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what
good
evening before the meeting starts I'd
like to turn the floor over to Mayor
McCarthy for a special trophy acceptance
from Union
College
so good evening I'm Jim mlin
director
yes so good evening I'm Jim mlin
director of Athletics at Union College
and I want to thank the council for
providing us a few minutes here to uh
return the trophy to Gary McCarthy's
office where it rightfully belongs and I
also want to thank the residents of SKC
who provide so much support for our
hockey teams as season ticket holders uh
just a few weeks ago we were down at the
MVP Arena and we had over 6,000 fans
watch a union RPI game with many SKC
residents there proud to say that we
took the trophy back home from
RPI and it is going where it rightfully
belongs outside the office of G Gary
McCarthy so so thank you
[Applause]
Gary yeah you hav you started
super
[Applause]
and the this point in time I'd like to
yield the floor to councilman John
muchan thank you good evening everyone I
would like to um call Mr Walter Simkins
for a
presentation
ceremony okay um we just wanted to
present this this is Black History Month
so we wanted to acknowledge Black
History Month um with a presentation to
the first elected African-American women
uh who received uh the uh vote to be on
the city council and now president of
the city council and to also reflect on
what connecti is is about and how it is
operating as a town here being
representative of the leadership in
herban America so if you could would you
just unwrap that for her please and this
way we like to uh be able to
say okay are we dramatic
okay and we'd like to present this to
Maran
Porterfield okay and recognition of who
she is and what she does okay thank you
so much
thank
you and this is the artist uh Salon
hul Rand salano he's the artist who did
it and U
hey
okay um for so first of all I'm
extremely surprised had no idea so thank
you so much I'm very touched and uh what
can I say but to say thank you to
everyone who helped me get here this
wasn't a journey that I took by myself I
stand on the shoulders of many people
including my ancestors so right now the
ancestors are celebrating um what is
going on here and also to thank all the
residents this connec who voted for me
it's how I got here and thank you for
the continual support of the council
members so there's just so many people
to support in the mayor's office and the
staff there are a lot of people's
support it's not a journey that one
person takes on their own they need the
support of others to continue and
sometimes the journey is a bumpy ride
but then it Smooths out so I just want
to say thank you for that and thank you
Walter for your continued friendship
over the years we've known each other
for such a long time but you never cease
to amaze me I'm just very surprised
today and uh Roland thank you for uh
that's a likeness of me well a few years
ago but I still all right so thank you
again so much and uh Happy Black History
Month to everyone thank you thank you so
[Applause]
much
thank you Mr
muar now I would like to call the city
caucus to order for Monday February 12th
2024 we have 18 items for original
consideration if the clerk would please
read item number one item number one for
original consideration a resolution
calling for a public hearing creating a
special assessment district for sidewalk
improvements on a portion of Central
Parkway discussed in committee with an
objection on consent item number two for original
consideration a resolution appropriating
American Rescue plan act arpa funds and
authorizing the mayor to enter into an
agreement for the Mohawk Harbor Event
Center discussed in committee without
objection on consent item number three for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor or or his design to enter into
an easement and mainten agreement with
the Arts Center and theater of concy
Incorporated DBA proct theater at 432
State streets connected New York for the
installation of underground utility
lines discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number four for original
consideration a resolution authorizing a
2024 capital budget reallocation related
to the purchase of Information
Technology servers discussed in
committee with objection on consent item
number five item number five for
original consideration a resolution
confirming the appointments of Ellen Mel
Basher
chedrawi and Tate otar to the board of
directors of the Downtown special
assessment district and downtown concy
Improvement Corporation discuss in
committee with an objection on consent
item number F six item number six for
original consideration a resolution
appointing appointment of Christopher
Marney to the city of SKC Board of
Ethics roll call roll call roll call
by Mr
Toro item number seven item number seven
for original consideration a resolution
authorizing the mayor to enter into an
intermunicipal cooperation agreement
with this connected County for project
give 2023 2024 and to accept funds
therewith discuss in committee with
objection on consent item number eight for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor to enter into an agreement
with Mars pet care and Civic design
Center to accept a grant for the better
cities for pets program
2023 discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number nine for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor to sign collective bargaining agreement CBA
224-226 between the city of skty and the
International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers Local 236 related to salaries
and benefits discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number 11 item
number
10 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the mayor to sign
the collective bargaining agreement 2024
20 to 2027 between the city of SKC and
the North Atlantic State's Regional
Council of Carpenters Local 51 related
to salaries and benefits discussed the
committee with objection on consent item
number 11 item number 11 for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor to sign the collective
bargaining agreement 2024 to 2027
between the city of skty and District
Council 9 painters and Allied trades
International Union of Brick Layers and
Allied Craftman Craftsman Local 2 and
the United Association of Journeymen and
apprentices of the plumbing and pipe
fitting industry local 7 related to
salary and benefits discussed in
committee with an objection on consent
item number 12 item number 12 for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the sale of 701 Veil place
for
$70,000 discussed in committee without
objection on consent item number 13 item
number 13 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the sale of a
vacant lot located at 902 McCullen
Street for
$2,500 discussed in committee with an
objection on consent item number 14 item
number 14 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the sale of 951
Strong Street for
$83,000 discussed in committee without
objection on consent item number 15 item
number 15 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the sale of 20
2832 coniston Road for
$30,000 discussed in committee without
objection on consent item number 16 item
number 16 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the issuance of
revocable permit number 679 to the
horses Lounge for a sign that will
overhang the city's right away at 912
mccullin Street discuss in committee
without objection on consent item number
17 item number 17 under contract and
Supply a resolution awarding the bid and
contract to the city of connected Court
Improvement base bid and add alternates
one and two to Carver Construction
Incorporated in the amount of
$671,000
discuss in committee with objection on
consent if there's nothing more to come
before the city council caucus I ask for
a motion to adjourn moveed by Miss
Patrick second by Mr Mutan all those in
favor I we are adjourned I'd like to
call the city council meeting to order
for Monday February 12th
2024 and I'd like to call on Reverend
Ginn Robert from Faith Tabernacle for
the prayer and
vacation shall we bow our hearts in
prayer
dear God we thank you tonight for this
opportunity we thank you for life we
thank you for
breath we thank you because your word
says that prayers should be made for all
those who are in Authority that they may
lead a quiet and Peaceable life in all
godliness and
honesty we thank you for our mayor thank
you for our city council president thank
you for the city council members thank
you for the hard work and sacrifice that
they're making we pray today that you'll
bless them we pray tonight dear God that
the items that are before them to
deliberate on you'll give them your
wisdom your
counsel give them your
guidance that they will make the right
decision for the forance and the
enhancement of the development of this
great city of skinc today we ask your
blessing tonight upon this meeting we
ask your blessing tonight upon the city
of SKC we pray there father that you
will take control and bless everything
and every decision that will be said and
done here tonight in their son's name
Jesus amen amen amen I'd like to ask
David Hogan Camp to Le Us in the
pledge you
David
indivisible andice for
all thank
you I'd ask the city clerk to please
complete the Roll
Call
Mr Toro here Mr Farley here Mr Mancini
here Mr
muen Miss Patrick here Mr Williams here
miss bfield here thank you I ask for
approval for the minutes of January 22nd
2024 moved by Mr Farley second by Mr
muin all those in
favor if the clerk could read please
read any Communications and
petitions
Communications presented to the city
council for Monday February 12th
2024 under official from Mayor Gary AR
McCarthy a list of appointments dated
February 12 2024 under General an email
from py Boris regarding various issues
including council's allowance technical
difficulties with inferior equipment and
Ai and wanting her house household
possessions returned to her under
petitions there were none thank
you I'd like to call on council members
for any committee
reports this time we have privilege of
the floor related to the legislative
agenda and I have two people signed up
to
speak
um oh I Todd okay from discovers
connectd I have terrible handwriting my
apologies
uh good evening everybody I am Todd Gano
executive director for discover conc uh
Madam president Mr mayor council members
here on two items on the agenda uh first
the resolution appropriating arpa funds
uh for uh the Mohawk Harbor Event Center
we've been for this uh for from the
get-go uh really aside from you know a
place for Union hockey uh men's and
women's uh hockey games bring that
trophy home um we see it as a as an
opportunity for for much more than that
we've working very closely with a
developer to make sure that the facility
is uh adaptable for other uses like
youth basketball youth uh volleyball
Cheerleading Gymnastics what have you
conferences and trade shows ensuring
that the floor is is flexible uh in its
space having removable hockey boards so
we're able to do all those things so
there's a huge uh use for this Arena
outside of hockey and we're so excited
to uh to get to work on that we have um
actually on one of the platforms we
belong to called play easy it's where we
get a number of our Sports leads we're
actually starting to get leads already
for the arena uh which is very exciting
for 2026 27 28 and Beyond so um really
excited about that the other is for the
uh the tennis court refurbishment um in
Central Park and I thank Chris whan and the work that they have done up
there um on those courts we're getting
ready it's February but you know May and
June are right around the corner working
with us sta on their uh weekend
tournaments they generally bring in this
has been going up for the last few years
but anywhere between 14400 1500 room
nights in our hotels uh which translates
into dinners downtown shopping downtown
and throughout the entire County as well
so fully supportive of that as well and
I just wanted to thank you all for your work on both projects thank
you ran
artist good evening rishan Aris uh City
resident City business owner I want to
speak about uh number one resolution
calling for public hearing creating
special assessment district for sidewalk
improvements on the portion of Central
Parkway just a reminder uh before you
vote on
it minority
contractors before you vote make sure
everything dot the eyes cross the tees
and the minority contractors are part of
that so please look out for
that thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak so I declare the public comment of
the legislative agenda
closed I ask for approval of the uh
legislative consent agenda motion by Mr
Williams second by Miss Patrick all in
favor I we do have a roll call vote we
have one
resolution uh for a roll call this
evening and the the clerk would please
read item number
six item number six for original
consideration a resolution appointing
Christopher Marney to the city of Sky
Board of Ethics is there any
discussion I need a
motion to move it to motion
by motion by Mr Toro
second
hope it doesn't get second if it doesn't
get second does it not go to a roll call
for for all right the motion dies for a
lack of
second this point we ask for approval of
the
um excuse me I'm sorry privilege of the
floor regarding General City business
and I have two people signed up to
speak ran
artist good evening again uh ran Aris uh
just back here again because nobody's
reached out to me uh contracts are
getting ready to go and I feel nothing's
getting done as far as getting the
minorities involved
um I've been coming up here for years
like since 2005 saying the same things
and I see the dynamic has changed in the
council and I just feel like you know
now that more of us are
represented remember why you got into
this to help your
community don't forget about
it women own businesses minority owned
businesses we should be getting to work
in concy we shouldn't be
overlooked and it's not that we're not
doing our due
diligence it doesn't get past you guys I
don't care who I've had a few
conversations and stop putting it off on
somebody else when it comes down to you
guys saying we're going to give the
money for that project you should be
looking to make sure everybody's done
their job and everything's crossed off
thank you thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak for public comment of City
business so I declare it
closed oh I'm
sorry your name is there I'm sorry Ted
Kennedy well it's still scratched there
I didn't know if it was scratched out
but there it is okay Tom Kennedy thank
you I appreciate it no
problem I haven't been able to get up
here lately been not feeling too well
but I want to take a few minutes I
thought tonight would be good because
talk about to revisit what transpired on
the ethics board in regards to my ethics
complaint against councilman Farley I
want it known that before filing an
Ethics complaint against Farley I
brought reports of his behavior to the
city council at this very Podium and
then in writing to the council president
I then requested an investigation
conducted into my reports
as expected no in investigation was done
so I filed an ethic complaint detailing
what I had report reported publicly was
that complaint heard nope my complaint
was dismissed by the ex chair saying I
had no standing because I was not an
officer or city employee I wasn't it
wasn't until several months later I was
shocked to learn by a friend of mine in
the media to learn that my ethics
complaint that had earlier been
dismissed was used by that same body in
clearing Farley at no time was I as a
complaint ever afforded any due process
I was never informed of my complaint had
been reintroduced I was never allowed to
bring Witnesses I was never allowed to
provide testimony I was never given the
opportunity to provide evidence I was
never allowed to cross-examine those who
spoke on the record which I believe Mr
Farley and the police officer did
I yeah this ethics board full of
attorneys denied me all my rights as a
complaint to Due Process while they
wrote their decision ex exing farle of
wrongdoing this ethics board was has
proven they were anything but ethical
when they denied my basic rights to Due
Process just to issue a decision that
was politically favorable to one of
their own this is just another glaring
example of the systematic rat people of
the city have seen firsthand from their
city government however the city's
Republican party has at least an answer
to this sad chapter in our City's
history so on behalf of the city's GOP
we call on this city council to enact
resolutions to allow any citizen the
ability to file ethics complaints
against their city and elected Andor
appointed officials using the city's
ethics board to have those complaints
considered with rights to do process
afforded to all parties involved
including the accused and the accuser
after all if it's good enough for the
citizens of Aly County in the town of
Muna it should be good enough for the
people of connected as those two
communities can hold their City
officials accountable I just wanted to
push back a little bit father so made
some remarks about broadening the scope
of the ethics board uh I want to remind
everybody it was uh Matt nelligan who
was the mayor candidate at the time who
called on reform of the ethics board
thank you very much thank
you now I have no one signed up to speak
so I declare the public comment of City
business
closed miscellaneous business of the
council
mayor Madam president uh thank you again
I think the uh weather forecast has
shifted and cautiously optimistic that
the snowstorm is going to go south of
and going to get a little bit of snow uh
should we I know sometimes the weather
forecasters are a little bit off and if
we have to get up tomorrow morning and
shovel 8 or 10 inches of flurries you
know we'll be able to make fun of them
next week but uh again if we do get a
little bit of snow uh please clear your
sidewalks and then also one shovel on
each side of a fire hydrant and uh
remind people to the uh the numbers on
your house should be clearly visible and
we uh remind people of that you know we
think of uh police and fire responses
and uh yes they're very important uh
somebody told me recently yes police and
fire are important but in today's day
and age why you want the number visible
is for FedEx for Amazon and for the
delivery services and so if you want
your uh GrubHub to make sure gets there
with a food warm and you don't want to
have one of your packages lost in the
mail make sure your uh house number
apartment number is clearly visible
thank you madam president thank you
mayor I'd like to thank everyone that
came out tonight um thank uh Community
fathers for their presentation and also
thank Union College for the um
presentation of the the trophy and I um
I do want to just speak to one thing
that was said at the uh at the rail
today regarding our ethics board I just
want to clear something up our ethics
board is governed by um chapter 48 of
our city code and it specifically says
who can put in a complaint and the
complaint the gentleman was speaking
about was reintroduced his complaint was
reintroduced by a city employee and
which is why it was heard so just you
know we didn't color outside the lines
on that one and in terms of Ethics the
um General Municipal Law chapter 18
speaks to what the ethics board could be
and it doesn't just pertain to the city
of skincity it pertains to all
municipalities um just want to actually
give my condolences to there's a someone
that used to be one of our minority contractors n Larry Nicks
passed away recently and also U molan
Gilmore who was a very involved person
in the community and a member of the um
helon Hill neighborhood association
passed away yesterday so my condolences
to the families of both of those
individuals and just a reminder that
next week is a holiday on the 19th so
the city we will not be having our
committee meeting until let me just make
sure I got that right yep um until the 20th and also the trash moves one
day so put let's make sure that we don't
put our trash out a day or two early
we're going to be um enforcing more of
that going out early that's a
conversation we've been having and we
really need to do so to individuals um
we could there schedules available here
at the city it's online what what your
uh trash schedule is for your
neighborhood so again we have a holiday
so the trash moves one day forward your
trash collection and if there's nothing
else I would like to entertain a motion
to
adjourn oh everybody's putting their
hand up for that
one move by Mr Farley second by Mr Man
all those in favor I we're adjourn have
a good
night