Common Council - Regular Meeting

thumbs up. Okay, sir. Good evening. This is a a public hearing uh that was in the paper. So, Mr. Sue, please call the role. Councelor Spice. Councelor Mortis, present. Councelor Fazio, excused. Councelor Smith, here. Councelor Anderson, present. Councelor Dery, present. Councelor Sprat, present.

Mr. Be it resolved that the common council of the city of Rome does hereby authorize the city clerk of the city of Rome to advertise notice of a public hearing with regard to the discontinuence of a paper alley known as Wolf Lane in the city of Rome, New York, said public hearing to be held on the 10th day of December 2025 at 6:55 p.m. in the common council chambers, city hall, Rome, New York, at which time and place all interested persons will be heard thereon. If you'd like to speak on on this uh resolution, uh please go to the back microphone, state your name and address. You want to sign in too and please sign in also on the sheet. Good evening, council. My name is Jason Jaggers. I am here on behalf of uh 207 West Chestnut property owned by myself and John Pascali. Uh we are in disagreement with the Wolf Lane as it takes away access to our backyard and uh we have no access to the backyard with that property being gone or whatever is happening with that with that Wolf Lane uh back entrance way. It decreases the value of our property and uh that's why we're against it.

Okay. Thank you, Jason. Thank you. Good evening, council. My name is David Bruce. I reside at 209 West Chestnut Street. Uh I'm here to speak in opposition of the sale of Wolf Lane to a private party. Uh, Wolf Lane is used for the 200 block of West Chestnut Street for access to our backyards, uh, for maintenance, for repairs, for um, upgrades, things like that. By taking that access away, uh, it makes it much more difficult and much more costly to to do those things that we need to do. And, uh, with a lack of access, it also will reduce our property value. So, I would ask that you vote against the sale of Wolf Lane to a private party and leave it in place as is. Thank you.

Thank you, Dave. Could you just sign in the sheet there, Dave? Oh, you did. Okay. Thank you. Next speaker, please. There's anyone else that wishes to speak on the subject. Public hearing is closed. Thank you. And we'll reconvene at 7 o'clock.

Good evening. This is regular session of the Rome Common Council. The date is December 10th, 2025 and the time is 7 p.m. Mr. Seal, please call the role. Councelor Spice, present. Councelor Mortise, present. Councelor Smith, excuse. Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me. Councelor Fazio excused. Councelor Smith here. Councelor Anderson present. Councelor Dury present. Councelor Spria present. Please rise for pledge of allegiance.

I pledge algiance 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.

The immigration will be offered by President Nash. Lord, guide us to act with honesty and integrity in all that we do. May our words and deeds align with our values, and may we earn and uphold the trust of those we are here to serve. Amen.

Amen. This time the meeting is open to the public. You have the opportunity to appear before the council and present your view of the court concerning city affairs. If you wish to speak, please up to the back microphone, state your name and address and limit yourself to five minutes. Also, please sign in on the speaker sheet as this helps with the record. We are ready for our first speaker. I didn't think

Good evening everybody. My name is John Riley. I'm at 703 Lee Street. Good evening, Mr. President and counselors. Um for people that don't know me, I'm the incoming fifth ward councilman uh to to um take over the big shoes of uh Frank Anderson. Tonight I want to speak uh my time to um recognize councelor Anderson and his uh 16 years of service to the city of Rome. Uh I did a little math as far as meetings go just alone, not talking committee meetings, not talking appearances in public and things like that, he's over 350 uh common council meetings. So the time and effort that uh Mr. Anderson has put in is recognized. He has been uh very good for the city of Rome. Uh he's level-headed, makes good decisions, thinks them out thoroughly. U he supported me in my campaign and I appreciate that and I thank him for that. I also uh during that time that we've talked, he's given me fantastic advice. One of them is that every Saturday he drives the ward and just looks everything on Saturdays. I thought that was a fantastic idea. um to do that, you know, quietly and and and watch what's going on in the ward. But with that being said, um for the appreciation from the fifth ward, as I represent the fifth ward, I'd like to present him with this plaque. The plaque reads, "Thank you from the residents of the fifth ward of the city of Rome for your 16 years of dedicated service. Frank R. Anderson, fifth ward counselor. Your time and effort has not gone unnoticed. December 10th, 2025. Thank you. Thank you, John.

You can tell me this story.

Something's got to be a secret, right? Next speaker, please. Uh hello. Uh I'm Hayden McMongle, live on 101 Union Street, Rome. Um, just want to say on behalf of the SFM skate park project and everything that uh we've done, just thank you guys very much for everything that you guys have done um for voting, you know, for its creation and everything that's happened. Means the world to us in this community. So, thank you very much and uh applaud you on all you've done for us so far and can't wait for more things to come from it. So, thank you.

Thank you, Hayden. You guys are the ones that should be applauded, though. Next speaker, please. Is anyone else wishing to speak? Public session is closed. The chair will entertain a motion that the reading of the minutes of the preceding session be dispensed with and that they be approved. So moved. Councelor Smith, second. Councelor Mortise moved and seconded. There's any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Carry. Communications.

Loud House Incorporated of 5817 Rome Taber Road has provided notice of its adult use cannabis retail dispensary license application to the city clerk's office. My hurts just listening to you. Uh, report of city officials. No. for the counselors and general city affairs. BA,

President Nash, members of the council, members of the public, I would just like to remind everyone that tomorrow evening at 6 PM uh downstairs in the lobby, the post committee, which is the parks um trail uh advisory committee will be meeting and they will have I believe Matt, correct me if I'm wrong, there'll be uh poster boards up there. Um there'll be ideas that have come back to us from Fiser and Associates. You'll be able to talk with staff uh and be able to get an idea of what they've come up with. Um and I imagine we will probably have another public meeting sometime after that. Correct. Okay. So, it's just a reminder 6 PM tomorrow night and it'll be downstairs in the lobby. Thank you. Thank you, Council Spa. Anyone else? Board of Committees.

Resolutions. Resolution number 153 authorizing the city of Rome treasurer to close capital account projects and to make appropriate accounting entries. Move it. Councelor Anderson. Second. Councelor Dery moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppos. Resolution number 153 is carried. Resolution number 154 authorizing amendment to the 10:30 East Dominic Street ERP HHB capital project account. Move it. Council Spra. Second. Councilor Mortise moved and seconded. Is any discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

Oppose. Resolution number 154 is carried. Resolution number 155 authorizing amendment number three to the SFM skate park capital project account. Move it. Councelor Anderson second. Councelor Mortise moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. Opposed. Resolution number 155 is carried. Resolution number 156. Authorizing the mayor of the city of Rome to enter into an agreement with the NYS DOT for pin 2754.71 South James Street Bridge rehab project DO-404892,573,400. Move it. Councelor Spalia second.

Councelor Smith moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 156 is carried. Resolution number 157. Resolution to apply for and accept grant from Assembly Speaker Carl E. Hasty and Assembly Member Maryanne Buttonshan for Storm Daniel Damage and Tools for the Fire Department. $216,000. Move it. Brace. Second. Council Spraya moved and seconded. There's any discussion. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Resolution number 157 is carried. Ordinances. Ordinance number 9835

authorizing former owner to buy back property 1723 North James Street for 13,9128. Move it. Councelor Dury. Second. Councelor Space. Councelor Anderson. Councelor M. Uh Mort. Yeah. Order number 9835 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. I. Oppose. Miss consent is carried. Any discussion? Councelor Dury. President Nash, members of the council. Um I put forth this legislation um for these people to buy back their property. Um I it's a really good reason. I really um would hope for your support on this one. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Ordinance number 9835 is carried. Ordinance number 9836. Authorizing mayor of the city of Rome to approve the sale of city owned parcel Edward Street east side to buyer for $4,500. So move. Councelor Mortise, councelor Dury. Unanimous consent. And councelor Spraya. Ordinance number 9836 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent has been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. I. Opposent is carried. Any discussion. All those in favor say I. I.

Opposed. Ordinance number 9836 is carried. Ordinance number 9837. Authorizing the acquisition of real property 431 South J Street. Move it. Councelor Spice. Second. Councelor Mortise. Councelor Spalia. Second. Councelor Anderson. Ordinance number 9837 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent has been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. I. Post sentence carried. So any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Ordinance number 9837 is carried. Ordinance number 9838

authorizing the placement of yield signs on North George Street. Move it. Council Dur. Second councelor Smith, councelor Grace, and councelor Anderson. Orange number 9838 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent has been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. Oppose unanimous consent is carried. Any discussion? Councelor Dury.

President Nash, members of the council, I would like to thank um DPW Commissioner Juliano for helping me um get get this going. Um, it was forever. There were no yield signs on those streets with intersections. Um, I saw one of them. I brought to his attention and and and he went out and drove around in those areas also and there were a couple more. So, there are several um yield signs that we'll be placing in in various areas on on north part of North George Street. And I'd uh appreciate your support. Thank you. Further discussion.

All those in favor say I. I oppose ordinance number 9838 is carried. Chair entertain a motion to wave roof 6 for resolution number 158. So moved. Councelor Spalia second. Councelor Smith. So moved and seconded. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Mr. Cord. Resolution number 158.

Resolution in honor of fifth ward counselor Frank Anderson and thanking him for his years of service. Any discussion? Come on, guys. Councelor Dury, President Nash, members of the council. Um, I was unaware of this, but when when councelor Anderson started working, I was still in my 30s and and that's long gone right now. Um, but I did have the opportunity when I got on the council. Um, I got to sit between um, uh, councelor Anderson and councelor DeMarco and and I learned so many things from them and I could go on and on and on, but I'm just going to say thank you for all your support, all your help. Um, I I enjoyed the these last uh, 10 years sitting alongside you and getting what we could accomplish for the city of Rome. So, thank you for everything you did. Um, I will always remember the the the help you gave me and you gave the city and and I hope you enjoy your time off.

Thank you. Further discussion. Dr. Smith. Yes, Frank. I'd like to thank you. I know I always put you on when you ask those questions about budget and I'll always remember you for that. I get a little impatient sometimes, but I really need to thank you because you do keep seriously. You keep us focused on budget and that's important for this community. So, thank you for your years of service and I enjoyed working with you. Thank you.

Further discussion. I just want to say thank you. I knew you before you were counselor during it and I know you obviously afterwards and you've uh you've been a bulldog on the finances and and that's been appreciated and hope somebody's going to take the ball after you leave but don't go too far away. We got your phone number so be out there. We'll uh I'm sure we'll be hitting you up but um God bless and best of wishes to you. Thank you. Any further discussion? Councelor Anderson.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. I just uh I don't know where to start. Uh this is, you know, you always hear the cliche mixed emotions and I never really guess understood it until recently. Um I want to thank John Riley and wish him the best of luck. Um and uh this was a surprise with all our conversations. But, uh, I appreciate this from you and the rest of the people of the fifth board. Um, it's it's been a great ride. It's 16 years that, uh, so happy I I did. Um, you know, I tell people I'm not retiring. Um, because you, in my my opinion, you retire from a job. Okay? I've never felt that this was a job. Uh, I always considered it service to the community. Much like when I was the president of the United Way, President Nash and I were president of the senior citizens council. Those are all service to the community. I consider this the same way. You're the the loud speak, the the microphone for the for the community, for the people. Okay. Um much like the people that spoke during our public hearing, you know, they've got a concern. us as counselors, we have an obligation uh to be that microphone. Um, so I always wondered how long a council should stay in office and I remember asking John Barry rest his soul. Um, John, you know, how long have you been on in office? And I think at that time it was 12 years and I had a similar discussion with Lou DeMarco. Um, and uh, because I think it's important to get fresh fresh voices, fresh faces uh, in and you know, maybe maybe things

can can improve, you know, who knows? Um, you know, so I decided at this point um, I was getting frustrated because trying to be in two places at once, all right, with a lot of other things I I have going on. Uh, and I just said this might be the time to step back. Sometimes you just need to recharge the batteries. Council Spice, Council Smith, and President Nash, um, you know, stepped aside and came back, and they're, you know, they're better than ever. Okay. And the, uh, um, you know, they might be a future uh, finance chairman right there. And, uh, but, you know, I I really enjoyed it. I just want to thank the people of the fifth ward. I want to thank the department heads. Um because I tortured them, okay? And they're sitting here laughing. All right? Because I I did I ask a lot of questions. All right? It's my nature. Um but I want to uh thank them all for their appreciation. Um and I I guess if I had a message for the department heads, it would be to also please say thank you to your staffs. Um, I really think the city the city as a whole has a really good team. Okay, Jim Brown, you know, Mayor Brown used to use that term. You know, we've got a really good team here. Well, when I look at each administration, you know, maybe the department heads changed, maybe the mayor's changed. I have I've had the privilege to serve under several mayors. Um, but it's it's the rank and file. It's the people that are working every day. It's the people that are that are plowing the the streets as we speak, okay? They're the ones and and they do such a great job. I

was watching them today with Tom Jones and uh they you know, Joe Giuliano, you've got a great staff at the DPW and I could go each department and thank everybody. Okay. Uh so I do want to thank everybody. Um, you know, I I I look around this room and all the people at the fifth ward there, a lot of those people I would never have met in my life. Um, so I encourage people get involved. Come and speak at the meetings. All right? And if you decide to step forward and run for office, God, gosh, go for it. All right? Because that's what makes a stronger community is when we all get involved and move the city of Rome forward. And I think we're moving in the right direction. So with that, I want to thank everybody again and uh God bless the city of Rome and God bless America. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion? Don't know how you can but all those in favor say I. I. I. Oppos ordinance number or resolution number 158 is carried. Congratulations Frank and best of luck to you. Chair entertain a motion to adjourn. So move. Councelor Smith. Councelor Spice. All in favor say I. Opposed. We are adjourned. Thank you all for coming out tonight.