Fulton City Department Heads Give Updates At Common Council Meeting

FULTON – The common council met and approved all items on the agenda at last night’s meeting, Tuesday, August 3, and city department heads gave updates to the public.

Agenda items included:

• 

  Proclamation recognizing Saturday, August 21, as Hunter Arms Homecoming Day.

  • Hunter Arms Company manufactured the L.C. Smith shotgun in Fulton beginning in 1889, and contributed to the city’s economy. The public is welcome to visit the home of Friends of History in Fulton at the Pratt House Museum, located at 177 S. 1st St., Fulton, and Pathfinder Fish and Game Club August 20 and 21for the 10th annual homecoming event. More information can be found here. Coverage of the 2019 event can be found here.
• Notes from the Fulton Public Library:
  • This year’s theme is “Tails and Tales,” which include animal themed events and stories. The program runs from July 12 through August 18. The library has a GoFundMe set up to raise funds for renovations in the children’s room to repaint the walls, replace the carpet and put in new furniture and bookshelves. The library is once again open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Approve the minutes of the July 6 meeting.
• Approve the city clerk’s report for June 2021 in the amount of $7,454.25.
• Appoint Wayne Kirby to the planning commission until the term expires on February 14, 2024.
• Approve sale of city property 30 South 4th St. to Raman Enterprises LLC in the amount of $1,750.
• Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to transfer $25,000 from account A3650 “Demolition” to A8668 “Demolition, Clearance and Rehab” for general property clean up.
  • Mayor Michaels explained that the City of Oswego’s process for their code enforcement blitzes is to charge property owners after a cleanup, and Fulton has adopted that policy as well, but needs to start that account of money to pull from to pay for the cleanups until the property owner repays it and that money is replenished. As for the demolitions, she said the city plans to do their own demos, but plans to leverage its dollars by working with the Land Bank to invest in Fulton. She said perhaps part of the American Rescue Plan funds can go toward the eight demos the city would like to do.
• Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to transfer $4,282 from the account A0203 “Restricted Playground” to A.7140.4520 “General” for playground equipment and repairs.
  • Michaels explained that this money has sat in that account for several years, as discovered during the city’s audit. That money is now allocated to Parks and Rec for playground equipment and repairs.
• Appoint Andria Simoneau commissioner of deeds for a two year term effective August 4 and expiring August 3, 2023.
• Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on the proposed city comprehensive plan.
  • The public hearing will be held at the beginning of the common council meeting Tuesday, September 7, at 7 p.m. in the Fulton Municipal building.
• Approve sale of city property on East 12th Street in the amount of $500.
  • Michaels said this property is a small parcel belonging to the city that has been included in a residential property, and has part of a driveway and pool on it. That residential property is being sold and instead of doing an easement, the city will just sell that property to be included with the residential property.

Public comment session:

Frank Castiglia Jr. – Asked about the approximate $1.25 million the city will receive from the American Rescue Plan. He also recalled a year and a half ago urging the mayor not to give up the city’s sales tax revenue program with the county until the pandemic was over with. He recommended looking into getting sales tax revenue from 13069, including Walmart. Lastly he inquired about items on the agenda, which the mayor responded to during the reading of the agenda.

All other residents spoke about North Bay Campgrounds. That article can be found here.

Department heads reports: (for their comments regarding North Bay, see here.)

Police Chief Craig Westbrook – The police department had 1,236 calls for service this past month, 105 arrests, has two new firearms instructors, one of the bike patrol officers recently assisted with the Traffic Safety Board with Catholic Charities for a bicycle safety day, two investigators attended an interview and interrogation training in Lowville, New York.

Parks and Recreation Director Chris Waldron – On July 23 they hosted an outdoor movie event featuring “Tom and Jerry” with about 200 people attending. Adult softball registration is now digital. Last week they partnered with the Oswego County Youth Bureau for a youth tennis camp to be completed later this month. Adult basketball is ongoing until August 11. Americorps Fulton Youth Basketball and Parks and Recreation partnership from last year that did COVID-friendly instructional basketball is happening this summer. This week G. Ray Bodley High School volunteers are working on cleaning up the trail behind the high school. The special events committee has partnered with Fulton Block Builders to organize a Fall Festival on October 9 along C.W. Barrett Drive. He also spoke of the man the road is named after, who fought in the Army during WWII and received a Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day. On Friday nights there are concerts at the downtown gazebo from 6:30 to 7:30. He has formed a committee with non-profits in the city to work together on programs.

New Fire Chief Adam Howard – Said he began just a couple of days ago and the department is still working on getting all of the fire hydrants repainted, maintaining state mandates for training, has responded to over 1,750 calls, hiring two new employees, working with the codes department securing vacant buildings, and he hopes to get more involved on Facebook and to work more with the community. Tentatively he is working on getting a community CPR class started.

Codes Department Director Malcolm Wettering – Spoke on the clean ups the department has done in the city. The department, working with the Land Bank, will be demolishing certain dilapidated properties and rehabilitating others.

Department of Public Works Commissioner CJ Smith (read by Mayor Deana Michaels) – The DPW did another sweep for yard waste throughout the city on Monday, and reminded residents they can drop off their yard waste at the drop site. Brush is being cleared at the multi-use trail. Most tree stumps throughout the city have been removed and are now caught up to recent tree removals. Grinding of deflection bumps on East Broadway is underway. Milling and paving are simultaneously occurring in the third ward, and will continue to work north across the west side of the river.

Councilor Comments:

First Ward Councilor Tom Kenyon – Absent

Second Ward Councilor Doug Chapman – Thanked attendees for coming, department heads for their updates, and those who spoke on North Bay Campgrounds for their feedback.

Third Ward Councilor Don Patrick Jr. – Thanked Councilor Avery for taking care of the third ward while he was out for health reasons, and thanked Councilor Macner for taking care of his father’s lawn for him during that time as well. He also thanked the department heads for their summaries and his fellow campers for their positivity.

Fourth Ward Councilor John Kenyon – Absent

Fifth Ward Councilor/President Audrey Avery – Thanked attendees and department heads. She also congratulated new Fire Chief Howard. She announced there will be a community concert at Vorhees Park August 5 at 6:30 p.m. There will be 75 seats available and ice cream.

Sixth Ward Councilor Larry Macner – Thanked attendees and department heads, and offered his congratulations to Howard. He also spoke of the eviction moratorium, homelessness, crimes and bail reform. He also thanked the DPW for their work.

Mayor Deana Michaels (please see North Bay article for her comments on the campgrounds.) – Spoke on the city’s plans for the American Rescue Plan funds. She said no final decisions have been made on the $1.25 million to be given to Fulton over the course of two years (two payments will total that amount.) She said she doesn’t want to rush to make a decision, and that there have been plenty of people requesting the city to spend part of that funding on their interest. Michaels said she would like to spend it on infrastructure needs, nonprofits in the city, economic development, and other items with a long term impact. The city is looking into digital signage for notices such as road work. Additionally, she talked about sales tax revenue, saying she has been advised by some to get out of the program with the county and by others to keep it, and so it is not a quick decision. That discussion is ongoing.

The next scheduled common council meeting is Tuesday, September 7, at 7 p.m. in the Fulton Municipal building. missing or outdated ad config

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