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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1978-09-25 TOWN OF ITHACA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING At a Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York , held at the Town of Ithaca Offices at 126 East Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York , on September 25 , 1978 at 7 : 00 p . m . , there were PRESENT : Noel Desch , Supervisor Andrew W . McElwee , Councilman Victor Del Rosso , Councilman Robert N . Powers , Councilman Catherine Valentino , Councilwoman Shirley Raffensperger , Councilwoman Gust L . Freeman , Jr . , Councilman ALSO PRESENT . Lawrence P . Fabbroni , Town Engineer/ Building Inspector Liese Bronfenbrenner , Chairwoman , Planning Board J . Victor Bagnardi , Architect ( for BGY Corporation ) Vincent Giordano , Construction and Supply Corporation Carl J . Yengo ( BGY Corporation ) Larry O ' Neil , 102 First Street ( Gadabout ) Beverly Stone , Tompkins County Senior Citizens Center Gloria Howell , Town Representative to City Youth Bureau Eva B . Hoffmann , 4 Sugarbush Lane Representatives of the Media . Andy Grossman , WTKO Jay Schneider , WHCU PUBLIC HEARING - REVENUE SHARING - 7 : 00 p . m . Proof of posting and publication of notice of public hear - ing the the above matter having been presented by the Town Clerk , the Supervisor opened the hearing . Supervisor Desch said this hearing relates to Federal Revenue Sharing , Entitlement Period # 10 , October 1 , 1978 through September 30 , 1979 . The Supervisor distributed material on the matter to the Board and to the public . Supervisor Desch said an allocation of Revenue Sharing funds by the Federal government in the amount of $ 95 , 282 is in - volved . Federal legislation requires the Town Board to have two public hearings , one at least seven days before the consideration of the tentative budget and the other is required to be held prior to the adoption of the final 1979 budget . Supervisor Desch said that in the past Revenue Sharing funds have had as criteria for their use ( 1 ) projects which could be accomplished on a " one - shot " basis for which other funds might not be available ( purchase of the Town Hall , for examplep ; ( 2 ) support of improvements or projects which would have a longtime benefit to the Town on a Town - wide basis . The legislation at this time is not so restrictive ; it is quite broad ; it permits the use of Revenue Sharing money for any purpose for which the Town is permitted to expend money under the State law . It can now be used for a broad range of items . Supervisor Desch at this time asked if anyone would like to speak on the possible uses of Revenue Sharing funds . Mr . Giordanostated that BGY Corporation owns 67 acres of land in the Town of Ithaca , off Bundy Road and Hopkins Road . BGY Corporation has owned this land for 12 years . They would like Town Board Minutes - 2 - September 25 , 1978 to build housing in this area . The main problem is water supply to the area . Mr . Giordano asked if it were possible to use Revenue Sharing funds to bring water at least part way to the Bundy Road and they could possibly pick it up from there . He said if this were possible that they could build a housing project and return many thousands of dollars in taxes for the Town and , at the same time , provide middle priced housing for the residents of the Town of Ithaca , City of Ithaca , and Tompkins County generally . He said there is a need for this type of housing . Their intention would be to build the smaller priced homes - - $ 35 , 000 , $ 35 , 000 , and $ 40 , 000 on the farmland near the Hopkins Road . BGY Corporation has a road layout and plans for the project which Mr . Bagnardi ( Architect ) and his staff will review . Mr . Giordano said they have researched the concept and feel the community can support a $ 4 , 500 , 000 project encompassing homes in the $ 50 , 000 range . He said their first step is to get an expression from the banking community and from the various municipalities . They have already approached the banking community and the banking community has advised them to approach the munici - palities for their expression of opinion . He said they have pre - pared architect ' s plot plans and have a commitment from the banking community to finance the project if individual needs are expressed . The banking community will support the project via FHA . A commit - ment from a municipality involves the supplying of proper facilities such as water and sewer . Supervisor Desch suggested that BGY Corporation and Mr . Giordano , Mr . Bagnardi , and Mr . Yengo talk with Mr . Fabbroni , the Town Engineer , to get an idea of what they , together , see as the need in terms of capital improvements such as water and sewer to serve that area . Supervisor Desch said that to serve part of that property a reservoir would be required . The timing of the phasing would relate to how that reservoir might be financed . Mr . Bagnardi said he had already talked to Mr . Fabbroni and that BGY was con - sidering a phased project . Supervisor Desch said that the Town of Ithaca since January 1 , 1972 has received $ 572 , 284 . 04 of Revenue Sharing funds . So far , 31 . 4 % of that amount , about $ 180 , 000 , has been spent on water related projects . He said the Board will need to consider priorities of all the things it has provided in relation to that percentage . The Board may find there are other pressing needs to use the allocation for rather than for water extensions . He recalled that a great number of residents turned out at the September 11th Town Board meeting from Stone Quarry Road where they have a serious health situation and people are using pond water to bath and launder . The Board must weigh this need as against further extensions of water to serve undeveloped areas . Councilman Del Rosso noted that the intent when the dis - tricts were originally dissolved was to extend water and sewer in already developed areas on a Town -wide basis and in that way to pick up additional water and sewer units before moving on into the undeveloped areas . He said this must be taken into considera - tion when looking at the West Hill area which is undoubtedly where growth will take place in the future . Supervisor Desch asked for other comments on the use of Revenue Sharing funds . Mr . Larry O ' Neil requested Revenue Sharing fund support for the Gadabout bus service , a non - profit transportation system supplying transportation for the elderly and handicapped in Tompkins County . After some questions from the Board with regard to the Town Board Minutes - 3 - September 25 , 1978 Gadabout budget , previous sources of funding ( such as Senior Citizens Council and Office for the Aging ) , County Revenue Sharing funds and support from the City of Ithaca , the Board appeared to be favorably disposed to the use of some Revenue Sharing funds for the Gadabout bus service . ( Mr . O ' Neil noted in passing that they had a contract for the past three years with the Office for the Aging for funds but that that contract had expired . He noted also that they had had a " one - shot " grant from the City of Ithaca last year in the amount of $ 5 , 000 . ) No other persons wishing to be heard , the Supervisor closed the hearing . The Board now reviewed prepared material on the use of Federal Revenue sharing funds . The Town Supervisor ' s suggested uses of Revenue Sharing for Entitlement Period # 10 were as follows . Bolton Point Construction Deficit . . . . . $ 46 , 000 Bolton Point Benefit Levy . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 23 , 000 Neighborhood Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 12 , 000 Two ( 2 ) Voting Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4 , 200 Town Hall Access to Handicapped . . . . . . . . $ 5 , 000 Town Hall Major Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5 , 000 After considerable discussion it was agreed to combine the last two items - - Town Hall Access to Handicapped and Town Hall Major Repairs - - and add to it $ 2 , 100 from the voting machines , making a total of $ 12 , 100 . The other $ 2 , 100 from the voting machines item was shifted to the Gadabout bus service . Nothing , therefore , remained in the voting machines item which it was agreed would be taken care of by repairs out of the general .fund at this time . There was some discussion of access to Town Board meetings for the elderly and the handicapped . No firm figures were avail - able at this time as to what renovations would need to be made to the Town Hall to comply with the regulations . However , at this time at least a part of the money for this purpose is set out in the $ 12 , 100 figure for Town Hall Access to Handicapped and Town Hall Major Repairs . Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilwoman Raffensperger , RESOLVED , that the suggested use of Revenue Sharing funds for En- titlement Period # 10 , October 1 , 1978 through September 30 , 1979 , is as follows . Bolton Point Construction Deficit . . . . . . $ 46 , 000 Bolton Point Benefit Levy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 23 , 000 Neighborhood Parks Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 12 , 000 Town Hall Repairs and Improvements and Access for Handicapped $ 12 , 182 Gadabout Bus Service $ 2 , 100 Total . . . . $ 95 , 282 ( Raffensperger , Valentino , Freeman , McElwee , Del Rosso , Powers and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) Mr . Yengo stated that in the discussion of the use of Revenue Sharing funds the Board had done nothing to stimulate additional tax base in the Town of Ithaca , that the Board had not sufficiently considered the favorable impact of a $ 4 . 5 million project . Town Board Minutes - 4 - September 25 , 1978 Supervisor Desch said the problem is that the Town Board does not know what the cost to the taxpayer would be . If it knew what the Town ' s investment would be it could respond more intelli - gently to discover whether that project is a higher priority than others which have been discussed ( including the need for water on Stone Quarry Road ) . Mr . Yengo said he could not think of any higher priority than the housing project they envision . Supervisor Desch asked Mr . Yengo if he were on the Town Board and had his choice between extending water to Stone Quarry Road and the BGY project , what would he do . Mr . Yengo said he would defer the payment to the Bolton Point water system . Councilwoman Raffensperger noted that the Town Board , by using Revenue Sharing funds to subsidize the Bolton Point benefit levy to keep the cost per unit as low as possible has encouraged growth in the Town of Ithaca . CITY YOUTH BUREAU - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN OF ITHACA Gloria Howell , the Town of Ithaca ' s representative on the City Youth Bureau , reported that the City Youth Bureau is requesting $ 10 , 000 for fiscal 1979 over and above the amount contributed by the Town of Ithaca in 1978 . There was some feel - ing on the Board that this support should come at the County level , but Supervisor Desch said the request would be considered in the Town ' s budget process . The Supervisor suggested that Mr . Cutia , Mr . Kenerson , and Ms . Howell attend the Town ' s budget hearing on October 5 , 19780 MATURITY SCHEDULE FOR TOWN FIVE -AREA SEWER PROJECT Supervisor Desch stated that the Board must consider the adoption of a maturity schedule for the five - area sewer project so that all the papers are ready when the time comes to go to the market to borrow $ 550 , 000 . The Supervisor reviewed the maturity schedule with the Board . There was some discussion with regard to whether the schedule should be less heavily loaded at the front end and other alternatives to the sch-dule presented . However , when the discus - sion had sifted down , it was generally agreed that the schedule as presented would be the most competitive , would present the Town in the strongest financial position , and would make the bond sale most attractive . Supervisor Desch noted that the schedule had been recom- mended by the Town ' s financial consultant , Bernard P . Donegan , Inc . Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that this Town Board hereby approves the maturity schedule with respect to principal payments , as presented by the Town Supervisor , copy of which schedule is made a part of the master copy of these minutes . ( Freeman , Valentino , Powers , Raffensperger , Del Rosso , McElwee , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) Supervisor Desch said that the budget can support $ 63 , 000 payment , based on 6 % interest on a $ 550 , 000 borrowing . Should the interest rate be higher than 6 % it might be necessary to increase the benefit rate slightly above $ 50 . 00 per unit . Town Board Minutes - 5 - September 25 , 1978 GRAVEL MINING - COY GLEN Supervisor Desch furnished the Board with material prepared by Mr . Fabbroni and Ms . Restaino , a documentation of the gravel mining situation in Coy Glen . He asked for the Board ' s concurrence in sending a summary of this material to Mr . E . A . Karsch , Jr . , Forester , Region 7 , Land Resources and Forest Management , in Cortland , '_`dew York . The, Board concurred . Motion by Councilwoman Raffensperger ; seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that this Board retire into Executive Session to discuss the matter of a Town permit with respect to the Coy Glen gravel mining operation . ( Freeman , Del Rosso , McElwee , Raffensperger , Valentino , Powers , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) After discussion the Board duly re - convened in regular session for the conduct of remaining business . RUMSEY- ITHACA CORPORATION NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATION OF SECTION 70 OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING ORDINANCE Motion by Councilman McElwee , seconded by Councilman Freeman , RESOLVED , that letter of notification to Rumsey- Ithaca Corporation ( as proposed during the Executive Session ) that they are in violation of Section 70 of the Town of Ithaca ' s Zoning Ordinance be dispatched , contingent upon the approval of the Town Attorney , copy of said letter being attached to the master copy of these minutes . ( Raffensperger , Valentino , Powers , Freeman , Del Rosso , McElwee , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) ADJOURNMENT The meeting was duly adjourned . Ed L . Bergen Town Clerk