[Music]
yeah
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
I'd like to all call the order the city
Caucus meeting for Monday February 26
2024 we have have 22 items for original
consideration if the clerk would please
read item number
one item number one a public hearing for
regarding Central Parkway sidewalk
Improvement project discuss in committee
with objection on
consent okay I'm sorry we have three
public
hearings we have three public
hearings one one public hearing
okay item number one for original
consideration item number one for
original consideration a resolution
calling for a public hearing to amend
city code Chapter 93 civilian police
revie review board section six term
limits holdovers and vacancy discussing
committee with the objection on consent
item number two item number two for
original consideration a resolution
calling for a public hearing creating a
special assessment District on a portion
of North College Street discussed in
committee with objection on consent item
number three item number three for
original consideration a resolution
supporting assembly Bill a 7652 and
Senate Bill s
7546 authorizing the city of connec to
establish a speed camera enforcement
demonstration program in school zones
discussed in committee with objection on
consent item number four item number
four for original consideration a
resolution in support of assembly Bill a
7653 and Senate Bill s
7545 relating to adjudications and owner
liability of traffic control signals
discussed and committee with objection
on consent item number five item number
five for original consideration a
resolution in support of bills A
7656 and S
7547 requiring a petition in summary
proceeding to recover possessions of
real property in the city of concy to
allege proof of compliance with local
laws requiring rental residential
property registration and lure discussed
in committee with objection on consent
item number six item number six for
original consideration a resolution
support accorting assembly Bill a758 and
Senate Bill s
7409 to increase the membership of the
special district operation and
development committee the dsad and dsic
discussed in committee with objection
and on consent item number seven item
number seven for original consideration
a resolution authorizing the Department
of Finance to make budget amendment to
the 2024 operating budget discussed in
committee with the objection on consent
item number eight item number eight for
original consideration a resolution app
joing Christopher Marney to the ethics
board roll call by Miss
Toro item number nine item number nine
for original consideration a resolution
confirming the appointments of Anthony
Fowler as the primary representative and
Arthur Butler as the alternate
representative of the Human Rights
Commission to the civilian police review
board discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number 10 item
number 10 for original consideration a
resolution accepting a donation of a
2021 board Mach e fully electric vehicle
from Metro Ford for use by the connected
Police Department discuss in committee
with objection on consent item number 11 for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the mayor to enter into intermunicipal
cooperation agreement with connected
County for the distribution of funding
awarded by the New York state division
of Criminal Justice Services to support
local enforcement agencies discussed in
committee without objection on consent
item number 12 item number 12 for
original consideration a resolution tion
authorizing the sale of a vacant lot on
8 Grand Street for $8,000 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 on
8 Wagner Avenue for
$2,500 discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number
13 item number 14 for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the sale of 504 Page Street for
$35,000 discuss in committee with the
objection on consent item number 15 item
number 15 for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the sale of 801
Holland Road for
$445,000 discussed in committee with
objection on consent item number
17 item number
16 for for original consideration a
resolution authorizing the settlement of
a claim by State Farm Mutual automobile
insurance company as subor of Sandra
Stapleton thank you item number 17 item
number 17 for original consideration a
resolution recognizing women's History
Month this uh item will be taken out of
order presented by council member
Patrick item number 18 item item number
18 for original consideration a
resolution recognizing David darano of
Metro Ford Sales this item will be taken
out of order and presented by council
member muin item number 19 item number
19 for original consideration a
resolution recognizing James Griffin for
his 40 4 years of service in the city of
SKC thank you this item will be taken
out of order and presented by myself
item number 20 item number 20 for
original consideration a resolution
authorizing the issuance of revocable
permit number 680 to Meer restaurant for
a sign that will overhang the city's
right of way at 500 State streets
connected New York discuss in committee
without objection on consent item number
21 item number 21 for original
consideration a resolution authorizing
the issuance of revocable permit number
681 one to pierce Renewables for a sign
that will overhang the city's RightWay
at 155 area boulevards connected New
York discuss in committee with objection
on consent item number 22 item number 22
under contract and Supply a resolution
awarding the bid and contract for the
connty municipal golf course Golf Road
Maintenance building electrical upgrades
to BW Electrical Services LLC in the
amount of
8,855 $56 and no discuss in committee
with that objection on consent if
there's nothing more to come before the
city council caucus I ask for a motion
to
adjourn move by Mr mudar and second by
Miss Patrick all in favor we are
adjourned I'd like to call to order the
city council meeting for Monday February
26
2024 if you just please all rise for the
invocation we don't have one anyone here
today so I will be offering the
invocation father we come before you and
ask that you will be here in the
presence Lord as we conduct the business
of the city we thank you for everyone
who has assembled here Lord we thank you
for the public coming out we thank you
for all the staff that is here and ask
that you will um be with us as we
conduct this business Lord and just
watch over us continuously as we go
about our daily lives we thank you for
all that you have blessed us with God we
thank you for the opportunity to
recognize an employee who has given a
number of years of service to the city
we ask that you bless him and his family
and all of his co-workers that he leaves
here in the city that you will continue
to allow allow them to do the work uh of
the city and thank them we want to thank
them for their service these and all
blessings we ask in your name
amen I would ask for Nancy D statue to
lead us in the Pledge of
Allegiance
Al United States of
America stands
na indivisible liy and justice for all
thank
you
just before before um um Mr Williams
collects the all of the signature Sheets
if there's anyone who wants to sign up
to discuss the public hearing which is
about Central Parkway if you haven't
signed up on the public hearing we'll
give you an opportunity to do that at
this
time
thank
you the clerk would please call the
role Mr Toro
here Mr Farley's absent Mr manini's
absent M Mr
mataran Miss Patrick here Mr Williams
here M pfield here thank you we have
three out of out of order resolutions
resolution number 17 women's women's
resolution for women's History Month I'd
like to call on council member Patrick
to present this
resolution
Madame President may I have the floor
you have the floor ma'am thank
you hello um so March is women's history
month and I'm pleased to be able to
present this resolution to recognize and
celebrate women's History Month whereas
in 1980 president presid Jimmy Carter
designated the first week of March as
National Women's history week noting
that quote the achievements leadership
courage strength and love of the women
who built America was as vital as that
of men whose names we know so well and
whereas since 1987 women's history month
has been officially recognized by the
United States Congress and celebrated
during March and whereas women's history
month is dedicated ated to the
accomplishments and achievements of
women of every race class and ethnic
background throughout United States
history that are often overlooked and
whereas the theme for 2024's women's
history month is women who advocate for
Equity diversity and inclusion
recognizing women throughout the country
who understand that for a positive
future we need to eliminate bias and
discrimination entirely from our lives
and institutions
and whereas women from every background
have long realized that an uneven
playing field will never bring equality
or Justice and have courageously
advocated for fairness in our
institutions and our social
interactions and whereas recognizing the
achievements of women in all facets of
life science Community government
literature art sports medicine has a
huge impact on the development of
self-respect and new opportunities for
girls and young women and whereas women
have been inspirational leaders not only
in advancing their own rights of
suffrage and equal opportunity but also
in other social justice movements
including the Abolitionist Movement the
industrial labor movement the civil
rights movement and the gay rights
movement now therefore be it resolved
that the Mayor Gary arm macarthy and
City Council of the city of skincity do
hereby pause in their deliberations to
recog ize and celebrate women's History
Month in March 2024 and acknowledge and
salute the critical role that women have
played in the development success and
achievements of skincity and the United
States so may I make this
motion you need a second
please all those in favor I
congratulations the motion passes thank
you so I'd like to introduce M Kora
Schroeder who works for representative
Paul TKO and I'd like her to say a few
words about a women's March that's
happening this week and accept this
resolution on behalf of the city thank
you thank you very much carmell Patrick
and thank you city council and thank you
mayor McCarthy so real quick hello good
evening everyone as Carmel so graciously
said I am cor schroer and I want to not
take up too much time but I wanted to
make a significant announcement and that
announcement is that this Sunday which
is March 3rd the first Sunday of the
month
my friend Tammy and I Tammy say hello we
have put together we got our heads
together and we thought and we thought
and we said hey let's do a March for
women for all that Carmel said I'm not
going to reread this but take a moment
to think of a woman in your life of
women who have been in your life and
women who have allowed your life to
progress over the thousands of years
women have been here so March 3rd which
is the Sunday at 9 900 a.m. here on the
steps of City Hall we will begin a March to celebrate women
and I would love to see everybody there
you do not have to be from SKC you can
be from wherever you do not have to be a
woman you can come and just celebrate with a banner celebrate with
your family celebrate with a shirt
celebrate and remember women for to for
March is women's history month thank
[Applause]
[Laughter]
you
you're
[Music]
woman it's okay it's okay it's okay I'm
right here in the back
everybody
[Applause]
the next out of out of order resolution
is a resolution recognizing James
Griffin for for his 40 years of service
to the city of skincity and I ask
council member muar to please take the
uh
Podium I'd like to invite Mr Griffin and
everyone coming him behind the rail
please it's his moment
okay
may I have the floor yes all right you
can come closer you can come closer
right there you came
in um well before I read the official
resolution I just want to say a couple
of things U because I've known you for a
very long time and uh you and my brother
friends and so I remember Jim store and
all the stuff in the neighborhood so you
know it really gives me great pleasure
and I wanted to be the person to be able
to present this to
you and on top of that the reason that I
actually knew about it is because your
co-workers thought so highly of you
that they reached out and said hey he's
retiring we're going to miss him but
we'd like for the council to do
resolution so I think that speaks very
highly of who you are as a person not
that I didn't already know but the
people that you would spent 40 years not
the entire 40 some of them but the
people that you worked with dayt Day
thought it not robbery to reach out and
to say you know we'd like for him to be
recognized so I know that we talked and
you said give you your flowers while
you're here so tonight you're getting
your flowers not literally we try that
but anyway that's another conversation
but so tonight we'd like to give you the
flowers on behalf of your co-workers who
brought your name forward and also the
city
council whereas James Griffin began his
career with the city of skincity on SE
September 17th
1984 and whereas James Griffin served
his country for three years in the
United States Army as a combat engineer
12b 12b before joining the city
Workforce and whereas James Works 28
years in the Bureau of service streets
department Paving streets filling
potholes plowing snow and sweeping
streets and whereas James worked 12
years in the sewer department his
responsibilities included inspecting
condition of sewer lines for leaks Russ
spots and other defects installing new
sewer line sewer lines and repairing
existing ones inst installing new water
mains and repairing existing ones
repairs to manholes catch basins and
other structures in the sewer system
and whereas his continuous commitment to
excellent during his many years of
service this city earned him the respect
of his co-workers who had this to say
about him quote I really enjoyed working
with Griff he's funny conscient
conscientious and a good guy he's one of
the few left from the good old days and
I mean good in Old in a good way and
whereas another cooworker said I only
speak for myself James is a w a wise and
compassionate man who worked hard and
played harder as he truly enjoys the
Finer Things in life James enjoys joking
and laughing as much as he loved a good
debate whether for sharing or acquiring
wisdom and knowledge we were blessed to
have gotten to know him over the years
and we wish him all the best as he
enters his new exciting chapter of his
life end quote and whereas the duties
James performed though not glamorous
were essential to the operation of the
city he made a maintained a strong work
ethic showed dedication and hard work
throughout his long career which has
been instrumental to the city City's
success now therefore be resolved that
the SKC city council and Mayor Gary R
McCarthy do hereby pause in their
deliberations to recognize James Griffin
for his 40 years of service in the city
of skincity and congratulate him and
wish him well on his retirement I'd like
to move this can I have a
second um all in favor I I motion is
passed congratulations
thank you very
much
spe
than you
than
the next out out of order resolution is
item number 18 a resolution recognizing
David darano of Metro Ford Sales I'd
like to call on council member muon toe
present this resolution
Madam president you have the
floor a resolution recognizing in Dave
darano of Metro Ford Sales whereas the
SKC School District wanted to obtain SKC
police engagement officer to interact
positively with student and the
community and whereas to advance the New
York State Police reform and reinvention
collaborative plan as approved by
disconnected AC school on March 22nd
2021 and whereas in compliance with
regulation from the commissioner of
Education a written contract between the
connected school district and the
connected police Community engagement
officer was drafted and whereas this
contract was signed by mayor kri
McCarthy and superintendent annabal
solar establishing this connected police
Community engagement officer program and
whereas the conc police department
desired to expand this successful
program and develop new Community
Partnership to F the goals of this
conected school district district and
the community engagement officer program
and whereas Community engagement officer
Sergeant Charles ronfeld with the goal
to increase positive interaction to
raise awareness to this connected Police
Department work in the schools and to
develop new partnership in the community
as Metro Ford Sales Inc if they were
interested in partnering to support the
program and whereas David di Rano of
Metro forward Inc seeing value in
supporting the program and the City of
skinc police department
provide to the community generous offer
to donate a 2021 Ford Mustang Mai
electric car and whereas on March 20th
2024 the vehicle was brought to the city
skinc police department and to the
skincity council committee meeting for a
visual
inspection whereas this donation will
enhance the program provide more
positive interaction with the student at
disc connected school district and
increase the efficiency of Officer
response within the school district
ultimately serving student their family
and the community now therefore be it
resolved that the Mayor Gary AR McCarthy
and the city council do hereby pause in
their deliberation to recognize David
dariano of Metro Ford sale Inc for your
donation to our Police Department
community in engagement officer program
Madame President I move this may I have
a second second by Miss Patrick all in
favor I motion passes
congratulations I wasn't aware I had to
speak Metro Ford has been in concy doing
business for 45 years and we've been
protected by the police our children
have been educated by the school
district
it's an honor to be able to do
this as a parent a lot of times you
don't get a pat on the back for doing
things raising your children and I know
in police force in school district
there's not a lot of pats on the back
but this is our way of just giving
back like he said it came down it was it
was an email that came over to our
office and said would you like to donate
a
car and we we got the email and our our
CPA happened to be there when we got the
email doing some end of the year stuff
and I walked in and I said it's is this
possible can we donate a car he did some
numbers and such and he says yeah you're
in a position to be able to do this so
it was perfect timing it was we we
didn't think of it it wasn't us the um
any recognition isn't for me personally
it's it's for all the hardworking people
at Metro Ford and all the hardworking
people here I mean the city it's a great
City we're glad to be part of it
couldn't be couldn't be more proud to
give this and to donate it and Mustang
Mach e all electric what better car for
the electric
city
[Applause]
thank you and thank you for the
donation what was he
[Music]
saying
we have one public hearing tonight and I
just want to remind everyone that the
public uh time for the public hearing is
has been extended to four minutes and
ask everyone to respectfully only speak
on the topic of the public hearing thank
you this time I ask for approval of the
minutes from February 2012th
20124 mooved by m Mr Williams second by
Mr M all in favor
I okay all right public hearing number
one I'm
sorry
[Music]
you public hearing number one regarding
the Central Parkway sidewalk Improvement
project
I have four people signed up to
speak Florence
mcconville hello
everyone um it's been many years since
I've been in here but uh I'm glad to be
back um I live on Central
Parkway and um happy that the city is
going to be doing the
sidewalks um my only concern is the
water that gets in front of my house
I've had many serious conditions
excessive water coming into the house my
furnace breaking the house sinking a
little bit and uh the sewer problems but
um I think this will all get fixed with
the
new excitement of putting the sidewalk
in and fixing the street and the curbs
so that's all I have to say and I'm
happy that the city is doing this and um
I have nothing else to say thank you
very much thank
you uh Janice
Thompson good evening everyone can you
hear me yes it down a little
bit uh yes I'm really glad we're having
the work done on our streets I have a
few questions uh they're not long ones
uh my first question is how much is the
city paying towards
our sidewalks and
curves the city itself how how much are
they paying does anyone know that answer
so ma'am today t tonight you just have
an opportunity to be heard publicly on
your comments if you have any questions
specifically we need um email those
questions and they they can be answered
tonight we'd like to hear your comments
we did deliver um packets to all of the
individuals on Central Parkway but
tonight we will not be able to answer
questions from here we'll just hear your
comments you can ask your questions and
we will record them and get them
answered for you okay so all of my
comments are a
question so I can't get any answers on
those not tonight but if you'd like to hand in those questions
we'll make sure that they are answered
for you as long as you have the contact
information there if you want to answer
your questions out loud so everyone can
hear them you're welcome to do that okay
so so my next question is there's a
slight difference between the principal
on the 10-year plan as opposed to the
15-year plan minor but it's $110
difference and I just wondered why that
is my third question is the travel Lane
is 2 feet shorter than what exists now
would that be narrowed on both sides of
the street and is it because of
something with the curves and the
sidewalks that are making it necessary
to to narrow the travel
Lane those are my questions and I just
wondered how many people from Central
Parkway are here
tonight have everyone from Central
Parkway could raise your
hand there they are I'm just G to count
them okay if you'd like to hand in your
looks like 16 about thank you if you'd
like to hand in your questions so we
have have them in writing we'll take
them from you I'll do that you want me
to do that now yes okay well it's on the
front of my sheet so it's okay as long
as they're and you can get it back
okay they're on the right three thank
you thank you very much thank
you Julie
peretto
hello good evening I'm Julie parado I'm
here with my husband we both own a house
together on Central Parkway um and I'm
really really happy that this initiative
is moving forward um we love the
neighborhood we've lived there for about
seven years and I think it's really
going to increase the walkability of the
neighborhood and really help with safety
for the people who walk um so and I
really appreciate also the payment plan
I think that's going to be very helpful
but I did have some concerns about the
concept and the the plan that was chosen
that I wanted to voice um we noticed
that it's taking away the street parking
and um that is it's narrowing the
driving and taking away the on street
parking and I know that for us when we
went to purchase our home we took street
parking into consideration for when we
had family gatherings and holidays um
and it's just going to be an
inconvenience for us to have to have our
friends and family park a block or two
down and then walk to our home um and
you know that was a big factor as well
when we were home buying so I it we
don't want to move we love our
neighborhood but when we go to resell
our house in the future I just worry
about how that may impact our the cost
that we will get for our house um not
having that street parking available um
so I guess my question is you know I
want the the sidewalk initiative we want
the upgrade um but is there a way that
we can be looking at other Concepts and
plans to be able to keep the on street
parking and that was it thank you so
much for your time thank
you Jessica
badulla hello I'm not used to not facing
all the people usually when I lead
things um so I've never been anything
like this before um I live at 875
Central Parkway so right on the corner
it's the very first nice house ma'am you
have to fit you have to address that the
very first nice house over on the side
um when I was asked to sign the petition
for this project I'll be honest I wasn't
paying attention because I'm not used to
people coming to my door I keep to
myself and you know whatever she was
proposing seemed fine enough signed it
the end um I what I didn't realize is
that I was being asked to pay for my own
sidewalk uh and I'm not in a position to
be able to do that if I had that amount
of money I would probably fix my garage
over the summer there was um someone
stole a vehicle and then parked it in my
three car garage so I got called while I
was out of my home by the police to ask
me to come home and see what this stolen
car was about I didn't have the money to
fix the um garage door and so there's uh
wood in front of it
and
um yeah I'm all for like improving the
neighborhood certainly certainly we all
want to have a nicer neighborhood but
what I'm concerned about is one I can't
pay for another sidewalk two are we
going to make it so welcoming for people
to be walking down the street that
they'll have uh more packages stolen
from my front porch am I going to have
my car broken into more times than it
already has been in the last eight years
so yeah I'm pretty upset about it I'm 42
years old and I've never voluntarily
come into a government building to speak
publicly and here I am I guess that's
all I have to say thank you oh wait no I have another thing because I still
have four minutes I am a single mother
and I am a widow to a active duty Navy
serviceman and I was able to purchase
this home from the settlement that I
received from his active duty
death that was my introduction to
Central Parkway and here we are eight
years later I don't have any money left
thanks thank you
I don't have anyone else signed up to
speak this public hearing so I declare
the public hearing
closed I'll ask the clerk to read any
Communications and
petitions Communications presented to
the city council for Monday February 26
2024 under official For Mayor Gary AR
McCarthy a list of appointments dated
February 26 2024
under General from Dave Connelly and
Michael Murphy an email with questions
and suggestions for the Central Parkway
sidewalk Improvement program and from
Rich and Mary Joe HCK an email in
support of the Central Parkway sidewalk
Improvement program under petitions
there were none thank you as on council
members to provide any committee
reports this time we'll have priv
privilege of the floor related to the
legislative agenda and I have no one
signs up to speak so I declare the
public comment on the legislative agenda
closed this time I ask for approval of
the legislative consent
agenda move by Mr Williams second by Mr
M all in favor I we do have one roll
call vote
resolution resolution number
eight if the clerk would please read
item number
eight item number eight for original
consideration a resolution appointing
Christopher Marney to the ethics
board I need a
motion moveed by Mr Williams
second it has to be
seconded second by miss miss
rck any discussion on this
item Mr
Williams uh so I I really want to make
sure I my comments are received in kind
I think it is a poor show of sound
judgment to refuse an individual that is
volunteering to assist in filling a
vacancy especially in committees and
board boards throughout our city where
we've highlighted that uh participation
is an ongoing challenge uh to this point
I have still not heard any uh comments
or feedback with respect to why uh this
individual would not be an appropriate
member of this board um but again I feel
as local officials it is our
responsibility to make sure we are not
only advocating to the community and the
residents alike but to make sure we also
justify our opinions and decisions when
they in fact uh go against um
something with respect to to to this so
I think
displaying our uh lack of consideration
to why this individual would not be a
good fit I think is not the
collaborative government that I seek to
be a part of and I would hope that as a
body uh we can understand the
ramifications of saying to the community
no and not offering a resolution forward
or identifying what areas make this
individual not an appropriate candidate
to fulfill that
position is there any further
discussion seeing none I'll ask the
clerk to call the role Mr Toro
no Mr muin yes Miss Patrick
no Mr Williams yes M Porterfield yes the
item fails you need we need four
affirmative votes to pass our piece of
resolution so the item fails it's 3
to2 this time we have priv privilege of
the floor regarding General City
business I have three people signed up
to speak first person is Fred de
roer hello hello my name is uh Fred
Rocher I'm a nurse at Ellis Hospital
I've been a nurse for going on 28 years
now I worked at St Claire's for and then
came over at L's Hospital in 2008 so
I've been a nurse in this community for
a long time and what I'm coming up here
to talk about as a member of Ellis
Hospital but also as a member of the
executive committee for the nurses Union
at Ellis Hospital I want to make you all
here aware of what's going on with our
negotiations that are currently um going
on over the last year we've been
negotiating and we normally negotiate
with Ellis Hospital management and it's
just simply Ellis Hospital it is
different now they have Opera management
is Trinity Healthcare a billion dooll
company that's Nationwide um their point
person Deb
Solomon comes around she told us at a
meeting that basically Trinity brings
her around when they need help with
labor problems so apparently the nurses
now are a labor problem to Trinity um
this is we have a lot of great managers
at Ellis but this upper management with
Trinity is very much a problem they're
trying to they're very they're cutting
services you can look to rents SL County
um with the bdet Women's Center they've
already cut services at Ellis Ben Alis
hospital that you may not even know
about we don't you know since the
pandemic they've cut the pediatric
department they've cut Med surge beds
there's less beds there than just four
years ago when we had this pandemic
there's less beds there there's less
beds in the emergency room there's half
the Adult Psychiatric beds um they have
done this with no remorse or no
conscious of the community that's why I
want you know their idea they're not for
profit and they don't act like that
they're acting for profit even though
there's less beds in that hospital right
now there's less nurses than there was
four years ago too so the nurses now
take care of more patients I work in a
crisis unit the nurses in the ER when I
worked through the pandemic in the ER we
had less patients then than we do now um
there's less beds in the ER so there's
more people waiting there's longer wait
times than I've ever over 20 years in
the ER there's longer wait times than
I've ever
seen they do not listen with
negotiations they're very much trying to
um they aren't offering us anything to
be quite honest they're they're talking
about retaining nurses and they're
cutting our benefits saying that they
are they've looked throughout the
community and ours are above average so
they need to cut them um they've cut
them for their other workers who don't
have a voice but we're not going to let
that happen to us talk about I was a
former St Claire's person we all know
about the St Clair's pension so they are
asking us to sign off on selling out our
pensioners that was frozen in 2006 and
they want as part of negotiations us to
write that off so they can sell that off
they it's not a problem to them
financially they want to get rid of it
to clear the books for Trinity to fully
take over because they aren't not for
profit they are for profit and they
aren't good for this community and we
are going to need everybody to be aware
of this as we go forward and that's what
we're here for today thank you thank
you Z
zip good evening I my name is Don zip I
am actually a resident here in connected
east city um I am also an Alis employee
but I am a Belleview Women's Center
employee I am the President of our
bargaining unit for nna I sit at the um
negotiation table I stand on the line
for all my fellow nurses and even more
so for my patients and for my babies
that I take care of in the ncu um I am
here because as we are um embarking upon
this merger my real concern is Woman's
Health it seems to be under major attack
within the United States if anybody has
been paying attention to the news across
the country it is very scary and it is
now hitting the capital region um I was
applaud the the um stand for women and
for women's rights and for women and
what they've done in um history well it
is our time to stand as the women at
bellevie woman's Center and as a
hospital that takes care of women and
that is something that is really
important one of the things that I want
to bring to the Forefront is that Paul
mlon actually spoke yesterday at a local
church in The Stockade and spoke to the
community there and when he was
addressed and asked about the services
that he was going to be um that have
been taken away and continue to be
discussed and being taken away his
phrase on quote was we can't be
everything to everyone the problem is is
we need to be what is important for the
people of this community we cannot
afford to lose any more services we need
to watch what they've done with berett
because the Health Care Health the
Catholic Health Care system is literally
dismantling Health Care for Women across
the country and in New York state down
on Long Island they've closed maternity
Wars in New York City they're attempting
to close maternity Wars these are the
Catholic Health Care Systems again we
cannot afford he said that don't worry
women who are in labor don't take the
cabs to the
hospitals I have to tell you women in
labor take anything that they can I have
actually caught babies in the circle in
front of Belleview in a in a taxi cab so
you know what Paul
women take cabs when they're in labor
and if we keep reducing the things that
we need in our community we are going to
be at a great loss we are putting
mothers and babies at risk by doing this
Trinity is actually sitting at our table
looking to take more and more and more
away from us the nurses and for our
patients we have a deficit of
approximately 20% on nursing staffing
that means your nurses are taking on
anywhere from six to 10 patients when
they should only be taking four and that
is a very scary thing because it's our
family members that are in the hospital
that are being taken care of and they
are being they're not getting the
quality care that they require so I'm
begging and I'm coming to you guys to
stand on our behalf and and advocate for
the nurses and for the patients and the
people of skincity thank you thank
you Jennifer Lipman
hi my name is Jenny um I'm not from this
AA but my family is firmly planted here
my husband works at Union College I'm a
nurse in the same Department as Fred the
emergency room at Ellis Hospital and our
kids are in school here and we mean to
be here um I'm just joining this group
and wanting to talk about Staffing uh
you know I'm mostly focused just on the
day-to-day taking care of people as a
nurse Fred has been actively involved in
the negotiations but it's gone on for
more than a year that they're trying to
get our contract negotiated and for me I started like when the pandemic was
just beginning to unfold in 20120 and
um about a year into my job we lost a
tremendous percentage of our nurses it
was like the travel boom when nurses
could make three to four times as much
as a staff nurse and I was so upset to
see the the just this beautiful teamwork
when in the emergency room people come
in with heart attacks and people run
together and and they know each other's
strengths and they're you know literally
saving people's lives working together
and when I saw my sta the the the staff
people that I really looked up to that I
need to learn from disappearing I wrote
to like all the top leadership at the
hospital and our board and everything
and I heard back from one person which
was the department um the head of our
department the emergency department he
said well these things kind of come and
go it'll it'll iron itself out this High
money it's going to P ped out and we'll
kind of get a stable staff again but you
know two two and a half years later we
are heavily dependent on travel nurses
and they're bringing in some lovely
nurses they're really experienced great
nurses but they have no connection to
skincity they don't know our people
they'll be here for a short time then
they move oh I'm going to go do skiing
in Colorado next and that's really not
what we need we need a stable body of
nurses to take care of our community I I
see my neighbors all the time in the Ed
and what we lost just during my short
time here at Ellis with so much staff
synchronicity got broken up and the
hospital has not managed to put it back
together we're just heavily dependent on
nurses that have no connection to this
place and if it takes us more than a
year and the nurses that are negotiating
this contract say they are insulting us
when we're asking about they're taking
benefits away they're they're trying to
talk their way out of these stabing
ratio things I mean I've barely known
anything but you run for 12 hours you
don't pee you don't eat you're you feel
so guilty because you can't take good
care of people because you're so
overloaded it's dangerous you know and I
mean that's kind of basic if we don't
have enough nurses like you'd think we'd
want to try to make it decent that
nurses could take good care of people
and and having a contract where there's
decent Staffing and and and wages that
people agree are reasonable seems like a
great place to start so that's what I
wanted to speak in support of thank you
thank
you I have no one else signed up to
speak so I declare the public comment of
City business
closed any miscellaneous business from
the
council Mr
muin thank you Madame President I would
like to um thank all the homeowners from
Central Parkway who showed up here
tonight thank you um for your effort and
I want to especially thank the organizer
who has brought us to this point here to
make Central Parkway sidewalk and Street
Improvement a reality so thank you to
the organizer thank you to all the
homeowners for um gra this um this
evening and to voice your concern all
the questions on the email that was
submitted our city engineer will address
those and as we move forward the next
couple of week we will share more
information and uh we will um get you
involved in terms of um getting that
message over to you as we move forward
uh to make this happen for you in
Central Parkway um just a reminder um
for the seniors exemptions are due um
before March 4st so don't wait on March
for to file your exemption does the
enhance um senior um exemption and also
um the senior lwi income exemption we
recently um um increased the um the
exemption so to give more um advantage
to the seniors in our city and I hope
that they take advantage of it so please file your enhan exemption and
your senior exemption before March 4th
thank you madam president thank you Mr
mutar Miss Patrick thank you um I just
wanted to remind folks um and I hope
that the mayor will mention this as well
but um I've had calls from several
different residents in different
neighborhoods over the last just the
last few days uh talking about the
litter issue and the fact that people
are putting their trash out when they
shouldn't be putting their trash out um
you really need to pay attention to the
trash schedule especially right now when
you know there's a lot of big wind out
there and you know you can drive up and
down the streets and see the trash sort
of floating around um so we're all here
to take those calls I continue to you
know then pass that information on to
our office of General services but
really um I just really implore folks to
uh think about the trash schedule put
your trash out only when you're supposed
to put your trash out um and make sure
that it's secure um uh especially right
now during the during the winter months
although it doesn't seem like winter
right now uh given our weather our
beautiful weather this week but please
uh pay attention to that thank you thank
you
mayor thank you madam president I again
appreciate everyone coming out tonight
in the uh consensus seems to be for
Central Parkway to leave it basically
the way it is the discussion has been to
narrow the travel Lane by approximately
2 feet that has not been cast in stone
and part of this process is to have your
input tonight and uh just ongoing
discussions for that final design
that'll service the needs of the
residents and again make it attractive
and uh hopefully increase the value of
the
properties uh for council member uh
Patrick yes encourage people to follow
the litter schedule ual appreciate
council member Doro and council
president porterfield's time as we're
working on reviewing the trash policies
in the city and trying to uh make
modifications to uh appropriate allocate
some of the costs the people that abuse
the system and it doesn't take much
effort to pick up a little bit of litter
make sure your cans are sealed and
tightened up because everybody benefits
from
that also the sky police Department uh
is going to start another uh civilian
police academy on March 5th and there
are still slots available in that so
that people who may want to participate
in that uh gain a greater knowledge of
the police operations and their
Community involvement should uh contact
uh officer Andrew danal at the SKC
Police Department thank you madam
president thank you mayor uh I'd like to
thank everyone for coming
can we revisit
appointment you said that we needed four
you need four yes that's correct that is
correct okay thank
you it's a majority for to pass anything
there are some things that take five but
it takes a simple
majority uh again I'd like to thank
everyone for coming out tonight I
appreciate you coming bringing your
concerns forward and for this show going
from people from Central Parkway I
believe it was 16 is what Miss Thompson
said so thank you for coming out and the
mayor has already spoken about the
process um I want to thank the um
individuals that came from Nisa today to
talk about the concerns that are going
on there appreciate you coming and
bringing these things to our attention
yet we've been reading about we know
about it but appreciate you coming out
and coming to speak to us regarding
that uh Mr muirin talked about the um
star exemption so just so just so you
know March 1st is this Friday I know it
doesn't sound it sounds far away but
it's Friday so if you know seniors that
need to get their exemption in it's this
Friday and lastly as uh Miss schroer was
here to talk about the women's March
this Sunday I guess it starts on City
Hall steps at 9:00 A.M on Sunday so
those of you that want to March I don't
know what the weather's going to be like
so check before you come whether you
need to bundle up or dress
down if there's nothing else to come
before this Council I'd like to ask for
a motion to adjourn move by Miss Patrick
second by Mr Williams all those in favor
I we are adjourned thank
you