Syracuse Common Council Regular Meeting – February 9, 2026
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Syracuse Common Council Regular Meeting – February 9, 2026
The Syracuse Common Council held its regular meeting on February 9, 2026, at 5:55 PM. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Pastor Dan, who leads a church on James Street and shared his personal story of transformation. The roll call showed Councilors Cogwell, Wright, Nave, Moore, Williams, and Mato present, with Councilor Michelle and Councilor Jones-Rouser absent. The minutes of the previous meeting (January 26, 2026) were approved unanimously. The meeting proceeded through committee reports, communications, and a series of resolutions, with notable discussion on the Axon contract and the payroll modernization project, and an interruption from audience members during the vote on item 39.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: Minutes from January 20 and January 26, 2026 were approved unanimously.
- Appointment of Commissioners of Deeds: Item 7 (or equivalent resolution) was approved unanimously.
- Resolutions 10–26, 28, 30–38, 40–50: All passed unanimously except where noted. Items included routine approvals and adoptions. Items 29, 44, 51, and 52 were held or tabled.
- Emergency Adjournment: A brief adjournment was granted before item 30 for clarification.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Reference to Prior Hearing: The president noted that a public hearing on the battery energy storage system had been held on January 26, 2026, with several speakers.
- Audience Disruption: During the vote on item 39 (Axon contract), audience members stood and voiced concern. The president explained that the meeting was not open for public discussion but invited them to speak with councilors afterward. The room was cleared when disturbances continued. The president emphasized that the Axon contract includes clear revocation terms and that the council has been careful with surveillance technology.
Discussion Items
- Payroll Modernization Project (Items 40–43): Councilor Williams introduced the items and expressed concern about allocating additional funds to a project that has been on the agenda since late 2024. While the council has had hesitation, Williams noted that the city must move forward and urged the administration to prove the project can be completed successfully. The items passed unanimously.
- Axon Contract (Item 39): The president explained the contract, which includes a new vendor for license plate reader (LPR) systems. After months of discussion, the council is comfortable with the contract, which is designed to be easily revocable if Axon oversteps. The item passed despite audience disruption.
- Item 27: Passed on a 7–1 vote (Councilor Wright voted no). No further details were provided in the transcript.
- Item 29: Introduced and tabled per local law.
- Items 44, 51, 52: Held (no action taken).
Key Outcomes
- Approved Resolutions: All items not listed as held or tabled were adopted. Specific votes: Item 27 passed 7–1; all others unanimous.
- Held Items: Item 44 (Councilor Jones-Rouser), Items 51 and 52 (Councilor Monto) were held for future consideration.
- Tabled Item: Item 29 was introduced and tabled.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by motion following the final items. No further dates were announced.
Meeting Transcript
Our regular meeting. Thank you everybody for joining us. Oh, wait, I gotta go. Thank you for joining us. Um let's please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, and then we're gonna keep standing for the each showing on the flag, move the flag of the United States of America to remote for which it is one nation. Pastor Good morning. Thank you for the invite this morning. It's a pleasure and an honor to be here. And before I pray, I'd just like to say a few words. My name is Pastor Dan. I pastor a church on 750 James Street. And it's a multicultural diverse church. I came to Syracuse in 1993 as I got out of prison. A voice led me to Syracuse. I need to change. I was an addict. But I've learned to follow that voice, even to this day. I'm a father of four, a grandfather of four. And I've had many journeys in over 33 years of servicing this community. We have served over two million meals to this community. We've served thousands and thousands of turkeys, of some of you have probably heard us on TV. But our purpose is to serve and to follow a voice. My challenge to you is what is in your voice. What are you representing? What voices are you following? Are they voices of peace, of grace, of mercy? Are they voices of change? These are all important things. But if we can distill them down into the simplest things, it's a voice where we need to know that we can make a difference. Thank you, City Council, for this invite. And I pray my prayer is that you hear the voice. The Bible says in Proverbs that there is a voice crying on the streets. The Bible also says that his voice is a still small voice. Maybe his voice is the quietest in the room. But if we could all find some time to listen and hear what he has to say, maybe we'll have a better chance of actually creating real change. It's brought me through 20 years of technology, brought me to starting my own companies, being a CEO of a software company. And today I still work. So I believe in change. But it's a matter of whether or not you make a choice to hear the still small voice. Father, I thank you for this council. I pray that you would unclog every ear, that they would be able to hear your voice, follow it, listen to it, have care, have concern. And I thank you, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Thank you, Pastor. So going right into our agenda, we have let's see, public hearings. Oh I'm sorry. Can you please do the roll call? Sure, madam president. Councilor Cogwell.
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