City Council - Regular Meeting

ready to start when you are. Thanks, B. Okay, I'll call this meeting to order. This is a meeting of Bingham City Council business meeting. It is Wednesday, March 25th at 6:06 p.m. If you could please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

The clerk, please call the role. Council member Murray is absent. Council member Middleton is absent. Council member Kavanaaugh present. Council member H. Hot. Hodkis present. Council member Mavetski present. Council majority leader Wrath present. And council member Dun is absent. Thank you. We'll start by approving the minutes from our business meeting on March 13th. Do I have a motion? March 11th. Thank you. Make a motion. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Any opposed? All in favor? I.

Thank you. We have one report from committee or one appointment for committee on our agenda. Council member H. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hotchkas. Go ahead and kick it over to Council Member Metavves, I think.

Okay. Great. Um, so yes. Um Jonathan, who goes by the name Bo, um is a Southside resident. Um he reached out to me um looking to get more involved uh particularly in things relating to human rights. He's a veteran who joined because he believes in serving the community. um and he has been kind of focused on his career over the past number of years and was looking um given the state of America to get more involved uh locally. Um, and so I I passed his uh resume over to the mayor since the previous person that we had that was on there um that was representing one of the protected classes, which is veterans, um, wasn't able to stay on the commission. Um, so I thought that was an appropriate place to direct Bo. Uh, and I appreciate the mayor for nominating him. Okay. So, Jonathan Schwarz has been nominated by the mayor for appointment to the human rights commission. Do I have a motion?

I'd love to make the motion. Do we have a second? Like to make a motion to hold over the appointment. I haven't had a chance to speak with

I'll second that motion to hold over. Okay, we have a motion to hold over and a second. That'll hold over. Thank you, Council Member Hodkus and Council Member Matavitki. We have no public hearings to set or hold today. So, we'll move on to public comment. If you are here for public comment, please come down to the microphone and introduce yourself by your first name. indicate whether you live or work in the city of Bingmpington and you will have five minutes to address city council. Welcome.

You may need to push the button till it's green.

Okay, great. Uh thanks everyone. I'm Josh Enderly, live in Bingmpington, work in Bingmpington. Uh just want to express my current disappointment in the lack of trees in the city. I really think we should start prioritizing the pedestrian experience um throughout the city. Ideally, you know, I know for me when I'm walking around, I'm a lot more likely to stop into a shop that I haven't been before or even biking around, I can just be like, "Oh, I'm going to park here and I can, you know, hop in, see what's new." Um, and trees, I think, are very vital for that. One, to provide shade. Um, two, to make the, you know, lessen effect especially in the summertime. Uh and not to mention the beautifification uh portion of that as well. Uh I was walking down going to get coffee old barn market saw the new development there saw the wells and literally like jumped and gasped at the even potential of having a tree because I don't think I've seen a tree planted in the city before. And so that was a rare sighting in my experience. And so I would really like to know what our plans are for planting new trees because I heard we are a what tree city USA or something like that certified. Uh visually unable to verify. I don't know how we still have that standing to be honest. Um so I would like us to put more effort both for like trees and also I guess pedestrian experience in general. So thanks.

Thank you. Do we have anyone else who is here for public comment?

Welcome. Please state your name and if you live or work in the city of Bingham.

Hello. Um, yep. Shauna Stevenson, resident of Bingington. Heard someone talk about trees. It's great because that's also what I'm here to talk about. Um, and I have a couple other things, too. I have no idea if city council has any purview over these things, but I just wanted to share some concerns as a resident and hopefully some inspiration for uh future decisions. Um I guess I'll just start one thing. Um I live in the first ward and something I've noticed is there is like a new flashy camera thing at the speedway at the corner of Glenwood and Clinton Street. Um it's a tower. It's blinky blue lights, has a lot of cameras. I consider that to be like hostile architecture, and you know, it's it's on their property. It has like a police looking insignia, but it's not. It's like a privately owned company. So, you know, I don't know if they got like a permit to do that or something, but I just wanted to raise a flag there. I hope that um that won't be continued or I I'm just not sure. But it's like very um you know, I've had friends be like, "What's going on there?" And I'm like, "I don't know. There's just a tower with flashy blue lights and cameras." So, just pointing that out as something that doesn't look very good. What does look good? Urban trees. Um I am a I am a member of the um the um the Shade Tree Commission. Thank you. I just like ran here from my car. I just got out of work. Um, and we haven't met since I believe September of last year. Um, one of the issues was the open meetings law and how that applies to our meetings as a commission, a non- voting commission. So, I just wanted to raise that. Um, hopefully that can be um addressed at some point. It has a lot of um enthusiastic members that I think we do really want to do work and help the

city um plan for more trees, but it's very hard if we can't meet. So, I'm raising that. Um, and in my own research, I was just seeing um, some of the recent zoning variances that have been granted particularly to parking projects or um, demolitions where um, an applicant goes to the planning board to get their site plan review approved and a conditional approval is given if they will consider trees or adding the trees as per the zoning law. And then applicants are able to go get a variance through um the zoning board. And I don't have like hard statistics. It's very hard to read through all of these meeting minutes. Um but I from what I could tell it seems like there's always a variance granted for landscapes. And I just I know that um there are efforts to add more trees. Um there's the climate action resiliency plan of 2024. there's clear guidance on how to incorporate more trees and make being a pedestrian a more dignified experience which I think we would like to see here in the city. Um so I'm not sure where the disconnect is there but you know trees take years to grow to be able to provide canopy and um I just find it very concerning if we're always granting a variance at all these opportunities where there could have been one or two trees. I mean, it's just one tree per 30 feet of perimeter. Um, it's not that much. And even for that, instead of planting trees, we're like, "Okay, here's four more parking spaces." Um, and, you know, it's paid parking spaces, too. I don't I don't see how um that is a self-imposed how that isn't a self-imposed problem. Uh, if you're trying to get more money for your parking um, and then you're saying you can't uh add trees because of that. Um,

I am happy to see that there is a street tree request form on the city website for homeowners who do want to have a free tree planted in their front yard. I don't think that's advertised enough. Um, and it is like an uneditable PDF, so it's a little inaccessible. Um, but I do think it's an opportunity if folks are interested in having a tree, but ultimately I think especially in the Main Street corridor, my lived experience is mostly in the west side. Um there's a lot of paved over um I don't know what you call between the sidewalk and the road um where it's just totally paved over just rocks or something. A lot of parking areas that don't have trees or canopy cover and it's adding to the heat island effect. And um I think there's an opportunity if there's any more development on Main Street or otherwise if um those who are able to review those plans are able to uh advocate for trees. um you know the best tree was planted 20 years ago and or you can plant it today. So um I'm just here to advocate for that and um to reduce hostile architecture especially in the way of surveillance of neighborhoods um the spot and uh Clinton Street is concerning to me. I know that for the DRRi project I'm very excited the city got that. It's very um competitive and I noticed a lot of applicants were trying to get funding for more surveillance of their parking lots or properties. So, um, just raising that concern. Thank you.

Thank you. Do we have anyone else here for public comment? Clerk, did we have any submissions?

We do. Um, one from the Bingmpington Police Benevolent Association. City Council, the Bingmpington Police Benevolent Association is writing and asking for your support with two pieces of legislation that will greatly benefit our members in the community. RL2640, a resolution authorizing agreement with Logo Wise for police recruitment services. Like many agencies nationwide, we face significant manpower shortages that impact public safety and officer well-being. Recruiting qualified diverse candidates for law enforcement positions has become increasingly challenging and the civil service process requires a strong applicant pool. An updated and targeted advertising campaign will help us reach a broader audience, attract individuals committed to serving our community, and maintain the high standards our residents expect. This investment is critical to the future of department staffing and follows what other agencies are doing on the cutting cutting edge of police recruitment. RL 2641, a resolution authorizing agreement with 21CP for community policing assessment and strategic planning. The PBA encourages city council to approve the agreement with 21CP solutions. This partnership offers an invaluable opportunity to stu study and document the positive changes our department has implemented under the principles of 21st century policing. It will provide a transparent record of our progress, strengthen community trust, and reaffirm that BPD is committed to being a community focused agency. Additionally, working with national experts who sha helped shape modern policing standards will ensure our leadership and officers continue to build on these successes and remain at the forefront of best practices. We appreciate city council's continued support of staffing, vehicles, and training for our department. These two initiatives will really make a difference for our future. Thank you for your partnership in public safety. From Thomas Costello to members of council, by charter, the leadership of departments is contingent upon mayoral approval and consent. This circumstance is the single greatest barrier to

effective recruitment of qualified candid candidates for these positions. This can has been kicked so many times over decades that we as citizens of this municipality cannot keep track and seem to have lost count in the process. The rationalizations fabricated by either side of this of this discussion are absurd. The entire management structure is antiquated, politicized, and utterly inappropriate to circumstances. In the private sector, where duly qualified persons are sufficiently and deliberately empowered to perform optimally, the managerial structure, similar to our municipal leadership, would not be tolerated for any reason. In that sense, our management processes is both inexplicable and laughable. The technical issues are easily understood, but the political confoundment that follows from restrictions imposed by law present a guardian not to successive legislators regardless of political affiliation. Consequently, it would behoove all of us to speak openly about the fundamental flaws that prohibit effective, efficient, and affordable leadership in our city. Please read this message into the record if possible. Thank you. Your interest and support are appreciated. Thank you and thank you th to those who spoke. Uh we will now move on to our first read legislation.

We didn't do committee reports when we were in the appointment and committee report section. Okay. I know we can bounce back to committee reports

which is where I was going to speak about the trees. Um, so we we did have an environmental commission uh meeting. Um Cam, who is also on the Shade Tree Commission, brought uh it to the Environmental Commission's attention um exactly what was discussed today during public comment that um it seems that um and they they said ZBA was was weaving um the requirements uh for shade trees and uh great concern over that. Um, so I believe the environmental commission is um considering kind of looking at that and potentially um putting together a statement for council on their kind of review over maybe some of those minutes or um trying to pull some of the the facts together. Um we uh let's see. So, Ecottox is going to have another meeting um that uh they reviewed that, you know, we talked about Bingham Plaza at the last Eco Talks meeting and PIFA um and they're going to keep working on those issues. Um I brought up uh the fireworks topic um of the with the soil samp samples there. There was um some discussion of um composting and how to move things forward with those discussions, trying to figure out um if there's any reports from the work that was done by vines. There was like a press release a while ago relating to composting. Um and so uh the group's going to try and follow up and see if we can learn what happened with that. It seemed to be a city sponsored composting pilot with uh cce and vines. So, um they're going to be

trying to track down updates. Um there was uh other other related dis discussion relating to pedestrian and bike stuff. Um questions about uh the 363 gateway project and how that is going to interact with the pedestrian and bike safety. So, that's something that we'll try and have updates for our discussion for our next month's meeting. Um, I think that's a decent summary. There are always some tangents in the environmental meeting. Um, but those are some of the highlights, but the the shade tree thing was something they specifically um kind of are looking at and wanted to raise up as well to council.

Thank you. Any other reports from committees? or commissions. There's an MPA committee meeting that's going to be coming up on April 1st um at 1 pm relating to the MHAST um RL that came in. I don't I don't know if anyone else wants to throw in more detail, but I want to make sure that that was mentioned that we are going to have a meeting on that. Um they were unable to attend. I guess we mentioned it Monday at work session. they're unable to attend um at the time of our work session. So this is to accommodate their schedule.

So the for context the discussion itself will center on uh the transfer of $100,000 from the Bingington Police Department's budget to the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier in support of their expanded programming for their mobile crisis team. uh they'll have a presentation jointly from Broom County Mental Health Department who selected Mhast as um the they they've been providing mental crisis services or mobile crisis services for some time. This will serve to expand their programming to make it more mobile to introduce an evaluation and a clinical component to that programming and is very specifically designed to uh minimize if not fully as much as possible eliminate unnecessary law enforcement contact uh when vulnerable individuals are having a mental health crisis. Any other context or reports from commissions or committees? Seeing none, we will move on to our first red first red legislation. We have introductory ordinance 026-28, an ordinance to authorize park outdoors billboard application. This was considered in public works. Council member Hodkins.

Yeah. So, I I'll make a motion to um adopt introductory ordinance 026-28. This is an ordinance to authorize Park Outdoors billboard application. I'll second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? So, what we're doing here is I think we're replacing two standard billboards and placing them with a single digital billboard and that's all I care to describe about this. Any additional discussion?

I was going to say from my under recollection the work is already been done prior to approval. Um and um order of operations is out of order. Um but um here we are. Do you want to add any context to the out of order operations?

Well, the work's already been done prior to approval. Um, there's some nuance into why people might have felt that this was not required and then learn later that it was. There's was difference. I don't I don't want to put words in people's mouths, but um It seems like people felt that they maybe didn't need to go through this process and then later it seemed like they did and so now we're here even though everything is already concluded. So basically new billboards are not allowed in the city of Bingmpington under city code but we have them and there's been sort of a ongoing practice of when one of the billboard companies has wanted to change a billboard, upgrade it, usually going from an analog billboard to a digital billboard, they've kind of worked out uh something with whatever administration has been in place. And uh city council has usually blessed those u those agreements, which usually involves removing multiple billboards in exchange for uh upgrading one billboard. um due to a couple of factors I think in this case um fact that uh there's been there was some change of personnel at this particular billboard company uh they hadn't been through that sort of process before and the fact that uh this billboard is within a railroad right of way. There was an interpretation that that meant that the city ordinance didn't apply which is not the case. Um so there was some uh some disagreement about that. So, we ended up with an upgraded billboard without negotiation and without coming to city council first for this waiver.

So, that's where we're at. Um, the billboard is in place now. Um, and we have in this discussion the proposal of the two that would be removed. So, it's it's holding true although after the fact to that that sort of policy. So ultimately um we're getting fewer uh fewer billboards in the city. Um and also hopefully the ones that are remaining are going to be a little bit more effective for the the uh billboard companies and the advertisers. So out of order process, but we're getting there in the end.

Thank you, Council Member Kavanaaugh. Any additional discussion? Okay. Hearing none, clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Mavetski. Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanaaugh. Hi. Council members Murray, Middleton, and Dundan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo. I. Thank you. That is 4 Z. Okay. Next, we have introductory ordinance 026-29, an ordinance to amend the 2026 HUD budget for personal services considered in planning. Council member Gavanagh,

get a bonus one, right? Okay. I'd like to motion to adopt O2629, an ordinance to amend the 2026 HUD budget for personnel services. We have a motion. Do I have a second?

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Sure. So, we're uh we are looking to uh fill our uh HUD administrator position and um the salary needs to be a little bit more commensurate with the responsibilities um which are in changing and increasing in scope um to be a little bit more of a significant player in housing development and strategy for the city. So, uh, the, uh, the ask is an increase of that salary to $80,000 a year. Um, this does get paid out of, uh, community development funds. So, it's it's not extra direct tax funds, but it's still coming from that precious pot of federal dollars, but hopefully will help us make more efficient use of that money as well. I think I would add that for at least the duration of council members present term and uh for years prior advocates have been pushing for a type of position or oversight role internally where housing policy, housing development, housing strategy is considered uh more cohesively, more comprehensively as uh next steps, ordinances and resolutions are considered as development projects are pushed forth. So my hope is that this would accomplish bringing those pieces together under the HUD administration role. Any additional discussion? Okay. Hearing none, clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Mavetski.

Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council members Murray Middleton and Dunan are absent. Council majority leader Rathmemell. I. Thank you. That is 4 Z. Okay. Next we have introductory ordinance 026-30, an ordinance to amend the 2026 police and IT budgets for vehicle upgrades. This was considered in finance. Council member Kavanagh. Okay, I'd like to motion to adopt uh uh O2630 ordinance to amend the 2026 police and IT budgets for vehicle upgrades. We have a motion. Do I have a second? Second.

Any discussion?

Sure. Um so we have a number of police vehicles uh that are having critical IT issues. um a number of them uh can't be upgraded to a new operating system. Some of them have other hardware issues uh to the point where some vehicles are entirely out of service. So if we have vehicles are out of service, the remaining vehicles have to work more shifts. Um so that that makes our fleet aging more difficult. Um so these are are fairly critical upgrades to the tech inside uh police cruisers. Um the uh original proposal was to kind of pull this out of remainder of 2025 budget. Um but it uh the I think the quotes came in in 2026. So I think it's only fair that we use 2026 dollars to meet the the need. The need is there. Um and we just need to uh uh do the transfer.

Any additional discussion? I want to thank Councilman Kavanagh for digging in on it and having further conversation. You went you talked we had questions at work session. You followed up. I couldn't hear a word of that. I so I think I'm finding that if I like I'm hearing council member Kavanagh, council member Hodkus like I'm hearing I think maybe your mouth is just slightly under the microphone because I'm struggling to hear closer. We're figuring it out.

But I don't I didn't understand what you said in response. thanked council member Kavanaaugh for the work he put in to try and figure this out because we were confused during work session about the timing and Gotcha.

Yeah. And ideally an amount, you know, like this approaching $100,000, you would maybe think would be a sort of capital project or something, but it's really just a series of kind of moderate sized things that have piled up that we need to to address. So I'm not um it is taking a, you know, a productive approach to knocking knocking down the issues we need to to knock down. It's just Not quite planned for. Any further discussion? Clerk, could you please take the role? Council Mavetski, I. Council member Hodkus, I. Council m Kavanagh.

Hi. Council members Middleton Murray and Dundan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathnell. I. It's 40. Thank you. Next, we have introductory ordinance 026-32, an ordinance to amend the 2026 engineering budget for personal services for senior engineer environmental. This was considered in employees. Council member Matavitzki,

I'd like to make a motion for introductory ordinance 026-32, an ordinance to amend the 2026 engineering budget for personnel services for senior engineer environmental. We have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. I'll second. Okay.

Any discussion? Um, so I flipped back to my notes and basically the takeaway from what our engineer Ron Lake shared with us is that the current person is not capable of doing this particular type of work. um and um they're preferring to bring the work inhouse and they think that the savings will be about 100,000 for bringing the work inhouse and uh they're one of the things they'll be doing is DEEC reporting. Any additional discussion?

Okay, clerk, can you please take the role? Council member Matavitzki. Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council members Murray Middleton and Dunder absent. Council majority leader Rathmo. I. Thank you. That is 4 Z. Thank you. Next we have introductory ordinance 026-33. An ordinance to amend the 2026 fire budget for EMS med vehicle purchase considered in finance. Council member Kavanagh. I'd like to motion to adopt O2633, an ordinance to amend the 2025 fire budget for EMS and mid vehicle purchase. It's going to be 2026 fire budget.

Second. Right. Okay. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I second it.

Any discussion? So this is one of the two MED vehicles that have been uh fire med vehicles have been talked about numerous times. This is uh funding that city council set aside in the 2026 budget process uh to fill this need um or at least half of this need. Um so this is moving the money to make the purchase and get those cars in service as soon as possible. Any additional discussion hearing? None. Clerk, could you please take the role? Council Mavetski I. Council member Hodkus. I. Council Kavanagh. I.

Council members Murray Middleton and Dundon are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo. I. Thank you. There's four zero. Okay. Next, we have introductory ordinance 026-34. An ordinance to amend the 2025 sewer fund budget for an overage bill considered in finance. Council member Kavanagh. Okay. I'd like to motion to adopt uh 02634 uh an ordinance to amend the 2025 sewer fund budget for an overage bill. I have a motion. Do we have a second? Second.

Any discussion? Uh so we budgeted um somewhat tight with our with our flows and the comproller uh thought we were when this was originally brought down thought we would need about a was well over a total of $170,000 transfer. Um those budget estimates now that the bill is are coming in are much much closer to uh what we originally budgeted. So, the transfer needed is down to uh $50,000 and that should cover us uh for for the the rest of the flows for 2025. So, we actually budgeted pretty close. So,

thank you. Any additional discussion hearing? None. Clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Mavetski, I. Council member Hodkus, I. Council member Kavanaaugh, hi. Council members Murray Middleton and Dundan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo. I thank you. That is 4 Z. Next we have introductory ordinance R26-20, a resolution to enter into supplemental agreement number one with McFarland considered in public works. Council member H. Hotchkas.

Make a motion to adopt introductory resolution R26-20. This is a resolution to enter into a supplemental agreement number one with McFarland. Do we have a second? Second discussion.

Uh this is for extra engineering work that's going on on the uh Main Street Carter project which is stretched into this construction season. And so we obviously need the supervision of the engineering firm to continue to do it. Thank you, member. Thank you, Council Member Kavanagh. Any additional discussion? Clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Vavitzki, I. Council member Hodkas, I. Council member Kavanagh, hi. Council members Mary Middleton and Dunan are absent. Council majority leader Rathmemell. Hi.

Thank you 4. Moving on, next we have introductory ordinance R26-21, a resolution to authorize the assignment of Broom County Animal Shelter to the Humane Society considered in municipal and public affairs. Council member Matavitki,

I'd like to make a motion for R 26-21, a resolution to authorize assignment of Broom County Animal Shelter to the Humane Society. Just for grammar purposes to read straight from the resolution, a resolution to authorize the assignment of the Broom County Dog Agreement to the Broom County Humane Society. So, it's the agreement, not the shelter itself. Uh, we have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion?

So, this was introduced to us on Monday with a request for expedition. Um the county uh voted and moved legislation to have the um county dog shelter be managed by the humane society with the idea that um eventually it would basically take over the operations. Um, and uh, it came with the support of our um, animal control officer um, whose opinion I I take highly. Um, and I did reach out to our my county legislator um, who had been in involved in some of the discussions. uh my discussions with him kind of mirrored some of the concerns that council member Kavanaaugh brought up about um the kind of the unknown costs over time. Um I don't know if I fully have a handle on what's going on yet um due to the expedited timeline. Um, so I would be open to holding it over, but um I'm it seems like basically the county has already voted on this. Um, it's basically happening. This just seems to be like a letter of support or notice in some regard. Um, so I I don't I don't know if it's a particularly matters one way or another. I guess I it seems like it's probably a good idea. Um but it's also a little bit confusing to me still. Um

I mean I don't love the situation because of the unknowns which you articulated. Um but also I I think this is kind of a ministerial action on our part like there's no right what if we don't do it like so we have a contract I

mean we have a contract and it requires our consent for it to be assigned over um you know kind of like we talked about on Monday right no one knows what the longterm cost is going to look like on this. In the short term, there really shouldn't be much change, if any, in terms of costs for the city since we're operating under the existing agreement. Um, and those costs were are really going to change once we redo our contract with the Humane Society after this, which we were kind of anticipating is happening anyway as part of that process. So, I don't personally see any reason to not vote for it. The county is basically getting out of the dog shelter business. So, we might as well see what this option plays out like.

And that that's why I was willing to make the motion for it is that yeah,

it doesn't seem like there's really much of a choice anyway. And um obviously our um animal control officer, you know, spoke in support. So the main person that I would turn to to say is this a good idea has already said this is a good idea. So um but if people want more information and I do have um I do have some some numbers and and things that I was able to to get. But um so I'll throw it out there. I'm happy to vote on it or if others are interested in holding it over. I'm happy either way. We so far have a motion and a second to move it forward. Is there any additional discussion?

Okay. Hearing none. Clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Advitzki. Hi. Council member Hodkis. I. Council member Kavanaaugh. Hi. Council members Murray Middleton and Dundan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo. I. Thank you. It is 4 Z. Okay. Next, we have introductory ordinance R26-22, a resolution to authorize an agreement with the family enrichment network considered in planning. Council member Hodkins, make a motion to adopt introductory resolution R26-22. This is a resolution to authorize an agreement with the Family Enrichment Network. I'll second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? So, we are using some of our CDBG money to help the family enrichment network um with their elevator project at their child care facility downtown. Any additional discussion?

This is just another uh part of the CDBG funding that uh we have reortioned and the this is the the actual contract going out. So hopefully they're going to be able to commence work and get that elevator in before June. It's a very worthwhile community project that's going to help uh facility be much more uh usable and accessible for the community for the future. Anyone else? Okay. Clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Mavetski. Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. I. Council members Marie Middleton and Dunan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo.

I. Thank you. That is 4 Z. Thank you. Next we have introductory ordinance R26-23, a resolution to authorize an agreement with the Broom County Urban League considered in planning. Council member Hodkus. Make a motion to adopt introductory resolution R26-23. This is a resolution to authorize an agreement with the Broom County Urban League. Do we have a second? Second. Any discussion?

This is another allocation of CDBG money. Um that's going specifically to the Broom County Urban Leagues project that is low to moderate income two rental units on Main Street. just continuing to support efforts of affordable housing. Any further discussion hearing? None. Clerk, could you please take the role? Council member Mavetski, I. Council member Hodkis, I. Council member Kavanagh, I. Council members Marie Dton and Middleton are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathmo. I.

Thank you. That is 4 Z. Next, we have introductory ordinance R26-24, a resolution to accept a donation from Claw Industries. This was considered in municipal and public affairs. Council member Matavitki. Okay. I'd like to make a motion for R26-24, a resolution to accept donation from Claw Industries. Do we have a second? I'll second. Discussion.

Okay. Um, So, this resolution would accept an inkind donation not to exceed $1,200 in support of the installation of benches on the 434 Greenway. Um, those benches were uh purchased through a health department grant separate from from this, but this helps us move forward on grant that we've already accepted and made purchases with.

Any additional discussion? Uh, just to mention, I think it was Clo Industries and Barney and Dickinson originally. Yeah. So, I just don't want Barney and Dickinson to go unmentioned as a nice donor. Sorry, I can't I couldn't hear any of that. The the work session had also included Barney and Dickinson. This resolution does not. Any additional discussion? Clerk, could you please call the role? Council member Metski, I. Council member Hodkus,

I. Council member Kavanagh, I. Council members Murray Middleton and Dunan are absent. Council Majority Leader Rathl. Thank you 4 Z. Okay. Next, we have introductory ordinance R26-25, a resolution to authorize the 2026 Rumble Ponies fireworks considered again in m municipal and public affairs. Council member Matavitzki, I'll make the motion. Do you want someone else to do it? No, I'll do it. R26-25, a resolution to authorize the 2026 Rumble Ponies fireworks. Do we have a second?

I'll second proudly. Any discussion?

Uh, yep. Um, so uh it's been the second year that we've discussed, uh, having a town hall or community discussion relating to fireworks. Um, I agreed to move forward with this, uh, if we really do have a town hall before the next time we vote. Um, and because, uh, mayor sent down, um, and, uh, reminded me that this is a less fireworks than previous years. So, we're kind of directionally reducing um, and so I'm I'm comfortable moving forward on this. Um, but I I do want a community discussion. So, I think a when we first brought this up, um that this has kind of been a I think fireworks are good for people that are visiting the the stadium, but for folks that live in the direct vicinity, um including people in in my district and uh council member Rathmills, it can kind of be seen as a nuisance if you have pets or animals or PTSD or if you are concerned with uh soil contamination from heavy metals that are used in the production of fireworks

or asthma from the PMS. Yeah. Um so for those for those reasons, I I'm going to vote against this as I have in the past. Um so if you want to save it, you guys got to make a motion to hold it over and hope for different people to be here. I'll motion to hold over. Maybe we can even get a town hall in before

as the clerk. I just need to notify you all that the ne the first fireworks date occurs prior to the next business meeting that was submitted in the permit. This is not me trying to sway you in either direction. Just forformational purposes. I want you to be aware it's possible to have a special business meeting.

Are you willing to take a vote you don't believe in Councilman Hoskus indifference to our attendance difficulties tonight and we will we can I will we will I think we can always commit to a town hall and more dialogue. unofficial chair of the council fireworks caucus. Um I I would hate to have folks lose out on a promotion they were promised coming up. I think on the I mean just historically when given our challenges with quorum we have addressed member concerns and reticence by holding over that has been our that has been our option and that remains our option but I I mean I'm willing to let council member Hodkus respond to your question. I didn't mean to interrupt, but

I mean the other option is a special business meeting, I suppose. I don't mean to pressure you except I'm pressuring you, I guess. Yeah, I'm struggling to hear you, but I'm I'm still I'm against this permit, so it's just where I'm at. I respect your stance. If answers are achieved, you could always schedule a special business meeting on the subject. Yeah. Um, I'll make the motion to hold over. I'll second.

Okay. We have a motion and a second to hold over. So, that moves. Okay. So, we'll end with communications from council. There are just a couple of us here. I'll start to my left with council member Kavanagh. I'm fine. Thank you, Council Member Mavetski.

Um, yes. I will start with uh one of my favorite things that I get to do uh which is uh speak at the naturalization ceremony. So, I was the speaker uh again last week and where we naturalized 25 new Americans from 21 different uh countries right here in the city of Bingmpington. And it was a super honor uh to get to be there and celebrate with everyone. Um just fills my cup, fills my cup uh to get to to be at such a beautiful ceremony. Okay. Um, the more boring thing, um, with the holidays coming up, um, I will be traveling and our city council phones do not work out of country. So, um, I'm going to Canada. So, um, my phone will not be reachable. If you need to contact someone during business hours, um, please call the clerk's office. Um, there's a few days when I won't be reachable by phone. So, uh, appreciate uh you letting me celebrate my holiday with my family that does not live where our work phones function. Thank you. Oh, we also had a Southside neighborhood assembly meeting. Um and uh I want to thank uh Elliot from the Hole in the Wall for housing our meeting when um our normal meeting space was locked. Um, we had uh Chief uh Ryan. Um, we had uh great discussion about Southside Commons. Um, and uh updates of course from from council and residents. So, um, please stay tuned for next month. If you're a Southside resident, we'd love to have you join us.

Council member Hodkus. No communication tonight. Thanks.

Thank you. I'll just note uh that yesterday we held uh what I think and hope will be the first of several meetings to discuss reimagining center city. If you recall, we launched this effort to consider reinvestment opportunities um and community and neighborhood building opportunities in the center city district. With the renaming of Columbus Park to Center City Park, we had a really fantastic turnout from community members during yesterday's meeting. Um, and I will be posting the notes from that conversation on my Facebook page just to have them accessible uh and available for feedback. and I'll continue to note when those meetings are happening um and how the community engagement steps will look moving forward. Thank you everyone. With that, I'll take a motion to adjurnn.

Make a motion. Second. All in favor? I We're adjourned.