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[0:21] he

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[1:55] he

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[2:51] he

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[4:53] signed but it's

[4:55] not what's that

[4:59] which one

[5:02] that what is this it's a black

[5:07] hist m

[5:17] Patrick I'd like to call the order the

[5:20] city Caucus meeting for Monday February

[5:22] 10th

[5:23] 2025 we have 17 items for original

[5:26] consideration and one item for unanimous

[5:28] consent if the deputy clerk would please

[5:31] read item number one for um for final

[5:35] consideration an ordinance amending

[5:37] section

[5:39] 183-186 of the connected city code to

[5:42] increase the point value for violations

[5:44] of chapter 182 the noise ordinance

[5:47] discussed in committee without objection

[5:49] on consent item number two item number

[5:52] two for final consideration an ordinance

[5:54] amending section 28-3 of chapter 28 of

[5:58] thec city code to allow for email

[6:00] notifications to council members

[6:03] discussed in committee without objection

[6:04] on consent item number

[6:07] three item number three for final

[6:09] consideration and ordinance to amend

[6:11] section

[6:28] 138-can section 13884 h of

[6:33] article hold two two

[6:39] no 15 15 all right okay keep going

[6:43] chapter 138 151 d9a of Article 2

[6:49] 159 d9e of Article 2 of chapter

[6:52] 151 16714 D of Article 2 of chapter 167

[6:59] 18 8 3-10 of Article 2 of chapter

[7:03] 183 210- 14a of article of article two

[7:08] I'm sorry article three of chapter 210

[7:11] of the scan city

[7:12] code discussed in committee without

[7:14] objection on consent item number four for final consideration

[7:19] and ordinance Amendment section 264-1111

[7:22] of article 3 to the connected City

[7:25] Zoning code to regulate the location of

[7:26] can cannabis establishments and uses

[7:29] discussed in committee with objection

[7:31] and on consent item number

[7:34] five item number five for original

[7:36] consideration a resolution calling for a

[7:38] public hearing for the proposed

[7:39] amendments to the city of conected

[7:41] zoning map to rezone the properties that

[7:43] make up the former St cla's Hospital

[7:46] from an in institutional District to a

[7:48] R3 multiple family residential district

[7:51] discussed in committee with objection

[7:52] and on consent item number six item

[7:55] number six under final consideration a

[7:57] resolution amending the building code

[7:59] fee schedule as authorized by section

[8:02] 137-7 of chapter 137 of the conc city

[8:06] code and sections

[8:08] 13821 and

[8:10] 13811 of article 4 of chapter 138 of

[8:14] thec city code discussed in committee

[8:17] without objection on consent item number

[8:19] seven item number seven under original

[8:21] consideration a resolution authorizing

[8:24] Amendment and reallocation of the 2025

[8:26] capital budget for the purchase of two

[8:28] Packer vehicles ruls discussed in

[8:30] committee with objection on consent item

[8:32] number eight item number eight under

[8:34] original consideration a resolution

[8:36] declaring that the adoption of the

[8:38] ordinance created in section

[8:58] 264-3289 supporting the concy food

[9:00] council's advocacy and empowerment

[9:02] working groups requests regarding

[9:04] programs and initiatives addressing food

[9:06] insecurity in the NYS FY 2026 budget

[9:10] discussed in committee without objection

[9:12] and on consent item number

[9:15] 10 item number 10 under original

[9:17] consideration a resolution correcting

[9:19] spelling errors in resolution number

[9:22] 2024-25 authorizing the sale of 28 moyon

[9:25] Street for

[9:27] $25,000 discusting committee without

[9:30] objection and on consent item number 11 under final consideration

[9:34] a resolution authorizing the sale of 25

[9:36] moist Street for

[9:39] $31,000 discussed in committee without

[9:41] objection and on consent item number 12 under original

[9:45] consideration a resolution to authorize

[9:47] the issuance of revocable permit number

[9:49] 688 to Insomnia Cookies operators LLC

[9:53] for gooseneck lighting that will

[9:54] overhang the city's right of way on the

[9:56] face of the building at 118 J streets

[9:58] connected New York discussed in

[10:01] committee without objection and on

[10:02] consent item number 13 item number 13

[10:05] under original consideration a

[10:07] resolution authorizing settlement of a

[10:09] claim by Janelle D Jamal D Collins

[10:13] discussed in committee without objection

[10:15] and non consent item number 14 item

[10:17] number 14 under original consideration a

[10:20] resolution authorizing settlement of a

[10:21] claim by Lamont and charmain truttling

[10:24] discussed in committee without objection

[10:26] on consent item number 15 item number 15

[10:29] under original consideration a

[10:31] resolution authorizing settlement of a

[10:33] claim by Michael trango discuss in

[10:35] committee with objection on consent item

[10:39] number 16 item number 16 under contract

[10:42] and Supply a resolution accepting the

[10:44] proposal and awarding the contract for

[10:46] the upfitting of police vehicles

[10:49] discussed in committee without objection

[10:50] on consent item number 17 item number 17

[10:53] under contract and Supply a resolution

[10:55] awarding the bid and contract to the

[10:57] golf course tree removal base bid and

[11:00] add Alternatives a c and d to Kevin

[11:03] Down's Tree Service Co Incorporated in

[11:06] the amount of

[11:08] $187,000 discussed in committee without

[11:11] objection on consent item number 17A has

[11:13] been put on for un unanimous consent if

[11:16] the deputy clerk would please read this

[11:18] will be a roll call vote item number 17A

[11:21] for unanimous consent a resolution

[11:23] honoring honoring the late Leonard F

[11:25] picaro for his service to the United

[11:27] States and the SKC community

[11:29] we have one outof order resolution that

[11:31] was passed on January 27th and will be presented tonight by council member

[11:37] Williams Farley

[11:40] okay if the clerk could please

[11:43] read a resolution honor honoring Black

[11:46] History Month

[11:48] 2025 if there's nothing more to come

[11:50] before the city council caucus I ask for

[11:52] a motion to adjourn moved by Mr Williams

[11:54] second by Mr muan all in favor I I'd

[11:57] like to call to order the city council

[11:59] meeting for Monday February 10th

[12:01] 2025 and I'd like to ask Reverend Brad

[12:04] Jones for the prayer

[12:11] invocation let us

[12:15] pray Lord God we thank you for the

[12:17] privilege of of being able to serve this

[12:21] community the people there in I pray

[12:23] Lord that you would Grant wisdom and

[12:25] discernment to each member of the city

[12:27] council and for all decisions

[12:29] discussions and U and actions to be

[12:32] taken I pray that you'd give them the

[12:37] understanding of the needs of the people

[12:39] of this community to do what is right

[12:41] and

[12:42] best bless them with that wisdom bless

[12:46] them with that discernment bless them

[12:48] Lord uh with unity and I ask all this in

[12:52] Jesus name amen amen I'd like to call on

[12:56] council member Patrick to lead us in the

[12:57] pledge

[13:00] to the flag of the United States of

[13:02] America and to the Republic for which it

[13:05] stands one nation under God indivisible

[13:10] with liberty and justice for all thank

[13:16] you I'd like to ask the clerk to please

[13:19] complete the Roll Call

[13:29] please

[13:32] the Mr

[13:35] Toro Mr Farley Mr manini here Mr Mutu

[13:39] verin pres Miss Patrick here Mr Williams

[13:44] here miss Porterfield here we have one

[13:46] out ofor resolution today uh I'd like to

[13:49] uh call Mr

[13:57] Farley have Madam president you have the

[14:00] floor okay can you come join you up here

[14:03] so I can present you with this

[14:11] resolution so this is a resolution

[14:13] recognizing Black History Month of 2025

[14:16] whereas the 2025 Black History Month

[14:19] theme African-Americans and labor

[14:21] focuses on the various and profound ways

[14:24] of work and working of all kinds free

[14:27] and unfree skilled and unskilled

[14:29] vocational and voluntary intersect with

[14:31] the collective experiences of black

[14:33] people and whereas Black History Month

[14:36] was first originated as a part of an

[14:38] initiative by writer and educator Dr

[14:41] Carter G Woodson who launched negro

[14:43] history week in 1926 Woodson chose

[14:46] February for reasons of tradition and

[14:48] reform it's commonly said that Woodson

[14:50] selected February to Encompass the

[14:52] birthday of two Americans who played a

[14:54] prominent role in shaping black history

[14:57] namely Abraham Lincoln and Frederick

[14:59] Douglas whose birthdays are both the

[15:01] 12th and the 14th respectively and

[15:04] whereas during Black History Month and

[15:06] throughout the year we reflect on more

[15:08] than 400 years of black history in

[15:11] America and communities across the

[15:12] country paying tribute to generations of

[15:15] African-Americans who struggle through

[15:17] adversity to achieve full citizenship in

[15:19] American society and whereas work is the

[15:22] very center of much of black history and

[15:25] culture be it traditional agricultural

[15:27] laboral or enslaved Africans Low Country

[15:31] colonies debates along black Educators

[15:33] on the importance of vocational training

[15:35] self-help strategies and

[15:37] Entrepreneurship in Black communities or

[15:39] organized Labor's role in fighting both

[15:41] economic and social injustice black

[15:44] people's work has been trans

[15:46] transformational throughout the US

[15:48] Africa and whereas 2025 marks the

[15:51] 100-year anniversity of the creation of

[15:55] the Brotherhood of sleeping corters and

[15:57] Maids by labor organiz ERS and Civil

[15:59] Right activist A Philip Randol which was

[16:02] the first black Union to receive a

[16:04] charter in the American Federation of

[16:06] Labor and whereas the theme

[16:08] African-Americans and labor intends to

[16:10] encourage broad Reflections on

[16:12] intersections between black people's

[16:13] work and the workplaces in all

[16:15] interations and key moments themes in

[16:18] black in black history and the culture

[16:20] across time and space now therefore it

[16:23] be resolved that this SKC city council

[16:26] and Mayor Gary R McCarthy dear who well

[16:30] do hereby pause and their dear relations

[16:32] to recognize the month of February 2025

[16:35] as black American History Month in the

[16:37] city of

[16:38] skty thank

[16:46] you

[16:48] uh already

[16:50] pass first of all I'd like to just say

[16:53] thank you for skty I was brought to

[16:56] skincity by uh rehabilitation centers

[16:59] for my mom when I was uh 11 12 years old

[17:03] so that's how I got disc connect through

[17:06] um purpose and family and building

[17:08] relationships that's what grounds me to

[17:11] SCCY and I just hope to move forward and

[17:14] continue to do what I've been doing all

[17:16] these years but I couldn't do it without

[17:18] SKC the people of skty and everybody

[17:21] that I call family and SKC thank you

[17:24] [Applause]

[17:46] appreciate bro thank

[17:50] you I'd ask for approval of oh do do we

[17:54] pass it oh we already passed it

[17:57] okay creature of Happ sorry M I'd ask

[17:59] for the approval of the minutes for

[18:01] January 27th

[18:02] 2025 moved by m

[18:04] Patrick second by Mr Williams all in

[18:07] favor I I'd ask the deputy clerk to

[18:10] please read any Communications and

[18:12] petitions Communications presented to

[18:15] the city council for Monday February

[18:17] 10th

[18:18] 2025 under official from the mayor a

[18:21] list of appointments dated February 10th

[18:25] 2025 under General from py Voris an

[18:28] email seeking clarification on whether the 5 $75 million food

[18:33] allocation in tonight's agenda item on

[18:35] the skty food Council applies to each

[18:37] City and separately alleging that her

[18:39] belongings at her apartment were moved

[18:41] and used in a sting

[18:43] operation under petitions

[18:45] none thank you uh call on City Council

[18:48] Members to provide any count committee

[18:53] reports this time privilege of the floor

[18:55] related to the legislative agenda I have

[18:57] three people who are sign up to

[19:00] speak uh the first person is Mitsy

[19:04] mattick and I just want to let everyone

[19:06] know that you there is come come there

[19:09] is a three minute you have three minutes

[19:11] to speak and then you'll hear a little

[19:12] sound go off that let you know your time

[19:14] is up and but finish your thought okay

[19:16] perfect okay thank you you're

[19:18] welcome well thank you for the

[19:20] opportunity to speak tonight on behalf

[19:22] of the food security and access

[19:23] legislation being discussed uh my

[19:25] support for it is resounding but my fear

[19:27] is it won't be enough my husband and I

[19:30] moved back up here in October to fulfill

[19:32] my dreams of having a farm and growing

[19:34] food for our community but as we all

[19:36] bear witness to what is happening in

[19:38] Washington the chaos unfolding the

[19:41] manufactured Panic um I realize as a

[19:43] low-income Citizen and a woman the One

[19:47] path to many people's dreams including

[19:48] mine is being

[19:50] threatened we cannot keep up the status

[19:52] quo anymore and I feel that so much more

[19:55] can be done and has to be done quickly I

[19:58] think that I am speaking for many people

[20:00] when I say that the president has made

[20:02] it crystal clear that my demographic

[20:04] just doesn't matter to them

[20:07] anymore I have shifted my goals now to

[20:09] not only provide for my family but

[20:11] protect my community with my words and

[20:13] my actions and I cannot sit by as the

[20:15] current Administration Delights in

[20:17] making a struggle to

[20:19] survive I'm here today to encourage

[20:21] starting a dialogue with one question in

[20:23] mind and that is what more can the city

[20:25] of skincity do to combat the chaos while

[20:29] our executive branch is threatening our

[20:31] local funding for food and is this city

[20:34] council going to band together to

[20:35] protect and bolster the local Hudson

[20:37] Valley Farmers and Beyond because our

[20:40] tax dollars are being toyed with like a

[20:42] pawn in a rigged game of chess and when I saw that happening I had reached

[20:47] my Tipping Point turning inward down to

[20:50] a local level was the only way I felt

[20:53] capable of making my voice

[20:55] hurt and supported or oppose it the mass

[20:58] media tend on immigration policies

[21:00] exposed a deep wound that no one has had

[21:02] the stomach to look at and it is proof

[21:04] that the Trump Administration is not

[21:06] thinking for the future of Americans and

[21:09] we cannot ignore the people who care for

[21:12] our food supply anymore it's time we are

[21:15] an advanced Society we're done with the

[21:18] status quo and we need to make big

[21:19] changes the current Administration so

[21:22] thoroughly scared our Workforce for our

[21:24] food into hiding that crops can rot on

[21:26] the ground and Americans can risk

[21:29] starving we will all experience food

[21:31] insecurity if we do not take more local

[21:34] action and if you don't support more

[21:35] local action we can all agree no one

[21:38] survives without food and your support

[21:40] of these that you've already passed

[21:44] through and are sending to the state

[21:48] are headed in the right direction but

[21:51] every person with the drive to make a

[21:53] positive impact should be able to going

[21:56] forward and be supported locally

[21:58] regardless of the looks beliefs or their

[22:01] economic standing the state spends

[22:04] billions in government money to prop up

[22:05] our food supply chain and that is

[22:07] currently under attack whether we want

[22:10] to see it or not all of your voters need

[22:13] you to support more legislation that

[22:14] lowers food costs for everyone funds

[22:17] local food supplies and finds more

[22:20] support for the organizers trying to

[22:22] already make huge

[22:24] changes we need a lasting regenerative

[22:27] positive impact to push us towards a

[22:30] Greener future and I want to bring my

[22:32] perspective to these initiatives some

[22:34] already shouting for change on a

[22:36] legislative scale and I would love to

[22:38] see my city council join in and put the

[22:41] health and nutrition of its citizens

[22:43] above everything else right now I need

[22:45] you to summarize please and not just to

[22:47] aim to be a smarter City but a Greener

[22:49] city as well thank you thank

[22:54] [Applause]

[22:55] you Darlene geloso

[23:01] good evening I think this will back what

[23:03] she was saying my name is Darlene geloso

[23:06] I'm 66 years old I live in roddam but I

[23:09] was born and raised in skti my

[23:10] grandfather was Johnny DeMarco on

[23:12] Michigan Avenue who was kind of a

[23:14] celebrity and hist story okay I live on

[23:17] $1,400 a month and I'm raising a

[23:20] 38-year-old autistic son growing up with

[23:23] a single mom we got powdered milk and

[23:25] Bricks of cheese back in the 60s she

[23:28] remarried and we worked in the family

[23:29] business which was on Craig Street I

[23:32] suffered many things growing up that

[23:33] changed my DNA and I also ended up being

[23:36] a single mom of two children I had to

[23:38] leave an abusive relationship I was

[23:40] raising two small children one who was

[23:42] do diagnosed with autism I needed help I

[23:45] worked two jobs not paying well I was an

[23:48] educator for a school with students that

[23:50] had special needs where my son was going

[23:52] to school so I could work when he had no

[23:56] school no after school programs at that

[23:57] time were available then in 2020 I was

[24:00] injured at work and out a year on

[24:03] workman's comp not much pay went back to

[24:05] work with pay cut and lost benefits I

[24:08] ended up going on permanent disability

[24:10] and going to the food banks Street

[24:12] soldiers saved me many many of times you

[24:15] got to start at 3:00 they start at 4

[24:17] giving out but you have to be in that

[24:19] line at 3:00 and the lines have gotten

[24:21] longer and longer each day each time

[24:23] they give it out food in the amount of

[24:26] food insecurity even with working people

[24:28] is in crisis most of us are just one

[24:31] paycheck emergency or injury away from

[24:34] disaster even those working are

[24:36] struggling to stay above the above water

[24:38] Food Bank lines are increasing every

[24:40] week I am the fight in the fight for

[24:42] basic living wage affordable housing and

[24:44] food

[24:46] security because in the richest most

[24:48] powerful country in the world this

[24:50] should not be happening there is more

[24:52] than enough for everyone to go around

[24:54] time for change I am asking we start

[24:57] with local legislation

[24:58] to ask that the funding from snap goes

[25:02] minimum goes to $100 a month and I'll

[25:04] leave you with this challenge to see

[25:06] what $100 will buy for food and how long

[25:09] it can be stretched go to the food bank

[25:11] stand in line in the freezing temps for

[25:14] over an hour or more and to figure out

[25:17] how you're going to get home majority

[25:19] walk and have no Transportation then go

[25:22] fill out the paperwork for SNAP Heap

[25:25] then go to Social Services Department

[25:27] and sit see how long it takes and make

[25:30] yourself educated What It Takes what

[25:33] paperwork is required and the actual

[25:35] amount can be given you'd probably be

[25:38] surprised and I can leave you this if

[25:40] you like for

[25:42] the thank you thank you very much thank

[25:52] you um I'm going to try Pac am I getting

[25:56] that name right

[26:00] say your name for me please uh Payton

[26:02] York pton York pton York go ahead hi I'm

[26:05] Payton York um a few years back I was in

[26:09] a position where I was hungry living out

[26:11] of my car and my income was not

[26:14] sustainable I like many others put my

[26:16] health aside in order to stretch my

[26:18] budget using empty

[26:21] calories when you're hungry you can

[26:23] think of groceries in terms of calories

[26:25] per dollar and instead of nutritional

[26:28] value per the food that you're looking

[26:30] for during this time I ate a lot of

[26:33] s'mores Pop-Tarts I lost a lot of weight

[26:37] and I developed anemia which I still

[26:39] have

[26:40] today this in addition to serving uh

[26:44] almost every Sunday at the First United

[26:46] Methodist Church uh for the past two and

[26:48] a half years we've been serving I've

[26:50] been serving breakfast there but they've

[26:51] been doing it for a very long time um

[26:54] the number of people that have been

[26:56] attending our breakfast service have

[26:57] continued Contin to rise while the

[26:59] amount of food that we have available is

[27:02] dropping programs like the hunger

[27:04] prevention nutrition assistance program

[27:06] hip naap and nourish New York opens

[27:08] doors for us to be able to keep our

[27:12] program going and continue serving our

[27:14] community but the current funding is not

[27:16] enough and it's not

[27:18] sustainable so the reason I stand here

[27:20] today is because we all care um in

[27:24] August I graduated with this connect

[27:26] Community Advocates program alongside 10

[27:29] amazing people whose incredible stories

[27:31] have taught me how to better tell my own

[27:34] uh I also sit on this SKC County food

[27:35] Council advocacy and empowerment working

[27:37] group where we've strategized and

[27:40] prioritized advocacy measures to be able

[27:43] to build a hunger-free

[27:45] SKC in my day job I also work with

[27:49] Frontline Community Food providers

[27:50] across New York State like food pantries

[27:53] and mutual Aid programs this has taught

[27:56] me that connectivty is not unique

[27:58] in our challenges but we are unique in

[28:01] our drive to make a

[28:03] change I speak with you all today not as

[28:06] a singular voice but as a voice that is

[28:08] built on the wants and needs of this

[28:11] community our community so I appeal to

[28:14] you all today because I know you care a

[28:17] $100 snap minimum benefit would have

[28:20] allowed me to trade my s'mores Pop-Tarts

[28:22] for something more iron rich like lentil

[28:24] or eggs $75 million for hypn and nurish

[28:28] New York will allow us just down the

[28:30] street to buy more food and serve more

[28:32] people and by passing this resolution I

[28:35] know that you all are standing with us

[28:37] who are stretching our budgets to not

[28:39] only buy food for ourselves but for our

[28:41] feeding programs and by passing this

[28:43] resolution it's a step towards a hunger

[28:45] free connecti thank you thank

[28:51] you I have no one else signed up to

[28:53] speak so I declare the public comment on

[28:54] the legislative agenda

[28:56] closed as for approval of the

[28:59] legislative consent agenda move by Miss

[29:01] Patrick second by Mr muan all those in

[29:03] favor I there's one item for unanimous

[29:06] consent and I'll need a motion to place

[29:09] uh for this motion to be placed on the

[29:10] floor for a roll call

[29:13] vote oh you okay um the first item I

[29:16] just want to let everyone the first item

[29:18] is a resolution honoring the late

[29:20] Leonard F Pororo for his service to the

[29:22] United States and the connected

[29:24] Community motion made by Mr

[29:26] M second Mr Farley is there any

[29:32] discussion the clerk could please call

[29:34] the

[29:37] role Mr Toro

[29:41] yes Mr Farley yes Mr manini yes Mr

[29:48] muirin yes Miss Patrick yes Mr Williams

[29:53] yes and Miss Porterfield yes motion

[29:56] passes unanimously thank you

[29:59] this time we'll have um privilege of the

[30:01] floor regarding General City business I

[30:03] have two people signed up to

[30:05] speak the first first person is Sarah

[30:08] Johnny Sarah

[30:25] Ibrahim good evening everyone

[30:28] my name is s roin

[30:30] Ibrahim um I'm called Sarah s a r a

[30:34] without an H I will tell you a little

[30:38] about myself we don't want to extend our

[30:41] three minutes um I am a naturally born

[30:45] Trinidad and Tobago

[30:47] citizen I came to America 35 years ago

[30:52] and I'm a naturalized citizen of the

[30:54] United States I lived in the bongs of

[30:57] New York for 20 three years and I went

[31:00] back to college when I got here but

[31:02] prior to that in my country I served in

[31:05] the water and seage Authority for the

[31:07] government I served in texo

[31:09] incorporative and several Department

[31:11] including shipping international

[31:14] geological purchasing down the line I

[31:17] joined my brothers of business in

[31:19] electronics and I later on became the

[31:21] purchasing officer to purchase

[31:23] merchandise from thailan Japan

[31:26] California New York and New Jersey

[31:28] that's when I met my husband rafik IAM

[31:31] here I um I hold and owned and operated

[31:36] three businesses of my own in New

[31:39] Jersey um restaurants franchise

[31:42] restaurants I also owned a beauty salon

[31:44] in Manhattan New York I am also on the

[31:48] board of reals of Long Island I'm a LIC

[31:53] realtor I own properties here in SKC I

[31:57] moved here in connec 15 years ago and I

[32:01] invested in my own personal property and

[32:04] other properties for rental purposes I

[32:07] also served in the health care

[32:08] profession for 32 years both in New York

[32:12] and New Jersey I've worked here

[32:15] in connect to the Ellis Hospital I work

[32:18] now independently because I am retired

[32:21] but work never finishes because I still

[32:23] maintain my properties and look after

[32:25] tenants and you know um um evictions and

[32:30] all of that but um I am here and have

[32:33] been chosen to run for Council in the

[32:35] city of connect and I believe I have the

[32:38] potential and I have the experience in

[32:41] dealing with the public in both in the

[32:43] health factor and also in small

[32:46] businesses areas and how we can improve

[32:49] value on our properties and meeting and

[32:52] greeting the people one andone listening

[32:55] to their Grievances and their complaints

[32:57] and bringing

[32:58] forward to the committee so that we can

[33:00] address them I'm willing to work very

[33:02] hard and dedicated in bringing the city

[33:06] what we would like it to be in the

[33:07] future thank you thank

[33:11] you Tom

[33:25] Kennedy Mr Mayor City Council

[33:29] let take these chear

[33:31] off U this past weekend I was in

[33:34] Richmond Hill

[33:36] Queens uh we were both myself and uh the

[33:40] former mayor alra zinski was invited

[33:43] down for a black history awareness U

[33:47] event um for those who've never been to

[33:49] Richmond Hill in Queens it's great place

[33:53] uh good food that was a big thing for me

[33:57] but uh for that 2 and 1/2 hour ride down

[33:59] there I got a good meal so anyway but I

[34:01] listened to some really great speakers

[34:04] and there was one woman and she didn't

[34:07] even give us the name she just got up

[34:08] and wanted to speak and I like to tell

[34:12] you

[34:13] just I I think it was powerful words and

[34:17] she's a a nice elderly woman from

[34:20] Trinidad came here 25 years ago and um I

[34:25] don't she I don't even think she gave us

[34:26] her name oh I think about it but she

[34:29] said now want to read this to you while

[34:31] it's

[34:32] important uh to remember who and where

[34:36] we are

[34:37] from race is

[34:41] incidental we must move forward Together

[34:44] As

[34:45] Americans that was powerful that that

[34:49] Hal and it was surrounded by all New

[34:50] Yorkers from all swas of the economy

[34:55] Rich we had Senators there we had

[34:57] assembly in there it was a really a nice

[34:59] event but out of all everything I heard

[35:02] that day that was the most important to

[35:04] me and and I'm going to remember that

[35:06] and um if we can do anything as

[35:09] Americans now my family's from Ireland

[35:12] came here under oppression famine a long time ago not really that long ago

[35:18] 1900s um but I

[35:21] think um I think it's time we live up to

[35:25] the standards of that nice old lady from

[35:29] Trinidad we are all Americans that's

[35:32] something we have to remember thank

[35:35] you thank

[35:38] you I have no one else signed up to

[35:40] speak so I declare the public comment of

[35:42] City business

[35:44] closed miscellaneous business of the

[35:49] council Miss

[35:53] Patrick thank

[35:54] you so we're coming up on Valentine's

[35:57] Day it's it's one of my favorite

[35:58] holidays of the of the year um and I

[36:01] wanted to um Express um my gratitude

[36:04] again to my uh colleagues here for

[36:06] having big hearts uh and supporting um

[36:10] the legislation well supporting uh that

[36:13] we want to support uh the advocacy and

[36:17] empowerment agenda of the SKC County

[36:19] food Council and urge our legislators uh

[36:23] from our area to uh make sure that we

[36:25] have a $100 minimum snap Ben benefit and

[36:28] that we uh fund hpnp and uh nourish New

[36:32] York um at the $75 million now I've said

[36:36] this before councilwoman Doro myself um

[36:39] we co-chair SKC shares with Mike aragoza

[36:42] we also both volunteer at the uh Luc and

[36:45] Daily Bread food pantry um couple of

[36:48] things there um I had the opportunity to

[36:51] visit the regional Food Bank recently as

[36:54] part of that volunteer work and I have

[36:56] to say it was scary there because I saw

[37:00] that even the shelves at the regional

[37:01] Food Bank the day that I was there were

[37:03] empty so Warehouse ceilings Florida ceiling empty shelves very scary

[37:10] because I know um how much we depend on

[37:13] the food that is purchased uh at just

[37:16] the one Pantry that that we work at let

[37:19] alone the um other 22 pantries in sked

[37:23] County how much we rely on the food at

[37:25] the regional food bank that's one thing

[37:27] I I just wanted to you know make sure

[37:29] people were aware that this is there's

[37:31] an amazing tremendous need out there

[37:34] another thing that we've noticed at um

[37:36] our food pantry is that um we've

[37:39] actually seen a little bit of a decrease

[37:41] in the last couple of weeks of people

[37:42] coming we're hypothesizing And I stress

[37:46] that we're just hypothesizing that part

[37:48] of that is that many of the people that

[37:50] we see at our food pantry are immigrants

[37:53] and there's fear that um you know

[37:57] they're not coming because they are

[37:59] afraid of what might happen uh if

[38:01] they're not staying in their home so I

[38:03] just wanted to bring that up as well

[38:06] um it's just getting more and more

[38:09] expensive um for the food pant the food

[38:11] providers themselves um to provide that

[38:14] food but I also want to say um at The

[38:17] Advocates dinner the other evening um

[38:20] which was a training session for all of

[38:22] us uh from the from the advocacy and

[38:25] Empowerment Group on how we can uh speak

[38:28] to our legislators I was struck by the

[38:30] fact that um by one woman that stood up

[38:33] to speak who said you know it's really

[38:37] the last thing they can she can afford

[38:39] she has to pay her rent to keep a roof

[38:42] over her head she has to pay her

[38:45] utilities many of our folks we know they

[38:47] have to pay their car expenses because

[38:50] they're working people and they're

[38:52] trying to get to work so that they can

[38:54] continue to Pro provide for their

[38:55] families so the last thing that this

[38:59] person said that they would uh be able

[39:01] to afford and pay for is food I mean

[39:05] that's really nuts right it's really uh upsetting and and

[39:10] frightening so again um we're going into

[39:13] the last week of our of this year's SKC

[39:16] shares and I just want to emphasize

[39:18] again I'm so thrilled that so many

[39:19] people have big hearts and have been

[39:21] showing us the Love on this week of

[39:24] Valentine's Day that they have for other

[39:26] people for their neighbors as they

[39:28] continue to um you know try to donate

[39:30] food and I appreciate all of you uh for

[39:33] supporting this resolution this evening

[39:35] too thank you thank you Mr Toro thank

[39:41] you i' just like to thank everyone who

[39:43] came out this evening to talk and and

[39:45] again our resolution for supporting this

[39:47] connected County food Council and how

[39:50] important it is to all of us and um

[39:52] especially when uh Darlene spoke about

[39:55] powdered milk and powdered eggs and and

[39:56] cheese block I was in that line growing

[39:58] up so thank you um I'd like to just take

[40:01] a moment to um talk about something that

[40:05] affects all of us here in SKC during the

[40:07] winter months um and it's keeping our

[40:09] priority streets and sidewalks clear for

[40:12] everyone um especially with this last

[40:15] snowstorm um emergency access when when

[40:18] cars are parked on our priority streets

[40:20] and parked illegally on on side streets

[40:23] um plows can't do their jobs efficiently

[40:26] and it it really does slow down

[40:28] emergency responders who may to need to

[40:30] reach us all in in in a in a in a a

[40:34] fairly quick amount of time pedestrian safety um unshoveled

[40:40] sidewalks force people especially kids

[40:42] and elderly and those with disability to

[40:44] walk in the streets um which is

[40:47] extremely dangerous uh you know we pride

[40:49] oursel in a walking city um we really

[40:52] need to do something about keeping our

[40:53] sidewalks clean uh if we all do our part

[40:56] it can make winter safer and easier for

[41:00] everyone be aware of what your street um

[41:05] priority streets and what your street

[41:07] emergency um uh signs that are posted um

[41:11] clear sidewalks shovel within 24 hours

[41:14] after a

[41:16] snowfall uh and especially if you need

[41:18] if you know someone who needs some help

[41:21] um and you see people out there

[41:22] struggling lend them a hand and tell

[41:25] your neighbors uh and uh remind friends

[41:28] and encourage Community uh support and I

[41:32] appreciate um always our ogs um the guys

[41:36] and and GS that are out there on the

[41:38] street clearing the streets and also um

[41:41] I I always especially have a special

[41:43] heart for uh place in my heart for the

[41:46] trash collectors um and it's very

[41:49] important that we keep a a little path

[41:51] shoveled where we put our cans just to

[41:53] make their their life easier as well

[41:56] thank you

[41:57] thank

[42:00] you no one else Mr

[42:04] Mayor thank you Madame President I to

[42:07] appreciate everyone coming out tonight

[42:08] and again uh raising the uh issue and

[42:13] awareness of the inequities that exist

[42:16] within the

[42:18] food uh distribution system within our

[42:21] country and the availability and the

[42:23] ability for people to just be able to

[42:25] afford it I had the opportunity today to

[42:28] greet uh US senator Schumer when he uh

[42:31] stopped here to talk about the federal

[42:34] uh funds that the president has froze

[42:38] for community health centers it affects

[42:42] uh Hometown Health here in SKC other

[42:45] ones across Upstate Hometown Health here

[42:47] in SKC has a client base of about 20,000

[42:51] people you know it's a

[42:53] significant uh organization providing

[42:56] High quality broad-based care to uh this

[43:01] community and to have these funds just

[43:05] Frozen uh it sends a message that is

[43:10] wrong uh we don't want that it's going

[43:12] to adversely affect a lot of people and

[43:16] again would hope uh that uh common sense

[43:19] and rational thinking prevails at the

[43:21] federal

[43:23] level uh also uh want to follow from

[43:27] council member Doro from the crew that

[43:30] uh the cruised not just one we had

[43:33] number of them out working uh over the

[43:36] weekend for this last storm uh we we had

[43:40] a few years where we really had very

[43:42] mild Winters we're getting back more in

[43:44] a traditional model uh going to be cold

[43:47] and we're probably going to get more

[43:49] snow possibility of freezing rain uh the

[43:53] end of this week going into the weekend

[43:55] so again would encourage people to make

[43:57] sure your sidewalks are shoveled uh one

[44:00] shovel width on each side of a fire

[44:03] hydrant uh when you're driving be a

[44:05] little bit more cautious uh it does make

[44:08] a difference and uh as I say we're one

[44:11] day closer to Spring thank you madam

[44:13] president thank you mayor I'd also like

[44:16] to thank everyone for coming out this

[44:17] evening and expressing their concerns

[44:19] and thank you for those who came to

[44:21] support the resolution um we will be

[44:23] moving that forward and sending it to

[44:25] the representatives to let that's

[44:27] connected indeed um you know supports

[44:29] the increased need for um for the food

[44:33] and one thing I always say that I feel

[44:34] like an America no one should go hungry

[44:36] I just that's just you know we're

[44:37] supposed to be the land of of Plenty and

[44:40] so people should not go without eating

[44:42] it and shouldn't have to eat some morees

[44:44] when they really need like spinach so um

[44:47] thank you again all for coming out and

[44:49] expressing all of your concerns within

[44:51] the city I do have a couple of

[44:54] announcements uh as we know this is

[44:56] Black History Month and the connected

[44:58] NAACP will be celebrating Black History

[45:00] Month and with negro baseball so um in

[45:05] case you didn't know in 1913 there were

[45:07] many white baseball teams in the capital

[45:09] region but there was only one black

[45:10] professional team in the area the mohaul

[45:13] color Giants of

[45:14] skincity and uh their home stadium was

[45:16] located in Island Park which is actually

[45:19] now the site behind the skincity campus

[45:21] and there was a plaque that was uh that

[45:23] was dedicated last year so the event

[45:26] will will be held at skincity Sunni

[45:29] skincity from 1: to 300 p.m. on February

[45:33] 22nd in Stockade building uh Room 101 so

[45:37] everyone is invited to come it's going

[45:38] to be exciting you'll hear some history

[45:41] not only about negro baseball but

[45:42] particularly about the uh Mohawk Giants

[45:45] which played here in skincity so um

[45:47] looking forward to uh folks coming out

[45:49] to that also the um Department of

[45:52] development has um launched recharged SK

[45:55] sked recharge the comprehensive plan so

[45:58] the very first meeting of neighborhood

[46:00] meeting will be on the 25th of February

[46:05] at the Mount Pleasant Library beginning

[46:07] at 5:00 so that's open to the public

[46:10] there'll be more meetings throughout

[46:11] neighborhoods but that's the first

[46:13] neighborhood meeting so invite people to

[46:15] come to hear um what's been done so far

[46:19] and also to give their input so that we

[46:21] can develop a comprehensive plan for the

[46:22] city of SK

[46:24] today there's nothing further I'd ask

[46:26] for motion to adjourn mooved by Miss

[46:29] Patrick second by Mr muin all those in

[46:31] favor I we are adjourned have a good

[46:34] evening

[46:49] [Music]

[47:00] he

[47:03] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Meeting, February 10, 2025

Transcript