[0:00] [Music]

[0:00] he

[0:02] [Music]

[1:45] [Applause]

[1:51] [Music]

[3:28] he

[3:31] [Music]

[4:06] before the start of the meeting I'd like

[4:07] to turn the floor over to Mayor McCarthy

[4:09] for the Ser meeting call to order the

[4:12] connected the urban renewal agency and

[4:14] I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the

[4:16] agency to

[4:19] 5:30 Monday July 1st I'd like to make a

[4:22] motion moved by Mr Mancini second by Mr

[4:25] Farley all in

[4:27] favor thank you thank you mayor I'd like

[4:31] to call the city Caucus meeting to order

[4:33] for Monday June

[4:34] 204th

[4:37] 2024 we have two public hearings this evening if the clerk would please

[4:42] read public hearing number one regarding

[4:44] the amendments to the city of SKC zoning

[4:46] ordinance relating to the Hamilton Hill

[4:48] Redevelopment plan also referred to as

[4:51] the skty 40 project in the area of

[4:53] Albany page State and SKC streets public

[4:57] hearing number two public hearing number

[5:00] two regarding amendments to the SKC city

[5:02] code on proposed changes to the city of

[5:04] SKC historic district ordinance and

[5:06] related historic district and zoning

[5:09] ordinances we have 15 items for original

[5:12] consideration if the clerk would please

[5:13] read item number one item number one for

[5:16] final consideration an

[5:18] ordinance regulating vape shops smoke

[5:21] shops Vape lounges hookah lounges and

[5:23] vape consumption

[5:24] businesses discussed in committee with

[5:27] objection on consent item number two for original

[5:31] consideration a resolution accepting the

[5:33] independent Auditor's report for 2023

[5:36] discussed in committee without objection

[5:37] on consent item number three item number

[5:40] three for original consideration a

[5:41] resolution approving the information

[5:43] technology incident response plan

[5:46] discussed in committee without objection

[5:48] on consent item number four item number

[5:50] four for original consideration a

[5:52] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[5:54] accept 1,

[5:55] 15694 N4 law enforcement technology

[5:59] Grant from the New York State Department

[6:01] of Criminal Justice Services discussed

[6:03] in committee without objection on

[6:05] consent item number five item number

[6:07] five for original consideration a

[6:08] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[6:10] accept $

[6:11] 53,486 Grant award from the New York

[6:15] State Department of Criminal Justice

[6:16] Services discuss in committee without

[6:18] objection on consent item number six for original

[6:22] consideration a resolution declaring the

[6:24] connected city council as lead Agency

[6:26] for the Mohawk Harbor dock project this

[6:29] discussed in committee without objection

[6:30] on consent item number seven item number

[6:33] seven for original consideration a

[6:35] resolution declaring that the adoption

[6:37] of the ordinance creating section

[6:38] 264-1111 of the code of ordinances is a

[6:42] type two action and is not subject to

[6:45] environmental review for the state

[6:46] quality review act discussed in

[6:48] committee without objection on consent

[6:50] item number eight item number eight for

[6:52] original consideration a resolution

[6:54] authorizing the mayor to enter into

[6:56] professional service contract with Dr

[6:58] Kelly Tobin for services for members of

[7:00] the SKC fire department discussed in

[7:03] committee with objection on consent item

[7:05] number nine item number nine for

[7:07] original consideration a resolution

[7:08] authorizing a sale of 463 huet Street

[7:11] for

[7:12] $60,000 discussing committee without

[7:14] objection on consent item number 10 item

[7:16] number 10 for original consideration a

[7:18] resolution authorizing the sale of 629

[7:20] Lang Street for

[7:22] $47,500 discussed in committee without

[7:25] discussed in committee on consent and

[7:27] without cons on consent without

[7:30] objection item number 11 item number 11

[7:33] for original consideration a resolution

[7:35] authorizing the sale of 1525 mvin Avenue

[7:38] for

[7:39] $180,000 discussing committee with

[7:41] objection on consent item number 12 item

[7:44] number 12 for original consideration a

[7:46] resolution authorized in the sale of

[7:47] 1821 Linux Road for for

[7:51] $150,900

[7:52] discuss and committee with objection on

[7:54] consent item number 13 item number 13

[7:57] for original consideration a res

[7:59] resolution authorizing the issuance of

[8:01] revocable permit number 685 to social

[8:03] Hospitality Group LLC DBA social on

[8:07] state for a sign that will overhang the

[8:09] city's RightWay at

[8:11] 447 State Street discuss the commit in

[8:14] committee without objection on consent

[8:16] item number 14 item number 14 for under

[8:19] contract and Supply a resolution

[8:21] awarding the bid and contract for the

[8:22] north fa Street Pump House exterior

[8:25] restoration rebid to Midstate Industries

[8:28] Ltd in the amount of

[8:37] $21,800 contract and Supply a resolution

[8:40] awarding the bid and contract for the

[8:41] simus lake wall restoration base bid and add alternate to G1 Construction

[8:47] Incorporated in the amount of

[8:58] $158,100 CL please read item 15a under

[9:01] unanimous for unanimous consent a

[9:04] resolution delaying the interest and

[9:06] penalties for the 2023 2024 School tax

[9:09] delinquencies I need a motion to place

[9:11] 15a on the

[9:13] floor second second

[9:18] yes unanimous consent is unanimous

[9:21] consent of the members

[9:25] present it's unanimous consent of the

[9:27] members present

[9:32] all in favor I yes we have a second by

[9:36] Mr uh Williams or yes we have a second

[9:41] is there any

[9:43] discussion okay so all in favor I I okay

[9:48] and um i' ask for a motion to um Place

[9:51] item 15a on the consent agenda

[9:55] so second second by Mr Mancini all in

[9:59] favor

[10:04] I it it's you may go ahead I'm I'm going

[10:07] to move them to the agenda and then

[10:09] we'll vote okay I need a motion to uh

[10:12] for motion item number 15b to be placed

[10:14] on the

[10:16] floor I need a second second by Mr

[10:19] Williams all in favor

[10:21] I I ask for a motion to place 15b on the

[10:24] consent

[10:25] agenda second all in favor I thank

[10:30] you if there's nothing more to come

[10:32] before the city council caucus I ask for

[10:33] a motion to

[10:34] adjourn moveed by Miss Patrick second by

[10:38] Mr Williams all those in favor we are

[10:41] adjourned I'd like to call the city

[10:43] council meeting to order for Monday June

[10:45] 24th

[10:47] 2024 and I'd like to call on re Reverend

[10:50] Angela D west of the Union Missionary

[10:52] Baptist Church for the prayer invocation

[11:01] come on

[11:11] up let us bow in prayer most gracious

[11:15] wise and everlasting God we thank you

[11:18] for this opportunity to come together

[11:21] for the benefit of the people of

[11:24] connecti Father we ask that you search

[11:26] our hearts through and through so that

[11:29] the work that is conducted here tonight

[11:32] is done in decency and in order father

[11:35] we pray that the decisions that are

[11:37] being made on tonight would

[11:40] benefit the young the old the poor the

[11:44] rich the least of us Lord God so that

[11:48] all people are included in the decisions

[11:51] that are being forth on being put forth

[11:53] on tonight we thank you for all those

[11:56] who have come out who not sought it

[11:59] robbery of their time to be a part of

[12:02] the decisions being made for the city of

[12:05] SKC we need you these are times Lord God

[12:08] that are sometimes uncertain for

[12:11] some but we know that you are a God of

[12:14] all people so we pray that the work

[12:17] being done is for all

[12:19] people we thank you we love you we honor

[12:23] you and we ask these things in your name

[12:27] amen we ask I'd like Shane bargie to

[12:31] lead us in the

[12:36] pledge

[12:45] States

[12:49] andice thank

[12:51] you I'd ask the clerk to please complete

[12:54] the roll call Mr Toro is absent Mr

[12:58] Farley here

[12:59] Mr

[13:01] Mancini here Mr

[13:03] mam Miss Patrick here Mr

[13:07] Williams Miss Porterfield here yes thank

[13:10] you we have two public hearings

[13:17] [Music]

[13:20] tonight and I just want to remind

[13:22] everyone that the uh the public comment

[13:24] period is extended to four minutes and I

[13:26] respectfully ask that each person only

[13:28] speak to the

[13:29] um subject relevant to the public

[13:31] hearing itself public hearing number one

[13:33] is regarding the amendments to the city

[13:35] of skincity zoning ordinance related to

[13:37] the Hamilton Hill Redevelopment plan

[13:39] also known as connec 40

[13:41] project in the area of Albany Street

[13:44] Page Street State Street and and Sky

[13:46] streets and I have no one signed up to

[13:50] speak so I would declare this Public hearing number one

[13:54] closed public hearing number two is

[13:57] regarding amendments to the city code on

[13:59] proposed changes to the City Historic

[14:02] District ordinance and related historic

[14:04] district district and zoning ordinances

[14:07] I have two people signed up to

[14:11] speak the first person is Gloria

[14:24] kiston good evening and thank you for

[14:27] this opportunity to comment on the

[14:29] proposed changes to skc's Historic

[14:33] District ordinance um I'm representing

[14:36] skty Heritage Foundation which is a uh

[14:40] 501c3 uh

[14:42] corporation that um advocates for

[14:45] historic

[14:46] preservation um there are a lot of very

[14:50] positive changes that have been proposed

[14:53] we think um there are a few things that

[14:56] uh

[14:57] we uh wish would uh not be changed and

[15:02] at the top of that list is leaving the

[15:06] number of Commissioners at 7 um we do

[15:09] not support reducing that number to five

[15:13] um with one alternate because um we know

[15:17] that there are several applications uh

[15:21] waiting uh to be reviewed um I guess by

[15:24] the mayor's office to for people who do

[15:27] want to serve on this commit

[15:30] and uh when we first heard of this uh

[15:33] proposal we did reach out to several of

[15:36] the historic districts that are

[15:38] organized and this is how these

[15:42] applications came into City Hall so we

[15:45] hope that you will retain that number

[15:49] um we think that a three-person quorum

[15:52] is really too small in order to deal

[15:54] with some of these complicated and um

[15:57] pertinent issues that come before that

[16:00] commission um we're glad that a lot of

[16:03] the language has been updated and

[16:06] brought into this Century so to speak um

[16:10] but um and we're also glad that um there

[16:14] will be a proposal to list the historic

[16:17] districts and landmarks on the city's

[16:20] website so that it's available to

[16:22] perspective buyers so they will know

[16:26] right from get-go that certain rules

[16:28] apply to buying

[16:30] properties um we like the addition of

[16:35] having review for telecomunication

[16:37] equipment which has really severely

[16:41] negatively impacted at least The

[16:43] Stockade historic district

[16:47] um the other um suggestion we would make

[16:51] is to have um the historic district

[16:55] commission whose name will change I hope

[16:58] um

[16:59] have the power to appoint Commissioners

[17:02] and with the mayor's review because uh

[17:05] we feel that the mayor has a lot more

[17:08] important things to do with his time and

[17:11] the historic commission is very famili

[17:14] much more familiar with people within

[17:17] the network of historic

[17:19] preservation and we think that if they

[17:22] initiate appointments to the commission

[17:24] with the review of the mayor um perhaps

[17:27] it would be an easier

[17:29] process um so those are our suggestions

[17:32] and we hope you take them into

[17:34] consideration thank you thank you

[17:37] Michael

[17:39] Baron good evening so I am Michael Baron

[17:43] and I reside in the GE realy plot I'm

[17:45] also the vice president of our

[17:47] neighborhood association and in August I

[17:50] will been I will have been serving on

[17:53] the historic commission as a

[17:55] commissioner uh for one year and the

[17:59] reason why I decided to come tonight is

[18:01] because I'm also in agreement with

[18:03] Gloria as far as not reducing the number

[18:06] of Commissioners from 7 to 5 we're down

[18:10] to um only four right now and we just

[18:14] had recently had a resignation and so it

[18:16] kind of makes it difficult sometimes to

[18:19] uh have a quorum uh when somebody is

[18:22] going to be out and um I just hope that

[18:25] maybe everybody would reconsider I do

[18:28] understand there are some applications

[18:29] that are in right now with some

[18:31] qualified people that would probably

[18:33] benefit the commission very well my

[18:36] experience or um expertise is not in

[18:40] preservation but I'm passionate about

[18:42] preserving the history of this

[18:43] neighborhood and the five historic

[18:46] districts that we have I think that we

[18:48] have a gem or several gems here in the

[18:50] city of skinc and they need to be

[18:53] protected so thank you thank

[18:57] you I have no El signed up to speak on

[18:59] public hearing number two so I declare

[19:01] this public hearing

[19:03] closed I would ask for approval of the

[19:05] minutes for June 10th

[19:07] 2024 move moved by Mr Williams second by

[19:11] Mr Farley all in favor I if the clerk

[19:15] could please read any Communications and

[19:20] petitions Communications presented to

[19:22] city council for Monday June 24th 2024

[19:26] under official from the mayor a list of

[19:27] appointments dated J June 24th

[19:30] 2024 under General from Michael zaper a

[19:34] letter to the city clerk's office

[19:35] thanking she and all her staff for

[19:37] always addressing his issues and under

[19:40] petitions from Jamaica miles a petition

[19:43] uh dated June 10th 2024 of 108 printed

[19:47] names from various zip codes requesting

[19:49] AC

[19:52] fire thank you I call on council members

[19:56] to provide any committee reports

[19:58] any committee

[20:02] reports this time we'll have privilege

[20:04] of the floor related to the legislative

[20:06] agenda I have two people signed up to

[20:09] speak and just a reminder you have three

[20:12] minutes for for this particular portion

[20:14] jenev Hart has an online submission

[20:17] she's

[20:21] here hello my name is Genevie Hart and I

[20:24] lived in sked county for most of my life

[20:26] as a high schooler I see the effects of

[20:28] tobacco usage on youth on a daily basis

[20:31] Vapes are a massive issue that school

[20:33] districts and communities across the

[20:34] area are facing in the last few years

[20:37] the problem has gotten much worse during

[20:39] every Locker break during Home Room

[20:41] lunch and after school sports games and

[20:43] even during class there are students

[20:45] vaping in the bathroom the smell of

[20:47] cotton candy or mango Vape smoke fills

[20:49] the bathroom in the hallway outside even

[20:51] after our school has spent countless

[20:52] hours and resources on tackling this

[20:54] issue it persists and vaping isn't just

[20:57] a problem in the high school my brother

[20:58] who's in e8th grade sees vaping in his

[21:00] school on a regular basis as well

[21:03] earlier this year I conducted interviews

[21:05] with students teachers and faculty at my

[21:07] school I learned that over half of

[21:09] students in my school Vape Vapes are

[21:11] known to be very damaging to a growing

[21:13] brain and body School staff that I

[21:15] interviewed reported that students

[21:16] academic and athletic performance has

[21:18] been noticeably impacted by Vape usage

[21:21] students told me how their friends have

[21:22] become addicted very quickly and become

[21:24] apathetic towards school and life I've

[21:26] seen this myself as well however among

[21:29] all the information which I gathered

[21:31] from these interviews the most important

[21:32] thing that I learned was that Vapes are

[21:34] terrifyingly except accessible Vapes to

[21:37] youth every single person that I

[21:39] interviewed agreed with this there is a

[21:41] vape shop located in between the middle

[21:43] and high school in my school district

[21:45] within walking distance and located

[21:46] along a hi traffic Road where many

[21:48] students walk daily additionally many

[21:51] students are able to get Vapes from

[21:52] their older friends or siblings and they

[21:54] sell them in the school bathrooms the

[21:56] problem only continues to grow Des

[21:58] efforts made by the school in order to

[22:00] make our schools and our communities

[22:02] safer for our youth local legislation

[22:04] and enforcement must be implemented

[22:06] thank you for your

[22:08] time thank

[22:12] you Judy W

[22:16] Meer hello I'm Judy W Meer director for

[22:19] tobacco free

[22:21] communities um because there's a causal

[22:24] relationship between exposure to Tobacco

[22:27] marketing and promotion and Youth

[22:28] initiation it makes sense to restrict

[22:31] where vape and smoke shops can be

[22:33] located keeping them distant from youth

[22:35] friendly

[22:36] places this proposed zoning change

[22:38] appears to do that but the most recent

[22:41] data we have indicates that there's 145

[22:43] tobacco retailers in the city of

[22:45] skincity and only 16 of them are the

[22:47] smoke and vape shops that the ordinance

[22:50] would address that means 129 tobacco

[22:53] retailers can operate without any

[22:55] restrictions regarding locations and as

[22:58] we

[22:58] demonstrated before these retailers are

[23:01] also disproportionately located in high

[23:03] poverty neighborhoods which also have

[23:05] the highest rates of Youth and adult

[23:07] tobacco use the more tobacco marketing

[23:10] and promotion a young person sees the

[23:12] more likely they are to start using the

[23:14] more tobacco marketing and promotion

[23:16] that adult smoker sees the less likely

[23:19] they are to quit the 129 retailers that

[23:22] aren't smok and vape shops can sell all

[23:24] tobacco products including ecigarettes

[23:26] and all the flavored tobacco products

[23:29] including cigars cigaros chew and hookah

[23:33] it's well established that flavored

[23:34] tobacco products pose the greatest risk

[23:36] to young people flavored tobacco

[23:38] products attract Youth and flavored

[23:40] tobacco products addict youth when

[23:43] flavored cigarettes were made illegal in

[23:45] 2009 youth increased their use of the

[23:48] cigars the flavored cigars and

[23:51] cigaros when flavored eigs

[23:54] arrived youth left behind those tobacco

[23:57] products those cigarett cigars and

[23:59] cigaros and went to

[24:01] eigs and of course we saw that a third

[24:04] of high school students in 201 18 were

[24:07] using um were

[24:10] vaping um certainly there are some

[24:13] loopholes that need to be addressed on a

[24:15] Statewide level for the flavored

[24:17] electronic cigarettes that are still

[24:19] being sold

[24:21] illegally only 11% of the adult

[24:24] population in New York smokes that

[24:26] translates to about 7,7 00 adult smokers

[24:29] in the city of skinc with 145 retailers

[24:32] in the city that breaks down to one

[24:34] tobacco retailer for every 53 smokers in

[24:37] the

[24:38] city um the purpose of this local law is

[24:41] to protect the health safety and Welfare

[24:43] of the community the families that live

[24:45] in the neighborhoods with a

[24:46] disproportionate tobacco retail presence

[24:48] disproportionately High tobacco retail

[24:50] presence would be better protected if

[24:52] the presence of all tobacco retail

[24:54] marketing and promotion was less visible

[24:56] and prominent and certainly were

[24:59] available to talk about various

[25:01] evidence-based strategies that would

[25:02] help make that more Equitable for

[25:04] everyone in the city thank you very much

[25:06] for your time thank

[25:08] [Applause]

[25:10] you I have no one else signed up to

[25:12] speak so I declare the public comment on

[25:14] the legislative agenda

[25:16] closed at this time I'll entertain

[25:18] approval of the legislative consent

[25:21] agenda move by Mr M Baron second by Miss

[25:24] Patrick all those in favor I

[25:29] this time we'll have privilege of the

[25:31] floor regarding General City

[25:33] business and I have eight people uh

[25:36] seven people signed up to speak first

[25:39] person is FAA

[25:49] ISAT good evening my name is Fatima ISAT

[25:53] and I'm a resident of the city of

[25:55] SKC five years ago my mother passed away

[25:58] I received the news when I was on lunch

[26:00] duty at a local school the news came as

[26:03] a huge shock to me and I immediately

[26:05] left the lunchroom and went to the

[26:07] office to ask the staff to send another

[26:09] teacher to take my place I then went to

[26:12] the staff room within minutes the staff

[26:15] room was filled with teachers consoling

[26:17] and comforting me I can still see their

[26:20] faces filled with concern and love soon

[26:24] after as I left the school building a

[26:26] few of my students stood at the glass

[26:29] door and watched me get into my car and

[26:31] drive away I can still see their faces

[26:34] filled with concern and love as soon as

[26:38] I got home my phone did not stop ringing

[26:41] family members from all over the world

[26:43] were calling me and offering me their

[26:45] support and love I still remember those

[26:48] conversations and the pain and shock in

[26:50] their voices close friends in the

[26:53] Capital District came to my house to

[26:55] sympathize and show their concern and

[26:58] love love I can still picture them

[27:00] sitting with me at my dining room table

[27:03] that evening a neighbor came showed up

[27:06] at my door with a huge tray of food for

[27:08] my family I still remember that rice and

[27:12] chicken the next day teachers from the

[27:15] school came in groups of two all day

[27:17] long to sit with me and give me strength

[27:20] I still remember the ones who came and

[27:22] how their visits meant so much to me a

[27:25] few days later a beautiful flower

[27:27] arrangement was delivered to my house it

[27:30] was sent to me by a nephew in Australia

[27:32] I can still picture those flowers when I

[27:36] returned to school 4 days later I was

[27:38] given a box full of condolence cards

[27:41] which had been made by my students I

[27:43] still have those cards was it possible

[27:46] that the love and concern of my

[27:48] co-workers students friends neighbors

[27:52] and family members would bring my mother

[27:55] back no will I always remember and be

[27:59] grateful for their support in my time of

[28:02] overwhelming

[28:03] grief yes mayor McCarthy Madame

[28:07] President and members of the council for

[28:10] the last nine months people all over the

[28:12] world have been grieving over what is

[28:15] taking place in Gaza would a ceasefire

[28:17] resolution passed by you put an end to

[28:20] the Bloodshed no but would it mean the

[28:24] world to people like me yes well will I

[28:28] ever forget your unwillingness to

[28:30] respond favorably to our pleas no will I

[28:35] continue to fight for justice in

[28:36] Palestine yes thank

[28:41] you thank you Claudia

[28:48] kavanau good evening councelor mayor and

[28:52] Marian I am so glad that you folks are

[28:55] returning to City business um I'm

[28:58] starting to think that maybe you should

[29:00] have an addendum to the uh City Charter

[29:03] saying that um you know from now on you

[29:06] won't take any you know action as in

[29:09] regard to International situations we

[29:11] have a lot of things to do here in the

[29:13] city and the Jewish residents of this

[29:16] city is far back and I was born and

[29:18] raised here and so are you we've eaten

[29:23] the Jews Jewish Community has done more

[29:25] for concy than any other ethnic group in

[29:28] this entire city all of them put

[29:31] together between the Golab Corporation

[29:34] they fed us the waserman I remember when

[29:37] I was little they own Grand cash Market

[29:40] very generous people between their

[29:43] philanthropy and the foundations the

[29:45] music Haven up in Central

[29:49] Park I'm I and I I'm I'm dismayed at

[29:53] what's going on up in Saratoga they're

[29:56] turning that town into a nightmare

[29:59] with the black lives matter group up

[30:00] there threatening white people it's a

[30:03] racist disgusting organization and mayor

[30:07] McCarthy I remember four years ago I

[30:09] came down here stood in this very spot

[30:12] and I said let's not take sides with

[30:14] anybody let's let's not stand you know

[30:17] let's not have that on the street of the

[30:19] city that I own property in and that I

[30:22] pay property

[30:23] taxes and I think the time has come so

[30:26] that we don't take sides with anyone to

[30:29] show that we are an inclusive community

[30:31] we always have

[30:33] been and I and Carmel I'm glad you stood

[30:35] up and spoke for yourself at the last

[30:37] meeting I saw it online that you were

[30:39] being threatened or felt threatened and

[30:42] well you

[30:43] should and I think that you have a right

[30:46] to defend yourself and your family being

[30:48] threatened and dman ever since you were

[30:50] born ma'am the comments have to be made

[30:52] to the chair I'm sorry um Maran I it's

[30:56] Miss Porterfield if you don't mind oh

[30:58] Miss Porterfield thank you I don't

[31:00] mind um so there is a petition that is

[31:04] being um started in the Jewish Community

[31:08] to remove the black lives matter sign

[31:11] off the front of the street of City Hall

[31:13] this is the people's house and we

[31:16] shouldn't show favoritism on any level

[31:19] because we've never been that kind of

[31:21] community so I think the time has

[31:26] come and so maybe you you know you may

[31:29] make a um addendum to your Charter so

[31:32] that this these kind of situations don't

[31:34] come up again and everyone lives here

[31:36] and they shop it golop Corporation I

[31:39] don't know where else you're going to

[31:40] get your food from as far back as I can

[31:43] remember Jewish people have owned Grand

[31:46] cash Albany pork store which had the

[31:48] best meat in town and Market

[31:52] 32 so let's try to put all that aside

[31:56] and just be a city of we always have

[31:59] been like we always have been and let's

[32:01] not take sides so hopefully you'll make

[32:03] a addendum to the city Charter so that

[32:06] these kind of situations and

[32:08] divisiveness do don't come up

[32:11] again and and mayor when I get the

[32:13] petition back I will deliver it to your

[32:16] office and hopefully you know um

[32:19] something you you'll you'll take the

[32:21] proper action that I asked you to four

[32:23] years ago thank you very much thank you

[32:29] soib

[32:40] shakima good

[32:42] evening um I believe God's work still

[32:46] shows in in this hall right here so the

[32:50] Reverend who led the prayer earlier

[32:53] reminded all of us that God is the God

[32:56] of all and he doesn't have boundaries

[32:59] he's not

[33:01] selective and also as we try to pledge

[33:04] the allegiance we also talk about

[33:06] freedom and liberty for all yet here we

[33:10] find ourselves thinking that peace is

[33:13] when we actually turn a blind eye to a

[33:16] group that continues to suffer for nine

[33:19] months and you know I'm not going to

[33:22] raise my voice today but I'm going to

[33:24] start with a point that actually was

[33:26] mentioned the first meeting

[33:29] as the zionists came in and they said

[33:31] we're here because we lost in Albany

[33:34] we're not here because we lost we

[33:37] strongly believe just like Martin Luther

[33:39] King Malcolm X all these Fighters they

[33:43] won they might have been killed but they

[33:46] continue to live their names will

[33:49] continue to be mentioned beyond my time

[33:51] in your time and those politicians who

[33:54] wanted them out we don't even know their

[33:57] names let alone to remember them God

[34:00] will preserve the names of those who

[34:02] actually live through God not those who

[34:05] claim to be God's people I'll tell you

[34:08] this as a Muslim I knew people of

[34:11] different Faith backgrounds but through

[34:14] this fight I made friends with Jews and

[34:18] Christians and atheists and you name it

[34:21] because we understood that you know what

[34:24] we had a common goal and that is to Pres

[34:27] preserve life I preach but you know what

[34:31] I know preaching is easy anyone can

[34:34] stand and preach but walking the Walk of

[34:37] God that he made it very clear to us

[34:40] that's the difficult one and most people

[34:43] will fail and actually in our Quran it

[34:46] says this to our own Prophet which was

[34:49] mentioned to Moses and

[34:52] Jesus bleed not and weep not if they do

[34:58] not come and support you for God did not

[35:01] like the way that they came so God made

[35:04] him sit because he doesn't want them to

[35:06] be part of this Noble

[35:09] fight the only losers for me and for the

[35:12] Jews and the Christians and the atheist

[35:14] who are on my side we know that we're

[35:17] not losing I promise deep inside each

[35:21] and every one of you those with

[35:23] conscience you know you know you are on

[35:26] the wrong side of History

[35:28] you know it doesn't matter how many

[35:30] guards you're building in front of you

[35:33] it doesn't matter how many people you

[35:34] try to actually bring into your inner

[35:36] group to make you feel comfortable you

[35:39] know when you go home at night you know

[35:42] that you are on the wrong side of

[35:44] history but are you ready to meet God

[35:47] and say it was political because lives

[35:51] God never put them as a political issue

[35:53] they're humanitarian and a faith-based

[35:56] issue and arrest my case thank you thank

[36:03] you Valerie

[36:09] torano good evening council members I'm

[36:12] here as a resident connecti for 10 years

[36:15] in support of a people's resolution of

[36:18] connec for a permanent ceasefire as 261

[36:21] days of the ethnic cleansing and

[36:24] genocide of Palestinians by the aparted

[36:26] state of Israel is inhumane I can

[36:30] understand where the conso was coming

[36:31] from was saying this doesn't affect us

[36:33] at the local level as yall have no

[36:36] jurisdiction over this however it is

[36:38] still extremely important

[36:41] to at least acknowledge how we're all

[36:45] financially complicit through our taxes

[36:48] and those who are New York state and

[36:50] local retirement system Pension Plan

[36:53] members uh

[36:59] yeah funding the aparte state of

[37:03] Israel's genocidal Collective punishment

[37:05] of Palestinians uh Palestinians

[37:09] SKC SKC citizens are mourning their lost

[37:12] loved ones or worrying if they're even

[37:15] alive even the United Nations has

[37:17] officially recognized

[37:20] through independent investigations that

[37:23] the state of Israel has committed war

[37:26] crimes in the intentional genocide of

[37:29] Palestinians this is no longer a debate

[37:32] Israel is committing a genocide the

[37:35] United Nations has also added the state

[37:37] of Israel to a blacklist of countries

[37:39] that harms children in armed conflicts

[37:41] I've seen videos of the most

[37:43] psychological sadistic military tactics

[37:45] by Israel's military using quadcopters

[37:48] playing the sounds of crying babies and

[37:50] shooting any Palestinians Who come out

[37:52] to help what they believe is a child in

[37:54] need I imagine having to listen

[37:58] all night to the sounds of a crying baby

[38:00] not knowing whether it's real or a trap

[38:02] to kill you let's put our critical

[38:04] thinking caps on and ask ourselves if

[38:07] Israel isn't committing ethnic cleansing

[38:09] then why won't Israel taken Palestinian

[38:11] refugees or taken injured Palestinians

[38:14] into their hospitals after bombing all

[38:16] of gaza's hospitals Israel's claims all

[38:19] Jews are Israeli does more harm to Jews

[38:22] in the dispora as it's conflating that

[38:24] all Jews are responsible for Israel's

[38:27] genocidal actions which is absolutely

[38:29] not true when there's anti-zionist Jews

[38:31] speaking out that Zionism doesn't speak

[38:34] for them to conclude silence is

[38:37] complicity and Palestinians blood are

[38:39] already on all of our hands thank you

[38:41] for your time to listen to my

[38:43] words thank

[38:46] you Jamaica miles

[39:02] short people

[39:04] problems my name is Jama miles I I've

[39:07] lived in this city for almost 50 years

[39:09] born and raised here lived in

[39:10] communities all across this Fair

[39:14] City conflating criticism of the state

[39:17] of Israel to Jewish hatred is

[39:19] intellectually dishonest and morally

[39:21] offensive our Focus has always been the

[39:23] United States material support for the

[39:25] Israeli government's shooting

[39:26] bombardment and starvation of innocent

[39:30] Palestinians people of varying faiths

[39:32] races ethnicities within the city stand

[39:35] in support of a ceasefire resolution

[39:37] including those of Jewish faith and

[39:41] culture this is a fact evidenced by

[39:43] every city council meeting for the last

[39:46] three months and the more than 1,000

[39:48] names who signed the petition for a

[39:50] ceasefire resolution names that some of

[39:52] you choose to ignore City residents you

[39:56] choose to ignore

[39:58] at the last city council meeting as

[39:59] anti- ceasefire speakers approached the

[40:02] podium they were handed pre-printed

[40:04] scripts much of it filled with red

[40:06] herrings used to justify the more than

[40:08] 100,000 civilian Palestinian casualties

[40:11] the starvation of millions and the

[40:14] administrative detainment of thousands

[40:17] held by Israel without due process no

[40:21] one has the right to oppress and murder

[40:22] others no one Netanyahu and his brutal

[40:26] regime need to be held accountable and

[40:28] there must be an end to the US support

[40:30] of genocide there must be a

[40:32] prioritization of funding in our local

[40:34] communities not funding of warfare and

[40:37] bombing babies this connected city

[40:40] council has been unable to come together

[40:41] to pass a ceasefire resolution for the

[40:43] people of Gaza or for the people of

[40:46] skinc so the people of skincity will the

[40:49] people will pass a resolution proving

[40:51] the power of the people and our

[40:53] commitment to bend the ark towards

[40:56] Justice the previous petition collected

[40:58] as I mentioned over 1,000 signatures

[41:01] calling for the city of skti to pass a

[41:03] ceasefire resolution for an immediate

[41:04] ceasefire to end civilian Bloodshed free

[41:07] hostages and political prisoners and

[41:09] ensure humanitarian Aid access to Gaza

[41:13] the new

[41:14] petition is very direct quite literal

[41:17] and fully transparent with its language

[41:20] it is the people's

[41:22] resolution and we are sharing it with

[41:24] the public the specific language of the

[41:26] people's resolution ution and we will

[41:28] continue to build upon the diverse

[41:30] Community calling for freedom justice

[41:34] and Liberation and for our

[41:36] representatives to stand for that

[41:38] freedom justice and Liberation for all

[41:41] of us not just some of us thank you

[41:45] thank

[41:48] you sea Young

[41:59] uh good evening Madam president mayor

[42:01] City Council

[42:03] Members tall people

[42:05] problems

[42:07] um you know I was sitting today thinking

[42:10] about what I was going to say today when

[42:11] I came um to speak to you all and speak

[42:13] to our community that's watching now and

[42:15] we'll be watching later and uh you know

[42:18] I come to the conclusion that you all

[42:19] have heard enough you've heard it all

[42:23] you've heard about the death of children

[42:25] women of uh you know children that lost

[42:28] their parents parents that lost their

[42:29] children you heard of the starvation the

[42:31] maming the constant killing since the

[42:34] two weeks since we were uh here before

[42:36] there's been hundreds more killed and

[42:38] thousands detained it's going on and on I don't know if I'm going to tell

[42:42] you anything different I guess the

[42:44] question I would have is what would be

[42:46] enough what would be enough to compel

[42:49] this body to act collectively for the

[42:51] city of skincity in calling for a

[42:55] resolution or calling for a ceasefire in

[42:57] a what would be enough would it be

[42:59] 100,000 would it be 200,000 three um do

[43:03] we need to see the starvation of the

[43:05] entire population of Palestine before

[43:07] people stand up and say hey this is

[43:08] wrong I mean I don't know I think the

[43:11] people's resolution makes a lot of sense

[43:13] um for us to just collectively come

[43:15] together as a body and say hey let's get

[43:17] this thing out there let people air

[43:19] their opinions have the voices heard and

[43:22] have a way to channel that energy

[43:24] because people are feeling

[43:27] so horrible about what's happening I

[43:30] mean I I heard some of our residents

[43:32] here speak tonight about you know own

[43:35] ethnic group doing more for the

[43:37] community and and and I I I'm like

[43:39] sitting in the back and I just couldn't

[43:40] believe what I was hearing because all I

[43:42] hear when I hear that is what justifies

[43:44] what's happening there what justifies

[43:46] our silence and I don't think that we as

[43:49] a community stand for that I know some

[43:51] of you all I've spoken to every single

[43:52] one of you I know that you are good

[43:54] people and I know that in your heart I

[43:56] believe believe you know what the right

[43:58] thing is to do in the situation that

[43:59] understand it's complex for for a whole

[44:01] host of reasons I'm here just to

[44:04] continue to push you know I push the

[44:06] voice of the community push my own voice

[44:07] and have my voice heard here and to

[44:10] example or model what it is to come up

[44:12] and speak for what you know is right

[44:13] Marth Luther King says it is always the

[44:16] right time to do the right thing I have

[44:19] now always lived by that in my own life

[44:21] certainly but I've as I've grown older

[44:23] I've come to really respect and cherish

[44:25] words like that um as I live out my days

[44:28] here in the city is connected my home

[44:30] the place where I was born in it is

[44:32] always the right time to do the right

[44:34] thing I want to speak briefly just to

[44:36] some comments about um what happened at

[44:38] committee meeting um where what we saw

[44:42] in our opinion was words or a conflation

[44:45] of violence and criminality to what

[44:48] these what was happening with people

[44:50] coming out just simply speaking to what

[44:52] they thought was just and right in the

[44:54] world and there's a entire history of

[44:57] about how that type of language is used

[44:59] to suppress the voices of the people and

[45:02] suppress what is right and I would say

[45:04] that it is important that we recognize

[45:07] that when we're speaking that there's

[45:09] entire history and context to it um that

[45:12] could be harmful the community that

[45:13] you're speaking about thank you thank

[45:17] you s

[45:22] wakan short people

[45:25] problems okay

[45:28] good evening my name is sakon before I

[45:30] start I just want to reaffirm that black

[45:32] lives matter with or without a mural on

[45:34] our

[45:35] street I am so tired I don't want to be

[45:38] standing up here anymore in fact it

[45:40] makes me anxious but I have a

[45:42] responsibility not just to my Humanity

[45:44] but to my community that is continuously

[45:46] slandered and harmed through this body

[45:48] and the rhetoric we continue to hear

[45:50] here every day I wake up to horror upon

[45:53] horror I call my elected officials I

[45:55] repost Bloodshed to my social media

[45:57] Pages hoping it changes a heart I come

[45:59] to City Council meetings I recognize if

[46:02] the drippy tap was in Gaza and not my

[46:04] kitchen precious drops of gold would be

[46:06] going down the drain I pray I

[46:09] acknowledge that the scraps of food I

[46:10] just tossed is probably the most Gins

[46:13] have gotten to eat today I pray I speak

[46:16] Circles of disbelief and grief with my

[46:18] family and friends I pray I sleep I wake

[46:22] up it

[46:23] repeats I unfortunately don't have

[46:26] anyone to write a speech for me or hand

[46:28] it to me on my way up here and my

[46:30] exhaustion lays with the exhaustion of

[46:31] everyone behind me so today I'm going to

[46:34] start the little borous task of reading

[46:36] the names of people killed by Israel

[46:38] aided by our tax dollars to remind us

[46:41] what not bringing a ceasefire deal to

[46:43] the cheers and claps of our community

[46:45] members to this body is the cost of this

[46:49] list is from November I will start from

[46:51] here and continue to remember each life

[46:53] lost in future meetings

[46:58] Ryan Abdullah zakariah Al estal less

[47:01] than one years old man Yahya YF alal

[47:06] less than one years old Salam Ahmed Al

[47:10] estal less than one years old Zan alen

[47:13] suan aler less than one years old Yasmin

[47:18] RZ Abdullah Rak masri less than one

[47:22] years old Maria Yasser camel al- masri

[47:27] less than one years

[47:28] old Aisha Jad Jalal shahen less than one

[47:32] years

[47:33] old rahima s Muhammad

[47:36] shahim less than one years old Muhammad

[47:41] MDU Muhammad Abu jazar less than one

[47:44] years old Tia MDU Muhammad Abu jazar

[47:49] less than one years old Baha Mustafa

[47:53] Jamal Musa less than 1 years old Ran ham

[47:57] Hussein Musa less than 1 years

[48:01] old musk Mahmud ibraim hegazi less than

[48:05] 1 years

[48:06] old Ahmed Muhammad Amon noal less than

[48:11] one years old son of nabila Nasser

[48:14] Muhammad nfal less than oneyear old muaz

[48:19] hany Muhammad eliad less than one years

[48:23] old Cas Eli Nabil

[48:28] Eli less than 1 years

[48:32] old I will continue next week May they

[48:35] rest in peace our blood is on their hand

[48:37] our their blood is on our hands you

[48:41] thank

[48:44] you Frank

[48:53] Wicks okay the sceny council people

[48:56] they're supporting a Siege fire are

[48:59] doing the right thing for skaki they're

[49:01] doing the right thing for the United

[49:02] States they're doing the right thing for

[49:05] the Palestinians they're doing the right

[49:07] thing for Israel why are they doing the

[49:09] right thing for Israel Israel's lost

[49:12] control of itself uh Tom Freedman who's

[49:16] the ulate the colist ultimate champion

[49:18] of Israel he's calling for Seas fire

[49:22] anyone that any every rational person

[49:24] that sees what's going on is calling for

[49:26] ceasefire we've dropped enough bombs on

[49:32] Gaza uh correspond about five or six

[49:34] hoshima bombs we've killed CI civilians

[49:37] now they recognize that there's no

[49:39] endgame so the best thing you can do

[49:41] right now is to call for seize fire for

[49:44] all concerned a final note is we have

[49:48] the

[49:49] uh uh the the is Israeli

[49:53] Lobby uh there's one congressman

[49:57] uh Bowman Jamal Bowman he calls for a

[50:00] ceasefire uh you know what's happening

[50:02] to

[50:03] him $15 million from the Israeli Lobby

[50:08] is going to defeat him in the primary

[50:11] tomorrow uh is that that Israeli Lobby

[50:14] should be illegal they don't represent

[50:16] the United States they no longer

[50:19] represent the interests of Israel it's

[50:21] not clear who they who who they

[50:23] represent with they're damaging to

[50:26] connecting they're doing damage to the

[50:28] United States they're doing damage to

[50:31] the Palestinians and they're doing

[50:32] they're ultimately damaging Israel no

[50:35] confucious noted that anyone goes for

[50:37] Revenge digs their own grave and Israel

[50:40] is digging their own grave right

[50:44] now thank

[50:48] you I have no one else signed up to

[50:51] speak so I declare the public comment of

[50:52] City business

[50:54] closed at this time any Miss mous

[50:57] business of the

[50:58] council Miss

[51:07] Patrick I wanted to um talk about the

[51:10] news the new swimming pool in Central

[51:12] Park last week the schedule um was

[51:15] published uh I appreciate that the boys

[51:17] and girls club stepped up a little bit

[51:19] earlier I I was out of town last week

[51:21] but I appreciate that the mayor opened

[51:23] the pool early because of the heat wave

[51:25] last week so the hours at the new pool

[51:28] are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00

[51:31] a.m. there's an adult swim 12:30 to 6:30

[51:34] there's an open swim 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

[51:37] there's one lane open for an adult swim

[51:40] and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to

[51:42] 6 it's an open swim um I also wanted to

[51:46] mention that on the 4th of July uh there

[51:48] will be a reading of the Declaration of

[51:50] Independence um here on the steps of

[51:52] City Hall at 10:00 a.m. and I hope folks

[51:54] will come out for that um

[51:57] and I also wanted to mention that there

[51:59] is a food pantry being started as a

[52:02] satellite Pantry at um it's a satellite

[52:05] Pantry to the Daily Bread food pantry at

[52:07] St Luke's it's going to be uh over at uh

[52:11] 10:40 Pearl Street at the Holy Name of

[52:13] Jesus it'll be open on

[52:16] Mondays um from 3: to 6:00 p.m. and

[52:20] they're looking for volunteers they need

[52:22] volunteers in the morning from 9: to 11:

[52:24] on Monday mornings and they're going to

[52:26] need volunteers from 2: to 4:00 p.m. and

[52:28] 4: to 6:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon so

[52:31] if anyone's interested in volunteering

[52:34] um that you'd be uh contacting a woman

[52:37] named Jackie whose number is 518 836

[52:42] 5310 um or you can email her at sld

[52:47] dailybread Food Pantry gmail.com thank

[52:52] you thank you Mr Williams

[52:58] thank

[52:59] you I first wanted to take a moment to

[53:01] just acknowledge all the voices and

[53:03] comments that have made their positions

[53:04] known at our council meeting tonight uh

[53:07] there your words are not lost on me as

[53:09] I've continuously taken notes not just

[53:11] on this one topic but just throughout my

[53:13] entire Council uh career I I don't know

[53:16] what our our next move is as a community

[53:18] but I always uh encourage um action

[53:22] groups uh to to continue to mobilize

[53:25] within yourselves uh regardless of where

[53:27] you're at and and challenge uh uh those societal norms and and your best

[53:32] intent and uh the one thing that I

[53:34] always like to point out is that

[53:36] continued dialogue is important and

[53:37] required uh so as uh this conversation

[53:41] continues uh apparently uh I just ask

[53:44] that we we as a community just remain

[53:46] open-minded and and and respective uh of

[53:49] this of this

[53:50] topic uh I also wanted to take a moment

[53:53] to uh acknowledge a social media post

[53:55] that I recognized uh for my wife uh she helped me see this um the sky fire

[54:01] department as we are entering just a

[54:03] heightened uh Fire season not just uh in

[54:05] our community but just nationally um one

[54:08] of the things I wanted to highlight and

[54:09] just thank was uh CDTA and they're

[54:11] making available uh buses so that as

[54:14] firefighters who win U most of their

[54:16] full attire and apparatuses which is

[54:18] very very tasting and and daunting if

[54:20] you can imagine in this heightened heat

[54:22] um making available just their buses to

[54:24] serve as air conditioning units uh and

[54:26] then also providing those as as

[54:28] harboring zones uh just for residents

[54:30] who are being displaced uh so truly it

[54:32] is a collaborative effort and from

[54:34] myself to you as an organization I want

[54:36] to say thank you um and then also I

[54:38] wanted to take this moment to just do a

[54:40] uh um a public announcement to our

[54:42] residents uh who are experiencing fires

[54:45] or just traumatic events that require

[54:47] EMS but specifically firefighters to

[54:49] respond to one of the things I was made

[54:51] aware of uh by our local firefighters is

[54:53] the difficulty with sometimes getting

[54:55] people who are in adjacent buildings out

[54:57] of their houses uh and from myself to

[54:59] you I can understand how being put in

[55:02] that position uh having that additional

[55:04] con inconvenience levied upon yourself

[55:07] is is is definitely a lot in some

[55:08] moments uh but truly I would ask you to

[55:11] just take a moment and move from beside

[55:12] yourself and understand that these men

[55:14] and women who are uh uh challenged to uh

[55:17] save lives are doing so with the best

[55:20] intent in mind and truly uh there

[55:22] there's no uh ill will in their ass for

[55:25] you to evacuate

[55:26] and your assistance and cooperation

[55:29] truly AIDS their attempts to make sure

[55:32] that there are no lives lost in any of

[55:33] these events uh so I just wanted to say

[55:35] uh thank you to our local uh uh EMS

[55:38] responders um the mayor continuously lws

[55:41] not only uh these individuals but also

[55:43] our Police Department for their efforts

[55:45] uh but definitely as we enter just the

[55:46] heighten firefight a heightened Fire

[55:48] season just please be collaborative and

[55:51] Cooperative thank you thank

[55:54] you mayor

[55:58] thank you Madame President uh appreciate

[56:01] everyone coming out tonight and your

[56:02] comments uh council member Patrick

[56:04] talked about the swimming pool we had a

[56:06] successful opening uh was delayed a

[56:09] little bit because of construction

[56:11] almost a year for Central Park but it's

[56:13] clearly a uh great investment for the

[56:15] community and want people to be able to

[56:18] use it uh for many years to come quacken

[56:22] Bush and Front Street are also opening

[56:25] now uh uh today was a little bit cooler

[56:29] uh I think we're going to get another

[56:30] couple hot days down the road

[56:33] so people uh be cautious drink fluids uh

[56:39] and sometimes take a little bit of time

[56:40] to check on some of your neighbors or

[56:42] elderly senior citizens who uh might

[56:45] also uh be in a situation that could be

[56:47] compromised by uh the high heat thank

[56:51] you madam president thank you mayor I'd

[56:54] also like to thank everyone for coming

[56:55] out tonight tonight um I appreciate you

[56:57] know everything that you have to say and

[56:59] know that I am listening and taking all

[57:02] these things in consideration um I want

[57:04] to know I want you to know for those of

[57:05] you who are um supporting the ceasefire

[57:07] I appreciate that you continue to do the

[57:09] work and um and I'm actually glad to

[57:12] hear that there's going to be a people's

[57:14] resolution because I think the people

[57:15] who are supportive should be able to to

[57:18] participate in that way so um with that

[57:22] I have nothing else and I'll ask for a

[57:25] motion to adjourn

[57:27] moved by Mr Williams second by Mr Farley

[57:29] all those in favor we're adjourned have

[57:31] a good evening

[57:54] [Music]

[57:56] he

[57:58] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Meeting, June 24 2024

Transcript