We have these are Katie.

These are real.

Counselor Kay West.

It's not ready.

It's ready for Monday council.

Okay, and then that is ready.

Thank you.

Do I have any?

You know Monday.

All righty.

I'll um put a ready with a question mark on item nine.

Counselor Caldwell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Blessings to all today.

I have items from I have items ten through twelve.

And there we go.

We have three.

Um, so I have three items.

The first one, number ten is to accept um a donation from the Eastwood Neighborhood Association as an in-kind for a wooden bench valued at um eighteen hundred and eighty-five dollars to be installed in Bridgewood Park.

Um it's through TNT special project funding.

Number eleven.

Um, this is from the North, um, a north side neighborhood resident, Miss Katie Scott, who's here.

It's a monetary donation in the mount of um one thousand four hundred and thirty dollars and forty cents a purchase and install a new bench and one memorial plaque honoring Mr.

Jimmy Walker in Schiller Park.

Twelve twelve.

Um it's another um donation, it's to accept a donation from the Westside neighborhood residents, including Mr.

Pat Drisco.

Um donation in the amount of two hundred dollars a purchase and install two memorial plaques in honor of Joe Haw and Emma Iraqi Kelly are fixed to extend um existing benches.

There is an error.

One will be um in Leavenworth, the other one is in Burnett Park.

Yes.

Yep.

Commissioner, I just wanted to commend you uh the enrollment parks commissioner uh Anna Parks guy.

Um they were all over those horseside parks.

They were hanging around in the days that uh you play ball and all those parts out there.

And of course, Racky Kelly and Emma Kelly were instrumental in bringing the golf course back at Bernard and Joe Hall was a great neighborhood activist.

So at times he was a great neighborhood activist.

Sometimes but um so I commend you for for uh carrying this through as far as uh golfing.

I want to thank I want to thank you.

Katie Katie is here, my dear friend or sister.

Katie has a board of friends of Shaw Park, and she does a lot for the north side.

She's done a lot.

Thank you.

Jimmy Sprose, sister.

Well, thank you.

Commissioner, thank you.

We'll ask that, Matthew.

All righty, Councillor Majell.

Thank you, Madam President.

I have item 13 to 20.

Uh, we will hold item 13 as a couple of things are happening from the public hearing.

There were recommendations that need to be incorporated into policy, as well as from the committee meeting as well.

So that uh spoke with uh Chief Russin, Chief Schoff, and they are working on it uh on the policy and incorporating the recommendations.

So we're gonna we are going to hold this for another voting session, okay.

Um item 14.

Who's who's taking that?

Sorge.

Is that you?

That's good morning or good afternoon, counselors.

Um, I'm here for item 14, which is a renewal of a one-year uh uh contract extension for um Benjamin Tallini to instruct Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in our in our police academy.

So back in 2022, we had signed a three-year contract with two one-year options to renew.

We're in the middle of a police academy right now.

Um, and so he started a service already.

Our intention is to have this one renewal, and then we will complete an RFP process early next year for the next year.

So we're asking for a one-year uh approval for uh renewal for this current fiscal year, and then next fiscal year we'll conduct the RFP for the same service.

Now, now what you know, Lieutenant, when we took when we you know initiate these items a couple of years back, right?

The intention was to help police officers, especially physically, give them you know extra tools so that they don't rush into other tools, you know, but yeah, physically that they are ready.

Right.

Now, how effective is has it been?

It's hard to gauge the level of effectiveness on a whole.

We'd have to look at, I mean, the climate has changed considerably from year to year to year.

I will tell you this.

Um, the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu does not focus on strikes to the face.

So the goal of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is to utilize body mechanics and techniques.

So we try to instill on our recruits that although you can still punch someone, we would like for you to use techniques that are less likely to cause injury, such as techniques taught in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Um, I can't tell you, I don't have a definitive number of or what the results are for reducing the injuries as a result of our uses of force, but I can tell you that our recruits that participate in Brazilian jiu-jitsu throughout the academy, um, they are they have shown and demonstrated less likely to use strikes as a primary use of force.

Yeah, and I I guess that was the intention to Kana.

I mean, the the reality is because we have a six-month segment of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the academy, doesn't mean that it's gonna translate into a lifelong career.

We do reinforce it in our in-service, but it's like playing uh playing an instrument.

If you learn how to play an instrument for six months, it doesn't make you proficient at it.

It's really important for the officer to continue to train, but this is giving them exposure to what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is, and we encourage them to continue on their own, continue to train on their own.

Okay, other questions.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Thank you.

Oh, you also item 15.

Anybody taking the veterinary okay.

Hello.

You need to item 15 is for friends, uh, forever friends animal rescue.

It's uh the police department utilizes friends, uh forever friends animal for um sheltering dogs in animal cruelty cases.

We have a limited availability of facilities that are willing to accept or house animals in that case, and uh that's what this is one of the places that has agreed to take on that housing responsibility.

So this is like on an emergency basis, yes, right?

You pick up you pick up an animal from the street, you gotta take it somewhere, right?

Yes, sir.

We have the uh the city shelter that also we work with.

We will utilize them from time to time, but if they don't have any room, or if the animal is one that is a non-dog animal, we run into cats.

We've run into, I'm sure you've all seen the goat.

I'm sure you've all seen the chickens.

We have to have a place to bring those non-dog animals that that are subject to cruelty in the city.

And friends forever is one of those ones that helps us, as is, I believe, probably the next item, which is humane CNY.

So there's two that we we utilize two different uh rescues to assist us in taking in dogs, cats, and other non-dog animals if they come in as parts of cruelty cases.

Um if we have to like we just took one in last night on a search warrant when the police have I have to have a place to bring these animals, and the city shelter is already in capacity, so relying on them is just not an option.

Officer, you said goat.

Yes, we brought in a goat.

Uh we have a license.

Joe, Joe, right next to you.

That's the goats are allowed in the city, yes.

There's a there is a list of animals that aren't allowed, and a goat is not on.

In general, yes, we actually seized uh 45 chickens with five ducks.

There's a lot in my block now.

Well, they're allowed in the city.

You can have them, but this was a cruelty case.

So the way they were being housed and the way they were being treated.

Counselor would take these chickens.

I'm sorry now.

Counselor McGill could take the chicken I have room for them.

Okay.

So count uh officers.

I would just wonder now, are you the cruelty investigator?

Who's which I am in charge of the animal cruelty unit and the dog control office?

I have two two cruelty investigators and four dog control offices.

I have a real issue.

My council district.

Just give me a call, the council office point we've been discussing real issue.

I get a lot of neighborhood complaints about this particular house.

So we can work on it is this a renewal.

It's a renewal, yes.

Yes, uh, last year uh I came to you guys last year.

I took some of the money away from uh humane CNY and gave it to friends forever because I was finding that they did not have the capacity that I needed.

So I knew I wasn't gonna spend all of the money that I had allocated to Humane CNY.

So I took some of the money from Humane CNY and I uh negotiated a new contract with friends forever.

So now I have two different spots where I can go.

It's usually space is what kills me, it's not money.

I have the money, it's just space.

So on average, what what do you what number do what numbers do you have?

Uh a year.

A year we average bringing in between cruelty and uh stray dogs.

I would bring in over 600 animals a year.

Wow.

Over 600.

Usually the uh strays are around 300, and the cruelties now it's not just dogs, it's cats and everything else.

It'll be about 300 of that as well.

So and we're right on pace to be where we normally are.

And then if if they come in with such a terrible shape that they they take care of them too in terms of uh part of that contract is veterinary care.

Okay, and uh I also have another contract with uh the veterinary medical center for things like that as well.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Or one question?

You you don't work with adoption, right?

Adoption?

Adoption.

No, we we basically let the shelters handle that.

We have nothing to do with it.

We have shelter partners that we work with, and we will help them in any way we can.

But once, like a stray dog after the five-day hold period, if nobody comes forward, that dog becomes property of the shelter.

Right and now the shelter will adopt it.

A lot of them are probably lost.

Well, we we take calls for lost dogs all the time, and if they tell us we have their dog, well, they can go get it back within a certain amount of time.

If it's a cruelty case, unfortunately, we have to hold that animal for the duration of the case, which could go into months.

So if it goes into months, it's costing the city a lot of money.

So we try to get each of these uh people that we arrest, each of these suspects, to surrender those animals, and if they surrender them to us, that frees us up to adopt the animal out immediately, and it also stops them having to pay money.

Other questions?

Thank you.

Um, item 15 16, right?

Item 15.

That was 15 and 16, yes.

Yeah, and then item 17.

The IME group.

Yes.

So the city currently contracts with NCA comp.

Uh they handle the current contract for the whole city.

Um for they are the third-party administrator handling workers' comp and 207C.

Um we need uh a company that will handle things outside of the workers' comp and the 207C, and NCA comp advised us to go with the IMA uh company.

We currently have been using them, uh, but now it requires an ordinance.

Um the company IMA is familiar with the police issues, and so this is kind of replacing Dr.

Brody.

Uh we used to have a police physician, and we haven't had one in a very long time, and so we can we need one again.

And this would this is um a physician that would help officers return to duty, things that are not related to workers' comp.

Um so they are familiar with all the tests, testing that in like fit for duty and things like that that need to be done.

Well, I know that we've been doing using IMA probably for 30 years, and I have spoken to the administration this morning, and so the mayor is going to check to find out the mayor is going to look into how what we're doing exactly with IMA.

I'm sorry, I think maybe I said the mayor is going to check into IMA because I'm a big proponent of what may uh waivers of RFPs.

So we're gonna be looking at it because IMA is not new.

IMA has been used in the city for probably the last 30 years.

They haven't been?

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Yes.

They have okay.

We're good.

Thank you.

We'll look into it and we'll get back to you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Uh with that, I guess with any other questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um item 18.

So just to give a yeah, please come on.

1819 together.

18 and 19 together, as uh Clark instruct us, yes, okay, not together, but they've the same event.

The same similar story.

Okay.

So go ahead.

Item 18.

So uh this the Syracuse Police Department hosts our yearly awards banquet every single year.

Uh somehow an arbitrary number was come come up with uh for a 2500 matching.

Uh the union paid 2500, and somehow the council was asked for 2500.

I don't know how that process worked, and we can't figure out who asked for it.

Uh it was based on numbers that were obscure and not accurate.

Um in light of our events from April uh of the previous year, this last year's banquet, which recognized the 2024 recipients that we celebrated in 2025, included all of the events of that night.

And so there were 40 officers who were awarded, uh including their families, special guests like the Jensens and the Who's Ocks and uh all the other previous recipients and uh previous award uh families were all invited.

Uh we worked with the Marriott, they gave us a really really nice deal, I guess if you put it into perspective, uh but that bill originally was around 17,000.

We reworked with the mayor, they dropped the bill down.

Uh the union had already agreed to the 2500 dollars that they that they uh had offered us and paid that 2500, and the rest of the money was not even close to being paid, and now I have an outstanding balance with the mayor, who's been very kind, but probably shouldn't be too kind for much longer.

Um the the rest of the bill uh is 10,292 dollars.

So the total came down to right around $13,000 for that event.

Um so that's what we're asking for.

I I know there was an original number of $2,500.

I don't know where that came from, and I apologize.

Uh I'm in charge of the accommodations committee.

And now that I know that this has happened, it won't happen again because I'll be in charge of asking for the money uh that we need, and we're also gonna be doing some fundraising and some limiting of people, but last year being what it was, we couldn't mentally, I couldn't tell people that they couldn't come.

It was a massive event.

And and I had a conversation uh before a couple of weeks back with Chief Schoff.

Yes.

He did it did express that the disasters should have been done ahead of time, but we just don't have the time to make this quickly, considering that the event is fast approaching.

Yes, sir.

So I I did uh on a pool transparency, Chief Shaw did reach out to me and told me that counselor, this is coming through this award ceremony is yearly, and and we gotta we gotta accommodate this.

We don't have enough time to give you the legislation to ask for the money ahead of time, but I'm reaching out.

So a couple of weeks back it did reach out to me.

So I was aware of this.

Okay.

Do you want to add anything else?

I just as long as as long as the dollar amount's clear.

Okay.

I get more calls from them than I do from national grids.

So uh 10,290 dollars is the outstanding balance after we've paid.

How about this?

We'll accommodate it.

Would that make your day?

Thank you.

All right.

I can sleep again.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um and then who's doing item 19?

19 kind of go with it, don't it?

I can do that.

It goes with it.

Okay.

Um as I mentioned to the leadership, uh, we heard you loud and clear about opening up the opportunity for national anthem singers.

We have some beautiful singers within the police department, but when we go outside of that, this is to um um compensate Sydney for the services she provided in July.

Okay.

All right.

A new question.

And I believe the sergeant was sweating more up here today than he has for any other detail he's had.

Yeah.

All right.

Thank you.

Items that I eat much.

He's scared of yes.

Um next time you're welcome, Saj.

Yeah.

Um item 20.

Uh it's a CRB item.

Uh Mr.

Johnson, are you gonna do it for us?

Uh, yes, good afternoon, uh distinguished uh board members.

First of all, I'd like to thank the board for putting this item on the agenda uh for funding.

Um as the chairman of the CRB board, I think you guys are doing an excellent job and helping us restructure and getting things into order.

Um one of the things about us requesting this or the administrator requesting evidence.com, it actually accomplishes two things.

First of all, it helps us to expedite getting cases through the system, because now we're looking at things in a real-time environment instead of having to wait till we upload things and then wait to download things.

The second option that it also provides for the citizen review board is that it helps cut down the expenditure for IT, because now instead of us having to download those items onto equipment that run out of space, and then we have to uh increase the space, it's all in real time online, and it's all being stored there.

So any questions that you like to ask?

And I think the administrator did an excellent job of uh um deciding on how to pay for this instead of doing a five-year contract, we decided that it would be better to do a one-year contract just in case something new comes up that we can use, then we're not locked into a contract.

So I can do for you guys.

I'd be happy to see how it worked out.

Okay.

Fantastic.

Any other questions?

Thank you, Mr.

Johnson.

Okay, thank you guys.

Madam President, that's all for me.

Thank you.

Counselor Penny Otherwork.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I have items 21 and 22.

21, we're holding, right?

Withdrawing.

We're withdrawing.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh good afternoon, Councilor Rick Elsever, Director of Human Resources.

Uh, item 22 is for the Office of Human Resources to accept a gift from Wolf Goodrich and Goldman, who are our workers' comp attorneys, um, to send Lisa Schmidt, our risk and safety manager to a conference.

So they're gonna put her up in a hotel, um, attend the conference and then travel expenses.

And in the amount of $800.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Thank you.

Awesome.

Counselor Gathers.

Thank you, Madam President of items 23 and 24.

Uh 23, we had a committee meeting about, um, which we'll have a discussion on.

Um any questions in regards to 23 from the council.

Um, I think I might have one question.

As far as the uh the contract itself, the term.

Yeah.

Um, do we normally do contract three-year time terms like that?

Three years.

That's a reflection of the same uh structure that we've had with LAS for the past contract.

Yes.

For the past contracts.

Okay.

All right.

Uh any questions pertaining to 23.

All right, what about uh 24?

Good afternoon, Kevin Booser, transportation planner over at DPW.

24 is to enter into a youth permit with New York State DOT pertaining to the Clinker project.

Um, so as we all know, the Park Street Bridge um is getting hit several times.

We've had preliminary discussions with New York State DOT about putting in a clanker, um, which are these large balls that hang down from this this this poll.

Um the vehicles will hit those items um if they ignore all the signage and things that are there.

And obviously, the goal is to not have them hit the bridge anymore.

It's amazing to see that the city can do that quicker than the state can, you know, we would think with the other bridge on the other side that they would try to do something like that too, right?

Yeah, so so we've all already had preliminary discussions with New York State DOT.

We just talked to them yesterday about this.

They're okay with our preliminary designs.

Number 24 is we're gonna need some of their um their property, their space for some of these items to be located there.

Both the um the poll itself, I believe, and the turnaround spot.

Um so instead of again also helping SPD, you know, if a vehicle does hit these things, there's a place for them to turn around instead of continuing on and hitting the bridge.

Um so that space right now is New York State DOT.

So we do need that space to have this agreement for one other note is we're gonna be proposing chips funding for this project.

So um, you know, obviously we we are trying to keep the costs down for the city as much as we can.

Any questions?

I do.

All right, the company owns the bridge, the railroad company.

Are they gonna give some money to this project?

So we are in discussions with them as well.

They were on the call yesterday.

Okay.

Um they are looking into possibly they've been talking about it for a couple of years at this point, whether they can lower the road a couple feet and or bring the bridge up when it does need repairs in a couple of years from now.

Um, I think from all of our points of view, we're we're not gonna um you know continue to wait.

I think we can take this type of measure as well, and and when that project comes through on their behalf, it'll be even better.

Um, you know, we should get to up you know close to 14 feet of clearance um at that point.

So I think this is an uh an immediate action that we need to take.

Because I'm also concerned about the age of the bridge and the law structures.

Right, right.

And the potential flooding that is for the problem.

Correct.

Yep.

Yep, they're they're concerned about that as well, obviously.

So Madam President Muston.

Thank you.

Councilor Hogan.

Uh thank you, President Hudson.

I have items 25 and 26.

Uh 25 is okay to go.

Uh the only reason I held it is because we had some last minute information regarding uh the LIT tech uh application.

Uh and I think this will help them uh eventually garner a light tech uh funding low-income tax credit funding.

So 25 is okay.

26, we had a committee meeting on it.

Uh it's already had a public hearing at the with the planning commission, and that's good to go too.

Uh I have a question, counselor, on 25.

Uh Commissioner.

Um does abatement work on this.

So maybe a distinction without a different without a difference.

We'd call this an exemption, not an abatement.

Um it is a hundred percent exemption.

Uh ultimately the property pays based on this foreordained formula, or at least the the greater of 10% uh gross, less utilities or 525 a unit.

And so we the properties roll section one like the rest of our um tax paying properties are, and they just remet remit this payment in lieu of taxes like any other tax payment, in addition to charges and fees, you know, light lighting sweeping.

So this is akin to the Eastwood project in all that as far as 10% basically.

Akin to the Eastwood project that we're gonna do.

Yes, exactly.

Yes, just like um I think we've got 94, 96 shelter at projects on the books, and yeah, similar to all of those.

But do you have a system that that you normally use?

You said either or um they're they're on the roll, you know, just like any other property in in um RPS, the the locally famous software we use.

Um finance uh works with us preparing the tax bills, sending out tax bills, uh taxpayer remits payments like any other.

Um they I think like the predictability of this for underwriting purposes, it's good to have the predictability of this.

I know our colleagues in finance like that.

Um because we're not you know doing a lot of math every year when they do their reporting.

You know, 96 properties, financial reports annually for all of them would really be onerous.

Um the unit price seems to work.

I'll follow up offline, but that's not true.

Sure.

Yeah, cool.

Thanks all.

I mean, is any of my colleagues have an issue 26 being forwarded or anything or if feel there's a need for anything more?

I admittedly have not made it all the way through all the changes.

Um you're not comfortable with all the changes, counselor.

I don't know if I am or not yet.

I feel the same way.

I think we feel we should have another public meeting on this, another committee meeting.

I think Councillor Jones Rouser also has a bunch of questions.

Well, I know she does, but she can't be here today.

It's you know, I just think the hour wasn't long enough for me, Councilor Hogan.

I don't think we can hold it.

Oh, yeah.

If we could hold it and say, okay.

Well, we got five days before we have to vote on it, so maybe we can talk offline about it.

I mean, this is already had a public hearing and a meeting at the public at the planning commission, plus we had a meeting too.

So that's we're gonna let's hold it.

Hold on.

We got other people at that question, so that's how it.

Okay, we'll hold it.

Yeah, so we're holding 26.

Yeah, hold 26.

25 is okay.

All righty, counselor Williams.

Thank you, Madam President.

I've got items 27 through 31.

Uh we're gonna hold 27 and move on to 28.

Sorry.

I know you'd want to hold 27.

What'd you say about 28?

Move on to 21.

Okay.

I don't know.

Afternoon, counselors.

Corey Dunham, Chief Administrative Officer at number 28.

Um, is just a fiber installation related to the police and fire relocation at 1153 West Fayette Street.

Why is it a per month charge?

What is it per month?

Why is it a monthly?

That is an excellent question.

I will get the answer.

I know Dave Proac was hoping to be here, but got held up, so I'll find out and I can I can let you know, Counselor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

29.

Good afternoon, counselors.

Michael Laban, Deputy Commissioner, the assessment department.

29, we are requesting authorization to hire an appraiser to appraise the property at 1039 East Fayette Street.

And Michael, could you give us a little bit of context because we already have a local law on this property?

Yes, counselor.

Um yes, the local law uh was approved earlier this month.

Uh we're still waiting for um uh follow-up from Albany, is my understanding.

Uh our law department has asked that we have the property appraised to determine its value from a third party uh prior to uh moving forward with the RFP vendor, I'm sorry, um selection committee.

Okay, thank you.

I have a question.

So with that being said, the the garage slash parking lot is ours too.

No.

Say that again, please.

1039.

Does that include the parking lot?

Uh there's a small parking lot behind the building.

Yes.

That's that's ours, but nothing's right adjacent to it is ours, right?

Nothing to adjacent.

Okay.

Nothing adjacent to it, correct.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

President, can we go back 10 seconds for maybe uh item two?

Okay, let's go back, but let's let um counselor Williams finish.

Let's let counselor Williams finish first.

Okay.

All right.

Uh item 30.

Uh good afternoon, Council Mike Canazera, Commissioner of Finance.

Um, so number 30.

I think we've come to you with a few of these recently.

Um this really pertains to kind of the JMA factory over on the kind of near the south side there.

Um we're looking to write off tax uh city uh and school taxes for four different um parcels, primarily located on Taylor Street and Oneida Street.

Um they total just shy of 38,000.

The county has agreed to compromise the county delinquent taxes.

Um my understanding is again, this is one of those things that I think there was a number of subdivisions or eminent domain involved that um these should have been written off at that time when that happened.

Um so this is really us trying to clean up our accounts and and our property taxes um for these delinquent taxes.

So again, um, you know, writing off uh city school taxes for four properties, um totaling just shy of 38,000 dollars, and this will be uh necessary so we can sell these parcels for future development.

Um questions I think we will be having a similar item in the near future for kind of same thing with uh SDC um parcels that had delinquent taxes.

You know, they're not gonna get paid, and really we'll need to um clean those up as far as subdivisions and everything.

So just FYI.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

And 31 will be executive session.

And that's all thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Counselor Hogan.

Oh, just on 26 at the end of the committee meeting.

I asked my fellow counselors, and everybody attended that meeting.

That was great.

If they could just make sure they email any kind of issues that they have with proposed zoning changes to Jake so we can so they can address so we can go back and forth and address it.

I just wanted to remind everybody on that.

Thank you, Councillor.

Um Councillor Cardwell for Councillor Jones.

Brown.

Thank you, madam president.

Today I have items 32 through 49.

Who's taking the first one?

32.

Good afternoon, counselors.

Michael Collins, Commissioner for Neighborhood and Business Development.

Uh home headquarters has been our partner for managing and administering the Financial Empowerment Center since its inception.

They are ready to go back to focusing on their core education component of home ownership.

And so we have put this out for an RFP.

United Way was the sole respondent to the RFP.

And so the committee has recommended that we bring it to you for contract.

What the dollar amount here is a dollar amount that uh matches what is in the current budget.

Okay.

Thank you.

So with that, with that commission is the information prior to the information that was collected by home editor, is that transferable or this?

So uh I love that question.

Uh you you you know how these programs work when they change.

So the uh Center for Financial Empowerment, uh you may recall we've we uh occasionally come to you for renewals of our uh memorandum of understanding with uh with centers for natural empowerment.

They are the ones whose model we use on this.

It is also the database that we use.

Okay, so the data does not actually sit uh with home headquarters, it sits with the Center for Financial Empowerment.

Yeah, so that that all will be available to united way.

Okay exactly.

All right, okay, yeah.

And like you said, I we know how these things work and yeah.

So we we're uh we're looking to support a smooth transition.

We've been grateful to home headquarters for being able to uh hold on to the program for a bit longer so that we wouldn't have a break uh as we as we went through the RFP process.

Are is United Way maintaining a partnership with HHQ as far as homeownership expertise, or we're or are they using someone else for that?

So the financial empowerment center does not do the homeownership uh component of it.

So uh they would continue to uh yeah, we we would make sure through our management of it that they would continue to do the referrals to the appropriate sources and home headquarters for homeownership.

Absolutely.

Okay, the home home ownership center work very closely, especially when people are helped and they are ready to transition into first-time homeownership, that they are connected.

So I'm sure that relationship will continue.

We we expect that that would continue strong because there are times in which the home ownership center may have applicants that uh are really best served to participate in some sessions with uh financial empowerment center counselor prior to going into uh the the homeownership programs other questions I can answer for you.

Okay, thank you, counselors item 33 good afternoon, counselors Camone Jordan, director of housing and neighborhood planning.

So item 33 is a request for the city to enter into a contract with the land bank, uh, not to exceed 150,000.

The city did receive $600,000 from the Department of Criminal Justice Services to do subtead work.

So we'd like to subcontract with the land bank so that they can make exterior repairs uh and repairs to vacant lots within problem-oriented policing areas.

Is this added with the money that they already give?

Yes.

Okay, is this added with this extra money that they already get?

This is the add-on to their current budget.

And we would work closely with them to identify the properties that we would like them to work on.

So we we're the one we're picking the ones that you correct.

Counselor, I just wanted to make the point that um it's in addition to their existing money because we want them to very much focus on the POP areas, the police uh priority areas, those pop areas high primaries.

Is this this area come on?

Yes, so the two maps yep, the two maps shared are two potential areas where we'd like to do work.

Uh the maps display current land use, um, also occupancy and vacancy, and then parcels that are tax delinquent.

So this would be an example or two examples of neighborhoods where there is a lot of crime in the area.

We want the land bank to be able to do exterior repairs on some of their vacant properties.

Um, if they have lots that are known for dumping or trash and debris, they can put up a split rail fence and remove some of that overgrowth.

So we're working to improve the environment so that that deters crime and improves safety within neighborhoods.

Elliott Street and Richmond Avenue, which is which are very vexed areas of the city.

Come on, do we know how many of the properties that they're targeting to do this with how many of them are teardown versus actual so we'll take a look.

One of the conditions for the DCA just DCJS dollars is that we do not use the money for demolition.

So of course it's if it's a demolition candidate, then we would probably avoid those properties, but for ones that could just use some reinvestment, we'll prioritize those.

And I think when we look at some of these neighborhoods, um, sometimes properties stay within land bank inventory for a long time because the renovation cost is so high.

So if we can put a little bit of money into the property, that might be more enticing for a potential uh homeowner or uh investor within the neighborhood.

Any questions?

So things like boarding up that's code, right?

Usually, so that will not be included in the Yeah, codes and DPW does that kind of work, but I think we're trying to do something a little bit more elevated.

So, how can the land bank fix a roof or repair a porch or put in new siding or painting to do a more comprehensive uh project beyond just boarding up properties?

Okay, and these are properties that are actually repairable, not not okay.

Item 34?

So, item 34 is a request for the city to enter into a contract with the nine firms listed here.

Um we did the RFQ process and nine firms, all of them responded.

We'd like to move forward to work with them to support our blight busting program.

So that program was founded in 2017.

Um, in short, the city will identify vacant and abandoned properties that are not in compliance with code enforcement.

Um they've gone through the BAA, we've done several rounds of noticing, and that has proven um unsuccessful.

What we would do is hire a contractor to do exterior repairs on those properties, and then we would build a property owner.

And if they don't pay that fine, then goes on the taxes.

So we are requesting to enter into a contract with these firms to do that work.

So what is the process?

So when people are um these are for people whose houses, like you said, uh houses that are empty, right?

And what is the process do we do to get in touch with them?

Like is there like a three-step process besides before we go this far?

Yeah, so one thing I'll flag is that we don't want to prioritize properties where you know, say a family member um, like it's an old family home, the person lives nearby.

We would want to focus more on bank-owned properties or properties in a mortgage foreclosure where the bank by New York State law is supposed to be repairing the property and doing inspections.

I think alongside that, if we do have property owners that say own 10 properties in the city and they're out of state, and across all properties, they haven't done any work on them, then that would be a property that we would prioritize.

Um, but in terms of the outreach process, the neighborhood and business development will identify the property, we'll bring it before the vacant property task force for a review from the law department and code enforcement.

Then we will do phone call outreach, we'll also post a notice on the property so that they are aware that the work is happening.

Yeah, I'd like to point out that uh Camon's very extensive list here.

Uh more than half these properties are owned from people outside the immediate area or Brooklyn, New York, Schenectady, and all that, too.

So any additional questions?

Thank you.

Item 35.

Good afternoon, counselors.

Michelle Skianski, Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Development.

Um item 35 is a request to amend uh the ordinance that originally established the um resident advisory board for the housing strategies corporation.

So um we're looking to specifically amend it just to kind of clarify some of the existing language in the ordinance as adopted.

Um I think as we got through the process um after the ordinance was adopted originally, and we were working with law to kind of um go through the process of appointing uh those committee members in accordance with the process that was laid out uh in the original ordinance.

Um the feedback that we got from the law department was that the language as written was a little bit more uh a step beyond what we had really intended for that um board to be.

So um specifically it limited the ability of any uh appointees to that board uh who would otherwise be residents and not uh on the board of directors or program staff.

Um it would preclude their ability to potentially apply for funds through the housing strategies corporation that they otherwise might be eligible for, um, just uh based on kind of their residence.

So um this would just clean that up and make it so that we could allow them to do that.

Any questions?

Thank you.

Thanks.

36 come on the back.

Uh Camone Jordan, director of housing and neighborhood planning.

So items 36 through 49 are request to have these properties transferred to the land bank once a foreclosure process is complete.

Most of these properties are vacant land, um, a lot of them significantly delinquent.

There are two physical structures on this list, so 116 Burnett Park Drive.

And then the other properties 243 Richmond Ave.

That is one where codes and DPW have gone out, boarded up the property repeatedly.

There's a strong history of squatters and trespassing and also dumping on the property.

So we'd like to get that into land bank inventory.

What address was that?

Come on.

243 Richmond Ave.

116 uh I would hope to work with economic development on this property too.

Um so questions?

No.

I talked to her.

Oh, okay.

I talked.

Thank you.

All righty.

All right.

And with that, I need I need a motion to go to the executive session.

So second, second call in favor?

All right, here we go.

So we look