Common Council - Regular Meeting

This is the time when we have public session, and I see there are five people signed up. And I will call you up one at a time, and if there's anybody that did not sign the sheet, I will ask at the end if somebody else wanted to speak that didn't sign up. The first person on deck is Karen Burke. Come on down.

What am I going to win? Good evening. My name is Karen Burke. Lisa Latim and Carol Ireland and I are members of the Oswego County Suicide Prevention Coalition. On behalf of the coalition, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to address the council this evening. We'd also like to thank you for your serious consideration in accepting the 988 suicide crisis and crisis hotline signs to be placed in our community, or in our city. Excuse me. Our coalition's mission is strongly committed to education and prevention regarding suicide. We both understand and appreciate the conversation around the topic of suicide can be delicate and often difficult. But we also understand that through building awareness and education, we can work to reduce the stigma and help those who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or experiencing suicide ideation. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2024, 48,824 Americans died by suicide. In that same year, there were 2.9 million suicide attempts. Those are concerning statistics, but it is important to know that suicide is preventable and interventions can be effective. As a coalition, we are actively involved in Oswego County. We have shared our message and our resources in many venues, libraries, schools, community events, parades, and more. We have offered and will continue to offer training opportunities to interested groups. The training is geared to educating participants about suicide. excuse me teaching them to recognize warning signs and to learn ways in which they can help we are grateful that the city of oswego has been supportive in recognizing the importance of mental health awareness mayor cordino signed a mental health awareness proclamation in may and participated in our coalition planting the seeds of kindness campaign at bright bed park Our city has acknowledged that there have been tragic losses of individuals who have taken their lives in our waterways. There have been large boulders placed to prevent further access to our river by vehicles in two of those locations. In addition to these, Gina Vaughn, a mental health specialist, now works with our city police in responding to mental health crisis calls. Gina has also had an active role in bringing the 988 signs, which are being donated by the Oswego County Division of Mental Hygiene to the attention of the council. So specifically, the 988 suicide and crisis intervention signs, that are being voted upon tonight would be another step in bringing awareness and prevention to our community. The 988 signs give individuals who are in crisis a connection to a trained individual who can help. We are all keenly aware that these are just the beginning. More conversation and education needs to follow. But we are grateful that we are taking first steps and we are hopeful that the Council will give their final approval for the placement of these signs this evening. In closing, I'd like to remind everyone that the Oswego County Suicide Prevention Coalition is a resource. We would welcome the opportunity to have further conversations about how we can actively share this education and prevention mission. Thank you for your time.

Okay, the next person signed up is Lisa, is it Latimer?

Latim. Latim? Latim, looks like Latai, but it's Latim.

Okay, you're up. Thank you.

So, thank you, Karen. My name is Lisa Latim, and I am the manager of the Suicide Prevention Coalition. And I unfortunately was unable to be at a couple of the meetings, but I did want to address some of the things that I know did come up in those meetings. The first one I wanted to talk about were suicide hotspots. It's important to understand what that is. And a suicide hotspot is a public location that's associated with repeated suicide attempts or deaths. Those can be things like bridges, waterfronts, rail crossings, parking garages, scenic overlooks, and other secluded places because that's what the secluded places is where people would go. The first responders, law enforcement, EMS, and mental health professionals know these locations, unfortunately, because they get called back there time and time again. That said, 20 to 25% of suicides occur in public hot spots. And being in a hot spot, it's more likely to end in death because of the difficulty of reaching someone before it's too late. So when someone's experiencing an acute suicidal crisis, that crisis is often temporary. A brief interruption or connection to another person can make the difference between life and death. That's where the suicide 988 crisis hotline comes in. It can provide immediate opportunity to connect with a professional right at the location that they're at. Which is why placing these signs is really important to put at these hot spots because it's an immediate response and it may just prevent somebody from going through with it. They can recognize that they do have a connection and somebody cares. The other issue that I wanted to address was the difference between 988 and 911, and I think I gave some information about that. The 988 number is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week, or texting number. Anyone that has experienced suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, a mental crisis, it doesn't even have to be to the end where you're at that point where you're having that ideation. It can just be you're having a mental crisis and you need someone to talk to. You can call about a concerned loved one, and you can reach a trained crisis counselor for immediate support or for de-escalation, and it can connect these people to local resources. They are designed specifically for mental health and emotional crises, the 988 number. It provides immediate support. to someone who will listen, who will make sure the individual stays safe, who will connect them with resources. and they can be called in a mental health crisis emergency. The 911 number, however, is really if someone's in immediate danger, they need medical attention, fire, violence, or a situation requiring police or EMS, or if there's an attempt in progress where you see somebody following through. Both respond in emergencies, but they serve two very different purposes. The two systems work together. Many mental health crises can be resolved by just calling the 988 number. Sometimes we also need the 911 number, but that's the difference. It's intended to be a resource to talk to a mental health professional right away, because as we know, when you're having a mental health crisis, you're not necessarily thinking clearly. Now I want to give you some Oswego County statistics. I'm sorry, I'm going on and on. According to the New York State Department of Mental Health, the average suicide mortality rate in New York is 14.1 per 1,000 people, 100,000 people. So there's 14.1 people per 100,000 people, which is, I'm sorry, the average in Oswego County is 14.1 per 100,000 people. The New York State average is 8.2 per 100,000 people. So, Oswego County is 70% higher than the New York State average when it comes to these kind of things. Also, that means that the New York State Department of Health says it's roughly in the top quarter of the New York County's for suicide mortality. That's an issue, that's an Oswego County issue. And according to the New York State Prevention Agenda, 12.7 of adults in Oswego County reported experiencing 14 or more days of poor mental health. So it could be anybody. And again, those are the times when you can call the 988 number. You don't need to call 911, you can call 988. And then the National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in five adults experience mental health issues every year. Placing signs will some, oh, and then people think that it will encourage people to commit suicide if you put the signs up. Decades of research tell us that that is not true, and that's from the Lancet Psychiatry Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis, and I can give all these to you, I have them all referred. What researchers have observed is that some locations can become known as suicide hotspots, which is what we talked about, attracting vulnerable individuals. That is one reason targeted interventions at those locations are so important because, again, the vulnerable individuals know where those hotspots are. The signs can help reduce isolation, encourage help seeking, it reminds people that hope and support are available. And they can reach someone, anyone, a professional, someone who will listen at one of their most vulnerable moments in life. And as Karen said, I just want to reiterate, this is only one strategy. 988 signs at hot spots are important. Posters in schools, libraries, community centers, those are all things that we try to do and that we are doing through the Suicide Prevention Coalition. Wallet cards and brochures, I think we had some of those. Information on municipal websites, that's also a strategy. Social media campaigns, which is also something we do. And then I was going to talk about what the suicide prevention can offer, but I think Karen covered that pretty well. So, you know, I just wanted to address that it's really important that those signs are where the hot spots are. Thank you.

Okay. Third item, third person listed is a Chris Squatiri.

sort of lakes from Harbor Fest in this weekend. I'll make it quick. I don't have notes, which you guys are all be probably happy about that. Just just a quick support for these signs. I didn't know too much about the signs. Obviously, I was aware of suicide prevention. 35 years as a cop, I can tell you I've been on both sides of the spectrum. I've been on the calls where a person didn't get help and he took his life or her life. We've been on the calls where these same individuals in their mindset they want to they want to leave they want to commit suicide but they don't want to leave their families and they don't want to leave their children so i'll tell you i've seen both sides i've seen that as well so i think the council's done their job you guys have debated this for a while you brought some good points up last week at your meetings but i think it's time we just just have to stop Take the first step, get these signs up. Last weekend, it was brought up different locations for signs. We can do that. We can do that down the line. We can decide what the best places are. Right now, you ask the experts, they gave you your opinion. You ask the police, the fire chief, they gave you their opinion. You ask our division heads, they gave you the proper decision. So let's make this happen. Let's put these initial 10 signs up. It's a nationally backed program. When they dial those numbers or they text those and I didn't know a lot about this. I saw a counselor Kennedy and passing and at I think he lives at the county legislator meetings. Asked him what this program was about. Of course, he gave me 17 different resources I could go through, so I looked it up. Just one call in these centers goes through a calling house of over 200 locations, which means they have the resources to do this next step. We don't. So for us to piggyback and to get on this program, now's the time to do it. I've gone through Fulton. I've seen the signs there. To be honest with you, I didn't quite Pay attention to the signs until these debates started. But they're noticeable. They're the nationally recognized color scheme. You guys spoke on that last week. So let's get this to the finish line. I think enough debate is done. We can do further debate on different aspects of location, posters, stickers, whatever we want to do, whatever direction. But I think it's important that we make the decision today. Thank you.

All right, the next person signed up is Carol Thompson.

Can you hear me okay? All right, I don't want to make the meeting late, but I am going to say something about the mayor that nobody knows, but I think everybody should know. But he knows. Three years ago, and I'm doing this for my granddaughter. And myself, and because everybody should know. Three years ago, the Isabel High School girls varsity softball team was unable to use Legends Field. Without a home field, the team couldn't practice there or host home games. So after a Saturday practice in April, late April it actually was, my granddaughter, she was the team's varsity catcher, she just graduated. We stopped at Burger King, where we happened to see then-counselor Cordino and his family. So, naturally, the conversation turned to softball because our mayor is a 38-year softball right fielder, and he is also, he was inducted into the Oswego Softball Hall of Fame, something that he doesn't announce. So anyway, my granddaughter mentioned the team situation when Mayor Cordino, then Counselor Cordino, asked her how the game was going because she was dirty and she had her eye black on. And she explained how the home games had been canceled and how they had to practice on the side of late in school. And he listened intently as their food grew cold. And in parting, he wished her the best of luck. But he never said anything else other than, well, you know, good luck with the rest of your season. And then, coincidentally, just a few days later, the team played its first home game of the season at Legends Field. And at that time, no one knew how it came about, but everybody was thrilled. And a large crowd showed up to support the home team. And at that time, I didn't know whether a phone call was made as a counselor and a Sogo Softball Hall of Famer, a concerned citizen, or if some softball god mysteriously appeared. And frankly, it didn't matter. What mattered is that the mayor, then counselor, took the time to listen and to recognize the problem affecting the local students, and he quietly helped to solve it. he could have thrown out the first pitch he could have gotten a photo up with the team he could have done any of that but instead he chose to quietly help to solve it and i never believed he didn't have a part in it and only recently i believe it was maybe two weeks ago when you came clean And there was no attempt to turn it into a political moment. It was just an act of public service. And that is what local government should be about. Unfortunately, I sometimes question whether the same spirit always guides this council. This is not the United States Congress. It's not the United States Senate. It's the common council of a small city entrusted with providing the essential services residents rely on every day. Your primary responsibility is to the people you were elected to represent. It's not glamorous work. It means listening to constituents, whether you want to or not. responding to their concerns, checking on neighborhood issues, following up on work orders, and advocating for improvements. It's addressing sidewalks, potholes, snow removal, drainage problems, dead trees, which you did, street lights, and other quality of life issues that affect us every day. It also means exercising sound fiscal oversight, making informed policy decisions, and ensuring that local government remains accountable to the very people it serves. It doesn't mean assuming responsibilities that belong to other levels of government. A government that acts outside the bounds of its legal authority not only undermines public confidence, but also exposes taxpayers to unnecessary and potentially costly litigation. Since the beginning of the year, there seems to be confusion about the proper role of the Human Services Committee. Now, I've been in this chambers for over like almost 30 years at that table as a member of the press. And it was created to address issues that were common in an earlier era. Over time, many of those responsibilities were eliminated, addressed through changes in laws and regulation, or assumed by other city committees and other levels of government. There was even discussion at one time about whether that committee should even remain in existence. Some of the issues the committee addressed were the consumer protection code, peddler laws banning skateboards on city property, playground safety, which included removing the jungle gym in the Maypole, constructing a youth center, and construction concession stand at the former ball fields. It also addressed pornography and public newsstands. So if the mayor believes the committee should assume additional responsibilities, it's him who will make the changes openly and clearly, so both the council and the public understand the committee's intended role. You are now seven months into your term, and what have you accomplished to reduce taxes, increase revenue, or improve the city's financial position? Many residents, myself included, would like to know how much our sewer bills will increase and what happened to the bed tax. By now, the bed tax could have been approved by the state with additional revenue already benefiting the city. Instead, this council has devoted its time to matters that should have never become controversy, such as allowing the sheriff's marine patrol to purchase fuel at cost. That arrangement is far less expensive than creating and operating a city marine patrol. And meanwhile, the sheriff's patrol, sheriff's office patrols our waterways during Harbor Fest, Paddle Fest, and whenever we need them. And they don't charge us anything. You continue debating changes to the city charter even after the city attorney advised that the charter is already gender neutral. When the legal advice of the city's own attorney is set aside because it conflicts with the counselor's preferred outcome, why are we paying him to be here? The role of government is not to favor particular viewpoints or constituencies. Its duty is to administer the law impartially, protect the rights of all citizens equally, and ensure that no individual or group receives preferential treatment at the expense of others. Too often it seems personal agendas are taking priority over the work you are elected to do. Take a cue from the mayor. Serve the people quietly, fairly, and with dignity and respect. Put politics aside, focus on the city's core responsibilities, and remember who you work for. If you can't do that, then perhaps these chambers are not where you belong. Thank you.

The last person signed up is Carol Ireland.

Good evening. My name is Carol Ireland, and I'm here to give my thoughts about the placement of the 988 signs. When I find myself needing to make a big decision, I would tell myself, Carol, you need to check the facts. I sometimes have to remind myself to take the emotions out of it, as we know emotions can make us think in other ways. Fact, you have been presented a list of 10 locations that were compiled by your first responders and licensed mental health clinician. Fact, these individuals are not looking at the locations in an emotional manner. They are using their experience, knowledge, training, and response history. Fact, the approval of these 10 signs does not mean that it is the end. However, it should be the beginning of education, awareness, and collaboration moving forward. I've heard a few things that I wanted to address. One, what if my nine-year-old son sees the sign? This could be a great opportunity to talk about big emotions, being kind to others, and asking for help when you don't feel so good. Two, won't the signs encourage suicide? Suicide is not contagious. When you say it and when you read it, you are not going to catch it. Three, why are we promoting 988? Shouldn't people just be calling 911? The first thing that 911 asks is, what's your emergency? And then your full name, address, and means of contact. 988 does not ask for your full name nor your address. You can also text it, and this may seem less evasive to those in need. Many in the suicidal mindset may not see or feel that they are in an emergency, as they have made peace with the decision that they are making. They may also feel that they don't need help, but just someone to talk to. Now you may wonder why I'm so invested in the placement of these signs. having a college degree, happily married for 38 years, my husband might say no, two grown successful sons, stably house, middle class family, employed in the same job for 13 years, program manager and supervisor at OCO, volunteer and advocate in the community, and even having that black Labrador retriever dog. I'm living the perfect American dream, or am I? Yes, I am a person who is labeled as a person with a serious mental illness. In fact, I have many mental health diagnosis that I would not ask for nor share with anyone. In the past five years, on any medical records, discharge papers, et cetera, there are two other words that show up on these papers. Two words that are not recognized in the DSM-5 manual mental health diagnosis. Those two words are suicidal ideation. I have been told that there is a high possibility that I would be dealing with this for the rest of my life. This despite minimum two therapy sessions a week, two hours of DBT group, medication trials, taking my medication, inpatient stays, doing my homework, using my support, both personal and the community. I'm doing everything that is asked and recommended to me, and yet here I am. What does it mean? It means that on any given day, any given time, any given location, that I may have those deep, dark thoughts of ending my life. It means that while I may appear happy on the outside, on the inside I may not be. It means that the, oh, something must trigger that suicidal thought is not the norm for me. It means that I have to stay aware of my thoughts where they are at. It means that while many days I can be OK, some days I am not. It means that myself, my mental health professionals, and those in my life spend vast amounts of time working on keeping me safe. This is my life, but it does not define me. I don't tell you this for sympathy, to panic you, or to make others worry about me. I tell it to help educate and bring awareness to the mindset that someone can begin when thinking about ending their life. As I listened to the meeting last week and heard the 10 locations that are being recommended by your professionals, I found myself nodding. Nodding because I can say that I have physically visited six of those locations thinking about ending my life. There was only one location on that list that I had never visited or thought about ending my life at. That's my reality. When I am in that place of feeling inches away from ending my life, I'm not looking at going to the fire department, the hospital, or the police station. because I do not want to be saved. I do not want to be helped. And if I'm at those locations, I know chances are someone's going to save me from my thoughts and my intentions. I have already answered the question that I need and what I need to do to feel better. I want to be in a place where I can end my life and no one can save me. You have to remember I'm in this place in my mind where I am feeling like nothing matters. Feeling like so many would be better off without me. Feeling that I am a burden. Feeling that I have no way out, no way to see a light. Feeling tired, frustrated, and angry for the way that I am. Feeling it is really time to end all of those thoughts and make it happen. Feeling that that will bring me relief. This is where my suicidal ideation takes me. This is my experience. And as a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Liberty Resources Consumer Advisory Board, Oswego County Suicide Prevention Coalition, and my provisional New York State certified mental health peer credential, I am more than aware that not everybody has the same journey. To some, these may just be signs. For others, they may be a lifeline, a reminder of a resource that they can use. Every day when I drive to work, I drive over the Oneida Street Bridge in Fulton. Every day, I make eye contact with one of those signs. Every day, this is a reminder that maybe today will be OK. Maybe today I won't need this resource. But every day, I know it is there for me. I also know that the first ten locations that have been presented to you for approval by your professionals all make sense to someone like me. Someone who has been there both mentally and physically. They don't have to make sense to everyone and they never will. They make sense to your first responders and licensed mental health clinician, and that should be enough. Tonight, this is only step one, and you have that ability to take that very important step. Thank you.

All right. As I said, that was the last person who had signed up. Is there anybody else that would like to speak that hadn't signed up? Yes. Just state your name. Where's your name? At the microphone? Oh, I thought I was just loud enough.

My name is Regina Vaughn and I'm here as a community member. I just wanted to say a couple things. I'm really, really proud and thankful for the people that showed up today and shared not only their professional experiences but also their personal journeys because I do know that that takes a lot of courage to be really, really vulnerable and share things that Sometimes we don't always share with everybody in the community, but maybe just the people we feel safest with, our therapists, our friends, mobile crisis, and maybe our spouses. So thank you guys all for coming and sharing your stories. and being in a really vulnerable place. I also wanted to speak about the Common Council in general. Protecting public health is a fundamental responsibility of our city's Common Council. And mental health is a public health issue. And it has, in the work I have done, since COVID, it is more prevalent. And maybe that's just because people are more comfortable talking about it. Maybe it's always existed. Maybe it's getting worse, right? I don't know those numbers and statistics, but I think that having the conversations is going to be the place that we start. And that's what the intention of these signs are, is to be able to offer that visual reminder that there are people out there that we can speak to in places where we feel alone and maybe we are alone. someone at the end of that phone number or that text that that you can connect with in connection is one of the single most factors that's going to improve someone's long-term health outcomes is connection even if it's one one person that you're connected with one person and you can count on so I appreciate you guys continuing to bring this up in these meetings and that we're having conversations about it because no matter what the conversations are if people have more questions about it or they're not in support of it or they are the conversations are happening nonetheless and I think that that's what needs to happen even after today even after the vote so thank you again for your time I appreciate it

All right, is there anybody else? If not, we'll begin the meeting right now. I'll end public session. 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. Please call the roll.

In the honor of the mayor. Here. Councilor Kennedy. Here. Councilor Ashline. Here. Councilor Lautensack.

Here.

Councilor Fitzgibbon. Here. Councilor Meyer. Here. Councilor Plunkett. Here. Councilor Thompson. Here. All present.

Thank you very much. Just a couple items in the mayor's report I just wanted to share. In the last two weeks, we've received a lot of phone calls, even a couple texts about the 988 signs as well as all the other things that go on here in the city. So it was a busy couple weeks since our last meeting. The first item I'd like to mention is you'll be voting on resolution 244, which reads authorize a public hearing for proposed law number two. I just wanted to clear up something that was stated at the committee meeting the other day, well actually last Monday. There is a little confusion. First of all, this is just a vote tonight to authorize the public hearing. We're not authorizing a 2% cap or overriding a cap. It's just to authorize the meeting, which is on August 10th at 710 right here. So first of all, that's all that is for. There's a misconception, there is the state cap of 2%, but there's also a city cap of 5%. So that's where the confusion comes in, that the state cap, and it says quite clearly that A local law authorizing property tax levy in excess of the limit, and the limit is 2%. So that is a state law. And since I've been here, which is 10, 11 years, we've always voted this. And for example, we didn't use it in the 2026 budget because we had a zero tax increase. But we basically have to do it just in case. The budget for 2027 is still being worked on and we don't know what the outcome is at this point. So just authorizing the meeting is important just in cases. I'm sure councilor in the fourth ward would appreciate this comment. It's like insurance. Just being careful and making sure that they're recovered. So I just wanted to point that out about resolution 244. The second item has to do, Believe it or not about suicide, I mentioned earlier that we've gotten a lot of calls over the last couple weeks. And the calls vary in the mayor's office, trees or traffic or whatever. But there was one individual that reached out to me that she asked me to share some information and I thought it was important to have her voice heard. She couldn't be here to speak tonight because she works at night apparently, but she asked me to read this. So again, I am only the messenger. I know the mayor cannot control what individual council members say. However, because Councilor Kennedy referenced the three waterway tragedies during a discussion about suicide prevention, Many people could conclude that all three were suicides when that isn't accurate. If the record is going to reflect those remarks, can the distinction be clarified at the next council meeting so the public record accurately reflects the facts? And basically those are her remarks and I'll just add to that that each of those three recent incidents were investigated by the police department. And one for sure was an accident, two possibly was an accident, And the third one was certainly in that class of suicide. But the point is that this person, and she went on to continue with the email, but I felt that this couple sentences really hit the mark that we have to be sensitive. Suicide is an issue and we should all try our best. But we shouldn't be making judgments about people who end up in the river or the lake and automatically assume it's suicide. It's not fair to the family, it's not fair to the police department, and it's certainly not fair to this community. A community that is a very loving and sharing community. So let's be careful moving forward, that's my suggestion when we're talking about this topic. And I know five out of the six people who spoke today spoke on this, and I know it's a passionate topic. Let's be careful about how we frame people who end up passing away because they went in the water or something similar to that. It's not always suicide. Let's keep that in mind. Again, just sharing this resident's concern. It really touched me, all the things that she had to say in that, so I wanted to share that. The third item is a little more lighthearted. Harbor Fest just ended yesterday afternoon after four successful days. I want to thank the Public Works Department, the police department and the fire department. I'm glad that we have representatives from those departments here. Their hard work certainly made the event a success. I know none of those departments can control the weather, but the weather also contributed to the success of it. It was beautiful weather, no rain. The festivals, this was their 37th year. They have a new director, as many people heard, Bridget Dolbear, and some new board members, which it seems to me they're looking to provide some new ideas and new energy. And I wish to the Harbor Fest committee a lot of luck in continuing for many more years. That's the last item I have under the mayor's report. Please call resolution 242.

Approve minutes common council meeting held July 13th, 2026.

Councillor Plunkett, Councillor Ashland. Comments?

Please call the roll. Councillor Kennedy. Yes. Councillor Ashland. Yes. Councillor Lautensack.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgibbon. Yes. Councillor Meyer. Yes. Councillor Plunkett. Yes. Councillor Thompson. Yes. Resolution passes 7-0. Call resolution 243. Authorize use of public space for placement of 10 988 signs.

Councillor Kennedy, Councillor Ashland. Comments? Please call the roll.

Councillor Kennedy. Yes. Councillor Ashland. Yes. Councillor Lawson.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgibbon. Yes. Councillor Meyer. Yes. Councillor Plunkett. Yes. Councillor Thompson. Yes. Resolution passes 7-0. Call resolution 244. Authorized public hearing regarding proposed local law number two of the year 2026, a local law authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the limit established in general municipal law 3C.

And again, that will be August 10th at 710 right here in these chambers. Motion, Thompson and Meyer. Comments, yes.

Yes, just to have further clarity that the state limit is 2% and our charter limits to 5%. This then establishes the mechanism as a council that we can, with two-thirds, authorize a raise of the taxes greater than 2%, up to 5%. That's how I understand it, is that correct?

Through the chair, yes.

You're the chair, is that correct? And I'm asking for legal counsel here.

Yeah, that's accurate. So the local law that is the subject of the public hearing is for the state tax cap- To be exceeded. To be exceeded if necessary. Pointed out to vote on that would require a two-thirds majority. The city charter has a 5% cap, if you will, if that percentage is exceeded. The budget then has to go to the voters in November to vote yes or no to adopt that budget. If it is exceeded, passing that tax cap override, the state law would also cover the city charter provision.

And I appreciate that we're all aspirational and this is contingent and done every year with the maybe, might, and I appreciate that, but just to have a better understanding of what actually the law is and so that we all know what we're acting on. Yeah, and I think the public hearing is obviously the next step.

Okay. Anybody else? Please call the roll. Councillor Kennedy. Yes. Councillor Ashland. Yes. Councillor Lawton-Sack.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgibbons. Yes. Councillor Meyer. Yes. Councillor Plunkett. Yes. Councillor Thompson. Yes. Resolution passes 7-0.

Thank you. Any unfinished business? Councillor Kennedy.

Yeah. I just have a quick statement. So, I would like to... Let me start again. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Common Council for the thoughtful discussion and consideration that has gone into this initiative over the past couple months. I would also like to thank our Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, our mental health professionals, and the Espagos Suicide Prevention Coalition for sharing their expertise and helping guide this process. Mental health and suicide prevention are not political issues. They are human issues. Every one of us either knows someone or has been affected in some way by mental health challenges. And I believe that if these signs help even one person find hope during a moment of crisis, then they will have served an extraordinary purpose. I also want to acknowledge everyone in our community who took the time to share their thoughts throughout this process, including those who have raised questions or expressed concerns. Public engagement is an important part of good government, and while we may not always agree on every detail, these conversations challenged us to think carefully about this initiative and ultimately strengthened it. Tonight's vote is not the end of this conversation, and in many ways, it is only the beginning. As we move forward, I hope we continue looking for opportunities to expand mental health awareness, reduce the stigma surrounding suicide, and evaluate whether additional locations throughout our city could benefit from access to the 988 lifeline. Mental health does not exist in just one neighborhood, one park, or one bridge. If this initiative proves successful, I hope we will continue building upon it so that this life-saving resource reaches so many people as possible. If tonight's vote saves one life, it will have been worth every meeting, every email, every difficult conversation, and every moment we spent discussing it. Finally, I want every resident of the City of Oswego to know this. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you are struggling, you matter. Your life has value. There are people who care about you, and there is hope. Thank you.

Okay. Anybody else? Seeing none, can I have a motion to adjourn? Councillor Plunkett, Councillor Meyer. Let's call the roll.

Councillor Kennedy. Yes. Councillor Ashland. Yes. Councillor Lautensack.

Yes.

Councillor Fitzgibbon. Yes. Councillor Meyer. Yes. Councillor Plunkett. Yes. Councillor Thompson. Yes. Resolution passes 7-0. Meeting is ended. Drive home safely.