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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1996-08-21 BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING 7:30 P.M. AUGUST 21, 1996 MINUTES Present• Committee Members: - ,Shenk, Thorpe, Efroymson, Marcham Committee Members Excused: Mackesey Other Alderpersons: Gray Others Present• Mayor Cohen City Controller Cafferillo Deputy Controller Thayer Supt. of Public Works Gray BPW Vice Chair Reeves Youth Bureau Recreation Director Green Asst. Director of GIAC Thomas Members of the media ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Opening Comments: Chairperson Shenk stated that the following changes were made to the agenda: 1. Defer Personnel discussion on examination fees to next month 2 . Delete the issue of postering in the city from the agenda until further notice 2 . Common Council - Hart Hotels - Request to Restructure Declaration of Covenants Ken Best, Holiday Inn General Manager, presented a request to restructure the Declaration of Covenants between the City of Ithaca and the Block 99 Partnership. Best explained that the Block 99 parking agreement annual rate has increased from $2,700 in 1984 to $14,400 in 1996 . Best stated that the fee in the last three years has increased a combined 70 percent. Best stated that the fee should be calculated on the annual CPI rate, currently around 2 . 8 percent, instead of the annual parking rate increase. He stated that the Holiday Inn has a total of 30 parking spaces in the Woolworth lot, of which the Block 99 agreement is based on. Best stated that he is also paying daily parking fees for spaces which guests use in the 1 A- BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 Woolworth lot when the hotel lot is full. A discussion concerning the agreement followed. Both the Committee and Best stated that a long-term solution needs to be developed. A meeting will be established within the next month, and the item will be brought back here next month. No action was tak6n. 3. Youth Bureau A. Request to Amend Personnel Roster Youth Bureau Recreation Director Green presented a request to amend the 1996 Authorized Personnel Roster. Green explained that the Youth Bureau experimented with a plan to assign communication, public relations, and administrative duties to a One-to-One staff member. However, after the plan was in effect for a period of time, it was concluded that the One-to- One staff members should relate directly to youth work and volunteer supervision instead of administration. Green stated that the change would not affect the 1996 Youth Bureau budget. After a brief discussion, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau experimented with the idea of assigning communication, public relations, record keeping, and other non-direct duties to one staff member, and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau concluded that all titles in the One-to-One Program should relate directly to youth work and volunteer supervision; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Youth Bureau' s 1996 Personnel Roster be amended as follows: Add: One ( 1) Youth Worker Position 35 hours/week Delete: One (1) Administrative Assistant 35 hours/week and be it further RESOLVED, That this Personnel Amendment does not impact the 1996 Youth Bureau Budget. The motion passed 4-0. 2 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 Green also requested approval to hire and fill this Youth Worker vacancy. The Committee agreed that this requested should be approved by the Vacancy Review Committee. The request will be placed on the next Vacancy Review Committee' s agenda. No action was taken. B. YB/GIAC - Request Funds for GIAC Door Replacement Project Assistant Director at GIAC Thomas presented a request for funds of $14, 349 from Unrestricted Contingency to fund the door replacement project at GIAC. Thomas stated that the 1996 GIAC Budget included $5,451 for the replacement of five doors at GIAC. He explained that he received a quote for the door replacement project in the amount of $19,800. Thomas explained that the current quote includes the complete replacement of five doors at GIAC. A discussion regarding the project followed. Thomas stated that soon the doors will be come a security concern because the doors are in bad shape. He stated that the original $5,451 estimate included DPW labor. However, the DPW currently does not have this project in their work program. After further discussion of the door project, the Committee made the following motion: WHEREAS, the 1996 GIAC Budget included $5,451 for the replacement of five doors at GIAC, and WHEREAS, quotes have been received with cost estimates at $19, 800 for the replacement of six doors at GIAC, and WHEREAS, Staff has reviewed the door replacement quotes and is recommending that Novarr-Mackesey be hired to complete the door replacement project at a cost of $19,800; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Contractor Novarr-Mackesey be hired to replace six doors at GIAC at a cost not to exceed $19,800, and be it further RESOLVED, That an amount not to exceed $14, 349 be transferred from Account A1990 Unrestricted Contingency to Account A7311- 5480-1100 GIAC Building Maintenance for the replacement of six doors at GIAC. The motion passed 4-0 to move the request forward to the next COW meeting. 3 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 4 . Common Council A. Vacancy Review Report } Chairperson Shenk reported that the Vacancy Review Committee deferred a decision to fill a Senior Typist position in the Planning Department. The request will be discussed at the next Vacancy Review meeting. B. Clarification of Vacancy Review Policy Chairperson Shenk stated that she was currently reviewing the vacancy review policy and wanted to incorporate all the necessary items into the policy, including the affirmative action policy. Shenk stated that the affirmative action part of the policy is being reviewed by the Affirmative Action Committee, and this clarification issue will be discussed next month. No action was taken. C. Community Service Funding Requests The Committee discussed 1997 Community Service Funding requests. The Committee agreed that, because of a concurrence by the Committee on funding, the following agencies will not have to be present at the August 26, 1997 Community Service Funding meeting. The Committee voted in favor of recommending to the Mayor the following agencies for 1997 Community Services Funding: Acrency Amount Vote Flag Day $350 3-1 Efroymson Veterans Day $600 4-0 Community Arts Partnership $10,000 4-0 Cornell Cooperative Ext. $ 5,000 4-0 H.O.S .T. $ 1,500 3-0-1 Efroymson, conflict of interest Sciencenter Afterschool Program $ 2,400 4-0 A discussion concerning the funding for 1997 followed. Alderperson Efroymson suggested that if an agency is requesting an increase in funding, the request should be denied unless the program is 100% for city residents or other municipalities are funding a portion of the increase. A discussion regarding the funding process followed. The Committee will request that the City Chamberlain perform tax searches on all Community Service Agencies requesting funds . 4 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 Chairperson Shenk also stated that the 1998 funding process should include a short form application, and no point system. No other action was taken. D. Budget Discussions City Controller Cafferillo, presented the Committee with a City Budget outlook and projections into the year 2001. Cafferillo explained to the Committee, based on his projections, the cumulative impact on revenues and expenditures over the next five years . The spreadsheet reflected a cumulative difference of expenditures over revenues for the next five years of $4,238, 930 . He explained that if certain recurring items are changed in the first year, the overall projection would change annually. A discussion on the projections followed. The Committee stated that it would be good to meet with the Mayor and the Controller and discuss the revenue and expenditure projections . The Committee also expressed interest in attending Mayor/Controller/Department Head budget meetings for 1997 . No formal action was taken. 5 . Finance/Controller A. Request to Approve 1996-1997 Civil Service Agreement Deputy Controller Thayer presented a request to approve the 1996-1997 Civil Service Agreement between the City and the School District. Thayer explained that this is an annual contract for civil services the City provides to the School District. He stated the amount is $26, 716 . After a brief discussion, the following motion was made: RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute an agreement between the City of Ithaca and the Ithaca City School District for performance by the City for services in connection with Civil Service matters for r the period July 1, 1996 to June 30, 1997, in the amount of $26,716 .00, payable to the City of Ithaca on or before November 1, 1996. The motion passed 4-0 . B. Request to Approve 1995 Annual Financial Report City Controller Cafferillo presented the Committee with the 1995 Annual Financial Report prepared by the Controller' s Office. A discussion followed regarding the 1995 report, and the following motion was made: 5 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 RESOLVED, That the 1995 Annual Financial Report prepared by the Finance Department be approved as presented. The motion passed 4-0 . o R 6 . DPW A. Funds Requested for Route 13/Commercial Avenue Signal URgrrade A discussion on the need for a signal upgrade at Commercial Avenue followed. Superintendent of Public Works Gray stated that the County wants to see additional documentation on the intersection in question to determine if the area is more dangerous since the Solid Waste Facility was built. Gray also stated that the City is requesting that the County and the State assist in the upgrade of this signal. Discussions will continue. No action was taken. B. County/City Recycling Bid City Controller Cafferillo stated that the County/City Recycling bid was opened August 5th, and the results were as follows: Superior Disposal Service, Inc. $11.88 per housing unit City of Ithaca $17 .00 Rainbow Rubbish Removal $29 .90 Feber Rubbish Removal $33 .80 Cafferillo stated that Superior Disposal was awarded the bid at $11 .88 per housing unit for bi-weekly collection. The award was made for a two-year period, and is contingent on the City Is approval. Cafferillo stated the last recycling bid was $10 .32 per unit outside the city, also awarded to Superior Disposal. A discussion concerning the bid results followed. Cafferillo stated that the City could subsidize the program to allow the City to continue collections or turn the program over to the County. He explained that the City could sell off the recycling equipment that we have if it is deemed surplus equipment. Cafferillo stated that the County will notify the City of the effective date of this new contract. A discussion on the recycling program and its impact on small businesses inside the city followed. It was the feeling of the Committee that the small businesses will have the greatest problems with bi- weekly recycling collection, and the County should consider a weekly collection for businesses. After a discussion 6 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 21, 1996 regarding the issue, the Committee agreed to move this discussion forward to the COW meeting. 7 . Retirement Incentive City Controller Cafferillo stated that an item relating to the NYS Retirement Incentive program will be placed on the COW agenda for executive session. He stated that information will be presented at the COW meeting. No action was taken. The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. NOTE: In many cases the actual texts of the resolutions presented in these minutes were prepared following the Committee' s deliberations and decisions on the matters involved. The resolutions presented here are in complete accord with decisions made by the Committee. 7