FULTON – The Fulton Common Council met last night, Tuesday, April 5, when representatives from First Mile, Last Mile discussed the program, which is targeted at breaking down transportation barriers, coming to Oswego County.
At the beginning of the meeting, three Oswego County legislators representing Fulton spoke. Frank Castiglia Jr., District 25, James Karasek, District 22, and Marc Greco, District 24, gave some updates regarding the county legislature.
Castiglia said there will be five public hearings at the legislature meeting on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. More information on these public hearings can be found here.
He also brought up smoke shops, which were discussed at the legislature’s health committee meeting. He said in the past, the city and county worked together with the health department to know when these businesses were opening and inspecting them.
He also later made note that a rumor that Lake Neatahwanta is ready to swim in again is incorrect.
Mayor Deana Michaels responded to the comment on smoke shops, saying that there have been times when head shops open under different names, such as a phone shop, gift shop, deli or candy shop, and then different sales happen. She said the city needs to carefully look at proposals for businesses under those names.
Karasek then talked about his role in the health and human services committees, and how the county is fortunate to have a full service health department.
Greco discussed the county working to create a police academy in Fulton and a towing law in the works to prevent price gouging. He said, for example, tow companies charge vastly different amounts to tow a vehicle involved in a crash. He said the law plans to establish a medallion system.
Continuing the meeting, Mayor Michaels then read a proclamation for Child Abuse Prevention Month throughout April, and urged city residents to “work together to help reduce child abuse and neglect significantly in years to come.” The council presented this proclamation to the Child Advocacy Center Executive Director Tory DeCaire.
Next, Regional Mobility Manager Frank Doldo and Mobility Manager for Oswego County Heather Snow from First Mile, Last Mile spoke to the council about their public transportation program which is coming to Oswego County.
This program piloted in St. Lawrence County in 2018. First Mile, Last Mile helps solve the barrier of getting to a bus stop. How it works is a person contacts the Volunteer Transportation Center to let them know where they want to go and when. The volunteer will come up with a travel plan and arrange for a mode of transportation to pick the person up at home and bring them to the bus stop, then again to get back home.
Doldo said from the house to the bus stop, there is no charge. The only cost the person will need to pay is bus fare. The program is paid for through the New York State Department of Transportation and the CARES Act. In the future, it will be sustained by the 5311 grant.
He shared statistics from the pilot program in St. Lawrence County. The program began in 2018 with serving 70 people and in 2021 served 230 people. The number spiked in 2020 when needs shifted due to the pandemic, including access to food. He said a majority of the time the program is used is when a client needs to get to work.
When the program comes to Oswego County, it will start with a “soft opening,” going through a human service agency for a few months, then being opened up to everyone.
Snow said she is working on routes to get people to farmers markets and other food sources in Oswego County. She is also working on collaborating with county school districts to help with the bus driver shortage.
Mayor Michaels asked if gas prices have an impact on the program. Doldo said taxi cabs are feeling the impact, but for public transit, there is funding in place.
Michaels also asked if this will take the place of other not-for-profit transportation services or if the program is collaborating with the existing services. Doldo said they are working with Oswego County Opportunities.
Doldo said another pro to First Mile, Last Mile is that there is no need to schedule for transportation several days in advance. The program also connects to both Centro and Oswego Public Transit buses, allowing them to get throughout the county and into the Syracuse area.
The council then moved on to approving all items on the agenda.
- Approve the minutes for the March 15, 2022 meeting.
- Approve the clerk’s report for March 2022 in the amount of $8,111.
- Authorize issuance of bonds for the purchase of two new garbage trucks with an estimated maximum of $400,000.
- Castiglia said during public comment that he does not approve of this resolution.
- “I know it pays itself back with tipping fees and everything you collect, but I’m just not in favor of bonding. If we had the money in our account, then yeah, go ahead. I don’t care for bonding,” Castiglia said.
- Mayor Michaels and DPW Commissioner CJ Smith explained that the existing garbage trucks are 18 years old and the process of replacing parts takes a long time and is often expensive due to the age of the vehicle. Michaels said they plan to put the order in, but does not expect delivery of the new garbage trucks until 2024 or 2025. She said the council would like to plan for the long term rather than have to quickly react when an issue occurs.
- As a response to the state comptroller’s audit, authorize the city clerk/chamberlain to close out completed capital projects that have been sitting on the books but have no remaining balance.
- Authorize the city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing to be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 7 p.m. regarding a proposed amendment to the city code – Chapter 650 Attachment 2 Schedule B “Off-Street Parking Requirements.”
- Notation that the single audit report for the year ending December 31, 2020 be filed.
- Authorize the city clerk/chamberlain to receive sealed bids related to tree maintenance. Deadline is April 26, 2022 up to 2 p.m. Bids will be publicly opened the same day at 2:15 p.m.
- Approve a seasonal food vendor permit for Tricky Dick’s Roadside Grill to operate from April 6 through October 31 at Indian Point Landing.
- Approve the sale of a vacant lot located at 63-65 W. 1st St. S. to Joseph Frost in the amount of $1000.
- Notation that the mayor has appointed Heather McCoy as the Deputy City Clerk.
Councilor Comments:
First Ward Councilor Dan Farfaglia wished everyone a Happy Easter.
Second Ward Councilor Doug Chapman thanked county legislators for coming and voiced his support for the purchase of new garbage trucks.
Third Ward Councilor Don Patrick Jr. informed citizens that yard waste pickup has begun and reminded them to not place yard waste in the streets.
Fourth Ward Councilor Ethan Parkhurst – Absent.
Fifth Ward Councilor/President Audrey Avery thanked the guest speakers and department heads for coming.
Sixth Ward Councilor Larry Macner thanked First Mile, Last Mile for their presentation, said he is glad the city is ordering new garbage trucks, said the city has completed negotiations with the Police Benevolent Association for their new contracts, and quickly discussed property tax exemptions with Legislator Castiglia.
Mayor Deana Michaels said she plans to attend the county’s public hearings, was glad that the PBA negotiations went well, thanked the guest speakers, and said the special events committee has “great opportunities” for residents on the horizon.
She also officially announced that City Clerk/Chamberlain Daniel O’Brien will be retiring after 33 years of servicing the city at the end of June this year. Jodi Corsoniti is being trained to take over for him at that time.
Michaels also said that the city is glad to have a representative on the county’s drug task force while also maintaining its own city drug task force, and lastly that signs for Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects will soon be going up as a large majority of the projects now have their contracts signed.
The next regularly scheduled Fulton Common Council meeting will be held Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. in the community room of the municipal building.
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