[0:03] Our

[0:06] public hearing tonight is to amend city code chapter 212, article 3 of the code of city,

[0:15] sir, took a spring and titled senior citizens tax exemption. Just want to say something about that, commissioner.

[0:26] New York State passed some legislation for the New York State budget that allows us to increase our senior low income tax exemption from 50% up to 65%.

[0:44] And we haven't heard from anybody that has disagreed with that.

[0:50] And the city would like to adopt that to help our seniors stay in their homes.

[0:55] It would take effect for the next tax year, not this one.

[0:59] So that is what this public hearing is about.

[1:02] If anyone would like to speak concerning that, please step up to the microphone.

[1:07] We will be voting on this tonight.

[1:13] Seeing nobody, we will close the public hearing and we will be voting on this tonight.

[1:19] We'll start our meeting with a roll call.

[1:23] Mayor Safford.

[1:25] Here.

[1:26] Commissioner Kiernan.

[1:27] Here.

[1:28] Commissioner Kiermadi.

[1:29] Here.

[1:29] Commissioner Cole.

[1:31] Here.

[1:32] Mr. Tracey.

[1:33] Here.

[1:34] Supervisor Berger.

[1:36] President.

[1:37] Supervisor Songley.

[1:38] Here.

[1:39] You have a quorum, sir.

[1:40] Thank you.

[1:40] What tries to salute the flag?

[1:43] What do we need to flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands?

[1:49] One nation undergaveled, indivisible, was liberty and justice for all.

[1:59] We have no presentations tonight.

[2:03] I'll move for the council to approve the consent agenda.

[2:07] That's my motion.

[2:08] Is there a second?

[2:10] Calls the second.

[2:11] Any questions on it?

[2:13] All those in favor say aye.

[2:15] Aye.

[2:16] Any opposed?

[2:16] Say nay.

[2:17] No abstentions.

[2:18] That matter passes five zero.

[2:20] So we are now moving into our public comment period.

[2:24] We have some rules here that you can come up, Rose, if you want.

[2:29] That's on the agenda is the public comment period.

[2:33] It is an opportunity for members of the public to present their views to the City Council.

[2:39] Each speaker will have three minutes and may not return to the microphone.

[2:43] The council typically does not respond to comments during the public comment period, but we're

[2:48] We're always happy to discuss matters with the public at other times.

[2:52] After public comment has concluded council members may address issues raised during the

[2:57] public comment period, request information from staff or direct an issue be placed on

[3:02] a future agenda.

[3:04] We ask all participants to respect the rules of decorm so that everyone has an equal opportunity

[3:10] to be heard.

[3:11] Speakers may not engage in conduct that disrupts the orderly conduct of the meeting or prevents

[3:16] Once others from exercising their opportunity to speak, if necessary, we do cut off the microphone at three minutes.

[3:24] We welcome everyone here to speak.

[3:27] We're here to listen to what that speaker has to say for that three minute period.

[3:34] But we do ask, even if you're in the middle of a sentence, we have a little clock that will help.

[3:40] Once that clock, even if you're in the middle, we ask you to stop speaking at that point.

[3:52] I'm sorry, I need it.

[3:55] Okay, go ahead.

[3:57] I'm not sorry, I need it.

[3:58] Okay.

[4:00] I want to read some of the excerpts from an article

[4:04] in the Seratovian on August 26th,

[4:10] and it's found my brother.

[4:13] The title of the passing of a friend,

[4:15] Big John Frustere, a racing fan, and it was written by Warren Ives, director of public

[4:22] relations at the Saritoga Harnest Track.

[4:26] Members of the Saritoga Racing family lost a friend to his Vietnam.

[4:32] His name was Big John Frustere, also known by racegoers as Mr. Win.

[4:39] Big

[4:42] John had no enemies. He took all kinds of kidding from many people.

[4:51] He was known in

[4:52] almost every eatery in Saratoga Springs.

[5:00] If you needed a favor, John Crestera would comply.

[5:05] In the past number of years, there have been many great strippers characterized

[5:18] in many

[5:26] John Fraster was one of those individuals who helped that change.

[5:33] Every day since his mother's passing, John would visit her grave, say a short prayer.

[5:41] On Tuesday afternoon, he parked his car and left the motor running to pay respects once again.

[5:48] Big John casts a finish line saying that prayer.

[5:51] course racing will miss the big fellow.

[5:57] John and I were both in our early 30s when the

[6:01] saw occurred. August 26 is etched in my mind. I am heartbroken that I had so much respect

[6:11] for people in this room on the council and the city attorney. August 26th will

[6:22] be etched in my mind as as a day where I was miss that I was duped. So I'm

[6:36] going to take a sing from the Bible. Jesus Christ, my Lord, said, Peter, you duke me.

[6:48] And I let you duke me. Get behind me, Satan. And I have some copies of this if anyone

[6:57] in the audience wants it.

[6:59] And that was from the Saratoga in 1871.

[7:04] Thank you.

[7:06] Next speaker, please.

[7:08] You have up to three minutes.

[7:12] Good evening.

[7:13] I'm Rob Connellan, Greenfield Avenue, Saratoga Springs, New York.

[7:16] I'm here to discuss the renewal of the flock contract.

[7:20] I have to admit that the flock cameras are an effective law enforcement.

[7:26] They truly are.

[7:27] But I think that this body has to look at it from a much broader perspective than just

[7:32] that of the law enforcement.

[7:34] You know, I read 1984, 15 years when it was, that was in the future, and they talk about

[7:40] big brother, and the pillars of that regime were consistent, used mass surveillance.

[7:46] And I looked up in Wikipedia, so I think it's a reasonable resource, that it finds mass

[7:51] surveillance as intricate surveillance of an entire or substantial fraction of a population

[7:57] in order to monitor that group of citizens.

[8:00] And then I looked up police state,

[8:02] and electronic police state is a state

[8:04] in which government aggressively uses electronic technologies

[8:08] to record, collect, store, organize,

[8:11] and distribute information about its clients.

[8:14] And that is exactly what Flot does.

[8:16] It obtains this information and transmits it

[8:18] to a data, national database.

[8:23] It is an effective tool for law enforcement,

[8:25] But it also is an effective tool for an authoritarian regime or a want to be authoritarian regime.

[8:31] And that would be, you know, where power is invested in just a few people who are not

[8:36] accountable to the public and does not allow meaningful opposition.

[8:41] Now, and what fundamentally does is it eliminates checks and balances.

[8:48] And if I remember my American constitutional history correctly, checks and balances

[8:53] is a founding principle of this country and the mass surveillance and a tool for mass

[9:03] surveillance is the opposite of the founding of that, of a founding principle and is opposite

[9:10] to the very concept of we, the people.

[9:13] Thank you.

[9:14] Thank you.

[9:15] And next speaker, please.

[9:20] You are up to three minutes, sir.

[9:25] Good evening.

[9:26] Thank you for having me here.

[9:27] Glad to see that number. My name is Robert Stromberg. I live in a round

[9:32] lake in Saratoga County. I have as a few things to say.

[9:38] Flock safety says on their website that they have a 96% OCR accuracy.

[9:46] OCR means optical character recognition,

[9:51] machine sees something written and recognizes the letters

[9:55] in numbers. That's what the license plates have, something written. Now, when I was in

[10:02] high school, a 96% curate on a social studies or agency exam would have been wonderful.

[10:10] But this 96% accuracy rate leaves 4% error rate, letter by letter, character by character

[10:18] dirt number by number.

[10:21] According to the South August brings transparency portal, 349,443 vehicles license plates were

[10:32] read in the last 30 days.

[10:36] times 4%. That's 13,978 errors in the data coming into our database. How does anybody

[10:51] sort out what's correct and what's not correct in those license plate reads? I think that's

[10:58] tricky. My last point, that transparency portal lists a whole lot of different agencies

[11:07] and government that can see our data, including in Alabama, the Blount County Commissioners.

[11:18] That's the government of Blount County, not just law enforcement, including the City

[11:24] I am the CEO of Vista Arizona, that's the city, the city government.

[11:31] I fail to see if there are adequate controls over who can read our data.

[11:37] I drive to Saratoga Springs, who visit to shop, go to a venue for an event I like.

[11:46] I don't like the idea that my vehicle is being tracked, and it could be tracked in error.

[11:53] Thank you.

[11:54] Thank you.

[11:56] Next speaker please.

[12:02] Next speaker.

[12:08] You have up to four minutes there or three minutes.

[12:11] I'm sorry.

[12:11] Three minutes.

[12:12] Thanks.

[12:13] Thank you.

[12:14] I'm a resident.

[12:15] Saratoga Springs.

[12:16] I'm here also to talk about mass surveillance.

[12:20] I've observed the cameras in the city and was that the last meeting and listened to the responses from the commissioner, especially the commissioner call.

[12:29] And to me, the crux of this whole thing is finding the balance between the considerations of privacy,

[12:40] the expectations of privacy of movement, the freedom of movement, to attend legal gatherings,

[12:47] for example, to attend protests, to attend churches without being tracked,

[12:54] In fact, versus the clear value to law enforcement that you gave, a commissioner called gave an example of last week.

[13:04] It's also balanced against the risk of abuses.

[13:09] And the risks of abuse have been shown to be quite prevalent.

[13:13] Most directly last week in Sarat or in Albany County, a senior investigator being shown to have illegally or

[13:24] or inappropriately, I should say, used the flock database

[13:28] to track a person for personal use, I'll say.

[13:33] There's many other documented cases of that

[13:35] around the country.

[13:37] So, meet for one, I just wanted to express that,

[13:41] to me, the values that are clearly there for law enforcement

[13:47] don't come close to balancing the downside of it.

[13:50] The lack of control of the data,

[13:52] data, the data is going to a private corporation that's selling that data to anyone that subscribes

[13:57] to their service.

[13:58] Don't know where the data is going, that data is not audited.

[14:02] They claim that the data that they collect from a municipality like Saratoga is the property

[14:08] of Saratoga Springs, but it has absolutely no value because they are given full use of the

[14:15] data to sell, resell, and use it in any way they like.

[14:18] It doesn't matter who owns the data.

[14:20] It's what they do with the data.

[14:22] Another comment was made that they're only collecting pictures.

[14:25] They're just pictures of license plates.

[14:28] It's not the collection of the picture.

[14:30] That's the problem.

[14:31] It's what they do with the license plate.

[14:34] And they build profiles of people's movement.

[14:37] They do these so-called heat maps.

[14:39] And it discourages people from engaging in lawful behavior

[14:46] that I mentioned, going to public spaces, protests, and churches of your choice.

[14:53] So, I want to express that my concern around the privacy issues.

[15:00] Far outweigh in value to me as a citizen, I think many others, then do the law enforcement values in this case. And I hope Saratoga cancels the contract so we can properly vet that system and bring it back if it turns out to be so. Thank you. Next speaker, please.

[15:25] I have previously spoken to you at the end of July regarding artificial intelligence.

[15:30] And I'm going to continue that theme this evening.

[15:33] One thing we all have in common as we all went to elementary school, we probably did show

[15:38] and tell.

[15:40] So I'm going to pass this supervisor's on me to pass it around the table.

[15:45] I said, hey, I accelerator, it's about 10 years old.

[15:48] I knew those go for about $20,000.

[15:51] And for every one of those that envidious sells, I should say for every million of

[15:56] those that envidious sells, it increases the amount of planetary electricity

[16:01] that we need by a substantial amount.

[16:04] But every two million of those cards raises the planetary requirement by one gigawatt,

[16:10] which is actually, you can actually see it on this scale, okay.

[16:13] This is from 2000 to 2025.

[16:17] And you can see the massive rise in electricity consumption that's being caused by the installation of those accelerators.

[16:25] Now, it's one thing to put those accelerators into a data center.

[16:29] And some data centers have as many as 100,000 of those operating at the same time in one location.

[16:34] But what are they doing is kind of the other question.

[16:37] And I made a comment that we're getting to the point where they're so smart we might not be able to turn them off.

[16:43] I said we were at the point of no return.

[16:46] And in the week that followed Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates,

[16:50] Dario Amadi, President Obama, all spoke about this.

[16:54] The three of them wrote essays that were exactly the same

[16:57] length as the essay that I gave you for review.

[17:00] Now, this is where we are right now today, OK?

[17:04] So this is, I had, I did use chat GPT to help me out here.

[17:09] I'm trying to figure out when are the computers going to be

[17:12] as smart as people. Okay, so I had CHAT GPT

[17:17] graph of different mammals and basically the processing power of different humans are

[17:24] right, the humanitary data center, like a large $50 million, $100 million data center,

[17:32] had was basically on parity with people 10 years ago. So it's very likely that there's AI

[17:38] consciousness in data centers not today. In about five years in 2030 you're going to be

[17:43] able to buy that same capability for $10,000 and put it on your desk, so that's where we

[17:51] are right now.

[17:52] And the reason I'm really, really concerned about this, because the AI models can make

[17:59] biological weapons.

[18:00] They can write viruses on a prompt.

[18:03] And right now, the AI companies will tell you that, you know, there's guardrails that you

[18:09] can't do that, but you can download ones with the guardrails stripped off.

[18:12] You can train them yourself and you can disconnect them from the internet and they will write the stuff.

[18:17] And this thing that you can buy will print it.

[18:20] And it's not controlled.

[18:22] So I'm going to leave you these charts.

[18:25] I'll pick them up in a few weeks.

[18:27] Thank you, sir.

[18:29] There's a rule for you to look at.

[18:34] Thank you.

[18:35] Next speaker, please.

[18:46] Thank you, Mayor.

[18:48] I'm Gordon Boyd, 99 State Street Saratova Springs,

[18:51] I wish to thank Supervisor Berger and Sangvi

[18:54] for recently advancing a proposal at the County Board of Supervisors

[18:58] to have the last call in the bar at 3 a.m. rather than 4.

[19:02] Adoption of this measure would improve public safety throughout the County,

[19:06] reduce the late night brawl, motor vehicle offenses,

[19:09] and will also help the City of Saratova Springs reduce over time and thereby save money.

[19:14] Now, this is something that the county has to do in order for the city to get the benefit.

[19:19] We can't close the bars early on our own.

[19:21] But thanks are also due to Commissioner of Public Safety, Tim Call, for his public support

[19:26] of Supervisor Berger's proposal.

[19:29] Unfortunately, improving public safety and saving money are not enough for all supervisors

[19:33] in Boston Spa, because the Board's Public Safety Committee, unfortunately, voted down this

[19:38] proposal on September 1st.

[19:41] The committee chair, Scott Ostrander, failed to support it.

[19:45] He is the supervisor of the town of Milton, where so many of the Saratoga Springs bar

[19:49] customers reside and to where they drive home after hours of partying in our city.

[19:54] It makes you wonder if he is thinking about the well-being of his own constituents.

[19:59] And there's another person who shares a spotlight of blame with supervisor Ostrander.

[20:03] I refer to the chairman of the town of Milton Republican Party, an individual whose civic

[20:08] responsibility is to support and re-elect Mr. Ostrander and to hopefully explain the supervisor's

[20:13] positions to the public. I refer to Riley Flint who in addition to being the Milton town

[20:19] Republican chairman is also the Deputy Commissioner of Finance in Saratova Springs. Mr. Flint lives

[20:25] in the town of Milton, not Saratova Springs. His day job in our city ostensibly includes advising

[20:32] Commissioner Kiernan about the costs of the police department over time that we pay for and how to

[20:37] of these costs into the upcoming budget.

[20:41] I see Commissioner on Channel 6 that you are concerned

[20:43] about the expenses facing the city.

[20:46] Perhaps you should confer with Deputy Commissioner Flint

[20:48] and see if he can prevail on his very own supervisor

[20:51] to help the city hold down the cost of police over time.

[20:55] And while you are at it, Commissioner,

[20:57] you could also save some money by not renewing

[21:00] the flock camera contract when it comes up in November.

[21:03] We know many other people want to feel safe from constant surveillance and also keep our

[21:09] taxes down.

[21:10] Thank you very much.

[21:11] Thank you.

[21:13] Next speaker please.

[21:16] Good

[21:22] evening.

[21:23] This is Samantha Bassart with the Sarah Togas Springs Preservation Foundation.

[21:27] We received the revised UDO amendments yesterday and we are currently reviewing them.

[21:36] We are disappointed that the changes to, there were not significant changes to demolition in architectural review districts.

[21:46] It largely is a demolition delay ordinance that will place the final determination of every building that's proposed to be demolished within the hands of the City Council.

[21:57] If the City Council chooses to move forward with that aspect of the ordinance,

[22:03] I would strongly encourage the City Council to wait and do until there's a comprehensive building survey to understand which buildings are contributing architecturally to our gateways or should be designated as part of our historic districts.

[22:21] These buildings should not be designated purely in a reactive way only when a demolition approval is being put forth.

[22:29] We believe that it should be done in a reactive way.

[22:34] I just send that backwards, great.

[22:36] All right.

[22:39] The designation of building should be done in a proactive way,

[22:42] not in a reactionary way to a one-off demolition application.

[22:46] And so with that, that's all I will say at this time.

[22:49] We will continue to review it and provide our comments.

[22:51] Thank you so much for the opportunity.

[22:55] Thank you.

[22:56] Next speaker, please.

[23:09] Both the capabilities and the threat of AI as a whole have been somewhat overstated.

[23:15] It basically tells people what they want to hear to some degree it analyzes but without

[23:21] human oversight, its overreliance is basically a liability.

[23:28] As to the threat, that's how the weak point in that has already been pointed out.

[23:33] the classroom amount of power it requires is its vulnerability.

[23:38] If for some reason it did start to get completely out of hand,

[23:43] anything that would shut down the power supply

[23:45] would shut down the AI itself.

[23:50] Old school physics provides plenty of answers there.

[23:54] As to license plate readers,

[23:58] well, key question is how they're being used.

[24:02] On the front of a police cruiser,

[24:03] or whistle-off they're there to double check the data, they can be a life-saving advantage,

[24:08] informing them if there is a reason to believe the individual inside the

[24:12] create a vehicle ahead of them as a threat, if the vehicle has been stolen, etc.

[24:17] On the side of the school bus they provide an obvious deterrent to people just

[24:21] ignoring that stop sign and a way to hold them accountable if they do.

[24:25] But if they are used to monitor a large area all at once, that's a whole

[24:33] another can of worms. And one that needs to be considered very very carefully.

[24:39] Thank you. Thank you. But

[24:45] anyone else like to speak tonight?

[24:51] So we'll close

[24:52] public comment. Would any of the commissioners like to respond to anything tonight?

[24:57] I will respond, thank you Mayor, I do want to respond to the flock, the company flock, and the license plate readers.

[25:08] And I first wanted to just address Mr. Cofflin approximately 10 days ago, we had a very large evacuation in our city.

[25:18] We had to evacuate 110 units from the Raymond Watkins apartment complex, that was a very, very difficult operation.

[25:24] and our fire department did a tremendous job,

[25:27] and I just want to recognize Mr. Kaufflin,

[25:29] he is a volunteer at the Red Cross,

[25:31] and he stepped up to help,

[25:33] and I certainly do appreciate it.

[25:36] Thank you for that.

[25:38] On the license plate readers,

[25:40] I'm gonna go through it and explain my position

[25:42] on it from the beginning.

[25:46] So the first question that comes to mind for me,

[25:50] is it a legal technique,

[25:52] is it a lawful technique?

[25:53] And I went back and I looked at the case law, a lot of it's in the courts now, but what stood out to me is that a case in Norfolk, Virginia, actually the Eastern District of Virginia in January of 2026.

[26:08] Folks were suing the Norfolk Police Department and there's an opinion in order set forth by Judge Davis from the Eastern District of Virginia.

[26:18] and I wanted to just read a couple of citations

[26:21] so people understand.

[26:23] And this is a quote,

[26:25] flock cameras do not provide information to users

[26:27] about the location of individuals

[26:30] beyond public roadways or outside of vehicles end quote.

[26:34] Meaning that unlike a cell phone or ankle monitor,

[26:37] they do not quote follow individuals inside building homes

[26:41] or anywhere else.

[26:43] They photograph vehicles on the public roadways

[26:46] with a stationary cameras are located and there's a second citation that I

[26:53] want to add and this is on page three of the decision. Federal and State

[26:57] courts analyzing license plate reader claims have almost uniformly concluded

[27:02] that neither taking photos of the license plate of a vehicle on a public

[27:06] roadway nor maintaining and querying a database of license plate reader photos

[27:12] constitutes a warrantless search, and it gives the citations of collecting cases.

[27:19] In parentheses, collecting cases, demonstrating that nearly every court that has addressed

[27:24] the issue has held that the queries of license plate reader databases do not constitute

[27:30] for the amendment searches.

[27:32] Now obviously, as we move forward and technology advances, technology becomes more intrusive.

[27:38] But the courts could look at the collection analysis of this information and come to a different determination.

[27:45] And that could happen someday, but today is not that day.

[27:48] So that's my position when we look for balance, whether it's currently lawful and it is currently lawful.

[27:54] The second issue that we have controls in place, as I mentioned our last city council meeting.

[28:00] Actually I misspoke, instead of seven policies, we have eight policies regarding the use of

[28:06] license plate reader information, they are limited to supervisors and investigators only.

[28:13] We have a user ID and a password for each supervisor or investigator that makes a query.

[28:21] We conduct audits of that information routinely at least once a month.

[28:26] And then the third thing is, are they useful?

[28:29] And I'm glad we agree that they are extremely useful.

[28:32] I gave the example at the last meeting of how we removed a suspected person wanting for a homicide in Connecticut off our streets.

[28:41] We used it in the low love burglary investigation to track the movements of vehicles.

[28:46] And we even use it in a stalking case in the Skidmore, around Skidmore College.

[28:52] So those are the three factors that form my decision.

[28:56] But I also want the public to know, our contract is not expiring this fall, is expiring in August of 2027.

[29:06] And I just wanted to explain that to you, because we were late getting the license plate readers operational, so that pushed the contract backwards.

[29:15] Thank you.

[29:16] Thank you.

[29:16] I mean, obviously we are concerned about the controls, but we have to have confidence

[29:22] that our police department is functioning properly and following those, and I'm sure you're

[29:28] being sure of that.

[29:29] I do have a comment on AI.

[29:34] It was a conversation I had with our attorney today, and that is we haven't talked about

[29:40] of foils in a while, but I learned today that there are now AI agents that are foiling

[29:48] probably all over the country for information on POs and invoices and this sort of

[30:03] The question comes in and it makes our people respond to give them all this information that

[30:10] I know that they're putting into a national database for marketing purposes.

[30:15] Foil can be abused and we've finally got, we don't hear about our foiled problems right

[30:23] now because we've pretty much gotten under control, but now we're having AI agents, and so

[30:28] So we're talking right now about, you know, this is just wrong.

[30:33] But yeah, if we get a foil, we have no choice but to answer it.

[30:38] And so it's, AI is creating a whole different level of problems for us.

[30:44] So I just want to make you aware of that as we look into this more.

[30:48] We have one looking for all outstanding bills, any department, anything, and it's meant

[30:54] for them to sell the information to deck collectors.

[30:57] Yeah, they're using a foil to collect data that they're going to use for their own marketing purposes.

[31:04] It's a very scary thing.

[31:07] And the only way you can do this with an agent, you know, you don't have 300 people calling every community

[31:13] asking for, you know, presenting these foils.

[31:16] But you can ask an AI agent to do that quite easily.

[31:19] Interesting, huh?

[31:20] It's legal.

[31:21] Okay.

[31:22] But they list.

[31:22] So our public now we do have an executive session tonight

[31:28] And I'm going to we shouldn't be very long if you want to hang out

[31:32] It shouldn't take us too long. I move that the council move into an executive session regarding the matter of

[31:37] Buenas hill ink at all versus Saratoga Springs planning board

[31:43] To talk about a proposed settlement is there a second second calls the second all those in favor say I I will be in this room for just a few minutes

[31:52] We're

[31:56] back in.

[31:56] We're back on.

[31:58] All right.

[32:00] Okay.

[32:01] Thank you for your patience, everybody.

[32:03] We will be adding an agenda item to my agenda to settle this issue between Boyn

[32:15] and Sihil and Sarah Tuckers brings to my board.

[32:18] And next.

[32:18] Did you want?

[32:20] Yes, ma'am.

[32:21] This is a matter that's been I'm going into the course for a number of years.

[32:25] It involved a party that, because of a planning, but they sued on a planning board application.

[32:32] Over several years, our outside council, middlemanics, has appeared for us on behalf of the planning board.

[32:39] And on behalf of the other city employees and personnel who were named in the caption as defendants.

[32:44] It was after a mediation session about a month or so ago, the resolution was proposed.

[32:49] Another planning board meeting was held to review the application again, the planning board issued a decision that the plaintiff in the case approved of, they were fine with it, and as a result, the signing of this settlement will settle all the cases against the city and any pending cases against the city personnel by this individual will be dismissed.

[33:11] Okay, so I'll make that motion on my agenda when we get to it.

[33:17] So we move on to county supervisors, supervisor Berger.

[33:21] Yes, good evening, thank you mayor.

[33:24] The first item on my agenda, I wanted to give a brief update on the county's horse racing,

[33:29] fire safety and prevention committee.

[33:31] We met again last night, and at last night's meeting we approved our first set of recommendations

[33:36] for barn structures at New York State racetracks.

[33:40] This is a huge milestone in our meetings because we're actually making some significant

[33:46] progress in this topic was I think probably the most meaty of our focus areas as it

[33:52] involves state code.

[33:54] Just to give you a couple examples of recommendations that the committee made.

[33:59] One, the committee recommended that fire resistant treatments be used on all barn structures

[34:05] in New York State at race tracks to there's a requirement for fire suppression either automatic

[34:12] sprinklers or an alternative fire protection system such as water mist or non-toxic sprays

[34:19] were recommended as well. I intend to be sending a letter to the New York State Gaming Commission

[34:24] later this week including the full set of recommendations that were voted on last night

[34:30] and then we will continue to move through the other focus areas in the coming weeks.

[34:35] Item number two on my agenda is that today at the county board meeting, the county board voted to set a public hearing on a proposal to ban

[34:45] Crade them and set the sale of all products containing Crade them and Crade them itself in Saratoga County.

[34:52] The public hearing will be held after the long finance meeting on October 14th at

[34:58] 4.30 p.m. at the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, 40 McMaster Street, Paulson Spa.

[35:05] It's interesting because in the last couple of weeks since the last city council meeting

[35:09] when we discussed this, we've received an incredible number of emails from the public,

[35:16] from people all over the country, all over the state on both sides of this issue that

[35:21] agree that the product should be banned.

[35:24] Some people feel that the only synthetic product should be banned and not the natural leaf

[35:29] It seems to be a rather complex issue, and I just wanted to raise this up to the public and to the City Council,

[35:36] so that people are aware that there is a public hearing set in October, and if people have further comments to send them along to the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors in the meantime.

[35:47] Number three on my agenda, I wanted to just quick announcement that Saratoga County is hosting a 2027 kickoff for the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga.

[36:02] This will be held Friday October 9th at 10 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room in Balson Spa and you can RSVP for that event to the county historian.

[36:12] Thank you very much. That completes my agenda.

[36:16] I have some surprises on me.

[36:19] Yeah, I think Supervisor Burger,

[36:25] covered most of what happened today.

[36:27] We did pass the local law number five,

[36:30] print number one of 2026 entitled Local Law Authorizing.

[36:34] Full property tax exemption for certain 100% permanent

[36:38] and total service disabled veterans.

[36:40] So that did pass unanimously and I know that the city is also considering something I had a

[36:51] conversation with Commissioner Troisi about it and again available for any questions or

[36:59] discussions. Thank you.

[37:02] Thank you.

[37:03] to my agenda. So I moved to add an agenda item. That's my motion. Is there a second second?

[37:12] Second. Second. Chairman. All those in favor say aye.

[37:15] Aye. Aye.

[37:17] Now I make a motion to accept. How do I put it? So accept the it would be to accept the proposed

[37:28] settlement agreement in the matter of

[37:31] Buenos Hills Inc. vs.

[37:33] Servo Gisprings Planning Board, L, as presented.

[37:36] That is our, did you get that, got that?

[37:40] Is there a second?

[37:42] Second.

[37:43] Second.

[37:43] Turn in any discussion on this, we just had it.

[37:47] So all those in favor say aye.

[37:49] Aye.

[37:50] Any opposed?

[37:50] Say nay.

[37:51] No abstentions.

[37:52] That matter passed is 5-0.

[37:54] Thank you.

[37:56] Next is an update from the chair of our commission.

[38:07] Our charter commission, Vince De Leonartis, go ahead.

[38:14] Thank you.

[38:15] Good evening, Mayor, commissioners, supervisors.

[38:18] Vince De Leonartis on the chair of the Charter Review Commission, and I would just like to take

[38:23] a few minutes this evening to provide an update and to address the determination that was

[38:28] made last week by the County Board of Elections. As you know, the County Board of Elections

[38:34] is comprised of two election commissioners, Commissioner Sarada and Commissioner Begravean,

[38:39] and last week they indicated that they were split or divided in their decision to place our

[38:44] proposed amendments to the city charter on the ballot for this year's election in November.

[38:50] As there are only two commissioners, it necessarily requires both to agree in order before

[38:56] a matter to be placed on the ballot, and they both could not agree.

[39:00] As I understand it, Commissioner Sarada was in favor of placing our proposals on the ballot,

[39:05] but Commissioner Bergrainian was not.

[39:08] The issue ultimately boils down to a conflict that exists between two separate provisions of

[39:14] state law relating to the timing and the submission of ballot questions and

[39:18] specifically, the conflict between the municipal home rule law and the election law.

[39:24] Last year, when Mayor Stafford established the Charter Review Commission,

[39:28] he did so, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 36 of the municipal home rule law.

[39:34] Section 36 governs not just the creation of a Charter Review Commission,

[39:39] but also the organization and operation of a commission and the specific timelines under which they are legally required to finalize and file their work with the Office of the City Clerk.

[39:54] Section 36-5-B mandates that a charter review commission provide for submission of its proposed charter or amendments,

[40:03] quotes to the electors of the city at a general or special election held not earlier than 60 days after the filing thereof in the office of the city clerk.

[40:16] The section further provides that quote, if such general election occurs within 90 days after said filing, the proposed charter or amendments shall be submitted at such general election.

[40:29] The municipal home law creates a specific 60 to 90 day window before the general election

[40:36] for the commission to file its work and if it is filed during this 60 to 90 day period,

[40:43] the proposal must be placed on the ballot.

[40:46] The election law on the other hand establishes general transmittal requirements by which

[40:52] the city clerk must transmit certified copies of the proposed ballot question to the county

[40:57] Board of Elections. Section 4-108 of the election law had historically required the clerk

[41:05] to forward ballot proposals at least 36 days before the general election, and this operated

[41:12] in harmony with the municipal home rule law. Using the date of this year's general election

[41:18] of November 3 as an example, under the municipal home rule law, the commission would be required

[41:24] to file its work with the city clerk between the dates of August 5th and September 4th in

[41:30] order to be within the 60 to 90-day window. The city clerk would then have until September 28th

[41:37] to transmit certified copies to the Board of Elections to be consistent with the 36-day requirement.

[41:43] These time frames worked and were consistent with each other. However, several years ago,

[41:50] the legislature amended Section 4-108 of the election law to align with the federal move act relating to our overseas military members.

[41:59] And they extended that 36-day requirement for the city clerk to transmit certified copies to quote at least three months prior to the general election.

[42:10] In making this change though, the legislature did not make a corresponding change or adjustment to the 60-90-day requirement of the municipal home rule law,

[42:19] creating a clear conflict and inconsistency between the two laws.

[42:25] So if we again use the date of this year's general election of November 3rd,

[42:30] the city clerk is now required to submit certified copies of ballot propositions

[42:35] to the Board of Elections by August 3rd to comply with the three month requirement

[42:40] of the election law. But under the municipal home rule law, the commission is required

[42:45] to file his proposal with the city clerk no earlier than August 5th and no later than

[42:51] September 4th in order to comply with the 60 to 90 day filing requirement.

[42:56] In other words, and as our city attorney noted previously in his correspondence to the board

[43:01] of elections, the election law now requires the city clerk to transmit to the board of elections

[43:08] sometimes something which the municipal home law does not yet even require the city clerk

[43:14] to have.

[43:15] In amending the election law and in not providing for a corresponding amendment to the municipal

[43:20] home rule law, the legislature created a conflict, rendering it structurally and legally impossible

[43:27] to comply with the timing requirements of each law.

[43:31] Conflicts or inconsistencies between provisions of state law are unfortunately not as uncommon

[43:38] as one would expect. Fortunately, the legislature at least thought well enough to contemplate

[43:45] that there could be such a possibility and it expressly included provisions in both the

[43:51] municipal home rule law and the election law to address which law prevails in the event

[43:57] of such an inconsistency. In fact, municipal home rule law at Section 36-6G provides, quote,

[44:05] So, the provisions of the election law or any other law relating to the submission of

[44:10] questions at general elections, so far as the same are applicable and not inconsistent

[44:16] herewith, shall apply to a question submitted.

[44:20] Election Law Section 1-102 likewise provides, quote, where a specific provision of law exists

[44:27] in any other law which is inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, such provisions

[44:34] will apply. Here the legislature clearly and expressly designed the municipal home

[44:42] rule law to supersede the election law and it clearly and expressly designed the

[44:48] election law to be superseded by the municipal home rule law in the event there is

[44:52] an inconsistency between the two provisions and there is clearly an inconsistency

[44:58] between the two provisions.

[45:00] The clearest indication of legislative intent is always the statutory language itself, when you give effect to its plain meaning. Here, the provisions of both laws expressly state that the election law must yield to the conflicting timing and procedural requirements of the municipal home rule law. And there is no question that the submission by the Charter Review Commission was in full conformance with the timing and procedural requirements of the municipal home rule.

[45:31] That Commissioner Bergrainian relied on the unapplicable and superseded provisions of the

[45:36] election law to block our legally valid proposal from being placed in the ballot is unfortunate.

[45:42] She could have, and I would argue, should have, consulted with her own county attorney

[45:48] in such issue.

[45:49] Instead it appears that she relied on the opinion of a local political party chair.

[45:56] The only recourse against the Board of Elections would be the Commencement of an Action in

[46:00] Seritorial County Supreme Court requesting an order compelling the Board to perform

[46:04] their ministerial duty and place the proposal on the ballot.

[46:09] While we believe that such an action would have merit and would be warranted, we do not feel

[46:14] it is appropriate to ask the City or the taxpayers to incur the necessary costs associated with

[46:20] such an action.

[46:21] The Charter Review Commission's proposal could also be moved to a special election.

[46:27] But again, we do not believe this is the best court to take given the costs and the low

[46:32] voter turnout that typically comes with a special election.

[46:37] Instead, we believe it would be most appropriate to work toward placing this matter on the ballot

[46:42] for next year's general election, and we would ask the mayor to consider establishing a commission

[46:47] under section 36 of the municipal home rule law utilizing the members of the current commission

[46:53] to allow it to continue its work. The charter commission has already provided for the most

[46:59] significant updates and improvements to our charter that has occurred since it was originally adopted

[47:04] some 25 years ago. Between local law number four and local law number five of 2026 more than 40

[47:12] amendments that were proposed as part of our phase one work have already been implemented.

[47:18] The amendments proposed as part of our phase two work in which are intended to be placed

[47:23] on the ballot for voter consideration are meant to further strengthen and improve our

[47:28] existing charter, provide for organizational upgrades, increase transparency and accountability,

[47:35] and be completely budget neutral.

[47:38] Moving the ballot question from this year's general election to next years would simply

[47:43] allow for greater opportunity for the commission to inform and educate the public on those

[47:49] proposed amendments.

[47:50] And while it is unfortunate that the divided board of elections prevented the public from having

[47:55] the ability to decide this important ballot issue this year, we should make sure that they

[48:00] do not do so next year.

[48:02] And in that regard, we would also ask that the City Attorney, who was also legal counsel

[48:08] for the Charter Review Commission, seek an opinion and clarification from the Attorney

[48:12] General's office on how to address the conflict that clearly exists between the election

[48:17] law and the municipal home or law to ensure that this issue does not repeat itself next year.

[48:24] Thank you.

[48:25] And I don't know if there are any questions.

[48:26] Thank you.

[48:27] I don't think I can do it until I ask the election.

[48:30] I can't apply. I'm definitely taking that under consideration. Yeah, it's a sad thing that happened.

[48:37] Yeah, I'm going to say it is quite unfortunate. I know you guys did a lot of hard work on this.

[48:42] And I appreciate and respect your recommendations, and especially if the city attorney could reach out to the attorney general

[48:49] just to get clarification on the conflict between the two laws is I think one of the very important to do.

[48:56] So, thanks for that explanation.

[49:00] We need to get that on the record.

[49:02] Can you send that to us so I could just have it with my charter, so I could just keep

[49:09] it with all my documents.

[49:10] Thank you.

[49:11] I will say, as the city clerk, I was really disappointed in the fact that literally the exact

[49:19] That rule that they used to fight the supervisor issue, which I agreed to say, let's compromise on,

[49:29] they used the exact opposite argument using that same municipal home rule law to then fight this.

[49:35] And I find that rather ironic that they decided to use the same municipal home rule.

[49:40] And in one case said, oh no, the city municipal home rule charter trumps the county and

[49:47] And then fast forward three months and we're using the same argument, just the other side

[49:50] of it to argue why we can't, why ours doesn't stand up against it.

[49:57] I was really disappointed in the record and the claim that it was not transparent because

[50:02] everything was open and if I may, I would also like to add that several years ago, I served

[50:08] as a member of a charter review commission, I know how much work it is, I know how much

[50:14] effort you guys have taken in doing this work and it must be very disappointing that this outcome has

[50:21] taken place. I just wanted to thank you for all the work that you did. Thank you, Commissioner,

[50:26] very much. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, can I see something too? I served with Beaky on the charter

[50:33] review commission so I do know how much work it is and really appreciate all the effort that you

[50:38] I've put in, especially with phase one, phase two and all of that, and just a point

[50:44] of clarification, if you had submitted the stuff before August, what is it third, then

[50:52] there wouldn't have been an issue of the Election Commissioner Surata and MacRomanian

[50:58] bag.

[50:59] The agreement.

[51:00] The agreement, even having to have any input, right?

[51:04] That would have then been compliant with the election law, but it would have been outside of the dates that were set forth in the Municipal Homeral Law.

[51:12] We had great room.

[51:13] We wanted to ensure placement on the ballot.

[51:15] The Municipal Homeral Law is pretty clear that it has to be filed within that 60-90-day window.

[51:21] The 90-day period brings it to as far out as August 5th.

[51:25] The three-month window, because for some reason they decided to use a month calendar instead of a day calendar, but three months does not equal 90 dates.

[51:33] you have multiple months, 31 days, so that brings it to August 3rd under the

[51:38] election law. We couldn't have filed it until August 5th under the municipal

[51:42] home rule law. And when was it actually filed? August 28th, but keep in mind

[51:46] under the municipal home rule, we had until September 4th. Right, so if you had

[51:51] filed it August 3rd and 5th, it may have passed without them. It does not

[51:55] necessarily mean it would have been correct. I know other municipalities have

[51:58] done this and got it on the ballot but there is a clear conflict between the

[52:02] two laws, and when there is that conflict between the election law and the municipal

[52:07] home rule law, you have to look at the legislatures intent on which of those two laws prevail, and

[52:12] the language in both of those laws are clear and unambiguous, that the election law yields to the

[52:18] municipal home rule law.

[52:20] This is, again, very sad, very sad, and political.

[52:25] Thank you.

[52:25] Yes.

[52:26] Thank you very much.

[52:26] Thank you.

[52:27] Thank you.

[52:28] On to my next agenda item.

[52:33] I move for the council to approve the right departments request to pay an invoice for

[52:39] $4,949.31 to national landscaping and lawn.

[52:44] That is my motion.

[52:46] Is there a second?

[52:54] Okay.

[52:54] So I've made my motion in Caramati's second.

[52:58] Thank you.

[52:59] Uh, this is a hydro-seat project that Wible Avenue is coming to the Council for Approval

[53:05] because when the service was rendered, an invoice was not provided.

[53:09] Any other discussion?

[53:11] All those in favor say aye.

[53:12] Aye.

[53:13] Any opposed?

[53:13] They nay.

[53:14] No abstentions.

[53:16] That matter passes five.

[53:18] Zero.

[53:18] And so I move that the Council approval payment of an invoice from Fitzgerald Morris Baker

[53:24] In the amount of $540, that's my motion, is there a second?

[53:29] Second.

[53:30] Curum Audi seconds.

[53:31] This invoice requires council approval due to the work being performed prior to the purchase order being issued.

[53:38] Any other discussion?

[53:40] All those in favor say aye.

[53:42] Aye.

[53:43] Any opposed?

[53:43] Say nay.

[53:44] Abstentions?

[53:45] 5-0.

[53:47] Next, pardon me.

[53:49] I move for the council to approve pavement.

[53:52] an invoice from Hindman's job in the amount of $3,229.60. That's my motion. Is there a second?

[54:03] That was second from Kiernan. This invoice, again, requires counsel approval due to the work being

[54:10] performed prior to the purchase order being issued. Any other discussion? All those in favor say

[54:17] Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed?

[54:19] Say nay. No abstentions.

[54:21] 5-0.

[54:22] Okay. So next is, I move for the council to accept the

[54:26] conveyances for the Liberty Housing Project as required by the Liberty

[54:31] Site Plan and attached to the agenda. That is my motion.

[54:35] Is there a second? Second. Second is Kiernan.

[54:38] The Site Plan approval for the Liberty Housing Project requires the following.

[54:45] A conservation easement over 16 plus acres for a lot of liberty will retain for passive

[54:52] recreation purposes and to a deed in the city for a three plus acres that the city can

[54:59] use for future recreation. Any other discussion on this? All those in favor say aye.

[55:06] Aye. Aye.

[55:07] Any opposed?

[55:07] Aye.

[55:08] No extensions, matter of passes, 5-0.

[55:12] Next day, these next are hospital issues.

[55:17] There's two of them.

[55:18] I move for the council to review a proposed amendment to the Saratoga Hospital PUD at 2-11

[55:24] Church Street and to request advisory opinions from the Saratoga County Planning Board, the

[55:30] City Planning Board, and the DRB.

[55:33] Is there a second?

[55:35] Second.

[55:36] Have a second from Cole.

[55:38] This is a mirrored for review.

[55:41] The hospital proposes to add the two adjacent parcels purchased from the spine center in the corner there to the PUD.

[55:50] They are currently zoned Office Medical Business District.

[55:54] That's 31 at 35 Mertel Street.

[55:56] The hospital seeks modifications to build a parking structure in zone E6.

[56:01] We're parking already exists and it proposes language throughout the PUD to simplify and clarify various provisions.

[56:10] That's my discussion, is there any other discussion on this?

[56:15] All those in favor say aye.

[56:17] Aye.

[56:17] Any opposed?

[56:18] Same day.

[56:18] No abstentions.

[56:19] That matter passes.

[56:21] 5-0.

[56:22] Next, I move to initiate a coordinated secret review for a proposed amendment

[56:30] to the Saratoga Hospital PUD, and seek lead agency status

[56:35] for the environmental review of the proposed action.

[56:38] That's my motion.

[56:40] Do I have a second?

[56:42] Second.

[56:43] Second was cold?

[56:45] Good on it?

[56:45] Yes.

[56:46] Okay.

[56:47] This is a type one action.

[56:50] The evolved agencies will include the planning board

[56:54] and the DRB.

[56:56] That's my discussion.

[56:57] Is there any other discussion on this?

[56:58] All those in favor say aye, aye, any opposed, say nay, no abstentions, that matter passes

[57:05] 5-0.

[57:06] The last item is to set a public hearing and I have some words to add to this.

[57:13] For local law number 6 of 2026, which amends the Unified Development Ordinance Articles

[57:19] 3, 4, 13, 19, and 21, relative to land use board procedures, we will have that.

[57:29] It's 7 o'clock, our next meeting starts at 6, right?

[57:34] For that Compudget?

[57:36] Yeah.

[57:37] But so we'll start this public hearing when you're done?

[57:44] I don't know how that works.

[57:50] So our next meeting starts at 6 because we're going to have a budget review.

[57:56] I'm presenting the Compudget.

[57:59] Okay. So, what do you say? So, we will hit.

[58:07] So, Tony, should we just start at 7, so everybody knows we're starting at 7. Let's do that.

[58:14] All of our legalists read at this time or assume they're after as the matter can be reached.

[58:19] Well, I think in this case, it's important a lot of people might talk, so let's just

[58:24] set it at seven.

[58:26] Or because if the comp, if the comp had you goes ends earlier, we'd just wait till seven

[58:31] and if it goes later than it's as early as.

[58:35] Yeah, I would say, I would just leave that language in there because that's a good, catch-all

[58:39] language for both.

[58:39] But you can start at seven and say, at seven, or assume thereafter as the matter can be

[58:44] reached.

[58:44] Okay.

[58:45] So we'll do it at seven.

[58:46] So, I have some words on this that I'd like to cover.

[58:51] There's four areas I want to talk about the scope.

[58:54] I want to talk summary of our advisory opinions.

[58:59] I just want you to all be aware of what we've gone through already.

[59:03] A timeline, and then some thank you.

[59:05] So, I'm just going to read this, I'll take me a couple minutes.

[59:08] The City Council establishes the city's land use policies

[59:12] and regulatory standards through legislation,

[59:14] including the Unified Development Ordinance, the UDO, the City's zoning ordinance,

[59:20] the City's Land Use Boards administer those regulations and apply the standards

[59:25] established by the City Council to individual applications.

[59:29] This amendment proposes no change to the stated purposes of this historic review or

[59:35] architectural review. This is a text amendment, not a map amendment.

[59:39] There are no boundary changes to either overlay district.

[59:43] The authority and duties for the design review board have not changed except for the addition

[59:48] of reviewing the hardship appeal.

[59:51] The amendment targets the land use application, the land use application review process and

[59:58] intense to clarify.

[1:00:00] Aye, procedures, reduced delays, organized standards, and create a more defensible review framework. The changes also address comments received in 2021 from SHIPO, which is the State Historical Organization, to improve the designation procedure and address the lack of an appeal procedure.

[1:00:22] The council will read, this is our advisory, the council are a number that we requested

[1:00:28] advisory opinions from the city, the county planning boards, the DRB and SHIPO as required

[1:00:35] for an amendment of the UDO.

[1:00:37] In July, we received those advisory opinions and their comments have informed the changes

[1:00:41] in the final draft.

[1:00:43] The reviews from the county planning board, city planning board and SHIPO were generally

[1:00:48] supportive of the UDO changes.

[1:00:50] Although the DRB advisory opinion did not support the amendment, the board supported several

[1:00:56] major elements of the amendment in clarifying review procedures and standards.

[1:01:02] The DRB's concern focused on the proposed demolition procedure for the architectural district

[1:01:08] and on the council and the council appeal procedure.

[1:01:12] We believe the final draft addresses the DRB's concerns and others who have expressed similar

[1:01:18] opinions such as the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. The DRB also provided many other

[1:01:24] detailed comments which we have incorporated into the final draft. The City's Special

[1:01:29] Use Council, Miller Manic Shactor and Heftar, has worked with us during this process. Their

[1:01:36] role is not to provide an opinion on merit or policy. They provide us legal guidance.

[1:01:47] We

[1:01:48] Public hearing will be held at the City Council meetings on October 6th and October 20th.

[1:01:53] The final drafts of these articles are posted on the website and attached to this agenda.

[1:01:59] We encourage the public to read the final draft documents.

[1:02:03] Once the public hearing is closed, the council will complete the secret type 1 action, followed

[1:02:08] by the vote, to adopt local law number 6.

[1:02:12] I do want to thank that this has been a collaborative effort, and I want to thank a few people

[1:02:16] the chairs of the planning board and the DRB have given even more their volunteer time to work

[1:02:23] with our team and have done valuable and constructive feedback directly on behalf of the boards.

[1:02:31] We've also had productive discussions with our city historian, Metvich, and with Samantha Basar,

[1:02:40] of the preservation foundation, and we appreciate their time and expertise.

[1:02:44] And we have worked closely with our CLG coordinator at Chippau, the state of Francis'

[1:02:51] person we talked to there.

[1:02:53] It has been fully engaged with us in delivering how best to solve these problems.

[1:02:57] Her guidance continues.

[1:03:00] This work on the amendment has energized the city's efforts to have a more active preservation

[1:03:05] program, and we believe it advances the recommendations from the city's 2001 historic preservation

[1:03:12] plan and the 2015 Comprehensive Plan and finally I want to thank our staff who've handled

[1:03:18] the work associated with this amendment while continuing to manage heavy volumes of land

[1:03:23] use and permit applications. They are the professionals who work with our land use boards

[1:03:28] and the applicants to administer and comply with the regulations of the UDO. Thank you.

[1:03:35] We will move on to a count.

[1:03:37] Thank you.

[1:03:39] Our first item is to set the public hearing of ordinance to amend chapter 212, Article 5

[1:03:50] of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs entitled Veterans Tax Exemption.

[1:03:55] New York State passed legislation in the 2026 budget that allows taxing authorities to adopt

[1:04:01] a 100% exemption from the assessed value of property along with special districts for

[1:04:06] our disabled or OBGT veterans.

[1:04:12] The office is fully aware of any questions.

[1:04:17] It is a complicated as many to can tell you as well.

[1:04:20] It is a complicated exemption for sure.

[1:04:23] In summary is the following criteria would apply for this exemption.

[1:04:27] you have to meet either one or two, the first is released or discharged from service under honorable conditions or have one of the following qualifying conditions where any service discharge or release was other than bad conductor dishonorable that would include post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, military sexual trauma or have been discharged as an LBGT veteran.

[1:04:53] And then you also must have item three, you must be considered by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs to be permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service at 100% as evidence by a letter, an official form or another document that specifically states such veteran is considered to be permanently and totally disabled as a result of such service.

[1:05:18] Yes.

[1:05:19] Good.

[1:05:20] So that's going to be set there.

[1:05:22] It almost sounds like the other one.

[1:05:24] Sixth and the 20 of those, the two days of the meeting.

[1:05:28] Okay.

[1:05:29] That's four veterans.

[1:05:30] Okay.

[1:05:31] So we would like to set those public hearing with two weeks.

[1:05:37] Our second item is a discussion and vote to amend City Code Chapter 212, Article 3 of the

[1:05:43] Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York entitled Senior Citizens Tax Exemption.

[1:05:50] I move to amend City Code Chapter 212, Article 3 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs,

[1:05:55] New York entitled Senior Citizens Tax Exemption as it hatches to the agenda.

[1:06:00] Here, that's our motion. Is there a second? Second? Second, Karenann. Any discussion?

[1:06:06] Just as we've discussed in the public hearings over these last few weeks, it's to amend the

[1:06:11] section of the code relating to our Senior Citizens Tax Exemption by increasing it up to

[1:06:16] 65% in order to best aid those over age 65 and help them remain in their homes.

[1:06:21] All those in favor say aye.

[1:06:23] Aye.

[1:06:24] Opposed say nay.

[1:06:25] No abstentions.

[1:06:26] 5-0.

[1:06:27] And our third and last item is a discussion and vote.

[1:06:30] It's an authorization for the mayor to sign the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal

[1:06:36] Subscriber Agreement, Nimer.

[1:06:39] I move to authorize the mayor to sign the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal Subscriber

[1:06:45] agreement. Yeah, it is discussed. We discussed this at the preliminary. I do I have a second for

[1:06:50] that. Second, calls the second. Any other discussion? Back in January 1st of 2024, the city began a

[1:06:58] contract that had been signed the prior year with NIMAR for insurance coverage, which still continues

[1:07:05] to this day uninterrupted. However, in an oversight by NIMAR that they recently noticed, the subscriber

[1:07:11] agreement, which covers the municipalities membership and participation was actually

[1:07:15] never completed. So this is just to correct the oversight and sign the agreement. It does

[1:07:20] not affect our previous or ongoing or future insurance coverage in any way.

[1:07:27] Any other questions? All those in favor say aye.

[1:07:30] Aye. Any opposed say nay, no abstentions, 5-0-1 done and the finance.

[1:07:35] Thank you.

[1:07:37] My first item is just an update on city finances.

[1:07:41] We put together a visual of where your tax dollars go.

[1:07:46] It's a high level overview of the scope of services each department provides.

[1:07:51] It's not an exhaustive representation of the work each department handles.

[1:07:56] There are many daily responsibilities, services, facilities, and behind-the-scenes functions

[1:08:01] that are not captured in this high-level view.

[1:08:04] I welcome any commissioners if they want to drill down.

[1:08:08] They can but we just wanted to say where does your tax the dollars go?

[1:08:12] So 60 cents on every dollar goes to DPS 18 to DPW 6 cents for the mayor accounts

[1:08:19] and buy to finance and rec public safety.

[1:08:25] There's a police department that calls for service 27,000 and these are 2025 numbers.

[1:08:30] 944 arrests. You can see, of course, they do a lot more. But these are just, again, high-level things that the police department does.

[1:08:38] The fire departments, they receive about 7,000 calls annually. They provide fire rescue hazard material, full 24-7 operations.

[1:08:48] And then there's a traffic department for the traffic signals and regulatory signs. And they paint the...

[1:08:58] I think the best way to describe our traffic maintenance department is signs and lines.

[1:09:02] Okay, signs and lines.

[1:09:04] They follow the DPW around.

[1:09:08] DPW is 18 cents on every tax dollars.

[1:09:11] Again, this is very high level.

[1:09:12] Roads and streets are maintained.

[1:09:14] Flowers, plants, leaf pickup, compost, transportation.

[1:09:19] They take care of all the city buildings, all the city grounds.

[1:09:23] They ran out the carousel, oversight of the engineering department, they do the storm

[1:09:29] water and ensure that it's adequate.

[1:09:31] They also manage the water and sewer departments, however, they're separate budgets, so they're

[1:09:35] not included in this.

[1:09:38] Commissioner Cameron, would you want to add anything to-

[1:09:41] No.

[1:09:41] Okay.

[1:09:42] Other areas of investment that mayors, the other four departments, well, and then REC,

[1:09:47] their mayor counts finance and rack their six cents and five cents per per every dollar, every tax dollar, you know, the mayor's department has the planning department.

[1:09:57] The building department issues 1300 permits yearly. They have the planning department, the city historian, the community development planner, and then they have the admin of parks, open land, historic reservations and sustainability that position also handles grants for the city.

[1:10:16] looks for them and works with the departments to apply and administer them.

[1:10:21] The accounts office is six cents on every dollar.

[1:10:25] There's a city clerk, the city assessor, purchasing records retention billing department.

[1:10:31] Finance is five cents on every tax dollar, fiscal oversight, budget planning, audits, payroll,

[1:10:37] accounts receivable, IT is also under them.

[1:10:39] It's IT for all city buildings and facilities and emergency services.

[1:10:47] And then the REC department is $5 on every dollar.

[1:10:50] And we have quite a robust REC department.

[1:10:54] I did want to point out Saratoga Springs is number two out of 61 of the lowest tax rates

[1:11:00] per thousand.

[1:11:01] This information is from the New York State Controller 2025 local government tax table.

[1:11:07] So again, I did a very high level view of what the departments provide and we are number

[1:11:14] two of the lowest tax rates in the state.

[1:11:19] So I think that's important as we move on in our 2027 budget discussion.

[1:11:24] Oh, and then if you look at the attachment, it gives all the cities tax rates and where

[1:11:30] they land.

[1:11:33] So with that said, I do want to read, I met with our finance team as we were going over

[1:11:40] the requested budgets for 2027 and I wanted to share some of my thoughts as we move on

[1:11:46] into this process.

[1:11:49] As we begin the 2027 budget process, we need to be honest about how we arrived at our current

[1:11:54] financial position for the past four years.

[1:11:56] the city has been in deficit spending and using fund balance to balance the budget.

[1:12:02] There's been no meaningful plan to bring reoccurring expenditure in line with reoccurring revenues.

[1:12:07] Fund balance is not reoccurring revenue once it's spent. It's gone. After 2026, we will be very close

[1:12:13] to the city's required minimum fund balance of 10%. Leaving little of the financial cushions,

[1:12:18] we have relied upon in previous budgets. I mean, basically we've been kicking the can down the road

[1:12:23] and the can has arrived at our doorstep.

[1:12:26] The financial pressures are not new during the 2026 budget process,

[1:12:30] former commissioner Samby identified significant increases

[1:12:34] over the previous four years.

[1:12:35] Retirement, 18% increased liability insurance, 10% health insurance,

[1:12:40] 9% salary and debt service, 5%.

[1:12:43] Recurring expenses grew approximately three and a half times faster

[1:12:46] than recurring revenues.

[1:12:48] And the city cannot continue increasing recurring expenses

[1:12:52] without identifying recurring revenues or permanent savings to support them.

[1:12:56] For four years, the city had opportunities to address the growing gap between

[1:13:00] reoccurring revenues and expenditures and opportunities were not taken.

[1:13:05] Tax increases during this period did not adequately address the city's operating shortfall,

[1:13:09] including a zero-percent tax increase in 2025 while expenses grew.

[1:13:14] I recognize that raising taxes is never an easy decision, neither is reducing

[1:13:20] and expenditures, changing services, restructuring operations,

[1:13:23] or making difficult staffing decisions.

[1:13:26] But governing requires making difficult choices.

[1:13:29] Avoiding those choices does not eliminate the cost.

[1:13:32] It simply pushes the problem into the next budget

[1:13:34] and makes eventual corrections more difficult.

[1:13:37] The 2026 budget anticipated using approximately

[1:13:40] 1.3 million of fund balance.

[1:13:42] Current projections indicate that actual deficit

[1:13:45] will be closer to 4.7 million.

[1:13:47] Approximately 3.7 million more than originally anticipated.

[1:13:52] This is not simply an accounting issue.

[1:13:53] It demonstrates that the city's underlying financial position is worse than the adopted budget reflected.

[1:14:00] Initial department requests for 2027 currently show a projected shortfall of over $7 million.

[1:14:06] This is not the final budget.

[1:14:08] We view department requests, identify savings, examine revenues and make adjustments.

[1:14:14] But we should not minimize what this number represents.

[1:14:16] This is a structural imbalance that has developed over years, not a gap that can be solved by moving money between accounts.

[1:14:23] There is no single solution and we all need to look at spending, staffing, operations, efficiencies, revenues, and services.

[1:14:31] Over the next week, I will meet individually with commissioners to review their departmental budgets and identify opportunities to reduce costs while protecting services residents we live on.

[1:14:43] Some choices will be difficult, some programs may need to change, some expenditures may need

[1:14:48] to be reduced, and additional revenue including taxes must be considered.

[1:14:54] There are no easy choices ahead, but continuing to do nothing is not an option.

[1:14:57] My responsibility as Commissioner

[1:15:00] The finance is not simply to find enough money to balance another budget, it's to make sure the city's financial plan reflects reality, and that we begin addressing the structural problems that have accumulated. Well, we need to stop using one-time money to fund recurring expenses. We need to stop postponing difficult decisions. We need to stop treating fund balance as an ongoing revenue source, and we need to establish a multi-year plan that brings recurring revenues and expenditures into balance. The residents of Saratocus

[1:15:29] August brings deserve transparency about the city's financial position, the cost correcting of it and the choices before us.

[1:15:36] We cannot change to the financial decisions of the last four years, but we must be accountable for the decisions we make now and begin to put the city on a sustainable financial path.

[1:15:46] So we'll be reaching out to commissioners to set meetings with our budget director and myself to go over what was submitted.

[1:15:57] some options that the finance office have come up with.

[1:16:02] And when we have the composite,

[1:16:05] I'll be presenting the composite, and hopefully we can all be in agreement, or work towards an agreement.

[1:16:14] My next item is-

[1:16:16] I do think that we are going to be in a position where we have to make very, very difficult decisions.

[1:16:25] especially with public safety we have incredible response times in the city from

[1:16:29] both the police and fire departments the average around six minutes so if we

[1:16:35] need to cut expenses those response times will be going up obviously and that

[1:16:41] puts people's lives in danger I understand that at the same time no one wants to

[1:16:46] raise taxes and that that is going to be the most difficult channels that we'll

[1:16:50] ahead of us. How are we going to balance that?

[1:16:53] Yeah, I agree. And I'm saying this so when we can all think about, you know, or work with your people that put the budget together of things that we can possibly look for ways to cut to save expenses for if we could raise revenue, new revenue sources.

[1:17:12] Certainly not unique. Every day I read in the paper, another municipality is going through the same thing.

[1:17:18] It feels like it's everywhere.

[1:17:19] Healthcare has gone crazy, insurance costs in general have gone crazy.

[1:17:24] The retirement is super expensive.

[1:17:26] If I may add, learning more and more that there are things in the city that DPW is responsible

[1:17:35] for, that you're just not doing or not doing well enough.

[1:17:40] And some of these are regulatory things that puts us under threat of perhaps not being

[1:17:48] not meeting the regulations that the state and other agencies impose on us, and some

[1:17:54] of it has to do with not doing a good enough job of protecting in all stone sewers.

[1:18:01] And that causes flooding here and there and people make it, they may be subject to lawsuits

[1:18:06] by our own citizens.

[1:18:07] So as the situation in DPW that I'm finding we are currently not doing the things that we need to be doing and we are at risk.

[1:18:18] So I look forward to our discussions and to see where we go and how we address these issues.

[1:18:24] Again, it's not a one year fix either.

[1:18:27] We're looking out for five years to see how we can come back to a budget neutral.

[1:18:34] again after this year our fund balance will be very close to the 10% we

[1:18:39] acquired that per our policy.

[1:18:45] So I appreciate it and I look forward to

[1:18:46] working with everyone as we move forward with that. My next item is I move to

[1:18:51] approve an update to city fees. That's a motion to set a second. Second.

[1:18:56] Pulse the second discussion. This item is to approve an update to

[1:19:00] this tournament be upon recommendation of the Rec Department.

[1:19:04] The fee increasing is from 5,000 to 5,500.

[1:19:08] Any other discussion?

[1:19:11] All in favor say aye.

[1:19:12] Aye.

[1:19:13] Any opposed?

[1:19:13] Aye.

[1:19:14] No abstentions.

[1:19:15] Five zero.

[1:19:16] Thank you.

[1:19:16] My next item.

[1:19:17] I approve a motion to approve a bond resolution for the purchase of a tandem dump truck.

[1:19:23] It's a motion.

[1:19:24] Is there a second?

[1:19:24] Second.

[1:19:25] Second.

[1:19:27] This resolution authorizes the city to issue up to $322,082 in cereal bonds to finance the

[1:19:35] purchase of a replacement dump truck for unit number 292.

[1:19:40] The debt will have a 15 year probable repayment period and the principal and interest payments

[1:19:45] will begin upon delivery of the vehicle.

[1:19:47] So this, a roll call vote is required for this, this was approved in the capital budget to issue bond resolution on vehicle that won't be here, we'll order it now but it won't be here for maybe two years actually.

[1:20:05] so we have the motion. We get out of motion. I need a second. Second. Second is

[1:20:14] coal. Any other discussion? Okay, we take a roll call. Mayor Safford? Yes.

[1:20:23] Commissioner Kiernan? Yes. Commissioner Kieramadi? Yes.

[1:20:27] Yes, Mr. Cole. Yes.

[1:20:30] Commissioner Troy C. Yes.

[1:20:32] You had a pass this Pfizer.

[1:20:34] Thank you. My next item is to approve budget transfers as attached to the agenda.

[1:20:39] That's a motion. Is there a second?

[1:20:42] Second.

[1:20:43] Madam, any discussion?

[1:20:45] Well, this item approves payroll related budget transfers as they were attached to the agenda

[1:20:50] and also the use of the contingency line item to cover

[1:20:54] 34,313.46 in HVAC repairs for the police department.

[1:21:02] The remaining balance and the contingency line on it will be $15,358.43.

[1:21:11] Any other discusses?

[1:21:13] Yeah, I just want to comment on the air conditioning and heating system is beyond repair and that causes a big expense.

[1:21:20] Any other? All those in favor say aye.

[1:21:23] Aye. Any opposed? Say nay. No abstentions.

[1:21:26] Aye. Zero.

[1:21:27] My next item, I move to approve budget amendments as attached to the agenda.

[1:21:33] That's a motion. Is there a second?

[1:21:36] Second. Second.

[1:21:37] That can carry on by any.

[1:21:38] This item approves a series of budget amendments including overtime and DPS and repairs and maintenance

[1:21:44] at the city center.

[1:21:45] But it also includes a budget amendment of using $149,000 of

[1:21:51] Anasine fund balance to replenish the salt and sand lines in DPW as they prepare for the upcoming winter months.

[1:21:58] Details are attached to the agenda.

[1:22:00] There wasn't enough money in the salt and sand lines, they're actually at zero.

[1:22:05] So in order to prepare for October and November, December, we had to move money in there.

[1:22:10] and a roll call vote.

[1:22:13] A roll call vote is needed because we're using

[1:22:14] unassigned fund balance for the soul and the sand line items.

[1:22:17] We're getting into that now.

[1:22:19] I know.

[1:22:21] Roll call vote.

[1:22:23] Mayor Safford.

[1:22:24] Yes.

[1:22:25] Commissioner Kiernan.

[1:22:27] Yes.

[1:22:27] Commissioner Caramatti.

[1:22:28] Yes.

[1:22:29] Commissioner Cole.

[1:22:30] Yes.

[1:22:31] Commissioner Troy C.

[1:22:32] May I have your pass this 5-0.

[1:22:35] Now into public work.

[1:22:37] Thank you.

[1:22:39] I don't know, number one, I move for the mayor to accept settlement agreement from National Grid in the amount of $15,000.

[1:22:47] It's a motion, is there a second?

[1:22:49] Second.

[1:22:50] Second, call.

[1:22:52] Discussion?

[1:22:53] The city has reached a settlement with National Grid regarding damage that they caused when gas service broke through the city's sewer main.

[1:23:03] Resulting sewer backup.

[1:23:05] National grid has agreed to compensate the city for the costs of this incident and the settlement payment will be used to reimburse those expenses.

[1:23:14] Any other discussion?

[1:23:16] All those in favor say aye.

[1:23:18] Aye.

[1:23:18] Any opposed?

[1:23:19] Say no.

[1:23:19] No extensions, five zero.

[1:23:21] No number two.

[1:23:22] I move for the mayor to sign grassy grove, addendum number three for developing solar or electric facilities.

[1:23:29] That's the motion.

[1:23:30] Is there a second?

[1:23:31] Second.

[1:23:32] Second.

[1:23:32] I can call.

[1:23:33] The agreement to grassy growth solar is for operating, maintaining and developing photovoltaic

[1:23:39] solar electric facilities for the city of Saratoga Springs.

[1:23:42] The solar credits are to offset water sewer and electric utility expenses at no cost to the

[1:23:48] city, thus providing potential savings on the utilities bills.

[1:23:53] Any other discussion?

[1:23:55] I do.

[1:23:56] Who keeps track of the credits and how they're applied?

[1:23:59] I don't know.

[1:24:02] Okay.

[1:24:03] This was set up I think in the previous administration before I got here.

[1:24:09] And this is just an addendum to an agreement that's already in place.

[1:24:12] So whatever method was being used before is being followed.

[1:24:17] I'll look into it.

[1:24:18] Yeah, can you let me know because we have another contract with solar credits as well?

[1:24:23] Yes.

[1:24:23] That's the Bible field.

[1:24:25] Yeah, but it's but I'm still we're we're now researching to ensure that I know what the credits were getting and I know the bills

[1:24:32] I'm having some of my office making sure these credits get to these bills like to close that loop

[1:24:37] So I'd like to be able to do that for this as well

[1:24:41] Because it seems I just want to make sure that we're getting the credits that were

[1:24:45] All find out bulletinal okay, and we're happy to help if we have found out that they don't voluntarily give us our money

[1:24:51] We have to kind of thank you

[1:24:52] Exactly, so that's what I want to close the loop on that sign up to get credits, but let's work together to make sure that we're getting what we're signing up for.

[1:25:02] Any other discussion?

[1:25:04] Go ahead.

[1:25:05] Yeah, all good. All those in favor say aye.

[1:25:08] Aye.

[1:25:09] Any opposed?

[1:25:11] No extensions, five zero.

[1:25:13] Item number three.

[1:25:14] I move for the mayor to sign it, then I'm number one.

[1:25:16] We'll grow in realty for commercial real estate services.

[1:25:20] That's a motion. I'll second it.

[1:25:21] This addendum will draw in realty will address the need to hire external vendors for the purposes of performing appraisals, engineering, and environmental reviews, and other services that would be considered routine in a municipal real estate transaction.

[1:25:38] And it's not to exceed $120,000.

[1:25:41] Of course, you know, these are related to our potential acquisition of the Booses property.

[1:25:48] So, but we have a motion, okay, on the table.

[1:25:52] I'll second that motion, and any other discussion on that?

[1:25:57] I think we're all pretty clear on what we're doing.

[1:25:59] Well, I just want to ensure that the Council is committed,

[1:26:01] I don't want to spend a dime on this if we move forward with this,

[1:26:06] and it makes financial sense that the Council is committed

[1:26:10] to move forward with this purchase, I guess.

[1:26:15] I hope.

[1:26:15] Again, it needs to make financial sense, but I don't want to back out, we spend the money and then all of a sudden people change their mind, it's not a good idea.

[1:26:23] I just want to make sure that there's a commitment on the half of.

[1:26:28] Yeah, I'll speak for Department of Public Safety, we're certainly committed to moving forward with it.

[1:26:34] And I think this will be a reimburse, one of these expenses that will reimburse once we sell the city's property.

[1:26:43] I mean, this is a, I would say historic opportunity for us to acquire new facilities and be able to transact some of the properties that the city owns today.

[1:26:56] And I don't, everything looks really like a very, very promising thing for the city to do.

[1:27:03] Thank you.

[1:27:04] to that I do think it takes care of our infrastructure needs that have been part of it for a long time

[1:27:11] I've been avoided at really no cost or minimal cost

[1:27:14] Yeah, and if anyone has any doubt they can take another tour of the police department downstairs or and the garage

[1:27:22] There's a plank leaking

[1:27:25] From a real history perspective, this is an amazing opportunity. I mean

[1:27:29] real estate people buy and sell properties all the time so

[1:27:34] We have the opportunity to own just as much value-wise in real estate and have it something

[1:27:40] that's suiting our needs as opposed to owning that same amount of property, dollar-wise,

[1:27:47] that isn't suiting our needs anywhere.

[1:27:50] I agree.

[1:27:51] Any other discussion?

[1:27:52] All those in favor say aye.

[1:27:54] Aye.

[1:27:54] Any opposed?

[1:27:55] Aye.

[1:27:55] Any opposed?

[1:27:56] Any opposed?

[1:27:57] Aye.

[1:27:58] Any opposed?

[1:27:58] last item is I move for the Mayor to sign change order with G&K trucking and excavation

[1:28:05] in ink for water distribution pipe replacement project phase three.

[1:28:11] This is their project on Clinton Street that is almost completed now.

[1:28:16] Okay, we have a motion, is there a second?

[1:28:18] Second.

[1:28:19] There's almost a second in any other discussion, but he knows that one.

[1:28:23] Please.

[1:28:24] All hang, all those in favor.

[1:28:25] Say aye.

[1:28:25] Aye.

[1:28:26] Aye.

[1:28:30] Indeed.

[1:28:31] Thank you, sir.

[1:28:33] Thank you, Mayor. First item, I move to authorize the Mayor to sign that Dendham with

[1:28:38] Peregrine Technologies to extend our current contract to December 31, 2027, with the

[1:28:45] same terms and conditions at no additional cost, and they put this in form of a motion.

[1:28:50] It's a motion. Is there a second? Second. Second, Ciarimati, any discussion?

[1:28:55] Yes, this original contract was approved by Council on October of 2023 for a three-year contract.

[1:29:03] This is a three-year contract for data consulting services.

[1:29:08] This is basically for our software system that connects our computer-aided dispatch system with our record management.

[1:29:17] And again, no additional cost to the city for the one-year extension.

[1:29:20] Any other discussion?

[1:29:21] All those in favor say aye.

[1:29:23] Aye. Aye.

[1:29:23] Opposed, aye.

[1:29:24] No abstentions.

[1:29:26] Aye.

[1:29:26] Second, aye.

[1:29:27] My move to authorize the bearers on a contract with LaRosa's on a motive for the outfitting

[1:29:32] of police vehicles, the amount, not to exceed $11,000, and I put that in the form of

[1:29:38] motion.

[1:29:39] Do we have an motion?

[1:29:39] Is there a second?

[1:29:41] Second.

[1:29:42] Second.

[1:29:43] Ciaranon.

[1:29:44] Any discussion?

[1:29:46] Funds will come from the police department's vehicle budget line, not to exceed $8,000 in

[1:29:51] the police equipment line not to exceed $3,000 and this is related to a vehicle that was replaced because of an accident.

[1:30:00] I would never say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay, no abstentions, five zero. My third item, I move to authorize the payment to Pitzfield Communications in the amount of $312,083. Despite a deviation from the purchasing policy and direct finance, the issue payment from the capital budget line, and I put this in form of a motion. Your motion is here a second. Second, care mody. Discussion. This installation was done prior to a purchase order being established.

[1:30:28] First, this is for a mobile radio speaker that will be located in the cab for the new fire engine.

[1:30:36] And I believe because it's coming from the capital budget line, we would need a roll call vote.

[1:30:40] Is that correct, Commissioner?

[1:30:42] You want Pitzfield communication?

[1:30:44] Yeah.

[1:30:45] Unfortunately, there's nothing attached to the agenda.

[1:30:47] Oh, there's not.

[1:30:47] Okay.

[1:30:48] I'll pull that down.

[1:30:49] Yeah.

[1:30:49] Thank you.

[1:30:49] I'm sorry.

[1:30:50] I just noticed that as I clicked on it.

[1:30:52] Get nowhere I will.

[1:30:53] Okay.

[1:30:53] I am pulling my item number three.

[1:30:56] Pulling 16-3.

[1:30:57] I am pulling 16-3, that's correct.

[1:31:00] My fourth item is I move to authorize the payment,

[1:31:03] I'm sorry, which is not my third item.

[1:31:05] I move to authorize the payment to Alan Ellsworth,

[1:31:08] the amount of $2,270 for draft shoes,

[1:31:12] for our police force braiding,

[1:31:14] despite the deviation from the purchasing policy,

[1:31:17] and direct finance issue of payment

[1:31:18] from the police department's horse care budget line.

[1:31:22] I'm going to put that in a form of motion.

[1:31:24] That's the motion.

[1:31:25] Is there a second?

[1:31:26] Second.

[1:31:29] The other discussion is that this vendor does not carry this sufficient required insurance

[1:31:34] and the invoices are from February to August.

[1:31:39] And this is one of the areas in the light of the fiscal headwinds we are assessing

[1:31:44] to determine if we can move forward and still have the mounted unit to be operational.

[1:31:50] Well, it doesn't impact calls to service, the time for calls to service doesn't impact

[1:31:56] our operations.

[1:31:57] So we are valuing this program to see if we can continue it.

[1:32:01] Let's say at reality that we're dealing with.

[1:32:05] Any other discussion?

[1:32:08] All those in favor say aye.

[1:32:09] Aye.

[1:32:10] Any opposed?

[1:32:10] Say nay.

[1:32:11] No abstentions.

[1:32:12] That matter passes.

[1:32:14] Is there anything else before the council tonight?

[1:32:16] And I move that we adjourned. Do I have a second? Second is Karamadi. All in favor say hi.

[1:32:24] No extensions. No noes.

Sep 15, 2026 City Council

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