Common Council Meeting Minutes

City of Utica Common Council – Special Meeting March 20th, 2023 The meeting is called to order at 4:34 P.M. Melissa Sciortino, City Clerk; Andrew Castilla, Deputy City Clerk Michael Galime, Common Council President Present: Katie Aiello, 1st District Councilmember; Robert Burmaster, 2nd District Councilmember; Celeste Friend, 3rd District Councilmember; Frank Meola, 4th District Councilmember; Venice Ervin; 5th District Councilmember; Joseph Betrus, Jr., 6th District Councilmember; Mark Williamson, Councilmember at Large; Samantha Colosimo-Testa, Councilmember at Large Frank DiBrango, Councilmember at Large & President Pro-Temp Also Present: Anthony Garramone, Esq., Common Council Attorney; Heather Mowat, Budget Director J. Michael Mahoney, Engineering A motion to pull PRO. ORD. 5 – BUDGET AMENDMENT - FLOODING from Committee of the Whole made by Councilmember Friend Motion seconded by Councilmember Betrus Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 8 Nays: Meola – 1 Pulled from Committee of the Whole, and on the floor for a vote Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, DiBrango – 7 Nays: Meola, Colosimo-Testa – 2 Adopted as Ordinance #79 of 2023 A motion to pull PRO. ORD. 37 – BUDGET AMENDMENT - SSHS from Committee of the Whole made by Councilmember Colosimo-Testa Motion seconded by Councilmember Williamson Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Meola, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 9 Nays: 0 Pulled from Committee of the Whole, and on the floor for a vote Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 7 Nays: Friend, Meola – 2 Adopted as Ordinance #80 of 2023 A motion to pull PRO. ORD. 39 – BUDGET AMENDMENT - SSHS from Committee of the Whole made by Councilmember Colosimo-Testa Motion seconded by Councilmember Williamson Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa – 7 Nays: Meola, DiBrango - 2 Pulled from Committee of the Whole, and on the floor for a vote Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa – 5 Nays: Friend, Meola, Ervin, DiBrango – 4 Adopted as Ordinance #81 of 2023 A motion to pull PRO. ORD. 38 – BUDGET AMENDMENT - SSHS from Committee of the Whole made by Councilmember Colosimo-Testa Motion seconded by Councilmember Williamson Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Meola, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 8 Nays: Ervin – 1 Pulled from Committee of the Whole, and on the floor for a vote Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Ervin, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 6 Nays: Friend, Meola, Ervin – 3 Adopted as Ordinance #82 of 2023 A motion to pull PRO. ORD. 6 – ANNUAL ESTIMATE 2023-2024 FY from Committee of the Whole made by Councilmember Friend Motion seconded by Councilmember Williamson None Opposed Pulled from Committee of the Whole, and on the floor for a vote A motion to Amend Pro. Ord. 6 to correct a typographical error ($29,962.966 to $29,962,966) made by Councilmember Meola Seconded by Councilmember Friend None Opposed Ayes: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Meola, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, DiBrango – 8 Nays: Colosimo-Testa – 1 Adopted as Ordinance #83 of 2023 Councilmembers Betrus, Williamson and Colosimo-Testa qualified their vote A motion to adjourn made by Councilmember Friend Motion seconded by Councilmember Williamson President Galime Adjourned: 5:05 P.M. Certify To: Budget, Comptroller Ordinance: 79 City of Utica Department of Legislation In Common Council Sponsored by: Councilmembers Friend, Betrus March 20, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL CHANGES FY 2023-2024 E&A APPROVED ANNUAL ESTIMATE ORDAINED, That the Annual Estimate is hereby amended as follows: Dept/Bureau Account # Account Title From To Change Non Property Tax A403-111001 City Sales Tax $18,700,000 $18,850,000 $150,000 Items Infrastructure A57130-441 Contractual/Storm $100,000 $250,000 $150,000 Water Rationale: To adequately prepare to reduce the risk of flooding Yeas: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, DiBrango – 7 Nays: Meola, Colosimo-Testa - 2 Adopted. STATE OF NEW YORK, CITY OF UTICA ) City Clerk’s Office ) ss. ) I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of an Ordinance of the Common Council with the record of proceedings of the Common Council of said City of Utica, duly made and on file in this office, and that same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said Ordinance. In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto affix the Corporate Seal of said City, and subscribe my name, this 21st day of March, 2023 _________________________________________________________________ Melissa R. Sciortino, City Clerk Certify To: Budget, Comptroller Ordinance: 80 City of Utica Department of Legislation In Common Council Sponsored by: Councilmember Colosimo-Testa March 20, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL CHANGES IN 2023-2024 E & A APPROVED ANNUAL ESTIMATE ORDAINED, that the Annual Estimate is hereby amended as follows: Dept./Bureau Account # Account Title From To Change General Contingency Fund A5999-99 $250,000 $180,000 -$70,000 Rationale: Supplement Contract Proposal for SSHS Contract Yeas: Aiello, Burmaster, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 7 Nays: Friend, Meola - 2 Adopted. STATE OF NEW YORK, CITY OF UTICA ) City Clerk’s Office ) ss. ) I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of an Ordinance of the Common Council with the record of proceedings of the Common Council of said City of Utica, duly made and on file in this office, and that same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said Ordinance. In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto affix the Corporate Seal of said City, and subscribe my name, this 21st day of March, 2023 _________________________________________________________________ Melissa R. Sciortino, City Clerk Certify To: Budget, Comptroller Ordinance: 81 City of Utica Department of Legislation In Common Council Sponsored by: Councilmember Colosimo-Testa March 20, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL CHANGES IN 2023-2024 E & A APPROVED ANNUAL ESTIMATE ORDAINED, that the Annual Estimate is hereby amended as follows: Dept./Bureau Account # Account Title From To Change Mayor A5121 101 Salaries $284,071 $224,071 -$60,000 Rationale: Partial Funding of Chief of Staff Salary Yeas: Aiello, Burmaster, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa – 5 Nays: Friend, Meola, Ervin, DiBrango - 4 Adopted. STATE OF NEW YORK, CITY OF UTICA ) City Clerk’s Office ) ss. ) I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of an Ordinance of the Common Council with the record of proceedings of the Common Council of said City of Utica, duly made and on file in this office, and that same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said Ordinance. In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto affix the Corporate Seal of said City, and subscribe my name, this 21st day of March, 2023 _________________________________________________________________ Melissa R. Sciortino, City Clerk Certify To: Budget, Comptroller Ordinance: 82 City of Utica Department of Legislation In Common Council Sponsored by: Councilmember Colosimo-Testa March 20, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL CHANGES IN 2023-2024 E & A APPROVED ANNUAL ESTIMATE ORDAINED, that the Annual Estimate is hereby amended as follows: Dept./Bureau Account # Account Title From To Change Payments to outside Agency A57989484 Humane Society $120,000 $250,000 $130,000 Rationale: Supplement Contract Proposed by the Steven Swan Humane Society Yeas: Aiello, Burmaster, Betrus, Williamson, Colosimo-Testa, DiBrango – 6 Nays: Friend, Meola, Ervin – 3 Adopted. STATE OF NEW YORK, CITY OF UTICA ) City Clerk’s Office ) ss. ) I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of an Ordinance of the Common Council with the record of proceedings of the Common Council of said City of Utica, duly made and on file in this office, and that same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said Ordinance. In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto affix the Corporate Seal of said City, and subscribe my name, this 21st day of March, 2023 _________________________________________________________________ Melissa R. Sciortino, City Clerk Certify To: Budget, Comptroller Ordinance: 83 City of Utica Department of Legislation In Common Council Sponsored by: Councilmembers Meola, Williamson March 20, 2023 ANNUAL ESTIMATE 2023-2024 ORDAINED, that the Annual Estimate for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year submitted by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the estimated revenues and expenditures of the city for the fiscal year, including the revenues which, in the judgement of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, will be received during the year of the amount of the sinking fund available for paying indebtedness and of the unexpended balance, and also being an estimate of the expenditures which the Board of Estimate and Apportionment deems necessary to provide for the expense of conducting the business of the City in each board bureau, department and office thereof, and of the various purpose contemplated by law and to pay the principal and interest of bonded indebtedness falling due in the year 2023-2024 and for judgments recovered against the City, and the 48th Year Entitlement 2023- 2024 under the Community Development Block Grant Program, be and the same hereby is, approved and adopted and approves the submission of the 2023-2024 Forty-Eight Year Entitlement Community Development Block Grant program as presented and authorizes the Mayor to take all actions necessary for the implementation of the program. The items and sums enumerated in all of the columns, except the column labeled "Approved by Estimate and Apportionment" of said Annual Estimates are in the nature of estimates and are not to be considered as appropriations, they being employed for the guidance of office, bureau, and department heads. With the exception of those particular items and sums more specifically identified in "Addendum A" attached hereto and made part hereof, the several items and sums stated in the column labeled "Approved by E&A" of said Annual Estimate as the estimated expenditures are hereby appropriated in the amounts and for the several offices, bureaus, departments and purposes as therein specified for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year. Those particular items and sums particularly set forth in the "Addendum A" are not appropriated in the sum specified in the Annual Estimate for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year as submitted by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment but are hereby appropriated in the amounts particularly set forth in the said "Addendum A". The several sums enumerated in the Annual Estimate and the several items and sums thereof modified as specified in "Addendum A" as estimated revenues, and the monies to be raised by taxation, in addition thereto as contained in the Annual Estimate and "Addendum A", to pay the expense of conducting the business of the City, and for the purpose contemplated by law, are hereby appropriated and shall become applicable in the amount in the Annual Estimate as modified by "Addendum A" for the purpose of meeting said appropriations. The amount of $29,962,966 as set forth and specified in the said Annual Estimate as modified by "Addendum A" is hereby determined to be the Tax Budget to be raised by general City Tax for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year. Yeas: Aiello, Burmaster, Friend, Meola, Ervin, Betrus, Williamson, DiBrango – 8 Nays: Colosimo-Testa - 1 Adopted. STATE OF NEW YORK, CITY OF UTICA ) City Clerk’s Office ) ss. ) I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of an Ordinance of the Common Council with the record of proceedings of the Common Council of said City of Utica, duly made and on file in this office, and that same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said Ordinance. In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto affix the Corporate Seal of said City, and subscribe my name, this 21st day of March, 2023 _________________________________________________________________ Melissa R. Sciortino, City Clerk