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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-1996-01-01January 1, 1996 COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Special Meeting11:00 A.M. January 1, 1996 PRESENT: Former Mayor Nichols Mayor - Cohen Alderpersons (9) - Efroymson, Shenk, Gray, Sams, Hanna, Mackesey, Thorpe, Schroeder, Booth Alderpersons-Elect - Marcham, Blumenthal EXCUSED: Alderperson Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: City Court Judge - Rossiter City Controller - Cafferillo Deputy City Clerk - Kaupe City Clerk - Conley-Holcomb Police Chief - McEwen Board of Public Works Commissioner - Reeves Administrative Secretary - Boyd Assistant City Attorney - Kennedy Youth Bureau Director - Cohen PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Nichols led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. STATEMENT BY OUTGOING MAYOR NICHOLS: Mayor Nichols read the following statement into the record: "My major point is that what Mayors and Councils are able to accomplish will depend on actions by government and institutions beyond our borders. Obviously, federal and state policies will be critical to the well-being of all cities but for today I want to stress the importance of more local relationships. With County government, Town of Ithaca government, our metropolitan area partners in transportation and wastewater treatment, the school district, and Cornell University. The words we use influence the way we think. Too often we talk not about the relationship between City and County government but between "the City and County" as though the City was not an integral and important part of the County. While there is still the hangover of City and rural antagonism, I believe the atmosphere has changed remarkably over the past years. The City's borders with the Town of Ithaca are an artificial line on a map. Many properties straddle the line. More and more the issues that concern the Town are similar to those of the City. Leaders in Town government have expressed their interest in joint planning. Solving the problems of housing, transportation, and land use require the City and Town work together. There's a common understanding in all the metropolitan area governments that we need to find a way to pursue economic development in a way in which the infrastructure is used to share in the benefits of that development. Working out the mechanism will not be easy. It will mean protecting the City's interest while recognizing the need to give up some control. There needs to be a stronger commitment of the Board of Education, to combine its resources with those of the City and the community's not-for-profit agencies and more effective and coordinated actions to serve the youth of our community. The City should make clear its desire to work with the Board. The long term agreement with Cornell mandates much more coordination on the actions that will benefit both the University January 1, 1996 and the City. The past controversies need to be put aside. The possibilities are enormous. The long term interests of the people of the City require close attention to the relationships that I have so briefly mentioned. Of course, your responsibility is to protect the City but no solutions can be achieved unless you are willing to take fresh approaches and for all parties to understand there must be give and take. In the day-to-day detailed work that keeps Council so busy, it is important not to neglect the longer term questions. This will probably be not the last time that I will try to remind you of that importance. On my recent trip to Italy, this is true, I actually had a dream that for whatever it is worth I want to share a piece of with you. In that dream a young person asked me "Isn't is hard to keep up!" And I answered from somewhere deep in my subconscious "Keeping up is not the point, the point is to push." I know that others will speak of this later but I cannot close without acknowledging my debt, ........ all the people in the City to our retiring colleagues, Dick Booth and John Schroeder. Their example of devotion to principle, not just in their eloquent words, but with the continuous attention to detail that is the essence of legislative action will be hard to follow." DISMISSAL OF OUTGOING COUNCIL: Alderperson Mackesey made the following statements regarding the retirement from Common Council of Dick Booth and John Schroeder: "John Johnson called me from Greene and he had intended to talk about Dick Booth today and he asked me to sit in his stead so this is a quick summary, Dick. I'm sorry. Dick Booth leaves Common Council today after many years of solid hard work and dedication. We never doubted where Dick stood on issues before us. But his opinions were consistently well- thought out and focused. His breadth of knowledge about law and his sense of responsibility about physical matters helped to shape better policy and ordinance with the residents of the City of Ithaca. He has always been a staunch advocate for the people he represents in the Fifth Ward. Dick's service on B&A provided us with needed leadership as we yearly waded through increasingly difficult budget matters. The City will certainly miss Dick's presence on Council. Those of us remaining on Council hope he won't mind an occasional phone call to ask his opinion. I am certain he will have one. Thank you Dick for all you have given to us and to the City. We have a gift for Dick. Unfortunately, like other things in the past, it is in the back seat of John Johnson's car." "John Schroeder's work has been instrumental in achieving Common Council's many accomplishments during his years of representing the Fourth Ward. An unusually hard worker, John has given tremendous time and energy to the City and we are better off because of it. He has shown himself to be thorough, rational and persistent in representing the ideas and plans he cares about. The active role he played as Chair of Council's Planning Committee resulted in the Inlet Island Design Plan. He helped humanize the Route 96 project as much as possible and he showed a constant interest and concern for downtown revitalization. John offered yeoman services in his work on the Wal-Mart project. We are grateful to him for his dedication to the City of Ithaca and his integrity in helping to solve our problems. Whether one agreed with John or not, one came away from working with him respect for his opinions and his willingness to try to resolve differences. I truly hope that John is allowed to offer his formidable planning knowledge and his boundless energy to the City by continuing to serve on the Planning Board. We owe John a heartfelt thank you for all that he has given to us." January 1, 1996 Alderperson Mackesey read the following limerick into the record regarding John Schroeder: "There once was a Schroeder named John, whose Commons plans ran on and on; His biggest delight to plan through the night, splitting hairs until they were gone; To details he took endless pain, driving some of us almost insane; Cross the t's, dot the i's, known to us as Schroederize; A legacy hard to maintain." Alderperson Efroymson stated that one of the things that he thinks many of us who worked to get Ben in office six years ago knew that he would be an activist, being on the outside pushing, as he said, not just going along and he certainly has continued to do that but has surprised us at his prowess at other areas, including administration of City Hall. Alderperson Efroymson presented Mayor Nichols with gifts of appreciation from the Council. Retiring Alderperson Booth presented, on behalf of City Hall and the citizens of Ithaca, a compilation of a series of articles to Mayor Benjamin Nichols. OATH OF OFFICE - MAYOR COHEN Mayor Cohen took the oath of office and was sworn in as Mayor by City Court Judge Rossiter. He was presented with his badge of office and a new gavel and name plate by former Mayor Nichols. OATH OF OFFICE - ALDERPERSONS-ELECT Mayor Cohen called the newly elected and re-elected Alderpersons to the rostrum to be sworn into their respective offices: Susan Blumenthal - newly elected from Third Ward Jane Marcham - newly elected from Fourth Ward J. Diann Sams - re-elected from Second Ward Sara Shenk - re-elected from First Ward Richard C. Gray - re-elected from Fifth Ward The newly elected and re-elected Alderpersons took the oath of office and were sworn in by City Clerk Conley Holcomb. MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS: Appointments Not Requiring Approval of the Common Council Mayor Cohen made the following appointments: City Prosecutor Linda Falkson (1 year term) City Attorney Mariette Geldenhuys Ms. Falkson and Ms. Geldenhuys took the Oath of Office and were sworn in by City Court Judge Rossiter. Mayor Cohen stated that he wished to thank former Mayor Benjamin Nichols and presented him with his gavel which has been engraved with the inscription "Mayor Benjamin Nichols, 1990 - 1995." REMARKS FROM MAYOR COHEN: Mayor Cohen made the following statement to Mayor Nichols: January 1, 1996 "Before I begin, I do want to continue saying thank you and actually start off with telling a story; a story about Ben Nichols. Ben and I obviously have had our differences over the years but there is always a memory that I have in my mind and that is the first time I laid eyes on Ben Nichols. It was eight years ago when I was a very nervous restauranteur who was applying for my first outdoor dining permit on the Commons and at that time Ben was a member of the Board of Public Works. I stood and made my pitch to the Board and as I looked around the room, Ben Nichols was the only person there who continually made eye contact with me, smiled, made me feel comfortable and gave me a little extra courage to continue speaking to the group that day. It is something that I carried with me and anytime he and ever had a disagreement, I always remembered the human side of him and I know that is something he always carried with him. Ben Nichols has very strong convictions but they were from the heart. I for one want to thank him for all that he has done for this community over the years and I do hope that you continue." Mayor Cohen made the following statement to retiring Alderpersons Booth and Schroeder: "These two individuals have been relentless in their drive and their energy and they have given a great deal to this community. I have been watching Common Council for many years and have always looked upon with admiration these two individuals. They truly have moved us forward as a community, each in their own way and again, I would like to personally extend my thank you to both of them and hope that they in some way are willing to continue their public service. Thank you gentlemen very much." Mayor Cohen made the following statement: "I am very grateful and I feel very fortunate to be sitting here right now. I would not be here right now if it were not for the tireless efforts of a number of very wonderful people in this room and throughout this community and with out naming names I'd like to at least acknowledge my friends, my colleagues, and the people who helped bring me here today. Thank you very much. I look forward to these next four years with both hesitation and anticipation. I'm very excited about the prospects that we as a community look forward to but I am also anxious and concerned. As you've heard from the Mayor and members of Common Council throughout the recent years, the fiscal realities of the state and federal government are falling down upon us and we need to take stock of who we are and what we're doing. This is going to be an exercise that is not going to be easy and it's not going to be fun but it something that is necessary for us to do. We need to take a closer look at what we're doing, the services that we are providing and how we are providing them and it is something that offers us many possibilities. I look forward to the challenge because challenges usually always bring good things with them and I truly look forward to working with every single member of Common Council in facing these challenges together. I've had the opportunity to meet with and talk with every member of Council and I am very confident that we'll be able to work together to address the issues that face this community. It is important when looking at these financial issues and we prioritize, there are two concepts we do not forget. First, we cannot forget the hard working individuals and taxpayers of this community who have great expectations for what they pay in and what they get out and we need to keep in mind their abilities to pay and our abilities to provide. We, at the same time, also cannot lose perspective and not lose sight of the many individuals in this community who are less fortunate than us and acknowledge the responsibility that we all have to one another as individuals and collectively, as a group, to those less fortunate. I am committed to, as an individual and as the new January 1, 1996 Mayor, to making sure that we do not forget the individuals in our community who need our help. The holiday season is a time of hope and expectation and a time of renewal and I walk into this new year with a true sense of hope. My friends will tell you I'm an idealist, I'm an optimist and I always look and try to see the best in any person and I believe there is good in each one of us. This community has faced many conflicts in the past and we will face many in the future. But it is important that we recognize that we're people first, before we acknowledge the differences that we might have. We have to look at those differences and try to reach common ground on each and every one of them. There is no right and there is no wrong and it is up to us to find out the best way to go about things and to recognize that people's lives are what we are talking about in every single action we take and every resolution we put forth in this body. Because we are here to try and improve this community and improve the lives of every member of it. I am hopeful that we as a community can come together and move forward and address all the problems that we have and I am excited. I am anxious and nervous but I truly believe that we can better ourselves if we work together and I look forward to doing that with everyone in this room and everyone in this community. I thank you all for coming today and Happy New Year." ELECTION OF ACTING MAYOR: Mayor Cohen entertained nominations from the floor for the position of Acting Mayor. Alderperson Shenk nominated Alderperson Thorpe and her nomination was seconded by Alderperson Gray. The motion carried unanimously. ALTERNATE ACTING MAYOR: Mayor Cohen entertained nominations from the floor for the position of Alternate Acting Mayor. Alderperson Mackesey nominated Alderperson Sams and her nomination was seconded by Alderperson Thorpe. Alderperson Sams and Alderperson Thorpe took the oath of office and were sworn in by City Clerk Conley Holcomb. RECESS: Common Council recessed at 11:35 a.m. and reconvened in regular session at 11:45 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION: By Alderperson Efroymson: Seconded by Alderperson Gray RESOLVED, That Common Council adjourn into Executive Session to discuss a personnel item. Carried Unanimously REGULAR SESSION: Common Council reconvened into Regular Session at 12:50 p.m. and no business was forthcoming. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 12:50 p.m. Julie Conley Holcomb Alan J. Cohen City Clerk Mayor