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[0:28] Heat. Heat.

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[1:18] Heat. Heat.

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[2:28] Hey, hey, hey.

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[2:50] Hey, Hey, hey,

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[3:21] hey. Heat. Heat.

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[3:59] Heat. Heat.

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[4:32] Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat.

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[4:52] Oh, thank you.

[5:22] something else.

[5:35] I'm not casual.

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[5:51] Yeah.

[6:07] I'd like to call orders connecting city

[6:09] council committee meeting for Monday,

[6:10] June 2nd,

[6:11] 2025. The first committee is finance.

[6:14] Mr. Matarin. Thank you. I would like to

[6:16] call the finance committee to order and

[6:18] the first item is the annual exterior

[6:21] permit application fee

[6:26] waiver. Since 2018, we have been um

[6:30] doing this program to give back to

[6:33] our neighborhoods in terms of encourage

[6:36] them to revitalize um the neighborhood

[6:40] and to participate in the

[6:43] exterior work.

[6:45] and to enhance their building. Since

[6:48] 2018, we have seen a lot of success in

[6:50] this

[6:51] program. And I have attached uh some

[6:54] backup documents here. Um during last

[6:57] budget, we have increased the

[6:58] application fee from

[7:01] $56 to $75. So, that's a change there.

[7:06] And we're asking for the same um same

[7:07] program to roll into 2025.

[7:13] And I'm asking for this program to be

[7:15] from June 16th to September 14th. The

[7:19] reason why because I missed the last

[7:21] cycle to bring this to the council. And

[7:24] in 2024, we were able to um give back to

[7:27] our

[7:28] neighborhood homeowner/home at

[7:31] $13,410. That report is attached to your

[7:35] documents here. So once again, I'm

[7:37] asking for the council favorable

[7:39] consideration so that we continue this

[7:41] program.

[7:45] So you mentioned earlier that those

[7:48] program was a success. I would say how

[7:49] would you define success? Well, in terms

[7:52] of the the amount of dollars that people

[7:54] are buying into the program, we look at

[7:56] the dollar amount. Last year was a small

[7:59] year in terms of rolling out and some

[8:02] that we had last year. But overall, you

[8:03] look at the program, they're upward of

[8:06] $20,000 plus each year. So that that's

[8:09] the factor as people are actually

[8:11] planning the program and doing a full

[8:13] permits and taking advantage of this

[8:16] u this incentive that we have to

[8:20] offer.

[8:22] So the one change I would like to make

[8:25] on this area on the back of that. Oh,

[8:28] sorry. Uh, so I don't know if we can

[8:31] recall our conversation last year. A few

[8:33] of my reservations were behind whether

[8:35] this program was an accommodation or is

[8:38] it becoming an expectation and then if

[8:40] it is something that you plan to outline

[8:42] on an annual basis, my point was uh in

[8:45] 2024 to build into the budget. Um, I

[8:49] definitely want to hear more of your

[8:50] continued conversation, but I think

[8:52] taking this into consideration with our

[8:54] recent fee increases, I think it sends a

[8:57] mixed message to code enforcement if

[8:59] we're going to raise the fees, but then

[9:00] in our busiest season

[9:02] provide fee reductions. Um, I would be

[9:06] more in tune with hearing this be done

[9:09] in a portion of the year where work

[9:11] isn't traditionally done, but to me it

[9:13] seems as though we are providing

[9:15] incentives for work that needs to get

[9:17] done. Um, and I was sending sending the

[9:19] wrong message to the residents, but then

[9:21] also in your spreadsheet who was

[9:24] benefiting from this program because I

[9:26] saw a number of blanks, there were

[9:29] people that were from outside of our

[9:31] community. Um, so again, to make sure

[9:35] that Scantadians were fit for the bill

[9:38] and every year we say that it is a

[9:40] budget crisis, uh, I think this is going

[9:42] to be a a challenging year that conflict

[9:45] will be able to overcome. Um, but

[9:47] sincerely, I know $32,000 to some people

[9:50] might not seem like a lot, but when we

[9:52] get to those budget meetings, everything

[9:54] adds up and

[9:55] starts. Well, I I wouldn't say outside

[9:58] of this, anybody own property is

[10:00] connected on occupy or rental unit up to

[10:03] four units. We had increased up to four

[10:06] units, I think, in the last two years, I

[10:08] think. So, because of No, I think what

[10:11] we did said was four units was then

[10:13] commercial, so we kept brought it down

[10:14] to three units. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.

[10:16] So we keep that's how we end up with

[10:18] four units. It's three units and less.

[10:21] Yes.

[10:24] Okay.

[10:26] Oh, I mean people who are buying into

[10:28] this program is own occupy and rental

[10:30] unit. So you own a property in equity.

[10:33] Here's an incentive for you to do

[10:35] something to the especially your rental

[10:37] property to make sure that those those

[10:40] property are in good standard so that

[10:43] renter can um you know live in a in good

[10:48] accommodation I think on your okay so so

[10:53] definitely in support of it and my I

[10:55] guess my only question would be cuz you

[10:57] were saying like the home these are own

[10:59] owner occupied so are we looking to

[11:01] maybe uh change this to where people

[11:05] have primary residence here in the city

[11:07] take advantage of it or because listen

[11:09] to your point kind of like people that

[11:11] live outside of the city of Skenkity um

[11:13] like so if I live in New York City but I

[11:15] own property here then I'm getting to

[11:18] take advantage of this program or is

[11:19] that are we looking to make sure that's

[11:22] just people primary residents here?

[11:24] Well, we we did look at that back then.

[11:26] We we we want to leave out rental

[11:28] property because we want to encourage

[11:29] landlord to bring their property up to

[11:32] code not only in the interior but also

[11:34] the exterior the property so that when

[11:36] tenants are living there they're not

[11:37] living in you know in a deplorable

[11:40] condition you know buildings you know

[11:41] that is not the standard. So that's

[11:43] where we kind of put our own occupied

[11:46] and rental

[11:48] property look at like how the tenants

[11:51] the tent impact I feel like how that can

[11:53] look like as far as

[11:55] like the parameters of it being just if

[11:58] you have this property and you are quote

[12:01] unquote acting as a slum lord. This

[12:04] would be an incentive for you to try to

[12:06] get your property up to so the people

[12:08] that you're renting to don't aren't

[12:10] living in subpar conditions. Yeah, kind

[12:12] of. And is encourage people to enable

[12:14] the revitalization to come. Okay, here

[12:16] is our incentive. You know, we have $75.

[12:18] We have this fun to go through um you

[12:20] know into the next 3 months. This is our

[12:22] incentive giving back to the so the

[12:24] homeowners so that they can beautify

[12:26] their

[12:27] property. You skip that please. Yeah, I

[12:30] think um the time period of June to

[12:32] September is um appropriate because

[12:34] that's when most people because of our

[12:36] seasons here in the Northeast. I mean,

[12:38] that's really the time that people

[12:39] really get to do a lot of work. Um and I

[12:42] think that the program is a really good

[12:44] one because we want to continue to

[12:46] encourage homeowners uh and landlords uh

[12:49] to be keeping their properties in good

[12:51] shape. Um I think it all adds to uh the

[12:55] quality of life in the neighborhoods um

[12:57] across the city. So I definitely support

[12:59] the support the program. Yeah. And we

[13:01] only waving the $75 application fee.

[13:03] They still have to pay for the cost over

[13:05] that whatever that percentage of

[13:07] increase 1% or fixed number and then

[13:11] they have 12 months. So if they were

[13:13] sometime something happened and they're

[13:15] not completing the work within 12

[13:16] months, they will have to to pull the

[13:18] you know renew the permit and they will

[13:20] have to pay the full fee. So it's not

[13:22] like they roll over no fee application

[13:24] at that point in

[13:26] time but just case in point there's

[13:29] still uh impacts to staffing um so the

[13:32] work in no way is subsidized and so uh

[13:35] that higher volume of work is being

[13:38] processed at a portion of what fee is

[13:40] designated for that line. So again I

[13:43] just think it sends a nice message.

[13:47] So going back to the four units, I just

[13:49] want to touch base on that. I think it's

[13:51] three. I can't recall. I think this was

[13:53] changed a couple years ago by somebody

[13:55] else. Originally, we said four, but then

[13:57] we discussed it four if I uh is

[14:00] commercial. It's what we consider

[14:01] commercial at this point. So I see what

[14:03] this says here, but I distinctly

[14:04] remember us moving it down to three

[14:06] because then it's not commercial unit. I

[14:09] don't have a problem doing that.

[14:15] It's not my

[14:17] So I think maybe I don't know maybe

[14:19] corporation council can tell us but

[14:21] should it say one to up to four instead

[14:23] of one to Oh I guess 1 to four is the

[14:25] same as one to three. 1 to three.

[14:29] So we need to change that. Yes.

[14:34] Any other questions? Go ahead please. So

[14:36] because we increased the speed this

[14:38] year, did you uh have an opportunity to

[14:40] calculate the budgetary impact um in

[14:43] terms of what we've done in years past?

[14:45] Yeah, we tried to do that but we don't

[14:47] know how many people going to buy into

[14:48] it. Last year we had 13,000. The year

[14:50] before we had 24,000. It's all about

[14:52] buying in because we don't want to say

[14:53] well we're going to we are looking at

[14:56] $25,000. It might not happen. Mhm. You

[14:58] know the numbers fluctuate years after

[15:01] years. And because there's a a fee

[15:04] increase, is there uh any thought

[15:06] towards maybe shortening the length of

[15:08] time? So what was said is that you know

[15:11] this is the building period from June to

[15:13] September. Uh however, we're giving them

[15:15] 12 months. So really extends out past

[15:18] September. So we want to consider giving

[15:20] them 6 months and that really makes sure

[15:22] that they have to get the work done

[15:24] because I know our standard process is

[15:26] when they have to pay they get 12 months

[15:28] but in this case there's no payment.

[15:30] Interesting. And so can we, you know,

[15:32] shorten that time frame in consideration

[15:34] of our entries and deeds? Yeah, we did

[15:36] have 6 months prior there, but change

[15:39] recently because the city codes clearly

[15:41] say that permit is valid for 12 months

[15:43] and not 6 months. So even though this is

[15:46] a specialized program, you still have to

[15:47] stick with that. Yes, I had to change it

[15:49] back to change it to 12 months.

[15:53] Mr. Ryan, is there no way we can go

[15:55] outside of that?

[15:57] [Music]

[16:00] The trouble is that if this is an

[16:01] ordinance, the only way to amend an

[16:03] ordinance is to go through a public

[16:04] hearing and amend all. Okay? And this is

[16:06] just a a short-term program. So you're

[16:08] doing it by resolution. You're not

[16:11] changing the the framework of the

[16:13] parameters. So we have to go with 12

[16:15] months.

[16:17] Yeah. Prior years we had it 6 months and

[16:19] then we were told by corporation council

[16:21] we can't I'm just trying to figure out

[16:23] the budgetary impact because we did

[16:25] increase the fees.

[16:28] Go ahead please. So my last comment is

[16:30] again the intent is to have this be

[16:32] ongoing. I would actually want to

[16:34] identify like metrics and ensure that we

[16:36] are advertising this to the community.

[16:38] This is truly a a benefit. Um but then

[16:41] also I recommend maybe having a rolling

[16:43] average and then we anticipate that. I

[16:45] wouldn't agree with not budgeting

[16:47] because we don't know how much it'll be.

[16:48] I think it's better to have something

[16:51] that we have designated just so as we're

[16:53] making these considerations in November,

[16:55] it is a better better discussion. I I

[16:59] I've taken notes here. So we'll we'll

[17:00] discuss that in our budget and just talk

[17:03] to the mayor and the finance staff to

[17:05] incorporate a line and we can just

[17:08] attach a

[17:09] number an

[17:11] estimate based on this

[17:16] year's gift. Any other

[17:20] question? So, a couple changes we're

[17:23] going to bring back down to three

[17:25] units and we have to stick with the um

[17:29] the 12 months. So, I have a motion to

[17:31] move this forward. So, move second.

[17:35] I'm going to second it. All in favor?

[17:38] Thank

[17:39] you. The ne the next item

[17:43] is funding support for Belmont Pop

[17:46] Warner program. Mr. Par. Thank you, Mr.

[17:48] Chairman. I brought this uh to us in our

[17:51] last committee meeting. Um the Belmont

[17:53] Pop winner uh football reached out um

[17:56] looking for support for funding for

[17:58] their youth programs. Um obviously a

[18:01] strong uh supporter of all that Belmont

[18:04] has to offer. Uh especially um you know

[18:07] now I'm hearing about their new steps to

[18:10] be even more inclusive around flag

[18:12] football including girls. Um Belmont

[18:15] isn't just a a football program. is

[18:18] definitely a youth mentorship program

[18:20] that serves our community um and serves

[18:23] some of our youth that are at the most

[18:25] high risk youth um and really has been

[18:29] doing this making this great impact with

[18:31] little to no institutional support. Um

[18:35] as we were here at the committee meeting

[18:36] there were some questions to me posing

[18:38] me around like if has Belmont went to

[18:40] the school district. um they're here to

[18:43] elaborate a little bit more on that, but

[18:45] um to my understanding after speaking

[18:47] with the representative Belmont that

[18:49] they do partner with the school

[18:50] district, but the partnership with the

[18:52] school district um is the school

[18:54] district has

[18:55] uh I think renovated the field of $8

[18:58] million into renovations of the field

[19:00] and they allow Belmont to uh the use of

[19:03] that field as well as when Belmont are

[19:06] doing some other fundraisers, the school

[19:07] district will use their network to uh

[19:10] get that information out to the larger

[19:11] community. Um however um uh that's been

[19:15] the contribution of the school district.

[19:17] The other question was again how they

[19:19] have been uh surviving thus far and I

[19:22] think that that's the right word to use

[19:24] to survive. um hopefully we can help

[19:25] them thrive um through our actions, but

[19:27] it's really been through grassroots

[19:29] efforts um fundraising, even coaches,

[19:32] volunteers, people coming out of their

[19:34] own pocket um to make sure that uh youth

[19:36] have the opportunity to take advantage

[19:38] of this program and all the protective

[19:39] factors that it has to offer. Um so I do

[19:42] have uh you can see both my

[19:44] representatives are in the room today.

[19:45] Um uh Councilwoman Duro said that she'd

[19:48] like to hear um directly from them. So,

[19:50] I thought that that was a great idea and

[19:51] they're here to speak to uh any

[19:53] questions that that council has. Is

[19:56] there a representative that's here to

[19:57] speak?

[19:59] Mr. K. Can you

[20:04] please hold it or

[20:10] any questions?

[20:13] Well, those questions.

[20:16] Um the way we've been receiving funding

[20:19] as uh 2017 when I took over as vice

[20:24] president, it's just community

[20:28] um

[20:30] Moakonda. They they've been a a great

[20:33] len over the years. other than that

[20:36] people, families,

[20:39] um not a lot of huge sponsorships from

[20:42] the corporations. Stos was and still

[20:47] does um give us hot dogs, ice cream,

[20:50] juices for our hot dog day, which is our

[20:53] last sign up of the season usually. Um

[20:57] other than

[20:58] that, we're making it through. when I

[21:00] first took over in um 2017, I sat in a

[21:04] meeting with um coach Carpalo and Mr.

[21:08] George Rose and my question to them was

[21:11] after they asked me to be president. I

[21:14] said, "How much would it be for the

[21:15] season?" Um at the time, Mr. M uh Mr.

[21:18] Paulo looked at me and said probably

[21:19] about

[21:21] 40,000. In that moment, we were $7,000

[21:24] in the hole as well. We owe for jerseys

[21:27] um the year before banquet. So coming in

[21:30] it was like,

[21:31] uhoh, I don't know how we're going to do

[21:33] it, but if we just put one foot in front

[21:34] of the other, we'll make it happen. So

[21:37] 2025, you know, I'm standing here in

[21:39] front of you guys. If you'd like to

[21:41] help, we're here. If not, we're going to

[21:43] make it

[21:44] happen. My question is, so I appreciate

[21:47] the fact that you guys survived and I

[21:49] think that that's a testament to how

[21:52] strong the strength program. nothing

[21:54] lasts this long without institutional

[21:55] support without having a real impact and

[21:57] people recognizing that. Um, but can you

[22:00] speak to a little bit to like what does,

[22:02] you know, Belmont mean to the to the

[22:04] large community and especially some of

[22:06] the youth that you guys are serving?

[22:08] If he's okay with speaking, I would like

[22:10] to hand the mic off to somebody that can

[22:12] tell you exactly how this has affected

[22:15] their life. I'm good.

[22:20] Yeah. So, I'm Norman Booth. Uh I grew up

[22:22] through Pop Warner and I've lived in

[22:24] Mount Pleasant uh my whole life. Um I'm

[22:26] 21 years old and I just graduated uh

[22:29] Utica University. Um and that's something that I feel like

[22:40] I can truly say that I would not be

[22:42] where I am today without Belmont Paborn.

[22:45] So as you all know, you know, this is our future. Uh, these young men

[22:49] are our future and and they always told

[22:52] me time flies and I never thought that

[22:54] I'd be thinking about rent and all of

[22:57] this stuff, you know, and and these are

[22:59] things that I told from he's he's been

[23:02] like there around my whole life and with

[23:04] his children, you know, and and Belma

[23:06] Puna gave me something to look forward

[23:08] to after school. gave me a reason to

[23:10] progress in school because not only was

[23:12] I held to a standard because of my

[23:14] professors, my teachers, I was held to a

[23:16] higher standard because my coaches

[23:18] depend on. And you know these this gives

[23:20] our our youth a purpose. It gives our

[23:23] youth something to to keep going. You

[23:25] know, and there's so many things that

[23:27] you can get into that are not positive.

[23:29] Especially in this world, there are so

[23:30] many things that divide us. And football

[23:32] is the one thing that brings us all

[23:33] together. And you know, these

[23:35] children one day they'll be running the

[23:37] world. and what will they have to look

[23:39] back on in their in their childhood, you

[23:41] know, and and who would they be able to

[23:42] call their brothers and and football and

[23:45] Belmont Warner gives them that? And you

[23:47] know, this is like my greatest memories

[23:49] are from, you know, traveling and and

[23:52] doing all this with my team and and just

[23:55] all of the stuff that Belmont brings uh

[23:57] to to a young man and and now young

[23:59] women's life, you know, and and I'm just

[24:02] extremely grateful that I I got to meet

[24:03] some of the greatest people ever, you

[24:05] know, and that doesn't always mean

[24:07] money. That means spirit. And so, and

[24:10] that's what Belmont has always taught.

[24:11] And and that's the foundation of of this

[24:14] city. I I believe in my heart that B my

[24:17] paw is one of the greatest things to

[24:19] ever happen in in my life. Um you know

[24:23] I'm very thankful for you guys giving us

[24:25] the opportunity to have a voice. Um

[24:27] because it's something that we really

[24:29] need in in a world like this today is is

[24:31] we need representation and and build my

[24:34] pap got us to a place where the city is

[24:36] hearing us and and and I think that this

[24:41] uh is very important for us to really

[24:44] not overlook because when this when when this is all said and done what will

[24:49] we have you know and and these this is

[24:52] our answer. This is our answer. These

[24:53] youth is our answer. So, you know, this

[24:55] is very important for us to to to invest

[24:58] in it now before it's too late.

[25:01] And that's that's all I got. Thank you

[25:03] guys.

[25:14] I um I had the pleasure of watching him

[25:16] grow up, watching him lose family

[25:19] members and having just this program to

[25:21] depend on um family members being his

[25:24] mother.

[25:29] So any other question? Go ahead, please.

[25:32] You mentioned before that you had

[25:33] corporate sponsors. You mentioned one

[25:35] name in particular. So, um, how is that

[25:37] going this year in terms of your

[25:38] corporate sponsors? Uh, the ask, as I

[25:40] understand it, was 47,000. Yes. So, the ask is 47,000. Um, which would cover

[25:46] the entire program. Does that include uh

[25:49] adding young women to it? Young girls as

[25:51] well. All right. So, um, are you again

[25:54] seeking corporate sponsors this year?

[25:57] that I if you guys were to sponsor us, I

[26:00] would say we would hold off on that

[26:02] until playoff time cuz so past two years

[26:06] um all padded level teams have made the

[26:09] Super

[26:10] Bowl. Three out of five and then five

[26:13] out of seven have won the Super Bowls

[26:15] locally. After that, we got to go to

[26:17] regionals, which is anywhere from

[26:19] Maryland to Jersey to or traveling.

[26:23] after regionals is nationals, which is

[26:27] Florida. Now, they just moved into North

[26:29] Carolina, so getting a team of 35 kids

[26:33] in North Carolina should be fun um to

[26:36] say the least. So, it seems like the

[26:40] well, it is the ask itself is to fully

[26:43] fund the program to get uh all the all

[26:45] of the participants through the season

[26:47] through the through the local the

[26:49] capital district, right? Capital

[26:50] district season. If you guys keep

[26:52] winning and doing the things that you're

[26:53] doing, then that there's more cost that

[26:57] can come after that. So, seeking

[26:59] corporate sponsorships and still doing

[27:01] the things that you guys are doing to

[27:03] sustain will still be something that you

[27:05] need to do in order to sustain in case

[27:07] that you guys go on past the season.

[27:09] Absolutely. Okay. And

[27:11] um president,

[27:13] so um first of all, I just want to

[27:15] apologize for being late. I got out of

[27:16] work and then I had an issue on stuff

[27:18] like that. So, I was doing a lot. Um,

[27:20] but I just want to say that like yes,

[27:21] for corporate sponsorships, we are

[27:23] always seeking funding from any sources

[27:25] that are available. Whether it's

[27:27] business sponsorships, whether it's

[27:28] local entities, whether it's

[27:30] fundraising, like we'll get out and

[27:31] we'll do things like we're working on

[27:33] car washes, we've done fishing

[27:34] tournaments, we've done everything you

[27:36] name it. Concession stands, we do

[27:37] raffles, like you name it. And we're

[27:39] always looking for different things. The

[27:40] main thing that we're always trying to

[27:42] help as far as funding is concerned is

[27:43] kids that are less fortunate, that are

[27:45] having a hard time, families that aren't

[27:46] able to actually pay the registration

[27:48] fee. The registration fee is only $200,

[27:50] but it doesn't even cover a fraction of

[27:51] what's really the cost for each child to

[27:54] participate. Helmets alone are $250 a

[27:57] piece. Shoulder pads are about $75.

[27:59] Uniform set is $100. So, that's well

[28:02] exceeding what the cost of registration

[28:03] is, which we're intentionally keeping

[28:05] lower than a lot of the other part a lot

[28:06] of the programs in the area and outside

[28:08] of the area in order to accommodate our

[28:10] families. But also, there's a lot of

[28:12] like um financial insecurity around

[28:16] coming through and asking for that type

[28:17] of thing. So, if we can open the gates

[28:19] and let people know that we can actually

[28:20] step up and provide that for them, then

[28:22] it's going to allow more kids to come

[28:24] through. And then there's also a lot of

[28:25] kids that come by and then we let them

[28:27] know like, hey, listen, this is what the

[28:28] registration fee is. And then there's

[28:29] some hesitancy. And then when we try to

[28:30] reach out, but people get weary about

[28:32] asking for things too. And like we want

[28:34] to be able to provide that for our

[28:36] community. Like we're serving over 200

[28:38] kids every single season. Somebody said

[28:39] something about young ladies. We have

[28:41] girls flag football. We have two girls

[28:43] flag football teams. We spearheaded it

[28:44] when we first popped off girls flag

[28:46] football in the capital region. We had

[28:48] the first teams. We also just won

[28:49] championship games. Both of our girls

[28:51] just won it this year, too. Very

[28:53] successful. Uh we have a whole

[28:55] cheerleading program that's been very

[28:56] successful over the years, too. So,

[28:58] we're serving over 60 girls, too,

[29:00] between flag football and cheerleading.

[29:02] So, it's not just a boy sport. We have

[29:04] um over 200 football players. Like,

[29:07] we're we're doing a lot with a lot of

[29:09] kids. I see a lot of other youth

[29:10] programs in the city as well, but I

[29:13] challenge any program to say that they

[29:15] have as many kids as we do within the

[29:17] community. And we have a lot more that

[29:18] want to participate, but due to those

[29:20] financial insecurities usually don't.

[29:22] So, I just want to be able to present

[29:24] them with the opportunity to do that.

[29:25] And we will continue to seek sources of

[29:27] funding wherever wherever we can. I

[29:29] mean, we've been operating since the

[29:31] 1970s on a shoestring budget. Like I

[29:34] mean when I tell you like I I know

[29:36] coaches that have personally come out of

[29:37] their pocket to pay registration fees

[29:39] for kids. And it's not that we don't

[29:40] care to do that cuz we will and we'll

[29:42] continue to do that and we'll continue

[29:43] to do whatever we need to do year in and

[29:45] year out with or without you know

[29:47] financial support from whatever places

[29:49] we need to get it from. But I'm just you

[29:51] know it would mean a lot to us and it

[29:53] would mean a lot to the kids and to the

[29:54] community for you all to you know really

[29:57] take this into consideration and do what

[29:58] you can to help our kids out. So we

[30:00] appreciate that.

[30:03] Go ahead, please. So, this is a question

[30:04] I asked when you weren't here. Someone

[30:06] asked whether you are here. Uh, it was

[30:08] spoken to by Mr. Farley, but I'd like to

[30:10] hear it from you. Um, so I firmly

[30:12] believe that we invest in ourselves.

[30:14] Just believe in that. And, um, you ask

[30:16] what you need, but you also give your

[30:18] own personal investment because people

[30:19] say, "Hey, we're investing ourselves."

[30:21] So, I just want to know the level of the

[30:22] investment from um, parents, guardians,

[30:24] or whatever in in terms of this program.

[30:27] Yeah. So, um, our parents are the the

[30:29] heart of the program. I mean, you'll see

[30:31] some of our parents are here right now.

[30:33] Not everybody can make it. We have a lot

[30:34] going on cuz our kids are also involved

[30:36] in different sports and extracurricular

[30:37] activities and we try to keep them as

[30:38] busy as possible. But like we're all

[30:41] even when we're not, we're uncles and

[30:42] we're aunts and we're family members to

[30:44] kids that are not our kids, right? Like

[30:46] every kid in this room, we all have all

[30:48] the adults have attachments to them and

[30:50] every adult that's within our program

[30:51] has attachments. They're car pooling.

[30:53] They're covering food and snacks and

[30:55] things like that or they're getting

[30:56] hotel rooms when we have to go out of

[30:57] town to be able to do that and give kids

[30:59] experiences that they're not normally

[31:00] getting whether it's in sports or

[31:02] outside of sports. And not only sports,

[31:04] we're encouraging academic success.

[31:05] We're encouraging behavioral success.

[31:07] We're encouraging doing the right thing

[31:09] and being a good person first and

[31:10] foremost and a part of your community.

[31:11] And we try to model those things as

[31:13] well. Like we try to show each other,

[31:15] you know, love and support. And we work

[31:16] through our differences and things like

[31:17] that. And we try to model those

[31:19] consistencies in front of the kids. So,

[31:21] um, yeah, with the parents and the and

[31:22] the families and the adults that are

[31:24] within the program. They're the heart of

[31:25] the program. They're the reason that

[31:26] we're able to continue. And it's

[31:27] literally been like that since we were

[31:29] kids. Most of the adults that you see in

[31:31] here are part of this program since we

[31:32] were kids. And there were adults that

[31:34] did those things for us. And that's why

[31:36] we're on the front lines now doing the

[31:38] same things for the kids that we have in

[31:39] our community because that's what's

[31:40] important to us. So, somebody did it for

[31:42] us. We're trying to do it again. Thank

[31:44] you.

[31:46] Any other

[31:48] questions? two ideas. U Mr. Farmer

[31:51] states that um he just said he says, you

[31:54] know, Belmont popcorner is high-risisk

[31:57] youth. Um what makes them like to know

[32:02] exactly what makes them more high-risisk

[32:04] than any other youth organization maybe

[32:05] here in our city or any city. Um

[32:09] you know, I could speak to that. Yes,

[32:10] sir. Well, I'm asking him at this

[32:12] moment. Well, I can I can ask why I said

[32:15] that. So, if you ask why I said Yeah.

[32:17] Um, well, so I can tell you I work in

[32:19] the school district as well. I work at

[32:20] Mount Pleasant Middle School and I've

[32:22] worked in a number of different schools

[32:23] and I've worked with these kids directly

[32:25] for years now and I I am aware of most

[32:28] of the other programs, but I'm also not

[32:29] entirely aware of what their dynamics

[32:31] are. So, I can mostly just speak to our

[32:34] program, but what I can speak to is kids

[32:36] that I know that have been a part of

[32:37] this program that have either stopped

[32:39] being a part of it or moved away or were

[32:42] no longer a part of it. I've seen have

[32:44] issues with end up getting in trouble

[32:46] with the law. Some of our children have

[32:48] gone out and been murdered, things of

[32:50] that nature. And also, they're

[32:52] constantly in dire need. As I work as a

[32:55] community school member or community

[32:56] school coordinator for Mount Pleasant, I

[32:58] provide resources and connect resources

[33:00] to families and needs and things like

[33:01] that. And our families are always on the

[33:03] list always. They're struggling with

[33:06] housing, they're struggling with food,

[33:07] they're struggling with a number of

[33:09] different things that are going on. So

[33:10] when we're talking about how do I or

[33:12] what makes me know that they're at risk,

[33:13] the data also shows too, we have data

[33:15] that shows what their incomes are in

[33:17] their family households and they're far

[33:18] below the poverty line on average. So

[33:20] like just um there's a number of

[33:22] different things I can speak to and the

[33:24] experiences that we've had with the kids

[33:25] that have been like would would really

[33:27] tug on your heartstrings if I was to be

[33:28] honest with you that I don't necessarily

[33:30] have to speak on. You don't have to. I

[33:31] mean I'm just saying I'm sure it's it

[33:33] overlaps into other areas of youth

[33:35] sports as well. And if I could so just

[33:39] to provide a little thank you for that

[33:40] and provide a little more clarity to

[33:42] what I'm saying. One of the reasons why

[33:44] that makes um uh kids that are involved

[33:46] in a program like Belmont higher risk

[33:48] has been the lack of institutional

[33:49] investment in Belmont. So, and so when

[33:52] you say higher risk, that means high not

[33:54] high risk of only you know some of the

[33:56] um you know things that we've talked

[33:58] about like the you know incarceration

[34:00] and literal murder and things like that kids have been experiencing but

[34:03] also they're at a higher risk not to

[34:06] have an exposure to opportunities like

[34:08] traveling and ongoing mentorship and

[34:11] things like that directly because

[34:14] Belmont has had to operate on that shoe

[34:16] budget and the community support. So

[34:18] that's why we have an opportunity here

[34:20] to directly impact that by making sure

[34:22] we surprise them provide some

[34:23] institutional support.

[34:26] Absolutely. And um you know what you're

[34:28] saying to be honest with you like the main thing is um a lot of the kids

[34:33] that are even at the highest level of

[34:34] risk are the ones that we're missing out

[34:36] on right now that would love to

[34:37] participate. Like I said, I've worked in

[34:39] the school. I've worked in elementary

[34:40] school and middle school. Kids are

[34:41] telling me all the time they want to

[34:43] play. And then when I reach out to

[34:44] parents and a conversation is even

[34:46] mentioned about there's a registration

[34:48] or a cost associated with it. The

[34:50] conversation stops and it's not through

[34:52] the desire of the kid falling off. The

[34:54] kid wants to play and often times a

[34:56] parent wants them to play but the means

[34:58] aren't there and and that just makes it

[34:59] difficult and I just for I you know and

[35:02] my board could get frustrated in me at

[35:04] times because I we have these

[35:05] conversations. I never turn a kid away

[35:07] for money. That's 100% I don't I won't

[35:09] we we won't we will do whatever we have

[35:11] to do to make sure that a kid is going

[35:13] to play whether they have the money or

[35:14] not. But there also takes a certain

[35:16] level of parent followrough that was in

[35:18] the the system for us to get them

[35:19] actually registered and get their

[35:20] paperwork in and everything like that.

[35:22] Sometimes that conversation is a stance

[35:23] that when money is brought

[35:27] up I have a question for you. Are you

[35:29] aware of uh we have a CDBG program. Are

[35:32] you aware of that? The yearly CDBG

[35:34] program. said CDBG. CDBG, community

[35:36] development black grant. I'm not

[35:38] familiar with that number. We can um put

[35:41] them in contact with Miss Carver to see

[35:43] next year, you know, something down the

[35:46] line. Certainly, I think to become

[35:47] permanent in the future. Yeah, that

[35:49] Yeah, thank you for that. I think that's

[35:51] important that yes, we can help them

[35:54] moving forward to go through that

[35:55] process. Um I don't think that it will

[35:57] be either or though I want to be clear

[35:59] that you know we still have opportunity

[36:01] to support them now and then looking to

[36:03] the future. Um I think uh Miss Patrick

[36:05] brought up a good point uh in our last

[36:07] committee meeting was like you know in

[36:09] the future how do we uh um

[36:11] operationalize this so much so that it

[36:14] might not just be one or two youth

[36:15] agencies looking out. I think that I

[36:17] welcome us to revisit um that process as

[36:20] a council. However, the ask right now is

[36:22] on the table. Um, and these young people

[36:24] need our support now and then we can

[36:26] look at what, you know, what the future

[36:28] holds as well. Yeah. So, we'll

[36:30] definitely uh put you in contact with

[36:31] Miss Carver to pay, you know, future

[36:33] funding and see if that CDBG can

[36:35] accommodate you in the future.

[36:38] Appreciate that. Andy, you had a

[36:40] question. Go ahead, please. So, not

[36:41] necessarily a question, more of a

[36:42] comment. As I look around the room and

[36:44] see these young men, definitely I remind

[36:46] myself remind myself of me. And then I I

[36:48] think about where would I be if I didn't

[36:50] have that sense of community that you've

[36:52] all provided for them. I look at your

[36:54] shirt right there and it doesn't say

[36:56] Mohawk Belmont. It says connectity

[36:58] Belmont. So I do not think you are here

[37:00] asking for anything. That name on your

[37:02] chest, you are here as a partner. And if

[37:05] you are functioning in this city and you

[37:06] are identifying a need, that is nothing

[37:09] to say that the needs of other youth are

[37:11] any less than or saying it's different.

[37:13] And if you're highlighting that they're

[37:16] less fortunate and I imagine some of

[37:17] your parents aren't here because they're

[37:18] still working or there's child care

[37:20] issues. Um my two young ones are at home

[37:22] right now. Uh and there are there are

[37:26] things that that that certain families

[37:28] have to accommodate that others don't.

[37:30] And I think when we um talk about um

[37:34] like comparing our upbringing and our

[37:36] experiences and I think that gets away

[37:38] from the true point of you presented

[37:40] yourselves with an ask and you shouldn't

[37:42] be penalized because other programs have

[37:44] not. Um so I am here to say we figure

[37:47] out how to meet this ask. Um I recognize

[37:50] that this is a collective discussion and

[37:51] although other individuals around this

[37:53] table might not feel comfortable with

[37:54] that. I think we need to get close.

[37:56] Actually, no. I do not think we need to

[37:58] get close because as we have police

[38:00] officers here in this room, there are

[38:01] other t tangibles that giving these

[38:03] young men and young women something

[38:05] positive to do. It not only uh uh it not

[38:08] only protects their idol time and now

[38:11] you are then providing them that sense

[38:13] of community and ownership in this

[38:15] program where they're the ones coming

[38:16] back investing into this and you give

[38:18] people reason to stay in the city of

[38:19] Snickly and not feel like they have to

[38:21] leave. Um so with that I I I definitely

[38:24] think it is a challenge. It is a

[38:26] difficult conversation whenever we talk

[38:27] about money, but if you expect me to sit

[38:29] in a conversation where we are making

[38:31] considerations for homeowners to a tune

[38:34] of 17,000 in 2022, 23,000 in 2023, and

[38:38] 13,000 in 2024, I see all that as

[38:41] potential money that could have went to

[38:42] this program. And that is not to say

[38:45] that the issues and and needs of

[38:47] homeowners are less than our youth. But

[38:50] as you just heard from this young man,

[38:51] if we do not invest in them now, when

[38:53] you

[38:55] can say something,

[39:01] no problem.

[39:04] I feel like Belmont is a beacon of light

[39:06] for a bunch of the underserved children.

[39:10] They need that help. I'm a father. I'm a

[39:14] family of

[39:15] six. I come out of my own pocket for

[39:18] kids. I don't have it like that. But for

[39:20] them to play, I do that. I feel like we

[39:23] got to take this serious. Last meeting

[39:26] you guys were in here discussing,

[39:28] talking about the Blue Jays. The Blue

[39:29] Jays have three

[39:31] fields. We don't have a

[39:33] field to even practice on, let alone.

[39:37] You're talking about cricket. I don't

[39:39] know anybody who plays cricket or even

[39:41] at a national level playing cricket

[39:44] respectfully. It has nothing to do with

[39:46] anybody. But if there's a means for them

[39:48] to have this, we came here before when

[39:50] we were going to Florida. We got $100

[39:52] from you guys. No, that was personal

[39:54] donation. That was a personal donation.

[39:57] Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Sorry, Dad.

[40:00] Appreciate Appreciate you. But if you

[40:02] don't want my help, we appreciate it. I

[40:05] appreciate it. But we got more help

[40:07] outside of the county and outside of the

[40:10] city. And what are we what is the

[40:12] message we're sending to the youth if

[40:14] we're doing

[40:15] that? They mean nothing. I want you all

[40:18] right now to look in their face and tell

[40:19] them they mean nothing. If that's what

[40:20] it

[40:22] is, come on. We got to do better.

[40:24] Skenctity has to do better. I love

[40:26] Skenctity, but I'm eventually going to

[40:28] move out if there's no help.

[40:31] I can't do it all by myself. We can't

[40:33] all do it by ourselves. We can't. We

[40:35] need help. This is the ask right now.

[40:36] That's all I want to say. Sorry about

[40:38] that.

[40:40] Okay. I al I also wanted to say on

[40:44] that besides, you know, what you're

[40:46] hearing from people here today um which

[40:48] are multiple compelling extremely

[40:51] compelling reasons. um as far as uh like

[40:54] what we're looking at this as a cost

[40:57] where we should be looking at this as an

[40:58] investment because the research will it's pretty clear that uh this type

[41:05] of investment um that dollar circuits a

[41:08] community four times more than other

[41:09] dollars before they end up leaving the

[41:11] community. Then you also have to look at

[41:13] that these are protective factors for

[41:15] youth um who otherwise might have that

[41:18] idle time. And then we start to save on

[41:20] our public safety dollars and and and uh our police and fire um our other

[41:29] community agencies that are uh uh

[41:31] service providers. We start to save on

[41:33] that resource because Belmont again is

[41:36] not just about throwing a football back

[41:37] and forth. This is with the most organic

[41:40] um level of youth and mentorship and

[41:42] family and community building. One of

[41:44] the best examples that we have in our

[41:46] community. So just also we should

[41:49] recognize that as well. Thank you, Mr.

[41:50] Chair. Go ahead, please. Um I just have

[41:52] a question for Mr. Farley. Where um

[41:55] would you get the money from the budget?

[41:57] So we have So well we have first I

[42:01] definitely open that up to the council.

[42:02] you know that's not a decision I can

[42:03] make unilaterally but if it was I would

[42:06] certainly uh say that um let's look at

[42:08] you know what is uh left in our ARPA

[42:11] funds and if I would draw the attention

[42:12] back to our committee meetings that we

[42:15] had where I was adamant adamant adamant

[42:19] about let's make sure that we are

[42:21] funding our youth services line more

[42:23] than what it is I it was at the time was

[42:26] $150,000 and I pleaded with the council

[42:30] to make that to to bump that to

[42:33] $300,000. So therefore, things like this

[42:36] when people come come to us with a

[42:38] proven product, a proven track record,

[42:40] build a community um inside of our city

[42:43] and keeping our youth safe that we could

[42:45] provide them with the support we need.

[42:47] So where I would see us uh you know, we

[42:49] have a couple options um I believe um

[42:52] that are on the table now. Um, and I

[42:55] still, and me personally, I wouldn't be

[42:57] uh against even looking at our general

[42:59] fund to uh to make sure that we give the

[43:02] youth what they need. So, did you have

[43:05] any other uh anyone else have any uh

[43:07] options around where we could get this

[43:09] funding from?

[43:11] We did a Sorry. We did talk about the

[43:13] $150,000 line in the budget. And then we

[43:16] talked about 108,000. Mhm. Uh it was um

[43:20] we did an amendment um late last year

[43:23] that is with Koko House and then we have

[43:27] that the budget um available budget from

[43:30] the um the safety foundation in your

[43:34] package areas of the $19,000 each and

[43:36] the police and fire. It is my

[43:38] understanding that these funds are going

[43:40] to be utilized 150 and 108. Is that

[43:42] correct?

[43:45] It's for the youth program this year.

[43:47] which would like the 150,000 in in our

[43:51] budget and the one lady that we set

[43:53] aside under co house correct that uh

[43:58] meeting with uh kids in the school

[44:01] district I think next Monday to do the

[44:03] formal hiring for the summer so that at

[44:06] that point we'll know how many kids that

[44:08] we're going to be able to bring on board

[44:10] and how much of that money would be

[44:13] committed over the summer.

[44:16] the public safety foundation. Those

[44:19] funds, there's uh 37

[44:22] $38,000 that are listed is

[44:25] uncommitted at this point, but that

[44:28] funds the

[44:31] uh 518 uh summer program in the parks.

[44:36] Uh it does the uh Halloween parade

[44:42] through the city. Uh, and if you haven't

[44:44] participated in that, I would encourage

[44:46] you to do it. I'm really surprised the

[44:48] number of people that come

[44:49] out to that. So, that money is largely

[44:53] going to be committed for community

[44:57] engagement through the police and fire

[44:59] department and it's targeted toward

[45:01] youth in terms of existing activities.

[45:05] And the other ones is again I'll know

[45:08] after next Monday what our commitment

[45:11] would be during the summer and what

[45:12] would be possibly left over from that.

[45:15] But uh Mr. Mosaic is trying to staff

[45:18] that up to the budgeted amount. And

[45:22] you're speaking of both lines the

[45:24] 150,000 plus the 108. Yes. Well, now you

[45:27] talk about the ones from Cocoa House,

[45:31] the some in Cocoa House, which I'm not

[45:37] fully aware of what the level of

[45:38] expenditure has been on those. Right.

[45:41] So, Morhead, that was my question about

[45:44] the coal house. Um, and I think we

[45:45] should check with Miss Carver as to

[45:47] where we are with that. The further

[45:49] question really around that is

[45:51] um and I'm not sure if we can do at this

[45:53] point. We would have to because we went

[45:55] to the budget to see what it says. It

[45:56] said youth employment. So we'd have to

[45:58] look to see if we could change that

[45:59] description in order for it to to cover

[46:02] this. Um so as as the mayor said the

[46:06] what's he uh we got an email saying that

[46:08] it's been expended in terms of the

[46:10] police and fire and Mr. Ma in

[46:13] discussions with him uh did say that

[46:15] he's really looking to expend the 150.

[46:18] So at this point in time outside the the

[46:20] general budget looks like the 108 the

[46:23] only place we can look at this moment.

[46:27] So so how can we get that can we get

[46:29] that from this

[46:30] car in terms of spend against the plan?

[46:41] Yeah tomorrow discuss where we sit.

[46:45] Okay.

[46:48] And that's towards the one we

[46:51] correct. Go ahead. I just want to

[46:53] support that the $150,000 u Mr. MC has

[46:56] already done his interviews. I think

[46:58] he's looking at 42 youth who actually

[47:00] then have paid summer employment. Um, so

[47:03] that money is directly going um to

[47:06] support, you know, make sure that those youth are um viably employed,

[47:12] learning job skills, um assisting us

[47:15] with our recreational program for the

[47:17] summer. Um, and it also will keep them

[47:20] um you know, engaged and involved um

[47:22] outside of their school. You know, it's

[47:24] summer, so they'll be working um I think

[47:27] most of the day.

[47:30] But the 108 I do want to say I I would

[47:32] be supportive of using uh money from

[47:35] Yeah. Let's find out what is available

[47:36] against that line and then go ahead. So

[47:39] the the $150,000 that's now marked under

[47:42] our youth employment line um is uh that

[47:46] was the line that I was um again asking

[47:49] the council to increase during our

[47:50] budget for specifically this reason. I

[47:54] know what that that program line is is

[47:56] because you know I was the person who

[47:58] introduced that and when I introduced it

[48:00] then it was supposed to be a a pilot. So

[48:03] we were going to look at you know the

[48:05] success of it and then look to expand

[48:07] it. um the one the first year uh uh well

[48:11] I should not to speak to the first year

[48:12] but last year we didn't use um the

[48:16] entire $150,000 in the budget and that

[48:19] was the justification for not at the

[48:21] time of budget conversations of not

[48:22] adding to the budget and at the time I

[48:26] brought to the council to say that the

[48:28] money though the money not being spent

[48:31] it's not because the need isn't there

[48:33] that was our own internal um thing that

[48:35] we would have to address as far as the

[48:36] processes go and now it seems like that

[48:38] is being addressed and like I said now

[48:41] this is going to be expended. So I don't

[48:43] want it to feel like we are trying to

[48:45] pit one program against another. We

[48:47] amend budgets all the time. We make

[48:50] amendments all the time here. So this is

[48:52] another opportunity. If indeed that

[48:54] money um the line that you're

[48:56] identifying if it's not enough money

[48:58] there to support this then I would urge

[49:00] the council to yeah let's put our heads

[49:01] together and look at like how we might

[49:03] have to amend this budget so we can

[49:04] support our youth and not just say it.

[49:09] Yeah. So my sentiment is exactly Mr.

[49:12] Farley that you did advocate for that

[49:13] last year and that we need to look at

[49:15] that moving forward. Absolutely. I think

[49:18] you had requested from every council

[49:20] member. I was the only one that voted

[49:22] against it. Whatever came back to the uh

[49:25] from ARPA would go to that line and I

[49:28] think uh everyone agreed to that um

[49:31] except me. I wanted to see what would

[49:34] come back and where we might need it as

[49:35] well. But moving forward, we really need

[49:37] to to support our youth uh here in the

[49:40] city. Um I just want to say that when my

[49:42] girls played soccer, I personally

[49:44] couldn't afford the registration fee for

[49:46] all three um on the travel league. So I

[49:50] became the registar and was working with

[49:52] Mr. and uh everyone involved in the

[49:55] league till 11:12 at night registering

[49:58] hundreds of kids to play soccer. So I

[50:00] know what the struggle is. um is just

[50:02] that there are a lot of youth programs

[50:05] in the city um that are struggling and I

[50:07] would like for each one of them uh to

[50:09] have the same opportunity uh to come and

[50:12] present itself. Maybe they didn't know

[50:14] it was possible. I don't even know if

[50:16] there's going to be any money to uh to

[50:18] fund these. Uh but I think uh every

[50:20] organization should have uh be able to

[50:23] come and present themselves to us.

[50:25] Absolutely. I agree and I agree with

[50:28] that point. But I would be really

[50:29] careful how we how we frame that because

[50:32] when you say I would like for other

[50:34] youth programs to have the opportunity,

[50:37] they absolutely do. They did before

[50:40] Belmont did. Right. Right. They they all

[50:42] have. So we just don't want to make it

[50:44] seem like we are are giving any special

[50:46] consideration to this program. This

[50:47] program actually reached out and said

[50:50] this is our situation and we need help.

[50:52] So at that time it's in our our

[50:55] responsibility i.e. our ability to

[50:57] respond that we do.

[51:00] So, go ahead. And just my my final

[51:03] comments, I want to caution us against

[51:05] looking at that public safety foundation

[51:07] money as a funds that we can dictate or

[51:10] determine within this room. Very much

[51:12] the police and fire department have

[51:14] long-term ongoing expectations that they

[51:17] use those funds for. And when we tap

[51:19] into those without their input, I think

[51:22] it can unfortunately put other programs

[51:24] at risk where this is that comparing

[51:26] that Mr. Parley often cautions us

[51:28] against doing. Um, but very much um we

[51:31] often try to find like the the nice way

[51:33] to make things work. I don't imagine

[51:35] this is going to be nice. And to your

[51:36] point, Miss Doro, uh it may feel as if

[51:40] we are not accommodating others, but

[51:43] very much as I think about the language

[51:45] that sits in the front of city hall, the

[51:46] black lives matter, it doesn't mean that

[51:49] only black lives matter. It means that I

[51:52] see you, I hear you, and I'm going to do

[51:54] something to ensure that your living

[51:56] conditions don't reflect now and reflect

[51:58] where they should be. And I think as we

[52:00] take those steps in a calculated effort,

[52:02] um the narrative is important to make

[52:05] sure that we never truly control that.

[52:07] But the hope is that the youth do and

[52:09] that as they grow up and aspire to to

[52:12] new heights that they will be that four

[52:15] times fold investment that we will see

[52:17] within the city. Um but sincerely we

[52:19] often talk about the exodus out of New

[52:21] York State. Not to uh uh make this

[52:25] conversation much longer than it is. We

[52:27] need to figure it out. We need to figure

[52:28] it out and I'm on board to figure it

[52:30] out.

[52:32] Go ahead, please. So, my final comment

[52:34] is um as well is that right now what it

[52:38] seems like the conclusion we've come to

[52:39] is $108,000 is the place that we would

[52:42] have to look and um also we should keep

[52:45] in mind we always talk about how much

[52:47] sports develop young people etc and so

[52:49] on. And this is our opportunity to do

[52:52] that.

[52:53] And we definitely also need to look

[52:56] forward to how we do it in years coming

[52:59] and to and for others that that come

[53:01] with an ask. But also, I think there should be ways and I believe

[53:05] there's people within this council who

[53:08] um can

[53:09] actually give advice on how to on how to

[53:12] fund raise and how to get money that um

[53:15] so if you're cuz not you would

[53:17] necessarily always have to come to the

[53:18] city for the entire amount but other

[53:20] ways to fund raise. So I'm not going to

[53:22] say anybody's name but if if the person

[53:23] that knows that has that ability wants

[53:25] to be able to assist um helping your

[53:28] organization to you know figure out ways

[53:30] to fund raise. So, um, you know, having,

[53:34] again, investing in our youth and having

[53:36] them grow up to be like this young man

[53:38] back here, uh, it it makes a difference.

[53:41] in our our

[53:42] community. It makes a difference in our

[53:43] city. It makes a difference in our

[53:45] world. So, um, I know it's it's

[53:48] challenging this year. We all know that.

[53:50] However, I don't think it's a challenge

[53:52] that we cannot meet,

[53:55] Mr. Chairman. So, couldn't uh could

[53:58] being that we still have to see exactly

[54:00] uh what amount of money is in that line,

[54:03] um could we make the motion that if the

[54:05] money is left in that line right now

[54:06] that we could move it forwards cuz I'd

[54:08] hate to have to go do another funding

[54:10] cycle. So if we could So when I was

[54:12] thinking about recess finance to Monday,

[54:14] get the information from the mayor and

[54:16] the finance commissioner and we can meet

[54:19] at 6:00 Monday,

[54:23] recess the committee, meet uh Monday and

[54:25] move forward whatever number we have and

[54:27] move forward with with application.

[54:30] Yeah, that's one way to look

[54:32] at that. That's the way to do it because

[54:35] we don't know what the money is right

[54:37] now to do a resolution. You need a the

[54:39] budget line item and the amount of

[54:41] money. So we couldn't do a resolution in

[54:46] um where the resolution would be

[54:49] dependent upon if the money is there. We

[54:51] couldn't do that. It needs you know the

[54:53] finance needs a line item from where the

[54:55] money is going to be drawn from. So in

[54:58] between then and now there may be other

[55:00] line items in which money may be drawn

[55:02] from. I don't know. So, um I I you would

[55:08] you'd be making a resolution still not

[55:10] knowing what whether or not where the

[55:12] money was going to be coming from. So,

[55:15] this way you can vote in committee on

[55:17] Monday to vote it out. There'll be

[55:19] unanimous consent if there's money

[55:21] available to put it on the agenda if you

[55:23] have unanimous consents to put it on

[55:25] because

[55:27] well, it's been a

[55:29] committee. We wouldn't need I'm going to

[55:31] recess. That's why I'm recessing it so

[55:33] that we don't need unanimous consent.

[55:36] So you just have to move it out your

[55:38] finance and on to the floor. Okay. Cuz

[55:40] if you did something right now, it would

[55:42] be Yeah. You don't be you you'd still be

[55:46] dependent on that report on Monday. Mhm.

[55:48] So let's work on getting a report from

[55:51] the academy and let's miss Cargo and we

[55:54] can meet um which is good 6:00 next

[55:58] Monday. I'll figure out

[56:02] You're good. Monday and

[56:04] 6 month. Monday 6 finance committee.

[56:07] Yes. Friday. Yeah. So, yes. So, we'll

[56:10] recess, we'll be move it out, look at

[56:13] the numbers, what is available and just,

[56:15] you know, from then on we can move

[56:17] forward. Okay. And being that we're just

[56:19] recessing. If if we do look into that in

[56:21] the particular line that we're

[56:22] discussing and the money is not there,

[56:24] um I still want us, you know, to look

[56:26] at, you know, possible other options

[56:28] because where there's a will, there's a

[56:30] way. And I think that we need to and

[56:32] that would also give the mayor the mayor

[56:33] has a meeting next Monday in terms of

[56:35] seeing what is available any

[56:37] availability on that 150 line. So we'll

[56:39] see on that line if any availability I

[56:42] guess at 150. We got tons of money right

[56:45] Mr. Mayor we don't have tons.

[56:49] So I just want to add

[56:53] Go ahead. I just want to add that um we

[56:55] should look at the CDBG as well. Not

[56:57] just that 108 but city. Well 108 was the

[57:02] city. So that was Harperite Harperite.

[57:05] That's what I mean. We we need to look

[57:07] at that as well. Well, we're going to

[57:08] encourage them to meet with Miss Carva

[57:11] and in the future to kind of like submit

[57:13] applications so going forward they can

[57:14] able to tap into that for CDBG. CDBG.

[57:17] Yeah. Go ahead please. I asked an

[57:21] answer all sadly.

[57:22] [Music]

[57:24] So I I'll hold everybody tells the

[57:26] finance committee until Monday. I'm

[57:28] sorry, Mr. Chairman. Just so everybody's

[57:30] on the same page. The committee will be

[57:32] at 6:00 on the time to be determined,

[57:35] but before the council meeting at 7:00

[57:37] at which

[57:38] time line items where money may be

[57:42] available will be presented to the count

[57:44] the committee. Yes. The committee will

[57:46] then vote out a

[57:49] resolution where that money is coming

[57:51] from.

[57:52] And then unanimous consent is placing it

[57:55] on the the agenda because it hasn't it's

[57:58] come out of committee but you're it

[58:00] hasn't come out of the committee before

[58:02] Thursday and that's where the resolution

[58:04] was but um that's where I'm reading the

[58:07] unanimous consent. In other words, it

[58:10] it's has all legislation has to be in

[58:13] the count in the clerk's office by noon

[58:15] on Thursday. This won't be there by noon

[58:18] on Thursday. And therefore, in order for

[58:20] you to consider it, okay, on Monday

[58:22] night, it'll require unanimous consent

[58:24] to be placed on the agenda. So, I mean,

[58:27] but Monday will do holding it till

[58:29] Monday night will be Monday night

[58:33] because it hasn't um cuz we don't have

[58:36] the information yet, but I mean, we're

[58:37] only talking. Do we uh do we not have

[58:40] the capacity to find out what's left in

[58:41] that line within the next day or two?

[58:45] I I mean that's up to the you know staff

[58:47] and and I think what what the mayor

[58:49] indicated earlier he's meeting with some

[58:52] individuals where there may be another

[58:54] pool of money available. So it's not

[58:56] only the ARPA money but there could be

[58:58] another pool and that we don't know that

[59:00] until Monday under the 25 budget. So

[59:04] that's why again factor because of the

[59:06] mayor's meeting Monday. We had a recess

[59:09] Monday at 6 o'clock.

[59:22] Any other question?

[59:25] Recess. We have a second. Recess on

[59:28] Monday.

[59:30] Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. Any

[59:33] other business? I'm sorry.

[59:36] Thank you.

[59:42] I'd like to call over city development

[59:44] and planning and we have five items on

[59:47] the

[59:47] agenda. Uh the first

[59:52] item we'll just wait for

[1:00:10] here.

[1:00:23] [Music]

[1:00:32] All right. So, we're in city development

[1:00:37] planning. We can't close the

[1:00:52] door. development and planning. Uh, and

[1:00:54] the first item on the agenda, as I

[1:00:56] understand, is being removed by Mr.

[1:00:58] Wallen. Okay. Yes. Um, you have you

[1:01:03] found other ways to do that. Is that

[1:01:04] correct? Is you're going to be doing

[1:01:06] something different than on item one.

[1:01:08] Come on

[1:01:11] up. Just want to stand.

[1:01:16] Yes. Well, you don't have to do that.

[1:01:17] You can go like this.

[1:01:20] Okay.

[1:01:24] Uh, you know, we had this on there. We

[1:01:26] talked with uh department heads and our

[1:01:28] architect and we'd like to see if there

[1:01:30] was uh another option that we can do.

[1:01:32] Uh, we do want to preserve the Woodlon

[1:01:34] Park roof. I have gone to the Woodlwan

[1:01:36] Neighborhood Association. They are

[1:01:37] interested in preserving the building,

[1:01:39] but uh that kind of investment in the

[1:01:42] building is something that we're trying

[1:01:43] to to lower just to make sure because

[1:01:45] that's a lot of money uh to make into

[1:01:47] the roof of the building uh for the

[1:01:49] limited use that it does have. So

[1:01:51] there's no huge urgency with it. So

[1:01:54] we're going to try to reevaluate what

[1:01:55] else we can do. Thank you. Uh item

[1:01:57] number two is the Kings Road weight

[1:01:59] limit posting up at 8 tons. I brought

[1:02:02] this before. Yep. Uh to the last

[1:02:04] committee meeting. Mr. Wall has looked

[1:02:05] into it and found figured out how to um

[1:02:09] bring resolution to this. Yeah. So um

[1:02:12] the road was not posted. We all know

[1:02:15] that it was not posted. However, um you

[1:02:17] know, we did some research myself

[1:02:19] calling the county who owns Kings Road

[1:02:22] on the other side of the bridge and the

[1:02:23] town of Roderdam who owns Highbridgeidge

[1:02:24] Road on the other side of the bridge and

[1:02:27] they have it signed on their side for 8

[1:02:29] tons. I believe the article I saw some

[1:02:32] article the names and I didn't recognize

[1:02:33] the names in the article that was

[1:02:34] forwarded about it. So, I believe they

[1:02:36] were either county or town people. But

[1:02:38] regardless, looking at it, um it does

[1:02:41] make sense for me to recommend that we

[1:02:44] uh post Kings Road with an 8 ton limit

[1:02:46] to say local traffic only because if we

[1:02:49] were to not have that and direct the

[1:02:51] vehicle down King's Road, when they get

[1:02:53] into Roderdam, there's literally nowhere

[1:02:55] for them to go because their roads are

[1:02:57] posted the second you get into the into

[1:03:00] Roderdam. You can't use Highbridgeidge

[1:03:01] or you technically can't use Kings. So,

[1:03:03] if we post uh at Albany Street, Kings

[1:03:06] Road, 8 ton weight limit, local traffic

[1:03:08] only, um that would make us kind of in

[1:03:11] cooperation with our neighboring

[1:03:12] municipalities.

[1:03:15] Question. Yes. Um I just was wondering

[1:03:18] uh based on the discussion at the um I

[1:03:21] think it was at the neighborhood

[1:03:22] association that company that um Badger.

[1:03:26] Yeah. Um so with the eight tons um no

[1:03:30] they would be able to that would be they

[1:03:32] would be able to Okay.

[1:03:35] Any other questions? Yes. Madam

[1:03:38] President just and for the city engineer

[1:03:41] this require a public hearing. We're

[1:03:43] going to have to amend the the table of

[1:03:45] uh

[1:03:48] of weight limit roads just like oneway

[1:03:51] roads weight limit roads are in the

[1:03:54] ordinance. So do we do that here? Can we

[1:03:56] change this to a call for public

[1:03:57] hearing? Yeah, we can do that tonight

[1:04:00] and call public hearing for the you know

[1:04:02] for two weeks out and uh maybe um then

[1:04:07] at some after the public hearing then

[1:04:09] there'll be ordinance change that

[1:04:11] portion of the road. Um what portion my

[1:04:14] followup questions what what portion of

[1:04:16] uh of the road from where to where?

[1:04:18] Yeah. So it would be from Albany Street

[1:04:20] to city limit.

[1:04:23] Okay. Thank you. the entire ones. Yes,

[1:04:26] ma'am.

[1:04:28] Any other questions or

[1:04:29] concerns? Right. So, at this point in

[1:04:32] time, I'm going to call for a public

[1:04:33] hearing to change this. So, second.

[1:04:36] All's in favor. Thank you. Uh item

[1:04:40] number three is just a reminder of this

[1:04:42] public hearing for the redirection of a

[1:04:44] portion of Pricore Avenue from a two-way

[1:04:46] street to a one-way street from the

[1:04:47] intersection of Crane and Crane and Main

[1:04:50] Street to Strander Place. and the public

[1:04:52] hearing will be happening on June

[1:04:56] 9th. Okay.

[1:05:00] Um the item number four was to reassess

[1:05:04] year round alternate street side of

[1:05:05] street parking policy. Mr. Farley. Thank

[1:05:08] you, Madam President. So, I've been

[1:05:10] hearing a lot, I'm sure, um you guys

[1:05:12] have have often um

[1:05:14] uh people have been reaching out talking

[1:05:16] about

[1:05:18] their why they have to change um their

[1:05:21] side of the street when they're parking

[1:05:23] from this time to this time. I know some

[1:05:24] people are working like overnight shifts

[1:05:26] when they get out of work. They're they

[1:05:28] get home at this hour and then, you

[1:05:31] know, they're going to bed, but then

[1:05:32] they'd have to get up an hour or two

[1:05:34] later to switch sides. And I was, you

[1:05:36] know, my initial thought was, you know,

[1:05:39] the alternative side parking. Um, I was

[1:05:43] thinking that the primary function of

[1:05:44] that would be for like winter when we're

[1:05:47] trying to clear streets and things of

[1:05:48] that nature. Um, so I was wondering um I

[1:05:51] don't know if when's the last time we

[1:05:52] looked at that as a city. So, I kind of

[1:05:54] wanted to just look at that and have a

[1:05:56] discussion around like is that something

[1:05:57] that we need to uh maybe reassess to say

[1:06:00] like maybe this only happens during the

[1:06:02] winter months unless there's other um

[1:06:04] functions of it that we need to keep in

[1:06:06] place for all year round. So, that was

[1:06:08] just my thought. That's right. Um so, I

[1:06:10] know that Mr. Mr. Wallen and the police

[1:06:12] department are here as well to to

[1:06:16] come on up.

[1:06:23] I'm short enough so I don't have

[1:06:25] to There we go.

[1:06:28] Um hello. So, uh as you guys probably

[1:06:31] know, I worked in the traffic division

[1:06:33] part of the promotion. Um and so there's

[1:06:35] actually a lot of important reasons that

[1:06:37] alternate side parking exists out

[1:06:39] outside of um office of general

[1:06:41] services. Yes. Uh trash collection makes

[1:06:44] it more convenient. Um street sweeping

[1:06:46] obviously is another benefit. Um really

[1:06:49] when we look at it alternate side

[1:06:50] parking there's a variety of reasons

[1:06:52] that that the police sort of use that to

[1:06:55] our advantage. Um one of one of it

[1:06:58] believe it or not is there's a potential

[1:07:00] for for crash reduction for sure. Um

[1:07:03] that uh when the um parking enforcement

[1:07:07] is is uh we're adhering to way the

[1:07:10] signage we can actually reduce crashes.

[1:07:12] So we know that unconditionally. Um the

[1:07:15] other thing is for emergency services uh

[1:07:17] fire trucks especially it's probably

[1:07:21] very very difficult if not possible to

[1:07:23] get an maybe two apparatus through or an

[1:07:25] apparatus in a police car. Um the other

[1:07:29] thing is that that when we go out there

[1:07:31] and the parking enforcement goes out

[1:07:32] there, not just the parking enforcement,

[1:07:34] but when the patrol officers are

[1:07:36] ticketing uh in the overnight hours, um

[1:07:40] it actually there's a benefit actually

[1:07:42] in reduction crime, if you can believe

[1:07:44] that. uh it's sort of this broken

[1:07:46] windows theory that that we kind of

[1:07:47] adopt where if if we look at the small

[1:07:51] things and the public takes note of

[1:07:53] these small things that we're looking

[1:07:54] at, they're less inclined to commit

[1:07:56] bigger infractions. Um so there's a lot

[1:07:59] of different uh there's a lot of

[1:08:01] different things that that uh go into

[1:08:03] parking other than just parking. Uh let

[1:08:07] me see some other

[1:08:10] things. Yeah, just improves traffic

[1:08:13] flow. Uh we also have um if it were both

[1:08:17] side parking uh there's a likelihood of

[1:08:20] increasing pedestrian uh crashes. The

[1:08:23] trouble is especially for the youth

[1:08:25] they're small and by the time they get

[1:08:27] beyond the beyond the car that's that's

[1:08:30] um already there. They're already into

[1:08:32] the traffic anyways and and perhaps

[1:08:34] um you know a crash may occur that way.

[1:08:37] So uh that's just the perspective from

[1:08:39] the police department. Yep.

[1:08:41] I just want to just clarify that um the

[1:08:43] ask is not to create two-sided parking.

[1:08:46] That's the ask is um does one side park

[1:08:50] alternate parking still make sense in

[1:08:52] the way that it's done this side for

[1:08:53] these hours versus this and then moving

[1:08:56] over there for the other for the

[1:08:57] different hours. That that is the the

[1:09:00] real discussion here. Um so I just

[1:09:02] wanted to clarify that talked about

[1:09:04] emergency vehicles and all that. That's

[1:09:06] the ask is not can we make this two

[1:09:09] parking on both sides. Okay. All right.

[1:09:11] So, yeah. So, what Oh, excuse me.

[1:09:14] I was just wondering um given some of

[1:09:16] the considerations and knowing what it's

[1:09:18] like to drive down streets where there

[1:09:20] is no alternate side of the street

[1:09:22] parking whether we should be considering

[1:09:24] increasing um alternate side of the

[1:09:27] street parking in the city. Is that has

[1:09:29] that ever been come up at all? Well, I

[1:09:31] know it's very difficult to drive on the

[1:09:33] streets where

[1:09:35] um you know there's parking on both

[1:09:37] sides on many of the streets that are

[1:09:39] narrow. Um you know, it's a super

[1:09:42] interesting question. Chief Clifford and

[1:09:43] I spoke about it really if we wanted to

[1:09:45] get a deep dive into it. I think uh I

[1:09:47] think anal, you know, analysis of

[1:09:49] parking in general would be a good idea.

[1:09:51] Um, you know, but it's funny as I'm

[1:09:54] going through this job and and you

[1:09:55] learn, you know, I have great ideas that

[1:09:59] my forefathers employed, but for a

[1:10:01] reason, right? And and so if we look at

[1:10:04] parking around the boulevards, Glenwood

[1:10:05] Parkwood, I think it's 2-hour parking.

[1:10:08] Um, and the reason was, at least as I

[1:10:10] understand it, is is is it gave

[1:10:13] residents a chance to park, but even

[1:10:15] more importantly, I think it prohibited

[1:10:17] uh the staff from Ellis Hospital, the

[1:10:19] school districts from parking there for an extended period of time. So,

[1:10:23] that's why I'm very cautious about

[1:10:25] making any concessions towards the

[1:10:27] parking. I just I don't know if we we

[1:10:29] don't know. We don't know, right? And I

[1:10:31] just I I wouldn't want to make a I want

[1:10:33] to say knee-jerk reaction, but a

[1:10:35] reaction that we don't fully understand

[1:10:37] the implications of um right off the

[1:10:39] bat. Um the other thing about the

[1:10:43] alternate side parking is that it gives

[1:10:45] us an opportunity to sort of identify

[1:10:47] vehicles that have been there for long

[1:10:49] term.

[1:10:50] Um I suspect that they had they could

[1:10:54] potentially abuse the uh on street

[1:10:56] parking if it wasn't alternate signs. In

[1:10:58] other words, they can park their vehicle

[1:11:00] there and leave it there for extended

[1:11:02] periods of time and you know you sort of

[1:11:04] have these abandoned vehicles that

[1:11:05] potentially, you know, could be a

[1:11:08] problem especially in the winter. Uh so

[1:11:10] but the alternate side alleviates that

[1:11:12] for us now because

[1:11:13] obviously it sticks out like a sore

[1:11:15] thumb you it 2 days later if it's still

[1:11:18] there you know you can you can enforce

[1:11:20] the abandoned vehicle. We're not trying

[1:11:22] to do it alternate. It's not trying to

[1:11:23] do away with it. Just trying to see if

[1:11:25] the way it's being done now makes sense.

[1:11:28] the timing of it. So, not trying to say

[1:11:29] because you mentioned the street

[1:11:30] cleaners that that's important when they

[1:11:33] come that that they're able to get

[1:11:34] through. You mentioned the garbage

[1:11:35] trucks. So, not trying to say let's do

[1:11:38] away with it because that would that

[1:11:40] would cause a problem vehicles that stay

[1:11:41] there forever, but just trying to say

[1:11:43] does the timing of when people have to

[1:11:45] move their vehicles still make sense in

[1:11:47] the the way it is? And I guess one my

[1:11:49] question I'll get to you Mr. Carly uh is

[1:11:51] when is the last time that we did

[1:11:53] reassess the the timing of it? Now, this

[1:11:56] is what my understanding of it is that

[1:11:58] part of how we determined the alternate

[1:12:00] parking when General Electric was a

[1:12:01] major employer in the city of Skenctity

[1:12:04] and the shifts that people worked, you

[1:12:06] know, dictated, you know, when they came and went in terms of parking.

[1:12:10] That's, you know, anecdotally that's

[1:12:12] what I was told. I don't know how they

[1:12:13] came, but that's where they came to, but

[1:12:15] that was part of my understanding. Mr.

[1:12:16] Farley. Yeah. Thank you, Madam

[1:12:18] President. You did hit on on some of the points that I wanted to raise. I

[1:12:23] think so to your point, sometimes we

[1:12:25] don't know the wisdom and why decisions

[1:12:27] are made until we kind of like start to

[1:12:29] look into them. So that's kind of like

[1:12:31] what the point is here. I also know

[1:12:33] sometimes um we sometimes we do things

[1:12:36] cuz that's just how they always been

[1:12:37] done. And sometimes that can, you know,

[1:12:39] stifle innovation and and and even

[1:12:42] create, you know, problems that we're

[1:12:44] not recognizing that we'll be to

[1:12:45] alleviate if we if we kind of look took

[1:12:47] a closer look at things. So again, the

[1:12:50] point as far as like the safety point um

[1:12:53] that that you that you bring up um and a

[1:12:56] couple of some of the other reasons

[1:12:58] right now cars are parking on either

[1:13:02] side e they're parking on either side of

[1:13:04] the street. So on this street they're

[1:13:05] either parking on this side or they're

[1:13:07] parking on that side. And so to kind of

[1:13:09] echo what President Porter was saying,

[1:13:11] this isn't about like saying like now

[1:13:12] you can park on both sides cuz there's

[1:13:14] so many streets that you just can't do

[1:13:15] it on. It would just say like you

[1:13:17] wouldn't have to move your car um when

[1:13:20] you get off work Monday night, you don't

[1:13:22] have to uh when you know coming Monday

[1:13:25] morning from work, you don't have to get

[1:13:26] up and then move your car an hour later

[1:13:28] to the other side of the street. Like is

[1:13:30] there another way to do that? So you

[1:13:33] wouldn't prevent you know uh safety

[1:13:36] vehicles from making their way through.

[1:13:38] But it's just the alternative the

[1:13:40] alternate parking place and then is are

[1:13:42] we doing it at the right time? Do we

[1:13:45] need to kind of get some more

[1:13:46] information from people in the community

[1:13:48] as far as what they would like to see

[1:13:50] happen or like that's what we're trying

[1:13:51] to get. Yeah, I I get it. You know, and

[1:13:53] those are I don't know that I would have

[1:13:55] that information again without a study.

[1:13:57] I think we can speak kind of

[1:13:59] anecdotally, but you know, it is an

[1:14:00] interesting time because since co,

[1:14:02] right, a lot of folks aren't going to

[1:14:04] work anymore. So, I don't know should

[1:14:05] say going to work, but they're working. So, um yeah, I don't know. You

[1:14:11] know, I guess I'd like to add that. You

[1:14:13] know, I think about G was in full swing.

[1:14:15] We have 40,000 employees. I think the

[1:14:17] city population close to 100,000, right?

[1:14:20] We're around 70,000 now. I believe we

[1:14:23] can make it work, right? So, um I that's

[1:14:26] my two cents.

[1:14:28] Um did you want to speak to it all at

[1:14:31] all? I mean on the OS

[1:14:36] side a little um in the alternate side

[1:14:39] parking um we do get to schedule our

[1:14:42] street sweepers alter catch basins on

[1:14:45] one side of the road vehicles never move

[1:14:47] everything gets trapped there trash gets

[1:14:49] there the leaves get there we can't get

[1:14:51] in there a sweep until there's a

[1:14:53] complaint that well the catch basins

[1:14:54] aren't taking the storm water no longer

[1:14:57] have a hold or posted to move your car

[1:14:59] so you can sweep so what we do is we

[1:15:01] plan sweeping based on alternate side

[1:15:03] parking. One one day we're doing it, the

[1:15:05] other they were doing it a different

[1:15:06] way. Um so there is an advantage. We do

[1:15:09] schedule work cuz we know the streets

[1:15:11] that are alternate. So if we're going to

[1:15:12] do curve work for pothole work, we know

[1:15:14] we can go down this street and do the

[1:15:16] right side today. Um and we do the left

[1:15:19] side. If it's always one side, then we

[1:15:21] got to have resources go out and post

[1:15:23] that street and have everybody move. And

[1:15:25] hopefully some don't move over and the

[1:15:27] other ones stay in one place because now

[1:15:29] you're trying to get to buy two cars.

[1:15:30] So, there are some advantages when we're

[1:15:32] looking at how we're doing our

[1:15:33] maintenance on our streets um with

[1:15:35] regards to street sweeping or repairs or

[1:15:37] curb work or even tree work. Um we know

[1:15:40] the streets that we can go in and do

[1:15:41] some work on because nobody's on our

[1:15:42] side and and again the exception would

[1:15:45] be winter where, you know, there should

[1:15:46] be open parking all time, you know, from

[1:15:50] November 15th to April 1st because it

[1:15:53] just makes our work easier to be able to

[1:15:55] do parking. So, you know, again, we're

[1:16:00] not trying to do away with that. Just

[1:16:01] trying to figure out if the timing

[1:16:04] works.

[1:16:06] Trying to accommodate people's work

[1:16:07] schedules and that's different for

[1:16:09] everybody. So, you know, not not and not

[1:16:12] necessarily just like individual's work

[1:16:14] schedule. Obviously, we couldn't do

[1:16:16] that. It it's just one of those things

[1:16:17] that when people are bringing to the

[1:16:19] council saying like like this, you know,

[1:16:20] this doesn't make sense. So, my question

[1:16:21] then goes, okay, well, is there a better

[1:16:23] way to do it? you know like in in in a

[1:16:26] better time the data. Yeah. Is there a

[1:16:28] better time? Is there a better pretty

[1:16:30] much a better time to move it? Is is

[1:16:32] there a a different uh mechanism we use

[1:16:35] to decide on what side people are on on

[1:16:38] what side or is it currently isn't it

[1:16:41] 9:00 a.m. I think 9 a.m. I think it's

[1:16:44] Yeah. probably coming back you know when

[1:16:47] our forefather was doing it. We started

[1:16:49] working around 7:30. So 9:00 a.m. crews

[1:16:51] were out working. Um, you know, so you

[1:16:54] know, that side of the street was

[1:16:56] vacant. You know, if you did it at I

[1:16:59] mean there's always one side of the

[1:17:00] street or the other might be open, but

[1:17:01] on the OS side, that's what we look at,

[1:17:03] you know, street sweeping, different

[1:17:05] things like that. So with other study,

[1:17:07] we say what's the best time of day to do

[1:17:09] it, you know, is it at night? Is it

[1:17:13] noon? I don't know.

[1:17:17] So what would it take to re-evaluate

[1:17:21] study?

[1:17:30] So Mr. Wallen, could you give us a

[1:17:33] little bit of insight into that? What it

[1:17:36] would take for us to try to to reassess

[1:17:38] this? Hire another engineer.

[1:17:42] So could you come up? So um outside of

[1:17:45] hiring another engineer I know that

[1:17:47] sometimes you use consultants to do this

[1:17:49] work. The consultants are managed by

[1:17:51] myself and myself does not have enough

[1:17:52] time to do this. Mhm. So do we have

[1:17:55] another alternative? This is just

[1:17:57] another request made by the council that

[1:17:58] I

[1:17:59] just do. We have a list of these

[1:18:02] requests that I can like this is just

[1:18:03] adding up a lot of requests. Hold on.

[1:18:05] Mr. W. Let's let me be very

[1:18:08] clear. This is not just another thing

[1:18:10] that the council's adding on. What we're

[1:18:13] doing is is is listening to what people

[1:18:16] are saying to us and being responsive

[1:18:17] and we're asking the question. The

[1:18:19] answer might hold on please for a

[1:18:20] second. The answer might be hey this

[1:18:22] doesn't work for the reasons that you're

[1:18:24] saying or the answer might be oh wow we

[1:18:26] didn't think about it like that. Maybe

[1:18:27] this work but it is our job to ask these

[1:18:30] questions. So I just don't I appreciate

[1:18:31] your frustration. You know, I'm a very

[1:18:32] big fan of the work you do, but I

[1:18:34] wouldn't want you to characterize me

[1:18:36] bringing this up as something just

[1:18:37] another thing from the council. I don't

[1:18:39] think that's fair.

[1:18:43] So, um Oh, okay.

[1:18:46] Oh, mayor. Okay. Why don't you just take

[1:18:48] the individuals who've contacted you,

[1:18:50] forward that to Chief Noiki. You can do

[1:18:53] the initial

[1:18:55] evaluation and see if there is some

[1:18:57] scenario that

[1:18:58] would compensate for what their

[1:19:03] uh awkwardness is, the inefficiency

[1:19:07] uh the timing of it. Yeah, I definitely

[1:19:10] could do so and start that is the and he

[1:19:14] can you know usually what prompts this

[1:19:18] also is not the timing, it's when

[1:19:20] somebody gets a ticket.

[1:19:24] And

[1:19:26] so the reality is there's a little bit

[1:19:29] of soft enforcement at first hour, hour

[1:19:33] and a half and usually the enforcement

[1:19:36] doesn't take place till the time is

[1:19:38] clearly changed or the cars are creating

[1:19:42] a hazard. the street becomes too narrow

[1:19:46] and they haven't moved back and forth or

[1:19:48] you get blocked, excuse me, black

[1:19:50] driveways that are too close to a fire

[1:19:52] hydrant or something else. So, mayor,

[1:19:55] should he say the names of the

[1:19:57] individuals or the streets that are

[1:19:59] involved as opposed to an individual?

[1:20:02] Well, the

[1:20:04] individual, do they need it? Do they

[1:20:07] want it changed an extra hour? Do they

[1:20:09] want it a certain day of the week?

[1:20:11] uh you know it's just without dealing

[1:20:13] with the specifics it's hard to

[1:20:16] [Music]

[1:20:17] say how it is and you get when you do

[1:20:20] the alternate side parking too the use

[1:20:23] of the side of the street that has fire

[1:20:26] hydrants on

[1:20:28] it creates more angst when parking's on

[1:20:33] that side because there aren't as many

[1:20:34] parking spots on that side and so people

[1:20:37] park they're happier on the other side

[1:20:40] and when you move it to the side with

[1:20:42] the fire

[1:20:43] hydrants. Somebody doesn't have a space

[1:20:46] to park. And when the city had 100,000

[1:20:49] people, some of the modes of

[1:20:51] transportation were still by

[1:20:53] horse. And so we didn't quite have as

[1:20:56] many cars. And so

[1:20:59] the whole dynamic has shifted. We've got

[1:21:02] less people, but we have a lot more

[1:21:04] cars. We sure do. M. It was I'm sorry.

[1:21:07] It was Mr. Williams, Miss Patrick, Mr.

[1:21:09] Toro. and we'll come back to you. So go

[1:21:11] ahead, Mr. Williams. So definitely I

[1:21:14] think our next step is the parking

[1:21:15] analysis. I hear and I had the

[1:21:17] opportunity to shadow Mr. Wallen

[1:21:19] definitely raised another question of

[1:21:20] staffing levels in the city. Truly if

[1:21:23] there are struggles with maintaining

[1:21:25] what is adding on has an impact and I

[1:21:28] can respectfully hear everything you

[1:21:29] said and I appreciate Mr. Farley for

[1:21:31] adding his context. Um I do want to add

[1:21:34] that a part of it is just being

[1:21:36] responsive to the driver's concerns.

[1:21:37] additional impacts that I've heard is

[1:21:39] how does parking read out in reality to

[1:21:41] members of our community where people

[1:21:44] are taking public spaces and saying this

[1:21:47] is mine we cannot park in front of our

[1:21:48] house and you can't make that claim on

[1:21:50] public road so as we are dealing with

[1:21:52] all these questions and comments uh I I

[1:21:55] do think it is our requirement to be

[1:21:56] responsive how we respond to that is

[1:21:58] important um and sincerely Mr.

[1:22:01] I don't I don't think justifying the

[1:22:03] street sweeping and the potholes is a

[1:22:04] strong argument just because there are

[1:22:06] people like I move my car every week

[1:22:07] potholes still there and that is a

[1:22:09] anecdotal comment but sincerely I think

[1:22:12] we need to take into consideration its

[1:22:13] impacts in 2025 and how that looks like

[1:22:17] I don't know it's a conversation um but

[1:22:19] I think we do have to start with this

[1:22:20] discussion Patrick I I think I just want

[1:22:24] to reply to that I think that we really

[1:22:26] have to take into consideration the

[1:22:28] street sweeping the garbage etc I Those

[1:22:30] things are really important as as well

[1:22:32] as the public safety pieces.

[1:22:35] So I you know I think it's important to

[1:22:39] Oh without doubt. So so I just want to

[1:22:42] be clear Mr. Leon that street sweeping

[1:22:44] is based on the alternate parking. Well

[1:22:47] we know what these we can go on that

[1:22:49] street and do that side of the road or

[1:22:50] not do that side of the road. Correct.

[1:22:52] after storms right after right after a

[1:22:54] storm um to clear catch basins we'll

[1:22:57] know if you know street X we can do the

[1:23:00] right side the catch basins are on that

[1:23:01] side some streets only have catch bas on

[1:23:03] one side sometimes on both so it does

[1:23:06] work to our families sometimes okay and

[1:23:08] so um in terms of the street sweep it

[1:23:11] doesn't have anything to do with the

[1:23:12] garbage collection schedule then no

[1:23:14] street sweepers as is a separate

[1:23:15] schedule okay thank you

[1:23:18] I think the bigger issue is the amount

[1:23:20] of as the mayor said the amount of uh

[1:23:23] limited parking and the amount of um as

[1:23:25] I I've said plenty of times the skinnity

[1:23:28] 2 family which is now the skinnity 4

[1:23:30] plus family. Um so at time you know

[1:23:33] years ago you know each family may have

[1:23:36] had one car so you're talking about two

[1:23:38] cars on the street. Now you're talking

[1:23:40] about one one unit that has four units

[1:23:42] in it and everybody's got a car and

[1:23:44] maybe their kids. and others. I mean,

[1:23:46] there's just I don't believe enough

[1:23:48] parking on our roadways for the amount

[1:23:51] of cars and the amount of people living

[1:23:53] on their street. Um, I live on Wendell

[1:23:55] Avenue. There's no parking on my side of

[1:23:57] the street between Union Street and

[1:24:01] Union Avenue, and it's a constant battle

[1:24:05] for um placement of individuals. So

[1:24:09] again, I you know, whether it's uh

[1:24:11] alternate parking or not, there's just

[1:24:13] not enough room for people to park

[1:24:14] anymore on any street. So, especially in

[1:24:17] our neighborhoods. And as far as

[1:24:18] alternate sides, yeah, we get a couple

[1:24:21] of complaints here and there. We have to

[1:24:23] get up and move our car. Um but most of

[1:24:25] the time the what I hear is, uh I like

[1:24:28] when it's on my side of the street

[1:24:29] because then I go shopping and it's in

[1:24:31] front of my house versus, you know,

[1:24:33] other side of the street I have to worry

[1:24:34] about crossing the street to my house.

[1:24:36] So, um, again, I think there's just a

[1:24:38] lot of cars in our city now, which is a

[1:24:41] good thing.

[1:24:43] It's back. We have lots of cars. Y,

[1:24:46] that's true. Um, so,

[1:24:51] if I may, I just like to add just one

[1:24:52] bit of information for you guys. Sure.

[1:24:54] So, I know you guys get tons of

[1:24:56] complaints. I know I've spoke to you

[1:24:57] about sort of parking complaints that

[1:24:59] come with increased enforcement, but

[1:25:00] what we probably don't hear about, you

[1:25:02] know, I get calls all day every day with

[1:25:04] the traffic division and we actually get

[1:25:06] a lot of calls people saying, "Thank you

[1:25:08] for finally doing this. Thank you for

[1:25:10] being here." And they're actually

[1:25:12] appreciating that we're enforcing it in

[1:25:14] the alternate uh side parking and the

[1:25:17] hours and I haven't asked them, but it's

[1:25:20] a benefit to them in some way enough

[1:25:22] that they actually call us and say thank

[1:25:23] you. So that's useful information.

[1:25:29] First, I'd like to say honestly, Officer

[1:25:31] Dolan and I never disagreed in parking

[1:25:33] ever. That's never a good thing. Um, so

[1:25:35] that's that's a good thing. But to the

[1:25:37] mayor's point around like um, you know,

[1:25:40] at one time, you know, we were there

[1:25:43] were more horses than there were cars.

[1:25:46] In this and that's in the spirit of what

[1:25:48] this conversation is being brought up is

[1:25:50] that we look at our city code. some of

[1:25:52] those things are outdated so much I

[1:25:55] think that they probably were when we

[1:25:56] did have horses. And I think that what

[1:25:58] we want to do is again is to look at

[1:26:01] what we have um is it working and not be

[1:26:04] afraid to say could it be working more

[1:26:06] effective you know um and just not be so

[1:26:09] committed to things just because the way

[1:26:10] and we often might find that there's a

[1:26:12] lot of good reasons and and there's a

[1:26:14] lot of wisdom into how decisions were

[1:26:16] made in the past but to the mayor's

[1:26:19] point and in and mine is that as things

[1:26:21] change we do need to revisit these

[1:26:23] things to ensure that we're being

[1:26:24] responsible and maybe having the best

[1:26:26] for that's what the point of the

[1:26:27] conversation is. So I'm thinking um uh

[1:26:30] you know I welcome you know ideas around

[1:26:33] maybe we'd start with those with with

[1:26:36] the streets that people have been vocal

[1:26:38] about

[1:26:39] and get their feedback on that and go

[1:26:42] from there.

[1:26:43] Um I think that's reasonable since um

[1:26:46] our city engineer said that doesn't have

[1:26:48] the capacity to do a citywide um

[1:26:52] reassessment. So just just to be clear

[1:26:55] though too, I think the easiest thing to

[1:26:57] do is I I think we're misunderstanding

[1:26:58] what a citywide asses is. It's a very

[1:27:01] large desk. You would go through the

[1:27:03] streets and I think uh you know Chief

[1:27:05] Wicki said it that the way that the

[1:27:07] streets are situated, right? The way

[1:27:09] that the parking is was mostly made by

[1:27:12] people around this table prior to us,

[1:27:14] our forefathers. Maybe it didn't make

[1:27:16] sense. Maybe it was done because someone

[1:27:17] got a ticket. So then when we hire a

[1:27:20] consultant to look at the map and try to

[1:27:22] make sense of it, they're going to have

[1:27:24] a lot of questions and they're going to

[1:27:25] wonder why any. So what they're going to

[1:27:27] look at, right, is they're going to look

[1:27:28] at all the streets in the city, 171

[1:27:30] miles. Then they're going to look at

[1:27:31] widths. Then they're going to look at

[1:27:33] the type of street. Then they're going

[1:27:34] to look at what's on the street. Is

[1:27:36] there a school? Is there a hospital? Is

[1:27:39] there something that takes up parking?

[1:27:41] So I think that if the council would

[1:27:43] like to do that, I could get some costs

[1:27:46] for what this would cost. people are out

[1:27:48] there that do things like this and then

[1:27:50] you would put it in the budget because

[1:27:53] this is something that I don't know

[1:27:55] where I would, you know, pull 20, 30,

[1:27:58] 40, $50,000 out of to study the citywide

[1:28:01] parking. I mean, they would have

[1:28:03] meetings with the police, we'd have

[1:28:05] meetings with the fire department, we'd

[1:28:06] have meetings with the mayor, OS, uh,

[1:28:09] you know, this isn't something that you

[1:28:10] just do. Now, to the mayor's point, if

[1:28:12] we're looking at two streets and that's

[1:28:14] all we want to focus on, then that's a

[1:28:16] completely different thing. But, uh,

[1:28:18] that was my frustration was to just say,

[1:28:21] you know, would be great right now is if

[1:28:23] Chris could do a parking

[1:28:24] study. You know, that that means that

[1:28:27] it's a big task. It's something that we

[1:28:29] have to do and it's something that I

[1:28:30] don't have in my budget to to do a

[1:28:32] citywide assessment of parking. So, and

[1:28:35] just to be you said 71 miles, but not

[1:28:37] every street in the city is alternate

[1:28:39] parking. So, it would be a little And I

[1:28:41] see, but that's where you're going to

[1:28:42] get into a little gray area, though. I

[1:28:43] mean, because are you really looking at

[1:28:45] only alternate side parking areas? Would

[1:28:48] you look at all the parking areas? I

[1:28:49] would think that you want to look at all

[1:28:51] parking areas because, you know, what we

[1:28:53] just heard was it would be better if

[1:28:54] some streets were alternate side parking

[1:28:56] that are one side parking cuz it would

[1:28:58] be more beneficial. So once again, if

[1:29:00] you're focused and you just want to say

[1:29:02] those streets, but I think that those

[1:29:03] streets were most likely deemed

[1:29:06] alternate side parking for

[1:29:09] a political reason more than an

[1:29:11] engineering reason. So then we're

[1:29:12] singling out streets based off of

[1:29:15] non-engineering decisions. We're asking

[1:29:17] an engineer to make a justification on

[1:29:20] it. Engineers don't like things that

[1:29:22] don't make sense. I've talked about the

[1:29:24] weight limit map. The weight limit map

[1:29:25] makes no sense. that chart that we have

[1:29:27] in the city it makes no sense. So with

[1:29:30] me to look at it and then come to you

[1:29:32] and say why does his map there it you

[1:29:34] know it doesn't make any sense and the

[1:29:35] engineering predecessor said this was

[1:29:37] more of a complaints of trucks

[1:29:39] complaints of this. So we you know

[1:29:41] change things. So I would I would say if

[1:29:43] we're going to do it you you do it. uh

[1:29:46] you know 171 miles they don't all have

[1:29:48] all parking but we want to maybe focus

[1:29:50] on certain areas and do it more

[1:29:52] holistically because if you're going to

[1:29:54] do a parking study and not look at the

[1:29:55] area around Ellis hospital

[1:29:58] I don't you know I think that were the

[1:30:00] area around the high school or some of

[1:30:01] the other schools I think that would be

[1:30:03] a

[1:30:04] mistake if I just add one last thing too

[1:30:07] I think is important that we hear from

[1:30:08] those individuals because I think we

[1:30:11] perhaps can do a better job of maybe

[1:30:13] either updating the signage report

[1:30:15] increasing the signage if it's one

[1:30:18] street in particular. I know one street

[1:30:19] there are signs out there that say no

[1:30:21] parking this side from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00

[1:30:23] a.m. If that's the problem and we're not

[1:30:26] street sweeping there and I'm not big

[1:30:27] rem, but if that's the case in point,

[1:30:30] it's a simple sign change and

[1:30:31] everybody's happy. So I guess to the

[1:30:33] point I'm trying to make is I I can feel

[1:30:36] these phone calls and I encourage them

[1:30:37] to call reach out or email me and tell

[1:30:40] me specifically what the street is and

[1:30:42] what their concern is. you know, this may be an easy this may be an easy

[1:30:46] fix, I guess, is what I'm saying.

[1:30:50] Um, and I'd like to believe that

[1:30:51] decisions are made on engineering things

[1:30:53] and not politically, that we're doing it

[1:30:56] based on what's good enough.

[1:30:58] Oh, that's right. We're not talking

[1:30:59] about us.

[1:31:01] Um, so as the mayor has stated that um

[1:31:05] and

[1:31:06] Sergeant, can you

[1:31:10] say you got that promotion? I have to

[1:31:12] get that right. Has stated we should

[1:31:14] look at the streets cuz I I also have um

[1:31:16] you know, someone reach out to me um

[1:31:19] regarding where they live. So, you know,

[1:31:21] we can should look at those streets and

[1:31:22] start there. And I just want to really

[1:31:26] quickly say that I'm I'm not sorry. I'm

[1:31:29] sorry, Mr. T. Did you want to add

[1:31:30] something? No. Oh, okay. Good. So, what

[1:31:33] I was saying is that what I wanted to

[1:31:34] say was that I'm not uh in any way

[1:31:36] suggesting that we change, you know,

[1:31:38] everything around for an individual

[1:31:40] person. I just want to be clear about

[1:31:42] that. But what we can if if we do look

[1:31:44] at the individual streets and there is a

[1:31:46] theme here that oh this works here, then

[1:31:48] it might be a practice that we look to

[1:31:50] move and expand. I think that that's a fair way to start. Okay. Thank

[1:31:55] you.

[1:31:56] So, at this point in time, and this is

[1:31:59] for everyone, then if you're getting

[1:32:01] concerns from individuals regarding

[1:32:03] alternate um side parking, and I'm not

[1:32:06] whether it's being enforced or observed,

[1:32:09] I'm not really sure cuz I see signs.

[1:32:11] Sometimes I'm driving down the street

[1:32:12] and I see signs on both sides, but I

[1:32:14] also see cars on both sides. So, I'm

[1:32:16] like, okay, people aren't really

[1:32:18] observing that. And but there's still

[1:32:19] room to move forward. So, at this point

[1:32:21] in time, you would um provide to the

[1:32:22] mayor's office and to assistant chief

[1:32:25] miliki this brief that you're speaking

[1:32:27] about. And that that goes for everyone

[1:32:29] and I will do that as well. And um we'll

[1:32:32] take it from there. Is there more that

[1:32:34] you would like to see us move forward

[1:32:35] on, Mr. Farley? I think that that's a

[1:32:37] pretty good place to

[1:32:38] start just with the budget coming up.

[1:32:42] Would or would life like me to get what

[1:32:44] parking would cost?

[1:32:47] So that's ask question. I think the more

[1:32:50] information we have the better the more

[1:32:51] the cost but I don't know what the

[1:32:53] entails. So I think getting the cost

[1:32:56] would be great. Doesn't mean we have to

[1:32:57] do it.

[1:32:59] I just getting the cost would be

[1:33:02] contact engineers probably done this

[1:33:05] before and ask them what an approximate

[1:33:06] cost would be just so I can have that

[1:33:08] for our budget time. Right. Including

[1:33:11] the concerns that were voiced by uh his

[1:33:14] farm. Chris and I will be in contact

[1:33:16] because what I'll do is as I if I don't

[1:33:18] handle the calls myself traffic division

[1:33:20] but somehow keep a log or record of the

[1:33:24] concern. So it's not anecdotal. It's a time in place for it to Chris and

[1:33:29] we can work it. If after all this we

[1:33:32] only have a single concern. Not sure

[1:33:34] that you know it's worth proceeding but

[1:33:36] that my own.

[1:33:39] Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Well,

[1:33:43] thank you all for your input. Appreciate

[1:33:45] you coming. Thank you.

[1:33:48] Uh the next item is the is a ceremonial

[1:33:51] resolution for Caribbean American

[1:33:53] Heritage Month. Mr. Mu. Thank you. June

[1:33:57] is recognized as a national Caribbean

[1:33:59] American Heritage Month. And I'm asking

[1:34:01] council once again to pass CR to

[1:34:04] recognize um the Caribbean American

[1:34:07] community.

[1:34:10] Oh, thank you.

[1:34:13] All in favor? All right, that was

[1:34:15] interesting. Um, I did one add one other

[1:34:18] thing to the agenda. I apologize, but um

[1:34:22] June 10th is coming up in June as well.

[1:34:25] And um so I'd like to for the council to

[1:34:28] um have a ceremonial resolution for

[1:34:31] observing Junth. So second all's in

[1:34:35] favor. Thank you very much for that. And

[1:34:38] I have nothing else to come for city

[1:34:40] development planning and I'll entertain

[1:34:42] a motion to adjourn. So move second. All

[1:34:45] in favor? I have a good evening

[1:34:58] everyone. Heat. Heat.

[1:35:02] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Committee Meeting, June 2, 2025

Transcript