Common Council - Regular Meeting

All right, relax. Call to order committee of the hall. We need a motion to accept this. All right. So, today we have 14 resolutions and two consents. Start with this. Kelly for six streets. Do you want to talk about this or this is just information for us? Do you want to look at the resolutions first to make sure we get to them? Okay.

Yeah, we'll get that item down. Then we can go back to that would be great. Appreciate that. Okay. Resolution 2526-134. Resolution adopting the minutes from the last common council meeting. Any questions? Resolution 2526-135 resolution waving 30-day advanced notice application for liquor license LLVs bridge and tap.

This is the building across the street from Army Grill Bar that's going to open up. Tommy Basco last week put this on. This is the usual what we do when people are going to open up a tavern and a way we wave the 30-day rule which means we have 30 days to look at the facility [clears throat] whether we have any problems with it opening up by passing this resolution what we're doing is we're waving these people 30 days so they can apply for a license okay we have done this in the past for we just did it for the Elks down the people that bought the Elks Club down on West Main Street. Okay.

Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

Resolution 25-26136 resol resolution authorizing purch laptop computer AD chief. Uh yes, this request uh [clears throat] to use um state seizure funds for the purchase of this computer. Uh specific use is going to be in the detective division for when we uh execute a search warrant and break down someone's cell phone. Very very robust program with a lot of data and a lot of storage. So this this will be a singleuse computer for those types of situations. Okay. And the CM 3120.2000, 2000. What is the title of that code?

You know, I know I know it's our state seizure funds. Formal name of Yeah, like special revenue. Yeah, special revenue. It says here the cost of computer 3,200 is coming out of seizure money. Yeah, it's not part of our operating budget. It's its own separate fund, right? Once you get through the laptop, we can volunteer using my daughter's phone. There you go. [laughter]

Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Resolution 25-26-137, resolution appointing member to the zoning board of appeals, Erica Ramirez. And Chris [clears throat] is going to move. Um Erica was actually my um replacement on the zoning board when I was elected to county council. She's got her stuff together. She's she's very intelligent and it's a good pick for she's done a really good job what everybody tells. Yeah, I know Eric also very good.

Any questions? Resolution 25-26138. Resolution reappointing member of the city of Amsterdam planning commission. Uh Diane Stabber. Yeah. All the people that we are being reappointed have done a good job. They, as I've said before, they give up a lot of time and put up with a lot of, you know, a lot of stress at times and they're doing a great job. We're thrilled that these people who are being vehicle for you tonight, who are being reappointed, have agreed to do so because they do a good job and show up. They work hard at what they do and Diane is certainly one of those people.

Okay. Resolution 25- 26 25-26 139 resolution authorizing contract extension with Bill Signor Blacktop Paving Inc. for the 2026 street paving. Alderman Margarell, um, this company right now is doing our road program. They just finished it and we had a good price because they're the low bidder. So, our engineer, Mike Clark, went and approached them and gave them the specs for the new road program and asked them to give us a price and I'll let you talk from there, Mike.

Yeah. So, within We bid these contracts every year on a unit price basis, which means it's not by the street necessarily. It's by the quantity of work, whether it's asphalt or gravel or catch basing grates or feed striping or all the items that go into road work. Um it it's based on a quantity of that work within within our agreements every year. Right. In the possibility u of uh the potential for two one-year extensions up to two one-year extensions on the contract. meaning that they would hold the unit prices from the previous year and and then agree to transfer that to the the the street program that we then produce um for for the following year for the first year of the extension, the second year of the extension. Um, DOT makes it easier for us to do that by a couple of items that we include in the contract. They're they're called price adjustments. There's two price adjustments I write in every one of these contracts. Um, one is a fuel price adjustment. If diesel goes up or down, the state produces an index every month that shows what it is on any given year. and you you compare that to based on when the contract was awarded and it's either up or down and you can you can adjust uh and it will adjust and take into account um increases in cost that way. The other item is the asphalt price index. So again, asphalt being directly

related to oil and oil prices, if asphalt price goes up, the the index would move up and we're able to adjust that price based on the the state index or and if it goes down, you can adjust it downward. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it get out in quite a few years. Um, but we do. So, where we go from here is if if if we agree to extend the contract, we then produce our our list of streets, we have a um I' I've received them from a lot of folks out, a lot of council members already. Um we estimate that job and then they do the work. Again, they're paid not they're not paid on a lump sum like x number of dollars per street. are paid on the the quantities that it takes um quantities of asphalt, quantities of gravel, guard railing, striping, concrete, sidewalks, all of that that it takes to do any given street. Um what that the trick in all this is in is in selecting the streets and and thereby estimating that work before we actually we set up the program and That's where the that's where our engineers office comes into into play is that we estimate those jobs. Um we were we're usually within a few percent on the quantities. Um you know there's always some unforeseen things but we try to keep a a little bit of cushion in in the streets but the bottom line is is that's how we do it. That's how we unit use a unit price job to do these work. So really on any given year, yes, we like if you look at last year's, we awarded it based on uh a base bid.

The base bid was the lower part of market straight from Prospect up to Van Dyke that based on the quantities that we estimated because we our opinion was we don't know what we're going to get into when they mail. Um, we estimated heavy on on a few of the asphalt items and and some of the subbase items, expecting that we may have to rebuild more to the road. What happened was, if you recall, the base bid last year was 1.35 million [clears throat] uh for that job based on the quantities that of asphalt and all the other construction items that we gave it. We were lucky that uh much of the subpayment, the subgrade of that road was in better condition than we anticipated and the total that total project came in at just uh just under $900,000. Um so that so they were paid the actual cost of those quantities, not the base spin because it's not a unit, it's not a lump sum on any of these projects. I don't know, but can I just ask Yeah. a question about timing this year because we're doing this as early as we are. Can we get him in our city quicker than we have?

Well, that's what I would that mayor. That's one of the big benefits of doing this, right, is that I would I would like to I would like to give them a notice to proceed and get them going. I'd like to get them going in the spring. Okay. the weather until we are because there's because there's there's that, you know, to go from bidding to mobilization on on a construction project. There's there's a few months, right? Um

no, I understand. It's good news that we can uh get them in here earlier. Uh you know, by doing it this way, I think that would be a benefit to the city to have them in here early. Um, we did talk about the possibility of um, using CHIPS money to help us demolish the DMV garage. So, we need to bring that forward as well. Yes, we do. And we did we did find out, right, the demolition is going to be a little less than we expected it to be.

We think the we think the best estimate I have on demoing the original DPW garages is about 800,000. We were thinking it would be about a million. So it's and and if we have 2.7 to work with, which we do, if it's 800,000, then we'd have 1.9 million to work with in the streets if we decide to use 800,000 to demolish the DMV building. I just we're going to bring that forward, but might we'll sit down and get that all figured out. Yep. So that'll be part of their decision- making process. Correct.

That's we're going to have to factor all that into it. And of course, you know, there's a lot of moving parts here. So, timing is is everything, right? Right. On not just not just our paving program, but also um well, what I'm looking at is if we start the streets early, we can knock the building down at the end if if the timing works out because we're not ready to you know what I'm saying? We're not at that point yet, right? So, we'll have that money set aside, but you know, if something happens to the project, we can apply it to the streets if we have to. You know what I'm saying? [clears throat] All right. Okay. Thank you.

Resolution 25-26-140. [clears throat] Resolution to award contract for improvements to the Broadway sanitary sewer.

Okay. This uh resolution has to do with the new business in Atomic Florida Industrial Park. Uh if you're not aware, we have many problems up on Broadway Hill because of the sewer line and this company coming in is going to create even more sewer. So there's been money set aside and Mike's going to explain it to you after I tell you that parade construction got the loan pay to doing this work and this work will allow us to handle more flow which will definitely solve a lot of problems. Go ahead Mike.

Thank you. Um again there's so facility coming in. I think everybody knows that um developer has you know when they talked they said we they gave us their estimated daily usage of water and sewer. I said that's great but we've got this restriction where we where we're at or above capacity right now on about 350 ft of sewer. They said fine we'll replace it under the under their and as a benefit to the city. Uh so what they did was they they escroed the amount for the engineering design originally. We've gone to bid. We've done all that work. Um now they have the low bid before them and plus the construction inspection. So this resolution allows us to award that work which is 250,000 and change and about another 20,000 in inspection on top of it. Um they're going to escrow that amount. So I'm asking that we award the contract contingent upon the receipt of the uh construction money for for escrow. So that and the reason if you back up a second the reason this project is flowing through the city is because it's our infrastructure. We're the only proper entity to actually administer the work. So it's a little bit of work on our part but the folks are paying the freight and it's no cost to us other than the time in our office.

Thank you. Thank you Mike. Thank you. Resolution 25-26-141 resolution 25-26 budget transfer debt payments all would you like to speak on this?

Yes, it's um it's just been an established practice in the past. Um if we earn um additional interest earnings from our um investment, we um just are applying it a little more than what we planned for uh to these uh to a couple of the projects that we borrowed for. We're getting ready to renew the debt. We budgeted it for a certain amount that we were going to pay down and we're just because we have some additional earnings, we're just going to apply that toward the principal and um reduce the amount we have to renew.

Thank you. Resolution 25-26-142 resolution reappointed member of the zoning board of appeals. This one is for David Niles Nelson. again. Um, as I said earlier, David has been on the on the panel for a few years now. He does a great job as does Lorine Dastella who's coming up next. Um, and the fact that they agreed to reappoint to the reappoint is a great thing. It's a good thing for our city and both are well qualified.

We thank them for their service. Resolution 25-26-143 resolution reappointing alternate member to the zoning board appeals. Would you like Oh, sure.

Any questions? Resolution 25-26-144. Resolution authorizing contract with Philips Leto LLP. Lidle. Say it again. Lidle. Lido. For prosecution.

This resolution is a law firm that we use to do all the procedure for the foreclosures of all the houses and auction. They do all the they did all the labor and they we hired them last year and they were very successful and they were very uh back. So we're going to hire them again. It's a lot of work that they have to do and it's work that uh Mr. Gali and um Miss Byron will have to do and this company was very successful in getting all the paperwork and all the deeds and everything ready and the foreclosures ready for auction. Resolution 25-26-145 resolution authorizing contract with Civic Plus for foil management.

Yep. This was the um discussion that we've been having over the last few days plus about the foil management system. Um I really uh want to thank everybody sitting up here for answering all the questions I had. Um this is very arduous process. Compliance is very important and um as I understand just one small mistake could kind of derail the entire process. So this is um something that is not a want but a need. So um I'll give the floor to anyone who wants to speak on it but as far as I understand something needed.

Okay. So we just need to add the code expense code on this legislation on this resolution. Are you asking [clears throat] where's I have we just need to add it to the resolution. There won't be any expense though this current year. Just want to make sure that's clear to everybody that it will come out of the clerk's budget. Yes. Yeah. We'll budget for it as we work through the next budget process. So to add the code to this resolution, do I have to amend this resolution?

Yeah, I think that you can just add it as part of the whereas part had a warehouse clause referencing where the funding will come from. That should suffice. What do you want to be? Usually we just have the code listed on the bottom. So I'll just say where um the expense be charged at a1410-4000.

I would recommend you just add that as a motion as a paragraph. Yeah, the resolution that aware paragraph indicating that payment for will come from that account that account that'll be the motion. Resolution 25-26-146. Resolution 2025 26 budget transfer from multiple accounts to me.

Okay. This is the budget transfer to add money to the certain line items that were used by us that were not they're overestimated. Right.

Right. We didn't budget enough in these lines. Right. that we're seven months into the year, we're starting to see, you know, things that, you know, we're not, you know, adequately budget for perhaps or or, you know, surprises, unexpected expenses that we weren't anticipating. You know, we're starting to see a little more of that now. So, this is just an attempt to move funding around to cover the the additional costs. The country expense expense the city crews is contractual. The vegetation was for the Bernard debt three and the election expense because of the primary tax [clears throat] assessment that came under the work. So each one of these will always line items for short. So we're just going to balance them up and put more money in. Thank you.

Resolution 25-2647 resolution approving the audit. The audit is fine. Thank you. Okay. Consents [clears throat] consent is 25-26-148. Resolution appointing member to the planning commission. Ash Ashley Kerry. She's new.

She's new. Ashley is a very good pick for this board. She's she's used to being on board. She serves with she served with the friends of Northa. I always have a hard time pronouncing that. Um she's done a lot of volunteer community volunteerism within the community over over the last years and I think that she'd be an asset for this for this. That was a great Thank you, Chris. Okay. Resolution 25-26149. Resolution corrects resolution 25-26105 as it relates to the purchase of 18 Mayor Street.

And resolution 105 was presented to the council a couple meetings back. It stated that we sold Bayer Street for $31,000, but the correct number so we have correct figure for the auditors is $31,100. in the corporation council. He found it. He picked that out and therefore we're just going to have to amend it to read 31,100. Someone else found it. I think it was that brought to my attention. Okay.

Good job. There's a lot of resolutions. Time to talk about this. Well, if we don't have time to talk about now, we set aside time to come. Might as well start, right?

Yeah. Yeah, we can start in the five minutes. So, uh something I've been mulling on for a little while is coming up with a group of different air group, different experts on um streets and um safe streets. I've kind of called it the safe streets working group, but as council members, we hear from the community about speed, parking, signage, pedestrian safety, tires getting popped at um intersections. And we often reach out to public safety and engineering in a vacuum and say like while they're dealing with that issue as it comes up and a lot of times they're dealing with other issues as well. and maybe we put a temporary fix on it like let's say you know you're just talking about Forb Street like okay we'll temporarily put something there that marks it but then what do we do in the future and everybody um our department heads have a lot on their plate and they have to wait for the state to get back to them on things and all sorts of things sometimes things get forgotten or other people could contribute to it but don't know about that problem so the idea would be that we would bring together public safety engineering ing DPW, um the school district if necessary, the common council, community members to talk about these various issues that we have throughout the city and that we've had some of them we've had for years. You know, people have always said um everyone drives too fast on Guide Park Avenue. Um everyone blows this stop sign at this intersection. Um and is there a way that we can help improve that by working together? Um I'm also thinking about [clears throat] a time where Mr. Holiday was talking with Zack Baxter about Vander,

right? Is that where Matissy's Pizza is? Yes. Yes. The intersection,

that crazy intersection. And Zack Batister, who's in the engineering department, is like, "Oh, we can do all sorts of things with paint and we could paint lines and we can do this, we can do that." Said, "Well, that sounds really good." But then the meeting started and then life happened and I don't know if we've ever revisited it. And then talking with Chief Spencer, he said, "Well, yeah, we can do all sorts of things with paint, but then the state has these rules, and then they have this guideline. Can we do this, and can we do that?" And so, we don't always have that dedicated time to to discuss all of it together. So, I thought we could come up with a a group where we could create, you know, a list of problems and then a list of various solutions and see if we can connect those together throughout the year. certainly not fix every problem in the first meeting, but just have a place where we could air out these and discuss it. Um, so I talked to the chief about it a little bit. He was on board. Uh, we would probably again first want to gauge interest and who would be interested in doing it and you know start having some monthly meetings to start and then maybe just quarterly after we get things going and we figure out what it would actually look like. back on that.

I think it's a great way to proactively address problems that we've always talked about and it's it certainly is keeps us on top so they don't just get moved on to the next next resolution is important to the next. Well, I think it helps the chief too instead of getting five phone calls,

right? Yeah. You can send us the list and we can mull it over. I call you all the time. We all call my classes and say, "What can we do about lion and locust?" You know, and we go back and forth and yeah, if we could if he had a dedicated time to like think about it without the other thousand things you have to think about. Um, you know, or give us jobs like give us something to research on it if that is the case. Um, I guess I'll more through email on that or at the next meeting. Do you have any want to be part of it or think? I think maybe each uh each each alderman could pick a an issue in their ward

you know like you talked about this and in line you know and just create that as an agenda [clears throat] your most pressing yeah and if we had them in the chambers and a meeting like this I mean pretty much we're all on every committee it wouldn't have to be just two people assigned to it we could have an open meeting where we all come to worry about quorum Yeah, that's a good place to start each. Okay, any questions on that?

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Alderwoman Chris Morris here. Alderman Holiday here. Okay. Alderwoman Collins here. Alderman Carpenter. Alderman Marisella here. Motion to adopt the agenda. 14 resolutions and two consents. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Misella. Hi. Alderwoman Ques. Hi. Alderman Holiday.

Hi. Um I have no proclamations this evening. um communications and presentations. Okay, [clears throat] the public participation portion of our meeting. If you're here to say something to the council, please come to the podium. Your name and address. Have five minutes to speak. We have a presentation. I'm sorry. I apologize. Okay. No problem. I'm sorry. Hey, how you doing? Good. BCNI. Yes.

So, thank you. Was looking to see if my presentation was going to be on the screen, but since it's not, I guess I'm gonna pardon me. I'm gonna hand my phone going too at the same time. Uh, my name is Steve Strikeman. I'm with Better Community Neighborhood. Uh, uh, I used to I actually was worked for the city of San for a long time. Created the land bank as well. Uh, but right now I'm working on a program with better cleaning neighborhoods in I figured I'd introduce you to BCNI uh which is a I can't get my I would love that so much. Thank you.

Okay. Um, so basically our mission is to build and support resilient neighborhoods where residents of all backgrounds can flourish and we provide to do that we provide housing resources to low and moderate income households. uh in the city well actually in Skenctity County and in Montgomery County mostly in the city of Skenctity and now we're doing a lot of stuff in the city of Amsterdam as well. Uh we promote home ownership opportunities. We help struggling uh homeowners with who are undergoing foreclosure to help them uh solve their problems there. Uh and we provide renovation rehab rehabilitation work. Uh and we're also developing a growing portfolio of rental properties as well. So we started in Amsterdam a few years back. We were asked uh by actually department of Montgomery County Department of Health to come here to help leading and lead prevention pilot program. So that's where we got our start. Since then we've got another round of leading in lead program which helps uh remediate apartments where children are and get the lead out of these properties. Uh since then we started a program called the accessory dwelling unit program which I'm going to talk about in a minute which is the main reason I'm here. And we also have a new program coming soon which is a vacant rental property program which provides grant funding to owners uh of apartment buildings that have vacant units. So it's uh anywhere from 60 to 120,000 that they can get to help renovate these apartments and bring it back up to code and start. So the idea is we're gonna just run off this. So accessory dwelling units a few years back Amsterdam passed a law allowing for accessory dwelling units which are basically in law departments as many other communities are doing across across the state and uh Amsterdams is fairly restricted. It can

only be for a parent or a child or a caregiver. And there's some question about, you know, what happens if you create this unit and then it stops being used for this purpose? What happens to it? You incorporate it back into the house. Uh or does it just have to stop being used in that way? Um it's a state funded program and we have up to $125,000 per unit. And uh let's see. So, it helps create safe, legal, and accessible housing. And right now, I'm working with five uh working with five families that are either creating units in the house for a child or a parent or adding on to that house to do the same thing as well. [clears throat] So, it's, you know, it's even in single family neighborhoods, it's not really a problem because you have control. It has to be a homeowner who lives there. So, it can't be just an apartment owner doing this. It's not really creating additional units that you don't that you may not know controller. It can pay for permits, designs and planning costs, construction work, and it can even do modular or tiny homes and uh permanent fixtures and necessary appliances. It's uh it can't be used to tear down houses. You've got the land bank for that to tear down the houses. can't be used for landscaping or routine maintenance. If you're not current on your taxes, it can't pay for the taxes. And anything that gets paid for has to be approved prior to again, we just launched this program a few months back. I have my first planning commission meeting on Market Street next week. So, we're just starting to get rolling on it. We can fund about 15 of these and right now we have about five five in process. So there's room for two more. And I think I

skip this slide here. Talked about who's eligible. I miss that one. Okay. So who qualifies? I think I already covered that. Homeowners living in their own house. And they have to be in an approved zoning area. Uh which is basically your uh and oh medical res

medical res but it's most of the city and you see the picture in your presentation it's the yellow areas the orange areas and the red areas and even if they're in one of the other areas there's a possibility they can get a a variance before the zoning board but zoning board to be able to do this and uh so a family had a an adult disabled person living with them and they want to put a tiny home on their property to help them with independent living. Would that be something that this will work for?

It could be if it's attached or if it's in a garage or in a carriage house. Right now, the way Amsterdam's zoning is, it prohibits another another structure unless it's an accessory structure. something you might might want to consider looking at revamping because that's I think how a lot of these happen is just standalone units. But this would be perfect for them if they lived in the same house and it's attached or you can garage actually what I have right now that I'm working with just so you know who I have a a family with a daughter who's living there and they're going to create an apartment for her in the basement. uh she's going to help uh as parents, one of parents is having troubles with vision, so she'll be there to help her. And then I have a couple uh who's going to uh a woman who's uh financially she qualifies for the program and she's aging too and so they're going to move into the house with her. And then I mean that's mostly what happens. People try to take care of their parents and in some cases to try to you know provide additional housing for children. So you have children in your house and they're two under foot, you can create accessory units. So basically have them have a little more of their own freedom. Uh and some of these are the important things you're probably most concerned. You can't be used uh but must be used for year round housing. So you can't use it through an Airbnb or vacation rentals. I mean a lot of it's obvious because not a parent or a child. uh you must follow building regulations and then it needs to be in compliance at least with our funding for 10 years. So for 10 years we go back and monitor and make sure that it's in compliance. Let's see. So that's accessory unit, but I should mention we have a few other programs as well. We have talked about before we have a lead uh a lead abatement program and I also mentioned the bank vacant

rental property project as well. So, I have some cards here. I have packets for all of you if you want more information on these. So, you can have them with the brochure specific to each one. Sure. My cards in the package as well. So, again, I just kind of wanted to make you aware of what we're doing here. PCI more and more in Amsterdam and in Montgomery County. Um, and it's a pleasure to be here doing this. And I don't know if anybody has any I don't know how your meetings work, [clears throat] but if you have any questions I'm available for questions. [clears throat] Thank you. Hi Steve. Um welcome to Amsterdam. Thank you so much. [laughter]

I will um so you said in here uh that Amsterdam's odd or ADU is um fairly restrictive. How would you compare it with Skenctities or others? Like when you say fairly restrictive, do you mean that good thing or a bad thing or Well, let me get opinion professional opinion. Since you've just adopted this, I think you're you're less restrictive than Skenctity and Skenctity says if it stops being used, you got to pull it out totally close it down. Yours kind of is a little vague on that. Okay.

Uh places like uh some of our suburbs don't restrict it to family members. So, people create accessory units and as long as they're an owner, they've been in the house, they can rent to whoever they want. I know just I I can understand. I mean, you have a lot of issues with housing in Amsterdam. So, I can understand why you wouldn't want to create a lot more units right now, but there's housing crisis across the state. And so, this is how homes and community renewal is trying to address that. Okay. And how like with size, things like that.

They're limited to per year zoning ordinance, uh, 800 square feet or, uh, 40% of the total living area. So everyone I'm working on right now is And is that consistent with other That's I think pretty pretty similar. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. You had a table at Winterfest with us this weekend. Thank you for being and we had a lot lot of interest in your program as well. Your pipe pipe replacement program. So, it's kind of a good day. Dan did a good job.

Thank you. Okay. Anything else? So, now it's time for public presentation. Correct. Anyone like to speak? Ashley Car's here. Hi, Ashley. Sorry. Thank you for putting your name forward. We really appreciate that. I'm really really excited about the planning. We're really excited to have you. Very, very happy that you said yes. Thank you very much. Um, okay. So, we're at the report, please.

So, for the month of January, um, we had a little bit of an increase in what we do. The birth certificates, we were up three from um, 2025 with 125 of those. We printed death certificates. Um, we printed 152 death certificates, which was an increase of 47 from 2025. Um, dog licenses, we had 34, which was still good. We had seven more than 2025. And marriage certificates, uh, 29, which was four more than 2025. There were 30 new births this year, um, which was down nine from 2025. 22 new deaths, which is down three from last year, 10 new dog licenses. Out of those 34, ton of those were new, um, which was one less than last year. And, um, three couples came in to, um, have marriage licenses issued to them, which was, [snorts] um, two less than last year. We processed 57 foils. Uh, those 11 of those were accident requests, 20 of those were police incident requests, eight were miscellaneous things that people were looking for, and 18 of those were property inquiries. I had 19 notary requests and I added something new this year. We're gonna um I'm going to present to you how many handicap placards we issue because we do a lot of those in our office. So this uh in the month of January we issued a total of 34. 29 of those were permanent placards which are the blue ones and five of those were temporary which are the red placards that you see hanging in people's cars.

Any questions? Very good. Thank you. All right. On to the controller report.

The report I prepared. Um it's a budget summary that reflects seven um months of um operations. These numbers are particularly significant right now because we have just uh started to uh work on our uh next year's budget. Um mayor and I have been in conversation with all the department heads. We be meeting with them soon. Um and um so we'll be watching these numbers closely. And I also want to mention that our our audit uh has been moving along at a nice brisk pace. Uh we're I'm cautiously optimistic our final financial statements will be issued a little earlier this year than they they have been and then they will invite the uh for a new audit for Bonado to come and present um when those statements are ready. And as Louis has stated, we have been working on the budget steady state. One of the things that we finished today was a complete review of the six-month year-to- date performance versus expenses and revenues of the outcome. A few things that you know we'll be talking about in the next few weeks, but nothing earthshattering, going well. Everything is going pretty smoothly. We've given the department heads until the 26th of February to submit their budgets, uh, their first drafts of their budgets. They're also going to be doing the same [snorts] thing we did, going through their accounts, looking at each line item to see, you know, if there's any surprises for them because if they're surprised, believe me, that's not good. So, we're going to make sure that um they're they've got reasons for any any any sort of differentiation. Uh, but by the 26th of February, we should be in really good shape and I'm expecting to have my budget to you on time this year.

I have a question. This first time I've seen this a lot. We have three funds that are actually in the revenue lineup. I'm so sorry. There's three funds here. Yeah. Water is in the positive revenue, sewer's revenue, and golf is in the revenue. They're the plus. Yeah. With all this being said here, is there a good indication that the revenue will exceed the expenditures in these three line items like the golf fund?

Well, the golf fund, I mean, typically revenues do exceed um or expenditures have been tending to exceed revenue and you'll do a transfer from the the general fund. We're estimating it to be about 300,000. That's that amount. Right now it's 64,000. Yeah. Ahead of schedule, right? But it's I mean it's really um really hard to go by these numbers with the golf fund because the season is split up over two um budget cycles. Uh you know so I I I would just caution you not to rely on that too.

Okay. And one other thing if I can ask you this. Sure. There's no one here that says how much money is in our fund balance at the present state right now. I know it is because of it hasn't been verified yet but yes but there's other

right because because it's very fluent number except for once a year when we get it audited and that's one of what when our financial statements are issued our audited financial statements are issued which will hopefully be within the you know few weeks um you know I will definitely make those numbers available to you but but you know they're really only accurate once once a year. You know, they're they're audited once a year.

Yeah. See, you did a good job here because you're telling me right now these three funds, water fund, sewer fund, and golf had a special. And like you say, maybe golf fun is split, but water fund and sewer fun split. You see, so there that is that is good news right there. And even if it was just a once in a lifetime and you tell me once a year what our general fund is. Yeah. It's a far cry from saying that you know we're going down the wrong direction. Right. Okay.

These reports just reflect the actual operations of the current year and those the final result will either add to or subtract from our fund balance uh numbers. Um I want to also you know keep caution you that a lot of our expenses are uh a lot of um I should say our budget lines you'll see in departments will cover like the full amount that's in that line beginning of the year and it'll actually distort the numbers a little bit like sanitation the biggest expense in the sanitation fund is the tipping fees and um it's just been a the practice to just encumber that if we budget 8 or 900,000, we encumber that, you know, on a purchase order all at once at the beginning of the fiscal year. So, it looks like we've spent 800,000 um you know, if you just look at this expenditure total, but it's really that you know, it also includes funds that are encumbered but not actually spent yet. So,

this is that's what we today, Jimmy. We went through each one of these numbers and said, "Okay, how come this isn't a negative or we and we explain that no, it's been encumbered or we have not received this payment yet and it really balances things out. But in general, I think we're in really good shape in terms of each one of these funds. Thank you. Thank you.

You're welcome. Anything else for the controller? All right, then report. Thank you, mayor. Working on most of these items here improvements, the um paving program for 2026. Uh I did want to talk about briefly uh our demolition project that is currently underway, the CDBG funded project. We are if you look at the tables there I think we're working on structure out of 23 uh currently currently core construction the tend swan uh the brick building um it will be good to get that down and including all the metal sheeting that was used in f as fencing and get the site cleaned up. I I think what having that uh structure gone is going to reduce some of the um unauthorized dumping that occasionally goes on there. It's going to be not going to be able to hide it because it's not

This is which one? The 41 to 45 Mark Street at the very end of the tracks. Um it'll be good to have that out of there and all the sheet metal fencing. It was just an eyesore and it kind of covered up the mass cut. They're making good progress. Um, and [clears throat] I expect that they'll be they'll continue obviously for the rest of this month as well as March. And we should be about ready to wrap that project up right around the beginning of April. So, their progress is good.

You've g you were going to ask for a couple votes on additional work. that we have uh we've asked for that. We can we can do it under the work of this contract funded separately, but since we've got them under contract, waiting for those numbers to come back and they promised me they'd look at them and get numbers back this week. Okay, good. That's what I have for this evening. Anyone else have questions for the Okay, thank you. business. Nothing. Um, we are on to resolutions.

Resolution number 2526-134. Resolution adopting minutes from last common council meeting by Alder Woman Collins. So, any questions? Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman Customar. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Resolution number 2526-135 resolution waving 30-day advanced notice application for liquor license LLVs bridge and tap by Alderman Marcosello. So move any other discussion. Thank you. Call the RO. Alderman Marisello. Hi. Alderwoman Quar. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi.

Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Parker. Resolution number 2526-136 resolution authorizing purchase of laptop computer APD by Alderwoman Collins. Whereas the city of Amsterdam Police Department needs to upgrade upgrade a detective bureau laptop computer. This computer is dedicated to the purpose of cellular phone analysis. In order to conduct such analysis, a more robust and capable computer is required. The cost of the computer meeting the required specifications is $3,259. Okay. Go to resolve.

Resolve. The controller is authorized to fund this purchase in the amount of $3,259 to be paid out of CM3120.2000. So move. Any questions? Call the roll. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcosello. Hi. Alderwoman Quar. Hi. Alderman Holidayiday. Hi.

Resolution number 2526-137. Resolution reappointing member to the zoning board of appeals by Alderman Carpenter. Whereas a member of the city of Amsterdam zoning board of appeals term has expired. Therefore, be it resolved the following individual is hereby reappointed to the zoning board effective immediately with a term expiring December 31st, 2028. Erica Ramirez, 48 Palaski Street, Amsterdam, New York 12010. Any questions? Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman Quar. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins.

Hi. Resolution number 2526-138. Resolution reappointing member to the city of Amsterdam Planning Commission by Alderwoman Collins. Whereas a member of the City of Amsterdam Planning Commission's term has expired, therefore be it resolved, the following individual is hereby reappointed to the planning commission effective immediately with a term expiring May 31st, 2030. Diane Saber, 5 Laura Street, Amsterdam, New York 1210. [clears throat] Any discussion? Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Martisello. Hi.

Alderwoman. I alderman Holiday. Resolution number 2526-139 resolution authorizing contract extension while dealt with Del Signar Black Top Paving Inc. for 2026 street paving by Alderman Marcelo. Uh so move read the last whereas clause and there therefore whereas the contractor's perform performance of work for the 2025 street paving contract was excellent. Now therefore, be it resolved that the that per the terms of the 2025 street paving contract, a one-year contract extension be granted. Any discussion? Call please. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman Costa Mars.

Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Resolution number 2526-140. Resolution to award contract for improvements to the Broadway sanitary sewer by Alderman Barcelo. Some just read the now therefore clause please.

Now therefore be it resolved that the city that the city award a construction contract to Pine Contracting Inc. of Amsterdam, New York in the amount of $250,970 for the work of this project with the award being contingent upon the receipt of additional money from the developer for the actual cost of construction plus construction administration services. And therefore, we have resolved that the mayor is authorized to execute said contract with Pine Contracting Inc. So discussion called roll. Alderman Marisello. Hi, Alderwoman Christovar. Hi, Alderman Holiday. Hi, Alderwoman Collins. Hi, Alderman Carpenters.

Hi. Resolution number 2526-141. Resolution 2025-2026 budget transfer debt payment by Alderwoman Collins. So you could read the second whereas and then now there

whereas the city exceeded [clears throat] its revenue projection for interest earnings so far this year in the amount of $30,900. Now therefore be it resolved that the controller is authorized to amend the 202526 fiscal year budget as in as follows. Increase expense ban principal sanitation $6,900. Band principal general fund $24,000 increased revenue interest in earnings sanitation $6,900 interest in earnings general $24,000 move any question. Alderwoman Collins. Alderman Carpenter. Alderman Marcosello. Hi. Alderwoman Quest Mars. Hi.

Alderman Holiday. Hi. Resolution number 2526-142, resolution reappointing member to the zoning board of appeals by alderwoman Collins. Whereas a member of the city of the of Amsterdam zoning board of appeals term has expired. Therefore, be it resolved, the following individual is hereby reappointed to the zoning board effective immediately with a term expiring December 31st, 2028. David Nyall Nelson, 28 Henrietta Boulevard, Amsterdam, New York 12010. Discussion. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Martisello. Hi. Alderwoman.

Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Resolution number 2526-143. Resolution appointing alternate member to the zoning board of appeals by alderwoman Mars. Whereas a member of the City of Amsterdam Zoning Board of Appeals term has expired. Therefore, be it resolved that the following individual is hereby reappointed to the zoning board as an alternate member effective immediately with a term expiring December 31st, 2028. Lorraine Del Costello, 21 Roma Avenue, Amsterdam, New York 120010. So moved. Any discussion? Please call the RO. Alderwoman Christos. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter.

Hi. Alderman Martisello. Hi. Resolution number 2526-144. Resolution authorizing contract with Philips Slidle LLP for the prosecution of inr run foreclosure action pursuant to RPTL article 11 by Alderman Marcelo.

What was it? Whereas the city is desirous to engage special counsel for the prosecution of an inrem foreclosure proceedings pursuant to real property tax law article 11 for the year 2023. And whereas the city previously engaged with Philips Lidle LLP for prosecution in of the INREM action that was commenced in 2023 for the years 2017 through 2021 with the services provided having been to the great satisfaction of the city and the common council being desirous to engage said law firm again as special counsel for the prosecution of the next inr foreclosure action. And whereas in substance, Philips Lidle LLP will charge the city $250 per parcel for representation in this matter with set fees being subsequently recoverable by the city with court approval upon sale of the parcel. Now be it hereby resolved that the attached agreement with Philips Sidle LLP is hereby authorized.

So movement. Thank you. Any discussion? Call Alderman Marcella. Hi. Alderwoman Quest. I Alderman Holiday. Hi, Alderwoman Collins. Hi, Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Resolution number 2526-145. Resolution authorizing contract with Civic Plus for oil management by Alderman Holiday. Yeah. Yeah. We're going to add an amendment to this one to the one of the warehouse clauses. Um to make it amended. Yes. Code. So, you're going to add whereas Yeah. Um, do you have you want me to read

Did you have the I do the verbian that she wanted to use? Whereas expense to be charged to a410.4000.

So, who questions? Okay. Call on that on the amendment. On the amendment, please. Yes. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcosello. Hi. Alderwoman Fars. Hi.

Well, if you could read it just because money involves

whereas the city is desirous to engage Civic Plus for a cloud-based software management system relating to requests for records. Whereas the initial term of the contract is for a period of one year at a cost of in the amount of $13,929.75 of which $10,788 is for the first year service fee and with the balance of $3,141.75 of the $13,929.75 being for startup fees and with the city having the option to extend the contract for up to an additional four years with an annual increase of 5% in the annual service fee for the years 2, three, four, and five of the contract should the city wish to extend the duration of the initial term.

Stacey, we moved um questions, comments. Okay, we'll call the roll. Thank you. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcosello. Hi. Alderwoman Custom Mars. Hi. Resolution number 2526-146. Resolution 2025 20226 budget transfer of multiple accounts by Alderman Maricello. Some move. Any discussion? Open. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman Custom Mars. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi.

Alderman Carpenter. Resolution number 2526-147. Resolution approving audit by Alderwoman Collins. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Martisella. Hi. Alderwoman Customar. Hi. Alderman Holliday. Hi.

Resolution number 2526-148 consent. Resolution appointing member to the planning commission by Alderman Carpenter. Whereas there is an opening on the city of Amsterdam planning commission due to a resignation. Therefore, be it resolved the following individuals hereby appointed to the planning commission effective immediately with a term expiring February 28th, 2031. Ashley Kerry, 12man Street, Amsterdam, New York 1210. So moved. Any questions? Call please. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman Quest Mars. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi, Alderwoman Collins. Hi,

Congratulations Ashley. Thank you again. Resolution number 2526-149 consent. Resolution correcting resolution number 2526-105 as it relates to the purchase of 18 Bayard Street by Alderman Marcelo. Please read the last whereas whereas the intention of the instant resolution is to correct said error. Now therefore, be it hereby resolved that the instant resolution serves to amend the correct resolution 2025 26105 as it relates to the authorized sale price of 18 Bayard Street, said sale price being $31,100.

So move. Thank you. Any discussion? Call. Alderman Marcelo. Hi. Alderwoman. Hi. Alderman Holiday. Hi. Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Um it is restaurant week in our city. Uh there are several great restaurants participating. Uh the your featured meals are $18.85. All of them uh in commemoration of the year was founded as a city. I please uh try and get out there and uh patronize these wonderful restaurants for participating in this great program. Chris, you were at the Winter Festival.

Winter Fest went swimmingly well. Um started off a little slow but um started it started at noon but by 1:00 um we probably people there and kids were sliding or sledding they were ice skating families. It really this year reminded me of you know something you'd see on on TV in an old movie you know where all these people are just I mean it would have been better if we had Patel's popcorn thing but I do want to thank Alvin House I want to thank Kitchen for donating food I want to [clears throat] everybody was there was a great event Northweight did a great job with the skates

that's right do we own those now yes yeah we It was fantastic. Always have a weather challenge and this was actually this was actually cold and then I was there. You were there. No, last year it was really really cold. This year it was made perfect. All right. Thank you very much. Council meeting to Alderwoman Collins. Hi. Alderman Carpenter. Hi. Alderman Marisella. Alderoman. Hi. Alderman. Hi.