Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2005-07-06Approved on March 14, 2007 Board of Public Works Meeting j:\committee files\bpw\2005\07-06-05 bpw mtg minutes.doc 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 j:\committee files\bpw\2005\07-06-05 bpw mtg minutes.doc 2 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. Approved on March 14, 2007 Board of Public Works Meeting j:\committee files\bpw\2005\07-06-05 bpw mtg minutes.doc 3 ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Deborah Grunder Carolyn K. Peterson Executive Assistant Mayor