Newsletter #9
​ELECTION 2020

Last week we saw record voter turnout all across America. Here in NYS, people were able to vote in all sorts of ways that they found convenient: by absentee/mail-in ballots, during Early Voting, and on Election Day. This high voter turnout is extremely encouraging for the future of American democracy. I am a Democrat, so obviously I cast my votes for Biden/Harris and for Anthony Brindisi, and it is my fervent hope that they win. (I voted early, on October 25th, at MVCC.) But more than that, I hope that this time of increased voter participation and active citizenry is here to stay. No matter who wins this year, there will work to be done, and we need active and engaged citizens to do it.

FLOODING
A few days ago marked the one year anniversary of the terrible Halloween floods that harmed so many in our communities. In that time different agencies have made efforts towards mitigating the risk of flooding.  Here is a summary of those efforts:

City of Utica
Over the last year, the City of Utica has, through the hard work of its Engineering Department, worked hard to clean out storm drains, sewer lines, and catch basins. They have done this across the City, often by contracting with private companies such as National Water Main Cleaning Company. Here in South Utica, they rebuilt a culvert that runs behind Oneida Street, just next to Calvary Cemetery and rebuilt the concrete headwall where that water heads under Oneida Street.
 
Sauquoit Creek Basin Intermunicipal Commission
I continue to attend these monthly meetings of the Commission tasked with addressing the various flooding issues posed by the Sauquoit. The Commission has just hired a local engineering firm to do an extensive study of the Creek, and develop a plan that the municipalities can then use to remove debris from the creek bed and stabilize the banks so that more debris doesn't accumulate. (I am friends with one of these engineers, Maggie Reilly, who presented to one of the flooding meetings I held last year.) There is also discussion of creating some water storage facilities upstream from Utica, which can help to alleviate flooding by decreasing the rate of water flow after heavy rains. 

FLOODING RELIEF STILL AVAILABLE
I was contacted recently by a representative of the First Presbyterian Church of Utica. They still have funds to distribute to people in Utica who were impacted by last year's floods. If you would like to apply for these funds, please email Pastor Jeanne Kumbalek. Her email is kumbalekj@gmail.com.

THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE
The Common Council continues to study the new zoning ordinance and make what we see as necessary adjustments  in the process of adopting a new Zoning plan. The hope is that this will give all of us a new, streamlined, and environmentally updated zoning code as we move into a bright new future. A recent water bill contains a notification from the City about this Zoning update. The Council will have to weigh in by passing this zoning plan as an Ordinance. If at least 10 people are interested,  I would be happy to arrange a meeting for South Utica about this Zoning plan. So please let me know if you would come to such a meeting.  You can check out the new zoning code here.
  
RIDE ALONG WITH THE UPD
On Friday, October 23rd, I was given the opportunity to go on a "Ride Along" with the Utica Police Department. I joined Sergeant Kerry Carville for the second half of the 4pm to midnight shift. Sergeant Carville is a shift supervisor, so her duties included being out in the field assisting other officers as they patrolled their areas and responded to calls. It was an extremely instructive four hours, and I gained an insight to the life of our city that I could not have gained in any other way. I am very appreciative to Sergeant Carville for helping me to learn more about how policing works here in Utica, and to Deputy Chief Ed Noonan for affording me this opportunity.

CONSTITUENT HOURS FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH
I will continue to hold my regular Constituent Hours on the 1st Tuesday of every month from 4-6pm at The Other Side at 2011 Genesee Street, right next to Cafe Domenico. Please come with a mask and plan to practice social distancing. As always, I am happy to take your texts or phone calls at 315-725-5987 or your emails at celeste4utica@gmail.com. I work on Constituent Services 7 days a week, so reach out anytime.

OLD BENDIX SITE
Over the last few months, Constituents have repeatedly reached out to me about the status and condition of the old Bendix site, located at the corner of French Road and Seward Avenue. I have been able to establish a regular contact with the property manager of the site, who works out of Syracuse. He did arrange to get much of the trash picked up along the fence on Seward Ave. The sidewalk remains in bad shape, with broken glass, gravel, and sand covering portions of it. The property manager is in the process of hiring a local custodian who will be able to take regular care of the property, and I am confident that with continuing communication from me, that property can be maintained appropriately. I did some basic research at the Assessor's office and determined that the wooded property on each side of Lyon Place is also part of the same property. There is some illegally dumped materials and miscellaneous trash to be cleaned up there. I have asked the property manager to clean this up as well, and he has assured me that the new custodian he is hiring will do this very soon. I will stay on top of this until that entire area is clean.

SPOTLIGHT ON A LOCAL BUSINESS!
And now that we are bit by bit returning to normal, I thought it was time to bring back our "Spotlight on Businesses" in South Utica. I am grateful to my friend Theresa Smith for taking on this portion of the Newsletter. (Have an idea for a business to highlight? Let me know.)

Stathis Greek Restaurant & Gyro
Stathis, our local South Utica Greek restaurant, opened about two years ago. You can eat in the cozy restaurant or order delivery or take out. The owner, Stathis Koulouris says: “It has always been my dream to open up my own restaurant.”

1900 Genesee Street, Utica
Hours:  Monday- Saturday      11:00 am- 8:00 pm,
             Sunday    closed

Telephone number:  315-624-0323
www.stathisgreek.com
FaceBook: Stathis Greek Restaurant & Gyro
Email  stathisuticagreek@gmail.com
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CALLING ALL SOUTH UTICA GARDENERS!
There are many terrific gardens and gardeners in South Utica. Gardens can do a lot to beautify our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for all of us. There is now a new group of gardeners in South Utica who are looking forward to sharing their knowledge and more come Spring. Email me if you would be interested in joining them.

MY VOTES ON THE COUNCIL
October 7, 2020
I voted AYE to appoint Nedim Mujic as a Commissioner of Deeds for the City of Utica. I voted AYE to schedule five public hearings for properties to be sold by the URA, and to place the legislation for the sale of those properties into committee.
I also voted AYE to place other pieces of legislation into committee: an Ordinance to adjust the fees and charges for the use of the City-owned bandshell, and a non-binding Resolution to encourage NYS lawmakers to revise laws surrounding resisting arrest.
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October 21, 2020
I voted AYE for five Ordinances to sell five separate properties through the URA. I voted AYE on two Resolutions that allow Utica to pursue grants for the identification, assessment, and remediation of brownfields here in Utica. I voted AYE to reduce some interests, penalties and fees for a property now owned by the Mohawk Valley Land Bank.
I voted to appoint Emma Ferguson to the City of Utica Youth Common Council, and was very happy to do so. Emma is a senior at Proctor High School, and plans to go to college to study political science. Emma is a very smart, committed young person who I'm sure will continue to make Utica proud. I am looking forward to getting to know her better.
I voted AYE to adjust the fees and charges for the rental of the city-owned bandshell. Lastly, I voted AYE for a Resolution that would change the legal designation of a portion of Herkimer Road. This is a problem that Councilmember Joe Betrus has been working very hard on, in response to concerns of his Constituents who are very much bothered by the heavy truck traffic that travels on that road. This was Councilmember Betrus's Resolution, but he had everyone's support, so this was sponsored by the Full Council.
We also placed into Committee my Ordinance on Refuse and Garbage. This was my piece of legislation, that was requested by Codes Commissioner Marques and written for me by Judge Garramone. (More about this legislation in my next Newsletter.)
I voted AYE on my own Resolution requesting that the Mayor again allow the public to attend Common Council meetings. The Council Chambers are under the jurisdiction of the Council alone, but we need the Mayor to allow people to pass through the City Hall lobby, and he is not yet ready to do so, for a number of practical and safety reasons. I miss having the public present at our meetings, and am looking forward to the day when we are all together again. Meanwhile, all meetings of the Council are live streamed on the City's YouTube channel, and I encourage you to watch our meetings from home.

Newsletter #8
THE YOUTH COMMON COUNCIL NEEDS A SOUTH UTICA REPRESENTATIVE
The Common Council, under the leadership of Councilperson Delvin Moody, recently voted to re-establish the Youth Common Council. They have just begun meeting, but they are still missing a representative from South Utica. If you know of a Junior or Senior high school student who wants to be involved in local politics, please let me know.

FLOODING
This month will mark the one year anniversary of the terrible Halloween floods that harmed so many in our communities. In that time different agencies have made efforts towards mitigating the risk of flooding.  I will be holding a meeting to update you on this progress. So reserve the evening of Tuesday, October 27th for this meeting. More details will come in a future email.

THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE
The City is in the process of adopting a new Zoning plan. The hope is that this will give all of us a new, streamlined, and environmentally updated zoning code as we move into a bright new future. This month's water bill contains a notification from the City about this Zoning update. The Council will have to weigh in by passing this zoning plan as an Ordinance. If at least 10 people are interested,  I would be happy to arrange a meeting for South Utica about this Zoning plan. (My cat James has already made his opinion known. The new zoning map is very comfy.) So please let me know if you would come to such a meeting.  You can check out the new zoning code here. 
 
VOTE FOR CAFE DOMENICO!
Utica's Genuine Java Joint, Cafe Domenico, located in the heart of South Utica, has been nominated for the Observer-Dispatch's 2020 Best of the Best Awards. Give our local cafe, and South Utica, a boost by voting for the Cafe today. Just follow this link, register, choose your category, and cast your votes!  
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GREEN WASTE - DO IT RIGHT!
For two periods a year, you can place your green waste loose at the curb and the City will pick it up for free. So starting on September 30th and running until December 2nd, we are welcome to pile our green waste by the curb, but not in the street. (Please, no logs or tree stumps.) But after December 2nd, we will be back to putting our green waste into barrels or other containers. Please follow the green waste rules. When we put leaves and grass clippings out in the street during other times of the year, we risk them being washed into our storm drains, which increases the risk of flooding. So, by all means, take advantage of the City'a green waste service, but please, play by the rules, for the sake of all of us.

CONSTITUENT HOURS RESTARTED SEPTEMBER 15th
I hold my regular Constituent Hours every 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday of the month from 4-6pm at The Other Side at 2011 Genesee Street, right next to Cafe Domenico. Please come with a mask and plan to practice social distancing. But do drop in, I'd love to see you!

NEW FOREST CEMETERY
As many of you are aware, the New Forest Cemetery, just to the North of the Forest Hill Cemetery, has recently fallen on hard times. It is a separate cemetery from Forest Hill, and operates independently from it. (They are separated from each other by Master Garden Road.) After worries that New Forest might simply be abandoned, a new group, led by Mr. Craig Minor in South Utica, has stepped up and formed a new Board and found a new volunteer Superintendent. The Cemetery is now on the road to recovery. I have met with the Board, and am trying to help them as they pursue financial resources. I have great confidence in the new Board, but the road ahead for them is steep. They are currently intending to make some basic capital investments, which can help to create a more secure financial future for the cemetery. Financial contributions are welcome, and can be sent to: New Forest Cemetery, PO Box 424, Utica NY 13501

Spotlight on Local Business!
And now that we are bit by bit returning to normal, I thought it was time to bring back our "Spotlight on Businesses" in South Utica. I am grateful to my friend Theresa Smith for taking on this portion of the Newsletter. (Have an idea for a business to highlight? Let me know.)

Vanity Hair & Beauty Parlor
Vanity Hair & Beauty Parlor is a new and beautifully remodeled unisex salon located in Ridgewood Plaza. The salon has experienced stylists and specializes not only in haircuts but all hair services including colors, highlights, lowlights, and much more. Walk-ins welcome.

2514 Oneida Street Utica 13501  
Telephone number:  315-922-7335
Facebook:  Vanity Hair & Beauty Parlor
E-mail: vanityhair&beautyparlor@gmail.com
Owner/Operator:  Dakotah Schaaf
Hours:   Monday      11-4
             Tuesday      10-7
             Wednesday 10-7
             Thursday     10-6
             Friday           9-5
             Saturday       9-2

CALLING ALL SOUTH UTICA GARDENERS!
There are many terrific gardens and gardeners in South Utica. Gardens can do a lot to beautify our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for all of us. I will be arranging a meeting of people who would be interested in organizing a South Utica Garden club. I have already heard from several people, but there is still time to get in on the ground floor of this new club! Email me if you would be interested in this. 

EVERY VOTE COUNTS
We are only a few weeks out from November's General Election. There are three ways that you can vote this year:
1) If you are concerned about voting in person because of the Pandemic, you can request an Absentee Ballot on the basis of "temporary illness". You can apply for an Absentee Ballot now. Those Ballots will begin to be mailed out in just a few days. Follow this link for an application for an Absentee Ballot.  Once you receive your ballot, fill it in, sign it, and return it to the Board of Elections.
2) You can vote during the Early Voting period, which this year will run from Saturday, October 24th until Sunday, November 1st. Early Voting is a great way to vote in person safely, without worrying about being around crowds of people. And stay tuned for a video that a friend and I are producing to explain all the details of how to Vote Early.
3) You can vote in person on Tuesday, November 3rd at your regular polling place. 
Anyone who is a citizen and has resided at their current address for at least 30 days is eligible to vote. You can learn more here about how to register to vote.

Follow me on Facebook, where we have posted all sorts of helpful details about all of the above.

MY VOTES ON THE COUNCIL
September 2, 2020
I voted AYE to adjust Solid Waste service charges. I voted AYE to Resolve that there are no negative environmental consequences to a proposed Downtown Utica Parking Improvement Project. I voted AYE to discontinue and sell a portion of Burrstone Road. (This is a sliver of Burrstone Road that years ago was incorporated into a new entrance for Utica College. The Council was merely formalizing this fact.) I voted AYE for legislation I sponsored to add a stop sign on Emerson Ave where it intersects with Howe St. I voted AYE for legislation I sponsored to allow a resident on Lomond Place to place an 8 foot fence in her side yard. I voted AYE on two Resolutions to place proper signage on Herkimer Road in relation to heavy trucks. I voted AYE on an Ordinance for No Parking on a section of Herkimer Road.
And finally, I voted AYE on an Ordinance sponsored by the entire Council, to designate a section of Kemble Street as "Essential Workers Way". The Council agreed that it was important to recognize the sacrifices that so many essential workers have made during this pandemic. I was proud to co-sponsor this legislation, and happy to vote for it.
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September 16, 2020
I voted AYE on a Resolution to honor long term Democratic Commissioner of the Oneida County Board of Elections Angela Pedone Longo. Ms. Longo had long served the City and I was happy to vote for this Proclamation to honor her. I voted AYE to Ordain that a portion of Warren Street be made one-way. I voted AYE for an Ordinance that I sponsored that would make a portion of Ballantyne Brae, where it narrows and joins Genesee Street "No Parking At All Times". I voted AYE on two Ordinances to amend the current fence ordinance to simplify the fees for fences. And lastly, I voted AYE on an Ordinance to allow a resident to add 2 feet of fencing to the top of a pre-existing fence.
 

Newsletter #7
THE NEWSLETTER IS BACK!
Over the summer, I allowed myself a little Newsletter break - but I've been busy in the Ward, and although summer was great and productive, it is definitely that time of year when I welcome the return of a more regular, structured schedule. So welcome back to the Newsletter! (And, if you like hearing from me once a month, and you think others would as well, please forward this email to them and ask them to sign up to get it themselves.)
NEW STREET LIGHTS ARE UP THROUGHOUT SOUTH UTICA
At one of our first meetings of the current Council, we voted to move forward with a bond that would allow us to replace the streetlights throughout Utica with new LED lights. This is saving us money in two important ways: we now own the equipment itself, so we are no longer paying to lease it monthly from National Grid, and the lights are very efficient, so we are saving money every month on the City's electric bill. I was happy to vote Yes to authorize this bond, and so I was very pleased to see the new lights going up throughout South Utica this summer.
 
CONSTITUENT HOURS RESTART SEPTEMBER 15th
Although we still need to wear a mask when around others, and practice social distancing, things are easing up, and we are freer to get together. My Constituent Hours will resume beginning on Tuesday, September 15th, from 4-6pm, at The Other Side at 2011 Genesee Street, right next to Cafe Domenico. I will hold Constituent Hours the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday of every month. Drop in!
CONSTITUENT SERVICES
The Summer of 2020 was, of course, the Pandemic Summer, and for me personally, it was the Gardening Summer, but it was also most certainly, the Summer of Constituent Services. I fielded lots of request for a wide variety of issues, and I learned how many City services worked, who to call, how to get things done, and so on. The staff at Congressman Brindisi's office was very helpful in giving me advice on how to organize both these requests as they came in and my follow up (hence the three-ring binder pictured below). This Summer, we got some road lines repainted, filled a bunch of potholes, got speed limits signs, stop signs, a Deaf Child sign placed. We had the fence on Brookline that had been knocked down by last year's Halloween floods replaced (this time with a gate). There was lots to be done, and I worked with the City to get lots of it done. If you have a problem that you need addressed, here is how to reach out: Text me at 315-725-5987, Call me at the same number, Email me at Celeste4utica@gmail.com, or send me a message on Facebook. (This last way is my least favorite as I don't always see those messages right away.) And, by all means, if I don't get back to you in a timely manner, try, try again. 
 
EVERY VOTE COUNTS
We are less than two months out from November's General Election. There are three ways that you can vote this year:
1) You can vote by requesting an Absentee Ballot. If you are concerned about voting in person because of the Pandemic, you can request an Absentee Ballot on the basis of "temporary illness". You can apply for a an Absentee Ballot now. Those Ballots will begin to be mailed out in just a few days. Follow this link for an application for an Absentee Ballot.  Once you receive your ballot, fill it in, sign , and return to the BOE.
2) You can vote during the Early Voting period, which this year will run from Saturday, October 24th until Sunday, November 1st. Keep an eye out for a video that I am producing to explain all the details of Early Voting. Early Voting is a great way to vote in person safely, without worrying about being around crowds of people.
3) You can vote in person on Tuesday, November 3rd at your regular polling place. 
Anyone who is a citizen and has resided at their current address for at least 30 days is eligible to vote. You can learn more here about how to register to vote.

Follow me on Facebook, where we have posted all sorts of helpful details about all of the above.
CALLING ALL SOUTH UTICA GARDENERS!
There are many terrific gardens and gardeners in South Utica. Gardens can do a lot to beautify our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for all of us. I will be holding a meeting of people who would be interested in organizing a South Utica Garden club. Email me if you would be interested in this. 
MAKE SURE TO BE COUNTED!
The Census is very important - it is the way we can make sure that our state and our region gets what it deserves, both in terms of representation and resources. So far, 85% of New Yorkers have been counted, and the Census will continue until the end of September.
To fill out the Census online, just go here. It couldn't be much easier!
MY VOTES ON THE COUNCIL
June 17, 2020
In response to a Constituent's request, I asked the Police Department to study the parking legislation for Symonds Place. There were NO PARKING signs on the South side of the street before it was rebuilt last year, and they were never reinstalled. The Police Department did their due diligence and discovered that the prior signs had never been properly legislated. Therefore, I sponsored and voted AYE for an Ordinance to make the South Side of Symonds Place in the Third Ward NO PARKING.

I voted AYE to place into Committee my own legislation that would require that certain police personnel records be placed on the City website. I had submitted this legislation the previous week. Soon thereafter, the Mayor and Police Chief Williams announced that they would be doing exactly as my legislation suggested, so the Council deemed it appropriate to place my legislation in Committee. 

The "Thursday Rule": On June 17th, I introduced legislation to change our Rules of Order. In the past, there has been something nicknamed the "Thursday Rule", which required that legislation introduced to the Council had to be submitted at least 5 days prior to the meeting at which it was being first introduced. When the current Council adopted its Rules of Order, which every new Council does, we voted to exempt from this rule so many government departments that it became an empty rule. As a result, legislation was being given to us at the last hour (in one instance, it literally came to us at 6pm for a 7pm meeting.) This put the Council in a very difficult position, where we were being asked to vote on legislation that we could not properly vet or carefully consider. I therefore introduced a new, stricter version of the "Thursday Rule", which re-instituted the requirement that all legislation, including that introduced by the Council itself, in a timely fashion. I voted for this legislation, obviously. It passed 8-1, with only Councilperson Mark Williamson voting against it.

I voted AYE on a Resolution to approve a traffic ticket diversion program between Oneida County and the City of Utica. I voted AYE to make Alma Mujanic a Commissioner of Deeds in the City of Utica. I voted AYE for an Engineering Planning Grant Agreement. I voted AYE to change the Summer Common Council meetings to July 15 and August 12. I voted AYE that a section of the City Code regarding Heavy trucks on the Parkway be rescinded and that the Code be amended in a different manner. I voted AYE to place in Committee the appointment of a Representative to the Towing Licensing Commission. I voted AYE to place in Committee a Resolution regarding the NYS repeal of 50a of the Civil Rights Law. I voted AYE on a Resolution to honor our Essential Workers in the City. I voted AYE to place into Committee a number of appointments to the new Youth Council. I voted AYE for some new STOP signs in the vicinity of Leland and Wurz Avenues. I voted AYE for a Resolution commending the NYS Legislature for repealing 50a of the Civil Rights Law. I voted AYE to place into committee legislation that I brought to guarantee that neighborhoods would receive adequate notification about large developments. I will return to this legislation as the Council works its way through the new Zoning Ordinance. And finally, on July 17th, I voted AYE to amend the City ordinance regarding towing. This legislation was carefully considered and amended by the Council before we passed it.

July 15, 2020
In response to Constituents' requests, I asked the Police Department to study the traffic safety at the intersection of Holland and Prospect. The Department concluded that STOP signs on Holland Ave would slow down traffic, thereby making it safer. I thereby sponsored and voted AYE to to add stop signs at Holland and Prospect to make it into a four-way stop.

I voted AYE to place a stop sign on Brayton Place, to add three NO PARKING AT ALL TIMES signs to Brayton Place, and to appoint Mike Mahoney to the Towing Rotation Licensing Commission. I voted AYE to placing in Committee a Resolution to create a quiet zone along the train tracks along the northern border of Utica. I voted AYE to make the Common Council the lead agency in a SEQR Coordinated Environmental Review in relation to the new Zoning ordinance. I voted AYE to place the New Zoning Ordinance in committee. (This is an important piece of legislation, and I will be reporting on this in much more detail in the near future.) I voted AYE to appoint six members to the newly re-formed Utica Youth Council. I voted AYE to allow the Mayor to extend the Intermunicipal agreement to establish the Greater Mohawk Valley Land Bank, and to appoint Councilperson Robert Burmaster to the Land Bank. I voted to Ordain the transfer of funds between different budget lines for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. I voted to adjust the Solid Waste Service Charge for 2020-2021. And finally, I voted AYE to grant to MVHS easements which will allow them to build a pedestrian bridge.

August 12, 2020
I voted AYE for an Ordinance that would prohibit the specific noises produced by fireworks and for an Ordinance to allow UMHA to erect an 8 foot fence on Seymour Ave. I voted AYE for a Resolution requesting that ARC Oneida-Lewis funding be preserved by the State of New York. I voted AYE for five Ordinances allowing for the transfer of funds between budget lines for the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year. I sponsored and voted AYE for a Resolution calling for Hazard pay for Essential Workers. I voted to place in Committee an Ordinance to rename a section of Hobart Street "Essential Workers Way". I voted AYE for a Resolution to share services with the NYS DoT and for a Intermunicipal agreement with BOCES for certain automotive repair services. I voted AYE to authorize the sale of surplus City equipment and to renew an intermunicipal agreement for shared police services between the City and New Hartford. I voted for a Public Hearing on the matter of discontinuing a portion of Burrstone Road and selling it to Utica College. I voted AYE for an Ordinance to establish a Liability Reserve Fund for Employee Benefits. 

I will report on my September votes in my October Newsletter.
UPCOMING NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER 1st
 
My next newsletter will be sent on October 1st. In that Newsletter, in addition to reporting on all my votes taken in September, I will discuss progress made by both the City and the Sauquoit Creek Basin Intermunicipal Commission to address the problems of flooding in South Utica. (And stay tuned for a community meeting on flooding later in October.) I will also discuss the new Zoning Ordinance that is currently before the Council, and the current state of affairs with the New Forest Cemetery. I will also remind everyone of the City's policies regarding green waste, and why complying with those policies is in the interest of all of us. 



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NEWSLETTER #4

OUR STATE OF EMERGENCY CONTINUES
In response to the Cornavirus pandemic Mayor Palmieri declared a state of emergency starting at noon on Monday, March 16th. He has extended the state of emergency and I think we should assume that he will continue doing so until the State of New York lifts its statewide state of emergency. City Hall is closed to the public and public meetings are being conducted online. 
YOU CAN READ MORE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE

RENT RELIEF RESOLUTION
Over six million Americans have filed for unemployment in the last two weeks! The Coronavirus Crisis is also, not surprisingly, an economic crisis. Here in Utica, as in many places across the country,  one group of people who we know will be hard hit by this crisis is low-income renters. Governor Cuomo has enacted a 90-day suspension of all evictions, but not rents themselves, so when the crisis does lift, and people can go back to work, many people here in Utica are apt to be severely behind on their rent and could face eviction then. After the recession of 2008, there was a large spike in homelessness here in Utica. We are at risk of seeing another spike in homelessness. And this is bad for everyone - for the people who are made homeless, for the landlords who do not want to evict people but may have little financial choice, and for all of us. We need rent relief for these people, and we need it NOW.

Delvin Moody, Councilmember for the Fifth Ward and I, are bringing to the Council a Resolution calling upon the City and Mayor Palmieri to use extra funds, coming to the City via the Federal CARES act, to help people stay in their homes. These are Emergency Solutions Grants, specifically meant to address and mitigate against homelessness. Councilmember Moody and I believe that this money is best spent on rent relief NOW, in order to ensure that people do not become homeless down the road. You can read about Congressman Brindisi's announcement here. Emergency Solutions Grants funds secured by Congressman Brindisi  These funds, to be clear, are not in any way part of the City budget. These are funds coming to Utica from the federal government, as part of the relief act signed by President Trump, to mitigate against the economic hardships caused by Covid-19.

We will be presenting the "Rent Relief Resolution: Covid-19 Emergency Assistance" to the Common Council on April 15th. (To be clear, a Resolution is an expression of the will of the Common Council. It does not have the force of law. In the end it will up to Mayor Palmieri to decide how to allocate these funds. But we hope that he and the Council agree that keeping people in their homes is best for all of us.) 

We are happy to have Citizen Action's support for this Resolution. Please consider signing their petition.  And if you agree with us, please tell other members of the Council and the Mayor that we need Rent Relief NOW.


MY VOTES ON THE COUNCIL
(an explanation of why I voted how I voted on important issues before the Council)
March 20, 2020
The Common Council met at a Special Meeting to vote on the 2020-2021 Budget and Mayor's Raise and on the budget itself. I voted against amending the budget to give the Mayor a raise of approximately $10,000 a year, and the Comptroller a raise of approximately $8,000 a year. I had been leaning towards voting for it, even though it was slightly higher than I would have liked. I think it is important that when we think about salaries, we not think about the particular persons occupying those positions, but rather that we think of the role. And I do in fact believe that the Mayor of a city such as Utica should be compensated proportionately to the job and in a way that is comparable to other similar cities. So I had been inclined to vote for the raise. But by the time we actually got to the point of voting on this, Covid-19 had already reared its ugly head. It was clear to me that the pandemic was going to have terrible economic consequences. We were already in a state of emergency. It was obvious that sales tax revenues would not meet our expectations. And so I thought that the only responsible thing to do was to vote to keep the budget leaner if we could. So I voted against the amendment and against the Local Law that is required to adjust the Charter. I was in the minority on both votes. I then voted for the Budget. Overall I had gone into the vote thinking that the Budget was well thought out and appropriate. It includes a small property tax increase of 1.9%, which is well within the range of inflation. It is a good budget, and I voted for it despite the amendment that I did not like because the entire budget was acceptable.


April 1, 2020
I voted to set reasonable fees for the use of the new Sal Longo Field. I voted to change our Rules of Order to allow the Common Council to meet via live online video conferencing until such a time a we are again allowed to meet in the Council Chambers. I did try to amend the new Rules of Order to state that as soon as possible we would include Public Comment in these meetings. My amendment received no support in our Pre-Conference meeting, so I did not pursue it during our regular Council meeting, but I did qualify my vote as to that one qualm I had with our new Rules of Order. I voted to reduce the amount we would borrow for paving by $2,000,000. So we are now borrowing $500,000 for paving rather than $2,500,000. This will give us a total of $3,000,000 to spend on paving this year. I felt very torn about this vote, and struggled with it up to the very last minute. On the one hand, I do know how important paving is to all of us. And I know that the voters voted by way of a referendum to allow the city to borrow money to pave the streets. So I did not feel at all good about overriding those decisions made by my Constituents. But at the same time, given the budget crisis that we may very well be facing next year, I decided that the most fiscally responsible thing to do was to tighten our belts as much as we could. I feel that my vote to reduce the paving and my vote not to give the Mayor a raise were consistent with one another: both were votes meant to prepare us for a future in which we might have to make much harder choices. I voted to change the rate of compensation members of the Board of Assessment Review from $750 a year to $500 a year. Finally, I voted to authorize the City to borrow $785,000 to finance the cost of various capital projects. 

COMMON COUNCIL  ADAPTS
Because of the current situation, our Council meetings will continue to be held online, via WebX. I realize that this limits the possibility of public comment. No one cares more about public comment than I do. (You Can Read My Views About That Here.) I expect us to accomodate public comment as soon as we can figure out how to do so under the current circumstances. 

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, HERE ARE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES: 

• We all know that healthcare workers are on the frontline of this crisis - they are the truly "essential" workers who can't stay home. Consider writing thank you notes and notes of encouragement to these workers. Deliver them to me and I will distribute them. 
• Help me figure out who in South Utica might be isolated and alone, and is in need of extra social support. I can get them some help, but first I need to know who needs some extra support.  So check in with your neighbors (from a safe distance) and let me know if someone is in need.
• Have a sewing machine, some basic sewing skills, and some extra time? Consider making protective masks for healthcare workers. Follow this link for instructions. (Drop them off to me, and I can get them where they need to go.)

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT HELPLINE
The State of New York has gathered mental health professional volunteers from all over the state - over six thousand of them! - to staff the NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline at 844-863-9314. It is staffed 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. The phone line is staffed with specially trained volunteer professionals who are there to listen, support and refer if needed. 

NEED BLUE BAGS?
Many people are taking the advice to  "STAY HOME, STAY SAFE, SAVE LIVES" very seriously, not even venturing out to the grocery store. Good for them! But if you need a couple of blue bags to get you through, please drop me a line. I am happy to distribute some blue bags to those who are self-isolating. 

CONSTITUENT HOURS
Until the Governor, under the advice of experts, gives us permission to ease up on our social isolating, I will be suspending my Constituent Hours. I will happily resume them as soon as possible. Meanwhile, call or text or email me anytime.  I am looking into what it would take for me to hold a Tele-Town Hall. So stay tuned.

PLEASE: STAY HOME, STAY SAFE, SAVE LIVES
We all need to do our parts in order to protect everyone in our community. Staying home, practicing social distancing, and only going out when you absolutely have to, these are the right things to do.
The CDC has lots of excellent information, which you can link to here. 

MAKE SURE TO BE COUNTED!
The Census is very important - it is the way we can make sure that our state and our region gets what it deserves, both in terms of representation and resources.
To fill out the Census online, just go here. It couldn't be much easier!

​I WILL BE IN TOUCH AGAIN AS SOON AS I HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT. 

MEANWHILE, REMEMBER THAT AS A COMMUNITY, AS A CITY, AND AS A COUNTRY, WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS. BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS. BE SAFE, AND REACH OUT ANYTIME.


NEWSLETTER #3

Here it is - our Third Newsletter! This Newsletter keeps residents of South Utica informed on a variety of issues. Please share it with your friends and neighbors and direct them to our website where they can sign up for it themselves. We hope that this Newsletter will help to keep South Utica a vibrant place in which to live and work, where you have a strong voice in your government and community.

REGULAR MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Meeting of the Common Council: Wednesdays, March 4th & March 18th, 6pm for pre-meeting, 7pm for regular meeting, public welcome to both meetings, arrive by 6:55 to sign up for public comment
South Utica Neighborhood Association: Second Monday of every month: Monday, March 9th, 6pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, just off Genesee Street
Constituent Hours: 1st, 2nd, 4th, (and sometimes 5th) Tuesday of every month, The Other Side gallery, 2011 Genesee Street, March 3rd, March 10th, March 24th, March 31st - 4-6pm
Please note: Common Council meets THIS Wednesday, March 4th. The pre-meeting conference is at 6pm and the regular meeting is at 7pm. BOTH meetings are open to the public. Please attend! If you wish to sign up for public comment, you need to arrive no later than 6:55pm. 

MY VOTES ON THE COMMON COUNCIL
There have been two meetings since the previous Newsletter: February 5th and 19th.  Here are my votes at those meetings:

February 5th
1) I voted  NAY on waiving the reading of the minutes because there were no minutes to be read. (See more below.)
2) I voted AYE to authorize the URA to lease  a parcel of land to the Compassion Coalition.I also voted AYE to authorize the URA to sell parcels owned by the city to private owners.
3) I voted to AYE to appoint Stephanie Tighe and John Mirante as Commissioner of Deeds. 
4) I voted AYE to appoint David Roefaro as a marriage officer in the City of Utica.
5) I voted AYE to approve the Board of E&A's transfer of funds between budget lines. 
6) I voted AYE to authorize the DPW to sell some of its old equipment.
7) I voted AYE to reaffirm that a certain section of sewer be designated a "Type II" action. The original project was changed such that it now has a smaller footprint than before. We voted to reaffirm that it is nonetheless still a "Type II" action and does not require further environmental review.
8) I voted AYE to authorize the city to acquire the Wells Ave Parcel. This parcel of land is necessary to the development of the Inner Harbor in Utica.
9) Rules of Order
I voted NAY on the new rules of order, along with Delvin Moody and Joe Betrus. Five members voted for the new rules, and so the motion passed. I had several objections to these new rules of order. But most problematic is the fact that these new rules of order dissolve all the standing committees of the Council. We now have nine standing committees, each one of which is composed of all nine members of the Council. In other words, we no longer work with committees. We will be doing all of our work as a Committee of the Whole. No other city council conducts its business this way. Members will no longer be assigned to committees based on expertise or interest. This will make it easier to rush legislation through the Common Council without being vetted by an appropriate committee. Time will tell as to how many problems these new rules of order will create. I remain skeptical. 

February 19th
1) I voted AYE to waive the reading of the minutes! Our Clerk provided minutes to the Council just before the meeting began, so I was happy to vote to waive them. We are still working to make the minutes easily accessible to the public through our website, but I believe that we are moving in the right direction. I encourage anyone who is interested in transparency and accountability in government and who wants to know what the Council has done, to ask at the Department of Legislation for the minutes of our meetings.
2) I voted AYE to authorize the URA to sell two properties to private individuals. These properties are located on Pellettieri Ave and Lansing Street. I also voted AYE to grant an overhead utility easement on Edward Street to Matt Brewing Co. I also voted AYE to grant an easement for gas service to Niagara Mohawk for the new NYPA Visitor Center.
3) I voted AYE on a resolution, sponsored by Councilperson Jack LoMedico and co-sponsored by every other member of the Council, to keep the Medicaid promise. The Resolution urges State leaders not to cut necessary funding to Medicaid and Medicare.
4) I voted AYE on a resolution that Spectrum/Charter Communications should reimburse their customers for the loss of service in early February.
5) I voted AYE on a resolution to reinstate The City of Utica Youth Common Council and to appoint Stephanie Heiland as the advisor for this Council.
6) I voted to remove the Charlestown Mall from our tax rolls. The derelict Mall is delinquent on their taxes, but is also owned by an LLC, so the City has no means by which to recover those back taxes. Keeping the Mall on our tax rolls therefore creates a number of financials problems for the City, including that we are required to pay the portion of school taxes incurred by the Mall. It is also not a good idea for the City to foreclose on the property. We do not want to own it, as that would give rise to enormous liability issues for the City. Taking the property off the rolls is the best way for us to cut our losses and protect the City.

GREAT AMERICAN CLEAN-UP
In late April, Utica will participate in the Great American Clean-up, where people from all across the city will come together to clean up the city and make it a better and more beautiful place to live. If you know of an area in South Utica that could use some TLC, please let us know. And if you are willing to spend a couple of hours on a weekend helping us, let us know that too!

​SPECIAL NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING FOR RESIDENTS NEAR AND AROUND THE INTERSECTIONS OF HOLLAND AVE & MEMORIAL PARKWAY, AND ONEIDA STREET & GREENWOOD COURT

Good things are coming to South Utica, in particular to the area near the Parkway Recreation Center! Join Celeste and Steve Bulger, the Executive Director of iCan/Kids Oneida for a meeting on Tuesday, March 3rd, at 5:30 at the Parkway Recreation Center.  Get the skinny on this exciting project before iCan goes public with a big reveal on Wednesday morning.​




NEWSLETTER #2
Welcome to our second Newsletter. We will use this as a way to keep residents of South Utica informed on a variety of issues. First and foremost, we will announce all the places you can find Celeste, such as Constituent Hours, Council meetings, and so on. Celeste will explain each of her votes on the Council here every month. And this month we will be introducing a regular feature by our good friend Theresa Harden Smith: "Spotlight on Local Business". We hope that this Newsletter will help to keep South Utica a vibrant place in which to live and work, where you have a strong voice in your government and community.

REGULAR MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Meeting of the Common Council: Wednesday, February 5th & February 19th, 6pm for pre-meeting, 7pm for regular meeting, public welcome to both meetings
South Utica Neighborhood Association: Monday, February 10th, 6pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, just off Genesee Street
Constituent Hours: 1st, 2nd, 4th Tuesday of every month, The Other Side gallery, 2011 Genesee Street, February 4th, 11th, & 25th
Please note: Common Council Meets THIS Wednesday, February 5th. The pre-meeting conference is at 6pm and the regular meeting is at 7pm. BOTH meetings are open to the public. Please attend!
SPECIAL MEETINGS
Flooding Mitigation Efforts with Local Officials
Join Celeste and representatives from several local elected officials and offices as they explain their efforts to mitigate the harm of flooding:  Tuesday, February 11th, 7-9pm, The Community Foundation, 2608 Genesee Street

Town Hall: Get Involved and Stay Engaged!
This will be Celeste's first Town Hall. She is looking forward to listening to her Constituents and learning what is most important to them. She will share her ideas for upcoming Legislation as well as report on what she has already achieved. Celeste will also introduce some ways that we can all be more engaged in the civic and political life of our community. Monday, February 24th, 7-9pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, Genesee Street 

MY VOTES ON THE COMMON COUNCIL
There has been one meeting since the previous Newsletter. That meeting was on January 15th. Here are my votes there:
1) I voted  NAY on waiving the reading of the minutes because there were no minutes to be read. I will continue to work with our new Clerk and the President to make sure that both members of the Common Council and the public are provided with complete and accurate minutes in a timely and accurate way. Minutes of meetings of all public bodies are required by NYS Open Meeting Law.
2) I voted AYE on selling four properties by the URA back to private individuals. These sales are of properties owned by the city to private owners. These properties are then placed back onto the tax rolls, which is good for everyone. I voted AYE on transferring funds between accounts. This vote was requested by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which oversees the city budget throughout the fiscal year. I voted AYE to rescind limited parking on a section of Park Ave and  AYE to replace it with No Parking.  I voted AYE to appoint Stephanie Tighe as a Commissioner of Deeds in the City of Utica. I voted AYE to authorize the sale of old DPW equipment. I voted AYE to refund the Solid Waste Service Charge to the Armory, who pays for their own trash hauler. I voted AYE to authorize the city to spend $570,000 to for the Utica Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. This will allow the City to participate in federal funding for this project. The City fully expects to be reimbursed by federal grants for this expenditure.
3) I voted AYE to allow certain exceptions to the Thursday rule, which allow some City Hall departments to submit proposed legislation later than the Thursday preceding a regular meeting of the Common Council.
4) I voted AYE for new rules for Public Comment. I voted for the new rules because I am fundamentally committed to preserving public comment. However, I did qualify my vote as I had and continue to have grave misgivings about the new rules. The old rules were, in my view, inconsistent and unclear and they did not prohibit speakers from abusing the privilege of public comment. The new rules, however, are, in my view, even worse. Although they solve some of the problems in the old rules, they are far more restrictive in the content of what people can say. In particular, they prohibit speakers from being "disparaging" of anyone in public office or City Department Heads. I find this an unjustifiable infringement of speakers' rights. The rules are also flawed in being logically inconsistent and therefore unenforceable. I worry that if they are enforced as written, we may well be in violation of the First Amendment. I intend to continue to advocate for better rules to govern public comment.
5) I voted AYE to table a number of other resolutions, concerning the granting of an easement over Edward Street, and an easement for gas service at the Utica Zoo. I also voted AYE to table three resolutions dealing with the Rules for the Common Council.
 
CONSTITUENT SERVICES

Flooding I continue to work on educating myself and my Constituents about flooding in our area. I am attending the Sauquoit Creek Basin Intermunicipal Commission every month so that I can keep track of the joint efforts that Utica is part of. I held an educational meeting on flooding on January 28th. We had about 20 people in the room, and we all learned a lot from local Civil Engineer, Margaret Reilly.
Vacant Properties  I have been working to track down the ownership status of a number of vacant properties in South Utica. I have begun to work on legislation that I hope can provide an incentive to owners to sell or rent out their properties that are currently sitting empty.
Cleanup   I am collecting addresses of places in South Utica where we want to clean up. I am planning on including those addresses in the Great American Cleanup, which will happen in April/May. Want to help us cleanup the neighborhood? Drop us a line.

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL BUSINESS
by Theresa Harden Smith

The Beer Hub at 2643 Genesee Street
Open Monday to Saturday 12:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
Owners Colin Hubbell and his father Chris Hubbell
Opened July 2018
 
    The Beer Hub is a neighborhood bar with a Belgian pub atmosphere, housed in a restored train depot that was part of the now defunct Delaware Lackawanna Western Railroad.
    They have a large and well-curated selection of beers from various breweries representing classic styles and including German and Belgian beers.  With 26 beers on tap, some rotating, the knowledgeable bartenders can find a beer even for the person who doesn’t think they like beer.  They also have two drafts dedicated to wine--a Cabernet and a Chardonnay.  Utica Club is always available, a nod to our city and Saranac brewery.
     The Beer Hub has food service with daily sandwich specials and a larger selection on Fridays and Saturdays.  Every day you can order a fresh pretzel from the Kneady Baker.  You can also fill a growler or purchase some hard to find beers to go.
 
Facebook page:  The Beer Hub.   Instagram: @the.beer.hub


UTICA RISING
(a regular feature where we talk about things in Utica we love)
Did you know that Utica College offers FREE films on Thursday nights at 7pm? For eight weeks at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester, Jeff Miller of UC's Communication Department offers up free films. This film series has been going strong for 20 years, and is an amazing way to see wonderful films from all over the world that you might never otherwise even hear about. Just click here for all the information you need.


Newsletter #1 from Councilperson Celeste Friend for South Utica

Welcome to my very first Newsletter! I will use this Newsletter to make sure that you have a voice in City Hall. The Newsletter will list upcoming events and meetings where I can be found and you can participate in the life of our city. It will also keep you informed of my votes and legislation that I am working on. It will also explain various things going on in the city at large, as well as spotlight local, independent businesses. We hope that this Newsletter will help to keep South Utica a vibrant place in which to live and work, where you have a strong voice in your government and community.


Upcoming Meetings and Events

South Utica Neighborhood Association: Monday, January 13th, 6pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, just off Genesee Street

Constituent Hours: Tuesday, January 14th, 4-6pm, The Other Side gallery, 2011 Gen

esee Street

Meeting of the Common Council: Wednesday, January 15th, 6pm for pre-meeting, 7pm for regular meeting, public welcome to both meetings

Constituent Hours: Tuesday, January 28th, 4-6pm, The Other Side gallery, 2011 Genesee Street

Water 101: A Meeting About Flooding with Engineer Maggie Reilly, Tuesday, January 28th, 7-9pm, Community Foundation, 2608 Genesee Street

TOWN HALL: I will be holding my first Town Hall for the entire Ward, which I'm calling "Get Involved, Stay Engaged" on Monday, February 24th, 7-9pm, Notre Dame Elementary School - more information to come


My Votes on the Common Council

Common Council met on January 2nd for our "Organizational Meeting". This meeting is stipulated by New York State Law and is where we make basic decisions about how to organize ourselves, including who to appoint to the positions of City Clerk and Attorney for the Common Council. I voted to retain Michelle George as City Clerk because I had no reason of my own to believe that she had not done her job well over the previous two years and because I believe that at least some of the objections to her were political. I lost that vote (4-5). The Council then voted to appoint Melissa Sciortino. Although I supported Michelle George, I have full confidence that Melissa Sciortino will do the job well and I am looking forward to working with her. I voted against reappointing Judge Garramone to the position of Attorney for the Common Council. Judge Garramone has done the job well and has a deep knowledge of the law. It is my opinion however, that he has served for too long and this his long tenure has created a situation where he has undue influence over the policy decisions of the Council, which only the elected members of the Council should have. As has been reported upon, at the last meeting of the previous Council, Judge Garramone tried to introduce legislation to eliminate public comment period, despite the fact that no individual Council member came forward to sponsor the legislation. Lastly, upon the recommendation of both Comptroller William Morehouse and Budget Director Heather Mowat, I voted to allow the city to secure financing through bonds for an improved street light system, which was clearly in the best financial interest of the city.


Constituent Services

Flooding: Back in November, 82 people came to a meeting I organized to talk about the Halloween Flooding. I have begun attending the Saquoit Creek Basin Intermunicipal Commission in order to keep track of efforts by both Utica and our neighbors to address the ongoing problem of flooding. I have scheduled two more meetings to continue to discuss floods and mitigation efforts with Constituents. Meanwhile, I am continuing to educate myself about the complicated problem of flooding so that I can best advocate for the residents of South Utica.

Street Lights: A constituent alerted me of a dark street light. We took care of that immediately. If you notice that street lights have gone dark, please take note of the pole number, the closest street address, and the closest street intersection. Pass that information along to me, and I can contact National Grid. They usually make repairs in less than a week. 

Quality of Life: We called Oneida/Herkimer Solid Waste Authority on behalf of a resident on Emerson Ave and helped to get a pile of trash in front of a house taken care of. We called the Codes Department and let them know that a landlord had not fixed a broken window of an occupied house.


​Spotlight on a Local Business
We will begin this feature next month, so stay tuned!


Going on in the City
Each month, I will keep you informed of new things going on in the city, such as the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the recent Tree Inventory, or the great new street lights that we will begin to see installed this Spring, and which will be a great improvement. So stay tuned for this regular feature!



NEWSLETTER #2
Welcome to our second Newsletter. We will use this as a way to keep residents of South Utica informed on a variety of issues. First and foremost, we will announce all the places you can find Celeste, such as Constituent Hours, Council meetings, and so on. Celeste will explain each of her votes on the Council here every month. And this month we will be introducing a regular feature by our good friend Theresa Harden Smith: "Spotlight on Local Business". We hope that this Newsletter will help to keep South Utica a vibrant place in which to live and work, where you have a strong voice in your government and community.

REGULAR MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Meeting of the Common Council: Wednesday, February 5th & February 19th, 6pm for pre-meeting, 7pm for regular meeting, public welcome to both meetings
South Utica Neighborhood Association: Monday, February 10th, 6pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, just off Genesee Street
Constituent Hours: 1st, 2nd, 4th Tuesday of every month, The Other Side gallery, 2011 Genesee Street, February 4th, 11th, & 25th
Please note: Common Council Meets THIS Wednesday, February 5th. The pre-meeting conference is at 6pm and the regular meeting is at 7pm. BOTH meetings are open to the public. Please attend!
SPECIAL MEETINGS
Flooding Mitigation Efforts with Local Officials
Join Celeste and representatives from several local elected officials and offices as they explain their efforts to mitigate the harm of flooding:  Tuesday, February 11th, 7-9pm, The Community Foundation, 2608 Genesee Street

Town Hall: Get Involved and Stay Engaged!
This will be Celeste's first Town Hall. She is looking forward to listening to her Constituents and learning what is most important to them. She will share her ideas for upcoming Legislation as well as report on what she has already achieved. Celeste will also introduce some ways that we can all be more engaged in the civic and political life of our community. Monday, February 24th, 7-9pm, Notre Dame Elementary School, 11 Barton Ave, Genesee Street 

MY VOTES ON THE COMMON COUNCIL
There has been one meeting since the previous Newsletter. That meeting was on January 15th. Here are my votes there:
1) I voted  NAY on waiving the reading of the minutes because there were no minutes to be read. I will continue to work with our new Clerk and the President to make sure that both members of the Common Council and the public are provided with complete and accurate minutes in a timely and accurate way. Minutes of meetings of all public bodies are required by NYS Open Meeting Law.
2) I voted AYE on selling four properties by the URA back to private individuals. These sales are of properties owned by the city to private owners. These properties are then placed back onto the tax rolls, which is good for everyone. I voted AYE on transferring funds between accounts. This vote was requested by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which oversees the city budget throughout the fiscal year. I voted AYE to rescind limited parking on a section of Park Ave and  AYE to replace it with No Parking.  I voted AYE to appoint Stephanie Tighe as a Commissioner of Deeds in the City of Utica. I voted AYE to authorize the sale of old DPW equipment. I voted AYE to refund the Solid Waste Service Charge to the Armory, who pays for their own trash hauler. I voted AYE to authorize the city to spend $570,000 to for the Utica Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. This will allow the City to participate in federal funding for this project. The City fully expects to be reimbursed by federal grants for this expenditure.
3) I voted AYE to allow certain exceptions to the Thursday rule, which allow some City Hall departments to submit proposed legislation later than the Thursday preceding a regular meeting of the Common Council.
4) I voted AYE for new rules for Public Comment. I voted for the new rules because I am fundamentally committed to preserving public comment. However, I did qualify my vote as I had and continue to have grave misgivings about the new rules. The old rules were, in my view, inconsistent and unclear and they did not prohibit speakers from abusing the privilege of public comment. The new rules, however, are, in my view, even worse. Although they solve some of the problems in the old rules, they are far more restrictive in the content of what people can say. In particular, they prohibit speakers from being "disparaging" of anyone in public office or City Department Heads. I find this an unjustifiable infringement of speakers' rights. The rules are also flawed in being logically inconsistent and therefore unenforceable. I worry that if they are enforced as written, we may well be in violation of the First Amendment. I intend to continue to advocate for better rules to govern public comment.
5) I voted AYE to table a number of other resolutions, concerning the granting of an easement over Edward Street, and an easement for gas service at the Utica Zoo. I also voted AYE to table three resolutions dealing with the Rules for the Common Council.
 
CONSTITUENT SERVICES

Flooding I continue to work on educating myself and my Constituents about flooding in our area. I am attending the Sauquoit Creek Basin Intermunicipal Commission every month so that I can keep track of the joint efforts that Utica is part of. I held an educational meeting on flooding on January 28th. We had about 20 people in the room, and we all learned a lot from local Civil Engineer, Margaret Reilly.
Vacant Properties  I have been working to track down the ownership status of a number of vacant properties in South Utica. I have begun to work on legislation that I hope can provide an incentive to owners to sell or rent out their properties that are currently sitting empty.
Cleanup   I am collecting addresses of places in South Utica where we want to clean up. I am planning on including those addresses in the Great American Cleanup, which will happen in April/May. Want to help us cleanup the neighborhood? Drop us a line.

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL BUSINESS
by Theresa Harden Smith

The Beer Hub at 2643 Genesee Street
Open Monday to Saturday 12:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
Owners Colin Hubbell and his father Chris Hubbell
Opened July 2018
 
    The Beer Hub is a neighborhood bar with a Belgian pub atmosphere, housed in a restored train depot that was part of the now defunct Delaware Lackawanna Western Railroad.
    They have a large and well-curated selection of beers from various breweries representing classic styles and including German and Belgian beers.  With 26 beers on tap, some rotating, the knowledgeable bartenders can find a beer even for the person who doesn’t think they like beer.  They also have two drafts dedicated to wine--a Cabernet and a Chardonnay.  Utica Club is always available, a nod to our city and Saranac brewery.
     The Beer Hub has food service with daily sandwich specials and a larger selection on Fridays and Saturdays.  Every day you can order a fresh pretzel from the Kneady Baker.  You can also fill a growler or purchase some hard to find beers to go.
 
Facebook page:  The Beer Hub.   Instagram: @the.beer.hub


UTICA RISING
(a regular feature where we talk about things in Utica we love)
Did you know that Utica College offers FREE films on Thursday nights at 7pm? For eight weeks at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester, Jeff Miller of UC's Communication Department offers up free films. This film series has been going strong for 20 years, and is an amazing way to see wonderful films from all over the world that you might never otherwise even hear about. Just click here for all the information you need.


​