Loading...
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