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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2020-08-05COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. August 5, 2020 PRESENT: Mayor Myrick Alderpersons (10) Brock, McGonigal, Murtagh, Nguyen, Gearhart, Fleming, Smith, Kerslick, Lewis, Mohlenhoff OTHERS PRESENT: City Clerk – Conley Holcomb City Attorney – Lavine City Controller – Thayer Director of Planning and Development – Cornish Deputy Director of Economic Development - Knipe Superintendent of Public Works – Thorne Newman Golf Course Manager – Michael Addicott Director of Parking and Transportation – Hathaway Human Resources Director – Michell-Nunn Chief of Staff - Cogan ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: There were no additions to or deletions from the agenda. PETITIONS AND HEARINGS OF PERSONS BEFORE COUNCIL: City Clerk Conley Holcomb read excerpts of the public comments received from the following people: Richard Onyejuruwa Jacob Seegers Todd Smith John Horn Irginia Miller Rosie Grady Sayvetz Chris White Brooke McNally Sheila Out Christy French Brion Scimae Laurel McIntyre Devon Buckley Lisa Bertuzzi Amanda Kirchgessner Marilee Murphy Lloyd Katz Elizabeth Salon Leeonne Loveless Rita Boratav Stuart Merson Carl Gibson Rebecca Holland Adam Posey Patricia Shea Lisa Margaret Kelli Farrell Allison DeSario M Blodgett April Peress Irina Peress Samuel Townsend Vanessa Wood Carol Chernikoff David Gallahan Lennessa Trent Deserie Quinones Carmeo Rome Aria Tiphereth Mike Marsh Amanda Moretti Noel Blatt Melissa Walters Bert Scholl Danny Fox Sharon Barbell Kelly Donnelly Gordon W. Ellis Madeline McCann Sareanda Lourdes Chelsey Kingsley JD Starman Quinn Kingsley Wren Kingsley Walter Hartman Salvador Sarmiento Alan Cameron Ravi Walsh Andrew Molnar Spencer Heaps Maytali Novak Sarah Glenn Ram Venkat Robert Coville August 5, 2020 2 Lucas Matheson Adam Monzella Mark Fernandez Zoran Cerar Marie Molnar Olga Ivanova Henry Fitzgerald Asif Ullah PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – COMMON COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR: Alderperson McGonigal reported that the Census committee still needs workers to go door-to-door to assist people with filling out their census forms. He described the challenges of getting Cornell and Ithaca College students counted. He encouraged everyone to use their listservs and social media sites to push this information out to the public. Chief of Staff Cogan reported that people can call 844-330-2020 or go to 2020census.gov. Census takers will be starting work in this area next week. Having an accurate Census count could mean millions of dollars to the community in federal funding. Alderperson Lewis thanked everyone who took the time to submit comments. She noted it is more helpful for Council members to receive individual comments vs. cut and paste messages and that it is better to request vs. demand action. She further shared information about how people could view the information forum that took place on June 21, 2020. Alderperson Brock thanked everyone for their comments and noted that Common Council expects to see the small cell facilities design guidelines soon. She acknowledged that the public forum wasn’t for public comment but did have experts in the field that answered questions. Alderperson McGonigal recognized the retirement of Information Management Specialist Sarah Myers and thanked her for her service and dedication to the City of Ithaca. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 3.1 Resolution Enabling the City to Extend Certain Deadlines for Construction Projects Delayed Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic By Alderperson McGonigal: Seconded by Alderperson Mohlenhoff WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order 202 declaring a disaster emergency in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, the Governor recently signed a bill (S8236A/A10409) authorizing local governments to extend building permits, zoning board approvals, and planning board approvals for a period of 120 days for the duration of the state disaster emergency declaration; and WHEREAS, Planning and Building Division staff recognize that various construction projects within the City may have been delayed or continue to be delayed due to the COVID-19 restrictions; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That for the duration of the stated disaster emergency declared pursuant to executive order 202 of 2020, the Director of Planning, Building and Economic Development or her designee may extend for a period of up to 120 days beyond the stated expiration date any building permits, Board of Zoning Appeals approvals and/or Planning Board approvals issued before March 7, 2020. Carried Unanimously 3.2 Approval of Just a Taste Restaurant Alcohol Permit Request By Alderperson McGonigal: Seconded by Alderperson Mohlenhoff WHEREAS, Just a Taste restaurant has requested permission to utilize certain areas along Aurora Street for outdoor dining; and WHEREAS, this use of public property has been deemed proper and successful, and 3 August 5, 2020 WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca wishes to promote diverse uses of the Primary and Secondary Commons, including outdoor dining; and WHEREAS, it is Common Council's responsibility to determine whether or not to allow the serving and consumption of alcohol on the Primary and Secondary Commons; and WHEREAS, Common Council has determined that the use of this public property for outdoor dining at the Just a Taste Restaurant, including the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol, is desirable; and WHEREAS, Common Council has determined that any use of this or similar public property involving the same and consumption of alcohol should be covered by a minimum of $1,000,000 insurance under the Dram Shop Act; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, For the year 2020, Common Council hereby approves a revocable Alcoholic Beverage Permit for the outdoor sale and consumption of alcohol for the Just a Taste Restaurant that includes the sale of alcohol in accord with the terms and conditions set forth in application therefore, including minimum Dram Shop coverage in the amount of $1,000,000 and the approval of an outdoor dining permit. Carried Unanimously CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE: 4.1 Funding of Traffic Signal Replacement at State/Stewart, Cayuga/Lincoln, Cayuga/Tompkins – Resolution By Alderperson Mohlenhoff: Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick WHEREAS, capital project #852, Pedestrian Safety Improvements, was approved by Common Council at its regular meeting on November 7, 2018 in the amount of $590,000, and WHEREAS, The City of Ithaca has now received a $590,000 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan grant, which includes improvements at the signalized intersections of E MLK Jr/E State Street & Stewart Avenue, Cayuga Street & Lincoln Street, and Cayuga Street & Tompkins Street, and WHEREAS, the grant only covers construction of pedestrian safety enhancements, such as pedestrian signal heads and push buttons, and WHEREAS, the signal equipment at these intersections is nearing the end of its useful life, and WHEREAS, the signal head at the intersection of Cayuga & Lincoln is low enough that it was recently struck by a truck and cannot function properly as a result, and WHEREAS, there would be an increased cost to build only the pedestrian improvements now and the full reconstruction later, and now, WHEREAS, the traffic signal at the intersection of Cayuga & Lincoln cannot function properly without $15,000 of equipment replacement that can be reused at other intersections at a later time; now, therefore be it - REMOVE RESOLVED, That Common Council approves the additional funding of $175,000 for the construction costs beyond the grant funded improvements to reconstruct the traffic signals at the signalized intersections of E MLK Jr/E State Street & Stewart Avenue, Cayuga Street & Lincoln Street, and Cayuga Street & Tompkins Street, and, be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council amends Capital Project #852 Pedestrian Safety Improvements by an amount not to exceed $175,000 for a total project authorization of $765,000, and, be it further RESOLVED, That funding for said project amendment shall be derived from the issuance of Serial Bonds. August 5, 2020 4 Director of Parking and Transportation Hathaway reported that the City Electrician was able to repair the signal at Cayuga and Lincoln Streets so the additional $15,000 originally requested is no longer needed. Discussion followed on the floor with City Controller Thayer explaining that bonding will be necessary to facilitate the additional $175,000 funding request when this project is started. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: 5.1 A Local Law to Establish a Sustainable Energy Loan Program (Open C- PACE) in the City of Ithaca By Alderperson Murtagh: Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen Local Law 2020- BE IT ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca (the “Municipality”) as follows: Section 1. This local law shall be known as the “Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program” and shall repeal and replace the existing provisions of Article VII, Chapter 4 of the City Code. This local law shall read as follows: ARTICLE I §1. Legislative findings, intent and purpose, authority. A.It is the policy of both the Municipality and the State of New York (the “State”) to achieve energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the effect of global climate change, and advance a clean energy economy. The Municipality finds that it can fulfill this policy by providing property assessed clean energy financing to Qualified Property Owners (as defined below) for the installation of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency measures. This local law establishes a program that will allow the Energy Improvement Corporation (as defined below, “EIC”), a local development corporation, acting on behalf of the Municipality pursuant to the municipal agreement (the “Municipal Agreement”) to be entered into between the Municipality and EIC, to make funds available to Qualified Property Owners that will be repaid through charges on the real properties benefited by such funds, thereby fulfilling the purposes of this local law and accomplishing an important public purpose. This local law provides a method of implementing the public policies expressed by, and exercising the authority provided by, Article 5-L of the General Municipal Law (as defined below, the “Enabling Act”). B.The Municipality is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the Municipal Agreement and otherwise to implement this Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program pursuant to the Constitution and laws of New York, including particularly Article IX of the Constitution, Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, the Enabling Act and this local law. C.This local law, which is adopted pursuant to Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law and the Enabling Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Energize NY Open C-PACE Local Law”. §2. Definitions A.Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned in the Enabling Act. B.For purposes of this local law, and unless otherwise expressly stated or unless the context requires, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: August 5, 2020 5 Annual Installment Amount – shall have the meaning assigned in Section 8, paragraph B. Annual Installment Lien – shall have the meaning assigned in Section 8 paragraph B. Authority – the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Benefit Assessment Lien – shall have the meaning assigned in Section 3, paragraph A. Benefited Property – Qualified Property for which the Qualified Property Owner has entered into a Finance Agreement for a Qualified Project. Benefited Property Owner – the owner of record of a Benefited Property. EIC – the Energy Improvement Corporation, a local development corporation, duly organized under section 1411 of the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law of the State, authorized hereby on behalf of the Municipality to implement the Program by providing funds to Qualified Property Owners and providing for repayment of such funds from money collected by or on behalf of the Municipality as a charge to be levied on the real property. Eligible Costs – costs incurred by the Benefited Property Owner in connection with a Qualified Project and the related Finance Agreement, including application fees, EIC’s Program administration fee, closing costs and fees, title and appraisal fees, professionals’ fees, permits, fees for design and drawings and any other related fees, expenses and costs, in each case as approved by EIC and the Financing Party under the Finance Agreement Enabling Act – Article 5-L of the General Municipal Law of the State, or a successor law, as in effect from time to time. Finance Agreement – the finance agreement described in Section 6A of this local law. Financing Charges – all charges, fees and expenses related to the loan under the Finance Agreement including accrued interest, capitalized interest, prepayment premiums, and penalties as a result of a default or late payment and costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the Financing Party as a result of a foreclosure or other legal proceeding brought against the Benefited Property to enforce any delinquent Annual Installment Liens. Financing Parties – Third party capital providers approved by EIC to provide financing to Qualified Property Owners or other financial support to the Program which have entered into separate agreements with EIC to administer the Program in the Municipality. Municipality – the City of Ithaca, a municipality of the State constituting a tax district as defined in Section 1102 of the RPTL of the State. Municipal Lien – a lien on Qualified Property which secures the obligation to pay real property taxes, municipal charges, or governmentally imposed assessments in respect of services or benefits to a Qualified Property. Non-Municipal Lien – a lien on Qualified Property which secures any obligation other than the obligation to pay real property taxes, municipal charges, or governmentally- imposed assessments in respect of services or benefits to a Qualified Property Owner or Qualified Property. Program – the Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program authorized hereby. Qualified Project – the acquisition, construction, reconstruction or equipping of Energy Efficiency Improvements or Renewable Energy Systems or other projects authorized August 5, 2020 6 under the Enabling Act on a Qualified Property, together with a related Energy Audit, Renewable Energy System Feasibility Study and/or other requirements under or pursuant to the Enabling Act, with funds provided in whole or in part by Financing Parties under the Program to achieve the purposes of the Enabling Act. Qualified Property – Any real property other than a residential building containing less than three dwelling units, which is within the boundaries of the Municipality that has been determined to be eligible to participate in the Program under the procedures for eligibility set forth under this local law and the Enabling Act and has become the site of a Qualified Project. Qualified Property Owner – the owner of record of Qualified Property which has been determined by EIC to meet the requirements for participation in the Program as an owner, and any transferee owner of such Qualified Property. RPTL – the Real Property Tax Law of the State, as amended from time to time. Secured Amount – as of any date, the aggregate amount of principal loaned to the Qualified Property Owner for a Qualified Project, together with Eligible Costs and Financing Charges, as provided herein or in the Finance Agreement, as reduced pursuant to Section 8, paragraph C. State – the State of New York. §3. Establishment of an Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program A. An Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program is hereby established by the Municipality, whereby EIC acting on its behalf pursuant to the Municipal Agreement, may arrange for the provision of funds by Financing Parties to Qualified Property Owners in accordance with the Enabling Act and the procedures set forth under this local law, to finance the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, and installation of Qualified Projects and Eligible Costs and Financing Charges approved by EIC and by the Financing Party under the Finance Agreement. EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, and with the consent of the Benefited Property Owner, will record a Benefit Assessment Lien on the Benefited Property in the Secured Amount (the “Benefit Assessment Lien”) on the land records for the Municipality. Such recording shall be exempt from any charge, mortgage recording tax or other fee in the same manner as if recorded by the Municipality. B. Before a Qualified Property Owner and a Financing Party enter into a Finance Agreement which results in a loan to finance a Qualified Project, repayment of which is secured by a Benefit Assessment Lien, a written consent from each existing mortgage holder of the Qualified Property shall be obtained, permitting the Benefit Assessment Lien and each Annual Installment Lien to take priority over all existing mortgages. §4. Procedures for eligibility A. Any property owner in the Municipality may submit an application to EIC on such forms as have been prepared by EIC and made available to property owners on the website of EIC and at the Municipality’s offices. B. Every application submitted by a property owner shall be reviewed by EIC, acting on behalf of the Municipality, which shall make a positive or negative determination on such application based upon the criteria enumerated in the Enabling Act and § 5 of this local law. EIC may also request further information from the property owner where necessary to aid in its determination. C. If a positive determination on an application is made by EIC, acting on behalf of the Municipality, the property owner shall be deemed a Qualified Property Owner and shall be eligible to participate in the Program in accordance with § 6 of this local law. August 5, 2020 7 §5. Application criteria Upon the submission of an application, EIC, acting on behalf of the Municipality, shall make a positive or negative determination on such application based upon the following criteria for the making of a financing: A. The property owner may not be in bankruptcy and the property may not constitute property subject to any pending bankruptcy proceeding; B. The amount financed under the Program shall be repaid over a term not to exceed the weighted average of the useful life of Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements to be installed on the property as determined by EIC; C. Sufficient funds are available from Financing Parties to provide financing to the property owner; D. The property owner is current in payments on any existing mortgage on the Qualified Property; E. The property owner is current in payments on any real property taxes on the Qualified Property; and F. Such additional criteria, not inconsistent with the criteria set forth above, as the State, the Municipality, or EIC acting on its behalf, or other Financing Parties may set from time to time. §6. Energize NY Finance Agreement A. A Qualified Property Owner may participate in the Program through the execution of a finance agreement made by and between the Qualified Property Owner and a Financing Party, to which EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, shall be a third-party beneficiary (the “Finance Agreement”). Upon execution and delivery of the Finance Agreement, the property that is the subject of the Finance Agreement shall be deemed a “Benefited Property”). B. Upon execution and delivery of the Finance Agreement, the Benefited Property Owner shall be eligible to receive funds from the Financing Party for the acquisition, construction, and installation of a Qualified Project, together with Eligible Costs and Financing Charges approved by EIC and by the Financing Party, provided the requirements of the Enabling Act, the Municipal Agreement and this local law have been met. C. The Finance Agreement shall include the terms and conditions of repayment of the Secured Amount and the Annual Installment Amounts. D. EIC may charge fees to offset the costs of administering the Program and such fees, if not paid by the Financing Party, shall be added to the Secured Amount. §7. Terms and conditions of repayment The Finance Agreement shall set forth the terms and conditions of repayment in accordance with the following: A. The principal amount of the funds loaned to the Benefited Property Owner for the Qualified Project, together with Eligible Costs and Financing Charges approved by EIC and by the Financing Party, shall be specially assessed against the Benefited Property and will be evidenced by a Benefit Assessment Lien recorded against the Benefited Property on the land records on which liens are recorded for properties within the Municipality. The special benefit assessment shall constitute a “charge” within the meaning of the Enabling Act and shall be collected in annual installments in the amounts certified by the Financing Party in a schedule provided at closing and made part of the Benefit Assessment Lien. Said amount shall be annually levied, billed and collected by EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, and shall be paid to the Financing Party as provided in the Finance Agreement. August 5, 2020 8 B. The term of such repayment shall be determined at the time the Finance Agreement is executed by the Benefited Property Owner and the Financing Party, not to exceed the weighted average of the useful life of the systems and improvements as determined by EIC, acting on behalf of the Municipality. C. The rate of interest for the Secured Amount shall be fixed by the Financing Party in conjunction with EIC, acting on behalf of the Municipality, as provided in the Finance Agreement. §8. Levy of Annual Installment Amount and Creation of Annual Installment Lien A. Upon the making of the loan pursuant to the Finance Agreement, the Secured Amount shall become a special Benefit Assessment Lien on the Benefited Property in favor of the Municipality. The amount of the Benefit Assessment Lien shall be the Secured Amount. Evidence of the Benefit Assessment Lien shall be recorded by EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, in the land records for properties in the Municipality. Such recording shall be exempt from any charge, mortgage recording tax or other fee in the same manner as if recorded by the Municipality. The Benefit Assessment Lien shall not be foreclosed upon by or otherwise enforced by the Municipality. B. The Finance Agreement shall provide for the repayment of the Secured Amount in installments made at least annually, as provided in a schedule attached to the Benefit Assessment Lien (the “Annual Installment Amount”). The Annual Installment Amount shall be levied by EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, on the Benefited Property in the same manner as levies for municipal charges, shall become a lien on the Benefited Property as of the first day of January of the fiscal year for which levied (the “Annual Installment Lien”) and shall remain a lien until paid. The creation or any recording of the Annual Installment Lien shall be exempt from any charge, mortgage recording tax or other fee in the same manner as if recorded by the Municipality. Payment to the Financing Party shall be considered payment for this purpose. Such payment shall partly or wholly discharge the Annual Installment Lien. Delinquent Annual Installment Amounts may accrue Financing Charges as may be provided in the Finance Agreement. Any additional Financing Charges imposed by the Financing Party pursuant to the Finance Agreement shall increase the Annual Installment Amount and the Annual Installment Lien for the year in which such overdue payments were first due. C. The Benefit Assessment Lien shall be reduced annually by the amount of each Annual Installment Lien when each Annual Installment Lien becomes a lien. Each Annual Installment Lien shall be subordinate to all Municipal Liens, whether created by Section 902 of the RPTL or by any other State or local law. No portion of a Secured Amount shall be recovered by the Municipality, EIC, or an assignee upon foreclosure, sale or other disposition of the Benefited Property unless and until all Municipal Liens are fully discharged. Each Annual Installment Lien, however, shall have priority over all Non-Municipal Liens, irrespective of when created, except as otherwise required by law. D. Neither the Benefit Assessment Lien nor any Annual Installment Lien shall be extinguished or accelerated in the event of a default or bankruptcy of the Benefited Property Owner. Each Annual Installment Amount shall be considered a charge upon the Benefited Property and shall be collected by EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, at the same time and in the same manner as real property taxes or municipal charges. Each Annual Installment Lien shall remain a lien until paid. Amounts collected in respect of an Annual Installment Lien shall be remitted to EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, or the Financing Party, as may be provided in the Finance Agreement. E. EIC shall act as the Municipality’s agent in collection of the Annual Installment Amounts. If any Benefited Property Owner fails to pay an Annual Installment Amount, the Financing Party may redeem the Benefited Property by paying the amount of all unpaid Municipal Liens thereon, and thereafter shall have the right to collect any amounts in respect of an Annual Installment Lien by foreclosure or any other remedy available at law. Any foreclosure shall not affect any subsequent Annual Installment Liens. August 5, 2020 9 F. EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, may sell or assign for consideration any and all Benefit Assessment Liens and Annual Installment Liens to Financing Parties that provide financing to Qualified Properties pursuant to Finance Agreements. The Financing Parties may sell or assign for consideration any and all Benefit Assessment Liens and Annual Installment Liens received from EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, subject to certain conditions provided in the administration agreement between EIC and the Financing Party. The assignee or assignees of such Benefit Assessment Liens and Annual Installment Liens shall have and possess the same powers and rights at law or in equity as the Municipality would have had if the Benefit Assessment Lien and the Annual Installment Liens had not been assigned with regard to the precedence and priority of such lien, the accrual of interest and the fees and expenses of collection. §9. Verification and report EIC, on behalf of the Municipality, shall verify and report on the installation and performance of Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements financed by the Program in such form and manner as the Authority may establish. §10. Separability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part of this local law shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part thereof involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered. Section 2. This local law shall take effect upon filing with the Secretary of State. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the removal of administrative responsibility from the municipality, the placement of liens on the affected property, the advantages of borrowing from this program for both residents and developers, and the fact that this program is strictly for energy improvements. A Roll Call vote on the Local Law resulted as follows: Alderperson Brock - Nay Alderperson McGonigal – Aye Alderperson Nguyen – Aye Alderperson Murtagh – Aye Alderperson Gearhart – Aye Alderperson Fleming – Aye Alderperson Smith – Aye Alderperson Kerslick – Aye Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Aye Alderperson Lewis - Aye Carried 9-1 5.2 Authorization for Municipal Agreement with the Energy Improvement Corporation to Implement the Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program By Alderperson Murtagh: Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick WHEREAS, by Local Law No. 2015-2, the City of Ithaca created the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program (also known as the Sustainable Energy Loan Program) utilizing the Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC), a local development corporation acting on behalf of the City, to provide Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing to assist qualified property owners who undertake energy efficiency measures and install renewable energy systems, and WHEREAS, in 2015 the City entered into a Municipal Agreement with EIC to administer the Energize NY Benefit Financing Program, and WHEREAS, in 2018 the City amended the NY Benefit Financing Program by local law No. 2018-1 and modified its agreement with EIC to enable changes made by New York State at the local level, and WHEREAS, in 2019 EIC launched a new PACE financing program called Open C- PACE which replaces EIC’s former PACE program and enables municipalities to offer the public benefit of PACE without incurring any administrative or financial obligations, and August 5, 2020 10 WHEREAS, in June 2019, Common Council adopted the Ithaca Green New Deal which included a goal to achieve a carbon neutral city by 2030 and with which Open C-PACE is in alignment, and WHEREAS, by Local Law No. 2020-XX, known as the “Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program”, the City of Ithaca repeals and replaces the City’s former PACE law embodied in the provisions of Article VII, Chapter 4 of the City Code, and WHEREAS, a new Municipal Agreement is required to establish the roles, responsibilities, and obligations of EIC and the City in the administration of the new Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Mayor, upon review of the City Attorney, is hereby authorized to enter into a Municipal Agreement with the Energy Improvement Corporation, a local development corporation, to implement the Energize NY Open C-PACE Financing Program; this program will allow EIC, acting on behalf of the City, to make funds available to qualified property owners to fund renewable energy systems and energy efficiency measures on commercial properties, and, be it further RESOLVED, That said agreement shall be at no cost to the City, and, be it further RESOLVED, That said agreement shall be in substantially the same form as the Agreement attached hereto as "Appendix A" subject to the approval of the City Attorney. Discussion followed regarding the clarifications that were made to the Municipal Agreement after the Planning & Economic Development Committee meeting. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (9) McGonigal, Nguyen, Murtagh, Gearhart, Flemming, Smith, Kerslick, Mohlenhoff, Lewis Nays (1) Brock Carried (9-1) Special Budget Meeting Discussion Items: Alderperson Mohlenhoff announced that there would not be a Special Budget Meeting on August 12th, but there will be one on September 9, 2020. She asked Council to forward information on potential topics. 6.1 Budget overview and furloughs: City Controller Thayer reported on the following: • There are still a lot of unknowns in terms of budget projections. • The City is preparing for a $4-$13 million deficit for 2020. Everything seems to be trending toward the lower end of the scale. A $5.4 million budget adjustment was made earlier this year. • Building permit revenue is stable and the community donations to fund specific youth services have been very much appreciated. • There is a projection of a 20% reduction in NYS Aid to Municipalities ($522,000); however, no action has been taken to date. There is a projected reduction for 2021 as well. • It looks less likely that the City will receive additional Federal Aid. The Unemployment Insurance benefit enhancement appears to have ended. The regular NYS unemployment maximum $504 a week. • Cornell and Ithaca College students are coming back with modified activity, which is good news for the local economy. • Phase 4 of Recovery: more economic activity is occurring; however, some businesses have been forced to close. • Will there be a second wave of virus? There is some level of risk with the return of the students. August 5, 2020 11 2020 activity: • Sales Tax - $15.6 million was budgeted – $6.5 million has been collected to date. This is 15.5% ($1 million) lower than 2019 activity. The Second sales tax collection was 32% lower than budgeted; however, it is believed that is the lowest point for collections. He is projecting the 3rd quarter collection to be 20% lower, and the 4th quarter 17% lower than budgeted. There is a potential loss of $2.7 million in sales tax revenue. • Parking Revenue – $923,000 collected today which is $700,000+ less than budgeted. The City was losing approximately $200,000 per month in parking revenue; however, parking fees have been reinstated. • Fine Revenue is $205,000 less than budgeted. • Youth Programming Revenues are down but have been offset by programming cost reductions. • Property Tax Payments – there are 6.13% of uncollected taxes ($1million). The normal percentage of uncollected property taxes is approximately 1-1.5%. • Building Department Revenue – fees are down $180,000; however, permits are up by 136%. $1.7 million has been collected to date. • Furloughs – 41 employees have been reinstated out of 85. There are still approximately 39 employees on furlough. This has resulted in $771,000 in savings. • Health Insurance – 89 employees have moved to Platinum Plan. • Community donations – there has been incredible support from local businesses and community members. $110,000, $25,000, $80,000 have been donated for the return of youth programming. Smaller donations have gone to the general fund for various other services. He thanked the donors for their generosity. • Fund balance – the fund balance is $10.3 million which equates to 17.5% of operations. $684,000 is expected to be used in 2020 for additional litigation costs and COVID-19 related expenses. • Solid Waste Fund – is down $70,000. There have been some improvements and various future savings are being explored. • Water fund – is $113,000 ahead. • Sewer fund – is $50,000 ahead. City Controller Thayer stated that he is not recommending further cuts at this time. He further explained that the 2021 Budget Guidelines have been given to the departments and budget proposals are due on August 7, 2020. They have been asked to provide budget scenarios of -3% and -15%. The budget should fall somewhere in between. He further shared some of his 2021 budget projections. Comments on 2021 Budget Survey Data New fee structures will be discussed at the September Special Budget Meeting. Alderperson Brock requested a listing of current fees and the last time they were revised. 6.2 Newman Golf Course Chief of Staff Cogan noted that a summary of the financials for the golf course over the last few years was included in the agenda packet. He stated that the golf course runs at a deficit like other recreational facilities in the City. He shared the link to the Parks Master Plan and reviewed the general results: golf is considered a popular sport and approximately 10% of City residents identified a golf course as a need. Golf Course Manager Addicott thanked everyone for touring the golf course. He explained that historically the golf course has been scrutinized and identified as something to be cut from the budget but noted that it is a very important resource to many people. Superintendent of Public Works Thorne added that Golf Course Manager Addicott runs the golf course on a shoe-string budget and does a very good job. He stated that there is not a lot of slack to cut from the budget and voiced skepticism that a third party could run the course and turn a profit. August 5, 2020 12 Planning and Development Director Cornish stated that this golf course has given a lot of local youth an opportunity to be exposed to golf, which is a lifelong sport. The Parks Master Plan envisioned a new club house to enhance the course. Further discussion followed on how 3rd party management would be explored, the opportunities available with the City Harbor development project, potential off-season uses for the course, the process required to unpark the parkland, irrigation issues, and potential fee structures. 6.3 Options for public comment during budget season and at other remotely conducted meetings of Common Council and City Committees Alderperson Mohlenhoff shared three options that emerged from her benchmarking efforts on how to provide a balanced way for people to provide input on topics while the City is conducting virtual meetings. OPTION A – REGISTERED ZOOM PARTICIPANTS Allow registered commenters to be admitted to the Zoom meeting for their usual 3 minutes of comment via video or telephone. Registration would be open for 2 hours prior to the start of the meeting. Anyone wishing to comment must register using their name, location, and phone number so that they can be identified in the Zoom waiting room. People would be moved into the meeting in the order that they registered to speak. PROS: It is a similar process to when we hold in person meetings and allows for phone and video comments. CONS: If a high volume of people register, it could extend the length of the meeting. Knowing the number of registered speakers could allow Council to adjust the speaking time limit. OPTION B – HOLD SEPARATE MEETINGS JUST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT A separate night, or separate time period could be selected on the meeting night and a separate Zoom link would be created just for public comment. Once the voting portion of the meeting started, there would not be members of the public present. There could be advance registration requirements or just allow the session to be open. PROS: It would allow for phone and video comments and would allow more time for public comment. CONS: It would add an extra meeting for Council and a new time to communicate to the public, which could be unwieldy with a high number of commenters. It would be hard to keep an order of who should speak when. OPTION C – ALLOW PEOPLE TO SEND IN VIDEOS Set up a mechanism for people to send in short videos that could be watched at Common Council’s discretion. The video comments could be either summarized and announced at a meeting or made available for the public to view. Some cities have set up kiosks for this in City Hall. PROS: Allows anyone to participate, does not create an extra meeting or lengthen an existing meeting CONS: We do not have a kiosk or the IT infrastructure to set this up Discussion followed with Council members voicing their preferred option. Alderperson Mohlenhoff recommended that an e-mail option is retained along with whatever other approach is adopted. Common Council members selected Option A with minor modifications. August 5, 2020 13 MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS: Approval of minutes was deferred. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. The video of this meeting can be found on the City’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/CityofIthacaPublicMeetings ______________________________ _______________________________ Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Svante L. Myrick City Clerk Mayor Richard Onyejuruwa  Ithaca  While i understand  that the city faces a number of issues I want  to remind and follow up on the matter  involving Investigator Barksdale. May I know if the city has any updates on how it will proceed or where  matters current are, with respect to the information that can be made available?   With Cornell being a strong contributor to making test available, with students from both Ithaca College  and Cornell returning to campus this fall, is the city prepared to provide medical service should an out  break takes place? I believe there are about 170 cases in Tompkins county so far.   Lastly, recently the board of public works met and discussed essentially its existence and role moving  forward. The conversation has moved forward to committee levels. Ultimately, one can assume that the  matter will come down to council deciding whether to dissolve the board, change its operations in  specific ways, or increase funding and staffing for it administrative operations. With regards to increase  in funds and staff, does council believe it will prepared to or likely to increase funds and staff toward this  board?     Jacob Seegers  Ithaca  5g is a way lower energy than visible light.   If you made a system that focused 5g at people, like the  military has, it would feel warm, but that’s all it could do.  This system is akin to using a giant magnifying  glass.  If you’re afraid of 5g, then you should be afraid of street lights, because they emit higher energy  frequencies.  In fact when streetlights were introduced people thought they would cause madness.   5g can't penetrate rain, and therefore, It definitely can’t penetrate skin.  People in this community  experience symptoms of electromagnetic sensitivity.  It's not a testable and provable disease, but since  they believe in it, it causes pain for them.  That's the real problem here.    Todd Smith  Ithaca  Please do not allow Cornell to reopen this fall. When fall semester starts up each year, our city is full  with students and parents from all over the world. By allowing Cornell to reopen, it puts our surrounding  communities in harms way. An unnecessary risk. While I understand that they’re doing testing, the risk  for folks in Ithaca is too high. Students will find ways to party on the weekends. Places like stores, buses  and streets will become overcrowded. How are folks in town suppose to get to work if a bus is full?  Buses can’t run at full capacity at the moment. This will be a problem. Grocery stores have a limit on  how many people can be inside. With the increase of students, folks who live here will need to wait just  to get basic food items. When we shut down the first time, It took us a while before items were back in  stock. Some items haven’t been available since before the shutdown. With the increase demand, it will  overwhelm our stores, our community and it will cause our community additional stress. We can’t  afford to shut down again. Ithaca has done a good job of reducing cases. I also don’t agree with Cornell  reducing employees salary. That hurts our community. Seems that they are cutting back and increasing  spending on covid expenses just to reopen and make money vs taking care of our community and the  employees who are our neighbors and friends. They should go fully remote as these students can learn  remotely until spring 2020 or bring back less than half of their students.      John Horn  Ithaca  Thank you to all for the work you’ve done for our community.   I would like to provide feedback. Regarding zoom, friendly reminder to mute yourself and unmute as  needed. That way we can see who is talking. If you don’t have a good connection, you can always call in  for audio and connect on the computer via zoom for video. Zoom has many features including raising  your hand. Please take some time to review these features as they may prove to be helpful. I  recommend for you to look into zoom webinar. It allows for CC members to become panelists having full  control and allowing the public to attend as attendees (having no control, can’t speak or show video).  Public can communicate by the chat or Q&A chat. The panelists can give and take permission for the  public to speak and show video if necessary (public comment section).  *Off the record ‐ For Alderperson Ducson Nguyen, we have trouble hearing you on YouTube. Not sure if  it’s your mic but I wanted to make sure you were aware. Thank you for all you do and for keeping us  posted via Facebook and Twitter. I recommend for everyone to check the past recording to make sure  your audio is coming through clearly.     *Irginia Miller  Caroline  I own property in Ithaca. I am very concerned about bringing 5G here. I worry that not enough research  has been done to assure the safety of the technology. I worry about the aesthetics of the installations.  And I don’t see the need to rush into something that is not proven to be needed.  Are you trying to  convince people to move here because we have advanced technology only for them to be possibly  harmed by it. We don’t need it anymore than other towns or countries that have reconsidered it after  careful thought to the benefits versus dangers. We must be more knowledgeable about something that  has such powerful negative potential. I’m surprised.by this Council’s lack of transparency. It feels an  awful lot like what’s going on at the federal level. Stop and listen to the people you work for. Please.          Rosie grady sayvetz  City of Ithaca  Hello, my name is Rosie Grady Sayvetz, I would like to address to you, our council members, my  concerns regarding your decision to install a 5G network in Ithaca. It is my understanding that there is a  lack of evidence supporting the safety of this latest technology, and it is upsetting to me to think that my  own city government would consider implementing such a system without CONCRETE PROOF of its  safety for all the residents of this town. I urge you to stay your decision to roll out 5G until there has  been sufficient evidence provided that it is in fact NOT harmful in any way.   Thank you for your time and consideration.    Chris White  Town of Ithaca  I am opposed to the installation of a 5G network in Ithaca because of the health risks, antennas  everywhere, downtown aesthetic, ecological impact, property values declining, federal government  overreach, can't guarantee safety, lack of added benefits of 5G, privacy and surveillance concerns, etc.  I ask the Council to follow the lead of other places around the country and world and stop 5G in Ithaca,  hold a public forum on the issue before deciding, listen to your constituents who don't consent to the  exponential increase in involuntary radiation.    Brooke McNally  City of Ithaca  I am a resident in the neighborhood that has been identified as a place to install 5G towers  I, and my family are opposed to the toxic repercussions and deadly harm emitted from the radioactive  elements of this particular technology   And do not want installation of 5G!!!!!    Sheila Out  Ithaca  Dear Common Council Members.  While I've already addressed my concerns directly to my two Council Members, I wanted to provide an  official comment here.  Even if my concerns about health risks from the radiation were unfounded, I have another concern  that's less "controversial".  5G networks enable the service provider to collect enormous amounts of data on the users, infringing  on privacy and making it easier for government entities to spy on citizens.  In Portland, OR, such data  has been abused by allowing unidentified forces to track and kidnap protesters.  Please hold a public forum and listen to your constituents' concerns.    Christy French  City  5G has not been adequately studied for health and safety. The levels of radiation that 5G emit are well  beyond the range  known to be cancer causing. 5G will not only potentially harm the residents of Ithaca,   but also YOUR families.  If 5G is really just about faster internet,  what's the rush? Why not take time to  adequately study it? Why not take time to listen to professionals in the scientific community who view  5G as a health threat?   It's about time that local government do it's job in representing the people who elect them,  rather than  representing corporate interest.   For a city that claims to be "progressive" and "anti fascist", Ithaca sure seems to be "progressing"  toward fascism and totalitarianism.    I would recommend that anyone who cherishes their health and medical freedom should head for the  hills.   Those of you who have been bought out should hide your heads in shame.  Listen to the people of  Ithaca who elected you,  or vacate your position immediately.  The people are rising. What side will you  choose?    Brion Scimae  town of Ithaca  Dear Council,  I live in the town of Ithaca and and work in the City. I would like to write to express my concerns about  the implementation of 5g in Ithaca. There is truly no need for this new technology in Ithaca at this time  as 4g provides the coverage in the Ithaca area that is needed. It will not increase broadband connectivity  and will exponentially increase involuntary radiation for the residents. 5g tech does not penetrate walls  trees. Once this gets implemented and the investment is made, how many trees will have to come down  or be severely cut back in order to allow the penetration of 5g. As someone who appreciates urban  environments I would say that trees are essential to the quality of life for residents and workers in a city.  They provide an aesthetic which nurtures the human spirit, provides shade, oxygen and humanizes the  built environment of cities. I would urge the city to take the extra step of a full study to determine the  impact of the urban forest and its subsequent impact on the quality of life in our beloved and green city.   I would urge you to keep our exposure to this unnecessary radiation to a minimum. The tech companies  behind 5g literally own our media and the minimal studies that have been done have been unduly  influenced by the money and agenda of these big corporations. Please take the time to look deeply into  this issue and consult knowledge and unbiased science.   thank you   Brion    Laurel McIntyre  Ithaca  Greetings,   I am grateful for the thoughtful and informed determination of people who are wisely cautious about 4G  and 5G. We living beings are already bombarded with enough stress and toxicity in our lives. Our  immune systems need nourishment not 5G. Please do not allow it in this community until it is proven  safe.   Thank you!    Devon Buckley  Town  I have left comments here every time you all meet to discuss the plan for 5G, which I pray becomes  stalled until we the people can be proven its safety.  Hawaii has banned it until proven safe. Ithaca can  and should do the same. I see our community expanding, but if this decision becomes a detriment to  what makes our area so beautiful...young families and nature, we will have made a very poor decision  for our future.  Please pause on this move until we can be certain the health risks associated with this  radiation exposure are false. DO it for the people who have made this town a place to be! And especially  the children and our environment. 16 years I have spent protecting children from over‐stimulation of  radio frequencies. IF there are small cells destined to face my home of 13 years, I would be very  disheartened.  Please consider our voices.    Lisa Bertuzzi  City of Ithaca  I urge the Ithaca Common Council to follow the example of cities around the country and world who are  rescinding 5G. It would be the wrong decision for a City such as Ithaca not to do everything in its power  to maintain its authority as an independently‐minded City with great thinkers and innovators. Let's look  to alternatives to 5G, ones that support Ithaca's economy, environment, culture, and health. I'm  confident that it's not Council's intent to play Russian Roulette with the health of Ithacans. Please heed  our knowledgeable and educated public concerns. Thank you.    Amanda Kirchgessner  Ulysses  To Duly Elected Public Officials,  I am deeply disappointed in Common Council for failing to halt the rollout of 5G without allowing the  public an opportunity to weigh in on such potentially dangerous development. There is a reason cities  and towns across the US and globe and even some entire countries have said "No" to 5G rollout. I've  been told 80 plus comments against 5G in Ithaca aren't enough. Well what do you expect in the midst of  the worst health, social, and economic crisis in generations? Do you feel it is appropriate to enter into  contract with a multinational corporation when the public is entirely restricted from fully engaging with  the process to begin with? Have you seen the recent Reuters article about how Lockheed Martin needs  5G for unmanned tanks? Please think about what Pandora's box 5G rollout is opening. I have heard  countless reasonable reasons for you to slow this process down and just as many to stop it completely.  At the very least, you have the power and responsibility to wait until public meetings have resumed to  normal participation before moving this matter forward.  Do the right thing. 5G moratorium now.  Respectfully,  Amanda Kirchgessner    Marilee Murphy  Ithaca  I work full time in the City of Ithaca as the director of the Cancer Resource Center. I am concerned about  the rollout of 5G in our City for a number of reasons. I realize there are arguments supporting both sides  of the science related to safety and the issues ARE complex. However, there is enough data to warrant  concern and to warrant holding off until more information is available. At a minimum, a proper public  forum should be held. Something this widespread that essentially takes away citizen's choice related to  their exposure should be done with much more care than has been demonstrated thus far. Thousands  of satellites are being deployed and small cell antennas will be placed in our neighborhoods, with no  choice regarding their placement. We have no long‐term testing of the biological and health effects of  mm waves, yet we are going to expose the entire planet to these frequencies.  Does this really make  good sense?  A publication in 1971 cited over 2000 papers on the harmful effects of microwave radiation.  More recently in 2015, 248 scientists from 42 countries signed an international scientist EMF appeal that  was sent to the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environmental Program with  warnings about exposure to microwave radiation.  Medical academies are warning that guidelines are inadequate to protect children against radio  frequency radiation. Various governments around the globe are banning Wi‐Fi in schools and are  hardwiring schools with fibre optics that is faster, safer and much more secure than Wi‐Fi.    Given the lack of demonstrated safety with such widespread exposure, it ends up being fairly simple.  The Nuremberg Code is part of the International Humanitarian Law that states, â€œIt is unethical and  illegal to perform experiments on humans without their informed consent.† According to this law, 5G  should be illegal as people and communities such as ours are not giving their informed consent to be  exposed to this radiation.    Lloyd Katz  Ithaca  I strongly urge you to vote against bringing 5G to Ithaca.    Elizabeth Salon  Ithaca  As a health care provider, x 40 years,  past vice‐president and president of the Ithaca Health Alliance  board, and co‐founder of the Ithaca Free Clinic,  I am active in our community,  well versed in and very  strongly opposed to 5G in our area!  The faster speeds and other "benefits" of 5G DO NOT outweigh the  risks. The risks are enormous.  The physical damage it does cannot be escaped by humans or wildlife.    We need your protection to prevent this from coming here.   Thank you for listening!    Leeonne Loveless  Ithaca  I would like more information about 5G installation and the health impact, I would like to know what  our city is doing to provide information to our citizens. Thank you    Rita Boratav  Ithaca  Dear Ithaca City Common Council Members,  I am writing once again to ask you to at least PAUSE and/or refuse to accept 5G infrastructure in Ithaca.  Did you know that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s organization, the Children's Health Defense Fund, just filed a  lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) related to its irresponsibility in  overseeing and regulating wireless technology? From the CHDF's website: "The case is challenging the  FCC’s refusal to review its 25‐year‐old obsolete wireless â€œhealth guidelines† and  to promulgate  scientific, human evidence‐based radio frequency emissions (“RF†) rules that adequately protect  public health."   https://childrenshealthdefense.org/child‐health‐topics/known‐culprit/electromagnetic/chds‐stop‐5g‐ and‐wireless‐harms‐project‐monthly‐summary‐july‐2020/?itm_term=home  Please do the right thing and protect Ithacans from this technology.  Also, to any council members who frown upon form letters,  if someone writes to you using a form  letter, there is nothing wrong with that. That person writing a form letter is taking the time to show that  they care about this issue. Some people are not natural writers and need a form letter. Please respect all  letters, be they form letters or otherwise.   Regards,  Rita Boratav  First Ward Resident    Stuart Merson  Ithaca  To whom it may concern,    I am a long time resident, homeowner, and concerned citizen of Ithaca. When I first learned the  installation of 5g would lower property values I became concerned. I have since learned of the possible  adverse health affects this new technology may bring with it.   Numerous medical and scientific professionals agreee more research is needed if this technology is to  be proven safe and many places around the world have rescinded the rollout of 5g in their communities  for this reason.    I am asking council to be as prudent as these other communities and rescind the installation of 5g in  Ithaca until it can be proven safe.   Thank you    Carl Gibson  Town of Dryden  As someone who works and shops and owns a rental house in the City of Ithaca, I strongly urge the  Common Council to prevent the further proliferation of 5G in Ithaca until it can be conclusively shown to  be safe. Please do what is right for your constituents. Given the information that we have right now, this  is a technology that offers very little upside and a huge amount of downside. And there is absolutely no  need to rush into it. We can sit back for a few years, and watch how the science develops. Right now, an  overwhelming portion of good science shows it to be extremely dangerous. If that changes in the future,  then we can change our policy in the future. However our best current science leads us to the  inescapable conclusion that allowing widespread 5G into Ithaca would be a horrible mistake. Also once  we allow it in, if we later realize we don't want it, it will be almost impossible to get rid of. Should  Council decide to adopt 5G, I will avoid downtown as much as possible, and take my dollars elsewhere.  Sincerely,  Carl Gibson    Rebecca Holland  Ithaca  I respectfully ask that the common council reverse the approval of the Verizon Master License to install  small cell 5G radiation towers. I am especially concerned for the children that will be subjected to an  INCREASE amount of radiation since 3G/4G radiation will continue at the same amount while 5G  radiation will then be ADDED to this. The American Academy of Pediatrics is one of many medical  organizations that is calling for federal action to protect children from wireless radiation. For example,  the American Academy of Pediatrics webpage on Cell Towers states:   An Egyptian study confirmed concerns that living nearby mobile phone base stations increased the risk  for developing:    Headaches    Memory problems    Dizziness    Depression    Sleep problems   In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), our largest organization of children’s doctors, has  repeatedly written the US government that current regulations on cellular radiation are outdated and  non protective for children and pregnant women. â€œChildren are not little adults and are  disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. Current FCC  standards do not account for the unique vulnerability and use patterns specific to pregnant women and  children. It is essential that any new standard for cell phones or other wireless devices be based on  protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to ensure they are safeguarded throughout  their lifetimes.   The World Health Organization classifies EMFs as a "class 2b" carcinogen, the same classification as lead  and asbestos.  Please re‐think this decision for the future of our children.  Thank you.      Adam Posey  Ithaca  To common council,   After a few tears year's away from Ithaca my family has decided to return;  we love Ithaca  and decided   it was the best place to raise our family. When we learned  of Ithaca's plans to install 5g we were very  disappointed as this is the kind of reason we are leaving NYC. We are asking that council reconsider their  decision.  Thank you    Patricia Shea  City of Ithaca  With the information that  I have acquired 5G cell towers a negative impact on  property values,while  not bringing a comprehensive communication system to a community.More important are Health  factors that studies show possible cancer risks/DNA damage. Thank you.  Pat Shea    Lisa Margaret  City  5G has been proven to cause great harm and has a negative effect on children’s developing brains  causing physical and cellular harm. We already know radiation causes harm. So who benefits from 5G? Is  it worth the harm this will have on the people in your town? And if you allow 5G after you have been  shown the scientific research, then are you ready to be accountable for not taking the right action for  the people and children in your community?    Kelli Farrell  Ithaca Tompkins country  5G doesn’t seem necessary & may be unsafe. Please,  reconsider having it in our safe town    Allison DeSario  City of Ithaca  I am writing to express my hesitation about implementing new 5G technology and increasing the  amount of 4G antennas throughout our city. I fear that there has not been enough studies proving the  safety of this technology and the fact that it is not even necessary, since there has yet to be a proven  lack of coverage assessment done by Verizon, makes it a foolish and risky move for the Council to take.  This technology has been shown to have harmful effects on living organisms. This is not a conspiracy  theory as some of you have stated in order to brush the issue under the table. I am appalled that those  of you who have done this did not take seriously the concerns of your constituents‐ all of whom have  written in with valid thoughts and concerns.   I hope that you all have done ample research into the statements and advice given by Andrew  Campanelli at the Town forum and that you will consider following the lead of other communities  around the country and world and stop 5G in Ithaca. Thank you for the work you are doing for our  community.    M Blodgett  Ithaca  5G rollout is, simply put, not safe. It carries major long term health risks, at a time when we need to be  minimizing our health risks, not maximizing them. Let's keep Ithaca safe, until and unless the risks have  been addressed!    April Peress  Newfield  I'm a longtime community member, and I am concerned about the possibility of Ithaca installing 5G  "small cell" antennas. Ithacans don't want a cell tower antenna on utility poles on every block outside  our homes, blasting us with constant microwave radiation.   The published science is clear that EMF radiation causes harm to humans, animals, birds, bees, and  trees. 5G would increase our current level of radiation exponentially. Who is going to pay our medical  bills when we get sick from the 5G antennas? Hundreds of scientists around the world are calling for a  moratorium on 5G because it's too dangerous. Let's have Ithaca be on the right side of history and keep  5G out of our city.     Irina Peress  Ithaca  I am dismayed to see how Ithaca's government is ignoring citizen voices calling for No 5G small cells. You  work for the community, not for the approval of your colleagues. Many cities have said no to 5G due to  environmental, economic, and health concerns.  Your hands are not tied as the city attorney falsely told you: You can ban 5G! What is the harm in  rescinding the approval of 5G so that we have more time as a community to examine this issue? Why  rush this dangerous technology into Ithaca now when we're struggling with an economic collapse and a  pandemic? Let's work together to protect Ithaca from predatory Telecom companies!  Samuel Townsend  Ithaca ny  5g is harmful to not only the environment but human beings in general fiber optics is safer and superior    Vanessa Wood  Ithaca  Hello,   I am a longtime Ithaca resident (16 years) and I love living here.  I implore you to not be hasty  with making a decision on 5G.  Despite what sensational narratives Say about those simply wanting  more information, this technology is new and the science is mixed.  We haven’t seen enough  independent science, and there are possible dangerous unforeseen effects.   It is not worth it to rush it  through when there is no actual pressing need for life and society to have it at this point.  On the  contrary, if life or health for us or the environment is at risk, we will all be exposed with no choice to opt  out besides leave.  This discussion has been going on for a while, and I still have not heard a single  compelling reason why we need to rush this through.  I am taking a lead from local indigenous people  who I know and pushing for caution.  As people who are making a decision about other peoples lives and  community about something which they will not be able to avoid, I certainly hope you are taking this  very very seriously. Thank you.   Respectfully,   V Wood    Carol Chernikoff  City of Ithaca  I am concerned about the 5G cell towers mostly for health risks.  There are no guarantees about safety  of the towers, especially long in the long term.  Please follow the lead of other places around the  country and do not rush into allowing 5G in Ithaca.  Please hold a public forum on the issue before  deciding.  Thank you, Carol Chernikoff    David Gallahan  City of Ithaca  The evidence is building that 5G technology is hazardous to our community health.  We must face the fact that the FCC is a captured agency, that it is not doing its job of protecting our  health. At this point the biggest hope for our community health and for our property rights (the right to  not have harmful levels of radiation crossing onto my property) lies in the cases against the FCC that are  making their way through our court system. Ithaca must join the growing movement among local  governments (such as the island of Hawaii) to stop deployment of 5G. We should be in the forefront of  this movement and join together with other municipalities that are showing us the way.  You as a council person must take this responsibility seriously and do your best to turn this tide. Do not  wait until one of your loved ones is terribly harmed by RF radiation, accept the reality that many of your  constituents and their loved ones have already been harmed.  We need community broadband in a wired system. We have no good human reason to deploy 5G here.  The big issue is not about the Design Guidelines‐‐ unless we choose Guidelines specifying that no  harmful radiation will cross onto the property of anyone that objects to such radiation.  There are a lot of studies out now, here is the link to one piece in Scientific American that is worth  reading if you haven't seen it yet:  https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/we‐have‐no‐reason‐to‐believe‐5g‐is‐safe/  Thank you    Lennessa Trent  Willseyville  As a local business owner, parent and community member I am writing to demand the decision to  permit 5g installation be reversed and our community and children be protected from this potentially  harmful technology...    Deserie Quinones  Ithaca  I do not consent to 5G technology. It is a known military grade weapon. Not to mention 2G has been  proven dangerous!! 5G is unacceptable! And  I am speaking up about the world we leave for all future  children. I am a grandmother, and it grieves my heart to action on their behalf.    Carmeo Rome  City  I leave in ithaca for 13 years I am a mother of 2, I am extremely disappointed counsil Members are not  seem to be interested in the safety and well‐being of our community ‐ 5g is a dangerous technology ‐ plenty of independent Scientific research are suggesting that!!!other towns and countries stopped 5g in  order to protect there people ‐why you wont protect our children here in ithaca????? We DONT need  5g!!!There are better and safer options like fiber cable!!! Our health and well‐being depend on your  shoulder and on your conscious!!!!    Aria Tiphereth  Ithaca NY  I am not at all in support of the 5G network being installed until further testing shows that it is  completely safe.   At this point there is evidence that it is not safe, as many places have banned it altogether.   It would be a shame, and without integrity, to move forward with something so controversial, which  many Tompkins county residents are not in support of.    Mike Marsh  Willseyville  I am a father of three and feel 5g is unsafe for the well being of children.    Amanda Moretti  Ithaca ny  hello , I live in Fall Creek and am against 5g.  I just read an article in Scientific American that describes  the dangerous effects of many antennae and radiation.There are many scientists warning the world !  and concerned people like myself.Thank you for listening to your community.  Amanda Moretti    Noel Blatt  Ithaca  What research has the council done on the effects of 5g. Including short term and long term symptoms.  Please respond with what articles periodicals, YouTube talks, or any other information that you feel  pertinent to make an informed decision about adding 5G to etiquette. This is a discussion that should  not be made lightly as we are about to radiate all of our schools and neighborhoods with this toxic  waveform.    Melissa Walters  Town  Please stop the roll out of 5G in Ithaca as we are still not fully aware of its ecological impact or the  effects of the exponential incease in radiation.    Bert Scholl  Ithaca  I’m writing you because it is my understanding that the Council is voting on whether to go forward with  the installation of 5G In our community. I understand you have taken time to make your decision  carefully and in the best interest of our community and I thank you for that. My wish is that the city of  Ithaca only approve 5G only if you are absolutely certain without any question that there are no possible  health risks to our families and children. There’s no need for the community to hurry into it. If there is  the slightest possibility of harm as a result of the installation of 5G, I ask that you vote to postpone  installation and continue research of any potential health risks to our families and children before  approving the installation of 5G in our community.  I appreciate your dedication to our community, especially at a time like now as there is far more on your  plates than you may have hoped to sign up for.   Thank you again for your consideration,    Danny Fox  Ithaca  The resolution (item 3.3 approved on May 6, 2020) authorizing approval of a Master License Agreement  for Small Cell Facilities with 4G and 5G capability in Ithaca) needs to be rescinded.  For the health of  ourselves, our neighbors, and their children, we must not allow this technology to be installed in Ithaca’s  neighborhoods.  A prominent building biologist has been measuring Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR)  power densities of up to tens to hundreds of thousands of uW/m2  in client’s homes in neighborhoods  where new small cell 4G/low band 5G Hybrid antennas have been installed  (http://www.createhealthyhomes.com ).   Accumulated research shows these levels of RFR exposure are  dangerously high!  The consensus of scientists, medical professionals, and building biologists is the  maximum exposure to RFR should be less than 10 uW/m2 for sleeping areas and 100 uW/m2 for other  areas.    Why has the dramatic increase in exposure to RFR from wireless technology been allowed to  happen?  Wireless technology companies use the current Federal Communication Commission (FCC)  guidelines for Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) to power densities of electromagnetic fields, which  for RFR converts to 10 million microwatts/meter squared (uW/m2).   An appeal to the United Nations  signed by 253 scientists from 44 nations calls for protection of people from RFR  (http://www.emfscientist.org ).  I know from experience what the effects exposure to RFR are.  I have a condition called electromagnetic  sensitivity (EMS) which cannot be cured and can only be managed by reducing exposure to RFR.  To  survive, I reviewed published research to understand the impact of RFR on our bodies and how to  reduce my exposure to it to safe levels. Accumulated research shows that RFR from wireless antennas  and wireless devices is biologically active in humans and causes serious human health problems if the  power density is too high and exposure is too long.     I used my EMF meter to measure the strength of  the RF radiation coming from each of the small cell antennas on opposite corners of the Fall Creek  School; peak values were as high as 18,000 uW/m2 and average values were as high as 2000 uW/m2.    Within 10‐15 minutes of exposure, I had symptoms of EMS, including tinnitus and burning of my  airways, and interrupted sleep. That area of Ithaca would be unlivable for me.      Sharon Barbell  Ithaca  I am writing because I have grave concerns about 4G/5G small cell facilities. I am aware of the dangers  of this technology for all living organisms. We cannot and should not allow this into our city without  sufficient independent safety testing of which, at this time, there is none.   Do our residents know that this technology is being pushed through so quickly? Are they aware of ALL  the information concerning 5G or just what they've heard from the industry itself? This does not  constitute informed consent. For something so pervasive and health‐threatening, the residents of our  community must be given the opportunity to decide whether or not they wish to be exposed to  persistent, toxic radiation that has been shown in thousands of independent studies to be extremely  harmful and sometimes irreversibly so.   There are reasons why no insurance company in the world will insure health claims against telecom  companies, the risks are too great. There are currently many lawsuits in progress all over the world,  many here in the U.S.,against the FCC, telecom companies, and even individual members of common  councils. This is not a laughing matter, as more and more people are getting sick from radiation  poisoning. Many of these people were perfectly healthy prior to their exposure to 5G.   I urge you to please remove any and all approvals that have been given to Verizon and any other  companies involved with the installation of 4G/5G small cell, millimeter wave facilities in our city. Let's  put the brakes on before it's too late. Many cities and towns the world over have placed moratoriums or  bans on this technology until it can be proven to be 100% safe. We need to do the same thing in order  to protect our citizens, animals, and all other life forms. Instead of our city going down the path of  destruction and greed, why don't we set an example by making the decision to put our health and well‐ being above profit and power? We have an opportunity at this moment to lead, to stand up for our  residents in every way, and tell the world what our priorities really are. Common Council, do you care  enough and are you knowledgeable enough to safeguard the residents of Ithaca?    Kelly Donnelly  Ithaca New York  I visited a friend in Ithaca and loved it. I considered relocating but then I heard the city was moving  forward with 5G and changed my mind. 5G is dangerous to human health and fiber optics is much  better. I'd prefer not living in a city that bows down to Telecom conglomerates.        Gordon W Ellis  City  Dear Members of Ithaca's Common Council, I was among the close to 100 Ithacans whose letters of  concern regarding 5G were read aloud in excerpted form at your last meeting.  Bravo for giving voice to these letters which represent a wave of well founded public concern about the  dangers posed by the EMF radiation being used by todays telecommunications industry.  Lots of people have invested time and effort to become informed on this issue, we urge you to do the  same.  Once upon a time and for years the cynical Tobacco Industry lined up MDs and celebrities who testified  to the benefits of smoking.  Today's cynical telecommunications industry cannot convince an internet  savvy public that they are offering a harmless product, consequently they have applied huge sums of  money to influence legislators and to turn regulatory agencies into their sock puppet shills.   The first thing is to discover truth, truth and love lead to the blessing of a righteous joyful life.   Thanks and Aloha  Gordon    Madeline McCann  Ithaca  5G causes the free electrons orbiting the oxygen molecules in our bodies responsible for uptaking  hemoglobin to the bloodstream to STOP spinning! Meaning that it becomes increasingly difficult in  proximity to 5G towers to literally breathe. Birds drop dead out of the sky when they fly too close to the  towers. Plants perish. I understand that the council is under a great deal of pressure from various social  and political interests to serve the 5G agenda, but to choose them is to lose us. We will leave this town  and go build anew. And you're all invited. I would love to discuss this matter further if anybody is willing  to reconsider.    Sareanda Lourdes  Ithaca  Please stop the rollout of 5G in Ithaca.  It is unnecessary, and will, as usual, harm low income and people  of color the most.  Using rural low income people as an excuse to implement this untested technology is  irresponsible.  Please research alternative solutions that may safely work to supply internet to rural  folks.  I was raised poor, conservative, and rural.  I don’t want this for my people.  Thank you.   Sareanda Lourdes RN    Chelsey Kingsley  City of Ithaca  I am a demand that the council reverse it's decision to allow a 5G network to be installed in Ithaca.  Words fail to convey the concern, outrage and disappointment that this issue got through to the point  that it has to be REVERSED!!  Health EXPERTS have serious concerns about this technology and it's effect on health. There is growing  body of EVIDENCE of people suffering from the impacts of exposure to cell tower and high frequency  emfs. Please stand up for our community by stopping the installation of small antennas being  throughout our lovely city!   I am especially concerned for growing babies, children, and people with compromised immune systems  being bombarded with more electromagnetic pollution. Use your vote protect our rights to choose and  manage the amount of emfs we expose ourselves and our families to. You were not elected to make  health decisions for citizens, the installed network would eliminate our right to choose!!! Say NO to 5G  Dryden's progressive approach of installing fiber network is impressive, surely we could follow their lead  and skip this ill advised, UNWANTED, UNHEALTHY stage.  PLEASE, put an end to this, no to 5G!   Chelsey Kingsley    JD Starman  Fort Myers FL  to the City of Ithaca Common Council  I periodically work in Ithaca and I am deeply concerned about the potential health risks associated with  the 5G small‐cell infrastructure to be deployed in the City of Ithaca.  The FCC has stated that the deployment of 5G will require new small‐cell antennas on every city block,  directly in front of homes and schools. 5G will dramatically increase our daily exposure to  radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF‐EMF) in addition to the 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi‐Fi, etc. The 5G antenna  densification plan will lead to a significant increase of involuntary exposure to wireless radiation  everywhere.  Cell phones and wireless communications were never premarket safety tested for long‐term exposure to  humans when they first came on the market decades ago. Now the harmful effects of non‐ionizing  electromagnetic exposure to humans and the environment are proven. The scientists refer to the fact  that â€œnumerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF affects living organisms at levels  well below most international and national guidelines†. Since then, hundreds of doctors have signed  onto new appeals specifically calling to halt 5G.  A large number of peer‐reviewed scientific reports demonstrate harm to human health from EMFs.  Effects include increased cancer risk, increased cellular stress, increased harmful free radicals, genetic  damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits,  behavioral problems, neurological disorders, and headaches.  Damage goes well beyond the human  race, as there is growing evidence of harmful effects to trees, bees, plants, animals, and bacteria.  After the EMF scientists’ appeal was initiated in 2015, additional research has associated serious adverse  biological effects of RF‐EMF emissions from wireless technologies. The U.S. National Institutes of Health  National Toxicology Program (NTP) published its large‐scale, $30 million animal study showing DNA  damage and statistically significant increases in the incidence of brain cancer and heart cancer in  animals exposed daily to wireless radiation. These findings support the results from human  epidemiological studies finding associations between wireless radiation and brain tumor risk.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health  Organization (WHO), in 2011 concluded that EMFs at frequencies 30 KHz to 300 GHz are possibly  carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). However, since that date, new studies, including the NTP study  mentioned above and several epidemiological and experimental investigations, have increased the  evidence indicating that wireless RF‐EMF is carcinogenic. In 2019, the IARC announced plans to re‐ evaluate RF‐EMF for carcinogenicity as soon as 2022.  The EUROPA EM‐EMF Guideline 2016 states that â€ there is strong evidence that long‐term exposure to  certain EMFs is a risk factor for diseases such as certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and male  infertility.  As the U.S. Dept of the Interior stated, â€œthe electromagnetic radiation standards used by the Federal  Communications Commission (FCC) continue to be based on thermal heating, a criterion now nearly 30  years out of date and inapplicable today.† FCC guidelines only protect against heating effects (EPA  2002) and ignore the effects of pulse‐modulated signals. Scientists have repeatedly found adverse  biological effects that are caused without heating at radiation levels far below the limits in FCC  guidelines. Replicated research finds memory damage, behavioral problems and tumor promotion from  “low† legally allowed levels of wireless RF‐EMF.  There are no federally developed safety limits and there is no health and safety agency in the United  States with authority to review the research and ensure protections regarding the human health and  environmental effects from wireless antennas.  Published reviews and studies on the new higher  frequencies to be used in 5G call for caution and warn of future impacts that will not only impact  humans but also wildlife and especially bees.  We are concerned about the health and well‐being of  those who are most vulnerable: children, pregnant women, and persons sensitive to electromagnetic  fields and who have chronic health problems.  We join with the thousands of doctors and health care providers worldwide who have issued appeals for  urgent action on 5G to protect public health. The rapidly growing list includes the International EMF  Scientist Appeal, Appeal to the European Union, Belgium Doctors Appeal, Canadian Doctors, Cyprus  Medical Association, Physicians of Turin, Italy, the German Doctors Appeal, International Appeal to Stop  5G on Earth and Space and the International Society of Doctors for the Environment.  We ask that the City of Ithaca Common Council take the conservative approach to safeguarding our  community by voting to suspend any further wireless antenna densification until potential hazards for  human health and the environment have been fully investigated by scientists independent from the  wireless industry.    Quinn Kingsley  Ithaca  I vehemently protest the installation of a 5G network across the city of Ithaca.   It is appalling that the city has taken advantage of the inactivity caused by this pandemic to slam  through a decision that effects the tens of thousands of citizens who call this place home. This is a  decision that should be carefully considered, researched, polled, and then decided upon as a  community. Ithaca prides itself on it's forward thinking and innovative practices ‐ but making this  decision in order to appease the corporate greed of Verizon is a giant backslide on all of our most closely  cherished values.   Our government exists to implement and represent the goals and desires of the people it serves ‐ it does  not exist to act in any way it sees fit and belittle the viewpoints and perspectives of it's constituents.   To make a unilateral decision about 5G is a complete violation of the trust our community has instilled in  our representatives. 5G is something invasive and under‐researched. There is no way for people to  protect their homes and families from it, and the majority of the evidence suggests that it does more  harm than good. Are you, the city council, ready to take full accountability for the potential health  effects the installation of 5G could have? If not, then you are not ready to make this decision.   Not to mention the visual impact it has. If Ithaca is one thing ‐ it is gorgeous. We have a sanctuary of  natural beauty here, to install such ugly and invasive technology contradicts one of our most visceral  identities.   I call on the city to council to reverse this decision until the community has had the chance to formulate  a well researched opinion and voice it. Do not make this decision lightly ‐ as it could have catastrophic  effects, not only in the health and well being of the city's residents, but also in the trust and respect that  we have for our governing institutions.    Wren Kingsley  Ithaca  Retract the decision of 5‐G in Ithaca, this technology is under researched and could impose unknown  health threats unto the Ithaca population. Setting up small antennas all over town increases exposure to  everyone and this unilateral decision removes the citizens ability to choose their exposure to radiation.        Walter Hartman  Ithaca  Please listen carefully. No more 5G nor further 4G. We see the industry has been doing what they want  ahead of decisions with installations. A massive amount of evidence exists showing 3G and 4G has  clearly shown deleterious human health effects? 5G is exponentially more powerful, focused, and  developed by the military. Listen to us veterans of foreign war and those who know many military  weapons experts. Not theories that you take as fact by the industry.  Are you just going to take the  money Telecom and Verizon are throwing at you? We are holding u liable for personal injury, harm, and  illness and we assure you, you haven't any idea what you're doing if you vote for this.  And if you do, you  will go down on the wrong side of history.  The mayor should not have recused himself for a loose family  connection and from request by Verizon. NB. I can send you all the credible evidence and compelling  data and studies but will you look at it? Or will you look at it after you've made a misguided and  misanthropic decision and then hold your head in shame and guilt as to what you've done to your  community and family?  Note: Please read the comment in its entirety as I have timed it and it is well  under 3 minutes and you have not been doing this for us.    Salvador Sarmiento  Potsdam  Regarding the instsllation of 5 G in the city of Ithaca, I believe these new towers to be a health risk. I visit  the city often and contemplate moving there. If the city installs the 5G towers it would make me  uncomfortable and I believe pose unecessary health risks to the residents and visitors there without  their consent or perhaps without them even understanding the potential hazards. There are many other  reasonable forms of communication that are less risky and attained at more than suitable speed.  Sincerely,  Sal Sarmiento    Alan Cameron  Ithaca  The 5G network rollout must be halted pending further studies regarding the safety thereof.   As a parent and concerned taxpayer, I feel that the 5G network raises EMF waves to an unecessarily high  and harmful level, damaging to all life forms within the vicinity.          Ravi Walsh  Ithaca  I am a resident of West Hill and am asking the Common Council to hold an OPEN public forum on this  topic before you vote to have this installed in Ithaca. I have researched both pros and cons and there is  reason to believe this technology is dangerous and not the best avenue for an open‐minded and open  heart community like Ithaca. Please vote to allow an open forum, let's get all the facts before we move  forward with potentially dangerous and real estate depreciating technology.  Thank you, Ravi    Andrew Molnar  Ithaca  Robert Becker is an MD twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. As an expert in cell radiation he  says, "The greatest polluting element in the earth's environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic  fields. I consider that to be a far greater threat on a global scale than warming, or the increase of  chemical elements in the environment. All life pulsates in time to the Earth, and our artificial fields cause  abnormal reactions in all organisms. Increasing electro‐pollution could set in motion irreversible changes  leading to our extinction."   I feel disheartened that the majority of the Council still seems to accept disinformation and false  propaganda from the telecom companies about 4G/5G/small cell antennas. Having dozens if not  hundreds of these cell antennas around my beloved town will expose citizens to unprecedented levels  of harmful radiation. And yes, this radiation is irrefutably a proven health hazard, as accepted  internationally and shown by literally thousands of peer‐reviewed studies. The fact that some Council  members seem to stick their heads in the sand around this science seems to put you in the same  category of climate‐deniers, not progressive‐thinking Ithacans. I understand that some want to ignore  this science because of the cognitive dissonance that may occur due to a love or addiction to the "next  best thing" in technology. But, how will this kind of willful ignorance stand the test of time in the years  ahead?   I urge you to heed the pleading of your citizens whom you serve, be on the right side of science and  history, and join others around the world to stop the implementation of these harmful small cell  antennas.    Spencer Heaps  Town  I feel there is no compelling reason to rush to implement new technologies like 5g that are not really  needed, and not well studied. I would prefer to see the precautionary principle employed and not to  have cell service providers writing the rules they will have to follow. Thank you.    maytali novak  Ithaca  Dear Common Council Members,   I am a long‐time Ithaca resident. I grew up here and returned after graduate school and living in other  places.  I respectfully ask you that not go through with any roll out of 5G before sufficient independent  party testing has been completed.  Many communities and countries are pausing with this rollout  because of not enough evidence that it will not cause harm and we do not understand the long‐term  health effects.  I am also asking you to not proceed with any roll outs before there has been a public  forum to gather support from the community.    I do NOT consent to an antenna near my driveway or on my street. Until I can be 1000% assured it will  not cause any health effects. The first rule that must be followed is due no harm.    Sarah Glenn  Mecklenburg  I am concerned about the effects of 5g in my community, and am opposed to the implementation of this  harmful technology at this time. Thank you    Ram Venkat  City of Ithaca  I would like to urge you to have an open forum to discuss the risks and benefits of 5G before rolling it  out. The data on this new technology is minimal and the public has not been engaged adequately to be  made aware of the potential risks of this system. Many places have decided to not move forward with  5G due to health risks, antennas everywhere, downtown aesthetic, ecological impact, property values  declining, federal government overreach, can't guarantee safety, lack of added benefits of 5G, privacy  and surveillance concerns, etc. I hope the Council will consider taking the necessary time to engage the  public for their input.    Robert Coville  Town of Ithaca  My name is Robbie Coville and l'm a student and young professional who has chosen to make Central  NIY home, first in Syracuse and now in lthaca.  I demand that you immediately rescind the resolution  (3.3) authorizing approval for small cell facilities with 5G capabilities in lthaca.  Given the complex effects of this telecommunications technology, there is still much uncertainty about  its implications. Our vibrant small community should proceed cautiously and not be an early‐adopter of  5G Furthermore, the approval of 5G technology should come with the consent of those represented by  the City of lthaca government, and it is clear that a large segment of our community feels unheard and  deliberately avoided on this subject.    Lucas Matheson  City  I am a grateful 10‐year resident of the city of Ithaca.  I love this city for its commitment to social justice and to honoring the (sometimes progressive!) values  of its citizens.  Ithaca is a leader among municipalities in its supporting the health and welfare of its  citizens, even when its decisions to do so is not “mainstream”.  Thus, Ithaca leads others towards a  sustainable future by its example.  The case of 5G small cell antennas is again calling Ithaca to honor the will of its citizens, to act in their  best interest, and to listen to them as they request action in honor of their own health and welfare.  This technology is potentially very dangerous, to humans and nature, in its yet‐untested state.  The  Common Council DOES have the legal right to act in this case and stop 5G in Ithaca, following the lead of  other municipalities in the United States and around the world.  And Ithaca’s citizens are asking for this  action NOW.  Do not decide for your citizens that they should be subject to dangerous electromagnetic radiation.   Listen to their voices and decide in their best interest now, even if this issue is to be reconsidered in the  future upon further, safer, technological development.  Thank you for keeping us safe and well, and respecting Ithaca’s history of social virtue, it’s citizen’s  wishes, and its community’s health.    Adam Monzella  City  Please follow the lead of other cities and counties around the country and delay the deployment of 5G  in Ithaca.  Humans and the environment are already exposed to so many other toxins and this will add to  the stress that our bodies are already under.  The research on 3 and 4G show that there is indeed  biological harm and as our city counsel members you should be doing everything in your power to  protect the citizens who you are supposed to be serving.  There are already 4G small cells in Fall Creek,  and myself and others have a hard time being in that area because they cause us to feel unwell.  It  breaks my heart to think that there are people in Fall Creek who have chronic health issues and can't  figure out why they don't feel well, and that the small cells could be contributing to their symptoms.   These cell phone antenna are only tens of feet from people's bedrooms.  Children are the most  venerable and there are so many children living downtown as well as quite a few schools.    Are you okay with taking the risk of hurting our future generation of Ithacans?  Let's wait for the  research to come out over the next few years because making a decision that it would be very difficult  to undo please!  Your hands are not tied right now, but once you make further agreements with Verizon  it would be much more difficult to undo your decisions.  Why not air on the side of caution?    Mark FERNANDEZ  Ithaca  I worked as an antenna installer for various service providers such as Nextel, Sprint, T‐Mobile, Verizon  and AT&T. I personally believe we need reasonable informed public discourse into the safety of these  new 5G antennas when I was working in the industry they were going to equip each antenna installer  with a radiation meter due to political changes that was never came to be nonetheless many cell tower  sites and monopoles had radiation warnings on them posted everywhere as you enter the antennas  themselves warned that they should not be installed residentially yet many companies did so.    Zoran Cerar  Ithaca  As a teacher I have witnessed all of the below in the classroom and I am very concerned about the 5G  rollout and will request that my districts Board and my Union look into the researches and have their  own opinion. The already worrying increasing effects of high‐frequency fields, even on younger and  younger people, can be: sleep disorders, general exhaustion, headaches or pain in other areas of the  body, visual disturbances, dizziness, nausea, thinking, concentration, learning and memory disorders,  earache and noises in the ears , High blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, nervousness, irritability or  depressive mood, burn out, anxiety up to panic attacks, infertility, tumor formation, oxidative cell stress,  DNA breaks, genetic changes and much more. ( kurzelinks.de/jsva)    Marie Molnar  Ithaca  At the last Common Council meeting in the discussion around 5G, someone said "They just don't want  5G in Ithaca."  Yes, you are correct. Until it is proven safe, what you are hearing is many citizens  expressing that they do not want small cell antennas littered throughout the downtown, in close  proximity to homes, parks, schools, and workplaces. What you are hearing is that there is already  adequate cell coverage. What you are hearing is that we do not need, nor want, any more unnecessary  radiation in our living environment.   If you have read or listened to the comments, what you are hearing is that many of us who have chosen  to live in Ithaca, did so specifically because we have different priorities than having the latest greatest  technology at any cost. I chose to live in a progressive town where many prioritize personal connections  over cell phone connections, and where we can raise children in the "gorges" outdoors rather than  indoors all day on monitors and screens, where we prioritize health and wellness over the â€œnext new  shiny thing†, where concern for our environment trumps vague promises of some future non‐ essential technologies, such as IoT or self driving cars, and where, above all, we decide ‐ regardless of  what "everyone else is doing" ‐ how we can best care for each other in this community.  In essence, we  came to live a more holistically balanced life, keeping technology in its rightful, useful but limited place,  avoiding harm where possible.These ideals are some of what makes Ithaca such a special place to me.  And yet, with the potential of having dangerous cell towers placed throughout our town, many of these  ideals would be seriously compromised. Sadly, I personally would be forced to move if one was placed  on my street. The science is clear: pulse‐modulated, microwave radiation of these cell towers is a proven  health hazard. And if you choose to allow it here, you would be responsible for exposing those whom  you serve to those dangers. For the sake of keeping Ithaca a special and unique place apart and  protecting those you serve, I urge you to stop this rollout of small cell antennas in Ithaca until they are  proven safe.    Olga Ivanova  Ithaca  5G is a huge waste of resource and it endangers natural balance, including bees. The power  consumption of thousands of new data centers, millions of new transmitters and billions of new  transmitters capable of transmitting is diametrically opposed to the urgently needed goal of reducing  our energy and resource consumption.    Richard Onyejuruwa  city of Ithaca  May I know where the police department, city of Ithaca and Detective Barksdale currently  stands as this  was made public and no follow up has been made? Despite all that is going on, this is an issue and the  results of it has a larger impact on the city than some leadership official may know.     At this point, what concern does the city still have about the return of college students to town and  what will be done about it?   Thanks   Richard            Henry Fitzgerald  Tompkins County  Dear Council,   I believe that the decision to roll out 5G in Ithaca without adequate due diligence and scientific support  is uncharacteristically irresponsible, inviting a future that may well be regretted by our community and  leadership.   When transmitted signals come from a distant tower on a hill they’re weak by the time they reach  people, but with transmitters located closer, all around us, even though they transmit at lower power  levels, we will all be exposed to electromagnetic radiation at levels known within the medical  community to be unhealthy.   When told, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, just believe what you are told by the  broadcaster,” let’s have the heart, intelligence, wisdom, and courage to safeguard the wellbeing of the  children who must live in the world we allow to be created.    Throughout the world, cities and entire countries are implementing moratoriums and suspensions of the  rollout until testing has been completed in order to protect the health and welfare of their citizens.  What do we value here in our lives?  Sincerely,  Henry Fitzgerald    asif ullah  ithaca  Hi, I am a resident of ithaca and am concerned about the 5g plan, especially as I work in healthcare and  worry about the impact this will have on us ‐ all of us.