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Record of Proceedings

SIRA Board Meeting - March 30, 2026: Insurance Contract Approval and Minutes

Public MeetingsMonday, March 30, 2026
BodySyracuse, New York
SessionPublic Meetings
DateMonday, March 30, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record

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Transcript — Verbatim
8:18

All right.

8:19

So who wants these meetings?

8:22

The mayor.

8:22

Oh, you do?

8:23

Okay.

8:25

All right.

8:26

Roll call.

8:28

What does how does that work?

8:30

So I would just um you either say all present, or note.

8:36

Okay.

8:36

Commissioner of Finance, and Diane is on vacation, so I would just note that she's absent.

8:42

Okay.

8:42

All members are present.

8:45

Uh with the exception of the interim director of finance.

8:58

Just to recognize that it was post which is on the next page.

9:10

We recognize that we have it, and it was I have in front of me a record that it the uh public meeting notice was posted.

9:23

I have that in front of me in matter of record.

9:25

Do we need to vote on that?

9:27

You do not make it.

9:30

Okay.

9:30

Now I'm seeking the approval of the minutes from December twenty third.

9:38

So I I do have a question.

9:40

I wasn't in that meeting.

9:41

Can I still vote?

9:42

Um, so yes, unfortunately, with the way the makeup is, I understand, you know, we have a whole new board.

9:47

Um so we still do need approval.

10:00

So uh if you've reviewed them and if you feel comfortable, um Commissioner Collins as a non-voting um secretary of Surah, he was here in December, and he uh part of his duties as secretary would be to you know confirm that the the minutes are accurate, and um if he's comfortable doing that, he certainly can.

10:11

I reviewed the minutes and they are accurate.

10:13

Okay.

10:14

So with that said, I will entertain a motion.

10:18

So moved.

10:20

I can second it.

10:22

You can second it.

10:23

I'll second it.

10:24

Uh all approve.

10:26

Aye.

10:26

Aye.

10:27

Okay.

10:28

So moved.

10:30

And new business resolution number 3476.

10:34

Yes, thank you that we have in our hands.

10:36

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

10:36

That's where uh uh I'll fill you in a little bit.

10:39

Okay so um, so this is a resolution to award a contract to Mesa Underwriter Specialty Insurance uh for the provision of liability insurance.

10:48

So Sura um for many years has um had a uh liability policy on the SIR-owned properties through Dryden Mutual Insurance, and so um unfortunately Dryden Mutual has decided to no longer uh insure Surah.

11:08

So that policy it it actually expired at the um just about a week ago and we were able to get an extension through April 2nd.

11:16

Um so this we worked with our insurance agent Haler Fryer and Kuhn, and they have um they reached out to many markets, and Mesa was the only one um it's my understanding that responded, and so um you know they're willing to insure uh Surah for um I'm asking for uh the approval not to exceed six thousand because um we just got the policy uh proposal, so there might be some things that Commissioner Collins and I as service contracting agency will go back and forth with um Hale on behalf of Mesa.

11:56

Um so this is just to make sure that there's continuous coverage for Sura.

12:01

Um as Sura does own Perseverance Park in 109 West Washington, which is parking lot, the rest of the parcels are vacant lots.

12:10

There might be like a basketball hoop on a couple, um, but they're mostly unimproved lots, the rest, and then there are two properties on Salina that are not included in the coverage as those are leased and under the lease, they are um the uh less or yeah uh least a C, yes, is uh required to um carry insurance.

12:33

Okay.

12:33

Uh and I would add that what we uh at the advice of Haley Friar Coon, uh the insurance coverage is increased.

12:42

So the per incident has gone from one million to two million and the aggregate from two to four.

12:47

So uh just as it you know, we would have done an annual review of the policy, and I expect that that probably would have been a recommendation at renewal time anyways, regardless of uh of carrier, but uh uh the uh the amounts uh appear to be appropriate.

13:03

So is the cost still within the uh uh so I was gonna say so this is a bit a little bit more expensive than what we've been paying.

13:13

Um six thousand dollars you're talking about.

13:16

Uh yes, yes, so it's it's a not to exceed amount.

13:19

I believe it will be a little bit less, but it's it within the 5,000 um and some change range depending on you know um exclusions, different things like that.

13:29

Um so I believe Surah has been paying um over 3,000 under the current policy.

13:37

Um but again that is um lower coverage amounts the one million and two million, um but as Commissioner Collins indicated it was suggested to increase that.

13:50

Um they also suggested there there can be an addition for for terrorism actually.

13:58

Um so that would increase the premium a little bit, but within that not to exceed six thousand dollar amount.

14:05

Um other questions?

14:08

Okay.

14:09

Uh I will uh move to approve the resolution.

14:13

Second.

14:16

All in favor?

14:18

Aye.

14:18

Aye.

14:19

So move.

14:22

Any items for discussion.

14:25

I do not have any, Mayor.

14:29

I will move for adjournment.

14:31

Second?

14:32

Second.

14:33

So adjourn.

14:34

Thank you.

14:35

Thank you.

14:36

Thank you.

14:37

That was uh easy.

14:38

I told you it was

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Procurement██████████████████████████████40%
Summary of Proceedings

SIRA Board Meeting - March 30, 2026

The SIRA (Syracuse Industrial Development Agency) board convened on March 30, 2026, to approve the minutes from the December 23, 2025 meeting and to award a new liability insurance contract. All members were present except the interim director of finance (on vacation). The meeting was brief and concluded with unanimous approval of the resolution.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (December 23, 2025): Commissioner Collins, as secretary, confirmed the minutes were accurate. A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously by all present members.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 3476 – Liability Insurance Contract: The board considered awarding a contract to Mesa Underwriter Specialty Insurance for liability insurance coverage on SIRA-owned properties. The previous carrier, Dryden Mutual, had decided not to renew the policy, which expired approximately one week prior but was extended to April 2, 2026. The insurance agent, Hale Fryer & Kuhn, solicited multiple markets, and Mesa was the only responder. The proposed coverage increases the per-incident limit from $1 million to $2 million and the aggregate limit from $2 million to $4 million. The board approved a not-to-exceed amount of $6,000, which is higher than the previous premium of roughly $3,000 but includes enhanced coverage and optional terrorism coverage. The actual premium is expected to be slightly lower. Commissioner Collins noted that the increased limits were appropriate and would have been recommended at renewal.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution 3476 Approved: A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded, and passed unanimously with ayes. The board authorized the contract with Mesa Underwriter Specialty Insurance, not to exceed $6,000.
  • Meeting Adjourned: Following the resolution, the board adjourned without further discussion.

Meeting Transcript

All right. So who wants these meetings? The mayor. Oh, you do? Okay. All right. Roll call. What does how does that work? So I would just um you either say all present, or note. Okay. Commissioner of Finance, and Diane is on vacation, so I would just note that she's absent. Okay. All members are present. Uh with the exception of the interim director of finance. Just to recognize that it was post which is on the next page. We recognize that we have it, and it was I have in front of me a record that it the uh public meeting notice was posted. I have that in front of me in matter of record. Do we need to vote on that? You do not make it. Okay. Now I'm seeking the approval of the minutes from December twenty third. So I I do have a question. I wasn't in that meeting. Can I still vote? Um, so yes, unfortunately, with the way the makeup is, I understand, you know, we have a whole new board. Um so we still do need approval. So uh if you've reviewed them and if you feel comfortable, um Commissioner Collins as a non-voting um secretary of Surah, he was here in December, and he uh part of his duties as secretary would be to you know confirm that the the minutes are accurate, and um if he's comfortable doing that, he certainly can. I reviewed the minutes and they are accurate. Okay. So with that said, I will entertain a motion. So moved. I can second it. You can second it. I'll second it. Uh all approve. Aye. Aye. Okay. So moved. And new business resolution number 3476. Yes, thank you that we have in our hands. Yes, thank you, Mayor. That's where uh uh I'll fill you in a little bit. Okay so um, so this is a resolution to award a contract to Mesa Underwriter Specialty Insurance uh for the provision of liability insurance. So Sura um for many years has um had a uh liability policy on the SIR-owned properties through Dryden Mutual Insurance, and so um unfortunately Dryden Mutual has decided to no longer uh insure Surah. So that policy it it actually expired at the um just about a week ago and we were able to get an extension through April 2nd. Um so this we worked with our insurance agent Haler Fryer and Kuhn, and they have um they reached out to many markets, and Mesa was the only one um it's my understanding that responded, and so um you know they're willing to insure uh Surah for um I'm asking for uh the approval not to exceed six thousand because um we just got the policy uh proposal, so there might be some things that Commissioner Collins and I as service contracting agency will go back and forth with um Hale on behalf of Mesa. Um so this is just to make sure that there's continuous coverage for Sura. Um as Sura does own Perseverance Park in 109 West Washington, which is parking lot, the rest of the parcels are vacant lots. There might be like a basketball hoop on a couple, um, but they're mostly unimproved lots, the rest, and then there are two properties on Salina that are not included in the coverage as those are leased and under the lease, they are um the uh less or yeah uh least a C, yes, is uh required to um carry insurance.

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