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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 2 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 3 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