Council approves Mohawk Valley Health System designation amid public concern over URA property swap and parking

The Utica Common Council voted to approve an ordinance designating Mohawk Valley Health System as an eligible and qualified project sponsor under Article 15 of the New York General Municipal Law, a designation tied to a proposed land swap. The council introduced the ordinance, then voted “adopted” with nine yes votes.

The measure matters because the designation enables Mohawk Valley Health System to act as a project sponsor in transactions under Article 15, which local officials described as part of a land-swap plan tied to city-owned lots. During the public hearing that preceded the vote, resident Francis Brown urged the council to reconsider trading city property that now contains the Utica Police Department fleet maintenance facility and an impound lot, saying the swap would shift critical parking and operations away from the police and courthouse.

At the microphone, Francis Brown said the police fleet maintenance facility—completed in February 2005—should not be traded away and described impacts to court staff and secure parking: “Don’t you drive your vehicle to, have safe and adequate parking? The secure parking area is also used for guests of the court system,” Brown said. He asked why the city would swap the lot for an empty parcel formerly occupied by the H.J. Bradley building and requested numbers on prior bond authorizations for city facility reconstruction.

Council members took public comment as part of a formal public hearing and then moved to pull the ordinance out of committee for a vote. The council president read the ordinance on the record, including language that the designation is “pursuant to article 15 of the general municipal law for the purpose of purchasing the portions of certain property shown on exhibit A.” The motion to adopt passed with nine affirmative votes.

Discussion at the hearing focused on the proposed uses of replaced parcels and the potential impacts on police and court parking; public commenters requested more detail on the swap and on past public investments in the maintenance facility. The council did not adopt a separate motion at the meeting to require additional study or a delay; instead, it proceeded with the designation vote.

The council president closed the public hearing before taking other business. The designation clears a legal step for Mohawk Valley Health System to participate as a sponsor in the land transaction; details of the swap (exhibit references, deed changes, or final parcel lists) were referenced in the ordinance text but were not read in full at the mic. Further administrative steps and any required interagency approvals were not specified during the meeting.