HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2000-01-01COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Special Meeting 2:00 P.M. January 1, 2000
PRESENT:
Mayor Cohen
Alderpersons (10) – Shenk, Manos, Sams, Farrell, Vaughan,
Blumenthal, Marcham, Spielholz, Taylor,
Hershey
Alderpersons Elect: Pryor, Glasstetter
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Clerk – Conley Holcomb
Assistant City Attorney – Dunn
City Judge – Rowley
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Mayor Cohen led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to
the American flag.
DISMISSAL OF OUTGOING COUNCIL:
Alderperson Manos thanked Alderperson Shenk for her dedicated
years of service to the City of Ithaca. Alderperson Manos
presented Alderperson Shenk with a gift of Ithaca Downtown
Dollars.
Alderperson Shenk thanked Common Council and wished them
well.
Alderperson Spielholz thanked Alderperson Marcham and read a
poem she had written titled “Ode to Retiring Jane”.
Alderperson Spielholz presented Alderperson March with a gift
of Ithaca Downtown Dollars.
Alderperson Marcham thanked her colleagues and city staff for
a rewarding and productive four years.
Alderperson Blumenthal presented Alderpersons Shenk and
Marcham with City of Ithaca coffee mugs.
Mayor Cohen extended his personal good wishes to
Alderpersons Shenk and Marcham.
OATH OF OFFICE – MAYOR ELECT
Mayor Cohen took the oath of office and was sworn in as
Mayor by City Court Judge John Rowley. Marley Ciferri and
Andrew Florino held the bible during the ceremony.
OATH OF OFFICE – ALDERPERSONS ELECT
Mayor Cohen called the newly elected and re-elected
Alderpersons to be sworn into their respective offices:
Patricia Pryor – newly elected from First Ward
Diann Sams – re-elected from Second Ward
Susan Blumenthal – re-elected from Third Ward
Josh Glasstetter – newly elected from Fourth Ward
Edward Hershey – re-elected from Fifth Ward
The newly elected and re-elected Alderpersons took the oath
of office and were sworn in by Mayor Cohen
January 1, 2000
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MAYOR’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS:
Mayor Cohen read the following inaugural address:
“An inaugural is a time for reflection, assessment and
looking to the future. Why do we do the things we do?
What are our goals, our dreams? All across our country and
around the world today, political leaders at all levels of
government are talking about the future and their vision of
it. I am honored to be here with you today to share mine.
We live in a truly great community, made great by the
people who live here. We are intelligent and caring,
driven to better our lives and the lives of those around
us. Why is it then that with so much talent, energy and
good intent we fail in our attempts to move forward in ways
that parallel the resources we possess? Why is change so
hard for us to accomplish?
For one thing, we spend so much time arguing over what
is right and wrong. I am never surprised by the debate
itself, for that is one of the things that make Ithaca what
it is. The political discourse we engage in is a critical
part of the democratic process, and one that I personally
relish. It is a time to share information and ideas and
discuss the merits of different alternatives. It is a time
to listen and learn and grow.
If we engage in this process with open minds and open
hearts, if we are truthful in our words and honorable in
our intent, then the policy we formulate will represent
consensus and the best we collectively have to offer in
solutions and direction for our community.
While the public debate does not surprise me, the
acrimony of it often does. The discussion is not civil, it
is rancorous. It is not based on fact, but personality.
It is often meant to foster conflict, not progress. And it
is based on a perspective of cynicism, not hope.
We are a very fortunate community in a great country.
We have a wealth of resources that is the envy of many.
Yet in our efforts to improve what we have, we forget how
bad things used to be or how bad they still are for others
in our community, our country and around the world. We
forget the struggles that took place to lay the foundation
for the society we live in, or the struggles that still
take place around the world to achieve what we now have.
We focus on the negative rather than building on the
positive. We have incredible resources to bring to bear on
our problems. We do not have a poverty of wealth or
resources in our community, but we have a poverty of spirit
and hope. Our poverty of spirit prevents us from working
together for the common good. Our poverty of hope gives us
no reason to try.
So here we sit on the date of January 1 in the year
2000. While the new millennium does not technically start
for another year, the year 2000 is nonetheless a milestone
for humankind. And how fortunate we are to be alive at
such a tremendous time in human history. Our lives are
rapidly being transformed and technological advancements
are improving practically every aspect of them. Our access
to knowledge and our ability to communicate is wiping away
ignorance and promoting the right of self-determination
around the world. The world is in many ways becoming a
smaller place, which is why we now struggle more than ever
to find personal identity and meaning in our lives.
This milestone of history offers us a wonderful
opportunity of perspective. We are each important in our
January 1, 2000
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own right, but we are also part of a greater whole that is
often beyond our comprehension. In a way, each one of us
is but a ripple in the streams of time and human
consciousness. If we are to benefit from this perspective
of history, then we will realize that while the things we
personally believe in are important, we are not alone.
There are others who believe differently than we do, and
their thoughts are no less important than our own. The
beauty of the democratic society that we live in is that we
have the freedom to express ourselves and the ability to
contribute to our own self-governance. The challenge is in
how we do it.
We must not take for granted who we are or how we got
here or what we have. And we can not take others for
granted either. We must pledge ourselves to being open and
honest and to working together for a better tomorrow.
My vision is a simple one. That we give this
community to our children in better condition than how we
inherited it and that in our efforts to do this, we truly
work together. It is a simple vision, but one that is
easily attainable if we are willing to try. All it takes
is a little spirit and a little hope.
I am grateful today for the opportunity to serve my
community, and I look forward to working with my colleagues
on Common Council, our exceptional city employees and
people throughout the community as we strive to better our
lives. I would like to extend the best of wishes to
everyone in this New Year. May each of you find your
dreams and may we together work to realize the best of our
community.”
DESIGNATION OF COMMON COUNCIL MEETINGS:
By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Glasstetter
RESOLVED, That the regular meetings of the Common Council
for the Year 2000, be held at 7:00 P.M., on the first
Wednesday of each month, in the Common Council Chambers, at
City Hall, 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York, unless
otherwise determined by Common Council.
Carried Unanimously
DESIGNATION OF MARRIAGE OFFICERS:
By Alderperson Farrell: Seconded by Alderperson Blumenthal
RESOLVED, That Alderpersons: Paulette Manos, J. Diann Sams,
Jana Taylor, Edward Hershey, Joan Spielholz, Patricia Pryor
and Patricia Vaughan be designated as Marriage Officers
with a term to expire January 3, 2001.
Carried Unanimously
ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion the meeting was adjourned at 2:35 P.M.
_____________________________ _______________________
Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Alan J. Cohen
City Clerk Mayor