General Services, Health and Environment Committee - Regular Meeting

And if the clerk doesn't or Alyssa doesn't mind going through the role and telling us all who's here, we'd appreciate it. Adams Anani Ballerin Brody present. Pharaoh here. Flynn here. Poe here. Johnson really Keegan here. Lumpin present. Powell present. Robinson

hi. Williamson Zamer, 13 present. Uh, two absent. We are also joined by Council President Kelly Kimbro, research council Robert Wy, corporation council Robert McGee, um, uh, junior policy analyst Alyssa Kamara, junior legislative aid um, Carly Johnson, and myself, Chenica Jackson, city clerk.

Excellent. Thank you so much, everyone. So, we'll go through the agenda. Um, tonight from for approval of minutes from previous meetings, we have the January 5th, 2026, I believe, minutes. Um, we'll also be introducing a law via majority consent. That is council member Zamer's local law amending article three which provides um an increase to the maximum exemption percentage levels applicable to the exemption for senior citizens. That will be referred to finance. We did have a quick rundown from council member Keegan last week, but uh council member Zamr, did you want to speak to it briefly?

Uh nope, not necessary. Thank you. Um this is to provide um additional exemptions that are allowed to New York state law. We do have a timetable for this which is why we've mcded it. We wanted to make sure that it was able to go to committee. Council member Keegan.

Yes. And I I know that we had discussed at a caucus last week wanting to combine all of the finance legislation into one meeting. However, um given the timing of this, we've proceeded to schedule a meeting for the 29th so that it can be voted on on the 2nd so it has time to age um and be signed into law by the mayor by March 1st. That may mean that we have to have a second finance meeting to discuss um the other things that are coming onto the docket for the committee because we just simply have not heard back from the mayor's office or the auditor's office on those staffing bills and they may not be available on that date. But I just wanted everyone to understand and also for those offices to understand why we're proceeding with that meeting on the 29th no matter what. Thanks.

Excellent. We I appreciate the clarification and um and we will you know finance loves to meet. So uh next in resolutions introduced uh we have from council member Zamer a resolution of the common council affirming its commitment to sustainability through the reduction of paper for its meetings. Um that will be a pass. Um I believe and if council members who are interested in co-sponsoring can put their hands up. Okay. Um still say co-sponsor at the end. I just wanted to see if it was an all play. Um, next we have from me a resolution confirming the appointment of Miriam Dixon as commissioner of administrative services. That will go to council operations um and ethics. Um, for everyone's awareness, we are looking to schedule a meeting after the next caucus. Um, and the hope with that is that any members because this is a confirmation, any members that are not on that committee that want to remain, um, they're already you're already here, so you can just stay and, um, ask any questions. That's still in the process of scheduling, so that is not something that's necessarily firm. Um, next from also from me, a resolution approving a transfer of budgeted funds that will change the authorized positions in the 2026 budget which will affect the salary rate or total. Uh, that will go to finance. Uh, next feral uh resolution approving the transfer budgeted funds in the 2026 budget which will affect the salary rate and salary total also

finance. Um then from council member Flynn, a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Molly Finny Larson, Molly Quanduffy, and James William Larson and renaming a portion of Sycamore Street in their honor. That will go to general services. That was already passed through in the last council. Um but we have to go through the process again. Um which is fine. The family wasn't quite ready for it yet. So it's a great opportunity to talk about them again. We will also have a resolution introduced via majority consent feral a resolution from the council approving the transfer of budgeted funds and will change the authorized positions in the 2026 budget which will affect a salary rate or salary total. Um that will go to finance that is uh as people may remember from the last from caucus that is something that's requested by the auditor. We're MCing it so that it can be taken with the other salary changes so we can kind of deal with them all together as a finance committee. Um, normally that's not something that we would MC. We would just allow it to be introduced in the normal way. Um, so that is all of the that's the agenda for tonight. Does anybody have anything they'd like to discuss? Council member Flynn,

I just want to speak for the record that uh Council Member Judet did uh send an email about the resolution uh in reference to the Larsson family, but I did speak to uh Jimmy, the son, and uh he was fine with the way it was written and so we're going to keep it as is because I'm sure Judy's listening. Hi Judy. Um well, we always appreciate um former council member Shay's input and um her diligence and also appreciate your diligence in checking into it. Anything else that anyone has now is an for new council members. Um now is a great opportunity if there's if you have questions, anything like that, we can certainly answer them. If not, we can wait a few minutes until 7 o'clock and people can stretch their legs and all of those good things. Looks like we get to stretch our legs. Um, as time progresses and we have more of an agenda, a lot of times we'll be bumping right up into um the meeting time, but we have a lot of busy lives, so we should take a minute whenever we can get it. We'll be back for the meeting.

before our meeting begins.

Um, just a one quick thing that I missed in our meeting. We'll also be voting for the majority, the new position, the majority whip tonight. that will be done the same way we did the last leadership positions. Um, in the resolution part, a quick reminder, should there be multiple people that are nominated, please only vote yes one time, so plan out your vote and vote for that because we'll if you vote yes more than once, then you might not be voting. Bobby can probably

right ju just the way that they happened last time we had elections. If there are more than if there's more than one person running for the position and the first person receives a majority of the votes, that's going to be the only vote that happens. That person's going to receive the position. So, make sure you decide ahead of time once we know who nominees are, who you're voting for, and only vote yes once to make sure that someone gets majority. That was it. Thank you.

All right. Uh, welcome everyone to the Thursday, January 22nd meeting of the Albony Common Council. Madame Clerk, please call the role. Adams, Anani, Valerin, present. Brody, present. Barrow, here. Flynn, here. Poe, present. Johnson present. Keegan Jones present. Keegan here. Lumpin present. Powell. Robinson. Williamson present. Zamer

present. 14 present. One absent.

Thank you. Will everyone please rise with me for the pledge of allegiance followed by a moment of silence to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for it stands nationice. Thank you. Okay, we don't have any public hearing slated for this evening. So, we'll move on to our public comment period. It's a period for the public to come and comment. You can you have five minutes to speak on any topic you so desire. Uh once you're seated, uh you have the five minutes. Uh we'll need your address, your name and address uh before speaking. And just be informed at this portion of the meeting, council members can't engage. It's not a back and forth. We're receiving information and comment from you all at this point in time. If members want to reply later in the meeting during our uh miscellaneous portion, they can do so. Then with that, Madam Clerk,

our first speaker is Beverly Lions. Yeah, you can start.

My name is Beverly Lions and I live in West Hill and I had a bad experience upon going to West Hill Community Center. We were going to we were going to have a meeting there. And when we got there, we was told that we couldn't have the meeting because we was we would be a liability. But at the same time, there was kids there, there was employees there, you know, so we was a liability. Everybody that was in there, it was a liability. We was told that it was a soft you know, opening. Well, upon leaving out of the center, on the inside gate of the center, there was two employees smoking cannabis, but they were on the inside of the gate of the community and that shouldn't happen. Not when they got to go back inside and work with these kids, you know, and work amongst other people that's in there. That's the thing. that's supposed to be a safe haven for our kids and to to experience that was disappointing. You know, we never thought that would happen and sudden have to happen about it because there's kids there. You don't want an employee regardless of who it is working with your kids and our kids under the influence of cannibis. It was shocking, but it happened and very disappointing to our group because we didn't even get to hold our meeting and it's a sad thing. Something needs to change or to be done about it. That's all I have to say.

Okay. Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker is Cheryl Dosta. Happy doors and gates around here. Hello, I'm Cheryl Drasta. I live in the West Hill neighborhood. And first of all, I would like to uh welcome the honorable Mr. Mark Robinson as our new council member. And I'd also like to welcome any other new council members here. I look forward to seeing what you all can do for us, for all of us in the city. Um, I also wanted to uh, you know, along with Beverly who just spoke and the other ladies, I'm also a member of the West Hill Neighborhood Association and we did have a meeting scheduled. This is my first encounter with the Albany West Community Center in place and it was quite disappointing to be turned away from the scheduled um meeting. Uh anyway, finally um I want to talk about ICE. It's alarming what's happening in our nation and it's also alarming what's happening in our neighborhoods. In the West Hill community, you probably may be aware that we have a very high population of new immigrants and also of people of color. Um, and I think that those are the two communities that really um stand out the most and and and that are really, you know, under attack, but

really it feels as though we all are. I mean, I know that ICE has a job to do, but um I don't think that job should be terrorizing our neighbors and snatching children off of the streets like what has happened in this neighborhood in this in in West Hill. We have had children on their way to school taken off the streets by ICE agents. And I just want to say as a sanctuary city in a sanctuary state, you know, we're looking at increased funding in the ICE budget and we need to think about it. We should have been thinking about it a long time ago. How can we all work together? How can the common council work with the mayor's administration? How can we work with different neighborhood groups and with different groups of community members who are um doing what they can to try and alert people I guess um but also you know something has to change. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you ma'am. Next speaker is Don Hwitt. Good evening everyone. My name is Don Uitt and I am from the West Hill neighborhood. I have three issues. The same is with the community center and it's disappointing. is shocking because the neighborhood is already being talked about and looked down and then having something to enhance our community. Now we have city employees. I saw it. I walked past them. It's right this is the fence and this is the sidewalk. So there is no way that you can miss these two young men who were smoking. and then our kids have to go back in there. The other thing I want to talk about, um, I live on Second Street for the longest and we have alternate parking. The community has changed. It's there a lot of tenants, landlords, and there's so many cars in the street. Tonight I took a ride from one of my neighbor from sh Miss Sherry because if I go back home I wouldn't get a parking. The parking is from 6:00 p. p.m. this evening to 6:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon and that's today and then it's tomorrow. So if you go home at a certain time you cannot find any parking. you have to go all the way over on L um

Lake Street to the other side because now they're tenants. They're not single family home and so people have more than one cars and so it's I'm a senior citizen. I'm 69 years old. That's not fair to homeowners that we you can't come home. Can it not change? Right over on Third Street between Lake and Judson. It's 6 or 700 p.m. in the afternoon to 700 a.m. in the morning. The cleaning trucks passed by 1:00 a.m. But we are just stuck on one side of the street for 24 hours. So that's one that's my one other issue. The other issue is ICE. Again, I lived in the same neighborhood. I am I looked in Hispanic, but I'm not. I'm an American citizen. Since this started, when I got my passport, I got a passport card that I carry with me all the time because if today I was in Lowe's and somebody thought that I was Hispanic. So if people are thinking that I am Hispanic and I look Hispanic, which I'm not, then I could be one innocent American being grabbed off the streets. And it's not fair for us. It's not fair for because I was an immigrant and I came here. We all came here for a better living. And immigrants put a lot into our communities. I've never been on any social service. We have always worked. The immigrant community has always

worked. So now that you're we're being because I still think of myself as an immigrant also as an American and it's just not fair. So whether it's with the governor or whoever, if you guys could please help our brothers and sisters who are coming here for a better living and also are working very hard. Thank you. Thank you ma'am.

Next speaker is Sharon Davis. Good evening. My name is Sharon Davis and I'm the vice president of the West Hill Neighborhood Association. I'm here because We were turned away. We were actually turned away from the community center. This is a center that the West Hill community and there's a number of us here who actually fought to have that community center established. It was supposed to be a safe haven for our children. We seven women who went there to have a meeting was actually turned away. We were told we were a liability. Seven women. We were not even allowed to sit in the lobby to hold our meeting. But this is our community. This is a community center that we fought to have. If we were a liability, then how are you holding programs there? You have a senior program there and you have an afterchool program there, but our children in West Hill are put on waiting list. We are not allowed in that community center. Now, tell me that that's right. This is something that we again fought to have for not only our seniors but also a safe haven for our

children and it's not again we were seven women who asked to hold a meeting there. We were told prior to this that we would actually have a meeting room, but when we made the phone call, we were asked, did we want to rent a room? Rent a room? Explain that to me again. Where was that money supposed to go? Who's going to collect it? And if we were a liability then when we were not going to be a liability. So what I'm asking is the fact that we as West Hill people I think we need an apology. It was seven women who actually asked to sit in a space. I mean, if you couldn't give us a room, there's the lobby. Why couldn't we just sit in the lobby and hold our meeting? But again, we were turned away. And what makes that right? Now again, if our children can't go there because they are now on a waiting list and they are actually occupants or they live in West Hill, but we're being put on a waiting list where there are other programs being held there for other children. There are being programs being held there for seniors that are not part of West Hill. What makes that right? Again, we fought very hard. We sat in a lot of meetings to make sure that that community center

was there and that we had the programs that our children and our seniors and the community could be involved in, but we're being turned away. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am. Our next speaker is Shaquana Lewis.

Good evening. My name is Shuana Lewis. I am a I'm coming from DGS, City of Albany, Sanitation Driver. I am originally a A driver, but right now I'm utilizing my B license. Um, I personally like the job at DGS. I have absolutely no problems with you, you want to say this building have at least a a rate of a thousand employees or more. I have a problem with only one person. And um, it seems to me that this person has a problem with me. Um, because I actually don't have a problem with this person. And um, the person in reference is the labor relation manager, Kathy Igo. Um, I really don't know where to start because I literally went out for a surgery that was causing me a lot of life uh hurting pain that I've been struggling with for over two years. Um, somehow in that time that I was out in a 90-day period, my FMLA was never approved. It was approved upon surgery because papers were given upon the surgery. It was a planned surgery. Um but within that time literally four doctor letters was sent to her. One was picked up by a supervisor which I believe at that time he was a captain. Um all these papers went missing. I returned back to work January 10th. My FMLA was approved January 5th of 200 um five. The problem with that is I have a mental health child that looks up to me um to take care of her. I I don't receive any public assistance, SSI, nothing of that sort. Um this situation caused me to not only go through a financial hardship, but it caused me to move. Um

I it was never even an apology from this woman at all. It was never no compassion from her. Um later right around the time I returned I had a death in the family. Ended up taking a leave of absence for five days after that. Asked her for a paid leave of absence. She called me with the commissioner Sergio on the phone. She told me, "Hey, this leave of absence is you know um we're going to approve it." Then I was never paid for it. Um you know the hostile working uh the hostile work retaliation that she is giving off to me is not just to me. This is to every minority that works at sanitation. People are fearful to come here based off of the retaliation. I myself will be at sanitation for three years as of September 21st. I grieved her for my FMLA back in August. I was written up 30 days after having an actual accident. Cameras are being used for disciplinary instead of training and prevention of accidents. I don't even think DOT allows that. Every vehicle down there is a DOT regulated truck. DOT does not allow you to get suspended for things that you were not trained or trained to be prevented of. Um, in fact, that's going to cause even more drivers to get in accidents because if we're only suspended and we're never brought back to the accident to see the error, to fix that error, to acknowledge the error, how do you know where the error started? How do you know who caused the accident? Um, another problem that I have with her position is there's no such thing as a disciplinary section in any building being ran by one person. Even the president can't just make a decision without the House of Representatives. I've never heard of a woman put in a position by a commissioner, not one she was hired in,

not one she qualified for, um, just because I wanted to put you there, and none of her work is being overlooked. So, it's just like I could just not like Miss Lewis and just suspend her three times in a month, which she's tried to do. So, how do you go from an outstanding record, a perfect attendance to getting suspended three times in a month for just all sorts of different reasons? Anything I can get you on? She's running her without explaining the actual reason of the misconduct. To me, that is unp I I I don't even know how can you run a hearing. If you serve me a disciplinary action paper and I come in with my union and we're here to hear about this disciplinary, how are you silent more silent than me and you're the one that served me the action? You had to find it somewhere in order to serve it to me. Um instead of actually explaining things, she feels that being unpleasant, being rude, and being disrespectful is the proper way to hold her job. um being biased, being having favorites, and being racist is the way that she continues to go. For me, I'm not going to have it. I filed a federal report against her. I filed a city EEO report against her and a state one. And every hearing that I have, I'm fighting her on every hearing. But I come to the council now to aware you guys that this is the woman that's bringing down DGS. You're not going to get a crowd full of people in here because people got things to lose. On the other hand, I'm a a a driver. I can get a job in the next day. Some people down there, they just really can't do that. Um unfortunately, the

your time is expired. Oh, thank you. Apologies. The next speaker is Michael um Similey.

I'm sorry about that. How you doing? I'm Michael Simmonelli. I've been a resident of the city of Albany for about three years now. I moved here from Long Island. I'm also an employee over at DGS as well. Um, my complaint is is similar to pretty much Mrs. Lewis about caviar. I um pretty much I've been there like I said for about almost three years now for where it will come up to April. I'll be there about three years. Um, obviously I understand you know everybody has lives after the job and everything like that and things do happen. I mean there have been times I've been late but I've had doctor's notes that I've handed in and none of them has gotten in it and like Miss Lewis has mentioned before pretty much previously paperwork has been missing. Um, also the other thing my issue is pretty much the discrimination. I feel personally I've been been targeted because at the time I've had my CDL I went to CDL school. I got my license through the through the city with paid for it at TGS and pretty much what I was obtaining the uh labor position at the time. I didn't have a driver position. I've recently got the driver position in March of 25. Um but I was still a laborer prior before that. Um because according to DOT pretty much you have to obtain the driver position in order to have a random drug test. And they randomly gave me one where there was also a couple of my colleagues to the driver school which is CDL school and they were also laborers as well but they never been randomly drug tests but since I know f federally you have to obtain the position first in order to get randomed I got randomed when I was a laborer and I denied it so even though I denied it at the place and I was reading it over my phone when I was at the uh drug access place I denied it to them it ca it came up as a negative and I wind

up losing my license I didn't even have my license within probably like a Prior to that, I wind up going through a program to get my license back in order to do the right steps, whatever so I can get back to work. Um, Kathy also was in charge of pretty much going through this uh program which is called clearing house where you go through the steps into getting your license back. I've completed everything and on her end into her job, she has not completed my status where even though it's clear for me to drive, my status is not clear where everything's completed where she's supposed to be doing that. Also, like I said, I've been late a couple times, but I've had proof that for reasons of it. Um, she suspended me a couple times where personally, um, pretty much I've been suspended every time before holidays where it screwed me over because my kids don't live with me. Like I said, people have stuff outside of the job. U, but every time when there was an issue and I had a hearing and I've asked for just for her to look up in a book or some kind of policy or even the pamphlet of the handbook to just kind of read over to me so I see that the stuff that she's saying to me where suspend you, for example, said I'm suspend you for two weeks. So, I was I was out for 20 days from Christmas till past New Year's. That affected me heavily. And ever since that was going on, it's it's messed up me with rent. It's messed up with me with my bills and all the other stuff. Um, and the other thing is because since the fact that I had the denial prior, what I was talking about with my license, I've been targeted about getting drug tested pretty much. I've had about 10 drug tests and they say that at DGS that is random through an algorithm. But me and a similar another employee are always picked at the same time throughout within a year. So for me, if it was random, then why would I be getting picked with the same employee

that I've been going with all the time for the past 10 times within this year? Um, so like I say, the reason why I'm bringing this up is I feel like I'm being targeted and also, you know, she only specifically does this African American pretty much employees at the place because there's employees that's been there that's been there for years and they're late every day and not one person that's been late every day gets suspended of a different color. So this is a big issue that I'd like to bring bring up. I'm not afraid to sit there and come up in front and tell everybody about it because something needs to be changed because like I said for the three years I've been here I love this I love uh the job's great. It's got great benefits and everything but it's just the fact that hostile uh environment she creates and the just uncomfortableness that the employees have to have where they're walking on eggshells. It shouldn't be especially when you know in the sanitation department where you wake up at 4:00 in the morning throwing everybody's trash out. We're dealing with a lot of hazards and all that other stuff whatever. It's going to be tough sometimes to wake up in the morning. Yeah. To get there on time, whatever because people get in accidents. You know, the train track is right there. Some train comes by and we got to wait for like 15 minutes for the train to go past once we get to department, but we get penalized for it. So, there's one thing we're trying to work on with the union is because they have like a 10 minute grace period where they're supposed to be there at 3:53 and 4:00 is the deadline where we're trying to work on getting that where you should pass. You have a 10 10 minute grace period after

time is up. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, with that, uh, he was our last public comment speaker, so we'll public comment is now closed. Okay, moving on. Uh, Miss Frell, approval of minutes from a previous meeting. Thank you, Mr. President. I offer the January 5th, 2026 minutes for approval. Second. All those in favor? I.

Motion passes. Okay, moving on to consideration of local laws. Miss Zamer. Thank you, Mr. President. I notice local law A of 2026 and ask for its introduction and passage by majority consent. We'll have to order add it by majority consent. So, M. Okay. Do that first.

Um, thank you, Mr. President. I move that local law A of 2026 be added to the agenda by majority consent. Second. All in favor? Okay. Motion passes. Now, Miss Zamer, apologize. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I notice local law A of 2026 and ask for its passage by majority. No, I don't even need to do majority. Introduction. Ask for its passage. Madam clerk,

local law AO 2026, a local law amending article 3, senior citizens tax exemption of chapter 333 taxation of the code of the city of Albany to increase the maximum exemption percentage levels accept applicable to state to the exemption, excuse me, that will go to finance. Thank you. referral to finance and the rest of the resol the rest of the local laws are well there aren't any other ones so but they're all held they're all held

okay thank you u we have uh reports to standing committees think we may have had one uh Mr. Flynn. Yeah. The general service committee meet will meet uh February 2nd at 6 PM to discuss resolution 61226R uh in reference to the Larsson family. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Flynn. Anyone else? No. Miss Keegan,

thank you. Finance will be meeting on January 29th to discuss local law A of 2026 as well as Hold on one second. Um, resolution 71226R. Um, resolution 41226R. Resolution 51226R. I believe that's it. Just those three staffing um resolutions. We have um invited both the auditor's office and the mayor's office. If they are not in attendance on the 29th, those three resolutions will be held and discussed at a later date. Thank you. Okay. Anyone else? No. Okay. All right. Moving on to consideration of resolutions. Who's my first? Miss Zamer.

Thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 2.12.26R and ask for its passage. Thank you, Madam. A resolution of the common council affirming its commitment to sustainability through the reduction of paper for its meetings. Any discussion? Mr. Same.

Thank you, Mr. President. Um, just to be clear, there's nothing binding about this resolution. Obviously, it's it's not a law, but it's it's sort of um a strong shows a strong commitment by this body to try to lessen the amount of paper we use. I want to thank our legislative aid, Carly Johnson, for for working on this and bringing this uh to my attention. the fact that our staff prints out hundreds of sheets of paper every week. Um, materials that we all have readily available to us in our email. Um, so hopefully we can all, including myself, do better at trying to lessen the burden of how much paper is is printed in this office and we can try to uh set an example uh to the city about our commitment to uh environmental sustainability and lowering our paper usage.

Thank you. Any further discussion? Okay. Anani. Valerin. Yes. Co-sponsor, please. Broie, yes. Yes. Co-sponsor, please. Flynn, yes. Co-sponsor. Hoey. Yes. Johnson. Yes. Jones. Yes. Keegan. Yes. Co-sponsor, please. Lumpin. Yes. Co-sponsor. Powell. Yes. Co-sponsor, please. Robinson. Yes. Co-sponsor, please. Williamson, yes. Co-sponsor, please. Zler,

yes. 14 in the affirmative. Motion passes. Thank you, Miss Zmer. Okay, moving uh right along, Miss Farrell. Thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 31226R and ask for its introduction. a resolution of the common council confirming the appointment of Miriam Dixon as the commissioner of administrative services. Thank you. That um that will go old habits die hard. Miss Frell, that will go to council operations and ethics. Thank you, Miss Frell. Again,

thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 41226R and ask for its introduction. Madam clerk, a resolution of the common council approving a transfer of budgeted funds in the 2026 city budget which will affect a salary rate or salary total. Miss Frell, that will go to finance. Thank you, Miss Frell. Yet again, thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 51226R and ask for its introduction. Kurt, please. a resolution of the common council approving a transfer of budgeted funds and a change in the authorized position positions included in the 2026 city budget which will affect a salary rate or salary total.

Merrell, that would go to finance. All right. Uh moving right along, Mr. Flynn. Thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 6126R and ask for its introduction. Please. A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Molly um Finny Larson, Molly Quinn Duffy, and James William Larson and renaming a portion of Sycamore Street in their honor. Miss Miss Frell, that will go to general services. Thank you. Uh Miss Back to Miss Frell.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to add resolution 71226R to the agenda by majority consent. Second. All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion passes. Miss Frell. Thank you, Mr. President. I notice resolution 71226R and ask for its introduction. Madam clerk, please. a resolution of the common council approving a transfer of budgeted funds and a change in the authorized positions included in the 2026 city budget which will affect a salary rate or salary total. Miss Pharaoh, that will go to finance.

Thank you. Yep. So okay with that uh the end of uh our resolutions in the agenda we'll move on to the majority whip uh consideration nominations. So with that I will open nominations for um I nominate an for the majority whip position.

Second. Okay. All right. So any other nominations? None. Okay. Seeing none, uh, nominations are closed. All right. Yeah. Right. So, uh, with that only one person, uh, we can do a voice vote for. You want to say something? you you actually should you should say something.

No, just want to thank my colleagues and just also um uh congratulate all the new council members and thank my colleagues for the vote of confidence. Um I look forward to working with all my colleagues to really make sure that our voices are heard not just in city hall but all across uh the city. Um and particularly when it comes to legislative priorities, making sure that we're working with the administration as well. Um, I've been with council for the past uh, eight years going to my ninth year and I think that with my experience and with the description of this position, I think it really fits well. So, I just want to thank my colleagues again for the vote of confidence. I look forward to working with everyone. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Nani. So with that uh by voice vote I I that's okay. All right. So with that congratulations. Uh the motion passes.

Okay. So that's uh we're on to Miss Pharaoh on the resolutions. The rest of the resolutions are held although I don't believe we have any other ones. Okay. All right. Uh no additional public comment. We're into We'll go Mr. Flynn and then Mr. D.

Yeah. I just want to mention I'm glad the lady talked about parking regulations because um last few Sundays I've refereed basketball at House of Hoods on First Street and Jal Hood always says to me, "Why is there no parking on the one side?" And I said, "Well, I'll look into it." And I emailed um parking authority. Got no answer. So, I really think we need to do better on signs and times. I think we need a commission or committee to look at the city as a whole when it comes to our parking regulations. A lot of a lot of the signs are faded. They're not up todated. Like the lady said, 24 hours. Why do you need 24 hours? If it's because the garbage is getting picked up, maybe, you know, 12 12 to 4 or whatever. I just think we just need to uh listen to her comments and do a something with the parking going forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Flynn. Mr. Johnson,

thank you, Mr. President. Um, as I said at the last meeting, I think that it's um important for us to respond respond to people come down and speak during the public um speaking uh period. And two of the things that um I was going to mention, one of them, both of them um were mentioned tonight, which is ICE. Um this is something that I'm watching um up close and personal because some of the um things that are happen are affecting my students. Um I I got a phone call today and well I didn't get a phone call. I got Texas today and um very strong text about their opinion. Um, and we're looking for our body to take a stance, to make a statement, to help them organize. And, you know, um, I just told her, you know, I was I was watching and and I just say, um, when they come in here and they bring it to our attention, they they're looking for us to u make a response. And as far as the other thing that I wanted to talk about was parking because on a lot of um the streets in the second ward, uh people are moving their cars and the the uh street sweeper is is not coming through. And I think it's just a time for us to take a look at the the hours because and um many neighborhoods have grown u from um renters and from people having um multiple cars. So, you know, people pay to be able to park in in um areas. And I think that we should u revisit and take a look at um what's best for not only the city to be able to service um the communities, but what's best for the residents that um live in those um communities. And you know, we don't want to have um senior citizens having to um walk a long way if they

don't have to. And I just think that um it's time for us to take a look at that and also address when um council people call um transportation, they should get a return phone call. And I know um you know, I've gone years without getting a um return um call and I shouldn't have to call the chief to get somebody to respond back to me from um from uh as it's uh streets, whatever that um department is. And I I'll just say from Bill Trudeau, he should be responding to u people's calls. It shouldn't be a citywide thing that knows that he's not going to res respond. And I I'm not trying to call anybody out, but you know, this is um something that's important. People are um complaining about um issues that they're having on their streets, and I would like to see those um calls get returned. Thank you.

Okay, Miss Keegan, and then Mr. Robinson. Thank you, Mr. President. Um I I'm glad that we're finally having a discussion about parking because that has been an issue of mine since I was elected um last session. Um, I just wanted to note for some context and background that we did attempt in the engineering department bill to curtail the parking rules in the city of Albany and it was decided and determined at the time that we were working on that bill that um it it it was going to get vetoed if we included that information. that I I already have a bill that would put the city in the position to only be able to do alternate side parking in accordance with um street sweeping. And I am one of those districts where almost every single street requires that people move their cars every single day for alternate side parking. Um, also just for background and context, um, the parking authority did provide the city with a quarter of a million dollars in 2019 to do a parking study. So the data on the parking rules exists somewhere. They just have not done anything with that data. And one of the other major issues that I have identified and noticed is that while we allow for ADA parking for those with um certain types of disabilities um in proximity to their home when there is alternate side parking or snow emergencies that ADA parking is not accessible on the opposite side of the street to those individuals. So they are um at least once a week um and more often in the winter um unable to be able to take advantage of um the accommodation that the city has already identified and provided. So that is also

an issue that I have been trying to work on and rectify with the city. Um so if anybody wants to talk with me offline about um what we were working on in that legislation, I'm I'm happy to to work with folks behind the scenes on the parking issues. Thank you, Mr. Robinson.

Thank you, Mr. President. Before I begin my discussing with the West Hill Center, I definitely want to actually reflect on Councilman Johnson's sentiments about when constituents come and they take their time out of their busy lives to come in front of us and speak their concerns is very important for us to take them concerns serious. You know, we are a body of 15 Democrats. Um, and working together is very important really to move our city forward. Um, and when I got the call as far as what took place at the West Hill neighborhood, I mean the West Hill Center, uh, my first conversation was the outgoing mayor, that was her project. So, she wanted to see that ribbon cutting. Um, as far as the programs, as far as the staff, wasn't no new programs to do. wasn't a new staff institute. They just moved staff from one part of um parks and recreation to get them there to get that center open. Um there's a lot to do. It's a blessing that we do have a center. I grew up in that center when it was called the Albony Boys and Girls Club. I know how important how pivot it is in that particular neighborhood to make sure that that center is ran by those who live in that neighborhood. I know how important it is because you don't want our children to come to that neighborhood and see um employees and then once they leave the neighbor when

they leave the center they don't have interaction with them employees. you know, when when when you know, when I was young and I was at the center, I knew Mr. Dittle. I knew, you know, the um the staff there. So, not only did I see them in this boy club, I seen them when it when the boy club hours was closed. So when you have people that's from that neighborhood, you know, employed within that center, you know, the the results from child development and you know what I'm saying and building character is, you know, you know, you it will happen. Um, so yeah, we would we would definitely keep an eye on the programming. Um we would definitely keep an eye on the the growth of the center is very important like like the um residents said they said and they fought hard for this to happen and um first of all I'd like to apologize you know for the city to the neighborhood um because yeah we could do better um that center was open prematurely but that's then but we as a body we have to make sure that we hold the income becoming commissioner accountable. We got to make sure that we visit that center frequently. We got to make sure that you know the staff there know who we are and know that we represent the city as a whole. Um and also I'd like to address there was a shooting right on second and um Judson a couple days ago. I didn't know about it until I seen on the news. And I don't think that's right. No, I think that when there's anything that's dealing with violence or shooting, the

chief of police need to call a council person of that area immediately because the community is looking for, you know, first of all, it's it's not right for me to turn on the nose and see that is a shooting in the district that I represent. Um and you know we need to have the conversation with the chief of police just to make sure that when things like take take place like that in our districts that we are notified immediately and when press conferences we are notifi you know we need to be there. You know what I'm saying? Because we have a constituency that voted for us to represent their best interest. So when there's a shooting and then the news people come and then there's nothing else is pushed under the rug. It's like a norm and that's not right. In order for you to address violence, you have to put the people in front of the cameras who know the neighborhood. And like I say, just moving forward, I think that, you know, we really need to um have the chief of police understand that we are represented. We we are elected for a reason. And and whenever violence takes place in our community and the rep in the neighborhood that we represent, we need to have a phone call. We need to have a sit down. need to know, you know, what happened, where we go from here, and how can we address this issue in public. And like I say, when someone who represents the community is in front of the cameras and telling the community that we can do better, I think the impact to com to combat violence in our communities will be at a softer piston than what it is right now.

Thank you, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Holy.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I got notified today. Uh, I got a poster and I just forwarded on to Common Council and to Sheniqua to share with everybody. Um, there's going to be a protest tomorrow um at Capitol, West Capitol Park at 4:00 about ICE. Um, it's ICE out of Albany. Uh, they say bring your um, bring your posters, banners, voices, uh, support. join us as we stand against deportation and separation of families. And uh apparently there's two Albony uh school district uh children that were picked up and their parents. So um this is why the uh citywide PTA put out this um poster. So I just want to let everybody know. Thank you.

Anyone else? And so Mr. always uh as our public safety chair, I would ask that um you get u follow up with chief I will and I was notified his craft to get her to recreate that list because we we all received and that's what it might be that he wasn't on the list because I know it went out to the council but maybe they Megan doesn't realize that there's been new members and I'll take care of that. Um I promise you all tonight. Okay. Thank you. Um Miss Frell, motion to adjourn. Second. All in favor? I motion.