Common Council Meeting with Committee of the Whole Meeting November 4th, 2026

The City of Utica Common Council’s Committee of the Whole and Common Council met on November 4, 2026. The Committee of the Whole held a roundtable on Introductory Local Law No. 7 of 2026, a proposed local good-cause eviction law. Tenant advocates described its exemptions, allowable eviction grounds, rent-increase provisions, and potential effects on evictions; landlords raised concerns about added legal costs, compliance burdens, and effects on rental supply. Council members discussed the proposal and related needs such as code enforcement and landlord support, but no vote was taken; a decision was expected at a future meeting.

The Council also considered a resolution granting Niagara Mohawk an easement for a new gas service line to a pump station near Barnes Avenue and Schuyler Street; engineering had no objection, though the transcript does not capture the vote outcome. It approved, by 9 votes, a $60,000 fiscal-year 2026–27 transfer for fire mechanic auto supplies and a $29,013.40 transfer for Parks maintenance supplies to fund three additional seasonal laborers. A mutual-aid agreement with New Hartford, Oneida County, and Rome’s Police Department was adopted by 9 votes. Separately, Urban Renewal reported a Community Development Block Grant-funded legacy business grant offering up to $20,000 for employee retention; no grant awards were made at this meeting.