Mayor Michaels Announces Linda Eagan Received National Award, Several Other Updates During Fulton Common Council Meeting

FULTON – The Fulton Common Council met last night, Tuesday, February 1, when Mayor Deana Michaels made several announcements, including Linda Eagan of Fulton Block Builders (FBB) is the recipient of a national award the city had nominated her for.

Eagan, founder and administrative director of FBB, received the Top 100 National Winner of the 2021 Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award. Michaels read aloud the letter she got informing the city the result of its nomination.

Eagan was selected from nearly 700 nominations across 49 states.

Also during the meeting, Eagan, joined by FBB volunteers Mike Peterson, Tanya Crisafulli and David Fares, gave an overview of the organization’s progress this year.

FBB, a neighborhood revitalization program, began five years ago with the purpose of helping clusters of neighborhoods beautify the exteriors of their homes, building a community, and getting involved in other neighborhood improvements and city events.

Eagan said almost $700,000 was invested by participating property owners in the block builders program in 2021, the largest amount the program has had in one year, especially considering the difficulty in getting materials and contractors.

Since the program began, about $3 million has been invested by property owners. She said on average, property owners spent $4,000 for every $1,000 FBB contributed this year.

“I think it is testimony to the confidence being built back in the city,” Eagan said.

Other 2021 FBB updates include: 32 blocks were awarded with PRIDE grants and block challenge awards, 236 properties across all six wards in the city participated, 15 landlords participated, 13 homeowners took advantage of the Paint Fulton program, inaugural Fulton PorchFest, inaugural Fulton Fall Festival, participated in the Fulton Christmas Tree Lighting, worked to get the cement skirt around the Union memorial in Vorhees Park fixed up, and was asked to write a replication manual for communities around Central New York to adopt this program.

Peterson said most of the participants throughout the program’s five years have been on the west side of the river, and hopes to increase participation. He asked councilors to reach out to their wards with information on the FBB programs available and to look for neighbors who would be interested in being block leaders.

“We appreciate this program so much and we are better for it, so awesome way to bring in the new year with great excitement around Block Builders,” Michaels said.

Michaels also announced the city is creating a Cannabis and Hemp Advisory Committee, with Sarah Stenuf of Ananda Farms at the helm. She said it will be made up of city officials, government employees, community members from healthcare, education and human resources sectors, owner of one of the vape shops in the city, and a member of the Drug Task Force.

The committee, which she said is aimed to begin meeting at the end of the month, will discuss how the state’s legalization of marijuana and introduction of the industry will impact the city, and how the city can support dispensaries that want to provide a good service for recreational and medicinal cannabis.

“We’re going to talk about this topic; we’re going to learn along the way; we’re going to make mistakes along the way; we’re going to hope the state is going to guide us and give us good information,” Michaels said. “We’re going to continue to plug along and learn and create the system that needs to be in place in order to do this right. But I will not budge on if you’re coming into the city, and you’re doing illegal activity, and you’re putting our community members at harm, and you’re contributing to the crime and the drugs that are in our city – we don’t want you here.”

She said within two weeks, three new head shops opened in the city and the codes department had just shut one down that day.

Michaels also gave an update on the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. She said the city is very close to having the grant fund available for area businesses to be made available within the next few months. She said many private projects are underway.

“We have a local business contractor that is willing to offer services and we’re also bringing on another engineering service,” Michaels said. “To accomplish your [private] project, there’s a lot of paperwork and planning and design work, and just understanding the process of meeting all of the state requirements. A lot of these businesses and project owners have never done that, so what we’re going to do is provide that service to our DRI recipients and give them the opportunity to have that support right out of the gate so they can get their project off and running.”

Another update is that the mayor will be addressing Fulton residents in a State of the City in mid-February to recap successes and hurdles in 2021, and share plans for 2022.

Michaels also announced that for paving and sidewalks this year, Route 481 through the city will be addressed, along with sidewalks along 481 and Route 3. She also said she has a goal of beginning a sidewalk program.

“We want to see the bulk of 481 addressed,” Michaels said.

Other announcements Mayor Michaels made during the meeting include:

• The city has put in an order with the state for several COVID-19 test kits, and that request is currently pending.
• The city has completed two out of its five planned dilapidated property demolitions.
• The city will unveil a master plan of what the city would like the former Nestles property to look like in order to get it site-ready for marketing.
• The city is seeking training for its departments on various topics, such as the cannabis industry and the city budget.
• Property clean ups are continuing and the city now has a list of tow companies in place following the passing of the new abandoned vehicle law.
• Mayor Michaels will be attending a NYCOM conference this month to address several topics.
• Lastly, information on the city-wide reassessment, which is now complete, will be made more available to residents. The city is also planning a town hall to discuss the topic and answer questions prior to the grievance process in May.

Recap on what else happened during last night’s meeting:

The council approved all items on the agenda –

1. Resolution to approve minutes from the December 14, 2021 and January 1, 2022 Council Meetings. 2. Resolution to approve Clerk’s Report for December ’21.
3. Resolution for tax exemptions for seniors per Governor’s Executive Order.
4. Resolution to authorize Clerk/Chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 1 to amend section A700-3 Special Fire Safety permit application fee to $25.
City Clerk/Chamberlain clarified that this resolution is actually not for a public hearing, but is just for amending A700-3, and this law does not require a public hearing.
5. Resolution to authorize Clerk/Chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 1 to amend Chapter 277-15 Sanitary Sewer Contractors Annual Fee to $100.
6. Resolution to authorize Clerk/Chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 1 to amend Chapter 277-5 General Contractors Annual Fee to $100.
7. Resolution to authorize Clerk/Chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 1 to amend Chapter 290 and A700 Dumpsters and Portable Storage Containers.
8. Resolution for Mayor to sign the FYH agreement for the ’21-’22 season.
9. Resolution for Mayor to sign Maintenance Agreement with LMC Industrial for the HVAC System. 10. Resolution for Mayor to sign Maintenance Agreement with Honeywell Industrial for the HVAC Software. 11. Resolution to authorize Clerk/Chamberlain to advertise for a public hearing on March 1 to amend Chapter A700-2 Building Permit Fee Schedule.
12. Resolution to approve the Commissioner of Public Works to purchase a used 2010 Mack CHU-613 tandem axle truck from Andrus Truck & Equipment Sales.

Public comment –

Frank Castgilia Jr., Fulton resident and Oswego County Legislator, gave 100 COVID-19 test kits to the councilors in his district to pass out to their constituents who need them. He said he asked the county legislature to provide test kits to city councils and town boards across the county, but was denied. As a city resident, he also expressed his concern over a certain property’s accumulating garbage in the front of the house.

Councilor comments, (several congratulated Linda Eagan for her award) –

First Ward, Dan Farfaglia: Thanked city employees for their work in getting a digital speed sign on Hannibal Street. He also gave an update on the impact of redistricting for Fulton for the Assembly, the State Senate and congressional districts.

Second Ward, Doug Chapman: Reminded residents of the Great Eastern Whiteout vintage and antique snowmobile show, which will be held February 12 and 13 at the War Memorial.

Third Ward, Don Patrick, Jr.: Thanked the Department of Public Works for its job in keeping the streets clean and repairing mailboxes in a timely fashion.

Fourth Ward, Ethan Parkhurst: Thanked Frank Castiglia for the COVID-19 test kits and reminded residents to keep sidewalks clear.

Fifth Ward and President, Audrey Avery: Thanked department heads and thanked Castiglia for the test kits.

Sixth Ward, Larry Macner: Thanked DPW for their work and reminded residents to drive carefully and to help out the fire department by clearing snow away from fire hydrants.

The agenda for last night’s meeting is available here. missing or outdated ad config

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