Syracuse Common Council delays Westcott Theater voting at weekly meeting
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After a public hearing on Sept. 9 about the Westcott Theater, the Syracuse Common Council delayed the originally scheduled vote on the theater’s future at its regular Monday meeting.
The council will address Westcott Theater’s special use permit in a special meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21. The meeting will be open to the public but not open for public comment, giving the council the opportunity to ask Code Enforcement officials questions about their report, syracuse.com reported.
During the meeting, the council declared Westcott’s public hearing “closed,” following Wednesday’s hearing. The decision to move the vote, previously scheduled for Monday, stems from a majority of speakers at the meeting speaking in favor of Westcott Theater, with only one fully opposing its reopening, syracuse.com reported.
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Syracuse Common Council held a public hearing Wednesday on the proposed ordinance requesting the revocation of the Westcott Theater’s permit.
The council also unanimously passed a resolution calling for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Assembly to pass a bill to address and place restrictions on the use of license plate readers.
Introduced by councilors Jimmy Monto and Corey Williams, the resolution urged Hochul and the Assembly to only allow the use of license plate reader data under certain circumstances, including connections to criminal activity, outstanding felonies and arrest warrants and unregistered or uninsured vehicles. Monto said these restrictions are set to help with security aspects, such as the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law.
The resolution comes after the council’s March decision to remove Flock Safety cameras from operating on city streets. Flock has sparked national backlash following privacy concerns over the sharing of data with outside parties.
The council also unanimously voted to approve a resolution recognizing September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month for Syracuse. Councilor Marino Nave introduced the resolution and spoke about suicide rates across the country.
“I want to just go over briefly the suicide rate among people with Tourette syndrome and who are gay, and I am both,” Nave said. “It says research on each condition individually shows that both groups face significantly elevated risks for suicide ideation attempts due to overlapping factors like minority stress, social stigma, discrimination.”
Nave cited research from the Trevor Project and Science Daily about suicide rates, which emphasize that adults in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as people with Tourette syndrome or other chronic disorders, face higher suicide risk.
“This increased vulnerability is directly linked by researchers to external failures such as family rejection, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and hostile social environments,” Nave said.
He invited Isabella Petitto, a volunteer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to speak to the council and share that the issue also affects Syracuse families and residents.
“By formally acknowledging this, you are helping break stigma around mental health, opening up life-saving conversations, and showing our entire community that no one has to fight these battles alone,” Petitto said. “Suicide affects so many families right here in Syracuse, but through education, advocacy and accessible support systems, we know that prevention is possible and hope is within reach.”
Petitto is currently a member of the planning committee for the Out of the Darkness community walk, which raises funds for suicide prevention research and support programs while bringing people together. The walk will take place on October 10 at Long Branch Park.
Other Business:
- The council unanimously approved the installation of an honorary street sign to honor Mark Cass, the former leader of the Northside Learning Center and his community involvement. The sign will be at the intersection of Park and Butternut Street.
- The council unanimously passed an agreement on behalf of the Syracuse Police Department with Humane CNY to provide up to $15,000 in veterinary services as well as housing to animals that are victims of cruelty.
- The council unanimously passed an application and agreement for the Music Performance Trust Fund for a grant that is not to exceed $2,000 to “support free music performances.”
