NEW ADMINISTRATION
Mayor Charles Patricelli delivers his first State of the City address
WATERVLIET, N.Y. » Mayor Charles Patricelli presented his first State of the City address to a crowd at the Watervliet Senior Center Thursday night.
Patricelli, a Democrat, who took office on Jan. 1, touted some of the work that his new administration and the City Council has done so far.
“A State of the City address is typically an opportunity to celebrate our successes and provide a look towards the future,” the former councilman said to start his address. “My goal is to let you know the true status of the city.
“I have shown that honesty is and always will be my policy for governing this city. I have never sugar coated the city of Watervliet’s financial position and I never will. Our city’s future depends on us working hard and coming together to build a stronger community.”
Speaking to the city’s financial status, Patricelli noted how the projected numbers for 2019 look to be in better condition.
“When I was elected three years ago as Councilman, Watervliet’s finances were the worst in the city’s history,” he said in his speech. “Watervliet earned a spot on the Comptroller’s list of the most distressed cities be
cause hard decisions were not made, hard questions were not asked and followups left unchecked.
“With the current staff and the Council’s help, we will work diligently to remove the city from this list and continue governing making the hard decisions to move this city forward. I was just informed that although the numbers are not yet exact we are looking at closing out 2019 with a healthier reserve. I commend the efforts of all the department heads and the administration for holding the line and only spending what we absolutely needed.”
The mayor went on to speak about his vision for the city that he grew up in and how he hopes to help make positive changes to the city.
“We want Watervliet to be a destination, a destination where people choose to live and raise their children and development dollars will be invested to help strengthen our local economy. This can only happen with a competent City Council and a sound financial plan,” he noted.
“Change only comes from the top down and now that the city is doing its part maintaining its property, we would like the residents to do the same. By strengthening the appearance of our city, we will be able to attract interest from both the business community and residential homeownership,” the mayor added.
Patricelli also highlighted necessary improvements to the City Hall building and also to the Watervliet Dome.
“We’ve already started on our end, sprucing up City Hall, where our residents can feel proud to visit their place of government,” he said while noting how the city intends to move various departments to the first floor of City Hall for easier access. “City Hall needs a new roof and windows, which will need to happen sooner than later.
“We now are operating in a proactive manner, rather than reactive mode, when it comes to city buildings, property, and equipment. No more waiting till it becomes an emergency and unfortunately, some of these items are now at the doorstep. There will be a Facilities Committee in place to monitor these efforts and report to the Council on a regular basis.”
“We will be upgrading [the Dome], mostly minor and cosmetic enhancements, but we will turn that facility into something that our recreational leagues and city residents may be proud to use,” Patricelli added.
Patricelli mentioned that not every decision that his administration will make will be a popular one, however, he said he believes his administration will do what is best for the city.
“Personally, I think this is an exciting time for the city of Watervliet. We have a new City Council, as well as a new general manager, deputy general manager. New blood means new ideas in how to improve this city,” he said.
“I’m very confident that with our new administration you will not be disappointed. Although we won’t be able to please everyone, but once communicated I hope you agree with our reasons and our decisions are valid, justified and transparent,” he added.