[0:05] I'd like to call the city Caucus meeting

[0:07] to order for Monday July 22nd

[0:11] 2024 we have two public hearings this

[0:13] evening if the clerk could please

[0:16] read item number one for public hearing

[0:20] a public hearing regarding the renaming

[0:22] of city city of SK Street

[0:25] i' mondly public hearing number two

[0:30] we have two public hearing public

[0:31] hearing number two a public hearing regarding the proposed 2024 2025

[0:37] HUD annual action plan thank you we have

[0:40] 10 items for consideration and if the

[0:42] clerk would please read item number

[0:44] one item number one under original

[0:47] consideration a resolution authorizing

[0:49] the commissioner of Finance deposit the

[0:51] Consolidated local Street and Highway

[0:53] Improvement program other noise chips

[0:55] extreme winter recovery EWR pave New

[0:59] York pave NY State touring route Str Str and PVE our potholes po funding in the

[1:09] total amount of 4,

[1:12] 87,4

[1:14] 36.79 to the to the capital budget codes

[1:17] specifically for these

[1:19] projects discussed in committee with

[1:21] objection and non

[1:23] consent item number

[1:25] two item number two for original

[1:27] consideration a resolution supporting

[1:29] the submission of a Grant application to

[1:31] the New York State smart growth

[1:32] Community Planning and Zoning grant

[1:34] program discuss in committee with

[1:36] objection and on consent item number

[1:40] three item number three under original

[1:42] consideration a resolution authorizing a

[1:44] sale of 1265 Congress Street for

[1:47] $3,000 discussed in committee with

[1:49] objection on consent item number four committee objection on

[1:55] consent item number three item number

[1:58] four under original

[2:05] discussed in committee with that

[2:06] objection on consent item number five under original

[2:11] consideration a resolution authorizing

[2:12] the sale of 107 Forest Road for

[2:16] $451 and no discuss in committee with

[2:19] objection on consent item number

[2:22] six discuss committee with objection on

[2:25] consent item number six under original

[2:27] consideration a resolution authorizing

[2:29] theale of 209 Elmer Avenue for

[2:33] 135,000 $135,100

[2:36] discing committee with on consent it

[2:39] discussed in committee with objection on

[2:41] consent item number seven item

[2:50] number discussed in committee without

[2:52] objection on consent item number eight

[2:59] it

[3:01] number2

[3:03] Street discussed in committee with

[3:05] objection on consent item number nine

[3:07] item number n under contract and Supply

[3:09] a resolution supping the bid and

[3:11] contracts for the fire station number

[3:13] one H and gener upgrad contracts MC andc

[3:17] a total amount of,

[3:21] 69647 discussing committee with

[3:23] objection on consent item number 10 item

[3:25] number 10 under contract and Supply a

[3:27] resolution awarding the B and contract

[3:30] of city of preast concrete panels the

[3:32] trail long with preast Incorporated in

[3:34] the amount of

[3:36] $9,300 discuss in committee without objection and on consent there

[3:40] will be one other additional resolution

[3:42] night tonight which was passed two weeks

[3:44] ago there's nothing more to come before

[3:46] the city council caucus ask for motion

[3:48] to adjourn motion by Miss Patrick second

[3:51] by Mr Farley all in favor we are

[3:54] adjourned I'd like to call the city

[3:55] council meeting to order for Monday July

[3:58] 22nd 2024

[4:01] and we have no one here that uh for to

[4:04] lead us in the prayer invocation and I

[4:06] would like to invite Imam Jamal sha if

[4:09] you would come forward and offer the

[4:14] invocation

[4:28] here thank you so much

[4:32] in the name of God the most beneficent

[4:34] the most

[4:35] merciful all praise is due to God Lord

[4:38] of all the worlds the most beneficent

[4:41] the most

[4:42] merciful the one who we are ultimately

[4:45] held accountable to may God keep us

[4:48] truthful

[4:49] steadfast and courageous in the phase of

[4:53] tyranny and oppression

[4:56] amen like to call on councilwoman Doro

[4:59] to in the

[5:04] pledge

[5:15] stat thank

[5:20] you if the deputy clerk would please

[5:23] complete the Roll Call

[5:32] hope Mr

[5:35] Toro Mr

[5:39] Farley Mr

[5:41] Mancini is

[5:44] absent Mr

[5:46] muten Miss Patrick here Mr

[5:51] Williams and Miss Porterfield

[5:53] here we have one AO order resolution

[5:56] which was passed two weeks ago and at

[5:58] this time I will call on council member

[6:00] Williams to present the resolution

[6:02] recognizing the auxiliary youth group of

[6:04] the alberry court number

[6:11] 28 I'd like to invite those members up

[6:21] front test test

[6:40] would you guys wouldn't mind facing

[6:43] forward I was in

[6:46] unison

[6:48] right okay may have the floor you may

[6:50] have the

[6:53] floor uh so today I'll be pass uh

[6:56] reading a resolution recognizing the

[6:57] auxiliary youth group of the alab court

[7:00] number 28 for achieving second place at

[7:02] the ancient Egyptian Arabic order Nobles

[7:05] on Mystic Shrine National

[7:08] exhibition whereas the

[7:10] albari auxiliary youth group has emerged

[7:13] as one of the youngest youth

[7:14] organizations in the nation to secure a

[7:16] second place finish in the dance

[7:18] Exhibition at the aea nms Imperial Youth

[7:22] Department in augural Imperial youth

[7:24] conference in New Orleans Louisiana this

[7:27] opened the door to academic scholar

[7:29] scholarships and National recognition

[7:31] and networking for this young group of

[7:33] ladies and whereas representing the

[7:36] capital region of New York and the City

[7:38] of skty the alari auxiliary youth group

[7:41] operating through the national Shriner

[7:43] Youth Department is commended for their

[7:46] perseverance excuse me persistence and

[7:48] dedication to showcasing skty on the

[7:50] highest national stage this

[7:52] accomplishment has made possible through

[7:55] the expert guidance and mentorship of US

[7:57] Marine Michael baros

[8:01] Monique King Banks and Desiree chairs

[8:04] and whereas showing steadfast

[8:06] perseverance needed to represent the

[8:08] state of New York and New Orleans along

[8:10] with their hard work and effort invested

[8:12] in fundraising and maintaining

[8:14] exceptional academic standings their

[8:16] success is a testament to our local

[8:18] community's abundant

[8:19] determination and whereas the alari

[8:22] youth auxiliary group has shown through

[8:24] their continued dedication to the city

[8:25] of skty and the greater Capital Region

[8:28] and supporting the ronal McDonald House

[8:30] handing out Christmas gifts for tours

[8:31] for Tots and supporting summer lunch

[8:34] programs through Sycamore collaborative

[8:36] and whereas recognizing the hemic impact

[8:39] of the New York shiners organization

[8:40] within our community involves

[8:42] appreciating the hard work and

[8:43] dedication of this auxiliary youth group

[8:46] as well as the support provided by

[8:48] adults and community members throughout

[8:50] the capital region for over a decade now

[8:52] therefore be it resolved the Sky City

[8:55] Council and Mayor Gary AR Gary AR

[8:57] McCarthy to hereby pause in their

[8:59] deliberations to recognize the many

[9:01] accomplishments of these young ladies on

[9:03] their path to

[9:05] [Applause]

[9:14] success if we already passed this

[9:16] resolution so we don't need a motion

[9:17] tonight thank you I was going to say

[9:19] definitely my excitement got ahead of me

[9:21] it's always a beautiful picture to see

[9:23] uh some of our young talented women up

[9:25] here and definitely represented by their

[9:27] passionate family members and community

[9:29] members so at this point I'd like to

[9:31] offer the stage to miss chairs how to

[9:33] share some

[9:36] words thank you um good evening everyone

[9:40] we do want to thank the city hall SK

[9:43] League City Council for giving this

[9:45] recognition to the girls we've been

[9:47] meeting at Eastern Parkway United

[9:50] Methodist Church for over 12 years our

[9:53] pastor is here and our supporters

[9:57] um the altery Temple helps us and the

[10:02] community the daily cazette Congressman

[10:04] Paul tono helped us to get to the White

[10:06] House in 2017 so we've done a lot of

[10:09] things we have done things in the

[10:12] schools to get people coming in but it's

[10:14] hard especially after covid but I thank

[10:16] you I'm not going to go on and on

[10:17] because Carl told me I had three

[10:20] minutes this youth group is to build

[10:22] character at young people um we tutor we

[10:26] drill we read we do poems and everyone

[10:30] here that's standing here has been a

[10:32] wonderful help and many more in our

[10:33] community has been great the girls would

[10:35] like to do a short poem for the city

[10:40] council people okay for everyone

[10:57] actually okay

[11:04] everyone is special everyone is special

[11:08] for something anyone could be a star in

[11:10] one's own world one's own constellation

[11:13] one's own Galaxy therefore seek stardom

[11:16] and find your star find your star and be

[11:18] a star and throw a shine your own light

[11:21] find your star and Shine for you

[11:23] remember everyone is special as

[11:25] something everyone special for something

[11:28] and you are special

[11:30] too thank

[11:35] you that was

[11:38] [Applause]

[11:40] beautiful thank you very much

[12:11] where the

[12:16] chair all right

[12:32] thank you congratulations

[13:19] right Mr Williams

[13:46] no more for public

[13:52] he thank you

[14:00] we have two public hearings this evening

[14:02] just a reminder that we've extended the

[14:03] public hearing comment period to two to

[14:06] four minutes and also ask that people

[14:08] respectively comment only on the subject

[14:10] relevant to the public hearing itself

[14:12] thank

[14:13] you public hearing number one regarding

[14:16] the renaming of sken of the city of Sky

[14:20] Street Barrett Village Lane to Luigi

[14:22] Lane I have three people signed up to

[14:24] speak Bridget Wald woodell Bridget

[14:28] wadell

[14:37] hi good

[14:38] evening uh I'm Shane wadell I'm her

[14:42] husband um I'm speaking on her behalf

[14:45] she's not comfortable with public

[14:47] speaking so I guess I get to play the

[14:49] role uh first of all I'd like to say

[14:51] that we're not here to diminish uh or

[14:54] we're not in any way against the

[14:56] renaming of Luigi lane or what the bagas

[15:00] Bagon have

[15:02] proposed pagolis have proposed we would

[15:06] uh only asked that her grandmother is

[15:09] marleene Hill she was the second owner

[15:11] of Luigi's she worked for the original

[15:13] owner and then went on to purchase the

[15:15] restaurant and owned it from

[15:18] 1981 uh up until 2006 when she uh

[15:23] untimely passing um we would just hope

[15:26] that that she could also somehow be

[15:30] recognized in the renaming of Luigi Lane

[15:33] as she owned the restaurant for almost

[15:35] 30 years and raised generations of her

[15:39] family um her father Willis Marlene's

[15:43] son worked there his basically his whole

[15:46] entire adult life a lot of her Aunts

[15:49] Uncles and cousins grew up working there

[15:51] they had all their Christmas parties and

[15:54] uh family events at the restaurant for

[15:57] almost 30 years so it's very very

[15:59] important to them uh as much as it is to

[16:03] the original owner's family so we're not against the renaming Luigi

[16:08] Lane and we're we applaud their proposal

[16:11] we're just kind of hoping that she could

[16:12] also be recognized in the

[16:15] process uh as the restaurant was

[16:17] important to them and their family as

[16:19] well so would you like to add anything

[16:22] um well we have I'm Joan I'm the oldest

[16:27] granddaughter of Marlene Hill um I've

[16:30] grown up in that restaurant for 54 years

[16:33] and we've gone from when I was little my

[16:36] mother worked there started as a

[16:38] waitress and then moved on and then I

[16:40] worked there towards the end of the

[16:42] restaurant life um Marlene was beautiful

[16:46] and she deserves to be recognized in

[16:49] this restaurant for 30 some years that

[16:51] she took it over in 91 but it flourished

[16:54] 81 sorry um she flourished in this

[16:58] restaurant for for so long with Union

[17:00] College and making it the way it was it

[17:03] was good back then but it was also great

[17:07] from 81 to the till she passed that's

[17:12] all I got to say we printed out some

[17:15] stuff from The Gazette that she had

[17:17] contributed to the community um she had

[17:19] Luigi open she had yeah Luigi tennis in

[17:23] Central Park she did a lot for the

[17:26] community and the restaurant and that's

[17:28] the only you know we really just want to

[17:30] recognize her as well she held poit

[17:33] political fundraisers for the mayor's

[17:34] connecti at the time um a lot of local

[17:38] politicians used to dine there and uh

[17:41] when she passed a lot of them attended

[17:43] her funeral and she was an important

[17:45] figure in the community

[17:49] also want to add anything do you want to

[17:52] anything we're good yeah you justed out

[17:55] thank you very much for listening to us

[17:58] thank you

[18:06] yeah okay um the third person because

[18:13] you just spoke Miss W right Shane that

[18:15] was you yeah okay all right so we have

[18:18] someone whose name I'm having difficulty

[18:20] reading first name starts looks like it

[18:22] starts with an l and the last name looks

[18:24] like it starts with a

[18:27] b and could you please state your name

[18:30] my name is Laurel

[18:32] Barnes um good after good evening

[18:35] everyone here I'm here to talk about um

[18:39] the intersection of Jackson Avenue

[18:41] Albany Street and WT Street Excuse Me

[18:44] Miss Barnes um this is for the public

[18:45] hearing regarding the renaming of Luigi

[18:48] Lane so you would have you're you would

[18:50] need to sign up under privilege of the

[18:52] floor for City business I will put your

[18:54] name there okay okay all right okay

[18:56] thank you you're welcome

[19:01] I have no one else to signed up to speak

[19:03] for this public hearing number one so I

[19:05] declare the public hearing

[19:06] closed public hearing number two

[19:09] regarding the proposed

[19:10] 2024 2025 hug annual action plan any

[19:15] comments will be filed with the

[19:16] Department of

[19:18] development and I have no one signed up

[19:20] to speak so I declare the public comment

[19:23] uh on hearing public hearing number two

[19:26] closed I would ask for approval ofit

[19:28] minutes for July 8th

[19:30] 2024 moved by Miss Patrick second by Mr

[19:33] M Taron all those in favor

[19:38] I ask the clerk for any Communications

[19:41] and

[19:45] petitions Communications presented to

[19:47] the city council for Monday July 22nd

[19:50] 2024 under official from the mayor a

[19:53] list of appointments dated July 22nd 202

[19:57] 2024 under General from General from

[20:00] Jennifer Finch an email supporting the

[20:02] renaming of Barrett Village Lane to

[20:04] Luigi Lane and suggesting also

[20:06] recognizing Marlene Hill for her role in

[20:08] the establishment's success despite her

[20:10] inability to attend the July 22nd

[20:13] council

[20:16] meeting from Laurel Barnes an email

[20:19] detailing frequent frequent red light

[20:21] violations and speeding at his connected

[20:23] intersection expressing frustration over

[20:26] the lack of patrolling by police and

[20:28] questioning theity commitment to

[20:29] addressing these safeties

[20:32] issues a letter containing multiple

[20:34] names urging the city council to

[20:36] maintain and support quality of life

[20:38] policing methods citing their

[20:40] effectiveness in reducing crime and

[20:41] maintaining order in

[20:43] neighborhoods and lastly under General

[20:45] from Michael tierno a an email

[20:48] expressing support for renaming Barrett

[20:49] Village Lane to Luigi Lane in honor of

[20:51] his grandfather aiming to enhance his

[20:54] grandfather's Legacy and pre preserve

[20:56] local history he also thanked the mayor

[20:58] city council and city engineer for their

[21:00] support and inclus included a list of

[21:03] supporters under petitions a petition

[21:06] with 243 signatures from an unspecified

[21:08] individual or Organization advocating

[21:11] for a cleaner and more sustainable

[21:18] skincity thank you uh I'd like to call

[21:22] on city council members for committee

[21:25] reports Miss Patrick

[21:30] thank you madam president the health and

[21:31] Recreation committee had a meeting

[21:33] earlier today um to talk spec uh

[21:37] primarily about the pool the new pool at

[21:39] Central Park um as well as uh the pools

[21:42] across the city um we also addressed uh

[21:45] some other issues as well so there will

[21:46] be a transcript um of that meeting

[21:49] available uh soon uh the minutes of the meeting will be available to all

[21:54] but thank you than you

[21:58] time we'll have privilege of the flooor

[22:00] regarding the legislative agenda I have

[22:02] one person signed up to speak Jama make

[22:05] a

[22:11] miles good evening um as it relates to

[22:15] the the resolution concerning uh funds

[22:17] for Highway improvements in

[22:19] Transportation safety uh I have some

[22:21] concerns seeing as the only conversation

[22:23] seems to be around potholes um and

[22:27] addressing the safety of our roadways

[22:28] especially those which have received no

[22:30] attention seems to be an ongoing problem

[22:33] the only mention of how that money is

[22:34] used was potholes residents deserve to

[22:36] know how that money has been used how

[22:38] priorities are determined in which

[22:40] streets and neighborhoods have or have

[22:42] not received attention and how often is

[22:44] the money being used to make our road

[22:46] safer Beyond potholes there was a

[22:48] discussion about the success of other

[22:50] municipalities what is successful what

[22:52] metrics are being used that show

[22:54] punitive measures are decreasing

[22:55] speeding in Albany is it a number Does

[22:58] it show the the same time period across

[22:59] multiple years is it desegregated by

[23:01] repeat offenders what happened to

[23:04] education as a part of safety is any of

[23:06] this money going towards that when and

[23:08] where is that going to happen because

[23:09] it's yet for me to see the data from the

[23:12] Department of Transportation highlights

[23:13] the need for signage and reduced speeds

[23:16] and notates the options including

[23:17] standing signs and pain in markers on

[23:19] the road is this something that we're

[23:21] going to see it isn't just about

[23:23] replacing signs that exist but

[23:24] addressing areas that are absent of any

[23:27] signage not once have I heard Becker

[23:30] street named an area with significant

[23:32] population of families and children that

[23:34] attend Central Park Middle School keen

[23:36] and Lincoln Elementary Schools where

[23:38] Walkers are going to and from those

[23:40] buildings as well as playing in that

[23:41] neighborhood last year a middle school

[23:43] student was hit by a car on Becker

[23:45] Street at Elm less than a month ago

[23:47] someone on a bicycle was hit by a car on

[23:49] Becker Street near Elm Becker Street

[23:51] continues to be left out of the equation

[23:53] not once has there been a speed bump or

[23:55] speed feedback or activated sign or any

[23:57] other digital sign to warn motorists of

[23:59] their speed there's not any signage

[24:02] posted on Becker not a single sign

[24:04] signage is again a significant piece of

[24:06] safy safety as explained by the

[24:08] Department of Transportation while the

[24:10] study is going to move forward when are

[24:12] we going to give any attention to Becker

[24:14] Street besides an old email that I

[24:16] received back in July of 2023 that said

[24:19] there would be an increase to police

[24:21] patrols which has not to date change the

[24:23] speeding on the straightaway between

[24:25] Snowden and Elm Street or even further

[24:27] when they have a green light on Elm

[24:29] again the National Data already shows

[24:31] that lowering the speed limit alone is

[24:33] not the answer to Street safety the

[24:35] public deserves to know how the local

[24:37] Street and Highway money is being spent

[24:39] since the safety of many of our streets

[24:41] continues to go undressed thank you

[24:44] thank

[24:46] you I have no one else signed up to

[24:48] speak so I declare the public comment on

[24:50] the legislative agenda

[24:52] closed this time I'd ask for approval of

[24:55] the legislative consent agenda move by

[24:57] Mr M

[24:59] second by Miss Patrick all in favor

[25:06] I this time we'll have privilege of the

[25:08] floor regarding General City

[25:11] business and I have seven people signed

[25:14] up to

[25:17] speak and the first person is Zach

[25:25] Pierce no Zach Pierce

[25:28] okay uh Jamaica

[25:33] miles good evening again that was funny

[25:37] um I'm not even sure where to begin

[25:40] there's a number of discussions that are

[25:42] being had at the city council but

[25:44] there's one that continues to remain

[25:47] absent the Palestinian people that live

[25:49] in this community the responsibility of

[25:52] this city council and this body of

[25:54] government to ensure that funds are

[25:56] received for our needs including

[25:59] safety when is it the right time to

[26:03] stand up and declare that you are

[26:05] against all forms of violence when is

[26:08] the right time to declare that you will

[26:10] stand up and advocate for funding from

[26:13] the federal government for our

[26:16] city the

[26:18] petition for there to be a resolution

[26:21] still stands it is never too late as the

[26:25] International Community continues to

[26:27] call on Israel to end its genocide and

[26:31] occupation these are words from an

[26:33] International Community to in which the

[26:35] United States happens to be a member of

[26:38] that the United States says we are going

[26:40] to follow the rules and the letter of

[26:43] the law as it relates to this

[26:44] International court of law that it was a

[26:47] founding member of but instead it is

[26:50] picking and choosing when and where it

[26:53] will actually follow that ruling this

[26:55] body has an obligation to ensure sure

[26:58] that our government is held accountable

[27:01] checks and balances is a discussion that

[27:03] this council is having right now as it

[27:04] relates to the budget those checks and

[27:06] balances don't just extend inside this

[27:09] room but beyond it as you are

[27:11] representatives of this city and the

[27:12] city expects your full participation

[27:15] that includes holding our federal

[27:17] government accountable yes I'm

[27:20] absolutely making those phone calls and

[27:21] sending those emails it does not deny

[27:24] the fact that this body should be doing

[27:26] the same thing as one voice and the fact

[27:28] that you continue to not move forward

[27:31] and simply say oh y'all go ahead and

[27:33] talk about it and we're just going to

[27:34] sit here and do everything else

[27:36] continues to leave an impression on this

[27:39] city it is not forgotten we are not

[27:42] going away and we will remember Beyond

[27:45] November thank you thank

[27:51] [Applause]

[27:55] you B is

[28:03] good

[28:05] [Music]

[28:07] evening I'm also here to talk about

[28:10] Palestine uh but I want to talk talk a

[28:13] little bit about the history which um

[28:15] maybe not many of you know I'm not an

[28:17] expert on the history and you there are

[28:20] many scholars many books many movies

[28:22] been made and uh it would be nice if

[28:24] everybody took the chance to learn about

[28:26] it uh but what I specifically want to

[28:29] address here is something that's been

[28:31] mentioned by several people both members

[28:34] of the public as well as some of the

[28:35] members of the council that there are

[28:37] many crises in the world much Bloodshed

[28:40] and much oppression and the question has

[28:43] been asked why are we so vocal when it

[28:45] comes to Palestine well as many people

[28:49] know Palestine is a holy land for

[28:51] Muslims Jews and Christians prophets

[28:54] lived died and are buried there wars

[28:56] were fought

[28:58] many miracles took place however what

[29:01] some might not know is that Jerusalem

[29:04] Palestine is home to the Church of the

[29:07] Holy Sepulchre where many believe Jesus

[29:09] peace be upon him was crucified and in

[29:12] tuned thousands of pilgrims from all

[29:15] over the world make a pilgrimage there

[29:17] for the Easter

[29:18] holidays what is even less well known is

[29:21] that the key to the Church of the Holy

[29:24] Seiler is held by a Muslim family the

[29:27] Judah family

[29:29] 1,400 years ago Omar IB alab a Muslim

[29:33] leader made an agreement with sophronius

[29:36] a Christian leader to Grant the Christ

[29:39] made to Grant the Christian Safety and

[29:42] Security in the region as well as a

[29:44] right of free worship in Jerusalem

[29:47] giving the key to a Muslim family was

[29:49] also a way of maintaining a neutral

[29:51] guardian of the Church of the Holy

[29:53] Seiler since the church is split into

[29:56] multiple denominations including

[29:59] Armenian Orthodox Greek Orthodox

[30:01] franciscans and many more a member of

[30:05] the Adib of the Judah family ADB Judah

[30:08] said that he learned the obligations and

[30:10] responsibilities of guarding the key

[30:12] from his father just as he will pass it

[30:14] on to his son what we pass on to the

[30:17] next generation is not only the key but

[30:20] also the way you respect other

[30:23] religions the Judah family has not only

[30:26] held the key in their protection for

[30:28] Generations but they have also kept the

[30:30] historic contracts which bestowed this

[30:33] job upon their family the oldest

[30:36] contract dates back to

[30:41] 1517 while the Judas are in charge of

[30:44] protecting and holding the key another

[30:46] Muslim family the newas are in charge of

[30:49] actually opening the door every single

[30:52] day and allowing the faithful to enter

[30:54] the church when a member of the nusa

[30:57] family arrived arrives at the church at

[30:59] 3:30 a.m. every day for the past

[31:02] hundreds of years he takes the key from

[31:05] a Judah family member climbs a small

[31:07] wooden ladder and unlocks the top lock

[31:10] then he steps off the ladder to unlock

[31:12] the lower lock he swings the church

[31:14] doors open and the church is open to

[31:16] visitors the entire process is repeated

[31:19] each evening when the church is locked

[31:21] the two Muslim families have shared this

[31:23] responsibility for centuries protecting

[31:25] the holy sight and keeping it open to

[31:28] the Christian faithful it is a model of

[31:30] coexistence in a city filled with

[31:32] tension leading the way in Interfaith

[31:35] cooperation as it has been for hundreds

[31:38] of years thank you thank

[31:40] [Applause]

[31:44] you Imam Jamal

[31:49] sha thank you it's been a few weeks

[31:53] since I've been here uh and for good

[31:56] reason uh I'm here not to talk about

[31:58] Palestine I'm here to talk about you all

[32:01] okay last time I was here somebody used

[32:04] the words emotional terrorist in

[32:06] reference to me now each of you is paid

[32:10] a salary to do one thing represent this

[32:13] city in representing this city you have

[32:16] an obligation to go out and involve and

[32:19] ingratiate yourselves with the residents

[32:22] of the city it seems to me there's a

[32:25] little bit of an issue here

[32:28] people are picking and choosing who they

[32:30] want to ingratiate themselves with I'm

[32:33] comfortable around this person but not

[32:34] that

[32:36] person I don't have to use you know

[32:41] verbal gymnastics fact of the matter

[32:43] remains I've been the Imam of this

[32:45] mosque for almost 11

[32:47] years I can only remember one time where

[32:51] somebody who was even remotely

[32:52] affiliated with the public office this

[32:55] city

[32:56] council approached us and said hey we'd

[32:59] like to come for a visit that was Roger

[33:01] Hull and he was running for mayor and he

[33:04] needed the votes nobody else not in down

[33:08] times not even in voting times the

[33:11] reason why this is important is because

[33:14] the ignorance that comes out of the

[33:16] mouth of some people when they say

[33:17] things like

[33:19] that it's baffling it's astounding and

[33:23] it's so blatantly obvious that this

[33:25] person has an issue whether or not not

[33:28] the issue is Dee rooted hatred racism or

[33:31] just plain old ignorance because they're

[33:34] unfamiliar there is an onus on this

[33:36] Council to hold its members accountable

[33:39] I'm I'm beyond disappointed that there

[33:41] has not been a statement of rebuttal

[33:44] against those words to say Hey you

[33:46] cannot speak to people like that you

[33:48] can't call them these words we're

[33:50] talking about sensitivity we're talk

[33:52] about cultural awareness bias

[33:54] sensitivity subconscious bias it seems

[33:56] to me those lessons have falling on deaf

[33:58] ears at least for some people okay we

[34:01] can all be respectful when I come here

[34:03] and I talk about Palestine and I talk

[34:05] abouta I am not talking about getting

[34:08] rid of Jewish people contrary to what

[34:11] they might say some of them right those

[34:13] words don't come out of my mouth because

[34:15] I think about what I want to say and

[34:17] what I say comes from my heart there's

[34:19] no hate here there is Disappointment

[34:22] there is frustration the second thing I

[34:24] want to add here is that maybe you don't

[34:26] have to pass a res resolution I honestly

[34:28] don't care at this point what you do as

[34:30] a body what I do care about is who you

[34:32] are as individuals because if we're

[34:34] going to work together to build this

[34:36] city up this city which has one of the

[34:38] highest crime rates in the country

[34:40] astoundingly right all the work that we

[34:42] do we can only ever achieve anything

[34:46] together and we have to work together so

[34:49] I need you and you need me and people

[34:52] like me people from all different

[34:55] backgrounds the only way that gets done

[34:58] is if the people that are occupying

[35:00] these

[35:01] Seats share the same concerns as the

[35:05] people that sit on this side of the eye

[35:06] thank you so much thank

[35:13] you soib

[35:22] shakima so before I read part of the

[35:25] letter that was written by the Jewish

[35:27] voice for peace I want to remind myself

[35:30] and everybody here I'm not here to

[35:34] support the

[35:36] Palestinians as a person of faith I know

[35:39] one

[35:40] thing as they go through this trial I'm

[35:43] going through the same trial and each

[35:45] and every one of you guys is going

[35:47] through the same trial if you claim to

[35:49] be a person of Faith you know that God

[35:51] has given each and every one of us a

[35:54] privilege which is going to be something

[35:57] either that will will be used by God to

[35:58] testify for us or against us and some of

[36:01] you I know deep inside of your hearts if

[36:04] you are people of Faith you know that

[36:07] you want to say the right thing but what

[36:10] God has blessed you with has become a

[36:13] curse it's a muzzle that is keeping you

[36:16] from saying the truth and God will hold

[36:19] you accountable because I know whatever

[36:21] God has given me starting with my voice

[36:24] and my position he's going to ask me how

[36:27] did I realiz that when people in

[36:30] Palestine were being prosecuted we're

[36:33] looking at the numbers the estimate is

[36:35] almost 200,000 people who were

[36:39] killed that's about 10% of the

[36:41] population of

[36:42] Palestine and there are those some of

[36:44] you that don't

[36:46] care and I'll leave that between you and

[36:49] God so you want to hear the voice of the

[36:52] Jewish people I will read towards the

[36:55] end for the sake of time

[36:59] all of the authors of this letter are

[37:01] actually Jews and it's not for Matt

[37:04] Cutler or Spitzer to decide who's a Jew

[37:06] who's not because only God

[37:08] decides so they say towards the end of

[37:10] their letter to the Daily Gazette we

[37:12] believe there can be a democratic

[37:14] country in which all of the inhabitants

[37:16] are free and safe from The River To The

[37:19] Sea Palestine will be free as an

[37:21] expression of that dream those who find

[37:24] this offensive actually do not believe

[37:26] in democracy or Freedom or peace as

[37:29] those Concepts only have meanings if

[37:32] they apply to

[37:33] everyone anti-Semitism is real and is

[37:37] dangerous conflating criticism of Israel

[37:40] or anti- Zionism with anti-Semitism is

[37:43] also

[37:44] dangerous what do Rabbi Cutler and the

[37:47] rest say in response to the thousands of

[37:50] ultra Orthodox Jews who have been

[37:52] protesting in the streets of Jerusalem

[37:55] against a ruling that would forcibly

[37:58] constrict them into military service

[38:00] carrying signs reading we would rather

[38:03] die as Jews than live as

[38:06] zionists what do they say to the Jewish

[38:08] student

[38:10] protesters who held Shabbat dinners with

[38:13] their Palestinian

[38:15] allies on college campuses encampments

[38:19] or to rabbis for ceasefire what do they

[38:22] say to us members of the fastest growing

[38:25] Jewish organization in the country who

[38:27] believe our history demands we stop this

[38:31] cruel Madness and end the suffering of

[38:34] Palestinians the time of passionate

[38:36] prayers for the negotiated ceasefire is

[38:39] long gone it's about useful it's it's

[38:44] about as useful as sending hopes and

[38:46] prayers to victims of mass shootings

[38:48] while continuing to fund the gun lobby

[38:51] please read the rest of the letter thank

[38:53] you thank you

[38:58] Tom

[39:04] Kennedy good evening everyone mayor uh

[39:08] city council president and city council

[39:10] members uh before I begin I'm here for

[39:13] two things like but I guess I got to

[39:15] have to say something I think all City

[39:17] residents have went through the last few

[39:19] months of this constant uh uh drone of issues

[39:26] that are better suited in the federal

[39:29] government uh of course we've had couple

[39:34] uh council members who wanted to try to

[39:37] make uh peace with this but it created a

[39:41] debacle um one thing I want to say

[39:44] tonight though is I'm getting a little

[39:46] tired as a conect resident of somebody

[39:49] coming up here and saying that God is

[39:51] going to hold this body

[39:54] accountable I mean you know when are we

[39:57] going to just treat people like citizens

[39:59] but to have somebody keep coming up here

[40:01] and saying that you know we're going to

[40:02] be on the wrong side of history or you

[40:05] know this uh this is going to happen or

[40:07] that's going to happen you're not a good

[40:09] person that nonsense has to stop because

[40:12] we are all Americans here or at least

[40:15] that's what I thought so I'm tired of it

[40:18] so just have to do that little rant cuz

[40:21] I haven't really had much to say about

[40:23] it but uh um two things first first uh

[40:29] the noise complaints are getting out of

[40:30] canned in the city uh every day I get

[40:33] calls now it's nicer out you know music

[40:36] is being played it it's it's ridiculous

[40:39] I know you guys have wrestled around

[40:41] with this thing but something's got to

[40:42] be done uh an elderly couple uh U who

[40:47] came here from Guyana bought a home has

[40:50] a great business very nice people you

[40:53] know they started crying the other day

[40:55] because they said we're going to have to

[40:56] leave SKC

[40:57] that's ridiculous so I'm charging you

[41:00] guys with responsibility getting this

[41:01] thing fixed because people are leaving

[41:04] good people are leaving

[41:05] skincity a lot of bad people are moving

[41:08] here so um the second thing is I'm not

[41:11] here to speak about the mayor's proposal

[41:15] uh although I do think there's good

[41:16] sense to it um I think that uh uh what

[41:19] we saw in the last budget uh was I keep

[41:23] using this s debacle tonight it's good word for it um

[41:27] I mean you know a week before the thing

[41:30] was uh was due going to your city

[41:33] council members and goes to Guyana for a vacation well you guys just

[41:37] stopped it said I forget it you know

[41:39] we'll just wait a week and then every

[41:41] time you had to make a hard decision you

[41:43] just kept

[41:44] backtracking now I don't know how people

[41:47] do it in the city government but I I

[41:49] come from the state government and they

[41:51] sit down and get the things straight so

[41:53] I can understand the mayor wants to find

[41:55] some way possible and for the other

[41:57] proposal that's that mad president

[42:00] proposed about going back to the last

[42:02] one have a public hearing so we can at

[42:05] least get this out on the table because

[42:06] I'd love to take tackle that one so the

[42:09] bottom line is put it up for a public

[42:11] hearing and let citizens decide and tell

[42:14] you how they want the government I'm

[42:16] tell of you telling the government

[42:18] people how the government should run

[42:20] thank you thank

[42:23] you Frank wicks

[42:40] the the the good part of coming to these

[42:41] City Council meetings is to see Good

[42:44] People recognize the good young people

[42:46] that are doing things here in the city

[42:49] and uh the more somber reason to come

[42:52] here is what continues to happen in Gaza

[42:55] again going going going back to the

[42:58] creation of Israel was a separate State

[43:01] everyone recognizes should recognize

[43:03] that's a mistake uh the person that's

[43:06] made sure it has kept separate rather

[43:09] than a single country

[43:11] from from the uh Jordan River to the

[43:14] Mediterranean Sea is uh prime minister

[43:17] Netanyahu this week he's going to be

[43:19] coming to United States and he's going

[43:21] to be addressing

[43:23] Congress and uh he's going to not ask

[43:27] for more money he's going to demand more

[43:29] money and more weapons and why can he

[43:32] demand it because almost every member of

[43:36] that Congress has been bought by the

[43:38] Israeli Lobby and uh it seems pretty

[43:41] hopeless about the only uh it may not do

[43:45] us any good to come here and uh know

[43:49] point out what's wrong but the

[43:50] alternative is not to point out what's

[43:52] wrong so I hope hope these good people

[43:55] continue to come here and point out

[43:56] what's wrong

[44:04] thank you Laura

[44:14] barns good evening again um I live on

[44:18] Jackson Avenue in

[44:21] woodlon and at the intersection of

[44:24] Jackson watt Street and Albany Street I have seen countless people

[44:30] going through the red lights on

[44:33] purpose I'm a walker and there's a lot

[44:36] of people on Jackson Avenue that are

[44:38] Walkers we have to wait an extra 10 to

[44:41] 15 seconds before we even cross when

[44:44] we're crossing with our own light when

[44:46] it's

[44:47] green and I've seen countless people

[44:50] just going right through it on purpose

[44:53] they gun their engines and go right

[44:55] through it somebody is going to get

[44:58] killed sooner or later and I would

[45:01] prefer it not to

[45:02] happen I was almost actually hit by a

[45:05] car on June 19th on Father's day when I

[45:10] was on the sidewalk the car jumps the

[45:14] curb goes around an SUV that was sitting

[45:18] at the red light and then just goes

[45:20] through the red

[45:21] light I came close enough to the car

[45:24] that I could have put my hand out and

[45:26] touched it

[45:29] and I was shocked and I'm like what did

[45:32] I just

[45:33] see I've seen a

[45:37] CDTA um starbust go through a light

[45:41] these are not people going through the

[45:43] yellow they're going through the red

[45:46] light

[45:48] purposely I know the police can't have

[45:51] somebody on every single corner or every

[45:54] single

[45:55] intersection but can

[45:57] cameras would be

[46:00] fine somebody's going to get hurt I hear

[46:02] there was somebody hurt down in the city

[46:04] and she has possible brain damage I

[46:07] don't want that happening in my little

[46:09] Community I'm trying to keep it safe

[46:13] I've had so many people say that they

[46:15] can't even cross the street without

[46:18] waiting before somebody runs the

[46:20] light I mean when I would took driver's

[46:23] ed I thought red was always stop not go

[46:26] through it

[46:28] they purposely gun their engines and go

[46:30] through it I've seen and I've gone I

[46:34] walk a lot of places btown Road Union

[46:37] Street it's all over the

[46:39] place and no one's doing anything about

[46:43] it something really needs to

[46:49] give I just don't want anyone getting

[46:51] killed there was an accident at that

[46:55] same intersection of ALB Street and

[46:57] Jackson and Watt it was back in February

[47:01] there was an accident 6 days in between

[47:04] two accidents within six days that's

[47:09] unacceptable and I can guarantee it was

[47:11] somebody going through a light because

[47:12] it was the exact same

[47:17] spot it needs to be made safer it really

[47:23] does and thank you very much thank you

[47:29] I have no one else signed up to speak so

[47:31] I declare the public comment of City

[47:33] business

[47:35] closed at this time any miscellaneous

[47:38] business of the

[47:41] council

[47:44] mayor Madam president thank you always

[47:46] appreciate people coming out expressing

[47:48] their thoughts and concerns I just

[47:51] wanted to thank uh City staff for

[47:53] partnership the county the school

[47:55] district uh community leaders we had a

[47:58] great night for summer night and they

[48:00] had the Tater

[48:02] Trot uh had Harbor Fest uh Saturday

[48:06] night last night uh there's just a lot

[48:08] of good things going on in sken want

[48:11] people to mark their calendars for uh

[48:14] September 7th where be the Caribbean

[48:17] fest the Greek Fest the Little Italy

[48:19] Fest and The Stockade art show it's uh

[48:22] public planning stuff so you shouldn't

[48:24] do all the festivals at one time

[48:27] uh by chance they all came together and

[48:30] it's really one of the more successful

[48:32] weekends in the city and uh again thank

[48:36] all the partners that make these things

[48:38] happen and all the good things that are

[48:40] going on with ins SKC thank you madam

[48:42] president thank you mayor I'd like to uh

[48:45] thank everyone that did come out and

[48:46] your um comments will be taking

[48:48] consideration for those that came to the

[48:50] public hearing that will be made part of

[48:52] that record just so that you're aware of

[48:54] that um I also want to just talk to a

[48:56] couple things that were set at the rail

[48:57] but the people that said them are now

[48:59] gone uh we do the city does have a

[49:01] Paving program that we do every year so

[49:03] people want uh to find out what the

[49:05] paving program is what streets are going

[49:06] to be paved certainly they can contact

[49:08] the um clerk's office and we can provide

[49:11] that information um additionally in

[49:14] terms of uh what is said at the rail I

[49:17] just want to remind folks that there are

[49:19] rules of theorum which are printed on

[49:21] the sheet that everyone signs and within

[49:23] that it states what can and cannot be

[49:25] said however we do do not uh infringe on

[49:29] anyone's First Amendment rights so

[49:30] therefore if they have an opinion they

[49:32] can say that as long it's not a slur

[49:34] against someone else so people have a

[49:37] right to their opinions whether we agree

[49:39] or whether the other people in the

[49:40] audience agree people have a right to

[49:41] their opinion and that's not something

[49:43] as a council uh that we can stop them

[49:45] from saying as long as they're not

[49:47] saying things negatively against another

[49:49] individual specifically they everyone

[49:51] has a right to their opinion agree or

[49:54] disagree so I just want to make sure if

[49:55] you're not familiar what what the rules

[49:57] of theorum are they are printed on the

[49:59] bottom of the sheet which everyone signs

[50:01] and if you like a copy of a blank one

[50:03] just to familiarize yourself we can

[50:05] certainly make that available to anyone

[50:06] that wants it I just also just want to

[50:10] uh congratulate Milas believe the name

[50:12] of the restaurant for their uh ribbon

[50:14] cutting uh went to that and Miss Toro

[50:17] was there as well to present the uh

[50:19] Proclamation on behalf of the mayor and

[50:21] uh so it was a very nice it's a very

[50:24] nice restaurant it used to be a bank and

[50:26] just really turned that around so it was

[50:28] really really nice and I just want to

[50:29] congratulate them on this is their

[50:31] second restaurant in the city of SK

[50:33] they're also the folks that own the nest

[50:35] very nice so if you have an opportunity

[50:37] if anyone wants to go out to dinner and

[50:39] you know on your tab um then we

[50:41] certainly could go there it's very nice

[50:42] and I want to congratulate the owners

[50:44] once again to um and that was a joke so

[50:46] I'm not asking anybody to take me out

[50:48] just being

[50:49] clear um so I just want to congratulate

[50:52] the owners again and as the mayor has

[50:54] already stated all the things that have

[50:55] been going on down downtown U be having

[50:58] a really wonderful summer um heat beside

[51:00] the point but you know it's been a great

[51:02] summer and we hope it continues that way

[51:05] and um there's a couple another comment

[51:07] made about something about disc concy

[51:09] have the highest crime rate in the

[51:10] country so I'm definitely going to be

[51:12] looking into that I'm not sure that that

[51:14] that's a fact so um with that I'll ask

[51:18] for a motion

[51:23] to oh thank you you all could have

[51:26] announc that but

[51:30] okay so um starting tomorrow is the 518

[51:34] com common Unity Cup events and uh so

[51:38] it's five weeks of events different

[51:40] sports events that are around the city

[51:42] of connect I don't have them all in

[51:44] front of me but I can tell you that

[51:46] tomorrow will be kickball at the um park

[51:50] off of

[51:52] um off of

[51:54] what oh fourth on four and Campbell

[51:57] thank you very much um off the park

[51:59] right um be on forth and Campbell so

[52:01] please go and you know kickball will be

[52:03] great and from there you can find out

[52:05] all the other um events are going to be

[52:07] going on or you can go on the 518 common

[52:11] Unity cup Facebook page and find out all

[52:14] the events everything is free and open

[52:15] to the public want to thank the uh

[52:17] police department and the fire

[52:19] department for helping be major funders

[52:22] for this event and from for uh to Mr

[52:25] William Rivas for being the person that

[52:27] um actually has coordinated over the

[52:29] past few years so that there's some more

[52:31] fun some are fun okay all right thank

[52:35] you very much and with that I will

[52:37] entertain a motion to adjourn moved by

[52:39] Mr M U Mr Farley second by m Patrick all

[52:43] those in favor we're adjourned have a

[52:45] good evening

[52:59] what do you mean

Schenectady City Council Meeting, July 22, 2024

Transcript