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Syracuse’s Common Council unanimously appointed Ronnie White Jr., a part-time lawyer for the council, to join the legislature Monday.

White will fill the spot of former Councilor Tim Rudd, who resigned after accepting a job as Mayor Ben Walsh’s budget director in September.

White said that one of his top priorities as he enters office is exploring the potential for municipal Wi-Fi for Syracuse residents, an initiative that he said has become increasingly important with more people learning and working from home during the pandemic.

White, who graduated with a law degree from Syracuse University, previously worked at the Mackenzie Hughes law firm and for Onondaga County’s law department. The council hired White as a lawyer for the council in July to provide legal services independent of the city’s Corporation Counsel.

White will serve as an at-large councilor, representing the entire city. He will need to run for re-election next year to remain in the four-year role.

The council Monday also delayed a vote on new legislation that would explore the consolidation of the city’s water authority with the county water authority.

The New York State Financial Restructuring Board of Local Governments conducted a review of the City of Syracuse’s finances in 2019 and recommended that the city consolidate its water department with Onondaga County Water Authority.

If the legislation goes through, the city’s water authority and OCWA will both conduct feasibility studies on the consolidation effort.

The council also approved $25,000 for repairs to City Hall and other city owned buildings.

The funding comes from money that was originally appropriated for the Lighting and Energy Upgrades Project for city owned buildings. The lighting upgrades have already been completed.

Published on November 9, 2020 at 11:21 pm