Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations

Meeting Minutes of November 5, 2003

CESTM-NANOFAB 300 South

Tri Centennial Drive

 

1.                  Prior to the meeting, members toured the CESTM NANOFAB facility. Subsequently Michael Fancher, Director for Economic Research at Albany NANO Tech, presented information explaining the benefit of the facility on the City of Albany and surrounding region. 

 

           

            New York State is striving to be a leader in the technology industry.  Resources of the State             university system are being focused toward that goal, and timing is critical due to changing             technology.  Products that are being developed include electronic chip technology, tether-free             computing, semi-conductors, medical monitors    and alerts.  CESTM is partnered with RPI,             SUNY Albany, Stanford University , MIT, Georgia Tech.  Its several industry partners are        involved in research, development and early manufacturing.

 

            The Capital Region is attractive to companies looking to develop facilities because it has   access to educational institutions,        recent university graduates, existing workforce, history of          success, cultural diversity, and other resources.  In addition to the Albany CESTM facility,          nanotechnology research and development complexes are being developed at the       Harriman Campus and Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta (in process of  review for            pre-permit for companies moving in).  An additional 200 acres are being sought, and the old           General Electric site is being considered, but prior contamination issues may eliminate that     location.   The demand by the industry for site location and development is high.  It is      anticipated that $2.5 billion will be spent; facilities take approximately 18 months to build and             develop.  Additionally, related industries such as suppliers are looking for locations.  It is      expected that existing managers and trainers will be provided by companies that locate in the             Capital Region and that they will develop a workforce from area residents.

 

Introductions

 

2.                  The minutes of the October 1, 2003 , meeting were approved.

 

3.                  Financial Report

            CANA 's financial report is contained in the meeting agenda.  $1,440 of the $3,000 grant from         the Albany Housing Authority has been distributed to neighborhood associations.  A request     has been received from the West End Neighborhood Association.

 

4.                  Committee Reports

           

·        Neighborhood Works IV - Gene Solan

Neighborhood Works IV conference will be held on November 22, 2003 , from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the First Lutheran Church at 646 State Street . The conference is free.  Lunch will be available for $10 per person.  Brochures are being mailed and extras are available by contacting the Neighborhood Resource Center .  Volunteers are needed for   (1) set up on Friday, November 21 at 2:00 PM; (2)  breakfast and registration on the morning of the conference at 7:00 AM; (3) lunch assistance and monitors at noon on the day of the conference; (4) clean up after the conference.   

 

·        Cable Television - Marggie Skinner

 

            Mayor Jennings appointed individuals to serve on the Cable Television Committee.  The             committee met in September.  The public should be educated about what cable        television services are available.  The PSC requires only that one public access channel           be included with basic cable service.   A regulation change limiting public access          channels to one has been proposed.  A resolution was made and adopted that CANA       write a letter to the PSC opposing the regulation.   Marggie Skininer will write the letter.             Facilities and equipment are needed to record and televise the city's public meetings so that residents may be kept informed.  CANA members are encouraged to contact         Common Council members about that.

 

·        Community on University and Community Relations - Tom Gebhardt

 

                        The next meeting will be at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 , at the                                            Albany Police Department, 526 Central Avenue .  Steve Lawkowski of the Albany                                          County Health Department and Scott Wexler of the Empire State Restaurant & Tavern                                 Owners' Association will each speak about the smoking ban.  There will be discussion                                 of the keg registration law that will take effect on November 22.

 

  1. New Business and Announcements       

 

·        CANA   Officers Nomination (Harold Rubin)

            Gene Solan, Harold Rubin and Mary Connair will nominate officers for next year.

 

·        CANA By Laws ( Harold Rubin)

            Six amendments to the CANA bylaws were adopted and will take effect on January 1,             2004 .

 

Section 2 of Article VI is amended as follows:

Section 2. Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of
the Chair or upon written request to the [
Neighborhood Resource Center ]
Chair by at least three persons on the Executive Committee.

Section 1 of Article VII – Officers is amended as follows:

Section 1. Officers of
CANA shall consist of a Chair [an] a Vice-Chair
and  a Treasurer. [The duties of Secretary and Treasurer shall be
performed by the
Neighborhood Resource Center .]

Section 2 of Article VII – Officers is amended as follows:

Section 2. Duties of Officers:
    Chair:   The Chair shall preside at all meetings of CANA and the

Executive Committee; appoint all committees, except the Nominating
Committee; be ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating
Committee; and shall have the power to dispense funds.

    Vice-Chair:  The Vice-Chair shall, in the case of the absence of the
Chair, posses all the powers of the Chair and upon the vacancy of such a
position, assume such office.

    Treasurer:  The Treasurer shall receive dues and other form of income,
keep the financial records and make disbursement on behalf of the
organization


Section 2 of Article IX – Meetings is amended as follows:

Section 2. Meetings:
CANA shall hold monthly meetings from September
through [May] June, at such time and place as the membership shall
decide at the Annual Meeting.

Subsection C of Section 1 of Article XII – Voting is amended as follows;

    C. Except as otherwise prescribed in the by-laws, authorization for
CANA to take action must be demonstrated by consensus. This consensus
hall be shown by a vote of the delegates at a meeting with a quorum
present. For this purpose, a consensus is defined as [more than]
two-thirds or more of the delegates favoring a position.

 

§                    Rebecca Brownell of the City Planning Office requested that each association forward a copy of their brochure for her for inclusion on the web site.  Forms regarding contact information (in MS Word format) will be emailed to Howie Stoller.

 

There is presently no procedure in place to notify CANA members of the meetings and agenda of the Board of Zoning Appeals.  The city’s website is supposed to post the agenda, but has not done so lately.   It was agreed that this information and a list of carry over cases would be forwarded to Howie for distribution to CANA members.

 

§                     Washington Avenue Armory (Harold Rubin)

A group of investors has proposed to purchase the armory for $100,000 for use as a sports and concert venue.  Such use would have a negative impact upon the neighborhood and surrounding businesses.  Four thousand to 5,000 attendees may attend each event held there and compound an already difficult parking situation.  By law, 1400 parking spaces are required, and they are not presently available.  The Albany Public Library Main Branch has also expressed interest in moving its present operation to the armory.  On behalf of CANA , Howie Stoller will write to the mayor, governor and director of OGS encouraging them to reconsider the use of the armory as a sports arena, and endorse its use as the library’s main branch.

 

§                     Future meetings (Howie Stoller)

Police Chief Robert Wolfgang has not responded to CANA ’s invitation to speak at the December meeting.  Helen Black will contact the director of the Center for Economic Development to see if a representative can be present to give an update on the Harriman Campus conversion or the Renaissance Corporation to discuss the Albany Medical Center Complex.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM .


November 5, 2003

    Meeting Attendees

 

NAME

ASSOCIATION

ADDRESS

Andrew Harvey

Park South

271 Myrtle Ave

Kevin Kalled

 

27 Grove Ave

Daniel VanRiper

Lincoln Park NA

dwvr@atecone.net

Kaye McElroy

Arthur Park

16 Jase Court

Nancy Looby

MBNA

Manning Boulevard

Helen Black

TB Triangle

39 Ten Broeck Place

Fred Perkins

NSW

11 Woodlawn Ave

Claire Tirums

UWANA

189 Homestead Ave

Karen Cunniff

UWANA

10 Croswell St .

Joe Cunniff

UWANA

10 Croswell St .

Joyce Rambo

Center Square

189 Lancaster

PO Kathi Rissberger

APD, Center Station

536 Western Ave

John Cerrin

Albany Public Library

cirrinj@uhls.lib.ny.us

Marggie Skiinner

PHNA

49 Ryckman Ave

Gene Solan

Pine Hills

126 So. Allen St

Harold Rubin

Center Square

156 Chestnut St

Michael Wagner

UWANA

19 Austain Ave

Christine Wagner

UWANA

19 Austain Ave

Marggie Skinner

PHNA

14 Ryckman Ave

Ruth Rubin

Center Square

156 Chestnut St

Elise VanAllen

Center Square

327 State St

Frank Benoit

UWANA

18 Victor St

Helen Benoit

UWANA

18 Victor St

Frank Clark

Pine Hills NA

126 S. Allen St

Howard Stoller

CANA

Hstoller@aol.com

Lynne Jackson

Lincoln Park NA

lynnejackson@mac.com

Helen R. Desfosses

 

Hdesfosses@aol.com

Kate Bedways

SUNY Urban & Regional Planning Department

eB162G85@albany.edu

Claire L. Nolan

Manning Boulevard Association

 

Edward Nolan

Manning Boulevard

 

Carol Whittaker

Ten Broeck Triangle

38 First St

Francine D'Amato Neff

Pine Hills

443 Morris St

Mary Kay Dolittle

Pine Hills Montesorri School

715 Morris St

Terri Bronner

UWANA

154 Brevator St

Colin McKnight

Mansion

45 Elm St

Holly Katz

Mansion

1 1/2 Elm St

Rebecca Brownell

Albany DDP

21 Lodge St

Tom Gebhardt

University at Alany

 

Henry J. Madej

PHNA

hmmadej@yahoo.com

Roger Markonis

United Tenants

33 Clinton Ave

Andreas Kriefall

ARISE Organizer

1047 Phoenix Ave , Schenectady , NY   12308

Pat Maxon

UWANA

34 Victor St

Keith Irish

New Scotland-Woodlawn

461 Ontario St

Christopher A. Lindsay

 

182 South Pine Ave

Shirley & Clint Brand

UWANA

13 Danker Ave