City receives $1.9M for DPW relocation

Some homeowners could get some, too

The city is also submitting an application for a $400,000 HOME grant for housing rehabilitation.

The funds would cover single-family housing repairs for eligible families, based on New York income guidelines— generally low to moderate income.

ONEIDA >> Some homeowners within the city could soon take advantage of a home rehabilitation grant.

Common Councilors approved a resolution allowing Planning Director Cassie Rose apply for a $400,000 HOME grant for housing rehabilitation. The funds would cover singlefamily housing repairs for eligible families, based on New York income guidelines — generally low to moderate income.

In the past, Rose said the city has always had a 30-50 household waiting list for similar grants.

“We never have enough get through,” she told council.

Ward 1 Councilor Brahim Zogby suggested Rose do a public presentation on the grant once the city knows whether or not it has been approved, which won’t be for a few months.

Councilors also approved the sale of a set of small firefighter gear to the Wampsville Fire Department for $500, a sale which Ward 5 Councilor Jim Chamber-lain praised.

The city will also reimburse Fire Chief Kevin Salerno $50 per month for the business use of his personal cellphone. Ward 4 Councilor Helen Acker asked why the city was covering the cost, to which Salerno explained he often uses his personal phone for department business, since he must be available 24 hours a day in the case of an emergency, and he’d rather not carry around two phones.

Mayor Max Smith noted that a condemned house on Liberty Street has finally been removed, and said clean up at Phelps Street and a roof replacement at the Kallet were all underway. He thanked Rose and City Engineer Jon Rauscher for their work in securing $1.9 million to relo- cate the DPW and water treatment plant out of the Flats. They plan on moving the facilites to Harden Street, where the city already keeps its cold storage.

Don Kingsley spoke with Council again regarding code inspection fees. He has argued that the city’s policy of charging a base rate of $60 per business is unfair to those who work in his office building, and said the $750 bill he faced for 12 inspections doesn’t make sense.

During a contentious discussion with councilors, Kingsley also asked Salerno to come sit in the front of the room, to which the mayor pointed out he was attending a council meeting, not holding an interrogation. Several times throughout the discussion, audience members could be heard groaning, and Smith stopped Kingsley several times.

In the end, Kingsley presented the city an undisclosed amount of money toward his bill, but asserted the code inspection fee is still unjust.

The city will be in court Friday with a group of residents who filed against the proposed solar array slated for the Deerfield Drive neighborhood. Smith said he hopes councilors can talk publicly about the issue after the proceeding.

The next Common Council meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.

LEAH MCDONALD — ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Don Kinsgley, right, talks with Common Council about code inspection fees at their meeting on Tuesday.