HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2014-06-09BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Regular Meeting 4:50 p.m. June 9, 2014
PRESENT:
Mayor Myrick
Commissioners (6) — Acharya, Darling, Goldsmith, Jenkins, Morache, Warden
OTHERS PRESENT:
Superintendent of Public Works — Thorne
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities — Benjamin
Director of Engineering — West
Director of Parking — Nagy
Executive Assistant — Gehring
Chief of Staff — Sutherland
EXCUSED:
City Attorney — Lavine
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer — Whitney
Common Council Liaison — Fleming
DAC Liaison — Roberts
ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA:
Director of Engineering West requested that Item 8.2A, Award of Contract for Old Elmira Road
Complete Streets Project — Capital Project 784 — Resolution, be deleted from the agenda to
provide staff more time to analyze the received bids.
Supt. Thorne further requested that a new Item 8.2A entitled, Approval of South Cayuga Street
& West Spencer Street Stairwell for the Public Art Commission's Mural and Street Art Program
— Resolution, be added to the agenda.
No Board member objected.
MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS:
The Mayor had no communications at this time.
COMMUNICATIONS AND HEARINGS FROM PERSONS BEFORE THE BOARD:
Robert Nobles, 112 East Falls Street, addressed the Board with concerns about the cost that
was listed in the newspaper for installing new signs if the odd /even parking regulations were to
be changed. He stated he was worried about increasing taxes.
Margherita Fabrizio, 105 Cascadilla Park Road, addressed the Board with concerns about the
terrible state of Cascadilla Park Road and the need to repair the road. She expressed concern
about the City being so underfunded that it can't maintain or repair infrastructure. She
suggested that a task force be created to research what other cities do about their
infrastructure and how they obtain funding.
Alderperson Fleming arrived at 4:56 p.m.
RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC
Commissioner Acharya responded to Mr. Noble to explain that the City would have to install
many signs, but that over time, there would be savings that would benefit the City.
Commissioner Goldsmith responded to Mrs. Fabrizio by stating that an ASCE report estimates
that nationally it would cost cities trillions of dollars to catch up with infrastructure repairs and
maintenance. He further stated that it was nice to hear a citizen raise the issue about the lack
of funds for basic services.
Mayor Myrick responded that Ithaca has been very innovative in obtaining funding, but there
are other things that can done: income taxes can be progressive, can be set only by the NY
State or Federal legislatures, and the decline in federal funding for cities began with former
President Reagan.
Board of Public Works Page 2 June 9, 2014
Regular Meeting
REPORTS
Board Liaisons
Commissioner Darling, Natural Areas Commission Liaison, reported that discussions were
held about the Six Mile Creek Gorge, swimming in the gorge, parking concerns, conversation
with the gorge rangers, concerns with safety, and the need for prior approval for exceptions to
the rules, etc.
Commissioner Warden, Special Joint Commission Liaison, reported that the grant proposal, in
conjunction with the Towns of Ithaca and Dryden, for expanding the process of waste
treatment had been submitted and may be awarded soon.
Commissioner Acharya, Planning and Development Board Liaison, reported that the board
would be holding a special meeting to discuss the Marriott Hotel. He further stated that a lot of
projects were being discussed, especially in Collegetown since the zoning changes had gone
into effect.
Superintendent and Staff
Supt. Thorne reported that the bids for Old Elmira Road Complete Streets Project came in
higher than expected and staff would conduct an analysis of the project to cut costs. He
further noted that the Water Treatment Plant drawings were out to bid until June 24, 2014, and
the offer for the 967 East State Street property was accepted.
Director of Engineering West reported that the City had received $600,000 for the remediation
clean -up at the Ithaca Falls Overlook last year, and now the IURA has received an additional
$700,000 for more remediation. He further stated the Seneca Street Garage repairs had
begun and would be finished in late September; contracts for the Cass Park Ice Rink
Enclosure, and Design of a new Fuel Island at Streets & Facilities were being completed.
Asst. Supt. Benjamin reported that crews were working on sidewalks on Plain and Esty
Streets, repairing Aurora Street Bridge over Cascadilla Creek, and over 2" of rain fell last night
so gullies and culverts were being cleaned out.
Director of Parking Nagy reported that the LPR system had been installed on one vehicle; the
other would be installed this week, with the beginning date of July 1 st for the system being
used in public. He further reported that revenues in the garages were a total of $103,000
above last year's revenues, and staff were cleaning up the garages and making lighting
changes.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Approval of the February 4, 2013, March 25, 2013, and February 24, 2014, Board of
Public Works Meeting Minutes - Resolution
By Commissioner Acharya: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins
RESOLVED, That the minutes of the February 4, 2013, March 25, 2013, and February 24,
2014, Board of Public Works meetings be approved as proposed.
Carried Unanimously
ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATIONS:
Public Hearing for Sidewalk Assessments for Cornell and Hancock Streets
Resolution to Open Public Hearing
By Commissioner Morache: Seconded by Commissioner Darling
RESOLVED, That the public hearing regarding Sidewalk Assessments for Cornell and
Hancock Streets be declared open.
Carried Unanimously
Garrin Danner, City of Ithaca, addressed the Board to express appreciation to the Board for
reducing the assessments for the new sidewalk on Cornell and Hancock Streets. He further
stated that the City may have measured his sidewalk incorrectly and requested that his
assessment be recalculated.
Resolution to Close Public Hearing
By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Goldsmith
RESOLVED, That the public hearing regarding Sidewalk Assessments for Cornell and
Hancock Streets be declared closed.
Carried Unanimously
Board of Public Works Page 3 June 9, 2014
Regular Meeting
VOTING ITEMS:
Buildings, Properties, Refuse and Transit:
Approval of South Cayuga Street & West Spencer Street Stairwell for the Public Art
Commission's Mural and Street Art Program — Resolution
By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Morache
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among
other duties, review and advise Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of
public art in City spaces — buildings, facilities, and infrastructure — and to review development
proposals for decorative elements in the city's public spaces, and
WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls
within the city while providing local artists from all sections of the community an opportunity to
showcase their work, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved the following City -owned sites for inclusion
on the list of potential sites in City of Ithaca Public Art Commission's Mural and Street Art
Program by resolution on May 19, 2010:
• Walls in the City Garages on Green St. and Seneca St.
• Retaining Wall along Ithaca Hotel Site (for temporary image)
• DPW facilities next to the Sciencenter and across the street from Sciencenter
• Municipal Electrical boxes throughout the City
• Retaining walls on West Spencer Street and downstream from the George Johnson
Bridge (Plain Street over Six Mile Creek)
WHEREAS, as a result of this approval, the PAC has worked with nearly 50 artists to install
murals on City -owned property throughout the city, and the response to the new murals has
been overwhelmingly positive, and
WHEREAS, local artist Caleb Thomas recently submitted a proposal for a mural titled
"Astronauts and Flowers" as part of the PAC's Mural and Street Art Program to be installed
within the stairwell near the intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street, and
WHEREAS, the stairwell near the intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer
Street was not included among the sites pre- approved for future murals by the Board of Public
Works in 2010, and
WHEREAS, the PAC discussed Mr. Thomas's mural proposal at its meeting on April 9, 2014,
and agreed that the stairwell near the intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer
Street would be an appropriate location for the proposed mural, pending approval of the
location by the Board of Public Works; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the City -owned stairwell near the
intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street, for inclusion on the list of
potential sites for the PAC's Mural and Street Art Program; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the PAC will continue to work with Planning Department staff to conduct a
mutually acceptable public input procedure for engaging nearby businesses, residences,
and /or business and neighborhood associations for each specific project, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the PAC will work with the City Attorney to ensure that any mural, Request
for Proposals, or contract with a participating artist reflects and accommodates the needs and
constraints of the City.
Carried Unanimously
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Odd /Even Parking Task Force Initial Report
Kevin Sutherland, Chief of Staff, joined the Board for the discussion of this topic.
Mayor Myrick explained that this discussion is the first public discussion of this topic. He
provided a short history of the issues with odd /even parking and why the task force was
created.
Board of Public Works Page 4
Regular Meeting
June 9, 2014
Below is the Executive Summary from the Odd /Even Parking Task Force Initial Report dated
June 5, 2014:
Executive Summary
With a desire by city residents to reduce the number of times a vehicle needs to be moved, a fiscal environment
where government needs to perform efficiently and effectively with fewer resources, such as a reduced number of
Public Works employees and a reduced number of parking enforcement employees, a new method is necessary.
The Odd -Even Parking Task Force proposes:
• Phase I: Removal of the Odd -Even Parking regulation
• Once a week on any given street, no parking from 4am to 4pm. Year round, about one fifth of
Ithaca City streets would be closed to parking on any given weekday (see Appendix A: Map of
Weekday Street with No Parking).
• Major Snow Events. During major snow events, the Mayor or Superintendent of Public Works
can declare a parking ban on all major arterial roads and Ithaca's steepest streets (see Appendix
B: Map of Parking Ban during a Major Snow Event).
• The Creation of a Snow Event Parking Discount for city parking garages.
• A comprehensive signage overhaul for the city — for both the no parking weekday roads and the
no parking major snow event.
Phase 11: Removal of the city -wide 24 hour Parking regulation (except where specifically posted)
Phase III: Utilization of License Plate Recognition technology to identify and ticket violators, and contact
residents if needed
With these changes, the task force believes;
• Residents will only have to move their cars once a week, instead of daily,
• Department of Public Work Crews will be able to schedule street work with less disruption to the public,
• Greater efficiency in street cleaning and snow removal,
• Enforcement will be more efficient,
• Revenue will stay the same over time.
In order to accomplish this, the task force recommends;
• Review and update of the list of streets on the major snow event route,
• Temporary Hiring of 6 people to install the new parking signs in order to complete the project in three
months.
Additionally, the task force recommends:
• Upon implementation of the new parking regulation, an exploration of trash service automation.
Mayor Myrick noted that the proposal would require an installation of comprehensive signage,
which would be a capital cost of approximately $150,000, but that this initial expense would be
recouped over time. He expressed appreciation and enthusiasm toward the task force for
creating the recommendations, and stated the next task of the task force might be to remove
the 24 hour parking regulation.
Chief of Staff Sutherland thanked the members of the task force for their work and expertise.
He explained that the proposal was shared with all department heads, and only two issues
were brought up during the review of the proposal: adding handicapped parking spaces near
the current spaces so disabled residents won't need to travel far on the days their streets are
closed to parking; and Ithaca Carshare would require additional parking spaces.
He noted that four community meetings would be held to obtain comments from the public in
the near future.
Commissioner Acharya noted the estimated savings the City would benefit from if the proposal
is approved. He agreed with the Mayor about removing the 24 hour parking regulation, but
one step should be completed at a time so as to not confuse people. Chief of Staff Sutherland
agreed.
Chief of Staff Sutherland noted that until funding was approved by Council, he could not move
forward with the proposal. He stated he would submit a capital project request for this project.
Supt. Thorne expressed support for the proposal, noting that staff efficiency would increase,
which would save the City money.
Board of Public Works Page 5 June 9, 2014
Regular Meeting
Discussion followed on the floor regarding the 12 hour timeframe beginning at 4 a.m., the
information provided for how other cities handle street cleaning, discounted parking in the
garages during snow emergencies, coordinating street cleaning days with trash collection
days, and possible effective dates.
Chief of Staff Sutherland listed the dates and times of the community meetings that would be
held throughout the City:
Date
Time
Location
Thursday, June 12, 2014
5:30 — 7:00 p.m.
Southside Community Center
Monday, June 16, 2014
5:30 — 7:00 p.m.
Belle Sherman Elementary Cafeteria
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
5:30 — 7:00 p.m.
GIAC Gymnasium
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
7:30 — 9:00 p.m.
LACS Black Box Theater
The Board generally agreed with moving forward with the proposal. Chief of Staff Sutherland
stated the final report would be provided for a future board meeting.
Rusty Water Conditions on Woodcrest Avenue
Mayor Myrick explained the correspondence that was provided to the Board from a resident on
Woodcrest Avenue. Supt. Thorne explained that there are many cast iron water pipes
throughout the city, and, over time, rust builds up in the pipes that reduce the diameter of the
pipe, causing lower water pressure. The pipe along Woodcrest Avenue had a large build -up of
rust and was pressure flushed, which loosened up a lot of the rust. Because Woodcrest
Avenue was a dead -end street, the lack of water movement caused the rust to remain in the
pipes. He stated that complaints had been submitted about the excessive amount of rust that
came out of the tap, even after the pipes were flushed.
Supt. Thorne further stated that pressure flushing was a much more cost effective way to
cleaning the pipes compared to replacing them, though it did take longer than expected to
clear up the rust. He suggested notifying residents well in advance of any planned flushing to
warn them.
Commissioner Warden noted that substandard piping was initially installed, which contributed
to the rust build -up, and that rust would continue to build up over time.
Commissioner Darling asked about the replacement /maintenance schedule for the City's water
pipes. Asst. Supt. Benjamin responded that the current cycle was at 300 years, though it
should be about 120 years. Commissioner Warden further responded that the City was
currently on an emergency fix and repair cycle only.
Alderperson Fleming stated she would take to the residents in the area to obtain feedback
about how the water is flowing now.
ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m.
Kathrin D. Gehring
Executive Assistant
Svante L. Myrick
Mayor