News Release - Rochester City Council Swearing-In for District Members and Announces Leadership for 2012-13

City Council

News Release

New Five Point Agenda Plan Outlining Council’s Priorities

(Tuesday, January 3, 2011) - The Rochester City Council today swore-in all four District Members and elected its leadership for the next two years. Adam C. McFadden – South District, Carla M. Palumbo – Northwest District, Elaine M. Spaull – East District and Lovely A. Warren – Northeast District took their Oath of Office at the start of the meeting and will serve through December 31, 2015.

Councilmember Lovely A. Warren will reassume the Council presidency, while Councilmember Dana K. Miller has been tapped to serve as vice president of the elected body.

Councilmember Warren first joined the City Council in May 2007, when she was appointed to fill a vacant seat. She was subsequently elected to serve a full four-year term in November 2007 and returned to office through the election this past November. Councilmember Miller began serving as a member of Council in January 2006, following his successful November 2005 election bid, and was re-elected in November 2009 for his current four-year term.

“I am honored and humbled to be able to continue to serve the City Council in a leadership role,” stated Councilmember Warren. “This Council is made up of a diverse group of people with different areas of expertise and backgrounds; together I know that we can make a great and positive impact for Rochester. I want to thank my colleagues for their confidence and for returning me as their President.”

“I am pleased to have been selected by my peers to serve as Council Vice-President, and I am looking forward to working with President Warren, Council and the Richards Administration in order to move our agenda forward,” Councilmember Miller commented.

Councilmembers Warren and Miller were also sworn-in to their new positions this afternoon during the Organizational Meeting and will serve in their respective leadership roles until December 31, 2013.

City Council also announced its revised committee structure today, as well as the names of the committee chairs. There will be five standing Council committees, up one from the current four. They are: the Finance Committee, which will continue to be chaired by Councilmember Carolee A. Conklin; the Public Safety, Youth & Recreation Committee, which Councilmember Adam C. McFadden will continue to chair; the Jobs, Parks & Public Works Committee, which will now be chaired by Councilmember Loretta C. Scott; the Neighborhood & Business Development Committee will continue to be chaired by Councilmember Carla M. Palumbo; and the newly added Arts and Culture in the Center City will be chaired by Councilmember Elaine M. Spaull.

At the meeting Daniel Karin was reappointed as the City Clerk, and he too will serve through December 31, 2013. In addition, the City Council adopted the Rules of Council and the Designation of the Official Newspapers for the City. It should be noted that in the Rules of Council the official start time for the monthly Council Meeting has changed and the new start time is 7:30pm, subsequently Speak to Council has also been moved with a new start time of 6:30pm.

The City Council also updated and revised its Five Point Agenda Plan. The plan for 2012-13 outlines the Council’s priorities and major plans to help improve our city over the next two years. The plan’s five key points are as follows:

•The City Council will continue the relationship developed through the Education Initiative that allows it to work cooperatively with the City Administration, as well as the Board of Education and the Rochester City School District, in an effort to increase positive outcomes for our city students.

•The Council will continue to work on Center City Initiatives and will work with the City Administration to revise the current Center City Master Plan as needed, in an effort to further revitalize downtown Rochester.

•The Council’s Neighborhood and Business Develop Committee, as well as its Finance Committee, will work with the City Administration to replicate the Josana Master Plan in other challenged neighborhoods to spark investment and development. It will also work to evaluate the effects of the tax lien sales and other possible alternatives like land banking and right sizing the City through the greening strategy. It will develop a mechanism that embraces and encourages community involvement through forums and work groups. Simultaneously, these two committees will also work to develop and enact business and neighborhood revitalization plans.

•The Council’s Public Safety, Youth & Recreation Committee will work with the City Administration to enact the youth policy. It will also continue to work with the administration to increase safety, encourage trust and community engagement in issues that affect public safety.

•The Council as a whole, in conjunction with the Jobs, Parks & Public Works Committee and the City Administration, will work together to ensure greater participation of City Residents in the workforce through partnerships with the business community and local labor. It will work to develop consequences for those contractors that make a strong commitment to create job opportunities and fail to do so. It will work with the administration to develop a mechanism that creates entry level positions and opportunities for professional tutelage in various City Departments.

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Media Contact: Andrea Guzzetta, (585) 428-7207 / (585) 230-6398