2026-09-24 - Common Council Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs Committee

01:25[clears throat]

01:28My clock says 11:00. Anybody else?

01:32>> Yep.

01:32>> Hi, Alex.

01:33>> Hi. How are you doing?

01:35>> All right, sweetheart.

01:36>> Looking dapper.

01:37>> Thank you.

01:38>> All right.

01:39>> Everybody, in the interest of time, I'm

01:41going to start us on time. Uh, I am com

01:45counselor Hana Erin Reich of the Parks

01:47Committee and I am joined today, I'm

01:51sorry, I'm just trying to find my

01:52notifications here to shut this off. I

01:54am joined today by councelor Hudson and

01:56councelor Nave, Commissioner Bird, and

02:01Eric Enis.

02:02>> Oh, that chief development.

02:03>> Chief Development Officer say Mayor's

02:05office.

02:05>> There's lots of different titles there.

02:08Um, as with the previous parks committee

02:12meeting, um, I am going to leave some

02:14time for public engagement and comment.

02:17So, please just wait till you're called

02:18to the podium if you wish to speak. Um,

02:22and I know we have a presentation today,

02:26but I did want to start with a question

02:28if that's all right. Any other protocols

02:31that I got on? No. Okay. All right.

02:33Fabulous.

02:33>> And if another counselor comes, then

02:36>> another counselor comes, we're going to

02:37have a party.

02:37>> Yeah.

02:38>> Yeah.

02:38>> Yes.

02:39>> Um, my question is about Lyme disease

02:41rates in the city of Syracuse. Um, the

02:44reason for the deer and tick management

02:46program is to protect human health and

02:50to safeguard our public spaces. And I

02:53understand that we are on an upswing on

02:54Lyme disease and I would like to know

02:56what our current numbers are and what

02:59the impacts of those are.

03:02>> Well, good morning. Uh, first and thank

03:04you counselor for the question. So um on

03:07the topic to answer the question

03:09immediately on the data there there is

03:11better data at county on a countywide

03:13level that is harder to track at the

03:15city level partially just because of the

03:17fact the department of health rests

03:18within the county but a couple things

03:20that there are some metrics that I can

03:22share and some of it also is around tick

03:24testing that really is a good um

03:27indicator of some of these things. So

03:29the first thing is that the actual

03:31number of cases um on a given annual

03:35basis that is somewhere between 300 and

03:37400 within Anadaga County but that is

03:40respectively we are seeing an increase

03:42in that. Um the better data that we have

03:45relative to tick and and some indicators

03:48of pathogens and other tickborne

03:50illnesses like lime is that from 2024 to

03:522025 um Sunni upstate which Sunni

03:55Upstate does have a testing center that

03:58is really is largely all of upstate New

04:00York that's receiving those tests. Um

04:01the anticipation is by the end of 2026

04:04more than 4,000 total ticks will be

04:06submitted for that testing. But the

04:08number of overall submissions of ticks

04:11that wanted to be tested to find out

04:12more information jumped 145% from 2024

04:16to 2025. Um in addition to that the

04:20number of tick encounters that were

04:22reported uh jumped 70% as well as part

04:25of um Sunni Upstate's testing and in

04:29addition to that of the tests that were

04:31conducted as part of this facility

04:32that's led by the um immunology

04:36department and and that's who operates

04:37the testing facility at Sunni Upstate.

04:4035% of those tested of those ticks that

04:42were tested contained at least one

04:44pathogen of tickborne illnesses uh

04:46including Lyme disease. And so uh what

04:48we can do counselor is is continue to

04:51compile more information uh and and

04:53really attempt to get more granular on a

04:55city level and city basis. But what we

04:57are seeing is certainly there is a rise

04:59in county. Um some of the things that

05:01we've identified is that the changes of

05:04the winter um winter coming sooner um

05:08from this past season and then the fact

05:09that there was additional just the

05:11amount of snow cover really almost

05:13created a protection for the amount of

05:15the tick population and so we saw more

05:18prevalence of just tick incidents but

05:20also just the fact that then people

05:22humans had more interaction in dogs and

05:24others. So um

05:25>> I just want to pause for a minute and

05:26recognize that councilor Montto has

05:28joined us. Thank you very much. I also

05:30don't bite so you could sit closer if

05:31you wanted.

05:34>> All right.

05:35>> Thank you. Continue on, Eric.

05:37>> Yes. Thank you. So, so

05:38>> thank you for that update. That is

05:40terrifying.

05:41>> I before you go into the presentation,

05:45let me ask this question. Do we have any

05:49generalized location of where we're

05:51getting the most amount of ticks from?

05:55So it's it is a good question council

05:57and I think what we can try to do is

05:58have a more geographic basis. We I know

06:00Sunni Upstate has the ability to

06:02identify the the locations where the

06:04ticks are coming from themselves

06:05including counties because of the fact

06:07that's such a large statewide pool.

06:09We'll see if there's additional

06:10information more locally that that we'd

06:12be able to do to identify that. the when

06:14I talk more about the presentation, one

06:16of the things that we do is we also have

06:18volunteers that are participating and

06:20helping identify when they're seeing and

06:22monitoring deer within the city of

06:23Syracuse. We know those areas where

06:25we're seeing the highest concentrations

06:27of those deer as they're coming through

06:28and that's annual. So, I know the deer

06:30management program, which I'll talk

06:31about, is a 4-month period, but it's

06:33year round that we're doing that

06:35monitoring of where deer are located.

06:36So, that helps us with an indicator. Um,

06:39I'll go through a map as well that shows

06:40quadrants of the city. really is the

06:42southeast quadrant and those southeast

06:44neighborhoods where the greatest

06:45prevalence is and of course that's

06:47reflected then too where the greatest

06:48amount of deer culling and and the deer

06:50removal that's happening too. So, Eric,

06:52I noticed uh we have a problem now

06:55Woodlon Cemetery and I spoke to the uh

06:59property management. There were like

07:01three two months ago. So, now they are

07:03inhabiting the cemetery and I believe

07:07towards Grand Boulevard. They're they're

07:08kind cutting across in that area now.

07:11>> So, I noticed there was like three

07:13fatalities on the northeast. And so I

07:16don't know what we're if it's if it's

07:19going to be an issue uh within next year

07:21over on Grand Side uh TLA up in that

07:26area. So

07:27>> that seems like a natural segue into

07:29your presentation, but I have one more

07:30question before we get there.

07:32>> Sure.

07:32>> Um I'm wondering if there's additional

07:34partnership with Sunni Upstate or some

07:36of our other healthcare providers.

07:37[clears throat]

07:38Um there are

07:41uh concluding clinical trials of lime uh

07:44Lyme disease vaccines uh both for

07:47children and for adults I think through

07:49Fizer possibly also Madna and given the

07:54uncertain nature of uh vaccine research

07:56and distribution at the federal level is

07:59there any way for the mayor's office to

08:00coordinate with our partners here to

08:02make sure that once those vaccines are

08:04widely distributed or able to be

08:06distributed that Syracuse could be a hub

08:10location for vaccination.

08:12>> Okay. I So I think it's a great point,

08:14counselor, and that's one of the things

08:15we will take back. I I think it is fair

08:17to say because of the testing facility

08:19at Sunni Upstate, I think Syracuse is on

08:21the leading edge of the testing. So I

08:23think it's it's a great opportunity to

08:24pursue then more on the partnership and

08:26im immunization, but also figuring out

08:28then ways to do preventative care as

08:30well.

08:31>> And again, we have a lot of biologics in

08:33the area. if if uh if the federal

08:35government is not coming forward with

08:38the preponderance of vaccines, perhaps

08:40we could have a local production site

08:41here.

08:42>> Yeah. Um okay, thank you for for all

08:46those comments so far. Um and some of

08:48the uh the presentation I think will

08:50also help inform some of this as well.

08:52Councelor Nav, happy to talk more about

08:53the geography because the north side is

08:55is one that we have not had um

08:58participation in some of these efforts.

09:00However, that being said, we we welcome

09:02that and uh I want to talk through

09:03really a lot of what we've seen around

09:05progress that's been made with the

09:06program, including this year. Um so,

09:09first I just want to also introduce I'm

09:10joined by Sisha Bird, our commissioner

09:12of the parks department and and parks

09:14works very closely. Um the mayor's

09:16office has really um helped lead and and

09:18help facilitate this program. Um I will

09:20also just open by saying I was a

09:22newcomer to the deer and tick management

09:24program at the start of this year. Um,

09:25but it's one that I have certainly

09:27embraced and spent a lot of time working

09:29with Greg Low who previously had been

09:31helping lead and facilitate working with

09:33our deer and tick advisory group and

09:35also with our deer diarras as well. Uh,

09:37those volunteers that I referenced a

09:38moment ago. Um, so just to officially

09:42dive in and kind of start with some of

09:44the background and just for for table

09:46setting and just to give some of the uh

09:47the information about the program, uh,

09:50the city of Syracuse and and really some

09:51of the reasoning and logic as to why

09:53we've pursued this program has really

09:56been around the overpopulation of deer

09:57and there are a number of different

09:59reasons and impacts on that. And I'll

10:00share some of the data around that, but

10:02in response, this has been to public

10:04health safety concerns. Um, I'm going to

10:06be talking about motor vehicle

10:07incidents. Uh and that was also

10:09something councelor Nave you referenced

10:11earlier and um in particular it was 2019

10:15when it was a combination of a

10:17spearheaded effort um that was led by

10:19the last administration. Um this

10:21administration we are fully committed to

10:23continuing the efforts and extending the

10:25efforts and expanding those around uh

10:27this program and continuing to support

10:30uh deer management and and the

10:32population control in the city of

10:34Syracuse. Um, and we know other

10:36neighboring municipalities also face

10:38some of these same challenges, but also

10:40work and partner with the USDA, who we

10:42have represented here as well, um, in

10:44order to be able to do some of the the

10:46population control. Um, we are now

10:48entering into our seventh season of the

10:50deer management as part of those culling

10:52and removal activities. Uh, and so we'll

10:55be beginning that season. Uh, that will

10:57get underway officially in December of

11:002026.

11:03So the purpose of the program itself and

11:05again in the years leading up to um the

11:08program and its status today was really

11:10due to a number of different factors. Uh

11:12one of them being deer vehicle incidents

11:15and just the fact of deer that um are in

11:17the roadway or when there's collisions

11:19and ultimately the impact from a human

11:21component on that as well as property

11:23insurance and financial impacts. Um the

11:25other thing is parks, gardens and the

11:26overall ecosystem. Uh a number of us

11:28have probably seen the images of the

11:30impacts of deer and I know most uh you

11:32know the Thornton Park Rose Garden is

11:34one example and we have properties

11:36throughout the entire city that have

11:37been impacted because of the fact of

11:39feeding and and other impacts of deer

11:41that are traveling through different

11:42areas of the city and neighborhoods. Uh

11:44and then most notably uh that we started

11:46our conversation with is really around

11:48the public health risks um Lyme disease,

11:50other tickborne illnesses and the fact

11:52that if we have the ability to control

11:53the population and also reduce the

11:56amount of incidents that people have and

11:58dogs have and others in the city with

12:00the deer population that are ultimately

12:02carrying those ticks.

12:04>> I also want to point out and I think the

12:06USDA would back me up on this that the

12:08deer population itself is not healthy

12:09due to the overpopulation. Correct.

12:12Correct. So it's not good for the deer

12:14to be in this large number in this area.

12:17Thank you.

12:18>> So for a minute I just want to talk

12:20about the process of ultimately uh what

12:22is required in order to be able to

12:24undertake this program. Uh this is a

12:25combination of working uh with uh the

12:28USDA and we're joined by our colleague

12:30uh Carl Shanker here from the USDA but

12:32also the DEEC is directly involved with

12:34this at the state level. So, uh, each of

12:36the sites that we identify and the

12:38locations primarily this program is

12:40focused on the east, west, and south of

12:42the city of Syracuse. And, uh, we are

12:44certainly more than willing to start

12:46having conversations about the north

12:47side of the city as well. Um, but what

12:49we do is we've identified a number of

12:52different properties. Uh, these are

12:53large privately owned and city-owned

12:55properties where, uh, the they are not

12:57open to the public at the time when any

12:59deer management activities are taking

13:01place. Uh the sharp shooting, for

13:02example, is something that takes place

13:04in the evening hours and at nighttime.

13:06There's direct coordination that happens

13:07with the Syracuse Police Department. And

13:09one of the other things is that in order

13:11to designate these official sites, we do

13:13need to have written permission from all

13:15property owners within 250 ft of an

13:17occupied structure of these locations as

13:20well as um up to 500 ft. We need to do

13:23notifications that go out to all of

13:25those properties surrounding. So that is

13:27something that we actually were able to

13:29those numbers. It was a reduction that

13:31the state was allowed uh and and

13:33enabling legislation allowed that has

13:35allowed us and you'll see the numbers uh

13:37this was the second highest year in

13:39terms of the total number of deer

13:40removals and I think that it's a

13:42combination of both the um the improved

13:45areas because of the lower distance

13:47requirements as well as one of the

13:49things that we'll talk about is trapping

13:50and the trapping pilot which is another

13:53um really a a tool that's able to assist

13:55in making sure we're having those

13:57sufficient numbers to control the

13:59population. is uh are the bordering

14:01towns Dit and Salina call. So I know det

14:04and salv um and I don't know if they're

14:07immediately there are others that do

14:08their own management efforts but there's

14:10there are some that also work directly

14:11with

14:12>> salina calling no but the way is

14:15>> okay

14:16>> and there haven't been any incidents in

14:19terms of accidental shootings things of

14:21that nature

14:22>> there have there have not no good

14:23>> and I think the coordination has been

14:25really effective again partially because

14:26of working with Syracuse police the

14:28notifications themselves we have a

14:30direct line of communication with those

14:32property owners and they know how to

14:33reach us if there's any sort of um

14:35anything they're seeing that they want

14:37to bring to our attention.

14:40So, uh the trap and euthanize pilot,

14:43this is new and it was ultimately

14:44introduced last year. Uh this is

14:46something that we are planning and

14:48seeking to continue this year as well.

14:50Uh I have an image that's going to come

14:51up in a couple slides to be able to show

14:52what that ultimate trap uh looks like.

14:55But the process here that's being done

14:57is that we have permission that is

14:58granted by a uh a subset of our

15:01designated sites. um they're known as

15:03clover traps. And so it is almost a

15:05netting. I think what I might just do is

15:08uh I want to try to show a photo of it

15:10here and then I can come back. But

15:12ultimately what you're looking at is an

15:13example of the clover trap. Um just the

15:16data and the results I'll get into. We

15:17had a total of 54 deer and ultimately

15:20that we're um we're we're using the

15:22trapping method and then euthanization

15:24that immediately took place. Um, one of

15:26the other things is that there is a

15:27notification process by which once the

15:30deer is um is in the trap, there's a

15:32notification process and then USDA is

15:34able to immediately respond uh and be

15:37able to continue the the removal

15:39efforts. Um, this is something again

15:41it's a softsided uh uh clover trap is

15:43what they're known as. Um, but this has

15:45been another uh useful part of this

15:47program to be able to assist. And uh the

15:50other important element just to know and

15:52and then I'll get into the data is that

15:55when the deer ultimately through

15:57whatever means whether it is the sharp

15:58shooting or it is the the trap and

16:00euthanize that deer is then immediately

16:02donated it's processed but then

16:04immediately donated to the food bank of

16:05central New York. Um this past year it

16:08was a total of 3,972

16:10pounds of venison because of the deer

16:12that were removed. That's over 15,000

16:15almost 16,000 meals that were

16:17contributed to local families.

16:20So going into data, uh one of the things

16:23I just want to note is that this past

16:24year we had 147 total white tailed deer

16:27that were removed. Uh and that is based

16:29on a period of approximately 20 nights

16:31that uh activities uh took place. That's

16:34about 4.6 deer per evening when the uh

16:36when the activities took place. Um, and

16:39as I me referenced earlier, the actual

16:41season itself runs from early December

16:43and then through the end of March. So,

16:45it's about a four-month period. The map

16:47that you see here is the quadrants and

16:49where the actual deer removals took

16:51place. So, I know I referenced the

16:53southeast quadrant being the area where

16:54there's the greatest amount of removals.

16:56That's also where we've seen the

16:57greatest amount of the deer population.

16:59So, that was 117 this year. That was

17:02your more than half of where those deer

17:04were coming from. the southwest district

17:06primarily in the neighborhoods like

17:07Strathmore or Winkworth. Um that's my

17:09part of town and I can personally attest

17:11to the the the amount of deer sightings

17:13and the fact that we have a lot moving

17:14through that neighborhood.

17:15>> Question. So outlier is when the ones

17:18come on Midland and they bring their

17:20whole family

17:21>> because I've seen them on different

17:24streets.

17:25>> Yeah. I think we we have S and I have

17:28even had some conversations around

17:30thinking through the areas where there

17:31may not be as much coverage with sites

17:33right now and where there's

17:34opportunities to be able to to continue

17:36uh to think about Midland A and some of

17:38these other areas. Um

17:40>> especially because the creek runs

17:41through some folks backyard on Midland

17:44and that's where they hang like near the

17:46creek. So it's a water source.

17:49>> Okay.

17:50>> Uh and so just going through the rest of

17:52the map here. You will notice there also

17:54were uh four a total of four deer

17:56removed in the northwest uh quadrant.

17:58And then councelor Na'vi to the point

17:59that you referenced earlier, we do not

18:01have any sites uh located immediately in

18:03the north side. So conversations like

18:05the one about Woodland uh cemetery that

18:08that is an opportunity and one that we

18:10want to be able to have. But there the

18:12reason why that reflects zero is

18:14partially because of the fact of um as

18:16part of all the conversations over the

18:17years, there's been less incidents,

18:19sightings, and issues that have been

18:20reported in those in the north side

18:22neighborhoods. Um but it's something

18:24that we continue to monitor.

18:25>> Sure. Thank you. Yes.

18:29>> Okay. Um so this is this table really

18:32just breaks out um the overall uh the

18:35population from the removal, but also

18:37the number of sites. So, one of the

18:39things that you'll notice, we have the

18:4017 sites that are located in the

18:42southeast quadrant. That's really the

18:43reflection as well on why the removal

18:45numbers were so high. As we said, the

18:47north side, that quad, that first

18:49quadrant does not have any sites to date

18:51right now. Something that we can

18:52certainly revisit. And then the

18:54firearms, the amount of removals that

18:56took place by firearms was 93 uh versus

18:59trapping at 54. But both of those

19:01combined is what contributes to that 147

19:04number.

19:06All right. I know we talked already

19:08about the trap and euthanize. This gives

19:10you a cumulative uh table overview of

19:13since the ultimate launch of the program

19:15in 2019 and 2020 during that season. Uh

19:18you'll see that the first year we had

19:20159 that has been the highest year on

19:22record but second highest year on record

19:24was this past season in 2026. So in

19:27total combined we have now exceeded 780

19:30deer uh ultimately removed as part of

19:33this program.

19:36Uh so just some of the results going to

19:38the questions that were just referenced

19:39a moment ago. We've had minimal

19:41interaction where public uh and private

19:43property owners I really that speaks to

19:45the coordination that happens and the

19:47preparation involved in this program. Uh

19:49this is also a partnership with Anadaga

19:51County uh and working with the county's

19:53office of environment. There's a

19:54reimbursement and cost share portion to

19:56this as well that really makes out to be

19:59uh the city contributes and really is

20:00responsible for a little over half of

20:03that total cost. Uh and so this past

20:05season, let me just make sure I have the

20:07numbers here, but this past season

20:08overall the program uh and what was

20:10built to the USDA was 103,000, just over

20:13103,000. The city's uh portion and

20:16contribution of that was around 58,000

20:19and ultimately Anaduga County

20:21contributed over 45,000. So that

20:24partnership and that cost share

20:25something the county has been a partner

20:27in year-over-year on this program and

20:30we're uh continuing and the plan is to

20:31continue. county is covering like Salina

20:34and the different areas and the wit. So,

20:36they're covering their part of it for

20:38the county.

20:38>> The cost numbers I just referenced is

20:40just the city that the activities taking

20:42place within the city. Um,

20:46>> they're paying the county, right?

20:49>> They're paying their

20:53>> uh and so so there is that cost share

20:54portion again and that partnership with

20:56with county. Um, the other thing is

20:58tickborn illness prevention and signage

21:00posting. So, this is something we've had

21:01conversations with counselors in the

21:02past. Councelor Caldwell uh had been uh

21:05an advocate of this as well. I've got a

21:06picture here and this is the most

21:08up-to-date version of that signage to

21:10you'll see to the left wanted to be able

21:12to include an image of an actual tick.

21:15Uh and so you'll see these postings here

21:17to the right. One of the things that we

21:18had gotten feedback within the last year

21:20to year and a half has really been about

21:22visibility in signage. So, uh, within

21:24the last year, the parks department has

21:26also lowered and and identified the

21:28right and appropriate locations where

21:29those signs are displayed, but these are

21:31located throughout a number of different

21:33parks in the city. Uh, and and really

21:35especially open fields, but also areas

21:37where there may be the most prone and

21:39susceptible. Uh, we want to make sure

21:41children's, families, other visitors are

21:43fully aware and uh, and we're able to

21:45bring this to their attention.

21:47>> I don't know if there's anything else

21:48you want to speak to that. You know, it

21:50was

21:51Cod Codwell asked for them. You know,

21:53she wanted a bigger image of the tick so

21:56that families could identify them. So,

21:59we produced a new sign to go lower on

22:02the poles so that both mom and child

22:04could see the image and understand, you

22:07know, what a tick looks like. I think

22:10we're also doing some of that work with

22:13this weekend we spent time at Homer

22:15Weaten doing using an app identifying

22:18insects and animals and and so that's

22:20another way of teaching children how to

22:22use electronic to identify a tick. So

22:26>> and just to add dog walkers protecting

22:29dog population and other pets. Um so

22:31really just some of the things this is

22:33really around the awareness from a

22:35prevention standpoint.

22:38They do look very good. Um, so one thing

22:41I I know I had talked through some of

22:43the data. Uh, the USDA again continues

22:45to be a really strong partner. We have a

22:48wealth of information the city posts and

22:50we make available on the tick and deer

22:52management web page that includes the

22:54summary of the results from last year.

22:55So we we post that summary every single

22:58year that the USDA provides. But there

23:00were some recommendations that

23:01ultimately came out of that most recent

23:03report as well. One of them was

23:05continuing to identify additional

23:06properties where we have the ability to

23:08expand that program. Um, and some of

23:10we've already heard from neighbors

23:12because we're in the middle right now of

23:13making preparations for next year. Um,

23:16additional uh locations that may be

23:17interested in the trap and euthanize

23:19method. We're also giving a lot of

23:20thought. We're noticing deer in the uh

23:23Strathmore and in the Winkworth areas in

23:25that southwest quadrant. still the

23:27southeast continues by far to be the

23:29most prevalent and so there is a heavy

23:30concentration there but we want to

23:32continue to build on that um to be able

23:34to again make sure we're being reactive

23:36and responsive to where we're seeing

23:39that population. Um tracking deer damage

23:42data. That's a piece of one of the

23:44things we continue to monitor because of

23:45the fact it's a really good indicator

23:47where there's high deer populations and

23:50continuing the use of the trap and

23:52euthanize method. Um and that's what we

23:54would anticipate continuing into the

23:56current season that we'll start in

23:58December. Um the other thing is the data

24:01tracking. I mentioned uh the the

24:02volunteers that we have. So the

24:04terminology we use is we call those our

24:06dear diarrus. Um these are a number of

24:07dedicated individuals who have been able

24:09to on a uh essentially a daily basis. Uh

24:13we have an Excel format but we also have

24:14a a more simplified version where we

24:17will accept uh data and there are many

24:19days where there may be no deer

24:21sightings. There may be some where

24:22there's multiple deer sightings, but we

24:24collect that and then each month that

24:25information is submitted to us and then

24:27we're able to put together a cumulative

24:29tracker and it really helps us with

24:30assessing and identifying trends because

24:32we know the addresses of the individuals

24:34that are submitting these where these

24:35sightings are happening and it just

24:37helps inform the coordination that we

24:39ultimately do for each upcoming season.

24:42Uh and the other thing is that we track

24:44deer uh motor vis vehicle collisions. So

24:47this is some of the other data that I

24:48think um really speaks to the progress

24:50that has been made around this program.

24:52Uh one of the things that you'll see is

24:54that this is uh all of the motor vehicle

24:57incidents that is this is data provided

24:59by the Syracuse Police Department. And

25:01so while we have not finished 2026 yet,

25:03uh what we are looking at is right now

25:05the lowest on record in terms of the

25:07number of deer incidents that have taken

25:09place. Uh one of the things I also have

25:12is I actually have that location by map

25:14of these respective areas. And so just

25:16to show um I'll point out to you know

25:19looking at a year like 2023 in the

25:21northwest uh quadrant you had 18 motor

25:24vehicle collisions with deer. In 2026

25:27that number is just one so far this

25:28year. Um in another area like the

25:30southeast area just going back to 2023

25:3324 different incidents involving motor

25:36vehicle crashes or collisions with deer.

25:38that number is three in the southeast

25:40district which is still our most

25:42prevalent and and highly concentrated

25:44area for for deer. Um so it is it is one

25:47indicator and that information is

25:48something we continue to track but it

25:50also speaks to that has real

25:51implications from a safety perspective,

25:53a financial perspective for city drivers

25:56and and something that we monitor as

25:58well.

25:59>> Let me ask you a question. You said the

26:00Syracuse police and you get the

26:02information when it's reported. So in

26:05case it's not reported to the police and

26:07they go to their insurance company, do

26:10that get reported back as well?

26:12>> It's a good question. I So what we have

26:15that we've shared and reported that is

26:17Syracuse police data. I think what I

26:19would have to do is I will go back and

26:20see and understand. I think my my

26:23assumption is that if it's not being

26:24reported in a vehicle incident report or

26:27a police report, I'm not sure if that is

26:29collected on the back end from insurance

26:31companies

26:31>> because I just saw this young lady, a

26:33deer swidwiped her car

26:36>> and she just, you know, she didn't call

26:38the police. So, I'm trying to figure

26:40out, do those get reported as well?

26:41Yeah, I it's a very good point and this

26:43this may not encapsulate every single

26:46incident and it really will depend on

26:48ultimately if SPD has the ability to

26:50then categorize that as a deer incident.

26:53Um but so that's one of the things we

26:55can we can look further into.

26:57>> And do they tell you to to do it

26:59electronically online? Because I know a

27:01lot of the police reports you have to do

27:03online.

27:04>> There are several. Yes. Um,

27:06>> this might be a New York State DMV

27:08inquiry since the insurance agencies

27:09also connect with them, right?

27:11>> Yep. Yeah, I I do think that's a good

27:13point.

27:14>> But I do think that we're missing some

27:15data for sure.

27:20>> Okay.

27:21>> Seems to have gotten better.

27:22>> Yeah. And I think part of and and maybe

27:24it is just speaking to the trends as

27:25well, but I think one of the things is

27:27that combined with the um what we're

27:29seeing around the deer diary submissions

27:32as well as just being able to track the

27:33data we do have from Syracuse police,

27:35we're seeing that trend go downward on

27:38number of overall sightings, but also

27:40the overall um incidents involving motor

27:43vehicles. So um you know, we'll continue

27:45to think about other indicators. I think

27:47counselor to your point about Lyme

27:48disease and just other tickborne

27:49illnesses and ways that we can track

27:51that and look at that in our community.

27:53Um all of those really help inform this

27:55process.

27:56Uh so the uh you know next steps and

27:59including those recommendations from the

28:01USDA would be to continue the program. I

28:03think the the biggest uh thing is that

28:05there has been momentum and real

28:06progress that this program has made. We

28:08want to be able to continue that

28:10progress and that momentum uh and be

28:12able to use and and reflect on the

28:14information that we've been compiling uh

28:16coordinating and securing permissions

28:18with property owners. So that is

28:19actively underway now as we speak. And

28:21the reason why is because there is a

28:23DEEC permit review that ultimately has

28:25to be completed. Uh we submit those

28:27sites as well as all the permissions and

28:29signatures and making sure that we have

28:31those designated sites and we have the

28:32owner's permission to be able to use

28:34those for different purposes for access.

28:37And then that DEC review is completed.

28:39And then what we do is continue to

28:41coordinate with uh USDA working with

28:44Carl and the team here locally to be

28:46able to undertake those those uh efforts

28:48when the season begins in early

28:50December. Um the only thing I'll note

28:52too is that we have an urban deer

28:54management pilot uh that we have

28:56ultimately successfully gotten passed.

28:58Um the extension of that pilot was done

29:00by the New York State Senate and the New

29:02York State Assembly. We are waiting the

29:03governor's signature on that and we're

29:05in communication with the governor's

29:06office, but that would allow the urban

29:08deer management pilot to continue for

29:10another three years. And I would just

29:12recognize we've had uh really great

29:13partners uh with Assemblywoman Hunter

29:16and and Senator May and they've been

29:18great to work with to continue to extend

29:20this program and build on uh the

29:22previous success under the pilot.

29:28>> So that colleagues have questions

29:30>> takes us through

29:34I wanted to talk about an expansion of

29:35this program. I have talked with the

29:37commissioner about the discussion with

29:40not only USDA but Cornell Cooperative

29:42Extension about um adding biological

29:46controls. We have two different problems

29:48in Syracuse. We have food insecurity and

29:51we have too many ticks. Uh and the deer

29:53management ties into both of those

29:56things. I'm wondering if we can't add

29:58chickens or guinea foul to parks under

30:01the supervision of Cornell Cooperative

30:03Extension or USDA. USDA is not making

30:05eye contact. So, I think that he does

30:07not want to run this program,

30:10but I I would like to see if we could

30:13expand something where we have

30:16we introduce

30:19early enough in the season to take care

30:21of the ticks, but not early enough for

30:23them to become hosts themselves.

30:25um animals that that eat ticks naturally

30:28and can clear fields uh as part of this

30:31program. I'm I'm concerned that we are

30:33not taking care of enough ticks quickly

30:36enough in order to reduce the numbers of

30:39Lyme disease related illnesses and again

30:42we only know about the people who send a

30:44tick in to be examined or the people who

30:46themselves are treated for Lyme disease

30:48leaves a lot of vulnerable children in

30:50our city. I would like to really

30:53seriously investigate this as part of

30:55our grants program and as part of our

30:58management program. I also wanted to see

31:01about tick tubes or peromethine or ways

31:04that we can get these things in the

31:06hands of our city folk so that they can

31:09make their own tick tubes at home and

31:11put them around their yards. Tick tubes

31:13are basically um

31:16they are uh toilet paper rolls, little

31:19cardboards that are stuffed with cotton

31:22balls soaked in soaked in peromethine.

31:24And peromethine is a um anti-

31:30Oh, no. it it's a very minor

31:32insecticide, but essentially what it

31:34does is the uh first line of ticks

31:37[clears throat]

31:38uh the ticks food source are chipmunks,

31:41mice, little little tiny creatures that

31:44burrow. So essentially they take these

31:46as their um their habitat uh and line

31:50their dens with them and then it kill it

31:52kills the the nymphs the tick nymphs and

31:55it keeps those from becoming the first

31:56food source for ticks. This would also

31:59help us to reduce the amount of ticks

32:01that make it into the food source

32:03pipeline and that get picked up by deer

32:06and then tramped through our parks and

32:07our cemeteries.

32:08>> Sure.

32:09>> And I think that um my council NAV um

32:12brought up an excellent point that

32:14cemeteries really would be a phenomenal

32:16place to um extend our efforts in the

32:20deer management program. And I know that

32:23most of the cemeteries in our area are

32:26um privately owned, but I'm wondering if

32:28we can't Oh, look at that. Nater Maroon

32:31has a visual for us. This is a tick

32:34tube. Uh I buy these commercially um and

32:37usually put them out, I believe, March

32:39or April and then again in August and

32:41September. And you kind of make a

32:42perimeter around your your house with

32:45these guys. and the little chipmunks

32:48take the inside parts, take them home,

32:50and save us all a whole lot of headache

32:52and trouble.

32:53>> Um, these are commercially a little

32:55expensive. You can make your own at home

32:58with a couple of small per um small

33:01precautions. So, if we could expand some

33:03education and or get these as supplies,

33:07do you think that that would those are

33:08two viable paths that we could pursue?

33:10>> Yeah. So just um to speak overall to the

33:13program I think that year overyear one

33:15of the things we've also tried to do

33:16every step of the way is bring new

33:17innovative approaches to do it. I think

33:19an example has been the trapping as one

33:21example where we've been able to secure

33:22the permission there. To me this is a a

33:25less challenging less complex way of

33:27introducing new innovation into the

33:29program. So this is I think one of the

33:31things we would do is look to um work

33:33alongside USDA DEC and other partners.

33:36Um, but I think there's a lot of ways

33:38that we could we could do this, achieve

33:40this and other innovative approaches. So

33:42I think some of it is just the

33:43coordination of that and what that looks

33:45like.

33:45>> I make a point.

33:46>> So when I was at the cemetery and I saw

33:49these deers, I started to itch. I kept

33:52my distance, but imagine the ticks. You

33:55started in the itch. You keep your

33:57distance. So the ticks around and so

33:59people are going there, they're jogging

34:01with their shorts on, you know, and they

34:05don't maybe realize they come near a

34:09day, all of a sudden they're itching.

34:11>> So that they are viable even when

34:12there's services in a cemetery. Uh this

34:16is open air and

34:18>> and if you go towards where that wood

34:21cemetery is, it goes very close to the

34:24wit. So now [clears throat] you got a

34:25lot of open space and if they are going

34:28to find a way from the wit um they're

34:32they're going to find their way for more

34:33open space where there's water.

34:35>> Yeah.

34:36>> I I think the education and prevention

34:39piece. I know I know I'm hearing it from

34:40from the counselors, but also I think

34:42that's one of the big things. The signs

34:43are one step to be able to do that. I

34:45also think making sure the community is

34:46aware of the upstate testing center and

34:49lab and other partnerships with other

34:50partners that we have where there's

34:52opportunities to expand that. I want to

34:53see if we can help them before they have

34:56to get to that stage though.

34:57>> Sure.

34:57>> Yeah.

34:58>> Yes. Agreed about the testing. I I think

35:01I even mean just the awareness like the

35:02the awareness around as well the

35:05signage.

35:05>> Just alert people.

35:07>> Yep.

35:07>> If you're in distance of a deer, keep

35:09your distance because you might there's

35:12you might get uh a deer tick. You're

35:14going to get a tick and you don't

35:16realize it. [clears throat] You have to

35:17educate the children. Oh, there's a baby

35:19deer. No, you got to keep her distance.

35:22You know, there's a lot of things to be

35:24educated on.

35:25>> Well, possums eat tigs.

35:28>> Uh,

35:29>> possums do eat tigs. Yes,

35:31>> I think they do. They do eat tigs.

35:33>> I don't know if we can commercially put

35:34them into our parks. [laughter]

35:37>> I just I was thinking that, you know,

35:38>> we actually have them in Kirk Park.

35:40There's a large family on the hunt a

35:43side of minks and

35:45>> possum. I was going to say we just get

35:47some possums and throw them out there.

35:50Yeah.

35:50>> Um but perhaps also a partnership with

35:52the food bank to see if um chickens or

35:54guinea foul would again be as similar to

35:57the deer management program, something

35:58that we put out

36:00>> once a year. And then

36:02>> it really again the preventative piece

36:04of this too to be able to address that

36:05ahead of time before you even need to

36:06get to testing or al ultimate treatment.

36:10Um I I do just also want to thank

36:11because we do have uh some partners in

36:13the room as well just around the the vol

36:16the assistance from the deer and tick

36:18advisory group. There's a couple of

36:19members that we have with us as well and

36:20we have the dear dyers members. Um,

36:22Nater of course has been a great partner

36:24and a strong advocate for this program.

36:26So, we're we're grateful for that

36:27partnership and uh I think our intention

36:30would be to build on the progress that

36:32has been made and take new innovation. I

36:34think there's some ideas we're talking

36:35about today that that seem very tangible

36:37and and ways we can implement those. um

36:39and just make sure the community is

36:41aware and understands the not just these

36:44efforts but also to be aware of the the

36:47impacts that ticks and the deer program

36:49is having.

36:50>> I I am hearing from gardeners in our

36:52community that they feel very much

36:54vulnerable to deer related tick related

36:57pathogens and illnesses and we rely on

37:01our gardeners to make so much of

37:02Syracuse very beautiful. We really need

37:04to protect them. Um, and I do see that

37:08the expansion of this program and any

37:10innovation we can add to it um to be a

37:13really key to that. Um, anyone who is

37:15here as a volunteer, would you mind

37:16standing up?

37:19Oh, thank you very much. All right.

37:21Well, thank you very much. Um, would any

37:23of our partners like to speak?

37:25They don't have to. Okay. Um, would any

37:28members of the public like to speak?

37:32>> We're soft and fuzzy. Oh.

37:36All right. Any concluding thoughts or

37:39any other topics that we want to address

37:41here?

37:43>> No. I just say thank you to the council

37:44for your continued support of this

37:46program and and we're looking forward to

37:48the season coming up ahead.

37:49>> Okay.

37:50>> Thank you very much.

37:52>> Making progress.

37:53>> Um seeing as we have concluded business,

37:55I think we're going to end a little

37:56early. Anyone Nobody has objections

37:59hearing none. Motion to close.

38:02>> Thank you.

38:03>> Thank you all.