HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-1990-09-19LIM
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
September 19, 1990
NOTES
Present: Commissioners Berg, Cannon, Cox, Reeves (Connor
excused) ; Council Liaison Blanchard, Supt. Thadani, Acting Asst.
Supt. Carpenter, City Engr. Gray, City Atty. Kennedy.
Commissioner Reeves chaired the meeting.
The following were deletions to the Agenda:
Tioga Street - review of options.
Central School Parking.
Cliff Street Sidewalk Parking.
Request for four -way stop at Jay and Utica Streets - discussion
tabled from July 25, 1990 meeting.
Parking ramps: reserved spaces - ruling from Asst. City Atty.
The following are corrections to the September 5, 1990 Committee
of the Whole meeting.
Time schedule and review of job description for hiring of Transit
System Manager should have been a deletion to the Agenda,
pursuant to a memo from Valerie Saul, Personnel Administrator,
dated August 30, 1990, noting Transit System Manager Carpenter
has indicated that he would be willing to postpone his retirement
until June 1991, when an Civil Service eligible list will
probably be available. If Mr. Carpenter is unable to do this, he
has recommended an individual to serve as "Acting Transit System
Manager" until an eligible list is available.
Regarding Item #C under Staff Reports, Cornell Transit Study -
Park and Ride lot at East Hill Plaza, attached is a letter from
the Town of Ithaca to Commissioner Reeves regarding their
position on this lot.
1e neporr. rrom interim Parks Commission.
Vicky Romanoff, Chair of the Ithaca Interim Parks Commission, was
present to give the BPW an update of what the Parks Commission
has been doing for the past 6 months. She noted that they have
spent a great deal of time deciding if a commission is really
necessary. She further noted that they have helped with the
redesign of the entranceway to Stewart Park and done alot of
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
September 19, 1990
tw
background research getting acquainted with all City parks. She
further noted the Parks Commission is charged with overseeing
shoreline preservation, historical structure preservation and
pavilion work. Vicky asked the BPW about their charge, and it
was noted that the BPW was established in the City of Ithaca
Charter, and Vicky will obtain a copy of the BPW's
responsibilities. City Engr. Gray asked Vicky who the Parks
Commission will be reporting to, will it be a subcommittee to the
BPW, will the Parks Commission projects affect the DPW 1991
budget and personnel? Vicky noted that the Parks Commission will
probably be a permanent one and expected to have detailed written
material to the BPW regarding this in a few weeks. Council
Liaison Blanchard asked if the Parks Commission had any planned
projects for Stewart Park that will affect the DPW 1991 budget.
Vicky noted the only project scheduled for Stewart Park is the
entranceway which is to be funded through the leftover Centennial
Committee funds. Vicky will come back to the BPW with written
material regarding a permanent Parks Commission.
2. City of Ithaca Energy Commission - City Energy Coordinator.
Lew Durland from the Energy Commission was present for
discussion. He noted that the Energy Commission was formed about
10 years ago under the direction of the Planning and Development
Committee. He further noted that many of the issues that the
Energy Commission deals with are more building related, thus,
being more like the issues the Board of Public Works deals with.
He requested that the Energy Commission be reorganized to be
under the charge of the BPW. Lew also noted that the P &D Board
has already dismissed this Commission. Discussion followed about
an Energy Coordinator job position. The BPW discussed the
concept of putting these energy duties under current staff.
Commissioner Reeves felt reluctant to give staff any more duties,
as they are so overworked already. Commissioner Cox noted that
he does have someone in his office that does this type of work,
and it has been successful in saving money and obtaining energy
grants. City Engr. Gray noted that staff may be able to help out
in this facet, as currently the City spends close to a half
million dollars for electricity and gas operating the Water and
Wastewater Treatment Plants. Lew noted that it would be helpful
if staff could take energy usage counts periodically. City Engr.
Gray noted that the previous Purchasing Agent used to have alot
to do with the Energy Commission. City Engr. Gray further
discussed the concept of the BPW passing a DPW work schedule -
noting that former Asst. Supt. Fabbroni always objected to this
as he wanted a "can do" department. Discussion followed about a
work schedule, which the BPW did not agree to. Discussion
followed further about the Energy Coordinator job position. The
BPW decided to take in the Energy Commission and asked for a
liaison to report to them, and the City Engr. will met with Lew
and Commissioner Cox's staff member to discuss energy concerns.
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
September 19, 1990
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3. "No Through Truck Trafficle signs on North and South Titus
Ave, I'Not Through Street" on 500 block of South Cayuga
Street, "Dead -end Street" on 600 block of North Cayuga
Street, and "Children at Play" sign on Grandview Place.
Alderperson Daley was present to request that the above signs be
installed. Discussion followed.
"No Through Truck Traffic" signs on N. and S. Titus Ave
Alderperson Daley noted that this request is due to the large
number of trucks using these streets to avoid the lights at
Clinton and Green Streets. City Engr. Gray noted that the City
has a truck route system in place and therefore, these signs are
not necessary. Commissioner Reeves noted the "No through
traffic" signs on Spencer Road and how they are illegal, since
you cannot ban traffic on City streets. The BPW denied this
request for a "No Through Truck Traffic" sign on North and South
Titus Avenue.
"Children at Play'@ sign on Grandview Place
The BPW denied this request noting they receive many requests of
this type, and there are many in place already.
"Not Through Street" on 500 block of South Cayuga Street & "Dead -
end" sign on 600 block of South Cayuga Street.
The BPW discussed these signs and approved the installation of
these signs.
4. Elmira Road Sidewalks.
Commissioner Berg noted that there is a request in the Capital
Projects Review for the installation of sidewalks on the Elmira
Road, for $250,000. These sidewalks will be paid for by benefit
assessments. Commissioner Berg suggested that the Planning and
Development Director come and speak to the BPW regarding this
project. Council Liaison Blanchard noted that the property
owners in this area are anxious to speak to the BPW regarding
this too. Discussion followed about inviting the property owners
and Thys to the next COW meeting to discuss this. Commissioner
Cox suggested inviting only Thys to hear his reasons for
installing these sidewalks, which the BPW agreed to. Council
Liaison Blanchard asked the BPW to look at the survey regarding
pedestrian traffic done by Titus Towers, and also the Elmira Road
merchant employer survey. She also asked the Asst. City Atty to
consider two questions; 1) if sidewalks are installed on the
Elmira Road, is the City telling people that it is safe to walk
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
September 19, 1990
there, that is, if an pedestrian /car accident were to occur,
could the City be held liable ?, and 2) trees that were planted in
the late seventies appear to be in the areas where the sidewalks
would be installed, will these trees have to be cut down? The
BPW will ask Thys to attend a future COW meeting to discuss the
installation of sidewalks on the Elmira Road.
5. Criteria for sidewalk inspections.
City Engr. Gray discussed the criteria for condemning sidewalks
with the BPW. Council Liaison Blanchard noted that many
sidewalks on West State Street were condemned this year and that
this raised alot of questions, as many of the sidewalks did not
look to be in bad shape. City Engr. Gray noted that the sidewalk
criteria has been amended due to many lawsuits stemming from
people falling. Discussion followed about this criteria.
Commissioner Cannon noted the City's appeal process for condemned
sidewalks. The BPW asked that Asst. Civil Engr. West attend a
future COW meeting to further explain the process of sidewalk
inspections.
6. Namina of street at Meadow Street Industrial Park.
Commissioner Cannon noted that the proposed name for the street
that was built at the Meadow Street Industrial Park is "Meadow
Way". He noted that this could be confusing, i.e. Meadow St.,
and suggested that the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency submit 3 or 4
more to the BPW. It was noted that the BPW is responsible for
naming City streets. The BPW agreed that they would like to
choose from a list of proposed names to make a decision and will
ask for other names.
7. Night -time residential parking permits in Downtown garages.
Commissioner Cannon noted that this request was a result of
discussions with the Commons Advisory Board. He noted the recent
renovation of the Leonardo Apartments and the owner's concerns
for night -time parking permits for their tenants. He asked if it
would be possible to reserve a section of the garage for night-
time parking to make it easier for the Police Dept. to enforce.
Commissioner Reeves noted some concerns regarding confusion
between the night -time parkers and ensuring they are out of the
garages before the day -time parkers arrive. City Engr. Gray
noted that the City does issue night -time permits for the Dryden
Road Parking Garage, but there is also 24 hour operation of this
garage to monitor this. Discussion followed. Asst. City Atty.
Kennedy noted that Assemblyman Luster's office has been working
on the possibility of residential parking permits, which
Commissioner Berg noted that the Assembly adjourned without
establishing a decision on this. Commissioner Cannon will go
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
September 19, 1990
back to the CAB to discuss the BPW's concerns and report back if
necessary.
8. Reuest for 2 hour narking limitation on North Aurora
Street.
This request came from Dr. Richard Gardner of 450 N. Aurora
Street and has been discussed several times before. It was noted
that there was a resolution tabled from a BPW meeting in
September of 1988. Discussion followed about long -term parkers
in this area and how difficult it is for Mr. Gardner's patients
to find a parking space near his office. Council Liaison
Blanchard noted that Mr. Gardner will probably be happy with
anything that moves traffic. Discussion followed about putting
meters in this area, noting it would be inconsistent with the
current metered areas on Aurora Street. The BPW decided to lift
the tabled resolution regarding two hour parking zones in this
area at their next voting meeting.
9. Alcohol consumption in City parks - possible discussion of
rules and regulations.
Commissioner Reeves noted the background for this discussion as
there are has been recent correspondence between Alderperson
Peterson and the Supt. regarding this. She further noted
discussions held two years ago regarding banning alcohol in
Stewart Park and that a public hearing was held to see if the
public wanted alcohol banned from Stewart Park, which they did
not. She further noted that the Police Dept. then increased
their patrols of Stewart Park which seemed to help with the
alcohol behavior problems that people were complaining about.
She asked the BPW if they would like to reopen this topic, which
they did not want to do.
10. Recycling Center costs discussion.
Supt. Thadani noted the costs the City has been paying for
operation of the Recycling Drop -off Center. Supt. Thadani is
recommending that the County take over all operations of the
Center. The City is currently using full -time staff, paying them
at overtime, to staff the Center. It was noted that only 3% of
the City residents are users of the Center. Discussion followed
about changing the number of days that the Center is open, which
the BPW did not want to do. The BPW decided to honor the current
contract with County regarding the Recycling Drop -off Center
until the contract expires on December 31, 1990.
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City Engr. Gray asked that future Committee of the Whole agendas
contain initials of the person who requested each item for the
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Committee of the Whole
September 19, 1990
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agenda, along with the date of when materials (from earlier
meetings) were sent out.
Meeting adjourned at 6:02 pm.
Notes by
Lisa Cornell
Administrative Secretary
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