The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About03-28-12 City Administration Committee Meeting Agenda CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:00 p.m. COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS AGENDA 1. Chairperson Greeting & Opening Statement 2. Announcements 3. Agenda Review and Amendments 4. Approval of Minutes 5. Statements from the Public 6. Employee Comments 7. Common Council Response 8. Workforce Diversity Committee 9. Safety Committee/Workplace Violence Prevention - Report 10. Common Council 10.1 Overview of 2013 Budget – Discussion 11. Attorney’s Office 11.1 Amendment to Personnel Roster - Resolution 12. Chamberlain’s Office 12.1 Amendment to 2012 Tax Roll – Resolution 13. IURA/Planning and Development 13.1 Sale of Surplus Property - Discussion 14. Human Resources 14.1 Director’s Report 15. Finance/Controller’s Office 15.1 Approval of 2010 Single Audit –Resolution 15.2 Controller’s Report 16. Reports 16.1 Mayor’s Report 16.2 Sub-Committee Updates 16.3 Council Members’ Announcements 16.4 Next Month’s Meeting: April 25, 2012 J:\DRedsicker\AGENDAS\City Admin Comm\2012\3-28 CA Agenda.doc 3/28/12 11. Attorney’s Office .1 Amendment to Personnel Roster for Deletion of Temporary Position and for Increased Hours WHEREAS, the position of Assistant City Attorney had long been a full-time position until January 2011, and WHEREAS, at the request of a former Assistant City Attorney, the City reduced her position to half-time in January 2011, and WHEREAS, the workload of the City Attorney's Office is such that the City was thereafter required to hire a temporary, half-time Associate City Attorney to supplement the half- time Assistant City Attorney's work, and WHEREAS, the same employee now serves both in the roll of half-time Assistant City Attorney and of half-time temporary Associate City Attorney, and WHEREAS, the temporary position of half-time Associate City Attorney will expire on April 3, 2012, and WHEREAS, the City Attorney's Office can best function if, upon the April 3 expiration of the temporary, half-time Associate City Attorney position, the half-time Assistant City Attorney position that does not serve as the City Prosecutor is increased to a full-time position, and WHEREAS, this increase can be achieved for the remainder of 2012 within the existing 2012 authorized Attorney budget and prior year encumbrances; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Personnel Roster of the City Attorney's Office be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Full-time 40 hour Assistant City Attorney Position Delete: One (1) Half-Time Associate City Attorney (Temporary) and be it further RESOLVED, That said roster amendment will be effective April 5, 2012, and be it further RESOLVED, That the position of City Attorney, the existing full-time position of Assistant City Attorney, and the existing half-time position of Assistant City Attorney that serves as City Prosecutor shall remain unchanged, and be it further RESOLVED, That funds necessary for this roster amendment shall be derived within existing 2012 authorized Attorney budget and prior year encumbrances. J:\DRedsicker\AGENDAS\City Admin Comm\2012\3-28 CA Agenda.doc 3/28/12 12. Chamberlain’s Office .1 Amendment to 2012 Tax Roll WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 554 of the Real Property Tax Law, the Director of Assessment has investigated an application for the correction of an error in essential fact filed by the owners of 315 Elm Street, tax map number 77.-1-9 and WHEREAS, the investigation revealed that an error in reporting of certain income resulted in an error in an aged exemption; now therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 2012 Tax Roll for the City of Ithaca be amended to reduce the 2012 City of Ithaca taxes on the parcel identified as map number 77.-1-9 by $56.89, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City Chamberlain is authorized and directed to make the appropriate refund and changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City of Ithaca Office of the Chamberlain 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 Ph: 607 274-6580 Fax: 607 272-7348 To: City Administration Committee From: Debra Parsons, City Chamberlain Re: Correction to 2012 Tax Roll Date: March 16, 2012 New York State Real Property Tax Law provides that, when an error is discovered in an assessment upon which a tax has been based, the governing body must approve the correction to the resulting tax roll. I have been notified that there was an error relating to the assessment and resulting 2012 taxes for 319 Elm Street. Certain income was reported incorrectly when calculating the aged exemption for this property. This does reduce City tax revenue by $56.89; however, because the assessment upon which the taxes were calculated was incorrect, the City has no choice. I have drafted a resolution to correct the change. WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 554 of the Real Property Tax Law, the Director of Assessment has investigated an application for the correction of an error in essential fact filed by the owners of 315 Elm Street, tax map number 77.-1-9 and WHEREAS, the investigation revealed that an error in reporting of certain income resulted in an error in an aged exemption, now therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 2012 Tax Roll for the City of Ithaca be amended to reduce the 2012 City of Ithaca taxes on the parcel identified as map number 77.-1-9 by $56.89, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City Chamberlain is authorized and directed to make the appropriate refund and changes. 213 West Spencer Street, 215 West Spencer Street; Tax parcels 93.-7-3, 93.-7-5.1 These two properties are 0.47 acre acquired by the City for widening West Spencer Street to two lanes. The parcels are zoned R-3b. The combined assessed value is $124,000. Prior to acquisition by the City the smaller parcel had a single family wood frame residence and the larger parcel had a 12 unit wood frame apartment building. The parcels have street frontage on West Spencer Street as well as South Cayuga Street. Although the property has a dramatic elevation difference from Spencer to Cayuga this did not preclude its earlier uses. 220 West Spencer has a multi-unit residential structure on a 0.21 acre parcel. It has an assessed value of $350,000 which generates approximately $4,000 in property taxes. Update: The Board of Public Works determined that these properties are not needed for City of Ithaca public works purposes on November 9, 2011. The City has already received inquires regarding purchase of these properties. Revised 11/17/11, tww Cherry Street, Tax Parcel 100.-2-1.2 The parcel at the end of Cherry Street contains 8.25 acres and is assessed at $825,000. The property is bounded on the east by railroad property and on the west by lands abutting Cayuga Inlet. This wooded parcel is generally flat. The southerly end of the property contains two designated wetlands of 0.45 acre and 0.32 acre. The neighboring 2.88 acre parcel at 240 Cherry Street has a land assessment of $253,000 with a total assessment of $1,290,000; this generates over $16,000 in property tax annually. The site could be sub-divided into two parcels. Approximately 6 acres at the north end of the property would provide a very attractive development parcel consistent with the current industrial zoning designation. By sub-dividing the north portion as a single parcel the City would have no obligation to extend the street or utilities beyond the end of the current street. The City can retain easements along one or more of the development parcel boundaries to complete the loop of water mains in the southern part of the City (this is an ongoing, funded capital project). The remaining acrerage at the south end of the property could encompass the two larger wetlands. The City could also establish easements along one or more of the development parcel boundaries concurrent with the water main easements to provide public access to the wetlands without reducing the useful area of the development parcel. Revised 11/18/11, tww wetland 0.45 acre wetland 0.32 acre 6.0 Acre Parcel F L O O D C O N T R O L C H A N N E L N 050100100 2.25 Ac. Parcel 321 Elmira Road, Tax Parcel 122.-2-1 This 0.4 acre parcel is situated on the south side of Elmira Road between Friendly’s Restaurant and the Honda dealership. The parcel has an assessed value of $189,000. The small brick sewage pump station on this parcel was recently de-commissioned. The parcel has a curb cut on Elmira Road. There is a drainage ditch on the north side of the property. Update: The Board of Public Works determined that this property is not needed for City of Ithaca public works purposes on November 15, 2011. Revised 11/17/11, tww J:\DRedsicker\AGENDAS\City Admin Comm\2012\3-28 CA Agenda.doc 3/28/12 15. Finance/Controller’s Office .1 Approval of 2010 Single Audit RESOLVED, That the Independent Auditor’s Report for the period January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010, prepared by the accounting firm of Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little and Mickelson & Company, LLP be accepted to comply with all the City’s applicable Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 34 and other related audit and single audit requirements.