Finance, Assessment and Taxation Committee

This meeting is being held in accordance to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order and other Federal and State Orders that impact in- person attendance at public meetings, if applicable orders expire or are revoked before March 4, 2021, this will be an in-person meeting in City Hall, please check our website and Facebook for updates. Please submit your public comment via email commoncouncil@albanyny.gov or on our website by March 4, 2021 12pm. These comments will be shared with members and/ or read for the record at the meeting. The meeting will be held using Zoom and streamed through the Albany Common Council’s Facebook. To stream this video please visit: https://www.facebook.com/albany.commoncouncil. If we experience any technical difficulties on Facebook, the video will be streamed to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC- rQHp1fBLPcdk_4N6J4XbQ COMMON COUNCIL MEETING FINANCE, ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION COMMITTEE Ginnie Farrell, Chair DATE: Thursday, March 4, 2021 TIME: 5:30 p.m. TOPIC(S) OF DISCUSSION/CONSIDERATION: THE CITY TREASURER DARIUS SHAHINFAR AND BUDGET DIRECTOR MICHAEL WHEELER PROVIDES UPDATE ON CITY FINANCE ORDINANCE NUMBER 44.122.20 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CLOSING OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK ORDINANCE NUMBER 45.122.20 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK TO SOUTH END DEVELOPMENT, LLC RESOLUTION NUMBER 13.21.21R A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL CONSENTING TO THE ELIMINATION OF ONE FULL TIME POSITION AND THE CREATION OF ANOTHER, WHICH WILL AFFECT A SALARY TOTAL FOR THE 2020 BUDGET (OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: YES Council Member Frederick introduced the following: ORDINANCE 44.122.20 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CLOSING OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK The City of Albany, in Common Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact: Section 1. It is hereby ordered and directed that Scott Street, an approximately 245 linear foot road connecting Leonard Street and Krank Street, be discontinued and closed. Section 2. It is hereby determined that the said right-of-way of Scott Street has been abandoned for municipal or public purposes. Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect immediately after public hearing and final passage. APPROVED AS TO FORM THIS 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2020 ________________________________ Corporation Counsel To: Danielle Gillespie, City Clerk From: Sarah Valis, Esq., Assistant Corporation Counsel Re: Request for Common Council Legislation Supporting Memorandum Date: December 9, 2020 SPONSOR Council Member Frederick ORDINANCE 44.122.20 TITLE AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CLOSING OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK GENERAL PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION This ordinance will close and discontinue Scott Street. If approved, Scott Street would be sold to South End Development for inclusion in the development of the Seventy-Six project NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION AND CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW Closing and discontinuance of rights-of-way requires legislative action. FISCAL IMPACT(S) None Council Member Frederick introduced the following: ORDINANCE 45.122.20 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK TO SOUTH END DEVELOPMENT, LLC The City of Albany, in Common Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact: Section 1. It is hereby ordered and directed that all the right, title and interest in the City of Albany in and to Scott Street be conveyed pursuant to the provisions of Local Law No. 4 of 1984 to South End Development, LLC. SUBJECT to all easements, restrictions and rights-of-way of record. Section 2. It is hereby determined that the aforesaid property has been abandoned for municipal or public purposes Section 3. The form, content, terms and conditions of such conveyance shall be approved by the Corporation Counsel and shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and if approved by said Board, the Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute a proper deed of conveyance for a valuable consideration. Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect immediately. APPROVED AS TO FORM THIS 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2020 ________________________________ Corporation Counsel To: Danielle Gillespie, City Clerk From: Sarah Valis, Esq., Assistant Corporation Counsel Re: Request for Common Council Legislation Supporting Memorandum Date: December 9, 2020 SPONSOR Council Member Frederick ORDINANCE 45.122.20 TITLE AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SCOTT STREET IN THE CITY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK TO SOUTH END DEVEOPMENT, LLC GENERAL PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION To sell Scott Street to South End Development, LLC for inclusion in the development of the Seventy-Six project. NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION AND CHANGES TO EXISTING LAW Sale of city owned property requires Council approval. SPECIFICS OF REAL PROPERTY SALE OR ACQUISITION Scott Street, an approximately 245 linear foot road connecting Leonard Street and Krank Street, has an appraised value of $272,500. South End Development is proposing to offset the cost of the conveyance through infrastructure improvements. FISCAL IMPACT(S) See attached Decommissioning Report. Council Member ______ introduced the following: RESOLUTION NUMBER 13.21.21R A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL CONSENTING TO THE ELIMINATION OF ONE FULL TIME POSITION AND THE CREATION OF ANOTHER, WHICH WILL AFFECT A SALARY TOTAL FOR THE 2020 BUDGET (OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES) WHEREAS, section 603(D)(b) of the Charter of the City of Albany dictates that any transfer of budgeted funds that affects a salary rate or salary total that occurs outside of those described in the duly adopted budget requires the approval of the Common Council; and WHEREAS, the Human Resources Office has requested the elimination of the Human Resources Generalist 1 position, which will result in the following changes: Eliminate HR Generalist 1 A.1430.1600.7000 ($36,419) Decrease (Salaries) A.1430.1600.7000 $36,419 (Contingency) A.1900.7448 $22,287 Total $58,706 and WHEREAS, the Human Resources Office has also requested that such Human Resources Generalist 1 position be replaced with the creation of a Human Resources Generalist 3 position, which will result in the following changes: Create HR Generalist 3 A.1430.1600.7000 $57,122 Increase (Salaries) A.1430.1600.7000 $57,122 (Social Security) A.1430.1600.7801 $1,584 Total $58,706 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Albany consents to the transfer of funds affecting salary totals due to the elimination of Human Resources Generalist 1 position and the creation of one additional Human Resources Generalist 3 position within the Office of Human Resources for the 2021 budget year. To: Danielle Gillespie, City Clerk From: Brett Williams, Senior Assistant Corporation Counsel Re: Memorandum in Support of Legislation Date: January 21, 2021 SPONSOR Council Member ________ RESOLUTION NUMBER 13.21.20R TITLE A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL CONSENTING TO THE ELIMINATION OF ONE FULL TIME POSITION AND THE CREATION OF ANOTHER, WHICH WILL AFFECT A SALARY TOTAL FOR THE 2021 BUDGET (OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES) GENERAL PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION The Director of Human Resources has requested that the vacant Human Resources Generalist 1 position present in the office’s budget for this year be changed to Human Resources Generalist 3 position, together with the concomitant increase in salary as soon as possible. Protected status, workplace violence, and general misconduct investigations will now be centralized in and completed by the Human Resources Office, which requires a more experienced employee than the current budgeted position. NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION AND CHANGE TO EXISTING LAW Pursuant to section 603(D)(b) of the City Charter “any transfer of budgeted funds that affects any salary rate or salary total” requires the approval of the Common Council. FISCAL IMPACT(S) This change represents a difference of $20,703.