hello schenectady i'm george latterman from behind the realm news your weekly update about what's happening at schenectady city hall your city your government your news at this month's keyed to the city event held at schenectady high school one of the keys to quality of life in our area is an excellent educational system it's great to everybody out here today for a second open house and it's the message we want to get out that there has been a significant renaissance in this community and downtown we've seen hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment over the last eight years seen the creation of retention in thousands of jobs in this community in one of the image problems of disconnecting the urban area is that somehow of disconnect the school district isn't quite competitive with some of our suburban neighbors and i want this to come out today and part of the campaign is we look to revitalize the neighborhoods that this district is second to none the product offering in the diversity far exceeds those in the suburban districts in we have a quality program here we've got great students we've got great leaders of the future key to the city is a monthly event hosted by the city to help promote home buying and home ownership in the city of schenectady each event includes a press conference and  of properties that are for sale so far it has been a rousing success so far this program has started with close twenty two homes with new families coming to schenect and that's just the beginning there are currently nineteen new loans in process as we speak we've just also completed one refinance under this key to the city program today just like a month ago you can take to a  and quad high quality welcoming neighborhoods of schenectady key bank representatives as well as religious and city officials will be there to greet you answer any questions you may have about the city its character we're very glad that you're all here today we look forward to welcome you to an attractive neighborhoods that's connected he offers superintendent of schools john yoo bielski told us about the quality of the city's education system we have an awful lot to be proud of the proud of their school no most of the students in this district are proud of their schools i'd like the whole community to feel that same kind of pride you know i could stand up here and i have on a number of occasions brag about our school district in our high school but i thought perhaps it might be more effective if you heard from a couple of the real experts on our school system and our high school and a number of students told us about the diverse opportunities available at schenectady high school there's a lot of there's nothing a student can do here we have ours programs we have business programs if you're interested in sports we have to track and field team we have to be a football soccer there's some there's so much opportunity i don't know how soon it would fit in well here at the school and i'm and i'm just happy to be here to be a graduate to be able to graduate here in june and say i was able to be answered diverse place with so many people it's going to be a wonderful program and i'm the secretary of national music conscious id and i also just saying here with the high school chamber choir so i feel like i'm involved in a lot of things that's going to be high school and being here and being able to have all those opportunities within my gras within my reach has really helped me develop myself and i've kind of found myself there of high school you know another reading about high school is the way you can help you with your future because of all the opportunities i've been given i expected high school and all the support i've been given all the opportunities i've had i received a full scholarship to colgate university for the fall of two thousand and twelve so the event is held monthly watch behind the rail for the time and place of the next tour there are too many stray dogs in schenectady and overcrowding of local shelters has prompted the city to reach out of the county to help house this biting problem the montgomery s p c a will be charging thirty dollars a day lodging for dogs picked up by animal control for being loose or dangerous color t v heated indoor pool and continental breakfast is included the city has begun to review vehicle use policy in an effort to save money and clarify what employees may and may not do with city cars and trucks but we i really think we need to hear from those individuals the referee working w staff to talk about why or why not somebody taking a car home and then make a determination from that while some city workers particularly those working for public safety and maintenance may need to take home city vehicles in order to be on call and respond to emergency situations quickly the council's asking who those employees are and whether it is appropriate for the cars to leave the city limits a meeting is planned between the council committee and city department heads to help create an effective policy i think that pretty to work on in terms of the policy what the justification as i don't know how we can do that without speaking directly to the department has to get their input in as to why they feel the need and you know not a trial but it is very helpful for us to know why the wrong why the justification the proposed marriage two thousand and twelve consolidated plan was presented at the city council committee meeting richard pearle the acting director of development meet the consolidated plan is the way the city distributes federal community development block grant money between various an agency is located throughout the city the money goes to support a diverse group of services ranging from the city mission summer lunch programs and community rehabilitation and policing the city has seen a reduction of seventeen percent in funding for two consecutive years more information about the plan can be found on the front page of the city's website under two thousand twelve consolidated plan the powerpoint presentation can be downloaded from the city media collection at archive dot org for monday april ninth at seven p m schenectady city hall council chambers from two all nine the best way to participate in your government is to understand how it works here is a story i prepared to introduce you to the process i'm here at schenectady city hall where city council meetings are held every monday night but how exactly does a government meeting work the city council is the lawmaking and governing body of the city the council appoints the city clerk and certain commission and board members it also determines policy approves contracts and agreements set salaries and approves contracts for goods and services it adopts all edges lay ssion governing laws and procedures followed in the city there are seven council members elected at large to serve fo year terms except in the case of vacancies they serve on the city council and committees the presiding officer of the city council is this council president who is elected by the council members at the organizational meeting the committees of the council and members are appointed by the council president city council meetings are held on the first and third mondays of every month right here in the room behind me city council committees are responsible for over of the various functions of the city government it is at these meetings where much of the discussion about laws ordinances and resolutions are held and the majority of decision making is made meetings are open to the public as well as broadcast live on public access television and streamed on the internet a complete video archive of all city council meetings is available on demand to be watched any time on your computer or mobile device although the public has a courage to attend  committee meetings they may not participate in the discussion that privileges are reserved for the city council meetings and on the second and fourth mondays of every month the council meets here in the city council chambers it is at the city council meetings where public hearings are held resolutions passed proclamations made and laws voted upon it is also here at this meeting where you the citizens of schenectady can be heard a privilege of the floor is afforded to the public to allow for you to communicate directly to the council there are generally two separate public speaking opportunities per meeting each citizen allotted three minutes time to address a particular topic or topics during the first privilege of the floor the citizens are asked to confine their topics to current legislative business items on the agenda at this meeting the second privilege of the floor is designated for a general city business and it is here where the public can bring up issues or concerns or even make public service announcements of interest to the community at large a third type of speaking opportunity is during a public hearing a special form of privilege of the floor where the council invites input from the citizens about a particular topic public hearings are required by law when significant changes in the city law are being made they are announced before hand and are held on a specific date and topic when you come to a city council meeting and wish to speak you must sign up on a sheet located at the front of the room before the meeting starts there you  find meeting agendas and information package about the business before the council remember the government is its people and you control how to run so come down to schenectady city hall and participate  from street and quackenbush polls will be open as usual this summer thanks to operational contracts signed with the w c and the boys and girls clubs so where as women were among the first settlers of schenectady  sixteen sixty one and since then have contributed to the growth and certainly the strength of the city of schenectady in countless recorded and unrecorded ways and where as women have played a critical economic cultural and social role in every sphere of life in the city of schenectady by constituting a significant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home and we honor the spirit leadership and hard work of schenectady as women now therefore be it resolved at the city of schenectady excuse me the city council in the city of schenectady hereby pauses in its deliberations and designates march as women's history month in the city of schenectady i'd like to move this thank you there's moods are second seconded by council member those in favor motion carries congratulations all the women of schenectady and the community for they have given many contributions as we all know the league is particularly pleased with this opportunity since foti rights for women is particularly important and continues to be important to lead works to inform women and the commune nitty about a variety of issues ranging from the affordable c redistricting to women's access to contraception services to educational equity the leak is in the process of updating its schenectady county governmental and political who's who which everybody knows about the league has supported the city court's effort to develop an alternative court and a county wide prisoner re entry program providing services to in the eight to return to the city in the county one of the league's collaborative efforts has involved the working group on girls that works with a variety of other organizations to provide schenectady middle city middle school girls with the type of mentoring because there is a need for polling inspectors tomorrow at noon the league is working with the county board of elections to inform residents about what is involved in working at the polls during the primary and the general election on april fourth the league will hold a public forum on privatization of services looking at waste water and prison specifically and then on may third we will have our candidates form for the school board candidus again the league appreciates this honoring a women an obviously women are part of the community are americans and we all want to contribute all of our talents and abilities to our common good thank you thank you very much don't forget to put out your garbage and recycle keep your eye out on this channel for schedules and important information this is been george latterman senior civil correspondent for behind the real news