Rome Common Council approves range of financial transfers, bonds and zoning actions; tables Griffith Business and Technology Park ordinance

The Rome Common Council on April 23 approved a package of financial adjustments, bond ordinances and intermunicipal agreements and referred a zoning amendment to the Planning Board.

Council action included an amendment to police retirees' health insurance expenditures of $241,050 (Resolution 62); an interfund transfer to the Watershed Fund (Resolution 63); and year-end interfund transfers totaling $8,954,633.82 (Resolution 64). Councilor Anderson moved the transfers and Treasurer Adams was referenced during discussion of the accounting and audit preparations. All three measures carried.

The council approved intermunicipal agreements with Oneida County for the municipal recreation program (Resolution 65) and the juvenile aid program (Resolution 66). An amendment to an intermunicipal agreement with the Oneida County Department of Family and Community Services also carried (Resolution 67).

The council approved a resolution ascribing a Type II SEQR determination for the Park Drive Complete Streets project (Resolution 69) and an unspecified Type II determination for another proposed action under SEQR (Resolution 70). The council also authorized the city clerk to advertise a public hearing for an amendment to the Rome zoning code affecting the Griffith Business and Technology Park development district (Resolution 71), setting the hearing for May 2025.

On ordinances, the council approved the sale of city-owned Parcel 306 on Bell Road (Ordinance 9783). The council moved and then amended language in both a bond ordinance authorizing $275,000 for the purchase (and originally demolition language) of a storm-damaged building (Ordinance 9784) and the related resolution (Resolution 68) to remove the word "demolition" from title and body; the amended measures carried.

The council authorized bond ordinances to fund local infrastructure: $850,000 for the Park Drive Complete Streets project (Ordinance 9785) and $100,000 for repair and replacement of the pedestrian walking bridge on the Mohawk River Trail (Ordinance 9786). Both passed by unanimous consent.

Councilors moved to table Ordinance 9787, an amendment to Chapter 80 of the Rome Code (Griffith Business and Technology Park map and table), and referred it to the Planning Board for review and recommendation; that motion carried. The chair noted a map of the area is attached to the legislation online.

The council also took Resolution 55 off the table, determining proposed improvements to the Rome Water Filtration Department chlorine storage building to be a Type II SEQR action, and then approved a bond ordinance authorizing up to $75,000 to finance improvements to that chlorine storage building (Ordinance 9777). Resolution 60, amending the capital account for the City Hall elevator capital project, was carried.

Most items were approved by unanimous consent or voice vote. Where councilors spoke during discussion, Councilor Anderson provided accounting and project context, and Treasurer Adams was credited for work preparing for the city audit.

No roll-call tallies with named yes/no votes were recorded in the transcript; actions were carried by voice vote or unanimous consent as noted in the record. Several items were amended on the floor (notably removal of the word "demolition" from the storm-damaged-building measures) and one zoning ordinance was tabled and referred to the Planning Board.

Votes at a glance (items referenced in the meeting record): - Resolution 62: Authorize amendment to police retirees' health insurance expenditures, $241,050 — moved (Councilor Anderson), carried. - Resolution 63: Interfund transfer into Watershed Fund — moved, carried. - Resolution 64: Interfund transfers for year-end 2024, $8,954,633.82 — moved (Councilor Anderson), carried after brief discussion about audit preparation. - Resolution 65: Intermunicipal agreement with Oneida County — municipal recreation program 2025 — carried. - Resolution 66: Intermunicipal agreement with Oneida County — juvenile aid program 2025 — carried. - Resolution 67: Amendment to intermunicipal agreement with Oneida County Dept. of Family and Community Services — carried. - Resolution 68: Determination for proposed purchase (amended to remove "demolition") — amendment carried; resolution as amended carried. - Resolution 69 & 70: SEQR Type II determinations — carried. - Resolution 71: Authorize public hearing for zoning amendment (Griffith Business & Technology Park) — carried; hearing set for May 2025. - Ordinance 9783: Sale of city-owned Parcel 306 Bell Road — carried by unanimous consent. - Ordinance 9784: Authorize issuance of $275,000 bonds to finance purchase (language amended to remove "demolition") — amended and carried. - Ordinance 9785: Authorize $850,000 bonds for Park Drive Complete Streets — carried. - Ordinance 9786: Authorize $100,000 bonds for Mohawk River Trail pedestrian bridge — carried. - Ordinance 9787: Amend Chapter 80 (Griffith Business and Technology Park) — motion to table and refer to Planning Board, tabled. - Resolution 55 & Ordinance 9777: Removed from table, SEQR Type II for chlorine storage building and bond ordinance up to $75,000 for improvements — carried. - Resolution 60: Amendment to capital account for City Hall elevator capital projects — carried.

Context and next steps: Several measures are administrative or routine year-end accounting steps and bond authorizations for specific projects; the zoning amendment for the Griffith Business and Technology Park was referred for further review by the Planning Board, which will issue a recommendation before council action. The amended removal of "demolition" language on the storm-damaged-building measures was enacted on the floor.

Ending: The meeting concluded after the ordinance and resolution votes and a motion to adjourn carried by voice vote.