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Heat. Heat.
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Hey, hey, hey.
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hey. Heat. Heat.
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Oh, thank you.
something else.
I'm not casual.
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Yeah.
I'd like to call orders connecting city
council committee meeting for Monday,
June 2nd,
2025. The first committee is finance.
Mr. Matarin. Thank you. I would like to
call the finance committee to order and
the first item is the annual exterior
permit application fee
waiver. Since 2018, we have been um
doing this program to give back to
our neighborhoods in terms of encourage
them to revitalize um the neighborhood
and to participate in the
exterior work.
and to enhance their building. Since
2018, we have seen a lot of success in
this
program. And I have attached uh some
backup documents here. Um during last
budget, we have increased the
application fee from
$56 to $75. So, that's a change there.
And we're asking for the same um same
program to roll into 2025.
And I'm asking for this program to be
from June 16th to September 14th. The
reason why because I missed the last
cycle to bring this to the council. And
in 2024, we were able to um give back to
our
neighborhood homeowner/home at
$13,410. That report is attached to your
documents here. So once again, I'm
asking for the council favorable
consideration so that we continue this
program.
So you mentioned earlier that those
program was a success. I would say how
would you define success? Well, in terms
of the the amount of dollars that people
are buying into the program, we look at
the dollar amount. Last year was a small
year in terms of rolling out and some
that we had last year. But overall, you
look at the program, they're upward of
$20,000 plus each year. So that that's
the factor as people are actually
planning the program and doing a full
permits and taking advantage of this
u this incentive that we have to
offer.
So the one change I would like to make
on this area on the back of that. Oh,
sorry. Uh, so I don't know if we can
recall our conversation last year. A few
of my reservations were behind whether
this program was an accommodation or is
it becoming an expectation and then if
it is something that you plan to outline
on an annual basis, my point was uh in
2024 to build into the budget. Um, I
definitely want to hear more of your
continued conversation, but I think
taking this into consideration with our
recent fee increases, I think it sends a
mixed message to code enforcement if
we're going to raise the fees, but then
in our busiest season
provide fee reductions. Um, I would be
more in tune with hearing this be done
in a portion of the year where work
isn't traditionally done, but to me it
seems as though we are providing
incentives for work that needs to get
done. Um, and I was sending sending the
wrong message to the residents, but then
also in your spreadsheet who was
benefiting from this program because I
saw a number of blanks, there were
people that were from outside of our
community. Um, so again, to make sure
that Scantadians were fit for the bill
and every year we say that it is a
budget crisis, uh, I think this is going
to be a a challenging year that conflict
will be able to overcome. Um, but
sincerely, I know $32,000 to some people
might not seem like a lot, but when we
get to those budget meetings, everything
adds up and
starts. Well, I I wouldn't say outside
of this, anybody own property is
connected on occupy or rental unit up to
four units. We had increased up to four
units, I think, in the last two years, I
think. So, because of No, I think what
we did said was four units was then
commercial, so we kept brought it down
to three units. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.
So we keep that's how we end up with
four units. It's three units and less.
Yes.
Okay.
Oh, I mean people who are buying into
this program is own occupy and rental
unit. So you own a property in equity.
Here's an incentive for you to do
something to the especially your rental
property to make sure that those those
property are in good standard so that
renter can um you know live in a in good
accommodation I think on your okay so so
definitely in support of it and my I
guess my only question would be cuz you
were saying like the home these are own
owner occupied so are we looking to
maybe uh change this to where people
have primary residence here in the city
take advantage of it or because listen
to your point kind of like people that
live outside of the city of Skenkity um
like so if I live in New York City but I
own property here then I'm getting to
take advantage of this program or is
that are we looking to make sure that's
just people primary residents here?
Well, we we did look at that back then.
We we we want to leave out rental
property because we want to encourage
landlord to bring their property up to
code not only in the interior but also
the exterior the property so that when
tenants are living there they're not
living in you know in a deplorable
condition you know buildings you know
that is not the standard. So that's
where we kind of put our own occupied
and rental
property look at like how the tenants
the tent impact I feel like how that can
look like as far as
like the parameters of it being just if
you have this property and you are quote
unquote acting as a slum lord. This
would be an incentive for you to try to
get your property up to so the people
that you're renting to don't aren't
living in subpar conditions. Yeah, kind
of. And is encourage people to enable
the revitalization to come. Okay, here
is our incentive. You know, we have $75.
We have this fun to go through um you
know into the next 3 months. This is our
incentive giving back to the so the
homeowners so that they can beautify
their
property. You skip that please. Yeah, I
think um the time period of June to
September is um appropriate because
that's when most people because of our
seasons here in the Northeast. I mean,
that's really the time that people
really get to do a lot of work. Um and I
think that the program is a really good
one because we want to continue to
encourage homeowners uh and landlords uh
to be keeping their properties in good
shape. Um I think it all adds to uh the
quality of life in the neighborhoods um
across the city. So I definitely support
the support the program. Yeah. And we
only waving the $75 application fee.
They still have to pay for the cost over
that whatever that percentage of
increase 1% or fixed number and then
they have 12 months. So if they were
sometime something happened and they're
not completing the work within 12
months, they will have to to pull the
you know renew the permit and they will
have to pay the full fee. So it's not
like they roll over no fee application
at that point in
time but just case in point there's
still uh impacts to staffing um so the
work in no way is subsidized and so uh
that higher volume of work is being
processed at a portion of what fee is
designated for that line. So again I
just think it sends a nice message.
So going back to the four units, I just
want to touch base on that. I think it's
three. I can't recall. I think this was
changed a couple years ago by somebody
else. Originally, we said four, but then
we discussed it four if I uh is
commercial. It's what we consider
commercial at this point. So I see what
this says here, but I distinctly
remember us moving it down to three
because then it's not commercial unit. I
don't have a problem doing that.
It's not my
So I think maybe I don't know maybe
corporation council can tell us but
should it say one to up to four instead
of one to Oh I guess 1 to four is the
same as one to three. 1 to three.
So we need to change that. Yes.
Any other questions? Go ahead please. So
because we increased the speed this
year, did you uh have an opportunity to
calculate the budgetary impact um in
terms of what we've done in years past?
Yeah, we tried to do that but we don't
know how many people going to buy into
it. Last year we had 13,000. The year
before we had 24,000. It's all about
buying in because we don't want to say
well we're going to we are looking at
$25,000. It might not happen. Mhm. You
know the numbers fluctuate years after
years. And because there's a a fee
increase, is there uh any thought
towards maybe shortening the length of
time? So what was said is that you know
this is the building period from June to
September. Uh however, we're giving them
12 months. So really extends out past
September. So we want to consider giving
them 6 months and that really makes sure
that they have to get the work done
because I know our standard process is
when they have to pay they get 12 months
but in this case there's no payment.
Interesting. And so can we, you know,
shorten that time frame in consideration
of our entries and deeds? Yeah, we did
have 6 months prior there, but change
recently because the city codes clearly
say that permit is valid for 12 months
and not 6 months. So even though this is
a specialized program, you still have to
stick with that. Yes, I had to change it
back to change it to 12 months.
Mr. Ryan, is there no way we can go
outside of that?
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The trouble is that if this is an
ordinance, the only way to amend an
ordinance is to go through a public
hearing and amend all. Okay? And this is
just a a short-term program. So you're
doing it by resolution. You're not
changing the the framework of the
parameters. So we have to go with 12
months.
Yeah. Prior years we had it 6 months and
then we were told by corporation council
we can't I'm just trying to figure out
the budgetary impact because we did
increase the fees.
Go ahead please. So my last comment is
again the intent is to have this be
ongoing. I would actually want to
identify like metrics and ensure that we
are advertising this to the community.
This is truly a a benefit. Um but then
also I recommend maybe having a rolling
average and then we anticipate that. I
wouldn't agree with not budgeting
because we don't know how much it'll be.
I think it's better to have something
that we have designated just so as we're
making these considerations in November,
it is a better better discussion. I I
I've taken notes here. So we'll we'll
discuss that in our budget and just talk
to the mayor and the finance staff to
incorporate a line and we can just
attach a
number an
estimate based on this
year's gift. Any other
question? So, a couple changes we're
going to bring back down to three
units and we have to stick with the um
the 12 months. So, I have a motion to
move this forward. So, move second.
I'm going to second it. All in favor?
Thank
you. The ne the next item
is funding support for Belmont Pop
Warner program. Mr. Par. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. I brought this uh to us in our
last committee meeting. Um the Belmont
Pop winner uh football reached out um
looking for support for funding for
their youth programs. Um obviously a
strong uh supporter of all that Belmont
has to offer. Uh especially um you know
now I'm hearing about their new steps to
be even more inclusive around flag
football including girls. Um Belmont
isn't just a a football program. is
definitely a youth mentorship program
that serves our community um and serves
some of our youth that are at the most
high risk youth um and really has been
doing this making this great impact with
little to no institutional support. Um
as we were here at the committee meeting
there were some questions to me posing
me around like if has Belmont went to
the school district. um they're here to
elaborate a little bit more on that, but
um to my understanding after speaking
with the representative Belmont that
they do partner with the school
district, but the partnership with the
school district um is the school
district has
uh I think renovated the field of $8
million into renovations of the field
and they allow Belmont to uh the use of
that field as well as when Belmont are
doing some other fundraisers, the school
district will use their network to uh
get that information out to the larger
community. Um however um uh that's been
the contribution of the school district.
The other question was again how they
have been uh surviving thus far and I
think that that's the right word to use
to survive. um hopefully we can help
them thrive um through our actions, but
it's really been through grassroots
efforts um fundraising, even coaches,
volunteers, people coming out of their
own pocket um to make sure that uh youth
have the opportunity to take advantage
of this program and all the protective
factors that it has to offer. Um so I do
have uh you can see both my
representatives are in the room today.
Um uh Councilwoman Duro said that she'd
like to hear um directly from them. So,
I thought that that was a great idea and
they're here to speak to uh any
questions that that council has. Is
there a representative that's here to
speak?
Mr. K. Can you
please hold it or
any questions?
Well, those questions.
Um the way we've been receiving funding
as uh 2017 when I took over as vice
president, it's just community
um
Moakonda. They they've been a a great
len over the years. other than that
people, families,
um not a lot of huge sponsorships from
the corporations. Stos was and still
does um give us hot dogs, ice cream,
juices for our hot dog day, which is our
last sign up of the season usually. Um
other than
that, we're making it through. when I
first took over in um 2017, I sat in a
meeting with um coach Carpalo and Mr.
George Rose and my question to them was
after they asked me to be president. I
said, "How much would it be for the
season?" Um at the time, Mr. M uh Mr.
Paulo looked at me and said probably
about
40,000. In that moment, we were $7,000
in the hole as well. We owe for jerseys
um the year before banquet. So coming in
it was like,
uhoh, I don't know how we're going to do
it, but if we just put one foot in front
of the other, we'll make it happen. So
2025, you know, I'm standing here in
front of you guys. If you'd like to
help, we're here. If not, we're going to
make it
happen. My question is, so I appreciate
the fact that you guys survived and I
think that that's a testament to how
strong the strength program. nothing
lasts this long without institutional
support without having a real impact and
people recognizing that. Um, but can you
speak to a little bit to like what does,
you know, Belmont mean to the to the
large community and especially some of
the youth that you guys are serving?
If he's okay with speaking, I would like
to hand the mic off to somebody that can
tell you exactly how this has affected
their life. I'm good.
Yeah. So, I'm Norman Booth. Uh I grew up
through Pop Warner and I've lived in
Mount Pleasant uh my whole life. Um I'm
21 years old and I just graduated uh
Utica University. Um and that's something that I feel like
I can truly say that I would not be
where I am today without Belmont Paborn.
So as you all know, you know, this is our future. Uh, these young men
are our future and and they always told
me time flies and I never thought that
I'd be thinking about rent and all of
this stuff, you know, and and these are
things that I told from he's he's been
like there around my whole life and with
his children, you know, and and Belma
Puna gave me something to look forward
to after school. gave me a reason to
progress in school because not only was
I held to a standard because of my
professors, my teachers, I was held to a
higher standard because my coaches
depend on. And you know these this gives
our our youth a purpose. It gives our
youth something to to keep going. You
know, and there's so many things that
you can get into that are not positive.
Especially in this world, there are so
many things that divide us. And football
is the one thing that brings us all
together. And you know, these
children one day they'll be running the
world. and what will they have to look
back on in their in their childhood, you
know, and and who would they be able to
call their brothers and and football and
Belmont Warner gives them that? And you
know, this is like my greatest memories
are from, you know, traveling and and
doing all this with my team and and just
all of the stuff that Belmont brings uh
to to a young man and and now young
women's life, you know, and and I'm just
extremely grateful that I I got to meet
some of the greatest people ever, you
know, and that doesn't always mean
money. That means spirit. And so, and
that's what Belmont has always taught.
And and that's the foundation of of this
city. I I believe in my heart that B my
paw is one of the greatest things to
ever happen in in my life. Um you know
I'm very thankful for you guys giving us
the opportunity to have a voice. Um
because it's something that we really
need in in a world like this today is is
we need representation and and build my
pap got us to a place where the city is
hearing us and and and I think that this
uh is very important for us to really
not overlook because when this when when this is all said and done what will
we have you know and and these this is
our answer. This is our answer. These
youth is our answer. So, you know, this
is very important for us to to to invest
in it now before it's too late.
And that's that's all I got. Thank you
guys.
I um I had the pleasure of watching him
grow up, watching him lose family
members and having just this program to
depend on um family members being his
mother.
So any other question? Go ahead, please.
You mentioned before that you had
corporate sponsors. You mentioned one
name in particular. So, um, how is that
going this year in terms of your
corporate sponsors? Uh, the ask, as I
understand it, was 47,000. Yes. So, the ask is 47,000. Um, which would cover
the entire program. Does that include uh
adding young women to it? Young girls as
well. All right. So, um, are you again
seeking corporate sponsors this year?
that I if you guys were to sponsor us, I
would say we would hold off on that
until playoff time cuz so past two years
um all padded level teams have made the
Super
Bowl. Three out of five and then five
out of seven have won the Super Bowls
locally. After that, we got to go to
regionals, which is anywhere from
Maryland to Jersey to or traveling.
after regionals is nationals, which is
Florida. Now, they just moved into North
Carolina, so getting a team of 35 kids
in North Carolina should be fun um to
say the least. So, it seems like the
well, it is the ask itself is to fully
fund the program to get uh all the all
of the participants through the season
through the through the local the
capital district, right? Capital
district season. If you guys keep
winning and doing the things that you're
doing, then that there's more cost that
can come after that. So, seeking
corporate sponsorships and still doing
the things that you guys are doing to
sustain will still be something that you
need to do in order to sustain in case
that you guys go on past the season.
Absolutely. Okay. And
um president,
so um first of all, I just want to
apologize for being late. I got out of
work and then I had an issue on stuff
like that. So, I was doing a lot. Um,
but I just want to say that like yes,
for corporate sponsorships, we are
always seeking funding from any sources
that are available. Whether it's
business sponsorships, whether it's
local entities, whether it's
fundraising, like we'll get out and
we'll do things like we're working on
car washes, we've done fishing
tournaments, we've done everything you
name it. Concession stands, we do
raffles, like you name it. And we're
always looking for different things. The
main thing that we're always trying to
help as far as funding is concerned is
kids that are less fortunate, that are
having a hard time, families that aren't
able to actually pay the registration
fee. The registration fee is only $200,
but it doesn't even cover a fraction of
what's really the cost for each child to
participate. Helmets alone are $250 a
piece. Shoulder pads are about $75.
Uniform set is $100. So, that's well
exceeding what the cost of registration
is, which we're intentionally keeping
lower than a lot of the other part a lot
of the programs in the area and outside
of the area in order to accommodate our
families. But also, there's a lot of
like um financial insecurity around
coming through and asking for that type
of thing. So, if we can open the gates
and let people know that we can actually
step up and provide that for them, then
it's going to allow more kids to come
through. And then there's also a lot of
kids that come by and then we let them
know like, hey, listen, this is what the
registration fee is. And then there's
some hesitancy. And then when we try to
reach out, but people get weary about
asking for things too. And like we want
to be able to provide that for our
community. Like we're serving over 200
kids every single season. Somebody said
something about young ladies. We have
girls flag football. We have two girls
flag football teams. We spearheaded it
when we first popped off girls flag
football in the capital region. We had
the first teams. We also just won
championship games. Both of our girls
just won it this year, too. Very
successful. Uh we have a whole
cheerleading program that's been very
successful over the years, too. So,
we're serving over 60 girls, too,
between flag football and cheerleading.
So, it's not just a boy sport. We have
um over 200 football players. Like,
we're we're doing a lot with a lot of
kids. I see a lot of other youth
programs in the city as well, but I
challenge any program to say that they
have as many kids as we do within the
community. And we have a lot more that
want to participate, but due to those
financial insecurities usually don't.
So, I just want to be able to present
them with the opportunity to do that.
And we will continue to seek sources of
funding wherever wherever we can. I
mean, we've been operating since the
1970s on a shoestring budget. Like I
mean when I tell you like I I know
coaches that have personally come out of
their pocket to pay registration fees
for kids. And it's not that we don't
care to do that cuz we will and we'll
continue to do that and we'll continue
to do whatever we need to do year in and
year out with or without you know
financial support from whatever places
we need to get it from. But I'm just you
know it would mean a lot to us and it
would mean a lot to the kids and to the
community for you all to you know really
take this into consideration and do what
you can to help our kids out. So we
appreciate that.
Go ahead, please. So, this is a question
I asked when you weren't here. Someone
asked whether you are here. Uh, it was
spoken to by Mr. Farley, but I'd like to
hear it from you. Um, so I firmly
believe that we invest in ourselves.
Just believe in that. And, um, you ask
what you need, but you also give your
own personal investment because people
say, "Hey, we're investing ourselves."
So, I just want to know the level of the
investment from um, parents, guardians,
or whatever in in terms of this program.
Yeah. So, um, our parents are the the
heart of the program. I mean, you'll see
some of our parents are here right now.
Not everybody can make it. We have a lot
going on cuz our kids are also involved
in different sports and extracurricular
activities and we try to keep them as
busy as possible. But like we're all
even when we're not, we're uncles and
we're aunts and we're family members to
kids that are not our kids, right? Like
every kid in this room, we all have all
the adults have attachments to them and
every adult that's within our program
has attachments. They're car pooling.
They're covering food and snacks and
things like that or they're getting
hotel rooms when we have to go out of
town to be able to do that and give kids
experiences that they're not normally
getting whether it's in sports or
outside of sports. And not only sports,
we're encouraging academic success.
We're encouraging behavioral success.
We're encouraging doing the right thing
and being a good person first and
foremost and a part of your community.
And we try to model those things as
well. Like we try to show each other,
you know, love and support. And we work
through our differences and things like
that. And we try to model those
consistencies in front of the kids. So,
um, yeah, with the parents and the and
the families and the adults that are
within the program. They're the heart of
the program. They're the reason that
we're able to continue. And it's
literally been like that since we were
kids. Most of the adults that you see in
here are part of this program since we
were kids. And there were adults that
did those things for us. And that's why
we're on the front lines now doing the
same things for the kids that we have in
our community because that's what's
important to us. So, somebody did it for
us. We're trying to do it again. Thank
you.
Any other
questions? two ideas. U Mr. Farmer
states that um he just said he says, you
know, Belmont popcorner is high-risisk
youth. Um what makes them like to know
exactly what makes them more high-risisk
than any other youth organization maybe
here in our city or any city. Um
you know, I could speak to that. Yes,
sir. Well, I'm asking him at this
moment. Well, I can I can ask why I said
that. So, if you ask why I said Yeah.
Um, well, so I can tell you I work in
the school district as well. I work at
Mount Pleasant Middle School and I've
worked in a number of different schools
and I've worked with these kids directly
for years now and I I am aware of most
of the other programs, but I'm also not
entirely aware of what their dynamics
are. So, I can mostly just speak to our
program, but what I can speak to is kids
that I know that have been a part of
this program that have either stopped
being a part of it or moved away or were
no longer a part of it. I've seen have
issues with end up getting in trouble
with the law. Some of our children have
gone out and been murdered, things of
that nature. And also, they're
constantly in dire need. As I work as a
community school member or community
school coordinator for Mount Pleasant, I
provide resources and connect resources
to families and needs and things like
that. And our families are always on the
list always. They're struggling with
housing, they're struggling with food,
they're struggling with a number of
different things that are going on. So
when we're talking about how do I or
what makes me know that they're at risk,
the data also shows too, we have data
that shows what their incomes are in
their family households and they're far
below the poverty line on average. So
like just um there's a number of
different things I can speak to and the
experiences that we've had with the kids
that have been like would would really
tug on your heartstrings if I was to be
honest with you that I don't necessarily
have to speak on. You don't have to. I
mean I'm just saying I'm sure it's it
overlaps into other areas of youth
sports as well. And if I could so just
to provide a little thank you for that
and provide a little more clarity to
what I'm saying. One of the reasons why
that makes um uh kids that are involved
in a program like Belmont higher risk
has been the lack of institutional
investment in Belmont. So, and so when
you say higher risk, that means high not
high risk of only you know some of the
um you know things that we've talked
about like the you know incarceration
and literal murder and things like that kids have been experiencing but
also they're at a higher risk not to
have an exposure to opportunities like
traveling and ongoing mentorship and
things like that directly because
Belmont has had to operate on that shoe
budget and the community support. So
that's why we have an opportunity here
to directly impact that by making sure
we surprise them provide some
institutional support.
Absolutely. And um you know what you're
saying to be honest with you like the main thing is um a lot of the kids
that are even at the highest level of
risk are the ones that we're missing out
on right now that would love to
participate. Like I said, I've worked in
the school. I've worked in elementary
school and middle school. Kids are
telling me all the time they want to
play. And then when I reach out to
parents and a conversation is even
mentioned about there's a registration
or a cost associated with it. The
conversation stops and it's not through
the desire of the kid falling off. The
kid wants to play and often times a
parent wants them to play but the means
aren't there and and that just makes it
difficult and I just for I you know and
my board could get frustrated in me at
times because I we have these
conversations. I never turn a kid away
for money. That's 100% I don't I won't
we we won't we will do whatever we have
to do to make sure that a kid is going
to play whether they have the money or
not. But there also takes a certain
level of parent followrough that was in
the the system for us to get them
actually registered and get their
paperwork in and everything like that.
Sometimes that conversation is a stance
that when money is brought
up I have a question for you. Are you
aware of uh we have a CDBG program. Are
you aware of that? The yearly CDBG
program. said CDBG. CDBG, community
development black grant. I'm not
familiar with that number. We can um put
them in contact with Miss Carver to see
next year, you know, something down the
line. Certainly, I think to become
permanent in the future. Yeah, that
Yeah, thank you for that. I think that's
important that yes, we can help them
moving forward to go through that
process. Um I don't think that it will
be either or though I want to be clear
that you know we still have opportunity
to support them now and then looking to
the future. Um I think uh Miss Patrick
brought up a good point uh in our last
committee meeting was like you know in
the future how do we uh um
operationalize this so much so that it
might not just be one or two youth
agencies looking out. I think that I
welcome us to revisit um that process as
a council. However, the ask right now is
on the table. Um, and these young people
need our support now and then we can
look at what, you know, what the future
holds as well. Yeah. So, we'll
definitely uh put you in contact with
Miss Carver to pay, you know, future
funding and see if that CDBG can
accommodate you in the future.
Appreciate that. Andy, you had a
question. Go ahead, please. So, not
necessarily a question, more of a
comment. As I look around the room and
see these young men, definitely I remind
myself remind myself of me. And then I I
think about where would I be if I didn't
have that sense of community that you've
all provided for them. I look at your
shirt right there and it doesn't say
Mohawk Belmont. It says connectity
Belmont. So I do not think you are here
asking for anything. That name on your
chest, you are here as a partner. And if
you are functioning in this city and you
are identifying a need, that is nothing
to say that the needs of other youth are
any less than or saying it's different.
And if you're highlighting that they're
less fortunate and I imagine some of
your parents aren't here because they're
still working or there's child care
issues. Um my two young ones are at home
right now. Uh and there are there are
things that that that certain families
have to accommodate that others don't.
And I think when we um talk about um
like comparing our upbringing and our
experiences and I think that gets away
from the true point of you presented
yourselves with an ask and you shouldn't
be penalized because other programs have
not. Um so I am here to say we figure
out how to meet this ask. Um I recognize
that this is a collective discussion and
although other individuals around this
table might not feel comfortable with
that. I think we need to get close.
Actually, no. I do not think we need to
get close because as we have police
officers here in this room, there are
other t tangibles that giving these
young men and young women something
positive to do. It not only uh uh it not
only protects their idol time and now
you are then providing them that sense
of community and ownership in this
program where they're the ones coming
back investing into this and you give
people reason to stay in the city of
Snickly and not feel like they have to
leave. Um so with that I I I definitely
think it is a challenge. It is a
difficult conversation whenever we talk
about money, but if you expect me to sit
in a conversation where we are making
considerations for homeowners to a tune
of 17,000 in 2022, 23,000 in 2023, and
13,000 in 2024, I see all that as
potential money that could have went to
this program. And that is not to say
that the issues and and needs of
homeowners are less than our youth. But
as you just heard from this young man,
if we do not invest in them now, when
you
can say something,
no problem.
I feel like Belmont is a beacon of light
for a bunch of the underserved children.
They need that help. I'm a father. I'm a
family of
six. I come out of my own pocket for
kids. I don't have it like that. But for
them to play, I do that. I feel like we
got to take this serious. Last meeting
you guys were in here discussing,
talking about the Blue Jays. The Blue
Jays have three
fields. We don't have a
field to even practice on, let alone.
You're talking about cricket. I don't
know anybody who plays cricket or even
at a national level playing cricket
respectfully. It has nothing to do with
anybody. But if there's a means for them
to have this, we came here before when
we were going to Florida. We got $100
from you guys. No, that was personal
donation. That was a personal donation.
Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Sorry, Dad.
Appreciate Appreciate you. But if you
don't want my help, we appreciate it. I
appreciate it. But we got more help
outside of the county and outside of the
city. And what are we what is the
message we're sending to the youth if
we're doing
that? They mean nothing. I want you all
right now to look in their face and tell
them they mean nothing. If that's what
it
is, come on. We got to do better.
Skenctity has to do better. I love
Skenctity, but I'm eventually going to
move out if there's no help.
I can't do it all by myself. We can't
all do it by ourselves. We can't. We
need help. This is the ask right now.
That's all I want to say. Sorry about
that.
Okay. I al I also wanted to say on
that besides, you know, what you're
hearing from people here today um which
are multiple compelling extremely
compelling reasons. um as far as uh like
what we're looking at this as a cost
where we should be looking at this as an
investment because the research will it's pretty clear that uh this type
of investment um that dollar circuits a
community four times more than other
dollars before they end up leaving the
community. Then you also have to look at
that these are protective factors for
youth um who otherwise might have that
idle time. And then we start to save on
our public safety dollars and and and uh our police and fire um our other
community agencies that are uh uh
service providers. We start to save on
that resource because Belmont again is
not just about throwing a football back
and forth. This is with the most organic
um level of youth and mentorship and
family and community building. One of
the best examples that we have in our
community. So just also we should
recognize that as well. Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Go ahead, please. Um I just have
a question for Mr. Farley. Where um
would you get the money from the budget?
So we have So well we have first I
definitely open that up to the council.
you know that's not a decision I can
make unilaterally but if it was I would
certainly uh say that um let's look at
you know what is uh left in our ARPA
funds and if I would draw the attention
back to our committee meetings that we
had where I was adamant adamant adamant
about let's make sure that we are
funding our youth services line more
than what it is I it was at the time was
$150,000 and I pleaded with the council
to make that to to bump that to
$300,000. So therefore, things like this
when people come come to us with a
proven product, a proven track record,
build a community um inside of our city
and keeping our youth safe that we could
provide them with the support we need.
So where I would see us uh you know, we
have a couple options um I believe um
that are on the table now. Um, and I
still, and me personally, I wouldn't be
uh against even looking at our general
fund to uh to make sure that we give the
youth what they need. So, did you have
any other uh anyone else have any uh
options around where we could get this
funding from?
We did a Sorry. We did talk about the
$150,000 line in the budget. And then we
talked about 108,000. Mhm. Uh it was um
we did an amendment um late last year
that is with Koko House and then we have
that the budget um available budget from
the um the safety foundation in your
package areas of the $19,000 each and
the police and fire. It is my
understanding that these funds are going
to be utilized 150 and 108. Is that
correct?
It's for the youth program this year.
which would like the 150,000 in in our
budget and the one lady that we set
aside under co house correct that uh
meeting with uh kids in the school
district I think next Monday to do the
formal hiring for the summer so that at
that point we'll know how many kids that
we're going to be able to bring on board
and how much of that money would be
committed over the summer.
the public safety foundation. Those
funds, there's uh 37
$38,000 that are listed is
uncommitted at this point, but that
funds the
uh 518 uh summer program in the parks.
Uh it does the uh Halloween parade
through the city. Uh, and if you haven't
participated in that, I would encourage
you to do it. I'm really surprised the
number of people that come
out to that. So, that money is largely
going to be committed for community
engagement through the police and fire
department and it's targeted toward
youth in terms of existing activities.
And the other ones is again I'll know
after next Monday what our commitment
would be during the summer and what
would be possibly left over from that.
But uh Mr. Mosaic is trying to staff
that up to the budgeted amount. And
you're speaking of both lines the
150,000 plus the 108. Yes. Well, now you
talk about the ones from Cocoa House,
the some in Cocoa House, which I'm not
fully aware of what the level of
expenditure has been on those. Right.
So, Morhead, that was my question about
the coal house. Um, and I think we
should check with Miss Carver as to
where we are with that. The further
question really around that is
um and I'm not sure if we can do at this
point. We would have to because we went
to the budget to see what it says. It
said youth employment. So we'd have to
look to see if we could change that
description in order for it to to cover
this. Um so as as the mayor said the
what's he uh we got an email saying that
it's been expended in terms of the
police and fire and Mr. Ma in
discussions with him uh did say that
he's really looking to expend the 150.
So at this point in time outside the the
general budget looks like the 108 the
only place we can look at this moment.
So so how can we get that can we get
that from this
car in terms of spend against the plan?
Yeah tomorrow discuss where we sit.
Okay.
And that's towards the one we
correct. Go ahead. I just want to
support that the $150,000 u Mr. MC has
already done his interviews. I think
he's looking at 42 youth who actually
then have paid summer employment. Um, so
that money is directly going um to
support, you know, make sure that those youth are um viably employed,
learning job skills, um assisting us
with our recreational program for the
summer. Um, and it also will keep them
um you know, engaged and involved um
outside of their school. You know, it's
summer, so they'll be working um I think
most of the day.
But the 108 I do want to say I I would
be supportive of using uh money from
Yeah. Let's find out what is available
against that line and then go ahead. So
the the $150,000 that's now marked under
our youth employment line um is uh that
was the line that I was um again asking
the council to increase during our
budget for specifically this reason. I
know what that that program line is is
because you know I was the person who
introduced that and when I introduced it
then it was supposed to be a a pilot. So
we were going to look at you know the
success of it and then look to expand
it. um the one the first year uh uh well
I should not to speak to the first year
but last year we didn't use um the
entire $150,000 in the budget and that
was the justification for not at the
time of budget conversations of not
adding to the budget and at the time I
brought to the council to say that the
money though the money not being spent
it's not because the need isn't there
that was our own internal um thing that
we would have to address as far as the
processes go and now it seems like that
is being addressed and like I said now
this is going to be expended. So I don't
want it to feel like we are trying to
pit one program against another. We
amend budgets all the time. We make
amendments all the time here. So this is
another opportunity. If indeed that
money um the line that you're
identifying if it's not enough money
there to support this then I would urge
the council to yeah let's put our heads
together and look at like how we might
have to amend this budget so we can
support our youth and not just say it.
Yeah. So my sentiment is exactly Mr.
Farley that you did advocate for that
last year and that we need to look at
that moving forward. Absolutely. I think
you had requested from every council
member. I was the only one that voted
against it. Whatever came back to the uh
from ARPA would go to that line and I
think uh everyone agreed to that um
except me. I wanted to see what would
come back and where we might need it as
well. But moving forward, we really need
to to support our youth uh here in the
city. Um I just want to say that when my
girls played soccer, I personally
couldn't afford the registration fee for
all three um on the travel league. So I
became the registar and was working with
Mr. and uh everyone involved in the
league till 11:12 at night registering
hundreds of kids to play soccer. So I
know what the struggle is. um is just
that there are a lot of youth programs
in the city um that are struggling and I
would like for each one of them uh to
have the same opportunity uh to come and
present itself. Maybe they didn't know
it was possible. I don't even know if
there's going to be any money to uh to
fund these. Uh but I think uh every
organization should have uh be able to
come and present themselves to us.
Absolutely. I agree and I agree with
that point. But I would be really
careful how we how we frame that because
when you say I would like for other
youth programs to have the opportunity,
they absolutely do. They did before
Belmont did. Right. Right. They they all
have. So we just don't want to make it
seem like we are are giving any special
consideration to this program. This
program actually reached out and said
this is our situation and we need help.
So at that time it's in our our
responsibility i.e. our ability to
respond that we do.
So, go ahead. And just my my final
comments, I want to caution us against
looking at that public safety foundation
money as a funds that we can dictate or
determine within this room. Very much
the police and fire department have
long-term ongoing expectations that they
use those funds for. And when we tap
into those without their input, I think
it can unfortunately put other programs
at risk where this is that comparing
that Mr. Parley often cautions us
against doing. Um, but very much um we
often try to find like the the nice way
to make things work. I don't imagine
this is going to be nice. And to your
point, Miss Doro, uh it may feel as if
we are not accommodating others, but
very much as I think about the language
that sits in the front of city hall, the
black lives matter, it doesn't mean that
only black lives matter. It means that I
see you, I hear you, and I'm going to do
something to ensure that your living
conditions don't reflect now and reflect
where they should be. And I think as we
take those steps in a calculated effort,
um the narrative is important to make
sure that we never truly control that.
But the hope is that the youth do and
that as they grow up and aspire to to
new heights that they will be that four
times fold investment that we will see
within the city. Um but sincerely we
often talk about the exodus out of New
York State. Not to uh uh make this
conversation much longer than it is. We
need to figure it out. We need to figure
it out and I'm on board to figure it
out.
Go ahead, please. So, my final comment
is um as well is that right now what it
seems like the conclusion we've come to
is $108,000 is the place that we would
have to look and um also we should keep
in mind we always talk about how much
sports develop young people etc and so
on. And this is our opportunity to do
that.
And we definitely also need to look
forward to how we do it in years coming
and to and for others that that come
with an ask. But also, I think there should be ways and I believe
there's people within this council who
um can
actually give advice on how to on how to
fund raise and how to get money that um
so if you're cuz not you would
necessarily always have to come to the
city for the entire amount but other
ways to fund raise. So I'm not going to
say anybody's name but if if the person
that knows that has that ability wants
to be able to assist um helping your
organization to you know figure out ways
to fund raise. So, um, you know, having,
again, investing in our youth and having
them grow up to be like this young man
back here, uh, it it makes a difference.
in our our
community. It makes a difference in our
city. It makes a difference in our
world. So, um, I know it's it's
challenging this year. We all know that.
However, I don't think it's a challenge
that we cannot meet,
Mr. Chairman. So, couldn't uh could
being that we still have to see exactly
uh what amount of money is in that line,
um could we make the motion that if the
money is left in that line right now
that we could move it forwards cuz I'd
hate to have to go do another funding
cycle. So if we could So when I was
thinking about recess finance to Monday,
get the information from the mayor and
the finance commissioner and we can meet
at 6:00 Monday,
recess the committee, meet uh Monday and
move forward whatever number we have and
move forward with with application.
Yeah, that's one way to look
at that. That's the way to do it because
we don't know what the money is right
now to do a resolution. You need a the
budget line item and the amount of
money. So we couldn't do a resolution in
um where the resolution would be
dependent upon if the money is there. We
couldn't do that. It needs you know the
finance needs a line item from where the
money is going to be drawn from. So in
between then and now there may be other
line items in which money may be drawn
from. I don't know. So, um I I you would
you'd be making a resolution still not
knowing what whether or not where the
money was going to be coming from. So,
this way you can vote in committee on
Monday to vote it out. There'll be
unanimous consent if there's money
available to put it on the agenda if you
have unanimous consents to put it on
because
well, it's been a
committee. We wouldn't need I'm going to
recess. That's why I'm recessing it so
that we don't need unanimous consent.
So you just have to move it out your
finance and on to the floor. Okay. Cuz
if you did something right now, it would
be Yeah. You don't be you you'd still be
dependent on that report on Monday. Mhm.
So let's work on getting a report from
the academy and let's miss Cargo and we
can meet um which is good 6:00 next
Monday. I'll figure out
You're good. Monday and
6 month. Monday 6 finance committee.
Yes. Friday. Yeah. So, yes. So, we'll
recess, we'll be move it out, look at
the numbers, what is available and just,
you know, from then on we can move
forward. Okay. And being that we're just
recessing. If if we do look into that in
the particular line that we're
discussing and the money is not there,
um I still want us, you know, to look
at, you know, possible other options
because where there's a will, there's a
way. And I think that we need to and
that would also give the mayor the mayor
has a meeting next Monday in terms of
seeing what is available any
availability on that 150 line. So we'll
see on that line if any availability I
guess at 150. We got tons of money right
Mr. Mayor we don't have tons.
So I just want to add
Go ahead. I just want to add that um we
should look at the CDBG as well. Not
just that 108 but city. Well 108 was the
city. So that was Harperite Harperite.
That's what I mean. We we need to look
at that as well. Well, we're going to
encourage them to meet with Miss Carva
and in the future to kind of like submit
applications so going forward they can
able to tap into that for CDBG. CDBG.
Yeah. Go ahead please. I asked an
answer all sadly.
[Music]
So I I'll hold everybody tells the
finance committee until Monday. I'm
sorry, Mr. Chairman. Just so everybody's
on the same page. The committee will be
at 6:00 on the time to be determined,
but before the council meeting at 7:00
at which
time line items where money may be
available will be presented to the count
the committee. Yes. The committee will
then vote out a
resolution where that money is coming
from.
And then unanimous consent is placing it
on the the agenda because it hasn't it's
come out of committee but you're it
hasn't come out of the committee before
Thursday and that's where the resolution
was but um that's where I'm reading the
unanimous consent. In other words, it
it's has all legislation has to be in
the count in the clerk's office by noon
on Thursday. This won't be there by noon
on Thursday. And therefore, in order for
you to consider it, okay, on Monday
night, it'll require unanimous consent
to be placed on the agenda. So, I mean,
but Monday will do holding it till
Monday night will be Monday night
because it hasn't um cuz we don't have
the information yet, but I mean, we're
only talking. Do we uh do we not have
the capacity to find out what's left in
that line within the next day or two?
I I mean that's up to the you know staff
and and I think what what the mayor
indicated earlier he's meeting with some
individuals where there may be another
pool of money available. So it's not
only the ARPA money but there could be
another pool and that we don't know that
until Monday under the 25 budget. So
that's why again factor because of the
mayor's meeting Monday. We had a recess
Monday at 6 o'clock.
Any other question?
Recess. We have a second. Recess on
Monday.
Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. Any
other business? I'm sorry.
Thank you.
I'd like to call over city development
and planning and we have five items on
the
agenda. Uh the first
item we'll just wait for
here.
[Music]
All right. So, we're in city development
planning. We can't close the
door. development and planning. Uh, and
the first item on the agenda, as I
understand, is being removed by Mr.
Wallen. Okay. Yes. Um, you have you
found other ways to do that. Is that
correct? Is you're going to be doing
something different than on item one.
Come on
up. Just want to stand.
Yes. Well, you don't have to do that.
You can go like this.
Okay.
Uh, you know, we had this on there. We
talked with uh department heads and our
architect and we'd like to see if there
was uh another option that we can do.
Uh, we do want to preserve the Woodlon
Park roof. I have gone to the Woodlwan
Neighborhood Association. They are
interested in preserving the building,
but uh that kind of investment in the
building is something that we're trying
to to lower just to make sure because
that's a lot of money uh to make into
the roof of the building uh for the
limited use that it does have. So
there's no huge urgency with it. So
we're going to try to reevaluate what
else we can do. Thank you. Uh item
number two is the Kings Road weight
limit posting up at 8 tons. I brought
this before. Yep. Uh to the last
committee meeting. Mr. Wall has looked
into it and found figured out how to um
bring resolution to this. Yeah. So um
the road was not posted. We all know
that it was not posted. However, um you
know, we did some research myself
calling the county who owns Kings Road
on the other side of the bridge and the
town of Roderdam who owns Highbridgeidge
Road on the other side of the bridge and
they have it signed on their side for 8
tons. I believe the article I saw some
article the names and I didn't recognize
the names in the article that was
forwarded about it. So, I believe they
were either county or town people. But
regardless, looking at it, um it does
make sense for me to recommend that we
uh post Kings Road with an 8 ton limit
to say local traffic only because if we
were to not have that and direct the
vehicle down King's Road, when they get
into Roderdam, there's literally nowhere
for them to go because their roads are
posted the second you get into the into
Roderdam. You can't use Highbridgeidge
or you technically can't use Kings. So,
if we post uh at Albany Street, Kings
Road, 8 ton weight limit, local traffic
only, um that would make us kind of in
cooperation with our neighboring
municipalities.
Question. Yes. Um I just was wondering
uh based on the discussion at the um I
think it was at the neighborhood
association that company that um Badger.
Yeah. Um so with the eight tons um no
they would be able to that would be they
would be able to Okay.
Any other questions? Yes. Madam
President just and for the city engineer
this require a public hearing. We're
going to have to amend the the table of
uh
of weight limit roads just like oneway
roads weight limit roads are in the
ordinance. So do we do that here? Can we
change this to a call for public
hearing? Yeah, we can do that tonight
and call public hearing for the you know
for two weeks out and uh maybe um then
at some after the public hearing then
there'll be ordinance change that
portion of the road. Um what portion my
followup questions what what portion of
uh of the road from where to where?
Yeah. So it would be from Albany Street
to city limit.
Okay. Thank you. the entire ones. Yes,
ma'am.
Any other questions or
concerns? Right. So, at this point in
time, I'm going to call for a public
hearing to change this. So, second.
All's in favor. Thank you. Uh item
number three is just a reminder of this
public hearing for the redirection of a
portion of Pricore Avenue from a two-way
street to a one-way street from the
intersection of Crane and Crane and Main
Street to Strander Place. and the public
hearing will be happening on June
9th. Okay.
Um the item number four was to reassess
year round alternate street side of
street parking policy. Mr. Farley. Thank
you, Madam President. So, I've been
hearing a lot, I'm sure, um you guys
have have often um
uh people have been reaching out talking
about
their why they have to change um their
side of the street when they're parking
from this time to this time. I know some
people are working like overnight shifts
when they get out of work. They're they
get home at this hour and then, you
know, they're going to bed, but then
they'd have to get up an hour or two
later to switch sides. And I was, you
know, my initial thought was, you know,
the alternative side parking. Um, I was
thinking that the primary function of
that would be for like winter when we're
trying to clear streets and things of
that nature. Um, so I was wondering um I
don't know if when's the last time we
looked at that as a city. So, I kind of
wanted to just look at that and have a
discussion around like is that something
that we need to uh maybe reassess to say
like maybe this only happens during the
winter months unless there's other um
functions of it that we need to keep in
place for all year round. So, that was
just my thought. That's right. Um so, I
know that Mr. Mr. Wallen and the police
department are here as well to to
come on up.
I'm short enough so I don't have
to There we go.
Um hello. So, uh as you guys probably
know, I worked in the traffic division
part of the promotion. Um and so there's
actually a lot of important reasons that
alternate side parking exists out
outside of um office of general
services. Yes. Uh trash collection makes
it more convenient. Um street sweeping
obviously is another benefit. Um really
when we look at it alternate side
parking there's a variety of reasons
that that the police sort of use that to
our advantage. Um one of one of it
believe it or not is there's a potential
for for crash reduction for sure. Um
that uh when the um parking enforcement
is is uh we're adhering to way the
signage we can actually reduce crashes.
So we know that unconditionally. Um the
other thing is for emergency services uh
fire trucks especially it's probably
very very difficult if not possible to
get an maybe two apparatus through or an
apparatus in a police car. Um the other
thing is that that when we go out there
and the parking enforcement goes out
there, not just the parking enforcement,
but when the patrol officers are
ticketing uh in the overnight hours, um
it actually there's a benefit actually
in reduction crime, if you can believe
that. uh it's sort of this broken
windows theory that that we kind of
adopt where if if we look at the small
things and the public takes note of
these small things that we're looking
at, they're less inclined to commit
bigger infractions. Um so there's a lot
of different uh there's a lot of
different things that that uh go into
parking other than just parking. Uh let
me see some other
things. Yeah, just improves traffic
flow. Uh we also have um if it were both
side parking uh there's a likelihood of
increasing pedestrian uh crashes. The
trouble is especially for the youth
they're small and by the time they get
beyond the beyond the car that's that's
um already there. They're already into
the traffic anyways and and perhaps
um you know a crash may occur that way.
So uh that's just the perspective from
the police department. Yep.
I just want to just clarify that um the
ask is not to create two-sided parking.
That's the ask is um does one side park
alternate parking still make sense in
the way that it's done this side for
these hours versus this and then moving
over there for the other for the
different hours. That that is the the
real discussion here. Um so I just
wanted to clarify that talked about
emergency vehicles and all that. That's
the ask is not can we make this two
parking on both sides. Okay. All right.
So, yeah. So, what Oh, excuse me.
I was just wondering um given some of
the considerations and knowing what it's
like to drive down streets where there
is no alternate side of the street
parking whether we should be considering
increasing um alternate side of the
street parking in the city. Is that has
that ever been come up at all? Well, I
know it's very difficult to drive on the
streets where
um you know there's parking on both
sides on many of the streets that are
narrow. Um you know, it's a super
interesting question. Chief Clifford and
I spoke about it really if we wanted to
get a deep dive into it. I think uh I
think anal, you know, analysis of
parking in general would be a good idea.
Um, you know, but it's funny as I'm
going through this job and and you
learn, you know, I have great ideas that
my forefathers employed, but for a
reason, right? And and so if we look at
parking around the boulevards, Glenwood
Parkwood, I think it's 2-hour parking.
Um, and the reason was, at least as I
understand it, is is is it gave
residents a chance to park, but even
more importantly, I think it prohibited
uh the staff from Ellis Hospital, the
school districts from parking there for an extended period of time. So,
that's why I'm very cautious about
making any concessions towards the
parking. I just I don't know if we we
don't know. We don't know, right? And I
just I I wouldn't want to make a I want
to say knee-jerk reaction, but a
reaction that we don't fully understand
the implications of um right off the
bat. Um the other thing about the
alternate side parking is that it gives
us an opportunity to sort of identify
vehicles that have been there for long
term.
Um I suspect that they had they could
potentially abuse the uh on street
parking if it wasn't alternate signs. In
other words, they can park their vehicle
there and leave it there for extended
periods of time and you know you sort of
have these abandoned vehicles that
potentially, you know, could be a
problem especially in the winter. Uh so
but the alternate side alleviates that
for us now because
obviously it sticks out like a sore
thumb you it 2 days later if it's still
there you know you can you can enforce
the abandoned vehicle. We're not trying
to do it alternate. It's not trying to
do away with it. Just trying to see if
the way it's being done now makes sense.
the timing of it. So, not trying to say
because you mentioned the street
cleaners that that's important when they
come that that they're able to get
through. You mentioned the garbage
trucks. So, not trying to say let's do
away with it because that would that
would cause a problem vehicles that stay
there forever, but just trying to say
does the timing of when people have to
move their vehicles still make sense in
the the way it is? And I guess one my
question I'll get to you Mr. Carly uh is
when is the last time that we did
reassess the the timing of it? Now, this
is what my understanding of it is that
part of how we determined the alternate
parking when General Electric was a
major employer in the city of Skenctity
and the shifts that people worked, you
know, dictated, you know, when they came and went in terms of parking.
That's, you know, anecdotally that's
what I was told. I don't know how they
came, but that's where they came to, but
that was part of my understanding. Mr.
Farley. Yeah. Thank you, Madam
President. You did hit on on some of the points that I wanted to raise. I
think so to your point, sometimes we
don't know the wisdom and why decisions
are made until we kind of like start to
look into them. So that's kind of like
what the point is here. I also know
sometimes um we sometimes we do things
cuz that's just how they always been
done. And sometimes that can, you know,
stifle innovation and and and even
create, you know, problems that we're
not recognizing that we'll be to
alleviate if we if we kind of look took
a closer look at things. So again, the
point as far as like the safety point um
that that you that you bring up um and a
couple of some of the other reasons
right now cars are parking on either
side e they're parking on either side of
the street. So on this street they're
either parking on this side or they're
parking on that side. And so to kind of
echo what President Porter was saying,
this isn't about like saying like now
you can park on both sides cuz there's
so many streets that you just can't do
it on. It would just say like you
wouldn't have to move your car um when
you get off work Monday night, you don't
have to uh when you know coming Monday
morning from work, you don't have to get
up and then move your car an hour later
to the other side of the street. Like is
there another way to do that? So you
wouldn't prevent you know uh safety
vehicles from making their way through.
But it's just the alternative the
alternate parking place and then is are
we doing it at the right time? Do we
need to kind of get some more
information from people in the community
as far as what they would like to see
happen or like that's what we're trying
to get. Yeah, I I get it. You know, and
those are I don't know that I would have
that information again without a study.
I think we can speak kind of
anecdotally, but you know, it is an
interesting time because since co,
right, a lot of folks aren't going to
work anymore. So, I don't know should
say going to work, but they're working. So, um yeah, I don't know. You
know, I guess I'd like to add that. You
know, I think about G was in full swing.
We have 40,000 employees. I think the
city population close to 100,000, right?
We're around 70,000 now. I believe we
can make it work, right? So, um I that's
my two cents.
Um did you want to speak to it all at
all? I mean on the OS
side a little um in the alternate side
parking um we do get to schedule our
street sweepers alter catch basins on
one side of the road vehicles never move
everything gets trapped there trash gets
there the leaves get there we can't get
in there a sweep until there's a
complaint that well the catch basins
aren't taking the storm water no longer
have a hold or posted to move your car
so you can sweep so what we do is we
plan sweeping based on alternate side
parking. One one day we're doing it, the
other they were doing it a different
way. Um so there is an advantage. We do
schedule work cuz we know the streets
that are alternate. So if we're going to
do curve work for pothole work, we know
we can go down this street and do the
right side today. Um and we do the left
side. If it's always one side, then we
got to have resources go out and post
that street and have everybody move. And
hopefully some don't move over and the
other ones stay in one place because now
you're trying to get to buy two cars.
So, there are some advantages when we're
looking at how we're doing our
maintenance on our streets um with
regards to street sweeping or repairs or
curb work or even tree work. Um we know
the streets that we can go in and do
some work on because nobody's on our
side and and again the exception would
be winter where, you know, there should
be open parking all time, you know, from
November 15th to April 1st because it
just makes our work easier to be able to
do parking. So, you know, again, we're
not trying to do away with that. Just
trying to figure out if the timing
works.
Trying to accommodate people's work
schedules and that's different for
everybody. So, you know, not not and not
necessarily just like individual's work
schedule. Obviously, we couldn't do
that. It it's just one of those things
that when people are bringing to the
council saying like like this, you know,
this doesn't make sense. So, my question
then goes, okay, well, is there a better
way to do it? you know like in in in a
better time the data. Yeah. Is there a
better time? Is there a better pretty
much a better time to move it? Is is
there a a different uh mechanism we use
to decide on what side people are on on
what side or is it currently isn't it
9:00 a.m. I think 9 a.m. I think it's
Yeah. probably coming back you know when
our forefather was doing it. We started
working around 7:30. So 9:00 a.m. crews
were out working. Um, you know, so you
know, that side of the street was
vacant. You know, if you did it at I
mean there's always one side of the
street or the other might be open, but
on the OS side, that's what we look at,
you know, street sweeping, different
things like that. So with other study,
we say what's the best time of day to do
it, you know, is it at night? Is it
noon? I don't know.
So what would it take to re-evaluate
study?
So Mr. Wallen, could you give us a
little bit of insight into that? What it
would take for us to try to to reassess
this? Hire another engineer.
So could you come up? So um outside of
hiring another engineer I know that
sometimes you use consultants to do this
work. The consultants are managed by
myself and myself does not have enough
time to do this. Mhm. So do we have
another alternative? This is just
another request made by the council that
I
just do. We have a list of these
requests that I can like this is just
adding up a lot of requests. Hold on.
Mr. W. Let's let me be very
clear. This is not just another thing
that the council's adding on. What we're
doing is is is listening to what people
are saying to us and being responsive
and we're asking the question. The
answer might hold on please for a
second. The answer might be hey this
doesn't work for the reasons that you're
saying or the answer might be oh wow we
didn't think about it like that. Maybe
this work but it is our job to ask these
questions. So I just don't I appreciate
your frustration. You know, I'm a very
big fan of the work you do, but I
wouldn't want you to characterize me
bringing this up as something just
another thing from the council. I don't
think that's fair.
So, um Oh, okay.
Oh, mayor. Okay. Why don't you just take
the individuals who've contacted you,
forward that to Chief Noiki. You can do
the initial
evaluation and see if there is some
scenario that
would compensate for what their
uh awkwardness is, the inefficiency
uh the timing of it. Yeah, I definitely
could do so and start that is the and he
can you know usually what prompts this
also is not the timing, it's when
somebody gets a ticket.
And
so the reality is there's a little bit
of soft enforcement at first hour, hour
and a half and usually the enforcement
doesn't take place till the time is
clearly changed or the cars are creating
a hazard. the street becomes too narrow
and they haven't moved back and forth or
you get blocked, excuse me, black
driveways that are too close to a fire
hydrant or something else. So, mayor,
should he say the names of the
individuals or the streets that are
involved as opposed to an individual?
Well, the
individual, do they need it? Do they
want it changed an extra hour? Do they
want it a certain day of the week?
uh you know it's just without dealing
with the specifics it's hard to
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say how it is and you get when you do
the alternate side parking too the use
of the side of the street that has fire
hydrants on
it creates more angst when parking's on
that side because there aren't as many
parking spots on that side and so people
park they're happier on the other side
and when you move it to the side with
the fire
hydrants. Somebody doesn't have a space
to park. And when the city had 100,000
people, some of the modes of
transportation were still by
horse. And so we didn't quite have as
many cars. And so
the whole dynamic has shifted. We've got
less people, but we have a lot more
cars. We sure do. M. It was I'm sorry.
It was Mr. Williams, Miss Patrick, Mr.
Toro. and we'll come back to you. So go
ahead, Mr. Williams. So definitely I
think our next step is the parking
analysis. I hear and I had the
opportunity to shadow Mr. Wallen
definitely raised another question of
staffing levels in the city. Truly if
there are struggles with maintaining
what is adding on has an impact and I
can respectfully hear everything you
said and I appreciate Mr. Farley for
adding his context. Um I do want to add
that a part of it is just being
responsive to the driver's concerns.
additional impacts that I've heard is
how does parking read out in reality to
members of our community where people
are taking public spaces and saying this
is mine we cannot park in front of our
house and you can't make that claim on
public road so as we are dealing with
all these questions and comments uh I I
do think it is our requirement to be
responsive how we respond to that is
important um and sincerely Mr.
I don't I don't think justifying the
street sweeping and the potholes is a
strong argument just because there are
people like I move my car every week
potholes still there and that is a
anecdotal comment but sincerely I think
we need to take into consideration its
impacts in 2025 and how that looks like
I don't know it's a conversation um but
I think we do have to start with this
discussion Patrick I I think I just want
to reply to that I think that we really
have to take into consideration the
street sweeping the garbage etc I Those
things are really important as as well
as the public safety pieces.
So I you know I think it's important to
Oh without doubt. So so I just want to
be clear Mr. Leon that street sweeping
is based on the alternate parking. Well
we know what these we can go on that
street and do that side of the road or
not do that side of the road. Correct.
after storms right after right after a
storm um to clear catch basins we'll
know if you know street X we can do the
right side the catch basins are on that
side some streets only have catch bas on
one side sometimes on both so it does
work to our families sometimes okay and
so um in terms of the street sweep it
doesn't have anything to do with the
garbage collection schedule then no
street sweepers as is a separate
schedule okay thank you
I think the bigger issue is the amount
of as the mayor said the amount of uh
limited parking and the amount of um as
I I've said plenty of times the skinnity
2 family which is now the skinnity 4
plus family. Um so at time you know
years ago you know each family may have
had one car so you're talking about two
cars on the street. Now you're talking
about one one unit that has four units
in it and everybody's got a car and
maybe their kids. and others. I mean,
there's just I don't believe enough
parking on our roadways for the amount
of cars and the amount of people living
on their street. Um, I live on Wendell
Avenue. There's no parking on my side of
the street between Union Street and
Union Avenue, and it's a constant battle
for um placement of individuals. So
again, I you know, whether it's uh
alternate parking or not, there's just
not enough room for people to park
anymore on any street. So, especially in
our neighborhoods. And as far as
alternate sides, yeah, we get a couple
of complaints here and there. We have to
get up and move our car. Um but most of
the time the what I hear is, uh I like
when it's on my side of the street
because then I go shopping and it's in
front of my house versus, you know,
other side of the street I have to worry
about crossing the street to my house.
So, um, again, I think there's just a
lot of cars in our city now, which is a
good thing.
It's back. We have lots of cars. Y,
that's true. Um, so,
if I may, I just like to add just one
bit of information for you guys. Sure.
So, I know you guys get tons of
complaints. I know I've spoke to you
about sort of parking complaints that
come with increased enforcement, but
what we probably don't hear about, you
know, I get calls all day every day with
the traffic division and we actually get
a lot of calls people saying, "Thank you
for finally doing this. Thank you for
being here." And they're actually
appreciating that we're enforcing it in
the alternate uh side parking and the
hours and I haven't asked them, but it's
a benefit to them in some way enough
that they actually call us and say thank
you. So that's useful information.
First, I'd like to say honestly, Officer
Dolan and I never disagreed in parking
ever. That's never a good thing. Um, so
that's that's a good thing. But to the
mayor's point around like um, you know,
at one time, you know, we were there
were more horses than there were cars.
In this and that's in the spirit of what
this conversation is being brought up is
that we look at our city code. some of
those things are outdated so much I
think that they probably were when we
did have horses. And I think that what
we want to do is again is to look at
what we have um is it working and not be
afraid to say could it be working more
effective you know um and just not be so
committed to things just because the way
and we often might find that there's a
lot of good reasons and and there's a
lot of wisdom into how decisions were
made in the past but to the mayor's
point and in and mine is that as things
change we do need to revisit these
things to ensure that we're being
responsible and maybe having the best
for that's what the point of the
conversation is. So I'm thinking um uh
you know I welcome you know ideas around
maybe we'd start with those with with
the streets that people have been vocal
about
and get their feedback on that and go
from there.
Um I think that's reasonable since um
our city engineer said that doesn't have
the capacity to do a citywide um
reassessment. So just just to be clear
though too, I think the easiest thing to
do is I I think we're misunderstanding
what a citywide asses is. It's a very
large desk. You would go through the
streets and I think uh you know Chief
Wicki said it that the way that the
streets are situated, right? The way
that the parking is was mostly made by
people around this table prior to us,
our forefathers. Maybe it didn't make
sense. Maybe it was done because someone
got a ticket. So then when we hire a
consultant to look at the map and try to
make sense of it, they're going to have
a lot of questions and they're going to
wonder why any. So what they're going to
look at, right, is they're going to look
at all the streets in the city, 171
miles. Then they're going to look at
widths. Then they're going to look at
the type of street. Then they're going
to look at what's on the street. Is
there a school? Is there a hospital? Is
there something that takes up parking?
So I think that if the council would
like to do that, I could get some costs
for what this would cost. people are out
there that do things like this and then
you would put it in the budget because
this is something that I don't know
where I would, you know, pull 20, 30,
40, $50,000 out of to study the citywide
parking. I mean, they would have
meetings with the police, we'd have
meetings with the fire department, we'd
have meetings with the mayor, OS, uh,
you know, this isn't something that you
just do. Now, to the mayor's point, if
we're looking at two streets and that's
all we want to focus on, then that's a
completely different thing. But, uh,
that was my frustration was to just say,
you know, would be great right now is if
Chris could do a parking
study. You know, that that means that
it's a big task. It's something that we
have to do and it's something that I
don't have in my budget to to do a
citywide assessment of parking. So, and
just to be you said 71 miles, but not
every street in the city is alternate
parking. So, it would be a little And I
see, but that's where you're going to
get into a little gray area, though. I
mean, because are you really looking at
only alternate side parking areas? Would
you look at all the parking areas? I
would think that you want to look at all
parking areas because, you know, what we
just heard was it would be better if
some streets were alternate side parking
that are one side parking cuz it would
be more beneficial. So once again, if
you're focused and you just want to say
those streets, but I think that those
streets were most likely deemed
alternate side parking for
a political reason more than an
engineering reason. So then we're
singling out streets based off of
non-engineering decisions. We're asking
an engineer to make a justification on
it. Engineers don't like things that
don't make sense. I've talked about the
weight limit map. The weight limit map
makes no sense. that chart that we have
in the city it makes no sense. So with
me to look at it and then come to you
and say why does his map there it you
know it doesn't make any sense and the
engineering predecessor said this was
more of a complaints of trucks
complaints of this. So we you know
change things. So I would I would say if
we're going to do it you you do it. uh
you know 171 miles they don't all have
all parking but we want to maybe focus
on certain areas and do it more
holistically because if you're going to
do a parking study and not look at the
area around Ellis hospital
I don't you know I think that were the
area around the high school or some of
the other schools I think that would be
a
mistake if I just add one last thing too
I think is important that we hear from
those individuals because I think we
perhaps can do a better job of maybe
either updating the signage report
increasing the signage if it's one
street in particular. I know one street
there are signs out there that say no
parking this side from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00
a.m. If that's the problem and we're not
street sweeping there and I'm not big
rem, but if that's the case in point,
it's a simple sign change and
everybody's happy. So I guess to the
point I'm trying to make is I I can feel
these phone calls and I encourage them
to call reach out or email me and tell
me specifically what the street is and
what their concern is. you know, this may be an easy this may be an easy
fix, I guess, is what I'm saying.
Um, and I'd like to believe that
decisions are made on engineering things
and not politically, that we're doing it
based on what's good enough.
Oh, that's right. We're not talking
about us.
Um, so as the mayor has stated that um
and
Sergeant, can you
say you got that promotion? I have to
get that right. Has stated we should
look at the streets cuz I I also have um
you know, someone reach out to me um
regarding where they live. So, you know,
we can should look at those streets and
start there. And I just want to really
quickly say that I'm I'm not sorry. I'm
sorry, Mr. T. Did you want to add
something? No. Oh, okay. Good. So, what
I was saying is that what I wanted to
say was that I'm not uh in any way
suggesting that we change, you know,
everything around for an individual
person. I just want to be clear about
that. But what we can if if we do look
at the individual streets and there is a
theme here that oh this works here, then
it might be a practice that we look to
move and expand. I think that that's a fair way to start. Okay. Thank
you.
So, at this point in time, and this is
for everyone, then if you're getting
concerns from individuals regarding
alternate um side parking, and I'm not
whether it's being enforced or observed,
I'm not really sure cuz I see signs.
Sometimes I'm driving down the street
and I see signs on both sides, but I
also see cars on both sides. So, I'm
like, okay, people aren't really
observing that. And but there's still
room to move forward. So, at this point
in time, you would um provide to the
mayor's office and to assistant chief
miliki this brief that you're speaking
about. And that that goes for everyone
and I will do that as well. And um we'll
take it from there. Is there more that
you would like to see us move forward
on, Mr. Farley? I think that that's a
pretty good place to
start just with the budget coming up.
Would or would life like me to get what
parking would cost?
So that's ask question. I think the more
information we have the better the more
the cost but I don't know what the
entails. So I think getting the cost
would be great. Doesn't mean we have to
do it.
I just getting the cost would be
contact engineers probably done this
before and ask them what an approximate
cost would be just so I can have that
for our budget time. Right. Including
the concerns that were voiced by uh his
farm. Chris and I will be in contact
because what I'll do is as I if I don't
handle the calls myself traffic division
but somehow keep a log or record of the
concern. So it's not anecdotal. It's a time in place for it to Chris and
we can work it. If after all this we
only have a single concern. Not sure
that you know it's worth proceeding but
that my own.
Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Well,
thank you all for your input. Appreciate
you coming. Thank you.
Uh the next item is the is a ceremonial
resolution for Caribbean American
Heritage Month. Mr. Mu. Thank you. June
is recognized as a national Caribbean
American Heritage Month. And I'm asking
council once again to pass CR to
recognize um the Caribbean American
community.
Oh, thank you.
All in favor? All right, that was
interesting. Um, I did one add one other
thing to the agenda. I apologize, but um
June 10th is coming up in June as well.
And um so I'd like to for the council to
um have a ceremonial resolution for
observing Junth. So second all's in
favor. Thank you very much for that. And
I have nothing else to come for city
development planning and I'll entertain
a motion to adjourn. So move second. All
in favor? I have a good evening
everyone. Heat. Heat.
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