Council authorizes green resiliency grant application for downtown lot, approves $325,000 local share from general fund

Council voted to authorize the city manager to execute the grant agreement and identify a $325,000 local share from the general‑fund fund balance to support a green resiliency project for the downtown parking lot.

The resolution, required by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) green resiliency program, also designates an authorized representative and confirms the local share source. City Manager Fonda told council the engineering is preliminary and some components may be constructed as discrete subprojects; staff said grant administration costs are eligible for reimbursement and that the city would explore in‑kind match options where feasible.

Several councilors raised stormwater concerns tied to Franklin Street and the River Street storm system, asking whether the parking‑lot work could be used to separate stormwater from sanitary flows to reduce I&I (inflow and infiltration) and the pressure on downstream sewer lines. Fonda and engineering staff said a preliminary engineering study was done but not full final design, and that the team will explore whether storm sewer separation or other green‑infrastructure components can be incorporated or aligned with future projects.

Council voted by roll call to authorize the application and to name the city manager as authorized representative; the vote carried unanimously. Councilors said the project is a constructive step toward addressing localized flooding and welcomed grant support but asked staff to keep separation and long‑term stormwater management on the project list.

The resolution passed on a unanimous roll call; staff will move forward with the application and bring more engineering detail to council as it becomes available.