FULTON – The city of Fulton Common Council held four public hearings last night, Tuesday, March 1, regarding proposed changes to various fees relating to contractual work and construction in the city.
Public hearing #1: To amend Chapter 277-15 “Sanitary Sewer Contractors Annual Fee,” increasing the fee from $25 to $100.
Public hearing #2: To amend Chapter 277-5 “General Contractors Annual Fee,” increasing the fee from $25 to $100.
Public hearing #3: To amend Chapter 290 and A700 “Dumpsters and Portable Storage Containers,” increasing the initial fee of free to $25. There is no change of the $25 permit extensions up to five extensions.
Public hearing #4: To amend Chapter A700-2 “Building Permit Fee Schedule.” These permit fees vary based on the range of cost of construction. The lowest range $0-$1,000 currently has a fee of $25, and the proposed amendment would increase that fee to $40. The highest range $50,001-$51,000 currently has a fee of $178.50. The new proposed fee would be $270.
While the permit fees, which do not include electrical permits, include the initial inspection conducted by the Bureau of Code Enforcement, the cost of additional inspections is proposed to be increased from the current fee of $25 to $50.
City resident and county legislator Frank Castiglia Jr. spoke during the first public hearing and asked for his comments to be reflected on all four public hearings. He asked councilors to vote no on these amendments, listing a number of increased costs that everyone is facing now from groceries to building materials.
“Small businesses have a hard enough time making a profit,” Castiglia said. “The average homeowner has a hard enough time getting by with the increases. They may choose not to, with the increases… do a repair or an improvement… As I’ve always said, cut the city expenditures. Don’t try to make up the city’s shortfall with increasing the cost to do business here… Taxpayers and businesses need a break.”
Fourth Ward Councilor Ethan Parkhurst, who also works as a contractor, said he called every registered contractor to discuss the fee increases.
“The contractors and the electricians, they weren’t against raising the fees to the permits and they weren’t against raising the fees to do work in our city… The permit fees cover all the administrative work,” Parkhurst said. “It’s not a fee increase that is going to make or break the deal that they’ll work in the city.”
No one else spoke during these public hearings, but the council left them open until the next meeting on Tuesday, March 15. Members of the public may voice their opinion on these topics until that point. The council will vote on these four amendments on March 15.
The council then went on to approve all items on the agenda (note, one resolution to approve an agreement between the city and the Carpenters Union was moved to the next meeting.)
Agenda items included:
- Approve minutes from the February 1 council meeting
- Approve the clerk’s report for January in the amount of $2,888
- Appoint Jennifer Marriner secretary of plumbing and electrical board
- Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 15 for the CDA OCR CARES Act grant
- Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 15 for the CDA CDBG Microenterprise grant
- Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 15 to change residency requirements for city employees
- Mayor Deana Michaels later explained that there is an employee at the wastewater treatment plant who has worked there for 20 years and the city would like for them to take over when the current commissioner retires. She also said that other departments have been struggling to find qualified applicants who live in the city.
- Authorize the mayor to execute NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation Planning grant agreement ($30,000)
- Authorize the local match for the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation Planning grant ($6,000 from the city’s sewer budget)
- Authorize mayor to sign the CDA lease agreement
- Appoint Brittney Jerred, Nate Emmons, and Tyler Toomey as Commissioner of Deeds
- Authorize mayor to sign the CDA subrecipient agreement
- Authorize city clerk/chamberlain to advertise for bids for multiple municipal Downtown Revitalization Improvement projects
- Rescind Resolution 2-4-22 due to typo (Amend recreational fire safety permit fee)
- Amend recreational fire safety permit fee to cost $25 with a penalty of $75
- Authorize mayor to sign indenture for Gary and Stacey Smith regarding a small piece of city property that runs through their property
To see the city code, visit here.
Councilor Comments
First Ward Councilor Dan Farfaglia: Talked about the Parks and Rec’s snowman building contest and looks forward to other positive activities.
Second Ward Councilor Doug Chapman: Had nothing to say.
Third Ward Councilor Don Patrick Jr.: Said he is looking forward to the $30,000 grant for the wastewater treatment plant, looks forward to the DRI projects moving along, and reassured residents that the roads will flatten out again when the weather becomes warmer.
Fourth Ward Councilor Ethan Parkhurst: Had nothing to say.
Fifth Ward Councilor/President Audrey Avery: Had nothing to say.
Sixth Ward Councilor Larry Macner: Thanked the county legislators and city department heads in attendance for coming, said the Great Eastern Whiteout was fantastic, and agreed that the roads will settle in the spring. He also thanked the Department of Public Works for their work during the recent snow storm.
Mayor Deana Michaels: Updated the city that the police department has picked out a dog for its K9 unit, and is working with a new business coming to the city (an insurance company) with plans to be located across from the post office. She also said there are also plans for a new professional office with holistic services on one side and professional services on the other side to open in either May or June this year.
Michaels also said there will be a new medical office at the former Dr. Shaw’s office. Additionally, she is in meetings with developers for the former Nestle site.
She then discussed gift shops wanting to come to the city, saying the city will “not allow anything to be given away that cannot be sold legally… We’re not saying you can’t do business here; we’re saying you have to do business and do it right and be on the up and up. We want illegal and illicit activities to not be part of that business plan.”
Michaels then said there are proposals for the former Holly Drive Motel, one being presented to the planning commission in April.
She also said the Cannabis and Hemp Advisory council is meeting today, Wednesday, March 2, for the first time. This council will be discussing how the city plans to develop policy regarding the state’s legalization of marijuana.
Another update she shared was the installation of electronic signs along Route 481 alerting drivers of the rough road and that paving will be happening this summer.
Lastly, referring to an incident at a Fulton High School basketball game of a Trump 2020 flag being held up in the student section, Michaels expressed her thoughts on the matter.
“It is so disappointing when you wake up in the morning and the news about your city that you live in, that you raise your children in, that you serve as an elected official, that someone is claiming and making allegations that we’re racist. I disagree,” Michaels said. “I don’t believe all the facts were given to the community and I believe we owe it to the community; we owe it to these children who have had one hell of a two years, and their mental health is challenged, and they are struggling to get through a pandemic, to get through some of the most trying times of their lives, and as adults we are supposed to set examples… I can’t wrap my head around it. I just can’t understand why anyone would want to call Fulton racist.”
She said she has asked the school district to take swift action and to hold an independent investigation.
“The city of Fulton will be there to be part of the solution and we’re here to give support to our families, to our community, to our children, but I will not sit by idly and wait for somebody to say something or do something,” Michaels said. “A matter and an allegation as strong as that deserves that city of Fulton to stand up and make a statement that we are not a racist community and we deserve to have a voice in this conversation and to stand up for ourselves… Now it’s our job as a community, as elected officials, to come together, to rise above, and to show these individuals who got it wrong.”
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