Votes at a glance: Utica council approves 10-year trash contract extension and several grant and budget actions; denies Shelby Lions carnival

Utica City Council voted on a range of ordinance, contract and budget items during its April 8, 2025 regular meeting. Major outcomes included approval of a 10-year extension with Priority Waste, authorization to list the packing-plant property with a commercial realtor, acceptance of a contractor to perform service‑line verifications under a TMF grant, multiple budget amendments and contract payments related to recently discovered sewer work, and denial of a requested Shelby Lions carnival. Council also approved an ordinance amendment allowing longer hours for marijuana establishments if nearby residents consent.

Votes at a glance (select items):

- Consent agenda: Council approved the consent business items by roll-call vote. (Motion: by Councilmember Dionne; support by Torenzi; roll-call in favor: Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino.)

- Receive and file correspondence (including Sikora resignation and library-board notice): Motion carried (roll-call yes: Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino).

- Pioneer Park tree donation and plaque: Council approved donation and installation of a memorial tree and plaque in Pioneer Park. (Motion: Sikora; support: Trenzi; roll-call: unanimous yes.)

- Donation-bin fee resolution (ordinance implementation): Council set an annual fee structure for donation collection bins at $150 per bin per year (administration $75 + inspection $75). The vote passed on roll call with Councilmember O'Donnell recorded as No and the remaining members Yes.

- Priority Waste contract extension (solid-waste provider): Council approved a proposed contract extension with Priority Waste for a 10‑year term. The company presented pricing comparisons and service history during the meeting. The extension was approved by roll call (Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino — all Yes).

- Marijuana hours ordinance amendment: Council approved an ordinance amendment that would allow marijuana dispensaries to extend retail hours to midnight provided that property owners and tenants within 300 feet file written consent; if any qualifying adjacent resident objects, the extension cannot be granted. Motion carried on roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Earned-sick-time policy: Council postponed action on the municipality’s earned sick-time policy until the next regularly scheduled council meeting so members could review the draft policy; motion to postpone passed on roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Packing-plant property: Council authorized the mayor to engage a commercial realtor to list the packing-plant property and associated parcels so offers may be solicited publicly. Motion passed by roll call (unanimous Yes).

- Shelby Lions carnival request: The council denied the Shelby Lions’ request to hold a carnival at a proposed downtown location; concerns cited by council and police were public-safety and staffing risks. Motion to deny passed by roll call (Sikora, Torenzi, O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver, Mayor Calandrino — all Yes).

- Appointment to Utica Library Board: Council appointed Councilmember Brad O'Donnell to the Utica Library Board to fill the vacancy created by Sikora’s resignation. O'Donnell abstained from the roll call on this appointment; other members voted yes, and the motion carried.

- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month proclamation: Council declared April 2025 as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and adopted a proclamation by roll-call vote (unanimous Yes).

- Federal Local Safety Program (FLSP) grant application / HRC engineering proposal: Council approved hiring HRC to prepare and submit a 2027 Federal Local Safety Program application (fee $6,000) and amended the street-department budget to fund the engineering application cost. The motions passed by roll-call vote (unanimous Yes). The proposed project scope included pedestrian safety improvements and relocation of some Auburn Road streetlights; preliminary construction estimate and a 10% local match were discussed.

- Van Dyke median and related reallocations: Council approved a transfer from restricted fund balance to cover engineering for the completed Van Dyke median project ($25,000) and other major-street fund reallocations to fund sidewalk and Auburn Road projects. Motions carried by roll call.

- Sanitary sewer incident repairs and mitigation: Following a sanitary-sewer main break on M‑53 the council approved emergency repair payments and remediation contracts: payment of $3,000 to Shelby Underground for repair work and approval of a mitigation/cleanup contract with Deutsch Environmental Services not to exceed $25,000. The council also amended the Water and Sewer Systems fund budget to cover the cleanup; all related motions were approved by roll-call votes.

- TMF grant: service-line verification contracting: The council accepted the low bid from ML Chartier for service-line verifications under a TMF grant (bid $151,794) and approved budget reallocations to fund contract labor under the TMF award. Motions passed by roll call.

- Fire-department budget amendments and equipment purchases: Council amended the 2025 general-fund budget to account for reimbursement funds ($66,120) related to generator equipment damage and authorized an emergency purchase of three Hurst-tool batteries and chargers (total not to exceed $4,371.26). Motions carried by roll call.

How the council voted: For most items the record shows roll-call votes with Councilmembers Sikora, Torenzi (also spelled variously in the record), O'Donnell, Dionne, Backus, Weaver and Mayor Gus Calandrino participating. Where the transcript records individual responses, those are noted above; where members abstained (for example, Brad O'Donnell’s appointment to the library board), the vote record reflects that abstention.

Why it matters: The Priority Waste contract locks in trash-service pricing and service arrangements for a decade; grant-application approvals preserve opportunities to pursue federal funds for pedestrian-safety and sidewalk projects; and the TMF contract advances federally funded lead/service-line work. Denial of the carnival reflected council and public-safety concerns about staffing and event control.

Ending: Council completed a packed agenda and closed the meeting after public comment and additional department reports. Several items require follow-up by staff (grant applications, procurement and contract administration) and some decisions (earned-sick-time policy) will return to a future agenda for full council consideration.