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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]