Good evening everyone and welcome to the Troy City Council. It is 6:30
and it is uh
I'd like to call this public hearing to order.
I would ask first that you please join me
in the Pledge of Allegiance.
» I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» Clerk, would you please call the roll? >> Council member De Lorenzo?
» Present. >> Council member Scrubber?
» Present. >> Council member Spain McLaren?
» Present. >> Council member Mackey?
» Present. >> Council member Favreau?
» Present. >> Council member Campbell Cohen?
» Present. >> Council President Steel?
» Also present. >> All members are present.
» Thank you. >> Council President, I move that the
council resolve itself into a committee of the whole for the purpose of
conducting a public hearing. >> Clerk, would you please read the notice?
» Regarding proposed local law amending the charter of the city of Troy by
repealing and replacing section C-40 public emergencies to align it with the
state of New York Executive Law, Article 2-B regarding emergency declarations.
» The public hearing regarding local law number four is now open.
Uh the rules of the chair are similar to the rules that we've followed
for the two previous public hearings. Um
we would ask that you come forward, give your name, place of residence. Please
keep your remarks to no longer than 5 minutes.
And I would uh invite folks to come forward.
» Good evening, council members. My name is Frankie and I'm a resident of Troy.
I'm here again to express my full support for local law number four, and I
want to thank you one more time for preserving the public's right to speak
freely on this topic despite the mayor's attempt to silence our voices.
In my previous comments on local law number four, I lamented all the time,
energy, and resources that have been squandered on Mayor Montello's
fabricated emergency while Troy residents face the real-life crisis of
economic insecurity. I highlighted actual emergencies like
the struggle of ordinary citizens to afford food, housing, transportation,
and medical care. But since the last time I spoke, we now
know much more about those real-life emergencies.
On July 23rd, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report on
homelessness that showed a stunning 55% year-over-year increase in homelessness
in the city of Troy and Rensselaer County combined, the third highest
increase in the entire state. In my opinion, that is a real public
emergency. At the recent 2026 State of Hunger
Summit in Troy, the Regional Food Bank had one clear message. Food insecurity,
especially among children, is on the rise.
According to their data, roughly one in six kids don't know where they're going
to get their next meal. I don't know about you, but that also
seems like a real public emergency to me.
So, homelessness in our area is increasing at an astonishing rate.
Regional Food Banks are struggling to meet unprecedented demand. Children in
our community are going hungry. And yet, no public emergency has been declared
for any of that. I personally think these critical issues
should be our city's top priority. Unfortunately, the mayor appears to
think the most urgent issue in Troy is to bypass the council and pay an
exploitative data broker 160,000 taxpayer dollars to surveil private
citizens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And even though she paid that data
broker over 4 months ago, the mayor has chosen to keep this supposed public
safety emergency in place, which in effect puts it at the very top of her
priority list. I can't begin to fathom the
justification for that, but I'm hoping that the council's Article 78 lawsuit
will provide us all with some insight. In the meantime, I ask you please get
local law number four passed so we can stop focusing on the mayor's fake
emergencies and get back to the business of serving the thousands of Troy
residents, our friends and neighbors, who are facing real-life emergencies
every single day. Please seal the deal on this law, close
the loopholes, and let's turn our collective attention to finding real
solutions to the very real problems that are plaguing our community.
Thank you for taking time to hear my comments. It's appreciated as always.
» Thank you, Frankie.
» Good evening, Council. My name is Callisto. I live right down on Fulton
Street. And thank you for all of your hard work on this issue that the public
clearly cares a lot about. Our governing institutions function at
their best when their participating bodies have their power restricted by a
system of checks and balances, and when those participating bodies and
individuals are engaging with the system in a good faith effort.
Certain circumstances, like natural disasters or other emergencies, require
the system of checks and balances to be relaxed to allow the executive to
navigate nimbly in the interest in preserving lives and property. We all
recognize that there are good reasons for carve-outs to exist, which
circumvent some aspects of our system as written.
The world is complicated, and our institutions should be fluid.
An issue arises when that second thing about participating bodies or
individuals acting in good faith doesn't happen. Our mayor has repeatedly shown
that she cannot be entrusted with the responsibility of stewarding
boundary-pushing executive power through her abuse of the law, which allows her
currently to declare a state of emergency basically on a whim.
She has declared, I believe, eight state of emergencies in the past 2 and 1/2
years, with at least three of those instances being to specifically
circumvent the uh legislative process which the city council is supposed to
govern. Uh this most recently happened with the flood cameras contract which
was as plain of an instance of executive overreach and executive abuse as I can
imagine. Um so I fully support local law number
four and thank you for continuing to take input uh uh continue to take input
on these matters. We really appreciate it. Thank you.
» Thank you, Kalista.
» All right, one sec to get my phone up. Okay.
Uh I'm Francis. Uh sweet. I'm in D6. Um
I support local law number four. I think that it's high time that we get that
passed. Um I know since she vetoed even this public
hearing that she's inevitably uh Carmella is going to veto the law
itself, but I know that you guys have the strength
and power to override that, so we'll be I'll be here for all of those meetings
» [laughter] >> and supporting.
Um I just wanted to point out some discrepancies in
in what the the mayor has said in the past versus her actions now. Um
she
has absolutely usurped the power of the legislative body as the executive.
When she was council president she argued in favor of more power and
oversight to the legislative body. But now that she's executive, that's been
flipped on its head. Um, Flock is not an emergency.
Uh, when Madden declared a state of
emergency and she was up in arms about this,
that it was taking away power from the legislative body,
that was about necessary for life water supply.
This is about a fun toy that Troy PD wants.
It's not the same. This is not an emergency.
And she needs to not be able to do this. Any mayor needs to not be able to do
this in the future. When she was City Council President, she
sent a statement to Madden criticizing him for what she said was,
quote, "An attempt to usurp the powers of the legislative branch that is
appalling and oversteps the coequal branches of government." I think that
perfectly is a perfect example of what she has done. So, I support this local
law and I hope you pass it and pass it again. Thank you.
» Thank you, Francis.
» Hello, everyone. Name is Briana Harrington. I'm in District 4, 10th
Street. Yeah, just want to reiterate what
everyone's been saying. Um,
I support Local Law number 4. Um, appreciate it being uh in existence
to begin with. Definitely a long time coming with a lot of the um abuses of
power that have been going on consistently.
Uh, I wouldn't be surprised if Mayor Montello actually declared a state of
emergency about this local law number four.
Uh, so we'll just keep that in the back of our heads because, you know, she
loves to throw that around. Um, once again, as we all know, Flock
it's a tool. It is a tool that is made by a very
un-reputable company, as we've seen time and time and time again, that we've
discussed time and time again. Um, many communities all over the
country are canceling their contracts, as we know.
And so, this definitely, um, does not deserve any sort of state of emergency
or any sort of, um, you know, uh, payment without, uh,
permission. So, again, thank you. >> Thank you, Briana.
Does anyone else wish to address the council as part of the public hearing?
Well, I want to thank all of you for your comments.
They were heard.
Um, and at this point,
I would entertain a motion to adjourn the public hearing.
» Motion. >> Second.
» Council member McLaren with a second by council member Favreau. All in
» favor? >> I.
» Opposed? We are adjourned.
» Mhm.
» Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the Troy City Council. It is
7:00. It is also the regular meeting regular August meeting
of the council. Previously at our public hearing, we
pledged allegiance and we called the roll. At this point in the evening, I
would ask that if anyone has any comments on the agendas,
uh which are at the back of the chambers,
uh you're welcome to come forward. This this public forum is on agenda items
only. There will be a public forum at the end
of the meeting on any item, but at this point of the evening, it is
just agenda items. Does anyone wish to address
us on the three resolutions and one ordinance?
Seeing none, we'll move right along with our agenda.
Ordinances. Ordinance 32. >> Ordinance 32, an ordinance amending the
2026 General Fund Budget, Council President Steel, at the request of the
administration. >> Is there a motion?
» Motion. >> Council member McKee.
» Second. >> By seconded by Council member Struber.
Discussion on the ordinance.
All in favor? >> Aye.
» Opposed? >> Seven ayes, zero nays, the ordinance
passes. >> Moving on to resolutions. Resolution 77.
» Resolution 77, a resolution accepting a grant from the New York State Division
of Criminal Justice Services under the Give Initiative and authorizing the
mayor to enter into a contract and execute documents related to the grant
on behalf of the city. Council President Steel, at the request of the
administration. >> Is there a motion?
» Motion. >> Council member McLaren, second?
» Second. >> Council member McKee seconds.
Discussion on the resolution.
All in favor? >> Aye.
» Opposed? >> Seven ayes, zero nays, the resolution
passes. >> I just want to clarify for those who may
be wondering why this is moving along so quickly. All of these items were
discussed thoroughly previously in our committee meetings.
So, we're moving along rapidly, I guess. Resolution 70A.
» Resolution 78, a resolution accepting a state and municipalities SAM grant in
the amount of $125,000 from the New York State Dormitory
Authority DASNY and authorizing the mayor to enter into a grant disbursement
agreement GDA and execute documents related to the grant on behalf of the
city. Council President Steel at the request of the administration.
» Is there a motion? >> Motion.
» Councilmember DiLorenzo, second? >> Second.
» Councilmember McLaren. Discussion on the resolution.
All in favor? >> Aye.
» Opposed? >> Seven ayes, zero nays, the resolution
passes. >> Resolution 81.
» Resolution 81, a resolution to commemorate the 30-year career and
contributions of the band Super 400 to the Troy community by designating the
portion of Rensselaer Street west of River Street as Super 400 Way. Council
President Steel, Councilmember Struber at the request of the administration.
» Is there a motion? >> Motion.
» Councilmember Favreau, >> Second.
» Councilmember Struber seconds. Discussion on the resolution.
We're we're going to be making a special presentation just following this. All in
favor? >> Aye.
» Opposed? >> Seven ayes, zero nays, the resolution
passes. >> I would uh ask the members of the the
band and uh
their followers to please come forward.
» I'm going to go ahead and >> Okay. All right.
» All right. I'm going to go ahead and >> Come on out.
» I think. >> Hi everyone.
» Hello. >> Hey guys.
» The balance is Move over so they can get you all in
nicely. Some here, some here. >> They're great.
» Move over there. See you. All right. We
We have a special guest and I want to thank the council president. I want to
thank the council. I know we have a lot of followers who are standing behind us.
Meet Super 400 folks. Come on. Let's give them a shout, man.
So this iconic
local band and they plan to hopefully do a little
song tonight, I'm told. No, I'm kidding. I won't
I won't put you on the spot like that, but I got to tell you, man.
These guys, they're in the capital region Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Congratulations. They've been around for over 30 years
and you know, I asked them, so why Rensselaer Street and I didn't realize
it was the spot of your first gig, which is so so cool.
They've been around for over 30 years. You have touched so many people's lives,
not just through music, Um, but we all know
uh, that Joe Mealy um, has a very special fundraiser for a
son and I know all of you help lead the charge with Joe and I'd love to hear you
talk about that, but suicide prevention and mental health awareness and you
know, this band is a huge part of getting the word out for mental health
awareness and we can't thank you more than enough from the bottom of our our
hearts. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you.
» And Carmella, can I also say a a personal
» Oh, we'll we'll let you guys talk. All right.
» the suicide prevention. Please. They've raised
» No, here. >> They have helped my family raise at the
Dustin Mealy Memorial Concert over $200,000
for mental health initiatives supporting American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention, uh, NAMI and Catholic Charities.
Uh, you know, which has provided many
programs and we've tried to make it as local as possible and I want to tell
them how much I appreciate them. There's lots of other charities they've
supported over the last 30 years. Uh, you know, but I'll let you
» Go for it. Please. >> But thank you. Thank you. Can't tell you
how much that has has done for this community, how much it's done for mental
health awareness. When you have a band like this that plays year after year,
it's not just their time for the concert. They also perform as Super 400,
but they also allow us to have guest musicians um,
and do backing for those bands. That takes time for them to rehearse and they
graciously do it and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
» Thank you. Thank you.
» And you know, I know many of us and many of the council um, are very connected
not just to your music, but to your causes. Joe Mealy
is a neighbor of many of ours over by Fair Park, and
it's it's just something that the community comes out for not just
annually, but all throughout the year for Joe and
his family. I know Joe will be at the dedication,
and we'll let's hope snow and give them a heads-up for the actual dedication
ceremony for the sign where we're dedicating the street to Super 400 Way.
You know, on a real positive note, I I must tell you. So, I had a real short
stint with a band. They asked me to sing.
And, you know, you you just hit the nail on the head. The work that went into
that one song literally took weeks upon weeks, evening
upon evening to get it right. And we were down at Billy's downtown. I don't
know if you know, like that's where Oh, yeah. So, Donnas is there now.
And Billy's from the East Side moved downtown. And so, long story short with
the Baker brothers and a couple of other police officers, I sang a song. But the
practice that went into that. So, to stay together for 30 years and practice
like that and and work to that level and have that commitment really says a lot
about all of you. So, I can only imagine the challenges, the obstacles, but just
that reward to see people smile, to see people enjoy music. And, you know, folks
should know we were talking about American Theater before we walked in,
and you never know super 400 might be one of those live bands at American
theater when it opens in February. Woohoo as not only
a a movie theater but also live
entertainment place things to that nature. So thank you super 400 for all
the impact that you've had here in Troy in the capital region. Once we dedicate
that sign and it's really going to be amazing. So we posted on social media
and like friends from high school, you know, which is only I think like 15 20
years ago for me. Haha. But friends from high school were messaging me and
they're like, "Oh my gosh, super 400. They're such a great band."
So we're just so proud of you. We have a proclamation which I'll read in a few
minutes, but I know the council president couple councilmembers want to
say a couple words. So congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you, mayor. I'll do
everyone a a service and not sing. I can tell you
that right now. But you know, this is what makes Troy so
very special is groups like Super 400 who go above and beyond
and for that the council is very very grateful
as I know many other folks are. But I'd like to turn the mic over to district
two councilmember Strubing. >> Thank you. And thank you, Super 400. Uh
I get to see all of you guys pretty often at the Ale House and around town
and I'm just so grateful that you do what you do. I was introduced to Super
400 the first time back in 2023. I was at the Eddies Awards. And so were
you. Uh
they won an Eddie that year. Um and it your music is
easy listening, but also it opens up the community. It brings
people together, and that's one of the reasons that bands like yours are so
incredible to have locally. So, thank you for everything you do for continuing
this for 30 years plus, and I hope to see many more of your shows.
» All right. Without further ado, Council President Lion, the City
Council, would like to read this. Let me Never needed these until uh
years ago. So, whereas in February of 1996, Joe
Daley, Lori Friday, and Kenny Hauman first played together in a rented
rehearsal space at the former Van Heusen and Jacob's and Company Collar and Cuff
Factory on River Street, and became known as Super 400 after that initial
jam session ended. And whereas Super 400 continued
rehearsing at the former factory while building a reputation as an
extraordinary live band, and continued writing and performing for the next
three decades, growing their fan base not just in the
capital region, across the United States, Europe, and Canada, releasing
five studio albums. Super 400 in 1998, Last the Message in
2004, Three and the Beast in 2007,
Sweet Fist in 2009, and Spirit in the Sound in 2026,
this year. And whereas throughout their career, the
members of Super 400 have also worked as studio and live session musicians in the
US and UK, written soundtracks for top television shows, toward the northeast
as the backing band for future Grammy winner Mike Ferris, frequently played
local music stages, hopefully American Theater,
uh collaborating with area musicians on a variety of projects, and appeared on
national television. And whereas Super 400's first live album, Live 05, was
partially recorded where else? The Ale House, one of the best wings in the
capital region. And their second live album,
2024's Live from Troy, New York, was recorded where else? Across the street
at The Hangar on the Hudson. Uh from The Ale House across the street
with both venues located on River Street as one block north of the band's
original factory rehearsal space. And whereas in 2011,
Lori suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident and was unable to
tour. So, she and Kenny co-founded the Troy Music Academy with Graham Tichy,
where for the last 15 years, they have helped to grow and celebrate
the local arts community by teaching students of all ages. And whereas the
band's been recognized for their accomplishments with Super 400 Day in
Troy, first declared on February 25th, 2006 by then Mayor Harry Tutunjian, and
again declared on January 19th, 2024 by your current Mayor Carmella Mantello,
and by being inducted in the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame
in 2022. And whereas the members of Super 400
have performed at countless local benefit concerts over the years with a
long-time connection to the annual Dustin Mealy Memorial concert at Brown's
Revolution, and during every live performance they always proudly proclaim
that they are from Troy, New York. And whereas the westernmost end of
Rensselaer Street runs along the north side of the former Van Zandt Jacobs and
company collar and cuff factory, the place where Super 400 began its musical
journey and one block from where they recorded both of their live albums. And
whereas the city of Troy desires to recognize and honor members of our
community who have made extraordinary contributions to the development of the
arts and sciences and to the culture of the city as a whole. Now, therefore, be
it resolved that in recognition and appreciation of the musical achievements
of this quintessentially Troy band, Rensselaer Street west of
River Street shall bear the honorary designation of Super 400 Way
with an official dedication ceremony to take place in the near future.
Be it finally resolved that this honorary designation
designation shall serve as a lasting municipal tribute to Super 400. Be it
finally resolved again that the city of Troy on behalf of its 50,000 plus
residents extends our sincere gratitude to the members of Super 400 for all the
years of the great musical entertainment and we wish you well, congratulations,
and many more years ahead. Super 400 Way.
There you go, sir. And we would love to hear from Super
400. Let's hear it, folks. Let's hear it.
» Um it's hard to know what to say really. That That was a great piece of reading
there.
Um, really all we ever wanted to do was
to just make music together. And um, the fact that people started getting into
our sound was just something that it was like
icing on the cake for us. And um, you know, regarding the benefits and
things it's really the least that we can do. If
we have a a gift that we can share our music and it'll turn people on to the
arts and a beautiful way of seeing the world, then
we're happy to do that. And um, hopefully we'll just do it until our
hands won't let us do it anymore.
» I just want to thank you guys. It means a lot to us. I mean, just
we're just a band, you know what I mean? We do the best we can.
Um, we love the city. So, um, you know, thank you so much for
everyone for doing something special for us.
» [clears throat]
» Me? >> All right, I
» Introduce, please. Sorry. >> I didn't really plan to say anything. My
name's Jim Meany. I've been friends with the band for
uh, 20 years or so. Um, and so far this ceremony's been almost
as long as a Super 400 show, if you got to see one.
So, I'll try to keep it quick. Um, thank you so much to the city of
Troy for doing this for the band. Um, I'm so proud of them. I love you guys so
much. And I really appreciate the title Super 400 Way. It could have been Super
400 Street or Super 400 Drive, but I like I like the sound of Super 400
Way because it kind of makes me reflect on the way
that these three move through life. And when you learn about what they've
done over the past 30 years and what they've been through,
the resilience, the love they have for each other and for this community,
it reminds me so much of Troy. I'm not from Troy, but I spent a bit of time in
Troy some years ago and I know how it feels here.
And people hold their friends tight and they
love each other. And
when things get hard, they just keep their heads straight and keep
looking forward. And this band just
is the epitome of that. So, Super 400 Way is the Troy way to me as an outsider
looking in. And um I'm so proud of you all and I'm so grateful to the city of
Troy. Thank you very much. >> Thank you.
Let's give it up, Super 400 Way, Troy grit. That's what you represent. Troy
grit. Thank you. Thank you.
All right, how about on three? Super 400 Way.
» Here we go. 1 2 3. >> Super 400 Way.
» Thank you all.
» As our celebrities depart, I want to invite anyone who wishes to
address the council on any item to please come forward. We ask that you
give your name and place of residence. And try to stay within a few minutes,
you know. I'm sorry, Jim.
It is Oh. >> Hello.
I need that. Jim Mouts here, District 5.
Oh, thank you. I am a homeowner,
taxpayer, voter.
Uh I turned 70 today, so as you can imagine, I'm in a kind of state of shock
here, okay? >> Happy birthday.
» Well, thank you. I You know, I'm not thinking that I got any wiser,
but I'm not thinking I got any more senile.
But what I don't believe, and I don't prescribe to,
is that the Flock safety devices were what made Troy's crime rate go down.
My feeling is that it may have been
fully or nearly fully staffing the police department.
You know, I think that might have something to do with it.
And I also have trouble
dealing with Troy's government being dysfunctional,
where we don't recognize the difference between the executive branch and the
legislature branch. I think the legis- the council
sets the policy and the mayor, the executive,
is deemed to enforce that policy.
So, my feeling that we need to get our
emergency procedures in line with New York State,
we do not want this sort of authoritarian
thing to happen where the mayor can say, "Hey,
I'm going to declare the state of emergency and do what I want."
So, that's all I have to say. It's quick. It's easy.
» Well, thank you very much. >> Enjoy the rest of your birthday, Jim.
Thank you. >> I'm going to Francis and Frankie tell me
they're going to take care of me. So, >> Okay, very good.
» A little bit shorter than you. Um my name is Sylva Menard. Good
evening, council members. Uh thank you for taking the time to be here on a
regular basis this year and next year. Uh last week I tried to close my street
for one day to finish a masonry repair and I got a different answer from every
department I asked, including one from the police telling me to do the very
thing that several days later code later said I had no right to do.
Every person I dealt with was very courteous. The problem is that the city
seems to have no permit for what I was asking and we send those employees out
to enforce a rule that has never been written down.
They were set up to fail and so was I. I hired Andrew Bakalakis to repoint the
peak of my building four and five stories up and that took an 86-foot
lift. Andrew worked for 3 weeks on the east side of that wall without closing
the street once, and we needed one day to close the street for the west side.
The width of the street, a tree, and a large stroop stoop directly opposite my
house meant that we could not set the lift up on the other side to allow
traffic to pass underneath. We didn't run out of time. We ran out of
people who could tell us what the process was.
Andrew was in conversation with the city for over a month and pulled two
successive barricade permits. He never hid what the job required. When the lift
was delivered, it took hours to walk that machine into position. With traffic
backed up mid-block shortly into this process, the police stopped. They told
us we had a barricade permit and that with it we should we had to close the
street at the beginning of the block so drivers wouldn't get stuck halfway up.
So, the police told us to close the street and they cited that barricade
permit we were holding. Scheduling no parking signs weeks later
for the west side of that north wall, where we did need to close the street,
Paula at DPW dispatch told Andrew, "You've got a barricade permit. The only
thing you need to do is provide your own blockade and sign." Andrew asked,
"Really? That's it?" He asked again, "Are you sure?" And he
was told yes twice more. I don't think Paula was careless. She answered
confidently three times because nobody ever gave her anything that says
otherwise. So, then Friday, July 31st, Andrew
walked to the fire station to tell them the street would be closed and we moved
the lift in before 7:00 a.m. Nobody had mentioned another process. The no
parking signs were up. DPW knew what the plan was. And here's what we were told
after that in one day. At 11:00 a.m., TBD and Chip from code arrived and they
had no idea why the street was closed. Chip told us, "You can't close the
street without a 911 dispatch notification and you can't put the sign
north of the O'Neal parking entrance. Please remember that. I've got photos."
Andrew, my son Avi, and I then walked down to code on Chip's advice.
Andrew at code called fire and what came back was, "The Chief says that road can
never be closed. We require it open as the main thoroughfare."
Not not today. The answer was never. But that road was closed for the lift
positioning at the request of the fire police. It was closed all day on August
4th for National Grid. It's been closed repeatedly over the last couple years
for King's Landing 2 construction and other construction on our block.
I'm not going to argue traffic engineering with anyone in this room.
I'm telling you that never turned out to mean not for me.
So Avi and I watched the fire station having discussed this and we spoke with
Chief Salucci. We told him the work left was only 4 to 6 hours and his answer,
he'd spoken with he called Jared the assistant chief. He called Andrew at
Code and their answer he came back and he said, "You have to go through Code.
I'm sorry you won't be able to do it today. Everyone needs to be notified in
advance for planning fire and police." So it can be closed with notice and
that's the opposite of what we've been told 20 minutes earlier at Code. So we
go back to Code. Uh
fire chief had told us there's a permit. We show up, there is no permit. Billy
French told us you email building permits, but Joe Maz approves these
himself. He needs written sign off from fire and police. It goes through the
city clerk and there's no way that it gets approved by Tuesday. So at this
point we're up to five people maybe, four departments, one day and not one of
them could hand me a piece of paper. Andrew, my mason, he threw up his hands.
That lift had cost me $5,000 for a 1-month rental so we could get this work
done and the month was running out on August 4th. He wasn't going to rent it
for another week on speculation of trying to get the street closing permit.
So at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4th, instead of finishing the job, that 86-ft
lift was removed. It was massive. And Skyworks done him a smaller lift,
but it wasn't big enough and we didn't get another one until
this morning. Um, there was another deadline blown and
another rental. That was the third vehicle that showed up this morning.
So, by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday of this week, the day that we were told a
closure could not possibly be arranged, we had National Grid on the south end
and the north end of the block and shortly thereafter I have photo and
video from 1:00 p.m. showing that that street was closed all afternoon.
Their barricade actually sat exactly where ours had been on July 31st, last
Friday. Um, it was north of O'Neill's entrance
where it was invisible from Federal, the place that I had been told was
prohibited. There was no detour, no flagger, there were no cars turning
There were actually cars coming up Federal
turning in and having to turn around right in front of the construction area,
King's Landing. There was no notice to neighbors and all
of those things that I just described to you were described to me as a hard
requirement for street closure. And I understand your utility may notify
the city rather than ask its permission to close the street. I'm not challenging
that. My point is narrower. The street can close, it has closed, it closed this
week multiple days in a row and traffic managed and the safety measures I were
told were mandatory were nowhere on that.
So, I started looking for the process myself. The city has two instruments and
I needed a third. According to code, fire,
uh, a barricade permit is too little. It lets you occupy the curb, it doesn't put
fire and police in the loop. I wrote this earlier this week.
I since actually got a copy of the permit and
I'm going to read that now. Um,
see reverse side for restrictions and regulations. Description of work
barricade permit for a lift / scaffolding to be placed in the city
right of way. Work in city right of way. If it is
necessary to restrict pedestrian or vehicle vehicular traffic in the
sidewalk or street areas, proper barricades must be erected to warn
traffic and to reroute it safely. A minimum width of 4 ft must be maintained
for pedestrian traffic, and if pedestrians are forced to walk in the
street, adequate are to be erected in the street to define that walkway.
So the things that I was told, which were
detour, flagger, cars turning around, notification to fire and police, none of
those are listed on that permit, but the permit talks about street closure.
So the other document that's there
on the city website as far as permits, cuz I was told the barricade permit was
not the correct permit, is a six-page special event permit.
Um to repair the wall of my own building, I would have to declare my
masonry work an event, name it, check a box, is it a parade, a festival, a block
party, a film shoot, estimate the crowd size, say if it's rain or shine, and
then submit a background check with my social security number and 10 years of
addresses. But I wasn't bringing a crowd. I was
asking for the opposite of the of a crowd. I wanted a quiet empty street for
one day so a machine could work and nobody would get hurt. So what appears
to sit between a barricade permit and a special event permit application does
not exist, and that seems to be why I got five answers. Chip was right that
fire and police need to know. We actually walked over to to the fire
department and notified them that the street was closing for the day.
Um and the chief was right that advanced notice matters.
Everyone I spoke to was right about what the city needs, but not one of them had
a form to deliver it. So, I'm asking for four things, and all four things help
the people behind the counter as much as they help me or the next property owner.
One, create the missing form. A construction street closure permit
between the barricade permit and the special event permit. Unless the
barricade permit is adequate and I was not getting accurate information, but
maybe people don't know. Um so, that special that different
permit could put fire and police on notice in writing, which this barricade
permit does not do. Um it would you know, pull off the other aspects, no
crowd size, no background check. Um and section 270-20b
already gives the traffic engineer authority to close the streets and set
the barricades. So, two put printed copies of this additional permit next to
the barricade permits and online. Nobody should have to know to ask. Three, give
DPW the answer in writing. Policy should never have been in the position of
guessing. Four, decide whether the safety requirements are real. I was told
a detour or a flagger plus notice to neighbors are mandatory, and four days
later my block was closed with none of them. And in years of construction on my
street, I've never once been notified of a street closure.
If those measures keep people safe, they should apply to any closure. If they
don't, no resident should be turned away for lacking them. Either way, write it
down so no employee has to improvise it at a curb. And I would appreciate a
written answer telling me what the correct process actually was on July
31st. I still don't know, and I don't think the people I asked did either.
And I just want to note that my mason called on Tuesday multiple times, and he
called again on Wednesday. He got no response from DPW this week about
getting the no parking signs up for today for when our equipment was
delivered. And that has never happened before.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Silva.
» That's insane.
» Does anyone else wish to address the council on any item?
» My name's Leo Leo Carroll. Um
I've lived in Troy uh pretty much my whole life.
And uh the only thing I'm looking for is to put a little light in the city of
Troy. I've been fighting this fight for well
over a year. I come home. I live between Burden and
22nd. I come home every night and that
» [clears throat] >> After fighting this for a while
and having Emma Quinn follow up on it with Channel 6
um I finally got a little result. And the mayor promised to have lights back
on Hoosick Street within 2 weeks. 2 weeks went by, nothing ever happened.
3 weeks went by and finally in front of my neighbor's house one light was
replaced. And down short of 15th Street one light
was replaced. So, two lights out of 15 lights that
don't appear on Hoosick Street where poles should be.
To get any reaction, what I did was put a sign up in front of my house.
That sign is still there now and I change it every month.
It started out 6 months. It's now up to 10 months.
Having the one light out in front of my neighbor's house
was pretty good. At least we had something to see up there. Hasn't
rectified the rest of the the street at all.
The rectification for the rest of the street where the
wires were shown where they took pictures of, which has looked ugly all
these years, finally they did something.
They created a wooden box, painted green,
to cover up where the wires are. >> My goodness.
» Now, if you go up Who's It Street now, you will see all those little green
boxes. However, they are not in the place where they were put to cover the
wires. Kids come along, kick them. >> Sure.
» They get hit by cars. But I was a little happy
that they put that one light up in front of my neighbor's house. Not the other
one, but that one light.
A week ago Sunday, the bell rings at 3:00 in the morning at my house.
I don't know what what's happened now. I look out and there are two police cars
in front of my house. So, I come down, I open the door. The
policeman says, "Your Ring camera does it pick up Who's It Street?" I said,
"Well, no, I can't have it pick up Who's It Street because it'll be going off all
the time with the traffic going by. I only pick it up as to when they hit my
sidewalk." I said, "What do you want to know that
for?" He said, "A vehicle just took down the light in front of your neighbor's
house." Now, this was
maybe a month and a half and we have that light up.
That's what the front of my house looks like. That's just the way it is.
» What is that? >> It's just lace, that's it.
» So, I'm kind of at a loss here. We want to be a well I I think we want
to be a welcoming city. When you come in and go up I don't know
has anybody driven up Hoosick Street at night?
» It's dark. >> you talk to National Grid. National Grid
says, "I'm sorry, we can't do anything about this. The city owns those lights."
Now just common sense.
They say that poles get knocked down. Okay.
They say sometimes they have to do curb cuts. You don't have to do a curb cut
unless that wire rots. If that wire rots, then you got to do a curb cut. So,
if you knock down a pole, if you get a new pole up pretty fast
you got no problem. Why doesn't the city have a contract
with somebody so that when it gets knocked down they don't have 6 months to
go through to get something to replace that pole?
I I just can't understand the operation that way, okay?
Um that's all I got to say. Please give me some lights on Hoosick Street.
» Thank you, Leo. >> I shall.
» I'm very sorry. I want to hand these to the city clerk so they can be passed out
to the council members.
» Hello, Avi Minard, District 4. So, on the Hoosick Street lack of lights and I
mean they're already gone. They could be moved to the other side of the sidewalk
farther away from the street so that they don't get knocked over by cars or
they're less of a problem during construction so that they don't need to
be replaced as often. Uh that's also a thing with the
gosh What's it? King and fifth or Jacob where
there's the fire hydrant that's been knocked over many times by cars
and it's missing and it was previously there.
So those are just two things where they if they could get inset into the
sidewalk or other places it might make it better.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Avi.
» If I could have your undivided attention.
» Mhm. >> Sure, Leo. Go ahead.
» With that pole that was knocked down, I come out with all my investigative
skills the next day. And I'm looking up and down the street
and I look up the street and it had to be a pretty good size
vehicle to hit that pole, knock that pole down, that pole had to go back up
over the top of the vehicle, that vehicle came into my wall and knocked my
wall down and kept going. So if you just look up my street now,
you can see the oil or I don't know whether it's something from the
radiator, whatever, going up. So I walk up and follow it.
I go up three houses and it shows it turning around
and coming down Hoosick Street. Now, I know there's been a lot of
dispute regarding the Flock cameras in the city of Troy. So I inquire, are
there any Flock cameras on Hoosick Street?
Lo and behold, there's a Flock camera just as you go on alternate Route 7. I
think, "Beautiful. They got to be able to take a picture of this car or truck
with probably a missing front right headlight all smashed in."
So I inquire with the police department and the police department says, "Yes, we
do have a Flock camera on H Street. I said, can you see any vehicle coming
down without a missing headlight and know what the vehicle is and of course
pick up the license plate? The flock cameras are
crap at night.
All you see is glare coming from the headlight and you can't even make out
the vehicle. What the hell good is a flock camera for
at night if you can't even make out the vehicle license plate?
That was my addendum. >> Thank you, Leo.
Very good. Very good.
Does anyone else wish to address? It's Leo's a hard act to follow, I I have to
admit. >> [laughter]
» Well, seeing none, um before I close the public forum,
I would be remiss if I did not note that tonight we were supposed to have
had the second quarterly financial reports.
Um per section um 45-3
of the code, the second quarter report from the
controller is due July 31st.
Um we have not
seen the report. Um I gave the controller the courtesy
well in advance, asked him would he be would this be a good night, we'd hold a
special finance meeting and we could as you could see, we had a very short
agenda. It would have been perfect. We haven't even seen the report,
much less whether or not the controller has
finished it, whether or not he's ready to present.
And the mayor, um, when I brought this up, said, "Well,
you know, the language in the code is outdated."
Well, I I want to remind the mayor that in 2018,
when she was council president, that section was amended.
And it was amended to insert those specific dates
to compel the controller to report to the council
on the finances of the city. So,
if they are outdated, she must be outdated because 20 2018,
uh, she was council president and responsible for that legislation.
Um, I have to say further that it is the council's responsib- We
have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Troy
to monitor the finances. We adopt a city budget,
and throughout the year, we are to monitor the expenditures
of the city. We need to know, have we
overestimated revenues? Have we underestimated? Have Are we over
expending in a certain, uh, item? Should we be adjusting, uh,
budget transfers? You know, it's an ongoing process, but we cannot do our
job if we don't have the information. So,
I am being told that we will see it
on August 20th. I've asked that we have it in advance
because it's only fair that the council can at least
peruse it and look at it and become familiar with it so they can ask
intelligent questions. I have received no guarantee that that
will happen. Um I think the citizens need to know
what's going on here. And and so I I I just had to share that tonight before we
close the meeting.
I would entertain a motion to adjourn. >> Motion.
» Second. >> We have a co-motion by
» [laughter] >> Councilmember McLaren seconded by
Councilmember Di Lorenzo. All in favor? Opposed? We're adjourned.