binghamton city council

The Broome County Board of Elections finished counting absentee and affidavit ballots from last week’s elections. The results are still unofficial. But two Binghamton City Council races are now so close they will need manual recounts.

Several races are too close to call and absentee ballots are still being counted. But unofficial results show Democrats with solid leads in at least five races, upending a narrow Republican 4 to 3 majority.

The city council voted to increase the bond ordinance from $2.75 million to $7.25 million, to pay for repairs and upgrades to handle flooding and drainage issues at the stadium.

The council voted Wednesday to allocate $2.2 million in federal COVID-relief funds to a 100-unit, affordable housing project.

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said the $99.4 million budget will include investments in housing, public safety and infrastructure.

Binghamton City Council voted to decrease the number of positions and increase salaries in the code enforcement office. But there’s already some desire to bring those positions back.

Democrats on Binghamton City Council proposed legislation to hire a third party to conduct an independent investigation of the arrest of Hamail Waddell earlier this month, which Mayor Jared Kraham says is “moot” now the attorney general is involved.

The charges stem from a City Council meeting last summer.

The city will also lower the maximum height property owners can keep their lawns from 10 inches to eight inches.

The City of Binghamton has tabled its plan to build a multi-million dollar youth and community center for Columbus Park.