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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1982-06-21 TOWN OF ITHACA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING June 21 , . 1982 At a Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of I:thada , Tompkins County , New York , held at the Town Offices at 126 East Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York , at 5 : 30 P . M . , on , the 21st day of June , 1982 , there were : PRESENT : Noel Desch , Supervisor George Kugler , Councilman Marc Cramer , Councilman Henry McPeak , Councilman Dooley Kiefer , Councilwoman David Jennings , Councilman ABSENT . Shirley Raffensperger , Councilwoman ALSO PRESENT : Lawrence Fabbroni , Town Engineer James V . .Buyoucos , Town Attorney Representatives of the Media . Jessica Ettinger , WTKO Laurel Lucas , WVBR Steve Long , WHCU PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Supervisor Desch led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance . Supervisor Desch mentioned to the Board , the Lanier demonstration ., unit , which was being used this evening to tape the minutes . He noted that with the number of meetings being held , this might be a way of keeping on top of minutes . He went on to say that the Sewer Board meeting , Planning Board meeting , Zoning Board of Appeals meeting had all been taped , and now the Town Board meeting was being taped . The Supervisor went on to say that perhaps 1982 Revenue Sharing . Funds might be used to purchase recording equipment . Councilwoman Kieffer asked if the staff had requested recording equipment for other purposes ? The Supervisor answered that the staff had been checking into . recording equipment , for quite some time . Town Engineer Fabbroni stated that an integrated package of recording equipment could bek put together less expensively than purchasing the Lanier equipment . PRESENTATION OF DRAFT WATER MASTER PLAN John Byron and Tom Burkly , representatives of Stearns & Wheler presented the Preliminary Report on Water System Improvements for the Town of Ithaca . Copy of the full report on file at - the Town Hall . Comments on the report will be taken at the final presentation which will be made by Stearns & Wheler representatives , at a later date . :r a Town Board Minutes - 2 - June ' 21 , 1982 SEWER PROJECT FINANCING . Supervisor Desch stated that the SJS had recommended that th.e City file the STEP III Outfall document . to DEC . He noted that DEC was going throught the process of revising the. STEP III Application . One bond resolution , for the entire project is required . He . went on to say that in the past , municipalities have led DEC along through the lengthy process and then announced they never intended to spend the amount of money required to build a sewage treatment plant . DEC wants a guarantee that local funds will be. committed to build the sewage treatment plant , The Supervisor went on to say that he and Town Attorney Jameso Buyoucos are working with the Bonding Attorney to complete the necessary work on the Order to Establish the Improvement . We need a formal document before a public hearing date can be set and then a public hearing to inform the Townspeople of the proposal . Town Attorney James Buyoucos stated that after adoption , the Order. to Establish the Improvement becomes subject to a Permissive . Referendum : The . Taxpayers have 30 days to file a petition which . would require a Permissive Referendum . Be went on to say that all necessary papers . will be prepared and sent to the Bonding Attorney who will then review each . step of the process . Because the legislature goofed , . we have a problem of. debt exclusion . The Bonding Attorneys will proceed . under a . certain section of the Finance Law. . The preparation of the application . for Sewer Debt Exclusion has to be strictly by law . Legal notices, .affidavits and Application to the Comptroller are strictly . by the law . All aspects of the process will be a daily concern , starting tomarrow . It will probably be necesary for the Supervisor to .make several trips to New York City and Albany during the course of . events . Mr . Buyoucos noted that Mr . Rothman had been in Ithaca before and it may be necessary for him to come again . Mr . Buyoucos stated again . 'that from here 'on the main consideration of the Town Staff and Town Board would be the Sewer Project Financing matters . If we miss any deadlines or processes we will have a big problem , Supervisor Desch stated that the Town may end up looking at two bond resolutions , not just one . The cost relating to the financing : and the purchase - of our phase of the land cost to repay the City , Supervisor Desch then reviewed the Financial Plan , ( Copy attached to the official minutes ) . Councilwoman Kiefer questioned the reallocation of capacity for industrial treatment and septage . How can it be reallocated ? Supervisor Desch stated that the cost for treating septage will be reimbursed by the County with the owners sharing the reimbursement on the basis of the already designated shares of the base local capacity , . Industrial users may pay on the same rate schedule as all other users or may be charges a higher rate based on sewage strenth , same basis , only on paper . The septage facility will. not be _ built if the County will not reimburse . Councilman Jennings questioned the trackage of use of reserve plant . Supervisor Desch answered , percentage based on engineers projection , Councilman Jennings asked what happens when different users . get different amount of reserve capacity ? . "d. ' . . .y x < • . r r U { e . .. . as i`'.._A'f4 �. : Town Board Minutes - 3 - June 21 , 1982 Supervisor Desch stated that all parties will share in the 'buy back of remaining spare capacity . The buyer pays the amount already determined in the buy back provision . This will be administered by SJS . Councilman Jennings questioned if the municipalities were paying for more spare capacity then needed ? Supervisor Desch stated that the figures shown for each municipality were sensible total for spare capacity . 19 % was not a great amount . However , he noted that he did not think the spare capacity would be used up right away . Councilwoman Kiefer asked what was meant by percent of total debt allowable ? ! Supervisor Desch stated that the ground rule in the Town of Ithaca has been developed versus undeveloped land . The benefit structure spreads a portion of the the cost to current users and :future users . Councilwoman Kiefer asked where the 32 % number of Town debt is allocable to reserve capacity came from ? Supervisor Desch answered , a rule of thumb . Frequently , all debt is put in the rate schedule for the life of the investments, However , in the Town of Ithaca , property owners with undeveloped , land , including tax exempt property , help pay for the benefit . The last eleven years have stood the test of time , in this manner , of paying for water and sewer capital project costs . Councilwoman Kiefer noted that Supervisor Desch had stated that, even if the whole project did not go through it would be worthwhile to build the outfall pipe . Isn ' t the capacity of the plant a basic problem ? Supervisor Desch answered , it is a problem . We would need to tighten our system . We would need different arrangements for repairing the treatment plant and the City repairing its collector system . PURCHASE OF TRACTOR AND MOWER The subject of the need for the purchase of. a tractor . and mower was discussed . Minimum specifications , compiled by the staff , . were given to the Board Members . With the number of parks nearly . completed a tractor and mower is now necessary . Councilman Kugler stated that he liked the idea of purchasing a tractor that used diesel fuel , as the cost of this fuel was lower- than gasoline . Councilman Jennings asked if the equipment would need to be put out for bid if it cost less than $ 5 , 000 . Supervisor Desch answered that he thought the tractor might be below $ 5 , 000 . RESOLUTION NO . 81 Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Counilman Kugler ; . RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby authorized the Town Staff to advertise for bids . . on a new commercial - type tractor and mower subject to Town Law and the need to advertise , and TOWN OF ITIMACA 126 EAST SEENECA STREET ETHACA, NEW YORK 14860 June 21 , 1982 Mrs . Betsy Salm Corresponding Secretary Advocates for the Handicapped , Inc . P . 0 . Box 545 Ithaca , New York 14850 Dear Mrs . Salm : Thanks for your letter of June 4 , 1982 , addressed to me and the other_ members of the Ithaca "Town board , concerning the question of Town . of. Ithaca policy on the establishment of Group Homes for the developmentally disabled . The Town Board has asked me to forward this response on their behalf . Perhaps it would be helpful to clarify the matter of the Towns review of the Hanshaw Road proposal . - At our sugges � tion , the Broome Developmental staff presented, the proposal at a _ public information meeting of the Town of Ithaca Plan - ning Board . Both the Town and .the sponsor informed the - property owners , . in the neighborhood , about the public in - formation meeting , in writing , well i7:t, advance of the Plan ning Board meeting . Even though the Planning Board voted against the specific Hanshaw Road Proposal , the sponsors knew that the Town Board has the final determination and they were aware of our will ingness to further consider the proposal regardless of the Planning Board recommendation . State Funding was curtailed prior to review by the Town Board , : thus necessitating with - drawal of the proposal by the sponsors At the Planning Board meeting , the media left prior to the Boards ` discussion of the specifics of the proposal , follow ing the public input . I attended the meeting and heard the Planning Board members affirm their acceptance of the con - cept of establishing residential - homes in the Town of Ithaca . We , who serve on the Town Board have also stated publicly our acceptance of the residential home concept and our will . ingness to continue to work toward the establishment of such facility in the Town of Ithaca . � 2 - June 21 , 1982 From .a planning and zoning standpoint , the Town has consis - tently avoided the placement of high density facilities on small lots in developed neighborhoods . In our judgement , residential care facilities should not be exceptions to this policy , even though we recognize the special nature of the use proposed . We have extensive vacant land in the Town with the necessary services , where residential facilities could be easily and effectively integrated with a mix of. residential uses . Un - fortunately , the sponsors appear to not have the option of building a new facility . There are very few existing ranch houses in the Town , of sufficient size , in R- 30 zones to meet the specification and program requirements set forth by the State . The Town Board has reaffirmed its support for the concept of residential care facilities . We have , by formal resolution , asked the Planning Board to recommend criteria for the fu - ture review of group home proposals , so that we and the sponsors can plan more effectively ( see attached resolution ) . The Planning Board is seeking technical assistance in the development of these criteria . Perhaps your office would be willing to serve as a resource to assist the Planning Board . I am , therefore , taking the liberty of forwarding a copy of this letter to Planning Board Chairman , Mr . Montgomery May with the request that he contact you when the Planning Board takes up the matter . At that time , it would seem appropriate for you to raise the points addressed in the last paragraph of your letter . Thanks for taking the time to bring your concerns to our attention . Very truly yours , Noel Desch Supervisor ND / j s : .. cc : Town ' Board Montgomery May Town Board Minutes - 4 - June � 21 , 1982 FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that the State Contracts listing be checked for . availability of purchasing the equipment through this source . before bids are advertised . ( Desch , Kugler , Cramer , McPeak , Jennings and Kiefer voting Aye . Nays - none ) . ADVOCATES FOR THE HANDICAPPED , INC . Supervisor Desch stated that he had . drafted a response to Mrs .. Betsy Salm , Corresponding Secretary to the Advocates for the Handicapped , . Inc . , concerning the question of Town of Ithaca policy on the establishment of Group Homes for the developmentally disabled . ( Copy of letter attached to official minutes ) . Councilman Kugler stated that he felt that the public did not understand . that the Town - was not in a position to take .the . lead but rather the State . Councilman Jennings stated that with the parameters setforth by the State , it makes it difficult to find an existing building. in the Town of Ithaca to meet the States criteria . APPROVE DRAWINGS ON SEWER OUTFALL Supervisor Desch stated that the Board would need to approve two sets of drawings , one set covers the land . portion and the other the lake portion , Councilwoman Kiefer asked if Cornell University had approved the drawings for the portion across their lands . Supervisor Desch answered yes . The pipe location is based on their wishes . Councilman Jennings questioned the paving of one - half mile of road . by the Golf Course . He questioned how much money are we talking about , the road is not in very good condition now . Supervisor Desch answered that the road was in rough shape ., However , he stated that he felt with the owners only paying 12k % of the initial paving , this would be cheaper than the Town sharing the higher maintenance costs later on . LAND PORTION RESOLUTION NO . 82 Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman Cramer , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approves the land portion of the Sewer Outfall project , - for the New Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant , to be owned jointly by the City of Ithaca , Town of Ithaca and Town of Dryden . ( Desch , Kugler , Cramer , McPeak , Jennnings and Kiefer voting Aye . Nays - none ) . Councilwoman Kiefer noted that the drawings do not show the water elevations . Councilman Kugler stated there u as a reference to Bench Marks , r a . Town Board Minutes - 5 - June ' 21 , 1982 Councilwoman Kiefer asked how far away is Bolton Point ' s intake ? Supervisor Desch answered roughly one and one - half miles away . Councilman Kugler noted that the State was dredging a twelve foot channel . Councilwoman Kiefer asked how deep was the water over the defusser , six or nine feet and how was the spot picked ? Supervisor Desch answered there is eight feet. of water on top of the defuser and nine feet over the pipe . Councilman Kugler stated that a detailed engineering study had been performed before the outfall pipe was located . Councilwoman Kiefer questioned what . would happen to the pipe no�%r that the State was dredging the inlet . WATER PORTION RESOLUTION NO , 83 Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilman Kugler , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approves the Water Portion of the Sewer Outfall project of the New Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, , jointly owned by . the City of Ithaca , - Town of Ithaca and the Town of Dryden, , subject to the review of the current dredging project by the consulting . engineers to determine any effect the dredging operation might have on. the - def user , such change in current flow patterns or anchor problems , and FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that this review be completed by the SJS . ( Desch , Kugler , Cramer , McPeak , Jennings and Kiefer . voting . Aye . Nays - none ) . ADJOURNMENT The meeting was duly adjournedo own C lerk -r-