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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2015-01-21CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. January 21, 2015 PRESENT: Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Chair Alderpersons (3): Fleming, McGonigal, Smith Mayor (1): Myrick EXCUSED: Alderperson (1): Clairborne OTHERS PRESENT: City Clerk – Holcomb Chief of Staff – Sutherland City Forester – Grace City Attorney – Lavine Traffic Systems Engineer – Logue Bridge Systems Engineer – Gebre HR Director – Michell-Nunn Controller - Thayer Deputy Controller – Andrew 1. Call to Order 1.1 Agenda Review. None. 1.2 Review/Approval of Minutes: Alderperson Fleming made a motion to approve the minutes from the December 17, 2014 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. Motion carried unanimously. 1.3 Statements from the Public Fay Gougakis lives in Ithaca. Ms. Gougakis asked the Committee to revisit a discussion about Common Council members being required to have local phone numbers and spoke about the City spending funds unnecessarily to hire a noise consultant when the results did not really address bar noise and music. 1.4 Statements from Employees. None. 1.5 Council Response Chairperson Mohlenhoff responded that this Committee will address the issue of local phone numbers for Council during the Rules of Procedures working session, which is later on the agenda, and that the noise ordinance goes before the Planning & Economic Development Committee. 2. City Administration, Human Resources, and Policy City Administration Committee Meeting January 21, 2015 Page 2 2.1 Declaration of Freedom from Domestic Violence as a Human Right (Discussion) A draft resolution for Common Council to declare freedom from domestic violence as a human right was distributed to the Committee for adoption. The Committee discussed the resolution, suggested minor changes and agreed that it should be put on next month’s agenda. 3. Standing Sub-Committee and Staff Reports 3.1 Evaluation of Monthly Training Sessions City Clerk Julie Holcomb attended the meeting to talk about the monthly training sessions for Common Council and to decide on how to proceed with these sessions. The City has completed one year of the pilot program. Ms. Holcomb gave an overview on how the training sessions went and what topics were covered during the sessions. Ms. Holcomb asked the Committee to discuss whether or not these sessions should continue this year. If they continue another year, what topics should be covered? Are there topics that Common Council wants covered again? Are there new topics/subjects that Common Council wants staff to cover? Should the day of week for the sessions change? Was the time of the sessions okay? Ms. Holcomb is looking for feedback from the Committee on how to proceed. After discussion, some suggestions, questions or comments made were  Should the public be invited to these meetings;  Should these sessions be held in the community;  Should a change be made to the day the sessions are held since they are the day after the Common Council meeting;  Include a session on labor contracts and how they are negotiated;  Include a session that talks about the Town/City Merger, shared services (e.g. Fire Contract, TCAT, Recreation, etc.;  Repeat topics;  Annual budget basics. City Clerk Holcomb stated that she would take information received and create Council training for this year. 4. Finance, Budget and Appropriations 4.1 Approval of Urban Forestry Grant Round 12 Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Smith. WHEREAS, The City of Ithaca is currently a “Tree City USA” and has been so designated for 26 consecutive years and the Growth Award for 17 years, largely due to its progressive urban forestry program and, City Administration Committee Meeting January 21, 2015 Page 3 WHEREAS, conflicts with overhead electric facilities is a major issue related to urban trees and the City of Ithaca has a practice of no longer planting tall maturing trees under high voltage utility lines, however, there is a legacy of street trees that have been severely pruned due to service reliability and safety concerns related to overhead utility lines and, WHEREAS, trees that have been pruned in this manner are not only unsightly but this severe pruning has negative impacts on the long-term health of the trees and often results in decay of tree branches, making the trees a public hazard and, WHEREAS, the City Forester has identified many City trees that have experienced severe utility pruning which has resulted in poor tree health and/or evidence of significant decay and are scheduled for removal and, WHEREAS, the city forester seeks to apply for a grant through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that can provide matching funds to assist in the replacement of these damaged trees with low growing species of trees, thus avoiding future conflicts with overhead electric facilities and, WHEREAS, revitalizing the urban forest through this program will provide neighborhoods with the aesthetic and ecological benefits of street trees and avoid future safety issues and, WHEREAS, the total cost for this project has been estimated by the City Forester at $11,780, now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City Forester is hereby authorized to file an application for the 2013-2014 Urban Forestry Grant Round 12, contract # T305357, for 50% matching funds in the amount of $5,450, and be it further RESOLVED, that the matching funds needed for said grant will be satisfied with City staff time as part of the 2015 Department of Public Works Budget, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council authorizes the Mayor, upon review and advice of the City Attorney, to enter into and execute a project agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for such financial assistance to the City of Ithaca. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.2 DPW - Amendment of Capital Project 769 Moved by Alderperson Smith. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, a Project for Intersection Bulb-outs on West Green Street and West Seneca Street, P.I.N. 375462 (the “Project”) is eligible for funding under Title 23 U.S. Code, as amended, that calls for the apportionment of the costs of such program to be borne at the ratio of 80% Federal funds and 20% non- federal funds, and City Administration Committee Meeting January 21, 2015 Page 4 WHEREAS, the Project purpose is to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized street users in the interest of street safety and livability along the New York State owned section of Route 79 (a one-way pair) in the mixed residential and low-density commercial area in the vicinity of Plain Street and Corn Street, and WHEREAS, on July 6, 2011, Common Council authorized $52,000 for the capital project, and WHEREAS, in the 2012 and 2014 City Capital Budgets, Common Council authorized $231,000 and $12,000, respectively, bringing the total authorization to $295,000, and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca desires to advance the Project by making a commitment of 100% of the non-federal share of the costs of design, construction and construction inspection; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby approves the above-subject project; and it is hereby further RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby authorizes the City of Ithaca to pay in the first instance 100% of the federal and non-federal share of the cost of Preliminary Engineering, Design, Construction and Construction Inspection work for the Project or portions thereof, and it is further RESOLVED, That the sum of $60,000 is hereby appropriated from the issuance of serial bonds and made available to cover the cost of participation in the above phase of the Project, and it is further RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends Capital Project # 769, Intersection Bulb-outs on West Green Street and West Seneca Street, to include the Project costs of $60,000, for a total authorization of $355,000 and it is further RESOLVED, That this project be undertaken with the understanding that the final cost of the Project to the City of Ithaca will be roughly 21% (or 7.5% or 5%) of said portion, currently estimated at $74,750 (or $26,750 or $17,750) of the $355,000 authorized for this portion of the project, in monies and in-kind services as managed by the Superintendent of Public Works and monitored by the City Controller, and be it further RESOLVED, That in the event the full federal and non-federal share costs of the project exceeds the amount appropriated above, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca shall convene as soon as possible to appropriate said excess amount immediately upon the notification by the NYSDOT thereof, and it is further RESOLVED, That the Mayor of the City of Ithaca be and is hereby authorized to execute all necessary Agreements, certifications or reimbursement requests for Federal Aid on behalf of the City of Ithaca with the New York State Department of Transportation in connection with the advancement or approval of the Project and providing for the administration of the Project and the municipality’s first instance funding of Project costs and permanent funding of the local share of federal-aid and state-aid eligible Project costs and all Project costs within appropriations therefore that are not so eligible, and it is further City Administration Committee Meeting January 21, 2015 Page 5 RESOLVED, That a certified copy of this resolution be filed with the New York State Commissioner of Transportation by attaching it to any necessary Agreement in connection with the Project, and it is further RESOLVED, This Resolution shall take effect immediately. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.3 Approval of Project Scope for Capital Project #802 Transportation Alternatives Program Moved by Alderperson Smith. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, as part of the City’s Bond Authorization approved at the regular Common Council meeting on January 7, 2015, the $750,000 authorized for Capital Project #802, Transportation Alternatives Program, was amended to include a stipulation that Common Council be required to approve the project scope prior to release of financing for the project, and WHEREAS, after project review, Common Council approves the project detail for design of the Transportation Alternatives Program Project; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby approves the project scope for Capital Project #802, Transportation Alternatives Program in the amount of $750,000, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby directs the City Controller to issue financing for said project in the amount of $750,000. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 5. Performance Measures Senior Staff and Common Council will attend a retreat next Friday – January 30, 2015. Chief of Staff Sutherland will e-mail homework assignments to Common Council. They are to pick the top 2 or 3 topics from the State of the City Address. At the retreat, they will discuss and update the strategic themes. 6. Common Council 6.1 Rules of Procedure: The Committee used this time to work on the City’s Rules of Procedure. 7. Meeting Wrap-up 7.1 Announcements. None. 7.2 Review, Agenda Items for Next Meeting. None. City Administration Committee Meeting January 21, 2015 Page 6 7.3 Adjourn: With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson McGonigal, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.