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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2012-12-01CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Regular Meeting December 17, 2012 Members Present: Alderperson Brock, Alderperson Fleming, Alderperson Kerslick, Alderperson Proulx, Alderperson Clairborne Staff Present: Julie Holcomb (City Clerk), 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 Clairborne called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. 1. Chairperson Greeting & Opening Statement Chairperson Clairborne welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained the evacuation procedures. 2. Announcements. None. 3. Agenda Review and Amendments 4. Approval of Minutes Alderperson Proulx made a motion to approve the minutes, with corrections, from the November 28, 2012 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. Motion carried 4 -0 -1 ( Alderperson Brock abstained from the vote). 5. Statements from the Public. None. 6. Employee Comments. None. 7. City Administration Members Response Alderperson Brock mentioned that there was a meeting between the City and the County about members of the community using wood stoves to heat their homes. The concerns about people using wood stoves surrounded the smoke produced by the wood stove possibly causing discomfort to neighbors and whether the wood stove users knew the procedures to follow when installing a wood stove. Alderperson Brock wants to learn more about what happened at this meeting (where they are and the next step) and asked that this item be put on a future agenda to be discussed or to create a working group. Alderperson Proulx gave an update on this meeting between the City and the County. Chairperson Clairborne reported that Loaves and Fishes will serve Christmas dinner on Christmas at 2:00 p.m.; doors will be opened at 1:30 p.m. All are invited. Chairperson Clairborne and Alderperson Brock expressed their thoughts, concerns and prayers to the people in Newton, CT. City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 2 8. Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee (WDAC) Update The WDAC will give a presentation to Common Council at a special meeting on Wednesday — January 23, 2013. The Committee met today to prepare for this presentation. The presentation will include information about the WDAC's mission, history and next steps. 9. Mayor's Report. None. 10. City Clerk's Office Request to Amend Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Kerslick. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, the 2013 Budget adopted by Common Council on November 7, 2012 transferred two employees from the Department of Information Technology to the City Clerk's Office to work on public information initiatives and electronic communication technologies, and WHEREAS, the Civil Service Commission has approved the New Position Duty Statements for the new positions in the City Clerk's Office and Department of Information Technology; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That effective to January 1, 2013, Common Council hereby amends the Personnel Roster for the City Clerk's Office as follows: City Clerk's Office: Add: One (1) Manager of Electronic Communications (40 hours) Add: One (1) Executive Assistant (40 hours) Department of Information Technology: Delete: One (1) Manager of Electronic Communications (40 hours) Delete: One (1) Executive Assistant (40 hours) A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (4): Brock, Fleming, Kerslick, Proulx Nays (1): Clairborne Motion Passed 4 -1. 2. Request to Amend 2013 Budget Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 3 WHEREAS, the 2013 City of Ithaca Budget adopted by Common Council on November 7, 2012, transferred two employees from the Department of Information Technology to the City Clerk's Office to work on public information initiatives and electronic communication technologies, and WHEREAS, Common Council has approved the new personnel roster for the City Clerk's Office, and WHEREAS, the 2013 budget needs to be amended to reflect the transfer of certain duties and functions from the Department of Information Technology to the City Clerk's Office; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends the 2013 Authorized Budget to account for said transfer of duties as follows: - Transfer $500 from Account A1320 -5405 (Telephone) to Account A1316 -5405 (Telephone) to cover Manager of Electronic Communications cell & mobile device needs - Transfer $6,600 from Account A1320 -5435 (Contractual Services) to Account A1316- 5435 (Contractual Services) to cover E -Gov Services licenses and maintenance costs - Transfer $1,500 from Account A1320 -5440 (Staff Development) to Account A1316- 5440 (Staff Development) to cover training costs for Manager of Communications and the Executive Assistant A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (4): Brock, Fleming, Kerslick, Proulx Nays (1): Clairborne Motion Passed 4 -1. 11. Department of Public Works Urban and Community Forestry Grant — Round II Moved by Alderperson Brock. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca is currently a "Tree City USA," and has been so designated for 24 consecutive years, largely due to its progressive urban forestry program, and WHEREAS, the East Hill and South Hill neighborhoods of the city have seen a prevalence of vandalism in the form of young, newly planted trees being pulled from the ground or snapped at the base of their trunk, resulting in the repeated loss of newly planted trees, and WHEREAS, the City Forester seeks to apply for a grant through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that can provide matching funds to assist in the replacement of said trees in the two sections of the City and purchasing locally manufactured tree guards that can help protect these trees as they grow, and City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 4 WHEREAS, the total costs for this project has been estimated by the Forester at nearly $22,000, now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City Forester of the City of Ithaca is hereby authorized to file an application for the 2011 -2012 Urban and Community Forestry Grant Round II, Contract # T304808 for 50% matching funds in an amount not to exceed $10,750, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council authorizes the Mayor, upon review and advice of the City Attorney to enter into and execute a project agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for such financial assistance to the City of Ithaca. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2. Water and Sewer — Request to Amend 2012 Authorized Budget for New York State Grant Moved by Alderperson Brock. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca has been notified it has received a $25,000 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for invasive species outreach, and WHEREAS, the grant will allow for public outreach and education of the Hydrilla eradication, and WHEREAS, the $25,000 in funds will be expended from the water fund with contracts to Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, Tompkins County cooperative Extension and the Cayuga Lake Floating Classroom; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amend the 2012 authorized Water Fund Budget for the purpose of accounting for said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation grant as follows: Increase Revenue Account: F8321 -3910 State Aid $25,000 Increase Appropriations Account: F8321 -5430 Water Shed Fees $25,000 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 12. Planning and Development Contract for Sustainable Strategies City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 5 This item was tabled and will be considered at a future meeting. 13. Human Resources (HR) Department Director's Report. HR Director Michell -Nunn reported on the following: Health Insurance Consortium: The Health Insurance Consortium is looking at information regarding wellness and preventive care. Organizational Development Manager Leslie Moskowitz has taken steps to move forward with this initiative; to promote and to support employees being healthier. 14. Finance /Controller's Office Authorization to Cover Red Accounts Moved by Alderperson Kerslick. Seconded by Alderperson Proulx. RESOLVED, That the City Controller be empowered to make transfers within the 2012 Budget appropriations, as needed, for the remainder of the 2012 Fiscal Year. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2. Request Funds for Equipment Replacement Moved by Alderperson Proulx. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, The first floor City Hall copier is in need of replacement as it's going on twelve years old and parts are becoming harder to find, and WHEREAS, we were hoping to push the copier for one more year, but New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ( NYSERDA) is now offering a rebate program including copier and scanners, paying a 75% rebate on new equipment, and WHEREAS, we can now replace the first floor copier for $3,500 through the NYSERDA program, which is much less than originally estimated, and WHEREAS, the Clerk's Office is in need of a new scanner to improve scanner capabilities for document storage, and WHEREAS, under the NYSERDA Rebate Program, the cost of a new scanner will be $900; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby transfers an amount not to exceed $4,400 from the 2012 Unrestricted Contingency account A1990 to Account A1315 -5225 $3,500 and A1316 -5225 City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 6 $900 for the purpose of purchasing a new copier for City Hall first floor mail room and a new scanner for the Clerk's Office. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3. Controller's Report. Controller Thayer reported on the following: Audit (2011): This 2011 Audit is almost complete and will be on a future agenda. Bonds: The City will go out to bid on the Bonds. If the rates are high, the City has the right to reject bids and put out to bid again when the market condition changes. Sales Tax (2012): Sales tax collections have come in slightly above budget. Pension: The City made the pension payment early and saved the City about $47,000. AIM Pam: The 2nd installment of the AIM payment has been made; which was about $2.6 million dollars. Overtime: In overtime, the City spent $934,000 of the budgeted amount of $935,000. Building Permit Fees: The City budgeted $385,000 for building permit fees and collected about $884,000. Parking Revenue: The City budgeted $2.5 million dollars in parking revenue; but collected slightly under that amount or $1.9 million dollars. 15. Reports Chairperson Report: Chairperson Clairborne expressed his thoughts about the agenda items addressed in 2012 (e.g. sale of City properties, hiring of a City Forester, City's Retirement Incentive Program, Cornell Bridges, Clinton Street Bridge, Credit Card Program, etc.), thanked City staff for their support, and thanked the Committee members for their knowledge, dedication & participation in the discussions on the various agenda topics. Chairperson Clairborne stated that Alderperson Proulx will chair the City Administration Committee meetings for 2013. The Committee members thanked each other for their commitment and dedication and for volunteering to chair Sub - Committees (e.g. Special Events, Community Gardens, etc.). The Committee members thanked Alderperson Clairborne for chairing & guiding this Committee and staff for their support & backup material for the agendas. 2. Next Month's Meeting: January 23, 2013. City Administration Committee Meeting December 17, 2012 Page 7 16. Adjournment With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Kerslick, the meeting was adjourned at 8:41 p.m.