HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1988-02-29TOWN OF ITHACA
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
February 29, 1988
At a Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca,
Taipkins County, New York, held at the Town Offices at 126 East
Seneca Street, Ithaca, New York, on the 29th day of February, 1988,
there were:
PRESENT: Noel Desch, Supervisor
Henry McPeak, Coimcilman
Shirley Raffensperger, Councilwcsnan
Patricia Leary, Councilwanan
Raymond Bordoni, Comci3man
Thomas Cardman, Coimcilman
ABSENT: Robert Bartholf, Councilman
ALSO PRESENT: John Barney, Town Attorney
Representatives of the Media:
Tom Maskulinski
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Supervisor led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
^ TOWN/CITY/OOUNTY AGREEMENT TO DO COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OF YOUTH
SERVICES
Supervisor Desch remarked that the Board had two and a half
resolutions in their packets pertaining to Youth Services. He went
on to say that by way of a little background, the ad hoc ccmmittee
consisting of County, Town and City and Youth Services people
prepared the resolution that the Board had received with the
agenda. That basically is v^at we all agreed to take back to our
governing bodies. This is what the group agreed should go back to
the City as a commitment to participate in the comprehensive
planning for youth services. This is vtot the Mayor agreed to try
to promote. The Mayor took this to the City B & A Committee i^ch
met last Thursday, the City B & A Committee then came back with a
counter proposal v^ch suggests that the Town be willing to
increase its share to $105,000 v^ch is basically computed by
taking the Towns contribution from the State and adding it on top
of the figure that we had budgeted. In the meantime, the County
Human Services Committee met last week and adopted for the County
Board's recommendation the proposal that the ad hoc committee had
brought forward. Obviously the County ccaMiitment does not involve
hard dollars at this point so they would not be troubled by
anything the Town might decide.
Supervisor Desch went on to say that basically what the City is
saying is that if the Town doesn't enter into a contract with the
' City this year then the Town will loose $17,000 in State Aid. He
^ went on to say that that was true, v^ich means that the amount that
we would have to spend on some kind of a voucher system would be
the $88,000 less the $17,000. What they are saying is that we
should add that $17,000 to the $88,000 in order to get the $17,000
from the State. Eitiier way you look at it you are spending $17,000
Tovm Board 2 February 29, 1988
more than you have budgeted for the current year. It' s a
judgemental question at this particular stage in the v^ole process
whether it makes sense to change our position or not. The reason
vdiy it seemed necessary to bring the Board together today is that
Ccmmon Council is meeting this week prior to our regular meeting
and the other parties on the ad hoc concmittee felt it would be
beneficial to have the County, vhich meets tomorrow, and the Town
on record in favor of our original resolution.
^ Supervisor Desch stated that he was not quite sure vhat to
recGJtEnend to the Board other than the fact that if we want to think
about committing a higher level of funding, obviously we do not
have it budgeted as our budget contingency is $7,000, we could,
however, if we chose use an additional amount from unappropriated
fund balance, if the Board so desired. But he stated he really
felt it would be unwise to decide this quickly on the implications
of any kind of increase. He stated that his own feelings was that
we should get the comprehensive planning done so that we will know
vdiat the services are and if we really want to pay for them before
we make any change. He went on to say that that's really the give
and take that came out of the several meetings that we had with the
ad hoc committee, that it was premature to make any kind of a
substantial change in contribution.
Supervisor Desch noted that if, for example, the other
municipalities in the County that don't pay anything now had comie
forward and said okay we agree to pay a fee of say $20,000 this
year, then we would have something that perhaps we could defend.
He asked the Board if they wanted to take between now and next week
to think about it. Do you want to adopt the ad hoc committees
recommendation, viiich is \^at we have been asked to do, or vftiat?
Councilman Cardman stated that he would just like to add something
^ in support of the Supervisor. He stated that he doesn't know as
much about it as the Supervisor but he had a feeling there was a
lot more to the situation that we need to understand by sitting
— down with themi and taking this budget apart and understanding the
program costs. He stated that he was concerned about the
administrative overhead that they have in the budget. It is a very
large percentage of the budget. It may be justified but that he
did not yet have an imderstanding of v^at's in it. He went on to
say that sitting there at that ad hoc ccmimittee meeting we made it
very clear to them that we are not in a position to go any further
than the $88,000. He noted that the Mayor was there and he felt
that they understood this, but being pushed into having to approve
$108,000 in order to meet something that the City Ccmmon Council
has dictated back to us makes me feel very uncomfortable and he
felt it puts the Board in a position vhere it might be a little
weak in not being able to bargain. At the most, he stated that he
would recommend that if we need to adopt something today, we adopt
the original resolution that we sat there that day and drafted with
them and go on record as saying this is our position as we stated
it to them.
Supervisor Desch ronarked, if we adopt it and the County adopts it
and the City votes it down then on March 1st or there abouts, the
triple rate goes into effect and then we go on some kind of voucher
basis.
! Comcilman Cardman remarked, the interesting thing is and that he
would bring the paper with him Monday, his daughter was at Cass
^ Park a week or so ago and they gave her a rate sheet that was dated
January 4th, it showed the increase in fees for non-city residents
and a decrease in fees for city residents.
Town Board 3 February 29, 1988
Supervisor Desch remarked, that's news! We have not heard anything
about that.
Coimcilman Cardman cx>ntinued, if that's accurate and may be the
wrong sheet got distributed to her, but if that's accurate that's
different then what they have been telling us also.
Councilwoman Paffensperger remarked, let me get kind of up to date
on v^ere we are. There has been this negotiating cotmittee vMch
has ccme with this present proposal, in the interim the B & A
Ccmmittee has met, am I right?
Supervisor Desch replied, and they reviewed it.
Councilwcman Raffensperger continued, and the B & A Conmittee
reviewed it and they are the ones who said throw in yoior $17,000.
Supervisor Desch replied right, as a ccnprcmise.
Councilwoman Raffensperger went on saying, now the truth of the
matter is the people on the negotiating conmittee and the Mayor, or
vdioever was involved, does not have ccnplete and absolute control
over the B & A Conmittee.
Supervisor Desch replied this is correct but the Mayor was very
sincere in supporting that resolution.
Councilwoman Raffensperger remarked that she understood that but
that she was just saying that something has happened in the interim
that the people who were involved in the original agreement
probably didn't have any control over.
Councilman Cardman remarked, the Mayor made it very clear to us
that he could not control vtot they might accept. He didn't iitply
that this would sail right in without any trouble.
Supervisor Desch added, he couldn't guarantee anything.
Councilwcman Raffensperger stated that what she was saying was that
nobody really went back on anything, it's another group of players.
Councilman Cardman and Supervisor Desch agreed.
Councilwoman Raffensperger remarked, since we have received no
formal notice from the City about the action of the B & A
Committee, or have we?
Supervisor Desch replied, well Dominic Cafferillo just delivered
this morning a copy of the resolution adopted by the B & A
Committee, v^ether or not you want to call that formal notice or
not. He went on to say that he had not catpared it with the
resolution Nancy Zahler sent over on Friday.
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked if this would go to Common
Council?
Supervisor Desch replied, right. It will go to Common Council and
they could approve it or not.
Councilwoman Raffensperger noted that since we have a negotiating
committee v^ich came up with this $88,000, can't we just have kind
of an informal concenses that we support; the proposal of that
committee at this point and then see v^at happens.
Supervisor Desch replied, yes.
865
Town Board 4 February 29, 1988
Councilman Cardman stated that that is v^at he would like to see
the Board do,
Coimcilman McPeak reniarked that there is a possible alternative
that he has suggested a couple of times. And that is that we go
and see the people at the YMCA, They have staff and facilities and
etc,, they might be interested in taking on seme of the programs.
Councilman Cardman remarked, even if we get by this hurdle, which
probably we can sanehow, may be there will be seme people on Cemraon
I Council v^o see it our way, we still, he felt, have a long way to
go before we imderstand vdiat we are paying for and vdiat we want to
pay for. He stated that if his numbers are right, 21% of their
budget is administrative overhead, that's a lot.
Supervisor Desch alluded to a letter that he had written to former
Mayor Ed Conley in 1979, That was vAien Don Slatterly came to one
of our budget meetings in '78 and said they wanted 100% increase in
the youth services contributions. He stated that he wrote to Mayor
Conley indicating that the best we could support, at the time, was
15% but suggested that we start right away on a conprehensive
master plan, v^ich he did not pursue. He noted that he gave Mayor
Gutenberger a copy of this letter. This ccnprehensive planning
thing is really not a new idea, everybody has recognized that there
was a problem for a long time it's just that v^en does it become a
priority. Now suddenly it's become a priority, and appropriately
so, but he felt that one of the bigger commitments in this
resolution is that the parties are willing to meet however often is
necessary to get- this thing done this year, by August,
Councilwcman Raffensperger stated that she thought this was worth a
lot, as far as she was concerned, because her iitpression has long
been that the City has backed off of this kind of conprehensive
^ planning effort because they didn't want to give up control. They
wanted some more money but they didn't want to give up control.
Now obviously, for whatever reason, things come into place vdiere
— they are willing to enter a joint planning venture, which she felt
was great progress. And v^ile she understood all the difficulties
she did not want the Board to, just because we are snitted about
being asked for some more money or vtotever, to too quickly give up
the conprehensive planning effort for a program that has been in
existence for many many years and it would be very difficult for
the children.
Councilman Cajrdman replied, this has all been said by Supervisor
Desch, Coimcilman McPeak and myself, sitting with the other people.
No one is debating the nature of the services and nobody wants to
see the Town of Ithaca and the City and County or any other Town or
Village having to do their own. Really, they come walking up to us
now, saying it's this way or no way kind of leaves us in a very bad
position.
Supervisor Desch noted, the other thing about his letter to former
Mayor Conley is that nine years have ensued with regard to the
opportunity to get money from the other municipalities, v4io are
contributing nothing, has failed to produce results. You really
can't put that on the back of the Town of Ithaca, We and the City
as partners could go to the other raunicipalites but we certainly
iwi can't do it alone,
I
Councilman Cardman added, it's not our agency.
Supervisor Desch replied, it's not our agency and really the effort
has not been there so v^y should we have to be the one to make up
whatever portion of the difference because they are not coming
Town Board 5 February 29, 1988
through. It's just not appropriate. The Supervisor stated that he
would inform the City of the Board's decision.
BOND RESOLUTION FOR SECOND SOUTH HILL WATER DISTRICT
Supervisor Desch noted that this item has a lot of history. He
went on to say that in 1968, the then Town Board adopted a maturity
schedule for the financing of the Second South Hill Water District.
That maturity schedule was a 40 year paydown. Since 1968 the Town
has been financing annually the paydown of the debt on the basis of
that maturity schedule with Bond Anticipation Notes. In 1975, the
Town prepared to permanently finance all of the bits and pieces of
districts that were in existence at that time. The decision that
was made by the Town at that time, on the basis of Bond Counsel's
advice, was to leave Second South Hill Water District out of that
package because the odd number of years that were left in the
retirement of that debt would have driven the interest rate in the
twenty year borrowing of all of the bits and pieces way out of
proportion. Plus the fact that the New York City financial crises
hit at the time, and that was a factor that was of great concern in
driving the interest rate for that vhole borrowing package way up.
So, in the following years we have been paying it down on a BAN
basis vdiich you can do for water and sewer assessments that are
assessible irrprovements.
The Supervisor went on to say, now canes along the 1986 Tax Reform
Act vdiich has a little statement in there saying that if all the
proceeds on capital projects have been spent, if there is any
temporary debt involved the interest on that tertporairy debt becomes
taxable. You can understand that because municipalities might have
a tendency to borrow a lot of money for a little project, spend it
on the little project and have money left over and keep rolling it
^ over and keep making interest earnings, vdiich the v^ole tax reform
.! act tells you you can no longer do. We have a potential problem
with IRS if we don't permanently finance these little odds and ends
that we have left over. There are two resolutions for Second South
Hill District and then a small one having to do with Coddington
Road v^ich Bond Counsel hasn't been able to answer the question yet
as to whether that will be rolled in or not. Fortunately, we are
only twenty years away from the caipletion of the debt retirement
on the Second South Hill District so it is in the category v^ere we
can permanently finance it. What the Bond Counsel is recotitiending
is that we purchase a statutory installment bonds. Towns are
allowed up to $500,000 in that vehicle. Logistically the problem
that we have is that the date of renewal of these notes is March
3rd, however, testing the market in terms of the best interest rate
on the statutory installment bonds will take longer than the few
days we have between now and March 3rd, so Bond Counsel reccmmends
that we reissue the Bond Anticipation Notes for one month during
v^ch time they can arrange for the permanent financing of the
balance. The only other inportant piece of information on that is
that the amount of principal that we pay for this one month renewal
has to be done very carefully because of the 50% rule v^ch applies
to municipal financing. That is, the maximum principal payntoit
that you make in any one year cannot be anymore than 50% larger
than the smallest municipal payment ever made. The amounts that we
would be paying upfront on a one month note will be a little larger
than they have in the past but they will set the stage for us to be
! able to do that on a permanent basis. He stated that v^at he was
looking for today was a resolution authorizing him to execute a one
month Bond Anticipation Note for the Second South Hill Water
District Notes (two of them) and the Coddington Road Extension
Note.
fOZ
Town Board 6 February 29, 1988
The Supervisor went on to say that the total sum left on the notes
is $156,457 on Note Number 1, $121,043 on Note Number 2 and $11,500
on the Coddington Road Water Extension Note. The amount of
principal that we will be paying is $7,593 on the first note,
$5,907 on the second note and $11,500 on the third note. We will
be back at the ^ril meeting, if not sooner, to authorize the
permanent financing.
Councilman Cardman asked vhat this would do to the budget?
Supervisor Desch replied, it won't be a significant difference.
However, next year it will depend on the interest rate we are able
to get on the statutory installment bond.
RESOLUTION NO. 53
Motion by Supervisor Desch; seconded by Councilman Cardman,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby
authorize the Supervisor to execute a one month Bond Anticipation
Note for Second South Hill Water District, Note No. 1; Second South
Hill Water District, Note No. 2; and Coddington Road Water
Extension.
(Desch, McPeak, Raffensperger, Leary, Bordoni and Cardman voting
Aye. Nays - none).
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was duly adjourned.
Town Clerk
ArnoAviT or rvtucATKW
The Ithaca Journal
Jstfij ^ork, QUm^knis Cmnttg,
duly rw'om, deposes
and says, that he resides in Ithaca, County and state aforesaid and
^t be is
of Tta Iteaca Journal a public newspaper printed and published
^ Ithaca aforesaid, and ^lat a notice, of which the annexed is a true
cx^. was published in said paper
and that flie first publication of said notice was on the .._iS5-2
day of 19 ??
Subscribed ^d s^om to before me, this .. ^.2. ... day
19..„X2
L=
Notary FubUc.
JEAN FO:
Notary Public, Stare of New York
No. 4654410
Qualified in Tompkins County
Commission expires May 31, 19/2*1
TOWN OF ITHACA
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING rrv,
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that the_.
Town Board of the'Town of^«'
Ithacd will ihTOVarKl conduct^^'i
a public hMfihg'oh~ February!.
8, 1988 at 7:00 P.AA, dt the ^
Town HaII,'',T26'EGSt;Sonecairil ;
Street, ' ithdcq',"?lww;-York,F' t6 ..^^ :
consider-adppt|dn*]bf,.dn drdi'f r
nonce amehdihg 'and .'fe'stat-,' &0
ing ordinance regulating traf-;*p?
fic and parking dri Rddt Street^^^-
in the Town'of Ithdca and willc^v.
at this time hear all persons inoN'S -
favor of or opposed to the".4;>
adoption of said ordinance." ^
Jean H. Swortwood iisv
Town Clerk j
January 1988 • , T'*
AFFIDAVIT OF rVMUCATlOit
The Ithaca Journal
of ^nrk, tCmmkms CcimtB,
duly su-om. deposes
and ttyi, diat be resides in Ithaca, County and state aforesaid and
^t be is
of Tta Iteaca Journal a public newspaper printed and published
in Ithaca aforesaid, and that a notice, of whidb the annexed is a true
copy, was published to said paper n
and that first publ
day of ......
kxon of said notice was on the ..... <^..2
19...$.!..
Suboibed ^d r^om to before me, this .^SsS day
JEAN FORD
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 4654410
Qualified in Tompkins County^^
Commission expires May 31, 19.*Vy
Notary Publ^.
TOWNOFITHACA .
NOTICE OF PUBUC HEARING OV
PLEASE TAI« NOTICE, that the .'
Town Boardof Town of
ithoco will meet and conduct, ■.«o public heOring on February'''" •8, 1988 at 7:10 P.AA.; ot thk^i
Town Hall, =126. Eost Seneco,^nStreet/'Jthocd,■!New-:ybrk, to"-consider odoptldh of on brdl-ttVi'', jnonce amending and restot->i^-ing ordinance'reguloting trof-^ -fic ond parking in the Town of Jir? ■Ithoco ond will at this .time^ihear oil persons in favor "of prr;.opposed to the, odoption 'bf ^sold ordinonce. - .1 . /.v-v . '
. ' .'f Jeon H. SwortwoocL ,VV ■
TJonuery 27, 1988 own Cterk'*^.'
a ■ ' ■
ATFIDAVIT or rVUUCATION
The Ithaca Journal
^tfo ^ork, QEns^kins QI(niRt|2>
V , , ,— — duly s>*'oni, deposes
•nd says, Aat he resides in Ithaca, County and state aforesaid and
Aat he is
oi TJbe Ithaca Jouknal a public De>K'spaper printed and published
In Idiaca aforesaid, and that a notice, of which the •Tmexed is a true
copy, was published in said paper
and that the first publication of said notice was on the
, day of
^ Subscribed ^d s>^om to before xne, this .. as.. ... day■=5:^^3_
11 Hoiory Pti>Uc.^ JEAN FORuNotary Public, S^a^e cf New York
No. 46544WQualified in Tompkins Coun,v%>Commission expires May 31, 19^
\ OF "itHACA " '-J:?!
?oTs(rli ,fo '
Suh;^?-'?'"9« OrdinancerJS'n'c?S4;^3'!;'^VSt .per^ns In favor of or ooDoseef* '''
- ioncl. ?oi<rordi.»'»U' jean H, Swariwep^d!'^,
January 27, 1988
'
■f,''
, >
affidavit of fvmucation
The Ithaca Journal
of ^tfo ^ork, flEompkin® Coimlg,
being duly sworn, deposes
**y*» ^bat he resides in Ithaca, County and state aforesaid and
that he is
of Tta Itbaca Journal a public newspaper printed and published
In Ithaca aforesaid, and that a notice, of the annexed is a true
copy, was published in said paper "://
and that the first publication of said notice was on the
day of 19 J;
^
N *****
^ Subsoibed end s^om to before xne, this ^ dav
JEAN FORD
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 4654410
Qualified in Tompkins County,
Commission expires May 3l/l9^
Notary Pvblic.
- " town OF ITHACA .HNOTia OF PUBLIC WE^NG |ptEASE TAKE NOTICt, That the ^
Town Board ' tb® >
Ithaca will meet and conduct j
a public hearing o" '
8 1988 at 7:30 P.M., at the
Town Noll, 126 Eost^eco ,Street, Ithcca.^New Y<^ toconsider the adoption oio \^.
col low amending the Zoning •Ordinance to provide a So
cial Land UseMixed Use) ,at East
Shore Drive for the TompWns
County Chamber of Commerce end will at t^bme^
hear all persons in favw ^ oropppsed to the adoption of
said locol low. . n / ^ nJean H. Swortwood
Town Clerk
January 27. 1988
affidavit of fubucation
The Ithaca Journal
^tstz of ^tfo ^nrk, tllniBykm® Cmntig, %tji
dulv swom, deposes
ftod uys, tiiat he resides in Ithaca., County and state aforesaid and
Aat he is
of Tta Itsaca Journajl a public newspaper printed and published
in Idiaca aforesaid, and that a notice, of whi^ the annexed is a true
copy, was published in said paper ,...y.A:zZ£.t„...-.
ind that the first publication of said notice was on the
of £.<fe4«!!=cfe«;.=.. 19....^.X
Si^CTibed and si*^om to before me. this . .... day
oT:::::^^ 19...C.?!
yf Notary Pubiic.
JEAN FORD
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 4654410
Qualified in Tc.Tipkins County^j^
Commission expires May 31, \9m^
TOWN OF PTHACA ^ ^ ^NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ^ { "V j
PLEASE TAKE NOnCE, that the% 5,; .
Town. Board -.of the''Tbwp ''of'fj.^: N..-;"
Ithoco^ will meet and cohduct'i^v Vr:>; 1
n 'minify V.*-
Street, lthacd;'''New Ybrk/Mo
consider the. qdbptlpn ' - - ->Pt«P»LOf .fj;
19 .^e Zbning jlvfcol low^arnendind the Zbriihg
Ordinance of the Tbym .of Hho-
fqyor of. or: opposed .• to n the *- ^
•adoption bf said ioboriow." P;v.
y.r^ • ' Jeon H. Swortwood lsr;VV'-;-.i. ',
■■: Town ClerkJonoory 27, T988.. \-i