City Council

OFFICE OF CITY CLERK SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL CAUCUS AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, May 12, 2025 Room 209 7:00 p.m. ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 01 Council Member A RESOLUTION Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $126,000.00 Grant from the United States Department of Energy for the Schenectady Police Department Votes Required 4 ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 02 Council Member A RESOLUTION Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $54,800.00 Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the City of Schenectady (ZEV) Votes Required 4 ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 03 Council Member A RESOLUTION Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $25,200.00 National Grid New York Electric Vehicle Make-Ready Program for the City of Schenectady Votes Required 4 ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 04 Council Member A RESOLUTION Requesting the Introduction of State Legislation Allowing the City of Schenectady to Increase Fees for Birth and Death Records Votes Required 4 1 Friday, May 09, 2025 Page 1 of 2  Monday, May 12, 2025 Room 209 7:00 p.m. ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 05 Council Member A RESOLUTION to Create the Designation of City of Schenectady Poet Laureate Votes Required 4 ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 06 Council Member A RESOLUTION Authorizing the Settlement of a Claim by Brian Boudreau Votes Required 4 ORIGINAL CONSIDERATION 07 Council Member A RESOLUTION Recognizing Refreshing Springs Community Church's 70th Anniversary Votes Required 4 2 Friday, May 09, 2025 Page 2 of 2  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $126,000.00 Grant from the United States Department of Energy for the Schenectady Police Department. WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy has awarded the Schenectady Police FT Department an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) grant in the amount of $126,000.00; and WHEREAS, the EECBG monies will be used to reimburse the City for the installation of a DC Fast Charging Station and for the partial purchase of a fully electric vehicle; and WHEREAS, the anticipated budget for the charging infrastructure is $99,000.00 and $27,660.00 for an electrical vehicle, however, per the terms of the Grant, the City is not restricted to those amounts RA for each category; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute any and all agreements necessary to effectuate the acceptance of $126,000.00 in Grant Award monies from the United States Department of Energy. Approved as to form this ____ day of May 2025. D ____________________________ Maxine L. Barasch Esq Corporation Counsel 3  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $54,800.00 Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the City of Schenectady. FT WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has awarded the City of Schenectady a Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $54,800.00; and WHEREAS, the ZEV Infrastructure Grant monies will be used by the City for the installation of two electric charging stations; and WHEREAS, $16,000.00 of the ZEV Infrastructure Grant monies will be applied for the RA installation of a charging station at the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, and $38,800.00 of the grant award will be applied for the installation of a charging station at the Schenectady Police Department, and additional monies from National Grid will be used for the installation of the charging station at the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course so that the charging station’s installation will not require additional funding from the City; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute any and all agreements necessary to effectuate the acceptance of $54,800.00 in ZEV Infrastructure Grant D Award monies from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Approved as to form this ____ day of May 2025. ____________________________ Maxine L. Barasch Esq Corporation Counsel 4  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Accept a $25,200.00 National Grid New York Electric Vehicle Make-Ready Program for the City of Schenectady. WHEREAS, the New York Electric Vehicle (EV) Make-Ready Program supports the FT development of electric infrastructure and equipment necessary to accommodate development in EVs within New York State by reducing the costs of building EV charging stations; and WHEREAS, the EV Make-Ready Program seeks to expand the installation of Level 2 and/or Direct Current Fast Charging stations; and WHEREAS, the City of Schenectady has been awarded up to $25,200.00 by National Grid for the installation of four Level 2 charging station plugs at the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course and no RA additional funding from the City is required; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute any and all agreements necessary to effectuate the acceptance of $25,200.00 from the National Grid New York EV Make-Ready Program. Approved as to form this _____ day of May 2025. D ____________________________ Maxine L. Barasch Esq Corporation Counsel 5  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Requesting the Introduction of State Legislation Allowing the City of Schenectady to Increase Fees for Birth and Death Records. WHEREAS, the City of Schenectady Clerk’s office is responsible for processing requests for Birth and Death Certificates; and FT WHEREAS, the fee for such records is set at ten dollars ($10.00) per the City Code and New York State law and the current $10.00 fee does not accurately or completely cover the costs in time and personnel for the search and production of such records; and WHEREAS, the New York State Public Health Section 4173 allows New York cities such as Albany and Jamestown to charge up to the amount the New York State Health Commissioner charges for such records, which is currently thirty dollars ($30.00) for the search of files and records and furnishing a certified copy of a Birth or Death Certificate; and RAWHEREAS, the City of Schenectady wishes to allow the Schenectady City Clerk to charge up to the maximum the New York State Health Commissioner charges for Birth and Death Certificates; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT, RESOLVED, that the Schenectady City Council and Schenectady Mayor Gary R. McCarthy formally request the New York State Legislature to introduce legislation amending New York State Public Health Section 4173 to allow the City of Schenectady Clerk to charge fees for Birth and Death Certificates at the same rate as the New York State Health Commissioner; and D IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, the Schenectady City Clerk is directed to send certified copies of this Resolution to the New York State Governor, the New York State Senate Majority Leader and Minority Leader, the New York State Assembly Speaker and the Assembly Minority Leader and to the New York Senator and the Assembly Members who represent the City of Schenectady. Approved as to form this ___day of May 2025 __________________ Maxine Barasch, Esq. Corporation Counsel 6  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK Resolution NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution to Create the Designation of City of Schenectady Poet Laureate. FT WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Schenectady hereby creates the designation of City of Schenectady Poet Laureate; and WHEREAS, the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate will be an unpaid honorary designation by the City Council and the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate shall not be considered an employee or officer of the City of Schenectady; and WHEREAS, the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate is a cultural ambassador who uses the power of poetry to celebrate the people of Schenectady, foster creative expression, inspire a deeper connection to RA community and culture and will champion mindfulness and inclusiveness to foster a wider appreciation of poetry; and WHEREAS, a Nominating Panel shall be made up of one representative each from Union College, SUNY Schenectady, the Schenectady School District, the Schenectady County Library Board of Trustees, and two at large City of Schenectady residents; and WHEREAS, the Nominating Panel shall develop an application process in accordance with this Resolution and the Nominating Panel’s recommendation shall include the criteria used in the selection process; and D WHEREAS the qualifications for the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate shall include, but are not limited to, being a City of Schenectady Resident and being a minimum twenty-one (21) years old with a proven history/catalogue of published works and/or (public) spoken word performances and such other qualifications that Nominating Panel shall deem appropriate; and WHEREAS, the Role and Contributions of the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate shall include. 1. Promoting written and spoken word voices among City residents to connect with intergenerational audiences. 2. Promoting youth efforts to increase reading and writing of literature. 3. Facilitating four (4) literary events and four (4) educational programs in collaboration with the City of Schenectady School district and local colleges. 4. Presenting semi-annual reports on activities to the Schenectady City Council and the Poet Laureate 7  Nominating Panel; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT, RESOLVED, effective September 8, 2025, and biennially thereafter, at the Schenectady City Council’s first meeting in September, the City of Schenectady Poet Laureate shall be designated by the Schenectady City Council based on the recommendation of the Nomination Panel. Approved as to form this ___ day of May 2025. ____________________________ Maxine Barasch, Esq. Corporation Counsel FT RA D 8  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Authorizing the Settlement of a Claim by Brian Boudreau. WHEREAS, the Office of the Corporation Counsel has recommended that it would be in the best interest of the City to settle this matter; and FT WHEREAS, the settlement proposal was accepted by the City Council Claims Committee: NOW, THEREFORE BE IT, RESOLVED, that the Office of Corporation Counsel is authorized to enter into an agreement with Brian Boudreau to settle this matter in the amount of $60,000.00, the terms of which shall be set by RA the Corporation Counsel. Approved as to form this ___ day of May 2025. ____________________________ Maxine L. Barasch, Esq. Corporation Counsel D 9  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. Councilmember offered the following: A Resolution Recognizing Refreshing Spring Community Church's 70th Anniversary WHEREAS, Refreshing Spring Church of God in Christ, Inc. was founded in a storefront located at 317 Lafayette Street in Schenectady, NY by the late Elder Eugene and Sister Georgetta Dix. The church was officially dedicated on May 15, 1955, by the late Bishop Wilborn of Albany, NY; and FT WHEREAS, in January 1970, the Grace Lutheran Church, holders of the mortgage for 30 Steuben Street, sponsored a musical concert with the Refreshing Spring Church choir as the featured guest. At the close of the service, they presented the deed for 30 Steuben Street to Elder Eugene Dix. The indebtedness at that time was well over $5000. The congregation moved from the renovated garage on Lafayette Street to their new location; and WHEREAS, the small congregation faced many hardships in the early days, through faith and much courage, God brought them out and Refreshing Spring Church became known as “the little church in the heart of the city, with the people of the city in its heart”; and RA WHEREAS, since its inception in 1955, Refreshing Spring Church has launched numerous ministries that assisted thousands of people with food, clothing, shelter, emergency loans, and transportation. The church had a jail ministry, a hospital ministry, a radio and television ministry and senior services, to name a few; and WHEREAS, the Refreshing Spring Daycare Center was founded in 1965, with the help of the former Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM) sending volunteers. The daycare center accepted children from six weeks to 11 years old. The center was NYS certified in 1966 and became a corporation, out of this, Refreshing Spring Christian Academy was born; and D WHEREAS, in December 1970 the church experienced a great loss, the death of Elder Eugene Dix. His death shook the Hamilton Hill neighborhood and surrounding areas. Elder Dix was not only a pastor but also a presence in the Hamilton Hill community and throughout Schenectady; and WHEREAS, Elder Louvernal McDaniel then became the pastor of the church as it continued to grow. Elder McDaniel commuted from Waterbury Ct to Schenectady three times a week. Under his leadership the church moved from 30 Steuben Street to its present location at 327 Georgetta Dix Plaza; and WHEREAS, in 1985, Dr. Georgetta Dix became the pastor, with the mortgage being paid off the same year. The church continued with its beginning principles of being a light in the community, and a ministry that was a part of the community; and WHEREAS, in November 2004, the church and the community experienced another great loss with the passing of Dr. Georgetta Dix. From 2004 to 2011 the church had several interim pastors until the call was accepted by Pastor Arnetta Dix in 2012, who continues to serve; 10  NOW, THEREFORE BE IT, RESOLVED, that the Schenectady City Council and Mayor Gary R. McCarthy, do hereby pause in their deliberations to congratulate the pastor and congregation of Refreshing Spring Community Church as they celebrate 70 years of service and ministry in the City of Schenectady. Approved as to form this ____ day of May 2025. ____________________________ Maxine L. Barasch, Esq. Corporation Counsel FT RA D 2 11