The city of Oneonta Common Council approved a few budget transfers and amendments to support additions at Muller Plaza and the Al Gallodoro Memorial Stage at its Tuesday, Oct. 7 meeting.
These additions included curtains and a cover for the stage, and to install four wooden benches around the Muller Plaza trees.
Don Mathisen, D-Eighth Ward, said he had concerns about the cover for the stage. He motioned to table it for review at a later council meeting when more council members were present. Three members were absent Tuesday. His motion failed.
Mathisen said he could not vote in favor of the cover because he felt it “hurts the artwork,” but he did not want the motion to fail entirely.
Mayor Mark Drnek said the cover would be open most of the time, only closed during rain events or at times where it is especially sunny.
“The architect has donated the design of this to be in keeping with what I think most people would agree is a piece of art that we have in Muller Plaza,” Drnek said.
Elayne Mosher Campoli, D-First Ward, said Geoff Doyle, Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center executive director who organized the plaza concert series this summer, said some performers were near heat exhaustion because they needed shade.
“This is not going to prevent people from seeing the artwork,” Mosher Campoli said. “It is going to enhance the space, and it is going to allow the artists to be safe while they perform.”
Drnek added that the stage cover also offers more opportunities to lengthen its usage as an entertainment venue. He said artists have canceled in the past due to fears of equipment being damaged by the rain.
Cecelia Walsh-Russo, D-Second Ward, said regardless of whether the cover seems costly or could “interrupt some of the design,” it ultimately concerns the public safety of the community watching the concerts and performers. After Walsh-Russo spoke, Mathisen said he would be willing to change his vote.
The motion passed unanimously. Shannon McHugh, D-Third Ward, Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward, and Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, were absent.
In regards to the addition of the wooden benches at the plaza, Walsh-Russo asked if people would use new benches around the trees. Drnek said when FOR-DO is not providing tables and chairs, the seating in the plaza is limited to mainly two benches. The additional benches would allow people to sit down and take a break more easily, Drnek said.
In other business, the council voted to authorize the creation of a “capital project and related budget for the Common Council Chambers Improvements project at City Hall.” This relates to plans to introduce a new system for visual and audio layout of council meetings.
City Administrator Greg Mattice said there would be a one-time cost of $125,000 cost for the improvements and another $12,000 for materials and supplies, in addition to an annual maintenance cost.
According to Daily Star archives, City Clerk Kerri Harrington spoke at the Tuesday, Aug. 19 council meeting about the possible new system, which could include a 10-inch display in front of each council member. Users would likely have their own microphones.
Mathisen said he had concerns regarding the use of individual screens for each council member. He said the council has had several exchanges in the chambers where they are looking at each other’s faces.
Harrington said the purpose of potential new video functions that show each council member individually is because residents were having trouble seeing who was speaking with the existing wideshot format.
He said he also had concerns about the lack of an official “role call” vote. At a previous council meeting, Harrington clarified that technology could allow for all council members to vote simultaneously but how they each voted would still be shown to the public.
This is not the only system being considered, Harrington said.
“This is just one of a number of systems that are available, and no system would be input without the proper procurement policy, without input from the council,” Harrington said. “Even the features that we do select, if we select one that has the capability or the functionality to do an automated role call, it doesn’t mean we have to use it.”
At the end of the meeting, in a supplemental agenda, the council voted to sign an agreement with Rehabilitation Support Services, Inc. for the proposed Solstice Commons affordable housing project at 164 River St. establishing “an escrow account in an amount not to exceed $30,000” and to “retain both legal and engineering services to independently review and make recommendations to the city regarding all aspects of the project.”
Additionally, the council passed a motion to waive the city’s purchasing policy requirement related to “procurement of professional and consultant services” and execute an agreement with Delaware Engineering for the provision engineering services to review independently and make recommendations regarding the Solstice Commons project.
Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, said that just because he voted in favor of the motion, it does not mean he is for or against the project as a whole.