[00:00:01]
CALLING TO ORDER THE MEETING NUMBER ONE
[COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT]
FOR 2026 OF THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE.AND, CLERK, COULD YOU TAKE THE ROLL? LEGISLATOR GREENE? [INAUDIBLE] HERE. THE QUORUM IS PRESENT.
ON THE AGENDA TODAY, ON ITEMS ONE AND TWO, WE ARE RECEIVING AND FILING.
AND ON ITEM FOUR, WE'RE RECEIVING AND FILING.
AND WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS FOR ITEM NUMBER 3.
AND WE HAVE THE SAME SPEAKERS WILL BE FOR ITEM NUMBER 5, I BELIEVE.
OKAY? SO, THE THREE AND FIVE ARE UP FOR APPROVAL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT WHAT I LEARNED ON OUR LOCAL LAW REGARDING THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES.
THAT WAS A LAW THAT WAS APPROVED.
AND THE IDEA OF IT WAS TO DO LIKE THEY DID IN THE DAYS OF ROCKEFELLER AND NEW YORK CITY, WHERE INSTEAD OF JUST BUILDING, BUILDING WHAT'S TERRIBLE, TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE ARTS AND THINGS THAT ARE FOREVER THAT WILL HELP US.
SO, AS PART OF THAT, A SMALL AMOUNT OF THE CONSTRUCTION FUNDS IS USED FOR THE ARTS.
SO, THERE'S A GROUP OF HIGHLY, SOME THAT ARE PAID BY THE COUNTY, BUT A GROUP OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THE MASTER ARTS PLAN AND THE EXECUTION OF THE PLAN.
AND THE LAW REQUIRES THAT EVERY YEAR THEY SUBMIT IT TO THE LEGISLATOR FOR A VOTE.
SO HERE TODAY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE DAN KESSEL INTRODUCE WHO'S HERE TODAY AND WHO WILL SPEAK ON THE MASTER ARTS PLAN.
I WILL DEFER TO ZACH EVANS, WHO WILL BE COVERING THE SPECIFIC REQUEST.
YES, WE ARE SUBMITTING THE 2026 ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC ART PLAN TO THIS HONORABLE BODY.
WE SENT THIS OVER A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH THE RESOLUTION AND COPIES OF THE MASTER PLAN, AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COPIES HERE IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THEM.
AS LEGISLATOR VINAL STATED, AS PART OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES LOCAL LAW, EVERY YEAR THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SUBMIT THE MASTER PLAN TO THIS BODY FOR ITS REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
FOLLOWING THAT STEP, WE CAN THEN VERY SHORTLY BEGIN THE CALL FOR ART PROCESS, WHICH WILL SOLICIT ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SUBMIT PLANS FOR OUR TWO MAJOR PROJECTS OR MAJOR WORKS, AS WE CALL THEM, AND ALSO THE SMALLER WORKS.
IN THE MASTER PLAN, YOU CAN SEE THE TWO LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN DECIDED UPON ON PAGE 10 AND 11 BY THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE FOR THE BUFFALO-MARY COUNTY BOTANICAL GARDENS AND ISLE VIEW PARK FOR THE TWO MAJOR WORKS FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN THERE WILL BE A VARIETY OF OTHER LOCATIONS FOR THE SMALLER WORKS.
THE WORKS THEMSELVES HAVE NOT BEEN DECIDED.
THE ARTISTS HAVE NOT BEEN PICKED, JUST THE LOCATIONS.
THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING REQUEST.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED IN THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCAL LAW, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE IN THIS NICE PACKET THE TWO LOCATIONS THAT FOR SURE ARE HAVING THE BIGGER PROJECTS.
ARE ANY OF THE SMALLER PROJECTS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO? THOSE LOCATIONS ARE TO BE DETERMINED, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE BOTANICAL GARDENS ARE IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO, AND THE COMMITTEE DOES DO ITS BEST TO BE GEOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENTED IN A VERY LARGE COUNTY, SO, THERE SHOULD BE SOME WITHIN THE CITY OF BUFFALO.
IN DISTRICT 2? I CANNOT COMMENT ON THAT, AS THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ARE ULTIMATELY THE DECIDERS OF THAT.
BUT LEGISLATOR VINAL AND LEGISLATOR MILLS AND THEIR DESIGNEES ARE ON THE BOARD AS EX OFFICIO, NOT VOTING MEMBERS, BUT ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME TO BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEES.
I'LL SEND SOME SUGGESTIONS OVER.
OVERALL, I DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT.
I KNOW THIS BOARD WORKS REALLY HARD ON PROVIDING US ALL BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK IN DIFFERENT SPACES, SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
BUT I JUST HAD TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE MY PITCH.
I'M NOT SO SURE IT WAS POSITIVE.
THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THERE WERE TWO OF THE THREE.
THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THREE LARGER WORKS, AND ONE WAS IN THE TRAIL.
REMEMBER ON THE TRAIL PART? BUT THE FINAL WAS BUFFALO CONVENTION CENTER, THAT WHOLE SIDE.
THAT WAS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN ALSO AT ERIE COUNTY HEALTH MALL AT 1500 BROADWAY.
THAT WAS ALSO PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
[00:05:01]
YEAR WERE IN BUFFALO, DOWNTOWN, AND EASTSIDE.AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER PROJECT.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT PROJECT? WAS IT THE ONE THAT WAS ON THE TRAIL WAYS? THE THIRD ONE? YEAH.
I BELIEVE THAT'S COMING THIS YEAR, ISN'T IT? YEAH, MOVED TO THIS YEAR.
AND IS IT TRUE THAT OUR FELLOW LEGISLATOR MAKES A GOOD POINT AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT ALL AREAS ARE REPRESENTED? AND COULD YOU DISCUSS SOME OF THAT? I KNOW THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE MEETINGS VERY EXTENSIVELY, BUT IF ANY OF THE THREE OF YOU COULD REALLY GO INTO THAT.
WELL, AGAIN, THERE'S SORT OF TWO PATHS THAT GO FORWARD ONCE WE HAVE THE CALL FOR ARTISTS.
BOTH WE'RE DOING THE ARTISTS AND THEIR PROPOSALS THAT THEY SUBMIT, AND THEN ALSO IDENTIFYING THE LOCATIONS.
AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO BE COUNTY PROPERTY.
AND TO THE LEGISLATOR'S POINT, IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS THAT ARE COUNTY-OWNED PROPERTY THAT CAN HAVE ART THAT ARE ALSO GEOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENTATIVE IS SORT OF THREADING A NEEDLE.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE TAKES THAT INTO EXTREME CONSIDERATION WHEN FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE BEST GET A WORK THAT FITS THERE AND DO THE ERIE COUNTY HOME NETWORK.
AND IT'S ALSO Ā YOU MENTIONED, IF YOU COULD SPEAK ON IT, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY VOTING ON IT ARE CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THEIR BACKGROUND AT HEART, AND THEY DO HAVE A REALLY BIG EQUITY LENS, AND NONE OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY AND NONE OF THE ELECTEDS ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE, CORRECT? THEY DON'T.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ARE ADVISED THEY'RE NOT VOTING.
I WOULD ADD, THOUGH, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE AND MAKING DECISIONS DON'T KNOW EVERYWHERE IN ALL OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
SO, IF YOU KNOW OF A COUNTY BUILDING THAT WOULD BE GOOD IN YOUR BUILDING OR DISTRICT, BY ALL MEANS, WE CAN PASS IT ON TO THEM.
THEY JUST MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SO, WE'RE HAPPY TO PUT THOSE INTO THE MIX.
AND THAT INCLUDES BUILDINGS AND ALSO PARKS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE COUNTY? RIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE Ā OKAY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ISLE VIEW PARK CHERK PROJECT.
IF THAT HAPPENS IN ANY OF MY DISTRICTS, CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A LITTLE OF WHAT THE PLAN IS? SO, THE ISLE VIEW PARK PROJECT IS ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING OR UNIQUE SITUATION BECAUSE IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR WORK BY THE COMMITTEE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO FUNDS FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND THE SUBMERSE NEW YORK PROGRAM, WHICH THIS BODY ALREADY PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, THAT WILL GO INTO THE ISLE VIEW PARK PROJECT TO BOTH BE AN ART PROJECT BUT ALSO AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT ON SHORELINE FLOODING, RESILIENCY, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH ISLE VIEW PARK IS A PERFECT LOCATION FOR THAT.
AGAIN, THE SITE HAS BEEN SELECTED BY THE COMMITTEE, BUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT MAJOR WORK WILL BE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED, AND WE'D WELCOME ANY INPUT FROM YOU OR OTHERS IN THAT DISTRICT THAT HAVE IDEAS.
WOULD YOU JUST PLEASE KEEP ME POSTED AS YOU MOVE ALONG SO I CAN BE A PART OF IT? YES, SIR.
AND SHARED PUBLICLY WITH EVERYBODY.
COULD YOU JUST DESCRIBE HOW IT IS THAT THEY DO THE CALL FOR ARTISTS, FOR THE CALL FOR PROPOSED WORKS, AND WHAT'S DONE WITH THAT, AND ALSO, THAT, AT LEAST ON THE SMALL ART PROGRAMS, IT'S LIMITED TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ERIE COUNTY? IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
I WILL TURN TO THE ACTUAL PROCESS.
FULL DISCLOSURE, I'VE BEEN IN THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER POSITION SINCE JANUARY.
SO, COLLETTE KNOWS MORE OF THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT WITH THE CALL FOR ART PROCESS.
SO, HI, MY NAME IS COLLETTE BALLESTERI.
I AM THE STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE, AND ESSENTIALLY IN MID-MARCH WE'RE HOPING TO RELEASE THE CALL FOR ARTISTS ONCE THIS PLAN IS APPROVED AND THE LOCATIONS ARE APPROVED SO THAT ARTISTS WILL RECEIVE THE INFORMATION REGARDING BOTH OF THE MAJOR WORKS' LOCATIONS AND WHAT THE COMMITTEE FORESEES OR WHAT THOSE MAJOR WORKS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SO, THE CALL IS FAIRLY OPEN-ENDED.
THE ARTISTS RECEIVE THE LOCATION, MAYBE SOME PARAMETERS REGARDING MAINTENANCE AND THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING WHEN PRODUCING THESE PROPOSALS FOR ART, AND THEN THE COMMITTEE RECEIVES THOSE PROPOSALS, REVIEWS, COMPARES THE SUBMISSIONS THAT ARE SUBMITTED, AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO BUDGET, MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, IF IT FITS THE LOCATION, REALLY HOW IT REFLECTS THE LOCATION AND THE COMMUNITY, THE ARTISTS ARE ULTIMATELY CHOSEN BY THE COMMITTEE.
AND COULD YOU, WOULD IT BE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE LEGISLATORS, COULD YOU TAG EACH OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PAGES ON THAT SO WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD IN OUR DISTRICTS? WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK ONCE WE GET, IF WE GET THROUGH THE STEP HERE TODAY AND
[00:10:01]
WE START THE CALL, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO EMAIL ALL THE LEGISLATORS WHEN THAT CALL IS OPENED HERE TO THE LINK AND YOU CAN SHARE THAT PAGE WITH EVERYONE.THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ALSO THANK YOU.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT FROM STITCH BUFFALO TO WILLIAMS STREET TO THE DOWNTOWN, SO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU WITH THE DIVERSE ARTISTS THAT YOU HAVE USED TO DO THIS, WITH ALEXA LEADING THE GROUP.
I AM JUST VERY PROUD OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN MY DISTRICT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING SOME MORE THINGS.
WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE, MADE BY LEGISLATOR BARGNNESI, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR ST. JEANNE VINAL.
OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND THANK YOU.
I DO BELIEVE THAT ITEM 5 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 5, SECONDED BY ST. JEAN CARR AND SECONDED BY GREEN.
OPPOSED? MOTION APPROVES UNANIMOUSLY.
WITH THAT, MOTION TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY BARGNESI.
[FINANCE & MANAGEMENT ]
OF THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5 ARE GOING TO BE TABLED.
ITEM 8, I THINK, WILL REMAIN ON THE TABLE ALSO.
ITEM 11, WE HAVE SCOTT BELUSKY HERE FROM REAL PROPERTY INTENTIONS, REGARDING AN OPEN ITEM FOR THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WERE HERE TO SPEAK ON TODAY? I'M SORRY.
IT WAS HANGING AROUND FOR THE PAST WEEK.
WELL, THE PETITIONS AND CORRECTIONS WE DO HAVE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WERE PREPARED TO SPEAK ON TODAY? WE ARE, YES.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE PETITIONS NUMBER.
ASK THAT THEY BE APPROVED OR DENIED BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS SET FORTH.
SO, AN AMENDMENT AND THEN APPROVAL AS PROVIDED.
IS THIS A CATCH? THERE'S A DOCUMENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAND IT OUT? I'M SORRY.
I WAS THINKING IF YOU WERE GOING TO HAND IT OUT.
IT WAS SENT OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLY BECAUSE OF MY STAFF BEING THERE.
BECAUSE OF THEIR SCHEDULING, SO THEY SENT IT OVER EARLIER.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 11.
ITEM 13 IS RECEIVED AND FILED.
ITEMS 14 THROUGH 17 ARE TABLED.
ITEM 18 AND 19 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
ITEMS 20 THROUGH 24 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
ITEM NUMBER 25, I CAN COME BACK TO THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.
AND THEN ITEM 27, I THINK SHE GOT IT HERE ON YOU ALSO.
THAT IS THE FORECLOSURE PURSUANT TO THE INTERIM PROVISIONS OF THE ERIE COUNTY TAX ACT.
GOOD MORNING ONCE AGAIN, MR. CHAIR, LEGISLATORS.
I HAVE BEFORE YOU THE RESOLUTION FOR INTERIM ACTION NUMBER 174.
WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO PUT FORTH BEFORE YOU THE ACTION FOR 174.
THERE ARE 1,600 PARCELS THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORTH BASED UPON THE UNPAID FROM 2023 AND PRIOR TAX SALES CERTIFICATES.
PREVIOUSLY, WE'VE RECOUPED APPROXIMATELY $9.5 TO $12 MILLION IN DELINQUENT SALES, DELINQUENT TAXES FOR INTERIM
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FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS.WE'VE RECOVERED OVER $9.97 MILLION AS A RESULT OF REDEMPTIONS.
IN THE 2024 INTERIM FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS, WHICH WAS INTERIM 172, AND OVER $12.2 MILLION AS A RESULT OF REDEMPTIONS IN CONNECTION TO THE 2023 INTERIM FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS, AND THAT WAS INTERIM 171.
WE'RE WAITING TO CONDUCT 2025S AND ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD CONDUCT THE INTERIM 173, WHICH WAS 2025, IN ADDITION TO THIS INTERIM 174 AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, WE HAVE BOTH AUCTIONS CONDUCTED AT THE SAME TIME.
THE LIST ISN'T ATTACHED, BUT YOU PROVIDED THAT SEPARATELY? THE LIST WAS UPLOADED AND PROVIDED AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
I CANNOT STATE WHETHER IT WAS PROVIDED THEN OVER TO THE LEGISLATURE OR NOT.
IT WAS PROVIDED TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS PART OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
SO, IT WASN'T PROVIDED TO THE LEGISLATURE? I CAN'T STATE THAT.
THE CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE HAS THE LIST. SHE'S HAD THE LIST FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKETS OR WHATEVER, BUT THE LIST IS THERE.
THE LIST WAS VERY LONG, SO IT DIDN'T ATTACH INTO THE FILE, SO I SENT IT SEPARATELY.
IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE APPROVING, AND IT SAYS ON IT THAT IT'S PROVIDED.
THERE ARE 1,600 PARCELS THAT WERE ATTACHED AS PART OF THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS UPLOADED ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S SIDE.
THERE ARE 1,600 PARCELS THAT WERE APPROVED.
I CAN'T STATE WHAT HAPPENED OVER ON THE LEGISLATURE'S SIDE.
OKAY, SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN APPROVE IT WITHOUT THAT ATTACHED, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS HOW MANY PROPERTIES HAD TAXES THAT WERE OWED FROM 23 AND PRIOR, THE TOTAL AMOUNT? I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER.
THERE WOULD BE JUST BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5,000 AND 10,000 PARCELS, DEPENDING ON THE PARCEL ELIGIBILITY, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE PARCELS WERE MUNICIPAL PARCELS OR NOT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE DO QUITE AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW AS WE GO THROUGH AND ELIMINATE PARCELS BASED UPON THEIR ELIGIBILITY.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE ANSWER I WOULD PROVIDE RIGHT NOW.
I'D HAVE TO PROVIDE AN EXACT NUMBER.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND CONSULT WITH BOTH OUR STAFF AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND GIVE YOU THE EXACT PARCEL FIGURE.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST PULL ONE OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW AND GIVE IT TO YOU.
BEFORE, THE OTHER YEARS, IT WAS ALL ABOUT LESS THAN 20% OF THE PEOPLE, THE PARCELS THAT HAD TAXES OWED IN 23 OR PRIOR WERE PART OF THIS.
80% WERE NOT IN PRIOR YEARS, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, YOU'RE NOT STATING THAT.
IN PRIOR YEARS, THE NUMBER THAT WERE CHOSEN TO BE FORECLOSED ON WERE LESS THAN 20% OF THE PARCELS THAT HAD TAXES OWED.
AND IS THAT THE SAME NOW? OR IS THIS A HIGHER NUMBER BEING FORECLOSED ON? OR YOU DON'T WANT IT? IT COULD BE 10,000.
I'D HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FIGURE BECAUSE THE NUMBER THAT YOU COULD BE REFERENCING MAY BE THE NUMBER NOT ELIGIBLE THAT COULD BE AS PART OF THE OVERALL ARREARS NUMBER.
AS YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NRAB, IT HAS TO BE THREE YEARS' WORTH OF ARREARS, AND I'D WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER AND NOT JUST GIVE YOU THE ROUGH NUMBER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, I WOULD LIKE IT THAT WE KNOW WHAT PARCELS ARE NOT BEING FORECLOSED ON THAT HAVE TAXES FROM 23 OR OLDER.
BECAUSE IN PRIOR YEARS, WHEN I ASKED THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 18%.
AND WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH SOME OF THEM, I DIDN'T SEE THAT THEY FOLLOWED THE RULE OF LESS THAN X AMOUNT OF TAXES AND HOW MANY YEARS WERE OWED.
SO I THINK IT'S BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE ARE TREATING EVERYBODY FAIRLY AND NOT GIVING SOMEONE A PASS FOR REASONS THAT AREN'T IN THE POLICY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN VOTE ON IT WITHOUT KNOWING BOTH WHO ISN'T GETTING FORECLOSED, THAT IT'S TAXES FROM 23 ON.
AND BEFORE, YOU SAID IT WAS TOO HARD TO MAKE THE LIST.
BUT AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE THAT LIST BECAUSE YOU WENT OVER THAT LIST TO DECIDE WHO ISN'T GOING TO BE FORECLOSED.
I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THAT.
[00:20:01]
UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING AS TO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH 173, WHICH WAS LATE LAST YEAR, AND 174, WHICH WAS THIS YEAR, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE WRONG NUMBER.I CAN STATE THAT THE ARREARAGES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN ORDER TO PULL THE 1,600 PARCELS, WE WERE LOOKING AT A MINIMUM ARREARS OF $2,023.
SO THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF ARREARS HAS BEEN DECREASING EVERY YEAR.
BUT WHEN WE WERE PULLING FOR, I THINK IT WAS IN REM 160 AND 169, WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT $3,800 IN ARREARS.
SO THAT NUMBER KEEPS GOING DOWN.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S A GOOD THING THAT THERE ARE FEWER PARCELS THAT ARE BECOMING ELIGIBLE, AND THE AMOUNT OF ARREARS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR THE PARCEL HAS BECOME LESS AND LESS EVERY YEAR.
BUT I STILL THINK THAT IF WE'RE, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE CHARTER, WE'RE VOTING ON WHO GETS FORECLOSED ON.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TREATED FAIRLY, THAT WE HAVE THAT LIST OF WHO IS AND WHO ISN'T.
SO I WOULD ASK TO BE AT TABLE TILL WE GET THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF US.
SO THE CLERK IS WORKING ON IT.
I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME SORT.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS LOADED, SO SHE JUST ASKED US NOT TO MAKE ANY USE OF IT.
SHE NEEDS TO FIND THE LIST OR WORK ON THE LIST, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S RIGHT.
IF WE HAVE IT, YOU PROVIDE IT.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION CAN PROVIDE IT.
IT'S IN REM THAT THE CLERK IS WORKING ON IT.
SO SHE ASKED FOR A FEW MINUTES.
I WOULD LIKE THE LIST OF WHO'S NOT BEEN FORECLOSED ON.
THE RAW NUMBER THAT WAS ASKED FOR, YES.
NO, YOU PROVIDED PREVIOUSLY THE NUMBER, BUT NOT THE CLAIMS. AND WHEN I DID LOOK INTO IT, SOME WEREN'T IN THAT LIST, THE FIRST COUPLE I LOOKED FOR.
THAT'S WHY I WAS WORRIED ABOUT IT.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE AS FAR AS PROVIDING US THE INFORMATION.
BUT WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COULD GET PUSHED BACK TWO WEEKS, AND WHAT WOULD THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT BE IF WE WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF LOOK OVER THOSE 1,600 PROPERTIES IN AN ADEQUATE TIMEFRAME? GIVEN THE TIME, AND THIS IS MORE OF THE COURT-SLASH-COUNCIL TIMEFRAME, THEY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP ON THIS TIMELINE THAT THE LEGISLATURE NORMALLY WOULD HAVE ON.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MY OFFICE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
BUT ROUGHLY SPEAKING, WE'D LIKE TO KEEP WITH THIS TIMETABLE, SO TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION FROM MY OFFICE TO THE LEGISLATURE TO THEN HAVE THE LEGISLATURE HAVE IT BEFORE THE REGULAR SESSION FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH US VOTING ON IT NEXT WEEK, BUT MAYBE TABLING IT UNTIL NEXT WEEK? WELL, TO HAVE IT CONSIDERED AT THAT POINT, YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO LOOK THROUGH THESE LISTS AND JUST MAKE SURE.
I THINK 1,600 IS A BIG NUMBER FOR US TO TRY TO LOOK THROUGH OVER A SHORTER TIMEFRAME.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PUSHED THIS THROUGH.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE CORRECTLY, BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO BE THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE TO BE PRESENTED WITH RIGHT NOW.
I THINK MY FIVE MINUTES IS UP, SO WE ARE BACK.
I DO HAVE A LIST OF PROPOSED PROPERTIES.
I WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE THIS TABLED FOR NOW.
WHILE I'VE GOT YOU HERE, WE CAN RETURN TO ITEM 11, THE OPEN ITEM FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED NOW.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO AMEND FIRST.
FIRST, WE NEED A MOTION TO AMEND.
SECOND BY LEGISLATOR BARGNESI.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WELL, THAT MOTION PASSES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY LEGISLATOR BARGNESI? SECOND BY BONANZI.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT NUMBER WAS THAT?
[00:25:06]
20? NO.I WANT TO GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 25.
THIS IS A REQUEST FROM A MINORITY CAUCUS REGARDING MONTHLY FISCAL STATUS REPORTS.
I WAS GOING TO TURN TO LEGISLATOR GREEN IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOU WOULD SAY.
I WANT TO HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION TODAY, BUT I THINK WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE BUDGET DIRECTOR AND THE COUNTY COMPTROLLER IN HERE TO DO A NICE, ROBUST DISCUSSION.
YEAH, THE GOAL, I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GET THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMPTROLLER AND THE BUDGET DIRECTOR BEFORE WE REQUEST THAT THEY'RE HERE ONCE A MONTH TO GIVE US THESE FISCAL REPORTS AND, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND HOW HOPEFUL THEY THINK THAT WILL BE FOR US.
SO I'LL TABLE THIS ITEM AND WE'LL MAKE A REQUEST FOR THEM TO BE HERE AND GIVE US A FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING.
LEGISLATOR VINAL? I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
AND THE ONE THING I SAID AFTER THE BUDGET IS THAT EXCESS MONEY IS THE LEGISLATURE TO SPEND.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE THAT HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE AHEAD OF TIME WILL MAKE IT THAT WE GIVE US MORE AGENCY TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING RATHER THAN APPROVE DECISIONS MADE BY OTHERS WHEN WE HAVE THE PRIMARY DUTY DURING THE YEAR OF USING EXCESS FUNDS.
I THINK IT'S MAYBE WORTH US MARCHING FORWARD TO APPROVE IT NOW ON THE ISSUE, BUT EITHER WAY, OBVIOUSLY, I DEFER TO THE CHAIR.
SO WE CAN Ā I THINK I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I DO WANT TO GET THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN, THE KIND OF RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING TO COME, MAKING THIS VALUABLE ALSO.
AND I THINK WE'RE BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 28.
ITEM 29 IS RECEIVED AND FILED AS IS Ā AS ARE ITEMS 30 AND 31.
SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR TODAY.
[HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES]
I WANT TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.ORDER HELD AT HUMAN SERVICES, MEETING NUMBER 2, MARCH 5, 2026.
CHAIR MEYERS ABSENT AS EX OFFICIO.
ITEMS 1 THROUGH 8 ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.
ITEMS 10 AND 12 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
AND WE HAVE ITEMS 9 AND 11 ARE ACTIONABLE.
FOR ITEM 9, COMMUNICATION 4E-6, APPOINTMENT TO THE ECMCC.
WE HAVE JAMES BLACKWELL TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS MORNING.
THE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD IS AN EX OFFICIO ROLE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY HELD BY THE FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, BEN SWANEKAMP.
AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO MOVE INTO THAT SEAT.
JAMES, YOU ARE A DIRECT REPLACEMENT OF THE FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF'S POSITION ON THIS BOARD? I'M SORRY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU ARE A DIRECT REPLACEMENT OF THE FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF'S POSITION? BEN SWANEKAMP USED TO BE IN THAT ROLE.
HE GOT MOVED TO, HE GOT APPOINTED TO A FULL POSITION ON THAT BOARD.
SO HE'S A FULL BOARD MEMBER RIGHT NOW.
HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS DOES THE COUNTY HAVE TO THE BOARD? THIRTY SECONDS.
HONESTLY, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW.
I WANT TO SAY IT'S THREE, BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO ALSO GET APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD? YES, YES.
SO I WAS WONDERING, AND I LOVE BEN SWANEKAMP, AND I THINK HE DOES A GREAT JOB, BUT IF HE WAS OUR APPOINTEE BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET, AND OUR BUDGET IS SUCH A HUGE PART OF ECMC'S BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF THE OVERSIGHT WHEN PEOPLE ARE UNDERINSURED OR UNINSURED.
WE PAY THOSE THAT, WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO GET SOMEBODY WHO WAS FIRST,
[00:30:03]
WAS TO THE COUNTY, LIKE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU OR SOMEBODY THAT IS, THAT THEY'RE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTY RATHER THAN OF THE CITY? SO I AM GOING TO BE GOING ON AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER.ARE YOU SAYING AS LIKE A FORMAL? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE CONTINUING BEN SWANEKAMP WHEN YOU SAID ABOUT BEN SWANEKAMP.
MAYBE I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO I GUESS FOR THIS POINT THAT I WILL ASK, BECAUSE ECMC IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE POUR MONEY INTO AS A COUNTY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S RECENTLY HAPPENED FROM THE JOB CUTS, THE 150 JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT WHEN YOU'RE AT THE APPOINTMENT OF, IN A WAY, THE BODY, ERIE COUNTY, THAT YOU KEEP US IN THE LOOP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND WE DON'T FIND OUT THERE 150 JOBS ARE GONE BY THE NEWS.
THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T THERE YET, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PART OF MOVING AND HELPING.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO SEND MONEY OVER THERE.
MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO WE HAVE ITEM 11, COMMUNICATION 14-8, WOMEN AT WORK STUDY AT EC.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SEEK APPROVAL TO GO INTO CONTRACT WITH CORNELL ILR TO CONTINUE A STUDY ON WOMEN AND WORK IN ERIE COUNTY.
THE REPORT FINDINGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR REVEALED CONTINUED DISPARITIES IN WAGES AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION.
ADDITIONALLY, THE FINDINGS REVEALED THAT WOMEN OF COLOR AND BLACK WOMEN WERE EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE, MOSTLY FROM MID-LEVEL MANAGERS.
THESE FINDINGS COMBINED WITH A HIGH RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT OF BLACK WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR EXPERIENCED NATIONALLY IN 2025, AND THE SYSTEMATIC DISMANTLING OF EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS AND FORMAL AND INFORMAL SPONSORSHIP AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS IN THE WORKPLACE, PROMPTED THE COMMISSION TO GAIN MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE CONDITIONS ARE IMPACTING THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF WOMEN IN THE LARGE ERIE COUNTY COMMUNITY, REQUIRING A LARGER SAMPLE SIZE, COMPRISED OF BLACK WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR.
THE PAY GAP HAD BEEN STEADILY CLOSING UNTIL 2023, WHEN THE DISPARITY WIDENED BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN'S WAGES.
IN 2024, WORKING WOMEN, FULL-TIME, THEY'RE PAID 81 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT MEN MADE, DOWN FROM 83 CENTS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IN 2022, THEY MAKE 84 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT MEN MAKE.
IN JANUARY OF 2026, THIS PAST JANUARY, THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER MAKES ANALYSIS OF MONTHLY DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, FOUND THAT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR BLACK WOMEN CONTINUES TO CLIMB.
THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASED FROM 7.1% IN NOVEMBER TO 7.3% IN DECEMBER.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR LATINOS IN AGE 20 AND OVER ALSO INCREASED.
IN FACT SHEET PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES IN OCTOBER OF 2025, THE IMPACT OF PERSISTENT WAGE GAPS ON WOMEN OF COLOR AND BLACK WOMEN STATED THAT WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE THE NATION'S MOST PERSISTENT AND PERVASIVE GENDER WAGE GAP MOST SEVERELY.
THE SENSE ON THE DOLLAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT MEN AND WOMEN ARE TYPICALLY PAID ADDS UP, RESULTING IN LOST WAGES THAT MEAN WOMEN HAVE LESS MONEY TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF RAPID INFLATION.
AND OF COURSE, RECENTLY, THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER HAS JUST PUBLISHED THE EQUAL PAY DATES FOR THE 2026 CALENDAR, AND EQUAL PAY DAY FOR BLACK WOMEN IS JULY 21ST.
SO I'M ASKING TO GIVE PERMISSION TO ENTER IN A CONTRACT TO PURVIEW THE STUDIES.
ARE THERE ANY FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COUNTY THAT DOES STUDY? SAY THAT AGAIN? FISCALLY, BUT WHO COVERS THIS? IS THIS SOMETHING THE COUNTY'S PAYING FOR? YES, IT'S ALREADY IN MY BUDGET.
[00:35:03]
WHERE'S THE FUNDING FOR THIS COMING FROM? IT'S BEEN EARMARKED IN THE BUDGET THAT I PUT TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS.OKAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POINT TO RAISE THAT THE DISPARITY STUDY THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR A CONVERSATION ON HAS NEVER, THE CONVERSATION HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
SO, I WOULD JUST ASK, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIRMAN OR, THIS PROBABLY ISN'T RIGHT.
COMMITTEE, MAYBE A GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SPIRIT STUDY BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING MORE AND MORE MONEY ON THE STUDIES.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, SEE THE FINDINGS FIRST.
WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET? I'M IN FAVOR OF THE STUDY.
AND I WAS WONDERING, DID YOU EVER CONSIDER LOOKING AT OUR OWN BUDGET AS A DISPARITY? I LOOK AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST DISPARITIES I SEE IS LIKE ON THE IDEA OF PINK COLLAR JOBS THAT I CALL WOMEN DOMINATED PROFESSIONS.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE RATE OF HOW MUCH OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE GETTING PAID VERSUS HOW MUCH OUR PRISON GUARDS ARE GETTING PAID.
IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF A VOLATILE SITUATION WITHOUT PROTECTION OF FIRES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WAY MORE EDUCATION, WAY MORE TRAINING USING ALL OF THEIR OWN CARS, MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO WITH NO TAKE HOME VEHICLES.
SO I WAS WONDERING EVEN THERE, WHEN I RAISED IT TO THE THREE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM SOCIAL WORK, WE'RE ASKING FOR A COUPLE OF EXTRA WORKERS AT A LOW PAY.
AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY COULD USE MORE MONEY FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE ON SOME TOPIC.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND THEY SAID, WE COULD ALSO USE MORE MONEY ON THIS.
SO THEY WERE ALWAYS PUTTING THE CLIENT AHEAD OF THEIR OWN SELF.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF AS PART OF THAT STUDY, ARE WE GOING TO LOOK INWARD ON OUR OWN, WHAT WE ARE DOING AND THE EQUITIES OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND DISPARITIES OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A GROUP, AS A COUNTY, AS A COUNTY.
YOU'RE ASKING, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT.
THIS STUDY IS FOCUSING ON HIGHLIGHTING THE VOICES OF THE WOMEN AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'RE HAVING IN THE CONTEXT OF A LARGER PICTURE WITH AN INCREASINGLY HIGH RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONGST BLACK WOMEN, WOMEN OF COLOR, AND THE GAP, THE PAY GAP, WHICH IS PERSISTENT AND THE LONGTERM EFFECT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WAGE GAP, IT'S NOT JUST WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU'RE WORKING, BUT 20 YEARS OUT WHEN YOU RETIRE, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY, YOUR PENSION, YOUR ABILITY TO SUSTAIN A LIVING ONCE YOU STOP WORKING.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACED BY OLDER WOMEN? IT WOULD GO REALLY EASILY TO LOOK AT HERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOCIAL WORKERS VERSUS OTHER PEOPLE, WHEN YOU COMPARE THE, YOU KNOW, THE RISKS OF THE JOB AND THE OBJECTIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB, AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THAT DIFFERENCE, HUGE DIFFERENCE IN PAY NOW VERSUS LATER TOO, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOME OF THOSE MUCH MORE MALE JOBS HAVE THE SHORTER RETIREMENT AGE.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK AS PART OF THAT STUDY, IF YOU HAVE IT IN YOU TO, TO, AND THAT'S A MODEST AMOUNT YOU'RE ASKING FOR TO HAVE IT INCLUDE WHAT WE'RE DOING AS ACCOUNTING.
AND CERTAINLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE AROUND THE DEVALUATION OF SPECIFIC WORK THAT WE HAVE PERFORMED THAT HAS, AS YOU SAY, USED TO BE REFERRED TO AS KING COLLIE WORK, BUT A LOT OF THAT WORK CENTERS AROUND THE HELPING PROFESSIONALS.
SO THEY ARE NOT AS VALUED AS, SAY, A STAFF WORKER OR SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH MONEY.
BUT YES, WE WILL CERTAINLY PULL THEM TO A STUDY.
HI, SO FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK.
WE ARE SEEING A TREND WHERE MORE BLACK EDUCATED WOMEN ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
AND I CORRECTLY, IF I'M WRONG, IS AROUND 7%.
AS THE ONLY AFRO LATINA LEGISLATOR IN THIS CHAMBER, I CAN TELL YOU THE COMMUNITY IS RIGHT NOW FEELING LEFT OUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF BLACK AND LATINA WOMEN APPLYING FOR JOBS THAT THEY'RE OVER QUALIFIED FOR SOMETIMES.
THIS HAS INCREASED SINCE 2025.
SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR, WHAT AVENUES THEY CAN USE THEIR VOICES IN.
SO FOR ME, I UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND I KNOW HOW IT CAN AFFECT US AS LEGISLATORS TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN NOT ONLY HIRING PEOPLE, BUT MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST QUALIFIED, ARE GETTING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GO EVEN THROUGH THE DOORS.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'RE THE MOST QUALIFIED, BUT THEY'RE NOT
[00:40:02]
GETTING THAT OPPORTUNITY.GO TO THE SECOND LEGISLATOR BY THE UNION.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT ]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.THE ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT MEETING, MEETING NUMBER THREE.
LEGISLATOR MILLS IS NOT PRESENT.
LEGISLATOR ST. JEAN TARD? HERE.
ITEMS 1 THROUGH 3, 5 THROUGH 9, AND 12 ARE TABLED.
ITEMS 4 AND 11 ARE ACTIONABLE.
ITEMS 10 AND 13 THROUGH 15 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
LET'S GO ON TO OUR ACTIONABLE ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 4.
AND WE HAVE JOE FIGO HERE TO SPEAK ON IT.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE IS AN AMENDED AND SUBSEQUENT APPROVAL FOR INTER-AGENCY CONTRACTS FOR THE EPSILON FILTER REPLACEMENT PROJECT AT THE EAST WORLD WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
WE HAVE COMMITMENTS ON FEBRUARY 4TH FOR THE RESPONSE TO THE VETERANS, OUR GROUND VACANCY INSURANCE, CRACKING BRUSH, AND FRYE ELECTRIC.
THE TOTAL COST OF THOSE THREE CONTRACTS IS ABOUT $3.2 MILLION.
THAT'S UNDER THE ENGINEERS' TOTAL ESTIMATE OF $4 MILLION.
IT'S GOING TO BE A MIXTURE OF CAPITAL RESERVES AND BOND DIVIDENDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE NEED TO ENTER INTO A TUNED ORDER WITH OUR ENGINEERING SERVICES FIRM BECAUSE THE SCOPE OF SERVICES ORIGINALLY FOR THAT AGREEMENT DIDN'T INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE MONTHS OF INSPECTION AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION.
THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT THAT'S FOR.
SO, AGAIN, RECOMMENDING AN AMENDED AND APPROVED FOR ASSISTANCE IS WHAT I'D LIKE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHEN WAS THIS PROJECT MAYBE LATE TO START? SO, THERE'S A LONG DELAY TIME ON THE EQUIPMENT, BUT THERE'S SOME WORK THAT THE CONTRACTORS CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME.
I BELIEVE IT WILL BE CLOSED OUT NEXT YEAR.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE ARE AMENDED.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE ARE APPROVED.
WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO ITEM 11, AND WE HAVE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER VINAL HERE TO SPEAK.
WE'RE REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LABELLE ASSOCIATES TO COMPLETE THE SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR BROWNFIELD AT 303 FORT WORTH.
AND THAT'S A REQUIREMENT OF NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION.
OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE ARE APPROVED.
ALL IN FAVOR? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
[ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT]
CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NUMBER 3, MARCH 5TH, 2026.
CHAIR ST. JEAN TARD? I'M HERE.
CHAIR MEYERS IS NOT PRESENT AS EX OFFICIO MEMBER.
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT? THANK YOU.
ITEMS 1 THROUGH 10 ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.
ITEM 15 IS RECEIVED AND FILED.
ITEMS 11 THROUGH 14 ARE ACTIONABLE.
ITEM 11, COMMUNICATION FOR E-13.
WE HAVE KAREN HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO OUR AGREEMENT WITH BERGMAN ASSOCIATES, ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS FOR DESIGN ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE REHABILITATION OF MARSHFIELD ROAD BRIDGE IN THE TOWN OF NORTH CAROLINA.
THE AMENDMENT IS FOR A AGREED UPON CHANGE IN SCOPE OF THE DESIGN FOR THE BRIDGE,
[00:45:01]
AND THE COST IS NOT TO EXCEED $40,000.THIS IS ONE OF OUR BRIDGE FROM THE NORTH PROJECTS THAT ESSENTIALLY YOU HAD TO HAVE DESIGN ALTERNATES FOR IT BECAUSE THE EMBANKMENT, THE SLOPE OF THE BRIDGE COULD NOT BE DISTURBED, SO WE HAD TO FIND A NEW DESIGN THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO KEEP THE WING WALLS IN PLACE WHILE STILL REPLACING THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, AND THAT CHANGE HAD TO COME AT A DEFINED COST.
ON THE QUESTION, DO I HAVE A MOTION? LEGISLATOR, YOU WANT TO GO? THANK YOU.
IT SAID THAT THE ORIGINAL SCOPE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL CUSTOM STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND DETAILING, SO WHAT CHANGED EXACTLY FROM THE ORIGINAL SCOPE TO REQUIRE THAT? SO MY UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR BRIDGE ENGINEER WOULD BE THE STUFF THAT WAS RELATED TO THE ACTUAL SLOPE OF THE EMBANKMENT.
SO IF YOU PICTURE THE WING WALLS OF THE BRIDGE ON EACH SIDE THAT ARE EMBEDDED INTO A SIGNIFICANT DEPTH OF, YOU KNOW, SOIL, THEY DISCOVERED THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT AS THEY HAD INITIALLY PLANNED, AND THEY HAD TO KEEP THOSE IN PLACE AND RECAP THEM.
SO IT WAS AN ADDITIONAL CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL CHANGE IN SCOPE.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY LEGISLATOR DUPRE.
NUMBER 12, COMMUNICATION 4A-14.
WE HAVE TRACY HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I'M HERE BEFORE THIS HONORABLE BODY REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER FOR THE CITY CAMPUS, ELLICOTT STREET BUILDING, NATURE AND CLEAN THE PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK WILL INCLUDE CLEANING OF ALL SURFACES.
WHEN THE ENTRY WITHIN THE ATRIUM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONTAINMENT DUE TO THE SKYLAR REPLACEMENT PROJECT THAT CREATED THE PRESENCE OF LEAD DUST.
ONCE CLEANING IS COMPLETE, THE POLY SHEETING CONTAINMENT WILL ALSO BE REMOVED.
AND I'M REQUESTING TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT TO ALL STATE GENERAL CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $793,000 AND TO ESTABLISH A CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY FUND OF $32,700.
ALSO, I'M REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO AN AMENDMENT AGREEMENT WITH WATTS ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING FOR THE ADDITIONAL PROJECT MONITOR AND SAMPLING AND TESTING NEEDED TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR 50% REIMBURSEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE.
MOTION APPROVED BY THE DECREE.
SECOND BY ALL IN FAVOR, ALL OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVE KAREN TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM ALSO.
WE ARE REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO APPROPRIATE.
$3.4 MILLION FROM THE 2025 SURPLUS, THE TRANSFER TAX REVENUE INTO OUR ROAD FUNDS, ROAD REPAIR RESERVE TO FACILITATE ADDITIONAL ROAD WORK FOR 2026.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPILING OUR ROAD PROGRAM.
THIS YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE, THE HARD WINTER THAT WE'VE HAD.
THE WEEK, THE ROAD PROGRAM IN EARLY MARCH, THIS YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO APRIL.
WE HAVE A WORKING PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THE DISTRICTS CHANGE SOME OF THE ROADS DUE TO SOME OF THEM.
TRAVELING, YOU KNOW, AS WE SPEAK BASED ON TRAFFIC COUNTS AND VOTE SCORES THAT WE JUST RECEIVED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
SO THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO BE USED FOR ALL OF THOSE ROAD CANDIDATES ACROSS OUR FIVE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS.
WE BUDGET A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR PROGRAM THAT IS USED THROUGHOUT ALL THE ROADS IN ERIE COUNTY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, SOME OF THEM WILL GO TOWARDS OUR CAPITAL OVERPLAY, DEPENDING ON HOW THOSE BIDS COME IN LATER IN THE SEASON.
ANY QUESTIONS? LEGISLATURE LORIGO?I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE ROAD LIST.
I KNOW MY OFFICE HAS REACHED OUT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY ROUGH IN CERTAIN AREAS.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE HERE.
BIG BLUE BRANCH IS, IT WAS A CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD SEVERAL TIMES IN YOUR OFFICE ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT PARKING AREA THERE WILL GET CLEANED? I KNOW IT WAS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO START DOING THAT.
I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S BEEN ANY PROGRESS.
IS THAT MORE THAN A ONE STRING OF COMMUNICATION? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S CURRENTLY SOME ISSUES GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN MAINTAINING IT.
WE'VE HAD A KIND OF A BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION.
WHO'S GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ROADS? BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF READOUT ON WHEN THAT'S GOING TO START.
I KNOW BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNTY OWNS THAT, SO I DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE TOWN IF IT'S NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
[00:50:01]
WE COME TO A RESOLUTION ON THAT, ESPECIALLY IT IS PRIME.I CAN'T THINK OF THE FISH NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S A FISHING SEASON THAT'S COMING UP.
THAT IS THE PRIME PIER THERE FOR IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT CLEANED UP SO THAT IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
I ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, COURIER.
SO NOT OFFICIALLY, BUT THAT ONE AND WE'RE MEETING ON THAT LATER.
THAT STRETCH ROAD WILL GO ON TO LAPUNJA.
BUT THAT WILL THEN BE ON THE PROGRAM AS A PROPOSAL TO CANADA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU AND PEOPLE ON THE VEHICLE THINGS, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT DO IT THE BEST AS FAR AS DOING IT, NOT APPROVING YOUR OWN, INCLUDING THEIR JUSTIFICATION AND SO FORTH.
AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SO, SO WELL QUALIFIED FOR THIS JOB.
I WANTED TO ASK THAT WITH THIS ONE YEAR, YOU GAVE US MAYBE MORE THAN ONE YEAR, MAYBE EVERY YEAR, BUT YOU GAVE US THE PRIORITIES OF ALL THE ROADS AND BRIDGES AND THEIR NUMBERING ABOUT, WHICH IS THE WORST AND SO FORTH.
COULD YOU, ARE THESE, IS THIS NEW MONEY THAT'S GOING IN THERE? IS THAT GOING TO BE PUT IN ACCORDING TO THAT ORDER OR IN, OR HAS THAT BEEN AMENDED? SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ROAD SCORING? YEAH, THE ROAD SCORING DOCUMENT IS GENERATED THROUGH GVNRTC.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE AND ALSO FIELD OBSERVATIONS TO COME UP WITH OUR PROGRAM THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE LEGISLATURE EVERY YEAR.
SO THE PRIORITIES ARE DETERMINED FROM THE ROAD SCORE.
AND THIS MONEY WILL BE USED TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE OUR 2026 ROAD PROGRAM.
SO ON THAT ROAD PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO SEE, TYPICALLY WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ANY ROADS THAT ARE RATED FIVE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF FIVES ON THERE.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, FIVES ON SIXES, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THE ROAD SCORE IS GOING TO BE ON THE LIST, BUT WE DON'T USE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T USE THAT AS FAR AS.
YOU SAID ONE TIME YOU SAID THAT SOME PROJECTS YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO, SO YOU COULDN'T DO THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ON THE LIST.
THERE'S SOME, SOME PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW ARE, HAVE A LOW SCORE, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE A MILL AND OVERLAY.
THEY MAY BE A FULL RECONSTRUCTION OF MAPLE.
SO YOU'VE GOT NINE INCHES OF CONCRETE ON YOUR MAPLE.
IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS A MILL AND OVERLAY.
SO WE'RE DOING SOME REHAB WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE OUT THERE.
WE'VE GOT A BRIDGE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF, BUT TO ACTUALLY RECONSTRUCT THAT FULL STRETCH WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY.
AND WHAT DID YOU SAY? I KNOW YOU TOLD ME BEFORE, DO YOU REMEMBER UP IN THE PROXIMITY, LIKE HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO ACTUALLY REDO, TO CHANGE THE CONCRETE AND EVERYTHING ELSE? THE LAST NUMBER I HAD WAS 60 MILLION.
YEAH, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S MORE THAN ANY COLLECTIVE ROAD PROGRAM THAT WE EVER HAD.
SO IF THEY, SO IS THAT ROAD SCORING AVAILABLE? WHERE IS THAT? PREVIOUSLY I DID LOOK AT IT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT WHERE IS IT NOW THAT SOMEONE COULD ACCESS IT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE? I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM DIFFERED AT JORDAN WHERE I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAD THE LAST ROAD SCORING, WE DIDN'T PLUG IT IN.
SO WE HAD JUST GOT THOSE NUMBERS.
SO I THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY, FOR THE TWO YEAR NTP.
OH, IT'S EVERY TWO YEARS? AND ONE IS GOING TO BE COLLECTED SOON? YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.
THEY GIVE IT TO US IN ABOUT A MONTH, BOTH SORT OF THINGS, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE THAT.
ALSO, KAREN, CAN YOU TELL ME FOR THIS YEAR'S ROAD REPAIR, YOU SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE A LIST COMING OUT SOON FOR THOSE SPECIFIC HOT SPOTS.
WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE THAT LIST SPECIFICALLY? SO WE HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T FULLY IMPLEMENTED FOR THE DEPARTMENT YET BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME CHANGES IN IT.
WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND IT SOUNDS LIKE OUR GOAL IS APRIL 1ST BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHICH ONES WE'RE CHANGING.
I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE A LACK FOR CHANGES, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN SOME DISTRICTS WE'VE HAD ROADS THAT HAVE SHOWN MORE PRIORITY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REPLACING ONES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH A ROAD REPAIR.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY LEGISLATOR VINAL, SECOND BY LEGISLATOR DUPREE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
I'M COURTING COMMUNICATION FOR E-16.
TRACY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AGAIN.
IN THIS RESOLUTION, I'M REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO ADHERE TO THE CONTRACT WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS FOR THE BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, DOWNTOWN BRANCH ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
SCOPE OF WORK WILL INCLUDE THE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING ROOFING SYSTEM.
[00:55:02]
AND ALSO THROUGH GRANT FUNDING, WE'LL BE INSTALLING A VEGETATIVE ROOFING SYSTEM AT APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE COST OF THE EXISTING ROOFING SYSTEM.I'M ALSO REQUESTING TO AWARD, I'M REQUESTING TO AWARD GENERAL CONSTRUCTION FOR JAMISON ROOFING IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,260,000.
PLUMBING CONSTRUCTION TO WILLETT BUILDERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $238,000.
AND TO ESTABLISH A CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY FUND OF $542,869.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT I'LL BE BACK BEFORE THE SENATE WILL BODY TO AWARD THE MECHANICAL SCOPE.
I'VE VOTED TO BID TWICE, HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY BIDDERS.
SO AS PER GML 103, WE'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH SOME LOCAL CONTRACTORS.
AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THE BIDS AROUND THE PLUMBING.
BROWN ASSOCIATES AND WILLETT BUILDERS.
IT LOOKS LIKE D.P. BROWN, THEY SEEM VERY DIFFERENT.
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO AWARD IT TO THEM FOR $8,000, BUT THEY CLEARLY MISSED THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THEIR BID WAS ACTUALLY, THEY DIDN'T TURN IN ANY OF THEIR PAPERWORK.
I WASN'T SURE IF WE'RE JUST GETTING A SCREENING DEAL OUT OF NOWHERE.
NO, I REALLY, I MEAN, THAT'S ALL THE DRAINAGE ON THE ROOF.
SO I THINK THEY MISSED IT A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, THAT'S TOO GOOD FOR ANYTHING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, TRACY.
WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THIS? AND WILL IT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE SERVICES BEING GIVEN AT THE LIBRARY? IT WILL NOT IMPACT THE SERVICES AT THE LIBRARY.
THERE MAY BE SOME CLOSURES TO GET THE MATERIAL UP TO THE ROOF.
AND WE PLAN TO START THIS AS SOON AS WE CAN GET NTPS.
I'M OVER HERE TO AWARD TWO OF THE THREE CONTRACTS JUST TO GET THIS GOING SO WE START CONSTRUCTION RIGHT AWAY.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY LEGISLATOR GREENE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
MOTION TO ADJOURN BY LEGISLATOR LORIGO.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS]
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY.WELCOME TO THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING.
ON PAGE 1, ITEMS 1 AND 2 ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.
ITEMS 3 AND 4 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
PAGE 2, ITEMS 5 THROUGH 13 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
ON PAGE 3, ITEMS 14 THROUGH 18 WILL BE RECEIVED AND FILED.
ITEMS 20 AND 21 ARE RECEIVED AND FILED.
SO NOW LET'S GO BACK TO ITEM 19.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE, SAY YOUR NAME FOR ME.
THAT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL NAME, AISLINN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
I'M AISLINN MCQUEEN ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE CORRECTING A DATE FOR ONE OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS MEMBERS.
THIS BOARD OF ETHICS MEMBER IS CURRENTLY SERVING HER TERM, BUT IN THE ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE, HER TERM EXPIRATION DATE WAS INCORRECT, AND UPON COMING ON TO THE STAFF, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP THOSE THINGS, SO I NOTICED IT AND WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION TO CORRECT IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ALL IN FAVOR? WE'RE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.