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Common Council

For a complete listing of the Common Council Membership, please refer to the Common Council biographies found in the navigation to the left.

Overview

The Albany Common Council represents the residents of the City of Albany as the legislative body responsible for setting the governing policies of New York State's Capital city.  It is made up of 15 elected officials, one representing each ward, and is chaired by the Common Council President, who is elected citywide.  Its leadership includes the President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader.  It is our job to work cooperatively with the Mayor and the City administration to insure that tax dollars are responsibly spent and that all residents have access to the services and programs that make urban living safe, affordable and desirable.

The Common Council meets the first and third Monday of each month in the Common Council Chambers in City Hall.  Meetings begin at 7 p.m.  A public comment period, lasting for up to one-half hour, is the first item of business.  Speakers are requested to keep their remarks to five minutes. Individuals may sign up in the Office of the City Clerk by noon on the meeting date.  Speakers will be called in the order they are signed up.  Time permitting and with approval of a majority of members, additional speakers will be heard.  If the regularly scheduled meeting falls on a legal or religious holiday, the meeting is changed to Thursday of that same week.

Public hearings are held on some City ordinances and are advertised at least 20 days prior to the Common Council meeting at which they will be held.  Speakers sign up the evening of the meeting and are called in order.  The public hearing ends when all those wishing to speak have been heard.

Committees of the Common Council meet to discuss legislation before the Council and to review policies and procedures of City government.  Meetings are scheduled on an as-needed basis with adequate public notice.  The Clerk's office maintains the calendar of those meetings and they also can be found at events page of this website.

For additional information you can contact the Common Council Office at (518) 434 -5087 or to fax a response or a public comment form to (518) 462-8972.