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Home My WebLink AboutMN-BPW-1992-03-11Ln Co M Q BOARD OF PUBLIC WORES PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORE Regular Meeting 4:00 P.M. PRESENT- M. ay chols Commissioners (6)j Rusoff, Tripp, Reeves. OTHERS PRESENT• Asst. Strests Public Farks - Gray Su of Water Sa ilit. as Assistant City Attorne Sewer - Shinier De Ut Ilion Council Liaison y- Berg Deputy City Controller - Thayer Transit C1tY Clerk - Boyle Consultant - Carpenter PLE 161 March 11, 1992 Gerard, Cox, Brandford Ferrel OGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Nichols led all American Flag. present in the Ple APPROVAL Op dqe Of Allegiance to t r°Val „. MINUTES: he -r ��mnission - ox RESOLVED Reeves: public Wotk, meeting. publiC Worksr ast..nfnthe Minutes l er Rusoff 4 be deferred the February 26, 1992 ° the March 25 1992 ADDIS T1O S TO OR D E Comm issionea as and Epa Oks FROM THE AGENDA: Carrted Unanimously Use Reeves tems DeWitt Park requested t Resolution. - Tompkins he deletio 0 County Labor f Item A No Board m Coalition Request to ember objected. - Possible COMMUNICATIONS Mayor Nichols FROM THE MAYOR. arise rehab, summertedu�iathe Potential Por thistpFacidlieydpogecsugges�edtthaConstruct- pert Park' that may for park Brio Garage COMM- �NICATIO.in the kGreen Street amp aemployer. p and wool thsalterna�if r Le Mo ne NS OF PERSONS lot during Boardy Farrell of the BEFORE THE BOARD• request in the Woolw isa ity Ad vi D' _ assist d isabledh Mental parking al b lneardtheP Parking spaces the spaces currently lth Ment be two near the exist, one clients, al Health Placed Cayuga Street by the bus shelte a stated Center to Ms. Farrell entrance, r on Green Street hand who gars street lthatr me ° a s Ms hFer ell he or Green lStbe Painted, and inte at is n that thea Y would °have brisk w crossing So t Plained for equines that cr South striped °Ppos swalkr oulde assdisttP de toss Salk and is suggested people as Motorist.. a I W11 BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 Superintendent Gray stated that his department is reviewing the number of handicapped parking spaces available in the City. He stated that the Woolworths parking lot is short of the required amount of spaces and that the City is working with the County on this issue. Andrew Yale of the Traffic Reduction 6 Transit Committee spoke to the Board regarding the Free Bus Passes for All City Employees Resolution on the agenda. Mr. Yale stated that Cornell University has reduced the faculty and staff parking by 268 by implementing parking alternatives. He is hoping that once the City starts this program, private employers may consider joining in. Mr. Yale clarified that the bus passes are only good for Ithaca Transit, but he is in hopes that the City can work with Tomtran and possibly be able to add their services in the future. REPORT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY: Assistant City Attorney Kennedy reported that the Deschere court case will be held tomorrow morning regarding the City charging Mr. Deschere for replacing his leaky, lead water service. The Joint Transit Facility has been nominated, by the City, for a Merit Award that the New York State Conference of Mayors offers to municipalities that have attained special achievements. REPORT OF COUNCIL LIAISON: Common Council Liaison Berg reported on the following: Common Council will hold a Public Hearing at the April 1, 1992 meeting on the west State Street re- zoning issue. Common Council has made a commitment to use $30,000. collected in re- payments from the Center Ithaca parking lot for downtown improvement projects based on recdamendations from the Downtown Vision Task Force. The Joint Transit Facility Committee has been discussing a staffing plan and division of responsibilities. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS: Superintendent of Public works Gray reported on the following projects: Rabies Polic¢ - the draft policy statement for employees is almost complete SJS - Kline Rd sewer - capacity analysis information Records Management Program - the maps and drawings in the Engineering department are being inventoried and information derived from them will be input into a computerized database system. Survey Work - Kline Road, Johnson's Boatyard Affirmative Action Policy Summer Construction impacts - meetings Construction budgets and bids 2 163 BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 REPORT OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS & FACILITIES• Assistant Superintendent of Streets & Facilities Ferrel reported on the following projects: The Ithaca Transit bus /train accident is under investigation by the department. The bus stalled oil the railroad tracks at Seneca Street early this morning and was pushed off the tracks by the train. There were no injuries in this accident. The City is self - insured for collision clams. Street Sweepers are on double shifts to clean the roads. Crews have been working on surface water problems - these areas are being tied into the storm sewer system. Crews are cleaning ditches throughout the City with a machine that LO was borrowed from the County: W A hazardous waste storage area is being installed by the pole barns pursuant to DEC regulations. Pot hole crews are working daily. , a Park crews are cleaning up the parks, the path around the swan pond will be cleared, fencing repairs will be made and the banks of the pond will be cleaned at Stewart Park. Cass Park ice rink is closing on Sunday, March 15, 1992. The Golf Course will be opened in early April, work on the course will begin next week. A request will be made to the Vacancy Committee to fill the working supervisor position which is open due to a resignation. Two dead raccoons were picked up over the weekend and both of them tested positive for rabies. REPORT OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR WATER & SEWER: Assistant Superintendent for Water & Sewer Shimer reported on the following projects: The Wastewater Treatment Plant received a Municipal Achievement Award from the New York section of the Water Pollution Control Association. The Department of Environmental Conservation made the nomination. Gary Gleason was appointed to a Blue Ribbon Committee that will be evaluating the certification process. The Wastewater Treatment Plant is starting to install the new monitoring software. The 1991 operations report has been completed for the Water Plant. The lead and copper surveys are complete, and should be mailed by the end of this week. Filter 7 and 9 are still out of service, no. 9's repairs are nearly complete and should be on line by next week. Quotation documents are being prepared so that 25,000 - 30,000 feet of sewer mains can be videotaped and inspected this summer. 3 164 BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 BUILDINGS, PROPERTIES. AND TRANSIT ITEMS• Free Bus Passes for All City Employees Resolution By Commissioner RUSOff: Seconded by Commissioner Gerard WHEREAS, City streets are increasingly congested with automobile traffic, causing increased pollution, damage to the environment, and safety problems, and WHEREAS, public transit is an efficient, economical, and environmentally wise mode of transportation, and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca wishes to promote the use of public transit rather than that of automobiles; now therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca permit any employee displaying a current City identification card to ride Ithaca Transit buses without charges on an experimental basis for a period of one year beginning April 1, 1992, subject to written agreement by Unions that this privledge will not be considered as past practice, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works requests Common Council to pass a Resolution confirming this decision, and, be it further RESOLVED, That staff is directed to monitor the use of this privledge and report back to the Board and the Traffic Reduction and Public Transit Committee on the results on a quarterly basis. Discussion followed on the floor. Assistant City Attorney Kennedy explained that because the City is offering this privledge to all employees and not just a select group it would be considered a benefit and not a "gift ". Transit Consultant Carpenter called attention to the 1990 Clean Air Legislation which mandates that employers with 100 or more employees be required to reduce their vehicle mileage trips by 25%. Mr. Carpenter also noted that Building Inspectors and Traffic Guards have been allowed to ride the City buses for free during working hours when they are in uniform. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously Replacement of Golf Course Maintenance Building Resolution r By Commissioner Rusoff: Seconded by commissioner Tripp RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Works renovate the old club house located between the third tee and the sixth green to serve as a maintenance and chemical storage building, at a cost not to exceed $30,000., and, be it further RESOLVED, That the Budget and Administration Committee be asked to finance this project, with the cost to be recovered from the golf course revenue over a period of five years. Mayor Nichols suggested that the Conservation Advisory Council prepare an environmental impact statement on this project due to the storage of chemicals at the site. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously 4 165 BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 HIGHWAYS, STREETS AND SIDEWALK ITEMS• Outdoor Dining Permit - Little Cafe Resolution By Commissioner Brandford: Seconded by Commissioner Rusoff RESOLVED, That the owners of the Little Cafe be granted a license to use a limited area of the sidewalk adjacent to their building on the State Street right of way for outdoor dining for the period of May 1, 1992 through September 30, 1992, and, that this area be subject to agreement by the Department of Public Works, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor be authorized to sign a revocable license agreement with the owners of the Little Cafe. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the dimensions of the area. Lj A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: (D Carried Unanimously Award of Bid - Commons Reconstruction 3 Resolution m By Commissioner Brandford: Seconded by Commissioner Rusoff Q WHEREAS, bids were received and opened on February 27, 1992 for the reconstruction of the Ithaca Commons, and WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the bids and the bidders' qualifications; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the contract for reconstruction of the Ithaca Commons be awarded to Dellapenna Brothers, Inc. of Johnson City, New York for their low bid for base bid, alternate 1, alternate 2, and alternate 3 totaling $214,440. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the bid tabulations. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously Construction Inspection of Commons Reconstruction Resolution By Commissioner. Brandford: Seconded by Commissioner Gerard RESOLVED, That Jeffrey Caster be hired as a seasonal full -time Engineering Aide at the rate of $8.50 per hour, with an amount not to exceed $6,000. to perform construction inspection of the Ithaca Commons Reconstruction, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the source of funds be the Ithaca Commons Reconstruction Capital Project #243. Carried Unanimously WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE ITEMS: Request for Trash Violation Expungement Resolution By Commissioner Cox: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, Tim Durnford, of 1210 East State Street, has informed the Board that he received a bill for a special service charge for picking up incorrectly tagged garbage the day following normal collection, and WHEREAS, Mr. Durnford has told the Board that he did put his garbage out incorrectly tagged on January 8, 1992 because he was not aware that the new trashtag regulations were in effect, and that he did leave his garbage out until the day following collection, because he did not notice the violation sticker attached to his garbage and presumed that collection was a day 5 tsc BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 late, as it had been the two previous weeks (Christmas and New Year's), and WHEREAS, the City Municipal Code, Chapter 69, Section 5 dictates the actions followed by staff where waste materials were not placed or prepared in accord with the provisions of the Article, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works made reasonable efforts to inform the public about the new trashtag regulations for 1992, through various methods, including news releases and legal notices; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board denies Mr. Durnford's request for an expungement of the service charge for the trash violation. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (4) Tripp, Reeves, Cox, Brandford Nays (2) Rusoff, Gerard Carried Clean Up Day Resolution By Commissioner Cox: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, the County has offered municipalities an opportunity to hold clean up days between March 16 and April 3, 1992, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works would like to participate in this program; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board directs staff to develop a program that offers an opportunity for scavenger reuse, and which does not handle recyclable materials already covered by the City's existing recycling program; and further directs staff to implement the program as soon as possible to meet the dates and rules set by the County. The City will be collecting clean up day materials during the week of March 23, 1992. Discussion followed regarding a "scavenger" time period before collection times. The Board decided to allow residents to put their clean up day materials out two days before their regular "trash collection day. Commissioner Cox voiced his concern over the crews picking up appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners which contain CFC s. Assistant Superintendent Ferrel noted that the County is willing to accept these items, but he will contact them again to find out what they are planning to do with them. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES: Audit Report Resolution By Commissioner Reeves: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp RESOLVED, That bills listed on the following abstract be approved for payment: Abstract #5 _ General Fund ....................:. .............$ 53,199.33 Water 6 Sewer Fund .............................. 16,180.28 Joint Activity Fund ............................. 8,611.30 Capital Projects . ............................... 15,746.75 Solid Waste Fund . ............................... 45,447.67 and, be it further C Ln 7 m Q BPW Minutes March 11, 1992 RESOLVED, That bills receivable be approved and rendered. Carried Unanimously REPORT OF BOARD LIAISONS: Six Mile Creek Committee Commissioner Gerard asked what the status of the lower dam work, and the service road /recreational path was. Superintendent Gray stated that no construction is planned until next summer. He further stated that the Board will see the plans for the work first and they could have the Conservation Advisory Council and the Six Mile Creek Committee join them for the presentation. Committee of the Whole Commissioner Reeves reported that Chief McEwen will be able to attend the April 1, 1992 meeting to discuss the possibility of installing a traffic light on South Aurora Street, so discussion on that matter will be deferred until then. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 5:45 P.M. Julie Conley Boyle Deputy City Clerk Benjamih Nichols Mayor 167