Canandaigua will move ahead with $760,000 in engineering and design work for major improvements at its water treatment plant, even as the city continues pursuing grant funding for a larger $15.5 million upgrade.
City Council approved the Water Fund capital budget amendment Monday night, allowing design work to begin on dissolved air flotation equipment, filter rehabilitation and a new carbon dioxide pH suppression system. City documents say the work is intended to maintain the quantity and quality of water supplied to Canandaigua and its wholesale customers, with officials warning that existing filters are beginning to show signs of failure.
The resolution passed on a roll-call vote without opposition expressed during the meeting. The money will come from the Water Fund Capital Reserve, and city officials said beginning design now could allow construction — or a reduced version of the project — to start in 2027 regardless of whether grant funding is secured.
Tax cap override moves toward September hearing
Council also scheduled a Sept. 28 public hearing on a proposed local law that would give the city authority to exceed New York’s property tax cap when adopting its 2027 budget.
City Manager John Goodwin stressed during the meeting that the action does not mean Canandaigua has decided to exceed the cap.
He said the city has adopted similar legislation each year since the state tax cap was enacted because it preserves Council’s ability to go over the limit if needed during budget deliberations and provides protection against penalties if the city inadvertently miscalculates the cap.
One councilmember asked how frequently Canandaigua actually exceeds the limit. Goodwin said the city has been both above and below the cap in previous years, depending on circumstances.
The proposed local law was later formally placed on the table. Under state law, overriding the tax cap would ultimately require approval from at least 60% of the governing body.
Main Street paving starts next week
Goodwin also told Council that long-awaited resurfacing work on Main Street is scheduled to begin the week of Aug. 24.
The state project will involve milling out the existing asphalt and replacing it with about 2 inches of new pavement. The first phase will run from the Tops area to Wood Library, followed the next week by work from the library south to the city pier.
Goodwin said the work is expected to take about two weeks and will primarily be done at night to limit traffic disruptions. Crews are also planning around scheduled CMAC concerts.
He acknowledged the project falls short of the full roadway reconstruction city officials have sought, but said Main Street resurfacing has been requested by the community for years.
Firefighter departure raises staffing concerns
Public comment also brought renewed attention to staffing at the Canandaigua Fire Department.
Fire Capt. Adam Palumbo, speaking on behalf of Local 2998, publicly thanked former Canandaigua firefighter Jake Bement, who recently left the department for the North Greece Fire District in Monroe County.
Palumbo described Bement as a third-generation firefighter with extensive knowledge of Canandaigua’s downtown buildings and said his departure represented a significant loss of institutional experience.
He urged Council to speak directly with firefighters as the city heads into budget season, arguing that staffing levels affect how crews respond to increasingly complex emergencies.
Palumbo said replacing an open position does not immediately replace the experience carried by a veteran firefighter and pointed to the demands placed on incident commanders when fewer personnel are available at emergency scenes.
Council took no action on the comments Monday.
Kershaw Park swimming season ending early
The city also confirmed that supervised swimming at Kershaw Park will end Saturday, Aug. 22, because of seasonal staffing shortages.
Goodwin said many of the city’s lifeguards are college students or student-athletes who are returning to school, making it difficult to maintain staffing through the later Labor Day holiday.
The beach is scheduled to remain open from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Aug. 18 through Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 22. It will close for the season beginning Aug. 23.
Council also approved renewal of the city’s agreement with Finger Lakes Television to continue broadcasting and streaming City Council, committee, Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and other municipal meetings.
The contract is capped at $49,750 annually in 2027 and 2028 and $50,454 in 2029, including a $10,000 annual public-access equipment fee provided through Charter Spectrum.
The meeting adjourned after roughly 18 minutes of public proceedings, with officials then moving to an attorney-client privileged discussion.
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