2026-10-20 - City Council Meeting and Public Hearing

02:05>> Good evening, everyone, and

02:07welcome to our October 2026

02:09public Hearings in full Council

02:10meeting. Tonight's meeting is

02:12being held in City Council

02:13chambers and being streamed

02:14live on city 12 TV, as well as

02:16the City Council's YouTube and

02:17Facebook pages. We also

02:19continue to post meeting

02:21information on the city's

02:22website. The meeting will now

02:24come to order and ask the

02:25deputy clerk to call the role

02:27for both the public hearings

02:28and the City Council meeting.

02:30>> Council member Gruber,

02:31Council member Leslie Smith

02:33here. Council member Lupien

02:35here. Council member. Martin

02:37here. Council member. Monroe

02:39here. Council member. Paterson.

02:41Council member. Smith. Vice

02:44president. Harris here.

02:45President Melendez here. Thank

02:47you.

02:50>> New York state law requires

02:51that City Council hold public

02:53hearings as it considers

02:54specific legislative actions.

02:56Deputy clerk will open the

02:57public hearing, and anyone

02:58wishing to comment on the

02:59relevant matter may come to the

03:00podium at that time. After

03:02public hearings conclude, our

03:04council meeting will begin. As

03:06a reminder, Council is here to

03:08listen to all public matters,

03:09and it's customary that we do

03:11not respond. Now let's begin

03:13this month's public hearings.

03:15Each speaker will be given

03:16three minutes at the podium.

03:17The deputy clerk will lead us

03:19through each hearing. Deputy

03:20Clerk Harris.

03:24>> Pursuant to law, public

03:25hearing will now be had on the

03:27following matter amending the

03:29zoning map by changing the

03:30zoning classification of 30

03:33Elmhurst Road. Introductory

03:34number 361. Any persons

03:38desiring to speak in reference

03:39to said matter will now be

03:42heard.

03:46>> Seeing no speakers, that

03:47hearing is now adjourned.

03:51>> Pursuant to law. Public

03:52hearing will now be had on the

03:54following matter amending

03:55zoning map by changing the

03:56zoning classification of 965

03:59North Goodman Street and 576

04:01Bay Street. Instructor

04:03introductory number 362. Any

04:07persons desiring to speak in

04:09reference to said matter will

04:10now be heard.

04:15>> Seeing no speakers, that

04:17hearing is now adjourned. So

04:21reach the end of the public

04:22hearing portion of the meeting.

04:23We'll now move to our regular

04:25council meeting. So earlier

04:27this month, on Monday, October

04:3012th, the City of Rochester

04:31observed Indigenous Peoples Day.

04:33Since 2018, the City of

04:36Rochester has joined cities

04:37across the nation in

04:39recognizing Indigenous Peoples

04:40Day. In 2022, this Council City

04:42Council unanimously approved a

04:45resolution to permanently

04:46commemorate Indigenous Peoples

04:47Day each October in the city of

04:50Rochester. That decision

04:52reflects our commitment to

04:53creating a path for healing

04:55with the Haudenosaunee

04:57Confederacy and to honoring and

04:58elevating indigenous people in

04:59our community. We gather today

05:02on the ancestral homelands of

05:04the Seneca Nation, one of six

05:06nations of the Haudenosaunee

05:08Confederacy. We recognize

05:10resilience, culture, and

05:12contributions of indigenous

05:13people who continue to live,

05:15work and lead in Rochester

05:17today, we also recognize the

05:19work of the Indigenous Peoples

05:21Day Committee and all partners

05:22who have brought and continue

05:24to bring visibility to

05:25indigenous culture, history and

05:28identity in our city throughout

05:29the month of October and beyond.

05:33Please join me now in a moment

05:35of reflection and resilience in

05:37honor of Indigenous Peoples Day.

05:54Thank you, Council Member

05:57Monroe, will you please lead us

05:58in the Pledge of Allegiance?

06:24Council members, will you

06:25please join me at the podium

06:27for tonight's recognitions?

07:05Packed house tonight? Welcome

07:06to the Council chambers,

07:07everyone. From September 15th

07:10through October 15th, our

07:12community celebrated Hispanic

07:13Heritage Month. Can the

07:15students, administrators and

07:17staff from Ingenio, Maria de

07:18Hostos Charter School please

07:20join us in the front.

08:00Hispanic

08:00Heritage Month honors the

08:02history, culture, and

08:03contributions of Hispanic and

08:04Latino communities across the

08:05country and the city of

08:07Rochester. These contributions

08:08are woven into the fabric of

08:10our neighborhoods, our schools,

08:11our small businesses, and our

08:13civic life. When young, young,

08:16when young people have the

08:18opportunity to learn about

08:19their history and share it

08:21publicly, they build confidence,

08:23connection, and a sense of

08:24belonging that carries well

08:25beyond a single month of

08:26celebration. The students of

08:29Maria de Hostos Charter School

08:31embrace the opportunity. This

08:32year, students in the fifth,

08:34sixth, seventh and ninth grades

08:37represented their school at the

08:38Fabiola Mendez event, where

08:40several students spoke before

08:41their community. The school's

08:44fifth graders also participated

08:46in the seventh Judicial

08:48District Hispanic Heritage

08:49Month celebration, representing

08:51their school with poise and

08:53pride. On behalf of the

08:56Rochester City Council, and

08:58also to commemorate and

09:00congratulate the school as

09:02being the longest running

09:03charter school in the city of

09:05Rochester. We would like to

09:12thank you, the students,

09:14administrators and staff of

09:15Virginia Maria de Hostos for

09:16your dedication and leadership

09:18during Hispanic Heritage Month

09:19and all year round. We look

09:21forward to continuing to

09:22celebrate your accomplishments

09:24and to working alongside you in

09:25support of every student in the

09:27City of Rochester. Thank you

09:28all so much. And we are going

09:35to take a picture. So before we

09:36all move, the instruction is

09:38all council members, we're

09:39going to go up on the dais.

09:41Everyone else, if you can

09:42squeeze in as best you can, get

09:44comfortable with each other.

09:44We'll take a quick picture.

09:47Thank you.

10:54Before we move on,

10:55just one more shameless plug.

10:58The the the school built a $50

11:01million plus campus on Joseph

11:03Avenue in northeast Rochester.

11:05And I just want to commend the

11:06school for that work. So

11:16October also marks Breast

11:18Cancer Awareness Month with all

11:21of those who are here from

11:23Elizabeth Wendy Breast Care

11:26Cancer Center, Pluto Cancer

11:28Foundation, Gilda's Club, Women

11:30of Color, Wilmot Cancer

11:32Institute, Anthony Jordan

11:33Health Center, and Latinos

11:35Unidos Contra El Cancer Support

11:38community from the Gilda

11:40support excuse me cancer

11:42support community at Gilda's

11:43Club. Please join us in the

11:45front.

12:29More than 3.8 million

12:31people in the US have a history

12:32of breast cancer. Rochester

12:34ranks third of US cities with

12:36the highest rate of breast

12:38cancer. Today, we honor the

12:40caregivers, survivors and

12:42persons undergoing treatment

12:43and give thanks to the medical

12:45professionals and volunteers

12:46who support patients and their

12:48families. The theme of this

12:50year's Breast Cancer Awareness

12:51Month is every story is unique,

12:53every journey matters and calls

12:56for equitable, compassionate,

12:58and timely care, regardless of

12:59where they live and their

13:01background. We. We are thrilled

13:03to invite those organizations,

13:06resources, and volunteers who

13:07are working tirelessly to

13:08support families to put an end

13:10to the disease. On behalf of

13:12Rochester City Council, we

13:13thank each and every one of you

13:15for your hard work and

13:16dedication. In honor of Breast

13:18Cancer Awareness Month, you

13:20provide support and services to

13:21those touched by diagnoses of

13:24breast cancer. Make care a

13:27priority through education and

13:28advocacy, and ensure people

13:29with breast cancer have access

13:32to information to make informed

13:33decisions about their health

13:34journey. For me, my wife and I

13:38actually were just having this

13:39conversation at the dinner

13:41table because, you know, she

13:44just was informed that she has

13:46to have her first mammogram.

13:48And, you know, for us, it's,

13:49it's, it's important that we,

13:51as a council help elevate this

13:52important issue because of the

13:54rates that we're talking about

13:55in the city of Rochester. I

13:56want to make one additional

13:58note. The best way to end

14:00breast cancer is through

14:01prevention. I want to encourage

14:03everyone to make their annual

14:05mammogram appointment with

14:06their local provider, many of

14:08whom are here today, or to take

14:10advantage of the one of the

14:11locations of Rochester Regional

14:13Health's Mobile Mammography

14:14Center. In the next few weeks,

14:17they will have on site visits

14:20to several locations inside the

14:21city of Rochester to provide

14:24care. So on Saturday, October

14:2624th, this Saturday, they will

14:28be at the Thomas Ryan Center

14:31from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday,

14:34November 6th, at the Clinton

14:35Family and Women's Health

14:36Clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

14:39and Saturday, November 21st at

14:42Memorial AME Zion from 10 a.m.

14:45to 4 p.m. Truly from the bottom

14:47of our hearts, thank you very

14:48much for all the work you do in

14:50the community, and we'll take a

14:52moment for a picture. We'll

14:59take a a picture. I think we'll

15:01do the same. All council

15:02members up. And then if we can

15:05squeeze in. And one more quick

15:15thing before we take this

15:18picture, I'd like to invite one

15:19of our staff members, Mary and

15:21Grant Smith, to join us in the

15:23picture. Many of you probably

15:28got the call from Marian to

15:30join us today. This has been a

15:32labor of love for Marian,

15:33putting this together as she

15:36has a family connection to

15:38breast cancer.

16:27So once again,

16:28thank you all for being here

16:30tonight. You're certainly

16:31welcome to stay if you want to

16:32witness the entire council

16:33meeting. If you did not want to

16:35stay, you're welcome to leave.

16:37If you if you want to make the

16:38transition now.

18:33So next we have

18:36approval of the minutes by

18:38Council member Martin.

18:42>> Resolved that the minutes of

18:43the regular meeting on

18:45September 22nd, 2026 be

18:47approved as published in the

18:48official sheets of the

18:50proceedings.

18:51>> All in favor, please say aye.

18:52Aye. Any opposed? Motion

18:56carries.

19:02>> The following documents are

19:04hereby directed to be received

19:06and filed. The mayor submits

19:08the following administrative

19:10cancellation or refund of

19:12erroneous taxes and charges for

19:14the month of September 2026.

19:20The following documents are

19:21hereby directed to be received

19:23and filed. The Council submits

19:26disclosure of interest forms.

19:27Vice President Harris on entry

19:29number 356 and President

19:32Melendez on entry number 362.

19:39>> Thank you, Deputy Clerk. The

19:42documents will be received and

19:43filed. It is time for the

19:45presentation and reference of

19:47petitions and any other

19:48communications. Are there any

19:50petitions? Hearing none. We

19:54will now move on to the reports

19:57of standing committees and

19:58action thereon. Chairperson

20:01Patterson, the. Oh, excuse me

20:04one moment.

20:21So we have one

20:23quick correction. Council

20:24members, we also had a special

20:27meeting on October 6th, so we

20:29just have to approve the

20:30minutes of the special meeting

20:31as well. So Council Member

20:32Martin will turn the floor back

20:34to you.

20:35>> Yeah. Sorry about that.

20:36Resolved that the minutes of

20:37the regular meeting on

20:39September 22nd, 2026 and the

20:40special meeting on October 6th,

20:422026, be approved as published

20:44in the official sheets of the

20:46proceedings.

20:46>> All in favor, please say aye.

20:48Aye. Any opposed? Motion

20:51carries. All right now,

20:54Chairperson Patterson, the

20:55Neighborhood Jobs and Housing

20:57Committee report, please.

20:58>> To the Council, the

20:59neighborhoods, Jobs and Housing

21:00Committee recommends for

21:01adoption the following entitled

21:03legislation introductory number

21:04355 authorizing sale of real

21:06estate. Introductory number 356

21:09authorizing an agreement with

21:10the Rochester Land Bank

21:11Corporation regarding the

21:12acquisition of properties

21:13offered through the city's 2026

21:15tax foreclosure auction.

21:17Introduction number 357

21:19authorizing agreements and

21:21appropriation related to the

21:22Terrence Building demolition

21:24introductory number 358

21:26authorizing a term agreement

21:27for property acquisition

21:28compliance services.

21:29Introductory number 359

21:31authorizing the mandatory

21:32Inter-municipal agreement with

21:34Monroe County and amending the

21:352026 2027 budget relating to

21:37lead paint poisoning prevention

21:39inspection services.

21:40Introductory number 360 local

21:42law authorizing an amendment to

21:43the District Plan for the High

21:45Falls Business Improvement

21:47District, the Neighborhood Jobs

21:48and Housing Committee

21:48recommends for consideration of

21:50following entitled legislation

21:52introductory number 361

21:53amending the Zoning Map by

21:54changing the zoning

21:55classification of 30 Elmhurst

21:57Road. Introduction number 362.

21:58Amending the Zoning Map by

22:00changing the zoning

22:01classification of 965 North

22:03Goodman Street and 576 Bay

22:06Street. This report is

22:07respectfully submitted by

22:08council members Lashonda Leslie

22:10Smith, Mary Lupien Vice

22:12President Harris, President

22:14Miguel Melendez and myself,

22:15Michael A Patterson.

22:18>> Thank you, Chairperson

22:19Patterson. That report will be

22:20received, filed and published

22:21and will proceed with the vote.

22:23Introductory number 355

22:24authorizing the sale of real

22:25estate. All in favor, please

22:27say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

22:30Motion carries. Introductory

22:32number 356 authorizing an

22:34agreement with the Rochester

22:35Land Bank Corporation regarding

22:37the acquisition of properties

22:38offered through the city's 2026

22:40tax foreclosure auction. So

22:42there is a disclosure on this

22:43item. Vice President Harris is

22:45appointed to the Rochester Land

22:46Bank Corporation as a

22:47representative of council. She

22:48must disclose only and can

22:50participate in the

22:51deliberations and the vote. All

22:53in favor, please say aye. Aye.

22:56Any opposed? Motion carries.

23:00Introductory number 357.

23:03Authorizing agreements and

23:04appropriation related to the

23:05Terrence Building demolition.

23:09All in favor, please say aye.

23:11Any opposed? Motion carries.

23:15Introductory number 358.

23:17Authorizing a term agreement

23:18for property acquisition

23:19compliance services. All in

23:23favor, please say aye. Aye. Any

23:25opposed? Motion carries.

23:30Introductory number 359

23:32authorizing an amended

23:34Amendatory Inter-municipal

23:35agreement with Monroe County

23:36and amending the 2026-27 budget

23:39relating to lead paint

23:41poisoning prevention inspection

23:42services. All in favor, please

23:46say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

23:50Motion carries. Introductory

23:53number 360. Local law

23:54authorizing an amendment to the

23:55District Plan for High Falls

23:57Business Improvement District

23:58at the request of the

23:59administration. I'm referring

24:01this back to committee. We

24:03expect to set a public hearing

24:04in November on this item.

24:08Introductory number 361,

24:09amending the zoning map by

24:11changing the zoning

24:12classification of 30 Elmhurst

24:14Road. All in favor, please say

24:17aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion

24:22carries. Introductory number

24:25362. Amending the zoning map by

24:27changing the zoning

24:28classification of 3965 North

24:31Goodman Street and 576 Bay

24:34Street. There is a disclosure.

24:36I'm employed by IBM, American

24:38Action League and IDC, so I'm

24:39recusing myself from

24:41deliberations and the vote. All

24:44in favor, please say aye. Aye.

24:45Any opposed? Abstain. Yes.

24:58>> Get out of my head. So I was

25:00gonna I was gonna jump in when

25:02you finish the vote on this one

25:04I, I think we need a a formal

25:06motion to refer back to

25:07committee. To my knowledge, I

25:08don't think it's a a

25:10prerogative of the chair so I

25:11think we'd need a motion.

25:13>> I actually, I actually, I

25:14just I just want to say for the

25:16record, we did discuss this

25:17with our representative from

25:18law and he said it would be

25:20possible to handle it this way.

25:21That's why we worded it the way

25:23we did.

25:24>> Okay. Tom gave me a quick

25:25summary, and he did say that he

25:27had a conversation and that it

25:29was doable to refer it to

25:30committee, but he didn't say

25:31that that was going to be done

25:33by the president solo.

25:34>> That was the conversation we

25:36had. And and I asked if it

25:37required a vote. He said it did

25:39not. But I don't ever think

25:41it's wrong to have a vote. I

25:42just want.

25:43>> Yeah, I'm.

25:44>> Happy to have.

25:45>> A vote discussed.

25:46>> Ahead of time. Yeah. Let's

25:47let's have the vote. My I, I'm

25:49not aware of any authority. The

25:50president has to refer

25:51unilaterally back to committee.

25:53So let's do the vote.

25:54>> Great. All right. So 360

25:55I'll make the the motion to

25:57refer it back to committee.

25:58Second, it's been seconded. All

25:59in favor, please say aye. Aye.

26:01Any opposed? All right. That

26:02motion carries. Thank you for

26:03pausing us there. Chairperson

26:10Gruber, the budget, Finance and

26:11Governance Committee report,

26:12please.

26:13>> To the Council, the budget,

26:14Finance and Governance

26:15Committee recommends for

26:16adoption the following entitled

26:17legislation introduction number

26:19363. Authorizing and a

26:20mandatory agreement related to

26:22raise recommendations over

26:23oversight. Number 364.

26:26Authorizing an agreement and

26:27appropriating funds relating to

26:28the Financial Empowerment

26:29Center program. Introduction

26:31365 authorizing a mandatory

26:32agreement related to financial

26:33education for the Our Future

26:35Fund Children's Savings Account

26:36Program. In short, number 366,

26:39authorizing an agreement and

26:40appropriating funds relating to

26:41the Financial Empowerment

26:42Center program number 367

26:44authorizing an agreement

26:45relating to supervisory skills

26:47training programs. Number 368

26:49authorizing an agreement

26:49related to Computer Training

26:51Services. Introduction number

26:53369 authorizing an agreement

26:54for the 2026 ROC Holiday

26:55Village event. Instructing 370

26:58authorizing library

26:59construction grants. The budget,

27:00Finance and Governance

27:01Committee recommends for the

27:02following entitled legislation

27:03to be held in Committee.

27:04Introduction number 376. A

27:06resolution appointing members

27:07of the Compensation Policy

27:09Commission. This report was

27:11respectfully submitted by

27:12Council members Stanley Martin,

27:13Kierra Smith, Lashay Harris,

27:15Miguel Melendez and myself,

27:16Mitch Gruber.

27:17>> Thank you, Chairperson

27:18Gruber. That report will be

27:19received, filed and published

27:21and will proceed with the vote.

27:22Introductory number 363

27:25authorizing the mandatory

27:26agreement related to Race

27:27Commission recommendation

27:29oversight. All in favor, please

27:31say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

27:35Motion carries. Council Member

27:37Gruber, do you have a motion

27:39related to introductory 364

27:41authorizing an agreement and

27:42appropriating funds related to

27:43the Financial Empowerment

27:44Center program.

27:46>> Yes. We've learned that

27:47there was a typographical error.

27:49So the budget, finance, the

27:50budget, Finance and Governance

27:52Committee recited the wrong

27:53title when it voted last week

27:54to discharge instruction with

27:56364. Therefore, I like to make

27:57a motion to discharge

27:58instruction with 364 from

27:59committee correctly entitled

28:02authorizing and a Mandatory

28:03Agreement relating to Legal

28:05Services for the Our Future

28:06Fund Children's Savings Account

28:08Program. Can I have a second?

28:10>> It's been seconded. Let's

28:12vote on discharging

28:13introductory number 364 from

28:14committee. All in favor, please

28:15say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any

28:19further questions. Comments.

28:20Discussion. Concerns. Seeing

28:24none will vote on introductory

28:26number 364. All in favor please

28:28say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

28:32Motion carries. Introductory

28:34number 365. Authorizing a

28:36mandatory agreement related to

28:37financial education for the Our

28:38Future Fund Children's Savings

28:39Account program. All in favor

28:42please say aye. Aye. Any

28:44opposed? Motion carries.

28:47Introductory number 366.

28:48Authorizing agreement and

28:50appropriating funds related to

28:51the Financial Empowerment

28:52Center program. All in favor,

28:55please say aye. Aye. Any

28:57opposed? Motion carries.

29:00Introductory number three, 67.

29:03Authorizing agreement relating

29:04to supervisory skills training

29:06programs. All in favor, please

29:09say aye. Aye aye. Any opposed?

29:12Motion carries. Introductory

29:15number 368. Authorizing

29:17agreement relating to computer

29:18training services. All in favor,

29:22please say aye. Aye. Any

29:25opposed? Motion carries.

29:28Introductory number 369.

29:30Authorizing agreement for the

29:322026 ROC Holiday Village event.

29:35All in favor, please say aye.

29:37Aye. Any opposed? Motion

29:40carries. Introductory number

29:43370. Authorizing library

29:44construction grants. All in

29:48favor, please say aye. Aye. Any

29:51opposed? Motion carries.

29:55Council member Gruber, do you

29:56have a motion related to

29:58introductory number 376, a

30:00resolution appointing members

30:01to the Compensation Policy

30:02Commission?

30:03>> Yes. I'd like to make a

30:04motion to discharge instruction

30:06376 from committee. Can I have

30:07a second?

30:08>> Second.

30:09>> All right. Let's vote on

30:11discharging introductory number

30:12376 from committee. All in

30:13favor, please say aye. Aye. Any

30:16opposed?

30:16>> No.

30:18>> Roll call.

30:25>> Council member. Gruber.

30:26>> Yes.

30:27>> Council member. Leslie Smith.

30:28>> Yes.

30:30>> Council member. Lupien.

30:31>> Yes.

30:32>> Council member. Martin.

30:40>> Ask a question.

30:41>> Or should I vote first and

30:42then ask the question?

30:44>> Vote first and let's let's

30:46open it up.

30:47>> If is it based on your vote?

30:48Like is the question answer

30:50gonna affect your vote?

30:51>> Me with my with my vote

30:55attorney, Mr. Patrick Beth.

30:59>> Sorry, are are we voting to

31:01discharge?

31:01>> Discharge? I'm gonna open up

31:03the discussion after. Yep.

31:05>> Yeah. Let's once it's before

31:07you, then we can have

31:07discussion, I think.

31:10>> I, I, I need us to have the

31:12discussion first. I'd say no

31:14right now.

31:15>> Fair Council member. Monroe.

31:18>> No.

31:19>> Council member. Patterson.

31:20>> Yes.

31:21>> Council member. Smith. Yes.

31:24Council. Vice president. Harris.

31:26>> Yes.

31:27>> And president Melendez.

31:29>> Yes. All right. We'll open

31:31it up for questions. Comments,

31:33concerns. Council member Martin.

31:37>> Thank you. So one of the

31:40things I raised the last time

31:43was around making sure that,

31:45you know, beyond appointing

31:47people we know or are friends

31:49with or in community with, not

31:50assigning any of them

31:51specifically to, to various

31:54relationships, we should

31:55consider adding people who

31:58study this issue professionally,

32:00who can give opinions based on

32:02their research, based on their

32:04analysis around these issues,

32:07versus just having some of the

32:10folks you've appointed here. So

32:11I just wanted to check on that.

32:13Is there a plan to expand to

32:15include academics, people who

32:17research this issue, or are we

32:19or is your plan to just like,

32:20keep the names you and the

32:22mayor have appointed here?

32:26>> So that's a question for me.

32:27I'm taking it.

32:29>> You role and and introduced

32:30it, right.

32:31>> So sure. So at this point,

32:35my job is to get out of the way.

32:38Certainly the chair of the

32:41committee, the compensation

32:42policy Committee, will rely on

32:46experts. I mean, I, I think as

32:48the legislation was originally

32:50written, you know, if we wanted

32:53all those things to be in there,

32:55I think we should have amended

32:56that legislation to reflect

32:57that. The charge was to appoint

33:00members to a commission to make

33:02a decision. We certainly can

33:05make the recommendation to the

33:06chair for their consideration,

33:08but I. I also caution us not to

33:11be involved in the process

33:13beyond the appointments.

33:16>> It does feel contradictory,

33:18right? You're saying we

33:19shouldn't be involved beyond

33:20the appointments, but you are

33:22selecting two people who you

33:23you know, I'm not going to

33:26assign how well you know them,

33:27but you know these people,

33:28right? These aren't just random

33:29people you picked out of a hat.

33:31So I, I feel like it's, it's

33:35confusing because in one breath,

33:36folks are saying, stay out of

33:38the way. But in another breath,

33:39folks, not most council members

33:41here have oversize influence

33:42without having, you know,

33:45additional expertise on this

33:46issue. I was hoping there would

33:48be more time to include experts

33:52onto this commission. But but

33:53as it stands now, with it just

33:55being people, you know, it just

33:57doesn't feel right for me to

33:58just, you know, support it

33:59without, you know, previous

34:01discussion or adding an

34:02academic element or research

34:04element to how this decision

34:06would be made. Right now, it's

34:07just, I know these people,

34:08they're on this board. Let's go.

34:10And then I get out of the way,

34:12which you're technically not

34:13out of the way because you

34:14appointed them. So for me, I at

34:16this point, it'll be a no. If

34:18there's ever any interest in

34:19bringing in voices who are not

34:23necessarily connected to us,

34:24voices who have very serious

34:26expertise around salary pay and

34:29municipal bodies, I would

34:30gladly support. But at this

34:31point, without that, it just

34:32feels like creating another

34:34board with our friends. And I

34:35can't support that right now.

34:37>> Yeah. Thanks, Councilmember

34:38Martin, I think that's

34:39certainly you're entitled to

34:40your perspective on that and I

34:42appreciate where you're coming

34:43from. I, I would say that. I

34:48know a lot of people in this

34:50community and, you know, this

34:52has been sitting here for the

34:54better part of eight months

34:55since the time we passed the

34:57legislation. And not one member

35:00of council made any

35:01recommendations. And I put

35:02forward recommendations. And,

35:05yeah, I think you can you can

35:06vote no, that's fine. But to

35:10insinuate that this is like

35:11some someone's friends sitting

35:14on this commission is, is

35:15absolutely ludicrous. These are

35:18people that I would say that I

35:19have acquaintances with. Sure.

35:21But I don't know them extremely

35:23well. And regardless of that, I

35:26think these are people with

35:28relevant expertise. And I

35:28explained that in the committee

35:30meetings, I did not take the

35:32appointments lightly. I did

35:34want to focus on people who had

35:37experiences understanding

35:38organizations, understanding

35:39salary backgrounds, who have

35:41worked in various forms, one

35:44person who was a legislator,

35:45one person who has had

35:47executive experience in

35:48different places. And I think

35:50they're really, really great,

35:51great people and great

35:52appointments to this commission.

35:54But I'm one vote. And council

35:55gets to decide whether or not

35:57this makes sense at this point

35:59in time or not. But I do

36:01appreciate where you're coming

36:02from. I think if there's

36:04additional expertise or

36:06recommendations that the chair

36:08of the commission will accept,

36:10I, I, I implore you to

36:12recommend it to the Chair.

36:13>> Yeah, the last thing is just

36:15to push back after this came

36:17through, I do remember having a

36:19conversation with you literally

36:20saying the same things. I think

36:22it should be someone with this

36:23kind of expertise, this kind of

36:24research and this kind of came

36:27out of nowhere. And that

36:29recommendation was not

36:31considered in the sense that I

36:32don't see it here. So I just

36:34want to respectfully just push

36:36back on that piece. I did share

36:38where my head was at, what I

36:40thought would be appropriate.

36:41But yeah, that's it.

36:42>> Yeah. And I thanks,

36:44Councilmember Martin. I, I

36:45think in in addition, you know,

36:47we're, we're a nine member body

36:49and you could have proposed an

36:50amendment to this if that's

36:52where you want it to go. But

36:53that would be amending the

36:55original concept of what we

36:57said we would be doing, because

37:00council essentially said eight

37:02months ago that we would be

37:03putting forward legislation to

37:07recommend individuals to this

37:08commission, and at that point

37:10in time, that was the charge.

37:11It was not to decide if we

37:15should have academics. It was

37:17not to decide if, you know, we

37:18should have certain individuals

37:20or expertise. That was not the

37:22recommendation that was put

37:23forward and voted on by this

37:25body when we voted on it eight

37:26months ago. So I just I

37:28appreciate where you're coming

37:29from because I do think

37:30>> It's a it's valuable. But,

37:32but I, I, I also want to give

37:34you kind of where my charge was

37:35in terms of this particular

37:37item, and I know Council member

37:39Lupien has some.

37:40>> Yeah, I appreciate you know,

37:43both you. Council president

37:44putting forth an effort to get

37:46this moving and Council member

37:49Martin, I understand where

37:50she's coming from. I think the

37:55what what I'm hearing is I you

37:58know, that you're defending

38:00your putting this through

38:02without talking to any of us

38:03because any one of us in the

38:05eight months could have done it

38:06ourselves. But I would just

38:07like to challenge you that I

38:09think what I'm hoping that this

38:11body can evolve into is one

38:13that's collaborative. And, you

38:16know, a different course of

38:17action could have been, hey, we

38:19said we were going to move this.

38:21I'm interested in moving this.

38:22Who wants to work on it? You

38:24know, I think you would have

38:25gotten some feedback and

38:28collaboration on that. And I'm

38:32remembering how this body felt

38:34when Council Member Gruber put

38:35forth legislation that affects

38:36all of us, where this came from

38:39and didn't talk to any of us.

38:41And I don't see this as any

38:42different, just that you have,

38:45you know, more power sitting as

38:46the president. And so likely

38:49things that you're put through

38:50are going to pass. And so I

38:52would just challenge you in the

38:54future to take more of that

38:56mindset of, you know, if if we

38:59want to move something because

39:01of your position that affects

39:03all of us, that you just, you

39:05know, send us a heads up and

39:07see if anyone wants to work on

39:08it.

39:09>> Challenge accepted. Any

39:11additional comments? Council

39:14member Leslie Smith.

39:15>> Can you just remind me of

39:17the people, the names for the

39:19compensation policy? I

39:20apologize, I don't have that at

39:21the top of my head.

39:23>> Yes. So there's the chair of

39:26the Civil Service Commission,

39:27whoever that may be. I don't

39:28have that person's name. And

39:30then the appointees. The mayor

39:32has two appointees. And then I

39:34have the council has two

39:35appointees, the mayor's

39:38appointees are Bob Fox and

39:42Doctor Rose Nichols, and the

39:44council appointees to the

39:45commission are Gladys Pedraza,

39:48Burgos and Sabrina Lamar.

39:53>> Okay. And Rose Nichols is in

39:56HR, correct?

39:58>> Correct.

39:58>> Okay. Anyone else that is an

40:00appointee that has HR

40:03background?

40:06>> I'm not certain of the civil

40:08Service commissions background.

40:11The chair of the commission,

40:13but I'm assuming there is some.

40:17But I don't have a definitive

40:19answer on the floor.

40:21>> Okay. Thank you.

40:24>> Any additional questions,

40:25comments or concerns? We've got

40:29Council Member Patterson,

40:30followed by Council Member

40:31Martin.

40:32>> Can the administration tell

40:33us the background of the chair

40:35background? Can he. I'm sorry.

40:37Can the administration tell us

40:39who what the background is of

40:41the Civil Service Commission

40:43chair?

40:46>> The chair of the Civil

40:47Service Commission is Carol

40:48Kramer. She is retired, and I

40:51can provide you with her resume.

40:54I'm not going to speculate.

40:56>> Okay.

40:56>> All of her background,

40:58because I only know part of it.

40:59>> But as a general rule, can

41:01you can you speak to a bit the.

41:03>> She has a social work

41:04background.

41:05>> Well, well, just the duties

41:06of the of the Civil Service

41:08Commission.

41:08>> Civil Service Commission and

41:09the chair is in charge of all

41:11personnel matters that are in

41:14alignment with the Civil

41:15service law. So they meet on a

41:18monthly basis and consider

41:21various personnel issues and

41:24concerns.

41:26>> Okay. Thank you.

41:30>> Council member Martin.

41:34>> One of the questions that I

41:36believe Council Member Lupien

41:38asked was around. It's on page

41:4137 of this beautiful booklet

41:42our staff put together. What

41:44kind of updates will we we

41:46receive along the way from the

41:48Commission? Just wondering why

41:51that's TBD. There wasn't an

41:54answer for that.

41:57>> Yes, we did provide a

41:59response. I, I don't think it

42:00made it into the book.

42:03>> Got it. Okay.

42:06>> Got it.

42:07>> Thank you.

42:08>> You're welcome. All right.

42:10So I'll I'll move this to a

42:12roll call. Vote.

42:17>> Council member Gruber.

42:18>> Yes. Yes.

42:19>> Council member Leslie Smith.

42:22>> Yes.

42:23>> Council member. Lupien.

42:24>> Yes.

42:25>> Council member. Martin.

42:27>> No.

42:28>> Council member. Monroe.

42:30>> No.

42:31>> Council member. Patterson.

42:32>> Yes.

42:34>> Council member. Smith. Yes.

42:36Vice president. Harris.

42:38>> Yes.

42:39>> President. Melinda's.

42:40>> Yes.

42:41>> Thank you.

42:43>> Motion carries. All right.

42:48Chairperson. Monroe, the People,

42:51Parks and Public Work Committee

42:53report, please.

42:55>> To the Council. The people,

42:57parks and Public Works

42:58Committee recommends for

42:59adoption the following entitled

43:01legislation introductory number

43:04371 authorizing an agreement

43:05related to standard

43:07construction contract documents.

43:09Introductory number 372

43:12authorizing receipt and use of

43:13funds and amending the 2020 627

43:16budget for restoring damaged

43:17city street lighting

43:20infrastructure. Introductory

43:21number 373 authorizing

43:24agreement and funding for a

43:25brownfield community wide

43:27assessment program. This is

43:29respectfully submitted by

43:30Council Member Mitch Gruber,

43:32Council member Michael A

43:34Patterson, vice president,

43:35leche de Harris, President

43:37Miguel Melendez and myself.

43:40Bridget a Monroe.

43:43>> Thank you, chairperson

43:44Monroe. That report will be

43:45received, filed and published

43:46and will proceed with the vote.

43:49Introductory number 371

43:51authorizing an agreement

43:52related to the standard

43:53construction contract documents.

43:57All in favor, please say aye.

43:58Aye. Any opposed? Motion

44:02carries. Introductory number

44:05372. Authorizing receipt and

44:06use of funds and amending the

44:092026-27 budget for restoring

44:11damaged city street lighting

44:13infrastructure. All in favor,

44:16please say aye. Aye aye. Any

44:19opposed? Motion carries.

44:23Introductory number 373.

44:24Authorizing agreement and

44:25funding for a brownfield

44:27community wide assessment

44:28program. All in favor, please

44:32say aye. Aye aye. Any opposed?

44:35Motion carries. Vice President

44:40Harris, the Public safety

44:41committee report, please.

44:43>> Thank you. President

44:44Melendez, to the council. The

44:46Public Safety Committee

44:47recommends adoption for the

44:49following entitled legislation.

44:51Introductory number 374, A bond

44:53Ordinance of the City of

44:54Rochester, New York,

44:55authorizing the issuance of

44:59$2,000,167 thousand dollars

45:01bonds of said city to finance

45:03the replacement of engine eight

45:05at South Avenue Firehouse and

45:07Engine three at the Emerson

45:08Street firehouse. Introductory

45:10number 375 authorizing

45:12agreement. Amending the 2020

45:14627 budget to fund 2027

45:18Pedestrian Safety Enforcement

45:19and Education Program. This

45:22report is respectfully

45:24submitted by Council Member

45:25Mitch Gruber. Lashunda Leslie

45:27Smith, Mary Lupien, Stanley

45:30Martin, Bridget Monroe, Michael

45:32A Patterson. Kierra Kiki Smith,

45:35President Miguel A Melendez

45:37junior, and myself, vice

45:38president. Harris.

45:41>> Thank you, Vice President

45:42Harris. That report will be

45:43received, filed and published

45:44and will proceed with the vote.

45:46Introductory number 374, a bond

45:48ordinance of the City of

45:50Rochester, New York,

45:50authorizing the issuance of

45:53$2,167,000 bonds of said city

45:55to finance the replacements of

45:56engine eight at the South

45:57Avenue firehouse and engine

45:59three at the Emerson Street

46:01firehouse. This requires a roll

46:03call.

46:07>> Council member Gruber.

46:08>> Yes.

46:09>> Council member Leslie Smith.

46:11>> Yes.

46:12>> Council member. Lupien.

46:14>> Yes.

46:15>> Council member. Martin.

46:16>> Yes.

46:17>> Council member. Monroe.

46:19>> Yes.

46:20>> Council member. Patterson.

46:21>> Yes.

46:23>> Council member. Smith. Vice

46:25president. Harris.

46:26>> Yes.

46:27>> President. Melendez.

46:29>> Yes. Thank you. Motion

46:30carries. Introductory number

46:32375. Authorizing an agreement

46:34and amending the 2026-27 budget

46:37to fund the 2027 Pedestrian

46:39Safety Enforcement and

46:40Education program. All in favor,

46:44please say aye. Aye. Any

46:46opposed? Motion carries. Yes.

46:53All right. So we have a couple

46:56things before we adjourn. So

46:58first, please note that the zap

47:01official hearings with the

47:02Evans administration will be

47:03held tomorrow, Wednesday,

47:06October 21st at 5 p.m. and

47:08Thursday, October 22nd at 5

47:11p.m. here in Council Chambers.

47:12This will be an opportunity for

47:14council members to walk through

47:15the zoning code and ask

47:16questions of the administration.

47:18These hearings will be open to

47:20the public to attend and will

47:21be streamed on WXXI in our

47:23YouTube page. However, this is

47:25not an opportunity for public

47:27comment. There will be

47:28opportunities at future public

47:31hearings for public comment. In

47:33addition to what we have done

47:34in the recent weeks, I do want

47:37to highlight to council members

47:39that we have in front of us,

47:41from the nine public forums

47:43that we have done, the staff

47:45have worked around the clock to

47:47put together an addendum to the

47:48report to council that includes

47:50all of the public hearing from

47:52each of the district meetings

47:54that occurred in the last

47:55several weeks. And in the

47:57meantime, City Council

47:59continues to gather public

48:00input on the zoning alignment

48:02project, or Zap, so city

48:05residents who have been unable

48:06to make any of those public

48:08meetings so far can email

48:10council at City of

48:12rochester.gov, fax at

48:17(585) 428-6347, mail or attend

48:19city Council's regular speak to

48:21Council in public hearing

48:23session on November 12th at 6

48:25p.m. here in Council Chambers.

48:27With that, I'll turn it to

48:28Council Member Martin with a

48:29public safety question.

48:31>> Thank you, Mr. President. I

48:33have a question for RPD around

48:39data for council members. So

48:41one of the things we get from

48:43you all is the number of shots

48:46fired each week and the outcome,

48:49one of the things some of us

48:50would like is incidents around

48:53use of force. I understand that

48:55any time you fill out a subject

48:57resistance report, that you

48:59keep that data and you're able

49:01to share with council. So I

49:03wanted to have a conversation

49:05about when council can get

49:06access to that. It was a

49:08question that we had asked

49:09previously in the budget

49:12hearings, and it's been quite a

49:13few months, and we would like

49:15to review those monthly. If so,

49:18just update on that process.

49:21>> Thank you.

49:24>> Thank you. Is there any

49:26reaction to that while we're

49:28here, or should we we get

49:30something in writing after this.

49:31>> Got it. So hope I, I would

49:34like us to start getting data

49:36by November. I know it's very

49:38easy to collect and you all

49:40already have that. We just need

49:41to have that shared with

49:43council on a monthly basis.

49:45>> Absolutely.

49:45>> Thank you.

49:46>> Thank you. All right. With

49:49no further miscellaneous

49:50business, we stand adjourned.

49:51Good night everyone.

50:14>> Yeah.

50:33Welcome back. No no no,

50:35I'm talking about. Thank God,

50:39the one who gave me you.

50:41>> You ain't gotta read nothing.

50:45You ain't going to read nothing.

50:47Don't do that.

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