Residents raise nuisance property, bus‑stop removals and police harassment in public comment

Several residents used the Utica Common Council public comment period to press the city on enforcement of nuisance property rules, removal of neighborhood bus stops and alleged police harassment.

Lou Robertelli, a resident of Armory Drive, told the council the adjacent property had long been deteriorating, was placed on the city’s nuisance list in 2018 and that code enforcement action appeared stalled. “The last email I had from Mister Phillips was August 8. It sounds like it’s come to a grinding halt,” Robertelli said. He said a crushed‑stone driveway remains and that he worried stones would be tracked onto his lawn and could become a hazard when snow is plowed.

Daniel Correa, who said he lives in North Utica near Lorraine Avenue and works for the school district, said repeated neighbor complaints led to the sequential removal of bus stops near his home. Correa said the removals forced him to walk 10–12 blocks to catch a bus and described the change as discriminatory: “I’m a free black man in America…If I could just have one stop on my street…there’s a man who lives upstairs from me who’s waiting for a heart transplant. He can’t walk 12 blocks,” Correa said. City staff later identified the transit provider as Central; Correa said he had contacted Central without success.

Eugene Henderson addressed the council with allegations of repeated harassment by Utica Police Department officers. Henderson said he had videos of incidents he described as improper detentions and that he had filed complaints with the department and the mayor’s office but had not received a response. Deputy Chief Noonan said the department is open to meeting with residents who have complaints and that staff offered to meet with Henderson.

Other public comments included concerns about downtown building ownership transparency and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). A speaker who identified involvement in downtown advocacy urged the council to require owner registration so the public can identify ownership of problem properties and asked that DRI information be posted on the city website.

Why it matters: Residents raised specific enforcement and equity concerns — code enforcement delays, the loss of local transit access for people with limited mobility, and alleged police conduct — that can affect neighborhood safety, mobility and trust in municipal services.

City staff responses: Marcus Phillips (codes) and Brian Thomas (Urban Renewal) each responded in the meeting. Phillips said he could not comment in detail publicly about an ongoing enforcement matter without corporation counsel present but offered to meet individually with the resident who raised the Armory Drive issue. Thomas said the city had released DRI materials and that additional applications (a New York Forward application) were forthcoming and that there would be opportunities for public input before application deadlines. Deputy Chief Noonan said police leaders are willing to meet with complainants and review incidents.