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Record of Proceedings

Syracuse Common Council Study Session - December 22, 2025

Public Meetings — Monday, December 22, 2025
BodySyracuse, New York
SessionPublic Meetings
DateMonday, December 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
5:20

We are getting ready to start our study session.

5:23

I have item number eight.

5:25

And I'm going to withdraw that.

5:28

Councillor Pania.

5:30

I have item nine.

5:32

And if there are no further questions after our committee meeting, um, it should be ready.

5:36

Thank you.

5:37

Councillor Cogwell.

5:39

Thank you, Madam President.

5:40

Blessings to all on this wonderful, beautiful day.

5:42

I have item number 10 and it's all ready.

5:44

Thank you.

5:45

Thank you.

5:46

Councillor Middle.

5:48

Thank you, Madam President.

5:49

I have item 11 and 12.

5:51

Uh the council had a committee, a committee meeting uh last Friday to talk about item 11.

5:58

That should be ready.

5:59

Unless if anyone has question, uh item 12 as well should be ready.

6:04

Thank you, Madam.

6:06

Thank you.

6:06

Councilor Gavin.

6:08

Thank you, Madam President, for the last time.

6:09

I have items 13 through 29.

6:12

Not any more uh there's not any more questions or anything like that.

6:16

I think they're already ready to go.

6:21

Thank you.

6:23

Council.

6:27

Which one?

6:28

17 17.

6:31

Let's check.

6:36

Well, I do believe that uh Councillor Williams, if I'm not mistaken, did you have a uh statement about the plan and everything?

6:42

I think that there was something that was said last week in regards to the garages.

6:46

Parking garages member.

6:48

Um we'll talk about that between now and one o'clock.

6:51

Okay.

6:53

Um TBD.

6:54

And the other well, now that we're back on that.

6:56

I'm sorry about that, Madam President.

6:58

The other thing is uh everybody okay with the item number 28 as far as with the water led testing um thing.

7:07

Well if we'll go with that.

7:09

Okay, all right.

7:09

Yep, hearing none is almost set.

7:11

Thank you.

7:12

Thank you.

7:13

Councilor Nave.

7:14

Thank you, Madam President.

7:16

I have items 30 and 31, and they are ready to go.

7:20

Thank you.

7:21

Councilor Hope.

7:23

Uh thank you, President Hutchin.

7:24

And uh since I've said the last time once before, I won't say a last time this time.

7:29

Um items 32, I 32 I will hold 33 and 34 already.

7:36

I thought you was gonna hold 34.

7:38

I thought 34 was a hell too.

7:40

Is it uh could somebody from okay?

7:43

We're gonna hold 34 correct.

7:47

Hold four hand up for committee leave.

7:49

Yeah, yeah.

7:50

Yeah, yeah.

7:54

Yes, 34 and 32 will be held.

7:56

39.

7:57

34 and 32?

7:59

Yes.

7:59

Um I thought we'd want a second session.

8:04

Um we um we holding it.

8:06

Um, but are we still going to the second session on 32?

8:11

We're we're holding an advice from the council.

8:14

Yeah, Joe Barry, first assistant corporation council.

8:17

Our office is recommending that we the council hold number 32.

8:21

We need to do some further legal research into the options available to the council and the planning commission, and we can advise you um about the results of that research in the beginning of the new year.

8:34

Thank you.

8:36

Thank you.

8:37

Are we all set counselor Williams?

8:42

Thank you, Madam President.

8:43

I've got items 35 through 38.

8:46

Uh we're gonna hold 35.

8:48

And on item 38, the appointment of Bill Appellito to the Board of Assessment Review.

8:53

Uh, we'd just like to thank Bill for coming down today.

8:55

Um appreciate you being here.

9:00

That is it, Madam President.

9:02

Thank you.

9:02

Go to Councillor Williams again.

9:04

Thank you.

9:05

Um I've got items.

9:06

Well, we have items 39 through 41.

9:10

Um and Commissioner.

9:12

Got a question?

9:12

Couple questions.

9:18

Hi, Mike and Azera, Commissioner of Finance.

9:21

Thank you, Commissioner.

9:22

Um, the the budget lines that we're transferring out of to fund these particular items.

9:27

Well, we have to pay that back.

9:30

Well, we have to backfill those funds later in the year.

9:32

Uh the the one uh item that we're transferring money from that we look like we might have to, you know, backfill would be uh health insurance.

9:40

Um so I think we're transferring about 200,000 um from health insurance to help fund some of these um expenditures, um, which you know we we won't know that until a bit later in the year.

9:53

Um the retirement transfer, that's a real savings.

9:56

Um, and then also the uh the traffic camera fees, we believe that's a real savings at this point in time, but the medical insurance would be the one line.

10:00

We believe that's a real savings at this point in time, but the medical insurance would be the one line.

10:03

And how would that happen procedurally and at what point?

10:07

Um really I think once we get a little bit uh farther into fiscal year 26.

10:13

Um, you know, maybe that's uh March, April, really, probably once we're kind of finalizing the 27 budget.

10:19

Um that's when we would come back to you with a better projection of where health insurance is um in fiscal year 26.

10:26

Health insurance, is that because of rates going up or because with the vacancy rate, I thought we were gonna be okay.

10:31

Um it's really dependent on claims.

10:34

Um, you know, I think we're projecting prescription prices to go up.

10:38

We did uh we did implement this new prescription savings rebate program um with the help of our uh consultants B Pass.

10:46

But um, yeah, I mean well it's really dependent on claims.

10:51

Commissioner, that's not out of the ordinary though.

10:53

We never can really nail that down until the end of the year, correct?

10:57

Yep.

10:57

You know, so how far how far are we now compared to last year in term of claims for health insurance?

11:06

I I can't answer that off the top of my head.

11:08

I would have to look at kind of uh last year's expenses versus this year's, and I I could get that to you.

11:14

Yeah, that's that would be helpful.

11:16

Okay, kind of just through through November fiscal year 25 versus fiscal year 26.

11:22

We don't know yet, but it'd be good to see the projection.

11:25

Okay, all right, thank you, Commissioner.

11:28

Cool, thanks.

11:29

Awesome.

11:31

All right, yeah.

11:33

Let's go on to Councillor Jones Rouser.

11:42

Um thank you, Madam President.

11:47

I have items 42 through 64.

11:51

Um, item 42 is still being held.

11:55

Item 44 is held.

12:00

Item 45 is withdrawn.

12:03

Item 46 is withdrawn, item 47 is held.

12:07

Item 49 is withdrawn.

12:11

I think all others are ready to go.

12:14

Just let me just double check.

12:16

Um, 55 was held, right?

12:20

Well, that's what I'm oh I have gold next to it.

12:23

If uh 55, where are we with that one?

12:27

Hi, Kayla Hubbard neighborhood planner with MBD.

12:30

Um, 55 you'd like to move forward.

12:31

That's the one that uh we had that little offline conversation with a little bit of a sensitive subject around that one.

12:37

But um hoping to get that one to land bank, there's some pretty heavy fire damage at that property.

12:41

So getting it through the demolition pipeline there and opening out the all right.

12:46

Happy to chat with anybody after that.

12:49

I just wanted to double because we had had it both ahead of the city.

12:52

Yeah, no, that yeah, that one would help them afford.

12:55

Okay, so 55 is moving.

12:57

So uh other items are ready.

13:00

Thank you.

13:01

Thank you.

13:02

Councilor Martel.

13:03

Thank you, President Hansen.

13:04

I have item sixty-five, and that is ready.

13:06

Oh, that is held.

13:08

Thank you.

13:09

Councilman McJoff.

13:10

Thank you, Madam President.

13:12

I have item six to six, and that is ready.

13:15

Thank you.

13:16

And with that, I made a motion to adjourn.

13:18

So moved.

13:19

Second, thank you.

13:20

All in favor, meeting return.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████████████████████████████38%
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Parking Management███████████████████████23%
Health Awareness████████████████16%
Summary of Proceedings

Syracuse Common Council Study Session - December 22, 2025

The Common Council held a study session on December 22, 2025, to review and finalize items for an upcoming legislative session. Council members reported on the status of agenda items 8 through 66, indicating which were ready, held, or withdrawn. A discussion on budget transfers and health insurance projections also took place. No public comments were heard. The meeting adjourned after the item review.

Discussion Items

  • Item Status Updates: Council members reviewed a series of agenda items (8–66). Notable actions included:
    • Councillor Pania withdrew item 8.
    • Items 9–29 were reported as ready, with Councillor Gavin noting they were "ready to go."
    • Councillor Hope held items 32 and 34. First Assistant Corporation Counsel Joe Barry recommended holding item 32 for further legal research on options available to the council and planning commission, with results expected in early 2026.
    • Councillor Williams held item 35 and thanked Bill Appellito for attending regarding his appointment to the Board of Assessment Review (item 38).
    • Councillor Jones Rouser listed items 42 (held), 44 (held), 45 (withdrawn), 46 (withdrawn), 47 (held), 49 (withdrawn). Item 55 was initially listed as held but was later moved forward after a conversation; Kayla Hubbard, neighborhood planner, explained the property has heavy fire damage and the goal is to get it through the demolition pipeline to the land bank.
    • Councillor Martel held item 65; Councillor McJoff reported item 66 as ready.
  • Budget Transfer and Health Insurance Discussion: Councillor Williams asked Commissioner of Finance (Mike Azera) about budget lines funding certain expenditures. The commissioner noted that approximately $200,000 is being transferred from health insurance to fund other items, requiring possible backfilling later in the fiscal year. The transfer from retirement and traffic camera fees are considered real savings, but health insurance depends on claims and may need a supplemental appropriation around March or April of fiscal year 2026. Councillor Williams requested a comparison of health insurance claims through November of fiscal year 2025 versus fiscal year 2026. The commissioner agreed to provide the data.

Key Outcomes

  • Items Held or Withdrawn: Multiple items (32, 34, 35, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 65) were held or withdrawn for further review or legal research.
  • Item 55 Moved Forward: After discussion, item 55 was advanced to facilitate demolition of a fire-damaged property.
  • Budget Oversight: The council is monitoring health insurance costs and will receive updated projections early in 2026.
  • Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and carried.

Meeting Transcript

We are getting ready to start our study session. I have item number eight. And I'm going to withdraw that. Councillor Pania. I have item nine. And if there are no further questions after our committee meeting, um, it should be ready. Thank you. Councillor Cogwell. Thank you, Madam President. Blessings to all on this wonderful, beautiful day. I have item number 10 and it's all ready. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Middle. Thank you, Madam President. I have item 11 and 12. Uh the council had a committee, a committee meeting uh last Friday to talk about item 11. That should be ready. Unless if anyone has question, uh item 12 as well should be ready. Thank you, Madam. Thank you. Councilor Gavin. Thank you, Madam President, for the last time. I have items 13 through 29. Not any more uh there's not any more questions or anything like that. I think they're already ready to go. Thank you. Council. Which one? 17 17. Let's check. Well, I do believe that uh Councillor Williams, if I'm not mistaken, did you have a uh statement about the plan and everything? I think that there was something that was said last week in regards to the garages. Parking garages member. Um we'll talk about that between now and one o'clock. Okay. Um TBD. And the other well, now that we're back on that. I'm sorry about that, Madam President. The other thing is uh everybody okay with the item number 28 as far as with the water led testing um thing. Well if we'll go with that. Okay, all right. Yep, hearing none is almost set. Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Nave. Thank you, Madam President. I have items 30 and 31, and they are ready to go. Thank you. Councilor Hope.

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