Common Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. This is a regular session around common council. The date is August 12th, 2026, and the time is 7 0 P. M. Mr. field, please call the roll.

Councilor spruce. Councilor mortis. Councilor Fazio. Present comes from Smith here. Councilor Riley. President concert. Darcy president. Councilor sprawling president.

Please rise or pledge of allegiance. The invocation will be offered by the chair. Lord, guide us in our work tonight. Help us make thoughtful decisions. Treat one another with respect and always seek the best for our community. Amen. At this point, the meeting is open to the public. You have the opportunity to appear before the Council 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 with the speaker sheet. Is anyone wishing to speak? No? I was counting on you, Bobby. Is there anyone who wishes to speak? Public session is closed. The chair will entertain a motion that the meeting of the minutes of the preceding session be dispensed with and that they be approved. So moved. Councillor Smith and Councillor Fazio. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Carried. Report to city officials.

Commissioner Giuliano. President Nash, members of the Common Council. I want to give you a quick construction update of the train station, what we have accomplished and what we have yet to do. First, the city was granted from New York State an extension of the project from the summer of 2026 to March 23rd of 2027. So it gives me about eight more months to continue work on the project with the grant money that was given to us and the ARPA funds that were afforded to the project. Thus far within the last 14 months, We've accomplished to complete the new rubber roof installation on the main part of the building. We scraped and painted the upper platform. We improved some ventilation at the same time that we did the EPDM roof system. We had to make repairs to the brick parapet systems on the roof on the south western facing parapet. We did that through a masonry contractor that had to be added to the roofing contract. Within the next couple of weeks, we're going to have the new locks installed on the new doors that were installed on the Martin Street side of the building, the four doors. And we'll have an auto lock system installed on those new locks. The tunnel, which has always been the main concern, which started this project years ago, the scaffolding is still in place. I regret to say that, but when we started to pull that down six months ago, the ceiling didn't heal itself and more of the ceiling, that's up there, the concrete, the spackling, continued to fall as we were pulling the supporting system down. So we had to halt that. We went back into design with a consultant engineer, structural engineer, to design a system where we can put a drop ceiling, so to say, underneath the existing ceiling and support that and hold that up so nothing else can fall from that. We have spent X amount of dollars on that design. We have received estimates for that. We are over budget on what I have left in the balance for the project. So we are, I will be working with the mayor, mayor Lanigan and the administration to hopefully secure some funds for that additional work that needs to be done. that's the good and the bad of the update for the train station. Thank you.

Good morning. Do you think you could possibly squeeze some time out sometime for whoever wants to take a walk through there with you? The point is, you know, what you're saying so we can, you know, see what you're talking about exactly. I mean, I know generally, but I'd like to do it.

We can coordinate a field trip sooner than later and take a 45 minute walk through there and see what has been done, what needs to be done.

I'll see who's interested and then we'll try to start.

Structurally, we can know, I can tell you confidently that the building is secure. It's watertight again now. The building will be 100% secure within the next couple of weeks. where it's only 95, 98% secure right now. There's still some loopholes, but the auto system will give myself and the IT team the ability to control that literally from our cell phones and when the doors can open and lock and that. So yes, I will gladly entertain a site visit. Thank you.

Anyone else? Going back, communications.

THE CAPITOL THEATER FINANCIAL REPORT FOR QUARTER ENDED 6-30-26 HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND FILED IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. THE GREEN PORTAGE OF 916 FLOYD EV HAS NOTIFIED THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OF ITS INTENT TO OBTAIN AN ADULT USE RETAIL DISPENSARY LICENSE. AUDIT REPORT AND MANAGEMENT LETTER FROM D'ARCANGELO AND CO. LLP FOR THE YEAR ENDED 12-31-25 HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND FILED IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. THANK YOU. MR. SAILING.

REPORT COUNSELORS.

Dr. Sprya. President Nash, members of the council, and members of the public, I just want to give you an update. I spoke with Brandon Lovett earlier today regarding parks and pools and when they would be closing for the season. He advises me that the parks will be closing this week. The Penty Day Camp will be closing on Friday, August 21st, and the pools will be closing on Sunday, August 23rd. And I am awaiting, I'm sure we'll get a end of the season report on attendance and things of that nature. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Sprague. Anyone else? Board of committees? Resolutions. Resolution number 98.

Authorizing the mayor of the city of Rome to enter into an inter-municipal agreement with Oneida County Workforce Development for the Oneida County Internship Program. So moved.

That was prior second, that was grace with the second day in discussion. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All scary. See here.

Resolution number 99 authorizing amendment number four to capital account HFO Erie Boulevard downtown transportation alternative project tap originally established through resolution number 93 adopted October 28 2020.

Move it. Councilor Darcy. Second. Councilor Ryan P. Moving and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Resolution number 99 is carried. Resolution number 100.

Authorizing the Mayor of the City of Rome to enter into a memorandum of understanding between the Utica PD, New Hartford PD, Oneida Sheriff's Department, and City of Rome Police Department.

Move it. Councilor Smith. Second. Councilor Spurys. Moving and seconded. Any discussion? And this is going to go through 2030, is that correct? All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Resolution number 100 is carried. Resolution number 101.

Authorizing the Mayor of the City of Rome to enter into an agreement with Milliken Sports LLC. So moved.

Councilor Fazio and Councilor Riley. Move and seconded. Any discussion? And this is associated with the Copper City Chiefs for anyone that isn't aware of this milk and sports.

Any further discussion?

All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Resolution number 101 is carried. Ordinances. Ordinance number 9892.

Authorizing August 17, 2026 through August 21, 2026 and August 24, 2026 through August 28, 2026 as amnesty periods relative to the late fee normally charged for dog licensing.

Move it. COUNCILOR SMITH, COUNCILOR SPURRIES, MOVED AND SECOND. UNANIMOUS, GOOD SOUGHT. COUNCILOR MORTIZ. SECOND. AND COUNCILOR RILEY. ORDINANCE NUMBER 9892 IS MOVED AND SECONDED. UNANIMOUS CONSENT IS MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF UNANIMOUS CONSENT, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? UNANIMOUS CONSENT IS CARRIED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? ORDINANCE NUMBER 9892 IS CARRIED. ORDINANCE NUMBER 9893.

Authorizing Mayor of the City of Rome to approve the sale of city-owned parcel 410 West Liberty Street to buyer for $1,000. I know that.

Councilor Fazio. Second. Councilor Riley.

Unanimous consent.

Councilor Sparaglia. Second. And Councilor Smith. Ordinance number 9893 is a move and seconded. Unanimous consent is a move and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say aye. Aye. Opposed? Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Carried. Order number 9894.

Authorizing Mayor of the City of Rome to approve the sale of city-owned parcel 412 West Liberty Street to buyer for $1,000. So moved.

Councilor Mortis. Second. Councilor Riley. Councilor Sprace. Second. And Councilor Riley, um, Brian. Orange number 9894 has been moved and seconded. Unanimous consent has been moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say aye. Aye. Opposed? Unanimous consent is carried. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Orange number 9894 has been carried. Orange number 9895.

authorizing the placement of stop signs at each end of courtland Avenue.

I feel so good to sprays concert Smith. Second and concert Riley or I did that. That's it for you. Hi, my name is your name taking on some of 9, 8, 9, 5, the moving seconded and then there's consent to move in second and all of the paper of the animals consent say aye, aye opposed and then this consent is carried is in discussion.

All those in favor say aye. Aye.

Opposed? Orange number 9895 is carried. Orange number 9896.

Authorizing the acquisition of real property 709 Canal Street. So moved. Councilor Mortis. Second.

Councilor Riley.

Unanimous consent.

Councillor Dursey and Councillor Fazio. Ordinance number 9896 is moved and seconded. Unanimous consent is moved and seconded. All those in favor of unanimous consent say aye. Aye. Opposed? Unanimous consent is carried. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Carried. I believe we're leaving Ordinance 9884 on the table, correct? DO YOU WANT TO ATTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. COUNCIL SMITH? SECOND. AND COUNCIL DURSEY? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT.