City Council

Minutes of the TROY CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING April 1, 2021 7:00 P.M. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, this meeting was held remotely via videoconference. The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Council President Mantello. Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call: The roll being called, the following answered to their names: Council Member Gulli, Council Member Ashe-McPherson, Council Member Steele, Council Member Cummings, Council Member Zalewski, Council Member McDermott, Council President Mantello, Chair. In attendance were Mayor Patrick Madden, Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski, Corporation Counsel Richard T. Morrissey, Comptroller Andrew Piotrowski, and Police Chief Brian Owens. Council Member Zalewski made a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the prior meeting and approve as posted. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nos. Public Forum: The following individuals spoke regarding Resolution 27:  Amanda Wild  Angela Beallor  Bob Blackmon  Chel Miller  Dan Phiffer  Daquetta Jones  Dara Silbermann  Debra Garrett  Ellie Irons  Hanna van der Kolk  Messiah Cooper  Melissa Bromley  Noreen McKee  Rafael Varela  Rhea Drysdale  Ryan Rose  Sylva Menard  Tony Buchanan 1 The following individual submitted a written comment regarding Resolution 27, which is appended to these minutes:  John Johanson 1. A Local Law Amending § C-48 (H) (3) Of The Charter Of The City Of Troy To Authorize Installment Agreements For The Payment Of Eligible Delinquent Taxes Over A Term Of Thirty Six Months (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) For introduction only. Public hearings scheduled for April 22, April 29, and May 6. 16. Ordinance Authorizing Settlement Of Claim, To Wit: State Farm Insurance Company A/S/O Christina L. Florada, Plaintiff, V. City Of Troy, City Of Troy Police Department, And Jane Doe (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Ordinance passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 17. Ordinance Authorizing The City Of Troy To Accept Grant Funding From The Department Of Homeland Security For Firefighting Equipment And Amending The 2021 General Fund Budget To Appropriate Funding From Said Grant (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Ordinance passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 18. Ordinance Amending The 2021 General Fund Budget (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Ordinance passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 19. Ordinance Authorizing The Reconveyance Of Real Property Acquired By In Rem Foreclosure (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Ordinance passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 21. Ordinance Authorizing The Reconveyance Of Real Property Acquired By In Rem Foreclosure (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Ordinance passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 20. Resolution Approving The City Clerk’s Appointment Of Sharon Wells As Assistant To The City Clerk And Setting The Annual Salary Of The Assistant To The City Clerk (Council Member Zalewski) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 21. Resolution Of The City Of Troy, New York, Authorizing The Negotiation, Execution And Delivery Of Lease/Purchase Agreements To Finance The Purchase Of Golf Course Maintenance Equipment (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 2 22. Resolution Appointing Commissioners Of Deeds For The City Of Troy (Council President Mantello) Resolution amended to add Julia Alsarraf and Sharon Wells, 7 ayes, 0 nos. Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 23. Resolution Of The Troy City Council Authorizing A Change In The Direction Of Travel On State Street Between 1st And 3rd Streets (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 24. Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Enter Into A Contract With Fundamental Business Service, Inc., For The Purpose Of Providing Parking Enforcement Management Services For A Three Year Period (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 25. Resolution Adopting A Response Plan For The City Of Troy To Implement In Future Public Health Emergencies (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 26. Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Enter Into A Contract With Mitchell Associates Architects PLLC For The Purpose Of Supplying The City With An Architectural Feasibility Study For Replacement Of The Lansingburgh Firehouse (Council President Mantello) (At The Request Of The Administration) Resolution passed 7 ayes, 0 nos, 0 abstentions. 27. Resolution Adopting Report Of The City Of Troy Police Reform And Reinvention Collaborative (Council President Mantello) Zalewski proposed to amend resolution to add:  Insert in paragraph 1: “declaring that „government has a responsibility to ensure that all of its citizens are treated equally, fairly, and justly before the law... and that Black Lives Matter,‟ while”  Add new paragraph 2, “WHEREAS, the Troy City Council, with passage of Resolution 71 on July 16, 2020, acknowledged painfully that racism has permeated our society for hundreds of years, marginalizing, discriminating against, and harming Black people and all people of color, and adversely affecting their opportunities for education, housing, employment, healthcare, and other necessities of civil life; and”  Add new paragraph 9, “WHEREAS, the Troy City Council, upon further consideration of citizen concerns, has offered certain revisions to the report and its recommendations.”  Insert “as revised” to paragraph 10. Amendment passed 7 ayes, 0 nos. Resolution passed 6 ayes, 1 no (Cummings), 0 abstentions. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:56 p.m. A video recording of this meeting is on file at the City Clerk's office. 3 Statement from John Johanson Dear City Council, My name is John Johanson. I'm a property owner and have lived in Troy for over two decades. I was not able to be at the meeting tonight, and appreciate this being delivered to you. My comments today are about the PRRC. It's discouraging to see what almost a year's process has resulted in. The PRRC was the result of a mandate from the Governor and mandate from the people, 10,000 of which flooded Troy unambiguously demanding change from you, our leadership. On a deeper level, the mandate was to see, to protect, and to address the concerns of communities of color. These communities are on the front lines of systemic racism, and don't have the privilege and comfort to ignore it. And it's very clear that those communities do not feel seen, do not feel protected, and do not feel that their concerns were addressed by the PRRC. On this measure alone, the PRRC has objectively failed, and the process must begin again, in earnest this time. As a country, we have inherited deep wounds from the past. We may not have caused these wounds, but we bear a deep responsibility to work towards mending them. Continuing to allow these wounds to fester while timidly clinging to the status quo only hurts us all. We will not live in a thriving community and City until they are healed. As our leadership, you will of course not be able to heal this all at once, but you've been called to do your best in earnest. Please take a hard look at the PRRC; if this is our best, I fear for us. Thank you. 4