Common Council - Regular Meeting

OK, we're going to get started, everybody. Good evening, everybody, and welcome to the June 1st, 2026 Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee meeting. My name is Deborah Zehmer. I chair the committee. We are joined by committee members Tom Hoey, Arthur Lumpkin, Alfredo Ballarin, and council members Rachel Powell and Jack Flynn. We're also joined by legislative staff Carly Johnson, Brian Jimenez, Robert Wenner, and Commissioner Sergio Penunzio, Commissioner of DGS. Thank you for being here also for questions. The first thing, do we have any public comment? Okay, no public comment. So we'll get right to the topic of our discussion, which is Resolution 39-52-26R from Councilmember Powell, a resolution of the Common Council declaring itself to be lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review of the Rapp Road Transfer Station project. declaring such action to be a type one action and making a negative declaration as to the environmental impact of such action. So council member Powell, would you like to speak on this and maybe introduce who we have to discuss it? If that's within your purview.

Sure. Um, so, uh, I am the sponsor of this resolution as a landfill and the transfer station, um, the proposed transfer station would occur in the 12th ward, which is my district. Um, there was a very comprehensive report that I think was sent to all of you earlier, um, related to environmental impact study that was done by CHA. Um, the, our CHA partners are here to talk about that tonight. present their findings I've previously met with them it's a very comprehensive report so I hope committee members had an opportunity to take a look at it so I will turn it over to all of you thank you for being here Thank You councilmember Powell yes please would you mind introducing yourselves and where you're from and your relationship to this particular discussion

Absolutely. Thank you. Good evening, chair, members of the committee. My name is Nicholas Ward Willis. I'm an attorney with Keenan Bean, and our firm is being retained as special land use and environmental counsel to the corporation's counsel's office and to the city. for the overview and permitting of the transfer station at Rapp Road. And with me tonight are Chris Einstein and Jason Gorman of CHA, who have been the long-term planning and engineering advisors to the City of Albany concerning the landfill and the planning for the closure of a landfill and then eventual construction and operation of a waste transfer station adjacent to the landfill. And as Councilmember Powell mentioned, CHA in my office has been working with staff and with various what are called interested and involved agencies, other agencies who issue permits, to prepare for the permitting of the transfer station. And so tonight we're going to go through and provide you with an overview of the examination of the potential environmental issues. and what was done, what was examined, and our findings on that. And we're tonight asking the committee to refer to the full council a resolution finding that there are no significant adverse environmental impacts from the construction of the transfer station adjacent to the existing landfill. And to reach that conclusion, CHA has undertaken a comprehensive study, as you have seen with the materials presented to you, over 500 pages of traffic analysis, review of the habitat, utilities, odor, noise, the full suite of environmental issues that New York State law requires mandates that this City Council review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. And for that process to start, the City Council declared itself a lead agency, and you took that step back in December when you told the other agencies, such as DEC, who would have to issue a permit for the transfer station to operate, that the City Council felt it had the expertise, the skills, and the knowledge to act as the lead agency to review if there were any significant adverse environmental impacts from the construction and operation of the transfer station. So that resolution was adopted in December. A notice was sent to adjacent municipalities who are interested agencies as well as a number of other involved and interested agencies. Some comments were received but no one objected to the City Council being the lead agency We had previously provided DEC with a permit application, which they have been reviewing. DEC acquiesced and agreed that the city was in the best position to review the impacts from its construction and operation. And so since the declaration of its intent to be lead agency in January, the 30-day period has passed. No one has objected. So when you adopt this resolution tonight, you're declaring that you are the lead agency. You're taking that last step. That then allows you as a lead agency to make the determination of significance, which is binding upon all the other agencies, because it would be pointless to have separate independent reviews. So your decisions are very important, and other agencies are relying upon it. And so tonight I'm going to ask Chris and Jason to walk us through what was done on the city's behalf to examine those potential significant environmental impacts. And I can assure you that the materials before you are very comprehensive and comply in every respects with DEC's regulations. And the next step, should you adopt the resolution tonight, will be a copy of the finding statement will be published in the Environmental Notice Bulletin, which is DEC's official publication, circulated to the involved and interested agencies, and particularly to DEC, so that DEC can declare the application for the transfer station permit to be complete. And then they'll then ask for any public comments on that permit application. and then hopefully they'll grant the permit and then we can begin the permitting, bidding out the work and starting construction in late fall or early winter of next year. So if there are no questions on the process, I'm then going to ask Chris and Jason to start us off on discussions of what was done with those examinations of the environmental topics.

I will start with an overview of the project itself. the need for the transfer station design and the planned operation.

I ask that you make sure you speak into the mic because that's how the people out in the cyber sphere will be able to hear you. Is that better? Yeah, thanks. You have to get closer than it feels comfortable.

I'll start again. I'm going to review the project purpose and need and talk a little bit about the transfer station design and the planned operations at the new facility. And I'll hand it to Chris who will go through the studies that were completed. So the proposed transfer station is located just adjacent to the landfill property to the east or northeast in the property which we call the Simons property. It's 502, 504, and 506 Rapp Road. The landfill is reaching its capacity in the fall of 2027, and the current permit that we have with the New York State Department of Conservation does not allow expansion of the landfill. So the city's Department of General Services did an excellent job extending the life of the landfill, but unfortunately in the fall of next year, we are at capacity and no longer be able to receive any waste. The city of Albany's sow waste management plan identified the transfer station of sow waste from the capital region as a long-term solution. for solid waste management once the landfill closed. So this property was adjacent to the landfill, was considered based on the cost and or excuse me, Construction of the transfer station on the landfill property itself was considered but due to cost and space it's prohibited There's a significant amount of costs associated with existing utilities that would need to be relocated to support the transfer station at that location and There's just not enough room to support the size of the facility that's needed so the city identified the Simons property adjacent to the landfill as the preferred location for the transfer station. And this property was also identified in 2009 to support the landfill expansion. So it has been reviewed in the past to support solid waste management for the city. The property meets the needs for the transfer station and the terms of the sale with the property owner have been agreed upon. So the property is three separate parcels, as I said, 502, 504, and 506 Rapp Road. And the proposed transfer station permit to build and operate that facility was submitted to the DEC back in July of 2025, and we're currently in the process, they're in the process of review and approval for the new facility. The planned construction date is October of 2026, which coincides with an eight month construction period to meet the end of the landfill life in the fall of 2027. And it's planned to receive 500 tons a day for transfer for offsite disposal at a permitted facility. We will utilize the existing landfill entrance. Here's a drawing of the proposed facility. As I said, we're going to utilize the landfill entrance for the entrance into the new facility. It's going to be approximately 26,000 square feet to support 500 tons a day for transfer offsite. The facility will also include a scale house and scales for weighing of the incoming and outgoing waste. Here's an elevation view of the proposed facility. It'll have a minimum interior height of 40 feet, a number of doors to support the incoming and outgoing traffic, and it's going to be tiered with a lower level so the waste that's deposited on the upper floor will be pushed into trailers on the lower level for off-site disposal. Here's a depiction of the proposed scale house that's going to be located just east of the larger transfer station building to support incoming and outgoing traffic. So any questions regarding the transfer station facility or operations?

Council Member Hoey. Committee Member.

Thank you. Um, I was curious the, you know, it seems like a lot, 500,000 pounds of garbage every day. That's half a million pounds. That's 500 tons, right? It's a thousand pounds ton. It just seems like a lot. Now is this just going to be for residential use? Um, or is this going to be our commercial entities can be able to use this transfer station?

the facility is going to support the answers community so it's the pickups from the residents from within the answers community itself the landfill currently accepts just over 400 tons a day currently and it's just the albany and associated answers community but um there is commercial dump i mean you know i'm a contractor or something i can go and dump there i have to pay for it from what i understood this city does support currently supports commercial waste but not a significant amount that's how they were able to extend the life of the facility by cutting back and only receiving correct most of the answers community's waste

so this new facility are they going to accept some commercial or no that is not the intent currently it's just to receive answers waste and 500 tons a day is the facility design and like i said we're currently at 400 tons a day so we're going to be under that 500 day oh yeah it seems like a lot and you know as a society we should try to cut back on our waste i mean believe me i'm trying to recycle and stuff like that at home like you know compost and stuff. Thank you so much.

We're also joined by Committee Member Sergio Adams. Council Member Adams, do you have a question?

Good evening. Thank you for your presentation. I just had some questions in regards to the environmental concerns, as you outlined. in regards to the noise and order coming from the area. Can you speak to kind of how you plan to control the noise and order coming from the facility?

Can I just is that that's upcoming in your presentation? Yeah, it is. But we haven't quite gotten there yet.

Yeah.

If if you is that OK?

Yes, I can answer the noise and order question. Yeah. So it's a the facility will be enclosed. So the noise would actually be less than the current operations at the landfill. There's less equipment that's utilized. The equipment will be in the transfer station building itself. And for odors, the waste will be disposed of on the floor of the transfer station, put in trailers, and then disposed of offsite. So there's no anticipation of leaving waste within those trailers for more than a day or two at the most. so we don't anticipate any odors associated with the waste.

Councilmember Falleron.

Thank you. Sure. So you mentioned that we've secured the property on 202, 204 and 206 rapid votes. So that's been closed down at this point. I know that was a big issue here last year.

Right. Councilman, we were here in December. There was some discussion about the acquisition of the property. We did not secured an agreement at that time, and the City Council authorized security through eminent domain. Since that time, we've had further discussions, exchange of appraisals, and we've reached an agreement on a purchase price of $750,000 for the property. And contracts are being signed and we anticipate a closing by the beginning of July. And then the individuals will stay there until the end of sometime in September before vacating. So they'll be able to so they'll have to make it one end of July or closing on July, beginning of July, and then they'll stay in possession until sometime in September. I believe but they'll be out by the end of that month.

And you need to build and you start building in September.

We're going to start building in October.

In October. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

Okay. Thanks. Please continue. Okay.

All right. So what you have in front of you is a full environmental assessment form for Seeker. And if you look at part two of the full EAF, you will note that there are a full, there's a full list of environmental issues that are typically addressed under CEQR. And we have addressed all of those issues. They are all documented within the environmental assessment form, particularly what we refer to as the expanded EAF or the part three documentation. What I want to do tonight, however, is focus only on those issues, key issues, that were potential for some significant environmental impacts and how we resolve those issues, address those issues, investigated those issues. So that's what I'm going to focus on here. What I'll do is go through each topic. I think it may make sense to maybe stop after each topic and ask for questions. Does that work? Okay, very good. That's what we'll do then. The first issue is land use and zoning. So what we have in this area is a residential property. It is the last residential property adjacent to the landfill itself. And as a result, it's not a compatible use. for landfill operations. And in fact, this property is located immediately adjacent to the landfill operations. So it is the active part of the landfill, which will continue to be there even after the landfill is closed so the landfill must be monitored and maintained and so those operations will need to continue to be there so from a land use perspective it's it's a good choice not to have this residential property here anymore and and as I will show you in a minute there's there are no other residential properties in the vicinity of the landfill any longer so it's also an ideal location because of its proximity to the landfill operations so the staffing is there the maintenance services are all there and the utilities that are going to be necessary for this facility although they will need to be upgraded to some extent they are present so it is really an optimal location not to mention the fact that we're using the same access road for the landfill so i think that's very important as well we're not putting traffic additional traffic in other parts of the city so and as i mentioned really it's just an extension of the city's solid waste management operations in addition i would mention that during the environmental impact evaluation for the eastern expansion of the landfill This property was evaluated as part of that project and was intended to be used for the landfill services. So it's always been intended for that use. As it turned out, we didn't need to use it. We didn't need to have the expenses of moving all the facilities over there at that time, and so therefore it was not uh acquired at that time but it was always intended for that use it's been evaluated for that use and i think it just makes sense for this project are there any questions on land use uh this this area you've seen before but excuse me i'm sorry that's okay um council member flynn oh excuse me i'm sorry we're also joined by president pro temp jenny farrell

I just want to make sure, for the record, the county planning board or the town of Colony is not involved in this whole process?

That is correct. It's all before the city.

Thank you.

And my question is about energy use, but is that in an upcoming slide? Energy, yeah. I can wait until you deal with that.

Yeah, we can talk about it now because it's not something that we've identified as being . . .

Yeah, I just wanted to just express publicly, make sure. I mean, I did read the reports. Is there going to be, or do you anticipate there's going to be actually less energy used for the transfer station than with the landfill as far as electricity is concerned? Was there any, there was some findings about the electricity that was going to be utilized for the space? Obviously it's not, it wasn't something significant if it doesn't pop out in your memory.

The only energy used for the transfer station would be the lighting and the computers and scale. Okay.

Then it sounds like there's no significant impact there.

I mean, if you consider the fact that there's a lot of equipment used at the landfill to deposit the waste, to move the waste, to any number of activities that need to occur when the landfill is operational. Those will no longer be needed. We didn't do any kind of balance in terms of energy balance between the two. That was not evaluated, but there certainly is less energy in certain circumstances.

Thank you. Council member Hoey.

Thank you, Chair. I just got a fast question. Do we have to rezone this? Will the council have to do something to get, you know, because you did say it was residential. Should we get rid of that at some point?

Well, I think if it's designated for public use, then we don't need to rezone.

That's correct. So what we've discussed with Corporation Counsel's Office is using what's called the Monroe County decision which allows the zoning determination of a planning commissioner to make a determination that it's being used for a public use and do the balancing test to ensure that when you balance zoning versus the benefit to the public from having the solid waste transfer station that the zoning then rezoning is not necessary nor are zoning approvals necessary. And as Chris mentioned, it is a residential use, but it's the last one and it's next to the land. But I appreciate the question. Yes.

I didn't want to leave it on the books if it could cause problems in the future. But thank you. I didn't know that. Thank you.

You're welcome. So this map, which you've seen before, just, again, shows you the fact that there are no residential uses other than this property in the vicinity here. The barn building that you see to the northeast a little bit there is actually DEC-owned property. That was the old horse farm property, which now is partly being used for restoration, partly being used by DEC. There are no residential uses around this. As you can also see, as I mentioned, the landfill operations, which are immediately adjacent to this parcel. Okay, so moving on to threatened endangered species. So this was an issue of concern because we are in the pine bush in terms of the study area and as you may be aware there's an ongoing restoration project which we are involved with that was part of the mitigation for the eastern expansion which will eventually include the landfill itself. will be restored to pine bush habitat. The first thing that you do is do a desktop review of both the federal and the state resources for the potential for threatened and endangered species being present on your project site. Going through that process, we identified the species that you see here from left to right is the northern long-eared bat. The second one is the tri-colored bat, which is not federally listed as yet, but it is proposed. as an endangered species. The one that you may be very familiar with, the corner blue butterfly, is the next species which we do have habitat in the vicinity of this project site. So obviously that did raise concern to DEC. And then the last is the monarch butterfly. which is another species which is proposed to be listed as federally threatened. So those are the species that we were working with at the federal level at the, well, I guess I will just say first, based on these, we did perform a habitat assessment of the project site. The biologists that performed that assessment are the same biologists who have been doing the restoration and monitoring work at the landfill, in the pine bush, and so we are very familiar with the pine bush species. We do a lot of work in evaluating habitat for bats as well, so very qualified individuals that performed this habitat assessment. And the results of that, which are part of the documentation, is that there's no habitat present for either the monarch or the corner blue butterfly. Essentially, there is no pine bush or pine barrens habitat present on the project site itself. It is a residential property. It's been significantly changed in terms of the ecology from what it originally was. and is just not suitable habitat for those species. In terms of the bats, there are trees on the site and some very large ones, some with appropriate roosting habitat for the bats. So there is a potential for the bats to be present. The way that that gets addressed, is that clearing of the trees on the on the site is done during the winter hibernation period so the bats are simply not present on the site and so the trees can be safely taken down without any impact to the bats you have a question council member ballard yep

So I mean, I just had a quick question. So if the bats are hibernating, doesn't that mean they're in the trees? Or where are they if they're not at the trees?

We don't know if there's any bats present on the site. There may be bats. There may be non-listed bats present on the site. The protocols are typically if you can do what we call time of year tree cutting restrictions, So cutting those trees in the wintertime, basically, that is sufficient to not have a direct impact on the bats. Because at that period, at that point in time, the bats are in their hibernaculas. So typically caves and those types of old mines and caves and those types of things. They're not in the trees. Okay. So they're not in the trees.

They will not be in the trees during winter. No. We're not burning them alive.

no chopping them up no we will not okay sounds good can assure you of that i appreciate it thank you i'm sorry you think they're fine with this project as it is probably further away from the pine bush or will they be here in a few weeks advocating against this um i i don't there is no habitat present on site

So, and I guess we can jump into, I was going to talk about the state species, but we did have a field meeting with DEC biologists to review the habitat and to make sure that they were comfortable with the results of our habitat assessment, and they were. They determined that there is no habitat present on site, There is a 200-foot buffer that's associated with occupied habitat. There is occupied habitat to both the north and to the east of this site. However, they consider a 200-foot buffer around those areas being occupied if they contain nectar species so the species that the the the butterflies would use and and the site simply is there are no nectar species on the site the site is for the most part forested or what we refer to as scrub shrub community which is not the community that supports those types of species so as a result of that as a result of DC seeing these conditions they then concluded that there is no habitat they concluded that they will not require any species specific surveys and they concluded that they will not require any permits from us from that and we were hoping to have the actual letter stating that from dc but in lieu of that we did get them to issue a email which essentially documents that thank you i appreciate the answer councilmember ballard

Thank you. Sure. And just a follow up to Council Member flings question. Did did you get an opportunity to also reach out to any of the advocates directly to see what their thoughts on I'm thinking save the time, time view, you know, any of them directly, because I know they were very vocal about this at the end of the process. When we were looking at the at this issue last year, So if there's a way, I'm not sure if you've already reached out to them to try to address those issues in the forefront.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't hear it. The door was open.

I didn't hear it. Sorry, is my mic not working? Which group are you concerned? I don't know if your mic is on.

Save the Pineview. Save the Pinebush? Yeah, Save the Pinebush. They came last time.

I think in the beginning, I think you did mention that you have...

Yes, we're aware of their comments. As I said before, there is no habitat present on this site, so there is no way that these species can be impacted, nor can we take their habitat from them as a result of developing this site.

in in in my opinion there is no impact here and as dc noted they feel the same way and just to your point council member you're correct the pine bush save the pine bush group did offer comments back in december we took those comments because we had a transcript and we provided those to cha so they were informed of those comments and cha reviewed and considered those had the site visit with dec and reached the conclusion as mr einstein mentioned that there's there's not a concern that this project will have an impact on that habitat

So I guess my question was, and I apologize if I wasn't clear, so was there any direct contact with that organization to try to speak to them directly about their concerns?

We have not had direct contact with them, no.

Thank you.

Okay, please continue. I'm also just conscious of the time. I just want us to be aware that we have a 6.30 meeting directly after this.

Okay, so we've talked a lot about the habit, the pine bush habitat, which is primarily what the state is focused on in terms of their list of threatened endangered species. The primary species that are protected that they were concerned with is the first butterfly to the left there, which is a frosted elfin. the second obviously is the kind of blue butterfly the bird you see there is is a oh goodness red-headed woodpecker sorry thank you I wanted to say woody woodpecker that's where I was going in my mind And then the last species is the inland barrens buck moth. So those two species, the woodpecker and the buck moth, are listed as special concern. which have some level of protection under the state and the the habitat for again for all of these species is is not present we have buck moths that we have identified they like scrub oak areas and we certainly do have that habitat within our restoration area and other areas in the pine bush and we have documented them. But the habitat is simply not present on the site. The red-headed woodpecker actually did show up in the pine bush several years ago, caused quite a stir for the birding community, and was present for maybe a few weeks. We thought maybe it was going to be a breeding pair, and then we have not seen them since. So they are a rare species.

Sorry, I thought you were moving on. So the biologist from the New York State DEC also confirmed these species were not present, that their habitat was not present on this

They were not, yes, their primary concern was for the presence of the counter blue butterfly and the frosted elephant because that is the habitat that's located adjacent to it. Okay. They were not concerned about any of these other species. There are also several rare species that are not protected, not listed in the pine bush. that depend on that the same type of habitat but again that habitat is not present here so we simply will not impact species so I think we've gone over this you know the pitch pine scrub oak barrens is a significant natural community it occurs adjacent to the project site it is not how this site is designated That is not, it is a residential property, and as I mentioned before, it's been significantly disturbed by residential uses. Okay, cultural resources. So, we did an investigation. This whole area is sensitive for archeological resources, particularly what we refer to as pre-contact, We used to refer to it as prehistoric archaeological resources. And they did find a small archaeological site present. This was actually discovered many years ago as part of the review for the original EIS that was done for the eastern expansion. At that time, it was intended to avoid the site, but under the current project, we were not able to avoid it from the perspective of being over it and needing that area. The State Historic Preservation Office reviewed the cultural resources surveys and did offer another option to preserve the site, which is called encapsulation. And because we need a lot of fill on this site to bring it up in elevation, We will be above this site. We will not impact this site. And so as a result of that and providing several iterations of the plans for SHPO's review, they concurred that encapsulation would be sufficient for this site. So that is our intent. And as a result, there will be no impact to this site. Any questions on that? Okay. Noise and odors, so in light of the time we have, I think Jason addressed this issue pretty well. The operations are going to be within the building. Thinking about noise levels, so the way the landfill operates right now, you have heavy machinery occurring at the top of the landfill. that's creating quite a bit of noise. And that will, as soon as the landfill is no longer operational, we will not have that noise. All that's occurring will be occurring primarily within the facility itself. The majority of these operations are gonna be within the enclosure. And so we really don't see any issues associated with noise or odors. Any further questions on that? Okay. Health and safety. So we did prepare a phase one environmental site assessment, which involves literature review, database review for hazardous materials, as well as a site visit. And no resources, no environmental concerns were identified on the project site. there was because of the landfill operations there are known potential groundwater contamination issues associated with the landfill and so that issue was brought up as a potential concern in terms of groundwater migration towards the site but the project itself because there's because we're going to primarily put fill on the site there's very little opportunity to intersect with the groundwater table during construction and so therefore there would really be no opportunity for contact with contaminated, if indeed there were any contaminated groundwater associated with it. Yeah, we talked about it. So the last item that I wanted to emphasize is the fact, again, we're eliminating this residential use, so there will be no opportunity for new residents to move into this location, which in our opinion is a safety concern. So eliminating that residential use would eliminate those types of concerns. Any questions on that? I believe, oh, transportation. I thought I had the last one. All right, so all the truck traffic currently and in the future will come from the Washington Ave extension and Rapp Road intersection. So all of that's coming from the Thruway and other areas from the city, et cetera, but it all comes from that direction. to rap road and that short distance from rap road to the entrance to the landfill so those traffic patterns are not going to change at all during operation of the transfer station there will be a maximum of 95 vehicles per day for the purposes of evaluating the impacts it was assumed that all those vehicles would be trucks So this is basically the same volume of traffic that's currently coming to the landfill under its reduced, what's the right term? Capacity or not? Yeah, thank you. So under full operations, back in 2008 when we were evaluating the eastern expansion, the traffic volumes were somewhere in the vicinity of the 125 to 150 vehicles per day. So that's going to reduce significantly. And then based on our evaluation of the intersection of Washington Ave and Rapp Road, the conditions there will not change from the current conditions. They will operate at a overall level of service of D, which is considered acceptable. Any questions on that?

Just a quick question. When you say 95 vehicles, are you talking about 95 trips a day, or are you talking about actually 95 different vehicles?

You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that would be true. Oh, that's what I was asking. Yes, no, I understand what you're saying. Thank you. Yes. Okay. I think that's it. We've just come to the EAF brings us to this conclusion that we do not have any significant environmental impacts associated with the transfer station. Again, the removal of the residential use will eliminate the last potential incompatible use. And so parts two and three of the EAF provide the documentation to support consideration of a negative declaration. Council Member Hoey.

Thank you, Chair. You know what would be helpful for us, because you talked about during your presentation that the landfill itself is going to be returned to the wild and the area around, probably around it too. What would be helpful for us is when the people do come in and start talking about saving the pine bush, know how many acres you know we're gonna have this building I'm not sure the acreage there but I'd like to know what are we so yeah we're taking this we're gonna have a transfer station but what are we gonna put back to the wild and that could be our argument when people you know people get really yeah so the restoration plan itself is a 250 acre restoration plan so about a hundred acres is the landfill footprint

That is just beginning to, we're working on the old, the GAL. We're working on restoring that now. But eventually that 100 acres will be restored. The lands to the north, have all been restored we're monitoring those we're getting to the end of those monitoring period and you know in positioning ourselves to turn that over to the Albany or to the yeah to the Albany Pine Bush Commission that will take management so with the project itself for the transfer station how many acres we talking

Thank you.

So 3.4 acres for the transfer station and another couple of acres that are associated with the maintenance and facilities.

So there's going to be a net thing. So when people do come in, we can explain that to them. Thank you.

That's a great point, Councilmember Hoey. Any other questions? Councilmember Ballard.

Thank you, Chair. As part of the restoration, are we also going to put in new trees and other greeneries that, you know, so there's these, you know, like the long-eared bats, that's on the engagement, you know, anywhere we can make it easier for them to grow and expand. You know, I'm a Wild Kratts fan, so, you know, the way we can do to make at least damage and create more opportunities for, you know, these animals to find new homes.

So one of the things that we have to avoid is creating habitat out there. And if you take a look at the email that was sent around, they discussed that fact that what we don't want to do is create any native habitat that would bring the counter blue butterflies closer to the project site, into the project site. So that's very important. That's something that DEC is specifically looking for. And I would imagine will be part of their comments on the Part 360 application. But the other thing that we're going to do by request of the Pine Bush Commission is to remove some of the trees that are, there's a lot of trees on this property that are not native and that are detrimental to the pine bush habitat. black locust being one of them it's a clonal species so it shoots out rhizomes and they pop up all over the place and so what we intend to do is take all of those trees down as part of this project there some of them are not within the project there or within the footprint that we would need to remove those trees but we're going to do that in order to enhance those areas to ensure that those species are not causing impacts

the surrounding area so really what this is about is preserving the integrity of the surrounding areas that have been restored thank you i appreciate that information thank you uh we're also joined by council member lomenzo jones any other questions at this time um i'd like to say if if you it's the the reports and that we received are dense um I do encourage my colleagues, if you are able to find the time, to look through it because it was very reassuring to me to see how thorough the review was and that the consistent no significant impact was even more reassuring. I appreciate the thoroughness of your presentation today. Penunzio, is there anything that you would like to add? Come speak into a microphone, please.

I just want to thank the committee for hearing our presentation. I want to thank CHA. We walked the ground so many, many times. Plenty of ticks in our legs just to make sure there was no habitat. And the whole idea is if there's no habitat, there's no reason for these endangered species to be there. So I'm satisfied. And when I got the email from the DEC saying they're satisfied as well, I want to thank CHA for doing a very thorough job. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner. And yes, I would ask, I think in this email from the DEC, they said that they will follow up with an official letter

which i just asked that we get so that it can be added to the public record um and if there are no further questions i will say also sorry i'll say council members for the time that i wasn't here i was streaming and council member hoey your question about zoning immunity we are exploring our options as nick had mentioned so we're on thank you you're welcome

So you concur with what was said. Good. Thank you. Councilmember Holey.

Yeah, I'd like to make a motion that we pass Resolution 39-52-62R out of committee with a positive recommendation.

Do I have a second? Councilmember Lumpkin seconds. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Any abstentions? Okay. resolution 3952 26r passes out of planning committee unanimously with a positive recommendation thank you so much everybody thanks for your time do i have a motion to adjourn second meeting adjourned

Thank you. Oh. Thank you. That would be it.

Good evening, everyone. Are we recording? Great. Carly, would you mind calling the roll?

Adams? Adams is here somewhere, so I'll mark him as here. Anani? Also here somewhere.

In the building. He's in the building.

Ballard is also here somewhere. Brody?

Here.

Farrell?

Here.

Flynn?

Here.

Hoey?

Here.

Johnson? Not here yet. Jones?

Here.

Keegan? Here. Lumpkin?

Present.

Powell is also here somewhere. Right. We're all here in a moment. Robinson? absent williamson here and damer here that's potentially 13 here we are also joined by council president kelly kimbrough and we have here with us um senior assistant corporation council martha mahoney council of the council uh robert wenner myself junior uh policy analyst carly johnson there's a program director of the community police review board here garrett shaft and um Braylon Cordonas, who is the current confidential secretary for the team. Thank you. Oh, and Ms. Robinson is joining us. Thank you.

Thank you so much. So we have several groups to come in to speak to caucus this evening. So I'm going to go through the agenda very quickly. and then we will welcome them up. For local laws introduced from myself, Local Law K of 2026, this is about public data and open data that will be referred to law building and codes. Then we'll be moving to resolutions introduced from Councilmember Ballarin, resolution 516126R. This is a resolution of the Common Council recognizing June as Caribbean American Heritage Month in the city of Albany. Could I get a show of hands for people that are, is this a, we will all be co-sponsoring, great. From Councilmember Keegan, Resolution 526126R, a resolution recognizing and celebrating June as LGBTQ Plus Pride Month in the City of Albany. People interested in co-sponsoring. That is an all. Play from Councilmember Anani, Resolution 53-6126R, a resolution declaring June 5th to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day and proclaiming June 2026 as National Gun Violence Prevention Month in the City of Albany. Could I get a show of hands for people interested in co-sponsoring? This is another all-play. Thank you so much. From Councilmember Howey, Resolution 54-6126R, a resolution appointing Lillian Garland as a member of the CPRB. Ms. Garland is actually here, if you wouldn't mind coming up and we can ask a few questions.

Good evening, councilmen and councilwomen. Thank you for having me tonight.

Thank you so much for your willingness to serve on this important board. Do any councilmembers have any questions for Ms. Garland? Councilmember Ballarin.

Thank you. Come Council President Pro Tent. Can you just tell us a little bit about yourself and why you want to serve on the board for the members who maybe didn't get an opportunity to see your interview?

To serve on the board?

Yes, just a little bit about yourself and why you want to serve on the board.

Well, I've served on an ACT-PAC board. I also serve on the ALERT board. So being on those boards, I have a lot of communication, engagement with police officers on every different level, from the FBI to the state police. So I know what it takes to engage police officers. I think I know what it takes to what community policing should look like to me. I think that I would be a good fit. I have lots of community background. If you look at my resume, you'll find out. I have over 20 years of community engagement.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much. We really appreciate your willingness to serve. And it's, as I said, an important board. And I'm very well aware I served with you when I was on the school, even before I was on the school board on different committees. So I know how long you've been involved in the committee. We're not going to talk about how long ago that was because we both look fabulous. But just really appreciate your continual willingness to be part of our community and not just talk the talk, but really put the effort and walk the walk. Thank you. and we'll continue on with, you're welcome to have a seat in the audience again. Next, we have from Councilmember Zamer, Resolution 55-6126R. It's a reappointment to the PEG Access Board, which will go to planning. from Councilmember Powell, Resolution 56-6126R. This will be, we have it on the active calendar. We're actually just going to introduce it and hold it. Councilmember Powell wanted to get a little bit more information to see if it needed amendments before moving forward. So we will just introduce and hold it. Did you want to say anything on that, Councilmember Powell? From Councilmember Keegan, Resolution 57-6126R, a resolution approving an amendment to the financing agreement by and among the Albany Water Board, City of Albany, and Albany Municipal Water Authority relating to certain capital projects. That is going to, we'll be voting on that this evening, and we have some people from the Water Board to come up and talk about it. So if you'd like to come up, that would be great.

Oh, turn on, turn on microphone. And just to give a little background, since 2009, when there were new regulations for dam safety, the Water Board's been working on evaluation of dams and doing improvements. And two of the dams that are high hazard dams that needed improvements are Basic Creek Reservoir Dam and the Rensselaer Lake, which is also known as Six Mile Waterworks on Fuller Road. both of those projects have gone through long long periods of studies and alternative analysis and and then finally there were bond resolutions and an amendment to the financing agreement previously but the in the meantime time has gone by and we have new estimates of construction costs and we wanted to amend the bond bond resolution and the financing agreement to reflect the new estimates. Plus, EFC, which is Drinking Water Revolving Fund, is one of our sources of funding. They now require higher amounts of contingency on projects, which of course is a pretty good idea given the current state of our price escalations. So we have $2.5 million for each of these projects as DEC grants that were recently announced. And we're still in the process of securing those grants. But the bond resolutions and the financing agreements are based on the total project costs. But the actual financing for each one is going to be $2.5 million less. So basically, this is an amendment to the financing agreement. And the finance authority will do an amended bond resolution. And that will help us go forward with our financing.

Thank you so much, Mr. Simcoe. Do we have any questions on this? Okay, we are expecting to vote and pass this evening, so we appreciate you coming in. Next, from Councilmember Ballarin, Resolution 58-6126R, a resolution of the Common Council calling on the New York State Legislature to pass Senate Bill S-4659C and Assembly Bill A-4877C to establish the REST Act before the end of session.

Council Member Ballarin, did you want to say anything on this?

I'll be brief. This is an issue we've been working on, somewhat engaged in since 2019. The main changes here would eliminate the vacancy study. uh to move forward with rental stabilization so this is just asking the state of legislative state leaders to continue their conversations uh to give more flexibilities to municipalities to choose if they want to move forward in that path on that thank you

Thank you so much. And a quick note, I've had outreach from the public that if we could all focus on projecting and speaking into our microphones, it's difficult to hear. And someday we will... be able to upgrade the equipment but right now we have the equipment that we have so if everyone can focus on projecting that would be helpful and councilmember ballerin this was not about you specifically but you did remind me of it in that moment so next councilmember zamer resolution 59-6126-r that is a reappointment to the peg access board which will also go to planning Then resolutions held, we have from Councilmember Powell, Resolution 39-5226R, a resolution on the, being the lead agency for the negative, the, SECRA negative environmental impact, which is a good thing for the transfer station, that did pass through planning tonight unanimously with a positive recommendation. I know that we still have Commissioner Penunzio, if there are any questions on that, or if Councilmember Powell, if you or Councilmember Zamer, as chair, wanted to say anything on it, you're welcome to.

thank you president Pro Tem I'm just briefly planning our planning committee that we just had we got a they're a really thorough presentation we all I think all the full council should have the reports about from the secret review, which is thorough and reassuring. So I encourage you to take a look. There were no the summary is there were no significant concerns through the multitude of different state of different areas of environmental impact that they studied. Thanks.

Thank you so much. And then a quick note, we were supposed to have an emcee this evening. We are not doing the emcee. It is not something that is needed. And we have someone that is well known in our chamber here. Jake Eiling, who used to be our, who's now in the other building, but used to be our research council. Not great with titles tonight, but we appreciate you coming. I also know Councilmember Zamer wanted to say a few things, and then I believe that Garrett Schaaf wanted to make an introduction.

Thank you. Just briefly, I wanted to, in case we, I anticipate either tonight or in the future, getting public comment about the Kenwood data center story that's out that's been out there the public is rightfully concerned but i just want to make sure we knew what stage this is at which as far as we're concerned is nowhere and just what would have to happen in order for that very unlikely scenario to happen of a data center being built there just to be clear There would be two significant pieces of legislation that would have to pass through this body. One, to rezone the area in order to accommodate this new proposed use. And the other would be to change the approved use category. Two, they seem similar, but there's distinct pieces of legislation that would, I think, be very unlikely to pass in this body. So there's nothing imminent that's going to happen. Even if that were very unlikely to happen, there are many other hurdles that would have to be addressed. Not to mention whether or not the planning department themselves thinks that this is even an appropriate use, which is also very unlikely so i just i i understand how much fear there is out there and we've had a lot of outreach so i just wanted to make sure that we here in the council the members know the facts of this that there are so many steps that would have to take place that we would be would have to go along with which again is very unlikely so just wanted to get that out there

Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you. Just following off, could we make a statement about that because that article has been generating a lot of calls and interests and people's concerns have gotten heightened and I think it would only make sense to make a statement like that if if they have to go through that many loops um and and it because it sounds like it's um something to the residents it sounds like it has an arm a leg and heads and that may not be the case so i can't see that being harmful for us just to issue a preliminary statement regarding the data center because it's a huge conversation right now if you don't mind if i respond yeah i think that that's that's a

great idea, I think we should definitely do it. I mean, this is, we can also maybe consider or discuss something even stronger, I mean, a resolution requiring more time to consider, I don't like to use the word moratorium, but, you know, something, maybe we need to come up with something stronger like a resolution to reassure the public

Councilmember Keegan.

I just also wanted to note that while it's not possible at the Kenwood site, we also don't have much in the way that would prohibit development in some of our industrial or light industrial zones. So I think that that is also something that we just like we were discussing with the lithium battery storage situation that we need to consider getting on top of that and trying to figure out what the best and most appropriate guidance for municipalities on having guardrails in place for these types of proposals because while this is coming to Kenwood who knows you know what could potentially be proposed for a site like central warehouse which Again, this is a project that's being proposed would be on the large scale size for data centers. It would be one of the largest in the country ultimately when it's completed. And I think the other thing that we really should consider, particularly in the Albany area, is that we have some of the best water in the country. And it's incredibly important that we do everything that we can to preserve the sanctity of those resources. especially as we move forward in this era of climate change because that's not necessarily a resource that's going to be accessible throughout the planet so councilman Bernani

Thank you. And thank you so much for bringing it up. Again, it's been receiving a lot of attention, no matter where you live in the city of Albany. And I think that coming up with a statement is a great recommendation. And I can work with staff and leadership to send something to all council members that we could put out there. Thank you.

And Councilmember Zamers, especially since as chair of planning, if you are interested in doing a resolution, it might be a good idea to have something that actually goes to committee. Absolutely. That it wouldn't even necessarily be something that we pass immediately, but to allow a more public discussion might be a helpful thing. Great. Will do. I will now turn it over to Garrett.

Good evening, everyone. I just wanted to take a minute to introduce you to the newest employee of the Community Police Review Board, Braylyn Cordonas. And she's got a she would like to introduce herself to the whole body.

Thank you. Hello, good evening. My name is Braylon Cordones and I'm the recently joined I recently joined CBRB as the confidential secretary. And so I look forward to serving the residents of Albany assisting its board on its mission, and helping promote transparency, accountability and meaningful community engagement. And so I just want to say thank you for the opportunity. And I'm looking forward to working alongside every one of you guys. Thank you.

Thank you so much for coming in. I don't know that anybody would have any questions, but if anybody has anything they'd like to ask or say, feel free to raise your hand. And if not, we really appreciate you coming to work with the CPRB and in the city of Albany and look forward to working with you.

Thank you.

And Ms. Garland, I have a quick question for you.

You can go ahead.

You can stay there. You can just, I, would you like us to take your resolution out of order so we take it towards the beginning of the meeting? I'm not sure if you want to stay for it. But it's, so, Council President, if we can, since she's here, if we can take that at the beginning of the meeting and then she can say a pass. Thank you.

You want to go before public comment? before public comment.

So we have five minutes. Does anybody have anything else? All right. Well, in five minutes, we will

reconvene for council meeting oh i'm sorry councilmember hoey yeah real fast i just want to let everybody know um there was a few of us at swearing in last week we have 21 new police recruits and i was very impressed with the diversity And we also have 10 peace officers that were actually sworn in, and they start right away. And we had one transfer officer. I think he came from Menance. So on the public safety side, with having enough police officers, we're starting to make some kind of progress. I just want to make everybody aware. Thank you.

Thank you so much. We will reconvene in four minutes.

Thank you. Yeah, I don't know. Thank you.

Members, please take a seat so we can get started.

Seats.

OK, thank you, too. Thank you, and welcome to our Monday, June 1, council meeting. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Adams.

Present.

Anani. I know he is here. Something must have stepped out. Ballarin.

Here.

Brody. Present. Farrell. Here. Flynn.

Present.

Hoey. Present. Johnson. Johnson. Jones.

Present.

Keegan.

Here.

Lumpkin.

Present.

Powell. Present. Robinson.

Here.

Williamson.

Present.

Zehmer. Here. 15 present.

Thank you. I feel like this mic is on whisper. OK, so we'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Thank you. We'll start with Ms. Farrell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to take Resolution 546126R out of order. I move to take Resolution 546126R out of order.

Thank you. Can I get a second?

Second.

All those in favor say aye. Aye.

motion passes mr. Hoey thank you mr. president I noticed resolution 54 61 26 R and asked for its passage by a roll call vote Thank You mr. Hoey a resolution of the Common Council appointed Lillian Garland as a member of the community police review board discussion mr. Hoey Thank You mr. president Lillian Garland came before the Public Safety Committee interviewed and was passed out unanimously with a positive recommendation and I hope my fellow council members will vote for her tonight further mr. Johnson Thank You mr. president I would just like to say what about miss Garland she has a deep

rooted commitment to our city. She's a person that you can call. And she'll tell you that you can call on her and when you call on her, she'll be there to respond. So I was excited to see that she's going to be joining the board. And, you know, I'm excited to see what this board produces. I think it was a great choice. Thank you.

Mr. Robinson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, I have the pleasure of sitting on the Public Safety Committee. And I was present during the interviewing process with Miss Lillian Garland. You know, she had HER CONVERSATION WAS DEFINITELY DEEPLY ROOTED IN KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, WHERE SHE LIVES AND WHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, MAJORITY WHERE SHE WOULD BE SERVING, WHERE THERE MAY BE POLICE COMPLAINTS AS FAR AS MISCONDUCT. i know that it was certain conversations that because of of a statement that was made uh you know that that draw that drew some of the council members you know to um have concerns about her appointment you know but i can assure you that you know she clearly understands you know what it means where you know When things are in litigation, how important it is for her to have that integrity and make sure that it's not out of context on any level. Also, I serve the community where she lives. I've been in politics for the last 12 years or more. She is on the front line of community concerns, rather than dealing with the seniors. rather than dealing with youth and development. She's just always there, like my colleague, Councilman Johnson, has said. And I do, you know, ask that this full body, you know what I'm saying, pass her, you know what I'm saying, out unanimously so that she can, you know what I'm saying, get to work and continue to do the great work that she has been doing, you know what I'm saying, over the years in the community. Thank you. Ms. Farrell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also just wanted to note something that I said in caucus that I've been fortunate to know Ms. Garland for many years and have also served with her on different committees. I've known her completely through community involvement, but she also has some great experience when it comes to community and specifically police as being a member of acpac and other things that she mentioned earlier so i'm very pleased that she's willing to be part of the cprb and i look forward to um co-sponsoring this thank you thank you mr anani uh thank you mr president i just want to share um my my support for

the appointment of Lynn Garland as a member of the Community Police Review Board. As many of you know, we've had some challenging times the past couple of months, but we are in a brighter place. due to some of the new members and also our staff on the CPRB board. And I believe that this is such a great addition to really get us where we need to be. The residents of Albany voted in support of the CPRB existence. And we just want to just commend all the individuals that are interested in serving on such an important board. For me, it goes no surprise. The Garland sisters have been giving back to this city for a very long time, and this is just another example of that great work. So I just want to commend Lillian Garland for putting her hat out there, and I fully support this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Anani.

Anyone else? No?

OK. Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Adams.

Yes. Call the sponsor, please.

Anani. Ballarin.

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Brody? Yes. Farrell?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Flynn?

Yes, co-sponsor.

Hoey?

Yes.

Johnson?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Jones? Yes, co-sponsor please.

Keegan? Yes, co-sponsor please. Lumpkin?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Powell?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Robinson?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Williamson?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

zamer yes cosponsor please 15 in the affirmative motion passes welcome miss garland okay thank you so back to our regularly scheduled program We will start our public comment period. Due to the number of speakers, we are going to do three minutes per speaker. When you sit, give us your name and address. And there's a timer on the table. Mind the timer. Once it's yellow, you'll have a minute left. When the red light comes on, please stop talking. Madam Clerk, please call the first speaker.

Our first speaker is Tolani.

All right. Good evening to the council president. The day is majority leader and the council members. My name is Talani Alomari, and today I am acting as the NAACP Health Community Health Committee chair. And I have two events to share with the public as well as about as the council body. The first event is the NAACP Freedom Luncheon. Now, at a time where voting rights are under attack, racial disparities are widening, and hard fought civil rights protections are challenged across the country, We cannot afford to be silenced, divided, or complacent. The work of the Albany NAACP remains critical today as it did in 1935 when we had our first meeting at Israel AME Church. Our communities are facing barriers to equitable education, economic opportunity, and healthcare access. and full participation in our democracy this fight for justice is not history but is happening right now so we're asking for our community leaders businesses and allies to support the naacp biennial freedom lunch freedom fund lunch on sunday june 7 2026 at the dual at dunes at 2 p.m. Our guest speaker is Sheriff Jacqueline Salvatore of Columbia County. She is the first black woman ever elected to be in that county, and I believe she might be the first in the state. We are also honoring Israel AME Church being one of our first partners in the city of Albany. So I do have flyers available, and I will give those out to everyone or however I can. And to the people in the room, I will also share the flyers with as well. Now, for the second hat, first off, first, happy Pride Month, happy Caribbean Heritage Month, and why I am here. Happy Men's Health Awareness Month. So this month, the NAACP is hosting a series of events that will tackle men's health, mind, body, and soul. So we have five events starting June 16th where we're going to discuss carrying the weight. It's going to be a panel discussion discussing stressors, traumas, emotional health and well-being, and spiritual health and well-being. And our moderator for the event is Donna Pleers, EDV, and we have other special guests that will be on that panel as well. That event will be held at Love Albany Center, 8 Kate Street. We also have our Father's Day community gathering where we'll celebrate the fathers at Macedonia Baptist Church. we'll have our know our numbers during our general meeting where we'll discuss how do we get access to how we get access to free health care knowing our numbers and what those numbers mean as well as oh i have some time left 10 minutes the time is up time is up okay well i have flyers to give out for those events i hope to see you all at those events thank you

Madam Clerk, please call the next speaker.

Our next speaker is Canyon Ryan.

Please show me your card.

Hello. My name is Canyon Ryan. I reside at 25 North Pine Ave, and I'm the executive director of United Tenants of Albany. And I'm here for three reasons. One, I'm the data center. Not a good idea. Very unpopular with most everybody, and I think, you know, there's some good discussion about this earlier. This is not a UTA position, but just a me position, though I do think housing would be a great use of that land. that's neither here nor there i'm sure there will be more discussions about that in the future i wanted to talk about two things primarily first we have a bunch of tenants here from thurlow terrace tenant union otherwise known as thurlow terror they've been trying to compel the landlord to meet with their union in good faith we did participate in some brief negotiations but they refuse to address the quality of life issues beyond some staff changes, which are important, but they're not actually participating in changing the conditions of the apartments, which are really what mobilized these tenants to get active, come together, and build a majority, super majority tenant union. So that's very important, and you'll hear much more about that tonight, I'm sure. I'm also here to talk about the resolution in support of the REST Act, which otherwise is known as the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants Act. This is a bill at the state level that would make it easier for the City of Albany and other municipalities in Upstate and Long Island to opt into rent stabilization. FOR MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, YOU LIKELY REMEMBER THAT THE CITY IN 2019 PASSED A RESOLUTION TO OPT INTO THE EMERGENCY TENANT PROTECTION ACT FOR UNSTABILIZATION, RELEASE AN RFP, NO BIDS, COVID, RELEASE ANOTHER RFP, SAID, OKAY, THIS RFP THING IS NOT WORKING, LET'S GET GOOD CAUSE EVICTION, GREAT IDEA. But when we did in 2024 finally complete our vacancy study, we found that the city did not have a vacancy rate that qualified it for the Emergency Tenant Protection Act. So rest makes it easier for municipality to opt into rent stabilization by eschewing the vacancy study being the only means of opting into rent stabilization, instead allowing a municipality to consider publicly available data, such as things that you would equate with a housing crisis, like the homelessness rate, supply of affordable housing, demand for affordable housing, rent burden ratio, which we know is almost the majority of tenants, and the quarter of tenants are severely rent burdened, spending more than 50% of their monthly income on rent alone. So it would allow a city to consider that kind of data rather than spending tens of thousands, up to hundreds of thousands to opt in to rent stabilization, which is a burden on a city like Albany, which we know is very tax poor. It also modifies the year built requirement from 1974, the year that ETPA was passed, to 15 years prior to the current date on a rolling basis, thus allowing more tenants to be eligible for rent stabilization. and decreases the maximum or minimum allowable unit count per building to be eligible from six to four. That doesn't mean that the city has to opt in at four units or more, being eligible for unstabilization, but it allows it to be more considerate of the housing stock in upstate New York. Thanks so much.

Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is James Giacalone.

Good evening. My name is James Chocolone. I live at 33 Trinity Place in the Second Ward. I'm a tenant organizer and the co-chair of the Capital District Democratic Socialists of America. I've been working with the tenants of Thurlow Terrace since the first flyers for the first organizing meeting went up in September of last year. Of the seven apartment complexes I've had the pleasure of organizing at, the Thurlow residents have by far faced the worst conditions and fought the hardest to have their voices listened to. I've heard truly harrowing reports of abuse of all kinds suffered by these people, members of our community who are already especially vulnerable on account of their age and disabilities. It's absolutely shameful that our tax dollars are going to a company so completely disinterested in providing even a basic level of care and wellbeing to our elders. And while it's a relief that many of the worst actors have recently been removed from the site staff, remaining staff still treats residents with disrespect and management refuses to bargain in good faith with tenants to begin to resolve their enormous list of issues. These tenants have taken a significant risk in coming here and speaking out today as their landlord has already proven to be manipulative and vindictive. and I hope the council will take their words to heart and will act to protect them and ensure that management returns to the bargaining table and participates in good faith until their situation is duly approved. Separately, I would be remiss if I did not also speak on the proposed Kenwood Data Center. I know the council was speaking on this before the general meeting, and I apologize if I'm going over some ground that's already been covered today. I spoke to a few of you last week to glean what the council's current position on the proposal was likely to be, and Council Member Williamson was kind enough to invite me to share with you today a moratorium that I had written based in part on similar moratoria that had been passed across the country in the last year and reworked to the best of my abilities to fit the City of Albany. I'm sure it would require some modifications to align with city norms, but I believe the core content should stand here. While I and many of the residents I've organized with are in favor of an outright ban on large-scale data centers, it is critical that at the very least a moratorium is put in place such that no data center is built before the council has the chance to thoroughly research the subject and establish the appropriate protections. In Fayetteville, Georgia, a data center drained 30 million gallons of water without the knowledge of the utility company until, that is, local residents started to complain about their low water pressure. Last month, a study found that a data center near Phoenix was blowing so much hot waste air toward the city that it was raising ambient temperatures by as much as four degrees, and this in a city already dealing with record numbers of deadly three-digit days. In Doagaiac, Michigan, residents have filed a lawsuit against the owners of the local data center on account of the constant and excessive noise the structure creates and with similar complaints coming from Sterling, Washington. I don't think I need to chastise the council on this today. I think public outcry has been strong and we're already in agreement on the issue, but I do need you to act quickly in order to give yourselves the proper time to give this very serious issue some very serious consideration as the private sector is hoping they can sneak it before Sneak in before you've had the chance to realize what they're doing. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Audrey Lemon or Lyman.

Good afternoon. My name is and the reason why I'm here today because I feel like some members of the council is very crooked and the reason being on the third ward. My aunt has been living was living on Sheridan for many years. She was not just to live there, but she owned a church, she owned interfaith, and she had plenty of housing that she housed people into. She did a great work. So they named the street after her. And she was recognizing everything else. So not too long ago, well, this week, they wanted to, someone told me they was gonna rename the street Mother Lumpkin's Way. So I went to them and asked, what do Mother Lumpkin have to do with Sheridan Avenue, even South Hawk Street? She has no works there. And so I went to the common leader, Lumpkin, and I asked them, and it ain't nothing I can do about it. He was very nasty. His attitude was disgusting. And I feel like this. how is it she don't have no way she lives on Pennsylvania Avenue I told him she lives on Pennsylvania Avenue put your mother's name up on Pennsylvania and why come down here on Sheridan Avenue so he got nasty instead of him having a decent conversation because he's a person of the community he was disgustingly nasty and so when things that happened with that it went along after that was all said and done he even was telling the family members I'm trying to stop something but On Article 18, it says you're not supposed to do that. It's a conflict of interest. So if it's a conflict of interest, why did it go through? And why did the Commons say that was okay? So I need to know the rules here so anybody can put their name on any block without any works or anything. And when I approached him, he was nasty with a disgusting attitude. And for that, I think that If y'all gonna, they need to be very careful who they put on the Common Council as opposed to leading a ward or anything. Because if your attitude is not right, you have no business on it. And they should not even have a record or anything sitting on a Common Council and then got a nerve to be nasty. You're not on the community to represent your family and yourself. If you in it for that, you don't need to be on the Common Council or anything. So if you want to honor your mother, and let's be clear, I have nothing against mother-in-law. She's a good lady. She's doing a lot of work. But on Sheridan Avenue, they should have honored her where she lived at, not down on Sheridan after she can get. And then he wanted to have this big old parade and everything for her until he found out the city told him, You got to pay for it. I guess that went through the traffic. Nobody didn't block the street or anything. And he showed and come up with no money. It's one thing to talk a talk, but you got to walk a talk. And it's disgusting how you got people.

Your time is up. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is May Saunders. We'll grab the microphone to bring to her.

I'm Mae Saunders, and I live at 2 Thurlow Terrace. Terrace. Sorry. Life is not so good at Two Thurlow Terrace. The drug dealers have taken over. The drug users, the crackheads march in and out. I play cards in the community room. All the action starts around 11 o'clock at night. We have addicts that live in the building, which has brought this traffic to our building. So I'm here asking for help. I'm going to be 83 in one month. I want peace. I want heat in my apartment. I don't want mice running over my feet. I don't want drug addicts living next door to them. I don't want drug dealers in my building. And it's getting out of hand. So we have asked the owners to do something about it. I don't think they want to tackle the job. Now, I hear that somebody is getting evicted that do the drugs, so I'm hoping that the owners will start to listen to us. And basically, life is just not good there. And since we started the union, of course, you know, they tried to make us suffer. They gave us no heat when it was six degrees. We had to sleep in jeans and stuff to stay warm that night. The building is half of seniors that we take blood thinners and stuff. We already called. One tenant, they're going to send an electric heater to her.

She got to pay the bill for that. You're supposed to be giving us rent.

Our rent money pays for all of these items. It pays for exterminator. They will tell you that, oh, we send exterminator every month. But it comes in with a little box for ants. I got mice. I got to buy mice baits and put down in front of my stove and stuff. I shouldn't have to live like that. I don't want to take up any more time, but thank you for listening to me.

Thank you, Ms. Saunders.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Herman Johnson.

Can you hear me? Or do I need to? Oh. Hi. I don't know how to address the assembly like we do in church. Who do you give honor to? But anyhow, I just want to humbly speak to you about Third Low Terrace. I've been there 23 years. I've had seven different administrators. I've had financial troubles, disrespect, and thievery. It's not flesh and blood we're talking about here. We're talking about respect of living place. And then when you get to a certain age, My brothers and sisters that are here will attest to me about what I'm going to say, but I don't want to elaborate on what is really happening. And all that you heard is true. So I've been told that I've had drills stolen from my place. administrator told me, hey, you're paying the top rent, but even if someone is paying $200 a month, you don't have no say about what I have to say. Is that disrespect, when I don't have nothing to say? I am very reluctant to name two of the people that are leaving now. very important people that that should shouldn't really be there what I think is there should have a clean clean sweep of the building and start anew you know but we're not fortunate we're left with a lot of toxic stuff so we'll probably be back here again if this is not approved about the lack of that's still at their low terrace. It's sad. The gentleman said Taro's Terrace. It's Haro's Terrace as well. This is my first rodeo, so I'm a little nervous about this, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to express, that it is bad. It is really bad. And we've had people, some of you that are here, were elected by Thurlow Terrace. And we're proud of those people that we elected. Why can't we get a return? Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Richard Johnson.

I'm not here to talk about their little tears, I'm here to talk about the landlords and why we are paying outrageous prices for our apartment. I got my in my apartment, I got roses in the apartment.

You can have you got to pay my rent every month if you can state your name make sense, man.

Sir, you state your name.

My name is Richard Johnson. Thank you. And now they got a revitalization program downtown where I get woke up to Bulldozers and all kinds of stuff all hours of the day man. No sleep down there. I Don't know if this is something that that I'm supposed to live with But I don't want to live with it man But I can't afford to move nowhere else So I got to stay there but Now me and the cat are doing overtime the cat works at night. I work in the daytime It's crazy The cat's got to be the exterminator because the landlord don't want to do his job. I don't know. I'm just looking for a simple resolution to this problem. That's all I can ask for is a simple resolution to this problem. How do we get the landlord to do what they're supposed to do? I shouldn't have to go to the corner store on a fixed income and buy mice and roach spray and all of that stuff. That should be the landlord's responsibility, not mine. I don't know, man. It seems like every time I come, the problems are bigger. Instead of going away, they just keep growing, man. That's all I got, man.

Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Liz Sanchez.

Hi, my name is Liz Sanchez. I'm one of the tenants at Thurlow Terrace. I'm sorry, I'm still going. I moved to Thurlow Terrace to be close to my disabled son 14 years ago. My son just passed in February, so. But my main reason for speaking at this meeting is the conditions of Thurlow Terrace. You would think that for senior citizens you would have a better place to live in, but it's not so, at least not in Thurlow Terrace. I thought of moving, but as, again, being that my son was close by at 400 Hudson, I remained. But what has been going on in this place between the robberies, the robberies that are performed by people living there, not so much living there, but the workers itself, because there's only three people in that building that have master keys. Now it's down to two. The office and before it was two maintenance men that were doing a number since I moved in there, including just entering the apartment without no reason. I had once stated to one of them, he's out now, I says, I found out that you're in my apartment one more time or that you opened up my apartment. Without no cause, they're gonna find a dead Carlos on the fifth floor. Of course, I didn't mean it, but it scared him enough that he didn't come back. I don't mean any harm for anybody, but I'm just pissed that I have to live with so many drug dealers or people that feel that because they hire a felon and they give him a master key that he has the right to watch when the people are going out to appointments or hanging out in the community room so he could go into their apartments and steal whatever little money they may have or their food. I don't have to hang out in the community center to hear all this. I'm glad that we have a union rep. I used to belong to Teamsters, so I know how good it is to be a union member. But the bottom line is that something has got to be done. I know one, the executive director has till the 5th, and they updated another one. But the maintenance man that they have now, and even though I'm afraid because we have no security cameras facing our apartment buildings.

Thank you, ma'am. Your time is up.

We need to have security cameras. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Douglas Gillian. Hi.

My name is Douglas Gilliam. I've been living where I am now at Two-Thirlow Terrace for about 20 years, actually 20 years and four or five months, something like that. And I've seen a lot of things go on. And it's sad because the things that I see go on, I get no help. People ignore you, things like that, especially new coming people. I've seen people come in, move out, have certain incidences with certain other ones there and people die and pass on. Some have problems, some cause problems. So there's times when I'm trying to maintain my own apartment, do things like I'm supposed to do, follow ordinances, but I shouldn't have to come to where I have to break up situations. It shouldn't be where I have to worry about apartment issues and things like that. I got robbed for $600, two Windsor chairs and a vacuum cleaner. I reported the vacuum cleaner being used. But as I know, it wouldn't do any good because in the office, their policy is under who hired them. They cannot get involved in any police matter. And I don't have proof to argue about a vacuum cleaner no more than $600, although I know the one that done that. And I don't want to use the name because I have no proof. I didn't have no cameras or anything at that time, and it had to have been about at least four years ago, four or five years ago. And the sad thing about it, all of that I don't care about. But why can't the ones that are either working there, and it's no mystery for that fact that they just don't clean up on Iraq and change. And then I notice as Lucas comes in that works here, I can say this because I spoke to him, and he's the one that decides who moves in. But they don't allow him to have stronger screening. The police screening is two years. Then it jumps to five years. But what gets me, you have people that will move in, pretend that they're moving in, but the ones that are really filing for that apartment have something worked out with the one they have filing it for them, which is strange. Because once they get their apartment, then the real crazy one moves in, and nobody knows what's going on. Nobody knows nothing. That's the sad thing about it. And then I talked to the woman from Schenectady that has something to do with the CEOs of the building. I brought up about, well, if you can't afford cameras or nothing, well, hang up mirrors. Mirrors don't cost much or nothing. So then I tried to make another suggestion about that to her when she was at the building and she kind of like. looked at it like it doesn't mean nothing. Well, there goes your mirror idea, Doug. And I'm thinking, well, why answer me in that uncommon sense, you know? And you can't really talk to them because they're at a defense against you. People that either own the building and they regulate it through the office they don't see what's going on they're not living there they're not there they're not there when they're doing the screening as far as the five-year amendment to your people moving in and it still goes on today thank you and i there's only they have mirrors when the power comes out all right i'm sorry but that's the way it is thank you our next speaker is bevin francis

Good evening. It's nice to see you up there, Kelly. My name is Bevin Francis, and I'm the lead organizer with United Tenants of Albany. And I'm here tonight on behalf of the Thurlow Terrace Tenant Union and the residents who are fighting for safe, dignified housing and the right to be heard. It is a damn shame that these seniors have to refer to their home as Thurlow Terror, and that is what they call it. Over the past several months, tenants at Thurlow Terrace have come together to form a union because they are facing ongoing problems in their building, and they felt that they had no other choice. They have organized democratically, presented their concerns collectively, and built a super majority tenant union out of 150 units in that building. And they have repeatedly attempted to engage ownership and management in good faith. Unfortunately, that good faith has not been returned. Despite multiple meetings, ownership has refused to meaningfully negotiate with the union or address many of the concerns raised by the tenants. Residents report feeling dismissed, disrespected, and ignored, and terribly afraid. You've heard it over and over again, they're afraid. Rather than recognizing the tenant union as a legitimate voice for the people who live in the building, ownership has chosen a path of obstruction and delay. At the same time, tenants continue to raise concerns about conditions in the building and allegations of misconduct by staff. I'm talking about I've been in the building. I have heard these maintenance men refer to these people as shut up, you stupid N-word. All right? I'm talking about seniors. I've heard these people in my own ears talk to these people this way. Ownership believes that they have good staff that they want to protect, not their tenants. When tenants organize to improve their homes, they are met with indifference instead of solutions. It sends a dangerous message that their voices do not matter. We know that ownership thinks that their voices do not matter, but I believe that the city of Albany knows that these tenants' voices matter. Housing is a human right. Tenants should not have to fight simply to be treated with respect or to have their concerns taken seriously. The people of Thurlow Terrace deserve a landlord who bargains in good faith, responds to complaints, and recognizes that tenants have the right to organize without facing union busting tactics or retaliation. And tonight, I'm asking that this council stand with the tenants of Thurlow Terrace. We need our elected officials to publicly support their right to organize, demand accountability from their ownership, and to ensure that tenants are treated as partners in decisions that affect their lives and homes. I also would like to state my support for the REST Act resolution. That's the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants. We need REST now. And finally, I'd like to close with no data centers anywhere ever. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jerry M. Jerry M.

Good morning, members. My name is Jerry Murphy. I live at Thurlow Terrace. I've been there since July 2005. The first owner, no place is perfect. We all know that. Our first, am I allowed to mention names at all? our first owner Jack Foley somewhat of a craggy old stuffy guy but eventually we were able to work with him and he even gave me his personal cell phone number because I had been very involved with management as a resident there to keep an eye on things and they used to call me the policeman you know but I never took any any untoward action or anything like that. I just kept an eye on things in order to help management and the residents. then the building was sold and I went to every single meeting here in City Hall and in other venues around the city when the new owners new owner was trying to get all of the approval from City Council and whatever other entities had to approve him since then it's been hell on earth The management people treat us, well, act like Nazis. I hate to be as definitive as that, but they were acting as just like Nazis and trying to control us. The manager that just left, they like to call him the executive director, but he was nothing more than a... can't think of the word, sorry, bully, but nothing but a bully, and any time that I would go in there and ask for, or with a complaint, he would totally ignore what I wanted to say, and I even I was told by him that I don't have time to ever read these. I put them away, file them, and they'll take care of themselves. He would not even recognize that we had very serious complaints, complaints that you have heard from my fellow residents. And I want to give thanks and make note about Bevan and Kenyon on my right and James on my left, who have been incredibly helpful. in helping us to organize the union and giving us incredible support throughout this whole effort to rectify things under the new owner and his management team, which has been even the lawyer that he has. Her first name is Bridget. I don't know what her last name is, but she's been just as much a bully personally to me.

Thank you, sir. Your time is up.

That's it.

if you have if you have comments you want to give us copies of we can we can take those and hand them out to the council members thank you our last speaker is torson fullard or fullard excuse me did you sign up for

Is your name Kristen or Kirsten?

Can you hear me okay? Okay, thank you. Thank you for your time today. My name is Kirsten. I'm the daughter of Jerry and also have power of attorney, so I've been very heavily involved in all matters since he's been there, but most especially over the last 10 years. And I have to say that since the current ownership and management has taken over, it is the worst conditions. I know I'm repeating myself, but... I think it's very important for you guys to really take home of the dire situation that is over there. I guarantee that if you guys had any of your family members, you would be sitting in our seats right here talking to you. Follow through for years, there's been zero. There's bullying, there's berating, there's arrogance, incompetence, and untrustworthy. They have been not doing anything in the building. There's no heat. The compliance officer is not even complying with the rules and the regulations for HUD or for the building. Crime is rampant. There are sales in the hallways and the stairwells. The live-in maintenance, whatever he is, still undefined, lets people in. Some members of the staff have supposedly been asked to leave, good riddance. However, there are still other people that need to leave. There's a lot. They allow smoking in the apartments, which is again against federal and building regulations. The owner refuses to add cameras for safety and security. So the quality of life is zero over there. Zero. I literally go home crying because the fact that I have to leave my dad there and then I go home to see my dad, doesn't I? Sometimes he even comes to my place where he can have heat depending on the situation. I mean, it's really deplorable and disgusting that residents have to put up with this. And for so many years we have had meetings, we have had negotiations, we have had meetings with lawyers who, again, my dad said she is a total bully. I actually emailed her legal documentation. She has yet to respond. That's two months ago. So she's an obstructionist. Here to draw attention to these abusive, unacceptable conditions, the owner should not be allowed to get involved in honoring any more property. I believe this was the IDA pilot program. Shame on Albany for allowing this individual to take ownership of this building. He has turned it into I don't even want to say, but it's just really deplorable. The tenants need safety and security. The regional manager and the super who just started about two years ago, he needs to go as well as to live in Stocker. You can't just keep half the staff and then try and start over. We need a clean slate. It really is.

Thank you, ma'am.

something that, I'm putting this all on you now. You guys, what will you do to help these individuals behind you? If this was your mother, your father. Thank you, ma'am.

Your time is up.

Oh, I still have 12 minutes.

No, no. It reset. What?

Oh, why is it? It started with three minutes. Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

All right, Tulsa Park here. I've been officiating basketball for over 20 plus years and 15 years as a certified official whom have officiated over thousands of games. I have the fortunes of officiating at all levels from semi-pro to CYO. In addition, I traveled and officiated in several states all over the place. Upon entering officiating school, I noticed a disproportionate amount of white to black ratio of officials. At that point, I vowed to myself I would learn this craft and go back to the community and press on this information to empower, inspire, and encourage others to take this opportunity to meet more people, see different places, network while yet earning capital while investing in oneself. However, I have been looking forward to partnering with the City of Albany for several years now. Given the fact that the City of Albany has city operated leagues, is a unique and ideal training ground for up and coming officials getting the proper opportunities to have their craft while yet becoming self-employed and creating earning power for themselves in such an economic climate such as exists today can be a viable option for young adults. Furthermore, trainers will get additional training during summer league games and be paired with experienced officials. So in short, I've been working with the city. This is part of my proposal that they asked me for several years ago that I submitted to the Park and Recreation Department. and i never got a response from the response i got was i've been tied up so i've worked again in reaching out to the city of albany the department and i've been not getting response back or whatever and i said to myself this situation is bigger than one person i need to put this before the city and what i'm proposing is you already have a summer youth program that gives two things you have you give stipends to these kids and you have the people. All you need is the expertise to train them. And I'm like, my son has taken on this endeavor, and I can't tell you how it has empowered our relationship and gave him economical gain as opposed to being a young man. So I want to give this back to the community. I work with Junior AIBO. I already reached out to them. They encourage you to work with summer youth programs to bring this out. So you've got summer youth programs, and you've got sites. So what you do is just basically get these kids training, and they'll have a lifelong skill. Some of these kids go to college, and this will be an opportunity for a college to make money while they're in college doing rec leagues. It's kind of endless for them. And the proponent that I put what it was, I have an emotional, intelligent curriculum educational component to go with them. And if there's one place you're going to learn emotional intelligence, it's refereeing sports, because you've got to have that. And so another component with it also is teaching them life skills, about being on time, punctuality, all those things that come with being an official. So it's a great opportunity for young men and women to get an opportunity to learn a lifelong skill and most of the basketball is a heavily prevalent thing in this city so it gives them an opportunity to do something they love and it's a national shortage and our fellow official jack knows this he's an official it's a national shortage so and i've been in concert i spoke to you several times in passing at stewards about this and i said you know i can't rely on one person to be a yay or nay or answer a phone call or email i need this to be on public matters you know this is very important to me And it's not about me, it's really bigger than me, and I gotta make it bigger than just one individual as well.

Thank you, Mr. Foley. Okay, with that, public comment is closed. And now we're to the feedback section. We'll start with Mr. Johnson.

Thank you Mister president and I want to say whoever made that comment about if my mother was living in thorough I would have a hell of a problem with it and I got a problem with what you're going through and as the chair of the housing committee. We just passed local law age out of committee, I'm probably announcing that a little bit too early, but I just want to say that i will be making a phone call over there and possibly making a visit over there because that's unacceptable for our seniors that's unacceptable unacceptable for anyone so you know um i i i'm hurting i'm sorrow i'm saddened when i hear these stories um there's no excuse for that and um and through the housing committee um and working with canyon and others that care uh we and and uh let me not forget my good friend over here who are fighting and and dealing with the day-to-day issues that come up we have to figure something out because it's not right and so i'm It's a lot of things that I could say is not proper right now, how I feel just listening to some of the things that you shared. You shouldn't have to endure that. And hopefully we can figure this out. you know, we have a lot of responsibility, but it's only so much power that we have at the same time. So my thing is just bringing noise and bringing attention to it. So I don't know how we're going to work work through this, but through the housing committee, we're going to do what we can do to address it. I give you my word on that.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Mr. Nani.

Thank you, Mr. President. Like many of my colleagues, we share your concern. And first, I just want to thank all of you for coming today to advocate for yourselves, your families, your neighbors. Organizing is not easy. It takes courage to speak up, to share your experience, and to work collectively towards a positive change. Housing is more than just a roof over your head. There's the foundation of stability, health, and economic opportunity. Every resident deserves to live in their homes in a safe, well-maintained, and treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Tenants should never have to choose between remaining silent and risking retaliation. They should be able to raise concerns about maintenance issues, safety conditions, building operations, and quality of life matters without fear. Open communication and good faith engagement between tenants and property owners, it benefits everyone. And since COVID, all across this city, whether it's 45 Central, 400 Hudson, 400 Central, or even two Thurlow Terrace, some of these management companies have been doing a disservice in our city. and have just completely ignored the tenants in these buildings and i think that again as council members we can't solve everyone's problem but we can help our residents help themselves and we need to do something particularly as it relates to addressing public safety concerns and the maintenance concerns and that's why i'm currently working with staff to introduce legislation that if there's any unit in this city that has 30 units or more, there should be mandatory cameras inside of those buildings. 50 units or more, there should be security guards in those buildings. And this is not just for third, this should be for all buildings in the city of Albany. And also we'll be introducing resolution asking the management company to negotiate with the tenants of Thurlow Terrace in good faith. It is unacceptable the conditions that these tenants are going through. And I also sent a letter last week to building the codes, our city codes, to do a full evaluation of Thurlow Terrace. Listen, I know sometimes we feel powerless because you think that a small group of people, but don't underestimate what a small group of people could do. We're gonna stick together. We're gonna work together, and we're gonna pray together, and we're gonna make sure that they treat all of you with the dignity and respect that you deserve. At the end of the day, they think they're going to prevail and ignore the tenants because they have corporate power. They don't know that at the end of the day, we are going to prevail because we have people power. and we're going to keep on marching, we're going to keep on agitating, we're going to keep on sending letters, we will not rest until they treat all residents, no matter where you live in the city of Albany, with the dignity and respect that we deserve. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Inouye. Mr. Hoey? Thank you, Mr. President. I was kind of bothered by the statement earlier. I was at Mother Lumpkin's street renaming on Saturday. It was a beautiful event, well attended by the community. And the story that Mother Lumpkin told about her life and the struggle really inspired me. I went home and I was like, wow, this is amazing. And I did reach out to my colleague and told him, I said, this was a great event and I appreciate you inviting me to go to it. I'd like to add, though, for the public that When we rename a street, it goes to a committee, and that's a chance if you have a complaint or you don't think it's deserved, you can come into the committee and talk, and then it gets voted on by the full council. But to do something after the event's over, I feel bad for my colleague, and I felt I had to speak up. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hoey. Mr. Flynn.

I'd like to thank Torsten for coming. I didn't even know he was coming to talk about the officials, but thanks for coming. I'll make sure you get in contact with the Commissioner Jones and Robinson to discuss those programs that you're talking about. Thanks.

Mr. Williamson and then Mr. Ballard.

Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate it. I just wanted to say, Mr. Torres, thank you so much for coming. Brother, it's an excellent program. Anything I can do for us there to help you out for the community, I'm here. I just want to let you know that.

Thank you. Mr. Ballerini. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to just speak on two topics that were talked about. I want to echo my colleague's comments. Councilman Hoya, I appreciate you stating. I was also able to attend the event on Saturday. And I just, you know, I don't think we diminish anybody's work by celebrating everybody's work. And just to be clear, this is an intersection where there's two streets. So the other street sign is still there. It's still honoring the work that was done, while on the other side, you honor, you know, the mother lunging and the community work that was done. Again, I don't think by honoring two members in the community, you take anything away from anybody else. I can definitely understand that, you know, for those who may not see that, may see, feel a certain way. But again, both sides are up there for neighbors and community to be proud of. I also want to take the time and thank everyone who came out today. to talk about the issues that are going on in our city with tenant and landlord's relationships. I echo my colleague Anani's statement. When people come out and take the leadership role, hundreds of people that live in that building, but the fact that you have so many people here today representing the issues of everybody else, it makes a statement and it does get movement on your concerns and it does bring these issues to the forefront continue to keep them on the forefront in our city's government, in our state government, and on the federal issues. Because housing is not just a local issue, it is a national issue. Housing and security is a national issue. It is a state issue. And you, you are making sure that it is reminded at the local level day in and day out when you come in and speak. So thank you for that, and thank you for taking the time to come here today and to unite attendance for the good work that you do in our city. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Farrell? Thank you, Mr. President, and I will be brief. I just wanted to note that while I was not able to attend the street renaming, my daughter is in town and it's brief. I have been incredibly inspired by Mother Lumpkin, and I very much appreciate my colleague letting us know her story in this way and I and I will note I've been inspired by every single one of our street name renamings I think it's something that is an absolute privilege to be part of and I think that it is a wonderful thing when we have a corner that we have two incredible people's names on it and I really appreciate Councilmember Lumpkin bringing that forward and us moving on that thank you

Thank you. Any additional comments from members? Mr. Robinson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to reach out to the residents of Thoreau and just want to say to you that, you know, you are in good hands with United Tenants. I had the privilege of standing with them on forming a tenant for another housing complex. that was facing similar issues. And I know how difficult it is, you know, for you to stand out front and speak on the injustice that's happened to you and your living conditions. I know you may be afraid of, you know, what the landlords can do, but I just ask you to stand strong. I ask you that don't be intimidated, you know what I'm saying, by, you know what I'm saying, the threats of being evicted or any other reasons, cousins. stand strong as a unit because those as long as y'all stand as one unified one unit um force and um get your message across you know i'm saying that the conditions is horrible and they need to um improve um i know like i said i have worked with united tennis in in the past and then forming of um um strong um um tenants rights associations and uh you know um I feel real bad for your present living situation at this time, but this is a first step. You're in the right direction. You're in good hands. Stay in the fight, and if you ever need me, I'll be there with you. Thank you.

thank you okay just gonna bring to a close the comments from members moving on to thank you mr. president I offer the May 18th 2026 meetings for approval and mr. Howie

yes second all in favor say aye aye motion passed okay next uh reports of standing committees mr hoey thank you mr president uh public safety committee met on may 20th and interviewed some candidates and we have submitted two candidates for a background check planning economic development and land use committee

met this evening before caucus to discuss Resolution 39-5226R, a resolution of the Common Council declaring itself to be lead agency for the secret review of the Rapp Road Transfer Station project. We had a thorough presentation. um we have you all have reports uh detailing the environmental findings which was of no there were no significant impacts so we we did uh vote this resolution out of committee with a positive recommendation thank you mr zamer mr johnson thank you the housing and community development committee met on the 24th of may to discuss local law h which passed with a favorable

recommendation thank you sir miss farrell thank you mr president president uh council operations and ethics committee will be meeting on june 15th at six o'clock before our next council meeting we will be discussing local law j of 2026 from council member holey thank you keegan

Thank you. The Finance, Taxation and Assessment Committee will be meeting on June 10th following caucus. We will be discussing local law I of 2026, as well as the answers that were received from the mayor's office. And we are hoping to receive additional updates from the mayor's office on the status of the budget.

Thank you. Any further? Okay. Seeing none, next on to consideration of local laws. Ms. Farrell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice Local Law K of 2026 and ask for its introduction.

Thank you. Madam Clerk, please read the law.

A local law amending the Code of the City of Albany by adding Chapter 75, open data policy, adding new requirements that the city must abide by in relation to public records and data.

Ms. Farrell.

Thank you, Mr. President. That will go to law, buildings, and codes. And the rest of the local laws are held.

Thank you. Is that on? I just recognize Mr. Johnson for purposes of the amendment Mr. Johnson I notice local law H and I ask for it to be read and voted on no just the amendment for purpose of amendment the amendment okay all right right can we get a second on the amendment all in favor aye all right we're good and now i know this local law h and acts for it to be read and voted on well it's a law so it's going to have to just the amendment Just the amendment. Okay.

Ms. Farrell? Now the rest of the local laws are held.

Thank you. Okay. On to resolutions. Who's top? Mr. Bowron.

Thank you, Mr. President. I ask that resolution 51.61.26R be noticed and put for vote.

thank you mr baller and madam clerk a resolution of the common council recognizing june 2026 as caribbean american heritage month month in the city of albany any discussion

Mr. Bowron. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm honored to put this forward for a vote today. We are lucky to have such a diverse community in our city with so many different wish cultures and different contributions. So I'm honored to be able to put this forward to honor those from the Caribbean that live in our city, live in our state, live in our nation. their contributions to our country, their contributions to the workforce, their contributions to the arts, the music, and the food. So thank them all for being in our community and a way to recognize their efforts.

Thank you, Mr. Bowen. Any further? Mr. Imani?

Yeah, I just want to stand in solidarity with this resolution. And it's so timely. I think I want to thank Council Member Ballarin. I did see on social media that, you know, there's a group of people that was complaining, particularly as it relates to the city not celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month and whatnot. And it's great to see that council members are thinking about these communities. And hopefully next year we can do some type of celebration for the Caribbean American right here in City Hall, where we can bring some Caribbean food into City Hall. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FOR INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEM NONE. WE'RE ALL CO-SPONSORS OR YOU'RE ALL CO-SPONSORS. A VOICE FOR ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED?

THE MOTION PASSES. Okay. Next, Council Member Keegan.

Is it possible to skip for now? Because Tandra is still on her way from the Troy flag raising. She hasn't arrived yet.

Okay. We'll loop back. Swing back to it. Mr. Anani.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice Resolution 5361.26R and ask for his intro and passage on the roll call thereon. Thank you. Madam Clerk.

A resolution of the Common Council declaring June 5th, 2026 to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day and proclaiming June 2026 as National Gun Violence Prevention Month in the City of Albany.

Discussion. Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today to introduce this resolution declaring this month National Gun Violence Awareness Month and recognizing June 20, 2026 as National Gun Violence Prevention Month here in our city. We have made some strides, particularly our city has seen encouraging reductions in shootings and homicides. but gun violence still continues to impact families, neighbors, and our community as a whole. This resolution is an opportunity to honor those whose lives have been lost, support survivors, and reaffirm our commitment to prevention, intervention, and public safety. I also want to thank my colleagues and also the administration for working together to create the Office of Violence Prevention as well. We are making steps But again, as the police have always said, one homicide is too many, and I want to keep our residents, all of us, to keep our residents safe and remain one of our highest priorities. By recognizing this month, we acknowledge both the progress that has been made and the work that lies ahead. Thank you all. Thank you. Any further?

Mr. Robinson?

Thank you, Mr. President. And I'd like to thank my colleague for introducing this piece of legislation. I sit on the Public Safety Committee, and public safety is at the top of my agenda. I experience gun violence in the community that I represent on a daily basis. I understand that, you know, we as a community, we have to get out in front of this, and we got to do our best to stop, you know what I'm saying, our children and our teenagers from having possession and having these guns in their hands. and not only having their guns and being ready to use them. And again, I commend the mayor's administration for establishing, not even establishing, but taking on the weight of the Violence Prevention Task Force. I believe that that will be a tool in our toolbox to really address the systemic problem that exists in our community. But again, we have to hold our parents accountable. You know, I believe that the child's first teaching begins at home. I believe that through the war on drugs, through the crack academic in the 80s, where that, you know, crack cocaine was 500 to 1 to pallet cocaine. And, you know, it took a lot of fathers out of the homes. And it left the homes, you know what I'm saying, broken. And now the mothers, you know, was dealing with trauma that still, you know, they are winding from. Then, you know what I'm saying, it made the matters worse. You know, we came and we had, you know what I'm saying, a pandemic. You know, children was out of school. So now truancy played a part. So now when they're at home and social media, which is TikTok and other social media platforms to also be held accountable for the behavior, you know what I'm saying, that is, you know, when something is played over and over again in the child's mind, you know, it's psychological. It's like, oh, yeah, this is what it is. This is the norm. So we have a lot on our plate, and by recognizing gun violence this month, I think that was great for my colleague to do. I'm in front of this. I'm head on with this. And I'm just looking forward into the future. There's going to be a lot of conversation dealing with preventive measures to really tackle this in our communities to save our children. And I just hope that my colleagues is on board then as they are now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Robinson. Mr. Johnson.

Yes, I'll just say February 13th, 1993, gun violence changed my family's life forever. So thank you for bringing this to light. Gun violence is nasty because it not only hurts the victim, that is um directly affected by it it hurts the family the community you know it goes in many different directions so each and every time that um a person experiences gun violence in our city it only makes me think about my loss and i can only imagine the effect that is having on others um you know the summer is coming and um a lot of times that's when those guns get active and i'm just hoping that you know we have a concerted effort um to uh be prepared and be proactive thank you thank you mr johnson okay uh every all co-sponsors on this one uh so we'll do a voice vote all in favor say aye aye any opposed

The motion passes. Thank you. On to Mrs. Zehmer.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice Resolution 55.61.26R and ask for its introduction.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

A resolution of the Common Council reappointing Omenike Akemi

as a member of the public education and government access oversight board thank you ms farrell that will go to planning thank you moving on ms powell thank you mr president i notice resolution 56 61 26 r and asford's introduction thank you madam clerk

A resolution of the Common Council reappointing the honorable judges of the Albany City Court, civil parts, and neutral magistrates for the purposes of hearings conducted in accordance with Section 359-149, warrantless seizures of Article 16, unlawful speed contests, sideshows, and races of Chapter 359, vehicles and traffic of the Code of the City of Albany.

Thank you, Ms. Farrell.

will just be an introduction today okay thank you okay next uh miss keegan thank you mr president i noticed resolution 57 61 20 26 r and asked for its introduction and passage via roll call vote

Thank you. Madam Clerk.

A resolution of the Common Council approving the amendment of the finance agreement by and among the Albany, excuse me, the Albany Water Board, the City of Albany and the Albany Municipal Water Finance Authority relating to certain capital projects and authorizing the execution and delivery of certain documents by the city in connection with the issuance of obligations by the Albany Municipal Water Finance Authority.

thank you none Adams yes co-sponsor please yes co-sponsor please yes yes co-sponsor please yes co-sponsor please yes yes

yes coast monster police powell yes robinson yes williamson yes zamer yes 15 in the affirmative thank you the motion passes we will stay with ms keegan it looks like mr brown is here we'll go back

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to notice Resolution 52.61.26R and ask for its introduction and passage.

Thank you, Ms. Keegan. Madam Clerk?

A resolution of the Common Council recognizing and celebrating June as LGBTQ Plus Pride Month in the City of Albany. Ms. Keegan, discussion?

Thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to start out with a quote that Marsha Johnson stated around the time of the Stonewall riots, there is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us. And I think that that is an incredibly powerful statement to think about now in this time, particularly as we are facing such incredible backsliding on LGBTQIA plus rights, particularly the rights and freedoms for those of us who identify as trans. I am proud to live in a city and represent a city that got a near perfect score from the Human Rights Committee when it comes to LGBTQ plus issues. But just because things are going well here in the city of Albany does not mean that we don't have incredible amounts of work to do. There are today 530 anti-gay bills pending across the United States, including five here in the state of New York, and all of those five bills are focused on children and their rights to access sports. We do have some joy this year, though. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of BIPOC Pride, thanks to the work that has been done by In Our Own Voices. And we will have a fully joyous celebration here in the city on June 13th and 14th that will last all weekend long. It's one of my favorite times here in the city of Albany. And I just want to end on talking about representation because representation matters. I have taken on, I guess, some pretty heavy shoulders from Richard Conte as the only LGBTQ plus person on the council. And Ms. Farrell. And it is oftentimes big shoes to fill, especially being handed down those reins from Richard Conte, who survived so much and brought so much advancement to the community here in the city of Albany. So without further ado, I will turn it over to my colleagues.

Okay, any further discussion? Mr. Anani?

Hi.

Yeah, I'll keep it brief. As we recognize Pride Month, we celebrate the resilience, contributions, and the diversity of our LGBTQ plus neighbors, friends, and family members. Pride is both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the ongoing work to ensure that every person is treated with dignity, respect, and an equal opportunity. As we observe pride, let us recommit ourselves to treating one another with kindness, respect, compassion. Let us continue to build a community where differences are celebrated, where all voices are heard, and where every resident knows they belong. I want to thank my colleague, Councilmember Keegan for introducing this resolution and all my colleagues for supporting this resolution as well. Thank you.

Mr. Ballarin. Thank you. I'll be brief. I just want to take a second and thank all the organizations that have been working on these issues for decades. It has not been easy work. It has been wins and defeats and wins and defeats and wins and wins and then defeats. But there's still more wins ahead. and I appreciate the work and the steadfulness and the consistence of coming out time and time again when the winds are at your back and when the winds are pulling you in all sorts of directions to stay focused, stay committed, and remember that everybody deserves to love who they want to love any way they want to love them, and no one should tell them anything but that. So thank you to all those organizations because, you know, people forget it was just 11 years ago that people couldn't get married if you were part of the LGBTQ community. So it wasn't that long ago. It wasn't that long ago in our country, and that work is still being pushed forward, and there's still hurdles that need to be overcome. But I just want to thank everyone that's worked in the many different organizations that we have in our city. We're lucky to have these organizations. We're lucky to make it so that people feel safe and feel welcome in our community. And I just want to make sure they know we appreciate their hard work.

Thank you, Mr. Bowen. Yes, Ms. Brody.

I just want to say, as the person who's actually physically sitting in the seat that Rich Conte used to have, I am very aware of the big shoes that we all have to fill and that I was really pleased this morning to be able to stand with him at the Pride flag raising. I think it's sort of on the shoulders of the giants of men like him who've come before that we all stand. And I think what, Kendra, you and Deb said this morning, too, rings true. And I think it bears repeating here that how we show up for each other every day is a choice. And this city has made a lot of unbelievably affirming choices in how we not only support and protect one another but how we take pride in each other and that diversity is an attribute and it's something that brings joy to our lives so it is not an accident that we're celebrating the 20th anniversary of BIPOC pride thanks to In Our Own Voices. The Sixth Ward is the very proud home of the largest pride parade in the Northeast outside of Boston and New York. Again, that's not an accident, that is a choice. We have, I was just talking to the parade organizers this morning, we have record number of people who have who are participating in the parade. And that is an incredible outward sign. And what I think I'm going to be looking to do, and I think all of my colleagues will as well, is carrying that forward in the other 11 months of the year. Pride is an extraordinary celebration, but I think we need to do the hard work every day around the clock as well. So we'll be looking to organizations like In Our Own Voices, the Pride Center, and all the incredible advocates, Rich Conte and others, who are still doing this important work in the neighborhood to keep us honest and keep us informed what we need to be doing starting July 1st and forward as well. So looking forward to not just the Pride celebrations, but embodying this year round. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, with that, I believe you're all co-sponsors on it?

All in favor say aye. Aye.

Motion passes. Congrats.

Amen.

Thank you.

OK. Back at it. Mr. Ballarin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I ask the notice of resolution 58 that 61 that 25 are and ask for it to be introduced and move forward for a roll call vote.

Thank you, Mr. Ballarin. Madam Clerk.

A resolution of the Albany Common Council calling on the New York State Legislature to pass Senate Bill S-46-59-C and Assembly Bill A-48-77-C and establish the New York REST Act before the end of the 2026 legislative session to ensure rent stabilization.

Thank you. Discussion, Mr. Ballarin.

Thank you, Mr. President. So the state is working on looking at the current bill, the REST Act, that would make some adjustments to the rent stabilization state policy. Some of the big adjustments are that it would eliminate the vacancy study. As many of you know, we've been on this conversation 2019 since then Councilwoman Judy Del Che introduced a resolution for us to go out to do a study. We did a study in well everybody knows what happened in 2020 and then that kind of slowed things down a bit with getting entities to get involved. But we did do a study back in 2024. And the study came back with, I think, an 8.2, 8.3 number, which is above the 5% threshold, which is currently the state's barrier. As many of you know, my position on this is that the system is not designed to give you the most accurate information. The way it's designed is it is a self-reporting by the property owner. And if the property owner, for any reason, gives inaccurate information and it can be proven that it's inaccurate, there's only a $500 fine for that. So the risk and the incentive for miscommunication or mismanagement or just mischief is there. So this bill would eliminate the vacancy study and would allow municipalities the flexibility to look at other barriers that our city may be facing. Are we rent burdened by a good percentage of our city population? Has our homeless rate increased over the last few years? And how do we want to have it structured? It gives us that flexibility. It takes away the burden on municipalities to pay for a study at a time where all municipalities are trying to save, especially upstate municipalities. We paid $75,000 for our study. That's a lot. And right now, I don't think we would be in a position to take that type of expense. So if that's us not being able to take that expense, imagine all the other cities and municipalities that would like to consider this but don't have the resources or the flexibility to be able to fund a vacancy study. So this resolution is asking the state, there's I think four days left of session, maybe more, maybe five, to get in the room get this figured out because our city and our state wants to have more options and this is just one more option the city the state can give local municipalities to try to address this issue which is like I said it before housing affordability is not just a local issue it's not just a state issue it's a national issue anything we can do at the local level we should be looking at so I so the bill is to encourage our state lawmakers to give us some more options in trying to address this issue thank you thank you mr. Johnson I just want to say in the words of Jimmy the rent is too damn high Macmillan these rents are out of control

you know i i just say in my own i always use my own um situation my rent is almost one up uh 300 or or you know more and they haven't done a damn thing to my apartment and and so i just don't understand how uh it's come to this you know each year you know they tell you about expenses for um the building but that doesn't touch inside of your building so um you know i've told my story many times there's 10 airbnbs in my um building running at you know so it's a hotel um so to speak so we are trying to take measures and we are making noise and we are bringing attention to the rent it's too damn high so thank you for um introducing us and and let's go thank you mr johnson mr nani

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to commend my colleague for always being on the forefront of housing issues, particularly when it comes to our city. We've come a long way, particularly with whether it's inclusionary housing, good cause eviction, and small forms of right to counsel. I represent a ward where the vast majority of my residents rent apartments, and I hear all too often the challenges of many of my constituents struggling to pay rent. The data shows it. Our city has increased number of families paying 50% or more of their household income on rent. Mind you, the threshold for affordability is 30% of your income. We've seen numbers of affordability plummet. Rental units plummeted in Albany from 2009 to 2024. And we'll show even further drop past couple of years one of the biggest challenges facing is that able to pay rent let alone hoping that it doesn't increase the following year there's an important issue i want to thank my colleague for introducing this resolution and to all the tenants out there we have your back thank you thank you okay i believe we no adams yes

Anani?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Ballarin? Yes. Brody?

Abstain.

Farrell?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Flynn?

Yes.

Howie?

Yes, co-sponsor please. Johnson? Yes, co-sponsor.

Jones? Yes, co-sponsor please.

Keegan? Yes, co-sponsor please. Lumpkin?

Yes, co-sponsor please.

Powell? Yes. Robinson? yes co-sponsor please Williamson yes co-sponsor please yes thank you the motion passes I

Oh.

Which one?

Oh, I skipped it. Back up. Miss Zamer. Maybe I need to start highlighting.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice Resolution 59-61-26R and ask for its introduction.

Thank you, Ms. Sammer. Madam Clerk?

A resolution of the Common Council reappointing Deborah Y. Brown as a member of the PEG Education and Government Access Oversight Board.

Thank you. Ms. Farrell? That will go to planning.

Thank you. Okay. Now, Ms. Powell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice Resolution 3950-26R. I ask for it to be read and voted on.

Thank you. Madam Clerk.

A resolution of the Common Council declaring itself to be lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review of the Rapp Road Transfer Station project, declaring such action to be a Type 1 action and making a negative declaration as to the environmental impact of such action.

Thank you. Discussion?

Thank you. As Councilmember Zamer stated before, we had a presentation at Planning today related to CHAs, as they were the consultants on this matter, their report, which was incredibly comprehensive. I believe everybody has it now. Several members were present where they discussed some of the concerns that were flagged as potential issues and there were no positive findings. it's very comprehensive i encourage my colleagues to all review such a report this is just the next step of this project to put the transfer station at rap road so there are residential properties there we talked about potentially needing to take them by eminent domain but there is a um there was a deal reached and we don't have to proceed with that. So there are three parcels of land where they're going to put the transfer station and this is just the next part of the process. Again, we're the lead agency so I think that declaring us a lead agency was part of previous legislation that my predecessor Hyde Clark had passed had sponsored and the previous councils passed so this is just the next step in that project to move forward in this transfer station so okay mr. Flynn

i just want to say that i know that the uh safe pine bush folks will be here in the next few meetings and uh but i'm confident that the dec and club harvard did an excellent job in their uh evaluation of the property going forward thank you thank you mr flynn hey madam clerk please call the role adams yes yes

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

I'm so sorry. The rest of the resolutions are held because we had miscellaneous. I was like, are we just done?

On to miscellaneous unfinished business. Mr. Hoey.

Yeah, thank you. I don't want to keep everybody on. It's been a long night. But real fast, for 51 years, I've worked in a data center. And it hurts me when I hear people saying the Satan of data centers. There's a time and place for data centers. I agree with that. And whether we should put it down there, there's a lot of hurdles to go over. But I just want to point out that you know with computers and we're in this computer age i mean uh there's cures for cancer there's all sorts of benefits for the people and i mean to just to lump every data center together and say it's no good and we don't want them and i just want to add one more thing i taught for 15 years that's connected to community college and one of my favorite subjects for my students was moore's law Moore was a gentleman in 1968, worked for Intel, and predicted that computer chips would double the memory and shrink in size every 18 months. So this talk about the electric, 10 years from now, it's going to be using less electric than it is now. But I just had to get it out there because it's my business. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Robinson and then Mr. Johnson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to take this time out to go on record, and I want to thank the state delegation for what they did to the city of Albany. I want to thank the mayor and her administration for fighting so hard for that equity funding that's much needed. um i think that was definitely something in the words of sergio adams that we need to be doing flips right now and moving forward you know saying i just can't wait to see you know i'm saying how this current administration you know put us back on a fiscal you know saying balance and move our city forward in the right path thank you thank you mr johnson thank you um i just uh

wanted to put it out there. Three years ago, I filed a claim against the city of Albany, and it still hasn't been addressed. And I noticed that the speedy moves that they they have made in risk recently, and I just would like consistency because, you know, I feel violated, you know, as a person, and I'm still waiting to find the results of and I was told tonight that you know APD is is holding it up so you know there needs to be consistency on each situation and it shouldn't be fast track if it's favorable for APD you know I am against APD but you know right is right wrong is wrong and so you know I'm calling again for uh the the situation that I brought to the attention I filed a complaint and still haven't heard anything and um I'm asking for consistency you know um not just when they think it's in their favor they let this stuff um go by um as fast as they did I'm still waiting um the you know the only thing that's on my mind that I know um i was violated as a as a person um i was uh attacked for doing what i was supposed to do and so i would like um the the uh same attention you know and i would like to see consistency thank you thank you mr johnson mr ballerin

Thank you, Mr. President. And I'll be I'll be quick. I did just want to echo Councilmember Robinson's thanks to the state leadership, our state delegation, our mayor, and everyone who worked hard to get us this funding, which is not a bailout, but a recognition of the unique position that we are in. And I'm saying that because when you occupy 50 to 60% of somebody's land, then you have some responsibility for the expenses of that city. So I am extremely thankful. I am full of gratitude. for everyone who worked hard to make sure that uh and and for our state leadership who's who's recognizing that uh and who's putting us uh in in a better position i'm glad to hear that we are going to still keep a very tight budget we cannot make the mistakes that we did with opera funding there's a lot of things that that we were doing in 2018 and 2019 to tighten the budget and then after covert WE KIND OF RELAX THOSE THINGS AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE KEEP NUMBERS TIGHT AND THAT WE WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FUNDING IS PERMANENT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE PERMANENT AND I AM GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE A TWO-YEAR WINDOW TO WORK WITH THESE FUNDS AND GIVE US SOME STABILITY BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR It should be permanent. This is not a bailout. We are not other cities that have full use of our land. We don't have use of that land across the street. We don't have use of the land up the block. We don't have use of land in Harrisburg campus. That is land that if we could use, We could tax and we probably wouldn't be in the financial situation that we're in. So again, gratitude, gratitude, gratitude, because it saved us from having to make some very difficult decisions that would not have been fair for our residents and for our city. So thank you, Council Member Robinson, for bringing that up. And again, thank you for everyone's hard work on that initiative.

Miss Farrell.

motion to adjourn second all in favor aye