[0:02] [music]

[0:25] Heat. Heat.

[0:41] [music]

[0:49] Heat. Heat.

[1:14] » [music]

[1:26] » Heat. Heat.

[1:47] Hey, hey.

[2:38] I'd like to call to order this

[2:39] connectivity caucus meeting for Monday,

[2:41] April 27th.

[2:43] We have one public hearing

[2:46] for consideration. M the clerk could

[2:47] please read.

[2:48] >> Public hearing number one, amending

[2:50] section 9-6 of the Skenctity City Code

[2:52] to increase the membership of the

[2:54] Downtown Special Assessment District

[2:55] Board from 9 to 15 members and to amend

[2:58] such membership qualifications.

[3:01] >> We have eight items for original

[3:03] consideration. If the deputy clerk can

[3:04] please read item number one. Item number

[3:06] one for original consideration, a

[3:08] resolution authorizing the mayor to

[3:09] accept $338,433

[3:13] in statewide targeted reductions and

[3:16] inmate partner violence initiatives

[3:18] drive award monies for the Skenctity

[3:21] Police Department.

[3:22] >> Discussing committee with non-consent

[3:23] item number two.

[3:24] >> Item number two for original

[3:26] consideration, a resolution supporting

[3:27] the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad

[3:29] New York Scenic Byway nomination and

[3:31] corridor management plan adoption.

[3:34] Discuss in committee without objection

[3:35] on consent. This item will be presented

[3:38] towards the end of the meeting. They are

[3:40] currently arriving slightly delayed by

[3:42] Mr. Chairs. Item number three.

[3:45] >> Item number three for original

[3:46] consideration. A resolution authorizing

[3:48] the sale of 901 Ontario Street as a

[3:51] redemption after foreclosure.

[3:52] >> Discuss with in committee without

[3:54] objection on consent. Item number four.

[3:56] >> Item number four for original

[3:57] consideration. A resolution authorizing

[3:59] the settlement of a lawsuit by Andre

[4:00] Porter. Discussing committee without

[4:03] objection non-consent. Item number five.

[4:05] >> Item number five, under contract and

[4:06] supply, a resolution accepting the bid

[4:08] and awarding the contract for J Street

[4:11] Connector to Carver Construction

[4:12] Incorporated in the total amount of

[4:15] 3,874,174.

[4:19] » Discussing committee without objection

[4:21] on consent. Item number six. Item number

[4:23] six, under contracting supply, a

[4:25] resolution awarding the bid and contract

[4:27] for the 2026 Skinnctity Chips Paving

[4:29] Program to Kalinan Industries

[4:32] Incorporated in the total amount of

[4:34] 3,146

[4:36] thou,89.90.

[4:39] » Discussing committee without objection

[4:41] on consent. Item number seven.

[4:42] >> Item number seven under contract and

[4:44] supply. A resolution accepting the bid

[4:46] and awarding the contract for the

[4:48] Skenctity Police Department generator

[4:49] replacement to SN SW Burke Electric LLC

[4:54] in the total amount of $339,000.

[4:57] >> Discuss in committee without objection

[4:58] on consent. And item number eight.

[5:00] >> Item number eight, under contract and

[5:02] supply, a resolution accepting the bid

[5:04] and awarding the contract for crack

[5:06] ceiling of select city streets 2026 to

[5:09] City Mark Striping LLC in the amount of

[5:12] $183,750.

[5:15] » Discussing committee without objection

[5:17] on consent. There are no further items

[5:18] to come before the city caucus. May I

[5:20] have a motion to adjurnn? Moved by Mr.

[5:22] Toro, seconded by Mr. Chairs. All those

[5:24] in favor I we are journed.

[5:29] I'd like to call to order this Ski City

[5:30] Council meeting for Monday, April 27th.

[5:34] I will be reading a um

[5:37] I'll be reading a pledge followed by or

[5:39] I'll be reading the invocation followed

[5:41] by Mr. Murder um providing the pledge of

[5:44] allegiance. Will everyone please stand?

[5:52] Dear heavenly father, we come before you

[5:54] this evening with humility and with a

[5:55] shared commitment to serve the people of

[5:57] Skencti. We ask for your guidance as we

[5:59] carry out the responsibilities entrusted

[6:01] to us. And we thank you for the

[6:03] opportunity to work on behalf of our

[6:04] community. Grant us wisdom in our

[6:06] decisions, clarity in our discussions,

[6:09] and the ability to listen with open

[6:10] minds and respectful hearts. Help us to

[6:12] lead with integrity, compassion, and a

[6:15] focus on the greater good, especially

[6:16] for those in our city who are most in

[6:18] need. May your peace guide this council,

[6:21] strengthen our collaboration, and

[6:23] support our efforts to build a safer,

[6:25] stronger, and more united sanctity. Be

[6:27] with our residents, our families, and

[6:28] all those we serve. Amen.

[6:33] I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[6:36] United States of America and to the

[6:39] republic for which it stands. One nation

[6:42] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[6:45] justice for all.

[6:52] » If the clerk can please take the role.

[6:55] >> Mr. Chairs,

[6:56] >> present.

[6:57] >> Mr. Toro,

[6:59] >> Mr. Angger,

[7:00] >> Mr. Muar

[7:01] >> present.

[7:02] >> Miss Patrick is absent. Miss Wiggins

[7:04] >> present.

[7:05] >> Mr. Williams

[7:06] >> present.

[7:12] » We have one public hearing for this

[7:29] evening. We have one individual signed

[7:30] up to speak. I would like to remind the

[7:32] community that you have four minutes to

[7:34] speak.

[7:35] Mr. Orlando Huntley,

[7:42] I haven't been here in a while. Uh this

[7:44] is general. I can speak generally. Uh

[7:47] this is related to the public hearing.

[7:49] I'll be back for the general one.

[8:00] So, we have no one signed up to speak

[8:01] for the public hearing. I will declare

[8:04] comment closed.

[8:08] I will ask for approval of the minutes

[8:10] from Monday, April 13th. Moved by Mr.

[8:13] Chairs, seconded by Mr. Ingert. All

[8:14] those in favor?

[8:16] >> I.

[8:17] If the clerk can please read any

[8:19] communications and petitions.

[8:26] » Communications presented to the city

[8:28] council for Monday, April 27, 2026.

[8:32] Under official from the mayor, a list of

[8:33] appointments dated April 27, 2026. Under

[8:37] General from Taylor Spencer, a letter

[8:40] urging expanding

[8:42] urging expanded tree planting and green

[8:43] space efforts, citing environmental and

[8:46] e equity benefits and encouraging the

[8:48] city to strengthen and invest in urban

[8:50] forestry initiatives. Under petitions,

[8:52] there were none.

[8:56] » I'd like to call on any council members

[8:57] for their committee reports.

[9:04] Hearing none, uh, this will now be

[9:06] privilege of the floor concerning

[9:07] matters of the legislative agenda. We

[9:09] have no one signed up to speak, so I'll

[9:10] declare public comment closed.

[9:16] I will now ask for approval of the

[9:19] legislative consent agenda moved by Mr.

[9:21] Toro, second by Mr. Mudin. All those in

[9:24] favor? I.

[9:27] >> We will now have privilege of the floor

[9:29] concerning matters of city business. We

[9:31] have three individuals signed up to

[9:33] speak. I would like to remind the

[9:35] community that you have three minutes to

[9:36] speak. First of which is Denise Wells.

[9:44] » Hello.

[9:46] Um, so I wrote some stuff. I wrote it

[9:49] down because I I'm not good with memory.

[9:52] So I'm just going to read.

[9:54] Um, my name is Denise and I live on

[9:56] Eastern A in Skenctity. I'm here because

[9:59] there's a serious safety issue on that

[10:01] street and it's being ignored. There's a

[10:04] park where children play, but the

[10:06] reality is drivers are treating it like

[10:08] a road that's a highway. Um, they're

[10:10] speeding, they're reckless, and nothing

[10:12] is stopping them.

[10:14] Um, this is not a hypothetical

[10:17] situation. Um, on April 6th of n uh

[10:21] 2025, a drunk driver came down that

[10:24] street and totaled my parked vehicle in

[10:26] front of that park. So the danger is

[10:28] already proven that is this is not a

[10:32] warning sign. This is a pattern and

[10:34] right now there are no real measures to

[10:37] place forcing drivers to slow down. So I

[10:40] have to ask are we waiting for a child

[10:42] to get hit before something is done

[10:44] because that's exactly what it feels

[10:46] like. Um we know the risk. We've seen

[10:49] the damage and yet nothing has changed.

[10:51] Signs are not enough. We're hoping

[10:53] people will do the right thing. That's

[10:55] not enough. We need physical measures

[10:57] that force behavior to change. Um

[10:59] something like a speed bump or traffic

[11:01] calming, something uh real because right

[11:05] now res residents like me are left

[11:07] dealing with the fear and the

[11:09] consequences that are not acceptable. So

[11:11] I'm asking for action not later, not

[11:14] after another accident, but now. Thank

[11:17] you.

[11:19] >> Thank you,

[11:22] Dr. Peter Kemer.

[11:29] Evening. I'm with the Veil Project, but

[11:30] I'm not here for the Veil Project. I'm

[11:32] here to back up Denise. We've had

[11:34] several outreaches there in that park,

[11:37] six outreaches. It is well used by

[11:40] children. It is poorly signed. It is uh

[11:44] it uh it is uh has been built on top of

[11:48] two properties were taken down. So, it

[11:50] is poorly marked. Number one. Number

[11:52] two, uh it is uh frequented by children,

[11:56] especially in warm weather because of

[11:57] the splash splash weather, but uh since

[12:02] um Elmer Avenue school has been closed,

[12:04] it's no longer our school zone. So

[12:06] drivers whiz by there, uh because they

[12:09] have to slow down up when as they

[12:12] approach Brandy Wine and Mlen. Uh we've

[12:15] seen them speed by there. I just don't

[12:18] want a tragedy to happen to highlight

[12:22] the issue. Um,

[12:25] no one pays attention to the 25-hour

[12:27] decreased speed limit and um, we just we

[12:32] I am advocating with Denise who uh is

[12:36] part of us for speed bumps and signage

[12:40] of some description. The tribute park

[12:42] sign is very small. It is uh you could

[12:45] go right by it. You have to look for it

[12:47] to know it's there, but children know

[12:50] where it's there and drivers do not. And

[12:52] that's the issue. So, we're gonna have

[12:55] need increased signage, but speed bumps,

[12:57] which are not costly, would protect the

[13:01] children that frequent this park and

[13:03] they do enjoy the park. And thank you

[13:06] for your time. And u we will be back on

[13:10] other agenda items. Thank you very much.

[13:13] >> Thank you. I would ask for you both to

[13:15] just stay until at the conclusion of the

[13:16] meeting. I imagine a number of council

[13:18] members would like to get up and ask you

[13:19] some further couch questions.

[13:24] » And Mr. Alando Hunley.

[13:33] » Hello. My name is Orlando Otis Hunley

[13:36] and I'm a resident of Skenctity. And a

[13:40] wise person told me the other day that

[13:43] you're a hero in Skenctity if you can

[13:45] bring in a table of four um to one of

[13:49] our restaurants or if you can bring

[13:51] people into any of our small businesses.

[13:53] And I think that's very true. Um and I

[13:56] think with all the the space and

[13:59] sunlight that we have at this point in

[14:01] time, we're not using it enough. And

[14:04] with the Eddies that took place last

[14:06] night where we celebrated people from

[14:08] across the Capitol region who came to

[14:10] Skenctity um because this is where

[14:13] everything is happening. You know, Troy

[14:15] has a great music scene. Alby's coming

[14:17] up, but Skenctity has some of the most

[14:18] talented artists and some of possibly

[14:21] the best locations to perform. And I

[14:24] think this also wraps into how it's

[14:26] becoming harder and harder for so many

[14:28] of our neighborhoods to have the block

[14:30] parties that they once were able to

[14:33] have. and they're having to jump through

[14:35] hoops at the festivals. And this is this

[14:37] is not me saying it. People have come

[14:38] here and said it before me. I hope you

[14:40] all remember. Um,

[14:43] but it it comes down to we should be

[14:47] open to busking, you know, and allowing

[14:49] artists to aid in marketing our city and

[14:52] bringing people here because each of us,

[14:54] everyone in Skenctity could be a hero by the terms of that wise man by

[15:00] bringing four, five people. um with the technology that we all have at our

[15:05] fingertips and us supporting our small

[15:07] businesses, us creating these platforms

[15:09] for our local artists. And it's not just

[15:11] about create selecting

[15:16] artists, you know, because that gets so

[15:18] touchy and it's very weird. We need to

[15:20] also enable the people who know the

[15:22] artists in this community and who are

[15:24] trusted and who have put in years and

[15:26] kind of, you know, are getting the the

[15:28] short end of the stick. Um, and then

[15:30] also I mean I would like to second what

[15:32] they're saying. Um, so many of our

[15:34] neighborhoods have uh become highways

[15:37] and a 25 mile speed limit doesn't stop

[15:40] that. I think speed bumps would stop

[15:42] that. And then also as someone who's

[15:44] been hit by a car on Erie Boulevard and

[15:46] to you know who. Uh, it's it's it's it's

[15:50] getting just like too crazy. I mean I

[15:52] believe by GE we have a pedestrian

[15:54] bridge. Let's do let's throw a couple of

[15:56] those up. Uh, I feel good. I feel good

[15:59] about that. Thank you. Have a good

[16:00] night, guys.

[16:02] >> Thank you.

[16:05] I have no one else signed up to speak,

[16:07] so I'll declare public comment for

[16:09] general city business closed.

[16:13] At this time, I'll entertain any

[16:15] miscellaneous business from the council.

[16:17] Mr. Chairs,

[16:23] uh, thank you, Council President

[16:24] Williams. Just try to be quick. There's

[16:26] so much that happened this month. Um, I

[16:28] al also want to stop and we didn't get

[16:30] to do it, but we talked about it after

[16:32] our last committee that this was autism

[16:34] awareness month. And uh, I just want to

[16:36] bring that recognition to it that we are

[16:38] continuing to work to make sure that we

[16:40] have inclusion and acceptance all

[16:41] throughout our community for those who

[16:43] are on the autism spectrum. continue to

[16:44] do the work to make sure that they have

[16:46] opportunities afforded to them that make

[16:48] sense that we can work with our people

[16:50] who are differently abled and make sure

[16:52] that we are bringing them into our

[16:54] community um and guiding them along with

[16:56] anything that we can possibly help. I

[16:58] had the pleasure of being with uh

[17:00] Assemblyman Santa Barbara over at the uh

[17:03] youth and in Roderdam where we talked

[17:06] with a multitude of community members

[17:08] from Roderdam, city of Skenctity and

[17:10] Scotia of how it's affected uh their

[17:12] lives seeing the lack of opportunities

[17:14] for their children, children they teach

[17:16] and all throughout the community that

[17:18] they care for. So, um, I continue to

[17:20] push as we, you know, want to support

[17:22] small businesses and we seen businesses

[17:24] like Puzzles that were there that did

[17:25] these good things to make sure that we

[17:26] as a city continue to work to support

[17:29] them. I want to thank everyone who, uh,

[17:31] participated in the Hero 5K for autism

[17:34] yesterday morning and ran. I was unable

[17:37] to get there, but some of my team was

[17:39] over there and was very excited to

[17:41] support afterward. I was, excuse me,

[17:42] unable to run in it. um but are very

[17:44] happy to support and donate to be able

[17:46] to make sure that we continue to move

[17:47] those initiatives forward. I want to

[17:50] draw attention to the Yumi and poetry

[17:52] which this council voted on last month.

[17:54] The festival is all this week,

[17:56] Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and

[17:57] Saturday. They have different days from

[17:59] Lucid Voices and this connected poet

[18:01] laurate Donis Richards uh will be

[18:04] hosting different youth events, youth

[18:06] workshops as well as a youth slam for

[18:08] opportunity for our children in the

[18:10] community to have uh their words heard.

[18:12] Uh the spoken challenge was very I've

[18:14] seen it done once before that he's done.

[18:15] It's amazing to see what our youth have

[18:17] to say in this community and it's very

[18:19] insightful. So I encourage everyone to

[18:21] one support our youth. Make sure that if

[18:23] you have a child that is interested in

[18:25] spoken word or any kind of form of

[18:27] poetry that you bring them over to this

[18:29] event. This is an opportunity to make

[18:30] sure that they can show their skill and

[18:33] their skill level, no matter what it is, appreciated by this councilman surely

[18:37] as a teacher prior. I also want to give

[18:39] a huge shout out to uh our mayor of

[18:42] Woodlon. I don't know who you've seen,

[18:44] but Mayor Nir Hill. Um got to meet

[18:47] Superintendent Carlos Cotto last week

[18:50] and he is the new elected mayor of

[18:51] Woodlon Elementary School and he uh was

[18:55] I was able to talk to a superintendent

[18:57] and he called Carlos his best friend,

[18:59] which I think is amazing. We have a

[19:00] superintendent that has a best friend as

[19:02] a mayor. He also said uh after talking

[19:04] to teachers, his first order of business

[19:06] is to make sure they have extra recess.

[19:08] So, if this council can help him in

[19:10] getting extra recess at Woodlon

[19:12] Elementary School, that's something we

[19:13] should be working on. [snorts] Last, I

[19:15] want to bring quick attention to

[19:16] National Library Week that was last week

[19:18] and the Tater Trot that happened this

[19:20] past Saturday, as well as the amazing

[19:23] cleanups and thank you to our council

[19:25] members that were able to get out,

[19:26] council president, as well. Um, I was

[19:28] able to join a litany of them all across

[19:31] the city seeing how many amazing

[19:33] cleanups happened all throughout here

[19:35] and celebrating Earth Day and Earthfest

[19:37] in the park at Central Park. Uh, Mayor

[19:39] McCarthy was also at Earthfest and I

[19:41] seen him at Goose Hill and I want to

[19:43] give him a shout out for cleaning up and

[19:44] being there as well. He's not here this

[19:45] evening. Uh, but we were able to get a

[19:47] lot of good work done through Bana and

[19:49] all the community members and volunteers

[19:51] that came out and Union College

[19:52] athletics that supported this initiative

[19:55] all throughout the city. And lastly, I'm

[19:57] excited to say that we're able to

[19:58] resolve several issues from the last

[20:00] council meeting where members of the

[20:02] community had reached out to us, came

[20:03] here and talked to us and reached out to

[20:04] me individually. I'm very excited we

[20:06] were able to get some of those potholes

[20:07] filled, some of those garbages, dumping

[20:09] sites that we seen that we heard about

[20:11] on Swan Street, over on Albany Street,

[20:13] and down in Neras taken care of. I'm

[20:15] glad that we were able to get that done.

[20:16] I was able to report it. Please continue

[20:18] to bring your concerns to this council.

[20:20] Give us the opportunity to work on it. I

[20:22] know I say all the time, I don't know

[20:23] what I don't know. So, if there's an

[20:25] issue, thank you for coming and bringing

[20:26] it to our attention so we can get it

[20:27] done for you. Thank you so much, Council

[20:29] President Williams.

[20:31] >> Thank you.

[20:36] » Okay. So, uh thank you for everyone who

[20:38] came out to speak. I'd first like to

[20:39] address the matter of speeding.

[20:41] Sincerely bringing that to our council's

[20:42] attention is imperative to miss. What uh

[20:45] council member uh chairs recently shared

[20:48] is assuming not uh is very important. I

[20:51] think we have a big city uh and

[20:53] sincerely uh making sure that we work

[20:55] collaboratively together and give each

[20:56] other grace uh is important for us to do

[20:59] the work equitably. So we do have a

[21:01] number of measures at our behest but

[21:03] sincerely that starts with first

[21:04] bringing those problem problematic areas

[21:07] towards us. Uh if you can recall last

[21:09] year we passed uh an open legislative

[21:12] item that allows our chief engineer to

[21:15] be able to assess where uh speeding

[21:17] tables can be put. uh we need to align

[21:19] some budgetary funds to that because I

[21:21] think we did make some uh uh removals to

[21:25] ensure that the tax increases were

[21:29] appropriate uh for our public. Uh but

[21:31] sincerely there's nothing to say that we

[21:33] cannot do a budget reappropriation to

[21:35] ensure that we're able to meet some of

[21:37] those concerns and not have a tragic

[21:39] accident happen before that prompts a

[21:40] response from the city. I would like to

[21:42] also take a moment to just appreciate

[21:44] some recent ceremonies. uh had the

[21:47] pleasure along with uh councilman chairs

[21:50] uh to be at the uh arbor day ceremony.

[21:52] Mr. Toro I think it was council woman

[21:54] Doro was there as well uh with uh Betsy

[21:57] Henry from Retree connectity and to what

[22:00] I wasn't aware of there we planted the

[22:02] 64th species of trees and they openly uh

[22:05] asked for members of the community to

[22:07] come and walk through that that space.

[22:08] Uh it is very green, very peaceful and

[22:11] it really provides a tranquil experience

[22:13] within the city of Skenctity. I'd also

[22:15] like to appreciate the combined effort

[22:18] from Music Haven, the EighthP, and uh

[22:21] many other supporters that saw a

[22:23] successful Earthfest yesterday at

[22:24] Central Park. Uh and as we as a

[22:27] community and just a nation uh respond

[22:30] to being more environmentally friendly,

[22:33] promoting more sustainable solutions, it

[22:35] is not an option. It is a requirement.

[22:38] Sincerely, that investment is not just

[22:39] for ourselves, but also for the next

[22:41] generation to ensure that we leave them

[22:42] with something. Um, and I'd also like to

[22:46] congratulate the participants of our

[22:48] Capitol Region Summer Classic, which was

[22:50] the Special Olympic swim meet that was

[22:51] held at Skeny High School. Uh, they

[22:54] definitely swim better than I because I

[22:56] cannot swim. But truly, I think it is

[22:58] very uh appreciative and appropriate for

[23:00] our community to collaborate with other

[23:02] agencies to ensure that they can enjoy

[23:03] the resources that we have within our

[23:05] community. So, with that, I will ask for

[23:08] a motion to adjurnn. Moved by Mr. Chair,

[23:11] second by Mr. Min. All those in favor? I

[23:13] we are endured. Enjoy the rest of your

[23:14] evenings.

[23:35] I was like Justin Stall.

[23:39] [music]

[23:55] » [music]

Schenectady City Council Meeting, April 27, 2026

Transcript