The Plattsburgh Common Council met Thursday evening to review several fiscal items and debate a proposal affecting administrative powers.
The Common Council holds a work session before its regular meeting and for the past few weeks has been spending the session reviewing the mayor’s proposed 2025 budget. This week they questioned supervisors from the police and fire, buildings and grounds and administration on departmental budget requests.
During the regular session’s public comments resident Joe Porcelli criticized the council for rejecting an investigation into the city police department. He was chastised by Jeff Moore of Ward 6 and outgoing Mayor Chris Rosenquest, both Democrats, as he directly addressed Mayor-elect Democrat Wendell Hughes and other members of the council.
“There’s something dirty going on in the police department. I have full respect for the Plattsburgh city Police. But dirty politics. Prove me wrong Wendell (Hughes), prove me wrong,” Porcelli challenges. “There’s something dirty especially in the primary and everything and an opponent who was winning by the way. Something dirty is going on.”
“I just want to make a point of order,” interrupts Moore. “You’re not supposed to be naming individual people when you comment.”
“Prove me wrong Jeff. Prove me wrong. Something’s wrong,” asserts Porcelli.
“You’re not supposed to be addressing me,” Moore counters.
“So the Attorney General’s going to have to do it now. Something’s going on. By the way if anything happens....” Porcelli continues.
Mayor Rosenquest breaks in, “Joe...” as Porcelli continues, “... to my family...”
“Joe, Joe we’re not doing that. Thank you,” Rosenquest ends the comments.
Councilors authorized on a 4 to 1 vote a revision to the city’s FOIA procedures after Moore received clarification from Mayor Rosenquest.
“I understand the state needs some changes in that,” notes Moore.
“Correct,” Mayor Rosenquest answers.
“I mean that supersedes our, whatever our procedures are, but is there a need to actually do this?” asks Moore.
“We do have to adopt this locally, correct, we do have to adopt it,” explains Rosenquest.
Councilors discussed an updated Sports Programming Agreement with the local YMCA. Ward 5 Democrat David Monette questioned the Y’s CEO Justin Ihne to make sure the city’s investment was only for city residents.
“The 50,000 a year that is going to the YMCA, is just for those city residents?”asks Monette.
“That’s correct. If you are 12 and under and you reside in the city limits, and we have to go through kind of a extensive search and just making sure that the addresses match that they are in the city and then...” Ihne starts explaining.
“Oh, okay, I see,” Monette remarks. “Are members factored into that as well? Do they have to pay if they’re in the city? Like, how does that work?”
“No. So if they’re a member of the Y and they live in the city then they get the service free, it’s just at a different rate,” notes Ihne.
The agreement was approved on a 4 to 1 vote.
During new business Moore said the city charter requires any contract modification to receive the ratification of the common council and it does not state the mayor can independently approve them.
“I offer a resolution under Rule 4 as follows: The sole contractual power for the city of Plattsburgh resides with the Common Council. Any contract modification or any memorandum of understanding or agreement executed by any city officer without express permission of the council is hereby void,” offers Moore.
Councilors passed the motion 4 to 1. Rosenquest warned that he would veto any resolution offered under the proposal. A subsequent motion to negate an agreement with Council 82 was not approved.
The mayor submitted a proclamation proclaiming November 30th Small Business Saturday that urges residents and communities to support small businesses and merchants.
