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Rome Common Council approves park and recreation grant application, animal‑control upgrades and multiple donations
Summary
At its Aug. 13 meeting the Rome Common Council approved a package of resolutions and ordinances including a $15 million grant application to the state, creation of a capital account for $52,000 in animal control improvements, several accepted donations, and amendments to the City Hall elevator project. One ordinance was tabled.
The Rome Common Council on Aug. 13, 2025 approved a series of resolutions and ordinances covering park and recreation grant seeking, animal‑control building upgrades, donations and several routine property and event authorizations.
The council carried Resolution 118, authorizing the mayor to submit a $15,000,000 grant application to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Dormitory Authority. The council also designated itself lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and issued a negative declaration for the proposed Legacy Center indoor community and recreation complex (Resolution 119). Both measures passed on voice vote.
Councilors approved Resolution 116 to create a capital project account for required New York State upgrades at the animal control facility, a measure City Treasurer Brian Adams described as a $52,000 improvement and not the $4,200,000 figure reported in a newspaper article. Resolution 117 authorized the city treasurer to pay back taxes on one property totaling $88,100.56.
The council accepted several donations: Resolution 113 accepted a park bench donated in memory of Dr. Steven M. Salerno for placement in Bogo Park; Resolution 114 accepted $700 from Cricket Wireless; and Resolution 115 accepted 12 gallons of ice cream from Berndere for the city’s Flicks event. All were approved by voice vote.
Resolution 120 amended the City Hall elevator capital project insurance recovery amount (the council struck the earlier figure and approved the amended recovery amount during the meeting) and was carried as amended. The council also approved Ordinance 9815, allowing the former owner to buy back 509 West Willett Street for $4,013.05 after amendments to the dollar amounts in the ordinance.
Councilors tabled Ordinance 9816, which would have authorized placement of traffic signs on Charles Inken Boulevard, after a councilor requested additional paperwork. The council approved street‑closure permits for the Connected Back‑to‑School Bash presented by National Grid on Aug. 20, 2025 (Ordinance 9817). The council also removed Ordinance 9807 from the table, adopted amendments recommended by the planning board addressing short‑term rental (Airbnb) permit language, off‑street parking, host responsibility for tenant compliance, and making floor plans available to the fire department; Ordinance 9807 as amended was carried.
Most items passed by unanimous voice vote; where a specific mover and seconder were recorded in the minutes the council followed standard motion/second procedure. The meeting record shows no roll‑call tallies for the carried items.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution 113 — Accept donation of a park bench in memory of Steven M. Salerno, M.D.; moved: Councilor Smith; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 114 — Accept donation of $700 from Cricket Wireless; moved: Councilor Mortis; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 115 — Accept donation of 12 gallons of ice cream from Berndere for Flicks; moved: Councilor Sprya; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 116 — Create capital project account for animal control building improvements (city treasurer noted amount is $52,000); moved: Councilor Espiraglia; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 117 — Authorize city treasurer to pay back taxes on one property, $88,100.56; moved: Councilor Marquez; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 118 — Authorize mayor to submit $15,000,000 grant application to NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Dormitory Authority; moved: Councilor Dursley; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 119 — Designate Common Council lead agency for SEQR and issue negative declaration for Legacy Center project; moved: Councilor Dursley; carried by voice vote. - Resolution 120 — Amend City Hall elevator capital project insurance recovery amount (amendment moved and carried); resolution as amended carried. - Ordinance 9815 — Authorize former owner to buy back 509 West Willett Street for $4,013.05 (amounts amended in ordinance); carried as amended. - Ordinance 9816 — Authorize placement of traffic signs on Charles Inken Boulevard; TABLED at the request of a councilor to allow additional paperwork. - Ordinance 9817 — Authorize street closings for Connected Back‑to‑School Bash (National Grid), Aug. 20, 2025; carried. - Ordinance 9807 — Amendments to Rome Code Chapter 80 (zoning code) addressing short‑term rental permits, off‑street parking provisions, host responsibilities, permit scope by lot and fire‑department access to floor plans; carried as amended after planning board recommendations.
Why it matters: The package moves forward a large state grant application for park and recreation infrastructure, secures funding and project accounting for required upgrades at the animal control facility, resolves several property and event authorizations, and updates city zoning language for short‑term rentals — actions that affect capital projects, public safety and neighborhood land‑use rules.
The council adjourned after carrying the ordinance and resolution package.
