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Home My WebLink AboutMN-CC-2026-05-06YouTube Link:https://tinyurl.com/4mwubjp7 Date: Location: Wednesday May 6, 2026 City Hall Council Chambers MAY 6, 2026 COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Voting Record 1.Call to Order (10 Min) 1.1 Emergency Evacuation Notice 1.2 Agenda Review 1.3 Reports from Municipal Officials 2.Proclamations and Awards (10 Min) 2.1 Northstar Public House 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 Matos Excused Absence. 10 Members in attendance. Discussion Summary: The May 6th 2026 Ithaca Common Council Meeting is called to order at 6 pm. Alderperson Matos is excused; there are 10 members in attendance. Tompkins County Legislator Vincent presented council with the county report, followed by questions from council for brief discussion. Timestamp 0:41-6:17 Discussion Summary: Mayor Cantelmo announced the City of Ithaca won $10 Million Dollars for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative to support downtown, the Commons businesses, and down the corridor west along West MLK to Route 13.; thanked city staff for their diligent work on the program Timestamp 6:20-7:29 Discussion Summary: Proclamations made by Mayor Cantelmo. Timestamp 7:30-15:34 3.Review and Approval of Minutes (10 Min) 3.1 April 8th Common Council Meeting Minutes 4.Special Presentation (25 Min) 4.1 Seneca Street Garage- Informational Update May 6th 2026 is proclaimed North Star Public House Day; Jed Ashton, Lee Hamilton, and Elliot Martin, and the entire North Side community is recognized for 15 years of fellowship, creativity, and care. May 16-22 is proclaimed National Safety Boat Week City Attorney Victor Kessler is recognized for his service to the community Discussion Summary: The April 8th 2026 Common Council Meeting Minutes are approved and adopted by Council. Timestamp 15:42-15:54 Moved By: David Shapiro Seconded By: Pat Sewell Motion Summary: April 8th 2026 Common Council Meeting Minutes are moved by Alderperson Shapiro, Seconded by Alderperson Sewell. All In Favor, carried unanimously 10-0 (Excused Absence- Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio gave an informational update on the status of the Seneca Street Garage. Director of Planning Lisa Nicholas presented council with a slideshow presentation giving a high level overview of the redevelopment of the garage. The timeline and tasks presented assume that the city will work with the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency to structure a real estate development deal that will ultimately convey the property to a developer under conditions that council will set early on in the process. Council followed up with questions and comments for discussion. Timestamp 15:57- 43:22 5.Petitions and Hearings of Persons Before Council (60 Min) 5.1 Statements From The Public 5.2 Privilege Of The Floor- Comments From Council & Mayor 6.Consent Agenda (10 Min) 6.1 Home Rule Request- Red Light Cameras 6.2 Home Rule Request- School Speed Zone 6.3 Renewal of Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT Mutual Aide Assistance Discussion Summary: Public comments were received from City residents regarding parking and the Seneca Street Garage, Flock Cameras, the budget, and other community concerns. Council members responded to address the concerns and comments from the public. Timestamp 43:24- 1:33:10 Discussion Summary: Consent Agenda Items Approved by Council. Timestamp 1:33:12- 1:33:20 Home Rule Request Red Light Cameras, School Speed Zone Renewal Of Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT Mutual Aide Assistance Drug Task Force Mutual Aide and Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement. Outdoor Dining Permit- Steamy Dumpling Restaurant Approval of the Access Oversight Committee 2027 Budget Moved By: Robin Trumble Seconded By: David Shapiro Motion Summary: Motion approve Consent Agenda Items 6.1- 6.6. Moved by Alderperson Trumble, Seconded by Alderperson Shapiro. All In Favor. Vote Carried Unanimously 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X 6.4 Drug Task Force Mutual Aid and Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement 6.5 Outdoor Dining Permit 6.6 Approval of AOC 2027 Budget 7.Order of Business- Economic and Community Development (15 Min) 7.1 Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Lead Agency 7.2 Planning Unit Developments (PUD)- Negative Declaration Discussion Summary: Resolution declaring the City of Ithaca Lead Agency on the Planned Unit Development, moved and summarized by Alderperson Nguyen. No discussion from Council. Timestamp 1:33:22-1:33:45 Moved By: Ducson Nguyen Seconded By: Joe Kirby Motion Summary: PUD Lead Agency Moved by Alderperson Nguyen, Seconded by Alderperson Kirby. All In Favor. Vote Carried Unanimously 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: PUD Negative Declaration moved and summarized by Alderperson Nguyen. Resolution declares no environmental impact. No discussion from Council. Timestamp 1:33:52-1:34:18 Moved By: Ducson Nguyen Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion Summary: PUD Negative Declaration moved by Alderperson Nguyen, Seconded by Alderperson DeFendini. All In Favor. 9-1, (Opposed-Fabrizio) (Absent-Matos) 7.3 Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Ordinance 8.Order of Business- Finance & Administration (20 min) Vote Passed 9-1 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Ordinance Amending the Ithaca City Code Chapter 325-12 "Planned Unit Development", moved and summarized by Alderperson Nguyen. No discussion from Council. Mayor Cantelmo asked for a Roll Call Vote. Timestamp 1:34:22-1:35:02 Moved By: Ducson Nguyen Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion Summary: Motion to Approve Ordinance Amending the Ithaca City Code Chapter 325-12 "Planned Unit Development" Moved by Alderperson Nguyen, Seconded by Alderperson DeFendini. All In Favor 9-1 with Alderperson Fabrizio Opposed. (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 9-1 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: 2026 Standard Workday Reporting for Elected & Appointed Officials Resolution, and the Code of Conduct Resolution is adopted by Council. Timestamp 1:35:06-2:00:01 8.1 2026 Standard Workday Reporting 8.2 City Council Code of Conduct Discussion Summary: No discussion from Council. Moved By: Jorge DeFendini Seconded By: Joe Kirby Motion Summary: 2026 Retirement Standard Workday Reporting Resolution is Moved by Alderperson DeFendini, Seconded by Alderperson Kirby. All In Favor. Vote Carried Unanimously 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Discussion from Council; Alderperson Fabrizio moved to make two amendments. Amendment #1 to Appendix B: "accused council member receives in written notice of the allegations" be replaced with "a copy of the complaint, allowing for redactions if necessary." Amendment 2 to Appendix B, page seven, under Council Review and Hearing- "currently there shall be no requirement for the complainant to testify or be subjected to cross-examination at a hearing." add "unless requested by counsel, the accused or their representative." - Seconded by Alderperson Kuehl. Discussion from Council. Mayor Cantelmo accepted to first amendment, opposed second amendment, Mayor Cantelmo moved to split the question, Seconded by Alderperson Shvets, motion to split the question carried 9-1 with Alderperson Fabrizio Opposed. Alderperson Fabrizio's first motion to amend carried Unanimously 10-0. Second Motion to amend was withdrawn with Unanimous Consent. Moved By: Margaret Fabrizio Seconded By: Patrick Kuehl Motion Summary: Motion to Amend Appendix B- Formal Investigation- replace "Written Notice of Allegations" with "Copy of complaint allowing redactions if necessary" Moved by Alderperson Fabrizio, Seconded by Alderperson Kuehl. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Moved By: Margaret Fabrizio Seconded By: Patrick Kuehl Motion Summary: Motion to Amend Appendix B - Council Review and Hearing 3. "there shall be no requirement for the complainant to testify or be subjected to cross-examination at a hearing." add "unless requested by counsel, the accused or their representative." Unanimous Consent to Withdraw. No Dissent from Council. Vote Withdrawn -0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Moved By: Pat Sewell Seconded By: Joe Kirby Motion Summary: Resolution Adopting a City Council Code of Conduct, moved by Alderperson Sewell, Seconded by Alderperson Kirby, All In Favor of accepting resolution as Amended. Carries 9-1 with Alderperson Fabrizio Opposed (Absent- Matos) Vote Passed 9-1 9.Member Filed- Finance and Administration (15 Min) 9.1 DICE/Cornell AI Partnership 10.Mayor Appointments (10 Min) 10.1 Appointment to the Community Police Board Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Resolution is moved and summarized by Alderperson Kuehl. Alderperson Kuehl welcomed questions/comments for discussion from Council. Comments from the Alan Karasin, Director of DICE Timestamp 2:00:04- 2:07:29 Moved By: Patrick Kuehl Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion Summary: Resolution Authorizing the Department of Information and Community Engagement (DICE) to partner with the Cornell Center for AI Innovation to Digitize and Enable AI-Assisted Search of City Legislative Records. Moved by Alderperson Kuehl, Seconded by Alderperson DeFendini. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Mayor Appointments to the Community Police Board and the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission Timestamp 2:07:33-2:10:28 10.2 Reappointment to the ILPC Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Vinh Le is appointed to serve on the Community Police Board for term ending 12/31/2028. Moved by Mayor Cantelmo. No formal Second required. All In Favor 9-1 with Alderperson Kuehl Opposed. (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 9-1 Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Motion Summary: Reappointments to the Ithaca Landmark Preservations Commission, Moved by Mayor Cantelmo. No formal Second required. All In Favor 8-2 with Alderpersons Shapiro and Kuehl Opposed. (Absent-Matos) Edward Finegan term ending 12/31/26, Kate Olsen term ending 12/31/26, Janet Smith term ending 12/31/28 Stephen Gibian term ending 12/31/28 Vote Passed 8-2 11.City Manager Report (25 Min) 11.1 May 2026 City Manager Report 12.Executive Session (If Needed) Member Approve Oppose Recuse Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio welcomed the new City Controller Carissa Ralbovsky. Updated Council that a contract for the upcoming batch of audits has been selected, though not yet finalized with an Audit Firm; the name of the firm will be announced once the contract is signed and finalized, thanked Deputy Controller Wendy Cole and Bonadio Team for their support through the process. Timestamp 2:10:30-2:12:47 Discussion Summary: Deferred to the May 13th 2026 COW A meeting. Discussion Summary: Council entered into an Executive Session with one voting item, followed by 2 additional Executive Sessions with no voting item. Mayor Cantelmo read the resolution into the record. Public business concluded after the vote. Timestamp 2:12:49-2:17:40 Moved By: Robin Trumble Seconded By: Hannah Shvets Motion Summary: Motion to Enter Into an Executive Session to Discuss Collective Bargaining. Moved by Alderperson Trumble, Seconded by Alderperson Shvets. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Moved By: Robin Trumble Seconded By: David Shapiro Motion Summary: Motion To Exit Executive Session. Moved by Alderperson Trumble Seconded by Alderperson Shapior. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Moved By: Robert Cantelmo Seconded By: Jorge DeFendini Motion Summary: Resolution To Amend Collective Bargaining Agreement With City DPW Unit. Read into the Record and Moved by Mayor Cantelmo, Seconded by Alderperson DeFendini. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously 12.1 Amendment to DPW Tentative Agreement Terms 13. Meeting Wrap Up Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Discussion Summary: Council Entered into 2 Executive Sessions. No voting items from the session. Public Business concluded. Timestamp. 2:17:41-2:18:18 Moved By: Jorge DeFendini Seconded By: Pat Sewell Motion Summary: Motion to Enter Into Executive Sessions to Discuss a Personnel Matter. Moved by Alderperson DeFendini, Seconded by Alderperson Sewell. All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Matos) Vote Passed 10-0 Carried Unanimously Member Approve Oppose Abstain Robert Cantelmo X Jorge DeFendini X Joe Kirby X Ducson Nguyen X Pat Sewell X David Shapiro X Robin Trumble X Patrick Kuehl X Hannah Shvets X Margaret Fabrizio X Public Comment Forum Submitted: 6-3-2026 Adopted: 06-3-2026 Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk RESOLUTION TO AMEND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH CITY DPW UNIT WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca (the “City”) and the DPW Unit, a collective bargaining unit representing specified titles in the City (the “DPW Unit”), are parties to a collective bargaining agreement governing the terms and conditions of employment for DPW Unit members (the “Agreement”); and WHEREAS, on August 6, 2025, the parties agreed to amend Article XII, Section 6 of the Agreement to increase the number of unused sick leave days from seventy-five (75) days to two hundred (200) days (the “Provision”); WHEREAS, on March 4, 2026, the Common Council approved terms for a successor Agreement contained within a December 10, 2025, tentative agreement (“TA”) with the DPW Unit; and WHEREAS, the TA inadvertently did not contain the Provision; and WHEREAS, the City and the DPW Unit entered into a Memorandum of Agreement incorporating the Provision into the final ratified version of the January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2029, collective bargaining agreement (“Final CBA”). WHEREAS, the Common Council must review and approve the Memorandum of Agreement before its terms may be incorporated into the Final CBA; NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED, that the Common Council approves the Memorandum of Agreement between the DPW Unit and the City; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager shall direct the City Attorney’s Office to incorporate the Provision into the Final CBA; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is directed to execute the Final CBA containing the Provision. Executive Session Common Council May 6th 2026 Moved-Mayor Cantelmo Seconded- Alderperson Defendini All In Favor 10-0 (Absent-Fabrizio) Date: Time: Location: Watch Online: Wednesday May 6, 2026 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers https://www.youtube.com/@CityofIthacaPublicMeetings MAY 6th 2026 COMMON COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 1.Call to Order (10 Min) 1.1. 1.2. 1.3. 2.Proclamations and Awards (10 Min) 2.1. 3.Review and Approval of Minutes (10 Min) 3.1. 4.Special Presentation (25 Min) 4.1. 5.Petitions and Hearings of Persons Before Council (60 Min) 5.1. 5.2. 6.Consent Agenda (10 Min) 6.1. 6.2. 6.3. 6.4. 6.5. 6.6. 7.Order of Business- Economic and Community Development (15 Min) 7.1. 7.2. 7.3. 8.Order of Business- Finance & Administration (20 min) 8.1. 8.2. 9.Member Filed- Finance and Administration (15 Min) 9.1. 10.Mayor Appointments (10 Min) 10.1. 10.2. 11.City Manager Report (25 Min) 11.1. 12.Executive Session (If Needed) Emergency Evacuation Notice Agenda Review Reports from Municipal Officials Northstar Public House April 8th Common Council Meeting Minutes Seneca Street Garage- Informational Update Statements From The Public Privilege Of The Floor- Comments From Council & Mayor Home Rule Request- Red Light Cameras Home Rule Request- School Speed Zone Renewal of Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT Mutual Aide Assistance Drug Task Force Mutual Aid and Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement Outdoor Dining Permit Approval of AOC 2027 Budget Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Lead Agency Planning Unit Developments (PUD)- Negative Declaration Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Ordinance 2026 Standard Workday Reporting City Council Code of Conduct DICE/Cornell AI Partnership Appointment to the Community Police Board Reappointment to the ILPC May 2026 City Manager Report 1 13.Meeting Wrap Up 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 or More Persons with One Designated Speaker - Allotted 7 minutes Can't Come to the Meeting but still want to speak? Register to Speak Virtually - Click here to register 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 - Click Here To Submit Written Comments *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, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Mayor Robert Cantelmo DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Northstar Public House ITEM #:2.1 MEMORANDUM A proclamation honoring Northstar Public House's 17 years serving the community. 3 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Clerk's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:City Clerk's Office DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:April 8th Common Council Meeting Minutes ITEM #:3.1 MEMORANDUM Approval the April 8th Common Council Meeting Minutes 4 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Attorney's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:City Attorney's Office DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Home Rule Request- Red Light Cameras ITEM #:6.1 MEMORANDUM ATTACHMENTS: Home Rule Request Red Light Camera 05-06-2026.pdf Red Light Camera - Senate Home Rule.pdf Red Light Camera - Assembly Home Rule.pdf 5 RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the Common Council unanimously passed a resolution on November 19, 2025, authorizing the Mayor to submit a home rule request in support of legislation in the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate that would authorize a Red Light Camera Demonstration Program in the City of Ithaca; and WHEREAS, legislation to permit this change has been subsequently introduced as Assembly Bill A10455 and Senate Bill S9527; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Mayor is authorized to request that the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate enact the legislation as previously introduced; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Mayor or his designee is authorized to sign and submit any documentation or related paperwork that may be required to secure this home rule legislation and allow a Red Light Camera Demonstration Program in the City of Ithaca. 6 chief executive officer’s signature (Signed) .......................................................................... (chief executive officer) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... .......................................................................... (Title of chief executive officer) clerk’s certification I, ............................................................................, do hereby certify that I am Clerk of the ....................................... (print or type name) (local legislative body) ............................................................................................... of the ............................................................................. (county, city, town or village) of ...................................................................................and that on the ........................day of ...................................., (name)two-thirds20____ , such legislative body, at least of the total membership having voted in favor thereof,a majority (strike out one)approved the foregoing request. (Signed) ............................................................................ (Seal of local (clerk) government) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... reaD Before signing A If the request is made by the chief executive officer and concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body, both the chief executive officer and the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the word “majority’’ below even though the vote may have been greater. B. If the request is made by the local legislative body, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request, only the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the words “two-thirds’’ below. IMPORTANT: READ INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE hoMe rule reQuest (request by a local government for enactment of a special law) To the Legislature: Pursuant to Article IX of the Constitution, the .............................................................................................................of (county, city, town or village) Senate...........................................................................requests the enactment of bill (no. ....................................),Assembly(name) (strike out one)entitled “ .’’ It is hereby declared that a necessity exists for the enactment of such legislation, and that the facts establishing such necessity are as follows: (Check appropriate box) The local government does not have the power to enact such legislation by local law. Other facts, as set forth in the following “Explanation” establish such necessity. exPlanation (If space below is not sufficient, use separate sheet and attach here) Such request is made by: (Check appropriate box) The chief executive officer of such local government, concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body. (See paragraph A below) The local legislative body of such local government, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request. (See paragraph B below) 7 instructions copies required: Two signed copies of this form, specifying the final bill number and title must be filed with each House of the Legislature. Examples: (a) If the bill has been introduced in only one House of the Legislature, four copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly. (b) If the identical bill has been introduced in both Houses, eight copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly for the Senate bill and the same for the Assembly bill. Date of request: The signing of a home rule request or the adoption of a resolution by the local legislative body approving such request cannot precede the date on which the bill is actually introduced in the Legislature. In the case of prefiled bills, the actual date of introduction is the first day of the legislative session. The request may be signed or the resolution adopted the same day as the date of introduction. amended bills: Each time the bill is amended a new request must be filed (with the appropriate number of copies) and the new request must correctly identify the bill number as last amended. The signing of the request, and the date of the supporting resolution, cannot precede the date of the amendment. transmittal: The signed forms should be sent as follows: To the Senate: To the Assembly: Home Rule Counsel Home Rule Counsel Senate Post Office Assembly Post Office 208 Legislative Office Building 210 Legislative Office Building Albany, N. Y. 12247 Albany, N. Y. 12248 Definition of terms: Chief executive officer. In the case of a county, the elective or appointive chief executive officer, if there be one, or otherwise the chairman of the board of supervisors; in the case of a city or village, the mayor (not manager); and in the case of a town, the supervisor. (Municipal Home Rule Law §40) Local legislative body. The board of supervisors, board of aldermen, common council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or other elective governing board or body vested by state statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt local laws or ordinances. (Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Local government. A county, city, town or village (Const. Art. IX, §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Special law A state statute which in terms and in effect applies to one or more, but not all, counties (other than those wholly included within a city) cities, towns or villages. (Const. Art. IX §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Total membership. The total voting power of a legislative body. (Municipal Home Rule Law, § §20, 40) 8 chief executive officer’s signature (Signed) .......................................................................... (chief executive officer) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... .......................................................................... (Title of chief executive officer) clerk’s certification I, ............................................................................, do hereby certify that I am Clerk of the ....................................... (print or type name) (local legislative body) ............................................................................................... of the ............................................................................. (county, city, town or village) of ...................................................................................and that on the ........................day of ...................................., (name)two-thirds20____ , such legislative body, at least of the total membership having voted in favor thereof,a majority (strike out one)approved the foregoing request. (Signed) ............................................................................ (Seal of local (clerk) government) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... reaD Before signing A If the request is made by the chief executive officer and concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body, both the chief executive officer and the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the word “majority’’ below even though the vote may have been greater. B. If the request is made by the local legislative body, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request, only the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the words “two-thirds’’ below. IMPORTANT: READ INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE hoMe rule reQuest (request by a local government for enactment of a special law) To the Legislature: Pursuant to Article IX of the Constitution, the .............................................................................................................of (county, city, town or village) Senate...........................................................................requests the enactment of bill (no. ....................................),Assembly(name) (strike out one)entitled “ .’’ It is hereby declared that a necessity exists for the enactment of such legislation, and that the facts establishing such necessity are as follows: (Check appropriate box) The local government does not have the power to enact such legislation by local law. Other facts, as set forth in the following “Explanation” establish such necessity. exPlanation (If space below is not sufficient, use separate sheet and attach here) Such request is made by: (Check appropriate box) The chief executive officer of such local government, concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body. (See paragraph A below) The local legislative body of such local government, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request. (See paragraph B below) 9 instructions copies required: Two signed copies of this form, specifying the final bill number and title must be filed with each House of the Legislature. Examples: (a) If the bill has been introduced in only one House of the Legislature, four copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly. (b) If the identical bill has been introduced in both Houses, eight copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly for the Senate bill and the same for the Assembly bill. Date of request: The signing of a home rule request or the adoption of a resolution by the local legislative body approving such request cannot precede the date on which the bill is actually introduced in the Legislature. In the case of prefiled bills, the actual date of introduction is the first day of the legislative session. The request may be signed or the resolution adopted the same day as the date of introduction. amended bills: Each time the bill is amended a new request must be filed (with the appropriate number of copies) and the new request must correctly identify the bill number as last amended. The signing of the request, and the date of the supporting resolution, cannot precede the date of the amendment. transmittal: The signed forms should be sent as follows: To the Senate: To the Assembly: Home Rule Counsel Home Rule Counsel Senate Post Office Assembly Post Office 208 Legislative Office Building 210 Legislative Office Building Albany, N. Y. 12247 Albany, N. Y. 12248 Definition of terms: Chief executive officer. In the case of a county, the elective or appointive chief executive officer, if there be one, or otherwise the chairman of the board of supervisors; in the case of a city or village, the mayor (not manager); and in the case of a town, the supervisor. (Municipal Home Rule Law §40) Local legislative body. The board of supervisors, board of aldermen, common council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or other elective governing board or body vested by state statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt local laws or ordinances. (Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Local government. A county, city, town or village (Const. Art. IX, §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Special law A state statute which in terms and in effect applies to one or more, but not all, counties (other than those wholly included within a city) cities, towns or villages. (Const. Art. IX §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Total membership. The total voting power of a legislative body. (Municipal Home Rule Law, § §20, 40) 10 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Attorney's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:City Attorney's Office DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Home Rule Request- School Speed Zone ITEM #:6.2 MEMORANDUM ATTACHMENTS: Home Rule Request School Speed Zone 05-06-2026.pdf School Speed Zone - Assembly Home Rule.pdf School speed Zone - Senate Home Rule.pdf 11 RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the Common Council unanimously passed a resolution on November 19, 2025, authorizing the Mayor to submit a home rule request in support of legislation in the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate that would authorize a Speed Safety Camera Demonstration Program in the City of Ithaca; and WHEREAS, legislation to permit this change has been subsequently introduced as Assembly Bill A10454 and Senate Bill S9528; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Mayor is authorized to request that the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate enact the legislation as previously introduced; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Mayor or his designee is authorized to sign and submit any documentation or related paperwork that may be required to secure this home rule legislation and allow a Speed Safety Camera Demonstration Program in the City of Ithaca. 12 chief executive officer’s signature (Signed) .......................................................................... (chief executive officer) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... .......................................................................... (Title of chief executive officer) clerk’s certification I, ............................................................................, do hereby certify that I am Clerk of the ....................................... (print or type name) (local legislative body) ............................................................................................... of the ............................................................................. (county, city, town or village) of ...................................................................................and that on the ........................day of ...................................., (name)two-thirds20____ , such legislative body, at least of the total membership having voted in favor thereof,a majority (strike out one)approved the foregoing request. (Signed) ............................................................................ (Seal of local (clerk) government) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... reaD Before signing A If the request is made by the chief executive officer and concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body, both the chief executive officer and the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the word “majority’’ below even though the vote may have been greater. B. If the request is made by the local legislative body, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request, only the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the words “two-thirds’’ below. IMPORTANT: READ INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE hoMe rule reQuest (request by a local government for enactment of a special law) To the Legislature: Pursuant to Article IX of the Constitution, the .............................................................................................................of (county, city, town or village) Senate...........................................................................requests the enactment of bill (no. ....................................),Assembly(name) (strike out one)entitled “ .’’ It is hereby declared that a necessity exists for the enactment of such legislation, and that the facts establishing such necessity are as follows: (Check appropriate box) The local government does not have the power to enact such legislation by local law. Other facts, as set forth in the following “Explanation” establish such necessity. exPlanation (If space below is not sufficient, use separate sheet and attach here) Such request is made by: (Check appropriate box) The chief executive officer of such local government, concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body. (See paragraph A below) The local legislative body of such local government, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request. (See paragraph B below) 13 instructions copies required: Two signed copies of this form, specifying the final bill number and title must be filed with each House of the Legislature. Examples: (a) If the bill has been introduced in only one House of the Legislature, four copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly. (b) If the identical bill has been introduced in both Houses, eight copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly for the Senate bill and the same for the Assembly bill. Date of request: The signing of a home rule request or the adoption of a resolution by the local legislative body approving such request cannot precede the date on which the bill is actually introduced in the Legislature. In the case of prefiled bills, the actual date of introduction is the first day of the legislative session. The request may be signed or the resolution adopted the same day as the date of introduction. amended bills: Each time the bill is amended a new request must be filed (with the appropriate number of copies) and the new request must correctly identify the bill number as last amended. The signing of the request, and the date of the supporting resolution, cannot precede the date of the amendment. transmittal: The signed forms should be sent as follows: To the Senate: To the Assembly: Home Rule Counsel Home Rule Counsel Senate Post Office Assembly Post Office 208 Legislative Office Building 210 Legislative Office Building Albany, N. Y. 12247 Albany, N. Y. 12248 Definition of terms: Chief executive officer. In the case of a county, the elective or appointive chief executive officer, if there be one, or otherwise the chairman of the board of supervisors; in the case of a city or village, the mayor (not manager); and in the case of a town, the supervisor. (Municipal Home Rule Law §40) Local legislative body. The board of supervisors, board of aldermen, common council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or other elective governing board or body vested by state statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt local laws or ordinances. (Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Local government. A county, city, town or village (Const. Art. IX, §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Special law A state statute which in terms and in effect applies to one or more, but not all, counties (other than those wholly included within a city) cities, towns or villages. (Const. Art. IX §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Total membership. The total voting power of a legislative body. (Municipal Home Rule Law, § §20, 40) 14 chief executive officer’s signature (Signed) .......................................................................... (chief executive officer) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... .......................................................................... (Title of chief executive officer) clerk’s certification I, ............................................................................, do hereby certify that I am Clerk of the ....................................... (print or type name) (local legislative body) ............................................................................................... of the ............................................................................. (county, city, town or village) of ...................................................................................and that on the ........................day of ...................................., (name)two-thirds20____ , such legislative body, at least of the total membership having voted in favor thereof,a majority (strike out one)approved the foregoing request. (Signed) ............................................................................ (Seal of local (clerk) government) .......................................................................... (Print or type name below signature) Date: ..........................................., 20 ......... reaD Before signing A If the request is made by the chief executive officer and concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body, both the chief executive officer and the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the word “majority’’ below even though the vote may have been greater. B. If the request is made by the local legislative body, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request, only the clerk of the local legislative body must sign below. In such case use the words “two-thirds’’ below. IMPORTANT: READ INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE hoMe rule reQuest (request by a local government for enactment of a special law) To the Legislature: Pursuant to Article IX of the Constitution, the .............................................................................................................of (county, city, town or village) Senate...........................................................................requests the enactment of bill (no. ....................................),Assembly(name) (strike out one)entitled “ .’’ It is hereby declared that a necessity exists for the enactment of such legislation, and that the facts establishing such necessity are as follows: (Check appropriate box) The local government does not have the power to enact such legislation by local law. Other facts, as set forth in the following “Explanation” establish such necessity. exPlanation (If space below is not sufficient, use separate sheet and attach here) Such request is made by: (Check appropriate box) The chief executive officer of such local government, concurred in by a majority of the total membership of the local legislative body. (See paragraph A below) The local legislative body of such local government, at least two-thirds of the total membership thereof having voted in favor of such request. (See paragraph B below) 15 instructions copies required: Two signed copies of this form, specifying the final bill number and title must be filed with each House of the Legislature. Examples: (a) If the bill has been introduced in only one House of the Legislature, four copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly. (b) If the identical bill has been introduced in both Houses, eight copies of the request form must be filed, i.e., two with the Senate and two with the Assembly for the Senate bill and the same for the Assembly bill. Date of request: The signing of a home rule request or the adoption of a resolution by the local legislative body approving such request cannot precede the date on which the bill is actually introduced in the Legislature. In the case of prefiled bills, the actual date of introduction is the first day of the legislative session. The request may be signed or the resolution adopted the same day as the date of introduction. amended bills: Each time the bill is amended a new request must be filed (with the appropriate number of copies) and the new request must correctly identify the bill number as last amended. The signing of the request, and the date of the supporting resolution, cannot precede the date of the amendment. transmittal: The signed forms should be sent as follows: To the Senate: To the Assembly: Home Rule Counsel Home Rule Counsel Senate Post Office Assembly Post Office 208 Legislative Office Building 210 Legislative Office Building Albany, N. Y. 12247 Albany, N. Y. 12248 Definition of terms: Chief executive officer. In the case of a county, the elective or appointive chief executive officer, if there be one, or otherwise the chairman of the board of supervisors; in the case of a city or village, the mayor (not manager); and in the case of a town, the supervisor. (Municipal Home Rule Law §40) Local legislative body. The board of supervisors, board of aldermen, common council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or other elective governing board or body vested by state statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt local laws or ordinances. (Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Local government. A county, city, town or village (Const. Art. IX, §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Special law A state statute which in terms and in effect applies to one or more, but not all, counties (other than those wholly included within a city) cities, towns or villages. (Const. Art. IX §3; Municipal Home Rule Law §2) Total membership. The total voting power of a legislative body. (Municipal Home Rule Law, § §20, 40) 16 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Police Department Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Police Chief Thomas Kelly DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Renewal of Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT Mutual Aide Assistance ITEM #:6.3 MEMORANDUM This is a renewal of our current partnership with the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office. NYS accreditation gives preference to multi-jurisdictional teams. NYS sets high training standards and certifications to professionalize emergency response. The Ithaca Police Department and Tompkins County Sheriff's Office recognize that certain criminal acts or threats are more effectively dealt with by a specially trained team than standard police operations. The training and experience SRT members receive also benefits the community and lead to safer outcomes for everyone. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution - Intermunicipal Agreement (SRT).pdf Work Session Memo to Council - MOU on SRT (041626).pdf 2025 Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT IMA 2025-2027 (clean).pdf 2025 Joint Ithaca-Tompkins SRT IMA 2025-2027 (redline) (1).docx 17 RESOLUTION TO APPROVE INTERMUNICIPAL AGREEMENT WITH TOMPKINS COUNTY FOR SPECIALIZED RESPONSE TEAM WHEREAS, local governments are authorized to request and provide police assistance to each other pursuant to New York General Municipal Law (“GML”) § 209-m; and WHEREAS, the temporary exchange of law enforcement officer and equipment for the purpose of mutual assistance is further contemplated by GML § 209-m; and WHEREAS, Article 5-G of the GML authorizes municipal corporations to enter into agreements for the performance of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service; and WHEREAS, the City and Tompkins County have come to terms on an agreement to establish a joint Specialized Response Team; and WHEREAS, GML § 119-o requires approval of any intermunicipal agreement by a legislative body; NOW, THEREFORE, the Common Council hereby resolves as follows: 1. The proposed agreement between Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca, “Joint Ithaca- Tompkins Specialized Response Team Mutual Aid Assistance and Intermunicipal Agreement,” is approved. 2. The City Attorney is authorized to take all necessary steps to finalize and execute the proposed agreement, and to have the City Manager sign on behalf of the City. 18 M E M O R A N D U M Date: April 16, 2026 To: Common Council From: Catherine Muskin, Acting City Attorney; Police Chief Thomas Kelly RE: Approval of Intermunicipal Agreement, Ithaca-Tompkins SRT 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. Simultaneously, under GML § 209-m, a municipality may request assistance from a nearby law enforcement agency. The proposed intermunicipal agreement between the City and Tompkins County develops a Specialized Response Team (“SRT”) which allows for specialized training for speciﬁc scenarios for intermunicipal response, as permitted by GML § 209-m. 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 Tompkins County Sheriﬀ (the “Agreement”) establishes an intergovernmental SRT that can be deployed during an emergency OR non-emergency nature to fulﬁll a mutual aid request. The Agreement provides additional detail for the non-emergency basis, indicating it would be “prearranged training exercises and programs as well as temporary assignment of law enforcement oﬃcers and/or equipment to another law enforcement agency for training or patrol purposes where the oﬃcers and/or equipment may be involved in police intervention situations.” Other pertinent terms include the following: • Response/Control: The obligation to render mutual aid is voluntary: IPD retains control over its personnel and equipment in the sole discretion of the Police Chief (or his designee). Each party may recall loaned personnel or equipment at any time. (Section 3) • Command Structure: During incidents within the City, the Incident Commander will be within the IPD; for incidents within the County but outside of the City, the Sheriﬀ’s Oﬃce will be Incident Commander. (Section 4) • Liability: There is a mutual release of liability for all participating parties. (Section 5) 19 • Cost: Each participating agency bears its own costs for compensation, pension, disability, and any other costs. (Section 5) • Cooperation: Each party will have access to the incident reports created by the other party related to the SRT; both parties also agree to participate in any relevant investigation or review and make relevant information available. (Section 7) • Term: The proposed term is through December 31, 2027; the maximum term under GML §119-n(2)(j) is a ﬁve (5)-year term. POLICY ALIGNMENT STATEMENT This Agreement aligns with the Council’s legislative priority of “Public Safety” by expanding the potential personnel and equipment available for these operations, “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, as outlined above. PUBLIC FEEDBACK NEXT STEPS Once this Agreement is ratiﬁed by the Council, it may be executed by Chief Kelly as the Department Head and Acting City Manager Recckio. 20 JOINT ITHACA-TOMPKINS SPECIALIZED RESPONSE TEAM MUTUAL AID ASSISTANCE AND INTERMUNICIPAL AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT made this ___ day of ______, 2026, by and between the County of Tompkins ("County"), a municipal corporation with offices located at 125E. Court Street, Ithaca, New York, and the City of Ithaca ("City"), a municipal corporation with offices located at 1 08 E. Green Street, Ithaca, New York (each a "local government " or collectively, "local governments.") WHEREAS local governments are authorized to request and provide police assistance to each other pursuant to New York General Municipal Law ("GML") Section 209-m, and WHEREAS the temporary exchange of law enforcement officer and equipment for the purpose of mutual assistance is fu1ther contemplated by Section 209- m, and WHEREAS Article 5-G of the GML autho1izes municipal corporations to enter into agreements for the performance of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service, and WHEREAS Article 5-G provides that such agreements may extend the appropriate territorial juris diction of the participants necessary to fulfill said service, and allow personnel assigned to a joint service to pos s e s s the same power, duties, immunities, and privileges they would ordinarily possess if they performed them in the area where they are employed, and WHEREAS GML Section 209-m, New York Criminal Procedure Law Sections 140.10(1) & (3) 120.60 et seq., and 690.25 and other applicable authority authorize law enforcement officers to exercise certain police powers and authorities out ide their geographic area of employment when a request for assistance is forthcoming from another law enforcement agency, and WHEREAS e a c h party has authority to operate a Specialized Response Team to respond to certain criminal acts or threats that are more effectively dealt with by a specially trained tactical team than standard police operations, and WHEREAS the parties have determined that it is in the best interests of the respective communities and of mutual advantage to enter into this agreement for the provision of interagency law enforcement services, and WHEREAS the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program has requested that the parties enter into an agreement formalizing the operation of the joint Specialized Response Team; 21 2 NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the above considerations and the covenants and mutual benefits contained in this Agreement, the parties agree as follows: I. Purpose. The parties recognize that certain criminal acts or threats are more effectively dealt with by a specially trained tactical team than standard police operations, and that in such situations the use of law enforcement officers to perform law enforcement duties and the use of law enforcement equipment and supplies outside the territory of the local government where the officers are legally employed may be desirable and necessary. The objectives of this Agreement are: a. the more effective and efficient use of law enforcement resources and services in responding to law enforcement intervention situations; b. an enhanced degree of cooperation between the Ithaca Police Department ("IPD"), a n d the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office; c. the maintenance of a joint Specialized Response Team ("SRT”) compos e d of res ources from and available to the Sheriff’s Office, and IPD; d. the development and use of training exercises or programs where skills, knowledge, procedures, and expertise are shared by the parties; e. the adoption of rules and regulations providing for a single team commander and team leaders, a single set of standard operational procedures, training, records maintenance, and the fiscal responsibilities of each agency; and f. The elimination of the need to follow the formal procedure set forth in GML Section 209-m as applied to requests for assistance from the other party in the form of personnel and/or equipment as part of SRT activation. 2. Authorization. Intergovernmental SRT service and assistance (mutual aid) may be provided among the parties during those times of both (i) emergency and (ii) routine law enforcement work of a non-emergency nature to fulfill a mutual aid request. Example of the latter situation would be pre-arranged training exercises and programs as well as temporary assignment of law enforcement officers and/or equipment to another law enforcement agency for training or patrol purposes where the officers and/or equipment may be involved in police intervention situations. 3. Power and Authorization. a. Although the City is located within the County for purposes of this Agreement, the City s hall not be considered to be within the territorial limits of the County. Operation by the Sheriff’s Office within the City s hall be considered operations outside the territory of the Sheriff’s Office. b. Each party agrees that its law enforcement agency will supply personnel equipment, and other available resources to the other party as part of the 22 3 SRT. The number of personnel and the amount or type of equipment to be supplied shall be determined by each party's chief law enforcement officer, or his or her designee. c. The obligation to render mutual aid is strictly voluntary in nature. When the SRT is activated, each party may hold back any personnel and equipment as deemed approp1iate in the sole discretion of its chief law enforcement officer or his or her designee. Each party has the right to recall loaned personnel and equipment at any time. Neither party s hall incur any liability or responsibility for the failure to respond to or recall any personnel provided in response to any request for assistance made pursuant to this Agreement. d. Each party authorizes its chief law enforcement officer, or his or her designee, to pre-arrange training exercises and programs as well as temporary assignment of officers and/or equipment to the other party for training purposes. Joint training for all personnel participating in SRT operations will be conducted on topics and at times and places mutually agreed upon between the parties. IPD will maintain all SRT related training records. 4. Command Structure. a. During incidents occurring within the city, the Incident Commander will be a member of IPD, and during incidents occurring within the County but outside the city, the Incident Commander will be a member of the Sheriff’s Office. The Incident Commander shall be in command of the operation(s) under which the SRT is activated and the SRT Commander shall report to the Incident Commander. SRT members will report to the SRT Commander during incidents and training events. b. The parties' chief law enforcement officers, or their designees, shall select a SRT Commander by mutual agreement, and after consulting with the SRT Commander, other team leaders and operators as needed. 5. Compensation, Expenses, and Liability. a. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5, each party expressly waives all claims of whatever type or nature against the other and its personnel that may arise out of the performance of this Agreement. b. The party receiving aid purs uant to this Agreement shall defend, indemnify, and hold the assisting party harmless from any and all claims, costs, losses, damages, and judgments (including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees) against the assisting p a r t y arising from the 23 4 negligence or wrongful acts of the party receiving aid, its officers, and its personnel. Each party shall notify the other of any claims or lawsuit received arising out of SRT operations . c. The parties agree that GML Section 209-m(S) applies to the assistance provided pursuant to this agreement. d. All individuals shall retain all of their pension, disability, contractual, and compensation rights while performing duties in accordance with this Agreement. e. To the extent permitted by law, including but not limited to GML Sections 119-n, 119-o and 209-m all the powe r s (including the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges and immunities from liability which apply to the activities of the parties and the members of the SRT when performing their function within their respective territorial limits shall apply to the activities of the SRT, team members, and other police officers or employees while furnishing tactical assistance outs ide their territorial limits under the terms of this Agreement unless otherwise provided by law or this Agreement. 6. Rules and Regulations. The parties' chief law enforcement officers shall establish uniform rules and regulations for the operation of the SRT as necessary and appropriate to implement this agreement. Vehicles, fire arms, equipment, and apparatus furnished in or for mutual aid shall be operated by personnel trained in the proper use of same. 7. Cooperation. a. In the event an SRT activation results in an officer-involved shooting, accidental injury, or other event or results requiring investigation or review, both parties will cooperate and consult with each other in the conduct of s u c h inves tigation or review. Each loca1 government and e a c h law enforcement agency will make available to the other any information or res ources necessary to conduct such investigation or review. b. The Police Chief and the Sheriff will fully communicate, consult and cooperate with each other to ensure that a thorough, efficient and effective investigation or review is conducted and that unnecessary duplication is avoided. The res ults of such investigation shall be shared with each local government. c. Each party shall have access to the incident reports created by the other party related to incidents responded to under this Agreement. 24 5 8. Effective Date and Termination. a. This Agreement shall not be effective until approved by a majority vote of the governing board of each body and shall continue through December 31, 2027. b. This agreement may be terminated on notice by either party at any time. Obligations previously incurred are not extinguished by the termination of the Agreement. 9. Miscellaneous. a. This agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and cannot be modified or amended except by written agreement of the parties. b. Each party agrees to use best efforts to obtain and maintain certification from the SRT Team Certification Program administered by the State of New York Municipal Police Training Council. c. Any media release or press conference regarding an SRT activation will, if practicable, be coordinated in advance between the Police Chief and the Sheriff. The parties agree that media releases or press conferences will generally be initiated by the agency in whose jurisdiction the subject matter at hand occurred. d. This agreement shall not be construed or deemed to be an agreement for the benefit for any third party or parties. No third party or parties shall have any right of action under this agreement for any cause whatsoever. e. The laws of the State of New York shall govern this agreement. The parties agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations in connection with the performance of this agreement. f. This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. g. For the purposes of this agreement, when involved in routine law enforcement work of a non-emergency nature, temporary assignments and training exercises, the law enforcement agency from which the equipment is assigned, or which is providing the training, or which is sponsoring the training exercise shall be deemed the assisting local government. I WITNESS WHEREOF; the parties hereto have place d their hands and seals. 25 6 County of Tompkins City of Ithaca By: Lisa Holmes, Interim Administrator County Administrator Dated: __________________ By: Derek Osborne, Sheriff Dated: __________________ By: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager Dated: __________________ By: Thomas Kelly, Chief of Police Dated: __________________ 26 JOINT ITHACA-TOMPKINS SPECIALIZED RESPONSE TEAM MUTUAL AID ASSISTANCE AND INTERMUNICIPAL AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT made this ___ day of ______, 2026, by and between the County of Tompkins ("County"), a municipal corporation with offices located at 125E. Court Street, Ithaca, New York, and the City of Ithaca ("City"), a municipal corporation with offices located at 1 08 E. Green Street, Ithaca, New York (each a "local government " or collectively, "local governments.") WHEREAS local governments are authorized to request and provide police assistance to each other pursuant to New York General Municipal Law ("GML") Section 209-m, and WHEREAS the temporary exchange of law enforcement officer and equipment for the purpose of mutual assistance is fu1ther contemplated by Section 209- m, and WHEREAS Article 5-G of the GML autho1izes municipal corporations to enter into agreements for the performance of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service, and WHEREAS Article 5-G provides that such agreements may extend the appropriate territorial juris diction of the participants necessary to fulfill said service, and allow personnel assigned to a joint service to possess the same power, duties, immunities, and privileges they would ordinarily possess if they performed them in the area where they are employed, and WHEREAS GML Section 209-m, New York Criminal Procedure Law Sections 140.10(1) & (3) 120.60 et seq., and 690.25 and other applicable authority authorize law enforcement officers to exercise certain police powers and authorities out ide their geographic area of employment when a request for assistance is forthcoming from another law enforcement agency, and WHEREAS each party has authority to operate a Specialized Response Team to respond to certain criminal acts or threats that are more effectively dealt with by a specially trained tactical team than standard police operations, and WHEREAS the parties have determined that it is in the best interests of the respective communities and of mutual advantage to enter into this agreement for the provision of interagency law enforcement services, and WHEREAS the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program has requested that the parties enter into an agreement formalizing the operation of the joint Specialized Response Team; 27 2 NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the above considerations and the covenants and mutual benefits contained in this Agreement, the parties agree as follows: I. Purpose. The parties recognize that certain criminal acts or threats are more effectively dealt with by a specially trained tactical team than standard police operations, and that in such situations the use of law enforcement officers to perform law enforcement duties and the use of law enforcement equipment and supplies outside the territory of the local government where the officers are legally employed may be desirable and necessary. The objectives of this Agreement are: a. the more effective and efficient use of law enforcement resources and services in responding to law enforcement intervention situations; b. an enhanced degree of cooperation between the Ithaca Police Department ("IPD"), and the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office; c. the maintenance of a joint Specialized Response Team ("SRT”) compos e d of res ources from and available to the Sheriff’s Office, and IPD; d. the development and use of training exercises or programs where skills, knowledge, procedures, and expertise are shared by the parties; e. the adoption of rules and regulations providing for a single team commander and team leaders, a single set of standard operational procedures, training, records maintenance, and the fiscal responsibilities of each agency; and f. The elimination of the need to follow the fo rmal procedure set forth in GML Section 209-m as applied to requests for assistance from the other party in the form of personnel and/or equipment as part of SRT activation. 2. Authorization. Intergovernmental SRT service and assistance (mutual aid) may be provided among the pa rties during those times of both (i) emergency and (ii) routine law enforcement work of a non-emergency nature to fulfill a mutual aid request. Example of the latter situation would be pre-arranged training exercises and programs as well as temporary assignment of law enforcement officers and /or equipment to another law enforcement agency for training or patrol purposes where the officers and/or equipment may be involved in police intervention situations. 3. Power and Authorization. a. Although the City is located within the County for purposes of this Agreement, the City s hall not be considered to be within the territorial limits of the County. Operation by the Sheriff’s Office within the City s hall be considered operations outside the territory of the Sheriff’s Office. b. Each party agrees that its law enforcement agency will supply personnel equipment, and other available resources to the other party as part of the 28 3 SRT. The number of personnel and the amount or type of equipment to be supplied shall be determined by each party's chief law enforcement officer, or his or her designee. c. The obligation to render mutual aid is strictly voluntary in nature. When the SRT is activated, each party may hold back any personnel and equipment as deemed approp1iate in the sole discretion of its chief law enforcement officer or his or her designee. Each party has the right to recall loaned personnel and equipment at any time. Neither party s hall incur any liability or responsibility for the failure to respond to or recall any personnel provided in response to any request for assistance made pursuant to this Agreement. d. Each party authorizes its chief law enforcement officer, or his or her designee, to pre-arrange training exercises and programs as well as temporary assignment of officers and/or equipment to the other party for training purposes. Joint training for all personnel participating in SRT operations will be conducted on topics and at times and places mutually agreed upon between the parties. IPD will maintain all SRT related training records. 4. Command Structure. a. During incidents occurring within the city, the Incident Commander will be a member of IPD, and during incidents occurring within the County but outside the city, the Incident Commander will be a member of the Sheriff’s Office. The Incident Commander shall be in command of the operation(s) under which the SRT is activated and the SRT Commander shall report to the Incident Commander. SRT members will report to the SRT Commander during incidents and training events. b. The parties' chief law enforcement officers, or their designees, shall select a SRT Commander by mutual agreement, and after consulting with the SRT Commander, other team leaders and operators as needed. 5. Compensation, Expenses, and Liability. a. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5, each party expressly waives all claims of whatever type or nature against the other and its personnel that may arise out of the performance of this Agreement. b. The party receiving aid purs uant to this Agreement shall defend, indemnify, and hold the assisting party harmless from any and all claims, costs, losses, damages, and judgments (including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees) against the assisting party arising from the 29 4 negligence or wrongful acts of the party receiving aid, its officers, and its personnel. Each party shall notify the other of any claims or lawsuit received arising out of SRT operations . c. The parties agree that GML Section 209-m(S) applies to the assistance provided pursuant to this agreement. d. All individuals shall retain all of their pension, disability, contractual, and compensation rights while performing duties in accordance with this Agreement. e. To the extent permitted by law, including but not limited to GML Sections 119- n, 119-o and 209-m all the powers (including the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges and immunities from liability which apply to the activities of the parties and the members of the SRT when performing their function within their respective territorial limits shall apply to the activities of the SRT, team members, and other police officers or employees while furnishing tactical assistance outs ide their territorial limits under the terms of this Agreement unless otherwise provided by law or this Agreement. 6. Rules and Regulations. The parties' chief law enforcement officers shall establish uniform rules and regulations for the operation of the SRT as necessary and appropriate to implement this agreement. Vehicles, fire arms, equipment, and apparatus furnished in or for mutual aid shall be operated by personnel trained in the proper use of same. 7. Cooperation. a. In the event an SRT activation results in an officer-involved shooting, accidental injury, or other event or results requiring investigation or review, both parties will cooperate and consult with each other in the conduct of such inves tigation or review. Each loca1 government and each law enforcement agency will make available to the other any information or res ources necessary to conduct such investigation or review. b. The Police Chief and the Sheriff will fully communicate, consult and cooperate with each other to ensure that a thorough, efficient and effective investigation or review is conducted and that unnecessary duplication is avoided. The res ults of such investigation shall be shared with each local government. c. Each party shall have access to the incident reports created by the other party related to incidents responded to under this Agreement. 30 5 8. Effective Date and Termination. a. This Agreement shall not be effective until approved by a majority vote of the governing board of each body and shall continue through December 31, 2027. b. This agreement may be terminated on notice by either party at any time. Obligations previously incurred are not extinguished by the termination of the Agreement. 9. Miscellaneous. a. This agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and cannot be modified or amended except by written agreement of the parties. b. Each party agrees to use best effo rts to obtain and maintain certification from the SRT Team Certification Program administered by the State of New York Municipal Police Training Council. c. Any media release or press conference regarding an SRT activation will, if practicable, be coordinated in advance between the Police Chief and the Sheriff. The parties agree that media releases or press conferences will generally be initiated by the agency in whose jurisdiction the subject matter at hand occurred. d. This agreement shall not be construed or deemed to be an agreement for the benefit for any third party or parties. No third party or parties shall have any right of action under this agreement for any cause whatsoever. e. The laws of the State of New York shall govern this agreement. The parties agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations in connection with the performance of this agreement. f. This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. g. For the purposes of this agreement, when involved in routine law enforcement work of a non-emergency nature, temporary assignments and training exercises, the law enforcement agency from which the equipment is assigned, or which is providing the training, or which is sponsoring the training exercise shall be deemed the assisting local government. I WITNESS WHEREOF; the parties hereto have placed their hands and seals. 31 6 County of Tompkins City of Ithaca By: Lisa Holmes, Interim Administrator County Administrator Dated: __________________ By: Derek Osborne, Sheriff Dated: __________________ By: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager Dated: __________________ By: Thomas Kelly, Chief of Police Dated: __________________ 32 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Police Department Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Police Chief Thomas Kelly DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Drug Task Force Mutual Aid and Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement ITEM #:6.4 MEMORANDUM The Ithaca Police Department's Special Investigations Unit works with partner agencies to reduce large quantities of Opioids, Fentanyl and Methamphetamines from entering our community as well as other illicit substances. We give attention to these issues because of the extensive harm caused to our vulnerable population and the association with violent crime. The participating agencies of this formal agreement are partnering to coordinate a more effective and efficient law enforcement response to illegal drug activity through the Tompkins County Drug Task Force. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution - Intermunicipal Agreement (DTFMA).pdf Work Session Memo to Council - MOU Drug County Task Force(041626).pdf ADDENDUM to DTFMA (041626).pdf County Drug Task Force Mutual Aide.pdf 33 RESOLUTION TO APPROVE INTERMUNICIPAL AGREEMENT FOR DRUG TASK FORCE MUTUAL AID WHEREAS, local governments are authorized to request and provide police assistance to each other pursuant to New York General Municipal Law (“GML”) § 209-m; and WHEREAS, the temporary exchange of law enforcement officer and equipment for the purpose of mutual assistance is further contemplated by GML § 209-m; and WHEREAS, Article 5-G of the GML authorizes municipal corporations to enter into agreements for the performance of their respective functions, powers, and duties on a cooperative or contract basis or for the provision of a joint service; and WHEREAS, Tompkins County and several municipalities within the County have come to terms on an agreement related to the establishment of a drug task force to investigate and respond to narcotics matters in the County; and WHEREAS, GML § 119-o requires approval of any intermunicipal agreement by a legislative body; NOW, THEREFORE, the Common Council hereby resolves as follows: 1. The proposed agreement between Tompkins County and other municipal partners, “Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Task Force Mutual Aid and Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement,” is approved, pending the execution of the amendment drafted by the City Attorney. 2. The City Attorney is authorized to take all necessary steps to finalize and execute the proposed agreement, and to have the City Manager and Police Chief sign on behalf of the City. 34 M E M O R A N D U M Date: April 16, 2026 To: Common Council From: Catherine Muskin, Acting City Attorney; Police Chief Thomas Kelly RE: Approval of Intermunicipal Agreement, Tompkins County Drug Task Force 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. Simultaneously, under GML § 209-m, a municipality may request assistance from a nearby law enforcement agency. The proposed intermunicipal agreement governs the relationship between numerous Tompkins County entities for responses to narcotics operations, as set forth under GML § 209-m. 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 varying municipalities—including County entities— (the “Agreement”) sets forth a drug task force through which these parties assist one another with narcotics operations. Requests for specialized services may be requested by any one agency from any other agency “when resources are available, and as they relate to drug task force activities, at the sole discretion of the chief law enforcement head of the controlling agency,” granting signiﬁcant discretion to the IPD in terms of ability to oﬀer resources to participating agencies. Other pertinent terms include the following: • Structure: Oﬃcers on the task force remain under the administrative supervision of their home agency. For purposes of the task force, various County Sheriﬀ staﬀ oversee varying areas; most pertinent to IPD is the investigative team. The investigative team conducts investigations, surveillance, controlled purchases and informant management, prepares and executes warrants, does recordkeeping, trains, collects and documents evidence, and performs arrests and follow-up case work. • Media Statements: No singular agency may give media statements related to narcotics operations without prior written approval of all participating agencies. 35 • Liability: There is a mutual release of liability for all participating parties: per section 5, each “remains responsible for the acts and omissions of its own oﬃcers and employees, pursuant to applicable law. . . .” Workers’ compensation ﬂows from IPD for IPD oﬃcers. • Cost: Each participating agency bears its own costs for salary, overtime, and beneﬁts of personnel, and for equipment and facilities. • Records sharing: Participating agencies must share “case-relevant information consistent with the law, including Criminal Procedure Law, privacy statutes, and agency policies.” • Termination: There are broad termination rights for any participating agency, through which IPD could withdraw with 30 days’ written notice to all other agencies. • Term: Upon Council approval, the City will propose back to the force a ﬁve (5)-year term, which is the maximum term for an intermunicipal agreement under GML §119-n(2)(j). The City will not execute this MOU without this term. 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 area law enforcement partners to better address narcotics operations. 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 these operations, “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, as outlined above. PUBLIC FEEDBACK NEXT STEPS Once this Agreement is ratiﬁed by the Council, Chief Kelly may propose the 5 year term to the participating agencies. Upon their approval, it can be executed by Chief Kelly upon designation by the City Manager, for implementation. 36 1 AMENDMENT TO DRUG TASK FORCE MUTUAL AID AND INTERMUNICIPAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT This is an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the aforementioned intermunicipal agreement under General Municipal Law §§ 119-o and 209-m, which has been signed by various participating agencies at the time of this Amendment, namely: The Tompkins County Sheriff’s office New York State Police Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office Tompkins County Department of Probation and Community Justice Village of Groton Police Department Village of Cayuga Heights Police Department Village of Dryden Police Department Trumansburg Village Police Department last dated February 19, 2026 (the “Original Contract”). WHEREAS, THE CITY OF ITHACA, a municipal corporation with offices at 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850 (“the City”), seeks to join the Original Contract with an additional contract term, namely, a term of service; NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows: 1. Term. The Original Contract is dated for a term of five (5) years, ending April 23, 2031. This represents the maximum number of years permissible under State General Municipal Law. 2. Participating Agencies. Any further participating agencies shall be subject to the Original Contract and this Amendment, and shall sign on this Amendment to represent the same. All other provisions of the Original Contract shall remain in full force and effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed or approved this Amendment on the dates appearing under their signatures. Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: New York State Police Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: 37 2 Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: Village of Groton Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: Village of Cayuga Heights Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: Village of Dryden Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: Village of Trumansburg Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: City of Ithaca Title: Printed Name: Agency: Signature: Date: 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Department of Information and Community Engagement Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Clerk's Office DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Outdoor Dining Permit ITEM #:6.5 MEMORANDUM Common Council hereby approves outdoor dining permit for establishment Steamy Dumpling. ATTACHMENTS: 2026_Outdoor_Dining_Permit-Steamy Dumpling.pdf 49 DICE - Approval of Outdoor Dining Alcohol Permits WHEREAS, several downtown restaurants have requested permission to u lize certain areas along the Primary and Secondary Commons and sidewalks in the downtown core for outdoor dining, and WHEREAS, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance has requested permission for wine, beer, and hard cider tas ng and sales as part of their special events for 2026, and WHEREAS, it is Common Council's responsibility to determine whether or not to allow the serving and consump on of alcohol on City property, and WHEREAS, Common Council has determined that the use of public property for outdoor dining and special events including the responsible sale and consump on of alcohol, plays an important role in the vibrancy of the downtown business district, and WHEREAS, Common Council has determined that any use of this or similar public property involving the sale and consump on of alcohol should be covered by a minimum of $1,000,000 insurance under the Dram Shop Act; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, For the year 2026, Common Council hereby approves the following revocable alcoholic beverage permits for the outdoor sale and consump on of alcohol in accord with the terms and condi ons set forth in their applica ons, including minimum Dram Shop coverage in the amount of $1,000,000 and the approval of an outdoor dining permit: Steamy Dumpling, Inc. 50 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Mayor's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Alderperson Patrick Sewell DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Approval of AOC 2027 Budget ITEM #:6.6 MEMORANDUM Resolution approving the Access Oversight Committee 2027 Budget ATTACHMENTS: Resolution to approve AOC 2027 Budget.pdf Backup-AOC.pdf 51 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ACCESS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (AOC) 2027 BUDGET WHEREAS, Section 15.12 of the Franchise Agreement of January 2003 between the City of Ithaca and the franchisee Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership (TWC) (“Franchise Agreement”), subsequently assigned to Charter Communications, Inc. d/b/a Spectrum Networks (Charter) after Charter's 2016 acquisition of TWC, requires the participating municipalities (City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights) to provide the franchisee with an annual written budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access operations (PEG) by June 30 of each calendar year; and WHEREAS, Section 15.12 of the Franchise Agreement requires that Charter directs PEG Access Staff to provide the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) with budget recommendations for the following year by April 30; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca's Ordinance #2003-17, Par 18-4-G, requires the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) to provide the Participating Municipalities with a recommended budget for the following year by May 31; and WHEREAS, the Franchise Agreement authorizes Charter to collect $0.15 per subscriber per month to be used for the purchase of PEG equipment and facilities; and WHEREAS, the AOC has reviewed PEG’s current equipment and facilities and anticipates that new or replacement equipment and facilities will likely be needed; and WHEREAS, the AOC recommended a $15,000 contingency to purchase equipment as needed for the functioning of PEG operations, pending receipt and AOC approval of line-item estimates, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council of the City of Ithaca accepts the AOC recommended budget for Spectrum Network’s 2027 annual budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access. 52 Draft Minutes, Access Oversight Committee (AOC) Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 5 PM Town of Ithaca Hall, Aurora Conference Room 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY Present: chair Rich DePaolo, vice chair Wies van Leuken, secretary Wayles Browne, City of Ithaca Common Council liaison Pat Sewell, member Troy Parish; by Zoom: Glenn Foster (studio manager), Hanna Walier (Director, Government Affairs, Charter). 01. Call to Order by DePaolo, 5:00. 02. Agenda Additions and/or Deletions: 7i. PEG programs listed in channel guide 7j. Cost estimate fiber link studio to head end 03. Public Comments: none. 04. Comments by AOC members: none. 05. Approval of the Minutes of the February 3, 2026 Meeting. Moved by DePaolo, seconded by van Leuken, approved 4-0 without change. 06. Access Studio Coordinator Report (attached). Foster to DePaolo: "short" visit in the report means 15 or 20 minutes. Only bring in the items needed for production, other things can be left in the entryway. DePaolo: what are Charter's concerns about letting other persons return equipment? Foster: Charter would want to know if a borrower is certified to use the equipment. DePaolo points out that a producer borrowing a piece of equipment is taking full responsibility for it, no matter who brings it back. Is this a real problem? Walier: If you're comfortable putting all responsibility on the producer, then OK. Van Leuken: page 19 of the Manual (the PEGASYS Producer Responsibility Agreement) covers responsibility: "I accept...." But we could add "or in the possession of someone transporting it." Foster: Page 26, the Field Equipment Reservation form, could have such a clause. DePaolo to Walier: would rather have AOC write the wording. I will work on the language. On uploading shows via the new uploading system Dropbox: producers are OK with it. Van Leuken found it was very slow when uploading more than one document. Foster: I am able to upload multiple documents. May depend on your internet-provider's speed. 6a. 2027 Budget Recommendations AOC agreed to purchase the equipment recommended by Charter for 2027, with 2026 budget contingency monies instead. Foster was asked about the listed equipment. Foster: the Mac is useful for some producers who use Macs (Foster himself does). There won't be an issue with SD cards. DePaolo: favors Final Cut (it's an Apple-only editing program). Foster: we're not getting rid of existing editing programs. DePaolo 53 wonders about the need for lights; how much is left in contingency? Van Leuken: about $19K total; we authorized $14K last year for 2026. Van Leuken suggests buying one light rather than two. Foster to DePaolo: the camera is a field camera; I will teach producers on its use. DePaolo: Producer Tom Stern requests 2 items to replace wireless mike kits that are no longer reliable (at $300 each). Foster: Mike kits don't go out often; I did test them and found no issues. What Stern asks for is similar to what we have. DePaolo: B&H has them for $160. But let's verify existing mikes before buying any; ask Stern to come and test them. Or we could ask him to come to the next AOC meeting (van Leuken will write to him). Foster: believes cost doesn't include tax and shipping. DePaolo: let's authorize $4,000.00. AOC revises the list of wanted equipment to provide 1 light: it now reads Browne moved and van Leuken seconded a resolution to approved equipment purchases using the 2026 budget contingency. 54 WHEREAS, the Access Oversight Committee (AOC)’s 2025 Budget includes a contingency of $14,000.00 to purchase equipment as needed for the functioning of Public, Educational and Governmental access operations; and WHEREAS this budget was subsequently approved by the participating municipalities (City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights); and WHEREAS, there is a need to replace and update miscellaneous equipment; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the AOC approves the use of the 2026 Budget Contingency for the purchase of equipment specified in the attached budget, in an amount not to exceed $4,000.00. BUDGET Item Qty Cost Apple 24" iMac with M4 Chip 1 $1,699.00 Final Cut Pro X 1 $ 299.99 Genaray LED Fresnel 1 $ 598.00 AC Works 1ft NEMA L5-20P to NEMA 5-20R 20 2 $ 27.99 DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo 1 $ 669.00 TOTAL $3,293.98 Approved unanimously. 07. Member Reports a. 2027 Equipment Budget - Resolution. AOC decides on a $15,000.00 contingency. Browne moved and DePaolo seconded a resolution to approve the AOC's 2027 Budget recommendations WHEREAS, Section 15.12 of the Franchise Agreement of January 2003 between the City of Ithaca and the franchisee Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership (TWC) (“Franchise Agreement”), subsequently assigned to Charter Communications, Inc. d/b/a Spectrum Networks (Charter) after Charter's 2016 acquisition of TWC, requires the participating municipalities (City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights) to provide the franchisee with an annual written budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access operations (PEG) by June 30 of each calendar year; and WHEREAS, Section 15.12 of the Franchise Agreement requires that Charter directs PEG Access Staff to provide the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) with budget recommendations for the following year by April 30; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca's Ordinance #2003-17, Par 18-4-G, requires the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) to provide the Participating Municipalities with a recommended budget for the following year by May 31; and 55 WHEREAS, the Franchise Agreement authorizes Charter to collect $0.15 per subscriber per month to be used for the purchase of PEG equipment and facilities; and WHEREAS, the AOC has reviewed PEG’s current equipment and anticipates that new or replacement equipment will likely be needed in the future; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the AOC recommends a $15,000.00 contingency to purchase equipment as needed for the functioning of PEG operations, pending receipt and AOC approval of line-item estimates, and be it further RESOLVED, that the AOC forwards its recommendations for approval by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, the Town of Ithaca Board and the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees, so that they may meet their obligation to provide Charter Communications with an annual written budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access operations no later than June 30, 2026. Approved unanimously. DePaolo will send this resolution to Sewell (for Common Council), the Town Board and to Charter. Van Leuken will take it to the Village board. The resolution must be voted on by the participating municipalities and their decision reported to Charter by June 30th. b. PEGASYS Policies and Procedures Manual - Review Charter's Comments. See under 06. c. Terms Committee Members. Sewell: the City's webpages are being updated. The City Clerk's office prefers not to list term expiration dates - but has it available upon request. AOC suggests that they should say explicitly when each committee member's term ends. d. Tompkins County's Cablecasting Problems - Report. DePaolo has not found a transmitter that would be the right frequency; there's nothing more he can do. Has the County (Robert Henry) reached out to Charter? We don't know. DePaolo will speak to Henry. Van Leuken: channel 15 is still low volume. She asks members to watch the channels from time to time to check on the quality. e. Common Council meetings on Government Channel 15 - Report. DePaolo: senior citizens may prefer watching them on TV rather than on YouTube. f. Publicity of PEGASYS. Browne hands out a few copies of the brochure. DePaolo will generate some more. Next meeting: discuss ideas for publicity. g. Outreach Committee - Report. Attached: Fact sheet on 2026 PEGASYS Awards. Van Leuken reports on them: they were held March 6 and enjoyed by all. Sewell and Parish 56 represented the AOC, the first time Common Council was represented at the Awards. For next year: financing needs to be worked on. h. Contact Information for other PEG Studios in New York State. DePaolo has not found any info; will ask Manhattan Neighborhood Network (there are also Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens ... networks). i. PEG programs listed in channel guide Walier had asked to add this item to the agenda: AOC had asked for a cost estimate for adding a listing to the channel guide. Charter needs to ask the guide provider "Gracenote" about listing the individual programs being shown. She will have Gracenote reach out to DePaolo. j. Cost estimate fiber link studio to head end DePaolo asks Walier about a cost estimate for running a fiber link from the head end to and from the PEG studio. She's now looking into it. DePaolo will review Franchise Agreement on who should pay for it. 08. Old Business a. Streaming Channel 13. Troy should contact Rhys Finch at Ithaca College (or Rob Gearhart, also at IC, a former AOC member) to ask if ICTV has any interest in streaming Channel 13. 09. New Business: none. 10. Next meeting: 5 pm, Tuesday, May 5. 11. Adjournment 6:35. Authority: City of Ithaca code Chapter 18, "Cable Access Oversight Committee". Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca 11-5-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-17. Available at https://ecode360.com/8386207. Page on the City website: https://www.cityofithacany.gov/369/Cable- Access-Oversight-Committee [new web domain for the City]. Contact information for AOC members: City of Ithaca: Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2@cornell.edu>. City of Ithaca: Common Council liaison 2026- Pat Sewell <psewell@cityofithaca.org>. City of Ithaca: Troy J. Parish <parishtroy7@gmail.com>. Town of Ithaca: Rich DePaolo, chair <RDePaolo@town.ithaca.ny.us>, <rd@richdepaolo.com>. Village of Cayuga Heights: Wies van Leuken, vice chair <pmv4@cornell.edu>. Web site for the PEGASYS Community Media Center studio, with program schedules: https://pegasys.webstarts.com/index.html or https://pegasys.yourwebsitespace.com/ studio location: 612 West Green Street, Ithaca, New York mailing address: 519 West State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 57 Fact List for 2026 PEGASYS Awards for Cablecasting Excellence 2/28/26 PEGASYS Awards Ceremony: Roy H. Park School of Communications Auditorium, Ithaca College, 953 Danby Road, Friday, March 6, 2026, Doors Open 7:00 PM, Event Starts 7:30 p.m. First Peggy Awards were held in 1985. They were held every year at PEGASYS until Covid stopped us, 2021 - 2024; resumed in 2025 at Ithaca College. Lauren Stefanelli hosted the Awards from 1988 - 2020 at PEGASYS. THANKS to the 3 independent Judges #1 Rhys Finch, Ithaca College Manager of Television & Radio Operations #2 Alex Wiers, former PEGASYS Studio Coordinator #3 Lauren Stefanelli, former PEGASYS Studio Coordinator --- copies of judging scores and comments are available upon request - Trophy Maker: "Trophies by Specialty Trophy & Awards" ---- please thank her for giving us a special deal again this year and include a credit in the TV program - AND the IC Technical Crew Winning programs will be cablecast on Channel 13 as part of the series "PEGASYS Awards" on Tuesday at 7:30 PM, Thursday at 6 PM, Sundays at 7:30 AM in the upcoming weeks. Total Entries: 30; 16 for public access & 14 for educational access 10 AWARDS to winners in the following Categories: 1. Studio Production/Public Access 2. Field production/Public Access 3. Entertainment/Short Subject/Music Video/Public Access Sports/Public Access - due to insufficient number of entries 4. Studio Production/Ithaca College Field production/Ithaca College - due to insufficient number of entries 5. Entertainment/Short Subject/Music Video/Ithaca College 6. Sports/Game Show/Ithaca College 7. Judge's Choice Award for Public Access 8. Judge's Choice Award for Educational Access 9. Bryan VanCampen Memorial Award for the best Entertainment Program 10. Lifetime Achievement Award Organizers: Members of the Outreach Sub-Committee of the City of Ithaca's Access Oversight Committee: Wies van Leuken and Paul Smith AND of Ithaca College's Roy H. Park School of Communications: Rhys Finch, Romeo Maslin and Paul Stanion 58 ENTRIES AND WINNERS PUBLIC ACCESS/PEGASYS/CHANNEL 13 Category 1. Studio Production (includes former Category 4. Sports/Game Show) Entries: 13-1 William Metro, Political Point Magazine "Political Point Magazine" is a conservative republican political TV show that expresses the conservative republican view. 13-2 Tom Stern, Ithaca Politics-Perspectives on Ukraine This Series' segment focuses on Ukrainian refugees that have settled in our area and the challenges they face in leaving their home country and resettling in another one and local support they are receiving. 13-3 Bill McGill, Gut Bucket "GutBucket promotes Academics and Sports, physical fitness and all the elements that promote our Democracy, Locally, Nationally and Worldwide. 13-4 Scott Van Etten, Up the Court, Down the Field “Up the Court, Down the Field” is a sports commentary show that expresses my love for sports. This program presents the “Special Olympics New York” held in Ithaca in 2025. Winner 13-2 Tom Stern, Ithaca Politics - Perspectives on Ukraine Certificates: Zolan Stern and Allen Abrahams Program Details: A significant number of refugees from the war in Ukraine have settled into the Ithaca area. This segment of Ithaca Politics is intended to highlight the challenges people face in leaving their home country and resettling in another country. We hear from the Mayor of Ithaca and his commitment to providing sanctuary to Ukrainians, a representative of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees to discuss how a community comes together to support recent arrivals from Ukraine and other countries, and a panel discussion from local scholars on the geo political aspects of the Ukraine war. Category 2. Field Production/Documentary Entries: 13-5 John Weiss, Unity With Ukraine “Unity with Ukraine” is about war-time Ukraine. This program features an interview with Ukrainians Krystina and Sofia Golovakova who now make their home in Ithaca, NY. 13-6. Theresa Alt, Ithaca DSA Presents “Ithaca DSA presents” is a program about progressive political issues. This episode features an interview with Hannah Shvets and Jorge DeFendini - now City of Ithaca Common Council members - about pressing issues for the City in the upcoming years. 13-7 Tony Ingraham, Walk in the Park "Walk in the Park" has been a PEGASYS series from about 2012. In this episode, Josh Teeter of the Finger Lakes State Park Region, gave a presentation called “The Care and Growth of Our Parks” at the History Center of Tompkins County. 13-8 Wies van Leuken, Over the Shoulder - Remembering Maya Angelou "Over the Shoulder" is a public interest program. This episode features a recent "Annual Day of Remembrance of Maya Angelou", in Stamps, Arkansas, where Dr. Angelou spent her youth as described in her book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". 13-9 Martha Taranto, Theodora's Community Cauldron "Theodora’s Community Cauldron” is a show to show that cooking is fun and easy to do. It is filmed in the producer's own kitchen right in downtown Ithaca. 13-10 Andy Finkle, Ithaca Arts and Media "Ithaca Arts and Media" showcases the art and artists of Ithaca, NY and its surrounding area. 59 Winner 13-9 Martha Taranto, Theodora's Community Cauldron URL: https://youtu.be/XNETX8_l9l8d (12:40) Certificates: Sean Taranto Support Paragraph: My goal for this program is to show that cooking is fun and easy to do. I teach a basic recipe and then show how many varieties are possible when you have those basics under your belt. I am filming this series in my own kitchen right in downtown Ithaca, and I use simple kitchen utensils found in most kitchens. Category 3. Entertainment/Short Subject/Music Video Entries: 13-11 Tony Ingraham, The Treman Show: Walk on the Bottom of the Sea This series of short videos illustrates and interprets the natural and cultural history of Robert H. Treman State Park and other parks and preserves in the Ithaca and Tompkins County area. 13-12 Wies van Leuken, Homemade Jams: the Soular Experience When Jurden Alexander moved back home to Arkansas, he continued filming music concerts as he had been doing at PEGASYS since 2003. After editing his footage, I can now present music from the southern states to an Ithaca audience. 13-13 Wies van Leuken, Postcard From McNeil AR: Big Boy #4014 This short video shows a maintenance stop of locomotive Big Boy #4014 as it was passing through southern Arkansas. It is one of 8 surviving locomotives of its kind and the only one still in operating condition. 13-14 First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, Reflections on the New Year The First Unitarian Society of Ithaca cablecasts its programs on Channel 13 to share its Sunday services with shut-ins and all other residents of Tompkins County. 13-15. Andy Finkle, E.L. Show "E.L. Show” is for people of all ages and creates a whimsical world where a strange little monster can share their art. 13-16. Paul Smith, From this Bed Song writer Ken Pardee and I shot this in about an hour in the PEGASYS studio in July 2025. Winner 13-15. Andy Finkle, E.L. Show Certificates: Matthew Pickard, Microbes Mostly, Ike Finkle, Zev Finkle, Mutt Rogers Support Paragraph: “This show attempts to create a whimsical world where a strange little monster can share their art. Viewers are treated to cartoons and music videos. When possible, videos from local artist area featured. Viewers are invited to share their art work. This show is not made for children, but strives to be appropriate for any age. EDUCATIONAL ACCESS/PARKS SCHOOL/IC/CHANNEL 16 Category 1. Studio Production Entries: 16-1 Mathew Telyczka, Grace Krug, Angel Pandey, Business Central "Business Central" delivers news about financial markets, provides coverage of local Ithaca startups or projects and highlights student entrepreneurs who run their own businesses. 16-2 Nash Carlisto, Jack Bradway, Katherine Kummerer, Evening in America "Evening in America" is ICTV's premier political show, covering local, national, and international political news. It is the only political TV news show in the Ithaca area. 16-3 Luka Palomaki, Trey Nitza, Isaiah Flowers, Good Day Ithaca "Good Day Ithaca" is ICTV’s only morning news show. Our goal is to provide an accessible and lighthearted source of international, national, sports, entertainment, and weather news. 16-4 Christopher Bach, Athena Karavousanos, Alyssa Hurd, Sammy McFaul, Looped In! 60 "Looped In!" is ICTV’s only entertainment news show. We cover TV and Film, Music, Award Shows, Fashion, and Theatre news along with everything else pop culture. 16-5 Luke Johnson, Matthew Dean, Sarah Cochi, The Directors Chair "The Directors Chair" acknowledges successful Park students and provides other filmmakers with resources and inspiration to help make them produce content that they are proud of. Winner 16-2 Nash Carlisto, Jack Bradway, Katherine Kummerer, Evening in America Certificates: same as producers Support Paragraph: This show was created in the fall of 2024 and is ICTV's premier political show. We cover local, national, and international political news. A group of dedicated students produce this show every week to keep our community informed. Our anchors deliver breaking stories, dive into the significance of current events, and even bring in local politicians for interviews or cover local events in the area. Our goal is always to inform the people of Ithaca and beyond of what is going on in the world around them, especially as this is the only political television show in the Ithaca area Category 3. Entertainment/Short Subject/Music Video Entries: 16-6 Sabrina Layman, Sofia Soto, Logan Thompson, Ethan Wilson, Sam Zaslow-Braverman, First Years First-Years is a show about loneliness, and about feeling out of one’s element. It serves to resonate with anyone who has ever felt lonely. 16-7 Anthony DeSando, Sophia Spring, Noah Robinson, Payton Adams, After Hours "After Hours" builds meaning and community off of laughter with a lighthearted and playful core, providing joy to both viewers of the show and the crew members working on it. 16-8 Ariel Alania, Riley Cassidy, Sam Shay, Charlotte Caucci, Fake Out "Fake Out" is ICTV’s longest running game show. One guesser is challenged with three rounds of unique liars to figure out which of the liar’s statements is true. 16-9 Nick Polisi, Alex Siegelson, Lauren Fonseca, Cooper Visco, ICTV Holiday Special "ICTV Holiday Special" was a large-scale live production that took several weeks to plan. It included 3 live musical acts and united into a single cablecast Ithaca College Television's entertainment, sports, and news teams and much more. 16-10 Sam Weisel, Morgan Moracco, Kirin Patient, Roommate Rumble "Roommate Rumble" is a gameshow that has pairs of roommates compete against other pairs or roommates. Winner 16-9 Nick Polisi, Alex Siegelson, Lauren Fonseca, Cooper Visco, ICTV Holiday Special Certificates: same as producers Support Paragraph: The ICTV Holiday Special was a large-scale live production that took several weeks to plan. The broadcast gained over 200 viewers on our YouTube channel and many more on our local public access channel 16 in Ithaca, NY. For this production, I was the Technical Producer, alongside Alex Siegelson, who was our Music Technical Producer, Cooper Visco, and Lauren Fonseca, who were both Content Producers. Together, we worked hard to bring together just about everyone from content producers of other shows to talent and studio engineers from all the productions at Ithaca College Television. The show utilized two full broadcast studios, each with 4 cameras and one with a Jib camera. One studio featuring the hosts and guest segments, and a second dedicated to live musical performances. The broadcast included three live musical acts (two full bands and one solo artist), requiring the audio team to work efficiently under tight time constraints to set up, strike, and transition between performances in real time while managing over 10 microphones. A key goal of the special was to unite the various departments of Ithaca College Television (entertainment, sports, and news) and the Roy H. Park School into a single broadcast. This was achieved through coordinating the creation of original content and collaborative segments, such as the sports debate show Hold That Thought, 61 appearing on the show debating the best holiday song, and the business news program Business Central discussing seasonal consumer deals. In addition to live studio segments, the special featured multiple community-based original pre-produced packages from reporters covering local holiday events and activities throughout the Ithaca area. In addition to these packages, we had a team creating social media content throughout the broadcast for our main Instagram and Facebook ICTV 607. We were able to utilize Mevos, which were placed behind the scenes in various places, to capture our crew of over 65 people working on this broadcast. This footage and all of the packages were uploaded to our YouTube channel ICTV 607 playlist, so they can be easily shared with the community. From set decoration to intense segment planning to creating a complete graphic package for this broadcast, we learned so much from this production. Overall, this show brought together the station’s diverse teams and programming into a unified large-scale live event. Category 4. Sports/Game Show Entries: 16-11 Katelyn Smith, Justin Antonucci, Hannah Broxmeyer, Bombers Live "Bombers Live" is a play-by-play coverage of IC football home games, plus pregame, halftime, and postgame shows. 16-12 Billy Wood, Ryan Collins, Lauren Fonseca, Abbey Kopacz, Hold that Thought "Hold That Thought" is a sports debate show that pits three debaters against each other to talk through a variety of sports topics. HTT is a staple at ICTV. 16-13 Dominick D'Anna, Colin Martin, Connor Smith, Zach Vogel, Next Player Up "Next Player Up" is a sports debate show that covers collegiate and professional sports. It is the only sports show in the area that interviews a new athlete every week. 16.14 Ted Dougherty, Kyle Calafa, Gabe Harris, Payton Fisch, Sports Final "Sports Final" is a weekly live sports show that covers Ithaca and Cornell Athletics while also reporting on other local, high school, and professional sports teams. Winner 16.14 Ted Dougherty, Kyle Caiafa, Gabe Harris, Payton Fisch, Sports Final Certificates: same as producers Support Paragraph: Sports Final is a weekly live sports show that covers Ithaca and Cornell Athletics while also reporting on other local, high school, and professional sports teams. JUDGES CHOICE AWARD for the best Public Access show Winner: 13-9 Martha Taranto, Theodora's Community Cauldron Certificates: Sean Taranto JUDGES CHOICE AWARD for the best Educational Access show Winner: 16-9 Nick Polisi, Alex Siegelson, Lauren Fonseca, Cooper Visco ICTV Holiday Special Certificates: same as producers BRYAN VANCAMPEN MEMORIAL AWARD for the best in Entertainment/Arts/Cultural public access programming. Winner 13-15. Andy Finkle, E.L. Show Certificates: Matthew Pickard, Microbes Mostly, Ike Finkle, Zev Finkle, Mutt Rogers LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Winner Tony Ingraham for his programs like "Walk in the Park" and all his many other contributions to community access TV in Tompkins County 62 Support Paragraph: Walk in the Park has been a PEGASYS series from about 2012. I had a 24-year career in charge of environmental education for the Finger Lakes State Park Region, working out of Taughannock Falls State Park. My goals for the program include educating our local audience about the natural and cultural history of parks, mostly local but also beyond. I am also the current president of the Friendship of Robert H. Treman State Park. END 63 64 65 66 67 68 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Planning & Economic Development Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Planning and Development DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Lead Agency ITEM #:7.1 MEMORANDUM Common Council of the City of Ithaca does hereby declare itself lead agency for the environmental review of the proposal to amend the Ithaca City Code Chapter 325-12, “Planned Unit Developments (PUD)” ATTACHMENTS: Citywide PUD - Lead Agency Res - 04.08.26.pdf 69 Common Council Draft Resolution 4/8/2026 An Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter § 325-12, “Planned unit developments (PUD)” – Declaration of Lead Agency WHEREAS, State Law and Section 176-6 of the City Code require that a lead agency be established for conducting environmental review of projects in accordance with local and state environmental law, and WHEREAS, State Law specifies that, for actions governed by local environmental review, the lead agency shall be that local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, and WHEREAS, the proposed code amendment is an “Unlisted” Action pursuant to the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) Ordinance, which requires environmental review under CEQR; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Ithaca does hereby declare itself lead agency for the environmental review of the proposal to amend the Ithaca City Code Chapter 325-12, “Planned unit developments (PUD)” to allow Planned Unit Developments citywide. 70 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Planning and Development Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Planning & Development DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Planning Unit Developments (PUD)- Negative Declaration ITEM #:7.2 MEMORANDUM Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby determines that the proposed action at issue will not have a significant effect on the environment, and that further environmental review is unnecessary. ATTACHMENTS: Citywide PUD - Neg Dec Res - 04.08.26.pdf 71 Common Council Draft Resolution 4/8/2026 An Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter § 325-12, “Planned unit developments (PUD)” – Negative Declaration WHEREAS, The Common Council is considering a proposal to amend the Municipal Code of the City Of Ithaca, Chapter 325-12, Entitled “Planned unit developments (PUD),” to allow Planned Unit Developments citywide. WHEREAS, the appropriate environmental review has been conducted, including the preparation of a Short Environmental Assessment Form (SEAF), dated March 5, 2026, and WHEREAS, the proposed action is an “Unlisted” Action under the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance, and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, acting as lead agency, has reviewed the SEAF prepared by planning staff; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that this Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby adopts as its own the findings and conclusions more fully set forth on the Short Environmental Assessment Form, dated March 5, 2026, and be it further RESOLVED, that this Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby determines that the proposed action at issue will not have a significant effect on the environment, and that further environmental review is unnecessary, and be it further RESOLVED, that this resolution constitutes notice of this negative declaration and that the City Clerk is hereby directed to file a copy of the same, together with any attachments, in the City Clerk’s Office, and forward the same to any other parties as required by law. 72 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Planning & Economic Development Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Planning and Development DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:Planned Unit Developments (PUD)- Ordinance ITEM #:7.3 MEMORANDUM An Ordinance Amending the Ithaca City Code Chapter 325-12 "Planned Unit Developments (PUD)" ATTACHMENTS: Ordinance- PUD Amendment_2026.pdf Council PUD Expansion Memo Common Council 042826.pdf PUD_Amendment_2026_Circulation_Packet__1__Megan_Wilson.pdf Planning Board Recommendation re Proposed PUD City-wide Expansion..pdf 73 An Ordinance Amending Ithaca City Code Chapter § 325-12, “Planned unit developments (PUD)” WHEREAS, creation of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a legislative rezoning process at the sole discretion of Council and results in a unique zoning district with defined area and use requirements, and WHEREAS, since PUDs require long-term community benefits, allowing PUDs in all areas of the City can enable high-quality, community-enhancing projects to be built through the City’s neighborhoods, and WHEREAS, Common Council desires to allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) throughout the City of Ithaca to provide an opportunity for more progressive zoning while a lengthier comprehensive rewrite is underway, and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca desires to amend Chapter 325 of the Ithaca City Code in order to allow Planned Unit Developments throughout the City of Ithaca; now, therefore ORDINANCE 2026 - BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca as follows: Section 1. Legislative findings, intent, and purpose. Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) allow for more creative use of land than is permitted under current zoning, provided that a project has long-term community benefits and is compatible with the City’s comprehensive plan. Currently, PUDs are restricted to the City’s Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUDOD). The proposed amendment would allow PUDs throughout the entire City, enabling high-quality, community-enhancing projects to be built in all neighborhoods. Section 2. Amendments to Chapter § 325-12 of the Ithaca City Code The following portions of Chapter § 325-12 of the Ithaca City Code are hereby amended as follows: 1 § 325-12. Planned unit developments (PUD). A. Declaration of legislative authority. This Planned Unit Development (PUD) Ordinance is being enacted pursuant to the authority established in the New York State General City Law § 81-f. B. Purpose and intent. (1) This legislation is intended to institute procedures and requirements for the 1 Strikethrough indicates removals. Underlining indicates additions. Ellipses (…) indicate the omitted text remains unaltered. 74 establishment and mapping of PUDs, which may be placed in any location approved by the Common Council within the City of Ithaca., as long as it is located within the Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUDOD), the boundaries of which can be seen on the map entitled “Proposed Boundary for the Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUDOD) – October 2021."2 The PUD is a tool intended to encourage mixed-use or unique single use projects that require more creative and imaginative design of land development than is possible under standard zoning district regulations. A PUD allows for flexibility in planning and design, while ensuring efficient investment in public improvements, environmental sensitivity, and protection of community character. A PUD should be used only when long-term community benefits will be achieved through high quality development, including, but not limited to, reduced traffic demands, greater quality and quantity of public and/or private open space, community recreational amenities, needed housing types and/or mix, innovative designs, and protection and/or preservation of natural resources. (2) Section 325-12 is intended to relate to both residential and nonresidential development, as well as mixed forms of development. There may be uses, now or in the future, which are not expressly permitted by the other terms of this chapter but which uses would not contravene the long-range Comprehensive Plan objectives if they adhere to certain predetermined performance and design conditions. The PUD is intended to be used to enable these developments to occur even though they may not be specifically authorized by the City zoning district regulations. (3) The PUD is intended to be used in any area located within the PUDOD. Should a proposed project offer community-wide benefits, the Common Council may establish a PUD in order to permit uses not explicitly allowed by the underlying zoning. (4) Areas may be zoned as a PUD by the Common Council. The enactment and establishment of such a zone shall be a legislative act. No owner of land or other person having an interest in land shall be entitled as a matter of right to the enactment or establishment of any such zone. C. Establishment and location. (1) The intent of a PUD is to create self-contained, architecturally consistent, and compatible buildings, many times with diverse but related uses. The creation of a PUD must entail sufficient review to assure the uses within the zone will have negligible or no significant adverse effects upon properties surrounding the zone. In reaching its decision on whether to rezone to a PUD, the Common Council shall consider the general criteria set forth in this chapter, the most current Comprehensive Plan for the City, and this statement of purpose. (2) No PUD shall be established pursuant to Subsection G(13) of this section unless it is located within the boundaries of the PUDOD, the boundaries of which can be seen on the attached map, "Boundary for the Planned Unit Development Overlay District 2 Editor’s Note: Said map is on file in the City Clerk’s office. 75 (PUDOD) - April 2018." D. Permitted principal and accessory uses. (1) In a PUD, buildings and land may be used for any lawful purpose permitted in the zone where it is located, plus any other uses which the Common Council may authorize. (2) All development restrictions, including, but not limited to, yard size, height restriction, building coverage, and lot size, shall be as set forth in the legislation rezoning the area to a PUD established by the Common Council. In addition, the Common Council may impose any conditions or limitations that are determined to be necessary or desirable to ensure that the development conforms with the City Comprehensive Plan, including limiting the permitted uses, location and size of buildings and structures, providing for open space and recreational areas, requiring acoustical or visual screening, construction sequencing, and requiring bonds or other assurances of completion of any infrastructure to be built as part of the development. E. Site plan approval. No structure shall be erected or placed within a PUD, no building permit shall be issued for a building or structure within a PUD, and no existing building, structure, or use in a PUD shall be changed, unless the proposed building and/or use is in accordance with a site plan approved pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 276 of the City of Ithaca Code. F. Criteria. The Common Council will consider an application for any PUD on the following criteria, among others: (1) Does the project further the health and welfare of the community? (2) Is the project in accordance with the City Comprehensive Plan? (3) Does the project create at least one long-term significant community benefit? G. Application process. An applicant proposing a development that does not conform with the existing zoning requirements may apply for a PUD to be placed on his/her property, or on such other property as designated by the applicant and for which the applicant has submitted sufficient authorization executed by the owner(s) of said property in support of the application. The application process is as follows: (1) Staff/applicant pre-application meeting. An applicant seeking alternate zoning for his/her property must first contact the Department of Planning, Building, and Development for a pre-application meeting. Staff will explain the requirements, the application process, the timeline, and the fees associated with a PUD request. (2) Application submission. The applicant must submit a completed PUD application along with the required fee. The application must include a conceptual development plan and an explanation of the request for alternate zoning. The conceptual plan must include the proposed sizes of yards, maximum heights and stories of all proposed buildings, maximum lot coverage, adjacent uses and adjacent zoning. (3) Common CouncilPlanning and Economic Development Committee. The Planning 76 and Economic Development Committee of the Common Council will consider the application for completion and will schedule a public information session. The developer will be expected to be present at this meeting. (4) Circulation. The Planning and Economic Development CommitteeCommon Council will also authorize and direct staff to circulate the proposal for review and comment from City boards/committees, the Tompkins County Planning Department, and any neighboring property owners within 500 feet of the proposed project. Comments and concerns will be forwarded to the applicant and to the Common Council for their consideration. (5) Public information session. Within 30 days of receiving a completed application, the City will schedule a public information session, at which the developer will be responsible for presenting information about the project and answering questions from the public. The City will advertise the public information session with a press release to the local media at least 15 days, but no more than 20 days, prior to the meeting. The applicant is responsible for posting the property at least five days prior to the public information session, with the date, time, and location of the meeting. (6) Committee recommendation. Once the comments have been received, the Planning and Economic Development CommitteeCommon Council will hold a legally noticed public hearing at a regularly scheduled committee meeting. The City will publish a legal notice of the hearing 15 days prior to the hearing. The Committee will consider all comments that have been received, as well as all comments made at the public hearing and will make a recommendation to the Common Council. The recommendation may include additional requirements or limitations to either mitigate undesirable impacts or to ensure the development conforms to the goals of the City's Comprehensive Plan. (7) Conditional approval. The Common Council will consider the request and may pass a resolution granting a conditional approval, subject to further site plan review approval and instructing staff to take the project through the environmental review process. Not withstanding any conflicting provisions of the City Code, an applicant whose application has received approval in concept from the Common Council (approval in concept) shall be permitted, for the purpose of commencing site plan review, to proceed with a building permit application, despite any zoning-based deficiencies in the application, so long as all such deficiencies may be cured by final Council approval of the PUD. (8) Site plan review application. Applicant submits a site plan review application. The Planning Board commences the environmental review process in compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (CEQRO) and conducts the normal site plan review process. To the extent that the Planning Board declares its intent to be the lead agency for the environmental review of the project and the PUD, the Planning Board notifies all other involved agencies including the Common Council. (9) (Reserved) 77 (10) Common Council involvement. As a part of the environmental review process for the project and the PUD, the Planning Board will update the Common Council after each Planning Board meeting where the project is considered and will request ongoing written comments from the Common Council. (11) (Reserved) (12) Common Council consideration of the PUD. When and if the Planning and Development Board has completed its environmental review of the project to the extent required under SEQRA and CEQRO and has issued a contingent site plan approval or in the case of a multiphase project has issued a preliminary contingent site plan approval of multiple phases along with a final contingent site plan approval of at least one phase, the project will return to the Common Council for final consideration of the adoption of the PUD, which at Council's discretion may be authorized for one or all phases of a multiphase project. Final Council approval, if any, shall be granted via ordinance. H. Additional requirements. In any rezoning to a PUD, the Common Council may impose such conditions or limitations that the Council, in its legislative discretion, may determine to be necessary or desirable to ensure that the development conforms with the City Comprehensive Plan, including limiting the permitted uses, location and size of buildings and structures, providing for open space and recreational areas, and requiring bonds or other assurances of completion of any infrastructure to be built as part of the development. I. Expiration. A developer who receives PUD approval will have 24 months to begin construction of their project. If construction on the property has not been developed in accordance with the approved plan after 24 months, the PUD will automatically be revoked, unless otherwise stated by the Common Council, and the property will return to the previously approved zoning restrictions. In the case of extenuating circumstances, the developer may apply to the Common Council for an extension of PUD approval. If the site plan changes significantly, said significance as determined by the Director of Planning and Development, it may require reconsideration by the Common Council. The Director of Planning and Development may determine that the changes are minor and do not require reapproval. 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 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. 78 M E M O R A N D U M Date: April 28, 2026 To: Common Council From: Lisa Nicholas, Director of Planning & Development & Maura Baldiga, Senior Planner RE: Proposal to Expand the Boundary of the Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUDOD) Citywide EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At the May 6th meeting, t he C ommon Council w ill c onsider e xpansion of the PUDOD citywide. T he agenda contains two resolutions and background materials pertaining to the required State E nvironmental Q uality Review (SEQRA), as well as an approval resolution and proposed amended ordinance. Staﬀ circulated the proposal for comments, and a public hearing was held at the April 15th meeting. In addition to the two commenters on April 15 who spoke in favor of the proposal, staﬀ received one written comment seeking clariﬁcation regarding criteria for considering Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). The Planning and Development Board has also submitted a recommendation to approve the expansion. Both the written comment and recommendation are provided for Council’s consideration. Staﬀ previously provided a detailed memo regarding the proposal, the history of PUDs, and other relevant information, including a recorded presentation and presentation slides. As stated in the above referenced memo, the proposal aligns with Council’s housing goals and will have no budgetary impacts. Expanding the PUDOD boundary creates the opportunity for increased housing production by removing potential zoning barriers and could be a n eﬀective tool for advancing zon ing concepts while the comprehensive rewrite is underway. 79 To: Robert Cantelmo, Mayor Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager Common Council Victor Kessler, City Attorney Adam Potter, Superintendent of Public Works Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk Rob Fell DeWalt, Director of Code Enforcement Alan Karasin, Director of Department of Information & Community Engagement City of Ithaca Department of Planning and Development Katie Borgella, Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning and Sustainability Sustainability & Climate Justice Commission Planning & Development Board From: Lisa Nicholas, Director of Planning & Development and Maura Baldiga, Senior Planner Date: March 18, 2026 Re: Proposal to Allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) Citywide EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this memo is to provide information about a proposal to allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) citywide. PUDs allow for more creative use of land than is permitted under current zoning, provided that a project has long-term community benefits and is compatible with the City’s comprehensive plan. Currently, PUDs are restricted to the City’s Planned Unit Development Overlay District (PUDOD). The proposed amendment would allow PUDs throughout the entire City, creating the opportunity for more progressive zoning while a lengthier comprehensive rewrite is underway. The City’s website has additional information on PUDs and the application process. Staff presented an overview of the process and existing PUDs in February 2025 to Common Council: Planned Unit Development Common Council Presentation. The presentation’s slides provide additional detail. PROJECT HISTORY, BACKGROUND, & ANALYSIS The Common Council adopted PUD legislation in 2014, which limited PUDs to industrially-zoned properties, a zoning district the City’s code no longer includes. In 2017, the City expanded the PUDOD to include areas in the City where additional development was anticipated, specifically the Collegetown and waterfront districts. The PUDOD was expanded again in 2021 to include properties at the base of West Hill. A map of the current PUDOD boundaries is attached and available online. Currently the City has three PUDs: Founder’s Way (former Immaculate Conception site), Cayuga Park, and SouthWorks. Information about these projects, including zoning and community benefits, can be found in the presentation referenced above. The creation of a PUD is a legislative rezoning process at the sole discretion of Council and results in a unique zoning district with defined area and use requirements. Once adopted, a PUD becomes its own CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Lisa Nicholas, AICP, Director Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6565 E-Mail: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org 80 zone in the City’s Code and includes allowed uses, dimensional and bulk standards, and any other restrictions. Like all zoning changes, Council decisions regarding a PUD are guided by community input, conformance with the comprehensive plan, compatibility with adjacent development, environmental concerns, and many other factors to ensure that the benefit of the new zoning proposal is balanced with other community needs and potential impacts. §325-12.F. of the City Code outlines the following additional considerations specific to PUDs: (1) if the project furthers the health and welfare of the community, (2) if the project is in accordance with the City Comprehensive Plan, and (3) if the project creates at l east one long-term significant community benefit. Protection of the health and welfare of the community may include providing housing options, connections to transportation, or open space and recreational activities. Conformance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan means the project should be consistent with, among other things, the future land use map. For example, a project in a traditional residential area should be of similar size, scale and intensity of use as the surrounding land use. Finally, long-term community benefits may include public or private open space, community recreational amenities, needed housing types and/or mix, innovative designs, and protection and/or preservation of natural resources or other benefits deemed appropriate by Common Council. A PUD proposal is brought forward by a developer for a specific project, and Council can approve, deny or amend the proposal. The application process is outlined in §325-12.G. and includes opportunity for public information and comment, Site Plan Approval, environmental review and any conditions or limitations Council deems appropriate. Common Council can choose to approve or deny any PUD proposal. Allowing PUDs citywide could create the opportunity for increased housing production by removing potential barriers, while also ensuring that Common Council retains control over the types of projects that are approved. Since PUDs require long-term community benefits, allowing PUDs in all areas of the City can enable high-quality, community-enhancing projects to be built through the City’s neighborhoods. COMMENTS AND PUBLIC HEARING The full proposed ordinance and a Short Environmental Assessment Form are attached for your review. The Common Council will hold a public hearing on this proposal at its meeting on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 6 pm in the Common Council Chambers. Final consideration of the proposal will be held at the May 6, 2026 Common Council meeting. Your comments are respectfully requested by Tuesday April 14, 2026 but will still be considered through May 5, 2026. Please send all comments, or any questions, to mbaldiga@cityofithaca.org. 81 82 Page 1 of 3 Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1 - Project Information Instructions for Completing Part 1 – Project Information. The applicant or project sponsor is responsible for the completion of Part 1. Responses become part of the application for approval or funding, are subject to public review, and may be subject to further verification. Complete Part 1 based on information currently available. If additional research or investigation would be needed to fully respond to any item, please answer as thoroughly as possible based on current information. Complete all items in Part 1. You may also provide any additional information which you believe will be needed by or useful to the lead agency; attach additional pages as necessary to supplement any item. Part 1 – Project and Sponsor Information Telephone: E-Mail: administrative rule, or regulation? If Yes, attach a narrative description of the intent of the proposed action and the environmental resources that may be affected in the municipality and proceed to Part 2. If no, continue to question 2. NO YES If Yes, list agency(s) name and permit or approval: b.Total acreage to be physically disturbed? __________ acres c. Total acreage (project site and any contiguous properties) owned or controlled by the applicant or project sponsor? __________ acres 4.Check all land uses that occur on, are adjoining or near the proposed action: Rural (non-agriculture) Industrial Commercial Residential (suburban) Aquatic Other(Specify):Agriculture □ Urban □ Forest SEAF 2019 Parkland 83 Page 2 of 3 a.A permitted use under the zoning regulations? b.Consistent with the adopted comprehensive plan? 6.Is the proposed action consistent with the predominant character of the existing built or natural landscape?NO YES If Yes, identify: ________________________________________________________________________________ NO YES 8.a. Will the proposed action result in a substantial increase in traffic above present levels? b.Are public transportation services available at or near the site of the proposed action? c.Are any pedestrian accommodations or bicycle routes available on or near the site of the proposed action? NO YES If the proposed action will exceed requirements, describe design features and technologies: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ NO YES 10.Will the proposed action connect to an existing public/private water supply? If No, describe method for pr oviding potable water: _________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ NO YES 11.Will the proposed action connect to existing wastewater utilities? If No, describe method for providing wastewater treatment: ______________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ NO YES archaeological sites on the NY State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) archaeological site inventory? NO YES 13. a. Does any portion of the site of the proposed action, or lands adjoining the proposed action, contain wetlands or other waterbodies regulated by a federal, state or local ag ency? b.Would the proposed action physically alter, or encroach into, any existing wetland or waterbody? If Yes, identify the wetland or waterbody and extent of alterations in square feet or acres: _____________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 12.a. Does the project site contain, or is it substantially contiguous to, a building, archaeological site, or district which is listed on the National or State Register of Historic Places, or that has been determined by the Commissioner of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to be eligible for listing on the State Register of Historic Places? b.Is the project site, or any portion of it, located in or adjacent to an area designated as sensitive for 84 Page 3 of 3 14.Identify the typical habitat types that occur on, or are likely to be found on the project site. Check all that apply: □Shoreline □ Forest Agricultural/grasslands Early mid-successional Wetland □ Urban Suburban 15.Does the site of the proposed action contain any species of animal, or associated habitats, listed by the State or Federal government as threatened or endangered? 16.Is the project site located in the 100-year flood plan?NO YES 17.Will the proposed action create storm water discharge, either from point or non-point sources? If Yes, a.Will storm water discharges flow to adjacent properties? b.Will storm water discharges be directed to established conveyance systems (runoff and storm drains)? If Yes, briefly describe: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 18.Does the proposed action include construction or other activities that would result in the impoundment of water or other liquids (e.g., retention pond, waste lagoon, dam)? If Yes, explain the purpose and size of the impoundment:______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ _ NO YES 19.Has the site of the proposed action or an adjoining property been the location of an active or closed solid waste management facility? If Yes, describe: _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 20.Has the site of the proposed action or an adjoining property been the subject of remediation (ongoing or completed) for hazardous waste? If Yes, describe: _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS TRUE AND ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE Date: _____________________ Applicant/sponsor/name: ____________________________________________________ __________________________ Signature: _____________________________________________________Title:__________________________________ 85 Page 1 of 2 Agency Use Only [If applicable] Project: Date: Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 2 - Impact Assessment Part 2 is to be completed by the Lead Agency. Answer all of the following questions in Part 2 using the information contained in Part 1 and other materials submitted by the project sponsor or otherwise available to the reviewer. When answering the questions the reviewer should be guided by the concept “Have my responses been reasonable considering the scale and context of the proposed action?” No, or small impact may occur Moderate to large impact may occur SEAF 2019 86 Page 2 of 2 For every question in Part 2 that was answered “moderate to large impact may occur”, or if there is a need to explain why a particular element of the proposed action may or will not result in a significant adverse environmental impact, please complete Part 3. Part 3 should, in sufficient detail, identify the impact, including any measures or design elements that have been included by the project sponsor to avoid or reduce impacts. Part 3 should also explain how the lead agency determined that the impact may or will not be significant. Each potential impact should be assessed considering its setting, probability of occurring, duration, irreversibility, geographic scope and magnitude. Also consider the potential for short- term, long-term and cumulative impacts. Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 3 Determination of Significance Agency Use Only [If applicable] Project: Date: 87 1 | P a g e To: Common Council Re: Planning Board Recommendation to Council Regarding the Proposed Zoning Amendment to Establish Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) citywide Date: April 29, 2026 The Planning Board has reviewed the memo describing the proposed amendment from Lisa Nicholas Director of Planning & Development and Maura Baldiga, dated March 18, 2026. The Board fully supports the amendment and recommends its adoption with the caveat of a time limit to reevaluate it once the zoning comprehensive rewrite has concluded. In the interim before the zoning comprehensive zoning rewrite is adopted, the Board sees the expansion of the PUDs citywide as a great additional tool to be able to create high-quality developments on unique sites, while adding long-term community benefits for residents. After the comprehensive rewrite has concluded, the Board recommends Council reevaluates the amendment and then decides whether to reassess the PUDs overlay or retain the citywide PUDs. CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Lisa Nicholas, AICP, Director Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6565 E-Mail: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org 88 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Human Resources Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Alan Karasin, City Clerk DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:2026 Standard Workday Reporting ITEM #:8.1 MEMORANDUM Standard Workday and Reporting Resolution for Elected and Appointed Officials ATTACHMENTS: 2026 Reporting Resolution for Elected and Appointed Officials.pdf 89 2026 Reporting Resolution for Elected and Appointed Officials RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby establishes the following standard workdays for these titles and the City of Ithaca will report said officials to the New York State and Local Retirement based on their record of activities: Name Title Current Term Begin/End Dates Standard Work Day Record of Activities Not Submitted Pay Frequency Elected Officials: Robert Cantelmo Mayor 01/01/2024 to 12/31/2027 8.0 Hours 21.40 Days / Month Monthly Margaret Fabrizio Alderperson 01/01/2024 to 12/31/2027 8.0 Hours 11.66 Days / Month Monthly Hannah Shvets Alderperson 01/01/2026 to 12/31/2029 8.0 Hours 5 Days / Month Monthly 90 Standard Work Day and Reporting Resolution for Elected and Appointed Officials RS 2417-A (Rev.12/23) Please type or print clearly in blue or black ink Employer Location Code SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING FORM ON REVERSE SIDE Received Date BE IT RESOLVED, that the ______________________________________________/ _______________ hereby established the following standard work days for these titles and will (Name of Employer) (Location Code) report the officials to the New York State and Local Retirement based on their record of activities: Name Social Security Number NYSLRS ID Title Current Term Begin & End Dates Standard Work Day Record of Activities Result Not Submitted Pay Frequency Tier 1 Elected Officials: Appointed Officials: I, ______________________________________________, secretary/clerk of the governing board of the ____________________________________, of the State of New York, (Name of Secretary or Clerk) (Circle one) (Name of Employer) do hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing with the original resolution passed by such board at a legally convened meeting held on the _______ day of _________, 20____ on file as part of the minutes of such meeting, and that same is a true copy thereof and the whole of such original. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the __________________________________________ on this ______ day of _____________, 20_____, (Name of Employer) ______________________________________________________. (Signature of Secretary or Clerk) Affidavit of Posting: I, _________________________________________ being duly sworn, deposes and says that the posting of the Resolution began on (Name of Secretary or Clerk) _____________________ and continued for at least 30 days. That the Resolution was available to the public on the: (Date) Employer’s website at: _______________________________________________________ Official sign board at: _______________________________________________________ (seal) Main entrance Secretary or Clerk’s office at: _______________________________________ Page ________ of _________ (for additional rows, attach a RS 2417-B form.) 91 Instructions for completing the Standard Work Day and Reporting Resolution A B C D E F G H I J Name Social Security Number NYSLRS ID Title Current Term Begin & End Date Standard Work Day Record of Activities Result Not Submitted Pay Frequency Tier 1 Elected Officials John Smith 0000 R11111111 Highway Superintendent 1/1/2018- 12/31/2019 8.00 32.79 Weekly Michell e Jones 1111 R11111111 Town Justice 1/1/2018- 12/31/2018 6.25 X Bi-Weekly X Appointed Officials Joseph Grey 2222 R22222222 Planning Board Member 1/1/2018- 12/31/2018 7.00 17.54 Monthly A.Name: The official’s complete first and last name must be included for identification purposes. B.Social Security Number: The last four digits of the official’s Social Security Number must be included for identification purposes. For security purposes, the last four digits of the Social Security Number can be omitted from the publicly posted version. C.NYSLRS ID: The official’s NYSLRS ID must be included for identification purposes. For security purposes, the NYSLRS ID can be omitted from the publicly posted version. D.Title: All paid elected and appointed officials (who are active members of the Retirement System) and are not paid hourly and do not participate in a employer’s time keeping system that consists of a daily record of actual time worked and time charged to accruals must be listed. For the purpose of the regulation, an “appointed official” is someone who is appointed by an elected official, an appointed official or governing board. They hold an office in an organization or government and participate in the exercise of authority. This also includes appointees of elected and appointed officials such as deputies, assistants or confidential secretaries. E.Current Term Begin & End Dates: All officials listed on the Resolution must have a specified Term End date. Leaving this column blank or listing ‘Tenure/At Pleasure’ is not acceptable. If the official does not have a designated term, the current term for the official who appointed them to the position should be used. If they are appointed by the governing board, the chairman of the board’s term should be used. F.Standard Work Day: The minimum number of hours that can be established for a standard work day (SWD) is six, while the maximum is eight. A SWD is the denominator to be used for the days worked calculation; it is not necessarily always the number of hours a person works. For example, if a board member only attends one three-hour boarding meeting per month, you must still establish a SWD between six and eight hours as the denominator for their record of activities (ROA) calculation. G.Record of Activities Result*:This column must be left blank if an official does not submit their required sample three-month ROA. To determine the average number of days worked per month, you must divide the total number of hours documented on the three- month ROA by three months to get a one-month average number of hours worked. Then, the one-month average number of hours worked must be divided by the SWD to get the average number of days worked per month. H.Not Submitted: This column must be checked if an official has not submitted the required sample three-month ROA within the 150 day requirement, regardless of whether they are being reported by another employer for the same period. If the Retirement System receives such a Resolution, it will contact the official to notify them of the consequences of not submitted the ROA. I.Pay Frequency: This column should be filled in with one of the following options: Annually, Bimonthly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually or Weekly. J.Tier 1: If the official is a Tier 1 member, this box should be checked. Tier 1 members are not required to keep a ROA. Once passed, the Resolution must be posted on your public website for a minimum of 30 days or if a website isn’t available to the public, on the official sign-board or at the main entrance to the clerk’s office. A certified copy of the Resolution and Affidavit of Posting must be filed with the Office of State Comptroller within 45 days of the adoption . The Resolution and Affidavit can be submitted via the Submit Resolution for Official link in Retirement Online. *To determine the number of days worked to include on the monthly report for the various payroll frequencies, please refer to the Calculating Days Worked instructions available in the ‘Reporting Elected & Appointed Officials’ section of o ur website: http://www.osc.ny.gov/retirement/employers/reporting-ea-officials/overview 92 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Mayor's Office Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Alderperson Sewell DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:City Council Code of Conduct ITEM #:8.2 MEMORANDUM ATTACHMENTS: Code of Conduct Complete Resolution.pdf 93 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A CITY COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT WHEREAS, at the January 14th Committee of the Whole Meeting, a Code of Conduct Working Committee was formed to develop a comprehensive and sensible code of conduct in accordance with Council’s Rules of Procedures; and WHEREAS, Common Council is entrusted by its residents with the authority to govern in a manner that is honest, transparent, and accountable; and WHEREAS, the eﬀective functioning of local government depends upon the conﬁdence and trust of the public in the integrity of its elected oﬃcials; and WHEREAS, it is the duty of each Council Member to exercise their authority in the best interest of all residents, free from personal gain, conﬂicts of interest, or inappropriate inﬂuence that would compromise the public good; and WHEREAS, respectful and constructive deliberation among Council Members, City staﬀ, and members of the public is essential to sound governance and informed decision-making; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish clear, written standards of conduct to guide the behavior of its members in the performance of their oﬃcial duties and in their interactions with one another, with City staﬀ, and with the public; and WHEREAS, the adoption of a Code of Conduct serves to protect the integrity of the Council as an institution and to aﬃrm the Council's commitment to ethical, equitable, and professional public service; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca that the Council Code of Conduct and Rules of Procedure as attached in appendix A and B respectively are hereby adopted and shall take eﬀect immediately upon adoption of this resolution; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Code of Conduct is intended to be consistent with, and operate in conjunction with, the City’s Rules of Procedure, Code of Ethics, Open Meetings Law, and all other applicable state and local laws; and 94 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Each Council member shall acknowledge receipt of the Code of Conduct, and compliance with its provisions is a continuing obligation for the duration of a member’s service, including post-service conﬁdentiality obligations as outlined in the Code; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to maintain the Code of Conduct as an oﬃcial Council policy and make it available to Council members and the public as appropriate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix A: City Council Code of Conduct I. Purpose and Guiding Principles The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to ensure that the City Council conducts the public’s business in a manner that is lawful, ethical, respectful, transparent, and consistent with the Council’s adopted Rules of Procedure. Council members are expected to: 1.Act in the best interests of the City as a whole. 2.Respect the democratic process and the role of public participation. 3.Maintain professionalism, civility, and respect towards fellow elected oﬃcials, City staﬀ, and the public. 4.Uphold the integrity of City government and public trust. 5.Recognize their role within the larger City government, and the weight with which their actions and speech are interpreted by staﬀ and the public. As such, their adherence to City policies and procedures and to this Code of Conduct is imperative. II. Applicability This Code applies to all members of the City Council, including the Mayor when acting as a member of Council, during: ●Common Council meetings and committee meetings ●Committee of the Whole, Study Sessions, and Work Sessions ●Executive sessions ●Interactions with City staﬀ ●Communications related to City business III. Procedural Compliance In addition to compliance with the Open Meetings Law, Council members shall comply with the adopted Rules of Procedure, including rules governing: 95 • Meetings, agendas, and notice • Quorum and voting • Order of business • Public comment • Committee structure and authority • Appeals of rulings of the Chair IV. Respectful Conduct and Decorum 1. Council members shall conduct themselves with courtesy, dignity, and respect in their role as public oﬃcers toward: ○ Other Council members ○ City staﬀ ○ Boards and commissions ○ Members of the public ○ Public oﬃcials of other entities 2. Personal attacks, harassment, intimidation, threats, insults, or abusive conduct are prohibited. 3. Respectful disagreements shall be focused on policy and substance, not personality. 4. Council members shall adhere to the standards of order and decorum enforced by the Chair, subject to appeal as provided in the Rules of Procedure Section III.b. 5. Council members must speak honestly and accurately. 6. Council members are expected to utilize the information provided to them by City staﬀ and one another and come to meetings informed and prepared for sincere engagement. V. Conduct During Meetings 1. Council members shall speak only when recognized by the Chair and shall not interrupt others except to raise a point of order or point of information. 2. Council members shall respect time limits and the established order of business. 3. Council members shall refrain from conduct that disrupts meetings, including side conversations or electronic distractions. 4. Council members shall respect rulings of the Chair unless formally appealed. 5. As with all interactions as a public oﬃcial, Council members must conduct themselves in accordance with the standards enumerated in section IV, “Respectful Conduct and Decorum.” 6. Council members should pursue respectful disagreement, collaboration, and compromise to beneﬁt the community as a whole and model a functioning democratic process through informed discussion. 96 VI. Public Comment and Public Interaction 1. Council members shall respect the public’s right to comment as provided in the Rules of Procedure. 2. Council members shall not engage in debate with members of the public during public comment, except as permitted under the “Privilege of the Floor.” 3. Council members shall not speak on behalf of Common Council in response to individual comments, except as speciﬁcally authorized to do so. 4. Members shall model respectful behavior toward speakers, even in the presence of criticism or disagreement VII. Relationship with City Staﬀ 1. Council members shall respect the professional role of City staﬀ and the City Manager. 2. Members shall not direct or interfere with the day-to-day operations of City departments. 3. Requests for information shall be made in accordance with the communication protocols established in Rules of Procedure, Section XI (Communication and Correspondence by Council Members). 4. Criticism of staﬀ performance shall be directed through appropriate channels and not made in public forums. A council member seeking to discuss a staﬀ member’s performance may do so within the environment of an executive session as authorized by law. 5. Council members must not solicit any type of political support (including but not limited to monetary contributions, display of political signs, signatures for petitions, etc.) from City staﬀ while staﬀ is working. Nothing in this provision prohibits City staﬀ from supporting Council members as politicians on their personal time, away from the workplace, and as private citizens. VIII. Use of Position and Resources 1. Council members shall not use their position for personal gain or to secure special privileges. 2. City letterhead, email, logos, and titles shall be used only as permitted by the Rules of Procedure. 3. Members shall clearly distinguish personal opinions from oﬃcial Council positions in written and verbal statements and must not act as Council spokesperson without authorization to do so. IX. Conﬂicts of Interest and Abstentions 97 1. Council members shall comply with all applicable state and local ethics and conﬂict-of- interest laws, including but not limited to the City’s Code of Ethics. 2. Members shall disclose actual and perceived conﬂicts of interest when they arise. 3. Abstentions shall be limited to circumstances involving a conﬂict of interest, as provided in the Rules of Procedure Section I.d.2. 4. Council members must avoid circumstances in which their impartiality as a public oﬃcial is compromised by their personal or professional interests. 5. Council members must avoid even the appearance of impropriety in their public duties. X. Conﬁdentiality and Executive Sessions 1. Council members shall maintain the conﬁdentiality of matters lawfully discussed in executive session. 2. Executive sessions shall be held only for purposes authorized by law and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. 3. Information obtained in executive session shall not be disclosed unless authorized by law or Council action. XI. Enforcement and Accountability 1. Alleged violations of this Code shall be addressed through the Council’s adopted Procedures for Addressing Alleged Violations of Council Rules. 2. Common Council may impose lawful corrective actions or sanctions, consistent with: ○ Due process ○ The Rules of Procedure ○ State and local law 3. Nothing in this Code limits the Council’s authority to: ○ Preserve order and decorum during meetings ○ Refer matters to ethics boards or legal authorities ○ Initiate removal proceedings as permitted by law XII. Acknowledgment and Continuing Obligation 1. Each Council member shall acknowledge receipt of this Code of Conduct. 2. This Code's obligations apply for the duration of a member's term of office. Members have a continuing duty to keep confidential any information they learned solely by virtue of their public position even after their service has ended. 3. This Code shall be reviewed periodically and may be amended in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. 98 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix B: City Council Code of Conduct Who May File a Complaint 1. Any person may submit to any Council member a complaint which alleges a violation of the Common Council Rules of Procedure (“Rules”) by one or more Council members. Form and Filing of Complaints 1. All complaints shall be submitted in writing, signed, and dated. 2. Complaints shall include: ○ The name of the Council member alleged to have violated the Rules ○ A clear description of the alleged misconduct ○ The speciﬁc section(s) of the Rules that were allegedly violated ○ The date(s), time(s), and location(s) of the alleged misconduct ○ Any supporting documentation or witness names, if available 3. Anonymous complaints shall not be accepted. 4. Complaints shall be ﬁled with the city clerk. Initial Review and Vetting 1. Within 10 business days of receipt, the City Clerk shall: ○ Conﬁrm the complaint is complete ○ Forward the complaint to the Rules and Ethics Committee (“Committee”) for preliminary review 2. The Committee shall determine whether: ○ The complaint falls within the scope of the Rules ○ The allegations, if true, would constitute a violation 3. Complaints that are frivolous, duplicative, outside the scope of the Rules, or clearly political in nature may be dismissed with written explanation to the Complainant and accused Council member. 4. Complaints that are not dismissed shall proceed to a formal investigation by the Committee. Formal Investigation 1. The Committee shall ensure the accused Council member receives: ○ Written notice of the allegations ○ The opportunity to submit a written response 99 ○ Reasonable time to prepare such a response 2. The investigation shall consist of a review of any submitted materials, an interview with any witnesses (including the Complainant) and an interview with the accused. 3. The investigation shall be completed within 45 days, unless extended for good cause. Findings and Recommendation 1. Upon completion of the investigation, a written report shall be prepared by the Committee summarizing: ○ Findings of fact ○ Whether a violation occurred ○ Reasons for determination as to the ﬁndings of fact 2. The report shall be provided to: ○ The accused Council member ○ The City Attorney ○ The Director of Human Resources ○ All Council members, subject to conﬁdentiality laws The Complainant will be provided with notice regarding the outcome of the investigation (namely, whether a determination was made that a violation occurred). Council Review and Hearing 1. If the Committee determines that a violation has occurred, Council shall consider the matter at a hearing within a noticed meeting. 2. The accused Council member shall be entitled to: ○ Notice of the hearing ○ The opportunity to speak or submit a written statement along with any additional evidence ○ The right to be represented by counsel at their own expense 3. There shall be no requirement for the complainant to testify or be subjected to cross- examination at a hearing. 4. Council shall deliberate in accordance with applicable requirements under State open meetings law (including executive session requirements). The accused shall be recused from any executive session. 5. Within deliberations, Council will decide whether a rules violation has occurred. This decision requires a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of all Council members, excluding the member under review. 100 Sanctions and Corrective Actions 1. If Council ﬁnds that a Rules violation has occurred, the City Attorney shall propose sanctions proportionate to the severity, frequency, and impact of the violation. Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to: A. Optional Informal or Corrective Actions • Verbal warning • Written admonishment • Mandatory training (ethics, civility, open meetings, etc.) B. Optional Formal Council Actions • Written reprimand • Formal censure adopted by resolution • Removal from committee assignments related to the misconduct • Removal from leadership positions (i.e., deputy mayor) • Limitation of privileges consistent with law (e.g., travel authorization, discretionary appointments) • Abatement of pay (i.e., up to one pay period) • Removal from oﬃce as permitted by law or charter C. Optional Referral Actions • Referral to a state or local ethics board • Referral to law enforcement, if a crime • Referral to other appropriate authorities 2. Any vote on sanctions shall require a majority vote of Council excluding the accused member. Recordkeeping and Transparency 1. The Director of Human Resources shall maintain records of all complaints and outcomes where a ﬁnding of misconduct occurs, consistent with personnel recordkeeping. 2. Should misconduct not be found to have occurred, the complaint shall not be maintained in the accused’s personnel ﬁle. 3. Dispositions shall be public to the extent permitted by law. 4. Dismissed complaints shall remain conﬁdential unless otherwise required by law. 5. Where at all possible, the complainant’s identity shall not be raised in public, and identifying information of the complainant shall not be made public during the hearing. 101 Communication to Individual Council Members 1. Neither accused nor Complainant may communicate with individual Council members regarding the alleged violation at any time after the complaint has been submitted outside of the investigation process. Protection Against Retaliation 1. Retaliation against any person who ﬁles a complaint or participates in an investigation is prohibited. 2. Retaliation shall constitute a separate violation of the Council Rules of Procedure 102 103 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590 Department of Information and Community Engagement Shaniqua Lewis, Deputy City Clerk TO:Common Council FROM:Alderperson Patrick Kuehl DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:DICE/Cornell AI Partnership ITEM #:9.1 MEMORANDUM A Resolution Authorizing the Department of Information and Community Engagement (DICE) to Partner with the Cornell Center for AI Innovation to Digitize and Enable AI-Assisted Search of City Legislative Records ATTACHMENTS: AI Resolution.pdf 104 CITY OF ITHACA COMMON COUNCIL RESOLUTION Authorizing the Department of Information and Community Engagement (DICE) to Partner with the Cornell Center for AI Innovation to Digitize and Enable AI-Assisted Search of City Legislative Records WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Common Council is committed to transparent, accountable, and accessible government, and to ensuring that residents, researchers, journalists, and city staff can readily access the legislative record of the City; and WHEREAS, the City maintains a substantial body of legislative records, including resolutions, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes dating from at least 2009 to the present, that, while digitized, are not meaningfully searchable or queryable in a manner that supports efficient retrieval, historical analysis, or natural-language inquiry by the public or by City staff; and WHEREAS, modern advances in artificial intelligence, including large language models and retrieval-augmented search, now make it practicable to render such records full-text searchable, topically indexed, and responsive to natural-language queries at modest cost; and WHEREAS, the Cornell Center for AI Innovation possesses relevant technical expertise, research capacity, and institutional interest in municipal applications of artificial intelligence, and has expressed willingness to partner with the City on a project to process, index, and enable AI-assisted search of the City's legislative records; and WHEREAS, the Department of Information and Community Engagement (DICE) is the appropriate City department to coordinate such a technical partnership, to safeguard data integrity, and to ensure that any resulting tools comply with applicable records-retention, accessibility, and information-security requirements; and WHEREAS, this partnership advances three distinct public interests simultaneously: (1) greater transparency and public access to the legislative record; (2) improved operational efficiency for City staff who regularly consult historical resolutions and minutes; and (3) a valuable research partnership with a local academic institution that may yield transferable benefits to other municipalities; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council of the City of Ithaca hereby authorizes the Department of Information and Community Engagement to partner with the Cornell Center for AI Innovation on a project to digitize, index, and enable AI-assisted search and querying of the City's resolutions, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes from 2009 to the present; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Common Council authorizes DICE to allocate reasonable staff time to the coordination, implementation, and ongoing oversight of this project, consistent with existing departmental resources and operational priorities; and be it further 105 RESOLVED, That the City Manager, or the City Manager's designee, is authorized to execute a Memorandum of Understanding or equivalent data-sharing agreement with Cornell University, in a form approved by the City Attorney, governing the terms of the partnership, including but not limited to: the scope of records shared, permissible uses of the records by Cornell, data-security and data-handling requirements, intellectual property in any tools or models developed, publication and attribution terms, and termination provisions; and be it further RESOLVED, That any data-sharing agreement executed pursuant to this resolution shall (a) be limited to records that are already public under the New York Freedom of Information Law or otherwise not subject to confidentiality restrictions, (b) prohibit the use of City records to train commercial models without the City's express written consent, and (c) require that any search or query tool made available to the public be provided at no cost to the City and the public; and be it further RESOLVED, That no City funds shall be expended, and no financial obligation shall be incurred by the City, in furtherance of this partnership without the prior consent of the Common Council or other applicable body. 106 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:May 6, 2026 RE:Appointment to the Community Police Board ITEM #:10.1 MEMORANDUM Vinh Le is recommended for appointment to the Community Police Board. ATTACHMENTS: Mayor Appt-CPB-VINH LE-RESOLUTION.pdf 107 Mayoral Appointment- Community Police Board RESOLVED, that Vinh Le be appointed to the Community Po lice Board for a 3 year term ending 12/31/2028 108 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:May 6, 2026 RE:Reappointment to the ILPC ITEM #:10.2 MEMORANDUM Edward Finegan- Term ending 12/31/2026 Kate Olson- Term ending 12/31/2026 Janet Smith- Term ending 12/31/2028 Stephen Gibian- Term ending 12/31/2028 ATTACHMENTS: Mayor App-ILPC Katelin Olsen-Resol.pdf Mayor App-ILPC Stephen Gibian-Resol.pdf Ed Finegan-ILPC Resolution.pdf Janet Smith-ILPC Resolution.pdf 109 May 6th 2026 Common Council Meeting Mayor Appointment to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission Resolved, that Katelin Olson be reappointed to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission for a 1 year term ending 12/31/2026. 110 May 6th 2026 Common Council Meeting Mayor Appointment to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission Resolved, that Stephen Gibian be reappointed to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission for a 3 year term ending 12/31/2028. 111 May 6th 2026 Common Council Meeting Mayor Appointment to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission Resolved, that Edward Finegan be reappointed to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission for a 1 year term ending 12/31/2026. 112 May 6th 2026 Common Council Meeting Mayor Appointment to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission Resolved, that Janet Smit be reappointed to the Ithaca Landmark Preservation Commission for a 3 year term ending 12/31/2028. 113 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:Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager DATE:May 6, 2026 RE:May 2026 City Manager Report ITEM #:11.1 MEMORANDUM ATTACHMENTS: CM Report- May2026.pdf 114 MEMORANDUM Date: May 6, 2026 To: Common Council CC: Department Heads From: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager RE: City Manager’s Report to Council Common Council, I am pleased to provide this monthly report and look forward to answering any questions you may have. An ongoing thanks to the many colleagues at the City who make these outcomes possible. I. Vacancy Report a. Please ﬁnd an addendum to this report listing the current City staA vacancies. b. As of April 29, the entire rostered vacancy rate stands at 8.13% (+.65% from March 30). For General Fund positions, it is at 9%. The budgeted annual General Fund rate is 5.5%. c. StaA continue to monitor anticipated vacancies. There are two anticipated retirements at IPD. Although several employees have expressed interest in retiring in other departments, separation dates have not yet been provided. d. Two City staA oAicially retired in April – Bryan Parker (11 years of service) and Tim Logue (25 years of service). II. Financial Report a. In the ﬁnancial report attached to this document, please ﬁnd year-to-date actuals from the last available full month (March). These ﬁgures also reﬂect the end of the ﬁrst quarter. i. See an additional attached memo from the Sustainability Director re: Utility Costs b. The City received several competitive bids for ﬁnancial auditing services. StaA and consultants at the Bonadio Group are reviewing the bids and anticipate selecting a vendor in the coming week. c. The Bonadio Group continues its consulting work on the City’s ﬁnancial systems and reporting. III. OA ice Spaces and Conference Rooms a. Several City oAices are moving to accommodate space needs in the City Hall facility and to create more inter- and intra-departmental eAiciencies and opportunities for collaboration. City Facilities staA have been doing an excellent job of reconﬁguring and 115 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 preparing oAice spaces for City Hall staA; next steps include adaptations at the Pier Road Streets and Facilities building to accommodate the City engineering team. b. The Controller’s OAice, HR Department, and DICE (IT and Public Info divisions) will be co-located on the second ﬂoor of City Hall. c. Two new City Hall conference room spaces will soon be available. This will help meet various public and internal meeting space needs and oAer ﬂexibility and security enhancements. i. The former Superintendent of Public Works oAice on the second ﬂoor will become a mid-sized conference room. ii. The former Controller’s suite immediately to the left when you enter City Hall on the ﬁrst ﬂoor will become a large conference room. This space will be ideal for public meetings that do not require the full Common Council Chambers space, allowing for easier and more convenient public access and proximity to security. IV. 118 East Green Street (Asteri) Order to Vacate a. IFD Chief Moody and I hosted an internal after-action dialogue with all City staA who were involved in the situation. Several themes emerged from that conversation, including preparations in the event of a future order to vacate at a mid-to-large-sized residential property, limited City staA capacity for emergency management and cross- departmental direction/collaboration opportunities, opportunities for City staA to continue networking and relationship building with local stakeholders, and opportunities for enhanced and ongoing internal and external communications. StaA provided one another with constructive feedback and appropriate praise in areas of success. b. There are various aspects of the situation at Asteri still ongoing; staA continue to meet with NYS oAicials weekly, communicate frequently with County partners, and conduct regular weekly ﬁre code inspections. StaA and community partners are monitoring pending evictions and are in touch with service and outreach providers to address resident needs in advance of any eviction-related displacement. V. Community Responder Program (ROOTS) and Community Justice Center a. A collaborative team of staA members from several departments continue planning for next steps to establish the Community Responder Program. HR has developed draft job descriptions for Community Responder and Working Supervisor for Community Response and are seeking internal feedback before bringing those titles to the June Civil Service Commission meeting. The Community Justice Center is leading the project management by identifying elements needed to stand up the Community Responder unit, including training, equipment, policies and procedures, etc. b. The MOU has been signed with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to reconﬁgure the Downtown Community Outreach Worker program. The DIA is in the ﬁnal stages of ﬁnalizing their contract with the outreach provider. VI. Encampment Response a. Building on the success of weekly encampment response meetings with outreach partners, IPD, and the City Manager’s OAice, additional community partners have been brought in to formalize a case-conferencing system to more comprehensively support individuals experiencing homelessness. These meetings now include shelter provider VOA, Tompkins County Social Services, and the Continuum of Care in addition to 116 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511 outreach, IPD, and the CM’s oAice. This group will be more readily able to address cases on a one-by-one basis by helping to establish social services eligibility, possible housing solutions, and mental health supports. VII. Seneca Street Parking Garage a. Common Council will receive a brief update from the Director of Planning and Development at the May 6 meeting. This update will include what the next steps are to plan for redevelopment of the Seneca Street Garage parcel. b. The garage will remain closed while long-term planning for the site continues. The sidewalks immediately surrounding the garage will remain closed until a sca Aolding solution is put into place to protect pedestrians from any debris resulting from the building facade cracking. c. In the interim, the City will take additional safety measures. Portions of the garage façade will be partially remediated, and protective walkway scaAolding will be installed. These actions will allow adjacent sidewalks to reopen while ensuring pedestrian safety. This work will also enable TCAT to resume normal operations at its former location outside the garage. d. For public parking, there is suAicient capacity to meet demand. The Green Street Garage and Cayuga Street Garage, both located within a short walk of the Commons, oAer monthly parking passes for employees, as well as hourly and daily parking options. e. For other parking updates, please refer to the April CM report and attached memo. Emerging issues and ongoing priorities:  I will be presenting the “Budget KickoA” during a special Council meeting on May 12.  StaA are reviewing applications for the position of City Clerk, which is anticipated to be ﬁlled in July.  Following the adoption of the Resolution Establishing City Policy Priorities for Executive Administration 2026, the City Manager’s oAice is leading the development of an executive work plan. This document will outline the operational activities, needs, and strategies to make progress on Council’s adopted legislative priorities, along with timelines for anticipated completion. o I facilitated a discussion with Senior StaA on April 22 to identify work plan opportunities in support of policy priorities. I am currently assessing those and developing the broader work plan items.  Natalie Mottl from the Engineering Division led staA and the Mayor through a transportation priorities exercise. This was a great opportunity to look at projects in various stages of development and keep/establish momentum in key areas. Kudos to Natalie for her facilitation and organization of the information.  StaA in Planning/Building and DICE are working on the Building Division Complaint Form to be implemented via OpenGov. This will be paired with a comprehensive and engaging public information campaign to alert the public to the tool and how to use it. Council will be kept apprised of progress, including in a June update from the Planning Department.  StaA are onboarding the new Director of Human Resources and Controller, both of whom started this week. 117 City of Ithaca 108 E. Green Street | Ithaca, NY 14850 | citymanager@cityoﬁthaca.org | 607.274.6511  On April 16, I provided testimony to the Charter Commission and answered their questions. A written copy of my testimony is linked here, and I encourage you to review the YouTube recording to see the additional Q&A.  For your May 20 COW meeting, you will receive a proposal to restructure the Fire Prevention Bureau at IFD. This proposal is the result of careful planning by Fire Department leadership and will be requested as a mid-year budget adjustment. The proposal will allow for the addition of a City emergency management function and add capacity to address a backlog of commercial property ﬁre code inspections. I will be traveling on vacation from May 14-20 and will have limited access to email. I anticipate participating in the May 20 Council meeting virtually from home, depending on my return time to Ithaca. 118 3/ 3 0 /2 0 2 6 V a c a n c y R e p o r t De p a r t m e n t Wa g e s Fr i n g e Co m p e n s a t i o n Po s i t i o n N a m e FT E Se p a r a t i o n D a t e : NO T E S : CI T Y M A N A G E R $1 7 5 , 1 0 0 $4 4 , 8 0 3 $2 1 9 , 9 0 3 CI T Y M A N A G E R 1 12 / 3 1 / 2 0 2 5 SU P E R V I S O R 1 6/ 7 / 2 0 2 4 DP W E n g i n e e r i n g $8 0 , 4 1 7 $3 6 , 8 6 0 $1 1 7 , 2 7 7 CI V I L E N G I N E E R 1 6/ 1 5 / 2 0 2 5 DP W e n g i n e e r i n g $1 1 6 , 6 6 0 $6 9 , 2 0 9 $1 8 5 , 8 6 9 DI R E C T O R O F E N G I N E E R I N G S E R V I C E S 1 4/ 2 4 / 2 0 2 6 RE T I R E M E N T DP W S & F $5 4 , 2 8 8 $3 3 , 3 4 9 $8 7 , 6 3 7 HE A V Y E Q U I P M E N T O P E R A T O R 1 1/ 2 3 / 2 0 2 6 DP W S & F $5 4 , 2 8 8 $3 3 , 3 4 9 $8 7 , 6 3 7 HE A V Y E Q U I P M E N T O P E R A T O R 1 6/ 3 0 / 2 0 2 4 DP W S & F $5 1 , 8 2 4 $5 3 , 9 5 8 $1 0 5 , 7 8 2 LI G H T E Q U I P M E N T O P E R A T O R 0. 6 5 4/ 2 7 / 2 0 2 5 DP W S & F $5 1 , 8 2 4 $5 3 , 9 5 8 $1 0 5 , 7 8 2 LI G H T E Q U I P M E N T O P E R A T O R 1 10 / 2 6 / 2 0 2 5 DP W S & F $5 1 , 8 2 4 $5 3 , 9 5 8 $1 0 5 , 7 8 2 MA I N T A I N E R 1 9/ 6 / 2 0 2 5 DP W S & F $5 1 , 8 2 4 $5 3 , 9 5 8 $1 0 5 , 7 8 2 MA I N T A I N E R 1 12 / 2 0 / 2 0 2 5 DP W S & F $5 4 , 2 8 8 $3 3 , 3 4 9 $8 7 , 6 3 7 MO T O R E Q U I P M E N T M E C H A N I C 1 1/ 2 0 / 2 0 2 5 Ac c e p t i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s DP W S & F $5 4 , 2 8 8 $3 3 , 3 4 9 $8 7 , 6 3 7 MO T O R E Q U I P M E N T M E C H A N I C 1 10 / 2 1 / 2 0 2 4 Ac c e p t i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s DP W S & F $5 6 , 9 4 0 $3 2 , 2 5 2 $8 9 , 1 9 2 MO T O R E Q U I P M E N T M E C H A N I C S U P R 1 10 / 2 3 / 2 0 2 4 Ac c e p t i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s FI N A N C E D E P A R T M E N T $1 5 1 , 5 0 0 $5 8 , 0 8 5 $2 0 9 , 5 8 5 CI T Y C O N T R O L L E R 1 12 / 3 1 / 2 0 2 3 ST A R T I N G I N M A Y FI N A N C E D E P A R T M E N T $4 9 , 8 2 5 $4 4 , 7 2 5 $9 4 , 5 5 0 AC C O U N T S R E C E I V A B L E S P E C I A L I S T 1 12 / 4 / 2 0 2 5 OF F E R E X T E N D E D FI N A N C E D E P A R T M E N T $2 5 , 8 1 2 $4 4 , 7 2 5 $2 5 , 8 1 2 AC C O U N T S R E C E I V A B L E S P E C I A L I S T 0. 5 2/ 9 / 2 0 2 6 FI R E $1 1 1 , 2 1 4 $8 7 , 2 7 0 $1 9 8 , 4 8 4 FI R E L I E U T E N A N T 1 4/ 2 6 / 2 0 2 6 PR O M O T I O N GI A C P R O G R A M $5 1 , 8 2 4 $1 6 , 3 0 4 $6 8 , 1 2 8 CU S T O D I A N 1 10 / 1 4 / 2 0 2 5 se a r c h i n p r o g r e s s GI A C P R O G R A M $3 1 , 3 2 0 $2 4 , 2 6 7 $5 5 , 5 8 7 YO U T H M E D I C A L C A R E P R O V I D E R 0. 5 CC 1 0 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 5 20 h r GI A C P R O G R A M $3 1 , 3 2 0 $2 4 , 2 6 7 $5 5 , 5 8 7 YO U T H M E D I C A L C A R E P R O V I D E R 0. 5 CC 1 0 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 5 20 h r GI A C P R O G R A M $2 3 , 4 6 1 $2 1 , 0 5 5 $4 4 , 5 1 6 GI A C P R O G R A M A S S I S T A N T 0. 5 3/ 5 / 2 0 2 5 HU M A N R E S O U R C E S $1 2 7 , 4 0 7 $5 9 , 9 3 4 $1 8 7 , 3 4 1 DI R E C T O R H R 1 5/ 3 0 / 2 0 2 5 ST A R T I N G I N M A Y HU M A N R E S O U R C E S $8 9 , 3 6 5 $3 8 , 1 1 0 $1 2 7 , 4 7 5 EQ U I T Y T A L E N T A C Q U I S I T I O N S P E C I A L I S T 1 9/ 1 4 / 2 0 2 5 Wa i t i n g f o r H R D i r e c t o r t o m a k e d e c i s i o n s o n h i r i n g / o r n o t HU M A N R E S O U R C E S $8 9 , 3 6 5 $3 8 , 1 1 0 $1 2 7 , 4 7 5 HU M A N R E S O U R C E S S P E C I A L I S T 1 10 / 2 0 / 2 0 2 5 Wa i t i n g f o r H R D i r e c t o r t o m a k e d e c i s i o n s o n h i r i n g / o r n o t PL A N N I N G D E P A R T M E N T $1 0 7 , 3 2 8 $6 6 , 1 4 1 $1 7 3 , 4 6 9 EC O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T S P E C I A L I S T 1 9/ 2 / 2 0 2 5 Se a r c h i n p r o g r e s s PL A N N I N G D E P A R T M E N T $6 4 , 5 1 7 $4 1 , 9 6 8 $1 0 6 , 4 8 5 PL A N N E R 1 10 / 2 / 2 0 2 5 12 / 8 / 2 0 2 3 PL A N N I N G D E P A R T M E N T $7 1 , 1 1 7 $3 4 , 5 5 6 $1 0 5 , 6 7 3 SE N I O R P L A N N E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $7 5 , 2 8 0 $5 0 , 6 1 9 $1 2 5 , 8 9 9 PO L I C E O F F I C E R 1 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $8 , 0 0 0 $2 , 5 3 8 $1 0 , 5 3 8 SC H O O L C R O S S I N G G U A R D - PA R T T I M E 0. 5 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $8 , 0 0 0 $2 , 5 3 8 $1 0 , 5 3 8 SC H O O L C R O S S I N G G U A R D - PA R T T I M E 0. 5 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $8 , 0 0 0 $2 , 5 3 8 $1 0 , 5 3 8 SC H O O L C R O S S I N G G U A R D - PA R T T I M E 0. 5 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $8 , 0 0 0 $2 , 5 3 8 $1 0 , 5 3 8 SC H O O L C R O S S I N G G U A R D - PA R T T I M E 0. 5 PO L I C E D E P A R T M E N T $8 , 0 0 0 $2 , 5 3 8 $1 0 , 5 3 8 SC H O O L C R O S S I N G G U A R D - PA R T T I M E 0. 5 es t i m a t e d u n s p e n t f u n d s f o r 4/ 1 -4/3 0 wo r k i n g h o u r s 11 9 MEMORANDUM Date: May 1st, 2026 To: Common Council From: Dominick Recckio, Acting City Manager Wendy Cole, Acting Controller RE: Monthly Financial Report This May 1st report is populated with up-to-date actuals from the last available full month (March, 2026). GENERAL FUND REVENUES (THROUGH 3/31/2026) Revenue Item Budgeted 2026 Actual 2026 % of Budgeted Collected Through 3/31/26 Notes Fees $16,389,177 $2,262,834 13.8% Fees, permits, Fire Protection and Parking Gifts & Donation, Misc $4,421,487 - 99% Cornell MOU - $ Received Annually in July Sales & Use Tax $19,939,500 $4,372,760 22% Misc Tax $4,711,394 $1,785,010 38% Many payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) were received. Property Tax $34,772,582 $12.9 Million 37% Approx. Based on prior year(s) performance and receipts to date. Note: many payers use installment plans. Interfund Trans. $1,815,930 - State & Fed Aid $3,946,081 - State payments received in Sept and December Total Revenues $85,996,151 $16,554,966 Revenue Highlights Fee revenue is showing as slightly low year-to-date as many receipts lag and are booked in the month following their receipt (i.e. Town Fire Payment). Building permit fees are tracking at 30% of budget YTD ($357,289). GENERAL FUND EXPENSES (THROUGH 3/28/2026) 120 Expense Item Budgeted 2026 Actual 2026 % Expended Through 3/31/26 Notes Personnel $35,670,497 $8,138,907 20.8% Please see details below Fringe Beneﬁts $25,333,035 $2,900,845 11% Operating $15,204,568 $1,915,721 13% Please see below Miscellaneous $3,307,054 $702,916 21% Consists of City’s insurance, property taxes, Contingency and Judgements and Claims Debt $9,627,800 $4,145,436 43% No change due to no payments made in March Total Expenses $89,142,954 $14,312,406 Expense Highlights: End of Q1: Roster staA expenses at 20% of budget YTD supports our budgeted vacancy rate. Seasonal expenses are under budget at 13% YTD, but will see an increase with warmer weather. Overtime is currently at 35% YTD, driven by Streets & Facilities at 56%, Garage at 36.5%, IPD at 47%. Under operating expenses, while we are at 13% YTD overall, it is driven by annual technology license payments, third party repairs for Fire apparatus, and utilities being 28% YTD (though utilities are tracking with the same point in time for 2025).  Both the East Hill Fire Sta on and Cass Park u lize sophis cated, highly eﬃcient electric equipment. This has led to high electricity bills. A er the respec ve department heads raised these concerns with me, I engaged the Director of Sustainability to assess the situa on and provide recommenda ons.  See the attached memo from the Director of Sustainability re: Energy Bills at Cass Park Ice Rink & East Hill Fire Station for more detail. For miscellaneous expenses, Q1 & Q2 insurance payments were made, which is at 48.5% YTD. Fees paid on City owned property (Sidewalk Fee – City, Solid Waste Fees – County) 68% YTD due to being paid all at once. MOST RECENT DEBT SERVICE PAID (ALL FUNDS) Date Paid Debt Instrument Principal Interest Total Due 2/1/2026 Public Improvement Refunding Serial Bonds 0 $30,400 $30,400 121 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 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 4/1/2026 State Revolving Loan $80,000 $19,039 $99,039 4/15/2026 2016B Serial Bonds $600,000 $175,013 $775,013 7/15/2026 2017A Serial Bonds n/a $21,500 $21,500 7/15/2026 2017B Serial Bonds n/a $97,292 $97,292 7/15/2026 2019B Serial Bonds $285,000 $101,553 $386,553 7/18/26 BANS $434,598 $373,308 $807,906 Debt Obligation Highlights: Remaining Debt Load Activities in the Controller’s OAice, including those being completed by the Bonadio Group, will support more comprehensive reporting on the City of Ithaca’s debt load. Today, across 122 all funds, the City holds $153.7 Million in both short and long-term debt (broken down below)  Bonds: $100,881,795 o Inclusive of debt across all funds (General, Water, Sewer, etc.)  Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs): $52,865,946 o Inclusive of debt across all funds (General, Water, Sewer, etc.), up to date through July 2025 and January 2026 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 StaA are prioritizing the collection of reimbursable outside funding to reduce BAN load over time. In addition to the Grant Administrator’s e Aorts described in the April report, a staA accountant is working directly with departments to cross-check records and examine any previously received funds not yet booked to the anticipated capital project reimbursement. StaA are in the ﬁnal stages of collecting $900,000 in receivable reimbursements for the LEAD program. This drawdown is now possible after record-keeping cleanup work completed by the Controller’s OAice, GIAC Deputy Director, and Grant Administrator. 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 OAice 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 123 Several competitive bids were received by the City for ﬁnancial auditing services. Sta A and consultants at the Bonadio Group are reviewing the bids and anticipate selecting a vendor in the coming week. 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. 124 MEMO TO: Dominick Recckio, City Manager FROM: Rebecca Evans, Director of Sustainability DATE: 17 April 2026 SUBJECT: Energy Bills at Cass Park Ice Rink & East Hill Fire Station EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In January 2026, Sustainability staff were alerted to surprisingly high electricity bills in the new East Hill Fire Station, approximately $9,000 for February. This followed intermittent communication from Cass Park about similar experiences with invoices covering the ice rink. Sustainability staff were consulted to help building occupants, the City Manager, and Council understand the scope of the issue, any billing discrepancies, and potential measures to decrease energy costs in the future. This memo will provide some context to what is causing high billing, what we might expect in the future without action (baseline), short- and long-term solutions, in addition to some “easy wins”. HISTORY, BACKGROUND, & ANALYSIS The Buildings & Equipment Both East Hill Fire Station and Cass Park utilize sophisticated, highly efficient electric equipment. The new Fire Station, which opened in July 2025, utilizes a geothermal system that leverages the constant temperatures of underground Earth to transfer heat toward or away from the building. This is a fossil fuel-free system that provides reliable heating and cooling in an exceptionally efficient way. Cass Park utilizes an all-electric and fossil fuel-free dehumidification system in the ice rink to maintain a dry environment that prevents moisture build-up on icy surfaces, keeping skaters safe. Typically, these types of dehumidification systems are run on natural gas and can be inefficient in their operation. However, the Cass Park unit utilizes only electricity and is made exceptionally efficient via heat exchange, putting less pressure on HVAC units. These units are very energy efficient, but shift the financial burden to one bill, rather than splitting the financial burden between electricity and natural gas bills separately. So, while we may be paying more for electricity now, we’re also paying less for natural gas. This is a normal part of operating a fossil fuel-free facility or system. The Current Energy Crisis The City is not immune to the energy crisis that residents and businesses are experiencing globally, and the northeast has been hit particularly hard in the U.S. International trade 125 decisions made by the federal administration, coupled with extreme cold, precipitation, and wind, created a “perfect storm” for electricity consumers this winter. In 2022, the United States became the largest exporter of natural gas in the world, and we continue to outpace other countries at a growing rate. However, this winter was particularly cold across the Midwest and Northeast, creating an atypical demand for natural gas to heat buildings and create electricity. This winter, it resulted in a natural gas shortage, which meant the cost for electricity skyrocketed, creating particularly high energy bills for residential, municipal, and commercial users alike. KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED The City of Ithaca aggregates its electricity bills for all municipal facilities. Currently, and historically, the City has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in order to achieve 100% renewable electricity supply. RECs are essentially a premium on electricity service that guarantees renewable energy is produced at the same volume which it is consumed, ensuring clean, fossil fuel-free energy is pumped into the grid, a critical part of the Ithaca Green New Deal. By aggregating our accounts, we also receive a significant cost savings. In late 2025, Sustainability staff recommended signing electricity supply contracts at a fixed price, rather than the variable supply rate. This means that instead of prices going up and down throughout the year, which can sometimes save money, we locked-in our price per kWh. This decision looks to have been the right one, as the energy crisis continues at electricity prices soar beyond $0.25/kWh - an increase over 200% of our contract. However, in reviewing energy bills for the Cass Park ice rink and the East Hill Fire Station, it appears that enrollment of these accounts was overlooked for many years. Both facilities are on a variable, time-of-use rate, causing extreme fluctuations in cost, particularly in the winter. This means we were not achieving the savings from aggregation of our fixed rate. SOLUTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS Sustainability staff have begun the process of enrolling both the Cass Park and East Hill Fire Station accounts into contracts with our other facilities. This will result in immediate savings at both facilities this heating season, roughly cutting electricity rates by two-thirds. I am also recommending the City consider the following actions, some of which are complementary, to further reduce energy use and costs. They are provided in no particular order. ACTION DESCRIPTION COST Hire or assign an Energy Manager Someone responsible for monitoring bills regularly, Dependent on scope. 126 ensuring proper enrollment, and navigating portfolio energy use. Participate in 2026 Demand Response Program A program that awards rebates to customers that successfully throttle energy use during peak demand events. Staff time. May require under $1K investment in telecoms meter. Aggressively advocate for CCA to the Governor’s office The Governor, PSC, and DPS are stalling on CCA. A concerted effort on behalf of elected officials to urge continuation of this program in NYS is essential. Time. Explore Sustainable Energy Utility An oversimplification is the build out of “duplicative” electrical infrastructure to create “microgrids”, allowing the transition away from NYSEG in the future, if desired. Very expensive to build at scale initially, but not the sole responsibility of the municipality. This is the DER Plan. Explore municipalizing utility infrastructure at the County level Very simply, buying the electrical infrastructure from NYSEG and creating a non- profit utility in its place. Expensive, but complicated in how it is paid for. Consider flexible work arrangements Consider allowing flexible working arrangements, reducing plug load on city facilities No cost but requires additional consideration with HR and dept. heads. Continue rate case participation Continue, and increase support for, rate case participation which decides energy rates across the service territory. Dependent on scope. Individually analyze all facility electric bills Ensure all facilities are enrolled in aggregation contract Time intensive but no additional cost. Aggressively deploy rooftop solar on municipal facilities Dependent on scope, but roughly $100K/rooftop depending on condition, size, and market WWTP duct sealing Prevents heat loss ~$1,000 127 Streets & Facilities Upgrades Includes timers on exhaust fans and temperature controls ~$4,000 Transition Cass Park field lights to grid energy Currently running on diesel generator. Grant funded and in progress. Troubleshoot and fix solar panels at Cass Park They are not producing energy. Unknown. The above-mentioned issues are my best explanation for the rising electricity costs in these two facilities. There may, of course, be other issues at play but I believe the provided solutions should cover many of our bases. If you have any additional questions, I am happy to follow-up. 128