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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. -2- 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 -3- • _4_ • 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 -5-