Common Council - Regular Meeting

Alderman Cushmar. Here. Alderman Holladay. Here. Alderman Collins. Alderman Carpenter.

Here.

Alderman Marticello.

Here. Council, thank you for taking time out on a busy day. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda?

Sure, I'll make a motion to adopt the agenda with three resolutions and one consent. You can call the roll.

Alderman Cushmar. Here. Aye.

Aye.

Alderman Holladay.

Aye.

Alderman Carpenter.

Here.

Alderman Marticello. Aye.

We have no proclamations. Correct. And no communications. So we can go into resolutions. There's no old business. So let's go right into the resolution.

Resolution number 2526-232, resolution authorizing new ambulance purchased by Alderwoman Quistomars. Whereas the Amsterdam Fire Department has seen a dramatic increase in call volume over the past several years, and an additional ambulance will allow the department to expand their capacity, improve response times, and ensure that city residents and visitors receive timely, life-saving care. Whereas the purchase price... of the new 2025 ambulance from Northeastern Rescue Vehicles Inc is $338,740. The city has been approved for a state and municipal facilities program grant, the amount of $340,000 to cover this cost. Resolved, the mayor is authorized to approve the purchase of a new ambulance from Northeastern Rescue Vehicles LLC and the amount of $338,740. So moved.

I would like to say I'm not normally the sponsor of public safety resolutions. It's usually Alderman Collins, but she's not here today, and I'm really honored that I am the sponsor of this. I started dating my husband, who's a retired fireman, 19 years ago, and this battle is Ford Ambulance was waging 19 years ago to have our first ambulance to start billing. The fire department saw that there was a need in the community that they could fill, and they believed that they were the best qualified to do it. There's a lot of pushback with really just the belief that the private sector would take care of it. And we've seen over the years that the private sector can't. This is something that we need to do to serve. And they showed up at meetings. They put together numbers, propositions. I mean, Chief Aggressor, I don't even know if you were a lieutenant back then, but there were a lot of fights. And one council member who doesn't even live in the state anymore called them a bunch of thugs. And so I just want to shout out to the fire department that never gave up on this. Now to see a third ambulance at a time when, you know, all these ambulance businesses are just not getting the coverage. All these rural areas are not getting the coverage. And here in the city of Amsterdam, we can say that. you know, when you call 9-1-1, someone will show up. And that's a huge thing. And thank you to the council. Thank you to the mayor. Thank you to everyone who made something like this possible. But shout out to my husband, too.

Thank you. Anyone else like to speak to this? Just curious, when will that, do we have a timeline on when this grant's going to come back in? No, we don't. No?

No, the application has been submitted.

They just finished their state budget. It's going through Ways and Means Committee right now. Well, we did a new budget and as you know the ambulance brings in a lot of revenue for the city of Amsterdam Yes, did we budget for this third?

Money in how we put money in Revenues the spike in revenues is not gone Has not continued in the past year So what we budgeted was a realistic number based on the fact that we'll have three ambulances. Okay, that was my question. Thank you

Any other discussion? We'll call the vote. Alderwoman Cuesta-Mars. Aye. Alderman Holiday.

Aye.

Alderman Carpenter. Aye. Alderman Marticello.

Aye.

Resolution number 2526-233, resolution authorizing intercom loan for a new ambulance by Alderwoman Cuesta-Mars. Whereas the City of Amsterdam is often required to cover the cost of project expenses that will subsequently be reimbursed by grant funds. Whereas the City has been in the practice of issuing bond anticipation notes to cover the upfront cost of large grant funded projects. Whereas at times the City has adequate cash flow to allow short-term inter-fund loans as an alternative to issuing bans, especially for lower cost projects. General municipal law allows for inter-fund loans if approved in the same manner as prescribed by general, special, or local law for making budgetary transfers between appropriations, whereas the city was approved for a $340,000 cost reimbursement SAM grant to purchase a new ambulance and inter-fund loan of $338,740 is being requested to cover the cost of the ambulance until the grant funds are received. Now, therefore, it is hereby resolved that the city of Amsterdam authorizes a temporary inter-fund loan from the general fund to the capital fund in the amount of $338,740 for the purchase of a new ambulance. So moved.

Any discussion?

Yeah, at this point, I just want to say thank Thank you. A shout out to Assemblyman Santa Barbara. This is the second time since I've been in office that he has come to our city's aid with money for the fire department. Remember, everybody, remember the ladder truck? His grant, Sam's grant advocacy was essential to that, and this ambulance would not have happened without his advocacy, again, on our behalf. So I want to thank, I know the council agrees, and

to support me in thanking uh assemblyman santa barbara for the work he does on behalf of our public safety department agreed thank you any other discussion you can call the role alderman christopher's tonight alderman holidays all right alderman carpenter alderman marticello all right Resolution number 2526-234, resolution appointing Judith A. Cissek to the Civil Service Commission by Alderman Carpenter. Whereas there is currently a vacancy in the Civil Service Commission as a result of a resignation of a prior member. Whereas the city has desires to appoint Judith A. Cissek to fill the said vacancy pursuant to section C-12 and C-14 of the city charter. And whereas Ms. Cizek possesses all necessary qualifications pursuant to public officer's law section three. And whereas Ms. Cizek is not a resident of the city of Amsterdam and resides in the town of Amsterdam, a majority of the common council must approve the instant appointment pursuant to section C-14C of the city charter. Now therefore be it resolved, hereby resolved that Judith A. Cizek is hereby appointed to the civil service commission.

So moved. Judy, if you don't know Judy, she's a wonderful person. She's very kind. She's very intelligent. She's been essentially a public servant for a very long time. She's on HAL. She's very involved in a lot of city functions. And I think she would be a very good fit for the Civil Service Commission. Any questions? Discussions? Mayor?

Alderman Carpenter. Aye. Alderman Marticello.

Aye.

Alderwoman Cuesta-Mars. Aye. Alderman Holliday.

Aye.

Resolution number 2526-235, consent. Resolution transferring funds ambulance day modifications by Alderwoman Cuesta-Mars. Whereas the city was awarded a state and municipal facilities program SAM grant for the purchase of additional an ambulance, whereas modifications will need to be made to the public safety building in order to accommodate an additional vehicle. The full cost of the modifications are not yet known, whereas the city currently has $101,083.44 available in the fire department operating funds to put toward the cost of building modifications. The project will not be completed prior to year end of the current fiscal year, so the funds need to be transferred to the capital fund. Resolved, the controller is authorized to transfer funds from the 25-26 fiscal year budget as follows. Decrease expense, equipment, fire protection, $101,083.44. Increase revenue, inter-fund transfer capital fund, $101,083.44. So moved. Any discussion? You can call the roll. Alderman Quistomars. Aye. Alderman Holliday. Aye. Alderman Carpenter. Aye. Alderman Marticello. Aye.

I'll make a motion to adjourn. Call the roll.

Alderman Quistomars. Aye. Alderman Holliday.

Aye.

Alderman Carpenter. Aye. Alderman Marticello.

Aye.

Thank you. Thank you.