City Council - Regular Meeting

Are you interested? Are you interested in government? I wouldn't say that's a first choice, but I love your honesty. I'm open. Okay.

All right. We are about to start. You could find a seat anywhere. Yep.

Oh my gosh. I've been teach. Okay. Welcome everybody. Today is Wednesday, April 22nd. It is 6:08. This is the Bingmpington City Council business meeting. I call the meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Madam clerk, can we do the roll call, please?

Present. Present. Present. Present. Present. Present. Present. Can I get a motion to approve the last meeting's minutes, please? I'll make the motion. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Motion a second. Is there any discussion on the approval of the minutes? Hearing none. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Minutes approved. Do we have any reports from any committees or appointments tonight? The planning committee met on Thursday the 16th to review a request for legislation submitted by a community member related to a citywide reassessment. Um that video is on our YouTube channel. It was not necessarily about whether or not we need to move forward with a citywide reassessment, uh, but an acknowledgement that it's been since 1993 that the last assessment was done and discussion around how we get from where we currently are to implementation by the end of 2028. And then initially the proposal is a reassessment thereforward every seven years. Um I think some of that still remains under consideration.

Any other committees that have to report? All right. Hearing none, we'll move on. We don't have to set a public hearing. We have no public hearing tonight. Public comment. Residents wishing to submit public comment may do so electronically by emailing their comments prior to 1 p.m. on the day of the meeting to clerk@city of bingmpington.gov or in person during the meeting. Doesn't look like we have anybody here that wants to give public comment. Did we have any public comment sent in? Okay, moving on. We have no mayoral veto to review, so we're on the second red legislation. This is introductory ordinance 026-35. It's considered in finance and I'll hand it over to council member Kavanagh. I'd like to motion to approve O2635, an ordinance to amend the 2025 general fund budget for ARPA expenses.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Discussion, please.

Um, so there were this got held over. There was some questions. Um, so hopefully I can provide a little clarification here. I know some other folks also saw the clarification. Um, essentially, uh, when we received ARPA funding, it got put into the general fund and, uh, with a with an appropriate, uh, uh, liability against that money, so it didn't look like we had all this money to just spend willy-nilly. And then as that was allocated, encumbered, and eventually spent, transfers were made to those appropriate budget lines in the general fund and into the capital fund. over time uh these several years um not all the end of year reconciliation happened with between the general fund and the capital fund ARPA amounts. So this uh amount accounts for the approximately $700,000 we have in the capital fund that are ARPA funds being spent this year. So that transfer and then cleaning up any transfers that didn't properly get reconciled over the past several years. So it's not reallocating any money. It's not clawing back any money. It's not changing any of the spend of the money. Simply um cleaning up the accounting between the general fund and the capital fund. Anyone have anything they'd like to add or any questions?

Hearing none. And I mean, I just I I had my questions answered, so I'm I'm comfortable with voting on this now. So, thank you for giving me the time to do that. What' you say? I'm sorry. I I had held this over at our our last meeting and I was just saying that I had a chance to get clarification on the questions that I had. So, thank you. I'm happy that I had time to do that. Thanks. Anyone else? Hearing none, madam clerk, can we do a roll call? Council member Rathmemell. Hi. Council member Medavetski. Hi. Council member H. Hot. Hodkis. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council member Middleton. I. Council member Murray. I. Council President Dundan. I.

Thank you. That is 70. Moving on to introductory resolution R26-10 considered in municipal and public affairs. And I'll hand it over to Council Member Middleton. Thank you, President Dundan. I'd like to make a motion for R RL26-10, a resolution to authorize the agreement with Lobo Wise for police recruitment services. Second. We have a motion and a second. Discussion, please. So, yes. So, this is um a resolution to um for logo wise um for police recruitment. Guess they're going to start back up with it. So this basically um logo wise will do all the marketing for police retention. So what were you gonna were you going to say something?

Recruitment. Recruit the retention part. Okay. Sure. Um yeah. So uh recruitment. Anybody like to add anything?

I would say we received this legislation as part of a policy package. We were, as council member Middleton just represented, told that this agreement is necessary for recruitment based largely on the hope that an updated website and social media boost will drive potential candidates to sign up. In conversation, however, with the national law enforcement experts engaged in the other legislation that was part of this policy package, what we were told is that recruitment is intimately tied to retention. And what we've learned over the years in this office and as this council is that there is not demonstrative data relative to retention or recruitment for that matter. Both have been a persistent challenge within the department, which was the reason that council amended the agreement with those policy ex the law enforcement experts to include a deep look into our recruitment and retention practices and ways to improve those areas. And to me, until we have that data to demonstrate what is actually effective in impacting recruitment, which again has been a persistent challenge, I don't see how it is a fiscally responsible choice to drop $36,000 for some stock photos and from and for some social media promotions. Does anyone else have anything to say?

Sure.

I mean, I'm I'm uh very excited the potential that uh the CP21 contract is going to give us for f ongoing and future uh recruitment and retention efforts. Um new strategies, better practices. I think that's all wonderful. I I'm just all right with keeping the nuts and bolts, you know, of the of the current system running, I guess. You know, as far as some new recruitment videos, new new uh uh new pictures, updated website, and social media buy. Um it's not out of line with uh what other departments are spending. Um and just uh not really out of line when you look at uh just the uh cost of posting one job on Indeed for a couple of weeks now is is uh quite expensive. So the whole recruitment package whatever is uh it's not my favorite contract, but I think it's uh I think it's okay as a stop gap measure now. and uh hopefully some of what we we're we're creating will be continue to be useful.

I just I would like to um echo the sentiment of how recruitment and retention um efforts are intertwined and equally um important because if we are recruiting folks and they are not staying then we end up back in the same boat. So, um, you know, to really focus on both efforts simultaneously is important and I just want to go on record stating that and I hope that there will be moving forward more communication with assessing and evaluating both of those areas and information shared with council related to the barriers. So, um I fully my concern is that we haven't received that information and those conversations aren't happening and you know I am going to hope that that will change moving forward.

Anyone else?

I I got lots of thoughts in all different directions. So, this is going to come out as a a soup. I meant to try and prepare something. Um, so let's see. Um, one, I I did uh speak to several uh Courtland Sheriff deputies um over the weekend and asked them about how they were um recruited. They were of of different ages. Um, uh, basically everyone said it was based on both the people that they already knew in the particular department that they were applying to. Um, and the reputation of that department for them, the draw to the Courtland Sheriff's Office um, was the ability to take enough time to to do a good job and not be have so much of a case load that you have to rush and cut things short. So, um, really figuring out what our unique strengths are because people like all different types of workforce, you know, situations. Um, but making sure that we're recruiting people that are a good match to to what we're doing and where we have um, cultural things that we can improve, improving those cultural things, and then being able to recruit based on those improvements. Um, but I thought it was interesting, um, getting a bunch of people from outside of Broom County who are not don't have any eyes on this discussion. Um, and just getting their their input. I think there was like four or five of them in the room um, while I was bugging them at Maplefest because that's what I do on the weekend. Um, so that was one. to um I did uh the clerk's office sent over a link uh Nikcom in March had a session on uh recruitment partic uh recruitment and

retainment particularly as it relates to uh women and u the case for women in police departments. Um and they really stressed in terms of the recruitment side um where we're recruiting and how we're doing that targeting. Um, I feel bad that I did not follow up with the mayor's office or with logo wise directly um asking some of those questions about like how they're actually doing the targeting on social media because that does matter. Um, uh, so um, classically, for example, um, police departments recruit veterans, veterans related. Um, so I'm I'm assuming that that's a piece of it. um the Nikon uh folks were talking about um you know the need to recruit in spaces and with keywords relating to like nursing, social work, teachers um and that's a way to get some of the skills that we're looking for in a modern police force. um and expand. Uh so I think it's not just about spending a lot of money on recruiting, but trying to figure out who isn't being captured in other departments recruiting techniques and who we're trying to, you know, what skills particularly we're trying to recruit. Um so I would be interested in more discussion and um understanding about uh BPD's uh recruitment strategy as it relates to um the types of keywords um that we're we're going after. Um so I have lots of pages and pages of notes from um the Nikon group. there is a voluntary opt-in for it's a group called 30 by30 initiative um and they do focus on like parental leave not just maternity leave

like the types of topics they were talking about for um recruitment and retainment into police departments are um like I said things like paternity leave um and um and dealing with um in terms of some of these statist statistics were really uh scary. Uh 60 to 90% of female officers um experienced sexual harassment in their department. Not that this is not a Bingmpington statistic. This is general statistic that they were talking about. and and they did an internal survey of the members, police department members of um this initiative and they found a 100% of the respondents um said that if they were to be sexually harassed, they had little to no confidence that their agency would appropriately respond. Again, not a BPD response. Um but to get some sense of the types of things and how we're recruiting and how what types of things we can do. Um that's just to give you some some stats on that. So that's something I've been thinking about relating to this. Um in terms I mentioned kind of the the funnel. Um so on the one hand it would be nice to have more information on the actual logo wise plan and the targeting and all that thought process that goes behind it. Um the mayor did share some kind of general ideas. Um but they didn't they were pretty general I thought um in terms of that but I did appreciate that when you fill out that information online you do get a human um and uh Lieutenant Flanders um I know uh sits down individually with people who fill out that form um answers questions about

um you know I child care or like anything that you have like tattoos. Does your tattoo disqualify you? How do you handle all these different things? What does the process look like? Um what are the different specialties? What talents are people looking for? How quickly do people move up? Like all the types of questions you could have about like applying for the job, you can get answered once you fill out that form. So, I do understand and appreciate the idea of making sure that we're getting people's contact info so that they can then have that conversation um with someone who's knowledgeable. Um so, uh that's the side of it that makes me u my I'm intending to vote yes on this. Um because I I think that that that funnel piece is important and there's a lot of things that I I wish were the case or that I wish I knew about or that I wish I had confidence were being well thought out at this point. Um but I do also understand that there's a timeline uh for recruitment. Um, so I guess that's where I am and I'm I'm sure I'm gonna have more thoughts later, but this is something I've been mulling for quite a while. Thank you.

Anyone else? I think one piece that came up at our Southside Neighborhood Association meeting last night and trying to get feedback um on this conversation, we did receive the question given that it's over the procurement threshold whether it went out to bid and the answer to that is also no. So we don't have a plan, we don't have a guarantee of actual effectiveness. Um, and it didn't follow procurement protocol. What we do know, and I really appreciate the conversations that the effort that you made to have with the Courtland folks, and it confirms exactly what CP21 folks said is candidates don't base their decisions on flashy social media. They base it on existing current officers that they know and the reputation of the department. And you don't have to Google much to know what the reputation of our department currently is externally. Um, and we've also internally uh received a number of concerns from officers with challenges internally. And so again, until we address those issues because we know it's the significant indicator or contributor to recruitment. I this to me just feels like something Mayor Cra feels strongly about for reasons we've not been able to identify, but otherwise that don't make sense.

Anyone else? I guess of course one of the things that stresses out internally the police department is when they're low staffed. Um so um the importance of getting people into the funnel um and to again to have those human conversations with an actual officer. It's not like it's the marketing standing on its own. Um but the um the importance of having a full staff um which allows them to do um more of the work that they're interested to do more um less uh being forced into taking additional shifts, right? And and we can get into these kind of I don't like to use the word death spiral, but that's what I'm thinking. Um, first first words popping my head, but when you don't have enough people and people are having to do extra shifts and aren't allowed to take their vacation to go to their niece's wedding or whatever it is, um, that that the staffing issues can in and of itself hurt morale. Um, so there's it's to me it's a yes and and I um I totally respect everyone who is intending to vote differently than me tonight um for a variety of reasons, but a principled stand on the binning process is certainly um something that I tremendously respect. Um but I I explicitly ran on recruitment and retainment. That was one of my I didn't make a lot of campaign promises, but that was one of them. So, for me, this I I'm having to prioritize that um over my discomfort with the bidding process.

I'll just note and to make it clear and before it gets twisted, my vote is not an indication of any rejection of recruitment, any opposition to recruitment. It is fully in favor of responsible recruitment efforts that will not only potentially increase our staffing but improve our retention rates so we don't continue to be in this position year after year.

All right. I know. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Um thank you guys all for for sharing. Um, I think they're all valid considerations when looking at this. U I think the what I am mulling over in my head is that if it's if we are if this was to get voted down um because we think that there is a a more appropriate and more effective recruitment strategy. Um that leaves the department in a position where they have to develop that strategy, execute it, um and try to make all those efforts happen in that time, whatever the time frame is. I know they only have like a few few months to get that done. um which seems like you're really putting them in a hard place. I I I agree that the um the procure pro procurement process is a little bit um it's like we have these processes in place for a reason. So I don't know why different pieces of legislation can just hop over them. um they can get the pass. Uh ultimately, I I just think this is a this is just a big digital marketing package and it's going to be a lot of ad spend um to get leads and I'm sure from the last iteration of this that that was a attractive way to look at their recruitment. There's always numbers behind um everything. I know I was pummeled with ads on social media for police recruitment, so I'm pretty sure that that's exactly what this is going for. Um

I think it's at this point in time is a lot to ask for the department to um make Can I interrupt just a ask a question? Sure. Did uh Councilwoman Middleton, Councilwoman Murray, or Councilwoman Rathmemell get pummeled with BPD recruitment ads on social media? I I don't believe I was. I'm just I'm just Okay, maybe you have good ad blockers, but it's like there's there

um so was I saying but um regardless I think it's like we're if you're to vote this down, you're asking for the department to come up with a totally new strategy that they don't have in plays um which is going to be really rough on that uh recruitment class and I don't know how they're going to get that done um and attract a pool of candidates that they can have the ability to be selected with. So, if there's a like after after this vote happens, if there's any future considerations that this council wants to take up on how we want to see recruitment. Um, and just kind of lay that out that just this digital digital forward type of strategy is not going to be acceptable. Um, I think that's something we can consider, but it's when it's like this point in the process and it's always kind of like that, it always it's like we have to vote this through or um then everything falls apart. So, those are the thoughts in my head right now. I'm I'm planning to vote for it, but I'm also going to get devil's advocate here. Um, so conceivably at least a chunk of this could maybe be pulled internal. Um because if it's just ad buys, there's probably people within city hall who know how to do that. Um so I mean in terms of like a totally different strategy versus just implementing this strategy um in part internally while it's sent out to bid. Um because I think there's different people with different

perspectives on why they may feel negatively on it and for folks that there may be a path forward um on that. Um, but I I do like the idea of just straight up in budget season saying this needs to be part of the the budget in the first place and u we want to have more information and plans and uh for what it is um and talk that out as we're actually planning for the next year. Anybody else hearing? None. Madam clerk, can we do the roll call, please? Council member Rathmemell. No. Council member Mavetski.

Hi. Council member Hodkus. I. Council member Kavanaaugh. I. Council member Middleton. I. Council member Murray. I. Council President Dundan. I. Thank you. That is 61. So we're moving on to first read legislation. That's introductory ordinance 026-42 considered in planning. and I'll hand this over to Council Member Rathma. Thank you, Council President Dundan. I'd like to make a motion to adopt Introductory Ordinance 026-42, an ordinance to modify the CDY51 budget to increase the American Civic Association's contract. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Discussion, please. Um, this is an increase. This is a proposed increase of about $15,000 to the American Civic Association. The funding for renovations at their office was previously approved uh in 2024 and they have encountered also needing to upgrade uh they that originally was to upgrade bathrooms. they've encountered needing to expand that scope to add uh some immediately needed lighting fixtures and lamp replacements.

Anyone else? Um I had mentioned semierta rebate programs on Monday. Um I did some quick research. Uh it doesn't seem like the ones that I was referencing are still a thing. So, um, you said your quick research indicated

it's so on Monday I talked about some NAERTA programs that used to cover this sort of thing. Um, but I don't think they're active right now, the ones I was referring to. So, Juliet said they will look at any any grant funds that are available or or or rebates, but um uh the particular program I was looking at was I don't think is active right now. So, anyone else? Hearing none. Madam clerk, can we do the roll call, please? Council member Roth, I. Council member Madavitzky, I. Council member Hodkins, I. Council member Kavanagh, I. Council member Middleton, I. Council member Murray, I. Council President Dundan, I.

Thank you. 70. Moving on to introductory resolution R26-29 considered in public works and parks. and I'll hand it over to Council Member Middleton. Thank you, President Dundan. I'd like to make a motion uh for introductory RL26-29, a resolution to enter uh enter agreement with Barton and Lugitus to assist with the preliminary engineering reports. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Am I wrong? Oh, we you skipped me. I mean, you skipped Robert. It's okay. We can go back. All right, everybody. I made a mistake. I'm rusty at this. So, we're going to back up. We can go back.

We can just We can finish Ken and go back. We'll finish this one. That's what we'll do. We need a second. I'll second. So, I have a motion and a second. Discussion on R26-29. Yes. Hold on one second. Um this is just for um the uh pulmonary uh reports um for the assistance with the pump station improvements project. Am I right? Yep, I was right. So yeah, that's what this is regarding. Anyone have anything they'd like to add?

Hearing none. Madam clerk, can we do the roll call? Council member Rathlau. Hi. Council member Medavetski. Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council member Middleton. I council member Murray. Hi. Council President Dundan. I. Thank you. That is 70. So backing up to introductory ordinance 026-43 considered in finance. And I'll hand it over to council member Kavanagh. Like to motion to approve 026-43, an ordinance to modify the 2025 general fund budget for purchase of A2 replacement vehicle. We have a motion. in a second. Discussion, please.

Um, we lost uh one of the uh planning department's uh vehicles uh I think was an accident. Um last year um this is the funds to replace it. Uh good chunk of the funding comes from the insurance settlement. Um, and another chunk comes from uh rebates and the remaining is coming from within their uh personnel service line uh because they've had a they've had an opening. So, put all those things together and we get to uh cost replacement vehicle for them. Anyone have anything they'd like to add? Hearing none. It's a hybr. It's a hybrid.

It's a hybrid. Anyone else? Madame clerk, can we do the roll call? Council member Rathell. Hi. Council member Medavitzky. I. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council member Middleton. I. Council member Murray. I. Council President Dundan. I. Thank you. That is 70. Moving on to introductory resolution R26-30 considered in public works and parks. And I'll hand it over to Council Member Middleton.

Thank you, President Dun. And I'd like to make a motion for RL uh 26-30, a resolution to enter an agreement with Keystone Associates to assist assist with construction administration services. Anybody have anything they'd like to discuss on this? We had a I just made a motion. I'll second. Oh, motion and a second. Any discussion? Sorry. Uh this is uh we had this similar agreement in place last year.

Um there's essentially one uh engineer that that's on staff at Keystone Associates that I think is uh is kind of available to take on these these projects as we need them. The rate is very good for the city. It's kind of a uh it's a way to give us a little extra uh capacity within the engineering department with uh um while we're hoping for more actual full-time, you know, in-house people, this is about as good a compromise as we could ask for. So, anyone else hearing? None. Madam Clerk, can we do the roll call, please? Council member Rathmill. I council member Medavitzky. Hi,

Council Member H. Hotchkas. I council member Kavanagh. I council member Middleton. I council member Murray. I council president Dunan. I. Thank you. That is 70. Moving on to introductory resolution R26-31 considered in public works and parks. And I'll hand it over to council member Middleton. Thank you, President Dundan. I'd like to make a motion for RL 26-31, a resolution to extend the agreement with Barton and Lugitus to assist with the six ward uh interceptor project. We have a motion. Do we have a second?

I'll make I'll second. So, with a motion and a second. Any discussion? This is, I believe, the fifth amendment to a continuing agreement uh with Barton and Lotus Lugus, excuse me, to continue work on the sixth ward sewer interceptor project and pump replacement. Delivan pump replacement. Yeah, it's a no cost agreement, too. Sorry, I was reading and I forgot to speak. That's okay. Updating. I was going to add it in there that it was a no cost amendment. Yep. So, I don't think we have much else to discuss on this. Not at all. Go ahead with the roll call, Madam Clerk.

Council member Rathmemell. I. Council member Medavitzky. I. Council member Hoskus. I. Council member Kavanagh. Hi. Council member Middleton. I. Council member Murray. I. Council President Dundan. I. Thank you. That is 70. Moving on to communications from council. We're actually going to start in order tonight. So, I'll start with council member Murray. Thank you, President Dundan. I do not have any communications at this time. Thank you very much, Council Member Middleton.

Um, okay. I have three things. Uh, first, we are having our, um, Westside meeting tomorrow at 6:30. So, Westsiders, if you're listening, please come on out. We are trying to expand it with more people. So, come out with your ideas, thoughts, complaints. We will take them. Um on Saturday from 10 to 12 um the westside neighborhood um we'll be meeting at Thomas Jefferson for um our Earth Day cleanup from 10 to 12. So if you're free, come on out. Got some gloves thanks to the clerk. We got some We got some garbage bags, some pickers, so please come on out and pick up trash around the neighborhood and

and thanks to Parks and Wreck. Oh, and a parks and wreck, too. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Um, and uh, one last thing, I am happy to see every single person here today. It's been hard for us to all come together um, this year. So, I'm happy that we're all here tonight. So, that's it. Thank you, Council Member Kavanagh. I will just, uh, echo Councilwoman Middleton's comments about our neighborhood meeting and our neighborhood cleanup. So, come on out if you can. Council member Hodkus, no communication tonight. Council member Mattki.

Um, great. Um, so cultural kaleidoscope is happening again this year at Discovery Center. It's on April 25th. Um, I think it starts late morning and goes until about 2 PM. There's lots of different um, ethnic groups that come and perform and share food and it's a really really nice time. Um, I don't know how many years into it this is, but I've definitely been to it at least a couple of times. Um, so if you've never been, consider checking that out. Um, the free night at the Discovery Center is May 1st. Um and um Friday is the um greenway cleanup 434 greenway cleanup that I'm um organizing through Bingham University uh alumni association. Uh it is open to everybody. Um the official signups have ended, but that doesn't mean you can't show up. Um we'll be there. Um, we're meeting in the MacArthur like baseball area parking lot at 1 pm and we're going to clean from uh 1 to 3 and we have thanks to the parks department um some orange bags uh for for helping us with the cleaning and um thank you to um Carol Holly. She's going to be bringing some pickers um so uh from the Southside Neighborhood Assembly. um Conklin AB study, um corridor study. We're still putting together a list of people to recommend for the advisory committee. There's also going to be um focus groups, uh one-on-one interviews, and in-person events. So, if you're interested in getting involved, if you live near or have a business on um Conclanav, um please reach out to Councilwoman Rathmeal or myself um to

get onto a list so you'll get information and uh may be considered for some level of interaction relating to that study. Um, I want to thank uh BPD for taking action on some of the parking and traffic issues around MacArthur Elementary. Um, I've heard some positive feedback on that. So, I want to give a a thank you on that. Um, I think that's what I got for tonight. Council member Rathma,

I was going to also mention the opportunity to engage with a conclave uh corridor study. So, I'll echo that. And final thought, uh, for those who attended last night's Southside South Southside Neighborhood Association meeting and those who have never been, we spent two hours, uh, between council member Mavetski and myself and our county legislator, Tim Ames, uh, discussing policy in detail, sharing information, uh, data and intentions, other communications relative to what's going on at both municipal levels. Um so if you're looking for a good time and are interested in engaging uh locally on the south side, that would be your stop.

So I'm going to start off by saying uh Sunday, April 26th is going to be workers memorial day concert that's held by the Broom Tyogga Central Labor Council. It's from 2 to 5:00 pm. It's at the American Legion Post 1645 on Robinson Street in Bingmpington. It's a free event for anybody who wants to come out. We will be remembering the men and women who lost their lives on the job in the previous year. And the last thing I want to end on is I just want to send an apology to the people of District 7 in the east side is I know I've been tough to reach lately. I've been dealing with serious health issues since November. Um but I'm slowly getting back on my feet and I do plan on reaching out and touching base with every single one of you. So with me ending on that, can I get a motion to adjurnn, please? I'll second motion.