SCHENECTADY — Collaboration is the theme as the Schenectady City Council heads into a new year.
Members of the seven-member body are hoping to move past months of infighting and racial tensions that divided the all Democratic body in the past and work more collaboratively moving forward.
Council President Marion Porterfield said during Tuesday’s organizational meeting that members of the council met last week to discuss everything that transpired in the two years. She acknowledged some hiccups, but said members ultimately agreed more than they disagreed — a fact she called “the elephant in the room.”
“Every new year comes an opportunity to start fresh,” she said. “So, we as a council now have that opportunity.”
Porterfield delivered the speech moments after she was unanimously reelected council president, an appointment that comes with a two-year term. She received a standing ovation from the dozens in attendance.
Mayor Gary McCarthy was sworn in for a fourth-term during the meeting. He also delivered his annual State of the City address to the packed room.
McCarthy touted the success of programs he implemented since first taking office in 2012, including efforts to tackle blight, which he said is down 50%, and expand the number of public Wi-Fi access points that has grown to over 250 this past year and is expected to exceed 400 in the coming months. The system receives upwards of 2.5 million page requests daily, the mayor said.
He also focused on initiatives to reduce crime and provide essential services to residents through collaboration between city departments. The mayor also pointed to a public information portal launched by the police department last year that allows residents to statistics on crime and a drone program that will allow first responders to reduce response times moving forward.
The mayor also highlighted $35 million in infrastructure improvements that were completed or started last year, including park upgrades, streetscape improvements and a $12 million project for new well fields along Rice Road. The mayor also touted a new pool that will open at Central Park next year and a bridge replacement project for Kings Road.
McCarthy also pointed to the city’s success at securing grant funding, noting that the $84 million has been secured for ongoing projects.
“That didn’t happen by accident,” he said.
McCarthy’s speech comes just days after he threatened to file an Article 78 against the City Council for failing to pass a budget by the city’s Nov. 1 deadline. An agreement was reached last month and McCarthy signed a budget on Dec. 21.
The $109 million spending plan includes $7.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, bringing an end to the pandemic-era revenue stream the city has relied on to balance its budget for the past few years.
Also included in the budget is a $74.20 increase in sewer fees and a $16.26 boost to water fees. Residents will also see a 75-cent-per-week increase to waste fees in 2024 — an issue McCarthy on Tuesday said can be attributed to increases in recycling costs.
The mayor said he has appointed Porterfield and council member Doreen Ditoro to a special committee to look at the issue and provide recommendations to the full council next month.
Council member Carmel Patrick was also sworn after being elected to a second term, while Ditoro and Carl Williams were sworn in for full four-year terms after first being elected two years ago to fill unexpired terms following a pair of resignations. Joseph Mancini was sworn in for his first term, replacing John Polimeni, who opted not to run for reelection last year.
Porterfield dismissed the notion that the council hasn't been productive in recent years, though she acknowledged that lawmakers have faced difficulties — including when members doled out millions in federal coronavirus-relief dollars, a process that was intended the be transparent but was marred in confusion and resulted in frustration from some community groups and organizations who were critical of the process.
Racial tensions also marred the council for much of the past two years, with some members accusing others of intentionally causing racial tensions. The issue spilled over publicly at times, including in the aftermath of a last-minute cancellation of a town hall meeting centered on rent control, where members accused their colleagues of racism.
But Porterfield said council members have met to work out their issues and have agreed to work more collaboratively moving forward.
“The true measure of character is when you’re willing to have authentic, meaningful conversations, accept difficulties and accept responsibility that we each add to the challenges that we face, and resolve to overcome them all and do better,” she said. “We resolved that we would work together to benefit our community and not let outside influences determine how we treat each other, but that we will work together because the city is counting on us.”
Several council members agreed that the new year marks a new period for the council.
“It’s time to show the community that we can work together,” Williams said.
Williams would not elaborate on what was discussed during the meeting, but said there were “a lot of learning experiences in 2023.”
“Definitely I’m excited to get the year started off really well,” he said.
Ditoro said she was excited to work with the council to continue the progress of the city moving forward.
She acknowledged that members will likely never agree on everything, noting that the seven-member body is made up of unique perspectives. Still, Ditoro said she’s excited to be part of the team moving forward.
“I’m looking forward to participating and working collaboratively with the rest of my council members,” she said. “It’s a great city.”
Council member Damonni Farley echoed similar sentiments, adding that he is “optimistic” about the future.
"We had a lot of conversations amongst council members and leadership here and we’re all really excited. I know me personally — I'm really excited about what’s to come for Schenectady,” he said. “I know we’ve all been very intentional about finding a common ground and hashing out some past differences and making sure we are making the best decisions for the people of Schenectady.”