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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-1981-03-18COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK 5:00 P.M. March 18, 1981 Special Meeting PRESENT: Ma— y "= Bordoni Boothroyd, Boronkay, Dennis, Gutenberger, Aldermen (10) - Holman, Saccucci, Schuler, Slattery Holman, Nichols, OTHERS PRESENT: City Controller - S p a n o Deputy City Controller - Cafferillo City Attorney - Shapiro Building Commissioner - Hoard Youth Bureau Director - Cutia Planner II - Sieverding Director of Planning & Development - Van Cort City Clerk - Rundle PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: a or Bor oni le all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the E �_1 M y American flag. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: Agenda: ::1: May Bor onl requeste the addition of three items to the C y Petitions and Hearings of Persons Before Council; It proposed Item B, an Building Commissioner; and Item D, ] P Appointment of Deputy and the funding for that plant. sewage treatment p No Council member objected. PETITIONS AND HEARINGS OF PERSONS BEFORE COUNCIL: Tsvi Bokaer - Cate des Amis Tsvi Bokaer, Cayuga Street, addressed the Council concerning his intention to open a restaurant on North Aurora tSStreen a restaurant in t was P it was unfortunate that he had com�hat theaarea had several establish- which particular area, not knowing m ents selling alcoholic beverages, which establishments have caused the Ithaca Police Department a lot Ofenrhislrestaurantkbecausel }1ene that he chose Ithaca as a place to op publicity wished for a calm and peaceful liTeexpladnednthatwant theasalethe ofpbeer and of the last few weeks. He further p in fact, it is a very wine in his restaurant is not the main issue; small part of the intended business. Mr. Bokaer intends to ona�aeeken until 8:00 p.m. on week nights and enalizedr heaislhere to offer food ends. He feels he should not be p the main item and beer and wine as atoerecommendtthatntheeAlcoholict the Council reconsider its decision Beverage Control Board not issue a inthasd beer gicense, taking into account what Mr. Bokaer has stated at Mayor Bordoni explained that since sending his letter to the Alcoholi y application of Bokaer be denie Beverage Control Board asking that the app he has talked at length with Mr. and Mrs. Bheaeriand fodndthats the s of beer and wine is a very minut e p knowing the actual circumstances involved with ithtthe opening Of-the e Ca des Amis, he is not hesitant at all in referred back to the Planning and Development Committee for further review. Resolution Seconded b Alderman Boothroyd By– Ammerman Slattery: by RESOLVED, That the matter of the recommendation by Alcoholic Beverage Control Board that the Cafe des Amis beer and wine further review ebye that ccommittee Planning andthe for Committee Discussion followed on the floor. Mayor to the be denied a and Devel.opme Mayor. 228 - 2 - Alderman Dennis arrived at the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (9) Abstention (1) - Dennis Carried March 18, 1981 Resolution By Alderman Boronkay: Seconded by Alderman Schuler RESOLVED, That the Planning and Development Committee set up a criter pertaining to all liquor license requests that are going to be brought in front of that Committee in the future. Carried Unanimously RESOLUTION APPROVING APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY BUILDING COMMISSIONER AND FIXING STARTING SALARY: By Al erman Slattery: Seconded by Alderman Boothr.oyd WHEREAS, the position of Deputy Building Commissioner has been vacant since June 30, 1979, and WHEREAS, on February 19, 1981, the Budget and Administration Committee Of Common Council granted an exception to the hiring freeze, author- izing the Building Commissioner to hire a Deputy Building Commissioner and WHEREAS, on February 26, 1981, the Budget and Administration Committee gave the Building Commissioner authority to offer the position to the selected candidate at any step in the salary range based on t}ie candidate °s qualifications, and WHEREAS, the Building Commissioner convened an interviewing and selection panel Appeals consisting of the Chairman of the Board of Zoning , the Chairman of the Housing Board of Review and Building Board of Appeals, the Personnel Administrator and the Building Commissioner to interview and rank the candidates, and WHEREAS, the selection panel has a candidate has been selected by completed its selection process the Building Commissioners NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESO Cod and JIVED, That this Common Council does hereby approve the appointment of Peter Dieterich for an indefinite term to the office of Deputy Building Commissioner, subject,*.to the proba- tionary period prescribed by Civil Service regulations d BE IT F , an URTHER RESOLVED, That the starting salary of Peter Dieterich in the office of Deputy Building Commissioner be fixed at $20,267 commencing April 6, 1981. Discussion followed on the floor. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (9) - Boothroyd, Boronkay, Dennis, Gutenberger, }Tolman Nichols, Saccucci, Schuler, Slattery Nay (1) - Banfield Carried SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: Y.M.C.A. ISTay Bro ordoni -referred to a Memo from Herman Sieverding to the Mayor and members of Common Council dated February 24, 1981. The Mayor asked Herman Sieverding, one of the City Planners who has worked very closely with the YMCA situation over the last 12 months or more, to review the February 24th Memo. Planner Sieverding said he would like to pick up from the Common Council meeting of December 30th. At that meeting there was a reso- lution passed that asked the Planning and Development Department to further develop a proposal that had been presented at that meeting Which was for a joint facility of the Youth Bureau and Y.M.C.A. on 230 March 18, 1981 -3- as well as develop other alternatives. Planner the Tin Can Site, 24th summarizes the alternatives that �s Memo of February put together since the 5ieverding and Development Committee has p the the. the Planning working with representatives of the Town, December meeting, explained that the Planning Attorney Shapiro reg and the Youth BuCommitteeahadrworkedrwith Cit,-1 the methods available and Development Committee to Counc the best the land disposition and he exp Shapiro as being for bid also mentioned the value of the property and the one that had been recommended by alternative. He purposes . for the Youth Planner Sieverding explained the alternative proposals Tin Can is sold. One alternative is a new building Bureau if the jointly with the Y.M.C•A• with p the Tin Can site be used J •n the process of being i it The second alternative . the Youth Bureau a Town participation- which property 1 Planner the G.I.A.C. building, Development funds. purchased by the City with Community and it on lained that there are limiti�1ODevelopmentufund! , e Sieverding exp s urchased with Community prohibited by Federal placed in building P it will no appears that the Youth Bureau would a use p s. native is to place the Youth tion Because of the draw -backs in this alternat�.Vef ion w regulations- The third lobby. An addition be further developed °adjacent to the skating Bureau at Cass Park, 7 e s ace will be needed i else- house . Youth Bureau administTativepoffices and create s be added to additional storage storage space. However, s where. Transportation also is a consideration at the Cass Park lternatives Planner Sieves in 't With reference to all of the above a gave estimates on the cost to the C Y and the problems relating to each of the altern.atives� _ mainly Several of the Aldermen asked questions Planner maintenancce costs, on the present condition of th structure, e Tin Can st and transportation. act of the ordoni asked Youth Director Cutia to analyze the imp Mayor B e alternatives pTOPos Director Cut is stated that the decision made concerning the Youth Bureau not being on the same site asesolved. C.A. He nl referred to the ncerned difficult problems that have to be r resolution of. the Youth Bur eau Board wThehBoards would alike cassurance retol resent site. -going and that with the move from the p oing Programs that the move would not have aerograms would be required. Director no interruption of service of programs out of the Cutia stated that if the Youth to viewwthe varbousooptions that have present site and the Board haPlannereSieverding, the Youth Bureau been reviewed for Council by in essence, be changing places with the Y.M the It would would, but would be looking for other facilities i� have an office facility, on-going ro ram. He pointed out the community in order to have an on -g g P g that the present site is an all -in -one facility with everything that is needed. Director Cutia stated the Cass ark creates e as problems because addit as additional program space somewhere else in the community. Bus service to Cass Park would be another concern. However, Director Cutia said there would also be some advantages to the Cass Park alternative in that some of the maintenance program aspects that arc conducted on a regular basis at Cass Park could be incorporated into the existing programs that the Youth Bureau has and there would be the advantage of pulling these things together. Director Cutia said that the option at G.I.A.C. had been expressed very well by Planner Sieverding. lie mentioned one other option- - to move into City Hall. Of all the options that was the least appealing to Director Cutia for any number of reasons. Director Cutia feels that a decision has to be made. A number of -4- March 18, 19,8I� programs that he has cannot function, or be planned for, unless he knows what is going this time. If the Cass Park o to happen as far as making an move aat of the lobby is already a few is decided upon, the expansion no architect yet involved and bids "haveknotebeen� let is no Bureau needs to know whether it is going to be able to conduct Youthan, usual programs and utilize its resources. From the information the presented to Council, it is quite obvious that the Tin Can site the most appropriate in terms of all the still has to be made, pluses, but the decisions site, then Cutia feels thaththeyuneedutoahaveething have the Tin Can appropriate for them to conduct their programs. ngs that are a combination of either new construction or existing facility have to be rehabilitated so that the Youth It is going to take outh Bureau can functions that Several of the Aldermen asked Director Cutia questions with to the rehabilitation of the Tin Can building and the costo reference rehabilitation. Director Cutia answered the questions os his present .knowled e f such g but stated that there were a lot of costseth of he did not have figures on and wo ld u not make estimates. at Noel Desch, Supervisor of the Town of Ithaca, stated that that the Tin Can's existence is t each day is made to make. it a permanent buildinuated by the City a. commitment virtually nothing has been done to the Tin Can in the ears g. Supervisor Desch said that City has utilized the building. He stated that the present hat the $2.00 per square foot to operate and maintain the building figure of virtually double if natural gas is deregulated and the cost tation is not going to be a simple, small figure. Su ing would said that he had not heard of anyone small trying eehabili- the value of having the Y. M.C.A. downtown would be Supervisor down Desch it would be hard to put such value into dollars y ry7ng to pin down what that it ought to be in the cost analysis i •and cents, but felt Picture. Finally, he stated that the Town of Ithaca is part f tf the bit interested in contributing one nickel towards the o erating least maintenance of the Tin Can. There is no way P ng and such contribution to the taxpayers of the TownhatFtoemcth defend makin looking into the City from a planning standpoint, Supervisor Desch e outside, feels that it just doesn't make sense to perpetuate the Tin Can as City operated facility, a Alderman Nichols requested that the following letter be read into the Minutes with reference to the Youth Bureau and Y.M.C.A: "Alderman Ethel Nichols City of Ithaca March 18, 1981 Dear. Ethel, I am anxious to share with you my feelings about the re- location of the Youth Bureau in advance of this evening's meeting. I am trying to reorganize my personal commitments so that I can attend the meeting, but since those commitments involve my younger son's hockey banquet and since public meetings are not always a perfect opportunity to share views, this note seemed useful. The Tin Can is fundamentally an unsatisfactory location for the Youtl~ Bureau because of its enormously high overhead costs and the size anct design qualities which are the basis for those costs. Because the Youth Bureau is directly involved with Cass Park, that facility seems to me the ideal site for housing the Youth Bureau. My understanding is that the Youth Bureau itself and the Planning Department would support such a move, realizing that the costs of expanding Cass Park to accommodate the Youth Bureau would be a long -term investment in the City's future. The YMCA is, of course, a critical factor in balancing alternatives. The construction of a YMCA facility on the Tin Can site would bring to the City of Ithaca the benefits of a major recreational center _ 5 _ March 18, tNff whose costs would be born by the private sector. It would catalyze a novel cooperative effort involving the City, the Town of Ithaca and area community residents. I am confident that a YMCA at the edge of Stewart Park would be visible, accessible and enormously successful in developing the recreational resources of the community. I am also convinced that the YMCA needs a facility soon. If they cannot now proceed with the site which would be best for the Y and best for Ithaca, they will find an alternative site and proceed elsewhere. A unique opportunity for the City of Ithaca to catalyze an activity center for its young people and also its adults and senior citizens will have been lost. I urge your support for moving the Youth Bureau to Cass Park an devery offering the Tin Can site to the YMCA immediately. effort to attend tonight 'Iecannotand attendeciate your reading through this note in the event that Cordially, Andrea Clardy" Discussion followed on the floor. �j Tom Kick President of the Y.M.C.A., wanted to make comments on the �i l) February 24th memo written by Planner Herman Sieverding. There were two items that should be corrected, the first on page 4, under the heading "Timing." He called attention to the sentence which reads "The YMCA has decided not to attempt a fund - raising campaign this year." Kick said that statement is false. In fact, a statement had been previously made by Kick that the Y.M.C.A. would have a fund- raising campaign in Marcli. The timetable is now April, as soon as permission has been granted to the Y.M.C.A. by the United Way, and he has no doubt that permission will be granted assuming that the campaign is run according to the United Way's Constitution. Tom Kick also reminded the Council that it was Athe CCit o foIthacaawho proposed the sale of the Tin Can to the Y.M.C.A., not the around. He wanted no hard feelings between the Youth Bureau and the Y.M.C.A. with the Youth Bureau thinking that it was being pushed out of a home by the Y.M.C.A. Discussion continued with reference to the length of time the property could be leased as apparently there were misunderstandings about the conversations had on the subject of leasing. The other item contained in Planner Sieverding's memo that needed correcting was under the heading "Conclusion." That paragraph contain= the sentence: "Both YMCA and City staff feel that at this point these issues are too complex to work into a bid procedure." Tom Kick felt that the complexity is on the part of the City, not the Y.M.C.A. Discussion continued with the aldermen asking questions of Mr. Kick. Several aldermen spoke with reference to how they the Tin Can site or keeping it and rehabilitating use, and requested more information before making Resolution By Alderman Gutenberger: Seconded by Alderman Bo RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca move forward as with selling the Tin Can site at public auction. Discussion followed on the floor. felt about selling it for Youth Bureau a decision. othroyd quickly as possible The question of the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly put to a vote on roll call, which resulted as follows: X32 -6- March 18, 1981 Dennis Holman Nay Nay Nichols Schuler Nay Boothroyd Aye Boronkay Nay Nay Gutenberger Saccucci Aye Nay Banfield Slattery Aye Aye Ayes (4) Nays (6) Motion Defeated. Aldermen Banfield and Boothroyd left the meeting at 7:07 p.m. Alderman Dennis left the meeting at 7:12 p.m. City Attorney Shapiro commented that perhaps those who voted against the above resolution because of questions in their mind about certain areas involving the sale of the Tin Can and reasons why it should not be sold, would bring those questions to Council, then the staff would ahead and investigate and bring answers.back at a future meeting. go P down in writing the specific things that Council wants investigated, ut staff would get answers, and the resolution would be brought back for further consideration. On questioning, Tom Kick,Y.M.C.A. President, felt that time has run out as far as waiting for an answer on the Tin Can site; it has been six months already and still no decision was made here tonight. That means that the Y.M.C.A. will not be able to go forward with a fund drive in 1981 as it has no site in hand for a campaign. There will be no consideration of a Y.M.C.A. in 1981 under the circumstances. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m. J ho eph A. Run le, City Clerk ,.Raymond Bordoni, Mayor