Saratoga Springs schedules multiple public hearings, flags several contract and budget items

Mayor Stafford announced that the City of Saratoga Springs will hold four public hearings Tuesday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m., including a proposed local law and two ordinances affecting city code and permitting.

The announcements came during a brief city council meeting in which the mayor also previewed a capital-plan review, several contract and invoice authorizations on upcoming agendas, a planned pilot agreement for a Findlay Street housing project and a community meeting on a Grand Avenue sidewalk redesign.

Mayor Stafford told the council, "Tomorrow evening, starting at 06:30, we will have 4 public hearings," and said the hearings would be held before the council—s regular 7 p.m. meeting. He listed the items that will be heard: a proposed Local Law No. 7 of 2025 "to remove imprisonment penalty from city ordinances," an ordinance to amend Chapter 9 of the city code on defense and indemnification, and an ordinance to amend Chapter 180 of the city code titled "Public Right of Way Use Permit." He said the hearings will be held Tuesday and that no final action on those matters would be taken at the preparatory session.

Why it matters: the items scheduled for public hearing would change how the city handles penalties in its ordinances, how the city provides legal defense and indemnification to officers and employees, and how the Department of Public Works (DPW) will process right-of-way permit approvals if the Chapter 180 changes are adopted.

Key items listed by the mayor and department heads

- Local Law No. 7 of 2025: Described by the mayor as intended "to remove imprisonment penalty from city ordinances." The mayor said the second public hearing on this local law will be closed for further review at the Tuesday hearing and that "no action" would be taken at the preparatory meeting.

- Chapter 9 (Defense and Indemnification): The mayor described the proposed ordinance as intended to "provide the widest possible scope of defense and indemnification to our city's officers and employees acting within the scope of their public employment." He said the draft aligns with Chapters 18 and 19 of the New York State Public Officers' Law with local modifications.

- Chapter 180 (Public Right of Way Use Permit): The proposed amendment, the mayor said, "aims to streamline the permit process by designating DPW Engineering as the central point of contact for all approvals for use in the right of way." A public hearing on the amendment is scheduled at the same Tuesday session.

- Capital plan review: Council members were advised that a discussion and vote to approve the city capital plan is on the upcoming agenda. The years referenced in the meeting transcript for the capital plan were unclear; the mayor announced a capital-plan item but did not state clear start/end years during the remarks recorded.

- Appointments: The mayor said he will present two full-time appointments to the Design Review Board and an alternate appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals at the next meeting.

Items flagged by departments for agenda inclusion or future action

- Accounts department: Announcements included business milestones, special events and an update titled "residential rentals of private dwelling" (short-term rental update). The department also listed the award of bid RFP 24-48 for traffic signal improvements to "Still Sing Electric Incorporated" (as read into the record) and a Findlay Housing Development Corporation pilot agreement and resolution for a proposed 26 Findlay Street housing project. The accounts staff noted the pilot agreement draft contained an incorrect heading and some placeholder language; the attorney present said a corrected version would be provided prior to the public hearing.

- Finance: The finance agenda will include an update on city taxes and a request to authorize the mayor to sign Addendum 1 with Grassy Grooves Solar, as well as several budget amendments and transfers including payroll and contingency items.

- Public Works: The department listed an authorization to pay an invoice to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in the amount of $2,000,000 related to an LED streetlight conversion; staff said the work dated to 2021 and that no purchase order was in place at that time. Public Works also listed authorization for contracts (T and T Body King for snow-and-ice handling equipment; an addendum with Precision Trenchless) and announced a community meeting Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the council chamber about the Grand Avenue sidewalk project. The speaker said additional funding was identified to change a planned 8-foot asphalt path to a 5-foot concrete walk requested by residents; letters are to be sent to adjacent homeowners.

- Public Safety: Items listed for discussion or vote include authorization to pay invoices to Absolute Pest Control for work performed after a contract expired (amount in the record: "$113.4" as read), reimbursement for an employee's mileage related to the Utica Fire Academy, authorization to pay a misplaced 2024 invoice to the Utica Fire Department, a contract authorization with LaRosa's Automotive Inc. for police-vehicle repair and maintenance, and payment to Stryker Sales LLC for EMS equipment that exceeded an existing purchase order by $1,055.18.

Other items

- Summer-camp invoices: The mayor said the agenda will include authorization to pay $9,495.28 to the Saratoga Springs School District for transportation and $5,700 to Uncharted Wild for summer-camp programming.

- Nonunion employee resolution: A resolution to update benefits and holidays for full-time appointed (nonunion) employees was on the agenda; the mayor said it replaces the previous resolution for nonunion executive employees and removes section e while updating holidays and health insurance benefits.

Meeting process notes and schedule changes

- The council agreed to move pre-agenda meetings to Fridays at 9:30 a.m. for the remainder of the year to accommodate a commissioner—s work schedule; staff acknowledged that the change affects departments' internal submission schedules for purchasing and finance.

- The mayor said the four public hearings begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by the regular council meeting at 7 p.m. Several agenda items listed for Tuesday are expected to receive fuller discussion at that time.

The meeting adjourned after a short session; a motion to adjourn received a second and passed by voice vote.

Provenance: Statements summarized here are taken from council remarks and department agenda summaries in the meeting transcript, including the mayor—s announcements of the four public hearings and subsequent departmental listings of agenda items.