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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2004-01-28Members Present: Council Members Present: staff CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Regular Meeting January 28, 2004 Alderperson Berry, Alderperson Coles, Alderperson Zumoff, Alderperson Townsend, Alderperson Cogan, Mayor Peterson Alderperson Whitmore, Alderperson Mackesey, Alderperson Taylor Present: Marcia Fort (GIAC Director), Brian Wilbur (Fire Chief), Allen Green (YB Director), JoAnn Cornish -Epps (Deputy Planning Director), Rosemarie Tucker (Administrative Secretary), Scott Andrews (Deputy Controller), Steve Thayer (Controller), Schelley Michell -Nunn (HR Director), Denise Malone (Administrative Secretary) Others Present: Members of the Media Meeting called to order by Chairperson Berry at 7:00 p.m. A. Chairperson Greeting & Opening Statement Chairperson Berry welcomed everyone to the first City Administration Committee meeting, which combines the Human Resources Committee and the Budget and Administration Committee. Chairperson Berry introduced the Common Council members and explained how the meeting would run. Chairperson Berry stated that the departments that report to this Committee are the Controller's Office, the Chamberlain's Office, the Human Resources (HR) Department and the Information Technology (IT) Department. B. Agenda Review and Amendments, Approval of Minutes & Announcement There were no minutes to approve, amendments to the agenda or announcements. C. Statements from the Public. None. City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 2 D. Employee Comments & Common Council Response. None. E. Affirmative Action Advisory Committee Update GIAC Director Marcia Fort stated that she is the Co -Chair of the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee (AAAC). The AAAC is comprised of City employees and members of the public. The Committee meets on the third Friday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in City Hall - Common Council Chambers. Ms. Fort mentioned that there were vacancies on the AAAC and asked the Committee to refer interested individuals to the Mayor's Office. Ms. Fort reported that for the last two years the AAAC had been working on the Workforce Diversity Plan. The Workforce Diversity Plan, once completed and adopted by Common Council, will replace the Affirmative Action Plan, which is outdated and does not meet the City needs in terms of diversity. A draft of the plan was shared with the previous Common Council members and with Senior Staff, who had an opportunity to give feedback. Once Common Council adopts the Workforce Diversity Plan, the workforce will be educated and trained on the purpose of the plan. Ms. Fort asked the members to please read and familiarize themselves with the document. Should the Committee members have questions, they can be directed to HR Director Michell - Nunn, GIAC Director Fort or Mayor Peterson. A future meeting will take place between members of Common Council and the AAAC to discuss this plan. Ms. Fort mentioned that a representative from the previous HR Committee attended the AAAC meetings and asked that this arrangement continue. Alderperson Townsend stated that he was the liaison to the AAAC and that he looked forward to working with AAAC. F. Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) 1. Request to Amend Personnel Roster GIAC requested to amend the Personnel Roster by reducing the hours of one (1) Recreation Assistant position from 35 hours /week to 26 hours /week until May 15, 2004. After discussion, Alderperson Cogan made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 3 G. Southside /GIAC /City Working Group 1. Request Temporary Expansion of the GIAC Director's Duties and Responsibilities to Include Limited Oversight of the Southside Community Center The Southside /GIAC /City Working Group has been meeting to explore options for enhanced collaboration between the three parties for the betterment of the Southside and the City as a whole. The Working Group requested a temporary expansion of duties and responsibilities for the GIAC Director to include limited oversight of the Southside Community Center for the months of February, March and April 2004 and to include a stipend of $746 for the period mentioned, which shall be funded by the Southside Community Center, Inc. After discussion, Alderperson Coles made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. H. Fire Department 1. Request to Establish Capital Project #476 for Grant The Ithaca Fire Department applied for and was awarded a $147,568 United States Fire Administration (USFA) Grant. The grant funds will be used to purchase various types of Fire Department equipment over the next year. The Fire Department requested to establish Capitol Project #476 to administer the 2003 US Fire Administration Grant. The total cost of the grant project is $147,568; 90% or $132.811.20 will be funded by the USFA grant and 10% or $14,756.80 will be funded by the City of Ithaca. After discussion, Alderperson Zumoff made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. I Supt. /Engineer's Office 1. Request to Amend 2004 Budget for NYS Highway Safety Program Grant The Superintendent /Engineer's Office applied and was awarded a $61,000 NYS Highway Safety Program grant from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee for the Central Business District (CB()) Traffic Signal Retiming Project. The funds will City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 4 be for consultant fees and software to be used to retime signals located in the CBD bordered by Court Street to the north, Clinton Street to the south, Corn Street to the west, and Aurora Street to the east. The department requested to amend the 2004 Adopted City Budget to better reflect the grant for this program. After discussion, Alderperson Cogan made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Coles. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. J. Chamberlain's Office 1. An Ordinance to Amend Sections 3001(A) (1) and 300 -2(A) of Chapter 300 Entitled "Taxation" of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code Regarding a Real Property Tax Exemption for Senior Citizens & A Local Law Amending Section 300 -26(b) (1) of Chapter 300 entitled "Taxation" of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code Providing for an Increase in the Disability Real Property Tax Exemption City Chamberlain Debra Parsons stated that New York State Tax Law allows municipalities to extend certain real property tax exemptions for individuals who are disabled or who are over the age of 65 and who meet income qualifications. Income levels authorized by Real Property Tax law for the various percentages of exemption were change in 2003 for 2004 assessments. To enact these changes, the submitted local law and ordinance must be passed. After discussion, Alderperson Zumoff made a motion to pass the local law and ordinance. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. K. Youth Bureau 1. Request to Amend 2004 Youth Bureau Budget for US Department of Justice Grant The Youth Bureau (YB) applied and was awarded a $220,000 Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) grant to develop the Beverly J. Martin School Mentoring Project. The YB requested to amend the 2004 Budget for the US Department of Justice Grant. YB Director Green took this opportunity to thank all those who were instrumental in obtaining this grant. After discussion, Alderperson Cogan made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Coles. Motion carried 5- 0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 5 2. Request to Amend Personnel Roster The YB requested to amend the Personnel Roster by reducing the hours of one (1) Recreation Specialist (RMS) from 35 hours /week to 30 hours /week from February 9, 2004 to May 29, 2004. After discussion, Alderperson Zumoff made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Cogan. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. L. Planning & Development 1. Request to Amend Personnel Roster The Planning Department requested to amend the Personnel Roster as follows: Delete: One (1) Environment Landscape Planner (20 hr) One (1) Senior Typist (20 hr) Add: One (1) Senior Typist (35 hr) After discussion, Alderperson Townsend made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Zumoff. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. M. Finance /Controller's Office 1. Request Approval of Expense Reduction Services Agreement The City of Ithaca is considering participating in an energy curtailment program, which involves a utility billing audit. A firm experienced in doing this is Troy and Banks. The results of the audit would potentially bring refunds or rebates to the City. The Controller's Office requested approval to execute and deliver to Troy & Banks an Agreement for expense reduction services. The conditions, duration and term, purpose and objective, manner and extent of payments are set forth in the Agreement. After discussion, Alderperson Cogan made a motion to approve the request. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. The Committee agreed that this item would be put on consent agenda. City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 6 2. Retiree Health Insurance Rate The City of Ithaca currently charges City retirees $171.14 per month for individual health insurance coverage and $391.87 per month for family coverage. The City has not adjusted retirees' health insurance rates since January 1998. The 2004 estimated cost of the City's health insurance program for such individuals as projected by Blue Cross /Blue Shield have been increased to $386.55 per month for individual coverage and $885.14 per month for family coverage. In light of the significant increases in past years in health insurance rates and the hardship these increases would have caused for City retirees, the City adopted a policy of not charging the full rate increases to these individuals. Due to the long period of time since rates were increased, it has been recommended phasing in increases over time. In November 2003, the City proposed rate increases as follows: July 1, 2004 increase rates by 25% or $213.93 per month for individual coverage and $489.84 per month for family coverage; 2005 - 25% increase over 2004 rates or $276.41 per month for individual coverage and $612.30 per month for family coverage; 2006 - 30% increase over 2005 rates or $347.63 per month for individual and $795.99 per month for family. At the December 2003 meeting of Common Council, the request was not approved. The issue before the Committee is the rates needs to be increased but how can it be done fairly and equitably. Alderperson Coles stated that she talked with staff, which expressed concern about the rise in rates for retirees. Alderperson Coles talked to retirees impacted by the proposed rate increase and are aware of the hardship that they face. Alderperson Coles expressed concern about the position that the City is in and the position that the retirees are in and suggested researching this issue. Alderperson Zumoff asked for a brief summary of the differences in current health insurance rates for the retirees. HR Director Michell -Nunn stated that there are over 200 retirees. The retirement date determined the rate for retirees. Employees who retired prior to July 1, 1987, Common Council froze their rates for health insurance. Currently, there are 78 retirees who pay less that $84.03 /month or who fall into the category of zero contribution. The rate is low because the City reimburses the retirees for the cost of Medicare Part B. Ms. Michell -Nunn stated that at some point in time, the City agreed to pay Medicare Part B for the retirees, which currently is $66.60 /month. Since 1987, resolutions were passed which allowed the retirees to pay a percentage of the full premium City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 7 equivalent. The last resolution passed in 1997 for 1998, which established the percentage at 90% of the premium equivalent. Since that date, the premium has not been adjusted, therefore, that 90% over time, as the premium went up, the retirees actually ended up having a fixed rate for the last five years. The Committee discussed the proposed rate increase, the impact the rate increase would have on retirees and the parameters. Controller Thayer stated the proposal is not to increase the percentage but to adhere to the resolution passed in 1997, which would mean that we would move back toward 90% contribution. Questions were raised regarding rescinding the 1987 resolution, which froze rates for retirees who retired prior to July 1, 1987. Controller Thayer stated that employees retired at that time because they knew they could have a low or free rate. So, they made some life's decisions and the City should keep that in mind. Mayor Peterson stated that people who are 65 and are receiving Medicare often buy medigap insurance to make up the difference. The Mayor asked whether or not BC /B5 offers an equivalent plan for that type of insurance. Retirees are buying a full plan for the amount the City charges and maybe a gap insurance plan might be rated at a low rate. Alderperson Cogan stated that in the 1987 resolution there was reference to a Labor /Management Health Insurance Committee and its recommendations. Is there anything in this Committee's report that says why the City offered this incentive to encourage employees to retire? At that time there was not a big discrepancy in the rate, but now there is. Controller Thayer stated that the Committee did exist and that he would research the question. Chairperson Berry stated that a sub - committee should be created to research this issue. Chairperson Berry and Alderperson Coles volunteered to be on the Committee. Alderperson Cogan suggested asking retirees, employees, and people who has had prior knowledge of this issue to be on this Committee. Mayor Peterson suggested talking to former Common Council members Ray Schlather and Jim Dennis, who were a part of the Labor/ Management Health Insurance Committee. City Administration Committee January 28, 2004 Page 8 N. Reports 1. Mayor's Report Mayor Peterson stated that she has no report but that she is eagerly and anticipatorily watching how the City Administration Committee will work since combining the two Committees. 2. Sub- Committee Updates. None. 3. Council Members' Announcements. None. 4. Director's Report. None. 5. Controller's Report Controller Thayer stated that his department is in the process of closing out 2003 accounts and have opened 2004 accounts. Financial reports will be distributed as soon as they are available. 6. Next Month's Meeting: February 25, 2004. O. Possible Motion to Enter into Executive Session to Discuss Collective Bargaining Alderperson Cogan made a motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss collective bargaining. Seconded by Alderperson Townsend. Motion carried 5 -0. After Executive Session, Chairperson Berry reported that a discussion took place regarding collective bargaining but no action was taken. P. Adjournment With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Townsend, the meeting was adjourned at 9:49 p.m.