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Albany Councilor Questions "Secret" Task Force Meeting

Albany 9th ward Common Councilor Judy Doesschate.
JudyDoesschate.com
Albany 9th ward Common Councilor Judy Doesschate.

An Albany Common Councilor is raising concerns about what she claims was a "secret" meeting of a task force created by City Hall to distribute $85 million dollars in federal COVID relief.

Ninth ward Councilor Judy Doesschate raised questions during Wednesday’s session.  She says a 1 p.m. meeting April 23rd took place with no press release and no notice to residents, telling WAMC “this is not the way to engender the public’s trust.”   "I find it alarming, disconcerting..."

Doesschate claims no councilors were informed about the meeting, except the four who serve on the task force.

Council President Corey Ellis:  "I don't feel there was a secret meeting. Council members and public officials were invited to that meeting and when council members are invited to a meeting they share what goes on in that meeting to other council members."

BONUS AUDIO: Judy Doesschate leads discussion of task force during April 28 virtual Common Council meeting.

ComCouncilTASKforce.mp3

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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