The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMN-SPCC-2026-03-11YouTube Link:https://tinyurl.com/3efnwxsw Date: Location: Wednesday March 11, 2026 City Hall Council Chambers March 11th 2026 SPECIAL MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Voting Record 1.Call To Order (20 Min) 1.1 Emergency Evacuation Notice 1.2 Agenda Review 1.3 Report From The Town of Ithaca 2.Petitions and Hearings for Persons Before Council (30Min) 2.1 Statements From The Public 3.Department Overview (45 Min) Attendance Record of Voting Members Name Present Absent/Excused Mayor - Robert Cantelmo X 1st Ward - Jorge DeFendini X 1st Ward - Kayla Matos X 2nd Ward - Joe Kirby X 2nd Ward - Ducson Nguyen X 3rd Ward - Pat Sewell X 3rd Ward - David Shapiro X 4th Ward - Robin Trumble X 4th Ward - Patrick Kuehl X 5th Ward - Hannah Shvets X 5th Ward - Margaret Fabrizio X Also Present: Alderperson Shapiro is excused Discussion Summary: The March 11th 2026 Special Meeting of the Ithaca Common Council is called to order at 6pm. There are 10 members in attendance with Alderperson Shapiro absent. There are no changes to the agenda. Rob Howe, Town of Ithaca Supervisor provided a municipal update to Council. Council followed up with questions and comments. Timestamp 0:55- 10:23 Discussion Summary: Two members of the public presented before Council to share their thoughts and comments. Timestamp 10:30-16:03 Discussion Summary: Department of Public Works representatives gave a briefing and overview on snow removal activities. Superintendent Adam Potter, Assistant 3.1 DPW- Snow Removal- Discussion Only 4.Public Safety (30 Min) 4.1 Tactical Team Grant 4.2 Intermunicipal Agreement- Syracuse Tactical Team Corporation Superintendent Mark Verbanic with the Streets and Facilities Division, Hank Bennett, Supervisor of Streets and Laurie Ervay Storm Water Engineer, provided a Slide Show Presentation. Council followed up with questions and comments for discussion. Timestamp 16:10- 1:01:48 Discussion Summary: Police Chief Kelly presented before Council to discuss the Authorization to accept the Tactical Team Grant. Moved and summarized by Alderperson DeFendini, Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. Mayor Cantelmo looked for a motion refer discussion to the March 18th Committee Meeting. Council voted to move the discussion to the March 18th 2026 COW meeting. Timestamp 1:01:55- 1:30:52 Moved By: Patrick Kuehl Seconded By: Joe Kirby Motion Summary: Motion to refer to the 3/18/2026 COW B meeting. Moved by Alderperson Kuehl, Seconded by Alderperson Kirby Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Alderperson Kuehl summarized and moved the Intermunicipal Agreement between City of Ithaca and Syracuse PD Tactical Team. Council followed up with questions and comments for discussion. Timestamp 1:31:01-1:33:10 Moved By: Patrick Kuehl Seconded By: Joe Kirby 5.City Manager Report- Questions From Council (30 Min) 5.1 City Manager's Monthly Report- March 2026 6.Executive Session (40 Min) +/- 6.1 Executive Session To Discuss a Personnel Matter Motion Summary: Intermunicipal Agreement between the City of Ithaca and the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) moved by Alderperson Kuehl, Seconded by Alderperson Kirby. Motion Carried 7-3 with Alderpersons DeFendini, Matos, and Shvets opposed. (Alderperson Shapiro Absent) Vote Passed 7-3 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Brief review of the March 2026 City Manager's Report with questions from Council. Timestamp 1:33:10-1:53:49 Discussion Summary: Council entered into an Executive Session to discuss a Personnel Matter and returned with a vote on a Resolution- Salary Grade Adjustment For The Director of Planning and Development. Timestamp 1:54:07-2:31:20 Discussion Summary: Resolution read into the record by the mayor. Council approved salary grade adjustment of the Director of Planning and Development from grade 11 to grade 12 as recommended by the HR Department Timestamp 2:31:35-2:32:18 Moved By: Kayla Matos Seconded By: Pat Sewell Motion Summary: Motion To Enter Into Executive Session to Discuss a Personnel Matter. Moved by Alderperson Matos, Seconded by Alderperson Sewell. Motion Carried 9-1 with Alderperson Sewell Opposed. (Shapiro Absent) Vote Passed 9-1 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Moved By: Robin Trumble Seconded By: Kayla Matos Motion Summary: Motion to Exit Executive Session. Moved by Alderperson Trumble, Seconded by Alderperson Matos. Motion Carried 9-0, with Alderperson Fabrizio absent from the vote (Shapiro Absent) Vote Passed 9-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion Summary: Resolution- Salary Grade Adjustment for the Director of Planning and Development. Moved and read on to the record by the Mayor, Seconded by Alderperson DeFendini. All In Favor. Motion Carried 9-0 with Alderperson Fabrizio absent from vote. (Shapiro Absent) Vote Passed 9-0 Carried Unanimously 7.Meeting Adjourn Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Discussion Summary: Council entered into an Executive Session to discuss a second Personnel Matter, with no vote anticipated from this session. Order of regular business has concluded. Timestamp 2:32:19- 2:33:08 Moved By: Kayla Matos Seconded By: Robin Trumble Motion Summary: Motion to Enter In Executive Session to discuss a Personnel Matter. Moved by Alderperson Matos, Seconded by Alderperson Trumble. All In Favor 8-0 with Alderpersons Fabrizio and Kirby absent from the Vote. (Shapiro Absent) Vote Passed 8-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Kayla Matos X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Public Comment Forum Submitted: 4-22-2026 Adopted: 04-22-2026 Shaniqua Lewis,Deputy City Clerk Carried Unanimously 9-0 (Absent- Shapiro,Fabrizio) City of Ithaca Common Council Resolution – Salary Grade Adjustment for the Director of Planning and Development WHEREAS, at the request of the Department Head, and with the support of the City Manager, the Department of Human Resources conducted a review of the Director of Planning and Development position to determine whether the position is appropriately graded for the level duties it performs; and WHEREAS, the Deputy Director of Human Resources and the Human Resources Specialist conducted individual reviews of the current job description utilizing the City’s established Point Factor Plan; and WHEREAS, the evaluation included an analysis of the following factors: Knowledge and Skills, including required education, experience, communication skills, and specialized technical or professional expertise. Responsibility and Complexity, including application guidelines, complexity of duties, reasoning ability, decision making authority, work impact, and level of contact with others. Supervision and Leadership, including the type and scope of supervision exercised. Environmental Conditions associated with the position ; and WHEREAS, after comparing and discussing the assigned point values within each factor category, Human Resources determined that the scope, complexity, and leadership responsibilities of the Director of Planning and Development warrant placement at a higher salary grade; and WHEREAS, the salary grade reflects the evaluated level of responsibility and ensures equitable compensation, internal consistency within the City’s classification system, and supports effective recruitment and retention; now, therefore, it be RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby approves a salary grade adjustment for the Director of Planning and Development from Grade 11 to Grade 12 as recommended by the Human Resources Department; and be it further RESOLVED, that the City Controller is authorized to make any necessary budget modifications to implement this salary grade adjustment; and be it further RESOLVED, that this adjustment shall take effect on March 11, 2026, and shall apply to the incumbent Director of Planning and Development and any future appointees to the position. Moved By Mayor Cantelmo Seconded By Alderperson DeFendini Carried 9-0 (Absent:Fabrizio, Shapiro) Executive Session-3-11-2026 Date: Time: Location: Watch Online: Wednesday March 11, 2026 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers https://www.youtube.com/@CityofIthacaPublicMeetings March 11th 2026- AMENDED SPECIAL MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA 1.Call To Order (20 Min) 1.1. 1.2. 1.3. 2.Petitions and Hearings for Persons Before Council (30Min) 2.1. 3.Department Overview (45 Min) 3.1. 4.Public Safety (30 Min) 4.1. 4.2. 5.City Manager Report- Questions From Council (30 Min) 5.1. 6.Executive Session (40 Min) +/- 6.1. 7.Meeting Adjourn Emergency Evacuation Notice Agenda Review Report From The Town of Ithaca Statements From The Public DPW- Snow Removal- Discussion Only Tactical Team Grant Intermunicipal Agreement- Syracuse Tactical Team Corporation City Manager's Monthly Report- March 2026 Executive Session To Discuss a Personnel Matter 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 -Allotted 5 Minutes 5-7 or More Persons with One Designated Speaker – Allotted 7 Minutes 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 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 - Click Here To Submit Written Comment *Written comments submitted will be compiled and entered into the record. Can't Come To The Meeting But Still Want To Speak? Register To Speak Virtually Click Here To Register 1 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Common Council Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Town of Ithaca Legislator DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:Report From The Town of Ithaca ITEM #:1.3 MEMORANDUM Robe Howe, Town Legislator, Town of Ithaca, providing a "Sister Municipality" Update. *This item does not include attachments. 2 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Department of Public Works Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:DPW DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:DPW- Snow Removal- Discussion Only ITEM #:3.1 MEMORANDUM Department of Public Works leadership will provide a briefing on snow removal activities this winter. The briefing will include an overview of the work that goes into clearing City streets and sidewalks of snow, a review of recent snow events with any identified opportunities for continuous improvement, and plans that have been put in place for future snow removal opportunities. *This item does not include attachments. 3 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Police Department Christine Ibert, TO:Common Council FROM:Chief Kelly DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:Tactical Team Grant ITEM #:4.1 MEMORANDUM The City of Ithaca was awarded $75,000 in federal funding under the FY2022 Tactical Team Grant Program. Funding for this initiative is provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) and is administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). The performance period for this award is August 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. ATTACHMENTS: IPD_Grant_Memo.pdf Approval of Ithaca City Police Department Enforcement Technology (LETECH) Program.pdf TT22-1014-E00-AttachmentID-136124-City of Ith_Thomas Kelly.pdf 4 M E M O R A N D U M Date: February 3, 2026 To: Common Council From: Chief Thomas J. Kelly RE: Acceptance of E-Grants - (TT22-1014-E00 ,C160417 ,FY2022 Tactical Team Targeted Grant) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROJECT HISTORY, BACKGROUND, & ANALYSIS On August 1, 2025, the City of Ithaca was awarded $75,000 in federal funding under the FY2022 Tac cal Team Grant Program. Funding for this ini a ve is provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) and is administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). The performance period for this award is August 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. This funding is provided to improve and develop tac cal team capabili es through equipment, training, exercise, and planning projects that support sustainment of the New York State Division of Criminal Jus ce Services (DCJS) SWAT Team Standards. KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED Several issues were iden ﬁed to meet the accredita on standards set by DCJS. The grant total is $75,000. There is $10,000 budgeted to backfill OT/pay for training of SWAT Operators. The remaining $65,000 is broken as follows: 3 helmet mounted night vision binoculars - $22,500 16 ballistic helmets w/ communications - $27,500 2 ballistic shields - $6,000 2 small unmanned aerial systems to deescalate high risk encounters (interior use only) - $9,000. QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL IPD is reques ng the Council accept the award of a $75,000 technology grant from New York State. BUDGET IMPLICATIONS & FUNDING If this grant is not accepted, there will be future expenses that will need to be worked into the budget. PUBLIC FEEDBACK N/A 5 NEXT STEPS N/A 6 ( xx ) Consent Agenda (xx )IPD – Approval of Ithaca City Police Department Enforcement Technology (LETECH) Program WHEREAS, The Ithaca Police Department (IPD) was 75,000 grant WHEREAS, RT - - - -; Now Therefore RESOLVED, t accepts 75,000 RESOLVED, 5- RESOLVED, 5 -)75,000 -5477-75,000 7 KATHY HOCHUL Governor JACKIE BRAY Commissioner 1220 Washington Avenue, Bldg. 7A, Fl. 7, Albany, NY 12226 │ 518.242.5000 │www.dhses.ny.gov August 1, 2025 The Honorable Robert Cantelmo Mayor, City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear Mayor Cantelmo: I am pleased to announce that the City of Ithaca has been awarded $75,000 in federal funding under the FY2022 Tactical Team Grant Program. Funding for this initiative is provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) and is administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). The performance period for this award is August 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. As outlined in your application, this funding is provided to improve and develop tactical team capabilities through equipment, training, exercise, and planning projects that support counter terrorism missions in your jurisdiction as well as your team’s sustainment of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) SWAT Team Standards. Additionally, all capabilities developed through federal FY2022 SHSP funding are required to be deployable regionally and nationally per the federal guidelines. All funding through this grant program is subject to both New York State and federal guidelines and regulations. Finally, all training that is funded through this grant program must be submitted to DHSES within six (6) months of the date of this letter for review and approval. In order to ensure these funds are made available as quickly as possible, a representative from the Grants Program Administration Unit of DHSES will be reaching out to your grant point of contact. If you have any questions about this program, please contact Eric Abramson, Director of Grants Program Administration at (518) 242-5108. Congratulations on your award and I look forward to working with you to administer this program. Sincerely, Jackie Bray Commissioner 8 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Police Department Christine Ibert, TO:Common Council FROM:Catherine Muskin DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:Intermunicipal Agreement- Syracuse Tactical Team Corporation ITEM #:4.2 MEMORANDUM "NY General Municipal Law (“GML”) § 119-o permits municipal corporations such as the City of Ithaca to enter into agreements—called intermunicipal agreements—for the performance amongst themselves or for the other of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service. There is an existing relationship between IPD and Syracuse Police Department (“SPD”) regarding the use of each department’s tactical teams for purposes of combined response. Rather than be bound by the more onerous requirements under GML § 209-m to request assistance from a nearby law enforcement agency, the proposed agreement formalizes the existing relationship to streamline an efficient collaboration in this respect. GML § 119-o requires the approval of any intermunicipal agreement by each municipality’s legislative body. " ATTACHMENTS: Work Session Memo to Council (021126)_Catherine Muskin.pdf Syracuse Tactical Team Cooperation Ithaca{2}.docx 9 M E M O R A N D U M Date: March 3, 2026 To: Common Council From: Catherine Muskin, Acting City Attorney; Police Chief Thomas Kelly RE: Approval of Intermunicipal Agreement, Police Tactical Team Cooperation, with Syracuse Police Department EXECUTIVE SUMMARY New York State General Municipal Law (“GML”) § 119-o permits municipal corporations such as the City of Ithaca (the “City”) to enter into agreements—called intermunicipal agreements for short—for the performance amongst themselves or for the other of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service. There is an existing relationship between the Ithaca Police Department (“IPD”) and Syracuse Police Department (“SPD”) regarding the use of each department’s tactical teams for purposes of combined response. Rather than be bound by the more onerous requirements under GML § 209 -m to request assistance from a nearby law enforcement agency, the proposed agreement formalizes the existing relationship to streamline an efficient collaboration in this respect. GML § 119-o requires the approval of any intermunicipal agreement by each municipality’s legislative body. PROJECT HISTORY, BACKGROUND, & ANALYSIS The proposed intermunicipal agreement between IPD and SPD (the “Agreement”) outlines the use of combined resources including: tactical team deployment, sniper team deployment, crisis negotiations team deployment, K9 team deployment, and mobile field force team deployment. The trigger for such deployment is the request from one police chief (or their designee) to the other for personnel or equipment. Other pertinent terms include the following: • Term: A five (5)-year term, which is the maximum term for an intermunicipal agreement under GML §119-n(2)(j). • Recordkeeping: Each party will have equal access to records created by the other related to incidents responded to under the Agreement. • Liability: There is a mutual release of liability for each party responding to the emergency of the other party. 10 • Protection for officers: If an officer of a tactical team dies because of emergency service for the other agency, carried out under this Agreement, it is treated as though they died in service of their employing agency. This ensures the officer’s family receives benefits under § 207 -c. • No limitation on ability of IPD to recall : The Agreement does not limit the ability of the Police Chief or their designee to recall personnel or equipment for concerns within the ordinary response area of IPD. • No limitation on ability to act: Officers responding under the Agreement are permitted to respond within the same authority they have as officers in their home agency area. The IPD has maintained a longstanding verbal mutual aid agreement with the SPD for more than ten years. During this time, the agencies have trained together and provided reciprocal support as public safety needs have arisen. At this time, both departments seek to formalize this partnership through a written agreement. POLICY ALIGNMENT STATEMENT This Agreement aligns with the Council’s legislative priority of “Public Works and Infrastructure” by making a no-cost investment in partnering with a reputable, well-trained local agency. It squarely fits within the following previously identified priority: “Improve operational efficiency through targeted investments in personnel, training, fleet modernization, technology upgrades, and integrated data systems .” In addition, it aligns with the Council’s legislative priority of “Public Safety” by expanding the potential personnel and equipment available for emergencies, directly “strengthen[ing] coordination and communication . . . to ensure effective, equitable, and timely emergency responses.” QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL BUDGET IMPLICATIONS & FUNDING There is no cost to this Agreement. Cost for any joint training are set to be split between both entities, under the Agreement. PUBLIC FEEDBACK NEXT STEPS Once this Agreement is ratified by the Council, it can be executed by the City Manager for implementation. 11 INTER-MUNICIPAL AGREEMENT POLICE TACTICAL TEAM COOPERATION This Inter-Municipal Agreement of Emergency Response Team Cooperation (hereinafter, "Agreement") is made this day of 2026, between the Syracuse Police Department, a municipal corporation with its principal place of business located at 511 S State St., Syracuse, NY (“SPD”), and the Ithaca Police Department, a municipality of the State of New York, with principal offices located at 120 East Clinton Street, Ithaca, NY 14851 (“IPD”) (hereinafter, the "Parties"). RECITALS WHEREAS, Section 119-o of the New York State General Municipal Law (hereinafter,' "GML") permits municipal corporations to enter into agreements for the performance amongst themselves or for the other of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service; and WHEREAS, the Parties hereto have experienced within their jurisdictions a potential need for the joint response of both participants' police tactical teams, K9 Team, and Public Order Unit (POU), Bomb Squad, Crisis Response Unit (CRU), to deal with certain criminal acts or threats, including, but not limited to, barricaded suspects, hostage takers, civil unrest or other persons committing violent acts that may be more effectively dealt with through the use of a specially trained team, rather than standard police operations. NOW THEREFORE, the Parties do mutually agree, pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement as follows: ARTICLE ONE Purpose of the Agreement The purpose of this Agreement is to: 1. Formalize the relationship between the SPD and its Emergency Response Team (hereinafter, "ERT") Team and the IPD SWAT Team (hereinafter, "Tactical Team(s)") and the use of the combined Tactical Teams' resources; (i.e. tactical team deployment, sniper team deployment, crisis response unit deployment, K9 team deployment, bomb squad team deployment, public order unit team deployment) 2. Eliminate the need to follow the formal procedures set forth in GML §209-m to request assistance from the other Party in the form of personnel or equipment 3. Provide for more efficient utilization of law enforcement resources and services; and 4. Make available to each participating entity, the Tactical Team resources of the other participating entity in the event of an “emergency”, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. 12 ARTICLE TWO Personnel and Equipment Each Party agrees that their respective police department may supply Tactical Team personnel, equipment, and other available resources to the other upon request by the other party’s police chief or their designee in the event of an Emergency, if their respective police chief, or his or her designee, deems it appropriate. The number of personnel, if any, and the amount or type of equipment to be dispatched by the responding Party shall be determined by that agency's police chief or his or her designee. In furtherance of this Agreement, the Parties agree to conduct joint training for all employees participating in Tactical Team operations, subject to the terms of this Agreement. Such training shall take place at a time and place mutually agreed upon between the Parties. Costs, if any, shall be equally divided by the Parties unless mutually agreed that an agency will solely carry costs. ARTICLE THREE Retained Personnel and Equipment Each Party agrees that, when responding to an Emergency for the other party, the responding Party may hold back sufficient personnel and equipment to provide adequate protection within the territory of the responding Party. Should a need for the loaned personnel and equipment arise within the territory of the responding Party after responding to an Emergency, then the responding Party may recall such personnel and equipment or any part thereof. The responding Party shall inform the requesting Party of its intent to withdraw from the Emergency. ARTICLE FOUR Compensation Neither participant, as a requesting Party, shall be obligated to compensate the responding Party for services rendered by, or injuries to, the responding Party's personnel, or for the use or damage to the responding Tactical Team's equipment. Specifically, and without limiting the foregoing, the requesting Party shall have no obligation for the payment of wages or withholding for unemployment, workers' compensation, 207-c benefits, or for the payment of any other benefits to the personnel of the responding Party. Each participant hereto hereby expressly waives all claims of whatever type or nature, except for gross negligence, against the other and its personnel, which may arise out of the performance of this Agreement. ARTICLE FIVE Control of Personnel and Equipment The Incident Commander of the requesting Party shall be in command of the operation(s) under which the equipment and personnel sent by the responding Party shall serve; provided that the responding personnel and equipment shall be under the immediate supervision of the officer in charge of the responding Party, if more than one officer responds. Command, however, may be relinquished to a ranking or senior officer of the Party rendering assistance under the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Article shall limit the ability of the 13 Police Chief or their designee to recall personnel or equipment as provided for in the Article Three, supra. ARTICLE SIX Privileges and Immunities To the extent permitted by law, all the powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities from liability that surrounds the activities of any participating Tactical Team or agency when performing its functions within the public agency's territorial limits, shall apply to the activities of that agency's Tactical Team while furnishing tactical assistance outside its territorial limits under the terms of this Agreement. Specifically, pursuant to sections 119-n(c) and 119-o of the GML, law enforcement officers assisting another local government outside their normal geographical area of employment shall have all powers and authority of law enforcement officers in such other jurisdiction as provided by law, including the power of arrest. ARTICLE SEVEN Line of Duty Death or Injury The effect of the death, injury or disability of any officer who is killed, injured, or disabled outside the territorial limits of either participating entity while in the performance of this Agreement, shall be the same as if they were killed, injured, or were to become disabled while that officer was functioning within his or her own territorial limits, and such injury or death shall be considered to be in the line of duty. ARTICLE EIGHT Liability and Indemnification Neither Party shall incur any liability or responsibility for the failure to respond to any request for assistance made pursuant to this Agreement. This Agreement shall not be construed as, or deemed to be, an Agreement for the benefit of any third party or parties, and no third party or parties shall have any right of action whatsoever hereunder for any cause whatsoever. In the event of a determination that a responding Party damages a third party's property within the requesting Party's jurisdiction, such third-party damage claims shall be received and addressed solely by the requesting Party. Neither Party shall be required to indemnify the other for any claim arising out of participating under this Agreement. Each Party shall be responsible for defending its own respective entity in any action or dispute that arises in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, and each Party will be responsible for bearing its own costs, damages, losses, expenses, and attorney fees. Each Party shall be obligated to notify the other of any claims or lawsuits r eceived arising out of the Tactical Teams' operations incident to this Agreement. 14 ARTICLE NINE Administration It is the intention of the Parties that no separate legal entity is created by this Agreement to carry out its provisions. To the extent this Agreement requires administration other than as set forth herein, it shall be administered by the governing bodies or an appointee of the governing bodies hereto acting as a joint board. No real or personal property shall be acquired by the Parties because of this Agreement. Each party shall have equal access to the records created by the other party related to incidents responded to under this Agreement. ARTICLE TEN Compliance with Laws Each Party agrees that each will comply with all applicable, federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the respective entities and employees in connection with the performance of this Agreement. ARTICLE ELEVEN Approval, Duration, and Termination 1. This Agreement shall not be effective until approved by a majority vote, as required by §119-0 of the General Municipal Law, of the governing body of each Party. 2. This Agreement may be changed, modified, or amended by written agreement of the Parties, subject to the requirements of Paragraph 1 of this Article. 3. The terms of this Agreement shall remain in effect through December 31, 2030. Each party may request a renewal of this Agreement in accordance with local and state law. 4. Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time by providing thirty days’ written notice of its intent to withdraw from this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement the date and year written below. 15 By: _______________________________________ Thomas Kelly, Chief of Police Ithaca Police Department By: _______________________________________ Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager City of Ithaca STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF TOMPKINS On the _______day of ________________________________ , 20________ , before me, the undersigned, personally appeared personally known to me or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the individual(s) whose name(s) is (are) subscribed to t he within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument, the individual(s) or the person upon behalf of which the individual(s) acted, executed the instrument. Notary Public, State of New York Appointed in _______________________________County My Commission Expires: ___________________________ Notary Public __________________________________________________ By: _______________________________________ Mark Rusin, Chief of Police 16 City of Syracuse Police Department By: ______________________________________ Sharon Owens, Mayor City of Syracuse STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF ONONDAGA On the _______day of ________________________________ , 20________ , before me, the undersigned, personally appeared personally known to me or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the individual(s) whose name(s) is (are) subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument, the individual(s) or the person upon behalf of which the individual(s) acted, executed the instrument. Notary Public, State of New York Appointed in _______________________________County My Commission Expires: ___________________________ Notary Public __________________________________________________ 17 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:City Manager's Office DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:City Manager's Monthly Report- March 2026 ITEM #:5.1 MEMORANDUM ATTACHMENTS: 0304_Full_CM_Report_to_Council.pdf 18 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 MEMORANDUM Date: March 4, 2026 To: Common Council CC: Department Heads From: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager RE: City Manager’s Report to Council Common Council, This report comes on the heels of a productive month for the City. A signiﬁcant number of large- scale projects and initiatives are in motion, in addition to the ongoing day-to-day work of operating the City and serving the public. I am happy to answer any questions at the upcoming Council meeting or in writing at your request. An ongoing thanks to the many colleagues at the City who share my commitment to ensuring stability in a time of transition and prioritizing critical projects that beneﬁt the entire organization and community. I. Vacancy Report a. Please ﬁnd an addendum to this report listing the current City staA vacancies. b. As of February 25, the vacancy rate stands at 7.83% (-1.4% from January 28). The budgeted rate is 5.5%. i. The 5.5% budgeted rate is the total annual ﬁgure. A true annual vacancy rate is not available this early in the year, though you may want to consider the average based on this and January’s report (8.5%). c. StaA are also monitoring anticipated vacancies. At least six retirements or resignations are expected (three within the next 90 days) before the midpoint of this year. HR continues to work with employees who express their intent to retire or separate from City service. II. Financial Report a. Please ﬁnd a second addendum to this report with the monthly ﬁnancial report as requested by Council. This March 4 report includes year-to-date actuals from the last available full month (January). b. This month’s ﬁnancial report provides a more accurate and detailed accounting of the City’s expenses and revenues, anticipated debt payments, and overall debt position. c. The Bonadio Group continues its consulting work on the city’s ﬁnancial systems and reporting. 19 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 III. Department Head Searches a. Controller’s OAice i. Second-round interviews have been completed. Common Council will receive the City Manager’s recommended candidate for approval in an upcoming meeting. b. Human Resources i. Second-round interviews are scheduled for the week of March 2. Common Council will receive the City Manager’s recommended candidate for approval in an upcoming meeting. I look forward to onboarding the HR Director and Controller in a coordinated fashion as they will be working closely together. Thank you to Madlyn Allen (HR) and all Council members, staA, and community partners who have participated throughout the process. IV. Community Responder Program and Community Justice Center a. An internal kickoA meeting is being planned to take the next steps of bringing the ROOTS Community Responder team to fruition. The kickoA includes key internal departments/staA and the agenda includes: Revisit Program Proposal (adapted from 2025 presentations), Review Mission/Vision, Drafting Job Descriptions, Developing Training Program, Drafting Program Policies and Procedures, Ensuring EAective Partnerships (Internal and External), Equipment Needs, Program Budget, and Planning to Measure Program Success – Data. b. The Community Justice Center is working on several projects with IPD, including an upcoming survey regarding oAicer wellness and a new recruitment video campaign. V. Parking a. Following staA discussions related to downtown on-street parking availability, and following a related request from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, an analysis is being conducted of on-street parking spaces and where opportunities may exist to add on- street parking, adjust loading zone areas, and increase the number and distribution of accessible parking spaces. StaA have reviewed an initial list of priority areas, a list of areas identiﬁed by the DIA, and opportunities for signage and functional improvements. Common Council will receive a proposed ordinance in the coming months including the changes being sought by staA in conjunction with community partners. b. Downtown Parking Validation Program Update: a. StaA continue to explore the possible implementation of a parking validation program with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance. Validation programs allow participating businesses to oAer discounts to their customers and employees. b. A survey was sent to downtown businesses (59 responses). i. A majority of respondents indicated that they are not interested in contributing to the subsidization of parking for their customers or staA. 20 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 ii. 12 businesses responded with some interest to help cover parking costs as part of a customer validation program, with 6 saying they would be interested in covering 100% of validation costs. iii. 21 businesses responded that they either already do cover or would be willing to cover costs of staA parking validation, with 13 saying they would be interested in covering 100%. c. City staA (Acting City Manager, DICE Permits Team) are meeting with the DIA to discuss next steps to implement a program scaled appropriately to the local business and employer interest. VI. Snow Removal a. Department of Public Works leadership staA will be attending the March 11 Committee of the Whole meeting to provide a brieﬁng on snow removal activities this winter. The brieﬁng will include an overview of the work that goes into clearing City streets and sidewalks of snow, a review of recent snow events with any identiﬁed opportunities for continuous improvement, and plans that have been put in place for future snow removal opportunities. b. On February 13, the City published a press release reminding residents of sidewalk snow removal requirements. i. City Code (Chapter 178-3, Item J-4) requires that sidewalks be kept free from snow and ice. If a sidewalk is not cleared within the required timeframe and the City removes the snow, the cost of that removal will be charged to the property owner. These requirements are essential to maintaining safe, accessible routes for pedestrians, including children walking to school, older adults, and residents with mobility challenges. ii. Pursuant to the Code, several sidewalks were cleared by DPW, and those property owners will be charged based on the work completed. VII. Cornell University Faculty Grant Projects a. The 2023 amended MOU for Cornell voluntary contribution to the City of Ithaca included a commitment by Cornell to provide faculty expertise/assistance to the City. As described in the MOU, “Cornell will fund an annual grant (estimated at a cost of $100,000/year) for a faculty member to work with the City on a project of mutual interest, to be mutually agreed upon by the Cornell-City of Ithaca permanent working group.” b. City staA and working group representatives are in contact with Cornell to move two projects forward in 2026. Updates will be provided in future meetings on the content and progress of these two projects. The working group meets in March. 21 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 Emerging issues and ongoing priorities:  Development and implementation of executive departmental work plans  Establishing and maintaining a collaborative working relationship with Tompkins County and other local government entities  Preparing for a successful budget kick-oA in May and any necessary mid-year budget adjustments  Strengthening public information and communication eAorts, including the launch of an updated City Website, email newsletter system, and increased internal and external communications on critical topics  Administrative Policy Manual updates in coordination with HR and the Attorney's oAice  Labor contract negotiations  City vehicle ﬂeet management: procurement and maintenance  Capital Projects planning (clean-up of past data sets and preparing a ﬁve-year capital plan for the 2027 budget)  City facilities planning, including planning to address deferred maintenance and critical facility improvements and repair needs  FEMA Letter of Map Revision (LoMR) process to address ﬂood risk and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) 22 23 MEMORANDUM Date: March 4, 2026 To: Common Council From: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager Wendy Cole, Acting Controller RE: Monthly Financial Report This March 4 report provides an update from the previous template report, populated with up-to - date actuals from the last available full month (January, 2026). GENERAL FUND REVENUES (THROUGH 1/31/2026) Revenue Item Budgeted 2026 Actual 2026 % of Budgeted Collected Fees $20,810,664 $782,093 4% Misc Tax $4,711,394 $95,090 2% payments come as one-time Property Tax $34,772,582 $10.5 million 30% performance and receipts to date. Note: many payers use $1,815,930 State & Fed Aid $3,946,081 Total Revenues $85,996,151 $12,035,552 Revenue Highlights While January is typically a slow month for fee revenues (winter season, student return, etc.), parking revenues are reported as being on pace for what was budgeted. When additional months’ data are available, a more thorough analysis of parking revenues will be provided. The Chamberlain’s Office reports that we are seeing a normal property tax collection rate so far this year. Many property taxpayers take advantage of an installment plan, spreading revenues over the year. The New York State Comptroller’s Office reports that January 2026 City of Ithaca Sales Tax Collections are up 8% over the prior January. Last year (2025) January was up 2.6% compared to the prior year (2024). 24 GENERAL FUND EXPENSES (THROUGH 1/31/2026) Expense Item Budgeted 2026 Actual 2026 % Expended Through 1/31/26 Notes Fringe Beneﬁts Operating $15,204,568 $602,777 4% Miscellaneous $3,307,054 $451,784 14% Debt $9,627,800 $1,441,698 15% Total Expenses $89,142,954 $5,395,482 higher than budgeted revenues due to inclusion of vacancy rate and TCAT payment from City fund Expense Highlights January is a slow month (as noted above), so expect operating expenses to increase when warmer weather arrives and other activities begin. Personnel expenses are on target, and show as slightly higher in January because of “comptime” payouts that annually occur in that month and higher (expected) overtime due to two holidays. MOST RECENT DEBT SERVICE PAID (ALL FUNDS) Refunding Serial Bonds 2/13/2026 BAN Payments $9,499,773* $1,816,455 Excess payment made to continue lowering BAN load, see note (*) below. Payment is a mix of general and other funds so will not show entire amount 25 in April report for February actuals. 2/15/2026 2013A Serial Bonds $710,000 $152,090 $862,090 2/15/2026 2016 Serial Bonds $495,000 $223653 $718,653 2/15/2026 2019 Serial Bonds $870,000 $160,988 $1,030,988 2/15/2026 2018 Serial Bonds $840,000 $197,475 $1,037,475 2/15/2026 2021A Serial Bonds $800,000 $129,763 $929,763 2/15/2026 2022 Serial Bonds $275,000 $68,600 $343,600 * This principal payment includes $6.3 Million paid out of the capital project toward the construction of the East Hill Fire Station, with a portion of that payment being made from the sale of the former Collegetown Fire Station property. UPCOMING 2026 DEBT OBLIGATIONS (ALL FUNDS) Due Date Debt Instrument Principal Interest Total Due Debt Obligation Highlights: BANs are paid 2x/year, the next anticipated payment is in July and the next report will include payments expected after July 15 2026. Remaining Debt Load Activities in the Controller’s Office, including those being completed by the Bonadio Group, will support more comprehensive reporting on the City of Ithaca’s debt load. Today, across all funds, the City holds $151 Million in both short and long-term debt (broken down below) • Bonds: $100,385,000 o Inclusive of debt across all funds (General, Water, Sewer, etc.) 26 o See Total Debt Service Over Time chart in Appendix A for anticipated principal and interest payments over lifetime of the debt • Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs): $51,035,838 o Inclusive of debt across all funds (General, Water, Sewer, etc.) o City has relied more heavily on BANs while awaiting completed audits and re-established credit rating o Several recent larger projects with signiﬁcant outside funding have increased BAN reliance due to need to front costs before reimbursements are received  Staff are prioritizing the collection of reimbursable outside funding to reduce BAN load over time FUND BALANCE POSITION There are no new updates related to the City’s fund balance position, pending impending audit completion. Consultants from the Bonadio Group recently advised Common Council (dialogue on February 11) that their professional recommendation is not to budget using fund balance until this conﬁdence is regained. As reported in the February 4 Report to Council: The most recent audited ﬁnancial statements (2021) indicated a $16,545,540 general fund balance with $8,690,044 unobligated or unassigned. In the 2026 budget presentation received by Council, the Controller’s Office provided an estimate of $13.5-14 million in general fund balance as of October 2025 – this number is purely an estimate considering revenues and expenditures from 2021 audited ﬁnancials and incomplete 2025 point-in-time data. AUDIT PROGRESS To proceed with the City of Ithaca’s 2022-2025 ﬁnancial audits, existing ﬁnancial records and internal ﬁnancial systems are being corrected and set up to be properly maintained. The Bonadio Group, an industry-leading accounting and consulting ﬁrm, has been contracted by the City to provide these services. Bonadio is communicating with peer ﬁrms about the upcoming Request for Proposals from the City for the 2022 audit. This will help create awareness of the opportunity to work with the City and leverages the professional reputation of Bonadio to help ensure success identifying auditors. (Reminder, Bonadio cannot complete independent audits because they are consulting with us for the other ﬁnancial management work). 27 AP P E N D I X A : To t a l Bo n d De b t S e r v i c e O v e r T i m e An t i c i p a t e d P r i n c i p a l a n d I n t e r e s t P a ym e n t s Ov e r L i f e t i m e o f Bo n d De b t ( S o u r c e : Ci t y ’s De b t B o o k S o f t w a r e Pr o g r a m ) 28 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Attorney's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Mayor Robert Cantelmo DATE:March 11, 2026 RE:Executive Session To Discuss a Personnel Matter ITEM #:6.1 MEMORANDUM * This item does not include attachments. 29