Council approves raise for attorney and Music in Hanna Park

UTICA, NY – The Common Council voted 9-0 Wednesday to give their attorney, Anthony Garramone, a raise.

Garramone’s fee will be raised from $975 every two weeks to $1,057. That raises his annual salary to $27,482 for the part-time position.  This comes at a time of major fiscal crisis in city hall.  Read our previous story on this here.

The council also unanimously approved legislation by Councilwoman Samantha Colosimo-Testa, R-6, that would restore the privilege of the floor, or public comment, section to the begining of the council meeting and merge it with the section where people can speak on specific legislation.  The resolution was amended after confusion over the intent.  Read our previous story on this here.

The council voted again on the agreement between the county and city to accept $100,000 in return for reinstalling some supervisory and task force positions lost as a recent of the city’s recent budget cuts.  It was a tight 5-4 vote with Frank Vescera, David Testa, Jim Zecca and Frank Meola voting against it.  Zecca attempted to clarify that the result would be five less officers on the streets, however he was cutoff by Council President Bill Morehouse.

Music in Hanna Park

The council voted 8-1 in favor of legislation extending Hanna Park as an event on Monday nights for the public.  It was sponsored by Councilmen Zecca, Testa and Vescera.  Zecca had been holding yearly Music in the Park events in his former 2nd ward district and wanted to locate it more central in light of the recent loss of Utica Monday Nights, Fireworks Over Utica and Taste of Utica.

Councilman Ed Bucciero was the lone no vote.  Bucciero said, “we can’t pick and choose when we want to be fiscally responsible.”  However, Bucciero voted in favor of the raise for Garramone and has served three years as Chairman of the Finance Committee, a member of the powerful Board of E & A and a councilman.  He has never voted against a tax increase or budget.  He also co-sponsored the legislation – “Vendor Fee” – that has been blamed for causing Taste of Utica and Fireworks Over Utica to leave the city.

The council also voted 9-0 to approve the Vacant Housing Registry law that Councilman Zecca has been pushing for several years.  The law would mirror similar laws around the country that mandate owners of vacant houses register them with the city and show a plan of action.

By Larry Tanoury Jr.