HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-1987-01-29LO
M
a
121
COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Special Meeting 7:30 P.M. January 29, 1987
PRESENT:
Mayor - Gutenberger
Alderpersons (9) - Booth, Cummings, Dennis, Haine, Hoffman, Killeen,
Peterson, Romanowski, Schlather
ABSENT:
Alderperson (1) - Lytel
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Clerk - Paolangeli
City Attorney - Nash
Dep. Controller - Cafferillo
City Controller - Spano
Fire Chief - Olmstead
City Engineer - Gray
Supt. of Public Works - Dougherty
BPW Commissioner - Nichols
Building Commissioner - Hoard
Supervisor, Town of Ithaca - Desch
Fire Commissioner - Cornelius
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS:
City -Town of ItHaca Fire Contract
Mayor Gutenberger explained two changes which had been made in the
Fire Contract:
page 8 - a mechanism worked out for transfer of fire stations be-
tween City and Town , if demand for same, within 30 days if
it can be done legally, and if illegal, the City will take
all necessary steps to remove any legal impediment.
page 11 - a compromise arrived at regarding Town representation on
the Board of Fire Commissioners and input into future
capital budgets while this contract is in place.
Resolution
By Alderperson Killeen: Seconded by Alderperson Cummings
RESOLVED, That this Council approves the Fire Contract between the
Board of Fire Commissioners /Common Council and Town of Ithaca Town
Board as presented and authorizes Mayor Gutenberger to sign the
contract.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding proposed charter change,
time table for two new fire stations, possibility of legal challenge,
services, etc. Mayor Gutenberger, City Atty. Nash and Fire Chief
Olmstead responded to questions of the council.
Alderperson Schlather noted that the contract represents a lot of work
by a lot of people and an incredible amount of good faith. It repre-
sents an opportunity for the City and the Town to strike a communal
position because we have a common interest here which is fire pre-
vention and protection services which will carry us into the twenty -
first century. He suggested that this is really just the beginning -
the first step in what he hopes will become a Town -City unified fire
protection district without distinction in terms of service, personnel,
and from the City's standpoint, the cost of underwriting this effort.
He thinks at the end of this six -year period, assuming that we all
continue in the good faith that has been evidenced to date, we will
have probably achieved that more important long -term objective. He
said lie thinks that we have certainly morally, and in terms of common
sense and farsightedness, no alternative but to go forward with this.
A vote on the resolution resulted as follows:
Carried Unanimously
12 22
-2-
January 29, 1987
Mayor Gutenberger expressed appreciation to Alderperson Killeen,
Cornell University and Ithaca College, Alderperson Schlather, City Atty
Nash, Fire Chief Olmstead, Dep. Controller Cafferillo, and to all other
persons who helped in creating the contract; and a special thanks to
Noel Desch and the Town of Ithaca Board for their participation.
Noel Desch spoke to the council: "None of us will forget that this
has been a difficult road since 1982. The attitude throughout the
many countless hours was at every moment positive, and if difficulties
arose, everybody worked at finding a common ground. To me we have
another situation with this agreement quite comparable to the inter -
municipal sewer agreement which did have many insurmountable hurdles.
I am sure we will have some difficulties here, so that the task, of
course, is not easy. As to whether there will be a historic moment,
we will know six years from now. I think the chances are overwhelm-
ingly good that that will happen."
Supervisor Desch and Mayor Gutenberger signed the contract.
ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
ALI
Ca lista F. Paolangeli, gity Clerk / John C. Gutenberger, Mayor
19,