2026-10-21 - Common Council Study Session

01:59Mhm.

05:49>> Mhm.

07:44>> Mhm.

09:05>> which has had a

09:07pretty challenging

09:09stretch over the last couple years. Is

09:11that technology that we could implement

09:13at a larger scale?

09:13>> those at the um

09:15Woodland Reservoir.

09:17>> Okay.

09:18Got you.

09:19Thank you. Another question.

09:23Uh

09:24so that that

09:25that took you you're going to take that

09:26restaurant in Canoga?

09:27>> Yep.

09:27>> Okay. Go ahead. 13.

09:29>> Uh 13 is

09:31a [clears throat] binding ordinance for

09:32the $25 million for our lead service

09:35replacement project that we had the

09:37committee meeting about.

09:38>> We had a committee meeting last year.

09:39>> And I recall that. So, since we've had

09:41that committee meeting, you know, the

09:42council asked that we start lobbying to

09:46some of our different elected officials

09:47in the the state and federal government

09:50for the fact that we know that we cannot

09:52do this by ourselves. And we know that

09:54this is a unfunded mandate that's been

09:57sent to us that we have to do within the

09:59next 10 years.

10:00>> That You got that perfectly.

10:02>> So, have we started lobbying for this

10:05now?

10:06>> We have started. We have the the big

10:08lead table is going to be starting next

10:10week. So,

10:12we're we're going to try to start asking

10:15everyone we can to help us.

10:18>> Okay. Do I mean when we reach out, we

10:19reach out to the state, the feds? Do we

10:22reach out to the county?

10:24Okay.

10:25>> How can we do that?

10:26>> Essentially,

10:27it's an unfunded mandate in the United

10:28States. So,

10:29I know it's a hard question, but do we

10:31have a

10:32price tag overall to do it all of it?

10:34Like, what's

10:35I know it could get prices change, but

10:37we have like a

10:38>> Could be like 500 to 700 million.

10:43>> That's what I heard.

10:44>> We still have a lot of unknowns.

10:46Um I think we have 12,000 unknowns that

10:48we don't know if they're lead or not.

10:51So, we're doing an inventory trying to

10:52find that out, but um

10:55>> So, the cost is attached to the 30,000

10:57number.

10:57>> That's right. Exactly. Yep.

10:59>> And that's current because as time goes

11:01by, that's going to probably go up.

11:02>> Oh, yeah. And the cost of copper is

11:04probably going to

11:06because the whole country's going to be

11:07doing this.

11:08>> Right. Exactly.

11:10>> We are working on the the resolution to

11:13send out for the support. Um so, in the

11:16next voting session, we should have that

11:18>> Okay.

11:18>> to help the process.

11:20>> That'd be great.

11:20>> Yeah.

11:22All right. So, that took care of 13, 14.

11:25>> Yep.

11:25>> Uh

11:2715, I think is this

11:2815 15 and 16, Kelly.

11:30>> Right. That is uh 12 million for our

11:33capital for the next year.

11:34>> Yeah.

11:35>> And our plan is for

11:37uh North Beach Street from Burnett to

11:39Holly, [clears throat] replacing that

11:41main. Um there have been three to four

11:42water main breaks there each year. So,

11:45that one needs to be done.

11:46Same uh the next one is Emerson Ave.

11:48We've had multiple main breaks there,

11:51too. And then we have approximately 70

11:53broken valves throughout the system that

11:56we would like to start replacing.

11:58Also, we have some stuff on the conduit

12:00from here to Skinny Atlas that we'd like

12:01to work on, too.

12:03>> You said North Beach Street to uh Holly?

12:06>> North Beach Street from Burnett to

12:08Holly.

12:08>> Okay. Okay. Yeah, that that that's a

12:11separate conversation, but it was pretty

12:13rough on

12:15that road. It's

12:16pretty beat up.

12:17>> Do we still have the leak detectors?

12:19>> Yes.

12:19>> Okay.

12:22>> [clears throat]

12:22>> I have a question. Also, is this

12:24anything

12:26Well, we're having any issues

12:28that have to do with the I-690

12:30project right now?

12:32>> I-690, I-81?

12:35>> I'm talking about the I-690.

12:36>> say both.

12:37>> Because there's been a lot of work over

12:39on Burnett Ave, Holly Green. They're

12:42digging under.

12:43And there's been delays, you know, I

12:47I've heard

12:49uh complaints from the business

12:52owners there. You know, we do need

12:54improvement in that area. So, when we're

12:57talking about improvements of our water,

13:00okay? Uh

13:02don't forget we have

13:04old sidewalks and trees. And I you know,

13:09that's great. We're digging We're

13:10digging under and we're affecting

13:13residences that are digging up their

13:15sidewalks.

13:17And we got to all do

13:18move traffic around. And and that's

13:21causing

13:22is a nuisance. So, with this water

13:25project, though, I would really like to

13:27see more than just putting in water. I

13:30want to see more I would like to see if

13:31the administration can hear me out now.

13:34Uh we need more infrastructure in that

13:36area. But, we have to do it in a careful

13:39manner that respecting all of our

13:41residences and in the work we do.

13:44Um

13:45So, that's what I wanted

13:46>> [laughter]

13:47>> Understood.

13:47>> Thank you.

13:49Any other questions?

13:51Um

13:53Thank you, Kelly.

13:54>> Thank you.

13:54>> Uh item 17 is an appointment

13:58uh

13:59is it is to appoint uh George Lynch uh

14:03CRB to fill the vacancy.

14:06That should make Donna more happy.

14:09>> [laughter]

14:11>> And that would happy, all right. Um

14:14grateful to to George for willing to

14:16serve.

14:18We'll vote on that on Monday.

14:20Thank you, President.

14:21Thank you. All set.

14:23>> All right, moving on. Uh Counselor

14:25>> Innerarity.

14:26Thank you, Madam President. I have 18

14:28through 22.

14:34>> Good afternoon, counselors. Steve

14:36Harris, City Arborist, uh speaking on

14:38behalf of Commissioner Bird.

14:41Items 18 and 19

14:44are [clears throat] to authorize bonded

14:46funds for vacant land management

14:47program.

14:48This

14:49program

14:51uh

14:53improves the condition of city-owned

14:55vacant lots

14:57that

14:58neighborhood and business development

15:00has determined are not good sites for

15:02houses,

15:03but which either have a

15:06a dumping issue or site line crime kind

15:09of issues are bringing down the

15:12aesthetics and condition of

15:14houses and neighborhoods around them.

15:17We go to those sites.

15:18We make them very simple basic

15:20landscapes, flat grass and trees.

15:23We put them on a mowing cycle

15:25because they're already costing us money

15:28due to their lack of management. So,

15:29it's just a proactive way to improve the

15:32condition of lots in the neighborhood.

15:34And um

15:36contribute to all the

15:38uh housing initiatives going on.

15:41>> Now, Steve, is there a list of where

15:43you're going to be doing this?

15:44Did I miss [clears throat] something?

15:45>> Um

15:48I can provide that. Right now, I know

15:51the the primary lots we had

15:54intended on for this allocation.

15:57I

15:58I'm not sure where they're at on your on

16:01the seizure process.

16:03Um our interest is in the Westcott

16:06Gateway

16:07where you enter Westcott from Erie.

16:10Um and there's Erie, there's Lombard,

16:13there's East Fayette.

16:15Uh there's a lot of illegal dumping,

16:17poor sightlines,

16:18uh people making encampments there.

16:21>> [clears throat]

16:22>> And I know there's a site near Burt

16:25Street railroad bridge that's

16:27city-owned.

16:28Um and I can provide more information as

16:30needed. Okay.

16:31>> let me ask you, Commissioner Owens, you

16:33said to Fayette Street. So, what's going

16:36on with that building right here on

16:38Crouse

16:39Crouse and Fayette?

16:44>> So,

16:45yeah, that's the uh

16:48Cro-

16:49Cro- Crouse and Fayette where there's a

16:50where there's a

16:51>> station?

16:51>> Yeah.

16:52Where the yeah, okay. Uh so,

16:54>> Dave's gas station.

16:55>> Yeah. Uh that So, it's it's brownfield

16:58uh because of the fact that it was a gas

17:00station.

17:01Uh and right now, I don't think that

17:03we've got

17:04uh anything specific

17:06>> Cuz we've been talking about that for

17:08quite a while.

17:09>> Yeah. And so, one of the things uh I'm

17:11I'm going to look into it when I when I

17:13get back to the office. But uh one of

17:15the things that we've been looking at in

17:17that area is there are some parcels that

17:21uh with current development and then the

17:23redevelopment of uh Hilltop after those

17:27residents go into the new buildings

17:29uh makes that area much more attractive

17:32for uh for future investment.

17:34>> Have we done any um

17:37brownfield investigation or sequa on

17:40that property yet?

17:41>> Yes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. We we've uh we we

17:44know it's a suspected brownfield

17:46uh and

17:47the we've got the brownfield

17:50uh opportunity area

17:52uh

17:52that allows us to do

17:54uh more investigation but also more

17:55planning [clears throat]

17:57uh that we're taking a look at for all

17:59of those in the area.

18:00>> And that would be a good thing because

18:01if you're going to put all of this new

18:02development up there and that building's

18:04still standing

18:06we that's kind of a

18:08>> Council Huston, um there's some movement

18:11going on in that building. They were in

18:12there the other day cleaning up doing

18:14something. So, I don't know what has

18:16happened on the city part but there's

18:17people

18:18I don't know if they made a

18:20>> I was think so then I was mistaken cuz I

18:22was talking about the where we where

18:24there's actually been demolition.

18:26Uh

18:27>> Oh, you're talking about the garage

18:28still standing basically.

18:29>> You're talking about the still the

18:30garage. Okay, so then

18:31>> garage that used to be Dave's garage.

18:33>> it. Okay, then I'm going to have to look

18:34into that for you. I don't have a good

18:35answer for you right at the moment.

18:36>> I went through there this week and it's

18:37still there.

18:38>> Okay.

18:38>> Okay. All right.

18:39>> it's not It's some movement. I think

18:41somebody might have purchased it. I

18:42think the new developers did.

18:43So, I think you really need to look at

18:45>> Okay. I'll I'll I'll take a look.

18:46>> Okay. Thank you.

18:51>> Steve, no, it's okay. Go ahead.

18:53Please.

18:56>> Um question about the um

18:59remediation just to bring it down to

19:02grass seed and

19:05Is there any partnerships with SOFSA or

19:07other groups that we could explore for

19:08some of these spaces in terms of

19:10gardening or establishing community

19:12gardens [clears throat] or productive

19:14use of space? that's certainly possible.

19:17What we're doing is following a model

19:18that Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

19:20began two decades ago,

19:22which is just demonstrated if you

19:25if whatever happens to those lots in the

19:27future, if you just bring them up to a

19:29basic condition of flat grass and trees

19:32that improves sightlines,

19:34improves the overall aesthetic, easier

19:36to manage. Um

19:38it improves the the property values of

19:41everyone around.

19:42These are problematic sites, right?

19:44These had houses on them.

19:46So the soil, what you know, what happens

19:48after is another issue. Right now, what

19:50we're trying to do is find the most

19:52basic affordable management costs the

19:54city to carry day-to-day.

19:57I do know that 158 West Knoll is a place

20:00that

20:02um

20:06Cliff Livingston?

20:09>> [clears throat]

20:09>> I'm trying to remember the name

20:11of he works for Parks Department.

20:14His son was killed at 158.

20:18Yes, my bad.

20:20I apologize, Cliff.

20:23About how to make those tree memorial

20:24site and we haven't figured out the

20:26issues around that yet. Um because

20:28there's some sensitive issues related to

20:30that, but right now we're just trying to

20:32That is

20:34there's other things that MBD probably

20:35has to do with in terms of language of

20:37using those lots and how that how that

20:39works, but

20:41I'm sure that's on the table. Right now,

20:43we're just trying to make a derelict

20:45blighted property

20:47something that at least is easy to look

20:49at and easy to manage.

20:52These are staying in the city.

20:55These are city parcels.

20:57So

20:58it's like that's what they are now.

21:01>> I just wanted to ask Commissioner if if

21:03you might want to reach out to SOFSA and

21:05just see if any of these parcels are

21:07available for

21:10community use since they are staying in

21:12the city. I understand in terms of ease

21:14of maintenance.

21:16>> Yeah, I'm very happy to talk with SOFSA.

21:19So, the

21:20example that Steve has given right now,

21:23we've used this highly successfully over

21:25next to project where we're able to do

21:28some community tree memorial tree

21:29plantings.

21:31That area went from constant dumping

21:33right next to the school to really

21:36easily maintained.

21:38I

21:40think that SOFSA may be able to do some

21:42stuff

21:44where they have capacity.

21:46What we know is that there are some

21:52They are already doing a tremendous

21:53amount with a limited capacity that they

21:55have. Maintaining additional properties

21:58that are small like this, typically what

22:00we find is that the

22:02if there's somebody that wants to do a

22:04community garden

22:05they could do raised beds. And that

22:08happens through

22:11well, a lot of the same people are

22:12involved with both organizations. So, we

22:14can absolutely talk to them.

22:16>> SOFSA was just the first group that came

22:18to mind, but just making sure that again

22:20the

22:21the organizations within each community

22:23that would otherwise take on community

22:26mini parks and things of that nature are

22:28involved in some of these decisions.

22:29>> I always always happy to

22:32I will say that the major challenge that

22:34they're going to have with these

22:34particular sites is water access.

22:36Because there's

22:38if you're going to do something that's

22:40going to be maintained other than

22:42mowing,

22:43you're going to need water access and

22:45there's not

22:47anything real close by for any for any

22:49of those particular sites. But, always

22:50happy to

22:51do community engagement on it.

22:54>> Okay.

22:55Thank you.

22:58Anybody else?

23:02All right, Steve. Move it along.

23:03>> Okay. So, uh um

23:05the next

23:06uh bond and authorization request is for

23:08tree planting

23:10uh for this year

23:11uh $500,000.

23:14>> All right. I know we want to move it

23:16along, but I have a question. When you

23:17talk about the tree planting, didn't we

23:19once get a grant for that?

23:21>> We did. We got a big grant that we're

23:23just about to execute, but that will

23:25only be for income-eligible areas, but

23:28that actually

23:29uh

23:30this 500,000 will carry us into the next

23:333 years

23:35for

23:36the rest of the city.

23:37>> And then you do still plan to apply for

23:40more grants, correct? Or no?

23:41>> Say that one more time.

23:42>> And you you still plan to apply for more

23:45grants?

23:46>> As they come up.

23:47>> As they come up.

23:48>> So, right now we expect a big cliff

23:51in um funding opportunities. We just

23:54haven't realized them yet.

23:56So, this was the the funding that we're

23:58about to exec- enter into was the IRA

24:00grant that was awarded

24:022 and 1/2 years ago, and we finally got

24:04it executed.

24:05>> amount? Do you remember?

24:06>> 1.7 million.

24:09Which also covers staffing to help

24:10implement the program.

24:12>> Steve, again, can we get a location of

24:14where you're planting trees just so we

24:16>> Yeah. Um

24:18uh we can the way I can do that is show

24:21you what is We can show you the scatter

24:23plot

24:24>> That'd be

24:24>> from our database of what we're doing

24:25this fall.

24:26>> Yep. That would be

24:27>> And uh I should be able to get that to

24:28you this week.

24:29>> Okay. Thank you.

24:30>> So, we would we would be able to get a

24:33a list of

24:35areas where you're planting trees.

24:36>> Yeah, we could either send you like an

24:38Excel list or show you a map.

24:41>> Okay.

24:41>> Um

24:43Yeah.

24:43>> Do we let people know when we're about

24:45to plant a tree?

24:46>> We do the best we can. We are definitely

24:48not perfect in that. Um

24:52and that's something we got to continue

24:54to improve on, but our goal is to notify

24:56everybody. We are

24:57pursuing an opt-out strategy

25:00uh going forward where once a tree is

25:02planted it stays there. So, that is

25:03going to that requires that

25:06uh

25:07our notification game is very tight

25:09going forward. That people have multiple

25:12opportunities to opt out.

25:14>> What about neighborhood affinity? So, so

25:16say if there's just hypothetically that

25:20the neighborhood that where there's a

25:21lot of oaks, do we put that into

25:22consideration or do we

25:26>> To to do what?

25:27>> Do we just How do we How do we choose

25:30what tree goes there?

25:31>> Oh, we

25:32we do provide a limited range of options

25:34for people. You know, we plant about 40

25:36different species, but

25:38that is complicated to offer to people.

25:41So, we try and provide some guardrails

25:42like choose one of four.

25:45Yep.

25:46>> I have a question. So,

25:48um with the community and you know,

25:50there is a lot of old trees that

25:53some of them are like at their age,

25:56right? And they're starting to die down.

25:58Have we ever applied for a grant to help

25:59out homeowners get replace some of these

26:03old trees that are

26:04>> on their private [clears throat]

26:04property?

26:05>> Yeah.

26:06>> Yeah, I've done that on numerous

26:07occasions and failed. Um I think that's

26:10>> Not on our side, all right?

26:11>> Well, I was new on this one.

26:13>> No, no. I mean, we have

26:15there's several I'm always pursuing how

26:17can we help property owners

26:20get big hazard tree $10,000 tree

26:22removals down because sometimes I'm

26:24asked to issue code violation for those

26:26trees. And and that's like a bankrupting

26:28action. So, um

26:31that's something we should talk about

26:32more because

26:33>> But haven't been able [clears throat] to

26:34do anything?

26:36>> What do you mean?

26:37>> As far as helping a homeowner, no.

26:39>> No, I mean, it's private property. So,

26:41the the the place that we have that when

26:44it's impacting the right-of-way, we have

26:46some

26:47we own the right-of-way and we're in a

26:49position where we have to maintain a

26:50safe right-of-way. And that's allowed us

26:52to take trees down that are on

26:55on private property or straddle the city

26:58right away because they're leaning like

27:00something needs to be done and now we

27:01can't wait

27:03for the tree to be removed.

27:04>> And nothing on private

27:05>> Like backyard trees, we don't have a

27:06mechanism for dealing with that.

27:08>> trees that are above the power lines.

27:09>> direct Mainly I direct people to home

27:11headquarters, their emergency grants.

27:13>> Okay.

27:14>> You say they say what

27:15>> I I always provide people the

27:16information for the home headquarters

27:18emergency grants.

27:19>> Uh-huh.

27:19>> And Shark grants cuz that's part grant,

27:21part loan.

27:22>> Okay.

27:23>> Uh trying to figure out opportunities.

27:25I try and get property owners to talk to

27:27each other to share costs.

27:29Um

27:30>> And some of these trees that I see them

27:31that are outdated are like those big big

27:34ones that

27:34>> One that just fell.

27:35>> Yeah, that are

27:37I can't imagine how much it would cost.

27:39So, let's talk about ways that we can

27:41get some grants for the community.

27:44You know, maybe.

27:45>> I mean, the way we've dealt with that

27:46with the new housing strategy is land

27:48banks have been really good at when

27:49we're

27:50when we before we build a house there,

27:52let's get rid of all the hazard tree

27:53[clears throat] problems.

27:54Um and they've been very proactive about

27:58Understood. Understood.

27:59>> Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

28:01I wonder if there's a way to work

28:02through Onondaga Earth Corps or some

28:04community um engagement with ESF and

28:07their forestry management program.

28:09>> removals require bucket trucks and

28:10cranes.

28:14You're talking 5 to 15,000 dollar bills.

28:17That's the solution

28:20that I think you're talking about.

28:22>> I you know, you think about what's going

28:24to happen in the future if they fall, if

28:25they hit a house, if they

28:26>> Absolutely.

28:27>> [clears throat]

28:27>> power line. If you know, some of these

28:29trees are

28:30>> People's insurance gets dropped.

28:31>> Yeah, or something like that.

28:32>> those calls.

28:33>> Later, you know, I worry about the hurt

28:35like who gets behind there and how that

28:37So, maybe we can think about how we can

28:40collaborate with those organizations and

28:41support some of those ones in those

28:43highly

28:45this neighbor that has these trees that

28:48really need to go.

28:49>> Different communities have tried to

28:50address this in different ways.

28:53>> I was just thinking that, you know,

28:55ESF [clears throat] is going to go

28:56through a leadership transition sometime

28:57soon. Maybe this is a good time to

28:59re-approach.

29:02Any other questions?

29:03>> Yeah, I got one. Steve, before we move

29:04on, um back to the item.

29:06During our

29:08public hearing the other night, we heard

29:10a lot of residents

29:13favoring the planting of potentially

29:16more mature, more expensive trees over

29:19seedlings. Can you just just address

29:21that for the record?

29:22>> Yeah, um

29:24research shows if you plant a 1 and

29:261/2-in caliper

29:29tree compared to a 4-in caliper tree,

29:31that is the diameter of the tree 6 in

29:33off the ground,

29:35uh or even a a 6-in tree, that 1 and

29:381/2-in tree is going to catch up after

29:4010 years, and the economies of scale

29:43it doesn't pay. The cost-benefit on the

29:46larger specimen doesn't pay, and

29:47survival is usually worse. And sometimes

29:50the root balls are so big they don't fit

29:51in the space you want to plant.

29:53However, we do plant larger we 2 and

29:551/2-in trees in certain areas,

29:58uh cuz it leaves a little bit more of a

30:00statement, and we'd like to do that. Um

30:04but

30:05it it doesn't get

30:07doesn't lead to more canopy faster.

30:11Thank you.

30:11>> Yep.

30:12>> One question, I just want to make sure I

30:13heard you clear. You said some people

30:17get cited for a bad tree.

30:19Is that Did you say that?

30:20>> Yeah, in our ordinance,

30:22um

30:24when the elms

30:26when all the elms were dying in the

30:27'60s, uh

30:30a municipal law was added that we can

30:33issue code violations for diseased and

30:35dead trees cuz it's a hazardous

30:37structure.

30:39And you can't have, you know, you can't

30:40have a big giant dead tree impacting

30:42anyone including surrounding properties.

30:44And so property owners

30:47call

30:48um

30:50worried about a tree next door. Our

30:51standards are very high. We're only

30:52looking at dead like if a tree's a

30:54nuisance and growing onto somebody's

30:56property, we don't issue code violation

30:58for that. They got to prune the tree.

31:01We're looking at the the worst of the

31:02worst trees.

31:03>> But you issue code violation then what?

31:06>> Um

31:07>> Is there anything that we do

31:08>> I mean

31:10a lot of property owners do something

31:11about it

31:13and get the tree down. Often it's

31:14landlords.

31:15>> Do we do anything else? Do we have

31:17>> Oh, I have a I have

31:19only on one occasion gone onto a

31:20property and that's because the tree was

31:22blocking entrance to the house.

31:26Yeah.

31:30>> I know. Are you all set?

31:32I'll follow up later. Thank you.

31:33>> Okay, I think

31:35um

31:36one last one, item 22 uh urban forest

31:39restoration account which is cash

31:40capital. We use that um

31:43primarily to do our re-inventory so we

31:45can assess risk and manage the riskier

31:47trees first.

31:48And then we also buy trees like our um

31:52just buy actual physical trees or

31:55uh as an extension of our planning

31:57program and it matches grants as well.

32:01>> Can I ask one quick question?

32:03Steve, let me ask you this. I asked you

32:04this a couple of weeks ago about the

32:06trees that had the ribbons around them

32:08right where you're going into um

32:10Franklin Street.

32:10>> they are.

32:11>> So they are taking them down. Why are

32:13they taking them down?

32:14>> That's [clears throat] New York State

32:15DOT.

32:16>> Oh, DOT is doing it?

32:17>> Yep, that's New York. That's the 81

32:19project.

32:20>> Oh, okay. Well, if you if anybody's

32:22interested, my neighbors have gathered

32:24together. They're going to say a goodbye

32:26to the trees on Saturday

32:27>> Oh, okay. It's a lot of trees along

32:29Evans Street you're referring to.

32:31>> Yes.

32:31>> Yeah, right.

32:32>> Thank you.

32:33>> Thank you.

32:34>> Are you all set?

32:35>> Yes.

32:36>> Okay. Uh Counselor Moore.

32:37>> Thank you, Madam President. I have item

32:3923.

32:43>> Good afternoon, counselors. Uh Vinnie

32:45Skippio, Chief Information Officer. I

32:46I'm filling in on this one here. Uh this

32:49is related to uh our platform we use for

32:53parking enforcement. Uh so, we have for

32:57whatever reason historically,

32:58uh

32:59we've received two invoices for this uh

33:02platform. The one in front of you is for

33:05the portion of devices that we lease

33:07from EDC to do the uh you know, that

33:10parking checkers use. Uh and those um

33:14have

33:15or those are the ones used by the police

33:16department. So, again, they've been

33:17separate for whatever reason. This is

33:19something we've got on our radar now.

33:20We're going to consolidate it and have

33:22it into a single one uh for next year,

33:23so we don't come to you with uh a second

33:25one here. So.

33:27>> Benny,

33:29have we ever uh

33:30I know we're asking for a waiver. Have

33:32we ever done bids on this?

33:34>> Yeah, it's a great question. Uh that's

33:35been our intention with the the

33:37the latest uh um when I came to you all

33:40probably around July to get the initial

33:42renewal. That's been the intention. This

33:43was just uh a um

33:46uh

33:47an ancillary or secondary

33:49uh invoice that we've received. So, yes,

33:51it's still on our radar to do so. Um

33:53>> So, how long How many years have we done

33:55>> We've had EDC for a long time, uh at

33:57least 10 years plus, you know, probably

33:5915 plus years at least.

34:00>> And are they local or out of state?

34:02>> EDC is a a Syracuse company.

34:04>> Okay. All right, thank you.

34:05>> Yep.

34:07Thanks, all.

34:08>> That's all.

34:08>> Yeah, that's it. Yeah, thank you.

34:09>> Okay, Counselor Williams.

34:10>> Thank you, Madam President. I've got

34:11items 24 through 28.

34:20>> Good afternoon, once again, counselors.

34:21Evan Loving, Budget Director. Item 24 is

34:23a local law to enact a hotel and motel

34:25occupancy tax. You may remember a few

34:27months ago the council supported home

34:29rule legislation to let the state know

34:31that we'd like to enact this. The state

34:33passed the law, and so we have to take

34:35this next step. Um just for a reminder,

34:38we budgeted roughly $800,000 in the FY27

34:41budget for this tax. In in

34:43>> I have a question. Do we um tax um

34:48that What is it called?

34:49>> Bed and Breakfast, B&B.

34:51>> Airbnbs.

34:52>> So, short-term rental occupancy through

34:54Airbnb, Verbo, that's something we are

34:56actively working on. Right now, the

34:58money that you're that I'm talking

34:59about, the $800,000, this this tax would

35:01apply, but we are we are still working

35:03on the logistics of doing those things.

35:05Um right now

35:07>> should, because there are so many

35:08Airbnbs popping up in neighborhoods and

35:10everywhere else.

35:11>> We're we're pursuing it. Obviously, it's

35:13it's more difficult than it is with uh

35:16you know, a Hampton Inn, something like

35:18that, where you know where they're

35:19located, etc. But, it's it's actively in

35:21the works.

35:22>> So, you're trying to locate those.

35:23>> I mean, you can go on Airbnb and Verbo

35:26and find out where they are.

35:27>> We [laughter] got to state.

35:28>> Just put Syracuse, New York in there,

35:29and they'll

35:29>> We'll locate the owners and send So,

35:32like I said, we are we are actively

35:33pursuing it. So, long-term, yes, we will

35:35be doing that.

35:37>> Are they supposed to be licensed by the

35:38city?

35:41>> License the short-term license.

35:43>> Cuz that's a question I have had with

35:45constituents over a couple of those

35:48Airbnbs.

35:50We don't know if they are licensed or

35:52he's just running a

35:54>> I'm seeing a lot of shaking heads. I

35:55apologize. The licensing piece is beyond

35:57me.

35:57>> Um they're [clears throat] So, they're

35:59are not licensed.

36:00>> No.

36:00>> So, maybe we should be Consider,

36:02colleagues, we should consider these

36:05Airbnbs to be licensed, so they're not

36:08running them out of an apartment house,

36:11which is causing from constituents have

36:13told me, cars are double-parked, they

36:16can't get out of their driveway, and we

36:18try to call the police. So, I would

36:20suggest we have to consider

36:23uh having these licensed

36:25licensed in the future. But, thank you

36:27for bringing that up. I appreciate it.

36:29>> do you have a question?

36:31>> No.

36:32>> Okay.

36:33Thank you.

36:41Commissioner?

36:44>> Good afternoon, counselors. Matt O'Jay,

36:45Commissioner of Assessment. We've got

36:47two roll corrections to uh request

36:49today, both on the current 26 27 roll.

36:53City-owned property at 101 Washington

36:54Square and a privately-owned property at

36:56301 South Kraus. Both had water bills

36:59incorrectly calculated and assessed. We

37:01would like to set those assessments

37:02right.

37:07Thanks, all.

37:08>> Thanks.

37:09>> And then, 27 28 will be executive

37:11session after after this today.

37:1520

37:17I think I'm 29. I I skipped one.

37:21My bad. Evan, come come on back. I just

37:24love seeing

37:25>> you today. Um item number 26 is a

37:26transfer of funds from special objects

37:28to SPD. As you may remember during the

37:30budget process, uh money we set aside

37:33for service errors services or changes

37:35we want to make related to dog control.

37:37In this case, two positions. So, now

37:38that we are moving forward that, we are

37:40moving the money from special objects

37:42where it cannot be spent into the

37:43department budget.

37:45>> Um is there anybody here from the police

37:47to talk about that?

37:47>> questions, yes. Keep your tails here.

37:53>> Hi.

37:53>> Hi, Deputy Chief.

37:55>> Hi. How are you?

37:55>> Um so, one of the questions I have is um

37:59are there going to be improved services?

38:00Like, are we going to be answering calls

38:02at night? And the other complaint I get

38:05from people in the community is when

38:06they call,

38:0890% of the time is answer is just leave

38:10the dog alone. There's nothing we can

38:12do. So, with these two new positions,

38:14are we going to try to improve that

38:17procedure and not tell people we're just

38:19leave the dog alone?

38:21>> Well, to your first point, these two new

38:22positions will be on afternoons. So,

38:25we'll have an increased footprint from

38:26days to afternoons. Um there's also a

38:29dog supervisory position that's in the

38:31parks budget that we want to hire as

38:32well to provide that supervision on that

38:34shift to make sure that the DCOs are

38:38answering the calls for service the way

38:39they should and not saying things that

38:41are inappropriate. To your second point,

38:43when things like that are said, we need

38:45to know specifics so I can address it

38:47because that shouldn't be something that

38:48they that they're saying to the

38:49community.

38:50>> For sure.

38:51>> Yeah, I definitely don't think they

38:52should be saying that to the community.

38:54>> Chief, on a good note, the school

38:55district is has a collaboration with

38:58animals, dogs coming to with therapy

39:00with the children.

39:02Can we get them on the the table to

39:04figure out how we can can continue to

39:06build that, but also maybe some language

39:09to bring into the schools for this for

39:11our kids. So,

39:13you know, kids are normally the checkers

39:14of their parents, right? So,

39:16we can get a little bit of

39:18on the dogs incorporate cooperation, but

39:21also because they're doing this uh

39:23therapy dog thing. So, we you know, it

39:25might be some kind of collaboration that

39:27we can get going.

39:28>> We have a a lieutenant that's very

39:29interested in the therapy dog. Um

39:32you know,

39:32work this in the arena there. So, we'll

39:34connect uh with SCSD on that for sure.

39:36>> Okay. Thank you.

39:37>> Absolutely.

39:39>> Thank you, Chief.

39:40>> Okay. Thank you. I'm good. Thank you.

39:41>> Counselor Maldonado.

39:42>> Uh we're back to

39:44>> Oh, I'm sorry.

39:45I am sorry.

39:46>> Uh assessment is requesting uh 15-year

39:49shelter rent uh colloquially called uh

39:52tax agreement

39:53for 720 927 South State Street. This is

39:56phase three of the East Adams project.

39:59This would be

40:00>> All right. 15.

40:01>> 15. 15 with a 15 renewal that uh

40:05our successors will be considering uh a

40:07few years from now. Um standard standard

40:10for uh these sorts of projects can um

40:12consistent with phases one and two.

40:14Uh this is a mixed-income property. The

40:17exemption applies to only the income

40:19restricted portion, 118 units.

40:22City would be remunerated $64,900

40:27per year plus usual fees and charges.

40:31Sewer, sidewalk, all of that. Um

40:34>> Escalator on that?

40:35>> 2% escalator on that. Again, consistent

40:38with phases one and two.

40:42>> Tax shelter agreement?

40:43>> Yep.

40:44>> Are we typically doing 15 years?

40:46>> Typically 15.

40:47>> Why 15?

40:49>> Uh

40:50mortgage usually um regulatory agreement

40:52with New York State is an excess of 30.

40:55They the developers tend to prefer 30.

40:58Common Council administration tend to

41:00not prefer an agreement that long. So,

41:02the compromise is 15 uh with a 15-year

41:04option.

41:06>> 15-year option is new within the last

41:09few few years, though.

41:11>> Yeah, [clears throat] before my time

41:12that wasn't the case, but

41:13>> You're sorry?

41:15No.

41:15>> Sure. I think there are a lot of 40s on

41:18the roll right now, I think.

41:19>> It seemed like it's too long.

41:20>> But I think I think 15 only goes back 10

41:22years, maybe.

41:23>> 15 years, I mean,

41:25just to throw it out there, it seemed

41:26like too long of agreement for just to

41:29stay

41:29>> 15 year is is normal, but the renewal of

41:32the 15 year is what changed some years

41:35ago that the new council has

41:38you know

41:40>> Uh so, just to add a little context, uh

41:42as Commissioner O'Jay said, uh 30 years

41:45typically what happens across the state

41:47on these because that's what follows the

41:49uh

41:50uh the tax credit. Uh the tax credit is

41:51typically a 30, 40, or 50-year

41:54timeline. So, uh we've been doing the 15

41:57historically long enough

41:59that that's worked, uh but neither New

42:02York State that issues uh the tax

42:04credits nor the investor

42:06uh would uh move a project forward if it

42:09has less than that because the uh

42:12financial projections on a

42:15uh on the operation of a project are uh

42:18that they have to provide in the front

42:19end are 15-year projections. So,

42:21anything less than that would

42:24uh would mean that the project would not

42:25go forward.

42:28>> So, you're saying if we if we wouldn't

42:30agree to the 15 year New York State

42:31wouldn't

42:33agree

42:33>> The the the tax credits would not be

42:34available.

42:35>> Mhm.

42:36>> The 15 years is no the renewal part is

42:38the other part. Yeah, I used to like

42:39[clears throat]

42:40>> Right.

42:40>> Like um some years ago y'all used to do

42:42like three five-year renewals or

42:44whatever or something like that. Um but

42:46the 15 year is

42:48pretty

42:49Yeah, pretty

42:50>> Yeah, the the the state the state has

42:51been clear to us that the preference is

42:5330.

42:54Uh

42:55they have allowed us to

42:58uh that they've allowed the situation to

43:00continue with it being a 15 year

43:03and continue to

43:04uh work with that and so far the tax

43:06credit investors have uh gone along with

43:08that as well. Uh but it is the and and

43:11part of that is the

43:12uh for the tax credit investor, it's

43:15that that the their their credit is good

43:17for 15 years. However, the income

43:19restriction on the project is the 30,

43:2140, or 50 years.

43:22And so, the uh the operational costs

43:26just need to be it would have balanced

43:27out.

43:30So, from a finance

43:31I can't speak from the tax side, but I

43:33can speak from the finance. I don't

43:34know.

43:35>> Okay.

43:35>> I Commission, one more question. I'm

43:37sorry.

43:38Um this is this is going to be the

43:40affordable housing.

43:41Do you do you know what the rents are

43:43going to be?

43:44>> So, uh

43:46this is it's it's we've got some mixed

43:48income in there. So, it it depends. So,

43:50the a lot of the units are the

43:52one-to-one replacement units or the

43:54public housing.

43:56Uh so, they go from basically public

43:58housing to uh

44:00the rent being supported that way to the

44:01rents being supported through the

44:02Section 8 voucher. So, it's still coming

44:04through HUD. And then after that, it

44:06goes up uh depending on what the um how

44:08the other units are, but they're all

44:10going to every unit that is covered

44:13under the

44:15the shelter rent agreement is going to

44:17be income restricted, and so the rent

44:18will be determined by the HUD by the by

44:21the HUD limits.

44:22>> Okay, thank you.

44:23>> Sure.

44:25>> Commissioner, who who uh

44:27Are you the one that track

44:30>> [laughter]

44:37>> Um

44:38So, it says here in the

44:41letter that is required

44:42>> [clears throat]

44:42>> the company will be required to provide

44:45annual accounting, right?

44:46>> Yes.

44:47>> Which

44:48whom um who track that?

44:50>> The Department of Finance.

44:52You know, they usually send their

44:53statements, I I believe, to Corp

44:54Counsel, Assessment, and Finance, but

44:57it's Finance who who has eyeballs on

44:58this annually.

44:59>> Okay.

45:00>> Probably MBD, too, but

45:01>> And we just go based on what they

45:02report, or do we check it?

45:04>> We we we we

45:05we certainly check them for any number

45:07of reasons. Simply having data is a good

45:10thing, but but we prefer the

45:12predictability of this $550 per unit.

45:15Um

45:16If it if it were to exceed that,

45:17obviously, I know Deputy Commissioner

45:20Voss really stays on top of making sure

45:23property owners pay or everyone pays the

45:25city exactly what is owed.

45:31That's all.

45:32>> Where is 30?

45:36>> Owen.

45:41Good afternoon, councilors. Owen Carney,

45:44Deputy Commissioner for Planning and

45:45Sustainability. This item is a contract

45:48amendment a request to amend our

45:50contract with EDR, local planning and

45:52design firm who's working with us on the

45:55comprehensive plan.

45:57Uh

45:58The new not to exceed amount would be

46:00$485,000

46:02up from $150,000

46:05which is

46:07our current contract.

46:09Um that increase is largely funded by a

46:13New York State Department of State uh

46:16grant for this work. And we had been

46:19waiting to receive that grant award from

46:21New York State, which we have.

46:24Um and so we're back in front of this

46:26body to to request that

46:28increase.

46:30Councilor Hudson, you you have a

46:31comment. I

46:32>> No. No. No. No comment.

46:34>> Um

46:35>> Are you sure?

46:35>> So the grant's 250 and then our piece is

46:37235. Is that what it How it breaks down?

46:39>> so the the grant the increase is

46:42$335,000

46:45net increase. 250,000

46:48would be covered by a state grant.

46:50And the other 85 would be covered under

46:53our planning budget.

46:55Which was put in this year's budget for

46:57that reason.

47:00>> Okay.

47:01So in 2050 you won't be coming back to

47:03this table for any more money, correct?

47:05>> Um

47:06I hope not.

47:082050?

47:09>> He's saying I'm not going to be

47:11That will happen real quick.

47:13>> I I don't I don't have a crystal ball,

47:14but I I hope I'm not back at this

47:18I'm not going to tell you how old I'm

47:19going to be.

47:20>> [laughter]

47:22>> Thanks, Homer.

47:23>> Thank you.

47:23>> Thank you.

47:24>> All right. Motion to move into executive

47:26session to address items 27 28.

47:29>> Second.

47:30>> All in favor.

47:32>> Suffolk mayor, I had one question for

47:34you after the end of the executive

47:36session.

48:02>> Mhm.

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