City of Binghamton, NY City Council Meetings, 18 May 2022

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From YouTube: 2022.05.18 City Council Business Meeting

Description

Chapters
00:00:00 Call to Order
00:03:45 MPAA Committee
00:05:52 Public Comments & Discussion About Public Safety
00:23:20 IO22-83
00:23:40 IO22-84
00:25:25 IO22-85
00:25:50 IO22-86
00:26:15 IO22-88
00:26:25 IO22-54
00:27:45 IO22-87 & Discussion About Public Safety

A

B

Yeah, I could hear you.

A

Thank you, tom, hey, sophie, hi councilman. I.

C

A

Good evening now.

B

How's the world of wrestling: how are you.

D

I'm well, how are you.

B

Good thanks good.

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40 seconds.

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30 seconds a lot: we're broadcasting right.

B

A

Yes, right here.

A

Good evening, everyone welcome to the city council of the city of binghamton business meeting agenda wednesday may 18 2022 at 16 p.m. The meeting is called to order and duly convene. Please stand for the pledge.

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United states of america.

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For anyone live streaming or watching at home, if you go to binghamton binghamtonhyphenny.gov community, slash calendar hyphen month, hyphen view select, may 18th click, city, council, business meeting and you'll be provided with an electronic copy of this evening's agenda. The clerk will call the role mr clerk, yes,.

E

uh Councilwoman reznetti.

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Councilwoman riley councilwoman friedman, president councilman burns.

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E

Councilman scanlon present and president strong is absent, and president pro tem scoring president that six year, one absent strong.

A

Thank you, mr clerk. The chair recognizes councilwoman rezanetti for the purposes of emotion,.

D

You hear me now, I'm sorry about that.

A

D

Okay, thank you. Thank you. um Let's make a motion to approve the minutes from the may. 4Th 2022 business meeting does.

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The chair here, a second second chair by councilwoman resonati seconded by councilman scanlon, all those in favor signify by saying aye. The chair recognizes. It unanimously passes uh we'll move on to reports from committees and um as chair of the municipal and public affairs committee, uh the standing committee, members, uh councilwoman, resonetti, councilwoman reilly and myself as well as councilman burns and uh other colleagues had a meeting of the mpea committee on friday may 13th.

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We discussed the beginning of code issues around the categories of quality of life code and procedure. Later on in this meeting at a later point in the agenda, we will check for availability for meeting number two.

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That being said, there are no approval of appointments general reminder to council. Colleagues, the cdac council at large position is currently still vacant. Please submit any names and respective cvs for consideration at your earliest opportunity. That being said, at this time to be read into the record, a public hearing needs to be set for considering code reform. The city of binghamton will hold a public hearing regarding rl 22-140, entitled the local law amending the city code regarding property and building nuisance reform.

A

This public hearing will take place during the next regular city council business meeting at 6 pm on wednesday june 8 2022, virtually via zoom I'd. Ask mr clerk to please submit this information formally into the record for the purposes of setting a public meeting residents who wish to submit comments may do so electronically by emailing their comments prior to 1 pm on the day of the meeting to clerk at city of binghamton.com or virtually via zoom. During the meeting for any questions, please contact the city clerk's office at 607, 772.

A

At this point, we'll move forward with public comment um residents wishing to submit public comment may do so electronically by emailing their comments prior to 1 pm on the day of a meeting to clerk city of binghamton.com or virtually via zoom. During the meeting during public comment, you will have five minutes to speak. The clerk will provide you with a verbal one-minute warning. Mr clerk. Have any written communications been submitted for this portion.

E

There are no written communications. Thank.

A

You, mr clark, seeing none. I will pass it on to the city clerk uh to move through the virtual portion if there are any attendees. Thank you.

E

Yes, if any of the zoom attendees would like to participate in public comment this evening, please click the raised hand, button and leave it raised. We will allow you to speak one by one and please state your full name and if you live or work in the city of bank.

E

We do have one hand up, looks like their name is passion. You have five minutes to speak.

G

Yeah, can you guys hear me.

A

Yes, ma'am good evening, thank you.

G

Hi, so I watched your city council meeting on monday and I see you guys want to give a million dollars of the art of funds to the police department. Well, first of all police, don't you think it's going to lower the crime rate? Please don't show up before a crime most of the time they're showing up after the crime happens. I'm.

E

Sorry to interrupt, could you please state your full name and if you live or work in the city of binghamton.

G

My full name is passion. I live in the city of binghamton.

E

G

So you guys like, like I was saying you want to give a million dollars of arpa funds which are supposed to go to the people you want to give that to the police. Well, the police don't show up before a crime. Like I said like I was saying before most of the time they show up after a crime happens. So more money going into police is not going to stop crime you're just going to have more clueless officers showing up to a situation that they don't know. What's going on, you want to stop violence.

G

You want to lower crime rates. You put that into the people. Put that into the community. Put that money into youth programs. Put that money towards mental health. Put that money towards housing. It all connects as we've seen in multiple cases, people especially white people in particular, love to weaponize the police, as there's been multiple cases of this across the country.

G

Okay- and I believe monday- I don't know who it was. Maybe it was. The mayor had quoted a a quote by joe biden, saying that you know, use the funds or use the funds or or lose the funds. Well, you guys love to quote the president when it's convenient for you right. Well, your president also said, as we know, the um the tragedy that happened in buffalo, the shooter came from our area, the broom county area, and it's it's uh it's no it.

G

This is not a surprise. What happened to buffalo? Sadly, I'm not surprised by it, and it doesn't shock me that this person came from this area, because this area is a breeding ground for white supremacy. I've called you guys out with your white supremacy right, especially sophia wrestling you guys, like. I said your president also said when it's um your president also said that if you're silent about about white supremacy, your silence is complicity so stop being silent about it.

G

We've been knocked, we've been trying to tell you guys this that there's a there's a a problem in this area, especially with racism, and it goes back- and this goes back you this this. This is historical. It goes back years with the police. This is the breeding ground, so this was the headquarters for the kkk.

G

Okay and, like I said, your silence is complicity. You guys are being you guys, are being complicit so stop using.

G

Use the money use the art of money, how it's supposed to be used, go back into the people. How about you all take the first step in getting out of your delusional reality, whatever world that you're living in and start really getting into the community getting getting with the people? I'm not just talking about using a little using a press conference to your to your advantage, get to know really get to know your people get to know people with mental health um with mental health issues, because that's the issue a lot of the times.

G

um I believe you guys aren't, aren't you guys if you guys are going to use the use the arbor fund, give it to the police, have a have a mental health uh therapist or somebody who who specializes in mental health? Because we know that's, not the police, they don't know how to de-escalate situations at all and I've. I've been a witness to this multiple times, no de-escalation skills whatsoever.

G

So a lot of the times these violent cases, the violence, uh gun, gun, gun violence is no the mental health. Mental health is a big thing that ties into it. I don't see a lot of money going into into mental health. I don't see a million dollars going into mental health for this community there's been, there's been a lot of suicides along with gun, violence and.

E

One minute remaining worse.

G

Is that it's only going to get worse because you guys continue to ignore the people you guys continue to ignore us. We've been knocking, we've been asking, but we're not going to knock no more. We we're tired of knocking and asking we are hungry. Please let us in we're about to start not about we about to bang the door down. We just gonna come in, but that's really that's all. I got to say so.

A

Thank you, ma'am.

E

Thank you. If there's anyone else that would like to speak, if you zoom, please click the raised hand, button and leave it raised, and please tell us if you live or work in the city of binghamton and state your full name for the for the record.

E

Our next speaker is tinacrinopoulos, we'll allow them to speak now.

H

Can you hear me.

H

A

Yes, ma'am, we can hear you thank you.

H

Great okay, um sorry.

A

H

That's fine, I'm starting my timer. My name is tina cronopoulos. I live in binghamton in the district, I'm headed by uh sophia resinity, um a couple of things that I want to talk about tonight. One of them is the lockdown law that was announced to the news by jared kram last week.

H

So what I find troublesome about this- and this has been called out before- is that um the mayor, whether that's jared, kram or rich david before him, would basically go to the news and say this is what we're gonna do but um hasn't yet um received approval from city council.

H

So this just is basically an example of how you are being used as a rubber, stamping body and basically are complicit in doing that, um and not only is this troublesome because of the way that um you know you do your work, but also because this lockdown law is probably going to um target specific people in our community.

H

So I find it particularly galling to then see jared kram tweeting um publicly about you, know the tragedy in buffalo and how the residents of binghamton rara so terrible, we're so sad and yet, at the same time you are about to enact a a law or bring back a law that some of the effects will actually be racism. So that's what I would call um you know sort of along with what the the previous caller said. This is kind of low-key white, supremacy and action.

H

You know, um and then the other thing that I wanted to talk about. Yes, indeed, is your.

H

What you are gonna do tonight is to give one million dollars to um the police department, which has over the last years, continue to receive millions and millions of money um dollars, but um we're not actually seeing any effect, um and so, as the previous caller said, you may well be aware what happened in buffalo is um somebody who you know the the shooter, the white supremacist, the terrorists um comes from conklin and a thing that he talks about in his manifesto is um the great replacement right and- and some of you- I don't know if folks here in this audience, um watch fox news.

H

Maybe you do I'm sorry if you do because I'm sure your brain has lots of holes in it um and tucker calls it. Carlson is on that show, and he has um mentioned the great replacement about 400 times.

H

um I don't know over how many years, but he is one of the reasons that people in this country believe you know that um the what the white people are somehow dying off and that racism isn't a real thing. um Another thing that the shooter and the reason I'm talking about this is directly relevant to what you all are doing. The shooter also worships the police right, and so when we have somebody on city council, like the person who um supposedly is representing me, posting online about the thin blue line and back the blue.

H

That is a dog whistle that is a dog whistle when you say back the blue, when you say the thin blue line. What you are saying is blue lives matter and what you are saying when blue lives matter, you are very clearly saying black lives. Don't matter! Okay and I've talked about this before here and in other contexts.

H

You cannot choose whether you are born black. You cannot choose whether you are born trans. You cannot choose whether you are born disabled. You cannot choose whether you are born jewish, but you can well choose whether you become a police officer or not. So when somebody says like sophia resinity, who purports to represent everyone in her district when she so clearly doesn't that you back the thin blue line and you back the blue, you.

E

Have one minute left, I believe.

H

That black lives don't matter even if you publicly say oh, but I believe that all lives matter, and I don't think that people in binghamton are racist and I certainly am not racist, because I still haven't heard you apologize to dr angela riley on this committee for the scene that you threw about how your feelings were hurt when dr angela reilly was talking very clearly about how she was afraid when the police were standing behind her.

H

That's what true leadership looks like, and I haven't seen it from you, I'm sorry to say, and so when you are then going to vote to give a hundred a million dollars to the police. You are basically saying: oh, we feel so bad about what happened in buffalo, but we're just going to continue to be white supremacist right here in binghamton watch us do it, because we can and guess who made it all possible. The worship of donald trump.

H

Take good care.

A

E

You ma'am thank you. Would anyone else be willing to speak.

E

um I can't see the name on this one, but uh the next person with their hands up. We will allow them to speak.

I

All right good evening, this is tarkadelism seventeen tremont, I'm disappointed. There still seems to be seven council members seated. um I would like to uh I watched uh well two things I watched the friday session regarding code enforcement. I was extremely puzzled. um You basically talked about everything but housing and building code enforcement.

I

um Maybe you should just call it like the task force to try to solve things that annoy white homeowners. I don't know, but it's definitely a puzzling puzzling conversation.

I

I would also say that if you truly wanted community input, you wouldn't host that meeting on a friday at 5 30., it's just clear that you do everything possible to avoid uh inclusive community input.

I

Secondly, uh I'd like to talk about this allocation of pandemic recovery funds to the police.

I

There's a ridiculous comment made by mr scanlon, where that, if you actually try to think and reimagine what it means to have a safe community, that we want to uphold the safety of all residents, that you basically hate the police that you don't support them. So let me let me pause it. Another scenario is that, if we're talking about infrastructure investments- and we carve out 20 percent to improve sidewalks, so those who have mobility issues can move around the city without problems that we were also used.

I

Some of those road repair funds to actually paint bike lanes uh and bill, uh dedicated lanes to do traffic signals that can help those with disabilities.

I

Would you say you hate cars, or would you recognize that what the person is advocating for is a system that addresses the needs of all residents and that infrastructure dollars which traditionally have been roads needs to be reimagined?

I

um Mr scanlon, you you make childish statements to incite division uh and, as the previous caller mentioned, you are echoing the same kind of white supremacist language and dog whistles that lead to incredible violence and harm, particularly to black brown residents. It's disgraceful!

I

So, let's just think about this. If somebody is food insecure and they were shoplifting, our solution is we arrest them if somebody's homeless, we arrest them? If somebody's struggling with mental health, we arrest them. If somebody's struggling with addiction, we arrest them to stress youth who get in fights and engage in violence in need of care, mentoring and programs, but there's a lack of them. We arrest them.

I

White supremacy sees all of these issues as nails and the only hammer is a police force and what so many people across this country have been advocating for and right here in the city. It's a very brave multiracial coalition, folks that are putting themselves at risk for the kind of racist terrorism that we saw meted out to a innocent community in buffalo you're contributing to that, and we need to stop thinking about law enforcement as the only lever towards achieving a safe community.

I

We should invest in more access to food. We should invest in more safe and affordable housing. We should invest in programs to improve people's financial security. We should invest and rebuild the devastated mental health system that we used to have in this country and in this county we should invest in addiction services.

I

We should invest in our youth, this council. Again and again, you have one minute left to the one hammer that it knows, and I would say that it's because you were all a combination of naive and ignorant and uninformed and also upholding the power structures of white supremacy. It's a combination of both and it's a dangerous mix, but you really should have asked the officer and those who came down what are other five strategies to prevent crime that do not involve the law enforcement.

I

If they can't name one, then that means all of the money we've invested in training has been wasted. They should be able to name a number, and I truly truly hope that one thing if this is going to pass. We all know that. That's why people don't call in, but I would encourage somebody to add an amendment that 30 days from now, there must be a dedicated website on the city website detailing your.

E

Five minutes.

I

Has been spent.

A

Thank you, sir.

E

Thank you at this time uh anyone else wishing to speak via zoom, please click the raised hand, button and leave it raised, and we will allow you to speak one by one.

A

Seeing no other requests for discussion the chair moves forward on the agenda. Thank you all. In accordance with chamber rules, we will move forward with first read legislation for the preferred agenda. Do any council members wish to remove any requests for legislation or provide good cause that merits an abstention.

A

The chair, seeing none mr clerk, will read the first introductory ordinance into the role.

E

Yes, so the first item on tonight's preferred agenda is introductory ordinance 22-83 considered in the finance committee. This is an ordinance to amend the 2022 city fee schedule to include ely park golf course in season rates.

A

Any discussion.

A

Seeing none mr clark.

E

Next item we have introductory ordinance 22-84 considered in the planning committee, and this is an ordinance authorizing park. Outdoor advertising of new york incorporated to replace an existing billboard with one digital sign face at 159 and a half north griswold street.

A

Any discussion.

A

Chair recognizes councilwoman freeman.

F

Thank you, president pro-tem scoring. uh I just wanted to highlight something: an important piece of information about this legislation that um convinced me to support it, because the uh the documentation that was submitted with the rl initially had some reasons in support of changing the sign face to a digital one and some against, and uh I wanted to thank councilman burns for asking a question uh or bringing up the point that the the lights on the digital sign are actually dimmer than and less reflective than the signs that currently exist.

F

um And so, while a digital billboard seems like it would contribute more light pollution, it actually contributes less light pollution. So I wanted to highlight that as an important um little tidbit and I think the the thing that convinced me to uh to support this legislation thanks.

A

Thank you, councilwoman any other discussion, mr clerk.

E

Okay, the next item on the preferred agenda is introductory ordinance 22-85, considering the finance committee, and this is an ordinance to amend the 2022 insurance fund budget, to increase revenue for an anticipated insurance recovery and create an expense line for an emergency demolition at 159 conklin avenue any.

A

Discussion, mr clerk.

E

Next item is introductory ordinance 22-86 in the finance committee, and this is an ordinance to amend the 2022 finance budget to adjust the staff accountant and finance payroll specialist annual salary and increase the travel and training line.

A

Any discussion, mr clark.

E

Next, we have introductory ordinance 22-88 considered in planning, and this is an ordinance amending permanent ordinance 22-03 to add a roberta clause.

A

Any discussion.

A

E

And the last item on tonight's preferred agenda is introductory resolution 22-54 considered in finance- and this is a resolution- excuse me to accept a 250 000 grant from the usdot recreational trails program to be used at ross park.

A

Any discussion seeing none the chair will entertain a motion to accept the preferred agenda as submitted.

F

A

There a second.

B

A

By councilwoman friedman seconded by councilman scanlon, all those in favor signify by saying aye hi, all those opposed, nay, roll call. Mr clerk, my apologies.

E

um Councilwoman reznetti.

C

E

Councilwoman riley aye councilwoman friedman, aye councilman burns aye, councilman scanlon.

B

E

President strong is absent and president pro tem scrunchie hi, that's six eyes, one absent strong. Thank.

A

You, mr clerk, apologies. Thank you. Corporate council.

A

On the agenda and chamber rules, we'll move forward with the non-preferred agenda. Chair recognizes councilwoman scanlon for the purposes of a motion considered in the finance committee.

B

Thank you, councilman security. I stand as for unanimous consideration for introductory ordinance 22-87 an ordinance to amend the 2022 budget to allocate arpa funds to support gun violence reduction programs through the southern material crime analysis center.

A

Do I hear a second.

D

A

Motion of my council on councilman scanlon seconded by councilwoman rezanetti, any discussion chair recognized as councilwoman freeman. Thank.

F

You, president pro-tem.

F

So I surprised to no one. um I have a lot of issues with this piece of legislation, um as we've been saying over and over and over again, um the arpa funds are supposed to be used for covid relief, and, while I understand that the uh you know, the pandemic has made people more anxious and has exacerbated uh mental health issues in many cases.

F

uh I I just feel like this is such an inappropriate use of this money and that's not to say that gun violence isn't a serious issue. Obviously it is, but this is not the funding to do it to to solve this issue, and also, I don't think that giving money to you know this. The southern tier climate analysis center, which is uh in many senses kind of an extension of the police department, is appropriate.

F

I know that president biden said that municipalities could use this funding for that, but, as with anything just because we can doesn't mean we should uh I'm also troubled by the fact that when the uh the police, reinvention and uh reimagination committee- um I forgive me if I'm getting that name uh the words in that name wrong, but the the police reinvention um committee met and submitted their final report. When we were in budget season.

F

uh I had brought up a proposal to allocate some money from. I believe it was the contingency line in order to execute the the suggestions or the the propositions within that plan, uh some of which overlap with what this million dollars would supposedly go toward, and during the budget season I was told no, we are not going to allocate any money in our budget in order to execute these proposals. So now all why, once president biden says, oh, you can use this money for the police now, all of a sudden we're like wait a minute.

F

These are all of these. These proposals that need to be funded. Where was the foresight in this? Why didn't we allocate money for this when these proposals? First came out a million dollars, I mean that could do so much to improve the material conditions of people whose lives were made worse by covid, and we haven't we've seen a little bit of data that cry. You know, gun violence or shots. Fired reports have have gone up in the city of binghamton.

F

I think there were seven more shots by, but don't quote me on this something like seven more shots fired in the city this year than last year, um uh and I just I you know that that to me doesn't justify spending a million dollars. um The the one aspect that I agree with in this proposal is crime prevention through environmental design. That, to me is legitimate crime prevention.

F

That's when you take the environment, the physical environment and fix it in a way that prevents that reduces crime. You know the example that was provided when I asked about what that was. um You know, months and months ago, whenever it first came up in a meeting was, uh let's say, there's a street corner where there's a tree. That's blocking a street light causing the corner to be shrouded in darkness, and we see that there are a high number of muggings on that street corner.

F

The environmental design would then trim back the tree so that the street corner would be illuminated, therefore, thereby preventing crimes from being committed. That's that's legit, in my opinion, but things you know other things that just kind of like give more power to the police. I just I failed to see how this is relevant to covid, and um I also can't support giving a million dollars now when we did not support funding any of these initiatives when they first came out. Thank you.

A

Thank you, councilwoman. Any other discussion.

A

Seeing none to someone chair recognizes councilman o'reilly.

J

Thank you for that uh pro tim scoring um so.

J

A million dollars is nothing to sneeze at.

J

If either of us had a million dollars, we would change how we existed our frame of reference, our thoughts, our con, how we conceptualize just daily activities of living, would change, and I think, because of our poverty index again and because of how binghamton is comprised or composed of several various representatives in the community which caused us to receive this chunk of money.

J

We forget that we are representing everyone which includes the quote: unquote, even the least of these, those that don't vote those that have given up on the political system, because we are continuously ignored, those of us that are shot and targeted and um maligned in meetings and outside of meetings through various scandalous acts.

J

um I bring this up because again because we have the money before us: we've forgotten what it means to be fiscally responsible and fiduciary agents for the city. Now do we need support? Do we need finances to extend services?

J

Absolutely absolutely? And although uh mr scandalous said that I was not pro police, um it is important to say that I am pro everyone.

J

I said that at the work at the uh rally too, I'm pro quite a bit, but the point is as fiduciary agents when a proposal is brought before us, even though, let's think about your work life, if you were reviewing a grant and someone brought a million dollar proposal to you and the budget did not outline how that million dollars would be allocated, they just said. Well, maybe this may be that you would not approve such grant.

J

If your children came to you and said, I need a million dollars, some of it's going here there where have you, but then they're going to invest some to charity and you're like well. How much is going to charity? Oh, it's going to be based upon other factors. Just give it to me. Would you give your children that money?

J

We can even say that about twenty dollars daily. I asked me for twenty dollars. I didn't give it to her, because where is my twenty dollars going anyway, so I bring this up because last march members of our council, members of our community, sat for several nights to listen to community feedback business feedback.

J

As part of the police reform, reinvention collaborative remember this big book, those of us that printed it and we paid, I think- about 60 000- to receive a report from the finn institute. Is that correct?

J

So the finn institute gave us because we paid for their knowledge and their information, and they talked about the first priority, and even assessing our current structure is the need to build trust. They talked about the building of trust in the community from the police perspective from page 81, probably all the way to about page 95..

J

So that's number one to me. Usually when you divert when you allocate a lot of pages that tells you what they deem a priority again, we paid them for their advice, so part of their strategies. They outlined 19 bullet points that was then brought to the collaborative which my accounts. Fellow council. I don't think any of you here were on, but I know oh yes,.

J

So uh those of you that said, you again listened to the bullet and they said number five was consider a community advisory board. Consider what form of external citizen oversight is necessary and should establish such continue. The efforts to diversify bpd's ranks consider deployment of officers on foot. We talked about that one at length on monday and there's several more so I encourage you all to look at this artifact. We paid 60 something thousand dollars for. I can't remember the price, but we paid for this, so we should we should use it.

J

It appears that we have not used it beyond the initial goal to complete a task.

J

Finally, one of the ones I wanted to highlight uh was consider a deflection, police-led diversion program for substance abusers, and then it talks about de-escalation training. Apart from six and using some standardized curriculum and that's fine.

J

So then we lean on our neighbors and friends and the task force and the two council members that were representing us and they create goals, five pages of goals. How many of you six pages, I'm sorry, six pages of goals. How many council members looked at these when we were comparing what was proposed for this million dollars?

J

Yes, no did we look at these goals? No, okay and it's okay, it's okay, because this was what we said we prioritized when we were going to restructure and reimagine police safety in our community. It was done in a process that was vetted improved by council.

J

There were people appointed to this council to this this task force and there were goals. I mean these people dedicated their lives. They gave away family time to create six goals with several bullets, not many were mentioned in this million dollar investment.

J

So that makes me ask that that leaves me. The question was this: for was this performative?

J

Should these have been these objectives? These goals then be used to outline how we will spend the money which, typically, if you invest in a uh company, to assess, evaluate and provide a plan. You then begin implementing the plan.

J

I don't see that that that we've connected it in that way.

J

So, on monday, we quoted joe biden quite frequently, which was great, shows bipartisan effort, and I went to the language that joe biden shared and he did talk about using art money, but he talked about prioritizing it based upon your community's needs, so he also gave which I I love to share often share exemplars. You know I I always share them and then there's a couple of council that always say well. What does this have to do with? uh I believe in looking at other models, especially if they can be extrapolated and or revised.

J

The data can be extrapolated and we can use it to our our own programs and services. Nevertheless, in there they mention not only major cities, but small cities and small counties that one may save could be exemplars for binghamton, but if you look at what they allocated or how they allocated their resources, a majority of them looked at the systemic problems and ensured that those were priorities within the allocation of the our funding.

J

We've heard time and time again that our community needs help. Yes, we've allocated money towards housing, but what about reentry?

J

What about the people that are walking because they have a disorder where they're dependent on substances but don't know where to go to end that dependence? Nor do they trust the system, because the systems have consistently failed them. Where is our dedication to supporting services to support those residents.

J

The non-voters, the non-taxpayers, but the ones we see on main street the ones we see in speedway they're our neighbors too.

J

So I brought up a few of the city and of course now I can't read them. But I'll just tell you, one city said they were going to allocate resources to ease the burden on police by increasing community violence, intervention, crisis responders and substance use disorder and mental health services. We mentioned the crt, we did.

J

We mentioned community policing, we did. But can you tell me how much we're allocating to either.

J

In another city, they also are contributing one percent police over time.

J

50 to a new community violence, intervention and prevention program.

J

Point five percent to a gun back initiative.

J

And the remaining funds will go to a forensic science assistance park rangers and park safety and a community reentry program.

J

Baltimore, which we know, we've heard a lot about baltimore and they have invested again a different size city, different composition entirely. But I just wanted to share this one: 50 million over the next three years of their opera money, art money on comprehensive violence, prevention strategies, including community violence, intervention program, victim service, support, youth, justice effort, re-entry services, again re-entry services, job training, mental health support.

J

They will also support services in the community to increase case management, emergency housing, relocation, assistance for people at imminent risk of being the victim of violence and transitional employment, programming. All part of that violence reduction strategy- and you say well councilwoman riley.

J

We have organizations that do that and all of those organizations have come and asked for support, either through cdbg funding or through the various organizations we all commit our our time to and if they have a need and they're not able to meet the need- and this is what we say we want to see in terms of improvement, and this is based upon evidence, evidence based data, evidence-based strategies, not a chunk of data based upon one's own desire, but research years of research that showed positive outcomes.

J

So I just wanted to share this with you guys, because I think it's it's critical for us to really understand our roles, understand who we represent and we we represent police too. Listen, I told you, although you know we have people with prophetic gifts that know how I will vote, uh which we should lean on a little more frequently since they have such gifts, but.

J

We need to be mindful because we were given a gift, but that gift was based upon the the poverty of our community, and so we need to make sure we are hearing the voices of those that are crying and they may not be crying the loudest, but those are the ones that are crying without access and may not have proximity to the table, but we said we represent them.

J

So I want you guys to think about these things.

J

Think about the time we invested in this reinvestment act, think about how we allocate our resources and what we need to do better as a council and as a city for the residents in our community. Thank you.

A

Thank you councilwoman any further discussion, which I recognize, councilman birds. uh Thank you, mr.

K

President I'd like to thank councilwoman friedman and council woman riley for their comments, and I I agree with them. um There's a lot to be done. All the all the work that councilman riley did just now and just went through.

K

I mean she's, absolutely 100 right. We need to do. We need to do more.

K

And I find myself you know we are.

K

You know the fact that this legislation, even it needs to come forward, is sad.

K

You know, there's a there's, a sadness, especially the fact that as passion said so passionately that you know this person came that went to buffalo just you know, lives just a few miles away from us.

K

And I think it just brings a sadness over. You know a cloud over our area that we have to sit to take a serious look at and we can say. Oh, this is not who we are, but you know what it is you know it is. This is really happening so and I'm not I'm not saying that the people in binghamton are these are, are that did this or a racist or anything like that, but the guy came from here.

K

I I'd also like to point out, though, to passion and others that you know passion said that the kkk headquarters was here at one time. I I've heard that over over and over again, but there's also in the courthouse square, there's a monument, a civil war, monument and there's a list of names of men from binghamton that fought in that war and died in that war to to to stop slavery- and I like to think of when I think of broome county, that's, but I that that's what I look at I look at.

K

You know the good things that are that are here and there's a lot of them and but in binghamton right now we have a problem. We have a gun problem, we have a crime problem and I do know that we've added you know the last administration added 16 cops and crime crime went up, and here we are asking asking for more and.

K

You know I.

K

I I you know we had I I have my grandchild. Ruby sitting over there tonight came with me. I was the babysitter and I couldn't find my.

K

I couldn't get my relief, so she came with me but and she's going to be with me for four days her her parents went away for the weekend, but there's grandparents all over the city of binghamton this weekend that don't know if their children are safe, playing out in their front yard.

K

We had a 12 year old girl who got murdered, walking her dog, and I for one am willing to say: okay, mr mayor, okay, chief zakusky, okay, captain bid well, if you can, if you can tell us that you're gonna you're gonna really do something with this money, then I'm willing to say yes, let's I'm gonna give you I'm willing to give you that chance, and but I asked our council, mr president, that you know six months from now. Let's bring officer bidwell back and say how have you spent the money?

K

Have you seen any you know? Do we have any data that that that this money is being going to to to good use?

K

But I don't believe that we can sit here and do nothing and and and the president of the united states. I went to the white house page when the mayor quoted them the other day. I wanted to make sure that I had it and heard it right, because I hadn't heard it until the mayor said it, but here from the white house, the president of the united states that president biden issued a call for state and local leaders to dedicate more american rescue plan funding to make our community safer and deploy these dollars quickly.

K

So there I am, and uh that's all I have thank you very much. Thank you. Councilman.

A

Any further discussion chair recognize councilwoman freeman.

F

Thank you, president protein spring g. I just I'll be brief, but um there was a a um tension or a a um not what's the word that I'm looking for two conflicting things here um that I didn't verbalize in my comment, and you know we have been citing the the police, reimagine police, reimagination and reinvention collaborative plan, uh because it overlaps with this.

F

What this funding is proposed to do now. The the disconnect that I'm seeing here that I didn't voice before is that the uh the most recent and high profile uh incident of gun violence happened when a white supremacist mass shooter from our area went to buffalo, specifically because it had a high percentage of black residents there and he thought that it would increase his chances of killing the most black people.

F

That's an incident of gun violence that we saw most recently, the police reimagination collaborative, came about in response to an incident of police brutality against a black man, george floyd, who was murdered by police. So there's a disconnect here. We talk about gun violence, but who's really the perpetrators of gun violence.

F

We see so many mass shootings across the country that are executed by white supremacists of self-avowed white supremacists. So we talk about gun violence, but who's who's, doing the gun, violence. Who? Who are we trying to surveil?

F

Whose neighborhoods are we going to increase the police presence in because they are so-called hot spots who lives there?.

F

Why do we need to work so hard to gain the trust of the community by the police? Why is the community distrustful of the police? Well because they're so often.

F

Stereotyped and brutalized by the police, so it's kind of like it's a false equivalence. In my mind, it's a false equivalence of trying to prevent gun violence that came out of a plan that the governor required because of a black man, was murdered by the police in an instance of police brutality and then we're saying, gun violence such as a white supremacist mass shooter. That's what we need to be looking at with this funding. I'm sorry I said I would be brief.

F

um I am often verbose, but I I really felt like that needed to be said. Thank you.

A

Thank you councilwoman any further discussion hearing none does a member call the question.

A

Questions have been called, the clerk will call the roll.

E

Councilwoman reznetti.

C

E

Councilwoman riley.

D

E

Councilwoman friedman.

F

E

Burns aye councilman scanlan.

B

E

uh President strong is absent and president pro temps, grinchy hi, that's four eyes: two nays riley and friedman with one absent strong.

A

Thank you, mr clerk. We'll move on to communications from council members chair recognizes councilwoman friedman, district four.

F

Thank you, president, for attempts to rng. uh Obviously the incident in buffalo is weighing heavily on all of us and you know like I, I teach sometimes in sv high school, you know and not that I'm necessarily the closest. I I've made a deliberate effort to not remember the to not learn or remember the um the terrorists name, um but maybe I saw them in class once maybe they were in my virtual zoom classroom.

F

I I don't know, uh and so it raises the issue of obviously gun violence.

F

But again I think we have to be more specific here. Yeah, it's gun violence, but it's gun violence motivated by white supremacy.

F

That's the the access to guns is an issue, but the white supremacy is the motivation for this crime uh and we, you know, I don't think anyone would not anyone. I don't think many people would come out and explicitly say: oh I'm a white supremacist, but many times through.

F

Implicitly or explicitly.

F

We I say we because I you know sometimes I uphold systems that unintentionally reinforce white supremacy. That's something that I have dedicated my life to learning and working against and.

F

I mean we have to call it what it is. It's it's a a terrorist attack by a white supremacist and I don't think we can just write it off as like. Oh, he was crazy and that's it because this happens all the time. This is happening all the time all over the country, and you can look at the way that the news reports.

F

And the way that they treat me and you see the disparity in how we treat and report on black people and communities of color, this white supremacist shooter, was taken in alive.

F

So we have the capability of taking people in alive and yet that privilege of being taken in alive by the police is not afforded to many people of color who are viewed as a threat, and this really worries me because no one's going to come out and say I'm a white supremacist. You know I don't. I just don't think that that's gonna happen.

F

And yet what are we doing? That is upholding white supremacy things like giving a million dollars to surveil high crime areas.

F

Why are they high crime areas? Maybe because people's basic needs are not being met? Maybe they're high crime areas because we have more cops there, so they catch more people.

F

F

You know my heart is broken and I and and I don't want to come off like I'm being callous about this, but.

F

I ran for office because I really wanted to make a change and I know that's a cliche thing to say. I know everybody says that right some people run for office because they want to build up their resume. You know, but I I think a lot of people run for office because they legitimately want to make a change, and here we are spinning our wheels in the face of homegrown terror.

F

We have an opportunity here to change the material conditions of people's lives ravaged by covid, ravaged by poverty ravaged by food, deserts ravaged by mental health issues and lack of access to mental health care.

F

And what are we doing? What are we doing right? We can say gun. Violence is a is a problem, but we can't keep beating our heads against the wall and saying: oh, let's, let's give more money to the police.

F

What would the police have done in this situation? They didn't stop. There was even an armed security guard, a good guy with a gun if you will and the police showed up after was it 10 or 11 people died.

F

The safest communities are not the ones with the most police they're, the ones with the most resources they're, the ones with the least desperation where people are able to provide for their kids. They have a safe place to sleep at night they're. They don't have to move from one slum, lord property, to another to escape the black mold and bed bugs those are the safest communities, not the ones with the most surveillance and the most cops.

F

And I wish I had an answer. I wish I had a crystal ball. I wish I could just wave my magic wand and everyone would be safe and cared for. I don't have a magic wand, but I can use data.

F

I can look to other cities and see what's what's working and what's not, we can look and see that, despite giving millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars to the police department gun violence went up in the city of binghamton.

F

We had an increase in shots fire and.

F

The data shows that crime gun violence went up so why? Why are we still putting money towards the same things?

F

Are we gonna eventually get to a point where one hundred percent of the city of binghamton budget, funded by taxpayers, goes to the police? Will will we be safe, then?

F

Will we have a thriving community, then how much money 50 75 75 cents out of every dollar, that I pay in taxes goes to police that are surveilling my community? That's when I'll be safe.

F

We could try it or we can look at data and see what works, and I.

F

I ran for office to make a difference, and here I am feeling powerless in meetings where I'm supposed to represent my community, my constituents, many of three many of whom are people of color, and I just get outvoted every time. What am I supposed to do? Should I resign?

F

I think some people would be happy to see me resign, but this is we. We can't keep beating our heads against the wall and hoping that something is suddenly going to change without actually changing circumstances that we live and work in the city of binghamton.

F

I wish I had something more enlightening or uplifting to say, but unfortunately I don't. That concludes my comments. Thank you. Thank.

A

You councilwoman, the chair, recognizes councilman burns district five.

K

K

You know, I think I said it all uh when we had our discussions about uh what was passed this evening um on a brighter note, we did have a wonderful south side. Neighborhood assembly concert went very well. We had over 100 people that came to the concert and uh it's a small area, so you know it's at the commons, it looks very crowded and we have another one next uh next month june 19th and we're looking forward to that. I want to thank the parks department for helping us out.

K

We had a bit of a snafu and they it was the weekend and they jumped still jumped right on it and saved us, and that's about it for me. Thank you. Thank.

A

You councilman, the chair, recognizes councilman scanlon district 7..

A

B

um I don't know where to start here so councilman riley alluded the fact that I said she does not support the being at the police department which, um if you look back in two and a half years, we've been on council, probably 10 or 12 votes, where we had an opportunity to support the binghamton police department and every single time, including tonight, ngo rally, is voted no to support the police. So it's not hurting it's not hard to draw a line there.

B

What she doesn't support the biggest police department she also mentioned as baltimore, and what they're doing are performance. The murder rate in baltimore is up 31, I'm not sure what to do with opera funds is working in baltimore, um I'm not sure what how people think less cops would be safer. I don't that's just ludicrous to think like that to me. So thank you. Mr president.

A

Thank you. Councilman chair recognizes councilwoman rezanetti district 2.

D

Thank you. um You know it really is really difficult to express the sadness and anger felt um over the the shooting last week and the taking of so many innocent lives.

D

um You know hate such as what we saw in senseless violence has absolutely no place in our society, I'm praying for the buffalo community and really for our entire nation. It feels especially um to me, like our young people, are in crisis and we need to find more ways to address what is happening. I certainly don't believe. There's one way to excuse me address at all. As a mental health clinician, I've always placed importance on mental health services, and we absolutely need to be looking at this particular issue.

D

More than ever, my thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be, with all those who lost your loved ones. I'd also like to say a big thank you to the family of the security guard for what they have to deal with as well, who, as we know, um did what he could to try to stop the shooter and ultimately lost his life.

D

On a lighter note, I'd like to say congratulations to all of our graduates.

D

Some are graduating right now this week I believe next week um and uh those are the folks that are going to hopefully make our future a better one.

D

um Lastly, I wanted to say that you know- maybe some of you know that may 15th uh through the 21st is national public works week, and during this time we shed a little bit of light on the brave and very essential role that public works employees play and we are all very familiar with a very long list of what it is that they do. So I want to say thank you to our department of public works for everything that you do um and that's all I have. Mr president, thank you.

A

Do you councilwoman rosenetti, uh just a few things I want to thank all the residents, my goodness my deepest apologies chair, recognizes councilwoman riley district three, my apologies councilman thank.

J

J

There has been a lot said, and uh this has been an interesting week, but, as I share with my colleagues, I've remained silent as best as I could, because.

J

So many things are going through my head I'll tell you guys, so we started off the weekend with a bang. We went to we united to.

J

Talk about removing hands off of our bodies and trying to encourage a certain subset of the population to stop legislating for things for which they don't understand.

J

That was fueled by certain subsets of the population, particularly for me telling me how to perform. My city council work here locally, so we go from someone telling me how to do my job to advocating for policy change, uh upholding protections regarding sexual health for my body, which is being again argued by a certain subset of the population to another subset of the population, continuing to wreak havoc on the lives of people. That look like me.

J

I've been getting calls.

J

From media from neighbors from people across the country- and my colleagues tried to make me feel better because they said yes, you are an elected official and you are the only black elected official in this region. Yes, I know that.

J

However, you don't need to call me write me to ask me about how you would feel if you were targeted.

J

You don't need to ask my opinion of how a black person is taking the consistent mistreatment.

C

J

Hate and disrespect and when I say disrespect, we know what I'm talking about.

J

This young man grew up here.

J

He was proud of his understanding of the great replacement theory that was promoted by a meat of uh media center that many of you probably frequent.

J

And was supported and touted the same theory was touted by elected officials that also support these media centers.

J

He drove, as you all know, from here about three hours, maybe with a firearm. He also purchased from here.

J

And, like passion said, you want to know how black people feel we're, not surprised because we live it, be it explicit bias, implicit bias, be it disrespect and yes, in this region, this county, this state in this room.

J

It's a problem.

J

It's a problem- and this is not because I said something to a group of people in city council. It's because of how I was born. There's a difference. There's a difference.

J

And, as my fellow council members said, not only was this man able to live stream, his rant, he walked away alive.

J

Don't ask me how I feel.

J

Racism is built into our political and economic systems. We see that when we legislate, we see that when we allocate resources that again support the greatest of these.

J

And that's why cities like buffalo, like binghamton, remain divided.

J

And why black people in this country have been denied access to quality, healthcare, housing resources and food? You know why I say food. If you look at.

J

Now I can't think of the name of the building that the police said they are going to increase.

C

J

Town and country, without transportation, before that grocery store was created. How would they have gotten groceries.

J

Have you ever walked with a bag of groceries?

J

Have you ever walked with multiple bags of groceries for your family?

J

Even in the third district, we do have the store on glenwood ave, but that's far too.

J

The people in buffalo are now without a supermarket in an area that we all know and were able to quote, was one of the most minoritized communities in buffalo.

J

And you say how do I feel don't ask me, because I won't be political.

J

So, in the face of this unspeakable trauma that we endure and that they have endured recently, they have to now readjust not only to make their children feel safe, but we have to make our children feel safe too, because my child said, oh, my god he's from here.

J

What am I gonna do my child that you all know asked that question. Don't ask me how I feel.

J

J

um Instead of continuing to be sad- and you hear it in my voice because I try not to stay here but.

J

We need to fight well. First of all, let me say this: this is not my fight. This is for you all that. Don't look like me to start calling out racist behavior in your families start calling out the the the jokes that they think are funny that are inappropriate if they wouldn't tell it. If I was at the table with you, then they shouldn't tell it and then, if you have people that are showing signs, get help get help again.

J

This is not my fault, you call it out, you call it out cause I'm tired, but as an elected official.

J

We need to do more about guns, and we talked about that and we talked about military. We talked about and I laughed. I talked because I think about the military military grade and I don't need a speech about military-grade weapons, but we have the power to fight and add laws, regulations and access. We learned about ghost guns, there's things we can do locally and we can unite and fight for federal changes as well.

J

So I stand here and I mourn with everyone affected by the law in buffalo people. We know that know, people that lost people, but I mourn for those of us who are walking around guessing your true intention when you speak.

J

But I call all of you to join with me as we continue to again legislate for things to stop gun violence based upon data, not a bucket of money.

J

That's not outlined, as we would ask any other representative coming to council to outline how they're allocating the money, how they plan to spend the money, but based upon evidence-based data, supporting universal background checks, banning civilian ownership of assault or military type, weapons, blocking access to guns to those who have been found in a court of law to be dangerous to themselves or others, which includes any type of behavioral health issues that resulted in them going to court.

J

Creating a national registry of gun ownership to aid in law enforcement, ate our law enforcement and tracking and and councilman burns asked. Would this money go towards helping track the purchase of guns? They said no, they said no. So what is the money going to? But we're done with that? It's already passed and then finally, investing in true research studying the impact causes and cures of gun violence, not anecdotal data, not data that was presented at a conference 30 years ago.

J

We want true data that again can be with strategies that can be implemented, adapted and implemented in cities across the country, and I want us again- and I say us as elected officials, not as me as a member of minoritized communities.

J

As elected officials, we use our platform to not only represent everyone for whom we serve, but to refrain from epitaphs that continue to divide us refrain from jokes and dangerous. Untrue conspiracy theories particularly anecdotal data, which, if you look at voting record, does not imply anything, which is why we have the discussions before we vote.

J

We also have to use our power and our platforms to strengthen hate crime laws to create punishment for racial terrorism.

J

That is commiserate with the collective trauma they caused and not just the trauma felt by those in proximity to the crime, but the ripple effect that has affected not only those in this person in this room but binghamton, high school and your neighbors.

J

Thank you, oh and before I close, there will be a prayer vigil tomorrow um at 7 court street, the mlk, um I can't think of the official name anymore, the promenade. Thank you. The peacemakers stay at 6 00 pm and they are collecting donations because, as I mentioned, the residents that live in that community that was affected that has reached worldwide attention, no longer have groceries a grocery store, so they are collecting donations.

J

Canned donations, financial donations toiletries as well as praying because, even though I joked about someone in their prophetic gifts, I know, god is in control.

J

And prayer changes things, so I encourage you guys to be there not to take political pictures.

J

But to be there authentically.

J

For this to change, thank you.

A

Thank you councilwoman. uh As an aside my eyes, move from one paper to another from my name list to my notes. So councilwoman was that purposeful. I apologize that. I miss your name on that list.

A

um I want to thank everyone for all of the discussion for the phone uh for the people that called in uh for a follow-up on some of the comments made during uh constituent phone calls.

A

uh There were some points that were brought up regarding uh the mpa committee, so the reason why housing wasn't mentioned at that meeting uh was because for the agenda that we all unanimously discussed and agreed to uh both in person and electronically on earlier meetings. All my colleagues had this out that went out on april 10th.

A

The meeting one would discuss quality of life issues and code practices, meaning two would discuss housing standards and vacant properties, meaning three would discuss rental registry and code models, meaning number one is the meeting that we just held last friday meeting number two, a doodle poll will be sent out as we agreed by last time within.

C

A

48 hours and I'll get that out to my colleagues.

A

In addition, uh the reason why the meeting was friday at 5 30, because again, as my colleagues and I unanimously agreed to a doodle poll, went out, and that was the day that worked for the most members. There were days on the doodle poll that ranged all the way from monday through friday uh number two. I want to thank the dpw for all the work that they've been doing, especially filling up potholes throughout the city and in the first district.

A

I want to thank uh residents on may street, who are really negatively impacted by the snowstorm who met with me last week, and the really good discussions about getting that cleared up. I'd like to congratulate all of our college and university graduates, as well as uh because we've got a little bit of a break with our next meeting, but coming up, obviously very soon: uh binghamton high school, seton, catholic and all of our k, through eight students, as well great students who are going to be graduating.

A

So I want to graduate congratulate them and all of their families. That being said, chair will entertain a motion to adjourn. Do I hear a second.

D

A

Motioned by councilman byrne, second, mike.