The Department of Environmental Services told the City Council the department is proposing a $680,000 net increase in contracted security in next year’s budget to cover additional patrols at high‑need locations and to provide armed contractor presence where legally required.

Why this matters: DES said recent assaults on security staff and recurring safety problems in downtown and park locations forced a reexamination of how the city provides protective services at parks, rec centers and other public facilities. Councilors asked how the city will oversee contractors and whether the city should buy protective vests for its in‑house guards.

Contracted security: Commissioner O'Kansey said the increase largely covers expanded contractor presence around MLK Park and in the East Avenue district, and to maintain coverage at Direct Centers. He said contractor staff can, under state law in some cases, carry weapons and other tools that the city’s unarmed civilian guards do not carry. Superintendent of Security Vince McIntyre said DES meets weekly with contracted security firms, reviews reports and trends, and coordinates with the Rochester Police Department for enforcement matters. McIntyre agreed to provide a written explanation of the complaint process so residents can file concerns about contractor behavior directly with the city.

Safety equipment and in‑house staff: Council members pressed DES on whether body armor or protective vests should be supplied to in‑house guards in higher‑risk posts. McIntyre said he would evaluate the need, review costs and report back. O'Kansey said some armed contractor deployments were an operational response to repeated assaults on staff.

Environmental cleanup projects

- Vacuum Oil (ex‑industrial site): DES said ExxonMobil will undertake remediation at the Vacuum Oil location. Commissioner O'Kansey described an agreement with the company and said it reduces the city’s expected financial exposure—O'Kansey said the city had initially estimated an $11 million cleanup cost and that ExxonMobil’s commitment removes roughly $9 million from that local cost estimate. DES is overseeing work coordinated with NYSDEC and has retained consulting engineers for additional oversight.

- Bull's Head and other brownfields: DES reported that cleanup and investigation work at Bull’s Head (York Street) and Ball/Falls Street sites is in progress, with contracts in place for remediation and with EPA and state grant support for investigation phases. The city is preparing a council item for site characterization at High Falls, funded in part with $2 million from Empire State Development for the next cleanup phase.

Infrastructure and energy projects

- EV charging pipeline: DES listed a set of priority locations for public EV chargers—primarily city garages, libraries and rec centers—and said the city is applying to NYSERDA and other programs to fund chargers at Winton, Wheatley, Lincoln libraries and Gantt and Carter Street rec centers. The department said three chargers are being installed at Hamlin filtration, the sports complex and 57 St. Paul currently.

- Solar and site reuse: DES included Emerson and other reclaimed parcels in long‑range planning for cleanup paired with solar opportunities; staff said they are pursuing funding and planning for possible future solar installations.

Fleet and electrification: Fleet Services Manager Scott Courser said about 6–7% of fleet vehicles are currently alternative fuel or electric, and every new vehicle procurement evaluates alternative fuels. He said many heavy‑duty vehicles and emergency response units are not yet feasible to electrify, but smaller administrative vehicles and several pieces of grounds equipment are being trialed as battery powered.

Snow, potholes and operations: DES operations staff reviewed this winter’s challenges—long cold stretches that required heavy salting rather than plowing, supply chain issues for salt and contractor capacity constraints. The department said it expanded its internal crews, worked with larger contractors to fill gaps and ran an additional pothole crew. DES said it is integrating truck telematics and route systems with 311 to reduce miscommunication about missed pickups and service requests.

Oversight and accountability: Councilors asked how DES monitors contractor performance; O'Kansey said there are weekly reporting and coordination meetings and that the department enforces contract terms. The department agreed to provide a written cost estimate for protective vests if council wants to consider that staff protection option.

What’s next: DES will return written follow‑ups on contracted security accountability pathways for residents, an assessment of protective vest costs for in‑house guards and a list of EV charger locations and grant applications. The department also plans to bring site‑characterization and remediation contracts to council as designs and state approvals are finalized.

Ending note: DES framed the security increase as a pragmatic response to staff safety incidents, and told councilors it is pursuing state and grant dollars to reduce local taxpayer exposure to environmental cleanup costs.