[Music]
for
[Music]
yeah
[Music]
yeah
[Music]
yeah
[Music]
yeah
[Music]
anybody I'd like to call the order of
this connected city council committee
meeting for Monday April 1
2024 uh the first committee is finance
Mr M thank you I like to call the
finance committee to order the fourth
item is a Crest Grant Chief
Marino
good evening everybody good even evening
either that or late
afterno
Sor okay uh Crest
gr so this is U through the dormatory
authority get a little background we
have two pieces of apparatus they're
1999 of France their engines
Pumpers
um they're obsolete we can't we are fair
difficult time getting parts for them
they're well out of
warranty um and what we would like to do
is replace those
too and when we got the idea that they
needed to go started looking for money
we reached out to um a sub in Santa
Barber and s in St and they were able to
secure some money in the
2023 state budget through the dormatory
Authority Under The Crest
monitor uh so I'm here to ask you to
approve that it's for $800,000 total 675
with Santa Barbara 125 with st there is
no matching funds required from the
city it'll take probably about a year
and a half in order for us uh to have an
apparatus where we're going through our
process now talking to our vendors to
see what's available and then go through
that process of ordering it but it
probably be uh July of 2025 before the
apparatus is here and it'll take as long
as we complete the project in 3 years
we'll be fine with
it go ahead please and $800,000 will
cover the cost should ask for a
million
um we'll make it
work any other questions see none may
have a motion second all in favor I okay
we have another item item number two
change in table of organization and
budget amendment Chief
Mar okay so this one's a little bit more
complicated we have the fire
investigative unit they are part of
special operation
in the fire investigative unit we have
three
lieutenants and they're overseen by a
deputy chief the deputy chief that's in
that um oversees fire I'm sorry they
oversees Special Operations which is
hazzat uh confined space weapons of mass
destruction water rescue and the fire
investigative unit or
unit unit has been around for 20 years
they have an
extremely positive record every case
that goes to court they have 100%
conviction rate which is unheard
of they do a great job so right now the
three lieutenants they answer to the
deputy chief that is in charge of all
the other depart all the other
units we've had in the past a captain in
that unit and a few years ago that for
different reasons that was reduced to a
lieutenant so what I'm asking is that we
take that one of the lieutenants make
that person the
captain and that we would have a captain
and two
lieutenants that will increase
efficiency in the
unit it will uh allow for the captain to
oversee the two investigators and he's
an investigator also and reported uh
directly to the deputy chief
which allows him it frees him up to you
know to check to work with his other
units
um and when we when we take that
position and we take the lieutenant away
make it a cap then there's going to be a
promotion and some of the people up for
the promotion are coming from the unit
which is great that if if the
person was uh promoted from within the
unit
it uh makes it
seamless because the unit is involved
with the arson task force which is ATF
SKC police SKC fire the DA's office a
lot of training goes
involved if you were able to I'm not say
you can but if you were able to promote
from within the unit you would have uh
less uh education that you would have to
provide for the person coming in because
that person's already it's already in
the unit it's already had all the
education all the
training so that's the proposal to
eliminate one liutenant make it a
captain and for this year it's a less
than a
$5,000 change in the budget we had a uh
unexpected
retirement where that money that is
saved through that retirement would
cover the cost of the captain clear you
know easily six times over clearly
go ahead please uh so there's currently
three lieutenants as of now correct
Chief um so if you eliminate one and
they're potentially not selected is
there uh the ability for the neoti
preferential um place in the department
or did I misunderstand something a
different place in in the department as
a whole or within that unit because
there won't be any more spaces in in the
if not selected great if we make the
change there only be two lieutenants
and if the person if the people in there
are not made from within they'll go to
the they'll go to the line so they go to
aun an apparatus okay so there they're
not going to be eliminated I didn't
imagine it would all right thanks G but
just to clarify they would not lose
their rank then no they would just go
okay great so we're going to
make if we're able to change this
there's going to be a need for a
promotion okay so a Lieutenant from the
job will be promoted to Captain and then
the question is where does that Captain
go he has does he have the ability to go
within the
FIU unit yes and if not you can go to
long
okay chief are you looking to eliminate
this position into the next budget I'm
sorry are you carrying this um this
position here you're eliminating one
Lieutenant we for the next The Proposal
would be to carry the new position
forward but the lieutenant would not
have
recreated thank
you your other Special Operations un are
they similar in the chain of command so
it would be deputy chief Captain then
your lieutenants no Captain in Special
Operations there's one deputy chief
great
and in a lot of those areas it's the
deputy chief that runs it okay so for
instance the Hazmat unit it's a 30
member keing but it's from the rink and
file okay they were that those positions
were bit out by senority and then those
people were trained to a specialist uh
position of the Hazmat unit but they're
not part of
Staff the FIU the fire investigative
unit is
Staff go ahead please right so when we
talked about this before um at the um
legislative conference we talked about
being some uh impacting the budget we're
going to see I don't see that piece of
the language in here where where it
changes the lines and all of that that we said was going to
happen usually well usually when we see
a budget amendment we're used to seeing
that language right there a chart with
the information and I don't see it here
is that going to come from Finance yeah
remember we
spoke
sorry so she was out to day she'll give
him that information you the call so
it's going to be coming from so we'll
see that for the resolution for
Monday thank
you any other
question seeing n may have a motion to
move this item second all in favor I
thank you Chief thank you thank you
Chief the next item is called for public
hearing for ReStore we Grant
application thank you Mr chairman uh
States announced the next round Store
New York conc unified economic
development team headed by Metroplex has
been successful really in the last seven
rounds this application the process
requires for uh calling for a public
hearing uh the proposal is to do an
application for
$600,000 to assist in the Redevelopment
of the uh buildings at the corner of
Erie Boulevard and State Street
Sonic uh Temple the Chamber of Commerce
in rutnik and Mr Gillan is here in terms
of uh any specifics or details on you
the past applications or some of the
ideas with this one going
[Music]
forward we have any question for Mr
Gillan or any question from the council
go please so Mr
Gillan so just clear so it's it's the
three buildings it's the former Chamber
of Commerce the Rudnick and then the
building on the corner as well the
Masonic temple are all it's two no it's
good question thank you good evening
beautiful night um we're working when we
developed the wedgeway building with
your support across the street uh with a
restore New Y Grant as the mayor said
we've been successful with these with
these grants great program my old agency
and Park State
development um we were hopeful that the
corner the opposite Corner would be
redevelop and uh tremendous support from
the mayor a lot of hard work by our team
uh we have a developer who is who has
the former Masonic temple on the corner
of the large building the former chamber
building which is 4,318 square ft and
the former Rudnick building which is
14,835 squ Ft the former chamber
building is at 306 State the former
rednick is at 308 state the application
is going in uh we approve this for 306
the former chamber building and 308 the
former rednick building we already have
in hand do do some previous work and
support by the council a $450,000 grant
for the Masonic temple 302 State at the
corner the large building at the corner
of state area so we already have that in
hand so the mayor is correct our goal is
to redevelop all three structures at the
same time but this application that's
going in by May 22nd uh will'll deal
with just the former Rudnick and the
former chamber call for the public
hearing tonight with your support we'll
run an ad for three consecutive days in
The Gazette announcing the public
hearing and our intent to renovate these
buildings as required by the program and
hold the public hearing and hopefully
get a resolution of support from the
council so that we can submit the grant
by the May 22nd deadline happy to answer
any of the questions and we want to
thank our team and uh the development
department at the city and also um our
BR writing team of suardi and Eva Evans
have worked very hard with us go ahead
so you have the 450 in place already and
so when the renovation takes place since
that Grant and that money is already
there will they all the renovation take
place at the same time that's our goal
I'll do all three it would makes sense
to do all three uh at the same time
thank
you go ahead please I think you uh I
think it'll clean up that corner nice
there's a new restaurant there and then
the presco building and then carry it on
right to State Street and then down in
Boulevard that's nice project thank
you any other questions so the for the
public hearing there will be documents
provided um ahead of time yes we'll um we'll have the uh the notice
has to go in we've already submitted the
intent to apply for them to the state uh
we'll provide that to you and um we're
working on the a as we speak so still
got some work to do but um uh it's a gut
renovation those two buildings are in
very poor condition Rick's of course had
a fire the chamber building's been empty
um needs a lot both of them need a lot
of work and um we appreciate the again
the mayor's support you know we really
talk to the developers and said these
buildings we have to make every attempt
to save these buildings especially the
Bic building on the corner because it's
so
significant thank
you any other question
sign have a motion to move this item
forward so mve second second all in
favor I thank you thank you and your
team the next item is amendment to
ordinance 20
20243 creating a special assessment
District on a portion of Nar College
Street Mr Mr chairman this is a
technical amendment to conform the uh
the ordinance with our charger regarding
the 5% interest which is set forth in
the charter this is a follow on
technical Amendment to the ordinance
already
passed any questions see N I have a
motion to move this forward so moved
second all in favor I thank you the next
item is a BBS H property lease agreement
update from our City Assessor as for the
field also thank you so we've been
talking about this it came up about um
increasing the rent and um what was
required or request is that the assessor
actually go in visit the property and
make some determinations so M maoy has
done that and all of you um got the
report um previously the only thing that
was not attached to the report what the
report gave I just want to be clear
everyone did get the report and have an
opportunity to look at it okay um the
only thing that was not attached by the
request of Corporation Council was the
pictures of the actual Liv Liv space um
has U Mr O'Brien felt that would have
been an invasion of privacy for um the
individual living there and so um but I
did ask for pictures to be provided
simply because that's how we are making
our that's what our discussion about the interior living space so I am
now passing out pictures to the Council
of that space and this is for inter
agency determination because the for the
council is reviewing this so I beg your
pardon this this inra agency as you're
making your determination within the
city here to make that's where you're
looking at this this
is make sure we go are the three pages
or two to the pictures inside there's
it's it's one full page double sided
then one page single sided
okay there's there's probably a six I
think there's probably six pictures it's
not a very big space
okay
you need one more I
don't the
same
[Music]
me okay does anybody have a
copy
okay
so again we the rent um was increased in
2015 from $50 to $500 so for for the
past 9 years it's been
$500 um we have are paying paying
increased fees to the city of M to the
town of Nuna and so my I'm putting forth
that we increase the rent at this
particular facility we talked about um
different amounts so you've read
everything you're seeing the pictures
before
you
and so it's up for discussion and I did
originally ask that we minimally double
it so that can that's where I'll start
with that
Mr chair um just for reference points
for for 2016 I think was the last formal
agreement oh yes thank you for that for
that and uh looking at the Bureau of
Labor Statistics uh CPI calculator from
216 to uh 216 to today that would make
it
$654 if you want to go back a little
further back to 2 2020 that would be
$716 I just throw those figures out
there for the uh just for discussion
purpos but just throwing you out 716 for
if you go back to
2020 and that's according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics based on $500 going
back in 2020 so there's nothing that
brings us up to 23 at
least 20 no 2020 is the base I went back
as far as 2020 and bringing
$500 all right went back to 2020 and how
much is that again um
$716 if we we use 2020 as the base year
um at $500 okay and bringing it up to
the present for
2023 you're basing and finding on the
CPI yes within those um given years yes
from 2020 to 20
2024
um looking at those picture that we got
over the weekend are we to do some
repair or should we be doing some excuse
me that's let me correct myself that was
2 210 not 2020 210 2 so we 216 is
654 2010 is 716 if we go back so using
2010 is the base
year there was a to do some of the stair
work uh that was A4 of a million
dollar that came in we did not move
ahead on that uh probably some code
issues and other remedial action bring
up compliance that uh would uh be
significant investments in that facility
in the city's
perspective would you like you want to
come up here than sure I but the mayor
said it wasn't 250,000 was 400,000 the
bid for his stairs yes that was in our
in the budget yeah
400,000 I was only you do half every
other
step he's smiling
over go ahead please I'm wondering how
much um we would need to pay a caretaker
to come in if Mr Lon was to um not be
residing there there and doing other
things that he does outside of his job
responsibilities well it would be
whether we brought a term
caraker if I assigned other city workers
to do that covered under collective
bargaining agreement would depend on
what the worker is if you went out and
hired a independent contractor that
would be something else it's another
requirement to have someone living there
who is in the l department as part of
the cic
LIC
waterer
well some stuff you're getting into now
that is structure this defin as part of
our critical infrastructure and would
not continue that discussion in public
session okay any other discussion go
ahead please I would say based on the memorandum that I had a chance to
review and thank you to miss m and her
assessor's office for compiling
information I I'm not a landlord nor do
I have any Li rental properties but one
thing that I'm aware of is you should at
least try to recuperate some some cost
in factor in uh preventive maintenance
which it appears has not been uh
conducted uh there are some issues that
were cited I don't think we need to go
into any uh
details um but in the report it clearly
outlines that there was some work to
include some Services recently rendered
and My worry is in addition to having a
severity subsidized rent that is an
additional expense that the city is
taking on to maintain this property uh
so I'm weary of keeping it at its
current rate um but definitely the her
account suggests that an increase is
necessary I'm sorry did you say that did
you say that you think that Miss
melroy's account is suggesting that an
increase is necessary how else will we
pay for it
the small increase I
think I'm not really
see last Parra it says if an increase is
necessary though is what I'm trying to
say Mr go ahead please so I guess you're
just implying just if we are already
offering the rent at a severely low rate
absorbing the additional expenses to
maintain the property I think is in
excess of the the the lease as it was PR
previously stated that is no longer
existent so it's just the the expense of
us having to maintain it and then offer
it at a severely low rate it is I think
there are two different considerations
that the state is making at this
point go ahead please so and and right
now just so everyone's clear there is no
current signed lease agreement is that
correct that is
correct so what I mean what we can do
here what I recommend is that once you
come to an agreement as to the rental
amount we'll do a you'll we'll do a
Resolute you'll do a resolution author
you authorizing the mayor enter into a
contract for a year we do this on a
yearly basis um from January 1 to uh the
end of this year for whatever the rental
amount you want and that each year um as
the end of the year goes through and it
also coincides with the budget year um
that uh police will come for renewal at
that time so it's brought before
you on a yearly
basis go ahead please and then just to
just expand um looking through the
pictures I think it's important to also
reflect where if we're looking
thereafter this individual's tendency uh
ceases or um this individual moves on
what is the cost of renovating this
property
which is why I truly think and I don't
know if we need to go into executive
session to have that discussion of an
individual being on premises but I
really think we need to start steering
towards the route of is there an ability
to incorporate like technological
assist go ahead did you I'm sorry I just
saw your there's currently
Miss I do have a question
yeah thank you uh there's currently
controls in place so that a a actual
person doesn't have to be there for
those things but if you noticed one of
the photos there's a sump pump in the
basement and that needs to continually
run because of the amount of the sheer
amount of water that's I mean I didn't
even go down I took pictures it didn't
go down into the basement because
there's just and um I one thing I I
didn't put in there and I apologize Mr
lefon has told me that that he's had to
replace that pump three times for the
amount of time that it has to run um to
get the water out of the the lower level
there it you know between the Heat that
has to be on in the building to keep the
pipes warm and also the um the amount of
water that just exists in there they
that the mold was an issue so it's um I
don't know I guess it's just it's having
those redundancies of having someone you
know Che at least checking on that you
know so it would require someone to go
up there every day to make sure
especially we have a year where you know
this year we didn't have a whole lot of
runoff because we didn't have a lot of
snow but as you can see in one of the
photos the whole area above the
reservoir it's just
puddles Tesla who's got the they've got
all the solar field up there they have
to bring in a special piece of equipment
to run through the solar fields to M
Lawn and you know I mean and they can't mow the lawn in the area
where all that water is it's just you
know and it's it's rough
so go ahead please um so you're saying
the building would have to be heated
even if someone did not look correct oh
yeah for
sure I I have a recommendation I think
I'd rather present in executive session
so what would that
be okay I mean I mean this is this is a
rental of property that's it's unlike
our other Sal gu relates to the
individual that's living there um
specifically so um in terms of timing of
raising the
rent mean you have to be I think to
justify your executive session let's see
yeah is it personel if someone was I
think it is Personnel um related in
terms of
um well long would we just talk about
the rental and and and put the rent put
the person aside look at the look at the
rental how much you've got the
information from our City Assessor you
got a framework of some CPI information
you've got the report before you um and
what functions still have to be done
physically at the at the location so um
it's you know put up a figure and then
um come up to that figure make a
resolution and then we will formulate a
uh a new lease based on that information
and we'll present it to the employee and
we'll take it from there
okay go ahead so I I you know again I I
wasn't in favor of raising the rent
again um but if we have to do a little
something I'd be in favor of a $50 a
month rental
increase go ahead please first of all I
want to point out that the duties um
that are supposed to be done by the
tenant are either weekly monthly or
semiannually so it's not the according
to the lease that we currently have the
last one we had that's what it speaks to
so these are not daily um events that
need to happen so I just want to point
that out and also Mr O'Brien has given
us information on what what would be uh
a reasonable rent based on um the CPI so
I'm more in favor of going towards that
um 2 716 is interesting amount so 725
just for
around that so that's
a I just throw that out there
well it's it's it's not a thousand
but that's W be
reasonable oh okay s so so um I just
would like to kind of add in that you
know based on the information that we've
gotten including the pictures this is
definitely no mansion that we're talking
about here and and I think that if we're
going to
increase uh the rent then we have to
take into consideration that this is not
again it's not a fair market situation
where someone moves out and then you
know we have you know people who are
interested in moving right in so just
taking that into consideration I think
that uh Fair way to if we were going to have
increase would be based on the
information that was provided by
Corporation
Council any other
question I I just want to address
something in the letter here that talks
about um some of the items that we need
to some of the some of the items that
needs to get addressed I would like to
see that we take that into consideration
and also um get this apartment or build
building off to code if we're going to
be renting it
I I'm supportive of rent increase but at
the same time we need to be good man on
and fix this apartment so it become
liveable because we have seen in the
picture here some of these things that
needs to be addressed and it needs to be
addressed as you know
as early as we
can go ahead please um I expressed that
I did not think that we should be
increasing the rent in the middle of
someone's tenure um based on I know we
don't have the old agreement but I do
want to say that obviously it's sort of
changing the parameters of what someone
has been doing in the middle of this
person's you know I shouldn't say in the
middle of his employment but uh you know
since since he started as opposed to
having a letter of agreement that you
give to a new person um when they start
to uh say so I I would definitely say
that we need to be making now looking at
these photos that we should be
regardless of what happens from this
discussion tonight we should be trying
to fix this place up if we're expecting
somebody to live there whether it's the
current tenant or a future tenant um So
that obviously would again I mean I
would think that that's quite an that's
going to be an expense um that the city
really needs to absorb I don't think it
would penalize the tenant um based on
something that clearly hasn't been done
you know for years um
so it's well I mean it's liveable
currently because the person is actually
living there so we just need to do our
due diligence and fix whatever needs to
get fixed forward but at the same time
he's occupying that space so it's
something that he is enjoying at the
moment he's paying $500 mon per month
and know we here considering an increase
I I think you covered I was going to say
no matter what way we decide to go with
this we clearly need to uh bring that
building up the code yes
yeah so I just want to point out the
only way we would know it wasn't is that
individual living told us the landlord
that it wasn't so we're this is the
first time that I'm hearing that it is
not to code we know have known that
before so can I just U make a comment I
want to CAU I I app while I appreciate
the discussion there's just certain
things there's the spaces limited you're
talking about a brick building that's
three floors it's basically this it's
not like you can add space to the the functional obsolesence of the
bathroom or the um functional
obsolesence of the bedrooms there you
there's really not more than a bed and a
bedside table that's able to be in the
and you can't increase the space because
of the structure so it's just I I think
some of those things I I point those out
because that does have an effect on
marketability if you were to bring
someone else in um thanks Mr Harley for
you know I just I guess I I I want to be
cautious about those things because you
can't change what's already there as a
footprint I think really what we're
talking about though is like the um
appliances and kind things those kind of
things and the paint and all that stuff
those are things that we need to be
addressed yeah okay thank you I just
want to say that
I think there's a lot that has to be
addressed looking at these photos I mean
on the exterior of the building interior
of the building you can see that it's
wellmaintained and you know it's so tiny
but um it's the other photos that really
I mean the basement is
just horrific I mean I wouldn't even go
down there you know I mean I wouldn't
even it was nice it was great to see I
mean it was another another cool
building to see that we own
I think that we oh I'm sorry go ahead
please I think that we had to just make
sure that we're the other parts of the
building that the operational part
separate look at that separate and apart
and there's definitely things that need
to be done but I think that we need to
keep it separate and apart because we
definitely have to address it and as we
discuss the rent in the living
space um
I I want to make a suggestion that we um
we increase the rent to
$700 and revisit this next year after
the and many of the items is fixed by
the city and then we can the next year
the lease come for Renewal next year so
I'm suggest that we move forward with
700 now and revisit next year after we
have fixed these things because we need
to fix them because we cannot have these
things in clear in black and white here
and we're not addressing it it was
brought to our attention last week and
it needs to be addressed because this
individual is living there and he's
paying rent and we should be as good
Landmark fixing the apartment to make it
liveable for that individual despite the
fact that if he's working here and as
part of his
agreement it should be up to standard I
mean Code
Compliance and I you say a point of
clarification I just I I don't agree
that just because there's a lack of an
agreement means the city's taxpayers
should have to feel the entire
Renovations for that property I know we
were talking about numbers and they were
arbitrary until we had the report thank
you again um but I would be willing to
support the
$700 so we will have to move forward
with um enter into an agreement a lease
agreement and the rental increase yes so
it's a motion to it's a motion for a
resolution uh calling for a uh the
rental amount to be $700 from what I'm
hearing $700
and to be set forth in an agreement uh that will expire at the end of this
year and that uh obviously when it
expires we can check in on what's going
on at that building at the end of the
year go so are are you saying that the
apartment is not up to code there's code
violations happening right now in that
in the apartment part
of I don't think it's code violation
there stuff that was brought up to our
attention needs to get fixed is it
considered quote quote violation we
don't know that's unfortunately I can't
speak to that what needs to be fixed the
oven door it's all
here
so before we did any rental increase I
would suggest that we fix whatever needs
to be fixed that's listed
there that's what we gave you know
that's why well if if the count
assessment to look at it if the council
wants to move forward with a resolution
authorizing that agreement for
$700 then we can um move forward with
that and we'll start drafting the
agreement we'll do we'll be a resolution
regarding that amount on in the next
meeting regarding the work that has to
be done that can be done separately
administrative F that can be done
separately but
um it's what you want as far as a
resolution for the amount and then we
can to draft draft a new agreement
basically along the same terms but just
a different rental
amount right is that what I'm hearing Mr
chairman right yes that is that is
correct
okay well I I I think for my the benefit
of have the Mr F live there name oh the
tenant the tenant live there um is a
large benefit to the city uh looking at
some of the issues pointed out in this
report concern me and I would like to
see those issues addressed prior to Us
increasing the rent I think generating
an additional $200 a
month um really does not a whole lot to
raise revenue for us but having it
occupied by someone who has been you
know been a caretaker and it says in a
report has to also be a certify a New
York state licensed water operator to
have a person like that on site is a
valuable asset to the city and I don't
know that I would want to move the
agreement unless um until we we made
some repairs to the place and um made it
a little bit more appealing for someone
to deide
there oh go ahead go ahead go
ahead so I would say to that question in
response I would say part of his duties
I would say a large part of his duty was
to maintain that property
correct so I would say if we are now
finding these grievances I would say
there is a potential for lack of better
words and
neglect as these issues weren't
presented Us in due time to fix them so
I think there is an importance to
identify there is a shared
responsibility um but definitely if it
was not for this conversation when if
would we be would have been made aware
of these issues in the
building do do we know if they were made
aware to maybe not to us but anyone
else whether they were addressed or not
or C someone's attention or not but I
take for lack of consideration they
should have came from the individual
who's supposed to be the custodian of
the property quite I'm saying is do we
know if that ever happened did you he
anything I do yeah well I mean clearly I
think if if the if the tenant came
forward with the need for new stairs
there there were I mean I to me that was
the biggest concern is the stairs and
the drainage there just given the runoff
that comes down the stairs so I I feel
like that was I don't know sorry to whom
it was made known but it was something
that was discussed as a budgetary item
so go ahead so the stairs were addressed
in the budget that's clear but again
we're looking at the living space and so
I what I'm understanding is being is
that the things that are lacking in the
living space we were not made aware of
which is now Mr moodar saying we need to
bring those things up so I don't know
mayor if you could speak to that if
there's any if that was ever made aware
to my knowledge this is the first time
it's come before the council in terms of
the living space needing an upgrade I
agree with that Madam president again
those particular items are the first
time that I've become aware of it most
of those I think could be remediated
within a 30 or 60-day period and uh
brought to a level that everybody would
be happy with and I don't
know quite what some of the expenses
would be with some of those
things that's agre these are small
ticket items that can be addressed and
make it liveable without any um
concerns any other questions or
[Music]
comments see we're moving a motion to to
increase the rent to $700 on aoriz the
mayor to enter into a lease agreement
with the
tenant that motion is on the table so
move second I'm going to Second it all
in favor i i n do we still need to go in
executive session no no
you
um there the next item is amending the
board of assessment review ordinance
regarding pay to board members who's
going to take that I'm going to and Miss
maoy is going to okay um so as you may
remember a few meetings ago Miss maoy
came to us and I think it was going bud
SE that um that the board members of the
board of assessment review are
compensated for their time to do this
and um part of their compensation the
requirement is that they attend all
meetings the grievance day as well as
meetings that follow up and um there may
have been an individual
that wasn't like making all of the
meetings so the question became how do
we fairly
compensate so because for those who are
attending all parts of it and and
someone who may uh not be attending all
of it still be compensated in the same
way so U Miss maroy uh brought it
forward that perhaps that's something we
should discuss and um as it says in the
legislative request the only thing that
it says in the um code is that we could
do compensation it doesn't speak to the
amount it doesn't speak to the meth
methodology or anything like that um so
did you want to talk more about that
sure so we have a five member board
Quorum is three members um last year we
had one person who didn't come to
grievance day and so there was some
suggestion by other members of the board
um and by myself that you know we don't have much accountability for
that um and we still pay this individual
the full amount even though the majority
of the work that was done is on
grievance day for 11 hours it's a long
day to to sit and and you know hear the
taxpayers come in and our property
owners come in and talk about their
properties so now we have had a
reduction over the past you know 10
years that I've been here um in the
amount of grievances but they're no less
important to um the the function of the
city so um it just it was more of an
idea of how can we go forward with some
kind of accountability for the
responsibilities um for the board so
that was that was my concern and we
couldn't do anything last year because
we hadn't talked about it and given what
is in city code already um so I had been
speaking with Mr O'Brien and we talked
about maybe a possible um meeting
halfway of of some form of
accountability yes M I can speak on that
Mr chairman I I suggested that that
since the city council appoints the
members to the board you also have the
power to to remove individuals from the
board so upon an individual's
appointment um they signed an
acknowledgement um stating in part that
the board of assessment review is
important to the property owners of the
city of skincity by accepting thiso I
accepting the appointment to the city of
SKC Board of assessment review I agree
to attend all uh meetings deliberations
and mandatory trainings unless excuse by
the city assess it failure to do so on
my part may result in my removal from
the board of assessment review it's an
acknowledgment of what their duties if
they're accepting that appointment they
understand what the terms and conditions
are that they are to go to the meetings
and the deliberations and any sort of
State mandated trainings and that the
failure to do so unless properly excused
by the City Assessor may lead to their
removal and under the city code
you have uh the the power to remove an
individual after giving them an
opportunity to be heard so it is a way
to we can do this by resolution I'll put
that words that I just sold you into a
resolution that and then inform form
once the individuals are appointed or
reappointed they sign that
acknowledgement that's my
suggestion do we need public call for
public because it's a resolu you're
working within the scope of of the
ordinance itself you're not you're not
amending the code and it's more of the setting the the rules within the
code of what you expect of your
appointees go so are you suggesting that
if someone calls the assessor or
whomever they report to and say I can't
make it for this many meetings because
they called they no if
do it's it's it's something to be made
aware of and then something I'm sure
that you the the assessor would bring to
your attention and then we would revisit
that issue the idea is that they're
acknowledging that they have to attend
those meetings do those deliberations
attend that mandatory training and that
if they don't do that they're not
excused by the the assessor saying hey
something came up I can't make that
hearing or I can't make that training
that weekend
then the assessor can bring that to your
attention and you
can investigate that or look at that any
further can than amending can I speak to
that for just a moment there's really
there I mean this there's one day a year
where they're expected to be there so in
the the case of last year we had no idea
the person they just didn't show up
there was no call made there was no so
that was the concern that we had no way
of I mean it was more of a we were
worried quite quite honestly you know I
mean that that we hadn't heard from this
person and and they weren't um coming to
grievance say uh so it was you know it's that but there was also someone who
couldn't make it to some of the
deliberations and there was a medical
concern for them and that you know I
mean that to me is is a very high
priority they need to take care of
themselves you know even though this
responsibility is important um they need
to be there to to they need to do what
they need to do to get better um so
there's it's just more of a there's I
think we all can understand there's
certain levels of things that take
priority
um over you know the importance of
grievance day but you know your personal
safety is important so in this LR here
it's mentioned that um you should
provide compensation B based on
attendance what is your recommendation
to that in terms of how do we compensate
someone for example they're there 10
hours 11 hours and don't show for like 4
hours sure and my thought was to do kind
of an hour hourly you know unless
something is changed so the budget is
reduced the board of assessment review
in 200 I believe it was either eight or
nine the budget was changed from my
actual assessment budget to have its own
budget so unless that's reduced you know
take the current scale that's there and
make it an hourly thing so forever you
know for whatever hours you're able to
make it and I guess I would say with an
excuse or not but I'm not I just I I
don't I don't have a feeling either way
it was more the accountability piece to
me that your your main respons
responsibility there's one day a year
it's Fourth Tuesday of every may it
never changes so if you can't you know
black that off on your calendar or
remember that you have to be there
that's it's just really it makes it more
difficult for the rest of the members so
how do we address that you would have to
do that by by resolution no you would
have to do that by amending the code
well the what are what's the current
salary
$2,200 $ 3150 for each member and then
the chair receives 3,400 they have some
extra added responsibilities and the
reality is there's like three meetings
so isn't there the first grievance day
some of the review and then they sign
the paperwork M yeah they they have a
mandatory training if they're newly
appointed but most of them will attend
the trainings just to give them a
refresh before
so yeah you know if you knew in advance
you know how many grievances are coming
in how many meetings are going to be
there if you take the $3,100 and say say
each meeting is worth $500
$700 the first day which tends to be the
longest it's worth a little bit more
that give some more and if they don't
show up they don't get paid
for I think we need
to if you're going to do because because
the code the way it's written it say
compensation you do compensation each
year through the the
budget but if you're now going into
going to a deeper dive if you will into
the terms and conditions and I think
that that part of the code would need to
be more fully addressed and put in there
as an hourly rate rather than by
resolution because you're really you're
saying compensation but you're seeing
you're really saying this is worth this x amount of meetings or whatever so
that part of the code we set
compensation would be need to be amended
the what I suggested
is still Council action by resolution
without going through the amending the
code calling for a public hearing and
going through that it's it's those are
you could do it as more informal but
formal through acknowledgement form or
you can set out the the the attendance
if you will via the code not not
discounting what you mentioned can that
be done by a budget amendment a budget
uh
reallocation well the budget amount is
already there move the from one line to
the next line create another
line you discuss well you already have
an allocation where people are going to
be paid from it I would submited part
the city council to term terms and
conditions of employment so that you
could set a daily rate or beating rate I
was trying to see who make it
easy go ahead so I'm what I'm hearing it
seems like there's already some control
in place that really maybe we start by
just you know I mean there's a level of
some level of discussion to the assessor
which I think should remain there and
they are letting us know that there's an
issue and someone you know can't meet
the the the responsibilities and we just
remove them from the board I guess
instead of trying to I I I just don't
know if this seems like it might get a
little convoluted trying to figure out
things looks like scope of what's
already exists we can take some
action I I guess just going forward it
would be helpful cuz I I know um what Mr
O'Brien said that for newly appointed
folks whatever the easiest way going for
it because most of the folks on the
board I think there's only one person
within the next couple of years that's
getting reappointed so how do we make it
easy enough to to Institute now before
we have any more reappointments and
that's and and that that was kind of my
the direction I was going with that um
so I don't know if that how many how
many days do they have to meet is it
they have so there's a training it's
generally about 3 hours with the Albany
County Board of assessment review um and
then there are 11 hours on grievance day
um and then depending on the number of
grievances we have they set one two 3
days for
deliberations um last year we had 40
grievances so I think they met on one
afternoon and they were able to look
through everything they have to look at
every single grievance regardless of
whether someone comes to grievance day
so you know I mean depending on the
number and unfortunately since people
can apply for grievance on that day we
never really have a good idea we always
have some
stragglers um so there's you know I mean
there's a fair number of hours that so
you're looking like about four days
probably give plus the training not not
full you know not full days but um
yeah I have a question so Mr O'Brien am
I understanding correctly that with the
language that you were kind of giv us
earlier that's in the existing in the
code now no it's not that that would be
a new requirement but by resolution they
would require the appointees to sign
that acknowledgement so they're on
notice that they have to attend all
meetings and and the process if they
can't and then putting them on ordus if
they fail to do those meetings
Etc they can be removed by you right and
that's by simple not simple that's by
resolution and and then action can be
taken right and then then then if if
they don't have if they're not not
showing up then uh Miss maroy would make
a report saying this person did not show
up and then it's up to you to have give
them an opportunity to be heard as to
why they didn't show up and then decide
whether to remove them or not you have
that Authority Under the code thank you
any other question a lot of information
here I am I suggesting that we put this
on hold for two week put all this
information in a resolution from The
Corporation Council and come back to us
in 2 weeks with what have been discussed
here as a pathway with working with our
assess if that's not I'm just throwing
that as from what my recommendation
doesn't have to be STI so just so our TR
the first Training Day April 20th so
that's the you know just so you know
we're working with a we're working
within a time frame April 20th is our is
the first day of training um I don't
know Mr O'Brien if we just put if we
have some place where people just have
to do and do that as quickly as possible
where people would have to sign that
because the way the C code currently
reads it says the city council May
provide May provide that the members of
the board of assessment review and the
clerk of said board shall be paid for
the respective services so it does kind
of speak to pay you for what you do um
for the meetings to hear complaints and
for subsequent adjourned hearings so it
speaks to the fact that we're paying you
for what you do so I don't know if we
can just expand the language to break it
down so basically to say if you CH it a
hearing um grievance day and he's
shaking his head maybe not no I think
that you're really getting into a real
particulars of how much you're you're really saying x amount is
that you're you're it says you have that
Authority but but now you're you're
going further and defining what at that
hours are going forward you know and uh
and once again if if if you're going to
amend the code you're going to have to
go through a public hearing and it
just putting it up forth
so don't okay so I'm just suggesting so
I would suggest that we put via
resolution um the add the language that
is going to with um this is what you
know their expectation is for the city
council and for cessor and if someone
cannot make it they let you know why if
there's um you know you obviously use
your judgment your uh discretion around
that let us know and if somebody's
unable to meet the terms of the
agreement then we just remove them I
feel like that's the cleanest way to do
it instead of getting into I just think
we might get too bogged down in the
weeds a little bit should Point not but
should we consider also the the
compensation in terms of doing be a
hourly rate or should we just divided
based on the M recommendation divided by
the days average four days but yeah I
mean it's because it's not full day it's
just it's hard to I I mean point taken
like I I think you could do it that way
and you could just look at what the
responsibilities are you know I don't I
guess that's not so much of a concern to
me as it is just making sure we have
that that
accountability go ahead please and just
a simple question M I don't know if we
asked this or if you plainly answered it
but in the recommendation from Mr
O'Brien is that a capacity you feel
comfortable functioning within sure
absolutely thank you yeah I mean I I
would defer to the the
legal um
it's that's what we have here what what
you can do is do because we're dealing
with a short period of time yes so we
can do a resolution with the wording
that I
suggested and
then at a later date once we get through
the the agree you know the assessment
review period revisit the issue and see
if you want to amend the code to do a
breakdown
because we another thing with the code
is you're dealing with how many days are
you right now it's not that many days
but in the future it may be and that
that's the whole thing but once it's put
into that code then it becomes more
difficult to change and at some point
there may be
a a larger case load so it's something
to keep in mind so in the short term by
resolution with an acknowledgement and
then revisit this at a later date
sometime this year after the the the
grievance period is over we can uh you
will have a little bit more time to kind
of sort through this okay those are
suggestions are we comfortable to move
that motion based on legal advice from
Mr Brian yes so I have a motion to move
that second all in favor I thank you all for your consideration
thank you I'll prepare that resolution
with the language that I indicated and
that you will have it on Monday night
thank you sir but you'll have it to
miss okay earlier thank
you
okay the next item is a reminder for the
Central Park sidewalk Improvement uh
we're calling for another public hearing
regarding conceptd a good public hearing
is scheduled for April 8th next Monday 7
p.m. to discuss um concept B any
question on
this any other business for
finance may have a motion toin second
all in favor I at this time I like to
call order government operations we have
one item on the agenda um there
discussion around appointment to the
residency board and Madame President
thank you so um it's we have a residency
board and the board has not met and
there's no it's not convene it does
can't convene because there is uh
there's no members right now so um along
with some other boards that we probably
need to take a look at um and so it's
under chapter 87 of the um of the code
and um so I was just actually was
brought to my attention God bless you by
a council member that
um that this is something that we should
be taking a look at as we um as we look
at new employees uh it already speaks to
the firefighters and the police and all
of that so that's not one of concerns a
part of this and so if um Mr Farley did
you want to speak to that in terms of oh
well I well I think part of um and I
don't know if this um Falls with within
the scope of The Residency board but if
not just something that you know we as a council should be keeping in the
Forefront of our mind is how do we you
know encourage incentivize and maybe
think a little more creatively to
um have people that are employees of the
city live in the city right and I know
that there's you know some contractual
things with our law enforcement and Fir
Fighters um but even there I mean like
is there you know I I welcome anyone to
kind of help us Problem Solver maybe
just use our imagination to see how we
can maybe be a little Innovative to
encourage people to um actually purchase
homes within the city because what's end
up happening is that we're paying a lot
of money out um and that money is going
to to support other municipalities when
connected these a pretty great place to
live right here so how do we how do we
encourage that um I just think that's
something that should be in the
Forefront of line thank you and another
function of the board is if there are
individuals who do work for this the
city um and do not live in the city um
and upon request of the mayor we would
give them a waiver annually um to that
to the
employee I think that that's really
important because sometimes we're
looking for people with a very
specialized skill set and if they and if
you know we need to look outside the
city for that then I want us to be able
to do so so I think that that's really
important but I think those who are um
gainfully employed by the city even
those who um have you know
different contractual agreements with
the city I think that we should just be
thinking if not Way by um mandating how
you know is there is there something
within our purview that we can make it
more attractive for people to um take
root here in the
city so um we just wanted to start bring
this forward because we are going to
look at making appointments to the board
and just um based on the last um the
last time it looks like in the cold the board's five members one member um
to be the mayor of the city's connected
or his or his appointee one by the
Corporation Council and then three
members appointed by the council
president I also did want to say that um
the school district it's been very very
informal conversations had wanted to
talk about is there's some way that we
could incentivize having people who work
for the school district to to live
within the city so I don't know really
informal just really informal
discussions but I just I want to bring
that forward just to um
to make you aware that there are
individuals who work within parts of our
city who are interested in being
residents of the city as well this code
would not apply to them because they
don't work for the city per se however
they employ by the school district so I
would ask that each of you um and we can
have Miss Mike who send it out look at
article um 87- 6.1 about the residency
requirements so we can have further
discussion and start to um begin to
convene the vot also there's other oh
there's other municipalities like where
people there's certain incentives for
like First Responders and and things of
that nature so I just again let's not F
our limitations just see what you know
what we can come up
with so uh with respect to Mr tur's
concerns about um open availability for
every member to submit applicants are we
safe to say you're seeking to appoint
individuals to this support at this
present time well the board has to be we
have to have a board in order for it to
function so yeah I think that that the
code States right now that that is in
the uh fors within the wellhouse of our
city council Council pres it's it's very
specific it's the mayor Corporation
councel and the council president it's
very specific who makes the appointments
in this particular the other
appointments have been made are by
Council resolution these appointments
are solely by the city council
[Music]
president it's also very specific they
serve for onee term so to expire those
right but certainly I'm open to people
that you may want to bring
forward um they' have to live in the
city
though I just understand did you say
that there are people on it now that do
not live in the city no oh okay sorry I
didn't know I didn't know what oh I see
okay I misunderstood the that there is
no board I mean the board is there but
it's really there was no members at the
board
right
okay okay any other questions about that
prise that's for you not me yeah I was
with you I appreci Teamwork Makes the
DreamWork here okay so uh any more
questions comment anything around that
so just just clarification you're
looking to go ahead and pull this this
forward
yes and I want members to look at what
the requirements are and then if they
have names they want to bring forward
yes okay now I understood you're asking
us something despite fact that you have
the appointment well would you consider
oh I would absolutely I would consider
all right thank you thank you for the I
don't know everyone I know many people
but I don't know everyone and and and
more homework is uh to think about how
we can incentivize people who are not
even mandated uh for their contract to
live in the city but and and let's look
to see if there ways we can incentivize
people to to live here um and there's
again there's some different models
other places um where it's like First
Responders things of that nature so I
just like us to think think about that
okay and any more questions comments on
that obnoxious statements no okay um at
that point i'
like Mo to motion to adour government
operation
second all those in favor
I I'd like to call the or City
development and planning we have 11
items on the agenda and first we will
invite Miss Carver up to give us a
follow up on the
art good evening Council mayor
the highly anticipated moment of ARA
followup we've come a long way these
last seven months if you take a look at
the one pager that has been provided to
you since we last met Coco House bcni
Hamilton Hill project and YWCA contracts
have been approved um by the mayor and
are in the hands of our
subrecipients that will complete uh 98%
of our off the contracts being executed
once Reed
um I'll take donations
after we have we have Electric City
Co-Op who their 4month extension um was
approved and right now in the hands of
city council is Miracle on CRA which we
received we're they're still pending the
um organization to be legally
established um the Empowerment Center um
there were we receiv received the
updated proposal um from Ron Gardner to
support the miracle and Craig project
and the Dory we received the updated
budget to reflect the Ben um the the
finge benefits so that is our update on
Ara um I I wanted to suggest that the
three the three that uh Miss Carver just
mentioned the Carver the Empowerment
Center and Derby seem to be somewhat
tied together and um so I'm recommending
that we do what we did well before and
have a special meeting of just arer so
we could just hash that out cuz that
seems like that's all that's needed to
complete your work is that correct that
is correct so um you know these meetings
tend to have a lot of things but um to
me it makes sense for us to have a
meeting that is solely dedicated to
completing that task and getting it done
sure I know that Miss Carver and is
out of the office next week yes so it
would be have to be after next week but
I'm open up to the council for
discussion that we do that so we can get
this completed um and only discuss those
items and have her here to answer any
questions or concerns that we may have
and also probably make sure that all we
have all the financial information that
we need as well at that
time yes Mr Williams so and I I also
would like to open up for an inclusion
of a topic I know there was comments
about some concerns regarding one
specific organization with the health
and food access I don't know if it's
appropriate could we potentially add
that in and see clarification on whether
that's been remedied I can speak to that
so I actually spoke to Mr Perell and
that has been remedied
perfect could you tell me a little bit
more about that so um I we all got the
email and so I reached out to Mr Caro he
said he'd spoken with the individual
okay um and they work things out and the
individual has actually been coming to
their meetings great so um as far as and
we haven't heard anything more since
then from the individual so Mr Mr uh the
sky Foundation said that they work
through whatever differences there were
and he feels everything is now they're
you know moving forward and there's no
longer a concern from at that
level that's that's great um so does
that include that that organization will
get the funding that they wanted and
that we thought the Sketti Foundation
would give to them as a part of their
arpa um I think they had asked for 1
million 100
100,000,000 for transportation um that
they then would go to various you know
food
providers um who would then issue um as
needed um whether it be Uber or lift or
bus passes or
whatever I don't believe those that was
exactly what was agreed upon okay um one
of the things that the um the
organization that brought forward this
particular proposal M uh for first of
all we didn't as a council say to them
you're getting this money that that was
there was never in in a resolution that
said this particular organization gets
$100,000 that was not part of it what
happened as you remember is that all the
a number of organizations came together
and we placed them together and that the organization as a group that
$950,000 we did not break them out
individually and then it was up to them
to work through that
so okay all right so this um this
organization now is in concerned for the
hungry is now in in conversations and
has been working with the food Council
um to move that forward and additionally
in their um application there was never
they never identified any specific food
pantries that need the service and there
are food pantries that already have and
that was part of my discussion with Mr
Hero that already have transportation so
they're they're working with them so my
understanding is that um they work
through it and they're working together
on that to satisfy that unless someone
has heard differently or heard from the
individual again I as I said to all of
you in my email that I would reach out
to Mr Caro I did I had that conversation
with him and that was the feedback that
I was
[Music]
given yes Muro I I would like to hear
from concern for the hungry that they
would like to take their
application their application you know
um they're not taking it out that's not
what I said I never said that I said
that they were working within the SKC
Foundation right but I'd like to hear
from them that you know they're not
going to come forward
after um you know we award the $950,000
too um you understand what I'm saying
I'd like that I'd like to know that
they're not going to come forward
they've come forward several times in
several different manners and ways with
emails and so i' like to just hear from
concern for the hungry that they're
satisfied with with their ongoing
Communications with this connec
Foundation yes Mr M yeah and follow up
to that can we ask the SK Foundation
exit director to send us an email to
give us an update of where they are in
communication sure with this um agency
because I know we have all received
email back and forth about the concern
from there so I think we just need to
address it and have it in writing not a
problem so that um we're able to
understand how they're moving forward
yeah and I want to lend a point of
clarity we have already granted the
950,000 this is not contingent Upon Us
granting it we've already made the grant
to that particular group that's connect
the foundation is is uh
heading I Mr I would just suggest that
we add that back as an agenda item per
Mr Williams request and then if indeed
things are worked out um between uh the
two uh agencies and or the larger group
of agencies I think things are going
then let need to discuss but at least
this way we have it as a point of
reference if we need to talk about it
and that'll give some time for any um
communication uh for Mr turo to reach
out or you know any council members can
reach out to give me clearity so um well
let's just be clear that like I don't
think the entire Council should um send
that but I'll send an email Mr Carell
and ask all ask him to respond and just
put in writing what's been said if we
get the there should probably be no need
to add it because he I don't think he
would make it
up but just as long as we get clarity on
that point I I think that's I think
that's good I just yes get the wrong
person um I do want to say that the food
Council actually has a CommunityWide
meeting on Wednesday at 6 o' at the mzn
room so we'll hear more about what they
are about and what they're doing um at
that time if anybody's interested in um
attending that meeting it is open to
everyone in the community um and then I know I've
been saying this like a million times
and I'm sorry to keep saying it but if
we could just I really would feel more
comfortable if in the First Column of
this document if we could just add
concern for the hungry in um to that
into that square I'm sorry I know I've
been saying it since we first started
the arer proc process but we do have it
in the third column but I just well
actually even the third column actually
has the Green Market in it as well and
concern for the Hunger yes I know I just
I would say either just leave the First
Column SKC the foundation because that
is who we gave the grant to and take the
other two this is the first time that
I'm hearing this so I don't know what
you did previously councilwoman but I
will do that I will make that change and
not a problem thank you let just sit
with my anal retentiveness to clarify
that are we going to
stop I'll stop saying it it's pass it
are you saying what time is that meeting
on Wednesday it's at 6 o00 it's at 6 so
our meeting at 5:00 I think well weather
permitting at 5:00 weather
permitting M car was there anything more
that you need to add
after
98% yes applaudes definitely
uh take
another I'll be I'll still I'll be at
training um but before Miss Carver um
leaves does anyone have any other
questions for her all right so I'll send
out an email so we can set up a date for
a meeting so um staff can be present and
then we'll move forward like that okay
all right unless anyone has a a reason
that they don't want to meet in that
format all right thank you very much
you're welcome oh and stand right there
item number two is um historic
commission
changes so we have supplied with you
some proposed changes to the city code
AS it relates to the historic district
um the city of ski has always been a
leader in historic preservation since
our creation of the first historic
district preservation law to protect The
Stockade historic district as our city
progresses we need to make some updates
to our city f um we've supplied those to
you in advance for your review um I have
Jack um from my team the planner here to
answer any additional questions as he
has spearhead this with the Department
predecessors um the department of
development and planning recommends that
the city council consider the the
updates and do a resolution to De Clare
city council lead agency and also
provide a resolution for a Zone and
coordination referral to scan County
Economic Development and
planning there any questions at this
point M Mr o'ri did you have something
yeah just that the Seeker resolution you
need a Seeker resolution for Monday
night is that is that correct uh
Christine and I did the part one of the
secret this afternoon you'll send that
over to us for the resolution at this
point the ordinance doesn't need to go
before a public hearing at this point
you're just looking for referral at this
point we need the referral referring up
the county for them to take a look at
the the draft that you prepared yeah
okay and
um um we'll do a resolution on that as
well as a formal transmitt to the County
Planning Department so it's formal so we
can go on top of the uh the draft that
you're sending over so it's all together
so there'll be two resolutions so Mr
Brian you're saying for this Monday we
just be having the Seeker for this
Monday you're just going to the Seeker
plus that that would be that's all you
need then and then you need the seeker
and then the you're declaring lead
agency and no adverse in inact and then
a resolu a transmitt lack a better term
a transmitt resolution of the proposed draft changes up to
County planning as well so two
resolutions yes okay yeah so you don't
need the council to take any action
other than that it terms them in draft
yeah this is just at this point it's
just resolutions for the Seeker
designating lead agency it's it's a
non-designated action and then the
transmitt of the draft that you have
going up the County planning for their
review all right so we'll do those two
separate resolutions yes okay thank you
y so so is there anything more I'm sorry
that to just one just this the one point
here to clarify to commission guideline
Authority for adoption of designed
guidelines being drafted can you speak
to exactly where you're looking okay yep
U uh summary of the major mod
modifications and number three okay um I
was just could you just elaborate on
that a little bit as to like what that
just pull it up just
s clarify historic commission guidelines
Authority for adoption of designed
guidelines to be drafted under shipo
Grant accepted by the city council so
the there is there have been historic
district guidelines that have been
prepared in full form um in accordance
with the aforementioned Grant they are
sitting on my desktop right now uh
waiting to be adopted by the historic
commission part of the code changes
reference these code these guidelines
pretty much what the what the guidelines
are going to do is it's going to
streamline the process for the homeowner
for the applicant so that they have a
listed version of exactly what
recommendations are are preferred by the
historic commission already no matter
what the scope of work that they're
doing for their house is so whether it's
roof repairs um walkway repairs whatever
I be those guidelines dictate how the
city and how the historic commission
would like those to take place um
obviously it's Unique to every
circumstance but um you know in regards
to maintaining the historic Integrity of
the House of breaks down the different
regions whether it's the Stockade or the
GE realy plot um it breaks down the
different styles of houses within those
so it makes it a lot more streamlined
for the actual applicant to know what
they should be asking for ahead of time
and these code changes will allow us to
have some sort of authority with those
guidelines so that the commission can
adopt them and roll them
out and then uh the point thereafter of
bullet 4 and the same summary of major
modifications could you talk to um
bullet B the reduction in the number of
Commissioners from 5 to one the main
purpose for this was right now as the
code says there needs to be seven
members um from what I've heard I've
talked with historic Commissioners who
have uh you know been on the commission
for decades and they said that in their
entire time there they've never had a
full Board of seven members um I I will
note that the historic commission
originally they voted to recommend to
you all the full adoption of these draft
changes and their following meeting they
uh rescinded that portion of the
recommendation so they would like to
keep at seven members um in discussions
with Alex um the Department's
recommendation is to to lower it down to
five for these Quorum reasons just last
you know Thursday we were supposed to
have a meeting that we had to cancel
because of Quorum issues um it it it
happens more frequently than it should
and it's not only a burden to me who has
to reschedule the whole thing refer into
the 10 individual applicants who were
supposed to make their necessary house
repairs last Thursday and have to get
postponed another week
um you know if if we were consistently
able to reach seven I don't think it'd
be as much of an issue but you know like
I said from from the conversations I've
had with them seven has never been
attained in decades so my recommendation
was to lower to five are there currently
five people sitting now there's
currently five um my hope is to get an
alternate because although this would make it so that the Quorum
would be three um but I I would still
prefer to have an alternate who would
fill in um in case a member was was
absent I think maybe twice in the time
that I've been here we've had a full
five person board which is crazy um so
to have an alternate would would give a
lot more leniency to folks because right
now if one person's missing and we have
four people that's a quorum in it of
itself so we need unanimous votes to
pass anything
um it makes it quite
difficult okay both hands went up both
hands went down do you have a question
Miss Patrick I I do so the folks that
are on it currently are there are there
what's the word I'm looking for are
there terms of service I mean you're
saying that the same five people have
been on for the same no not the same
five people have been on for a while
some of the people have been on for long
extended periods of time the the chair
of the commission is Pat Jer she's been
on for a very long time she was one of
the ones who told me that she you know
it's been very difficult for them to
reach that seven member uh maximum for
the
board just thinking about it okay we
just had a new member added uh May
McCarthy appointed a new member this
past summer so we have some newer
members but you know as with all of our
L boards some of them have been on for
extended periods of time which is a good
thing they provide a lot of
expertise Mr uh in in uh kind with Mr
O'Brien who I feel like BRS the line
really well all the time any opposition
to adding another alternate to kind of
as a concession or do you think there's
no validity in that was there opposition
to adding an alternate oh no I was
asking the the the commission said that
they were pushing back and res sended
saying that they were like to keep it at
they wanted to have it they wanted to
have the alternate regardless of how
many Commissioners on there they at
first it's funny because the first time
I brought it to them they approved
having five members but didn't want the
alternate and then they came back the
next month and they said no we want
seven but we want the alternate no
matter what so they kind of flip flopped
their position there I think the
alternate um is definitely one there's a
very large and dedicated group of people
with the historic commiss with the
historic preservation within the city
yes um and I think having it alling out
on a part-time basis is is something
that would be attainable and beneficial
thank you so currently the code speaks
to having five so we have to do a um
code and have a seven speaks to seven so
we have to do public hearing and all
that to change all that for
[Applause]
code yes Mr the public hearing will be
after we get the comments back from our
the County planning and then you'll have
the public go forward with with a public
hearing and the revisions to the
ordinance
okay any other questions there a lot to
go through it is a lot to go through so
you have
time uh so first I would entertain a
motion to declare connect the as the
lead Agency for the Seeker so
move second all those in favor and the
second motion is to
refer see just refer this to the um
County the yes to the County Planning
Department the zoning and historic
district okay so
amendments make you pardon the zoning
and the zoning count the zoning
amendments up to the
county
is move by Mr M second all in
favor okay thank you very much your
time uh the next item is update on
Zoning for smoke and vape shop and I'd
like Mr o'ban to speak for this thank
you madam president uh it's part of your
packet this past week you got a draft
ordinance uh there'll be a new section
to the uh added to our zoning code and
this is the uh pursuant to the uh
moratorium that you proposed a month or
so ago and putting regarding smoke shops
Fage shops Etc what this is is a that
section that zoning change is uh put
into the uh into the code there'll be a
new section within the zoning code so
everything you see is underlined MH um
you'll notice in locations that some
areas are
highlighted um but that the uh as
written the the highlighted areas
indicate commercial areas and those are
defined I just add to those for your
reference at the end but
residential residential areas that they
would not be allowed um and then those
additional areas those commercial areas
C1 C2 and C5 you could add those uh if
you wish to not allow them in those
areas either and then looking at
restrictions on locations as of right we
have them just in the industrial zones
which are M1 and
M2 that but if you decide to put them in
the other commercial zones as defined
that the the applicant would have to do
it by via special use permit and go
before the planning commission to get a
uh uh a site uh special use permit
issued which could always add any sort
of conditions to the site plan and
you'll understand that also within that
particular section
has foot radi uh limits Etc and then
some particulars regarding signage
regarding the type of signage that's
allowed so uh this this uh draft
ordinance is is uh based as part on uh
the town of babylon's on Long Island's
coordinance with which there's yaling
with this issue so that's where a lot of
this language comes from and then uh
some other definitions Etc came from
other locations uh City of Buffalo
regarding signage in
particular
so what you can as you go through this
you
can um
as you know there's a June 10th uh
moratorium deadline and so for
discussion purposes I'm making this a
working draft for you to take a look at
and what I'm suggesting is is is this um
if you want to limit the areas in which
these are operating commercial areas
right uh you can put them as in the
respective
zones uh and then I can amend the code
amend the draft accordingly okay and
then we can put this out for a public
hearing resolution for next week because
as you know you have to have the
resolution first for the public hearing
and then the public hearing would be the
22nd of of of of April which begins
putting you know bumping up against that
deadline of June 10th and then you would
go through another committee cycle to
deal with
the any uh amendments you want to do
changes Etc or comments from the public
so what I'm suggesting just to move this
process
along
is uh I have a resolution on the draft
public hear on the draft
ordinance have
that get the comments back and then
after the the public hearing revisit the
issue and have a further discussion on
it it's just a way of moving moving the
process forward and you know alternative
we can you can look at it
tonight digest it m put it off for two
weeks um and then have the public you
know resolution calling for the public
hearing at
a on the 22nd but the resolution for the
public hearing would be in your meeting
in May so may so it just it just uh it's
just dealing with the time frames that
you have and uh I know I it was
the short because of the short time
frame and concern I wanted to get
something before you to start thinking
about it and what you want to do well I
appreciate that because we have been
talking about this since last year so
you know we're into the fourth month of
the new year so I appreciate you um
helping to to get this done and and
moving it Forward I did want to point
out the fact that I've noticed that
there's a couple of things added now
that we hadn't talked about before the
Bap lounges the hookes and The Vape
consumption
businesses so just want everybody know
that we we hadn't talked about that
before but this is something new that
you're added based
on Research which they did is is part of
this whole that's what they did as far
as putting it within um their code they
put these definitions and and within the
smoke shop uh criteria and the City of
Buffalo what they do with their vabe
shops and is is is license them um
that's they don't Zone it they do it
with their license um um but once I if I
recall correctly they may also be
dealing it with hooka lounges Etc so
consumption so it seems to
be it's their group
together oh yes Mr Williams uh I know
previous Corporation Council provided us
like a zon or districting map is that
something you'll be able to replicate I
have a toddler so I love
colors um I'd like to thank the
development staff Jack um you we have a map that we could for right now is the
zones but we don't have
a I I have the previous map that uh that
I made for you guys um this is It's been
altered since now since then um it's
something that we could get fairly
easily yes thank
you anyone else uh Mr tur uh I'm very
pleased with the signage um and the
blinking lights um and everything that
you added there as far as you know 20%
of the windows uh area of the windows
blinking flashing lights fluttering
stroke you know those are all things
that um young adults and children are kind of the signage langage is out
of the city buffal city of Buffalo's
code those that that language right
there is out of Buffalo
I thank you for adding that that's
important and I
gu is there another
question now
I yes um so right now what I'm I'm
looking from the council do you wish to
just I guess the big question is is you
just want them by as by right for for
just in the industrial zones are you
willing consider putting these in other
commercial zones which I defined in the
back which are out of right those are
excerpts out of our city code I just put
those together so they're all
together um that if you decide to put
them in one or all of those other areas
that that would be done by special use
permit in other words in industrial
zones they just can go in there and
these other types of commercial
districts defined here they would need
to go before the Planning Commission is
that something you're agreeable
with agreeable to have the other zones
in other words are there any zones that
you don't want in other words this
neighborhood residential district uh has
defined is intended to accommodate a
small a variety of smallscale retail
businesses offering primarily
convenience shopping for nearby
residential
areas may not want to put it in that one but maybe you want to put it in
C2 mixed use commercial District which
are uh a different it's a it's it's less
residential as you go up the up the
numbers becomes more and more business
and less and less
residential Mr Toro yeah again I'd like
as Mr Williams said I'd like to see this
uh map that uh we all kind of like
worked on and and um according to
development we all kind of agreed on
what areas or districts we would like
them in I agre if I can yes yeah I think
that was dealing with the corridors just
certain corridors for for marijuana
shops this is this this is Citywide this
is this is a
Citywide
uh this is a Citywide looking at the VAP
Vapes and hookah shops and smoke shops
Etc so this is looking at the big
picture not marijuana because of what
the resolution the ordinance uh for for
the
uh the moratorium dealing with smoke
shops and vape shops so this is dealing
with the entire Citywide
so the various Comm there are various
commercial districts across the city and
uh this is where you what type of
commercial districts it's not once again
if you just if you want to say oh no C1
but let's see what C2 C4 looks like put it before as a public
hearing have the public hearing see what
it looks like and and then you'll have a
map we have the map by that time yeah at
the next you know the next cycle after
you have the public hearing then you
have a complete picture yeah I would as to what other areas you know what
where we're talking
about so is your hand up Mr M yes go
ahead so I mean we should consider I
mean we have the M1 M2 which is said
they can just go in and establish a
business uh I think we need some control
so I will recomend that we we keep the
RS and the C1 2 three we we can do four
and five we can add four and five which
is more commercial C4 C5 add that to M1
M2 but the rest we keep that so that it
will have to go before our planning and
zoning and that would be more controlled
right and if they happen to get it the
license permit they will have to buide
by certain rules and regulation as set
out by the
boards so the other thing um
and I you know I'll read through it does
it oh here it is so 100 1,000 ft is um
restriction on the
location yes
okay and is there anything that says
that has to be this or can we even do
this it has to be a certain distance
from another facility that does the same
thing oh I should I was referring to um
page 83 of this under C the restrictions
location yeah yeah what what it is if
you look at see the lot line of any
property exists M shall not ex not be
located when a th000 ft of another legal
hook of VI so it's it's a th000 ft
distance between each one and and the
way and and and significance what how
Babylon amended their measurements is
not from the center of the property but
from the property line from property
line to property line not from the
center of the property they amended
their code code and that reflects that
for for purposes the sub the measuring
points were is from the property line of
the subject property to the property the
other property line so it's not
traditionally used to be plop in the
center and but property line Bas
property line property line okay so so
the lot line of any property wherein
exists any of the you show it's 1,000 ft
between each one a th which is a real
th000 ft yeah okay and it's the radius
not just like the cannabis this has it
has to be in the straight line This is a
1000t radius and yes that one is a
straight lot line but then you look down
it does talk about radius mm it it's
they talk a 2,000 foot radius of school
library church or other place of worship
park playground or playing field so
they they they want more extens you know
dealing with that radius for those types
of uses rather than just
between lounges so they they they took a
much more expansive view for those
particular locations School libraries
Church Etc
so yeah I think we should also be
looking at a tht radius for other
because right now one's around the
corner from you is based on what you're
saying is you want you want to do radius
for that as well is that in terms of
yeah cuz they could be really close to
each other friendly based on that it's
not that far okay we can amend that we
can can add that what's your hand on Mr
oh I have I have a couple of questions
so um that piece uh number three on page
83 um when it says any school would that
mean could that
include schools that might be a dance
school or um you know in other words is
this just a public school or a private
school uh what am I trying to say like a
school I think in a classroom or could
it be like for example a dance studio
which you you know obviously you know
you think about Street deal with Street
yeah I mean you know there's I think
we're talking about the common you know
so can make that more specific I guess
is what I'm suggesting
activities that's a good question yep
what do you call use
activities I don't know I don't know how
to word it
but okay we've got kids going in and out
of these other
schools or establishments I guess I
should say where they're you know being
exposed I'll see what I can do as far as
finding language what you're you're
looking for it's like a youth activity
Etc I think that's I think I think
that's what the intent is because you
look at Park and playground playing
field
yeah when you say you activity you may
want to be specific to like Miss Miss
Patrick is referring to yeah that's you
want to be you don't want to be
generalizer it's going to be kind of
tough kind of narrow now that I don't
know
if can talk with Patrick
yes um and just um youth serving
agencies with that
work M president I'll see what I can do
regarding finding that um it may be a
difficult to get I understand where the
council's coming from but you know to
find you know putting that into legal
definition
do youth might mean I'm not even going
to
say so I
think um but the other thing I uh don't
see in here is um daycare well that's I actually was just thinking that one
that's part like the
schools a daycare is not a school I
think we should be very specific if
we're going to say daycare
whatever else they're calling dayc
carees now yeah I think that's what uh
Miss Patrick is kind of leaning toward
well
agencies I think we can put I think
daycare is easier easier fit to put in
there than you
serving I'm sorry did you have okay Miss
P was there more yeah I just I want to
clarify so are we trying to decide this
evening about this whole M1 m2c whatever
or are we waiting okay
I have some questions about that and
then just refresh my memory we cannot
include Canada shops in for example uh
the B the location piece that's that's
preemption and we can't do that because
of the state right the state is is
involved but there's other controls but
as far as their replacement and once
again the resolution the ordinance that
you all passed was just dealing with
smoke and Bape shops because it it
understood that
the state has a role in deciding of
marijuana the way that the state
dictates it is that all the way that the
state dictates it is that marijuana uses
have to be viewed similarly to alcohol
so if you're selling marijuana consuming
marijuana needs to be viewed the same as
liquor stores bars anything of that sort
so if we were to restrict marijuana in
that way we'd have to do similar
restrictions on alcohol um for better
for worse that that's how the state
dictates that we have to regulate
it still deal with commercial areas like
a liquor store would be in a
commercial Mr mud so what we're
discussing here tonight is are you going
to go and have another Drive prepare for
us but I would like on the
recommendation what if you want to go
with just what you indicated earlier
mron regarding knocking out some of
those C's and just going for the higher
level think there will be we can do that
C4 C5 to can put that into your category
of M1 M2 but all the rest stays there so
we have some sort of a control from our
zoning and planning commission so that
they will determine and you know
stipulate rules and regulation how they
open in these areas if they are granted
formation so I will amend I will amend
it if it's agreeable to the councils to
add C4 and C5 by special use permit they
and for C1 C2 they will not be it's like
a residential district they won't be
allowed in those areas C4 and C5 they
can apply for a special use
permit so I just but I think we need
some clarification what C4 and C5 covers
right now c4 is downtown is intended to
represent the central business district
encourages a mix of commercial Civic
cultural Hospitality use in the
pedestrian friendly
environment and then the C5 this
business is just is intended provide a
choice of locations for retail service
wholesale uses serving a c wide
clientele the district is also intended
to provide locations for small scale
assembly processing and light
manufacturing uses for C4 and C5 yeah
that's C5 so right now your this based
on this you're suggesting that um that
right now it's just C M1 and M2 and then
the other ones have to go for a special
use permit that is correct from starting
from C1 all the way up to C5 no no C1
and C2 will be completely be removed be
removed they'll be okay so you'll take
those out yes they'll be like under B
location C1 and C2 C3 C you know and
just no building that'll be in no
building that that they're going to go
into the complete prohibited and and
then okay gotcha yeah CU see C1 and C2
is more like a mixed use in in
residential resal so it's more of a
controlling it rather than giving them
the go ahead like the sh up Anda get sh
and yeah we can't we can't control what
you're doing
here so at this point in time seems oh
yes Mr Tor um C4 I mean used as a
pedestrian friendly environment so I
guess that's downtown um mhm there a lot
of activities
downtown for Youth and I I guess you
know um prors a lot of restaurants a lot
of family
orientated uh functions that that people
visit so I guess C4 they would have to
get a special use per that's
correct yeah all the rest will have Sor
all the rest would have to go from the
planning you order together that the
rest would just being because it's more
centralized right yes Mr okay so just by
way view be C4 and C5 special use permit
indust and then the two industrial zones
yes and then and the be prohibited in
all those other areas C1 and C2 along
with the residential areas the lot line
will be from the radius from one to the
X the other from a th from the radius
then then again you're talking about
radius you're talking center right I but
so we're doing lot line L lot line is
actually further right oh is it okay
yeah so if you want to keep that I can
keep okay as long as it's further I'm
fine and and that's 2,000 ft is for the
2,000 ft radius is for uh dayc carees
schools libraries churches
Etc and use activities if you can frame
it if I can frame it if I can find it
yes I'll I'll do what I can on
that so um is your recommendation yes Mr
M way back I mean you mentioned that and
I think a lot of concern was raised on
Union Street with regards to that um
yes would that consider youth I'm just throwing that out would
that fall in that category that we
trying to add into US yes because we
don't want to say that yes we're can do
that then it doesn't fall into
that I think it would fall into that I
mean I I'll see what I can do but I
don't make any promises but I think I
can put daycare in there because that's
a
that is not that is not consider dayare
right right no no I want I want to add
daycare and um what we're talking about
here that would be I I don't know how to
work it though um but
I excuse me and we have Miss go ahead no
I'm just saying I think that um if you'd
want help doing research but um you know
their primary audiences at schools like
that are I don't know are young people
um they probably have some adults that
are doing if you think of what is that
one it's um Tao taond do um but so I
don't know how to word it so Mr uh
O'Brien said he's going to try to find
some language that would satisfy that um
so I appreciate that Mr M did you have
can we cons consider I mean if it's it's
a registered school it doesn't it's not
one of the big category School a public
private school but it's considered a
school can we that in something maybe
for
consideration way like that to say It's
Kind like a school beemp could be a
driving school consider a
school sorry thank yeah I'll I'll look
under the zoning code and see what I can
find and and address those concerns cuz
those are basically recreational I think
so it's I don't know if they're
registered in schools so we have to
figure that out so Mr Ryan if you could
CU we could you know right if what I
will do is uh I'll do those other
amendments as indicated and then
regarding that I will do I'll do a
sidebar or something if I can find
something okay so studios are classified
as industry
6512 that
mean that's a starting place are you
recommending that we call for a public
hearing and let you do this work and
bring it back to us on the 15th um I I
recommend that the calls for a public
hearing that the public hearing then we can have further discussion on
our next committee cycle 15 uh and then
but at least we'll have the uh the
hearing already set to go on the 22nd
okay is everybody in agreement with that
yes we do need to move we're going to
have those changes um in the next week
or so yes and review and and make any
additional suggestion before we get to
the public hearing yeah so um council
members so if we if there's anything
else when you're reading through that
you want to have considered before we
get to that point or even to discuss it
and hash it out by the 15th so that we
can have a piece of legislation to move
out um can send it through Miss Miku so
that make sure everyone gets it and she
will in for it to Mr O'Brien yes does
that work that works yes thank so at
this point in time uh any further
discussion questions concerns open
motion to call for publicos
heing all those in favor thank you very
much
uh the next item is discussion of the
community Heroes initiative so um wanted
to bring you
forward so um and and this isn't
mandatory of the council but it is
something that I see is being done um in
other communities and based on our the
reaction of our the young lady who we
gave a resolution to it was not the
community hero thing but essentially she
is Miss um tuer Hunter I thought it
would be nice to bring together a group
of residents not just us who can
recommend people from their Community
people we may never know about or hear
about and allow an opportunity for them
to uh throw there be a panel form and
recommendations for this Council
essentially just to give a resolution I
don't want to put just in front of that
because for a lot of people being
recognized by the council is a is a big
deal this would not preclude any council
member bringing for anyone for you know
for resolution or anything that is not
to replace that but for an ongo for us
to have an ongoing way to have the
community bring forward individuals to
um to be recognized because I think that
a lot of people know people who we may
never know about who who aren't seen and
so um just a way to us to celebrate
people in our community and again be
done by a panel of residents from
various neighborhoods across the city as
a close to us doing all the work um so
and then the council would just give a
resolution and suggest that we do that
like once a month not uh you know so
maybe 12 a year and if there's just so
many wonderful people it could be more
but U at least at one Council U meeting
a year and I I know that this connecting
Foundation currently has something that
they're doing called Community Heroes
that's in relationship to their 60th
year anniversary and that's not an
ongoing thing for them and they're
giving a grant of $10,000 dollar for
that individual to give to people I
don't know can we do that
Mr so um we'll get
some so um but you know I thought just
was a good way to engage our our city
residents and to also acknowledge
individuals who are doing things in our
community that may not comeing for us
it's um so just to start that initiative
I'm not asking to pass anything tonight
but I want to bring this forward for
discussion and any input from the
council Mr can you just touch on in
terms of the makeup of this board in
terms of what what are you thinking
about it in terms of the white cross
section of people how how how would we
go there to get members to be on this
panel to make a determination minimally
I think that all neighborhoods should be
um the neighborhood associations not
necessarily because there's people
neighborhood Associates but in addition
beyond that because there are people who
are not part of neighborhood
associations who very involved in their
community and would lend a lot to this
so we just have to which is why it's up
for discussion how do we identify the
people uh on the board and um and then
what that number looks like so I would
not limit it to neighbor associations
cuz some of the neighborhood
associations have like three people and
but there's other people out there doing
other work so we would have to um be
able to extend it to a wider audience
that's the whole purpose yeah we may
want to consider what the
charges sure to them for suggested
members yes I just think it's a great
idea and I think um it's definitely in
the spirit of kind of casting a Wi on
that cuz sometimes people again it's
always kind of the same um group of
people or you know connected to group of
people some so I think that that's a
really good idea to Do It cast out by
neck to be a little more inclusive and
yeah that's I think it's a great idea so
I wrote down faith-based organ ation so
it's just not you know churches as
people see them yes I me I think that
you know I like the idea I think I would
make sure that skanky Foundation isn't
going to continue doing it under the
heading of community Heroes because I
noticed in what they've put out that
they're they pretty much said they're
kind of resurrecting this community
Heroes program um so I
wouldn't I would think that they might
actually do it every year um so I think
we need to figure that out um I'm not
saying not to do this but maybe we call
it something different I'm I'm I'm not
sure um but I do think it in terms of
finding people that would be on a a
panel or you know to judge or whatever
um a similar kind of process in terms of
I mean we could just you know put it out
in the Gazette or whatever that we were
looking for people that might be
interested in being on this panel um
come up with you know a meeting date Etc
and see who comes in from that I guess
but I I think you know and then we would
have we would be responsible for making
sure that the neighborhood associations
got it that other groups that we all
know um Civic groups Etc that they might
want to suggest
people and I did reach out to the sky
foundation and so they are not they said
that yes that is what they said and um
and I don't think having naming people
what they are just because another
organization is doing it because there's
for a specific thing around their
specific anniversary just for that event
and then for the next 11 months nobody's
going to be recognized but we can handle
that um so um I agree that we I wrote
down churches I wrote down faith-based
organizations Civic organizations and so
just to do some Outreach um but I want
to bring it to the council for
discussion and for us to just come up
with some ideas to how we begin to
formulate this again I think it's a it's
a feel good thing for people um the Miss
uh Miss Hunter Mrs Hunter was just
really
excited about it um not everyone will
have that those number of people in the
audience but um so I just thought that
something we could bring forward I've
been thinking about for a while and that
it really sealed it for me when I saw
how much it meant to
her Mr Williams uh just wanted to
clarify I know you uh the last sentence
in your recommendation the council will
give a resolution just wanted to confirm
one resolution monthly um I said did say
one but I said if we felt if as a
council we felt that we needed to extend
that um I don't I want it to be
meaningful so that we're not it's just
not like high volume yeah high volume okay not high volume so um
separate point I know I imagine part of
the Ambiance like we sit here and
delegate like all the time is coming to
the council but I know you always say
Miss Porterfield um how you see it's
based on where you sit and I know
although um Miss uh uh Tucker was was
really taken back being in that moment
in the chamber
I I would have loved to see her receive
that at sium where it's like her home
and then in her community so I don't
know if we can discuss presenting it in
the environments where people have done
the work um that way we can see from
their perspective what their um their labors have produced and that can
attract their Community some place they
feel comfortable not that they don't
feel comtable here but it's like you're
going to their home okay well it's oh
I'm sorry go ahead no I was going to say
I think that if we move forward with
this and we bring together a group of
people who will then be this panel I
think some of those kinds of um
parameters and suggestions that we can
Empower that that volunteer committee
even to um you know to to think about
things like what Mr Williams is
suggesting I think you
know and come back to us with you know
here's what we think the program should
look like
um and then that outside the realm of
possibility because currently we pass
resolutions that we do not present here
with the council that we take to
wherever if there's an event or whatever
so that's not outside the realm of
possibility anyone else any yes Mr I
think it's a great idea and um Fly
support and look forward to us rolling
this out
okay
um because you're endorsing it you will
have to submit the first
name okay
and so and I'm again I'm not asking the
council to do a heavy lift on this but
which is why we would convene the panel
to to do some of the work but it
shouldn't be a heavy lift it should
probably be a lift that people would be
um excited to do sure so I will keep
your rest and uh I will take into
consideration all the comments that
you've made tonight put something
together and we'll bring it back
again and any other questions or
comments or suggestions for that
okay um item number five ceremonial
resolution recognizing Pastor Parson for years of community service Mr far
thank you madam president so much in the
same Spirit of what we've been
discussing um you know Pastor Richard
Parson is someone who is uh is is a
pillar in the community who has made
Investments um in people's lives and
really uh exemplifies what it means to
be a Community member that helps to
build community so I just think that
it's appropriate he actually just
celebrated his 80th birthday um and I
think that uh it's more than appropriate
for us to uh have a ceremonial
resolution recognizing his efforts and
his contributions to the community any
questions or comments I move those
second all in favor I I thank you uh
item number six of CR encouraging um St
Peter's partner in the El Health
Administration um on settling the nurses
um um and patients to nurses and patient
to settle a fair contract is being
pulled um at the request of the per uh
Mr Farley to look at the
language so we'll we'll you'll see that
back in two weeks M all right thank you
very much item number seven Amendment to
the community benefits agreement between
the city and West yard Properties LLC as
you recall this did go through committee
before that to the floor and did not get
to the roll call vote
which was asked for by a council member
so I'm bringing this back again um there
was and just just to keep in
mind passing this resolution only opens
up a discussion because the mayor says
in order to even have a discussion
regarding this that that it has to go
through a formal resolution process I
personally see nothing wrong with
communicating and that's how we you know
get to where we want to be so again this
resolution is just opening this process
up for
discussion any discussion on that
[Music]
yes Mr F I would just uh again say uh
that again I don't know that we need to
do an official resolution in order to
get to the point of conversation um I
can see the need to have maybe some
things um written down I think
that a letter will be sufficient enough
um to have between parties I don't think
that we need to go the route of official
resolution to get to the point of to
open up conversation so I'm not exactly
sure why uh that was suggested or or
direct like that's the only way I don't
understand why that would be the well
that that would be a question mayor
would you if you would like to address
that we just wanted the council to be on
record in a formal way I know where I'm
negotiating
from so I would suggest
that I mean I don't know if anyone else
feels that we
can acceptable for a letter just sign so
there's some formal position of the
council as opposed to random
discussions yes Miss Patrick I know I
haven't been here uh for the last two
weeks so I don't know if you all I don't
think You' discussed this two weeks ago
but we had talked about um the
possibility of that and I think we we
both had said a similar kind of thing
around um you
know we have to see if the developer is
sort of amable to some of the these um
additional suggestions for the community
benefits agreement or maybe maybe it was
Mr manini that um this was would have
been like few weeks ago um at a
committee meeting um because we want to
make sure that anything that we're
suggesting is realistic in terms of what
he um you
know right I just want to restate that
bringing this forward only opens up
discussions that's what it's for it's
not saying you absolutely must do
according to the mayor wanted formal
action by the council in order to even
enter into those discussions so it
becomes a point of discussion once we
bring this to the um the developer so
it's for
discussion Mr man I would I would
support a letter I know Mr O'Brien who
mentioned that in previous conversations
and that um that could be our first step
is the letter with
all I need request Mr M so the a letter or a resolution is the
same language can be in the letter the
same language going to be in a
resolution so both is we are going to
authorize the mayor to to go into some
sort of a discussion with this developer
so I'm not sure resolution or letter
it's the same
part yes Mr car so what I was saying is
that I just don't know that's the best
course of action meaning that a
resolution um we vote out of committee
and then again we'll be waiting for it
um to to uh take the larger vote in the
chamber whereas if there's a letter
which I mean uh president Porterfield
has been diligently kind um working on
getting feedback from council members
and community members to to come up with
some of these suggestions I think that
we just stay that course of action and and then council members who support
um uh what's been drafted can sign the
letter we can send it over to the velop
ER then there is to the mayor's point
it's not just kind of a back and forth
conversation there's something on uh
paper that people can say yep I support
that or maybe I don't but therefore we
submitted to developer then we can move
forward I just feel like making it uh uh
an official resolution is
just I just don't know that's the most
efficient way to do it and I that was my
position from the
beginning Mr Williams oh I'm sorry so so
in terms of the letter do we need all
members to sign on before you act
no just majority you don't need all the
members to pass a resolution okay just
to be clear are you saying that you need
at least four signatures though because
we do need four signatures to pass a
resolution well I assume your infinite
wisdom and guidance you get seven
signatures on everything and everybody
would be happy and it' be a much clearer
message but that's been my goal from the
beginning mayor but as you can see it's
not really working out like
that few short of that we'll work with
it yes Mr willes but I mean there's a
difference between supporting a res
supporting a letter and endorsing a
letter and then we don't have to wonder
we can go around the table and ask to
see where everyone's position is right
now I would endorse that
letter oh before that uh Mr so the
letter is just we sign it so we can
discuss right versus
the I'm I'm I'm hearing that the letter
is what we would want in there and send
to um West yard but that's not what it
is the letter would just be in place of
a resolution that we can discuss no no
the letter would go to the to the would
go to the to the mayor and to the the
developer we need undersign members of
this connected city council um set forth
our proposal proposals whatever you
would frame it below and then each
whatever council members want to sign on
to that letter sign on to that
letter Mr so it's it's more of um kind
of like giv the mayor kind of like
authorization to open discussion with
the developer in in a way to see if they
are acceptable to these five additional
terms and if they're not then whatever
they agreed on and we can move forward
as a body then we will move to amend
that resolution that the mayor uh we
authorize the mayor to enter with the uh
West yard property so there is not much
thing happening just authorizing the
mayor to to start negotiation it's so
it's a letter resolution we're good with
it yes Mr fley Y and and as we're given
we're instead of just kind of different
voices at the table saying different
things this is more of a a more clear defined um things that we
would wish to see in the or in the
existing Community Ben benefits
agreement therefore that's a position
from the mayor um to negotiate from with
the developer I think that's how I
understand this yes
okay so what do you need from us then
I'm okay with the letter so Mr oh Mr
mantin so you know if we can get the
letter that we get it moving and and if
the developer wants to make a counter
proposal we can get that look at that
right and then take next steps to take a
look at it is is workable and then it
goes into if there's something that they
want to propose an alternative or the
modification we can take a look at it
down the line something they are not
agreeable to they'll give them a chance
to respond so we can move the process
forward as quickly as we can and who
knows sorry they might yeah they may
just look
at Mr how was it going say who knows Dev
my state look at this list and say hey
you guys forgot we could even do this
let's not you know hey I think honestly
I don't think that's overly optimistic
if you know if we're interested and
making sure that the community gets the
most benefit out of us right right yes
and this would be between the mayor and
West yard Properties LLC that's what
we're giving the mayor per permission to
negotiate with at this point or yes yes
what you're setting forth is your
position to to to to the developer right
the May to bring to the developer to
West yard property LLC so it should be
addressed to both yes so I'm not I guess
I'm not clear on on your I'm just
reading here clear
y I think it's more authorizing the
mayor to enter into a negotiation with
bestard to negotiate these five terms
and conditions here and if there are
changes back from the the developer
through the mayor that will come to us
and we will discuss
and then move
forward at that point in time to the
original resolution but at this time is
authorizing this discussion nothing is
changing at this point in time it's just
moving forward so requesting requesting
a discussion right Mr far I was just
going to say and in the in the mayor's
infinite wisdom and Leadership I'm sure
that he'll be able to get everything
done more no pressure we just
all any further discussion that was just
a stretch I'm I'm I'm good with U for a
letter so is there anyone that's opposed
to that well you know what um I won't
ask people on the SP I think I've heard
at least four people or more at this
table said that they're um comfortable
with um the letter so uh I would ask
that you mrri draft that letter you want
me I'll draft a letter using the
language from the yes previously so I
will send that to you and then and any
changes M uh president you can change it
and then once you're satisfied with the
S out to the members and ask them to
sign any other
further we don't need to
anything okay any other questions
comments concerns okay we'll move
forward with
that
um I believe that is oh that is the last
thing executive session but just before
I just want to make a couple comments um
before we go into executive session all
of you received an email from uh Fatima
assat I think I'm going to pronounce her
name correctly and um coming up on the
10th is a holiday a Muslim holiday
called Eid and she was asking that to
have a performance at the city council
meeting not asking for a resolution or
anything like that so um um I'm
certainly open to them coming just to do
a performance as and I guess they got
the idea when the dancers came for St
Patrick's Day so they would come and
just do a little performance three four
minutes um the other thing
is that oh the waste committee has been
meeting so just so you know we're not
just like not doing
anything and so the mayor um and uh Miss
car Mrs Carr are putting something
together so there'll be a presentation
to council just to know that to bring up the speed and at the next
committee meeting to as to um you know
where we are and what we'd be asking of
the council did Mr T did you want to add
anything to that uh I do not we've been
moving forward a lot of ideas been uh
passed around and uh we're coming to a
decision on on what we wanted to present
to the
council could I just um add we didn't
pass the it starts with me anti- litter
proposal a couple years ago so I just
want to throw that out there that if you
need that or want to look at it again uh
to add into the mix of things that you
might be talking about I'd be happy to
send
it uh it had a lot of information about
all sorts of things education equipment
um it was all different kinds of areas
to try
to certainly you can that at this point
I think it's just a we're working on how
to U recover revenue and so a much
bigger yeah so that is work in good with
if they coming up and we can definitely
look at that again okay yes so just
presentation of where they where the May
is with terms of the the garbage
discussion so just up up outline some of
the options that may require the
council's
action so just you know to present that
uh move forward and just to say it out
loud that on the 27th there is clean up
dat I know right three neighborhoods so
far that are in so reach out to other
neighborhoods to if they're interested
and being part of the clean up
dayon is you look like you're in deep
thought over there no no I was just
thinking so so we're going to have the
presentation and then you expecting us
to move at that point in time okay okay
I'm you Council say this is all great
solved all the problems it's unless you
share unless you share the prior to that
then we can you know you know look it
over and then before the presentation so
that way if we need to move on something
that specific night we had enough time
to kind of read over the documents I
really think this would just bring the
council up to speed of where we are what
we're working on and you know the
possibilities of how we can um achieve
the goals okay all right I'm good any
other questions comments thank you all
right so in that case I would ask for a
motion to go into executive session
second all in favor I for an executive
session and members of the public would
have to
leave