[1:04] Good evening. I'd like to call to order

[1:05] this Schenectady City Caucus meeting for

[1:07] Monday, April 13th, 2026.

[1:10] There are 24 items for original

[1:12] consideration. The clerk could please

[1:14] read. Item number one.

[1:16] for original

[1:17] consideration, an ordinance adding the

[1:19] definition of battery energy energy

[1:21] storage systems to section 264-2 of the

[1:25] Schenectady Zoning Code and amending

[1:27] schedule B of chapter 264 of the Zoning

[1:30] Code to allow battery energy storage

[1:32] systems per specified standards.

[1:36] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[1:37] number two. Item number two for original

[1:40] consideration, a resolution declaring

[1:41] the battery energy storage system as a

[1:44] type two action and is not subject to

[1:46] the Environmental State Quality Review

[1:48] Act.

[1:49] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[1:51] number three. Item number three for

[1:53] original consideration, a resolution

[1:54] calling for a public hearing to amend

[1:56] section 9-6 of the Schenectady City Code

[1:59] to increase the membership of the

[2:00] Downtown Special Assessment District

[2:02] Board from nine to 15 members and to

[2:05] amend such membership qualifications.

[2:09] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[2:10] number four. Item number four for

[2:12] original consideration, a resolution

[2:14] authorizing the mayor to enter into

[2:16] intermunicipal cooperation agreement

[2:18] with Schenectady County for the

[2:20] distribution of funding awarded by the

[2:22] New York State Division of Criminal

[2:24] Justice Services to support local

[2:26] enforcement agencies. Pass out of

[2:28] committee, non-consent. Item number

[2:29] five. Item number five for original

[2:31] consideration, a resolution authorizing

[2:33] the mayor to sign a proposal with the New York State

[2:37] Empire State Development Connectivity

[2:39] Mobile Service Incentive.

[2:41] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[2:43] number six.

[2:43] >> Item number six for original

[2:45] consideration, a resolution authorizing

[2:47] the mayor to sign a collective

[2:48] bargaining agreement between the City of

[2:50] Schenectady and Local 28 Schenectady

[2:52] Paid Firefighters.

[2:55] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[2:56] number seven. Item number seven for

[2:58] original consideration, a resolution

[3:00] authorizing the revised green fees and

[3:02] rates at the Schenectady Municipal Golf

[3:04] Course.

[3:05] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[3:06] number eight. Item number eight for

[3:08] original consideration, a resolution

[3:10] amending resolution 2022-009

[3:13] and 2022-224

[3:16] to recapture American Funding

[3:19] Rescue Plan Act funds from the

[3:22] Duryee Foundation Self-Sufficiency

[3:24] Project Transitional Housing Initiative.

[3:27] Pass out of committee, non-consent. Item

[3:28] number nine. Item number nine for

[3:31] original consideration, a resolution

[3:32] confirming the appointments to the CPRB.

[3:35] This item is being removed and returned

[3:37] back to committee for further

[3:38] discussion. Item number 10. Item number

[3:41] 10 for original consideration, a

[3:42] resolution reappointing Richard E.

[3:44] Yeager to the Board of Assessment

[3:46] Review. Discuss out of committee,

[3:47] non-consent. Item number 11. Item number

[3:50] 11 for original consideration, a

[3:51] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[3:53] appoint two individuals to the Downtown

[3:56] Schenectady Improvement Corporation.

[3:58] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[3:59] Item number 12. Item number 12 for

[4:01] original consideration, a resolution

[4:03] authorizing the sale of vacant lot on 22

[4:05] McClellan Street for $11,300.

[4:08] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[4:10] Item number 13. Item number 13 for

[4:12] original consideration, a resolution

[4:14] authorizing the sale of vacant lot on

[4:16] 376 Hoosick Street for $2,000.

[4:19] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[4:20] Item number 14. Item number 14 for

[4:22] original consideration, a resolution

[4:25] rescinding resolution 2026-018.

[4:28] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[4:30] Item number 15. Item number 15 for

[4:32] original consideration, a resolution

[4:34] authorizing the sale of 814 Bedford Road

[4:36] for $60,000.

[4:38] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[4:40] Item number 16. Item number 16 for

[4:42] original consideration, a resolution

[4:43] authorizing the sale of a vacant lot on

[4:45] 1080 Helderberg Avenue for $3,000.

[4:49] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[4:51] Item number 17. Item number 17 for

[4:53] original consideration, a resolution

[4:55] authorizing the redemption and

[4:56] withdrawal of 1333 6th Avenue from

[5:00] foreclosure. Discuss out of committee,

[5:01] non-consent. Item number 18. Item number

[5:04] 18 for original consideration, a

[5:05] resolution authorizing the settlement of

[5:07] a claim by Long Pond Village Apartments

[5:09] LLC.

[5:10] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[5:12] Item number 19. Item number 19 for

[5:14] original consideration, a resolution

[5:16] recognizing Friday, April 24th, 2026 as

[5:19] Arbor Day in the City of Schenectady.

[5:22] Discuss out of committee and

[5:23] non-consent. This item will be presented

[5:25] at a later date.

[5:26] Item number 20. Item number 20th for

[5:29] original consideration, a resolution

[5:31] recognizing April 22nd, 2026 as Earth

[5:34] Day in the City of Schenectady. Discuss

[5:36] out of committee, non-consent. This item

[5:37] also will be delivered at another date.

[5:39] Item number 21. Item number 21 for

[5:42] original consideration, a resolution

[5:43] recognizing April 2026 as National

[5:46] Poetry Month in the City of Schenectady.

[5:49] Discuss out of committee, non-consent

[5:50] and this item as well will be delivered

[5:52] at a later date. Item number 22. Item

[5:55] number 22 for original consideration, a

[5:56] resolution honoring the Ladies Ancient

[5:58] Order of Hibernians.

[6:00] And this item as well will be delivered

[6:02] at a later date. Discuss out of

[6:03] committee, non-consent. Item number 23.

[6:05] under contract and

[6:07] supply, a resolution awarding the bid

[6:09] and contract for the purchase of Globe

[6:11] Firefighting Jackets and Pants.

[6:14] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[6:15] Item number 24. Item number 24 under

[6:17] contract and supply, a resolution

[6:19] awarding the bid and contract for the

[6:21] signage and wayfinding rebid base bid

[6:23] and alternate one to Grafton Data

[6:25] Systems Incorporated in the total amount

[6:27] of $218,482.50.

[6:31] Discuss out of committee, non-consent.

[6:33] There are no further items to come

[6:34] before the City Caucus. May I have a

[6:35] motion to adjourn? Moved by Mr. Toro,

[6:37] seconded by Mr. Mutuviaran. All those in

[6:39] favor? Aye. We are adjourned.

[6:43] I'd like to call to order this

[6:44] Schenectady City Council meeting for

[6:45] Monday, April 13th, 2026. At this time,

[6:48] I would like to ask

[6:50] Council Member Chairs to deliver the

[6:51] invocation followed by Councilman

[6:54] Engert to provide the Pledge of

[6:55] Allegiance.

[7:07] Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Thank

[7:08] you for the opportunity to continue to grow as a city

[7:13] as we continue to work one another.

[7:14] Thank you for the blessings that you

[7:15] delivered to us, a safe weekend of

[7:17] people volunteering allowing the

[7:18] community to come together and to unite

[7:20] themselves as one. We pray that you

[7:22] continue to oversee us and guide us as

[7:24] we know as the legislators in this city,

[7:26] in the state, and all across the country

[7:29] fight all sorts of impunities. We we ask

[7:32] that you continue to guide us to do the

[7:33] right things. In your name we pray.

[7:35] Amen.

[7:38] I pledge allegiance

[7:39] to the flag

[7:40] of the United States of America

[7:43] and to the republic for which it stands,

[7:45] one nation

[7:47] under God,

[7:48] indivisible, with liberty and justice

[7:50] for all.

[7:57] If the clerk could please complete the

[7:58] roll.

[8:02] Mr. Chairs. Present. Mr. Toro. Present.

[8:06] Mr. Engert. Present. Mr. Mutuviaran.

[8:09] Present. Ms. Patrick is absent. Ms.

[8:11] Wiggins. Present. Mr. Williams. Present.

[8:18] I will ask for approval of the minutes

[8:20] for Monday, March 23rd, 2026. Moved by

[8:23] Mr. Chairs, seconded by almost everyone.

[8:26] Mr. Engert. All those in favor? Aye.

[8:30] If the deputy clerk Excuse me. If the

[8:32] clerk can please read any communications

[8:34] and petitions, please.

[8:44] Communications presented to the City

[8:46] Council for Monday, April 13th, 2026.

[8:49] Under official, there were none. Under

[8:51] general general, from Eric Johnson, an

[8:54] email requesting the reallocation of

[8:55] uncommitted ARPA funds up to $950,000

[8:59] to support the Electric City Community

[9:01] Grocery Build Out project due to

[9:03] increased construction costs and

[9:05] outlining the project's anticipated

[9:07] economic and community benefits

[9:08] including job creation and improved

[9:11] access to fresh food. From Maryann

[9:13] Porterfield, an email clarifying

[9:15] that a photo shared at a previous

[9:17] council committee meeting depicted a

[9:19] property clean out by a new owner, not

[9:21] typical household garbage, and

[9:23] expressing support for revising

[9:25] revisiting policies on bulk waste

[9:27] including requiring dumpsters for large

[9:29] clean outs. Under petitions, there were

[9:31] none.

[9:33] Thank you. I'd like to call on any

[9:34] council members to deliver any committee

[9:36] reports.

[9:38] Hearing none, uh we will now have

[9:40] privilege of the floor concerning

[9:41] matters of the legislative agenda.

[9:43] Currently have no one signed up to

[9:44] speak, so I declare public comment on

[9:46] the legislative agenda closed.

[9:53] At this time, I would ask for approval

[9:55] of the legislative consent agenda.

[9:57] So moved. Moved by Ruderman seconded by

[9:58] Ms. Ms. Wiggins. All those in favor I.

[10:03] We will now have privilege of the floor

[10:05] concerning general city business.

[10:08] We have seven individuals sign up to

[10:09] speak. I'd like to remind the public

[10:10] that you have three minutes to speak.

[10:12] First of which will be Ms. Farmer.

[10:20] Good evening. How's everyone?

[10:24] I'm coming today and unfortunately the

[10:26] mayor is not here but

[10:28] >> [clears throat]

[10:29] >> first of all I want to commend the ones

[10:32] that took part in the cleaning of 890

[10:35] this this past weekend.

[10:38] It's a lot of garbage and things but

[10:43] there's still a lot of

[10:46] cleaning that needs to be done in the

[10:48] city of Schenectady.

[10:51] I had called Mike in October. I had

[10:55] walked down to

[10:58] down Lottridge Hill which is by that

[11:00] goes runs into Nott Terrace Street.

[11:03] And all down that area there's couches,

[11:07] there's a toilet, there's garbage and

[11:10] some of the people homeless people live

[11:13] there's a vacant

[11:15] building there that's decayed is falling

[11:18] apart and I called OGS and told them

[11:22] about it and the person that answered

[11:24] the phone it was the guy I can't

[11:26] remember his name but he asked me all

[11:29] the information and he said that he

[11:31] would have somebody go over there and

[11:33] clean it up. To this day it has not been

[11:35] cleaned up.

[11:37] And it's just and you know I'm sure

[11:39] there's rats and everything just

[11:41] crawling all through there and then

[11:43] there's another place over on Albany

[11:46] Street. I think right the fence on the

[11:49] other side is um parent parent um

[11:56] Planned Parenthood and another business

[11:59] but it's on the on the Albany side on

[12:01] the opposite side of the fence. There's

[12:04] garbage all on that area and then if you

[12:08] go into Swan Street and you go at the

[12:13] end of Swan Street going into the

[12:15] cemetery and there's an entrance right

[12:18] there that people walk in and out and

[12:20] there's just garbage all this thrown

[12:22] garbage all over there. And I really

[12:26] think the mayor cuz I have not yet seen

[12:29] him come through any of our

[12:31] neighborhoods. I know not my

[12:32] neighborhood at any time since he's been

[12:34] reelected just to walk around and see

[12:38] all the garbage and how his city looks.

[12:41] He should be disgusted and disappointed

[12:44] about how our our neighborhoods and

[12:47] community is looking. We want people to

[12:49] come here and live and and and raise

[12:52] their children and the city is looking

[12:54] is just nasty and dirty and we really

[12:57] the city really needs to

[13:00] start cleaning up and I know it's it's

[13:03] some of the residents' fault but the

[13:05] city has to take responsibility of all

[13:08] the vacant areas because it's been there

[13:12] and people walk past it and they ride

[13:14] past it and I'm sure some of you

[13:17] probably have rode past it and walked

[13:18] past it and saw it but it needs to be

[13:21] cleaned up. Thank you.

[13:27] Mr. Vince Riggi.

[13:36] Good evening Council President, Council

[13:38] members.

[13:39] First time I've been on this side of the

[13:41] rail since 2011. It's been a while. So

[13:44] I'll remember I had the three minutes

[13:45] was programmed in my head. I'm here to

[13:48] do a little trash talking tonight.

[13:53] Uh three years ago I ran some numbers

[13:56] and I'll give you all a copy of this of

[13:59] costs and revenue out of the waste

[14:01] department.

[14:04] And the bottom line is in 2020 we had a

[14:07] surplus of 1.8 million dollars.

[14:11] In 2021 we had a surplus of 2.5 million

[14:14] dollars.

[14:15] In 2022 we had a surplus of 1.9 million

[14:19] dollars. In 2023 now this was proposed

[14:22] so this must have been for the 24 budget

[14:25] it was 3 million dollars. So just the

[14:28] three years not counting 2023 we had a

[14:31] surplus of 6.3 million dollars.

[14:34] My question is and you should be asking

[14:36] this question where did that money go?

[14:39] Obviously it didn't go for trash. It

[14:42] must have been transferred to another

[14:43] department. We can only guess what

[14:45] happened to it and that's why this fund

[14:47] should be a segregated fund like water

[14:50] and sewer so that money cannot be used

[14:53] for anything else. Right now we're

[14:55] talking about different things for

[14:56] jackpots this and that and the other

[14:58] thing. That's all well and good but the

[15:00] bottom line is about revenue. That's

[15:02] what it's about. Pick up. We have to

[15:04] pick up the trash. How many tons of

[15:06] trash are generated? It has to be picked

[15:08] up. We can't leave it in our house. We

[15:11] can't do anything else with it and why

[15:13] should the people like myself who's been

[15:15] a good citizen and

[15:17] following the rules if I have a party

[15:20] then if I'm not in tier two or tier

[15:22] three or tier four whatever it may be I

[15:25] I'm going to have to go to another tier

[15:27] in order to put out some extra garbage.

[15:30] And then we have certain times of the

[15:31] year like we had this past holiday

[15:34] season where we had about 12 days with

[15:37] no pick up. Two week that happened two

[15:39] times. So we had extra garbage. These

[15:42] are things that have to be thought

[15:43] about. We shouldn't be reinventing the

[15:45] wheel cuz when you do that we're going

[15:48] to have a square wheel that's not going

[15:49] to roll very well down the road and

[15:51] that's where we're heading. I can see

[15:53] what's happening. There's so much things

[15:55] that have to be done or are are just not

[15:58] being done and the bottom line though

[16:00] and I'm going to give you all a copy of

[16:02] this. Please look at these numbers.

[16:04] I have it all the line items out of the

[16:07] budgets. It's there so this isn't made

[16:09] up or anything and I want you to please

[16:11] look at these and we were generating

[16:15] revenue out of the waste department.

[16:17] That shouldn't be. It shouldn't be a

[16:18] money making thing. That's for sure.

[16:20] That's not what it's about and we should

[16:22] be funding other departments with money

[16:24] that should be used for trash. So now

[16:26] we're talking about maybe a capital

[16:28] expense to buy cans and cans last week

[16:31] it was windy in Bellevue. I'm going to

[16:33] tell you and I think one or two council

[16:35] members they were on it. They were

[16:37] blowing all over the road. Some people

[16:39] they're working they can't bring them in

[16:41] right away or some people don't bring

[16:43] them in anyhow. They'll leave it out

[16:44] there for two or three days. So these

[16:46] are all things to consider. Don't

[16:48] reinvent the wheel. I don't have any

[16:50] access to my backyard in the winter time

[16:52] so a can for me I have no way of getting

[16:54] it out front again. I have a can on my

[16:57] back porch. I take the bag out and I

[16:58] bring it out front. That's what I do.

[17:00] Wouldn't I'm sure I'm not the only one

[17:02] like that. I'm 80 years old. You know I

[17:04] can't keep doing this and I'm not going

[17:05] to be dragging I can't make a path to my

[17:08] backyard cuz I have no way to get back

[17:09] there. I need you to summarize.

[17:11] >> Okay. Well I'm going to hand you this

[17:13] and please I did a lot of work on it.

[17:15] Please look it over and see what you

[17:17] think. Thank you.

[17:19] for your time. Thank you.

[17:22] Ms. Kelly Horton.

[17:30] Good evening. Thank you for the

[17:31] opportunity

[17:33] to

[17:34] come before you.

[17:36] Um I am here. I was evicted from my home

[17:41] this morning

[17:42] at 8:15 they kicked my front door in.

[17:46] >> [snorts]

[17:46] >> The sheriff's department.

[17:48] Um my dog is in the car right now.

[17:51] >> [snorts]

[17:52] >> And

[17:54] it was

[17:55] for unpaid taxes. I have the funds.

[17:59] And I'd like the opportunity

[18:03] for you to review

[18:06] my situation.

[18:10] And uh

[18:12] She's been trying to pay them for the

[18:13] last three to four weeks but they said

[18:16] she had to come to the meeting

[18:18] >> [snorts]

[18:18] >> get put on I've been trying to pay them

[18:20] since May of last year. I had 12,700

[18:25] dollars in checks mailed back to me from

[18:29] the tax department. Bank checks,

[18:31] certified checks so I'd say this conversation isn't in

[18:39] order. I want my home back. I I've owned

[18:42] it for 29 years.

[18:45] I understand that. If you wouldn't mind

[18:46] waiting till the end of our meeting.

[18:48] Yes. As I imagine other council members

[18:50] would like to talk to you talk to you as

[18:52] well.

[18:53] Thank you.

[18:58] Mr. Eric Johnson.

[19:06] Uh good evening. My name is Eric

[19:07] Johnson. I'm a resident of the city city

[19:09] of Schenectady.

[19:11] Mayor, honorable Council President and

[19:13] Council esteemed Council members.

[19:16] I'm pleased to be here today to talk

[19:19] about

[19:21] a few things. First just a order of

[19:24] business if it's possible to put your

[19:25] phone numbers on your web pages. I

[19:27] wanted to invite every single one of you

[19:28] to this cleanup and only a few of you

[19:30] had your phone numbers listed on it.

[19:33] And so you missed a great time on Wiley

[19:35] Street this weekend where we had over 20

[19:37] volunteers on Saturday and Sunday and we

[19:41] uh committed around 320 volunteer hours

[19:45] cleaning up the side of 890.

[19:47] Uh it's the second year in a row that

[19:50] we've done that and we had about 300

[19:51] hours last year. So, that's about 620

[19:54] hours of volunteer work

[19:56] over the 2 years time. After that last

[19:59] um cleanup in 2025, we came

[20:02] and requested that the city, the

[20:04] executive leadership, do something to

[20:06] mitigate the illegal dumping that occurs

[20:08] over the edge of Wiley Street, which

[20:10] continues to occur.

[20:12] There was nothing done about that.

[20:15] And I would love to see something done

[20:17] about that. I think our group I I'm with

[20:21] uh organization called One Schenectady

[20:24] and we're working on a a variety of

[20:25] problems, a a group group of um

[20:28] community members

[20:29] uh and garbage is one of them. I think

[20:32] that if uh there is desire to clean up

[20:35] certain parts of the city, we're

[20:36] certainly able to help facilitate

[20:39] organize organizing and we've created a

[20:41] good dialogue with the city for that

[20:43] cleanup.

[20:44] Uh but with regards to

[20:47] um

[20:48] the Wiley Street cleanup, uh obviously

[20:51] there was nothing done. We uh talked to

[20:54] neighbors and there's continued dumping

[20:56] uh by people from outside of that

[20:59] community. They take a brunt of the

[21:02] uh

[21:03] the burden of having a messy

[21:05] neighborhood due to this illegal dumping

[21:06] and it's often perceived that they're

[21:08] the people doing it, but that

[21:10] does not seem to be the case.

[21:12] Um

[21:15] I kind of So, there's 0.3 mi There's

[21:19] basically uh five city-owned lots that

[21:22] make up the continuity of that uh land

[21:25] where people are doing the illegal

[21:27] dumping and one private lot owned by a

[21:29] gentleman named uh Lewis Welcome on

[21:32] Eastern Avenue. And if we were to be

[21:34] able to segment those three part three

[21:36] segments of uh land that's mostly owned

[21:40] by the city and provide

[21:42] uh 0.3 mi of uh some sort of

[21:46] impenetrable

[21:47] thing, whether it's um

[21:50] concrete barriers for road construction

[21:52] or boulders or a fence. Um many of the

[21:55] neighborhoods neighbors there have

[21:57] security cameras. They're frightened to

[21:59] go interact with these people that are

[22:00] coming at night and I don't think we

[22:02] should have uh

[22:05] expect for them to put that burden on

[22:07] themselves.

[22:08] Uh so, I did put together a list of um

[22:11] all the parcels that are um

[22:15] that are involved and who owns them and

[22:17] what the linear footage is for each one

[22:19] of those three segments of barrier that

[22:22] would be needed.

[22:24] Uh and then did some costing just on

[22:26] based on chain-link fence with gates.

[22:28] And I know that money's tight for the

[22:30] city, so maybe there's options that

[22:31] would just prevent the

[22:34] um

[22:36] the narrow doers from doing the deeds

[22:39] that they do. And I'll need you to

[22:41] summarize. Thank you. That is all, but I

[22:43] would like to invite each of you in this

[22:45] room and on the council to a tour of the

[22:47] Electric City Community Grocery tomorrow

[22:49] at 5:30 at the back of the Wedgeway

[22:51] building.

[22:53] Uh and that is all. I'll just leave

[22:56] Thanks very much. Have a good day.

[22:59] Thank you.

[23:01] Dean Marabito.

[23:09] Good evening, uh council members.

[23:12] Um my name's Dean Marabito. I live in

[23:14] the city of Schenectady.

[23:16] Uh during the last city council

[23:18] committee meeting, Council President

[23:20] Williams brought up the topic of

[23:22] community composting.

[23:24] Um

[23:25] The Schenectady Community Compost

[23:27] Project was launched in 2013.

[23:30] And I feel it would be a great idea to

[23:32] expand this project to include more

[23:35] uh Schenectady residents.

[23:38] Uh composting food scraps is not a new

[23:41] idea.

[23:43] Um

[23:44] Humans have been composting food scraps

[23:47] for over 12,000 years.

[23:50] It's a fundamental human agricultural

[23:52] practice.

[23:54] Uh composting reduces landfill waste and

[23:57] emissions.

[23:58] Food scraps and yard waste make up over

[24:01] 30% of what of what is thrown away.

[24:05] Food scraps in a landfill produce

[24:07] methane gas due to decomposing

[24:10] uh without oxygen.

[24:13] Composting plays a critical role in

[24:15] reducing this damage.

[24:18] Uh these are just a few of the positives

[24:20] of composting.

[24:22] And although there may be challenges to

[24:24] a community composting, uh the benefits

[24:27] far outweigh the uh the challenges. So,

[24:30] I urge the council to dig deeper into

[24:33] this situation and uh maybe come up with

[24:36] a plan for this. Thank you.

[24:41] Mr. William Rivas.

[24:52] Uh good evening, mayor and city council.

[24:54] Uh my name is William Rivas and I'm here

[24:56] tonight to talk about something that the

[24:58] city has been trying to solve for a long

[24:59] time.

[25:00] Trust between community and police.

[25:03] But I'm not here with an idea. I'm here

[25:05] with a proven model built right here in

[25:07] the city of Schenectady.

[25:08] It started years ago, not with policy,

[25:10] but with the people.

[25:12] In 2016 through Save Our Streets, my

[25:14] family and I, we launched Random Santa

[25:16] Drop-Offs, bringing gifts, food, and

[25:19] hope directly to families in our

[25:20] neighborhoods and we made a decision

[25:22] that changed everything.

[25:24] We invited the police to be a part of

[25:26] it. Not for a photo, but for proximity.

[25:29] Because for many families, the only time

[25:31] they saw police was when something went

[25:33] wrong. But during those moments,

[25:35] officers showed up differently.

[25:37] And for some children, that was the

[25:38] first time police came to their home and

[25:40] no one went to jail. That matters.

[25:44] From there, we didn't stop at moments,

[25:46] we built a movement. In 2018, we rented

[25:49] out Bowtie Cinemas for Black Panther and

[25:51] asked the police department and the fire

[25:52] department to come out and sit with us

[25:54] and they did.

[25:55] In 2022, we did it again with an even

[25:58] larger crowd.

[25:59] In 2019, we held court in the streets

[26:01] when violence was at highest in the

[26:03] city, we brought real voices together in

[26:05] real spaces for very real conversations.

[26:08] Not to argue, but to understand because

[26:11] transformation only happens when people

[26:12] are willing to see each other as humans.

[26:15] No filters, no scripts because trust is

[26:18] not built in comfort, it's built in

[26:20] truth.

[26:21] In 2020 during the pandemic when the

[26:23] world was at its tipping point, we

[26:25] focused on bringing people together. We

[26:27] marched with protesters and Chief

[26:29] Clifford, which by the way, may have

[26:31] been one of the only police chief in the

[26:32] nation to walk with members in the

[26:35] protest and support our efforts.

[26:38] We partnered with Dane Jennings and

[26:39] Catapult Games, CCJ and local law

[26:42] enforcement, Senator around police

[26:44] de-escalation software and brought about

[26:46] community conversations that lasted over

[26:48] 3 years.

[26:50] Then I asked an even bigger question

[26:52] during the reform and Chief Clifford and

[26:54] Mayor McCarthy supported.

[26:56] My question was, what if the community

[26:57] didn't just talk about policing? What if

[27:00] they helped shape it? So, the community

[27:02] police new hire panel was created, the

[27:04] first of its kind across the nation,

[27:06] which brought about national press in

[27:08] the interview with Soledad O'Brien and

[27:10] was mentioned Governor Cuomo's state of

[27:12] the state address. Also, we have an

[27:14] academic report that was done after the

[27:15] first 5 years by Finn Institute and we

[27:18] have a Union College senior thesis

[27:20] documenting this work and we're

[27:22] currently listed on the New York State

[27:23] Docs website.

[27:25] So, while I'm credited with the idea and

[27:27] implementation as its founder, it is

[27:29] only because of the trust built by

[27:30] everyone involved over the last 10 years

[27:32] that this has been successful. Mayor

[27:34] McCarthy, former Chief Clifford, current

[27:37] Chief Whipple, the entire Schenectady

[27:39] Police Department, City Council past and

[27:41] present, Jamaal Muhammad, Maritsa

[27:43] Martinez, Reverend William Hamilton, Ron

[27:45] Gardner,

[27:46] Kamau Kamali Brown, current City

[27:48] Councilman Justin Chaires, and current

[27:50] City Council President Carl Williams.

[27:53] We have given the residents a real voice

[27:56] in who gets hired to police their

[27:57] neighborhoods. Not symbolic, but real.

[28:00] That's not engagement, that's power

[28:02] sharing. And we kept building. Through

[28:04] events like the 518 Community Cup, we

[28:06] created spaces where police and

[28:07] community don't just meet in crisis.

[28:10] They connect in community as families,

[28:12] youth, officers together.

[28:15] So, what we've built over time is not

[28:16] just a series of events. It's a system,

[28:19] a step-by-step model for building trust

[28:21] from presence to conversation to courage

[28:25] to shared power to unity. I'll need you

[28:27] to summarize.

[28:29] In respect to the trust built over time,

[28:31] I believe it to be vital to have the

[28:33] voices of the individuals involved

[28:35] included in all conversations. Uh thank

[28:37] you very much. I'm thankful for your

[28:39] honoring in our work at this time.

[28:42] Thank you.

[28:46] And Ms. Maryann Porterfield.

[28:52] Good evening. Thank you.

[28:54] Uh good evening,

[28:56] Council President, council members,

[28:57] mayor. First of all, I'm going to take

[28:59] this down. I would just want to thank

[29:00] everybody that came out um for the

[29:03] cleanup on Wiley's Hill Street over 890

[29:05] uh this weekend. Thank you to One

[29:07] Schenectady for organizing it and to

[29:09] everybody that participated. It was

[29:11] quite the feat. If you drove down Wiley

[29:12] Street, the unbelievable amount of stuff

[29:15] that came from people dumping. So, it's

[29:18] This is the second year as was said by

[29:19] Mr. um

[29:21] by Eric Johnson, that this is the second

[29:23] year it happens and so it continually

[29:25] happens, but we shouldn't have to

[29:26] continue to do that. So, what he has

[29:28] presented and what I support and with

[29:31] engaging the neighborhood as well, is

[29:32] that we have a more permanent solution

[29:34] to this problem. Last year, we asked for

[29:37] um

[29:37] a fence, but that didn't happen. This

[29:40] year, I talked to neighbors, they're

[29:41] asking for fencing. They're also asking

[29:43] for um cameras to be put up so that this

[29:46] doesn't continually happen cuz yes,

[29:47] people will come and clean it up, but if

[29:49] we didn't have to do that, that would

[29:51] just be ideal and it just would make our

[29:53] community much cleaner. If you drive

[29:55] down 890 and you look,

[29:57] you can see how bad it looks just

[29:58] driving down 890, which is an entrance

[30:00] into our city. Um one of the things we

[30:02] talked about and I would certainly like

[30:04] to see happen is that we could put some

[30:06] barriers up until we come up with a

[30:08] permanent solution because what if we

[30:11] continue to do what we're doing what

[30:12] without waiting doing a permanent

[30:13] solution, then people will continue to

[30:15] dump. So, I would definitely advocate

[30:17] for that. Um so, you know, and thank you

[30:20] again for for Councilman member um

[30:22] Chairs and also Council President

[30:24] Williams for not only being there and doing the work, but also for

[30:28] listening to the other ideas of how we

[30:29] can do things things to move forward.

[30:32] I'd also like to uh just uh thank

[30:34] Councilman Wiggins for convening the

[30:36] Housing Stability Task Force meeting and

[30:39] for bringing forth information about

[30:41] what it's like for people who live in

[30:43] our community and actually consider

[30:45] hotels as their permanent housing. For

[30:47] bringing forward information on how we

[30:48] need to address this, how much money is

[30:50] actually being paid towards this, which

[30:52] really could be paid towards permanent

[30:53] housing. So, thank you for bringing that

[30:55] forward and for um convening the group

[30:58] and for looking forward to some

[30:59] solutions in this short time frame

[31:01] that's now been given um since you are

[31:03] the have been named chair. So, just

[31:05] wanted to thank you for that and also

[31:07] thank One Schenectady for already

[31:09] gathering the statistics that this

[31:11] committee needs in order to do it. So,

[31:13] um the work is being done. Thank you all

[31:15] for the work that you're doing and uh I

[31:17] think that together we can just make

[31:18] Schenectady the place we all um want to

[31:20] be here and live in. Thank you.

[31:26] I have no one else signed up to speak,

[31:27] so I'll declare public comment on

[31:28] general city business closed.

[31:32] At this time, I'll entertain any

[31:33] miscellaneous business from the council.

[31:37] Mr. Inger?

[31:41] Thank you, Mr. President. Uh I just want

[31:42] to thank everybody for coming out to

[31:43] speak tonight.

[31:45] Um I just want to highlight a couple of

[31:46] the neighborhood cleanups that are going

[31:48] to be happening across the month of

[31:50] April. So, BCNI is doing theirs

[31:53] April 18th from 10:00 to 1:00 at Jerry

[31:55] Burrell Park.

[31:57] Schenectady and the Environmental

[31:58] Clearinghouse will be doing theirs April

[32:00] 18th at 9:00 a.m.

[32:03] The Stockade Neighborhood Association

[32:05] will be meeting at Arthur's Market April

[32:07] 18th at 10:00 a.m.

[32:09] Uh BANA will be doing theirs Saturday,

[32:11] April 25th.

[32:14] And they're meeting at the Calvary

[32:15] Orthodox Church. Uh the Goose Hill

[32:18] Neighborhood Association is doing theirs

[32:19] April 25th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 and

[32:21] they're meeting at Steinmetz Park.

[32:23] Engine Hill, they're meeting at Main Ave

[32:25] and Chrysler Ave parking lot

[32:27] April 25th, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

[32:30] And the Upper Union Street Neighborhood

[32:31] Association is meeting at Bruegger's

[32:33] Bagel Shop on April 25th from 9:30 to

[32:35] 12:00.

[32:36] And then to wrap it up, Mohawk Hudson

[32:39] Earth Fest is happening in Central Park

[32:41] from noon to 4:00. So, I invite

[32:43] everybody to get out there and to help

[32:45] clean up their neighborhoods. Thank you

[32:46] again, Mr. President.

[32:48] Thank you.

[32:52] Mr. Mayor?

[32:53] Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Williams.

[32:55] Good evening, everyone. Thanks for

[32:56] coming out today.

[32:58] Um I just want to say um

[33:01] our first

[33:02] Housing Stability Task Force meeting

[33:05] went very well.

[33:06] The discussions was highly informative

[33:09] and I appreciate the knowledge and the

[33:11] expertise everyone brought to the table.

[33:14] This meeting confirmed that we have the

[33:17] right people in the room to make a

[33:20] meaningful impact for our community.

[33:25] As moving forward, let me be clear about

[33:29] what will what will and will not happen

[33:32] at meetings I chair.

[33:41] We are here

[33:44] to do a serious work

[33:46] and that requires discipline, respect,

[33:48] and and professionalism for every single

[33:51] participant. Side conversations,

[33:54] pre-meetings, chatters, and any behavior

[33:58] that distracts from the purpose of the

[34:00] task force are not appropriate and will

[34:03] not be accepted. I will not tolerate

[34:05] indirect actions, gestures, signaling,

[34:08] or anything meant to discourage others

[34:11] from contributing.

[34:13] That is unacceptable.

[34:15] When we enter the space, we are to come

[34:18] prepared as I was, to stay focused, and

[34:22] we conduct ourselves with integrity.

[34:26] This task force exists to serve the

[34:28] community and I will protect the

[34:30] standards required to do that.

[34:32] Professionalism is an expectation and I

[34:36] it will be held.

[34:38] Thank you.

[34:46] Mr. Mayor?

[34:48] Thank you, Mr. President. Apologize for

[34:50] being a few minutes late. Uh want to

[34:52] thank everyone who uh came out on

[34:54] Saturday also to do the Wiley Street

[34:57] cleanup.

[34:58] Uh we opened the golf course as Mr.

[35:01] Inger has outlined, there's a whole

[35:02] series of uh neighborhood cleanups that

[35:05] are going to be happening

[35:06] over the next couple of weeks.

[35:09] Uh they're great efforts, but I would

[35:10] also ask people to just consider your

[35:14] own front yard, your own business. If

[35:16] everybody does a little bit, it makes a

[35:19] big difference across the city. And

[35:21] where we're seeing the warm weather

[35:23] today, it's uh at a little bit in the

[35:25] low 70s. I think it's going to get in

[35:27] the 80s next couple days.

[35:29] Uh

[35:30] it's good time to be out, uh pick up a

[35:32] little bit, and then make a difference

[35:34] in your own property and the city as a

[35:36] whole.

[35:37] Thank you, Mr. President.

[35:39] Thank you. I know I'm the only person

[35:40] that's standing between you and that

[35:42] nice weather outside, so I will be

[35:43] brief. Um heard a number of comments. I

[35:46] first would like to say thank you for

[35:47] everyone taking the time out of your day

[35:48] to either attend or to speak and share

[35:50] your thoughts. Um with regards to this

[35:52] trash throughout the city, I urge

[35:53] everyone to use our SeeClickFix

[35:55] platform. I know that that is often

[35:58] criticized, but sincerely that allows us

[35:59] to document. And if you are not getting

[36:01] any responses back, I urge you I heard

[36:04] uh the comment about ensuring our

[36:05] contact information is updated on the

[36:07] city website. We are your advocates and

[36:09] if you are not seeing a response, please

[36:10] reach out and use us as council members.

[36:13] Um there was also comments regarding

[36:15] trash and then our considerations or

[36:16] recommendation regarding a tiered

[36:18] system. I would have to disagree with

[36:20] not overcomplicating it. I think with

[36:22] the understanding that this is a

[36:23] historical issue that we've dealt with

[36:25] throughout the city of Schenectady and I

[36:26] don't think it's at the expense of no

[36:29] one's consideration to addressing it. I

[36:31] think with this council, we have truly

[36:33] made a number of headways and by our

[36:35] upcoming committee meeting next week,

[36:37] I'm confident that we will be well

[36:38] positioned to make a recommendation. Um

[36:41] with that,

[36:42] I'd also like to urge uh Ms. Horton and

[36:44] anyone else that has experienced uh

[36:46] foreclosures on their properties to

[36:48] please make a point to come and share

[36:49] your opinion. Uh that is not uh to

[36:52] parade you around the public. That is

[36:54] just ensure that we have an accurate

[36:55] reflection of your issues and concerns.

[36:57] I'm sincerely please uh stay after till

[36:59] the end of this meeting.

[37:01] Um and

[37:03] I would like to also say thank you. I

[37:04] know uh Mr. Rivas came and spoke

[37:06] tonight, but he is not the only

[37:07] individual throughout our city that is

[37:09] doing the work, making a difference. Uh

[37:11] truly, I'd like to give my sincerest

[37:12] appreciation. I think often times people

[37:14] discredit the work of Schenectady just

[37:16] based on how things look, but if we peel

[37:18] that layer back a little deeper, there

[37:20] is a lot of change that is happening um

[37:22] and I hope that that will continue

[37:24] forward in the future. Uh so, without

[37:25] further ado, I ask for a motion to

[37:27] adjourn. So Moved by Mr. Chair, seconded

[37:29] by Ms. Williams. All those in favor? I, we are adjourned. Enjoy the rest of

[37:32] your night.

Schenectady City Council Meeting (FULL) , April 13, 2026

Transcript