Glens Falls City Council approves consent agenda amid questions about manual payments and older parking contract

Glens Falls City Council voted on its consent agenda and discussed internal controls around 'manual payments' that are appearing on the warrant without prior council approval. Speaker 2 told colleagues the council's charter gives the body the authority to audit accounts and said some items listed as manual payments — beyond fixed salaries, benefits, debt service, utilities, and multi‑year contracts — do not fit routine categories and should be phased out through training and process changes.

Speaker 2 explained that a contract with 333 Glen Street Associates, intended to provide parking to Pinacchio, had been signed during the prior administration but never went through the common council. Because the contract was signed without council approval, payments cannot be issued until the council approves the agreement. The speaker said that is the reason the item appears on the agenda now.

On the consent vote, Speaker 2 called for the motion and the council approved the consent agenda; Speaker 2 announced, 'All in favor' and later, 'Motion passed.' The motion record in the transcript did not identify the individual mover, seconder, or a breakdown of votes by member.

Next steps: council members said staff will continue training departments on payment procedures, and the administration will bring the 333 Glen Street Associates contract forward for formal council approval so payments may be processed.