Finance Committee & Regular Meeting
July 9, 2026 | Troy City Council
July 9, 2026 | Troy City Council
The council voted 7-0 on July 9 to override Mayor Mantello's veto of the resolution scheduling public hearings on proposed Local Law No. 4 of 2026. The mayor had vetoed the resolution to hold those hearings. The public hearings will now proceed, giving Troy residents a formal opportunity to weigh in on the proposed charter amendment governing the veto process and the definition of a declared emergency. Council President Steele did not mince words: "Totally cannot fathom how anyone would veto a public hearing that would allow the public to have their say. You may disagree with the subject matter, but we're following the law and we are having a public hearing -- and to silence the public is not a good look."
The council also passed two companion ordinances from Council Member Campbell-Cohen that modernize Troy's sidewalk and shared-use path code. The ordinances update Chapter 141 and Chapter 251 to meet ADA and state engineering standards and allow shared-use paths to be built from materials beyond slate and concrete. A majority of the council amended the Turkey Trot contract to one year, preserving the option for a competitive RFP in 2027. Council President Steele voted no on the amendment.
The Finance Committee opened with two oversight catches. Council Member Campbell-Cohen questioned a $100,000 water fund draw from appropriated fund balance; Comptroller McNeff acknowledged he could have used overperforming revenue lines instead but submitted the paperwork before that data was in hand. He also acknowledged that an ambulance billing line was left at zero in the budget by mistake. Council Member McKee then flagged a discrepancy she found in the first quarter report: the 2026 water fund materials and supplies account reads $1,486,892 in the adopted budget but $2,445,892 in the quarterly report, a gap of roughly $959,000. McNeff did not have the quarterly report in front of him. Council President Steele asked for a written response.
The council approved the auction sale of city-owned parcels, but the administration did not convene the Property Review Committee before bringing the ordinance to a vote. Council Member Favreau, who is supposed to serve on that body, told the council she was not notified of any committee meeting to review the properties. Corporation Counsel Morrissey acknowledged the committee had not formally convened. McLaren asked for the code to be clarified so future auctions follow a clear process.
Fire Chief Cellucci took the floor for the Finance Committee's longest item: a $50,000 opportunity purchase of a 2007 surplus pumper from the Averill Park-Sand Lake Fire District. He traced the fleet's aging challenge back to a wave of apparatus purchased simultaneously between 2000 and 2002 using state money from Senator Bruno's distressed cities program, units that are now all reaching end of life at the same time.
Finance Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. All seven members present: DiLorenzo, Struber, Spain-McLaren, McKee, Favreau, Campbell-Cohen, and Council President Steele. Also in attendance: Mayor Mantello, Corporation Counsel Morrissey, Comptroller McNeff, Fire Chief Cellucci, and Communications Director Alex Horton. Approximately 10 members of the public. No public forum speakers. Meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
Council Member Campbell-Cohen had two questions about the budget amendment before voting yes. First: where does the new $100,000 in the water fund come from? Comptroller McNeff said it is drawn from appropriated fund balance. He acknowledged he could have earmarked overperforming revenue lines instead, but submitted the paperwork before that data was in hand. He expects water billing revenue to outperform the budget and cover the gap before the fund balance needs to be touched.
Second: what is the consultant services ambulance billing line about? McNeff did not sugarcoat it: a contract cost that had been running through a different account got left at zero in the budget by mistake. He owned the error.
Council Member McKee flagged a separate discrepancy she found in the first quarter report. The 2026 budget for water fund account 8330 (materials and supplies) shows $1,486,892, but the Q1 report shows $2,445,892, a gap of roughly $959,000. McNeff said he did not have the quarterly report in front of him and asked McKee to send the specifics by email. Council President Steele asked for a written response.
The ordinance passed 7-0.
Council Member Favreau is supposed to serve on the Property Review Committee, the body that vets which city parcels go up for sale. She told the council she had not been notified of any committee meeting to review the properties in this ordinance. The administration did not convene the Property Review Committee before bringing the ordinance to a vote. Corporation Counsel Morrissey acknowledged the committee had not formally convened. He said he assumed the procedure had been followed when he drafted the ordinance, and noted the city has not run a property auction in close to 10 years. A new state law now requires the auction method to maximize sale prices, so prior owners can receive any surplus above what is owed.
Council Member McLaren said the property review committee should have been part of the process and asked for the code to be clarified so future auctions have a clear path. Morrissey agreed the code can be updated. Both he and McLaren characterized this as a process gap in new territory, not an intentional exclusion, and the council voted to proceed with the sales rather than delay.
One property, 28 Cobblestone Ave, was listed in the auction but is not included in this ordinance. It drew a bid; the bidder backed out. A second round also fell through. The city plans to re-auction it.
The ordinance passed 7-0.
The council approved purchasing a 2007 American LaFrance rescue pumper from the Averill Park-Sand Lake Fire District No. 2 for $50,000 on a single-source basis. Fire Chief Cellucci took questions.
The $50,000 is not in the current budget. A transfer request will come back to the council. The chief said he opened at $45,000 and Averill Park countered at $50,000. Market estimates for a comparable unit run $35,000 to $85,000, and council members agreed the price was fair.
Council Member Campbell-Cohen asked about American LaFrance, which stopped manufacturing in 2014. Cellucci said that is not a concern: Troy has run ALF apparatus since 2003 and has two decades of parts inventory and mechanic expertise. The city began transitioning frontline units to Rosenbauer and Sutphen in 2019. The 2007 Averill Park pumper would replace a 2003 spare that is leaking seals and, in the chief's judgment, unlikely to last another three years.
Chief Cellucci gave the council a brief history of the fleet. In 1999 and 2000, Troy was borrowing trucks from Albany and Cohoes. State money from Senator Bruno's distressed cities program let the city buy several apparatus between 2000 and 2002, all at once, which means they are all aging together now. The department runs five frontline pumpers, one frontline rescue squad, and two frontline truck companies. Its oldest frontline unit is a 2019 engine stationed in Lansingburgh. The remaining spares are 2003s.
Council Member DiLorenzo asked whether two major apparatus purchases in recent months signaled a systemic shortfall. Cellucci said no: the Averill Park unit is an opportunity purchase, and the broader challenge traces back to that 1999-2002 wave of simultaneous purchases. He also noted that new pumper prices have jumped sharply: the city paid roughly $680,000 for an engine in 2021. The same truck now runs $1 million to $1.1 million, with delivery timelines of 36 to 38 months after order.
The resolution passed 7-0.
Regular Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. Full council present. Same administration attendees as the Finance Meeting. Approximately 10 members of the public. Meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.
Before the agenda, Mayor Mantello introduced Josh Merilles, owner of AR Event Productions and ALB Running Exchange, via video call. Merilles stepped in to manage the 2025 Turkey Trot on short notice after the prior coordinator was arrested. The mayor credited his team with not just maintaining the race but improving it.
Merilles runs a sizable operation: 24 years in business, involvement in more than 3,000 races, about 150 events a year, five full-time employees, and 50 part-time staff. By his account, nearly every capital region road race over 300 finishers goes through his company.
Last year, AR moved packet pickup indoors to RPI, brought in Fleet Feet, a DJ, merchandise, step-and-repeat banners, and photo opportunities. Pioneer became the first-ever signature sponsor of the Turkey Trot. The race donated $40,000 to three charities, double the $20,000 donated the prior year. Of that $40,000, roughly $26,000 came from AR's own event profit, $13,000 from participant donations, and an extra $2,500 from Pioneer earmarked specifically for the charities.
For 2026, AR proposed a one-year or three-year contract. The three-year option would give them a longer runway to recruit sponsors and commit to a $50,000-plus charity donation target.
"Frankie" thanked the council for bringing Resolution 72 back as a veto override. She was direct about what the mayor's veto meant: "It raises serious concerns for me when a public servant like the mayor officially rejects the opportunity to hear from the public." She asked whose interests the mayor is serving if not her constituents.
Francis Sweet from District 6 echoed the same concern. She called Local Law 4 of 2026 a straightforward improvement. The law would bring Troy's emergency definition in line with state standards, and she said even that alone would be worth passing. She was glad the council persisted despite the veto.
Steven Maples from 2nd Street praised Council Member Campbell-Cohen's two companion ordinances on shared-use paths, calling them "very smart policy." He said having flexible materials options for bikeways and transportation paths would be a lasting benefit to how Troy builds out its infrastructure.
Council Member Campbell-Cohen sponsored two companion ordinances to bring Troy's sidewalk and path code up to date.
Ordinance 17 amends Chapter 141 of the city code to allow shared-use paths to be built from materials other than just slate and concrete. It also updates sidewalk requirements to conform with modern state and federal engineering standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ordinance 18 amends Chapter 251 to establish consistent definitions for "multi-use path" and "sidewalk," then applies those definitions uniformly across the city code.
Campbell-Cohen thanked District 6 residents Mara Drogan, James Wrath, and Kevin Carpenter; former District 4 Council Member Aaron Vera; city engineer Chris Marini; and Corporation Counsel Richard Morrissey for their contributions.
Both ordinances passed 7-0.
When the Turkey Trot contract came to a vote, Council Member McLaren asked whether the resolution authorized a one-year or three-year deal with AR Event Productions. Corporation Counsel Morrissey said the resolution as written left the length open, with the final choice up to the administration.
That answer drew immediate pushback. Council Members DiLorenzo and Campbell-Cohen both said they prefer a one-year contract followed by a competitive request for proposals. Council President Steele preferred a three-year commitment, arguing it would give AR the runway to grow charitable contributions. Council Member Struber asked whether the city could put out an RFP for the 2027 race immediately. Morrissey said there is no legal reason it could not, and with the race in November, there would be enough time for a fair competition.
Campbell-Cohen moved to amend the resolution to specify a one-year contract. DiLorenzo seconded. The amendment passed 6-1: Steele voted no. The amended resolution then passed 7-0.
The council voted 7-0 to override Mayor Mantello's veto of the resolution scheduling public hearings on proposed Local Law No. 4 of 2026. The proposed law would amend the city charter by repealing and replacing Part 3, Article VIII, Section C-40, which governs the veto process and the definition of a declared emergency. The mayor vetoed the resolution to hold those public hearings.
Council President Steele did not mince words: "Totally cannot fathom how anyone would veto a public hearing that would allow the public to have their say. You may disagree with the subject matter, but we're following the law and we are having a public hearing -- and to silence the public is not a good look."
The public hearings will now proceed.
Francis Sweet from District 6 returned to the microphone with a compliment. She had been dealing with a water leak for over a month that required shutting off the main valve at the street, which turned out to be broken. DPU did extensive work trying to reach it, then referred her to the lead line replacement program since any work on a lead supply line requires that separate pathway. The lead supply contractor took several weeks without action. She escalated to a supervisor, who referred the job back to DPU. DPU came out the same day it got the referral and fixed everything. "I just wanted to thank that team."
All items passed 7-0. All seven members present. Votes verified against clerk's minutes (_07092026-1843).
| # | Full Title | Sponsors | Notes | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ord. 16 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General & Water Fund Budget | Steele | $100K water fund draw from fund balance; ambulance billing error acknowledged by comptroller; McKee flagged $959K Q1 discrepancy in account 8330 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 27 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General Fund Budget | Steele | Neighborhood Improvement Program transfers | 7-0 |
| Ord. 28 | Ordinance Authorizing Settlement of Claim, to Wit: Neon Conyers vs. The City of Troy, New York, Troy City Court, Small Claims Part (Index No.: SC-000568-26/TR) | Steele | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 29 | Ordinance Authorizing Sales of Certain City-Owned Parcels of Real Property by the Auction Method | Steele | Property Review Committee not convened; Favreau not notified; McLaren asked code be clarified for future auctions; 28 Cobblestone Ave excluded | 7-0 |
| Res. 73 | Resolution Appointing Commissioner of Deeds for the City of Troy | Steele | 7-0 | |
| Res. 75 | Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Enter Into an Agreement With the Averill Park -- Sand Lake Fire District #2 to Purchase a Surplus 2007 American LaFrance Rescue Pumper for the Troy Fire Department on a Single Source Basis | Steele, Spain-McLaren | $50,000; replaces leaking 2003 spare; budget transfer to follow | 7-0 |
All items passed 7-0 unless noted. All seven members present. Votes verified against clerk's minutes (_07092026-1844).
| # | Full Title | Sponsors | Notes | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ord. 16 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General & Water Fund Budget | Steele | See Finance discussion | 7-0 |
| Ord. 17 | Ordinance Amending Chapter 141 of the Troy City Code | Campbell-Cohen | Allows alternative materials for shared-use paths; updates sidewalk standards to ADA and state compliance | 7-0 |
| Ord. 18 | Ordinance Amending Chapter 251 of the Troy City Code | Campbell-Cohen | Companion to Ord. 17; defines multi-use paths and sidewalks; universalizes definitions city-wide | 7-0 |
| Ord. 21 | Ordinance Authorizing the Reconveyance of Real Property Acquired by In Rem Foreclosure (315 Second Street) | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 22 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 CD Fund Budget | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 23 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General Fund Budget | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 24 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General Fund Budget | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 25 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 Water Fund Budget | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 27 | Ordinance Amending the 2026 General Fund Budget | Steele | Neighborhood Improvement Program | 7-0 |
| Ord. 28 | Ordinance Authorizing Settlement of Claim, to Wit: Neon Conyers vs. The City of Troy, New York, Troy City Court, Small Claims Part (Index No.: SC-000568-26/TR) | Steele | 7-0 | |
| Ord. 29 | Ordinance Authorizing Sales of Certain City-Owned Parcels of Real Property by the Auction Method | Steele | See Finance discussion | 7-0 |
| Res. 66 | Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Contract With AR Event Productions, Inc., for the Management of the Annual Troy Turkey Trot | Steele (Admin.) | Amended by Campbell-Cohen/DiLorenzo to limit to one-year contract; amendment passed 6-1 (Steele no); full resolution adopted as amended | 7-0 (as amended) |
| Res. 70 | Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Enter Into Contracts With McGovern MHQ, Inc., for the Purchase of Two 2026 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles for the Patrol Division and Five 2026 Chevrolet Equinox Police Vehicles for the Detective Bureau Pursuant to Competitively Procured Award | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Res. 71 | Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Contract With Allmark Services, Inc., for Tree Services as Needed | Steele (Admin.) | 7-0 | |
| Res. 72 | Resolution of Troy City Council Scheduling Public Hearings on Proposed Local Law No. 4 of 2026, Amending the City Charter by Repealing and Replacing Part 3, Article VIII, Section C-40 | Steele | VETO OVERRIDE -- Mayor Mantello vetoed the resolution to schedule public hearings; council overrode 7-0; public hearings will proceed | 7-0 |
| Res. 73 | Resolution Appointing Commissioner of Deeds for the City of Troy | Steele | 7-0 | |
| Res. 75 | Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Enter Into an Agreement With the Averill Park -- Sand Lake Fire District #2 to Purchase a Surplus 2007 American LaFrance Rescue Pumper for the Troy Fire Department on a Single Source Basis | Steele, Spain-McLaren | Well discussed in Finance; budget transfer to follow | 7-0 |