A safer, cleaner, greener Troy was among Mayor Carmella Mantello’s highlights during her State of the City Address Wednesday night. Mantello hopes in her first year she can continue improving morale among city employees and residents.
The first-term mayor has long contended that keeping residents safe is the top priority of elected officials. The Republican focused on public safety initiatives during Wednesday night’s address at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Mantello says in order to keep people safe, she plans to invest in the city’s police department. Mantello says making investments that promote better communication and staffing within the department will make the city safer.
“We will work tirelessly to dismantle the systems that enable violence and drug trafficking. Empowering communities and fostering a brighter future,” Mantello said.
Mantello, who previously served as the city’s long-time City Council President, says she is working with the police department to implement a task force to tackle crime hotspots. Mantello adds that public safety is not only in the hands of officers, but the public as well.
“No matter the number of officers or how well-equipped, public safety also comes down to personal agency,” Mantello said. “People make choices. We will not tolerate an attitude of lawlessness; we will not look the other way.”
And following through on a promise made last year after police leaders went before City Councilors to review policies, trainings, and current crime statistics following a February 2023 crash that killed a civilian, Mantello says dash cams will be outfitted on all marked police vehicles in the near future.
One of Mantello’s campaign points was her vow to replace all lead pipes in her first four-year term. The contamination has plagued residents for years – leading to questions about why the previous administration sat on $500,000 in funding to replace the lines.
Former two-term Democratic Mayor Patrick Madden, who was term limited, said it was only a fraction of the necessary funding. Before leaving office, Madden said the city had identified 45 percent of contaminated lines. Mantello says state and federal money is needed to reach her ambitious goal.
“We are over 50 percent, and we're just gonna keep pounding away,” Mantello said.
Mantello claims the last administration’s failure to address cleanliness and quality-of-life issues had negative impacts on the city and its economy. Mantello says her Quality-of-Life Task Force not only improves the city visually, but physically as well.
“Real leadership means doing things that aren't always popular,” Mantello said. “Real compassion means taking action for the long run, not pretending problems don't exist.”
Among other large issues facing the city, Mantello says the proposed closure of Burdett Birth Center has rocked Troy and nearby communities who depend on its services. Lawmakers and residents have been advocating for the state to step in and support the healthcare facility.
“The governor could put an end to this now and we’re gonna work bipartisan with Senator [Jake] Ashby, [Rensselaer County Executive] Steve McLaughlin, [Assemblymember] John McDonald, and we're gonna fight the closure of Burdett, we're not going to wave the white flag,” Mantello said.
In an effort to make Troy safer, cleaner, and greener Mantello announced the development of Knickerbacker Pool. She expects construction on the Lansingburgh facility to begin this year. Mantello says her administration plans to invest in the city’s parks, with hopes of attracting people to the city and its businesses.
In response to Mantello’s speech, Democratic Council President Sue Steele says many of the plans had not yet been discussed with the council, which has a Republican majority. Steele argues communication between the legislative and executive branches is lacking.
“It’s interesting to me because she was president of the council, and I would have wanted to hear more collaboration,” Steele said. “I'll be giving my speech next month and it will definitely include those messages of better communication, better collaboration. I believe that's what the folks who elected us want.”
Mantello says she has addressed this concern.
“The majority we meet constantly I'm meeting with some of the minority so saying that it's a work in progress, but it also goes both ways,” Mantello said.
Mantello briefly mentioned several other projects including new recruitment and outreach strategies for the police department, EMS and fire services, as well as addressing the city’s housing crisis. For those, Mantello says:
“Stay tuned.”
