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Home My WebLink AboutMN-GOV-2005-01-24 GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting January 24, 2005 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Chair Mackesey Alderpersons (4) Whitmore, Zumoff, Taylor, Korherr OTHERS PRESENT: City Attorney— Luster Information Management Specialist - Day Alderperson Coles Alderperson Tomlan ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: Alderperson Mackesey requested that Item 8 on the agenda be moved to the Action Items, and be renamed Work Force Diversity Advisory Committee. No committee member objected. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: By Alderperson Korherr: Seconded by Alderperson Whitmore Resolved, that the minutes of the November 22, 2005 Governance Committee be approved as published. Carried: Unanimously PUBLIC COMMENT Rich DePalo —Town of Ithaca, distributed information packets from Cornell University and the New York State DEC regarding the monitoring of the Lake Source Cooling Project. Fay Gougakis — City of Ithaca commented on the five-year study of the Lake Source Cooling Project. LAKE SOURCE COOLING PROJECT: Jim Adams, Robert Bland, and Cliff Kraft representing Cornell University spoke on the site study of lake source cooling project. They stated that they would receive the same amount of data to study from 2 sites as they would 9 sites. They noted the benefits of the project and the testing operations. Other speakers present were Herbert Engman —Town of Ithaca and Roxanna Johnston - City of Ithaca Water & Sewer Plant, who addressed issues and concerns regarding the data from the project, and the effects on the lake. Extensive discussion followed on the floor with Council members raising concerns regarding the proposed reduction in monitoring, and data collection, and the long-term impacts on Cayuga Lake. Cayuga Lake Source Cooling Project— Resolution: By Alderperson Korherr: Seconded by Alderperson Zumoff WHEREAS, Cayuga Lake is a magnificent resource for all who live and visit this area and WHEREAS, Cayuga Lake not only provides aesthetic, recreational and spiritual pleasure for all but is also the source of drinking water for many thousands of people and WHEREAS, we all feel obligated to protect Cayuga Lake so future generations will be able to enjoy it to the fullest extent and WHEREAS, Cornell University has built a lake source cooling facility on Cayuga Lake with the estimable goal of reducing air pollution, and WHEREAS, Cornell has had 9 water quality monitors in the lake for the last three years to measure the effect of lake source cooling on the lake but recently sent a request to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to reduce the number of monitors from 9 to 2, and WHEREAS, Cornell's lake source cooling capacity is only at 40% of anticipated levels, and WHEREAS, questions remain concerning the long-term effect of increased levels of phosphorous on Cayuga Lake, under the Clean Water Act, the southern portion of which is listed in a special category of lakes that have a "threatened water quality...for silt and nutrient pollution" now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Common council and the Mayor of Ithaca, New York oppose reducing the number of monitors in the Lake and ask Cornell to withdraw its request since the small amount of money that they will save is heavily outweighed by the need to answer the question of the effect of lake source cooling on Cayuga Lake which the presents monitors could help answer, and be it further RESOLVED, New York State Department of Conservation be notified of our opposition to reducing the number of monitors in Cayuga Lake, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City join with Cornell, the Town of Ithaca, and other municipalities to work cooperatively to promote the long term health of Cayuga Lake. Carried Unanimously WORKFORCE DIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE City Attorney Luster explained that when the Affirmative Action legislation was replaced with the Work Force Diversity Plan, the reference to the Work Force Diversity Advisory Committee was lost. The proposed ordinance would put this legislation back into the City Code. ORDINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE By Alderperson Whitmore: Seconded by Alderperson Korherr ORDINANCE No. , 2005 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 90 OF THE CITY OF ITHACA MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING A NEW SECTION THERETO ESTABLISHING THE WORKFORCE DIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHEREAS, authority for the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee that heretofore has existed was repealed by Ordinance No. 2004-10 and, WHEREAS, the Affirmative Action Plan of the City of Ithaca was repealed by said Ordinance and the Workforce Diversity Plan dated November 21, 2003, was adopted as provided in Section 90-34, and WHEREAS, the Common Council is desirous of creating a Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee as successor to the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, NOW THEREFORE, be it ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca that chapter 90 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows: Section 1. A new section 90-35 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code be enacted, entitled Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee, to read as follows: A. There is hereby created the Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee which shall be the successor to the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, authority for which was repealed by Ordinance 2004-10. The initial membership of the Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee shall be the individuals that served on the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee on July 7, 2004, subject to subsequent vacancies and appointments. Said individuals shall serve the remainder of the terms for which they were appointed on the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee. B. The Committee will provide advice and consultation to the Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer (AAO) on the development, implementation and conduct of the City's Workforce Diversity Plan. Also, the Committee will attempt to provide a channel of communication for all city employees to express their concerns, through representative committee members, regarding equal opportunity and other aspects of workforce diversity. The overall objective of the Committee is to use the experience gained from these communications to improve existing City policies or to propose new policies which will help improve workforce diversity as an integral part of the operations of the City of Ithaca government. C. Committee membership shall include representatives of City departments, the Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer (AAO), individuals from organizations representing minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities. The members shall serve for periods of three-year staggered terms. The Committee will prepare an annual report evaluating the City's progress which will be distributed to all sites in receipt of the Workforce Diversity Plan and all interested community groups and organizations. Section 2: SEVERABILITY. Severability is intended throughout and within the provisions of the 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 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately and in accordance with law upon publication of notice as provided in the Ithaca City Charter. CARRIED Unanimously FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORMS City Attorney Luster distributed a draft memo regarding disclosures, and the avoidance of conflicts of interests. This memo could be distributed to elected officials and all city employees annually to educate them of their responsibilities. No action was taken on this item. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m. UnctuA 4 A $ _1 At Cindie L. Day 'amela ac esey Information Management Specialist Chair