City Council

Minutes of the Finance Meeting Troy City Council June 14, 2017 6:00 PM The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Council President Mantello Pledge of Allegiance – Council Member Bodnar Roll Call: Council Member Gulli, Council Member McGrath, Council Member Bodnar, Council Member Doherty, Council Member Kopka, Council Member Donohue, Council Member Sullivan-Teta, Council Member Ashe-McPherson and Council President Mantello. Also present Mayor Madden, Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski, Corporation Counsel Caruso, Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski, and Commissioner of Planning Strichman. Also in attendance were two members of the public. ORD #53 ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND BUDGET. Ordinance passes by a unanimous vote ORD #54 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF A CAPITAL PROJECT ENTITLED UNCLE SAM TRAIL AND AMENDING THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND BUDGET FOR THE INITIAL FUNDING OF SAID CAPITAL PROJECT. Council President Mantello made a motion to amend the ordinance to correct a typo. Amendment passes by a unanimous vote. Amended ordinance passes by a unanimous vote. ORD #55 ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2017 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. Council President Mantello asked about the $90,000 in police overtime. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski responded that the police overtime are for the hours of 8:00 pm Friday until 8:00 am Monday from now until the end of the budget year. Council President Mantello asked why we need a consultant for $60,000 and for a breakdown of the cost. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski responded that the initial estimate is from a demolition company to demolish the catwalk area, cooler and small entry point as and approximately $30,000 for fencing to secure the site. Council President Mantello stated she doesn’t know if we need police there from 8:00 pm Friday through 8:00 am Monday for the rest of the year. Council Member Ashe-McPherson asked if we could look into a security company. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated she has a call into security services from the state contract. Council Member Ashe-McPherson asked how you will budget if the security company is cheaper. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated we will amend the budget and because it’s a third party we would transfer out of police overtime to consultant services. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski noted with July 4th approaching we will want coverage there as soon as possible. Council President Mantello stated she believes this is over zealous in terms of the $90,000 as per her conversation with Chief there have been approximately forty calls to the site since 2015. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski responded that in addition to the police calls, DPW staff goes to the site every day. Council President Mantello stated the city has had the property since 2012 and that this administration has been in since January 2016 so why haven’t they secured this property last year. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated we have to take into consideration our liability factor and be proactive as we legal action against the city. Council Member Donohue stated he fully supports securing the site. Council Member McGrath stated that he will vote no as he will not put bonding on the back of his constituents due to the lack of political courage. Council Member Gulli responded that voting a different way doesn’t mean they weren’t looking out for the best interest of the city and that this bonding is essential. Council Member McGrath stated there was an opportunity and this was the best deal on the table last week and now you are asking to take money from the contingency. Council Member Doherty stated he admires the administration for taking ownership of this and for making good recommendations and he is pleased that the police department is patrolling and that aggressive steps being taken. Council President Mantello asked for a complete breakdown from the demolition company and for the police OT. Council Member Bodnar suggested getting a second quote from the security companies for every night due to summer. Council member Donohue suggested alarms. Council President Mantello requested a slow roll. Ordinance passed 8 yes, 1 no (McGrath) RESOLUTIONS RES #52 Resolution By The Troy City Council Approving And Endorsing The City Of Troy, NY In Its Application To The Office Of Parks, Recreation And Historic Preservation For Funding Under The Historic Preservation And/Or Heritage Area Programs For Restoration Of The Rensselaer County Soldiers And Sailors Monument. Council President Mantello asked for a memo in support prior to the Regular Meeting. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote RES #53 Resolution By The Troy City Council Approving And Endorsing The City Of Troy, NY In Its Application To The New York Department Of State For Funding Under The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program For A Troy Parks, Recreation And Trails Master Plan. Council Member Bodnar stated a memo in support will be helpful and will give the Council more information. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski explained this plan will give Troy a strategy for the twenty six parks, greenspaces and aquatic facilities. Council Member Ashe-McPherson asked for clarification if this is a plan or a study. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated it is a plan for all of the parks and this is an application. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote RES #54 Resolution By The Troy City Council Approving And Endorsing The City Of Troy, NY In Its Application To The Empire State Development For Funding Under The Urban And Community Development Program For A Feasibility Study For Improvements At The Foot Of Congress Bridge And River Street. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote Council President Mantello asked if the 50% match is cash or in-kind. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski responded that it is both and it is being supplied by the TRF. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote RES #55 Resolution By The Troy City Council Approving And Endorsing The City Of Troy, NY In Its Application To The Office Of Parks, Recreation And Historic Preservation For Funding Under The Parks Program For Construction Of Urban Trails. Council President Mantello asked if this in all in kind. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated it is all real property and it’s the Urban Trails project that goes from Burden Pond, Campbell Ave., to the Rensselaer Land Trust to Spring Ave., to Prospect Park. She further stated it’s a 22 land parcel that came back to the city through foreclosure. Council President Mantello asked where the 22 acres are and requested a map. Council Member Bodnar asked if this is wetlands and Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated that it is and it is undevelopable land. Resolution passes 8 yes, 1 absent (Donohue) RES #56 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TROY, NEW YORK AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF AN ADDITIONAL $23,737,191 SERIAL BONDS TO FINANCE A CAPITAL PROJECT DESCRIBED IN THE COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW LONG TERM CONTROL PLAN. Resolution passes 8 yes, 1 no (Mantello) Council President Mantello stated that she will vote no as she does feel comfortable as she would have appreciated disclosing the bonding when the sewer rates went up and the $23 million is a high number. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated that the city just became aware of grant from the City of Albany and we can piggyback and this allows the city to receive $3-$4 million for the CSO project and directly decreases the exposure to debt for this project. He further stated that this resolution authorizes the issuance so we can piggyback and receive the full amount and that another other advantage is that it allows us to apply for other grants with the authorization in place. RES #57 RESOLUTION DETERMINING THAT ACTION TO APPROVE FUNDING OF A CERTAIN PROJECT WILL NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. Council President Mantello stated that the EFA as stated in the resolution is not on file in the Clerk’s Office. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated he will call the Bond Counsel for clarification. Council President Mantello stated the vote for this resolution will take place after he returns. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski returns and passes out a copy of the EAF to all Council members and he explains that it will be filed with the City Clerk after passage. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated that this says there is nothing detrimental to the environment because the asbestos would be remediated. Council President Mantello asked if he is saying there are no environmental hazards at Leonard and Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated no significant ones. Council President Mantello stated the Bond Counsel cannot fill out the EFA. Strichman explained that yes there are environmental issues but they will be abated. Corporation Counsel stated this is for the approval of the funding and the funding will not have an environmental impact. Council President Mantello said she is not comfortable and refers to section (e) of the resolution that states the City Council has determined the project will not have any significant adverse environmental impact and has so indicated by checking the appropriate box. She asked is the council the lead agency and why hasn’t it named the city? Resolution passes 8 yes, 1 no (Mantello) RES #58 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TROY, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $2,500,000 SERIAL BONDS TO FINANCE THE COST OF THE ABATEMENT AND DEMOLITION OF THE LEONARD HOSPITAL BUILDING. Deputy Comptroller Piotrowski stated he will call the Bond Counsel for clarification. Council President Mantello the vote for this resolution will take place after he returns. Council member McGrath stated that over a 5 year period we will pay over $500,000 a year which is equal to a 2.5% tax increase to pay for a bad business decision and he will vote no. Council President Mantello asked for a breakdown of the $2.5 million. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated this is an estimate and in order to get an actual breakdown we would have to go out to bid. Council President Mantello asked for the estimate and Strichman replied we are using the estimate from TCB. Gulli asked if this is for authorization to go forward to bond and Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski replied yes and if we can get an RFP for a shovel ready site we will look for a developer and after they see what comes back they can look for grants. She further stated that grant opportunities have a redevelopment component and are not just for demo. She further stated the grants are very competitive and a lot are for income based housing. Council President Mantello explained her vote and stated that RFP would go out after the demolition and we’re authorizing bonding when all of the Council members potentially will not be here for the bonding. She further stated that she has never seen a Council authorize bonding eight months in advance and there is no environmental assessment and before an RFP you get a Phase 1 and TCB may have one but the City of Troy has not. Council President Mantello called for a slow roll. Resolution passes 7 yes, 2 (McGrath, Mantello) RES #59 RESOLUTION DETERMINING THAT PROPOSED ACTIONS ARE TYPE II ACTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF THE NEW YORK STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote RES #60 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TROY, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $1,357,695 SERIAL BONDS TO FINANCE THE COST OF VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECTS. Resolution passes 8 yes, 1 no Mantello Council President Mantello stated she will vote no as this should be in the budget and not bonded and she would like to see the $1.3 million in capital in the budget. Resolution passes 8 yes, 1 no (Mantello) RES #61 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TROY, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $8,100,000 SERIAL BONDS TO FINANCE THE COST OF RECONSTRUCTION OF A SEA WALL. Council member McGrath stated that we are getting more money for the bond than the match and while it is enticing he would like to know how this benefits his district. Deputy Mayor Kurzejeski stated that the benefit is the sewer system that is threatened by the potential failure of the wall and that downtown is utilized by all districts. She further stated the wall has serious issues right now and the biggest concern is the sewer line. Resolution passes by a unanimous vote Adjournment Motion to adjourn – McGrath, 2nd Gulli Meeting adjourned 7:01 pm An audio recording of this meeting is on file in the City Clerk’s Office. Patti O’Brien City Clerk