Troy’s City Council held two special meetings Monday night in a rush to allocate American Rescue Plan Act funding by the December 31st deadline.
Councilors were given materials over the weekend detailing the reallocation of funds from projects for which the city overbudgeted. In a rare move, the Republican-led council came together with the minority to amend an ordinance that would allow funds to be transferred within the general fund, capital projects fund, and the miscellaneous special grants funds toward other projects.
Republican Council President Pro Tem Thomas Casey commended the council.
“It was all last minute, but we did start at worlds apart. But I have to say, with the administration, their presentation and the things they presented to the council and the answers, we really whittled it down, so there really was just this one amendment that would make everybody happy and get the votes we need to get this passed tonight,” Casey said.
Democratic Council President Sue Steele seconded Casey’s sentiment, but faulted the mayor’s administration for making it difficult to properly review legislation.
“It could very easily have been brought forth month months ago,” Steele said. “It's just not a good way to run a city where you're doing everything last minute. And we got this over the weekend. This is a holiday week. It's difficult for the part-time legislators to have to do the amount of research that we feel we should be doing."
First-term Republican Mayor Carmella Mantello contends the administration does its best to maintain open and clear communication lines with the entire council.
Mantello told the council that past ARPA recipients were not losing funding allocated to them; rather surplus funding for contracted projects would be spread elsewhere. The $42 million in federal funding Troy received must be allocated by the end of 2024 and ARPA projects were required to show a need for funds.
The council and administration talked for nearly two hours about the rehabbing of facilities at Frear Park, the city’s largest park.
After a recess, the council came back with an amendment to the ordinance calling for a minimum of $1.5 million of the $3.6 million allotted be earmarked for park improvements; the remaining amount can be used for renovations at the Park Pub Restaurant Complex located on the outskirts of the park, which the city collects rent from. The pub shuttered earlier this month after health and safety hazards became overwhelming. Mantello says the proposal for the park is just a “wish list.”
“Everything from the solar to the sewage. So, there's going to be immediate corrections in terms of the code violations. The restaurant itself, we're not sure at this point if it has to be two thirds demolished or completely demolished. So that will occur over the next couple months. So, when I say wish list, there are a number of things like Arcadia building, beautiful historic structure,” ‘Mantello said. “It has a real potential opportunity for future use, not just for storage, which is being used for now. However, the roof has been band aided, and so, you know, bigger improvements would have to happen at that that would be more toward the long term. So, it's really a short term, long term the parks that's going to be first and foremost, the North Lake Park, the lower end Park, they're utilized incredibly we'll put a plan together, go out for public comment, really see what the neighborhoods and with the residents, how they want to see the future of the parks.”
No definitive plan for One Monument Square, the former home of city hall and long a proposed site for its replacement, was outlined. Mantello said it could become home to a mixed-use development including the Troy Farmers Market and housing. But $1 million in ARPA funding eyed for One Monument Square was dispersed elsewhere.
Steele, a Democrat, questioned whether that means the administration in the future would not ask the council for more funding for that site. Mantello said earlier in December that the city has narrowed down proposals for a new city hall to two locations but wouldn’t share any more details. Those plans are expected to be revealed to the council in January.
“Whatever we do there, we will make it fit within those dollars,” Mantello said.
Mantello expects $19 million in the state budget for redeveloping the site with the city on the hook for $2 million.
Some money was also allocated toward the replacement of lead pipes throughout the city. Mantello the city has replaced over 300 lead pipes in 2024 and hopes the additional funding will allow the city keep the momentum up.
