Common Council Agendas and Minutes

COMMON COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - 7:00 P.M. Common Council Chambers Roll call was taken. PRESENT: EXCUSED: Mayor Keeler Council President Biggs Council Member Trudeau Council Member Izzo Council Member Higgins Council Member Soloyna Council Member McCarthy Public Comment: Patricia Sibilia: I have a question about the library first, are we doing an AIA Contract? Mayor Keeler: What is that acronym? Patricia Sibilia: It is standard for architects as well as construction people. Typically, when you write a contract or this type of stuff you would do an AIA Contract. It is pretty standard in the industry to do an AIA Contract. I didn’t know if we were doing an AIA Contract.so I guess no is the answer. Mayor Keeler: I’m not familiar with that, we have a written contract with him. Patricia Sibilia: No that’s not an AIA. Mayor Keeler: ok then the answer is no. Patricia Sibilia: An AIA gets very legal in terms of liability and risks. It’s very formal. The other thing I have a question on is , it looks like based on the contract we’re talking about project completion for March 27 2027 is there a plan for what will happen with the library in the interm or will it stay as is? Mayor Keeler: the satellite library, which library? Patricia Sibilia: the temporary library. Mayor Keeler: Yes, it will stay up and running until we transition into the new building. Patricia Sibilia: are there other thoughts about possibly extending the services in that time? We are moving a lot of stuff out of the church building and I’m understanding that that is on the library’s budget not the city budget which pulls away from already the library budget that is down to a minimum. Couldn’t that be moved to another space to expand the services. Right now, my understanding is they’re holding certain programs outside of the temporary space because there is no space to do anything? Mayor Keeler: They are using the visitor’s center Patricia Sibilia: Wasn’t some of the stuff moved out of the church put into the visitors center? Mayor Keeler: Yes, I believe so. It’s a big visitor’s center. Patricia Sibilia: Ok, so then you think that there is still room. Mayor Keeler: I do. Yes Patricia Sibilia: The library is renting storage, why doesn’t it use the storage space? Mayor Keeler: That on the library I have no idea Barbara maybe you can answer that. Barbara: because the storage space is not a space we can use right now. We have one storage unit that is filled, we are waiting to hear about an second storage unit. Patricia Sibilia: ok so its falling on the library whose budget is thin. Unknown speaker: is the city continuing traffic stops with ICE or was that something that was planned or was something requested? Mayor Keeler: It was an annual seatbelt check point. It has gone on for 5 years. This is the first time we had ICE that I know of. I don’t know if there are others scheduled. It’s an annual event. Unknown speaker: Channel 10 said the state was not aware of ICE presents. Mayor Keeler: It started around 10am it was closer to 2:00 when the sharif said they were pulling out. Unknown speaker: there was a Times Union piece on Norlite do we have an update? Mayor Keeler: My understanding is that they are going to sell off to another company. Theresa Bourgeois: The White Street idea, I’m confused and surprised why we would sell that. It was part of our redevelopment for that area. Mayor Keeler: To eliminate your confusion, a developer came in who was willing to rehabilitate that old red church and part of that was he would need additional parking. The only way he could get the parking is for the city to give him the lot we really have no use for. It’s part of the redevelopment of downtown. Theresa Bourgeois: we had a vital plan and it’s not what we planned. Steve Napier: The plans for that part of the city have changed dramatically. Theresa Bourgeois: We all talked about this and I am confused why we would sell? Mayor Keeler: I hope I have clarified we are rehabbing that building turning what was a crumbling building into apartments. We are using that space for their parking. Theresa Bourgeois: That’s a pretty big change. Second of all the visitor’s center was supposed to be open for public events. It is filled with Park Playhouse staging. What happened to that commitment for that space? Mayor Keeler: it is being used as a public space and we say yes to anyone who wants to use it. Daniele Churniak: Last September lots of people were down town interested in Cohoes and we asked and we told no to have the exhibits on. People have not seen the exhibits because the visitor’s center has been closed. Mayor Keeler: When I came into office in 2020 we had talked you and Owen were going to come up with an agreement where he would supply some people to staff it and you were going to supply people to staff it. No body ever started it. Daniele Churniak: We do not have the capacity to staff the visitor’s center. That was traditionally done through the city. Mayor Keeler: Steve was that the LDC or the IDA staffing that? Steve Napier: It has been staffed different ways over the course of the years but most recently it was staffed by the LDC. Adam Biggs: at the last meeting, George Solonya chair of the development committee was to hold a public hearing to talk about the potential for the visitor’s center. That was put on hold until we figure out what is being held for storage. My personal experience was I wanted to bring my students there and was told the exhibits were not working. Owen found an alternative space for us and it was great. We had a great visit to the city but were unable to use that space. That was just my experience. George Soloyna: to speak to that its because if we re to store stuff there is really nothing we can do it right now and the library needs to get the books out of 75 because they are closing on the building. So no since in having a public hearing until we know if there will be any space left once all the books are there. Gil Either: Was ICE actually here? Mayor Keeler: Yes, 6 ICE agents fluent in a number of different languages. The citizen from Turkey was cleared the other 2 we illegal entrants that came into the country illegally that’s a crime. Also each of them had been previously deported 2 or 3 times. Public Hearing: This is a Public Hearing for the discontinuance of an unnamed street and/or right away running from Canvas Street to Mohawk Street between parcels known as Tax Map No. 10.67-3-5 and Tax Map No. 10.67-3-6.10 in the City of Cohoes. Mayor Keeler: Steve do you want to elaborate Steve Napier: The 2 parcels are both owned by a developer. for it to be used for apartments the developer would need that space for parking. In order to accomplish that we have to discontinue what was a sidewalk many many years ago not in my lifetime. Brian Kremer: it is unclear whether it was originally designed to be a street or if it is just a right away. It is unclear based on old maps. The old map shows it as a continuation of the street or a sidewalk. In any event, if this ordinance is passed .. really all the counsel is doing is discontinuing the use of that property as a street. As a matter of Law ownership would go to the owners of the adjacent parcels which in this case is the same group. It is not a purchase, so what happens is when a right away or public street is discontinued as a matter of Law the ownership goes to the people who own the adjacent property. Patricia Sibilia: As apposed to giving them an easement against it. Brian Kremer: Right, as apposed to us having to convey it to them or basically sell it to them. In this case it just happens that the same person owns both sides. If not ½ would go to 1 property owner and ½ would go to the 2nd property owner. Patricia Sibilia: Thank You Mayor Keeler: Anything else – No ok closing the Public Hearing then.  • Approve minutes of the April 8th and April 22nd, 2025 meetings Ordinance No. 3 for the year 2025 An ordinance amending the authorization of the resurfacing and/or repaving of certain streets in the City of Cohoes. Council President Biggs made a MOTION to approve Ordinance No. 3 for the year 2025. Seconded by Council Member Higgins. All members voted “AYE.” The motion passed. Ordinance No. 4 for the year 2025 An Ordinance discontinuing a portion of a city street and/or right away. Council Member McCarthy made a MOTION to approve Ordinance No. 4 for the year 2025. Seconded by Council Member Higgins. All members voted “AYE.” The motion passed. Resolution No. 19 for the year 2025 A Resolution approving an amended and restated cooperation agreement with Cohoes Housing Authority and authorizing the Mayor to execute same. Council Member Higgins made a MOTION to approve Resolution No. 19 for the year 2025. Seconded by Council President Biggs. All members voted “AYE.” The motion passed. Resolution No. 20 for the year 2025 A Resolution approving a contract for design and construction management services related to 75 Remsen Street. Council Member Soloyna made a MOTION to approve Resolution No. 20 for the year 2025. Seconded by Council Member Higgins. All members voted “AYE.” The motion passed. At 7:35 PM Council Member Higgins made a MOTION to adjourn. Council Member Izzo seconded the motion. All members voted “AYE.” The Common Council Meeting concluded. ______________________________ Roni Miorin, City Clerk