Albany Common Council

As spring draws near, the Albany Common Council will be evaluating capital funding requests from city departments.

A new year brings new leadership in many area communities. Here's a roundup of the swearing-ins in the Capital Region and beyond...

Voters in the Albany area will decide a variety of city and county races Tuesday. 

At City Hall on Monday, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan presented a proposed 2018 budget that once again hinges on $12.5 million in Capital City funding from the state.

With a resounding victory in the Democratic primary, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan is highly likely to earn a second term. But  it appears several new faces could be joining Albany’s Common Council.

With current Albany Common Council President Carolyn McLaughlin running for mayor in tomorrow’s pivotal primary, three Democrats are vying to replace her.

A plan to update Albany’s decades-old zoning code could be put on hold.

As top Albany Democrats get ready for campaign season, some familiar faces are jumping into citywide races as well.

Additional candidates are entering the race for Albany Common Council President.

Former two-time mayoral candidate Corey Ellis is back in Albany politics, running for common council president.

Albany Common Councilor Frank Commisso Jr. has joined the short list of mayoral candidates. WAMC's Dave Lucas attended Commisso's official announcement Thursday.

Mayor Kathy Sheehan formally released the final ReZone Albany draft Monday at City Hall. It’s a long-awaited plan intended to simplify the zoning ordinance.

With the Albany Common Council set to vote tonight on the mayor's proposed budget, four members have sent a letter to the mayor, critical of her administration's financial management.

The City of Albany and Albany County appeared to be headed toward a falling-out over the city's contentious trash fee. But an 11th hour compromise was reached.

On Monday, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan took the wraps off her 2017 budget, a $176 million spending plan that boasts a 2 percent decrease in spending from last year, which the mayor touts as the largest annual spending decrease in more than 15 years. The Common Council is now taking a closer look.

In January, the Albany Common Council passed, at the request of Mayor Kathy Sheehan, a trash collection tax that applies to two-, three-, and four-unit buildings.  Two months later, the council re-examined the tax, ultimately voting 8-5 to keep the trash fee as is. The Council is re-visiting the thorny issue tonight.

It was a long night at city hall as the Albany Common Council Law Committee held a meeting, public comment period and vote to repeal the new trash collection tax.

The Albany Police Department has received a grant to implement a key program to reduce recidivism and improve public safety.

Members of the Release Marquis Campaign rallied at Albany City Hall last night, calling for the Common Council to  unanimously pass a Raise The Age Resolution.

Newly appointed Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox appears to have the Common Council’s support ahead of a confirmation vote expected next month. 

The police-community dynamic is poised to make a dramatic shift in Albany. The city and Albany county announced a plan today to reduce low-level arrests, recidivism, and racial disparities.

Back in June, the state legislature gave Albany the green light to launch a five-year pilot program deploying automatic red light ticketing cameras at up to 20 intersections. City officials signed on to the idea, and the common council passed a resolution in support of exploring the program. The proposal has gained steam and, if Tuesday night's council meeting is any indication, could be resolved by year's end.

The Albany Common Council could decide tonight to expand its smoking ban in city parks. If passed, the measure would carry a 50 dollar fine and go into effect immediately.

It is already against the law to smoke on playgrounds or ball-fields in the city. Back in 2012, the Albany Common Council approved a limited ban on smoking in areas of parks where children gather, including playgrounds, athletic fields and swimming pools.

A relatively minor oil spill at the Port of Albany has apparently set the scene for a summer of scrutiny, with county officials putting crude-by-rail transporter Global Partners LLC under the microscope.

Albany's river port has emerged as a major hub for rail and barge shipments of crude oil. A series of incidents involving rail cars moving crude oil internationally has prompted concerns about spills and fires from some residents and environmental groups.  A weekend spill underscores those concerns.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan highlighted key initiatives launched during her administration’s first hundred days this morning at the Washington Park Lakehouse.

One form of so-called "conversion therapy" has captured the attention of an Albany councilman -

Albany residents alarmed about a plan to build a crude oil heating facility at the port of Albany have rallied their forces after meeting to discuss neighborhood safety issues -  they are meeting again --- tonight --- Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 6:00 p.m. at Giffen Elementary School-274 South Pearl Street.  

Municipal operations are about to undergo a major overhaul in Albany.