Common Council Services Committee transcript: FUTURE HUDSON

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0:50Okay, everyone. Today is Thursday, February 5th, 2026. Uh we're going to start the services uh meeting. The first is a um
1:06first is a little a note a message from the president of the common council, Miss Margaret Morris.
1:18So um for all the committee meetings I'm coming to first one but you know I'm going to explain the process. Um so we will no longer be having report to the uh general meeting. Um they will report to the committees and then committees will work on whatever issues or maybe something out of the monthly report maybe something else. Um and then if there's anything else to give to us then needs to go forward to the full uh council that will go to the council by [clears throat] uh looking at the calendar is important for you. Um looking at the
1:59calendar and I'm pretty sure about this um the formal meeting is now the fourth Tuesday of the month with the informal Monday April. So pretty much the third week of fill out the board with the exception of finance which occurs um the day of the following with the exception of finance. All of the other committee meetings occur before. So we have two in the first week of the month and then we have uh two in the second week. Department are going to continue to report once a month. You will do you
2:39will send your reports in to the clerk uh and the full council. They will get posted. They will not be discussed and they won't be um expecting presentations. They'll be informed. But the report that you submit in uh in February the submit in a week from now that you will discuss in March. Uh legal committee doesn't have any coming in last time. uh treasurer meets on the day of the final meeting. So in the case of treasurer we will be looking at reports that are often the ones that were in right. So treasur will have a report in
3:20u before the final meeting and then our finance meeting and right before meeting and then we report for that month. So February we'll be looking at the future of record. Everybody else will be there'll be a lag of a week or two there. Uh the other thing I wanted to go through uh we have the new rules of order six. Um they're not that different from before. Um these apply you know resolution so they concept but there are some things that also but in particular handling to public
4:06comment rule number eight. This is at the discussion of the chair role may be open to comment from non members of the council on a question before the council or new business of a new business portion of the meeting. Non-members may make one comment of no more than two minutes on any given question and the chair may set a reasonable time frame for such public comments. So the chair may decide we will allow 10 minutes for public comments. But the issue is that if you want to make a comment, you can make one
4:38comment on one issue and that's it. Uh public comment is also not a debate. It's not a back and forth. If there is a simple factual question uh that can be answered from the materials in front of us. Obviously that can be done but it is not a forum for opening up hypothetical questions or policy questions. That's that is not the purpose. Uh comments must be addressed to the council and not to other members of the public. As with the council, members and non-members must first be recognized by the chair. Any non-member seeking to
5:14speak must do so in an orderly fashion and shall not engage in conduct which disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting. If any person continues to engage in disorderly conduct after being warned by the chair to see such behavior, the chair may order the removal of such a person from the meeting. Just some clarification on one comment person. If a committee involves multiple departments like fire and then police, would a member of the public be able to make a comment or ask question about police?
5:47It's one comment per issue per issue,
5:49right? So let's say in the police situation, you want [clears throat] to make comment about parking. Okay, you can make comment about parking. Then you also have a comment that you would like to make relating to uh car that's meant by make two comments about parking. [laughter]
6:10Sorry.
6:12I've had everybody.
6:15So um that's it. Uh the committees are electing their own chairs. Um I'm going to come to the first of every meeting. I'm not planning to be here for every meeting. I'll just come into the first committee meeting to get things kicked off and to answer any questions about process. Any questions? Okay. Thank you. I leave turn it over to you.
6:37Thank you, Mart. Okay. So, so to begin as as we know the meeting is going to be the first Thursday of the month at 5:30. Uh first thing is to uh set the chair and co-chair. So any any thoughts on chair? I I've expressed interest, but I'll leave it up to me. I'm chairperson.
7:01Well, you've given us your resume and it looks pretty good. [laughter] So maybe you should be chair.
7:08Well, that's why I have gray hair
7:11and and that's some of the stuff I did when I was little volunteer stuff.
7:15Well, can we Is there anyone else who had the insurance?
7:18Do you?
7:19No. No. And the only question I have is Dominic, do you have the time?
7:25Yeah, that was
7:26I mean, why why wouldn't I have the time? I I I think in the past I've been to every meeting and I have no problem dedicating and I think that there's some uh things that I promised Calvin to work on um you know um in 2025 that I like to follow through. Um and you know, right now I'm the chairperson of HCDPA. Uh that's the only other that I chair. Um I'm a member of the IDA. Uh I'm a member of safety. Uh I do attend every
7:58meeting either in person or virtually, but as of the time I [clears throat] I make the time if you know and uh and my wife don't mind mine because I'm out of her hair. So yeah, absolutely. Thank you.
8:12Well, I uh what do we do? I'd be, you know, I I'm motion to to to nominate Dominic as the chair.
8:23Second.
8:24All in favor?
8:25Yeah. I
8:27So, do we have um a co-chair just in case that busyiness of my schedule I don't make it or my wife getting in hostage. Uh um the co-chair any thoughts?
8:42I don't mind being a co-chair. Claire, perfect. Can we have a nomination for Claire as co-chair?
8:50I nominate Claire.
8:52All in favor?
8:54Okay. Thank you. Welcome more, Claire. So, the first thing is that because it's our first meeting obviously. Um, an agenda hasn't really be been set. So, normally um how I'm going to approach this is to kind of like the safety meeting is to do the uh seniors uh representations first uh and get what's going on there uh and then move into the youth. So, um I think that right now uh we have a report from Nuke.
9:29Yes.
9:30Okay. So, the report is from December, right?
9:33Yes.
9:33Yeah. So what we we don't have no seniors report. Um so at this time we'll get a report from Dr. Lewis.
9:46Yes. So um just to clarify this report lends itself to what took place in December provided uh we didn't meet in January.
9:57Could you just Yes. Right. for this report itself to the business that took place in Dece I' much rather get a baseline as to where the youth as opposed to just focusing on what happened December is really you know broaden the focus and so look at where do we stand what do we need to be doing where is your concerns so that we have a general eneral understanding versus just the activity of December. If that's what we have, that's what
10:36Oh, absolutely. I I Yeah, I think I think right now just to get the report
10:40out of the way and then we're definitely going to go into um new business, old old business, what what's going on at at you know, good, bad, or indifferent. What do we need to support what's going on? Uh yeah, absolutely. We'll have a more in-depth agenda. I'm sure Calvin has some updates with the shutdown and things that were going on and everything. So, but I think right now to get the report out of the way and then we move forward. Okay. Thank you chair. I like to be recognized.
11:09Okay.
11:10So, I just want to speak to that process.
11:12Okay. The reports that we have received in the past of the informal which were presented to us that's not going to happen anymore. And so, I think that it is important for the committees. I wanted it to go beyond just listening to a report and you're correct that we need to be looking at broader issues um other than activity that went on in a month but I think a portion of these committee meetings will need to be receiving reviewing the the written reports by each department and then obviously there should be broader discussion of things that are not necessarily in the um so
11:49you know I just I want to clarify that this I believe is the report you already submitted as uh in your normal fashion in January.
11:57Correct.
11:58Thanks.
12:02All right. So, this is a recap of the program that we offer again for K through 2nd 8 and team program. uh with December um with the the holiday break and just the whole uh flu season um staff and kids were just kind of uh in into that month. But that said, we still had a ton of fun. Um you know, closing out 2025. Uh every year we do an annual snowball fight in the gym. It doesn't actually include real snow, but we have make believe snowballs. uh pretty much
12:39like cotton that we we just have a huge uh snowball fight in the gym. Uh we're also able to share a toy and a book to uh each family uh thanks to donations from the sheriff's department as well as the Hudson Farmers Market. Um and and so in on the next page here, you can uh this is just a visual of some of the books and uh toys that we received from those donors. Uh in addition to that, our K through 2nd uh they are continuing to do the literacy voyagers. That's a program that
13:15we do with FRCC. And so uh that again that typically includes reading a book and pairing that with an activity. Um so that was led by Mr. Ray. Um and this in December they actually made snow. Um and so again just kind of sticking with the theme there. And then we also had Miss Juliana. She comes out and she dives into some uh into the artistic abilities of our members. They were drawing mittens and decorating them however they liked. Um and overall, you know, the kids just have a really fun time again just uh with literacy and sparing that with an
13:55activity. Um we also were able to receive donations from county waste. uh County Waste, they do a community effort where they give back to an organization of their choice. They gave us 24 new bikes. And so we have um we have bikes with training wheels up to bikes for um adolescent kids as well. And so provided they gave us 24, we're going to do a raffle system to get that out to the kids. I'd hate to say, you know, Claire gets a bike, but Jen, you don't. And so
14:30we're gonna we're going to do a raffle to to get those bikes out.
14:33I'm just curious, do the bikes are they coming [snorts] with helmets?
14:37Yes. With helmets. Um uh we also do the bike shop, the bike go out during the summer. And so just kind of stemming from that program, we do have the ability to offer helmets to the kids as well. Have you had um anyone come talk about bike safety and and how homeless are so important?
15:00Um outside of uh the bike co-op, I think it's an opportunity to collab with HPD.
15:05Yeah.
15:06And and come in and offer a workshop and and collab do that. I think yeah, you know, I think uh just with that in mind, we can also uh discuss about um uh ease hooters and ebikes and things.
15:20Yes. The NTSB has a if you send to them, they'll send you posters and DVDs that you can actually play.
15:28It's like a 20 minute and it's done by kids.
15:30I'm sorry, I didn't catch the first part.
15:32The NTSB, the National Transportation Safety Board.
15:36If you send to them, they'll send you three DVDs
15:39that it's like a 20 minute that kids produce them and kids and and they talk about safety, bike safety. I can try to find a link and send it to you.
15:48Okay. Um that's it.
15:50Yeah, that's the program I use Clay through Safety Town and that's the program I used and you can even get um coloring books and things like that. Okay. Um, and my uh intention of this slide is uh in an effort to support families for the holidays and this was kind of stemming off of the um the SNAP uh benefit um recovery uh excuse me, Columbia Kitchen uh donated gift cards uh to the department so that we could get those out to families. And so we did make efforts to um reach out to families
16:25to ask if they would like to receive that gift card and we're able to get that to about uh 15 families or uh individuals, excuse me. All right. So here we have um just some staff and student appreciation. Um on the left we have Josiah Shivers who was our student excuse me our staff of the month. Uh Josiah has been with us for going on four years now. So you know again just speaking to the continuity of staff. She's someone that's been with us again for going on four years. She um
17:06helps us maintain our food logs which are a big part of our record keeping. And so Julia Shivers um you know I think she's continuing to grow. She was someone who on boarded again is very shy reserved but just had a natural knack on working with kids and getting the best out of them. So it's been it's really been great working with her. Uh Julian uh Julian Cruz he was our team uh student of the month. Uh Julian has found his niche um actually at the bike
17:38shop. He's been an apprentice at the bike shop. um and he's really come to to love that. In fact, I think he was uh he was actually able to help his siblings learn how to ride a bike um for the first time. So, that that was really cool. And um Ayana Fernandez, she uh to the far right here, she's been with us since kindergarten. She's now in third grade. Um and uh Ayana is just a tremendous kid. She she often brightens my day. She's a kid that just she knows me by name and she's just just a really
18:13a pleasure to work with.
18:18The staff was a former participant.
18:21Yes. Yes. Josiah was a former participant.
18:26Johnny's daughter. Was that Johnny's daughter?
18:30Josiah.
18:30Niece.
18:32Niece.
18:32You know, John Shiver's niece.
18:33John Shivers. Yes, that's his that's his niece. Sorry. I didn't realize that was in um yeah um so this here is just a snapshot some of the partnerships that we had during the month of December um and also highlighting some of our uh continued partnerships. So first student um they uh ensure that we get our kids home safely um each day after program. So we are in contract with them to transport the kids uh home from program. Um living resources we work with them. We have a a contract to where their uh
19:12uh staff and members come in to utilize the space. They help us with like uh light light housekeeping u maybe organizing like a craft closet or something to that effect and then they um partake in their uh program um while being at the department. It's more of a recreational outlet for them. And um uh RC Lacy uh as you may saw on social media, they were also in collaborations with us to get out jackets operation warm to our members and we took that opportunity to collaborate with uh
19:47Hudson Promise Neighborhood. Their children came over and so um children were able to get a free jacket. And then anything that we have left over, we're going to make available to the co-host organization. Co-host consists of over two dozen um youth organizations. And so again, just making every effort that we can to get youth adjacent for the winter. And then uh Orchard uh Dodge, formerly uh Village Dodge, we are pursuing a uh threeon three basketball league in the spring. U that was something that they uh again kind of just brought to our attention provided our outreach to community and youth.
20:31That's um that's their attempt to again I think just kind of integrate into community and collab with our youth organization.
20:38So that's outdoors.
20:42So we're we're considering um [clears throat] I think that's an option. I think the thought was uh getting getting some gym access, but whether weather permitting, I think that is something that we could probably even host at Oakdale or you know at outdoor court.
20:56You mean like the high school?
20:57Yes. Yeah, the high school gym.
20:59Yeah.
21:02Um so our our youth basketball league is in full swing. Um after this week, we have one more week and so um that started uh January 2nd. We had over 160 kids sign up. Uh grades three, uh three, we have grades third and fourth, fifth, and sixth. Um and they all feature four co-ed teams. Um our skills and drills, those are for our little kids. So, uh kindergarten, first and second grade, that's where they just really learn the fundamentals of basketball. We had roughly 69 kids, uh enrolled for skills
21:40and drills. And then for uh fifth and sixth we had roughly 37 kids. For third and fourth 54 kids. And again uh we stuck with the collegiate uh team names. And so we have schools uh such as Baylor, St. John's Vanderbilt, University of North Carolina, Texas&M, Clemson, Kansas State, and Satan Hall, who um Mayor Ferris is a is a graduate of we come to um our coaches are made up of volunteers from the community and our referees are primarily uh high school uh students. And so some of the upcoming uh uh news that we have, we are preparing for
22:32Oakdale summer camp. So registration for Oakdale summer camp will be available at the end of this month. Um that also jumpst starts our search for our outreach for counselors. Um and uh figuring out our hierarchy in terms of our assistant director for camp. Um and so you know below at the bottom here there's just you know some specific information in regards to like age requirements and so we also feature uh counselors and training CITs those are eligible to kids um as early as 14 years old that's really an opportunity to get
23:13their foot in the door when it comes to working in youth services. Um I'm a kid that benefited from those opportunities. I was a camp counselor as well. Um, and you know, I think it's a a tremendous opportunity. Um, lifeguards, uh, you have to be at least 16 and we have a really robust, um, onboarding program for our lifeguards as well, offering training, CPR, um, being knowledgeable in using AEDs and first aid. uh we'll also um be looking to fill our part-time laborer position. So that person uh really
23:53supports uh Vsham as uh Vsham's our cleaner and the overall just dayto-day and maintenance of K. Um so that includes you know uh the landscaping, the garbage removal, uh things of that nature. And so we are looking to uh certainly fill that position um as soon as possible. And so, you know, again, this is just a review of what to expect with camp uh registration around the corner. We are going to prioritize outreach to families that were with us in 2025 and then from there extend it out to the larger community.
24:35And again, in the event that we need to be contacted, we have a website, phone number, and email address. And you we also post these events updates by way of our social media platforms. And that concludes
24:56Thank you. Thank you, please.
24:59Dominic, may I say something?
25:02Sure. Peter, um I just I was going to introduce you first.
25:07Um I'm Peter Frank. Just in response to your question about bike safety, I wanted to say um it was uh Chief Franklin and Vick Brano from Brookshire Bike and Board came up with the idea to do a bike safety rodeo last summer. Um and it was the first ever one we've done. I think it's great. It's something that AAA sponsors around [clears throat] the country and you do helmet safety checks, bike safety checks. Uh we ran like obstacle course for kids. There were hot dogs. Um,
25:38unfortunately it was on a blisteringly hot day. I think the outreach, you know, could have been better. Um, so we we didn't have very much attendance, but that is something that Chief Franklin and the bike co-op are interested in working together on um in the future and doing more, you know, community outreach around bike safety and we hope that will become an annual. [clears throat]
25:59I think it's important.
26:00Yes, I I agree. And we've also been very fortunate this year that um through Berkshire Biken Board um has reached out to some of their vendors and through the United Brain Association, we've gotten uh many many more donations of high quality bike helmets.
26:17Great.
26:17And so we've been able to distribute. In the past, only people who went through the build a bike program would be given a helmet. But we had enough helmets this year that Aaron, the re mechanic, whenever she noticed a kid who had a helmet that wasn't high quality or didn't fit well, she was able to give free helmets out to lots of kids in the community.
26:36That's great. Um, you know, especially with the increase in e- scooters and ebikes and we've already had some very major accidents, I think it's really important to start the education for that really early to make sure that people's brains are protected.
26:57Oh, definitely.
26:58Yeah,
26:59I can.
27:00Yeah. Peter, if you don't mind, why don't you give just a little background of friends of pudson just because I know you do a lot of you do, you know, so I think just because our, you know, our first meeting and so if you don't mind. Sure. Um, so Friends of Pson Youth uh started in 2018. Um, it's more or less a booster club to youth department. Um we raise um money for uh lots of programs which are outside of the city budget. Um uh year round for the youth department.
27:37Uh we work very closely with Calvin and with the cure the program coordinator. Um uh in in some cases we take a more active role in sort of program development like around some of the bigger initiatives like the bike co-op um where the waterfront program those are the two things that that we uh where we invest the most. Um the waterfront program, the total annual budget is about $100,000 a year and Friends of Hudson Youth covers about half of that between uh equipment, supplies, um lifeguard payroll and lifeguard training. Um
28:19and uh we are we're excited this summer that we have two great candidates returning as senior guards um who uh are coming back for the summer and who are interested in becoming WSI trained. So in the past we've had lifeguards teach swimming but we've had an outside consultant maintain [clears throat] the WSI certification to receive the program.
28:44What is that acronym?
28:45I'm sorry. Water safety instructor.
28:47Okay. Thank you.
28:48In order to teach uh Red Cross swim lessons, you need this certification. Um and so that you can uh give not only teach kids to swim, but appropriately deep water test them and give kids permission to go out above their shoulders in the deep water. Um and you know, for obvious reasons, you need a lot of special training to to be able to do that safely. So, um, we're going to have that WSI confidence on staff at the beach, um, which is, you know, will be
29:22really great for the program and hopefully we're going to try to, you know, years and years ago, uh, more of the lifeguards have this training.
29:31Um, but the people who are able to give, you know, the WSI trainers are few and far between. They're done locally. Um, you know, we might have to send uh Isaiah and Tony, you know, to like Westchester or Long Island to get
29:46Lot Silver Bay, right? Silver Bay does a lot of the week training.
29:52Yeah. Yeah. But it's, you know, it's it's a it's a
29:56it's an expense. Um, but it's something that, you know, we're happy to pay for because, you know, our main focus is the programs for the kids, but the youth department is also one of the largest employers of young adults and and teens in the county. And, you know, we want to really have workforce training opportunities and create pipelines and lifeguard, you know, because being a lifeguard is one of the best job training opportunities you can get, right? is you not only learn safety skills and CPR, but you learn, you know,
30:26teamwork, leadership, communication, working with the public, all kinds of skills, which
30:33it seems like there's a real shortage in the marketplace for there's a nationwide shortage. And so, and we've been able to keep a lifeguard uh staff at Oakdale because we've been able to offer free training um the principles and youth funds. Um and we've also um been able to bring the salary up so that we're competitive with Lake Donic or Zoom Flu, which
31:00the city wasn't in the past. M
31:02it was actually I I I can't believe that it was worthwhile uh to drive across the bridge and go to Zenflow and pay the toll
31:11but for the difference in salary but apparently it was so
31:15they offered more hours too you know yeah that's true
31:18and that's another thing if you're offering the lifeguards it allows our hours now to open up at the waterfront I mean at the at the Oakdale in the past they closed us so now now the expanding hours it's also a benefit It's a good community. Yeah, we were able to keep the lake open um 14 weeks last summer,
31:37right? And then, you know, going back to 2018 when we started uh the beach was only open for the six weeks of summer camp. and the importance of the WSI like you said the consultant the issue is that say today someone's train someone you know is is gets um a child passes the the shallow shallow or low deep but unless they're trained again by I mean unless they're evaluated by the WSI they can't go even though if they can swim they can't go to that next level until the WSI certifies them so having one on
32:14site is so beneficial because now it's going to have them continuously go and train and be able to be able to enjoy the swimming and and the lessons
32:26and and it's required by DO to to have at least every every student coming in I mean has to be evaluated even being in order at the so yeah that's great to have it on site now you can have two we had you know with the consultants the WSI was on site for the swim so lessons Um, but it's just going to work much better to have, you know, kids on staff who can be there more hours. Um, because, you know, it's a even even when they're not actually doing the test, just to have those higher skill levels when they're there all the time
33:00is great for the camp and the public.
33:03I'm curious how much funding that you're providing every year. room.
33:10Um uh between last year between 150 and 200,000.
33:18Um we so some of the funding goes directly to programs at the youth center. We help fund things like art classes, the circus after school, music classes. Uh we have dance diversity um this fall. Um summer programs similar to those. Um uh we raise funds for the sports leagues, the soccer basketball leagues. Um but we also increasingly are working on the facilities which as you know are not in great shape. So, we've done some small things like we, you know, we've helped fund refinishing the floor of the basketball court or kind of making small upgrades like that or uh creating uh
34:03changing uh some privacy stalls in the changing rooms at Odo uh because it was a pretty uh dicey situation there for the kids. Um and uh we make you know some other improvements to the um the trail the reading platform right did you do the platform and the bridge um we merged with friends of Oakdale Lake and so we're continuing the waterfall work they've done we as you know in 2024 there was a harmful algae boom and we had to close the lake for the last three weeks of the summer. Um that was even
34:44more spread in the count of 2025. It was uh almost every pond and lake had it including the Hudson River for the first time in years. Um Oakdale Lake did not. Um and I would like to think that that is due to the we we started a new non-toxic algicide treatment and we had airators installed and did some manual raing that rake Lloyd helped us with. So, all of those interventions uh meant that the lake stayed open. I had no harmful algae for them all summer, which was a real win.
35:19Um, and we're working on some larger capital projects hopefully coming up in the next few years to improve the facilities. So, you know, we we we do things like uh we have a crew come in every year poison ivy from the hight traffic areas. So, you know, it's not something that you see, but it's something that really makes a difference, especially for the campers,
35:42you know, slides and sandals running around to the woods.
35:45Yeah.
35:46You know, and it's not fun to get poison. No.
35:49Well, thank you.
35:50Thank you. Okay.
35:52Yeah.
35:54You anything else to update us on with your stress for two weeks?
36:02Yeah. So, um, you know, coming off of probably the biggest storms snowtorm since the pandemic, right? Uh, Tuesday we landed to, uh, issues with the the boiler. Um, and so, uh, we tried to, uh, have a normal as as normal as possible on that Tuesday. Um, so we did have, uh, programming at the library. Um but [clears throat] uh for the rest of that week we did cancel our program to give us the ability to just to just strategize and game plan uh for the week. Um and so um realizing that the
36:46boiler was an issue, we did uh we reached to our uh vendor um to come and check things out. And so it was uh it needed some parts uh one of which was a control panel. [clears throat] Um and so the control panel that's essentially the the motherboard to the to the boiler. So um we had to pretty much hurry up and wait, you know, hurry up and wait for that part to land. Um and then once it got here, that brought us into the following
37:21week. Um, and so once it was installed, we had to let it uh run to see if that was the issue. Uh, and run overnight. And so, um, it it we we we did, you know, we did the troubleshooting, uh, because the the the thing is in order to have youth and staff in the building, we have to maintain a level of 65° um, at least. And so we were teetering at about 61.
37:53And so um again we were just really troubleshooting to see how we could just get the temp up uh and keep it constant. Um and so as of today, the thermostat is reading 68 constant. And so uh we are in that safe zone to to return back to our our regular uh scheduled uh program. Um and so while while we were troubleshooting, we did make a pivot to do uh meal distribution to families. And so uh what we did is the staff that would have been working at the center, we just pivot, you know,
38:34we pivoted, uh got prepackaged meals from Columbia Kitchen, uh did some outreach efforts to our families to get those meals to the kids. Um, you know, I think it served that purpose of making sure that they had a nutritious meal and it also gave us an opportunity to kind of check in uh with our little ones.
38:53And so, um, here and now, uh, you know, I think we're I think we have the worst of it behind us. Um, and you know, again, the the heat is we we are at the constant of at least again 68 degrees and so um, we do plan to resume uh, our regular scheduled programming. Do you know how old that boiler is?
39:16That out of curiosity.
39:18I don't think it's that old. I think it was placed maybe five to eight years ago maybe.
39:22Okay.
39:22Yeah.
39:24And uh
39:25when are you going to start back up program?
39:27I did. Uh so provided you know when we show up in the morning and still doing what it needs to do, we we should be back on board tomorrow. Tomorrow.
39:37I have a few questions. Um, Dominic, uh, Calvin, in that you mentioned, um, like a third party contractor,
39:47was that a new relationship? Is that a relationship that you had? Uh, or did you feel like, um, you were adequately supported in that crisis?
39:57It um, so it's it's a return vendor, okay, that we work with? It it it was um yeah it was uh I think we we controlled the variables that we could you know um knowing that uh the third party vendor was familiar with all of the systems they installed um a couple of those systems and so ultimately I was confident in the ability of of the third party vendor um you know I think there's you know I and I'm I'm never going to decline help, right? And so if
40:34that's by way of uh DPW or something to that effect, totally on board, you know, with that with that um that collaboration, if you will. Um but, you know, the uh the mayor's office was informed about how we were managing the situation. Uh and uh DPW was informed. I think um again I think there was just a lot of confidence in that vendor provided they were familiar with the systems. Uh they were a former employee um of DPW and so um yeah we were really just kind of putting putting our eggs in
41:13that basket if you will.
41:15Okay. I the initial question is um you me you highlighted like the cleaner position and what how much that person is holding. I'm wondering about like the sustainability of we've always had criticisms of like
41:31the building itself and the infrastructure and what it takes to support that building. So just an initial concern like somebody on site that could like respond
41:42absolutely to
41:44Yeah.
41:46Yeah. We do I think perhaps unfairly um those duties fall on our cleaner
41:55which um is I think it is a liability uh [clears throat] to put those responsibilities on a cleaner and ultimately they working out of title. Um so I think in the long term that that isn't that isn't sustainable. Um, I think we need to strategize on um, having a maintenance worker. Um, the building constantly has needs.
42:22Um, [clears throat] and you know, we do our best to to patchwork things together. Uh, but again, um, it's with I think a good deal.
42:33Um, you know, it isn't an effort to provide comfort in an adequate setting for the kids. Um but uh support is getting support is needed.
42:45So before you said that you were looking to fill a part-time laborer position. Would it be a parttime maintenance person then?
42:54So the that labor position is specific to camp.
42:58Okay. Um, so it's more that that uh uh position would be yeah very specific to um the the upkeep of Oakdale of the Oakdale Park.
43:09Could that person do both roles since one is one season and the other's another season?
43:16I I think it's a strategy. I think it's I think something we can
43:19I think a labor and a maintenance two different job descriptions,
43:22right? But if you're a maintenance person, you can do you could do both of those.
43:27You need an existing civil service. I think he's saying like
43:30Oh. Oh, you mean
43:33So if they were Yeah. Okay.
43:35Who owns the build? I'm sorry.
43:37Who owns the buildings?
43:40Did you say?
43:41Yeah.
43:41The city city hospital.
43:43So uh DPW is available. Do you use them?
43:49We um Yeah. Um, you know, I think I think there's I think we could work on [clears throat] those two together for sure. Um, but you know, I think, yeah, I think there is opportunity to work.
44:02Reach out to those guys. They're they're great and whatever you need. I work in a in a building that's rented from the city.
44:11DPW is our first call.
44:13Indeed. Yeah. And so, um, I can certainly lean into that.
44:17Yeah. But I think a boiler is a very specific thing you need to be
44:21hence the outsourcing I guess
44:23right.
44:24Yeah.
44:25Yeah. I don't think anyone in DBW that that is certified to fix a boy anyway. So I I don't think that would that situation I mean I think a vendor that knows it that you know I think that's probably you know the option to continue because especially how often that again you haven't had an issue in a couple years then right
44:45it's it's about you know the time and it might be issue might cleaning it like it might be a cleaning issue that you need to be done every year uh which it should be done every year you know cleaning servicing [clears throat]
44:57I do have a question since since we're closed for, you know, the time. Uh is there any way you can make up that during that February break to help the families out that you know for the four days during February that in the next you know few weeks that the school's out that the family you know might need that extra spot to go to um especially the meals and everything to provide servicing for the next four you know those four days like you know ear earlier on on the day because they're not getting school right so since
45:30you know you closed for a couple weeks to kind of make it up for the families, you know, 9 to 9 or something like that.
45:36Okay.
45:37Before you answer, Don, just so you know, after your question, Margaret raised her hand.
45:41I'm sorry.
45:44Can I ask my question?
45:49There was discussion with the school
45:52about being able to use their facilities in gathering. Remember that?
45:57That was in summer camp,
45:58right? Summer camp. Um, so situation like this for your programming, is there any possibility of talking to the school about using their facilities if you have an emergency like this during the school year? Is that not an option?
46:14I think it is. I think it's worth, you know, I think we could reach out and see if that's a possibility. Uh, keep in mind, you know, school has their after have athletics and their after school programming as well. Um but again I won't know till I ask so
46:32I I think moving forward what in the back burn would be more reasonable is is the fire to have an alter program for you know because that's where it's controlled by us. there's two rooms you can do, you know, social, you know, social stuff, you know, movies and things like that as an alternative um location, right? Because they have the two rooms and and where it's just a schedule with the bar, right? So, I think that might be more of an option, right? More it's easier to do it on
47:05emergency basis than a schedule than a school district or something, right? Can I also just like highlight uh from working in youth programming sometimes it makes the most sense to close though because that like um pivot of where the kids are getting transported to then communicating with the bus company and like an eent situation like that doesn't always work as seamlessly as you want it to and then you know parents are scrambling to figure out where they got their kids up from. Communication doesn't happen as fast. So, I do think this response made a lot of sense, but maybe presenting some type of emergency
47:40contingency type of plan
47:42for like a longer term situation could be helpful. I know that's how you guys ended up at the church in the library for similar um needing to figure out alternative spaces. But
47:54yeah, I just think in in an e situation, I know that logistically it's really hard to communicate from third grade up to high school age where everybody's going to end up. [clears throat]
48:08Any other questions or updates that you have for us? Um I just uh I just wanted to also mention um while this is fresh in my mind relative to the district being a site for us uh for summer camp when there's inclement weather that will not be an option for us this summer. And so uh the school uh district is pursuing some capital projects at both um sites.
48:35Uh so that will not be an option for us this summer. Okay. um which at the same time we expect an increase in enrollment provided the school will not be featuring their summer program.
48:51Um so you know um I think whether it's the contingency plan or just again um vetting our options uh we are going to have to be a little bit creative this summer in regards to uh how we uh offer services when it's inclement weather. So that could look like maybe some programming taking place at the center uh provided the facility can support that um and or maybe reaching out to the firehouse um or other venues to see if we can uh utilize their space. Maybe you
49:25go back to old school and playgrounds at almost every corner.
49:29Yeah,
49:31that was me. I was there.
49:32Yeah, I was there too. John Edwards there's a church, right? There's a church on our [clears throat]
49:39list, right?
49:41We did we did meals at those hours.
49:44I think to that point though, like this committee from like this month forward, we should support you in
49:51identifying places or safety planning together like what does that contingency plan look like? Is it that you close when it's rainy weather? Is it that you know you're you're we're helping you identify locations and then you're planning so that there's notification when parents sign up that like in the case of an emergency this is where your child will end up.
50:12Um I think it could be on us to help support some of that seeking.
50:19I certainly appreciate it.
50:21Yeah. Even if it's like you know the centers for the younger kids, right? So it's controlled. It's safer. um you know and then and alternate a program you know for the older kids that that can do the more different activities you'd like to fire set up the beam system whatever whatever activities can be done anything else Mr. That's all I have.
50:48Anything else from the council?
50:49I have a question in the audience.
50:52Well, two statements.
50:53Mine is not to Calvin directly though.
50:56So, I was under the impression that some of the city workers over from TTW that they do help in in the uh voice club and that they do come and do various services. And just talking to some of the city workers, I was glad to believe that that does occur. So, for whatever that's for um just another question, uh lifeguards coming back. Is Matt coming back? One of the lifeguards. Is he one of them?
51:25Macelli.
51:27Is that his last name?
51:29Yeah, he won't he won't be returning. U
51:32he's getting a job with the state.
51:33Uh I I believe he had
51:36he was securing he was hoping to be the state police.
51:40Yeah, I think he's in the realm to uh achieving his goals.
51:43Good. Good. because you did got into
51:48my comment was a more um council relevant question. In thinking about this committee, I've kind of just like skimmed through the charter to think about what is the relationship between the city and the youth center. Um and the only line there before it starts talking about commissioner is there shall be in the city of Hudson a department known as the department of youth. Um, so I know you have talked about Margaret, um, a broader conversation around what charter change could look like.
52:19So I would like to just highlight that we more clearly define the relationship and responsibility of the city to the youth center, especially for moments like this, like
52:29is it maintenance support? Is it, you know, a quarterly check of the building to make sure that everything is in line? Like all of those
52:37type of considerations. Um yeah
52:39when we talk about charter change I would love to make the youth center and the relationship one of our private
52:46well when that charter was done right there was no center base there was just a department of youth which is basically offices all their all their stuff was off site there was there wasn't a centerbased program
52:55right
52:56so you know to update to the times you know and you know personally me I think we just need a new building right I just think that it's time you know to stop you know putting you know, bad money into a bad build, good money into a bad building where we need to find a site, uh, and, you know, get some funding, uh, and, uh, and create and buy a new building. I mean, create a new building. I mean, that's all going to be that would be what we
53:26you have five year to have a new building, which would help in terms of maintenance, right? because it won't be as as hatch with duct tape, you know, place, you know, or pigeons that live up in they still live up there.
53:44Okay. [laughter]
53:47So, while all of this was taking place with our heating system, we also had the biohazard removal taking place. And so, um, as of, uh, this weekend, um, he's wrapping it up, but, uh, the, uh, the biohazard matter has now been removed. Um, so, um, they were working diligently throughout last week and, uh, this week to clear out the, uh, the pigeon poop there. So, um,
54:19yeah. So, that has been uh, managed and taken care of. And so that was um I pro that was the highlight of my of my past two weeks for sure.
54:27Is that why they be loaded located in my garage?
54:30Yeah, I hope that stuff is toxic.
54:36And so
54:37anything else from the council
54:39or in general?
54:40Yeah. Any other public comments?
54:44Thank you. But I'm sure next month we'll we'll chat and get you know and you know agenda that you you know we can participate and and uh you know hope you have and I get a motion to
55:00I have one more thing sorry um should one of us or both of us reach out to senior so that we can invite them to this meeting
55:10I I started that today I'll finish it right
55:13yeah because I don't know because I don't know who's over.
55:17I miss she's not the
55:19Well, actually, she's not.
55:20Oh, she's not there anymore.
55:21Well, no, she is.
55:22Oh,
55:22but she's only a clerk, so technically she doesn't
55:26respond to it. Right. That's not part of her.
55:28Okay.
55:28Right. Right. So, it would be whoever
55:32if there's any buffer there.
55:34Okay.
55:34Um, you know, representative to do. So he's never she's been there but she's never resp you know it all either was the the you know commissioner or we've never heard from them. So it's all depends on who the mayor has overseeing seeing uh you know the program.
55:55So that's been a vacancy the commissioner.
55:59Yes. So that needs to be filled.
56:02Correct.
56:03They have a list.
56:04They have a they have a short list.
56:06Yeah. very short list
56:07and when you're saying above um because I also saw it in the charter that if there is no youth commissioner then those duties fall on the director so because there's no highlighted leadership of the senior center there is no responding person is what you're saying okay
56:24because the cler that's the clerk is not has no supervisor responsibility
56:29uh you know so um so I mean realistically um there's nothing that says the commission has to come here either.
56:38Yeah, there's two people Margaret and Lloyd.
56:41Okay. Just to your point, I want to discuss with the mayor's office and I believe there is a new commissioner and as far as I know they are all final department.
57:08So that's in process. So I just thought when I was to make sure we have open
57:14cuz in the past it was youth and aging
57:18and and it was all under one umbrella was all all one commission. Mhm.
57:22So, and then they separated [clears throat]
57:29I got a little bit of the history here and all of my own uh considerations and and concerns and um I was just so that would be the library and I know that this is you know and a thing that uh is mandated by the state and it's not necessarily I know there's a consideration. It's not necessarily a city function and they're kind of left off on their own to be unsupervised to act in whatever ways, but we do fund them to the amount of $4,000 $400,000.
58:06Stockbridge funds them. More than half their budget is public funding. So it seems to me that now personally I've been looking to accomplish that they restore their services to they were back in 2019 and they've been thus far you know um not agreeing to my to my thoughts on on those subjects and and stick with so whatever whatever they want to do I do think there's a fiduciary responsibility on the part of the city when you're spending $400,000, you know, and then
58:47well, one thing we're spending $400,000, not by your choice. It's by the voters choice, right? So, we what control do we have? It's the voters that voted that we have no control over that money.
59:04Should I ask my point of order here? Is it the county? No, I'm just saying she he's saying that
59:11I made my statement. I'm done.
59:17Well, what are you saying to senior staff?
59:20I'm talking about the library.
59:22I'm talking about library. So, just to wrap up, I I would consider adding library supervision to the services committee.
59:32Thank you for that.
59:33I appreciate that. Thank you. Um, I'll make a motion to adjourn, but I want to ask about sometime this week or next, can you just send us anything that needs to be considered with like securing locations, safety, how many people does it need to hold, those type of things that we should be thinking of as we're looking
59:55in I'll double check to see if that a good Second blow up.
1:00:08Yes.
1:00:09Second. I [laughter]
1:00:13Thank you.

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