City Council

January 5, 2021 CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS City Council Meeting 7:00 PM (via zoom) 7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL SALUTE TO FLAG PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD / 15 MINUTES PRESENTATION CONSENT AGENDA 1. Approval of 12/14/2020 Pre-Agenda Meeting Minutes 2. Approval of 12/15/2020 City Council Meeting Minutes 3. Approval of 12/15/2020 City Council Meeting Transcript 4. Approval Payroll 1/1/2021 $76,495.76 5. Approval Payroll 12/31/2020 $444,073.60 6. Approval Warrant – 2020 20DEC3 $366,084.03 7. Approve Warrant – 2021 21JAN1 $156,795.67 8. Approve Mid-Warrant – 202020MWDEC4 $29,632.15 MAYOR’S DEPARTMENT 1. Announcement: 2021 Community Development Block Grant Sub-grantee Application Period Open 1/15/2021 2. Discussion and Vote: Approval to Hire a Senior Planner in Planning Department 3. Discussion and Vote: Saratoga Springs Recreation Department Part-Time/Seasonal Personnel/Referee Proposal ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT 1. Announcement: State Passes Legislation to Address Senior and Disable Homeowner Exemptions FINANCE DEPARTMENT 1. Update: City Finances 2. Discussion and Vote: Refunding Bond Resolution 3. Discussion and Vote: Budget Transfers - Payroll PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1. Nothing at this time. City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT 1. Announcement: COVID-19 Update 2. Announcement: Pre-Foreclosure/Foreclosure Prevention 3. Announcement: Assistant Fire Chief Appointment Effective December 26, 2020 SUPERVISORS Matt Veitch 1. Saratoga County 2021 Budget Update 2. 2020 Buildings & Grounds Year-End Report 3. Last City Council Meeting December 15th Absence 4. 2021 County Organizational Meeting, January 6 th at 4 p.m. Tara Gaston 1. COVID-19 Update 2. 2020 Board Year-End 3. Public Forum ADJOURN Page 2 of 7 City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 January 5, 2021 CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS City Council Meeting 7:00 PM (via Zoom) PRESENT: Meg Kelly, Mayor Michele Madigan, Commissioner of Finance John Franck, Commissioner of Accounts Anthony Scirocco, Commissioner of DPW Robin Dalton, Commissioner of DPS STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Shields, Deputy Mayor Deirdre Ladd, Deputy Commissioner of Finance Maire Masterson, Deputy Commissioner, Accounts Joe O’Neill, Deputy Commissioner, DPW Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner, DPS Vincent DeLeonardis Matthew Veitch, Supervisor Tara Gaston, Supervisor RECORDING OF PROCEEDING The proceedings of this meeting were taped for the benefit of the secretary. Because the minutes are not a verbatim record of the proceedings, the minutes are not a word-for-word transcript. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Kelly called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Kelly said the public comment period is limited to a total of 15 minutes and individuals are limited to two minutes. Mayor Kelly opened the public comment period at 7:01 p.m. No one spoke. Mayor Kelly closed the public comment period at 7:03 p.m. Page 3 of 7 City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Kelly moved and Commissioner Dalton seconded to approve the consent agenda as follows: 1. Approval of 12/14/2020 Pre-Agenda Meeting Minutes 2. Approval of 12/15/2020 City Council Meeting Minutes 3. Approval of 12/15/2020 City Council Meeting Transcript 4. Approval Payroll 1/1/2021 $76,495.76 5. Approval Payroll 12/31/2020 $444,073.60 6. Approval Warrant – 2020 20DEC3 $366,084.03 7. Approve Warrant – 2021 21JAN1 $156,795.67 8. Approve Mid-Warrant – 202020MWDEC4 $29,632.15 Ayes – All MAYOR’S DEPARTMENT Announcement: 2021 Community Development Block Grant Sub-grantee Application Period Open 1/15/2021 Mayor Kelly announced the 2021 Community Development Block Grant sub-grantee application period will open 1/15/21. Forms can be found on the City’s webpage. Discussion and Vote: Approval to Hire a Senior Planner in Planning Department (21-001) Mayor Kelly advised this position is to replace the administrator of planning and economic development that just retired. The senior planner will be hired at a lower salary, which is fiscally responsible. The Civil Service Commission has approved this. Mayor Kelly moved and Commissioner Scirocco seconded to approve the hiring of a senior planner in the Planning Department. Commissioner Madigan stated she is voting no on this. She will be providing under her agenda a sobering update on the City finances. She was hoping not to replace retirements right now as a way to save money. DRC seems to be the least busy of all three planning areas. Commissioner Scirocco stated the workload is there. Someone has to take over that part of it. Ayes – 4 Nays – 1 (Commissioner Madigan) Discussion and Vote: Saratoga Springs Recreation Department Part-Time/Seasonal Personnel/Referee Proposal (21-002) Mayor Kelly advised the pay approved for 2020 will remain the same hourly rate effective 1/1/2021. Mayor Kelly moved and Commissioner Franck seconded to approve the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department part-time/seasonal personnel/referee proposal. Ayes - All ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT Announcement: State Passes Legislation to Address Senior and Disable Homeowner Exemptions Page 4 of 7 City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 Commissioner Franck announced the New York State Legislature held a special session and Governor Cuomo signed into law the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act. This legislation includes a provision that covers senior citizens and persons with disability exemption for the 2021 assessment roll. The legislation:  Requires local governments to carry-over senior citizen homeowner exemption and disabled homeowner exemptions from the 2020 assessment roll to the 2021 assessment roll at the same levels.  Requires local governments to provide renewal applications via electronic or postal mail for individuals who may be eligible for a larger exemption in 2021.  Allows local governments to specify procedures where the local assessor may require renewal applications from residents who they believe no longer qualify for the exemption in 2021.  Bars any requirement that a recipient be required to appear in person to file a renewal if one is required. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Update: City Finances Commissioner Madigan advised the cash the City has is mostly what was recently borrowed. In years past, the budget has been less than the money we’ve had in the bank. The City is going to run into a cash problem again this June 2021. This year is looking similar to 2020 and our financial situation is looking similar. We have borrowed $11.3 million to date. We are going to require some discipline going into 2021 and beyond. Commissioner Dalton asked if there was any information on the City property for sale. Commissioner Madigan advised selling property will be helpful and bring in new revenue. Discussion and Vote: Refunding Bond Resolution (21-003) Commissioner Madigan advised the Finance Department has initiated a bond refinancing in the amount of $3 million for bonds dated June 15, 2013 and set to mature on June 15, 2033. Exact amount of savings will be announced after bond sale. Commissioner Madigan moved and Commissioner Dalton seconded to approve refunding bond resolution as included with the agenda. Roll Call: Commissioner Franck – Aye Commissioner Madigan – Aye Commissioner Scirocco – Aye Commissioner Dalton – Aye Mayor Kelly – Aye Discussion and Vote: Budget Transfers – Payroll (21-004) Commissioner Madigan moved and Commissioner Dalton seconded to approve budget transfers – payroll as included with this agenda. Ayes – All PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Commissioner Scirocco advised he would like to add an item to his agenda. Page 5 of 7 City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 Commissioner Scirocco moved and Commissioner Franck seconded to add an announcement to the agenda regarding decorative streetlights on Broadway. (21-005) Ayes – All Announcement: Decorative Streetlights on Broadway Commissioner Scirocco announced they will be leaving the decorative lights on Broadway up a little longer this year than normal this year to help keep people’s spirits up. PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT Announcement: COVID-19 Update Commissioner Dalton announced on December 18th there were 1,457 active cases in the county and today there are 2,770. There were 175 active cases on December 18th in the City and today there are 343 active cases. The number of hospitalizations was 33 on December 18th and today it is 52. The following locations have free masks people can pick up: Saratoga Springs Police Department, Recreation Center, and Franklin Community Center. We have entered the first phase of vaccination for front line workers. There is a need for volunteers to help administer the vaccinations. Mayor Kelly advised she, the hospital, and Assemblywoman Woerner have not heard from nor had any contact with the County regarding vaccinations. She understands people are being sent outside our County for the vaccine, why? Announcement: Pre-Foreclosure/Foreclosure Prevention Commissioner Dalton announced in 2017 they received a grant for zombie properties. The last requirement of that grant is to send a letter to the residents to provide information. Announcement: Assistant Fire Chief Appointment Effective December 26, 2020 Commissioner Dalton announced the appointment of Aaron Dyer to assistant fire chief effective December 26, 2020. She read a letter from the chief (attached). SUPERVISORS Matt Veitch Saratoga County 2021 Budget Update Supervisor Veitch reported the budget was approved December 9th. In the budget, they approved $350,000 for IT improvements to the County Board Room. They will be able to video stream their meetings. They added $75,000 for a public information officer. 2020 Buildings & Grounds Year-End Report Supervisor Veitch reported they are constructing a new perimeter fence at the airport, the completed the public safety building; and remodeled the fire-training center. They also got the Woodlawn Avenue building ready for Shelters of Saratoga. Page 6 of 7 City Council Meeting 1/5/2021 Last City Council Meeting December 15th Absence Supervisor Veitch reported he missed the City Council meeting on December 15, 2020 as the County Board of Supervisors held a 7-hour meeting. 2021 County Organizational Meeting, January 6th at 4 p.m. Supervisor Veitch reported tomorrow the board will be holding the 2021 organizational meeting and choose their new chair. Tara Gaston COVID-19 Update Supervisor Gaston reported the numbers continue to increase. Yesterday, the governor announced the UK B117 strain was found in Saratoga Springs. The investigation is on-going. The new strain is more contagious and transmits or easily but it is not more serious. Volunteers are needed to help administer the vaccinations. The entire vaccination process is in the hands of the state. Mayor Kelly advised she has not heard anything from the County regarding the vaccines and we are the largest city in the county. 2020 Board Year-End Supervisor Gaston reported they will be removing the 24-hour notice for public comment. Public Forum Supervisor Gaston reported her next public forum on January 21, 2021 at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Facebook live. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Mayor Kelly adjourned the meeting at 8:09 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lisa Ribis Clerk Approved: 1/19/2021 Vote: 5 - 0 Page 7 of 7