Utica, New York Common Council Meeting Records

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Common Council Meeting January 21st, 2026

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Common Council Meeting January 21st, 2026

20 matches · 5 unidentified
34:55
Thank you, Councilman Betrus. Thank you, Marques, for putting this together. I will say, in South Utica, in the Third Ward, I have gotten calls about this over the years, uh, Proctor Boulevard, also off Sunnyside, regarding commercial vehicles. So we, we do see it in the Third. Um, I suppose if, if anyone does want to have to have a committee meeting on this. I know, Joe, you want to address this before we're faced with the budget here, so I would recommend the first meeting in February if anyone feels compelled to have a committee meeting.
36:11
So, all right, so we're gonna put this in committee. Okay, thank you. You know, I'll have you speak on that. The next one is, uh, a resolution of Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad in New York Scenic by nomination and order management. There's some work that we have to do on this. I'm going to put this in committee. The next one is a resolution. This is the proposed resolution number 9, a resolution authorizing the issue of up to $5 million in revenue anticipation notes of the City of Utica, Oneida County, New York, in anticipation of receipt of certain revenues due during the fiscal year ending March 31st, 1st, 2026. Uh, well, we got to borrow money. I talked to the Comptroller around this. He says we need to do this, uh, to finish our bills for the end of the year. Anybody have any issues on this?
Unidentified speaker 42:40
Thank you. So thank you for this invitation to speak with you this evening. In previous years, you've heard from experts on lead poisoning and its impacts, and I am not here to repeat their presentations. I am here as Chairperson of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee of the Oneida County and Utica Branch of the NAACP. DPW to advocate for a clear and actionable commitment from the Utica Common Council and the Mayor of Utica to reduce lead poisoning in our city. I'm also here to make equally clear our desire to work with you in partnership. I will briefly review key information to ground us all in the challenge and opportunity before us. And then I'm going to outline specifically what we are asking you to consider and why time is of the essence. I ask that you please hold your questions until the end of my remarks so I can keep this brief. Children are recommended to be tested for lead exposure at 12 and 24 months. According to New York State's Department of Health, 14.25% of Oneida County children are not tested, and Utica's blood levels are 4 times the state average for lead poisoning. Elevated lead levels can cause anemia, nausea, hair loss, confusion, muscle weakness, permanent brain damage, poor impulse control, kidney and bone marrow damage. Once you understand the impact of lead poisoning, you can see it reflected, and you can see the effects in our community. We see it. I'm certain you see it in the police department. Young people struggling economically and vocationally. Increased reports of youth violence and conflict. Our police department responding to fights in our streets. Parents overwhelmed by behavioral and impulse control challenges. I spoke with a leader in our community today who works with children And she said she often talks to these kids and they don't understand why they're acting out. They don't understand, but they're lead poisoned. These are not isolated issues. They are symptoms of a community with high levels of lead exposure. And it costs all of us because of the outcomes. That this creates. Census data shows that 48.7% of Utica residences, and that's about 11,244 households, are renter occupied. These renters face limited housing options and tight fiscal constraints. Scarcity creates a power imbalance that makes these tenants fearful of doing anything that might jeopardize the roof over their head. Many feel unable to push for lead testing or remediation. This brings us to the reason why we as the NAACP are here tonight. Utica is one of 25 New York communities covered under the new New York State lead rental registry law. This requires inspections for rental properties with 2 or more units built before 1980, and it begins on May 3rd of this year. The Oneida County Public Health Department is responsible for enforcing this law and is contracting with Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency to conduct those inspections using lead wipe testing to assess the hazards. So our requests— many of our requests align directly with the implementation of this new law because, frankly, we think that we can help you and we can all benefit from collaboration around this. First of all, we are asking for transparency and some citizen oversight. With Utica lead levels among the highest in New York State, residents deserve transparency. We need to know what the City of Utica is doing and planning to ensure effective implementation of the lead rental registry. There is currently no mechanism for citizen oversight of the city's lead poisoning reduction efforts. Establishing such oversight would keep attention on those at highest risk and encourage collaboration across agencies and departments. And here's the kind of collaboration that we're hoping for. Effective implementation requires strong communication between MVCCA, Oneida County Health Department, and the city. Communities that have made progress on reducing lead coordinate inspections and enforcement. Joint inspections minimize disruption for residents and landlords. While providing more comprehensive and timely assessments. The third ask is we would like the city to share data, specifically property data. We ask the City of Utica proactively share any available property data that will help identify addresses covered under this new law with Oneida County Health Department and/or MVCCA, because quickly identifying which households fall under this legislation is essential. The consequences of lead poisoning are irreversible, so urgency is necessary. Citywide lead testing should be a part of certificates of occupancy. We ask the Common Council to pass legislation requiring both lead wipe testing and soil testing for certificates of occupancy for all rental properties, not only the multi-unit, multi-family units that will be covered by this new state law. Single-family rental tenants deserve the same protections. And given the housing shortage, tenants cannot be expected to request testing themselves. If the Codes Department needs additional staff to meet this responsibility, we would urge the council to add those positions. This is an investment in the economic future of our region through improved health outcomes. We— our 5th recommendation, or ask, I heard referenced earlier, and I'm so sad that the engineer is not here. Um, we— our 5th ask is simply to align the paving with lead service line replacement. We urge the city to coordinate its paving schedule with Mohawk Valley Health System, lead pipe remediation efforts because Dig Once is widely recognized as a cost-effective and fiscally responsible approach. Our sixth and final ask is community representation on the Mohawk Valley Water Authority board. We know that's not up to you, but we also know you influence that. While deteriorating paint is a primary source of lead poisoning, lead service lines also pose a risk. Mohawk Valley Water Authority plays a major role in reducing exposure, and we are asking that the city advocate for the creation of a community advocate position on the MVWA board, which would be filled by a Utica resident selected by the NAACP. We have a handout— Shayna, can you distribute? We have a handout summarizing the statistics and our requests. If you would like a digital copy of what we're going to hand out, there is an email address for the NAACP on the last page. And I would just I'll close by saying one of our community committee members last week said, this is a critical time for local government to restore faith by demonstrating open communication, collaboration, and care for community. And so I thank you for doing your part in helping to restore faith in this government here in Utica by taking action around lead. Thank you.
Unidentified speaker 1:14:31
There is no safe level of lead exposure to children. Lead permanently damages brain development. It affects learning, attention, behavior, and long-term opportunities. Once that damage is done, it cannot be undone. This issue is personal for me. My cousin was exposed to lead poisoning as a child in New York City. When he later attended Proctor High School, the effects followed him. He was placed in special ed, not because he lacked potential but because only lead exposure had already altered his learning. He struggled to build social skills and access job opportunities. His future was shaped by unsafe housing, not by a lack of effort. I've also seen families punished for this system failure. When I worked as a housing specialist at Municipal Housing, Parents whose children had elevated lead levels were often reported to CPS. I remember one mother working two jobs in the Obelston. Her landlord refused to abate the lead paint. Instead of being supported, she was blamed and ultimately forced to give custody of her children to their father and move to another city. Just to get them safe. The municipality did not help her find lead-safe housing. This is not child protection. That is systematic failure. Before coming to Utica, I worked in New York City and helped support Local Law 1 of 2004, which required landlords to proactively address lead hazards and provide economic incentives to remove lead paint, a primary prevention approach. I also work with advocates connected to the Committee to Eliminate Lead Poisoning and NIPERG's lead research and policy guides, which emphasize a simple truth: Don't wait for a poisoned child to act for the hazard-free first. Here in Utica, we once had the neighborhood housing funds that helped landlords make apartments safe, and today the Oneida County NAACP Climate Change Committee has mapped neighborhoods most at risk for lead exposure, identifying exactly where help is needed. We also know schools are a critical starting point Other cities like Buffalo have identified lead in school water fountains and taken action. Schools are one of the few places where government can fully control the environment. So here's my call to action to the City Council, municipal leaderships, and the Mayor's Office: use existing federal and state funds already available to test and remediate lead in school drinking water, starting with fountains. Replace unsafe fixtures and install certified filters. And commit to transparent retesting and reporting. Removing lead from schools is not radical. It is a basic child protection. It is also smart policy. Lead exposure is linked to lifelong costs in education, health, and yes, public safety. Lead poisoning is preventable. We know what to do. We have the funds. What we need now is the will to act before another child pays the price. Thank you.
1:50:17
I called for— I mean, I called for a meeting at for a committee meeting, say again, about a month or two ago for People's First on a separate date. I mean, so if we could do a joint meeting, I don't mind waiting until 5 o'clock the following week. And I would like to invite, um, People First to give us an update on their properties and then hold a public safety committee meeting. What's next? Next week's, uh, yeah, that's fine. I just wanted to give everybody enough time to, to be able to gather it, so I didn't want to call it.
38:27
Yes. Um, so this is kind of the same type, um, esthetics. Thank you. Just a different type deal. So same type. Uh, I know Councilman Betar has same problem. We've talked about it. This is basically for people who just fill their front yards with— I don't want to say garbage or debris. I'll give you an example. People have garage sale and they have a ton of stuff, and the stuff doesn't go away, and they just move it to their front yard. And it's, you know, I don't want to use the word garbage or trash, but it's just a nuisance to the neighbors who keep their properties in good order. And when we send codes there, I mean, I could send you— if we, uh, you know, if we do have to have a committee meeting, I will bring you pictures in. But, um, it's just, it's just something that it's very uncomfortable to the people who live around that, that have to see that. All the time. And again, I'll let Marques speak on that. And listen, the reason of these two pieces of ordinance, the reason I have them is when I call codes and they agree with me 100% when they go and see the issues, but they tell me there's nothing in the law that they can do to help out. So that's why I've got with Marques and, um, came up with something.
41:46
All right, I think let's move this one forward. We'll vote on it tonight. All right, the reason I'm moving something quickly is that we have a guest today and she's got— can you do it in 20 minutes? All right, so I'd like to introduce, uh, Betty Joan— how do you say your last name? Beaudry, Chair of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee of the Utica United Chapter of NAACP, will be here discussing how the impact of lead poisoning and legislative changes they could bring about improved conditions. And I'd like to mention that she's married to my first cousin, Paul O'Meal.