HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-1990-08-22BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
August 22, 1990
4:00 pm
Common Council Chambers
NOTES
Present: Commissioners Berg, Connor, Cox, Reeves, (Cannon
excused) Mayor Nichols; Supt. Thadani, Acting Asst. Supt.
Carpenter, City Engr. Gray, Asst. City Atty. Kennedy.
Commissioner Reeves chaired the meeting.
The following were additions to the Agenda:
Parking Permits for Woolworths Lot (contractor parking).
Decommissioning of Lake Avenue between Adams and Route 13 - Doug
Foster present.
Andrew Yale from the Ithaca Bicycle Commission present to discuss
possibility of Liaison from Board of Public Works.
Request for Expungement of late penalty on Water and Sewer bill
for 211 Williams Street - Debbie Parsons present.
CNG Transmissions Easement - review of map and property
descriptions.
The following were deletions to the Agenda:
Elmira Road Sidewalks.
Central School Parking.
Deposit fee for Ithaca Festival vendors - Mike Cannon.
Criteria for sidewalk inspections.
Request for four -way stop at Jay and Utica Streets - discussion
tabled from July 25, 1990 meeting.
Time schedule and review of job description for hiring of Transit
System Manager.
Alcohol consumption in City parks - possible discussion of rules
and regulations.
Parking ramps: reserved spaces - ruling from Asst. City Atty.
Staff Reports:
C) Golf Course Shelter - Bill Gray.
d) Bus shelters - possible restoration of heaters - Bernie
Carpenter.
e) Cornell Transit Study - park and ride lot at East Hill Plaza
- Bernie Carpenter.
City Energy Coordinator - possible new position.
Center Ithaca parking lot - complaints regarding entrance - memo
from Asst. City Atty.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
August 22, 1990
Letter from Lucy Bergstrom regarding idling vehicles on State and
Aurora Streets.
1. Stewart Park Entranceway Plans.
Dan Schmohe, City Forester, was present for discussion on the
proposed plans for a Stewart Park Entranceway and showed the BPW
a drawing of the proposed entranceway. He noted that these plans
were prepared with the help of the Interim Parks Commission and
the Shade Tree Advisory Committee. This will be funded with
leftover funds from the Centennial Commission. Discussion
followed about the proposed bicycle path. City Engr. Gray felt
that the bicycle path as proposed may cause major confusion to
both bicycles and vehicles. Dan noted that this proposed plan is
a great improvement over the current situation, and is intended
to slow vehicles down. Discussion followed about the committee
who worked on this plan. The BPW decided to approve this plan
once the City Engr. has reviewed it more thoroughly.
2. Traffic light at Court and Cayuga Streets.
Guy Gerard was present for this topic, as he questioned the
timing of the lights on Court Street and brought it to the
attention of the BPW. City Engr. Gray noted that there are
problems with two lights on Court Street and that the DPW has
ordered a piece of equipment to correct this.
3. Ramy parking fees: possible restoration of first hour free.
Commissioner Reeves gave the BPW some background on this request,
since it was a part of the Parking Management Committee
discussion. Many merchants are concerned with charging for the
first hour of parking and wish to have free first hour parking.
Alderperson Daley noted that members of DII are aware that other
revenue is needed to restore the first hour free parking. DII
has done a report on this and will furnish the BPW with a copy of
this report. Discussion followed about the Parking Management
Committee, and Commissioner Berg noted that the charge of this
committee is very limited in scope. Stuart Lewis, a member of
DII, felt that it is extremely important to the downtown
businesses to restore free first hour parking and has already
seen the negative impact from this. He further noted he met with
officials from McCurdys and they also urge that this situation be
rectified. Mayor Nichols noted that the BPW needed some firm
numbers regarding lost revenue and personnel figures before
agreeing to restore the first hour free. Several merchants spoke
in favor of restoring the first hour free parking and also asked
for better signage for the parking garages. The BPW decided to
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
CW August 22, 1990
recommend that a committee be formed to look at restoring the
first hour free parking in the City -owned lots and requested that
the City Controller and Building Systems Supervisor be members of
this committee.
4. Parking Permits for Woolworths Lot (contractor parking).
Stu Stein from the Tompkins Co. Board of Representatives and also
a member of the Mental Health Building Committee, was present to
request obtaining parking permits for the contractors working on
the Mental Health Building. He noted that he met with Supt.
Thadani, Susan Blumenthal and the job foreman at the site to
discuss this. He further noted that there are about 35 +/-
workers at this building now, and that the building is scheduled
to be finished in December, 1990. Supt. Thadani discussed the
proposal he is suggesting to accommodate the workers. He
suggests that the workers be granted 15 permits for the 3rd floor
of the Green Street Parking Garage, as many of the workers are
currently taking up the prime spots in the Woolworths lot.
Discussion followed. Commissioner Cox asked if we will still
have these parking problems once the employees move in. It was
discussed that there is an agreement between the County and the
City for parking arrangements for County employees. Commissioner
Connor suggested the workers try car pooling. Mr. Stein noted
that it is very frustrating to stand in line for permits, while
Commissioner Reeves noted that the BPW has received other
requests similar to this one and never granted them because it
may set a precedent. Discussion followed. The BPW denied the
request for parking permits in the Green Street Ramp for the
contractors working on the Mental Health Building.
5. Ithaca Bicvcle Commission request for Liaison from Board of
Public Works.
Andrew Yale from the Ithaca Bicycle Commission, was present to
request that a liaison be appointed from the BPW to the Bicycle
Commission. He noted that the next meeting for the Bicycle
Commission is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 21 at 4:30 pm. He also
noted that the Bicycle Commission would consider sending a
regular representative to the BPW meetings each week.
6. Decommissioning of Lake Avenue between Adams and Route 13.
Doug Foster from the Planning and Development Dept. was present
for discussion. He noted that plans are being made to build a
park in this area, and he showed the BPW a map of the proposed
area. He asked the BPW to study the concept of decommissioning
two blocks of Lake Avenue for this purpose. It was noted that
decommissioning means that the street is no longer a City street.
Commissioner Cox noted that sewage goes through this area and
there could be other utilities in these two blocks. As this is a
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
August 22, 1990
very preliminary review, staff will investigate this further and
report back to the BPW, as will Council Liaison Blanchard.
7. Request for Exnungement of late penalty on Water and Sewer
bill.
Debbie Parsons, City Chamberlain, was present to discuss this
request from Mary Yaple, owner of the property at 211 Williams
St. Ms. Yaple states that although her bill was due on August
15th, she never received it until August 15th. Debbie noted that
all water and sewer bills are mailed out on the last business day
of July and must have been lost in the mail. Discussion followed
about whose fault this may be. The BPW will vote on a resolution
regarding this at their next meeting.
a. Tioga Street - review of options.
Alderperson Peterson was present for this discussion. Discussion
followed about the recommendations of the Traffic Engineer
regarding short -term improvements to the intersection of Farm and
Tioga Streets and the improvements already made to this
intersection to improve the line of vision. Asst. City Atty.
Kennedy asked City Engr. Gray if he felt a traffic light would
improve this intersection. City Engr. Gray felt it would not
reroute the traffic. Discussion followed about the money needed
to improve this intersection. The BPW directed staff to
reimplement the short -term improvements at this intersection and
will review this topic again at the Sept. 19th COW meeting.
9. Encroachment request at 405 Marshall St.
Asst. City Atty. Kennedy noted that this request is very basic -
the stoop encroaches 1.2' onto the City right -of -way. The
encroachment agreement is needed for a property transfer. The
BPW did not see a problem with this request and will vote on a
resolution regarding this at their next meeting.
10. State Street bricks.
Commissioner Reeves reminded the BPW that there was a request at
the last BPW meeting to acquire these bricks and noted that
Common Council has a policy regarding this. City Engr. Gray
noted the report that Lynne Gifford did regarding bricks. Bill
further noted that in some cases of bricks, the Landmarks
Preservation Committee should be consulted. The BPW asked staff
to contact the person requesting bricks and let him know the
City's policy.
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
August 22, 1990
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11. CNG Transmissions Easement.
Asst. City Atty. Kennedy noted that she has more information
regarding this agreement and this will be reviewed at the next
BPW meeting, along with the history of this agreement.
12. Review of Job description for Asst. Supt. of Public Works.
Commissioner Reeves gave the BPW the background of this item.
She noted that the City had advertised for this position and
selected about 10 applications to review, while 2 of these
applications declined to be interviewed. Of the remaining 8
applicants left, the Selection Committee did not feel that any of
the applicants could fill this position adequately. Supt.
Thadani suggested changing the qualifications on this to only
allow applicants with a 4 year engineering degree to apply.
Commissioner Reeves noted that she spoke with the Personnel
Administrator and that this job description was already changed
in the last 6 months, and that it was highly unlikely that Civil
Service would want to change it again. Discussion followed about
Supt. Thadani's suggestion which the BPW did not agree with.
Commissioner Reeves felt this would be in violation of the Fair
Labor Practice. Supt. Thadani noted that the advertisement for
this position would be on a nation -wide basis, as will the
position of Transit System Manager. Discussion followed about
the cost of advertising on a nation -wide basis, and Supt. Thadani
noted that there is no money in the 1990 budget for this. The
BPW decided to direct staff to review the 1990 budget for funds
for advertising this position and to check with the City
Controller for obtaining his authorization to shift funds.
13. Third Street sidewalk procedures review.
Asst. City Atty. Kennedy noted that there may be some problems
with this item, as there has been an attorney looking through
their files, as residents in this area felt that inadequate or no
notice was given regarding the installation of sidewalks in this
area. City Engr. Gray will look into this matter.
Meeting adjourned at 6:05 pm.
Notes by
Lisa Cornell
Administrative Secretary
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