[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]