HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2004-09-08BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. September 8, 2004
PRESENT:
Mayor Peterson
Commissioners (6) -Tsegaye, Jenkins, Dotson, Chapman, Schlather, Romanoff
OTHERS PRESENT:
Deputy City Controller - Andrew
Superintendent of Public Works - Gray
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer - Fabbroni
Common Council Liaison – Coles
Information Management Specialist - Myers
EXCUSED:
DAC Liaison - Roberts
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Mayor Peterson led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Approval of the Minutes of the August 11 and 25, 2004 Board of Public Works
Meetings
By Commissioner Romanoff: Seconded by Commissioner Dotson
RESOLVED, That the Minutes of the August 11 and 25, 2004 Board of Public Works
meetings be approved with noted corrections.
Carried Unanimously
MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS:
Mayor Peterson noted that Larry Fabbroni, Rick Ferrel, and Bill Gray have met with her
and the Controller to review their departmental budgets. The budget is due October 1st.
She further noted that she and the City Clerk are working on an updated article that will
provide current information/updates on construction projects taking place in the City that
will also include information as to whether projects are on schedule.
COMMUNICATIONS AND HEARINGS OF PERSONS BEFORE THE BOARD:
Gary Ferguson, Ithaca Downtown Partnership, addressed the Board regarding parking
permit fees and concerns that have been brought to his attention by TC3 and people
that attend their workshops and seminars. He would like to work with the Board to
address some of these concerns in order to keep these events in the downtown area.
RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC
Commissioner Romanoff responded to Mr. Ferguson’s concerns and suggested that the
bus be used by those attending workshops and seminars in the downtown area, and
that TC3 advise attendees of the cost of parking.
Commissioner Dotson stated that the Board desires to look at parking rates, and
suggested that all day parking pricing and bus schedule information be provided by TC3
when information is sent out about workshops and seminars.
Superintendent Gray stated that he had been in a meeting recently with the City
Controller and City Chamberlain to talk about parking rates. He suggested that there
might be a way to provide TC3 with parking permits at a cost that then could be
incorporated into the cost of attendance at conference and workshops.
Mayor Peterson suggested that the group meeting to discuss parking rates be
expanded to include members of the Board. She further suggested that this discussion
be continued at the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for September 15,
2004.
Board of Public Works – September 8, 2004 - Page 2
Commissioner Schlather noted again for the record that he would volunteer to be
involved with the committee to review parking rates. He stated that discussion
regarding parking rates and fees needs to happen soon enough to be incorporated into
the 2005 budget. The Board needs to review and make recommendations in time for
the budget process. He noted that there are other areas that should be reviewed such
as rates for parking meters.
Mayor Peterson stated that there is a parking rate committee meeting scheduled for
Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. She further stated that there is a proforma
on the Cayuga Green garage that also would provide useful information in review of
parking rates and fees. Commissioners Schlather and Dotson both requested a copy of
this proforma for their review. She further reported that the City Clerk had provided her
with draft notes from the traffic forum and that she would work with the Clerk to provide
that information for the Committee of the Whole meeting on September 15th.
REPORT OF COUNCIL LIAISON:
Alderperson Coles reported to the Board that the West Hill Civic Association has been
raising concerns about a safe way for children to cross the street to get to the
Alternative Community School. There is no safe way to cross on either Elm Street or
Route 79 and there is a sidewalk on only one side of the street. She is also concerned
about preliminary plans for development in the West Hill area with entrances to the
proposed housing development being from Chestnut Street. She further reported that
there is a similar unsafe condition on Hudson Street by South Hill Elementary School.
Extensive discussion followed on the floor on how these safety issues might be
addressed including additional signage, police enforcement and use of school crossing
guards.
REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF:
Superintendent Gray reported to the Board on the following matters:
1) Construction work on Route 13/Elmira Road/Meadow Street is scheduled to be
done by October 23rd, however, he noted that some of the utility companies
being used have been pulled South to Florida because of emergency work which
may cause some delays, in addition to local weather delays, and steel delivery
delays.
2) Work on Spencer Street is proceeding and most of the work will be done by the
end of September. The work on the lower portion of Cayuga Street will not be
done this year.
3) The City was invited to a picnic at Nates Floral Estates in celebration of the new
pedestrian bridge being installed on Cecile Malone Drive. The residents of Nates
are very pleased with this project because it will bring immediate benefit to their
quality of life.
4) Superintendent Gray and Asst. Supt. Ferrel looked at the driveways on the 600
block of West Court Street, and it appears that when a driveway was redone an
overly wide 30’ curb cut was installed instead of the usual 16’. He wanted the
Board to know that when the curbing is redone on West Court Street, the City will
correct that curb cut and the Board may receive a complaint as the result of that
work.
Board of Public Works – September 8, 2004 - Page 3
Assistant Superintendent Ferrel reported to the board on the following matters:
1) Construction work has been delayed as crews have been needed to clear creeks
of debris because of all the rain. There is a possibility of 3” of rain with the latest
storm, and areas that need to be monitored for flooding include Floral Avenue,
Elmira Road, Old Elmira Road, Lake Street, and Gibbs Drive because the lake
level is high.
2) On September 3, 2004, New York State Department of Transportation put a
safety flag on Lake Street bridge’s deck because it has holes. The bridge is on
the City’s list for fall patching and temporary plates have been installed in the
meantime.
3) Crews patched and paved a section of Stewart Avenue near the bridge over Fall
Creek. Crews spent Tuesday patching East State Street to the City line. He has
scheduled the milling machine for September 22nd to do Buffalo/North
Aurora/North Geneva streets.
4) Construction season will be winding down because nice weather will be ending.
Assistant Superintendent Fabbroni reported to the board on the following matters:
1) The Water and Sewer Department has finished work on the 600 block of West
Court Street.
2) The crew is ready to begin work on the West Hill tank and is waiting for a special
apparatus to do the work.
3) The crew will also be doing work at night on Elmira Road near Wendy’s laying
pipe under the road which will connect all of the southwest part of the City to the
new pump station behind the new Walmart. They are trying to do this work when
it will cause the least inconvenience to traffic and before the road is paved.
4) Asst. Supt. Fabbroni is spending most of his time at the Waste Water Treatment
Plant. The plant is having difficulty meeting the criteria for their phosphorus
project, and testing is currently being done.
5) The department is losing a lot of staff members to the County. Catty Ann
Campbell, GIS Specialist, has accepted a position with the County. He will be
looking to fill the big hole in the department that will be left by her departure from
a very vital role to the City of Ithaca.
13. BUILDINGS, PROPERTIES, TRANSIT:
A. Bare-Root Tree Initiative Grant - Resolution
By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Dotson
RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Works is hereby authorized and
directed to file an application for a matching funds grant seeking a grant of $10,000 to
complete the funding of a proposed $25,000 project, and upon approval of said request
to enter into and execute a project agreement with the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation for such financial assistance to this city for the “bare-root
tree planning initiative”.
Carried Unanimously
14. HIGHWAYS, STREETS, SIDEWALK:
Superintendent Gray reported that the City Attorney had advised him that the city can’t
“give” anything away. Discussion followed on the floor on how this request might be
able to be granted without a waiver of the fee. The resolution was modified to reflect
this change and the following resolution reflects the action by the Board.
Board of Public Works – September 8, 2004 - Page 4
A. Request for Waiver of State Street Bricks - Resolution
By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Tsegaye
WHEREAS, the South Hill Elementary School will be landscaping their entrance with
volunteers, and
WHEREAS, the ILPC has approved their use of West State Street Bricks, and
WHEREAS, the school is requesting that the Board of Public Works trade the 25 cent
per brick fee (for a total of 984 West State Street Bricks) for the volunteer labor to be
expended in removing, cleaning and installing the bricks and enhancing the value of a
quasi public place in the City of Ithaca; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board approves of the aforesaid trade and that the
Superintendent of Public Works be authorized to enter into an agreement with the South
Hill Elementary School, provided that the City Attorney’s Office reviews and approves
this transaction.
Commissioner Romanoff stated that the use of these bricks should not be taken lightly
because they are a durable construction resource. She suggested the following:
1) A reserve of bricks be maintained for repair work on historical streets
2) Set up guidelines for use because these are hard fired, durable,
long lasting bricks which can be used instead of creating bricks
3) Recycle the bricks for use in the City of Ithaca
Mayor Peterson requested that Commissioner Romanoff put together a proposal, after
working with the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission, for use of city bricks.
Commissioner Romanoff further suggested that bricks might be used throughout the city
to define pedestrian areas.
A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows:
Carried Unanimously
17. WATER AND SEWER:
A. Approval of Natgun Contract - Resolution
By Commissioner Dotson: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works authorized the sole source bidding for repair and
rebuilding of the Elm Street Water Storage Reservoir Roof at its meeting on July 21,
2004; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby authorizes the Assistant
Superintendent of Water and Sewer to enter into an agreement with Natgun Corporation
for their proposal of $215,000 for the repair and rebuilding of the Elm Street Water
Storage Reservoir Roof, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the contract also be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney with
the usual terms and conditions.
Carried Unanimously
18. ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ITEMS:
A. Power to Act – Award of Bid - Resolution
By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Tsegaye
RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works grants itself power to act in order to award
the bid for the Cecil A. Malone Bridge contract for installation at its meeting on
September 15, 2004.
Carried Unanimously
Board of Public Works – September 8, 2004 - Page 5
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
Mayor Peterson stated that the committee that has been meeting to review agendas
and meeting structure has met and will bring recommendations to the Board in the near
future.
NEIGHBORHOOD TROUBLE SHOOTING:
Commissioner Jenkins reported to the Board about gardens and archways that are in
the tree lawns and sidewalks in the southside neighborhood area, which affects a
person’s ability to access the tree lawn when parking, and hampers travel on sidewalks.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding tree lawns and public right-of-way. Tree
lawns are owned by the City but are maintained by the property owners. While the
Board is encouraged to see property owners taking pride in making their properties look
nice with gardens and arches, there needs to be some balance found that meets the
needs of the public as well as the property owner and still maintains the beautiful
gardens.
ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Sarah L. Myers Carolyn K. Peterson
Information Management Specialist Mayor