[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