THE NEXT STEPS FOR SCOTIA

1. Set office hours for the Mayor and all Village Trustees
2. Create clearly visible links to all publicly available information
3. Consistent and predicable email updates from the Mayor and Trustees

1. Rethink village spending by asking all departments to show what cuts to their budgets would look like and how it would impact village residents.
2. Work with the town, county and private organizations to identify cost savings through shared services and partnerships.
3. Have all departments submit preliminary budgets well in advance of tax cap voting to allow for resident questions and to fully inform the Trustees and Mayor.
4. Work to create a 5-10 year strategic plan to better inform budget decisions.

1. Create an actionable long term Strategic Plan for business growth in the village.
2. Look for grant funding for improvements to Village Infrastructure and under used real estate.
3. Work with the Business Improvement District to continue to improve and grow Mohawk Ave as a walkable business destination.

1. Work with private organizations and County and Town programs to create new youth programing and services.
2. Explore new opportunities to provide safe spaces and programs for the Village Children.
3. Work with organizations to create new food programs to help food insecure children including broadening a Village food pantry program.

a. Implement regularly scheduled office hours for the Mayor and all Trustees

• These hours have no set agenda and are open for residents to discuss any issues concerning them.

b. Redesign and overhaul the Village website

• Create clearly visible links to all publicly available information
• Embed videos of most recent meetings on main landing page for ease of access

c. Send consistent and predictable email updates from the Mayor and Trustees

• Collect email addresses door-to-door using Mayor, Trustees, and volunteers

a. Identify potential departmental budget reductions

• Request that all departments show what cuts to their budgets would look like in specific percentage increments, e.g 5%, 10%, 15%

b. Identify cost savings through shared services and partnerships

• Conduct a thorough evaluation of contracts for services in preparation for renegotiation
• Hold monthly meetings between Mayor/Trustee designee and Glenville Town Supervisor and Mayor/Trustee and Schenectady County Legislators. Make agreed-upon minutes from these meetings publicly available
• Work with Schenectady County Land Bank to return properties to Village tax rolls

c. Engage Village residents in Village budget development

• Have all departments submit preliminary budgets well in advance of tax cap voting
• Hold public preliminary budget hearings to facilitate resident questions and feedback to the Trustees and Mayor

d. Use new and emerging opportunities to raise tax revenue

• Realize the revenue benefits of the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA).

a. Create an actionable, collaborative long-term Strategic Plan for business growth in the village

• Hold public forums to engage residents in plan development
• Use Rockefeller Institute of Government as free resource to facilitate and develop final plan
• Make plan publicly available and prominent on Village website
• Provide regular updates regarding specific action items related to the plan 

b. Use available and emerging grant funding for improvements to Village Infrastructure and real estate

• Request an ad-hoc seat on the Metroplex board
• Contract with grant writer(s) to be paid percentage of received funding

c. Assist and provide resources to the Business Improvement District Committee (BID)

• Conduct a community/business climate survey with Village businesses to identify areas of improvement.
• Work with the Business Improvement District to increase engagement from business and property owners within the district. 
• Utilize grant writers to apply for eligible funding for small businesses located in the Village and in the Business Improvement District.  Collaborate with BID leadership to connect grant opportunities to business needs. 

d.  Increase Visibility of Village Events

• Conduct village-wide surveys for suggestions on improving and expanding Holiday on the Ave, Car Show, etc.
• Build a culture of volunteerism and increase the number of volunteers who donate their time to planning and executing community events. 

a. Work with private organizations and County and Town programs to create new youth programming and services. Much of Scotia is a childcare desert with not enough childcare providers to meet demand.

b. Explore new opportunities to provide safe spaces and programs for the Village Children

• Create a committee to move the Collins Park skate park forward 

c. Work with organizations to strengthen food programs to help food insecure children including broadening a Village food pantry program

 a. Quickly resolve issues with blighted and vacant properties

• Proactively utilize code violation process to encourage property owners to address issues.
• Transfer blighted and vacant properties to the Schenectady County Land Bank to return them to the Village tax rolls.
• Work with Schenectady County Metroplex for the demolition of blighted properties.

b. Improve Outward Appearance of Village Businesses

• Continuing working with Metroplex to make facade grants available for Village Businesses. Identify additional grant opportunities to make facade improvements affordable to neighborhood property owners.
• Continue to work with the Business Improvement District to secure funding to improve streetscape and sidewalks. Find ways to work with the BID to ensure safe and accessible sidewalks year round, especially during the winter.
• Invest in our parks and involve the community in improving the Scotia Community Garden, Flint House, and Dog Park. Begin work on developing Scotia’s newest waterfront park on the corner of Washington Ave and Schonowee.