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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2017-05-17CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. May 17, 2017 PRESENT: Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Chair Alderpersons (4): Fleming (arrived at 6:05 p.m.), Kerslick, McGonigal, Nguyen Mayor (1): Myrick OTHERS PRESENT: Alderpersons (2): Brock, Gearhart City Clerk – Holcomb Police Officer – Goldsberry Police Officer – Pape Youth Bureau Director – Klohmann City Attorney – Lavine Superintendent of Public Works – Thorne HR Director – Michell-Nunn Controller - Thayer 1. Call to Order 1.1 Agenda Review. None. 1.2 Review/Approval of Minutes: Alderperson Kerslick made a motion to approve the minutes from the April 19, 2017 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. Motion carried 4-1. (Alderperson Fleming was absent from the vote.) (Alderperson Fleming arrived at 6:05 p.m.) 1.3 Statements from the Public Faye Gougakis, of Ithaca, asked the Committee to address the issue about all members of Common Council being required to have local phone numbers. Ms. Gougakis expressed her concerns about the things she sees on the Commons such as the danger of people texting while riding their bikes, about the danger of people walking on or playing in the fountain and about dogs walking around without a leash. David Nutter, of Ithaca, expressed his concerns that the suggested recommendations on the makeup of the new Committees were not being considered. Mr. Nutter stated that some of the members on the current Committees bring their expertise or specialized abilities to these Committees. These individuals are not on the new Committees. He encouraged the City to improve the process for volunteers to be on Committees, to visibly show what Committee citizens should attend to voice their concerns, to have better staff support and to send out agenda items earlier. 1.4 Statements from Employees. None. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 2 1.5 Council Response Chairperson Mohlenhoff stated that a discussion about Common Council members having local phone numbers will be added to a future agenda. 2. Consent Agenda Items 2.1 Amendments to Fringe Benefits for Managerial Personnel Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, in an effort to achieve consistency, the Director of Human Resources recommends amendments to the Fringe Benefits for Managerial Personnel that align with recently negotiated labor contracts, and WHEREAS, the proposed changes to the sick leave buyout methodology and the elimination of the Day Care Cash Subsidy will not affect currently employed City employees, but the enhancement for Parenting Leave will impact all employees eligible; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council approves the amendments included herewith, effective immediately. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.2 HR - Amendment to Fringe Benefits for Confidential Employees Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the fringe benefits for confidential employees are, by resolution of Common Council, indexed to those provided by the CSEA Administrative Unit contract, and WHEREAS, the provisions governing the disposition of sick leave upon retirement incur a tax liability for the retiree, even when there is no cash payment for sick leave, and WHEREAS, the confidential employees wish to eliminate the tax liability by waiving the option of cash payment of sick leave; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the following provision shall govern the disposition of sick leave upon retirement for confidential employees: 1. Employees whose employment with the City commenced prior to January 1, 2017: Upon an employee’s retirement, unused sick leave shall be applied toward the payment of extended health and dental insurance coverage. Extended health and dental insurance coverage shall be provided at the rate of one (1) month of insurance for each twelve (12) hours of accumulated sick leave, or at the established retiree premium, at the discretion of the employee. Once the employee’s sick leave is exhausted, the City will no longer extend City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 3 health insurance coverage to retirees and dependents except by direct, full payment to the City by the retiree or dependent at the appropriate group rate as determined by the City. 2. Employees whose employment with the City commenced on or after January 1, 2017: Upon an employee’s retirement, the value of the unused sick leave, as valued at an employee’s standard rate of pay as of their date of retirement, shall be used to establish a retirement fund account to pay for health insurance for the retiree and eligible dependents as elected by the retiree. Each month that such health insurance is provided by the City, the value of the retiree or dependent rate established by the Common Council shall be deducted from the retiree’s retirement fund account. The City will provide an annual statement of retirement fund account dollar balance to all retirees to whom this paragraph applies. Once the account is exhausted, the City will no longer extend health insurance coverage to retirees and dependents except by direct, full payment to the City by the retiree or dependent at the appropriate group rate as determined by the City. And, be it further RESOLVED, That all other fringe benefits provided by the CSEA Administrative Unit contract shall continue to apply to confidential employees. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.3 Chamberlain – Request to Waive Penalty on Taxes Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the owner of property at 216 Floral Ave, tax map#74.-3-3 stated that he sent in a check in the amount of $1,797.62 on January 26, 2017 for payment of the City and County taxes on the property, and WHEREAS, the check was never received by the Chamberlain’s Office, and WHEREAS, upon receiving a notice of unpaid taxes in March 2017, the owner sent a second check in the amount of $1,871.48 which included late penalties and notice fees due at that time, and WHEREAS this second check including March 2017 penalties and fees, has been received and posted by the Chamberlain’s Office, and WHEREAS, the owner has requested the penalties and fees be refunded and has provided necessary documentation to prove the issuance of his timely January check, but WHEREAS, refunding the penalties and fees needs committee approval; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the request to waive and refund penalty and fees on the 2017 City of Ithaca, First Installment and Tompkins County Taxes for 216 Floral Ave, in the amount of $73.86 is hereby approved. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 4 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.4 YB – Request to Amend 2017 Budget - First-Time Work Program Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, The Ithaca Youth Bureau Youth Employment Service program plans to provide employment assistance and summer jobs to teens during the 2017 summer season, WHEREAS, The Youth Bureau has been awarded $67,000, by the Joint Youth Commission (JYC) and the Town of Ithaca for the JYC First-Time Work Program. WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau Summer Youth Employment Services is excited to expand their program to serve more teens WHEREAS, The Youth Bureau requests amendments to the 2017 budget in order to meet the contractual obligations of the funding awarded and serve more youth, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Youth Bureau 2017 budget be amended as follows: Increase Revenue: A7310-2350-1202 Youth Employment Service $66,000 A7310-2350-1400 Administration $1,000 $67,000 Increase Expenses: A7310-5120-1202 Part time/Seasonal $54,627 A7310-5425-1202 Office Supplies $1,446 A7310-5445-1202 Travel & Mileage $1,262 A7310-5460-1202 Program Supplies $1,470 A7310-5425-1400 Office Supply $1,000 A7310-9030-1202 FICA/Medicare $4,179 A7310-9040-1202 Workers Comp $3,016 $67,000 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.5 YB – Request to Amend 2107 Budget – Grant for Ithaca Bike Rental Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, The Ithaca Youth Bureau is requesting permission to amend the 2017 budget to reflect grants that have been awarded for 2017, and City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 5 WHEREAS, The Ithaca Bike Rental received a Tompkins County Tourism Grant in the amount of $7,000, and WHEREAS, Outings was awarded an additional $10,147 from the Tompkins County Youth Services to run the new Outings program called Path Finders, and WHEREAS, Recreation Support Services Adult programs received a $7,855 grant to extend programming to adults who are living at home, designated as Family Support participants; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Ithaca Youth Bureau 2017 budget is amended according to the following: Please allow the 2017 Youth Bureau budget to reflect these items by making the following adjustments: Increase Expenses: A7310-5120-01602 Part-time Seasonal $ 6,783 A7310-5460-01221 Program Supplies $ 3,000 A7310-5425-01221 Office Supplies $ 165 A7310-5120-01221 Part-time Seasonal $ 6,029 A7310-5460-01203 Program Supplies $ 7,000 A7310-9030 FICA/Medicare $ 981 A7310-9040 Workers Comp $ 1,044 $25,002 Increase Revenues: A7310-3820-1600 NYS OPWDD $ 4,310 A7310-3820-1602 NYS OPWDD $ 3,545 A7310-2350-01221 Other Municipalities $10,147 A7310-2070-01203 Donations $ 7,000 $25,002 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.6 YB – Request to Amend 2017 Budget – YES Program Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, The Ithaca Youth Bureau Youth Employment Service program plans to provide employment assistance and summer jobs to teens during the 2017 summer season, and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau will receive $172,840.55 from the Tompkins County Workforce Investment Board to fund summer youth employment, and WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau Summer Youth Employment Services is excited to expand their program to serve more teens, and City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 6 WHEREAS, The Youth Bureau requests amendments to the 2017 budget in order to meet the contractual obligations of the funding awarded; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Youth Bureau 2017 budget be amended as follows: Increase Revenues: A7310-4820-1200 Youth Development Administration $3,000.00 A7310-4820-1202 Youth Employment Service $165,426.55 A7310-4820-1400 Administration $4,414.00 $172,840.55 Increase Expenses: A7310-5440-1200 Staff Development $2,000.00 A7310-5460-1200 Program Supplies $1,000.00 A7310-5120-1202 Part time/Seasonal $139,147.65 A7310-5425-1202 Office Supplies $2,531.35 A7310-5445-1202 Travel & Mileage $1,000.00 A7310-5460-1202 Program Supplies $4,400.00 A7310-5437-1400 Merchant Service $1,200.00 A7310-5425-1400 Office Supplies $1,314.00 A7310-5440-1400 Staff Development $1,100.00 A7310-5460-1400 Program Supplies $800.00 A7310-9030 FICA/Medicate $10,645.00 A7310-9040 Workers Comp $7,702.55 $172,840.55 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.7 Eng. – Brindley Street Bridge Replacement Project Right-of-Way Acquisition Resolution Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, a Project for the Brindley Street Bridge Replacement over Cayuga Inlet , P.I.N. 375611 (the “Project”) is eligible for funding under Title 23 U.S. Code, as amended, that calls for the apportionment of the costs such program to be borne at the ratio of 80% Federal funds and 20% non- Federal funds; and WHEREAS, the project involves the construction of new roadway and bridge on a relocated horizontal alignment that will connect Taber Street with the West State Street/Taughnnock Boulevard intersection, and WHEREAS, as part of the approved 2011 budget, the City of Ithaca established Capital Project #764 in the amount of $205,000 to cover scoping and development phases of the project, and WHEREAS, as part of the approved 2015 budget, Common Council authorized an additional $303,000 for the project; and City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 7 WHEREAS, as part of the approved 2017 budget, Common Council authorized an additional $134,000 for the project; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca desires to advance the Project by making a commitment of 100% of the non-Federal share of Right-of-Way Acquisition phase of the project; and WHEREAS, On May 2, 2017, $16,650 of Federal funding was made available by New York State Department of Transportation for Right-of-Way Acquisition phase of the Project, and WHEREAS, The right-of-way cost of $16,650 will be derived from existing funds from Capital Project # 764; NOW, THEREFORE, the City of Ithaca Common Council, duly convened does hereby RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca 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 Right-of-Way Acquisition phase of the Project; and it is further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby agrees that the City of Ithaca shall be responsible for all cost of Right-of-Way Acquisition which exceed the amount of the Federal funding; and it is further RESOLVED, That this project be undertaken with the understanding that the final cost of the Right-of- Way Acquisition to the City of Ithaca will be 20% of project costs up to a total project cost of $3,330; and it is further RESOLVED, That funds needed for said amendment shall be derived from Capital Project#764 and that the final cost to the City will be $3,330; and it is further RESOLVED, That in the event of full federal and non-federal share cost of the project exceeds the amount appropriated above, the City of Ithaca shall convene as soon as possible to appropriate said excess amount immediately upon the notification by the New York State Department of Transportation thereof, and it is further RESOLVED, That the Mayor of the City of Ithaca be and is hereby authorized to execute all necessary Agreements and the Superintendent of Public Works is hereby authorized to execute all the necessary Certifications or reimbursement requests for Federal Aid and /or State-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 City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 8 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, That this Resolution shall take effect immediately. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3. City Administration, Human Resources, and Policy 3.1 DPW - Amendment to Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Kerslick. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works needs to increase its capabilities to maintain electrical services, due to aging buildings, code changes, and the anticipated ownership and maintenance of all streetlights in the city, and WHEREAS, the increased responsibilities within the City will require the use of licensed electricians, and WHEREAS, the current position of Electrical Technician does not require a license, nor is it intended to perform more advanced electrical work, and the proposed position of Electrician does require a license and the ability to perform advanced electrical work, now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Personnel Roster of the Department of Public Works be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Electrician Delete: One (1) Electrical Technician and, be it further RESOLVED, That the position of Electrician shall be assigned to the CSEA Administrative Unit at salary grade 14, 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 the Electrician position shall be established at eight (8) hours per day (forty (40) hours per week), and be it further RESOLVED, That the funding for this change shall be derived from existing funds within the Department of Public Works budget. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 9 3.2 DPW – Water and Sewer - Proposed Amendment to Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the Water & Sewer Division of the City of Ithaca DPW has need for the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor, and WHEREAS, Common Council by Resolution agenda item 8.4 on 2/19/2014 temporarily downgraded Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor position to a Working Supervisor position. Leaving Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor position vacant and unfunded and funding a vacant and unfunded fifth Working Supervisor position. This was done at the request of the Water & Sewer Division of the DPW based both on the needs and budget constraints at the time, and WHEREAS, the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor was budgeted for in the City of Ithaca DPW Final Budget Submission for 2017 with the difference of the salary for the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor and a senior Working Supervisor being added to the 2017 Adopted Program Budget with the understanding that when the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor position was filled the Working Supervisor position would revert to being vacant and unfunded in the authorized personnel roster, and WHEREAS, we currently have the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor position unfunded on our authorized personnel roster and the fifth Working Supervisor position funded on our roster; now therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the fifth Working Supervisor position be defunded and remain on our roster vacant and unfunded, and the Wastewater Collection Systems Supervisor position be funded and filled as soon as practicable. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.3 Clerk’s Office - Reallocation of Information Management Specialist Position Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, an Information Management Specialist requested a review of her position in consideration of a reallocation, and WHEREAS, the review determined that a permanent and material growth in the position’s responsibilities has occurred since the position was last evaluated in 2007, and WHEREAS, the Human Resources Department reviewed the point factor evaluation of the Information Management Specialist position and determined that the growth in responsibilities merits an increased point factor rating, which results in the reallocation of the position to a higher salary grade, now, therefore, be it City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 10 RESOLVED, That the position of Information Management Specialist be reallocated from Grade 5 to Grade 6 of the Confidential Employees Compensation Plan effective February 22, 2017, and be it further RESOLVED, That the funding to cover the resulting salary increases shall be derived from within the approved 2017 departmental budget. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.4 Authorization to Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Friends of Stewart Park Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca purchased Stewart Park from the Renwick Park and Traffic Association on July 4, 1921, and the City has continuously owned and operated Stewart Park since such purchase; and WHEREAS, in recognition of Stewart Park’s centennial anniversary in 2021, Friends of Stewart Park (hereinafter “FSP”) a non-profit organization with the mission of revitalizing Stewart Park, requested a formal agreement with the City to govern the relationship with the City and improvements to Stewart Park; and WHEREAS, the City is the process of studying and developing a master plan for all City parks, and FSP is developing its Stewart Park Revitalization Plan, which encompasses the organization’s goals for preserving and bringing new life to Stewart Park; and WHEREAS, FSP anticipates fundraising efforts to support completion of Revitalization Plan projects on or before the Stewart Park centennial anniversary in 2021; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to execute an agreement that recognizes a public/private partnership between the City and FSP to govern these revitalization efforts and provide structure as to how the City and FSP will work together in completion of projects in Stewart Park; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That Common Council supports the City’s partnership with Friends of Stewart Park; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor, upon the advice of the City Attorney, is authorized to execute a memorandum of understanding with Friends of Stewart Park to memorialize the roles and processes the parties will implement to accomplish the parties’ shared Stewart Park revitalization goals and projects. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.5 Opposition to Proposed 2018 Federal Government Budget Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 11 WHEREAS, President Trump’s Budget Blueprint for 2018 has proposed to move $54 billion from human and environmental spending at home and abroad to military spendingi, bringing military spending to well over 60% of federal discretionary spendingii; and WHEREAS, the federal budget proposed by President Trump would eliminate or drastically reduce funding for programs that provide critically important assistance to Ithaca’s low income residents, including, but not limited to, "Meals On Wheels" for seniors, transit, and affordable housing; and WHEREAS, polling has found a majority of the American public favors reducing military spendingiii; and WHEREAS, part of helping alleviate the refugee crisis should be ending, not escalating, wars that create refugeesiv; and WHEREAS, President Trump himself admits that the enormous military spending of the past 16 years has been disastrous and made us less safe, not saferv; and WHEREAS, a fraction of the proposed military budget could provide free, top-quality education from pre-school through collegevi, end hunger and starvation on Earthvii, convert the U.S. to clean energyviii, provide clean drinking water everywhere it’s needed on the planetix, build fast trains between all major U.S. citiesx, and double non-military U.S. foreign aid rather than cutting itxi; and WHEREAS, 121 retired U.S. generals have written a letter opposing cutting foreign aidxii; and WHEREAS, a December 2014 Gallup poll of 65 nations found that the United States was far and away the country considered the largest threat to peace in the worldxiii; and WHEREAS, a United States responsible for providing clean drinking water, schools, medicine, and solar panels to others would be more secure and face far less hostility around the world; and WHEREAS, our environmental and human needs are desperate and urgent; and WHEREAS, the military is itself the greatest consumer of petroleum we havexiv; and WHEREAS, economists at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have documented that military spending is an economic drain rather than an effective jobs programxv; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca urges U.S. Representative Thomas Reed, and U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to move our tax dollars in exactly the opposite direction proposed by the President, from militarism to human and environmental needs. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 12 3.6 Dogs on the Commons (Discussion) The Committee welcomed Police Officers Alex Pape and Brandon Goldsberry to the meeting. They were asked to attend this meeting to answer questions about what they do when they see people with their dogs on the Commons. The Officers reported that the only dogs that are allowed on the Commons are service animals or dogs whose owner have a permit for the dog. If they see other people walking their dogs on the Commons, they educate them about the laws more than enforce them because the signs that explains the rules of the Commons are not readily visible or the individuals are tourists from out of town or new comers to the area and are frequenting the businesses. The Committee discussed this topic and what would be the next steps. Should the laws be changed to allow dogs on the Commons or should the signage be made more visible and the laws enforced? The Committee agreed that this item should be put on the agenda for a future meeting. The Committee thanked the Officers for their comments. 3.7 Mass Notification System (Discussion) The City is considering a Mass Notification System to notify the public about emergencies in the City (e.g. ice jam, discolored water, odd/even parking, water main break, accidents, closed roads, etc.). The person or persons authorized to send the notifications would be designated in advance. Individuals must sign up for the notifications and customize how they want to receive the messages (e.g. e-mail, phone or texts). A translation system would be built into the program. Tompkins County has expressed an interest in collaborating with the City on a county-wide Mass Notification System. If this happens, the cost to fund the system would be less for the City, residents in the County would be added to the system and, due to this being shared services, the County would handle the procurement. More information regarding the Mass Notification System will be provided at the next meeting. 3.8 Proposed Ordinance – Legislation Creating New Advisory Commissions 3.9 Proposed Local Law 2.3 – Legislation Creating New Advisory Commissions Chairperson Mohlenhoff stated that agenda items 3.8 and 3.9 would be for discussion only. Ms. Mohlenhoff reviewed with the Committee a list of items that the Working Group needed input or guidance on how to move forward (e.g. voting structure, authority & makeup of Committee, who appoints Committee chair, staffing, transitioning from the old Committees/Boards to the new Committees, etc.). Any suggested changes coming out of this discussion will be made and brought back to the meeting next month for a vote. City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 13 4. Finance, Budget and Appropriations 4.1 Controller – Approval of Bonds Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. The City borrows funds twice a year. To borrow these funds, Common Council must first authorize the issuance of the bonds. This request is to approve the authorization of Capital Projects approved by Council since the last authorization in December 2016. The projects needed for authorization include projects approved since January 2017 and any previously authorized projects not yet included in a bond resolution. The total amount of the projects needed for authorization is $1,178,000. The City is required to pay its debt first. The City’s current outstanding debt, including this issuance, is $129,730,883. While $61,427,365 of the City’s outstanding debt is related to water, sewer or wastewater and is exempt from the debt limit, the City still has a significant amount of general outstanding debit totaling $68,303,518. The amount of reimbursement for Federal and State aid will range from $5,000,000 to $8,000,000. The total issuance for late July will be $200,000, plus renewal of the Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs) coming due. Of the new money, all $200,000 is for General Fund purposes. Interest rates for these BANs will be between 1% and 2%. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 5. Committee Working Group. None. 6. Budget Discussion. None. 7. Meeting Wrap-up 7.1 Announcements. None. 7.2 Next Meeting Date: June 21, 2017. 7.3 Review, Agenda Items for Next Meeting: A discussion on local phone numbers for Common Council members will be added to the agenda for next month. 7.4 Adjourn: With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson Kerslick, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. i “Trump to Seek $54 Billion Increase in Military Spending,” The New York Times, February 27, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02//us/politics/trump-budget- military.html ii This does not include another 6% for 27the discretionary portion of veterans’ care. For a breakdown of discretionary spending in the 2015 budget from the National Priorities Project, see https://www.nationalpriorities.org/campaigns/military-spending-united-states iii http://vop.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Defense_Budget_Report.pdf City Administration Committee Meeting May 17, 2017 Page 14 iv “43 Million People Kicked Out of Their Homes,” World Beyond War, http://worldbeyondwar.org/43-million-people-kicked-homes / “Europe’s Refugee Crisis Was Made in America,” The Nation, https://www.thenation.com/article/europes-refugee-crisis-was-made-in-america v On February 27, 2017, Trump said, “Almost 17 years of fighting in the Middle East . . . $6 trillion we’ve spent in the Middle East . . . and we’re nowhere, actually if you think about it we’re less than nowhere, the Middle East is far worse than it was 16, 17 years ago, there’s not even a contest . . . we have a hornet’s nest . . . .” http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/02/27/trump_we_spent_6_trillion_in_middle_east_and_we_are_less_than_nowhere_far_worse_than_16_years_ago.html vi “Free College: We Can Afford It,” The Washington Post, May 1, 2012, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/free-college-we-can-afford- it/2012/05/01/gIQAeFeltT_story.html vii “The World Only Needs 30 Billion Dollars a Year to Eradicate the Scourge of Hunger,” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000853/index.html viii “Clean Energy Transition Is A $25 Trillion Free Lunch,” Clean Technica, https://cleantechnica.com/2015/11/03/clean-energy-transition-is-a-25-trillion-free-lunch / See also: http://www.solutionaryrail.org ix “Clean Water for a Healthy World,” UN Environment Program, http://www.unwater.org/wwd10/downloads/WWD2010_LOWRES_BROCHURE_EN.pdf x “Cost of High Speed Rail in China One Third Lower than in Other Countries,” The World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/07/10/cost-of- high-speed-rail-in-china-one-third-lower-than-in-other-countries xi Non-military U.S. foreign aid is approximately $25 billion, meaning that President Trump would need to cut it by over 200% to find the $54 billion he proposes to add to military spending xii Letter to Congressional leaders, February 27, 2017, http://www.usglc.org/downloads/2017/02/FY18_International_Affairs_Budget_House_Senate.pdf xiii http://www.wingia.com/en/services/about_the_end_of_year_survey/global_results/7/33 xiv “Fight Climate Change, Not Wars,” Naomi Klein, http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2009/12/fight-climate-change-not-wars xv “The U.S. Employment Effects of Military and Domestic Spending Priorities: 2011 Update,” Political Economy Research Institute, https://www.peri.umass.edu/publication/item/449-the-u-s-employment-effects-of-military-and-domestic-spending-priorities-2011-update