Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1962 Mayor's Committee on Municipal Affairs r MaOR'g COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPAL AFFIARS Record of Minutes TIME: April 9, 1962 at 1. :00 p.m. PLACE: Common Council Chamber, City Hall. Present:. Mayor Ryan Chairman ; David Abbott Members - John Floros, Pat PV$sr, Seville Reu1ein,Anthon7 Ceracche Clerk - Geo. A Blears Abseht: Members - James Rot achild, Robert Hines. Mayor Ryan welcomed members of the Commiteee to its firatmeeting and addressed them as follower: "As broadcasts" He then turned the meetingover th Chairman Abbott who presided. Chairman Abbott made the following statement: { " Ihope such good people" intended Mr Abbott stated he to give assignments to each member of the Committe and promissed to ma f' available copiesof the Arthur D Li tle ecomomic repot and copies of the Planning Board's findings related t o urban Renewal for their revielo and study. The meeting was adjou&tled and on request of the Chairman the Committee held an executive ssesaion. Geo. A Bitten, Clerk. • As this view eaenittee on manicipal affal. Araus its first nesting = na Tarr well satisfied that it is going to aceemplishekas war Ifkaeana went to know. I would like to twee 7 ' semmittes bring out r, the twits end figures omesernin Urban Renewal. I have 'sleeted weewtirars of this eawnittee wit atm have an open wind regard- less of err sconsed of peeking it with those*,s are against Urban Renewal. It's tree several umbers have openly vetoed tpasitisn to the plan but are willing to with their final dseisteea on this enter. SC'vi t 44t 4 d,0t s' tL 4R In naming *. Abbott as ClutirlM24 I knew that I sleeted someone who has been one hired percent against it. I also know that he as sir a tborsegh stse of this project and has ewe up with what in sq mess as some good answer". I will not be working as active as the eomm ttes, heaver it is a Asmara to knew that *. Abbott, who has studied Urban Reneaaal. in 41 aspects and who is moire familiar with it, will be representing era in this baperint positinr. This eearalttae will !Unction as an official best, withpower to interview city boards and officials. I hope that the press will giro good sewerage to evaryiting that is said at these meetings as will as other groups who are interested in5drbs* Rona n& In fait there is so sash involved in this plan the taxpayers wL1 i est to read all the statements or to listen to the breadeaste. `;' "' S _'mss• ,'''4';'7"'-'-' : x .V`. & • � • �z 't.�� - `r`, ,"y ;'CIF . :: a ise that thi ° st #t pause } and c ance I -'i not i a� , is ,} t c ul �� i not �Y. o id +* 1 .14--- :-.:-",„_,_.• .--••' -, ,,. _, ..,, __ __.„.,..,_..-- - - , , -r. . . --„),-':- '---- .:-- _ ---•-•'t-s,,,,-..:10,„ tuni140-‘-_,L4,.&. .7,„_.imr,#.17,. ....t.7.77..,,,,-,,,',;„-,;,..„;;,,,:,-._ a 3 n x in a; y 7 t,,. �, L . . � , _~ .. - '4` WS * * int l . ..:, a 4� Q p e. ! * i dc a -� r� S YzG s f p tp r�on , ,i` ,y c to sell- and so 4 , t ,ti'- 4*> •- .,may LLeffect '111,3-.-P Ala . '• �,. T" max. �:� �e�3�e� �p3.�'� 3e of _ �� � 4� :' r it.. �i t l. t u • - wit is,,,----'::::' 1 . the res. netb 1 of .react ate `° ti P '' e ewal co + a :r;ea J" ,4- tsP` .' - r `s on- co� , -the. tom`,"-strut s+, k� A . exp enditures,, on hopper 'patter* i s ly. • to rover LL we .i attempt t;to: ,;. as of xis , ens fdl �.� inherent in it� `-�tt - � � as this: = >s ' ._ To in of ' Cob i ,._f�i -tom g�ov ,. .• can hest dialect soc io eco --„Tit on of this coitee: cam . . tied. `�� forth. : ; e , � our c n': ty 'who - . . A 4� ms*i • a3�# 5 ,$ 4 • • oa • ' r` a see urban renewal -air a `'t is . i A die formation of this , �.tte r as: . uite -the .. posits ' -n our deliberations 'z et the next month, this i, >m e` tee .wi:l l seek ,his ttutiv,about Urban Rene-, as -' :;-:' --i., -: : -, , ' proposed ft for IthaCe.. ` As cha -by the Mayor, we will. ` mender cur f : n s to him and to the cam cc lzxx x• . „___________ after r the `'facts are in a►nd the findings completed ' c po-sitiion`of this board: in` no way loa to side ,or .t r t r. it its t Le i r .•Robert .des apo se red the resolution extending g `study ow in r grey s =by 'the: . .as sn- -_ aalso a . .. e �sn r of thee Planning C ission, Ant e 3ames , hrild, 'merchant,- a r of the Ci.tiz 's c :tt for Urban x- wa . and president of the chamber of c rce.4°_,,-- :' John floras- a : hly rested citizen andet .l call rid, a and a sated": `knows: .ths a :. and fl ans asv fey can Maim to now it, pat porter a it an r .,. eI • - r as Ithaca adoption ealist -"devoid 'of set snt, and ` es i a ea l ,Seville `i ulein , r _of tp, rd of puls s, an l el to of ri daily and it ingaff i as { t .earn a whom we must :sal , fe �.f ees and pro ectio s. .`` , , think this `is , ll b committee the C i.rman vt �o ,t tt or r ff s% d�- me the •4 ` � :R ,. .• - , x ?- r `^ .t,,3�r 44:j.-4,-1:::. `� "" r.= Ai: k + .�` „ t.. ,- , r " ^w+ t r >V s t." k r slut: 7:' ?i b ' „'�,': : .F , ,,,,..1',4,- 7,q1.*.: { 3 ,°` '.c'.t.'--,-,1 -a• T { ,,,` "", p.:Q >"r�'.m-, J.+ ..4,,4, ,� ,.h` ,, 4 �•x - z s j' " £ t -d-S ' ?% * x ',•,, .vP .:-!if.,, a fix. *, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPPL AFFPIRS Record of Minutes TINE: April 9, 1962 at 4:00 p.m. PLACE: Common Council Chamber, City Hall. PRESENT: Mayor - Ryan Chairman - David Pbbott ::embers - John Floros, Pat Porter, Seville Reulein, !`nthony Ceracche Clerk - Geo, A. Blean Absent: Members - James Rothschild, Robert Hines. Mayor Ryan welcomed members of the Committee to its first meeting and addressed them as follows: "As this new committee on municipal affairs holds its first meeting I am very well satisfied that it is going to accomplish what many Ithacans want to know. I would like to have your committee bring out all the facts and figures con- cerning Urban Renewal. I have selected members of this committee i,Tho still have an open mind regard- less of my being accused of packing it with those who are against Urban Renewal. , It's true several members have openly voiced opposition to the plan but are Twilling to withhold their final decision on this matter. Several members are for Urban Renewal. In naming Mr. Abbott as Chairman, I know that I selected someone who has been one hundred percent against it. I also know that he has made a thorough study of this project and has come up with what in my opinion are some good answers. I will not be working as active as the committee, however it is a pleasure to know that Mr. Abbott, who has studied Urban Renewal in all aspects and who is more familiar with it, will be representing me in this important position. This committee will function as an official body with power to interview city boards and officials, I hope that the press will give good coverage to everything that is said at these meetings as well as other groups who are interested in Urban Renewal. In fact there is so much involved in this plan the taxpayers will expect to read all the statements or to listen to the broadcasts," He then turned the meeting over to Chairman Abbott who presided,, Chairman Abbott made the following statement: "I hope that the representatives of the press and radio realize that this is the committee's first meeting. Because I have not had the opportunity of a prior meeting and the chance to consult with these members, I felt that it would not be right at this time to issue a formal statement as to how we intend to handle our assignment. I can tell you this however, each member of this committee have the opportunity to fully acquaint himself with every aspect of Urban Renewal and its ramifications as the plan unfolds in Ithaca. We intend to study the plan, the economics of the plan, the reason for the plan, the reasoning behind the plan, how it will affect the property owners, both those who may choose to sell and those who may not so decide, how it may affect these who lease from the property owners should their tendencies be voided by the sale of the property, how it shall affect the taxpayers upon whom will be placed the responsibility of acting as surities should an Urban Renewal become a reality in Ithaca, its affect on competition, on the tax structure, on governmental expenditures, on shopping patterns, on our economy generally. Moreover we will attempt to de- termine the degree of risk which is inherent in any undertaking, as formidable as this. To those in our community who feel that through government we can best direct our socio-economic life, the formation of this committee can be decried as an agency harassment, and a hoax to those in our community who see urban renewal as a threat. The formation of this committee can appear as suite the opposite. • Page 2 April 9, 1962 In our deliberations over the next month, this committee will seek truth about urban renewal as proposed for Ithaca. As charged by the Mayor, we will render our findings to him and to the Common Council after the facts are in and the findings completed. The composition of this board are n floiloaded to one side or the other. On it is the council member, Robert Hines, who sponsored the resolution extending the study now in progress by the Planning Commission. On it also is a member of the Planning Commission, Anthony Ceracche, James Rothschild, merchant, a member of the Citizen's Committee for Urban Renewal and President of the Chamber of Commerce. John Floros, a highly respected' citizen and locally reared and educated who knows Ithaca and Ithacans as few can claim to know it, Pat Porter, a Ithacan by adoption who sees Ithaca through the realist, devoid of sentiment, and Seville Reulein, member of the Board of Public t^Torks, a local banking official who deals with elements of risk daily and whom we must call upon for figures and projections. I think that this is a well balancec committee and the Chairman wishes to thank the Mayor for affording me the opportunity to work with such good people," N . Abbott stated he intended to give assignments to each member of the Committee and promised to make available copies of the Arthur D. Little economic report and copies of the Planning Board's findings related to Urban Renewal for their review and study, The meeting was adjourned and on request of the Chairman the Committee held an executive session. Geo, A. Blean Clerk r )2€4•1"-% Q2k-t. April 16, 1962 To: The Mayor's Committee on Municipal Affairs Ithaca, New York Attention: Mr. David Abbott, Chairman Gentlemen: May I acknowledge, with pleasure, Mr. Abbott's invitation to attend your meeting tonight. Unfortunately, a prior commitment may make it impossible for me to attend in person. However, though I hope to be able to arrive prior to the conclusion of the meeting, in order to assure Mr. Abbott of some comments on my part, which he has requested, I offer the following: l • priginal thoughts regarding the formation of a committee for the purpose of obtaining certain information and opinions, which might not be obtained by the Urban Renewal planners, were expressed in the Friday, April 6th, Ithaca Journal. They did not, as you know, coincide with what Mayor Ryan proceded to do in the way of activating your committee. However, any reservations that I expressed were not directed toward any of the committee members, personally, nor to the group as a whole - only toward a consideration of the values to be obtained. It was my feeling that a small committee of two council members and one city representative could assimilate I' the information desired much more readily than a larger group. I will be more than pleased to withdraw those reservations, at a later date, if you are able, in the process of examining all aspects of Urban Renewal, as the Mayor has instructed you to do, to attain the following objectifies: FIRST - to obtain and analyze all of the opinions of parties in particular interest that you can. By "particular interest", I do not mean all of the taxpayers in the city, though they assuredly have an interest. I mean the opinions of the merchants, big and small, who will be affected by the final decision of the Common Council and of the representatives of the larger - 2 - entities, such as Cornell from the standpoint of (1) favoring or not favoring the Urban Renewal Program and (2) what they will do if the Urban Renewal Program does procede and what they will do if it does not. SECOND - to obtain all of the information that you can regarding the success or failure of the Urban Renewal Plans based upon the results in other areas and the projected considerations of forward thinking persons in this area. I do not believe that there will be any great overlapping of work performed by your committee and the Planners, if your work is properly executed. I believe that you will be able to obtain and present information that they will not - information much closer to the very heartbeat of Ithaca and its populace. I, for one, am not sold on the tearing down and rebuilding of structures simply for the beauties that can be achieved. However, I am sold on the fact that Ithacats downtown is a problem - physically and economically - and a severe one and, that something has to be done about it soon' All of you know, as well as I do, that some of the opinions that you obtain may be based upon selfish, personal interests which every individual and firm has a right to have and to express. However, the final compilation of your data must give fullest consideration to the opinions of those that hold the good of the entire community of paramount importance. This, in itself, will make your task most difficult. ,. I would like to emphasize that, in my earlier remarks regarding obtaining opinions of parties in "particular interest", I did not intimate that the taxpayers, generally, should not have their say in the matter. I feel that this is a respon- sibility of the individual Alderman on the council to make themselves available for determination of the feelings of the taxpayers that they represent, hoping that those feelings will not be expressed until such time as all of the information possible to obtain has been presented to them - both pro and con. Above all, one fact should be remembered. If the information obtained indicates - 3 - that Urban Renewal is not desirable, it then creates a need for a constructive alternative. fithout one, Federal subsidized Urban Renewal will be the only alternative. <ith these thoughts in mind, if you are able to correlate these opinions and this information into finalized and concrete conclusions that can be presented to the Council, you will have achieved what I hoped for when I proposed such a committee and what the :a;;ror indicates he had in mind when he appointed you. You will also have assisted greatly in aiding the fourteen members of the Common Council to make a final decision - one that I feel will be the most difficult ever made by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca. Your task is a severe one but, should you succeed, the community will be deeply indebted to you. Thank foul GP R- (-1-IfC Keith h.c :i Bill Alderman - 4th. and l MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON MJNICIP!'L CFFPIRS Record of Minutes TIME: April 16, 1962 at 8:00 P.M. PLACE: Common Council Chamber, City Hall PRESENT: Chairman - Abbott Members - Floros, Hines, Rothschild, Porter, Reulein P 1iing Commissioner - Golder 3lerk - Blean Absent: Ceracche MINUTES: At the request of Mr. Rothschild, Chairman Abbott read a section from the minutes of the last meeting explaining the duties and functions of this Committee. He then read the following memo from Keith McNeill, Alderman from the 4th. 'lard and asked that it be included in the minutes of this meeting: To: The Mayor's Committee on Municipal Affairs Ithaca, New York Att; Mr. David Abbott, Chairman Gentlemen: May I acknowledge, with pleasure, Mr. Abbott's invitation to attend your meeting tonight. Unfortunately, a 'prior commitment may make it impossible for me to attend in person. However, though I hope to be able to arrive prior to the conclusion of the meeting, in order to assure Mr, Abbott of some comments on my part, which he has requested, I offer the following: My original thoughts regarding the formation of a committee for the purpose of obtaining certain information and opinions, which might not be obtained by the Urban Renewal planners, were expressed in the Friday, April 6th, Ithaca Journal, They did not, as you know, conincide with what Mayor Ryan proceded to do in the way of activating your committee. However, any reservations that I expressed were not directed toward any of the committee members, personally, nor to the group as a whole - only toward a consideration of the values to be obtained. It was my feeling that a small committee of two council members and one city representative could assimilate the information desired much more readily than a larger group. I will be more than pleased to withdraw those reservations, at a later date, if you are able, in the process of'examining all aspects of Urban Renewal, as the Mayor has instructed you to do, to attain the following objectives: FIRST - to obtain and analyze all of the opinions of parties in particular interest that you can. By "particular interest", I do not mean all of the taxpayers in the city, though they assuredly have an interest. I mean the opinions of the merchant- big and small, who will be affected by the final decision of the Common Council... ... and of the representatives of the larger entities, such as Cornell from the stnadpoint of (1) favoring or not favoring the Urban Renewal Program and (2) what they will do if the Urban Renewal Program does procede and what they will do if it does not. SECOND - to obtain all of the information that you can regarding the success or failure of the Urban Renewal Plans based upon the results in other areas and the projected consideration of forward thinking persons in this area. I do not believe that there will be any great overlapping of work performed by your committee and the Planners, if your work is properly executed. I believe that you will be able to obtain and present information that they will not information much closer to the very heartbeat of Ithaca and its populace. I, for one, am not sold on the tearing down and rebuilding of structures simply for the beauties that can be achieved. However, I am sold on the fact that Ithaca's downtown is a problem - physically and economically - and a severe one and, that something has to be done about it soont All of you know, as well as I do, that some of the opinions that you obtain may be based upon selfish, personal interests which every individual and firm has a right to have and to express. However, the final compilation of your data must give fullest consideration to the opinions of those that hold the good of the entire community of paramount importance. This, in itself, will make your task most difficult. 7 I Page 2 April 16, 1962 I would like to emphasize that, in my earlier remarks regarding obtaining opinions of parties in "particular interest", I did not intimate that the taxpayers, generally, should not have their say in the matter. I feel that this is a respon- sibility of the individual Alderman on the council - to make themselves available for determination of the feelings of the taxpayers that they represent, hoping that those feelings will not be expressed until such time as all of the information possible to obtain has been presented to them - both pro and con. Above all, one fact should be remembered. If the information obtained indicates that Urban Renewal is not desirable, it then creates a need for a constructive alternative. Without one, Federal subsidized Urban Renewal will be the only alternative. With these thoughts in mind, if you are able to correlate these opinions and this information into finalized and concrete conclusions that can be presented to the Council, you will have achieved what I hoped for when I proposed such a committee and what the Mayor indicates he had in mind when he appointed you. You will also have assisted greatly in aiding the fourteen members of the Common Council to make a final decision - one that I feel will be the most difficult ever made by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca. Your task is a severe one but, should you succeed, the community will be deeply indebted to you. Thank you! Sgd. Keith McNeill Alderman - 4th. Ward Chairman Abbott expressed his belief that the Committee should acquaint itself with all facets of information on urban renewal and called on Arthur J. Golder, Building Commissioner, to present his views on the subject. Mr. Golder' reviewed the history of urban renewal in Ithaca since the time the program was first outlined by an HHFA official at a meeting of the Finger Lakes Mayors' Assn. held in Geneva, N.Y. about 18 months ago and -,Thich was attended by Ithaca's Mayor and several other local officials. He noted that Ithaca's officia_. were impressed by the program as explained at that time and primarily saw in it a: opportunity to save the city an estimated $250,000.00 in site acquisition for municipal buildings. He criticized the City and the Citizens' Committee for pro- moting it too fast without properly exploring all other angles of the program and without first initiating a public relations program to explain it to the public, a feature which he himself advocated and urged from the start. He claimed that this had never been done. It makes the job much harder now he felt because many have made up their minds either for or against it and tend to become confused by facts presented to them at this time. He stated he felt certain statements and figures given by the planning consultants are misleading and undependable. He called attention to the emphasis placed on a motor hotel as a focal point of interest in the renewal plan. He alleged that no assurance or permission for such an undertaking under federal statutes had been received. He called attention to the following reference from the Urban Renewal Manual: "Under Section 106 (g) of Title I, an Urban Renewal.Plan approved by the governir body of the locality on or after September 23, 1959, which permits new constructi of hotels or other housing for transient use in the redevelopment of project land , will not be approved by HHFA unless the governing body of the locality has deter- mined, as a result of a competent independent analysis of the local supply of transient housing, that there exists in the area a need for additional units of such housing (see Sections 10-4-3 and 14-2-2). This requirement applies in any case where the Urban Renewal Plan can be con- strued to permit new construction of transient housing accommodations on any land that may be made available by the project for redevelopment." He alleged that the independent analysis required had not been made and that this was one of the areas that should receive the Committee's first attention. He presented a copy of the Urban Renewal Act, three volumes of the manual on procedure and a copy of information on availability of State Aid to the Committee for study. Page 3 April 16, 1962 He expressed amazement that the City would contemplate spending millions of dollars on urban renewal without considering a means of supporting such an investment. He said he believed annexation should receive strong consider- ation toward the end as means to broaden the tax base but that no one seems to be ready to discuss this. He called attention to plans being considered by Cornell University to expand Statler Hall's facilities and wondered if the University might not be interested in locating a branch of the Statler in down- town Ithaca, He criticized the planning consultants hired by the City for not seeking any information from his office on the conditions of existing buildings throughout the city before presenting what he termed a "grandiose" renewal plan for downtown Ithaca. He concluded by stating his opinion that Urban Renewal here has been treated too lightly without having realized all there is to it. He stated he had been study- ing the matter over the past 18 months and admitted he did not know enough about it yet to make up his mind. Mr. Rothschild stated he felt more of the facts are needed and expressed the hope that the most recent study authorized by the Council is the next step necessary to bring out these facts. Mr. Hines suggested that if a survey regarding a motel is needed as alleged by Mr. Golder the Committee should investigate this, Mr. Abbott agreed to write to the American Hotel Assn. in regard to such a survey. It was also agreed that he contact Cornell University in respect to its plans for additional housing units, planned to be added to Statler Hall and see if the University would be interested in building a Statler unit downtown. Chairman Abbott announced his intention of asking other members of the Mayor's executive branch of government to appear before this Committee to present their views on the subject. He informed the Committee that he had invited Mr. Clo Calistri, City Assessor, to appear at the next meeting and present information of the assessed valuation in the downtown area showing the resultant tax income over the past several years. He urged members of the Committee to study the Arthur D Little economic report in the meantime and make notes thereon for discussion at future meetings. He urged that particular attention be given to the sections dealing with motel accommodations, retailing aspects, and housing conditions, in an effort to determine if the report's conclusions are in keeping with facts contained in it. The Chairman was authorized to contact the Mayor in regard to securing funds for the Committee from which to pay administrative expenses that may be deemed necessary. After some discussion it was agreed that the Committee will meet on Thursdays of each week at 4:00 p.m. starting on April 26th. j / ' On motion the meeting was adjourned. / Geo. A. Blean City Clerk } MAYOR'S CO lvi1TTEE ON MUNICIPAL AFF I IRS Record of Minutes TINE: April 26, 1962 C 4:00 P.M. PLACE; Mayor's Office, City Hall PRESENT: Mayor - Ryan Chairman - Abbott Members - Floros, Rothschild, Porter, Ceracche, Hines City Assessor - C.J. Calistri Building Commissioner - A.J. Golder Alderman - Keith McNeill Among residents and taxpayers present were: City Clerk - Geo. A. Blean John LoPinto Frank Leonardo ABSENT: John C. Burns Members - Reulein MWNTUTES: Minutes of the preceding meeting were duly approved. Chairman Abbott announced that he is sdhedu iet tp appear in a television program on urban renewal sponsored by Ithaca College on May 14th. arid that he had in- vited Yx s. Jane Jacobs of New York, .a planner and author, and currently Co- Editor of Architectural Formum Magazine, to appear with him. Others on the program will include Tcm Niederkorn, City Planner, with a member of the City Planning Board. Er. 4bbott then introduced Tr. C.J. Calistri, City 'ssessor, who he had invited to be present to answer questions regarding his functions as Assessor. Er. Calistri reviewed the assessment of properties within an area from the Tuning Fork west to Albany, south to Clinton and north to Buffalo Street and estimated the assessed value contained therein to be about $11,000,000.00 or roughly 122% of the entire taxable valuation of the city, and the taxable valuation of the residential areas throughout the city to be roughly $41,000,000.00. He estimated that from 1955 to 1962 the valuation had been increased by about 15,500,000.00. He estimated the taxable valuations removed from the Roll since building the Tuning Fork as follows: $500,000.00 - Tuning Fork 125,000,00 - E. Seneca-N. Aurora St. city parking lot. 100,000.00 - U.S. Post Office properties on N. Aurora Future losses: $300,000.00 to 400,000.00 Route f 13 relocation project 200,000.00 Flood control project He expressed his personal opinion that renovation of many of the downtown business properties is needed but that he did not know whether the Treeent urban renewal proposal is the answer or whether the renewal should be under- taken by the property owners themselves. He also expressed his opinion that real estate has been taxed to the limit and that the City must find some new source of income to meet ever-increasing cost of municipal services. In answer to a question by Mr. Abbott he stated that property in the city is assessed at 8170 of its true value while the equalization rate set by N.Y. State Board of Equalization and Assessments, based on a sales analysis, is only 800 in business and 700 in residential areas. In answer to another question he Page 2 revealed that he had not been consulted by the planning consultants regarding the proposed renewal program. John LoPinto questioned an assumption that renovation or renewal of the down- town area will increase business sufficiently to support the resultant increase in tax base. He argued that there are other alternatives which will provide new sources of income such as a redistribution of state aid for cities like Ithaca which carry such a large burden of tax exempt properties on its Roll, and a better understanding between the City and Cornell University regarding its tax exempt properties. He criticized the Urban Renewal program, being urged by the Citizens' Committee. He claimed that the rudimentary economics of the plan had not been explained. T,1hat is needed, he contended, is more business for the downtown area - more customers with more money to spend - a fact he claimed had not been shown by the Planners. Leonard Miscall, a former member of the Planning Board suggested a plan whereby the businessmen of the downtown area would form a corporation to decide on urban renewal needs and assume all the costs Arid risks thereof by furnishing the capital. His plan would divorce the city from Urban Renewal entirely and it would act as agent in the matter only. He said he felt it was unfair to spread the burden of the cost of renewal of the business core of the City, including its elements of risk, on the taxpaying homeowners who never have a chance to recover their investment like the businessmen have. Mr. Piscall also suggested that the Planners concern themselves with employment opportunities within the city by trying to see what can be done to interest small industries locating in the west end of the city in the area of the abandoned Lehigh Valley Railroad station. Mr. Miscall's plan was supported by John C. Burns, local realtor, who termed it the most practical solution he had heard so far. He criticized the t.D. Little economic report for the lack of alternate plans. After some further discussion the meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m. J / /rte% rr Geo, l;. Blean City Clerk I ` Fri . • OfteMber 7, 1962 For maw years the prevailing attitude at Ithaca City Haulms to the effect that the mord "annexation" vas the equivalent to financial bonanza. The six-year greatesr Ithaca fact finding report that came out in 1952 dashed cold water on this pet theory. This emotive report concluded that in the long range of extending City services, there was no economic advantage' or disadvantage in annexation. Still the notion persisted at City Ball that annexWMWeineant financial gain. In 1954, City policy was enunciated by officials as badly as "give the shbutbs eater and flush than in the City", meaning that if the suburbs were given water service and not sewer service, sewerage emblems would become more critical and suburbanites would be ibrced to seek annexation. A modified brand of this sort of wing can still be found. at City Hall today among some officials. They try and siteplifyaremeation by thinking that by adding land, therefore you add property to the City tax base, and theref you broaden the City tax base. But the thinkers in the City goverment are to make a distinction.. They add the element of what it costs to service a sdburban region in exahange its arming suburban assessed valuation to the City tax roll. Take, for examele, the nce of annexing the Spencer- Elmira Read area. On paper, this represented a highly built-up, compact region on the flatlands with most of the Town of Ithaca's land zoned far sommercial use. If eve an area looked like a ripe plum, this vas it. But exeeriemce proved this not to be the case. Eatending utilities vas a costly process, and by the time other City services vere added, City officials were to be heard saying the • ation vas ne barman, that the fact-finding committee conclusion was valid-•tit there is no advantage or disadvantage in extending services in exehange for assessed valuation in the long run. And to these officials, the value of Spencer-Elmira Road annexation to the City vas not in financial terms but in other . Cr we might cite a more recent example. In the recent annexation of the Coddington Crossroads area, public works officials noted the kind of rocky terrain that will be encountered is extending sewer service, and said long before the matter ever went to vote, that the chances are it mould cost more' to service the neighborhood than might be expected back in revenue through annexation. Cr we hear from another official City source, one who keeps in close touch with governmental business across the Mate, that Cities are getting more aware of the amount of revenue they obtain by selling municipal services to suburban regions and favor it as a financial alternative to annexation. The trouble in Ithaca is that no facts exist at present to dhow if there is a profit in extending services, and if there is profit, if it is substantial in degree -- say to the point where Ithaca would be better off financially by selling services than to pin City policy to further annexation. But interesting to note ...two studies...one just coaapleted.,and one in the maeking...may shed considerable light in this direction. Take the matter of just one City service--that of water. The greater Ithaca Regional Planning Board has completed an 11 month sthdy in Teich it examined the 1961 operating report of the City water division. The regional planners note that metered water revenue outside the City last year meted to 94-thousand dollars and hydrant rentals another 13 thousand dollars. Consumption outside the City amounted to only 19 percent of the total water produced...snd yet revenues from outside the City accounted for 35 percent of the total the City receives. This is not to infer that the Town of Ithaca gets 3.9 percent of the water supply and pays 35 percent of the cost. Cue sidle of it is that when maintenance problems develop in the subu*bs, the TOmn water districts pay the shot. The other side of it is that it costs more to service the hilly Township than much of the City proper...larger pumps and valves and other equipment...and the City has a depreciation factor in plant already paid for theougtr the investment by City consumers. Thus the key question is not the amount of revenue the City obtains from the suburban water users, but the amount of revenue minus cost. The Board of Public Works recently took action to engage a consultant to review water and sewer rates. During discussion: Commissioner Seville Reulein brought up the point that it would be a good thing to know' the cost factor of extending service, so Controller Fred Weinstein is currently .eking a cost anal- ysis to find out the relationship of revenue and cost. We see then that in part of the official City family, we're getting some new thinking on the problems of extending service as it relates to annexation. The City at least is trying to assemble some facts and evaluate an important phase of its position. These may be only baby steps when considered in per- spective to traditional practicer but they are encouraging steps. They indi- cate that some officials, at least, are opening their minds to the possibility that as far as money goes, it may be more advantageous to the City to sell ser- vices then to take-the go for-broke course of forcing annexation and losing a great deal of revenue. We'll continue this discussion M u3 y at this time. Monday - Decedher 10, 1962 We see = 's Common Council cawing to grips with its grabbems in long range finance. Council wants to study urban rend, greater industrialization and the possibility of a sales ta, z. But noticeably missing in the investigation of ways to add revenue and tax base is a new look at the field of annexation and extension of municipal services. Toren of Ithaca Supervisor Ben Boynton, at the instigation of his Terra Board, requested opportunity to negotiate extension of sewer service. This vial service cannot be disassociated from the greater issue of annexation. The City Common Council had opportunity to arrange a meeting vith the Tvvn Board and explore ways to seek a better arrangement gemzent between City and Tom than exists at present. But once again the Council referred the To n request to the Board of Public Works -- thick does not have jurisdiction in annexation matters -- and once again the City government has missed the boat in moving into the broader aspects of its relationship with the suburbs. Generally speaking, there are four major avenues to explore. Oas course could be all-out merger of the City, the Village of Cayuga Heights and all of the Town of Ithaca. But much of the Town is still rural and many sections of the Town are not ready for complete municipal services. As the Greater r Regional Panning Board recently pointed out, what is really needed is a plan for the provision of services as the need arises. In some sections of the Town this need is decades scar. To force uaaated services immediately on some sections of the TOwnwould be costly to these areas and no financial advantage to the City. A second course of approach might be to explore merger of Ithaca, Cayuga Heights and that part of the Town which is built-up, and where water and sewer service can be extended by reason of topegreft. Bader this course, the out- lying rural parts of the Town of Ithaca could be absorbed by six neighboring Towns. This course would require agreement by nine different governments at local level and would seem, as of 1962, about as possible as milking on water. A third possible course would be for the City to accept fined borders for the present and extend rater and sir service, preferably by contract, the same as it does in fire, refuse disposal and library service. If and when people of the suburbs wanted to come into the City, the door would be open on a district basis, and in the meantime, the City Cali Taws could negotiate price for bervicesa that both sides feel is equitable. The fourth major avenue is the one the City is taking at yreeent Mich is not acceptable to the Town. Although never agreed to by the Common Council, policy a'h`d..=ii rite ed by the City Board of Public Weeks is to deny water or sewer service ahort of annexation. Such a policy has resulted in the annexation of the Coddington Crossroads area, and pre it can work in other scattered neighborhoods of limited size and value vhere water or sever problems are pressing. But from the City viewpoint, this is not a grantable policy and it has every real danger of being a bankrupt policy. The imeedlate aspect is that it can cost the City more to extend services than it takes in from additional assessed valuation. The long aspect is that by eating sew a neighbor- heed here and there, the Tom tax base is eroding and land the TOM considers strategic Should it build its own water and dewer systems. In the past maple years, the Town of Ithaca has made serious overtures toward providing its own water and WSW systems. It has developed engineering plans, and is currently negotiating a possible water supply for much of its town.. ship other than from the City. Ithaca's Coosa Council and Board of Public Works apparently do not recognize the potential of these moves. not years ago, City officials didn't believe Cayuga Heights would go to the expense of building its own Village savage treatment plant. But the Village did, and now points toward a costly addition. There is the possibility the City government can be just as blind in ev&uatiog the position of the Thorn of Ithaca Per the Tam to construct its own seater and sewer services would indeed be an ex. pensive course. But the City has to judge, end judge correctly, whether this Tin separation would be prohibitive to undertake undertedse. Is it very possible that the Town has the assessable wealth now to move toward independent services, and the present City policy can push the Tee to se its way alone. This would be just as unf rtunate for the people of the City as the 'Down. If the Thorn of Ithaca ever provides meter and sewer service to its own people then the City has had it. The City can say goodbye forever to future snnesationa. Moreover,aver, the City can look to its investment inviter end seer plant...expanded to handle the suburbs...running at only a fraction of capacity. Under su& cir- cumstances, the City could also see an end of hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue presently paid by cor2sumWs uho reside outside the City. This is the potential every real potential m- %hie b Ithaca's Marmon Council has to recognize and face up to if Council is serious in exploring long rangee City finance. We'll continue this discuasi z mow at this time. TuesdAy 11, 1962 There's a geoid side and abed side When a City sells nunicipal services to its shburbs. Sedgy, nee'll discuss the good side and from the five services that the City of Ithaca sells the Teen of Ithaca, confine discussion to fire protection, since this is a vital service, it falls in the middle bracket of income producing revenue, and it lends itself to clearer understanding, than some of the more conplicated services. The Teen of Ithaca pegs the City 16 thousand 500 dollars a year for fire protection. This is row the equivalent in revenue of a million dollars in assessed valuation. During an average year, the City obtains more revenue from the Town fear fire yrotection than it obtains frcaii new home building in the City. It is a sue that cannot be seem& a at. It does not reqpire great effamt or expenditure on the part of the City to earn this income. Over the five year period from 1957 through 1961, the number of fire calls ranged from 9 to 20 a year, and the was 13. Most of these calls dealt with fires of a minor nature. The residential property miner of the Wm is not afforded the same type of fire protection as the resident of the City. Standard practice is to dispatch one pumper truek to the suburbs on alarms involving structures. Standerd practice for alarms in the City involving structuree is to dispatch pumper trucks and an aerial. Does this mean that the Tam of Ithaca is being ged for fire era,- tection? Because Teen and City have negotiated contracts satisfectorily over several years, the d afar to be "no". If the Tom bad to build fire stations, buy eqdp .t and key for the services of trained paid firm, the cost would likely go far becloud the price that the Teen nag yeys. And fire protection Our the Thy cannot be judged an the basis of =searing only a feu calla a year or the point that most of these alarms are in response to minor fires. Anna Department is organized and, equipped to handle the unusual • thousand So llars—well over a starter million of a collars. The great per- centage of this cost is for salary `» to give the City the kind of insurance it needs that when a major fire breaks out, there will be men and equipment ready to go to pit it ould and confine die to the minimum. During the past year, we witnessed many tunes the value of having such an investment in fire protection. With fire bugs on the loose, tie can thank ma efficient, well trained and alert-rear fire department fbr keeping millions of dollars of property on the tax roll. Any fib analysis, we think, would point toward one conclusion. The City of Itheea has a good deal in contracting Sire protection service to ihe suburbs, and the Town.of Ithaca has a good deal in being able to contract the the service and not provide its own. Now to carry discussion to the ream of annexation. What if we had a situation where the of Ithaca. and. the City of Ithaca Satre to merge in cm unit of Oovernwent. There would be no annual payment of 16 thousand 500 dollars s coning from the suburbs. Instead the fib of payment would be in the assessed valuation from the additional properties taken in to the City, end spread over all m inieips3. services. Presumably, the expanded City would be required to pro- vide the sane quality of service to the new sections as the old. This could re- sult in increased. costs. We are told that free fire protection standards, an additional, investment would not be needed. The of sopulation served. and the mileage from eaLsting fire stations would. not be such as to require additional fire stations, equipment or manpower. But should annexation ever come to pass, one certainly would look fa overtures far increased facilities to serve the suburbs, and the dete a rattion could be a politica one and not based on fire protection standards. On the other hand., we have seen sporadic efitrts over the years to locate an additional fire station on South Hill, and professiona thing, rather than political thinking, has so far prevailed. u1d leek at the present arrangement bet en City and Town as it de with only one s ice...should we confine thoughts of to money alone... then from the standpoint of the present 'Ithaca taxpayer, it would appear that selling municipal services to the suburbs is abetter answer to the City°s financial preblems than annexation. t there's the other side of the €oin »m one we'll discuss tomorrow at this time. Wednesday » December 12, 1962 Consider the cottager on the Test She who drives to and fraw sack on the Cornell Cana ...or the resident of Caton Road tho works at the 0-le Center- . or the resident of Triphammer Road who mates most days of the week to GLF, or National Cash or the Nbrse Chain Oompaay. Consider the thousands of resi- dents of the lb= of Ithaca are in the same boat. Consider how their spend their hours away fromwork. They dine downtown, or go bowling or to a theatre. r drive to church or pay a bill, consult a lawyer, doctor or denti*or go to the post Office. In the summer they enjoy an outing at Stewart Park, or in winter drive to the Hid4 Schaal for a concert, a class in adult education or a lesson in ssimming. Mater do their Friday night wing in Ithaca supermarkets, and most any night it can be going to lodge, attending a club dinner at a hotel or restaurant or maybe it m s a sports event cr a night on the tow® These thousands of residents of the 'lbw of Ithaca do pretty much the same as their counterparts from the City do... pt perhaps a higher percentage are dependent on the automobile. These suburbanites share one thing in corn. A sizeable percentage of their time =diner of life is linked inevitably to the streets of It2a. the creation of a City parking lot, the replacement of a bridge, snow removal on a hillside street cantle or ev n more vital concern to the resident of the suburbs than to thousands who reside in the City. And yet Wherever the suburbanite drives he will benefit from facilities developed and paid ibr theoudh taxation by residents of the City. Certainly', many City residents use Tben highways, but not to the degree that Raw residents use City streets. And certainly the industrial and business places which pay a goal percentage of Itbeftels taxes oodld not exist without the employee or shappur. Still the fact remains, the City taxpayer has invested. mdllions of dollars in streets, bridges, parking lots and sty drainage tom, that are used by others. The costs of highway maintenance and equipment and administration street lighting' drains snow removal, traffic stroll and bridge maintenance add up to the largest package confronting the Ithaca taapgyer each year. They ex- coed 300 thousand dollars annually - much more than it costs to operate the police department or the firedeparbneat. These are costs paid by the City taw. payer for services used just as much, and sometimes more by the surburbanite. A municipal service that can be extended f9rom the City to the suburbs - like water or sir service or fire protection -- can be calculated in equit. able teams. But in the area of and bridges and storm sewer systems that preserve and snow removal to keep people in motion to wort, to sh p and to play -- there seems noway of reckoning equity in use or cost. Meier this frameworks a City policy of selling what services can be calculated fairly falls way short of what a City needs to eaist. The sensible solution veuld app to be to get a stnele geograPhical area that can be administered as a, unit -- the same as ve have done at county lesvel in operating airport, hospital and United ltd, or at '-a county level in operating ae, sal systmm. In the specific case of Ithame4 all that we have to do is project at nu accelerated wet/that we have Observed and experienced in the past 10 years. A City of static poeulation and realty tax base is coping with increased governmental costs and needed mcernization of physical plant. Something has to give. The dilemma of replacing the Seneca Street bridge over Came inlet is a case in point. Scrutiey of other bridges to see whether or not they should be continued in use is another indication of the way the wind blows. Bit practice of reduciug the workforce of street repairmen. are �budget of cutting down on salting operations with ei. :C`?•i1AR` 3� ...these arLe indications. Should the coming years bring econenies in an area like streets and bridges - the Town of Ithaca residents is going to, ezperience the same loss of service as the City resident. The Sewn resident will feel the inconvenience of a detour to get to a different bridge, his car will hit the same potholes getting to work, and he will be exposed to the sa®e driving situation when ice and snow re n iva3. are curtailed. And because he lives outside the City he will have no voice in bow Ithaca should manage its affairs. On the other side of the fence, teem the viewpoint of the City resident and his public officials, it is not a satisfactory sae to sell a portion of City services...help with the now of migration from the Cit y...and contribute to a situation where City tales grow and there are fewer people to ley then. Rho long range view -- for suburbanite and city resident alike -- is to ponder whether one givvernmental and economic unit to serve the greater Ithaca area isn't the only answer. Burt is this answer attainable within our generation, and does present City policy help or demagg this goal -- these are the questions that need. answers -- good wows at this tine. We'll coratimxe this discussion tomorrow at this time. THURSDAY - DECEMBER 13 , 1962 The village of Cayuga Heights moves toward an expensive addition to its sewage treatment plant . . . the Town of Ithaca studies building its own water and sewer facilities . . . and the City of Ithaca built a sewage treat- ment plant addition of capacity to serve the region and at year-end, this divisidin has been caught up in deficit spending. Observing these develop- ments , one is prompted to think that we have the most expensive boundaries west of the wall in Berlin. Yet ; oddly enough, wheneve men of intelligence and good will look beyond personal and localized involvements they reach the same conclusion that several study committees and official negotiators have reached -- that greater Ithaca is one single economic and social community and should be one single political entity. There is sharp disagreement, however, on the means of bringing this about. One approach is to think that the City should just expand and the village of Cayuga Heights and the town of Ithaca should be just so many wards of a City . The opposite approach is to think that City , Town and Village should all give up their present forms of government for the sake of something that is tailored to the exact needs of a larger area with more people. There is difference of opinion, also, in the time element. In years past, spokesmen for the City have leaned toward immediate considera- tion and action on annexation . And spokesmen for the suburban governments have argued that it will take years to bring about one united political unit, and that the way to do it is through municipal coopeation and to gradually establish the climate for all-out merger. Unfortunately for the people of the city . the Town and the Village a present City practice does not serve the long range interests of any of THURSDAY - DECEMBER 13, 1962 The village of Cayuga Heights moves toward an expensive addition to its sewage treatment plant . . . the Town of Ithaca studies building its own water and sewer facilities . . . and the City of Ithaca built a sewage treat- ment plant addition of capacity to serve the region and at year-end, this divisien has been caught up in deficit spending. Observing these develop- ments , one is prompted to think that we have the most expensive boundaries west of the wall in Berlin. Yet , oddly enough, whenever_ men of intelligence and good will look beyond personal and localized involvements they reach the same conclusion that several study committees and official negotiators have reached -- that greater Ithaca is one single economic and social community and should be one single political entity. There is sharp disagreement, however, on the means of bringing this about. One approach is to think that the City should just expand and the village of Cayuga Heights and the town of Ithaca should be just so many wards of a City . The opposite approach is to think that City , Town and Village should all give up their present forms of government for the sake of something that is tailored to the exact needs of a larger area with more people. There is difference of opinion, also, in the time element. In years past, spokesmen for the City have leaned toward immediate considera- tion and action on annexation. And spokesmen for the suburban governments have argued that it will take years to bring about one united political unit, and that the way to do it is through municipal coope5►ation and to gradually establish the climate for all-out merger. Unfortunately for the people of the city . the Town and the Village . . . a present City practice does not serve the long range interests of any of - 2 - DECEMBER 13 , 19b4 • the local governments . This practice of denying extension of water and sewer service short of annexation cannot result in forcing Cayuga Heights into the City or any large and significant part of the town. It has , and can, force small bordering neighborhoods into the city in piece-meal fashion with the outcome that it costs the City more to serve the neighbor- hoods than it gets back in taxation. Even worse, present City policy is pushing the Town of Ithaca toward providing its own vital services . . . and if this should come about . . . then the City has lost forever large-scale, break-even annexation . . . and the City has lost many thousands of dollars of revenue to help operate its water and sewage treatment plants. From the standpoint of the City taxpayer, and most suburban taxpayers, the best solution could be total merger into one commuhity. But as of 1962, we see no chance at all of this coming about in the next few years . Let's ask ourselves questions and provide honest answers . Do we see community leaders . . . the heads of industries . . . the big employers . . . the heads of community organizations . . . . the heads of banks -- do we see these people actively engaged in seeking one community? Let's look at our heads of government and the supporting casts in official boards. Do we see a burning desire for one community . . . imagination . . . leadership . . . adeptness in statecraft? No, we see a blank. We see a 2mm Town Board that has been seeking negotiation with the city for a year, and yesterday the matter went back to the limited pigeon hole of committee study by the Board of Public Works . It went there with the same lack of urgency and perspective as a dozen other matters . . . back to where the question was a year ago. This is more important than recommending bids on the chemicals - 3 - DECEMBER 13 , 1962 to be purchased next year. This is one of the biggest issues of our generation . . . and it cries for the full attention of the Ithaca Command Council. This reporter agrees wholeheartedly with the thinkong expressed in a recent report of the Regional Planning Board. We are not ready for total merger. Until we are , the city should not jeopardize its long-range goal of annexation. It is preferable to sell services beyond city borders until the region is ready for a form of merger that is mutually advantageous . A first constructive step will be the recognition by the Common Council that it is responsible even more than the Board of Public Works -- for whatever happens in the relationship of the Town and the City . The con- densed report of the Regional Planning Board Committee should be looked into -- not shelved. Some of our most able citizens spent 11 months ex- pm ploring the Town and City relationship. Their advice should be sought out . . . . listened to . . . and weighed.