you

[27:14] vote on

[27:14] it minority

[27:18] contractors before you vote make sure

[27:22] everything dot the eyes cross the tees

[27:25] and the minority contractors are part of

[27:26] that so please look out for

[27:29] that thank

[27:31] you I have no one else signed up to

[27:33] speak so I declare the public comment of

[27:35] the legislative agenda

[27:37] closed I ask for approval of the uh

[27:40] legislative consent agenda motion by Mr

[27:43] Williams second by Miss Patrick all in

[27:45] favor I we do have a roll call vote we

[27:48] have one

[27:54] resolution uh for a roll call this

[27:56] evening and the the clerk would please

[27:58] read item number

[28:04] six item number six for original

[28:06] consideration a resolution appointing

[28:09] Christopher Marney to the city of Sky

[28:11] Board of Ethics is there any

[28:15] discussion I need a

[28:17] motion to move it to motion

[28:21] by motion by Mr Toro

[28:26] second

[28:32] hope it doesn't get second if it doesn't

[28:34] get second does it not go to a roll call

[28:37] for for all right the motion dies for a

[28:40] lack of

[28:47] second this point we ask for approval of

[28:50] the

[28:52] um excuse me I'm sorry privilege of the

[28:54] floor regarding General City business

[29:00] and I have two people signed up to

[29:03] speak ran

[29:10] artist good evening again uh ran Aris uh

[29:15] just back here again because nobody's

[29:18] reached out to me uh contracts are

[29:20] getting ready to go and I feel nothing's

[29:24] getting done as far as getting the

[29:26] minorities involved

[29:28] um I've been coming up here for years

[29:31] like since 2005 saying the same things

[29:35] and I see the dynamic has changed in the

[29:40] council and I just feel like you know

[29:44] now that more of us are

[29:46] represented remember why you got into

[29:49] this to help your

[29:52] community don't forget about

[29:54] it women own businesses minority owned

[29:58] businesses we should be getting to work

[30:00] in concy we shouldn't be

[30:04] overlooked and it's not that we're not

[30:07] doing our due

[30:08] diligence it doesn't get past you guys I

[30:12] don't care who I've had a few

[30:14] conversations and stop putting it off on

[30:17] somebody else when it comes down to you

[30:20] guys saying we're going to give the

[30:21] money for that project you should be

[30:23] looking to make sure everybody's done

[30:25] their job and everything's crossed off

[30:29] thank you thank

[30:33] you I have no one else signed up to

[30:35] speak for public comment of City

[30:37] business so I declare it

[30:39] closed oh I'm

[30:41] sorry your name is there I'm sorry Ted

[30:45] Kennedy well it's still scratched there

[30:48] I didn't know if it was scratched out

[30:49] but there it is okay Tom Kennedy thank

[30:51] you I appreciate it no

[30:55] problem I haven't been able to get up

[30:57] here lately been not feeling too well

[31:00] but I want to take a few minutes I

[31:02] thought tonight would be good because

[31:05] talk about to revisit what transpired on

[31:07] the ethics board in regards to my ethics

[31:10] complaint against councilman Farley I

[31:13] want it known that before filing an

[31:15] Ethics complaint against Farley I

[31:16] brought reports of his behavior to the

[31:19] city council at this very Podium and

[31:22] then in writing to the council president

[31:23] I then requested an investigation

[31:25] conducted into my reports

[31:27] as expected no in investigation was done

[31:30] so I filed an ethic complaint detailing

[31:32] what I had report reported publicly was

[31:35] that complaint heard nope my complaint

[31:38] was dismissed by the ex chair saying I

[31:40] had no standing because I was not an

[31:42] officer or city employee I wasn't it

[31:45] wasn't until several months later I was

[31:47] shocked to learn by a friend of mine in

[31:50] the media to learn that my ethics

[31:53] complaint that had earlier been

[31:54] dismissed was used by that same body in

[31:57] clearing Farley at no time was I as a

[32:00] complaint ever afforded any due process

[32:03] I was never informed of my complaint had

[32:05] been reintroduced I was never allowed to

[32:08] bring Witnesses I was never allowed to

[32:10] provide testimony I was never given the

[32:12] opportunity to provide evidence I was

[32:14] never allowed to cross-examine those who

[32:16] spoke on the record which I believe Mr

[32:19] Farley and the police officer did

[32:25] I yeah this ethics board full of

[32:28] attorneys denied me all my rights as a

[32:31] complaint to Due Process while they

[32:32] wrote their decision ex exing farle of

[32:36] wrongdoing this ethics board was has

[32:39] proven they were anything but ethical

[32:41] when they denied my basic rights to Due

[32:43] Process just to issue a decision that

[32:45] was politically favorable to one of

[32:47] their own this is just another glaring

[32:50] example of the systematic rat people of

[32:52] the city have seen firsthand from their

[32:55] city government however the city's

[32:57] Republican party has at least an answer

[32:59] to this sad chapter in our City's

[33:02] history so on behalf of the city's GOP

[33:05] we call on this city council to enact

[33:07] resolutions to allow any citizen the

[33:09] ability to file ethics complaints

[33:11] against their city and elected Andor

[33:14] appointed officials using the city's

[33:16] ethics board to have those complaints

[33:18] considered with rights to do process

[33:21] afforded to all parties involved

[33:23] including the accused and the accuser

[33:26] after all if it's good enough for the

[33:27] citizens of Aly County in the town of

[33:29] Muna it should be good enough for the

[33:31] people of connected as those two

[33:34] communities can hold their City

[33:36] officials accountable I just wanted to

[33:38] push back a little bit father so made

[33:41] some remarks about broadening the scope

[33:43] of the ethics board uh I want to remind

[33:46] everybody it was uh Matt nelligan who

[33:50] was the mayor candidate at the time who

[33:53] called on reform of the ethics board

[33:55] thank you very much thank

[33:58] you now I have no one signed up to speak

[34:01] so I declare the public comment of City

[34:03] business

[34:04] closed miscellaneous business of the

[34:10] council

[34:13] mayor Madam president uh thank you again

[34:17] I think the uh weather forecast has

[34:19] shifted and cautiously optimistic that

[34:22] the snowstorm is going to go south of

[34:27] and going to get a little bit of snow uh

[34:31] should we I know sometimes the weather

[34:33] forecasters are a little bit off and if

[34:35] we have to get up tomorrow morning and

[34:37] shovel 8 or 10 inches of flurries you

[34:40] know we'll be able to make fun of them

[34:41] next week but uh again if we do get a

[34:44] little bit of snow uh please clear your

[34:47] sidewalks and then also one shovel on

[34:50] each side of a fire hydrant and uh

[34:52] remind people to the uh the numbers on

[34:56] your house should be clearly visible and

[35:00] we uh remind people of that you know we

[35:02] think of uh police and fire responses

[35:05] and uh yes they're very important uh

[35:08] somebody told me recently yes police and

[35:10] fire are important but in today's day

[35:14] and age why you want the number visible

[35:17] is for FedEx for Amazon and for the

[35:21] delivery services and so if you want

[35:24] your uh GrubHub to make sure gets there

[35:27] with a food warm and you don't want to

[35:29] have one of your packages lost in the

[35:31] mail make sure your uh house number

[35:34] apartment number is clearly visible

[35:36] thank you madam president thank you

[35:38] mayor I'd like to thank everyone that

[35:39] came out tonight um thank uh Community

[35:42] fathers for their presentation and also

[35:44] thank Union College for the um

[35:45] presentation of the the trophy and I um

[35:48] I do want to just speak to one thing

[35:50] that was said at the uh at the rail

[35:51] today regarding our ethics board I just

[35:53] want to clear something up our ethics

[35:55] board is governed by um chapter 48 of

[35:58] our city code and it specifically says

[36:00] who can put in a complaint and the

[36:03] complaint the gentleman was speaking

[36:04] about was reintroduced his complaint was

[36:07] reintroduced by a city employee and

[36:09] which is why it was heard so just you

[36:10] know we didn't color outside the lines

[36:12] on that one and in terms of Ethics the

[36:15] um General Municipal Law chapter 18

[36:17] speaks to what the ethics board could be

[36:19] and it doesn't just pertain to the city

[36:20] of skincity it pertains to all

[36:24] municipalities um just want to actually

[36:27] give my condolences to there's a someone

[36:29] that used to be one of our minority contractors n Larry Nicks

[36:32] passed away recently and also U molan

[36:36] Gilmore who was a very involved person

[36:38] in the community and a member of the um

[36:42] helon Hill neighborhood association

[36:44] passed away yesterday so my condolences

[36:46] to the families of both of those

[36:47] individuals and just a reminder that

[36:50] next week is a holiday on the 19th so

[36:52] the city we will not be having our

[36:53] committee meeting until let me just make

[36:55] sure I got that right yep um until the 20th and also the trash moves one

[37:02] day so put let's make sure that we don't

[37:05] put our trash out a day or two early

[37:07] we're going to be um enforcing more of

[37:09] that going out early that's a

[37:10] conversation we've been having and we

[37:12] really need to do so to individuals um

[37:14] we could there schedules available here

[37:15] at the city it's online what what your

[37:18] uh trash schedule is for your

[37:20] neighborhood so again we have a holiday

[37:22] so the trash moves one day forward your

[37:24] trash collection and if there's nothing

[37:27] else I would like to entertain a motion

[37:28] to

[37:29] adjourn oh everybody's putting their

[37:31] hand up for that

[37:32] one move by Mr Farley second by Mr Man

[37:35] all those in favor I we're adjourn have

[37:37] a good

[37:42] night

Schenectady City Council Meeting, February 12, 2024

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