Town Board - Regular Meeting

you would like to get uh this meeting under order. Thank you very much for for coming out tonight. Uh we are going to start our meeting for the Cicero Town Board on Wednesday, February 11th, 6 o'clock, the town hall. There are three emergency exits, two of them directly uh behind you and one to my right and to your left as you uh exit the building. Please make sure that your cell phones are silenced for this meeting so we don't have any interrupted uh things during the meeting. And please let us know if you have difficulty hearing so we can make adjustments in the sound. All right. I'd like to have everyone stand and uh join us in the pledge of

allegiance to the flag of the standis and justice for all.

And a moment of silence for those who have come before us. Thank you. All right, as we get started here um in our regular meeting, I'm going to make some comments. But the first thing I'm going to do since our meeting is officially started, um I have requested that councelor Hogan um moved to the seat that she was assigned to, which uh was assigned at the beginning of the year. And uh councelor Hogan, do you refuse?

There are no assigned seats. We can sit where we'd like. If you'd like to show me where there's any law that says we have assigned seats, I'd be happy to review that. It is by the supervisor's designation as to where you sit in this. I think we have more important things to discuss for the town and they don't care about this. So, we'll take that as a refusal. Councelor Hogan, do you refuse to move? Did you say that there's going to be an issue? Did you threaten that? I said there will be I said you will be held out of uh you're being called out of order. So, are you moving or not? Okay. I'd like you also said there's going to be an issue. I'll adjust which apparently you're talking about. I'll adjust and adopt so we can continue on with the meeting. Okay. Because there's nothing you can do. There's no

Let's move on. So, we're going to move on. Thank you. Placed on the record that council Hogan is out of order. All right. There's no no remedy for

I would like to address another issue brought up during the last town board meeting on January 28th about Robert's rules of order. On Monday, January 6, 2026, the Cicero Town Board voted unanimously to approve Roberts as the main rules procedures for our board meetings. Since that was a town board's vote, I am here to say that we are going to follow these rules to the best of our ability. Going forward, all discussions regarding motions will be had after the motion has been seconded and until a final vote has been requested. There will be no discussion or commentary by board members after the vote has been made official. I understand there is an issue raised about past practice regarding postvote commentary, but the past is not prologue. This is a new board with a new supervisor and we voted to adhere to the rules of Roberts. I will also point out point out that at no time during a discussion of a motion before the board will a counselor's voice be hushed, hampered or silenced. Board members may and should be prepared to discuss the motion at hand at length with clarity and conviction. But after the vote is taken, no additional commentary will be allowed from board members. I hope this clears up any confusion or misconception that may exist on this issue.

Point of order, please, Mr. Supervisor, if you'd be so kind. So recognized. Thank you. I understand we want to follow Robert's rules. If you want if you want to do this, all I'm asking for is a simple resolution that states that. That's it. That's all. Robert's rules of order. It it's it's there just needs to be a simple resolution that says moving forward. This is how we're gonna do it because you missed the last meeting. I read a long statement about No, I spelled the entire thing of order. I did the supersedes. It supersedes, right? All you have to do is just make a vote.

The motion was basically made when we uh approved the Robert's rules of order on January 6. I don't think anything further is needed. We've already made that decision very very clear and that's what we're going to stick with. So, I appreciate your comments, but we're going to stick with what we have and thank you very much for your for your input.

I'll a brief more just to explain everybody. I can't believe we're actually again another item, but nothing to do with anything. Uh I just want to briefly clarify the important distinction. So discussion or debate is you know built around persuasion. So debate is built around persuasion. It is directed at fellow board members and is meant to influence how others may vote. Debate can be limited, structured or even closed and members may choose whether or not to participate in it. Explaining a vote serves a different purpose. It is not about persuading colleagues. It is about informing the public. A brief statement at the time of voting explains how and why an elected official exercised the authority entrusted by them to by the voters. This is accountability, not debate. New York State Open Meetings Law 100 states that public business must be conducted openly so that citizens may observe the performance of public officials. Allowing brief explanations of votes supports that purpose by helping the public understand not only what decisions are made, but why.

Thank you, Councelor Ballo. I appreciate your comments. Um, that changes nothing in my mind, but you had the right to speak and we certainly wanted to be uh have you heard. All right, so we uh move along to public input pertaining to items um for uh except for the public hearings on tonight's agenda. You have up to three minutes. Do we have anyone who would like to speak on any agenda item? Please come forward, state your name, uh your address, and uh tell us what you had to tell us. There's a red button there. You have to hit that and try again. Thanks. Thanks for the time to speak. I'm Steve Wilson. We live at 9501 Chestnut Street. Um 30-year resident. We're here to talk about the Schneider.

Yeah. This is about the public hearing. Yeah. So our our neighbors got together. Most of them are here. So we're we're going to do that in a minute. This is meeting agenda meeting minutes before anything is on the agenda. Then the public hearing will be next. Correct. So if you can wait for this, you will be allowed to come up. Absolutely. Got it. Thank you. Absolutely. This is for agenda items not pertaining to the uh the public hearing. Do we have anyone who wants to speak on any of the agenda items? Because if not, we will uh we will close that portion. Okay. Councelor Hogan move for the adoption of a resolution approving abstracts number five of 2026 dated 24 2026 abstract number four dated 128 2026

second. Okay, we're soliciting board comments. Um yeah, I have a few questions. So, an invoice number 23211 um regarding Fred's flags, have we considered getting these for free somewhere like from congressmen or finding resources where we can get flags for free because there's multiple out there? To my knowledge, no. So, we haven't looked into that. We have not.

Okay. So, I'd suggest that that's something that we do. Invoice number 240694, landscape structures. Um, I guess there was $3,19720 for two super scoops of sand. So, I was just wondering if we could have a little more detail on that in regards to what type of sand was used. Seems pretty expensive. Why it was chosen. Those are playground equipment. Um, there are two sand diggers to go in sand for the spring. Oh, so that it's the equipment, not actual sand. It's equipment and shipping. Yes. Okay. So, it's playground equipment for um the beach. Okay. And was that put out to bid or

We went and got um bit we got quotes and they came in at the best price. Okay. Thank you. Number one371. Saratoga Associates. What services were completed for that? uh Saratoga Associates as our consultant on the LWRP which is kicked off. Okay. So the charge that was on there what what services were provided for that? Um well we had our we had our initial waterfront advisory committee meeting um two weeks ago. So they were paid for that meeting for the time at the

um I would have to look at the invoice. It's probably that invoice is for December services which the December if I recall. Um I I think was that one really small like $250. Yeah, it was just for we had a call with New York State Department of State if I recall. So that was December invoice and we just got the invoice for January which will be probably on a re coming up abstract. Okay.

All right. Thank you. Number 518462 Hancock Estabbrook LLP. Um the foils is what that one's for. Are those available to the public? Uh do you refer to the responses or the actual and where can it be found? Um the the foils are largely handled by uh Miss Kosman. Um the invoices we can always if someone requests to see we can always arrange for something. Who would they reach out to if somebody wanted those? The invoices themselves. Um me. Okay. Controller's office.

All right. Thank you. number 55697 Maguire Chevrolet of Baldwinville. I'm assuming this was like an employee that got an oil change, tire rotation, New York State inspection. I'm just wondering why it was um done in Baldwin and just in hopes that we can kind of encourage to keep that local. That was just done there because that's where the car was purchased and it's still under warranty and it's just a practice to bring it back there for service that period of time. Okay. Yep. All right. Yeah, it just stood out to me because I want to keep that stuff local. Okay. Keep it keep it in house. Typically, we do. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you.

Any further discussion by the board? All in favor say I. I. Nay. Going to abstain. Jamie will have one abstension. Motion is adopted. All right. We are going to now start our um special hearing meeting. I am going to uh move to wave the reading of the legal notice that was posted and advertised at the proper time. Do I have a bill moved? Thank you. Uh calling for a v voice vote to uh not have to read this. All in favor say I. I. Nay. Abstensions. Motions adopted. I'm asking if there's a representative that would like to speak on behalf of this zone change proposal.

Please state your name and uh who you represent. Okay, we are opening this public hearing at 6:12 6:13 p.m. is located basically right adjacent to the highway garage on Route 31 and it's surrounded by the golf course over there. Um, it's currently agricultural So again, this property is located on Route 31. It's immediately adjacent to the existing highway garage and the rest of it surrounded by the existing golf course. Currently agricultural, it's roughly two, there's actually two parcels, uh total of about two acres. Um, and the property owners are looking to zone change it or asking to zone change it to uh general commercial plus for to hopefully put some type of uh storage warehouses for their existing uh uh existing um business that they have over on Route 11. Understand that this is a bit of an uphill battle. We did get a negative declaration from the planning board and the county um planning uh recognizes that doesn't meet uh doesn't comply with the existing comprehensive plan over the or the highway overlay district. I guess my only contention as far as argument against that is the fact that yes in in theory your highway overlay district uh would require this to be residential or mixed use. But I guess my argument is who wants to live right next to the highway garage with uh the golf course right around it. And typically and in your um highway overlay, it recommended like 10 acres for parcels for that kind of mixed use in this area where this is only two

acres. Totally understand the the arguments against it and that we're not uh complying with the comprehensive plan. Um but the the applicant and owners would like to we're trying to ask for this Okay. Um, any questions uh for Tim? None come to mind. All right. Well, thank you very much for your time. We'd also like to know now if anybody else would have input on this as well. They can come forward, state their name. All right. Four against. We're We're all set. Tim, did you have

I'm all set as long as there's no questions. We didn't have any questions apparently. So, okay. Uh unless there's other any other commentary on this, uh we are going to move to close the public hearing and uh we'll be voting on this motion in two weeks um at our next meeting unless there's additional information that we're going to be getting from Okay. I I think you all received uh a letter comments from the from the neighbors that you you all received and I know that one gentleman wanted to speak at the beginning. Did you want to comment about this? Oh, for the other one. That was the other one, Steve. Thank you, Bill. Thank you. It's okay.

All right. So, if No, you're welcome. So, if there's no other uh commentary, we're going to close this public hearing at 6:15 p.m. Okay. [sighs] All right. I am now going to uh move to wave the reading of the legal notice posted and advertise the proper time which is our next public hearing. Do we have uh discussion? Uh I'm sorry. Do we have a um a voice vote on this to uh to to wave it? All in favor say I. I opposed. Abstensions. Motion is adopted.

I'm going to ask if there's a representative who would like to speak on behalf of the zone change proposal. Please state your name and the company you represent. Nathan Lapierre, Keplinger Freeman Associates, Landscape Architecture and Land Planning. Um, hi everyone. So, we um we went to the planning board before and they gave us a positive recommendation. So, I'm in front of you now. Is there a way we can get the submitted drawing up on the screen?

Um, it's in regards to Schneider packaging. as you know, um their parcel is roughly like 12 1/2 acres and it's one parcel. Um but it's split zoned currently. So the majority of the parcel is zoned industrial and a small section in the back which is currently wooded is zoned agriculture. Um and our request is to have that small portion changed to industrial to match the rest of the site. Um why show you a map if they have plans to uh expand the building?

What's there right now in that section? It's just woods. So it's trees and it's not wetlands. We uh we coordinated with the Army Corps and the DEC and we have negative uh jurisdictional letters for both that we can provide. It was a long process. Took us over a year to get through and um they we have that documentation. Yeah, we don't it's okay if it's taking too much time. I think everybody's

all right. So, we can't locate that. We'll just have to uh have to move on. Any uh additional information that you have to offer at this point in time? I mean, I can, you know, we're not in the u the site planning portion where we'd be in front of the planning board for the project, but I can talk briefly about the project. Um, the idea is that they would expand off the back of their existing building towards that wooded area. Um, and this would be there really wouldn't be any site changes at all from what is occurring now. It just gives them more room within the building to test their product. what they do is they pack um they just pack different sort of materials and products um efficiently within the warehouse using robotics and then they um they essentially give that information to the person who's manufacturing these products so they have just an efficient way of transporting packing shipping things like that and they just need more more space so that's really what what they want to do um and our hope is that we you know we get through this and we come before the planning board and get site plan approval and they can they can get this underway. Um I was provided kind of a letter um from some of the concerned neighbors recently. I think it came through either maybe yesterday evening or this morning. Um and if you'd like I can talk through some of those points that they highlighted some of their concerns if that you know if that's appropriate.

Yeah. This was a letter that was sent to to all the board members from Gordon W. Perkins I believe. Was that the same letter? So you're going to address some of those points and anybody who would like to comment after will of course be allowed to. Go ahead.

Yeah. So you know after looking at this letter um you know very well composed I I saw kind of the the main points and the concerns of the residents. So the first one was sound and noise. Um the idea is that the site really isn't changing much from what's happening now. There may be an additional asphalt drive expansion area on the side but nothing behind the building. So noise wouldn't change from the current noise levels there on the site. Um the second item was traffic. This isn't going to be a substantial increase in traffic. However, I would say that when we get to the planning board, if if the board thinks a traffic study is warranted, we'd be happy to complete that and hire somebody to do that um to prove those findings. The third item was visual impacts and lighting. Um I'll start with lighting. So you guys have lighting code, the planning board does. We adhere to all that dark sky compliant. Um, you know, zero foot candles the property line and then we would even, you know, we could put on some shields too if there was worries about light bleeding through to other neighbors. Um, but that's these are really items that are handled in the planning board stage when we have an actual um project. Uh, visual impact. So that site slopes down um I think it's south to north, south being higher. And um that building expansion would adhere to all the setbacks and some so we'd be able to keep a substantial portion of the vegetation in the back for screening purposes and when we get to the planning board, you know, if there's further concessions we can make for additional plantings or something like that, BMS, I think Schneider um would totally be open to to something like that. So, that's really where we stand. Um, you know, I just want to reiterate that this this the site as a whole right now, the majority of it is already zoned industrial. It's really just this portion in the back um the small portion in the back that's zoned agricultural

and it's one parcel right now. It's been combined into one. So, there's not two separate parcels or anything like that. Okay. Any additional comments from the board to his comment before we ask for others? Thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Okay, at this point, we'd like to open it up for anyone else who would like to speak on this matter. Please come forward, state your name and your address.

Try again. Steve Wilson, 9501 Chestnut Street. Um, we've owned that home for 30 years. We built it 30 years ago. We're basically right adjacent to the driveway to the back of the driveway at Schneider's Packaging. We came to a uh I brought most of my neighbors here with us from Chestnut Street. We came to the zoning board of appeals meeting about 25 years ago when that green building that's being expanded was was built. At the time they were asking for a setback issue. I don't have a problem with a setback issue. My main points are in that letter from Gordon Perkins and most of the neighbors uh support that. The light, but specifically the noise. Um and it's not all the time. There are things that they do like this gentleman mentioned the work that they do inside the building is packaging and testing of equipment. And so back then 20 something years ago and then all last fall from summer to winter they had a diesel powered refrigeration trailer in the driveway that ran 247 and it shuts off and it starts and it runs and it shuts off and it starts and it runs all around the clock all week long for months. um when they're done with a project and they're ready to ship, tractor trailers show up, usually one or two, and they might show up the day before and it's not a big deal and we overlook it, but they back up in the back corner of the parking lot and they idle all night long and that's annoying. And it's the norm the normal traffic is something that, you know, we signed up for. We're we're next door neighbors, so no big deal. But it's those other things and and the like that we basically were saying, hey, if if they're granted and maybe we're at the wrong meeting. We don't know. But if if you're granting that change to industrial and to add that additional uh manufacturing space that maybe some of our concerns could be addressed. That's it. Thanks for your time.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Do we have anyone else who would like to uh comment on this particular issue? Now is the time. All right, since no one is stepping forward, we are going to close the public hearing at 6:24 p.m. and we'll be taking a vote on this at the next town board meeting. Great.

Move for the adoption of a resolution authorizing the supervisor to execute a letter from the town in favor of the efforts of the canteen organization to join the youth safe space program administered through the New York State Office of Mental Health. The youth safe program helps establish safe spaces in designated areas such as the canteen center and it provides non-clinical resources for young adults aged 12 to 24 years old. The programs help overcome social, financial, and logistic barriers that may prevent access to traditional mental health services by establishing safe space outlets within existing organizations like the canteen. The town of Cicero fully supports the canteen becoming a member of the youth safe program and the benefits across act the benefits access to safe spaces may bring to our young adults.

Okay. Do I have a second? I'll second. We will need discussion from the board. Commentary, please.

Yes. So, I'd like to just point out um I'm very much for the canteen. Uh, I have a lot of concerns about attaching ourselves, God bless you, to this youth safe program. I think that it gives New York State some control that uh they do not deserve, nor can they be trusted with because they haven't given us enough information. There's a couple of key things that stood out to me. First of all, nonclinical uh makes me concerned you're dealing with children here. Um, and then also, uh, the not needing consent from a parent. Um, I myself have a 12-year-old at home, so I don't like the idea of, um, New York State being heavily involved with a program with mental health, non-clinical, and not needing my consent. So, there are a lot of concerns here, a lot of questions. I think we need more information. I am not for this youth safe program, but I am very much for the canteen and what they do.

Thank you very much. Um, Westman, do you are you prepared to comment on this? We brought you in for this exact same thing in case something was raised.

Hi. Uh, so yeah, my name is Wesley Sweetman. Uh, and I am the director of the canteen. uh to address what you were saying uh regarding nonclinical. Uh so what that means is that it has nothing to do with therapy, nothing to do with counseling services. It is providing supports that we are already providing a safe space for young people to go, access to recreational activities, access to food supports, those types of things that we are already doing. uh exploration in the community, civic engagement, uh workshops regarding job readiness and leadership activities. So, we're not adding in this mental health thing that I I understand the concern. I do uh we are not trying to include any type of therapy or anything like that. uh we are merely trying to continue to make this program accessible and expand upon the services and enhance what we currently have happening. So in terms of consent, uh we're a drop-in program. Uh so we currently service 8th through 12th grade. Uh and so we already have young people sometimes who fall into the age of 12. Uh because eth graders can be 12 years old. Uh so we already kind of function this way. We have young people who come up from the school. They fill out paperwork and then we are very open to communicating with parents and the like. Um but we we aren't going to be restructuring or changing what it is that we're doing based off of what New York State is saying. Uh I understand uh we are going to be receiving additional guidance from New York State uh regarding how to handle some of the situations. Uh concerns about liability

have been brought up previously on different things uh especially when it comes to working with young people. So having a state authority uh to kind of help us navigate some of this stuff which we we haven't had previously. It it's coming from someone who's been working in positive youth development now for eight years. Uh there hasn't been a lot. Uh we work with who we can. The county is there to support us. Uh but there hasn't been a lot coming from the state in regards to regulating. So this provides a lot of additional supports that previously we haven't had. So the canteen currently as it stands is an asset to the community. We provide services to the greater Cicero area as well as young people within Clay uh North Syracuse Salina and this grant will help us expand upon those services. But got to pull back a bit. Um, we are going to be continuing to provide the exact same types of services that we have. uh regarding the expansion of stuff. Uh we're going to have programming that's going to be separated so that way we can have 12 to 13 age range, 14 to 15 on certain days if need be. Uh in regards to the 18 to 24 range, uh that is something that that's a very underserved population. Uh we're seeing a lot of young people who are leaving school. They don't have much direction and

they're succumbing to things like addiction or isolation and that's resulting in some pretty catastrophic things. Uh so we're going to be developing under the youth safe spaces if we move forward with it uh programming separate outside of our traditional program hours that is going to be for that demographic. And it's going to look like things like social supports uh so that young people aren't isolated so that we can help reduce the risk of suicide within our communities. uh job readiness programming, workshops, stuff like that, so that young people who might be struggling with finding direction can help become or can become more a part of the community. So, we're not I understand the reservations. I I do. Um however, we're working with New York State, not against them. uh we just have to make sure that we are fighting we're following the guidance that's provided and as long as we are within the guidance the town the municipality is still going to have say in how we proceed with stuff our procedures our regulations and the like is there additional questions

um I don't know if I have additional questions yes just just yet but I I do want to comment you know I came out to the canteen last week and uh met with Mr. Sweetman, had a great conversation about the canteen and the programming. Um and I've looked over the materials here. This was this a competitive award. There's four.

Yes. Uh so we were chosen out of I don't exactly know how many applicants but we are one of four uh pilot programs chosen in the state for this uh because of the work that we've been doing with young people. Uh so we have been a resource for other organizations who come to us and seek us out in terms of how to do different stuff. If we want to continue to be kind of the pinnacle of youth development and and to have a program within the community, not just this community, but the greater Anodaga community, like this is the type of structural changes, the things that this is offering us, this guidance, the support keeps us at the lead. So as of right now, New York State is choosing one program per county. So we are the youth safe space for Anadoga County. So if we want to continue to be at the front of this, if we want to continue to be that the people that are looked to within the communities, like this is where we're at. So when you say, you know, this is it for the county, it's it, and I don't want to put words in your mouth, so correct me if I'm wrong, but it's more of a model for the county, not that we are going to be serving the county out of our location here.

Uh, so we are a model for the county currently speaking. Uh, we already are a place that young people from outside of the greater Cicero area can attend because we're a drop-in program. But this funding wouldn't create obligations to go out and start bringing in more.

It would not create that obligation. Uh we would not be forced to do so. Uh the goal would be to provide some offsite services for young people who might not necessarily have access to transportation because the whole point of the type of programs that we do is to provide accessibility for the young people within our communities who maybe don't have access to the things that other young people do. So being able to go to a local park and or a library and have a workshop that can be accessible to people who don't have access to transportation necessarily is going to be a positive thing. This grant 5% of it has to go towards transportation act or budget. So, uh, the hope is to work with the school district to gain an additional day for 5:15 bus services, uh, so that young people who maybe would only be able to attend once a week or maybe wouldn't be able to attend at all due to lack of transportation, uh, would have access to food services that we are providing at our building. Uh, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we provide dinner uh, and we also have a free table. Uh as of last year we were averaging 25 young people per meal uh with the high being 54. So we are seeing an increased need of young people who do not have access necessarily to warm meals and stuff like that. Uh I had a young person last year tell me that we were the only warm meal that they were going to get. This just increases accessibility. Any other questions for Mr. Swickman?

The Wesley, the document that I was emailed, yes, I believe it was a document that explained programming to an extent. Yes.

I'm not for I'm not against. I just like to see more information. I'd love to see someone from uh OM come in to answer some of the questions I have because I don't think you have the ability to answer it because if it's based off that document like I haven't seen the grant itself. So like my questions are about like the funding. I do believe this is something that New York State will obviously continue but I before I would just like to see what happens if the funding does run out where are we are we going to have to end programming that we that we that we had? So uh so to to answer that question no we would not. Uh, so this is not supplanting any current funding. It's not taking over stuff that my point is we do what we do today. Yes.

Right. And we do a really good job of it. This gives us the ability to do even more. Right. Yep. What? So that extra million dollar I think is what it is. $250,000 every year for the next five years.

Five years. Okay. That in the document I was given, I didn't see that anywhere in there. So yeah. So that's why I'm just asking. I would I would love to talk to somebody from OMH before I gave my approval. Also, where's Clay on this? Where is Salina on this? Okay. Um those are valid questions. Uh so we had reached out uh all of you I believe received our yearly review,

correct? Uh so it was in our yearly review that we had received this. Uh it has been on uh the Al Sturppy's website. It was on Kathy Hokll's uh there have been numerous avenues that this has been communicated that we have received this. Uh there has been no uh people coming to us and saying that they did not want us to pursue it. Uh I had been working with uh the controller and I had also been working with Michael Aragono in regards to this. Uh so I I do see what you are saying. Uh and as far as OM uh they are very willing

to communicate. Yeah. Uh I have a person she said that she's been willing to come in talk to people or virtually be present because she is out in Albany. uh but that is something that can happen if that is necessary. Uh but I believe that I do based off of the guidance that we have received have a fairly well understanding of what it is that we are going to be doing because again our programming isn't changing. Why is there a decision to uh not have anyone clinical and with that amount of money and also the parental consent?

Uh okay so [snorts] regarding clinical we ourselves are not a mental health facility. Uh so for us to bring in an actual like mental health therapist as a clinician, uh we would be opening ourselves up to maybe something that the town wouldn't necessarily be on board with, right? And so I don't want to ever put the town in that type of position. Uh previously we had something called a students assistance counselor. Uh and that is something that I would love to pursue again. uh students assistance counselor is essentially an employee assistance program. So it is functions the exact same way. A young person can go they can say these are the things that I'm dealing with and they can refer them and their families out to stuff that is available. It's not clinical which means again there's no diagnosing and nothing like that. In return, in terms of parental consent, I would love to believe that all parents are going to do and be exactly what a young person needs. However, sometimes a young person is not receiving the supports that they need at home. And so, a safe place such as the canteen is available. And in terms of parental consent, I understand. I I do I we are very open. We allow parents to come in. Uh but we don't want to turn a young person who needs us away because a parent says or doesn't say anything. We can send home permission slips. And I'm sure you've seen it

having two young people within the school district that sometimes there are kids whose parents don't fill out a form, who don't show up to board meetings, who don't show up to any type of IEP related service. So, this is a space that should be accessible. We're trying to remove barriers as it is. It's there's no permission required to be part of the canteen. That's not a change. No. Uh but we have had parents remove young people based off of whatever reason. Uh failing grades, concerns. It's and they'd still have that right. Yeah. Correct. The parent can still say you're not going or you know. Okay.

So my concern is is that this is with this um support from New York State, it is going to get bigger. you're going to get more mental health issues and you're going to get more guidance from New York State.

And so that that equation does not sit well with me. It also excludes clinical and parents. So you're getting more mental health issues, more New York State control, less parental involvement, less clinical. So to so to expand upon the mental health thing uh we have to developus with behavioral services within the community that is part of the grant. So what that means a letter of understanding

a contract. So this is Marissa who wrote the grant which I would more than happy to make sure you all have access to because in the grant it explains to your community actual statistics unfortunately over the last few years at your high school and that is something that has Would you mind coming up to the mic so people at home can hear because this is No, no, you have great things to say and I just want everybody to be able to hear. Thank you. I think I'm louder than I actually am. Um, where was I? We were talking about

suicides. Sorry. Suicide prevention.

I didn't want to say that. No, no. But in in the grant application, it probably would provide you with a lot more information about exactly what this funding would cover, the exact activities. Yes. So, so of course you're having all kinds of questions about this. I am also a parent of two teens, so I completely understand consent. Um, so it's not that there's no consent or parental involvement at all. Um, so I want to also make that clear. So, if I have a a kid, now I'm in a different school district, so we don't have anything like the canteen, which we did. Um, but if I did have a kid that was going there and I called and said, "Hey, you know, is my son Derek there?" They would have to tell me yes or no if he's not there. Unless there's been some proof. I'm sure the staff are mandated reporters. If there's something like that going on, that's a very, very specialized case, special incident, but we wouldn't keep information about whether or not a student was at the canteen or not. Parents have a right to know where their children are and what's happening in those spaces 100%. Parents are also welcome to come to the space. They can come in, they can drop in, they can see what's going on. It doesn't have to be announced. So, you can also talk with the staff and things like that. Um the opportunity that this gives is expanded hours and expanded service time. So Wes talked about having separate time for those 18 to 24 year olds. That's not something that the canteen has a lot of right now. So it enhances that. It also will require them to be open 25 hours a week during the summer. Right now there is not summer programming outside of correct me if I'm wrong. They do some field trips and special events volunteering, but there's no kind of place to go. And we know not every kid has a summer job, 12, 13, 14, 15, and they don't. They need a place to go. They're too old

maybe for a babysitter, but want something to do. So, this offers some actual structured time during the summer for kids to keep up with things. They can also come in and do homework help after school. Um, one of the things we're hoping that this grant will give us is we don't know if we can build an addition, but we would like to create a space like a quiet room. There are a lot of young people that come that are on the spectrum or have other developmental disabilities and they just kind of need that quiet space and that has come from the youth. The youth saying that they want and need that. Um, that being said, I want to say with this grant, the biggest thing that the state keeps pushing to us is that it must be youthled. These ideas must come from the youth advisory board. It must come from kids saying, "These are the things we know that we need within reason." Kids can't say, "I want to go to, I don't know, the next Post Malone concert and that's going to make me feel better." Like, that's not what we're talking about. But if they're saying, "We would love to have some time for Saturday mornings for some of us to come in. I don't have a place to go." where after I see you guys on Thursday and I don't see you again till next week, I don't have a point of connection with anybody. So, it offers the ability to do that. It also adds two additional full-time staff paid for by the grant that so that expands the amount of adults in the room in the building at all times because they're full-time. They'll be there during all programming hours. Those two individuals will also be receiving specialized supervision through contact community services. Again, we're nonclinical, but peer support. Um, I'm sure many of you are familiar with Hope for Bereerved. They have peer grief counselors. So, it's similar to that. Not counseling, but peer-to-peer support. Hey, I'm a youth peer advocate. I'm working here. I'm 28. I was 16 once. I remember what that was like. I understand what you're going through. Um, the other goal of this is not to cut out families. Um,

having worked in children and family services for 25 years, we know the goal is for kids to be connected to their parents, to be connected to their families, for that to be a healthy relationship. That's where children thrive. So, that's what we want to be working for. We don't want to exclude parents from anything.

And I appreciate that. that's your opinion. But when you open this up and make it bigger and now you have New York State having their hands on on it, you don't always get someone with your opinion, right? And so when you're opening up the doors to make things bigger and allowing New York State to come in and have a say and have guidance and have policies and have things that you're telling them to do, now we have children having guidance from New York State without parents or clinical knowing. And that is getting that already because you have funding through Anadaga County Youth Bureau and that is mandated by the state what you have to do. So you're already running a program mandated by the state.

I actually think that the lack of clinical requirement is a a benefit in this case. We don't want to be creating a a mental health facility. That's not what the canteen is. The canteen is facility. Yeah. Exactly. Article 31. No. And and we shouldn't be doing that. Connecting with those facilities is important because we all know right now there's a shortage of mental health care, right?

I had a son, it took forever to get him any kind of support. So, we know this exists. So, the canteen having referral pathways to make sure that young people with parental consent, you can't send a child to counseling without parental consent. Older kids can go on their own though. Having that referral pathway increases accessibility for them. guarantees that when we call our kids get in versus other places. So, but I would be absolutely happy to send the grant. Yes, please. And answer additional questions. That's that's where again I I appreciate both of you. It's Yeah. No,

this is not to the canteen and what you do as the canteen. This is danger zone for allowing New York State to come in and control something. That's my concern. Right. Okay. And that my point is the funding. It just goes back to that. It is letting us do more than what we do today. Yep. Which is a good thing for five years. For five years. Yep. What's the plan if we don't get that money in year six? Speak about.

I should we should we should have a plan. But I understand New York State's funding usually doesn't go away go away for this. I get that. But just in case, like there needs to be a just in case because there could be relationships that are built with people that are with these new employees that come on. And I think it's a terrible thing if that relationship's broken as money is lost. So this is where the friends of the canteen comes in.

This gives your your nonprofit side five years to work on strategy to make up that 250. So, if at the end of this five years that grant ends, we have a five-year plan to be working on being able to replace that funding. So, it's not just like, oh, we got it and let's hope New York refunds it. That's that's not the plan. The Friends organization because we're not expecting the town to say find another 250,000 in your budget. We know that's not going to happen either, you know. So, the friends part is working on that. That's part of something I'm doing with them as a as a grant admin. And I'd like to see Clay and I'd like to see Salina where they stand. Right. Because they are there in this as well. Right. Right. Yeah.

Do they provide funding for the canteen? Partly a little bit. That's just asking. It's not not as much. Not at the not at the level that we do. Okay. Yeah. But they do. But they do. Okay. Great.

So I did do some research on this and I did understand that that it's over five years. So, that was one of the things that I want to talk about and I do I do like the idea that you're already looking at that because once that five five years of money runs out to have a plan going forward to continue it if there is no funding because it's a it's a good program and I mean I've been in many different places you know where I've worked and I see where you know youths need this even there's even some adults you know and not everybody wants to label it as a mental you know mental health thing and they need a safe place to go where they can actually talk to people.

Yeah. Yeah, you know, and it's it's a good thing. And I know that they do clothing and stuff like that. And I myself and, you know, my partner have gone out and we've bought jackets and stuff for kids to do stuff like this. I think it's a great thing that you do do, you know, to continue it. The other thing this grant does is kids don't have to pay for anything anymore. There were certain things that some kids had to pay for and if you come from a strapped family and people are strapped right now, you don't get to do it. this money will allow them to participate because it will pay for that to do that. The saddest thing you can hear from a kid that doesn't have a code is my parents couldn't afford it. Right. Right. All the time. Do we have any additional questions of either of our two experts on this?

All right. Thank you. I would u myself like to weigh in on this. um as a a uh retired teacher and educator in the North Syracuse Central School District at Gillette Road Middle School for 15 years plus 5 years as a sub. I can tell you flat out the number one problem that teachers have and administrators and school personnel has is mental health with children. We deal with it every day. We see it every day. Teachers can only do so much. Uh but a resource like this, the canteen right down the road from us is incredible. I cannot stress how great this will be for us. Of course, there's going to be questions always about any program that comes in, but th this program is definitely something we need and I will state that categorically. Do we have any other discussion from the board before we ask for a vote?

I just want to be clear that I think mental health needs to be a focus which is why this concerns me that there is no clinical. This is mental health and I think we do need it and that is my concern. So I think we do need to be working with the school districts, the guidance counselors who I've worked with and they are not very good with the mental health situation. So I think there needs to be more work and effort in regards to the mental health and that is my concern here. It's listed in the document. You've mentioned mental health. Everyone has mentioned mental health and then when we you know it's convenient for us we say it's not really mental health. Um, it is. So, it's concerning.

Sure. Come on. Can you come up here? Come up and identify yourself and took and I'm the vice president of the Friends of the Canteen. I've had five children go through the program. Um, I'm on the fundraising end of the Friends of the Canteen and I just want to like make it clear that you safe places grants, we've had eight of them since the conception of the canteen and with each pl each year there's always something that seems to be the issue. For instance, there was drunk driving and we've lost some teenagers and so th those years that was what the focus was. Now after co the kids need a different focus. The other thing um that I would like to say is that the the OM is the holder of this particular grant. We have pro right now three grants that go through the dormatory authority and they're not telling us to build a dormatory there. We're getting like a we've gotten a new floor. We've gotten a new um ramp for the side of the building to be up to code. Um our next capital program because the building [clears throat] is 16 plus years old. We're working on a new a new roof eventually, air conditioner and and furnace. So those grants will probably come through the dormatory authority or some other kind of a match source like a Lowe's where we have to raise $40,000 and then they'll give us $40,000 for those improvements.

So I just want to make that clear that it's not just about mental health just because that's the avenue in New York State that holds this particular grant. Thank you. Thank you very much. Do we have any further discussion from the board? Any other questions of the board before we place this for a vote?

I guess since we're not explaining votes at vote time, I'll say now um you know, after listening to all this and I I actually have quite a bit of experience uh working with both the federal and the state government with uh health care and mental health related grants. I'm familiar with contracts and all of that kind of stuff. Um, you know, money when given out always is going to have some sort of, for lack of a better term, strings with it because you want to see certain things done with it. It's not a blank check. Here's money. Go run with it. So, I understand the state having input and policy to say, if we give you this money, here's what we think, you know, what to do with it. Um, it's not giving them a governing board position. It's not giving them executive, you know, it's not putting their staff in there. And I also, as I said before, you know, having worked in the field of mental health, not as a mental health professional, but as a finance guy, but still very close to it and observant of it, you don't want the canteen to become a clinical space. There needs to be kind of an in between that's a safe place to go but then that has the connections to refer to clinical spaces which is part of what's mandated in here is that you know if you do have that mental health case that needs additional support you have an avenue to send that person. Um so I would hate to see this not move forward um because we have a lot of questions. I know this has been going on for quite some time. I don't know what the time limit is, eight months. Um, and and I guess the other part of it is, you know, that to address councelor Balo's question, you know, yeah, we want to know what's going to happen in year

six, but I don't think we have the time to sit now and say, well, let's figure out what year six and forward plan is, but we're not going to take the money until then. So, I'm going to take a leap of faith in the friends at the canteen that this time will be used to figure out year six and forward. Um, but I don't want to turn the money away just because we're don't have that plan yet. So, I I will be voting in favor of this at this time. Thank you, counselor. Do we have any further discussion? I'd like a roll call vote, please. Roll call vote. It's been called. Like to uh Oh, hold on. We We have another comment before this.

Yeah. and and I mean we're just voting for the supervisor to execute a letter from the town in favor the efforts of the canteen to organize or canteen organization to join the youth safe space program which is administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health. So I just want to clarify that that we're just writing a letter in favor of that authorizing the supervisor to do it to provide a safe space. It's not a mental health facility. It's a safe space for people to go. And yes, it's funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health, which I'm sure they're offering this because they recognize these layers are needed. So therefore, I will be in favor of this. It's administered through the New York State Office of Mental Health. Correct.

Okay. To provide a safe space. Okay. We have uh we have asked for a roll call vote. So, Councelor Hogan, no. Councelor um Daniel. Yes. Councelor Ballo. I have to abstain. I haven't seen the the grant. Like I can't vote on something I haven't seen and the answers to my I didn't really get answers to the questions. So that's why I'm abstaining. And councelor party. Yes. Supervisor Sanucci.

Yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. And we move forward. Motion's adopted. So, we're all set. Okay. Move for the adoption to purchase REP fitness plus Bowlex cardio plus rogue fitness package for $15,515 for the Cicero Police Department officers of health and wellness program. 15,000 paid for with New York State DCJS law enforcement equipment grant contract number T00475GM and $515 out of budget code B3120-459-0000

second two um there's two other oh two other sorry two other quotes were obtained from G&G for $14,85 $55 and did not include flooring mats per or bar, bench, plates, medicine balls, nor storage rack, free weights, elliptical bike. Rogue Fitness $16,949.50 and did not include flooring, elliptical bench, medicine balls, nor storage rack. Second. All right. Soliciting board comments. Are there any comments on this? This is another New York State grant. Yes. Okay. from what I understand it is. Um, calling for a vote. All in favor say I. I. I.

Opposed. Abstensions. Motion is adopted.

Move for the adoption resolution to approve and sign the contract for $25,435 to Atlas Fence to install chain link fence at Joseph or Joseph F. William Park to improve the safety of our youth using the splash pad. This was a budget line item. Budget code 001-7150-74700-0000 0a county contract number 0011 091 I'll second. Do we have any comments? Calling for a voice vote. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Abstensions. Motion is adopted. Presentation of the draft annual report and the draft storm water management program in accordance with the NYSDEC MS4 permit requirements will take place at the February 25th, 2026 town board meeting.

MS4. Okay. Um I am going to have to make a motion, an emergency motion that is not on your agenda right now and I'm going to read that to you. This is a furnace that is part of the community development. We have a furnace issue at the senior center. Make that very very clear. Uh actually I'm um going to read this. A furnace is part of a community development grant to be placed this year. It is 22 years old original to the addition of the building in 2004. Grant funds are able to be utilized. However, reimbursement cannot be requested until the county finalizes the contract, which is estimated to be in two or three months. Uh Tony said, "I was advised that we can use our portion of the grant at this time, which is $12,500. Fixing the furnace is ill advised due to the age and current status, but was estimated to be $2,289. Parts would need to be ordered to fix it, and we're estimated to be 5 days out. We were advised it would be in our best interest to replace the unit instead of fixing it, and I, Tony, have attached a quote of the cost of $5,295. This includes a 5-year extended labor warranty for an additional $245, which we may remove if desired. FYI, the cost of one service call is $160. So, this warranty is less than two service calls. I am requesting emergency funding to replace the furnace as soon as possible as there are pipes, bathrooms, and kitchen, and equipment in the zone that potentially could be damaged by the cold because of the unit's age and condition. We were told that the furnace can be installed as early as Monday, February 16th. I would like to move for the adoption of a resolution to approve the emergency purchase and installation of a new furnace at the Senior Center from Breathe Easy of Central New York Incorporated in the amount of 5,295. Budget code 0016772

4700 0. Do I have a a motion to discuss? Second. Uh, do we have any additional discussion to this? We need the furnace. I have a one question. Is there any air conditioning attached to this? Because I know a lot of times they're put in at the same time and coming from that background having some if it's in that same time frame. Would it be wise to potentially maybe replace it with the furnace and save costs? We're looking to do that with the grant. So, when the grant is finally approved, we'll go on and do that part in half. Yep. I know like if they can put the a coil in now with it if it's planned ahead we can you know you might be able to save some paper cost we can talk to them about doing that as well I just

yeah but that is that is part of the grant with the roofing so when we get time to do that we'll do that on the second half of the grant okay that's all I have so how would that um transfer of funds work in terms of the budget codes so where the would this money come from now at the emergency funding and then if we're are we definitely getting that $12,000500 like we're definitely getting as a matter of when. Yes, the um grant is actually it's a matching grant. So, there's a local portion um that the town's responsible for. This will just go into that. That's what we budgeted I believe was 12,700 um to match for that local match. Okay. And it's just going to go towards that.

So, once we get it, you'll just replace wherever we pull from for this emergency funding. Right. There it there was a budget line that was specifically for the matching for that grant. Okay. Additional discussion or comments? Okay. I would like to have a vote. All in favor say I. I. I. Nay. Abstensions. The motion is adopted. Now we have the public input portion of our meeting before we adjourn. Speakers have up to three minutes. If anybody would like to approach and make any comments, please do so now. State your name and your address. Seeing that we have no one approaching the uh the bench, we're going to assume there are no comments. I would like to make a motion to adjourn.

I'll second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Abstensions. Motion's adopted. The U board meeting is adjourned at 707. Thank you very much. Drive home safely.