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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1995-03-22 Special Town Board Meeting March 22 , 1995 5 : 45 p . m . AGENDA 10 Call to order . 2 . : Pledge of Allegiance . 30 Set public hearing date to consider a , " LOCAL LAW ELECTING A TARGETED RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM " . 4 . Consider EXECUTIVE SESSION . 5 . Consider ADJOURNMENT . ADDITIONAL 1 . Consider letter of support to DeHarder Investment Corporation , 2 . Consider resolution of appreciation to Town Justice , Merton Wallenbeck . Town of Ithaca Special Town Board Meeting March 22 , 1995 5 : 45 p . m . At a special meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York held at the Town Hall , 126 East Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York there were present : PRESENT : John G . Whitcomb , Supervisor ; Catherine Valentino , Councilwoman ; Karl Niklas , Councilman ; David Klein , Councilman ; Carolyn Grigorov , Councilwoman . ALSO PRESENT :: John Barney , Attorney for the Town ; Joan Lent Noteboom , Town Clerk ; Daniel Walker , Town Engineer ; Jonathan Kanter , Town Planner ; Patricia Punger , Personnel Manager , EXCUSED : Ellen Z . Harrison , Councilwoman ; Edward Conley , Councilman ; Fred Noteboom , Highway / Parks Superintendent ; Andrew Frost , Building / Zoning Officer ; Sally Alario , Assistant Budget Officer . Call to Order : The Supervisor called the meeting to order at 5 : 45 p . m . , and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance . The Supervisor announced that the purpose of the special meeting was to set a public hearing date to consider a targeted retirement incentive program , and to consider property acquisition under executive session . Additional matters were added which included approval of correspondence to DeHarder Investment Corporation , and to adoption of a resolution of appreciation to Town Justice , Merton Wallenbeck . Agenda Item No . 3 - Public Hearing Date , " LOCAL LAW ELECTING A TARGETED RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM " : Ms . Punger - New York State is offering a targeted retirement incentive program . The program targets employees who are at least age 50 , with. ten years of service credit . There are three employees who would meet the criteria . The incentive provides eligible employees an additional 1 / 12 year of service for each year of service credited to the date of retirement . There would be benefit reductions of 5 % per year for anyone who is not age 55 at the time of retirement . Any position .; the Town targeted under this incentive would be eliminated or left unfilled if the person holding that position chooses to retire . Councilwoman Grigorov - This would be a way to phase people out through attrition . Supervisor Whitcomb - What if the Town enacts the local law and the positions are. targeted , and then person decides not to retire ? Ms . Punger - The person can remain in their position . Supervisor Whitcomb - What happens when the employee eventually retires , would this program be in effect forever , or just during this time period ? Would the Town have any liability by offering the incentive ? Ms . Punger - That specific information has not been received from New York State . Information will be provided at the public hearing to answer questions . Councilman Klein - Information should be provided at the public hearing including the financial obligations of the Town . If someone elects to take this incentive , will the Town have to pay additional funds to the retirement system ? Ms . Punger - Under this program there is a cost to the Town over a five year period . With the employees who are eligible the most it would be is $ 4 , 500 per year for that employee , and any other employee who takes the incentive would cost slightly less . These employees are higher paid employees , and when they left a position could be filled at a lower salary which would offset the cost . There are two employees who could elect the incentive , and neither employee has expressed an interest to take it at this time . The third person eligible is a Motor Equipment Operator . That position cannot be targeted for elimination . The other two positions are the Highway Crew Supervisor and the Assistant to the Town Engineer . The applicable Department Heads have expressed the opinion that they could integrate those positions into others . Councilman Klein - The Town Board would have to consider whether it wanted to eliminate those positions . Resolution No . 61 - Public Hearing Date , " LOCAL LAW ELECTING A TARGETED RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM : Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Councilwoman Valentino authorizing and directing the Town Clerk to advertise for a public hearing to be held at the regular meeting of the Town Board on April. 10 , 1995 , at 6 : 15 p . m . , in order that the Town Board may consider a. , " LOCAL LAW ELECTING A TARGETED RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM " for town employees . Supervisor Whitcomb , aye ; Councilwoman Valentino , aye ; Councilman Niklas , aye ; Councilman Klein , aye ; Councilwoman Grigorov , aye . Carried unanimously . Agenda Item .Additional No . 1 - Deharder Investment Corporation Correspondence : Supervisor Whitcomb - A letter of support has been drafted to the DeHarder Investment Corporation related to their presentation at the last Town Board meeting , ( see attached ) . Councilwoman Grigorov - The correspondence should not be referred to as a " letter of support " , it should be referred to as a " letter of comments " , because the it is not clear if the Town Board should support the proposal by Deharder . The Town Board reviewed the letter and discussed grammatical corrections and suggested amendments to the letter . Upon approval of the changes , the Town Board adopted the following resolution : Resolution No . 62 - Letter of Comments , DeHarder Investment Corporation : _ Motion made by Councilwoman Valentino , seconded by Councilman Niklas approving the mailing of the " letter of comments " , to the DeHarder Investment Corporation upon the deletion and addition of those amendments as discussed . The a finalized copy of the " letter of comments " shall be included as part of the minutes of this special meeting . Q Supervisor Whitcomb , aye ; Councilwoman Valentino , aye ; Councilman Niklas , aye ; Councilman Klein , aye ; Councilwoman Grigorov , aye . Carried unanimously . Agenda Item Additional No . 2 - Resolution of Appreciation , Justice Merton Wallenbeck : Supervisor Whitcomb - Justice Merton Wallenbeck is not well , and his condition has deteriorated markedly over the last few weeks . The Town Board would like to show their grateful appreciation to Justice Wallenbeck by adopting a resolution to that effect . Resolution No . 63 - Resolution of Appreciation , Town Justice Merton Wallenbeck : Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Councilwoman Grigorov resolving that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , on behalf of the Town , its citizens , and the many persons whose lives have been touched by his actions , expresses its heartfelt appreciation to Justice Merton J . Wallenbeck for his dedication to his position as Town Justice , for the many years of exceptional work that he has given to the Town and its community , for the dignity and competence he displays as Justice , and for the wisdom and guidance he has provided over - the years to all of us . Supervisor Whitcomb , aye ; Councilwoman Valentino , aye ; Councilman Niklas , aye ; Councilman Klein , aye ; Councilwoman Grigorov , aye . Adopted unanimously . Agenda Item No . 4 - Executive Session : Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Councilwoman Valentino to move into executive session for the purpose of considering property acquisition . Motion carried unanimously . The Town Board moved into executive session at 6 : 02 p . m . Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Supervisor Whitcomb to adjourn the meeting to the location of a proposed site for a new Town Hall . Motion carried unanimously . Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Councilwoman Valentino to move out of executive session . Motion carried unanimously . The Town Board resumed regular session at 7 : 30 p . m . AdIournment : Motion made by Councilman Niklas , seconded by Councilwoman Valentino to adjourn as there was no further business to come before the Board . Motion carried unanimously . The Supervisor adjourned the special meeting at 7 : 31 p . m . Respectfully submitted , Joan Lent Noteboom Town Clerk " Next Regular Meeting - April 10 , 1995 , 5 : 30 p . m . �Ty OF 1 .r TOWN OF ITHACA 4 126 EAST SENECA STREET , ITHACA , N . Y . 14850 TOWN CLERK 273-1721 HIGHWAY 273-1656 PARKS 273-8035 ENGINEERING 273-1747 PLANNING 273-1747 ZONING 273-1783 FAX (607) 273- 1704 March 23, 1995 Gail Doscher DeHarder Investment Corp . 1077 Highway ALk P. O. Box 372667 Satellite Beach, Florida 32937 Dear Ms . Doscher: Thank you for the materials regarding your proposed affordable housing developments in the Town of Ithaca . The Town Board appreciated the opportunity to hear more about the details of the proposals from Juanita Waddell at the March 13, 1995 Town Board meeting. The Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan (September 21 , 1993 ) identifies the need for affordable housing to be provided in the town, and identifies the overall goal . . . " to promote the availability of diverse, high quality, affordable, and attractive places for people to live, " by, among other things, having . . . "a variety of housing styles and patterns of development to meet the diverse needs of the community," and " opportunities for affordable housing" (page 111-2) . To accomplish these affordable housing objectives, the Comprehensive Plan encourages the construction of a range of housing types, styles, and prices to satisfy the diverse needs and desires of the community . . ., and recommends, among other actions, working with Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca and other agencies to plan and create affordable housing. While the Town Board supports the goals and objectives stated above, we do have some concerns regarding DeHarder' s proposals in the Town of Ithaca, both of which would consist entirely of rental housing for "low to moderate income " households . These concerns relate to the lack of mix of income ranges and ownership types in the projects and the general nature and inconsistencies of the Market Study . While we understand that the proposals are preliminary and conceptual at this point, it appears that DeHarder is locked into the low to moderate income rental scenarios described in your letter of March 7, 1995, and by Ms . Waddell at the March 13th Town Board meeting: We understand that DeHarder has a "home ownership program, " in which it is intended to sell units to qualifying families after a fifteen year period . That is a laudable goal. However, we believe that an initial mix of home ownership units in the proposed developments is a more appropriate goal Gail Doscher March 22, 1995 Page 2 of 2 in the Town of Ithaca . In addition, we believe that the targeted income ranges should be tailored. more specifically to meet the Town of Ithaca' s needs, rather than those of the City of Ithaca or Tompkins County, which appear to be a major focus of the Preliminary Market Study (March 1995). Experience in New York State indicates that affordable housing developments with units designed for a range of incomes are more successful than those targeted solely for low to moderate income households . We would be most interested in further exploring the possibilities of mixed-unit projects . Numerous cases in the Preliminary Market Study estimate housing needs based upon City of Ithaca, rather than Town of Ithaca, data for population growth, incomes and existing rental stock (Table 2, Table 8 and page 27 - "Existing Rental Stock ", respectively). In addition, it appears that population projections in the Market Study for Tompkins County for 1996 ( the targeted occupancy year) are not realistic. The Market Study projects the 1995 population in Tompkins County to be 99,000 (Table 1 ), whereas population estimates just released by the U. S . Bureau of the Census indicated that the population of Tompkins County in July 1994 was 96,306 . The Market Study' s projection of 100,000 for Tompkins County in 1996, therefore, does not appear to be accurate, especially considering possible layoffs at Ithaca College and Cornell University which may be occurring over the next year or two . We hope that the above concerns are addressed by DeHarder as the proposals evolve . We look forward to receiving more detailed plans as they are formally submitted to the Town for planning and environmental reviews through the Town of Ithaca Planning Board and other relevant regulatory agencies . This letter in no way implies site specific support for either of DeHarder' s proposals . Each project will be evaluated on its own merits when required application materials are submitted to the Town . Yours truly, o G . Whitcomb, Supervisor n of It Town Board JGW:jk xc: Jonathan Kanter , Town Planner Town Board Mernbers FileName c: \ Istaff\jon \ deharder.let Special Town Board Meeting 3 / 22 / 95 Agenda Item No . 3 Public Hearing Date - Targeted Retirement Incentive Program Resolution No . 61 WHEREAS , the New York State and Local Employees ' Retirement System has made available a targeted retirement incentive program for eligible employees ; and WHEREAS , the Town Board has agreed to consider this incentive program for eligible Town employees ; and WHEREAS , a local law must be enacted in order to participate in this proara.m ; now therefore be it RESOLVED , the Town Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to advertise for a public hearing to be held at the regular meeting of the Town Boarc: on April 10 , 1995 , at 6 : 15 p . m . , in order that the Town Board may consider a , " LOCAL LAW ELECTING A TARGETED RETIREiiENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM " for town employees . MOVED : Councilman ?\? iklas SECONDED : Counc ' lD,:oman Valentino DATED : March 22 , 1995 Joan Lent Noteboom , Town Clerk Supervisor �.•:hitcomb , aye ; Councilwoman Valentino , aye ; Councilman Niklas , aye ; Councilman Klein , aye ; Councilwoman Grigorov , aye . Carried unanimously . Special Town Board Meeting 3 / 22 / 95 Agenda Item Additional No . 1 Letter of Comments - DeHarder Investment Corporation Resolution No . 62 BE IT RESOLVED , the Town Board hereby approves the mailing of the " letter of comments " , to the DeHarder Investment Corporation upon the deletion and addition of those amendments discussed ; and be it further RESOLVED , that a copy of the finalized " letter of comments " , be included as a part of the Town Board minutes of this special meeting . MOVED : Councilwoman Valentino SECONDED : Councilman Niklas DATED : March 22 , 1995 Joan Lent Noteboom , Town Clerk Supervisor Whitcomb , aye ; Councilwoman Valentino , aye ; Councilman Niklas , aye ; Councilman Klein , aye ; Councilwoman Grigorov , aye . Carried unanimously . Special Town Board Meeting 3 / 22 / 95 Agenda Item Additional No . 2 Appreciation to Town Justice , Merton Wallenbeck Resolution No . 63 WHEREAS , Town Justice Merton J . Wallenbeck became a Town Justice of the Town of Ithaca on January 1 , 1975 ; and WHEREAS , Justice Wallenbeck has served in such capacity continuously since that date and continues to so serve ; and WHEREAS , during those more than twenty years of service , Justice Wallenbeck has demonstrated a conscientious attention to the duties of the position of Justice , has presided over his court with decorum and dignity , has decided cases with fairness and balance between the rights of the various litigants who have appeared before him , and has exercised wisdom and judgment for the benefit of the Town and its citizens ; and WHEREAS , the Town of Ithaca is indebted to Justice Wallenbeck for his long and outstanding career as a Town Justice and wished to express its appreciation to him for his service ; NOT THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , on behalf of the Town , its citizens , and the many persons whose lives have been touched by his actions , expresses its heartfelt appreciation to Justice Merton J . Wallenbeck for his dedication to his position as Town Justice , for the many years of exceptional work that he has given to the Town and its community , for the dignity and competence he displays as Justice , and for the wisdom and guidance he has provided over the years to all of us . MOVED : Councilman Niklas SECONDED : Councilwoman Grigorov Adopted 'Unanimously this 22nd day of March , 1995 . Joan Lent Noteboom , Town Clerk