Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2015-09-16CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. September 16, 2015 PRESENT: Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Chair Alderpersons (4): Clairborne, Fleming, McGonigal, Smith Mayor (1): Myrick OTHERS PRESENT: Alderpersons (1): Brock Chief of Staff – Sutherland Planning Director – Cornish Traffic Systems Engineer – Logue 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 Smith made a motion to approve the minutes from the July 15, 2015 and August 19, 2015 meetings of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. Motion carried unanimously. 1.3 Statements from the Public Pete Meyer, Ithaca resident and Director of the Workers’ Center, spoke in support of Common Council passing a resolution about the minimum wage in Tompkins County being the same amount as the living wage and encouraging Tompkins County Legislature to pass a local law stating the same. Joan Lockwood, Newfield resident, stated that she cannot afford to live in Ithaca and asked that Common Council pass a resolution about the living wage in Tompkins County being the same amount as the minimum wage. Stanley McPherson, Ithaca resident, spoke in support of the minimum wage being the same amount as the living wage so that people can support their families. Chuck Wynns, Newfield resident, stated that he and his co-workers cannot afford to live in Ithaca because of the low wages and high rents. He encouraged Common Council to pass a resolution increasing the minimum wage to the living wage. Allison Considine, Cornell University student, spoke in support of the minimum wage being the same as the living wage. Even though living in a co-op is less expensive, she still needs support from her family and friends due to the wages being so low. She encouraged Common Council to pass a resolution that would increase the minimum wage to the living wage. City Administration Committee Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 2 Ali Coumare, Ithaca College student, works several jobs to support his self while going to college. He, too, encouraged Common Council to pass the resolution that supports increasing the minimum wage to the living wage. Milton Webb works at the Recycling Center. He stated that the cost of food and shelter in Ithaca are high. He is attending this meeting in support of a resolution to increase the minimum wage to the living wage. Paula Burke, Ithaca resident, talked about how difficult it is to live in Ithaca due to the high cost of housing and food. Ms. Burke encouraged Common Council to pass the living wage resolution. 1.4 Statements from Employees. None. 1.5 Council Response. None. 2. City Administration, Human Resources, and Policy 2.1 HR - Establishment of Standard Workday as Required by New York State Retirement System Moved by Alderperson Smith. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, the New York State Retirement System requires that the standard workday be established for all positions in City government for the purpose of determining reportable days worked, and WHEREAS, a Recreation Program Assistant position has been amended since Common Council last updated the standard workday designations, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby establishes the following standard workday for the sole purpose of determining days worked reportable to the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System for the position indicated: Six (6) hour workday; Thirty (30) hour workweek Recreation Program Assistant 1 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.2 PB&ED – Amendment to Roster Moved by Alderperson Clairborne. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming WHEREAS, the Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development has been reconfiguring its support staff to improve the efficiency of its operation, and WHEREAS, the elimination of the Receptionist position and the addition of a Permit Clerk position were voted on by Common Council on September 2, 2015 and City Administration Committee Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 3 WHEREAS, as the next step in this reconfiguration, the Civil Service Commission classified a proposed position as Database Specialist at their September 2, 2015 meeting, now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Personnel Roster of the Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development shall be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Database Specialist (40 hours) and be it further RESOLVED, That the position of Database Specialist shall be assigned to the CSEA Administrative Unit at salary grade 8, and be it further RESOLVED, That for the sole purpose of determining days worked reportable to the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, the standard workday for this position shall be established at eight (8) hours per day (forty (40) hours per week). A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3. Finance, Budget and Appropriations 3.1 Eng - Authorization of Supplemental Agreements for Route 13 Pedestrian Improvements at Third Street & Dey Street Moved by Alderperson Smith. Seconded by Alderperson Clairborne. A resolution authorizing implementation and funding in the first instance 100% of the federal aid- eligible costs and State “Marchiselli” program-aid eligible costs, of a transportation federal-aid project, and appropriating funds therefore. WHEREAS, a Project for the Route 13 at 3rd & Dey, Sidewalk & Ped Improvements, P.I.N. 395035 (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 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, Right of Way Incidentals and Acquisition, Construction, and Construction Inspection, and WHEREAS, on May 2, 2007, Common Council approved the Project, established Capital Project #718 and authorized in the first instance a project cost of $726,502, with the understanding that the cost to the City would be approximately 20% or $145,300, and with the intent of applying for Community Development Block Grant funds to cover the local share, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works, acting as the lead agency, declared on July 27, 2011, that the Project would not have a significant negative environmental impact in accordance with the City City Administration Committee Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 4 Environmental Quality Review Ordinance and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, and WHEREAS, on June 18, 2013, the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council adopted the 2014 – 2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), amending the Project to include an additional $538,220 of which $430,576 would be federal funds, and $107,644 would be non-federal funds, though the City of Ithaca, as sponsor, would have to provide funding in the first instance, and WHEREAS, funding for this Project was included in the 2013 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant funds (a reimbursement program) in the amount of $143,000, and WHEREAS, on June 10, 2014, the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council modified the Project on the Transportation Improvement Program to include an additional $60,000, of which $48,000 would be federal funds, and $12,000 would be New York State funds, though the City of Ithaca, as sponsor, would have to provide funding in the first instance, and WHEREAS, as part of the 2014 City Budget, Common Council approved an additional $110,000 for the Project, as a match for additional federal aid, and WHEREAS, on July 21, 2015, the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council amended the TIP to increase funding for the project in a total amount of $88,764, of which 80% or $71,011 would be federal funds, and 20% or $17,753 would be a City share, and WHEREAS, to date, Common Council has only specifically approved by resolution the May 2007 authorization, but in order to be reimbursed for the federal, CDBG, and state shares of the project, Common Council must authorized funding in the first instance; 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 Design, ROW, Construction, and Construction Inspection work for the Project or portions thereof, and it is further RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends Capital Project # 718, Route 13 at 3rd & Dey, Sidewalk and Ped Improvements to include the additional Project costs of $829,984, for a total authorization of $1,556,486, and it is further RESOLVED, That the sum of $829,984, which includes the $110,000 authorized as part of the 2014 Final Budget, 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 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 City Administration Committee Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 5 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 RESOLVED, That this project be undertaken with the understanding that the final cost of the Project to the City of Ithaca will be roughly 20% of said portion, currently estimated at $270,700 of the $1,556,486 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 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. Performance Measures. Nothing Submitted. 5. Common Council 5.1 Living Wage - Discussion Alderperson Clairborne thanked the Committee for allowing this discussion to take place since it was a late agenda item. The purpose of this discussion would be to decide whether or not to pass a resolution in support of the minimum wage in Tompkins County being the same as the living wage. After the Committee thanked the members of the public who spoke, they discussed how the increase in minimum wage to the same amount as the living wage would affect the City. Every summer, the City hires over 100 youths in the YES (Youth Employment Service) Program. If the minimum wage was increased to the living wage, how would it affect this program? Would fewer teens be hired? In response to that question, the Mayor stated that if the minimum wage was changed to be the same as the living wage, the City would have to decide whether or not it would fund this increase. HR Director Michell-Nunn stated that, currently, the increase to the living wage rate goes into effect after the employee has worked more than 90 days; that it would not affect the rates for the YES kids because they are employed less than 90 days. City Administration Committee Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 6 The consensus of the Committee was that they are in support of the draft resolution and in encouraging the Tompkins County Legislature to pass a local law establishing the Tompkins County living wage as the minimum wage. The Committee made some suggested changes to the draft resolution. The Mayor will ask City Attorney Lavine to look at the language in the draft resolution. Alderperson Clairborne volunteered to make the suggested changes to the resolution, to e-mail the updated resolution to the City Attorney for feedback and to put on the agenda for next month. 6. Budget Prep Discussion The Committee reviewed the schedule for the 2016 Budget Discussion. The Mayor will present his budget on October 1, 2015 at 6 p.m. The first budget discussion will start on October 5, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. A vote on the 2016 Budget will be by the middle of November 2015. The Mayor, then, gave a presentation on the 2016 Senior Staff Budget. At the end of the presentation were the dates, times and agenda for the budget meetings. 7. Meeting Wrap-up 7.1 Announcements. None. 7.2 Next Meeting Date: October 21, 2015. 7.3 Review, Agenda Items for Next Meeting. None. 7.4 Adjourn: With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Smith, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.