Olean council amends public‑comment rules, approves park bench and advances budget items; water‑rate hike under consideration

The City of Olean Common Council on April 8 moved several routine and contested items: it suspended rules to shorten public‑comment time, authorized placement of a memorial bench in Lincoln Park, postponed one mayoral personnel bill to a Committee of the Whole meeting on May 13 and amended the proposed city budget. Council members also opened a public hearing and discussion on proposed water‑rate increases but no final vote on the water‑rate ordinance was recorded in the transcript.

Council members voted to shorten the public‑comment period from five minutes to three minutes and to prohibit “profanity, defamatory, and threatened language” during remarks. The motion to suspend rules and amend the public‑comment limits was seconded by Alderman Robinson and passed by voice vote.

The council also approved a request from Tricia Hensel to place a memorial bench for Kathy Marzak in Lincoln Park; the motion carried on a voice vote and the bench location will be determined by the city. Separately, Mayor Yoyo’s PL 41‑25, to establish standard workdays under the New York State and Local Retirement System rules, was postponed to the Committee of the Whole on May 13 for additional records of activities; Alderman Benio seconded the postponement and the motion carried.

The council amended Resolution 40‑25 to include the stated fiscal budget total and passed that amendment after suspending the rules to consider it that night.

A resolution to amend code‑enforcement administrative fees was recorded in the transcript as passing 6 ayes to 1 nay; the roll‑call naming in the meeting shows Alderman Robinson voting yes, Alderman Anastasia voting no, and President Crawford voting yes. (The transcript does not explicitly list every member's recorded vote but records the 6–1 tally.)

The council opened a public hearing and discussed Resolution 39‑25, to amend water rates under section 27‑22 of the City of Olean Code of Ordinances and a public‑notice statement that would raise water rates by 5.04 percent and adjust commercial and industrial rate structures. The transcript records that the water‑rate matter was discussed in committee and placed on the agenda, and that a public hearing occurred; no final vote on Resolution 39‑25 is shown in the provided transcript excerpt.

Ending: The transcript shows the council advancing several administrative and budget items and changing public‑comment rules while public comment focused heavily on the sewage‑overflow controversy. The water‑rate proposal remains on the record and subject to council action; residents asked the council to tie any rate increases to clear plans and timelines for fixing sewer problems.