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[4:27] ERS connected city council committee

[4:29] meeting for Monday June 3rd

[4:31] 2024 um the first item on the agenda is

[4:34] listed as a quarterly financial report

[4:36] for 2024 uh but both Mr Ferrari and Mr

[4:40] Guk are out um and so that will not

[4:43] happen but I would like to ask the mayor

[4:45] if there's some way we can get this on

[4:46] the agenda this is my third request D

[4:49] was going to be here tonight uh

[4:51] diagnosed with Co and is showing s so um

[4:56] well like I said this is the third

[4:57] request if it if it if it's necessary we

[5:00] ask like an outside party to look at our

[5:02] budget and then do the presentation um I

[5:04] don't want us I don't think any of us

[5:06] want to go through what we went through

[5:07] the last budget season so I'm just

[5:09] trying to keep get get us up to speed so

[5:11] we can go through the process and ask

[5:12] any questions and we provide monthly

[5:15] reports the information's there if you

[5:17] have a specific question good chance I

[5:20] could answer it or go back and have

[5:22] staff put it together uh I don't have

[5:24] specific questions today but my request

[5:26] was for them to just go through ask for

[5:28] our Revenue versus what we spent just so

[5:30] we can hear it in that format okay but

[5:33] we're giving you the reports on that so

[5:36] don't know produ that have a specific

[5:40] question to hear the revenue and

[5:42] expenses so I know that you we did in

[5:44] writing but I wanted a verbal um report

[5:46] for that that's what we were asking for

[5:47] S spreadsheet just read to you no well

[5:50] because we may have discussions but I'd

[5:52] like I'd like us find that person to be

[5:54] here I anticipate somebody will be here

[5:57] next Monday night I apologize D was

[6:00] supposed to be here his wife was

[6:02] diagnosed with Co and he became uh

[6:05] symptomatic and is off but in two weeks

[6:08] though right for the next committee

[6:09] meeting yes okay thank

[6:17] you finance Finance thank you I would

[6:20] like to call the finance committee to

[6:21] order and first item is a supplemental

[6:23] Bond ordinance for Rice River Road

[6:26] treatment

[6:27] plan must

[6:35] good evening good evening good

[6:38] even actually tonight I have um Mike

[6:40] Mill Mike m is our consultant from cha

[6:42] who's been putting the project together

[6:44] for the rice World treatment facility um

[6:48] he's very versed in the additional cost

[6:50] that are associated with the project

[6:52] first phase um and in the second phase

[6:55] um because we are trying to make a

[6:57] redundant project so um I'm going to let

[6:59] m speak if you have any questions

[7:02] um it's Mike

[7:05] Miller thank you very much

[7:10] mik questions

[7:16] already we all

[7:18] set

[7:20] than yeah the um phase one work has been

[7:23] updated as we move through the design

[7:26] essentially there's a number of um

[7:27] components which are resulting and the

[7:29] increased cost uh first of all uh the

[7:32] floration improvements were originally

[7:34] scheduled to be part of the phase two

[7:36] work M um we did receive almost a

[7:39] million dollars in grant money on that

[7:42] and because the state has been taking so

[7:45] long to close on the financing that

[7:47] project is actually started and it's

[7:49] almost completed so we're rolling it

[7:51] into the Phase One financing because

[7:53] that's going to close within months if

[7:55] we wait it to the phase two financing

[7:57] we'll probably be waiting another 6 to 9

[7:59] months so this will allow the city to

[8:01] put in for those uh reimbursements and

[8:04] get that money back in Pocket because to

[8:07] date we've been paying those project

[8:08] costs out of out of our accounts keeping

[8:11] the contractor hold okay so that that

[8:14] works lit up uh the second big component

[8:17] of it really deals with resiliency and

[8:19] redundancy of the water

[8:21] system um the state is really pushing

[8:24] for people to look at the resiliency of

[8:26] these facilities and really evaluate

[8:29] what happen happens with climate change

[8:31] and particularly with when you're within

[8:33] a flood zone which we are so we went

[8:37] back and we did an assessment with the

[8:39] city and what we found was if we lost

[8:42] one building one the main building it

[8:45] was going to take our water supply out

[8:48] and if we lost that building whether it

[8:49] be because of a flood or because of a

[8:52] fire or some other incident uh we

[8:55] probably had 24 to 48 hours worth of

[8:58] water before we dried up mhm so as part

[9:01] of the project what we've done is we've

[9:03] created this resiliency Zone that Co

[9:06] that that coincides with the new pumps

[9:08] that we've been installing so that if

[9:11] anything happens to that building the

[9:13] city will be able to operate this

[9:15] resiliency Zone independently and

[9:17] maintain water supply to the city okay

[9:20] so that work entails bringing in a new

[9:22] power service which is very

[9:25] expensive um I think we all know with

[9:28] that over the years

[9:30] so we got a new power feed coming into

[9:32] the facility to feed the resiliency Zone

[9:34] as well as the um Transformers and all

[9:37] the electrical equipment to support that

[9:40] and then we are making some additional

[9:42] improvements that were not originally

[9:44] planned to one of the pump stations to

[9:47] create this resiliency zone so that we

[9:49] could maintain our

[9:51] demand and then uh lastly in the spirit

[9:55] of full disclosure there is a lot of

[9:56] work flooding the market and so there

[9:58] are some Market conditions as well that are driving the cost up a little

[10:02] bit but to date we have secured almost

[10:05] $4 million worth of grant funding for

[10:08] the phase one work so that brings the

[10:11] that will bring that Finance amount down

[10:13] by that

[10:16] amount we can apply for more grant money

[10:19] now this year yeah that we are going to

[10:21] be applying for more grant money for

[10:23] phase two so the next phase of the

[10:26] project that's why you'll see within the

[10:27] packets there's a phase one and then a

[10:30] phase two phase one we're updating

[10:32] because we are getting set to go to

[10:34] financing and we want to make sure that

[10:36] there's nothing preventing us from

[10:38] closing that Financial agreement with

[10:40] EFC so that we can start uh getting

[10:43] reimbursed for the cost in for to dat

[10:45] okay okay any questions on the phase one

[10:48] goe please so I see um it's great that

[10:51] you got the $4 million congratulations

[10:54] and I appreciate that you're applying

[10:55] for more grants um it seems like so the

[10:58] 4 million is already

[11:00] the 137401 173 already reflects it does

[11:04] not oh so now we're down to 9 million

[11:07] something correct okay correct which is

[11:09] roughly a couple million dollars more

[11:10] than what we had originally planned to

[11:12] bond or that was in the original bond

[11:15] amount okay thank you

[11:18] yeah um question for the mayor would

[11:21] this um qualify under the co

[11:24] infrastructure Grant um to the

[11:27] state Co we're getting under the weia

[11:31] money on this so we are getting WEA

[11:33] money and that's under the co the state

[11:35] Co

[11:36] um infrastructure grounds is that the

[11:39] bipartisan money B money are you

[11:41] referring to the bill money the

[11:43] bipartisan infrastructure law money the we program there's a number of

[11:48] federal

[11:49] programs that essentially through the um the Federal Acts and that

[11:56] money tends to roll back through the

[11:58] states through these Define programs

[12:00] within the state so within New York

[12:02] state that's wqp grants for clean water

[12:06] it's WEA grants for water waste water

[12:09] and then there's separate bill grants

[12:11] that come in as well as 0% interest

[12:14] financing and things like that yeah this is funding that was passed by

[12:18] Congress for uh Co and it's primarily um

[12:22] driven toward infrastructure to the

[12:24] state and the city or the town or

[12:26] Village would apply to the state for

[12:28] funding

[12:30] that's part of the bipartisan

[12:32] infrastructure yeah maybe

[12:34] has I think it's all part of the buildy

[12:37] okay any other questions you goe please

[12:40] so I know you're saying that due to kind

[12:41] of market conditions prices are are

[12:44] starting to increase is there any way of

[12:46] like how we can manage

[12:48] um how we are is there any things that we can manage to I guess how we're

[12:55] going about this to kind of offset some

[12:57] of that like is it like a a faster to

[12:59] like spending the money or something

[13:01] like that um that would help mitigate

[13:03] some of that or unfortunately the best

[13:06] advice I can give us is to push as many

[13:08] contracts out as soon as we can to try

[13:11] and time them at the right times in the

[13:13] year which is you know late fall early

[13:15] winter so the contractors hopefully are

[13:18] still trying to fill their tills if you

[13:20] let these things slide until the spring

[13:22] uh the contractors already have you know

[13:25] a lot of work and they either want to

[13:26] push it out even further or quite

[13:29] frankly they're just not aggressive with

[13:30] their bidding they're like I don't need

[13:32] the work so I'll give you a price and uh

[13:35] you know if you want me to do it bad

[13:37] enough you'll pay me that money so the

[13:39] best advice is to just keep moving

[13:41] forward and to keep accelerating and get

[13:43] the work out as quickly as we can some

[13:46] components we do purchase separately

[13:47] though we do for the pump station we

[13:51] roughly $900,000 uh through sourcewell

[13:54] we purchase through the city to the

[13:55] generators that way we avoid the markup

[13:57] from the contractors so certain items um

[14:00] on equipment we can do that um as long

[14:03] as it's you know through Source well um

[14:05] it's a state contract and we did that

[14:07] the pump station the sa SL and thank you

[14:10] again for being aggressive and pursuing

[14:12] some of that grant funding I know that

[14:13] that's not easy work either just to even

[14:15] kind of get in the running for that so

[14:16] appreciate it oh it's fun to get grant

[14:18] money it's great to get

[14:20] it goodness thank you should I remind

[14:22] you we got $26 million in grant money

[14:24] for the for the pump station was last

[14:27] year any

[14:31] seeing none we have a motion on item

[14:33] number

[14:37] one second second all in favor I I item

[14:42] number two supplemental Bond ordinance

[14:43] for

[14:44] r Rice Road treatment plan phase

[14:48] two all right so this is this is the

[14:51] next phase of the project same same

[14:53] project out at the water treatment plant

[14:55] uh this work involves an emergency

[14:57] interconnection with the town of reram roughly a million

[15:02] dollars to make that connection it

[15:04] improves and up it updates and creates

[15:07] the resiliency uh zone for the chlorine

[15:10] system we include the emergency

[15:13] generator within this work so that's one

[15:15] of those things where we can try and

[15:16] work through the state contract to

[15:18] procure that directly and the state

[15:20] markup on that because that's probably a

[15:23] million dollar generator again uh we've

[15:25] got miscellaneous building improvements

[15:28] that will bring these buildings you know

[15:30] up to date and prevent it prevent reg

[15:32] groupage we're replacing a lot of roofs

[15:34] on a lot of the buildings and then some

[15:37] security and ska improvements as well

[15:38] out of the time so what we're really

[15:41] trying to do with phase one and phase

[15:42] two quite frankly is to get the money

[15:45] invested in the

[15:47] facilities and uh be in a good position

[15:49] moving forward I think one of the things

[15:52] that that we try to strive is to take

[15:55] advantage of the grant money while it's

[15:56] on the table because unfortunately none

[15:59] of us know how long these programs are

[16:01] really going to last so we are

[16:02] aggressively pushing forward with a lot

[16:04] of this work trying to secure as much

[16:06] grant money as we

[16:08] can go ahead please and Mr chairman I'm

[16:11] not quite sure what you're referring to

[16:13] if you can send me to make sure that

[16:16] we're following up on it I will do I

[16:18] will send you an email a

[16:20] copy 12 calls there 10 of them were put

[16:24] in in the 40s um the newest two were in

[16:27] the mid 60s so um and out of the 12

[16:31] we're down to eight so with the three

[16:33] new wells that have been tapped already

[16:35] you know you know bring us to 11 um so

[16:40] this is um you know they they've gotten

[16:43] to their end of their life they're

[16:44] running towards the end of their life

[16:45] cycle so question oh go ahead please y

[16:49] could you tell me the timeline on this

[16:51] work uh once

[16:53] we we're hoping to have the uh last

[16:56] contract for phase one out towards the

[16:58] end of the year so again we want to hit

[17:00] that bidding cycle and then the phase

[17:04] two work we're trying to get financing

[17:06] set for next year so the way this works

[17:10] is generally they'll let us know in

[17:12] December of this year if the financing

[17:14] is in place and then we'll probably

[17:15] close on that towards the mid part of

[17:18] next year so next year will probably be

[17:20] a design year in terms of moving that

[17:22] forward and we'll be trying to hit that

[17:24] bidding Market towards the end of next

[17:26] year

[17:27] again thank you very much any other

[17:29] question on item number

[17:31] two seeing none may have a motion to

[17:34] move item number two second all in favor

[17:38] I thank you any other business for

[17:40] finance I have a motion to Mo second all in favor thank thank you PA

[17:46] you problem thank you okay I'd like to

[17:48] call the order government operations we

[17:50] have one item on the agenda um this is

[17:53] the discussion regarding the conflict in

[17:54] Gaza um as you know we've been receiving

[17:57] multiple emails and people have have

[17:58] been coming down um to the council

[18:01] meetings um sharing their concerns and

[18:04] suggesting actions that the city council

[18:06] could take um with that I'm going to uh

[18:09] pass over to kind of President pfield so

[18:11] you can kind of FR that for us a little

[18:13] bit thank you Mr Carley so as as he said

[18:16] that we know that people have been

[18:17] coming to the council meetings and um uh

[18:21] asking us to make a to to uh take a

[18:24] position there have been meetings that

[18:26] have taken place outside of um people

[18:28] coming to the Council meetings there was

[18:29] a considered effort um by council member

[18:32] Williams and council member Farley to

[18:34] bring the two groups together which is

[18:36] what something I've been suggesting from

[18:38] beginning but anyway they were able to

[18:40] do it however the final outcome was not

[18:43] what we had hoped where the groups would

[18:45] then to come together and come up with a

[18:46] document that they could agree up on

[18:48] that just did not um could not take

[18:50] place um so at this point in time we've

[18:54] been we've received um documents from uh

[18:58] both groups also an additional document

[19:00] that was uh forwarded to us by council

[19:02] member Patrick for us to take into

[19:04] consideration and for this Council to at

[19:07] this time have this discussion about

[19:08] where we are with this I just to want to

[19:11] reiterate that this discussion is

[19:13] amongst council members and we're at

[19:15] tonight is not for for public comment or

[19:17] input so

[19:19] um you know we um not saying we're

[19:22] anybody you know needs to take a

[19:24] position tonight but I think that we

[19:26] definitely need to have the discussion

[19:27] because there's been multiple

[19:29] conversations one-on ones and various

[19:31] ones and um so but as a council I think

[19:34] we need to come to the place where we

[19:36] have a discussion and then um decide how

[19:39] to move forward Miss Patrick yes um so I

[19:43] would like to first of all i' would like

[19:44] to um definitely say for the record that

[19:47] I put in my resolution a couple of weeks

[19:49] ago but it was not added to the

[19:51] legislative agenda because there was um

[19:54] the idea that another resolution was

[19:56] going to come forward by two of my

[19:58] colleagues that didn't happen um so now

[20:01] I put my resolution back in and tonight

[20:03] we were handed uh the additional

[20:06] information um as we were coming into

[20:08] the meeting so I don't think we've had a

[20:10] chance to review uh these other

[20:12] resolutions however I do want to state

[20:15] that I think that we should review my

[20:17] resolution which is basically indicating

[20:20] that I I believe that City C it's not

[20:23] appropriate for city council to get

[20:24] involved in an international matter

[20:26] whether it's this one or any other

[20:28] conflict

[20:29] uh around the world I think if we have

[20:31] that discussion and we can agree upon my

[20:33] resolution then the other two

[20:34] resolutions we won't need to talk about

[20:37] um because basically we will pass a

[20:38] resolution saying that we don't want to

[20:40] be uh necessarily considering uh the

[20:44] other

[20:46] resolutions pres yes um and i' just like

[20:49] to add some clarity about the resolution

[20:50] I specifically ask you if we could put

[20:52] it off for a couple weeks I didn't just

[20:54] not put it on the agenda so I just want

[20:55] to be clear that I asked you if we could

[20:57] put it off any year in agreement with

[20:59] that okay it's not my memory

[21:02] necessarily it it is what happened in

[21:04] the future I'll send an email but I

[21:06] asked if You' wait because there were

[21:07] discussions Our Hope was that it did not

[21:09] get to this uh to a place where there

[21:11] was going to be you know contention in

[21:13] council member versus council member so

[21:15] I asked if we could do that and

[21:16] hopefully the two groups were which

[21:19] were having differences of opinions

[21:21] could come up with something which is

[21:23] why the meetings were convened and that

[21:25] was the hope and that was you know the

[21:27] guiding force behind that

[21:29] so just want to lend that Clarity to

[21:32] that so I guess for me um and I we'll

[21:36] speak for myself when I say this I think

[21:38] that I can appreciate honestly like the

[21:42] opinion that you know it might not be I I don't know that if you know there

[21:47] were a if there were a resolution to be

[21:49] passed that it would necessarily change

[21:50] the material conditions of the people

[21:51] who are am miss this conflict I think

[21:53] that I I I don't um that's not lost on

[21:56] me I think um my intention was to talk

[22:00] with people who have varying

[22:01] perspectives to see like where are the

[22:03] points of alignment what I will say that

[22:06] um the conversations that I was privy to

[22:09] um there was some there was a lot of

[22:11] points of alignment and I think that

[22:14] anytime we talk about something that has

[22:16] the potential to become so contentious

[22:18] is that we do Focus there so my

[22:20] intention was to kind of let's start

[22:22] there what we um can agree on and um and

[22:26] then we can work on like or what's the

[22:29] best process in order to uh bring these

[22:31] things about and also I believe in being

[22:34] responsive to people who have you know

[22:37] been in contact with us um through uh

[22:41] emails phone calls and coming down I

[22:43] just think that it's you know I feel

[22:45] obligated to um make sure that people

[22:47] are listening to and that whatever

[22:49] decision we make we make an informed

[22:51] decision and we can only do that truly

[22:53] by kind of listening um to the VAR

[22:55] varying perspectives

[23:00] so are we taking these resolutions one

[23:02] by one how are we doing this well I

[23:03] think that uh yeah I think that we need

[23:06] to uh you know I didn't think that we

[23:08] were going to get into a place tonight

[23:10] where um we were going to

[23:14] uh well discussion M Mr W so I can

[23:20] understand that and think to M Patrick's

[23:21] Point we start with the resolution that

[23:23] she presented forward and I kind of

[23:25] start based on my understanding of how

[23:27] this entire conversation was presented

[23:29] to the city council uh I was definitely

[23:31] someone more in favor of trying to allow

[23:34] this discussion to take place outside of

[23:36] the council uh allowing some of our

[23:38] faith-based communities to have this

[23:41] initial discussion and then present us

[23:42] with an option we move forward based on

[23:44] a number of issues just outside of the

[23:46] overall complexity of this issue and

[23:48] when that did not continue or when that

[23:50] did not uh exist uh I I was aware of the

[23:54] email that you forwarded to the council

[23:55] um however I want to be clear with one very intentional item uh was this a

[24:00] resolution that you wrote personally or it's not as I've indicated every time

[24:05] I've sent it out which is more than one

[24:08] time that it was adapted from a similar

[24:11] statement that was done by the Allington

[24:12] County Board

[24:14] um so I just I I really literally just

[24:17] adapted it to make it for connecting

[24:20] right and then by adapted it changed the

[24:21] language differentiating the Arlington

[24:24] County Board to SC yes any other pretty

[24:27] much there might have been some other

[24:28] minor grammatical changes that I didn't

[24:30] think were you know like commas and

[24:32] stuff uh from the original but I would

[24:35] say minor in that there was the

[24:36] replacement of their state elected

[24:39] officials but outside of that I didn't

[24:40] see any other adjustments um but

[24:44] reason my uh personal perception of

[24:48] passing this at this point in stage is

[24:49] that we've already fielded a number of

[24:51] Council meetings where we've heard from

[24:53] individuals both locally from our

[24:54] community and outside from both sides

[24:57] indicating uh the request for just a

[25:00] response from our Council and I sign

[25:03] wholeheartedly think that this outcome

[25:06] to pass this type of resolution I think

[25:09] has been

[25:10] missed what I'm sorry I didn't hear has

[25:12] been missed I think the timeline for us

[25:13] to consider and P this after having

[25:16] heard Council meetings um I think for to

[25:20] be exact I think to then say to those

[25:23] individuals again from both sides that

[25:25] we are going to elect to not respond I I

[25:28] think reflects a certain city council

[25:30] that I I did not become a member

[25:35] of I don't think it's us not responding

[25:38] I think it's us responding by saying

[25:39] that we're not going to get involved in

[25:41] an international matter and that we're

[25:43] going to see that as we move forward as

[25:45] well in case other uh items like this

[25:48] come forward to the city council so that

[25:50] is our response that is a

[25:53] response Mr Williams but I would say

[25:56] that response is very biased towards one

[25:58] side and that's where the hesitation is

[26:00] how is this biased towards one side it's

[26:02] not biased towards one side the the the

[26:05] perception of of not responding is

[26:08] biased towards individuals that would

[26:10] appreciate not seeing a

[26:12] response that doesn't seem to make sense

[26:14] to me but I'd like to hear from my

[26:16] colleagues I'm in total agreement with

[26:19] Miss Patrick um you know we we have

[26:21] enough to worry about in our city um

[26:24] being elected and and we're responsible

[26:26] to our constituents the residents of our

[26:29] city everyone that we serve um and I

[26:32] think we've just wasted a little bit too

[26:33] much time on this my heart pours out for

[26:36] both sides that I hear that come on my

[26:38] on a personal level it's not our

[26:43] responsibility uh to pass a

[26:47] resolution um for either side or jointly

[26:52] together um I would hope that that they

[26:54] could work on a resolution or or or

[26:56] solving something themselves

[26:58] but at this point um and they're more

[27:01] than welcome to come to every council

[27:03] meeting and and and I'll listen to them

[27:05] and I'll understand what they're saying

[27:08] um but I don't think it's our

[27:09] responsibility right now to um to even

[27:14] consider a resolution I would support

[27:16] Miss

[27:17] Patrick's

[27:20] letter so um you know the I'm glad we're

[27:24] having this conversation and um The

[27:26] Passion of people that have come and

[27:28] talk to us and presented to us um you

[27:31] know what's happening in the Middle East

[27:33] is De deeply concerning but I I wouldn't

[27:36] I would not support a ceasefire

[27:38] resolution I think as what's said is our

[27:41] focus should be on the issues that are

[27:45] directly um impacting our our citizens

[27:49] whether infrastructure education um I

[27:51] think a resolution would have minimal

[27:53] effect if any um that should be left to

[27:56] the federal represent

[27:59] I I think what was said here that the

[28:01] groups couldn't come to an agreement

[28:03] kind of tells us it's a it's a very

[28:05] diverse issue and we have a very diverse

[28:07] population of residents and taking a

[28:10] Firm Stance I think would create

[28:12] unnecessary further division um so I I I

[28:16] think we could Foster in dialogue as

[28:18] it's been happening continue doing that

[28:20] among the parties and and and I'm

[28:23] encouraging that approach but I just I I

[28:25] can't get behind a passing ceasefire

[28:28] resolution I think it's it would do more

[28:31] um harm than good I think it would be

[28:33] more divisive um maybe maybe for us but

[28:36] maybe for the residents I've spoken to

[28:38] many residents and and you know their question was why are you even

[28:42] entertaining this and um but I think we

[28:45] need to from the folks that we've heard

[28:47] too I think that's real important that

[28:48] we hear from them um and and for me I

[28:51] think it it's responsible to say you

[28:53] know we won't support a ceasefire for

[28:55] these

[28:56] reasons um and and uh but because that's

[28:59] a little bit outside of our purview and

[29:01] that's my thoughts and feelings on

[29:04] this so I guess what I would say um

[29:06] listen to what my fellow council members

[29:08] is saying and again I do appreciate your

[29:10] input on this and I can understand why

[29:13] um I think I'm in agreement that I think

[29:16] the uh what the how impactful a

[29:19] resolution uh would be um to the uh the

[29:23] conflict guys I don't know that it will

[29:25] have much impact at all um my L was okay

[29:30] let's talk to the let's talk and be

[29:32] responsive to the needs of the people

[29:34] who have come before us who have said a

[29:38] resolution means this for me and my

[29:40] community or not having a resolution

[29:44] means this for me in my in my respective

[29:47] Community um so I think that really what

[29:50] you know I guess what I would again like

[29:52] to highlight is that we had Varan

[29:55] perspectives at the table um and it's

[29:57] not

[29:58] wasn't necessarily this or that

[30:00] conversation there was a lot of

[30:01] alignment and the alignment that we

[30:03] heard was around like you know peace

[30:06] everyone wants peace and everyone um

[30:08] wants people on either side of the

[30:12] conflict to stop suffering losses to

[30:14] civilians and children and families and

[30:16] women and and and and and marginalized

[30:19] vulnerable uh pors of the community that

[30:21] was something that was a shared uh

[30:24] expressed value at in the conversation

[30:26] that I winess for so anytime that we

[30:28] have something we can align and say

[30:30] okay everyone wants seems to want peace

[30:34] then the conversation is how do we

[30:37] support that being an outcome and that's

[30:39] where the resolution no resolution um

[30:42] conversation um started to take place so

[30:44] again um I think we take positions on in

[30:48] the council uh

[30:50] that impact you know that that really

[30:54] represent the the best interest of the

[30:56] people that live in our city and

[30:59] I think that we that we're obligated I

[31:01] feel an obligation to consider um those

[31:04] things and that's why so I I that's kind

[31:05] of a long-winded way of saying that's

[31:07] our response to anyone would say why are

[31:09] you even considering this because as a

[31:11] leader in the community people are

[31:13] coming to us to saying that this is

[31:14] something that is impacting them and

[31:16] their safety within our community so I

[31:18] think that again we're obligated to do

[31:20] so Mr Williams and with the same context

[31:22] of being a responsive government I can

[31:25] understand and definitely agree with

[31:27] during our ini IAL phone calls with um

[31:30] members from the prop Palestinian

[31:31] Community are asking for a ceasefire I

[31:33] was very open and saying that I was not

[31:35] confident that a resolution would

[31:37] achieve some of their objectives however

[31:39] due to the continuous nature of their

[31:40] convers of their uh attendance at our

[31:43] Council meetings uh wanting to again be

[31:45] representative as a u an advocate from

[31:48] this community trying to identify in

[31:51] part to what Mr farther was highlighting

[31:52] can we get to that common ground and

[31:54] what quickly became apparent was that that

[31:58] is unable to to be achieved uh so and

[32:01] then trying to be responsive to to the

[32:03] needs or requests of either communities

[32:06] again I I I lay with to say that passing

[32:09] something would cause F attention I

[32:11] would argue that attention is already

[32:12] there and I think our continued lack of

[32:14] having this discussion no fault to

[32:16] anyone at the table uh that added in or

[32:20] Amplified people's wanting to know where

[32:22] each of our council member stood at so

[32:23] if there is an obligation I would ask to

[32:25] hear where everyone stands not regarding

[32:29] your stance around any one resolution or

[32:31] option just where you stand in general

[32:33] as we have an onlen audience who is not

[32:35] just in this room but also tuning in

[32:38] wanting to know who or how their

[32:40] individuals or individuals in these

[32:41] positions are going to Advocate to

[32:43] address their needs Mr thank you uh I

[32:48] mean we have to be very careful we are

[32:50] stepping into unart our territory here

[32:53] getting involved in something that we as

[32:55] a cons soci be very careful what we

[32:57] doing

[32:58] over the years this Council as long as

[33:01] I've been here we have not bring for

[33:04] resolution when there's conflict in

[33:06] Syria when there conflict in Libya when

[33:09] there conflict in Sudan when there

[33:11] conflict in um in Russia where hundreds

[33:14] of thousands of people are being

[33:15] slaughtered Massacre whatever you want

[33:18] to call it on a daily basis yes what is

[33:20] happening in Gaza should not be

[33:22] happening we need peace there I'm

[33:25] totally for peace but we as a council I

[33:28] think we should consider what we're

[33:29] getting into this is international

[33:32] matter it should be should encourage the

[33:34] organizer to call the White House call

[33:36] the Senators call our Congress

[33:39] members to Lobby them to you know pass

[33:42] something from that level fedal level us

[33:45] on the ground here our resolution what

[33:47] are we going to do with our resolution

[33:48] if you pass one this evening and vote on

[33:50] it unanimously it doesn't serve any

[33:53] purpose are we dividing our community we

[33:56] should bring them to the table what is

[33:58] happening bring them to the table let's

[33:59] get to the table to the Muslim and the

[34:01] Jewish community and let's work on

[34:03] issues that they have outstanding that's

[34:05] what we need to for work on

[34:08] International matter that is something

[34:10] on a federal level absolutely wrong

[34:12] what's happening there if it stopped

[34:14] today it should stop today right now

[34:17] what's happening there but we should not

[34:20] be going doing this because we have not

[34:22] done it in the

[34:23] past why why

[34:25] not and I'm not saying I'm against I am

[34:29] what I'm you know I'm against what's

[34:32] happening in Castle absolutely against

[34:35] it but why are we as a

[34:38] council it doesn't serve any purpose

[34:40] getting a resolution what are we going

[34:41] to do get on a flight to to Tel Aviv and

[34:44] hand it to prime minister Netanyahu

[34:46] until I'm disconnected d c comes to pass

[34:48] a resolution seize fire he's not doing

[34:51] it we have better thing to focus on and

[34:55] I I just want to address some of the

[34:56] things that that the text have been

[34:59] going that I've been getting over the

[35:00] last couple several weeks and yesterday

[35:04] and

[35:05] today that's okay good text bad text

[35:08] hate text calling me all sort of

[35:11] names I am I'm okay with that and you

[35:14] can continue and I just want to address

[35:16] one of the texts that came and miss

[35:18] pfield and I had a conversation today

[35:19] and you brought it up about two event

[35:22] that

[35:22] happen uh with related to in um event in

[35:26] Guyana that has to do with

[35:28] election um on the step of City Hall a

[35:31] couple years ago um that was organized

[35:34] by leaders within the gese community not

[35:37] the city council not

[35:39] Johan on one Sunday evening and then on

[35:43] the Monday evening there was another

[35:44] rally and city council member were

[35:46] invited along with the Mayor John Mudan

[35:49] and city council did not plan that event

[35:52] last year there was another event in

[35:53] Central Park when there was a fire

[35:56] inyana that event was organized by our

[35:58] community leaders we were invited many

[36:02] others were invited so I want to address

[36:04] those that the text I received and say

[36:06] that the city council and myself sponsor

[36:09] those event or coordinate that event

[36:11] never happened on that

[36:17] level so I just want to um like bring it

[36:20] back to this particular one that we're

[36:21] looking at right now and let me just say

[36:24] that um I would not support moving this

[36:26] forward um but I did was I took the

[36:28] opportunity to look into the county

[36:31] where this was packed where this came

[36:32] from and just want to clarify this was

[36:34] never a resolution that was passed by

[36:36] the county um it was by it's no I went

[36:40] to no I know it's I know it's not a

[36:42] resolution all right there so isn't

[36:44] either right so what what happened it

[36:47] was not even passed by them it wasn't

[36:48] even discussed there was there wasn't

[36:50] even a letter sent um it it there was

[36:52] there's a woman who I don't even know

[36:54] what her ask was because all we saw was

[36:56] the respon and this response unsigned so

[36:59] I don't know even who said who made

[37:01] response this is a response to a a

[37:04] letter or a or a request um and so this

[37:08] person whoever wrote the letter is

[37:09] speaking on behalf of the county um the

[37:12] County board but there was never a an

[37:15] official thing I went to their official

[37:17] site that they made um an official

[37:19] statement on this so it was a response

[37:21] to a letter and that was a response from

[37:23] whoever the author was I don't know um I

[37:26] further looked into what with this

[37:27] County you know they talk about what

[37:29] their you know their different

[37:31] perspectives and that's a complex topic

[37:33] and that they're a very diverse

[37:34] community and I looked into it it's

[37:37] first of all it's a county um group and

[37:40] a County Board and like two over 240,000

[37:42] people are on that it's a five member

[37:45] board 240,000 people are in the county

[37:48] that they're over and there's a five

[37:50] member board and that board has zero

[37:52] diversity zero diversity except unless

[37:54] we're counting men and women and that's

[37:56] it so there's a specific lens I say that comes in for me at least part of it

[38:01] our our board that's very very different

[38:04] um this place also has a sister city

[38:06] they say in their statement that they um

[38:08] have they don't usually jump into

[38:11] um into International things they do

[38:14] have a sister city um program and they

[38:17] issued a statement about what went on in

[38:19] Ukraine so some of what they're saying

[38:23] is really not

[38:25] 100% um truthful because they have taken

[38:29] a position on other things so I'm I'm

[38:31] not willing to because as you said you

[38:33] only made minor changes to what they

[38:35] said I'm not willing to um to sign on to

[38:38] a statement from a from an organization

[38:40] who looks very different than we look in

[38:43] terms of um our governance and and all

[38:46] of that in addition they have made what

[38:48] they're saying they don't do they they

[38:49] have done in the past so um you know I

[38:53] wouldn't wouldn't sign on to that um and

[38:57] I think if if we were to do anything it

[38:59] would really need to come from the the

[39:01] city council members here not um adapted

[39:04] from a board again who has um has a

[39:07] different kind of governing body they're

[39:09] a County board with a County Manager

[39:11] they have a lot more people they have

[39:13] zero um they have no ethnic diversity on

[39:15] their board and um and they've al

[39:18] already you know made a a resolution

[39:21] against um what happened in um Russia

[39:24] versus uh uh in the attack on the

[39:26] Ukraine even you know they said they don't wouldn't you know doing this

[39:29] thing so I'm not I would not support um

[39:32] moving forward

[39:34] Mr that's fine um I understand what

[39:36] you're saying and I appreciate the

[39:37] research that you did um we could come

[39:40] up with our own statement my bottom line

[39:42] is that what I'm trying to suggest is

[39:45] that the city council will not get

[39:46] involved in an international matter so I

[39:49] don't care we don't have to use this

[39:50] statement we could just say that in

[39:53] response to the people that have come

[39:54] forward to us on both sides that we are

[39:57] choosing to not get involved in an

[39:59] international matter it could be as

[40:00] simple as that two sentences contact

[40:02] your federal Representatives we do not

[40:04] have to pass this statement and I wasn't

[40:07] putting it forth as a resolution it

[40:08] actually was a statement it was just

[40:10] sort of a position statement um so

[40:13] that's what I'm suggesting um I do think

[40:16] that um the other resolutions would

[40:20] cause more divisiveness there already

[40:22] has been we definitely have had

[40:24] residents who have come to us and said

[40:26] that they feel unsafe

[40:27] um we have seen Damage Done in our

[40:30] community um to uh a desecration of of a

[40:34] cemetery I mean there's already stuff

[40:36] happening out there there were um

[40:38] incidents at our last city council

[40:40] meeting um that left a couple of us

[40:42] feeling uh physically threatened um

[40:46] divisiveness has happened so I'm

[40:49] definitely suggesting that we say we are

[40:53] not going to get involved in an

[40:54] international

[40:55] matter Mr

[40:58] well I I would argue and I think having

[40:59] this conversation at this agenda already

[41:02] dictates that we are involved even at

[41:04] least to dedicating our time at this

[41:05] council meeting to this discussion uh to

[41:07] answer Mr M Baron's comment about why

[41:10] are we even entertaining the possibility

[41:12] of presenting an action for a response

[41:15] from our Council and I would say within

[41:17] the within the purview of this group

[41:21] requesting a ceasefire has sought out

[41:23] their more appropriate means which is

[41:25] the federal government or the state I

[41:26] would say in the since that those

[41:27] elements have remained unresponsive I do

[41:30] not think it's it's unforeseen for them

[41:32] to use more locally based municipalities

[41:34] to represent their uh uh their stance

[41:37] for for better or worse uh which is one

[41:39] of the reasons why uh seeking out

[41:41] continued conversations seeking out

[41:44] whether we can have more of a

[41:45] collaborative discussion until we had

[41:47] this moment I don't think our community

[41:49] is able to heal so I think to your point

[41:52] Miss Patrick uh uh this is something

[41:54] that we we have to address and and and a

[41:56] and um in a number of different ways I'm allowing this conver or not allowing

[42:01] I'm enjoying the conversation where

[42:03] we're discussing this more but if you

[42:05] when we get to the point we're able to

[42:07] look at the other exhibits I think those

[42:09] more accurately can address

[42:12] um how this Council can uh be responsive

[42:17] to this very unique circumstance can be

[42:19] very clear in saying I did not sign up

[42:22] or ran ran as a conected city councilman

[42:25] to be International diplomat that is not

[42:27] something that I I I wanted or sought

[42:29] out to uh but again in understanding

[42:31] this climate that we are in this climate

[42:33] that our nation is currently in I think

[42:35] it is up to us to understand what is an

[42:38] appropriate response and again I don't

[42:39] think at this juncture saying we're not

[42:41] going to respond is an appropriate

[42:44] response and I I I would just really say

[42:48] that you know though things um might or

[42:52] might have not happened in the past I

[42:54] think that you know we need to be

[42:56] responsive the times are here now and um

[42:59] we can't afford to allow um our our

[43:03] tradition to stifle our Innovation and

[43:05] our responsiveness to our community so

[43:08] when there are people that are part of

[43:10] this community that are coming for us

[43:11] and saying that this is impacting um my

[43:15] family um then I think that again that

[43:18] warrants uh a a conversation possibly

[43:22] multiple conversations and

[43:24] considerations on how do we you know

[43:27] bring people together to say regardless

[43:29] of what your point of view is on the

[43:31] conflict in Gaza if what your interest

[43:35] is is in peace and I and I'm I'm going

[43:37] to make a an assumption which is not a

[43:40] very safe thing to do in any uh

[43:42] political Arena but I would assume that

[43:44] most of the city council members my

[43:46] colleagues are definitely pro peace are

[43:50] definitely Pro uh

[43:53] humanity and if there is language that

[43:59] can represent that we are for

[44:02] peace and we are for the safety of those

[44:05] in our community where we condemn um any

[44:10] acts of

[44:11] Terror um whether those acts of Terror

[44:14] are committed by Hamas if we condemn um

[44:18] uh acts of Terror by Hamas or by

[44:21] specific armed um wings of uh Israeli

[44:25] government and not to be conf ated with

[44:27] the people and people of religion that

[44:29] live within our cities cuz I think that

[44:31] what we can do is quickly start to

[44:34] conflict those issues but I think that

[44:37] if there is a place that where we're all

[44:38] saying that we're for

[44:40] peace in

[44:42] Gaza then I think that that's something

[44:45] that is is or maybe we're not for peace

[44:47] and go I don't know I guess I do want to

[44:49] respond again I feel

[44:54] that we might all have different

[44:56] opinions and and so therefore as a

[44:58] council trying to pass something that

[45:01] would be representative of us as a

[45:03] council I think won't work I mean I'm

[45:05] just being honest and so therefore again

[45:09] I think the response is that it's not

[45:12] appropriate for our local city council

[45:15] to be going outside of our purview we

[45:17] need to focus on the things that you

[45:19] know our Council was elected to focus on

[45:23] um and and this is not something that

[45:25] our Council was elected to focus on this

[45:28] in this particular circumstance or in

[45:30] any other International matter um so so

[45:34] I just you know that I mean I can't I

[45:37] can't repeat it enough times but um well

[45:41] I think so what are what I was saying

[45:43] again just for points of clear is that

[45:44] well number one I think you agree that

[45:47] we all have different opinions on

[45:48] multiple things right like there's

[45:50] usually not something that doesn't

[45:51] require some sort of a conversation or

[45:54] an exchange of ideas to get to get to

[45:57] place of agreement or disagreement right

[46:00] um what I'm saying is that though this

[46:03] is an international issue based on the

[46:06] points that you're bringing up and the

[46:08] things that the phone calls and the

[46:11] things that people have been saying to us this is an international

[46:13] issue but it has implications on the

[46:16] well-being of people that live right

[46:17] here in the city of SKC it really does I

[46:19] mean you

[46:21] can't if if it didn't then it would I

[46:23] agree that we could just say hey it's

[46:26] not you know there's no there's no

[46:27] implications here but people have

[46:28] brought forth and said this is how this

[46:32] conflict or um

[46:35] the the ramifications of what's

[46:37] happening is impacting me my family and

[46:40] my respective community so therefore um

[46:43] I mean I'm going to be quite honest to

[46:45] say this is something I would love not

[46:47] to have to necessarily um uh uh look at

[46:53] or really contemplate but I think that

[46:56] that's what comes with the position of

[46:57] leadership when people are saying that

[46:59] though this is a international issue the

[47:02] issue isn't just International it is

[47:05] there are severe implications of people

[47:06] that live right here in the state disc

[47:07] con acity so that's why I guess my point

[47:10] that I was trying to make was that I

[47:11] think it could exagerate the

[47:13] divisiveness if the city council um was

[47:16] to pass a resolution um for example one

[47:19] of these resolutions um so so I guess my

[47:23] question is because I know we can pass a

[47:24] lot of resolutions so is it the idea of

[47:27] just passing a

[47:29] resolution no matter what it says or is

[47:32] it cuz I would think that if they're is

[47:35] a resolution if there's a letter if

[47:37] there's something to where people are

[47:39] saying if we can agree on we just are leveraging whatever institutional

[47:46] credibility that we have how little it

[47:48] may be we're saying that we would like

[47:50] for for peace for people to to live in

[47:54] peace if we can all agree with that Then

[47:57] I then I would say then that wouldn't be

[47:59] a problem right because it's not the

[48:01] fact that it's uh an action it's what

[48:04] the resolution contains is what we

[48:05] should really be looking into right cuz

[48:08] I'm not just going to say let's pass a

[48:09] resolution that um doesn't condemn um

[48:13] the terrorist Acts or doesn't condemn or Hamas or uh certain arms of the

[48:20] Israeli government I'm going to say if

[48:23] that is too far for us to get into leads

[48:27] if you will um but if there's a point of

[48:29] alignment where we're saying that we

[48:30] just want people to live in peace and if

[48:32] we can get there then what would be the

[48:34] issue that's that's I'm trying to go to

[48:35] the lowest point of alignment now I'll

[48:38] go around and if people feel

[48:41] that that we don't need to address um

[48:44] this at all and we're not in agreeing in

[48:46] piece then that's a different story Mr

[48:48] Mayor sorry my first question have the

[48:51] three resolutions but they're unnumbered

[48:52] or unlabeled so I didn't know if for

[48:55] reference if

[48:58] they just should be marked in some way

[49:01] and Mr Carley might have you know just

[49:04] do a oneline resolution we're all in

[49:06] favor of world peace and encourage

[49:08] everyone to work toward that goal abely

[49:12] but

[49:14] yes Mr oh I'm sorry yes yeah so I heard

[49:19] what you said and it's sounding like we

[49:21] would pass a resolution that connected

[49:24] city council is in favor of World Peace

[49:27] and I

[49:29] think well period I know but I mean

[49:33] that's like I'm sorry I'm not trying to

[49:36] I mean with all due respect but I mean

[49:38] it sounds like we're you know competing

[49:40] for Miss America what would you like to

[49:43] see happen I want world peace I mean

[49:44] that's the old joke from at least when I

[49:46] was a kid um but um I mean it just

[49:49] doesn't have

[49:50] any teeth in is that the right

[49:54] expression I mean I I but I mean I'm

[49:56] happy to say that the Sky City Council

[49:59] is all for World

[50:00] Peace okay so I guess then so then again

[50:03] that I mean but again so

[50:07] then but then we have to really look at

[50:09] the and check our motivation for what

[50:11] we're doing and what we're not doing

[50:13] because if we're approaching this from a

[50:14] genuine and honest and genuine way then

[50:17] what we're saying is that we're okay

[50:19] with passing a resolution that says that

[50:21] we stand for a world peace which is

[50:23] clearly an international issue right but

[50:25] so we're okay with then getting involved

[50:28] in international issue as long as we're

[50:30] no that's why I started with I think

[50:32] that we should make a statement that

[50:34] we're not getting involved in an

[50:35] International N I totally agree with

[50:37] what you just Reed so so what I'm saying

[50:39] is that let's really just check our

[50:40] motivation as to why our positions are

[50:42] and they shouldn't necessarily change

[50:44] just based on right right um I just want

[50:48] to add this point of clarity for the

[50:50] mayor well miss Patrick read the one

[50:52] that uh well um the one that was

[50:55] connecting City Council who has received

[50:57] request that was from Miss Patrick the

[50:59] other two intentionally were not

[51:01] identified they were um submitted by the

[51:05] two other groups that were having

[51:06] discussions we intentionally did not

[51:08] identify which group they came for so

[51:10] they would not be started out with a

[51:11] level of bias oh so I just say they get

[51:14] labeled resolution one resol ABC as

[51:18] they're referred to you could uh for

[51:21] correct one right so thank you madam

[51:23] president yes I'm sorry so what you're

[51:25] saying is they weren't subed by any of

[51:27] our city council members

[51:30] exactly is that do we have precedent

[51:35] for Mr well I'm sorry I'm I stand

[51:38] correctly go ahead Mr uh Williams I'm

[51:39] sorry so I'd say they're respective of

[51:41] ongoing conversations and discussions to

[51:43] identify a document that represents the

[51:46] community especially at which their

[51:47] position comes from so again I don't

[51:50] want to get back to the document that

[51:52] you put forward but I think if anything

[51:54] it should truly reflect or have a tone

[51:57] of the city of SM and any of that

[51:59] doesn't I think offers up the

[52:00] opportunity for it to be uh not

[52:03] reflective of the population our demogra

[52:06] demographics of our community um so

[52:09] again the conversations that I've been a

[52:11] part of have been with multiple

[52:13] Community leaders have been with

[52:14] multiple faith-based leaders and these

[52:16] two documents reflect two different

[52:19] positions I would wholeheartedly ask

[52:21] each of you to uh uh digest these

[52:24] because I think they both speak to

[52:26] Andress addressed to varying different

[52:27] degrees and for any members of our

[52:29] community that's wondering what we are

[52:30] discussing uh I've spoken with Sam and

[52:33] Miss pfield they will be available there

[52:35] after our conversation um but again this

[52:38] has been a complex conversation and

[52:40] there's no easy way to continue through

[52:42] it because anytime you have a statement

[52:44] there is always a a a additional ask or

[52:47] additional Aster to identify from the

[52:50] other side proper context so again there

[52:53] is no easy way to have this conversation

[52:55] but I do think we are obligated to act

[52:58] and Miss uh Miss Patrick I'm sorry I

[53:00] miss F they they were submitted through

[53:02] councilman Wing similar to your

[53:04] statement that came from someplace else

[53:06] that was submitted it was submitted to

[53:07] councilman Williams so I'm sorry it just

[53:10] wasn't written by him how about Mr just

[53:13] to follow on this conversation so these

[53:14] two resolution apart from this U Patrick

[53:16] resolution you're saying that the group

[53:18] doesn't want to identify themselves

[53:20] which one belongs to the

[53:23] group I would say there's bias so in

[53:27] wanting to uh digest this information

[53:29] wanting to look at its contents and not

[53:31] necessarily the individual that

[53:32] submitted it I thought was more

[53:34] appropriate so the group that you you

[53:36] and Mr Farley be meeting with is in the

[53:39] Jewish community and the Muslim

[53:40] Community and are these coming from the

[53:42] Muslim Community and Jewish Community

[53:44] yes so why can't we not identify

[53:50] it I would say then again there is no

[53:52] reason why we cannot identify but as

[53:55] we've been uh uh introduced based on

[53:59] everyone's position there is a knee-jerk

[54:00] reaction to this conversation yes or

[54:04] no yes yes or no there's an an initial

[54:08] response to the nature of this

[54:11] conversation yes right and in

[54:13] understanding that and understanding

[54:14] that we are in a different context

[54:16] specifically to uh previous events that

[54:20] this Council has entertained to submit

[54:21] resolutions on wanting to look at this

[54:24] from a different lens than Miss

[54:25] porterfield's point of how do we just

[54:27] evaluate the language that's it okay so

[54:30] just I respect your your your your

[54:33] bottle there but if if a group is going

[54:35] to present a resolution or a statement I

[54:37] would like them to stand by

[54:39] it because if Miss Patrick present a a

[54:42] statement here that was from on a

[54:45] different County and you know drafted

[54:48] differently you should have that but I

[54:51] say she didn't I I understand

[54:54] perception because

[54:57] [Music]

[54:59] Miss Patrick okay I did you are you done

[55:01] speaking Mr M sorry sorry Mr M that's

[55:04] sorry are you all set okay Miss pck did

[55:07] you have I did in the times that I

[55:09] emailed the statement indicate that it

[55:11] was um the Allington County Board that

[55:13] had um issued this statement and that I

[55:17] had just made some minor tweets to it

[55:19] been in response that there are often

[55:21] behind the scenes conversations that the

[55:23] public is not privy to hence providing

[55:25] that context at is

[55:27] important and can and I'll definitely

[55:30] get right to you Mr T I think it's

[55:32] really important that we recognize that

[55:35] this is a very sensitive and and and can

[55:38] be an inflammatory type of thing if we

[55:41] don't stay within our parameters um as

[55:44] council members and kind of again check

[55:45] our motivation for why we're doing this

[55:47] or why we even having this conversation

[55:49] this is not a conversation that anyone

[55:51] really wants to be in a position to have

[55:53] I don't think anyone is okay with people

[55:57] losing their lives with civilians losing

[55:59] their lives to war any conflict I don't

[56:01] think anyone here is okay with that what

[56:04] I want us to do is to not is to be

[56:07] mindful that we don't use this as a US

[56:09] verse them gotcha kind of moment let me

[56:11] winner argument with you at the table

[56:14] when we have a great a much larger

[56:16] obligation and opportunity to say hey

[56:20] this is my position this is why this is

[56:23] my position I understand and hear your

[56:26] position

[56:26] and then collectively we can either

[56:28] agree or disagree but I'm I get

[56:30] concerned with our especially around

[56:33] something that is so sensitive that we

[56:35] can kind of fall into that the tone of

[56:37] the conversation can shift from what

[56:40] we're here to do representing people of

[56:41] City's connec into our own kind of let's

[56:45] win the argument at the table when it's

[56:47] just not a a conversation that anyone's

[56:50] really uh super excited to have to be

[56:53] I'm sorry Mr ter

[56:56] just briefly reading over both of these

[56:58] I would have liked to have have them

[56:59] prior to this evening but um they're

[57:03] both very different okay um no matter

[57:07] who it one doesn't matter it's obvious

[57:11] from these two statements that people

[57:14] bringing this to the table are not in

[57:16] agreement okay not in agreement so how

[57:19] can we be in

[57:21] agreement we can't and that's obvious

[57:24] going around and around and around

[57:25] tonight and I I I I value each and

[57:29] everyone's

[57:31] opinion but it's this is not in our

[57:33] parameter so all we need to say as a

[57:37] councel you guys keep going to the table

[57:40] keep working on it keep promoting peace

[57:42] within each of your cultures okay and

[57:45] that can happen but right now we should

[57:47] not even be involved in this it's and

[57:50] nothing's going to happen here this

[57:52] evening right nothing

[57:57] so we make a statement

[58:00] got keep going you know come to an

[58:03] agreement come to the table you know

[58:05] we'll support you all the way but we're

[58:07] not supporting any resolution at this

[58:08] time done that's all I have to

[58:11] say again I think it would again I

[58:15] don't around well but we we do go around

[58:19] and around and again we go around around

[58:22] on lots of issues and I think that we

[58:23] have there's there a Norm at the table

[58:26] um I don't think that we all operate on

[58:28] one Accord I mean history will tell us

[58:31] that yet we've had some pretty spirited

[58:33] and contentious conversations around

[58:35] things that impact the people that live

[58:36] in the city and we were able to come to

[58:39] a at least a point of clarity as to

[58:41] where we stood individual individually

[58:44] and things have passed out of the

[58:45] council things have not passed out of

[58:46] the council um because we haven't agreed

[58:50] on things and that and it's okay for us

[58:52] not to agree I just don't think it's

[58:54] okay for us not to um have the

[58:57] conversation and honor what people have

[58:58] been bringing forward to us I'm not okay

[59:00] with that I I mean I think that we have

[59:02] had the conversation I think four of us

[59:04] around the table have indicated that we

[59:07] don't think that we should be making any

[59:09] kind of judgment on an international

[59:11] matter out of the seven of us um and so

[59:15] I guess you know there's three of you on

[59:16] this committee and you can decide

[59:19] whether it's going to come out of

[59:20] committee for discussion again next

[59:21] Monday at city council um or not but at

[59:26] this point what I would like to do and I

[59:28] would hope that we would being that to

[59:31] Mr tur's point in your point as well is

[59:32] that you know some of this language um

[59:35] that you received that you just received

[59:37] right now um I would hope that what we

[59:40] will be able to do is take the documents

[59:42] that you have received tonight um as

[59:45] well as the document that um that you

[59:46] have submitted prior um take those read

[59:49] them kind of digest through those and

[59:52] then see if you know there may be some

[59:54] um uh different different thoughts or or

[59:57] at least consider you know maybe a a

[1:00:00] different course of action and or not a

[1:00:02] course of action so I at this point I

[1:00:04] think that you guys have the information

[1:00:06] we all have the information let's take

[1:00:08] some time but this is very something we

[1:00:09] need to be very thoughtful about let's

[1:00:11] take some time to think about them and

[1:00:13] then we can bring them back um and and

[1:00:17] decide and and truly I don't want it to

[1:00:20] be missed because there was a lot of

[1:00:21] time and effort spent in crafting both

[1:00:23] these two languages and I want to make

[1:00:24] sure both of those

[1:00:26] understand that to to to Mr parley's

[1:00:28] point he's always able to kind of keep

[1:00:30] our Council centered and keep us well

[1:00:32] reflective of what we're saying and and

[1:00:33] get away from the kind of the tone so

[1:00:37] definitely uh uh each Document Speaks

[1:00:40] differently towards this issue and that is a very blatant and and and

[1:00:43] apparent understanding that took me uh a

[1:00:46] lot of hours of dialogue to also

[1:00:48] recognize and accept myself because I

[1:00:49] was something I did not accept I

[1:00:51] truthfully thought that we would be able

[1:00:53] to craft some collaborative language and

[1:00:55] that was not possible um but but again

[1:00:58] to to to the time and and emotion that

[1:01:01] was invested in both of these I can

[1:01:02] guarantee each Community respects these

[1:01:06] as the true intent and their ability to

[1:01:08] identify language that addresses that

[1:01:10] conflict and wherever you lay and I'm

[1:01:13] not excluding the the Mandate that you

[1:01:16] submitted but I would just ask you

[1:01:18] compel you to just read that over and I do think although two weeks is

[1:01:22] additional time and additional time in

[1:01:24] this conflict but I think reflect of

[1:01:26] everyone knows that whatever action We

[1:01:28] Take It ultimately is not going to end

[1:01:30] up itself influence that outcome in the

[1:01:32] noise it it will not but to to Mr

[1:01:36] Farley's point there is a considerable

[1:01:39] ask from our community to respond to

[1:01:41] this and that that in and that simple

[1:01:44] statement was the reason why my actions

[1:01:46] were that they

[1:01:48] were so I think you know hearing you

[1:01:51] know what people are saying today um and

[1:01:54] I appreciate your ability to kind of

[1:01:56] navigate this tough and difficult uh

[1:01:58] conversation um so it's not lost on me

[1:02:01] that this is something that um has

[1:02:03] serious uh consequences um to people

[1:02:07] professionally personally politically

[1:02:09] all of the things and I just appreciate

[1:02:12] you guys are willingness to kind of

[1:02:13] engage in this conversation from a

[1:02:15] genuine place I we will leave um

[1:02:18] everyone has uh the documents of that

[1:02:21] are in front of them have some time to

[1:02:23] digest them and then we can um decide

[1:02:26] whether whether a course of action will

[1:02:27] be taken and what that course of action

[1:02:29] will be oh I'm sorry president it's okay

[1:02:32] so and I just want to remind folks that

[1:02:34] so um it's been brought up that people

[1:02:36] you know um wouldn't necessarily agree

[1:02:38] and we can't come to an agreement uh

[1:02:41] each council member has an opportunity

[1:02:43] at the end of the meeting to State their

[1:02:44] position on whatever is going on so just

[1:02:47] keep in mind that if there if we get to

[1:02:49] the place where we're just not able to

[1:02:52] um pass anything through everyone here

[1:02:54] has an opportunity to St them and say

[1:02:55] this is where I stand so that is not

[1:02:58] something that you you can always

[1:02:59] exercise that um if we get to the point

[1:03:02] where it's just not never coming up with

[1:03:05] anything that that everybody can agree

[1:03:07] on and sometimes that happens and as has

[1:03:09] been stated we have to make sure that

[1:03:11] we're also as we're doing this um make

[1:03:14] sure that we're keeping making sure

[1:03:16] we're doing the business of the people

[1:03:17] and I've gotten statements from people

[1:03:20] that um because of the number of people

[1:03:22] at the council meeting that people

[1:03:24] didn't have an opportunity to speak um

[1:03:27] and I've figured out a way to rectify

[1:03:28] that if if we get to that place again

[1:03:30] because City business should still be um

[1:03:34] our priority I'm not saying it's the

[1:03:36] only thing that we do but it certainly

[1:03:38] should be our priority so I will just

[1:03:40] make sure that people that come to the

[1:03:41] meeting have an opportunity to speak on

[1:03:43] City business that outside this present

[1:03:45] discussion that has been ongoing so I

[1:03:48] just want to remind council members

[1:03:49] again that if you just can't see any of

[1:03:52] this being anything that you can agree

[1:03:53] to um at all you always had the

[1:03:56] opportunity for miscellaneous um

[1:03:59] business of the council to State

[1:04:01] whatever it is that you would like to

[1:04:02] state so

[1:04:05] um thank you but we did agree on world

[1:04:07] peace that's something that we were able

[1:04:09] to at least get agreed about so um any

[1:04:12] more comments questions or concerns

[1:04:13] around that Mr Williams if I

[1:04:16] can throughout this conversation I

[1:04:19] always recognize that or throughout my

[1:04:21] com comments with the community always

[1:04:23] recognize it was not my place to sway

[1:04:25] anyone's opinion or their perspective on

[1:04:27] this issue and I accepted that but

[1:04:29] wholeheartedly I wanted to say I

[1:04:30] appreciate everyone's openness and and

[1:04:32] responses and I think you'll find that

[1:04:34] the community regardless of how they

[1:04:36] interpret your responses will appreciate

[1:04:38] that uh uh thoughtfulness with with

[1:04:41] being

[1:04:44] transparent so I just want to so

[1:04:46] government operations is not going to

[1:04:48] consider this uh this evening well

[1:04:51] there's no I mean in terms of you know

[1:04:54] seeing if it comes out of committee

[1:04:56] it's a discussion this no this was a

[1:04:58] discussion point if you on the agenda

[1:04:59] that's why it was it's list yeah it's

[1:05:02] listed as a discussion point so just for

[1:05:04] that particular reason so we can have a

[1:05:06] discussion and everyone can make um

[1:05:08] informed decision if and when we get to

[1:05:11] a point of decision that's why it was on

[1:05:13] for discussion Mr hi thank you m pfield

[1:05:17] I know you you said you weren't in favor

[1:05:19] of passing or considering um Miss

[1:05:21] Patrick's uh statement um but I didn't

[1:05:24] hear a stance from you

[1:05:26] on you know where you may stand on

[1:05:29] this um goe no I was trying to question

[1:05:33] while well I I made my statement I'm not

[1:05:35] willing to do this I'll read for the

[1:05:37] rest of it and then when it's when when

[1:05:38] I feel it's appropriate I'll make my

[1:05:40] statement okay thank

[1:05:43] you and just if you're wondering whether

[1:05:45] I think we should get involved in

[1:05:46] international matters I think there may

[1:05:48] be opportunities where we will get

[1:05:49] involved in National matters so I will

[1:05:51] not blatantly and blankly say never

[1:05:54] International matters I don't know what

[1:05:55] the future holds so if that's what

[1:05:58] you're looking for no not at all I was

[1:05:59] just looking for your stance thank you

[1:06:01] so that was helpful I not because I will

[1:06:04] never blanketly say because I don't

[1:06:06] think it's even as as elected people

[1:06:08] that you blanketly say you will never

[1:06:09] because we don't know what the future

[1:06:11] bring so I will never just draw a line

[1:06:14] in the say and say absolutely I will not

[1:06:15] cross that line I will take into

[1:06:17] consideration what is happening at the

[1:06:18] moment at the time and use that to make

[1:06:21] my decision and I think again you know

[1:06:24] for me just for clarity is like um it

[1:06:27] though it's an international matter it

[1:06:29] definitely has a local implications and

[1:06:31] that's where I think is where you know

[1:06:34] what obligates US when people are com

[1:06:35] and talk to us and saying how it's

[1:06:37] impacting them within this community

[1:06:38] then it's I think that that's what we're

[1:06:40] obligated to um respond um and

[1:06:43] understanding that our response might

[1:06:44] not be adequate to what some people

[1:06:46] would like and and and and that's okay I

[1:06:49] think that we just you know I don't see

[1:06:52] this

[1:06:53] as uh only of Interest ational matter is

[1:06:56] kind of the point I'm saying primarily

[1:06:58] International matter but definitely has

[1:07:00] some pretty um serious implications with

[1:07:02] us um

[1:07:03] locally so uh if there's no more

[1:07:07] questions or comments around this issue

[1:07:08] I'll leave everyone with this uh and I'd

[1:07:12] like to

[1:07:13] uh accept the motion to close government

[1:07:17] operations second we're close all in

[1:07:21] favor close thank you I'd like to call

[1:07:25] again development and planning we have

[1:07:26] eight items on the agenda the first item

[1:07:30] is M Harver uh call for public hearing

[1:07:32] for the histor commission changes good

[1:07:36] evening on March 28th the proposed extor

[1:07:40] commission City cold changes we

[1:07:42] presented to city council and we asked

[1:07:44] for zoning coordination referal to be

[1:07:45] sent to the county which it did get sent

[1:07:48] we received a response with no comments

[1:07:52] but the recommendation to their

[1:07:53] Department local so today I am here

[1:07:55] asking city council to call for a public

[1:07:58] hearing regarding those changes and if

[1:08:00] needed submit those changes to the

[1:08:08] commission so there's no

[1:08:10] questions question I thought you were

[1:08:13] asking a question I thought you were

[1:08:15] asking a question as well you have me

[1:08:16] there so you're moving it yeah second

[1:08:18] all those in favor I think

[1:08:23] for all right um excuse me the the next

[1:08:26] item on the agenda is the extension of

[1:08:28] building moratorium on the submission

[1:08:29] and processing of building permits

[1:08:31] certificates of occupancy certificant of

[1:08:33] use and land use approvals for smoke

[1:08:35] shops vape shops and toac tobacco or

[1:08:38] vape consumption businesses M

[1:08:41] barash Madam president I'll take that

[1:08:44] one that's okay um this is uh last

[1:08:46] council meeting you uh transmitted the

[1:08:49] proposed ordinance up to the county we

[1:08:51] haven't gotten response back so during

[1:08:53] the pendency of that waiting that

[1:08:56] response uh this is an extension of the

[1:08:58] moratorium that ends on June 10th um and

[1:09:02] that the public hearing is on Monday but

[1:09:04] also you can it ends on that day so you

[1:09:07] can pass this ordinance after the public

[1:09:09] hearing to extend it out the September

[1:09:11] 10th or just such earlier time that you

[1:09:14] take final action on the proposed

[1:09:20] ordinance so with that how are we doing

[1:09:22] I know that the reason we were having

[1:09:24] this more time because we were working

[1:09:25] on this zoning where are we with that

[1:09:26] well the Zone that's the zoning

[1:09:27] ordinance right that's gone that's gone

[1:09:29] up to County planning for the input just

[1:09:31] like the historic district commission so

[1:09:33] once we get that back from County

[1:09:35] Planning then you'll have the the

[1:09:38] final uh uh ordinance draft for your

[1:09:42] review and approval so you're waiting

[1:09:44] for back to K yeah we're waiting for the

[1:09:45] county to transmit that back just like

[1:09:47] they they reviewed the uh historic

[1:09:49] district ordinance so uh once we get

[1:09:53] that then uh

[1:09:56] you'll be able to take final action on

[1:09:58] it but during that pendency we're just

[1:10:00] pushing that out a little bit as we

[1:10:02] await the but we don't ant we don't

[1:10:05] anticipate them being out till September

[1:10:07] no they have by by the code they they

[1:10:09] have to do it within 30 days okay okay

[1:10:13] thank you and when did we send it I'm

[1:10:14] sorry it went out last week okay so I

[1:10:17] anticipate in the next few weeks we'll

[1:10:19] be get a report back okay yes Mr M so we

[1:10:24] have to have two resolutions

[1:10:26] is that no just it's just it's just an

[1:10:28] ordinance you you have the public

[1:10:30] hearings on Monday and this is the

[1:10:31] ordinance amending the original

[1:10:33] ordinance that that expires on the SE on

[1:10:37] Monday and this is just pushing that uh

[1:10:41] moratorium period out another 90 days to

[1:10:43] September 10th but it's anticipated

[1:10:46] you'll get that before that time but the

[1:10:49] ordinance final

[1:10:51] action just the one that answer your

[1:10:54] question Mr all

[1:10:57] right motion so Mo second all in favor I

[1:11:02] thank you thank you uh the next item is

[1:11:05] um ceremonial resolution recognizing

[1:11:09] juneth 2024 we do this every year so

[1:11:12] just asking for the council to consider

[1:11:15] passing a resolution um recognizing Jun

[1:11:18] so second all those in

[1:11:21] favor item number four revisiting a

[1:11:24] discussion about reducing speed to 25

[1:11:26] mph and other traffic safety measures

[1:11:29] Miss Patrick yes um I first want to

[1:11:31] clarify that I wasn't um thinking that

[1:11:34] we would be 25 miles hour across the

[1:11:36] whole city but rather that um certain

[1:11:39] neighborhoods would so we basically I

[1:11:41] just wanted to initiate the discussion

[1:11:42] again because residents have come to us

[1:11:45] again continue to come to us about the

[1:11:48] issue of the issues related to speeding

[1:11:49] and other traffic uh violations in the

[1:11:52] city so um

[1:11:55] you know I wanted to bring it back I

[1:11:57] thought that we probably would need to

[1:11:58] have um other staff come in um and talk

[1:12:02] about this but just wanted to put it out

[1:12:04] on the table and see if folks were

[1:12:06] interested in revisiting

[1:12:09] this well the last time that we did um

[1:12:12] discuss this Mr Wallen was here and he

[1:12:14] did say we had to have a traffic

[1:12:15] engineer who was also here but if I

[1:12:17] remember correctly and in addition to

[1:12:19] that um we would if we were going to do

[1:12:22] we have to figure out where we could do

[1:12:23] it versus where we couldn't because

[1:12:25] places we wouldn't be able to do it uh

[1:12:28] at this point in

[1:12:29] time I don't know if Mr wall has put

[1:12:32] anything forward or we even asked him to

[1:12:33] put anything forward where we couldn't I'm not sure if it's

[1:12:36] Mr Wallen or um uh M

[1:12:42] Mr no but he's working with Mr wall

[1:12:45] right Brian can Brian Canon Mr Canon Mr

[1:12:48] Canon I've not met him what I've not met

[1:12:51] him no I haven't either but um I'm happy

[1:12:54] to reach out to them or would that be

[1:12:56] appropriate for your office to reach out

[1:12:59] to them to try to present something

[1:13:01] there to us we have to ask what you want

[1:13:03] presented right I guess I'd like to have

[1:13:06] you know um their recommendations on uh

[1:13:09] whether reducing the speed limit to 25 M

[1:13:13] an hour in certain areas of the city

[1:13:16] would help to alleviate some of the

[1:13:18] issues that residents are coming forth

[1:13:20] with concern about um so it would

[1:13:22] probably be a traffic study um

[1:13:29] yes Mr uh fary yeah yeah i' I'd also

[1:13:32] like to know like where like kind of

[1:13:34] like what are the parameters in which

[1:13:36] those decisions are made for like where

[1:13:38] we could decrease speed limit and where

[1:13:41] we couldn't because I remember like one

[1:13:42] point in the conversation I was thinking

[1:13:44] we just need to increase stop signs

[1:13:46] right and then kind of and I don't know

[1:13:49] if I'm wrong about this but I remember I

[1:13:51] think it was Mr rer that was saying that

[1:13:52] actually increasing stop signs at

[1:13:54] certain places

[1:13:55] won't decrease uh will actually can have

[1:14:00] uh reverse effect and won't make things

[1:14:02] safer kind of cuz there's some other

[1:14:04] byproducts of that that I was unaware of

[1:14:06] like so I was thinking like yeah I'd

[1:14:08] like

[1:14:09] to to to see like where we could do that

[1:14:12] and where we couldn't and kind of what

[1:14:13] the rationale was why and I guess my

[1:14:15] question is does that require uh a a

[1:14:20] complete traffic study or is that more

[1:14:23] is there something Mr may I don't know

[1:14:24] like if like is there something that

[1:14:26] where we can get kind of more of a at a

[1:14:29] glance or is there going to be a traffic

[1:14:32] study conducted anyway so should we just

[1:14:33] kind of wait for that I guess that's

[1:14:34] what my question is well some it's a

[1:14:37] policy decision of the council what the

[1:14:39] speed limit

[1:14:41] is some changes do require study to

[1:14:44] validate or substantiate what action

[1:14:47] you're taking again it depends on what

[1:14:50] road and what the intent is and what the

[1:14:54] council's looking to to

[1:14:56] do Patrick and I just want to say that was where you're right that the

[1:15:02] other traffic calming measures um an

[1:15:04] expression that I learned when we you

[1:15:06] know over the course of time of talking

[1:15:08] about this would include you know

[1:15:10] looking at stop signs looking at um you

[1:15:13] know speed bumps looking at all those

[1:15:15] other kinds of things that might help

[1:15:17] but there's also because we also have

[1:15:19] had the conversation around the other

[1:15:20] side of this which is enforcement um so

[1:15:23] in fact um we've even had you know our

[1:15:27] police come and talk to us about that

[1:15:29] because that has implications as well

[1:15:31] all around Staffing around you know

[1:15:33] around lots of stuff so I just wanted to

[1:15:36] bring it back to the table because um

[1:15:39] obviously we're hearing from residents

[1:15:41] at least I have been hearing from

[1:15:42] residents um continuously around issues

[1:15:45] that they feel are happening in their

[1:15:47] neighborhoods because of

[1:15:50] speeding I'm sorry you were making a

[1:15:52] point and just yeah I was I guess I was I was thinking about because I

[1:15:57] know that we did you know that on Kings

[1:15:59] Road and we got a lot of information and

[1:16:00] data um that was based on Kings Road in

[1:16:03] particular and based on that information

[1:16:05] that we got from you know Kings Rose is

[1:16:07] that something that where we can kind of

[1:16:09] just repeat that in other area so my

[1:16:11] question is there is there are we is

[1:16:13] there going to be a larger traffic study

[1:16:15] done is that in the works or is there

[1:16:17] going to be um responsive to whatever

[1:16:20] neighborhood are coming forth to say

[1:16:22] like there's an issue yeah I don't think

[1:16:24] that we have anything under way right

[1:16:25] now okay cuz I cuz Okay so I guess that

[1:16:29] really kind of goes to to the mayor is there um based on what all the input

[1:16:33] and all the discussions we have is there

[1:16:35] um a traffic study underway right now

[1:16:37] well we're collecting a lot more data

[1:16:39] than we've had and we're collecting more

[1:16:42] than most municipalities have some of

[1:16:44] the other Comming devices the speed

[1:16:48] humps you know we've deployed those

[1:16:50] looked at what the uh impact is we moved

[1:16:53] from a couple locations

[1:16:55] uh I have not seen any accident

[1:16:59] information from that which is what

[1:17:02] really drives a lot of

[1:17:04] these events you know the speeding might

[1:17:08] be above what the posted limit is if you

[1:17:12] don't have any accidents you know you're

[1:17:15] kind of flying with the angels we do

[1:17:17] some of these things where you put up

[1:17:19] stop signs you're going to probably

[1:17:21] increase the rear end uh collisions

[1:17:25] the fender benders so that it's is what

[1:17:27] you articulate what Mr Wallen pointed

[1:17:29] out there are consequences or

[1:17:34] different scenarios that play out for

[1:17:37] any of these changes that you make and

[1:17:39] we've all talked about the overall thing

[1:17:42] is uh just educating people to be

[1:17:46] compliant with

[1:17:48] what the regulations are when they

[1:17:50] driving a car and if yeah you do that it

[1:17:53] makes life a lot simpler

[1:17:57] may put that on the world peace

[1:18:00] resolution just file file the BNT law

[1:18:03] too but yes if you want some of that

[1:18:06] back we can maybe break it down into

[1:18:09] components or not a lot of it you could

[1:18:11] talk for 2 or 3 hours here covering the

[1:18:14] whole city so it's break it down into

[1:18:16] specific areas and points that we think

[1:18:19] are more easily achievable to uh get

[1:18:22] some of the goals that we want m so can

[1:18:25] you just a couple minutes to hammer that

[1:18:27] out Mr Williams did you have something

[1:18:29] you want to say yes and I was going to

[1:18:30] add to Mr mayor's point I think it's important that we uh be intentional

[1:18:35] of what we're trying to achieve and case

[1:18:37] point being driven by like either

[1:18:39] accident prone areas or like new high

[1:18:41] nuisance areas where again to this point

[1:18:44] like if we're trying to implicate a

[1:18:46] change like old add don't change that's

[1:18:48] not broken so I know some people uh

[1:18:51] don't put a lot of value in calling the

[1:18:52] police department because it may be

[1:18:54] responsive and and not preventative in

[1:18:56] some instances which I would argue

[1:18:58] against I think that provides us the

[1:19:00] proper data and context to evaluate

[1:19:03] doing these types of measures so again

[1:19:05] it's the mayor's point of U

[1:19:08] understanding that you taking it upon

[1:19:09] yourself to speed throughout different

[1:19:10] communities or to uh drive on the

[1:19:13] roadway in a manner that's not uh

[1:19:15] appropriate it comes at expense to

[1:19:17] someone else uh so so again please be

[1:19:20] considered of your surroundings um but

[1:19:22] also again if you are identifying these

[1:19:24] areas Within in your community please

[1:19:25] call the police department for better or

[1:19:27] worse that helps us as a council

[1:19:29] identify the appropriate means to

[1:19:30] respond and as a council we need to make

[1:19:32] sure that we have that understanding in

[1:19:34] mind if we gather this information and

[1:19:36] do nothing with it it is intrinsically a

[1:19:39] waste of time so as long as we're

[1:19:40] motivated to act with this information I

[1:19:42] think that is the most appropriate Way

[1:19:45] Forward yes Mr M yeah thank you I think

[1:19:49] when we discussed it the last time we we

[1:19:50] did identify a couple areas especially

[1:19:53] the school zone I think was was a focus

[1:19:55] point in into the school zone to look at

[1:19:58] how we 25 hours historically would

[1:20:01] affect those well they they're 15 they

[1:20:03] are and high traffic high traffic area

[1:20:06] high accident area so um I think we ask

[1:20:09] for report I'm mistaken so we just have

[1:20:11] to follow back and see where those

[1:20:13] reports

[1:20:14] are yeah the school district I'm sorry

[1:20:18] but um Miss pill let me just um I think

[1:20:20] the school the school zones are already

[1:20:22] set at 15 M hour M um but I think you

[1:20:27] know in terms of other

[1:20:30] high areas I think Mr Williams just said

[1:20:33] you know where there there's more

[1:20:35] accidents or more violations that that

[1:20:38] is we can we can ask for that

[1:20:41] specific you another comment no I I just

[1:20:45] want to add I mean in terms of that we

[1:20:46] can um look at we have I'm trying to

[1:20:51] think back what we discussed and what we

[1:20:52] asked for at that point in time and

[1:20:53] we're supposed to um get some report in

[1:20:56] terms of the speeding across the city

[1:20:58] and high traffic area high accident area

[1:21:01] and to bring that back but I think it

[1:21:03] went D that one time so I think getting

[1:21:06] those reports would help us to identify

[1:21:08] the area that needed the attention and

[1:21:11] uh to look at the speed limit at that

[1:21:12] point in time Mr Mr Mayor the highest

[1:21:16] incident area for both Auto pedestrian

[1:21:20] in just Autos is Brandy Wine Avenue at

[1:21:24] state

[1:21:25] Albany Dwayne and when you get to

[1:21:28] 890 we have

[1:21:31] spent a number of years lining up the

[1:21:34] money rebuilding that uh realigning it

[1:21:38] and there's still some constraints

[1:21:39] because it's Mon and Old City you don't

[1:21:41] get things necessarily quite the

[1:21:43] dimensions you want and I think all the

[1:21:46] traffic control devices now are

[1:21:51] operational being sequenced and so that

[1:21:54] scenario where hopefully we're going to

[1:21:57] see we spent a lot of money millions of

[1:22:00] dollars that we're going to see a drop

[1:22:02] in the number of events there and some

[1:22:05] of that will learn from that uh do these

[1:22:09] things pay off in terms of uh

[1:22:13] minimizing auto accidents and again it

[1:22:16] had the highest incidence of Auto

[1:22:18] pedestrian those are ones where you get

[1:22:20] you know serious injuries a lot of the

[1:22:24] uh auto accidents where you get two cars

[1:22:26] bumping into each other yes it's not

[1:22:27] good uh yes today's world it's not cheap

[1:22:31] either but uh the injuries are minimal

[1:22:34] so it'll uh be an area where we spend a

[1:22:37] lot of time collected a lot of

[1:22:38] information and are going to be able to

[1:22:40] see you know hopefully these things are

[1:22:42] working and making a difference Mr M

[1:22:45] yeah just add to that so one of the take

[1:22:47] away from the last discussion we had was

[1:22:48] the enforcement and do we have the manp

[1:22:51] power from the police department to do

[1:22:53] this enforcement because it's one thing

[1:22:55] that we reduce the speed limit to 25 if

[1:22:58] we ever to do that but how are we going

[1:23:00] to enforce it there's nobody here from

[1:23:02] the police department yes it's not

[1:23:05] necessarily my position but if they were

[1:23:07] here they would say any more C

[1:23:09] yes and that's what I'm trying to

[1:23:11] because if we're going to do this then

[1:23:13] we we need we're going to need to

[1:23:14] enforce it but then how do we enforce it

[1:23:17] and and just I just want to follow then

[1:23:19] Mr Williams and Miss um Miss Patrick

[1:23:21] that another area of the city that we're

[1:23:23] hearing a lot of PL where at least I am

[1:23:25] is down on um Area Boulevard people

[1:23:29] coming out of the side streets and

[1:23:30] trying pedestrians I'm talking about

[1:23:32] here trying to make their way across and

[1:23:34] things that have happened people have

[1:23:35] gotten hit so um we we definitely need

[1:23:37] to address this in some way I'm not sure

[1:23:40] if 25 mph or more traffic calming

[1:23:43] devices or more right but we definitely

[1:23:46] need to to um bring this to a place

[1:23:48] where we can Mak make it makes a

[1:23:50] difference stor my comment was going to your point there are hidden corridors

[1:23:54] around the the city where if we continue

[1:23:57] to try to retroact respond to it I think

[1:23:59] we're always going to be chasing traffic

[1:24:01] and then also Chief Clifford did come

[1:24:02] here and provide a presentation of you

[1:24:04] put a device that identifies that you're

[1:24:06] exceeding speeding or you put a patrol

[1:24:08] officer in any one position in the city

[1:24:10] and almost instantaneously all disc

[1:24:12] connected he knows to just drive around

[1:24:13] that police officer but to your point Mr

[1:24:16] M the conversation around the school

[1:24:19] zones was uh I think there's a home rule

[1:24:21] or something that we could apply to to

[1:24:24] receive to cameras in those areas and

[1:24:28] myself and Mr palini was to requesting

[1:24:31] to see if that can be extended to other

[1:24:33] areas in our community where we can

[1:24:35] utilize technology to kind of identify

[1:24:38] excessive speeding and then also do like

[1:24:40] automatic ticket

[1:24:41] ticketing so just to um we already the

[1:24:44] home rule we've sent it in we have our

[1:24:45] bill numbers I'll be sending you

[1:24:47] actually update on that where we are

[1:24:49] with that so that's we did follow up on

[1:24:50] it yeah and so just so you know didn't

[1:24:54] just go the way

[1:24:56] of uh you know black hole or something

[1:24:59] so it's it's been followed up and and we

[1:25:01] finally are there miss Patrick did you

[1:25:03] have another comment well I just um I

[1:25:05] think that you know basically I think we

[1:25:07] probably would want to have a

[1:25:08] presentation by uh whether it's Mr

[1:25:11] Wallen uh Mr um I'm

[1:25:14] sorry Canon uh and someone from the

[1:25:18] police department maybe a joint you know

[1:25:20] the three of them um I think that would

[1:25:21] be a good thing I mean I'm sure I I

[1:25:24] think another thing would be

[1:25:26] if I mean I heard from somebody again

[1:25:28] today that's in a different neighborhood

[1:25:30] from other people that I've heard from

[1:25:31] so I'm sure if we all if if you all are

[1:25:34] getting uh similar kinds of things maybe

[1:25:36] we could also you know maybe send you

[1:25:39] know to to miss Miku you know here's

[1:25:42] this neighborhood that neighborhood this

[1:25:43] neighborhood in preparation for and then

[1:25:46] get that passed on to the um to the

[1:25:49] folks around a presentation or you know

[1:25:52] little studies in certain neighborhoods

[1:25:53] depending on who we're hearing from um I don't know just throw that out to you

[1:25:57] all no I think that makes sense because

[1:25:59] we're trying to do this by a silo kind

[1:26:02] of uh approach is not working right and

[1:26:05] so we need to know so they can take a

[1:26:06] bit a look more a more overall look so I

[1:26:09] think that's a good suggestion so with

[1:26:11] that if anyone has anything you know

[1:26:13] forwarded because I know that all of us

[1:26:15] or each of you know individually or more

[1:26:17] than one I don't know how they all send

[1:26:18] their emails not sure how people decide

[1:26:20] where to send their emails but um get um

[1:26:23] emails and comments regarding traffic

[1:26:26] safety issues and I usually forward mine

[1:26:27] onto the mayor's office um but it's a

[1:26:30] good idea if we're going to do this

[1:26:31] report that people um forward them all

[1:26:34] to miss Miku and she can then forward on

[1:26:36] them on to um the whoever's going to do

[1:26:40] the presentation I think it's a good

[1:26:41] idea to have people from all all three

[1:26:43] of the groups that you mentioned the

[1:26:45] chief Mr Wallen and Mr Cannon um to come

[1:26:49] and don't have us in terms of timing I

[1:26:52] think we'd have to give them more than

[1:26:53] two weeks yeah so um just I just don't

[1:26:56] want to lose it again in terms of this

[1:26:58] the third time that we've talked about

[1:27:00] it um I think I put the dates in here

[1:27:03] that we have addressed it before so

[1:27:07] um um Mr yeah I guess um I think that we

[1:27:11] should cuz we're collecting all this

[1:27:13] data and I remember Mr fuchi kind of

[1:27:15] came and gave us a presentation that was

[1:27:16] really cool and I was like you know

[1:27:17] really shocked at the level of like all

[1:27:19] the information we could get so I would

[1:27:20] just say that we should be looking at

[1:27:23] the the information that we have

[1:27:25] currently and see what is actionable I

[1:27:28] think that's a pretty uh safe place as

[1:27:31] our what what's actionable and not only

[1:27:33] an enforcement because we keep talking

[1:27:35] about awareness and education and I

[1:27:37] think that that might be something that

[1:27:39] is a is a a easier lift than necessarily

[1:27:43] enforcement or maybe I should say a

[1:27:44] different lift but it's just something

[1:27:46] that's I say that we really is worth

[1:27:48] exploring with the with the data and the

[1:27:49] information that we have now and I think

[1:27:52] that you know some of the qualitative

[1:27:53] data of residents that are saying this

[1:27:55] is impeding my quality of life or

[1:27:57] something that where we can at least if

[1:27:59] we can't you know

[1:28:01] justify uh certain interventions without

[1:28:04] a traffic study then what what is within

[1:28:07] our real house where we can least

[1:28:09] respond to your point so we're not

[1:28:10] continuous so just I mean this is a

[1:28:12] conversation I'm sure will go on and on

[1:28:14] but at least as the conversation going

[1:28:16] on we can be responsive based on the

[1:28:17] data that we have I also think that um

[1:28:20] this will be a good uh place to kind of

[1:28:22] partner with the school district I I do

[1:28:24] remember some time ago there's

[1:28:26] conversations about like um um some of

[1:28:29] the research that the schools district

[1:28:30] has done on like walking school bus

[1:28:32] models and walkability for students to

[1:28:34] get to school and I think that those

[1:28:35] could be um good data points to see like

[1:28:38] how we can respond there and I know that

[1:28:39] the mayor was you know really open to

[1:28:42] supporting you know any way that we can

[1:28:44] increase safety for our Walkers within

[1:28:45] the school district so I think that we

[1:28:47] should maybe include them in that

[1:28:48] conversation I would definitely reach

[1:28:50] out um to do that that's okay okay

[1:28:54] are you just waving that's all you hand

[1:28:57] go you

[1:29:02] Mr okay been

[1:29:06] involuntary any for the

[1:29:09] discussion okay so we will um uh just to

[1:29:13] uh wrap it up we'll send the information

[1:29:15] any any group any one we heard from any

[1:29:18] areas we'll forward it to miss Miku Miss

[1:29:20] mik who can um bring forward it and

[1:29:22] there we'd have to ask you um whether we

[1:29:24] could get the police chief Mr Wallen and

[1:29:27] Mr Canon to um put the information

[1:29:30] together and provide a report to the

[1:29:32] city council and and U so will a month

[1:29:35] be done with you two cycles we bring it

[1:29:38] back uh two cycles okay thank you thank

[1:29:44] you um the next four

[1:29:49] items the M Street needs to be executive

[1:29:51] session yes the ordinance should be

[1:29:53] public

[1:29:55] the so item number five is the ordinance

[1:29:58] abandoning a portion of a mist stre m

[1:30:03] barash

[1:30:05] um did you

[1:30:18] want we uh now are we going to dig with

[1:30:23] okay I'll take a

[1:30:26] problem so uh there is a vacant lot on

[1:30:29] Amelia Street Amelia Street is a paper

[1:30:32] Street um there are two buyers

[1:30:37] interested in purchasing portions of it

[1:30:41] uh this has been discussed

[1:30:45] previously uh we are now ready to move

[1:30:47] forward from the Law Department we

[1:30:50] needed

[1:30:52] um uh legal descript

[1:30:54] for each of the Lots in order to be able

[1:30:58] to describe them in an ordinance and

[1:31:01] thereafter in uh the respective Deeds so

[1:31:06] you have

[1:31:08] um in front of you you have the

[1:31:17] nothing so we can discuss the prices in

[1:31:21] executive will

[1:31:26] so in terms of the abandonment piece of

[1:31:28] it though I thought we were going to

[1:31:30] because I see no

[1:31:32] documentation that at all regarding the

[1:31:35] abandonment piece leg description I see

[1:31:38] nothing I see it was the uh we had a

[1:31:42] public hearing I guess last year on the

[1:31:44] abandonment of the paper Street which is

[1:31:46] a paper Street you know that's listed on

[1:31:49] the official map is connect that

[1:31:51] indicating that at some point we ever

[1:31:53] wanted to use use that that would be a

[1:31:55] street so what happened was last year

[1:31:59] people expressed interest in the

[1:32:00] purchasing this paper Street you had a

[1:32:03] public hearing because you have to have

[1:32:04] a public hearing before abandoning a

[1:32:07] paper street that the city is no longer

[1:32:09] going to be using that property for

[1:32:12] anything

[1:32:13] so you've done that you've done that and

[1:32:16] during the course of that time period

[1:32:18] when you had that public hearing last

[1:32:19] year regarding the concept of banding

[1:32:23] this particular portion of the

[1:32:26] street there would legal descriptions

[1:32:29] have been made regarding the parcel

[1:32:31] itself right now it was was just on a a

[1:32:34] map so therefore they had to do legal

[1:32:38] descriptions by meats and Bounds and the

[1:32:41] four corners of these particular Lots so

[1:32:45] there's two things that you all have to

[1:32:47] do is one is one you have to abandon the

[1:32:51] street in other words you're making the

[1:32:53] declaration and that will be in the

[1:32:55] ordinance language you're not using this

[1:32:59] make reference to the public hearing

[1:33:00] that you had last year you're not using

[1:33:03] this for a public purposes you're

[1:33:05] abandoning this street and that that

[1:33:08] portion that the portion that you're

[1:33:10] abandoning will be in the legal

[1:33:12] description of the ordinance the second

[1:33:14] thing you have to do is then the actual

[1:33:17] sale the sale would be in executive

[1:33:19] section because there's certain terms of

[1:33:21] it but the public got had up public

[1:33:24] hearing that you you're abandoning the

[1:33:27] public Street and you're abandoning that

[1:33:31] uh paper Street with the idea of selling

[1:33:35] it as parcels and and that's why you're

[1:33:39] the ordinance is is goes first and then

[1:33:42] the sale has to go second because you

[1:33:44] have to abandon it first and then put

[1:33:48] and then it will be up for sale or up

[1:33:50] for sale I understand that and I

[1:33:52] appreciate all of the

[1:33:54] however some of that really needs to be

[1:33:56] in writing because we have nothing here

[1:33:58] like what you just explained really so

[1:34:00] that there's some documentation of what

[1:34:03] what's going on and what the process is

[1:34:05] what what the ordinance will do what the

[1:34:08] prop I I understand but the proposed

[1:34:10] ordance when you have it on Monday we'll

[1:34:12] have the public hearing notice attached

[1:34:14] to it etc etc so it will be a complete

[1:34:16] package so the coun in the future though

[1:34:18] here we at least the council needs to be

[1:34:20] able to have

[1:34:21] that Madam president reason that's

[1:34:24] actually um I just realized that it's

[1:34:26] not in here is because we are waiting

[1:34:28] for confirmation as to which legal

[1:34:30] description goes with which section

[1:34:32] block and lot number um so the ordinance

[1:34:35] you will have it on Monday this has been

[1:34:37] a process to get done and um we are just

[1:34:40] waiting on that information because we

[1:34:42] need to know which of the legal

[1:34:44] descriptions to drop into the ordinance

[1:34:47] um so that because we're

[1:34:49] not

[1:34:50] abandoning all the Lots we're abandoning

[1:34:53] do the St so once I get confirmation of

[1:34:57] which uh legal description goes with

[1:35:01] which SPL then I'll be able to drop it

[1:35:03] into the ordinance and you will have it

[1:35:05] by um Thursday or if we get back in time

[1:35:09] uh which I assume that we will and then

[1:35:11] you'll have it for Monday so when you're

[1:35:13] really not ready then we don't have you

[1:35:15] know cuz I think the last time we talked

[1:35:16] we said that we would been have so it's

[1:35:17] really not today ready for we don't have

[1:35:20] all of that I don't have control over

[1:35:22] what information comes into me I only

[1:35:24] have control over what you know what I

[1:35:27] can ask for so we are in the process of

[1:35:30] getting the legal description for the

[1:35:32] section block of lot mbers it's a

[1:35:34] process we're almost there uh We've

[1:35:38] explained what the ordinance will

[1:35:39] contain and it will be available to you

[1:35:41] as soon as it's ready Mr

[1:35:44] Mayor uh again this was also the point

[1:35:47] where contention of whether we give a

[1:35:49] quick claim deed or to a warranty deed

[1:35:52] the those certifications for Section

[1:35:55] block and lot number assigned by the

[1:35:57] county isn't that correct yes so waiting

[1:36:00] for that and even though it says Mr

[1:36:04] O'Brien has outlined it's to do the

[1:36:06] ordinance first if you don't have the

[1:36:08] agreed on price I would tell you not to

[1:36:11] do the ordinance first because that's

[1:36:13] our point of Leverage to actually sell

[1:36:18] it yes so that means we don't I know

[1:36:22] that so we won't be discussing those

[1:36:24] properties when we go into executive

[1:36:26] session should do discuss it whether or

[1:36:29] not actually forward Monday night so got

[1:36:33] coun

[1:36:36] okay so you suggesting we don't do the

[1:36:39] abandonment first is that what you

[1:36:41] suggest might still do it tonight but I

[1:36:43] would wait till you go to Executive

[1:36:46] session well agree well I have to tell

[1:36:49] you that I'm still you know in terms of

[1:36:51] doing the abandonment I just would

[1:36:52] really like to see more documentation I

[1:36:54] understand that you don't have control

[1:36:55] over it and so I'm not that's this is

[1:36:58] not about blaming you but simply making

[1:37:00] sure that the council has the

[1:37:01] information before us so you know we've

[1:37:03] talked about it a lot um and I just

[1:37:06] don't want us to come have to come back

[1:37:08] because we made a misstep because we

[1:37:09] didn't have the information so that's

[1:37:11] why I always just like try to make sure

[1:37:12] it's all here before we make these

[1:37:14] decisions as a

[1:37:17] [Music]

[1:37:19] council you'll have it assum as it's

[1:37:21] ready all right so we may not do the

[1:37:23] abandonment until so we may have to have

[1:37:25] a meeting before that and if if we don't

[1:37:27] have it tonight then we can just meet

[1:37:29] before that and then or do it by

[1:37:31] unanimous consent on Monday if we don't

[1:37:34] have the information tonight in order to

[1:37:36] do it you can do it on

[1:37:40] Monday

[1:37:45] okay then the next the rest of the

[1:37:48] items uh items six seven and8 are all

[1:37:52] property sales and for that we would

[1:37:54] need to go into executive session so mov

[1:37:58] second all in favor I for the executive

[1:38:00] session members of the public will have

[1:38:02] to leave

[1:38:07] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Committee Meeting, June 3, 2024

Transcript