[0:01] [Music]

[0:56] he

[0:58] [Music]

[1:19] I'd like to all call for connect the

[1:21] city council committee meeting for

[1:23] Monday April 15 2024 um the first item

[1:26] on the agenda was to be an update on

[1:28] first quarter financials uh

[1:30] unfortunately Mr gamma could not be here

[1:32] tonight however each of you should have

[1:35] received a print out of all the U

[1:36] financials for the first quarter so this

[1:39] will give you an opportunity to um

[1:41] review them and if you have any

[1:43] questions um formulate those and send

[1:45] those forward through Miss Michael who

[1:47] will then forward them on and then um in

[1:50] the beginning of may we will have him

[1:51] actually come and just go through it

[1:53] with us with us and additionally I just

[1:56] want to thank everyone that came last

[1:57] week to come to the nikom webinar on

[2:00] funding your government and I think it's

[2:02] going to be helpful to us as we um go

[2:04] through this and you know quarterly to

[2:07] make sure that when we get to the budget

[2:08] season again it's a much smoother

[2:10] process in 2024 That's My Hope um the

[2:14] next uh item would be the waste

[2:16] committee presentation uh I'll turn that

[2:18] over to Mayor McCarthy thanks Madam

[2:20] president uh thank city clerk I made

[2:24] copies of the

[2:26] uh local law dealing with

[2:31] waste uh posties for city council I

[2:35] think we have those in our package I

[2:37] think that one's yeah we have that we

[2:38] put that one they put that one our

[2:39] packet yeah

[2:48] okay two different ones it's no it's an

[2:51] EXT one oh okay that's a uh just a

[2:54] working draft of some of the possible

[2:56] amendments and this is a quick summary

[2:59] sheet

[3:08] the council

[3:08] [Music]

[3:19] members we went through the uh budget

[3:23] process uh which was uh not quite as

[3:27] smooth as any of us would have liked uh

[3:30] one of those points of

[3:32] contention was trash Fe we have really

[3:37] within the city is connectivity a great

[3:41] service that we provide for the

[3:45] residents that has evolved over time uh

[3:50] from uh was the last big waste

[3:53] controversy was uh in the 70s when uh

[3:58] the service of the city was the garbage

[4:00] men would go into the back of your house

[4:03] pick up the garbage bring it out to the

[4:05] curb empty it and then return the can to

[4:08] the rear of your property or wherever

[4:11] you stored it and to increase the

[4:13] efficiency they ended the carry back

[4:16] service which uh created

[4:20] again considerable public uh debate and

[4:23] uh discussion uh we somehow got through

[4:27] that and continued to go forward

[4:30] but if you look at the city code

[4:34] today it really doesn't reflect the

[4:37] reality within the market so and they

[4:41] talk about and Paul fund is here also

[4:43] they had some additives to my narrative

[4:46] there are things in terms of uh criteria

[4:49] that's supposed to be at the curb

[4:52] supposed to be clear bags supposed to be

[4:54] certain criteria for material that is

[4:58] put out there and

[5:00] the reality in the market uh in the

[5:03] field does not reflect what's in the

[5:06] code so where part of this has been the

[5:11] discussion on the fee structure we have

[5:14] to look fundamentally at what the uh law

[5:18] says and what the criteria for garbage

[5:22] collection is and there's some state

[5:24] regulations that are coming out now that

[5:26] are being updated from DEC in terms of the criteria that uh we use for

[5:34] garbage collection one of the items is

[5:36] electronic based that we're not supposed

[5:39] to pick that up anymore so if that has

[5:42] to uh be handled in a separate

[5:46] uh

[5:48] process but in our discussions that uh

[5:52] council president sent there uh council

[5:56] members of

[5:57] Toro uh one of the things things talk

[6:00] about consistently is that we have to do

[6:04] part of this as an education campaign so

[6:07] it's to tell people what the service is

[6:10] but to make them aware of some of the

[6:15] cost some of the efficiencies some of

[6:17] the inefficiencies and how do you

[6:19] improve the

[6:21] overall delivery of service and

[6:24] hopefully reduce the cost and we have

[6:26] the peripheral image of the city which

[6:29] is litter where it's out there it's far

[6:32] too prevalent and how do we uh get

[6:36] people to assume some responsibility to

[6:40] take care of their own uh property their

[6:42] own building help out a little bit on

[6:45] their block because everybody doing a

[6:47] little bit makes a big difference and uh

[6:51] about a decade ago we had started a

[6:54] campaign here begins with me it starts

[6:58] with me and I believe that that is still

[7:01] the basis for something that we could do

[7:04] where we ask people to help out a little

[7:06] bit uh we did a video which is available

[7:10] where you take the it starts with me the

[7:13] M you flip it over and as opposed to me

[7:16] it becomes we so that uh it's a

[7:20] community

[7:21] involvement but if you look at the uh

[7:25] education campaign as an ongoing effort

[7:28] uh something we have to map out ask for

[7:31] everybody's support and it really goes

[7:33] beyond what we can do just from city

[7:35] employees it has to be broad-based

[7:38] Community engagement that makes sense

[7:40] that people buy

[7:44] into the next component is are the

[7:49] penalties today waste violation uh is a

[7:54] the waste penalty is a violation I'm

[7:57] going to ask the council

[8:00] in this process and determine what the

[8:02] timing is is to change that where the

[8:06] current one for garbage that's generated

[8:08] outside the city is brought in here is

[8:11] treated only as a violation that that be

[8:14] moved to an unclassified misdemeanor so

[8:17] that the penalty the fine structure is

[8:19] stronger and that we're sending a

[8:21] message that we're going to take that

[8:22] seriously in terms of holding people

[8:26] accountable and creating a level of

[8:28] deterrence so that we're not having

[8:31] people take advantage of the resources

[8:33] within the city where they're not

[8:36] contributing to reducing the

[8:41] cost

[8:42] uh tell the council have to look at and

[8:47] decide our collection containers and

[8:50] we've had a lot of discussionin the

[8:52] committee uh the simpler thing is the

[8:57] old tin garbage can that everybody had

[9:00] uh that you put it out it was kind of a

[9:02] standard size now there's a wide variety

[9:06] of items that are available on the

[9:08] market where you can I think still get

[9:11] some of the old fashioned aluminum

[9:13] garbage cans but most of them are

[9:16] plastic uh they have removable tops they

[9:19] have tops that are hinged some that are

[9:21] rectangle some that are

[9:24] circular

[9:25] uh what are we going to set as a

[9:28] standard

[9:30] for people so that they know what uh is

[9:34] acceptable here and fits in the overall

[9:36] plan for uh waste collection and

[9:40] Disposal and it's both for we call

[9:44] garbage for the MSW the municipal Solid

[9:48] Waste uh and

[9:50] recyclables and uh we're all aware that

[9:54] uh wasn't that long ago recyclables we

[9:58] made a little bit of money

[9:59] or they cost us a little bit of money

[10:01] but we basically broke even today the

[10:05] recyclables are about $9 a ton more than

[10:12] MSW uh and it's something where the

[10:15] market can shift dramatically in that as

[10:18] technology improves or the value of some

[10:21] of the products

[10:22] shifts uh but we have to be uh aware of

[10:27] those scenarios and how do we plan

[10:30] and be able to deal with what's

[10:31] happening today in the market then also

[10:34] build enough flexibility in our

[10:36] collection process in fee structure to

[10:39] take advantage of shifts in the market

[10:42] uh down the road uh UNL here you know we

[10:46] can do the cans bags different scenarios

[10:49] that we have to look at come up with a

[10:51] scenario that everybody would agree to

[10:54] but the uh collection of the actual

[10:57] material the MS W is the general term

[11:02] for municipal Solid Waste other major

[11:05] components that we have to uh talk about

[11:08] and decide how we're going to deal with

[11:10] are the yard waste the recyclables which

[11:13] we used to refer to as tin plastic and

[11:15] glass and then paper and

[11:19] those again some of the Metal Products

[11:22] are actually increasing in value now we

[11:25] had a little discussion uh last year

[11:28] with the

[11:30] uh white

[11:32] goods coming on the uh schedule now we

[11:35] only pick them up one day a month we're

[11:38] still virtually not picking any of those

[11:41] up because the value in the market is

[11:45] gone so that Scrappers pick them up

[11:48] other people take it and uh we used to

[11:51] have that with uh paper when we did the

[11:54] source separation when the price of

[11:56] paper was up people would put their

[11:59] paper out and Crews would go around to

[12:02] pick it up and the containers are empty

[12:04] they go what's the empty container doing

[12:06] out the curve well it's people went

[12:09] around picked it

[12:11] up uh and then the other side of it is

[12:14] the

[12:14] electronics which can be uh very

[12:17] expensive

[12:19] to uh dispose of uh they can be hard to

[12:24] recycle there are value in a lot of

[12:27] these in terms of component parts and

[12:30] some of the uh Market is Shifting in

[12:32] that for uh we're getting rid of those

[12:36] Paul now it's a pretty much a break even

[12:39] Point yes we lose a little bit in terms

[12:42] of uh where we used to have to pay for

[12:44] that the market has shifted so that

[12:46] again it's more of a break even uh I say

[12:49] break even it's not costing his money

[12:51] but we have to have the staff uh compile

[12:57] all the stuff shrink wrap it put on a

[12:59] pallet so there's a a labor Factor there

[13:03] that uh we shouldn't

[13:06] Overlook and then it's coming up with a

[13:10] uh process that people can understand

[13:14] and feel comfortable with in a fee

[13:17] structure currently we're

[13:21] $288 a pickup Point uh there are some

[13:24] discounts in that for uh individuals who

[13:28] uh

[13:30] handicap veterans

[13:33] seniors uh we have to look at a base fee

[13:37] with additional fees based on quantity

[13:40] and volume and so discussion where

[13:43] everybody agrees the what the staff

[13:47] refer to in a slanging manner is the

[13:49] jackpots where you pull up in front of a

[13:51] house and there's 2 and 1/2 tons of

[13:55] material there we all know that that is

[14:01] wrong in terms of the fee

[14:03] structure how do we separate that and

[14:05] where do we draw the lines uh for it the

[14:17] uh you have to go back to the size of

[14:20] the containers and so if we have certain

[14:23] amount is there and if you're putting

[14:25] out extra material what is it do we give

[14:28] people

[14:29] uh thing been talked about is this

[14:32] certain amount of stickers so they're

[14:34] mailing out with the tax biller once a

[14:36] year there would be stickers that would

[14:39] be given to homeowners so if you had an

[14:42] additional item that wouldn't fit in the

[14:45] can uh wouldn't go in a bag you could

[14:48] put one of the stickers on it if you use

[14:50] those stickers up then you would have to

[14:53] buy them either here at City Hall or we

[14:56] work a an arrangement with some local

[14:58] real EST

[14:59] retailers and whether that would be $5

[15:02] for a sticker uh $10 for a sticker

[15:05] depending on the size and quantity of uh

[15:09] the material or item that's being

[15:10] disposed of uh and so there's a number

[15:16] of variables that are going to have to

[15:17] come back to the council for uh final

[15:21] decision uh one asking for is to change

[15:25] the

[15:26] penalties uh as we go through this is to

[15:29] look at

[15:30] the size and type of

[15:33] containers and then we look at the fee

[15:36] structure which is you know the simpler

[15:40] thing is okay we just raised the base

[15:41] fee be done with it you want to build

[15:45] some discounts in it for people who are

[15:47] more compliant and then do we do a

[15:49] sticker system do we do some other

[15:52] method to uh appropriately allocate the

[15:55] cost to uh individual or property owners

[15:58] that are driving our

[16:01] cost and there uh number of variables

[16:04] there and

[16:06] so don't want to talk too long open up

[16:08] for any discussion or comments that Mr

[16:11] lefant

[16:12] has that we uh move through this now in

[16:15] a process so that hopefully this will

[16:17] also start some public discussion where

[16:19] we've had uh primarily internal meetings

[16:23] looking at this there's been some public

[16:26] narrative but to look at it and again

[16:29] build on a

[16:31] uh collection system that again is still

[16:35] highly efficient delivers a great

[16:39] service to the city of SKC but to do it

[16:42] in a manner that covers our costs and

[16:44] enables us to go forward in a manner not

[16:48] only picking up the garbage but

[16:49] hopefully message for General litter and

[16:52] image control or Improvement throughout

[16:54] the city as a

[16:56] whole with that I would open up to

[17:00] questions or comments and any questions

[17:03] any so the current practice residents

[17:06] have their um garbage cans and right now

[17:11] they can bring c a couch all place of

[17:15] yep and just put it on the out on

[17:17] garbage day and it'll be picked up so

[17:20] your suggestion we change that practice

[17:22] correct that and manage that in a

[17:24] different way that people will pay for

[17:26] those larger items or get it like a

[17:28] certain

[17:29] quota I'm a sticker for cuz again most

[17:35] of the residents within the city are

[17:37] compliant in do what I will call a

[17:39] normal uh amount of msws generator

[17:43] normal amount of

[17:47] recyclables but there are ones that

[17:49] drive our costs that people are taking

[17:52] advantage of the system where they're

[17:53] putting out huge amounts of material or

[17:56] what I believe is material is generated

[17:59] outside of the city of SKC and then

[18:01] brought into the city of SKC for

[18:06] disposal Mr Williams uh so I just wanted

[18:09] to thank uh the team for putting this

[18:12] Collective data for us or Collective

[18:13] information I thing it' be important for

[18:15] me to as reference I had the opportunity

[18:17] a few weeks ago to Shadow one of our

[18:19] waste collection fees and I just want at

[18:21] this point just thank Sammy and Jerome

[18:24] uh who M Leon knows they were an

[18:27] excellent Tandem and true gave me a

[18:29] first person uh overview of what trash

[18:32] collection is like in our city uh and

[18:34] I'd be uh lying if I didn't say that my

[18:37] body was aching a few days probably two

[18:39] weeks afterwards and it is an experience

[18:41] I look forward to only doing once um but

[18:43] to your point Mr Mayor that education is

[18:45] absolutely a uh U an understatement of

[18:49] the issue we have to address growing up

[18:51] in the city it was always understood in

[18:53] my household if you just get it to the

[18:54] curb it will not be there when you get

[18:56] back home and very much it is a resource

[18:59] that is taken advantage of uh to your

[19:01] point um Mr manini truly I I I think we

[19:04] picked up maybe half a dozen couches uh

[19:07] chairs and as long as it fits within the

[19:10] truck uh when it's full you go back out

[19:12] and you continue your route and the

[19:14] caveat I wanted to add on to us

[19:16] identifying a better means to kind of

[19:18] fee and then better manage this better

[19:21] manage this also there is a component

[19:23] that we need to look at is improving the

[19:25] work life conditions for our workers uh

[19:27] truly that is a Str ous job and it is

[19:30] not the easiest one to uh staff uh and I

[19:33] very much think that this uh department

[19:35] is taking advantage of not just from our

[19:37] own expectations as residents um but

[19:41] also as individuals who uh are are meant

[19:43] to keep the streets cleaned when they

[19:46] are set up to fail uh there are plenty

[19:48] of times where trash are just dumped in

[19:50] bends or loose bags and if that bag

[19:52] breaks correct me if I'm wrong Mr leond

[19:55] if they make the mess they have to clean

[19:56] it and that takes time and and there

[19:58] were often times where my expectation

[20:01] was they would be Fuller teams that is

[20:04] not often the case and truly the

[20:06] expectation is for two individuals One

[20:08] driver and one um Packer excuse me if

[20:10] I'm wrong with the definitions to to

[20:13] take on whole streets uh so when they're

[20:15] addressing these jackpots the residents

[20:18] are then um frustrated when the truck is

[20:21] stuck in traffic for so long and then if

[20:23] they make a mess so so truly they are uh

[20:26] set up to fail and I think it is

[20:28] important for us to get this right um

[20:30] but my only fear is I want to caution

[20:32] against us making is too complicated uh

[20:34] just from the standpoint of of with

[20:36] every additional layer we add in is then

[20:38] an additional layer of Education we have

[20:40] to make sure everyone is properly

[20:42] informed because I also know that our

[20:44] contians are very opinionated and God

[20:47] forbid we add in more fees without

[20:50] properly um rolling out to the community

[20:53] uh but definitely I look forward to

[20:54] taking a deeper dive into this and then

[20:56] getting it right for for not only the

[20:57] residents but also Al for the employees

[21:00] of that

[21:02] department Mr Farland so yeah I'd like

[21:04] to Echo some some of Mr Williams has

[21:07] stated um not only with added layer is

[21:10] the added layer of like kind of

[21:12] educational piece which I to your point

[21:13] Mr Mayor I think is probably the most

[21:15] important piece I think most people when

[21:18] they know better they do better they'll

[21:19] be in compliant compliance with what

[21:21] were our expectations I guess there's

[21:24] also something that we have to consider

[21:25] and I'm sure that the committee um took

[21:28] this in consideration is that if we're

[21:30] increasing you know um enforcement um

[21:35] and like something like stickers or

[21:39] there's a cost that comes with that as

[21:40] well right like so like so I was just

[21:42] thinking about you know like you know

[21:44] and I think that really that' be

[21:45] something I think that you know I really

[21:47] would defer to uh Mr lefon around like

[21:49] you know cuz I guess the the solution um

[21:53] should be proportionate to the problem

[21:55] so I don't know cuz you know I I see it

[21:57] you know the ja TOS here and there and

[21:59] it's like w um and I think they kind of

[22:01] stick out of my mind because there's so much so I guess I'm wondering

[22:06] like

[22:07] I don't want to end up

[22:10] overcorrecting if you will like putting

[22:12] something in P in place that can end up

[22:15] being a cost to the city um so I so it's

[22:18] just kind of trying that trying to find

[22:20] that balance and I think that there's a

[22:21] lot of difference that needs to be uh

[22:23] given to uh Mr lefan as far as guiding

[22:25] that that part of the conversation so I

[22:28] just welcome if you have any like

[22:29] thoughts around

[22:32] that yeah mayor yeah either way just

[22:35] like with regards to the cost of

[22:39] enforcement well so Mr Leon if you're

[22:41] yeah cuz we want to be able to see

[22:48] you if we print stickers or bags or

[22:51] whatever there's a cost of that you're

[22:52] absolutely right yeah so I was just

[22:54] wondering like how does that

[22:56] and again part of that is this

[22:58] discussion to put out and you know we

[23:00] all get calls tomorrow saying no we

[23:02] don't want to back so we know that's off

[23:04] the table but maybe they would like

[23:07] stickers right right well since it's in

[23:09] the discussion phase yes you know the

[23:11] stickers would be a cost to the city but

[23:14] the to you know recoup that cost we

[23:17] would add that to the price of the

[23:18] stickers as part of the cost of you know

[23:22] doing away with the trash or disposing

[23:23] of the trash so that all has to be built

[23:25] into it um yeah you know if you go some

[23:28] auroras where they use transfer stations

[23:30] they do a sticker system sometimes it's

[23:32] $3 you know for a bag of garbage and you

[23:35] buy them at local stores you know the

[23:37] town halls same thing but all that cost

[23:39] is all factored in then again you know

[23:42] if people aren't compliant there there's

[23:44] the enforcement factor and you know we

[23:47] have to break that in small that's you

[23:49] know there's going to be a transition

[23:50] where we're not there to just you know

[23:53] write a fine uh maybe there's a you know

[23:55] a reminder note you know um but again

[23:59] when we do a violation there's a cost

[24:01] for that right now I think certified $7

[24:03] an envelope violations whether the it's

[24:06] the administrative fee of $50 you know

[24:09] right off the top $7 is going to the you

[24:12] know to the to the mail um and you've

[24:14] got the nuisance officers that's taking

[24:16] his time to write it the paper

[24:17] everything else to guess go to that so

[24:19] the other thing we have to look at is

[24:20] whether or not you know our

[24:22] administrative fees are covering the

[24:24] cost of the work we're actually goinging

[24:26] in house and then factor in anything for

[24:29] the printing of the stickers um so all

[24:31] those costs are going to be have

[24:32] factored in and then they come up like

[24:34] the mayor said with a scale that is

[24:35] appropriate to what's being left on the

[24:37] curve um and it's more of a pay as you

[24:40] go um system um like the mayor said the

[24:44] bulk of our you know um homeowners here

[24:47] are compliant they're not going to see

[24:49] any changes maybe once in a while if the

[24:51] stickers go out as a courtesy so many go

[24:54] out at the uh when the tax bills go out

[24:56] they have that one couch ear it's not

[24:58] this for their couch every year you know

[25:00] they'll have a couple stickers to put on

[25:01] there it'll go away um it's really

[25:04] repeat offenders that we're seeing all

[25:05] the time um you know landlords that are

[25:07] emptying whole house fulls of everything

[25:10] there um rather than you know hiring a

[25:12] dumpster and paying the cost of the

[25:13] dumpster the disposal if we put it on

[25:16] the curb the C comes and takes it for

[25:17] free so you know what are we going to do

[25:20] they're going to put it on the curb or

[25:21] we're going to take it for free so all

[25:22] those costs have to be factored in to

[25:24] the sticker price um you know and when

[25:27] we do a violation if it comes to that

[25:29] you know what is the you know what is

[25:30] the cost of the administrative fee for

[25:32] that violation you know is $50 going to

[25:34] cover it or should it be you know $70

[25:37] it's all stuff we're going to have to

[25:38] look into I would also imagine that when

[25:40] you look at like so like that's a good

[25:43] example of like landlords or whoever was

[25:45] like empting out an entire apartment you

[25:47] know maybe the dumpster is you know a

[25:50] couple hundred bucks to get the dumpster

[25:52] well then the fee has to be relatively

[25:54] you know has to incentivize them doing

[25:57] the right thing a small 15year dumpster

[25:59] is probably costing somebody a couple

[26:01] hundred at least to get rid of that

[26:04] where we're not charging right now it's

[26:06] free if you got seven couches from a

[26:09] seven unit there right now the way the

[26:10] code is written we're going to take all

[26:11] seven there's no charge if we have to

[26:14] send three trucks back and forth it's not going to change anything so um

[26:19] yeah and the true costs has to be looked

[26:22] at with regards to um you know like we talked about the E-Waste you we may

[26:27] break even in the sense that it's not

[26:28] costing us nothing to get rid of it but

[26:30] there is a cost there because that truck

[26:32] that's getting about 4 miles to the

[26:33] gallon is on the road um the gentleman

[26:35] who's run you know on that truck we're

[26:37] paying his benefits his salary when it

[26:39] comes back you know the pallets the

[26:41] shrink w we have to buy to wrap them the

[26:43] time it takes for us to put that

[26:45] together so there is a true cost even to

[26:47] get rid of something that we think you

[26:48] know we're not paying a lot but if you

[26:51] look at it there's a cost yeah thank

[26:56] you anybody else

[27:00] okay so um when we started

[27:02] this I'm sorry did you have I didn't see

[27:05] your hand I'm sorry I just put it oh you

[27:07] just put it well not just now but few

[27:09] seconds ago so um May can you explain

[27:11] why we're kind of revisiting this whole

[27:14] trash

[27:16] um uh Financial s you know situation or

[27:20] the current

[27:22] structure does not cover the full cost

[27:26] of waste collection

[27:28] so my thought process last year in the

[27:31] budget and as we're going forward

[27:34] is waste collection should pretty much

[27:38] pay for itself that it shouldn't be

[27:41] subsidized

[27:43] by other Revenue there's a mechanism

[27:46] where we can

[27:48] uh account for what our actual costs are

[27:52] and let people know that and in this

[27:55] whole thing again in terms of stay

[27:58] ability you want people to recycle you

[28:00] want people to be more cognizant of what

[28:04] they're doing with waste garbage uh yard

[28:08] clippings and so if there's a fee

[28:11] structure so if they can save money if

[28:12] we build some incentives in this also so

[28:15] that they're thinking uh a little bit

[28:18] different in terms of how they're going

[28:20] to dispose of

[28:22] items I think everybody benefits from

[28:25] that and so the goal is to have it more

[28:27] Revenue neut neutral but to cover the

[28:29] expenses we gave uh you know pay raises

[28:33] to the 1037 Crews it was just a reality

[28:36] in the market CDL Drivers and other

[28:38] things to be able to get them here in

[28:43] the market

[28:45] and I think that's appropriate but at

[28:47] the same time it drives up our costs and

[28:50] how do we Now cover that through uh

[28:53] Revenue that's directly related to waste

[28:56] collection so so um what I was going to

[28:59] say is that when we started this

[29:01] discussion during budget season we

[29:02] talked about um our our goal was like to

[29:04] look at the

[29:06] jackpots well I don't know if that's

[29:08] anyway that's the name they've been

[29:09] given so

[29:11] um I I think we should definitely do

[29:13] that and there was some saying that we

[29:15] couldn't focus on like we couldn't like

[29:16] focus on certain people but if there are

[29:18] people are putting out tremendous

[29:20] amounts of garbage I don't see why we

[29:22] cannot specifically say you know this is

[29:24] the amount of garbage that you it's just

[29:26] way too much and especially on regular

[29:28] basis so our our nuisance officers would

[29:31] definitely come in there and I

[29:32] understand they're out already I've been

[29:34] uh receiving phone calls and emails that

[29:36] they've been out to uh people have been

[29:38] putting things from their commercial to

[29:40] their home they've been putting out

[29:42] their garbage too early all that those

[29:44] things already exist in the code well

[29:47] they already exist in the code so if you

[29:49] um put out your garbage before 2:00 the

[29:51] day before trash day then you know you

[29:54] can you can be fine for that we weren't enforcing that and a large

[29:57] part of this is is going to be

[29:58] enforcement but now that's happening so

[30:00] that has started as we look at this um

[30:04] Mr O'Brien has provided for us the

[30:07] Amendments and then I asked Miss Miku to

[30:09] print out the code as it stands so we

[30:12] want to take a look at you know what we

[30:14] have versus what's being proposed before

[30:16] us um and it's kind of been said here

[30:19] but I think one of the other things we

[30:21] need is is a cost benefit analysis to

[30:23] actually look at what it's costing us

[30:25] and um what what we're getting from that

[30:28] so I think that's that's really really

[30:30] important and also to pay attention to

[30:32] the fact that we're talking about are we

[30:35] suggesting cans versus bags cans and

[30:38] bags I don't know if we if we like if we

[30:40] really nail down on that particular um

[30:43] nothing's been decided but the reality

[30:45] is will probably be cans and bags some

[30:48] standard right we had a long discussion

[30:51] about bags the size of bags cans the

[30:53] size of cans there's a lot of discussion

[30:55] about that um and also um the sticker

[30:58] system which um which was has been

[31:00] mentioned here and and so anything that

[31:03] we do or as we're doing this and moving

[31:04] forward just I want the council to keep

[31:06] in mind that this is going to take a

[31:07] public hearing because we're going to be

[31:09] making the suggestion is that we make

[31:11] changes to the code um and then also

[31:14] that's also been discussed there needs

[31:15] to be a transition period where we're

[31:17] telling people this is what's going to

[31:18] happen this is what we're considering

[31:20] and and know this is not carved in stone

[31:22] from the from the um waste committee but

[31:25] the suggestions that that have come

[31:26] forward based on weeks of conversation

[31:30] um the other thing I want to add because

[31:32] people have been paying attention to

[31:34] that that we're paying attention to this

[31:35] is there's communities that are asking

[31:37] for trash cans like there are um some

[31:40] communities already have been like the

[31:42] north side did theirs Hamilton Hill did

[31:43] theirs and then uh one other community

[31:45] actually had uh public trash cans we

[31:48] have them downtown so that's another

[31:50] thing we may want to consider because

[31:52] people are saying we you know we would

[31:53] like some public trash cans within our

[31:55] city but then we would have to figure

[31:57] out um how we cover the cost of

[32:00] that so

[32:02] um oh and the other the other part of

[32:05] this I just want to you know bring

[32:06] forward for discussion a lot of this is

[32:08] going to be a lot of we have a lot of

[32:09] renters in the city so this just won't

[32:11] be homeowners so as we're thinking this

[32:13] through we have to think about um

[32:16] renters and um behavior of of renters

[32:20] versus homeowners because sometimes it's

[32:22] not quite the same and also as we think

[32:25] about this will um any increase we do in

[32:28] cost to to Property Owners they don't I

[32:31] don't mean just people that living in

[32:32] their homes that own properties because

[32:34] we have people that own multiple

[32:35] properties throughout the city how that

[32:38] cost if any will be passed on to renters

[32:40] so those are um other costs and things

[32:42] that we would want to be able to take

[32:44] into consideration as we're um

[32:46] continuing to discuss this m f yeah I

[32:49] was just saying what I what I think is

[32:52] really important is that if we look at

[32:54] it in the way of like kind of the

[32:57] jackpot po or I think that that's a

[32:59] really good model to have because what

[33:02] that's saying is that if I'm the person

[33:04] who's putting out so much trash then my

[33:07] neighbor doesn't end up bearing the cost

[33:09] for what I'm doing so it's like I could

[33:11] see that that might I imagine that could

[33:15] complicate things a little bit but I

[33:17] think uh to and kind of based on what Mr

[33:19] lean was saying that that makes sense to

[33:22] make that extra investment in the way so

[33:24] we're not spreading that cross across

[33:26] the community cuz I know that that was

[33:28] kind of like what what some of the

[33:29] discussions that we were having during

[33:31] um our budget process so I think that

[33:33] this is kind of a really healthy medium

[33:36] if you will that that addresses the

[33:38] issue specifically with any residents

[33:40] that's struggling with this and then it

[33:42] doesn't become a larger cost for those

[33:44] who are in

[33:49] compliance so I'm not really sure how we

[33:51] get there but there you know we want to

[33:52] bring it to the council there's um you

[33:55] know for more discussion so we can come

[33:57] up with something

[33:58] and um and we do see a lot of couches

[34:01] unquestionably and mattresses I think

[34:02] those are the two favorite things that people get rid of on a regular

[34:07] basis so um to to charge additionally

[34:10] for that and let me just also add we

[34:12] looked at

[34:13] municipalities um there was information

[34:14] brought from Other M municipalities in

[34:17] terms of what they do and um even very

[34:20] local where they actually change charge

[34:22] if you put out a couch or you put out a

[34:24] refrigerator or anything above and ab

[34:27] Beyond on what's considered normal trash

[34:29] so this isn't outside the realm of of

[34:32] possibility um it's just a matter of

[34:34] getting people ACC custom to it

[34:37] and and again making sure that because

[34:39] any money that we receive from waste

[34:41] only goes into the waste department to

[34:44] cover those those fees it doesn't go to

[34:46] the general fund so we have to look at

[34:48] um all those

[34:54] things so is there any further input

[34:56] that we need to bring back to the waste

[35:02] committee do we have a timeline do we

[35:04] have a timeline for when we'll um have

[35:07] the larger discussion and do the public

[35:09] hearing I mean um just so we don't Mr

[35:12] O'Brien uh yes Madam president I would

[35:15] just uh would suggest that let the

[35:18] council members digest what they've been

[35:20] given here tonight and then uh send

[35:22] emails to the uh City Clerk and then the

[35:24] city clerk can give it to the the was C

[35:28] waste collection task force and then in

[35:30] start incorporating those comments in

[35:33] and then uh as we get further along then

[35:36] we're going to have to amend the

[35:38] ordinance and then prior to that have

[35:40] that public hearing but then the

[35:41] ordinance will be in draft form ready to

[35:44] uh put before you and uh have the public

[35:47] hearing so uh maybe just at this point

[35:50] everybody go through what they've got

[35:52] any experiences they have and then send

[35:54] emails to the city clerk and then City

[35:57] Clerk and uh then distribute it to uh

[36:00] point point person for the task force um

[36:03] so to answer your question there is no

[36:05] timeline at this point it is one thing

[36:06] that I asked for and um so we will now

[36:09] the next time we have a a waste meeting

[36:11] I will bring that up that we do you know

[36:13] want to put this on a timeline so we

[36:15] kind of know where we're going to go

[36:16] with this and how we'll if we Implement

[36:18] in stages or because I don't personally

[36:21] think that based on everything that we

[36:23] want to change we're going to be able to

[36:25] do this all at once it's definitely

[36:26] going to take some transition and you

[36:28] know it's going to be challenging for

[36:30] people to figure out all the changes

[36:32] that we made so we will probably um in a

[36:36] way that makes sense transition it in

[36:39] and again when it comes to the fees and

[36:41] stuff that's those things we're going to

[36:42] have to um have a public hearing to any

[36:45] part of that changing the code it's

[36:46] going to require that so as Mr O'Brien

[36:49] say you can submit all of your any

[36:51] comments and suggestions Etc to Miss

[36:53] Michael and she will then um will pour

[36:57] them on to the waste Committee just

[36:59] following up on your comments M

[37:01] president maybe if the council members

[37:03] can say how they would like to have it

[37:05] phased in you know what aspects that

[37:07] they want phased in first okay let's out

[37:10] of town drop offs one the other whatever

[37:14] prioritize what they what they would

[37:16] like to see phased in first second and

[37:18] third as we do this and we can we

[37:21] haven't done this but we could um I'm

[37:23] not sure when we get get to the point of

[37:25] like uh at one time the mayor said that

[37:26] we would have different different

[37:27] communities like neighborhood

[37:29] associations kind of give input and that

[37:32] has not happened yet and um because

[37:34] right now it's just the people on the

[37:35] waste committee so I do think we need

[37:37] more eyes and more voices around this

[37:40] because it's it's a major change within

[37:42] the city so that hasn't happen yet but

[37:44] in terms of

[37:46] um getting the information out there and

[37:49] having more um more PSA we could that's

[37:53] something maybe we could do around that

[37:54] a so we can bring that back to the

[37:56] committee is how we how do we start

[37:57] having these discussions within the

[37:59] neighborhoods yes Miss Patrick because I

[38:01] think um and thank you I want to thank

[38:03] everybody as well that has been doing

[38:05] this work on the waste committee and and

[38:07] all um but I do think as part of the

[38:10] educational aspect it would be good to

[38:12] you know for example see if we can

[38:14] partner with the Gazette see if there's

[38:15] any businesses that want to partner with

[38:17] us the neighborhood associations in the

[38:19] school district but in terms of you know

[38:22] um even having like little competitions

[38:25] among the neighborhood associations or

[38:26] something like have something where you

[38:29] know the whole goal is beautifying

[38:31] skincity um and and make it you know try

[38:34] to build some positive energy and and

[38:37] some fun um around some of this and

[38:40] speaking of which we should have a slos

[38:42] I know we have it starts with me um that

[38:45] may work but maybe there's something

[38:48] that um that other people would um or

[38:51] may we can have a slogan contest how

[38:53] there's that and then you have to pay a

[38:54] fee to be in it that was a deal that was

[38:57] a

[38:58] joke all right so um mayor did you have

[39:01] more on this anything further all right

[39:03] um as you said if you can send anything

[39:05] back we'll just bring it back to the

[39:06] next B committee meeting and have more

[39:08] discussion about that thank you U mayor

[39:10] for

[39:13] that okay I'll turn it over to Mr

[39:17] Williams so I'd like to call the Public

[39:18] Safety Committee order we have two items

[39:20] on the agenda tonight both of which will

[39:22] be spoken to First of which is the grant

[39:24] award Community Trust building

[39:26] conversation and that will be presented

[39:28] [Music]

[39:37] bye hi good evening I'm here

[39:40] representative the police department and

[39:42] we are asking the council to accept the

[39:45] first is uh Grant award in the amount of

[39:50] $3,588 was for the Community Trust

[39:52] building

[39:53] conversation um ultimately the this is

[39:57] re urement to the city as the funds have

[40:00] been spent

[40:01] already thank you any questions or

[40:05] comments so I know that the um this is

[40:07] already taking place do you know at what

[40:09] point in time we hear a report about how

[40:10] it

[40:11] went yep there is uh a report has been

[40:14] completed I understand but I've not had

[40:16] a chance to look at it yet okay but the

[40:18] council would be able to hear about that

[40:20] definitely

[40:21] okay question thank you any other

[40:23] questions response hear none we have a

[40:25] motion

[40:27] so Mo I'll second second all those in

[40:30] favor uh the next item on the agenda is

[40:33] the speed sign

[40:35] purchase thank you uh the police

[40:38] department is looking looking to enter

[40:40] into agreement with PA Systems

[40:43] Incorporated we are we have Capital

[40:46] funds available of the amount of

[40:50] $13,000 we would like to purchase 25 of

[40:53] these signs for total of 78,2

[40:59] um if we have funds left over depending

[41:01] on how much it's going to cost to

[41:02] install them we would like to purchase

[41:05] more until the funds are depleted at a

[41:09] cost of

[41:10] $3,130 per

[41:15] unit any questions or comments M pck um

[41:18] so can you just uh tell us a little bit

[41:20] about you know the placement of of these

[41:23] and and making the determination of

[41:25] where the 25 will go sure it's going be

[41:27] predominantly school zones and some of

[41:29] the features that these signs have built

[41:31] into them um are of course getting the

[41:34] driver's attention uh we also have what

[41:37] we can call stealth mode where uh it

[41:40] appears that they're not working but

[41:41] what they're actually doing is they're

[41:42] collecting data and that's important

[41:44] because we want real numbers we don't

[41:46] want to um artificially impact how

[41:49] drivers uh would normally Drive

[41:51] especially if we're looking at some of

[41:53] these zones uh school zones again for

[41:55] dominant

[41:57] any M Patrick M sorry um thank you do we

[42:02] have any currently this type in the city

[42:04] yes we have been downloading one for

[42:06] probably 6 months maybe more and it's on

[42:08] eie Boulevard right near alltown fresh

[42:13] okay so um right now we're going to 25

[42:18] so do we know what the maximum or

[42:20] depends on the cost what number we'll

[42:21] get up to that's right depending on what

[42:23] the installation costs are I I have a

[42:24] rough estimate we look at around 350

[42:27] sign M um but we won't know until we get

[42:30] a little further into

[42:33] it and how soon would we be talking

[42:36] about um having the signs actually

[42:38] coming to be installed well as soon as

[42:40] we place the order and and

[42:43] um as soon as we have them in our

[42:44] possession we can install them so do we

[42:46] have time I know sometimes when we buy

[42:48] police cars it's like there's an

[42:49] extended period because of all that and

[42:51] how about with the signs is this a sh

[42:53] time frame yeah I'm confident it is I

[42:55] don't know the answer to that uh

[42:56] specifically

[42:57] it is I thought it was like 60 days Days

[43:02] place the order to we

[43:06] get any other questions or comments uh

[43:09] here have a motion so moved I'll second all in favor

[43:14] I thank you if there are no other items

[43:17] to recall Public Safety i' ask for

[43:19] motion to adourn mov second it all those

[43:22] in favor I we

[43:25] are so I'd like to call the finance

[43:28] committee to order we have five items on

[43:29] the agenda tonight the first of which is

[43:31] the UN Finance United uh CG allocation

[43:34] request which will be presented by Miss

[43:38] car good evening city council mayor the

[43:43] department of development received a

[43:44] request from young parents United asking

[43:47] for emergency funding um to fill in the

[43:51] Gap they lost a major funer this year

[43:53] leaving them with a $98,000 gap to

[43:56] continue their program

[43:57] the funding with the system and taking

[43:59] care of salaries and the basic needs for

[44:02] the young teenagers and the children

[44:04] that um are benefited from the program I

[44:07] have invited the executive director Miss

[44:10] Jenny Ean here to answer any additional

[44:12] questions in regards to the overview

[44:15] that was already provided to you on the

[44:17] services offer for young United parents

[44:19] my ask of you today is to allow um the

[44:23] city of SKC to go into contract with

[44:25] young United parents for 98,000 using

[44:28] cdbg funds that we have from 2018 that

[44:32] need to be extended um

[44:37] immediately this is a one-time act um

[44:41] the organization have already begin to

[44:43] take measures um with improving their

[44:45] fin their fiscal Health they've recently

[44:48] moved to another location with lower

[44:51] rent payments um in order to help adjust

[44:54] their financial situation right now they

[44:56] are are also working um to identify

[44:59] additional funding sources for

[45:02] sustainability moving forward so the

[45:04] expectation is not to come again um for

[45:07] this fund it is a one-time um it is a

[45:10] one-time contract they're currently

[45:12] already contracted with us through the

[45:15] youth Coalition so the organization has

[45:17] been in good standing good reporting um

[45:20] already so my ask is for you to support

[45:24] that thank you any questions or comments

[45:28] no so I think you answered it so they're looking for future funding that

[45:32] was one of my questions so they're

[45:33] looking to make sure in the future this

[45:36] um that they would have be in the place

[45:38] so this would not be an ask from the

[45:39] city correct going forward correct they

[45:42] will continue to be funded through the

[45:44] youth Coalition okay but the additional

[45:47] is not expectation

[45:51] so well I just asked about the cdbg

[45:54] hunds from 2018 and how we ended up

[45:57] and it's obviously is enough for what's

[45:59] being asked but how we kind of ended up

[46:01] there so H the federal government gives

[46:04] you 5 years to spend our money we've had

[46:07] money um allocated in other areas

[46:10] internally that haven't been able to use

[46:12] the funding so in an effort to stay in

[46:15] compliance with the federal government

[46:17] we went through and was able to find

[46:19] areas that we could reallocate the money

[46:21] for for immediate use and in the process

[46:24] of doing that we received the request

[46:26] from United parents young United parents

[46:30] and I did go to the mayor and ask if it

[46:32] was something that we could do and

[46:34] change kind of the trajectory on how we

[46:36] were going to use some of the funding

[46:38] thank you any Mr F just um how much

[46:41] other fun how much funding um out of

[46:43] this uh 2018 of money is available right

[46:48] now there is none after this after this

[46:51] okay okay thank you any other questions

[46:54] or

[46:54] comments umet just wondering um what

[46:58] your total budget is well you have to if

[47:02] you're going to come

[47:06] over excuse me for lping ier my name oh

[47:10] no

[47:12] I um so um it's you know last year we

[47:18] were operating

[47:20] $500,000 um this year you know with this

[47:23] funding you know we're we're mean we

[47:25] lost we had one

[47:28] fun just so um we do have other sources

[47:32] which includes the cdbg funding private

[47:34] foundations Community you know other

[47:36] foundations in the community this year

[47:38] what we're going to do to cover this Gap

[47:41] um there's a large Federal grant that's

[47:43] available um for several of them that

[47:46] apply very specifically to our

[47:48] population um we had attended previously

[47:52] to you know make that transition only

[47:54] now it's just requiring us to do it very

[47:56] quickly

[47:57] um but it it's you know it's a good

[47:59] amount of money that would literally

[48:01] cover that issue but the RFP doesn't

[48:03] come out till May um and the awards

[48:06] wouldn't take place until like septe the

[48:08] end of

[48:09] September so we needed you know we we

[48:13] really do I trust me provide a lot of

[48:16] services and support to the young

[48:18] parents in this community they dep

[48:20] depend on us as a lot of the agencies do

[48:22] also um so um we're just looking forward

[48:25] to staying here

[48:27] sustaining the organization so your

[48:30] support would be greatly

[48:32] appreciated any other questions or

[48:34] comments I I do have a question

[48:37] um what was the reasoning behind uh the

[48:40] primary fun pulling out I mean what was

[48:43] their I mean did they just lack funding

[48:45] themselves they they supported us

[48:47] tremendously um from the very beginning

[48:50] and I'm very grateful because they built

[48:53] the organization up to a point where we

[48:55] could really have a huge impact mhm um

[48:58] it was a decision to do something

[49:00] different um there's there's nothing

[49:03] negative to say we're very grateful um

[49:07] and you know we're grateful that we were

[49:09] able to get to the point where we

[49:10] weren't with that particular fun um and

[49:13] it's just now a transition to move

[49:16] on I really need the support to

[49:19] sustain just yeah but first I want to

[49:21] say I appreciate the work that you're

[49:23] doing the very very important work that

[49:24] you're doing on my you know not lost on

[49:27] any of us in the council at least I

[49:28] think I can speak for the council say

[49:30] that um this is a very high priority of

[49:33] ours as well so I just wanted to say

[49:34] thank you for the thank you yeah we're

[49:36] really in the mud with these kids so to

[49:39] be right and we want to continue to be

[49:41] We Care a

[49:42] Lot uh any other questions or comments

[49:45] uh hearing on and a motion so move

[49:47] second second all those in favor I I

[49:50] thank you so much um moving to the next

[49:53] item uh the 20 2024 budget reallocation

[49:57] pursu to the agreement between the city

[49:58] ofcity

[50:01] and car Carpenters Local 51 of 2024

[50:05] which will be discussed by

[50:08] May thank you uh items 2 three and four

[50:11] are budget amendments to

[50:14] conform with

[50:16] the contracts that we've ENT du to

[50:19] collective bargaining agreements with

[50:21] the uh

[50:22] Carpenters the uh electricians and the

[50:25] painters unit

[50:28] uh so anybody has any specific

[50:31] questions on that but these are

[50:33] contracts already been approved by the

[50:35] council uh done by the unions and now

[50:38] it's just to bring the

[50:40] budget into agreement with that so we

[50:43] can continue to

[50:46] pay

[50:48] um did we need to uh go through these

[50:51] line by

[50:52] line you probably do to have to to vote

[50:56] on it but the message is the same for

[50:59] all of them apologize Mr chairman get

[51:02] thee of no no worries uh so uh

[51:06] returning m p yes so well actually it's

[51:09] not a question I just um just want to

[51:11] point out that Mr gamak who couldn't be

[51:12] here tonight um did provide the um

[51:16] backup information about how much it's

[51:18] going to cost scenarios there if anybody

[51:19] has any

[51:22] questions and Al answer it or we can get

[51:25] additional information

[51:27] it's um you'll notice that there're not

[51:29] significant increases right um in

[51:32] clearly things that we if we uh made

[51:35] those changes we got to we have to amend

[51:37] the budgets to cover that these we have

[51:40] small numbers of members Within These

[51:43] Union that or city

[51:46] employees uh so any questions or

[51:48] comments regarding the carpenter local

[51:51] 51 uh hearing N I have a motion so move

[51:55] I'll second second all in favor hi hi

[51:57] moving to item number three is the 2024

[52:00] budget reallocation for the IBEW Local

[52:04] 202

[52:06] 236 any questions or comments I'll move

[52:09] it I will second second how in favor I

[52:13] uh item number four is the 2024 budget

[52:16] reallocation um for the trades Union dc9

[52:18] painters for glair lu2 and plumber lu7

[52:22] for 2024 any questions or comments he

[52:25] anyone so I'll move it I I'll second all those in favor I I and the

[52:31] fifth and final item is a reminder of a

[52:33] public hearing for the Restore New York

[52:35] uh round 8 Grant

[52:38] application the public hearing will be

[52:40] held on

[52:43] April 20

[52:45] seconds any other questions or comments

[52:48] the pl comme hearing on we have motion

[52:50] toour so moved second second all those

[52:53] in favor I we areour

[52:56] I wanted to move this so we can let Mr

[52:58] um Mr Gill sure okay I'd like to call

[53:03] the order City development and planning

[53:04] we have seven items on the

[53:06] agenda is Mr Wallen coming downstairs or

[53:09] he he usually goes based on uh is he

[53:12] coming you see him I don't see him he

[53:14] usually sits upstairs and watches so

[53:17] taking it out of order might throw him

[53:20] off so

[53:24] um so could Mr TT okay so um and while

[53:30] we're waiting for him I am going to jump

[53:32] to item number three so uh on of City

[53:35] development and planning it's a

[53:37] ceremonial resolution for Arbor Day uh

[53:40] we've done it the years in the past but

[53:41] I want to first of all thank Miss Carver

[53:43] for bringing it to our attention this

[53:44] year because um part of having the res

[53:47] part of the what the benefit of having

[53:49] these resolutions just not to do it but

[53:51] it's also when there's funding

[53:54] opportunities it um having a resolution

[53:57] that proclaiming Arbor Day in the city

[53:58] is part of what the application is

[54:00] asking for so again I want to thank M

[54:03] Carver um for bringing this to to our

[54:05] attention to make sure that we do it it

[54:07] is okay it is under my name however it's

[54:11] just there as a placeholder so if

[54:12] there's a council member has a burning

[54:14] desire or loves trees and grass as Miss

[54:16] Carver said and wants

[54:19] to and wants to present the resolution

[54:22] you know what anyone wants to volunteer

[54:24] to do that

[54:27] oh Mr Char absolutely okay so there we

[54:30] are so we will invite people to come um

[54:33] to do that you know that part will will

[54:35] take care of the um actually I spoke

[54:37] some people over the weekend so we'll

[54:39] have MPS through here and receive it

[54:41] okay I welome turn on that well you want

[54:44] to co-present it I said yeah I welcome

[54:46] Mr T I think we all love trees so if you

[54:49] don't have any then everybody really be

[54:50] loving them then so we got to

[54:53] definitely okay so all right

[54:57] okay

[54:59] um Mr wall thank you I know I jumped

[55:02] ahead and threw you off the little your

[55:03] sister so can I just say about the Arbor

[55:06] Day yes that it would be nice to have

[55:08] something where you know we could always

[55:10] you know cuz we did this before when I

[55:12] was working it where you could

[55:13] ceremoniously you know plant a tree

[55:16] actually to celebrate I don't know if

[55:17] maybe you were already thinking about

[55:19] doing something like that but have some

[55:21] you know kind of it's not a ribbon

[55:23] cutting it's a grounding this year we're

[55:25] partnering with retreat in so there is

[55:28] going to be event and I will pass it

[55:30] around to the clerk to um distribute but

[55:34] um on Friday the 26 will be an activity

[55:37] that we partner with with some Community

[55:39] organization great and thank you again

[55:42] we need a motion I'm

[55:44] sorry I'll second all in favor great all

[55:48] right

[55:50] um so the first item we're going back to

[55:52] first item the award the bidden contract

[55:54] for the Gulf Road uh Warner replacement

[55:57] okay so this is a new water line between

[56:01] the existing fire training facility on

[56:03] gol Avenue to our Golf Course

[56:06] maintenance facility uh down the dead

[56:09] end of uh Golf Road um as you know we

[56:12] are installing uh very soon the brand

[56:15] new golf course irrigation system the

[56:17] irrigation system is going to be more

[56:18] centrally located in the existing one is located in a rather

[56:23] odd easement behind a home off a Consol

[56:25] Road it makes it difficult to get to and

[56:28] a little cumbersome for all of us so

[56:29] we're going to be moving it uh to a new

[56:32] location that is a little bit easier to

[56:35] access all the way around and more

[56:36] Central to the course so this is an 8 in

[56:38] water made to go we've got several bids

[56:41] uh the low being Newcastle who we have

[56:43] worked with numerous times in the past

[56:45] um and it is within

[56:49] budget any

[56:51] questions I'll entertain a motion so

[56:54] moved second all those in favor

[56:57] okay item number two change order

[57:00] approval to okano electric contract for

[57:02] the Central Park Pool Mr wall uh okano

[57:05] electric is just backr up the Central

[57:08] Park Pool was awarded under Wix law

[57:10] which is four contracts a General

[57:11] Plumbing an electrical and mechanical um

[57:14] the electrical contract that we have in

[57:16] front of you we uh would like to do a

[57:18] change order for them to install

[57:20] additional Lighting in the park uh for

[57:23] Sight paths and lighting between the

[57:25] pool facility the a diamond and music

[57:28] Haven um the value of their contract was

[57:31] such that by approving this as you see

[57:33] it would raise the value over 25% and

[57:35] over 25% requires Council approval um

[57:38] the funding for this project would be

[57:40] paid for the outside the fence money

[57:41] that we call it the arpa general fund

[57:43] Improvement money um we thought that

[57:45] this was an efficient way to get the

[57:47] goals of the project accomplished since

[57:49] we had it a Contractor on site and the

[57:51] lights that we wanted uh and to schedule

[57:54] so um they are order ordering the lights

[57:57] upon you know approval of this they're

[57:58] ready to go um contractor great the new

[58:01] lights that we have uh they said they've

[58:03] been working they are smart uh node

[58:05] capable and so I would recommend that we

[58:08] improve this so that we can uh right now

[58:10] just if you're aware I know Paul's not

[58:12] here but on every music Haven event um

[58:14] we actually have to rent light towers

[58:17] and bring them in and it is an issue

[58:19] between people from Fair Avenue which is

[58:21] where the majority Park and the rest of

[58:23] that and so this is a step to try to

[58:25] improve that

[58:27] any questions comments well I'll just

[58:29] say that I mean having experienced um

[58:31] the musicated piece of this in

[58:34] particular I mean it's just so needed so

[58:36] I'm thrilled that um we're going to move

[58:38] forward with this um it's it's really an

[58:40] important safety feature in the park um

[58:43] for all the people that come in and

[58:45] enjoy uh those festivities all summer

[58:47] long so I appreciate it and while this

[58:50] is the lighting component this is also

[58:53] designed to work for it's really the

[58:55] walkway going between music Haven a DI

[58:59] where the swimming pool is and so it'll

[59:01] dramatically improve walkability and

[59:05] visual attractiveness of that whole area

[59:08] of the

[59:09] park Mr Toro thank you so having been

[59:12] there yesterday in the Pavilion for a

[59:14] baby shower and uh it was wonderful but

[59:17] um so that they were working on the pool

[59:19] non stop they had work going on over

[59:21] there but they had that big round ruler

[59:23] that they were packing down all the

[59:25] gravel and the walkway we're talking

[59:27] about now and um the restrooms are there

[59:29] so again it was a dreary day and it was

[59:32] dark and and uh with those lights on

[59:34] it'll just be very nice the the walkway

[59:36] the pathway thank you

[59:39] Chris any other questions or comments

[59:42] bit I'll second all those in favor I

[59:45] thank you thank

[59:47] youate now we just three left again so

[59:53] um so the next item is is a we did arbit

[59:58] recognizing John fill for his years of

[1:00:00] service uh for those who don't know he

[1:00:02] will be retiring at the end of this

[1:00:04] month after 35 years of service to the

[1:00:06] city and so you know um as we have

[1:00:10] recent in the recent past um acknowledge

[1:00:13] people who had who were retiring from

[1:00:15] the city like to provide um a resolution

[1:00:17] hopefully is actually I think on

[1:00:19] vacation right now can come and um

[1:00:21] receive it but even if he can't I think

[1:00:23] it's a it's a good thing after that many

[1:00:25] years of Serv to at least be able to uh

[1:00:28] acknowledge the service to the city so

[1:00:31] without that I move that one with

[1:00:33] pleasure all right I will second all

[1:00:35] those in favor I thank you uh the next

[1:00:38] item is um the reminder of the public

[1:00:41] hearing for adding um the addition to

[1:00:44] section 26 no 26413 of the city code

[1:00:48] regarding the regulation and location of

[1:00:50] smoke shops vape shops hooka lounges and

[1:00:52] vape consumption businesses and that

[1:00:54] public hearing will be h on the 22nd of

[1:00:57] April it's just a reminder m u the next

[1:01:00] item is item number item number six is

[1:01:02] 902 MCL Street uh vacant lot U mayor is

[1:01:05] this something that we need to do in

[1:01:07] executive session or can we do this

[1:01:08] public in public session it's the

[1:01:10] council's decision I called at this

[1:01:13] point fairly forward straightforward and

[1:01:16] wouldn't be executive session if you

[1:01:18] want there's some specific

[1:01:21] question um on the negotiations not in

[1:01:24] terms of negotiations I I I I do have

[1:01:26] some questions but they're not in terms

[1:01:27] of negotiation so um

[1:01:32] we yeah I think we should do it in

[1:01:34] executive session um Section

[1:01:36] 105 uh proposed acquisition salary lease

[1:01:39] of property I beg you pardon um uh it's

[1:01:44] proposed acquisition of the release or

[1:01:45] sale of property and also if there's

[1:01:48] going to be any

[1:01:51] uh looking at any sort of litigation in

[1:01:53] this matter is that uh

[1:01:56] are we looking at litigation in this

[1:01:57] matter or you just looking to transfer

[1:01:59] the property

[1:02:01] as is subject to the conditions that

[1:02:06] are

[1:02:07] um litigation I know I'm just I'm just

[1:02:11] saying looking for any

[1:02:13] litigation okay so just discounting that basis for for there's a

[1:02:19] number of different reasons for for

[1:02:21] executive sessions and I just want to

[1:02:23] make sure that's not one of them but

[1:02:25] we're looking at the acquisition sale or

[1:02:29] lease of real property the council's

[1:02:32] previously approved this sales yes we

[1:02:35] did back so there seems to be an issue

[1:02:39] post the transaction has not closed so I

[1:02:42] would still say it's a

[1:02:44] pending a pending sale so it has even

[1:02:48] though the resolution's passed and has

[1:02:51] not closed I see okay well I was trying

[1:02:55] to um get you out of here but it doesn't

[1:02:58] look

[1:02:59] like so um we're going to have to do

[1:03:03] that in executive session same

[1:03:07] okay and U an amendment to the land bank

[1:03:10] Cooperative agreement same

[1:03:13] thing I don't I don't know all the terms

[1:03:15] of that that one is if we're just

[1:03:17] looking to add properties to that

[1:03:20] correct mhm yes um but not for sales we

[1:03:26] adding we're not there's not

[1:03:28] transactions with that right it's just

[1:03:30] adding properties from the inventory

[1:03:32] over to that okay that

[1:03:36] doesn't simply

[1:03:41] adding no we're simply adding properties

[1:03:44] to the existing access agreement

[1:03:46] allowing them to look through those

[1:03:48] sites um and also identify different

[1:03:50] projects and things that we may need in

[1:03:52] the future okay I I think I I would like

[1:03:55] to hear that in ex session I he I have

[1:03:57] some questions regarding the value of

[1:03:59] those properties okay yes regarding the

[1:04:01] values of those properties okay so in this case I'll ask for recess

[1:04:10] okay motion to recess

[1:04:13] second then you call you the committ

[1:04:16] order and then we'll go into the

[1:04:17] executive session right after your

[1:04:18] discussion okay all right so do we have

[1:04:20] to vote on we're recess should we just

[1:04:21] oh we don't have to vote on it no no

[1:04:23] we're we're not going to discuss we're

[1:04:25] do an executive

[1:04:26] session okay so I'd like to open health

[1:04:29] and Recreation we have one item on the

[1:04:31] agenda and that is uh ceremonial

[1:04:35] resolution um regarding the uh contract

[1:04:38] between St Peter's Health Partners Ellis

[1:04:40] medicine and uh newor State Nurses

[1:04:44] Association um so I'd like to open that

[1:04:47] up see if there's any discussion I have

[1:04:50] some questions Mr Cary certainly

[1:04:53] so right now uh Ellis medicine and St

[1:04:56] Peters are um in negotiations um with a

[1:05:01] New York State Association of nurses and

[1:05:03] I think that um it's important that you

[1:05:06] know this is a situ this is a

[1:05:09] very uh consequential um negotiation or

[1:05:14] process that's happening and I just want

[1:05:16] to um encourage you know all our

[1:05:19] Community Partners to uh settle a fater

[1:05:22] contract uh with the Nurses Association

[1:05:25] so it doesn't impact the um well if it

[1:05:28] and if it does impact it impacts um to

[1:05:31] the benefit of the people that live in

[1:05:32] the city as conc with our limited

[1:05:34] medical uh resources that we have I

[1:05:36] think that is really um an important

[1:05:39] issue to uh weigh in

[1:05:42] on um committee M Doro thank you um so I

[1:05:47] fully acknowledge the sense of role of

[1:05:50] nurses uh in our community and wherever

[1:05:53] however I think this negotiation is

[1:05:54] between a

[1:05:56] private entity and their employees and

[1:05:58] should be negotiated as such and I I

[1:06:01] really don't feel it's a stance that uh

[1:06:03] I feel the the city council should take

[1:06:05] a

[1:06:07] um a um not take a stance in helping out

[1:06:11] or resolving negotiations between um

[1:06:15] that fall within kind of like the domain

[1:06:17] of of private entities so um I I just

[1:06:20] don't think it's again as much as I

[1:06:23] fully

[1:06:24] acknowledge and uh endorse the role of

[1:06:26] nurses I just don't think it's something

[1:06:28] that that we should enter

[1:06:31] into Mr Williams oh just as a point of

[1:06:34] clarification which entity are you

[1:06:35] referring to that's private uh the

[1:06:38] hospital but it's a merger so which one

[1:06:40] cuz to my awareness both are non

[1:06:43] for-profits pardon me they're both non

[1:06:45] for-profits St Peters and Dallas yes

[1:06:49] so by law every Hospital in New York

[1:06:51] state has to be not proprof so they're

[1:06:54] not private is what he say it's not

[1:06:55] private so I would say they're public

[1:06:57] good that would make it very much a

[1:06:59] public conversation but I'll wait

[1:07:02] till do you have other comments or I I

[1:07:06] have some comments so sure well I'll

[1:07:09] hear you out first well I do want to

[1:07:10] comment on that particular question

[1:07:12] actually because in fact I'm not really

[1:07:14] sure um and I don't know if anyone

[1:07:17] around this table knows which gets to my

[1:07:19] larger issue of I really don't think we

[1:07:21] should be getting involved with contract

[1:07:22] negotiations between the hospital and and its uh and its staff or anybody

[1:07:27] I mean I would say the same thing um in

[1:07:29] terms of getting involved in the school

[1:07:31] you know the school district when the

[1:07:33] superintendent is negotiating at net um

[1:07:36] I wouldn't think that we would want to

[1:07:37] get involved with that or or any um

[1:07:39] contract negotiation um that isn't ours

[1:07:43] um but I do want to say that I'm not

[1:07:46] really sure that the nurses are needing

[1:07:48] to negotiate with with St Peters um I

[1:07:51] don't think that's part of it I think um

[1:07:54] you know I don't think St Peters is

[1:07:55] involved in it um if anyone else knows

[1:07:58] differently um they could they could

[1:08:01] tell me that um so that's one of my my

[1:08:04] questions I'd like to know where um the

[1:08:07] 93% i i the idea that Ellis is under

[1:08:11] Staffing uh it's its Hospital units up

[1:08:14] to 93% um I'd like to know where that

[1:08:17] came from and whether anyone sitting at

[1:08:18] the table can verify that number um CU

[1:08:21] I'm not really sure that that's um it

[1:08:23] seems like a very unusual number to me

[1:08:26] um so again I don't really feel that we

[1:08:31] probably fully understand the parameters

[1:08:33] of the contract negotiation it's my

[1:08:35] understanding that they do this every 3

[1:08:36] years it's kind of a you know standard

[1:08:38] negotiation that the hospital undertakes

[1:08:41] every every 3 years with the nurses but

[1:08:43] I also want to say um as you all are

[1:08:45] saying that I certainly support all of

[1:08:47] our healthcare workers and I value uh

[1:08:50] the fact that we have the hospital here

[1:08:53] um I think we need to do everything we

[1:08:55] can to support um keeping the hospital

[1:08:58] here and and making sure that our health

[1:08:59] care stays stays uh fine um but again I

[1:09:05] really would have to say that um I just

[1:09:07] don't think it's appropriate for city

[1:09:08] council to be getting involved in the

[1:09:10] contract negotiations of another

[1:09:13] organization Miss pfield so I I just

[1:09:16] want to point out the fact that um

[1:09:18] several years ago when there was a where

[1:09:20] we were supporting in terms of safe

[1:09:23] Staffing and we did this Council did

[1:09:25] pass a resolution when the when the nna

[1:09:28] came to us regarding safe Staffing

[1:09:30] because they were stating that you know

[1:09:32] there was a safe Staffing acting because

[1:09:34] there were the Staffing was not um equal

[1:09:38] to the number of patients so essentially

[1:09:41] nurses were then being overburdened in terms of how many patients per um per

[1:09:46] nurse so the N did come to us and we did

[1:09:49] pass a resolution to support that safe

[1:09:51] Staffing act so I just want to make

[1:09:53] folks be aware that um that that did

[1:09:56] happen additionally um it's my

[1:10:00] understanding that same K isn't very

[1:10:01] much involved in this and we can just

[1:10:02] confirm that for you if that's a

[1:10:04] question for you but um this the

[1:10:06] information as I understand it came from

[1:10:08] nna so that's uh I know the Trinity is

[1:10:11] also involved in it but that St Peters

[1:10:13] is a part of this and I know that you um

[1:10:17] was stated that we do they do this every

[1:10:19] year but this is a little bit different

[1:10:21] because there's a this is the merger

[1:10:23] they don't do that every 3 years this is

[1:10:24] a merger

[1:10:25] of facilities and it's going to change

[1:10:28] something so it's not just a standard

[1:10:29] contract this is about a merger so I

[1:10:32] just wanted to um to make that clear and

[1:10:35] also um I want I want to ask you about

[1:10:39] so are you saying that if we if the

[1:10:41] information is concern confirmed in

[1:10:44] terms of the you know what they're

[1:10:45] saying is that um where your most

[1:10:49] concern is no I was just raising those

[1:10:51] questions no I absolutely my my major

[1:10:54] concern is um city council getting

[1:10:56] involved with something that I don't

[1:10:57] feel is um appropriate and in it's

[1:10:59] outside the purview of city council um

[1:11:02] to be passing this resolution so that's my fundamental belief okay the

[1:11:09] others were just questions that I was

[1:11:10] Raising I guess I was Raising those

[1:11:12] questions to say that um to me that adds

[1:11:16] to the fact that I think it's a

[1:11:19] situation that we are not the best um

[1:11:22] experts you know in terms of the

[1:11:25] understand understanding of what's

[1:11:26] happening in that labor negotiation to

[1:11:28] make a stand on on

[1:11:31] that mrle it was me so first of all I I want to say um I genuinely appreciate

[1:11:37] the concerns that are being raised here

[1:11:38] I think that um there is definitely

[1:11:41] Merit and the concerns around like what

[1:11:43] is the role of a city council and you

[1:11:47] know I would I think point where I where

[1:11:50] we differ is like the examples around

[1:11:52] like the school district um I think that

[1:11:55] what we're talking about on this issue

[1:11:57] is literally in probably the most

[1:12:00] explicit form of something that

[1:12:02] consequences can be life or death for

[1:12:04] the people that live in our city um so I

[1:12:07] think that you know you don't we don't

[1:12:09] need to be a medical professional per se

[1:12:13] or um someone who knows the ins and outs

[1:12:16] of uh what's being negotiated in order

[1:12:20] to call for a fair negot to for a fair

[1:12:23] negotiation to be reached because that

[1:12:25] impacts the material conditions of the

[1:12:27] people that live in our city and

[1:12:28] probably the one of the most significant

[1:12:30] ways of any other institution that's

[1:12:32] existing so I think that those are the

[1:12:34] compelling reasons why uh we need to get

[1:12:38] involved I almost I will go to a point

[1:12:39] where I feel obligated to be involved

[1:12:42] and even thank you uh Madame President

[1:12:44] for uh acknowledging that precedent that

[1:12:46] I didn't even know existed um prior to

[1:12:49] this so I I do appreciate that um

[1:12:52] acknowledging that this is something

[1:12:53] that is a area that city council has

[1:12:55] action and before I say even if that

[1:12:57] wasn't the case um this is a situation

[1:13:01] where this impacts the livelihood of the

[1:13:05] people that live in the city in a very

[1:13:08] uh serious way and I think that any

[1:13:10] issue that um Rises to that level of

[1:13:15] quality of life implications we are

[1:13:17] obligated I feel a strong obligation to

[1:13:21] weigh in to do what's best for the

[1:13:22] people that live here especially where

[1:13:24] it's also something has important has

[1:13:25] access to

[1:13:27] um uh uh healthcare for for that

[1:13:31] matter oh and also one more thing and

[1:13:34] the study um a study was done um in 2023

[1:13:38] this is where the um information is

[1:13:39] coming by the New York State Association

[1:13:41] nurses from February to November 23

[1:13:44] where they uh did a study against six

[1:13:47] units um and that's where um the that

[1:13:50] data comes from and you can find that

[1:13:52] information on their website and there's

[1:13:54] also this is all public information as

[1:13:56] well so you can find that on their

[1:13:58] website before I go to Mr Williams I

[1:14:01] just want to say thank you um and

[1:14:03] appreciate what you're saying I guess I

[1:14:05] will bring back that again um to me the

[1:14:10] same in terms of the contract

[1:14:11] negotiations that the mayor and our

[1:14:13] Commissioner of Finance you know under

[1:14:15] goes with our police department and our

[1:14:17] fire department which are also two very

[1:14:19] essential services and life or death uh

[1:14:22] situations for the residents um again I

[1:14:25] would say I wouldn't want to see you

[1:14:27] know someone from a different governing

[1:14:31] body trying to get involved in those

[1:14:32] contract

[1:14:33] negotiations um from outside the city as

[1:14:36] well I just I just feel like it's um so

[1:14:39] that's my that's my uh similar my

[1:14:41] similar Point Mr Williams so I'd say in

[1:14:44] my response I would say I don't see the

[1:14:46] parallels because uh my argument was

[1:14:48] going to start with uh since both

[1:14:50] Hospital both Hospital systems are non

[1:14:53] for-profits I would would categorize

[1:14:55] them as public goods and I would say as

[1:14:57] City servants within the city of

[1:15:00] connecti uh I think advocating on the

[1:15:03] functionality of any form that exists

[1:15:06] within this municipality as well within

[1:15:08] our purview uh with respect to um um

[1:15:12] Miss Porterfield referencing that the

[1:15:14] council has already made a determination

[1:15:15] on on safe Staffing uh I I think it's to Mr um Farley's

[1:15:20] point this is a different situation

[1:15:23] where we're dealing with a merger

[1:15:25] between Trinity or not Trinity uh

[1:15:27] between St Peter's Health Partners and

[1:15:29] uh Ellis and they function within the

[1:15:32] umbrella of Trinity Health System but

[1:15:34] sincerely this is a unique circumstance

[1:15:37] and that these conversations have been

[1:15:38] in a stalled or stagnant uh state for a

[1:15:42] prolong number of months so I think in

[1:15:44] understanding the context that these

[1:15:45] conversations have not continued I think

[1:15:47] it is incum it upon us to recognize that

[1:15:51] um these nurses who truly are the

[1:15:53] Cornerstone of any healthare system are asking for our assistance and

[1:15:57] I think in the manner of which they're

[1:15:58] requesting it it is truly us

[1:16:00] highlighting the importance of getting

[1:16:02] this right and with this being the

[1:16:04] singular hospital system within our city

[1:16:07] and with weight times being at what they

[1:16:09] are I I imagine I'm not the only one

[1:16:11] hearing of it I've had relatives who sat

[1:16:13] in that waiting room and truly uh we've

[1:16:16] already identified once that Staffing

[1:16:18] safe Staffing saves lives the

[1:16:20] expectations that are placed on these

[1:16:22] individuals when it is in excess that

[1:16:25] has a implication and and again I I

[1:16:29] think it is just important for us to

[1:16:30] take a moment to recognize where we are

[1:16:32] at how we got here and I I do think this

[1:16:34] is a decision that we are able to make

[1:16:36] um and then partially to to the other

[1:16:38] aspect of it I very much think if the

[1:16:40] school district was in a stagnant St

[1:16:42] stance also however I'm more than

[1:16:44] confident that superintendent uh Coto

[1:16:46] although very new uh has has well within

[1:16:49] his abilities to maintain that

[1:16:50] conversation uh uh well I think that

[1:16:54] would also be a similar context that I

[1:16:56] think I I would also be willing to make

[1:16:58] and and um apply the same reasoning to

[1:17:00] as well Mr Char so I guess I would just

[1:17:04] add on the fact that I think that I

[1:17:06] appreciate when you know council members

[1:17:08] expressing their recognizing the

[1:17:10] importance and support of um you know

[1:17:13] our nurses and and all medical uh uh

[1:17:17] care providers I just think that we

[1:17:20] have an ability to demonstrate our

[1:17:24] support through action and I think

[1:17:27] that that is really the measure um upon

[1:17:32] which not only people will recognize but

[1:17:35] the measure of what will impact again

[1:17:37] the material conditions of the people

[1:17:38] that live in the city so and so I I

[1:17:42] would

[1:17:43] just welcome our the larger Council to

[1:17:47] come into the conversation from that

[1:17:50] entry point recognizing

[1:17:52] that this isn't something that where we

[1:17:54] have to to just recognize and uh and

[1:17:58] appreciate in more of a symbolic nature

[1:18:00] like we do have literally quite frankly

[1:18:03] some skin in the game and and the people

[1:18:06] that live here in the city is connected

[1:18:08] really have S skin in the game here and

[1:18:11] uh so I so I with all due respect and

[1:18:14] genuinely appreciating that I think it's

[1:18:16] important that we amplify that with all

[1:18:18] the respect and really appreciating um

[1:18:22] the different perspectives at the table

[1:18:23] I just think that we are our position

[1:18:25] that we sit and compels us to take

[1:18:26] action so again I'm just going to argue

[1:18:29] back on that again with respect discuss

[1:18:32] back discuss that um but I do think that

[1:18:34] we all support nurses I think we all you

[1:18:36] know care very much about all of our

[1:18:38] healthcare workers I think we

[1:18:40] [Music]

[1:18:41] also support the hospital I mean I think

[1:18:43] it's really important that um we have

[1:18:46] Ellis here and that we're able to

[1:18:48] maintain Ellis here and help them be

[1:18:51] stable in whatever ways they can be they

[1:18:53] need they need uh that kind of stability

[1:18:55] so um I think that you know again um I

[1:18:59] just want to really say that not

[1:19:01] supporting this resolution doesn't mean

[1:19:03] that we're not that I'm I can just speak

[1:19:05] for myself that I'm not supporting um

[1:19:08] nurses um you know of course love nurses

[1:19:12] need nurses um I think you know we need

[1:19:15] to do whatever we can to assist anyone

[1:19:17] that's trying to you know educate um

[1:19:20] people to think about careers in any of

[1:19:23] the healthcare um

[1:19:25] uh subsets um that that's great you know

[1:19:28] a great public message um to be to be

[1:19:31] putting forth but again I really uh just

[1:19:34] feel like we're stepping outside of our

[1:19:36] lane if we get involved with um contract

[1:19:38] negotiations at the hospital Mr Mr Mayor

[1:19:42] thank you madam chair uh about three

[1:19:44] years ago they were in a similar

[1:19:46] position uh where both sides I'm

[1:19:50] apologize I'm not quite as familiar with

[1:19:52] the private sector negotiations I sector

[1:19:55] but they were in what I think was a

[1:19:56] cooling off period And I had the

[1:19:59] opportunity to publicly urge both sides

[1:20:02] to take into consideration the other

[1:20:04] side's position and uh hopefully come to

[1:20:08] a

[1:20:09] resolution which surprisingly they did

[1:20:12] and it was with a little bit of sarcasm

[1:20:14] they gave me credit for bringing them

[1:20:17] all together and it was so my public

[1:20:20] comments there just asking them to come

[1:20:23] together

[1:20:25] had tremendous effect hopefully the

[1:20:27] council will remember that when I put

[1:20:29] messages out to you and ask for

[1:20:34] help so any oh Mr fary yeah thank you

[1:20:38] for that Mr May and I just I think that

[1:20:40] um it's important that we recognize that

[1:20:42] this is not a a a a resolution against

[1:20:46] Ellis at all in fact it's a resolution

[1:20:49] in support of our community and I think

[1:20:53] that that is the lens that I'm using um

[1:20:56] as I'm looking through this information

[1:20:58] and knowing that these you know quality

[1:21:01] of life and again in depth issues um is

[1:21:04] really is prevent so it's not

[1:21:07] necessarily you know I'm not saying

[1:21:09] something against um Ellis as more as

[1:21:11] what I'm saying something that is for

[1:21:13] the community that's for the U material

[1:21:16] conditions of the people that live here

[1:21:17] and the access to um Quality Healthcare

[1:21:19] is is is greatly impacted by their

[1:21:22] ability to come to a fair agreement so

[1:21:25] that's why I just can you know that's

[1:21:26] why I'm looking to urge to do urge him

[1:21:28] to do

[1:21:29] so Mr T uh thank you I was wondering if any of the other council members

[1:21:34] would like to share your feelings on it

[1:21:37] yeah I I I just you this is um you know

[1:21:40] obviously support nursing my have two

[1:21:42] sister-in-laws that are are nurses are

[1:21:45] work um and having been an administrator

[1:21:48] for nonprofit during sensitive

[1:21:51] negotiations um you know I have a

[1:21:53] feeling that this for the council is an

[1:21:55] overreach into an area that that we

[1:21:57] don't know the sensitive Natures of the

[1:21:59] negotiations that are what's happening I

[1:22:01] mean coming from a place that I was

[1:22:03] working there were you know we were

[1:22:05] constantly getting um written up from

[1:22:08] the state on not having appropriate

[1:22:10] Staffing levels for several different

[1:22:12] reasons and we were working very hard to

[1:22:14] resolve those

[1:22:15] issues um and I'm concerned that this

[1:22:18] could could kind of sway or or or have a

[1:22:21] bad effect I don't know the intricacies

[1:22:24] of challenge Alles that that they're

[1:22:25] facing in in the Staffing levels and

[1:22:28] what's generating that um and I don't

[1:22:30] know the nature of the negotiations and

[1:22:32] conditions that are are creating a delay

[1:22:35] which gives me pause to to support such a a resolution at this time I'm not

[1:22:41] a

[1:22:43] um it's a yeah I I I don't know what

[1:22:46] else we could do to maybe encourage or

[1:22:48] find get more information on what the

[1:22:50] hold up is um but I just don't feel I

[1:22:53] have enough information that that we

[1:22:55] would um interfere with with another

[1:22:58] organization's labor um

[1:23:01] negotiations Mr Williams so if I can

[1:23:03] just plainly ask based on your

[1:23:04] definition which I appreciate you would

[1:23:05] categorize the mayor's action as an

[1:23:08] overreach he was I believe he you been

[1:23:11] um invited

[1:23:15] to I had the opportunity to make public

[1:23:17] comments on the status of

[1:23:22] it and

[1:23:26] listen I appreciate the discussion and

[1:23:28] debate we'd like them we'd like peace

[1:23:31] and Harmony in community and all this

[1:23:34] and

[1:23:36] a if the issues on the uh 93% I've also

[1:23:41] sat in a number of

[1:23:46] negotiations where

[1:23:48] sometimes the collective bargaining unit

[1:23:51] will Advocate positions that might be

[1:23:54] some distorted or a little bit

[1:23:57] Amplified and so that the issue was the

[1:24:01] 93% which seems high to me uh council

[1:24:06] could some generic wording to

[1:24:10] encourage both sides to consider the

[1:24:12] other side and to move toward a

[1:24:15] resolution that reflects the high

[1:24:18] quality of service that Ellis and its

[1:24:20] staff delivered to this

[1:24:22] community uh

[1:24:25] I would hope you could all come together

[1:24:26] on that and move it forward we're

[1:24:30] working with Ellis on a number of things

[1:24:31] you know that

[1:24:34] the time today to transfer a patient

[1:24:38] we're having trouble getting ambulances

[1:24:40] sometimes to take somebody from the

[1:24:42] scene to the emergency room Ellis has

[1:24:45] been extremely Cooperative in terms of

[1:24:47] looking at other ways of how to deliver

[1:24:50] that highquality care in the most

[1:24:53] appropriate manner sometimes taking

[1:24:55] people to the emergency room is not the

[1:24:58] optimal treatment and city of connecties

[1:25:02] is leading in that in terms of some of

[1:25:04] the things that we're doing with tele

[1:25:05] medicine partnership with the delivery

[1:25:07] of Emergency Medical Care our smart

[1:25:10] cities

[1:25:11] program and that only happening because

[1:25:13] of the nurses it's only happening

[1:25:15] because of the staff and management

[1:25:17] Allis and so don't get in the Quagmire

[1:25:21] here of favoring Management on too much

[1:25:25] n is too much we'd like them to come to

[1:25:28] some

[1:25:29] agreement and again

[1:25:34] allow again the high quality of

[1:25:36] healthare to be delivered within this

[1:25:39] community this P so um so I I will some

[1:25:43] of the things I've already been stated

[1:25:44] but sometimes when you go to the

[1:25:45] emergency room there are 10hour weights

[1:25:46] and um mayor and you spoke about um

[1:25:49] having making sure that we have nurses

[1:25:51] so I think in terms of this resolution

[1:25:53] that is what they ask is that to make

[1:25:55] sure that we have safe Staffing and we

[1:25:57] have enough nurses and and that they're

[1:25:59] not um not understaffed and if it means

[1:26:02] that we need to to verify those things

[1:26:05] um I'm of the opinion that people aren't

[1:26:08] you know people do stretch it or you

[1:26:11] know but I I'm of the opinion that

[1:26:13] there's not going to be an a major

[1:26:15] exaggeration of what's going on here so

[1:26:18] I I frankly as I said we've done the

[1:26:20] State Staffing before because we thought

[1:26:22] it was concern and I know that I'm

[1:26:24] looking around see if anybody was here

[1:26:25] at the time um I so I don't know if any

[1:26:28] council members are currently here but

[1:26:30] you know the nurses came and said hey

[1:26:32] there's a safe Staffing and and would

[1:26:33] you support us in that and we did

[1:26:35] because we all recognize the importance

[1:26:37] of making sure because Healthcare is is

[1:26:40] um important for the entire community

[1:26:42] and whether you or I get the same

[1:26:44] illness we're still always at the mercy

[1:26:47] of of of the Health Care system that we

[1:26:49] have currently here

[1:26:51] so I I'm not opposed to in um asking for

[1:26:57] a fair because this resolution says

[1:26:59] we're asking for it to settle a fair

[1:27:01] contract it's not in my opinion the

[1:27:04] title is not accusatory it's simply an

[1:27:07] ask so I'm I'm very much um you know in

[1:27:11] support of that and um and and and

[1:27:14] hospitals are required to have a safe

[1:27:16] Staffing act so I'm safe Staffing

[1:27:18] standards so I I I would I support this

[1:27:22] and um without getting into the nitt

[1:27:24] gritty of what their negotiations are

[1:27:26] I'm certainly supportive of making sure

[1:27:28] that we have the adequate Staffing so

[1:27:30] the patients are seeing on a timely

[1:27:32] basis and right now that's really not

[1:27:34] happening and I think that all of us

[1:27:35] have heard it from or most of us have

[1:27:38] heard it from people who have visited

[1:27:39] the emergency room and actually left our

[1:27:41] facility to go to other um facilities I can remember 3 years back where

[1:27:47] somebody told me and so it's only gotten

[1:27:49] worse where they came to they lived in

[1:27:52] SKC came to a hospital here but for so

[1:27:54] long that they actually um went to

[1:27:56] another hospital to receive care so I'm

[1:27:59] not opposed to um asking that the RTI

[1:28:02] the uh patient to staff ratio be

[1:28:05] something that um be put in place not

[1:28:07] opposed to that at all Mr Farley yeah I

[1:28:11] think

[1:28:13] as we don't need to uh understand like

[1:28:17] the how all of the the Nuance in the

[1:28:20] negotiation process to take a position

[1:28:23] that aligns with the the good of the

[1:28:25] larger Community I don't think that you

[1:28:27] need to understand that in order to take

[1:28:29] a take such a position and I think you

[1:28:32] know quite frankly if the if I don't

[1:28:37] care who it is if the if the if their

[1:28:39] interest is aligned with um the the good

[1:28:43] of accessing health care for our

[1:28:45] community well then that's who I will

[1:28:48] certainly take a choose a side with it I

[1:28:50] don't have any problem doing that and I

[1:28:52] think that the way that we demonstr

[1:28:55] um what we value is to what we support

[1:28:58] and I don't want to abdicate leadership

[1:29:00] roles right now because there might be

[1:29:02] some um other calculations or other um

[1:29:07] political implications around this

[1:29:09] because this is people's lives so I

[1:29:12] don't think that this resolution is is

[1:29:15] calling um for that but I'm see for

[1:29:18] myself and say if it was I'm still going

[1:29:19] to support it and Ellis and whoever else

[1:29:22] will understand or won't that

[1:29:24] I'm going to you know align with what's

[1:29:26] going to be best for the larger health

[1:29:28] of the larger Community this isn't just

[1:29:31] about this isn't just about

[1:29:35] um a negotiation this is about again

[1:29:39] life and death for people that live in

[1:29:40] the city is connecti so um I think that

[1:29:42] Ellis is doing wonderful things in

[1:29:44] certain places and I think that there's

[1:29:46] places that um that that that they could

[1:29:49] be doing better so as I'll be the first

[1:29:51] one to sing their praises when things

[1:29:52] are happening well um um I think that

[1:29:56] encouraging them to come to a fair

[1:29:58] agreement that impacts the uh

[1:29:59] livelihoods of the people that live here

[1:30:01] you got to do it I mean you got to take

[1:30:03] a position I think not taking a position

[1:30:04] is still taking a position if we're

[1:30:06] going to be honest about it so that's

[1:30:07] just how I feel about yeah I guess I

[1:30:10] really will disagree with that um I

[1:30:12] again um I'm glad that we're able to

[1:30:14] have these kinds of conversations but I

[1:30:16] guess I do feel like beyond the fact

[1:30:19] that I feel like this is not in our

[1:30:21] purview I also feel like it's almost

[1:30:24] it is almost making an assumption that

[1:30:26] they're that they aren't being fair with

[1:30:28] one another um in their negotiations so

[1:30:32] I don't want to go down that path either

[1:30:34] um I I would certainly support a

[1:30:37] resolution by city council supporting

[1:30:39] all the healthcare workers and and

[1:30:42] thanking Ellis um and all of its

[1:30:44] healthcare workers for the Quality

[1:30:46] Health Care that they provide to all of

[1:30:48] our residents um and not you know

[1:30:51] anything to do with the contract

[1:30:53] negotiations so I certainly would

[1:30:54] support something like that I also would

[1:30:57] support um you

[1:30:59] know having a presentation by by uh Paul

[1:31:02] Milton um coming in to answer some of

[1:31:05] the questions but my bottom line is that

[1:31:08] um you know I I won't be supporting this resolution but so let me try to are

[1:31:14] there other comments or

[1:31:15] [Music]

[1:31:16] questions yeah I got one more comment

[1:31:19] okay I just think and I again I

[1:31:21] appreciate the fact that we can have

[1:31:22] these conversations um and I just think

[1:31:25] that you

[1:31:26] know when we when we say as council

[1:31:29] members you

[1:31:31] know sometimes we

[1:31:33] can understand that two things can be

[1:31:35] true right that you can support um

[1:31:39] someone

[1:31:40] something

[1:31:42] um and still have a different

[1:31:45] perspective on some uh I think that that

[1:31:47] is doable and and and understandable but

[1:31:51] I think that when there's to speak to

[1:31:53] like the general resol or general

[1:31:55] resolution of supporting all healthare

[1:31:57] that would be great because I and I

[1:32:00] think that if we look not too far back

[1:32:02] in our recent past when covid hit you

[1:32:05] know and these people were literally the

[1:32:06] lifeline of the community putting their

[1:32:08] lives on the line every single day we

[1:32:10] would share things on social media and

[1:32:12] share and clap for them and in way but

[1:32:15] now it's time for us to take some action

[1:32:18] I think that we need to do that because

[1:32:19] if not in my opinion it becomes

[1:32:22] performative

[1:32:24] and really inadequate way of

[1:32:25] demonstrating that we support um not

[1:32:28] just our healthcare workers but again

[1:32:30] the overall health of our larger

[1:32:31] Community cuz that's the implications of of the conversations that are

[1:32:35] happening

[1:32:37] now so I guess um we would need a motion

[1:32:41] in a

[1:32:44] second I'm

[1:32:45] mooving is there a

[1:32:49] second okay so what happens is if there

[1:32:53] it fails in committee the uh sponsor can

[1:32:55] get a a co-sponsor to bring it on to the

[1:32:58] floor up to the rules thank

[1:33:03] you so what is my next at this point

[1:33:07] it's the motion is failed but the

[1:33:09] sponsor can get a co-sponsor we going on

[1:33:12] to build so I would like a motion to

[1:33:15] adjourn he and Recreation so and a

[1:33:18] second okay all in favor I thank you

[1:33:25] so I'd like to call the claims committee

[1:33:26] to order U we have two items on the

[1:33:28] agenda tonight both of which will

[1:33:29] require executive session I have a

[1:33:31] motion executive

[1:33:40] session have second second all in

[1:33:44] favor ex

[1:33:46] session oh yes so members of the public

[1:33:48] will have to leave and then when we um

[1:33:50] just for the council what I'm going to

[1:33:51] do is reconvene um

[1:33:54] City development planning so we can Mr

[1:33:58] yeah you want res we get there and Mr

[1:34:00] Gillan can then

[1:34:02] say all right so oh no members of the

[1:34:06] public but you we're going have wait

[1:34:07] till we shut it down

[1:34:12] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Committee Meeting, April 15, 2024

Transcript