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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2011-01-01CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Regular Meeting January 26, 2011 Members Present: Alderperson Coles, Alderperson Zumoff, Alderperson Mohlenhoff, Alderperson Rooker, Alderperson Clairborne (arrived at 7:05 p.m.), Mayor Peterson Staff Present: Phyllis Radke (Building Commissioner), Trish O'Rourke (Asst City Attorney), Andy Olmetti (Employee Health & Safety Coordinator), Steve Thayer (Controller), Scott Andrew (Deputy Controller), Schelley Michell -Nunn (HR Director), Denise Malone (HR Executive Assistant) Others Present: Members of the Public, Members of the Media Chairperson Coles called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 1. Chairperson Greeting & Opening Statement Chairperson Coles welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained the evacuation procedures. 2. Announcements. None. 3. Agenda Review and Amendments. None. 4. Approval of Minutes Alderperson Rooker made a motion to approve the minutes, with corrections, from the December 20, 2010 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson Mohlenhoff. Motion carried 4 -0. ( Alderperson Clairborne was absent from the vote.) Alderperson Clairborne arrived at 7:05 p.m. 5. Statements from the Public Alex Bores and Colin Foley, Cornell University Students, spoke in support of the Sweat Free Ithaca proposal and encouraged the Committee to move forward on joining the consortium. Joel Harlan of Newfield spoke on the Sweat Free Ithaca proposal, sales taxes and housing construction in Ithaca. 6. Employee Comments. None. 7. Common Council Response Alderperson Rooker thanked the Cornell University students for their comments and for showing support on the Sweat Free Ithaca proposal. City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 2 Alderperson Clairborne thanked the Cornell University students for speaking on the Sweat Free Ithaca proposal and keeping this item in the forefront of the Committee. Alderperson Clairborne stated that people were injured and left homeless from an explosion in Horseheads. Alderperson Clairborne asked the Committee to keep these people in their thoughts and prayers. 8. Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee (WDAC) Update HR Director Michell -Nunn reported that the WDAC is preparing for their presentation to Common Council. 9. Safety Committee Update. None. 10. Workers' Compensation Summary - 2010 Employee Health & Safety Coordinator Andy Olmetti distributed information about the Workers' Compensation Summary for 2010 and reviewed it with the Committee. 11. Building Department Request to Amend Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Zumof£ Seconded by Alderperson Clairborne. WHEREAS, the Building Department has four administrative support personnel on its roster: one Executive Assistant, one Permit Clerk, one Office Assistant, and one Receptionist, and WHEREAS, these positions equal 3.25 Full Time Equivalent Positions (FTE) positions, and WHEREAS, the Executive Assistant position, that is the former lead administrative position, has been vacant since July 2010, and WHEREAS, the remaining three administrative support persons have been working either out of title and/or working additional hours in order to cover for the work previously done by this one 40 hour administrative support person, and WHEREAS, it has become clear that the Building Department needs an administrative support person to supervise the other support positions and to help with the day -to -day operations of the Building Department, and WHEREAS, the duties of the CSEA Office Manager position are similar to those of the Executive Assistant's Position, except that the Office Manager's position is responsible for staff supervision and for supporting the overall office functions of the Building Department, and WHEREAS, the Building Department's Permit Clerk has been performing both her own duties as well as those of the Executive Assistant's since July 2010 and in addition, has been supervising the other administrative assistants and helping with the day -to -day operations of the Building Department, and City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 3 WHEREAS, promoting the Permit Clerk to Office Manager and replacing the Permit Clerk will actually cost less money in salaries than what has been budgeted for the Building Department for 2011, and WHEREAS, the Vacancy Review Committee has approved this change in the Building Department's roster with the condition that such position replace the roster position of Executive Assistant; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends the Building Department's roster as follows: Delete — One (1) Executive Assistant Position - 40 hours a week Add — One (1) Office Manager - 40 hours a week , and be it further RESOLVED, That said roster change can be made within the existing authorized 2011 Building Department budget. A vote on the main resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2. Proposed Changes to Electrical Inspections Charges Moved by Alderperson Rooker. Seconded by Alderperson Mohlenhoff. WHEREAS, in 1999, the Building Department created a new Inspection Bureau for electrical inspections as well as a fee schedule for electrical inspections of residential and commercial properties to be charged by the City for providing Electrical Inspection services, and WHEREAS, the original fee schedule was based on the New York Board of Fire Underwriters, an electrical inspection agency in upstate New York that provided inspection services but not Code Enforcement for villages, and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca inspection fees are now considerably less than the fees charged by the two remaining inspection agencies working in upstate New York; are less than the Village of Lansing's 2009 Electrical Inspection Fees; and the fees presently charged by the City do not compensate for the full cost of the work provided by the City Electrician, and WHEREAS, in conjunction with members of the City's Board of Electricians, the Building Commissioner has revised the City of Ithaca's electrical fees so that in 2011 they will be comparable with the fees charged by other municipalities and agencies and will more appropriately support the cost of providing the services of the Building Department's Electrical Inspector; now, therefore, be it City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 4 RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby adopts the attached Electrical Inspection Fees beginning March 1, 2011. A vote on the main resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 12. Attorney's Office Authorization for Home Rule Request to Correct Retirement Service Credit Erroneously Omitted by Another Employ Moved by Alderperson Clairborne. Seconded by Alderperson Zumof£ WHEREAS, Police Officer Michael P. Koval has been employed by the City of Ithaca ( "City ") Police Department as a police officer since December 9, 1992, and WHEREAS, pursuant to New York State Retirement and Social Security Law § 384 -d, the State offered an optional twenty (20) year retirement plan for police officers who choose to enroll in said plan, and WHEREAS, since his employment commenced with the City, Officer Koval has been enrolled in the § 384 -d Plan, and WHEREAS, prior to his employment with the City, Officer Koval was employed as a police officer by the Village of Watkins Glen ( "Village ") for the period of September 6, 1988 to July 1, 1991, and WHEREAS, the Village unintentionally but erroneously failed to enroll Officer Koval in the § 384 -d Plan of the Retirement and Social Security Law for the period of September 6, 1988 to July 1, 1991, when he was employed as a police officer, through no negligence on his part, and WHEREAS, without service credit under § 384 -d for his service in the Village, Officer Koval would not be eligible for retirement under the § 384 -d Plan until on or about November 16, 2012, and WHEREAS, if Officer Koval is given service credit under the § 384 -d Plan for his service in the Village he would be immediately eligible for a service retirement under the § 384 -d Plan, and WHEREAS, in order for Officer Koval to obtain service credit for the time period he was employed by the Village, the State of New York must enact special legislation and the City must make a home rule request, and WHEREAS, the fiscal implications of this home rule request would result in a past service cost contribution of approximately $66,000.00, and City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 5 WHEREAS, the Village of Watkins Glen has agreed to pay $60,000.00 of the past service cost, and WHEREAS, Officer Koval has agreed to pay the remaining $6,000.00 of the past service cost by letter agreement dated January 26, 2011, and WHEREAS, the City itself will make no monetary contribution to the past service credit cost, and WHEREAS, the City will forward the total service credit cost of $66,000.00 to the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of Officer Koval, and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca believes that it would be in the best interest of the City to request the New York State Legislature to adopt such home rule legislation; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, As follows: 1. The Mayor is hereby authorized to request the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate to enact legislation to allow Police Officer Michael P. Koval to obtain service credit under § 384 -d of the Retirement and Social Security Law for the police service he rendered with the Village of Watkins Glen from September 6, 1988 to July 1, 1991; 2. The Mayor or her designee is hereby authorized to execute and to submit any documentation or related paperwork that may be required to implement Officer Koval's obtaining his service credit under § 384 -d of the Retirement and Social Security Law for the police service he rendered with the Village of Watkins Glen from September 6, 1988 to July 1, 1991, provided that such implementation does not require the City itself to make or to advance any monetary contribution to such service credit cost and with the understanding that the City will forward the total service credit amount of $66,000.00 to the New York State and Local Retirement System when it is paid for by Watkins Glen and the officer. A vote on the main resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 13. Human Resources (HR) Department Director's Report. None. 14. Finance /Controller Controller's Report. Controller Thayer reported on the following: Year End Activity: The Controller's Office is working on the year end activity, start up for 2011 and the 2009 audit. City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 6 Economy: The Controller talked about how the worsening economy is affecting the City's finances and that a discussion must take place about City services, staffing and labor cost. Sales Tax (2010): The City is scheduled to receive one more payment for sales tax. With this payment, the City still expects to be about $115, 000 over the 2010 budget. Fuel Cost (2010): The fuel cost is high and will continue to be high throughout 2011. CPI: The overall US City average CPI for 2010 is at 1.64 %. Cornell University's contribution is tied to the US City average. The 2010 contribution amount from Cornell is $1, 169,075. Based on the 1.64% CPI, Cornell University's contribution to the City in 2011 will be increased by about $19,000 to $1,188,000. Overtime Cost (2010): The total overtime cost is $1,047,000. This is $146,000 over the budgeted amount of $901,000. Building Permit Revenues (2010): The City collected $340,000 in building permit revenues; this is about $90,000 above the budgeted amount. Fine Revenues (2010): The City collected $1,204,000 in fine revenues. This amount is $128,000 over the budgeted amount of $1,076,0001. In 2010, the City eliminated the waiver of the first ticket free program. Parking Revenues: In 2010, the City collected $1,845,000 in parking revenues. This amount is $217,000 under the budgeted amount of $2,062,000. In 2011, the City eliminated the first hour free for parking causing all garages to show significant increases at this point. Cash Flow (2011): Cash flow will have to be tightened due to the City making a debt payment of about $4,250,000 in early 2011. Health Insurance Consortium: The transition into the Consortium was not smooth. There were a number of problems with the ID cards. Health Insurance Cost: The Controller's Office is waiting for the final 2010 claim run. To date the health insurance cost for 2010 has been over $8,000,000. 15. Reports Mayor's Report. The Mayor reported on the following: Special Committee Meeting: The Mayor reported that there will be a Special Common Council Meeting on Monday — January 31, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. to start discussions on the 2012 budget. The agenda for this meeting will be sent on Thursday — January 27, 2011. City Administration Committee Meeting January 26, 2011 Page 7 2. Sub - Committee Updates: Alderperson Rooker reported that the Shopping Cart Sub - Committee will meet as soon as a meeting has been scheduled. 3. Council Members' Announcements. None. 4. Next Month's Meeting: February 23, 2011. 16. Adjournment With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Rooker, the meeting was adjourned at 8:41 p.m.