HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-1991-12-04BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
December 4, 1991
NOTES
Present: Commissioners Berg, Brandford, Cox, Reeves, Rusoff,
Tripp, Mayor Nichols; Acting Supt. Gray, Asst. City Atty.
Kennedy, Asst. Supt. Dennis Shimer.
Commissioner Reeves chaired the meeting.
The following was an addition to the Agenda:
1. Request for permission to give carriage rides on the Commons
The following were deferred to a future Agenda:
1. Department of Public Works Vacancies Discussion
2. Traffic Concerns on South Titus Avenue
3. Street Closings for Festival /City Park Usage /Procedures:
Review and finalize proposed procedures for adoption
4. Neighborhood Traffic and Parking Concerns
5. Increased Penalties for Public Works Regulations Violations
1. Carriage Rides on Commons.
Michael Pickering, Director of Downtown Ithaca, Inc., and Jean
Deming, Commons Coordinator, were present for the discussion of a
request by DII for a permit to give carriage rides Nov.30, - Dec.
22, 1991 on a route which includes the Commons. Acting Supt.
Gray said that he had spoken to the Police Chief, who had no
objection to them other than a general concern over the use of
vehicles on the Commons. Comm. Reeves said she was interested in
why the Commons Advisory Board had decided to permit these rides
when they had formerly been opposed to the use of vehicles, such
as bicycles, on the Commons. Jean Deming answered that their
decision had been based on the projection of a limited amount of
travel on the Commons, on the proper insurance being in place
with DII and the carriage company, and on the idea that the rides
would be nice during the holiday season. The carriages will be
accompanied by a "walker" who leads the horses and warns
pedestrians of approaching vehicular traffic. There was a
general vote of approval and Acting Supt. Gray said that the
department would issue a permit.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
December 4, 1991
2. Request to use DeWitt Park on June 20, 1991 by Family and
Children's Service of Ithaca.
Tony Pane, Acting President of the Board of Directors of Family's
and Children's Services of Ithaca, was present for the
discussion. The FCSI proposes to hold a children's carnival in
Dewitt Park on June 20, 1992. They expect to have games, simple
rides, possibly a raffle. The general thrust of the carnival is
entertainment for the attendees, rather than fundraising for the
FCSI. Mr. Pane said that they hoped to set up in the early
morning and clean up by 7 or 8 in the evening, with the carnival
itself occupying perhaps 3 or 4 hours in the middle of the day.
He does not anticipate their requiring a noise permit. Comm.
Rusoff pointed out that the Saturday Farmer's Market would be
using the space that morning. Comm. Berg said he thought the two
activities could co- exist, and said he hoped FCSI would bag and
tag their trash. He remarked that there are no restroom
facilities for the Park. Mayor Nichols suggested that Washington
Park might be better for this activity, because it is larger.
Comm. Tripp opposes the use of Dewitt Park for organized
activities. Acting Supt. Gray suggested that Thompson Park might
also be a good choice. There was a general concensus that FCSI
should look into the possibility of using some park other than
DeWitt. Comm. Reeves pointed out that if FCSI was going to have
food at the carnival they would need a permit from the Health
Department.
3. Request for waiver of fee for Bud Light Triple Crown
Softball tournament on July 11 -12, 1991.
Tom King, Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau was
present for the discussion. Comm. Reeves presented a sheet
showing the costs to the City of the 1991 Triple Crown
Tournament. This money was charged to the fields budget and,
primarily, the Cass Park budget. After some discussion, it
emerged that no one present could remember how that distribution
of the charge had been decided. Mr. King said that the
tournament management is interested in cutting the labor if
possible to help reduce the cost of the tournament. Acting Supt.
Gray pointed out that other specialty tournaments routinely rent
the fields, and that the local leagues pay an annual fee. Comm.
Cox asked what benefits the City was supposed to derive from the
tournament. Mr. King said that the benefit was in the
expenditures members of the team and spectators made during the
course of the tournament, both in spending revenues and in sales
tax. Comm. Cox suggested rejecting the request to waive the
costs of the tournament, while working with the organizers of the
tournament to reduce the costs as much as possible. Mr. King
said that he would convey that to the tournament organizers.
There were no objections by the Board. Acting Supt. Gray will
quote prices to Mr. King if he can come up with information on
how many fields, how many games, etc. are involved.
Page - 2
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
December 4, 1991
4. Snow removal on sidewalks.
Brenda Kuhn, of the Disability Advisory Council and Neil
Golder were present for the discussion. Ms. Kuhn presented three
suggestions from the DAC on snow removal.
1. The DAC would like to join in on the current planning by the
Charter and Ordinance Committee to review the current City
ordinance on snow and ice removal.
2. The DAC has written two public service announcements on snow
removal and handicapped parking which are scheduled to go to the
local radio stations next week.
3. The DAC has been working with Tom West and Rick Ferrel to
develop a volunteer program, which Tom West described. This idea
depends upon hiring a CIVITAS volunteer to produce and maintain a
computer log of volunteers and volunteer groups who have agreed
to participate in scheduled maintenance of the streets and parks
or in unscheduled snow removal. The coordinator would call upon
the volunteers as needed. The approximate cost of starting up
this program is $1000.
The following ideas emerged in a general discussion: The
proposed budget is tentative; the people who have come up with
the idea are trying to get a feel for operating costs of such a
program. Comm. Rusoff hopes that this program could serve as a
model for similar volunteer efforts. Comm. Cox wonders how the
success of the program could be measured; Comm. Reeves hopes that
a report would be presented to the Board at the end of some
period. There is concern about whether it will be possible to
get volunteers out in a timely manner for emergency work. Tom
West says that it will be the coordinator's job to take schedules
into account. Mayor Nichols suggests that work such as clearing
curb cuts might be done most effectively by people or groups who
live nearby. Neil Golder and Brenda Kuhn believe that any
efforts which remove more of the snow more of the time will be an
improvement.
Comm. Tripp asked if there was anything the plow drivers
could do to reduce the amount of snow shoved into curb cuts.
Comm. Reeves pointed out that speed is essential in keeping the
roads clear during heavy snow.
The Board is generally in favor of this proposal and will
try to find the money to start it up.
5. Hillview Sewer Line.
Robert Holdsworth and Fred Vanderburgh were present for the
discussion. Mr. Holdsworth reviewed the problem, the layout of
the sewer under discussion, and some of the history of the
discussions between Mr. Vanderburgh and the City. He proposed,
for Mr. Vanderburgh, that the City build a sewer line to serve
Mr. Vanderburgh and his neighbors, and that Mr. Vanderburgh give
the City a right of way to do so.
Acting Supt. Gray pointed out that there are numerous places
in the City, like 501 S. Cayuga St., where a number of houses
Page - 3
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
December 4, 1991
connect to a common private sewer lateral which then connects to
the City's system. He said that the sewer line in question is a
private line, which should be taken care of by the owner. Mr.
Vanderburgh says that he was originally told that the City owned
the sewer, but that further investigation revealed that the City
had no deed to the property, at which time the City declined to
repair his line. He said that the City has continually responded
(since 1945) to requests from the Vanderburghs to maintained
their sewer line. Comm. Brandford asked Mr. Vanderburgh what
responsibility he believes the City to have for his sewer line.
Mr. Vanderburgh said that he believes that the use of his sewer
line by his uphill neighbors, and the presence on his property of
other utilities obliges the City to deal with the problem.
Further discussion revealed that there is no record of a title
passing to the City.
Asst. City Attorney Kennedy explained that if the City laid
a sewer line, it would cost more than $50,000. Acting Supt. Gray
said that if Mr. Vanderburgh laid the line as a private
individual, he could do it more cheaply, because he would be able
to make decisions and compromises that the City could not make.
Mr. Vanderburgh suggested that the City replace the pipe from his
house down to the Cayuga St. sewer line, which is the only
section he believes to be causing trouble. The suggestion was
made that the City replace the line using the materials that a
private homeowner might use.
Comm. Cox asked whether the City could get the right of way
for the entire street in exchange for repairing the immediate
problem with the sewer line. Comm. Brandford said that he would
want to settle the question of easements for all the properties
on the sewer line. Acting Supt. Gray said that he would want to
get the sewer line in good shape for all the properties. Asst.
City Attorney Kennedy said that, because of the other similar
situations in the City, she would want any resolution to make it
clear that the City was entering into the agreement because of
the other utilities in the street.
Acting Supt. Gray, Asst. City Attorney Kennedy, and Mr.
Holdsworth are going to try to work out an agreement for the
Board to act on.
Meeting adjourned at 5:45 pm.
Notes by
Marianne Hansen
Administrative Secretary
Page - 4