City Council

January2,2024 CITYOFSARATOGASPRINGS CityCouncilMeeting 474 Broadway SaratogaSprings, NewYork 7:00PM P.H. –AmendVariousChaptersoftheCity CodetoRemoveFees P.H. – AmendChapter 136ofCityCode ArticlesIV,IVA,V,VI,andVII (Accounts ItemNo.3) 7:00PM CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL SALUTE TO FLAG PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD / 15MINUTES PRESENTATION CONSENT AGENDA 1. ApproveMid-Warrant2023, 23MWDEC3 $30,801.58 2. ApproveMid-Warrant2023, 23MWDEC4 $3,500.00 3. ApproveWarrant2023 –23DEC3 $402,012.66 4. ApproveWarrant2024 –24JAN1 $156,583.30 5. ApprovePayroll –12/22/23 $502,929.53 6. ApprovePayroll -12/29/23 $744,835.09 MAYOR’SDEPARTMENT 1. Discussion andVote: UpdatedScholarship Application Approval 2. Announcement: CityCouncilPublicComment Rules 3. Announcement: BelmontStakesCommittee 4. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoPayJudgment inArticle78CaseUsing2023Funds ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT 1. AwardofBid: LegalServicesforMultidistrict LitigationNumber 2873Settlement totheLawOffice of RobertKing, PLLCandStagLiuzza, PLLC 2. AwardofBid: PostClosureMonitoring toCTMale 3. AwardofBid: Commercial Appraisal ServicesandResidential PropertyData Verification withOnline Assessment Database 4. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithGARAssociates, LLC City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 5. Discussion andVote: AmendChapter 136oftheCityCodeArticleIV,IVA,V,VI,andVII 6. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortosignWorkAgreement withSandersFire 7. Announcement: SpecialEvents 8. Announcement: BusinessMilestones FINANCE DEPARTMENT 1. Announcement: Update onCityFinances 2. Discussion andVote: 2023Participatory Budgeting ProjectsforFunding 3. Discussion andVote: Resolution toAmend2024AdoptedBudget 4. Discussion andVote: 2024Revised TaxRates 5. Discussion andVote: BudgetTransfer – TaxCap 6. Discussion andVote: BudgetTransfers – Contingency PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContract withCoreandMainforSensusMeter Products 2. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContract withCTMaleforPost-Closure Monitoring Services 3. DiscussionandVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithAdirondack CablingforSecurity Services 4. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignChangeOrder #5withSchnable Engineering 5. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContract withLawOfficeofRobertKingforLegal Services PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT 1. Discussion andVote: Authorization fortheMayortosignaContractwithWardApparatus SUPERVISORS MattVeitch 1. BoardofSupervisors Organizational Meeting January3,2024at4p.m. MicheleMadigan 1. Remarks ADJOURN Page 2 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 January2,2024 CITYOFSARATOGASPRINGS CityCouncilMeeting 474Broadway SaratogaSprings, NewYork 7:00PM PRESENT: JohnSafford, Mayor MinitaSanghvi, Commissioner ofFinance DillonMoran, Commissioner ofAccounts JasonGolub, Commissioner ofDepartment ofPublicWorks TimColl,Commissioner ofDepartment ofPublicSafety STAFFPRESENT: JoAnneKiernan, DeputyMayor HeatherCrocker, DeputyCommissioner, Finance StacyConnors, DeputyCommissioner, Accounts JoeO’Neill,DeputyCommissioner, Department ofPublicWorks DanCharleson, DeputyCommissioner, Department ofPublicSafety MatthewVeitch, Supervisor MicheleMadigan, Supervisor RECORDING OFPROCEEDING Theproceedings ofthismeetingweretapedforthebenefitofthesecretary. Becausetheminutesarenota verbatimrecordoftheproceedings, theminutesarenotaword-for-wordtranscript. PUBLIC HEARING AmendCariousChaptersoftheCityCodetoRemoveFees MayorSaffordopenedthepubliccomment periodat7:01p.m. Noonespoke. MayorSaffordconcluded thepublichearingat7:02p.m.andkeptitopen. AmendChapter 136oftheCityCodeArticles IV,IVA,V,VI,andVII MayorSaffordopenedthepubliccomment periodat7:02p.m. Noonespoke. MayorSaffordclosedthepublichearingat7:04p.m. Page 3 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 CALL TO ORDER MayorSaffordcalledthemeetingtoorderat7:05p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Safford advised heisresponsible for the safety ofeveryone inthe room and tobe fair toall who wishes tospeak. The rules areattached tothe agenda and posted onthewebsite. Any member ofthe Council can becontacted ifsomeone wishes todiscuss the rules. Inorder tobefair hemust befirm. He will implement athree-minute time toeach person tospeak and allow atotal of 30minutes for public comment section ofthe meeting. This isnot a ‘power’ thing but itis democracy. This isthe only time the public can speak tothe entire Council atthe same time. No one expects them alltoagree but they alllove the City and want toget the business done. MayorSaffordopenedthepubliccommentperiodat7:10p.m. RoseTaitofSaratogaSpringswelcomed themayorandthenewcommissioner. Shestatedshehasbeen cominghereoverayearregardinganissueonLincolnAvenue. ChrisMathiesen ofSaratoga Springsstatedhee-mailedtheCityCouncilregarding thedowntown parking plan. Hehasconcerns aboutthesuccessofdowntown. Theremovalofparkingmeterswastoallow downtowntocompetewithmalls, wherethereisfreeparking. Theplanbeingproposed wouldcharge peopletoparkingarages, surfacelots,andstreetsadjacenttodowntown thatwouldparkatnocharge. TheBow-TieCinemaisgoingtoopenandoperatethemovietheatreatthemall –peoplecanpayfor parkingtosee amoviedowntown orgotothemallandparkforfreetoseeamovie. OscarSchriberofSaratogaSpringsstatedheadvisedthefinancecommissioner inearlyOctoberthatthe disbursement ofgrantfundsforopioidtreatmentcannotgotowardthehomeless shelter. Fundsfromgrants havetobeusedforwhatitwasgivenandearmarked for. HesentaFOILrequestonOctober23,2023, has notheardaword, andhasnotreceivedanyinformation. TracySangarestatedsheishereregarding thenewrulesforpubliccomment. Traditionally ithasbeen seenthattheruleshaveonlybeenenforcedagainstpeopleofcolor. Clapping allowshertoshowher supportforsomething said. Sheisconcerned howtheruleswillbeenforced. Givinganaddress couldput peopleindanger; shehas noproblemproviding atownofresidence. Therulesalsoallowthemayorthe discretion tobreaktherulesforwhothemayordeemsacceptable. KristenDartwelcomed thenewmayorandcommissioner. Theagendaiscurrentlyonlyavailablethrougha laptopandnotavailable viaphone. Shestatedproviding anaddress couldbedangerous asvictimsof domestic violenceandstalkingcouldbeatriskbygivingtheaddress. MaryBeth DelarmofSaratogaSprings agreeswithnotgivingafulladdress. Shesuggested indicating ifthe personisaCityresidentornotaCityresident. SheaskedtheCounciltoconsiderreturningthemeetings to theroomdownstairs unlessthereisahugecrowd. MaryBeth askedforcamerastobeabletocapturethe facesoftheaudience andtohavecivilityreturnedamongsttheCityCouncil. SheaskedtheCouncil to abidebythesamerulesgiventotheaudienceandnotbullyoneanother. NickFazzioli ofSaratogaSprings statedheiswiththeVanDam/ChurchStreetNeighborhood Association. HethankedtheCouncilforthefirststepregarding thetrucktraffic. Helooksforwardtoworkingwiththis Councilandgettingabroaderplaninmotion. TheyareheretoworkwiththeCityonthisissue. SamBrewerofSaratoga Springsstatedheisconcerned aboutthenewparkingplanintheCity. Paid parkingdoesn’tbenefitpeopleandisbadforbusiness. Hesuggested tablingthepaidparking untilthe publichasadequatetimetotelltheCouncil howtheyfeel. Page 4 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 MayorSaffordclosedthepubliccommentperiodat7:32p.m. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Safford moved and Commissioner Moran seconded to approve the consent agenda as included: 1. ApproveMid-Warrant2023, 23MWDEC3 $30,801.58 2. ApproveMid-Warrant2023, 23MWDEC4 $3,500.00 3. ApproveWarrant2023 –23DEC3 $402,012.66 4. ApproveWarrant2024 –24JAN1 $156,583.30 5. ApprovePayroll –12/22/23 $502,929.53 6. ApprovePayroll12/29/23 $744,835.09 Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 MAYOR’SDEPARTMENT Discussion andVote: Updated Scholarship Application Approval (24-001) Mayor Safford moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toapprove the updated scholarship application asincluded with the agenda. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Announcement: CityCouncilPublicComment Rules MayorSaffordstatedhespokeearlierabouttherulesandthankedtheaudiencefortheirfeedbacktonight. Theruleshavebeenvettedthroughanumberofplaces. Helooksforward tohearing options. Announcement: BelmontStakesCommittee MayorSaffordannounced theBelmontStakesCommitteewillbearegionaleventworking withtheCity. Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoPayJudgment inArticle78CaseUsing2023Funds (24- 002) Mayor Safford moved and Commissioner Golub seconded toauthorize themayor topay ajudgment inArticle 78case using 2023 funds. Commissioner Moranaskedwhomthecheckwillbegoingto. MayorSaffordstatedhebelievedthecheckisgoingtoMikeBrandi. Commissioner Moranconfirmed MikeBrandiistheGOPchair. MayorSaffordstatedthatiscorrect. Commissioner Moranstatedthatisnotcivil. Ayes – 4 (Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Page 5 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 Nays – 1 (Commissioner Moran) ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT AwardofBid: LegalServicesforMultidistrict LitigationNumber2873Settlement totheLawOfficeofRobert King,PLLCandStagLiuzza, PLLC (24-003) Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded move toaward the bid forLegal Services forMultidistrict Litigation Number 2873 Settlement toLaw Office ofRobert King, PLLC and Stag Liuzza, PLLC according tounit bid pricing. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 AwardofBid: PostClosureMonitoring toCTMale (24-004) Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded extend the award the bid for Post Closure Monitoring toCTMale under the same terms, conditions, and pricing asinbid 2021- 29. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 AwardofBid: Commercial Appraisal Services andResidential PropertyDataVerification withOnline Assessment Database (24-005) Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toaward the bid forCommercial Appraisal Services and Residential Property Data Verification with Online Assessment Database to GAR Associates inthe amount nottoexceed $115,000. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithGARAssociates, LLC (24-006) Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with GAR Associates, LLC forResidential Property Data Verification with Online Assessment Database asincluded with the agenda. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Discussion andVote: AmendChapter136oftheCityCodeArticleIV,IVA,V,VI,andVII (24-007) Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toamend Chapter 136 ofthe City Code articles IV,IVA, V,VI,and VIIasincluded with the agenda and remove allfees listed within. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Page 6 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortosignWorkAgreementwithSandersFire (24-008) Commissioner Moranadvisedthatthisagreement isforthefiresuppression systeminthevaultinthe AccountsDepartment. Commissioner Moran moved and Commissioner Golub seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign the fire suppression contract with Sanders Fire asincluded with the agenda. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Announcement: SpecialEvents Commissioner Moranannouncedthefollowingspecialevents: Saturday & Sunday, January13thth & 14 – SaratogaYouthHockeyTournaments Friday, Saturday & Sunday, January26thth – 28 – SaratogaYouthHockeyTournaments Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February9th – 11th –SaratogaYouthHockeyTournaments thth Saturday, February10 – 11a.m. –4p.m.isthe25 yearofChowderfest! Announcement: BusinessMilestones Commissioner Moranstatedhehasnobusinessmilestonestoreport. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Announcement: Update onCityFinances Commissioner Sanghviadvised2023mortgage taxcollected is $ 1.7milliondollars; a19.85%decrease from2022. Thesalestaxisup7.53%from2022andhavecollectedapproximately $15milliondollarsyear todate (Octobernumbers). Discussion andVote: 2023Participatory Budgeting ProjectsforFunding (24-009) Commissioner SanghvistatedthepubliccansuggestitemsofwhattheywouldliketoseetheCitytakeon asaproject. TheCommittee reviewsthesuggestions andmakesrecommendation totheCityCouncilfor approval. Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Golub seconded toapprove the following participatory budgeting projects: Saratoga Farmer’sMarket for $12,000; Lake Avenue Centennial Celebration for $10,000; the solar charging bench atthe public library for $12,500; the bocce ball court atVeterans Memorial Park for $13,000; and Opera Saratoga Family Programming for $15,000. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Discussion andVote: Resolution toAmend2024AdoptedBudget (24-010) Commissioner SanghvistatedpartofPILOT (paymentinlieuoftaxes)payments aregiventotheCounty andschooldistrict. ThefullamountofthePILOTwascalculated anddidnotcalculatetheamounttobe giventotheCountyandschooldistrict. Thisresolution resolvedthatsituationasisasfollows: Page 7 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 ARESOLUTION OFTHECITYCOUNCIL OFTHECITYOFSARATOGASPRINGS, NEWYORK BEITRESOLVED, bytheCityCounciloftheCityofSaratogaSprings, NewYork, asfollows: WHEREAS, OnNovember28,2023thisCounciladoptedthe2024AdoptedBudget; and WHEREAS, sincethen, ithascometotheattention oftheDepartmentofFinancethattheamountstatedintheadopted2024Adopted Budgetforline #A012-41001, $17,640,999, wasbasedonerroneouscalculations. Uponinvestigation, itwasfoundthatthe calculationswerecausedentirelybyhumanerror.Asummary oftheerroneouscalculationandthecorrectcalculationareincluded withthisresolution andmadeaparthereof; and WHEREAS, theCityAttorneyhasadvisedthat,whiletheCityCharterissilentastohowtocorrectsuchhumanerrors, Section4.4.8 of theCityCharterprovidesthattheCommissioner ofFinanceshallreportshortfalls inthebudget, andthattheCouncil “shalltakesuch furtheractionitdeemsnecessarytopreventorminimizeanydeficit,andforthatpurposemaybyresolutionreduceoneormore appropriation (sic)asallowedbylaw”;and WHEREAS, theerroneousamountcurrentlyexceedstheamountallowedundertheNewYorkStatePropertyTaxCaprequirements, andassuchisinconsistent withstatelaw; and WHEREAS, theCityAttorneyhasadvisedthattheprovisions inCharterSection4.4.8 maybeinvokedtocorrectanadoptedbudget thatisinerroranddoesnotcomplywithastatelaw, NOW,THEREFORE, BEITRESOLVEDasfollows: 1.ThisCouncil, uponreviewofthecalculations providedbytheDepartmentofFinance, herebyamendsthe2024AdoptedBudgetto correcttheerrorinline #A012-41001, theGeneralFundPropertyTaxLevy, andtoreplacetheerroneousamountof $17,640,999with thecorrectamountof $17,553,429. 2.ThisCouncilalsoamendsthe2024TaxRatesasoutlinedinExhibitAtoreflecttherevisedamount, $17,553,429, inline #A012- 41001, theGeneralFundPropertyTaxLevy. 3.Allothercalculations, dataandinformationcontainedinthe2024AdoptedBudgetshallremainineffectaspreviouslyadoptedon November28,2023. Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toapprove the resolution to amend the 2024 adopted budget. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays - 0 Discussion andVote: 2024Revised TaxRates (24-011) Commissioner Sanghviadvisedthe2024taxratewilldecrease approximately $0.02per $1,000of assessed value. Theinsidedistrictwillgofrom $5.2685to $ 5.2424per $1,000ofassessed value and the outsidedistrictwithgofrom $5.202to $5.1762per $1,000ofassessed value. Ratesforthecapitalbudget andthedowntownspecialassessment districtremainthesame. Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toapprove the revised taxrates as attached tothe agenda. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: BudgetTransfer – TaxCap (24-012) Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toapprove budget transfers – tax cap. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: BudgetTransfers – Contingency (24-013) Commissioner Sanghviadvisedthestartingbalanceofcontingency is $ 400,000and $312,840willremain afterthetransfer. Page 8 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toapprove the budget transfer contingency. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithCoreandMainforSensusMeter Products (24-014) Commissioner Golub moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with Core and Main for Sensus meter products valid until 12/31/24not toexceed unit bid prices. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithCTMaleforPost-Closure Monitoring Services (24-015) Commissioner Golub moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with CT Male forpost-closure monitoring services valid until 12/31/24not toexceed unit bid prices. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithAdirondack Cabling forSecurity Services (24-016) Commissioner Golub moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with Adirondack Cabling forsecurity services valid until August 25,2024 not toexceed unit bid prices. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignChange Order #5withSchnable Engineering (24- 017) Commissioner Golub moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign change order #5with Schnable Engineering toextend the completion date to12/31/24. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Discussion andVote: Authorization forMayortoSignContractwithLawOfficeofRobertKingforLegal Services (24-018) Page 9 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 Commissioner Golub moved and Commissioner Sanghvi seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with the Law Office ofRobert King forlegal services valid until 12/31/24. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Commissioner Golubrespondedtooneofthepublicspeakers toadvisenodecisions havebeenmade regarding parking. Therewillbepublichearings. PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT Discussion andVote: Authorization fortheMayortoSignaContractwithWardApparatus (24-019) Commissioner Colladvisedthepurchaseofthevehiclewillcomefromthe2023budgetline. Commissioner Coll moved and Commissioner Moran seconded toauthorize the mayor tosign a contract with Ward Apparatus. Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 SUPERVISORS MattVeitch BoardofSupervisors Organizational Meeting January3,2024at4p.m. Supervisor Veitchreportedtheorganizational meetingwillbeheldtomorrow at4p.m. TheBoardwillelect thechairandthevice-chairaswellaseachsupervisor willreceivetheircommitteeassignments. Hewill reporttotheCityCouncilhisassignments atthenextCityCouncilmeeting. MicheleMadigan Remarks Supervisor Madigancongratulated there-electedofficialsandthetwonewofficials. Sheishappytoseethe CityCouncilmeetingsreturntothe7p.m.starttimeandrulesofconduct areinplace. Shewillreporttothe CityCouncilofhercommittee assignments atthenextCityCouncilmeeting. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Sanghvi moved and Commissioner Golub seconded toadjourn the meeting at 8:14 p.m. Page 10 of 11 City Council Meeting 1/2/2024 Ayes – All (Commissioner Moran, Commissioner Sanghvi, Commissioner Golub, Commissioner Coll, and Mayor Safford) Nays – 0 Respectfully submitted, LisaRibis Secretary totheCityCouncil Approved: 5 -0 Vote: 1/16/2024 Page 11 of 11