Utica Common Council approves commissioners of deeds, introduces school‑zone parking ordinances and tables tax‑cap override

Utica Common Council approved several routine and fiscal items Monday, adopting appointments for multiple commissioners of deeds and introducing ordinances that set school‑day parking and stopping rules on two blocks near schools. The council also introduced a resolution authorizing up to $5,000,000 in revenue‑anticipation notes for the city and voted to lay on the table a proposed local law to override the statutory property tax levy limit.

The council voted to approve appointments of Mary Ann Brooks, Valerie Jean Keeler, Mary E. Finnegan, Sadie Langdon, Angela Tiffany and Tina Yadey as commissioners of deeds for terms ending Dec. 31, 2026. The resolution to appoint the named individuals was introduced and seconded and recorded as adopted by the council.

Separately, the council introduced two ordinances to add school‑day restrictions on Hollingsworth Avenue and on Swarth Avenue. The proposed Ordinance No. 3 (referenced in the meeting as Section 216‑361) would prohibit parking on Hollingsworth Avenue between Wetmore Street and Albany Street on school days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The proposed Ordinance No. 4 (referenced as Section 216‑375) would prohibit stopping and standing on Swarth Avenue between Wetmore Street and Albany Street on school days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both ordinances were moved, seconded and recorded by the clerk during the meeting.

On city borrowing, a resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $5,000,000 in revenue‑anticipation notes (RANs) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, was introduced. Council discussion on the RANs included cautions about borrowing before the council finalizes the budget; a council member asked that the measure be referred to committee rather than approved in anticipation of borrowing. The item was sent to committee for further review.

A proposed local law to allow the city to adopt a budget with a real property tax levy in excess of the limit established by General Municipal Law §3‑c was placed on the table by motion and recorded as 9 yeas to lay on the table, delaying further action. Council members said the lay‑on‑the‑table motion was intended to give the council time to review and deliberate before any override vote is taken.

The meeting record shows roll call attendance and formal votes by the clerk. Where the meeting transcript lists only a consolidated roll call or a single adoption statement, the article records the formal outcomes as presented on the record rather than individual member vote lines.

Votes at a glance - Commissioner of Deeds appointments (Resolutions 1,2,6,7,8,9): adopted (recorded by clerk as adopted at meeting). - Ordinance No. 3 (Section 216‑361) — school‑day no‑parking on Hollingsworth Ave, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.: introduced and moved for adoption (vote recorded by clerk). - Ordinance No. 4 (Section 216‑375) — school‑day stopping/standing prohibited on Swarth Ave, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.: introduced and moved for adoption (vote recorded by clerk). - Resolution authorizing issuance of up to $5,000,000 revenue anticipation notes: introduced; referred to committee for further review. - Local law to override tax levy limit (General Municipal Law §3‑c): motion to lay on table passed (recorded as 9 yeas to lay on the table).

Meeting follow‑up items included scheduling of budget‑related committee and special meetings to accommodate review of the executive budget once the board of Estimates & Assessment (E & A) forwards it to council.

Ending The council concluded with procedural scheduling for budget review and a motion to adjourn. Formal roll call and the clerk’s adoption statements are the official record of the votes and referrals listed above.