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Council
of Meeting Minutes 1)
Introductions 2)
Minutes Corrections:
(1) Change Daniel VanRiper’s email address to dwvr@mac.com;
(2) change spelling of Brian Levine’s name.
Accepted with revisions. 3.
Guest Speakers and
Presentations: v
Jeff Cannell of the Albany Public Library presented
the facilities plan and proposed 2007 budget and reviewed services provided by
the library. Revenue
and expenditures are expected to be $5,347,000.
It represents an increase of
$158,600 over last year’s budget; $5 more per year per $100,000 for
homeowners, and $1.11 per thousand or $111 per $100,000 total annual library tax
levy. The budget vote will be on May
16. Voters additionally will elect
trustees to two vacancies. In 2005, the Library served
805,000 visitors, circulated nearly 1 million items, added 55,000 books and
other materials, held 3,700 program sessions, provided free internet access to
thousands of customers. They also
added the new North Albany Branch and Bookmobile, and secured a $50,000 grant
for new quarters for the Albany Local History Room.
APL is planning 3 renovation projects (Howe, A public access television
studio is not included in the budget or facilities plan.
Should funds become available, there is space at the Main Branch. v
Ann DiSarro, Executive Director of Senior Services
of Albany presented information about the Community Connections Focus Group
Project which is seeking suggestions from people 50 years of age or older about
future retirement interests. In the
first phase of the project, questionnaires were mailed to 10,000 residents of v
F. Michael
Tucker, President of The Harriman
Research and Technology Development Corporation discussed the redevelopment and
privatization of the Harriman Office Campus to a research and technology park. The State needs to keep
several agencies on the campus for a while.
However, buildings 4, 5 and 7A are vacant and available, and buildings 1
and 1A will be vacated this summer. There
are no plans for the police facilities to relocate.
Other agencies will be moved during the next ten years.
The master plan and RFP should
be ready in about 90 days. The master plan is for mixed
use. There will be an entry corridor
to the park and open avenues between the office and university areas.
The outer ring road will be removed and a boulevard & streetscape
will be created. Residents of
streets adjoining the campus do not want them opened and connected to the
campus. There is a proposal to build
69 single family homes valued at more that $300,000 each on the site as well as
retail spaces with residences above them. A
privately owned hotel & conference center for use by business and university
tenants is being considered. Underground
and garage parking will be developed. Affordable housing and mass
transit components of the plan are being planned.
Grant funds were being used to work with CDTA to develop models and
shorten bus routes. Land trades for Pine Bush lots
will be considered and included in the RFP. The next step is to request
proposals from developers. Asbestos remediation will need
to be addressed in some of the buildings. Private
investors will prefer to occupy new buildings rather than undertake the
remediation process. 4.
Committee
Reports v
Codes – Eileen Murray reviewed the contents of
the task force’s executive summary. The
full report will be available on v
Neighborhood Resource Center – Gene Solan
distributed nomination forms for the 2006 Community Service awards.
Nominations are due by April 20. The
NRC annual meeting and neighborhood service awards will be held on May 16 at v
The site plan for the proposed retail developments
on 3)
Announcements and New Business v
v
The South End Community Expo will be held at the 6)
Adjournment The meeting adjourned at
Submitted by Deanna Colfels . Meeting Attendees
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