Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations

Meeting December 7, 2005

Albany Public Library

1.         Introductions

2.         Presentations

            a)         Lynne Jackson, Save the Pine Bush, Albany Landfill

            b)         Jim Travers, Coeymans and the Albany Landfill

            c)         Mike O’Brien, Albany Landfill

            d)         Jessica Blain-Lewis, Albany County DA Office

3.         Minutes

4.         Other

5.         Committee Reports

            a)         Zoning

            b)         Codes

            c)         Cable

            d)         Budget

            e)         Committee on University and Community Relations

6.         Communications/Announcements

7.         Future Meetings

            January 4, 2006 @ 7 PM

8.         Adjourn

Minutes of December 7, 2005 Meeting:

1. Introductions

·        The Albany Public Library announced the Big Purple Bus (Bookmobile) Grand Opening on December 13, 2005 .  The APL representative also distributed copies of the APL December 2005 BiblioTech.

·        Tom McPheeters reported that ARISE (A Regional Initiative Supporting Empowerment) continues to seek support for their proposal to have local workers employed by publicly funded projects.  He highlights the need to: Hire at least half the workers for the job from the city where the work takes place; Hire at least 30% of the workers for the job from distressed neighborhoods; Ensure that minorities and women are represented; Create pre-apprenticeship training and support systems; Ensure accountability and success for all agreements with monitoring, problem-solving and penalties for non-compliance; Form a Community Benefits Council to report to the public to ensure goals of the agreement are met.

·        The City of Albany ’s Coeymans Landfill Project Presentations:   Lynne Jackson, of Save the Pine Bush, expressed her concerns regarding a 60-acre parcel of land, called the Fox Run Estate Mobile Home Park and the intent of the City of Albany to expand the landfill into Fox Run.   40 acres of the 60 acres is beautiful Pine Bush ecosystem and less than a dozen trailers occupy the remaining 20 acres in the middle.   This parcel is important to the survival of the Pine Bush because it connects about 320 acres of the Lake Rennsealaer area to the Pine Bush.  In the Final Environmental Impact Statement for P-4 landfill expansion, one mitigation measure requires the City to purchase the Fox Run Estate Mobile Home Park and upon its closing, dedicate it to the preserve.   WWW.savethepinebush.org

·        Jim Travers from Coeymans and representing SCRAP (Selkirk, Coeymans, Ravena Against Pollution) expressed his concerns that the City of Albany ’s Coeymans Landfill project would be an economic disaster to Coeymans and surrounding communities.   According to Mr. Travers, the imposition of this landfill project to an unwilling community is unconscionable.

·        Mike O’ Brien, 12th Ward Common Council member, expressed his concern that the Common Council has been intermittently involved in the Pine Bush and Coeymans landfill projects.  However, he believes that the Common Council has had little to no information regarding these projects.  To this end, he wants the Common Council to create an ad hoc committee to review these projects with a lot more depth and direction.

·        P. David Soares, Albany County DA , introduced Jessica Blain-Lewis who gave a presentation on the DA’s Safe Homes-Safe Streets Initiative. 

Ms. Blain-Lewis handed out a pamphlet outlining this initiative and discussed the three program initiatives:   Landlord Training, Trespass Affidavit Program, and Narcotics Eviction. The DA’s mantra: Cleaning up the Community One Apartment at a Time.

2.      Minutes

Minutes of the November 2005 meeting were approved.

3.      Committee Reports

Thomas Gebhardt distributed his report to CANA .   He highlighted the recent crimes in the college neighborhood and that Midtown Neighborhood Watch was mobilized.

The committee reported that they have noticed and increasing number of closed buildings.   It appears that Code Enforcement may prevent the quick deterioration of the housing stock.

Gene Solan reported that the December 3 meeting had more than 100 participants.   He also reported that the Albany Comprehensive Planning Task Force will meet on January 19, 2006 .  

Nothing to report.

Minutes prepared by John Paneto