Common Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. This is regular session of the Rome County Council. The date is February 25th, 2026 and the time is 7 p.m. Mr. Seal, please call the role. Councelor Spice, excused. Councelor Mortise, present. Councelor Fazio, present. Councelor Smith, here. Councelor Riley, present. Councelor Dery, present. Councelor Sprout, present.

Please rise for pledge of allegiance. 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. The invocation will be offered by the chair. Bless those who serve this city in every capacity from council members to first responders. May they be protected, encouraged, and guided by integrity. Amen. Amen. At

this point, the meeting is now open to the public. You have the opportunity to appear before the councils and present your views concerning city affairs. If you wish to speak, please step 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 will help our record. We are ready for the first speaker. Hello everyone. My name is Blair Gentther, 106 East Sycamore Street. I have three items tonight. I'll try to be brief. First, I want to make sure something is on the record. While reviewing the February 11th agenda packet, I found that certified payroll documents for the Perry Street reconstruction project were published, excuse me, published without redaction. Those documents contain the names, home addresses, wages, and social security numbers of 36 employees of Central Paving. I delivered a letter to the mayor's office and the city clerk's office on February 17th outlining what I found and asked the city to take corrective steps. And I do have a copy of that letter I can give to you guys. I want to acknowledge that the city acted quickly on the initial request and the documents were removed within two hours of my letter. Uh today the city attorney contacted me to let me know that central paving had been notified. They had notified the proper authorities in the state of New York and the city was in the process of notifying the affected employees. I sincerely appreciate that responsiveness though I would still like to know when the city finishes notifying the affected employees or the affected employees. I do have one remaining question. Does the city carry insurance that would cover potential claims arising from a data breach like this? I think it would give the public just a little comfort to know that that exposure is accounted for.

Second, I have a question about resolution 41, the Ford F450 lease. I've been looking at the lease quote and I just want to make sure I understand the numbers correctly. It looks like the vehicle has an MSRP of around $64,000. The city is then paying around $21,000 to outfit it with a dump body and some equipment. So over five years, the total lease payments come to roughly $80,000, which includes about $21,000 of interest. The lease is based only on 5,000 m a year. So after 5 years and 25,000 total miles on the truck, it seems the city will pay $400 termination fee and give the truck back. I'm curious to know more about the process the city uses to compare the total cost of leasing vehicles to what it would cost to buy them. And more broadly, the resolution mentions a master lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management. So, it sounds like this may be a program, and I'm curious where I can go to learn more about this. Finally, third ordinances 9848 through 9850. The city is selling three tax foreclosed properties tonight through direct sale. I believe I looked at the paperwork and saw that there is a proposal form involved. So, there is a process for this. How does someone in Rome find out these properties are available? Is there a way for local residents to get involved in this? How are the sales prices determined? And is this something that's open for competitive bid or auction? That's all I have. Thank you guys for everything you do. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please. Good evening. Uh, my name is Stuart Miller. I'm from 16 Morgan Lane in New Hartford. I'm a member of the Mohawk Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited. And I have a question about the resolution um number 38 relative to Kissinger Dam. Um the questions are has the council or the town considered uh the feasibility of two qu two points. Um installing a automatic flow gauge at Kissinger G dam that would monitor the bypass of the pass by of the flow. It's required that there's a minimum of 6 million gallons a day for the DEC to flow onto Onida Lake. And um there's four reasons that this is potentially an issue. Uh number one, it could violate regulations if the city falls below that flow rate. Um historically during drought conditions, the flow does get to close to that level. So there's issues potentially for stressing wildlife and fish and the Onidita Lake fishery and uh the impact of Chabani withdrawing additional water from East Branch of Fish Creek may have an impact on uh what will be bypassed and how close that could be to the minimum. Um there's no more uh a USGS. There used to be a USGS gauge at Tabberg and that's no longer operating. So there is no continuous monitor. Uh today they have to go out and check the the level

at the dam on a daily basis a manual operation. So, it isn't very expensive to install these days a flow meter, and the city wouldn't earn whether or not they're getting close to a bypass and could act promptly to correct a situation if it occurs. Um, and then the longer term question is relative to that dam. Um, it's really not a very functional dam. The water comes out of Boyd Dam and then flows down to Kissinger and then is pulled off. And it would be really great if you could pull directly from Boyd Dam into the filtration reservoir and eliminate the Kissinger Dam, which would eliminate the the maintenance required on that dam and any issues with that and also would allow for passage of fish. you could destroy the dam and and allow passage of fish which would include walleye and salmon and trout in that fishery. Um and also um well that's basically it. Oh, the other option would be if you can't do that potentially uh putting in a um fish ladder which is expensive but um it's another option. So thank you very much.

Thank you. Anyone else that wishes to speak? Good evening. Nicholas Jordan of 6167 Lena Road. On February 11th, a Roman passed away from injuries suffered after being struck by a vehicle while walking. A week later, on February 18th, there was two motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians in Rome. This seems to be a worsening problem this season. As someone who used to have to walk to work, I am curious what is being taken to prevent these tragedies from happening in the future. Thank you. Thank you.

Next speaker, please. Hi, I'm Paul Dow. I own Frankas on uh West Dominic Street. Uh we are coming on our fourth year. Um and I know that uh we've had a lot of snow the past couple of years, but uh we we got to come up with a better plan on that street. Uh we plow in those little parking areas. Every time they swoop in and swoop out, they take a parking space on either end and they keep doing that. And we have to cut through these banks in order for people to get out of their car and get onto the sidewalk. The sidewalk, you guys are doing a good job, but the road in these banks, that road, city hall is on that road. It should be cleared. Now, I know two examples. Maybe you can't do this, but this is upstate New York and we have big winters at times and apparently we're having one this year. But the plan for clearing the snow on that street doesn't exist. It's just swoop in, swoop out. We actually get two lanes worth of snow that's piled up on our sidewalk and we're losing business, a lot of business. And it's a it's a rough economy as it is. This is killing the businesses. There's not a whole lot of them that restaurants, but that one bank right there, we got uh Boys of Italy, Francas, we got the new cigar lounge, we got the taco place, and all of us are suffering from this. You got equipment that you can come in, scoop it up, and bring it somewhere. This West Dominic Street should be lit right up summer, spring, winter. City Hall is on it. It's uh it's the only downtown that's left for crying out

loud. I invested a lot of money and I'm still still investing, still trying to make it work and I hope we get some more help from the city. I would appreciate it. I appreciate you what you've done, but it's it's not enough. Four years isn't enough. We live in upstate New York. You got the equipment. Let's get rid of the snow once a week. Not every night. Thank you.

Thank you, Paul. Anyone else that wishes to speak? Anyone else? Up portion is closed. The chair will entertain a motion that the meeting reading of the minutes of the preceding session be dispensed with and that they be approved. So moved. Councelor Smith second. Councilor Morris moved and seconded. Any discussion? All in favor say I.

I. Oppos. Carry. Uh communications. Dun's Palisades Hotel of 1921 North James Street has notified the city clerk's office of its intent to obtain a liquor license. Board of City Officials, Corporation Council, Beanie.

Yes. Good evening, President Nash, members of the council. I just wanted to comment a little on what Mr. Gentther raised as far as the inadvertent uh leak of some personal information. I think he summarized the issue and our response fairly well, but I thought I would add a little to it. Uh, first of all, we would like to thank Mr. Gent for bringing it to our attention so that we could act um immediately. As he said, we did immediately remove the information from our website and started looking into exactly what the be next best steps were. Um Commissioner Giuliano um immediately contacted the contractor. We are now working with that contractor on having all the affected uh all of their affected employees uh notified. Um, the commissioner has also spoken with the Department of Labor as far as the best practices for submission of certified payroll records to us and then for us passing them on to the Department of Labor. Um, just in terms of the best practice of how to do that and how to protect the personally identifiable information contained in those records. I had conversations with two individuals at the attorney general's office on what our obligations are and what the next best step should be uh in terms of that and we are taking those steps. Uh chief of staff Kim Rogers uh submitted a formal request to Google um in the attempt to uh have any information that might still be out there even after removing it from our website uh removed from their indexes. Uh we will update you once we know more about that. Um that pretty much sums it up. Again, uh we thank Mr. Gentther for his um disclosure of that information to us so that we could take our mandatory or I should say best next best steps. Uh and we are taking those steps and we will

update the council as we know more as the process unfolds. Thank you.

Thank you councelor Piney. Anyone else? Matt Andrews, community development. President Nash, members of the council, uh I had a comment on resolution number 40 on tonight's agenda. There was a uh there was an article covered by the Sentinel that identified that the local match funds for this grant application were uh required as 20% and would equal the amount of $750,000 for a $3 million grant project. While that's um true, I just wanted to clarify that 15% of the local required 20% match is being um requested through the New York State Department of Transportation. Um that would reduce the total local uh match to the project down to $180,000 and change. Um, in the total project costs, we're looking to leverage some New York State touring routes funding with the project of about 1.5 million for a total project cost of around 5.3 million. So for a $5.3 million total project, the city's local uh share at the end um of all funding streams would be about $187,000. And that project's for the uh the application to New York State uh Department of Transportation's transportation alternative program for pedestrian infrastructure along Black River Boulevard and uh Chestnut Street.

Thank you. Thank you, Matt.

See Treasure Adams. Yes. Thank you, President. Uh Mr. uh Gunther Gunther, sorry, I don't know which one was correct. I have it both written down. Um in regards to the lease, you are correct. We do have a master lease agreement uh with Enterprise and we go through them for probably 99% of our vehicles. Um it's a little confusing to explain this uh in a quick twominut synopsis. Um so I would like to give you my information and then I can email you more specifics about this particular lease at a diff at a later date. Okay.

We all said did you want did you want to address anything or no? They said no. Okay. Okay. Report of counselors in general city affair. Council Derson,

President Nash, members of council, I would just like to respond quickly to the um comments on um selling of the real property. If you go to um the city website, you go to the departments, under the departments, there would be um the the um codes department, you go to real property committee. If you go there, there's as you scroll down, there's a list right there for all real property that is available for sale. It goes through a process. There's several um members on of the mayor's staff is on that and they look through things such as as um residents home home residence if it's going to be the home residence as opposed to to a a a renter. Um if they're they look for other things like um uh have they worked with us before? Have they done a good job? Um is this the right fit? Um how much do they plan on spending? Is it a reasonable plan? Um there so so there's a lot of things that they put into that and decide which one's the best one. So I'm not going to say it's a strict bid, but they look at as a holistic thing. Um there's one other thing I wanted to say and I don't remember what it is right now. So um it's an opportunity for everybody to to get into the process. Um and we look forward to that going on. It goes to each of us. Each counselor gets their own um area if if if it's in the fourth ward or the fifth ward or or my sixth w um they we would comment on it, but we really just kind of accept it um after we question um what they did if we have any questions. So So when when you see us selling these here, we've done our due diligence. I know um councelor Fazio, there were a couple in here that's in your ward. um um she reached out to the committee and she had voice her concerns beforehand before they would even decide. Um so it it's it's pretty transparent what we do. Um and we look forward to you investing in Rome if

that's what you want to do in anybody investing in Rome. Um sidewalks um Mr. Jensen um Nick uh uh yes it's an issue. It's a problem. Sidewalks cost money as you can see on um our resolution 40. Part of that is for uh better pedestrian walkways on the Black River Boulevard boulevard area. Um I've been pushing for that right along. I know that the community economic development has has worked with the state to to create more um uh walkability within all of Rome. some areas we can use CDBG funding. Others that we have to use, we have to get creative and use other funding uh like what um Matt Andrews just talked about as far as as um we're matching this fund with that fund to create the best benefit for the city. And and I am going to say that department has has done a really spot-on job in trying to find as much money as they can to get the sidewalks that we need to make things safe. Um, we understand it's an issue. Uh, we understand that the taxpayers are under huge amounts of stress right now between um everything that Albany pushes down with with with their taxes, with the school district taxes, with um our energy bills these days. So, it's it's a balancing act of of what we can do um what we can afford to do and what needs to get done. And and I think while not perfect, we are moving forward on that. and and and I hope to continue in these other areas also. Thanks,

Professor Ba.

President Nash, members of the council, members of the public, I would like to make an announcement that Fort Stanwick School uh through the Rome City School District closed on the sale a week ago Friday. Uh the owner is New York Music and Art Academy incororated. They have a corporate office at 702 Bleecker Street in Udica for which I cannot find a phone number, but I do have a New York number that I will be calling tomorrow morning to talk to someone regarding this. Uh my last conversation with Mark Dominico, our codes director, was he hadn't heard a thing from the uh future owner prior to the closing. So, I have no idea what they plan on doing with this building, but I can say this. uh they will have to come through probably the common council the zoning board uh for whatever requests uh they have uh plan for the use of the building. Uh this has been ongoing for several years now. Uh years ago there was a buyer who wanted to turn it in to apartments and the neighbors in the area retained an attorney and got that turned down. So, I'm trying to make sure with this being located in my ward that the owner uh does the right thing for the residents in that area and the city of Rome. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Bria. Anyone else? Report of committees. Resolutions. Resolution number 37. Resolution determining that the proposed purchase of machinery and apparatus is a type two action for the purposes of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. So move. Council Mortise second. Councilor Dery moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 37 is carried. Resolution number 38 authorizing the expenditure of money from the water dam capital reserve fund for the Kessinger dam capital project.

Move it. Spray second. Councelor Fazio moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 38 is carried. Resolution number 39 authorizing the expenditure of money from the police future equipment reserve fund for the purchase of various pieces of equipment for training. So move mortise second fazio moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 39 carries. Resolution number 40

authorizing the mayor of the city of Rome to make application to the New York State Department of Transportation's transportation alternative program $3 million. Move it. Council Dury second. Council Spraia moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 40 is carried. Resolution number 41 authorizing the mayor of the city of Rome to execute a lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management for the leasing of one Ford F450. Move it. Council Dury. Any discussion? All those in favor say I.

I oppose. Resolution number 41 is carried. Resolution number 42. Appointing commissioner of deeds. So move. Councelor Mortis second. Councelor Smith moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Resolution number 42 is carried. Resolution number 43. Authorizing the city of Rome to join Aqualis Group for interlocal cooperative purchasing advantages. Move it. Counc second. Councelor Dury moved and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor say I. I oppose. Resolution number 43 is carried. Ordinances. Ordinance number 9847 authorizing the issuance of $25,000 bonds of the city of Rome, Onidita County, New York to finance the purchase of a sixheel dump truck for the water transmission and distribution department. So move mortise. Second. Councelor Dury Ba unanimous consent. Oh, I'm sorry. Unanimous consent. Councilor Riley seconds it. Second. Ord number 947 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent has been moved and seconded. All those in favor unanimous consent say I.

I. Opposed. Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Ordinance number 9847 is carried. Ordinance number 9848. Authorizing mayor of the city of Rome to approve the sale of city owned parcel 716 Laurel Street to buyer for $2,500. So move second. Councelor Riley unanimous consent. Councelor Spaya second.

Councelor Dury number 9848 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. I. Oppose. Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Ordinance number 9848 is carried. Ordinance number 9849. Authorizing mayor of the city of Rome to approve the sale of city owned parcel 229 Ridge Street to buyer for $2,000. Move that. Councelor Fazio. Second. Councelor Riley. Unanimous consent.

Councelor Mortis second and councelor Spalia. Ordinance number 9849 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent been moved and seconded. All those in favor in favor of unanimous consent say I. Oppose. Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor of ordinance number 9849 say I. I. Oppos number 9849 is carried. Ordinance number 9850 authorizing mayor of the city of Rome to approve a sale of city on Barcel 301 Matthew Street to buyer for $3,000. Move that. Council Fazio. Second. Councelor Smith. Unanimous consent. Councelor Dery. Second.

Councelor Mortise. Ordinance number 9850 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent. We moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say I. Opposed. Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Ordinance number 9850 is carried. Ordinance number 9851 authorizing mayor of the city of Rome to enter into rehabilitation agreement and approving the sale of a city owned parcel located at 612 South James Street for $2,150. Move it. Councelor Fazio second. Councelor Riley. Councelor Morta second

and councelor Spray. Ordinance number 9851 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent been moved and seconded. All those in favor unanimous consent say I. I post. Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppos 9851 is carried. The chair will entertain a motion to adjourn. Councelor Smith second. And councelor Spalia. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. We are adjourned. Thank you all for coming tonight.