HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-07-15 Common Council Meeting AgendaOFFICIAL NOTICE OF MEETING
A Regular meeting of the Common Council will be held on Wednesday, October 7,
2015, at 6:00 p.m. in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall, 108 East Green
Street, Ithaca, New York. Your attendance is requested.
AGENDA
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
2. ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA:
3. PROCLAMATIONS/AWARDS:
4. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS:
5. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS BEFORE COUNCIL:
6. PETITIONS AND HEARINGS OF PERSONS BEFORE COUNCIL:
7. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – COMMON COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR:
8. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
City Administration Committee:
8.1 Human Resources - Establishment of Standard Workday as Required by New
York State Retirement System - Resolution
8.2 Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development –
Amendment to Roster - Resolution
9. CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE:
9.1 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
9.2 City Controller’s Report
10. PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
10.1 Resolution to Select Artwork for a Mural Installation at Cass Park
10.2 Fair Housing Action Plan - Resolution
11. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
12. NEW BUSINESS:
13. INDIVIDUAL MEMBER – FILED RESOLUTIONS:
Common Council Meeting Agenda
October 7, 2015
Page 2
14. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS:
14.1 Appointment to the Rental Housing Advisory Commission – Resolution
14.2 Appointment to the Youth Bureau Advisory Board – Resolution
15. REPORTS OF COMMON COUNCIL LIAISONS:
16. REPORT OF CITY CLERK:
17. REPORT OF CITY ATTORNEY:
18. MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
18.1 Approval of the September 2, 2015 Common Council Meeting Minutes –
Resolution
19. ADJOURNMENT:
If you have a disability that will require special arrangements to be made in order for you
to fully participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 274-6570 at least 48
hours before the meeting.
______________________________
Sarah L. Myers
Acting City Clerk
Date: October 1, 2015
8. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
8.1 Human Resources - Establishment of Standard Workday as Required by
New York State Retirement System - Resolution
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
8.2 Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development –
Amendment to Roster - Resolution
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
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)
Delete: One (1) Office Assistant Position (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).
BACK-UP ITEM 8.2
TO: City Administration Members
FROM: JoAnn Cornish, Director of Planning and Development, City of Ithaca
DATE: September 4, 2015
RE: Request to Amend Personnel Roster
The Planning Division will soon begin digitizing record copies of approved site plans,
zoning appeals, and Certificates of Occupancy. Senior Housing Inspector and Land Use
Supervisor Gino Leonardi, the creator of this property database, will work with the
Planning Division to accomplish this goal. The data will add information to the database
already being populated by the Building Division. This, along with the continued input
of applications, inspections reports, the issuance of permits, and automation of routine
tasks, will require someone dedicated, in part, to that of a Property Database Manager.
This will allow Mr. Leonardi to focus his attentions on building the system, while trusting
the information being inputted will be correct and placed in the proper field.
In December 2014, Office Assistant, Margaret Head, retired from the Building Division.
Since that time, other staff has been doing the work of the Office Assistant as well as
their own job duties. We have had a temporary employee performing some of the
easier tasks to allow staff time to do other more important work in the Building and
Planning Divisions.
The Property Database Manager will also perform some duties that are required of an
Office Assistant, relieving some of the pressure placed on other support staff.
I would be happy to discuss this with you should you need more information or have
questions. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
9. CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE:
9.1 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 Third & Dey Streets, Sidewalk & Pedestrian
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 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 authorize 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, Right-
of-Way, 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
Third & Dey Streets, Sidewalk and Pedestrian 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
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.
10. PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
10.1 Resolution to Select Artwork for a Mural Installation at Cass Park
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to,
among other duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the
exhibition and display of public art in the City’s public spaces; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank
walls within the city, while providing local artists from all sections of the community an
opportunity to showcase their work; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved several locations for future murals and
street art by resolution on May 19, 2010 and added the exterior of the main building and
the five outbuildings at Cass Park to this list on September 14, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Ramiro Davaro-Comas submitted a proposal for a mural featuring owls,
cats, and zebras to be installed on the large pool filter building at Cass Park, as part of
the PAC’s Mural and Street Art Program; and
WHEREAS, the PAC held a public comment period on the mural design and location at
its meeting on August 26, 2015 to gather input on the proposed installation, and the
majority of the responses to the proposal have been positive; and
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Parks Commission supports the installation of the
proposed mural in Cass Park; and
WHEREAS, the artist will donate his time and materials to install the mural, and the
installation will be budget-neutral to the City; and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on August 26, 2015, the Public Art Commission voted to
recommend that the Common Council select Ramiro Davaro-Comas’s mural to be
installed at Cass Park; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council selects Ramiro Davaro-Comas’s
mural featuring owls, cats, and zebras, as recommended by the Public Art Commission,
to be installed on the large pool filter building at Cass Park and to be added to the City
of Ithaca’s public art collection; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the selected artist may proceed with the installation of the mural
upon the execution of an agreement with the City as reviewed by the City Attorney.
10.2 Fair Housing Action Plan – Resolution
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing: Action Plan
In 2014, the City of Ithaca contracted with the Tompkins County Office of Human Rights (OHR),
to conduct an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI). OHR completed their analysis in
May 2015. The AI contains a wealth of information concerning the city’s demographics,
economy, governmental structure, patterns of land use and transportation, and many other
aspects of life in Ithaca that influence our housing landscape. The report will be invaluable to
the City in planning new ways of improving that housing landscape for all of our residents.
OHR identifies nine direct, and one indirect, impediments to fair housing choice in Ithaca. The
City has carefully reviewed these listed impediments and the observations provided by OHR to
support them. We agree with many of the conclusions reached by OHR, and disagree with
others. Below, we list each identified impediment, indicate the City’s agreement or
10.2 Fair Housing Action Plan – Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Program - Resolution
WHEREAS, in the Fall of 2003, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) notified the City that it qualified as an ‘Entitlement Community’ and that it would
be receiving an annual allocation of HUD funds through the Community Development
Block Grant Program (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program;
and
WHEREAS, in order to access these funds, the City is required, every five years, to
undertake an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) and develop an
Action Plan to address the impediments identified in that analysis; and
WHEREAS, in June 2014 the Tompkins County Office of Human Rights (OHR) was
retained as a consultant to conduct the City’s AI and did deliver the completed analysis
to the City in May 2015; and
WHEREAS, the AI identifies nine direct and one indirect impediments to Fair Housing
Choice in the City of Ithaca; and
WHEREAS, under the terms of the February 14, 2013, agreement between the City of
Ithaca and the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA), the City has designated the IURA
as the Lead Agency to plan, administer, implement, and monitor the HUD Entitlement
grants awarded to the City in accordance with all program requirements; and
WHEREAS, at their June, July, and August 2015 Neighborhood Investment Committee
meetings the members reviewed the AI submitted by OHR, discussed the identified
impediments, and prepared a Draft Action Plan for the consideration of the IURA and
Common Council; and
WHEREAS, at their August 2015 meeting the IURA reviewed the Draft Action Plan and
recommended its adoption; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Common Council for the City of Ithaca hereby adopts the IURA-
recommended Fair Housing Action Plan, dated August 14, 2015.
14. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS:
14.1 Appointment to the Rental Housing Advisory Commission – Resolution
RESOLVED, That Millicent J. Kastenbaum be appointed to the Rental Housing Advisory
Committee to fill a vacancy with a term to expire December 31, 2017.
14.2 Appointment to the Youth Bureau Advisory Board – Resolution
RESOLVED, That Sarah E. Wolff be appointed to the Youth Bureau Advisory Board to
fill a vacancy with a term to expire December 31, 2016.