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Record of Proceedings

Syracuse Common Council Meeting – January 26, 2026

Public Meetings — Monday, January 26, 2026
BodySyracuse, New York
SessionPublic Meetings
DateMonday, January 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
4:31

And we're gonna go into it.

5:00

Uh, what that we shouldn't okay.

5:02

Wait, that would be number nine is number nine.

5:07

Okay, thank you.

5:08

So I have number nine, commissioner of dates.

5:11

It's ready.

5:12

Councilor Cutwell, can I get it?

5:17

Hey, good morning, everybody.

5:18

Um, blessing slob uh items number 10, and they're all set.

5:24

Thank you.

5:26

Thank you.

5:29

Uh let's see.

5:30

Cash uh counselor Aaron Rich.

5:32

Oh no, I'm sorry, Councilor Majok.

5:35

No, I got one item now.

5:37

Um item 11 is ready.

5:41

Anybody with questions?

5:43

No, all right.

5:44

The author just wanted me to mention his name that he is supporting the council in this.

5:49

Oh, the auditor, yes, yes, yes.

5:51

I thank you for doing that.

5:52

Uh, we want to thank city auditor for sending in a letter of support for item 11.

5:58

So councillor Aaron Rights.

6:03

Thank you.

6:03

I have count I have items 12 through 16, and they are ready to go.

6:12

Okay.

6:15

Thank you.

6:16

Councillor Navi.

6:17

Thank you, madam president.

6:18

I have item 17, which will I will continue to hold.

6:23

Thank you.

6:24

Hold okay.

6:27

Thank you.

6:28

Uh Councillor Moore.

6:30

And Monto.

6:31

I'm sorry.

6:33

Did you also say that we have a meeting on this on the fourth?

6:36

Fourth fourth, right?

6:37

Yeah, we'll have the public hearing February 4th at 10 a.m.

6:41

Transportation Committee.

6:42

Committee meeting.

6:43

Yes.

6:43

Yes, yes.

6:44

Okay.

6:44

Okay.

6:45

Thank you.

6:46

Okay.

6:47

Um, Councillor Moore and Monto.

6:50

Counselor Monto.

6:51

Thank you, President Paniagua.

6:52

Uh, I have item number 18.

6:53

That will be held.

6:54

We're in contract negotiations, and we will have a committee meeting once we have that contract.

6:59

Okay, I have it before the contract.

7:02

Yeah, or or maybe before.

7:03

Yeah.

7:06

Um, who's um standing in for counselor Moore?

7:09

I will thank you.

7:10

Um behalf of counselors Moore items.

7:14

She has item 19 through 23.

7:17

I don't think there was any other questions.

7:19

Um, so we will move forward.

7:21

Thank you.

7:25

Um, counselor Williams.

7:28

Thank you, Madam President.

7:29

I have items 24 through 32.

7:33

We are gonna hold 24.

7:36

Um, and deputy mayor, I just shot you a text.

7:40

Um and then the remainder are ready.

7:44

Are you gonna are you gonna not hold 26 now?

7:47

26.

7:47

Um 26, okay.

7:49

That was just the appraisal.

7:50

What are you doing?

7:51

That's yes, you said you were asked.

7:54

Um council callwell, you're okay moving that.

7:58

I know I mentioned that to you.

7:59

I know you got so can we talk about it?

8:02

And okay we will TBD on 26.

8:07

Okay, uh Councillors uh Michael Collins, Commissioner for Neighborhood Business Development.

8:11

Uh, no there's an assessment item, but I think with a weather uh Commissioner OJ may not be here.

8:16

Uh this right here is really just the assessment to ensure that we can move forward uh with the purchase.

8:22

It is not committing anybody to the purchase, but considering uh the fact that we know that uh assessors have been a bit slow with the demand that they've had, it would be beneficial to being able to move this project along.

8:37

Uh if we could move forward with the appraisal.

8:43

So for whatever it's worth, right?

8:45

Um we'll talk in between session.

8:48

Okay.

8:49

Thanks.

8:49

Then Council Mont of its district is so um so the race okay.

8:54

27 yes, we will hold 24, 26 will be determined.

8:58

The remainder are ready.

9:00

Okay, thank you very much.

9:03

And we go to counselor Jones Rouse.

9:06

Thank you, madam president.

9:08

I have items 33 through 42.

9:10

Um item 33 will continue to be held.

9:14

Uh I believe all other items.

9:16

Yes, all other items are ready.

9:18

Okay, we also have the honorary street sign for uh Mrs.

9:24

Donna Reese Um that we will we're looking to um install either February 20th or 27th.

9:33

We that date will be determined um soon, so it will be announced um at our next meeting.

9:40

Uh I'll give the history of Donna at our starting second.

9:45

Did you want to all uh invite another counselors?

9:48

Yes, um, all the other counselors did agree to uh that yes, and uh thank you guys.

9:55

Thank you very much.

9:56

Uh councillor Monto.

9:58

Thank you, President.

10:00

I have items 43 through 48.

10:02

Uh 43 will be held.

10:04

Um we Michael, I sent you a message.

10:06

We're gonna ask the developer to schedule at least three more community meetings for the Park Site Commons.

10:12

Um 44 is going to be sent back to the planning commission.

10:16

We'll have comment at the regular meeting.

10:19

Uh 45 is going to be held.

10:22

Those are the city cameras.

10:23

We're waiting for the axon contract there.

10:26

46, Chief Russin.

10:30

That is the DeWitt one.

10:31

We're okay with that one going.

10:38

Morning, Mark Russin, Syracuse, please, yes.

10:40

Okay.

10:41

All right.

10:41

So 46 will be ready.

10:43

I just want to make sure we did that openly, Chief.

10:46

Uh 47 is ready, and 48 is a resolution to reappoint Linda Betts to the CRB, and that is ready as well.

10:53

Counselor Mato.

10:55

Yes.

10:55

So we do have a public hearing tonight?

10:58

Yes.

10:58

That's on the moratorium for that's so that's not on these two items, that's on the act, uh, a proposed moratorium for batteries.

11:06

Okay.

11:07

But yes, counselor.

11:08

We have a public hearing 2530.

11:10

Okay.

11:12

Thank you.

11:12

I'm sorry.

11:13

Thank you.

11:14

Counselor Williams.

11:16

Thank you, Madam President.

11:17

Um 49 is a reappointment of a current board of assessment review member.

11:22

Um wanna make sure that everything's in order before we get that going this year.

11:30

Um I have a question, but not for that.

11:34

But I wanna go back a little bit.

11:36

So really quick, um, is oh could you come up the um representative?

11:40

I'm sorry, I didn't I don't I can't remember your name.

11:42

I apologize.

11:43

Kristen Locke.

11:44

Kristen, thank you, Chris.

11:45

Director of Recycling.

11:46

Kristen, no credit.

11:48

Thank you, Chris.

11:48

Just really quick question.

11:50

So I had a couple of constituents um reach out to me about the vapes.

11:55

So are we now start thinking about what the process will be far as recycling the vapes?

12:01

Is there something and I'm asking this because they asked, so I didn't know this would be a good place to so vapes are uh unfortunately a slightly separate item than the battery kiosk can accept because they contain not only batteries, but they also contain um uh pharmaceuticals.

12:17

And so they have to be managed separately.

12:19

Um the state's actually kind of working on a program right now to try to address that.

12:22

So I don't have a good answer for you today on that.

12:24

Okay, but they are they are putting a program together, something to recycle those.

12:28

Yes, actually, I'm on an advisory committee about it uh that works with other folks in the state to try to find a way to address all the regulatory concerns, but also make it easy for folks to drop them off.

12:37

Okay, that was that on vapes.

12:39

Yeah, yes.

12:40

Yeah, vapes.

12:41

Yeah, because I was I had a bunch of uh several um constituents, and then I started once they said it, I looked around and all I seen was people walking around with vapes, and I was like, oh yeah, I guess that is true.

12:52

Where do they dispose of them afterwards?

12:54

Yeah, there is not a great answer for that right now because of their sort of mixed construction.

12:59

Okay, thank you for that.

13:00

Appreciate it.

13:01

Thank you.

13:01

Thank you, Councillor Coatville.

13:03

And uh Counselor Machoke.

13:05

Yeah, Chief Ma, for a second.

13:10

Uh for those of you that are following the agenda.

13:13

I'm going back to item 20 and 21.

13:21

Um thank you for thank you for the information uh that you had sent over that we had requested last week.

13:29

Um so I I'm looking at uh training truck uh number one, right?

13:37

And you said it like it's it's 10 years overdue to be a little overdue.

13:43

So what does that mean?

13:44

Does that mean you no longer use it if you parked it?

13:47

It's over at training, and we use it very limited for when we have recruits so they can understand the components of the truck, but it's past this life that we can't use it on the road.

13:56

Okay, okay.

13:57

Okay, so is it's preserved or just um yeah, it's just over at training right now for when we have a recruit class and to like understand the components of the truck.

14:06

So does this mean that uh a station one?

14:09

Uh wait, that's not station one.

14:11

Wherever this truck was, does it mean we have already replaced, we have the replacements?

14:16

So those there's um three spare trucks, a recall truck, and the training truck.

14:20

Okay.

14:20

Three of those trucks have already um got to the end of their life.

14:24

If you see, I had uh they were already over by one to five years, and so those are as um the legislation for these items of 20 and 21.

14:34

This truck is gonna replace one of those that are past their life.

14:38

And just briefly, is it it has 86,000 miles in it?

14:43

What make it severe?

14:45

Is it is it um just to wear and tell the amount of alarms, uh road conditions here.

14:49

Um, like I told you um last meeting, um, a front line when we buy a new truck, it stays in the frontline service for 10 years, and then from year 11 through 15, it goes as a reserve um a spare or a recall.

15:00

are as um the legislation for these items 20 and 21 this truck is going to replace one of those that are past their life and just briefly is it it has 86,000 miles in it what what make it severe is it is it um just a wear and tear the amount of alarms our road conditions here um like I told you um last meeting um a frontline when we buy a new truck it stays in frontline service for 10 years and then from year 11 through 15 it goes as a reserve um a spare or a recall but there was decades before that we didn't stay on top of our apparatus replacement program so we were deficient of 14 trucks and engines and so over the last eight years we've been buying and right now we're at the point where if we just buy two engines one year a one ladder truck like we're asking for this year two engines next year then our apparatus replacement program will never be deficient it will be right where it needs to be okay and once once it is relieved from the training it goes where to the auction it off okay yes all right no further question on our second thing okay thank you thank you do we have any other matters no thank so all right so this meeting is concluded thank you very much motion to adjourn so second second all right yes and we can

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████49%
Public Engagement█████████████████19%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████19%
Environmental Protection████████████13%
Summary of Proceedings

Syracuse Common Council Meeting – January 26, 2026

The Syracuse Common Council convened on January 26, 2026, at approximately 4:55 PM EST, with President Paniagua presiding. The meeting focused on reviewing and deciding the status of numerous agenda items, including holds, a fire truck replacement, a vape recycling inquiry, and scheduling a public hearing on a proposed moratorium for batteries. Several items were held pending further information or negotiations.

Discussion Items

  • Fire Truck Replacement (Items 20 & 21): Councilor Majok (referenced as Machoke in transcript) questioned Syracuse Fire Chief Mark Russin about a training truck (item 20) that is 10 years overdue for replacement. Chief Russin explained the truck is used only for limited recruit training and cannot be used on the road. He outlined the apparatus replacement program: frontline trucks serve 10 years, then reserve/spare status for years 11–15. The department was previously 14 trucks and engines deficient, but with current purchasing (two engines one year, one ladder the next), the program will remain current. The chief stated the truck in question will replace one of the past-life vehicles and will be auctioned after retirement. No formal vote was recorded, but the item appeared to move forward without objection.
  • Vape Recycling Inquiry: Councilor Williams asked Kristen Locke, Director of Recycling, about the disposal of disposable vapes. Ms. Locke explained that vapes contain both batteries and pharmaceuticals, so they cannot be accepted in battery kiosks. She noted that the state is developing a program to address regulatory concerns and facilitate drop-off, and she serves on an advisory committee for that effort. Councilor Williams expressed constituent interest in proper disposal.
  • Battery Moratorium Public Hearing: The council scheduled a public hearing on a proposed moratorium for batteries for later that evening (time referenced as “2530” – likely 2:30 PM or a time code). The hearing was separate from the items on the agenda.
  • Item Holds and Referrals: Many items were held or referred as follows:
    • Item 17: held by Councilor Navi.
    • Item 18: held pending contract negotiations (Councilor Monto).
    • Item 24: held (Councilor Williams).
    • Item 26: status to be determined; discussion about an appraisal needed for a purchase (Commissioner Michael Collins noted the appraisal is not a commitment to purchase but would help move the project along).
    • Item 33: continued to be held (Councilor Jones Rouse).
    • Item 43: held; developer asked to schedule at least three more community meetings for Park Site Commons (Councilor Monto).
    • Item 44: sent back to the planning commission (Councilor Monto).
    • Item 45: held, waiting for the Axon contract (Councilor Monto).
    • Item 49: held for confirmation of reappointment (Councilor Williams).
  • Honorary Street Sign for Donna Reese: Councilor Jones Rouse announced plans to install an honorary street sign for Mrs. Donna Reese on either February 20 or February 27, 2026. All councilors agreed. A brief history of Mrs. Reese will be provided at a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • The public hearing on the moratorium for batteries was scheduled and held on the same evening (January 26).
  • Fire truck replacement items (20 & 21) proceeded without opposition; Chief Russin committed to maintaining the apparatus replacement schedule.
  • Several items were held for further community input, contract negotiations, or additional information (see list above).
  • The honorary street sign for Donna Reese will be installed in late February; the exact date will be announced at the next meeting.
  • The council adjourned without further business.

Meeting Transcript

And we're gonna go into it. Uh, what that we shouldn't okay. Wait, that would be number nine is number nine. Okay, thank you. So I have number nine, commissioner of dates. It's ready. Councilor Cutwell, can I get it? Hey, good morning, everybody. Um, blessing slob uh items number 10, and they're all set. Thank you. Thank you. Uh let's see. Cash uh counselor Aaron Rich. Oh no, I'm sorry, Councilor Majok. No, I got one item now. Um item 11 is ready. Anybody with questions? No, all right. The author just wanted me to mention his name that he is supporting the council in this. Oh, the auditor, yes, yes, yes. I thank you for doing that. Uh, we want to thank city auditor for sending in a letter of support for item 11. So councillor Aaron Rights. Thank you. I have count I have items 12 through 16, and they are ready to go. Okay. Thank you. Councillor Navi. Thank you, madam president. I have item 17, which will I will continue to hold. Thank you. Hold okay. Thank you. Uh Councillor Moore. And Monto. I'm sorry. Did you also say that we have a meeting on this on the fourth? Fourth fourth, right? Yeah, we'll have the public hearing February 4th at 10 a.m. Transportation Committee. Committee meeting. Yes. Yes, yes. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um, Councillor Moore and Monto. Counselor Monto. Thank you, President Paniagua.

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