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More news from Council meeting
With today's primary contests, space in the paper for my City Council story was very limited, so I had to leave a few things out. I'll follow up tomorrow for Thursday's print edition, but I wanted to put some things out here first.
1) Finance Commissioner Kenneth Ivins announced that he has formed a citizens committee to plan a three-day July Fourth celebration, which he said he wants to rival other city celebrations such as First Night and Winterfest. He was short on details, but said that there would be a press conference in the coming months.
This is my question: As the only Commissioner who voted against the Council's recent move to file a motion in their case against the Saratoga Lake Association, and who did so citing concerns over spending any money at all on water, how does he plan to pay for this three day celebration? If it will be financed, even in part, by the city's coffers, isn't that, in effect, saying that fireworks are more important than ensuring our continued access to drinkable water? And where will we get the water to put out the flames from an errant fireworks?
Don't get me wrong, I love fireworks as much as the next guy, but I'm very interested to see where funding will come from.
2) Saratoga Springs Police Sargent Crandall is planning on retiring some time this spring. Crandall is in charge of the police's traffic safety division, one of the department's most important operations. This didn't actually come out during the meeting, but afterwards when I had the chance to ask Ron some questions in the hallway. The council voted to allow Crandall to donate 60 unused sick days to another officer who requires an extended sick leave. I should point out that I don't know who the recipient is, or what their ailment is, but they must be pretty sick. The council vote unanimously in favor of this.
3) Kim sought (and received) the council's approval to allocate $9,000 to purchase materials and to hire a plumber to rehab the police department, in order to provide an adequate women's locker room and restroom. Plans call for a room currently used for Roll Call to be cut in half, and a supervisor's locker room to be converted into a women's bathroom. Work will be completed by DPW, so the funds, which are coming from the Building and Upgrades line of the 2008 budget, will only be used to obtain materials, and to hire a plumber. Kim commented that the problem stems from the days when the police force was all men. As such, the building was designed only to accommodate one gender. This rehab was mandated by a ruling from the New York Human Rights Board in December.
4) I did get to this point in my print story, but it bears elaboration here. Kim offered the first answer I've heard as of yet on his intentions regarding the fate of the space currently used as the police station, should the new facility become a reality. He said, using carefully non-committal language, that one likely use of the space would be to house the Public Safety Department's administrative offices.
Doing so would allow the city courts to take over space on City Hall's second floor currently used by the DPS. The expansion of the courts is something that's been kicked around by City Court Judge Mills, and something that part time City Court Judge James Doern, a candidate for the full time judgeship, would make a priority if elected.
Kim said that $2 million is in the 2009 capital program for the rehabilition of the former station. He pointed out that the figure was arbitrarily set by former Finance Commissioner Matthew McCabe, but it was a number to work with.
That's it for the council meeting. Here's something else I'm going to do in the future: keep a score board of sorts, to track the number of agenda items each of the four commissioners and the mayor come to the table with at Council meetings. We'll begin tonight, and you can decide for yourself if this is a measure of each Councilmen's ability to get stuff done, or their ability to push paper.
Agenda items 2/5:
Johnson: 1
Franck: 3
Ivins: 4
Scirocco: 6
Kim: 13
Year to date (calculations begin at the first regular council meeting in 2008):
Johnson: 11
Franck: 8
Ivins: 11
Scirocco: 12
Kim: 21
Ok, that's all for now. I hope everyone had a chance to vote today. This national race is shaping up to be one of the closest I can remember (granted, I can only remember four previous races).
1) Finance Commissioner Kenneth Ivins announced that he has formed a citizens committee to plan a three-day July Fourth celebration, which he said he wants to rival other city celebrations such as First Night and Winterfest. He was short on details, but said that there would be a press conference in the coming months.
This is my question: As the only Commissioner who voted against the Council's recent move to file a motion in their case against the Saratoga Lake Association, and who did so citing concerns over spending any money at all on water, how does he plan to pay for this three day celebration? If it will be financed, even in part, by the city's coffers, isn't that, in effect, saying that fireworks are more important than ensuring our continued access to drinkable water? And where will we get the water to put out the flames from an errant fireworks?
Don't get me wrong, I love fireworks as much as the next guy, but I'm very interested to see where funding will come from.
2) Saratoga Springs Police Sargent Crandall is planning on retiring some time this spring. Crandall is in charge of the police's traffic safety division, one of the department's most important operations. This didn't actually come out during the meeting, but afterwards when I had the chance to ask Ron some questions in the hallway. The council voted to allow Crandall to donate 60 unused sick days to another officer who requires an extended sick leave. I should point out that I don't know who the recipient is, or what their ailment is, but they must be pretty sick. The council vote unanimously in favor of this.
3) Kim sought (and received) the council's approval to allocate $9,000 to purchase materials and to hire a plumber to rehab the police department, in order to provide an adequate women's locker room and restroom. Plans call for a room currently used for Roll Call to be cut in half, and a supervisor's locker room to be converted into a women's bathroom. Work will be completed by DPW, so the funds, which are coming from the Building and Upgrades line of the 2008 budget, will only be used to obtain materials, and to hire a plumber. Kim commented that the problem stems from the days when the police force was all men. As such, the building was designed only to accommodate one gender. This rehab was mandated by a ruling from the New York Human Rights Board in December.
4) I did get to this point in my print story, but it bears elaboration here. Kim offered the first answer I've heard as of yet on his intentions regarding the fate of the space currently used as the police station, should the new facility become a reality. He said, using carefully non-committal language, that one likely use of the space would be to house the Public Safety Department's administrative offices.
Doing so would allow the city courts to take over space on City Hall's second floor currently used by the DPS. The expansion of the courts is something that's been kicked around by City Court Judge Mills, and something that part time City Court Judge James Doern, a candidate for the full time judgeship, would make a priority if elected.
Kim said that $2 million is in the 2009 capital program for the rehabilition of the former station. He pointed out that the figure was arbitrarily set by former Finance Commissioner Matthew McCabe, but it was a number to work with.
That's it for the council meeting. Here's something else I'm going to do in the future: keep a score board of sorts, to track the number of agenda items each of the four commissioners and the mayor come to the table with at Council meetings. We'll begin tonight, and you can decide for yourself if this is a measure of each Councilmen's ability to get stuff done, or their ability to push paper.
Agenda items 2/5:
Johnson: 1
Franck: 3
Ivins: 4
Scirocco: 6
Kim: 13
Year to date (calculations begin at the first regular council meeting in 2008):
Johnson: 11
Franck: 8
Ivins: 11
Scirocco: 12
Kim: 21
Ok, that's all for now. I hope everyone had a chance to vote today. This national race is shaping up to be one of the closest I can remember (granted, I can only remember four previous races).
posted by The Saratogian City Desk at
9:40 PM
5 Comments:
"isn't that, in effect, saying that fireworks are more important than ensuring our continued access to drinkable water?
Not really, its saying (assuming city funds are used) that a relatively small sum of money can be leveraged to create exponential returns for area businesses just like other similar branding efforts(streetwalk, first night etc)...potentially. You should also consider that many people believe its somewhat foolish to spend a dime on a propretary water source when a regional trunk is running through the City.
Andrew, In addition to the number of agenda items, why not also keep track of the length of the meetings?
Andrew-
As a member of the July 4 committee I can assure you and your readers that the city will not pay a single penny. That is a certainty, a fact, and a long-standing tradition. The event has ALWAYS been funded entirely by donations. I know this because I pounded the streets last year, called begged and borrowed...and wrote a check myself last year. Truth be told, the city MAKES money through the issuance of various permits. While I share your attention to financial priorities, Commissioner Ivins' endeavor is something to celebrate!
Indeed, Deputy Finance Commissioner Kate Jarosh confirmed as much this morning.
Beginning at the next council meeting, I will try to keep track of how long City Council meetings run, thanks for the suggestion. However, it might be tough, as I usually have to leave before the meeting ends.
Just a minor correction on an often made mistake. Sergeant is spelled with an 'e' and not an 'a'.
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