Common Council - Special Meeting

Okay, what are we doing here?

Do you have my hammer?

My gobble, my gobble.

Okay, what are we doing here? We're having a meeting, just a special meeting.

Same as always. Same as always. And then we do a minute of silence.

We can do a moment of silence in between here before roll call, okay?

Do we want to do that or just go ahead?

You can do something you normally can't.

Good afternoon, everybody. We're going to start our special meeting. Let's begin by standing up for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We'll declare. Please call the roll. Sure, Madam President. Councilor Codwell? Present. Councilor Machoke? Here. Councilor Enright?

Here.

Councilor Hudson? Here. Councilor Nabe? Present. Councilor Moore? Present. Councilor Williams?

Here.

Councilor Jones-Rowther? Here. Councilor Montauk?

Here.

All present. Thank you.

Any communications?

Yes, Madam President. I have for the Honorable Mayor A necessities message related to the local law to correct the 26-27 budget. Okay, and I also have a letter from you directing me to contact the counselors of the special meeting. And I have a letter to the counselors notifying them of the special meeting. And I also have a letter notifying the meeting. Thank you.

Thank you. So we're going to go straight into the new business. Councillor Williams.

Thank you, Madam President. I have items four, five, and six. I would like to introduce and urge their adoption today.

Okay. Thank you. Item four. Is there any discussion?

Yes, Madam President. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the governor and our entire state delegation for providing really meaningful support to our city in this year's state budget. For the fiscal year 26-27, our city will receive approximately $107 million from New York State, which is really critical in terms of making sure that we have our essential services provided for our citizens, investments into infrastructure, and the continued need, or the continued ability for us to meet the needs of our residents. Right now, throughout New York State, there are financial pressures that are mounting on municipalities. We are seeing an increase in cost, decreases in revenue, and we, in Syracuse, we have that challenge in front of us every year. We had a relatively responsible budget passed last year and we had the same passed in the current fiscal year and this additional state aid is You know truly an opportunity for us to maintain our our direction on the right fiscal path you know as as Chair, for the Finance Committee, for the Council, I'd really like to thank Senators May and Senators Ryan for including additional funding for the city in the one-house bill, and to Assembly Members Magnarelli and Hunter and Sturpey for making sure that the final passage of the state budget included additional funds for our city. So with that, I'll turn it back to you, Madam President.

Thank you. So we are introducing and tabling so forth.

You can proceed with the local law and the items that follows it as normal. Introduce and table the local law.

So I'll call them and then you tell me what you want to do with them, okay? Okay.

I'm sorry, say that again. The local law is not going to be tabled? No.

Joe Barry, First Assistant Corporation Counsel. So under local municipal home rule law, the mayor has issued a message of necessity delivered to the city clerk, as she noted. This allows, per the state law, the tabling process to be waived. So with a super majority, with two-thirds vote, six votes, the local law can be adopted now.

So that would be the three items?

So you would proceed with the local law first to adopt that because that temporarily amends the city budget process, which usually would end on June 1st. It extends the city budget process for this one year only until June 30th so that you can adopt the two amendments that have been submitted by the budget director. And upon adoption of those amendments, it'll be incorporated into the final city budget starting July 1st. And the local law, the mayor will still have to have a public hearing on the local law next week. And it'll have to be signed and delivered to Albany by July 1st to make everything effective for the fiscal year.

Thank you, Josh. I should have just called you up to explain everything.

No worries. It doesn't matter. Doesn't happen very often, we last did it in 2023. Gotcha, okay.

Okay. And I would like to introduce and urge the adoption of item number four.

Okay, so we've already went through discussion. Any objections? Please call the roll.

All in favor? Aye.

I'd like to introduce and urge the adoption of item number five.

Item number five, any objections? Any discussion? Please call the roll.

All in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Synonymous. Item number six. Any objections? Any discussion? Please call the roll.

All in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Synonymous. Okay, that concludes our special meeting. Motion to adjourn? Motion to adjourn. Second.

Second.