HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2014-06-23BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. June 24, 2014
PRESENT:
Mayor Myrick
Commissioners (5) - Darling, Morache, Warden, Goldsmith, Acharya
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Attorney - Lavine
Superintendent of Public Works - Thorne
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Benjamin
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer — Whitney
Director of Engineering - West
Director of Parking - Nagy
Information Management Specialist - Myers
Chief of Staff — Sutherland
EXCUSED:
Commissioner Jenkins
Common Council Liaison — Fleming
DAC Liaison — Roberts
Additions to or Deletions From the Agenda:
Director of Engineering West Requested the Addition of Item 9.4 under Discussion
Items entitled "Outdoor Dining on North Tioga Street ".
No Board Member objected.
Mayor's Communications:
Mayor Myrick reported to the Board on the fatal accident that occurred Friday, June 20,
2014 at Simeon's Bistro around 4:00 p.m. when a tractor trailer car carrier crashed into
the restaurant, killing the bar tender and injuring seven others. Remarkably, all seven
people were treated for minor injuries and released. The truck driver was treated at the
scene and released as well. The investigation into the accident is continuing; however,
he wanted to praise and recognize the tireless and incredible amount of work,
coordination, and teamwork by members of the City of Ithaca Fire Department, Police
Department, Department of Public Works, and Building Division. He spotlighted for the
Board the staff members of the Department of Public Works that responded
immediately and remained on scene until after 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning. They were:
Supt. Thorne, Director of Engineering West, Asst. Supt. Benjamin, Asst. Supt. Whitney,
and Supervisor Murphy.
The Mayor discussed how the City proceeded with containment of the scene, partial
demolition of the building, and removal of the truck. He noted that members of the
Department of Public Works worked alongside with members of the Building Division,
which included Director of Code Enforcement Niechwiadowicz, and Sr. Code Inspector
Schell until early Saturday morning to secure and stabilize the scene.
Mayor Myrick noted that as of this morning the 100 Block of North Aurora Street
remains closed, and most of the debris has been cleared away. He stated that Director
of Code Enforcement Niechwiadowicz is putting together a stabilization plan and is
working with the structural engineer to determine when and if the street can be
reopened to traffic and the sidewalk to pedestrians.
He doesn't believe the building will need to be condemned; however, the building is
more than 130 years old; it is not protected by Ithaca Landmarks Preservation, but it is
on the New York State registry of historical buildings, so there might be grant money
available to assist in rebuilding, depending upon what the property owner decides.
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes June 23, 2014
A brief discussion followed on the floor regarding the accident, and what might be
involved in rebuilding and restoring the building to what was there prior to the accident.
DPW staff had the foresight to set aside historical debris that could be saved so that
pieces and parts can be replicated more easily if the owners decide to move in that
direction.
Further discussion followed on the floor on what could be done to prevent a similar
accident in future at that location, what kind of physical barriers can be put on the
Commons, as well as what kind of legal barriers could prevent trucks from using hills to
come into the city. Since the Commons is currently under reconstruction, discussions
will be held regarding stronger barriers that might be installed at that end of the
Commons as part of the project.
Mayor Myrick noted that he has been receiving calls from local representatives about
what they can do to help, which will help the City as it works with New York State
Department of Transportation to address concerns and changes that could be made to
prevent another accident in that location, as well as truck access to the City in general.
Communications and Hearings of Persons Before the Board:
Fay Gougakis, City of Ithaca addressed the Board to voice her concern regarding a
bicycle parked in the Seneca Street parking garage that takes up two spaces. She
knows who the person is that leaves the bike there, and has brought this to the attention
of the parking garage staff, but nothing has been done. She encouraged the Board to
address the matter with the person so they understand how their bicycle should be left
on the rack.
Response to the Public:
Mayor Myrick asked Director of Parking Nagy to look into the matter because it is similar
to a car taking up two parking spaces, which would not be allowed.
Reports:
Planning and Development Board Liaison Acharya noted that today would be his last
Board of Public Works meeting, and tomorrow would be his last Planning and
Development board meeting. He reported that one item on tomorrow's agenda is the
Marriott Hotel, which is turning into quite a challenging project. He encouraged the
Mayor to review the project and provide input to the Board.
Mayor Myrick expressed his sadness at Commissioner Acharya's departure from the
Board, and thanked him for his service to the Board of Public Works, and for his tenure
as a great Chair for the Planning and Development Board. He will be missed very
much. Other Board members expressed their thanks and appreciation to him as well.
Supt. Thorne thanked the Mayor for his comments about how the Department of Public
Works staff responded to the accident at Simeon's and echoed those same thoughts.
He also supported the comments made about the great job done by the Ithaca Fire and
Police Department members. In addition, he appreciated the assistance from the staff
of the Building Division. It was also great to have staff from the Water and Sewer
department respond to the scene to assist. Everyone did an excellent job that made for
a long day and night for staff, as most did not leave the scene until after 3:30 a.m.
Saturday morning. He wanted to publicly acknowledge all the City staff for their service
and the great coordination and cooperation between departments; it was remarkable
and very much appreciated.
Director Engineering West reported that the Alex Haley and Cass Park pools have been
repaired and are open for the season! Replacement of the pool at Cass Park will need
to be discussed in future because there is a concern about whether the same problem
will recur or not, and staff from NYSEG will need to be involved well.
Asst. Supt. Benjamin reported that crews are prepping for curb installation on Esty
Street, and that work should be completed by early July.
Asst. Supt. Whitney reported that 17 water services were replaced on West Clinton
Street to address water quality issues. He noted that they are encountering issues with
different water quality problems around the city, for example, today the problem was at
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June 23, 2014
Osmun Place. Crews investigated and found that the main is so plugged that there is
little flow, so they may try to clean it, but it may be another water main replacement
project for next year; it may be more than 100 years old.
Director of Parking Nagy reported that he worked with Tompkins Cortland Community
College and Tompkins County to put together a hospitality training program for city staff.
Seven staff members from the Parking Division attended the "Ambassador Training
Program ". The training focused on dealing with difficult customers, and included a tour
of different areas in the County. The whole concept was to train staff on how to bring the
services they provide to a higher level, and to help them understand they represent the
City when they are working. It was an excellent program, and everyone who attended
came to him afterwards to say that they now understood what he was talking about
regarding customer service. He hopes to continue the training in the future as well.
He further reported that the license plate readers have been installed with the expected
GPS issues. He also reported that parking revenue for the garages through June 22,
2014 was over $100,000 more than at this point in 2013.
Mayor Myrick stated that he received a couple of compliments already regarding the
hospitality training, as well as for the work by Streets and Facilities on West Hill, the
public has been very impressed.
Approval of Minutes:
Approval of the June 9, 2014 Regular Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes -
Resolution
By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Morache
RESOLVED, That the minutes of the June 9, 2014 Regular Board of Public Works
meeting be approved with noted corrections.
Carried Unanimously
Highways, Streets and Sidewalks:
Award of Contract for Old Elmira Road Complete Streets Project - Capital Project
#784 - Resolution
By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Goldsmith
WHEREAS, Common Council established Capital Project #784 for the Old Elmira
Road Complete Streets Project, and
WHEREAS, on January 1, 2013, a budget allocation of $1,365,000 was authorized for
Capital Project #784, and
WHEREAS, bids were received on Friday, June 6, 2014, for the Old Elmira Road
Complete Streets Project General Construction Contract, and
WHEREAS, Paul F. Vitale, INC. located at 7665 North Street Road, Auburn, New
York. 13021, is the apparent low bidder with a base bid of Two Million Forty
Seven Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety -One Dollars ($2,047,891.00) for Old
Elmira Road Complete Streets Project General Construction Contract; now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby awards the General
Construction Contract for City of Ithaca -DPW, Old Elmira Road Complete Streets
Project to Paul F. Vitale, INC. , and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Works is authorized to enter into
and administer this contract.
Supt. Thorne explained what funds have been allocated, and the four bids received for
the project. The lowest bidder came in $700,000 over budget for the project.
He reported that staff reviewed what items might be cut out of the project in an effort to
find some savings. During that review, they discovered that the quantity of asphalt listed
on the bid sheet had been doubled by mistake, so there will be significant savings there.
He stated that because the funds for the project came from CHIP's funding, the City
needs to award the bid for the full award amount. He explained that staff would
recommend that the Board award the bid as proposed, and then they will review what
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes
June 23, 2014
other items could removed from the project in order to bring it closer to the budgeted
amount.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding what changes staff might recommend be
made to the project in order to bring it within budget. One item proposed for removal
would be the proposed new sidewalk between Lucatelli's restaurant and the traffic
circle; the savings to the project would be significant. That proposal generated a lot of
discussion with both Board members and the Mayor expressing their opinions as to the
value of having the sidewalk there or not at this point in time. It was noted that there is a
sidewalk on the other side of the street by Baker Park. There is also a proposal for a
mid -block cross walk in that area that would connect to the existing sidewalk.
Director of Engineering West stated that some engineering work done in -house might
provide additional savings as well. In addition, it is anticipated that there would be some
assessment for new curbing according to the new sidewalk program.
Commissioner Goldsmith noted that when this project was first proposed, the affected
commercial property owners on the south side of the street told the Board that a
sidewalk is not needed there because no one walks there anyway. Staff's response
was that this is an urbanization project that makes the area more like a big city. It may
lead to land use changes, which is what happens in cities. It is important to see beyond
the project's interference with businesses there right now, to the potential growth and
development that may result because of the project.
A Vote on the Resolution Resulted as Follows:
Carried Unanimously
Parking and Traffic:
Endorsement of the Odd /Even Parking Task Force's Proposed Policy - Resolution
Chief of Staff Sutherland joined the Board for discussion of this topic. He asked the
Board to postpone the discussion and vote until their next meeting. He reported that as
a result of the public meetings, internal conversations, some assumptions that were
made, and some changes requested that he needs time to review the information in
order to provide a better estimate as to how much the project will cost the City. He will
provide a full update and report on the proposed policy to Board members well before
their next meeting so they have plenty of time to review the information.
Mayor Myrick stated that he thinks this is a terrific proposal, and noted that there will
always be some level of opposition to new plans, and that the City can't please
everyone.
Discussion Items:
Outdoor Dining on North Tioga Street:
Director of Engineering West explained that Kilpatrick's Restaurant on North Tioga
Street would like to expand their outdoor dining area; however, due to the serving of
alcohol the dining area needs to be contiguous to the building. He explained that staff
would propose to eliminate the curb and two parking spaces, which would allow 400
square feet for outdoor dining that would be legal as it would be contiguous to the
building. The Downtown Ithaca Alliance has offered to provide some funding for the
proposal, as well as some funds from the City's parking program, and funds from the
hotel /restaurant owner to pay for the cost of the work. He stated that staff would like to
provide the Board with a recommendation in support of the request for their next
meeting.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding the funding sources, why the City would need
to provide funding, and the loss of two parking spaces and their revenue. Further
discussion followed on how the additional outdoor dining space would be created, and
the positive aspects of the proposal.
Slope Failure below Forest Home Drive Report and Discussion
Director of Engineering West reported that the approximate cost for this repair work is
$600,000. Common Council authorized $400,000 three years ago to make emergency
repairs, the repairs have not been effected, and the money has not been spent. He
stated that staff is not ready to make final a recommendation regarding how to address
the slope stability issue. Forest Home Drive is a narrow street, and doesn't handle a lot
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Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes June 23, 2014
of city traffic. Chief of Staff Sutherland has been asked to work with Cornell University
regarding the necessary repair work to discuss the possibility of their providing some
funding for the project since it is located on the campus.
Board members recommended that the City abandon the road. City Attorney Lavine
responded that abandonment is an option - legally speaking. However, he can't imagine
that Cornell University would want the road closed since it provides access to their
parking garage. He stated that it would make better sense to have Cornell University
provide funding for the necessary repairs.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding what it would mean if the City were to
abandon the road. Mayor Myrick stated that the Board could recommend that he go to
the President of Cornell University to explain that the City can't afford to repair the wall,
and so will abandon the road. He further noted that if Cornell University fails to agree to
provide at least some funding to keep the road open, the argument could be made to
abandon it. It was suggested that perhaps Cornell University could take ownership of
road and maintain it. Mayor Myrick suggested that the Board continue this discussion.
In the meantime, he will let Cornell University know and see where it goes.
Request to Perform a Public Arts Installation at Ithaca Falls:
Applicant Jenn Houle and Sally Grubb, from the Public Art Commission joined the
Board for discussion of the request.
Ms. Houle explained that the objective of the art installation at Ithaca Falls is to raise
awareness of lead poisoning in birds (i.e. hawks, eagles), and to focus on birds
indigenous to this area. She reported that the Public Art Commission is very much in
support of the request, and has suggested that she also work to partner with Cornell
University's lab of ornithology to develop the sculptures.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding safety concerns of the viewing of the art
installation from the upper area of the falls near Willard Way. There is no parking there,
and it might become a problem if there is a large crowd with cars to view the
presentation. Further discussion followed regarding possible locations for parking and
viewing that would not pose safety hazards. It was noted that in order for the projection
to be successful there needs to be a sufficient flow of water over the falls, which means
it must have rained significantly two to three days prior to the event. The water levels go
up and down, and sometimes in September the Falls could be dry. It was suggested
that an alternate date be planned should that be the case.
Commissioner Darling expressed regret that there is no mechanism in place for the
Natural Areas Commission to approve or disapprove the use since this event is planned
for a natural area. He doesn't oppose the request, but the Natural Areas Commission
should be allowed to provide input.
Discussion followed as to whether or not this event would fall under the special event
permit requirements. City Attorney Lavine stated that he would review the request
related to liability concerns and let staff know so a resolution can be prepared, that
includes appropriate language, if necessary, regarding insurance /liability requirements.
The Board requested that a resolution in support be prepared for their next meeting.
Retaining Wall Failure in Six Mile Creek:
Supt. Thorne reported that two sections of the retaining wall in Six Mile Creek by South
Cayuga Street at Titus Avenue were lost into the creek recently, and there is a concern,
because the creek rises quickly when it rains, about erosion. He would recommend
installing metal sheet piling so the bridges' concrete walls keep water from further
eroding into the slope.
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Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes
June 23, 2014
The preliminary estimate from contractors for that work is $65,000, which is way beyond
what can be done in an emergency situation so staff is looking at other options than
sheet piling. Staff hoped to have a resolution for the Board for today's meeting, but will
have to review options and the budget. More information and possibly a resolution will
be coming in the future.
Executive Session to Discuss Acquisition of Real Property:
By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Warden
RESOLVED, That the Board enter into Executive Session to Discuss the Acquisition of
Real Property.
Carried Unanimously
Reconvene:
The Board of Public Works reconvened into regular session with no formal action taken.
Adjournment:
On a motion the meeting adjourned.
Sarah L. Myers Svante L. Myrick
Information Management Specialist Mayor
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