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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1995-05-24 PAIL 0-h BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING 7:30 P.M. May 24, 1995 MINUTES Present: Committee Members: Booth, Johnson, Thorpe, Shenk Others Present: Mayor Nichols City Controller Cafferillo Deputy Controller Thayer Youth Bureau Director Cohen City Chamberlain Parsons City Clerk Holcomb Building Commissioner Eckstrom Asst. Director Thomas Supt. of Public Works Gray Members of the media == _ 1. Opening Comments: Chairperson Booth stated that the following changes were made to the agenda: A. An additional item relating to the Youth Bureau County Recreation Agreement. B. An additional item related to the GIAC Budget. C. An additional Chamberlain item related to a tax sale issue. D. An additional Clerk' s office item relating to marriage licenses. E. An additional Chamberlain' s request to approve a safe deposit box. F. An additional Retirement Incentive discussion. G. City Attorney Guttman stated that the CPF agreement is currently being revised and will be brought back next month for discussion. Members of the Public were asked to speak; no members spoke. 1 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 2 . Youth Bureau/GIAC A. Request to Transfer Funds to Purchase Program Supplies Assistant Director of GIAC Thomas presented a request to transfer $1,500 to purchase various items of pool equipment for the Alex Haley Pool. Thomas explained that the Alex Haley Pool needs various pieces of equipment at the pool site to improve the Learn To Swim programs at GIAC. He gave the Committee a listing of the requested equipment. Thomas stated that he was requesting that the $1,500 budget transfer be made from GIAC' s staff salary line. He stated that the funds can be derived from an open Recreation Supervisor position. After a brief discussion regarding the equipment and the open position, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the GIAC Summer Camp Learn To Swim Program is in need of various pool supplies to allow the program to be utilized to the greatest degree by community youth swimming at the Alex Haley Pool, and WHEREAS, the cost of these pool supplies has been estimated at $1,500, and WHEREAS, the funds can be derived from a portion of the savings resulting from the open Recreation Supervisor position at GIAC; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That $1,500 be transferred from Account A7311-110- 1102 Staff Salaries to Account A7311-460-1102 Program Supplies for the purpose of acquiring Alex Haley Pool supplies for the Learn To Swim Program. The motion passed 4-0. B. Request to Amend 1995 Youth Development Budget Assistant Director of GIAC Thomas presented a request from the Youth Bureau to amend the Youth Development Budget by $1,270 . Thomas explained that the City has received a $1,270 grant to expand the City' s Municipal Jobs Program. 2 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 Thomas stated that with these funds, the City will be able to hire two additional teenagers for the summer, allowing for the expansion of the Municipal Jobs Program. After a brief discussion regarding the program, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau will be receiving a $1,270 grant from Tompkins County to support the expansion of the Municipal Jobs Program, and WHEREAS, the funding will allow the Youth Bureau to hire two additional youths from the city for the summer to participate in the Municipal Jobs Program; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 1995 Youth Development budget shall be amended as follows: Increase Revenue Account: A2350 Youth Services Other Governments $1,270 Increase Appropriation Accounts: A7310-120-1202 Hourly P/T $1, 150 A9030 Social Security 98 A9040 Workers Compensation 22 The motion passed 4-0. 3 . Common Council - Request Funds for Downtown Banners Downtown Ithaca, Inc. (DII) discussed a request with the Committee to have the City assist in the purchase and installation of banners in the downtown area. It was stated that the total banner project will be done in phases. The first phase, costing $22,000, would include the design, installation and purchase of 74 banners for the downtown area; Phase II would include purchase of different seasonal banners for the Commons. DII is requesting some funds from the City for the design and purchase of the banners . It was stated that DII, to date, has collected $7, 800 from area businesses . A discussion regarding the banner project followed. The Mayor and the B&A Committee stated that the banner project is a good project for the downtown area and will enhance the atmosphere and beauty of downtown Ithaca. Mayor Nichols stated that he has $1,200 in his 1995 budget to be used for design of the banners . The 3 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 Committee agreed that $2,000 in City funds could be used to assist in the purchase of the banners. City Controller Cafferillo stated that these funds would be derived from the unrestricted contingency account. After a brief discussion regarding the project and installation of the banners, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca has been working in partnership with Downtown Ithaca, Inc. to design, purchase and install colorful banners in the Central Business District, and WHEREAS, the purchase and installation of such banners will serve to enhance the City' s Central Business District, and WHEREAS, the estimated cost of the first phase of this banner project is $22, 000 not including installation, and WHEREAS, in addition to providing installation and $1,200 for the design of the banners, the City would like to join with the business community in the fund-raising effort for this project; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca will donate $2, 000 to purchase banners for the Downtown Community project, and be it further RESOLVED, That an amount not to exceed $2, 000 be transferred from Account A1990 Unrestricted Contingency to Account A1210- 425 to purchase said banners. The motion passed 4-0 . 4. Committee to Proceed Into Executive Session The Committee voted, 4-0, to move into executive session to discuss various City departmental issues relating to the New York State Early Retirement Incentive Program. 5. Report from Executive Session After the Committee voted, 4-0, to move back into regular session, Chairperson Booth stated that the Committee took the following action during executive session: A. Request Approval of 1995 NYS Retirement Incentive Program Participants The Committee discussed and approved, by a 4-0 vote, the participants for the 1995 NYS Retirement Incentive Program. The details of the resolution will not be 4 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 issued until the Common Council COW meeting. Chairperson Booth stated other possible department participants will be discussed at the end of the meeting. 6. Common Council - Historic Property Tax Exemption Program - Discussion A discussion was held regarding various possibilities for providing partial property tax exemptions for certain historic properties . The following two programs were explained and discussed: Program 1: Eligible rehab costs would be subtracted from actual post-rehab assessed value. Taxes would be paid not on the true assessed value, but on the amount arrived at by subtracting rehab expenses; Program 2 : Fixed percentage reduction in taxes paid on actual post-rehab assessed value. The suggested reduction is 50%. The Committee discussed the following two concerns over the programs: 1 . Questions as to whether these types of programs may be legally initiated in New York State. 2 . Projections of costs and ways to increase participation in these programs. City Attorney Guttman stated these programs may not be legal in New York State, and that he will be examining this issue in the future. No action was taken. Future reports will be made as additional information is collected on these tax programs . 7 . Committee to Proceed into Executive Session The Committee voted, 4-0, to move into executive session to discuss possible litigation dealing with the City Clerk' s office. 8 . Report from Executive Session After the Committee voted, 4-0, to move back into regular session, Chairperson Booth stated that no action was taken during the executive session. 5 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 9 . Finance/Chamberlain A. Request to Temporarily Amend Personnel Roster and Funds for Temporary Office Help City Controller Cafferillo and City Chamberlain Parsons presented a request to temporarily amend the Finance Department' s Personnel Roster and funding for temporary office help. Cafferillo stated that currently the Finance Department is converting the City' s financial computer system to a new and improved financial system; this implementation will take all of 1995 and part of 1996. He explained that to complete this computer conversion and maintain current workloads, the Finance Department needs to hire occasional part-time office assistance in 1995 and increase the Office Manager' s weekly hours from 35 to 40 hours . Cafferillo explained that the increased hours for the Office Manager will occur only until the end of the year and will cost the City approximately $2,900. He stated that the part-time position would cost about $4, 900 . The total funding request is $6,900 and could be derived from the unrestricted contingency account. After a brief discussion regarding the issue, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the Finance Department is currently converting the City' s financial computer system, which activity will take most of 1995 to complete, and WHEREAS, the Chamberlain Office staff can not continue to maintain its normal work load and convert the City' s financial computer system concurrently with the current staff levels, summer vacation schedule and maternity leave schedule, and WHEREAS, the Finance Department has recommended that to alleviate the time constraint and staffing problems the City should hire temporary office assistance and increase the Chamberlain' s Office Manager hours to forty (40) hours through the end of the year; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Personnel Roster of the Finance Department is hereby temporarily amended by increasing the full-time position of the office manager from 35 hours to 40 hours per week from June 12, 1995 to January 31, 1996, and be it further 6 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 RESOLVED, That an amount not to exceed $6, 900 be transferred from Account A1990 Unrestricted Contingency to the following appropriation accounts for said personnel roster amendment and temporary office assistance: Account: A1315-110 Staff $2,900 A1315-435 Contracts $4,000 The motion passed 4-0. B. Request Approval of Safe Deposit Box Contract City Chamberlain Parsons presented a request to approve a contract to lease safe deposit boxes at the Tompkins County Trust Company. Parsons stated that the safe deposit box authorization and access would cover her, Controller Cafferillo, Deputy Controller Thayer, Office Manager Day, and Chamberlain staff member McNeal. The annual charge for the safe deposit boxes is minimal. After the discussion regarding the safe deposit box authorization and access, the following resolution was made: RESOLVED, That Debra Parsons, as City Chamberlain, is authorized to enter into a contract to lease safe deposit boxes in the name of the City of Ithaca at Tompkins County Trust Company, and be it further RESOLVED, That Dominick Cafferillo, Steven Thayer, Debra Parsons, Joyce Day, and Marna McNeal are authorized to access safety deposit boxes so leased at Tompkins County Trust Company. The motion passed 4-0. C. Request to Extend Tax Sale Redemption Period City Chamberlain Parsons presented a request from Fleet Bank for an additional two month extension to permit redemption of the property at 602 West State Street. Parsons explained that this request represented the third property tax sale redemption request to Council for this piece of property. 7 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 City Controller Cafferillo stated that the bank finally has a buyer for the property, and it appears the City will finally get the taxes paid at closing. He explained that Assistant Attorney Kennedy recommended that the City grant the additional extension. After a discussion regarding the property, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, Fleet Bank, which represents the successor in interest to the mortgagee of 602 West State Street, requested and received extensions of the date for property redemption at Common Council' s regular meetings of September 7, 1994 and March 1, 1995, and WHEREAS, Fleet Bank has requested an additional two month extension to permit redemption of said property, and WHEREAS, the City Chamberlain, City Attorney, and the Budget and Administration Committee have reviewed written documentation requesting an additional extension for property redemption at 602 West State Street; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Fleet Bank be permitted to redeem the property at 602 West State Street up to July 21, 1995, for the total lien amount outstanding, plus additional interest, penalty, and related costs through the date of redemption. The motion passed 4-0 . D. Finance/Clerk - Request to Purchase Software - Report City Clerk Holcomb requested that the Clerk's office is currently examining PC Codebook software. Holcomb explained that the software would allow the current City codebook to be placed on computer disk. She further explained that the computerized version of the code book could be placed on the City' s computer network and available to all users. Holcomb stated that the City has incurred the following costs related to the City code: 1992 $26, 000 (included codification) 1993 6, 685 1994 7, 343 1995 3,277 to date 8 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 She stated that the City has recovered $5, 975 of these costs through the sales of code books, pamphlets and supplements . Holcomb reported that the computerized version of the code would cost the City the following amounts : Initial setup $3, 000 Annual software fee 200 Annual supplementation 800 Licensing agreement 250 A discussion regarding the code book followed. Holcomb explained that the hard disk and hard copies of the code will still be available. She explained that the final details are being worked out and a request for the funding will be made at the next B&A meeting. No action was taken. 10. City Attorney - Request Approval of City Judge and Acting Judge Positions City Attorney Guttman and Honorable City Court Judge Rossiter presented a request to support an amendment to State legislation that would provide that the City Court be served by one full-time elected judge and, additionally, by a second appointed judge who would serve at least quarter time. Guttman stated that Senator Seward' s office notified the city that legislation will be introduced to modify the current configuration of city court judges. The legislation would allow the City one full-time judge and a one-twentieth time Acting City Court Judge. Guttman explained that the City currently has two City Court Judges, including one half-time position and a one- quarter-time position. Guttman stated that currently the half-time City Court Judge works at least 40 hours a week. The new legislation allowing a full-time judge position would now be accurately classified. However, Guttman added that the one-twentieth judge position should be at least a one-quarter time position. He explained that the hours and the workload are high enough to warrant a full-time judge position and a one-quarter time judge position. After a discussion regarding the City Court positions and workload, the following motion was made: 9 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca currently has two City Court Judges, including an elected one-half time position and an appointed one-quarter time position; and WHEREAS, Common Council is aware that the individual who previously held the one-half time elected position (Honorable M. John Sherman, now Tompkins County Judge) and the person who currently holds the elected one-half time position (Honorable Judith A. Rossiter) both needed to spend significantly more than forty (40) hours per week to meet the requirements of the Court based on Court activity so that, de facto, the City of Ithaca received the benefit of at least one full-time judicial position in addition to a one-quarter time position; and WHEREAS, based on statistics regarding case load activity which have been compiled by the Ithaca City Court and the New York State Office of Court Administration, it is clear that there is more than sufficient case load activity to support the argument that there should be at least one full-time and one one-quarter time judge for the Ithaca City Court; and WHEREAS, Common Council is aware that an act has been introduced into the New York State Legislature which would result in the Ithaca City Court being served by one full-time judge and an approximately one-twentieth ( 1/20th) time Acting City Court Judge which law, if passed will effectively decrease the quantity of judicial presence in the Ithaca City Court; and WHEREAS, the increase in the position of the elected City Court Judge from one-half time to full-time is not, according to the proposed legislation, to take effect until the expiration of the term of office commencing after April 1, 1996 which would be January 1, 2002; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, as follows : The Common Council of the City of Ithaca recommends : 1 . That the proposed State Legislation be modified to provide that the Ithaca City Court be served by one full-time elected judge and, in addition, by a second appointed judge who would serve, at least, one-quarter time so that the judicial needs of the Court can be adequately served. 2 . That the said law, on being passed, be effective in 1996 for both positions so that the current existing needs of the Court can be adequately served. The motion passed 4-0. 10 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 24, 1995 11 . Committee to Proceed into Executive Session The Committee voted, 4-0, to move into executive session to discuss the Retirement Incentive Plan and the Pay Equity Study. 12 . Report from Executive Session After the Committee voted, 4-0, to move back into regular session, Chairperson Booth reported that the following actions took place in executive session: A. Request Approval of 1995 NYS Retirement Incentive Program Participants Chairperson Booth reported that the Committee approved a resolution, voting 4-0, to include various Department of Public Works, Building Department, and Youth Bureau employees in the 1995 NYS Retirement Incentive Program. Booth stated that the action will be discussed in executive session at the next COW meeting. B. Pay Equity Study Report Chairperson Booth reported that the Committee was briefly updated on the status of the Pay Equity Study, and no action was taken. The meeting adjourned at 11 :20 P.M. NOTE: In many cases the actual texts of the resolutions presented in these minutes were prepared following the Committee' s deliberations and decisions on the matters involved. The resolutions presented here are in complete accord with decisions made by the Committee. 11