[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