[0:14] I invite everyone to

[0:28] God.

[0:30] of all

[0:33] we gather to bless you.

[0:38] We thank you for these call to their

[0:44] mayity,

[0:47] compassion and deep commitment fairness

[0:50] for all. May they find strength and

[0:52] unity, clarity and purpose and a courage

[0:56] to build the city where every

[1:02] decision strengthen their resolve and

[1:04] may their servants the highest ideity

[1:28] high

[1:30] Therefore,

[1:32] color.

[1:58] base

[2:01] present colors.

[2:08] I invite William to lead the pledge of

[2:10] allegiance

[2:14] to the flag of the United States of

[2:17] America and to the republic for it

[2:20] stands one nation under God indivisible

[2:25] with liberty and justice for all.

[2:31] colors.

[2:33] Right face

[2:36] forward march.

[2:53] American.

[3:30] Just want to say that I'm honored to be

[3:31] here to do this today. So, please raise

[3:34] your right hand and repeat after me. I

[3:38] state your name. I, John Liberian,

[3:40] >> do solemnly swear

[3:42] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[3:44] the United States

[3:45] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[3:47] the United States

[3:48] >> and the Constitution of the State of New

[3:50] York

[3:50] >> and the Constitution of the State of New

[3:52] York

[3:52] >> and the charter of the city of

[3:54] Skenctity.

[3:57] >> and that I will faithfully discharge the

[3:59] duties

[3:59] >> and I will faithfully discharge the duty

[4:02] >> of the office of Skenctity City Council

[4:05] member. Office of Skenctity, City

[4:07] Council member.

[4:08] >> In and for the city of Skenctity.

[4:13] >> According to the best of my ability.

[4:15] >> According to my best of my ability.

[4:18] >> So help me.

[4:19] God.

[4:21] >> Thank you.

[4:42] And then here.

[5:02] I state

[5:03] >> I remember

[5:04] >> do solemnly swear

[5:07] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[5:08] the United States

[5:09] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[5:11] the United States

[5:12] >> constitution of the state of New York

[5:14] >> the Constitution of the State of New

[5:16] York

[5:16] >> and the charter of the city of Skenctity

[5:20] >> that I will faithfully discharge the

[5:22] duties

[5:23] >> that I will faithfully discharge the

[5:24] duties

[5:25] >> of the office of city council member

[5:29] >> of the office

[5:30] city council member

[5:31] >> in and for the city of Skenctity

[5:33] >> and and for the city of Skenity

[5:34] >> according to the best of my ability.

[5:38] >> So help ME [applause]

[6:00] I heard

[6:22] I am Wens who sold me swift who sold

[6:27] swear

[6:27] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[6:29] the United States

[6:30] >> that I will support the Constitution of

[6:31] the United States.

[6:32] >> Constitution of the State of New York

[6:34] >> the Constitution of the State of New

[6:36] York

[6:36] >> and the charter of the city of Ski

[6:38] >> and the charter of the city of

[6:39] Skenctity.

[6:39] >> And that I will faithfully discharge the

[6:41] duties of the office of city.

[6:44] >> And I will faithfully discharge

[6:46] >> the duties of

[6:48] >> office of city of Skenctity.

[6:52] Council member

[6:53] >> Council member

[6:55] >> and for the city of Skenity

[6:56] >> and for the city of Skenctity

[6:58] >> according to the best of my ability.

[7:01] >> So help me God. That's all I got.

[7:05] [applause]

[7:22] President

[7:28] » President

[7:34] [snorts]

[7:37] » I will make the motion to nominate Miss

[7:39] Dorian Dto Toro to serve as our city

[7:40] council president.

[7:45] Are there any discussion?

[7:49] » Any addition?

[7:54] » I make the motion to nominate Mr. Carl

[7:56] Williams as city council president.

[7:59] >> Is there a second?

[7:59] >> Yes. I second a motion to nominate Mr.

[8:02] Far Williams as our council president.

[8:07] >> Are there any discussion?

[8:23] Put the motion

[8:34] as far as

[8:37] Mr.

[8:43] Yes.

[8:45] >> Yes.

[8:48] >> No.

[9:06] >> Yes.

[9:37] Section 31

[9:49] There's not a business

[10:10] officer for

[10:18] Mark

[10:27] this time before I enterain motion.

[10:48] Thank you. Um, thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[10:52] Thank you everyone for joining us uh

[10:55] this afternoon here as we take our hold

[10:58] for our new Torum and for some of us my

[11:03] fourth term. I just want to give some

[11:06] remarks

[11:08] and again good afternoon friends,

[11:10] neighbors, colleagues and honored

[11:12] guests. I'm deeply grateful to stand

[11:15] before you today humbled, energized, and

[11:18] thankful for the opportunity to continue

[11:21] serving the people of the city of

[11:23] Skenctity. To the resident of this great

[11:26] city, thank you. Thank you for your

[11:28] trust. Thank you for your voice, your

[11:31] engagement, and for once again granting

[11:33] me the mandate to serve. I do take this

[11:37] responsibility, I do not take this

[11:39] responsibility lightly, and I never

[11:41] will. Today mark the beginning of a new

[11:44] term that is also a moment to reflect on

[11:47] the journey that now spans 12 years of

[11:50] service to this community. A community

[11:54] that has shaped me, challenged me, and

[11:57] inspire every step of the way. Over the

[12:00] past 12 years, we have worked together

[12:03] to move skinnity forward. We have faced

[12:06] economic uncertainty, aging

[12:08] infrastructure, public safety concern

[12:11] and moment that tests our resilience as

[12:15] a city. And time again,

[12:19] connectity rose to meet those

[12:21] challenges, not because of any one

[12:24] individual, but because of sheer

[12:26] commitment to progress, fairness, and

[12:28] opportunity.

[12:30] Together we have focused on

[12:32] strengthening neighborhood, supporting responsible development,

[12:38] investing in our infrastructure and

[12:40] ensuring that growth benefit all

[12:42] resident and not just a few. We have

[12:45] worked to modernize city service,

[12:48] support local business, protect

[12:50] taxpayers, and promote transparency and

[12:53] accountability in city government. I

[12:56] want to take a moment to acknowledge my

[12:58] city council colleagues, past and

[13:00] present.

[13:02] While we may not always agree, we are

[13:04] bound by a sheer responsibility to serve

[13:08] the people of Skenctity with honesty,

[13:10] transparency, and integrity.

[13:13] Healthy debate is not weaken. It's not

[13:16] weakness for democracy. It is strength.

[13:19] We must respect each other's opinion,

[13:21] listen thoughtfully, and work together

[13:24] in good faith. May I remind my

[13:26] colleagues that the city council exists

[13:28] as a check and balance for taxpayers,

[13:31] and we must never forget that our first

[13:34] obligation is to the public we serve,

[13:37] not to an individual or department.

[13:41] We must do our job without fear of

[13:43] intimidation and threat from any sources

[13:46] including from within and always remain

[13:49] focused on what is best for our city.

[13:51] Accountability and professionalism must

[13:53] guide our work now and always.

[13:57] I want to take thank those who made our

[14:01] campaign possible. First my sincere

[14:04] gratitude to our campaign director Bob

[14:07] Brown. Bob, your leadership, strategy,

[14:10] insight,

[14:11] and steady hard work were invaluable.

[14:15] You believe in this campaign, and your

[14:18] tireless work behind the scene makes

[14:20] make a real difference. I would also

[14:23] like to thank county chairman France

[14:25] Salamone,

[14:26] county attorney Chris Gardner, Tom

[14:30] Delague, Doug Williams, and many, many

[14:32] others. I am deeply thankful for your

[14:35] support.

[14:37] To the committee members and campaign

[14:39] volunteers, those who knocked on doors,

[14:42] made phone calls, organized events, and

[14:45] give their time and energy. Thank you.

[14:48] Your dedication is is the heartbeat of

[14:51] democracy and I'm truly grateful for

[14:54] every hour you give. To my family, wife

[14:57] Rita, my two daughter Maniah Ta.

[15:02] Thank you for your patience, your

[15:05] sacrifice,

[15:06] and your unwavering support. Public

[15:09] service is never a solo endeavor, and I

[15:13] could not do this without your love,

[15:15] encouragement, and understanding.

[15:18] Allow me to extend my sincere thanks to

[15:20] Supreme Court Justice Christine Clark

[15:23] for administering me out of office. And

[15:27] once again to the vote of Skynet, thank

[15:29] you for placing your confidence in me.

[15:32] This election was not just a victory. It

[15:35] was a reaffirmation of sheer value and

[15:38] share gold. I hear your hopes. I

[15:41] understand your concern and I accept

[15:43] this mandate with humility and resolve.

[15:47] As we look ahead, our work continues. We

[15:51] must keep building a city that is safe,

[15:53] affordable, and welcoming. A city where

[15:56] neighborhoods are strong, where young

[15:58] people see opportunity, and where

[16:00] seniors are respected, and where a

[16:02] working family can thrive. a city that

[16:05] plans responsible for the future while

[16:08] honoring the character and history that

[16:10] made Skynity unique.

[16:13] I remain committed to listening to

[16:15] resident

[16:16] to community leaders and to the

[16:19] differing differing viewpoint because

[16:21] the best solution comes from open

[16:23] dialogue. I believe deeply in this city.

[16:26] I believe in its people and I believe

[16:28] that when we work together with

[16:30] integrity, courage and determination,

[16:33] there is no limit to what Skin City can

[16:35] achieve. Thank you for the honor of

[16:38] serving as your councilman. Thank you

[16:41] for your trust and thank you for

[16:42] allowing me to continue this work on

[16:44] behalf of the city that we all love. May

[16:47] God bless you and may God bless this

[16:50] great city of Skenctity. Thank you.

[16:53] [applause]

[17:09] Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for

[17:11] coming. As I stand before God and the

[17:16] people of Skenctity, I do not stand in

[17:18] my own strength. I stand in the strength

[17:21] of God that God has given me and the

[17:23] purpose he has placed inside me. I want

[17:26] to thank my family for standing by me on

[17:29] this journey. I stand here with

[17:31] commitment that does not shift, bend or

[17:34] break based on who agrees or disagrees

[17:36] with me. My leadership is rooted in

[17:39] faith, anchored in truth and guided by

[17:41] values that cannot be negotiated. I was

[17:44] not called to please people. I was

[17:46] called to serve the people. and serving

[17:48] people require is integrity. It requires

[17:51] courage. It requires the willingness to

[17:53] stand firm when others rather you sit

[17:56] down and be silent. It requires the

[17:58] boldness to speak truth even when

[18:00] opinions get loud and intimidation is

[18:03] felt. It requires discipline to stay

[18:05] focused on purpose not popularity.

[18:09] My commitment to skenctity is not built

[18:11] on applause. It is built on my

[18:14] assignment from God and on the

[18:16] responsibility given given to me by the

[18:19] people who s seated me here. This city

[18:22] is filled with people who know how to

[18:25] endure, rebuild and rise. Families who

[18:29] sacrifice. Seniors who paved the way.

[18:32] Young people whose dreams deserve to be

[18:34] protected and nurtured. Workers,

[18:37] caregivers, and neighbors who show

[18:39] strength every single day. You are the

[18:42] reason I serve. You are the reason I

[18:44] stand firm. And you are the reason I

[18:46] refuse to compromise the values that

[18:49] guide me. My faith teaches me that truth

[18:51] is not something we adjust to fit the

[18:55] moment. Truth is not something we water

[18:57] down to avoid conflict. Truth is

[19:00] something we stand on bodily,

[19:06] consistently, and without apology. So

[19:09] let me be clear. I will not compromise

[19:12] my integrity to make others comfortable.

[19:15] I will not silence my values to avoid

[19:18] criticism. I will not reshape truth to

[19:20] match someone else's opinion. And I will

[19:23] not abandon my calling because someone

[19:25] disagrees with me. Leadership requires a

[19:28] steady heart, a clear mind. It requires

[19:30] the courage to say this is wrong even

[19:33] when others believe it's right. It

[19:35] requires humility to listen and strength

[19:37] to stand. My commitment to Skenctity is

[19:40] unwavering. I will continue to advocate

[19:43] for opportunity, dignity, unity, and the

[19:46] community where every person, every

[19:48] family, every senior, every child feels

[19:52] valued and supported. I will continue to

[19:54] put people first because that is what

[19:57] true leadership does. As we move

[20:00] forward, our city council must recommit

[20:04] ourselves to the heart of the public.

[20:07] That begins with teamwork. real teamwork

[20:10] where communication is honest,

[20:11] transparent, parent, and rooted and

[20:14] respected. We cannot serve the city if

[20:17] we are unwilling to listen to one

[20:18] another even when we disagree.

[20:26] Scripture Scripture tells us a house

[20:28] divided against cannot stand. If

[20:31] skenctity is going to stand strong, then

[20:34] we must first stand together. We must

[20:36] rise above division, judgment, gossip,

[20:40] and old wounds. Too often we allow

[20:43] assumptions, bitterness, and dishonesty

[20:45] to shape our interaction. This cannot be

[20:48] the standard for leadership in the city.

[20:51] Skenctity deserves better and we must be

[20:53] better. Our responsibility is to model

[20:56] unity, not perform it, but live it. to

[21:00] show their integrity. To show that

[21:02] integrity still matters, to demonstrate

[21:04] strength is found not in tearing one

[21:07] another down, but building one another

[21:09] up. We will communic When we communicate

[21:13] with truth, listen with humility, and

[21:15] treat each person with dignity. We can

[21:17] create space for real progress and real

[21:20] healing. The future of Skenctity depends

[21:22] on leadership who put people above

[21:25] politics, purpose above eagle,

[21:28] and truth above convenience. If we want

[21:31] the city where every resident feels

[21:34] valued, safe, and seen, then we must

[21:36] start by treating one another with

[21:38] respect. This is how we move forward.

[21:41] This is how we honor our city, and this

[21:43] is how we build a stronger, more

[21:45] compassionate, and more purpose-driven

[21:47] skinnity. I stand here before you today

[21:50] not seeking validation but embra em

[21:52] embracing my responsibility. I stand

[21:54] here ready to serve with conviction,

[21:56] clarity and faith that guides every step

[21:59] I take. I am committed to truth. I am

[22:02] committed to integrity and I am

[22:03] committed to serve the people of skity

[22:06] without compromise. Thank you all all

[22:08] that help me all that's been there for

[22:10] me. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you

[22:12] for believing in this mission and thank

[22:14] you for walking with me. God bless you

[22:16] all.

[22:18] >> [applause]

[22:34] [clears throat]

[22:35] >> Good afternoon everyone. First I want to

[22:37] thank the people who brought me to this

[22:39] moment. To my parents, thank you for

[22:41] always supporting me and for teaching me

[22:43] the values that guide me today. To my

[22:45] friends and supporters, thank you for

[22:47] standing by my side, knocking on doors,

[22:49] having hard conversations, and believing

[22:51] in this campaign and in this city. As my

[22:54] wonderful fiance, thank you for your

[22:56] patience, your strength, and your

[22:57] support over this past year and

[22:59] everything that came with it. You

[23:01] carried a lot so I could do this, and I

[23:02] am truly, truly grateful. I stand here

[23:05] with deep gratitude as a new member of

[23:07] the Skenctity City Council. This is a

[23:09] great honor and a trust that the people

[23:11] of Skenctity have placed in me. Thank

[23:13] you for believing that together we can

[23:14] move our city in the right direction. I

[23:17] also understand what it means to be the

[23:18] youngest person ever to hold this seat.

[23:21] That is not just about me, but it's

[23:23] about every young person who wants to be

[23:25] heard and have a role in shaping our

[23:27] future. It it proves that leadership is

[23:29] not about age, but about service,

[23:31] listening, and being willing to work

[23:33] hard for others. Connectity has a proud

[23:35] history. We were once known as the city

[23:37] that lit and hauled the world. A place

[23:39] where new ideas and hard work helped

[23:42] power communities far beyond our own.

[23:44] That history should guide us now and

[23:46] challenge us to show good, honest, and

[23:48] responsible leadership in how we treat

[23:50] one another and how we make decisions.

[23:52] As I begin this work, I know how much

[23:54] trust you have placed in me. I will

[23:56] serve all of Skenctity and remember that

[23:58] this seat does not belong to me, belongs

[24:01] to the people of Skenctity. From our

[24:02] busy neighborhoods to our local

[24:04] businesses, from our parks and playing

[24:06] fields to our cultural landmarks, we are

[24:08] one community. A community of

[24:11] resilience, creativity, and heart. Thank

[24:14] you again for the trust you have placed

[24:15] in me. I am honored to serve as your

[24:17] councilman, and I look forward to

[24:18] working with each and every one of you.

[24:20] Makes Skity a better place. Thank you,

[24:22] and let's get to work. [applause]

[24:33] entertain a motion to this meeting.

[24:38] I apologize. We're going to have a

[24:41] benediction

[24:43] from Pastor Roberts of the Faith

[24:46] Deliverance Tabernacle.

[25:03] Almighty God, we thank you today for our

[25:07] community and leaders.

[25:10] We ask your blessings upon our newly

[25:14] inspired council members after the

[25:16] entire council.

[25:18] financial wisdom to discern, integrity

[25:23] to act, and humility to serve all

[25:26] citizens with justice and compassion.

[25:31] May they work together for the common

[25:33] good, promoting peace, opportunity,

[25:38] and wellbeing for everyone in our city.

[25:41] Strength to face challenges with courage

[25:45] and to build a future. We all can

[25:48] flourish. We ask this.

[25:51] for the good of our city and

[25:55] his people. In the name of the Father

[25:58] and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[26:01] Amen.

[26:05] » Thank you, pastor. I'll entertain a

[26:07] motion to adjourn

[26:10] some of council meeting

[26:14] 12.

[26:17] I wish every

Special Schenectady City Council Organizational Meeting, January 1, 2026

Transcript