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Home My WebLink AboutMN-CC-2025-03-05YouTube Link:https://tinyurl.com/mr2ckhsn Date: Location: Wednesday March 5, 2025 City Hall Council Chambers March 5th 2025 COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Voting Record 1.Call to Order 1.1 Emergency Evacuation 1.2 Agenda Review 1.3 Reports From Municipal Officials 2.Special Presentation 2.1 Special Presentation-Youth Council Ambassadors Attendance Record of Voting Members Name Present Absent/Excused Mayor - Robert Cantelmo X 1st Ward - Kayla Matos X 1st Ward - Phoebe Brown X 2nd Ward - Ducson Nguyen X 2nd Ward - Kris Haines-Sharp X 3rd Ward - David Shapiro X 3rd Ward - Pierre Saint-Perez X 4th Ward - Patrick Kuehl X 4th Ward - Tiffany Kumar X 5th Ward - Margaret Fabrizio X 5th Ward - Clyde Lederman X Also Present: Alderperson Kuehl arrived late to the meeting. Alderperson Kuehl was absent for the Diann Sams Resolution and the Approval of the Minutes vote. Discussion Summary: The March 5th 2025 Ithaca Common Council meeting is called to order with 9 members present, Alderperson Nguyen absent and Alderperson Kuehl arriving late. The Emergency Evacuation notice is read, and there are no changes to the agenda. The Mayor proceeded with Reports From Municipal Officials; reports from the Town of Ithaca representative Rich DePaolo and Tompkins County Representative Veronica Pillar were presented to Council. Timestamp 1:13-12:33 Discussion Summary: Youth Council Ambassadors presented Council with a presentation outlining the work that was done for the year. Council members thanked the youth representatives for their hard work and informative presentation. Timestamp 12:39-32:50 3.Proclamations and Awards 3.1 J. Diann Sams African American History Month Award 3.2 LEED for Cities Gold Certification Award Recognition 4.Review and Approval of Minutes 4.1 2-5-2025 CC Meeting Minutes Discussion Summary: Presentation of J. Diann Sams African American History Month Award is awarded to 20th honoree, Mrs. Arlene and Dr. Roger Richardson in recognition of their invaluable contributions to the City of Ithaca community. Timestamp 34:33-51:43 Moved By: Kayla Matos Seconded By: Phoebe Brown Motion Summary: The resolution was read and moved by Alderperson Matos, seconded by Alderperson Brown. Motion carries Unanimously 9-0 with Alderperson Kuehl temporarily absent. Vote Passed 9-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: Representatives from the US Greene Building Council presented the Mayor and City of Ithaca with an award recognizing the City of Ithaca for achieving LEED for Cities Gold Certification, recognizing Ithaca's commitment to sustainability innovation, and excellence. Timestamp 52:02-55:50 Discussion Summary: There was no discussion on the approval of the minutes. Timestamp 56:21- 57:03 Moved By: Pierre Saint-Perez Seconded By: Kayla Matos Motion Summary: Motion to approve the February 2nd, 2025 Common Council Meeting Mintues moved by Alderperson Saint-Perez, seconded by Alderperson Matos. Motion carries 9-0 with Alderperson Kuehl absent from the vote. 5.Petitions and Hearings of Persons Before Council 5.1 Statements from the Public 5.2 Privilege Of The Floor- Comments From Council and The Mayor 6.Consent Agenda 6.1 Amendment to Approved Youth Bureau Staff Roster Vote Passed 9-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: 20 members from the community came out to speak to council on topics of concern, each member was given 2 minutes to present to Council; Council Members responded to the public, Alderperson Kuehl arrived during Privilege of the floor. Timestamp 57:05-2:03:25 Discussion Summary: There is one item to consider on the consent agenda. Mayor called for a motion to approve consent agenda item 6.1 Amendment to the Approved Youth Bureau Staff Roster. Timestamp 2:03:28-2:03:40 Moved By: Clyde Lederman Seconded By: Pierre Saint-Perez Motion Summary: Motion to approve consent agenda item 6.1. Moved by Alderperson Lederman, seconded by Alderperson Saint-Perez. Motion carries unanimously 10-0. Alderperson Kuehl is now in attendance. Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously 7.New Business / Member Filed 7.1 Ordinance- Housing Inspection Fees Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Pierre Saint-Perez Seconded By: Clyde Lederman Motion Summary: Move for a 5 Minute Recess. Moved by Alderperson Saint-Perez, seconded by Alderperson Lederman. Motion carries 8-2 with Alderperson Kumar and Hains-Sharp against. Vote Passed 8-2 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: Council is back in session from 5 minute recess. Mayor Cantelmo asked for a mover on the Ordinance. Council discussed Housing Inspection fees. Timestamp 2:09:26- Moved By: Pierre Saint-Perez Seconded By: Clyde Lederman Motion Summary: Motion to approve an Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter 210, Article VII, Section 210.43 Certificate of Compliance, moved by Alderperson Saint-Perez and Seconded by Alderperson Lederman. Motion Carries 6-4 with Alderpersons Brown, Shapiro, Kuehl, and Fabrizio against. 7.2 Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections and Certificates of Compliance Vote Passed 6-4 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Tiffany Kumar Seconded By: Kayla Matos Motion Summary: Alderperson Kumar called to question to end the debate, seconded by Alderperson Matos. Motion carried 6-4 with Saint-Perez, Kuehl, Fabrizio and Brown against. Vote Passed 6-4 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: Mayor Cantelmo asked for a mover and to summarize agenda item 7.2, Resolution was moved and summarized by Alderperson Fabrizio with a discussion from council; comments from Saint-Perez, Kuehl, and Lederman. Timestamp 2:24:05-2:32:53 Moved By: Margaret Fabrizio Seconded By: Patrick Kuehl Motion Summary: The resolution for Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections and Certificate of Compliance was moved by Alderperson Fabrizio and seconded by Alderperson Kuehl. Motion Fails 4-6 with 8.Mayor Appointments 8.1 Mayoral Appointments Vote Failed 4-6 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: Mayor appointments to the Recreation Partnership Board, Program Oversight Committee, IURA Governance Committee, Civil Service Commission, Planning Board, and the Sustainability and Climate Justice Committee. Timestamp 2:32:57- 2:35:48 Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Alderperson Shapiro and Alderperson Haines-Sharp are appointed to the Recreation Partnership Board. Moved by Mayor Cantelmo, no formal second. All in Favor. Motion passes 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Moved that Andy Rollman be appointed to the Program Oversight Committee. Moved by the Mayor, no formal second. All in Favor 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Moved that George McGonigal be appointed by the Mayor to serve on the IURA Governance Committee. All in Favor 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Moved that Catherine Thompson be appointed to the Civil Service Commission for a 6 term ending 5/31/2023. All in Favor 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously 9.Report of City Controller 9.1 Report from City Controller- March 2025 10.Report of City Manager 10.1 City Manager's Report- March 2025 11.Executive Session (If Needed) Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Moved that Elisabete Godden and Basse Khoury be reappointed to the Planning Board for a 3 year term ending December 31st , 2027. All in Favor. 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Discussion Summary: City Controller's report and the City Manager's report were provided to Council in the agenda packet and will be discussed at the next Committee Meeting scheduled for March 19th, 2025. Timestamp 2:35:49-2:36:13 Discussion Summary: The Mayor moved to adjourn the meeting for Council to go into 12. Meeting Wrap Up Advice Of Council.. Timestamp 2:36:14- 2:37:04 Moved By: Tiffany Kumar Seconded By: Pierre Saint-Perez Motion Summary: Motion to Adjourn. Moved by Alderperson Kumar, seconded by Alderperson Saint-Perez. All In Favor 10-0 Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Kayla Matos X Phoebe Brown X Kris Haines-Sharp X David Shapiro X Pierre Saint-Perez X Patrick Kuehl X Tiffany Kumar X Margaret Fabrizio X Clyde Lederman X Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk Submitted 3-28-2025 Adopted: 4-2-2025 Date: Time: Location: Watch Online: Wednesday March 5, 2025 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers https://www.youtube.com/@CityofIthacaPublicMeetings March 5th 2025 COMMON COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 1.Call to Order 1.1. 1.2. 1.3. 2.Special Presentation 2.1. 3.Proclamations and Awards 3.1. 3.2. 4.Review and Approval of Minutes 4.1. 5.Petitions and Hearings of Persons Before Council 5.1. 5.2. 6.Consent Agenda 6.1. 7.New Business / Member Filed 7.1. 7.2. 8.Mayor Appointments 8.1. 9.Report of City Controller 9.1. 10.Report of City Manager 10.1. 11.Executive Session (If Needed) 12.Meeting Wrap Up Emergency Evacuation Agenda Review Reports From Municipal Officials Special Presentation-Youth Council Ambassadors J. Diann Sams African American History Month Award LEED for Cities Gold Certification Award Recognition 2-5-2025 CC Meeting Minutes Statements from the Public Privilege Of The Floor- Comments From Council and The Mayor Amendment to Approved Youth Bureau Staff Roster Ordinance- Housing Inspection Fees Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections and Certificates of Compliance Mayoral Appointments Report from City Controller- March 2025 City Manager's Report- March 2025 1 Public Comment Forum The public can provide short statements during this portion of the meeting. 3 minutes is the maximum time allotted, but the chair reserves the right to modify the amount of time per individual at the start of the meeting. Only the first hour of the meeting is set aside for Public Comment. Groups of 3 or more speakers are allotted more speaking time. For Longer Speaking Time - Multiple speakers on the same topic can speak as a group with one Designated Speaker to represent the Group. This will give you more time to share your thoughts and concerns during the Public Comment Forum. 3-4 Persons with One Designated Speaker - Alotted 5 minutes 5 or More Persons with One Designated Speaker - Alotted 7 minutes Can't Come to the Meeting but still want to speak? Register to Speak Virtually - https://tinyurl.com/7ts9zmku Attending the Meeting to Speak in Person? Pre-Registration Not Required Comment Cards are provided to those who attend in person. Once you have filled out your Comment Card, please hand your card to the Clerk. Your name will be called to speak in the order the cards are received. Please Note Comment Cards will be accepted up until the Public Comment Forum begins or a maximum of 30 speakers, whichever comes first. Once we have reached a maximum of 30 speakers, you can submit your comment using the Written Comment Link Below. Want to Submit a Comment and Not Speak in Person? To Submit Written Comments - https://tinyurl.com/mr9kdhw8 *Written comments submitted with be compiled and entered into the record. 2 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Mayor's Office Shaniqua Lewis, TO:Common Council FROM:Mayor Cantelmo DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:J. Diann Sams African American History Month Award ITEM #:3.1 MEMORANDUM Presentation of J. Diann Sams African American History Month Award to Mrs. Arlene and Dr. Roger Richardson. 3 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Planning and Development Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Rebecca Evans DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:LEED for Cities Gold Certification Award Recognition ITEM #:3.2 MEMORANDUM US Green Building Council recognition of the City of Ithaca for achieving LEED for Cities Gold Certification 4 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Clerk's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Mayor Robert Cantelmo DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:2-5-2025 CC Meeting Minutes ITEM #:4.1 MEMORANDUM Review and Approval of the prior February 5th Common Council Meeting Minutes 5 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Ithaca Youth Bureau Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Youth Bureau Director, Gregg Houck DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:Amendment to Approved Youth Bureau Staff Roster ITEM #:6.1 MEMORANDUM Consent- The Youth Bureau is requesting permission to amend the 2025 authorized personnel roster. Defund: One (1) Youth Program Assistant- 17.5 hours Fund: One (1) Youth Program Leader- 30 hours Fund: One (1) Recreation Program Coordinator- 35 Hours Adjust: One (1) Administrative Assistant- 30 Hours to Administrative Assistant - 35 hours ATTACHMENTS: Resolution to Amend Youth Bureau 2025 Authorized Roster - February 2025.pdf IYB Amendment To Roster Memo - February 2025.pdf 6 Resolution to amend the Youth Program Unit of the City of Ithaca Schedule of Authorized Personnel for the Year 2025 WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau has assessed its current staffing needs and has identified necessary adjustments to staffing to meet increased regulatory and reporting requirements for programs, to provide more consistent staffing for programs that are seeing increased enrollment, and to improve customer service provided through our front office; and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau has an authorized, unfunded Recreation Coordinator – 35 Hours position and an authorized, unfunded Youth Program Leader – 30 Hours position; and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau has an authorized, funded Administrative Assistant – 30 Hours position; and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau can achieve its staffing adjustments without amendments to its 2025 approved budget by defunding currently authorized, funded positions, utilizing savings from current vacancies, and reducing expenditures in seasonal staffing lines; and WHEREAS, the Human Resources Department has reviewed and approved the proposed changes for consideration by Common Council; therefore be it RESOLVED THAT, the City of Ithaca Schedule of Authorized Personnel Youth Program Unit shall be amended effective March 6th, 2025 as follows: Defund: One (1) Youth Program Assistant – 17.5 hours Fund: One (1) Youth Program Leader – 30 hours Fund: One (1) Recreation Program Coordinator – 35 Hours Adjust: One (1) Administrative Assistant – 30 Hours to Administrative Assistant - 35 hours And be it further RESOLVED THAT, the City of Ithaca Schedule of Authorized Personnel Youth Program Unit shall be amended, effective upon the appointment of the newly funded Recreation Program Coordinator – 35 Hours, to defund one (1) Recreation Program Specialist – 40 Hours. 7 Ithaca Youth Bureau 1 James L. Gibbs Drive Ithaca, New York 14850 Phone: (607) 273-8364 “Building a foundation for a lifetime.” MEMORANDUM To: Common Council From: Gregg Houck, Youth Bureau Director Re: Amendment to Authorized Personnel Roster – Ithaca Youth Bureau Date: February 13, 2025 The Youth Bureau is requesting permission to amend the 2025 authorized personnel roster. We have evaluated the current needs of the Youth Bureau and have determined that the following requested amendments to our personnel roster will help us address increased regulatory and reporting requirements, provide more consistent staffing for growing programs, and enhance our ability to deliver quality customer service for individuals seeking our services. These changes do not require any budget amendments and will be covered within our approved 2025 budget. To fund these changes, we would utilize the savings from the defunded positions, savings from current vacancies, and by reducing our seasonal staff expenditure. We would like to fund the following authorized, unfunded roster positions: - Recreation Program Coordinator – 35 Hours o Needed to support increased regulatory and reporting requirements, especially for our camp programs, that is outside of the work-scope of a Recreation Specialist. o Will be a promotional opportunity for a current Recreation Program Specialist. - Youth Program Leader – 30 Hours o Needed to provide consistent staffing for growing enrollment and participation in our Outings and Ithaca Bike Rental programs. We would like to defund the following authorized roster positions: - Recreation Program Specialist – 40 Hours o Would be defunded upon the promotion of one of the current individuals in this title to Recreation Program Coordinator. - Youth Program Assistant – 17.5 Hours o Savings would go towards funding the 30 Hour position. We would like to adjust the following authorized roster position: - Increase the Administrative Assistant – 30 Hours to 35 Hours 8 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Planning and Development Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Lisa Nicholas, Director of Planning DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:Ordinance- Housing Inspection Fees ITEM #:7.1 MEMORANDUM Voting Item- An Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter 210, Article VII, Section 210.43 Certificate of Compliance ATTACHMENTS: 2025.02.21 DRAFT 210-43 Certificate of Compliance Ordinance.pdf Housing Inspection Fee Comparison.pdf 9 1 An Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter 210, Article VII, Section 210.43 Certificate of Compliance WHEREAS, the City’s existing Code provisions require that residential rental units hold a valid Certificate of Compliance certifying that the unit complies with applicable regulations of the New York State Uniform Code and City Code Chapter 210; and WHEREAS, the City has an interest in making its operating procedures more transparent and efficient; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes that an updated fee schedule and a more transparent and efficient process for inspection and issuance of Certificates of Compliance will enable the City Housing Inspectors to inspect more rental units over the course of a year which will result in an increase in the number of residential units in the City becoming certified as habitable; and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca desires to amend Chapter 210 of the Ithaca City Code to update the fee schedule and create a more transparent and efficient procedure for obtaining Certificates of Compliance so that more inspections can be completed and more residential units become certified as safe for habitation; now, therefore ORDINANCE 2025-__ BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca as follows: Section 1. Legislative findings, intent, and purpose. The Common Council makes the following findings: 1. The City’s existing Code provisions require that residential rental units hold a valid Certificate of Compliance certifying that the unit complies with applicable regulations of the New York State Uniform Code and City Code Chapter 210. 2. The City has an interest in making its operating procedures more transparent and efficient. 3. The City finds that an updated fee schedule and a more transparent and efficient process for inspection and issuance of Certificates of Compliance will enable the City Housing Inspectors to inspect more rental units over the course of a year which will result in an increase in the number of residential units in the City becoming certified as habitable. 10 2 Based upon the above findings, the intent and purpose of this ordinance is to amend the City Code to update the fees and procedures relating to the issuance of Certificates of Compliance. Section 2. Amendments to Chapter 210 of the Ithaca City Code The following portions of Chapter 210 of the Ithaca City Code are hereby amended as follows: 1 § 210-43 Certificate of compliance. A. All single-family or two-family rental dwellings shall be required to hold a valid certificate of compliance. Such certificate shall be valid for a period of not more than five years. Before the expiration of the certificate of compliance, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of the rental property to schedule a housing inspection with the Building DepartmentDivision in order to obtain a new certificate of compliance. All rental dwellings with three or more units or rental dwelling units with five or more unrelated persons shall also be required to hold a valid certificate of compliance. This certificate of compliance shall be valid for a period of not more than three years. Prior to the expiration of the certificate of compliance, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of the rental property to schedule a housing inspection with the Building DepartmentDivision in order to obtain a new certificate of compliance. All dormitories, fraternities and sororities shall be required to hold a valid certificate of compliance. Such a certificate shall be valid for a period of not more than one year. Before the expiration of the certificate of compliance, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of the rental property to schedule a housing inspection with the Building Division in order to obtain a new certificate of compliance. (1) The certificate of compliance shall be displayed in the main entryway of the rental dwelling, and accessible for all tenants to see. If units do not have a central entrance, the current certificate of compliance shall be posted on the inside of a kitchen cabinet in each unit. (2) All rental dwelling leases must state whether the rental dwelling has a valid certificate of compliance, its expiration date, and a current link to the certificate of compliance database where the certificate of compliance can be verified, which can currently be found at http://www.zhewiz.com/fmi/webd#CityOfIthacaBuildingList.. A current link can be obtained from the Building Division, and may be updated from time to time by the Building Division. (3) Any rental dwelling that has obtained a valid certificate of compliance shall be presumed to continue being a rental dwelling or rental unit thereafter, regardless of the expiration of the certificate of compliance or until such time that the owner provides a written statement to the Building Division that the dwelling or unit is no longer rented and it is inspected by the Building Division to confirm that it is no longer rented. B. 1 Strikethrough indicates removals. Underlining indicates additions. 11 3 A certificate of compliance shall be issued upon verification by inspection that no violations of applicable provisions of the Building Code, Energy CodeaapNew York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, City of Ithaca Municipal Code, City of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance, New York State Multiple Residence Law and any other applicable codes and ordinances exist. C. Certificates of compliance shall not be issued to: (1) Any rental unit that is in violation of any applicable City or state code. (2) Any rental unit located on a property for which there is an outstanding violation of any section of Chapter 178. (3) Any rental unit which is not in compliance with all orders of the Director of Planning and Development or designee. D. Failure of an owner of any rental unit to hold a valid certificate shall be deemed a violation of the Housing Code, and such dwelling unit may be ordered by the Director of Planning and Development or designee to be vacated until the property is brought into compliance with this chapter. E. Verified over-occupancy will result in the immediate revocation of the certificate of compliance. F. The fees for a certificate of compliance shall be a combination of the following charges: (1) The basic inspection fee, which is determined by the cost of the room times the number of rooms in the building excluding closets. The cost of the room is shown below under Charge of room per occupancy. (2) Administrative costs associated with a reinspection. (3) Costs for each violation. This fee escalates when, upon each reinspection, the same previously cited violation has not been repaired. (4) Charge of room per occupancy. The charges for room occupancy shall be assessed as follows: (a) One- and two-family homes and multiple dwellings: $7/room. (b) Fraternity houses, sorority houses: $10/room. (c) Dormitories: $1.50/room. (d) An administrative fee of $40 is charged each time an Inspector has to return for a reinspection. 12 4 (e) A fee of $5 will be charged for each violation found at the initial inspection. This fee will be doubled if, at the reinspection, a violation cited at the initial inspection has not been repaired. At each reinspection thereafter, an additional $5 will be added to a violation that has not been corrected. When all the violations have been corrected, the fee for violations can be determined by adding the violation and fee cost at the first inspection, the violation and fee charges at the second inspection, the violation and fee charges at the third inspection, etc. (f) After 30 days and every 30 days thereafter, each and every violation not corrected will be charged an additional fee of $5. (g) A property owner is allowed one extension of 30 days to prepare for an inspection or to fix violations. (1) Initial inspection fee. The Initial inspection fee shall be accrued and payable at the time of Certificate of Compliance inspection application. a. One-Family Dwelling $100 b. Two-Family Dwelling $175 c. Multiple Dwellings (1) Apartment Houses Apartments with 3 - 8 dwelling units $300 Apartments with 9 – 20 dwelling units $500 Apartments with 21 – 100 dwelling units $1,000 Apartments with 101 – 250 dwelling units $1,750 Apartments with 251 or more dwelling units $2,500 (2) Live/Work units per dwelling unit $100 (3) Congregate Living Facilities, Co-ops, and Boarding Houses $350 (4) Fraternities and Sororities $500 (5) Dormitories Dormitories with up to 75 sleeping units $500 Dormitories with 76-150 sleeping units $750 Dormitories with 151 or more sleeping units $1,000 (2) Additional fees to be processed, as applicable, after initial inspection. Items b and c will be accrued each time the inspector needs to make a return trip. a. Violation (per violation at initial inspection) $10 b. Uncorrected Violation (per violation at re-inspection) $50 c. Re-inspection (hourly per return trip for re-inspection) $75/hour, minimum $75/trip G. 13 5 Upon the issuance of a certificate of compliance or when the accumulated fee pursuant to Subsection F is $300 or more, the property owner shall be billed for services rendered at the rates established pursuant to Subsection F. This fee shall be paid to the City ChamberlainWhen the accumulated fee pursuant to Subsection F (2) is $300 or more, the property owner shall be billed for services rendered at the rates established pursuant to Subsection F. This fee shall be paid through the applicant’s portal access to the City’s online permitting and inspecting service within 30 days of the billing date. If the required fee is not paid within 30 days of the billing date, the City Chamberlain shall enter the same as a lien against the premises as provided in § C-54 of the Charter of the City of Ithaca. The Chamberlain shall add the same to the next assessment roll of general City taxes and shall collect and enforce the assessment in the same manner and by the same proceedings, at the same time and with the same penalties as the general City tax and as a part thereof, except that, in addition to the penalties provided for in the aforementioned provisions, interest shall accrue from the date of billing to the date of actual payment at 12% per annum or $3 per month, whichever is greater. H. The owner of a property that has had an initial inspection but where violations remain so that a certificate of compliance cannot be issued within the intervals specified in Subsection A shall be billed for the filing fee and all associated costs listed in Subsection F(4), and a new filing fee shall be assessed. I. When a property is sold without a current certificate of compliance, any unpaid fees for services pursuant to Subsection F at the time of the sale shall be due and shall be billed pursuant to Subsection G. Such fees shall be the responsibility of the new owner. J. I. The exclusive administrative remedy for a property owner wishing to appeal the amount of the bill which has been established pursuant to Subsection G is to file a notice of appeal with the Director of Planning and Development within seven days of the mailing date to the property owner of the bill for the inspection services. When a notice of appeal is filed, the Director of Planning and Development, using the regulations of the Housing Board of Review, shall schedule the matter at the next possible regular meeting of the Housing Board of Review. The property owner then has the responsibility to perfect the appeal to the Housing Board of Review by submitting three copies of the appeal and detailing the reasons why the property owner believes the fee is not justified. The property owner bears the burden of establishing that the accounting submitted by the inspector of the time spent for initial inspection, correspondence, review of the appropriate files, transportation, further inspections or other time spent is inaccurate. The Housing Board of Review shall have the authority to approve or reject such appeal in whole or in part. Section 3. Severability Clause Severability is intended throughout and within the provisions of this Ordinance. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance is held to be invalid or 14 6 unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, then that decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. Section 4. Effective Date This ordinance shall take effect immediately and in accordance with law upon publication of notices as provided in the Ithaca City Charter. 15 Description Old Fees New Fees Annual Cost - Old Fee Structure Annual Cost - New Fee Structure 1 person who owns 3 Apartment Houses that each have 4 Dwelling Units (Inspect once every three years) $624 $900 $208 $300 1 Dormitory with 75 Sleeping Units (Inspect once each year) $410 $500 $410 $500 1 Fraternity (Inspect once each year) $430 $500 $430 $500 1 Two -Family Dwelling (Inspect once every five years) $131 $175 $26 $35 16 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Common Council Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Alderperson Margaret Fabrizio DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections and Certificates of Compliance ITEM #:7.2 MEMORANDUM Voting Item- Related to City Code Chapter 210-43 (F), Certificate of Compliance: Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections and Certificates of Compliance ATTACHMENTS: MF-Cost Recovery Policy For Housing Inspections (2).pdf 17 Resolution Cost Recovery Policy Directive for Housing Inspections Related to City Code Chapter 210-43 (F), Certiﬁcate of Compliance WHEREAS, the City’s existing Code provisions require that residential rental units hold a valid Certiﬁcate of Compliance certifying that the unit complies with applicable regulations of the New York State Uniform Code and City Code Chapter 210; and WHEREAS, the Common Council recognizes the signiﬁcant cost required to provide inspection services and the need for cost recovery in this area of operations; and WHEREAS, the Common Council desires to change the Building Division’s fee schedule practice to a cost recovery model; and WHEREAS, the City desires to make the total expenditures to perform inspections and the total revenues received from the inspections transparent to taxpayers; and WHEREAS, the Council desires an equitable program for all property owners, it proposes the new associated fee structure be applied uniformly to all housing types; and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca desires to amend Chapter 210-43 (F) of the Ithaca City Code to update the fee schedule to create a more cost -effective program for obtaining Certiﬁcates of Compliance; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED: That Common Council directs implementation of said cost recovery model for the city’s residential inspection program within the Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development, and that associated costs in the Building Division be recouped through its fee structure to the fullest extent practical, and that this schedule be annually reviewed and adjusted to factor in mandatory and contractual increases; and that the categories of fraternities, sororities and coops be recombined; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: Council asks staff to recalculate and adjust the updated fee schedule within two months of its posting on opengov.com to ensure no fees reﬂect a decrease in cost per unit. 18 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Mayor's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Mayor Robert Cantelmo DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:Mayoral Appointments ITEM #:8.1 MEMORANDUM Voting Item- Appointments to the Recreation Partnership Board Program Oversight Committee IURA Governance Committee Civil Service Commission Planning Board Sustainability and Climate Justice Committee ATTACHMENTS: Rec Partnership Board-3-5-2025 CC.pdf IURA Gov Com and Prg Oversight Comm-3-5-2025 CC.pdf Civil Service Commission-3-5-2025.pdf Planning Board Appt -3-5-2025.pdf Mayor Appointment SCJ- Aaron Fernando.pdf 19 Mayor’s Appointments Recreation Partnership Board. Resolved, that Alderperson David Shapiro be reappointed to represent the City of Ithaca on the Recreation Partnership Board, and be it Resolved that Alderperson Haines-Sharp be appointed to represent the City of Ithaca on the Recreation Partnership Board. 20 Mayor’s Appointments Program Oversight Committee. Resolved, Andy Rollman be appointed to the Program Oversight Committee. IURA Governance Committee Resolved that George McGonigal be appointed to serve on the IURA Governance Committee. 21 Mayor’s Appointments Civil Service Commission Resolved, that Catherine Thompson be appointed to the Civil Service Commission for a 6 Year Term ending 5/31/2030. 22 Mayor’s Appointments Planning Board Resolved, Elisabete Godden and Bassel Khoury be reappointed to the Planning Board for a 3 Year Term ending December 31, 2027 23 Mayor Appointment to Sustainability and Climate Justice Committee RESOLVED, that Aaron Fernando be reappointed to the Sustainability and Climate Justice Committee for a 2 year term ending 12/31/2027 24 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Controller's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Deputy City Controller Wendy Cole DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:Report from City Controller- March 2025 ITEM #:9.1 MEMORANDUM Report from City Controller- March 2025 ATTACHMENTS: Controller's Report Common Council Update.pdf 25 Common Council Update – March 2025 – Controller’s Office Staffing – The Chamberlain’s office successfully completed tax season with a whole new staff. They have just ﬁlled two key positions, a Fiscal Manager and a part time accounts receivable specialist. The search for a Controller is currently underway. Financial Update- Year end numbers are being processed. Next month we will be able to review some large items from 2024 including sales tax revenues and labor expenses. Opengov.- We are moving forward with our use of Open gov in the ﬁnance dept. Training will commence this spring so that we can utilize the new software for the upcoming 2026 budget season. Moving to this system will allow dept budgets to be submitted in a uniform format. This will cut down on much of the manual labor associated with the preparation and presentation of budget documents. Audit update – Audit work is continuing. Our focus is to restore our Moody’s rating before our next long term borrowing. 26 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 City Manager's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Deb Mohlenhoff, City Manager DATE:March 5, 2025 RE:City Manager's Report- March 2025 ITEM #:10.1 MEMORANDUM City Manager Report- March 2025 2025 City Staff & City Manager Workplan- March Updates ATTACHMENTS: 0305_CM Monthly Report to CC.pdf 2025 CM Workplan March Updates.pdf 27 M E M O R A N D U M Date: March 5, 2025 To: Common Council From: Deborah Mohlenhoff, City Manager RE: Monthly City Manager Report on February 2025 I am pleased to provide this monthly report to Council that will serve as an opportunity to highlight the work of our city departments in the past month and give key updates on ongoing initiatives. These items are submitted monthly from Department Heads to the City Manager. City Attorney The Attorney’s Office continues to support Common Council, the City Manager, and the City’s departments in the daily operations of the City. February has been a particularly busy month for land use and real estate issues, including the re-posting of a revised call for sealed bids for the soon-to-be-former East Hill Fire Station on College Avenue. Interested parties can find out more at https://cityofithaca.org/bids.aspx?bidID=196. In other land use news, the Office is especially pleased to report that applications for 2025 outdoor dining permits have begun to appear, which means that (Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction notwithstanding) spring is right around the corner. Public Information & Technology/City Clerk Events and Community Permits This team is collaborating with numerous community organizations to compile a calendar of events for 2025. Highlights include major events like the upcoming Downtown Ithaca Chili Cook-Off. Additionally, the team is managing Commons outdoor dining permits, Commons use permits, noise ordinance per mits, and more. As warmer weather approaches, community use of City property will become more frequent. Information Technology We are excited to announce that Jake Baker has been promoted to the role of Information Systems Manager. The team continues to ensure our operational efficiency and security preparedness by replacing older equipment and upgrading operating systems. In partnership with the Controller's office, the team is also developing a budgeting and reporting tool to enhance efficiency and transparency in the City's annual budget process. 28 Clerk's Office This team is providing excellent customer service, as evidenced by the issuance of 31 dog licenses, 9 marriage licenses, 50 marriage license transcripts, and 8 domestic partnerships in February. GIAC GIAC was privileged and honored to host iconic Social Justice Pioneer, Dr. Angela Davis, on February 3rd for a lunch and conversation with GIAC staff and community members. This was Dr. Davis’s third visit to GIAC. Her talk on the struggle for liberation motivated us to continue to do the work we do towards equity for all. Once again GIAC led in celebrating Black History Month in our community. The Teen Program curated an amazing mini museum at the GRC focused on Black History in the 1970s. It was well attended by community members and visitors from as far away as Syracuse and Binghamton. GIAC also hosted its annual Black History Month Community Talent Showcase on February 28 th at Boynton Middle School. This is the largest single community event celebrating Black History. GIAC Deputy Director, Travis Brooks, represented GIAC and the City of Ithaca at the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, and Asian Caucus as a panelist on the issue of affordable housing. Our Boys Wolfpack and Girls Firebirds traveling basketball teams continue to rack up wins and bring home championships. The Firebirds are 16-0 in the region and the Wolfpack are 17-1. Students on these teams are also excelling academically. Ithaca Youth Bureau Youth Development PSMP has been successfully collaborating with Ithaca College's MLK Scholars Program, bringing in many wonderful new tutors. On February 3-4th, six Youth Council Ambassadors and three YES Staff Members participated in the New York State Association of Youth Bureaus Annual Youth Leadership Forum in Albany. Teens attended workshops about public speaking, networking, and state-wide advocacy, and then had opportunities to tour and learn more about New York State government. YCA has been working on public speaking and presentation skills since January and will present their capstone presentation to Common Council on Wednesday, March 5th. YES is busily preparing for the 2025 Summer Jobs Program, which includes major work by every member of their team to improve systems and resources that will greatly contribute to the continued success of the program. The program is accepting worksite partner applications through March 7th. Most of the YES Staff will attend the New York State Association for Training and Employment Professionals Youth Practitioner conference in Saratoga Springs in March, and the YES Summer Jobs Program will begin accepting applications and scheduling interviews March 10th. 29 The Outings Program has after-school programming happening every day. With the continued growth in popularity of their offerings an additional Youth Program Leader will be hired this spring. Recreation Saturday, March 1st, will be the last week of the 2025 IYB/ICSD Elementary Basketball season (7 weeks in total). We served 49 teams ranging from 3rd - 5th grade across our Elementary Schools with 1 team coming from Montessori. We will hold our 5th Grade tournament for boys and girls on March 8th at IHS (9 boys’ teams and 8 girls’ teams). Our IYB Youth Wrestling season will be finished on Wednesday, February 27th. We partnered with the IHS Wrestling Club to build out a new wrestling space at Island Health and Fitness and had an incredible season. By adding this space, we’ve been able to attend 2 wrestling meets in Groton and Moravia and this program has served 40 kids (boys and girls) ranging from Kindergarten - 6th grade! On Tuesday, February 25th, we completed our 6th grade boys’ and girls’ basketball program. This program provides an opportunity for 6th grade students to develop the necessary skills needed to practice and play at the modified level. We were lucky and fortunate to have many great volunteer coaches who did a fantastic job working with and developing our program participants from December through the end of February! On February 11th we ended 4 sessions of Small Ball Basketball for 1st and 2nd grade kids. The programs ran on Tuesday and Thursday nights for 6 weeks. The program was invited by Newfield Recreation to play a friendly game at their court, which had adjustable rims. There were 41 kids total in our program. We had another round of Art, Pottery, Theatre and Tae Kwon Do classes beginning this week. On Friday the 28th at Noon, our Spring program registration will be open. The Recreation Division is making adjustments to the program evaluation surveys for this year in order to collect better data around the benefits of participating in recreation programs. Parks We had a successful opening of boat rack reservations for the 2025 season at Stewart and Cass Parks with 74 individual rentals and close to $9,000 worth of business happening on the first day. 73% of all available slots were sold on the first day. At this point, just over a month before the boat racks will be in use, we have only 15% of the original slots available. Cass Park Rink’s February attendance is 6739 attendees (not including spectators) to date, averaging 270 attendees daily for the month despite several poor weather days. In collaboration with the Engineering Division we are progressing towards bidding for the replacement of the Union Field and Pavilion Restroom buildings, the large pavilion and the pavilion access drive. 30 Planning & Development Zoning Rewrite: The City was recently awarded approximately $250,000 from the NYS Department of State’s Smart Growth Communities Program to undertake a comprehensive rewrite of the Zoning Ordinance. The City is currently working with DOS to finalize a contract for the award. Kick off of the project is anticipated for the second quarter of 2025. STRs: Short Term Rental implementation is underway. The City has identified over 300 short-term rental properties in the City and each property owner has been sent a letter explaining the new ordinance and the requirements for a permit. The short-term rental permit application is available online and we have issued the City’s first permits. We know that there are many short-term rental operators currently working to gather the requirements to apply for a permit. Grant administration update: Emma, our Grant Administrator, has compiled a living document outlining our various streams of federal funding and has begun tracking state funding that originates federally. With the landscape evolving rapidly and uncertainty remaining a challenge, we are focusing on what we can control— staying calm, adaptable, and proactive. Staff working with federal funds have been encouraged to voucher as much as possible, adhere strictly to grant requirements, and maintain regular contact with their grant officers, where possible. We continue to work with our D.C.-based consultant to help navigate federal directives and memos as they emerge. Sustainability Updates FEDERAL FUNDING – The IGND’s two Congressionally Directed Spending awards are functionally inaccessible under the current federal funding freeze impacting DEI and clean energy programs. All known and available indicators point to the withholding of these funds, which were included as part of the Appropriations Bill, being illegal. The federal funding impacted represents approximately 85% of current IGND funding. TGEN/CCA - The contract with Local Power, LLC, the City’s chosen CCA Administrator, is currently being reviewed by the City Attorney; meanwhile, sustainability staff continue to work collaboratively with the Town of Ithaca on a robust outreach and education plan complies and exceeds NYS DPS regulatory requirements. FUNDING APPLICATIONS – In collaboration with Tompkins County, the NY Green Bank, and Community Sustainability Partners, sustainability staff are co-applying to phase I (Market-Building) of the Coalition for Green Capital’s Municipal Investment Fund, an opportunity supporting the development of public-private partnership plans that can accelerate the deployment of capital to projects for clean energy, climate change, transportation, affordable housing, workforce training, legacy pollution remediation, and clean water. The phase I application is due on March 5. ED Updates City of Ithaca Economic Development Strategy: The steering committee will kick off in March. Our ED Strategy will establish priority actions that the City can undertake in the next three to five years to help achieve its economic development goals. It will recognize that the City plays an important direct role in promoting sustainable local economic development through its formal economic development efforts and through other city functions that influence the business climate and economic development. It will also clarify the city's role in the wider economic development system and strengthen local partnerships. Alderperson Ducson Nguyen 31 and Mayor Cantelmo have agreed to serve as Council liaisons and Deputy Director Tom Knipe will staff this effort. We hope to complete the strategy by the end of 2025. Shared Kitchen Ithaca (SKI): The project made huge progress in the past two months and is on track to open its doors and begin serving local food entrepreneurs this spring. SKI is a new shared-use commercial kitchen and food business incubator at 700 West Buffalo Street. The first phase of fundraising is complete (including this recent announcement from Senator Schumer), a full-time director has been hired, and equipment is currently being purchased and installed. (https://www.sharedkitchenithaca.com/ ) Ithaca Downtown Conference Center: The conference center opened in July 2024, and by the end of last year booked 63 events and welcomed 9,000 guests. The management team, led by general manager Kathy Taylor, has created exceptional event experiences including state association conferences, public expos, community fundraising events and meetings, and more. City room tax is the primary source of funding for the Conference Center. Actual 2024 room tax revenues (including County payments) were $2,507,041. This is 6.7% more than we originally budgeted and represents a 3.1% growth in actual revenues between 2023 and 2024. Visit www.ithacadowntownconferencecenter.com/ Retail Study: Consultant Michael J. Berne gave a presentation of factual findings via Zoom on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The presentation will be recorded. The final Retail Study and Strategy will be published this spring and will incorporate specific and actionable recommendations to enhance the retail environment in key commercial areas of the City including Downtown and Collegetown. Other Planning & Development Staffing Updates: We welcomed a new housing inspector, Bryan Redd, and an electrical inspector, Nolan Harkness, in January 2025. We wish the best of luck to Robert Swansbrough, Senior Code Inspector, who is leaving City employment to pursue a new opportun ity The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) is reviewing applications for its 2025 Action Plan and will hold public hearings on February 28th and March 7th. Approximately $636,000 in CDBG funds and $232,000 in HOME funds are anticipated to be available for projects in the areas of affordable housing, public facilities/infrastructure, economic development, and public services. Projects must principally benefit low- and moderate-income people or remove slum or blighting conditions in the City of Ithaca. See a list of funding applications here: IURA Funding Applications - 2025. For more information about the 2025 Action Plan process visit the IURA website: https://cityofithaca.org/290/Ithaca-Urban-Renewal-Agency An updated Floodplain Development Local Law that references the new FEMA flood maps must be adopted by Council no later than June 18, 2025. City residents and property owners can find out more about flood insurance at http://www.floodsmart.gov Ithaca Fire Department • Four new Firefighters started with IFD on Wednesday 1/29/25. They started the 15 -Week Fire Academy on 2/10/25. • IFD is offering the entry-level Firefighter Civil Service Exam on 1 March 2025. 98 people have submitted applications. 35 applicants attended Civil Service test preparation classes held at our Central Fire Station. 32 • Work on the New Heavy Rescue continues. Anticipate April 2025 delivery. • Work continues the EHFS. The building is approximately 70% completed. Anticipate May 2025 completion with June 2025 move-in. • Shifts have taken advantage of the cold weather to practice Ice Rescue techniques (see photo below) • IFD responded to a fire at Arthaus caused by a malfunctioning eBike battery that was being charged. No injuries were reported, but there was fire, smoke and water damage in the building. • IFD responded to a fire at Wendy’s. The fire started on the grill and extended into the exhaust ve nts that went through the roof. Human Resources • Our new HR Specialist, Jamie Flynn, started on January 27th. Jamie specializes in Civil Service and has jumped right into action supporting staff and administration with the intricacies of NYS Civil Service rules and regulations. • HR completed orientation on 2/25 for ten new employees. • The Controller and Superintendent of Public Works positions have been posted. • The HR department will be attending 4+ job fairs in February and March, one being a civil service job fair held at TCPL. • HR staff will be participating in mock interviews at TST BOCES for high school students. • WDAC is also actively working on Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and a subcommittee has been formed to move that initiative forward. • HR has completed citywide De-Escalation training and will be offering it to the workforce annually moving forward. • FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) Clearinghouse Annual Queries have been submitted and accepted. • All updates to the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding Injury/Illness reports for 2024 have been completed. • Building Services installed an AED in the lobby of City Hall. We will have another one installed at the pro shop/golf course in the spring. There will be upcoming training about using the device. 33 • The NYS Civil Service Annual Report is completed. All HELP Program titles have been sent out and appointments are being made to the approved titles. • The 2025 Blue4U Wellness Clinics have started. Staff across the City are attending health screenings and receiving information to help them make progress towards and maintain good health and longevity. Ithaca Police Department • Two officers rehired: Officer Mariel Bode and Dan Bechtold • Two Sergeants Promoted Lewis Morse and Jullian Byrd • Recruitment update – Next test is on May 3rd, Civil Service sign-up closes March 27th o New background software Guardian, streamline the process o Online recruitment • Meetings with Nates's Floral States to discuss County's Shelter plans with residents Public Works Superintendent • Reviewed and discussed proposal from Barton & Loguidice for additional work related to Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) process with FEMA • Issued 2025 contract with Camden Group for staffing of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) • Revised and updated job descriptions for all WWTP positions, and began advertising all positions Engineering • Design approval granted for Stewart Ave bridge over Fall Creek (deck replacement) and design is on- going for N Cayuga St bridge over Fall Creek (full replacement). • Design continues for trail extension to the Kirby Edmonds bridge over Rt 13 and the Town of Ithaca's Gateway trail, including access to Buttermilk Falls State Park. • Design development continues for Cass Park pavilion and bathroom building replacements, partially grant funded. • Safe Streets and Roads for All project (www.safestreetstompkins.com) scheduled public information meetings in December. Network and crash history analysis is complete, working on setting goals and priorities • Refining draft Design Report for Route 13/Cayuga Waterfront Revitalization project (BUILD grant, www.route13ithaca.com). Environmental review and design approval to follow. • Sidewalk 2025 work plan has been adopted. Working on bid documents for 2025 construction. Streets & Facilities • Continued plowing and salting roads as needed (busy February) • Continued catch basin repair in preparation for 2025 Streets Rehabilitation Contract (citywide) • Continued pothole repairs as they develop (citywide). Springtime is notorious for potholes to develop due to the continuous freeze/thaw cycle. • Completed our Asset Management Inventory and software rollout. Crews are now using the system for work order and materials tracking. 34 • Finalizing 2025 Streets Rehabilitation Contract bid documents (mill & pave of various roads, bid in March) • Coordination with Encampment Response team and Deputy City Manager, started clean-up of encampments behind Lowes. Water & Sewer • Meadow Street design meeting to hone details on pump station design. Met with Planning to evaluate pocket park needs. • Scheduled another camera inspection of Meadow Street to complete surveillance on entire pipeline from Clinton to Buffalo • Continued water main replacement on 200 block of S. Albany. • Prep work for the installation of the next leg of the ice melting project • Several water main breaks during this cold snap (5 at least) • Repair of a pump and controls on the Wood Street Pumping Station • Completed our Asset Management Inventory and software rollout. Crews are now using the system for work order and materials requisitions. Steep learning curve. • Met with Tetra Tech several times on the W&S Building renovation project. Plans are now at 25%. Staff are currently reviewing layout and making suggestions on workflow • Boiler training for WWTP staff • Septage receiving building at WWTP experienced several frozen pipes and efforts to thaw out. Parking & Commons • Moving toward splitting the commons crews to a regular shift and an afternoon/evening shift for the Building and Grounds Maintenance Worker positions in order to provide better coverage for the Commons. Advertised for a new afternoon/evening shift position and had a large number of applications. • Despite bitterly cold temperatures, maintained normal proficiency in Operations across all three of our Parking Garages as well as above average ticketing and towing functions by our Community Service Officers. • Performed enhanced snow and ice removal for Chilifest 35 CITY STAFF & CITY MANAGER WORK PLAN 2025 Leadership Team Workplan *Highlighted Rows have updated information from last month. *Green Rows have been completed. Project Name Staff Lead Project Summary/Goals Council's Role Systems of Government Updates/Notes Upgrade Public Communication Dominick R.Identify opportunities for increasing transparency and engagement by modernizing communication methods, expanding outreach/building audiences, and improving access to city information. Comms & Public Info •Streamlining process for press releases •Identifying opportunities to provide detailed FAQs to citizens - currently working on a water bill primer Intermunicipal Collaboration Victor K.Strengthen partnerships with neighboring municipalities to improve service delivery, share resources, and address regional challenges efficiently. Governance Payroll Process & Automation Wendy C.Streamline payroll operations by implementing automation tools that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. Budget & Finance City Website Update Alan K./Scott K.Redesign and optimize the city’s website to improve user experience, accessibility, transparency, and ease of navigation. Comms & Public Info •Convening a internal working group to begin analasis of current site •Utilizing new tool to identify broken links and out of compliance pages Succession Planning Deb M.Develop succession plans for all departments to ensure leadership continuity, knowledge transfer, and workforce sustainability. Mgmt. & Leadership City Facilities Strategic Plan Lisa N.Update the assessment of city-owned facilities plan to guide long- term investment, maintenance, and space utilization. Budget & Finance Technology Updates & Training Alan K./Scott K.Modernize city technology tools and provide targeted training to staff to improve efficiency and service delivery. Technology Credit Card Policies Wendy C./Alan K.Review and update credit card usage policies to enhance oversight, accountability, and financial controls; determine appropriate fee structure for departments that accept credit cards. Customer Service The items in this section were identified as citywide priorities from the City's leadership team staff retreat held on January 13, 2025. The City Manager's report will provide continuous updates on these items monthly. They are listed here in the priority order ranked by the staff. We will continue to work on identifying project details and staff leads as the projects move forward. We are structuring our work around the 9 Systems of Government used in the City Manager's 100 Day Plan last January. 36 City Financial Strategy & Policy Wendy C.Establish a long-term financial strategy that strengthens fiscal stability, aligns with best practices, and ensures sustainable budgeting practices. Reviewing and approving policies as presented by staff. Budget & Finance •Benchmarking other City Financial policies & GFOA best practices Creation of a Community Hub Chief Tom K. Explore opportunities to develop a centralized space that fosters civic engagement, community services, and inclusive programming. Diversity & Equity Emergency Management Dominick R.Enhance emergency preparedness through the development of city- wide response plans, interagency coordination, and staff training. Mgmt. & Leadership •Discussed city's departmental needs at Dept. head meeting (led by Fire Chief Covert) Reduce Costs to Citizens Deb M.Identify cost-saving initiatives, efficiency improvements, and alternative funding sources to ease financial burdens on residents. Budget & Finance •Exploring fee study with outside consultant Focus on DEI & Equity Lens Deb M.Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into city policies, programs, and decision-making processes; update the City's workforce diversity plan. Diversity & Equity •Updating City's Workforce Diversity Plan •Establishing ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) Administrative Policy Manual Deb M.Update and standardize administrative policies to ensure consistency, clarity, and compliance across city operations; develop an annual review process; ensure easy access to the policies by all staff. Personnel •Using the county's website as a benchmark to build our own pages and consolidate locations of all policies as well as identify ones the City needs to develop Staff Morale Issues Deb M.Implement initiatives to address workplace concerns, enhance job satisfaction, and foster a positive organizational culture. Personnel •Empowering the Employee Engagement Committee to implement new staff activities and initiatives Staff-Council Relations Deb M.Strengthen collaboration and communication between city staff and elected officials to enhance governance and policy implementation. Governance HR Intranet Kemi S.Develop an internal HR portal to centralize employee resources, streamline communication, and improve access to policies and benefits. Personnel •Basic structure is built, working on adding links and introducing to the workforce City Manager Work Plan - Additional Items Project Name Staff Lead Project Summary/Goals Council's Role Systems of Government Updates/Notes The items in this section are identified as additional priorities for the City Manager's workplan. The City Manager's report will provide continuous updates on these items monthly. This will also serve as the submission of required annual goals to the Common Council by February 15. These are not in priority order. 37 Parking Working Group Evaluate and implement strategies to improve parking availability, increase enforcement, and maximize revenues. Review any fee or policy changes recommended; one council member will serve on the working group. Budget & Finance •Will start this work after the fee study results Encampment Working Group Dominick R.Evaluate the pilot encampment policies and make recommendations that clarify the city's role in addressing homelessness and encampments in the City with a focus on public safety, housing solutions, and community impact. Vote on the recommendations that come forward from the working group. Continuous Improvement •Working Group Draft Report will be available early March •Area behind Lowe's is currently being cleared CJC and RPS Dominick R.Evaluate the city's partnership with the Community Justice Center. Integrate Reimagining Public Safety initiatives to advance police reform, determine alternative response methods, and increase community engagement efforts. Vote on the recommendations that come forward from staff. Diversity & Equity •County and city staff will be meeting in late-March to review current workplan DRI Tom K.Oversee the implementation of state-funded downtown revitalization projects to enhance economic development and urban vibrancy. (Pending successful award announcement.) Budget & Finance Unfortunately we did not win the DRI so this is now irrelevant. Food Trucks Scott R.Review and refine regulations governing mobile food vendors to balance business opportunities with community needs. Customer Service •Working with a vendor on a Food Truck Round Up Financial Audits inc. NYS Wendy C.Ensure compliance with state and local financial reporting requirements through comprehensive audits and fiscal oversight; Identify barriers to completion of audits; bring the City up to current with all outstanding audits. Budget & Finance •Brought in temporary staffing to support audit work Fleet Leasing Analysis Rebecca E.Assess the feasibility and financial impact of transitioning to a leased vehicle fleet for municipal operations. Budget & Finance •21 Electric Vehicles & 5 Convential Passenger Vans have been leased through Enterprise as a pilot program PIT Re-Org Deb M.Continue working on the realignment of positions and functions in the Public Information & Technology department to streamline services and gain efficiencies. Vote on legislative changes related to positions brought forward. Comms & Public Info •Attorney's office drafting legislative changes Water Bill Minimum Fee Scott G.Review and propose a new fee structure that creates a minimum water infrastructure fee to establish financial sustainability and ensure transparency and affordability for residents. Vote on legislative changes brought forward. Customer Service •Will include as part of fee study work 38 Contract negotiations Deb M.Lead negotiations for key municipal contracts, balancing fiscal responsibility with employee and service provider needs. Council liaison will continue as an observer to negotiations; council will vote on contracts once ratified by the bargaining unit. Personnel Contracts up in 2025: Exec Unit (NYSUT), DPW (CSEA), Cannabis Enforcement Victor K.Develop local regulations related to legal cannabis sales, ensuring compliance with state laws and local zoning and ensuring the success of licensed dispensaries. Vote on legislative changes brought forward. Governance ARPA Final Reporting Wendy C.Complete final reporting and compliance measures for the city's use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Budget & Finance Compiling final ARPA allocations and preparing report to council. Controller Search Deb M.Conduct a recruitment process to hire a new City Controller.3 council members serve on the committee. Mgmt. & Leadership •Job has been posted & search committee meetings established DPW Superintendent Search Deb M.Conduct a recruitment process to hire a new DPW Superintendent.3 council members serve on the committee. Mgmt. & Leadership •Job has been posted & search committee meetings established FEMA Flood Maps Mike T./Lisa N.Analyze updated FEMA flood maps and implement necessary planning and policy changes to mitigate flood risks; develop programs to assist homeowners with insurance requirements. Customer Service Working on completing the LOMR. City Hall Annex Alan K.Plan and manage office expansions to the City Hall Annex related to the lease of offices on Cayuga St. Personnel •Internal committee met with City Hall Dept. Heads to review options for office relocation Capital Projects Process Deb M.Streamline and enhance the planning, approval, and execution of capital improvement projects across the city. Budget & Finance •Staff met to review legislstive language and will be meeting every other week Budget Process Deb M.Develop and oversee a transparent, strategic budget process that aligns financial planning with city priorities. Budget & Finance •CM and other key staff meeting with OpenGov to review system Town-City Fire Contract Deb M.Negotiate and finalize agreements with the town for fire services, ensuring equitable cost-sharing and service levels. 2 Council members serve on negotiations. Budget & Finance Using a consultant to review current contract to assess equitable division of expenses. Odd-Even Mark V.Evaluate and potentially revise the city's seasonal odd-even parking regulations to improve compliance and effectiveness. Customer Service Busking Scott R.Review and update policies regarding street performers to balance artistic expression with public space management. Customer Service 39 Towing Policy Dominick R.Assess and update towing regulations to ensure fair enforcement and efficient vehicle removal practices; explore aligning and transfering towing responsibilities to the County. Customer Service •Internal group met to start outlining memo to Council with options for a City towing policy moving forward •Dominick met with the County to examine towing related calls that came in through dispatch and review county towing policy 40