HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1976-03-12 BOARD OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT MINUTES
City of Ithaca
Special Meeting March 12, 1976 3:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Chm. L. Benson; Mrs:. N. Meyer,lillessrs. D:.. Fuller, R. Hildreth and
S. Stein.
ALSO: Dept. staff members J. Benedict, J. Meigs and R. Williams; Mayor E.
Conley, Mrs. Ann Jones and members of the media.
ABSENT: Messrs. R. Moran and P. Saggese.
Vice Chm. Stein opened the meeting at 3:30,; Chm. Benson arrived shortly
thereafter and took over the chair. She told the Board that the items to be
discussed were 1) the Board's position and the City's role in providing health
care, and 2) the Board's position with respect to the proposed school district
reorganization actions. The school issue was taken up first. A position state-
ment prepared by the staff was reviewed and discussed for possible adoption by
the Board. The statement is as follows:
"The Ithaca School Board is currently, in the face of declining school enrollments
and significant State funding cutbacks, studying alternative school district re-
organization schemes. Solutions to the problems of underutilized school facilities
and. severe financial constraints will directly affect not only the school-age
population, but will have a significant impact on the entire, community as well.
The Board of Planning.and Development of the City of Ithaca would like to initiate
public discussion of the potential effects of the School Board's decisions on
growth patterns, residential choice and the future of neighborhoods, and on the
continued economic viability and livability of the City of Ithaca.
Neighborhood schools are a well-established tradition in this country, and have
long played a critical role in defining and creating a focus for neighborhoods.
Not only do parents often choose to settle in a neighborhood on the basis of the
local school, but the school may serve as a meeting place and community facility
for the entire area If neighborhood schools are closed, all the area residents
suffer. Thus, we would suggest that instead of limiting discussion of school
reorganization, the question of how to most efficiently utilize school buildings
for primary and secondary students only, the discussion be broadened to one of
how to most effectively and economically utilize school buildings, viewing them
as community resources: . This implies that we would like to see the School Board
agree to explore the idea of sharing its facilities with the City and other
community groups or agencies providing services or programs which could be com-
patibly housed together to the mutual benefit of all concerned. Models for
cooperative ventures between a school district and other human development agencies
abound and have often proven enormously successful in not only solving some of the
financial problems but in providing a wide range of educational, recreational, and
cultural activities in which all members of the community can participate.
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The Board also wants to express its concern about the effects that the School
Board's decisions will have on the City as a whole. Since most recent resi-
dential growth has been in the suburban areas, the newest schools are located
there. Decisions to close and consolidate facilities based strictly on opera-
ting and maintenance cost efficiency ignore a whole range of social and
economic costs which the City and its residents will have to bear. Educational
opportunities for one's children often. play a major role in residential choice,
and if the City of Ithaca cannot offer residents and potential residents the
same educational advantages as outlying areas can, more and more people will
choose to live outside the City. A great deal of money .and energy has been
spent in the past few years .to rehabilitate the downtown,- to improve the quality
of the residential neighborhoods, and in general to create a livable urban environ-
ment with a strong economic base. Schools are a crucial part of that good urban
environment. The City thus has a. great stake in the quality of the City's schools
and would like a say in the future of those schools.
Bec , e the school district reorganization will have very serious direct and
indirect consequences for us all as school district taxpayers, and in many cases
also as parents, and because we feel the School Board has not as yet addressed
itself to the issues outlined here, the Board of Planning and Development recom-
mends that the School Board delay its decisions about closing the facilities which
now house educational programs until the 1977-78 school year, and that a study
group be established to. consider the long-term implications of alternatives for
the future use of school district facilities and for provision of a range of edu-
rational programs. Represented in the study group should be all those parties
which will besignificantly affected by any reorganization.actions which the
School Board _ultimately takes. Focusing on the broader issues involved may in
fact lead to solutions which are both more economical and beneficial for the
entire community."
Mayor Conley opened the general discussion of the City's position re. School
Board actions. He stressed that this is an appropriate issue for the Board of
Planning & Development to consider because .of the impacts which School Board
decisions may have on the future of the City and its neighborhoods. He will take
the. Planning Board's recommendations to Council, in a special meeting, if necessary,
in order for the City to take an official position on the 'school district reorgani-
zation.
Mayor Conley then spoke about the importance of East Hill School to the
neighborhood and how the school has been the drawing card for many families which
decided to move into the area because of the school. This trend for families to
move back onto East Hill and stabilize the. neighborhood could be halted if the
school were closed. Mayor Conley alluded to his own decision to live in the Belle
Sherman area because of the neighborhood school.
Mayor Conley suggested that if East Hill cannot be fully or partially main-
tained as an elementary school, the City would like to discuss with the School
Board the possibility of partially using the building as a community facility,
perhaps using CD funds. He then emphasized the importance of taking a long-range
look at all the school facilities in the City so that there will be alternative
solutions if and when the School Board wants to close city schools because of the
age of the facility or declining enrollments. He stated that city residents
have supported new school construction in the suburbs and busing of school
children with tax dollars. The City should also work to protect its own schools.
Ms. Meyer concurred that the outlying areas should now support the City
which has supported them and reiterated that the East Hill neighborhood must
have a school to attract residents.
Mr. Stein stated that he was troubled by the trend of population shifting
to the suburbs and the potential impact of school closings in the central area
of the City. He suggested we approach the problem in positive manner, emphasizing
the potential benefits of a cooperative approach.
Mr. Saggese stated that the School Board will look at all school facilities
in its search for ways to cut costs. He asked if CD funds were available for
support of school facilities and programs, and if schools other than East Hill
might be involved. Mayor Conley responded that CD funds could be used to support
any school used as a neighborhood facility, and that shared use of some facilities
might prove beneficial to both the school district and the City. For example,
Mayor Conley pointed out that in talking with School Superintendent Backer he
learned that a cooperative approach might increase funding opportunities.
D. Fuller stated that he liked the positive approach, but disagreed that
.the Planning Board position statement be limited to concerns about facilities.
He felt that a range of'educational options should be available in the public
school system.
A general discussion followed concerning multiple use of school facilities.
S. Stein MOVED, and P. Saggese seconded, that"the staff recommendations on
school district reorganization before the Board for discussion be approved as
the "sense of the Board," and be sent to Common Council and the School Board for
consideration of the specific recommendations set forth herein.
Chm. Benson introduced the subject of the Cornell health proposal and the
need for the City to make a statement with respect to its own role in provision of
a health facility downtown. The following letter and statement were passed out
to each board member. Ms. Benson asked that the board members read. the statements
and letter before going on with the discussion.
"The provision of primary health care to residents of the City of Ithaca, particu-
larly those residing in-downtown neighborhoods, has long been a concern of the City..
In public hearings held by the Ithaca Community Development Agency the provision
of good primary health care in the Northside and Southside areas was given a high
priority. In response to this priority, the City has been working extensively
with the Family Medicine Program in an attempt to establish a family medicine center
at a yet to be determined location in downtown Ithaca.
The City's ability to provide health services is limited. However, through the
Community Development Program it is able to provide neighborhood facilities within
which health programs can be operated independently of the City. There are funds
in the present Community Development budget for such a neighborhood facility. The
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Board of Planning & Development of the City supports the use of Community
Development dollars for this purpose. Using these funds for the provision of
a health facility downtown is seen by the Board as a necessary and significant
contribution to the overall system of health care in the County. Just as
importantly, such services in areas of need help to strengthen the livability
of the neighborhoods.
. Cornell's plan for a new infirmary which would provide primary health
care to the student population, and might also be open to the general public
on a fee for service basis, has been a catalyst for discussion regarding the
overall provision of primary health care in the greater Ithaca area. These
discussions could eventually be of great benefit to all concerned including
health care providers and consumers. Cornell's present proposal indicates that,
in order to maintain a first rate infirmary for Cornell students, it is necessary
to provide broader services to the greater community. This possible competition
with other health care providers may. directly threaten the Family Medicine
Program's financial viability which may in turn threaten the level of care
available to the downtown residents and possibly others in the larger community.
Given limited community resources, any new health care proposal must be examined
for its possible negative as well as positive effects on existing and proposed
programs and facilities. Every effort should be made to maintain and improve
health care services to all segments of the total area.
The Family Medicine Program is ready to. begin operation downtown within six
months, whereas Cornell will not have its new infirmary ready for possibly three
years. The need for primary health care in the downtown area is too great to
wait, and we believe the Family Medicine Program, once in operation, can survive
in downtown. Therefore, the City remains committed to the timely establishment
of a primary health care facility in downtown and will continue to work with the
Family Medicine Program toward that end. This position does not preclude the
inclusion of a downtown facility in an overall system, including Cornell and other
health providers, which would strengthen the entire system. It is hoped that all
health needs, in the County would be better served at the level desired by the
Community, within an integrated system of health care delivery.
The City's intention to proceed with a downtown health facility is indicative
of its overall commitment to insure that all segments of the Ithaca community
and Tompkins County receive the best health care possible."
Anne Jones, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee which has been meeting to
consider the Cornell proposal and also a member of the Hospital Board of Managers,
commented that she thought everyone on the Board should read the Cornell report.
Mayor Conley related the information that the County is setting up a
committee to consider ways of having all parties cooperate in an overall health
system. He suggested that Stuart Stein be on the committee. There was further
discussion of which health provider should be the primary focus of the County.
Chm. Benson stated that that discussion was not directly dealing with the
issue before the. Board. Cornell will be going to its funding agency shortly.
The City has concernsand needs. The statement before them does not address the
larger issue of an overall health system.
Ms. Meyer said in response that Cornell inay have to go to Trustees only
because of timing but this does not mean that they are not listening to outside
input and concerns. The chairman stressed that the whole point of the statement
from the City is related to the Trustee meeting.
Mr. Stein emphasized his concern for primary health care. He stressed that
he felt that no one is addressing themselves to primary health care including
the Journal's two editorials which have ignored the Family Medicine Program. He
insists that the statement and letter to President Corson should reinforce the
concern for the Family Medicine Program and primary health care. He asked
whether we wanted to ask Cornell for a delay as stated in the letter to President
Corson.
The Chairman inquired whether the Board wanted the sentence that implied a
delay eliminated from the letter. Stein wanted Cornell to know about the plans
for a health facility downtown and thought the letter should .relate just that.
The Mayor informed other board members who were unfamiliar with the plans
for a downtown health facility of the Community Development Agency's involvement
with the Family Medicine Program.
Stein reiterated that the City does not want its efforts to be undercut by
Cornell and that it wants to go ahead with its plans.
Fuller asked whether discussions have gone on with Cornell recently about
their proposal. LeGrace Benson responded yes and said that Cornell has been
responsive but the statement is meant to protect the City's efforts. The Mayor
stated that he wanted to go to Common Council for their adoption, possibly at
a special meeting.
The Chairman called for a vote on two changes to the letter to President
Corson. Mr. Stein MOVED that "the last paragraph be eliminated except for the
last sentence which was to be retained and added to the first paragraph." The
motion CARRIED. Vote: Ayes - 3; Nays - 1.
There was discussion as to whether the Board should support the Ad Hoc
Committee and Board of Representatives in a request for delay. This suggestion
died for lack of a supporting motion.
Mr. Fuller MOVED that "the letter and statement be sent with approved
changes to President Corson." Ms. Meyer seconded.. The motion CARRIED unanimously.
Nancy Meyer MOVED that the meeting be adjourned and Stuart Stein seconded
the motion. The motion CARRIED unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
4wl, r-
H. Matthys Van Cort
Director, _Tlanning & Development
3.19.76
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