[0:01] [Music]

[0:08] for

[0:11] [Music]

[0:38] thank you this going to be domestic

[0:43] violence wait a

[0:45] minute okay all

[0:50] right yeah from the

[0:54] floor I'd like to all call to order the

[0:56] city Caucus meeting for Tuesday October

[0:59] 15th

[1:00] 24 we have five public hearings this

[1:03] evening if the clerk could please

[1:07] read all right go ahead just read the

[1:10] public hearings public hearing number

[1:13] one the 2025 proposed operating budget

[1:17] and capital budget for the city of SKC

[1:20] public hearing number two public hearing

[1:22] number two amending section

[1:26] 248-250 code increasing parking

[1:28] violation fines public hearing number

[1:30] three public hearing number three

[1:32] amending section 927 of disc connected

[1:35] city code increasing fees and charges

[1:37] for Police Department records public

[1:39] hearing number four public hearing

[1:42] number four amending sections

[1:44] 124-133 and

[1:46] 24-22 of disconnected the city code

[1:49] increasing administrative fees regarding

[1:51] false alarm calls public hearing number

[1:53] five public hearing number five amending

[1:56] city code

[1:58] 144-146 increase dog license fees thank

[2:01] you we have 20 items for original

[2:04] consideration if the clerk could please

[2:05] read item number

[2:07] one item number one for original

[2:09] consideration a resolution calling for a

[2:11] public hearing to establish a temporary

[2:13] moratorium on the submission and

[2:15] processing of building permits

[2:17] certificates of occupancy certificates

[2:19] of use and land use approvals of

[2:21] cannabis establishments as the city

[2:23] council considers changes to the conc

[2:25] city code chapter 264 discussed in

[2:28] committee with objection on consent item

[2:30] number two item number two for original

[2:32] consideration a resolution calling for a

[2:34] public hearing to amend sections

[2:38] 151-921

[2:40] 13823

[2:42] 13843

[2:44] 15714

[2:46] 13-10 21014 of the connect city code

[2:50] relating to the relating to the

[2:52] increased in set fees and adopting a

[2:54] building code administration fee

[2:56] scheduled pursuant to sections

[2:58] 137-7 1 137 d one sorry

[3:02] 13821 and 138

[3:05] 13811 of this connected city code

[3:07] discussed in committee with objection on

[3:09] consent item number

[3:12] three item number three for original

[3:14] consideration a resolution authorizing

[3:16] the mayor to accept $30,000 442

[3:21] $3,442 74 in bulletproof vest

[3:24] partnership bvp Grant award monies for

[3:28] the conc police department

[3:30] discussed in committee without objection

[3:32] on consent item number four item number

[3:35] four for original consideration a

[3:37] resolution authorizing the city to

[3:38] accept

[3:39] $46,000 police traffic Services Grant

[3:42] monies from the governor's Traffic

[3:43] Safety Committee or gtsc for the conc

[3:47] police department discussed in committee

[3:50] with objection on consent item number

[3:52] five item number five for original

[3:55] consideration a resolution determining

[3:57] that the de that the development of lead

[4:00] service line replacement inventory is a

[4:02] type two action pursuant to 6

[4:05] ncrr

[4:28] 617.980.9025 number 7 under original

[4:30] consideration a resolution authorizing

[4:32] an amendment correcting errors in

[4:34] resolution

[4:36] 2024-25 for the sale of 1044 helderberg

[4:40] Avenue discussed in committee without

[4:42] objection and on consent item number

[4:44] eight item number eight under original

[4:46] consideration a resolution authorizing

[4:48] the sale of a vacant lot on Seldon

[4:50] Street for

[4:52] $1,500 discussed in committee without

[4:54] objection on consent item number nine under original

[4:58] consideration a res resolution

[5:00] authorizing the sale of a vacant lot at

[5:02] 1139 Pleasant Street for

[5:04] $33,000 discussed in committee without

[5:07] objection on consent item number 10 item

[5:09] number 10 under original consideration a

[5:11] resolution confirming the appointment of

[5:13] Alexandra Bland to the connec Planning

[5:15] Commission and reappointment of Randall

[5:17] s Beach to the SKC Planning Commission

[5:20] discuss in committee without objection

[5:21] on

[5:22] consent item number 11 item number item

[5:27] number 11 for final consideration a

[5:29] resolution authorizing the ceremonial

[5:31] naming of a portion of Barrett Street

[5:33] between South Avenue and Union Street to

[5:35] marleene

[5:36] Hillway discussed in committee without

[5:39] objection on consent item number 12 item

[5:41] number 12 under original consideration a

[5:44] resolution recognizing James Thomas Jr

[5:46] for his connected City School District

[5:48] athletic Hall of Fame induction this

[5:50] will be presented as a at a later date

[5:54] item number 13 item number item number

[5:57] 13 under original consideration a

[5:59] resolution acknowledging Ferrari's

[6:01] Restaurante for 50 years of service to

[6:03] the connect Community this item will be

[6:05] taken out of order and presented by

[6:07] council member

[6:08] manini item number 15 14 item number 14

[6:12] under original consideration a

[6:14] resolution celebrating Italian Heritage

[6:16] Month I'll discussed committee with

[6:19] objection on consent and this item will

[6:20] be presented at a later

[6:22] date item number 15 item number 15 under

[6:25] original consideration a resolution

[6:27] recognizing October as Polish American

[6:29] Heritage Month this item will be taken

[6:32] out of of order and presented by council

[6:34] member Patrick item number 16 item

[6:37] number 16 under original consideration a

[6:40] resolution recognizing domestic violence

[6:41] awareness

[6:43] month this item will be taken out of

[6:45] order and presented by council member

[6:47] Doro item number

[6:50] 17 item number 17 under original

[6:52] consideration a resolution authorizing

[6:55] the issuance of revocable permit number

[6:57] 686 to Andy Zang for for a sign and

[7:00] awnings that overhang the city's right

[7:02] of way at 469 State Street discussed in

[7:06] committee without objection on consent

[7:08] item number

[7:11] 19 oh 18 number wrong okay 18 item

[7:16] number 18 under contract and Supply a

[7:18] resolution awarding the bid and contract

[7:20] for the chilled water piping repairs to

[7:22] cedo Plumbing Incorporated in the amount

[7:25] of

[7:26] $94,400 and no this discussed in

[7:30] committee without objection on consent

[7:31] item number 19 item number 19 under

[7:34] contract and Supply a resolution

[7:36] awarding the bid and contract for the

[7:37] emergency service training facility roof

[7:40] simulator to Midstate Industries in the

[7:43] amount of$

[7:44] 56550 and no cents discussed in

[7:47] committee without objection on consent

[7:49] we have one other item to uh add for

[7:51] unanimous consent I would need a motion

[7:54] from the floor Mr B

[7:59] thank you Madame President I would like

[8:01] to move for unanimous consent a

[8:03] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[8:05] accept

[8:07] $636,000 25 in the bipartisan

[8:10] infrastructure bill for lead service

[8:13] line replacement fund Grant award monies

[8:17] I need a second on that second by Miss

[8:21] Patrick um is everyone answer I if

[8:24] everyone is okay by to add this to the

[8:26] consent

[8:28] agenda can we

[8:30] I okay thank you we'll add that to the

[8:32] consent

[8:33] agenda item well we have four three

[8:36] tonight actually to be um done ceremon

[8:41] resol sorry about

[8:44] that all right if there's nothing for to

[8:47] come before the city council caucus I

[8:48] ask for a motion to adjourn move by Miss

[8:51] Patrick second by Mr M all those in

[8:52] favor I I'd like to call to order this

[8:56] connect the city council meeting for

[8:57] Tuesday October 15th 2024

[9:00] for and I'd like to call on Reverend

[9:02] Kiki to lead us in the prayer

[9:08] invocation let us pray Lord we thank you

[9:12] for the rich tapestry that is our city

[9:14] of skincity the Heritage and the wonders

[9:18] of each Community bring together a

[9:21] richness and a beauty that we all share

[9:23] in together with our openness and our

[9:26] acceptance together we all stand in

[9:30] defense of those who are subject to

[9:32] domestic violence whether it be physical

[9:35] or mental or emotional or any or

[9:37] economic that those who stand together

[9:41] will support those who are subjected to

[9:44] this horror and that by the richness of

[9:46] our community we will

[9:49] be supporters

[9:52] and advocates for this community help us

[9:56] help our Council to see clearly your

[9:59] will for this city you bring us such

[10:02] beauty and greatness and in this season

[10:04] of Thanksgiving and wonder and harvest

[10:07] we especially bring to you our thanks

[10:11] amen amen I'd like to call on Anthony

[10:14] Ferrari to lead us in the Pledge of

[10:16] Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the

[10:19] flag of the United States of America and

[10:22] to the Republic for which it stands one

[10:25] nation under God indivisible with

[10:29] liberty and justice for all thank

[10:38] you I'd ask the deputy clerk to please

[10:41] complete the roll

[10:44] call Mr

[10:47] Toro Mr

[10:49] Farley Mr

[10:51] Mancini Mr muchin pres Mrs Patrick here

[10:57] Mr Williams

[10:59] and Miss Porterfield here thank you we

[11:03] do as I said have uh three out of order

[11:05] resolutions tonight but before we do

[11:07] that um the president of the NAACP would

[11:10] like to come forward thank you and to do

[11:12] a

[11:16] presentation nobody

[11:21] there Madam president I here come on

[11:24] back here ma'am nobody signed up

[11:45] uh councilman muta the NAACP

[11:49] recognizes your history making moments

[11:54] in the city of skincity so I come

[11:56] tonight on behalf of the NAACP to

[11:58] present you with the freedom fund award

[12:03] for 2024 and it reads as follows the

[12:06] connected NAACP presents the history

[12:09] maker award to councilman John muta for

[12:12] your commitment to Justice and service

[12:14] to the community 2024 Freedom fund award

[12:20] thank you so much for all that you have

[12:21] done for the community and we appreciate

[12:25] you and we hope that you will continue

[12:28] the work because it's so very important

[12:30] so thank

[12:33] [Applause]

[12:40] you thank you so much you know um I do

[12:44] things in a community I do not look

[12:46] forward for awards and I told that

[12:50] to past Nikki and um I'm I'm surprised

[12:56] but you know what I will accept it and I

[12:58] will continue to do work but let us all

[13:00] continue to do work but don't seek um

[13:02] Awards but you know encourage people to

[13:04] get out there and do things that benefit

[13:06] our community and to make us all better

[13:09] as we work and to make connect better

[13:11] thank you thank

[13:18] you so Mr mudar you weren't able to

[13:21] attend the uh party so we brought the

[13:23] party to

[13:25] you thank you

[13:29] next we will have the um item number 13

[13:32] acknowledging Ferrari's restaurant for

[13:34] 50 years of service to the skincity

[13:36] community and I'd like to call on

[13:37] council member Mancini to please present

[13:40] this

[13:41] resolution Mr

[13:44] manini Madam president may I have the

[13:47] floor you have the floor sir

[14:02] come on

[14:05] up all

[14:16] right this resolution City connec New

[14:20] York City

[14:21] Council where a resolution acknowledging

[14:24] Ferrari's restaurant for 50 years of

[14:26] service to the conected community

[14:28] whereas Ferrari's restaurant located in

[14:30] a m Pleasant neighborhood of concy opens

[14:32] the store opened its stores on October

[14:34] 7th

[14:35] 1974 and has since become a Cornerstone

[14:38] of the community and whereas for the

[14:40] past 50 years Ferrari's restaurant has

[14:42] provided authentic Italian cuisine a

[14:45] warm and welcoming atmosphere and

[14:47] exceptional service to Residents and

[14:48] visitors alike whereas Ferrari's

[14:51] restaurant has become a beloved

[14:52] institution where generations of

[14:54] families have gathered to celebrate

[14:56] Milestones fostering a strong sense of

[14:58] community and family togetherness and

[15:01] whereas the restaurant's long-standing

[15:02] commitment to providing high quality

[15:04] food and Hospitality has contributed

[15:06] significantly to the cultural and social

[15:09] fabri fabric of the M Pleasant

[15:11] neighborhood and city of skincity as a

[15:13] whole and whereas Ferrari's restaurant

[15:15] has consistently contributed to the

[15:17] local economy by providing employment

[15:19] opportunities and attracting visitors to

[15:21] the city elevating connect's profile as

[15:23] a culinary

[15:25] destination and whereas the city council

[15:27] is connected to recognize the importance

[15:29] to celebrating local business Ro in

[15:31] shaping the city's identity and

[15:33] strengthening its neighborhoods and

[15:35] whereas ferrar's restaurants 50-year

[15:37] Milestone is a testament to its enduring

[15:39] quality adaptability and strong relation

[15:43] within the community over the past five

[15:44] years now therefore it be

[15:47] resolved that city of the SK city

[15:50] council and Mayor Gary R McCarthy do

[15:52] hereby recognize and celebrate Ferrari's

[15:54] restaurant for its 50 years of surface

[15:56] serving delicious food and providing

[15:58] outstanding service

[15:59] and contributions to the city of

[16:01] connecti and be it further resolved that

[16:03] a copy of this resolution be presented

[16:04] to the Ferrari family as a token of the

[16:07] city's appreciation for their dedication

[16:08] to Excellence and community service over

[16:11] the past 50 years

[16:14] [Applause]

[16:16] congratulations Mr Man Mr Mancini Mr

[16:20] Mancini would you move the resolution

[16:21] sir would you move the resolution may I

[16:24] yes make a motion to move the resolution

[16:26] may I have a second please oh many

[16:28] seconds all in favor

[16:32] congratulations thank you all we just

[16:35] want to say first of all I want to thank

[16:37] God thank Jesus thank mother Mary I want

[16:39] to thank my parents uh Frank and Rose

[16:41] Ferrari who uh taught us uh a good worth

[16:46] ethic that got us to find the the

[16:48] American way here uh we came here uh you

[16:51] know my father always told us came here

[16:53] with an empty and we he had he had four

[16:56] boys we got families got grandchildren

[16:59] and we 50 years and we worked it and

[17:01] we're going to keep going until we can

[17:03] uh finish the till we're done all right there we go Vince you want to

[17:08] say something okay Joseph my brother

[17:11] Joseph he's the baby yes yes yes so

[17:15] anyway once again thank you very much

[17:18] and it's been you know like the Grateful

[17:19] Dead says a long strange trip but we're

[17:21] enjoying the

[17:22] ride and uh I'd like to you know thank

[17:25] my brothers and our wives you know when

[17:28] you don't you know when you have good

[17:30] backing you could conquer the world and

[17:33] uh I just wanted to say thank you and uh

[17:36] to my mom dad and my brother Johnny

[17:38] looking uh over us you know with a you

[17:42] know grin air to air for us so God bless

[17:45] thank you have a great night

[17:48] [Applause]

[18:17] sure thank

[18:19] [Applause]

[18:23] you our next resolution

[18:30] bye-bye thank you thank you you're

[18:33] welcome thank

[18:36] you our next resolution is recognizing

[18:40] uh Polish American Heritage

[18:43] Month council member

[18:57] Patrick Madam president may I have the

[18:59] floor you have the flooor thank

[19:03] you where'd you

[19:10] go Reverend kikki and other

[19:13] folks thank you for joining

[19:18] me so as um Reverend Kiki said in our

[19:21] opening prayer we are a a very rich we

[19:23] have a lot of Rich diversity here in the

[19:25] city of skinc we started our day um at

[19:29] acknowledging uh Italian Heritage and um

[19:32] this morning and now we're October is

[19:35] also the uh Polish American heritage

[19:37] month so I just want to read this

[19:39] briefly um a resolution proclaiming

[19:42] October 2024 as Polish American Heritage

[19:45] Month in skincity whereas the first

[19:48] polish immigrants arrived in Jamestown

[19:51] Virginia in 1608 performing work as

[19:55] Craftsman and forming the first labor

[19:57] union in this land and and whereas the

[20:00] first polish settlers arrived in SKC New

[20:03] York in

[20:04] 1797 with members graduating from Union

[20:07] College working as merchants and an

[20:10] individual from that Community Who was

[20:12] appointed the police commissioner and

[20:14] whereas skc's Polish immigrant and

[20:17] subsequent Polish American Community

[20:19] contributed greatly to the religious

[20:22] cultural economic Fabric and demographic

[20:25] landscape of this diverse City since its

[20:27] earliest days by influencing arts and

[20:30] education business and government social

[20:33] services and scientific and

[20:36] technological advancements and whereas

[20:39] polish Heroes like General Casmir pki

[20:42] and general Thaddius

[20:45] kazuko how is it K kushko thank you um

[20:50] played a vital role in our nation's

[20:52] fight for independence and whereas in

[20:55] 1984 the United States House of

[20:58] represent Representatives joint

[21:00] resolution

[21:01] 577 does August later change to October

[21:06] as Polish American heritage month to

[21:08] celebrate the cultural heritage

[21:10] achievements and contributions polish

[21:12] Americans have made to our nation and

[21:15] whereas in celebration of Polish

[21:17] American Heritage Month the Polish

[21:20] American Congress Central Division of

[21:22] New York state has chosen skincity for

[21:25] the inaugural running of the perogi 5K

[21:28] in SKC Central Park on Saturday October

[21:31] 26th and whereas the perogi 5K is

[21:35] intended to combine a focus on health

[21:37] and fitness with a celebration of Polish

[21:40] American Heritage culture and food now

[21:44] therefore be it resolved that Mayor Gary

[21:47] R McCarthy and the sked city council do

[21:50] hereby pause in their deliberations to

[21:53] Proclaim October 2024 Polish American

[21:57] Heritage Month in concy and encourage

[22:00] all residents to join in celebrating the

[22:03] many contributions of Polish Americans

[22:06] so I'd like to move this may I have a

[22:08] second please second by Mr M all those

[22:11] in favor I thank you very much passes

[22:15] congratulations conratulations

[22:21] I can

[22:23] hold just trying to make this camera

[22:26] work

[22:29] oh sure somebody who knows what they're

[22:32] doing she has a camera so she we can

[22:35] send it to you

[22:47] too what would you like to say a few

[22:49] words oh yeah I think I talked too much

[22:51] already uh uh but thank you uh Madame

[22:54] President uh members of the council uh

[22:57] mayor m y for this honor uh for for

[23:01] recognizing this month we're very

[23:03] excited uh for bringing uh really a

[23:06] large scale um activity that honors

[23:09] polish Heritage to the city of skinuti

[23:12] and we hope that this inaugural Pugi 5K

[23:14] will be something that will go on for

[23:16] years uh it's going to be a lot of fun

[23:18] we're going to have good food and and we

[23:20] hope everyone will turn out for that uh

[23:23] you know growing up in an ethnic family

[23:26] um you know we were always taught those

[23:28] core values that are so important in

[23:30] every community and one of the things we

[23:32] always learned about in school and

[23:34] subsequent study was you know the

[23:36] Democratic Heritage of Poland uh Poland

[23:40] was formed as an elective monarchy where

[23:44] uh as opposed to other places where a

[23:46] very small percentage of people were

[23:49] represented in the sort of the hierarchy

[23:51] or the royalty and so on uh a good

[23:54] 25% of Polish Society voted for their

[23:58] kings and and so on and so forth and uh

[24:01] the the idea of the liberum veto where a

[24:03] member of the assembled um uh group of

[24:08] people who would vote uh could veto any

[24:11] item that was up for consideration with

[24:13] a single word you know saying veto and

[24:16] that that sort of democratic tradition

[24:19] and Heritage is something that was so

[24:21] important because it was very unique in

[24:23] the European landscape um you know at

[24:27] the uh late um 1700s the Polish

[24:31] Constitution was right up there with the United States Constitution and

[24:37] the um the constitution in in France

[24:40] post Revolution uh so those kind of

[24:43] markers really spoke broadly to people's

[24:48] desire for freedom for democracy for

[24:50] representation and we're very privileged

[24:53] to be here in the United States and

[24:55] participating in this beautiful

[24:57] democracy

[25:04] it's it's hard to follow Father Jim um

[25:06] but I just want to say my grandparents

[25:08] were immigrants from Poland who settled

[25:10] here in skincity

[25:12] so there we go I'm I'm part of

[25:16] that that's okay okay so everybody come

[25:19] good food it'll be a lot of fun we

[25:21] welcome everybody so us

[25:25] [Applause]

[25:31] I'm not

[25:37] run our next resolution is recognizing

[25:40] domestic violence awareness month and

[25:43] I'd like to call on council member Doral

[25:44] to present this resolution thank you

[25:46] madam uh president Porterfield may I

[25:48] have the floor please you have the floor

[25:50] ma'am thank you I'd like to call forward

[25:52] my dear friend Arthur fenex his

[25:55] beautiful wife his beautiful daughter

[25:58] and whomever else is with Arthur here

[26:00] this

[26:05] evening I'd also like to mention that up

[26:08] here or afterwards I have a lot of uh

[26:10] domestic violence uh purple ribbons uh

[26:13] for for anyone to take um and to wear

[26:17] and support uh domestic violence uh not

[26:20] only for the month of November but

[26:23] throughout um

[26:30] whereas October was first declared as

[26:32] National Domestic VI violence Awareness

[26:35] Month in 1989 pretty sad that it waited

[26:38] till then but since then October has

[26:41] been a time to acknowledge domestic

[26:43] violence survivors and to be a voice for

[26:45] its victims and whereas domestic

[26:48] violence is prevent in every Community

[26:51] affects all people regardless of age

[26:53] economic status sexual

[26:56] orientation gender race religion or

[26:59] nationality physical violence is often

[27:02] accompanied by emotional abusive and

[27:04] controlling Behavior as part of a much

[27:08] larger systematic pattern of dominance

[27:10] and control domestic violence can result

[27:13] in physical injury injury psychological

[27:17] Tri trauma and even death the

[27:19] devastating consequences of domestic

[27:22] violence can cross generations and last

[27:24] a long time a

[27:26] lifetime and whereas

[27:29] domestic violence is a serious crime

[27:31] that affects people of all Races ages

[27:34] gender identities economic backgrounds

[27:37] and education levels causing harm to

[27:39] individuals families and communities

[27:42] whereas victims of domestic viol

[27:44] violence suffer isolation low

[27:47] self-esteem depression anxiety according

[27:50] to the National Coalition against

[27:52] domestic violence approximately 1 in4

[27:56] women and 1 in N men experience severe

[27:58] intimate partner physical violence

[28:02] sexual violence or stalking with

[28:04] devastating effects on their health and

[28:07] safety whereas raising awareness through

[28:10] education advocacy and Community

[28:12] engagement is essential in preventing

[28:14] domestic violence supporting victims and

[28:17] holding Abus abusers

[28:19] accountable now therefore be it resolved

[28:22] that the SKC city council and Mayor Gary

[28:26] AR M McCarthy do hereby pause in their

[28:30] deliberations to call on all Americans

[28:32] to remember the victims celebrate the

[28:35] survivors and remit to the ending

[28:38] domestic violence in all forms like ask

[28:41] for a motion to move the resolution may

[28:44] I have a second please second by Miss

[28:46] Patrick all those in favor I motion

[28:48] passes

[28:56] congratulations thank you thank you for

[28:58] having us U first and foremost I want to

[29:00] say thank you to Dorene for just

[29:01] inviting me down here to share my story

[29:04] of of Hope um Dorene has been a friend

[29:07] of mine for a while now from middle

[29:10] school and high school when I was uh

[29:12] doing all the wrong things uh I was

[29:15] really good friends with her her family

[29:17] and her her kids and um I just remember

[29:20] her always

[29:21] allowing um her door to be wide open to

[29:23] me uh while I was wrestling through some

[29:25] things it was a place that was safe um

[29:28] and she was very generous and loving I

[29:30] appreciate um all that you've done in my

[29:32] life um I want to share my condolences

[29:35] with the families who are suffering

[29:38] right now I know this connect is

[29:39] grieving um there's just some hard

[29:43] things that people are working through

[29:45] right now with the shooting on Congress

[29:47] Street and a mother who lost another

[29:49] child to um

[29:52] shootings and all the children that have

[29:54] W witnessed that um we're praying for

[29:57] you and

[29:58] uh you're not

[30:00] alone that's one of the reasons why I

[30:02] wanted to share my story um although

[30:05] it's domestic violence Awareness Month

[30:07] um I wanted to share my story for people

[30:10] who have hard stories I remember growing

[30:12] up um I felt alone I needed somebody who

[30:15] could relate to the severity of my

[30:17] suffering um that's why I'm encouraged

[30:19] to share mine today um to know that

[30:22] there is hope um despite the

[30:24] tragedy see my mother she was loved she

[30:27] was cherished hardworking athletic and

[30:31] was striving for a better life trying to

[30:33] become a nurse to provide for her family

[30:36] she had a big heart her name was Melissa

[30:39] Amy

[30:40] fenex not only did she have a big heart

[30:43] she was so generous and kind she would

[30:46] give you the shirt off her back now my

[30:48] mother was in a relationship early on in

[30:51] her life and unfor

[30:53] fortunately uh she was so generous she

[30:56] gave her heart away to a man that would

[30:57] abuse use it that was my

[31:01] father as time went on she began to see

[31:03] the abusive patterns of this man and how

[31:06] he was a threat not only to

[31:08] herself but to her family my father was

[31:12] an enraged individual unable to process

[31:14] emotion addicted to drugs unable to

[31:18] accept rejection or the word no the last

[31:21] type of person you want your daughter to

[31:22] be with now my mother tried to see the

[31:25] good in people often times when we are

[31:27] in and love and give our hearts away we

[31:30] make promises that would uh love them

[31:33] unconditionally through their

[31:34] shortcomings through thick and thin we

[31:37] hope that they would change however

[31:39] unfortunately my father did not change

[31:42] um July 27th

[31:45] 1992 my mother was horrifically taken um

[31:48] in the presence of her nieces her

[31:50] nephews and all the children all her

[31:53] children while protecting an infant in

[31:55] her

[31:56] arms my mother though she lost her life

[32:00] she was

[32:02] courageous this story is heavy and it

[32:05] has baggage however I'm here to share

[32:07] this story to not only share the damage

[32:09] that it can cause or the hardship on an

[32:12] individual a family or Community but to

[32:15] ultimately

[32:16] point to ultimately be a point of

[32:19] reference to individuals or families in

[32:20] the area who are and have suffered by

[32:23] these traumatic crimes I'm sharing

[32:26] because there is hope despite the

[32:27] circumstance

[32:28] ances I would be lying to tell you that

[32:31] it was easy picking up the pieces it

[32:33] took courage to finish school it took

[32:35] courage for my sister to go to college

[32:37] it took courage for my grandmother to

[32:39] raise her deceased daughter's children

[32:41] while working through that loss I would

[32:44] also be lying to tell you that I'm

[32:45] completely free from what I witnessed I

[32:48] would be lying to tell you that all I

[32:49] need was coping grieving closure therapy

[32:53] although all those things are necessary

[32:54] I needed something deeper I was broken

[32:56] at the soul I remember when I was broken

[32:59] at my lowest moment high on drugs I

[33:02] cried out to the Lord and he heard my

[33:03] cry the next day I was invited to play

[33:06] basketball at to church over in

[33:07] Belleview where I would hear the gospel

[33:09] the truth of the relationship with Jesus

[33:12] Christ and a promise for my life

[33:16] Jeremiah 29:11 says for I know the plans

[33:18] I have for you says the Lord plans to

[33:21] prosper you and not to harm plans to

[33:24] give you hope in a future although my

[33:27] doubts and disbelief I chose that day to

[33:29] trust and seek Him turning away from my

[33:31] toxic behaviors praying although I

[33:33] believe help me with my

[33:35] unbelief ever since then he's been

[33:39] healing my heart mending my mind washing

[33:41] away the grief he has Set Me Free from

[33:43] seeking revenge and has given me a heart

[33:45] of forgiveness he has brought closure he

[33:48] has replaced fear with peace and has

[33:50] provided abundantly for my my life and

[33:52] family he has blessed me with a

[33:55] beautiful wife that I don't deserve and

[33:56] a healthy baby girl

[33:58] that likes to sing a lot now that the

[34:01] Lord has brought me Leaps and Bounds

[34:03] from where I have been I am now thriving

[34:06] in a position to lead youth of concy as

[34:08] a site director at the City Life Center

[34:10] over in Belleview Off Broadway teaching

[34:13] them about the importance of educational

[34:15] success financial literacy health and

[34:17] wellness coping skills spiritual and

[34:20] moral direction for their future while

[34:21] giving them new opportunities in and out

[34:24] of state giving hope for the Next

[34:26] Generation thank you for your your

[34:28] [Applause]

[34:43] time hi my name is Claudia Fenix I'm

[34:47] Melissa's

[34:49] mother Melissa Amy fenex was my daughter

[34:54] she was ripped savagely from our lives

[34:58] as Arthur said on July 27th

[35:05] 1992 the children her children and my

[35:09] other

[35:13] grandchildren were forced into

[35:16] witnessing this

[35:18] assault on their innocent little

[35:21] eyes and to hear her my daughter's

[35:24] screams

[35:28] calling for her

[35:31] mother I want to thank you so much for

[35:34] this opportunity I don't want Melissa or

[35:38] any victim of domestic violence to be

[35:41] forgotten because it's like they're

[35:43] murdered and they're just tossed away

[35:45] like

[35:46] garbage but with things like this as a

[35:53] remembrance it just warms all of our

[35:56] hearts and we thank all of you

[35:59] sincerely Melissa was she wanted to be a

[36:03] nurse just like

[36:05] me

[36:07] and when she was going to school her

[36:11] abuser said he didn't want her to be a

[36:14] nurse cuz she'd have to bathe

[36:16] men there is

[36:19] nothing provocative about bathing a sick

[36:23] person it's all about making them well

[36:27] making them whole Melissa had the heart

[36:29] for

[36:30] it at her funeral there were so many

[36:34] people people I didn't know coming up to

[36:36] me telling me what a wonderful daughter

[36:39] I

[36:40] had and I'm proud of Melissa's

[36:46] children all three of them

[36:48] are people to be proud of I used to tell

[36:54] Arthur Arthur you're going to show your

[36:56] father what it's like to be a man and oh

[36:59] my has he done

[37:08] that I just want to thank

[37:11] everyone and to

[37:14] keep if people would only raise their

[37:18] daughters to be strong and not feel as

[37:21] if they have to take any malchy like

[37:25] that and for their sons to be

[37:29] compassionate and and not be

[37:32] bullies and we're seeing it as Arthur

[37:34] had mentioned and shootings gun violence

[37:38] families fighting each other it's just

[37:44] horrific and I pray to God that we see

[37:47] an end to this which I don't see

[37:50] happening because you can enact that's

[37:54] right you can enact laws but can't

[37:57] change people's

[38:00] hearts you

[38:03] anything thank you so much thank you

[38:06] thank

[38:07] [Applause]

[38:17] you

[38:23] thank thank you all for coming and thank

[38:25] you Arthur for sharing your story

[38:47] we have P five public hearings this

[38:49] evening and just to reminder that we

[38:52] have extended the public comment period

[38:54] for the public hearing to 4 minutes and

[38:56] I also respectfully ask that everyone

[38:58] keep their comments related to the uh

[39:00] subject relevant to the public hearing

[39:02] thank

[39:04] you so public hearing number one is on

[39:09] the 2025 proposed operating budget and

[39:12] capital budget for the city of SCC toity

[39:14] and I think there may um be some

[39:16] clarification here I have no one signed

[39:18] up to speak on the sheet is there anyone

[39:20] who signed up perhaps on the incorrect

[39:23] sheet is there anyone here who wishes to

[39:25] speak on public hearing number one

[39:27] regarding the 2025 proposed operating

[39:30] budget okay have you all right let me

[39:32] just see all right um all right Johan

[39:37] matth Matthews your hand is

[39:39] up okay give me a minute to just get

[39:41] everyone else because I think some

[39:42] people also signed anyone else who is

[39:45] here to sign uh to speak

[39:49] okay FAO

[39:53] okay anyone

[39:55] else Rachel

[39:59] and past

[40:01] Nicole is there anyone else here to sign

[40:04] to wishes to speak on the public hearing

[40:06] about the

[40:07] budget

[40:12] okay so the first person to speak is

[40:14] Johan

[40:15] Matthews you have four

[40:18] minutes all right thank you good evening

[40:21] everyone I'm Johan I'm a city resident

[40:24] and I'm here speaking on behalf of the

[40:26] Carver family Resource Center a group of

[40:29] 10 homegrown service providers already

[40:31] providing services to hundreds maybe

[40:33] thousands of Hamilton Hill residents for

[40:36] over seven years the community has not

[40:38] given up on an effort to reestablish a

[40:40] community center in Hamilton Hill we've

[40:44] evolved our approach previously Mar Clan

[40:47] Craig another group of community

[40:49] residents got over 600 uh signatures and

[40:52] petitions to make sure this thing kept

[40:54] going and they never gave up even even

[40:57] though they face challenges they return

[40:59] to building and they still support the

[41:01] effort now I work with a group of 10

[41:03] plus service providers all homegrown all

[41:06] skincity based who want to continue this

[41:09] so we've had the residents now we've had

[41:11] service

[41:12] providers and they realize they can't

[41:15] access real estate in their own

[41:16] Community to provide these essential

[41:18] services to Residents who would frankly

[41:21] rather be served by them people who care

[41:23] about them who grew up in this community

[41:25] so that's a big problem The Proposal

[41:27] budget doesn't account for Carver while

[41:30] there are unique pressures facing the

[41:31] city I completely understand that I

[41:34] don't believe that problem justifies

[41:36] overlooking this one the city has made a

[41:39] lot of economic investment into Hamilton

[41:41] Hill with the Craig man connection over

[41:44] the last couple years and so this is an

[41:47] investment to the social infrastructure

[41:49] not just sidewalks and parks and things

[41:51] like that beautiful things but it won't

[41:53] change anything unless we have a space

[41:55] where our community can come together to

[41:57] heal grow evolve they're going to

[41:59] continue to be unattended children

[42:02] shootings murders taking away the

[42:05] potential of our next Generation so I

[42:08] think that's what the opportunity to

[42:09] support the Carver Family Resource

[42:11] Center represents and so my question to

[42:14] you is have you given up on this and

[42:17] I've asked some of you in person but I

[42:19] want to ask all of you together the

[42:21] mayor council members have you given up

[42:24] on the Carver Family Resource Center

[42:26] because it's not accounted for in the

[42:28] budget okay and if you have not given up

[42:32] on this what would you do to communicate

[42:35] your resolve to the children of Hamilton

[42:37] Hill andjon communities who need these

[42:40] Services again police won't do it not

[42:42] even the schools only Community can hold

[42:46] our families together so I ask you have

[42:49] you given up and if not what can you do

[42:52] to demonstrate your resolve with the

[42:54] budget thank you thank

[43:03] you uh Fabo Matt

[43:14] lock good evening everyone it's been a

[43:16] while since I've been here to see you

[43:18] all it's good to see you I'm here um

[43:20] supporting the Carver initiative as well

[43:23] I stand as the president of the board of

[43:25] directors for the Hamilton hill art

[43:27] center and we have upon

[43:31] occasion um in numerous

[43:34] instances found ourself in similar

[43:37] situations as this as we push forward to

[43:41] make sure that the members of our

[43:43] community are not left

[43:45] behind quite frankly and it

[43:50] is if I'm going to be at all truthful

[43:54] very frustrating to stand here once

[43:56] again

[43:57] asking that uh Carver not be left behind

[44:03] and um overlooked in the allocation of

[44:07] resources in terms of the budget um in an area that

[44:12] desperately needs the funds okay so I

[44:17] know

[44:19] that there has been a lot of support for

[44:22] us here recently but I want to look at

[44:26] historically

[44:27] where we have been put in this whole

[44:31] length of um the the Hamilton Hill

[44:33] Community I should say that in the

[44:35] entire history of from what I have um

[44:40] actually been exposed to for

[44:44] instance for the past 50 years the

[44:47] Hamilton hill art center has served the

[44:50] community and has done so on a Sho

[44:53] string budget um that has actually recently been looked

[45:02] at and provided with the resources that

[45:05] we can move forward in pulling along the

[45:07] other members of our community and

[45:10] sometimes that has been a frustration to

[45:12] others who have not looked at the monies

[45:15] that we've received in the context of

[45:17] how many years we have actually served

[45:19] the community Carver once again is in

[45:22] the same situation and here we are

[45:25] before you I feel like begging for you

[45:28] to acknowledge what it is that we need

[45:31] in the community to serve our own people

[45:34] and I'm asking you to do so we just

[45:36] prayed here to open our hearts and so I

[45:40] stand before you as not only someone who

[45:44] serves the community

[45:46] tirelessly okay without being paid but

[45:50] as a priest myself before God who has to

[45:54] open my heart on a regular basis to ask

[45:57] you to open yours and make sure that

[45:59] their's money allocated for Carver thank

[46:02] you thank

[46:06] you Rachel

[46:14] Khan hello I'm Rachel Khan thank you for

[46:16] letting me speak today I'm here both as

[46:19] a representative of um the Carver Family

[46:22] Resource Center and as uh the director

[46:24] of the Hamilton hill art center one of

[46:26] the the programs that will be offering

[46:28] Services there um I think what we've

[46:31] presented is very important because as

[46:34] we make improvements in Hamilton Hill

[46:36] it's important that the community

[46:37] understands that these improvements are

[46:39] for them and that they have some control

[46:41] over what those look like um the plan

[46:44] that we have proposed allows the

[46:47] residents to take ownership over their

[46:49] Community Center and I think that's an

[46:51] important um distinguishment between the

[46:55] other plans and I think one that we need

[46:57] to consider thank you thank

[47:02] you Pastor

[47:04] Nicole John

[47:09] Simone good evening again um president

[47:12] Porta I just want to make clear I I

[47:13] should have signed up twice I think for

[47:15] this and I also had something else to

[47:17] say at the end that does not relate to

[47:18] that you can be on both okay I just

[47:20] wanted to make sure I could come back up

[47:22] um okay so I'm now putting on my pastor

[47:25] Nikki hat right um because uh now having

[47:29] been in this community for 6 years I do

[47:31] have members of my church that remember

[47:34] the Carver Center probably like in it's

[47:35] Heyday right and they talk about the

[47:38] good times that they had there and the things that they learned there and

[47:42] um I'm reading a book right now it's

[47:44] called how to kill a city by Peter M

[47:48] MTZ um and in the book it talks about um

[47:53] how most Urban or uh black and brown

[47:56] communities in the United States had

[47:58] this moment of

[48:01] disinvestment where uh money came out of

[48:04] the community um whether that was from

[48:07] white flight industry being taken away

[48:10] I've been trying to kind of put my

[48:11] finger on like when that moment was in

[48:13] connec people have like different

[48:15] stories but a lot of people say it was

[48:16] GE you know like people say you know

[48:18] that was the moment that money kind of

[48:20] left the community and people left right

[48:23] and you can walk around the Hamilton

[48:25] Hill um section of of the city and you

[48:28] see blighted properties and things like

[48:30] that you see the carveron are boarded up

[48:32] and you know that something used to

[48:34] happen here right so um I think the time

[48:39] has come though for a reinvestment in

[48:41] our neighborhood and I that's what you

[48:44] know my church and the NAACP were trying

[48:48] to do that's what the Hamilton hill art

[48:49] center is doing um so you know when I

[48:54] received um an email today saying that

[48:57] uh funding might not be going to uh any

[49:00] funding going to the Carver Center um I

[49:03] was concerned because what I'm

[49:05] realizing with the work that I'm trying

[49:08] to do um and that my my church and NAACP

[49:12] has been doing in his community for

[49:14] decades is that if we have the

[49:17] partnership of the city we can go to the

[49:20] county we can go to the state we can go

[49:23] to other people and say the city is

[49:25] supporting us and their partner in with

[49:27] us but when you pull out then others

[49:30] pull out I hope you understand what I'm

[49:31] saying so it's like we it's like we

[49:35] need the council the mayor we need

[49:39] everybody to partner with us and to come

[49:42] and stand in solidarity with us for that

[49:44] reinvestment to happen in our

[49:47] communities um so I think that you know

[49:50] the time has come you know for a

[49:52] reinvestment in the Hamilton Hill

[49:54] section of town um

[49:57] and I can see the work that has been

[50:00] done um somebody showed me not too long

[50:03] ago old pictures of

[50:04] downtown I never I wasn't here and

[50:07] connected him when downtown was looking

[50:08] like that but you can see evidence of

[50:11] the reinvestment in that section of town

[50:14] so I think that the the residents and uh

[50:17] that I serve as Pastor they want to see

[50:19] that same reinvestment in their section

[50:21] of town so I hope what I'm saying makes

[50:24] sense um if you have time read the book

[50:27] it's very good but I'm here in support

[50:29] of the Carver Center to say let's come

[50:32] together and figure out how to do

[50:35] that thank

[50:38] you I have no one else signed up to

[50:40] speak on public hearing number one so I

[50:43] declare this public hearing

[50:47] closed public hearing number two is

[50:50] regarding amending section 248 D2 of the

[50:53] connected D city code increasing parking

[50:55] violations fines is there anyone here

[50:57] for this public

[50:59] hearing if not I declare public hearing

[51:02] number two

[51:04] closed public hearing number three

[51:07] regarding amending section

[51:09] 92-70 city code increasing fees and

[51:12] charges for the Police Department

[51:14] Records is there anyone here to speak to

[51:17] this public on this public hearing if

[51:20] not I declare the public hearing number

[51:22] three

[51:23] closed Public public hearing number four

[51:27] regarding amending sections 1

[51:30] 34-13 and

[51:32] 24-22 of the connected city code

[51:35] increasing administrative fees regarding

[51:37] false alarm calls is there anyone here

[51:40] who wishes to speak to this public

[51:42] hearing if not I declare public hearing

[51:44] number four

[51:46] closed public hearing number five

[51:49] regarding amending city code

[51:52] 144-146 increasing dog license fees

[51:58] sorry about

[52:00] that is there anyone here to speak to

[52:02] public hearing number

[52:05] five if not I declare public number five

[52:07] public hearing number five

[52:09] closed thank you if the clerk could

[52:12] please uh excuse me would could we

[52:13] please have approval of the minutes from

[52:15] September 23rd

[52:17] 2024 I need a motion move by Mr Farley

[52:21] second by Miss Patrick all those in

[52:23] favor

[52:24] I if the clerk could please read any

[52:27] Communications and

[52:28] [Music]

[52:32] petitions Communications presented to

[52:34] the city council for Tuesday October 15

[52:37] 2024 under official there is none under

[52:41] General an emailed letter from David

[52:43] Doro dated September 23 2024 regarding

[52:46] the renaming of Barrett Street Barrett

[52:48] Village Lane to Luigi Lane and Alternate

[52:51] suggestion for Marlene

[52:54] Hillway next is an email from Ida

[52:56] Drexler dated September 26 2024

[53:00] regarding properties on Summit Avenue

[53:02] and not having the opportunity to

[53:04] purchase adjacent

[53:06] properties next is an email from

[53:09] Margaret Novak D dated October 8th 2024

[53:13] on behalf of the goose Hill neighborhood

[53:15] association requesting arpa funds that

[53:17] were allocated for Steinman Park be

[53:19] allocated to be used at the kery street

[53:22] park and last for General there is an

[53:25] email from Ray fought president of the

[53:27] Belleview preservation incorporation

[53:29] dated October 12th 2024 regarding arpa

[53:32] funds being

[53:34] reallocated under petitions there are

[53:36] none thank you call on council members

[53:39] to provide any committee

[53:42] reports this time we'll have privilege

[53:44] of the floor related to the legislative

[53:46] agenda I have one person signed up to

[53:49] speak Tom Kennedy

[54:05] good evening Mr Mayor city council I

[54:08] apologize for my voice I don't have one

[54:10] anymore before we even started the 2025

[54:13] budget process uh this budget was a

[54:16] failure not only because it has tax

[54:19] increased because this Council failed in

[54:22] their fiduciary responsibility to the

[54:24] city of connec before this budget

[54:27] proposal was even penned this Council

[54:29] squandered much of the $52 million in

[54:32] American

[54:34] Rescue uh plan act funds let me repeat

[54:37] that much of $ 52

[54:41] million of American Rescue plan funds that could have went for projects

[54:47] that would have lessened our tax

[54:50] liabilities but no uh Porterfield and

[54:53] progressives in many cases diverted f to

[54:56] their friends and

[54:59] supporters but the failure of this

[55:02] Council had no bounds even when deficit

[55:06] warnings were being forecasted for the

[55:09] 2025

[55:11] budget you voted for raises for

[55:14] yourselves you voted raises for

[55:16] yourselves in a budget that you failed

[55:18] to approve by its

[55:21] deadline but even

[55:24] then handing out raises went on and on

[55:27] in City Hall to even the most highly

[55:29] paid

[55:30] employees again with a budget coming

[55:34] budget being forecasted with deficits

[55:37] now we are hearing the city council is

[55:39] considering even more raises when our

[55:41] federal citizens will be seeing a tax

[55:45] height the failures of this budget have

[55:48] yet to be realized but we already know

[55:50] that American Rescue plan act funds are

[55:53] being proposed to cut financial

[55:55] shortfalls and this budget proposal and

[55:58] fund reserves are being drained which

[56:00] will return next year as bu budget

[56:03] deficits and future property tax

[56:06] increases which have

[56:10] been reported as high as $7 to9 million

[56:14] for next

[56:17] year this Council are also playing their

[56:21] part in raising taxes as they raise fees

[56:24] for a wide array of mun will find some

[56:27] of which we're talking about tonight and

[56:29] more to come as we've been told which in

[56:32] is itself is ironic as only a year

[56:35] ago uh only just a year ago uh the same

[56:41] Council was referring to garbage fees as

[56:45] raising

[56:47] taxes so no matter how you look at where

[56:50] we find ourselves today failures have

[56:52] been and will be the driving factors in

[56:55] this year's budget

[56:56] in Beyond as we Face further tax

[57:01] increases just want to just mention

[57:04] thing off wasn't prepared I know I

[57:07] listened to some of my

[57:08] fellow

[57:10] um talk about Carver Community Center uh

[57:14] I remember Carver Community Center when

[57:15] I was growing up I was a

[57:18] kid just real quick that is your time

[57:21] that's much my time yes

[57:23] sir so we're going to have to come back

[57:25] and talk about the Carver Community

[57:26] Center if you'd like if I like if you'd

[57:30] like well I'll just put it in in a

[57:33] personal release have a good day thank

[57:36] you sir I'm going to have start of

[57:38] timing these

[57:40] myself I have no one else signed up to

[57:42] speak so I declare the public comment on

[57:44] the legislative agenda

[57:45] closed this time I ask for approval of

[57:48] the legislative con consent

[57:50] agenda moving by Mr mutar second by Mr

[57:53] Williams all in favor I

[57:59] uh now we'll have privilege of the floor

[58:01] regarding General City business I

[58:03] have one person two people signed up to

[58:06] speak uh the first person is Tom

[58:13] Kennedy I'm

[58:16] back all right I didn't know get back

[58:20] this quick but I guess we for go the

[58:22] press conference on the press release uh

[58:24] so again I I I heard my fellow sadian

[58:27] talking about the importance of the oh

[58:29] sorry the SK Community Carver Community

[58:33] Center you

[58:35] know it wasn't too long ago or I think

[58:38] it was last couple weeks I think Miss

[58:40] ffield said something about that that

[58:44] they didn't have one they didn't have a community center in that area of the

[58:48] Town um with the loss of the community

[58:51] center which is true but as I looked at

[58:55] this town been here for a few years and

[58:58] there's no Community Center in bellw

[59:01] there's none one in woodon there isn't

[59:04] one in Goose Hill in fact there isn't

[59:07] anyone anywhere else in the city so I

[59:11] would say that I would ask the mayor in

[59:14] the city council is to look at how best

[59:16] are we going to serve all the youth

[59:19] because we are having

[59:21] shootings in all kinds of issues all

[59:24] over our city with youth

[59:27] vandalism all types of things so we've

[59:29] got to find a way in which we can engage

[59:32] all our children all our youth not just

[59:35] one part of a town not one part of a

[59:38] community but all Community because I'm

[59:40] just as interested I can come from

[59:42] woodlon about the woodlon kids and

[59:45] there's people here with bellw kids and

[59:47] every other where in the city so I think

[59:50] at this point now we don't have a

[59:52] community center anywhere in the city so

[59:55] I think it's time time that we start

[59:56] looking at how we're going to address

[59:59] the Youth of our future thank you very

[1:00:03] much thank

[1:00:04] you Pastor Nicole John

[1:00:12] Simone good evening again um I would

[1:00:16] like to excuse me invite you Council

[1:00:20] mayor everyone we will be having a

[1:00:23] Harvest Festival on um o October 31st

[1:00:27] from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at um at our

[1:00:31] church but what's really exciting is

[1:00:34] it's going to be the grand opening of

[1:00:36] Heritage Corner which is a pocket park

[1:00:39] that we're opening um so one of the

[1:00:43] goals for the uh church for our

[1:00:47] nonprofit is to use every property that

[1:00:50] we own to serve the city so uh if you

[1:00:54] know a little history about D dor

[1:00:56] Memorial was started by Isaac

[1:00:58] Dorie 187 years ago he was a Dutch of

[1:01:04] Dutch ancestry a student at um Union

[1:01:07] College and a member of the Reformed

[1:01:08] Church uh down in Stockade and he used

[1:01:12] his ability to buy property at that time

[1:01:15] um to make sure that black residents had

[1:01:18] a space to worship and have church right

[1:01:21] so

[1:01:22] he uh got the he never served as the

[1:01:25] Pastor he just knew that he had the

[1:01:28] ability and the black residents did it

[1:01:30] to get the property and so he did and so

[1:01:34] now um dur ye we have um we have the

[1:01:37] church building we have this plot of

[1:01:40] land uh on huet WE a down uh further

[1:01:43] down huet we have a um community garden

[1:01:46] that sium or I mean um s more uh

[1:01:51] collaborative um is is U managing um

[1:01:54] they've been using that but we own that

[1:01:56] property so we want to use every bit of

[1:01:58] our property to serve the community and

[1:02:00] so now we're going to have this park and

[1:02:02] so I want to invite you to the grand

[1:02:04] opening of it um it's going to be uh

[1:02:08] probably around 4:30 5 o' I'll send you

[1:02:10] an email the exact time we're going to

[1:02:11] do the grand opening but it's going to

[1:02:12] be a lot of fun we're doing a trunk

[1:02:13] Retreat for the kids we got a 150 Happy

[1:02:18] Meals coming so we want to feed

[1:02:21] everybody um and we've been doing a lot

[1:02:24] of work you know turn this land into a park so please come out on the

[1:02:29] 31st the 31st yes okay thank you thank

[1:02:38] you okay I have no one else signed up to

[1:02:40] speak uh the public comment of City

[1:02:42] business so I declare this public

[1:02:43] comment

[1:02:46] closed any miscellaneous business of the

[1:02:50] council Mr Mr Farley

[1:03:01] I can hear

[1:03:01] [Music]

[1:03:06] you well thank you thank you madam

[1:03:09] president I want to my thank you to

[1:03:12] everyone that came out to share today I

[1:03:15] think it's very important that we do

[1:03:16] acknowledge that we are going to CH time

[1:03:20] of our city our city is morning um L

[1:03:23] very pris

[1:03:25] and these type of tragedies happens this

[1:03:28] is something that will be

[1:03:32] Community I do want to say that I have

[1:03:37] very throughout my work there I was able

[1:03:40] to some our young people outside of the

[1:03:43] institutional supports and supports part

[1:03:46] agencies amazing job I just want to back

[1:03:49] I saw our young people organically

[1:03:52] really caring for each other and

[1:03:53] uplifting each other that that's a story

[1:03:57] that's not often

[1:04:00] told this is such a tragic incident but

[1:04:04] I just really want to make sure that we

[1:04:06] amplify that and people recognize that

[1:04:08] we have um some brilliant um loving

[1:04:12] compassionate um young people through

[1:04:15] our community and now is the time for us

[1:04:17] to WRA around them support them and look

[1:04:21] for ways to get involved other than just

[1:04:24] conversations with people

[1:04:26] um local churches

[1:04:28] nonets obviously school look way to get

[1:04:32] involved um and recogniz people

[1:04:36] encourage them to move for

[1:04:38] after and

[1:04:48] [Music]

[1:04:53] bless do yours again no

[1:04:57] thank you well I also want to add my

[1:05:00] condolences to um the entire family of

[1:05:03] this connected D City School District um

[1:05:05] in light of the tragedies that um

[1:05:08] occurred this week so um I uh join with

[1:05:12] Mr Farley in that and um hope that you

[1:05:16] know together as a community we can uh

[1:05:18] continue to help our youth and help um

[1:05:22] you know understand that uh the use of

[1:05:25] violence

[1:05:26] um is is just uh going to hurt us all

[1:05:32] um with that I also want to I have to

[1:05:35] switch gears for a second and uh note that on Wednesday from uh 12: to 5:

[1:05:41] this Wednesday over at Key hall our SKC

[1:05:44] fire department and our SKC Police

[1:05:46] Department are joining together in what

[1:05:48] they're calling the battle of the badges

[1:05:50] um in order to uh try to help the

[1:05:53] American Red Cross bring in uh increase

[1:05:56] its blood supply so I encourage folks to

[1:05:58] get over there on Wednesday and give

[1:06:01] blood um and finally um I I do want to

[1:06:05] say something about the email that we

[1:06:06] all received um from uh Mr fought the

[1:06:09] president of the Belleview uh

[1:06:11] neighborhood association um he

[1:06:14] definitely had some misinformation that

[1:06:16] I believe was provided to him by someone

[1:06:19] else um indicate he thought that um um

[1:06:24] at least Miss Porterfield and s had uh

[1:06:27] said that we wanted to take resources

[1:06:28] away from Hillcrest Park um in bellw and

[1:06:32] uh we wanted to definitely both of us

[1:06:35] reached back out to him to indicate that was uh not true not not information

[1:06:40] that uh he he somehow had had been given

[1:06:43] um incorrect information so I did want

[1:06:46] to clarify that publicly since his uh

[1:06:48] email to all of us was also public um

[1:06:51] that's it thank you Madame President uh I just

[1:07:00] want to update with regards to our

[1:07:02] budget um we just concluded our um

[1:07:05] budget hearing a very successful um

[1:07:07] budget hearing and I want to commend um

[1:07:09] all the department heads the mayor and

[1:07:12] my colleagues for a very productive um

[1:07:16] budget hearing we are now in the next

[1:07:18] couple days to with the council and the

[1:07:20] mayor and his department head to

[1:07:23] negotiate a budget but um I can say

[1:07:26] proudly say that um from last year to

[1:07:29] this year things have changed and we

[1:07:32] have seen the respect that in the

[1:07:35] negotiation in the discussion the

[1:07:36] hearing that my colleagues the mayor and

[1:07:39] his department head have shown over the

[1:07:41] last couple of days and I encourage

[1:07:44] everyone for us to continue our dialogue

[1:07:47] continue our um discussion as we move

[1:07:50] the next couple days and we're hoping

[1:07:53] fingers crossed that we're going to have

[1:07:54] a budget in a near

[1:07:56] um in the next couple days um just this

[1:07:59] evening we voted um on a resolution to

[1:08:01] accept um $ 636,000 to help with the

[1:08:05] lead service line replacement survey and

[1:08:09] I just want to remind homea as I have

[1:08:11] told my colleagues today um downstairs

[1:08:13] in room 110 that we all have to chip in

[1:08:16] to help to make sure that our resident

[1:08:18] complete this survey and to return it

[1:08:21] back so that we can have an accurate

[1:08:22] count of the lead um pipe I encourage um

[1:08:26] homeowners if you're looking please you

[1:08:28] should receive something like this

[1:08:30] please it's very important that you

[1:08:32] complete the survey and return it there

[1:08:35] are information on this survey that you

[1:08:37] can reach out to if you need information

[1:08:39] or I'm going to put it reach out to your

[1:08:41] city council member reach out to me

[1:08:43] reach out to the mayor's office if you

[1:08:45] have questions or concern please do not

[1:08:47] hesitate it's a very short survey and I

[1:08:51] ask that you complete it return it so

[1:08:53] our water department and the relevant

[1:08:55] Authority has the information so that we

[1:08:58] can able to work towards changing these

[1:09:00] lead pipe in the city of skincity so

[1:09:02] once again there's a number on here 3

[1:09:06] 382

[1:09:08] 5023 you have the city council member

[1:09:11] number you have the mayor's number

[1:09:13] please reach out to us for any

[1:09:14] information whatsoever you need and we

[1:09:16] can assist you to get this information

[1:09:18] this survey back to where it belongs to

[1:09:20] and we can move forward with this survey

[1:09:22] and to address the lead pipe concerning

[1:09:25] this C has connect thank

[1:09:27] you Mr

[1:09:29] Toro thank you um I was just going to

[1:09:33] say one thing but again speaking with Mr

[1:09:36] Farley and actually what Mr Kennedy said

[1:09:39] I mean we suffer as a community um when when tragic events like this happen

[1:09:44] and what are we going to do for our

[1:09:46] youth throughout the whole city uh

[1:09:49] hopefully we'll be able to figure

[1:09:51] something out I'd just like to remind

[1:09:53] everyone that this Thursday night at

[1:09:54] 5:30 at the YW on Washington Avenue is

[1:09:58] take back the night um there's always

[1:10:00] some speakers um regarding domestic

[1:10:03] violence it's a good turnout and then

[1:10:05] there's a a beautiful walk and some

[1:10:07] fundraising for uh victims of domestic

[1:10:10] violence and survivors thank

[1:10:20] you again the discussion for Carver

[1:10:23] Community Center has uh shifted somewhat

[1:10:26] uh joining the city school district

[1:10:29] where some of their needs for space May

[1:10:32] complement the reutilization of that

[1:10:34] building so I'm uh fairly comfortable

[1:10:37] with the uh discussions that are going

[1:10:39] on that are going to result in a project

[1:10:41] that would be better and more

[1:10:43] sustainable for the community as a

[1:10:46] whole uh again on the evening of October

[1:10:49] 12th there was a sweet 16 party on

[1:10:52] Congress Street in city of skty

[1:10:55] council members have alluded to that

[1:10:58] resulted in the uh death of uh Dunbar

[1:11:02] nolles a young man was shot and again

[1:11:06] lost his life also a 13-year-old girl

[1:11:09] was

[1:11:10] wounded uh these are just tragic events

[1:11:14] my uh thoughts prayers and sympathy go

[1:11:16] out to the family and friends this is an

[1:11:19] active investigation City Police

[1:11:21] Department uh State Police there other

[1:11:24] resources that being brought in and I

[1:11:27] anticipate that that will conclude in

[1:11:29] those individuals being held accountable

[1:11:32] for their actions that resulted in that

[1:11:34] death and uh uh injuries to the girl so

[1:11:39] not only on that case but other cases

[1:11:42] that are

[1:11:43] there people in the community if you

[1:11:45] have information have the opportunity to

[1:11:48] stand up and draw a line because you

[1:11:51] want to do what's right do that reach

[1:11:54] out to the police Department there a

[1:11:56] tips line where the information will be

[1:11:58] followed up on and

[1:12:00] again when people do what's right it

[1:12:04] creates real value in the community it

[1:12:07] displaces those individuals who choose

[1:12:09] to make poor decisions the negative

[1:12:12] influence and that it allows us to

[1:12:15] continue the investment and the

[1:12:16] transition that's happening in this

[1:12:18] community with a real

[1:12:20] Renaissance thank you madam president

[1:12:22] thank you may and thank you all members

[1:12:25] and I'd like to thank everyone that came

[1:12:26] out tonight to speak about um the

[1:12:28] various topics that that are your of

[1:12:31] concern to you regarding the city and

[1:12:34] also first of all I would like to also

[1:12:36] offer my condolences to the family of

[1:12:38] duar noes who's often who is known also

[1:12:40] as Tyreek in the community and I just

[1:12:42] ask that everyone really lift this

[1:12:44] family up because this mother has lost

[1:12:45] two children to violence and so you know

[1:12:49] it's got to be a difficult I can't even

[1:12:51] imagine what it's like so I just want to

[1:12:53] offer my condolence to that family and

[1:12:55] also any help that um that I could be to

[1:12:58] the family I know the grandmother really

[1:12:59] well so it's it's an unfortunate thing

[1:13:02] and as has been said we really have to

[1:13:04] see how we can help our children and

[1:13:05] support them in any way possible because

[1:13:08] this is a difficult time but also that

[1:13:10] we're not just doing things after things

[1:13:13] happen but how can we help to support

[1:13:15] our children so things can be prevented

[1:13:17] from

[1:13:19] happening I'd like to uh thank everyone

[1:13:21] that came out uh this past weekend for

[1:13:24] the uh tennis pickleball tournament to

[1:13:27] fundraiser actually to support the

[1:13:29] police and the fire um excuse me the

[1:13:31] connected firefighters Cancer Foundation

[1:13:34] uh everybody had a great time and uh the

[1:13:37] weather was

[1:13:39] perfect so couldn't ask for more so

[1:13:42] thank you all and if you still want to

[1:13:43] donate to that effort it's

[1:13:45] neveralone.org

[1:13:47] and the money goes directly to this

[1:13:49] connec firefighters um Cancer Foundation

[1:13:53] there's been conversation to today about

[1:13:55] the arpa allocation I want to make a

[1:13:58] couple of points of clarification first

[1:14:00] and foremost if people want to see where

[1:14:02] the allocations went they can see as

[1:14:05] opposed to a speaker saying tonight that

[1:14:07] I he called my name that I and my

[1:14:09] friends got it I don't have that many

[1:14:11] friends that for how this moneu was

[1:14:13] allocated so let's really take a look

[1:14:14] what really happened here and not just

[1:14:16] speak about things that we thought

[1:14:19] happened somebody told us without doing

[1:14:21] the investigation so I invite people to

[1:14:23] take a look at how we did AR arer

[1:14:25] allocations it was an open process

[1:14:28] documents were provided so you know

[1:14:30] people have a chance to take a look at

[1:14:31] that and as Miss Patrick has said there

[1:14:34] was an email uh saying that we had had a

[1:14:36] conversation about reallocating

[1:14:37] something at a at one of the meetings

[1:14:40] that was misinformation uh the person

[1:14:42] who sent the email I don't believe

[1:14:43] actually personally watched the meeting

[1:14:45] but was given information by someone

[1:14:47] else so I invite everyone if you have a

[1:14:49] question regarding what's going on with

[1:14:51] the council you can contact the council

[1:14:53] members all of our information is on the

[1:14:55] city website you can call us you can

[1:14:57] send us an email the same way you send

[1:14:59] an email to say you did this you can

[1:15:01] send an email said what happened so we

[1:15:04] just want you know we want there to be

[1:15:06] Clarity between the council the mayor

[1:15:08] and our residents so that everyone

[1:15:10] understands that we what every effort

[1:15:12] that we're doing here is for the best of

[1:15:14] all residents of the city of SKC because

[1:15:16] we are all residents of the city of SKC

[1:15:19] not just other people but the council

[1:15:20] members were residents as well so

[1:15:22] everything we do we want to do with

[1:15:24] residents and fine so I have nothing

[1:15:27] else and with that I'll ask for a motion

[1:15:29] to adjourn move by Miss Patrick second

[1:15:32] by Mr manini all those in favor I have a

[1:15:35] good night thank

[1:15:41] you yeah so I don't know if the court

[1:15:44] mic really works for me but

[1:15:55] anymore

Schenectady City Council Meeting, October 15, 2024 FINAL

Transcript