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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPWC Minutes 1995-01-26 FINAL Town of Ithaca Public Works Committee Meeting Town of Ithaca Highway Facility January 26 , 1995 , 8 : 00 a. m. 1 . Approval of Minutes David 2 . Leaf Bags for Fall Collection Rich/Fred 3 . Update on Judd Falls Road Dan/Fred 4 . Update on Maple Avenue Dan/Fred 5 . Discussion of Priority Work Plan a. Highway/Parks Fred/Rich b. Engineering Dan 6 . Discussion of Sewer Billing Procedures Dan 7 . Discussion of SJS--Joint Sewer Improvement Program/Agreement Dan 8 . Discussion of extending sewer to Grippi parcel (corner of Hayts & Route 96 ) ghk pc : Mary Bryant, Administrative Secretary Jon Kanter, Town Planner Andrew Frost, Code Enforcement Officer FINAL TOWN OF ITHACA Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes January 26, 1995 Present : David Klein, Chairperson; Dan Walker; John Whitcomb; Rich Schoch, and Fred Noteboom The meeting began at 8 : 15 a.m. Although it was not on the agenda, Fred Noteboom started a discussion about the recent ditch work on Christopher Circle, since there has been some negative correspondents regarding it . The question raised was if the ditch work will help the drainage problems or not . Fred indicated that it would. Fred also discussed with the Committee the problems of working in the rights-of-way and having the residents complain because they were not contacted. Fred explained that it will take many more hours to contact each resident of an area before starting a project . John Whitcomb felt that if the area is densely populated, that maybe we should contact the neighborhood association' s president in writing. David Klein felt that the Highway and Parks Department should write an article for the Town newsletter regarding the large project that are upcoming. Fred informed the Committee that in the past year, the Highway and Parks Department has started to reseed ditches after clearing them out . This helps with erosion control and it looks better. David asked if the Town had a hydro-seeder. Dan Walker indicated that we did not, and it is expensive to hydro-seed. Fred asked if the answer to the negative feedback from residents, is to tell them each time a project is to be started. John indicated that a plan in writing for residents to view of the project would be helpful . Approval of Minutes John Whitcomb moved the approval of the minutes, and David Klein seconded it . The minutes were approved. Leaf Bag for Collection Rich Schoch started by informing the Committee that if the Town were to ask the residents to put their yard waste in bags, the Town 1^� Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes Page 2 would need approximately 8, 000 bags. If the bags were bought in balk, they would cost 40 cents per bag. Rich indicated that Cayuga Heights would allow the Town to use their compactor machine to aid in pick up of the bags . This would allow more bags to be picked up at one time. Rich also indicated that the Highway and Parks Department feels it would be less costly to collect bags than to continue using the leaf vacuums . They feel that the program would have to be "phased in" . Fred suggested that the bags could be bought from the Highway and Parks Department at cost . David asked if we couldn' t give the bags away, and Fred indicated that then the people would use them for other things and not necessarily for yard waste. John asked if we would allot so many bags per household, and Fred indicated that it would be hard because rural residents might not have as much yard waste as the more urban residents. David asked if collecting the bags would be faster than leaf vacuums, and it was felt it would be . Dan suggested that the bags could be distributed when people pay their water bills. He also suggested that the Neighborhood Associations could help distribute the bags. Is enough money saved to warrant the added inconvenience to the home owner? Fred informed the Committee that the Highway and Parks Department picked up twice as many Holiday trees this year than last . Judd Falls Road Update Dan indicated that Cornell University is proceeding with their construction project on Judd Falls Road. The Town will be extending that project for the "Jug Handle" up to Tower Road. Fred indicated that Cornell will pay for their work. David asked who was engineering this work, and Dan indicated that Cornell was and they would be performing any special testing. David than asked if there was any written agreement between Cornell University and the Town of Ithaca. Dan said we where working on it, and it should be ready by the next Public Works Committee meeting. At this point, Dan added an agenda item: Forest Home Drive Bridge. Dan and Fred had received a memorandum from Tompkins County 1 Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes Page 3 regarding the construction schedule for the Forest Home Drive Bridge . Dan has concerns that at the rate of the schedule, the Bridge would not be open until after the college students come back to school in the fall. John felt that the Forest Home Drive bridge project and the Judd Falls reconstruction project should have been at the same time. He is going to discuss this schedule with the County representatives . It was discussed that the Town has not received any correspondence from the County on this matter since July. It was also discussed that there were staff changes within the County, and that the County government did some reconstruction of its Committees . The Public Works Committee asked that the Supervisor write a letter to the County indicating our concerns . Maple Avenue Update Dan indicated that this project would, ideally, be done at the same time as the Judd Falls/Forest Home Bridge projects . We are in the process of negotiating with the City of Ithaca and Cornell University to coordinate this project . David asked if the trail on Maple Avenue would be reconstructed. Dan indicated that the trail would be. David also asked if this project was included in the 1995 budget, and Dan indicated that it was. Priority Work Plan Fred reviewed the Highway and Parks Department' s priority work plan with the Committee, as did Rich. It was noted that the space needs for the Highway and Parks Department would be discussed at the next Public Works Committee Meeting. At this point, Fred asked to find out what plans the Town Board has for future parks and trail . David indicated that there was a Committee working on a recommendation and that it would be in place by the end of the year. Fred also discussed with the Committee the addition of a staff member to the Highway and Parks Department. He indicated that this person could be an assistant mechanic. This will be discussed more as he is looking towards 1996 for this new position. Dan reviewed the Engineering Department' s priority work plan with the Committee . Dan indicated that the major water projects for this year are at the Octopus and on west hill behind the hospital . Public Woxks Committee Meeting Minutes Page 4 John indicated that the Route 366 agreements should be put on the Engineering' s priority work plan. John also felt that the Capital Improvement Plan Implementation needs to be enhanced to include the budgeting of them. Sewer Billing Procedures Dan explained that the current system of billing for sewer is based on the water consumption, not the usage. Cornell University and Ithaca College feel that it should be changed, since they use a lot of water strictly for irrigation proposes . John felt that it would cost the Town a lot of money to make the billing changes that Cornell and Ithaca College avant. Dan feels that the Town needs to treat every use the same. SJS--Joint Sewer Improvement Program/Agreement Dan said that a draft should be ready around March. John informed the Committee that the Town is trying to write out the part of the draft whereas the City of Ithaca has the authority over all the Town of Ithaca' s land use plans . The City is not happy with this . Dan indicted we were in agreement that the Town will discuss with the City any projects that would have sewer projects that effect the City' s sewer system. The Town would like to have the Engineering Department in the City involved with our planning, not City Council. Sewer for Grippi Property David indicated that Mr. Grippi would like to have sewer lines installed to his property. At present, there is sewer up to the West Hill Fire Station; on Hayts Road, and at the Professional Building, but four parcels of land on Route 96 do not have sewer lines . David indicated that a formal request needs to be put forth by Mr. Grippi so the Town can look into extending the sewer lines to his property. Miscellaneous Dan discussed the alternative sites for a new Town Hall, which he has put together. The sheet handed out indicates the site, cost of land, cost of building, and total cost . Dan also discussed a letter he received from a Mr. Ward, who lives in the Town of Ulysses . He would like to have water services extended to him. The meeting was adjourned at 10 : 00 a.m.