HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2005-07-06Approved on March 14, 2007
Board of Public Works Meeting
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BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Committee of the Whole Meeting 4:45 p.m. July 6, 2005
PRESENT:
Mayor Peterson
Commissioners (4) - Chapman, Dotson, Jenkins, Romanoff
OTHERS PRESENT:
Superintendent of Public Works - Gray
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel
Common Council Liaison – Coles
Disability Advisory Council Liaison – Roberts
Executive Assistant – Grunder
Deputy Director Planning and Development – Cornish
Environmental Engineer – Gibson
Alderperson – Cogan
City Engineer – West
Traffic Systems Engineer – Logue
City Controller - Thayer
EXCUSED:
Commissioner Schlather
Assistant Superintendent, Water and Sewer – Fabbroni
REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF:
Assistant Superintendent Ferrel reported to the Board that Tim Logue had been hired as
the new traffic engineer.
INLET ISLAND TRAIL PROJECT
Supt. Gray reported on the newest phase of the Waterfront Trail project on Inlet Island
that is currently out to bid. He reported that it will be funded by Ithaca Urban Renewal
Agency (IURA) funds and will be administered by them.
Deputy Director of Planning and Development Cornish reported to the Board on the
Inlet Island Promenade Project. She further reported that the project is in the process of
obtaining funding from the IURA and Housing and Urban Development which will help
extend it from Buffalo Street to the tip of Inlet Island with a stone dust trail.
Discussion between the Board and Deputy Director Cornish followed on the floor
regarding this phase of the project being a public/private venture with the Inlet Island
Health and Fitness Center and its owners.
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities Ferrel inquired as to whether or not
there were issues between the Coast Guard and the City using the edge of their
property for the project. Deputy Director of Planning and Development Cornish reported
that calls to the Coast Guard on this matter have not been returned, and that alternative
plans are being composed in case the City does not get permission from the Coast
Guard.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT REPLACEMENT
Supt. Gray reported that Mayor Peterson has assembled an advisory committee to
review the range of options regarding the replacement of the Water Treatment Plant
such as, costs, advantages, and disadvantages and issues such as the difficulty in
siting a plant close to the lake shore, or the environmental impacts of building a new
plant in the water shed area. The advisory committee will prepare a report and/or
recommendation to the Board. The four options to consider are:
Build a city-owned plant at 60-foot reservoir
Build a city-owned plant at existing site
Approved on March 14, 2007
Board of Public Works Meeting
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Build a city-owned plant near the lake
Contract with Bolton Point to serve as the City’s water source
Supt. Gray further reported that Environmental Engineer Gibson would develop a
summary of recommendations from the committee for the Board’s review.
Supt. Gray reported that it was his impression that a majority of the group felt the City
should own its own plant. Consensus existed among committee members that the
Bolton Point option should be explored further to see if clarification could be achieved
which might make it an equally or more attractive option.
Environmental Engineer Gibson and Alderperson Cogan distributed to Board members
a Site Selection Advisory Committee Executive Summary for their information and
reported on the status of the advisory committees meetings and options being
discussed. Environmental Engineer Gibson explained that it is expected that the
Environmental Protection Agency will require modification to their current chlorine
disinfectant procedure in 2008, which will require major changes to the current water
system, which is over 100 years old.
Mayor Peterson requested that Alderperson Coles report on this matter to Common
Council at their meeting tonight since it is still unclear whether this Board or Common
Council will make the ultimate decision on how the City should proceed.
UNIFORM SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS
City Engineer West outlined the requirements to complete the sidewalk improvements in
the 300 block of Elmira Road per the Board’s decision.
He further reported that a legal notice was going to be published and letters would be
sent out to property owners outlining the city’s intent to build the sidewalk. A public
hearing on this topic will occur at the next meeting of the Board of Public Works.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN AGREEMENTS
Supt. Gray reported that following several years of negotiations among six municipal
entities (City and Town of Ithaca, Village and Town of Lansing, Village of Cayuga
Heights, and Town of Dryden) five agreements have been developed. He further
reported that three of these agreements have been completed and signed, and that the
final two are largely devoted to implementation of the various inter-municipal
agreements and cover plant operations. He also reported that the two agreements yet
to be completed cover pre-treatment requirements for wastewater delivered to the
Ithaca Area Waste Water Treatment Plant (IAWWTP) and the method by which the two
regional plants would work together to treat flows of wastewater. He stated that it may
be necessary to forward the agreements to Common Council for approval because of
the way they are structured. The City Attorney has been asked to review this.
Environmental Engineer Gibson reported on the existing agreements, current
standards, and the next steps that will need to be taken.
CITY-WIDE PARKING RATE STRUCTURE
Supt. Gray reported that City staff suggested that changes need to be implemented for
the 2006 parking rate structure for on-street and off-street parking. He further reported
that there are so many opinions that it is hard to outline the ideas, however the one
constant is that the free two-hour parking policy at the garages must stop or be replaced
with a retail coupon program.
Supt. Gray recommended that the Board consider giving themselves Power to Act for its
meeting on July 20, 2005, to consider this issue.
Commissioners Dotson and Schlather stated that they would reconvene the Parking
Policy Committee and report back to the Board on the recommendations from the
Committee regarding the parking rate structure for 2006.
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Board of Public Works Meeting
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ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Deborah Grunder Carolyn K. Peterson
Executive Assistant Mayor