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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2015-06-17CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. June 17, 2015 PRESENT: Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Chair Alderpersons (4): Clairborne, Fleming, McGonigal, Smith OTHERS PRESENT: Alderperson – Brock Chief of Staff – Sutherland Deputy Director of Economic Development – DeSarno Director of Engineering – West Assistant Superintendent – Whitney HR Director – Michell-Nunn Controller – Thayer Deputy Controller – Andrew DIA Executive Director – Ferguson TC Chamber of Commerce – Tavares TC Senior Planner – Knipe 1. Call to Order 1.1 Agenda Review: Chairperson Mohlenhoff apologized for e-mailing agenda items at the last minute; but it could not be helped because the item was time sensitive. Chairperson Mohlenhoff stated that a draft resolution was provided under separate cover and that the following item was added to the agenda as Item 3.1. The documentation for this item was e-mailed to the Committee. 1.2 Review/Approval of Minutes: Alderperson Fleming made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 20, 2015 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson Smith. Motion carried unanimously. 1.3 Statements from the Public Fay Gougakis of Ithaca asked about the status of public officials being required to have local phone numbers. Constituents should not have to call long distance to talk to their alderperson. Ms. Gougakis also asked the City to address the signage, or the lack thereof, on the Commons that tells the public to follow the rules. 1.4 Statements from Employees. None. 1.5 Council Response Chairperson Mohlenhoff responded that this item has not been forgotten; but is being addressed by a Sub-Committee. This Sub-Committee will meet again after the budget process. Alderperson Fleming asked how the issue about the local phone numbers for public officials could be addressed in the interim. Chief of Staff and Committee members responded that some public officials City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 2 are participating with Google Voice, which gives you one number for many numbers. The public could also leave messages for public officials at the Clerk’s Office. Alderperson Clairborne agreed that the signage on the Commons need to be more visible. He mentioned some signs were not visible when sidewalks were closed; they were easy to miss. Mr. Clairborne talked about the tripping hazards on the Commons when boards where laid around that where uneven. He did bring it to the attention of the workers. 2. Standing Sub-Committee and Staff Reports. None. 2.1 Presentation Way Finding Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Tavares and Tompkins County Senior Planner Tom Knipe gave a presentation on Wayfinding and Interpretive Signage Plan for the Tompkins County area. This group was asking for funding from the different agencies in Tompkins County that would benefit from the signage. After the presentation, Jennifer Tavares stated that she would send the PowerPoint presentation to Common Council. Ms. Tavares and Mr. Knipe will work with Chief of Staff Sutherland to draft a resolution to bring before the Committee. 2.2 Blueways Trail Plan Implementation Moved by Alderperson Smith. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the State of New York has announced the availability of funds through the 2015 State of New York Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), and WHEREAS, Tompkins County is interested in applying for a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) grant from the New York State Department of State through the CFA process to implement the Cayuga Lake Blueway Trail Plan, the objective of which is to solidify Cayuga Lake as a prime paddling destination in the northeast, and WHEREAS, Implementation of the plan will focus on creating a safe environment for people who use non-motorized paddle craft (kayaks, canoes, standup paddleboards, etc.) to access local business, recreation areas and to enjoy the beauty of the Finger Lakes region by providing information and signage about the water trail as well as more and enhanced access points for launching and docking paddle craft, and WHEREAS, The plan identifies 14 existing priority sites to develop in the short term as launch sites or “trailheads” on the Blueway Trail throughout Tompkins, Seneca and Cayuga Counties, three of which are in the City of Ithaca at Cass Park, Stewart Park and Treman Marina, and WHEREAS, Staff from the Tompkins County Planning Department, in collaboration with the Tompkins County Strategic Tourism Planning Board, Ithaca Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and other local, regional and state partners, are preparing an application that will include, but not be limited to, the following components: City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 3 Marketing: including a logo, sign design and visual identity for the new water trail along with an interactive website, print promotional materials and a map; Trailhead Signage: water facing and land-facing identification signage, along with an interpretive kiosk showing maps, itineraries, paddling information, local business information and interpretive information at each of the 14 existing sites; and Physical Improvements: paddling access improvements such as new ramps and docks and storage racks at a handful of anchor trailhead sites which include Cass Park and Stewart Park, and Aquatic Invasive Disposal Stations at each of the 14 existing sites, and WHEREAS, Common Council is interested in supporting this grant so as to enhance the City’s and region’s draw as a paddling destination and to enhance water based recreation opportunities for local residents, and WHEREAS, The LWRP grant program requires a 50% local match, and WHEREAS, Other major partners include Cayuga and Seneca Counties, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the New York State Canalway Corporation, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, the Town of Ithaca, and the Town of Lansing, and several other municipalities in Cayuga and Seneca Counties, and WHEREAS, Other sources of funding are still being determined, but are likely to include the Tompkins County Tourism Program, Cayuga County, Seneca County, Tourism Promotion Agencies (TPAs) in the three counties, the Town of Lansing, State Parks, and other towns in Seneca and Cayuga Counties, and WHEREAS, Portions of the project that are within the City have a total cost of approximately $107,000; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby confirms its intention to commit funds in an amount not to exceed $20,000 contingent upon an award of funds from the 2015 CFA and completion of environmental review. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Yes (4): Clairborne, McGonigal, Mohlenhoff, Smith No (1): Fleming Motion passed 4-1. 3. City Administration, Human Resources, and Policy 3.1 Resolution of Support for an Application to the New York Main Street Program by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Clairborne. City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 4 1. WHEREAS, the State of New York Division of Homes and Community Renewal administers the New York Main Street Grant Program which is part of the State’s Consolidated Funding Application round whose application deadline is July 31, 2015; and 2. WHEREAS, the New York Main Street Program has created an expanded Downtown Anchor project category for stand alone, single site projects that help establish or expand cultural, residential or business anchors that are key to local revitalization efforts through substantial interior and/or exterior building renovation; and 3. WHEREAS, Anchor projects may request between $100,000 and $500,000 and Main Street grant awards cannot exceed 75% of the total project cost; and 4. WHEREAS, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance proposes to submit an application to the Main Street program for a Downtown Anchor project for 115/117 North Cayuga Street, also known as the Masonic Temple, a landmark, historic downtown anchor building that has remained vacant for nearly a decade; and 5. WHEREAS, the owner of 115/117 North Cayuga Street is willing to provide and exceed the required grant matching requirements; and 6. WHEREAS, the proposed project will be designed to renovate 115/117 North Cayuga Street, improving both the interior and exterior of the building, including, but not limited making the property ADA compliant with the addition of an elevator; and 7. WHEREAS, the ownership of the property has devised a strategy to re-purpose the building for occupancy and have been exploring options for re-use, including converting the building into a possible public assembly/ institutional use; and 8. WHEREAS, the New York Main Street program will act to preserve the historic integrity of the building through its required review and sign-off by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); and 9. WHEREAS, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance will serve as recipient and administrator of any grant award and will work with the building owner on the bidding and monitoring of the project; and 10. WHEREAS, the New York Main Street Program grant program requires all applications to be accompanied by a resolution of support from both the board of directors of the applicant organization (the DIA) as well as a resolution of support from the City Common Council; now, therefore be it 1. RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council does hereby offer its support and endorsement for the application of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to the New York Main Street program for 2015 on behalf of the renovation of the landmark building at 115/117 North Cayuga Street. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.2 Request Funding for Engineering Services Agreement for Amendment No. 2 for construction services during Bar Screen and Biosolids Dewatering Equipment and other miscellaneous improvements to the Influent Building Construction Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Smith. City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 5 WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (IAWWTF) is in need of certain Capital Improvements, and WHEREAS, GHD Engineers completed an Engineering Report entitled “IAWWTF Influent Building and Dewatering System Improvements Study” as the final project funded by Capital Project 416J, and WHEREAS, in order for the staff to maintain its goals as embodied in its five year capital plan, this agreement provides engineering services for the next set of proposed capital improvements, and WHEREAS, by separate resolution Common Council will recommend the approval of construction contracts, and WHEREAS, the Special Joint Committee (SJC) approved said professional services contract with GHD at its meeting of October 9, 2013, and approved Amendment No. 1 on July 9, 2014, contingent on fund availability and attorney approval of the agreement, and WHEREAS, the funding supplied by this resolution will be placed in accounts for Capital Project 419J, and WHEREAS, GHD Engineers has submitted a proposal entitled Amendment No. 2 for services to complete the construction, and WHEREAS, the SJC approved the additional funding at their June 10, 2015, regular meeting; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby amends Capital project 419J by an additional amount not to exceed $108,000 for a total project authorization of $411,200 to fund the proposed agreement with GHD Engineers authorizing additional funds from the authorization for CP 419J, and be it further RESOLVED, That funding for Amendment No. 2 contingent upon action by all wastewater partners committing their percentage of reimbursement shares to the Joint Activity Fund allocated per the Joint Sewer Agreement as follows: Municipality Percentage Project Cost City of Ithaca 57.14 $61,711.20 Town of Ithaca 40.88 44,150.40 Town of Dryden 1.98 2,138.40 $ 108,000.00 RESOLVED, That funds needed for said amendment shall be derived from the issuance of Bonds and/or Capital Reserve J1. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 6 3.3 Influent Building and Dewatering Equipment Project Funding Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Clairborne. WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant’s Special Joint Committee (SJC) at its June 10, 2015, regular meeting selected the three lowest qualified bids for General Construction, Electrical and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, for the renovation of the Influent Building, including bar screen replacement, and the installation of new dewatering equipment to complement the existing belt filter press, and WHEREAS, the lowest qualified bid for Contract #15-001 for General Construction submitted by M.A. Bongiovanni, Inc. in the amount of $2,640,000, and WHEREAS, the lowest qualified bid for Contract #15-002 for Electrical Construction submitted by Matco Electrical in the amount of $181,530, and WHEREAS, the lowest qualified bid for Contract #15-003 for Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning Construction by JW Danforth Co. in the amount of $398,800, and WHEREAS, the cost for these contracts shall be borne by the Town of Dryden, Town of Ithaca and the City of Ithaca based on the percentage of ownership assigned to each municipality, and WHEREAS, at the June 10, 2015, regular meeting of the SJC, the owners approved Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (IAWWTF) Influent Building and Dewatering Equipment upgrades in the amount not to exceed $3,542,363, which includes the contract values plus a 10% contingency; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends Capital Project 419J Influent Building and Dewatering Equipment Upgrades by an amount not to exceed $3,542,363 for a total project authorization of $3,953,563, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility is hereby authorized to negotiate a final contract based on this resolution, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Mayor, the Town of Ithaca Supervisor and the Town of Dryden Supervisor be authorized to sign the contracts, and be it further RESOLVED, That in accordance with the final contracts to be negotiated between the partners and the three qualified lowest bidders, funding for said project shall be derived by the issuance of Serial Bonds based on the following schedule which are to include interest rates as stipulated by the City of Ithaca Controller, and be it Municipality Percentage Project Cost City of Ithaca 57.14 $ 2,259,066 Town of Ithaca 40.88 $ 1,616,217 Town of Dryden 1.98 $ 78,280 $ 3,953,563 City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 7 RESOVED, That funding for said project is contingent on the approval of the City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca and the Town of Dryden. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.4 Authorization for Mayor to Sign Grant Application for Stewart Park Moved by Alderperson Clairborne. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, the roof of the Stewart Park Dance Pavilion is in great need of repairs and improvements, and WHEREAS, assuring the integrity of the building would preserve a significant historic structure for current use by the Parks and Forestry section and the Ithaca Youth Bureau, and WHEREAS, these building improvements would greatly promote the use of the building as a potential future educational and tourism destination for residents and visitors alike, and WHEREAS, the State of New York has noticed the availability of funding through the Consolidation Funding Application (CFA), and WHEREAS, Common Council is interested in applying for a Parks grant in order to design and construct repairs and improvements to the Dance Pavilion; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Mayor of the City of Ithaca, is hereby authorized and directed to submit an application for funding to the State of New York in accordance with the provisions of the Consolidation Funding Application (CFA) process, in a amount not to exceed $150,000, and upon approval of said request to enter into and execute a project agreement with the State for such financial assistance to the City of Ithaca for construction of a project to repair and improve the roof of the Dance Pavilion at Stewart Park. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.5 Bond Resolution After Controller Thayer gave an overview of the Bond Resolution, the Committee agreed to move on to Common Council the resolution authorizing the issuance of $4,235,563 Bonds of the City to pay the cost of certain capital improvements in and for the City of Ithaca. 4. Performance Measures. Nothing Submitted. 5. Common Council. Nothing Submitted. City Administration Committee Meeting June 17, 2015 Page 8 6. 2015 Budget Process Chief of Staff Sutherland will send out the budget meeting dates to Common Council and department heads. He will solidify with departments what date they will be presenting/defending their budget. Council members were encouraged to put these dates on their calendars. Alderperson McGonigal stated that when resolutions are sent out at the last minute, he does not get them and able to read them prior to the meeting. This has caused him to not be able to digest the information or give it his due diligence. The Committee discussed and agreed to continue the discussion at the agenda planning meeting. 7 Meeting Wrap-up 7.1 Announcements. None. 7.2 Next Meeting Date: July 15, 2015. 7.3 Review, Agenda Items. None. 7.4 Adjourn: With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Smith, the meeting was adjourned at 8:26 p.m.