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.
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.