[0:00] [Music]

[0:06] [Applause]

[0:06] [Music]

[0:15] Hey,

[0:22] [Music]

[0:25] hey, hey.

[0:29] [Music]

[0:36] I'd like to call to order the city

[0:38] caucus meeting for Monday, August 11th,

[0:40] 2025.

[0:42] We have one public hearing this evening.

[0:44] If the clerk could please read.

[0:46] >> Public hearing number one regarding the

[0:48] 2023 consolidated annual performance and

[0:51] evaluation report. Caper.

[0:53] >> Thank you. We have eight items for

[0:56] original consideration. If the deputy

[0:57] clerk could please read item number one.

[0:59] >> Item number one under original

[1:01] consideration, a resolution calling for

[1:02] a public hearing for the proposed 2025

[1:05] 2026 HUD annual action plan

[1:08] >> discussed in committee without objection

[1:10] on consent. Item number two. Item number

[1:12] two, under original consideration, a

[1:14] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[1:16] enter into an amended finance agreement

[1:18] with the United States Tennis

[1:20] Association Eastern Incorporated, USA

[1:23] for reh rehabilitation of city tennis

[1:25] facilities.

[1:27] >> Discussed in committee without objection

[1:28] on consent. Item number three. Item

[1:31] number three, under original

[1:32] consideration, a resolution authorizing

[1:34] the mayor to enter into a use agreement

[1:36] with the United States Tennis

[1:37] Association Eastern Incorporated USA for

[1:41] use of city tennis facilities.

[1:43] >> Discussed in committee without objection

[1:45] on consent. Item number four.

[1:50] » Item number four, under original

[1:51] consideration, a resolution authorizing

[1:53] the issuance of revocable permit number

[1:55] 689 to Solstice Kitchen LLC for a sign

[1:58] that will overhang the city's right of

[2:00] way at 515 State Street, Skenctity, New

[2:03] York.

[2:04] >> Item number five.

[2:05] under original

[2:07] consideration, a resolution authorizing

[2:09] the redemption and withdrawal of 246

[2:12] Chiswell Road from foreclosure.

[2:14] Discussed in committee without objection

[2:16] on consent for item number four and item

[2:18] number five discussed in committee

[2:20] without objection on consent. Item

[2:22] number six.

[2:23] >> Item number six under original

[2:24] consideration a resolution authorizing

[2:26] the redemption and withdrawal of 11236

[2:29] Avenue from foreclosure.

[2:31] >> Discussed in committee without objection

[2:33] on consent and item number seven.

[2:35] >> Item number seven under contract and

[2:37] supply a resolution awarding the bid and

[2:39] contract for the Central Park Tennis

[2:40] Court improvements to Gallow

[2:42] Construction Corporation. discussed and

[2:44] committed without objection on consent.

[2:46] We have actually have seven items for

[2:48] original consideration and the public

[2:49] hearing.

[2:51] So you're the numbers are incorrect on

[2:53] your paper. So if there's nothing more

[2:56] to come before the city caucus, I'd ask

[2:58] for a motion to adjurnn.

[3:00] Moved by Mr. Mood and second by Miss

[3:02] Patrick. All those in favor?

[3:04] >> I we are adjourned. I'd like to call the

[3:06] city council meeting to order for

[3:07] Monday, August 11, 2025.

[3:11] And uh we don't have anyone for prayer

[3:12] tonight, but I did um

[3:15] print out a prayer for us. So I'd like

[3:18] to offer that prayer.

[3:27] Heavenly Father, we lift us we come

[3:29] before you to lift up our government

[3:31] leaders to you. We ask that you give us

[3:33] wisdom to guide as we make decisions

[3:35] that affect our communities and

[3:37] sometimes our nation. God, we ask that

[3:39] you give us courage to stand what is

[3:41] right, even when it is difficult. Help

[3:43] us to lead with humility and a servant's

[3:46] heart, prioritizing the needs of all of

[3:48] our constituents, especially the most v

[3:51] vulnerable. God, we understand that

[3:53] sometimes we juggle with our own

[3:55] interests, the interests of many

[3:56] constituents, and sometimes the

[3:58] interests of organizations. It can be

[4:00] hard to find solutions that meets

[4:02] everyone's wants and needs. So we pray

[4:04] that we make that we as leaders

[4:07] represent all of our constituencies

[4:09] constituents well and courageously

[4:11] uphold what is right. May we be

[4:14] instruments of your peace and justice

[4:16] working for the common good. We pray all

[4:19] these things in Jesus name. Amen.

[4:21] >> Amen.

[4:22] >> I'd like to call on uh our deputy clerk

[4:24] to lead us in the pledge.

[4:26] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[4:29] United States of America and to the

[4:31] republic for it stands. One nation under

[4:34] God, indivisible, with liberty and

[4:38] justice for all.

[4:47] » If the deputy clerk could please

[4:48] complete the roll call.

[4:52] » Mr. Toro,

[4:54] >> present.

[4:55] >> Mr. Farley is absent. Mr. Mancini

[4:58] >> here.

[4:59] >> Mr. Mutiver,

[5:00] >> present.

[5:01] >> Miss Patrick

[5:02] >> here.

[5:02] >> Mr. Williams

[5:03] >> present.

[5:04] >> Miss Porterfield

[5:05] >> here.

[5:07] >> We have one public hearing this evening.

[5:09] Just a reminder that we've extended the

[5:11] public hearing comment period to four

[5:12] minutes for this and ask that anyone

[5:14] that wishes to speak does so only on the

[5:17] public hearing topic.

[5:20] Okay. We have no one signed up to speak.

[5:23] So I declare public hearing number one

[5:25] regarding the 2023 consolidated annual

[5:28] performance and evaluation paper report

[5:31] closed.

[5:33] I'll ask for minutes approval of minutes

[5:35] of July 28th 2025

[5:38] moved by Mr. Mutaron second by Miss

[5:40] Patrick. All those in favor?

[5:43] >> If the clerk could please read any

[5:44] communications and petitions.

[5:48] Communications presented to the city

[5:49] council for Monday, August 11th, 2025.

[5:52] Under official, there are none. Under

[5:55] general, there are none. And under

[5:57] petitions, there are none.

[5:58] >> Thank you. I'd like to call on council

[6:00] members for any committee reports.

[6:06] Not this time. We have priv privilege of

[6:08] the floor related to the legislative

[6:11] agenda. I have one person signed up to

[6:13] speak.

[6:15] Just a reminder that this part of the

[6:16] agenda is three minutes and I'd like to

[6:18] call on Anthony Curada.

[6:21] [Music]

[6:29] Good evening, Mr. Mayor, City Council

[6:30] Madam President. Um, I know this is

[6:33] legislative session part of the council

[6:35] meeting. So, I'll just give my remarks

[6:37] here about the housing task force and

[6:40] then mark something else.

[6:42] >> That's not on the agenda tonight, sir.

[6:45] So that would have to be under city

[6:46] business on the when it comes to the

[6:48] legislative agenda, you have to speak to

[6:50] things that are actually on our agenda

[6:51] tonight.

[6:53] >> Okay.

[6:54] >> Um yeah, my remarks to the housing task

[6:56] force is just simply this.

[6:58] >> Excuse me. The housing task force is not

[7:00] on the agenda tonight. So your remarks

[7:03] would have to be under general city

[7:04] business.

[7:05] >> Okay. I'll do my other thing then. I'll

[7:07] save the remarks there for task force

[7:09] for some another day.

[7:11] >> Okay. Well, I was going to say here

[7:13] about the um

[7:15] yeah, it should deal with uh affordable

[7:18] housing within communities.

[7:22] >> So, anything's on that's on our written

[7:24] agenda is what you can speak to during

[7:26] this particular time. It has to be on

[7:28] the agenda and and where housing is not

[7:30] on the agenda this evening

[7:32] unless you're talking about

[7:34] >> Okay, I'll just wait till I speak for

[7:36] city uh business then.

[7:38] >> Okay. You want city business? Yeah.

[7:41] >> Okay.

[7:45] So, I have no one else signed up to

[7:47] speak. So, I declare the public comment

[7:48] on legislative agenda closed. I'll ask

[7:51] for approval of the legislative consent

[7:53] agenda. Moved by Miss Patrick, second by

[7:55] Mr. Mutiveran. All those in favor?

[7:57] >> I.

[8:01] Now, we'll have privilege of the floor

[8:02] related related to general city

[8:04] business. And I have three people signed

[8:07] up to speak. And the first person,

[8:11] Cordia Twigs.

[8:14] No Cordia Twigs. The person submitted

[8:17] something online. Anthony Curata.

[8:24] Okay. See business part. Um,

[8:29] good evening, Mr. May. City Council

[8:30] Madam President.

[8:33] Before I get to speak on, I want you all

[8:35] to see my t-shirt here.

[8:38] 2,000 years ago event occurred that

[8:41] changed human history.

[8:45] When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the

[8:47] cross, he and the debate of which like

[8:50] matter, he died for all. Now the reason

[8:53] why I say that is because I want to talk

[8:56] about this double standard or this rules

[8:59] apply for the but not for me type things

[9:01] going around with government bodies like

[9:04] this one

[9:06] last month when you had fellow residents

[9:09] speaking on issues there landlords

[9:11] tenants a particular resident

[9:17] I will not say her name she came up here

[9:20] literally badmouththed the current

[9:23] administration ban him out the president

[9:26] attacked a political party saying that

[9:28] political party was doing fear monkeying

[9:30] to other people and another political

[9:33] party

[9:34] then she said highly offensive thing

[9:38] she pointed out to what on there the

[9:40] public property

[9:43] certain people's life matter more than

[9:44] else hence the fact that that debate's

[9:47] over when Jesus Christ died on the cross

[9:50] he didn't debate which life matters

[9:52] He died for all all lives matter. And

[9:56] the fact that if I said that,

[9:58] Mad President, you would have banged

[10:00] that gabble on me saying that was a

[10:02] offensive and call me racist, attack me

[10:04] and say I was racist. Cuz matter of

[10:06] fact, when they had a public hearing a

[10:09] couple years back about Junth, I sent my

[10:11] remarks against it. I was attacked on

[10:13] this very very room by you when you were

[10:16] a council member saying I was racist and

[10:18] it was offensive what I said. Then later

[10:21] another resident has spoken with regards

[10:24] to how this gun body was using uh co

[10:28] relief funds from the state andor

[10:30] federal government. He was attacked

[10:32] being racist.

[10:34] What that what that resident said was

[10:37] highly offensive and racist. If I or

[10:40] anybody said what she said, you wouldn't

[10:41] even bang that gabble on me and said

[10:44] that was enough uncalled for and racist.

[10:48] There's a double standard and the rules

[10:50] apply for the but not for me thing going

[10:51] on.

[10:53] You should have banged that G at that

[10:55] res when she said what she said.

[10:58] None of this double standard rules apply

[11:01] for thee but not for me cuz if I said I

[11:03] or any said what she said I would have

[11:06] been walked out of here escorted by the

[11:10] police officers that gone banged on me.

[11:14] Enough of this double standard

[11:17] because simply said if she said what she

[11:20] said be offensive that g been banged on.

[11:23] But if I said it, no problem. Enough of

[11:25] this double standard. Cuz the thing is

[11:28] if you people would actually listen to

[11:30] us, you would actually bang that guy

[11:32] said what she said was racist.

[11:36] Thank you.

[11:39] Sean Ratigan.

[11:47] » Yeah. Hi, good evening. Um, my comments

[11:50] today are with respect to the uh updates

[11:53] to Central Park and the discussion

[11:55] surrounding park parking at the tennis

[11:58] courts and other areas with large

[12:00] events. Um, I'd like to use this matter

[12:03] to once again highlight the importance

[12:05] of public transit and comprehensive

[12:07] planning in the city of Skenkity.

[12:10] As the utilization of Central Park

[12:12] grows, I'd like the city to consider

[12:14] just how isolated Central Park is from

[12:17] those traveling by bus, particularly

[12:19] individuals who may be mobility

[12:22] impaired. Um, we have uh we would like

[12:26] all residents of the city uh to make the

[12:30] most of Central Park and the amenities

[12:32] invested in it and able to participate

[12:34] in the events held there. The city

[12:37] should look at public transit options to

[12:40] allow riders access to the pool, the

[12:42] tennis courts, and music haven. As the

[12:45] city's built in a hub and spoke model,

[12:48] uh the main bus lines, which still

[12:50] aren't frequent enough in my opinion,

[12:53] only run the spokes of that hub. I'd

[12:55] encourage the city to look into bus

[12:57] service that would connect Union Street

[12:59] and State Street via Fair A. Uh a loop

[13:03] which also connects to Mont Pleasant via

[13:06] Brandy Wine may also be attractive as

[13:09] access to groceries and drugstores is

[13:11] also lacking within the city.

[13:13] I did appreciate when the concern of

[13:16] parking was brought up that Mayor

[13:17] McCarthy acknowledged uh that there's a

[13:21] lot of parking already available

[13:23] u and it's really just a short walk. I

[13:26] personally would oppose any expansions

[13:28] to parking and would instead ask that

[13:31] the city considers shuttles for high

[13:33] volume events or or integrates public

[13:36] transit directly into the design of

[13:38] Central Park. Thanks.

[13:41] >> Thank you.

[13:44] I have no one else signed up to speak,

[13:45] so to declare the public comment of city

[13:47] business closed.

[13:49] At this time, I'll entertain any

[13:51] miscellaneous business of the council.

[13:55] Mr. Turo,

[14:00] thank you. Uh, a couple of things I'd

[14:03] like to uh bring attention to. This is

[14:06] week six of the swim lessons at

[14:08] Skenctity High School for all ages. the

[14:11] last week. Uh I'd like to um just say

[14:14] thank you to CoachRandle and all the

[14:16] other coaches. Um over the six weeks

[14:18] that I I've brought my granddaughter,

[14:21] um you've actually seen children who

[14:24] have learned to trust the water and

[14:26] their coaches. Um and it was just uh

[14:29] just wonderful to see. Um and I'd like

[14:33] to uh again ask anyone, you don't need

[14:36] to sign up, just head over anytime this

[14:39] week. um Monday through Friday, Monday,

[14:43] Tuesday, Wednesday, one day, all of the

[14:44] days just to get your child, grandchild,

[14:48] niece, nephew, whomever you uh care for,

[14:51] uh some

[14:54] for you,

[14:55] >> some lessons, um some feeling

[14:58] comfortable with the water. Um, the next

[15:01] thing I'd like to talk about briefly is

[15:03] with the approaching uh August 22nd uh

[15:06] deadline for uh submissions and

[15:08] applications to the uh to the uh city

[15:12] clerk for the poet laurette. Um I just

[15:15] have some concerns

[15:18] um I guess regarding resolution

[15:20] 2025-087.

[15:23] Um I'd still like to be aware of who

[15:27] would be on the nominating panel. um

[15:30] regarding the uh who's going to be

[15:33] selected. Um I do appreciate the

[15:35] information that was put out to us. Uh

[15:37] but I was waiting for the nominating

[15:40] panel to come as well.

[15:42] In addition, there are um who's going to

[15:45] be on this uh nominating panel, a

[15:48] representative from Union College,

[15:50] Sunni, Skenctity, Skenctity School

[15:53] District, the library uh board of

[15:55] trustees, um and the city of Skenctity.

[15:59] So I guess my questions are my question

[16:02] is who from those individual

[16:05] organizations has the author authority

[16:08] to appoint? So say someone from Sunni uh

[16:12] you know is that just anyone from Sunni?

[16:14] Does the president of Sunni have the

[16:16] right to appoint the board of trustees?

[16:18] Um someone from the city of Skenctity a

[16:21] resident uh does the mayor have the

[16:23] authority to appoint or is just anyone?

[16:25] So I do have a lot of questions uh with

[16:28] this deadline fast approaching and my

[16:31] last concern is with copyright. So um I

[16:35] looked into a little did a little bit of

[16:37] research as far as um our poet laurate

[16:41] here in the city of Skenctity becomes

[16:42] very famous with a poem that they write

[16:45] maybe for the city or acting while they

[16:47] are the poet laurate. Um who has

[16:51] copyright privileges uh to that piece of

[16:55] poetry that they write? Does it belong

[16:57] to the city or does it belong to the

[16:59] actual poet? Um so those those are some

[17:03] questions that that I have moving

[17:05] forward again with the fast approaching

[17:07] date uh for emissions by the 22nd. Um so

[17:12] those are things that I'd like to bring

[17:13] forward

[17:16] » council and the other council member Mr.

[17:19] Williams.

[17:24] » I would uh first like to say thank you

[17:25] to everyone who uh chose to come out and

[17:27] speak. Uh definitely regardless of your

[17:29] position, this is your opportunity to

[17:30] share your thoughts and concerns with us

[17:32] as your elected body. So the concerns

[17:34] raised to Toro. This is the first time

[17:37] aside from requesting the members which

[17:39] was requested during our last committee

[17:41] meeting. We have not had another

[17:43] committee meeting yet. So there's still

[17:45] time to submit those names. Um with

[17:48] respect to your concerns, none of those

[17:50] were raised during the conversations we

[17:52] had. If you are looking for updates,

[17:54] feel free to reach out to me or you can

[17:57] send it to me in email or you can

[17:58] discuss it when we are actually in

[18:00] session. Um, with regards to uh the

[18:03] concerns about how people are nominated,

[18:04] discussions were had with the

[18:06] superintendent of the school district,

[18:08] the um vice president for the strategic

[18:11] marketing and planning for Union

[18:12] College, uh the uh president for Sunnis

[18:16] connectity and the board of trustees.

[18:18] Um, so if you have further concerns

[18:20] beyond that, definitely can reach out to

[18:22] me offline. My number is the same. You

[18:24] can reach out to me via email or you can

[18:26] bring these concerns up during our

[18:28] council meeting where we can have a

[18:29] collective dialogue.

[18:33] » Any other council members? Mayor.

[18:37] >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh, and

[18:39] moving toward a record setting meeting.

[18:43] Uh just would remind people today it got

[18:45] up uh close to 90, supposed to get uh in

[18:49] the low 90s tomorrow. Encourage people

[18:52] to uh make sure they stay hydrated. Uh

[18:55] check in on any of your neighbors who

[18:57] might be senior citizens. Uh

[19:00] don't overexert yourself and uh enjoy

[19:04] the summer weather.

[19:06] >> Thank you, Madam President.

[19:07] >> You're welcome. I'd like to also thank

[19:08] the people that came out tonight to

[19:10] speak on on various topics and to um

[19:13] just express their opinion. And I will

[19:16] say in terms of the remarks by c by a

[19:18] council member regarding questions,

[19:20] those are things we really should be um

[19:22] discussing in committee because now we

[19:24] not don't have an opportunity to

[19:25] dialogue. So those questions can be

[19:27] forwarded through the clerk or directly

[19:28] to a council member so that we can

[19:31] discuss them actually because that

[19:33] that's not really general city business.

[19:34] that's really something that we need to

[19:36] discuss um as a um as a body and there's

[19:39] no room for discussion right now. And so

[19:41] if we could do that, if you could

[19:42] forward the questions, we could um put

[19:44] it back on the agenda if that's the case

[19:46] and then have those discussions there so

[19:48] we actually have an opportunity to

[19:49] discuss and respond to any questions. Um

[19:52] and I also I just encourage all of us if

[19:54] we have questions regarding something

[19:55] that we see on the agenda, something

[19:57] like that we submit those ahead of time

[19:59] so that the person has the opportunity

[20:01] to prepare and we can discuss it as a

[20:03] body.

[20:05] Thank you. Um I just also want to

[20:07] acknowledge and u join with the police

[20:09] department when they announced the

[20:10] passing of the retired K9 M minders who

[20:13] was affectionately known as Durst. Um

[20:15] the this was a K-9 animal and they um he

[20:19] began his service in 2019 with his

[20:21] partner uh Detective Doug Smith. He

[20:24] retired in June 24 and after five years

[20:26] of faithful and courageous service

[20:28] specializing in explosive detection and

[20:31] was also supported by the US Marshall

[20:33] Albany task force providing perimeter

[20:36] security during high-risisk operations.

[20:38] So um the police department lost a

[20:41] member of their K9 team. So, I just want

[20:42] to acknowledge that um and that the the

[20:45] uh the police department thanked Durst

[20:47] for his uh partnership with leading

[20:49] coordinator Jeff Calder and the trainer

[20:51] partnership and unwavering support that was provided throughout Dur's

[20:55] career.

[20:57] I have no other announcements. So, at

[20:59] this time, I will entertain a motion to

[21:00] adjurnn. Moved by Miss Patrick, second

[21:03] by Mr. Williams. All those in favor? I.

[21:05] We are adjourned. Thank you. Have a good

[21:07] night.

[21:08] >> Let's see. 7:20. Is that a record? 720.

[21:14] >> I don't think it's a record.

[21:16] >> I don't think

[21:22] [Music]

[21:37] Hey. Hey. Hey.

[21:39] [Music]

Schenectady City Council Meeting, August 11, 2025

Transcript