WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER By John F. Bailey. October 7, 2008 UPDATED October 8,  11:25: The Common Council under the leadership of Council President Benjamin Boykin tabled  resolutions to spend $90,000 in bonds to construct a Tot Lot at Mitchell Place; $1,555,800 in bonds to purchase garbage trucks, dump/snow plow trucks, and street sweepers; $578,000 for the purchase of 2 fire trucks; and $523,000 to purchase police cars and sedans.

The delay in approving the  total of $2,656,800 in bonds  Monday night due to the  "precarious economic times" Councilman Boykin told WPCNR Tuesday. "We need to look at where we're at in the city budget." Boykin said it was the collective feeling of all six councilmembers that they needed the city finance Commissioner to update them financially before the bonds could be considered to go out to the frozen financial markets. He expected that  update to happen at the next Council work session October 23.

The Council did approve $225,000 to build a conferenceroom at City Court (funding from the New York State Office of Court Administration), $100,000 for Municipal Parking Lot Rehabiliation from the General Fund, and $300,000 in bonds for rehabilitation of City parking garages.

Boykin said there was no lending  being done in the financial markets anyway, and it would take months before the bonds had they been floated would have attracted buyers. He said the projects were not eliminated, just postponed.  Boykin noted that the Wall Street Journal Tuesday had an article noting how municipalities across the country were suspending projects due to credit not being available. He said there is no liquidity, credit has dried up.

Asked if the council was giving the Mayor's Office any direction on negotiating union contracts, Boykin said they were not, that it was the Mayor's responsibility to negotiate contracts. He did not rule out that other councilpersons were perhaps making suggestions individually to the Mayor.