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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1978-10-16 TOWN OF ITHACA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING October 16 , 1978 - 7 : 00 p . m . 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 October 16 , 1978 at 7 : 00 p . m . , there were PRESENT : Noel Desch , Supervisor Andrew W . McElwee , Councilman Robert N . Powers , Councilman Catherine Valentino , Councilwoman Gust L . Freeman , Jr . , Councilman ALSO PRESENT . Beverly Livesay , County Representative Willis Hilker , Developer Representative of the Media ABSENT : Victor Del Rosso , Councilman Shirley Raffensperger , Councilwoman PUBLIC HEARING - 7 : 00 p . m . LOCAL LAW TO AMEND LOCAL LAW NO . 1 , 1976 REGULATING LICENSE FEES AND ACTIVITIES OF DOGS IN THE TOWN OF ITHACA Proof of posting and publication of notice of public hearing in this matter having been presented by the Town Clerk , Supervisor Desch opened the hearing . Supervisor Desch read the proposed amendment to Local Law No . 1 , 1976 , the amendment having to do with an increase in license fees for dogs in the Town of Ithaca . The proposal is to increase the license fee for male dogs and unspayed females from $ 2 . 35 to $ 4 . 25 and from unspayed females from $ 5 . 35 to $ 7 . 35 . Supervisor Desch said the purpose of the proposed increase is to provide a source of funds so that the Town may proceed to bring about a measure of enforcement of its Dog Control Law which was adopted in 1976 , in response to a rather significant number of complaints re - ceived , in writing , and in response to numerous telephone calls about serious problems with dogs on Snyder Hill Road , Pennsylvania Avenue , South Hill , and Northview ( and other areas in the Town ) . He explained further that the reason for having a special meeting at this time is that the dog enumerators have begun the census of dogs and it is neces - sary to provide proper license fee information to people who will be making application for a dog license . A decision with respect to the fee must be made at this meeting . Councilman Freeman inquired what the additional revenue , $ 2 , 400 ( approximately 1 , 200 dogs at an additional fee of $ 2 . 00 per dog ) would buy for the Town . Councilwoman Valentino noted that Section 5 of the Town ' s dog control law provides for the use of . appearance tickets ; that the Town has never been able to use this provision because it has no contract with the SPCA . They could serve appearance tickets if there was a contract . Councilwoman Valentino said she felt the additional money would buy better en - forcement of the dog control law the Town has on the books already . Supervisor Desch said the Town might also be able to jointly contract with the other towns with the SPCA or with the SPCA through the County for better coverage and enforcement of regulations con - trolling dogs . ;1 9 '�t Town Board Minutes - 2 - October 16 , 1978 Councilwoman Valentino stated that the Municipal Officers Association has adopted a resolution requesting that the County contract with the SPCA to pick up unleashed dogs . She said it is hoped that the County will adopt such a resolution . It is contemplated that each municipality would contribute $ 1 . 00 from its license revenues ( fees ) to the County . Eventually there would be contracts between the County , each municipality , and the SPCA . This would make it possible for the addition of one person to im- prove enforcement of dog control regulations , and this would be the most effective use of the additional monies collected through license fees . Supervisor Desch said there are three options : ( 1 ) the Town might hire its own dog warden , ( 2 ) the Town might contract with the SPCA , supplementing the County contract , and ( 3 ) encourage the County to supplement their contract with the SPCA , with the Town contributing on the basis of some agreed upon dollar figure to the contract cost . Councilman Powers said it was his feeling that one way or another the entire cost of dog control should be borne by dog owners . Whether the proposed increase will raise sufficient revenues to do that , he did not know , but said that if it should fall short , the fee should be raised again to provide sufficient funds to do that . Councilwoman Valentino said she thought that is why the legislation was adopted , so that municipalities would raise sufficient funds to make control possible . Supervisor Desch suggested that a committee be appointed to explore the three options he suggested . Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman Powers , LOCAL LAW N0 . 21 1978 A LOCAL LAW AMENDING LOCAL LAW NO . 1 OF THE YEAR 1976 TO INCLUDE PROVISIONS ESTABLISHING DOG LICENSE FEES FOR THE TOWN OF ITHACA BE IT ENACTED by the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca as follows : Section 1 . Local Law No . 1 of the year 1976 is hereby further amended to renumber Sections 10 , 11 and 12 to be Sections 11 , 12 and 13 , respectively . Section 2 . Local Law No . 1 of the year 1976 is hereby further amended to include a new Section 10 as follows : Section 10 . Pursuant to the authority granted by Chapters 220 - 221 of the Laws of New York of 1978 , the following fee schedule for the licensing of dogs in the Town of Ithaca is established . a ) For male and spayed female dogs , $ 4 . 00 ; b ) For unspayed female dogs , $ 7 . 00 . In addition to the license fees set forth above , the Clerk shall con - tinue to collect the research fee of $ . 10 and the tag fee of $ . 25 for each dog licensed as required by State law . Section 3 . This Local Law shall take effect immediately . ( .Valentino , .Freeman ; - McElwee , Powers , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) Town Board Minutes - 3 - October 16 , 1978 Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilman Freeman , RESOLVED , that Councilman McElwee and Councilwoman Valentino are hereby appointed as a committee to look into the options available with respect to the enforcement of the Dog Contol Law of the Town of Ithaca and to investigate the best use of the monies available for such control . ( Freeman , Powers , McElwee , Valentino , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) Supervisor Desch said he did not expect an early report from the Committee appointed , but that in six months or not more than a year from now , the matter of enforcing dog control regulations must be resolved . TRAFFIC COMMITTEE REPORT Councilman McElwee presented the Traffic Committee report dated October 6 , 1978 . He said he would appreciate suggestions with regard to the recommendation in the report to have published in the Ithaca Journal information regarding traffic violations . In the report the Committee . suggests that a discussion between all of the police agencies , including the Justices of the Peace and the Editor of the Ithaca Journal be arranged to establish policy concerning such publication . Copy of the Committee ' s report is attached to these minutes . IDE ' S ROLLER SKATING RINK - SIGN Supervisor Desch reported that the Town has received an application from Mr . George Ideman to erect a sign reading " Ide ' s Skate City " on the building housing his new skating rink operation . The proposed sign is within the footage requirements . This matter will come before the Planning Board on October 17 , 1978 so that should the Town Board approve of the sign , it would be contingent upon the Planning Board approving same . Motion by Councilman McElwee ; seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that this Town Board hereby approves the application of George Ideman , as presented , to be emplaced upon the building on Judd Falls Road housing the skating rink operation , said to read Ide ' s Skate City , such approval to be contingent upon the Planning Board formally approving same at its meeting on October 17 , 19780 ( Freeman , McElwee , Valentino , Powers , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) CODES AND ORDINANCES Councilman Powers reported that the Codes and Ordinances Committee is having a problem with lack of attendance at its meet - ings . For one reason or another various members of the Committee have not been able to attend . Councilman Powers wondered if it might be a good idea to add one or two new members to the Committee . He said he was somewhat concerned over the fact that often only two Committee members are weighing important decisions and exchanging ideas with Ms . Barbara Restaino who is preparing the material and presenting it to the Committee to weight the pros and cons . Super - visor Desch said that under the circumstances it would be a good idea to have additional people on the Committee . Councilman Powers said that if other people are added they should be people already involved directly with Town government . It was agreed that Council - man Powers will consult with the members of his Committee and with Town Board members to resolve this problem . Town Board Minutes - 4 - October 16 , 1978 Councilman Powers said the Committee is moving along fairly well in its deliberations on the various zones , that thev are now in the midst of the business and industrial zones and have them in good shape . It appears they will be approved sometime in December . They must now work on the residential areas . BUS RUN TO TOMPKINS COUNTY HOSPITAL Councilman Freeman read to the Board resolution adopted by the Tompkins County Board of Representatives on October 10 , 1978s It is contemplated that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca will adopt a similar resolution . Supervisor Desch noted that the Town has included in its tentative budget an item of $ 5 , 200 to support this bus run . He said the proposal is to increase coverage to Ithaca College by one bus and to use that bus to circulate up to the Hospital . The Town of Ithaca , it is believed , will benefit to some degree from the south end of the run as well as the north end of the run . CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS SEMINAR # 211 Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that Robert Bonnell , Assistant to the Town Engineer , is hereby authorized to attend the Construction Materials and Methods Seminar # 211 at Tompkins - Cortland Community College , at a registration fee for this seminar of $ 100 . 00 . ( Freeman , Powers , Valentino , McElwee , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) FUTURE OF THE FINGER LAKES CONFERENCE Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that Ms . Barbara Z . Restaino , Planner , be , and she hereby is , authorized to attend the Future of the Finger Lakes Conference at Canandaigua , New York , on October 20 - 21 , 1978 , at a cost not to exceed $ 100 . 00 ; further , that the attendance of Councilwoman Raffensperger was also authorized as a represen - tative of the Town , Councilwoman Raffensperger to represent also the County Planning Board , which will sponsor her attendance . ( Powers , Freeman , McElwee , Valentino , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) MAGISTRATES CONFERENCE Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that Town Justices Warren E . Blye and Merton J . Wallen - beck are hereby authorized to attend the Magistrates Conference in Syracuse , New York , at Town expense . ( Freeman , Powers , Valentino , McElwee , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none ) HEARING ON MINING EXTRACTION AT COY GLEN Motion by Councilman McElwee ; seconded by Councilman Powers , RESOLVED , that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor and the Town Engineer to represent the Town of Ithaca and express its position on the matter of the mining operation at Coy Glen , which hearing will be held on November 8 , 1978 at 7 : 00 p . m . at the Masonic Temple , Ithaca , New York . ( Freeman , Valentino , McElwee , Powers , and Desch voting Aye . Nays - none . ) Town Board Minutes - 5 - October 16 , 1978 AMBULANCE SERVICE Mrs . Livesay reported that the Board of Representatives was meeting on this matter on November 9th . She said it was im- portant that the town boards of each town in the County be aware of this meeting . She said it did not appear that the County could get into the provision of ambulance service as such . For the County it would be a big expensive operation . She said that at the last meeting it was well established that the ambulance services ought to have somebody do the billing , whether their own or contracting with a billing service . They are now negotiating with a billing service . Mrs . Livesay indicated there is some urgency in getting this matter resolved since there are five municipalities which have volunteer service and five municipalities ( the Town of Ithaca , Town of Danby , Town of Enfield , Town of Newfield , and City of Ithaca ) which will not have service when the County subsidy ends on January 31 , 1979 . Mrs . Livesay noted , parenthetically that should Collins - - refuse disposal service - - go out of business the Town of Ithaca , for example , would have a problem . Mr . Willis S . Hilker ( who appeared late in this meeting ) remarked that if there' is a need somebody will perform it . Mrs . Livesay said she did not think the Town could wait around a few years to see if somebody thinks they can make money on an ambulance service . Supervisor Desch hoped that the County would meet on the matter sooner than November 9 . ( Actually the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca meets on that night . ) Mrs . Livesay said there is nothing to discuss until input is received from the various munici - palities . She said there has been discussion of raising the rate to $ 55 . 00 a trip instead of $ 42 . 50 . Whichever ambulance service is contracted with might do their own billing . She said there are many calls which the Hospital cannot collect for , but an ambulance service could . PERSONS TO BE HEARD Mr . Willis Hilker ( late arrival at the meeting ) asked what action had been taken on the matter of raising the dog license fees . When advised of the Board ' s action , Mr . Hilker said he was strongly opposed to the increase in the fee . He said he did not feel the burden should fall on all the people to pay for violations of the dog ordinance by the few . He said , "'Why should I pay for a ranging dog who is bothering you ? " Supervisor Desch said that a Committee had been appointed to look at three options which he had outlined earlier in the meeting . ADJOURNMENT The meeting was duly adjourned . E w d L . Bera_ en Town Clerk