HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-1992-03-18BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
March 18, 1992
NOTES
Present: Commissioners Brandford, Cox, Gerard, Reeves, Rusoff,
Tripp; Mayor Nichols, Supt. Gray, Asst. Supt. Shimer, Asst. Supt.
Ferrel, Asst. City Attorney Kennedy, Alderman Berg.
Commissioner Reeves chaired the meeting.
The following was postponed to a later agenda:
Use of Steamboat Landing
The following were additions to the agenda:
*Report of the Asst. City Atty. - Ithaca Festival; Hillview sewer
line
*Request to use Stewart Park - Women's Motorcyclist Foundation
*Mayor's remarks - DPW activities along Six Mile Creek
*Supt.'s report - GIAC Renovations project
1. Asst. City Attorney's report - Hillview sewer line. Asst.
City Atty. Kennedy reported she had met with Supt. Gray and Asst.
Supt. Shimer; the City is clear on what it can offer Mr.
Vanderburgh. It is not clear whether Mr. Vanderburgh can provide
proof of ownership of the land which he proposes to give the City
for an easement. She will write outlining the City's position.
She said Mr. Vanderburgh now appears to want the City to assume
ownership of the sewer line which they may repair - this is not
possible, since the scope of the repairs will not produce a
service which the City can accept. Comm. Tripp said her
recollection of the earlier discussion involved the City
repairing the line, which would remain a private line.
Ithaca Festival. Asst. City Attorney Kennedy said the City has
not had a contract with the Ithaca Festival for years. She has
found a copy of a contract from 1984, which she has sent to Ted
Crane, Festival Director, as an example to be tailored to this
year's requirements. She reported that the Festival has
exchanged, but not yet signed, a contract with the Police
Department. Comm. Reeves said she had met with Mr. Crane; she
thinks there is confusion over the financial agreement between
the City and the Festival. Mayor Nichols said Common Council had
set aside $5000 for the Festival to match; the Festival found it
more advantageous to deal directly with the IPD, and the money is
still reserved. Supt. Gray said Asst. Supt. Ferrel has given the
Festival information on the charges for various kinds of
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
March 18, 1992
Department work. The Festival is now whittling away at their
budget and requests, trying to get the charges inside the $5000
figure; they want to use the contracted amount they are to pay
the IPD as the matching funds for Council's money.
2. Request to use Stewart Park - Women's Motorcyclist
Foundation. Carol Mallison present. Carol Mallison said the
Foundation plans, as part of a gathering at Wells College, to
have a number of scenic tours on Monday, August 17, 1992. They
would like to meet in Stewart Park between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30
p.m. in preparation for a parade run from Stewart Park to Wells
College. They are requesting that the parking loop near the
lagoon be blocked off for their use, so 80 - 150 motorcycles can
all be parked together while the riders enjoy the Park. They
would also like to arrange some system by which the Foundation
could pay for refreshments and carousel rides for its members.
The Foundation will carry an insurance policy for this event,
naming the City as co- insured. The Board agreed to grant the
request; a resolution will be voted on at the next regular
meeting. A couple of points came out in discussion: the
Foundation should deal directly with the IPD to arrange police
presence in the Park and while exiting the Park; the question of
how to handle the concessions could not be solved at the meeting,
since John Doyle had previously told the Supt.'s secretary that
he could not deal with the recordkeeping involved; some agreement
will be reached.
3. Request for trashtag expungement - 610 North Cayuga Street.
Michelle Ferlo was present. Ms. Ferlo explained the conditions
under which she had committed a trashtag violation in January:
she was unaware of the change in trashtags; the violation notice
was folded tightly and illegibly around the handle of the garbage
can and she did not read it. She said she believes the fine to
be too great for the violation. She stated in addition, that the
fine would inflict an undue hardship upon her. Comm. Tripp said
she was sympathetic, but believed the rules were fair and should
be equally applied; she offered to pay the fine herself if the
Board voted against Ms. Ferlo. Further discussion included
information on the original news releases and the point that the
$20 charge was applied for the service of removing illegally
placed garbage, rather than as a fine Per se. The Commissioners
will vote at the next regular meeting on the request for
expungement.
4. Request to use DeWitt Park - Tompkins /Cortland Labor
Coalition. Carl Feuer present. Mr. Feuer presented the Labor
Coalition's request to use DeWitt Park on Saturday, April 25,
1992 from 1:00 -2:30 p.m. for a memorial service as part of a
celebration of Workers' Memorial Day. He said he expected 100 to
125 people to attend. The activities would include speeches and
musical entertainment. The Commissioners reminded him that if
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
March 18, 1992
amplified sound was planned, the Labor
get a noise permit. Comm. Gerard poin-
already given permission to the Cayuga
Park that day. The Board was prepared
Labor Coalition to use the Park if the
share the space; Mr. Feuer will get in
Coalition would have to
ted out that the Board had
Nature Center to use the
to vote to permit the
Nature Center agreed to
touch with them.
5. Quit Claim easement - Johnson Boatyard. Supt. Gray reported
that Asst. Supt. Shimer and Tom Cleveland had met and looked over
the property lines. Asst. Supt. Shimer has asked staff to survey
the pump and the turnaround which appear to be partly on the
Johnson property. Supt. Gray said it had not been possible to
turn up records which show how much the City paid for the
easement in question. He thinks the City and Johnson will be
able to reach an agreement to trade the easement for a right of
way to the turnaround and pump.
6. DPW activities along Six Mile Creek. The Board discussed a
recent exchange of memos originating with the CAC concerning DPW
plans to repair its facilities on Six Mile Creek. Comm. Gerard
called for greater cooperation between the CAC and the
Department, pointing out that protecting the water supply and
environmental concerns were linked goals. He said he believed he
should have brought the CAC concerns to the Board's attention,
since he is the Liaison. Mayor Nichols called for the Board to
set a policy stating specifically their interest in environmental
concerns and their intention to review the Department activities
with due regard to the environment. He said he did not believe
the CAC memo should have been sent to its large variety of
addressees. Comm. Tripp said she thinks the CAC concern may have
arisen from the offhanded way in which some Department workers
refer to the work on the facilities as if it was already settled
and would begin any day. Supt. Gray explained that when the
project was first discussed two years ago, it was planned
tentatively for this year. In fact, the Department is not able
to undertake the work now, as it is waiting for information, and
is also short - staffed. He pointed out that the protection of the
watershed is an overriding concern for the water supply. The
Board discussed the role of the CAC in planning the activities of
the Department. Comm. Reeves said that, although she has
frequently invited Betsy Darlington to come to the Board with her
concerns, she has never done so.
7. GIAC renovations project. Supt. Gray reported to the Board
that GIAC renovations, which were approved three years ago, are
starting now. They will include work on the roof, HVAC, elevator
shaft, and sprinklers. The Board will begin seeing charges
appear in the audit for this work. Staff hours are being
rearranged to accommodate the necessity of dealing with this
project as well as the others scheduled for this summer.
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
March 18, 1992
8. Traffic and parking requests - report by Commissioners
Tripp, Brandford, and Rusoff. Comm. Brandford showed a map that
he and Comm. Tripp and Rusoff had worked up to guide Board
decisions on individual traffic requests. They suggested the
Board could use this plan to work towards channelling traffic
along major and collector roads, and out of residential
neighborhoods. Comm. Brandford pointed out that this plan dealt
with the City as a whole, although it provided guidance to make
decisions on individual issues. Comm. Cox said he still wanted
to hear the traffic engineer's recommendations on any request.
Comm. Gerard said he wanted the flexibility to decide without
being constrained by this plan. Comm. Tripp said it was meant as
a decision - making tool, not as a strict rule. The Board will use
this plan to discuss several requests at the next Committee of
the Whole meeting.
* Asst. Supt. Ferrel said he has spoken to Mr. Bassler of the
NYSDOT, who tells him that the DOT has reviewed the status of
Seneca and Green Streets - their repair is a high priority for
1993.
Meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.
Notes by Marianne Hansen, Administrative Secretary.
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