HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-20-16 City Administration Committee Meeting Agenda108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-6590
Swimming the gorges has been a public safety issue the City has been addressing for many
decades. The City created the Natural Area Ranger program in 1984 following the tragic death
of a local teen.
Chapter 250 of the City Code entitled “Peace and Good Order”, Section 250-3 Entitled
“Swimming” states: “
In an attempt to clarify the regulations of the natural areas for members of the public, and to
ensure that those regulations are enforceable through the judicial process, I am proposing that
additional language be placed in the Natural Areas Chapter of the Code to indicate that entering
the waters of any of the natural areas located within or owned by the City shall constitute
Trespass. Upon the approval of this language, new signs will be purchased and posted in
appropriate locations.
If you have any questions or concerns about this proposal, please feel free to contact me at
(607) 274-6570 or jholcomb@cityofithaca.org.
CITY OF ITHACA
WATER TREATMENT PLANT
202 Water St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-4680
Fax: 607-216-0460
M E M O
TO: City Administration Comm. & Civil Service Commission
FROM: Charles Baker, Chief Operator
RE: Creation of an Overlapping Position and change to 40 hrs/wk
DATE: June 14, 2016
Our current Lab Technician has submitted notice that her last day of work with the City will be on December 22, 2016.
This will leave us without an essential position for operations and with the water project going on would leave us in a
hole, so to speak. Fulfilling regular training needs for the position would be troublesome with the project coming to an
end (and moving into the new building) around the same time period. That will be chaotic at best to keep things
functional alone. The current completion date for the project is around the 27th-29th of December (although there may
be a new extension on that date). The lab will need to be set up with the new equipment, older existing equipment (in
trailers and some packed away) will need to moved and set up and the USGS work will need to be moved back to the
WTP. This is while still meeting our NYSDOH and DEC sampling/analysis requirements for operations and regulations.
To be able to do all this and maintain a smooth transition for the lab and the lab tech position I am requesting that we
hire a new lab tech, provisionally, and then have this person work with Jan (and lab staff) until Jan is done. This
overlapping position will provide the time to get this person familiar with our lab needs prior to the move and be better
prepared for the move. Getting things up and running faster and smoother for operations will be a preferred
requirement for this time period.
Jan’s position as lab tech was set at 35 hours/week to accommodate her schedule. We have the need for a 40
hour/week position and would prefer this. A Monday through Friday coverage is what is needed. Once Jan is done, the
35 hour/week position would be deleted and the new position of 40 hours/week would remain.
As a result of this priority need in the lab, I am asking to not fill the Financial Management Asst. position (20
hours/week) for 2016. The funds for this position (approx. $18,330) would be used for the overlapping Lab Tech
position (at 40 hrs/wk). This has already been discussed with DPW Supt., Mike Thorne with no objections. Technically
we will not have the actual space (at the WTP) for the Fin. Mgmt Asst. until we are in the new building.
Thank you for your review and hopefully, approval, of this request.
To: City of Ithaca Administration Committee
From: Eric Hathaway, City Transportation Engineer
Date: June 14, 2016
Re: Bulbouts and ADA Ramps, NYS Multi-Modal Funding
In February 2015, staff brought the Board of Public works five project ideas to consider submitting
to New York State for Multi-Modal Funding. After some discussion, we decided to pursue a
project that would make improvements to pedestrian safety and curb ramps to meet our
obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
as amended. In doing so, we will look for opportunities to make pedestrian enhancements as
well, including moving the curb where feasible to create bulbouts, or as they are also known,
chokers or neckdowns. Bulbouts shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians, improve sightlines
and provide a safer place to stand while crossing the street. Sometimes, they also make it possible
or easier to meet the grades required by ADA. We also propose to investigate other pedestrian-
related treatments, such as flashing beacons, signage and striping that will enhance pedestrian
safety.
Staff submitted the project request in March, 2015 and have been notified that we have been
nominated to receive funding in the amount of $250,000. There is no required City match;
however, much of this work will relate to sidewalk design and construction through the Sidewalk
Improvement Districts, so there will be some matching funds in a way. The Multi-Modal program
is a reimbursement program, so the City needs to borrow the money in the first instance and file
for reimbursement after the fact. The only expense not eligible for reimbursement is the cost of
borrowing the money.
In order to keep the accounting separate and to progress the project, staff is recommending that
the City establish a capital project and fund it in the first instance. This has been recommended
by the Board of Public Works at their June 13, 2016 meeting and we are now looking for your
approval.
Some preliminary locations that staff consider to be good candidates for using this money to
design and construct pedestrian improvements include:
Intersection of West Clinton Street and South Plain Street
Intersection of North Cayuga Street and Lewis Street
Cornell Street at crosswalk between Belle Sherman Elementary School and Belle
Sherman Annex.
Hillview Place crosswalk for South Hill Elementary School
Intersection of Chestnut and Elm Street, adjacent to Lehman Alternative Community
School
Thurston Avenue and Stewart Avenue
Irving Place and Ithaca Road
There are potentially other locations that we will encounter that would benefit from pedestrian
enhancements, so we would prefer not to limit the scope of this project to specific location at this
time. If you have any other suggested locations or questions, or would prefer to approve the
projects on a case-by-case basis, please feel free to contact us.
4.2 Department of Public Works - Amendment to 2016 Budget - Resolution
WHEREAS, a pedestrian warning signal which is comprised of a concrete pole and flashing
beacons in the vicinity of Belle Sherman Elementary school has failed; and
WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the location and recommends the pole, and its equivalent on
the other side of Cornell Street, be replaced, along with the flashing beacons mounted on the
poles by City crews, at an estimated cost of $14,000; and
WHEREAS, the current balance in the unrestricted contingency account is $115,000; now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Common Council authorizes funding in the amount of $14,000 be
transferred from account A1990 – Unrestricted Contingency to account A3311-5479 –
Equipment Parts for the purpose of replacing said poles.
A pole with two mounted flashing beacons on the east side of Cornell Street near Belle
Sherman elementary school has failed due to structural issues. We would like to have our City
crews replace the pole and beacons for this location and for the corresponding pole and
beacons on the other side of Cornell Street and accomplish and related site work.
We estimate the cost of this work, to be done by the City Electrician and City Crew to be
approximately $14,000 for solar-powered beacons. The Board of Public Works has
recommended at their June 13, 2016 meeting that funds be authorized by Common Council to
replace poles, install beacons and perform related site work from your unrestricted contingency
budget in order to accomplish this work. Thank you.
4.3 Department of Public Works – Establishment of Capital Project Funding for
Carbon Monoxide Detection - Resolution
WHEREAS, New York State has adopted a rule (Section 1228.4 of Title 19 NYCRR) requiring
carbon monoxide detection in commercial buildings in 2016, which, according to the building
and fire codes, includes municipal buildings; and
WHEREAS, many City-owned facilities have carbon monoxide sources and thus will need to
be brought into compliance with this regulation; and
WHEREAS, staff has estimated that the total project cost will be approximately $50,000; and
WHEREAS, this expense was not budgeted for in 2016; and
WHEREAS, the current balance in the unrestricted contingency account is $101,000; and
WHEREAS, on June 13, 2016, the Board of Public Works recommended that Common
Council establish a project (either a capital project or a transfer from contingency accounts) in
the amount of $50,000 to address the New York State carbon monoxide regulation; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That a sum not to exceed $50,000 is hereby appropriated from account A1990 –
Unrestricted Contingency and transferred to account A1620-5225 – Other Equipment.
4.4 Department of Public Works – Ithaca Area Waste Water Treatment Plant
(IAWWTP) Recommendation to Fund Professional Services Agreement with SourceOne
to Assist in the Preparation of the New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority (NYSERDA) New York Prize Phase 2 Request for Proposals (RFP) 3044 Grant
Application – Resolution
WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (IAWWTF) is a facility owned by
the City of Ithaca and Towns of Dryden and Ithaca and governed by the Special Joint
Committee (SJC); and
WHEREAS, the IAWWTF has been leading a community wide exploration of using the plant as
a resource for a distributed electricity supply platform for a local microgrid; and
WHEREAS, SourceOne completed a NY Prize phase 1 Feasibility Study that has been
approved by NYSERDA and thus qualifies this project for Phase 2; and
WHEREAS, IAWWTF has received a proposal for assisting with the preparation of the phase 2
application that must provide a detailed work plan for advanced engineering from SourceOne
for the amount of $48,960; and
WHEREAS, the SJC approved the expense at its July13, 2016, regular meeting; now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the SJC recommends that SourceOne be selected to complete the phase 2
application technical details for the amount of $48,960; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Mayor, the Town of Ithaca Supervisor and the Town of
Dryden Supervisor be authorized to sign the agreement; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the funding for the professional services agreement is contingent on the
approval of the City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca and Town of Dryden, and be it further,
RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby recommends funding this proposal contingent
upon action by all wastewater owners and their respective attorneys committing their
percentage of reimbursement shares to the Joint Activity Fund CP421J as follows:
Municipality Percentage Project Cost
City of Ithaca 57.14 $27,975.74
Town of Ithaca 40.88 20,014.85
Town of Dryden 1.98 969.41
$ 48,960.00
; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends Capital Project #421J Microgrid for
Electric Power Feasibility by an amount not to exceed $48,960, for an amended project
authorization of $148,960, and be it further
RESOLVED, That funds for said amendment shall be derived from the capital reserve J1 or
existing operated funds.